Louise Askin - Whaitua Te Whanganui-a-Tara Committee
Kia ora koutou, I’m Louise from Makara, and a co-chair of the Whaitua Te Whanganui-a-Tara Committee. We are a community committee tasked with making recommendations to Greater Wellington Regional Council and our city councils on the future of water quality and its use in Wellington, Upper Hutt and Lower Hutt (our Whaitua). Our waterways are precious and our water networks (freshwater, wastewater and stormwater) are vital for our community’s wellbeing. Recently, we have been learning about the state of water in our area and gathering community input on how water is valued and what should be done to look after it.
I live with my family beside the Makara Stream and we follow its path each day, winding from the beach up toward the headwaters above Makara Village or Ohariu. Our rural communities value their waterways and we want their input on how to best achieve reductions of sediment and pathogens in our rural areas. In town, there is a huge job ahead in upgrading the piped water networks and lessening our three cities’ impact on water quality - while also planning for population growth. Our region must meet national water quality requirements within a few years so we want to find solutions that reflect our communities’ views and are informed by good evidence and information.
Get in touch with us to give us your thoughts. You can reach us at whaitua@gw.govt.nz. To see what we have been doing visit our Facebook page. To share what you value about our water and your solutions, have your say here.
Poll: Does the building consent process need to change?
We definitely need homes that are fit to live in but there are often frustrations when it comes to getting consent to modify your own home.
Do you think changes need made to the current process for building consent? Share your thoughts below.
Type 'Not For Print' if you wish your comments to be excluded from the Conversations column of your local paper.
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91.7% Yes
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8% No
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0.3% Other - I'll share below!
Volunteers needed in Taita
Do you have trade skills? Or are you a person who is keen to help and learn? Work on the The Christ Church Taita Visitor Centre is well underway. This is a major historical taonga which was built over 160 years ago. It is a landmark in the history of European settlement in NZ and is the oldest church in Wellington.
Volunteers are now needed to assist in the fit out of the building’s interior. Are you keen to get involved in this exciting and significant project? ⬇️
Builders Labourer
This role is for anyone who would enjoy working on a building site interior and who is willing to learn new skills. Young people are especially welcome! Work may involve handling materials like Gib Board, plaster and insulation, some outdoor labour like digging trenches and laying paving. This work will be supervised by an experienced and qualified person.
Semi-skilled Tradesperson
This role is for anyone with previous building experience to assist in the fit out.
See our website for more info and to register your interest for these exciting roles:
tinyurl.com...
What's On: WAIKANAE BEACH MOTHERS DAY MARKET
WAIKANAE BEACH MOTHERS DAY MARKET
- Waikanae Beach Community Hall