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Friday 18 February 2022
Trapline taking out pests
Des Clark, Patrick Mulcahy and Darryl Wilkins building a section of the trapline though the bush at Kaituna. Photo: Supplied. JO RICHARDS
Conservation 150 traps, cleverly modified by effort. “Right from day one, we’ve had help After Cyclone Gita, in 2018, a small team Des to incorporate flags that indicate whether from people and amazing support from local reinstated the damaged Kaituna Track, and now the trap has been sprung. This innovation, he businesses.” He reels off a list of supporters that that team is establishing a predator trapline says, saves time, effort and wet feet, reducing includes DOC, Manawhenua ki Mohua, Peter the need to descend steep drops or cross a river. Butler, GB Dolomite, Millers Garage, ITM, Rural along its route. “We can see if a trap’s been triggered from Services, Pupu Hydro and Silex Tools. While the restoration of the track “hardware” and ecology “software” remain works in up to 200 metres away.” Apart from putting in the hours on the Haydon explains that traps are deployed trapline, the core team has raised funds, which progress, the Kaituna Track Restoration Society recently celebrated a major milestone with from the Rockville end of the Kaituna track are used to pay for flights into inaccessible its capture of the 1000th pest predator. The to the Forks. From there the trapline deviates locations. “We turned firewood into helicopter landmark haul, accumulated since June 2019, away to the west, following the old 1902 gold time,” says Des. miners’ benched track for a time, and then west comprises 148 stoats plus 852 rats. Although there are plans to add more traps, Core team members Des Clark, Darryl towards Mangarakau. Work to complete the Des explains that the current focus of their work Wilkins, Haydon Miller, Brian Sixtus, Keith trapline is ongoing. is on improving access. “We’re concentrating on The traps are monitored very closely, says making the trapline more walkable.” Tomlinson and Patrick Mulcahy do most of the hard yakka, but they are assisted by regular Haydon. The recent heavy downpour has not caused “The guys are on the track most days if significant damage to the track, except in a volunteers – including some North Islanders who have local links and help out while visiting weather and other commitments permit – couple of minor places. In other locations it may so they get regularly checked, including by have helped, says Des, shortly after returning the Bay. Des Clark reckons the team has, so far, laid Kaituna-based local members who regularly from a “brilliant day” on the trapline. check them when walking theWORKMANSHIP lower track.” out around 135 traps along a line stretching FRIENDLY huge slab of rock has slid down – but for ∙ QUALITY ∙“ALOCAL Des says the initiative is a community-wide once it’s worked in our favour.” some 16km. Most are standard Department of
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THE GB WEEKLY, FRIDAY 18 FEBRUARY 2022
COUNCILLOR CHRIS HILL
The Review into the Future for Local Government is one of the many reform processes that council is contributing to this year. When I last wrote about the Local Government (LG) review, the panel’s interim report had just been produced. It focused on identifying some priority questions. After their national roadshow of workshops they have subsequently identified and proposed five key shifts to local governance in the future that they believe will be required of a new system. The five shifts and some of their key aspects follow: Strengthened local democracy: The new system empowers citizens and increases public trust, multi-generational representation, hybrid systems that include iwi/Māori and appointed experts to complement elected members, exploration of longer terms and voter age. Stronger focus on wellbeing: Shift from focus on infrastructure service delivery to focus on “complex wellbeing challenges”; central and local government collaborate on health, housing, education, community safety, and economic/social/cultural/ environmental wellbeing. LG is a broker with a co-ordinator focus. Authentic relationship with Hapū/Iwi Māori: Enabling self-determination, shared authority and equitable prosperity; and iwi being a decision maker and deliverer of services and activities. Genuine partnership between central and local government: Long-term vision for Aotearoa New Zealand – shift from low trust and confidence in each other to structured and strategic partnership; citizen and community centred with a community view aligned to local and national objectives. More equitable funding: National and local governments both making contributions to community outcomes/ priorities, equity based progressive taxation principles. It is clear that the shifts will be significant. The current model is outdated given the range of demands on councils these days, and given that the last restructuring took place 33 years ago. Those reforms were driven by a desire to address fragmentation. The result was a standard template applied across the country that saw Auckland governed in the same manner as Tasman. The panel has yet to determine its preferred system. A system fit for the future will entail more than new structures and functions. Continued on page 2
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