Cyclone recovery: making donations

JO RICHARDS

After the devastation caused by Cyclone Gabrielle comes the massive clean-up. It’s clear from the TV coverage that it’s going to be a long, hard and expensive road to recovery. As always in such dire situations we see Kiwis helping Kiwis and already significant donations of food, equipment, materials and clothing have been rolling in across the country. Although such generosity is well-intentioned, transport and distribution of supplies creates a major challenge and items may not match needs on the ground. NEMA is therefore recommending that anyone wishing to help affected communities should donate cash to one or more of the bona fide relief funds. Examples of such organisations accepting donations are provided below: Red Cross NZ Disaster Fund: Go to website: https://www. redcross.org.nz/support-us/our-current-appeals/new-zealanddisaster-fund/

Mayoral Relief Funds: Several councils in the badly affected areas have set up relief funds. Details of how to make donations are provided at: https://www.civildefence.govt.nz/resources/ news-and-events/news-and-events/mayoral-relief-funds/

Federated Farmers: The farmers’ organisation has an Adverse Events Trust set up to receive donations, accessible at: https:// www.farmersadverseevents.co.nz/donate/

The Feds are also ready to mobilise their Farmy Army, and have set up a registration webpage for anyone wishing to volunteer: https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/8c09e4b2989 b403c9fdc07174f86c1e1

Rural Women NZ has its own Adverse Events Fund to support rural families facing hardship. To make a donation contact the RWNZ National Office on 0800 256 467.

There are numerous other individuals and businesses seeking donations, but there are reports that many have no way of showing where or how the funds will be used. So the advice is for donors to give to reputable organisations only.

CB confidential

I was unable to attend the Golden Bay Community Board meeting on 12 February.

I was shocked to read in last week’s paper (GBW, 17/2), under the heading “GB Community Board“, this final sentence: “Following a review of the Action Sheet, the board moved into a confidential session from which the public – and the media – were excluded.”

How can this be? I thought we lived in a free, open, and participating democracy. To exclude the ratepayers and residents and our only source of information [the media] from a public meeting, I believed only happened in China, Russia, and their ilk.

What can be so secret that it has to be hidden from us? This is not the Kiwi way. Would a request to explain, under the Official Information Act be fruitful?

Reg Turner

Reply from GBCB chair Abbie Langford:

Yes, we did move into a confidential session as we were discussing candidates for the Community Boards Executive Committee, a body which represents all NZ Community Boards, and acts as an advisory to LGNZ.

The committee represents the boards, so it is the boards who vote for their representatives. As the vote is sensitive

Crossword 280

The winners of the February crossword competition are Piers and Jenny Maclaren

Congratulations, your prize is at Take Note.

Solutions

ACROSS: 1. Feasting 6. Catch 10. Average 11. Insight 12. Oxygen 13. Allotted 15. Spot 16. Chicken out 20. Do away with 21. Felt 23. Pedestal 25. Create 27. Inherit 28. Trickle 29. Tanks 30. Reassure

DOWN: 2. Every now and then 3. Shamed 4. Item 5. Grill 6. Customer 7. Tightrope walker 8. Hated 9. Caroused 14. Show 17. Cite 18. Tethered 19. Maestros 22. Orbits 23. Paint 24. Actor 26. Etna

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