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June 3, 2015
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Rodney rates spent on two-minute film Kauri giants healthy after dieback scare
Kauri dieback disease has been found at 12 sites in Rodney and Kaipara, but two Warkworth giants have been cleared as healthy, after getting a check-up last month. Parry Kauri Park’s 800-year-old and 600-year-old kauri trees, known as McKinney and Simpson, were inspected by two Auckland Council arborists, who spent two days in the crowns of the trees after concern about a number of dead limbs. Kauri and Native Bushmen’s Association president Ray Jensen says the park remains kauri dieback free, but keeping it that way relies on visitors and volunteers cleaning and disinfecting their footwear before entry. Unfortunately, other kauri forests in Rodney have not been so lucky and have been transformed into kauri graveyards (Read the full story on kauri dieback in Rodney on page 6). The bushmen’s association has planted about 2000 kauri trees over the last decade and is holding a planting day at Parry Kauri Park on Sunday, June 7, from 10am to noon. Meet at the Warkworth Museum carpark.
In another example of ‘spend it or lose it’, the Rodney Local Board has shelled out $19,000 on a two-minute video to promote international relations. In a process that started two years ago, the board allocated $16,000 to “investigate existing international relationships in Rodney and explore opportunities to enhance the economic benefits from these relationships”. Board member Steven Garner says the Board wanted to produce something to promote Rodney to people outside of the region and the project was funded from money, which had to be spent by the end of that financial year. “I think the video is really good,” Mr Garner says. The video is being put onto USB sticks, which schools can include in information packs to encourage international students from overseas, he says. “We decided the video would have a greater impact and generate more views if students were given a physical copy.” Member Beth Houlbrooke says she was reluctant for the Board to spend money on the project, but they would have lost the money if it hadn’t. “It could have a wider benefit because it could be used by small tourism businesses in Rodney as a way to promote the area,” she says.
But, despite the video being completed six months ago, Council still has not made it publicly available or done anything to promote it to local business. Board member Greg Sayers says international relations shouldn’t be a focus for the Board. “Council should be focusing on core business and not getting involved in social and economic issues for which government is responsible.” Part of the money was spent commissioning a report from Ford Thinking Group. The report, completed in January last year, recommended the Board commission video production company 90SecondsTv to produce a video to showcase the assets of Rodney and welcome international students, business people and visitors to the region. Other options included printing 600 Rodney t-shirts for every international student which would “give wearers the opportunity to start a conversation about Rodney”, or to work with the Rodney Times to include a regular column on international related stories to “position Rodney as international in the minds of local residents”. But the report recommended a video because, “the power of video lies in its
off the drawing board this month . . .
new home – tutukaka harbourside
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