8 minute read

HELEN WHITE: LABOUR LIST MP

from PONSONBY NEWS - DECEMBER '22

by Ponsonby News

from PONSONBY NEWS - DECEMBER '22, page 76

Article from: PONSONBY NEWS - DECEMBER '22

LIVING, THINKING + BEING

HELEN WHITE: LABOUR LIST MP BASED IN AUCKLAND CENTRAL

One of the big learnings for me in the last two years is the urgent need to pour resourcing into building Auckland’s infrastructure.

This infrastructure underpins our housing and the intensification of our city so it is also about making our economy environmentally sustainable.

Unfortunately these big projects tend to become politicised and this can distract people from an incredibly important building block in a society, whatever your politics, having fit for purpose infrastructure in a city that is going to double in size is a no-brainer.

The Infrastructure Commission is an independent body chaired by former reserve bank governor Alan Bollard, someone none of us could accuse of being politically biased towards the left. The commission has estimated there is a 31 billion dollar gap in our infrastructure per year. This is a wee bit under one tenth of our GDP.

That is something we need to face. I have been worried to hear National MP, the honourable David Bennett, who sits with me on the Transport and Infrastructure Select Committee, suggest that this is exaggerated. The whole point of the commission is to depoliticise this issue as it is a difficult fact to face politically, but there is no doubt that there is an infrastructure deficit in this country and the government is going about the job of fixing it. This is why we are seeing the focus on transport projects across Auckland, and $3.1 billion of spending on the infrastructure required to build more homes and the re-organisation of storm-water, waste water and drinking water infrastructure. I considerate reform in this area is still not well understood. This is all about creating large enough bodies to allow scale and expertise to build and manage the pipes. The separation of the entities is necessary if they are going to be able to borrow the money to build to the standard necessary, so that the water that ends up in the Hauraki Gulf is clean.

I for one would like my kids (and hopefully grandchildren one day) to be able to swim at the North Shore beaches without checking each time that they are safe. We have been luckier in Auckland than most with Watercare, but the plan is to get things into complete order across the country and yes, be able to swim at our beaches.

I do sometimes get frustrated by the fact Labour is often criticised for being committed to growth. I have listened to the arguments for “de-growth”. I believe we most certainly need to grow, but I accept it is not the be-all-and-end-all, and all growth needs to be sustainable. Climate change in part, is caused by not having considered the cost of unsustainable growth. Climate change is contributing to that infrastructure deficit. Again the Infrastructure Commission estimates $5 billion of council infrastructure across the motu is vulnerable to sea-level rise. In addition, many of those potholes in our roads come from erosion because of climate change. (HELEN WHITE)  PN

Public meeting: Tackling the Cost of Living

with Helen White, Labour List MP based in Auckland Central, and Hon Grant Robertson, MP for Wellington Central, Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of Finance

Friday 9 December | 4pm

Auckland Trades Hall, 147 Great North Road

www.labour.org.nz/helenwhite This article is funded by Parliamentary Services.

GLENGARRY RAM RAIDS

From a single store on Jervois Road, the tenacious, hard-working Josef went on to forge the family-run business that is Glengarry Wines.

Four generations on, Josef would be in a state of total disbelief that children in a stolen car could have just driven through the front doors of that hard-won business on Jervois Road, causing, yet again, tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage for a few hundred dollars worth of alcoholic booty.

Glengarry is now at 42 ram raids (across its 14 Auckland sites) and counting, with an overall cost up around $250,000. Add to that the ongoing trauma to staff and family and you can see we might be well over it all.

With the cost of each ram raid spiralling into the tens of thousands and insurance premiums mounting, not to mention the loss of income while everything is put back together, we have had to seek out advice, install bollards, barrels full of sand, security grills, film on the windows, upgraded cameras, alarm systems - you name it, we’ve done it in an attempt to stem this horrendous tide.

While this out-of-control social situation is no easy fix, we do pay our taxes, and yet because we have more than one store, we are ineligible for any government assistance. Conclusion? This is an unsustainable situation that is devastating so many businesses. New Zealand cannot endure it. Something has to change. Words won’t fix it.

www.glengarrywines.co.nz

LOCAL NEWS PONSONBY U3A: NOVEMBER 2022

Always a tram in sight...

The November meeting of Ponsonby U3A saw members eagerly awaiting the second talk from MOTAT’s tramway project coordinator, James Duncan, as he continued the fascinating story of trams in Auckland.

James told Part 2 of the story - ‘Always a Tram in Sight’ - behind Auckland’s much loved electric trams. He showed a selection of historic images covering the glory years, followed by a 10-minute video that took us through the declining years of the trams. Its electric trams served the city so well for 54 years, from 1902 through to 1956 - regarded by many as the best public transport system that Auckland has had.

The first talk in the series had looked at how it all began. The British-owned Auckland Electric Tramways Company built the system and imported the first 43 trams from the UK. The tramway opened in November 1902. By the end of the First World War the City Council and the Tramway Company’s relationship had sunk to an all-time low. The Auckland Electric Tramways Company finally conceded to the Auckland City Council’s demands and accepted the offer of 1.2 million pounds for the entire tramway system in 1919.

The first trolley bus service was to Herne Bay and commenced in September 1949. Thousands of Aucklanders turned up to ride this new wonder of the transport age. From then on there was a staged conversion of each tram route to trolley buses across the city.

We could all relate to the story of the free Farmers’ trolley bus carrying customers up steep Wyndham St to Farmers in Hobson St. In the early 1930s Farmers’ founder, Robert Laidlaw, visited Great Britain and in London saw the new marvel of the transport age – the trackless tram, or as we know it, the trolley bus. He came up with a plan and supported by his board he approached the Transport Board and offered to purchase four trolley buses and gift them to the city. In return the Transport Board would run a free service from Queen Street to Farmers in Hobson St and from Karangahape Road to Farmers.

James’s talk was met with a standing ovation. He will return next year with the third talk in the series, ‘From Trash to Treasure.’

Helen Pearce was the 10-minute speaker with an enlightening talk on firebrand politician, John A Lee. Helen had initially researched his life and work for a talk she gave to the Pt Chevalier Historical Society. John A Lee was member for Grey Lynn, at one time holding the greatest majority in parliament. Controversial politician and writer of 20 books, he was linked to this area having lived in Pt Chevalier Rd, next to the fire station, as well as representing Grey Lynn in parliament. The new social housing at the corner of Pt Chevalier Rd and Great North Rd is named John A Lee Corner.

Ponsonby U3A welcomes visitors and new members. The 2023 year starts in February. If you would like to come along to a meeting, please call President Ian Smith M: 021 130 2330. (PHILIPPA TAIT)  PN

Erratum In the summary of Steve Skinner’s September 2022 10-minute talk to Ponsonby U3A, the developer of Halter (Virtual Fences) was incorrectly reported. It was not Steve’s son-in law, but Craig Piggott, an employee of Rocket Lab New Zealand. Craig came from a rural farming background and developed Halter at home and then sometimes at work. Peter Beck of Rocket Lab supported the project and then found financial backers to set up the company.

NEXT MEETING: Members’ Christmas Party. 9.30 am, Friday, 9 December, Herne Bay Petanque Club.

ENQUIRIES: Ian Smith, President, Ponsonby U3A. M: 021 130 2330, www.u3a.nz

James Duncan

Sessions available for tamariki aged 2-5yrs!

email admin@ponsykids.org.nz or phone us on 376 0896

A t P o n s y K i d s C o m m n i t y P r e s c h o o l , c h i l d r e n a n d t h e i r f a m i l i e s a r e a t t h e h e a r t o f e v e r y t h i n g w e d o . . .