Standing for Mayor
By Frank Neill
Fauono Ken Laban, the highly respected and long-serving community leader, is standing for the Lower Hutt Mayoralty in the upcoming local body elections. Continued on page 2.
Fauono Ken Laban at his Wainuiomata home. Photo: Supplied.
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WELLINGTON SUBURBAN NEWSPAPERS
REPORTER
Frank Neill
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Listening to every voice
Continued from page 1
“Leadership That Unites, Priorities That Deliver” is the tagline the Wainuiomata resident, community leader, broadcaster and former Police officer is using for his campaign.
Listening to every voice and leading a Council that truly works for Hutt city is his aim.
Ken’s campaign is centred on practical priorities and collaborative leadership.
As the son of Samoan migrants who built their life in Wainuiomata, Ken was raised with a deep sense of service, hard work and responsibility to others.
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That background has shaped a life of public service in the Police force, on the sports field and through decades of civic leadership.
“I’ve been a player, a captain and a coach. I know what it takes to build a team that gets results,” Ken says.
“You need trust, shared goals and the discipline to work together.
“Leading a city is no different.
“It’s not about ego, it’s about bringing everyone to the table to serve something bigger than ourselves,” he says.
“I’ve spent my life bringing people together – on the field, in the community and across the region.
“Real results come from teamwork.
“As Mayor, I’ll unite people
around clear priorities, listen to every voice and lead a Council that truly works for our city,” Ken says.
His vision for Lower Hutt is built on three key areas: team effort, supporting communities and “investing in us”.
Team effort
Ken’s leadership is built on unity, not division.
He is, he says, committed to listening to every community, forging strong partnerships with mana whenua and supporting the retention of Maori wards.
“Unity isn’t a slogan, it’s how I lead.
“It’s about respecting people’s voices, building trust and getting the best out of everyone,” Ken says.
Supporting communities With a background in policing
and community leadership, Ken understands that safety is about connection, not just enforcement.
He’ll prioritise practical solutions like improved lighting, CCTV in high-risk areas, youth development spaces and access to mental health and well-being services.
“When I was a community constable, I learned that real safety comes from strong relationships,” he says.
“It’s not just about policing, it’s about knowing your neighbours, having safe spaces for our young people and ensuring support is there when families need it.”
Investing in us
Ken will demand a line-by-line budget review and get Council back to basics – fixing water infrastructure, maintaining roads and delivering the core services residents rely on.
He’ll back local businesses, support fair pay for workers and unlock fresh revenue through smart partnerships that reduce pressure on household rates.
“Ratepayers deserve value for money,” he says.
“I’ll make sure every dollar counts – focusing on the basics like water and roads, while creating opportunities for local businesses and workers.
“We can’t keep putting all the pressure on households.
“It’s time for smarter, more disciplined leadership.
“As Mayor, I’ll lead a Council that puts people first – that
listens, acts and delivers real outcomes for our city.
“Because when we unite around shared values and clear priorities, there’s nothing we can’t achieve together,” Ken says.
Ken has a long history of both leadership and local body politics. His extensive local body experience spans more than 20 years. In 2004 Ken won a seat on the Hutt Valley District Health Board and remained a member until the board was disestablished in 2022. Ken was elected to the Hutt City Council as the Wainuiomata Ward Councillor in 2010.
That same year he was elected a trustee representing Lower Hutt on the Hutt Mana Charitable Trust and continued in that role until 2022.
Ken did not seek re-election as a Hutt City Councillor in 2013, instead standing for a seat on the Greater Wellington Regional Council, representing the Hutt Valley. He won the seat and then retained it in 2016, 2019 and 2022. Ken’s leadership extends to sport. In December 2024 he was appointed to the board of Sport New Zealand.
He has provided significant leadership to the Wainuiomata Rugby League Club, including service as a player and coach.
As a noted League player, Ken was a member of the victorious Wainuiomata Lions in the 1990 Lion Red Cup final, where the Lions defeated Otahuhu 34-12.
Fauono Ken Laban. Photo: Frank Neill.
Suzy Cato coming to Wainuiomata
Beloved children’s entertainer Suzy Cato is coming to Wainuiomata.
Suzy will deliver a special performance for tamariki and their whanau at the Wainuiomata Neighbourhood Hub on Friday 11 July at 2pm.
Called “I Can Do It”, the free, family-friendly event will feature interactive storytelling, singalongs and a celebration of books and imagination.
Suzy – who was recently recognised as an officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the King’s Birthday Honours List for her services to children’s television and entertainment – is primed and ready for her Hutt visit.
"I’m so looking forward to sharing a song and story session for kids of all ages, but particularly those under 10,” she says.
“It’s a mixture of new and old songs, some so old the parents will remember them from their childhood. Yes, It’s our time.’"
The session runs for about 40 minutes with time afterwards for autographs and photos with Suzy. Spaces are limited so it’s first in, first served.
Suzy will also celebrate the release of her latest song, “My Little Library”, co-written with Arthur Baysting and Peter Dasent, which pays tribute to the magic of bedtime stories.
Those attending can expect a song and storytelling masterclass.
"A good storyteller helps add to the ‘theatre of the mind’ of a good book. They lift the words off the page and help give them life so the listener is taken on a journey and feels the emotion and passion that the author wrote with," Suzy says.
Hutt City Council’s Head of Neighbourhood Hubs and Library Services
Joann Ransom says there’s a lot of excitement building around the entertainer’s visits to Lower Hutt.
Suzy Cato. Photo: Supplied.
Suzy will also perform at the War Memorial Library in Lower Hutt at 10:30am on 9 July.
"Suzy has become a Kiwi icon of children’s entertainment and we can’t wait to give her a big Lower Hutt welcome. She will brighten up the
school holidays for many tamariki and their parents."
For more information about Suzy’s visit, and to see many other school holiday events in Lower Hutt, visit What's on in Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai Lower Hutt.
CAB needs volunteers
By Frank Neill
The Petone Citizen’s Advice Bureau (CAB), which serves Wainuiomata, is looking for volunteers.
CAB offers free, confidential and independent information and advice to anyone in the community.
The service is provided by volunteers and there are more than 2,500 volunteers throughout New Zealand.
They help people know what their rights are and how to access
the services they need.
The Petone CAB is currently in big need of volunteers.
“Do you want to make a difference in people’s lives?” Petone CAB asks.
“Do you like helping people?
“Do you like untangling problems?
“We don’t need people who know it all, just people who know how to find it all.”
For more information or to volunteer phone 04 568 8877 or email manager.petone@cab.org.nz.
People need to be enrolled to vote in the October 2025 local body elections.
People can enrol or update their enrolment details, including their address, by visiting https://vote.nz.
People can enrol if they are 18 or older, a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident, and have lived in New Zealand for more than one year continuously at some time in their life.
People who enrol or update their address after 1 August
won’t get their voting papers sent by mail. They will need to contact the Council’s electoral officer.
The last day to enrol to vote in the local elections is Friday 10 October.
People of New Zealand Maori descent can choose to enrol on the Maori roll or the general roll.
Those who are enrolled and would like to change the roll they are on before the local elections need to do it by Thursday 10 July.
Are you ready for Winter?
One of the safest and most inexpensive ways to ward off any possible winter ailment is by increasing your daily intake of Vitamin C. It can reduce the severity of colds and promote enhance health and well being for adults and children alike. Colds and flu can have a significant impact on our entire community, so it’s important to boost your immune system to help prevent winter ills and chills.
There are many ways to build and strengthen your immune system, such as: Get a flu vaccine. Keep a healthy diet with lots of fruit and vegetables. Exercise for at least 30-minutes a day.
Reduce your stress in healthy ways. Relax. Make sure you’re getting plenty of sleep. Take regular Vitamin C Supplement your diet with a multivitamin. Try to get 20-minutes of sunlight per day. Drink at least 2 l of water per day.
Green fire break to protect Baring Head
An innovative, nature-based approach to fire protection is being conducted in East Harbour Regional Park using native trees with low flammability as green fire breaks, as Greater Wellington prepares for future wildfire seasons.
Rather than a traditional firebreak of a gap in vegetation, low-flammable species like taupata will be planted strategically in the Baring Head/Orua-pouanui section of the park to impede the speed and spread of a potential wildfire.
Starving wildfires of fuel can slow their spread, says Greater Wellington’s manager for ecosystems and community David Boone.
“Low flammability plants take longer to heat up and ignite and can reduce the fire intensity,” David says.
“As we restore former grazing land to native forest and deal with the impacts of climate change, the threat of wildfires has increased, and we are taking proactive measures to mitigate these risks.
“Since 2023 we have implemented fire risk levelsin Regional Parks over summer, to ensure the safety and well-being of our park users and staff and reduce the risk of a wildfire starting and spreading.”
The risk of wildfire at Baring Head/Orua-
LETTERS to the editor
pouanui was very high over the summer of 2024/25 says Greater Wellington Councillor for Lower Hutt, Quentin Duthie.
“To protect the park and the public, the Parangarahu Lakes and Baring Head/Oruapouanui were closed for several weeksbetween 1pm and 9pmdaily,” Cr Duthie says.
“When the colour-codedfire risk reaches extreme levels, fires can easily ignite and spread quickly. We reduce the risk of someone being caught in areas with limited exits by restricting access and activities.
“Green fire break planting is an effective nature-based solution to slow the spread of a wildfire.
“In time , East Harbour will be less susceptible to fire risk, and less likely to have to close during summer. This is a long-term strategy and one that protects the land whilst working with it.”
A community winter planting day at Baring Head/Orua-pouanui will be held on Sunday 13 July to plant ngaio, ti kouka, harekeke and other native species in the valley alongside the Wainuiomata River.
Volunteers can register to take part at the Greater Wellington Regional Council website.
Way too harsh
I am writing to voice my disquiet at the very long suspensions imposed on the three Te Pati Maori MPs.
Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi, the Te Pati Maori co-leaders, have been suspended for 21 days and Hana-Rawhiti MaipiClarke has been suspended for seven days.
While I understand that Parliament may well need to sanction the three MPs for breaking the rules, I am concerned at how big a punishment was handed out.
It was way too harsh.
Before the three Te Pati Maori MPs were suspended, the longest suspension in Parlia-
ment’s 171-year history was three sitting days.
The 21 day suspension is seven times as long as that.
The seven day suspension is more than twice as long as that.
And all this because they performed a haka in opposition to the Treaty Principles Bill.
From my point of view the harshness of the sentence is a bit like imposing life imprisonment on a person for shoplifting.
While I think the three MPs should have faced a consequence of breaking the rules
of Parliament, in my view they should have received a sanction rather than being suspended at all. I need to add that I have no Maori ancestry, nor do I support or vote for Te Pati Maori. But I do like to see the haka performed at appropriate times, such as a school prize givings and at sports events, and even in Parliament. I am not prepared to put up with being hassled because of this view, so I am writing this letter to the Editor anonymously.
Haka fan
Ignorant parking
It is very ignorantto parka carin frontof someone'sdriveway.
It's even worsewhen sucha person gets out, locks his or her car andgoes about their business elsewhere.
Plusdo any of them know whatthebluelines areforinKonini Street on oneside of the street?
The answer is so simplea 4-year-old would know.
It's to stop traffic congestionbetween the startand finish of school. Ifyou don't know you shouldn'tbe driving.
Cars parkedon each sidecauses afunneleffect. Only onelot ofcars can get throughplusit canalsocreateahazardfor children.
The speednear schoolsisslowwhenschool starts and ends.Somedrivers needa refresher course. They drive too fast near schools.
There are peoplewhowant to get fromA to Bandcreate an attitudewho cares aboutthosein between.Think of others. Any house holderwho hasexperiencedcars over their drivewayscalltheCounciland the cars will be towed away atthe car owner's expense.
Theseignorant ones may saythis isnot on.
But it's their ignorancethatcausesthesesituations. They can only blame themselves. Start reading your road rules.
It'sthe samewithignoranttailgators. They don't want tolearn.
My advice isif you are doing thecorrectspeedandsomepersonthinksyou aregoing too slow,pull overand let them go. Sooner or laterthey will eithergetpulled over by the Policeorbecome a client of the funeral home.
Peter Wells
Fire break planting at Baring Head. Photo: Supplied.
Helping people live free from violence
Women’s Refuge is New Zealand’s largest organisation that supports and helps women and children experiencing family violence.
Its vision is for all women and children in Aotearoa to live free from domestic and family violence.
“Our purpose is to liberate women, children and wh nau from family violence by providing quality services and social commentary,” Women’s Refuge says.
Women’s Refuge provides a 24/7 crisis phone line available on 0800 733 843.
They provide confidential safe houses for women and children
fleeing domestic violence.
They also work with women and children who live in their own homes as well as those in the safe houses.
Women’s Refuge offers support and advocacy for women and children experiencing domestic violence, including working with lawyers, Work
and Income, doctors and hospitals, and linking with other government and nongovernment agencies.
Women’s Refuge also provides emergency housing for families with children who are homeless and on the Housing New Zealand register.
The Whanau Protect service plays a key role in providing support and resources for family violence victims and their children to live free from violence while remaining in
their homes.
Itprovides an option for clients who do not want to, or cannot, leave their homes.
Women’s Refuge treats all women, children and their families/whanau in a respectful, confidential, sensitive and nonjudgemental manner.
It is also strongly guided by Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
People can make a donation to Women’s Refuge by visiting their web site, https:// womensrefuge.org.nz.
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Work on new mental health centre starts
The start of a project that will provide for the mental health needs of Wainuiomata people was marked by Hutt South MP Chris Bishop on 27 June. Mr Bishop joined Minister of Health Simeon Brown and Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey
at the sod-turning ceremony at Hutt Hospital to celebrate the start of the project to build the Sir Mark Dunajtschik Mental Health Centre.
The new centre will be a wonderful asset for the Hutt Valley, Mr Bishop says.
“The people of Lower Hutt have waited a long time for this facility.
“The existing mental health unit is simply not fit for purpose, with an inadequate number of therapeutic spaces and poor layout.
“I am so pleased that the new facility will provide 34 adult acute inpatient beds – 10 more than the existing facility – and will offer safer, more therapeutic spaces for those in urgent need.
“I am looking forward to seeing the new centre open in 2027 and I know the people of Lower Hutt are as well,”
Mr Bishop says.
“I would like to acknowledge the
extraordinary generosity of Sir Mark, who has donated $50 million to help make this project a reality.
“His kind donation means the facility will be world-class and purpose-built, enabling modern models of care to deliver better outcomes for patients and their families.
“On behalf of the people of Lower Hutt, I would like to thank Sir Mark for his support.
“I also thank Ministers Brown and Doocey for helping make this a reality,” Mr Bishop says.
Photo: Supplied.
Lions topple table topper again
By Frank Neill
The Wainuiomata Lions Rugby League scored an outstanding 14-8 victory over the table topping Randwick Kingfishers team on 28 June.
This is the second match in a row that the Lions have defeated one of the table toppers.
They completely dominated their match against Toa on 14 June, winning 38-12. There were no Wellington Rugby League matches on 21 June.
Toa and the Randwick Kingfishers currently lead Wellington Rugby League’s Appleton Shield standings on 16 points, while the Lions are in fifth place on 10 points.
Playing on their home ground of Frederick Wise Park, the Lions were involved in a very close first half battle with the Kingfishers, which saw the scores tied at 8-8 at the break.
The Lions points came from tries to Regan Gray and Aethan Tuisila.
The home team went on to chalk up the only second half points when
Aleki Leala scored a try which Joshua Le’afa-Paki converted.
It will be another clash with a highly placed team next Saturday, 5 July, when the Lions meet the Otaki-based Whiti Te Ra, currently third on the table just two points behind Toa and the Kingfishers.
The Lions will have home ground advantage, as the match will be played on Frederick Wise Park.
The two victories against the table toppers places the Lions in a much better position to be one of the four teams that qualify for a semi-final berth.
They will be very keen to make the semi-finals too, as it will give them the opportunity to become the Wellington Rugby League champions for the third successive year.
The Lions won the Appleton Shield as champions last year when they defeated the St George Dragons 40-30 in the final.
The Lions defeated the Porirua Vikings 22-18 in the 2023 Appleton Shield final, lifting the trophy for the first time since 2007.
Just short of a major upset
By Frank Neill
Wainuiomata’s premier Rugby team came close to scoring a major upset victory over the Swindale Shield winners Oriental-Rongotai on 28 June.
In fact at half time the major upset looked very likely with Wainuiomata leading the match 21-7.
However a second half rally saw Ories take out a narrow 36-32 win in what was their hardest battle of the 2025 Wellington premier Rugby competition to date. Just how notable Wainuiomata’s performance was is clearly demonstrated by the fact that Ories became the first team in the history of the 13-round Swindale Shield competition to chalk up the maximum number of bonus point victories. Playing on their home ground of William Jones Park, Wainuiomata dominated the first 40 minutes.
They crossed for three tries, with full back Mikade Fono, prop Daniel Fiso and flanker Matthew Jacobs dotting down.
Andrew Wells added all three conversions. Meanwhile they restricted Ories to just the
one converted try.
Raymond Vaamailalo scored a second half try for the green and blacks and Andrew added two penalties.
Starting next Saturday Wainuiomata will be looking to retain the Hardham Cup it won last season, played for by the tier two Wellington premier teams.
Their first match of the Hardham Cup series sees Wainuiomata play Northern United at William Jones Park on 5 July.
Last year’s Jubilee Cup winners OrientalRongotai lead the teams bound for the Hardham Cup on 31 points. Marist St Pat’s and Wainuiomata finished the Swindale Shield rounds on 25 points, Northern United 14 points, the Wellington Axemen 10 points and Avalon 4 points. The vice-captain of the Wainuiomata premier women’s team, Canon Hakaraia, has been selected in the wider Wellington Pride squad.
The number 6 has had an outstanding season for Wainuiomata, including scoring try after try, and was among the 38 players named when the Wellington Pride wider squad selection was announced on 25 June.
New water service entity approved
Wellington’s metropolitan councils have agreed to form a new jointly owned water services entity.
Upper Hutt City Council was the final partner to vote in favour of the new entity on 30 June, following earlier support from Porirua, Lower Hutt and Wellington City Councils and Greater Wellington Regional Council.
Lower Hutt Mayor Campbell Barry welcomed Monday’s milestone, saying the decision marks a reset for water services in the region.
“The new entity unlocks the financial tools needed to make smart investments in water infrastructure, without placing an unsustainable burden on ratepayers,”
Mayor Barry says.
“It will enable better decision-making across the entire network and ensure more consistent service delivery.”
The new entity will take over the ownership and management of drinking water,
wastewater and stormwater infrastructure by 1 July 2026.
Unlike Wellington Water, the new entity will own the water infrastructure that is currently owned by councils.
The entity will be able to generate its own income, manage its own debt, and will not be constrained by council funding. It will be governed by a board of independent professional directors who will be appointed by a steering committee of council and iwi representatives.
The primary relationship of the entity will be with its customers (residents) not its shareholders (councils), giving the organisation the independence and accountability to deliver.
The decision comes as part of the Government’s ‘Local Water Done Well’ reform, which requires councils to decide on a long term water services model and submit delivery plans by September 2025.
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The Wainuiomata Lions celebrating being the 2024 Wellington Rugby League champions.
Photo: Six.ONE Creative.
Hutt rates rising by 12.6%
Hutt City rates will increase by 12.6% (after growth) this year.
This follows Hutt City Council approving its Annual Plan 2025/26 on 27 June.
The 12.6% rates rise is a reduction from the 13.4% (after growth) increase forecast in the 10-Year Plan adopted in 2024.
This equates to an average weekly increase of $8.90 per household.
More than half goes toward water services and transport.
Of the average weekly increase, $4.27 is for investment in water services, and $1.16 is for investment in transport.
“Fixing our pipes and other water infrastructure remains our top priority and is driving much of the increase in rates,” the Council says in a media release following the 27 June Council meeting.
“There is $256 million of capital investment forecast for the year.
“This includes funding for significant resilience projects such as Te Wai Takamori o Te Awa Kairangi (RiverLink) and the Seaview Wastewater Treatment Plant.
“Key challenges faced by Council in setting the Annual Plan were: largely due to ageing assets and historic underinvestment; population; sustainability; [and] uncertainties.”
Mayor Campbell Barry acknowledges the impact on households of any rates increase.
"We know households are under pressure, and any rates increase is tough,” he says.
“That's why we’ve trimmed costs, deferred non-essential work and gone line by line through the budget to keep this increase as low as we can while still investing in the infrastructure our city needs.
“We are clear that kicking the can down the road on upgrading our infrastructure will only cost ratepayers more in the future.
"It would have been politically convenient to slash our rates increase in an election year, but the impact of that would be a hospital pass to the new council post October’s Local Body election.
“That’s not something we are willing to do," Mayor Barry says.
The Council says it has taken a balanced approach and found $17.5 million in savings to reduce costs while not cutting back on basic services.
Changes have been made to various Council fees and charges including the daily parking rate which moves to $12 per day citywide. The daily parking rate was previously $10 a day. And in a move that will save ratepayers
WINTER SPECIALS!
about $50,000 a year, Council will now send four rates invoices a year instead of six.
Mayor Barry has also asked council officers to prepare budget review options for the incoming Council to consider. These options will include a focus on service prioritisation, affordability and value for money.
"This is in response to the significant change that will come with water being removed from the Council’s balance sheet when the new entity is established,” the Mayor says.
"This will be the biggest change for Council since Hutt City Council’s inception in 1989.
“It’s the right time for council to do a full budget review."
The Council also approved a new initiative with other councils called the Rates Assistance Programme. The service will help councils to offer low-cost loans to ratepayers. The Council also offers various rates relief packages if certain criteria are met. Details can be found at www.huttcity.govt. nz/property-and-building/rates-and-valuations/support-for-rates-payments. The Annual Plan 2025/26 takes effect from 1 July 2025 and is published on the Council’s website.
Working smoke alarms a must
By Frank Neill
The best chance of surviving a house fire is to have a working smoke alarm.
“You are four times more likely to survive a fire if you have working smoke alarms,” Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) says on its website.
“Smoke alarms save lives,” Wainuiomata’s Chief Fire Officer Peter Thompson says.
“We recommend long-life photoelectric smoke alarms and checking they’re working once a month.
“It is also very important to make sure that if you remove batteries from smoke alarms that the batteries are replaced.”
Sometimes people switch off the smoke alarm because it is sounding, and then don’t replace the battery.
When that happens, people are significantly increasing the chances they will not survive if there is a fire in their house.
One reason that having smoke alarms is important is because people are not aware of what is happening around them when they are asleep.
Also people cannot smell smoke when they are asleep.
Yet smoke from a fire can kill within three minutes of the fire starting.
The importance of having working smoke alarms was highlighted in July last year – just 12 months ago and right in the middle of winter.
There were five fatal house fires in July 2024.
That included a fire in taki where the taki fire fighters rescued two unconscious people from a burning house. However they both later died in hospital.
It appeared that smoke alarms may not have been fitted in the house or were not active.
None of the fire fighters “reported hearing any sirens” and the neighbours who raised the alarm “didn’t hear an alarm, so I’m guessing there wasn’t one,” taki’s Chief Fire Officer Ian King said following the fire.
Free assistance with smoke alarm installation and other fire safety help is available from the Wainuiomata Volunteer Fire Brigade.
The brigade provides free home fire safety visits.
To book a free visit, contact the Wainuiomata Volunteer Fire Brigade, phone 564 8340 or email FENZwellington@fireandemergency. nz.
FENZ recommends long-life photoelectric smoke alarms.
They are far more effective than ionisation alarms at detecting slow smouldering fires, which burn for hours before bursting into flames.
“Better yet, choose a set of photoelectric smoke alarms that can be connected to each
A long-life photoelectric smoke alarm. Photo: Supplied.
other wirelessly, via a dedicated radio frequency, or wiring together,” FENZ says.
“If a fire is detected in one room of the house, interconnected alarms will trigger all the alarms in your home, so everyone will be alerted to a fire sooner.
“This is especially important in multi-storey homes and homes with long hallways.”
There are also smoke alarm options for people who are deaf or hard of hearing and who would not hear a standard smoke alarm.
There are two main options for people who have hearing loss – Hearing Assistive Technology equipment and specialist smoke alarms for the deaf and hard of hearing.
Hearing Assistive Technology (known as HAT)helps people who cannot hear audible alert devices so they are quickly made aware of any emergency, particularly in regards tosmoke orfire.
HAT devices connect monitoring equipment such as smoke alarms, doorbells and baby monitors so that they provide non-aural alerts, much like your mobile phone vibrates and flashes when in silent mode.
Non-aural alerts include strobe and bright lighting, haptic or vibrating pads which can be kept under pillows and chairs, and vibrating wearables or EDC (everyday carry) devices.
Funding for HAT equipmentmay be available from the Ministry of Health.
This process includes a HAT eligibility assessment being completed by FENZ alongside one of the partner agencies – Deaf Aotearoa New Zealand, You Way Kia Roha and Kainga Ora Homes and Communities.
There are also specialised smoke alarm systems available for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
These alarms have extra features such as extra loud and/or lower pitch alarm sounds, flashing strobe lights, or vibrating devices.
Ideally, those in need will have hard-wired, interconnected photoelectricsmoke alarmsfitted with bed-shakers, strobe lights, pagers or a combination of these.
Hutt Mayor Campbell Barry. Photo: Supplied.