Podcasts about ecan

There is no way I would pay $8 to ride a bus, but we're being warned today that that's what we could end up paying in just three years. That's because the Government has told councils right around the country that they need to find more money for public transport, so that they don't have to rely so much on rates and government money to keep the buses and trains going. That's the polite way of putting it. What NZTA is really saying is that the Government isn't prepared to keep propping up public transport. Which, in the Greater Christchurch area, means massive fare increases are on the cards. That's according to Environment Canterbury (ECAN) regional councillor Deon Swiggs. ECAN, of course, has the job of running buses here and he's saying that if they followed NZTA's request to the letter, we'd see the $2 bus fares go up to $8 by 2027. Where he gets that number from is that NZTA is saying to ECAN that it wants 38% of the cost of running the buses coming from private revenue. I use the buses quite regularly. I was on a bus on Saturday, and I think the bus service in the Greater Christchurch area is, all things considered, actually very good. But if the fares got up to $8, who would bother? If you work five days a week and get the bus, that's potentially $90 a week in bus fares. Forget about it. Which is why I'm hoping ECAN is going to push back big time on this. We've seen the city council push back on directives from Wellington, and the regional council needs to do the same on this one. Still, maybe it's not surprising when we've got a government that thinks it makes sense to increase the speed limit on the Southern Motorway to get us from Rolleston to Christchurch 49 seconds quicker. A government that wants to press on with oil and gas exploration, and a government that doesn't like pinging people with fuel taxes, and wants to make it cheaper for people to use their cars. It might not be surprising, but it's crazy to think that people would want to —let alone be able to— pay $8 bus fares. But Transport Minister Simeon Brown doesn't think it would be nuts. He says: “Taxpayers and ratepayers have been increasingly subsidising public transport in recent years. We expect councils to find efficiencies to keep these costs down and to look at maximising alternative revenue streams such as advertising on the public transport network.” The Transport Minister also thinks outfits like ECAN could lease out more space to retailers at bus stations and transport hubs. But as if ECAN is going to put time and effort into selling advertising or leasing out space. All it would do would increase fares. Through the roof. And if that happened, I would be kissing the bus goodbye. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today's episode of the Innovation series, Dr. Parikh sits down with Mindy Mintz Mordecai, president and CEO of the Esophageal Cancer Action Network (ECAN). They discuss Mindy's journey, the origins of ECAN, and how it continues to support current and future patients with esophageal cancer. Today's episode was brought to you by Castle Biosciences, maker of TissueCypher, a test designed to predict the risk of esophageal cancer in patients with Barrett's esophagus. 

A plan change mooted by Canterbury's regional council, ECan, could lead to a halt to dairy expansion in the province.

ECAN regional council chair Peter Scott has to go.  You'll remember the fuss earlier this year when he admitted to Newstalk ZB that he'd been farming illegally on his South Canterbury property without the appropriate consents.  And how, after that blunder, he disappeared for a while - ECAN spent $66,000 on a 10-week investigation - and then he was back again. All G.  Well, not “all G” actually, because it's now been revealed that he's been hooning it in the car the council - or ratepayers - provide him as part of the job.  And I actually think this is way-worse than the consenting bungle he confessed to.  So how about this? Since January, Peter Scott has broken the speed limit in his regional council ratepayer-funded vehicle 678 times - at speeds of up to 157 kph.   I've done the numbers and this equates to at least 75 times a month, or twice-a-day, seven days a week.  Now these aren't infringements. From what's been reported so far about this, it's unclear whether any of these did result in Peter Scott getting tickets.  But I think it's safe to assume that, because he was still using the vehicle up until the end of last week - when he handed it back - I think it's safe to assume that he didn't get any speeding tickets.  But he gave it a good go. Breaking the speed limit at least twice-a–day, seven days a week since January this year.  These were all recorded on the GPS system ECAN has on all its vehicles so it can make sure people who use their vehicles aren't speeding.  And, as far as I'm concerned, he has to go. For two reasons.  First reason: can you imagine any staff member getting away with this level of speeding in an ECAN vehicle?  They wouldn't. But, as long as Peter Scott remains chairman and a councillor, anyone working for ECAN has every right to tell their bosses to sod off if they try to take them to task for breaking the speed limit in a council vehicle.  The other reason Peter Scott has to go, is that he isn't just the chair of ECAN - he's also the chair of the Canterbury Regional Transport Committee.  And this is where things really start to drip with hypocrisy. Because, if you thought it was hypocritical enough for the chair of the regional council to be farming without the proper consents, get a load of this.  The Canterbury Regional Transport Committee is an entity that involves all councils in the Canterbury region - including ECAN - and NZTA. And the number one job of the regional transport committee is to implement the Canterbury Regional Transport Plan.  So Peter Scott is in charge of that committee. And that committee has to make sure that all the councils and NZTA are singing from the same song sheet when it comes to transport and roads.  Now this plan has three key objectives. One of them, which is particularly relevant to Peter Scott speeding in his council car, is to reduce deaths and serious injuries on Canterbury roads by 40 percent by 2031.  Previously, Peter Scott - who chairs this committee - has said: "Canterbury embraces the Government's moves to reduce the road toll.”  This is the guy who, since January this year, broke the speed limit in his regional council ratepayer-funded vehicle 678 times, at speeds of up to 157 kph.  This guy, who chairs the regional transport committee which says “poor decision-making by drivers is leading to deaths and serious injuries on our transport network", is a complete hypocrite when it comes to road safety..  He's the guy who has overall responsibility for implementing a plan to reduce deaths and serious injuries on Canterbury roads by 40 percent over the next seven years. Yet, when it comes to his own driving, he's actually part of the problem that his committee is trying to fix.  For me, this is the major reason why Peter Scott has to go. He has apologised, handed back his council car and says he will do a defensive driving course.   But, in my opinion, he's a hypocrite whose goose is cooked.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At last, Selwyn mayor Sam Broughton has come up with an idea that I actually agree with.  There was his push recently for the speed limit on the Southern Motorway to be bumped up to 120 kph, just because people are driving that fast anyway.  That wasn't his finest hour.  But this idea he's pushing today - that new road tolls need to be created and higher fuel taxes are needed because of a lack of government funding for roading projects in our neck of the woods - I think it's a winner.  In fact, as far as higher fuel taxes are concerned, I don't think it should be limited to Selwyn. I'd be all-for a Canterbury regional fuel tax to raise money for roads and transport here. Money that isn't coming from the Government.  Which is why Sam Broughton is speaking out today. He's saying if we want better roads, and the money isn't coming from Wellington, then we need to get some skin in the game.  So it's yes from me for a regional fuel tax. And it's a yes from me for new road tolls. And I'd start with the Southern Motorway - which is in Sam's area. I'd also be in favour of a toll on the Northern Motorway.  Both of them very good roads, and both worth paying extra to use.  This practical thinking we're seeing from Sam Broughton is a far better and more realistic response to the Government prioritising the North Island over the South Island in its roading and transport funding announcement last week, than what we're seeing and hearing from other Canterbury local body politicians.  They've been banging-on about how unfair it all is. Sam Broughton, though, is saying ‘yep, it probably is. But we can either decide to keep whining about it or we can come up with some solutions ourselves'.  They're not his actual words, but that's effectively what he's saying with this talk of higher fuel taxes and road tolls in his area: take control. And I like it.  Because if you just go on like Peter Scott, who is the chairman of Environment Canterbury —he's saying ‘ooh it's not fair and we just want our fair share'— if you keep banging on like that, that's all it is - banging on.  He's throwing all sorts of percentages around - Canterbury makes up 12 percent of the country's population, and our roads make up 16 percent of the total roading network, but we're only getting five to eight percent of the funding. Wah wah wah.  Wellington hears that kind of response and thinks ‘yeah and?'  Sam Broughton, though, he's telling it like it is.   He's telling people in Selwyn that, if they want the improvements and changes to the roads that they think are needed, then we need to find a way of doing it that doesn't rely on the Government and doesn't mean rates going up and up and up.  Which they already are in Selwyn. Over the next three years, on average, there's going to be a 48 percent increase. And, without as much government money coming as it had hoped, the Selwyn council reckons that could go over the 50 percent increase mark.  If you're not convinced that a regional fuel tax for Canterbury is a good idea. Maybe this might convince you. Back in 2018, ECAN did the numbers and estimated that a regional fuel tax here —at say 10 cents a litre— could bring-in an additional $100 million for regional roading projects.  This was just a couple of months after Auckland got its regional fuel tax. Which is history now, but I think it would be a winner here.  If you think of those numbers ECAN did back in 2018. A regional fuel tax —providing the money was spent here— would have brought-in $600 million by now. Do you still think Sam Broughton is dreaming? I don't think he is at all.   I don't think he's dreaming, either, with this call for more toll roads. And I'd be more than happy to pay a toll to use the Southern Motorway and the Northern Motorway in and out of Christchurch. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Canterbury Regional Council has refused Minister Simeon Brown's request to repeal the Ngāi Tahu Representation Act. Te Rōpū Tuia Co-Chair Doctor Liz Brown spoke to Corin Dann.

“Pines are one of the most flammable plants on the planet.”  That's a quote from a plant ecologist at Victoria University, Dr Nicola Day.  And it's why some Christchurch councils went to the Government wanting a change to the forestry rules, to try and stop pine forests being re-planted on the Port Hills after the big fire earlier this year.  The second big fire on the Port Hills in less than 10 years. And the Government has said no. Which I get. It's saying to the councils that it's not prepared to change the forestry rules just to suit Christchurch. So I get that.  But, at the same time, it's nuts that more can't be done to try and make sure we don't have another big fire in another seven years.  So, what happened is Christchurch and Selwyn mayors Phil Mauger and Sam Broughton, acting Environment Canterbury chair Craig Pauling and another ECAN councillor, wrote a letter to the Minister of Forestry Todd McClay.  And they pointed-out to him that, after the first fire in 2017, there was no way they could stop pines being re-planted. Which meant, of course, that when the second fire broke out on Valentine's Day this year the pines were back again and, bingo, we know where things went from there.  And within days there were Port Hills residents coming out and saying how crazy it was that the pines had been re-planted after the 2017 fire and asking, you know, when will we learn?  Since then, the councils have gone as far as they can go - and there are some changes proposed to what's known as the Canterbury Regional Policy Statement.   But the forestry rules, as they stand, get in the way of anything further. Because they allow anyone who has existing rights to have a forestry plantation on the Port Hills to replace it like-for-like if it's damaged or destroyed by fire.  The adventure park is a case in point. After 2017, the pines were re-planted there because the landowner had an existing right to plant them. There was nothing that could be done to stop that. This is what these local councils are trying to change. But the Government has said no.  When the fire was happening back in February, a director of McVicar Timber Group —which owns the land where the adventure park is— was quoted in media reports saying that planting native trees costs 10-times more than planting pine trees.   He also said that he didn't think native trees would survive in the Port Hills because the area is dry and rocky.  At the time, there weren't many —if any— Port Hills residents agreeing with him.  Such as Hannah Miller, who said: “Seven years ago was the perfect opportunity to re-plant in natives. I'm no expert on fires, but we've seen what burns in the Port Hills and what doesn't burn, and the native vegetation does a pretty damn good job of stopping it.”  She went on to say: “What on earth are we doing planting pines right up there? That's utterly ridiculous.”  And I'm not going to argue with that. Because it was utterly ridiculous that pines were allowed to be re-planted after the 2017 fire and it's utterly ridiculous that the forestry rules —as they stand at the moment— allow the same mistake to be made again.  But the Government has said “no”. So where do we go with this now?  If the councils here in Christchurch have had no joy with the Minister of Forestry, they need to be contacting his Cabinet colleague Simon Watts - who is the Climate Change Minister.  Because climate change —and more extreme weather— are part of the picture here.  Just over two weeks ago, Simon Watts released the Government's five-point climate strategy. And one of those five points - under the heading “Nature-based solutions to address climate change” says the Government wants homes and communities better protected against climate change through restored habitats and ecosystems. It also wants more native forests.  So that's where I think these councils should go next.  I can see why the Government doesn't want to tinker with the forestry rules just because of what we've been through here in Christchurch with two big fires on the Port Hills in seven years. But something has to be done to try and make sure we don't have to go through the same thing all over again. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It seems our local councils are in the Finance Minister's line of sight.  She's been saying since the latest inflation numbers came out yesterday that, yes, it is somewhat positive that inflation is at 3.3 percent —just outside the Reserve Bank's target— but she's saying it's not time to take the foot off the pedal.  And she's made it very clear who she is expecting to go heavier on the pedal, and that's local councils. But do you really see that happening? Do you honestly believe that local councils are capable of reducing costs to the point that they actually play a role in reducing inflation?  The thing with inflation is that it's influenced by what's going on outside the country - oil prices, wars, even elections in some of the bigger countries.  And then there's what's going on within New Zealand. And, at the moment, two of the biggest domestic contributors to inflation are insurance costs and rates.   In Waimakariri, rates are going up by 9.39 percent. In Christchurch, there's a 9.9 percent average increase on the way. In Selwyn, it's 14.9 percent.  Then, of course, there's the ECAN regional council rates,  which are increasing by 17.9 percent. It could have been worse. ECAN was originally proposing a 24.2 percent increase - but they trimmed the budget and got it down to 17.9. In Westland, people there are going to have their local council rates go up 18.64 percent and their regional council rates increase by 27 percent.  The Finance Minister isn't happy about that and wants local councils up and down the country to start doing their bit to bring inflation down. But I don't think that's possible.  And it's not about the councils themselves. It's about us. It's about you and me.  It's you and me who expect more and more from our local councils. It's you and me who bang on about the council not doing enough to clear the leaves from the gutters during Autumn. It's you and me who —when we see water pouring out of a broken drain somewhere— who want it sorted straight away.  It's you and me who want to be able to go to the library day and night, even though there might only be a handful of people there when we turn up. But the lights are on, the heaters are on, the staff are there.  It's you and me who expect our local council to be fixing the potholes in the roads and the cracks in the footpaths. It's you and me who want to be able to talk to someone at the council 24/7.  See what I mean? Until we start listening and understanding what the Finance Minister is saying about local councils doing their bit to cut costs and help bring inflation down further, nothing's going to change.  If we understand what she's saying, we'll stop criticising our councils from the sidelines and realise that the Finance Minister is talking to us —you and me— just as much as she's talking to mayors, councillors and council staff around the country.  Until we all listen, councils won't have a hope in hell of tightening their budgets, cutting their costs, trimming their budgets and getting their costs down.  Because the more we expect and demand, the more expensive things get.  So, no, I don't have any faith that our local councils can do what the Finance Minister wants them to do. Because we won't let them, with all our demands and expectations. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast, Dom talks to Beef + Lamb NZ Chief Economist Andrew Burtt about its 2023-24 Mid-Season Update, he talks with Sam Higgins from MSD Animal Health about its pilot project with Agrecovery to recycle dairy collars, and he talks with Jason Butt from ECAN about his recent surveying expedition down the Clarence River to help tackle weeds and protect biodiversity. Tune in daily for the latest and greatest REX rural content on your favourite streaming platform, visit rexonline.co.nz and follow us on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn for more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David reviews what the international catamaran race series SailGP meant for Christchurch this year against a backdrop of the The city's economic development agency paying millions of dollars for the hosting rights. And last week, the biodiversity and biosecurity committee of Canterbury's regional council, aka ECan, considered a recommendation to spend an extra $200,000 on the Canterbury Biodiversity Strategy. David backgrounds the issue and also looks at partial asset sales that could boost the Christchurch City Council coffers. David Williams is Newsroom's Te Waipounamu South Island Correspondent.

A Year on the Farm with the Birds. In this episode Alistair and Genna have empty heifers to deal with after their new bull delivers low pregnancy rates.

You know how the number of sheep in New Zealand is down? That's according to stats which came out a month or so ago which, of course, prompted a fresh round of sheep jokes - especially across the Tasman. Well, they are - and even though we might still have a fair number of sheep, I reckon there's another breed that we're being outnumbered by - and that's local councillors. Maybe not as many as once had when we had all those borough councils around the place. But even without them, we just have so many councils. All of them with their mayors running around in the mayoral chains, all of them with top-earning chief executives, all of them struggling to pay the bills, and all of them pretty much charging as much as they possibly can get away with in rates to cover all the costs. Which is why I am delighted by this new government report which has come out saying the time has well-and-truly come for us to have a re-think about how many councils and councillors we have running things. I've long been an advocate for having less councils in the immediate Christchurch area. This hasn't been me saying I think the city council is absolutely brilliant and the other Greater Christchurch councils aren't. In fact, going by what people tell me, it's probably the complete opposite. Christchurch council has shown itself to be a bit of a basket case on a number of occasions - and I know people in the likes of Selwyn and Waimakariri have looked sideways a bit and come to the conclusion that the last thing they'd want would to be lumped in with the crowd on Hereford Street. And that has actually tested my resolve when it comes to my support for amalgamation to create a Greater Christchurch super city structure. But I've always come back to the fact that the greater Christchurch area has more mayors and councillors than the whole of Auckland. Nutbar. And that's not even counting the ECAN regional council. Amalgamation of councils isn't the only thing recommended in this report by the Panel for the Review into the Future of Local Government. Which, as an aside, is a refreshingly boring title for something like this. Often these sorts of things have names with a little bit more pizazz but, at the same time, are totally meaningless. They could've called this thing something like Democracy 2050 - A Pathway for All of Us. Thankfully, they didn't. And it's not just amalgamation of councils that's covered in it. The panel's report also recommends four-year terms for councils (I like that idea too). It thinks the voting age for local body elections should be 16 (that gets the tick from me). It also says there should be more of what it calls “Treaty-based appointments” to local councils. That's the sort of thing we've seen with Environment Canterbury, where it's introduced unelected iwi representatives with full voting rights. That'd really get the anti co-governance crew all excited. Bit I think, if we could pull it off, it would be if the current councils in the Canterbury region were amalgamated into one. But you'd keep some of the service structures in place in the different areas - things like building consents, all the day-to-day council stuff. But you'd have one mayor and one set of councillors. That would get my vote.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A local developer is looking to reshape Ashburton's triangle, the historic retail centre of the town. Robert Grice owns a number of buildings on Victoria Street that require earthquake strengthening and he wants to redevelop the existing shops into a new mixed use hospitality precinct named The Ash. Jonathan also discusses an attempt to add quarter of a million dollars to ECan's annual plan budget which has been labelled a "slap in the face" by Environment Canterbury councillor Ian Mackenzie. And a hold-up of plumbing parts and red tape at the border means the Staveley Ice Rink won't be open to skaters and curlers until at least mid-June. Local Democracy Reporter - Mid Canterbury c from the Ashburton Guardian

700 hectares of hill country on Nigel and Cathy Graham's Kaikoura farm is being retired. Income from honey and carbon credits are repacing livestock on the regenerating land. The couple have also protected a wetland that has one of the best examples of a raupo reedland in the district.

If you can, put yourself in the hooves of a cattle beast. In fact, put yourself in the hooves of two types of cattle beast. The first type is the kind we're all generally familiar with. The one we see in paddocks up and down the country. The one that gets to eat as much grass as it wants day-in, day out. The one that certainly gets rained on and snowed on, in certain parts of the country anyway. But the one who also gets to bask in the sun, the one who gets fresh air through those big nostrils and is only held back by a fence or two. It's not always a long gig. Because, as we know, cattle beasts on farms are generally on a one-way trip to the supermarket, the butcher's shop or your barbeque. But I think we can all agree - meatlover, vegetarian or whatever - that if you had to be a cattle beast, this is how you'd want to spend your days. It's also how we, as a country, have liked or wanted the rest of the world to think of us when it comes to agriculture. Grass, lucerne, sunshine, fresh air. 100 percent New Zealand Pure. All the cliches. So that's the first type of cattle beast that I want you to imagine being. Not a bad life. The second type that I want you to put yourself in the hooves of is the cattle beast destined to live out its days (and nights) in a massive shed with hundreds of other animals. All-year round, you eat and drink and sleep - you do all the things that cattle beasts do - except you're not out in a paddock in the sunshine and the rain and fresh air. You're stuck under a roof, never really seeing the light of day. A type of set-up that you'll never see on an Air New Zealand advert for our 100 percent pure country. But it is the type of set-up that one farm company wants to build on Banks Peninsula. The company's called Wongan Hills and it's got big plans for a site near Lake Ellesmere, which has a lot of the locals in the area upset because they can't imagine how something like this couldn't be anything but bad for the environment. Incredibly, last year the Christchurch City Council gave consent for these massive sheds to be built. But the outfit wanting to build them and house a couple of thousand cattle inside 24/7 also needs resource consent from Environment Canterbury. And ECAN has decided that, in light of the public interest, it's going to notify the application and let people have their say. Which has delighted the group set-up to oppose it. Its spokesperson is saying in the news today that it's a good thing that it's being publicly notified because ECAN needs to consider more than just its own intel and modelling to determine whether the thing should get resource consent. The community group, known as the Little River Eco Collective, says it's vital that ECAN hears what the locals have to say and hear what other scientists and experts have to say. Which is the technical end of things. The “hows” and “why” of what impact such a massive development could have on the local environment - with Lake Ellesmere being a particular concern. Just as an aside, ECAN has put in a truckload of work over the years working with iwi to try and restore Lake Ellesmere because it's been in an appalling condition. And that's what the locals opposed to the development are saying. That sticking these sheds or “feedlots” as they're known just over three kilometres from Lake Ellesmere won't do the lake any favours. Which is the technical side of things that all sides will get their experts fighting over when ECAN does public notify the farm's consent application. For me, I think it would be appalling having hundreds and hundreds of cattle beasts stuck in massive sheds day and night, all year ‘round. As you'll know full well, if you go to the supermarket today, chances are you might struggle to find any eggs. That's because battery farms aren't allowed anymore. So what's the difference between hens cooped up in a battery farm and these cattle cooped up in a complex nearly the size of the Convention Centre, in Christchurch? That's how big this thing will be if it gets the go-ahead. Without doubt, it would be a monstrosity to look at. And I have no doubt that it would have, at least some, negative impacts on the local environment. And it would definitely, definitely fly completely in the face of what farming in New Zealand is all about. And what farmers in New Zealand have told us they're all about.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I thought Christopher Luxon looked like a fish out of water yesterday at Rātana, where hundreds of people and politicians from across the political divide go every January. It's the home of the Rātana Church and the annual gathering is considered to be the start of the political year. When I say politicians from across the political divide go there, there was one exception yesterday. The ACT party didn't bother going because David Seymour thinks it's nothing more than a Labour Party lovefest. Nevertheless, the other parties were there. And it was, of course, Jacinda Ardern's last official engagement as Prime Minister. When I say Christopher Luxon looked like a fish out of water - I say that knowing full well that I would probably look like a fish out of water if I went, as well. But I'm not wanting or trying to be Prime Minister. And I thought for someone who does want to be PM, and is trying very hard to be Prime Minister, he looked like someone who was turning up and ticking a box. Rātana. Done. What's next on the diary? As others have said, it was clear that Christopher Luxon's main objective when he turned up was to make it loud and clear that Maori can forget about co-governance if National forms the next government. I thought it was interesting that, after he spoke yesterday, he told reporters that people are opposed to co-governance because the Government hasn't communicated it properly and hasn't got people on board with the idea. Another thing that hasn't helped is the National Party's best mate in Parliament - the ACT Party - re-branding co-governance as “co-government”. You might have seen this on the ACT Party billboards. I thought it was a typo but David Seymour confirmed to me that that was what it meant to say - because he doesn't think there's any difference between co-governance and co-government. Which is plain stupid, because there's a world of difference. But back to Luxon's comments yesterday and his message to the Rātana community that they can forget about co-governance if he becomes Prime Minister. On one hand, it was somewhat refreshing hearing this from the National Party leader because I think most of us would agree that Christopher Luxon has been very good at saying a lot but not much at the same time. So that was a nice change. But did he really have to do it there and then? I don't think so. If you were cynical, you could be forgiven for thinking that he probably said what he did because he didn't want Jacinda Ardern getting all the coverage because it was her last official engagement in the top job. And if you were cynical, you'd probably think he was doing it because he was still brassed off that on the day he was announcing his line-up, the old kindness merchant stole his thunder by announcing she was standing down. The nerve of it all! When it comes to co-governance, I have mixed views. Generally, I have no problem with it - but I don't think it's a one-size-fits-all kind of thing. For example, the  non-elected Ngāi Tahu representatives at the Canterbury Regional Council (ECAN). I don't think that arrangement is necessary because ECAN pretty much doesn't do anything without talking to Ngāi Tahu first. But, generally, I'm a supporter of the concept of co-governance. For the simple reason, that I can't think why I should be terrified of it or opposed to it. I just can't. But there are people who are. And they are the people Christopher Luxon was talking to yesterday. He was talking to them - and he was lecturing to the people directly in front of him.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are hundreds of drawings on limestone rock, some of which could be up to 1000 years old, in South Canterbury. Peter Evans believes it was his grandfather who discovered the ancient drawings on cliffs that overlook his Pareora Gorge sheep and beef farm.

Māori Development Minister Willie Jackson joined Heather du Plessis Allan Drive to discuss the one person one vote outrage flowing on from the government's decision to allow to unelected Ngāi Tahu members on ECAN. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on Politics Friday on Newstalk ZB Canterbury Mornings John MacDonald was joined by Labour's Poto Williams and National's Gerry Brownlee. The discussed National's Tax Policy and the leadership of the party, following recent media articles around Christopher Luxon's performance as leader. The Shortland Street advertising campaign, and if they thought it was a good way of targeting the nursing shortage. The passing of the ECan and Ngai Tahu representation bill this week, and ties in the workplace - is the dress standard at Parliament needing to change? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I think the Labour Party might have cooked its goose in Parliament last night when it used its majority to push through the Canterbury Regional Council Ngai Tahu Representation Bill - which is the official name of the legislation that will now allow Ngai Tahu to appoint two representatives to the ECan council. The Ngai Tahu representatives won't be elected, they'll be appointed - over and above the 14 elected council members. And they won't be appointed by ECan, they'll be appointed by Ngai Tahu. But just like the ECan councillors who are elected, the non-elected Ngai Tahu representatives will have full decision-making and voting rights - just like any other elected councillor. And I think it's going to bite Labour on the backside, here in Canterbury at least, at next year's election because pretty much wherever you sit on the political spectrum - democracy is at the heart of everything. Unless, of course, you're a communist. But most of us aren't - and so anything that looks like it might be riding roughshod over democracy isn't going to go down well with pretty much everyone. If we were generous, we could possibly describe the legislation passed in Parliament as a new twist on democracy - but I think most people will see it riding roughshod over democracy. And you won't be getting any argument from me on that one. But even though I think Labour will be punished for it - I don't think it's the main offender here. Just like I think Ngai Tahu shouldn't be copping any blame - it was right behind the legislation, but it wasn't its idea. No, the outfit I think we should be coming down on like a tonne of bricks, is ECan itself. For several reasons. The first reason, is that it's just not necessary. Because, already, ECan pretty much doesn't do anything without talking to Ngai Tahu about it first. And if Ngai Tahu puts the kibosh on something, it generally doesn't happen. This is largely due to the local government legislation that ECan operates under but also due to a formal partnership ECan has had with Ngai Tahu since 2016, which is known as “Tuia”. As ECan says on its website, Tuia is about the regional council recognising that its work is “inextricably linked” - that's the wording it uses - ECan's work is “inextricably linked” with Ngai Tahu and its ancestral land. And I've got no qualms with that because, of course, ECan exists to oversee management and protection of Canterbury's natural air and water resources which are sacred to Ngai Tahu. This is even recognised by Federated Farmers which is saying today that it supports Maori representation on the ECan council. But, as its South Canterbury President Greg Anderson is saying, it should be done democratically. No argument from me on that one. I'd be perfectly happy for there to be specific Maori councillors elected to ECan. But as well as thinking the legislation is unnecessary, I also think it's wrong because it reinstates an arrangement that was in place when the previous National government kicked out all of the ECan councillors and brought in commissioners. When that happened, there were a couple of Ngai Tahu reps on board. Which made perfect sense when everyone else around that council table was appointed. But things are different now - and ECan is being run by elected councillors again. So bringing in a little bit of the old set-up makes no sense. Well it doesn't just not make sense - it's wrong. But the main reason why I think ECan needs to really be taken to task over all of this, is its lack of consultation with the people it serves. ECan wanted the legislation and went to Te Tai Tonga MP Rino Tirikatene to get it through Parliament. Which, in itself, is fine. But as National Party MP Paul Goldsmith is saying, the way it went about it was totally wrong. He says it was "pretty rotten" ECan didn't consult the Canterbury people. Pretty rotten, indeed.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ngāi Tahu will get guaranteed representation and decision-making powers on Canterbury's regional council. A Bill ensuring two Ngāi Tahu members sit on the council passed its third reading in Parliament last night. The iwi and council say it's been a long-time coming - but National is crying foul. Political reporter Giles Dexter has more.  

Jacob Thibault talks about the record-setting year at the 2022 Eastern Canadian Amateur Nationals (ECAN) at Motocross Deschambault before we headed over to the awards ceremony..

There's less than two months until voting opens in the local body elections up and down the country, and the candidates are all starting to come out of the woodwork aren't they? They include ex-MPs too. I saw this morning that former National MP Maurice Williamson is going to try and get elected to the Auckland Council. Another one of his ex colleagues, Nick Smith, announced yesterday he's going to run for mayor in Nelson. In Invercargill, there's a former NZ First MP running for council. In Wellington, they've got Aaron “do you know who I am” Gilmore trying to get elected and current Labour MP Paul Eagle wants to be the mayor of Wellington. As far as I'm aware, so far we don't have any former MPs trying to get elected to councils here in Canterbury, but we have had a former Labour MP as mayor of Christchurch for the past nine years. Before becoming mayor, Lianne Dalziel had been in Parliament for 23 years. She started off as Christchurch Central MP, and then she served as a list MP before becoming Christchurch East MP. During that time she was also a Cabinet Minister. And it was 2013 when she quit Parliament to run for mayor. And when she leaves council HQ in October, she will have served three terms. So quite a political career. But has being a former MP necessarily made her a good mayor? And if Maurice Williamson and Nick Smith and all the other ex-MPs get elected to their local councils in October, will the fact they've been MPs make them any better than anyone else putting themselves forward? I don't think it will. In fact, I think someone having such obvious political affiliations is a hindrance when it comes to local government. And, to be honest with you, whenever I see an ex-MP trying to get involved in local body politics, I either think to myself ‘can't you let go mate' or wonder if they just need a job. Because, let's face it, being in local government is a bit more lucrative than it used to be. That's why council meetings used to be held at night, because all the people around the table had day jobs as well. I remember as a young reporter in Dunedin sitting through endless meetings at Mosgiel and Green Island borough councils. And they'd go well into the night. But these days it's all different. Here in Christchurch we pay our councillors over $100k each and they have their meetings during the day. So, if you're an ex-MP, you probably look at your local council and see that you can make a decent crust doing what you probably know best. Especially if you're someone like Lianne Dalziel who, as I said just before, was in Parliament for 23 years before she became mayor. Same too for Maurice Williamson and Nick Smith who seemed to be central government politicians forever. But does it make them any good? I don't think it does. For the simple reason that, when someone is an MP, their politics are so black and white that I think it's impossible for them to be objective - even after they've been an MP. And once their political leanings are ingrained, I think it's impossible for them to think any differently. Lianne Dalziel is a case in point. As a former Labour MP, she was so anti-government because she disagreed with how the National government pretty much took over Christchurch - with the whole ECAN saga but especially after the earthquakes - and she was hell-bent on getting the Government out of Christchurch ASAP. It started when she became mayor in 2013 and continued even after Labour was elected in 2017. Which meant that when the Government offered to take over the stadium project in 2017 and 2019, she couldn't bring herself to do it, because she was so obsessed with this “get the Government out of Christchurch” thing. Which backfired big time didn't it. Because if Christchurch had accepted that offer back in 2017 or 2019, we'd have more than big holes full of water down there on Madras Street. And what started as an anti-National thing - because she was ex-Labour - just kept going. Even after her Labour mates became government. Once someone has been an MP, it is impossible for them to change their colours. And while that might work when you're up at Parliament, it doesn't work at local government level. If anything, it creates division around a council table when we actually elect and pay these people to think about the greater good - not the party manifesto.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John MacDonald: At last, a cap on water bottling madnessSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Council staff are out near Ashburton this morning as river levels continue to rise with warnings vulnerable areas could flood. Environment Canterbury says rivers and streams will peak this afternoon but overflow is possible before then. Reporter Tessa Guest spoke to Corin Dann from Ashburton.

I had a bit of an epiphany last night when I was driving across town listening to Te Tai Tonga MP Rino Tirikatene on Newstalk ZB talking about the Canterbury Regional Council Ngāi Tahu Representation Bill.Which is the official name of the legislation that's going through Parliament at the moment to allow Ngāi Tahu to appoint two representatives to Environment Canterbury regional council.Rino is the MP responsible for the Bill. And the plan is for these appointments to happen after this year's local body elections.So the Ngāi Tahu representatives won't be elected, they'll be appointed - over and above the 14 elected council members. And they won't be appointed by ECan, they'll be appointed by Ngāi Tahu.But just like the ECan councillors who are elected, the non-elected Ngāi Tahu representatives will have full decision-making and voting rights - just like any other elected councillor.Now the fact this Bill is going through Parliament wasn't news to me. I've known about it for a while, as you probably have. And I've seen and heard some of the anti-sentiment that's been coming through about it being undemocratic etc, etc.I suspect some people have been opposed to it just because it's Ngāi Tahu or because it's Māori and they think it's all part of “Jacinda Ardern's communist regime”.Tongue firmly in cheek there, by the way.As for me, I'm all for iwi being part of some of the big decisions facing our country. An example, iwi representation on the new water authorities the Government wants to set-up as part of the 3 Waters reforms.I think the reforms are flawed, but I've had no issue with iwi representation on the water authorities. And I still don't have an issue with it.But the epiphany I had last night came when I realised that this legislation to allow Ngāi Tahu to appoint non-elected members to the Canterbury Regional Council - and give them full voting rights - is completely unnecessary.It's unnecessary because, already, ECan pretty much doesn't do anything without talking to Ngāi Tahu about it first. And if Ngāi Tahu puts the kibosh on something, it generally doesn't happen.This is largely due to the local government legislation that ECan operates under but also due to a formal partnership ECan has had with Ngāi Tahu since 2016, which is known as Tuia.As ECan says on its website, Tuia is about the regional council recognising that its work is “inextricably linked” with Ngāi Tahu and its ancestral land.And I've got no qualms with that because, of course, ECan exists to oversee management and protection of Canterbury's natural air and water resources which are sacred to Ngāi Tahu .They should be sacred to all of us but I think it's fair to say that air and water are well and truly in Ngāi Tahu's DNA.But I think that this legislation is completely unnecessary and, in fact - I'll go further than that - and say that I think it's wrong.I think it's unnecessary because ECan already has this deep relationship with Ngāi Tahu. I think it's wrong because legislation will reinstate an arrangement that was in place when the previous National government kicked out all of the ECan councillors and brought in commissioners.Remember that?As part of that arrangement, there were a couple of Ngāi Tahu reps on board, which made perfect sense when everyone else around that council table was appointed. The place back then was being run by appointed commissioners, not elected councillors.But things are different now - and ECan is being run by elected councillors.So bringing in a little bit of the old set-up makes no sense. And it makes even less sense to be appointing people from Ngāi Tahu to sit on the regional council with full voting rights (without being elected) when, already, ECan doesn't do anything without Ngāi Tahu saying “yes” first.And it's wrong, simply because it's cherry picking from a time when regional council democracy in Canterbury was walked all over by the government. And, in my mind, you can't have de...

Labour's Sarah Pallett and National's Matt Doocey joined John MacDonald for Politics Friday.They discussed the situation with Te Kaha, the new Christchurch Stadium, and John asked them both how they felt about the budget blow out and where the money should come from to get the project underway finally. A Bill has been voted on in the house around Ngāi Tahu representation with Environment Canterbury, Sarah Pallett spoke to the Bill and voted on it, as did Matt Doocey with National against the move. And truancy at schools has been in the spotlight this week, MacDonald asked what can actually be done to encourage more kids to attend school. LISTEN ABOVE

Something quite extraordinary happened yesterday.With 10 Christchurch City councillors writing to the head of Environment Canterbury regional council, asking her to get the mayors of Christchurch, Selwyn, Waimakariri, Ashburton and Hurunui into a room to talk about putting money on the table for the new Christchurch stadium, Te Kaha.By the way: are we still calling it the ‘new' stadium - or is it time we started calling it the ‘beleaguered' stadium. We can't be far off calling it that, can we?We've been talking about it for 11 years but there's nothing to show for all the talk - other than a big piece of empty land in the centre of town.And today there's more talking, with city councillors meeting to decide the next steps in this whole torturous process - which is consulting the public on whether it should put another $150 million of ratepayer money into the stadium after last week's budget blowout announcement; or scale back the design to keep it in budget; or put the whole thing on hold for a bit.But what was extraordinary about yesterday, was that - even before today's meeting - we had ten councillors taking it on themselves to get negotiations underway with the other local councils about having some skin in the game.This is something the mayor and deputy mayor should have done months, if not years, ago. But obviously these ten councillors are so frustrated that they've gone to ECan themselves and asked it to get all the councils in a room together.And they've done it without involving the mayor and the deputy mayor.If you want to know who these councillors are: they are Sam MacDonald (who we'll be talking to shortly), Jake McLellan, James Gough, Phil Mauger, Aaron Keown, Pauline Cotter, Yani Johanson, Tim Scandrett, Jimmy Chen and Catherine Chu.And let's not kid ourselves that these councillors are doing this solely for the benefit of the community. All but two of them are seeking re-election later this year, so we could easily make gags about them “grandstanding” and playing “political football” with the stadium issue.And I see that some of the councillors who didn't put their name to the letter are saying that their colleagues are jumping the gun because Lianne Dalziel has a meeting lined up with ECan next week. But these ten want all the councils brought into the tent.As they absolutely should be. There is no way Selwyn, Waimakariri, Hurunui and Ashburton should get away with putting nothing into the stadium.The other thing these ten councillors want ECan to do - as well as bringing the councils together to talk turkey - is to introduce a regional rate or regional tax to cover some of the costs of building the stadium.So that would mean any property owner living within ECan's area of jurisdiction - which is north of the Waitaki River up to the Clarence River, just up from Kaikoura and inland to the boundary with the West Coast.Anyone who owns a property within that ECan boundary would pay a compulsory regional tax to help pay for the stadium.This sort of thing was done to help pay for Forsyth Barr stadium in Dunedin and the Caketin in Wellington - so it's not unheard of, and I think it's a brilliant idea.Because, let's face it, Waimakariri, Selwyn, Hurunui and Ashburton aren't going to commit money overnight, are they? We've already had one of the mayors in the news this week saying “ooh, we'd have to talk to our ratepayers before we made any sort of commitment”.Which has election year written all over it, doesn't it?If ECan just went ahead and introduced a regional tax for the stadium, we'd be on much firmer ground financially, and the Christchurch City Council could box on and get things underway.You may have seen in the news too that even if it decided to scale-back the design to keep it within budget, the extra design work that would have to be done would cost an extra $30 million anyway. This is in a report that's been done by council staff for councillors.So it's looking more and more,...

Today on Newstalk ZB Canterbury Mornings, John MacDonald spoke to National's Gerry Brownlee and Labour's Poto Williams about the latest issues.MacDonald pressed them on the current problems in Bromley with the compost plant and council's decision to move it, and also the wastewater plant that caught fire over 170 days ago and is contributing to horrific living conditions for people nearby.They discussed the Rotorua Council Māori Ward situation, and John asked who this could impact the likes of ECan going forward with their situation, and also asked why there is such a large rate of youths involved in crime at the moment. LISTEN ABOVE

The Canterbury environment consultant and ECan councillor is stuck isolating at home with two young kids and a husband with Covid. She warns farmers of the potential physical demands of the virus and the equally challenging Three Waters legislation, with feedback on the proposals due today. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on Newstalk ZB Canterbury Mornings, John MacDonald was joined for his weekly interview with National Party leader, Christopher Luxon. Luxon was questioned about his debate in the house yesterday, and comments he made about New Zealand's housing situation. He also spoke about his views on Tiwai Point smelter, ECan and Ngāi Tahu representation and the current protest happening outside of Parliament in Wellington. LISTEN ABOVE 

Meraklısına Bilim programının 86. bölümünde Şükran Şençekiçer’in konuğu Sabancı Üniversitesi Sanat ve Sosyal ve Bilimler Fakültesi öğretim üyesi Ayşecan Terzioğlu’ydu. Programda salgın günlerinde etkin sağlık iletişimi, Türkiye ve dünyadaki salgın yönetiminde iyi yapılanlar ve daha iyi yapılabilecekler, yanlış bilgi yayılımının nedenleri ve nasıl önüne geçilebileceği, risk algısının nasıl yönetileceği gibi konular konuşuldu.

As part of this week’s “Opinion Maker” show of Sarah’s Country, Environment Canterbury councillor Ian Mackenzie discusses the issues and implications around the Crown Pastoral Land Reform Bill. The Bill clearly aims to put an end to farming in the high-country, and farmers are facing one of the biggest battles of their lifetime as the reform Bill is proving the best chance of casting aside pastoral farming rights over the environment. To read more, visit the article on Farmers Weekly: https://farmersweekly.co.nz/section/agribusiness/view/pastoral-farming-rights-at-risk To watch the interview, visit www.sarahscountry.com Subscribe to Sarah’s Country on the podcast and if you love us, please leave a review! Sarah’s Country is produced in a strategic alliance with Farmers Weekly - New Zealand’s most trusted source of agri-journalism - www.farmersweekly.co.nz Contact the show: sarah@sarahscountry.com Follow Sarah’s Country on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarahperriam Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahscountry

Bilim Akademisi işbirliğiyle hazırladığımız Meraklısına Bilim’in bu haftaki bölümünde koronavirüs salgını günlerinde etkin sağlık iletişimini, Türkiye’nin ve dünyanın salgındaki performansını, yanlış bilgi yayılımının sebeplerini ve bununla nasıl mücadele edilebileceğini, sağlık antropolojisi üzerine çalışan, Sabancı Üniversitesi Kültürel Çalışmalar ve Toplumsal Cinsiyet Çalışmaları Öğretim Üyesi Doç. Dr. Ayşecan Terzioğlu ile konuştuk.

Lan Pham deeply cares about our water and in this interview we learn about why.  From a childhood in Wellington we discuss growing up with multiple cultures, the power of cooking, how she started studying freshwater, the ecosystem for Native Fish of New Zealand, living on a remote island and her motivation for become a Councillor on Environment Canterbury.  I really enjoyed this interview and the varying topics we discussed and am sure you will as well.   At the start we talk about Impact Lunches - the next one is coming up on Friday 6 November - https://theseeds.nz/impact-lunches/ ECAN site: https://ecan.govt.nz/about-us/your-council/councillors/

Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel feels a Labour-led Government will usher in a new environment of inclusive politics.In this new spirit, the city council has brought in ECan and district councils to put together a briefing for new MPs with a strategic plan.Dalziel told Chris Lynch she was impressed on election night when Jacinda Ardern says she would govern on behalf of all Kiwis.She says this is clearly a response to people who had never voted for Labour before.Dalziel says it felt like a rejection of abrasive and divisive politics.Listen above.  

Canterbury Regional Council is hamstrung over Bromley's stench.After 10 years of investigations into complaints from residents the smell was finally linked to two Council-owned waste management plants.Christchurch City Council is now trialing a new recipe for making compost and bringing in more water misters to mitigate the smell.ECAN Councillor Nicole Marshall told Chris Lynch, while they wait for the trial to end, all they can do is slap them with non-compliance notices.Nicole Marshall is urging residents to continue to report the smells either through their app, "Smelt It" or by phoning ECAN.Listen above.

Una interpretación del Nacionalsocialismo desde la visión de Historia Americana. Te invitamos a asistir a Ecan Ollin y el colectivo Cultus Artisque.

Dana serves as an Executive Board Member of ECAN, is a Patient Representative on the Locally Advanced Esophageal Cancer Guideline Panel for the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), a member of NCI Patient Advocate Steering Committee and NCI Esophago-Gastric Task Force and serves on the Esophageal and Stomach Cancer Project Patient Advisory Committee, a project led by the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. After many years as a caregiver to family members and surviving her own health crisis, Dana thrives on improving and empowering patient communication and connections to drive better health outcomes.

Ben and Josh sit down for a conversation with ECAN councilor Lan Pham.

Welcome to another episode of Sarah’s Country. Sarah is joined again by four great guests to talk about the matters that matter most. How are we possibly going to service a burgeoning demand for natives coming from farmers and Government projects? New Zealand Plant Producers chief executive Matthew Dolan will join us to share the industry’s recently hatched action plan that will provide that path.  The back of the Hawke’s Bay drought might be broken but many Canterbury farmers are continuing to donate surplus feed with 2000 bales of hay and silage heading north to their fellow farming friends and family. Nicky Hyslop has been one of the coordinators of the donations and joins us to discuss why she got involved as what goes around comes around. A painting created in support of farmers’ mental health will raise funds for the Rural Support Trust and reduce the stigma of depression. Taranaki artist Paul Rangiwahia wrote and produced Top Six Inches and hopes to raise more than $250,000 for the trust.  Auckland is under mandatory water use restrictions for the first time in a quarter-century and the over-allocated Waikato River doesn't have more to provide. We will discuss Environment Minister David Parker's Resource Management Act reforms to put the environment above all social requirements with ECan councillor Megan Hands. Sarah's Country - The matters that matter most with open hearts and open minds LIVE Mon-Thurs 7pm - www.sarahperriam.com Sarah Perriam, the host of Sarah's Country, is joined in self-isolation still broadcasting from the Lincoln University campus as an ‘essential service’ with her guest co-host, her Irish producer, Joel Rock. Guests on this week’s show: 1. “Native tree windfall from covid“ with Matthew Dolan, CEO, New Zealand Plant Producers 2. “Feed heads North“ with Nicky Hyslop, Farmer, South Canterbury 3. “Art raising money and awareness“ with Paul Rangiwahia, Artist, Taranaki 4. “Water Use Restrictions in Auckland“ with Megan Hands, Councillor, Environment Canterbury To watch to the full-length interviews and to contact the show visit www.sarahperriam.com

Auckland is under mandatory water use restrictions for the first time in a quarter-century and the over-allocated Waikato River doesn't have more to provide. We will discuss Environment Minister David Parker's Resource Management Act reforms to put the environment above all social requirements with ECan councillor Megan Hands. To watch to the full-length interviews and to contact the show visit www.sarahperriam.com

Matt chats to Lan about some of the ways Covid-19 if impacting ECan.

Pressure from ratepayers and Government agencies to do more about climate change is a main driver behind ECAN's proposed rates hike of almost 10 percent.​The first fully-elected councillors since the earthquakes will approve the Draft Annual Plan tomorrow before it goes out for consultation.​​Deputy Chair Peter Scott isn't happy about the rates rise​.​But he told Chris Lynch, you only have to look at the Rangitata River last December to see the importance of flood protection.​​Peter Scott says agencies like NZTA, Kiwi Rail, TransPower and Tourism New Zealand are becoming increasingly concerned about the need for resilience, after extreme weather events. ​ 

Aaron Campbell, ECan candidate for Christchurch West - Ōpuna, called into the show to discuss the proposal for free buses inside the four avenues. Mr Campbell told Chris Lynch he believes people would much rather public transport be fast, frequent and reliable rather than free.He says a lower charge would be more sustainable than free and the city council should have control over public transport rather than ECan.  

Climate change activist group Extinction Rebellion staged a protest outside the central city offices of Environment Canterbury on Tuesday and are pleased with the result.ECan chief executive Bill Bayfield has agreed to put the question of possibly declaring a climate emergency on the agenda for the next meeting. Extinction Rebellion spokesperson Grace Stainthorpe told Chris Lynch ECan declaring a climate emergency will show to all levels of government that this is being taken seriously and will allow them to really do their jobs of stewards of the environment they are supposed to be protecting.  

Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel spoke to Chris Lynch about the City Council's concerns over the recent consent application to Environment Canterbury by Belfast water bottling plant Cloud Ocean.Mayor Lianne Dalziel says the main concern raised by staff is the consent asks to take water from the aquifer that we take water from for our drinking water.She says they have made an application for a variation to an existing consent which they have to take from a shallow bore but our concern is they could take all of it from the deeper bore, which certainly seems to be the intention as they have already put that on their bottles. 

Environment Canterbury insists it isn't going easy on the developer of a mega dairy farm in the Mackenzie Country.The regional council is allowing a portion of the land at Simon's Pass near Twizel to be irrigated - despite the farm not yet meeting all of its conditions under its consent.The move has infuriated Greenpeace which has accused ECAN of bending the rules so that dairy corporates can make money at the cost of fragile landscapes.But ECAN Chairman Steve Lowndes told Chris Lynch the council is satisfied the farm has done enough for now - meeting all but one of 99 onerous conditions set down by the Environment Court two years agoIt says the outstanding condition - which relates to a survey to protect the Dryland Recovery Area - should be met by the end of summer.

Water bottling operation Cloud Ocean has illegally pumped more than 10 million litres of water from its Belfast bore, breaching its consent conditions.Last month Environment Canterbury issued Cloud Ocean with a cease operations and abatement notice. However this notice was lifted on Friday after Cloud Ocean provided them with the necessary documentation to reactivate the consent. Aotearoa Water Action spokesman Peter Richardson told Chris Lynch they are pushing forward with the court action challenging the consents issued by Environment Canterbury.   

Largely considered as purely a form of financial tender due to the fame of its most iconic application - the bitcoin -, the blockchain actually holds the key to a world of uses beyond cryptocurrencies. This technology, deemed to be ‘revolutionary’ by numerous experts, is so multi-dimensional that it is perhaps more appropriate to talk about it in the plural. From live streaming to festival coordination and contracts, the cultural sector is one of many areas of society to be affected by blockchains, which have the potential to reinvent both economic models and uses. In various instances, cultural operators are becoming techno-activists by shaking up the systems in place and decentralising value, often to the benefit of independent artists. But to what extent can the blockchain deliver actual utopias, and how can it revolutionise a rapidly changing cultural sector? With Maxime Faget (SeaNaps festival), Tyler Tyldesley (Resonate), Xavier Lavayssière (ECAN)and Lisa Blanning (Journalist)

Chris Lynch spoke to Environment Canterbury Chair, Steve Lowndes, about the 2018 - 28 Long Term Plan for Environment Canterbury and held a question and answer session for listeners with concerns.

Join MyCity4HER.com Founder and MyCity4HER Radio host and Executive Producer Monyka Berrocosa as she talks with guest Mindy Mintz Mordecai, President and CEO of ECAN (Esophegeal Cancer Action Network) as we learn her Y and what motivates her to help others.MyCity4HER Radio is produced by MyCity4HER Media, commited to helping her get further than where she is. Find out more about what we do and how you can be a guest at MyCity4HER.com. 

Join MyCity4HER.com Founder and MyCity4HER Radio host and Executive Producer Monyka Berrocosa as she talks with guest Mindy Mintz Mordecai, President and CEO of ECAN (Esophegeal Cancer Action Network) as we learn her Y and what motivates her to help others.MyCity4HER Radio is produced by MyCity4HER Media, commited to helping her get further than where she is. Find out more about what we do and how you can be a guest at MyCity4HER.com. 

We spoke to good ol’ Garry Moore this morning, the God Father of our fair city because we really wanted to hear his opinion ob Bob Parker’s media attention during the quake aftermath. There was a report which was amended, written by the senior civil defense manager at ECan that said Bob’s media presence contributed to a crisis situation being depicted by the media. ALSO we wanted to find out a little bit more about the ‘community’ he lived in for 10 years.