TE NUPEPA O TE TAIRAWHITI FRIDAY, MAY 28, 2021 HOME-DELIVERED $1.90, RETAIL $2.20 INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM FAILURE COVID-19 PAGES 6, 12-13,16 AWARDS TO • Thousands of travellers urged to self-isolate GISBORNE • Victoria returns to lockdown MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCATE • China accuses US of ‘blame-shifting’ DESIGNER TO RETURN MEDAL • Brit PM rejects botched response claims PAGE 5 PAGE 7 BUILDING AWESOME WHANAU This is the first group of parents from Waikirikiri School who smashed all six sessions of Building Awesome Whanau . and they loved it. Their 24 children between them loved it too. Laughter played a big part in the six-week kaupapa which is not only about empowering whanau but them “doing life” together. The best bit for the whanau involved is that it is not run by “the system” but by Waikirikiri School kaihapai whanau coordinator Tui Keenan (centre) affectionately known as “The Bulldozer”. From left are Morgan Haapu, Leecreshah Witeri, Ruby Neshausen, Tui Keenan, Eddie Adams, Jara Waaka and Chelsea Waaka. STORY ON PAGE 3 Picture by Rebecca Grunwell Rural rates motion fails Councillors vote 7-5 to stick with original proposal by Alice Angeloni of wastewater, water supply and Before the vote, Cr Burdett said it was property owners to pay $43 more, and stormwater (three waters) services the “worst” decision he had seen since high-value residential city property A MOTION to overturn a Gisborne through the general rate has received becoming a councillor in 1998. owners to pay less. rating policy described as “unfair and significant kickback from people who Cr Pat Seymour said there had been It said it would have the “opposite inequitable” has already pay for their own water tanks continuous concern expressed about this effect” to the principle-based review, failed. and septic systems. charge. causing an imbalance and inconsistency Rural Gisborne The motion needed six signatures to “We aren’t listening to our community to the way infrastructure is funded. district councillors get back to the council table. It did so by putting that charge on to those Council chief executive Nedine Pat Seymour and with support of rural councillors Kerry who have to provide 100 percent of the Thatcher Swann said a major risk of Bill Burdett this Worsnop and Sandra Faulkner, along service for themselves.” changing the policy would be that if week made a formal with city councillors Shannon Dowsing A paper from staff advised councillors further workshopping was required, it motion to revoke part and Isaac Hughes. to stick with what was previously could jeopardise its ability to “strike the of a newly-adopted But it was voted down at an decided. rate” on July 1. finance policy that extraordinary meeting on Thursday It highlighted the consequences of “We have never ever been in a will see rural people morning — seven votes to five. removing the proposed Three Waters situation, and I was just counting five paying rates on wastewater and drinking Those who had signed the motion 10 percent general rate, saying it would long-term plans, where we’ve had to water. voted in its favour, with the exception of cause schools to pay $1200 more on delay striking of the rates.” The proposal to fund 10 percent Cr Dowsing, who wasn’t at the meeting. average, low-value residential city CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 GISBORNE RUATORIA WAIROA Local News ...... 1-5 Business ............11 Television ...........18 Racing ......... 22-23 Births & Deaths ...4 Opinion ..............12 Literature ...........19 Sport ............ 24-28 9 771170 043005 TOMORROW National .......... 6-10 World...... 13, 16-17 Classifieds ... 20-21 Weather .............27 > 2 NEWS The Gisborne Herald • Friday, May 28, 2021 “AMAZING”, “stunning”, “really and anemones, although Katere did cool” were among the reactions not at first believe her mother when from Gisborne students and parents she told them what they were. E who took part in the Experience Hunter said it was cool being able xperiencing Marine Reserves trip to the Poor to see a a lot of snapper and he Knights Islands. rated cave diving as “probably the Central School student Katere best part”. Lockwood and mother Anna Lovett “Some caves were light, some and Makauri School student Hunter caves were dark. I liked the small, Toon and father Ben Toon went on dark caves because they’ve got lots M the trip to the islands located of marine life in them. arine 23 kilometres north-east of “I got to see green, I got to see Whangarei. pink, I got to see purple . pretty Katere and Hunter were among much the whole rainbow. 34 students from seven regions “I felt quite nervous at the start selected for the 20th anniversary because I didn’t know what was EMR trip. down there but then when I looked R Selection was based on action down I saw a stunning view with eserves projects the students undertook — some really cool fish.” ranging from shellfish monitoring Ben said he had done a lot of and citizen science fish surveys diving around the East Coast but it to a mufti day and ocean disco was completely different diving at fundraiser — and the enthusiasm the Poor Knights. they showed when studying “It was really cool to see all the and experiencing the marine different types of marine life that we environment. don’t see at home,” he said. “I really “It was amazing,” Katere said of enjoyed it.” the trip aboard the vessel Perfect The trip was made possible Day, which took the students and through Dive! Tutukaka and EMR — 29 guardians to a snorkelling spot a national programme of experiential known as Gardens at Mararo Bay learning about marine conservation “I was in the water for the whole that started in Northland in 2002. time. I was shocked because it was The EMR programme has since the deepest place I’d ever snorkelled expanded to seven regions — at. I felt happy, excited. I did feel Northland, Auckland, Taranaki, safe. I saw kina, fish and sponges.” Gisborne, Wellington, Nelson and Mum Anna said it was “an Rakiura (Stewart Island). absolute honour to accompany It is delivered in Gisborne through Katere on this trip”. He Awa Ora, He Tai Ora, Healthy “It has definitely ignited Katere Rivers, Living Sea Education Trust even further about the need to look led by regional coordinator and trust after our moana (ocean). manager Amy-Rose Hardy, assisted “It’s truly alive under the water, by fellow regional coordinators Joe with its own landscape, so let it and Murray Palmer (Joe’s father). regenerate I say.” Schools that take part get the Her personal highlight was opportunity to win a trip to Poor UP NORTH: The Gisborne students and parents who went on the Exploring showing her daughter live sponges Knights Island every year. Marine Reserves trip to the Poor Knights Islands north of Whangarei are Hunter Toon and father James and Katere Lockwood and mother Anna Lovett. The islands’ English name is said to derive from their resemblance, perhaps aided by the “topping” of red flowering summer pohutukawa blossoms, to Poor Knight’s Pudding — a bread-based dish popular at the time of discovery by Captain Cook. Another suggestion is that the silhouette of the islands looks like a knight lying down. Group picture by Sophie Journee, islands picture by NZ Herald EXPLORING: Anna Lovett and daughter Katere Lockwood snorkel in the Poor Knights Islands marine reserve, which extends 800 metres out from any part of the islands, islets, rocks and stacks. Snorkelling picture by Sophie Journee LOOKING AHEAD Get your FOCUS ON THE LAND Gisborne Herald • Prices and comment from the sheep sale home-delivered at Matawhero today — 4000 head on offer, 1000 of them capital stock ewes. • Tuesday’s cattle fair at Matawhero was dominated by VIC Angus mixed-age cows and R3 heifers. • Beef+Lamb NZ to bring the Referendum Roadshow to Gisborne later this month. TOMORROW TOMORROW The Gisborne Herald, 64 Gladstone Road, P.O. Box 1143, Gisborne • Phone (06) 869 0600 • Fax (Editorial) (06) 869 0643 (Advertising) (06) 869 0644 Editor: Jeremy Muir • Chief Reporter: Andrew Ashton • Circulation: Cara Haines • Sports: Jack Malcolm/John Gillies To fi nd out more call 869 0620 e-mail: [email protected] • [email protected] • [email protected] • web site: www.gisborneherald.co.nz The Gisborne Herald • Friday, May 28, 2021 NEWS 3 Parents connect with keeping-it-real kaupapa FROM PAGE 1 “If you tell her ‘no’, she will come back help . there is no one else like that out Laughter played a big part each week as by Sophie Rishworth ten-fold,” said Morgan. there.” stories of naughty children, and positive “I call it getting our whanau out of our Eddie and Jara Waaka, both 28, have a outcomes were shared. THE first group to have “smashed” all comfort zone,” Tui says. “This is not a course. blended family of 10 children. The couple are Eddie said a highlight was learning about six sessions of Building Awesome Whanau This is a kaupapa to empower you and for you about to get married. ‘love languages’ — finding out what each believe their combined 24 children are the to go away feeling successful.” Tui said she had seen them flourish as a child’s ‘love language’ was. main winners. Leecreshah agrees. “It does, it made me feel couple and as parents. Another of their “homework” exercises was Building Awesome Whanau is a six-week good”. The couple spoke excitedly about how their to give each child three minutes of undivided kaupapa offered through Waikirikiri School. “It helped me a lot,” said Chelsea Waaka, 35, children responded positively to them taking attention each day.