TE NUPEPA O TE TAIRAWHITI SATURDAY-SUNDAY, MAY 1-2, 2021 HOME-DELIVERED $1.90, RETAIL $2.70 INSIDE TODAY Oranga Tamariki ‘a foundation of structural racism’ CHECKING: Women’s Native Tree Project Trust nursery manager Kauri Forno PAGE 6 checking her pohutukawa “babies” at the nursery. Picture by Liam Clayton PAGES 8-9, COVID-19 14-15, 19 ■ Kiwis in Brisbane breach told to isolate ■ Redeployed after missing jab deadline ■ Jail for those who defy Aussie travel ban ■ Flight reunites pets with owners Myrtle’s here ‘Horse has bolted’ on stopping the spread: DoC ranger by Matai O’Connor we have at the nursery. found three more infected pohutukawa. But when Graeme showed up and we Ms Forno must now check the myrtle A DEVASTATING discovery of myrtle were talking about how humid it was species every four days. rust was made at the Women’s Native here about a fortnight ago, we decided She said she had been told by GDC Tree Project Trust nursery in Stout to check. And he found some. I was that myrtle rust had been found on Street this week. completely shocked. ramarama bushes in Kaiti and recently This means the fungal Ms Forno and Mr in the Lytton West area. disease that severely Atkins went back “The spores could have been here for attacks plants in the This proves it’s not through the plants months and that humidity two weeks ago RUST NEVER SLEEPS: Gisborne myrtle family, including just‘ up the Coast. It’s and found another five made them start growing.” District Council principal scientist pohutukawa, manuka infected plants. All were If or when Ms Forno finds more Dr Murry Cave took this picture and rata, has most right here on my babies pohutukawa. No sign of it infected plants, she has to bury, burn or yesterday of a ramarama plant likely spread across the I collected from seed was found on the manuka landfill the whole plant. So far all the infected by myrtle rust. Myrtle rust region. ’ and kanuka. The nursery infected plants have been bagged and is a disease caused by the exotic The discovery was — Nursery manager doesn’t grow ramarama, Kauri Forno sent to landfill. fungus Austropuccinia psidii and made on Wednesday which is a native myrtle “GDC knows it’s at our nursery. If it affects plants in the myrtle family when Department of species found to be spreads to our manuka or kanuka we such as manuka and pohutukawa. It Conservation East infected all over the East need to let them know.” can cause deformed leaves, heavy Coast ranger Graeme Atkins was visiting Coast. Mr Atkins said he was always on the defoliation of branches, reduced the nursery to touch base with the group. Ms Forno was gutted. lookout for myrtle rust and usually found fertility, dieback, stunted growth, WNTPT nursery manager Kauri Forno “It brings it home, it makes it personal. it. “People need to search in their garden and plant death. It appears as says the discovery was an awful moment. I’m devastated. This proves it’s not just and look for it. I bet this won’t be the yellow or white spots on the upper “I have been checking regularly,” she up the Coast — it’s right here on my only myrtle rust in Gizzy. The horse has leaves or reddish/orange blister-like said. “Every few weeks I would do a babies I collected from seed,” she said. bolted on stopping the spread. swellings on the underside of leaves detailed look through the myrtle species Gisborne District Council’s biodiversity which contain spores. — kanuka, manuka and pohutukawa— team visited the nursery yesterday and CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 06 867 2049 | 0800 653 800 It’s cheque out time www.gdc.govt.nz [email protected] From 28 May 2021, Gisborne District Council will no longer accept cheques as a method @Gisborne DC of payment. See our website for online services or contact us for support and other GDC Fix app payment options. 39432-01 Local News ...... 1-5 Business ...... 11-12 Farming ........ 16-17 Television ....W9-11 Births & Deaths ...4 Opinion ..............13 Racing ................22 Sport ............ 28-32 National ..6-9, 19-20 World...... 14-15, 18 Classifieds ... 23-27 Weather .............31 977 1175467004 2 NEWS The Gisborne Herald • Saturday, May 1, 2021 GENTLEMAN START YOUR ENGINES: Carter Boyle, Te Atau Kerehoma, and Amazon Web Services partner solutions architect Jamie Petrie with the Deep Racer driverless cars, which operate by artificial intelligence. The Deep Racer cars were part of a busy week at Taiki e!, building up to Startup Weekend Tairawhiti, which started yesterday. Picture by Liam Clayton Eyes on the road but no hand upon the wheel by Jack Marshall by reinforcement learning, with a get the highest number of points as making it interesting for people to life, an autonomous car costs around front-facing camera acting as eyes to it goes around the track, it will try to learn. $400 and they can enter races around TECHNOLOGY-INCLINED students “see” the track. stay in the centre. “This is where Deep Racer comes New Zealand and win prizes. and other interested people were The car’s software is programmed “It’s a fun way to learn about into play because machine learning Those wanting to experience Deep treated to an autonomous car display to reward itself with points the closer machine learning,” AWS head of by itself can be quite complex if you Racer cars online can enter the races in Gisborne this week. it stays to the centre line of the road. territory Haren Samarasekera says. try to explain it.” without a physical car by uploading Amazon Web Services (AWS) The further away from the centre “Rather than trying to come here Developers of all skill levels can the software for the cars. showed off its Deep Racer cars line it strays, the fewer points it and explain it in more complex terms, get started with machine learning Haren says the competition is a driven by artificial intelligence as part receives and if the car goes off-road, this makes it a lot more simpler, and through a 3D-racing simulation great way to encourage people to of tech talks held at Taiki e! no points are rewarded. the kids loved it. online. experiment with artificial intelligence The 1/18th-scale race cars operate Because the software wants to “It’s about gamifying things and For those who want to race in real and tech. Allan’s fellow ‘Class of 17’ MP keen to help LABOUR list MP Anahila Tongan-born Ms Kanongata’a- Kanongata’a-Suisuiki says the East Suisuiki sits on the environment Coast electorate office is still open for and social services and community business and ready to help constituents select committees and chairs Labour’s despite the illness of MP Kiri Allan. biggest-ever Pacific caucus of 10 MPs. Ms Kanongata’a-Suisuiki, who was While in Gisborne, she met with in Gisborne this week, said that as members of the Pacific Island a member of “the Class of 17” — in Community Trust, Tautua Village reference to the 17 newly-elected MPs youth organisation and iwi. from the incoming Labour Government The visit was a opportunity to listen of 2017 — she was “quite close” to to what locals were saying and to take fellow “class” member Ms Allan and that feedback back to the Government, wished her well. she said. Labour has indicated its intent to Ms Kanongata’a-Suisuiki has told regularly send MPs into the East Coast Labour Party members she is out to electorate as Ms Allan continues her defeat National Party leader Judith cancer treatment. Collins in the Papakura electorate at the next election. PACIFIKA IN THE SPOTLIGHT: It was not extensively known that Labour MP Anahila Kanongata’a- Labour won the party vote in Papakura Suisuiki (second from right) meets at the last election, she said. members of the Pacific Island Labour won 42.5 percent of the Community Trust in Gisborne this party vote in Papakura compared to week. From left are deputy chair Seini National’s 36.9 percent. Maafu, life member Pauli Ma’afu, Mrs Collins retained her seat Theodosia Nia Nia and operations with a majority of 5583 despite manager Dr Alaimaluloa Toetuu- National’s poor overall general election Tamihere. Picture by Liam Clayton performance. LOOKING AHEAD ALL THE LATEST NEWS, INCLUDING: • Emotional reunions for Gisborne people as the Serious about 39266-01 transtasman travel bubble is lifted • The House of Breakthrough celebrates its 30th birthday Selling? • It’s been all go at Campion College for Startup Week- So am I. end Tairawhiti • Coverage of local sport including premier club rugby, 027 515 5398 premier netball and Central and Pacific Premiership football Karyn Anderson • And (picture left) . what’s this all about? E [email protected] MONDAY karynpropertybrokers 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 Property Brokers Ltd Licensed REAA 2008 e-mail: [email protected] • [email protected] • [email protected] • web site: www.gisborneherald.co.nz PB048224 The Gisborne Herald • Saturday, May 1, 2021 NEWS 3 Drier, sunnier, warmer April for Gisborne region DESPITE April at last delivering a Most of the rain fell in one event On the plus side, this district has Night temperatures have fallen from Niwa’s seasonal climate outlook to solid drop of rain, the Gisborne region on April 21 and was of most benefit continued to enjoy extra sun, with above the 10-degree mark, and now the end of June — is still in soil moisture deficit territory.