TE NUPEPA O TE TAIRAWHITI MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2020 HOME-DELIVERED $1.90, RETAIL $2.20 AWARDS DOUBLE KAITERATAHI HOUSE FIRE PAGE 4 HARBOUR BRIDGE PAGE 7 CHAOS DERBY THRILLER: BAY PIP COAST BACK PAGE “Absolutely stoked” and “blown away” were the reactions of Wainui surf lifesaving stalwarts Dion Williams and Sonia Keepa after they were named winners at the online Surf Life Saving New Zealand Awards of Excellence on Saturday. Williams was named Coach of the Year and Keepa won Instructor of the Year. Williams is pictured above with some of the many athletes he has coached. From left are Jonty Evans, Jack Keepa and Hue Cowie. Keepa is pictured with son Jack. STORY ON PAGE 2. Pictures by Keepa Digital ELIMINATING METH ‘We are trying hard not to be the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff’ by Sophie Rishworth co-ordinate our efforts, our spend, and reach out to all our communities to play TESTS of raw, untreated sewage a part in our journey.” showed 274 grams of methamphetamine Elimination is the goal, he says. (meth or P) was used in one week in “There is no place for meth Gisborne during March. from a police perspective, we are That is the city’s highest level since trying hard not to be the ambulance at testing began in June last year as part the bottom of the cliff. We are working of the New Zealand wastewater testing hard in communities, with communities, programme. to understand their key concerns. Financially it equates to more than This graph shows the amount of meth, MDMA and cocaine consumed during one week “We are focused on understanding the $100,000 spent on meth here in one week after tests on untreated sewage in Gisborne for eight of nine months from October 2019 problem,” he said. — based on a Gisborne police figure of to June 2020. No collection of samples were taken during April due to the Alert Level 4 There is a great opportunity to take $400 a gram. lockdown. In May and June, when testing resumed, there was a decrease of meth and this factual data to another level, he Nationally, for that same week, the cocaine in the wastewater, but an increase of MDMA for May. Fluctuations could be a says. spend was $7,563,576, or 18,900 grams number of things but the main driver was supply and demand, police say. “It’s the response to this information used. and this story that is important, and how MDMA (ecstasy) use also featured in wastewater are done by the Institute of questions being asked around mental we keep the momentum going.” the results. It showed an average of Environmental Science and Research health and addiction. Meth affects everyone — directly and 48 grams used in Gisborne over one (ESR) in Christchurch. Inspector Aberahama wants to know indirectly, he says. week in March — down from 68 grams The city’s catchment area is 37,000 what is going on across Tairawhiti in “People who use meth drive cars used in one week in October 2019. people. It does not include septic tanks. the mental health and addiction space, . work in our work environments. Its The New Zealand wastewater The amount of drugs found in and what opportunities there are to impact is far and wide. testing programme tests for indicators Gisborne’s wastewater has raised better understand and co-ordinate efforts “We have to make this thought- of consumption of methamphetamine, questions from Tairawhiti’s senior police forward for a meth-free Tairawhiti? provoking and not just a cool story. MDMA, cocaine, fentanyl, ephedrine and inspector. There are a lot of smart people in “A lot of money gets poured into pseudoephedrine. Cannabis is not tested In a report presented to Manaaki Tairawhiti who have experiences mental health and addiction and there is for. Samples are taken every 24 hours Tairawhiti by Area Commander Sam that could add value to a meth-free a whole lot of stuff going on.” across one week each month. Aberahama, he says this raw data will Tairawhiti, he says. Calculations of the drugs in Gisborne’s have little impact if it is not for the “We’d love to hear from you, CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 GISBORNE RUATORIA WAIROA Local News ...... 1-5 Business ............11 Classifieds .........17 Sport ............ 20-24 Births & Deaths ...4 Opinion ..............12 Television ...........18 Weather .............23 9 771170 043005 TOMORROW National ..... 6-10,16 World............ 13-15 Racing ................19 > 2 NEWS The Gisborne Herald • Monday, September 21, 2020 Bringing books to life Ilminster Intermediate students got creative for Book Character Day on Friday. Above, this group co-ordinated as Thing One and Thing Two — the twins from The Cat in the Hat book by Dr Seuss — although as the photo shows, Thing 4 popped up as well. From left are Jade Schwass, Rianamaria Hema, May Williams, Daisy McInteer, Lily Lock, Savanah Williams, Stevie Ann Keenan, Savanah Baty, Grace Ure and Frankie Starr-Naske. The Cat in the Hat book is the most well known of the Dr Seuss books. After Cat releases them from a box, Thing 1 and Thing 2 cause mischief by flying kites inside the house of Conrad and Sally. Conrad eventually uses a net to stop them. Right, equally mischievious is supervillain Harley Quinn (portrayed by Ilminster student Taliyah Marrell) — the accomplice and romantic interest of Batman’s enemy The Joker. Harley is also a member of the infamous Suicide Squad. Left, Jack Holden, dressed as Harry Potter, delivered a few spells while Carter Easterbook appeared as the bear from popular children’s book We’re Going on a Bear Hunt. Pictures by Rebecca Grunwell National honours to Wainui pair Williams named coach of the year, instructor award to Keepa FROM PAGE 1 “Dion is highly regarded in surf. He journey over the years, how she teaches. Her advocacy of water by Murray Robertson has helped produce high performance “They have helped me on my way — to safety and enthusiasm for lifeguarding is athletes and is open to working with be happy in my coaching and doing it for what Surf Life Saving NZ is all about.” WAINUI surf lifeguards Dion Williams others. the right reasons.” Keepa said she was “blown away” to and Sonia Keepa won big at the Surf “He sits on the Gisborne/Tairawhiti “Sonia had a year that saw her receive the award. Life Saving New Zealand Awards of and national sport committees. teach 51 lifeguard and patrol support “We do what we do in lifesaving and it’s Excellence at the weekend. “He is a committed club man, helping candidates, six prospective IRB crew a particular honour to receive this award Williams was named Coach of the Year with the nippers at Wainui, running and three IRB drivers,” NZLS said. “It because we are involved at the grassroots after he assisted the New Zealand Black refresher courses, volunteering as a will surprise no one that all 60 of those of training new surf lifeguards. Fins at the Sanyo World Cup in Japan patrol captain and, like so many in surf, students qualified. “There are a lot of people who have last year and enjoyed success at a local, continuing to help with fundraisers and “Sonia has always instructed at mentored me along the way and I really regional and national level. working bees.” the highest level and prides herself appreciate their support, particularly Keepa received the DHL NZ Instructor Williams said he was “absolutely in ensuring her students have all the the support of my husband Cody and our of the Year award. stoked” but such awards were a bonus. knowledge and skills they need before children. The Riversun Wainui pair were among “You never do coaching for the they are put forward for exams. “I love coaching, and instructing new four finalists from this district in the accolades. You front up for the kids “She was also involved in the planning guards ties in with the passion I have for awards announced online on Saturday. and try to get the best out of them for and delivery of SLSNZ’s SLA (Surf coaching.” “Dion’s athletes won 26 senior and 67 themselves. Lifeguard Award) programme and helped Keepa was also a finalist in the New junior medals at a local level, 55 senior “Being among the Gisborne with Gisborne’s SLA academy that pulled Zealand Lifeguard of the Year category. medals and four junior ones at a regional lifeguarding community is fantastic. together the region’s clubs. Wainui’s Belinda Slement and Jeremy level, and 32 medals at a senior national It helps being part of such a great “Sonia was also active in regional IRB Lockwood received NZ Service awards as level,” NZSLS said in the awards. community,” he said. camps and patrol workshops, and as chief part of the awards. “These are outstanding results for the “I’d like to thank my wife Nic for instructor at Wainui, she is a role model Dawson Building Midway’s Rama small Wainui club, who finished seventh putting up with all the time I’ve put into to all. Robertson and Kaiaponi Farms at the East Regional champs and 11th at coaching and I’d also like to thank all the “She is widely liked and respected, and Waikanae’s Alistair Thorpe were the the nationals in Gisborne. other people who have contributed to my her students speak fondly of her and of other two Gisborne finalists. The Gisborne Herald • Monday, September 21, 2020 NEWS 3 No sign Some new services have of woman missing in started, others in progress FROM PAGE 1 HAUORA Tairawhiti planning, funding and next couple of months.” Waioeka Last year’s “wellbeing budget” allocated population health group manager Nicola Ehau up to $20 million to Tairawhiti’s district says it is important to note the amount of drugs in ■ ANYONE who needs help for health board (Hauora Tairawhiti) to build a the wastewater do not correlate to the number of methamphetamine or any other addictions can Gorge new in-patient mental health and addiction people who are ready to seek help to address their get support through Hauora Tairawhiti community unit.