TE NUPEPA O TE TAIRAWHITI FRIDAY, MAY 15, 2020 HOME-DELIVERED $1.90, RETAIL $2.20 LEVEL 2, DAY 1: ‘AMAZING’ SUPPORT FOR People flocked back to places like The Warehouse (left), which LIVE MUSIC VENUES was able to reopen in Alert Level PAGE 2 2 yesterday. The carpark was full and there were long queues at times over the day. The city centre resembled Boxing Day with large numbers of shoppers out in force. The change of level also means playgrounds are now open. Enjoying a spin at the Botanical Gardens, below, are Keylaine Scheirber, 9, and Ciahn Ebbett- Couper, 3. Pictures by Liam Clayton BUDGET 2020 WHAT’S IN IT FOR US PAGES 3, 6-9 COVID-19 • City buzzes as businesses, services reopen • New Zealanders stressed but resilient • Denial US first in line for vaccine PAGES 2, 4, 5, 10, 13-14, 16, 22, 24 $33.5m and counting In firing line over wastewater plant upgrade budget blowout by Aaron van Delden council will need to apply for an extension. WHAT BLEW THE BUDGET? Councillor Meredith Akuhata-Brown THOSE managing Gisborne city’s said wastewater improvements needed to wastewater treatment plant upgrade Additional costs identified in the preliminary design include — be prioritised. “Most of our community . faced a grilling yesterday from district ■ Filters required for clarification: $3.5m. simply want to see no more tutae (faeces) councillors seeking answers over the ■ Increased provisional and general costs: $3m. in the bay and rivers,” she said. “It’s a very project’s multimillion-dollar budget ■ More UV equipment for disinfection: $1.5m. basic ask.” blowout. ■ Shifting the project site to a vacant lot adjacent to (rather than attached to) the main treatment Deputy mayor Josh Wharehinga said In an exhaustive plant on Banks Street: $1.5m. the budget blowout was a reason in itself two-hour debate, ■ Enclosing dewatering equipment to minimise odour: $1.3m. for the council to get a move on with the councillors wanted ■ Increased allowance for cost overruns: $1m. upgrade. to know how the ■ Disposal facility for septic tank waste: $0.8m. “That’s why pies no longer cost 50 cents estimated project cost ■ Work to enable wastewater to be recycled for treatment processes: $0.5m. everything increases with time.” had jumped by more There are no guarantees that even than $9 million from Refinements to the design, including a more condensed layout, helped pare back the increase to $9.1m. $33.5m will be enough. a budget of $24.4m With the new budget still based on a based on a 2016 preliminary design, Gisborne District concept design. Council chief executive Nedine Thatcher But in the end they unanimously agreed for our city — we must have it,” councillor The additional treatment is a resource Swann said the project could end up to incorporate the larger budget of $33.5m Amber Dunn said. consent requirement with a December costing 15 to 20 percent more. in the council’s upcoming 2021-31 Long The plant’s upgrade will mean the city’s 2020 deadline. Term Plan. wastewater is clarified and disinfected The upgrade is not due to be CONTINUED ON PAGE 5 “This is critical, essential infrastructure before being pumped out to sea. commissioned until March 2022 so the GISBORNE RUATORIA WAIROA Local News ...... 1-5 Business ..............9 Classifieds .........17 Sport ............ 21-24 Births & Deaths ...4 Opinion ..............10 Television ...........19 Weather .............23 9 771170 043005 TOMORROW National ...... 6-8, 16 World............ 12-14 Racing ................20 > 2 NEWS The Gisborne Herald • Friday, May 15, 2020 WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM OUR FRIENDS: An arts crowdfunding platform has launched a Save Our Venues initiative to help ensure live music venues — SAVING the Dome Bar and Smash Palace — are able to continue to host acts such as Gisborne heavy rock band Uni-Fi (pictured). OUR File picture VENUES ‘Amazing’ support gives lifeline to Smash, Dome by Mark Peters support for the venue. endlessly grateful and one day I’ll put on hole Covid-19 put us in and puts us on a “Since then we’ve had many messages a great big party for Gisborne.” firmer footing,” says Mr Monteith. WITHIN 24 hours of launching its Save of support. I knew we had the support Smash Palace’s Daryl Monteith said he “This is a huge lifeline and comments Our Venues campaign the Dome Bar but I didn’t know it was as huge as it has and co-owner Kerry Donovan had seen and feedback we have had about how reached its first target towards ensuring been.” the campaign was going well for Auckland much Smash means to people are really it can continue to host live acts. Many small venues face a similar live music venues Whammy Bar and The gratifying.” Along with Smash Palace, the Dome struggle to continue after lockdown but Wine Cellar but felt a bit weird about Bar is one of Gisborne’s two main live venues are where New Zealand artists asking for money. music venues whose chances of survival forge support for their talent, says “Then the campaign committee ■ TO make a donation, and to help ensure live post-lockdown have been given a boost Shanks. approached us and said ‘would you like acts continue to grow and perform at the Dome through a Save Our Venues initiative. “These venues are run on shoestring your venue to be part of this?’” Bar and Smash Palace, go to www.boosted.org. Driven by a team of musicians and budgets by locals who are passionate Smash Palace was nominated by nz/profile/5eaf4a9eda204c002348bacb or supporters, the Boosted Live arts about bringing culture to the small Christchurch venue Blue Smoke. bit.ly/2X01VZ1, scroll down the page for the “we crowdfunding platform initiative, Save corners of the universe, while fostering Nominees were required to nominate love the Dome” and “we love Smash” icons, Our Venues, aims to inspire nationwide the next music generation of stars. another venue so Mr Monteith and Ms then scroll down each of those pages to the red support of New Zealand’s musical culture “Without venues bands have nowhere Donovan nominated the Dome Bar. “donate” button. The deadline for both venues to by encouraging people to support their to play. That has put things into focus. Like the Dome, Smash Palace reached reach their stretch goal of $20,000 is May 30. venues. Bands and venues have to work together. its target amount within a couple of days By this morning, Smash Palace had reached “It was amazing,” Dome Bar owner “We’re struggling but now we can and has created a stretch target. $11,200 towards its stretch target while the Dome Sally Shanks said of people’s financial function in a limited capacity. We’re “The funding helps us climb out of the Bar had reached $14,339. LOOKING AHEAD Get your FOCUS ON THE LAND Gisborne Herald • The ‘Resilient Farmer’ Doug Avery talks about moving forward from a home-delivered crisis like Covid-19. WRAPPING • Sheep sales resumed at the AROUND OUR Matawhero saleyards today with about 1600 head on offer. COMMUNITY IN • Alliance has distributed $4.5 million in loyalty payments to A CRISIS its shareholders. 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: Grant Miller/John Gillies To 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 15, 2020 NEWS 3 Kai food parcels feeding thousands THERE is an impressive distribution around Tairawhiti,” said collaboration going on between Toitu Mr Tamati. Tairawhiti, Gisborne District Council’s “I am hugely proud of our team Emergency Coordination Centre and who have all worked long and hard 16 iwi, hapu and community hubs to make sure everything was ready to get kai (food) parcels out to 1450 to go.” households across the rohe. The ECC will continue to help iwi The Toitu Tairawhiti effort is partners, agencies and community the brainchild of communications groups over the coming weeks. operations lead Amohaere The Toitu Tairawhiti combined Houkamau, who says the packs have effort comes on the back of Civil been customised for Tairawhiti iwi Defence Emergency Management and will continue to be rolled out staff having delivered essential until the end of winter. household items to more than The 1450 households will receive 2000 pakeke (elderly), parents and packs designed to feed a family of children from all over the district who four, meaning food for nearly 6000 have been referred by agencies or people. called the council’s 0800 number for One-hundred-and-forty-six pallets assistance. were delivered to the Showgrounds These packs are provided by the Event Centre, where they were National Emergency Management unpacked and split into four rohe Centre. zones — Whangara, Uawa, Waiapu Feedback to ECC about the kai and Matakaoa; Waipiro, Te Puia and parcels delivered during the Covid-19 Ruatoria; Muriwai, Turanga west and pandemic response has been hugely Rongowhakaata; and Kaiti. positive, with many saying the items The ECC team worked late into the they received in their packs were night on Tuesday to ensure the first well thought out and provided much- deliveries were set to head out at needed relief for them and whanau. 5am on Wednesday. The latest kai packs will be ECC response manager Wiremu distributed over the weekend. Tamati says it has been a team effort.