Plan to raise Kaeo above floods
Building and Construction Minister Shane Jones is confident of gaining Government support for a package to lift up to 25 houses in the Kaeo area of Northland to avoid future floods.
Shane Jones says local authorities in the area are putting together a package for the Government following a visit to the area last week by Prime Minister Helen Clark who saw first hand the plight of the largely Maori population living under the constant threat of flooding.
"The solution for a lot of our home owners there is you have to have at least I'd say nigh on a meter off the ground because the reality is we are going to have ongoing flooding. It's not going to be of biblical proportions, but the weather is changing, and we're finding the flood catchment and management systems we've got in the north are just not capable of holding the water with these huge downpours we've been going through this last year or three," Mr Jones says.
A precedent was set for such measures when assistance was given to residents of Panguru and Whirinaki suffered severe flooding a few years ago.
RELIF PACKAGE COULD BE TOO LATE FOR SODDEN TOWNSHIP
However a Kaumatua from Kaeo says the Government's efforts to raise the houses of 25 families in the flood-prone area may be too little, too late.
Harry Brown of Waihapa says one more big flood in areas like Kaeo and Matangirau could break the back of the situation.
With Northland predicted to be hit hard by the storm expected later today, he fears Building and Construction Minister Shane Jones' proposed financial package may be too late to help the families devastated by last year's floods.
"I mean let's face it, another big flood in Kaeo like we had last year would probably spell the death knell for Kaeo as a township. People would be too afraid to open up new businesses. Things like moving to a new area, shifting the township itself, it'll no longer be Kaeo. When you think about it, it's probably to only reasonable answer," Mr Brown says.
Over the next 24 hours rainfall in the area is expected to be as much as 20 millimetres an hour.
SLAIN WAHAROA MAN REMEMBERED
A Waharoa kaumatua says the fatal driveby shooting in the rural Waikato town was gang related.
Butch Hakaraia says the 23-year-old charged with the murder of 28-year-old Matamata man Desmond Arahanga are both known to the community.
Mr Hakaraia says the shooting is a shock to Waharoa residents.
"That boy was a damn good boy. Bit of a mischief when he was young. Just lately he's got a family of two and iI think another on the way. He's a really good boy and well respected in the community, pays rugby for the local club and he's really got his life together, and then then this happens to him," Mr Hakaraia says.
The body of Desmond Arahanga will lay at his whanau home tonight before heading to Raungaiti Marae tomorrow.
CLARK WARNS MAORI PARTY OVER ELECTION CHOICE
Prime Minister Helen Clark says any suggestion that the Maori Party might go with National after the election would be very damaging to them.
However she says any approach to Labour to form a united front before the election would be over to the Maori Party and their tactics.
"I think there's a lot of concern in the Maori Party itself over the National Party. They know the National Party's voted against everything that's positive for Maori. In fact in the last few years we haven't seen them supportive of treaty settlements. Now they may soften up a bot on that in the run up to the election," Ms Clark says.
She says Labour has been able to pass Treaty Settlements because of the support of other parties but National has not taken a bipartisan approach on many settlements.
WAHAROA HAS SPECIAL SIGNIFICANCE FOR HEMARA
A Wellington based artist says a waharoa he helped build for an Otago marae has special significance to him and the hau kainga.
Ross Hemera and Ngai Tahu artist James York built the totara and metal gateway as part of the refurbishment of Puketeraki Marae in Karitane.
He says the project became more special when he discovered his grandfather, who died in the flu epidemic of 1918, was buried in the urupa beside the marae.
The unique gateway was well received by the hau kainga when it was unveiled on the weekend.
"The tekoteko looks like it's suspended in midair but of course it's held up there by aluminium and each of those pieces of aluminium corresponds to the three manu or the three bird forms we've used in the gateway, the toroa, the albatross, the kea, and we've used the morepork, the owl," Mr Hemara says.
KAEO BRACING FOR THE WORST
Kaeo residents who have suffered major flooding in recent years are preparing to batten down the hatches as a major storm approaches.
Waihapa kaumatua Harry Brown says he will be do what he can to protect his home following Civil Defence warning those in the Northland area to prepare for heavy rain over the next 24 hours.
Mr Brown says the weather at the moment shows no sign of the storm, but that could be deceiving.
"Could well be the calm before the storm. There's really nothing we can do about it. We could well be in big trouble. We'll batten down and expect the worse," Mr Brown says.
Building and Construction Minister Shane Jones is seeking Government support for lifting 25 houses in the Keao area including Mr Brown's after floods in the past but he fears such help could come too late if the approaching storm hits hard.
Shane Jones says local authorities in the area are putting together a package for the Government following a visit to the area last week by Prime Minister Helen Clark who saw first hand the plight of the largely Maori population living under the constant threat of flooding.
"The solution for a lot of our home owners there is you have to have at least I'd say nigh on a meter off the ground because the reality is we are going to have ongoing flooding. It's not going to be of biblical proportions, but the weather is changing, and we're finding the flood catchment and management systems we've got in the north are just not capable of holding the water with these huge downpours we've been going through this last year or three," Mr Jones says.
A precedent was set for such measures when assistance was given to residents of Panguru and Whirinaki suffered severe flooding a few years ago.
RELIF PACKAGE COULD BE TOO LATE FOR SODDEN TOWNSHIP
However a Kaumatua from Kaeo says the Government's efforts to raise the houses of 25 families in the flood-prone area may be too little, too late.
Harry Brown of Waihapa says one more big flood in areas like Kaeo and Matangirau could break the back of the situation.
With Northland predicted to be hit hard by the storm expected later today, he fears Building and Construction Minister Shane Jones' proposed financial package may be too late to help the families devastated by last year's floods.
"I mean let's face it, another big flood in Kaeo like we had last year would probably spell the death knell for Kaeo as a township. People would be too afraid to open up new businesses. Things like moving to a new area, shifting the township itself, it'll no longer be Kaeo. When you think about it, it's probably to only reasonable answer," Mr Brown says.
Over the next 24 hours rainfall in the area is expected to be as much as 20 millimetres an hour.
SLAIN WAHAROA MAN REMEMBERED
A Waharoa kaumatua says the fatal driveby shooting in the rural Waikato town was gang related.
Butch Hakaraia says the 23-year-old charged with the murder of 28-year-old Matamata man Desmond Arahanga are both known to the community.
Mr Hakaraia says the shooting is a shock to Waharoa residents.
"That boy was a damn good boy. Bit of a mischief when he was young. Just lately he's got a family of two and iI think another on the way. He's a really good boy and well respected in the community, pays rugby for the local club and he's really got his life together, and then then this happens to him," Mr Hakaraia says.
The body of Desmond Arahanga will lay at his whanau home tonight before heading to Raungaiti Marae tomorrow.
CLARK WARNS MAORI PARTY OVER ELECTION CHOICE
Prime Minister Helen Clark says any suggestion that the Maori Party might go with National after the election would be very damaging to them.
However she says any approach to Labour to form a united front before the election would be over to the Maori Party and their tactics.
"I think there's a lot of concern in the Maori Party itself over the National Party. They know the National Party's voted against everything that's positive for Maori. In fact in the last few years we haven't seen them supportive of treaty settlements. Now they may soften up a bot on that in the run up to the election," Ms Clark says.
She says Labour has been able to pass Treaty Settlements because of the support of other parties but National has not taken a bipartisan approach on many settlements.
WAHAROA HAS SPECIAL SIGNIFICANCE FOR HEMARA
A Wellington based artist says a waharoa he helped build for an Otago marae has special significance to him and the hau kainga.
Ross Hemera and Ngai Tahu artist James York built the totara and metal gateway as part of the refurbishment of Puketeraki Marae in Karitane.
He says the project became more special when he discovered his grandfather, who died in the flu epidemic of 1918, was buried in the urupa beside the marae.
The unique gateway was well received by the hau kainga when it was unveiled on the weekend.
"The tekoteko looks like it's suspended in midair but of course it's held up there by aluminium and each of those pieces of aluminium corresponds to the three manu or the three bird forms we've used in the gateway, the toroa, the albatross, the kea, and we've used the morepork, the owl," Mr Hemara says.
KAEO BRACING FOR THE WORST
Kaeo residents who have suffered major flooding in recent years are preparing to batten down the hatches as a major storm approaches.
Waihapa kaumatua Harry Brown says he will be do what he can to protect his home following Civil Defence warning those in the Northland area to prepare for heavy rain over the next 24 hours.
Mr Brown says the weather at the moment shows no sign of the storm, but that could be deceiving.
"Could well be the calm before the storm. There's really nothing we can do about it. We could well be in big trouble. We'll batten down and expect the worse," Mr Brown says.
Building and Construction Minister Shane Jones is seeking Government support for lifting 25 houses in the Keao area including Mr Brown's after floods in the past but he fears such help could come too late if the approaching storm hits hard.
posted by Adam | 6:53 pm
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