Granny flats and tiny homes
There are great hopes that the incoming new “granny flat rules” will deal with our tiny home issues. My fear is that in most cases unfortunately they won’t. Incoming law changes will allow granny flats (or Minor Residential Units) up to 70 square meters in size to be built without a building consent, provided they […]
Abel Tasman National Park – a victim of it’s own success?
Talking to tourism operators servicing New Zealand’s busiest and most profitable national park, I expected a happy feel-good story – I wasn’t prepared for this! The background: tourism operators that want to access the park or Kaiteriteri Reserve need concessions from the Department of Conservation (DOC) – a system that is designed to keep visitor […]
Party politics in local elections
The involvement of national political figures in local elections raises a broader question: will this strengthen local decision-making, or shift the focus away from community-led priorities? In my experience, running without a party label makes it far easier to engage on issues to find solutions alongside the community. Party colours tend to shut many doors. […]
Sam’s Creek gold mine opposition is growing
On Sunday, I had the opportunity to attend a packed community meeting at Pōhara Hall about the proposed goldmine development in Golden Bay and its potential impacts on the local aquifer and Te Waikoropupū Springs. Around 100 people came with strong feelings — and rightly so. The aquifer is central to Golden Bay’s well-being, and […]
Council amalgamation
Community means everyone – not just the well-positioned
OPINION: Nick Smith keeps musing about the amalgamation of Nelson’s and Tasman’s councils, highlighting potential savings (…)
Mapua Developments
Mapua’s fate is now in the hands of Council
It is Monday night. Mapua Hall is bursting at its seams. Mainly older village folks, but also some of Tasman District Council’s councillors, squeeze (…)
Melanie Drewery
Pottery Artist and Smallholder, Mapua
Rebuilding confidence in TDC
The public needs to have confidence in the Council. This will require the Mayor to lead a serious culture change. I am proposing a series of reforms to make the Council more transparent, more democratic and more accountable to the people of Tasman. Residents have lost trust in the consultation process and the Council is […]
Margaret Scaife
Retiree, Hope
Rates rises and cost savings
Tasman’s sprawling housing developments of the last 15 years alone have resulted in the range of $380 million of unnecessary infrastructure costs (compared to the same number of dwellings in a more compact urban environment) – that’s $25 million per annum or more than $400 for every Tasman resident! How does that compare to TDC’s […]