1. Introduction / Committee members

It is fair to say that the pace of activity for the Kare Kare Residents and Ratepayers Trust has been lees frenetic than may have been the case in previous years. Many of the major issues that confront us have very long-term timeframes and often also a pace of activity to match it. Consultation over Ranges protection, the Spencer sub-division project, and the consent process for re-newing the public toilets being good examples. Given that, it is fortunate that we have had on our committee a collection of Kare Kare residents who all share a long-term commitmment to this area and our community. In this report I will touch briefly on a number of the ‘highlight’ areas of our past year’s activities. Some major areas will be the subject of fuller reports by other committee members.

Committee members this year were:

Ann Robinson
Dave Bryant
David Munro
Jacqui Madelin
Matthew Grove
Philip Parks
Robin Binsley

Ted Scott

Julia Moore (ex-officio – Billboard & Website)

Robin Taylor (ex-officio – Community Board rep)

As alluded to above our committee is made-up of hard-working and committed residents of Kare Kare. And, everyone on the committee also contributes to the commuity in a myriad of other roles, as well as having busy personal lives to fit in as well. Bearing that in mind here are one-or-two personal observations of my own regarding this year’s committee.

· Ann Robinson has been one of the longer-standing committee members and has decided to step down this year. We will miss Ann’s knowledge and thoughtfullness on conservation matters and her cpacity to make sure that we place our considerations of matters at Kare Kare into the wider context of protection and conservation for the wider Waitakeres environment.

· Dave Bryant spent part of this last year in North America exploring other wilderness environments. (The photo that he e-mailed us all of his close encounter with a Grizzly Bear allowed us to welcome him back to Kare Kare in some gratitude that he made it back to NZ at all!) Dave’s scientifice expertise and knowledge of the healthiness (or otherwise) of waterways, and his reprsenation of us at the wider Waitaker protection forums is invaluable.

· Jacqui Madelin sometimes has to e-mail an apology for a meeting from Europe or the Middle East. When she does, it always includes a well-considered opinion about one-or-two of the items agendered for that meeting. In recent weeks Jacqui’s expertise and commitment on road safety issues has seen her speaheading efforts to develop sensible community based road safety inititives in the Waitakeres.

· Mathew Grove is our excellent secretary. Any organsiation runs better when there are good minutes of the meetings that record decisions and guide future action. Mathew is also our link to the Fire Party and Race Day organisation.

· Philip Parks is retiring from the committee this year too. Hopefully someone with Philips knowledge and experience of the Kare Kare valley and Surf Club will be available to replace him. (Very big shoes to fill but do not be put off). Thank you Philip for keeping KKRRT connected to the Surf Club and for providing that link.

· Robin Binsley has the unenviable job of having to ponder the very depleted KKRRT finances. Robin stewards our meager finances carefully. Together with Ann Robinson she has also been the main KKRRT link to Landcare.

· Ted Scott is the newest member of the KKRRT Committee and ensures that we have Farm Rd representation. Ted’s lively interest in the area and his experience in photographically chronicling so much of Kare Kare life are a real asset to the committee.

· Julia Moore and Robin Taylor each also deserve thanks from the committee for their hard work on our behalf respectively on the website and with Billboard, and on the Community Board.

And finally as Chair, it is my pleasure to thank the committee for working so well collectively during the past year.

David Munro

CHAIR

2. the issues

Beach Carpark Public Toilets

The ARC has now issued a consent for the new Kare Kare public toilets to go ahead.

The plan is for a new toilet block in the public carpark close to the road bridge by the glade, with a packed bed reactor process and final fluid effluent disposal to a dripper field in the sand dunes above the glade. Additionally, the consent order requires UV treatment of the fluid effluent to ensure a very high standard of treatment.

Nixon’s Rd Spencer Subdivision

At time of writing it is my understanding that all issues between lawyers, residents, the council and KKRRT are resolved and that the final ‘deal’ simply remains to be signed.

This project has been lengthy and expensive. No-one could have anticipated quite how lengthy and expensive at the outset. However, from the beginning KKRRT determined to battle for the integrity of the district plan and its goals in respect of land section size and subdivision. With that goal in mind we could not have achieved a better outcome I believe.

Congratulations are due to earlier KKRRT committees for their foresight in making this matter a priority. Sincere appreciation is due to Douglas Allan (solicitor) who has contributed an enormous amount of pro-bono time to this cause. And finally, it must be said, there is a legitimate ongoing discussion with adjoining landowners about contribution to the overall costs since in particular they are the major beneficiaries of this exercise.

Road Safety

KKRRT hosted a very successful joint Residents and Ratepayers meeting on road safety in late March at Waiatarua. There were representatives at the meeting from Piha, Kare Kare, Laingholm, Waiatarua, Oratia and Swanson (at least!)

The meeting arose due to widespread concern that the current WCC sponsored road safety campaign is an ineffective waste of money. (And to be clear, the ‘campaign’ referred to involves the soft-focus billboards currently erected in the city that talk about things like ‘Slow Down, it’s your playground’ and ‘Watch your wild pigs.’) This campaign may be well intentioned but it is hard to find an advocate within the targeted communities that support it as being effective. The meeting resolved to use the considerable local talent and expertise on road safety matters to develop a proposal for spending of community based road safety funding. This is in hand and is reported on separately at this meeting.

Waitakere Ranges Protection

The Kare Kare community has been active in the consultation regarding permanent protection of the Waitakeres. I attach below the agenda and summary of the successful meeting held at the Kare Kare Surf club in the consultation round.

AGENDA

1. WCC presentation

2. Questions and Discussion (note below)

3. ‘Green Dots’ exercise

4. Wrap-up plenary session

5. Cup-of-tea / mix-and-mingle / continue informal discussion

Key Questions from KKRRT in respect of Ranges Protection

· Can we protect the Ranges without the assistance of Central Government?

· Will the WCC prohibit activity?

· Should WCC or Central Government directly resource organisations such as WRPS?

· Are ‘Structure Plans’

o Neutral? or

o Tools of protection? or

o Tools of development?

· What should happen to difficult existing subdivisions? (e.g. Lower Lone Kauri Rd)

· What are the current parameters / boundaries against which WCC exercises its discretion not to notify departures from the District Plan?

Key Elements of a ‘Generic’ landscape protection model

· Clear delineation of important landscape areas

· Central government funding to support local management efforts

· Strong development control which is protected from the vagaries of local politics

· A management plan for the landscape area

· Staff dedicated to managing the landscape area as a holistic unit

· An ongoing public purchase programme to secure strategic parcels of land

· Good public access combined with high quality educational and interpretative materials

· A stewardship development programme to support landowners in sustainable management endeavours

· A local economic development programme to ensure ongoing economic returns from rural activities

· Monitoring the impact of the landscape management effort.

Brief Summary Report from Kare Kare Meeting

EVENT: Kare Kare Consultation Workshop:

DATE: 18 October 2003

TIME: 10.00am

VENUE: Kare Kare Surf Club

ATTENDING: Approximately 40. Including residents, community board representatives, 1 city councillor, council officers, ARC representative.

The workshop began with the presentation from Council and then progressed as a full plenary session included the ‘sticky dots’ exercise to gauge opinion at the meeting, and concluded with a plenary ‘wrap-up’.

Summary points arising from the meeting as noted by KKRRT Chair David Munro as receiving broad support form the meeting included:

· There has already been a lot of consultation on this matter and community views and opinions are therefore ‘mature’

· RMA and the Environment Court are often the enemy of protection; ‘Death by a thousand cuts’

· The park itself is actually a ‘big plateau’. Protection of the foothills is crucial. The foothills need a long-term management plan. The foothills are what you actually see from Auckland City

· ‘Protection’ must include a social perspective and be sensitive to the changing demographics of stakeholders in the Ranges. i.e.

o residents / ratepayers

o visitors

o farmers / horticulturists

o business operators

o all others who enjoy the Ranges

· Ridges need protection. A structure plan for the Lone Kauri farm area could allow for extensive subdivision; very undesirable

· Council activity / attitudes not necessarily pro-protection. As much ‘development’ has occurred under Team West as under Go Waitakere

· ‘Coastal strip’ is a special case requiring particular attention; insufficient protection from WCC and ARC

· MUST STOP RE-LITIGATING THIS ISSUE

· MUST HAVE PERMANENT LEGISLATED PROTECTION

· LET’S GO FOR WORLD HERITAGE PARK STATUS.

David Munro

October 2003

Website

Julia Moore will report separately on the website. The Kare Kare community website continues to be very highly regarded as a model of its type.

Landcare / Forest Restoration

Unquestionably one of the most successful and unique involvements of KKRRT is our local Landcare initiatives including the forest restoration initiatives for which KKRRT holds funds in trust. It is a constant battle for the volunteers that replenish the bait lines but their efforts have ensured that Kare Kare is amongst the most ‘pest-busted’ regions in this country.

Miscellaneous

Other matters that have been touched on this year include:

· Discussions about plans to re-furbish the Surf Club

· Discussion regarding ensuring the continuation of Lone Kauri School

· Commercial use of parkland including initiatives to use park tracks for mountain biking

· Organising a very successful joint social function / meeting with the Piha Ratepayers Association at Christmas 2003

· Whale strandings and their jawbones

· Commercial use of Kare Kare including by tour buses and film crews, and weddings etc

· Broadband internet access

· Fishing boat salvage.

3. conclusion

KKRRT does a great job on behalf of our small community in such a beautiful place in New Zealand. It never ceases to amaze me how passionate our community and its members can become in pursuit of the matters that we hold dear. This has its plusses and minuses. In unity we are unstoppable in the task of enriching our community and environment. When divided against one another the individual damage can be as profound as may be seen in any political context. But, unlike bigger political contexts our closeness means that the personal consequences of division can be more harmful to us all. We must take care with each other, respect divergent views, and concentrate on playing issues not people.

In my report last year I flagged the importance of the Waitakere Protection project given the advantageous political circumstances that currently prevail (i.e. supportive government MPs out west and a Team West dominated city council). Now, one year later we are less than six-months form local body elections, less than 18 months from the next national election and no closer to legislative protection of the Waitakeres.

There is little doubt in my mind that responsibility for the slow progress lies with Waitakere City. Why this is can be speculated upon. Political self-interest? Bureaucratic red tape? Obstructive officers? Pretended commitment? Who knows? KKRRT will continue to advocate hard on this issue nonetheless. We owe it to ourselves and future generations to be relentless on this issue.

David Munro – Chair – April 2004