Waikanae station now has a little brown-coloured boxy structure containing 24/7 loos.

There was no official opening on Monday by the Governor General, Kapiti’s Guru of Gurus or even the present Waikanae ward councilor, although according to this media release, she is is quoted as saying, “it will help the Waikanae commuting community to go about their business… The shortage of public toilets in Waikanae has been an issue Council has been trying to get to the bottom of for some time.”

As she is someone who rarely smiles, let alone makes jokes, we suspect this quote was actually composed by the Kapiti Ministerium für Volksaufklärung und Propaganda, located at 175 Rimu Road, Paraparaumu.

Councillor Gwynn Compton has written to parties from across Parliament calling on them to work together to establish a Royal Commission on Local Government in order to overhaul the sector so it is fit for purpose as it struggles to deal with numerous challenges that it is not adequately equipped to address.

“Our current local government arrangements were put in place more than 40 years ago. From looking around the country, it’s clear the system isn’t coping with the numerous and significant challenges facing the sector such as accommodating rapid population growth, making up for decades of underinvestment in infrastructure, dealing with massive reforms of both the Three Waters and Resource Management Act, playing its part in the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, and mitigating and adapting to the impacts of climate change,” says Cr Compton.

While Cr Compton’s call for a Royal Commission represents his own personal view and not that of Kāpiti Coast District Council, he says he’s aware of significant support for reform from both elected members and the communities they serve across New Zealand.

“It’s becoming increasingly apparent that the structure and financing of local government isn’t a good fit for the challenges it now finds itself facing. For example, its heavy dependence on property rates to fund the services and community facilities it provides has been shown to be politically and financially unsustainable in the long-term, with councils around New Zealand now under enormous pressure with the shortcomings of that dependency coming home to roost.

“Likewise, with central government infrastructure projects like Transmission Gully set to bring Kāpiti, Porirua, the Hutt Valley, and Wellington closer together than ever before, decisions that take place in one territorial authority are going to have direct impacts on communities outside its existing borders. The current response to this, of implementing even more bureaucracy on top of existing territorial authorities through various forums and joint committees, is confusing and only serves to further distance decision making and accountability from communities.” 

Cr Compton’s call for a Royal Commission envisages its terms of reference covering the role, structure, and financing of local government, ensuring a consistent approach to Māori wards and iwi participation across the country, and reviewing the role of the Local Government Commission.

“Change on this scale is politically difficult and can be understandably daunting for the communities involved. This is why following the Royal Commission approach, which laid the groundwork for successful change in Auckland and gave the process the necessary independence and trust needed to proceed, should be used over that of the Local Government Commission’s failed Wellington region proposal.”

As always, views expressed by contributors do not necessarily reflect the views of your editors. We’re publishing this one month out from Christmas, but there are other commercialised holidays.

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By Bill Clague

Given that Christmas is now being advertised, and has been for the last month, I feel it is time for me to finally address an issue that has been bugging me for the last 30 or more years.

I find this focus on commercial holidays to be obscene. Christmas, for example, is not about the Christian festival it was supposed to celebrate .It’s more about spending money, buying gifts and the joy of Rudolph and Santa Claus, both inventions of the Coca Cola Company. [Coca-Cola did not create the legend of Santa Claus, but its advertising in 1931 did play a big role in shaping the jolly character we know today. —Eds]

So, my decision is to no longer support, in any way, this and other commercial holidays. For me these are Christmas, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Easter Bunny day and so forth. It does not mean my friends or family should follow suit. It is obviously their own decision. 

For those of you addicted to such man-made festivals, I would like to ask you to consider instead donating the money you would have spent on me to a charity of your choice.  Please note that I will not buy you a goat and then send you the card that the organisation produces to assure you that I am thinking of you, thus making me feel good and proving I am wealthy enough to do so.

Have a people focus

I appreciate that there are those that will insist on sending me cards, underwear, chocolates and a host of sentimental and other useless items. With the above thoughts in mind, cards will go unopened to the recycle yard and gifts (usually wrapped in polluting plastic) will be passed on to whichever charity can best use them.

None of the above means I will ignore this end of the year. Instead, I will spend a quiet time reflecting on friends and family, both here and those gone forever.

Finding a worthy cause

I do intend, at Christmas, to give something to a worthy cause. The Salvation Army or Doctors and Nurses in war torn countries would be my first choice.

My holiday season donation will be to the Wonder Boy Trust in memory of Elijah North, my grandson who passed away last month. (See this post.) The Trust has been set up to provide funds for those that have disabled children and are unable to afford getting their children to NAPA (Neurological and Physical Abilities) centres. Their treatment made a tremendous difference for Elijah during his brief life.

This collection is of critical importance to re-stock the shelves of your local Foodbank for another year.

by Roger Childs

Increased demand

The 2020 Covid-19 Lockdown and its economic consequence has seen an increase in the demand for food and other supplies from less well-off New Zealanders. The Kapiti area has been no exception and this coming Saturday – 28 November – the Combined Lions Clubs of Kapiti are coordinating the Annual Foodbank Appeal.

The local Foodbank was originally located in McGrath Ave, Paraparaumu Beach on the north–west side of the airport. It later moved to a building on Kapiti Road which had previously been occupied by the Kapiti Medical Centre. Unfortunately, although the building had plenty of space, its location east of the expressway made it difficult to access especially for people coming from Paraparaumu who had to cross the traffic on this very busy road.

A much safer and easily accessed location on the southern side of the Community Centre opposite the Kapiti School grounds is now the home of The Kapiti Foodbank. 

The official address is 15 Ngahina St, Paraparaumu.

How the Foodbank operates

The Kapiti Foodbank is a registered charity run by volunteers. It provides for the needs of people in the Kapiti District from Paekakariki to Peka Peka, (Otaki has its own Foodbank.)

The Foodbank is open from 8.30am to 12.30pm for contributions to be delivered, and from 10.00am to 12.00am for people wanting food parcels. 

Contributions can be placed in bins at supermarkets in Waikanae and Paraparaumu, however, vegetables and fruit need to be delivered directly to the Foodbank.

The Appeal on Saturday 28 November

Items most needed–

• Tinned fish and meat
• Cereals 
• Tinned tomatoes and fruit
• Tinned and packet soups
• Spreads, jams, vegemite
• Pasta, rice, noodles and pasta sauce
• Spaghetti and baked beans
• Tea, coffee, fruit drinks
• Sugar, flour and other baking ingredients
• Toiletries
• Christmas treats

Leave donations outside your gate where collectors can see it by 9.30 am on Saturday.

It’s not clear when the invitation to the public for ideas about the library and service centre will happen: the council website states:–

“The future Waikanae Library is currently at this stage

November 2020 to March 2021

“As part of the Long Term Plan pre-consultation, We’ll be asking the community to tell us their ideas for a new library/Council service centre. Comments will inform our Long-term Plan bid for a new or upgraded facility.”

Kapiti Multibeam Survey from NIWA on Vimeo.

Darling readers,

Just this morning I was given a preview of our Guru’s latest fashion statement for the coming political season. Out with the floral shirts the Guru so loved. Out with the clashing psychedelic colour palette.  They gave the impression of the Guru being on a perpetual holiday and being indecisive. It was time to get serious and show the seriousness of the position of Kapiti’s leading citizen. Voila!

There is so much to admire in this latest ensemble. First, the subtlety of the jacket’s gentle sky blue colour — it reflects the Kapiti skyscape to perfection. Then the verdant green of the sash — so representative of the rich pastures of Otaki.  Then the discreet use of gold braid and golden epaulets — a reminder of Kapiti’s wonderful sunshine. Then the reflective brilliance of the medals, and medallions — a genius of design — reflecting the sparking waters of the Tasman Sea on a glorious Kapiti day. (Other fashionistas may look down their snobby noses and say “mere baubles of office”. That is a cruel and unjust judgement on what is in fact the epitome of haute couture for a leading citizen).

After carrying out my extensive evaluation I have come to the conclusion this is an ensemble worthy of the highest praise. With sublimely surreptitious subtlety the ensemble encapsulates the projection of authentic authority of a master of the democratic processes.

My only criticism — the tie. Boring plain Labour Party red. What about inclusiveness? What about a tie of Maori design, representing our first settlers? Perhaps that could be included in next year’s display on the catwalk. Or a tutu?

Off to have a glass of champers; and you guys (in the non-gender specific use of that word) have one too, while adoring haute couture Kapiti style.

all my love, Louisa Carroll

While the Mainstream Media wallows in more self-congratulatory rejoicing at getting a regime they wanted, the reality is that a Biden presidency in the U.S. is no cause for joy — for those who hate war, at least.

by Caitlin Johnstone

Did you know the U.S. Department of Defense used to be called the Department of War? It would be a much more honest label today for a military which virtually never operates in any way that could be described as defensive, with its operations focusing far outside of the nation’s borders against targets who pose no threat whatsoever to ordinary Americans. An even more suitable name would be the Department of Eternal War.

The State Department was meant to be the counterpart to the War Department, focusing on diplomacy and peace. What ended up happening as the US government morphed into a globe-spanning empire dependent on endless violence and aggression is that the State Department wound up focusing more and more on manufacturing interventionist narratives on the world stage to gin up international support for starvation sanctions, proxy wars and war coalitions. 

So in practice the U.S. ended up with two war departments: the DoD and the State Department. Which is why you’ve seen the nation’s Secretaries of State becoming more and more jingoistic and psychopathic, to the point where some sort of antisocial personality disorder is almost a job requirement for the position.

Bloomberg and The New York Times are reporting that the incoming presidential administration has chosen longtime Biden advisor Tony Blinken for the role of Secretary of State. Blinken is a liberal interventionist who has supported all of the most disgusting acts of U.S. mass military slaughter this millennium, including the Iraq invasion which killed over a million people and ushered in an unprecedented era of military expansionism in the Middle East.

“Blinken was a key adviser to Biden when the senator voted to authorize the use of force against Iraq,” Nonzero reports. “Blinken has tried to recast the vote as merely ‘a vote for tough diplomacy,’ but post-invasion remarks by Biden make that claim implausible. In a recent Washington Post op-ed that Blinken co-authored with Robert Kagan, one of the chief architects of neoconservative foreign policy doctrine, he implied that the problem with the Iraq War was poor execution (‘bad intelligence, misguided strategy and inadequate planning for the day after’) rather than the very idea of invading a country in violation of international law even after it had admitted weapons inspectors to assess the claims motivating the invasion.”

How true can Biden’s claim be that he regrets his pivotal role in facilitating that unforgivable act of mass military butchery if he’s continued employing the man who advised him about it ever since, and is now appointing him to Secretary of State? If someone advises you to do something that you truly regret, do you continue seeking out that person’s advice on the same subject and give them even more power and control over it?

Full article

Originally posted on Rangitikei Environmental Health Watch: “Landcare Research maintains a national database of vertebrate pesticide residue test results, from samples of plants, soil and animal tissue and corresponding background information submitted to its Toxicology Laboratory at Lincoln.” Lawyer Sue Grey and Regional Councillor Kathy White have obtained information via an OIA request from Landcare…

OIA requests from Landcare Research indicate the alarming extent to which 1080 is in our food chain — Rangitikei Environmental Health Watch