Page 8 - Provincial Development Unit News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

“Rural communities, local employers and at-risk rangatahi are all set to benefit from a $2.96m investment into five employment and skills programmes working with 193 at-risk rangatahi and their whanau,” Carmel Sepuloni said. “He Poutama Rangatahi funding will enable the Employment Pathways Programme and the Manawa Ora Rangatahi Life Skills Programme to provide rangatahi with holistic pre-employment training. This will be underpinned by intensive pastoral care, which will support rangatahi to connect with their cultural identity through iwi, hapū and the wider community. “In addition,...

Kaumātua Tame Pokaia has successfully lobbied to unlock whanau-owned Māori land at Oparau, near Kawhia. A kaumātua who spent years lobbying Government agencies for access to his family’s property is now in demand from others looking to unlock the economic potential of Māori freehold land. The Pokaia Whanau Trust was awarded $305,000 by the Provincial Development Unit to build a bridge across the Oparau River near Kawhia, providing access to land which had been cut off since the 1970s. The rural property neighbours four other Māori land blocks which will benefit by having access to la...

Thursday, 4 March 2021, 12:24 pm Development of the Taranaki Crossing has entered a new phase, with work beginning on construction of new boardwalks across the Pouakai Tarns and the Ahukawakawa wetland. The upgrade consists of 720m of 1.2m wide boardwalks from the Pouakai Hut Down to the Pouakai Tarns, and 650m of 1.2m wide boardwalks across the Ahukawakawa wetland. These will replace the existing track, which has been deteriorating, resulting in visitors diverting off the path and onto the fragile vegetation and eco-system. Work on the new boardwalks commenced in January, beginning with Kar...

Island residents pay about 175 to 200 per cent of mainland electricity prices, the mayor said. Given Stewart Island is mostly a National Park, a Dark Skies Sanctuary and was aiming to be predator free, running on diesel was not a good look, Tong said. As well as land access issues, it materialised that there was not enough wind on the island, Tong said. “The final nail was the wind readings.” The project was in a pre-development design and feasibility study stage. Putting three turbines, or possibly four, at the airport had been considered, but the structures would have been in the ...

Southland district Mayor Gary Tong said council and central government have worked alongside the Rakiura community for several years to investigate sustainable energy options. “Unfortunately, the latest work has identified that wind generation is not an option at this time. Alternative energy generation such as hydro, marine and solar have all previously been considered and assessed as either lacking efficiency or not as economic when compared with wind. “This will be a disappointment to residents as they continue to use electricity created by diesel generators on an island where over ...