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Otago Daily Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
Revamped deal spells out iwi role in resource consenting
The revised version clarifies and strengthens the role of manawhenua in resource consenting and has drawn objections from the council's former chair Cr Allan Birchfield who first signed the document in 2020. Cr Birchfield has argued that the intention was to consult the rūnanga on matters important to them, rather than require their approval for every resource consent, which he claims is happening now. The original agreement says the council will process resource consents in a way that appropriately recognises the effects of activities on Poutini Ngāi Tahu. The revised clause goes further. 'The parties agree that to ensure timely, efficient and cost-effective resource consent processing, applicants and planners must both recognise and provide for the rights, interests and values of Poutini Ngāi Tahu as manawhenua.' That is consistent with the principles of the Resource Management Act (RMA), the draft says. 'As such, the council will treat Poutini Ngāi Tahu as an affected party for all applications for resource consent where there is potential for adverse cultural effects, unless it is demonstrated otherwise.' A new clause, added to the agreement, states that the Council will strongly encourage consent applicants to consult the rūnanga early on, through their environmental entities, Poutini Environmental or Pokeka Poutini Ngāi Tahu. 'Where consultation has not occurred, and a written approval letter has not been supplied, the Council will need to consider limited notification ... to Poutini Ngāi Tahu which can result in increased processing time and costs for applicants." The draft also spells out how the Council will support monitoring by manawhenua. 'Achieving a culturally relevant monitoring programme will require dedicated and consistent resourcing for Pokeka Poutini Ngāi Tahu Limited ... a specific funding agreement dedicated to environmental cultural monitoring will be needed before this programme can commence." WCRC chief executive Darryl Lew said last month the agreement and its protocol document, Paetae Kotahitanga ki Te Tai Poutini, were still fit for purpose and needed only minor changes. Because the council had been through some turbulent times with changes of leadership, key pieces of work had not been done including its practical implementation and the five year review was the opportunity to do that, he said. Cr Birchfield has argued that the agreement effectively gives iwi a sign-off right that was not intended by the RMA and has added to the delays and costs of obtaining resource consents on the West Coast. In a supplied statement he said the changes were far from minor. 'The role of Ngāi Tahu is strengthened to having, effectively, the same functions and powers as local government in certain areas.' However, Ngāi Tahu was not accountable to West Coasters in the same way as local government was, Mr Birchfield said. A particular issue in the agreement was the use of the term, "joint planning' which elevated Ngāi Tahu to the same level as the council, Mr Birchfield said. The changed proposal moved the region towards co-governance, and if Ngāi Tahu were to have a greater role in regional government, West Coast electors should be consulted on the changes by way of a referendum, Cr Birchfield said. The Regional Council says the changed wording in the agreement confers no additional powers on Ngāi Tahu but clarifies the existing rights of manawhenua under the RMA and the Treaty of Waitangi, and operational processes for council staff. During a meeting in May, Ngāti Waewae representative Francois Tumahai defended the iwi's current role in resource consenting. [ Tumahai said the rūnanga were required to give feedback on consent conditions. 'The decision is still made by the consents team on council. We don't make a decision on it,' The new document with the changes outlined, is available on the WCRC website in the agenda for today's council meeting. The Council this morning agreed to hold some clauses over for further advice and clarity, and the meeting continues this afternoon. - By Lois Williams, Local Democracy Reporter
Otago Daily Times
01-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
New show to feature South, encourage connection with whenua
Kahurangi Mahuika sits in Te Nohoaka o Tukiauau/Sinclair Wetlands during the filming of upcoming show Nomad. PHOTO: ALEX BRADSHAW / FIRE FIRE PRODUCTIONS The face of an upcoming programme showcasing Māori across Te Waipounamu (the South Island) hopes it will encourage all people to connect to the land. Tonight the show, called Nomad, will premiere on Whakaata Māori and online platform MĀORI+. The show follows Kahurangi Mahuika, a young Māori nomad, as he explores the South with his family and pursues a life lived off the land, just as his tīpuna did. Through his journey, Kahurangi meets people from places all over Te Waipounamu who are living self-sufficiently. Episode four takes Otago and Southland viewers to the familiar Taieri Plains in Otago, then down to the Ōtapiri area in Southland. Mr Mahuika said the episode, partially set in the Sinclair Wetlands, would see him catching up with a cousin named Tumai Cassidy, who was leading a project focused on restoration of ancestral land returned to Kāi Tahu. "It was awesome just to see the whenua, see what their project is doing — they have a massive range from nurseries to breaking down whale blubber ... and trying to bring the biodiversity of their wetlands [back] to their former glory." He said they were showcasing a lifestyle alternative to the classic "go to school to go to university, get a job and eventually retire" social norm. "I would love to think we could help inspire more of our young people, our Māori people and all people to be more conscious of the environment and the lifestyle that they lead. "We can create something beautiful with balance — it takes sacrifice, but at the end of the day it is worth it," he said. Mr Mahuika first made connections to the series creator — Alex Bradshaw from Fire Fire Productions — when filming another show called West Coasters, which chronicles the way of life for Māori living along the West Coast of New Zealand. "I jumped in on that kaupapa ... I was on their series for a couple of episodes, nothing major." After that, Mr Bradshaw asked if Mr Mahuika if he would like to collaborate on something in the future — and a few years later Nomad was born. "They designed this show ... as a thought or a whakaaro around a Māori family in the South Island, and how they connect to the land."
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Raider schedule: Ranking road trips
The Las Vegas Raiders' 2025 regular-season schedule was recently released. The Raiders play eight games on the road and we all know the Raider Nation loves to travel. I'm sure many of you are planning to hit the road this season to support the Silver and Black. I've had the privilege of attending games in all 32 NFL cities. So, to help you with your travel plans, I will rank the Raiders' trips this season. Advertisement I'm using several reasons in my formula including convenience the city, time of year, weather and other factors: Sept. 7 at New England Patriots, 10 a.m., CBS I'm really feeling this trip. I love that it's early in the season and New England is beautiful that time of year. There is added excitement that this is the first game of the season. The only thing that would make this trip perfect is if the Boston Red Sox were home that weekend. but Boston is a gem of a city regardless. What a great trip. But, full disclosure: Gillette Stadium is not super easy to get to, so plan accordingly. But everything else about this trip makes it worthwhile. Yes, try the clam chowder. Nov. 30 at Los Angeles Chargers, 1:25 p.m., CBS Advertisement The Raider Nation will be representing hard, so you might as well be part of it. This is an easy trip for West Coasters and it being on Thanksgiving weekend makes it even more appealing. Oct. 19 at Kansas City Chiefs, 10 a.m., CBS Arrowhead Stadium is a bucket-list spot for all NFL fans. This is a great time of year and Kansas City is an underrated city. Go for it. Oct. 5 at Indianapolis Colts, 10 a.m., FOX This is such an easy trip. Lucas Oil Stadium is located right downtown. The city is loaded with fun and it's all in walking distance. Don't sleep on Indy. Nov. 6 at Denver Broncos, 5:15 p.m. Amazon Advertisement A night division game to start a weekend trip, why not? The weather should be decent. Solid trip. Dec. 21 at Houston Texans, 1:25 p.m., CBS Houston isn't a bad city at all. But I'm just not feeling the Christmas week trip. Not enough about this trip pushes it up the list. Dec. 14 at Philadelphia Eagles, 10 a.m., FOX Philly is fun. But the weather could be nasty and oh, so could be the Eagles fans. Sept. 21 at Washington Commanders, 10 a.m., FOX The stadium is waaaaaaaayyyyyyyy out of the way and it's kind of a dump. But DC in the early fall is a draw. Pack those bags and have a blast. More from
New York Post
10-05-2025
- Science
- New York Post
Underwater volcano off Oregon coast ‘ballooning' with lava — and set to erupt for first time since 2015
A submarine volcano 300 miles off the coast of Oregon could erupt for the first time since 2015, spewing 'very fluid lava' into the sea where scientists were recently recording more than 1,000 daily earthquakes. Axial Seamount has exhibited increasing volcanic activity, with scientists able to measure the swelling of the underwater structure in the Pacific Ocean — indicating that the top could blow off with lava any time between now and the end of the year, NBC reported. 'This volcano is similar to ones in Hawaii that erupt very fluid lavas,' Bill Chadwick, volcanologist and research professor at Oregon State University, told the outlet. Advertisement 4 The Axial Seamount has exhibited a surge in volcanic activity. Public Domain 'They tend to inflate like a balloon in between eruptions. At Axial, the sea floor is actually rising, and that's a big signal.' In 2015, Axial Seamount had a massive eruption that leaked out a surreal amount of magma, with one lava flow measuring 450 feet thick, the report stated. Advertisement 'For reference, that's about two-thirds the height of the Space Needle in Seattle,' Chadwick explained. 'That's a lot of lava.' Despite the intensity of the explosion, the volcano poses no threat to humans. Shockingly, the Axial Seamount, located 4,626 feet below sea level, is so deep underwater that an eruption may not even be noticeable from the waters just above, scientists said. 'Even if you were out on a boat right over the seamount when it's erupting, you probably would never know it,' Chadwick told NBC News. Advertisement 4 The submarine volcano could erupt for the first time in ten years. Tim – 4 An eruption in 1998 produced this submarine lava flow. The underwater spewer is located between the two tectonic plates that are separating — which puts pressure on the seafloor, fueling volcanic activity. Axial Seamount has erupted three times in the past 30 years — in 1998, 2011, and 2015. Advertisement The submarine volcano isn't the only seismic activity West Coasters may have in store. 4 The Axial Seamount is located 4,626 feet below sea level. NOAA Hundreds of miles of Pacific Northwest coastline could tumble into the sea if the Cascadia Subduction Zone, an undersea fault line about 100 miles off the North American coast, is hit by 'The Big One,' according to a recent study. The 600-mile earthquake hotspot could see shorelines from northern California to Vancouver, Canada, sinking 6 feet or more. Luckily, the Cascadia Subduction Zone is 'located quite a distance away' from Axial Seamount, Forbes reported Friday — so there shouldn't be fears of an Earth-shaking one-two punch.
New York Post
30-04-2025
- Science
- New York Post
Major chunk of Pacific coast from California to Canada will sink into the sea if mega-earthquake hits this spot, doomsday study warns
This should have West Coasters shaking in their shoes. Hundreds of miles of coastline in the Pacific Northwest could go straight into the drink if another major earthquake strikes the region, an alarming new study warned. A 600-mile-long earthquake hotspot off the Pacific Coast could be due for another monster rumble — and if one happens, shorelines from northern California to Vancouver, Canada, could suddenly sink 6 feet or more. Towns and cities for hundreds of miles would find themselves in a brand new floodplain, at risk of catastrophic floods and tsunamis at any moment, according to the study published Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The aforementioned earthquake minefield is called the Cascadia Subduction Zone, an undersea fault line roughly 100 miles off the coast of North America. 6 A beach in Samoa, California, which could be underwater if an earthquake hits. San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images 6 Damage from a 1964 quake in Anchorage, Alaska. U.S. Geological Survey 6 A map of earthquake hotspots around the Pacific Ocean showing the Cascadia Subduction Zone. FEMA A big quake there could send massive tsunamis hurtling toward the shore and change the landscape forever. It could double the 'flooding exposure of residents, structures and roads,' the study warned. Bridges, power lines and other infrastructure would need to be totally rebuilt or else risk instant destruction in a major storm. The land at risk of flooding would increase by 116 square miles (the equivalent of five Manhattans), the number of people living in floodplains would increase from around 8,000 to 22,000 — and the number of at-risk structures would go from around 13,000 to 36,000, according to the study. Those grim numbers are more than a hypothetical guess: The study's authors looked at data from another monster earthquake that wiped out a section of Canadian coastline in 1700. 6 An off-road vehicle drives the sandy trails of the Samoa Dunes Recreation Area in Samoa, California. 6 Dust rising from the side of a cliff after an earthquake in Coleville, California, on July 8, 2021 via REUTERS 6 Graphics from the study published in 'Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences' show the possible effects of a major Cascadia quake. PNAS Oral histories by the Huu-ay-aht First Nation, in present-day Vancouver Island, tell of shaking that was so intense they thought two cosmic beings — a thunderbird and a whale — must be fighting it out. Whole forests and villages plunged into the sea, and only one in 600 people living in the area are said to have survived, according to a paper published in Seismological Research Letters. Modern science has backed up that terrifying tale: Researchers discovered 'ghost forests' and fields of native grasses that seem to have been submerged in moments — a kind of geological snapshot of what could happen if the proverbial thunderbird and whale get into another scrap. Earthquakes are impossible to truly predict, but in the next 50 years, scientists have put the odds of a major quake at 7-12% in the Cascadia Zone, and 37-42% for just the southern section, which includes northern California and Oregon. By the year 2060, those odds will have roughly doubled, according to the United States Geological Survey. So if you buy a beach house in the Pacific Northwest, you might also want to get a canoe.
