Susan Botting

New Zealand

Local Democracy Reporter at Radio New Zealand (RNZ)

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Articles

Kaipara council’s demise feared amid water reforms

1 week ago | nzherald.co.nz | Susan Botting

It is part of the Government’s new Local Water Done Well (LWDW) push, which replaces the previous Government’s controversial Three Waters regime. Jepson said whichever LWDL option KDC went with, the district’s drinking water and wastewater services would be split off the council books. This would reduce debt, but it would also mean the loss of essential income. Council staff would also be separate into any new organisation. Water service assets make up 54% of KDC’s assets.
Local elections: Two Northland Mayors face in-house challenges

2 weeks ago | teaonews.co.nz | Susan Botting

Far North Mayor Moko Tepania and Whangārei Mayor Vince Cocurullo are both facing in-house leadership challenges in the upcoming October local elections. A potential battle between Far North District Council (FNDC) Mayoral foes Tepania (34) and one-time Deputy Mayor Ann Court is on the cards. And first term Whangārei District Council (WDC) Mayor Vince Cocurullo (51) is being challenged for his role from sitting councillor, Maungatapere’s Marie Olsen, a former registered nurse.
Local elections: Two Northland mayors face in-house challenges

2 weeks ago | rnz.co.nz | Susan Botting

Far North Mayor Moko Tepania and Whangārei Mayor Vince Cocurullo are both facing in-house leadership challenges in the upcoming October local elections. A potential battle between Far North District Council (FNDC) Mayoral foes Tepania (34) and one-time Deputy Mayor Ann Court is on the cards. And first term Whangārei District Council (WDC) Mayor Vince Cocurullo (51) is being challenged for his role from sitting councillor, Maungatapere's Marie Olsen, a former registered nurse.
Local elections: Two Northland mayors could face in-house challengers

2 weeks ago | nzherald.co.nz | Susan Botting

The local body elections will be held in October. Far North District Mayor Moko Tepania and Whangārei District Mayor Vince Cocurullo are facing in-house leadership challengers in the October local elections. A potential battle between Far North District Council (FNDC) mayoral foes Tepania, 34, and one-time Deputy Mayor Ann Court is on the cards.
Drone survey reveals massive sand loss from Northland’s Mangawhai Harbour

3 weeks ago | nzherald.co.nz | Susan Botting

The northern tip of Mangawhai sandspitHuge quantities of sand have disappeared from the protective barrier sandspit that protects the Northland township of Mangawhai. New Zealand’s first in-depth aerial sandspit survey has revealed more than 420,000 tonnes of non-replenishing sand have been lost from Mangawhai Harbour. An estimated equivalent of 26,000 truckloads of sand has been lost in six years, according to the high-resolution drone survey.
Whangārei to fluoridate water after court dismisses district council’s challenge

1 month ago | nzherald.co.nz | Susan Botting

Whangārei District Council's High Court bid has failed. Photo / NZ Herald graphicWhangārei District Council’s legal bid to stop water fluoridation was rejected by the High Court. Justice Karen Grau stated that the council’s refusal demonstrated a disregard for legal obligations. Full fluoridation of Whangārei’s drinking water will proceed from March 28. Whangārei District Council has failed in a last-gasp legal bid to stop full fluoridation of the area’s drinking water.
Judge reserves decision on Whangārei’s last-ditch effort to stall fluoridation

1 month ago | nzherald.co.nz | Susan Botting |Sarah Curtis

A High Court judge has reserved her decision as to whether Whangārei District Council can stall fluoridation of its drinking water. Photo / NZ Herald graphicWhangārei District Council’s only hope of stalling the start-up of fluoridating its drinking water supply has been dashed. The council took its fight against a fluoridation directive to the High Court at Wellington on Tuesday. Justice Karen Grau reserved her decision on granting interim relief to Whangārei District Council (WDC).
Whangārei District Council backtracks on staunch fluoridation resistance

1 month ago | nzherald.co.nz | Susan Botting

Anti-fluoride campaigners react at Monday's Whangārei District Council meeting. Photo / Susan BottingFluoride will be added to Whangārei’s drinking water from Wednesday morning, subject to the outcome of a High Court hearing in Wellington on Tuesday. . Whangārei District Council (WDC) this afternoon voted almost unanimously to back off its months-long and highly-vocal refusal to fluoridate its drinking water by March 28, as ordered by the director-general of health.
Whangārei District Council meeting on Monday to vote on fluoridation

1 month ago | nzherald.co.nz | Susan Botting

Whangārei anti-fluoride campaigners express their views to the council at its last meeting on February 12. Photo / Susan BottingWhangārei district residents could be drinking fluoridated water from Wednesday, but it will depend on how a council meeting plays out. District council chief executive Simon Weston said fluoridation would aim for a target fluoride dose rate of 0.85mg/l of water. Monday’s council meeting follows a long line of meetings over the issue, which has sparked tense debate.
‘Win for transparency’: Emergency Whangārei fluoridation meeting canned

1 month ago | nzherald.co.nz | Susan Botting

Whangārei Mayor Vince Cocurullo refused to comment after his push for this morning's emergency fluoridation meeting discussion to be behind closed doors failed. Whangārei District Council has put off any likely decision about whether to change tack on its fluoridation refusal after the mayor failed in his bid to take the debate behind closed doors.