Bay Harbour: November 14, 2018

Wednesday <strong>November</strong> <strong>14</strong> <strong>2018</strong><br />

Your Local Views<br />

Celebrating diversity<br />

Port Hills MP<br />

Ruth Dyson<br />

celebrates<br />

the growing<br />

diversity<br />

in New<br />

Zealand’s<br />

Government<br />

and hopes younger<br />

generations will pick up<br />

the slack in voting to keep<br />

things moving<br />

LAST WEEK, my colleague<br />

Damien O’Connor and I<br />

celebrated the 25 th anniversary of<br />

our election to Parliament – wow.<br />

How has that time gone so fast?<br />

It has been an obvious time of<br />

reflection of changes in our Parliament<br />

and our society over that<br />

time. I was elected to represent<br />

the electorate of Lyttelton in the<br />

last first past the post system of<br />

voting.<br />

Although Lyttelton has had a<br />

proud history in terms of electing<br />

women (we had the first woman<br />

MP, Elizabeth McCombs in 1933,<br />

followed by Dame Ann Hercus<br />

and Colleen Dewe), I was still<br />

only the 37 th woman Member<br />

of Parliament elected in our<br />

country.<br />

In 1993, the New Zealand<br />

Parliament had its first Pacifica<br />

MP and our first Māori Speaker<br />

of the House.<br />

The diversity that MMP<br />

brought has been significant. At<br />

our swearing-in ceremony last<br />

year, the Speaker determined<br />

that people could take the oath<br />

in their first language if they so<br />

chose.<br />

Seven different languages were<br />

used for this affirmation.<br />

So Parliament is now much<br />

more representative of the communities<br />

we were elected to<br />

represent than it was previously.<br />

Our select committees operate<br />

in a more open way with live<br />

streaming of many of the hearings<br />

and committees travelling<br />

outside of Wellington a lot more,<br />

Parliament is always broadcast<br />

on both radio and television and<br />

social media is used a lot more as<br />

a mode of communication.<br />

And yet our voting participation<br />

continues to decline.<br />

In our electorate, we have a<br />

high level of engagement on community<br />

issues and a consequential<br />

high voter turnout.<br />

It would be fantastic for the<br />

health of our democracy if this<br />

participation was replicated<br />

across the country.<br />

I hope that in the future we can<br />

make voting recognised as the<br />

right and privilege that it is – and<br />

that everyone uses it.<br />

Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi<br />

SUMMER IS nearly here and<br />

for the boaties out there the<br />

waterways will get busier and<br />

busier.<br />

I thought I would give you<br />

a little bit of information in<br />

relation to what is happening in<br />

Canterbury and the West Coast<br />

regarding the demographics of<br />

boating users here.<br />

Fifty-eight per cent of boaties<br />

are male, with 42 per cent<br />

female, and 58 per cent of our<br />

boaties are under 44-years-old.<br />

The largest type of craft<br />

owned, according to the recent<br />

research by Ipsos, shows that<br />

powerboats under 6m were at<br />

30 per cent followed closely by<br />

kayakers at 29 per cent.<br />

Ten per cent were jet skis, and<br />

the other 30 per cent was made<br />

up of dinghies, sailboats and<br />

paddleboarders.<br />

What does this all mean?<br />

Simply put, we have a large<br />

number of different types of<br />

craft competing for space on our<br />

waterways.<br />

When you put it into context,<br />

it explains the need for boating<br />

safety rules, so everyone can be<br />

kept safe, no matter what type of<br />

vessel they are using.<br />

From a boating safety perspective,<br />

what are our expectations<br />

from the harbourmaster’s office<br />

for the oncoming season? I will<br />

outline my wishes below and let’s<br />

see if you guys and girls out there<br />

in the boating community can<br />

make them come true.<br />

Treat each other on the water<br />

with respect. Follow the boating<br />

safety rules, if you don’t know<br />

them, learn them.<br />

Here are some quick links to<br />

assist:<br />

•www.ecan.govt.nz/do-itonline/harbourmastersoffice<br />

•www.maritimenz.govt.nz/<br />

rules/part-22<br />

•www.maritimenz.govt.nz/<br />

rules/part-91<br />

Always wear an appropriatelyfitted<br />

life jacket.<br />

This includes paddleboards,<br />

jet skis, and, sail and powerboats<br />

measuring 6m or less. If the vessel<br />

is more than 6m, there must<br />

Local<br />

News<br />

Now<br />

Rules for a safe summer on the water<br />

Pirate’s Corner<br />

BAY HARBOUR<br />

PAGE 15<br />

Fire rages, homes at risk<br />

be sufficient life jackets on board<br />

for everybody.<br />

Check the weather before<br />

going out – if in doubt, don’t go<br />

out. Take two forms of appropriate<br />

waterproof communication.<br />

Always have an observer<br />

when towing a water-skier or<br />

biscuit.<br />

Fifteen years is the minimum<br />

age to operate any powered<br />

vessel capable of more than 10<br />

knots, including a jet ski.<br />

If you are going to be consuming<br />

alcohol, be responsible.<br />

Remember, you have your passengers<br />

and your own safety, as<br />

well as the other water users, to<br />

consider.<br />

Lastly, have fun out there.<br />

That’s it from me this month,<br />

be safe out there and remember:<br />

“Nobody is faster than disaster.”<br />

Lyttelton<br />

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Contact Malcolm Ph 328-7350<br />

32 London St, Lyttelton<br />

Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat 9am-1pm<br />

We welcome<br />

new patients<br />

Dr Rose Chambers Dr Ben Hudson Dr Kim Pasley Dr Kim Glass Dr Sophie Hart Dr Anna Maze<br />

• Online appointment bookings and prescription requests are available for<br />

enrolled patients<br />

• We are accredited by the Royal NZ College of General Practice and have achieved<br />

their 3 yearly Cornerstone accreditation standard for the third consecutive cycle<br />

• We strive to provide the highest quality medical care<br />

• Patricia Stowell (Podiatrist) - appointments available the first and third Fridays<br />

of each month. Phone 355 4526<br />

• Bruce Telford (Mental Health Professional) - appointments available<br />

Wednesdays. Phone 027 630 7512<br />

• Carolyn Till (Audiologist) - appointments available on Tuesday mornings<br />

monthly as required. Phone 385 6036<br />

Monday 8.00am – 5.00pm<br />

Tuesday 7.30am – 5.30pm<br />

Wednesday 8.00am – 6.30pm<br />

Thursday 7.30am – 6.30pm<br />

Friday 7.30am – 5.00pm<br />

18 Oxford Street, Lyttelton<br />

Phone: 328 7309<br />

www.lytteltonhealthcentre.co.nz<br />

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