We publish a newsletter three or four times a year. On this page you can read our latest newsletter, and you can find links to previous newsletters at the bottom of the page.

PORIRUA HARBOUR STRATEGY – WHERE IS IT AT?

The draft Porirua Harbour and Catchment Strategy and Action Plan was publicly released for comment at the end of August, and submissions closed at the end of September. We made the following brief submission.

Guardians of Pauatahanui Inlet wish to indicate their wholehearted support for the concept, aims and objectives of the Strategy and for the general tenor of the Action Plan.

There are some issues within the Detailed Action Plan that we will raise once the Strategy is in place, but the three Councils are to be congratulated on the foci of the Strategy and on the breadth, depth and pragmatism of the suggested Actions.

Guardians are pleased to have been consulted and involved in the formation of the Strategy. We note that the Action Plan envisages a role for ‘hands on’ activities by community groups in the implementation of the Plan. We welcome this and assure you of our continued support for such activities.

Twenty-three written submissions were received and considered by a Joint Hearing Committee of delegates from the three councils and the Ngati Toa Runanga. The hearing committee’s report and recommendations are now before each council and the Runanga. It is hoped that the Strategy will be finalized in December and released early in the new year. This is good progress.

Seventeen submitters expressed strong support for the Strategy. Of the remaining six submissions, five were about single-issue concerns, and one was simply informational. There were no opposing submissions. Many constructive comments were made by submitters, and the Hearing Committee is recommending minor alterations, clarifications and additions that will improve the final document, but no substantive changes.

TRANSMISSION GULLY MOTORWAY PROPOSAL: A SURPRISE DEVELOPMENT

It’s an ongoing issue, isn’t it? And it’s keeping GOPI on its toes. You’ll be aware that we expressed our concerns about aspects of the NZTA proposal in a detailed submission to the EPA (now available at www.gopi.org.nz/epa-on-extra-transmission-gully-mitigation/). The public hearing will be in February and we will join with the Pauatahanui Inlet Community Trust in speaking jointly to our very similar submissions. At the pre-hearing conference in November we learned that the Department of Conservation is concerned that the NZTA could have seriously underestimated the amount of sediment outflow from the motorway construction works and its potential impact on the Inlet. DoC requested an independent peer review of the methods used in preparing these estimates. This has been granted and a report from the reviewers is expected in mid-January. Obviously, this is of great interest to us and we await the report with some trepidation. 

PHOTOCOMPETITION 2012 WILL AGAIN BE HELD IN MAY

Yes, we’re definitely doing it again. Holding this year’s competition in May rather than February worked very well, so we’re sticking with that timing. This means you can use the summer months to produce yet more wonderful illustrations of our beautiful Inlet. Details will be sent to you closer to the time.

INLET CLEAN-UP DAY: ANOTHER GREAT EFFORT

The annual clean-up was held on Sunday 20 November resulting in a truckload of rubbish being removed from the Inlet shore. The clean-up effort was once again well supported by the community with 65 volunteers taking part, including many families. The clean-ups are jointly organized by the Guardians and Keep Porirua Beautiful, with support from Plimmerton Rotary and Paremata New World. We hope you saw the KapiMana News articles about identical twins Emily and Isabelle Reid preparing their gumboots for their first clean-up, and mother-and-daughter pair Jacque and Kaitlyn Shailer having a well-earned sausage afterwards.

This was the twentieth time we have been involved. To get an idea of the positive impact of this activity, imagine what twenty truckloads of rubbish would look like.

LIVING WATERS DOCUMENTARIES ALMOST FINISHED

It has been wonderful to see the episodes of Living Waters coming out so regularly over the past year, and we can now report that the series is almost complete. As you know, Guardians member Cheryl Cameron has been producing this series of documentary films for the Pauatahanui Inlet Community Trust. These short (10 minutes) films are designed to advertise and celebrate the ecology, diversity and beauty of Porirua Harbour and the Pauatahanui Inlet, and to point out the threats to these values. Eleven of the twelve episodes are now available at www.livingwatersdoco.co.nz and Cheryl expects to post the final episode before the end of the year. Please do tell your neighbours and friends (anywhere in the world – just to make them jealous of where we are lucky enough to live) about them. They are marvelous for both adults and children. The series is also being shown on the TV screen outside the entrance to the main Porirua library in the spine at Pataka. Our educational resource team of Wendy Edwards and Beverly Fairfax will carry on next year with writing teaching materials to go with the documentaries.

PLEASE SIGN UP A FRIEND OR NEIGHBOUR

GOPI’s effectiveness as an advocate for the Inlet depends on two things. One is that our formal and informal submissions and correspondence with the councils must be factually accurate, cogent and forcefully expressed. The other is that we are seen to represent a significant proportion of our community. To that extent we can never have enough members. Your committee believes that with the coming need for effective arguing for the Inlet’s place in the implementation of the harbour management plan, there has never been a better or more important time to increase our membership. We ask that you help by trying to sign up a neighbour, or a friend, or another family member. Just explain to them that membership numbers really count in giving us a strong voice to argue for what we all value about the Inlet. It’s our experience that people will join if someone makes it easy for them. Membership forms can be downloaded here. The cost is tiny but the significance of the added voice could be substantial.

DID YOU SEE THE DOLPHINS?

During the weekend of 19 and 20 November a group of dolphins spent time in the entrance to the Inlet, providing a chance for many people to get a close look at these beautiful and fascinating creatures. Thanks very much to Donald Laing for allowing us access to his superb photographs.

Photo: Don Laing

FAMILY CORNER - A QUIZ ABOUT DOLPHINS

1. Is a dolphin a fish or a mammal?
2. Dolphins are the fastest swimmers in the sea. True or false?
3. How many species of dolphin live in New Zealand's coastal waters?
4. What is the smallest species of New Zealand dolphin?
5. What is New Zealand's most endangered dolphin?
6. Between 2007 and 2010, many people enjoyed swimming with a young dolphin on the east coast of New Zealand. Was its name Opo, Moko or Flipper?
7. What did sailors call another friendly dolphin that regularly escorted ships through a dangerous part of the Marlborough Sounds between 1888 and 1912?
8. In the mid-18th century, a dolphin accompanied a young woman who escaped from Kapiti Island and swam to the South Island. What was the young woman's name?
9. Dolphins were common in ancient Greek mythology. True or false?
10. What are the three main areas around the New Zealand coast where there are groups of bottlenose dolphins?

What are you doing these Christmas holidays? We hope your plans include a visit to the Inlet. If you've got young family or visitors staying, why not check out the worksheets in our series called Let's visit the Inlet? Even though the worksheets are designed primarily for school groups, many of them work well for family visits to the Inlet. The address is http://www.gopi.org.nz/education/.

EMERGENCY NUMBERS FOR THE PAUATAHANUI INLET

Pollution: Discharges of contaminants to air, land, stormwater drains, streams, rivers or sea and for after hours consent enquiries - ring Greater Wellington 0800 496 734 (24 hours)

Boating infringements: Greater Wellington 384 5708 (24 hours)

Fisheries issues: Ministry of Fisheries 0800 476 224 (24 hours)

Pauatahanui Wildlife Reserve : Department of Conservation 0800 362 468

Let us know what you have reported so we can keep an accurate record and follow up if necessary - 233 2557 (Secretary, GOPI) or pauainlet@gmail.com.