Latest News
This page has the content from the latest media releases or news issued by Porirua City Council.
For previous media releases, please refer to the Media Releases page where previous media releases are published in pdf format.
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16 November 2009
CHRISTMAS BUDGETING AND RECYCLING
With Christmas around the corner and pressure growing to spend more than you have, a free workshop is being held next month that will give timely tips on budgeting.
Porirua Budget Service will pass on useful information about how to keep within a budget in the weeks leading up to Christmas.
Then Council's zero waste coordinator will discuss recycling – another way to save money by using fewer rubbish bags. Learn about what you can recycle and how to give new life to those things that are cluttering up your home.
The workshop is being run by Settlement Support New Zealand, Porirua City Council and Porirua Budget Service.
Pamphlets and posters will be available with the information presented graphically to aid people with English as a second language.
"Come along and go into a prize draw to win one of three black plastic recycling crates normally worth $15 each from Council," says Settlement Support coordinator Annette Woods.
"If five or more people from any group with English as a second language wish to attend I can provide a professional interpreter. Telephone interpreting is also available through Multi-Lingual Line at the Settlement Support office."
The workshop is targeted at newcomers but members of the wider community are also welcome. It runs from 10.30am to noon on Friday 4 December in Cannon's Creek School Hall. To register for a place please contact Annette Woods on 237 3578 or email awoods@pcc.govt.nz
13 November 2009
TITAHI BAY BEACH CLOSED TO VEHICLES AT NIGHT
From Tuesday 1 December public vehicle access to Titahi Bay beach will be closed between 9.30pm and 5am each night.
The closure aims to improve public safety by assisting with the control of unsociable behaviour at night on the beach; to protect the beach environment; and to assist with the enforcement of Regional Coastal Rules 82 and 83.
The closure will be monitored and will inform the development of a long term solution for controlling vehicle access on Titahi Bay beach. The Council resolved to temporarily prohibit traffic (other than pedestrian traffic and emergency or authorised vehicles) on: a. the beach access road at the corner of Bay Drive and Richard St; and b. the sealed beach access road from South Beach Access Road across Beach Road. A gate will be erected at the northern end of the beach.
From 1 December 2009 both northern and southern gates will be locked between 9.30 pm and 5am each night. Registered boatshed owners can retain access by applying for a key from the Council. A $20 deposit for the key will apply.
Regional Coastal Rules
The foreshore at Titahi Bay - most of the beach - is governed by the Greater Wellington Regional Coastal Plan (“RCP”). Under rule 82 uauthorised vehicles are never allowed in the centre of the beach. After 5am vehicles are allowed onto the northern and southern ends of the beach, but they must be off by 9.30pm. Unauthorised vehicles are not allowed on to the beach at night time (rule 83)."
1 October 2009
PORIRUA FINALISTS IN THE WELLINGTON AIRPORT REGIONAL COMMUNITY AWARDS
Porirua City's Volunteer Firefighters, Sri Lankan Dance Academy, E-Learning Porirua Trust and Porirua ITF Taekwon-Do were recognised for their work in the community at a Mayoral function last night.
They will join other regional organisations at a Gala Dinner at Wellington Airport on Thursday 29 October where the overall winners of the Wellington Airport Regional Community Awards will be announced.
Wellington Airport joins forces with Wellington Community Trust each year to recognise voluntary organisations that do so much to make our community a better place, says Mayor Jenny Brash.
"These awards provide a way for people in the community to say thank you, as well as allowing those within the organisation to nominate their group to receive a reward for all their hard work. Wellington Airport recognises the value of volunteers and their work in strengthening the community."
Porirua City's Volunteer Firefighters took out the Supreme Award as well winning their category - Health & Well-being.
Other categories included Sport and Leisure, Arts & Culture, Child/Youth Development and Heritage & Environment.
Mayor Brash congratulated all the award recipients.
"It was wonderful to see the work of our volunteer fire officers at Porirua, Titahi Bay and Plimmerton stations recognised. Not only do they fight fires, they also help with search and rescue, floods and other emergency management incidents and have a huge involvement in community events and activities in their areas."
She says some categories attracted a high response from quality organisations.
"It was very hard to pick as we had 19 extremely good applications in the Health & Well-being and Child/Youth Development categories. However, it would be good to get more entrants in the Heritage & Environment and Child/Youth Development categories as there are so many local groups who do a fantastic job in these areas."
Further information on the category winners follows:
Volunteer Firefighters from Porirua, Plimmerton and Titahi Bay stations are formed with an entirely volunteer staff to operate a first response appliance for their surrounding suburbs. Over 50 volunteers give their time and energy to train weekly and respond to emergency calls at any time of the day or night. The New Zealand Fire Service relies on these volunteers to provide a response for their communities and as an additional resource at large fires. Collectively, the brigades also provide the ability for a prompt response to multiple incidents such as flooding or high winds when the community calls for help come at once.
Porirua ITF Taekwon-Do teaches its members to develop mind, body and moral character through the Art of Taekwon-Do.
The utmost purpose of Taekwon-Do is to eliminate fighting by discouraging the stronger's oppression of the weaker with a power that must be based on humanity, justice, morality, wisdom and faith, thus helping to build a better and more peaceful community.
Porirua ITF Taekwon-Do provides mechanisms that will challenge Porirua youth to better themselves by practising the values and principles of Taekwon-Do. Porirua ITF Taekwon-Do not only provides self defence, fitness and health and safety classes, but they are also active in the schools, encouraging push play. They do a lot of voluntary work within our elderly community like lawn mowing and building maintenance.
The E-Learning Porirua Trust funds and manages the delivery of digital education and training services in the community be delivering consistent and high quality training services to families in Porirua's low decile areas through The Computers in Home programme.
The Trust has contributed computers or finance for computers to 24 low decile schools in Porirua City. Children are now able to do their homework on a computer, meaning they are not so disadvantaged and are doing much better at school. The Board of Trustees are all volunteers who contribute their various business skills to the Board's primary function of fundraising and administering these funds.
There are also 100s of volunteers over the years who have contributed giving 1000s of hours assisting families, especially in low income areas to become computer literate. This has led to many parents gaining computer skills and getting full-time employment as the Prime Minister found out when, earlier this year, he attended the launch of the Porirua Digital Trust - the umbrella group for E-Learning. The work of E-Learning Porirua Trust had a huge influence on the PDT being awarded US$400,000 by Hewlett-Packard for hardware in the community at Community Access Points and Netpods in our schools.
The Sri Lankan Dance Academy provides a platform for practising cultural activities by the Sri Lankan community in the greater Wellington region. One of their main objectives is to enrich the cultural diversity of NZ. The academy with the help of volunteers has so far staged three public productions which were very successful. They have performed at Te Rauparaha Arena, Te Papa Museum, on Waitangi Day and many more locations. All members of the Sri Lankan Dance Academy are volunteers.
19 June 2009
PCC & POLICE WINNERS OF PREMIER PUBLIC SECTOR EXCELLENCE AWARD
An initiative by Porirua City Council and New Zealand Police to make Porirua a safer city won the Prime Minister's award for Public Sector Excellence last night.
Above: Rosie Gallen, formerly HNZC, Dallas Crampton, Porirua Community Guardians, Kaye Calder, Police , Senior Community Constable Rob Gregory, Police, Community Constable Peer Nielsen, Police, Prime Minister John Key, Superintendent Hamish McCardle, Police, Mayor Jenny Brash, Dr Roger Blakeley, PCC, Peter Bailey, PCC, Jenny Lester, Porirua Healthy Safer City Trust, Jo Vilipaama, ACC, Janet Carlyle, PCC.
The ‘Safer Porirua’ project won the category for excellence in 'Working Together for Better Services', as well as the supreme Prime Minister’s Award in the IPANZ Gen-i Public Sector Excellence Awards.
Porirua City Mayor Jenny Brash says she is absolutely delighted with the win.
"Engagement with our communities is something we do well in Porirua and it's extremely important if we are to be effective and consistent in advancing positive change. I am proud of the way our communities work together and the Safer Porirua Project is a fine example of this. I would like to acknowledge the Police and all our partners, the many community groups and agencies, who together are doing a fantastic job for our city in the area of community safety."
Council Chief Executive Roger Blakeley Chair of the Safer City Steering Group and Senior Constable Rob Gregory accepted the award on behalf of Porirua City and the Police.
"These prestigious awards were keenly contested with 45 entries in five categories open to all Government Departments, Crown Entities and Local Authorities. PCC was the only finalist from Local Authorities in New Zealand," Dr Blakeley said.
"Our entry was submitted jointly by PCC and the Police and acknowledges the other partners in Safer Porirua, namely ACC, HNZC, Porirua Healthy Safer City Trust, Porirua Community Guardians and Regional Public Health."
Safer Porirua achieved World Health Organisation accreditation for Porirua as an International Safe Community in 2008 and already there is evidence of improvements in safety outcomes since the initiative began in 2005, he says.
"These include an improved perception of safety, the lowest crime rates in the Wellington region and a reduced rate of serious and fatal road injuries."
Winners were named in five categories, each designed to highlight significant public sector initiatives making a positive difference to communities. Projects were judged by an independent panel looking at excellence in terms of vision, innovation and results.
Ross Tanner, President of IPANZ, said that the Awards celebrate those projects and organisations that make a difference to the daily lives and wellbeing of New Zealanders, and highlight and reward significant public sector achievements.
Category winners were:
The Russell McVeagh Award for Excellence in Working Together for Better Services
Ministry of Social Development, for ‘Linwood Community Link’
New Zealand Police and the Porirua City Council, for ‘Safer Porirua’
The Microsoft Award for Excellence in Networked Government
Ministry of Economic Development, for the ‘Insolvency Law Reform Implementation Project’
The State Services Commission Award for Excellence in Improving Performance through People
Hawkes Bay District Health Board, for ‘Programme Incubator’
The Leadership Development Centre Award for Excellence in Managerial Leadership
Career Services, for ‘Project Aspire - The Leadership Capability Programme’
The Te Puni Kōkiri Award for Excellence in Crown-Māori Relationships
Department of Labour, for ‘Manaakitanga I Ō Tātou Marae (Taking care of our marae)’
29 May 2009
STEPPING UP – DIGITAL PORIRUA
An exciting new programme supporting Porirua's commitment to becoming a digital city is now accepting enrolments from Porirua residents.
Stepping Up provides free, community-based computer and internet training for adults and follows up on the successful Computer in Homes programme.
Funding for the programme has been provided by the 2020 Communications Trust supported by Microsoft. It is being managed through the Porirua Digital Trust which aims to have 400 people each year access the programme.
Trust Chair and Porirua City Council Chief Executive Roger Blakeley, says Digital Porirua recognizes the important part technology plays in connecting our communities, helping individuals reach their aspirations and increasing business productivity.
"Stepping Up is designed for anyone with basic computer knowledge to develop their skills a step further in areas of direct relevance to their work and life. They will learn how to use their computers and the internet effectively, from advancing their Microsoft Office skills to managing finances or finding a cheap airfare on line."
The Stepping Up programme offers a selection of learning modules, or Digital Steps, so individuals can choose the four that best suit their needs, says programme tutor Sarah Rivers.
"Each step takes 2.5 hours and is a great way to improve your skills and confidence. Once the four steps are completed this is recognized with a certificate and the satisfaction of knowing what you've achieved."
Dr Blakeley says this latest initiative complements other Digital Porirua programmes also operating in Porirua.
"We have Community Access Points, where many residents have their first encounters with information technology, "NetPods" in our low decile schools that provide the city's young people with greater exposure to IT and a community website www.ourporirua.com for local clubs, small businesses and community groups to set up and manage their own websites."
Anyone interested in learning more about the Stepping Up programme can contact the Council's Digital Porirua Project Coordinator Kay Paget on (04) 237 3593.
11 March 2009
Digital Porirua Trust Launched by Prime Minister at Te Rauparaha Arena
Digital Porirua was officially launched by the Prime Minister, the Honourable John Key on Wednesday 11 March 2009.
Hon John Key (centre), with the Mayor (seated at right), Porirua City Council CEO Dr Roger Blakeley (standing at back), observe Catherine Mu demonstrate the use of a Digital Porirua computer, at the launch of the Digital Porirua Trust.
Technology changing lives in Porirua
Today, Hewlett-Packard and the Digital Porirua Trust announce an initiative that will dramatically improve Porirua community’s access to essential new technologies.
The Digital Porirua Trust has used a $400,000USD education grant from Hewlett-Packard to build a network of community access points in church halls, marae, community centres and schools within Porirua. The centres are designed so people feel safe to explore new ideas and develop themselves through the use of technology.
The community access points form part of the wider Digital Porirua project. It recognises the important part technology plays in connecting our communities, helping people work together, increasing business productivity and helping individuals reach their aspirations.
"Digital Porirua aims to make access to technology easy: Whether it's meeting the broadband needs of our high tech industries, better connecting our communities with the use of community portals, or bringing the benefits of technology within the reach of all in our community," says Dr Roger Blakeley, Trust Chair and CEO Porirua City Council.
“With the help of Hewlett-Packard, we are on a clear path to achieving our goal to become a digital city. The Digital Porirua Trust has been created to administer the grant and oversee the community activity on a day-to-day basis.”
“It is exciting to see access to technology having such a profound influence on the lives of people from all ages in our city. With many children using the centres to do their homework while retired community members learn how to keep in touch with friends and family online.”
One group of children is setting up its own internet radio station from the Porirua Gospel Church so they can share their creativity with over 800 homes within their community.
HP made the decision to focus the entire grant on one deserving community with a clear goal of effecting considerable change to the way everyone within that community used technology.
“The Digital Porirua Trust received the grant because Porirua could already demonstrate its commitment to becoming a digital city through ICT infrastructure development and community programme initiatives,” says Brent Kendrick, General Manager, Personal Systems Group, Hewlett-Packard New Zealand.
“The Digital Porirua Trust’s vision for its community was very compelling for HP, particularly alongside our own commitment to helping New Zealand businesses, communities and individuals grow through the use of HP’s innovative products and services.”
“HP is proud of to be part of a community project of this magnitude.”
About the HP Education programme
The 2008 Education Grant from HP is worth $400,000USD – comprising approximately $55,000 cash and $345,000 of HP products – including servers, desktop and laptop computers and printers.
HP continually re-focuses its strategy to align its social and community investment more closely with its business objectives as they evolve.
For example, In 2007 three out of thirteen education grants (Technology for Teaching grants) awarded across the Asia Pacific region went to New Zealand projects, and included:
- Brooklyn Primary School, Wellington: Enhancing student numeracy capability through the use of digital learning objects on tablet PCs.
- Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology: Building and using interactive engagement software.
- Massey University, Palmerston North: Fostering integrative learning using mobile learning technologies.
- In 2006 a Technology for Teaching grant was awarded to Canterbury University.
- In 2003 the University of Auckland received an HP mobility grant.
About Digital Porirua Trust
Trustees come from: Porirua City Council, Porirua City Community IT Educational Trust, Porirua Community Access Points, Porirua Chamber of Commerce, Whitireia Community Polytechnic, Mana Prinicipals Association, Ngati Toa Rununga, Pacific Islands Forum, Quorum Group Consultants.
Its vision is for Porirua to be a city of well connected communities where taking part in new technologies is easy.
It is working toward the achievement of this vision via the Porirua Digital Strategy which focuses on four areas:
- Content – ensuring local content meets local community and business needs.
- Confidence – advocating for or ensuring high levels of service delivery
- Connection – providing ready access to technology and skills development,
by fostering Collaboration within communities, including residents, businesses and the government.
About HP
HP, the world’s largest technology company, simplifies the technology experience for consumers and businesses with a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure. More information about HP (NYSE: HPQ) is available at http://www.hp.com/.
Digital Porirua Trust Launch - official party: from left, Mayor Jenny Brash; Hon. John Key, Prime Minister; Keith Watson - Managing Director of Hewlett-Packard New Zealand; Porirua City Council Chief Executive Dr Roger Blakeley; and e-LearningTrust Chair and Founder Graham Kelly.
Prime Minister John Key talks to Val Dargan using a community computer, looked on by Mayor Jenny Brash and Porirua City Council CEO Dr Roger Blakeley.
Videos:
Speeches - Audio Files (all in mp3 format)
Speeches - Video Files - YouTube links
- Mayor Jenny Brash (3.42 mins)
- CEO Dr Roger Blakeley (8.54 mins)
- e-Learning Porirua Trust Chair and Founder Graham Kelly (9.30 mins)