Christchurch's struggling Orana Wildlife Park has been given a ratepayer-funded lifeline of $1.2 million.

The council's Finance and Performance Committee approved the top-up towards the zoo's $4 million budget shortfall - but the funding comes with conditions.

Christchurch City Councillor Aaron Keown says the council hasn't funded the park properly, and it's about time someone stepped up to look after it.

"These places can be run properly, on about 50 cents a week per household. It's as simple as that, and that would raise around $5 million a year for the regional facilities." 

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Christchurch's struggling Orana Wildlife Park has been given a ratepayer-funded lifeline of $1.2 million.
The council's Finance and Performance Committee approved the top-up towards the zoo's $4 million budget shortfall - but the funding comes with conditions.
Christchurch City Councillor Aaron Keown says the council hasn't funded the park properly, and it's about time someone stepped up to look after it.
"These places can be run properly, on about 50 cents a week per household. It's as simple as that, and that would raise around $5 million a year for the regional facilities."&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE

With a straight down the middle approach, Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive on Newstalk ZB delivers the very latest news and views to New Zealanders as they wrap up their day.

Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Aaron Keown: Christchurch City Councillor on Orana Wildlife Park being given $1.2 million ratepayer lifeline

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/fe787064-8bd3-45b4-88e8-b4ce006442de/transcript

National's released an election proposal to make Fire and Emergency a departmental agency directly accountable to the Minister for Emergency Management. 

The party's also promising to make sure appliances on order are put into service, and to establish funded fleet replacement.

Meanwhile, Labour plans to initiate an independent review into Fire and Emergency’s funding and operations in order to ensure it has the right resources. 

National MP Tim Costley says the he's been working on this for two years, and the plan can't just be to make a new plan.

"We know the issues, we know they're wider than fleet - actually, if we value communities around New Zealand, if we value firefighters, it's time to act. And our three-point plan does that." 

LISTEN ABOVE

National's released an election proposal to make Fire and Emergency a departmental agency directly accountable to the Minister for Emergency Management.&nbsp;
The party's also promising to make sure appliances on order are put into service, and to establish funded fleet replacement.
Meanwhile, Labour plans to initiate an independent review into Fire and Emergency’s funding and operations in order to ensure it has the right resources.&nbsp;
National MP Tim Costley says the he's been working on this for two years, and the plan can't just be to make a new plan.
"We know the issues, we know they're wider than fleet - actually, if we value communities around New Zealand, if we value firefighters, it's time to act. And our three-point plan does that."&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE

Tim Costley: National MP on National and Labour announcing election proposals based around Fire and Emergency NZ

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/b5f3fa50-10e3-49e0-8eb4-b4ce0076ff58/transcript

I can't decide whether Nicky Hager is naïve or sheltered. Surely it must have been obvious to him while writing this book that the very thing he's accusing Jordan Williams and the Taxpayers' Union of doing is exactly what he is doing himself: acting as a proxy to help political parties.

The entire book is built around his allegation that the Taxpayers' Union is a proxy organisation working to help political parties on the right. Yet that is precisely what he appears to be doing for political parties on the left.

He didn't release this book outside an election campaign because he wanted to remain neutral or help parties on the right, did he? He released it to help parties on the left.

You cannot read this book without being struck by his bias. He makes excuses for Tamatha Paul, the Green MP, saying people don't want to see more beat police because it makes them feel unsafe. Remember when she made those comments?

Hager argues there was nothing wrong with saying that. According to him, she was simply discussing a real problem. Apparently, it's not strange at all to make those comments about the police.

He also suggests it was understandable for Maiki Sherman to call Lloyd Burr the F-word homophobic slur because Lloyd, as I mentioned earlier, had admitted he was lusting after her boyfriend. 

Hager says Sherman lost her job for objecting to someone making those comments about her partner. He also writes that she was suspended for pushing too hard to get an interview from someone else.

No, mate, that is not what happened.

She lost her job, first, for breaking Parliamentary rules by knocking on an MP's door for minutes on end in an area where she was not permitted to solicit interviews. Second, she lost her job for calling a gay man a word so offensive that I am not allowed to say it on air.

If that isn't giving some people a free pass because of personal bias, or because it fits the goodie-versus-baddie narrative in his head, then I don't know what is.

My favourite line comes in the second-to-last paragraph of the book. He says the Taxpayers' Union used its influence to move National to the hard right.

Is National on the hard right now?

Really?

This is the party that literally received praise from Marama Davidson of the Greens for threatening to break up a supermarket chain. It is not on the hard right by any stretch of the imagination. At least, I don't think so.

Anyway, maybe he's not naïve. Maybe he's not sheltered. Maybe Nicky Hager is just seeing ghosts.

I can't decide whether Nicky Hager is naïve or sheltered. Surely it must have been obvious to him while writing this book that the very thing he's accusing Jordan Williams and the Taxpayers' Union of doing is exactly what he is doing himself: acting as a proxy to help political parties.
The entire book is built around his allegation that the Taxpayers' Union is a proxy organisation working to help political parties on the right. Yet that is precisely what he appears to be doing for political parties on the left.
He didn't release this book outside an election campaign because he wanted to remain neutral or help parties on the right, did he? He released it to help parties on the left.
You cannot read this book without being struck by his bias. He makes excuses for Tamatha Paul, the Green MP, saying people don't want to see more beat police because it makes them feel unsafe. Remember when she made those comments?
Hager argues there was nothing wrong with saying that. According to him, she was simply discussing a real problem. Apparently, it's not strange at all to make those comments about the police.
He also suggests it was understandable for Maiki Sherman to call Lloyd Burr the F-word homophobic slur because Lloyd, as I mentioned earlier, had admitted he was lusting after her boyfriend.&nbsp;
Hager says Sherman lost her job for objecting to someone making those comments about her partner. He also writes that she was suspended for pushing too hard to get an interview from someone else.
No, mate, that is not what happened.
She lost her job, first, for breaking Parliamentary rules by knocking on an MP's door for minutes on end in an area where she was not permitted to solicit interviews. Second, she lost her job for calling a gay man a word so offensive that I am not allowed to say it on air.
If that isn't giving some people a free pass because of personal bias, or because it fits the goodie-versus-baddie narrative in his head, then I don't know what is.
My favourite line comes in the second-to-last paragraph of the book. He says the Taxpayers' Union used its influence to move National to the hard right.
Is National on the hard right now?
Really?
This is the party that literally received praise from Marama Davidson of the Greens for threatening to break up a supermarket chain. It is not on the hard right by any stretch of the imagination. At least, I don't think so.
Anyway, maybe he's not naïve. Maybe he's not sheltered. Maybe Nicky Hager is just seeing ghosts.

Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: You can't read Nicky Hager's new book without being struck by bias

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/791c4eb1-fe98-46e6-9518-b4ce006de14c/transcript

Dame Jacinda Ardern and husband Clarke Gayford have reportedly bought a multimillion-dollar home in Sydney's Northern Beaches suburb.

The pair sold their Auckland home for an undisclosed sum earlier this year, and new reports claim they recently spent $6.5 million on their new home across the ditch.

Northern Beaches buyers agent Danielle Forde says the suburb is a 'distinctive' part of Sydney, with people flocking to buy for the location and ocean views. 

"The clifftop properties in that area can go as high as $12 million - further south in Manly, you can get family homes for $20 million to $25 million. It's not small change by any means, but it isn't extraordinary." 

LISTEN ABOVE

Dame Jacinda Ardern and husband Clarke Gayford have reportedly bought a multimillion-dollar home in Sydney's Northern Beaches suburb.
The pair sold their Auckland home for an undisclosed sum earlier this year, and new reports claim they recently spent $6.5 million on their new home across the ditch.
Northern Beaches buyers agent Danielle Forde says the suburb is a 'distinctive' part of Sydney, with people flocking to buy for the location and ocean views.&nbsp;
"The clifftop properties in that area can go as high as $12 million - further south in Manly, you can get family homes for $20 million to $25 million. It's not small change by any means, but it isn't extraordinary."&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE

Danielle Forde: Northern Beaches buyers agent on Jacinda Ardern and Clarke Gayford reportedly buying $6.5 million Sydney home

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/6d29a16c-054d-4bcf-ac8b-b4ce006aac48/transcript

Aaron Keown: Christchurch City Councillor on Orana Wildlife Park being given $1.2 million ratepayer lifeline

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