Valuable public open spaces are now under threat from this Government, which wants to carve up and sell our parks for housing developments. Once it’s sold, it’s gone forever. Save Our Reserves (SOR) emerged as a response to a proposed housing development on Point England Reserve, Auckland. We thought this reserve would be a reserve forever. It’s a wonderful open space with rural character, playing fields and endangered birds. However the Government plans to sell 11.69 hectares (28.88 acres) of the land to Ngāti Paoa (or other developers) for a housing development as part of their Treaty settlement. We support iwi in getting fair treaty settlement but do not agree to public reserves being used as commercial property. We realise that this sets a dangerous precedent for other reserves, and have formed a group to help other communities who will face similar losses under this Government. This petition is a push back to say NO to housing on parks, sports fields and public reserves across New Zealand so communities don’t have to fight individual battles. We don’t want central government forcing local councils to rezone public open space for housing. The development will destroy the primary roosting habitat of 50-90% of the remaining wild shorebirds in the Tāmaki Estuary. The development proposed in this Bill covers 50% of the endangered New Zealand dotterel nesting ground. This intensive housing development will bring cats and dogs and people into the nesting ground, evicting the birds. For explanatory notes and background to the petition visit http://saveourreserves.org.nz/petition/

A recently released report from NIWA showed that the Government's proposed swimming standards were worse than those from the 2014 policy. Despite the Government claiming to have a goal of swimmable rivers by 2040, their policy weakened human health standards and only applies to 10% of the whole country's waterways. This won't solve our problems. It will only make them worse. Please use this form to make an official submission to the Ministry for the Environment's National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management. Submissions are open now until 5pm Thursday 25 May. New Zealanders have asked the Government and the Ministry for the Environment again and again for a genuine swimmable bottom line for rivers & lakes. Aotearoa New Zealand has serious problems of freshwater contamination and polluted rivers and lakes. We must take steps to stop this situation from getting worse and to begin to turn this around. The first step is to write strong protection for rivers and lakes into our country's freshwater policy. We can do this now and, in doing so, it will influence the work of local councils, industry and government to improve freshwater management so that rivers and lakes are protected for all New Zealanders. The OECD wrote in its 2017 Environmental Performance Review that New Zealand is reaching environmental limits and that freshwater pollution is one of areas of degradation that threatens the health of our people, our environment and our economy. As Sir Peter Gluckman, the Prime Minister's Chief Science Advisor said in a recent interview on his report on the state of the nation's freshwater, "The reality is we cannot keep going as we have been." He's right and the public is right. We have to change and the first step for improving the health of our rivers and lakes is this freshwater policy. It is the document on which decisions around the country will be made. Let's make it the best and the strongest it can be for the sake of this beautiful country. [1] https://niwa.co.nz/news/niwa-technical-background-report-for-mfe-clean-water-swimmability-proposals-for-rivers [2] http://www.mfe.govt.nz/sites/default/files/microbiological-quality-jun03.pdf

This road hugs the steep coast and twists and turns sharply. It is lined with Pohutukawa trees and has unique scenic beauty with every turn as hidden bays and vistas emerge. It is a popular destination for weekend picnicking and fisherman. The volume of weekend traffic on the coast is rising exponentially each year and is a detriment to the coastal experience. A balance between the weekend motorist and outdoor activity is a sensible solution. By sharing the road with one way traffic and a cycle/ pedestrian way it will enable greater access overall. Currently it is difficult for vehicles to pull over to the shoulder to enjoy the view. Giving pedestrians and cyclists greater access and freedom will make this site a must do activity in the Auckland region. This section of the highway is not a commuter road and is in fact a slower route to Clevedon so the one way aspect will not have any negative affects to locals or tourists.

Children are currently forced to ‘water’ the surrounding planting which is unhygienic and avoidable. The council has listened to the wider community against freedom camping and it is time it listened to the needs of its youngest citizens and helped them avoid the inevitable. Help us show the Council how necessary a public toilet facility is by signing our petition.

The current Minister has made quite clear that he will use those new powers to quash regional GM free food-producing zones, even though they are backed by communities, using legitimate planning processes. Auckland, Far North, Whangarei and Hastings councils' have all exercised their current rights under the RMA to create GM free food-producing zones. The zones are community-driven by tangata whenua and pākehā working together to secure these protections for our whenua, our kai and our people. As you know, they cover what is grown on the land and farmed. They are not about medicines or cancer vaccines, which will continue to be regulated exclusively by national health authorities. Other regional initiatives that protect communities and local environments would also be under the gun – particularly protections around fracking and other mining activities. Do not lend your names or that of the Māori Party to this bid to undermine the rights of our communities. These powers should not be the law of our lands. You can protect our ability to shape the futures we want for our people and land. Stand by us; defend local democracy. Do not support 360D or 43A(3A), in any form.

Coal is the worst fossil fuel to burn for greenhouse gasses. It emits twice the carbon dioxide as natural gas for the same amount of energy produced. These dioxides, namely nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide, and mercury can potentially lead to health implications ranging from asthma, lung cancer and heart disease to compromising intellectual capacities. Opoho School is marketing itself as having one of the highest standards of Enviroschools in New Zealand. It, however, burns between 12 to 14 tones of coal a year. It's environmental practices are contributing almost 40 tones of carbon dioxide annually to an already over-polluted atmosphere. The burning of coal is antithetical to any school’s mission. For an Enviroschool like Opoho School, its actions are hypocritical, unconscionable and should not be tolerated. What is the use of a school if you haven't got a tolerable planet to put it on? Will you allow your children to study in this polluted environment? Sign this petition today and stop the coal burning! http://opohoschool.iwarp.com/cgi/wp/?page_id=6

Everyone deserves to know if the product they are consuming or using contains palm oil. Palm oil is impacting our environment/climate/animals/human health and safety: causing deforestation; habitat degradation; climate change; animal cruelty; indigenous rights abuse and people have been found to be allergic to palm oil. WE deserve to ask for choice.

Rail is important to reduce residential suburban community public health & safety issues. Residential suburban communities located close to truck routes all over N.Z. especially in export producing regions, and large cities, are now in peril according to latest (WHO) World Health studies. These residential communities near heavy road traffic routes, have been linked heart disease and many other medical damages to the increasing exposure to heavy freight truck noise, vibration, & air quality degradation from truck tyre/diesel particulate pollution. One truck produces 100 times more than one car in air pollution. Source – several studies including U.S. & N.Z. studies. (NIWA) Recent UK studies have concluded that those communities living within 300 metres of busy roads will suffer increased cases of dementia. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/jan/04/living-near-heavy-traffic-increases-dementia-risk-say-scientists. (Quote) Previously, scientists have linked air pollution and traffic noise to reduced density of white matter (the brain’s connective tissue) and lower cognition. A recent study suggested that magnetic nano-particles from air pollution can make their way into brain tissue. The latest study, published in The Lancet, found that those who live closest to major traffic arteries were up to 12% more likely to be diagnosed with dementia – a small but significant increase in risk. These public health damages to residential communities has also been confirmed by several other studies including a large N.Z. study produced in 2004 by the N.Z. Ministry of Transport showing 980 early deaths annually in N.Z. is attributed to vehicle air pollution alone. This heavy traffic noise, vibration & pollution exposure to residential communities near truck routes, coupled with cyclists deaths caused by trucks must all be mitigated, and a N.Z. Rail Strategy must be produced to combat these premature deaths increasing due to our failing current Land Transport road freight policy. Pollution Residential bad planning pollution hotspot. For example Napier has now the N.Z. dubious title as among the largest volume of truck freight movements through a 12,000 populated residential community. All 12 000 residents live within 300 meters of the busy truck route called H.B. Expressway. With a daily average of almost 2 000 trucks a day. Along with 23 000 other vehicles. Also within 300 meters two residential city traffic corridors are situated. Kennedy Road & Taradale Road who have a combined total of another 50 000 vehicles a day. This residential pollution hot spot produced by bad planning, has generated a total of over 80 000 vehicles a day in a 300 meter radius. Now this is a public health crisis, that was highlighted in a year long (PCE) study in 2003. The report entitled “H.B. Expressway noise & air Quality issues 2004” is a report generated by the (PCE) Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, and amongst the 9 recommendations can be mitigated by a movement back to rail freight. Gisborne also as similar residential communities exposed to 24/7 truck traffic pollution issues due to reliance on road based heavy haulage rather than rail freight from inland port facilities not established. If the rail was re-established we see the health benefits are complimentary to providing safer roads for other users and cheaper freight for our export producers. Please PM Bill English restore our regional rail freight & passenger/tourism service for the health and safety of our communities.

While, of course, many trucks will still need to use the highway to make local deliveries along the route, this is a golden opportunity to encourage much of the large, long haul freight that does not stop along the way, off the highway and onto the most environmentally friendly modes of transport; firstly, coastal shipping and secondly, rail. This is not to promote a ban, rather it is to provide infrastructure that will promote and encourage a reduction in the some 550 daily truck trips currently required. Let's take this opportunity to create a world renowned Kaikoura Coastal Scenic Highway. Let’s reinstate the road through the Kaikoura District to include a safe cycle/walking lane separate from the Highway wherever possible and safely integrated with the highway around  the narrow, bluffy parts of the coast. Imagine the growth in prosperity for the whole region. Reinstate the rail for freight and a fantastic tourism experience with strategic stop-offs to compliment the cycle/walkway. 1. Honour our international obligations to reduce carbon emissions. 2. ‘Future proof’ the freight transport network against further disruptive events. 3. Create a much safer highway for all users. 4. Minimize highway repairs. 5. Create a quieter, more relaxed and people friendly Kaikoura Township for both locals and tourists to enjoy. 6. A safe cycle/walkway through the region will increase tourism opportunities and SH1 will become a world renowned tourist highway.

It's a beautiful feature that will form a wonderful place to swim and relax. Similar style to the natural pools in Sydney it will create a safe, calm space to swim and relax, protected from the waves.

Why should our family, neighbours and communties be at risk of loosing the ones we love permantley when it is 2017 and we have the resources to control this issue. The price of a GPS system and session teaching the family./ client on how to use compared to the cost of a search party and emotional toll this takes does not even compare.

Traffic is being forced to use the Tauranga Eastern Link toll route, instead of flowing through our town. Retailers report drops of up to 30% of business since this work began. The loss of prominent car parks mean potential shoppers are now bypassing our shopping community. This disruption will force the end of Te Puke businesses. The above two bodies drew up a proposal of changes which their planners thought would be good for the community. Because NZTA were in a hurry to dispose of this stretch of road, and wanted traffic to repay the cost of building the TEL by using the toll route, a very quick, biased consultation was carried out, where residents were forced to agree with these plans. There was very limited opportunity for consultation. The plans were made available only in WBOPDC offices, [30km away], or in Te Puke library, [which only a minority of the townsfolk frequented.] In the past people would drive through Te Puke, and stop to shop, either because it was their preferred place to shop, or because it provided a welcome break to their journey. Te Puke has always been a worthwhile community to live and shop in. With the removal of car parks, the single lane through the town [which previously was two], the removal of the grass strips between the Puriri trees, this no longer applies. In fact, several businesses have either closed down, or have indicated that loss of income will force this, Emergency vehicles are now caught up in the congested traffic, where previously they could move through as vehicles were able to pull into the inside lane. The unnecessary, - even unwelcome addition of two extra pedestrian crossings along the 300 metres of thoroughfare will further restricts traffic flow, causing congestion in many cases far outside of the township. Before this damage was done, pedestrians were able to freely cross through the traffic and walk over the grass strip - or they had the choice of walking down to the existing, central pedestrian crossing. The removal of the easily maintained grass strip for a cockroach infested bark covered flower bed is stupid. By signing this petition you will be encouraging these bodies to realize that if it awns't broken,it didn't need fixing.