Microbeads are small pieces of plastic that are found mainly in beauty products, facial scrubs and toothpaste. They have been proven to have a devastating impact on marine life and that they filter through the food chain and have an impact on human diets as well. They have even been found in sea salt. There is no practical way to clean them once they are in the ocean. Article 23 of the Waste Minimisation Act 2008 states that regulations may be put in place to prohibit the manufacture or sale of products that contain specified materials. We therefore call on Hon. Dr. Nick Smith to apply this article to plastic microbeads, including 'biodegradable' plastic microbeads and other similar products that will not break down in our oceans. https://www.beatthemicrobead.org/ProductTable.php?colour=2&country=NZ&language=EN Credit to 5Gyres for the picture.

The rules state that our paper collection is to be put into plastic bags or into boxes yet not everyone has these on hand to use. It is tidy and still easy to handle if the paper is put into a bin on it's own. A bonus is that the bin is reusable and environmentally friendly. Using plastic bags or boxes for paper collection is not always convenient. Being able to use a bin for our paper makes it easier for the consumer while still keeping it tidy and separate from other rubbish. We should be able to have choices that are convenient for all since this is a service we pay for with our rates.

The few Sumner residents that enjoy the bang of their fireworks at any time of the year cause great distress to the many households with pets in the community. Fireworks occur all year round in Sumner, giving pet owners no way to ensure their pets are safe or removed from the area. A quick few bangs and flashing light might provide thrills for some but cause greater long lasting problems for others in the community. Firework explosions can produce a blind panic in animals that can lead to serious injuries, deep-rooted and debilitating fears or even death. Using fireworks near animals is both cruel and inhumane as explosive fireworks cause animals immense confusion, anxiety, fear, and stress. The ears of most animals are considerably more sensitive than the human ear and fireworks can permanently affect their acute sense of hearing.

In March 2015 the International Agency for Research on Cancer IARC (part of the World Health Organisation (WHO) ruled that glyphosate (commonly known as Roundup and other proprietary names) was a probable human carcinogen based on evidence that linked the chemical to non- Hodgkin's lymphoma and extensive DNA and chromosome damage in humans; as well as tumours of the kidney, pancreas, skin and blood vessels and DNA and chromosome damage in animals. http://pesticideblog.lawbc.com/entry/iarc-announces-cancer-classification-for-glyphosate-and-other-pesticides Other scientific research has shown: • Glyphosate is an antibiotic causing some bacteria to become immune to antibiotics (Prof. Jack Heinemann et al., Canterbury University 2015.) http://www.comsdev.canterbury.ac.nz/rss/news/?articleId=1659 • Glyphosate affects the environment by breaking down more slowly than previously thought. • Glyphosate disrupts learning behaviours in bees. The concentrations of glyphosate used in farming can reduce sensitivity to nectar reward and impair associative learning in bees. • Glyphosate in the formulation known as Roundup is more toxic than glyphosate on its own because of the added surfactants. • Glyphosate poses a genetic hazard to fish and contributes to long lasting damage. • There is no safe level because neither glyphosate nor glyphosate-based herbicides have been assessed at sub-lethal concentrations. Since significant research findings have shown that glyphosate and its surfactants pose a material, health and environmental hazard, the New Zealand Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has not undertaken a review of its earlier opinion that approved these substances in 2005 and 2009. Tauranga City council says it has undertaken one trial of an alternative, the results are still pending. This decision has not yet made any move to phase out glyphosate. The council needs to put a higher weighting on people's and the environment's well-being, and not confine itself to a limited analysis based only on the immediate operating costs. The danger that glyphosate poses to our health and environment translates to a major economic cost to our society. Alternative weed management methods are available, such as plant oil-fatty-acid based herbicides, hot water (better and cheaper than steam), mowing, hand weeding (providing employment), steam guns (for the gardener), weed trimmers, mulching and allowing some areas to go wild, where there are ecological benefits. See this file for a discussion of alternatives: https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/beachheroes/pages/1997/attachments/original/1453071596/Alternatives_for_Councils.pdf North Shore and city areas of Auckland have been using non-chemical alternatives for 20 years successfully. Christchurch City Council is the first city in New Zealand to agree to phase the use of glyphosate. For references relating to the above information please check out this link: Glyphosate: No Safe Level 2015 by Jodie Bruning B.Bus.Agribusiness (Monash) https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/beachheroes/pages/1997/attachments/original/1455059707/Glyphosate_Report_10-02.pdf

Many, many studies have proven that a common teenager's brain is only fully functioning at at least 10:00 am, and starting schools earlier than that does not give them a chance to work their best in morning lessons, resulting in waste of their time and the teachers' time. This factor, plus having to get up very early, results in students being tired all day, so not paying full attention, and resulting in more tiresome afternoons. Many students at my school, an I believe at many other schools nationwide, wake up early quite a lot, so don't have a proper breakfast, or any breakfast at all, or pack an unutritional lunch of junk food that doesn't take time to prepare. They also miss their first or even second periods. Starting school at 10 will prevent this and keep all strident a healthy, focused and happy. A tired and concerned secondary school student.

Some 20,000 people have been diagnosed with hepatitis C in New Zealand, while a further 30,000 have the virus and don’t even know it yet. New drugs have the ability to eliminate hep C and, most importantly, save lives. The New Zealand Government needs to acknowledge the long term cost and health benefits of curing hep C and provide sufferers with affordable access to the drugs through Pharmac. New Zealanders in immediate need of the new drugs have serious conditions associated with their hepatitis C infection. These include: · Liver cancer · Cirrhosis of the liver · Post and pre-liver transplants · Patients who do not respond to, or tolerate, currently subsidised treatments The cure, made up of combinations of sofosbuvir, daclatasvir, ribavirin and ledipasvir, is being used successfully to treat all hep C genotypes. It has a 95% success rate and does not come with the debilitating side effects related to other treatments. About two thirds of people living with hep C don’t even know they have the virus, and many will need future access to the new treatments. Crown-owned agency Pharmac has the unenviable task of deciding which medicines are subsidised for use in the community and public hospitals. It has a rigorous system in place for making these decisions, and is restricted by the cost of certain medications. But, as it stands, New Zealanders have to pay about NZ$96,000 for a 12 week course of the new treatment. That’s around $1100 a pill! The New Zealand government must step in to help Pharmac ensure the drugs are not out of the reach of our most vulnerable hepatitis C patients.

The Rotorua Lakes Council (RLC) and the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) employ contractors to spray Rotorua's road edges, parks and rural road marker posts and edges with the herbicide glyphosate and its additives. These are generally done beyond the required standard (i.e. they use more than is recommended). In March 2015 the International Agency for Research on Cancer IARC (part of the World Health Organisation (WHO) ruled that glyphosate (commonly known as Roundup and other proprietary names) was a probable human carcinogen based on evidence that linked the chemical to non- Hodgkin's lymphoma and extensive DNA and chromosome damage in humans; as well as tumours of the kidney, pancreas, skin and blood vessels and DNA and chromosome damage in animals. http://pesticideblog.lawbc.com/entry/iarc-announces-cancer-classification-for-glyphosate-and-other-pesticides In addition to the 'probable cancer' statement above, other scientific research has found that: • Glyphosate is an antibiotic causing some bacteria to become immune to antibiotics (Prof. Jack Heinemann et al., Canterbury University 2015.) http://www.comsdev.canterbury.ac.nz/rss/news/?articleId=1659 • Glyphosate affects the environment by breaking down more slowly than previously thought. • Glyphosate disrupts learning behaviours in bees. The concentrations of glyphosate used in farming can reduce sensitivity to nectar reward and impair associative learning in bees. • Glyphosate in the formulation known as Roundup is more toxic than glyphosate on its own because of the added surfactants. • Glyphosate poses a genetic hazard to fish and contributes to long lasting damage. • There is no safe level because neither glyphosate nor glyphosate-based herbicides have been assessed at sub-lethal concentrations. Since significant research findings have shown that glyphosate and its surfactants pose a material, health and environmental hazard, the New Zealand Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has not undertaken a review of its earlier opinion that approved these substances in 2005 and 2009. Rotorua Lakes Council says it is prepared to consider alternatives that are cost effective, but has not yet made any move to phase out glyphosate. The council needs to put a higher weighting on people's and the environment's well-being, and not confine itself to a limited analysis based only on the immediate operating costs. The danger that glyphosate poses to our health and environment translates to a major economic cost to our society. Alternative weed management methods are available, such as plant oil-fatty-acid based herbicides, hot water (better and cheaper than steam), mowing, hand weeding (providing employment), steam guns (for the gardener), weed trimmers, mulching and allowing some areas to go wild, where there are ecological benefits. See this file for a discussion of alternatives: https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/beachheroes/pages/1997/attachments/original/1453071596/Alternatives_for_Councils.pdf North Shore and city areas of Auckland have been using non-chemical alternatives for 20 years successfully. For references relating to the above information and for further detrimental effects of glyphosate see Glyphosate: No Safe Level 2015 by Jodie Bruning B.Bus.Agribusiness (Monash) https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/beachheroes/pages/1997/attachments/original/1455059707/Glyphosate_Report_10-02.pdf

I understand that the norm for the roadside management of weeds is to spray with herbicides and understand that glyphosate is used. I note that it is possible for householders to opt out of sprays being used near their property by joining the 'no spray' register but feel that this is insufficient and that FNDC should move to a 'no spray' regime across the district for all roads, footpaths and parks. There are significant concerns about the toxicity of glyphosate. Recently glyphosate was classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a Class 2A carcinogen, meaning, it probably causes cancer. (1) Glyphosate is the world's most commonly sprayed weedkiller and is the active ingredient in RoundUp (2) It is a product most Council contractors use in keeping both urban and rural public areas weed free. With cancer the leading cause of death in New Zealand, accounting for 29.4% of all deaths (3), it is important we protect the public, particularly children, from exposure to this chemical. The damning conclusion by the world's leading health experts means that the Council needs to take responsibility for protecting our health and making our beautiful district healthy and safe for all by completely stopping the use of glyphosate. The public spraying of this carcinogenic chemical is a violation of our human rights. To continue to expose residents to the adverse health effects of this cancer-causing chemical is directly counter to the stated key outcomes of FNDC. I understand that viable, safe and cost-effective alternatives are available and are successfully used in other areas of the country. Research has proven the cost effectiveness of hot water and foam treatment which is almost equal in cost to chemical spraying. In 2009 French Professor Séralini's two year study on glyphosate found it produced large cancerous tumours in rats (4). Because its effects are cumulative and not immediate (that is they only show up over a long period of time) people generally think it is safe. Dr. Don Huber, an award-winning, international scientist, microbiologist and professor emeritus of plant pathology at Purdue University (US) who has 55+ years experience in research and expertise in the area of plant pathology, says that contrary to the common claim of safety, a large volume of peer-reviewed scientific information clearly demonstrates that Roundup herbicide is chronically toxic to human and animal tissues and leads to cancer, premature death, kidney and liver failure, blood disorders and a host of other diseases (5). Dr Huber considers glyphosate is worse than DDT (6), and that there's also a correlation between glyphosate use & bee die off (7). Our environment has long been subject to frequent spraying of this toxic chemical. In 2009 France's highest Court ruled that Roundup (active ingredient glyphosate) is not biodegradable nor does it "keep the soil clean" as Monsanto had previously advertised. (8) It has now also been found present in human blood, urine and breast milk. (7) I request that FNDC move to spray-free management of all roadsides, footpaths and parks in the district. Help us make all areas in Hokianga both glyphosate and chemical free now. [1] and [2] http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/04/150422-glyphosate-roundup-herbicide-weeds/ [3] http://www.health.govt.nz/publication/cancer-new-registrations-and-deaths-2011 [4] http://www.gmoseralini.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/GES-final-study-19.9.121.pdf (5) http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/roundup-herbicide-most-toxic-chemical-environment [6] http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/01/15/dr-don-huber-interview-part-2.aspx [7] http://www.gmoevidence.com/dr-huber-glyphosate-and-bee-colony-collapse-disorder-ccd/ [8] http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8308903.stm

Over the past 12 months, the ‘Jungle’ in Calais has seen a huge influx of refugees, resulting in a camp of approximately 5000 inhabitants, trapped in limbo with neither France nor the UK willing to recognise their situation, or even their humanity. On Monday, 29th February 2016, the authorities of the Pas-de-Calais region began forcefully evicting residents of the camp, using flashballs and tear gas on men, women and children alike, in order to force them out of the shanty homes protecting them from the elements, leaving hundreds without shelter in the midst of winter. Men, women and children, predominantly from Syria Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Sudan, Eritrea, have fled violence and war in their home countries in the hope of finding safety in Europe. Many have aimed for the UK because of their ability to speak English. Finding the borders closed to the UK, and both UK and French governments hostile to their presence, these refugees have found themselves trapped over a brutal winter in the mud-drenched camps at Calais and Dunkirk in the north of France. With nowhere to go, and no nation willing to accept them as human beings with inalienable rights, New Zealand can save their lives by granting them asylum in our country. New Zealand has a long and proud history of such actions, from welcoming thousands of Polish refugee children who had undergone a similar journey in 1944, to welcoming those Australia would not during the Tampa Affair in 2011. Once again we can lead the world in compassion and save the lives of those who have done nothing but risk everything to protect their families.

Proposed changes to the Resource Legislation Amendment Bill are contrary to the fundamental democratic principles of the Resource Management Act. Changes remove peoples local voice and open the door to serious harm to natural and urban environments. Residents should be able to comment on resource consents for development which has a direct effect on them, such as loss of light, outlook or passive heating of their home. Residents of a wider area should have the ability to comment on changes to district plans which could alter the appearance and character of their neighbourhood or local patch of bush. The public submission process adds necessary scrutiny to public decision making and can significantly contribute to the quality of decision making. Further restrictions on public notification of resource consents are not warranted. In 2012-2013 only 3% of resource consents for land use activities (e.g. new buildings) were notified to any party and only 0.27% (92 out of over 34,000) of resource consents were declined. NZ already ranks 2nd in the ease of doing business of the World Bank's Doing Business Rankings for July 2015. Additional restrictions on making submissions are just not justified.

Carnivorous pets have a high "ecological footprint" The over-breeding of pets in NZ has a high cost to our environment, to voluntary organisations such as the SPCA and has an impact on wildlife as well as global fisheries. Pet numbers are already limited by a maximum by most city councils, so over-breeding of pets means we have a large number of animals that need to be fed or put down every year. Pet food often contains palm oil and GE ingredients. A rating system that takes into account the use of meat not suitable for human consumption and improved farming practices can promote the reduction of the carbon footprint of pet food. While most pet owners find the feeding of ex racing horse, kangaroo and vermin to pets disgusting, it is more environmentally friendly to do so than to farm beef or chicken. Calculations by Deakin University researchers show an estimated 2.48 million tonnes of forage fish are used each year by the global cat food industry. Fish are a biological resource that is becoming scarce. Unsustainable fishing practices including human slavery are part of the cat food industry.

The TPP destroys our Democracy, our Sovereignty. The ISDS os a corporate coup d'etat. We cannot have the government sued in a rigged tribunal for acting in the interests of the people! The UN Human rights expert has found the TPP at odds with human rights treaties making it in breach of international treaties! http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=17006 The majority of New Zealanders oppose the TPP, by signing this petition you are making it highly desirable for a political party to act in the public's wishes & best interests and agree to put their money where their mouth is and exit the TPP! We did it with a Nuclear free stance, we can do it again and be TPP FREE! If you want to be our representatives, then represent us! Not the US! Note: The party must be registered, active and must make the statement loudly, clearly and publically.