9 March 2023
Media: Rotorua Weekender
Topic: APES Games
Enquiry
I'm working this week on a story about the APES Games that's been happening around the city all week - if possible, it would be great to get a couple comments from the mayor to add in.
I've popped a couple questions below:
- How did it feel to see all the competitors gather and be welcomed in Rotorua at the opening ceremony last Friday?
- Why is hosting the APES Games a great opportunity for Rotorua? Why do you think Rotorua has been a suitable host for the Games this week?
- If you've had a chance to see some of the action, what have you been along to?
- Is there anything you would like to add?
Response
From Mayor Tania Tapsell:
How did it feel to see all the competitors gather and be welcomed in Rotorua at the opening ceremony last Friday?
We’re delighted to welcome hard working first responders to Rotorua for Australasian Police and Emergency Services Games (APES) Opening Ceremony. It’s fantastic that after all of the challenges they’ve faced lately that they can take time to enjoy a week of participating in sport and visiting our great destination.
Why is hosting the APES Games a great opportunity for Rotorua?
Rotorua has a lot to offer and hosting this significant event shows that we’re back open for business. Any event that attracts national and international visitors is welcome support for our local economy. It’s a real boost for Rotorua to host events like this that also support our hospitality and tourism industry, we’re loving being busy again.
Why do you think Rotorua has been a suitable host for the Games this week?
We have a wide range of great sporting facilities to cater to the more than 50 types of sports that are being played. Participants have dedicated so much of their lives to serving and caring for their communities so it’s nice to show them the manaakitanga (hospitality, kindness) that Rotorua is well known for.
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Media: Local Democracy Reporter
Topic: Pensioner flats tenant complaint
Enquiry
*Reporter following up on enquiry yesterday (and in yesterday’s Heads Up) re complaint from tenant in a pensioner flat
Can I please have confirmation it was Feb 6 council was contacted? Hohepa maintains it was on [Jan] 13 and he wrote that date on the hole edge when the plumber came.
Response
We provided the following:
We confirmed that our records show a call was received from Mr Hohepa on February 9 notifying RLC of a leak (not February 6 as incorrectly provided yesterday)
His request was actioned that same day (9 Feb) ie a plumber was sent to fix the leak that day.
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Media: TVNZ (Fair Go)
Topic: Public recycling bins
Enquiry
*NOTE: This request follows the show’s enquiry received in January regarding public place recycling. Producer sought the following clarification:
Would you mind providing an estimated percentage of contamination in public place recycling bins. It doesn’t need to be a specific number, a range is fine – we just need something more specific than “high”
Response
From Waste & Climate Change Manager, Craig Goodwin:
Seven Public Place recycling bins were surveyed at one of our popular visitor destinations in January 2023. It is important to note that Public Place bins represent a small percentage of recycling containers in the district.
Of these seven, the contents in the recycling bins were made up of 97.5% contaminated waste (non-recyclables). This means that we were unable to recycle any of the contents. This is also reflected in the other 16 Public Place recycling bins we have around the district.
While the bins are meant to serve as a reminder to the public to separate waste and recycling, they are not effective when they are not used for their intended purpose. This is why some Councils are moving away from installing Public Place recycling bins in premier reserves or removing them completely.
We do have separate glass bottle and jar recycling stations in some of our lake reserves which are effective, and the glass collected is recycled.