Pipiri | July 2024
Kia ora koutou, and welcome to our July panui | eNews for 2024
This month’s eNews features:
- WRLC Iwi Partners Inspired by Innovative Housing Solutions
- Regional Food System Plan – New Pathway Tool developed
- Regional Economic Development Plan Implementation Activities Update
- WRLC hear from Rangatahi at Festival for the Future
WRLC + Industry Webinars and talks
- Webinar – Urban Aotearoa – The Future of our Cities: 6 August
- Seminar – Building well for a Changing Environment: 28 August
- Doughnut Economics Webinar – Recording Available
WRLC in the media
- The Importance of Decentralising: Think Local, not Big
- Aggregate sites to supply our region’s infrastructure needs
What We’re Watching | Reading | Listening To
WRLC Iwi Partners Inspired by Innovative Housing Solutions
WRLC’s Iwi Partners, accompanied by Kainga Ora staff and WRLC Programme Director Kim Kelly, recently visited Tamaki Makaurau to view several examples of innovative housing solutions.
The fieldtrip included visiting inspiring examples of mana whenua-led developments, and housing solutions that have been awarded ’10 Homestar’ by the New Zealand Green Building Council, and homes built with sustainability and community amenity as their key priority.
The objectives of this fieldtrip tie back to a key action in WRLC’s Regional Housing Action Plan, to support iwi / Māori with housing provision.
WRLC Food System – New Pathway Tool for Councils
The WRLC Food System Plan – a WRLC project led by Te Whatu Ora, exists to develop our region’s first Regional Food System Plan. This plan will identify pathways to foster our vision of a sustainable, locally-based, and equitable food system.
The Team has just released a new decision-making tool for councils. This interactive tool, designed by members of the Regional Kai Network, is designed to help Councils better understand and visualise, how food can enhance our communities – socially, environmentally and economically. Food is relevant to every level of building community.
This tool can help councils embed a food system-friendly approach into BAU, and can be applied to decision-making whether it relates to housing, infrastructure, transport, zoning, and more.
The illustrations in the pathways tool are generalised because each council will have different priorities and ways of doing their mahi.
Regional Economic Development Plan – Implementation Activity
WellingtonNZ and initiative leads continue to progress implementation of the initiatives in the Regional Economic Development Plan (REDP) on behalf of the WRLC.
This month’s update is packed with exciting developments, and great opportunities for local businesses. Recent highlights and upcoming opportunities include:
- The REDP refresh – has been approved by the WRLC and will go live on the WellingtonNZ website on 6 August once finalised. This is a key milestone update for the WRLC and the REDP and we look forward to working to implement the current and new initiatives in the REDP.
- WellingtonNZ have partnered with Milky-Way.Kiwi Ltd to deliver a dark skies business capability programme in the Wairarapa – supporting businesses interested in developing technical and commercial astro-tourism skills to add the Dark Sky Reserve to their offerings.
- Councils and organisations across the region are encouraged to take on Summer of Tech and Engineering interns this summer.
Employer meet & greet events begin soon. This is a great Investment in our future workforce. Read the value interns offer and contact the team here.
- School-based REDP skills initiatives for 2025 – providing early exposure to education and careers in REDP focus sectors. WellingtonNZ are keen to hear from any businesses or organisations interested in sponsorship opportunities that will make an impact on keeping these initiatives running, from as little as $300, or through donating surplus laptops and monitors, to support a digital education programme.
- Creative HQ start-up programme offerings: Opportunities to promote to your local start-ups and businesses include:
- The next Startup Session, 5:30pm, Wednesday 7 August is a must-attend for founders and growth leaders. Anna Guenther, co-founder of PledgeMe, chats about startups who have raised funds through crowdfunding – and how you can too. Register for free here.
- Fintechs of the Future is at 5pm on Thursday 8 August. A panel will reflect on FinTechs of the Future: what they will solve, where they will emerge and how they will differentiate themselves. Sharesies and Hnry, will join Creative HQ and Airwallex on the panel, to provide insights for the startup ecosystem. Register for free here.
- ‘On the Business’ workshops are now available online. Get time and resources you need to take your startup to the next level with these small group sessions. You’ll be guided by expert coaches with tools, frameworks and hands-on support. Complimentary spots are available for new startups or founders. Find out more and register here.
Rangatahi views heard at Festival for the Future
On July 17-18, WRLC hosted a booth at the Festival for the Future 2024, in order to engage with rangatahi about our work. Tessa Ackers, Project Lead for the Regional Food System Plan, and Tom FitzGerald, Project Lead for the Regional Adaptation Project, hosted the booth amidst the buzz of 1,100 delegates.
The Festival is designed to inspire and empower our youth to get involved in shaping our collective future. People shared stories about overcoming their fears, backing themselves and diving into normalising leadership.
There was great korero at the WRLC booth, with interest from some to continue to help shape the projects. Delegates views shared on our work will be incorporated as work progresses.
Of note at the Festival, was a climate adaptation workshop run using one of NIWA’s online multiplayer games. The Township Flood Challenge Game generated debate, role playing and ultimately negotiation, creating a great opportunity for leaders of tomorrow to get to grips with the trade-offs, risks and opportunities provided by a changing climate.
WRLC Webinars + Talks
Webinar: Urban Aotearoa is for Everyone
9:30am-10:30am, Tuesday 6 August
Urban intensification is increasing the demand for the public to engage in optimising our cities as high-quality living spaces. Whether it be the design of front gardens, how we use our transport system, and what properties we purchase, the public’s positive response to these matters is critical.
In this webinar, David Batchelor will speak to upcoming book: Urban Aotearoa: The Future of Our Cities. This new BWB Text serves as a handbook for the public to engage in urban issues. Prepared by a range of contributors from across Aotearoa, it spans housing trends, Māori urban development, Pacific design, climate action, heritage and public space, and more.
Its straight-forward approach to the urban conversation asks: what can urban development professionals do to empower the public to make positive contributions to our cities?
Thought-leader Seminar
Seminar: Building well for a Changing Environment
10:30-11:30am, August 28, In person at GWRC and online.
Join us in person or online to hear from Brad Crowley, Senior Manager – Buildings & Communities at the New Zealand Green Building Council.
Brad will discuss the changing Green Star rating tool, and it’s role in expanding the scope of building beyond just green aspects, including looking at supply chains (such as modern day slavery) and identifying and mitigating climate risks to buildings.
Doughnut Economics Webinar
A useful compass to guide our region’s interconnected opportunities
The recent webinar on Doughnut Economics (DE), presented by Hélène Malandaine and James Bushell, was well attended and generated good discussion. As leaders in the social innovation space, both presenters have been drawn to the model over the years, due to its effectiveness as a pathway that encourages and supports us to think about our work in a more holistic and integrated way, reconnecting our social and environmental outcomes in the way we design the economy.
This economic model was developed by UK economist Kate Raworth and was first published in 2012. Since then, it has become a core driver of sustainable innovation and growth in regions, cities and neighbourhoods across the globe.
In this webinar, strategists and advisors Hélène and James shared ways that Doughnut Economics can be put into practice in our region. Doughnut is a powerful tool not only at all stages of the strategy setting and implementation process, but to ensure alignment across multiple strategies.
James and Hélène also shared insights from work they have done in collaboration with the Wellington City Council since the launch of the Economic Wellbeing Strategy, along with overseas examples of applying Doughnut Economics to places, contexts and communities.
WRLC In the Media
Think Local, Not Big
In this opinion piece, WRLC’s Deputy Chair Daran Ponter and Chair Darrin Apanui, as well as Campbell Barry Mayor of Hutt City, share their views on what it would take for a regional deal to be successful in our region.
Aggregate site to address region’s infrastructure needs
Research commissioned by the Infrastructure Commission and carried out by GNS science, has identified appropriate sites to source aggregates needed for our region’s future expansion:
Otaki subdivision gets fast-tracked consent
Fast-tracked resource consent has been given to a proposed subdivision at Otaki, despite nearby residents’ concerns the potential traffic flow would turn their quite cul-de-sac into a ‘busy residential street’.
Green light for Grenada North housing development
An independent panel has approved resource consent, subject to conditions, to subdivide approximately 23 hectares for the Jamaica Rise housing development in Grenada North, Wellington.
Down To Earth Series
Something a *bit lighter* to get us through winter… we’ve heard that the Netflix series, ‘Down To Earth’ is a fun way to travel the world learning about issues relating to energy, food systems, and sustainable living practices.
WRLC Publications
Keep in touch
One of our guiding proverbs at WRLC is, ‘He waka eke noa‘ – we’re all in this together. If there is anything you’d like to share or know more about, please do not hesitate to contact us at: hello@wrlc.org.nz
About the Wellington Regional Leadership Committee
The Wellington Regional Leadership Committee is a union of councils, iwi and central government in the Wairarapa-Wellington-Horowhenua region, formed to work collaboratively on our shared, cross-boundary challenges, in order to positively shape the future of this region.
WRLC exists to enable better ways of working together to cultivate a region where people want to live, work and thrive.
Our projects cover the five broad key areas of iwi capacity, housing, climate, transport and economic development. Find out more on our project page. You can get in touch at hello@wrlc.org.nz.
