Palmy council workshop to tackle racism in community
A school project saw a Year 7 girl collect $1600 worth of groceries
It’s beholden on us as the representatives of all of our community to hear their voice and to take those concerns seriously and I think this is the best way of doing it.
Palmerston North City Council is to hold a workshop for elected members to discuss ways to address racism and discrimination in the community.
The discussion during deliberations on 10-Year Plan submissions last Friday was led by the newest councillor, Orphe´e Mickalad.
He said during submission hearings the council heard from various community groups that expressed concern at the growing levels of racism and discrimination they are experiencing in the community.
These groups suggested adoption of a local action plan to address racism and discrimination.
“This is not a political issue. It is an issue of fairness and also in seeing how we can actually deal with the various communities that we have. Having a plan in place to help make Palmerston North a more desirable place to live and thrive for those communities that are actually experiencing racism and discrimination in our community.”
Mickalad arrived in the city in 2006 with his family as refugees. They had fled civil war in CongoBrazzaville in central Africa.
He said during the byelection earlier this year people questioned whether he was “Kiwi enough” or belonged here.
“These are some of the things a lot of people face.”
Mayor Grant Smith questioned
Cr Rachel Bowen
whether a diversity and inclusion policy would be a double-up of some of the work Welcoming Communities does.
Cr Lorna Johnson said a number
of groups in the city had drawn elected members’ attention to racism as an issue.
She felt the Welcoming Communities programme was providing enough anti-racism input but clearly the community doesn’t feel that.
“As someone who doesn’t personally experience racism I’m really not in a position to naysay their personal experience.”
Welcoming Communities doesn’t address racism towards Ma¯ori, Johnson said.
Cr Rachel Bowen said elected members should be grateful to the community who through submissions brought this lived experience into the council chamber.
Quoting a “wiser” friend, Bowen said as a majority community we have embraced the performances of these marginalised communities without embracing their pain.
“We can’t just take the good from communities and ignore the issues. It’s beholden on us as the representatives of all of our community to hear their voice and to take those concerns seriously and I think this is the best way of doing it.”
If you spotted Charli Weel buying vast quantities of toothbrushes and toothpaste, fear not — her teeth are fine. The 11-year-old was completing one of the tasks for her bronze award at Cornerstone Christian School in Kelvin Grove.
The school runs an optional bronze, silver and gold awards scheme for Year 7-8 students.
One of the tasks Charli chose was giving to families in need, as she wanted to help people and make them happy. She organised a food drive and contacted businesses for donations.
The Year 7 student also organised a raffle, raising $335, which she used to buy toothbrushes, toothpaste and baby wipes.
All up, she was able to donate about $1600 worth of grocery items to Just Zilch last Friday.
She had to complete 12 tasks for the bronze award, which took two terms.
She’s started work on the silver award, and has her sights set on gold and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award.
The Kelvin Grove resident wants to be a vet so she can help animals.
Charli says she had fun doing the food drive and received help from her parents, Kelly and John. It was a bit scary approaching businesses
for donations as she didn’t know how they would respond.
The following businesses donated
to the food drive: Cafe L’affare, Chard Consulting, For Farms, KW Hairdressing, Little Savanna, Mason
Brothers’ Honey, Stewart Residential Construction, PeopleWorX, NumberWorks’nWords, and t leaf T.
It was the saliva that got me. Thick. Clingy. The urine and faeces, while not pleasant, I could handle. But one of the patients in the ward I looked after on Tuesdays at a Wellington geriatric hospital had a severe case of alcohol poisoning and would constantly dribble when you were helping her.
I don’t remember having to deal with blood. I’m okay dealing with my own blood but I’m sure if I was in an operating theatre I’d be the first person to hit the floor.
Monday was World Blood Donor Day and I decided to try giving my first donation since 2012. I’m a little hazy on why I had to stop but I think my iron levels were too low and I was recovering from an unexplained blood clot in my leg.
First step was making an appointment. The woman I spoke to was super helpful and encouraging but so badly designed was the call centre she was working in, it was like talking to someone in a pub. In other words, a struggle.
I laugh when she asks me if I weigh more than 50kg. And when she asks if I’ve been overseas in the past 12 months. Because of my history, the call taker got a nurse to ring me back so I could talk through my concerns.
The nurse said she didn’t hear anything that would stop me donating, but more questions would be asked on the day.
That day was June 14. NZ Blood’s Palmerston North donor centre is at the hospital and there are dedicated carparks for donors, plus your parking is validated. I’m impressed by the bike racks right outside the door and the bright welcome receptionist Kate gave me.
There are more questions, pamphlets to read and a form to fill
in. I don’t like that I can hear other donors giving their full name, date of birth and address. Presumably they can hear mine too.
I admire the donor board, especially John Jeffrey who has given 400 donations. At four, I have some way to go.
Then it’s into a private room for a nurse to go through your form with you and more questions. I’m grateful I can whip out my phone and check when I last went to the doctor and when I had a colposcopy.
She’s got a tough job making sure the blood we donate is safe but also not putting off suitable donors. I get a tad cross when she asks me if there was a reason for the colposcopy. Believe me, one doesn’t have gynaecological procedures for fun or because one is bored.
The pinprick to test my iron levels is virtually pain-free, much more tolerable than I remember.
My iron is fine, my health is fine and off I go to the donor room. The donor technician Vicki is lovely and reassuring.
The needle hurt a bit going in but there’s so much to do during the 10 or so minutes my blood was collected, I soon forgot about the needle.
You have to squeeze a soft ball and periodically tighten your thighs, feet, buttocks and arms to help the blood flow.
Then I got to visit the nicely furnished donor lounge. It has a wide selection of reading material and drinks. I’m offered chocolate or creme biscuits, or cheese and crackers.
Despite my sweet tooth I choose the latter. As it’s a special day, I get a mini cupcake as well.
I manage to entertain the wife of a donor as I struggle to get back into my poncho and end up with it stuck on my head.
The whole experience took an hour. I leave with a handy shopping bag, a fluorescent pink bandage on my arm and a smile on my face.
Less than 3 per cent of people in New Zealand are blood donors. I’m one.
Judith Lacy
One of our goals for the 10-Year Plan consultation has been to ensure residents’ views about city issues are heard so community input can inform our decision-making.
To communicate this, we distributed fliers to more than 30,000 households. We held sector forums, community meetings, and drop-in sessions at libraries and markets.
We also took a new approach — working with the social studies departments of four high schools to encourage understanding and participation in the role of local government.
These efforts resulted in 717 submissions — a significant increase on the same exercise in 2018.
Your suggestions and requests have been diverse, creative and sometimes challenging, but are vital in helping us to determine the future direction of our city.
They help us prioritise spending across basic services while meeting our responsibilities under the Local Government Act for economic, social, environmental and cultural wellbeing which, in turn, links to our city goals.
The council’s Arts, Culture and Heritage Committee, which I chair, contributes to these wider wellbeings and goals.
It also monitors the performance of councilcontrolled organisations such as the Globe Theatre, Regent on Broadway, and Te Manawa Museums Trust.
I’m deputy chair of the Community Development Committee that deals with a range of community organisations, grants and events, as well as civil defence, public health, social housing and libraries.
Each committee has time set apart for public comments or presentations, and everyone is welcome to arrange those opportunities.
I also lead the education and students portfolio team, which covers domestic and international education, tertiary institute relationships, students, along with general workforce and employment issues.
I’m on the portfolio teams for inner city/CBD, with a focus on the active use of public space and placemaking; and people and community with a focus on children and families.
These council committees and portfolios work towards ensuring Palmy is a creative and exciting city that draws inspiration from its cultural diversity. They aim to create a vibrant urban environment that attracts, nurtures and retains clever, talented and innovative people.
Results from our 2021 Residents Survey (available on the PNCC website) show a growing percentage of respondents trust council’s leadership and are satisfied by council services.
This improving trend is further motivation for continuing to provide trustworthy leadership and clear decision-making, so the people of Palmy can keep enjoying high-quality services and amenities.