I firmly believe being actively involved in work or study leads to further opportunities and there are lots of those for young people around this region.
Going on welfare when you’re young is a trap. Recent modelling indicates people under the age of 25 on Jobseeker Support will spend an average of 18 years on a main benefit (Supported Living Payment, Sole Parent Support or Jobseeker Support) over their lifetimes.
From November next year, anyone aged 18 and 19 without dependent children will have to pass a parental assistance test to access Jobseeker Support or the equivalent emergency benefit.
If they don’t want to work or study, the government won’t pay them a benefit to stay at home and they will have to be supported by their parents.
In other recent news, the RMA Reform, agriculture and environment ministers have written to all regional and unitary councils setting out clear expectations that they take a pragmatic approach when issuing consents, ahead of the transition to the new planning system.
They have been asked to seek opportunities to streamline consenting processes, reduce onerous requirements whenever possible and ease the consenting burden while the government gets the new planning system in place.
Another area that is incredibly important to people living in rural areas is water supply.
Recently I visited the Water Services Authority Taumata Arowai to learn more about updates they’ve just made following consultation this year for three common types of smaller drinking water suppliers.
Acceptable solutions can be an option for rural supplies that provide water for farm use as well as for people to drink; for drinking water supplies that serve 500 people or fewer; and for self-supplied buildings that provide drinking water to up to 500 people (like a school or cafe).
It means water can be treated at or near any buildings where people drink the water and could include an end-point treatment system using cartridge filters and UV light.
This presents new opportunities for a more straightforward and cost-effective way for some water suppliers to meet their responsibilities.
The authority has an easy self-assessment tool online to help identify if this is an option for you.
Have a look at their website www.taumataarowai.govt.nz for more info.
