11 May, 2025

The Flagstaff Notes

By Rob Drent

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Recently departed chair of the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board, Toni van Tonder, continues to have an influence on local affairs by remaining on the Tūpuna Maunga Authority which administers 14 of Auckland’s volcanic cones, including Takarunga and Maungauika in Devonport.
Van Tonder is deputy chair of the authority and will continue in the role until the end of the current electoral term – despite moving to Brisbane, Australia.
I’m in two minds on this. Generally I feel local matters need to be dealt with by people living locally (in Auckland at least), who can consider issues as they arrive and talk to residents and others on the ground, face-to-face.
A good recent example was when Environment Court judge Jeff Smith visited the Bayswater Marina breakwater personally when he was deliberating on whether it should be open to the public.
On the other hand, a lot of the maunga authority work is about developing management plans, working through leases, wider governance issues and the like, which can be dealt with through meetings wherever members are. On this score, van Tonder’s experience and clear dedication to the maunga would come in handy. And, in real terms, does it make any material difference if she carries on for the next seven months?
It’s perhaps a case of the head thinking one thing and the heart feeling another.
Remote working and working from home became more common during Covid. Logically it seems okay, but something about maunga issues being considered and decided upon by someone living in Australia doesn’t sit quite right.
What do readers think?
The authority was not exactly forthcoming when the Flagstaff asked if van Tonder was still in the role. “Our spokesperson feels more comfortable if you reach out to Toni for comment.”
We pointed out it was a question requiring a factual answer, then received a response. To her credit, van Tonder responded quickly to our question by email.

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The Our Devonport audio-visual presentation of the recent and not-so-recent history of Devonport and its arts scene was so popular the RSA doors had to be closed prior to the event as the venue had reached capacity.
That’s no great surprise, perhaps, with presenters of the calibre of Dave Veart (aspects of pre-colonial history), Trish Deans and Margot McRae (Our Heritage), Tina Frantzen (Devonport through images and poetry), sculptor Helen Pollock, Colin McRae (who is making a Devonport documentary), Julie Stout and Ken Davis (future Devonport through architects’ eyes) and Lynn Lawton and Linda Blincko (who gave a snapshot of Devonport’s creative landscape in the 80s).
The topics were well covered and researched. A repeat of the event in the same location or to students at Takapuna Grammar School is warranted due to the quality of the material.
The audience matched the ages of the presenters – mostly over 60 and regulars at similar events. It’s a shame, as younger people would do well to soak up the institutional knowledge from these presenters who know Devonport so well.
Would a presentation on music, covering some well-known bands and solo performers from this century, have attracted some younger people?

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I’ve read somewhere that one of the consequences of getting older is you look down (avoiding obstacles, kerbs, dog turds and the like) rather than up.
I found myself doing just that when walking along Victoria Rd near the former Post Office the other day. With all the rain lately and winter coming on, moss is gathering at such a rate in the block pathway it won’t be long before it is a hazard. Many footpaths around Devonport are in a poor state of repair and Victoria Rd is no exception.

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Signing up for the Holy Trinity Church newsletter I was sent an email asking me to confirm my humanity – ie, tick the box to show that I am not a robot. Perhaps this is something God would already know?