Sponsored: 40 years of community support

In 1984, Kiwis were horrified by devastating floods in Southland, then Wellington’s Trades Hall bombing. Auckland Harbour Bridge’s toll was abolished, New Zealand’s population reached three million, and we learned more people lived in Auckland than in the entire South Island.

A stunning 93.7% of us turned out to vote in Muldoon’s snap election, Poi E was our favourite song, and at 10am on 8 October 1984, Nelson Bays Citizens Advice Bureau proudly opened its doors for business!

The number 40 is significant historically: Noah’s great flood lasted 40 days and nights, Ali Baba clashed with 40 thieves, pregnancy lasts 40 weeks, and ships were held in port for 40 days during the bubonic plague, providing the basis for our word ‘quarantine’ (quaranta is 40 in Italian).

Long ago, 40 was considered old, but today, according to Dave and the Dynamos, “Life Begins at 40”! According to recent research, turning 40 encourages us to look back on our achievements, re-assess our lives, and consider future goals. 40 is a significant milestone.

Since day one, CAB has logged every query. The data we collect is shared with appropriate authorities in the hope that problems are better understood, anomalies fixed, and services improved.

Volunteers in Nelson answered 1,600 queries in their first six months, noting the main issues were consumer rights, housing, employment, finances, and concerns about old folk, ethnic minorities, and young marrieds, who all struggled with living costs. Some things don’t change! By the 1990s, we were dealing with around 6,000 queries annually.

CAB is unique. We’re the only organisation able to provide reliable statistics across every issue imaginable.

For example, during Covid we provided stories and statistics to the government about what was happening in different communities, how various age bands and ethnicities were being affected, and what help was needed.

Originally, most enquiries were face-to-face, and everything was paper-based. The office was bursting with files, manuals, pamphlets, handouts, and a complex, category-based filing system. Today, we access information digitally, with fewer paper options.

However, completing a form on a phone isn’t easy. CAB prints forms and information only accessible online, free of charge. Our volunteers happily help clients understand and fill them in too, and our increasingly diverse range of migrants appreciate our free phonebased translation service.

Because Google allows people to find answers to simple questions, problems are now more complex, averaging about 30 minutes each. In 2023/24, our top categories were: Conditions of Work, Relationships, Rental Housing, Consumer Law, and Citizenship and Immigration.

Half of our clients are from Nelson, about 20% from Tasman, and the rest from anywhere in New Zealand. Interestingly, those aged 30 to 39 – our most digitally savvy – still remain the largest age group.

Over the years, CAB’s service delivery has changed, yet one thing remains the same: our wonderful volunteers’ ability to provide a listening ear, words of encouragement, and suggestions about what to do next.

We believe no form of technology will ever fully replace a caring human being.

CAB Nelson Tasman
Paru Paru Rd Nelson
TDC Richmond
Community House Motueka
Ph 03 548 2117 or 0800 367 222
cab.org.nz