Civic elections in NZ...

Interesting and QUITE different than back home. When I voted in the civic elections in Regina, I would make my way to the polling station on election day for my area and mark my boxes for mayor, and for my regions councilor, as well as for school board trustee- either private or separate.

In NZ, I was at Phil's when he received his info booklet in the mail! It contains a voting ballot thing, and instructions of how many people to vote for for council, as well as for mayor, and for if memory serves the health board. The health board, I believe was preferrential voting, whereas the others were normal voting- with a certain number of votes. I think it was something like 7 for Nelson, or maybe it was 11. There doesn't seem to be the same idea about regional rep. within the city. The package also included photos and brief statements from all of the candidates. The voters have until a certain date to post back their ballots... Quite different from the system back home...

I also recently registered for a physican. It is quite impossible to find a doctor in Blenheim taking new patients. I called all of them about 4 or 5 months ago and found this to be the case when I was trying to get my health documents completed for immigration. At that time I was referred to a Medical Centre who dealth nicely with me- however that centre has since closed. The district health board, or whatever it is called here referred me to Picton- and hence I'll have to drive to Picton- the neighbouring town for any physican visits... Physican shortages clearly don't just occur in Canada.

I had no problems finding a dentist, a hairdresser, or an optometrist and appointment times for all of these were between a day and a week... (Not the 6 months I needed in advance for my great dentist back home.)