The Citizens Advice Bureau is this year celebrating 50 years of service in Aotearoa — countless hours of free, confidential, and independent advice on everything from tenancy and consumer rights, to employment, end-of-relationship issues, and beneficiary entitlements.

The first bureau opened in Ponsonby in 1971.

The Whangarei bureau, which has a fortnightly free legal advice clinic and a beneficiary advocate, will have a stall in the mall on Thursday, March 11, to promote the national anniversary and CAB Awareness Week.

The bureau is in temporary premises on Level 2 of the old public trust building at 69 Bank St, next door to its usual home in the Municipal Building.

It is offering a free workshop on new tenancy rights at the Hope Church in Hunt St — on March 30, 7pm, and repeated on April 8, at 10am. Lawyers from 155 Community Law will present on the new legislation.

CAB is proud to deliver a people-centred service. “We are proud of the legacy the CAB has created and for the future it will forge,” says Alison Grove, chair of the Whangarei Board. “We want to remind everyone that they can pop in and visit (at Covid Level 1), call us on the free phone, or contact us via our website by using live chat or sending a message.”

The local bureau is answering enquiries regardless of the Covid alert level. “If we are working from home we have technology that gives us our phone messages via an email – so please do leave a contact as we can operate on all levels, including Level 4. One of our volunteers will always call you back,” says Alison.

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