The first reading of the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) (Definition of Significant Criminal Activity) Amendment Bill was recently read and rejected in Parliament. This is what National’s Simon O’Connor had to say about the bill and its ramifications for New Zealander’s. The full bill can be found here. …

Lego® has come a long way since it originated in the Danish workshop of Ole Kirk Christiansen, who began making wooden toys in 1932.The first plastic brick was produced in 1949 before the world-famous signature brick with interlocking studs on the top and tubes on the bottom was patented in 1958. Since then, kids of all ages (LEGO even has a specific range just for adults!) have…

Saturday afternoons at Papakura Central Old School are a hive of energy, filled with laughter and smiles as Glass Ceiling Arts Collective (GCAC) in association with StageAntics run a weekly performance class where rangatahi (the younger generation) develop their theatrical passion. Glass Ceiling Arts Collective (GCAC), the brain child of Charlotte Owens-Pring and Mike Eaglesome,…

The National Party's policy to ban gang insignia and criminalise the posting of gang-related content online defies the very essence of free speech, and is certain to make the issue of gang violence and harm worse, not better, says Dane Giraud, spokesperson for the Free Speech Union “The National Party should have greater respect for the fundamental freedoms of Kiwi citizens, even…

For only the second time since Rotary has been associated with Hospice Golf, the annual Golf game had to be postponed from the scheduled date, and this time it was due to the weather. Sunday the 13th of February was a shocking day; high winds which made the Pukekohe Golf Course too dangerous to play. And so finally the event was held on Friday March 4th. Originally set down for…

Honour the Maunga says it is “over the moon” at yesterday’s judicial decision, which has put a halt to Tūpuna Maunga Authority’s plans to rid Auckland’s volcanic cones (maunga) of exotic trees without first consulting the public. In all, the ratepayer funded co-governance body plans to rid the city’s maunga of around 2500 non-native trees, so this decision has implications for…

Mid May was the third attempt (due to Covid restrictions) that the Hot Rods and Horsepower Show at the Indian Hall went ahead and to say it was a success would be an understatement. Hosted by the Pukekohe Hot Rod Club and Napa Auto Parts Dragway, the show boasted an incredible array of diverse vehicles and the public loved it. Saturday also featured a swap meet outside and the…

Ingredients 1.5C rigatoni pasta or similar uncooked 2 tbsp. olive oil, divided 12 fresh sage leaves 1/4C. pine nuts, toasted and roughly chopped 1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest 1 shallot, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, pressed Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1C. pure pumpkin 2 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1/2 cup), plus more for serving 1/4C. cream 1/8 tsp.…

Hosted by Pukekohe Hot Rod Club and Napa Auto Parts Dragway Like most things which haven’t been cancelled totally by Covid restrictions imposed by our government, the Hot Rods & Horsepower Show hosted by Pukekohe Hot Rod Club & Napa Auto Parts Dragway has been delayed. The new date will be the weekend of the 14th-15th May. After dealing with Covid restrictions for the past couple…

The RBNZ is set to lift the cash rate, again, by 50bps on Wednesday. The assertive move will see the cash rate hit a neutral setting of 2%. But there will be more rate hikes to come. The focus is on the RBNZ’s forecasts. We expect to see the OCR track pulled forward and shunted higher. We’re interested in the RBNZ’s thoughts around unemployment and inflation into 2023 and beyond.

It all started with a mad passion for an old Ducati. To be honest it was almost in a box of bits. Unloved, forgotten and abused. Tossed in a corner with nothing even shiny to catch the eye of a wandering magpie. “What the heck is that you’ve found?” I asked Derek (Derek Price – Performance Transmissions, Pukekohe), who by notoriety is an extreme perfectionist when it comes to…

In a little under four months, the team at Ebbett Pukekohe will move into their brand new purpose built facility that will give all their clients a one stop shop when it comes to everything automotive. Whether you need a new car, a part for an existing one, an annual service or just a car wash the place to go will be the Ebbett Autovillage on Svendsen Road, Pukekohe. It will…

The housing market is a market that is ever changing, but it’s business as usual for Nathan Hall and Ryan Keegan, proprietors of the Navigation Homes Counties franchise, and their team. Their mission is to realise the dream of house ownership for the many local Kiwis who choose Navigation Homes to build their dream home just as they imagine it to look. Award winning Navigation…

Are you looking for something just a little bit special for Mum or that special person in your life? If it is a distinct gift or something that you know they won’t have considered buying for themselves, you need to check out the range handpicked by Toni Charteris at The Bespoke Living Room. Located at 128 Stan Wright Rd, Karaka, a visit to The Bespoke Living Room is an indulgent…

The evenings are well and truly drawing in and there is most definitely a cooler nip in the air. It’s time to get in your firewood before the rush is on or you have to stack your wood away in the rain. The horse has bolted now on getting wet wood to dry yourself as buying wet wood will not dry in time and will not burn effectively. Delivery delays can stretch out to 3 - 4 weeks…

Walking into Magazine Designer Clothing you’re greeted with a gorgeous array of colours, beautiful predominantly New Zealand made clothing, exquisite accessories, and most importantly fabulous friendly staff. The store thrives on helping their customers find the perfect style, no matter their size, age, or occasion their shopping for. When they say they have something for every…

10 June - The Eruption of Mt Tarawera Just to the south-east of Rotorua, Mount Tarawera could be described as an unusual looking mountain, with several large domes and a broad, flat top. It was shaped by volcanic activity hundreds of years ago. The Māori inhabitants of the area, and the Europeans who arrived in the 19th century, did not know that Tarawera was an active volcano…

May 5, 1893 - US Stock Market Tumble Triggers Panic By the end of the year, 600 banks closed and several big railroads were in receivership. Another 15,000 businesses went bankrupt amid 20 percent unemployment. It was the worst economic crisis in U.S. history up to that time. Like most major financial downturns, the depression of the 1890s was preceded by a series of shocks that…

Nz’s First Poppy Day One Hundred Years Ago, on April 24th 1922, New Zealand held its first Poppy Day. It followed an international effort led by French woman, Madame Guérin who was a well-known touring lecturer and fundraiser, who split her time between living in the USA and France during the First World War. She was a director of the “American and French Children’s League”,…

The Spanish Flu The 1918 influenza pandemic was the most severe pandemic in recent history. It was caused by an H1N1 virus with genes of avian origin. Although there is not universal consensus regarding where the virus originated, it spread worldwide during 1918-1919. In the United States, it was first identified in military personnel in spring 1918. It is estimated that about…

An article in the UK Daily Telegraph last week illustrated a dilemma we all face. Scientists have admitted that the AstraZeneca vaccine increases the risk of the serious neurological condition Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS)—just one of the many post-vaccination adverse effects. Scientists identified the jab’s genetically engineered Trojan horse adenovirus delivery system as…

In recent weeks, more and more commentators are suggesting that house prices in New Zealand have started to fall, and are expected to fall further. For many homeowners, especially those who have bought within the last year or two, this news will be terrifying, and for them I have a great deal of sympathy. They were sold the lie that house prices would always and everywhere rise…

Should New Zealand invest in a proper public transport network that covers not only main centres, but the regions as well? It is a question that needs an answer promptly. Public transport in New Zealand has mainly played second fiddle to private motorists needs since the 1950’s. However, with fuel prices and the costs of constructing new or additional motorway lanes or widening…

The pressures of materials shortages are mounting up on builders. Headlines such as “Builders taking stress leave as ‘toxic mix of pressures’ plagues the industry” and “Owner of new build sleeping in tiny home on site after Gib shortage delays” are becoming far too common. The shortage of plasterboard has got to the point where builders are having to resort to paying way over…

It is worth pointing out that the recent (2021) study of inequality in New Zealand undertaken by Max Rashbrooke relies, by Rashbrooke’s admission, upon Piketty’s “Capital” or Capital in the Twenty First century (2014) which examines economic global growth (what might be considered as GDP) and the (global) return on capital assets for a millennia or so. The difference, as Piketty…

The decline in the market that has been predicted following the rise in the rate of inflation and mortgage interest rates has finally shown up in sales figures. The median and average sales prices in April fell back when compared to those in March, and those for the previous three months, but remained well ahead of the prices of property 12 months ago with the monthly median…

WELCOME TO: Sonny’s Polynesian Takeaways in O’Shannessey Street Indian Spice Bazaar in East Street Sustainable Papakura who has re-opened in O’Shannessey Street The Bedroom Store in Great South Road FAIRY LIGHTS: Lovely fairy lights have been brightening up our town recently, especially at night. These are making Papakura look even brighter and more gorgeous than usual. …

I’m writing this at 1.30am in the waiting area of Middlemore Hospital’s accident and emergency department. We are here because since contracting Covid on May 1, my 18-year-old has endured a cacophony of painful symptoms that are just not resolving. They are not respiratory but are preventing her from returning to work and life in general. We got there at 4pm, in part because…

For many of us, there’s no greater support than what we receive from our Mother, the person who gave birth to us, or who has treated us as if she did. From the time spent with us in fun childhood games and endless snack preparation to sticking by us as moody teenagers and being the occasional shoulder to cry on – they’ve always had our backs. This month, Mother’s Day gives us the…

Auckland had a median house price of $1,200,000 in March 2022 — a 6.7% increase year-on-year although there is evidence that this is starting to slow. Buyers continue to struggle with accessing finance and are awaiting further changes to the CCCFA to be implemented due the 1st of June. Banks will hopefully be able to get on the same page about the implementation of the rules. If…

I find myself perplexed that commercial pharmaceutical enterprises, despite huge areas of uncertainty around safety and outcomes, felt that they could launch their experimental mRNA vaccines on the world’s population. I am also confused how public health officials, the medical profession, and politicians became cheerleaders, even when a significant number of highly qualified…

I wrote this newsletter recently to update you on the work the Free Speech Union is doing in our battle for free speech. But following the disturbing scene we saw yesterday at Parliament, I wanted to share some thoughts first. Protest will always highlight contentious issues, that's its role, so I am aware that supporters of the Free Speech Union will have a wide variety of…

Ministry of Health figures show that boosted individuals are now more vulnerable to Covid infection and hospitalisation than the unvaccinated A video summary released 2nd April 2022 by Grant Dixon shows through a series of graphs how the effects of boosters have worn off rapidly in New Zealand, especially since the BA2 variant started circulating. …

When a serious crime has been committed, the police generally lose no time in their efforts to locate the culprit and bring them to account. In this article we consider our long term prospects and what we need to do to improve them. ###What happened this morning? When you back a sure fire horse with your whole pay packet and it loses, what do you say to your partner and family…