Articles from ‘elocal magazine’

Parents across New Zealand want schools to obey the law, drop the Treaty obsession, and return to their core job of lifting literacy and maths, not trying to run government policy from the classroom. Some teachers, principals, and Boards of Trustees have become so fixated on Treaty politics that they’ve turned classrooms into ideological battlegrounds. This loud faction is driving this trend, pouring time, training hours, and school resources…

Want to make Santa some delicious chewy cookies?  Then try our Christmas cranberry & pistachio white chocolate cookies!  We recommended making extra for cute gifts (or for your own midnight feasts). And, dont expect the first batch to last until the big day! They are so delicious you will making them again.  Ingredients - 170g Flour - ½ tsp Baking Soda - ¼ tsp Salt - 115g  butter - ½ cup Brown Sugar - ¼ cup White Sugar - 1 Woodland Egg - 1…

Many of us are currently opening little doors to reveal chocolate, gin or lipgloss, culminating on December 25th when the real orgy of present-opening will begin.  In some households, dogs and cats have their own advent calendars, while rabbits can feast on no-mince pies to get them in the festive spirit. And this year in particular, advent windows are popping up all over the Christmas-celebrating parts of the world, with Christmassy scenes…

New Zealand today stands in the jaws of a recession deeper and more structural than anything we have seen in decades. Businesses are folding. Workers are fleeing. Families are giving up hope. And yet, somehow, among all the noise, one catastrophic act of economic vandalism continues to escape the national reckoning it deserves: **The deliberate destruction of New Zealand’s only oil refinery at Marsden Point.** Not downgraded. Not mothballed.…

As Labour convenes in Auckland this weekend for its annual conference, the political atmosphere is almost unrecognisable from the despondent aftermath of the 2023 election defeat. The party that won just 26.9% of the vote less than two years ago now sits between 32-38% in recent polls. One-term governments are no longer unthinkable. Chris Hipkins, improbably, remains secure in his leadership without any meaningful challengers circling. Yet this…

Ingredients - Roughly 1kg sourdough or a crusty white bread - Olive oil, for frying - 1 onion, finely chopped - 2 leeks, thickly sliced - A small bunch of thyme - 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped - 3 tsp smoked garlic granules - 2 tsp garlic granules - 250g fresh cranberries - 200g dried apricots - Zest of 2 oranges and the juice of 1 - Zest and juice of 4 lemons - 500ml hot vegetable stock Timings Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 55 minutes…

At Acacia Cove Village, life after 65 is about freedom, friendship, and the joy of doing what you love — not slowing down. Set beside the tranquil Wattle Downs estuary and bordering the local golf course, Acacia Cove is designed for people who want their retirement to feel like a permanent vacation. With almost everything taken care of for you, your time is your own — to enjoy the resort-style facilities, join in community activities, or simply…

As expected the Reserve Bank has today reduced the Official Cash Rate (OCR) by 0.25%, bringing it to 2.25%. *Writer: Staircase Financial* While a modest adjustment, this move reinforces the Bank’s confidence that inflation pressures have eased and that the broader economic recovery can now be supported by lower borrowing costs. For buyers, homeowners, and investors, the message is clear: financing conditions are moving steadily in your…

A clinical study from the World Institute of Kimchi has reported evidence that kimchi may influence the human immune system by strengthening defence cells while preventing excessive immune reactions. Researchers say this is the first study to examine the immunological effects of kimchi at the cellular level. The study involved thirty-nine overweight adults divided into three groups. One group received a placebo, one consumed kimchi powder…

NewstalkZB’s Mike Hosking says the country witnessed an extraordinary education result this week, but almost the entirety of NZ’s mainstream media chose not to report it. He describes watching the Prime Minister and Education Minister announce the findings of a nationwide maths acceleration trial involving 1,500 Year 7 and 8 students who were more than a year behind in maths. Two models were tested. The intensive, in-person support model saw…

The World Bank has long defined corruption as the abuse of public office for private gain. Transparency International defines it as the abuse of entrusted power for private gain. Many commentators and politicians are shying away from referring to the current scandal engulfing our police as corruption. Regardless of what label we apply to this behaviour, dishonest conduct by powerful people carries broader societal implications. A number of…

As the two most popular pets in the world, it’s impossible not to compare cats and dogs. We talk about which species is the better companion and which is the best cuddler, and there’s also the age-old debate of which animal is smarter. While dog people will always refer to canine trainability, we can’t discount a cat’s independence and problem-solving. Pet owners could debate the merits of each species all day, but thankfully, scientists have…

This is a very substantial dish, packed with a host of health-boosting ingredients. It’s also super-adaptable, so feel free to add or swap in some of the optional additions listed below to adapt it to your tastes and add some variety to your weekly lunches. Ingredients - 100g (1⁄2 cup/3 1⁄2oz) long-grain brown rice - 1 large carrot, peeled and julienned or grated - 2 medium cooked vac-packed beetroots (beets), sliced - 1⁄3 cucumber, sliced…

The government has slashed New Zealand’s clean car standard by 80 percent, cancelling an estimated $265 million in penalties on higher-emission “ordinary” cars. Transport Minister Chris Bishop said, “the bottom’s fallen out of the EV market,” as importers face both low demand and tight supply. Safety concerns now dominate public discussion. Officials stress that EV fires remain rare, but the cluster of incidents, the lack of clear public…

New Zealand’s Supreme Court has ruled that four Uber drivers who challenged their status are employees, not contractors. The ruling applies only to the four drivers who brought the case, but it opens the door for thousands of contractors with a single dominant platform or employer to argue they are, in fact, employees entitled to minimum wage, guaranteed hours, paid leave, and the right to bring personal grievances. The case stems from a 2022…

After years of denouncing ACT and its bills as racist and colonial, newly independent MPs Takuta Ferris and Mariameno Kapa Kingi have suddenly reversed their votes to back ACT’s Medicines Amendment Bill in the House. After initially voting against their former party, Te Pāti Māori, both MPs stood in the House to “correct” the record, insisting the anti-bill votes had been cast by mistake. The Greens say that their explanation is simply not…

When audiences first saw The Wizard of Oz in 1939, they were dazzled by the movie’s use of Technicolor. Dorothy’s ruby slippers sparkled, the yellow brick road gleamed and the Wicked Witch of the West appeared in a shocking shade of green skin. But L. Frank Baum’s original book never described her that way. How does the Wicked Witch appear in the original story? In Baum’s 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the Wicked Witch of the West is…

Humans do it, monkeys do it, even polar bears do it. And now researchers have reconstructed the evolutionary origins of kissing. Their study suggests that the mouth-on-mouth kiss evolved more than 21 million years ago, and was something that the common ancestor of humans and other great apes probably indulged in. The same research concluded that Neanderthals may have kissed too – and that humans and Neanderthals may even have smooched one…

By around the age of 65, things start to shift. That’s often when people begin thinking about retirement, or at least stepping back a bit. You’re in your comfort zone at work – not pushing yourself as much, not learning new things – and that lack of challenge accelerates ageing. But far from being too late, your sixties might actually be the perfect time to consider your health. 63-year-old GP and longevity expert Dr Sabine Donnai explains…

“A hundred immigrants just landed have been sent here. The Government found them lodgings and give them rations . . . till they can be sent forth to their own grants of land.”1 These were just some of the immigrants who had recently arrived as part of the Waikato Immigration Scheme.2 Between October 1864 and June 1865, thirteen ships arrived in Auckland with settlers from Scotland, Ireland, England and South Africa on board. With promises of…