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MP Andrew Bayly says his promotion to his new role as National’s Shadow Treasurer won’t impact on his constituent work. The Port Waikato MP says he won’t be forgetting his constituents despite his rapid rise up the party ranks to Number 3. · The third-term MP has been also been appointed as Spokesperson for Infrastructure and Statistics in Judith Collins’ Shadow Cabinet. · Collins has shared the responsibility of the finance portfolio between…

I love Christmas. As a child it was always a happy and fun time. Having grown up on a Northland farm, Christmas was usually a few days break from the hot hard work of either haymaking, or shearing. While there was not the emphasis on the Christian message of God taking the form of a baby, there was a celebration of being a happy family. Life had its stresses. This was usually around high expectations of our schooling, and the time that had to…

Traditions at Christmas time have a long and varied history. Many are steeped in custom and religious significance and while some vary between families, their beliefs and even between countries, others are universally celebrated in a manner recognised by all. Many a house around the world is decorated for the season with a Christmas tree laden with lights, ornaments and atop with an angel or star. In the 16th century German Christians are…

Choosing a gift this Christmas for a loved one is even more important after such a turbulent year and choosing the perfect gift that really means something is easy if you do it with a gift from Wrights Jewellers. The inviting brightly lit showroom on King St in Pukekohe is the perfect place to find gifting inspiration from exquisite Diamonds to awe-inspiring jewellery designs, fun fashion styles and more, there’s something special for someone…

It’s that time of year again when, for all things, Jolly, Joyful and generally Christmassy - Papakura is your one stop Christmas stop! Having always had always had a strong community spirit, a varied retail base with 24 new shops opened this year alone, and with numerous eatery options, your local town centre has pulled out all the stops to make this festive season the best ever! If you look around town, you will see the wonderful flags and…

A few days ago, I was standing in line at the supermarket check-out with my small(ish) trolley, proudly laden with “clean” wholesome foods when not entirely unexpectedly, a fellow shopper appeared behind me. Now I’m not a particularly approachable supermarket shopper, but this lady had seen the various company fitness logos on my T-shirt and forced me to break my insular habit and started the very thing I had successfully spend years avoiding…

A lot of people who were made redundant, perhaps because of COVID, are starting or preparing to start up their own business and have decided life needs to be lived how they want it, rather than at someone else’s command. If that sounds like you, now is the time to contact an accountant to make sure you get your “ducks in a row”. Don’t wait until after 31 March and then find that your business set up could have been better. We are just moving…

Sales volumes in September were nothing but exceptional and this continued into October. The estimated total for September sales of 9,666 was the single strongest month for more than four years, and it ranks sixth in the list of most active months dating back to May 2007. Given that year to date volumes are essentially at parity with the same stage in 2019, there is probably still some ‘catch up’ growth taking place after the lull of April/May.…

When locals Karen and Stuart approached Smith and Sons with what they thought was a radical idea to completely transform their Orere Pt home, they were overwhelmed with the approach and ease that the team at Smith and Sons embraced their ideas and presented them with a plan that was going to work. The multi award winning team at Smith and Sons Pukekohe headed by Lane and Melissa van den Brink operate a proven three step process that ensures…

Local foodie Suzanne Braks knows a thing or two about great food and great coffee. She has been providing locals and visitors to the area just that in both the Autobahn café in Bombay and Papakura for many years. This year has seen the restaurants evolve significantly as Suzanne and her team had to adapt to the interruptions of nationwide and regional lockdowns. As the Holiday season approaches, Suzanne anticipates that Kiwis will hit the road…