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The end of the year is snowballing and with it comes a culmination of many a dream build for locals who have chosen Navigation Homes to build this year. Founded in the Franklin region in 2007 by Aaron and Michelle Hall and today with 11 branches nationwide local Franchise owners, Ryan Keegan and Nathan Hall share a love of the area, with a great understanding of what goes into the build process. · So if a new build is on the agenda for you in…

Dear Constituents of the Papakura Electorate, I would like to thank everyone who supported me and the National Party in the Papakura Electorate during the last Election. I am thrilled to be re-elected in Papakura and it will be a privilege to be your Member of Parliament for another three years. Nationally, the election result is disappointing but the National team will be back in force in 2023. In the meantime we will be holding the…

Christmas Parades or Santa Parades as they’re more commonly referred to are parades held worldwide to celebrate the official opening of Christmas season with the arrival of Santa Claus. Typically, these parades include themed floats, dancing, marching groups and bands with accompanying Christmas songs. As moving floats there is usually a starting point as the parade moves through its designated route, typically near its city centre or town.…

In the middle of November, the Real Institute reported that the median house price across New Zealand had risen by 19.8 percent over the year to the end of October. Across the country as a whole, the median price had risen to an astonishing $725,000, while in the Auckland region the median price had reached $1 million. In Auckland city the median reached $1.2 million, on the North Shore $1.15 million, and in Manukau $1 million. These are…

Sitting high on a hill in the Awhitu Peninsula overlooking its dramatic backdrop of farmland, Lake Pokorua and the Tasman sea sits an iconic building dubbed by some as New Zealand’s most photogenic church. Kohekohe Church was designed in 1886 by Scottish emigrant, Captain Sir John Makgill, the founder of St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Waiuku in the 19th century, and a successful mathematician and engineer with many years of experience…

Labour MP Ibrahim Omer received a standing ovation after his maiden speech on Thursday. · The list MP is the second refugee to enter the NZ Parliament, having fled his home country of Eritrea, which has been ruled as a totalitarian, one-party dictatorship since its independence from Ethiopia in 1993.

The row that raged last week over the Reserve Bank’s role in the housing market is an argument we must resolve – and quickly. Since the Reserve Bank started reducing interest rates in May last year, house prices have jumped 25 per cent. Average house prices in Auckland hit $1 million in October and the median house price across New Zealand increased by 20 per cent, from $605,000 in October last year to $725,000. · Much of this has come about…

A recipe to spice up the traditional steaks on the barbecue this summer. Both salsas complement the beef beautifully, yet offer very different combinations of flavour. We suggest keeping a jar of these on hand over the barbecue season – our guess is you’ll be enjoying them on a range of meals! Prep: 1 hour. Cook: 6 mins. Serves 4–6 · Ingredients · Beef · 800g Quality Mark eye fillet of beef, silver skin trimmed 1 tablespoon dried oregano ·…

How does a perfectly barbecued scotch with fresh summer herbs topped with a zesty homemade labneh sound? Pretty great, right? This lighter dish is perfect for a hot summer’s day, or complete the meal with new potatoes or toasted sourdough and a crunchy green salad. Prep: 12 min. Cook: 8 mins. Serves 4–6. · Ingredients · Beef · 2 x 350g Quality Mark scotch fillet steaks Olive oil for rubbing · Labneh · 400g natural, unsweetened yoghurt 1…

For Topher and I, 2020 has been a year covered in clouds with silver linings. If there wasn't a global pandemic, we would be somewhere in Malaysia right now, having spent the previous few months driving through the bustling streets of India. Instead, we were here in New Zealand waiting in anticipation for the borders to re-open so we can continue our global expedition. · Although a disappointment, we decided to make the most of the situation,…