November 2022

Novature was born out of a desire to create “new age”, bespoke quality homes that can be easily built and transported to sites across New Zealand! · Greg, Brent & Hayden, joint directors of Novature collectively possess in excess of 100 years building experience. Their vast building and business knowledge has seen them develop government infrastructure projects, large scale community housing, hospitals and schools in the south pacific. Coupled…

It’s been an interesting month, local body elections resulting in many fresh faces at councils across the country and a new Auckland Mayor starting to make some noise (writing to Watercare and council chief executive Jim Stabback telling them to stop all work on the Government's Three Water reforms and asking for entire CCO boards to step down.) Renegade Labour MP Gaurav Sharma resigned prompting a referendum (byelection) that Labour probably…

If it’s not beginning to look a lot like Christmas yet, it will soon enough. This year, we’re looking forward to a host of events to help lift those – Christmas Spirit. CAROLS IN THE PARK – Dec 2, from 6pm, Central Park: Pack a picnic for a fun filled, family-focused, free evening, featuring carols as well as other Christmas songs. · PAPAKURA ROTARY SANTA PARADE – Dec 4, from 3pm: From Central Park, the parade marches down Great…

The Registered Master Builders House of the Year Awards is the building industry’s most prestigious competition and the competition is fierce. This year saw builders from throughout the country do battle for gold, silver and bronze awards across both new and renovated builds in a number of categories. · This year the team at Navigation Homes Counties came away with GOLD in the Master Build 10 Year Guarantee Multi Unit…

The biennial Garden Ramble supported by Barfoot and Thompson is the largest fundraising event that the Franklin Hospice runs. It helps to provide much needed funds that are needed to to offer hospice care to the Franklin community. · Ticket holders get the opportunity to wander around 17 unique gardens, and enjoy the delightful masterpieces created by each of our wonderful garden hosts. The 2022 Ramble will take place over the weekend of 12th…

They are dying in the drift of chemical crop sprays. Where are the birds? Declining in numbers in the toxic wind with more dead from eating toxic seeds. How will the world cope without them? Where in this scenario does the agenda of feeding the world fit in? It really is incredulous that these chemicals applied to crops were produced without a complete scientific analysis of the environmental impact upon nature and our complex waterways. · So…

The Reserve Bank of NZ delivered another 0.5% increase in the official cash rate (OCR), taking it to 3.5% – the highest level since June 2015 when they lowered it from 3.5% to 3.25%. In terms of mortgage rate implications floating loans may see increases but there might not necessarily be much change in fixed rates as a direct result of this increase. From a borrower’s perspective, clearly the increases in mortgage rates over the past year or…

elocal returned to the Cutting Edge Plastic Surgery building at 11-13 Roulston Street to talk about skin checks as summer approaches. e This must be your busiest time of year? Things do get busy as the Summer approaches. Shirts come off, bits of skin that have been covered up all winter start to see the light of day and changing moles get noticed. We’ve already been busy with patients who are thinking about beach bodies too. They’ve been…

I recently met the team from Henderson Budget Service who provide free advice for those who are struggling with financial hardship. There are many such organisations like this within our communities and they play a vital role in helping people to manage debt and get back to a semblance of financial stability. · FinCap (the National Building Financial Capability Charitable Trust) is the umbrella organisation that supports these financial…

A welcome return to the rodding calendar in October was the Trouble Bound Side Show supporting West Auckland Hospice. Brilliant weather gave a taste of the summer season on its way and the no location filled to capacity. This year the Glenora Rugby League Club in Glen Eden was the perfect new venue for this ever-popular West Auckland show. "We tripled the size of the venue and it looks like we tripled the turnout", said Shane Adlington of…

Not since the Cuban missile crisis exactly 60 years ago has the world been in such danger. · And that’s not just my own view: early in October, US President Joe Biden said that the risk of nuclear Armageddon is at the highest level since the Cuban missile crisis. He was right. · As I write, Russia’s conventional military forces are being forced to retreat on many fronts and Ukrainian forces have destroyed a key bridge linking Russia to Crimea.…

It started photography from my childhood. My mother photographed a lot and she developed her own images. She had a unique ‘reporters’ style of photography. Looking back now as an adult I remember photography parts and camera covers were my toys in very early childhood! At the age of 12 I bought my own camera with my first ever saved money and shortly after I registered to the photography club where I learned to photograph and develop film and…

The best asparagus is fresh and November is the perfect month to enjoy this highly seasonal crop. To tell if asparagus is fresh, look for stalks that are a rich, deep green color that get lighter toward the end of the stalk. The stalks should be firm to the touch. Pass by any stalks that are limp or dry with cracked ends. The tips of the asparagus should be tightly closed and the stalks should be uniform for even cooking. · One of the quickest…

November 26th 1961 – The Drug Thalidomide is withdrawn from the market after affecting over 10,000 babies worldwide Thalidomide changed our relationship with new medicines for ever. It took five years for the connection between thalidomide taken by pregnant women and the impact on their children to be made. Not only did thalidomide change people’s lives, but it resulted in tighter drug testing and reporting of side-effects. · Thalidomide is…