11 August 2023 Devonport Flagstaff

Devonport the big loser in funding equity plan

Devonport stands to lose millions of dollars of council funding under a financial redistribution taking effect from as early as 2025.

The area is expected to be among the worst hit by an accelerated shift to “equity funding” across Auckland’s 21 local boards.

Briefings about the impact have begun, after Mayor Wayne Brown moved to bring

forward changes previously expected to take 10 or more years. He wants the new regime in operation within three years.

Local representatives are alarmed that North Shore facilities will be neglected and that local ratepayers will be left paying more for less. “This is just a socialist-imposed system that is going to screw this board over

more than any other in Auckland,” Devonport-Takapuna Local Board member George Wood warned at a workshop presentation by council staff last week.

Board member Gavin Busch predicted community anger would lead to calls to separate from Auckland Council. “All you’re

To page 2

Mini United Nations flies the flags

Mixing it up... Year 2 pupils from Room 10 at Belmont Primary School were among the enthusiastic participants in the school’s recent International Day. Diversity story, page 2; pictures, pages 22-23.

Diversity on the rise at peninsula primary schools

Ethnic diversity is on the rise on Devonport peninsula, with children from many different backgrounds attending local schools.

Belmont Primary School had 45 different nationalities represented on its recent International Day. And a Devonport Flagstaff survey has revealed that other peninsula primary schools are more diverse than is often perceived.

Belmont Primary School principal Bruce Cunningham said the number of nationalities represented at the school has increased from around 30 a decade ago.

Hauraki School has more than 23 different nationalities represented, with New Zealand European (226) the biggest ethnicity, followed by Chinese (127), then other European (19).

Devonport Primary School has more than 13 different ethnicities, with New Zealand European the largest at 73 per cent, followed by European (6 per cent) and African and British or Irish (both sitting at just under 2.5 per cent).

At Vauxhall School, New Zealand Europeans account for 69 per cent of the roll. The next biggest ethnic populations are Māori (9 per cent, Latin American (5 per cent) and Asian (6 per cent).

St Leo’s Catholic Primary School has 40 New Zealand European and six Māori students, plus a smattering from Latin American (4), British (4), Samoan (4), Asian (3) and Tongan (2) backgrounds.

The diversity at local schools is consistent

with census data which shows New Zealand European populations on the peninsula decreasing from 2013 to 2018 and other ethnic populations increasing in that same period.

The percentage of New Zealand Europeans in Belmont, for example, dropped from 83.1 to 74.7. Cheltenham was the only suburb that has had an increase in the proportion of New Zealand Europeans, from 92 to 93 per cent in 2018.

Across the whole Devonport-Takapuna Local Board area (which reaches as far north as Sunnynook,) the Asian population increased from 16 to 26 per cent and the NZ European population decreased from 71 to 69 per cent.

• Belmont Primary International Day photos, pages 22-23.

Devonport ratepayers ‘face paying more for less’

From page 1

doing is punishing people for living in an area and for being rich, but they’re not,” he said.

Existing funding allocations are based on the number of assets each local board has, ahead of population and weightings according to deprivation.

The proposed new model would have an 80/15/5 percentage split, according to population, deprivation and land area, respectively.

Board members, including Wood, said they were not against moves towards greater equity, but not at the cost of running down public assets built up over decades on the North Shore. These include costly-to-maintain coastal and heritage assets, along with existing and ageing community facilities.

Board chair Toni van Tonder said: “The hard part for our community is we will be paying a lot more into this [through rates] but getting less out. That’s an incredibly difficult thing for people to stomach.”

After the meeting, van Tonder told the

Flagstaff she would work with board members to frame a “strong response” to the equity changes.

Equity funding would leave the board facing some “pretty grim prospects”, she said. “We’ll see our facilities start to fall into disrepair or we’ll be forced to sell assets that we can no longer afford to maintain.”

Busch said high property values did not mean people had high incomes, with many struggling to pay rates. And people were not seeing infrastructure spend in the area, he said, citing the lack of a proper stormwater system in Bayswater and flooding issues in the Wairau catchment.

With a little over 3.3 per cent of the city’s population, the board area sits well above council’s equity baseline.

For the three years starting from 20242025, its current funding is 20 per cent above baseline for projected operating expenses and 60 per cent above for capital expenses. Around half of the boards are well below the baseline.

Redistribution would see limited or no

future funding rises for Devonport-Takapuna.

Three-year funding models that board members were shown include one where the area would receive only an extra $2 million above the current $22.7 million in operating expenses, the second-lowest lift of all boards. The budgets of eight other boards would be boosted between $10 and $21 million. Other models showed slight drops in funding for Devonport-Takapuna.

In another indicative model, Upper Harbour received a capital spending boost of $13.5 million to $18.2m, while Devonport-Takapuna’s existing $13m only rose by $1.8 to $14.8m.

The council officer leading the equity project, Jestine Joseph, told board members equity funding might be expanded in future to cover what council organisations such as Auckland Transport had to spend locally.

The equity working party’s recommendation will be subject to a vote by Auckland councillors. With around half of them from areas set to benefit from changes, they seem unlikely to be overturned.

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Cool fun for broadcaster on visit home from Qatar

When Tom McRae’s children, Leo (7) and Ruby (5), spent a sunny morning with their buckets and spades on the tidal flats at Cheltenham Beach recently, the outing provided a welcome change from the 40-degrees-plus temperatures in Doha.

“Then the rain and hail came in… but to me, even with a southwester blowing in, Devonport is an incredibly beautiful place,” McRae says.

The grim winter weather has been a big talking point with friends during a visit home from his base in Qatar, McRae says.

But his kids have loved the change of scene: running through mud in their gumboots, catching up with Devonport grandparents Colin and Margot, and even managing to get their photo in the Flagstaff while at a Matariki event at the Depot.

McRae went to work at Al Jazeera last July after a 10-year stint as a journalist and news presenter for TV3.

He was tipped off by a friend that a news presenter job was up for grabs at Al Jazeera, sent in a newsreel, and although “I felt I completely bombed the interview”, a job came through.

He’d been working weekends reading the news at TV3 for five years, “which was wearing a bit thin”.

The opportunity for a change came just after Covid restrictions lifted, and the chance to work overseas when the kids were young was too good to turn down.

McRae’s wife, Rachel, a newsreader and journalist on radio at NZME, was also keen on the adventure.

At Al Jazeera, a 24-hour news service, McRae works rostered four-and-a-half-hour shifts, days and nights, with four days on followed by three days off.

It’s a “wildly different role” and schedule

to that at TV3, where the news cycle built over the day to the 6pm news.

Al Jazeera is more akin to the format of Radio New Zealand’s Checkpoint: news mixed with interviews by presenters. Breaking news often means the need for fast and accurate research by McRae, then interviews for global audiences which can swell to hundreds of millions. “It’s the most challenging thing I’ve done in my life,” he says.

He also does interviews for the weekly programme, Talk to Al Jazeera – a 30-minute one-on-one interview show.

McRae has interviewed the president of Finland, Sauli Niinistö, and the current president of the UN General Assembly, Hungarian Csaba Kőrösi, among others.

The McRaes initially lived in a serviced

Doha apartment “40 storeys up”, then moved to a “compound without gates” of more than 150 townhouses. “It was the closest we could get to a Devonport type of environment.”

Leo and Ruby have kids to play with, fellow expats but from many different cultures. One of Leo’s friends is Indonesian. The two boys could be out riding bikes when his friend is called in for prayers, before returning to play, which Leo regards as “totally natural”.

The kids go to an English-language school, where the roll is split between expats and Qataris, who want their children to have a Western education.

Doha, with a population of around three million, is “nothing like Dubai”, McRae says. “It’s much quieter and less flashy and more family-friendly.”

It has beautiful parks, boardwalks and interesting pockets, such as Sri Lankan and Pakistani quarters. The local population ranges from “very traditional to very Western”.

Despite a brief period where temperatures reach more than 40 degrees, most of the year in Doha sits at around 30, with a brief winter when it can drop to 20.

One of the attractions of Doha is its central location in the Middle East: only four hours to Europe, and close to Asia and Africa.

During a school holiday break, the McRae family went to Oman. “It took the same amount of time as a flight from Auckland to Christchurch.”

Jordan, Finland for the northern lights, and an African safari are on the list of potential future destinations.

Both Tom and Rachel are now 40 and plan to stay in Doha for three to five years, before moving back to Devonport where they bought a house in 2020.

“Devonport will always be home. I grew up here and it’s a very special place for me.”

Winter break... Tom McRae and family are these days based in Doha

Another one from the supercity failing to work department... We seemed to have sprung a leak at our place on Abbotsford Tce last week, with a constant flow of water from the berm into the gutter which I first noticed on Friday morning. My first step was to contact Watercare, which I did via its website.

A bit later in the day, I popped home for lunch and noticed Watercare workers doing some work on Victoria Rd. I stopped and asked them if they could head two streets over to check our place. “Not possible,” was the answer. They were contractors and had to be contacted by Watercare to be assigned jobs.

Would it be possible to check on the computer to see if there was a job logged at our place or contact Watercare directly to see if the job was legitimate? Not possible. “If it has been reported someone will be out to check it out.” Just not the workers who were 100 metres away from the problem, it seems.

By Rob Drent

This “system says no” approach is one reason the public gets so frustrated with Auckland Council and the organisations it controls.

No one had been around by the end of the day so I called Watercare, who had me outside photographing the leak so it could be assessed. Sharing the view of a problem while talking on the phone is an amazing technological leap, but unfortunately darkness prevented the person I was talking to from getting a good handle on the problem. They said someone would be out within 48 hours.

On Saturday night, water was still flowing freely into the gutter.

By press time, there was a hole in the ground on the berm and the flow seemed to have ceased without any further contact from Watercare.

The government decision to put an underground light-rail link from the North Shore to the Wynyard Quarter (with stations at Takapuna and Belmont) is a massive step forward for public transport and a good reason for the $47 million Lake Rd upgrade having been canned. With a connection south to the city and north to Takapuna and beyond at Belmont, there’s the option of a tramline back to Devonport. Thousands of cars would be taken off the road. The project is unlikely to be completed in my lifetime, however.

Building is projected to start in 2029, and an engineering mate of mine reckons it would take a decade or so to construct.

And that’s without any hiccups when the project inevitably becomes a political football. Lets hope parliament can formulate some consensus approach to last multiple terms.

Experts help Devonport Primary School foster birdlife

Devonport Primary School has launched a project to attract more birds to its grounds after winning an environmental prize.

The school received the Treemendous award, which is given to schools with a conservation focus to help them carry out an environmental project.

Devonport Primary’s prize included an education programme, with visits by naturalist Ruud Kleinpaste and shark scientist Riley Elliott, a selection of native trees and $1000 in prize money to put towards the project.

The school plans to further develop its akomanga ngahere – an outdoor classroom in the forested area of the school. The space is used for environmental education, with sampling work for science classes in addition to outdoor maths, art and writing lessons.

The school asked students what focus they wanted and found “overwhelming” support for bringing more birds into the school grounds,

Project advice... Visiting naturalist Ruud Kleinpaste with Devonport Primary teacher

Helen Jaworski-Goulter

said teacher and akomanga ngahere lead Helen Jaworski-Goulter. Jaworski-Goulter said the award would help “elevate what we already do with our akomanga ngahere and give us some professional development in this area”.

Kleinpaste, who spent two days at the school, recommended planting flowering native trees, setting up tracking tunnels to understand the pest population and introducing greater biodiversity to attract birds. “That second day with Ruud was just amazing, because you get to work with an expert in the field and he just gave us so many ideas about what we could do,” Jaworski-Goulter said.

Pupils have already started making nesting boxes for the birds and tracking pests. “We believe it’s really important to get the children involved, and for it to come from the children, so that they can see that their planting helped attract the tui, their tracking tunnels let us know what predators are here and why that’s keeping the birds away.”

Environmental trust Restoring Takarunga Hauraki is supplying tracking tunnels and native plants, as well as helping educate students about the best plants for the purpose.

TGS squash players make national junior squads

Takapuna Grammar School won the New Zealand Secondary Schools (NZSS) Co-ed Cup for the second year running after placing seventh (boys) and fourth (girls) in the NZSS national squash champs hosted at North Shore, Belmont and Devonport Squash clubs last weekend.

The combined team was Justine Pausch, George Duffield, Charlotte Bowden, Angus Parsons, Heather Bowden, Samuel O’Brien, Marcus Griffiths, Sarah Bowden, Agatha Griffiths, Henry Griffiths, Saara Joukani and Max Bailey.

Four team members made the national junior team: Max Bayley (Y10, Belmont Squash Club), Agatha Griffiths (Y9, Devonport Squash Club) and Charlotte Bowden (Y10, Belmont Squash Club) have been selected in the junior (Y9/Y10) squad of 10; while Justine Pausch (Y11, Belmont Squash Club) has been selected for the senior squad.

Mortgage rates still ticking up

Banks are still ticking up their fixed mortgage rates by 10 or 20 basis points to now over 7% for 1 yr fixed and nearly 9% for floating - it’s not because the RBNZ has raised the OCR but is in response to the rise in global bond rates due to excessive debt levels having to be funded along with Central Banks trying to reduce their balance sheets by selling the bonds they bought during Covid to fund the Govt fiscal reaction to the pandemic.

While Central Banks (CB) have not helped by having such loose monetary policies, the reality is that they merely acquiesced to Govt’s covid/spending/borrowing programmes and subsequently they have had to manage an economy that has been flooded with excessive monetary (CB) and fiscal (Govt) stimulus and that has flowed on to private sector spending, wages and debt accumulation. Inflation and interest rates appear to have nearly peaked in this tightening cycle which is much more severe in terms of % rate rises than previous cycles, as well as the debt levels being so much higher... so the impact may well be more pronounced!

New Zealand reps… Max Bailey, Agatha Griffiths, Charlotte Bowden, and Justine Pausch

Surprise find gives hall project a golden glow

Renovation projects involving century-old buildings often come with unpleasant surprises, but a revelation during the recently completed makeover of the Holy Trinity Church hall has helped deliver a result exceeding expectations.

Initial plans when the renovations began early last year had been to retain the hall’s particle-board floor, which was thought to cover an unsalvageable original timber floor.

But contractors who had to dig beneath the building to install multiple piles for earthquake strengthening, reported that the inch-thick kauri floorboards were worthy of closer inspection. They turned out to be in much better shape than expected.

“We made the decision late in the piece to lift the particle board,” says Chris Haefele, a Holy Trinity congregation member who works in construction and has acted as client representative on the project.

Once the original boards in the 360sqm hall were exposed, areas of wear and tear were repaired and the grimy surface stripped back to reveal the character beneath. The result is a golden timber floor that rates as probably the most outstanding feature in a heritage building dating back to 1911 and entering a new era of use by the church and wider community. “It really complements the building,” says Haefele.

The project, which came in at a final cost of $4.7 million, also had its challenges, of course. More than 30 of the holes for piles had to be excavated in confined areas, using only hand tools, as diggers and other mechanical gear could not fit into the space. Up to 50 cubic metres of earth was removed to be replaced by concrete.

Within the hall, the steel-strengthening components are visible but unobtrusive, as are the acoustic wall panelling and contemporary-looking vents for a plenum ventilation system, which automatically replenishes the air inside. The hall’s leaking roof has been replaced, asbestos removed and the heritage Duders bricks on the exterior repointed.

Though the hall still awaits the fire doors which will separate the main space from the new, expanded extension, Auckland Council recently signed off on the building’s certificate for public use. On 17 September, it will be blessed by the Anglican Bishop of Auckland, the Right Reverend Ross Bay.

Holy Trinity Vicar’s Warden Emily Morrow says the hall offers a way for the church to integrate with the community “This has got to be a community space.”

Previous regular users such as dance classes are returning, and the church plans to encourage special events such as weddings, along with various kinds of community programmes. With a total floor area of 670 sqm, and the main hall, a foyer-lounge and kitchen, and break-out rooms behind the stage all available, the facility is also seen as suitable for companies holding planning days.

The spaces have all been designed for

Treading the boards...

Holy Trinity client representative

Chris Haefele and Vicar’s Warden Emily Morrow in the renovated church hall. Right: an exterior view of the new hall extension

multiple uses. An area to one side of the stage can even be turned into temporary accommodation for a family, should it be required, with a small kitchen, bathroom, living and potential bedroom spaces.

Six unisex toilets are accessible from both the hall and lounge and a lift provides full access to the stage and break-out areas. One rear corner of the building provides offices for the vicar and others, while a

lower-level space to the rear is earmarked for youth activities.

The hall project was first launched after earthquake assessments on church buildings found that it and St Augustine’s church in Calliope Rd were below code. St Augustine’s was sold, returning around $1.1 million to help fund the hall project, with further contributions from parishioners, the diocese and the Lotteries Board.

Devonport 2 Ascot Avenue

Bungalow between the Beaches

With its appealing proportions, picturesque presentation, perfect flow and proximity to so much that Devonport has to offer, this fully renovated bungalow is a dream come true for empty-nesters and young families alike. Situated on much sought-after tree-lined Ascot Avenue, it is just footsteps from both Cheltenham and Narrow Neck beaches. The classic character home with its high ceilings, timber floors and lead light windows, has been extended to create light, bright and contemporary open-plan living/dining/kitchen at the rear, with a seamless connection to the outdoors, whilst its heritage character has been retained in the original part of the home, which offers two double and two single bedrooms.

bayleys.co.nz/1470625

4 1 3 1

Auction (unless sold prior)

1.30pm, Thu 24 Aug 2023

28 Northcroft Street, Takapuna, Auckland Phone for viewing times

Linda Simmons 027 459 0957

linda.simmons@bayleys.co.nz

BAYLEYS REAL ESTATE LTD, DEVONPORT, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

bayleys.co.nz

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Devonport

2B Church Street

Auction

Thursday 31st August at 1:00pm

In Rooms (Unless Sold Prior)

View Saturday & Sunday 2.00pm - 2.30pm harcourts.co.nz/DP24598

Space and Tranquility - so close to Duders Beach

2B Church Street is a modern double glazed, weatherboard home, located just 30 metres from the King Edward Parade waterfront. This spacious property features an open plan kitchen/family room flowing to the lounge and dining room and out to a private north facing, sunny deck and quaint garden. There are two double bedrooms and a family bathroom plus a separate toilet on the ground level and two double bedrooms on the upper level. The main bedroom opens onto a spacious balcony with magnificent views and also has a large walk in wardrobe and 'linked' ensuite bathroom. The double garage with internal access to the home has shelved storage space and a laundry and there is secure parking space outdoors for a boat and a car. The garage door and front gate is automated. This property presents the perfect opportunity to buy in this high value, prestigious location close to the Torpedo Bay and Duders beaches and just a ten minute stroll to the ferry and the charming Devonport Village.

Howard Walsh 027 373 4700

howard.walsh@harcourts.co.nz

Ian

9322

Cunliffe 027 227

ian.cunliffe@harcourts.co.nz

Devonport 09 446 2030

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Devonport 09 446 2030

Belmont 2/39 Eversleigh Road

Auction

Thursday 24th August at 1:00pm

In Rooms (Unless Sold Prior)

View

Saturday/Sunday 10.30am-11.00am harcourts.co.nz/DP24596

Deceased Estate; perfect first home!

- Spacious 92m2 unit including garage, in Belmont's desirable Eversleigh Road.

- Large bedrooms providing ample space for comfortable living.

- Internal garage access for convenience and added security.

- Steps to Daily Bread, your go-to spot for delicious coffee.

- Easy access to public foreshore walkways, perfect for outdoor enthusiasts.

- Located near great schools, zoned for Hauraki Primary and Takapuna Grammar.

- Ideal for entry-level first-time buyers or investors seeking a lucrative opportunity.

- Current tenant loves the property and would be delighted to stay.

Jane Hastings 021 735 263 jane.hastings@harcourts.co.nz

Jackie Mark 021 458 797 jackie.mark@harcourts.co.nz

- Don't miss out on this fantastic chance to own or invest in a prime property! Cooper

Devonport 5 Turnbull Road Holiday Home

For Sale

Price by Negotiation

View By appointment harcourts.co.nz/MJ54395

Come home to summer holiday vibes every day. Just steps to Narrow Neck beach, this bright and breezy home is stylish yet welcoming with a relaxed Beach House feel. Equally perfect as a family home as it is a lock up and leave for downsizers, you can just move in and enjoy this modernised bungalow without the extra cost of renovation. Offering two bedrooms upstairs opening to a deck with gorgeous sea views and two bedrooms, a snug lounge and stunning open plan kitchen, living and dining on the ground level. This sunny and private living area at the heart of the home flows seamlessly through large sliding doors to a covered deck lush with foliage and flowers offering a picture-perfect entertainer's space worthy of a house and garden photo shoot. The feeling of the inside really connecting to the outside is what makes this home feel so special.

Jemma Glancy 021 246 5300 jemma.glancy@harcourts.co.nz

Proud Sponsor Of North Shore Rugby Club

Strong Shore presence in Defence Force cup team

A large contingent from North Shore Rugby Club has made the New Zealand Defence Force team to compete for the International Defence Force Cup in France prior to the Rugby World Cup next month

Along with 12 Shore players in the team, it is coached by Wayne Ratu, with assistants Darren Watt and Clinton Hemopo – the trio who guided the club’s premier reserve team to a North Harbour title win last month.

The Shore players named in the side last week were:

Luka (captain), Tristen Read, Zane Douglas, Ethan Shergold, Sione Kanatea-Ofa, Cole Carey, Anthony Lindsay. Eji Tuavela, Tyler Beary, Kaleb Harema, Kauri Harema, and Dylan Du Plessis.

Luka and Beary played in the Shore premiers championship win over Takapuna, while Read, Kanatea-Ofa, Shergold, Du Plessis, Tuavela, Carey and Kauri Harema were in the reserves side.

Luka has been in the New Zealand Defence Force team since 2017-2018, playing in the Defence Force Cup in Japan in 2019. (The trophy is contested ahead of each Rugby World Cup.)

The side made the semi-finals in Japan, but lost to eventual winners Fiji, and were beaten by France in the bronze-medal match.

Luka has captained the Navy team in service tournaments, but hasn’t previously led the Defence side.

“I found out two days prior to the team announcement... it was a nice surprise,” he said.

The side leaves on 12 August, with its first game a week later. It has four-and-a-half weeks at the tournament before returning home on 15 September.

Some of the team are staying on to watch the Rugby World Cup, but Luka has 16-month-old son Lochlan to get home to.

“We had thought of going over [as a family] but the flight would have been too tough with a young child.

“After four and a half weeks I need to get home.”

The team has a tough pool, with its first match against Fiji, winners of the last two cups.

Three pool winners go through to the semi-finals automatically, joined by the next top next team after the pool matches.

Luka, who is a dive instructor at the Navy, was delighted so many North Shore players had made the team.

It was a natural flow-on from the memorandum of understanding signed between the club and the Navy this year. This allows Navy players to play both for North Shore,

and the Navy at Defence competitions. Luka himself used to play for the Navy at club level, before joining North Shore Premiers in 2018-19.

Coach Wayne Ratu was assistant NZDF coach in Japan.

The Navy and Shore links had provided the base for combinations to develop, said Luka, who hopes for strong performances in France.

“It was a great year down at North Shore, so I hope we can keep the momentum going.”

• In pool play, New Zealand plays Fiji on 19 August, Uzbekistan on 23 August and Ireland on 27 August.

On the charge… New Zealand Defence Force rugby skipper Trent Luka on the charge for Shore premiers during the side’s championship final win over Takapuna

Takapuna Grammar

Performing Arts Students draw the crowds at Takapuna Light Festival

The recent Takapuna Winter Lights festival included some of our fantastic Performing Arts students! TGS’s instrumental groups and dancers (Branded Pisces, Nathan Fry, Jack Yao, Tempus Dance Company, and our specialist Ballet group) showcased their talents at this family-focused community event. The musical performances ran each evening and our dancers in Tempus & the Ballet group performed on stage on the hour, every hour. The performance spaces were held in the newly created Waiwharariki Anzac Town Square and Hurstmere Green. Thank you everyone who came along to support, and also the staff and students who helped make this all happen.

Kyoto International Student Exchange

During the holidays, Year 13 language student Fletcher Watts took up the unique opportunity to partake in a three week reciprocal cultural exchange with our sister school Kyoto Gaidai High School in Japan. Fletcher’s host brother Shunsuke recently returned with Fletcher to New Zealand and is staying here with him and his family in Milford.

TGS Culture Night

On Friday 28 July students, staff, and members of the wider school community all gathered for Takapuna Grammar School’s annual Culture Night. The night was filled with singing, dancing and more. These performances ranged from a variety of cultures including Korean Fan Dance, Ma - ori waiata and Japanese songs.All of the students involved put a tremendous amount of work into their performances. The International and Cultural committees both worked

closely together, running both the preparation and the backstage and front stage for the night. A huge shout-out to everyone who came and supported the event, as without them, none of it would have been worth it. It was an awesome night to celebrate the diversity of culture that we have here at Takapuna Grammar.

By Culture Committee Prefect Leader Pania Rowe-Karanui and photography by Anna Stevenson

Fletcher said the highlights of his Japanese experience included visiting the amazing shrines and learning about the rich history and traditions of the country. Shunsuke, a competitive tennis player back home, has been in Auckland for just over a week now. His highlights so far include climbing Rangitoto Island with his host family on a beautiful Auckland winter’s day and attending a FIFA World Cup pool match featuring his home nation Japan.

Fletcher and Shunsuke have noticed some differences in teaching and learning styles between New Zealand and Japan. Shunsuke is enjoying the openness and freedom to learn new

and interesting material. Fletcher said it was a real eye-opener experiencing Japanese exams and the more structured, methodical way Japanese school systems prepare and run their assessments.

Takapuna Grammar School is rejuvenating the long-standing relationship we have with Kyoto Gaidai High School after the past few years of Covid disruptions. Year 12 student Ben Bowen will travel to Kyoto Gaida High School later this month for a sixweek reciprocal exchange. We look forward to hearing of his adventures!

FOR SALE

DEVONPORT

15 DUDERS AVENUE

Sitting in the much envied and sought after Duders Avenue is this traditional bungalow that is really a place to call home.

barfoot.co.nz/850708

FOR SALE By Negotiation

VIEWING Sunday 1:00-1:30pm

Trish Fitzgerald 021 952 452

Tracey Lawrence 021 172 0681

DEVONPORT

159 VICTORIA ROAD

This is a fabulous, spacious family 1880's villa with a stunning heated pool, sitting in a desirable and privileged location in Devonport.

barfoot.co.nz/848903

FOR SALE

FOR SALE

By Negotiation VIEWING Phone For Viewing Times

Tracey Lawrence 021 172 0681

Trish Fitzgerald 021 952 452

DEVONPORT

1/48A VAUXHALL ROAD

Location - LocationLocation! Grab your towel and head to Cheltenham Beach, you are so close you can wear your togs!

barfoot.co.nz/850902

FOR SALE

FOR SALE By Negotiation VIEWING By Appointment

Tracey Lawrence 021 172 0681

Trish Fitzgerald 021 952 452

DEVONPORT

36 WILLIAM BOND STREET

This three double bedroom, early 1900's Devonport weatherboard cottage is located on a full site in sought-after Stanley Bay,

barfoot.co.nz/851315

TENDER 4:00pm 17 Aug 2023 (unless sold prior) VIEWING Sat/Sun 1:00-1:45pm

Sue Harrison 021 909 549

Toni Gregory 021 044 3663

Devonport 09 445 2010

Major sponsor for the North Shore Cricket Club

Barfoot & Thompson Limited Licensed REAA 2008

Barfoot & Thompson Limited

Licensed REAA 2008

DEVONPORT

13/53 VAUXHALL ROAD

Deceased Estate

This solid concrete, safe and secure, one bedroom unit home in a tightly held location so close to the beach is a rare gem.

barfoot.co.nz/849901

TAKAPUNA

22/15 PURIRI STREET

Puriri Park Retirement

Village central Takapuna. Freehold. Immaculate and ready for you to move in and enjoy. Terms and Conditions apply.

barfoot.co.nz/851411

FOR SALE

1 1 1

FOR SALE

$739,000

VIEWING Saturday 11:30am-12:30pm

DEVONPORT

Priced to sell with super motivated vendor's, this home features 3 bedrooms, 3.5 bthrms, double car garage, and completely standalone!

NEW LISTING

FOR SALE

$1,249,000

VIEWING Sat/Sun 11:00-11:45am

Lance Richardson 021 796 660

Patricia Hinchey 027 222 3367

barfoot.co.nz/851045

Suzy Wang 022 199 7808

FOR SALE

FOR SALE By Negotiation

VIEWING Sat/Sun 11:30am-12:30pm or By Appointment

Sue Evans 021 448 977

TAKAPUNA

64A KARAKA STREET

Ignore the CV, Top school zone! Well-maintained family home, freehold 341m² (more or less) CV $1,975,000

barfoot.co.nz/850730

FOR SALE

DEADLINE SALE Closing 4pm 11 August 2023 (unless sold prior)

VIEWING

As advertised online

Bianca O'Dea 021 361 116

Desiree Tod 021 851 975

Devonport 09 445 2010

Major sponsor for the North Shore Cricket Club

67E LAKE ROAD

The prime of Mr Gordon Brodie

The chair of Restoring Takarunga Hauraki had various careers before building a business in Devonport. He tells Helen Vause about his overseas adventures, being a Canadian copper and the joy of volunteering.

Gordon Brodie was delighted to be the recipient of an award for community service from Devonport Rotary last month.

For the 73-year-old it’s a happy marker in a life full of action.

Brodie is co-chair of Devonport peninsula environmental group Restoring Takarunga Hauraki (RTH), so the action these days relates to the challenge of getting a new native-plant nursery up and running beside the Claystore on Lake Road.

Whether he’s outside on a hammer, on his phone or at a meeting, Brodie says he couldn’t be happier than to find himself knee-deep in this ambitious community conservation and restoration initiative.

“Being part of all this has been fantastic for me in my retirement,” he says.

“It’s a terrific vision that will have a very positive impact on our future here. I couldn’t begin to tell you how rewarding it is for me. And not just for me. So many of the people who join us planting or working on one of our projects will regularly tell me what a great day they’ve had with us.”

Brodie says the success and growth of RTH has garnered a very positive profile for the organisation and its work, helping to attract more willing volunteers.

Across the Devonport peninsula, on most days of the week members of the hard-working group are out attending to trapping lines, clearing weeds and planting.

A core of more than 30 regulars is supplemented by others who turn up to lend a hand.

Like the rest of the RTH team, Brodie is obviously very proud of their achievements after just a few years of dedication.

After sailing from Glasgow with his parents in the mid-1950s, bound for a new life in New Zealand, Brodie was destined for an adventuresome young adulthood.

The family started out in Dunedin, but when his father joined the Air Force, moved around the bases – Singapore, Ohakea, Whenuapai – the children adapting to new schools pretty regularly.

The teenage Brodie had a semester of studying commerce at the University of Auckland before deciding that direction wasn’t for him, swapping his books for a first job making concrete posts for the Waitemata District Power Board, which gave him an introduction to practical skills.

Keen to explore the world and earn good money, Brodie headed for Australia and a construction camp near Kalgoorlie, Western Australia before he turned 20.

Once he’d built up his bank balance, he booked a passage for Europe. He and a couple of mates had a big plan for making their fortunes – they were going to disembark at Barbados then head up into the Amazon to find diamonds.

That plan was stymied when officials found firearms on his diamond-hunting fel-

low adventurers so he instead found himself flying into the UK.

He had a couple of years of more conventional OE there. With a bunch of other Kiwis, setting up house and finding work in the early 70s was easy and carefree.

A highlight he remembers was a job working for an aerial top-dressing company and looking down on patchworks of fields across the British Isles.

When the Kiwi boys decided it was time to explore somewhere new, they set off for Canada, and started figuring out how to make a living in Toronto.

But life got in the way for Brodie. On a bus to a beer festival he met Susanne, a respiratory therapy student. And as he puts it: “We met and we fell in love on that trip. And that was that really.”

Growth trajectory... Gordon Brodie at the new Restoring Takarunga Hauraki plant nursery

Nearly half a century later, Susanne, still with traces of a Canadian accent, recalls taking her Kiwi beau home to meet the folks for the first time, with his wild curly hair and his uncertain prospects.

The couple set up house together and Brodie found himself pursuing a new career in the police.

The local force had introduced a requirement of having two officers in cars at all times on overnight shifts. As Brodie remembers it, that meant anyone who could chew gum and answer a few questions was likely to be welcomed by the force.

Besides that, the Toronto Police needed more talent in their soccer team, and when the recruiting interviewer heard Brodie was related to a soccer star back in Scotland the talk promptly turned to “can you start Monday?”.

He was a constable on the beat on the seedier sides of the city for five years.

Somewhere along the way, he discovered he liked to run, and turned out so good at it that he became something of a long-distance star for the force, travelling the country to compete in major races, including the famous Boston Marathon.

“There were so many highs with the running and it brought me opportunity in the police force,” he says.

But at the same time he’d moved into a very risky job as a member of the elite Emergency Task Force. And whenever dangerous events unfolded in Toronto in the late 70s, it’s

likely Brodie was there.

Old newspaper clippings from the time show him in uniform, on the scene of violent crimes.

“But I knew I didn’t want to be a career cop for life. You see terrible things all the time and it impacts your thinking. I didn’t want that life.”

Their daughter Elisse was born as they settled into their new community.

Brodie first found building work, then turned to exterior plastering.

He built a business in partnership and at times had a sizeable number of staff. And as he puts it, the operation weathered good times and bad.

In his late 60s, he sold his share of the business. It was time to dive deeper into his community and while casting around for new commitments he was drawn into helping a friend who was maintaining a local pest-trapping line.

It was the early days of RTH. Brodie turned up at about the time a chairperson was needed. “I was nominated and there I was really,” he chuckles.

When the Flagstaff talks to him, Brodie is planning to spend the afternoon on the tools, building new bits for the native-plant nursery that is fast coming to life.

After Brodie and Susanne had two little boys, Adam and Josh, environmental concerns also played a part them moving on to another chapter of their lives.

One day in Toronto they began talking about the lake that supplied their drinking water. “That lake was in a terrible state with toxic fish and deformed birds. And we just didn’t see a future life for us or our kids anymore.”

With family in Devonport, they headed this way about 40 years ago, buying a villa in Summer Street.

With RTH volunteers propagating their own seeds, the plan is to raise stocks of up to 40,000 native plants for sale.

Indications of orders are already coming in from across the city, Brodie says. Once the facility is in full production it will be a significant revenue stream for RTH.

Brodie gestures around him on a sunny day. “It’s a real privilege to be part of this. People are coming from all over the place to work with us. When people are volunteering, egos are in the back pocket. It’s an experience that brings out the best in us.”

3/39 Lake Road, Devonport

For water-sport and nature lovers, or for those simply yearning for a storybook lifestyle... look no further. Supremely positioned in one of Auckland’s most desirable seaside suburbs, this recently refurbished mid-century home has instant appeal. An idyllic home you can relax and enjoy from the moment you step inside, while its locality provides the best of modern living and convenience. A cherished family home for over ten years, now it is time to pass the baton. This special property is awaiting its new owners, so families young, old, and in between this will be sold and must be viewed by anyone considering a privileged lifestyle in Devonport. We invite your immediate interest as good buying in a quality location starts here.

“When people are volunteering, egos are in the back pocket.”

Labour candidate wins decent ranking

Labour’s North Shore candidate, George Hampton, has secured 41st position on the party list, which on current polling puts him on the cusp of entering Parliament.

The ranking, ahead of some sitting MPs, suggests the first-time candidate is seen as a good prospect by the party.

If Labour’s vote drops below the 32.3 per cent it recorded in last week’s Newshub-Reid Research poll, Hampton won’t make it in from the list. Even at that level, Labour would likely be headed for the Opposition benches.

National’s poll support was up to 36.6 which, with support from Act, would put it into power. Its North Shore MP, Simon Watts, holds the seat with a hefty 3734 majority.

I hope Auckland Council and the Department of Conservation take note of Judith Ashton’s letter (July 28) on her concerns about dogs and seabirds on Devonport beaches.

Judith wonders if dog owners are unaware or ignore the leashing requirements of dogs on the beaches. They are not unaware; there is no excuse. I acknowledge there are some responsible and respectful dog owners. Anyone can easily establish the requirements and read the many signs. The bylaws are not monitored, nor does council respond unless there is an urgent situation. Dog owners know this.

Therefore the only answer is to make some beaches totally dog-free. There used to be nesting birds at Torpedo Bay and a sign to be aware of them, stating that dogs should be kept on-leash. What a joke. Dogs can’t read and neither can some owners, and dogs

even on-leash still run over the nesting areas.

The birds and the signs have gone now. Priority went to the dogs. Such a little beach with precious nesting birds: why were dogs allowed at all?

Dog numbers are increasing. Cheltenham Beach is basically a dog beach. It is an important place for wading birds – or was. I see dog droppings on the seaweed line when the tide is out, or up near the grass edge.

Why can’t at least two of the Devonport beaches be completely dog-free like some islands are? Are wading birds not valued anymore? It would be so nice not only for the birds but also for humans to be able to go to a beach without dogs everywhere. There are plenty of beaches where owners can take their dogs. Must dogs have free run of every single one of them?

J Leighton

20 years ago from the Flagstaff files

• Devonport cinema crowds of an average of 10 per session are too low to keep it operating, says its management.

• Car-badge thefts escalate, with even the hearse of local funeral director Mark Rowley being targeted.

• An 11-year-old bichon frise was stolen from a Lake Rd home along with jewellery and other items.

• The historic Moreton Bay fig outside the library may need a injection of insecticide to treat a psyllid infection.

• Words welcoming visitors to “Auckland’s Marine Suburb” have been removed from a sign at the entry to Devonport on Lake Rd.

Devonport was now part of North Shore City rather than Auckland, council officers said.

• Kelvin and Valerie Grant, whose property on Calliope Rd is being undermined by Navy tunnels, says backfilling them was a waste of time, as were council hazard notices on their properties.

• Tonnes of sand are trucked out from a Cheltenham development.

• A baby moa garden statue that went missing from a Cheltenham garden is found smashed.

• Pensioner Jack Allen (87) is one of 20 leisure painters exhibiting at the Depot this month.

• Takapuna Grammar’s barbershop quartet

Waiwharariki (Hamish Bode, Robbie Dickens, Jacob Moore and Guy Langford) heads to Wellington for the national secondary schools champs.

• A cottage in St Leonards Rd is on the market for $405,000.

• John Thompson, long-time owner of Thompson’s shoes in Victoria Rd, dies.

• Devonport boardsailor Tom Ashley wins the 2003 Mistral and Junior European championships in a comeback after breaking an ankle while training at Cheltenham.

• National triathlon and duathlon champion Rebecca Spence is the Flagstaff interview subject.

Hauraki crossing mats replaced

Problematic pedestrian crossing mats at three Hauraki intersections have been replaced by Auckland Transport (AT) at a cost of about $50,000.

Community complaints about injuries caused to people who have slipped on the worn yellow plastic mats, which have raised dots to warn visually impaired people and others they are approaching street kerbs, led to the work on Lake Rd corners of Hart Rd, Harley and Cameron Sts.

Other “problematic sites” are being looked at, though no others locally are slated for replacement, an AT spokesperson told the Flagstaff. But days later a fall at Rewiti Ave causing injure to a woman was reported in the Herald.

The AT spokesperson said the plastic dots were being replaced with precastconcrete tactile pavers. “These pavers are supposed to have better, longerlasting slip resistance than their plastic predecessors.”

They were also less likely to fade and go out of shape.

Takarunga mast blown over

A radio mast on the summit of Takarunga broke and toppled to the ground in high winds during the early hours of 2 August. The area was cordoned while Ports of Auckland contractors ensured the area was safe. The fallen antenna carried back-up very high frequency (VHF) radio gear and a wind gauge.

THE NAVY COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER

NEW OFFICER INTAKE STEPS OUT AT DEVONPORT

The Royal New Zealand Navy welcomes its latest intake of midshipmen to the Junior Officer Common Training course at Devonport Naval Base.

Arriving on 16 July, the 31 trainees (22 men and nine women) have handed over their cellphones, attested and worked at getting established in their new environment for the next 22 weeks.

The recruits range from age 18 to 35, and five members are experienced sailors who have decided to Commission from the Ranks to officer level. There are also two Fijian midshipmen who will return to their own Navy once they graduate as officers in December.

As well as a powhiri at Te Taua Moana Marae, the intake will undertake physical training, swim tests, learn to march, conduct ceremonial activities, leadership training, classroom work, medicals, dentals, vaccinations and the all-important skill, learning to iron a uniform.

The recruits spend several stints at Tamaki Leadership Centre in Whangaparāoa, in tests of teamwork and resilience, as well as training in pistol and rifle gunnery.

We look forward to seeing the smiling faces of our recruits and their families at the graduation ceremony on December 9. Want to know more?

See www.defencecareers.mil.nz

Devonport Naval Base security reminder – for the safety of the community please take care and remain outside the 60-metre perimeter of the Naval Base at all times. This includes when swimming, diving, kayaking, fishing and sailing.

Gone global: Belmont Primary showcases diversity

Belmont Primary School’s recent International Assembly featured students representing 45 countries, many in national dress.

Principal Bruce Cunningham described the event as a huge success.

“The diversity at Belmont Primary School makes us all proud,” he said.

Every country featured in the hall was represented by a national flag.

Songs, dance, poetry and pianoplaying provided entertainment.

Melting pot... This page (clockwise from top, all from left): Arina Sorkomova, Alice Pipa and Miellah van der Merwe; Michelle Varghese and Georgia Adams; Coco Taylor; Gina Kim.

Opposite page (clockwise from top): Ivan Letica, Maddison Byrne, Stella Byrne, Rosa Balgarnie and Lucia Balgarnie; Francis Nawia and his mum Paepae Corin; Reyansh Dangol; Scarlett and Coco Wang; and Marley Gaite Hafoka

Multinational... Flags for every nation represented at Belmont Primary were hung in the school hall

ACCOMMODATION

I’m looking for a mature woman to share my home in Ascot avenue. It offers a double size bed with linen. It’s about a ten minute walk to Devonport and the supermarket. There is also another single room for use as a study if needed. Wifi and Netflix are included but I do ask for a half share of the winter heating utility bill. $225p/w. Call Fay on 445-3256 and please leave a message if no answer.

SERVICES OFFERED

Complete home maintenance by perfectionist boat builder/builders. Including rotten windows, doors, weather boards. Exterior/ interior. We also do shingles and shake replacement. Call Duane 027 488 5478.

FixIT Handyman - excellent work, practical budget, most jobs welcome, interior/exterior free quote. Josh 021 261 8322.

SERVICES OFFERED

Need someone to feed your cat and other pets at your home while you’re away? I love animals and would love to help you! I am 12 years old and live in Devonport. I charge $10 per visit. If you want me to visit twice a day, it will be $15 a day. Each visit I feed your pet and can play with them for about 10 minutes each visit if they are comfortable with me. Devonport only please! Text/call: 021-270-7677. Sash window repairs. Renew cords, adjust weights, balancing for even runningany problem with your sash window. Work done on Saturdays only. Hubert 021 274 4191.

WANTED

Vehicles wanted Dead or Alive, cash paid 0800 333 398.

Nigel Bioletti General & Fundraising Manager

Phone 027 445 6211

nigelbioletti@devonportpeninsulatrust.nz

Ngā mihinui ki a koutou

This is my penultimate Flagstaff Column. My role with the Trust finishes August 31st. My thanks to Peter, Mika, and Brendon at the Flagstaff, for helping me get these columns sorted each fortnight. It has been a privilege to work with the Trust and team, in the community into which I was born ‘some years ago’. Special thanks go to Iain Rea and the Trust Board, for putting their faith in me at the end of 2021; to Maria Teape, who had co-ordinated community activities and events for many years, and welcomed me into the organisation; to Lance Cablk, who lives and works to leave the planet a better place; to Abby, Holly, Bobby, Maddy, and, from RTH, Zane, Nigel, and Karen, all of whom have always gone above and beyond to deliver; to all of those Community organisation leaders and people who have been fantastic to work alongside, most of them mentioned in my last Flagstaff column; and to all of those people who I have met with - my wonderful Devonport Senior Forum people, positive community people such as Alastair Fletcher at Devonport Museum, volunteers such as Mid-Winter Dip organiser, Suzanne Stickney, and our recent and very faithful supporter, Aloi.

For the past year, It has been especially great working with Abby - whose events management experience has been invaluable; and Maddy, who has supported us at most events.

I also feel extremely privileged to have been able to engage with, and learn from: Terehia, Ngahiwi, Zane, Natanahira, Danny, John.

I know that they will all continue to advance understanding and engagement with Te Ao Maori in this community - ensuring, amongst other things, that manakiitanga and whanaungatanga are seen to be just as important as getting through the agenda!! There have been many highlights for me - including being able to work with Philipp Jaser, and Sparrow, and the street art exponents he engaged to install two beautiful murals, one at Harmony hall, one on the Community House wall. These will be ongoing reminders of the many good things the Trust did for the Peninsula community.

Have you a fantastic photograph from a Trust event? Please send it to me, so that it can be archived with the Trust’s other records.

Email nigel@dpt.nz

shorejobs

shorejobs

Landscape Design

Abby (left) and Maddy

Fishing Report for August ’23

Grumpiness is setting in with this ridiculous weather pattern we seem to be locked into. There haven’t been many windows to get out for a fish and that causes grumpiness! No fish, no fun, no good!

Talking amongst the hardy local fishos that have snuck out, the story seems similar across the board. Quite hard fishing in close using bait and berley but if you have patience, you will get a feed. The snapper are very shy on the bite so you can hardly feel them but they are there. Using circle hooks will see more chances of a hookup. Reports of Trevally being caught along with John Dory are also popping up. The good news is that all the legal fish are fat and healthy so well worth keeping for the table. But where though I hear you say. Well, anywhere from 3m up to about 15m on the edge of rocky, kelpy areas where they meet the sand. This allows you to target a few snapper in the kelp and also some other species that live on the sand like gurnard. Again, smaller baits and tender strikes will produce more. Mix it up, try dropping straight down or casting way out the back, different weights…find what works.

The outer Hauraki Gulf has fantastic workups in full swing right now. You just have to get there. East of Kawau Island has seen huge work-ups, all holding snapper in the 5-10 pound range. Ocean Angler orange sliders and fish finger have been doing the damage. Using heavier jigs in the 100gram plus range will allow you to get down quicker and stay in the strike zone.

When we do get a chance to get out we will be grabbing some deep water jigs and heading north of Tiri, following the birds to the work-ups. Even if the fishing is slow there is normally whales and dolphins to check out, so good right in our backyard.

As always we love talking fishing so come on in and tell us some stories. Send in a pic to devonport@hammerhardware and we will post it online for you.

Cheers

Caught the big one!

What a beauty… Craig Anderton landed this awesome Far North kingfish casting stick baits into the trevally schools

Best Buy in Belmont - must be sold!

This enchanting cottage is eagerly awaiting its new owner to restore the sparkle of this much-loved treasure. With quaint exterior, convenient location and cosy ambiance, this cute-as-a-button property, on a cross lease title, is your chance to realise the Devonport dream at an entry-level price. Curl up in front of the fire on a chilly evening, enveloped in the embrace of this adorable home. A heat pump offers quick fire climate control. Perfect for couples, small families, downsizers or someone looking for a project. Brimming with potential and seriously for sale - ignore the CV. Building report and quotes are available. Call today for a private viewing or come to an open home. bayleys.co.nz/1754009

bayleys.co.nz

Relax – let Mint freshen your smile

As you enter Mint Dental Hygiene clinic, you’ll immediately notice the stress-free ambiance carefully crafted by owner Nova Edgcombe. “My goal is to alleviate the anxiety typically associated with dental hygiene visits, creating a spa-like experience for my patients, ensuring they eagerly look forward to returning,” she says. Nova firmly believes that regular visits to a dental hygienist can prevent cavities, gum disease, and other oral issues, ultimately saving costs and discomfort through early detection and intervention.

Nova’s expertise and experience make her a true trailblazer in her field. Having graduated from the esteemed Dental Hygiene Diploma program at the University of Bristol Dental Hospital, an exclusive program accepting only six students per year, she has devoted 20 years to further education and training. Her journey led her to work alongside top professionals, including periodontists, oral surgeons, and general dentists, at high-end cosmetic surgeries and holistic dental clinics in the UK and New Zealand, after relocating with her husband in 2008.

Proudly, Nova opened North Shore’s first “direct access” dental hygiene clinic in Takapuna, allowing you to book an appointment with her directly without the needing to visit a dentist first. “This opens up avenues for individuals seeking preventative care and allows them to take charge of their oral health proactively,” she explains. A recent law change to allow direct access to hygienists made launching her own business the right “new chapter” for her career.

With no expense spared, Nova equipped the new clinic with low-dose digital x-ray technology, a high-tech camera for before-and-after photos, and the latest ster-

ilization equipment. As you settle into the dental chair, you’ll notice a 32” media screen conveniently positioned on the ceiling, allowing you to recline and enjoy a distraction of your choice, enhancing your comfort and relaxation during the treatment, ensuring the best possible experience for patients.

While Nova’s clinic boasts a high-end fitout and parking, she maintains a warm and informal atmosphere, welcoming bookings through text and an online booking system via her website. Her priority is building personal relationships with her patients, making sure they feel at ease when visiting the clinic.

Taking a holistic approach to dental hygiene care, Nova recognizes the essential link between oral health and overall well-being. She is committed to using products that are

gentle on teeth and body, carefully selecting those without additives or colourings, and employing a thorough but gentle approach.

The comprehensive range of services offered at the clinic includes dental cleans, non-surgical treatments for gum disease, dental implant maintenance, airpower polishing, bad breath treatments, tooth whitening, teeth cleaning for children (including orthodontic cleaning), and oral hygiene coaching.

Beyond her professional dedication, Nova has a fascinating hobby of astrophotography, which charmingly aligns with her slightly unusual first name. “I spend my days looking down people’s mouths and my nights looking up into the stars,” she says with a smile. “I think it gives me a pretty good perspective on life.”

WHAT’S ON @ Devonport

Library

Tēnā koutou katoa

We hope you are keeping warm and safe from the wintry blasts and enjoying the spring sunshine.

August is the month of We Read Auckland with a focus on 10 new must-read books by VERY popular NZ authors. Its called The BESTIE Collection. No-one can reserve them and the loan period is only 2 weeks long and there are multiple copies available on a first come basis. The authors are: Witi Ihimaera, Dr Emma Espiner, Hayley Holt, Josie Shapiro, Coco Solid, Michael Bennett, Dominic Hoey, Fiona Sussman, Simran Kaur and Megan Nicol Reed. Get in to get these. They are going like hotcakes.

CONSULTATIONS

While you are in, please take a look at the various consultations where your feedback is requested. eg Devonport- Takapuna Local Board Plan 2023, a consultation on Auckland Emergency Management and one on Storm Recovery and Resilience. Important topics for us all.

LIBRARY EVENTS

Friday 25th August 6:30pm

A Posse of Poets. An exciting extravaganza where a whole posse of local poets will come together to celebrate National Poetry Day. Enjoy wine, nibbles and a lovely evening of fine and feisty words.

Tuesday 15th August 10am -1pm Citizens Advice will be in the library to answer your questions.

Thursdays 10am- 11am Auckland Transport visit in person to answer questions on changes to roading and parking in the village.

Sundays 1pm-2pm Michael Wynd, the Navy historian joins us to share his knowledge and expertise.

Ka kite anō i a koutou

Seasoned Shore actor-director

Veteran director Sian Davis is back in the thick of it at Company Theatre, overseeing everything from casting to hands-on painting of the set in preparation for its season of Death of a Salesman.

“I think this is the 12th one I’ve directed [for Company],” she says ahead of the season opening on 12 August.

The combination of the classic critique of the American dream by Arthur Miller in the hands of a respected Auckland director is proving a booking drawcard for theatregoers, says Company stalwart Kathy Gent.

It has been two years since Davis last helmed a Company production, in an association that stretches back to the 1990s.

This is being recognised with a display of her show posters in the theatre foyer, including her first play there, Hedda Gabler, through several Roger Hall romps, another Arthur Miller production, All My Sons, in 2016, to the more recent staging of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.

Due to turn 84 on the last night of the season, Davis, who has had a long career as a professional actor, enjoys bringing her skills back to community theatre.

It was where she started her own career, before being handpicked by Theatre Corporate director Raymond Hawthorne to join the company when it started in 1973.

English-born Davis, who moved here as a 26-year-old and married a Kiwi, went on to act at Mercury Theatre and Downstage in Wellington. She has also been a school teacher. After a detour from acting to study ceramics and do a degree in painting, she returned to the boards, first while in Dunedin where she was doing post-graduate study, then directing her first play in 1994 for Mairangi Players.

She has since directed more than 40 plays, for companies all over Auckland.

“Theatre suddenly has become very popular,” she says, with eager audiences returning post-Covid lockdown.

Company Theatre is a favourite to work with, she says, with a committed team all pitching in. Actors are drawn from across the city, with the lead role of Willie Loman, a struggling salesman, being taken by Reg Williams from Whangaparaoa. His wife Linda is played by Lynn Webster, who like Williams has acted professionally.

Among others making appearances are Rose Centre manager Geoff Allen and son Aidan, 20, who play respectively Willie’s Uncle Ben, a guru-like type and Happy, one of his sons. Matt Smith is the other son, Biff.

The actors are using American accents, reflecting the play’s origins.

Davis has worked with Geoff Allen at Company Theatre before and was keen to lure him back into action.

Backstage, Stanley Bay’s Vettinia Ross, had the challenge of sourcing period-appropriate props, while TGS students have helped with stage management.

Davis’s painting skills have stood her in good stead in the creation of a striking set – a dystopian vision of New York City. The versatile backdrop of Cubist-style panels features tilting skyscrapers.

Death of a Salesman has continued relevance and universal appeal, she says.

Its wider themes touch on corrupting capitalist values and fractured family relationships. It follows the traditional form of a Sophoclean tragedy, say Davis, with unity of place and action, but in a 1949 setting.

“My take on it is the whole of this play is a projection of Willie’s interior life.”

Davis says what draws her to directing is “the thrill of seeing how it all comes together”. Ahead of opening, this does not always feel like it will come to pass, she says, adding: “Sometimes it crisps around the edges, but never quite burns.”

Screen acting has also kept Davis busy, well past retirement age. Acting’s appeal is “the sheer pleasure of strutting myself up on stage”, she admits.

Roles have included a part in the last series of The Brokenwood Mysteries; a memorable cameo in Outrageous Fortune, as a transsexual prisoner who was Ted West’s “girlfriend” during a lag inside; and a role in the first episode of Ash vs Evil Dead, with top director Sam Raimi. She jokes that these days she is most often offered “demonic witch” parts.

And as to whether she will be back for another season at Company, she isn’t ruling it out. The pattern to date has been a show every couple of years, with her identifying a play she is keen on and then working with the company to bring it to life.

This takes place over months, beginning with her rereading and analysing the work and how she will showcase it and then rehearsing for several months with the cast,

brings Arthur Miller classic to Rose Centre

Multi-tasking creative... Sian Davis has used her painting skills on the set of Company Theatre’s latest show with ideas evolving along the way.

Being accurate to the playwright and putting on something that is performed then disappears makes the ephemeral art a constant challenge. “You set yourself up to walk a cliff edge, but I’ve never really fallen off,” says the Beachhaven resident.

“I just love theatre.”

• Death of a Salesman gust at the Rose Centre, Belmont. Show time details and tickets at iticket.co.nz

NOW SHOWING

Asteroid City (M) 105min

Voyage of the Demeter (R16) 118min

Based on a True Story (M) 134min

Chevalier (M) 108min

Meg 2: The Trench (M) 116min

Casual vacancy for a parent representative

Enrolment for Out of Zone Students for 2019

Enrolment for Out of Zone Students for 2019

Devonport Primary School invites applications for out of zone enrolments in Years 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 for 2019

A casual vacancy has occurred on the school board for an elected parent representative. The board has decided to fill the vacancy by selection.

If 10% or more of eligible voters on the school roll ask the board, within 28 days of this notice being published, to hold a by-election to fill the vacancy, then a by-election will be held.

Applications close: 17th Oct

Ballot Date (if required) - 24th Oct

The Miracle Club (PG) 90min

Oppenheimer (M) 180min

COMING

Devonport Primary School invites applications for out of zone enrolments in Years 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 for 2019

Please contact the school for application forms, or an opportunity to visit 445 0183

Request for a by-election should be sent to: Rachel Downie, Presiding member (chair) Devonport Primary School Board 18 Kerr Street, Devonport 0624 by: 30th August 2023

Applications close: 17th Oct

Ballot Date (if required) - 24th Oct

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