Mahurangi Matters_Issue 298_6 July 2016

July 6, 2016

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Conservation catching on

What’s inside Local Folk page 9

Construction feature pages 29-47

School holidays feature

pages 48-49 Students around Mahurangi have been trapping hundreds of pests in a new programme organised by local conservation group the Forest Bridge Trust (see story p18). Kayla Sutton, pictured, with two mustelids she caught at Omaha Flats.

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The 4ha Warkworth site, beside Mitre 10 Mega, adjoining Woodcocks Road and Mansel Drive, has been earmarked for development for over a decade.

Mr Inger says he will lodge a resource consent for a retail centre next month.

The development will have about 15,000m2 of retail – about double the

that will be integrated with the Mitre 10 site,” Mr Inger says. “We won’t be focused on small-box businesses or food retailers like in The Grange.

“Once we have the consents approved we want to go to the market with an approved plan and get tenants signed.”

Major retail development resurrected George Driver editor@localmatters.co.nz

The long-awaited retail development known as Stockyard Falls looks set to finally get off the ground as Wellsfordraised rich-lister Glen Inger has bought the site.

size of The Grange – and will be called Kowhai Falls. The shopping centre will also have several hundred carparks.

Mr Inger says the development will be similar in style to the proposal which the Rodney District Council approved in 2007.

“It will be a large-scale retail centre

off the drawing board this month . . .

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Stockyard Falls The construction date will depend on the level of interest and it could be built in two or three stages.

He says he bought the site in anticipation of growth in the area.

“Warkworth’s growth will be substantial. Once the motorway is built, that growth will continue and the demand will definitely be there. I’ve had a lot experience with the Warehouse Group, developing their sites over many years, including the Silverdale Centre. We are longterm thinkers and I see it more as an investment, rather than a short-term development.”

The development will be similar to a shopping centre Mr Inger recently completed on Manukau Road in Pukekohe, called The Zone.

The Warkworth site has a 2014 capital value of $4.9 million and is zoned commercial.

It was part of a proposed $95 million development, driven by developer Neil Barr, who planned a 23,000m2 retail centre.

The project took five years to get

from page 1

The development will be beside the Mitre 10 site in Warkworth.

approval as Mr Barr battled NZTA concerns about traffic congestion and only Mitre 10 Mega, Summerset Falls Retirement Village and Ceratelle Marketing were built. Mr Barr abandoned the project in 2011 and the land had been on the market since.

Mr Inger was born and raised in Wellsford and went to Wellsford School and Rodney College. He was executive director of the Warehouse Group for

11 years, before retiring in 2005.

He was a founding director of The Warehouse, along with Stephen Tindall and Gerard Peterson, and was responsible for developing new sites for the company.

He also has investments in farming and horticulture in Rodney, including a share in a major avocado development with Southern Paprika owner Hamish Alexander.

Unitary Plan process lumbers to conclusion Auckland Councillors will get their first look at recommendations on the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan on July 22.

Councillors will be provided with an overview report from the Hearings Panel summarising any big recommended policy shifts, the recommended changes and the reasons for those changes. They will also receive an amended Auckland Unitary Plan and maps. On July 27, all information provided by the Hearings Panel will be available to view on the Council website. Decisions on the Auckland Unitary Plan will be made in public meetings from August 12 to 18.

The meetings will be available to view on Council’s live streaming service at councillive.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/live.

Decisions will be publicly notified on August 19 on Council’s website.

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July 6, 2016 Mahurangimatters 3

Mahurangi major destination for film industry Rod Cheeseman

The Mahurangi region is now one of the top three most popular destinations for screen production in the Auckland region.

According to Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED), more than 66 film permits were issued for 39 public locations in Rodney over the last year.

Television programmes such as 800 Words, The Brokenwood Mysteries and Ash vs Evil Dead were the most frequent users of local public spaces.

Former Warkworth Area Business Association secretary Nicola Jones says they have always accommodated film crews.

“We’ve had filming along Elizabeth Street, at the Courthouse, and the real estate agents on the corner of Kapanui Street and Queen Street. It’s a bit of an inconvenience but people love to see the programme and say ‘oh that’s Warkworth’,” Nicola says.

Warkworth vies with Muriwai beach and Taupaki for the most popular location. Fans of the awardwinning 800 words will know that the local beach in the series is shot at Muriwai, while the local shops in the series’ fictional town of Weld are actually Warkworth’s.

Locations manager for the series Rick Waite says Warkworth was used from the very first pilot show.

“It’s close enough to Auckland for the cast and crew to get to, but still has the small town look about it,” Rick says.

Cast and crew from South Pacific Pictures shooting 800 Words in Warkworth

The producers have stuck with the Warkworth location and visit there once every couple of episodes. They have already shot the area eight times for this series and have two more shoots left before wrapping up. Rick says Warkworth isn’t an easy place to film in.

“We are trying to create the sleepy town of Weld and Warkworth is actually quite a busy little town.

In order for us to try and create the illusion - we require traffic control and the ability to control parking. This can sometimes upset locals and test their patience with us being in town.”

Katie Flannigan is the acting manager of ATEED’s film branch, Screen Auckland, and says that in order for them to issue filming consents they need local backing.

“The Rodney Local Board has been very

supportive of the Auckland screen sector by working closely with Screen Auckland and production [companies] to ensure the impacts of filming activities on local communities and businesses are minimised,” Katie says.

Figures from Statistics New Zealand estimate that in the 2015 financial year, the screen production industry generated more than $900 million in Auckland.

Under the region-wide film fee structure implemented by Auckland Council last year, a proportion of the proceeds from film permit fees go back to the local community via local boards. The amount for each board region won’t be publicly available until after the end of the financial year.

Katie says it is not just local boards that profit from the area becoming a preferred screen location.

“Productions can benefit local businesses, including suppliers of everything from transport and catering, to set building supplies, and can also directly or indirectly create local jobs.”

But Nicola Jones isn’t convinced of any major economic improvement for the area.

“It’s not bringing business into town because it doesn’t say ‘this is Warkworth’. They are creating a fictional place so there is no major spike in economic development from it. We support it because it’s a national industry. I’d be surprised if Warkworth became the next Matamata! If it does end up bringing film tourism to the town, we would welcome that.”

Crowds brave the elements for Matheson icebreaker Not surprisingly, spectators outnumbered swimmers at the second annual Matheson Bay winter dip held on a chilly Sunday morning last month. A large crowd of warmly rugged-up locals cheered on about 36 hardy souls who took the plunge. While some just made the dip in and out, most ploughed through the water for a decent swim out to the marker and back. As one participant said later, “Once you’re frozen, you stop feeling the cold!”

While the rain stayed away for the swim, wet weather forced the cancellation of a barbecue, which was to have been a fundraiser for the Leigh Tennis Club.

The club has already repaired the clubhouse and is now raising money to Astroturf two courts. A total of $25,000 has been raised, with further $15,000 to go.

The cold water didn’t appear to bother Lassaragh Rooney (left), of Warkworth, and Chloe Sutherland, of Snells Beach.

4 Mahurangimatters July 6, 2016

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OFF THE RECORD Library’s winter advice ...

See story page 31

YOU SAY

We welcome your feedback but letters under 300 words are preferred. We reserve the right to abridge them as necessary. Unabridged versions can be read at localmatters.co.nz/opinion. Letters can be sent to editor@localmatters.co.nz or PO Box 701, Warkworth

No monkeys here

Dr Asquith says that smaller local government can only afford to pay peanuts and can’t attract staff with the necessary expertise (Mmmm! Pay bigger peanuts and you sometimes get bigger monkeys, Andy). And wouldn’t it be better for David Shand to consider how simple (indeed vital) it should be for Government to ensure that basic steps were in place to prevent a Kaipara event ever happening again? (As once there were) I have already spoken with the Audit Office about this.

Let’s also not forget that infrastructure, paid for by the ratepayer, can more easily be sold off when in large units.

Finally, as someone with practical experience in these matters, I strongly support Bill Townson and the Northern Action Group and add also, that I belong to no political party.

In the June 15 issue of Mahurangi Matters, a report considered growing calls for a review of Auckland’s council structure to give greater power to communities and local boards, while the Northern Action Group meanwhile, wishes to secede from the Auckland (ahem!) Supercity, to steer its own ship with local control in an affordable manner.

In the same report, Dr Andy Asquith of Massey University is of the opinion that – “Splitting from Auckland could well bring risks of a Kaipara-like blunder.”

(Read unnecessary Third World-type, sewage contract disaster) Likewise, David Shand, qualified in economics and accountancy, states that such a small body would not have the clout to deal with issues, including growth and infrastructure... I heartily disagree with both Dr Asquith and Mr Shand.

What would I know of such things?

Well, having been involved for a lifetime in both mechanical and civil engineering, and employed in both the private sector and the public sector for 20 years, where I held the senior position in an infrastructural discipline in both a major city and a province, I believe my opinions to be valid enough. Though retired, I am still retained as the engineer to a successful, larger and possibly more complex scheme than the Kaipara disgrace – an ex-government initiative which I designed and facilitated the construction of in the 90s.

Terry Harris, Mangawhai

Where’s the debate?

I am very concerned about developments with regard to the Northern Action Group’s proposal to take our area out of Auckland City and to form a new unitary council.

These all seem to be happening in the background away from public scrutiny. Apart from reports on the progress of their application appearing from time to time in local newspapers there no public debate about this important issue taking place.

While there is justified criticism of the performance of the Auckland Council (as there is all over Auckland), there Bosch 7kg Maxx Automatic

does not seem to be any ground swell for the change that NAG is attempting to foist on the area. For example, there has not been a raft of letters to the editor in your publication demanding change.

Recently I received an email from our local residents’ association asking for our views as to whether or not to support NAG’s proposal. How can we make an informed decision about this when so much important information is not available to us?

For example, on page 38 of NAG’s proposal which shows a projected NRUC breakdown of expenditure, there does not appear any provision for the ongoing overhead of the council.

This would be a considerable sum.

There is no provision for the significant costs of establishing the council.

There is no provision for the repayment of debt. Importantly, we do not have any idea of how much debt the proposed unitary council would have.

Bearing in mind that the old Rodney Council took a significant amount of debt into the Auckland Council, this could also be considerable.

We have no idea about what other costs would be involved if we exited Auckland Council.

Other parts of NAG’s proposal which deserve scrutiny include the following: NAG proposes that Auckland Council pays for 70-80 per cent of the upkeep of the seven regional parks within the proposed unitary council area. This is based on an old survey that 70-80 per

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cent of visitors to the parks come from outside the area.

How can NAG rationalise that Auckland Council pay for this?

These parks are an asset to the area which attract thousands of visitors from all over the world and which bring significant business to the area.

They are major tourist attractions. The idea that Auckland City ratepayers should pay for this seems crazy.

How can NAG reconcile their buy local policy with their commitment to the ratepayers to keep their rates as low as possible? Or should contracts be awarded to those who offer the best deal, regardless of whether they are local or not.

Abridged: Read full letter at localmatters.co.nz Murray Savidan, Scotts Landing

The Supercity monster What a beautiful catch 22 the Supercity has imposed on us – our community halls too expensive for the community to use (MM June 15). Patronage and revenue will fall, costs at best will stay the same, losses will increase, fees will go up and halls will finally close as uneconomic. Brilliant outcome.

At least Brenda Steele and James Colville appear to have seen the light.

Steven Garner’s comments on the fee increase that “it had to be done” reminds me of the Americans in Vietnam saying “we had to destroy the village in order to save it”. continued next page Haier 233L White Bottom Mount

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from previous page

I look forward to telling my grandchildren ‘once upon a time, the Supercity monster came to Warkworth and it...’ You can fill in the rest of the chapter.

Tony Marks, Omaha

What expertise?

Once again we are subjected to the over simplified views of over-educated academics who either have no real world experience or have been brainwashed into chanting the ‘party line’.

Both Mr David Shand and Dr Andy Asquith make the case that the reasons smaller councils are unable to function correctly and/or efficiently, is because they cannot afford to employ the ‘expertise’.

I would suggest they need to look no further than the current Auckland Supercity in order to give the lie to that argument. Year on end budget blowouts of tens of millions of dollars, between 40 and 60 million just on wages and salaries alone, to say nothing of the staggering billion dollar blowout of the current IT restructure programme.

Beginning with the latter days of the old Rodney District Council and their scandalous property investments, followed by the Kaipara District Council and the Mangawhai Wastewater System, and now the out of control financial train wreck that is Auckland Council, one only has to look for the common denominator which is, elected councillors who are either incapable, incompetent, or so corrupted as to be unable or unwilling to control those senior executives who have run amok with the public purse.

A sure sign of things not being kosher is when it becomes virtually impossible for local boards and ratepayers to obtain information which is theirs asof-right (I would suspect this may well apply to some councillors as well).

A shining example of smaller council success can be found at the Thames/ Coromandel District Council, which has completely turned around the higher rates/less service model, by taking control of the bureaucrats and having the elected mayor and councillors setting priorities.

Patrick Neeley, Tapora

NAG flack Sir, since first moving to Rodney in 200I I have been impressed by the standards of reporting at Mahurangi Matters. However, these standards seem to have slipped lately with more slipshod editing.

Email letters to editor@localmatters.co.nz

In particular, I refer to an item in Issue 296 where George Driver wrote an item headlined “Supercity review dismissive of NAG agenda”. It is an eye-catching headline, but the article itself has no relevance to any NAG agenda!

The article reports a business-orientated review by Committee for Auckland and looked at whether the Auckland Council merger into the Supercity had been productive. It gave the Council a tentative “thumbs-up”. This self-elected group then gives the Auckland Council and its staff credit for the hard work that has gone into building such a large and complex organisation. It then castigates those who want to start again and build a new Council structure (NAG has never asked for that!). It then suggests giving local boards greater involvement in decision-making.

As I read on I wondered when the attention would switch to the NAG group, but it never even mentions that group.

It then brings in its ‘heavy guns’ in the shape of ass. prof Grant Duncan of Massey University who as a contributing author makes the absurd and unsubstantiated claim that issues facing Rodney residents are no different to those of other areas of Auckland. How does he know?

Has he done a survey of all Rodney residents and listened to their tales of difficulties in getting some sense out of the Council? I have had protracted discussions with the Mayor and Council staff and never got any sense out of them. The common reply is that council staff will contact me but they never do!

So come on Mahurangi Matters, lets have more sensible reporting and less sensational clap-trap!

Simon Breeze, Matakana

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Long bow Your headline “Supercity review dismissive of NAG agenda” (MM June 1) is manifestly incorrect.

Nowhere in the report is NAG even mentioned and to suggest the passing comment that the authors “saw no reason to re-litigate borders” is somehow directed solely at NAG is drawing a very long bow indeed.

NAG’s proposal to secede from the Supercity is not the only one on the table and I suspect the call for alternative proposals will draw a few more secession proposals as well.

So come on Mahurangi Matters, how about a bit more balance and accuracy in your reporting?

Chris Thoroughgood, Rodney continued next page

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July 6, 2016 Mahurangimatters 5

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YO U S AY from previous page

Small councils can work It was very disappointing to read such a one-eyed and urban-centric opinion piece on re-organisation of Auckland in your otherwise excellent paper. This is especially bad because it is aligned with the notice about submissions to the LGC on this issue. The quoted “experts” were factually incorrect in their reaction to NAG’s separation proposal and offered no substantive evidence. Instead they trotted out poor old Kaipara with no valid comparisons. Large councils are just as capable of making bad and costly decisions. I am more concerned about Auckland Council’s $15,000 (and growing) debt per ratepayer which dwarfs Kaipara’s comparatively small problem. At least Kaipara didn’t spend the money on musical steps or Sky TV for their staff.

Some basic research would have revealed that, in fact, some of NZ’s smallest councils are among the most efficient and effective. Outstanding is Thames/ Coromandel District Council (pop 26,000) with its uniquely democratic model of governance. Interesting that the author of this model is being consulted by Auckland Council, but sadly this is unlikely to succeed in such a large city because of the inevitability of greed for power and control.

Throughout the fraught submission and legal processes, NAG has always relied on provable facts. It is a pity

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their opponents and those who report them are unable to do the same.

Your paper’s outstanding piece on Araparera is an example of the best of investigative journalism. The same rigour should be applied to critical political issues.

Elizabeth Foster, Whangateau

The policy will change how Auckland Council halls, like Whangateau Hall, will be managed.

Editor’s note:

Policy could reduce hall fees

While Mahurangi Matters is not averse to receiving constructive criticism about our reporting, we feel we should point out that the article which prompted these letters was only one in a series.

The NAG campaign to exit the Supercity has major repercussions for Mahurangi and needs to be considered from as many points of view as possible, regardless of whether or not NAG supporters agree with them.

The sources quoted in the story such as David Shand, who was a member of the Royal Commission on Auckland Governance, were credible and authoritative, and their opinions were well worth airing so the debate is better informed.

Before laying charges that there has been a lack of balance, we would encourage readers to look at the series in totality. In this issue, we have looked at research which finds significant strengths in small local government and gives another side to the views put forward by local government academics in recent issues.

Rodney Local Board has approved a new policy for managing halls which will allow community groups to control their own costs and fees.

The new model gives communities three choices: either become an incorporated society and take over complete management of hall bookings, fees and everyday costs and maintenance; opt to have Auckland Council manage halls; or a mixed-model where communities are able to share management duties with Council.

Council community places manager Kevin Marriott says hall committees which opt to take on all management responsibilities would have to be incorporated societies. They would be able to set their own fees, pay for their own maintenance and reinvest any profits back into the hall.

The mixed management model would require hall committees to sign a memorandum of understanding with Council. The details of this agreement are still being finalised.

“At its smallest, it would be an advisory role for the committee with Council doing most of the doing, but it could

expand into a committee taking on more management responsibilities,” Mr Marriott says. “We are trying to put in a suite of models which enables communities to govern and operate their halls.”

Hall committees will be able to opt for which management model they want early next year.

Local Board Parks Culture and Community Development Committee chair Beth Houlbrooke says the new policy will also improve the communication between Council and the hall committees, as groups will have a dedicated Council staff member to deal with.

“Previously Council communication has been really poor,” Ms Houlbrooke says.

The policy could allow committees to keep a lid on hall fees, she says.

“If they are able to manage their own costs, like cleaning and maintenance, they will be able to work to reduce the fees.”

Council would still be responsible for funding major capital works.

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July 6, 2016 Mahurangimatters 7

Viewpoint Tracey Martin, NZ First MP martinmp@parliament.govt.nz

Transport chaos A major concern in Rodney and all around New Zealand is the decline in the state of the roading network, especially rural roads. But earlier this year, all the National-led government could offer was $115 million for roading projects in just three regions of the country – Gisborne, Marlborough and Taranaki. This after removing rural road funding for the last seven years.

What about Rodney, the northern part of New Zealand’s supposed Super City? Many of our rural roads are now in a sad state because the National government stopped its funding in real terms in 2009. At the same time, many of our roads are under huge pressure from increased numbers of large trucks – and the government wants to allow even bigger trucks. Nor is any account being taken of increased population as housing pressures in Auckland start to increase the number of daily commuters from further and further away.

But last week, Auckland Transport (AT) came up with a brilliant offer for local residents. You can pay for your own road maintenance and they, very kindly, will help you do so! “The new policy would allow residents to fund the capital costs of sealing their road, including project design, consenting and construction.

Mr McCartney says the work will need to be done to AT standards as the organisation would pick up future maintenance and replacement costs.”

Do you get a rates reduction for that? Now I don’t want to pick on AT as I can see that they are merely trying to work under the reduced funding they have been provided with by this National Government. Nor do I wish to take away from the fact that our councillor, Penny Webster, has done all she can over the past six years to try and get our rural roads to the top of someone’s priority list, but this cannot be the answer Rodney deserves.

However, AT has another National Government created funding disaster about to take hold on July 1. With the National government capping free off-peak travel for SuperGold Cardholders in Auckland from July 1 and demanding cash for fares if seniors don’t have a new smart card, chaos is being predicted.

Only this week, the Tramways Union has instructed their drivers to ignore the requirement for a HOP card to accompany the SuperGold Card. Their drivers have agreed they will not turf SuperGold holders off their buses. Quite frankly, AT and the government have bungled the switchover from the SuperGold card to a smart HOP card but the fault lies with the National government who made the directive. The SuperGold Card is legal tender for an off-peak ride and they have no right to make holders pay cash.

There are people standing in queues, being told to go away and come back with ID and when Rodney residents have to travel to Albany in the first place this is ridiculous. There is misinformation and confusion all over the city. The government should let Auckland Transport off the hook, honour the agreement with our seniors and abandon the switch to smart cards.

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July 6, 2016 Mahurangimatters 9

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Jo Lawn, retired Ironman triathlete

The only tears Jo Lawn has shed during her more than 100 triathlons were at the finish line of her final race in Auckland two years ago. At 40, and with 45 Ironman triathlons and a record seven Taupo Ironman titles to her name, Jo finally pulled the pin. Ironman triathlon is one of the most physically and mentally gruelling sports. A 3.8km swim and 180km cycle race, followed by a 42.2km run. Throughout this time Jo was also privately tackling her toughest fight, a battle with eating disorders and anorexia. From her home at Omaha Beach where she now lives with her husband Armando Galarraga and their daughter Penelope, Jo told Mahurangi Matters reporter Rod Cheeseman how becoming an Ironman champion literally saved her life ...

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eople ask me what’s your best strength in the Ironman? Is it the swim, bike, or run? I say, actually I am not particularly good at any of them. My strength is my brain. That’s what I want people to understand, you may not be good at anything, but if you’re mentally strong you can be the best in the world. My Dad was a workaholic. He’s 75 and would still work eight days a week if he could. My Mum was sporty and was a competitive squash player, my sister Sarah was a good swimmer. They tried to get me swimming but I didn’t like it. Swimming is boring. I don’t like water and I don’t like swimming.

They reckoned if they could’ve combined us, Sarah’s patience and my determination, we would have made a really good swimmer! t school I did every sport possible, netball, basketball, volleyball and cricket – I even had a go at fencing.

Everything that is, except cycling. In my last year at school I won a tennis scholarship to go to America. I ended up in Waco, Texas at the same time the David Koresh Branch Davidians were shooting it out with the US authorities – 76 people were killed. I was pretty much straight out of home and I don’t think I was ready for it. After arriving mid-semester all the tennis girls had formed groups and were housed together so I had to go with the basketballers. I was always a normal girl – about 58 kilos – but I was so unhappy I ate for comfort. Not during normal hours but at night when I was lonely. I ended up with an eating disorder over there – I ballooned up to 72kgs and I came home and Mum said, ‘Oh your eating habits aren’t that good.’ She offered to help and had all my meals sent once a week in a chilly-bin. It wasn’t a diet but an eating plan, because when you go off the rails you don’t know what is the right quantity. Anyway I took it to extremes, which is obviously in my blood, and I plummeted down to 48 kilos in three months. The problem was I couldn’t see how wrong it was. I just couldn’t see it, and that’s the problem with a lot

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of anorexics. I was doing secret exercise every chance I got, in the wardrobe, in the bathroom, in the shower – it’s actually really scary. went back to the States weighing about 60 kilos after summer break and kept exercising. I was crying all the time and the school got hold of Mum. I told her, ‘I don’t want to be here anymore’. Mum and Dad have always supported me no matter what.

They said tennis is obviously not for you right now and Dad gave me a job working for his company, Real Foods.

It was part time, so I was exercising as much as I could, twice a day for sure. I would get home, and exercise again because I felt guilty for having an apple for lunch! I would think to myself, why am I not strong enough not to eat? The thing with anorexia is you have to admit you have a problem.

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if you’re mentally strong, you can be the best in the world ...

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met Olympic coach Mark Sutherland who had worked with Ian Ferguson and the like. He started to coach me because my dream was to do sports but I didn’t know what sport. He got my exercise controlled and he put me on to a dietician. I was with a really good group of people that I trusted and I couldn’t lie to them. That is what anorexics do, they lie, but I just couldn’t lie because I would be cheating those people. I entered a duathlon in 1994 because I didn’t like swimming and I wouldn’t be seen in a swimsuit. I liked the bike part so Mark said, ‘why don’t you just do road cycling?’ did and I got approached by Cycling New Zealand and represented New Zealand in 1995, 96, 97 and at the Commonwealth Games in Malaysia in 1998.

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wasn’t the sprinter in the cycling team so I’m working my butt off for someone else to win!

I thought then that I needed to do something for myself. My coach was John Ackland who has now done a lot of work with Team New Zealand. I told him I’d always wanted to do an Ironman. Imagine that, exercising all day, that would be awesome! I went to Kona, Hawaii in 1999 for my first event, a half Ironman. I was last out of the water – obviously! Then first off the bike, and then just into the run, I’m thinking, ‘what the heck is this? It’s 500 degrees, I’m dying here and I have to run’, but I managed to win! They offered me a spot to come back and compete in the world championships.

I said, ‘no thanks you must be crazy.

I’m not doing two of these!’ I didn’t really know how important it was when I turned it down. did my first full Ironman in Taupo in 2000. I won my age group and was fourth or fifth overall. That meant I had qualified for the worlds in Kona.

I raced and became world champion in my age group, 20-24. After that I turned professional. It saved me I guess. Ironman saved me. I wasn’t going to have the excuse that I ran out of energy. You put the training in, you put the fuel in, and you are going to finish. I don’t ever want to have an excuse for failure, least of all some stupid food thing. or 14 consecutive years I did Taupo and Kona, with other Ironman events in between. I’ve never had an unfinished race and I’m probably the only triathlete to do that. I didn’t think I was good, I just loved what I was doing. I wasn’t doing it to win.

I have an eating disorder, a fear of the water, and here I am being a triathlete! Winning was the cherry on the top. The problem is that during

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competition, you dig so deep you’re in a hole. Racing in Taupo and Kona is like continually picking a scab that never heals. I was going to retire in 2012 but then I thought, ‘one more’.

It would be nice to get eight wins in Taupo and a top three finish in Kona.

Before I knew it I had done another two years and finally I was scared to pick that scab anymore because it was down to the bone. ltimately I wanted to have a family. In my opinion you can’t get pregnant and be a professional triathlete. You have to make your mind up and go for it. So I retired and put my focus on getting pregnant.

I finished in January 2014 and was pregnant in February. I felt very lucky, but having a baby was a huge shock.

My whole life I have only ever been a selfish athlete. I have never had a boss and now all of a sudden I have a boss who’s two days old! I couldn’t even go to the toilet when I needed to. I think a mother’s bond makes us feel fully responsible. Being a mum is definitely harder than doing an Ironman. I could do an Ironman now without all the training – I could just head out the door! But babies, now that’s hard. It’s all on their time. guess the most important thing I have learned through my life is this: Not always does the best athlete win. Not always will the smartest kid in school get the best job. Life is like an Ironman – we are all hurting, and we are all in pain. The question is: do you want it or not? Mental strength is everything, and having red hair helps too!

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10 Mahurangimatters July 6, 2016

localmatters.co.nz

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realestate

July 6, 2016 Mahurangimatters 11

Oyster bond scheme delayed as industry shuts down Mahurangi oyster farmers have had a reprieve in the midst of a harbourwide shutdown, as a costly bond scheme for aquaculture farmers has been put on hold.

Auckland Council planned to introduce a scheme at the end of last month, but it has been deferred pending further investigation.

The bond would require every oyster farmer to pay $6000 for each hectare of the farm.

The scheme is part of nationwide regulations to prevent abandoned oyster farms and to fund cleaning up derelict farms.

Council has agreed to review the rate of the bond after farmers questioned the high costs.

Council natural resources and specialist input manager Daniel Sansbury says the cost of the scheme was developed in 2005 and needs to be updated.

“Given the industry has changed in that time, Aquaculture New Zealand is looking at reviewing the risk report, and we are awaiting the outcome of this before beginning our final implementation of the bonds,” Mr Sansbury says.

Aquaculture NZ declined to comment on how long the review would take and how it would be conducted.

Mahurangi Oysters owners Lisa and Andrew Hay say the bond was out of date and they are pleased to hear the

scheme is being reviewed.

The Mahurangi oyster industry has been closed since June 10 after toxic algal bloom was detected in the harbour last month.

Farmers now have to wait until the levels of the biotoxin reduce before reopening.

“It’s been awful,” Lisa says. “It’s been the hardest time we’ve ever had. We’ve lost employees; it’s been extremely stressful.

People are feeling very nervous.”

Matakana Oysters owner Tom Walters says he will be forced to on-sell his oysters to farmers in areas not affected by the algae if the closure continues.

“It’s hurting us quite a lot and there’s nothing much we can do,” Tom says.

“The recent rain might help flush it out, but it’s still so warm. The water is still a few degrees warmer than normal. We need some southerlies, but we keep getting nor’westerlies.”

The Ministry for Primary Industries is warning people not to eat or collect shellfish from the area between Takatu Point and Whangaparaoa Peninsula.

Symptoms of toxic shellfish poisoning typically appear between 10 minutes and three hours after ingestion.

Symptoms may include numbness and tingling, difficulty swallowing or breathing, dizziness, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, paralysis and respiratory failure. In severe cases it can also cause death.

Senior Constable Sharon Glen (left) and Sergeant Wendy Pickering carry the banner from Rodney College.

Celebrating 75 years of policewomen The national police torch baton relay to celebrate 75 years of women policing arrived in Wellsford last Friday.

The baton started its journey from Cape Reinga last week and Rodney College students performed a powhiri when it reached Wellsford.

Women police officers spoke to the students before carrying the relay torch through the town to the Wellsford Police Station. The illuminated baton will continue down the country, arriving in Wellington on August 1.

Wellsford-based Senior Constable Sharon Glen has been with the force for over 22 years and said it was a proud moment.

“Acknowledging women in the police is awesome.” Sharon says. “We are getting more and more females and they are reaching higher and higher in the ranks.

We really have come a long way since I started, let alone in the last 75 years.”

When women were invited to join the force in 1941 they had to meet two stringent criteria – be unmarried, and able to type. They were not allowed to wear a police uniform and were called ‘temporary constables’.

Today, women carry out the same duties as their male counterparts and receive equal pay. They also now make up over 32 per cent of the total force.

Kumeu police officer Sally Bagnell is supporting the campaign and joined the police four years ago, aged 18.

She says that all the new recruits owe a debt to the pioneering women that went before.

“We now have the ability to make a difference because we are accepted as part of the force,” Sally says. “Every day is different, and every day I wake up feeling grateful that I am able to this. I wouldn’t know what I would do if I couldn’t be in the police.”

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governinglocally

12 Mahurangimatters July 6, 2016

Governinglocally

Flood of applications for Auckland Council change A plethora of new ideas for local government in Auckland have been proposed, with the Local Government Commission (LGC) receiving 38 alternative applications for local government in the region.

The LGC called for alternative applications in April after it agreed to assess the Northern Action Group’s (NAG) application for a new North Rodney council. Submissions closed on June 24.

The LGC says it will take about three weeks to assess whether the applications meet its criteria and they will then be published at lgc.govt.nz.

The commission received a further 130 submissions, which were either for or against a change.

Mahurangi Matters is aware of at least four alternative proposals which focus on Rodney.

The Warkworth Area Business Association (WABA) and Mahurangi Action have both called on a new local board to represent the area, and have opposed calls for a new North Rodney council.

WABA wants to see a new local board created for the Warkworth subdivision, which runs from Puhoi to Leigh in the east, and Makarau to Tauhoa in the west.

In its submissions, WABA chair Chris Murphy said Warkworth’s

A number of new ideas have been put forward to change the size and shape of local government in Rodney.

future is with Auckland.

“Growth in the Auckland housing market and Mahurangi as a tourism destination is seeing the ties with Auckland grow,” Mr Murphy said.

Many Mahurangi residents also commuted south.

He was also concerned Rodney would struggle to meet infrastructure costs if it left Auckland. But he said these challenges required more than one councillor to represent Mahurangi and the area needed a dedicated local board.

Mahurangi Action has called for a new “Tamahunga Local Board”, which would include both the Warkworth and Wellsford subdivisions, with five local board members. However, the

whole Rodney area would still have just one councillor under the proposal.

In his application, group secretary Cimino Cole said a new local board would increase representation and decrease the sense of alienation which has come from the forced amalgamation.

The group was also calling on the commission to give more power to the local board.

Retired local government finance and policy analyst and Puhoi resident Larry Mitchell has made an application for a larger North Rodney council, which would extend south to South Head and Helensville and north to the Brynderwyn Hills, including Mangawhai and west

to Ruawai. Mr Mitchell says NAG’s proposed boundaries are too small and need to be widened to include a population of at least 45,000 people, which would be able to generate an income of over $50 million.

It would also see the Kaipara Harbour come under one local authority.

“At present the harbour is in danger, because of its fragmented governance.”

At a National Party meeting last month, Rodney MP Mark Mitchell said he hoped the process would lead to changes in Council which would give greater power to Rodney.

“I don’t think coming out of the Supercity will get there, but we are in a very strong position for much better governance,” Mr Mitchell said.

“We will be strengthened from more control over budgets and rates.”

At the meeting, Federated Farmer’s senior policy advisor Richard Gardner said it had conducted a survey of its membership in Auckland and, although the response rate was poor, the majority wanted to continue with the status quo.

“But change needs to happen in the Governing Body and the Local Boards – that’s what I’m hearing,” Mr Gardner said.

Mayoral candidates have also supported for giving greater power to local boards (see story p15).

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governinglocally

July 6, 2016 Mahurangimatters 13

Give ratepayers a say

Real Estate Talk

Bill Townson, Northern Action Group chair

In recent issues of Mahurangi Matters we have heard opinions from a raft of socalled ‘experts’ in academia, business and politics on North Rodney’s desire to break away from the Supercity.

But how many of these ‘experts’ have their own vested interests? How many really understand things rural? How many have ever bothered to ask our community what they want? Who, apart from vested interests, actually wants another 8000 houses plonked down in our lovely rural town? Did anyone actually ask you?

Did they take any notice of your submissions? Is this what you want?

The ‘experts’ say we’ll be too small to ‘go it alone’ but have never given any hard facts to back up such a statement. They say we get more than we give, but where’s the evidence? Certainly NAG’s official information requests have not produced any numbers to support that position so how can anyone know?

The proponents of ‘big is better’ have no answer to the fact that there are many small councils around the country that are doing very nicely. Ashburton, Matamata-Piako, Otorohanga, Thames Coromandel District (TCDC) to name just a few. All are arguably light years better performers than our precious Supercity will ever be. Judging by its recent damning report card (see story p14), Auckland Council has a very long climb up the improvement ladder. Meantime, the debt just keeps climbing (it’s now 10 times the rate per ratepayer of nearby TCDC!).

Our politicians say we’re better ‘in the tent than out’ but they don’t say why (better for whom we ask?). Others point to the Mangawhai debacle as evidence that a small council doesn’t work. That particular fiasco had nothing to do with the size of the council and everything to do with bad management and, ultimately, a government department that didn’t do its job.

The panel of so-called ‘experts’ say we’ll never be able to fund growth! Well, we at least have the opportunity to fund growth from growth but take one guess at who will be paying for the multi-billion dollar upgrade of urban Auckland’s dilapidated infrastructure to say nothing of their leaky homes and businesses.

Now that we’ve seen the shape of the proposed changes to the Local Government Act, it is obvious the Government wants to strip away the community driven reorganisation law. The proposed new process shifts the reorganisation focus back onto the Local Authority and gives a lot more power to the Local Government Commission. In other words, it will erode our democracy. It will be a gross injustice if after all the delays, (more than three years and not of our making), if this community’s aspirations are frustrated by a retrospective change in the rules just before the goal posts. NAG will be pressing hard to ensure that its proposal is processed under the existing law and you can help that to happen by expressing your concerns to your MP and the Local Government Minister.

In the meantime, NAG has prepared and filed a supplementary proposal adopting many of the principles of the successful TCDC “devolved empowerment” model, which will put the initiative clearly back into the hands of the North Rodney community where it belongs. NAG is very confident that it will produce an infinitely better local government arrangement for our area if it’s allowed to happen.

Why would anyone want to put up with the mess that is Auckland when we could have an efficient community-driven model like TCDC?

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Have a look at their past sales on their agency website & see how current those sales were by double checking on Trademe’s mobile app that shows how much properties have sold for and when they sold. Most good agents should be able to average at least a sale a month even in the current tight market. More importantly, if the properties are similar to yours, this could mean they will have buyers on their books that missed out and are chomping at the bit to buy.

Have a look at their testimonials on their website; do you know any of these people, or perhaps others that have sold with the agent recently? Have a chat with them if you can, most people are happy to tell you their experiences. Have a look at awards they have won, how recent these are and whether they were at a local or national level. Awards are recognition by their peers of how effective they are as agents.

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governinglocally

14 Mahurangimatters July 6, 2016

Do larger councils provide better governance?

There has been a trend in New Zealand for councils to grow bigger, but a number of studies have found there are few benefits from increasing the size of councils.

Studies which have looked at international and NZ examples have found little evidence that larger councils are more efficient or better at governing.

In 2013, the Hutt City Council commissioned a report to look at the pros and cons of council amalgamations when debate was raging on whether to amalgamate councils in the Wellington region The report, produced by TBA Advisory Ltd, looked at international studies and 70 councils in NZ and found a lack of evidence for a relationship between council size and efficiency.

“The New Zealand data indicates that there are likely to be efficiency gains from combining councils of up to around 50,000 people, but beyond that there is no evidence that further efficiency gains are

available,” the report found.

However, it says region-wide services, like transport and water, do provide economies of scale and is one area where councils could benefit from sharing services.

The study also found council size had little impact on the quality of decision-making.

“The evidence suggests that councils are likely to gain more from moving to best practice management and operational techniques than from increasing their scale through amalgamation with other councils.”

The drawbacks from larger councils highlighted in the report may sound familiar to Rodney residents, including increased bureaucracy and expenditure.

The report also notes that “the risk that local interests get overlooked increases the larger and more remote the local authority becomes”.

A report by council advocacy group Local Government New Zealand

made similar findings.

Entitled Mythbusters: examining common assumptions about local government in New Zealand, the report found no correlation between council expenditure per person.

In fact, nine of the 10 “cheapest” councils looked at in the report had populations under 50,000 people.

Joining up councils does not necessarily result in economies of scale and can result in dis-economies of scale due to inefficiencies of large bureaucracies.

“It is also more difficult for elected members to monitor the performance of their officials in large councils due to information asymmetries [the alienation of decision-makers from the residents they govern].

“A joint Italian/English study of procurement found that larger public bodies paid more for the same basket of goods than smaller public bodies, providing some evidence to the diseconomies of scale argument.”

New Zealand is also an outlier when it comes to council size, the report says.

The average size of councils in most comparable developed countries is far smaller than NZ. Of nine OECD countries that LGNZ compared, only Scotland and England had a larger average population for each council.

Retired local government finance and policy analyst Larry Mitchell says he has found smaller councils are generally more efficient than larger councils.

But, for regional services, such as water, wastewater and transport, larger structures can be more efficient.

“About 50 per cent of a council’s budget is spent on roads and water services,” Mr Mitchell says. “But the rest of it is on community governance and this is where the large councils do not stack up. They are generally poorer at local responsiveness, customer service, knowledge of local conditions. The recent Council performance survey (see story below) is evidence of that.”

Confidence in Auckland Council at rock bottom in Rodney It appears that Rodney is the epicentre of Auckland Council discontent after a recent Council survey found Rodney residents had the least favourable view of Council.

On average, Rodney residents scored Council’s reputation the lowest, at 36, the lowest rating of any local board and nine points below the Auckland average of 45.

The second lowest was Hibiscus and Bays, which gave Council a 38, while the highest was Mangere-Otahuhu, which gave Council a 50.

The survey found significant dissatisfaction with all areas of Council. Only 15 per cent of respondents were satisfied with Council’s overall performance, only 17 per cent trusted Council to make the right decisions, while 20 per cent had confidence Council was going in the right direction.

Those who were dissatisfied with

Council’s performance significantly outnumbered those who were satisfied in every measure, with 47 per cent totally dissatisfied with Council’s decision making, 36 per cent totally dissatisfied with its performance, and 35 per cent have no confidence Council is heading in the right direction.

The report characterised the typical Council critic as a male Rodney or Hibiscus and Bays resident who was over 50, voted in elections, paid rates and had “given their opinion to Auckland Council in the last two years”.

Conversely, a Council advocate was likely to be a 15-29-year-old living in the Puketapapa or Whau local boards, who didn’t vote or pay rates and was disengaged from Council.

The report is based on a survey of around 3000 Aucklanders and will be used to inform Council’s ongoing work to improve performance and value for money.

Council will report quarterly on performance measures, including trust in Council, customer service, elected member satisfaction, health and safety and financial management.

Council chief executive Stephen Town says it needs to work harder to earn the trust and confidence of citizens and ratepayers.

“Aucklanders want more visibility of Council decisions and greater confidence that we are focused on the right things,” Mr Town says. “We also need to do more to reach Aucklanders

living further from the city centre.”

Rodney Councillor Penny Webster says she is not surprised by the result.

“You only have to look at the debacle with the roundabout (see story p31) to see the issues people have with Council,” Cr Webster says. “Overall the rates in Rodney have gone down, not up and we’ve benefited on big spends in infrastructure. But people have seen levels of service drop off and they’ve lost the local side that we used to have with Rodney District Council.”

She also criticised Council’s “metrocentric” focus, citing the issues with the roll-out of wheelie bins in the region.

“They are not good at communication with their one-size-fits-all thinking.

But they are getting better. They don’t understand the differences of people living further out.”

Read the full report online at localmatters.co.nz

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governinglocally

July 6, 2016 Mahurangimatters 15

Mayoral candidates lay out Auckland vision in in Mahurangi Give more power to local boards and communities was the message of two mayoral hopefuls who were in Mahurangi last month.

Labour MP and independent mayoral candidate Phil Goff spoke to Warkworth Rotary on June 23, while centre-right candidate Mark Thomas spent a day in Rodney on June 24.

At the Rotary meeting at the Bridgehouse, Mr Goff said he would look to devolve decision making to local boards and communities and Rodney could be used as a pilot for how the policy would work.

“There is a lot of discontent in this area,” Mr Goff said. “Why not give it a go and extend the remit and funding of the Local Board? I don’t think it will be easy, but it should be the goal.”

Transport and housing were the central topics of Mr Goff ’s speech.

Auckland Council needed to invest more in transport infrastructure by issuing infrastructure bonds and servicing the costs with road user charges, he said.

His strategy to deal to the housing crisis would be to lobby to reduce immigration by lifting the threshold for permanent residency and work visas and prevent non-resident investors from buying houses. Land supply also needed to increase.

“We’ve got to build up and out.”

Mark Thomas has served two terms as a member of the Orakei Local Board in East Auckland, where he is

Mark Thomas in Warkworth.

Phil Goff speaks to Warkworth Rotary at The Bridgehouse.

currently deputy chair, and he works as a business consultant.

The former National Party candidate stood for the Wellington Central seat at the first MMP election in 1996. Said to be the first casualty of MMP, Mr Thomas lost the seat after Jim Bolger told National voters to back ACT Party president Richard Prebble just two days before the election, giving ACT an electoral seat and shoehorning the party into Parliament. He again missed out entering Parliament as a list MP in 1999.

After travelling through Rodney with Rodney Local Board chair Brenda Steele, Mr Thomas stopped in at the Mahurangi Matters office to lay out his plan for Auckland.

He is proposing to increase local decision making in Council by establishing six transport boards, increasing local board budgets and

giving ratepayers the option of setting their own rates increases.

The transport boards would be able to decide on transport priorities and spending in their area. Under the proposal, Rodney would form a board with its rural counterpart, Franklin, and the island local boards of Waiheke and Great Barrier. The board would include representatives from Auckland Transport, local councillors and local board members, who would prioritise a budget and presumably boost spending for rural priorities, like road sealing.

He also proposes to split Auckland into six regions and allow ratepayers to opt for either a rates freeze, or a rates increase of two to four per cent in order to progress specific projects. Each region would be charged at a different rate depending on its preference.

Local boards would also get a boosted

budget, though he says the details would depend on savings in other areas of Council.

Funding for these initiatives would be partly funded by an “asset swap”, selling down shares in Auckland Airport and Ports of Auckland and putting the money directly into transport infrastructure.

“We get $45 million a year dividend from these assets, but the Productivity Commission says Auckland is losing $1.25 billion a year in lost productivity due to transport congestion,” Mr Thomas says.

The changes would be partly funded by $35 million in savings, mainly from Council’s $422 governance budget.

He also proposes to increase the fixed portions of rates, the Uniform Annual General Charge (UAGC) from $385 to $450.

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Four Mahurangi College boys have their hearts set on a career in music.

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Second chance for Southgate Members of Mahurangi College band Southgate are looking to launch a career in music as they continue to play for a spot in Smokefree Rockquest.

The band, which only formed three months ago, is made up of drummer Vailala Vaotangi, bassist Alex Brown, guitarist Elijah Morley-Sturm and vocalist Jayme Curtis.

Southgate entered the Northland regionals for Rockquest, a youth music competition, after seeing posters at school and came third, missing out on the next round by one place.

However, they have used their ‘second chance’ option, which involved playing five gigs and sending in the videos to be be assessed. Based on the performances, the judges will determine if they should make the next selection process for the national finals.

“We were pretty bitter that we didn’t make the finals straight away, but not discouraged,” Jayme says.

The first of their five gigs was at the Matakana Pub. “It was very well received,” Jayme says.

“People ended up dancing around us and it’s these shows that have helped

us build our support.“ They say band manager Penny Muir has been instrumental in their journey.

The band has more than 200 Facebook followers and more than 50 Youtube subscribers.

Jayme says he has even had one student asking him to sign their shoe.

Even if they don’t win Smokefree Rockquest, which would give them the chance to air a music video on national television, the band has no intentions of slowing down.

“Regardless of whether or not we win, we plan to go into a studio after the competition is over and record a five track EP,” Elijah says.

Competition rules prevent the band from signing with a label until after May next year.

The band says if it did win the competition, it would use the money to buy equipment as they have been borrowing the school’s instruments for performances.

Southgate will find out its fate in the Smokefree Rockquest ‘second chance’ selection process this month.

Film comp prizes announced The Warkworth Film Competition has announced this year’s judges and prizes for the best visual effects and best script categories.

The competition is a fundraiser for the Warkworth Town Hall restoration.

Miquel Ubeda from Wellsford-based IndyFX is putting up $100 for the best visual effects entrant. Miquel has worked in visual effects for over 20 years. His film credits with Weta Digital include The Hobbit, Iron Man 3, and Wolverine. More recently he has worked on Jurassic World, and is looking forward to checking out the efforts of young Mahurangi filmmakers.

“If these kids can put anything together that visually tells a story then they will be doing very well,” Miquel says.

“The software to deliver something at a high level is also available for free

download, so we are looking forward to seeing what they can do.”

Miguel will also give the winners guidance and advice on visual effects in film.

Angela Williams from Pendant Pictures will be judging this year’s best script.

She has worked in television in various capacities including on the Spartacus series. She has also contributed to feature films, including Prince of Persia and Nine. Angela will put up $100, and run screen-writing sessions with the winners and their school.

Entrants have until July 25 to produce a five-minute film, which must refer to either a past or future event in the Warkworth Town Hall. Films must be high definition (at least 720 pixels) and submitted via USB stick to The Camera Shop, Warkworth.

localmatters.co.nz

July 6, 2016 Mahurangimatters 17

Sports and parks are the winners in the Rodney Local Board’s $20.9 million budget for the next year.

The Board released its 2016/17 annual plan last month, which includes $15.6 million operating expenditure and $7.46 million capital expenditure.

Overall, the Local Board’s budget has dropped by $1.8 million on last year, which is mainly from capital expenditure dropping by $1.78 million.

Board deputy chair Steven Garner says this is because major capital projects are winding up, such as the Warkworth Town Hall restoration and the Warkworth Showgrounds.

Parks, sport and recreation will get the bulk of the budget, with $7 million capital expenditure and $8.2 million operating expenditure. This includes $3.4 million to upgrade facilities in sports parks and $2.3 million to upgrade sportsfields, with the final phase of development at the Warkworth Showgrounds soaking up $1.84 million of the budget.

In the introduction to the plan, Board chair Brenda Steele says there has been

strong support for projects which improve access and enjoyment of parks and sports facilities.

A further $4.3 million ($460,000 capital expenditure, $3.841 million operating expenditure) will go on ‘local community services’, including the Warkworth Town Hall upgrade and funding to develop the Old Wellsford Library into a community hub. A further $239,000 will be spent on library upgrades.

The balance will be spent on local planning and development ($205,000), local governance ($1 million) and environmental management ($160,000).

Overall, $11.8 million of the operating funding will be spent on staff and suppliers, a further $2.15 million on internal charges and overheads, and $1.6 million on finance costs. This is funded through $15 million from rates, $180,000 from targeted rates and $158,000 from fees and charges.

All of the capital spending is funded from debt.

Rodney Local Board 2016/17 spending in Mahurangi Parks work programme: • Skateparks in Wellsford and Snells Beach - $100,000 over two years • New playground in Warkworth/Kumeu Huapai $100,000 • Investigate ways to address coastal erosion in Algies Bay $40,000 over two years • Minor parks improvements $60,000 over two years • Volunteer coordinator $70,000 over two years • Supporting volunteers $200,000 over two years • Making playgrounds more challenging - $200,000 over two years • Walkway/cycleway/greenway development - $658,000 over three years • Warkworth Showgrounds development - $1.84 million Sport and recreation programme: • Needs assessment study for Matakana Jubilee Park - $20,000

•

Upgrade Wellsford Centennial Park facilities - $20,000 • Supporting Warkworth multisport building - $25,000 • Warkworth swimming pool reports - $70,000 Arts works programme: • Community grants - $269,000 • Old Wellsford Library development - $25,000 • Warkworth/Wellsford/Kumeu/ Huapai placemaking initiatives - $40,000 over two years • Anzac services - $18,000 • Rodney Volunteer Awards $4000 • Civic events - $18,000 • Citizenship ceremonies $28,000 Libraries works programme: • Mahurangi East Library, to open 44 hours, six days a week - $235,545 • Warkworth, to open 52 hours seven days a week - $406,457 • Wellsford, to open 44 hours, six days a week - $246,287

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Sports and parks dominate Rodney Local Board Plan

Would funding help your community project?

If you have a great idea that helps your community, like a horse riding group for disabled persons, a shared orchard for your neighbourhood, or an event that celebrates cultural diversity, it’s worth applying for a local board grant.

We support initiatives in arts and culture, community development, environmental and natural heritage, historical heritage, events and sports and recreation.

Applications open from July 1, so get yours ready now.

For more information on how to apply, visit aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/funding

Find out more: phone 09 301 0101 or visit aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/funding

environment

18 Mahurangimatters July 6, 2016

thinkglobal

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AC T LO C A L

Conservation catching on at Mahurangi schools Over 400 pests have been exterminated at the hands of school children as part of a programme to get kids excited about conservation.

The CatchIT Schools programme has been developed

by Rodney-based conservation group the Forest Bridge Trust, and involves working with primary school students to eradicate pests. Each student gets a range of pest traps to take home and the results are collated using a computer programme designed by the University of Auckland.

After launching at schools in Kaipara Flats, Tomarata and Tauhoa last year, this term it expanded to 163 Year 5 to 8 students at schools in Matakana, Leigh, Pakiri and Ahuroa.

All up, the students caught 429 pests in three weeks, including 310 mice, 76 rats, 18 possums, six hedgehogs, a stoat and a weasel.

By studying the figures, the children learn which methods are most successful.

Trust founders Gill and Kevin Adshead say the response from the children has been overwhelming.

“Their level of interest is fantastic,” Kevin says.

“They are so proud of their effort.”

Getting children interested is one of the best ways to get buy-in for pest control efforts, Kevin says.

“They go back to their parents and say ‘why don’t we have traps?’”

Auckland University is now developing a computer game where students can learn about different trapping strategies. The game draws on the data from real-life pest control programmes, and students

Forest Bridge Trust educator Liz Maire gets students at Matakana Primary School excited about conservation.

will be able to see how different baits and locations can impact on their trapping success.

The game will be trialed at the four Mahurangi schools in Term 3.

The trust hopes the CatchIT Schools programme will be picked up by a national body and expanded around the country. With 200,000 students in Year 5-8, that could result in millions of pests being caught each

year, and a new generation schooled in conservation.

The trust received a $150,000 grant for the programme from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment in November. It has also hired a trapping expert to liaise with the community and hold workshops on pest control.

It plans to roll out the programme to other schools in the area next year.

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environment

July 6, 2016 Mahurangimatters 19

Environment Christine Rose

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In transport planning, there’s sometimes talk of a ‘transport hierarchy’, which puts the cheapest, healthiest and most basic modes such as walking and cycling at the top. Walking and cycling paths are the most cost-effective transport infrastructure for many reasons: • they don’t suffer heavy weight impacts so are relatively cheap to build • they are low maintenance and durable • they provide door-to-door direct access • they handle large capacity with only marginal cost • they can be convenient in both rural and urban environments with the right approach.

However, even though significant connections can be completed at low cost compared with roading projects, when it comes to most transport budgets, actual funding for walking and cycling is a low priority. Budgets to support these humble age-old ways of getting around are comparatively tiny, hard fought for, often controversial, unnecessarily difficult, and yet ultimately, the projects are wildly successful.

Walking and cycling deserves better investment for a number of reasons. These ‘active modes’ are good for the environment – they burn fat, not oil. The only CO2 emissions they create are in accelerated breathing. They help reduce congestion. Note to car drivers: If you see a cyclist on the road and momentarily have to slow down to pass them, please be grateful, not angry – every commuter cyclist is one less car clogging up the road.

People who walk or cycle contribute to a healthier society by being fit and active.

Some reports even say that human gait is associated with cerebral function, and in modernity as we spend less time walking, so is there an under-development of human mental capacity. You can certainly think better when you’re walking or on a bike. E-bikes provide a smart way of getting around, too. The E-bike market is bound to grow as they offer extended mobility for those who would be unable to otherwise ride.

Walk and cycleways need not be expensive especially using paper roads, easements, development contributions and reserves. Local ‘Greenways’ projects help make communities better connected, safer and more resilient. Economic activity is enhanced by walk and cycle-friendly design, people stop and spend more money by foot or bike. Paradoxically, walking and cycling for transport saves households money and can reduce the ‘need’ for multiple family cars.

Meanwhile, walking and cycle trails around New Zealand increasingly stimulate all sorts of business growth, while facilitating low impact access to the most beautiful, and diverse, country in the world.

Rodney is already a popular destination because of our well-developed mountainbiking infrastructure in Woodhill forest in the south, and the emerging trail network in the north, as well as scenic roads for riding, and more. Visions, and practical examples of great cross-country, linked walk and cycleways, events and tours, reflect a walking and cycling culture that’s growing around Rodney and nationally. Walking and cycling makes mobility a celebration of freedom and fun, and should be celebrated in itself.

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localmatters.co.nz CHANGING FACES n

Warkworth Taxi and Bus Services

The Business Collective at their last meeting on June 30.

Youth focus for new group A new group has formed to help young professionals and business owners to meet and network.

The Business Collective is for people 35 and under. Julia Lockwood, Eleanor Trueman and Cara Postlewaight started the group to create an avenue for young people to meet in a relaxed, informal setting – there is no formal subscription, agenda or committee.

Over 20 people attended the first meeting on June 2 and a second meeting was held on June 30.

Julia, who is 25, says she has found it difficult to meet younger people in the area and the group is a way to bring like-minded people together.

“I found that I was the youngest lawyer in Warkworth by about 20 years. When I go out and network you are definitely aware of that age gap.

We found there were other people in

similar situations.”

The Webster Malcolm solicitor grew up in Warkworth and attended Mahurangi College and returned to Warkworth after studying for four years in Auckland.

“A lot of my friends are the same as from high school and it can be hard for new people to the area to meet others.”

People aged between 20 and 35 made up just 13 per cent of Warkworth’s population at the 2013 census, while 26 per cent of people were aged over 65.

The group is focused on the social side, but is looking for ways to get involved in community events and meet with other groups to offer skills and mentoring with a younger perspective.

The next meeting is on August 11, venue to be confirmed.

Info: cara@unitedwarkworth.com

Warkworth Taxi has a new manager with a familiar face.

Ian Davies was born in Warkworth, brought up in Leigh and has been a volunteer firefighter for 36 years. Now Warkworth’s chief fire officer, he has seen plenty of changes.

“The gear these days is so superior, compared to the 1970s,” Ian says.

“It would have to be 80 per cent better at protecting you. The cylinders are much lighter and we are contactable by pagers and even smart phones now.”

Warkworth Fire Station has 28 volunteers contributing to the 8300 volunteer firefighters operating nationally. The Warkworth station is also a busy one with over 300 calls per year. That means they get funding for equipment and get new trucks every five years.

Ian has always been involved in the transport industry, having worked for Gubbs Motors for 34 years. He started as a driver then branched out into tour driving and finally management.

Despite running a private transport company, Ian believes better services are needed in Warkworth.

“We’ve fallen behind the times. Now we are a part of Auckland we should have public transport going all over the place. We have the population.”

Ian Davies

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Ian carries his philosophy of safety within the fire brigade over to his taxi business.

“It doesn’t matter what you are doing, safety is key. You’ve got to get your workers home safe at the end of the night so they can see their families.”

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localmatters.co.nz

July 6, 2016 Mahurangimatters 21

MoneyMatters Grant Clifton, Countrywise Financial

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Lending cloud on horizon

New videos at localmatters.co.nz

Recent talks around the banking and mortgage industry are that there seems to be growing concern from the Reserve Bank and government that the Auckland housing market has not yet peaked and values may continue to rise. Factors that seem to be driving this are high population growth into Auckland and its surrounds, new house builds not keeping pace with demand and the low interest rate environment where people are happy to keep borrowing (debt to income ratio now at 162%) to fund their lifestyle. It is clearly giving the Reserve Bank Governor and the Minister of Finance a migraine headache as they have simply run out of levers to pull to get control back of this run away beast!

Usually, the Reserve Bank would put interest rates up to slow the market, however this would increase the value of the NZ dollar and severely hurt our exporters such as farmers,who are already hurting from historically low returns.

The value of the NZ dollar is already high and recently has climbed higher.

Increasing interest rates would cause a flood of overseas money into NZ as the returns in many countries are now negative or 0% and push our dollar even higher. So if the rumour is true, then Bill and Graeme (money minister and governor) have been holding a few brain-storming sessions to decide what to do.

Clearly, they have looked at what the UK did a few years ago by restricting what the banks can lend by introducing a debt to income cap at 4.5 times income.

So what does this mean for us, your average Joe Kiwi who has a long held love affair with property?

Without trying to sound alarmist, it has some very severe consequences for property owners, investors, developers and anyone with a mortgage. What it means quite simply is that banks will limit what you can borrow to say 4.5 times your income. So if your joint family income happens to be say $100,000 per annum, then $450,000 is all you are allowed to borrow, full stop. Given that the average house price in Auckland is in excess of $800,000, you would need a $350,000 deposit just to buy an average home. What an impact this would have on would-be home owners!

Investors who already own, say, two or three properties and owe more than the 4.5 times cap would not be able to borrow any more money at all. With people’s ability to borrow reduced, guess what would happen to demand for property? And with a drop in demand comes a drop in value/prices as the group who can buy gets smaller. I understand these restrictions may only apply to banks so non-bank lenders and finances companies are not included, but these lenders charge much higher interest rates so the borrower ends up paying more. So, the consequences of such a policy could impact a lot of people and their finances. I suggest that if you have concerns that you make these known to the powers to be, otherwise it could just be pushed through and be policy in a matter of months.

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22 Mahurangimatters July 6, 2016

localmatters.co.nz

Council rubbishes claims of skyrocketing waste costs Claims that the charges for new waste services in Rodney are going to increase by 50 per cent are incorrect, according to Auckland Council.

In May, the Ratepayers Alliance (a group that lobbies to reduce council spending and rates increases) did a leaflet drop in Rodney claiming that new waste services in the region would see waste collection costs rise by $100 by 2018, going from $216 in 2014 to $316 in 2018.

But Council says the group has the figures wrong and the cost of new waste collection services will likely be closer to $60.

The waste management targeted rate increased from $87 in 2014/15 to $103 in 2015/16. This was due to the introduction of an inorganic waste collection service this year, which costs about $23 per household.

The targeted rate is rising again for 2016/17 to $106.

When a food waste collection service comes to the area in 2018, the cost will likely increase between $30 to $50.

But, this cost will be offset as people will buy fewer rubbish bags as their waste reduces, Council says.

“The removal of food waste will enable a resident to reduce the frequency in which they put out general refuse for collection,” a Council spokesperson says. “The Council will consult on the actual level of the waste

management targeted rate when the new services are introduced to ensure the community’s views are considered when determining how these services should be funded.”

Residents in rural parts of Rodney will not receive the food waste service and will not be charged the extra cost.

“During consultation on the Waste Management and Minimisation Plan (WMMP), residents of rural parts of Rodney told us they did not want a food waste collection.”

About 1.3 per cent of general rates also go towards waste services, such as the emptying of litter bins and Council’s Wastewise education programme.

This rate increases with general rates rises.

Rubbish collection is user pays at about $2.50 a bag and will remain so.

All up, by 2018 most ratepayers will pay an average of $260 a year for all waste services, including the cost of rubbish bags.

Outgoing president Les Miller hands over the reigns to Mick Fay at a Rotary meeting last month.

New president for Rotary Warkworth Rotary has a new president, as the club celebrates giving $35,000 to help local groups over the past year.

Les Miller has been president for the past year and Mick Fay was announced as the new president at the end of last month.

Mick has lived in Snells Beach for the past 20 years and has been a volunteer fire fighter at the Mahurangi East station for 12 years. He joined Rotary four years ago to give back to the community.

“It is something I enjoy, helping youth and people in need,” Mick says. “I just want to continue assisting all the local charities and community groups.”

Over the past year, Warkworth Rotary has given grants to Warkworth Wellsford Hospice, Springboard,

North Rodney Blue Light, Warkworth Scouts, St John Ambulance, Tomarata School, Food Bank, Te Taonga Girl Guides, Adults in Motion and Matakana Community Garden.

The group has also sponsored young people to attend the Rotary Challenge Camp, Rotary Summer Science School, Rotary Youth Leadership Award and Outward Bound. It supported Crystal Cook to attend the kickboxing world championships and has funded the David Sheat Memorial Rotary Award for Mahurangi and Rodney colleges. It also gave $16,000 to support Vanuatu.

The group meets at The Bridgehouse every Thursday for a meal and guest speaker.

Info: Mick Fay 021 544 769

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localmatters.co.nz

July 6, 2016 Mahurangimatters 23

BOOKREVIEWS

By Matakana Village Books

Everyone Brave Is Forgiven

by Chris Cleave

In Everyone Brave Is Forgiven, Chris Cleave presents themes of racism, class, female empowerment and the emotional dislocations induced by war. Young people lose almost everything: lovers are killed, health wrecked and nerves shattered.

Cleave draws on his own family history to build his portrait of London under attack and Malta besieged. His grandfather served in the Royal Artillery in Malta during the siege. Cleave gives many of his grandfather’s experiences to the fictional character of Alistair Heath, who resigns his job as “a very junior conservator” at the Tate to enlist at the outbreak of war. Alistair, his closest friend Tom Shaw, the woman they both love Mary North, and Mary’s ugly duckling friend, Hilda, are the central characters in the story.

Tom remains in his post in a London education authority where he meets Mary, after she abandons finishing school and volunteers for military service on the day war is declared. She imagines herself as an attaché to the general staff but is posted to a primary school where finds she has a natural aptitude for teaching, even under the horrific conditions of the war.

Everyone Brave Is Forgiven is essentially a story about what courage is and how it reveals itself under pressure. This new world is not what Tom, Hilda, Alistair and Mary were brought up to think it was and it never will be again. This is an absorbing, sharply-paced novel.

Savour

by Peter Gordon

Yotam Ottolenghi says, “Peter is a master of a very elusive art: combining great innovation with a massively delicious tummy-hug.” What wonderful praise.

This beautifully presented book is subtitled “Salads for all seasons” so don’t make the mistake of thinking it is just for summer.

Peter’s definition of a salad is a mixture of ingredients prepared individually but that work in harmony with each other. To create this sense of harmony you sometimes have to create a clash of some sort, a contrasting flavour or texture that highlights the other ingredients. These salads can be a main meal, part of a platter or a side dish. The chapters are identified by a core ingredient but no single ingredient dominates. It is the perfect way the ingredients are combined that makes the dishes delicious.

Peter’s ethos is that cooking is creative and fulfilling. Dishes include miso-baked aubergine, dates, feta, crispy buckwheat and tahini yoghurt, roast chicken, kumquats, black garlic, kale and avocado, seared beef rump, buttered scorzonera (black salsify), girolles mushrooms and edamame. Every recipe is absolutely delicious and the photography by Lisa Linder is amazing.

LIST NOW COMMUNITY DIRECTORY Keeping locals in touch with locals

*FREE for not-for-profit service clubs, groups and organisations localmatters.co.nz/communitydirectory

only the good stuff

E E FR

ATES* L O C F CHO O X O B

with every purchase over $30 in july ALSO ENTER OUR SCHOOL HOLIDAYS COMPETITION IN STORE *One box of 8 chocolates only per $30+ purchase in the month of July 2016

6 Mill Lane, Warkworth • www.chocolatebrown.co.nz

24 Mahurangimatters July 6, 2016

localmatters.co.nz

DigitalWorld

Say it with

Sayers

with Pauline Stockhausen pauline@thesocialcollective.co.nz

Podcasting

Bringing YOUR rates home...

COUNCIL Looking after you FIRST

LET U

S DO Y O

UR WAS

O NIN R I & G HIN

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Leave your washing while you shop • Linen • Sports Kits • Duvets • Sleeping bags • Picnic blankets

Kowhai Laundry

Dry Cleaning Agents

Hours - Mon-Fri 8am-5pm • Sat 9am-1pm 13 Neville St St, Warkworth Phone 09 425 9775

More and more businesses are starting to think about how they can reach a broader audience. Audio has become another popular tactic to use to get your message out and to keep your audience engaged. Podcasts have been around for a long time. Businesses, entrepreneurs and companies are using Podcasts to cut through and educate.

It is relatively cheap to set up your own studio, but it’s important to spend time getting a very good directional mic. As sound is the only sense that your audience is using, it is imperative you have clear sound.

Before getting started, check out other podcasters – head to iTunes or Stitcher for a range of shows from ‘how to’s’, to hosted shows. You name it, I guarantee there is a show on it somewhere. Research what’s already available and target your show to your audience.

Podcast shows can be daily, weekly, fortnightly or monthly, but whichever format you choose, make sure you stick to a reliable routine. Your growth will be consistent with your consistency.

Love the podcasting idea but don’t want to produce a show? Then there is always the option of being a guest on someone else show or buying advertising space on their show.

Walking Weekend working for community

ARBORISTS LOGGING TREE REMOVAL

CHIPPING LAND CLEARING STUMP GRIDING Tree Work Specialists

PH: 09 4315 625 www.treetrimmers.co.nz

RODNEY SEPTIC TANK CLEANING

The Mangawhai Walking Weekend Trust is presenting nearly $13,000 to local groups this month.

The money was raised by the Walking Weekend/Wine and Food Festival, to be invested in the development of new tracks and facilities associated with walking and cycling.

The Tracks Trust will receive $9,000, the Recreational Trust $2,000, and the Kaiwaka/Mangawhai Scouts $1,700.

The funding will be presented at the Mangawhai Club on Saturday July 23 at 11am. The function will include an outline of current and proposed projects being undertaken by these groups, and a discussion of walking and cycling priorities in the wider Mangawhai area.

PHONE 09 422 7166 OR 027 494 6370



Warkworth florists for over 20 years Free delivery around the township



We deliver locally, nationally and internationally

DOES MY SEPTIC TANK NEED CLEANING? Yes, every 2-3 years. Why? Because septic tanks are a filter. You clean your car filter and your water filters regularly and yet one of the most important filtersgets forgotten - your septic tank. Keep your environment clean and green.

LOOK OUT FOR US AROUND TOWN!

0800 FOR FLOWERS | E: ngairehopwood@yahoo.co.nz 25 Bertram Street, Warkworth (turn right after Warkworth Medical Centre) www.forgetmenotfloristwarkworth.co.nz

localmatters.co.nz

July 6, 2016 Mahurangimatters 25

DEFENDER HD8 $2000 GENUINE PARTS & ACCESSORIES

Harcourts Warkworth and Snells Beach boss Amy Wagstaff got stuck in with her team to paint the playhouse from scratch.

House auction for Hospice With the current housing shortage in Auckland, Harcourts WarkworthTandem Realty is expecting some spirited bidding when it puts a house up for auction on July 15.

But prospective buyers may want to check out the house dimensions before putting in their bid.

The house going under the hammer to raise funds for Warkworth Wellsford Hospice is a playhouse.

Harcourts branch manager Amy Wagstaff says Harcourts chief executive Chris Kennedy will call the auction.

“Chris has had cancer and was quite passionate about us choosing Hospice as the recipient for the funds, but it is an organisation that we all support,” she says.

Keeping you on the road

61 Station Road, Wellsford Phone 423 9003

quikauto@xtra.co.nz quikauto.co.nz

WARKWORTH

MOTORHOMES Motorhome and Caravan repairs and maintenance Phone Graeme 422 9339 or 027 358 0167

Hospice fundraising and communications coordinator Lesley Ingham says the money will go towards the cost of providing home nursing visits and other operating costs.

“Harcourts is really going all out to raise as much money as possible; it’s amazing,” she says.

The auction will also sell items that have been donated by 29 other businesses.

It will be held at the Omaha Golf Club on July 15, starting at 6.30pm.

The Harcourts Foundation recently donated $2000 to Seniornet which will go towards a new computer.

Applications for the next round of funding close on October 5.

Info: Amy Wagstaff on 021 731 599.

3

YEAR

UNLIMITED KM

WARRANTY

Other models available. Call in store or ask for a demo.

Call Greg or Doug for an onsite demo Visit our web site for more information

www.Polandmotors.co.nz Ph: 09 423 7788 or visit 343 Rodney St Wellsford manager@polandatv.co.nz

health&family

26 Mahurangimatters July 6, 2016

health&family



L I V I NG W E LL

Dispelling myths around taboo subject Grieving father Too pee or not to pee? That’s the title of a thankful for support free community talk on the sensitive topic of incontinence.

The event will be held at Summerset Falls Retirement Village in Warkworth on Friday July 22 at 2.30pm.

It will be hosted by Kawau Bay Health GP partner Dr Kate Baddock and specialist obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr Paul Henderson.

Dr Baddock says incontinence is often a taboo subject, but people need to understand what is and isn’t normal so they can get help and improve their quality of life.

“It’s an important issue that a lot of people get embarrassed about,” Dr Baddock says.

“If you are going to the toilet six or seven times in the night, or you find that you aren’t getting to the toilet in time, that’s something that needs to be addressed.

It’s common, but it’s not normal. You shouldn’t live your life thinking about where the next toilet is.”

Not getting the issue addressed can also make the problem worse.

“People can end up teaching their bladder bad habits. Strategies like going to the toilet whenever one is nearby can lead the bladder to think it’s full when it’s not.”

But there are things that can make a difference.

“Some of these issues can be fixed by retraining the bladder, while others can be fixed surgically.”

The talk will be informal and people are encouraged to come along and ask questions.

“The more people the better.”

Kawau Bay Health GP partner Dr Kate Baddock.

The event is part of a series Kawau Bay Health is running to address common health concerns within the community.

The series is the result of feedback from the practice’s advisory group called Critical Friends, which identifies ways it can improve its service to the public.

Last year’s talks covered Alzheimer’s disease and cancers of female reproductive organs, while a talk on mental health will be held later this year.

After losing his son in a car accident in February, Scotts Landing resident Heath Brown says he has been overwhelmed by the support from the community.

Friends held a fundraiser at Mahurangi Rugby Club last month to support Heath and his 7-year-old daughter Elyse.

Leroy Brown, 9, and his mother died in a car accident in Te Kuiti on February 29. The coroner is still investigating the cause of the accident.

Heath hasn’t been able to work as a builder since the accident and is incredibly thankful for the support he has received.

“I just can’t get my mind to focus on work,” Heath says.

“The support from local businesses, friends and family – it’s overwhelming what they’ve given us. I’d like to say a big thank you to those who organised the fundraiser.

When something like this happens, you realise what a great area this is and what people will do for you.”

Elyse was injured in the crash but has now fully recovered and has been integrating back into school by attending half a day at a time.

Heath and Elyse are living in the half-finished house he has been building for the family in Scotts Landing.

Friends and family have helped paint and Gib the house, but it will still take months of work to finish, Heath says. He hopes the home will be completed by the end of the year.

Heath hopes to be able to give back to the community in the future.

WORKPLACE FIRST AID WARKWORTH “When an emergency happens you may only have one chance to get it right !”

“I have never had so much fun on a course before! A brilliant, interactive approach to learning ...“ “Some first aid trainers are firemen, nurses or managers.

In an emergency they call in a Paramedic, only they can show you those special tricks !”

NZQA credits available, bartercard. ANZRC standards

1. Are you a PCBU? (Health & Safety at Work Act – 2015) 2. Do you have staff onsite now with a current first aid certificate?

3. Is there cover for all hours of operation at all locations on & off site?

4. Do you have safety equipment onsite to the regulatory requirements?

We can help, our consultant is a Paramedic with 25 years experience 19 July 8:30–5pm, 22 July 9:30–2pm 4 hour online, 30 July 8:30–5pm

Book today, tomorrow could be too late!

www.tripleonecare.co.nz | 0800 487 475 Simon - 021 478 655

health&family

July 6, 2016 Mahurangimatters 27

Health

Eugene Sims, Warkworth Natural Therapies www.wnt.co.nz

Dangers of colloidal silver

WE HAVE MOVED

just down the Road to 44 Matakana Valley Road (with Matakana Dental Care)

Robyn Weston

Monique Vujcich

Senior Physiotherapist

Physiotherapist

Phone 09 423 0295

SHIATSU MASSAGE Natural remedies can be very safe and effective if used correctly. However, there is a misconception that all things natural are safe. Colloidal silver is a good example of this as many people are told it is safe to take. It has been marketed as a health product for years which is alarming and a big concern. While colloidal silver may well be effective, it is important to understand that it is toxic and dangerous.

To many, this statement will possibly label me as a crank, but I ask you to please keep an open mind and engage your thinking powers on the subject! How insane would it be to have a mercury bath? It was only a few centuries ago that this was standard medical practice. The result, of course, being the death and suffering of many people.

Silver is very similar to mercury as a heavy metal, just have a look on the periodic table. Silver has no known physiological role in any function in the human body.

Although silver does effectively kill bacteria and viruses, the toxic effects of heavy metals far out weight the beneficial effects. Mercury is also effective in killing viruses and bacteria, but is obviously too toxic to use in such a manner.

The understanding of the effect of even low grade heavy metal poisoning is only just beginning to emerge. It is suspected that many neurological diseases are a result of heavy metal poisoning as the brain tends to be an area that heavy metals (especially silver and mercury) have an affinity with.

Information about silver poisoning has been recorded in medical texts since the 1800’s and includes liver and kidney damage; irritation of the eyes, skin, respiratory (upper respiratory irritation such as itchy, red, or watery eyes, sneezing, stuffy or runny nose, sore throat and nosebleeds); intestinal tract irritation; changes in blood cells; decreased night vision, conjunctival deposits; and corneal deposits.

To look at some scientific evidence – therapeutic IV administration of 50mg or more is lethal, provoking pulmonary edema, hemorrhage and necrosis of the bone marrow, liver, and kidneys (Fowler and Nordberrg, 1986).

Silver deposits can also result in neurologic deficits. Westhofen and Schafer (1986) reported the case of a 55-year-old woman who developed progressive hypogeusia, hyposmia, vertigo, cutaneous hypoesthesia, and weakness after nine years of self-administered silver salts to treat oral mycosis. Subsequent examinations of this patient revealed silver sulfate deposits in the perineuria of peripheral nerves, as well as in the basal membranes, macrophages, elastic fibers and muscle fibers.

Topical application of silver in man also causes immune system changes with leukopenia secondary to bone-marrow depression (Caffee and Bingham, 1982).

Contrary to the marketing of silver as a health product, it has no known function in the working of the human body, but it can accumulate and have long term effects.

Shiatsu works upon the body’s energetic system, using the network of meridians of energy pathways that relate to the functioning of the internal organs, as well as our emotional, psychological and spiritual harmony.

Shiatsu uses physical pressure and meridian stretches to help headaches, migraine; acute and chronic back pain; sciatica, muscular stiffness and injuries; some forms of arthritis and rheumatic complaints; digestive and intestinal disorders; circulatory, respiratory and reproductive problems; anxiety, tension, depression and emotional instability. 鍼灸あん摩指圧マッサージ国家資格保持

National Qualification of Acupuncture and Shiatsu Massage ACC Available for accupuncture Clinics available in Algies Bay & Warkworth Text 021 0832 9635 E taka_hashimo@yahoo.co.jp TAKA: 15 years healing experience

www.shiatsumassage.co.nz Zen Shiatsu Taka

$85 for 60 minute initial treatment* *Offer valid until 30 July 2016

Milford Eye Clinic

Warkworth Branch

Affiliated Southern Cross Healthcare provider

• Dr Michael Fisk • Dr Brian Sloan • Dr Jo Koppens • Dr David Squirrell • Dr Rasha Altaie • Dr Nadeem Ahmad

Serving the eye needs of North Shore and Rodney for over 35 years Cataract, Glaucoma, Macular Degeneration, Retina, Cornea, Laser, Oculoplastics, Paediatrics.

Consultations available at our Warkworth, Red Beach and Milford branches.

• Warkworth, Unit 3, Warkworth Health Centre, Cnr Alnwick & Percy Streets, Warkworth • Milford Eye Clinic, 181 Shakespeare Road, Milford • Coastcare, Red Beach Shopping Centre, Red Beach

For all appointments phone 09 422 6871

health&family

28 Mahurangimatters July 6, 2016

Public talk on DIY funerals this month ID changes A growing interest in low-cost and eco-friendly funerals has prompted Warkworth Wellsford Hospice to organise a public talk in Warkworth this month.

Claire Turnham, chair of the Home Funeral Network UK, will speak on ‘Gentle Care in Death’ at the new Masonic Hall on Baxter Street on Tuesday, July 19, from 2pm to 4pm.

Claire is in New Zealand to educate people about caring for their own at death, personalising and arranging a funeral, and the benefits of home funerals.

Hospice nurse and palliative care education specialist Karen Williamson invited Claire to speak in Warkworth.

Karen says more and more people are asking about alternatives to the traditional funeral, and one of

Claire Turnham

hospice’s goals is to give people the information they need to make their own choices.

“When I started work at Warkworth

Wellsford Hospice eight years ago, patients and families never asked us about funerals, but now we get questions all the time,” Karen says.

“People want to know how they can have a funeral that is less expensive, more environmentally friendly, or just no-fuss.”

Karen believes people should be encouraged to talk about death and to consider how they want to be cared for at the end of their life.

She has organised several Death Cafes and has written a brief guide to funeral planning, which will be available at the talk for a nominal cost.

Entry to Gentle Care in Death is by koha and bookings are essential. Phone 425 9535 or email lesley.ingham@hospicehouse.org.nz

Teen’s close shave for child cancer fundraiser Local girl Caitlyn Pullar has always wanted to help children suffering from cancer, but even she was surprised by the generosity of local residents and businesses at the fundraiser she recently held.

Caitlyn now sports a shaved head having lost her long locks, but raised a whopping $1500 for The Child Cancer Foundation in just six weeks.

Caitlyn, 17, works with children and is studying to become a nanny. She used social media and the fundraising ‘everydayhero’ account to raise the cash. Caitlyn says not many girls her age would be willing to shave off their hair, but she hopes to have inspired them.

She would also like to thank Warkworth Countdown and Artisan Brown for helping her reach the target. But would she do it again?

“In a heartbeat! In fact I will do it again, except next time I won’t dye my hair so that then it can be used to make a hairpiece for children who have undergone chemotherapy.”

L S AL ICE EE RV FR SE RE A

Warkworth Birth Centre

quality maternity care

for SuperGold concession Seniors will no longer need a photo ID to get a new AT HOP SuperGold concession card, as Auckland Transport (AT) has relaxed the rules.

Senior citizens have to get a new AT HOP card to continue to get free public transport after 9am on weekdays and on weekends.

Seniors were required to show photo ID to get the card, but AT customer experience manager Peter Paton says that policy has been reviewed.

People can now get a HOP card using any two of the following original documents (photocopies are not acceptable): • Government issued documents including birth certificate, marriage certificate, deed poll certificate or citizenship certificate.

• Government and other official documents (name and address required), including from WINZ, IRD, or a court-issued document.

• A Council rates bill, water rates bill, bank statement, credit card statement or insurance certificate or letter, power bill, or telephone bill.

Grey Power president Anne Martin says the move is a step in the right direction.

“This will expedite things for Gold Card holders who do not have a current driver’s licence or passport as photo ID.”

LIST NOW

COMMUNITY DIRECTORY Keeping locals in touch with locals

Breast Feeding Support Group First Wednesday of each month @ 10am

ALL MOTHERS WELCOME

FREE pregnancy tests Prenatal classes, birth venue & post-natal stay Own room in peaceful rural surroundings Excellent equipment and atmosphere Water birth a speciality Midwives on call at all times, and as backup for your caregiver (LMC)  Full post-natal hospital stay  24 hour Registered Midwives/Nurses to care for you and your baby  You can transfer from your birth hospital within 12 hours of normal birth or 24 hours following a Caesarian      

Available to all women and their caregivers

For further information talk to your LMC/Midwife or Warkworth Birth Centre

Phone 09 425 8201 56 View Road, Warkworth www.warkworthbirthcentre.co.nz

*FREE for not-for-profit service clubs, groups and organisations localmatters.co.nz/communitydirectory

w w.Warkworthwhiteware.co.nz/Log-a Job Or021720906

Your handy pull-out guide

Mahurangi Matters - July 6, 2016

1

Advertise Your Business Here ONLY $59 PER INSERTION (+GST)* *for a three COLOUR insertion contract Phone 425 9068 for more information or email your advertisement to localmatters@xtra.co.nz ANIMAL CARE | APPLIANCE SERVICING| ARBORISTS | ARCHITECTS | AUTOMOTIVE | CLEANING

tm

Warkworth Whiteware Ltd Servicing, Repairs & Maintenance

• Breed specific grooms • Easy care pet trims • Bath and dry • Quiet calm studio • Fully trained groomer • By appt. only

Louise Cole

09 425 8958 021 067 6343 93 Pulham Road, Warkworth

www.thedoggroomer.co.nz louise@thedoggroomer.co.nz Member of National Dog Groomers Assn NDGANZ

Servicing Puhoi to Mangawhai Heads www.Warkworthwhiteware.co.nz/Log-a-Job Or 021 720 906 www.Warkworthwhiteware.co.nz

Parker Tree Care.com Tree and Hedge Work Pruning and Thinning Removals Free Quotations Fully Insured 26 Years Experience Call Roland 021 102 2594 • 09 422 5109 parkertreecare@yahoo.co.nz

Ho

T Th

Housing, Units & Landscaping

ARCHITECTURAL S E R V I C E S L t d.

Chris Beswick NZCAD LBP Design D2 BP112694

residential architectural design

chris@asdesign.co.nz po box 726 Warkworth

ILITY

QUAL I

AB

TY

DU R

SER ICE V

09 425 0200 021 299 1573

Andrew Lyman 09 425 7563 021 425 928 20a Glenmore Drive, Warkworth 0910 e: jandyl@xtra.co.nz

spraypaintersauckland.co.nz

UnitsUnits, & Landscaping NewHousing, Houses, Light Commercial

w w.Warkworthwhiteware.co.nz BRATTY UTES WE SPECIALISE IN UTES UP TO $25,000

E ttedesigns@xtra.co.nz

Mob 0274 532 495 Fax 09 425 0514 W www.ttedesigns.co.nz Mob 0274 532 495 New structures,Supervision, Restorations, Alterations, Surveys etc...

Renovations, Landscaping

Ho Ne

New structures, Restorations, Alterations, Surveys etc...

A

Ian

Wayne

Peter & Wendy Bratty ph: 09 425 6467 / mob: 027 499 8168 / email: bratty@xnet.co.nz

– 2008 LIMITED –

425 5355

1 Hamatana Road - Snells Beach sbm2008@xtra.co.nz

T Th

PO EDMONDS & MASON W PANEL & PAINT Ph Ph 425 8723 • Fax 425 9526

MOTORS

Visit the team at VTNZ Warkworth: 6-14 Glenmore Drive, Warkworth Ph: (09) 425 7441 Mon to Fri: 8:00am–5:00pm Sat: 8:00am –12noon

Dip. Arch. ARIBA

Private & All Insurance Work

Snells Beach

Independent WoF, CoF, Vehicle Condition Assessments & Maintenance Check-Ups. No bookings required.

TTE DESIGNS TTE DESIGNS TTE DEsigns A Errington Dip. Arch.

ARIBA Thomas F.Thomas Errington Dip. Arch.

ARIBA PO Thomas F.F.Errington Architectural Designer W Architectural Designer Architectural Designer PO Box 83 Ph PO Box 83 Warkworth P 09 425 0512 Fa Warkworth Ph 09 425 M M 0274 5320512 495 Ph 09 425Fax 0512 09 425 0514

Fa M

Ne

Wayne 021 765 706 or Ian 021 977 729 47 Woodcocks Road, Warkworth

Email: autoglassww@xtra.co.nz

Snells Beach Panel and Paint • All insurance work • Crash repair • Rust repair • Courtesy cars available • FMG approved repairer

ph 09 425 6755 snellspanelandpaint@vodafone.co.nz

WARKWORTH

AUTO WRECKERS FOR ALL NEW & USED PARTS

WE NEED CARS FORID WRECKING – $$$ PA 2 Glenmore Drive, Warkworth Ph (09) 425 7835 or (09) 425 7730

Onsite Venetian, roller and wooden blind cleaning

We're coming to your area on the following dates: Tue 7 June, Mon 20 June, Mon 4 July To make a booking call 0800 254 656

2

Your handy pull-out guide

Mahurangi Matters - July 6, 2016

CLEANING | CONCRETE | CONSTRUCTION | EARTHWORKS | ENGINEERING | FENCING | FLOORING | FURNITURE | GARAGE DOORS | GLAZIERS

SPOTLESS CHI

Commercial & residential cleaning services     

Moving out / moving in?

Empty house cleans Water-blasting – small jobs Builders Clean Regular house cleaning

• Floors • Drives • Paths • Digger & Truck Hire Concrete

ISSpecialists UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT backed by over 30 years experience

Call Keiron - 021 272 3065 or 425 9234 Email - mcpkjc.carter@paradise.net.nz

CARPENTER-JOINER

Kingfisher Builders • Renovations • Alterations • Decks • Kitchens • Bathrooms

RICHARD

WILCOCK

builder ard Winning

LTD

Phone Lee - 022 089 1466, 09 431 3007 or 021 0236 2454 Look for Kingfisher Builders on Facebook

• Extensions • Renovations • Bathroom Makeovers • Decks • Pergolas • Small jobs

FOR AN OBLIGATION FREE QUOTE Ph 021 085 12024 or mcc_enquiries@xtra.co.nz

AM:w027ard4771Win583ning builder

WILCOCK

CON TRAC TORS

LTD

RICHARD

Established in 1984 New owner Roger Wenzlick and the Denisat021 945 498 | 09 425 8294 team Wenzeng Engineering have dens@xtra.co.nz | PO BOX 193approach Warkworth taken a new friendly helpful with their customers, ensuring expert cost effective service and advice IS UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT IS UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT on all your marine and general New engineering owner Rogerrequirements.

Wenzlick and the New owner Roger Wenzlick andhave the • Terraces • Renovations team at Wenzeng Engineering We look forward to working with team at Wenzeng Engineering have taken ayou newinfriendly helpful the•near future.approach • Alterations Maintenance taken a new friendly helpful approach with their customers, ensuring expert • New Housing • Small jobs a specialty with their customers, ensuring expert cost effective service and advice cost effective service and advice on all your marine and general onengineering all your marine and general requirements. engineering requirements.

Phone 09 425 5491 • Mobile 027 with 275 1172 We look forward to working neilkose@live.com We look forward to working with you in the near future. you in the near future.

AM:w027 4771 583

Footings Hole Boring Landscaping

www.rwbuilder.co.nz www.rwbuilder.co.nz email: rwb@xtra.co.nz

3.5T Digger 5T Truck

Bob Waata Mobile 021 634 484

MATAKANA

RODNEY TRELLIS

Trellis & Fencing

Trellis - Panels - Fencing Installations - all shapes and sizes Specialities: Framed Archways – Superior Trellis Pedestrian Gate Frames (mortised) Trellis spray painting / oiling Gazebo's ~ dove cotes ~ pergolas

Fences - Gates - Screens - Pergola Phone Bob Moir 422 9550 or 0274 820 336 Email: hurstmere@ihug.co.nz

115

872 Kaipara Flats Road Ph: 425 7627 • Fax 422 4976

FLOOR SANDING - FLOOR PREPARATION FLOOR SANDING - FLOOR PREPARATION Polyurethaning:- Wooden Floors, Particle Board & Cork Cork Tiles:- Natural & Coloured

Carpet, Vinyl, Cork, Ceramic Tiles, Wood & Laminate

Enviro Friendly Products available

09 422 2275 21 Glenmore Drive www.flooringxtra.co.nz

KAE JAE CONTRACTORS (LTD) PHONE KEN (0274) 866-923 A/Hrs (09) 422-7328 • Fax (09) 422-7329

146M

NEIL KOSE W ENZ E NG

PH 09 425 6431 MOBILE 021 353 529 UNIT 5/1 HAMATANA RD, SNELLS BEACH www.wenzeng.co.nz

W W ENZ ENZ E E NG NG

IS UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT New owner Roger Wenzlick and the team at Wenzeng Engineering have PH 09 425 6431 MOBILE 021 353 529 taken a new friendly helpful PH 095/1 425 6431 MOBILE 021approach 353 529 UNIT HAMATANA RD, SNELLS BEACH with5/1 their customers,RD, ensuring UNIT HAMATANA SNELLSexpert BEACH www.wenzeng.co.nz cost effective service and advice www.wenzeng.co.nz on all your marine and general engineering requirements.

We look forward to working with you in the near future.

The

Trellis Guy Snells Beach • Warkworth • Orewa

• Custom made • Quality material • Quality workmanship

Also see Lance for your supply of Native and Landscaping plants

W ENZ E NG

Ph 09 422 5737 • 027 272 7561 Fax 09 422 5800

PH 09 425 6431 MOBILE 021 353 529 UNIT 5/1 HAMATANA RD, SNELLS BEACH www.wenzeng.co.nz OUTDOOR FURNITURE Tables to order Chairs • Swingseats Benches • Umbrellas NZ made – quality built to last 25 Hibiscus Coast Highway, Silverdale (next to BP) Ph: 09 426 9660 • em: clipper.furniture@xtra.co.nz www.clipperfurniture.co.nz

COUNTRY CHARM

FURNITURE 2008

Timber Furniture Specialists with quality workmanship guaranteed Specialising in antique, new furniture & all other timber surfaces.

Furniture Restoration • Re-spraying • Special Finishing • Colour Matching Insurance quotes • Furniture repairs • Custom made – Recycled or new timber • Modifications • Upholstery

Phone Grant or Lesley 23b Foundry Rd, Silverdale | 09 426 2979 www.silverdalefurniturerestorations.co.nz 09 426 8412 | www.countrycharm.co.nz

Rodney Garage Doors

repair • supply • automate

WINDSCREEN REPAIR OR REPLACE GLAZING SERVICES MIRRORS • SPLASH BACKS • SHOWERS

29 Glenmore Drive, Warkworth 09 425 0258 • 0274 425 025 rodneygaragedoors@vodafone.co.nz

info@northglass.co.nz • www.northglass.co.nz

(1998 LTD)

0800 70 40 10

Your handy pull-out guide

Mahurangi Matters - July 6, 2016

3

GLAZIERS | HAIR/BEAUTY | HANDYMAN SERVICES | HEALTH | HIRE | JOINERY | KITCHENS | LANDSCAPING | LANDSCAPING SUPPLIES | MOVING/STORAGE

WG

Domestic and Commercial Glazing Glass Showers Splash Backs Mirrors • Cat Doors Windscreen Replacement and Chip Repair

arkworth lass & lazing

20 Glenmore Drive, Warkworth 09 425 8678 • 021 952 077 wwglassandglazing@xtra.co.nz

Wellsford

ALUMINIUM & GLASS GLASS & ALUMINIUM

53 Station Road, Wellsford • Phone (09) 423 7358 Email: wellsfordglass@xtra.co.nz

Beauty Therapy & Nail Creations for head to toe pampering

Michelle Boler

Alison Wech

C.I.D.E.S.C.O, C.I.B.T.A.C, dip Beauty Therapy, dip Electrolysis, dip Body Therapy, dip Nail Technician

46 McKinney Road, Warkworth Mob 021 051 3661 • Ph 09 425 7776 tlcbeautytherapynails@yahoo.co.nz

For all your property maintenance and small building projects

• Facials • Waxing • Tinting • Gel Nails • Acrylic Nails • Manicures • Pedicures • Electrolysis • Make-up • Body Wraps • Massage • Spray Tans

BICYCLE MECHANIC

Shimano approved Fully equipped workshop Road Bikes Mountain Bikes Full Suspension BMX Bikes Parts & Accessories

Phone to discuss YOUR requirements 021 423 860 - 423 8619 a/h handyman@bruno.co.nz • www.bruno.co.nz

Say No to Leaky Homes

THE ULTIMATE ALUMINIUM

WINDOW AND DOOR FLASHING SYSTEM

• Robust, Good Looking and Durable • Specify Best Practice, Specify Flashman • The only Flashing System Guaranteed

Northland 0800 55 66 00 www.flashman.co.nz

CONTRACTING • 4 x 4 Truck & Digger Hire • Excavation • Earthmoving • Tractor & Ride-on Mowing • Lifestyle Property Services • Garden Design

09 422 9514 • 021 831 938 www.junglefix.co.nz

FOR ALL YOUR GLASS, GLAZING, AND ALUMINIUM NEEDS

Matakana Bikes | 09 423 0076 Now located at Matakana Country Park, 1151 Leigh Road, Matakana info@matakanabicyclehire.co.nz

G

Kitchen Colours

and Wood Finishes

Spraypainters of quality kitchens Lacquers, enamels, urethanes, 2 pacs, clearcoats Resprays and Recolours

Phone / Fax Gary 425 7669 Unit 21/30 Hudson Road, Warkworth

Karen Hart HAIRDRESSER

021 187 5540 | 09 425 5399 SNELLS BEACH

BY APPOINTMENT

COMPOSITE JOINERY Ltd Composite Joinery Ltd 7 Glenmore Drive Warkworth 0941

Phone: 09 425 7510

We specialise in: • Vantage Aluminium Joinery • APL | Architectural Series • Metro Series

Fax: 09 422 2011

sales@compositejoinery.co.nz www.compositejoinery.co.nz

GROUNDCARE LTD

Tractor Mowing • Mulching • Rotary Slashing • Topping Sections, Lifestyle Blocks & Farm Paddocks

Don 425 8501 - 021 527 017

TOTAL LANDSCAPE CONSTRUCTION for complete quality projects

• Lawns - contouring & seeding • Top soil • Retaining Walls • Driveways • Paths • Digger • Truck • Tractor Phone Bruce 425 7766 a/h 021 055 4226 I take the hard work out of Landscaping

WARKWORTH LANDSCAPING LEADERS IN QUALITY LANDSCAPE CONSTRUCTION

Ph Jeff 021 368 552 www.warkworthlandscaping.co.nz

www.centrallandscapes.co.nz

• Screened Topsoil • Living Earth Compost & Garden Mix • Lawn Mix • Mulch • Bark • Pebbles • Stones • Sand • Drainage • Metal • Sleepers • Pongas • Grass Seed • Fertiliser • Weedmat bagged & bulk plus much more

FREE LOAN TRAILERS HOME DELIVERIES 7 DAYS A WEEK email: warkworth@centrallandscapes.co.nz 25-31 Morrison Dr WARKWORTH 09 425 9780

0800 TOPSOIL

WE CAN •Sand•Metal•Shell•Pebble•Scoria •Mulch•Garden Mix•Topsoil•Compost

DELIVER! •Tirau Gold•Pine Chip•Cambian Bark

183 SANDSPIT RD, WARKWORTH • OPEN 7 DAYS! Mon-Fri: 7am-5pm Sat: 7am-4pm Sun: 9am-3pm

SNELLS BEACH

PHONE 09 425 5597

4

Your handy pull-out guide

Mahurangi Matters - July 6, 2016

MOVING/STORAGE | PAINTERS | PLASTERERS | PICTURE FRAMING | PLUMBING | PRINTING | PROPERTY MANAGEMENT | ROAD MARKING | ROOFING | SCAFFOLDING | SECURITY

A.P.D

WARKWORTH FURNITURE REMOVALS

Free Quotes - Interior and Exterior Domestic & Commercial - Roof Painting

• Specialist Furniture Trucks • Packing & Storage • Caring Owner/Operator • Carriers Liability Insurance • Local & Long Distance

Contact Morgan Mob: 022 015 8718

TORS & DECORA PAINTERS AUCKLAND

tlook.com gvillempd@ou

morganlon

Phone 0274 889 216 | Ah 09 422 7495

Your Painter/Decorator with over 30 years experience serving all surrounding areas.

Contact Paul ph: 09 422 5516 mob: 022 657 8739 email: Intercolour10@yahoo.com Painting | Plastering | Papering | Housewashing

Leigh Decorators PaintingPainting Paperhanging Paperhanging Roofs Roofs Airless Spraying Airless Spraying StoppingStopping (small jobs) RepaintsRepaints New Homes New Homes

For your Free Quote and/or Consultation, Phone Gary Home: 09-422-6695 Mobile: 021-024-44941 Email: leighdecorators@clear.net.nz

gas & plumbing

COMPLETE CUSTOM FRAMING SERVICE

Residential, Commercial Commercial & & Industrial Industrial gas gas & & plumbing plumbing Residential, services, Gas Gas repair repair & & installation, installation, Roof Roof replacement replacement & & services, repair, Hot Hot water water systems, systems, Burst Burst pipes, pipes, Roof Roof leaks, leaks, repair, Blocked drains, drains, Pumps, Pumps, Gutter Gutter cleaning cleaning & & repair, repair, Kitchens Kitchens Blocked & Bathrooms, Bathrooms, 24 24 hour hour emergency emergency service service – – we we do do it it all! all! &

David and Pat Little P. 09 425 8143 E. the_littles@xtra.co.nz 15 Coquette Street,Warkworth 0910 DAVID LITTLE GCF

021 446 064

trueblueplumber@mail.com trueblueplumber@mail.com

Rodney’s Independent Property Management company

0800 171161 info@igniteproperty.co.nz

NZ

BEN CLEAL Contracts Manager • New Roofs • Roof Repairs • Re-Roofs • Roof Inspections

Specialists in long-run roofing M:021 220 5404 P:09 422 2131 Free Phone:0800 649 324

www.rightnowroofing.co.nz

A BRUSH WITH ART

EXPERT PAINTING AND DECORATING

Interior/Exterior n Waterblasting n Roof Painting Airless Spraying n Plastering n Wallpapering Colour Consulting n Decorative Effects Qualified Tradesmen - Honest/Reliable Ph Mandy 09 423 0005 or 021 507 463

Julie Beaumont

ROOFING NZ New • ReRoofs • Cladding Specialists Covering Rodney in Long-Run Iron Local Quality Guaranteed

Matt Tickle Licensed LBP Mobile: 021356965 Home: 09 425 6311 Email: iron.man@xtra.co.nz

Metroscaff Limited

For your safety we have: • Experienced Qualified Scaffolders • Full range of Equipment • Including Alloy Mobile & Builder’s Props OMAHA - SNELLS BEACH - WARKWORTH - MANGAWHAI Member of Scaffolding and Rigging New Zealand

& DRAINLAYING

Helping you with plumbing, drainlaying, jet machine & drain camera tplumber@xtra.co.nz

021 102 4561

TRIED – TESTED – TRUSTED

VINCE PARKING MARKING I can work weekends, nights & holidays to suit your requirements. Any job small or large • Parking Areas • Road Repair Marking, Stencilling • School Parking & Sports Courts • Factory Lines • Stencilling For Numbers & Disabled Parks • Quick Drying Top Quality Road Marking Paint Used

Servicing Auckland - Rodney - Kaipara

PHONE 0800 622 7929

Husband & Wife team • harley.mcvay@xtra.co.nz

Harley 021 0220 8727 or 09 423 9012

trueblue

WARKWORTH PICTURE FRAMERS

E: ben@rightnowroofing.co.nz

Exterior/Interior/Roofs/Staining

- Residential & Light Commercial - Quick Stage - OSH Standards - Tube & Clip - Qualified Scaffolders - Reliable Service P 09 425 0300 M 021 774 653 F 09 423 0017 admin@metroscaff.co.nz www.metroscaff.co.nz

Call Vincent for a no obligation quote

M. 0275 720 897 E. vince.parkingmarking@gmail.com LOCAL SECURITY COMPANY • Alarm & CCTV Installation and Servicing • Alarm Monitoring • Patrols/alarm Response SECURITY & INVESTIGATION • Free Design and Quotation FOR ALL OF YOUR SECURITY NEEDS

0800 66 24 24

DOMESTIC & COMMERCIAL www.insitesecurity.co.nz PO Box 487

Warkworth

• New Alarms - Design, Install & Service

• CCTV – Design, Install & Service

• Panic Alarms

• Alarm Monitoring

• Fire Alarm Systems

• Rapid Response 24/7

• Access Control Systems

• Premise Patrols • Lockup Checks

Fully Licensed & Experienced Staff

Call us now for a Free Assessment & Quotation

0800 66 24 24 extn 2 YOUR LOCAL SECURITY COMPANY

Your handy pull-out guide MacJimray Septic Cleaning Services are the

Mahurangi Matters - July 6, 2016

septic tank cleaning specialists in your district.

Residential to commercial, fast, reliable, professional service at competitive rates.

Septic Tank/Grease Trap Cleaning. Septic & Sewerage Treatment Systems

Don’t let your septic tank become costly - service it now!

5

SEPTIC TANKS | SURVEYORS | TV AERIAL & DIGITAL | WATER

• Rural & Urban Subdivision • Boundary Locations • Site Contour Plans • Construction Set-out

Subdivision • Boundary Pegs Site Surveys • Council Consents Building Setout & Checks

Rupert Mather 021 425 837 Graeme Smith 021 422 983

Contact us for a free consultation

www.boundary.co.nz

23 Bertram Street, Warkworth

Email: survey@boundary.co.nz Ph 09 426 7109 or 021 838 365

09 425 7393 admin@wwsurveyors.co.nz

TV AERIAL & SATELLITE SERVICES

ABSOLUTE CONCRETE

Freeview Sales & Installation TV & FM Aerials

WATER TANKS 09 4312211

GAVIN BROUGH Ph 09 425 5495 Mob 0274 766 115

sales@absoluteconcrete.co.nz

PICTURE PERFECT TV

H2O PUMPS

Water Treatment • Pumping Systems • Filtration • UV Sterilizers HOURS • Softeners & Neutralizers • Iron Removal Owen Ward

24

clean. care. repair.

WATER TANK & WATER APPLICATION CLEANING AGENCY Warkworth: Phone John or Annette Carr

p: 09 425 7477 | m: 027 240 7791 | f: 09 425 7483 email: mobikair@xtra.co.nz

021 771 878 • 09 425 6002

Mangawhai: Phil Lathrope 431 4608 | 021 642 668

E. h2opumps@xtra.co.nz MOBILE EFTPOS AVAILABLE

www.mobi-kair.co.nz

Pump & Filtration Services

Subscribe to the LMLive YouTube channel to be the first to see local video coverage of news and sport

(2007) Ltd

• Water treatment & Filtration • Pumps • Pool & Spas • Waterblasters 7days / 24hours Paul Harris M: 021 425 887 T: 09 425 0075 E: pumps4u@live.com

youtube.com/LocalMattersNZ

Household Water Deliveries 0800 747 928 mobile: 027 556 6111

Authorised Agent

MOBILE & WORKSHOP SERVICE 31 WOODCOCKS RD WARKWORTH - 425 9100 splashwater@xtra.co.nz

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING

Advertise your classifieds and church notices here for only

$4.40 per line or $11.20 per/cm inc GST for boxed adverts.

DRIVEWAYS

FOR SALE

FOR SALE

MAINTENANCE Grading, rolling & metalling for rural Driveways. No job too BIG or small. Ph Bruce 425 7766

DRY SPLIT FIREWOOD Pine - $150 2m3 Hot mix - $200 2m3 Delivered Wellsford to Hibiscus Coast.

Ph Chris 425 8575 or 021 0256 4273

SUPER COMPOST Untreated wood shavings & duck poo.

Per Bag $10, Bulk $75/m3.

Email design@localmatters.co.nz to book your classified advertising

Enquire about delivery.

Ph 422 5042

FOR SALE HAY - NEW SEASON $10 - $12 a bale.

Phone 09 425 7479 RAWLEIGH Products. Ph Pat 423 8851

FIREWOOD $85 PER CUBE

HOME MAINTENANCE & IMPROVEMENT ALL ASPECTS OF SECTION SERVICES Trees, hedges, tidy-ups etc. Ph Dominic 027 222 1223 FIREWOOD Dry, shed stored, delivered.

Phone 09 425 7766 HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION Phone Mark 0210424764 - Registered Electrician

Your handy pull-out guide

Mahurangi Matters - July 6, 2016

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING

Advertise your classifieds and church notices here for only

$4.40 per line or $11.20 per/cm inc GST for boxed adverts.

HOME MAINTENANCE & IMPROVEMENT

TUITION

CARPET REPAIRS, RE-STRETCHING ETC. Any small jobs. Phone Gavin09 425 5918 or 0274 106 631 HANDYMAN Small jobs, carpentry, rubbish removal etc. All jobs considered.

Phone or txt Dave - 022 015 4032 LAWN MOWING rubbish removal, hedges, small tree removal. WW & beach areas. Ph Jeff Hatfull 027 425 7357, 425 7357 PLUMBER Maintenance work. New tap to new house. Matakana based.

Ph Steve 027 494 5499

PLUMBER Semi retired for small jobs.

Point Wells 09 423 0193 or 027 490 2054 WATER FILTERS Underbench filters & whole house Ultra violet filters – Kill and remove ecoli/bacteria.

FREE site visits. Ph Steve 09 422 3245 steve.reynolds@aquafilter.co.nz www.aquafilter.co.nz.

WATER PUMPS Low water pressure? Get it sorted. Sales, service and installation.

Work guaranteed. Ph Steve 09 422 3245 steve.reynolds@aquafilter.co.nz www.aquafilter.co.nz.

FLIGHTS

HORSERIDING

LEARN TAOIST TAI CHI NEW BEGINNER CLASSES STARTING IN JULY

Wellsford Anglican Church Hall, Port Albert Rd Mondays 6pm - 7.30pm Tuesdays 10am-11.30am Whangateau Whangateau Hall Thursdays 10am-11.30am

Phone for details Kirsty 021 0231 5556 or Liz (evenings) 09 425 8675 northern.nz@taoist.org Tai Chi is an ancient art that promotes holistic well being for people of all ages



Family Fun Scenic farm & forest rides Quiet horses & ponies • Birthday rides Lessons • Suit beginners & experienced riders & people with Disabilities Social, Language & School Groups



Book Now 1hr $50 • 2hrs $90 Phone 09 425 8517

GREAT BARRIER / OKIWI FLIGHTS. Special stopover up to 4 hours.

Return $130. Min. 3 passengers.

One way flights $130 each. Min 2 passengers.

42 Kaipara Flats Road, Warkworth Google: Horse Riding Warkworth

NORTH CAPE FLIGHTS $450 each. Min 3 passengers.

6pm 26 July Rear room Matakana Hall.

RSVP your attendance matakanainfo@xtra.co.nz

Rodney Aero Club 425 8735 or Rod Miller 425 5612 FOUND WELLSFORD POLICE FOUND ITEMS: Toolkit, Found in the Mangawhai area.

Other items include lawn bowls and gardening equipment. Contact Wellsford Police Station - 09 423 8228

ENTERTAINMENT

PUBLIC NOTICES

MATAKANA INFO CENTRE AGM

MATAKANA WINEGROWERS AGM Thursday 21 July 6pm Omaha Beach Golf Club

SNELLS BEACH SCHOOL PTA AGM August 17th at 7.30pm, in the school office.

Everyone Welcome

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

With Sincere Thanks Following the recent road tragedy in Kaipara, the Westmount School community and the families affected have been overwhelmed by the kindness and condolences extended.

Hundreds of community groups, schools, businesses and individuals have given support in many different ways. This has been a significant comfort to all who are suffering from the loss of family members.

On behalf of our community, I would like to acknowledge this support and express our gratitude. It is deeply appreciated and will never be forgotten.

Phil Muir Northern Region Principal Westmount School

Sudoku 1

SITUATIONS VACANT

PAKIRI SCHOOL OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR COMEDY HYPNOTIST SHOW FOR ANYONE, ANYWHERE WWW.GERARDV.COM

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Sponsored by Mahurangi Matters

TUITION PIANO TUITION including practical and theory, all grades; Warkworth based; John Wilkins – phone 09 425 9669 or johnwilinspire@gmail.com.

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6 hrs per week Start date 26 July or by neg email CV to principal@pakiri.school.nz Closing date 15 July

Must be a qualified teacher with NZ experience in English and maths.

After school hours - term time only Please apply to Ann Cook by email enclosing a CV warkworth@kipmcgrath.co.nz

the numbers game

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TUTOR - PART TIME A WELLSFORD SCHOOL FUNDRAISER 29 July 2016 Doors open 6pm; show starts at 7pm Venue: Wellsford Bowling Club Tickets: $30 pp Cash bar, snacks & raffles available to purchase

Beginner classes also at Albany on Mondays 7pm - 8.30pm at Kawai Purapura Retreat, Mills Lane

Beginners special includes 5 months membership giving unlimited access to all our beginner classes.

Horse riding WarkWortH

SCENIC FLIGHTS 30 mins $69; 20 mins $59; Min. 3 passengers. Trial flights $90. Gift vouchers available.

Warkworth Scout Hall, Shoesmith St Tuesdays 5.30pm - 7pm Wednesdays 10am-11.30am, Saturdays 10am-11.30am

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SOLUTION PAGE TRADES 7

FILL IN THIS GRID SO THAT EVERY COLUMN, EVERY ROW AND EVERY 3X3 BOX CONTAINS THE DIGITS 1 TO 9.

www.sudokupuzz.com

6

Your handy pull-out guide

Mahurangi Matters - July 6, 2016

7

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING WORK WANTED SOLID PLASTERING All exterior work, blocks, hardy, resurfacing, floors.

Phone 09 422 2034

Email localmatters@xtra.co.nz to book your classified advertising

FIND A LOCAL TRADESMAN, SERVICE OR BUSINESS easily with the online Business Directory A-Z at

www.localmatters.co.nz

CHURCH NOTICES

Warkworth Anglican Parish Church Services

CATHOLIC CHURCH

Phone 425 8545

www.holyname.org.nz

Holy Mass Timetable:

Christ Church, Church Hill, Warkworth

WARKWORTH

Every Sunday 8am and 9.30am

Holy Name Church, 6 Alnwick Street Saturday Vigil: 6.00pm Sunday: 10.30am

St. Leonard's, Matakana

Every Sunday at 9.30am

Snells Beach Community Church

PUHOI

2nd Sunday at 9am

SS. Peter & Paul Church Sunday: 8.30am

St.Alban's, Kaipara Flats

1st Sunday at 11.15am

St.Michael and All Angels, Leigh

Volunteers from Forest and Bird and Warkworth Weedbusters plant out a slope at Kowhai Park.

Phone 425 8054 or www.anglican-warkworth.org

Warkworth Weedbusters dig in at Kowhai Park

3rd Sunday at 11.00am

5 Pulham Road, Warkworth Phone 425 8861 SCHOOL HOLIDAY PROGRAMME For Years 1-6 July 18 to 22, 9.15am to 12.30pm Cost $2 per day To register contact Ann Cates on 425 0966 or email ann.cates@roke.co.nz Sunday Services 9am & 10.30am

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CLASSIFIED DEADLINE for July 20 issue is July 13 2016

Email design@localmatters.co.nz to book your classified advertising

MAHURANGI METHODIST PARISH Warkworth Methodist

1 Hexham Street, Warkworth Parish Office: Ph 425 8660 Sunday Service 10.30am HALL BOOKINGS PH 425 8053

Snell’s Beach Community Church 325 Mahurangi East Rd Sunday Service 9am HALL BOOKINGS PH 425 5612

Warkworth Weedbusting volunteers and members of Forest and Bird got down and dirty last month to dig in native plants at Kowhai Park. The volunteers braved the wet weather to plant out a slope at the Heritage Lane end of the Park. Weedbusting co-ordinator Patte Williams says the team plan to plant out more areas as new paths are built to connect the existing walkways. “This should become a lovely walk for local residents from the new Northwood subdivision into town,” Patte said. The next weedbusters call to action is on July 17, along the cement works walkway from 9am until noon.

Church office - 425 8660

Subscribe to the LMLive YouTube channel to be the first to see local video coverage of news and sport

youtube.com/LocalMattersNZ LIST NOW COMMUNITY DIRECTORY Keeping locals in touch with locals

*FREE for not-for-profit service clubs, groups and organisations

localmatters.co.nz/communitydirectory

Atiu outing for car club About 20 cars from the Warkworth/ Wellsford Vintage Car Club headed to Atiu Creek Regional Park near Tapora last month as part of the club’s monthly ‘Sunday Run’.

The cars ranged from a 1928 Ford Model A, to a 1972 Fiat 500, plus a

few ‘moderns’.

Club chair Leon Salt says the club has 124 members and is slowly growing.

It also hosted its Winter Woollies Rally at the start of this month, attracting 64 cars from around the region.

Info: Leon Salt 423 8122

8

Mahurangi Matters - July 6, 2016

History

Emma Gray, Mangawhai Museum www.mangawhai-museum.org.nz

A life with colour Mangawhai Museum is privileged to be able to present to the district a special exhibition of the life and works of the late John Foster, a local farmer and artist. He lived most of his life on a farm near Wellsford and spent several years living in Mangawhai Heads. John was a prolific painter and printmaker.

He created 15 large murals, several hundred small paintings and many prints. He had over 50 exhibitions of his work at commercial and public art galleries, and he was the subject of two Country Calendar episodes and was on the Holmes programme. Excerpts from these will be part of the display.

John’s style captures the essence of rural and beach life in his huge colourful works. This is not primarily an art exhibition, it is the story of a man’s life and how he captured the world around him. The size of the murals has meant that the museum has concentrated on two – Picnic on the Beach and Four Seasons on the Farm – but visitors will certainly get an understanding of the volume of his work, and many paintings and prints are also featured.

However, he did not achieve the commercial success he deserved and

part of the reason for this was perhaps the sheer scale of his finished murals – up to 20 metres wide and more than two metres high. One of his murals was displayed at the Commonwealth Games Village and later at Auckland Airport.

All good museums refresh their displays over a period of years, but we decided to try to have special exhibitions changing over a much shorter time. In May, when our first exhibition ‘War Comes to Mangawhai’ ended, work had already started on our new special exhibition.

Mangawhai Museum is now well into its second year of operation and it has been great to see the steady growth of school and tour groups visiting us.

The displays include early settler life, but there are other stories covering events that are unique to Mangawhai, from tales of defying authority to German raiders in Bream Bay during World War II. The displays at Mangawhai Museum were designed and built by Chris Curry, a professional museum designer so this means the pressure is on for the special exhibitions to meet a high standard. We are lucky enough

John Foster

to have had a team of volunteers with the right mix of skills, but a good exhibition is expensive to set up so we are also grateful for the help of Pub

Charities.

A Life With Colour starts at Mangawhai Museum on Saturday July 16.

Change of guard for Mahurangi College rugby team The Mahurangi College first XV has made a strong start to the season finishing undefeated in the first round of the 1B North Harbour Championship.

The team is under new management this year with Hamish Cooper, Paul Mackinnon, John Blyth, Chris Martin and captain Sam Warner taking over from Khamal Ganley and Michael Winiana.

Hamish, a Mahurangi College physical education teacher and cricket coach, got involved after wanting a change from the administration side of rugby.

“Coaching is my passion,” he says. “I wanted to get my hands dirty again.”

His backs have been responsible for most of the team’s tries this season.

“I’m pretty pleased with the team’s performance so far although there are still things we need to work on,” he says. “It’s a fun team to be a part of and they have a good team culture.”

Hamish says the young forward pack has stepped up to the plate and he notes the huge impact of number eight Tekiate Teakin.

Bringing a wealth of experience to the set-up is coach Paul Mackinnon.

Paul worked with the Newcastle Falcons academy in England for seven years, the North Harbour

The Mahurangi College first XV is set to take out the title if their form continues.

academy for three years, New Zealand Rugby in the high performance area for five years and assisted the Mahurangi Premiers for two years.

His job is to oversee the team and organise tactics and defence.

“We are trying to play a fit, fast game this season,” he says.

“We need to learn to be a bit more patient at times,

though and need a better kicking game.”

Both Paul and Hamish say the 24-24 draw with Westlake seconds was the most important game of the season so far.

“We are definitely capable of winning this competition,” Paul says.

Captain Sam Warner, who is new to the role, says the belief is there that the team can win.

“It’s just about taking each game week by week and not becoming complacent, as there are some strong sides in the competition looking to do the same,” he says.

Sam says the morale in the side is “awesome” and a real brotherhood has formed.

“It’s exactly what you’d expect when you’ve got a bunch of young, rugby-mad boys proudly playing for their school’s first XV.” This year, the first and second XV train as one senior squad to try to build the depth in the quality of players available to the first team to cover for injuries.

“The second team players are now used to a high level of play, which is great,” Hamish says.

He believes the toughest tests en route to winning will be Westlake and Rosmini second XVs.

constructionfeature

July 6, 2016 Mahurangimatters 29

time

CO NS TRU C T I O N F E AT URE

Staff shortage slows Mahurangi construction boom Rod Cheeseman

Local builders are swamped with work as the region continues to expand, but shortages in materials and labour are causing delays for construction projects in Mahurangi.

According to Statistics New Zealand, the number of people employed in the construction industry increased by 36.7 per cent between March 2013 and 2016, going from 178,700 to 227,200 people. According to local builder Ryan Bridgens of Bridgens & Thomson Builders, that still isn’t enough and they are struggling to find skilled workers to keep up with demand.

“I know I will busy for the next four or five years at least, but getting staff is really hard,” Ryan says. “No one seems to be promoting the area for people wanting to work in the industry. There is also a nationwide shortage of tradies.”

The Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation (BCITO) works to encourage more people into the industry. BCITO chief executive Warwick Quinn says they aware of the shortage.

They are using industry data to predict growth within specific trades.

This means that school leavers will be

Ryan Bridgens from Bridgens and Thompson Builders at work in Rodney Road.

aware which trades have the highest skills shortage.

“We call this the 4 ‘R’s’ – the right number of apprentices, in the right place, at the right time, to the right standard. The key to this is promoting our industry sectors into schools so that career seekers can have up-todate information at their fingertips,” Warwick says.

“We regularly engage with Mahurangi College and Rodney College providing pathways into employment.

“Our skills broker visits the schools to offer advice regarding the right pathway to gain employment in the industry.”

At just 24 years old, former Mahurangi College student Scott Yearbury already owns and operates his own company,

Nailed-It Construction, and employs 12 builders. He says he decided to choose building as a career while still at school.

“I did a pre-trade course in East Tamaki for three days a week when I left school,” Scott says. “They gave me a scholarship so my training was subsidised. Because it was three days a week I was getting paid as an apprentice for the other two.”

Scott employs two apprentices and says he enjoys teaching them the trade.

But he is concerned that young people don’t realise the construction industry is a good career with competitive pay rates.

“A lot of people get bullied into going to uni, but do you need to? Who says you’re not going to get paid well unless you go to uni?”

Both Ryan and Scott agree that apprentices have to be closely supervised by skilled qualified workers and they need fully qualified builders to do this.

“Bridgens & Thomson Builders could do with endless qualified guys at the moment,” Ryan says. “I’m getting phone calls about more work. I now have multiple advertisements year round to try and get staff.”

innovative kitchen designs

design manufacture & install

KitCheNs | BAthrooms | eNtertAiNmeNt UNits LAUNDries | WArDroBes | offiCes

Contact Neil 09 425 7017 or 021 070 0643 Unit A, 16 Glenmore Drive, Warkworth neiltcabinetmaker@xtra.co.nz | www.cabinetmakeranddesign.co.nz

constructionfeature

30 Mahurangimatters July 6, 2016

AUCTION? Let us Pay!

List & Auction your property with Cara & Michelle in the month of July & we will pay the auction costs!

T&Câ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s apply

Alternatively, come in to talk to us about our other FREE marketing packages Cara Postlewaight

P: 0221 538 780 E: cara@unitedwarkworth.com

Michelle Carden

P: 021 425 002 E: michelle@unitedwarkworth.com

United Real Estate (Warkworth) Ltd 40 Queen Street, Warkworth www.unitedrealestate.co.nz

constructionfeature

July 6, 2016 Mahurangimatters 31

Swings and roundabouts for Warkworth intersection Ben Donaldson

The construction of a roundabout at the base of Neville Street in Warkworth is causing more problems than anticipated for surrounding businesses.

Supermarket trucks have been having difficulty negotiating the tight turning space, a water pipe connected to the Tahi Bar burst, street parking was lost and communication from Auckland Transport (AT) was deemed poor by some.

Rodney Local Board member Greg Sayers suspects that the project, which was designed three years ago, was a “desktop job”.

“It’s been a public relations disaster,” he says. “I asked AT chief executive David Warburton to appoint a liaison person but this was refused.”

The roundabout is being created to improve pedestrian safety and reduce traffic accidents.

Owners of the Tahi Bar and Seafood N Eat it takeaways, who have been present for 11 years, say they have never witnessed an accident there, but statistics show there had been three in the past decade.

It is one of a number of Warkworth CBD improvements, set to cost between $350,000 and $400,000.

The original design included a roundabout with a garden in the middle, two pedestrian crossings and three traffic islands.

However, part way through the construction process this had to

The original roundabout design proved more than a test for drivers of large vehicles trying to turn right from Neville Street into Baxter Street.

be altered to accommodate large vehicles, including buses and the New World trucks, which couldn’t turn right from Neville Street without hitting the structure.

A truck driver brought the problem to the attention of Local Board member Beth Houlbrooke who then alerted Rodney Councillor Penny Webster to the issue.

“I phoned AT and said this has to stop now,” Cr Webster says.

“They had already had a meeting with the New World owners, who they claimed were satisfied with the design, but they weren’t.”

AT’s initial solution to the problem was to have the trucks come through the intersection from Queen Street rather than Neville Street.

“There is no way those large vehicles are going to go through the centre of town,” Penny says.

As a result, AT met with the New

World owners at the intersection to watch a large vehicle go through it.

After assessing the difficulties faced by the truck, they designed a new roundabout which won’t have a centre garden and will be built so that vehicles can ride up over it if necessary.

The water pipe which was put under the road at the start of construction to irrigate the now non-existent garden bed, has been made redundant.

“It should never have got this far,” Cr Webster says. “It’s been very badly designed and handled, and I have had an apology from AT who admit they dropped the ball on this one.

This has been a complete waste of money when so many other things in Rodney could have done with this money, like Hill Street.”

The cost of the setbacks is not known yet.

On the issue of parking, Mr Sayers asked AT to suspend all traffic warden activity during the construction process.

AT refused, saying there was not enough loss of parking to allow this and that the work vehicles parking outside the shops were helping to prevent dust from hitting shop fronts.

“I found this response bizarre,” he says.

Tahi Bar owner Ian Marriott says an AT spokesperson has referred to those who complained about the parking situation as “a vocal minority”.

“The work has definitely cost me money because I had to close when a water pipe burst on the first day of construction,” he says.

AT confirmed that some utilities were not where they had expected them to be.

Rippa Patel, owner of the Corner Cafe and Pizzeria, says the loss of parking spaces has been “very painful” for his business as the parking situation was already terrible.

Warehouse Stationary owner Richard Jansen said he had had a financial downturn but couldn’t attribute it directly to the works.

Many of the other surrounding businesses confirmed they had received a letter from AT prior to the start of construction, but Cr Webster said there had not been enough discussion with New World or the Local Board.

“They should have gone to the Board and asked what were the safety issues,” she says.

“I don’t think that that intersection is a pedestrian safety issue.”

The project is due to be completed by July 13.

specialising in residential construction & renovation Ryan Bridgens 021 560 889 ryan@btbuild.co.nz www.bridgensandthomson.co.nz

constructionfeature

32 Mahurangimatters July 6, 2016

Planning starts on Hill Street but the blues continue George Driver

Auckland Transport (AT) has agreed to review designs for major improvements to the Hill Street intersection, but it could still be a decade before any work starts.

The limited commitment comes after a meeting at Rodney MP Mark Mitchell’s office, which included representatives from NZTA, AT, the Rodney Local Board, Warkworth Area Liaison Group, Warkworth Area Business Association and Matakana Coast Tourism.

In a joint statement from AT and NZTA, the agencies say the work is occurring ahead of the road being transferred to AT when the Puhoi to Warkworth motorway opens.

“In anticipation of this, AT has agreed to collate and review current and previous design solutions for the Hill Street intersection.”

But no commitment has been made regarding construction or funding of any future upgrade, the statement says.

However, local representatives insist work must start earlier.

Retired transport engineer Roger Williams says traffic studies show the new motorway won’t reduce traffic at Hill Street, as the majority of the vehicles are local traffic, moving within Mahurangi, and won’t use the motorway.

But he is encouraged by the response from AT and NZTA.

The latest plan for Hill Street is “The Pill”.

“This is the first positive response we have got,” Mr Williams says. “Up until now AT didn’t want to know anything about the intersection – they would sit with their mouths shut during meetings.”

A group of determined Mahurangi residents has been working on a range of plans to improve traffic flows at the intersection and is planning a petition calling for work to start at Hill Street, which it will take to Parliament.

Mr Williams and planner Grant McLachlan have been using the computer programme which NZTA uses to model traffic levels, and other software which enable desktop tests of different road layouts.

One of the leading designs is “The Pill” (pictured), which includes an oval-shaped, double-lane roundabout, which is one of the options AT is considering.

But AT and NZTA say they still believe constructing an alternative road layout will only be possible once the new motorway has been built.

“A variety of solutions have been investigated, however the challenges lie in how it would be implemented and constructed,” the agencies say.

“Consents, approvals and then construction on even a simple design would take time to complete and would cause a considerable amount of disruption to the both traffic and the surrounding community.

“Ultimately the best solution to the current difficulties in Warkworth is to reduce the amount of traffic through the town centre by building the Pūhoi to Warkworth motorway, allowing state highway traffic to bypass Warkworth.”

But, Mr Williams says a large portion of the construction could take place off SH1. The level of construction traffic for the Puhoi to Warkworth motorway will also put extra pressure on Hill Street, he says.

NZTA is expected to announce the preferred consortium for the Puhoi to Warkworth motorway construction this month. This should provide more information on where materials for the construction will come from and how they will impact traffic in Mahurangi.

The contract will be finalised by October with construction starting towards the end of the year.

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constructionfeature

July 6, 2016 Mahurangimatters 33

Total Mahurangi consents per township

Monthly dwelling consents for Mahurangi 30

140

25

120

100

20

80 15 60 10 40 5 20 0 2014

2015

2016

0

Wellsford

Building consent figures are for the year to April.

Warkworth

Matakana

Omaha

Omaha Flats

Snells Beach

Leigh

Steady as she goes for Mahurangi construction industry The number of building consents issued in Mahurangi has remained relatively steady, despite significant growth in other parts of the region.

Figures provided by Auckland Council show the number of building consents issued for new dwellings has increased by 10 per cent over the past two years, from 159 in 2014/15 to 174 in 2015/16. However, the monthly figures show no significant upward trend (see graph above).

Warkworth had the most activity by far, with 118 consents issued over the two year period, followed by Snells Beach, 77, Matakana, 59, and Omaha, 52 (see graph top right). By contrast, the number of consents issued in the Rodney Local Board area increased by 52 per cent, going from 622 to 948 (see graph right).

Dwelling consents for Rodney 120

100

80

60

40

20

0

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

constructionfeature

34 Mahurangimatters July 6, 2016

Builders combat industry’s woeful health and safety Local builders are embracing new health and safety laws as the Government tries to reduce accident rates in one of New Zealand’s most dangerous industries.

Construction has been the most deadly workplace in the past 12 months, with four fatalities in the year to April.

According WorkSafe New Zealand, since 2011, 30 people have been killed in the construction industry, making it second only to agriculture for overall deaths.

Sweeping changes to the Health and Safety at Work Act (HASWA) last April were designed to make workers more accountable for safety in the workplace.

Fines for failing to comply with the new laws range from $50,000 to $3 million. Persons conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) found guilty of reckless conduct also face a five year jail sentence.

WorkSafe New Zealand project team leader Vadim Spice says the most important part of HASWA is not the punitive measures, but raising awareness.

“When we say to builders, ‘did you know that 35 people have died from falling off ladders in the last five years’, they say they knew it was dangerous, but when you quantify it, that’s when the penny drops,” Vadim says.

Safety conscious roofing contractors Julius Ivar, Rodeo Ragudo and Dylan Martin take a break.

According to a local builder, who doesn’t want to be named, the culture of risk taking used to be an inherent part of the industry.

“We used to jump from roof truss to roof truss. It was stupid, but we had done it loads of times. It was quicker than going back down and using the scaffold. I did it one day and must’ve missed. The next thing I know I’m hanging upside down from the hammer on my tool belt. I tried to reach up and grab onto the timber framing but couldn’t. The metal claw on the hammer bent under the strain and I fell two storeys bouncing off the

timber framing and down on to the concrete slab. I was lucky, but it was a bloody serious wake up call.”

Vadim Spice says that type of risk taking culture is coming to an end.

“I’m a scaffolder by trade,” Vadim says. “I grew up with that bravado and I don’t believe in ‘she’ll be right’.

That generation of builders are now responsible because they are business owners and managers. They are now more mature and genuinely care about their workers.”

Former paramedic Simon Townsend operates the Mahurangi and northern area of Triple One Care, which runs

approved courses in workplace first aid. He believes the message of being proactive with safety is finally getting through to the construction industry.

“In the six months I have been running this business, the vast majority of people coming through the course have been from the construction industry.”

The courses teach the latest first aid techniques, accompanied with developing and practicing systems for dealing with emergency situations.

“Irreversible damage happens in the first 10 minutes of a medical continued next page

constructionfeature

July 6, 2016 Mahurangimatters 35

track-record New playground for Warkworth waterfront

Triple One Care manager Simon Townsend. from previous page

emergency. It’s about having systems and procedures in place. Learn from experience, not during an emergency, because by then it’s already too late.”

Minister for Building and Housing Dr Nick Smith was in Warkworth last week speaking to National Party members and said that while new health and safety legislation had pushed up the cost of building a house, the rules would save New Zealand money in the long run.

“Building is a big killer and falls are one of the big issues. When you look at the savings in ACC costs, it does stack up.”

A new playground will be built on Warkworth’s waterfront in the park at Baxter Street in a collaboration between Rodney Local Board and Warkworth Lions.

The Local Board has allocated $100,000 to the project. The Lions will design and build the playground in consultation with the community and support from Auckland Council staff.

Warkworth Lions president Peter Henderson says the playground will cater for children aged between 11 and 14.

“Three years ago we had a thinktank group that went around the town to find out what people wanted and a playground was one of the top priorities,” Mr Henderson says. “The other playground at the waterfront is only for children aged up to about 7, and the skatepark is for children a bit older again, so we found people wanted something for the other kids.

“In the next couple of months we will consult with children in that age group at Mahurangi College to see what equipment they would like and we will come up with a plan in collaboration with Council.

“Where we can, we will do the building to make sure as much of the funding goes on new equipment as possible.”

The project will be completed by June next year.

Beth Houlbrooke says it is the first time the Board has worked with the community to deliver a playground.

Warkworth Lions president Peter Henderson and members Bruce Clegg and Lynn Jones.

“Getting the community to deliver projects will be the way of the future to reduce costs and bureaucracy and increase community involvement,” Ms Houlbrooke says.

Meanwhile, Council is installing new swings beside the skatepark on Cumberland Street in Leigh.

The $25,000, 4-metre high Serious Air Swing is expected to open this month.

Council is also working to install new playground equipment in Point Wells.

The Local Board resolved to install a new rope swing and an obstacle course after Council removed a historic Lullaby Swing due to health and safety concerns.

It is working with the Point Wells community to agree where to place the new equipment. The community are also considering whether to fundraise for a third piece of equipment.

constructionfeature

36 Mahurangimatters July 6, 2016

Watercare plans multi-million dollar investment in A new multi-million wastewater project could start in Mahurangi next year as Watercare is about to lodge a consent for a massive sewage upgrade.

Watercare’s preferred option is to decommission the Warkworth wastewater treatment plant and pipe sewerage to a new hi-tech plant in Snells Beach, where sewage will be treated and pumped to the existing outflow at Martins Bay. This will cater for predicted population growth, as the area serviced by the Warkworth and Snells Beach treatment plants is expected to grow from 8400 to 35,000 by 2040.

Watercare environment and consents manager Mark Bourne says the new plant will be vastly superior to the existing Snells Beach plant and will be much better for the environment (see opposite page).

The treatment plant will be built in stages over 35 years as the population grows. The total project is expected to cost $135 million.

The consents for the new treatment plant and wastewater discharge will be lodged in the next month. The document will include extensive detail of how Watercare has developed its preferred option, including technical studies and a summary of public consultation.

Mr Bourne says Watercare expects the consents to be granted early next year and construction on the first phase would start soon after that and be completed over about five years.

The existing Snells Beach treatment plant.

The pipeline between Warkworth and Snells Beach will follow the road corridor.

Watercare did extensive investigation into whether a land-based discharge would better serve the area, rather than discharging to the ocean, but the geology of the area made it unviable, he says.

“That was a very real option up until the final stages of our investigation,” Mr Bourne says. “At Omaha, we have a land-based disposal treatment, but the difference is that the area within 10km of Snells Beach and Warkworth is significantly steeper and the clay

soils are far less absorbent, so there would be a higher level of runoff and more land would be required. But we may still look into using a land-based discharge in the future.”

Mr Bourne says people don’t need to be concerned about pumping treated wastewater into the ocean.

“I firmly believe that the proposed ocean outfall will have very minor environmental effects. The concentration of nitrogen will be

significantly less than what currently exists.”

The goal is to have the new system up and running by 2022, when up to 290-hectares of land will be live-zoned for development in Warkworth.

About 25 people attended an open day on the proposal in Snells Beach on June 14. Consultation will continue as Watercare refines its proposal. continued next page

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constructionfeature

Mahurangi

from previous page

Watercare is currently replacing a section of the outfall pipeline near Snells Beach as it has become past its useful life.

“A property development is underway and it makes sense to do work before the development takes place, rather than once houses are in the area.

We had to upgrade the pipeline in any case, regardless of what future wastewater system is put in place.”

July 6, 2016 Mahurangimatters 37

Hi-tech wastewater plant proposed in Snells Beach

The new treatment plant will be a significant upgrade from the oxidation ponds currently used to treat sewage in Snells Beach.

Watercare environment and consents manager Mark Bourne says the existing treatment plant relies on bacteria and sunlight to treat sewage, by storing it in large oxidation ponds.

The solids and liquids slowly separate in the ponds and the process takes several days.

The new plant will be far more controlled and efficient by controlling the amount of sewage and oxygen in a series of enclosed tanks to give the perfect environment for micro-organisms to treat the wastewater.

Any foul odors from the treatment

will be captured in the process and treated, so there will be no smell.

“It gives us much more control and only takes about 12 hours to treat it and gives a much higher quality end result.”

The footprint of the facilities will also be far smaller.

“The proposed treatment plant will be much more like a commercial and industrial processing plant.”

The sewage is then filtered through a fine membrane which removes all remaining material and the water is finally put through a UV treatment.

The treated wastewater is then stored in a large holding pond and piped to the Martins Bay discharge site on an out-going tide.

All of the solids that have been

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removed through the process are compressed and put into a commercial landfill.

“It is mixed with other landfill material.

Because it is highly decomposable it assists in helping other matter decompose and generates methane.

That methane is then captured and used to generate electricity which is sold back to the grid.”

By contrast, the solids from the existing Snells treatment plant sit at the bottom of the oxidation ponds and the sludge is removed about once every 10 years.

Mr Bourne says the proposed plant will cost a lot more to operate as it is far more intensive, but the environmental gains from superior treatment are worth it.

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constructionfeature

38 Mahurangimatters July 6, 2016

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Mahurangi College principal David Macleod hopes the school’s S Block renovation will be completed by November.

Mahurangi College will start its fifth and final leaky building project this month.

Renovation of the school’s S Block will round off the $6 million fix, which has run over the course of two years.

Classes have been held in prefabricated rooms during the work.

The S Block repair will involve recladding, as well as a new roof design and better materials to prevent leak issues.

Asbestos sheets located in the roof will be removed during the July holidays to keep children away from the material.

Mahurangi College principal David Macleod says this process has been

done before when asbestos was removed from the old hall during its renovation.

Part of the work will involve reinforcing the foundation with concrete, as the block sits on soft soil and small movements have caused the lift to get stuck part way up. A new lift will be installed as part of the build.

Mr Macleod says although the S Block work is now two months behind schedule, he is happy with the standard of work from the contractors, Legacy Construction.

“Ideally, we would like the project finished by the start of November in time for the end of year exams,” he says.

“Otherwise, we will need to use continued next page

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July 6, 2016 Mahurangimatters 39

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An architect’s impression of the renovated sports building. from previous page

E Block which would have some administration implications.”

David says it’s been an enjoyable process made easier by the work of the Board of Trustees.

“Everyone has been so good about relocating classes and seeing the bigger picture. I haven’t had one complaint from a parent.”

Meanwhile, the school will start a $40,000 renovation of its media department in September.

This will include a 4x4 metre green screen, soundproof audio recording booth and investment into quality video equipment.

“Media is just getting so much bigger at the school,” Mr Macleod says.

Next year, the school hopes to have Ministry of Education approval for a

renovation on its sports department.

The project will include making the area between the new and old gym two storey.

Mr Macleod says the project requires a growth in the college roll, but he is confident that with its steady increase construction will start next year.

The project will be done in two stages. The first will involve creating a circuit room to replace the old weights room and two upstairs physical education classes.

The second stage will involve renovating the upstairs office and the lower changing rooms.

“It’s going to be phenomenal,” he says.

In addition to these projects, the art block was recently revamped and there are plans to add another storey to A block.

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constructionfeature

40 Mahurangimatters July 6, 2016

World of experience behind Kaipara Flats identity When it comes to construction and management, few could rival the knowledge of Kaipara Flats project manager Dave Stott.

Dave, aged 68, has a degree in civil engineering from Auckland University and is managing the retirement village project in Warkworth on Neville Street.

During his career he has worked on projects all over the world, including Spaghetti Junction in Auckland, the motorway from Jedda to Mecca in the Middle-East and the Thames Barrier project in England, which cost a quarter of a billion pounds in 1972.

He returned to NZ from the UK in 1974 and headed a committee for government subsidised aid projects and helped set up Oxfam in New Zealand.

He then became involved in project management and managed construction of the first Montessori School in New Zealand called Wa Ora, in Wellington.

He became president of the Montessori Association New Zealand and set up two degrees for Montessori teachers training at AUT. He also helped set up the major Montessori congress held in Sydney in 2007.

One of his biggest challenges was his involvement in a legal battle with New Zealand Rail and Westinghouse UK. After delays on electrification of the railway from Palmerston North to Hamilton, Westinghouse had its

Even experienced project manager Dave Stott is finding the retirement village project in Neville Street a challenge.

contract terminated.

“I had to travel with barristers to the UK seven times as an expert witness before finally the company received a $39 million payout in 1990 after claims and counterclaims.”

Another difficult project for Dave was the reconstruction of Mt Eden prison, from 2008 to 2011.

“That was interesting,” he says.

“We had to operate in high security

areas on many occasions and at one stage we had to cut a hole through a wall into a high security unit.”

One of Dave’s favourite projects was the restoration of the Regent Theatre in Palmerston North, which had closed in 1991.

“The restoration retained the original grandeur of the building, but we also fitted modern technologies so we were extremely proud of the finished

job,” he says.

“I like to have an inclusive approach to every project I undertake,” he says.

“Projects often involve big complex ideas coming together so a lot of it is about managing people.”

The Oaks retirement apartments in Warkworth has presented a number of challenges.

“We’ve struck some major water issues which are well and above what we originally anticipated,” he says.

“There are 119 conditions in our resource consent including checking the levels of surrounding buildings which is very costly.

“Because it is quite a small site, you tend to solve one problem and find there are two more.

“It’s very hard to get traction.”

The other major part of his management career has involved setting up dairy factories for Fonterra and Tetra Pak. He says getting the equipment inside the buildings is the real challenge.

“The projects are often in remote places and you have to coordinate things well to manoeuvre fittings inside, which is about 75 per cent of the construction cost normally.”

Dave currently has no projects lined up after the retirement village is complete but isn’t bothered.

“I have always been lucky really,” he says.

“I have never had to advertise; people have just come looking for me.”

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constructionfeature

July 6, 2016 Mahurangimatters 41

Rural Broadband Initiative rolled out in Ahuroa Ahuroa residents will be able to access high-speed wireless internet following the construction of a new communications tower along West Coast Road.

The tower is the first in Rodney to be built under the Rural Broadband Initiative (RBI), a partnership between the Government and Chorus. The project will bring faster, more reliable wireless broadband and mobile coverage to rural areas.

The new communications tower will reach around 600 homes and businesses.

Communications Minister Amy Adams says faster broadband will bring economic and social benefits to the Ahuroa area.

“Better coverage where you are means better business tools, more ways to connect with customers and suppliers, new technologies for precision agriculture to explore, as well as more incentives for young people to stay in the area,” Mrs Adams says.

Vodafone technology director Tony Baird says wireless broadband will enable the rural residents to have connection speeds as fast or faster than town broadband.

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constructionfeature

42 Mahurangimatters July 6, 2016

The beach at the centre of the controversy before the marina was built.

Consent controversy as marina construction finishes

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A group of Sandspit residents are concerned a local beach will be left as a “mud bath” once the construction of the marina wraps up this month, but the Sandspit Marina Society claims it won’t be an issue.

The Marina Society has applied to remove resource consent conditions which require it to restore and enhance a beach adjacent to the marina.

Northern resource consent manager Ian Dobson says the application will be notified and people will be able to make submissions on the proposal when it is lodged in the near future.

Members of Sandspit SOS Inc (SSOSI) say the Marina Society made the application without any consultation with the community and the area will be left worse off.

SSOSI member Jo Haswell says the 200-metre beach has been turned into a “mud bath”.

But marina superintendent Graham Maker disagrees.

“The beach is exactly the same as it was,” Mr Maker says. “It’s a beach that nobody ever used as a recreational beach. It’s got stormwater drains from the carpark draining onto it and the coastguard uses it to drive its boat to a launch site. It would be a wasted exercise to restore it.”

The society originally intended to restore the beach using sand dredged for the marina construction, but the sand was too soft and muddy to use for the job and all the sand was barged

off site, Mr Maker says.

“We would like to have restored it, but it would have been irresponsible to do it with poor quality material. We would have made it a lot worse.”

SSOSI has also raised concerns about an unconsented wall which it believes is having a significant impact on marine life in the area. The wall runs across Brick Bay Drive Stream and Jo says it blocks the path of fish in the intertidal area.

The wall was supposed to be removed once the marina was completed, but the Marina Society has applied for a retroactive consent for it.

Mr Maker says the wall helps stop sediment from Brick Bay Drive Stream and a culvert allows water in and out of the stream. The Marina Society has commissioned an ecologist report, which found the wall will not adversely impact the stream.

Mr Dobson says the concerns will be thoroughly examined once Council receives a consent application.

“While initial observations of the unauthorised wall have not shown any immediate significant adverse effects, we acknowledge the concerns raised about the potential effects of the wall,” Mr Dobson says. “We expect the application to be accompanied by a full assessment of effects on the environment that will address these matters in full. Once received, the consent will be processed in accordance with council practice.”

142 Rodney Street Wellsford 09 423 8045 enquiries@drlaw.co.nz

constructionfeature

July 6, 2016 Mahurangimatters 43

Aluminium Joinery for New Homes The new macrocarpa sign at the gateway to Omaha Beach.

Welcome ‘back’ to Omaha Omaha Beach locals have finished building a new ‘Welcome to Omaha Beach’ sign after the original was written off in a car accident almost two years ago.

The first sign was built in the 1990s by Mr Crooks, father of long-time Omaha resident, Judy Crooks.

For more than 20 years it was the first welcome to Omaha after crossing the causeway, its bright aqua blue wording greeting returning residents and visitors alike.

In 1999, the sign suffered its first major traffic accident, the posts and rock base were badly damaged, but the sign itself survived.

Finally, in 2015, an errant motorist succeeded in finishing off the demolition job and the base was unusable.

The sign itself quickly disappeared

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Last year, Omaha residents David Hanson, Ron McMahon, and a team of volunteers made a new sign and it was installed last month. The timber was supplied by the Matakana Sawmill and machined by Matakana Kitchens and Joinery.

Omaha Beach Community President Peter Hooper says they are indebted to the team of volunteers.

“We’d like to extend our thanks to David, Ron and the team from Biolytix works nAturAlly…so you sAVe! Omaha Beach Golf Club for doing an awesome job. We have our Please note: This is a low quality proof to use as a guide only. Imagery may be blurry due to file compr identity back, and can again welcome thousands of visitors to the beach from Before we proceed to print, around the region every year.”

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constructionfeature

44 Mahurangimatters July 6, 2016

HOME AND PROPERTY CARE • House repairs, small to medium renovations • Fencing and deck construction, alterations and maintenance • Painting and Staining • Clean up and rubbish removal

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The old school building on School Road in Wellsford.

School’s future under wraps The owners of the old school building in Wellsford are refusing to divulge their plans for the building.

The building, which the Aronui Trust has owned for about 20 years, has recently undergone major renovations.

Trust chief executive Dean Grace says it will not make its plans public, saying “it’s a private matter”.

The school had been left empty for a number of years and had become overgrown with weeds before

renovations started earlier this year.

The Aronoi Trust operates tertiary courses throughout the North Island including business, IT, hospitality, trade and construction.

The school was originally built in 1875 and was moved to the School Road site in 1911. It was used as a school until 1990, when students relocated to Wellsford Primary School further down the road and the Ministry of Education sold the site.

End of era for Warkworth station The Z Energy petrol station in Warkworth, on the corner of Whitaker Road and Mill Lane, was scheduled to close on July 4, while the new Z station on the corner of Hudson Road and SH1 was set to open the following day.

Z Energy spokesperson Jonathan Hill says Wilmot Motors did not renew its contract with Z when it expired in March. Z had been running the

station in the interim until the new station opened.

The new $3.5 million station will have four pump islands with eight vehicle lanes and a retail site with food and barista coffee, employing about 10 staff. The station will only have access from Hudson Road.

Tenders for the Wilmot station were due to close on July 6.

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constructionfeature

July 6, 2016 Mahurangimatters 45

$100k for Mahurangi projects Sixteen Mahurangi projects received a total of $108,153 in the latest round of Rodney Local Board community grants.

The Board received 47 applications, requesting a total of $321,156. It allocated $170,281 in funding to groups across Rodney.

The following Mahurangi projects received funding: • •

•

•

• •

•

•

Kowhai Festival Society – $10,000 towards costs of Huge Day Out. Warkworth Agricultural & Pastoral Society – $10,000 towards the cost of the 150th Warkworth Annual Agricultural and Pastoral Show.

Leigh Ex Services and Community Club – $10,000 towards upgrading the walking track between Wonder View Road and Kyle Street in Leigh.

T&M Stazyk Partnership, CUE Haven – $10,000 towards planting trees at 2704 Kaipara Coast Highway, Araparera.

North Rodney Blue Light – $10,000 towards the wages for a community youth coordinator.

Omaha Beach Bowling Club – $9836 towards repairing the retaining wall at 1-7 North West Anchorage Road, Omaha.

Wellsford Agricultural and Pastoral Society – $8963 towards costs of the Wellsford Country Show.

Matakana Community Group – $8750 towards upgrading the pathway near Takatu-Tongue Farm Road.

• •

•

•

•

• •

•

Warkworth Lions – $8730 to upgrade the Kowhai Park walking track.

North Shore Hospice Trust/ Warkworth Wellsford Hospice – $5000 towards waterproofing Tui House, Glenmore Drive.

Mahurangi Presbyterian Church – $5000 towards the costs of painting the Mahurangi Presbyterian Church at 5 Pulham Road, Warkworth.

Literacy North Shore Incorporated – $4965 towards running learners drivers licence groups and digital literacy groups in Wellsford Library.

Baddeleys and Campbells Ratepayers Association – $2250 towards replanting Baddeleys Beach Recreation Reserve.

Leigh Volunteer Fire Brigade – $1500 towards printing 200 books on the brigade’s history.

North Rodney Community Arts Council – $1147 towards holding its annual art competition in September Port Albert Temperance Hall Lecture & Reading Room Association – $1000 to hold events for the hall’s 100th anniversary.

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46 Mahurangimatters July 6, 2016

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The road between Warkworth and SH16 is one of the most dangerous in the country.

Safety upgrade for SH1 The Government will spend millions on safety improvements on State Highway 1 between Warkworth and the Brynderwyn Hills.

The work is part of a $95 million package to improve the most dangerous roads in Northland and Auckland.

In the past decade there have been 26 deaths on the 27km stretch of road, including nine deaths and 24 serious injuries between Wellsford and the Brynderwyns and 17 deaths and 42 serious injuries in the Dome Valley.

The safety upgrades will include realignment of corners, side barriers, median barriers, rumble strips, wide centrelines, road marking and improved signage. Speed will also be addressed.

Work in the Dome Valley is due to start in 2018 and cost about $25 million.

Planning for the Wellsford to

Brynderwyn section will start in the next year and work is expected to start in 2018. The costs will be confirmed once investigations and design are complete.

The work is part of the Government’s Safer Roads and Roadsides programme which will see $100 million safety improvements each year for six years.

The programme targets more than 90 high-risk sites on rural state highways, including nearly all roads where there have been five or more fatalities in the last five years.

NZ Automobile Association motoring affairs general manager Mike Noon says the investment will save lives.

“We know that upgrading roads with things like barriers, wide centrelines, rumble strip and better road markings makes a huge difference in reducing crashes, but this programme will see them used on a much greater scale,” Mr Noon says.

constructionfeature

July 6, 2016 Mahurangimatters 47

The meth house crisis With Vicki Phillips of Valuation Rodney

Recent media attention has drawn a number of enquiries from concerned landlords and home buyers regarding the effect methamphetamine contamination has on property values, and there is little doubt this is a growing problem across all of New Zealand.

My research has indicated that upwards of 35 per cent of meth tests are returning positive with a large proportion exceeding Ministry of Heath guidelines of 0.5ug/100cm2 requiring decontamination.

Typically, 75 per cent of P-labs uncovered by police have been in rental properties, and in 2014, Housing New Zealand tested 196 homes finding 51 per cent contaminated.

Knowing whether or not you have an issue is not easy, as often the presence of meth contamination is difficult to see or smell and dangerous levels of contamination can come not just from the manufacture of the drug, but also heavy usage.

You may be fortunate and see some evidence of chemicals, but often you can get a good insight from asking the neighbours what the tenants or current home owner is like.

Meth testing kits are also available, but like store bought pregnancy tests, you are best to consult an expert to be really sure! Professional testing is generally a two-stage process with the first being a “composite test” that involves testing several areas using swabs to check for the presence of meth. If meth is detected, there is a second test that is more thorough (and costly) to determine the level of contamination.

If this second test records a result greater than 0.5ug/100cm2 this is considered as uninhabitable/ dangerous as set out in the Ministry of Health department guidelines and decontamination is required.

This should also be recorded on the property’s LIM report held by the Council.

Heavy use of meth can push contamination to levels similar to that found when there has been manufacturing of the drug. Therefore, in practice they do not separate between “use” and “manufacture” to classify meth contamination, but rather focus on the positive/negative first test result and the level of contamination, if positive, from the second test.

Decontamination can vary from triple cleaning every surface through to complete removal and replacement of all contaminated linings. This can even extend into the roof cavity framing if there is evidence of ventilation of fumes into this area.

Further testing after decontamination is then required to ensure all dangerous levels of contamination are removed before the tester can state that the house is safe for habitation.

There is increasing compliance on landlords and real estate professionals to disclose meth contamination, and prospective buyers and homeowners should seek advice from their lawyers regarding protective clauses in Sales & Purchase Agreements and Rental Agreements.

Sales values can also be affected for known meth contaminated homes, as the cost of remediating the problem has the potential to see prospective purchasers negotiate with the vendors. As with all property purchase transactions, buyers should complete full due diligence on their purchase before the unconditional date and before they sign any Sales & Purchase agreement.

The costs of remediation can vary depending on the level of contamination and the method of decontamination needed to return the dwelling back to safe levels and safe habitation.

I’d like to thank Matt Mason from Betta Inspect It for his input into this article.

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school holidaysfeature

48 Mahurangimatters July 6, 2016

Marine programmes aim to demystify underwater world

Enjoy a horse ride to remember on the beautiful white sands of Pakiri surf beach

PAKIRI BEACH HORSE RIDES 317 Rahuikiri Road, Pakiri Beach 09 422 6275 pakirihorse@xtra.co.nz www.horseride-nz.co.nz

Pakiri Beach Horse Rides

Riding Holidays and Overnight Safaris

Check out our School Holiday Programme on www.goatislandmarine.co.nz GOAT ISLAND MARINE DISCOVERY CENTRE

HORSE RIDING WARKWORTH • Quiet horses and ponies • Farm & Forest treks • Birthday rides • Lessons available • Social or family groups • English study tour groups Cool Kids Warkworth • Holiday and weekend horse riding camps MSD Approved OSCAR Programme • People with disabilitiesWINZ welcome Subsidies are available enquire now!

• On the doorstep of Sheepworld, Matakana and Goat Island

BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL

1 hour ........ $50 2 hours ...... $90

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Phone WINZ 09Subsidies 425 8517

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Email: horseriding@xtra.co.nz

Google: horse riding warkworth

The Goat Island Marine Discovery Centre is launching a seminar series next month, to bring the marine research to the public.

The seminars will be held every Sunday at noon throughout August and will feature a range of topics, including ‘The Underwater Soundscape of the Hauraki Gulf ’ and a look at the calls of crabs and crayfish (see below).

Centre manager Marea Neill says she started the series to help keep the public informed with the research at the University of Auckland Marine Laboratory. The seminars will be run by students completing their PhD, Masters or Postdoctoral Fellowship.

The centre is also holding a series of workshops for the school holidays.

On Monday July 11 and 18 at 10.30am, children aged 6 to 9 can learn about the lifecycle of animals in the centre’s touch-tank and make

play-dough models of the stages of the marine species, from egg, to larvae and juveniles to adult.

Then, at 1.30pm, children aged 10 to 15 can learn how to identify the seven parts of a mussel and study their functions by dissecting one.

On Wednesday July 13 and 20 at 10.30am, children (ages 6 to 9) can make papier mache versions of their favourite marine animal. Then, at 1.30pm, 10 to 15-year-olds will study the anatomy of fishes, which will include dissecting a fish.

There is also a new tentacled arrival at the centre – a common Sydney octopus, or octopus tetricus.

The octopus is part of a PhD students research into optometry, but is also on display in a tank with live feedings every day.

It will eventually grow to have an arm span of over two metres.

Marine seminar series: August 7: Rebecca Smith: Farming in the Sea: Green-lipped mussels (Perna canaliculus) August 14: Roslyn Putland: Listening to the Underwater Soundscape of the Hauraki Gulf August 21: Marie Goeritz: Crab and Crayfish Calls: Sound production and hearing structures in crustaceans August 28: Fraser Stobie: Effects of Oxygen Availability on Two Ecologically Distinct Triplefin Species.

Cool Kids Warkworth

MSD Approved OSCAR Programme WINZ Subsidies are available enquire now!

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MSD Approved OSCAROSCAR Programme MSD Approved Programme WINZ Subsidies are available enquire WINZ Subsidies are available enquire now!now!

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For more details and enrolment form www.warkworth.school.nz

Phone 027 931 1311 or 09 425 8300 ext 786

School Holidays Specials

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Honey Ice cream Kids $2.50

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Cool Kids Cool Kids Cool Kids July 1111 —— 22 July 11 —22 22 July

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Holiday Programme (FOR AGES 5—13 YEARS)

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AGES 5—13 YEARS) (FOR(FOR AGES (FOR5—13 AGESYEARS) 5—13 YEARS)

For more details and enrolment form For more and enrolment form form Fordetails more details and enrolment www.warkworth.school.nz www.warkworth.school.nz www.warkworth.school.nz Phone 027 931 1311 or 09 425 8300 ext 786 Phone 027 931027 1311 or1311 09 425 8300 ext 786ext 786 Phone 931 or 09 425 8300

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Holiday Programme Venue: Honey (FOR AGES 5—13 YEARS)

Centre, 7 Perry Road Warkworth

For more details and enrolment form www.warkworth.school.nz Phone 027 931 1311 or 09 425 8300 ext 786

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school holidaysfeature

July 6, 2016 Mahurangimatters 49

Future of schools discussed as Leigh rebuilds ‘Game On’ at

Mahu libraries for holidays

Mark Osborne and Leigh School principal Julie Turner.

create different zones in a large space.

We should have kids being excited and noisy, as well as having spaces for quiet learning. That can’t be done properly in a traditional classroom.”

New Zealand has recently become a world leader in modern school design after 115 schools were forced to rebuild following the Christchurch earthquake.

Warkworth School’s new junior block, which opened at the start of the year, exemplifies the modern approach.

The new building is split into three “communities”. There are 120 Year 0-1 students in a large single room with seven teachers, and two classrooms for Year 2 and 3 students, each with 100 students and four teachers.

School principal Cynthia Holden says there have been teething problems with the new building, but teachers and students are adapting, and overall the response has been positive.

She says the students have thrived in the new classrooms, but it has been a big change for some of the teachers,

who have spent years teaching in “single cell” classrooms.

“Some teachers have found it quite challenging,” Cynthia says. “It means they have to collaborate with other teachers, which they might not have done in a traditional classroom, and it can be hard if that’s not something you are used to. But it means they can learn from each other – it’s like doing professional development every day.

And by having different roles they can be more efficient with their time.”

She says the acoustic design also enables quiet spaces and noisy environments to exist in the same class without distracting other students.

“Some parents grew up in open-plan classrooms in the 1970s and 80s which were very noisy. This isn’t like that. It works.”

It is crucial classrooms and teaching methods adapt for the modern workforce which students will grow into, Cynthia says.

Mahurangi children will get to experience much more than books these school holidays as part of Auckland Libraries ‘Game On’ initiative.

Activities at Wellsford Library range from Matariki star-gazing, to a Lego build-off. They even have a Nerf gunshooting academy. Library manager Megan Livick says the approach has proved successful in the past.

“We have a fabulous response to our holiday programmes,” Megan says. “Wellsford Library becomes a destination for children and youth.

We like to offer them something new to entice them into the library.”

Wellsford will also provide more traditional library activities, with a Roald Dahl reading from professional storyteller Nick Duval-Smith.

Warkworth Libraries have their own list of events and activities, drawn up by children and teens librarian Mellony Meek. They range from theatre sports to multi player iPad gaming. Mellony says that although they have events that embrace both modern technology and play, the focus is still very much on learning.

“There’s a literacy element to just about everything we do, but don’t put that in the paper – we don’t want to put the kids off!”

Educare Warkworth is now open at The Grange Warkworth, and taking enrolments .

All children are welcome, from babies to 5 year olds, with 20 hours ECE for 3-4 year olds.

17 , The Grange, SHWY 1, Warkworth • www.educare.co.nz PH 09 425 9941 • Email: warkworth@educare.co.nz

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Schools are undergoing the biggest transformation in New Zealand’s history as new research into learning methods is revolutionising the design of clasrooms and the way students are taught.

That was the message from education academic Mark Osborne, who visited Leigh School last month to present a talk on modern classroom designs.

Leigh School has about 60 pupils and is replacing two prefabricated classrooms with modern buildings later this year.

Mr Osborne is a consultant for Core Education and is currently studying for a PhD on modern learning environments.

He said research into brain development over the past 10 to 15 years is revolutionising teaching and has led to significant changes in classroom design.

“We used to think that everyone learnt roughly the same way, but now with MRI scans we know everyone has different strengths,” Mr Osborne said.

“The one size fits all approach won’t work for everyone.”

The new strategy is for large, combined classrooms with multiple teachers who are able to collaborate and learn off each other. The open-plan classrooms also offer different settings to cater to the different learning styles of students.

“We’ve found a team approach results in teaching quality improving and job satisfaction also goes up.”

Developments in acoustic planning have also been instrumental in allowing large, open-plan classrooms to function effectively, he says.

“There are now more opportunities to

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Kapiti Primary School

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localmatters.co.nz/whatson

50 Mahurangimatters July 6, 2016

Simon McKinney

Comedy night at Choir groups on same song-sheet Warkworth RSA The Local Vocals Choir practicing ahead of the Wellsford concert.

The Wellsford-based Local Vocals Choir is promising an energetic and varied performance at the Wellsford Community Centre on Saturday July 9.

The concert will also feature Kaipara Flats women’s choir Kai Rhythmix and ukulele group Totally Uked.

The choirs will perform A capella, and for many of the singers it will be their first public performance.

Both choirs will sing a varied set of songs, and also perform a few items together.

Local Vocals Choir also has an emergent leadership programme, with budding song-leaders mentored by choir leader Helen Diaz. One of these is Miriam Chalk, who will lead a medley of songs in this concert.

The choir began in 2012 as the Wellsford Community

Choir, based on the philosophy of being inclusive and accepting, with no auditions.

Choir founder Sally Randall says it now has singers from all ages and stages.

“I believe that we all have a voice,” Sally says. “LVC aims to facilitate individuals to connect to the joy and health benefits of community singing. I’m sure our singers would all agree that there is really nothing that compares to the experience and feeling of singing in a large group and performing together.

We have a lot of fun.”

The LVC singers meet each Thursday evening of the school term from 7-9pm at the Wellsford Community Centre and welcome all who want to sing.

Info: Anna Pendred singlvc@gmail.com

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Simon McKinney will headline the inaugural Warkworth RSA comedy Night on Saturday July 23.

Simon won a raft of awards, including the New Zealand Comedy Guild’s best male comedian. He has also opened for international comics including the USA’s Greg Proops.

RSA manager Robbie Blair says he is stoked to have Mckinney headlining.

“We are trying to reach out and provide entertainment that normally you would have to go to the city for.

There are a lot of people around here that know of him, they keep saying to me, ‘Oh Simon McKinney he’s really good’,” Robbie says.

As an accomplished mimic, Simon’s stand-up routine revolves around character impressions. Fellow comics, Andre King, James Keating and Matt Stellingwerf, will also perform. Tickets $20.

Think you’re a bit crafty?

Come and try our glass and silver smith classes this winter!

16th July

Glass bead making for beginners

3-5pm

$100 per person ($80 pp for 4 or more)

6th August

An introduction to silver work

3-5pm

$120 per person ($90 pp for 4 or more)

20th August

Glass fusing for beginners

3-5pm

$100 per person ($80 pp for 4 or more)

6 places

6 places

6 places

Please note these classes are for adults. Includes all materials.

Walk away with a finished project.

Grab a group of friends and discover your creative side!

Bookings essential! Email inge@kleurglass.com ph 029 562 2511 Find out more about Kleurglass at www.kleurglass.com

localmatters.co.nz/whatson

Cuisine Nicole Wilson

Hide-n-seek with Brussel’s sprouts With winter comes one vegetable that has never been a favourite of mine.

Apparently they need the cold to sweeten up which is why you only see Brussel’s sprouts in winter. With this vegetable, people seem to love it, or hate it. I have always been in the hate camp, maybe due to some bad Brussel’s sprout experience as a child, I don’t really know.

Last winter I decided that since I was now a grown up I should really give Brussel’s sprouts a chance to prove my perceptions wrong. There had to be a way to turn this horrid, bitter vegetable into something I’d gladly eat.

Stir-frying it with lashings of garlic and bacon is one good way to hide the flavour. I also found that I didn’t mind them tossed in a little ground cumin and coriander and then roasted. But the recipe below was by far my favourite as it totally hid the Brussel’s sprouts, so I didn’t really know I was eating them.

I did give the sprout a chance, but to be perfectly honest, it never will be my favourite vegetable. I think I will only ever tolerate it if it is cunningly disguised; but that doesn’t mean I will give up trying to find a way to like them more.

July 6, 2016 Mahurangimatters 51

NICOLE’S

Nutrition Kitchen FFood od and nd N Nutrition t itio mad made easy! sy!

Nutrition Consultation Workshops and Cooking Classes Nicole Wilson Phone: 09 889 2454 or 021 419 518 nicole@nutritionkitchen.co.nz | www.nutritionkitchen.co.nz

WARKWORTH FILM COMPETITION

Reminder - entries close 22 July.

Get your entry form from: • Mahurangi Matters, • Unicorn Bookshop, • The Camera House • Warkworth Town Hall Restoration Project Sponsored by:

Warm Winter Coleslaw

• • • •

1 tablespoon olive oil Brussel’s sprouts 1 large onion, sliced • 2 cup sliced silverbeet &/or 2 cloves garlic, crushed spinach &/or kale 1 tablespoon chopped • ½ cup thinly sliced capsicum rosemary • ¼ cup parsley, chopped • 1 stalks celery, thinly sliced on • Zest & juice of ½ lemon angle • Pepper & salt • 2 carrots, grated • Water, wine or stock • 1 cup sliced cabbage or 1. In a large pan, heat the olive oil and cook the onion and garlic until the onion is soft.

2. Add the rosemary, celery and carrot and cook for two minutes, add the Brussel’s sprouts and kale cook for a further two minutes. Add a splash of water/wine/stock if it starts sticking to the pan.

3. When the vegetables soften, stir through the parsley, lemon and season to taste with pepper and salt.

Variations Add or subtract different vegetables depending on what is in season, what you have on hand, or what you like.

Use bokchoy or other Asian greens instead of kale or silverbeet, with a dash of soy and chopped coriander to go with an Asian inspired meal.

Use red cabbage instead of green for a bit more colour; or grate in the stalk of broccoli to use it up.

Good grinds for today and tomorrow

100% recyclable Nespresso® compatible coffee capsules Look up the local coffee guys at coffeecapsules2u.co.nz or phone us on 0274 809 507

Mahurangimatters July 6, 2016 |52 Mahurangimatters

localmatters.co.nz

NEWSLETTER

Mahurangi College

ISSUE 04: July 2016

from the

Principal David Macleod

Dear Parents and Guardians Tena Koutou Katoa The Education Review Office (ERO) report on Mahurangi College was released on 1 June 2016 and can be accessed via the ERO website.

Extracts include: ‘There is a settled, purposeful atmosphere throughout the school. Students are engaged in, and enjoy learning. They respond well to the school’s expectations of them as confident, self-managing learners. They adapt to new and changing contexts, and use multiple strategies for learning and problem solving.

Mahurangi College students’ results in National Certificates of Educational Achievement (NCEA) compare very favourably with, and generally exceed, national and similar schools’ results.

The responsive and inclusive curriculum adapts to, and provides for, students’ learning aspirations. It is very effective in promoting and supporting student learning.

Student achievement information is used effectively to inquire into patterns of achievement, and to identify relevant professional development for teachers in order to improve outcomes for students. Good use of data underpins teaching and learning decisions across the school. School goals provide the impetus for accelerating the progress of all students.

High expectations of academic achievement are evident.

Students achieve high levels of success across areas of the arts, and academic, sporting, cultural, social and service events.

Conclusion: Mahurangi College students thrive in a studentcentred learning environment.

The broad, coherent curriculum supports high levels of student achievement and engagement. Strong governance and leadership, effective teaching and learning, and partnerships with parents and the community enhance outcomes for students.

ERO is likely to carry out the next review in fourto-five years.’

It is pleasing to now be one of a small number of schools placed on a 4-5 year review cycle, rather than the usual 3 yearly ERO review.

I would like to welcome our new Board of Trustees. Congratulations to Mrs Tracey Martin and Mr Steve Garner on each being re-elected Photo : Level 1 Geography Students in Rotorua and to Dr Ihirangi Heke, Mr Jason Neely and Mr Dean Iverson, our new Trustees. Thank you to all Rotorua, Lucy came 5th out of 107 Intermediate parents who stood as candidates in the election Girls who had qualified, Kate Rowe who came and to all who voted.

33rd out of 94 Junior Girls and Sam Cadwallader And a very warm thank you, on behalf of our came 73rd out of 216 Senior Boys. whole school community, to our three retiring We wish our Stage Challenge team all the best Board of Trustees members, who have all been as they compete at the Aotea Centre in Auckland on our Board for the last two terms but did not on Friday 1st July. Our theme this year is ‘Reach re-stand in this election: Bede Haughey, Stuart For Your Stars’. The performance illustrates Henderson and Jo Hathaway. Each gave the difference between being rewarded for generously of their time and energy providing talent with little or no effort, compared to what excellent governance for the school. Mrs Nyree happens when you need to focus and put in Norrington has been re-elected as the staff effort to achieve your goals. trustee and Jamie Peterson continues in his role as the student trustee.

Congratulations to our Head Girl, Sara Wilson, on being selected in the NZ U18 Under-Water Hockey Team. She will represent New Zealand in Australia in July then captain our senior open team at the nationals later this year.

Congratulations also to our Cross-Country students.

Lucy Rowe won the North Harbour and West Auckland Schools’ Intermediate Girls Cross Country, Sam Cadwallader came 3rd in the Senior Boys’ and Kate Rowe came 5th in the Junior Girls’. At the National Secondary School Cross Country Championships in

David Macleod, Principal

Photo : Sam Cadwallader, Lucy Rowe and Kate Rowe at the National Secondary School Cross Country Champs with the sponsor, a past student from our school, Matt Fraser from Podium Podiatry anD Footwear.

53 | July 6, 2016 Mahurangimatters Mahurangimatters

localmatters.co.nz

NEWSLETTER

Level 1 Geography Trip When we rocked up to school at 7:30am on a Sunday morning, I don’t think any of us were truly prepared to stumble through gorse, navigate the slippery mud slopes, or stand knee-deep in a river in mid-June. Credit to our inner geographers though, as we toughed it out to get the measurements we needed and then squelched back to the bus where the lucky ones (or the organised ones!) had dry socks and the small amount of comfort that came from not having your feet submerged in freezing cold water. Later that day we arrived at Rotorua.

After a full day of outdoor work and travel, the next part was all about getting the written work done as quick as you could so that you had more time to relax and have fun.

After a good nights sleep, we ran, literally sprinted to breakfast in an attempt to ward off the cold.

That morning a visit to Te Puia saw the flipping of the classroom as students acted as tour guides to show off the geothermal and tourism wonderland

of this special place.

After lunch, we headed to terrorise the staff at Rotorua Skyline and Luge. For those wondering, there was a geographic purpose to this immense entertainment - from the top of the hill we were able to see all of the landscape around us, and gain a better understanding of how this unfamiliar and slightly sulphorous place worked, which linked in with our next geographic internal.

From there, a gentle walk through the Hamurana Springs Redwoods where we discovered our inner environmentalists.

These trips are not made good or bad by the the things you do, but by people you are with.

For a school trip it seemed way too much fun. A massive thanks to the teachers for the organisation and to the parents for their energy and support. In the end, a good time was had by all, the trail of destruction that we left behind was relatively minimal, and our

geographic learning was greatly enhanced.

Liana Sykes, Year 11 Student

Michael Stewart ~ Graphics Department It is with great pleasure that we introduce our Graphics extraordinaire teacher, Mr Michael Stewart.

We first met Michael when he came to Mahurangi College for his Teacher Training placement back in 2009, at which time he was offered a permanent position in our Technology faculty beginning the following year.

At the time we had four graphics classes, which quickly expanded to 11 in just a few years, highlighting the success of the programme. At this point Michael was given the role of Teacher in Charge of Graphics, and for the last two years has also been the Second in Charge of Technology.

Prior to becoming a full-time teacher, Michael worked in an Auckland design studio, as well as freelance, where he worked on many varied and interesting projects from signage through to designing an electric vehicle as well as being involved in 3D modelling, branding, website design and input into electronic and engineering discussions. He also continues to run his own freelance design company.

Michael has a passion for all things design, a trait that comes through in his teaching. With his unique blend of industry experience, this ensures

that he is able to extend students’ motivation and achievement. He brings to Mahurangi College a unique set of skills, ranging from concept sketching and rendering, to 3D modelling and animation.

Over the past 7 years Michael has run a range of design groups including vehicle design in our Gifted and Talented programme, Architectural design challenges, and scholarship groups.

Outside of his interest in design, Michael is a keen surfer and snowboarder, getting out in the surf as often as possible. He also runs groups for both sports in the school, running regular beginners’ surfing courses in the summer months, and assisting students with regional and national competitions.

Michael is also the designer and editor of our school Yearbook. Not an easy task gathering all the information and putting it together to produce an outstanding read at the end of academic year.

He remains consistently calm and unflustered, yet spends many hours outside of work to ensure this magazine is a great success and a treasured memento of students’ time here at Mahurangi College.

While there have been many highlights for Michael

at Mahurangi College, those which stand out the most are the innovative ideas shown by Level 3 students and the successes of past students at University and in the design industry.

Michael’s goal is for his students to become great designers, who can analyse the world around them, think critically, and innovate to shape our future.

Achiever o f the Month: Matthew Torckler

Presented by Aura Harri-Ellis, Retail Manager. at Mega Mitre 10 Warkworth

• Academic Blue for Excellence Level 1 NCEA • Member of Academic Academy • Member of Jazz Band • Library Prefect • Member of Archery Team

Proudly Supporting Mahurangi College

WARKWORTH

Corner Woodcocks Road & Mansel Drive, Phone 425 8119

localsport

54 Mahurangimatters July 6, 2016

sportswrap...

With Mahurangi Matters sports reporter Ben Donaldson

TOTALSPAN RODNEY PROUD SPONSORS OF

ToTalspan Rodney pRoud sponsoRs of

SCOREBOARD THE scorEBoArD A roundup of sports activities and events in the district

The carpet green enables new members to train up for the competition season over the winter period.

a Roundup of spoRTs acTiviTies in THe disTRicT Mahurangi East Bowls The Mahurangi East Bowling Club is welcoming new members for their next season. Free coaching will be provided this month. Info: Judy 425 5303 Wilkinson Cup Trophy race The annual Wilkinson Cup Trophy race will be held July 16. The race is 10km for adults and 4km for children. Meet at the Kaipara Flats Hall at 12.30pm for entry.

Info: Caroline Marshall 423 7191 Northland rugby referees The Northland Rugby Referees Association is looking for new recruits. Pathways for learning how to officiate are provided free. Info: Boris 021 256 4464 Warkworth football management Warkworth AFC is looking for someone to help manage the first kicks and fun football which caters for children aged four to eight. The role will involve overseeing trainings on Thursday at 3.30pm and games on Saturday at 9am. All games and trainings will be at Shoesmith Domain.

Info: Cam 021 168 8773 Table Tennis Table Tennis, Matakana Hall, Tuesday, 7.30pm. Info: George 423 0424 Football junior co-ordinator Warkworth AFC is looking for someone to take over the junior co-ordinator role involving management of grades 13 to 17 with the guidance of experienced club members.

Info: Lorna Lewis.gbi@xtra.co.nz

Club encourages new bowlers Ben Donaldson

The Mahurangi East Bowling Club is setting up early to try to recruit new members for next season.

The club, which usually holds its Have a Go day in September, ran the event on July 3 this year.

Club coach Judy Bull says the change will ensure new members get a full season’s worth of bowls for their money, as Bowls North Harbour recently moved the fees due date from October to July.

“Also, we hope that by bringing members in earlier, we can offer them coaching to a higher level in time for the summer season, when most of the competitions take place.”

The club has four coaches who will be training members of the club for free this month, including club president, Peter Walker,who won the 2016 North Harbour Champ of Champs singles trophy.

Judy says they have had a great intake of players to make up for some of the

ToTalspan Rodney List sports news FREE by emailing 229 sTaTe HigHway 1 news@localmatters.co.nz waRkwoRTH TOTALSPAN RODNEY pHone 09 422 3149 229 STATE HIGHWAY 1, WARKWORTH PHONE 09 422 3149

0800 TOTALSPAN (0800 868 257) TOTALSPAN.CO.NZ

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Auckland Area Sea Watch Matakana Marine Seawatch

more experienced ones leaving.

“Last season we had juniors, bowlers who have been active for five years or less, competing in competition events which other clubs in the area did not.”

The club also has six juniors running the match committee, which looks at how to raise funds for the club.

New players have the opportunity to start this month, despite the wintry weather, as the club offers a carpet green as well as grass.

One of the difficulties of getting younger players involved is that many competitions are played on weekdays during work hours.

Peter says that more tournaments will start on a weekend this season to avoid this problem.

“The other important thing for the club is that we get our lease with Auckland Council renewed as soon as possible,” Peter says.

“There is no point us doing too much work on the club with our funds until we are guaranteed to have it again in 2018.”

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2:09am 0.5 3:00am 0.5 3:49am 0.6 4:37am 0.6 5:24am 0.7 12:05am 3.1 12:51am 3.0 1:37am 2.9 2:26am 2.9 3:15am 2.8 4:07am 2.8 4:58am 2.8 5:49am 2.9 12:21am 0.9 1:06am 0.8 1:51am 0.7 2:36am 0.6 8:34am 3.4 9:24am 3.3 10:12am 3.3 10:59am 3.2 11:45am 3.1 6:10am 0.8 6:57am 0.9 7:46am 0.9 8:37am 1.0 9:29am 1.0 10:22am 1.0 11:12am 0.9 11:59am 0.8 6:37am 2.9 7:25am 3.0 8:11am 3.1 8:56am 3.2

Tide 2:29pm 0.3 3:17pm 0.4 4:03pm 0.5 4:49pm 0.6 5:35pm 0.7 12:31pm 3.0 1:18pm 2.9 2:09pm 2.8 3:04pm 2.8 3:59pm 2.8 4:53pm 2.8 5:42pm 2.9 6:29pm 3.0 12:44pm 0.7 1:27pm 0.6 2:10pm 0.5 2:53pm 0.5 7:13pm 3.1 7:56pm 3.2 8:39pm 3.3 9:23pm 3.4 6:23pm 0.9 7:14pm 1.0 8:08pm 1.1 9:03pm 1.1 9:56pm 1.1 10:47pm 1.0 11:35pm 1.0 Times 8:58pm 3.5 9:46pm 3.4 10:33pm 3.4 11:19pm 3.2 7:33am 5:19pm

Sun Fishing Guide Moon

7:33am 5:19pm

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First Full Quarter Moon Rise 8:30am Rise 9:14am Rise 9:53am Rise 10:28am Rise 11:01am Rise 11:32am Set 12:07am Set 1:02am Set 1:54am Set 2:48am Set 3:43am Set 4:37am Set 5:30am Set 6:21am Set 7:09am Set 7:54am Set 8:37am Set 7:14pm Set 8:16pm Set 9:16pm Set 10:15pm Set 11:12pm Rise 12:03pm Rise 12:35pm Rise 1:08pm Rise 1:44pm Rise 2:24pm Rise 3:08pm Rise 3:57pm Rise 4:51pm Rise 5:49pm Rise 6:50pm Rise 7:53pm *Not for navigational purposes.

G

Good Fishing

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www.tidewiz.com

www.tidespy.com

www.ofu.co.nz

Graphic supplied by OceanFun Publishing Ltd.

For the latest wind and swell information for the Auckland area, go to: www.tidespy.com/?place=3005

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What’s on

See What’s On at localmatters.co.nz for a full list of upcoming events

July

July 6, 2016 Mahurangimatters 55

WHATS ON THIS MONTH AT THE

Warkworth RSA Friday 8th July

9

Local Vocals Choir performance, Wellsford Community Centre, 7pm (see story p50)

10

Warkworth War on Weeds weed-busting day, meet at The Glade, off Mariners Grove, Algies Bay, 10am-1pm

10

Wellsford Country Music Club open mic and resident band, Wellsford Community Centre, 1.30pm. Entry $5/$4. Info: John 425 4041

11

Auckland Libraries school holiday programme ‘Game On’ (see story p49)

11

Art workshop, upcycled/repurposed clothing with Joy Bell, Warkworth Clubrooms, 4 Alnwick Street, 9am-12noon. Gold coin donation

2’s a Crowd Saturday 9th July

Dennis Marsh & Brendan Dugan Friday 15th July

Gary Pallett Friday 22nd July

Kavalliers

Saturday 23rd July

Comedy Night Headline Simon McKinney Friday 29th July

John McGough

12

Matariki Shakespeare performance, SolOthello Te Ao Marama Marae, Te Hana. Free

Anyone can join, just roll up after 11am or give us a call!

13

Snells Beach Garden Circle meeting, Betty Paxton room, Mahurangi Community Centre, Snells Beach. Cut flowers & floral art on display.

Alison Grant presents on Sissinghurst Garden, Kent. Info: Barbara 425 5371

28 Neville Street, Warkworth Phone 425 8568

15

Harcourts playhouse auction, Omaha Golf Club, from 6.30pm.

Fundraiser for Warkworth Wellsford Hospice (see story p25)

15

Nominations open for local board and council candidates. Info: lgnz.co.nz/vote2016

17

Planting at Cement Works Walkway, access from Kowhai View, 9am-12noon. Organised by Forest and Bird

17

Barbara Plays the Bechstein and the Bass, Leigh Sawmill Cafe, Leigh, 5-7pm. $5

18

Art workshop, working with glass, run by Glass Gallery owner Inge Chappell, Warkworth Clubrooms, 4 Alnwick Street, 9am-12noon. Gold coin donation

18-22 Kids’ Holiday Programme, Warkworth Presbyterian Church, 9am12.30pm. Theme: Olympic Games for children. Gold coin donation.

Info: Ann 425 0966 19

Gentle Care in Death talk, New Masonic Hall, Baxter Street, 2pm to 4pm (see story p28)

21

Forest & Bird winter talks, Goat Island Marine Reserve: Take a Closer Look, with local experts Tony & Jenny Enderby, Totara Park Hall, Warkworth, 7.30pm

22

Incontinence talk, Summerset Falls Retirement Village, Warkworth, 2.30pm (see story p26)

22-23 Waipu Art ‘n’ Tartan wearable art show 23

Warkworth RSA Comedy Night, Warkworth RSA. Tickets $20. Info: 425 8568 (see story p50)

25

Entries to the Warkworth Film Competition close (see story p16)

25

Whangateau Folk Club, featuring Dirt Road Orchestra from Puhoi, Whangateau Hall, 7pm. $10

25

Art workshop, book art with Gillian Carlsson, Warkworth Clubrooms, 4 Alnwick Street, 9am-12noon. Gold coin donation

26

Kourawhero Rural Women meeting, Kourawhero Hall, 641 Woodcocks Rd, 1-3.30pm. Info: Bev Pearce 422 2155

26

Warkworth Comedy Night, Warkworth RSA, Tickets $20. Info: 425 8568

29

Comedy Hypnotist Gerard V, Wellsford School fundraiser, Wellsford Bowling Club. Doors open 6pm, for 7pm start. Tickets $30 pp

31

Puhoi Farmers Market, Puhoi Domain, 9am-1pm. Info: 0274 27 0440, Email puhoifarmersmarket@gmail.com

List your event directly on our What’s On calendar at localmatters.co.nz/whatson or email the details to editor@localmatters.co.nz

56 Mahurangimatters July 6, 2016

localmatters.co.nz

Sideline culture deters whistle blowers The number of people prepared to put their hands up to become referees is dwindling because of the sideline culture of spectators, according to some sporting bodies.

Many junior games are officiated by parents and club members, but senior fixtures require qualified referees to manage the game.

The Northland Rugby Referees Association currently has 48 officials to cover 46 matches per weekend.

Referee education officer Boris Jurlina says that means with a few injuries, they are inevitably short.

“We are not getting the youngsters filtering through into the system,” he says.

The average age of referees in the Northland association is 52.

Of the 48 officials, 55 per cent are over the age of 50 and three are over 70.

“The sideline culture is discouraging young guys from coming into the set-up,” Boris says.

Following a decision by the Northland Rugby Referees Association, the fields are now roped off and a code of ethics has been introduced to try and prevent sideline abuse.

Boris says it is a national problem that has been going on for some time.

The Northern Football Federation has has similar experiences.

There are 14 qualified referees in the Rodney district who can officiate senior matches.

Mike Hadnett from NFF says one of the reasons referees leave the sport is due to sideline abuse.

ROSA president Lee Laughton says the football league offers referee training through NFF, but has received little enthusiasm from people in the community.

“People just don’t want to get involved,” he says.

Too many people are willing to sit back and let

Numerous sports across the Rodney region are struggling to find match officials for senior games with the sideline culture of spectators suspected to be the root cause.

others do the work, Lee says.

Warkworth Hockey committee member Maree Todd says each game requires two umpires and currently players are filling the gap, but this means the standard of umpiring fluctuates.

Sideline behaviour is steering people away from becoming umpires, Maree says.

“We need to have a fundamental change of attitude towards our umpires,” she says.

“They need more respect, which could make the job more appealing.

“I believe if we are hard on youngsters at school and enforce strong penalties such as standing down a player who argues, then it will stamp out this disrespect. This has to also apply to seniors. It’s time

for a change.”

The number of experienced umpires with Rodney Netball is well down from last year, according to centre president Lynette Gubb.

“Abuse is definitely a factor in umpires leaving,” she says.

“The attitude of players also affects the numbers, especially with new umpires who aren’t confident and don’t want to be targeted.

“We have made it clear to all of our umpires that they can approach the committee if any issues arise.”

The netball season started with an address to all players, coaches, managers and umpires about court etiquette and behaviour.

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