Hibiscus Matters_Issue 351_10 July 2023

The nation’s second Matariki public holiday is on July 14, but already some locals have been getting in the Matariki mood. This performance by Ōrewa College’s kapa haka group was part of the Matariki Festival that took place on June 30 at the college. The festival debuted last year at Whangaparāoa College, and the host schools will alternate. This year saw more than 200 students take part, with performances by kapa haka and pasifika groups from Whangaparāoa, Ōrewa, Kaipara and Mahurangi Colleges. Upcoming Matariki events are featured in this issue.

Toll puts Penlink back in political arena

Former Transport Minister Michael Wood’s decision to toll the O Mahurangi Penlink road, made earlier this year, has come under fire following the public release of contrary advice he received from his own ministry.

In light of this, local Councillor John Watson, and the National Party transport

spokesperson Simeon Brown, are investigating whether or not the decision can be reversed.

Information released under the Official Information Act last month revealed that Ministry of Transport officials told the former minister last year that Waka Kotahi’s business case, its consultation

process and the lack of public support, meant the toll proposal failed three of the four statutory tests under the Land Transport Management Act Section 48. Despite this advice, former Minister Wood favoured Waka Kotahi’s application for tolling, which supported tolling to recover the costs of tolling infrastructure and

ongoing road maintenance. The main tests for tolling required under the Act relate to alternative routes, the effectiveness of the scheme and the adequacy and outcome of public consultation. The alternative route via Silverdale met

Photo, Rachel Slacke.

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the criteria, but the ministry’s assessment was that because the toll would encourage traffic to use the free (Silverdale) route, any change in CO2 emissions, public transport use and congestion would be nominal; and the net toll revenue could be less than the costs incurred by tolling.

O Mahurangi proposed toll – Overall Sentiment

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The ministry also considered that Waka Kotahi’s public consultation was incomplete, particularly in relation to traffic diversion, and it noted that public support was less “than for most other tolling schemes” – 60 percent opposed tolling (see box, right).

“The Business Case suggests that tolling Penlink is not in the public interest,” the ministry concluded.

Waka Kotahi project director, Norman Collier, says independent modelling showed that the toll road would take pressure off the Silverdale interchange. He says that the report detailing the effects on traffic volumes on key existing roads was provided online, with links in consultation material. Collier says Waka Kotahi’s business case demonstrated the advantages of tolling which include encouraging public transport use and CO2 emission savings.

In releasing his tolling decision in April, former Minister Wood said although Government is funding the construction of the road, it would cost $3m each year to maintain.

“The fairest option is for drivers who use the road to contribute to ongoing maintenance through tolls,” he said. “By using tolling, the community can be assured the road will be maintained to a high level, as that income will only be used for that purpose.”

Local Councillors John Watson and Wayne Walker opposed tolling, as did the Hibiscus & Bays Local Board.

Cr Watson says the information revealed in the documents casts real doubt over the legitimacy of the entire process surrounding the decision to toll Penlink.

“I cannot understand how, after reading this advice, Michael Wood persisted with a

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recommendation to toll – it runs contrary to everything he was told by his own officials,” Cr Watson says.

Transport minister David Parker says he has no plans to review his predecessor’s decision. However, Cr Watson is seeking clarification as to what course of action may be available to challenge the decision, including a judicial review.

Meanwhile, National Party transport spokesperson, Simeon Brown, says if National wins this year’s election, it will reconsider the tolling decision.

“Not only has the Ministry of Transport advised that the toll will significantly reduce the benefits of the project, but the Labour-led Government also reduced the scope of this project from a four-lane road to a two-lane road, meaning motorists will be paying more for less,” Brown says.

“National will reconsider this decision in light of this new information.”

Majority opposes toll

In recommending tolling, Waka Kotahi not only acted contrary to the views of local Councillors and the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board, but also went against public sentiment – submissions showed 60 percent of submitters opposed tolling. The public submissions on tolling were among the documents revealed under the Official Information Act. Until then, Waka Kotahi had kept them under wraps. More than 3300 submissions came in, with 60 percent opposed to tolling, 20 percent in support and 17 percent seeking lower tolls. The reasons for supporting tolling included agreeing that user pays should meet the road’s operational and maintenance costs, and the option of a free alternative route. Those opposed felt that those ongoing costs should be funded by Government and that insufficient public transport options meant people needed to drive, with tolling creating an unfair financial burden. The submission documents are linked to this story at localmatters.co.nz

Key Gulf Harbour site withdrawn from sale

A prime development site in Gulf Harbour town centre that was put up for mortgagee sale last month has been taken off the market again.

The land is owned by Harbourside Group. The site, known as Lot 3, Harbour Village Drive, is around 8547sqm at the head of the canal, bordered by both Harbour Village and Gulf Harbour Drive.

Bayleys Real Estate agent Ben Clare confirmed last week that the site had been taken off the market before the tender was due to close, on June 27.

Clare said one reason that this can happen is if a property owner and lender are able to come to an agreement. The land is zoned Business Local Centre, which allows a wide range of uses including retail, commercial services, office space, food and beverage and residential.

Bayleys marketing information for the site suggested that the best use for it could be multi-unit residential apartments or accommodation with ground floor retail, a boutique retirement complex or hospitality/commercial premises.

A story in Hibiscus Matters a year ago made public plans that Harbourside Group put before neighbouring residents for a substantial high rise (5-8 storey) development on this site, together with two adjacent ones.

The proposal included around 230 retirement apartments, a 100-bed aged care home, retail, commercial space and car parking. There has since been no resource consent application for this proposed development.

Representatives of Harbourside Group were contacted but declined to comment other than to say that the mortgagee sale has been withdrawn.

Boards wrestle with Kauri Kids dilemma

Local boards have been put between a rock and a hard place following Auckland Council’s decision to get out of direct provision of early childhood education and leave it to local boards to keep Kauri Kids going if they can (HM June 26)

The Council-funded childcare centres include one in Stanmore Bay, alongside the Leisure Centre, and its supporters are fighting to keep it open. That decision sits with the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board, which also has a Kauri Kids Centre in Browns Bay.

Hibiscus and Bays Local Board member Gregg Walden says there have been heated discussions in confidential meetings because members want to support the community, but from a business point of view, he says it does not make sense to keep the centres going.

“We hear, and feel, the pleas from the community, but the reality is, it’s hard to make the numbers work from a business perspective,” he says.

A presentation to the local board public forum at its June 27 meeting by Red Beach parent Jessica McLean, highlighted the value of the Stanmore Bay Kauri Kids to local families. She credited the facility and its staff with enabling her to return to work, describing the service as affordable, flexible, and high-quality childcare.

“We really need it – I am here in desperation,” she said. “It is very important to us that it stays open.”

She said current Council ideology is “only infrastructure,

roads, rates and rubbish” – but what about social infrastructure? She told members that any other suitable centres are “super expensive”.

“If our babies aren’t well cared for, and the cost of living and rent is so high, then in my mind Council can help and it’s win-win,” she said.

While various figures for the profitability of the centres are disputed, or discussed in confidential meetings only, local board deputy chair Julia Parfitt describes the Stanmore Bay centre’s profitability as “marginal”.

However, she is supportive of the centres, which she says cater beautifully for a wide variety of children, including those who are neurodiverse.

She says options to keep them open could include forming a Trust or renting the centres as a commercial proposition – “but at the end of the day, we could be liable for any losses,” she says.

“It is difficult to make a business decision without the level of financial detail needed and a number of local boards are going off the idea, because we’re not really equipped to run a daycare centre,” Parfitt says. “We have to be very prudent with our limited funds, but we’re also concerned about the families.”

The Hibiscus and Bays Local Board’s decision will be made at either its July 25 or August 22 business meeting.

Have your say on local priorities

Local board plans set the direction for the area over the next three years and are developed in consultation with the community. The latest draft Hibiscus & Bays Local Board Plan has set priorities that include supporting groups who are working with youth, as well as a focus on emergency response and community resilience. The plan includes suggested priorities for environmental issues such as the possibility of managed retreat in some parks and reserves, advocating for more sedimentation compliance monitoring, and making it easier for residents to recycle. The draft plan also includes advocating to Waka Kotahi around planning the future of the remnants of the Archers Block land as a reserve, following the completion of O Mahurangi Penlink. The local board is also joining with Rodney Local Board to advocate for a Rural Roads Design Guide, as the Coast’s rural areas have different needs in relation to footpaths and lighting than urban areas. Consultation opens on July 13 and runs until August 14.

There will be an opportunity to provide input in person at a Have Your Say event at Ōrewa Library on Tuesday, July 25, 2pm-4pm. You can also make an online submission, and find out more information, at https:// akhaveyoursay.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/hub-page/localboard-plans-2023 Hard copies of the draft plan and feedback forms will be available at libraries and service centres.

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The future of the land at the head of Gulf Harbour canal is still in the hands of its owner, Harbourside Group.

Waterwise programme needs trailer back

The search is on for a stolen trailer that is used for Waterwise courses at local schools.

It was stolen from a padlocked, secure area at Whangaparāoa Primary School on the night of Saturday, June 17.

No other Waterwise equipment was taken, however Whangaparāoa School principal, Kevin Cronin, says the trailer was used to steal fencing material that had been hired by builders doing upgrade work at the school.

The trailer is unique – it has no flat deck, just a frame to support the rescue inflatable. The top section has a frame to carry six kayaks.

A Waterwise spokesperson says without the trailer to transport its rescue inflatable, Optimist boats and kayaks to venues, students will not be able to take part in the programme.

“These activities are essential as students learn about water safety prior to going out on the water, while in the water, and on return from the water,” the spokesperson says.

Waterwise is hoping that the community may be able to help by providing information that leads to the recovery of the trailer

If you see this trailer, please contact the police or email nzschoolswaterwise@gmail.com

Have you seen this trailer, which was stolen from Whangaparāoa Primary last month?

Consultation on Council Māori seats begins

Auckland Council will consult the public regarding the introduction of Māori seats onto the Governing Body, with public feedback open from August 21until September 24.

In a press release, Rose Leonard, Auckland Council’s Manager of Governance Services, says any decision on Māori seats for the council is significant.

“It is about how Māori are represented in Tāmaki Makaurau, and how Aucklanders are represented by their Governing Body,” Leonard says.

“This consultation is an opportunity for mana whenua, Māori and the wider public to tell us whether or not they want the council to introduce Māori seats. It’s a decision that will affect us all, so we encourage everyone to participate and have their say.”

If such seats are introduced, there are two ways to fill them – by election, or by appointment, such as through a selection

panel or mana whenua forum. Currently in Auckland there is no ability to make appointments to the Governing Body –to do so would require new legislation. In an election, Māori seats are elected by those on the Māori electoral roll and the council would need to establish one or more Māori wards from which those seats would be elected.

Council must use a formula from the Local Electoral Act 2001to determine how many members on a council can be elected from one or more Māori wards. The legislation does not provide for elected Māori seats on local boards.

Council’s Governing Body is currently made up of the mayor and 20 elected ward councillors.

A Māori ward councillor would make decisions alongside those elected representatives.

At the Governing Body meeting on June 22, when councillors approved

the consultation document, several councillors raised concerns about mentioning the Independent Māori Statutory Board (IMSB) in the consultation material.

The IMSB is an appointed, independent body that Council is legislatively required to have.

The board has voting rights with up to two seats on council committees, however it does not have a seat on the Governing Body. The decision was made to include information about the IMSB in the consultation material.

From August 21-September 24 you can have your say at https://akhaveyoursay. aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/

Feedback can also be given online, via email or post and at Have Your Say events.

If the council votes to introduce Māori seats in the next local elections, it must do so by November 23 to meet the Local Electoral Act 2001 deadline.

Lubeck bill becomes law

The timeframe to raise a personal grievance for sexual harassment will soon increase from 90 days to 12 months, following the final passage through Parliament of the Employment Relations (Extended Time for Personal Grievance for Sexual Harassment) Amendment Bill. The bill was sponsored by Labour List MP Marja Lubeck of Mahurangi. Once it becomes law, all new employment agreements will need to specifically reference the 12 months within which an employee can raise a grievance. The rationale is to allow victims more time to consider whether they want to bring a personal grievance. The bill received bipartisan support from across Parliament and Lubeck says it will ensure employees have time to process what has happened to them before deciding to come forward and proceed in a manner that best suits them and their family. “Reporting sexual harassment can be difficult and it is common for victims to wait a long time before coming forward,” she says. Lubeck is not contesting the October election and will give her valedictory speech in Parliament on August 15.

John Watson, Hibiscus & Bays Councillor john.watson@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

Asset sales déjà vu

This year there was a lot of talk surrounding Auckland Council’s budget – “sell the airport shares or face massive rates increases and cuts to services’’ was the battle cry trumpeted far and wide.

In reality selling the shares was the “…easy, lazy option” as councillors were told by an investment specialist (his words not mine) – “sell them all, or sell some and watch that debt climb right back up again.” He’d seen it all before, as have I.

What wasn’t talked about, was at the budget meeting itself a group of eight councillors put up an alternative budget: (a) preventing the sale of any airport shares (b) keeping the rate increase at 6.8 percent (lower than that eventually passed) (c) restoring cuts to local boards and Kauri Kids and (d) increasing short term debt to allow the Long Term Plan process the chance to confront the very real structural changes required to address the ever-expanding hole between revenue and spending.

These recommendations, however, were voted down…twice! This was due to pressure to sell the airport shares no matter what, as quickly and as many as possible. This is exactly what bureaucrats have been attempting to do since 2021 (when they were summarily dismissed by Phil Goff – a man not exactly averse to selling off public assets but even he drew the line at the airport shares).

It’s also what’s happened previously with other income earning funds like the $335m Diversified Assets Portfolio gifted

(like the airport shares) and disposed of entirely within 18 months. Similarly the disestablishment of ACIL, the independent investment CCO that produced record returns from council investments. They got the chop and the assets returned to Finance and Treasury to be systematically sold down. Now the first 7 percent parcel of airport shares will go, despite the fact from 2011 to 2019 airport shareholder returns increased from $70 million to $2.471 billion – an increase of $2.4 billion in shareholder returns to council made up of capital growth and dividends in just eight years ($586m since last year alone)! No wonder there’s no shortage of buyers lining up to get their hands on them, “… a rare, high quality infrastructure business” as brokers say.

The sale of our most valuable asset should have been a last resort. Instead it was the first – an easy way out that serves only to repeat the ‘debt, rating and asset sale’ cycle a little while longer without any attempt to address the much harder task of cutting costs while delivering the same or similar services.

“Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me,” the old saying goes.

At Auckland Council however, we continue with the same failed policies even though in 2023 we’re almost at endgame, with only the balance of airport shares and Ports of Auckland left (and maybe some golf courses). If they go, then that’s it, there would be nothing left, job done in little over a decade. The Barbarians will have sacked Rome.

AT proposes cutting ferry service

A proposal to end the ferry service from Gulf Harbour to/from downtown Auckland has broadsided ferry users and local Councillors. It was discovered as part of AT’s draft regional public transport plan, which goes out for consultation next week. The proposal is to withdraw the service following completion of O Mahurangi Penlink, expected to be in 2027. Public consultation on the plan will be open from July 17-August 14. More on this in the July 24 issue of Hibiscus Matters.

Advisor appointed for airport shares sale

Auckland Council has appointed UBS NZ as financial advisor on the initial stage of the sell-down of some of its shares in Auckland International Airport. On June 29, Council adopted its Annual Budget 2023/2024, which incorporates the sell-down of around 7 percent of those shares, with the proceeds to be applied to debt retirement. Council is considering a range of sale structures and timings for the sell-down process and no final decision on those has yet been made.

Marja Lube ck

YourOpinion

Contributions to this page are welcome but letters under 250 words are preferred. We reserve the right to abridge as necessary. Unabridged versions can be read at www.localmatters.co.nz/opinion Letters should be sent to terry@localmatters.co.nz or 21 Florence Ave, Ōrewa 0931. Note: We do not publish abusive or unsigned letters.

Road as it copes with more traffic and higher speeds than it was designed for. Sadly, these potholes have been very poorly repaired by Auckland Transport, which has exacerbated the problem: in this, we are in full agreement with the correspondent.

Editor’s note: Auckland Transport was also offered the opportunity to respond to the letter, but declined to comment.

Centreway a disgrace

The condition of Centreway Road in Ōrewa is a disgrace – potholes galore,which are patched up in a temporary sort of way which doesn’t last. All this has only occurred since trucks and machinery have ripped up the road during the major build of The Grove lifestyle block which has been going on for a very long time. Surely there must be some responsibility to rectify this unfortunate situation by the builders or owners of the property without funds from the long suffering tax payer expected to foot the bill?

Sue Norwood, Ōrewa

The Grove Ōrewa director, Sandy Foster, responds: “We understand that ongoing construction which impacts on road use can be very frustrating for local residents. It is an unfortunate that, for construction to happen, there can be some disruption of road use. In order to minimise this, we, and Auckland Council, require our contractor to have an approved traffic management plan which enables the use of the road in the vicinity of construction to happen safely and in a controlled manner. The plan is regularly checked by Auckland Council to ensure that our contractor is compliant with the plan. The effect of this is generally to slow traffic down around our site. This may be frustrating, but lower speeds result in less road damage. With regard to road damage, I believe it is unfair to try to lay this at our door. In fact, there are fewer areas of road damage within our traffic management area than the rest of Centreway Road. We refute the allegation that we are responsible for the damage along Centreway Road, and that the damage has only started since we began construction. This is unfounded and incorrect. As you will be aware, Auckland Transport changed Beach Road to a 30kph zone a while back, which has resulted in a great deal more traffic on Centreway Road, especially larger vehicles. This has resulted in potholes all the way along Centreway

Flood relief funds

I was pleased to hear the flood relief money raised at the concert at Paraoa was going locally. I think it was around $4500? Could you please find out for me how that was spent?

Sharon Mortimer, Stanmore Bay

Editor’s note: The total raised was $4600. Local board chair Gary Brown (who organised the charity event with Paraoa Brewing) advises that the money is still with Eventfinda, three months after the gig, as what it will be spent on is still being discussed. Brown and Paraoa want it to be spent locally. Brown says that one idea is to buy equipment such as tents or stretchers that can be stored locally and used in emergency shelters when needed in Civil Defence emergencies.

Keep reading Eva

Regarding Ōrewa College student Eva Miseriaux’s love of books (HM letters, June 26). Ninety-nine-year-old Charlie Munger, extremely successful person and philanthropist, said, “I have never known one, not one, wise person that did not read every day”. Eva, your love of books is a lifelong treasure of exploration and discovery. Eva comments that modern books are more relevant to the time and she can learn more from them. But remember too that knowing our history is so important to see why we are, who we are, and question our customs, traditions and beliefs. Are they ours or have we just accepted someone else’s and adopted them? In that respect, a must read for every young person is Aldous Huxley’s A Brave New World. The best books, I have discovered by pure chance, are from second hand bookshops like Book Heaven in Red Beach. Good reading, and much success in writing – a love of books will never let you down. Maybe start reading the classics in 20 years’ time?

Geoff Hansen, Hatfields Beach

everything done to perfection.

A funeral is a time for saying goodbye but also for reconnecting with friends and whanau. That’s why at Dils Hibiscus Coast, we put as much care into your reception as we do with every other part of the service. Our door is always open, so come by for a cuppa and discover the Dil’s difference.

A feast of Ukranian food was served at a fundraising lunch and art auction at Estuary Arts Centre in Ōrewa on July 1. Co-organiser Kateryna Samokisha (Katia) of Manly was very happy with the turnout – a total of 62 people, some of Ukranian descent, attended the lunch. Twenty Ukranians were involved in cooking, serving guests and setting up the space to look like a Ukranian restaurant. The menu included borsch, varenyky (dumplings), sweet poppy seed buns and medovyk (honey cake). In a speech, Katia’s husband, Kyrylo Kucherov, said that the people of Ukraine will keep fighting and not negotiate with Russia because “Russians do not honour their word”. “Ukrainians do not want to trade their children’s lives, freedom, and future for any futile agreements. For ‘those who give up their liberties for safety, get neither’, but those who strive against the bullies will gain security and future. Let us go forward together with our united strength for the future of our children,” he said. Around $10,000 was raised from the art auction, lunch and donations. All proceeds go to Ukraine via the Tautoko Ukraine Charitable Trust, supplying aid to the most affected regions. Katia says they are also extremely grateful for around 20 huge boxes of toys and kids clothing that were provided by Coasties. Photos, Yaryna Pochtarenko.

From top, Some of the team behind the Ukranian lunch. Guests enjoyed a three course lunch. At the lunch, from left, Mary’ana Kozakevych, Katia, Olga Vorobey and Dasha Volga.

Candidate hops from DNZ to Leighton Baker

Bill Dyet has only had a short time in politics, but already he has changed parties.

Earlier this year, the Okura resident was selected by Matt King’s Democracy NZ Party (DNZ) as its candidate for the Whangaparāoa electorate in this year’s general election (HM May 29)

But last month, he announced he has left DNZ to join the Leighton Baker Party. He says he joined DNZ because he met its leader, Matt King, at a public event, got to know him and respected him for resigning from National.

“I still like Matt, however it later became clear to me that the board is running DNZ, not just Matt,” Dyet says. “This board authority structure works for a major, wellestablished party like National, but not for a new minor party where supporters and candidates join up primarily for the cause, rather than to get into Parliament. In a new

party, the leader and the candidates have to sell the party to their supporters and are likewise readily available to supporters and held accountable by them. None of this applies to the Board.”

In Dyet’s view, in a minor party, the board should operate in a purely administrative role, supporting the leader and the candidates.

“It should be the leader and the top candidates who ultimately enter into negotiations with a potential coalition partner after the election, not the board, which, in the case of DNZ, have a past association with National and do not have to front up to the supporters. That’s not a good look for the ‘freedom’ voters and supporters who want nothing to do with the National Party.”

Dyet says he may stand in either the Whangaparāoa or East Coast Bays electorate for his new party.

Bill Dyet

Tina Jones recognised for crucial work in mental health

When Tina Jones, a counsellor with a background of supporting families facing devastating loss, came to New Zealand from the UK 18 years ago, she was stunned when confronted by an especially grim statistic.

“I thought, what could happen in such a beautiful country as this?” she recalled last week. “And then I was so shocked to hear that it has the highest rates of youth suicide in the developed world.”

For eight years Jones worked with the police in Victim Support, responding to situations where young people had taken their own lives. It was that experience, she said, that gave birth to her passion for working with those in crisis.

In 2014 she co-founded Youth in Transition in Whangaparāoa, with the aim of delivering quality mental health interventions “so that no young person in our community would have to reach the point of crisis” – or even more tragically die by suicide.

Years of dedication in a challenging, crucial area of work were recognised in the recent King’s Birthday Honours, when Jones was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to suicide prevention and mental health. She described her investiture ceremony as a very special day.

“A time for reflection, for me to look back at all the wonderful people in the team that I’ve got around me, and their unfailing belief in what we do.”

Jones said the government has recognised the need to move away from large-scale mental health service responses, to enable communities to nurture and support their loved ones. “And that is exactly what has worked for us here at Youth in Transition,” she said.

community has been extraordinary, the way it rallied around us and came together to help us to help these young people.”

When she began Youth in Transition,, Jones said she quickly realised that help often wasn’t available as many of the young people could not afford therapy.

“Our programme is completely free, and we’ve been very fortunate to have had so many amazing people who have funded counselling for these young people.”

Since its beginning, Youth in Transition

has helped more than 700 young people and their families. It currently has 200 young people from the Hibiscus Coast and North Shore in its programme.

“These kids are not ‘the worried well’. These are kids that didn’t want to be here,” Jones said. “We are helping them to get back into life worth living.”

Jones said she saw her King’s Birthday Honours recognition as “a dedication to all the many young people I’ve had the privilege to meet along the way, and whose stories have touched my life deeply. Their

courage and bravery and resilience in the face of incredible adversity has never ceased to inspire me.”

Youth in Transition was now seeing youngsters who six years ago were themselves in places of deep despair, coming back to mentor others and share their skills.

“It’s a testimony of the effectiveness of the whole community coming together, because this community is something else. We could not have done it without them.”

Info: www.youthintransition.org.nz/

Tina Jones, left, with Governor-General Cindy Kiro at her investiture ceremony in Wellington. “This

Their courage, bravery and resilience in the face of incredible adversity has never ceased to inspire me.

House of Travel Ōrewa

The travel industry has had a lot of ups and downs since Covid-19, but Dennis Payne of House of Travel Ōrewa says things are now better than ever, and the time was right to set up new premises in Ōrewa town centre. “We never went away, but we did a lot of working from home, dealing with clients’ credits and refunds,” Dennis says. With around 40 years’ in the business, Dennis has a good perspective on ‘the new normal’ with demand for travel through the roof, and House of Travel’s five staff busier than ever.

It’s a people-focused industry, and Dennis says that is what House of Travel’s brand new premises, opposite the Nautilus, is set up for.

Alongside reception is an area where you can discuss your travel hopes and dreams with an agent, in lounge-like comfort. Dennis says it is key to match the travel

Generations of service

needs of each client with the right agent.

“That’s how the really productive conversations happen,” he says.

He says between himself and agents Lee Broadbent, Bea Jennins and Christine Boshoff there is a very wide range of expertise.

“We take the time to focus on the travellers themselves – finding the best way to achieve what they want to do. The pressure of numbers travelling is huge – so getting onto a particular flight, tour or cruise is not as straightforward as it once was. People want the security of booking with an agent, as opposed to simply looking for the cheapest fare online.”

Dennis says he and the team are excited to be back in Ōrewa, looking after both long term and new clients.

“It was 20 years ago that I took over House of Travel Ōrewa, and we’re still here – definitely something worth celebrating,” he says.

WE’RE BACK AND WE’RE SERIOUS ABOUT YOUR TRAVEL EXPERIENCES.

We’ve re-opened in Orewa, and our passion for creating special travel for you is stonger than ever. We’ve learned a few things, we know the best way to do this well is to get close-up and personal about what you want most out of your journey. Make an appointment now and we’ll match you up with the agent best suited to your destination. If you call in we’ll ask you if you have made an appointment, because our team are already working with people who want the best out of their travel experiences.

Five members of two Hibiscus Coast families have been honoured for a combined 140 years of service to Hato Hone St John, an achievement highlighting their multigenerational contributions to the community.

At an event in Silverdale on July 2, Barbara Everiss, 67, of Ōrewa received a medal for 50 years of service – although all told, she has been attached to St John in Hibiscus Coast for almost 54 years, since beginning as a cadet in 1969.

That service has included 20 years as a voluntary ambulance officer, more than 40 years as a member of the area committee –she’s just been re-elected for another threeyear term – and custodian of the hall in Silverdale.

Barbara sits at the centre of three generations of St John volunteers. Her mother, Margaret Christie, was involved until the age of 94. She turns 100 in September.

Barbara’s son Andrew, 39, was recognised for 20 years’ service, including 10 years as a frontline paramedic, and more than a decade in management positions. He is now district operations manager for Auckland.

Barbara was first introduced to St John by friends in the 1960s, when the division was based “in the little scout den down the other end of Ōrewa beach”. It later moved to leaking premises in Silverdale until those blew down in severe storms in 1978, and the current facility was built.

“It’s a wonderful organisation to belong to, and one which generations of family get hooked on – it gets into your blood,” she

and Bays

Our local board has come up with a three-year plan outlining the key initiatives we want to focus on.

Now we need your help to check if we’ve got it right.

Submissions must be received by 4pm Monday 14 August.

For more information go to:

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Dennis Payne

I t ’s your place. Your voice.

From left, Helen Graham-Shore, Andrew Graham, Margaret Graham, Barbara and Andrew Everiss. Photo, Harrison’s Photography

Barbara and Andrew Everiss.

said. “I couldn’t imagine life without it.”

“I have loved every day of my career to date,” said Andrew Everiss. “It is never lost on me that we have a unique privilege to walk into a complete stranger’s life at the worst possible time and make a positive difference. It’s an amazing opportunity.”

“The recognition of 20 years’ service is special, standing next to mum getting her 50 years’ service medal is the real privilege,” he said. “The example that she has set for our family regarding service to the community has been paramount in my career, and the drive to do the best we can for our patients.”

Also honoured for their contributions were three members of the Graham family:

Margaret, 63, of Red Beach was recognised for 35 years as a volunteer, while her husband Andrew, 62, received a 25-year medal and their 41-year-old daughter Helen GrahamShore a medal marking 10 years.

Margaret, also a member of the area committee, has a comparable history of family service: Her grandfather was an ambulance driver, Margaret became a cadet aged 11 in 1971, her daughter Helen has been volunteering for a decade, and all seven of Margaret’s grandchildren are also involved.

Margaret’s husband Andrew began volunteering on the ambulances in the mid-1990s in Wellsford, where he was a high school teacher.

It could be hard at times, she recalled. “You’d get a call out in the middle of the night and you’d never know who you’re going out to. At school the next day somebody says, ‘soand-so is not at school’ and you’re thinking, yeah, no, he’s not coming.”

Andrew is currently St John’s clinical programme and moderation manager.

“Why do we do it? Because of the knowledge we can pass on to others,” Margaret said.

“We just love it,” Barbara agreed. “We don’t ask for rewards, but it is nice to be honoured.”

From left, Helen Graham-Shore, Andrew Graham and Margaret Graham.

Barbara Everiss’ gold medal, in recognition of 50 years’ service to Hato Hone St John.

Quitting the habit – the challenges of getting off vapes

While the Government is feeling positive about the chances of reaching its smoke free 2050 target for NZ, this could be at the cost of an increase in vaping. And, according to one local vaper, getting off nicotine vapes can be even harder than quitting smoking.

For many adults, vaping has been used to quit smoking. This meant switching from cigarettes to vapes that contain nicotine. When it comes to known and well-proven impacts on health, this is seen as a definite positive – people smoke cigarettes for the nicotine but can die from diseases caused by the smoke from burning tobacco, which of course is not present in vapes. Tobacco use and breathing in other people’s smoke (second-hand smoke) causes about 5000 deaths every year in NZ, including one in four cancer deaths as well as stroke and heart disease. Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death and disease in this country. However, while getting off smoking is a win for your health, what happens when you try to quit vaping? In this respect, the key factor is the highly addictive substance, nicotine, and how much of it is in your chosen vape product.

Gulf Harbour resident Angela Gallagher successfully used vaping to get off a heavy and long- term smoking habit. Her current challenge is getting off vapes.

After smoking since she was around 14 years old, five years ago (now in her 40s) she made the change to vaping for health reasons and not on a doctor’s prescription.

“It took me about three weeks to get used to the vape which caught in my throat and made me thirsty. I also didn’t like the sound, or the way it looked compared with smoking. I had tried patches and other methods to get off smoking but none of that had worked long term. But with

vaping as long as there was a good level of nicotine I had no cravings for cigarettes. And it was a lot cheaper than smoking.”

She no longer smokes, but Angela says getting off vapes, a process she began a month ago, has been just as hard, if not harder. This is because although there are vapes that contain little or no nicotine, Angela found she needed a high level of nicotine in order to quit smoking.

She wants to quit vaping because she is unsure what the health implications are.

“My mother has emphysema and I’ve been feeling out of breath and worried that vaping might be affecting my breathing,” she says.

Angela reduced the amount of nicotine in her vapes but found that she just vaped more so went to the doctor for help.

She has been taking Zyban prescribed by her doctor which reduces withdrawal symptoms, but Angela says she cannot use the drug for more than a few months.

“It is working, but it doesn’t work for everyone,” she says. “Even so, getting off vaping was hard. I was still thinking I should be vaping and I was getting an anxious feeling. The first week was very difficult.”

methods such as lozenges, gum and patches, which are available on prescription or directly from your chemist.”

Earlier this month, Health Minister Dr Ayesha Verrall announced changes to the law mainly focused on reducing the number of young people who are taking up vaping having never smoked. It also removes single use vapes.

over the last few years.

“New Zealand’s smoking rate is half the rate of what it was 10 years ago, with the number of people smoking falling by 56,000 in the past year. We’re creating a future where tobacco products are no longer addictive, appealing or as readily available, and the same needs to apply to vaping.”

Recent health surveys show that while smoking rates go down, vaping rates are on the rise.

Having vaped, Angela says she would recommend that anyone who wants to quit smoking should try to do it without the intermediate step of vaping.

In announcing the changes, the Minister said: “We recognise we need to strike a balance between preventing young people from starting to vape, at the same time as having vapes available as a cessation tool for those who genuinely want to give up smoking.”

She said vaping has played an important role in the record reduction of smoking

“It’s just as hard to get off the vaping as cigarettes and really you’re only prolonging the nicotine addiction.”

Local Dr Peter Hall says nicotine hits the brain in about 10 seconds when inhaled.

“This can make vaping as addictive as smoking, though it avoids the thousands of other toxic substances which are found in cigarettes,” he says. “The safer option for nicotine replacement is by slow absorption

Can vaping lead to smoking?

Vaping has been promoted as a pathway away from a smoking habit, however comments made to Hibiscus Matters by a young local who has both vaped and smoked, suggest the path could also lead the other way. She asked not to be identified, as she began vaping in Year 9, after previously trying cigarettes. “Vaping was more socially appealing and it didn’t smell as bad,” she said. She was using high nicotine vapes, right from the start. Recently, she began to quit vaping and is switching to smoking. “A lot of my friends smoke now and vaping starts to feel a bit gross. I think vaping is what the younger ones like and smoking, apart from the smell, is more popular as you get older.”

OUR EXPERIENCE... GETS YOU RESULTS

Mustan took the time to listen carefully...

...to my needs and provided insightful guidance, working tirelessly to find the right tenant for my property in Orewa. His negotiation skills and market knowledge were invaluable in securing a favourable outcome, especially in this climate. I would highly recommend Mustan to anyone looking for a skilled and dedicated commercial property agent. D Cooper

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...as I signed on for my first commercial office space leasing agreement. Nothing was a problem, always willing to answer questions, help out where he could and made the process smooth. Thanks to the team at Telos Group for providing me the opportunity with the space for my first office. K Campbell

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The NZ Health Survey, released in November 2022, showed that daily smoking rates have continued to decrease, down to 8 percent from 9.4 percent the year before, At the same time, 8.3 percent of adults were daily vape or e-cigarette users in 2021/22, up from 6.2 percent the previous year. Mustan

Youth Voice

Caitlin Watson, caitewatson@gmail.com

Generations working together

Boomers are given a hard time for not having a good handle on tech, Millenials are criticised for their skinny jeans, and Gen Z for scrolling their life away on TikTok. We live in a world where generations are boxed into categories defined by key characteristics. It can be humorous to pinpoint the differences, but it can also be incredibly divisive.

This intergenerational tension is created from worldviews based on lived experiences growing up in different eras of history. However, what would happen if we engaged in more positive and constructive intergenerational dialogue? The young and the old, the Boomers (born from 1946-1964) and Gen Z (1996-2010) can learn a lot from each other. Let’s grab a metaphorical cuppa, and glean the lessons from the present and past.

Gen Z is known for their passion and desire to live with purpose. They want to do work that matters and are known for not remaining stagnant in one place. Careers are not linear. This can come with its pros and cons, but overall, I think this shows an open mindedness, sense of authenticity, adaptability and strength in taking risks. They won’t settle for the status quo and want to make a difference in the world. The lesson for other generations is to live a life of intention and not be afraid of changing careers.

For Boomers, growing up in a cash-based

society, there was not the temptation of excessive credit card spending and Afterpay. How can Gen Z and others take a note from the Boomers book and learn to live more within their means? Perhaps the lesson is to live more simply and frugally; emphasising the importance of fiscal responsibility. In a world of instant gratification, Gen Zers can tend to be impatient with long term goals and daily tasks. Boomers grew up in an era without instant messaging or nextday delivery. They learned to wait and understand that the best things in life often need time to develop. Patience nurtures resilience and waiting; lessons that can feel somewhat foreign in our fast-paced, digital society. At the same time, Gen Zers are exemplary for their empathy, social consciousness and care for mental wellbeing. These digital natives have grown up seeing the world through people sharing on social media, leading to a deeper understanding of the everyday issues people face. There is a lot that we can learn from each other, which starts with developing a culture of respect, and not discarding the relevancy of another. It is also not all black and white. For example, not all of Generation Z spend like crazy, and some Boomers are rocking Instagram (shout out to you Grandma)! However, it should be said that there are unique challenges and opportunities for every era, which involve embracing the wisdom of the past, alongside the fresh perspective and innovation of the present.

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Values and sport hand in hand feature.

A blend of life skills and sport can be a magic recipe for young people, and is the reason that two PE teachers set up Ethos Academy of Sport, four years ago.

Co-founder and lead coach, Jamie Williamson, says his school years on the Hibiscus Coast involved a lot of sport – he lists basketball, rugby, league and touch, “among others”.

He says he got a lot more out of it than physical activity.

“Sport helped me become the person I am today,” he says. “You learn things like how to work as a team, build new relationships, respect for team mates and the opposition.”

He says he and co-founder Peter Hurst, both “massive advocates of sport”, decided to start Ethos to fill a gap in terms of what sport can be used for.

“We use it as a tool to develop life skills and build positive characteristics in young people,” he says.

The programme runs on the North Shore

and Hobsonville Point and a couple of years ago, Ethos began offering its school holiday programme for 8-13-year-olds at Whangaparāoa College – the latest one ran last week.

A range of sports are available, and with each there is associated teaching about values – Jamie says the Ethos core values are respect, integrity, fortitude and loyalty.

“We talk about what those values are, what they look like in sport, or in the classroom,” Jamie says. “Teaching moments might come up in the games too.”

He says awareness of the programme is slowly growing on the Hibiscus Coast, something that takes time.

“We get great feedback and parents spread the word about it,” he says. “From my perspective, it’s great to be back up on the Coast, delivering a service I am truly passionate about.”

Info: www.ethosacademy.co.nz/

Drawing out the hidden value of art classes to mental health

Along with satisfying that creative impulse, art provides much-needed time out.

According to Marie McGregor of Seasons Art Classes, those stress relieving, mental health benefits are what she hears about the most. She says some students come to her classes with complicated and overwhelming feelings; some just for fun and some because they’ve always wanted to learn to draw and paint.

During the 14-week course, Marie says some choose to share the reasons they decided to join an art class.

In one case, after losing a partner, a student came to the classes for friendship, company and new connections while fulfilling a desire to return to a love of sketching and drawing.

“Art helped fill the void – this person had felt isolated after focusing on being a primary career for weeks and months. Art also helped them refocus on something other than profound grief and loss,” Marie says.

She says older, retired or semi-retired people, some new to the area, some living in villages, others still in the family home, are all keen to meet new people, stay connected

with the community and make new friends.

“One person lost dexterity in their fingers due to arthritis and was no longer able to use fine motor skills to continue their usual creative outlet as a jeweller. Art allowed them to continue to be creative while learning new skills.”

Some students have high stress jobs and Marie says art classes allow them to spend time on something completely different, and free the mind.

Those with very busy lives, including business owners and parents of young

families, are just looking for some time out to focus on themselves and their interests. Marie says whatever the reasons may be for someone to take up her art classes, the sessions provide a supportive group.

“It’s not just about learning to paint and draw, that’s for sure. It’s a safe space to talk about feelings and experiences – a way to build community in a fun interactive environment.”

Marie’s Seasons Art Classes are held at Red Beach Surf Club. Info: www. seasonsarthibiscus.com/

Jamie Williamson

it’s great to be back on the Coast, delivering a service I am truly passionate about ...

Imaginations

Students in Stanmore Bay School are progressing their writing, with a little help from artificial intelligence (AI). Teacher Justin Maclaren says he started using AI images in class this year, after he saw his teenage son using the technology. “It looked fun and inspiring,” he says – and that is exactly how it panned out with his Year 4 class.

The students were writing descriptions of characters from Medieval times (things like dragons, goblins and ogres) and Justin input those descriptions into the Bing AI

ignited by artificial intelligence art

Image Creator programme to generate pictures of how the characters could look.

He says it was not straightforward – some of the first images fell short of what the children had imagined and further work was done until they were happy.

The students themselves say it was a creative, fun process, even though some found the images creepy and even scary.

“It was exciting to see them come off the programme,” one student says. “Not just mine, but everyone’s.”

Recently Year 5 and 6 teacher Vicky

Zhu applied the same programme to her students’ studies about animal adaptations. They were imagining, and writing about, hybrid animals that combined their favourite adaptations from real animals. She says that seeing the AI images generated from their writing, and working to make them match what they had imagined, inspired the children, and even those who struggle with writing were very motivated to do more.

“It’s important that it’s their own writing, and only the images are from AI,” she says.

“In the past they did their own drawings too, but this works for those who don’t like drawing.”

Vicky has shared the work with a Year 1 class, and she says those students are now combining their own drawings with AI. While the teachers are well aware that there are a lot of questions and concerns around what AI might become, and how humans can keep control of it, Justin says that its limited and controlled use as a tool, the way it has been at the school, has been only positive.

AI generated hybrid animals created from the writing of Year 5 and 6, Room 13, students include: A dachshund shark hybrid made by a student who loves sausage dogs. Foxigilion (fox, hawk and lion). The Parafeant – elephant, parrot, giraffe. A kiwi, weta, wolf, combination. Cheetah, rhino, falcon, shark and crocodile.

Year 4 students from Room 19 were the first to experiment with AI images. From left, The Snoblin (snot goblin) by Noah Heise. Francesca Godderidge’s design of a Hound Dog Mistress was one of the hardest to create to her satisfaction. Luisa Thorne’s banana archer. Sasha Levshina finds the image of her Fish Queen quite scary.

Our best shot

Y puts plan to local board

YMCA North chief executive Julian Baldey made a deputation to the Local Board meeting on June 27 seeking support to take the proposal for a community and sports hub in Metro Park, Millwater, forward (HM June 12). The Stanmore Bay resident told members it is “a passion project” for him. He said he sees sporting facilities used on weekends and not the rest of the week, and clubs operating out of shipping containers. “The potential at Metro Park is to provide a place for organisations of many kinds to belong to, with revenuegenerating options such as a café,” he said. Baldey said he has discussed the project with Colin Roberts of Rodney District Sports & Community Association (Rodney Sports), one of the key organisations using Metro Park. Local board members gave the proposal a positive reception but reiterated that community engagement would be key. Baldey said that communication with other sports clubs will happen after the deputation. He also reassured members that the Y was well able to leverage money to put in the pot, alongside things such as grants. The local board has given $7500 towards a concept design, conditional on the organisation receiving regional grant funding. Baldey said the next step is to facilitate chairing of a committee of ‘key community influencers’ to move the project forward.

Paul Donegan’s Pedal to the Metal’ is a digital version of the winning print at a recent Hibiscus Coast Photographic Club competition. The challenge for members was to capture and portray motion in an image. To get the blur effect, while keeping the central subject reasonably sharp, Paul panned with his camera – following the central subject – while using a slow shutter speed. The background, wheels and mud are blurred while the driver and passenger are reasonably sharp. The picture was taken with a Sony Alpha 7 Mk4 using a 70-200mm lens. The shutter speed was 1/60 second, at F11 and ISO 100.

Hibiscus Coast Photographic Club www.hcpc.org.nz

Tales from the high seas

Mike Pignéguy has lived, worked and gone adventuring on boats since he was a young boy and this month he begins a series of talks about his many maritime experiences, at Whangaparāoa Library.

He grew up living on board the family’s boat in the Hamble River in southern England, where, he says, the river was a playground for him and his two brothers. “Our parents let us get into a dinghy and go exploring, coming home only when we were hungry,” Mike says. “I was always wondering what’s around the next headland – and I am still having those adventures.”

Mike’s father taught him how to handle a boat and at the age of 11 he began crewing on vessels sailing to France. He joined the merchant navy as soon as he turned 16 and spent 10 years travelling all over the world on those cargo carrying ships. Mike came to NZ in 1964 to work as a deck officer for the Union Steamship Company. A year later he married Dee, who had recently

arrived here from Canada. The couple have lived in Tindalls Bay for six years (Dee is Hibiscus Matters’ gardening columnist).

Mike says he “came ashore” once he was married, and trained as a primary school teacher, but the couple soon bought their first boat and have had one ever since.

The one they loved most was the 96ft Te Aroha, a cargo boat built from a single Kauri tree, which plied the route to Great Barrier every week with Mike at the helm.

The Pignéguys then had Te Aroha converted into cabins and Mike has fond memories of the 14 years that he and Dee ran “soft adventure cruises” around the coast.

On the cruises, they were frequent visitors to Tiritiri Matangi Island while regenerative planting was in its early stages there, and there were many encounters with Gulf wildlife, including Mike’s favourite seabirds, the gannets.

He also spent time in the 2000s as a relieving captain on super yachts, in the US and Bahamas. While at anchor in New York he

witnessed the 9/11 attack on the Twin Towers. Recently turned 80, Mike is still busy boating, including teaching courses for Coastguard and writing for magazines. He is teaching his 10-year-old granddaughter to sail in an 11ft dinghy.

“Every time you go out on a boat, it’s a great

Coast comedian joins stand-up lineup

Not a lot of stand-up comedy gigs find their way to Hibiscus Coast venues, but local comedian, Ocean Denham, is hopeful that a local comedy scene could grow. The 27-year-old is part of a strong line up taking the stage at Paraoa this month, with Rhys Mathewson, Itay Dom, Keegan Govind and MC Tarun Mohanbhai.

Ocean grew up on the Coast. She says singing is what got her into musical theatre, starting with a number of Centrestage productions. She has a BA in Performing Arts and thought that musical theatre would be a big part of her future, until she “fell into” stand-up, on the advice of a

friend, at an open mic night at a London club.

“In musical theatre you have to be malleable to suit different roles, but in stand-up you create a niche and don’t have to play a character as such,” Ocean says. “It can be organic and free-flowing.”

That was four years ago, and she is now carving out a niche in NZ stand-up, with gigs at places such as the Classic Theatre in Auckland.

She says other comedians are supportive of those starting out, and she is ok with the need to take the failures, as well as the highs, and develop a thick skin.

Ocean describes her comedy style, as “unapologetic – a safe space to have a fun time”.

“I say things people may want to say but they can’t. But never at the expense of anyone else,” she says. “I also sing!”

It will be only the second time she has performed locally.

“This time a lot of people know who I am. I think the audience here will be interesting as we don’t get much comedy here. But I think they’ll all be keen for a good night.”

The Stand-Up Comedy Night at Parāoa is on Thursday, July 27. Tickets from Eventfinda.

adventure,” he says. “That never changes.”

Mike’s Coastal Cruises talk, the first of a series of three, is at Whangaparāoa Library on Wednesday, July 19 at 10.30am. RSVP essential at WhangaparaoaLibraryEvents@ aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

Ocean Denham

Feast Coast Bays NZ

Mike has been at the helm of many boats and will share his experiences in a series of talks in Whangaparāoa.

into Tindalls Bay garden

They marched in under cover of darkness like a battalion of hungry, plant eating soldiers – the tropical armyworm had arrived in the Tindalls Bay garden of Hibiscus Matters’ gardening columnist, Dee Pignéguy. The destruction was evident everywhere –on brassicas, rhubarb, artichokes and peas. Tropical armyworms are not worms at all but the caterpillars of a moth (Spodoptera litura) and are easily recognised by their triangular black markings and the three horizontal yellow stripes. Moist, humid warm temperatures lead to outbreaks, and Dee says the huge rainfall events and flooding of January and February had also disrupted the lifecycle of the parasitic wasp, especially the ichneumonid wasp, which is the main predator of tropical armyworm.

According to Landcare Research, tropical armyworm is well established in Northland and Auckland. High numbers of the caterpillars can consume large quantities of pasture and maize crops. They also thrive on vegetable crops.

The strong flying adult moth is active in the evenings and at night, and an invasion can quickly get out of hand as the moth lays many fluffy egg masses, which hatch within four days. The small, voracious caterpillars strip the vegetation as they grow, reaching 45mm long and changing colour from the initial greenish, to yellowish brown and finally a brownish colour when ready to pupate. Action was required and Dee was in her

garden after dark, flashlight in hand, searching for, and destroying, the invaders.

“Some as small as pins were attached ramrod straight to the stalks of very small seedlings and some were full grown and as long as my little finger,” she says. “During the day I herded my small flock of hens into the garden and let them scratch about in the dirt for the intruders and eat what was left of any vegetables and now I am relying on some truly cold weather. The experts tell me that the tropical armyworm will need temperatures above 10°C to overwinter.”

Dee says Neem Oil is also effective at killing armyworm. “Put one or two teaspoons of Neem Oil in three litres of warm water in a spray bottle with a teaspoon of liquid soap and spray twice a week,” Dee advises.

She says more long term solutions are afoot in her garden. “The armyworm like the cyclones, wind and rain events that are a harbinger of climate change and to that end we are in the process of building a controlled environment for growing vegetables.”

Fall armyworms also present

A more recent arrival in NZ that is a big concern because it attacks a wide variety of edible crops is fall armyworm (also a caterpillar, Spodoptera frugiperda)

It is related to, and can be easily confused with, tropical armyworm, particularly in the larval (caterpillar) stage. This pest that can feed on over 350 plant species, preferring grasses and cereals, especially sweetcorn and maize.

It was first detected in New Zealand in February 2022 after being carried here on storm fronts from Australia. After initial attempts to eradicate it failed, three months ago Biosecurity New Zealand and its industry partners agreed to shift the focus to long-term management of the pest. During Dee’s nightly forays she has also found a few fall armyworms, which have dark heads and are usually a light brown colour.

“Luckily, they need a tropical climate to establish their army, so hopefully the changing climate will not continue to help them overrun us here on the Coast,” she says. To help with identification, there are images of fall armyworm at www.mpi.govt. nz/ For tropical armyworm, search www. landcareresearch.co.nz/

The tropical armyworm caterpillar is on manoeuvres in local gardens.

Matariki marvels at Estuary Arts

A group exhibition on now at Estuary Arts Centre features work in many forms of media but all related to the theme of Matariki, or Maori New Year.

The show is part of the Auckland Matariki Festival and all the work has been made by members of the arts centre.

Works include mosaics, mixed media and paintings.

There is also an opportunity to learn harakeke/flax weaving with Bernadette Ross. Bernadette says her workshop will teach people how to make a two-corner kete, from scratch – including splitting the flax leaves, softening them, and weaving through to the finished basket.

“The kete is what everyone learns first when you start to weave,” she says. “It’s a great way to discover the whole process.”

Bernadette made her own first kete in 2010

and now wins awards for her woven artworks. A back injury forced her to give up a career as a landscape gardener, which led her to complete a four-year Bachelor of Visual Art course, majoring in raranga, or weaving. Creating contemporary woven art is now her full-time job.

Bernadette says even the most creative and beautiful woven works are rooted in the practical, functional past of harakeke – its use for making things like mats, kete and cloaks. Bernadette supplies all the materials, including the harakeke, for her workshops.

Matariki exhibition, Estuary Arts Centre, Western Reserve, Ōrewa, July 3-30. The Introduction to Weaving Harakeke with Bernadette Ross workshops are on July 15 and 16. Info at Estuary Arts Centre.

Seeing Matariki rise in dawn ceremony

Local community marae, Te Herenga Waka o Ōrewa, will again mark Matariki with a pre-dawn ceremony at Ōrewa Beach.

The ceremony celebrates the rising of the Matariki star cluster and the start of the Māori new year.

There will be an opportunity to honour loved ones who have died, and share mātauranga Māori, including knowledge about the Matariki stars, and food. Among those gathered will be marae committee member, artist and mother of four, Holly Aymes. Earlier this year, Holly completed the mural on the Ōrewa bridge underpass and she recently created a design to celebrate the second Matariki public holiday. Holly says the design process was collaborative. The shape as a whole is a waka

(representing the marae), with the bow and the stern representing the headlands of the Whangaparāoa and Coromandel peninsulas as well as Waiwera, Mahurangi, Kawau and Little Barrier. The spirals represent the eyes of Matariki, kumara (Tipuānuku), and the fresh water springs and rivers that flow into our moana/ocean.

The design was printed on t-shirts and hoodies and the first run has already sold out.

During the celebration people can acknowledge loved ones who have passed since last Matariki, by naming them and bringing a photograph.

Holly will bring a photo of her Nanny Phyllis who was also an artist, and passed last August.

“By holding her picture and calling out her

name to Pōhutukawa, Māori believe when Matariki rises, the spirits of those loved ones will be released into the sky to become stars,” Holly says.

The celebration will also involve sharing kai and singing.

The words on Holly’s design, Ahunga nui, relate to food – the steam from hot food rising up is part of the ceremony, as well as a welcome way for participants to warm up.

Holly says many people attended the first Matariki celebration, last year and the marae hope for an even bigger turnout this year.

“We hope it’s a clear morning this time, so we can see the stars rising,” she says.

The celebration takes place at Ōrewa Beach (in front of the surf club), Friday, July 14 at 6am. More information, see What’s On.

From left, Te marama o matariki – a watercolour, pen and ink work by Patricia Hollis. Mosaic by Rachel Sutton. Bernadette Ross of Whangamata won the Maori award at this year’s Hibiscus & Bays Art Awards with this piece.

The t-shirt design is a local take on Matariki

Helping businesses with environmental action

Business Whangaparāoa is working with Hibiscus Coast Zero Waste to inform, educate and assist local businesses as they strive to reduce their carbon footprints.

The initiative began a few months ago, when the two organisations jointly received an Auckland Council climate grant for $5000. The money allows them to collaborate to support local businesses around climate related issues, obligations and regulations, and also to champion businesses that already take action through promotion and Green Scheme Certification.

Business Whangaparāoa business and project manager, Sarah Carr, says businesses are among the biggest contributors to carbon emissions and more of them want to do something about that.

“From my perspective as a business owner, it’s working out what I can do, and how,” Sarah says.

Business Whangaparāoa has a database of businesses, split into industry groups. The pilot scheme involves getting businesses on board to take part in a survey, which has been designed by Zero Waste’s Estefania (Stef) Muller Pallares.

The survey is focused on different sectors, such as hospitality, construction, officebased businesses and retail, which all have very specific and different issues when it comes to things like waste.

“We want to better understand what is already being done, what the problems and barriers are and support businesses by providing information, contacts and ideas,” Stef says.

An example she gives is second hand clothing shops, which end up with a lot

of fabric waste because of donated items which can’t be sold.

“We are assembling a list of what can be done with unsaleable second hand clothing for the shops to put on their windows so that customers know how to divert that waste from landfill,” Stef says.

“It’s important that any solutions we suggest are targeted, relevant and realistic,” Sarah says. “We are only too aware of the pressures businesses are under, and how precious their time is. That’s why we need to work together.”

She says, for example in construction, Business Whangaparāoa will talk with a company like G J Gardener to find out what they are doing to reduce their carbon footprint, then share those ideas with smaller building businesses.

And with Tetra Paks (milk, juice and alternative milk cartons) which will soon no longer be able to go in Auckland Council’s recycling, Sarah suggests that businesses in the same area, such as Red Beach or Gulf Harbour, could get together and take it in turns to drop their combined empty Tetra Paks at the Whangaparāoa Recycling Centre, rather than putting them in landfill.

“It might mean you only have to take a turn every six weeks to do the drop off, which is more realistic for busy businesses,” she says.

“We all lack time, but we need to stop and think. Every small action adds up.”

Sarah is keen to hear from local businesses about environmental issues, or solutions they have come up with. She also wants to find around five businesses that are able to take part in the pilot scheme. Info: email info@businesswhangaparaoa.co.nz

ABOUT US

Alexander Scrap Metals is a long established, N.Z owned, family business located in Silverdale. We service the greater Rodney area, but also Auckland city and surrounds. We service all industries, but also specialise in commercial, farm clean ups, factory cleanouts, deceased estates or one-off household jobs.

ABOUT US

Alexander Scrap Metals is a long established, N.Z owned, family business located in Silverdale. We service the greater Rodney area, but also Auckland city and surrounds.

Alexander Scrap Metals is a long established, N.Z owned, family business located in Silverdale. We service the greater Rodney area, but also Auckland city and surrounds.

We’ll pay you for copper, brass, lead, cable, batteries, steel, cars, machinery, aluminium, electric motors, stainless steel, roofing iron etc. “Free drop off ” for whiteware etc.

We service all industries, but also specialise in commercial, farm clean ups, factory cleanouts, deceased estates or one-off household jobs.

We service all industries, but also specialise in commercial, farm clean ups, factory cleanouts, deceased estates or one-off household jobs.

CASH FOR SCRAP

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We’ll pay you for copper, brass, lead, cable, batteries, steel, cars, machinery, aluminium, electric motors, stainless steel, roofing iron etc. “Free drop off” for whiteware etc.

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Floods have unusual upside for Coast family

The Anniversary Day floods were dark days for the Bruna family, Juan, Cheyna and Vicente, who had to evacuate their rented home in Stanmore Bay as the waters rose. It is only now, looking back, that they realise the floods were, in a way, a game-changer for Juan.

The family stayed with friends, and then in emergency housing before recently finding a new home in Manly.

They took leave from their jobs – Juan is a plumber and Cheyna works at Countdown supermarket.

Stress led Juan to have an online consultation with his doctor, during which the doctor noticed a lump in Juan’s jaw.

Juan had been aware of the lump for a while and noticed it got bigger after the floods, but hadn’t been concerned about it until the doctor suggested more tests.

A biopsy revealed that what he had on his jaw was a rare and aggressive tumour, Desmoplastic fibroma, which, although benign, can destroy the bone around it. When it was discovered, it had already spread along the jawline, and major surgery to remove it, along with parts of Juan’s jaw and many teeth, followed by reconstruction, are required.

It was quickly getting larger and Cheyna says if Juan had not consulted the doctor when he did, the outcome could have been even more debilitating for him.

Even so, Juan, 37, says the diagnosis came as a huge shock. So was finding out they are not entitled to any financial support. Surgery is scheduled to take place this week, and will take more than 10 hours, using bone from Juan’s leg to rebuild his jaw. Three weeks in hospital and a long period of rehabilitation and physiotherapy will follow. Juan will have to learn how to swallow and

talk again and Cheyna is taking time off work to care for him.

“It was terrifying, and we didn’t know how we would survive it – not just emotionally, but without being able to work,” Cheyna says.

The couple ran a kai and raffle fundraiser recently, spending long hours cooking and selling the food to locals. Harcourts

Cooper & Co provided their carpark for the fundraiser, as well as power, a gazebo and ice cream truck. Countdown Whangaparāoa supplied the ingredients. Cheyna says they are so grateful to the

Community asked about social housing

Community groups on the Hibiscus Coast can have their say about social housing in the area as Kāinga Ora begins seeking input. A collective that specialises in community engagement, called Community Think, is working with Kāinga Ora on the process. Kainga Ora has said the aim is “to have a wideranging conversation about how to increase the supply of public housing”. Community Think is holding pop up events in the area this month. The two upcoming events are on July 15, at Coast Community Trust’s hub in Silverdale Village and the following day at Ōrewa Community Centre. Details are in What’s On, p31. The feedback will be used by Kāinga Ora to guide the creation of a public housing development plan for the Hibiscus and Bays area.

Centre gets new roof

businesses that helped, and everyone who came along to support them – in total $2100 was raised.

The family also started a Givealittle page, which has so far raised around $1730.

“It’s been a terrible year so far,” Cheyna says. “But we are now settled in our new home in Manly, high above any flooding, and the community is giving us so much support. We have a lot to be grateful for.”

To help this family, search for Juan’s Road to Recovery on Givealittle – https://givealittle. co.nz/ The page is open for donations until July 31.

The Hibiscus and Bays Local Board has an approved project in their threeyear work programme to replace the existing roof and seismically strengthen the Ōrewa Community Centre. A total budget of $600,000 has been allocated for this project. Auckland Council’s area operations manager, Kris Bird, says the team is planning to finalise the design and scope of the project in the next few months with works anticipated to commence later in the year.

Art a great fundraiser

The Harbour Hospice Art Exhibition & Sale on King’s Birthday Weekend at Estuary Arts Centre raised a total of $21,000.

The Bruna family, from left, Juan, his son Vicente, and Cheyna.

Gauging the rain: taking a hobby to a new level

Rain has become a daily topic of conversation and concern, especially among those anxious because of recent floods. Keenly observing all the changes are locals who have home rain gauges and take daily readings. Hibiscus Matters met a few of the Coast’s rainfall monitors.

He says this year has dramatically different to any other so far.

In June he recorded 202mm and for the first six months of this year, a total of 1312.5mm.

Last June was similar – 197mm – but in the first six months of last year he recorded just 640mm.

Year on year, Doug says he has seen more rain – 877mm in 2020, 1222mm in 2021 and 1754mm in 2022. So far, in 2023, we have almost had last year’s total in six months.

Retired entomologist Doug Allen started taking an interest in rain data in the 1970s when he was working at the Mt Albert Research Centre, assisting another scientist with a study into powdery mildew.

Mildew is affected by rain, and the research included setting up rain gauges all over Auckland, which Doug says showed the wide variation over the city, as well as highlighting the effects of rain shadow and the distinct patterns of rainfall. He found the process interesting, and has had a rain gauge at home ever since. Although he used computer spreadsheets in the past, currently all his records are meticulously taken down on paper. There have been a few gaps in his home rain gauge monitoring, but he has been recording Red Beach’s rainfall pretty steadily since 2020.

“I have always found it interesting to record what’s happening. It suits the way I think about things.”

“This last couple of years have seen an extreme change,” he says. “I would have to say climate change is responsible.”

“There is a lot that farmers use that information for,” Peter says. “And me and my wife Bridget still have that rural streak.”

His morning routine, now that he is retired from the industrial roller doors trade, is to “grab the paper and check the gauge”.

He only keeps his records for a year. In his Manly garden, he recorded 341mm in the first six months of last year, compared with 1296 for the same period this year.

“The numbers speak for themselves – it’s been horrendous,” he says. “We had a river running down our street twice this year. The sheer volume of the downpours has been something I’ve not experienced before.”

However, he does not put the deluges at the door of climate change.

“Weather is weather. There’s nothing we can do to stop it as individuals,” he says. “We just have to get on with it.”

Ōrewa retiree Norm Greenall’s first experience of rain records was when he was at Primary school in Kaukapakapa, where the students took it in turns to check the gauge.

“It was part of learning about the weather and to read the clouds,” he says. Weather was also top of his mind in his years in the Navy, as a ship builder and later handiman.

Peter Nieuwenhuyzen has been recording daily rainfall ever since he moved to the Coast five years ago. He remembers helping on his great Uncle’s farm in Timaru as a boy where one of the jobs was checking the rain gauge.

Last year, in January, he started recording water data again, and checks his gauge daily.

“It gives me something to do,” the 82-yearold says. “I read the forecasts and do my own predictions – but they don’t always

work out right! I enjoy comparing past days and months of rain and talking about the weather.”

He works out the average rainfall, as well as noting the heaviest falls. This year so far, the heaviest rain in a single day was in January, 165mm. It is noticeable how much the figures for 2023 outstrip those of the year before.

Norm’s total rainfall figure for June in his Ōrewa garden last year was 569mm, and this year it’s 1180.5.

Wet wet wet

Data from Metservice’s Whangaparāoa weather station demonstrates that this year has been exceptional when it comes to rainfall, especially in January, February, May and June. Last month alone saw 206.6mm of rain, the year before was 96.8mm for the same month and the historical average for June is 96.9mm. Info: www.metservice.com/ towns-cities/regions/auckland/locations/ north-shore/past-weather

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Coast Critters

James Dale, Zoology professor, Massey University j.dale@massey.ac.nz

Lumbering humans attract fantails

Insects startle quite easily. It’s a reasonable thing to do really, because any large-scale movement within an insect’s field of view will often be associated with approaching danger. Fleeing under those circumstances is a pretty good defence strategy because it helps improve the insect’s chance of survival. But startling comes at a risk because the very act of fleeing can put you straight into the mouth of a predator.

We recently returned from a family holiday to Botswana and Zimbabwe. One thing I noticed on that lovely trip was all the different bird species that hang around the big African mammals. Cattle egrets follow elephants around catching any startled insects. Fork-tailed drongos are often seen perched near any herd of mammals, also taking advantage of any startled prey. Animals often form associations with other animals if there is a potential benefit. And the birds in Africa follow the big mammals around because their lumbering size provides a mechanism to catch food.

This form of association between insect eating predators and big animals has also evolved here in New Zealand. Many people have had the experience of a pīwakawaka (fantail) following them around on a hike or while they are doing something in their garden. I love it when this happens – they just seem so curious and friendly. They follow you around like these little bird buddies in a Disney movie.

Hate to break it to you – but the fantails are probably not looking for friendship when

they come checking out what you are up to. Instead, the pīwakawaka are more attracted to your lumbering size, and are just hoping that you might be rustling up a few insects to catch!

This is very likely not a new strategy for the fantails. When New Zealand was populated with huge flightless moa, pīwakawaka would have undoubtedly been drawn to them as they moved around the forest floor. Those fantails that had an instinct to follow the big birds around would get more food. Now that the moa are gone, the instinct in fantails to follow big creatures around is still there – and they have just shifted that behaviour over to humans.

Pīwakawaka have another trick that they use to exploit the startle response of insects. The next time you see a fantail foraging around in a tree or shrub, take a moment to watch how they use their tails. The tails are exceptionally large and marked with high contrast white feathers that they repeatedly open and close while they clamber around looking for food. The sudden bold white flashes from the markings on the tail startle potential prey, and the pīwakawaka then swoop in for the kill.

THE scor EBoArD

ToTalspan Rodney pRoud sponsoRs of

T HE scorEB oArD

aRoundup of spoRTs acTiviTies in THe disTRicT

PETANQUE

Bastille Day Tournament at Hibiscus Petanque’s terrains, alongside Bowls Ōrewa, 214 Hibiscus Coast Highway, Ōrewa, on Sunday, July 16. Games begin 9am and go to around 4pm. Spectators welcome. Hibiscus Petanque also welcomes new members. Phone John 027 489 4955 www.sporty.co.nz/ hibiscuspetanque

RUGBY CLUB FUNDING

Applications now open for Bunnings Rugby Assist. The focus is on helping local clubs make their spaces even more welcoming to all members of their community through upgraded facilities. Applications opened on June 27, and close on August 6, 11.59pm. A total of $300,000 will be shared between 10 clubs. Clubs can nominate themselves at www.provincial.rugby/bunnings-rugby-assist

TABLE TENNIS

Table tennis at Whangaparāoa Community Hall. Games on Mondays, 9am12noon. Emphasis on fun and social play with tea and coffee included in the entrance charge of $2. All welcome. Info: phone Steve Chong, 027 442 1653.

List your sports here FREE email: terry@localmatters.co.nz

ToTalspan Rodney 229 sTaTe HigHway 1 waRkwoRTH pHone 09 422 3149

ToTalspan Rodney 229 sTaTe HigHway 1 waRkwoRTH pHone 09 422 3149

ToTalspan Rodney pRoud sponsoRs of ToTalspan Rodney pRoud sponsoRs of ToTalspan Rodney pRoud sponsoRs of ToTalspan Rodney pRoud sponsoRs of

Photo, Lorry McCarthy

Manly teen soars at world sailing events

Three young sailors from Manly Sailing Club shone at major moth class events in England last month, with 17-year-old Jake Pye winning the British open championship before topping the rankings in the subsequent International Moth World Championship event.

Although poor wind conditions meant the international competition in Weymouth failed to run enough races to count as a valid world championship, when racing was abandoned on June 18, Jake topped the leaderboard, ahead of sailors from France, Britain and Italy. Fellow Manly sailor Mattias Coutts was in seventh place, with a third young member of the club, Jack Bennett, placed further down the board. At the UK Open champs days earlier, Jake had taken top honours, while Mathias and Jack consistently scored in the top three places.

Back on the Coast after their four-week adventure, Jake said it had been a great experience despite the disappointment of the world champs not being declared ‘official’. Ahead of the two regattas, the Manly sailors had had the opportunity to meet and train with professionals, he said, and the UK Open event in particular had seen good winds and excellent racing among the more than 90 boats.

Jake won that event, beating Australian Tom Burton, an Olympic gold medallist in the Laser class, by a single point.

“It was great to show that the Kiwis were really able to contend,” Jake said. He had gone to Weymouth hoping for a top ten placement at best, but surprised himself.

“We really showed that we are capable of something great, even though we are a

small country and a small club.”

The moth class is described as the fastest one-person dinghy in the world. According to Jake the amazing flying boats can achieve foiling speeds of 18-20 knots upwind and up to 30 knots downwind, in winds of around 15 knots.

The Whangaparāoa College year 13 student, who turned 18 days after returning from England, said he and his clubmates Mattias and Jack are good friends.

“We all train and sail together and we’re a team. We encourage and look out for each other.”

The three were sponsored and coached by multiple America’s Cup winner Sir Russell Coutts – Mattias’ dad – who accompanied them to Weymouth for the event.

“It was a lot of fun,” Sir Russell said upon their return. “They’re pretty talented young sailors. They certainly did the Manly Sailing Club proud.”

The Russell Coutts Foundation began the youth coaching programme at Manly several years ago.

“Our focus wasn’t really on making kids super competitive, but of course if you get numbers through the programme you’re going to get some that will be competitive,” he said.

This month Sir Russell will be accompanying a group of five 10-14 year olds from the club and their parents to the O’pen Skiff junior world champs in Rimini, Italy. The boats are small, singlehanded yachts designed for younger sailors.

“That should be a great event as well. The international championships that these young kids are doing are a great life experience for them.”

Manly Sailing Club Commodore Barry Thom said despite the Weymouth competition not counting as a valid world championship, it provided huge interest in what is happening at Manly.

The club is in line to host the 2024 Moth world championships, which Barry said would be a major event for the sailing community in New Zealand, likely to attract more than 100 entries.

Looking ahead at the planned December 2024 event, Sir Russell said the three young Manly sailors should all build on their performance in Weymouth and be really competitive for those worlds.

Jake said he was relishing the prospect of having the world champs held in local waters. “With home advantage too – we’re all pretty excited. It’s going to be a huge attraction for a lot of people,” he said, adding that some of the world’s best sailors, including Dylan Fletcher and Tom Slingsby, may take part. Beyond 2024, Jake has an eye on SailGP, the international foiling catamaran sailing competition which Sir Russell co-founded in 2019.

And ultimately? “The America’s Cup is of very high interest,” Jake smiled. “It’s awesome to watch and really motivates me to keep pursuing my dream and ambitions.”

Jake Pye, back home at Manly Sailing Club. Inset, Jake Pye in action at the event in Weymouth (Photo courtesy of Mark Jardine /IMCAUK)

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exp Owner Operator 30 years. Single Items to Flat/House lots. Silverdale Based. Ph Gavin 0274 973 867

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I NEED TO EARN $250/WEEK to keep my head above water. Skilled painter – anything considered. Ōrewa Please phone Tony 027 313 2017. ŌREWA HEIGHTS: 150 papers Harvest Avenue Ascension Crescent Taraire Place Tawa Place Manawanui Way Marie Road Deliveries available DELIVERERS WANTED 11 YEARS+ TO DELIVER THE HIBISCUS MATTERS NEWSPAPERS Contact Rosemary 021 0300 263 or email name, contact details & age to: hmdelivery@localmatters.co.nz

60’s UP MOVEMENT, HIBISCUS COASTMeetings are held 3rd Wednesday of every month, 10am at the RSA in Vipond Road, Whangaparāoa. Outings 1st Wednesday of month. Ph Gloria 027 386 2339

A CLUB FOR SENIORS TO ENJOY FRIENDSHIP, Hibiscus Coast Friendship Club, monthly meetings with guest speakers, Bus trips, luncheons and movie group. Meet 4th Wednesday, 10am, Bridge Club, Edith Hopper Park, Manly. Ph Jeanne 027 284 0172 or 09 426 8675.

NATURE NEEDS YOU! Volunteers Wanted Urgently. Forest & Bird is looking for volunteers to join our friendly Pest Free Hibiscus Coast team, servicing pest animal traps on local parks. Full training is provided and there are a range of locations and time commitments available to suit you. Contact Jenny j.hanwell@ forestandbird.org.nz 020 4120 5512.

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What’s on ...

To list events, email: online@localmatters.co.nz

3-30 Matariki exhibition in conjunction with the Auckland Matariki Festival, Estuary Arts Centre, Western Reserve, Ōrewa. (see story p20)

5-30 Lisa and Co Creative Life with DID exhibition, Estuary Arts Centre, Western Reserve, Ōrewa.

5-30 STEAM Creations, A group exhibition using STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Maths) as a part of the creative process. View famous artworks transformed into Lego masterpieces. Estuary Arts Centre, Western Reserve, Ōrewa.

12 Tony Blomfield, Hibiscus Coast RSA, 43A Vipond Road, Whangaparāoa, 6:30pm-8.30pm. Free entry.

14 Matariki celebration, Ōrewa Beach (in front of surf club), 6am. Led by Te Herenga Waka o Ōrewa Marae. Celebrate the rising of Matariki star cluster and start of the Māori new year. Reflection and remembrance, including honouring loved ones who have passed and sharing mātauranga Māori. Wear warm clothes and bring rain gear and a seat if you wish. Sausage sizzle, hot drinks, and soup provided. For catering purposes, register at https://bit.ly/3NacGSo (see story p20)

14 The People, Parāoa Brewing Co, Whangaparāoa, 719A Whangaparāoa Road, 8.30pm. Tickets from Eventfinda.

15 Dolly & Kenny plus hoedown with Toucan, Hibiscus Coast Community RSA, Vipond Rd, Whangaparāoa, 7pm-10pm. Entry $15, tickets at bar and Eventfinda.

15 That 70's Show featuring Austin Powers & Neil Diamond, Parāoa Brewing Co, 719A Whangaparāoa Road, 9pm. Tickets from Eventfinda.

15 Have a say about community housing needs on the Hibiscus Coast, Coast Community Trust, 13 Agency Lane (upstairs), Silverdale. Hosted by Community Think for Kainga Ora. Guided conversations 9.30am-10.30am and 11.30am-12.30pm and pop in clinic, 10.30am-11.30am. (see brief p22)

16 Community Planting day at Shakespear Open Sanctuary, starts 10am. Park at Army Bay carpark and follow signs. Register at Eventbrite.

16 Sandy, Hibiscus Coast Community RSA, 43A Vipond Road, Whangaparāoa, 4pm-7pm. Entry free.

16 Have a say about community housing needs on the Hibiscus Coast, Ōrewa Community Centre, Ōrewa Square, Ōrewa. Hosted by Community Think for Kainga Ora. Guided conversations 9.30am-10.30am and 11.30am12.30pm and pop in clinic, 10.30am-11.30am (see brief p22)

19 Maritime adventurer Mike Pignéguy presents a talk about sailing in British Columbia and Southeast Alaska, Whangaparāoa Library, Main Street, Whangaparāoa 10.30am. First in a series of talks. RSVP essential to WhangaparāoaLibraryEvents@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz (see story p18)

19 Sharón Blow, Hibiscus Coast Community RSA, 43A Vipond Road, Whangaparāoa, 6:30pm-8.30pm. Free entry.

22 Wonderland Glow Show, Centrestage Theatre, Ōrewa, 10am and 11.30am. Giant glow in the dark puppetry. Tickets from the box office, phone 09 426 7282 (Tuesday to Friday 10am till 2pm) or email manager@ centrestagetheatre.co.nz

22 Auckland Arm Wrestling Champs, Hibiscus Coast Community RSA, Vipond Road, Whangaparāoa, 9am-6pm.

22 Steve Coppard, Hibiscus Coast Community RSA, 43A Vipond Road, Whangaparāoa, 7pm-10.30pm. Free entry.

23 Ben Deverell, Hibiscus Coast Community RSA, 43A Vipond Road, Whangaparāoa, 4pm-7pm. Free entry.

24 Loving On Purpose – Parenting Series, 7pm, The course is free and runs for approx 6 weeks, tools to: protect the connection with your children, teach your children to manage increasing levels of freedom, replace the tools of intimidation and control, create a safe place for children to build confidence and personal responsibility. If interested Phone Ruth 0274 888 470

26 The Developing Brain, with Nathan Wallis, Ōrewa North Primary School, 280 Centreway Road, Ōrewa, 7.30pm. Tickets from Eventfinda.

27 Stand Up Comedy Night, Parāoa Brewing Co, 719A Whangaparāoa Road, 7pm. Features Rhys Mathewson, Itay Dom and Ocean Denham. Tickets from Eventfinda. (see story p18)

28 Viva Las Vegas, A Night with David Pomeroy, Hibiscus Coast Community RSA, 43A Vipond Road, Whangaparāoa, 7.30pm-10.30pm. Entry $5pp.

29 Runaway Boys, Hibiscus Coast Community RSA, 43A Vipond Road, Whangaparāoa, 7pm-10.30pm. Entry $5pp.

29 Foot Doctor Podiatry, free seminar, Red Beach Methodist Church, 76 Red Beach Road, 11am. Topics covered include insulin resistance, diabetic medication, exercise, how/what qualifies to keep the body moving, diabetic nutrition. Email the number of attendees to jess@myfootdoctor.co.nz

30 George “The Bishop” Thompson, Hibiscus Coast Community RSA, 43A Vipond Road, Whangaparāoa, 6pm-8pm. Free entry.

31-Sept 3 Annual Members Merit Award Exhibition, Estuary Arts Centre, Western Reserve, Ōrewa.

Pharmacy Talk

with Tania Adams

Dry Eye July

While over the counter artificial tears have been the traditional treatment for dry eyes, new treatments and a more holistic approach is the latest way to go. Dry eye sufferers now have a range of treatment options to choose from.

Symptoms of dry eyes may include one or all of the following: A stinging, burning or scratchy sensation in your eyes

• A sense of a foreign substance in your eyes

• Eye redness

• Watery eyes

• Eye fatigue after short periods of reading

• Difficulty wearing contact lenses

• Medications, aging and other causes, such as environmental factors (eg. air conditioning), insufficient blinking (to much screen time!) can lead to dry eyes.

In your tears, you will find both water for moisture and oils to help you see and keep your eyes comfortable. Having dry eyes is caused because your tear system is “out of whack”. This means that replacing tears with an over-the-counter eye drop will help. We can advise you on which formula will suit you, whether it be frequent use or a longer lasting formulation, to be used with contacts, no preservatives, oil based lubrication, etc. Selecting an incorrect eye drop can lead to all sorts of problems, whereas getting the right one feels like a silk pillow for your eyes!

However, when it comes to treating your dry eyes, there’s more to consider than just some drops. Decreased oil production to help with that lubrication can happen when the glands around your eye get blocked. A moist heat eye mask will help to unblock the glands (where oil has solidfied) and allow natural production of lubrication for your eye again. (Bring in this article for a 10% saving off price of the Opti-Soothe Moist Heat Mask) You can also prevent blockages by using special eye wipes to keep these sensitive areas clean and clear.

Can your nutrition help? Yes it can! The results from recent studies suggest that taking sea buckthorn pulp oil can treat and prevent dry eyes. It is thought that the Omega 7 from this oil may play an important role in lubrication of areas such as the eye. Sea Buckthorn Pulp Oil is available in a capsule form and should be taken on a daily basis. It has been hard for us to find a such a formulation, but we have finally sourced a product recently and have this available at Unichem Manly Pharmacy.

Treatment for dry eyes first involves getting the diagnosis right. There are many other conditions that exhibit the same symptoms as dry eyes. Myself or my pharmacist colleagues at Unichem Manly Pharmacy can run through a set of questions to help you exclude other causes, some of which can be quite serious. Make sure you take this important step. You’ve only got two eyes, so best look after them!

Pharmacist at Unichem Manly

Volleyball could be ticket to USA

The rise of Ōrewa College head girl Marnie Ursem in the sport of volleyball reached new heights recently when she was named in the NZ women’s team, the Volley Ferns, to play a series in Chile.

100 games for Silverdale No.10

A couple of mates who played for Silverdale Rugby was what first led college teacher Dave McMurtrie to switch to the club from East Coast Bays. It’s a decision he says he has never regretted, and on June 24 he took the field with Silverdale’s Premier team for his 100th game.

Becoming a ‘centurian’ is a big deal –without time off with injury it takes a player 5-6 years to achieve. For 33-year-old Dave, who plays at number 10, 1st 5/8, it’s taken a full eight years, as he has been out at various times with torn cartilage in his shoulder, a ruptured foot ligament and, last season, two broken vertebrae.

After the game, he was presented with the coveted black blazer and black tie, and an event was held in his honour.

Dave is one of the oldest in this season’s Premiers – the youngest players are 18 – and although he is gradually handing over his goal kicking duties to the up and coming team members, he still relishes each game, and being part of the club.

“What has kept me at Silverdale is the people,” Dave says. “The club welcomed both myself and my wife from the start. I am also lucky with family support so that I can continue to train and play. My days as a competitive player are limited, but I want to keep going as long as I can in some way.

I love being around the rugby community.”

The game itself was always going to be a big challenge, as rivals North Shore were unbeaten. They remained so, winning 30-0 despite the best efforts of a Silverdale side that was under-strength due to injury and sickness.

For Dave, the loss didn’t take the shine off the game.

“It felt special from the moment I ran onto the field with my son,” he says. “It wasn’t just that game in my mind, it was the 99 others I’ve played too. The amount of people who were there to wish me well was awesome, and we have a bloody good team.”

Marnie captains Ōrewa College’s premier girls indoor volleyball team, which won the Auckland Champs, with Marnie named most valuable player in that tournament. She also led the team to silver at the Secondary School Nationals – it is the first time the college has made the national women’s volleyball final. Marnie is also in North Harbour’s U19 team, which won gold at the inter provincial championships. Things were pretty hectic for her at the end of last month – she found out she was in the team heading to Chile just two weeks before they left, on June 25.

Her selection for the Volley Ferns came after training once a month since April with a squad of 40 in Christchurch. Marnie says those camps were fun, allowing her to play at a higher level and learn a lot from coach Sebastian Gonzalez and the other players.

Volleyball seems to be in the Ursem family’s DNA. Marnie’s older sister, Renei, was in the Volley Ferns team that played in Asia in 2019 and Marnie says during lockdown her family had many “quite competitive” round robin games at home.

The Year 13 student hopes to get a scholarship to play in the United States next year, something she has been working towards for some time.

Marnie Ursem with Auckland Volleyball Champs cup.

Dave McMurtrie takes the field for his 100th game with three-year-old son Beaudon in his arms.

Photo, Simon Harmer Photography. Inset, Wearing the black blazer and tie presented after the game.