The Weekend Sun - 24 March 2023

Puppets of support

Spending an evening making colourful sock puppets might not be high on the priority list for some – but this simple act can make a world of di erence for a local child or children dealing with problems at home.

Enter Altrusa International Club of

Tauranga – a local service club which is working on building partnerships with fellow local organisations.

Altrusa is inviting members of the public to join them this Tuesday night, March 28, to spend an evening making sock puppets, like

Margaret Robertson is pictured with. e puppets will be added to ‘Distraction Packs’ for Tauranga Living without Violence.

“When parents arrive for meetings, it’s useful for their children to have something to occupy them,” says Altrusa Tauranga president

Sandra Bonney. “We include a reading book, coloured pencils and a colouring book, stickers and a toy. e bag is also handmade, which gives each child something special to keep.” Learn more about the event and Altrusa on page 10. Photo: John Borren.

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Should we play with the baddies?

Something told me I should be beating the chest with pride.

Something was telling me I should dust o the old mashie niblick with the hickory shaft and smack a few balls in wild celebration.

But there was none of it.

Golfer Danny Lee had just dropped a 25-foot o -the-green birdie putt to win a whopping $6.3 million at a LIV professional golf tour event in Arizona.

at’s $117,000 for each of the 54 holes he played.

He’s been scratching around on the professional circuit for eight years without a win.

I wanted to share his delight, his triumph; all those Saudi riyals. But I couldn’t.

I just prayed he would receive his absurdly, his obscenely fat pay check, rip it up, then throw it back in the smirking faces of LIV, puppets for the Saudi Arabian sports washing machine. Of course that was never going to happen. And it didn’t happen.

But what a statement to the world, and to Mohammad bin Salman, the dubious MBS, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia that would have been.

Because LIV, as we now know, is nanced by something called the Public Investment Fund, the sovereign wealth fund of MBS’s Saudi Arabia, the country which cocked a middle nger at the world after it butchered Jamal Khashoggi.

Accountability

Five years ago, Khashoggi, the renowned dissident, author and journalist was lured into the Saudi Arabian embassy in Instanbul. He came out in pieces, his body dismembered with a bone saw, simply because he dared suggest “women today should have the same rights as men” and that “all citizens should have the right to speak their mind without fear of imprisonment”.

Classi ed US intelligence reports

sheeted responsibility for Khashoggi’s murder back to MBS, who denied it.

So some people might think every cent of prize money won on that LIV tour is blood money.

is is about murder, this is about human rights; this is about accountability for a violent oppressive regime. And many people around the world feel very strongly about Saudi Arabia’s thinly veiled attempts to garner respectability

Arabia was keen to move on. I suppose that makes everything alright then. Our teachers

So I wonder what MBS would have made of me brazenly and publicly speaking out just a short iron shot from Tauranga Golf Club’s 14th hole on Cameron Rd last week? I broke all the rules, compromised my professional impartiality and integrity, and struck my own pathetically small blow for teachers.

As I drove past protesting teachers on Cameron Rd, something of the leftie, liberal, champion of the underdog in me made me wind down the window of the SunLive car and shout: “Go brothers and sisters! You deserve every cent, every teacher aide you get” or some similar banality. It felt good, it felt liberating. I got howls of support back from my new teacher brothers and sisters.

and acceptability on the international stage through LIV and sports washing.

And while Danny Lee was hitting every green on Monday, making all his putts, was his moral compass a bit skewwhi ? Just like Bryson DeChambreau, Dustin Johnson and Cameron Smith, did Lee put money ahead of morals? Because doing deals with LIV is doing deals with the devil.

I can hear the howls of outrage from the nineteenth at clubhouses around the region. e hoary old argument that sport and politics don’t mix, let the man enjoy his moment, and his money. Perhaps they should run their outrage before Hatice Cengiz, the ancée of murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. I’m sure she will forgive and forget and start watching LIV on TV. After all, LIV’s chief apologist Greg Norman explained the murder by saying “we all make mistakes” and that Saudi

Solidarity on the picket line. If MBS had seen all this, he probably would have mobilised the secret police, the water cannons and tear gas and had us all slung in prison.

e teachers certainly made a better cut of protestor, good humoured and respectful despite their problems and smart, acerbic placards. “Average yearly spend – $91,000 on a prisoner, just $9000 on a student.”

No chalk

And the one that resonated. “I have no chalk and I can’t a ord to buy my own.” Even if there’s a tissue of truth, what does it tell Jan Tinetti, who controls the boxes of chalk? It just left a nasty taste –why do these people of such a noble and crucial calling, have to stand on streets corners begging for understanding and support, and chalk? It’s interesting that our teachers start out on $51,358 a year.

And Danny Lee made $375,000 an hour on the golf course playing for MSB.

Buying now and going backwards

Uber

Eats and alcohol are among items that Bay of Plenty residents are using ‘Buy Now Pay Later’ services to purchase – and it’s getting them into tight nancial spots.

Amid the cost of living crisis, e Sun asked Bay Financial Mentors general manager Shirley McCombe for the lowdown of where money troubles are cropping up for BOP residents. “We know that things like fuel prices have gone up about 32 per cent last year and food went up by 11 per cent. Most people aren’t getting 20-odd per cent pay increases so they are going backwards,” says Shirley. Pay

it o warning

“ e thing that will be interesting this year is the rise of ‘Buy Now Pay Later’ [schemes].”

As the name suggests, ‘Buy Now Pay Later’ is a purchasing scheme that allows people to obtain goods or services instantly, with exible options to pay for them o later. “ at has made it very easy for people to get what they want when they want it – but sometimes they don’t put any thought into how they’re going to pay it at the other end. We see people using Buy Now Pay Later for everything from sanitary items and Uber Eats to alcohol.”

Shirley says: “If I was going to use it I would be working out how much I had to pay. Could I t that within my budget? Could I make payments as they come up?”

At Bay Financial Mentors, Shirley and her team rst focus on the three basic needs for a client.

“A roof over your head, food in your tummy, a safe place to be – when those things are being squeezed, there’s not a lot of places to go.

“I think people think our services are like: ‘I’m going to tell you to use one square of toilet paper instead of two’ but it’s not like that.”

Shirley says they help people understand their spending and how to manage spending better.

“People are often paying for things they don’t even know. One of our team, when she rst started looking at her budget realised she was paying for a German-to-English translation app that she’d obviously signed up for several years before and was still paying for!”

Being smart

Shirley encourages people to try a nancial exercise with grocery shopping. “Go on to a supermarket app and buy the most expensive of a food item and the cheapest of say 15 items – white bread, our, milk etc. and just see what the di erence is because at the end of the day you’re not going to notice any of those are di erent. People think it’s going without but it’s not, it’s about being smart.”

As a free community service, Shirley says the biggest feeling people have when they leave the Bay Financial Mentors o ce is relief. “It’s knowing that you’re in control and knowing that you can manage week to week. It’s a huge relief.”

Bay Financial Mentors is at e Historic Village, 159 17th Ave, operating 9am-4pm Monday-Friday.

To book an appointment, visit: www.tgabudget.org.nz

Bay Financial Mentors general manager Shirley McCombe.

Photo: Georgia Minkhorst.

Georgia Minkhorst

The only local daily news source you need, constantly updated, seven days a week www.sunlive.co.nz

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First kiwifruit sets sail

e rst shipment of the 2023 New Zealand kiwifruit season has departed the Port of Tauranga, carrying around 2500 tonnes – more than 600,000 trays – of Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit to customers in Japan.

e Southampton Star is expected to reach Tokyo early-April before sailing onto Kobe. It’s the rst of 53 charter vessels Zespri will use this season to deliver around 145 million trays of Green, SunGold and RubyRed kiwifruit to more than 50 countries. Charter vessels will be responsible for delivering around 72 million trays of this season’s NZ-grown fruit to Zespri’s global consumers.

Edgecumbe quake damage

Research using innovative techniques has revealed the 1987 Edgecumbe earthquake caused more land damage than initially thought, after comparing aerial photos of the landscape before and after the event.

e magnitude 6.5 shallow earthquake caused great damage in the Bay of Plenty region, severely damaging buildings, distorting railway tracks and injuring 25 people.

Funded by Toka Tū Ake EQC, PhD student Jaime Delano, from the University of Canterbury, is undertaking research using old photographs to create 3D models of the earth surface before and after the earthquake. She hopes this method will help scientists better predict damage from future earthquakes.

Roar season starts

Western Bay of Plenty hunters are asked to prioritise the safety of themselves and their mates while engaging in hunting activity. is message comes as many hunters prepare for the beginning of the roar season.

e roar runs from late-March through April, peaking early-April. is timeframe is the breeding season of NZ’s deer species. e roar lasts about four weeks, with stags being most vocal in the middle two weeks. While hunting can be a thrilling experience, it also carries certain risks especially when hunting in remote or rugged terrain, say police.

Watch BOP riders in Taupo

Taupo’s Digger McEwen Motocross Park facility will this weekend host both the third and fourth rounds of the 2023 New Zealand Motocross Championships.

Plus racing will feature rounds two and three of the parallel-but-separate senior women’s motocross nationals. Papamoa’s Cody Cooper – running third overall in the MX1 class – has been beaten just once in the six MX2 (250cc) races run thus far.

Meanwhile, Mount Maunganui’s Roma Edwards leads the way in the senior women’s nationals so far.

Gold straight from the Solomon Islands

A piece of chocolate a day keeps the doctor away, or if you’re chocolate connoisseur Glenn Yeatman – make that a cheeky three pieces!

With the Flavours of Plenty Festival ready to be devoured by Bay of Plenty taste buds from today, March 24 through to April 2 – featuring 35 events, ranging from degustation dinners and desserts to a beekeeping experience, hands-on classes to a cook-o – Mount Maunganui’s Solomons Gold Chocolate Factory has jumped on board to add some cocoa goodness into the mix!

Connect food community is is the second year Tourism Bay of Plenty is hosting the festival, which aims to promote and connect the food community of Te Moananui ā Toi (the Coastal Bay of Plenty), stretching from Waihī Beach to Ōhope. Almost 200 growers, cafes, manufacturers, food trucks, tour companies and other foodrelated businesses are involved.

Originally from South Africa, Glenn is a fourth-generation co ee farmer, who switched from the co ee bean to the cacao bean when coming to NZ.

Glenn says his chocolate-making journey began in 2012 in Solomon Island’s capital city Honiara.

“I brought some raw beans home from the plantation – popped it in the oven and when it smelled like it was ready, I took the roasted cacao beans out and let them cool overnight.

“ en I removed the husk and blended the cacao with sugar and made the rst Solomons Gold chocolate.”

Origin of the bean

Admittedly, as a kid Glenn didn’t eat much of the cacao-fuelled delicacy.

“Chocolate in Zimbabwe wasn’t great.”

But he’s making it up for it as an adult. “I have at least three pieces of our

chocolate a day. Good job it’s healthy and not full of sugar and nasties!”

So what makes the perfect block of chocolate? Glenn says: “ e origin of the raw cacao bean is very important”. e factory’s cacao beans come all the way from the Solomon Islands, where they are organically grown before arriving in Mount Maunganui. en it comes down to roasting time and “conching” which involves breaking down the cocoa bits until you have silky smooth choccy. “We spend 200 hours

in the ‘bean to bar process’ – that’s what it takes to make the perfect bar of chocolate,” says Glenn.

Factory tour

As part of Flavours of Plenty, a tour of e Solomon’s Gold Chocolate Factory is on 2pm-2.30pm March 28, at Solomon’s Gold, Mount Maunganui. For more information on the Flavours of Plenty Festival o erings, visit: www.bayofplentynz.com/ avours-ofplenty/ Georgia Minkhorst

Chocolate maker Glenn Yeatman with Solomons Gold organic cacao beans. Photo: John Borren.

A selection of local breaking stories featured this week on...

Request for buoys to bolster swimmer safety

it’s going to make a huge di erence even for swimmers or jetskiers because the jetskiers should be doing ve knots anyway”.

Next steps

With BOPRC receiving feedback on Navigation Safety Bylaw Review, Sheryl wants to know what the next steps are.

It’s an iconic spot of Mount Maunganui with calm water, picturesque views, and a perfect place to take a dip.

Yet some swimmers say Pilot Bay is also a breeding ground of potential hazards and safety concerns when in the water.

Earlier this month, the Bay of Plenty Regional Council put a call out to the community asking for feedback on how the Navigation Safety bylaws can be improved to enhance people’s enjoyment of our region’s harbours.

In their feedback, several people are requesting BOPRC install buoyed swim markers at Pilot Bay – creating a designated space for swimmers.

“At the moment what I see is swimmers going in all sorts of places, all sorts of directions, with no consistency to it – and I’ve seen some pretty nasty near-misses with craft,” says open water swimming coach and swimmer Sheryl McLay.

No competition

To combat this, Sheryl suggests a series of marker buoys spaced every 100m to 200m at Pilot Bay, extending from Salisbury Wharf to the boat ramp near Mauao’s base.

She believes this would provide a safer space for swimmers, with swimmers enjoying the inside of the buoy lane and craft users enjoying the outside.

“Obviously craft are going to have to launch on the beach and then get out – but craft need to go

behind swimmers not through them and certainly not competing with them. Swimmers are a unique group because their ability to see things is limited.”

As a swim coach, Sheryl encourages her students to use a brightly-coloured oat to increase their visibility in the water.

“If you’re swimming with your head down then what you can see and what you can respond to really quickly is actually quite limited.”

Speed concerns

She’s not the only one with concerns. Another request received by council says: “A marked swim lane in Pilot Bay is a must given the many swimmers using it. e ve knot rule must be enforced for all craft, motorised and wind”.

“Like there is everywhere, there’s clowns,” says Sheryl. “ ere’s people whose actions indicate they don’t give a stu about anyone else and sometimes that has no impact on others – other times it’s outright dangerous. So if someone comes in and is doing ‘ gure eights’ round and round boats, and coming in right up close at high speed on a jet ski in Pilot Bay – then that’s dangerous.”

Jetski enthusiast and Tauranga Jet Sport Association’s former president Russell Bailey says he’s “all for supporting safety”. “Unfortunately, it’s a classic few that upset it for the swimmers but if the jetskiers that are in there are annoying the swimmers – then yeah, put some buoys in there and take your jetski somewhere else. I don’t think

BOPRC Toi Moana general manager regulatory services Reuben Fraser says: “ e formal process, during which everyone will be able to make submissions, will be based on what we have heard so far, including the request for a buoyed swim lane, and a draft bylaw document”.

“Hearings will be held in September ahead of a nal decision

in December”.

“As part of our consultation we will talk with iwi, Port of Tauranga, and local councils. ere are several users like sports clubs that may have an interest in this request,” says Reuben. Sheryl wants to see buoys in place before next summer.

“It’s not hard, it’s not particularly expensive and it’s something that could be done quite quickly.”

Provided the request is approved, BOPRC hasn’t given an expected timeframe for this initiative to be complete, saying it’s “too early to comment” in regards to costs.

To share your thoughts on this and more ideas to improve Navigation Safety Bylaws, visit: www.participate.boprc.govt.nz

Georgia Minkhorst

Sheryl McLay proposes installing 800m of swim buoy markers from Salisbury Wharf to the opposite end of Pilot Bay to keep swimmers safe. Photo: John Borren.

Time to kōrero with your councillors

Katikati-Waihī Beach and Maketu-Te Puke wards – it’s your turn to get together with your Western Bay of Plenty district councillors.

Following WBOP District Council’s rst Community Forum for the Kaimai Ward, councillor Anne Henry from the Katikati-Waihī Beach Ward and Councillor

Richard Crawford from the Maketu-Te Puke Ward have also called meetings for their communities.

e Katikati-Waihī Beach Ward meeting is 7pm-9pm this Monday, March 27 at the Pātuki Manawa

Digital Hub in Katikati.

e Maketu-Te Puke Ward meeting is 7pm-9pm on Tuesday, April 4, at Paengaroa Community Hall. Community Forums are a new meeting format, put in place by council to respond to the needs of the wider community as they arise.

ey’re designed to be a less formal setting to kōrero/talk with councillors and the council team. Expect plenty of opportunity for two-way kōrero and detailed discussion. Everyone is welcome to attend – just turn up, no RSVP is required.

Tauranga’s Anson St is where a group of Australian indigenous advisors learned what is possible with the right support.

ey’re touring New Zealand to see how they can combat indigenous hardship at home, using Kiwi groups as a shining example. On their schedule was Te Tuinga Whanau, a local support service o ering to help those in need to reach higher potential.

Its chief imagination o cer, Tommy ‘Kapai’ Wilson, felt the visit last week was a great opportunity to help them on their mission. At the welcoming ceremony, the Australian group addressed their inability to speak in their own native tongue. “My family was sent to be raised with Catholic missionaries. Sadly, we have lost our dialect. Our language is sleeping, and we are working to wake it up,” says one of the advisors.

Tommy believes Te Tuinga Whanau has worked out a special formula to help aid hardship with indigenous peoples, which can be applied by the advisory group back in Australia.

He says connecting indigenous people back to their culture is the rst and most important step.

“We have about 4000 interventions every year.

“I’ve been here 10 years, which makes up for about 40,000 in total. Out of all those interventions, you could count those who are connected to their culture on one hand,” says Tommy.

Indigenous advisor Tikarra Looke says embracing her indigenous culture is a big takeaway from their trip. “Reconnecting people to our culture will build opportunities and spaces. ere’s also the element of pride which people get from culture, which is really important.”

Tikarra says the Australian Government often sets up programmes that come with checklists and quotas, which can feel out of touch or unrealistic. “I feel like here the checklist really comes from the community, rather than Government always having their say.”

Shaylee Matthews is inspired by how Māori work with their youth. “ ere’s an element of shared decision-making with young people here, and helping understand what they want. It is something I de nitely want to take back home.”

In Australia, Shaylee says there is “about 50” languages to bring back to her people. She knows the road ahead will be challenging, but the group as a whole is leaving NZ inspired.

Per month*

Taylor Rice

Australian indigenous advisor Tikarra Looke, left, being welcomed to Te Tuinga Whanau by chief imagination o cer Tommy Wilson.

When a Nightingale sang

Key appointments for civic precinct

ree key appointments relating to Tauranga’s civic precinct have been con rmed, helping to set the development up for future success.

Tauranga City Council’s Commission has appointed a chair and one director for the new council-controlled organisation that will govern and lead the delivery of the civic precinct redevelopment –Te Manawataki o Te Papa.

From March 31, Tauranga resident and experienced director Kim Wallace will take on the position of board chair, while the similarly-experienced Barry Bragg will join the CCO as a board

Legend has it a drunk jammed a paper hat on the pianist’s head and said:

‘Look, King Cole!’

at was the day Nathaniel Adams Coles became Nat King Cole... minus the ‘s’ – the jazz-popster whose chocolaty, satin smooth baritone voice would be acclaimed as ‘one of the greatest gifts of nature’. ink the laidback and mellow ‘Mona Lisa’, ‘When I Fall In Love’, and ‘Ramblin’ Rose’ – we all su er stuck-song syndrome when it comes to a Nat King Cole tune. Now the 16th Avenue eatre is ring up the legend with a show called ‘Unforgettable’ – a tribute to an unforgettable voice and unforgettable songs – which part of a massive line-up of performances in the Port of Tauranga 60th National Jazz Festival from April 1-10.

“It’s the universal appeal of the man,” says Tauranga director Merv Beets. “He’s an icon.” e show is a trove of 23 of Nat King Cole’s most popular songs – ‘When a Nightingale Sang in Berkley Square’, ‘L-O-V-E’, and the eponymous ‘Unforgettable’. And more. e director promises a rollercoaster experience – highlights, mellow moments and more highlights. “But the audience will leave smiling, singing and happy,” says Merv.

Life story

And woven through the songs is narration of the man’s life story – a black man growing up in up in the USA’s iniquitous Jim Crow segregation era. e Nat King Cole story is a sad and powerful indictment of racism in that country. He once did a gig in a famous USA hotel. ey loved him. But he and his family weren’t allowed to stay the night because he was black. He sued the hotel.

But that doesn’t take away from the music and the voice of absolute purity and perfect pitch. “We won’t even be trying to replicate that voice,” says Merv.

“We are just delivering his songs, his music.”

‘We’ being singers Michelle Coomb, Matilda VaheyBourne, Anna Sherrer and Barry Spedding. “ ey’re sounding simply fabulous as a group. Plus they all have their own individual style.”

Tauranga Big Band director Murray Mason leads a ve-piece backing band of top local musicians.

“ ey’re very cruisy,” says Merv. “And Murray has done a wonderful job selecting songs to suit our voices. We have a great take on the songs.” Everyone and everything is coming together nicely.

During a short but spectacular career, Nat King Cole produced some of the USA’s most popular music.

Like ‘When I Fall in Love’ and ‘Route 66’.

He became a household name even in households that wouldn’t have allowed him to step over the threshold simply because of his colour.

‘Sweet Loraine’

And we apparently only got to hear those sweet tones after a bar y ordered him to sing ‘Sweet Loraine’.

Cole, pianist for his own jazz trio, told the bar y “we don’t sing”. But when Cole learned the man was a big spender, the voice that would charm the world broken into song and was rst heard publicly.

e concept for ‘Unforgettable’ was put together by April Phillips – Wellington director, producer, actress, singer and lm-maker. It’s the fth of her works that Merv has done. Bookings are going very well. “You don’t normally have this level of interest at this point.”

Perhaps it’s a measure of the man and his music.

“Quite likely,” says Merv. “But at this rate, some people might miss out!”

Nat King Cole’s ‘mom’ was his only music teacher. She had him playing ‘Yes, We Have No Bananas Today’ on the piano by age four.

Another story has it that when Nat King Cole bought into a high-end white neighbourhood, those same white neighbours told him they “didn’t want undesirable people moving in”. “Neither do I,” replied Cole. “And if I see any undesirables I will be rst to report it.” Cole’s pushing back against entrenched racism in private, on-stage, on radio and TV only added meaning and richness to his story.

Nat King Cole loved his cigarettes and his pipe.

He died from lung cancer in 1965, aged 45.

‘Unforgettable - the Nat King Cole Story’ is at 16th Ave eatre from April 1 through to April 5. Tickets at: 16thavetheatre. icket.co.nz

director. ese decisions follow last week’s appointment of Greg McManus to the role of director of museums. e future museum will form a major part of the civic precinct redevelopment, alongside the library and community hub, civic whare (public meeting house) and exhibition gallery, which is set to the revitalise the city’s heart over the coming years.

Kim and Barry will serve respective terms of three years, running to April 30, 2026. Greg takes on his new role April 3. Future director appointments are expected to be made in coming months.

Demi Coombe, Michelle Coombe and Murray Mason will perform in 16th Ave eatre’s ‘Unforgettable’ shows. Photo: Pete Luxford Photography.

Hunter Wells

Armageddon converges on the Bay

Armageddon Expo, the biggest and most exciting pop culture event in New Zealand, is coming to Tauranga in 2023 as #BAYOFGEDDON.

From celebrity guests to cosplay competitions and K-Pop performances, this event promises to be a thrilling experience for all.

Armageddon Expo has always been known for its incredible lineup of celebrity guests, and this year is no exception. Fans can look forward to meeting celebrities such as Jamie Campbell Bower, known for his roles in ‘Stranger ings’, the ‘Twilight Saga’, and ‘Harry Potter’, as well as Amie Donald, recognised for her standout performance in ‘M3GAN’, and Brian Beacock, famous for his voice acting work on ‘Digimon Tamers’ and ‘Bleach’. Autograph sessions, photo opportunities, and Q&A panels will

give fans the chance to connect with their idols like never before.

e cosplay scene at Armageddon Expo is legendary, and this year the event celebrates 20 years of incredible costumes. e Cosplay Competition promises to be an incredible showcase of creativity and talent.

Whether you’re a seasoned cosplayer or just a fan of amazing costumes, you won’t want to miss this.

And for fans of K-Pop, #BAYOFGEDDON has some exciting performances in-store.

With some of the hottest K-Pop acts set to take the stage, fans can expect an electrifying atmosphere and unforgettable performances.

is year’s event in Tauranga, #BAYOFGEDDON 2023, is set to be bigger and better than ever before, with exciting guests, activities, immersing Pop culture fans into the world of their favourite movies, TV shows, comics, and more.

is year the event celebrates 20 years of incredible costumes.

Time to eat at Wharepai Domain

Back for its third year, the First We Eat Festival is set to sell out Wharepai Domain in Tauranga this Saturday, March 25, from 12pm-7pm. Tickets to the festival went on sale in January.

As part of the wildly successful weeklong festival, Flavours of Plenty, First We Eat celebrates the best food, chefs,

wineries, breweries and musicians across New Zealand and is an event not to be missed.

With a full music line-up including e Black Seeds, Hello Sailor, Jon Toogood, Jason Kerrison, White Chapel Jak, Dan Sharp, Wildlanes and Ariana, there is something for people with all music tastes.

Chefs this year have also done an incredible job at curating themed

‘foodie streets’ including American, Asian, seafood and plant-powered with the full list of vendors to follow.

“It’s super exciting to bring together this collection of iconic NZ artists, it will be an afternoon of hits and singalongs,” says promoter Mitch Lowe. For more information about the event and to book tickets, visit: www. rstweeat.co.nz

60TH ANNIVERSARY GALA

From the jazz pioneerdays of 1960s,we honourlegacyartists through to more recent arrivals. Featuring:That’s Life, TheTorch Songs Band, Caitriona Fallon, Kokomo. Baycourt, Friday 8th April 8pm

Checkout Festival information and the full line up of Baycourt Concerts at WWW.JAZZ.ORG.NZ

TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

Sock puppets and service

A Tauranga service group is turning a classic children’s craft into a support project – and it’s inviting the public to join in!

Members of Altrusa International Club of Tauranga will spend an evening making sock puppets on Tuesday, March 28, which will then be added to ‘Distraction Packs’ for Tauranga Living without Violence. “When parents arrive for meetings, it’s useful for their children to have something to occupy them,” says Altrusa Tauranga president Sandra Bonney. “We include a reading book, coloured pencils and a colouring book, stickers and a toy. e bag is also handmade, which gives each child something special to keep.”

Sandra says anyone is welcome to join them in this activity and can bring their own craft supplies if wanted. “A clean sock, wool, ribbons, felt, hot glue gun. Anything that would help us make more sock puppets for the Distraction Packs,” says Sandra. “Last year we donated 100 distraction packs to Tauranga Living without Violence and we

want to use this current project to build on that relationship.”

Altrusa International is a service club for women that began in the United States and now has clubs worldwide. New Zealand is District 15 and has 18 member clubs. “We are working on building partnerships with local organisations and increasing our pro le within the community,” says Sandra. “Not many people know what Altrusa is even though our club has existed here in the Bay since 1995. We are always looking to grow our membership. Being able to make a di erence in the community and watching the women in the group nd what they’re passionate about is wonderful. We can each contribute in di erent ways. One of our members reads with children at Gate Pa Primary each week. She just glows.

“She loves it so much.”

Altrusa Tauranga’s Sock Puppet Making night is Tuesday, March 28 from 6.45pm at Matua Bowling Club. For more on Altrusa, email: president.tauranga@altrusa.org.nz

Debbie Griffiths

Altrusa International Club of Tauranga president Sandra Bonney and member Margaret Robertson are ready to make sock puppets.

Photo: John Borren.

Marvellous Muriwai!

Meet Muriwai! is bundle of energy was left in a park with his litter, but is now thriving in the rescue.

He is still young, so when he nds his new home he’ll need to continue puppy training and socialisation.

Muriwai is adventurous and loves exploring every nook and cranny of the

garden. He’s very playful with his siblings, and the older/ larger foster dogs. As a mixed-breed dog, RRR believe he’ll grow to medium size, but cannot guarantee this. He needs love, understanding and patience. To nd out more, message the RRR Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ RRRCanine/

Weaving love and protection around newborns at the beginning of their life is at the heart of Leanne Emery’s passion for the pregnant mums she encounters.

Leanne, who works at Ngāti Ranginui iwi as the SUDI prevention coordinator for the Western Bay of Plenty, says the SUDI or ‘sudden unexpected death in infancy’ statistics are still far too high.

“Sadly a lot of people don’t realise that around 50 per cent of SUDI that occur are preventable,” says Leanne. “ is is why it’s so important to ensure baby have their own safe sleep space.”

She says there used to be about 250 cot deaths each year in New Zealand.

Still way too many

“Since changing to sleeping our babies on their backs, we have now reduced that to about 50 a year.

“ is is a great reduction, but that’s still way too many, which is why I am so passionate about the mahi/work that I do, if I can help prevent any whanau from experiencing the sad loss of a child through SUDI.”

To address this, she and her team have created a programme called Te Piripoho, which is all about empowering whanau to help keep a baby safe.

“When I started this mahi the SUDI stats were going up and safe sleeping spaces being used were decreasing. After discussions with midwives, the biggest feedback I got was that people who wanted to weave a wahakura – a safe sleep space for their pēpē/baby out of harakeke/ ax – found it hard to access unless they were a smoker,” says Leanne.

“So we created Te Piripoho, where we started

running free waikawa wahakura wānanga over two days during the weekend for anyone, with hāpu/ pregnant mums having rst priority.”

Anyone can buy a wahakura or woven baby bed, but Leanne says what they don’t realise is that a wahakura is not only weaving harakeke/ ax together –you are also weaving your whakapapa/genealogy together to help keep your pēpē safe.

“Every single person that puts their hands on the harakeke/ ax and helps to weave it puts their love, protection and intentions for your treasured pēpē into the weave of their waikawa wahakura.”

Honouring the hāpu

Leanne says Te piripoho is all about honouring the hāpu/pregnant mum for the great job she is doing carrying, loving, nuturing and growing her whakapapa/future generations inside her.

“A lot of people don’t realise when we are hapu/ pregnant we don’t just carry our baby, we are also carrying our moko/grandchildren as our babies are born with their eggs for the future,” says Leanne.

“In today’s society a lot of the time, we are so busy working to try and make ends meet, keep up with housework, rush round keeping up with daily tasks as well as trying to prepare for the expected arrival of the pēpē/baby, that we often don’t take the time to just stop and honour ourselves for the amazing experience we are going through.

“Te Piripoho is a place where you can take a few days to just honour and enjoy your pregnancy, mix with other hāpu māmā, embrace

An easy walk to the beach, a modern, spacious home, in a secure environment with friendly neighbours

What more could you ask for in the next chapter of your life?

Come and

love to see you.

Making a wahakura.

e nished woven wahakura.

continued...

your journey, feel supported and be empowered.”

At each Te Piripoho weekend there is a weaving team that help guide each pregnant hāpu mama in making their waikawa wahakura. ere is also an antenatal photo shoot by Poihakena Portraits, where the beauty of the pregnancy is captured, and a mirimiri/massage at the end of the wānanga. Each hāpu mama is also gifted a breast pump to help them on their breastfeeding journey and as well as a generous dental voucher from Toothfairy Dental.

“Recently Te Piripoho was very fortunate to gain some extra funding as well as being funded by Ngāti Ranginui iwi. We also now have funding for the Te Piripoho wānanga from community operations and Te Hiringa Hauora which means we able to implement some of the new ideas we had for Te Piripoho.”

Infant CPR

e further funding means that, as well as weaving a waikawa wahakura, each hāpu mama and whanau member that attends participates in an infant CPR and choking training during the wānanga.

“We have some great support service providers come in during the wānanga with a korero/talk about how they can help or support you – from healthy homes, dental, lactation consultant, Plunket, Pepi ora, and Sport Bay of Plenty.

“We have a partner’s session where they make lavender kawakawa balm, to use on mum or the baby.

“ is is a great opportunity where they are able to

around the journey ahead and how they are feeling, or share any patai/questions they have about the birth and expected arrival of their treasured baby.”

Attendees to Te Piripoho also receive a 0-5 carseat and shown how to install it correctly.

“Te Piripoho doesn’t just weave wahakura together, we weave Hāpu māmā and whānau together,” says Leanne.

Free drop-in day

“Since Covid people have been very cautious about what they do or who they are around. Te Piripoho provides a great opportunity for you to be embraced, empowered and mix with other Hāpu māmā and whanau to compare stories, questions/patai or just your pregnancy journey.”

As Te Piripoho is big on breaking down barriers for whanau, they have also introduced a free drop-in day at Rangiora Health Hub at Fraser Cove every Monday at 10.30am, where they bring in a di erent service each week, such as hypno-birthing, Rongoa session, essential oils workshop, homeopathy, lactation consultant, intro to solids, sleep specialist, carseat safety, CPR and choking training.

“We are also trialling free aqua aerobics this year on Fridays for hapu or new mums,” says Leanne.

Anyone who would like to know more about Te Piripoho or the free drop-in day and aqua aerobics can contact Leanne Emery on the Te Piripoho Facebook page or email: leanne.Emery@ranginui.co.nz

A dashing duo!

Ginger and Blarko make the cutest pair – they’re inseparable and best mates.

We couldn’t dream of separating them, so they’ll be adopted as a bonded pair. Blarko is the one that comes and insists on your a ection while Ginger hangs back and waits for you to come to him. Other than that they do everything together.

ey would be well suited to a quiet household. If you’re interested in adopting this pair, enquire today! Call the Tauranga centre on: 07 5780245. Ref 570814 and 570814.

Why changes are required to protect and restore our freshwater

Sadly, some of our rivers, streams, lakes and wetlands here in the Bay of Plenty are not in great shape. They are being impacted by what we do and the changes we are making - urban development, agriculture, horticulture, forestry, water use, diversion, damming and so on. Poor or declining water quality is a ecting the ecology, swimming and recreation, and ability to gather kai (food) and kaimoana (seafood).

Existing rules and regulations have not been enough to protect some of our lakes, rivers, streams and estuaries. Bay of Plenty Regional Council need to make changes to the Regional Plan so that we can protect and restore our freshwater. Te Mana o te Wai, the holistic approach to freshwater management will be at the centre of this decision making.

To find out more head to boprc.govt.nz/freshwater

Rosalie Liddle Crawford

A nished wahakura.

Baby Raniera Numanga asleep in a wahakura. Photo: Poihakena Portraits.

Weaving a wahakura.

A festival, fundraiser and work to support Kiwis

e Tauranga Multicultural Festival last weekend was packed full of food, colour, music, and performances. We had the honour of Minister for Ethnic Communities, Priyanca Radhakirshnan, join us for the day and open the event alongside Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon, Western Bay of Plenty Mayor James Denyer, and TCC Commissioner Shadrach Rolleston. A fabulous celebration of the diversity within our communities.

I also attended e Incubator Creative Hub’s launch of

their Hawkes Bay Fundraiser Exhibition, to support artists a ected by Cyclone Gabrielle.

A huge ‘thank you’ to the generosity of our local artists who have given to the cause.

You can view this beautiful artwork up until April 10.

From April 1, we’re signi cantly increasing support for seniors, students, bene ciaries, and those on Working for Families. Plus making childcare and after-school care more a ordable for many families. We moved quickly

Hon Jan Tinetti

to extend the fuel tax cuts and half-price public transport until the end of June. From April 1, a couple on superannuation get $102 more, while singles get $66.86 more. e Winter Energy Payment starts again May 1. e recent extreme weather events have put further pressure on people across the country. We’re committed to supporting Kiwis through the response, recovery and rebuild. Latest numbers show that, thanks to our careful management of the economy, New Zealand is well positioned to tackle immediate challenges and to build back better, safer and smarter.

Thankful for the journey, but

Since I was a young boy I wished to be an MP. When I entered Parliament in 2014, I

In the subsequent nine years I have tried to give my absolute all for my community and my country. In all jobs there comes a time when, if you are honest, you start lacking the enthusiasm and energy you once had. After much re ection and discussion with those close to me and who know me best I have realised I have reached that point. I will not contest the next election. I cannot recommit to giving the National Party nor my Bay of Plenty community another full three-year term. Now is the right time for me

It’s hard not to notice the growing division and arguments that seem to be permeating our society. It’s a worrying trend that I’m deeply concerned about.

At the heart of this division is the rise of woke identity politics on our shores. is idea originated in American academia and goes against our Kiwi values of giving everyone a fair go, regardless of their background.

Founding principle

Even worse, it undermines our founding principle that we may come from di erent tribes and

Minister for Ethnic Communities

ready to retire

to step down, to pursue new challenges and allow a new National candidate with re in their belly to take on the role of MP for the Bay of Plenty seat. I can’t deny this is a hard decision. Christopher Luxon and Nicola Willis have completely reset the caucus and I rmly believe they will provide tremendous leadership at a time of great challenges for our country come October.

eir support for me personally and professionally has been unequivocal and I wish to thank them for their genuine

values-based leadership. My journey in politics has been a stimulating, challenging and at times di cult ride. However, I am thankful for it all. I am a changed person through my Parliamentary experience and I hope adversity has broadened my understanding and care for the many forms of exasperation and inspiration that exist in our community.

lands, but we are all one people –we are all New Zealanders.

Take a moment to think about the last news story or opinion piece you read. Did it promote division, resentment, and hatred by categorising people based on characteristics they can’t change?

Such as race or gender? If so, it’s likely an example of identity politics in action.

Identity politics divides people into oppressed and oppressor groups, encouraging them to see society through the lens of

victimhood – often without experiencing victimisation themselves. It teaches people to hate their ancestors, their gender, and their country, and it fosters a culture of blame rather than personal responsibility.

Discrimination

We cannot build a better future if we are divided against ourselves. Attempts to give any particular group an advantage or disadvantage based on ancestry, gender, or identity are not the solution. Discrimination cannot be solved by more discrimination. True equality means everyone is equal before the law, regardless of any characteristic.

Weneedtoforgeafuturetogetherasone

Priyanca Radhakirshnan, Philippa Cairns and Labour List MP Angie Warren-Clark.

Photo: supplied.

Free Measure & Quote

0508-SUNVUE

0508-786-883

sunvue.co.nz

See the di erence SUNVUE can make to your outdoor living space.

Locally owned and operated, the team at SUNVUE are the experts to contact for outdoor living solutions.

SUNVUE’s range of aluminium pergolas, outdoor blinds and accessories are designed to be both durable and attractive, providing a stylish addition to any outdoor area.

“Installing a SUNVUE covered pergola is like adding a new room to your home – for a fraction of the price,” says owner Lee Weatherley.

“Optional outdoor blinds can be added at any stage after your pergola installation. ese help maximise your living options by connecting

indoor and outdoor environments into one harmonious room.”

e SUNVUE Galaxy and Halo pergola styles are designed and custom-built right here in New Zealand with a focus on using quality products, including New Zealand-made aluminium.

“A SUNVUE pergola o ers 99 per cent UV protection and will block out undesirable weather, while still letting lots of light into your home,” says Lee.

“ is ensures you get optimal all year- round use of your outdoor living space.”

If you’d like a free, no-obligation quotation, call 0508 SUNVUE (786 883) or visit: www.sunvue.co.nz

Quality blinds takes teamwork

ere’s more to making a quality blind than meets the eye. We all look for value, quality and con dence in the supplier when we buy something, and buying blinds is no exception.

Bay Blinds is a local manufacturer of stylish and versatile roller, Venetian and vertical blinds.

“Quality checking our product is really important to the team so we can be proud of the blinds which are going into your home. Our team go above and beyond for our customers,” says production supervisor Kim Savage. e sales and design team is continually searching the market to ensure they are o ering you the latest patterns, textures and colours. “When our blind experts call at your home, or when you come

in to visit our showroom team, make sure you look at the new patterned and textured fabrics,” says Kim. “Blinds are no longer the plain option they once were.”

“I want to express my thanks for the great service that I have received from Bay Blinds who were recommended to me by a friend,” says one satis ed customer, Barbara.

“ e showroom sta , the sales representative who measured and quoted, and the installer, were all professional, courteous, capable and e cient. Your company delivered on service and on results that I am delighted with. ank you so much.”

Give Bay Blinds a call today on 07 578 7794 to make time for Chris, Vinnie or Niki, the local blind experts, to show you their amazing roller and Venetian blind options and discuss how they can help you create the right décor for your home.

Thinking Of New Blinds... Think Bay Blinds!

colours

on both style and budget, without compromising

Vinnie Smith, Chris Corney and Niki Adams from Bay Blinds.

Lift and shift jobs no sweat for Pete!

If you’ve got something heavy or di cult you need lifted into place, up high or down in the ground in the Tauranga district – contact Pete Marshall from SkyHooksNZ Tauranga 4X4 Minicranes.

I can move it! We can deal with anything that’s coming from any part of New Zealand, but the nal destination has to be within our Tauranga district zone.”

0800 301 020 www.zones.co.nz

Pete, an owner-operator, can do lifting and shifting jobs on residential, commercial and industrial sites with his minicrane and tandem trailer.

“From Tauranga Harbour Bridge right back to the Kaimai Range, to Paengaroa and to Kauri Point north of Katikati – if your item’s nal destination is within this zone,

Whether you’re a builder, a developer or a homeowner building a new home or renovating an existing one, Zones believes that great projects start with design, and o ers a comprehensive design package as part of its service.

Zones has design professionals that will work with you to turn your home landscape dreams into a reality. Internationally experienced landscape architect Nichola Vague is excited to be living and working in the Bay of Plenty and brings with her 30 years in the landscape industry.

Husband-and-wife team Pete and Lynda say their service is ideal for transporting items too hard for manpower and too small for larger cranes. us cost-e ective for businesses and the placement, pick-up and delivery jobs.”

small for larger cranes.

“ is makes his ‘ of places –including large “Watching Pete work, I prompt

Pete is safety-accredited, has an engineering background and 20-plus years’ experience working on sites large and small, meaning his ‘moving’ skills extend to all types of places –including large construction projects.

“Watching Pete work, I know it takes intricacy to work out load and placements of items in di cult spaces – that’s a skill in itself,” says She says Pete is very personable, genuine “and we both pride ourselves on our prompt and high-quality service and our relationships with our clients”.

Pete’s two-tonne crane has a 6.8m reach, can handle 500kg at full stretch, and 2000kg at the side – the tandem trailer carries 2600kg

Pete has shifted it all. “Trusses, beams, carpet rolls, spas, pools, garden sheds, home appliances, workshop machinery, rock and tree placement, furniture in and out of multi-storey homes and apartments – the lot!”

Pete o ers a free site visit and estimate – and promptly replies to enquiries – so call him now on: 021 848 919.

Get in the zone with local landscapers

“Our aim is to provide personalised landscape design, build and maintenance solutions that inspire and exceed clients’ expectations,” says Nichola.

“We start with an on-site consultation and provide a concept design to t your

budget. Once complete, Zones will then organise and project-manage the entire landscaping process.” Call Zones Landscaping today and ask for Nichola to get your project underway on: 0800 30 10 20, or visit: www.zones.co.nz

Pete Marshall is ready to shift and lift your items on sites big or small.

Create your stunning dream landscape today with Zones’ comprehensive design package.

New building consent system for Western Bay of Plenty

Change is just around the corner for Western Bay of Plenty’s building consenting system and early feedback has been positive overall.

Western Bay of Plenty District Council’s new online building consenting system, Objective Build, will go live next Monday, March 27.

is new system will help the building industry around the rohe keep their building consents moving with real-time updates and noti cations sent directly to them.

Since the switch to Objective Build was announced, the local industry has been attending demonstration sessions to familiarise themselves with the new software, says WBOPDC building services manager Nigel Mogford.

“We’ve been walking people through the new system, showing them how it can work for them. And so far people have been positive.

“Our stakeholders are telling us that Objective Build is an improvement and that aligning with other councils in New Zealand is a move in the right direction.” is project is part of council’s commitment to

making things easier for our customers.

“We’re excited to be rolling out a new system for our customers and giving them a modern digital experience that’s focused on making the process simpler and more streamlined for them,” says Nigel.

Tauranga City Council will be following suit with the same software later in 2023.

Building consent applications that are in process will be transferred over automatically. Applicants will receive an email from Objective Build asking them to create an Objective Build account (sent to the email that was associated with the building consent application).

e Objective Build mobile application.

Photo supplied.

From there you can log in online and see all the information about your building consent as it’s processed.

New building consents will be directed through Objective Build accessed on council’s building consent webpage. For help and support, contact the dedicated Objective support team from 8.30am-6pm weekdays. Email: build.support@objective.com or call: 0800 024 508.

Build your new home with the experts!

Signature Homes Bay of Plenty & Coromandel pride themselves on providing clients with a bespoke experience, building homes that feel uniquely theirs.

Owners Debbie and Craig Williams know a thing or two about building beautiful Kiwi homes – they’ve been doing so in the region for more than 26 years.

“You’re almost guaranteed to enjoy your build experience with the Signature Homes Tauranga & Bay of Plenty team, who, since 2008, have won the National Client Survey award 13 times,” say Debbie and Craig.

Signature Homes is proud to o er its clients xed price contracts as part of their independently bonded Building Guarantees programme, a

market-leading o ering that ensures you can build your new home with con dence.

Whether you have an idea of your dream home planned out or you’re just starting your building journey, Signature Homes team of experts will help you create a space that’s perfectly in tune with your lifestyle and budget.

Ready to start?

Whether you’re looking for a house and land package in the Bay of Plenty or you’re a landowner seeking a design and build solution, Signature Homes will take you through the new home building process step by step.

Contact Signature Homes Bay of Plenty & Coromandel on: 0800 102 105 to start your new home journey today.

A cruise, and a surprise from Timaru!

I always thought Timaru was just somewhere you passed through on your way from Christchurch to Dunedin – at best a sandwich and co ee stop. I did know wonder-horse Phar Lap came from somewhere near Timaru, but that was all 90 years ago.

And so when my cruise ship the small, 500-passenger Seabourn Odyssey, called into Timaru, I had absolutely no expectations. at’s generally a good mindset when visiting any small, out-of-the-way place because you can only be pleasantly surprised.

And I was!

I thought I would kill 10 minutes on Caroline Bay –Timaru’s very own golden sweeping city beach, its very own Waikiki in Honolulu, but colder.

It was beautiful and I was there for more than two hours. My pink shoulders and arms meant I was there too long!

Roses & steak

Here in Tauranga we promote our rose gardens on Cli Rd. But Timaru’s Trevor Gri th Rose garden is in a di erent league. Designed by Sir Miles Warren to honour a lifetime’s work by a world-renowned rosarian. It’s a stunning experience, as is the Timaru CBD amongst all that Victorian and Edwardian bluestone architecture.

Although I’m Kiwi-born-and-bred, it’s amazing how much of this beautiful country I still have to explore. Cruising the east coast on Seabourn Odyssey, visiting towns such as Lyttleton and Port

Be ‘WOW’ed with Hinterland Tours

Explore some of the North Island’s stunning backyard while going on Hinterland’s WOW tour.

Photo: supplied.

Hinterland Tours are ready to take you on your next travel adventure as you immerse yourself in the World of Wearable Art. A breath-taking show, WOW is a sensational display of dancers, arealists, music, AV graphics and of course – wearable art!

Hinterland’s four-day tour will take you through stunning scenery around Lake Taupo, along the Desert Road and the Wairarapa’s quaint gem, Greytown. “We try to go to o the beaten track locations,” says HinterIand Tours’ Ian Holroyd. “Like little tucked-away museums, boutique wineries, local cafés and wildlife reserves.” On the third day travellers will have time explore Wellywood and enjoy a private tour of the Museum of New Zealand, Te Papa Tongarewa. en come evening, it will be time to sit back and delight in Platinum Grade Tickets for WOW! e following day it will be all aboard the Northern Explorer train to Hamilton.

Hinterland Tours has three WOW trips on o er during September and October. For more information, see their advert on this page.

Georgia Minkhorst

Chalmers and even the amazing Kaikōura was a reminder of what this wonderful land has to o er.

Although I’ve sailed a few cruises over the years, this holiday was the rst time cruising with Seabourn. Small ship cruising was perfect for this itinerary. Well it’s perfect anytime – more luxurious, more intimate. e crew know you by your rst name. And the food is to die for!

e grill by omas Keller – Best California chef in 1996, and Best Chef in America in 1997 – is so popular you can only book in once per voyage. But is a ‘must do’ if you like your steak. So I recommend you book before boarding or as soon you step on-board.

‘Block party’

Evening entertainment was a good time every night with dancers, singers and local musicians in the main theatre, followed by a drink and music in e Club or Observation Bar if you choose to keep the night going. Every Seabourn cruise includes a ‘block party’, where you can have a drink in the hall outside your cabin to get to know your neighbours. It’s an easy way to make great friends or know who to dodge in the halls. Whether you’re travelling in a group, couple or a solo traveller, there are still plenty of ways to meet new people with activities such as trivia, spa events and talks on the local area. ere is always something on-board to keep you entertained. I would certainly do it all again. And thank you for the surprise Timaru!

e impressive, activitylled deck of the Seabourn Odyssey.

Photo: supplied.

Gardens and sculptures surprise many tourists to Timaru.

Felicity Alquist

e Seabourn Odyssey ready to set sail. Photo: supplied.

Jazz festival countdown – one week to go!

Jazz eh? It’s not dead – it just smells funny.

Sorry. I know that’s an old line.

And I’ve probably quoted it more than once in this column.

Why? Well, Frank Zappa said it – and despite everything I still miss Frank. Or perhaps because I rst heard it when I was a very impressed and impressionable teenager.

And when you’re that age stu sticks with you.

It’s not true of course.

Jazz has reinvented itself, forged new directions, absorbed other styles and continues to evolve, as it has since the early-20th Century. e Port of Tauranga 60th National Jazz Festival – nally remembered to include the sponsor’s name! – has a whole bunch of music, from the old and familiar to the new and challenging.

It’s coming up fast. e o cial start (in Katikati) is a mere week away, arriving with April.

Today let’s take another run at the many Baycourt concerts.

Particularly because I heard someone say the other day that they weren’t too keen on any of the shows on o er this year.

I tried to hide my surprise.

For a long time there’s been a mantra I’ve heard from promoters about Tauranga audiences. Actually there’re two.

Firstly, Tauranga audiences are notorious for waiting until the last minute to buy tickets. is causes understandable anxiety for promoters. It can sometimes be a problem for events such as the Jazz Festival when out-of-towners arrive: often – to people’s shock – shows sell out.

Tauranga?

But the comment I was thinking of was this: Tauranga audiences don’t know what they like, they just like what they know.

Apologies straight away. I didn’t say it. But I’ve heard that from more than a few promoters. Drop me an email if you disagree. In the meantime, let’s look at the Jazz Fest programme, because I think it’s very impressive, a roll-call of

inaugural Jazz Composition of the Year award; tracks ‘Beyond the Palace’ and ‘A Gathering’ were nominated for the 2018 Best Jazz Composition of the Year award, which they then won in both 2019 and 2020. eir latest album ‘Walking Spirits’ also saw them nominated for the Best Jazz Artist award.

So you get it – these guys are good. Check them online to see if they align with your tastes.

Jazz?

excellence and a ne balance of styles. Here’re three bands you won’t know...

Eight-piece ensemble (four horns) e Jac has been making music since 2010, based in Wellington with ring-ins from Melbourne and Montreal. ere’s a symphony orchestra trombonist, a heavy metal drummer, and several leading jazz luminaries. Naming them probably wouldn’t help signi cantly.

ey all play fantastically; check the jazz.org.nz website.

e band sounds a bit be-boppy to me, modern while still melodic; I’d suggest their concert ( ursday, April 6 at Baycourt X-Space) is one for jazz fans as opposed to casual listeners.

e awards say a little about their quality: debut album ‘Nerve’ was nominated for the Best Jazz Album of e Year; a track from follow-up ‘ e Green Hour’ won New Zealand’s

e Saturday night, April 8, in Baycourt’s X-Space it’s e New Caledonia, a totally di erent beast, sure to start the ‘is it jazz?’ debate. ey’re an experimental psychedelic four-piece (no horns) from Hamilton who, in happy synchronicity, sound distinctly Zappa-in uenced. Drummer Stan Bicknell, who seems to divide his time between Melbourne and Papamoa, is a busy man with many Facebook followers for his drumming displays. He describes the band sound as “Basically Meshuggah meets Mario Cart, lol”. While

Meshuggah is a Swedish extreme metal band, this is sorta complex prog-rock, alternately heavy, alarming, sweet and playful. Expect the unexpected...

Stan will also be playing drums for funk band Black Comet (two horns) on Easter Sunday in Baycourt’s main theatre.

Again, you may not know these guys, but they have a great pedigree, being led by frontman Laughton Kora, one of the four Kora brothers, who are responsible for bands Kora, L.A.B. and much more.

Songs are catchy modern soul – easy to nd on Spotify – and, to add intrigue, both shows will be mixed by Tiki Taane.

Okay. More on the jazz festival next week.

e Jac.

e New Caledonia.

Kiwi singing legends kick off tour in the Bay

Local country music legend Brendan Dugan admits the upcoming nationwide tour as part of the NZ Highwaymen may well be his last.

“I’ve always said: ‘If my voice goes, I’ll stop performing’,” says Brendan. “My voice has changed over the years but luckily for me, it’s developed more emotion behind it.

“I have less power behind it but it’s more gravelly and perfect for the smaller, more intimate venues we’re playing.”

Brendan, along with fellow musicians Dennis Marsh, Gray Bartlett and Eddie Low, will tour the country beginning at Holy Trinity Tauranga on May 18.

Between them, they’ve recorded more than 100 albums, many of which went Gold and Platinum. “Gray and I have been working together o and on for almost 60 years. Eddie has a beautiful voice and Dennis and I have been working together for about eight years.

“We’re great friends so when we came up with the idea to perform together it was perfect,”

says Brendan. “We’ve all had our health issues and touring is hard at our age. You’ve gotta pace yourself, but the minute you’re on-stage it’s all forgotten and we’re 21 again.”

e NZ Highwaymen will travel in May and

Orchid oracles and beautiful blooms

With 200 years combined knowledge of orchids, what better place to ower a new hobby than at the Bay of Plenty Orchid Society Annual Show?

Kevin Davey is part of the Bay of Plenty Orchid Society and has been collecting orchids for 15 years. With an impressive 300 orchids to his name, he was a stunning ower array of “every colour of the rainbow”.

“It’s my main hobby…I would spend on average three hours a day just ddling around...my wife calls them my ‘babies’,” says Kevin. Speaking for himself and his fellow Bay of

Plenty Orchid Society crew, Kevin says: “Between the members that we’ve got there’s probably well into 200 years of orchid growing experience if you add it all together”.

And all this growing know-how will be on tap at the society’s annual show on March 31 and April 1!

Kevin says the BPOS show will be a great way to step into the wonderful world of orchids with plenty of plants on display and professional growers sharing advice. “See what you can do

with an orchid plant... they’re lovely, they’re easy to grow, they’re not hard by any stretch of the imagination –just give them the right conditions and put a bit of water on them, the occasional feed and away they go.”

And all are welcome! “We’re always on the lookout for new society members.” Running from 10am to 4pm at the Te Puke War Memorial Hall, the show is on Friday, March 31 and Saturday, April 1.

Georgia Minkhorst

June, playing 19 shows throughout New Zealand. ey’ll each belt out their biggest hits, plus put their own spin on classics from country icons such as Johnny Cash, George Jones, and Kenny Rogers. “It’s very interactive so we’ll also be chatting during the show; ‘Hey Gray, remember when…’ kind of stories about our career. We like to get up close and be able to see our audience,” says Brendan. “Country music fans are very loyal. ey’ve been with us all this time and we appreciate that.”

e NZ Highwaymen are known individually in their own right and have toured the country many times in various groups, including the sellout ‘Highway of Legends’ tours. is is the rst and likely the last time all four of these legendary NZ artists will hit the road together.

Dennis Marsh, Gray Bartlett, Eddie Low and Brendan Dugan are the NZ Highwaymen. Photo supplied.

Kevin Davey among his greenhouse’s delightful array of orchids.

Photo: John Borren.

Debbie Griffiths

Common sense is in very short supply! This is a total disaster!

During two days last week, I had the misfortune to have to use the Cameron Rd/15th Ave intersection. Misfortune, indeed.

On both occasions, I was travelling from east to west, and on both occasions, mid-afternoon, the queue of tra c was back past Devonport Rd, and almost to Fraser St.

e intersection has been a shambles for months, but the council in the past three-four weeks have exceeded their wildest dreams in tra c disruption.

Sitting in the queue of tra c, heading out of the city towards Bethlehem, I had considerable time to see just how long the lights stayed green. It’s 20-25 seconds, allowing approximately ve-six cars each phase.

All other directional phases were considerably longer. I would have thought that if the council are changing tra c ow lanes, then some sort of extended phasing would have been common sense? But on past history of this organisation, common sense is in very short supply. I need only mention the names Bella Vista, and Hamilton St parking building.

ank you Tauranga City Council for making this city now one of the most unliveable. You have achieved what you obviously have set out to do!

Gary Kenny, Bethlehem.

*** Tauranga City Council director of transport Brendan Bisley replies:

e Building our future - Cameron Road upgrades have progressed to a stage where we need to upgrade the key intersections (Fifteenth and Eleventh Avenues, and Elizabeth St). To do this, we need to remove vehicle lanes on the approaches to build new kerb and this does impact tra c ow

as there are less lanes for tra c, causing queues back further than normal. e work on the Fifteenth Ave intersection has been carefully planned and involves both day and night works, so the team can work as e ciency as possible, within what is a very restricted worksite.

Re: My letter titled ‘Cameron Rd improvements’ in e Sun, (March 10 edition, page 14).

In reply to my previous letter by TCC, I congratulate them for a witty, informative and very wise comments. Yeah right!

Working on one of Tauranga’s busiest

We have worked to reduce lanes of tra c only where absolutely necessary to limit disruption, while maintaining both the existing signalised intersection and live tra c ows. Council also adjusts the tra c light phases to accommodate the changes and minimise the impacts of the lane reductions on the various approaches. Working on one of Tauranga’s busiest intersections poses many challenges and we understand the frustrations that tra c delays can cause.

Road users are advised to prepare for tra c delays during construction in this area, to allow extra time and plan journeys accordingly.

Read the TCC’s rst paragraph. Do not take my word for it. See the roadworks yourself. Look for the intersections with Cameron Rd. Not just one, but them all (particularly 11th Ave at McDonalds).Remember that Cameron Rd was widened only a few years ago. If you thought the Greerton roundabouts were bad, I have news for you. ere is now going to be one-lane tra c (says TCC’s reply) from Cheyne Rd – this is past the Barkes Corner roundabout, remember, to 8th Ave or more on Cameron Rd. is is a total disaster!

Remember the alternatives: e existing road was wide enough to have: no-parking zones which would become bus lanes 7am-9 am and 4pm-6pm in peak hours. is would have still left two lanes each side most of Cameron Rd. e cycleway would still be there. Congratulations to the TCC, you have now made Tauranga absolutely a no-go area because who in their right mind would want to wait for an hour or more to get 7km from Barkes Corner to the CBD any time of day, in one lane?

TCC, bravo, Cameron Rd will now be one of the most polluted roads in New Zealand or the world due to all the emissions from stationary vehicles. If you are a business owner, I pity you. is council has to go.

I mean now, today. Enough stupidity. Remember, none of this is on the Cameron Rd Stage 2 plan.

Terry Johnson, Gate Pa.

Great to see – but where’s the actual details?

Re: ‘Our di erent approach to climate change’ National’s MP for Tauranga, Sam U ndel’s column in e Weekend Sun, March 3 edition.

It is great to see Sam U ndel committing to climate emission targets in a way that will grow our economy.

I am looking forward to the details, such as how a National government will re-structure the economy to ensure that jobs are converted from so much of the current fossil fuel economy to sustainable activities.

It may also require a shift from our love of meat to a more healthy, cleaner, plant-based diet, and all the industrial and lifestyle changes that go with it.

Recreation may also need to change by reducing our reliance on travel to more local, creative activities.

It will certainly involve many challenging and exciting opportunities for this long term journey, and I hope that all parties will be committed to it.

Gray Southon, Gate Pa.

BETH - EL la tyb

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I was asked recently why I bothered about all this Interfaith stu ? Why didn’t I concentrate on my own faith and learn to do it better? After thinking about that, here is my personal response.

Religious pluralism is a fact of life. Tauranga is a city of many faiths – Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Baha’i, Sikh, Gaudiya [Hare Krishna] – and probably more I haven’t met yet. We are all part of this community and we interact every day. e more we learn about our di erent religious faiths, the more we discover what we hold in common. e basis of all the great faiths is the acceptance that there is a ‘more’, a ‘sacred’, a ‘greater than’, which Christians call ‘God’. is understanding underpins all our experiences

of the sacred. We also share with other faiths very similar understandings of the pathway of a religious life – the letting go of self and the discovery of a spiritual way. We follow practices of prayer and worship, and we try to follow a life of compassion.

Of course, there are di erences! All religious traditions are deeply rooted in our di ering cultural heritages. Di erent experiences, di erent languages, di erent cultures over many hundreds of years have shaped our various religious understandings.

But learning about other traditions helps us to deepen our understanding of our own faith tradition. It also helps us understand our neighbours a little better, so we can work together to build a resilient community.

Ngaire Southon, Tauranga Moana Interfaith Council

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