Hey Tauranga and Western Bay of Plenty!
Guess what... it’s nearly jazz time! Yes, the 61st National Port of Tauranga Jazz Festival is only eight days away from beginning!
And this year – from March 23 through to April 1 – there’s a rip-roaring, jam-packed, delicious smorgasbord of entertainment on
o er in all shapes and forms and tastes. is year’s ve-act Baycourt line-up includes Australian jazz musician James Morrison, Aotearoa soul star Louis Baker, American jazz guitarist and composer Russ Spiegel, the ‘All Girl Big Band, and Tauranga’s own Akash Dutta (pictured on piano).
Locals and visitors alike can also feast on the festival-opening Street Party in Katikati, the 46th National Youth Jazz Competition, Jazz Village, the Speakeasy Supper, Downtown Carnival, the Hurricane Party, Jazz Sunset Cruise, Tauranga Big Band, the Tea Dance and Jazz at the Mount and much more during
10 days of mind-blowing musical delicacies –which means there really is something to suit the tastes of everyone!
So turn to pages 13 through to 16 in this issue now – to see what you can taste, try and devour in Tauranga’s annual National Port of Tauranga Jazz Festival! Photo: John Borren.
Sit back and rejoice. Hallelujah and pass the grass, leaves, grains and thorny desert plants.
Because 2024 is e Year of the Camelid – celebrating “the timeless bond between Arabs and camelids”, to show how important they are to the livelihoods of millions of people in 90 countries, their contribution to food security, nutrition and economic growth.
I am sure you are positively glowing at the news.
I’ll save you a Google search – a camelid is an even-toed ungulate, a ruminant mammal with a three-chambered stomach. A camel, a llama or an alpaca…
You any the wiser?
But how did we get to this? How did those bad-tempered, bad-mannered, spitting and kicking camels, creatures of the devil, manage to corral the hearts and minds of the entire United Nations to become animal of the year.
I’ve already red o a message of protest to António Guterres. And it demands draft resolution 2344/181 revoking the 2024 International Year of the Camelid be submitted to the General Assembly. We will see what sort of power e Weekend Sun pulls.
Anyhow camelids – vile things.
Camels have a vicious slashing bite.
ey also gob a ‘foul smelling soup of regurgitated food’ if you upset them.
contenders for UN Year of the Whatever.
First, the dirty, diseased and much unloved pigeon. at’s their reputation because city pigeons perch high and poop on everyone and everything.
Pigeons are called rats with wings.
And they have that rat cunning.
We were reminded of this a couple of weeks ago when a pigeon outsmarted the pest controllers and security at a New Zealand supermarket.
e pigeon ew in, did a low pass over fruit and vegetables, skirted wine and beer, banked around the deli and bakery and came in for a graceful two-point landing down on the dry goods aisles by the bulk seeds, legumes and grains.
Damned smart
e pigeon then stuck his beak into a dispenser and gorged himself. Health issues aside, that’s one damned smart pigeon. How did it know where to go?
Where did it get its co-ordinates?
e job fell to Cher Ami, who took o under a barrage of German re. Bullets zipped all around as the bird ew 40km back to its coop. Cheri Ami lay there on its back and covered in blood – blinded in one eye, a shot to the breastbone and a leg hanging by just a few tendons.
What a bird! But the message got through and nearly 200 lives were saved.
Cher Ami was awarded the French Croix de Guerre – cross of war.
Cher Ami was immortalised in verse. “Little scrawny blue and white, Messenger for men who ght, “Tell me of the deep red scar, ere, just where no feathers are.”
No style! Did you know Australia has the largest wild population of Arabian camels in the world? Yep – it’s a country of convict blood and camels.
So why are droves of Kiwis headed there? But I digress…
Llamas are also into the spitting thing –streams of green, partially-digested food.
And there’s something called Berserk Llama Syndrome, BLS, or aberrant behaviour syndrome which causes them to be dangerously aggressive to humans.
Anyhow Mr Guterres – I respectfully submit two new and more deserving
“It was out of necessity,” the pigeon later told e Weekend Sun.
“People used to toss us bread crusts down on market square.
“But with food prices soaring people are eating the crusts themselves.”
And if David Seymour has his way, the crusts will be commandeered for school lunches.
To add to my case for ‘International Year of the Pigeon’ there is the legend of ‘Cher Ami’ or Dear Friend.
Cher Ami was serving in the trenches during WWI when a commander of trapped infantry needed to get crucial information back behind the lines.
Cher Ami died of war wounds in 1919. A taxidermist preserved what was left –one eye, a stump and a few feathers.
Living in a hippo’s butt
I respectfully submit another of God’s creatures for the UN ‘Year of the Whatever’ – if only for its extraordinarily di cult living situation. It’s the Placobdelloides Jaegerskioeldi. ese creatures live in the butt of hippopotami. You heard me right. Hippos have very thick, tough skin and a layer of blubber. And the butt is the only part of the hippo that’s su ciently vascularised, or veiny, for the leeches to get a good blood meal.
It must be di cult for the Placobdelloides Jaegerskioeldi to accept the cruel deal life has dealt it.
But as some compensation, it has been blessed with two powerful suckers to withstand the hippo’s rather explosive bowel movements.
We were thinking of door-stopping the leech for comment, but that would have created health and safety issues.
And so, in their ignominy, I suggest Placobdelloides Jaegerskioeldi deserves celebration. We all love an underdog.
Bay of Plenty Regional Council is launching a new Baybus OnDemand public transport service on Monday, March 25.
“Set to run for up to 18 months, the OnDemand trial re ects our commitment to o ering more attractive and sustainable transport choices for our community," says a council spokesperson.
Baybus OnDemand in Tauranga South is a corner-to-corner rideshare service featuring a eet of electric minivans. According to the council, these smaller vehicles will provide exible connections between local destinations and link passengers to the wider Baybus network, adapting in real-time to customer needs.
e new service will be operating within Tauranga South including Gate Pā, Greerton, Parkvale, Pyes Pā, Tauriko and e Lakes. It will be available 6am-7pm daily excluding Good Friday and Christmas Day. People can book via a dedicated app, Baybus OnDemand, calling: 0800 4 BAYBUS (0800 4 229 287) or in person at a participating Book on Behalf business.
e standard fare is $3.40 per trip, reduced to $2.72 with a Bee Card which adheres to the current Baybus fare structure. Baybus concessions and transfers are available, and payment can be made via app or by a Bee Card. “Our OnDemand
vans don’t follow set routes,” says BOPRC public transport director Mike Seabourne.
“Instead, they take the most e cient path to your destination, considering the needs of all passengers on-board.”
Mike says this approach will ensure less wait times and a more direct journey, enhancing the overall passenger experience. “Baybus OnDemand is perfect for our senior residents and families. It means hassle-free trips to essential services like Grace Hospital or places of worship,” says Mike.
“Families will appreciate the ease of errands to Tauranga Crossing, shopping in Fraser Cove or getting to after-school activities. OnDemand is about freedom and convenience – taking you where you need to go, when you need to be there.
“ is service represents a new era of public transport – adaptable, e cient, and eco-friendly.”
Mercury is sponsoring the trial, which includes providing electric chargers for the eet, which has four eight-seater electric minivans and one veseater with ramps and a wheelchair hoist.
“Our goal is to complement xed public transport routes, aiming to increase overall patronage and e ciency.”
e Baybus OnDemand app can be downloaded from app stores from March 18. e service starts March 25. Visit: baybus.co.nz/ondemand
Plans for a stadium in central Tauranga have been scaled back and construction pushed out because of budget constraints.
e community stadium at the Tauranga Domain will now be built in two stages and construction won’t begin until 2033.
Budget constraints were caused by the need for Tauranga City Council to provide water infrastructure beyond 2026 because the Government repealed the ree Waters legislation. Stage 1 of the stadium included 5500 new seats, new community spaces and a cafe, a new hybrid turf sports eld and an improved entrance. One of the buildings would also be repurposed for the University of Waikato sports science faculty.
e initial proposal was for a $220m stadium with 7000 permanent seats and 8000 temporary seats. It also would have included an exhibition centre, a community multi-use facility with changing rooms and lounge space, and a sports science/physiotherapy space.
Construction of this stadium would have begun in 2026, but last year the Commission opted to take a staged approach to the stadium with the build starting in 2029.
is was pushed out further to 2033 at the Long Term Plan 2024-2034 deliberations last week. Commission chair Anne Tolley says the sensible thing to do is push out the timeline for the stadium and do it in stages.
e council consulted on the community stadium through the Long Term Plan and the majority of respondents didn’t want it. Of 1189 responses, 56 per cent wanted the stadium removed from the Long Term Plan. ere were 43 per cent of responses that supported a stadium –either staged or delivered in one go.
e stadium was also met with opposition from a ected sports clubs and the public during the LTP hearings in February. e Tauranga Bowls Club, Tauranga Croquet Club and Athletics Tauranga would need to be relocated from the domain at a cost of $21m.
Garth Mathieson of the Tauranga Millennium Track Trust says the proposed stadium wouldn’t have enough parking and couldn’t be expanded to keep up with the growth of Tauranga.
Nearby Rotorua had a 20,000-seat stadium and a much smaller population, says Garth. “Let’s call the community stadium what it is, a second regional rugby stadium.” e trust fundraised and built the all-weather athletics track at the domain.
e Tauranga Lawn Tennis Club would no longer have courts relocated with the stadium’s staged approach but it opposed the loss of green space.
Tauranga Lawn Tennis Club’s club captain Michel Galloway says the greenspace at the domain should be left as a legacy for future generations. e stadium would result in a loss of the community sports that operated from the domain, says Michel. ...continued
...continued
The track trust, tennis and croquet clubs formed the Hands Off Tauranga Domain alliance and held a protest in March last year. Around 500 people turned up to support the cause.
At the deliberations, Shannon Joe head of design at Jasmax, one of the design consultants for the stadium business case, said the stadium is people centric. “This is a stadium for everyone and dubbed as the community stadium.”
Open its doors
The new design had a plaza entrance and “strong relationship” with Cameron Road.
Joe says the area wouldn’t be used for just sporting events or concerts and could be the “perfect venue” for Sunday brunches or markets.
“One of the key objectives was to make sure that this proposed development would open its doors.
“It would not seem privatised, but feel very public, very inviting and welcoming.”
Anne says she loves the openness of the design.
“It’s interesting that people talk about saving green space. It [Tauranga Domain] is at the moment a very closed-off place, that is covered with buildings and used by members of small clubs. What you've done is you’ve actually made a public space.”
Western Bay of Plenty residents have until April 1 to have their say on a long-awaited upgrade of the Beach Rd boat ramp.
The proposed transformation, led by Western Bay of Plenty District Council, is to improve the boat ramp, esplanade foreshore reserve, MacMillan Reserve, and 294 Beach Rd.
If everyone is on-board, improvements will include raising and widening the first 30 metres of the boat ramp, installation of cultural
and historical features, creating more open green space for new picnic are-as, upgrading public restrooms, and adding more public carparking, including dedicated boat trailer parking for the boating community. For more information, or provide feedback, visit: haveyoursay.westernbay. govt.nz/beachroad Or see a hard copy at Pātuki Manawa Katikati, or head to a community information event 9am-12pm Sunday, March 24, at the Beach Road boat ramp.
Stage 2 would increase seating to 7000 and be expandable with 8000 temporary seats. It would also include the exhibition and function space, community multi sports facilities and enhanced player facilities. The expected cost of delivering Stage 2 is $157m but this has not been budgeted for because it isn’t included in the 2024-2034 LTP.
Transport Minister Simeon Brown says news that the new bridge at Cambridge Rd will open on schedule on April 8 marks a significant milestone in the 6.8km Takitimu North Link expressway project. “This is one of eight bridge structures on the project, with the first three nearing completion, which is excellent progress,” says the Minster, who visited town Wednesday to see the progress first-hand.
“It was good to speak with the team on-site and view construction progression on this major infrastructure project.
The Minister says the project will make a big difference to people across the region by providing an alternative to the existing State Highway 2, which will become a local road once the TNL opens, providing more reliable journey times.
“The completion of the bridge between
Bethlehem and Tauriko makes way for the expressway to be built underneath and will result in a safer road layout in this busy area of Tauranga.”
The TNL Stage 1 will connect Tauranga and Te Puna with a new four-lane expressway, which is a key strategic transport corridor for the region, improving safety and providing greater resilience and travel choice.
The project is included in the recently-released draft 2024 Government Policy Statement on Land Transport as part of the Roads of National Significance programme.
Consultation on the draft GPS is open until 12pm on April 2, 2024. Feedback can be made at: www.transport.govt.nz/area-of-interest/ strategy-and-direction/government-policystatement-on-land-transport-2024
Friday
e Tauranga Armageddon
Expo will bring its signature brand of pop culture chaos to the Bay of Plenty region this month, commanding a line-up of celebrities.
Among the stellar guest line-up are actors from Stargate, Demon Slayer, Star Wars, Dragon Ball and more.
Armageddon Expo director William Geradts says the line-up of stars to meet and greet will appeal to a broad range of fans. “Now that the events industry has found its feet again
07 577 0923
tauranga mp@parliament govt nz
post-pandemic, we’ve been able to get a really great list of starts for our events in 2024.
“We’ve seen a really good response online with people getting excited to meet their favourite celebrities, so it’s sure to be an incredible event.”
e line-up includes David Hewlett and David Nykl (Stargate), Gigi Edgley (Farscape), Zach Aguilar (Demon Slayer), Spencer Wilding (Rogue One), Daman Mills (Dragon Ball), and Taylor Gray (Star Wars Rebels).
For the rst time, the Tauranga Armageddon Expo will also host Jpop star and anime singer Takayoshi Tanimoto, who has performed an array of anime theme songs.
#Bayofgeddon 2024 will also showcase the best in gaming, technology, cosplay and more.
“We’ve got the latest consoles and games, people dressing up as their favourite characters for our Cosplay Parade, some wacky competitions and
loads more fun things for the whole family to enjoy.”
Alongside the Ping Zero PC and console arenas, the event will feature virtual reality and a light-up dance oor with Just Dance 2022 challenges throughout the weekend.
e expo will have a massive range of stalls selling geeky art, crafts, collectables, comics and more. Attendees will also be able to enjoy a huge range of in-show events including the famous Armageddon Cosplay Parade and a chilli eating challenge. “We’re working hard to make sure this Armageddon Expo, and every event we host across the country this year, will be an epic celebration of pop culture for people of all ages to enjoy.”
e Tauranga Armageddon Expo will be held on the weekend of March 16-17 from 9am-5pm both days. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit: www.armageddonexpo.com
Tauranga’s rich cultural diversity and precious heritage will take centre stage at the end of the month for the 25th Tauranga Multicultural Festival!
Held on Saturday, March 23, at the Historic Village, this extravaganza of vibrancy and community draws people from all walks of life to celebrate unity, understanding, and the beauty of cultural exchange.
e festival promises to unfold as a mesmerising kaleidoscope of colours, sounds and avours with participants representing about 30 cultures from around the world. ese will be showcased with the festival’s iconic ‘Parade of Nations’.
“ e Parade of Nations at noon is open to all but we do encourage traditional dress,” says event manager, Premila D’mello. “ is is always very
popular as this is a chance for people to walk behind the ag of their country of origin or their parent’s country of origin, right here in the Bay of Plenty which they have chosen as their home.”
Another highlight of the festival will be the captivating array of dance and music performances that will grace the main stage, as well as interactive cultural exhibits and workshops. Fueling all this will be a delectable and diverse range of food prepared by community groups and ethnic food vendors – from spicy hot curries to delicate pastries. Premila gives special thanks to everyone involved in making this wonderful festival happen. “Without our volunteers and funders this event would not have been possible.”
e Tauranga Multicultural Festival 2024 is at e Historic Village on Saturday, March 23, from 10am-5pm. Gold coin entry.
A focus on core services, infrastructure and nancial management feature in Toi Moana Bay of Plenty Regional Council’s Long Term Plan 2024-2034 consultation document, which is now open for public feedback.
e consultation document, draft LTP 2024-2034, and supporting information and draft associated policies were approved by BOPRC recently – now council is seeking public feedback until April 9, 2024.
e LTP outlines what work BOPRC will do in the next 10 years, why it is doing it, what it will cost and how
it will fund the work. BOPRC chair Doug Leeder says the proposed work programme in the draft LTP, which will come into force on July 1, 2024, if adopted, is all about maintaining infrastructure, delivering core services and carefully managing nances.
e full draft LTP and associated documents are at: www.boprc.govt.nz/ltp-2024
Submissions can be made online, via email or mail, or completed and handed in to any BOPRC o ce.
Hearings on submissions will be held in May before the LTP 2024-2034 is adopted by council on June 30, 2024.
Onekawa Have your say in shaping the future of our region. Our Long Term Plan sets our strategic direction for the next 10 years, including the work we will deliver and how that work will be funded.
How we should pay for buses A proposal to enable the sale of some Port of Tauranga shares New regional parks
Pāpāmoa BE IN TO WIN Tell us what you think of our regional parks. Te Mahere Tūroa Long Term Plan 2024-2034 Visit www.boprc.govt.nz/ltp-2024 before Tuesday 9 April for more information and to make a submission.
Did you know we manage two regional parks? Pāpāmoa Hills, located between Pāpāmoa and Te Puke, and Onekawa Te Mawhai, located on the Ōhiwa Harbour headland. These special places are available for everyone to enjoy, but we’re looking for public feedback to ensure we can make improvements for the years to come. Whether you’ve visited either of our regional parks once or multiple times, we’d love to hear your thoughts! Take our two-minute survey to tell us what you love or what can be improved on and go in the draw to win a $100 Prezzy Card.
Once a degraded forest, Aongatete is bursting with life thanks to the hardworking Aongatete Forest Project volunteers.
A recent study commissioned by Toi Moana Bay of Plenty Regional Council found significantly higher counts of seven bird species including kererū, tui and titipounamu (rifleman).
Aongatete Forest Project is just one of many Regional Council registered care groups. If you are a local conservation group looking to grow your impact, talk to a Land Management Officer at: boprc.govt.nz/land-management-officers
Some of our Councillors are offering drop-in sessions for the community on a trial basis. Meet with your elected representatives to discuss what matters to you. No appointment necessary. This is just one opportunity to meet your council representatives.
• Drop-in Mondays 10:30am-12:30pm and Thursdays 12pm-2pm
• Bay of Plenty Regional Council, 1 Elizabeth Street Tauranga
• Councillor von Dadelszen will be available at Regional House on Mondays 10:30am-12:30pm, from 26 Feb-22 April
• Councillor Macmillan will be available at Regional House on Thursdays 12pm-2pm, from 29 Feb-4 April
Works have begun in the Whakatāne CBD to upgrade the stopbanks and floodwalls between the skate park and the iSite. This is Stage One of Project Future Proof, a multi-stage, multi-year project to improve or replace the flood defences in the township and help reduce the risk of a serious flood event on the community. Construction on Stage One is expected to be complete later this year; if you’re travelling through the area (near Kakahoroa Drive), please take care as there are road closures and detours in place.
You can read about the project here: boprc.govt.nz/future-proof
Two Tauranga brothers are teaming up for the New Zealand Surf Lifesaving Championships – with one at the helm and one taking to the water after years away from the sport.
e championships returned to Mount Maunganui this week, kicking o on ursday, March 14, and will run until Sunday, March 17.
Dubbed ‘ e Nationals,’ this pinnacle surf lifesaving event will see more than 1300 of New Zealand’s most talented surf lifeguards compete.
Among them is Pāpāmoa Surf Lifesaving Club’s brothers 25-yearold Jake Cowdrey and 27-year-old Scott Cowdrey. e latter is a former top competitor, having been part of the New Zealand Development Team prior to the pandemic.
“Covid happened and life sort of got away and I haven’t been involved in the last couple of years,” says Scott. “But with e Nationals being back at the Mount, I sort of thought: ‘Why not jump back in and give it a crack?’” An even greater encouragement
is his younger brother, Jake, is coach of the club’s dedicated squad made up of 14-17-year-olds. Scott is de nitely a proud older bro too, saying Jake’s been an “amazing” coach to the young ones. “He’s got that squad up and running and the culture is a big one… they’re all mates. At times he might have to be a bit of a guidance counsellor or school teacher, but at the end of the day they’re all having fun on the beach, doing what they love.”
e Nationals has athletes showcasing a raft of surf rescue skills from surf swims, ski paddling, beach sprints, fourperson surf boats to canoe races and more.
While Jake’s young squad may not be looking to win against the current champions, Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service, he has his own set of goals for his squad. “Just go out, have fun, make a mark, and be proud of yourself when you cross the nishline,” says Jake. “ at’s really all you can ask for – as long as you cross the nish line knowing that you’re giving it your best.” Get to Mount Maunganui Main Beach this weekend to see the action and the faces that keep us safe on the beach! For details, visit: www.mytauranga.co.nz
Listen up readers! e Auckland Youth Orchestra will perform in Katikati this month – and e Sun has a double pass to give away to the concert!
young people in orchestral skills for more than 75 years – so don’t miss this experience!
e orchestra of 75 young musicians, aged 14-26, conducted by Antun Poljanich, returns to Katikati on Sunday, March 24, with a programme of captivating music by Mahler, Dvorak and Haydn – after a three-year hiatus.
e programme o ers music from Dvorak – ‘American’ Suite in A major, Op.98b; Haydn - Oboe Concerto in C by soloist Alex Wu; and Mahler –Totenfeier. AYO has been training
e concert is at Katikati Memorial Hall on Sunday, March 24, from 2.30pm. Tickets: adult $25, senior $20, student/child $10 from event nda.co.nz (plus booking fee) or at the door.
e Sun has one double pass to AYO’s Katikati concert on March 24 to give away to one lucky reader who can tell us who will perform as a soloist? Enter online at: www.sunlive.co.nz under the ‘competitions’ tab. Entries must be received by Tuesday, March 19.
Bluelight Tauranga is encouraging kids to get on the water this month for a good cause.
e free Kids Gone Fishin’ competition will see kids try their hand at shing, with free bait provided and a free barbecue.
Held at the Tauranga Bridge Marina this Sunday, March 17, from 10am-1pm, this family fun day out will also see spot prizes given out on the day.
Tauranga Blue Light works to build positive relationships between local police and young people, and provide young people with opportunities to be their best selves.
cried. “And I’m not a crier.”
School’s two-week boys’ basketball romp through Los Angeles and Las Vegas when coach Makayla ‘Maka’ Daysh broke the news.
She was leaving her boys, albeit temporarily, the boys she had moulded into AIMS Games champions, the best of 92 intermediate schools in the country.
“It was one of my more di cult moments. But they had to hear it from me.”
No ‘Miss’ or ‘Mrs’ – just plain Maka to the boys. But you sense they respect, even adore her. Now she’s gone. O to Australia to take up a semi-professional contract with the Ipswich Force out t – a team 30 minutes out of Brisbane that plays in the WNBL 1 league – a feeder competition for the main women’s national basketball league.
old shooting guard Mason Ayshford.
“But I am happy for her getting that opportunity.” A double-edged sword, Mitchell. “Maka’s an inspiration to our students, a valued member of sta . But she’s pursuing a passion and we will support her in any way we can.”
Maka has gone, but she’s not gone. ere’s un nished business at TIS. “We want to go back-to-back at AIMS [Games].” So she’ll be tinkering with TIS basketball from afar. Administration and stu .” en late-July-earlyAugust she’ll be back in control of the TIS AIMS Games campaign.
But then what? Because playing in the Ozzie league will mean exposure for Maka and there just might be
oating round. at’s one lesson the boys learned during their January trip to the USA.
Pointing out pathways
“We were pointing out the pathways,” says Maka. “Where basketball can lead, what it has to o er.” And sometimes sportsmen have to make sacri ces – like leaving home to pursue their dreams.
ey got the message.
“Absolutely,” says the team’s 12-year-old, 180cm point guard Kenzo Soqeta. “I want to get a college basketball scholarship and play in the US.” ey all do. “Seeing that lifestyle and what they can achieve has set them
can achieve has set them o ,” says Maka. “ ey’re zzing.” e TIS boys certainly played above themselves in perhaps the strongest basketballing culture in the world. “Our boys
are 11 and 12 and were competing against 14-year-olds.
“ ey nished
third of 10 teams. A great outing.”
TIS is hotbed of basketball – probably 11 boys’ and ve or six girls’ teams this winter. “We’re just re ecting a nationwide trend that basketball is an incredibly fast-growing sport,” says Cameron. TIS has more basketball teams than any other sport at the 1300-plus pupil school. Probably because basketball is played mid-week and indoors – so it’s not weather-dependent – and they’re inspired by what they see on TV, whether it’s Steph Currie and the NBL, or the Breakers.
Everything is achievable
And their coach for that matter. ey literally and guratively look up to their 188cm coach with the size 13 men’s feet and a clamp-like handshake. An imposing gure of a woman. But Maka laughs because she’s the one who stands out in family photos. “ ey say I’m obviously not one of them.” And she’s called ‘ e Brick Wall’ or
‘Mack Truck’ in basketball. Probably because of a reputation for “throwing people around and bumping bodies”. It’s a reputation tempered by a spontaneous infectious smile and tom-boyish good looks and charm.
is year’s semi-pro is coming o a disastrous last year. “A torn meniscus and surgery, septicemia – I was at death’s door – and then concussion from being knocked out during a game.” at raised eyebrows. Someone took out the ‘Mack Truck’?
No-one believed it.
“I just need the game time. I knew I had to do it this year.”
She has the will and her boys have faith.
“We will try our best without her,” says shooting guard Struan Wood. “But it will be hard.”
“I love the game and I love those kids,” says Maka. “I just need to show them they can have this journey as well. Everything is achievable.”
BOOKYOURCONSULTATION TODAYANDBEONESTEP CLOSERTOHEALTHIERLEGS
Time to Cycle is Travel Safe’s new three-month calendar of free cycling activities for riders of all levels.
This March explore some of the area’s new cycle infrastructure and lesser-known routes, take a ride through history, and improve your cycling skills and safety.
Mount to City Centre Bike to Work
Mount Maunganui Tour
Ōtūmoetai Pa Historic Ride
Go By Bike Day
Group Rider Workshop
E Bike Skills Courses
Mountain Biking
Waimapu Estuary Guided Urban Ride
Have fun, build confidence, ride safely, and try something new in Tauranga and the Western Bay. E-Bikes are welcome. Spaces are limited, check out the full calendar and sign up today.
mytauranga.co.nz/timetocycle
It’s not often when a car gets an update that the new model arrives with a lower entry price than the previous one! Say hello to the new Kia Sorento – new, more advanced technology, extra features, refreshed design, seven seats and a sharp price-tag.
e new Sorento is a logical update on the already very successful model that’s been a popular family SUV. It’s everything we liked about the previous model: stylish three-row seven-seater with a massive boot, an impressive selection of features and a choice of a diesel, hybrid and a plug-in hybrid powertrain.
e 2024 update brings striking exterior changes, signi cant interior enhancements and, most
importantly, the latest technology available on the market. All this is now available in four trim levels, starting with the LX+ model that comes with an impressive equipment list and a price of $62,990 +ORC.
Spacious and practical
Sorento is loved by families and business owners thanks to its huge cargo space. When in a ve-seat con guration, with the third row folded, you get 608L of storage –which is already good enough for almost any scenario: road trips, family sports games, golf clubs or purchasing the boxed Easter eggs for your stu . If you need even more room, fold the second row and get a remarkable 1996L of storage space –possibilities are endless. Of course, the Sorento is a decent
towing vehicle as well. e o cial tow rating on the new model is still to be con rmed, but the previous one was able to support up to 2500kg, so it is likely to be at the same level. As per the previous model, the new Sorento has an excellent ve-star ANCAP safety rating.
to other Kia models, the new Sorento moves away from the traditional gear selector in favour of the swivel wheel. Easy to use, once familiar with it, this new selector looks incredible and vibrates when you change gear to let you know it’s in the correct position.
start. Depending on a trim, you can also get heated and ventilated leather seats, heated steering wheel, wireless phone charger, panoramic sunroof, 360-degree camera, head-up display, panoramic curved display with dual 12-inch displays, BOSE premium speakers, auto tailgate, side parking sensors and more.
•
All diesel Sorentos feature the all-wheel drive system, giving you more traction, no matter what surface you’re driving on. ere is a familiar drive mode and terrain selector to help adjust settings based on a current situation or your preference. You can pick normal, eco or sport mode, or simply let the car do all the thinking by selecting the smart mode. For o -road driving, there are presets for snow, mud and sand. Similar
As mentioned above, there are four spec levels to choose from, and the list of equipment is impressive. All models come with a suite of safety features, adaptive cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, reverse camera, LED headlights, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 12-inch infotainment display, climate/info switchable control – similar to what we saw in Kia’s Sportage Hybrid and EV6 models – plus keyless entry and
e new Sorento includes a free three-year/45,000km scheduled service plan and a ve-year/150,000km warranty programme.
e price as tested is $68,490 +ORC for the Kia Sorento EX model. e new Sorento is available from $62,990 +ORC. Talk to the team at Tauranga Kia, 100 Hewletts Rd, Mount Maunganui. Or call: 07 578 1378 to learn more and to book a test drive. Axel Smith
Aotearoa soul star Louis Baker will take his audience on a unique journey with him in his debut performance at the National Port of Tauranga Jazz Festival this month.
“You can expect an energetic live performance, audience participation, improvised solos, and a few laughs,” says Louis, who plays at Baycourt’s Addison eatre on Saturday, March 30 from 8pm.
With a powerhouse voice and a love for soul, hiphop and jazz music, Louis has a loyal worldwide following – with more than 30 million Spotify streams – plus tours the European festival circuit, opens for international artists and sells out shows here in New Zealand. “My music was recently described as slow-cooked indie-soul music for the people. I think that’s a fair description... I’m always learning and searching for new music and I mainly lean towards soul, jazz, funk, hip hop and Motown, but I’m an open canvas when it comes down to it.”
Wide appeal
Festival organisers say Louis and his band of Cory Champion on drums, Johnny Lawrence on bass, James Illingworth on keys and backing vocalists Kirsten Te Rito and Lisa Tomlins will o er a stunner of a show.
“We want people to know e
61st National Port of Tauranga Jazz Festival o ers a variety of music – from traditional jazz right through to its many subgenres. And with musicians like Louis – with his infectiously groovy neo-
soul – we have gigs that will appeal to younger audiences as well more seasoned jazz listeners. So don’t hesitate to check out our programme at: jazz.org.nz and get tickets to 2024 Baycourt Series –because soon you’ll miss out!”
Along with Louis Baker, this year’s veact Baycourt line-up includes Australian jazz musician James Morrison, who will play with his quartet on Friday, March 29, at Baycourt’s Addison eatre.
Also from o shore is New York-based jazz guitarist and composer Russ Spiegel, who plays Baycourt’s X Space on Saturday, March 30. Plus, there’s the ‘All Girl Big Band: Powerhouse of Sound’ at Baycourt’s Addison eatre on ursday, March 28; and Tauranga’s own ‘Aksha Dutta: e trio Sessions’ plays Baycourt’s X Space on Friday, March 29. Get tickets to all Baycourt acts at: jazz.org.nz
Also at Baycourt this month – as part of 61st National Port of Tauranga Jazz Festival – is e Wright Family Foundation 46th National Youth Jazz Competition. is will see hundreds of youth from around Aotearoa take over Baycourt’s Addison eatre and X Space from March 26-28 – so don’t miss the best emerging jazz players from NZ secondary schools!
is year’s festival o ers a jam-packed programme of events from March 23 to April 1. For the full 2024 festival programme, see: jazz.org.nz
Merle Cave
Easter in Tauranga means you cannot miss e 61st National Port of Tauranga Jazz Festival’s jam-packed weekend smorgasbord of entertainment!
e city centre will burst into life with e Historic Village turning into the Jazz Village on Good Friday
followed by the Downtown Carnival engul ng the city’s CBD for Easter
Saturday, March 30, and Easter
Sunday, March 31.
On Good Friday, e Historic Village becomes our very own New Orleans French Quarter! “ e Jazz Village from 11am-5pm is an absolute crowd-pleaser, delivering
a day of entertainment for the whole family,” say festival organiser Marc Anderson.
Jazz and blues
“So come join the revelry on the streets, dance to dixie and swing in the Village Square, relax on the lawn in front of the outdoor Main Stage and be entertained by a chocolate box of jazz and blues avours!”
Main Stage performers include the All Girl Big Band with their big band jazz, the Michal Martyniuk Quartet o ering fresh and exciting fusion jazz, Shaken Not Stirred with their funky swingin’ jazz and blues, poppy groovy dancing tunes from Chill Winston, and red hot rhythm and blues of e Flaming Mudcats.
“Stroll through funky shops, meander down bustling aisles of artisan market stalls, enjoy a wide variety of food and refreshments and make a day of it!” Tickets at: jazz.org.nz en head to the Downtown Carnival for two days of jazz, blues, funk and more! Hosted
in the CBD, New Zealand’s nest musicians will perform live on three outdoor stages –on Wharf St, Red Square and Edgewater Fan – and inside bars and restaurants. Edgewater Fan will be family-friendly with a playground and food trucks too.
Tauranga-bred musician
Damian Forlong, of band Shaken Not Stirred, has been part of the festival since 1998. Street party!
He likens today’s carnival to a street party smo rgasbord of music from jazz through to funk, soul and probably some blues too – “all types of music!”
“It’s a street party that brings Tauranga’s CBD to life,” says Damian, who says Shaken Not Stirred has performed at the carnival annually since 2001.
“ e carnival just makes so much di erent music accessible –you can wander around and listen in, and if you think: ‘Oh, I don’t like the sound of that’ you amble to the next o ering.
“You’ll always nd something you like – there’s always a
great variety of sounds – the programme is so extensive!” is year nearly 70 bands will perform live music from 12 noon- 6pm daily across two days. “ is year – with both outdoor stages and indoor live music – the Downtown Carnival is a fantastic place to soak up great music in a really cool environment,” says Marc.
Fusions and variety
“Jazz has so many sub-genres, and the Downtown Carnival hosts many of them. Filled with exciting music inspired by a variety of jazz expressions, there’s an open jazz session with musicians from the afro jazz scene in NZ, performances that capture a fusion of traditional to pop French Jazz, folk-jazz, jazzfunk with a smattering of 1970s cinematic themes, swing, funk and soul, blues and rockabilly, jazz-fusion, New Orleans style, modern jazz, afro-beat, soulful jazz venturing into electronic funk with big harmonies, and much, much more!” View the programme at: jazz.org.nz
www.legacyaccountants.co.nz
We all enjoy the traditional o erings of the National Port of Tauranga Jazz Festival, but the organising committee is always on a mission to add new, di erent and fresh fun to the mix.
“Along with the stalwart events that have become long-held favourites over the years, we do like to make new friendships,” says festival organiser Marc Anderson. “When we collaborate with others and o er new events, this adds to the excitement of the festival.”
Shane Yardley will serenade your senses with a degustation lled with the era’s decadent avours. No Speakeasy Supper would be complete without the classic concoctions of the era, with delicious cocktails owing as freely as the secrets. e event is on for three nights only – Friday, March 29, Saturday, March 30, and Sunday, March 31– so don’t miss it. Get tickets at: jazz.org.nz
Hurricane Party
e Hurricane Party is back this year too after a 2023 absence.
to Totara St. So – get it while it’s hot!”
e Hurricane Party is on 9pm-midnight Saturday, March 30, at Totara St.
Get tickets at: jazz.org.nz
And Jazz at the Mount – which debuted in 2022 – keeps growing thanks to fans loving soaking up sounds right in the centre of Mount Maunganui’s main shopping area for one day each Easter!
Hosted by Mount Mainstreet, everyone is welcome to the free day of great music
So what’s new this year? And what’s slightly di erent?
Speakeasy Supper
New to the festival is the Speakeasy Supper – a ve-course degustation with live jazz inside Tauranga’s most exquisite 1920s venue! “Dust o your nest fedoras and pearls and sashay your way inside the recently-renovated St Amand on e Strand for this one,” says Marc.
Here, Kitchen Takeover and St Amand will transport guests into the heart of a New York speakeasy supper club in all its sumptuous, secretive allure. “ e magical melodies of our jazz band will grace you with live jazz throughout the evening...” Meanwhile, Kitchen Takeover executive chef
is year people can shake, shimmy and get in the swing of things on Saturday, March 30 with two great Auckland bands.
e Asumadu Jazz Ensemble is led by Ghanaian master musician and multiinstrumentalist Yaw Asumadu, who has been performing his own brand of jazz in Ghana and London. “ is new ensemble presents a fresh line-up just for the festival that will have you dancing and singing along with their fusion of afro-grooves and jazz,” says Marc.
Plus, the Filthy Junk Traders will bring their own style to the party. “Taking inspiration from the lawless saxophone sections of the swing age and the heavyfooted beats of hip hop producers who reimagined the dusty recordings of that era, the Filthy Junk Traders will bring their nest bars of lthy jazz, funk, and hip hop
10am-5pm on Easter Monday, April 1, at Papa O Nga Manu Porotakataka Park. e band line-up for 2024 includes the Lockie Bennett Quartet, Big Tasty, Kokomo, Ke Lo Ke, and RetroGroove!
Passersby and music-lovers have also embraced the Vintage Car Parade, which begins 11.30am and cruises past Pilot Bay, down Maunganui Rd, past the Jazz at the Mount stage and back to Coronation Park –where a car display is on 9.30am-1pm.
“Jazz at the Mount is an absolute blast and a great way to round o this year’s festival,” says Marc. “It’s proven a very worthwhile addition to our programme with the main street of Mount Maunganui coming alive Easter Monday with live music and vintage cars galore! So come down with family and friends to enjoy great music, vintage cars and join in the holiday revelry!”
is year the Port of Tauranga 61st National Jazz Festival will have music and entertainment swirling from a range of satellite events across the Western Bay of Plenty!
In fact, the festival actually kicks o in Katikati with a Jazz Street Party on Saturday, March 23. e free, family-orientated event will bring soulful sounds of live jazz to Katikati’s Main Road from 11am-2pm, plus food and market stalls and kids’ entertainment ree bands will play – at Cherry Court, Western Bay Museum’s forecourt, and behind e Arts Junction. Musicians to perform are charismatic three-piece jazz ensemble Lucky Strike, soulful Bay of Plenty-based duo Samme and Kane, and the Katikatz Jazz Band with a repertoire inspired by the iconic 3Bs of British Dixieland and Trad Jazz: Chris Barber, Acker Bilk and Kenny Ball.
Back in Tauranga, a cabaret with a story will be told nightly at 16th Ave eatre from March 23 through to March 28. ‘Blue Eyes – e Music of Frank Sinatra’ is Kiwi playwright April Phillips’ touching storyline into which she’s woven many of Frank Sinatra’s songs. e cast is Michelle Coombe, Sarah Julou, Sam Howe, Luca Robinson and musicians Barbara Caygill, Je Baker, Kimberly Jones and James Upjohn. e 90-minute
no-interval shows are on sale now at: jazz.org.nz
A unique o ering is the Jazz Sunset Cruise aboard the historic Kewpie vessel on Tauranga Harbour on March 30-31. e cruise departs e Strand 4.30pm daily taking guests on a gentle tour of the scenic harbour. You can sit back and indulge in ne wines and beers while live jazz swirls as the sun goes down and the city lights up! Snap up tickets at: jazz.org.nz
At the Tea Dance on March 31, you can dine and dance with the Tauranga Big Band upstairs at Tauranga Citizens Club from 5.30pm-8.30pm.
Led by John Page, Tauranga’s jazz musicians will perform favourite Big Band numbers from bands like Basie and Kenton. Enjoy an optional bu et meal if you please – and go dancing! General Admission is $25 – get tickets at: jazz.org.nz
And don’t forget the Jazz Café & VIP Bar at Hotel Armitage on March 30. Featuring a local house band with surprise guest musicians this is the place to be for late night music fun!
Entry is limited – so book a seat at: jazz.org.nz Organiser Marc Anderson says these events are integral to the National Jazz Festival and add di erent, unique and fun o erings to suit all appetites of music and entertainment.
“ ey o er locals and visitors the opportunity to visit di erent parts of Tauranga and experience live music in many forms and settings. So go on – try something new, di erent or exciting this festival!”
e incredible photography of student
Grace O’Sullivan is about to tour New Zealand on the 2024 NZQA Level 3 ‘Top Art’ annual touring exhibition.
Grace O’Sullivan completed NCEA Level 3 last year at Ōtūmoetai College where she created an art project that’s been selected for the exhibition – and the opportunity of a lifetime.
“Top Art is an annual touring exhibition showcasing a selection of NCEA Level 3 portfolios that achieved an Excellence endorsement in Visual Arts in the previous year,” says deputy chief executive assessment Jann Marshall.
“ e portfolios cover ve elds of Visual Arts: design, painting, photography, printmaking and sculpture, and are selected for the exhibition by the marking panels for each of these subjects.
“ e portfolios are split into three tours that visit galleries, schools and community centres across the country March-October. Images of the portfolios and biographies for each of the students will be uploaded to the NZQA website during March.”
Jann says Top Art allows students to celebrate their achievements with whanau and friends and for members of the public to see the high-quality artwork being created in NZ schools.
e message
For Grace’s NCEA Level 3 art project, she created a series of photographs representing a personal journey. “ e message behind my photography project was what it is like to be Pākehā and Māori, but I always had to spend most of my life living a Pākehā lifestyle.”
Grace says this meant she didn’t ever feel the need to express her Māori culture until now.
“I was very interested in Māori culture and thought I needed to express myself and my heritage. Still, while trying, people discouraged me from doing it, saying I was too white and not Māori
enough and would start testing me on how Māori I am. I don’t know much about my Māori culture.
“I lived such a Pākehā life I had no idea where to start with my Māori culture. Still, once I started getting into photography at school, I began to use photography to help me express my Māori culture and help me learn a lot more from my teachers and peers at school. I then started to add ideas and wanted to show how I am slowly stepping into a spiritual awakening of acceptance and being one with the land. I still have a lot of learning to go with my culture, but I’m grateful that I had my photography teacher who encouraged me to keep going even when I felt like giving up.”
Grace says this project has helped her to gain more self-con dence and she hopes to give con dence to others who are afraid to express themselves. “When I found out my photography board got selected I was in shock.
“At the start of 2023 I was so unmotivated with my photography board that I didn’t know what to do or where to start. I couldn’t nd ways to make my photography board ow; I had many ups and downs with ideas but my teacher kept motivating me to keep going even when I was so close to giving up. When I handed in my project I had very low expectations in my work.
“When I got the news that I got selected I was so grateful that I’d such an amazing photography teacher who kept me going. I wouldn’t have gotten this far without her help.
“I’m really happy that I can show people around New Zealand my story and help other teenagers create their own stories through art.”
Ayla Yeoman
In seven months Karl Tretheway’s life has transformed from that of a family man, builder and talented amateur photographer to a harrowing battle with cancer.
“Last June I was diagnosed with melanoma, and by January, I was told: ‘ ere’s not much we can do’,” says the 48-year-old father-of- ve and grandfather-of-four.
It all began when the Tauranga man noticed a mole on his scalp in early-2023. “ e doctor initially told me it’s a ‘weird one’ and advised me to monitor it. In May I went to my regular doctor and he said: ‘Yeah, that mole’s gotta come o ’.”
Despite undergoing multiple surgeries, the cancer metastasised to Karl’s lungs. His last hope lies in a dual immunotherapy treatment called Ipilimumab (Yervoy) and the Encorafenib and Binimetinib Combination erapy.
However, it’s not funded in New Zealand.
“ ere’s a chance this could save his life, but it comes with a $100,000 price tag,” says long-time friend Annemarie Clinton.
Fix-it man can’t x this
Determined to support Karl, Annemarie and a group of his photography buddies are organising a fundraising event.
“It’s hard to describe how it feels to have them put so much work into it. It’s quite emotional,” says Karl. “I’m the sole breadwinner, so I’m still trying to work, but it’s hard. I’m lucky to have such wonderful friends.”
Annemarie says: “Karl’s story isn’t unique”.
“Melanoma is prevalent in the Bay of Plenty so we wanted to raise money for Karl’s treatment as
well as raising awareness of skin cancer.”
She describes Karl as a “good, solid citizen” who is their go-to x-it man.
“He can’t x this, though – so that’s why we wanted to try to help. He’s an amazing person who is always doing something for someone else.”
Karl is a member of the Photographic Society of New Zealand. His work has been displayed on e Strand as part of the Trustpower Photographic Exhibition when in 2018, he took rst prize in the Nature & Landscapes category.
“ ere are six of us who travel and Karl is our planner,” says Annemarie. “He works out the technical stu like where the sunrise is going to be best and is always nding us waterfalls in weird and wonderful places. He has amazing photographs to show for it.”
e fundraiser
e Black and White Melanoma Fundraiser at Bay Oval’s Players Lounge on March 16 from 7pm-10pm features live and silent auctions including a framed shirt from cricketer Kane Williamson, art, ra es and spot prizes.
Every dollar raised will go directly towards Karl’s medical treatment.
Annemarie says tickets cost $100 and eventgoers are encouraged to wear black and white.
“We’ve had so much community support on this,” says Annemarie. “Karl is so generous with his time and has given so much to those around him, so we’re happy to be doing this for him.”
To buy tickets, visit: events.humanitix.com/ b-and-w-melanoma-fundraiser
Or to donate directly to Karl’s medical care costs at: givealittle.co.nz/cause/keeping-up-with-karl
Science bu s will know that magnesium and calcium are in the same column in the Periodic Table. It is unsurprising then that these two essential minerals control nerve and muscle function.
In muscles, calcium dominates magnesium when muscles contract. Magnesium should then dominate calcium in the relaxation stage.
If magnesium is low, then calcium dominates both stages. What this really means is inadequate magnesium is a recipe for cramping, sti , sore and tired muscles. A tell-tale sign of low magnesium are muscle cramps, especially at night. We need to be aware that dehydration, low salt intake and some drugs, notably stains, can a ect muscles. While muscle cramps are uncomfortable, it is the e ects of low magnesium
on heart (cardiac) muscle that are frightening as it can a ect electrical impulses and blood ow in the heart.
e best way to think about magnesium it its e ects on ‘tubes’ in the body, especially blood vessels. Our muscles contain tiny blood vessels that bring oxygen and nutrients to our muscles. With su cient magnesium our blood vessels should open (dilate) after contraction. Low magnesium does the opposite whereby
blood vessels narrow and can then spasm.
In our skeletal muscles this can bring muscle tightness and cramp. In smooth muscle that lines our blood vessels this can cause blood- ow restriction and can lead to hypertension. It is not just blood vessels that are a ected; it is our heart muscle, eyes, lungs, gastrointestinal tract and in women, their reproductive tracts. is is why magnesium is so helpful for premenstrual syndrome, or PMS.
For people without symptoms, I recommend my multi-mineral/ vitamin/antioxidant complex as it includes magnesium. If you’re symptomatic, I recommend adding my triple formula magnesium that combines marine magnesium, magnesium citrate and magnesium glycinate. For more information, give me a call or email: john@abundant.co.nz Or read my newsletter at: www.abundant.co.nz
John Arts is a quali ed nutritional medicine practitioner and founder of Abundant Health. Contact John on: 0800 423 559.
If in doubt, get it checked out!
March is worldwide
Melanoma month – a time to celebrate the victories of every person successfully treated for melanoma and remember those for whom treatment was not successful.
“ e golden rule of goodness or consideration is ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you’. However, the Golden Rule is just the beginning. To grow, we need to learn to recognise and respect the otherness of each other… ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you if you were in their particular, unique and di erent shoes’.”
– M. Scott PeckI nd this a good gauge in how I relate with others. Although in the past I operated more from my own perspective now my approach is to attempt to see things also from the other person’s perspective. Something that helps me do this
is a simple question I ask myself:
‘What are ve other reasons that person may have said or done that?’.
From here I can step back from my subjective thinking to see what the bigger picture may look like and respond more from that viewpoint.
How might a situation change if you applied this concept of ve other reasons to your personal and work relationships?
If you’d like to know more about coaching, strengthening relationships, exploring your potential, creating transformation, phone Mary Parker, e Fast Track Coach, on 021 258 2145, or visit: www.thefasttrackcoach.co.nz
And, hopefully, we spare a thought on our own risk and prevention of this disease.
New Zealand has one of the highest melanoma incidence rates worldwide. Despite more than 95 per cent of melanomas being successfully cured, we still have one of the highest mortality rates in the developed world.
Kiwis should not be dying of melanoma. We know what causes it and how to prevent it. We can pick it up early and we can cure it with close to a 100 per cent success rate.
We’re just not doing enough to prevent it and we certainly don’t do enough to pick it up early enough to treat and cure it.
e primary cause of melanoma is UV exposure –so protecting ourselves from sunburn will avoid developing melanoma and other skin cancers. Sunscreen is not enough – we need to cover up with hats, use UV blocking clothing and, where possible, avoid spending time in the sun during times when the UV index is high. Early detection is crucial in combating melanoma and other skin cancers. Regular skin checks by healthcare professionals and self-examinations are also key in identifying melanoma at its earliest and most treatable stages. See: Scanyourskin.org
Major improvements in treatment options has spread to distant parts of the body, but these come with huge nancial burden to the patient and/or government. Access to these treatments is improving, but challenges remain – particularly in rural areas with limited healthcare resources.
If you have something on your skin you are concerned about, get it checked by a quali ed professional.
If you want to wake up to a big smile, an exceptionally happy nature and an actionpacked day, then look no further than Tilly!
month-old lovely female
Tilly is an eightmonth-old lovely female Terrier-cross and has loads of energy to entertain and motivate the family. Tilly is so excited to greet us every morning and her ‘bouncy dance’ is something to see. She loves people and enjoys attention. She is a small
bouncy girl and very food-driven – so training will be a breeze.
e past few weeks have seen some dramatic changes to New Zealand’s media landscape.
be a breeze.
is sweet girl is looking to share her fun spirit with a new family and experience epic adventures together.
Enquire to meet
ese changes are part of an industry transformation that’s been underway for a while but they are more prominent, and unsettling, than changes we’ve seen in the past.
During the past 15 years, media has become an increasingly tough business.
and technological change is nothing new, the free market will determine who survives or thrives.
Where the public should be concerned however is the impact on media’s essential role in our society. at might be in holding politicians to account, unbiased reporting on current a airs, or by being a trusted source of essential information.
her today. Phone the SPCA on: 075780245. Ref: 602012.
her today. Phone the SPCA on: 075780245.
e old ‘rivers of gold’ that newspapers saw from classi ed advertising have diminished signi cantly, moving into digital channels and away from those that employ journalists. Likewise, general advertising is now much more digitally driven, with global tech giants able to o er much more targeted, result-based advertising to brands as they follow us around the internet.
Advertisers can access unprecedented data on potential customers and their behaviours – so that’s where the money goes. Media consumption habits have changed too, with availability and consumption of news and entertainment in di erent ways, at di erent times, on di erent screens – this might span from TikTok to longform podcasts to subscription video.
Severely compromised
e result is the business of journalism is severely compromised. In the past media organisations would trade the happy circle of investing in journalism to generate an audience, then selling access to that audience to advertisers.
is was helped by scarcity – either geographic or via radio or TV channels. Without lower advertising income, these businesses must reduce their investment in journalists. e situation is made worse in mediums that have high costs of journalism, such as TV news – which is why we’re seeing structural changes at major broadcasters.
e need for any industry to adapt to societal
During my time at Fairfax Media, I witnessed rst-hand the essential role Stu and e Christchurch Press played in a time of need during the Canterbury earthquakes.
While it’s easy to cast a cynical view over ‘mainstream media’ based on the style of reporting or how well paid a TV presenter is, the consequences of the demise of this industry for our society are bad.
We need them to provide essential information and to hold those in power to account. Imagine a world without trusted, local media outlets.
What does this mean for the future?
Clearly news media needs to be e cient and adapt to changing audience habits. at might mean paywalls for news websites are universal, or news bulletins are shorter, cheaply produced, or accessible in bite-sized pieces. Government may need to play a stronger role to address conditions that favour overseas tech-giants over local media companies, either via the Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill or by addressing tax paid by digital advertising companies. As a community we need to value journalism, while it’s easy to see it as a free public good – commercial reality means the business behind it needs to be supported.
We’re fortunate to have some great publications such as the one you’re reading here locally.
Let’s make sure we support them.
*Prior to his role at Priority One, Nigel held leadership roles within technology and media companies.
ere’s nothing worse than reviewing catchy music: it messes with your head.
Many reviewers listen to albums once and make notes.
But, sticking mainly to local stu , I’m not too busy so I try and live with albums a little; play them in the car, get familiar like a regular listener.
en you hit e Knids’ new album
‘Monochrome’ with its ridiculously catchy opening song ‘Big In Spain’ and the bloody thing just gets lodged in your brain like some cheerful tapeworm. Aargh!
Back to them in a moment; rst a couple of quickies... Shirley Ryder has released a new song, on Facebook only, for late local legend Graeme Hardaker (of e Shirleybyrds) who passed away in December. ‘A Song For Graeme’ features Paul Higgins on drums, Pat Hawkins on bass, Mike Kirk on guitar and Neil Pepper, keys, all of whom played with Graeme, and has a lovely sepia-tinged video from Shane Davies, who recorded it at Soundtree Studio.
Folk club turns 30
ere are also upcoming gigs in danger of passing under the radar.
Next Wednesday, March 20, Katikati Folk Club presents Good Habits – one of the most exciting recent folk duos from the UK. Bonnie Schwarz, on cello, and Pete Shaw, accordion, mix virtuoso musicianship with vocal harmonies and their award-winning, genre-fusing sound has taken them to Glastonbury, the Cambridge Folk Festival and more.
It’s also a prestigious night, being the club’s 30th anniversary. To celebrate, founder members Don Wallis, Craig Workman, and John and Di Logan will open the evening at 7pm at e Arts Junction, entry costs members $15, public $20.
Move to Friday, March 22, and friendly local four-
piece Red Street, who seem as much a family as a band, led by singer/ songwriter Jonny Baird and featuring – again!
– Mike Kirk on guitar, play the Jam Factory with support from Christchurch’s Frances Ellen, who just released her third single.
ey’re both on Spotify, mainstream and accessible and worth a listen.
e gig begins 7pm, and costs $20 per person.
Okay. e Knids and that song my brain can’t expunge... ere are three Knids and this is their fourth album, another chance to wallow in the warm bath of Michael Baxter’s fertile imagination.
A maestro of lo- home recording, he writes and plays the songs – with one lyric each from John Baxter and Nigel Gregory of new band e Metrognomes – and is joined by singers Chris Shennen ‘Chris Knid’ and Corrine Rutherford ‘Coz Knid’. is is a more guitar-oriented album than last year’s ‘With a Hard ‘K’ but mines the same ironic observational territory and heavy synth-grooves. at opener, an ode to the weirdness that is Spotify, gets me every time and ‘Mr Average’ is something of a sequel to last year’s Coz Knidsung ‘He Was Alright’, another laconic take on low-rent romance.
So little space and I still have so much to say. ere is a lot packed into these 10 tracks: emotive singing, clever lyrics, groovy production tricks, catchy hooks, weird sounds. Once again I nd there is almost nothing I don’t like about e Knids. Do check them out.
*******************
Hear Winston’s latest Playlist: https://open. spotify.com/playlist/3MX kjJL0WY4x789Y3OcQSp?s
Across
6. Film director (4,7)
7. Ambience (4)
8. Medical complaint (8)
9. Cultural (6)
10. Island (NI) (6)
12. Solicitor (6)
15. Cape (SI) (6)
17. New Zealand (Maori) (8)
19. Always (4)
20. Religious (11)
Down
1. Awkward (8)
2. Mordant (6)
3. Board ship (6)
4. Conceal (4)
5. Originate (6)
6. Trip (5)
11. Wisdom (8)
No. 1876
13. Terminates (6)
14 Seldom (6)
15. Hairy (6)
16. Perfect (5)
18. Uniform (4)
From walking the ‘aisles’ of your own backyard supermarket, to growing your own lettuce in recycled bottles – there’s plenty to learn about food resilience as
Sustainable Backyards month gets into full swing!
Every March the Envirohub Bay of Plenty hosts ‘Sustainable Backyards’, bringing an abundance of sustainability events, talks
and workshops across the region to help the community improve their quality of life and wellbeing.
In Katikati this Saturday, March 16, Jizzy and Mike Green will give people the opportunity to explore their ‘backyard supermarket’.
Jizzy and Mike will share their tips on how you can create your own edible landscapes, getting your inspiration growing. With ample homegrown fruit and vegetables in their garden, you won’t often nd this couple in the fresh section of Katikati’s supermarket. “ ere’s hardly ever a time that we have to buy our own fruit or veggies because we kind of eat seasonally,” says Jizzy. “So whatever’s growing, that’s what we try and use. I want for people to be inspired to grow their own food resilience, however big or small they see that.”
at might just look like growing some salad in a few pots, says Jizzy. “ ere’s so much pleasure in picking your own lettuce and creating a nice, fresh salad from the garden rather than pulling out a plastic bag of salad mix that’s been in the fridge for four days.”
Hello hydroponics
On Sunday, March 17, kids will have the opportunity to get growing in Tauranga. Envirohub BOP and Tauranga City Council
will run a free Kid’s Hydroponics Workshop. “We’re becoming more and more disconnected with nature in our urban sprawl,” says Envirohub BOP community coordinator Cathy Donelly. “We’re ending up on smaller sections and kids might not have the opportunity to garden like they might have done in the past. “Hydroponics is something really simple, easy and cheap to get started with growing their own food and just have that relationship with food to understand where it comes from, where it’s grown.”
e workshop will be hands-on for kids, where they can upcycle plastic and plant their own seeds to care for too. “Kids will create their very own ‘wick system’, using soda bottles and cotton to draw nutrients up to their lettuce seedlings,” says TCC water team’s Shannon Pawhau. “All participants will get to keep their systems and will learn how to care for their plants at home.”
‘Grow your own backyard supermarket’ will run 9.30am-11.30am Saturday, March 16 at 9B Park Rd, Katikati. Entry is $6 each or $10 for a couple.
Book by emailing: growonkatikati@gmail.com
e Kids Hydroponics Workshop is 10am-11.30am at 31B Glasgow St on Sunday, March 17. Kids aged eight-12 can participate for free. Email: admin@envirohub.org.nz
For the full Sustainable Backyards calendar, visit: envirohub.org.nz
Georgia Minkhorst
Events Innovated has announced a riproaring new show, celebrating some of the most heralded female artists and vocalists of the last six decades. Playing at Baycourt eatre on Saturday, May 4, ‘DIVAS!’ is set to be a stunning night of hits from the greatest divas of our time.
‘DIVAS!’ will feature songs from the best in the business, including Dolly Parton, Aretha Franklin, Bette Midler, Whitney Houston, Stevie Nicks, Tina Turner, ABBA, Beyonce, Adele, Shania Twain, Nina Simone and many, many more.
e show will be performed by leading New Zealand entertainers, e Lady Killers.
e all-star group encompasses national treasures Jackie Clarke, Tina Cross, Suzanne Lynch and their multi-talented live band.
Billed as the ultimate party showcase and packed with songs that are loved crowd-favourites, Events Innovated say they are thrilled to be bringing the show to Tauranga.
“Having absolute professionals and high-quality performers like e Lady Killers lead the show is going to make for a stellar night out,” the local producers say.
A 24-hour pre-sale ticket access is available to Events Innovated, Baycourt and Event nda members on ursday, March 14, from 9am.
General ticket sales begin Friday, March 15 at 9am. Tickets are available at: www.divas.co.nz or the Baycourt box o ce.
‘DIVAS!’ is proudly presented by Events Innovated, and partnered by e Weekend Sun and e Breeze 95.8 FM Tauranga.
Brush up on your driving knowledge and get behind the wheel with newfound con dence the next time you take to the road.
e Staying Safe refresher course for older drivers has been presented by Age Concern in Tauranga for about 20 years. Funded by the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, the course is free to participants and helps to encourage greater road safety.
Pāpāmoa 83-year-old Sue Brown recently took the course and says it helped her remember things she had forgotten. “I’m coming up to 84 so I’ve had my licence for quite a while and I’ve been driving for about 65 years,” says Sue.
“I found it [the course] very informative and I
sort of brushed up my memory.” e four-hour course is classroom-based with no test or exam.
As a senior driver you will learn about the e ects of aging such as the e ects of medication, slower reaction times and a reduction in eyesight and hearing. You will also be encouraged to think about how these things a ect you individually and how to counteract them.
“I think the course is a must as you get older,” says Sue. “It’s a good refresher and way to bring everything back.”
Going over the road code, the course discusses give way rules, intersection rules and the use of roundabouts, road markings and signs. Bookings are essential for this free course.
To book and for more information, see the advert on this page.
It’s 7am and the phone rings, letting you know the lawn bowls tournament you entered is not going ahead due to weather.
For members and participants of tournaments at Bowls Tauranga South, this is a phone call they will never get again. For the rst time, Bay of Plenty will have a year-round all-weather bowling facility for bowlers around the centre. e new covered arti cial green at the club is due to open in the next couple of months, which will allow the club to facilitate the growth and longevity of lawn bowls in the region.
Spearheaded by the current club chairperson Nicolette Aldridge, who has a background in real estate and project management, and backed by a board with a variety of skills and business acumen, the club has managed to sell o assets. is has bank-rolled this development and created the opportunity for Bowls Tauranga South to host
tournaments like the popular Professional Bowls Association singles and pairs through the winter, which allows winners to have an opportunity to compete on the international stage and also make it easier for people who work during the day to have more opportunities to play bowls in the evening.
Being a club with more than 100 years of history, it is clear to see that Bowls Tauranga South has learned from the past and is set to be part of the future of lawn bowls in New Zealand and never be in the position to have to make that 7am call again.
FURTHER NOTICE
Maunganui 10:45am
On the morning of March
11 we went from Katikati to Tauranga via State Highway 2 with two cars to have one car serviced. We left at 6am to arrive at 8.15am after a total unnecessary delay from roadwork as no work was done at all! One full hour in a tra c jam for nothing!
We had to repeat that trip later in the afternoon as we had to collect the car. Leaving at 2.30pm to arrive at 5.15pm.
I’d love to hear from NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi or who they contracted to do the SH2 Whakamarama resealing to explain what the process is like to reseal a road.
endless incompetencies.
Erik Becker, Tanners Point.
I drive to Te Puna every day from Katikati and experience my fair share of roadworks – and by-and-large I don’t mind. I can see progress and people working and it’s great.
After enduring a 2.5-hour tra c jam – again – for absolutely no reason as no work was done! A stretch of less than 200 metres of the road had an uneven wobbly surface. Is that a reason for NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi to allow such ridiculous tra c jams? We were thinking of the huge amount of losses; unnecessary costs to be made by thousands of people in a tra c jam of 8.5km.
We are continuously confronted with huge delays on SH2 due to incompetence and greed from the very few roadwork companies, the duopolies, which force governments to use their ‘services’.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi responds:
But the SH2 Whakamarama resealing project is ba ing me a bit. e road has been closed from 8pm-6am for however many days;
In countries like Japan, China, Germany, and other European countries, such a road repairs would take a maximum of two nights to x.
Our advice: Hire some tra c experts from such countries as listed earlier and take their advice. Make sure you are no longer depending on the duopoly of roadwork companies that heavily underperform at taxpayers’ costs.
We are sure we are not the only complainants as about everyone we speak to has reached his/her maximum of tolerance for these
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi appreciates there were long delays on Monday, March 11 due to works at the Te Puna Stream bridge. While the work has been happening at night, the worksite was at a di erent level to the normal road, which is why there has been a 30km/ hr speed limit in place during the day. e works will be completed March 13, with the speed limit back to posted limit of 80km/hr on March 14.
During the past couple of days I’ve attended a retreat along with some colleagues of mine. I re ected on what it means to go on a retreat and
what the word ‘retreat’ actually implies. I guess a retreat is a space where we can nd solitude from the busyness of life.
It is a quiet space where we re ect on life, on our own life, and that of others that we share this world with. I think retreat just means to retreat. To retreat from the hustle and bustle of our normal lives.
During this time of re ection I also re ected on how Jesus sometimes retreated from the busyness of life. ere were numerous times when He separated him from others and from the environment to spend time with his father in preparation of the tasks that lie ahead.
e idea of going on a retreat is to go home afterward and to your work environment rejuvenated and refreshed, full of new ideas and renewed energy levels. is is also true for the ministry of Jesus. I think of his prayer and the time He spent
Just an idea for Tauranga City Council to consider for Cameron Rd. Do the essential underground works, but wait for the demand of hundreds of pedestrians and cyclists in the coming 20-50 years to alter the whole street to
You are welcome to worship with us each Sabbath (Saturday)
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We look forward to seeing you!
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with his father before He was taken captive and cruci ed. It was in this time of retreat He was strengthened and prepared for the di cult road ahead. We cannot all go on retreats but we all have some kind of space where we can retreat from life. May you, in that space of retreat, be encouraged by God strengthened through his grace and mercy.
Philipp Potgieter, St James Union Church.
how long does it take to reseal a road when the road is closed for 10 hours each night?
I think some clarity on the process would ease a lot of anger and frustration from commuters stuck in some terrible tra c lately. It’s a lot easier to feel less frustrated when you understand what’s going on!
F McGrant, Katikati.Editor’s note: See NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi’s response to the other letter on this topic on this page.
accommodate them. Two bene ts of this idea would be (a) the cost is spread over decades – if actually needed – and (b) the work would take far less time, meaning less frustration and businesses going broke.
David Hill, Bethlehem.
Western Bay of Plenty youth have been able to learn a skill to explore the depths of the underwater world thanks to the generosity of strangers from their own district.
Graeme Dingle Foundation WBOP regional manager Dan Allen-Gordon says ve youth from Project K and four from the Big Buddy programme have learnt the skill of scuba diving via savvy fundraising by a Tauranga diving instruction business.
“It would never have crossed their minds to become a diver,” Dan says of the youth who enjoyed day one of their PADI open water dive course recently.
participate in a free entry-level scuba diving course last month. “Everyone remembers their rst day of learning to dive,” says Dive Zone owner Liz Plank.
“Our pool creates memories – so we asked our clients to donate so that those who wouldn’t normally get the opportunity could bene t
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“It was started by adventurer Sir Graeme Dingle and Jo-Anne Wilkinson, Lady Dingle, in 1995 and has been running in Tauranga since 2009.”
Via their own ‘pay it forward’ campaign on their business website, Dive Zone Tauranga raised enough money to sponsor the nine youth to
BUT FOR YOU who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves. Malachi 4:2 curriculum vitae
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“It’s a little scary learning how to control everything in the water but it’s good.” Her smile – evident in the photograph – shows
Liz admits the dive Tauranga isn’t always accessible to a lot of people due to cost. “Once you’ve done it, though, you’ve got that skill for life as well as NCEA credits. I was proud to be able to o er these kids the opportunity to learn to dive and I would always like to be able to do more.”
To donate funds to get more Project K kids into the course, visit: www.divezonetauranga.co.nz/payit-forward
Debbie Griffiths
Public Notice of Decisions on Plan Change 92 to the Western Bay of Plenty
District Plan First Review and Notice of Requirement for Ōmokoroa Active Reserve
Plan Change 92 – Ōmokoroa and Te Puke Enabling Housing Supply and Other Supporting Matters
Plan Change 92 to the Western Bay of Plenty District Plan First Review is an Intensification Planning Instrument under section 80E of the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA).
Council resolved at its meeting on 6 March 2024 to accept the majority of the recommendations of the Independent Hearing Panel and refers under clause 101(2) of Schedule 1 of the RMA four rejected recommendations to the Minister. Those parts of the Plan Change 92 recommendations of the Independent Hearing Panel that Council accepted will become operative in accordance with Clauses 20 and 104 of Schedule 1 of the RMA on 21 March 2024.
Notice of Requirement for Ōmokoroa Active Reserve
Council resolved at its meeting on 6 March 2024 to accept the recommendation of the Independent Hearing Panel to confirm the notice of requirement with modification to the conditions.
The District Plan First Review as revised to incorporate the operative provisions of the Plan Change, and the associated Panel recommendations and Council decisions including a full list of recommendations that have been accepted and the four rejected recommendations including reasons and alternative recommendations, can be viewed at:
• Western Bay of Plenty District Council offices at Barkes Corner, Tauranga; Katikati, Te Puke, Ōmokoroa and Waihī Beach Library and Service Centres;
• Council’s website www.westernbay.govt.nz/districtplanchanges
The Panel recommendation and Council decision on the Notice of Requirement can also be viewed at the above.
John Holyoake Chief Exective Officer
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Do you have a passion for the visual arts and creative sector? Would you like to support Te Manawataki o Te Papa plans, which will help transform the heart of Tauranga city into a vibrant community space where arts and culture can flourish?
If so, a Tauranga Art Gallery Trust trustee position may be your perfect opportunity.
The Tauranga Art Gallery Trust owns and operates the Tauranga Art Gallery – toi Tauranga, on behalf of the residents of Tauranga and the Western Bay of Plenty.
The Gallery’s purpose is to create exceptional art experiences that engage, inspire, challenge and educate through exhibitions, public programmes, and events.
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a board member whose skills and experience complement those of the current board. Diversity is valued and the new trustee should have the following attributes:
• Significant (more than 10 years) experience in a leading governance, managerial or programming role in a public arts gallery or museum.
• High level understanding of museum/gallery strategy, planning, budgets, operations and accountability to boards and key stakeholders.
• Knowledge of national and international art museum/gallery best practice.
• Familiarity with contemporary art and ideas in Aotearoa and beyond.
If you believe you have the skills to make a difference and a real contribution to the Tauranga Art Gallery Trust Board and art and culture in our region, your interest in the position is welcomed. As a council-controlled organisation of Tauranga City Council, the Trust has charitable status and operates autonomously but in a political environment, with a requirement to meet the expectations of both its shareholders and its community in accordance with an agreed Statement of Intent.
An information pack is available on request. More information about the Tauranga Art Gallery Trust is also available at www.artgallery.org.nz and www.tauranga.govt.nz/cco
Applications close at 5pm on Wednesday 20 March, with interviews being held on Tuesday 2 and Tuesday 9 April 2024 only. To apply, please email cco@tauranga.govt.nz
