The Informer - 27 Feb 2024

World’s largest billfish tournament right here

In 2023 it was the largest in the Southern Hemisphere, but now it is the largest in the world. This is the Kubota Classic Billfish Tournament.

There are 420 boats with a waiting list. Each boat has four or five people on it.

“That’s 2,000 people before they get off the water,” says Manager of Mercury Bay Game Fishing Club, John East.

The prize money for this amazing tournament comes to around $1.8million in prizes. The heaviest billfish prize is $350,000 in cash. The lucky gate prize is a 5

tonne digger from Kubota valued at $115,000.

The Champion team prize is as yet undetermined as that is self-determined from the jackpots but all rational calculations seem to make it as high as $600,000$700,000.

Then there are four overseas trips and a variety of other product and machinery prizes that would dazzle any angler.

The one man behind the success of this tournament is Tom Maxwell.

“He has enabled its success to the level that it is,” says Manager,

John East.

“He is the Director of the Billfish Tournament and it is clearly his vision and drive that has led the team to making it such a success.

The Mercury Bay Game Fishing club is Tom’s home and we fully support this and provide the infrastructure for the tournament and of course, our upmost support for Tom’s work.

“March 14-16, 2024 is in every members calendar and there are 3,000 members in our Game Fishing Club here and most of them are active fishing members.

“When the event is on, Tom will

spend each day at the event, giving updates and bulletins. Every boat is listening and it adds to the excitement.”

When asked about his strategy, Tom says, “It is a million small things. My involvement began with getting Kubota as the naming sponsor and that is when I started to work with the Game Fishing Club to help organise the tournament. Sponsors want to be part of something that is a success and this has been a great success.”

There’s a lot of aspects to be thankful for. There’s the teams –each boat is a team. There is no

tournament without them and their goodwill.

Then there’s the sponsors – their generosity makes the tournament exciting and very attractive to enter. The prize money and prizes to be won speak for themselves.

The huge team of awesome volunteers – setting up, packing down, weighing, serving, cooking and cleaning. We could never calculate the immense value they bring to this tournament.

Many of them are members of the Mercury Bay Game Fishing Club. Continued on page 3

The start of the 2023 Kubota Billfish Classic tournament.

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World Music Star to perform in Whitianga

BY KASPUR FRANKE

Paul Ubana Jones is so much more than one man with a guitar. He is a conjuror of unique and original songs, rooted in primal Blues and Soul, and Whitianga will be able to witness that brilliant talent on Friday, 15 march at Monkey House Lounge & Cabaret, courtesy of Beat Fairy Productions.

The list of accolades for Paul is long: An intimate soulful performer, an acoustic guitar sensation, winner of three New Zealand Music Awards, Paul Ubana Jones was born in London to a Yorkshire mother and a Nigerian father.

Paul was playing the guitar by the age of eleven. After graduating from a London Music college, where he studied guitar, cello and composition, Paul began to forge the solo acoustic style that he has stuck to and developed over the years. In the late seventies Paul based himself in Provence, Southern France, and toured all over

“Trying to describe just how good Paul Ubana Jones is, is like trying to define why the Mona Lisa is the most famous painting in the world.”

– Evening Post.

Europe and North Africa and USA.

In the late eighties Paul and his family moved to New Zealand, which is still their permanent home. He has continued to perform internationally, to growing acclaim. Four decades as a professional and nine albums later, he continues to perform throughout New Zealand, Australia, Europe and the USA. Paul has shared the stage and toured with the best: BB King, Bob Dylan, Taj Mahal, Keb Mo, Crowded House, Tuck and Patti and Ladysmith Black Mambazo.

He has delighted festival audiences at the Dublin Blues Festival, Byron bay Blues festival, Vancouver

Island Folk Festival, Blues at Bridgetown and many others in Europe, along with starring at WOMAD.

“The most exciting Electro Acoustic Artist to visit our shores.” - Good Morning News, Santa Monica

Paul’s three decade career has seen him crossing continents and recording eight albums of mostly original songs.

Get your tickets: Tickets are already selling fast, so make sure you grab them from Eventfinda/ Whitianga Isite/or in advance from the Monkey House, 18 Coghill St. They are $40, reflecting the prestige & international acclaim of this performer. www.paulubanajones. com ubanaj@gmail

STAR and SPACE STATION GAZING IN 2024 – your guide to the night sky

Tuesday, 27 February - to Wednesday, 6 March – Look for the space stations. Jupiter is getting ever lower and setting earlier each night as it is steadily moving towards the Sun in the northwest but nevertheless still dominates the evening sky. It will reappear in June on the other side of the Sun so visible then in the mornings. Meanwhile Venus dominates the eastern dawn sky can be fun to watch as it moves slowly amongst much fainter reddish Mars and yellowish Saturn from day to day. There will be a few International Space Station (ISS) passes to enjoy this week. As usual, timings may change, especially towards the end of the month, if they have to be moved to avoid space junk. It’s always best to check the website heavens-above.com for latest timings. Tuesday, 27 February: Brilliant Venus has now passed Mars low in the eastern dawn sky with two short ISS passes tonight from 8:31pm very low in the south passing just below the Southern Cross and then another from 10:08pm low in the SW. Wednesday, 28 February: A short but brighter ISS pass tonight from 9:20pm in the SW. Thursday, 29 February: Brilliant Venus now lies some distance below slightly reddish Mars very low in the eastern dawn sky with a low ISS pass from 8:33pm in the southwest passing just above the Southern Cross and then another short one from 10:09pm in the west. Friday, 1 March: We have a long and bright ISS pass from 9:21pm in the southwest passing through Orion just before disappearing into the Earth’s shadow in Gemini. Saturday, 2 March: There will be a long and extremely bright ISS pass from 8:33pm tracking high overhead at 8km per second. Sunday, 3 March: Another ISS pass tonight from 9:22pm but very low in the

Monday 4 March

Tuesday 5 March

Sun:

Moon:

The Kubota Classic 2024

Continued from page 1

Then there is the staff and their team who work so hard and efficiently to host this event.

“I think the town and wider community is starting to capitalise more on the opportunity that this event presents,”added Tom.

“This year there will be people in town and some will stay a little after 16 March, on to 17th. We hope retailers risk a little and have the shops open and offer some special deals in shopping and beauty services that are clearly made known to the visitors in the township.

“There are a lot of people who join the competitors but are not out in the tournament. The size of it has accelerated and we want residents and other spectators to feel it is their Kubota Classic even if they don’t fish.

This year for example, we are going to have seating and grandstands so that people can come and watch the fish being weighed. It is totally open to the public. More benefits to the whole Mercury Bay community is what we are aiming for.”

John is very aware of the opportunities ahead.

“We are going to collect all of the data from this year to add to what we have, and we will work with the local Council to work out

from their economic assessment matrix, just what is the potential for leveraging the hospitality and retail market for the good of the community.

“I am new to this job (John has only recently taken over general management of the MBGFC) but I am struggling to think of any event that has an impact on the community anywhere near to the extent of this tournament. The only one is the Summer Concert which has not taken place these last two years. A significant number of the 420 boats are trailer boats who come back to base each evening.

We are a club that has an extremely good heart. What I mean by that is, we are debt free; we have a solid membership base, the assets are in excellent state and we have one of the best locations in the country. We have outstanding Governance - strong cross-section of local and commercial and legal skills in our governing committee.

We have very people-oriented and capable hard workers in our President and Vice-President, Gordon McIvor and Anne Smal. From a hospitality perspective we have unlimited opportunity – not just our club but the whole town.

One of my jobs in this role is to build a media plan. Yes, we are here for fishing and to give our members a good experience of belonging and membership plus a great experience of hospitality. However, the media plan we formulate must embrace the whole community to bring them benefits in conjunction with adding value to the club.”

The biggest compliment locally that I noticed last year, says Gordon McIvor, “has been seeing bait and tackle stores doing huge trade, petrol stations not keeping up with the demand for fuel, pubs and restaurants packed, some of

the retail stores having their busiest trading days, the queue for taxis being three hours. I want to see more of this.”

For Mercury Bay, the team are very proud that some of the top boats in the country are coming to Kubota Classic 2024 and many of them are returns from previous years. Leigh Hopper has just got the consent for the Marine Precinct plans and construction and he has mentioned that the boats wanting to come here are bigger than they first thought.

Look out – there will be some super yachts who come to watch these fishing boats.

An important trio – General Manager, John East; President, Gordon McIvor and Tom Maxwell, Event Director and initiator of Kubota Classic..

Lodge supports Mammogram Project

BY STEVE OSBORN

Lodge Whitianga 443 and the Grand Lodge of NZ through its Charity group and programmes, has agreed to commit funds towards the purchase of the Mammogram Testing Unit to be based in Whitianga, for the Coromandel region.

The Lodge has been and continues to be committed to supporting Cancer Relief, plus several

other programmes including the purchasing of 5 Defibrillators (3 Police Car based and 2 static in the Community) and the promoting of healthy eating within schools by supplying Veggie Pods for the children to look after.

The Lodge will be arranging a formal handover of funds to the project and representatives on a date yet to be arranged.

„ Steve Osborn is the Master of Lodge Whitianga 443

The Veggie Pod Project at Hikuai School, facilitated by Richard Woodcock who is a member of the Freemasons Whitianga branch.

Waiting and no action – not an option or responsible – Erosion part 3

BY PAULINE STEWART

The Editor has been criticised for being simplistic and parochial and the critic has a point (see page 20 of this issue). However, I don’t know of any other way to deal with a complex and very large challenge other than to begin where one is situated and to see that one small situation as a part of a larger whole.

MANAGED RETREAT

It might be a very easy decision for some to plan retreat, pack up and find a new home. But for most of the population there is little freedom to simply pack up and leave.

It is not possible financially, or from a family point of view as well as from an employment point of view. If there is suddenly a war or a tsunami, of course people have no choice and move at the forces of nature or violence to survive. But when there is a passage of time for those who cannot clearly predict the future, even five years, then some kind of practical action is required.

Most people have not been able to predict five years ahead or five months. We have general trend predictions but who knew about the Chilean tsunami on our shores, the earthquakes in Christchurch, the floods of 2023? Populations across the world have no choice but to live with threat and to work to overcome the threat.

There are groups of residents around this country who choose the path of resilience and want to work with local authorities to enact some practical steps to protect their home and their community. Who knows how long their plans will work? Doing nothing while they wait for the ocean to rise is not an option for them in the current decade.

Some local groups have researched solutions and are prepared to pay for them. Others have researched alternatives that they have proposed but these proposals do not seem to go anywhere. They are economic in cost compared to long periods of

silence, consents that never eventuate and coastal science reports that are not conclusive.

Recently, I have read the report on Managed Retreat which was prepared over a period of two years by an expert group of highlevel public and political leaders. It is thoughtful and rather sobering but there is no specific plan outlined for communities. It is heavy on listing the challenges and presenting possible scenarios but it is a long way from any kind of definition of what each region could do to equitably retreat.

What is alarming is how much autonomy would be given to local authorities and how little definition there is for any kind of compensation for humble dwellings. In this report there is an expressed desire and aspiration to do the best for everyone but that is where it finishes.

COROMANDEL PENINSULA

If one adds up all the areas that need attention in terms of habitation at great risk of flooding, storm damage and erosion it is far less then 400 kms and it is less than the Dutch feat of managing the ocean.

We would obviously hope and believe that every region is carefully looking at their particular areas and bravely facing all the options. Denis Tegg who is a known environmentalist and our recent Guest Editor, is constantly aware that a good section of Thames’ township adjacent to a flood plain, needs an engineered rock wall.

That was a surprise to me, but Denis would not offer this lightly. He is is a long- time resident and hard worker for the Thames community. Every town has to work with their local bodies to effect the change that they believe will provide a decent future. It is vital that democracy provides opportunity for freedoms within reason.

LAST WEEK

So, the home of Suzie Fletcher on Buffalo Beach Road (whom

we introduced last week) is very vulnerable to flooding. It will be vulnerable no matter what. But it is exceedingly vulnerable when the two creeks near her home are not flowing and a storm water drain not far away that is obviously inadequate for all the new homes that have been built in the vicinity.

The flow of the creeks are to do with no real attention since the floods – it is not a capital works task but a maintenance project. The infrastructure on local level has not kept up with the developments in housing and not kept up with current vulnerabilities to flooding let alone climate change and thinking about mighty sea walls. There is a real issue for every task that needs to be done with the Resource Management Act - more than one party involved in investigation and decision making and often local staff are stymied by other regulations and requirements from the Waikato Regional Council. Suzie has been in touch with so many staff and she has kept a record of all the conversations. She is just wanting some response she can understand and that will enable some remedial action.

In the end all of these regulations and plans exist for the wellbeing of the people. Starting with one small area might lead to an avalanche of goodwill and some practical outcomes that energise everyone to look more carefully at future options.

What is very clear is that State Highway 25 runs very close to all the homes in this area. Some of the homes are a few centimetres below the level of the road and the ocean but just a few.

The road as a lifeline to current settlement and future development must be protected. A plan that protects the road needs to include the houses and it is not a plan that will wait for the full weight of the Coastal Protection Plan for this small area to be implemented.

„ Next week – small build jobs can save houses for the next stage of our future

Top, storm water drain near Buffalo Beach Road residence that is inadequate for the number of housees; middle, vegetation that has not been cleared back to the normal bank of Mother Browns Creek; above, electric power infrastructure vulnerable to flooding and close to the top drain.

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STAN’S STUFF

My teenage self would annoy me now!

hen I think back on my teenage years, I blush. Why? Because I was such a know-all – a smartarse! How come? I was pushed out of school at 14. My education such as it was, had no history, no language, no classics and no art. The high point was sheetmetal work.

For most of that time I was the only teen. I yearned to escape from that impersonal hostel and at every opportunity. My way of escape was through attending church youth conferences – some district, some state, occasionally national.I was opinionated and loud-mouthed. I thought my Dad, who lived in the same hostel, knew nothing, so I really didn’t listen to him. I was always putting my peers right. I remember dogmatically debating with a university professor in front of 200 teens at a national youth conference. I blush to think of it.

When I came to Whitianga 11 months ago, I wondered what the town’s teens would be like.

What kind of teens would all this beach, surf, beer and barbecues produce? In fact, I haven’t met many of them. Those I have met I like.

I admire the young people who bring me coffee in the restaurants and help with the town’s various activities and attractions. The only obnoxious ones I have seen were obviously from out of town, I suspect from Auckland’s poshest schools.

In my young adult life, my know-it-all ways continued into my profession as a Baptist minister. However, in my 20’s I somewhat matured. Formal study helped. Maturing curbed my impulse to put right all the other church leaders in town.

Part of the process of this mellowing was the growing realisation that I didn’t know as much as I thought I did. And there was more. I was aware there were many spiritual practices which had little if any religious content.

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Actually, shock, horror I found out that the leaders of the other churches thought they were right, and I was wrong.

For years I had dismissed these practices as cultish, faddish and of no real value to anyone. I have since changed my mind. I have come to realise that many individuals find in these practices a still point in the chaos of life.

My friend invited me to a meditation session. I was dreading sitting cross legged on the floor and wondered if I would have to repeat some strange sounding mantra. But it was nothing like I imagined. We sat in comfortable chairs and were quiet for around 35 minutes. I was not exactly silent as I fell to sleep and snored (‘softly’ I was told).

However, I came to realise that my friend and many others found great benefit in the practice. This was not only valuable for him but it enabled him to contribute to others who were in stressful life situations. I learnt that my friend regularly led meditation sessions with prisoners in one of our large jails.

I had treated other religions, non-Christian faiths with the utmost disdain. But time has mellowed me. What has changed me has not been the academic research but personal encounters. I have met people whom I find to be most admirable who tell me that their calm and generous disposition comes from the practice of their faith. There is a verse in the Bible that says “By their fruits you shall know them”. It is via this pathway that I have had to accept the value of other faiths.

For years some of my closest friends have been agnostics or atheists. Years ago, I would have thought such friendships would be impossible. Not so. I value these friends. We are mates, we are buddies. When it comes to issues, personal and international, we are sparring partners in the best sense of the word. Our understanding connects at a deep level.

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Early on I realized that arguing with other church leaders was a dead-end street. Consequently, I said very little. But in my heart, I was smug knowing that in fact I was the only one with the truth.

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Time mellows and life humbles. I grew to respect faith journeys that were different to mine.

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Long ago, when I was a teenager, I was closed and dogmatic. Now I am open and enquiring. I’m glad I have left my rigid views behind. I find hope in my openness and acceptance. I don’t see any hope in closed minds and fixed opinions. This is true for individuals, for groups and for nations.

From Mayor Len Salt on the Long-Term Plan

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ratepayers and local communities, and decide on the best way to prioritise and fund them.

The LTP has a 10-year-and-beyond timeframe, with detailed budgets and project priorities for the first three financial years.

The LTP sets the rates and fees and charges. It’s reviewed every three financial years and a new

LTP is produced. Council’s financial years run from 1 July to 30 June.

It’s become clear that this is one of the most challenging LongTerm Plans for our Council in a very long time. A lot of that is driven by the storm effects, but all councils are facing significant cost increases from inflation, fuel price increases, interest rates and the higher cost of doing business which is affecting every household.

We also need to meet higher compliance standards, replace ageing infrastructure, and meet the challenges of climate change.

For quite a few months we’ve been informally gathering input from the community: we held drop-in sessions in October that were open to all, staff and elected members have been meeting with iwi, resident and ratepayer

groups, partner agencies and other stakeholders and interest groups.

Now we’re just about ready for the formal public consultation that the Local Government Act requires.

Everyone is invited to submit feedback on the draft LTP and in particular the main options we’re proposing. These are all spelled out in our consultation document and supporting information which will be available from 8 March to 8 April.

The consultation document is your roadmap to our LTP proposals, what it will all cost and how it’s funded. It also outlines the impact on the rates property owners pay that fund the bulk of our facilities and services. This and the supporting material such as proposed capital spending, our infrastructure strategy and more

will be available on our website or ask at one of our service centres or district libraries.

It’s important to know that we haven’t developed our draft budgets and work programmes on the premise that rates and fees must increase. But having considered the early feedback from our communities about their priorities, and taking into account the cost drivers I mentioned above, there isn’t any other reasonable option but to increase rates and fees if we are to maintain our current services. Given that so much of what we do now is required by law, there is little scope for major reductions in our current services.

Please read our consultation document, study the supporting documents if you want more information, come back to us with questions if you have them by

emailingcustomer.services@tcdc. govt.nz, or calling 07 868 0200, and most importantly - provide your feedback.

www.tcdc.govt.nz/ltp-2024-2034

DRAFT 2024 REGIONAL LAND TRANSPORT PLAN IS OPEN FOR CONSULTATION

The net result of the proposed plan is a significant commitment to funding resilience in the Thames Coromandel and Hauraki Districts. No other District Council had been affected to the same extent in, and this has been recognised in the plan.

The link to the draft document, the supplementary evidence document and the submission portal can be found at https:// www.waikatoregion.govt.nz/ draft-rltp-2024. The consultation period runs from 2 February 2024 to 4 March 2024.

The sun and crowds came out for Coromandel Car Show

BY KIRI WARWICK

Hundreds of people poured through the gates on Tiki Rd on February 4 to see cars old and new on display.

More than 120 cars and vehicles came from throughout the North Island as part of the show. Many had been driven from Hamilton, Auckland, and Tauranga, adding to the local cars on display. About a dozen BMWs spanning decades were also on show, as the BMW club of New Zealand made a day of it.

The cars included American classics such as a mint condition Bel Air, British Aston Martins, Holdens ranging from Monaros right through to the last of the Commodores, muscle cars such as Mustangs and Chargers, a rare Desoto, and even a Saker sports built in Fielding made an appearance.

The coromandel car show proved to be very popular. Photo

Two wheels were on show too, with a Triumph motorbike from the 1950s making the trip.

RSA members organized the event and spent the day running the ‘build a burger’ station, making and cooking the sellout mussel fritters, greeting people at the gate and arranging the show cars. Volunteers pulled together to make the event happen after chief organizer, Bruce Finan, became unwell.

RSA representative Steve Walters said a big thank you to

James Smith who also stepped in to help. He wanted to thank every-

one who came to the show and those who were involved in setting it up.”

COROMANDEL R.S.H. ORGANISES CAR SHOW

BY MAUREEN KIMBER

The Coromandel Car Club here is an affiliated member of our RSA, and it was the Car Fair held in Whitianga two years ago that inspired Bruce Finan to organise a similar event with a trial run here last

summer. As a result, a bigger and better event this year was run on Sunday, 4 February. with amazing results. Many of the Whitianga Car Club members came over together with other Clubs on the Coromandel Peninsula and far beyond.

credit: Coromandel Car Club members

Great lineup of music in Thames for greater Coromandel

There is a free Friday Lunchtime Concert every month and one Sunday afternoon concert per month inThames from March to November.

This is a continuing generous and excellent standard initiative by the Thames Music Group and they invite Thames and the greater Coromandel to come and enjoy their wonderful line-up of events for 2024.

„ The coming two events:

THE USUAL SUSPECTS

New Zealand and Pan Paci�ic Champion Barbershop Quartet from Hamilton on Sunday, 3 March 2.00pm-3.30pm, at St Georges Church, Thames. Adults $20 at the door, TMG (Thames Music group) members $15, Under 18s Free.

The Usual Suspects are Barbershop Harmony New Zealand’s 2023 Open and Men’s Division Champions, and Pan Pacific Bronze medallists in the men’s division, hailing from Kirikiriroa Hamilton. Formed in 2020, the quartet’s mission is to share their passion for barbershop acappella singing with audiences in New Zealand, and ultimately the world.

Harley, Takiri, Richard and Nathan are highly entertaining performers, with an energetic style and repertoire that appeals to audiences of all ages and back-

grounds. The quartet is a culturally diverse group aged between early 20’s to late 50’s, and with occupations ranging from librarian to truck driver. Contest audiences voted them the ‘most entertaining’ quartet, receiving the Iraia te Whaiti trophy backto-back in 2022 and 2023, an unprecedented feat. The world now beckons, as their 2023 victory and talent earns them an invitation to compete on the global stage – the World Championships in Cleveland, USA in July 2024. Please join us to witness the seamless harmony and

brotherly synergy as these four musical virtuosos unite in song, creating an unforgettable experience where precision meets passion that transcends boundaries and resonates with the soul.

LOCAL GUITARIST ANDREW

CHANG

Playing solo classic and popular guitar songs. FREE Friday Lunchtime Concert, Friday, 22 March 12.15-1.00pm at the St Georges Church, Thames. Koha appreciated.

Andrew has been playing guitar for 45 years. His formative years

were greatly influenced by the guitar legends who shaped the classic rock era in which he grew up. He is self-taught from vinyl to ear, the old-fashioned way, and his improvisational style of electric lead guitar found its way to serve in bands he played with, starting from school days. .

In recent years, Andrew’s music has been dedicated entirely to acoustic finger style playing. After seeing the great Tommy Emmanuel, he was blown away by how much can be done on six strings with no accompaniment, a one-man band able to entertain

audiences with well-loved songs performed instrumentally on one guitar.

Andrew has met his guitar hero in person and has been inspired to strive further in this challenging style.

Now he continues to enjoy reimagining and arranging many popular songs in solo acoustic finger style.

His song choices reflect the influence of growing up in the classic rock era, and you will experience everything from The Beatles onwards with a few surprises along the way.

Andrew Chang, left, guitar virtuoso, performing 22 March; The Usual Suspects champion barbershop quartet performing 3 March.

The ‘reach’ for mammograms

BY CYNTHIA DALY

In November 2023 Project Mammogram passed its first major milestone, $100,000 in donations and currently that total sits at $122,000.

So, who could benefit from having a gold standard mammogram machine based permanently in Whitianga?

Project Mammogram committee chairman, Mike Brown of Whitianga Lions Club says achieving that first milestone is due to the support the communities in the Coromandel have given to this fundraiser.

Both Whitianga and Mercury Bay Lions Clubs and Mercury Bay Lions Club members are spear heading the fundraising but many community organisations and individuals have also contributed. The goal is to offer a public/private general mammogram service that will be more convenient for anyone wanting a screening mammogram.

Biennial screening appointments will be able to be made at any time throughout the year, enabling people to plan their scan around their work or time it with a trip to Whitianga. The private service would also be available to visitors to our region who maybe tourists due for a scan or holidaymakers not wanting to miss their scheduled scan.

“Looking at the map of the eastern seaboard of the Coromandel Peninsula, we envisage the catchment area for people using this service as running from Port Charles and Coroman-

del town all the way to Whangamata.

“We need a private/public system so that we can capture all age groups of women for mammograms in our area. The reason is because women out of the publicly funded age of 45 and 69 cannot be breast-screened in the public system without a doctor’s appointment and they’re not catered for on the mobile service. Given the demographic of our region, it’s important to provide a system that would allow women of all ages in our area to be able to be screened when they want.

“The gold standard internationally is for women aged between 40 and 74 to receive a regular biennial mammogram. Currently in New Zealand the public system provides free mammogram screening two-yearly for women aged 45-69.

However, there are others outside that age group, including those with a family history of breast cancer, who may still have to pay for their mammogram, but they will save the cost of travel to Hamilton if we have a unit in Whitianga.

Breast cancer doesn’t respect any age boundary so we recommend you continue to screen outside the publicly funded age group.

“At our earliest discussions about this project, our goal was to provide a service for early detection and better outcomes for all women in our communities. That goal continues to resonate with everyone involved and your continued support for Project Mammogram is greatly appreciated.”

ANNOUNCEMENT BY HEALTH MINISTER

On Thursday, 15 February, 2024 Health Minister Hon Dr Shane Reti announced on Beehive. govt.nz that the coalition Government has made the first steps in delivering on its promise to extend free breast screening to women aged 70-74. Minister Shane Reti says, “As part of the 100-day plan, the Government has now met with officials and discussed what is needed in order for the screening to be extended. Breast cancer is the most common cancer amongst New Zealand women, and that’s why the Government prioritised this crucial initiative in our 100-day plan.

“It’s vitally important to all affected women and their families that we detect more breast cancer early. Overall, our extension means women will be eligible for an average of two to three extra mammograms once the programme is fully implemented –

and that means around 120,000 additional women will be eligible for screening every two years.

“While we want to move as swiftly as possible, we need to allow the health system to prepare for the roughly 60,000 additional women eligible each year.”

Dr Reti says there is a lot of preparation in terms of human and capital infrastructure as well as the expansion of existing screening services. The existing screening programme has shown 34 per cent of participants are less likely to die from breast cancer.

“Catching more cancers early means better treatment outcomes, and we anticipate an additional 22 lives could be saved every year,” says Dr Reti. “Raising the breast cancer screening age will benefit all women including Maori and Pacific peoples who have particularly high rates.”

This map shows the reach of the services that the machine will provide.

GUEST EDITORIAL

Electric vehicle ‘report card’ needs better results

BY ALASTAIR BRICKELL

As Guest Editorial has been asked of me, I am addressing one of the previous Guest Editorials by Denis Tegg. My understanding is he is clearly living in some sort of green time warp with his glorification of electric vehicles (EVs).

He seems blissfully unaware of the growing problems they now face around the world. There is absolutely no way they will “dominate global sales within five years” as he claims.

Even Toyota predicts they will never ever be more than 30% of sales and we are already probably close to peak EV sales given the collapse of demand overseas and in New Zealand. They may well have been popular here last year, but that was only because the government gave potential buyers an $8000 bribe.

Lawyers like Mr. Tegg may well have been able to afford $80,000 for their new Teslas but less wealthy farmers were taxed $2500 if they just needed a new ute to continue to produce the food we all need.

As the Informer’s motoring columnist, Jack Biddle notes (Feb. 20), full EVs “only managed to secure a rather sad looking 2% market share” last month now that the bribe has gone. Mr. Tegg’s great green dream is over as global sales of EVs and especially second hand EVs are collapsing apart from small niche markets.

Who would risk buying a second-hand EV when the future life of the battery is unknown and it could well have been damaged by the use of rapid charging stations? EVs cost about twice as much as normal cars to repair and batteries can be up to $30,000 to replace.

In the USA, Hertz has announced that it will sell off all 20,000 of its EVs due to these high repair costs and lack of demand, and will instead use the funds to buy conventional cars that people actually want.

Also, in the USA, Ford has just halved production of its much-hyped new electric F150 pickup while in Europe Volvo is abandoning its flagship Polestar EV and Renault has given up any hope of selling off its Ampere EV subsidiary as investors don’t want a bar

of it.

EVs involved in even a minor accident where there is just the slightest chance of damage to the battery compartment are virtually unsaleable in the second-hand marketplace.

Dealers don’t want them as trade-ins, and they are rapidly becoming almost uninsurable as the risk of a potential battery fire at some stage from undetected battery damage is just too great.

EV fires are incredibly toxic and produce not only copious amounts of toxic black smoke but also a lethal ground hugging blanket of almost invisible smoke.

Conventional extinguishers and water are of limited use as the burning battery produces its own oxygen ensuring the extremely hot fire continues to rapidly grow and spread, often to electric vehicles or buses parked nearby as shown in the recent image from China.

They are so hard to extinguish that the Netherlands has water filled shipping containers on standby in the main cities into which blazing EVs are dumped to extinguish them.

Several car carrier ships have recently had serious fires and even been lost with EVs and their batteries implicated in many of them.

Charging EVs can be a big problem especially if the owners have to park them on the street as is common overseas and in some of our cities. It’s a bit easier for apartment dwellers but I doubt even Mr. Tegg would want to live in a multi-storey apartment building with a basement full of charging EVs each night.

New EV owners will proudly tell you of all the places they have found to get free charging such as Auckland Hospital and various shopping malls. Some even happily run cables out the windows of accommodation providers

or charge up while visiting friends. There is no such thing as a free lunch and what they are actually doing is effectively stealing petrol from these places. Someone has to pay and it will usually be the rest of us who cannot afford an expensive EV.

The freeloading does not stop there. EVs are much heavier than their petrol equivalents due to the immense batteries they have to lug around everywhere which, unlike petrol tanks, weigh just the same if they are empty or full.

This extra weight has the effect of producing greatly increased tyre and brake wear which just washes off our roads to eventually end up as ever more microplastics in our oceans.

In the past, EV owners also paid no road-user charges but thankfully the new government is going to change this. Hopefully the charges will be retroactive so these users can finally contribute to the road damage they have already caused. Heavy trucks have to pay for their road damage, so why not heavy EVs?

EVs also require the mining of much greater tonnages of valuable metals for each car, something Mr. Tegg as a strident anti-miner used to vocally oppose.

However, I would like to be helpful so would strongly suggest to him that he seriously considers disposing of his wonderful Tesla soon while it still has some resale value.

„ About Alastair. His name is usually associated with the weekly Stargazers Column on page 2 as the Author. He is also a great advocate for a Dark Sky community to be established in Kuaotunu, plus Chair of The Historical Society. Alastair is a geologist and astronomer and with Harriett, they run the StarGazers BnB at Kuaotunu offering astronomy tours.

Whitianga Wharf this summer

Good – back the same as before – but different

BY STAN STEWART

It’s something all our visitors want to see. It is there in most photos of Whitianga. It looks cute and friendly and inviting. This is the Whitianga wharf. But for the years of COVID it was quiet. Then last year’s storms battered the town all through summer (so called) and it was nowhere near a normal summer. This year the weather has been perfect, making a big difference to life and activity on the Whitianga wharf.

HAVE YOU BEEN TO THIS PIER?

We asked Richard Sheldon-Woodcock (Chocky) who, this summer, was the Wharf Warden for Thames Coromandel District Council. A Whitianga resident for many years, Richard can clearly remember the wharf, its people, the events and the traffic in the summers prior to COVID.

“It’s been back to pre-COVID normal, busy and happy,” he said. But then, he corrected himself.

“No it’s not quite,” says Richard.

“The flow of people, the numbers have been about the same, but their spending behavior is different.” He went on to explain it like this. “This year it appears that the locals (the Kiwis- those who

are local residents and those who come on holiday) are spending less than in previous years. They seem to be watching their dollars. On the other hand, the Europeans – mostly from Germany and Holland, have been spending freely.”

International visitors are attracted to the wharf and of course, the ferry which runs every few minutes to and from Ferry Landing, Cooks Beach. However, this year, apart from the Germans and Dutch, the international variety has been less than in previous years. But the ferry has been flat out. The various boat tour companies have also had very busy days with full capacity of passengers.

Everyone in Whitianga was excited by the visit of a cruise liner in January. This visit was

only the second liner to call into Mercury Bay. This ship was small, with 280 passengers, but it was most welcome. The passengers were transported to the wharf in the ship’s tenders. They were mostly Americans who had one interest in common – bike riding.

A fleet of trucks brought their bikes to each port the ship visited. The passengers hurried through the wharf to the pick-up point for their bikes. Richard and most of Whitianga hope that visits from cruise liners will become a regular thing in future summers.

As is a regular attraction and a very normal occurrence, stingrays of various sizes, from small to huge, are often resting or cruising beneath the wharf.

Bronze Whaler sharks have vis-

ited the locality on occasions. No orcas or dolphins have been sited near the wharf this summer.

A major function of the wharf is to be an unloading destination for trawlers – large boats that are clearly commercial fishing boats. The trawlers pay an annual fee for access to and use of the facility. Trawlers unloading fish into refrigerated trucks are a daily occurrence at the wharf. Recreational boats cannot use the wharf.

Unfortunately, for health and safety reasons, fresh fish cannot be purchased at the wharf.

However, fishing from the wharf is as popular as ever. This is often a family occasion with a parent or parents coaching small anglers. Grand-parents are often the coaches and teachers of the small fry fisher-people. This year has been notable for the increased number of Asian anglers. Although enjoyable, actually catching a fish has been a sparse event. This didn’t stop a crowded wharf the day of the children’s fishing competition -hardly room to get a hook and line in the water. Fun and shrieks have been unabated as older children and teens jump into the water in the designated area under the watch-

ful eye of ‘Chocky’ and the other Wharf Ambassadors. Adjacent to the jumping-off spot is a ladder which enables the jumpers to get their thrills again and again.

In summary, Richard says this has been an amazing summer.

“The summer we have all been hoping for”.

As remarked by many other residents, locals and business owners, the Kiwi visitors have been more frugal than their spend prior to COVID. But there has been a positive bright spirit and the sunny days and blue skies have really helped that.

It has also been generally agreed that the uncertainty of road access (Will the bridge be built in time?) has meant that some local regulars chose to holiday in other locations. The speedy re-opening of the Thames-Kopu highway (25A) was a welcome surprise for all of us.

Richard feels certain there are even better things ahead for the Whitianga wharf of Mercury Bay and the Coromandel Peninsula.

The annual Children’s Fishing Competition in January means a very crowded wharf at Whitianga; top right, Wharf Warden, Richard with Jenny Coleman for the day of the estuary swim.

Mercury Bay Art Escape

Last week to purchase tickets for the Gala Opening 1 March at Hot Waves Café, Hot Water Beach.

BY LYNETTE GAIA

Explore the artists and their studios from Tairua to Matarangi. Rich and eclectic mediums include painting, printmaking, sculpture, jewellery, ceramics, photography, mosaics, and iron-mongering.

Kicking off with our Gala Opening at Hot Waves Café in Hot Water Beach this Friday 1 March 2024, with the talented FLOX as keynote speaker. As an aerosol and stencil artist, FLOX has been creating distinctive designs since 2003. Her trademark native birds, ferns and flowers are a celebration of Aotearoa’s environmental taonga.

ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE AT HOT WAVES CAFE

To add to the art experience during the two weeks of Art Escape, there will be Artists in Residence at Hot Waves Café in Hot Water Beach. The Artists in Residence has proven to be a popular meeting place for art lovers to discuss their work and inspiration. Join your friends for brunch or lunch, chat to the artists while they work, and consider joining the Art Escape 2025. There will be application forms available from the artists.

Artists in Residence programme

MONDAY 4 MARCH

9.00am - 11.30am

Sally Samins & David Vandervoort

11.30am - 1.30pm Jane Parson & Kaylie Finnis

1.30pm - 4.00pm Jenny Cotterall & Margaret Gibson

TUESDAY 5 MARCH

9.00am - 11.30am

Margaret Gibson & Merle Ward

11.30am - 1.30pm Anne Bowden

1.30pm - 4.00pm Anne Bowden

WEDNESDAY 6 MARCH

9.00am - 11.30am Meg Auth

11.30am - 1.30pm Michael Harrison & Jessie Macaw

1.30pm - 4.00pm Kay de Blauw & Ngairene Collison-Smith

THURSDAY 7 MARCH

9.00am - 11.30am Jean McCann & Sue Foster

11.30am - 1.30pm Annemieke Kregting & Jennifer Panther

1.30pm - 4.00pm Claire Byers

FRIDAY 8 MARCH

9.00am - 11.30am Ginny Deavoll

11.30am - 1.30pm Susan Dunster

1.30pm - 4.00pm Sandra Hosking

THROUGH THE PORTAL

Reasons to be cheerful Part 1

BY TREVOR AMMUNDSEN

Imust start by acknowledging the source of the title for this week’s missive, a salute to Ian Drury and the Blockheads. I thought this was an appropriate source of inspiration as I have been thinking about one reason why we have to be cheerful, we do not have a train in Whitianga. And of course, those blockheads in Auckland do.

I know some people like trains and think they can be effective in the modern day. These people are generally socialists and, like trains, belong in the 19th century. Every dog has its day and for trains, those days are in our distant past. The same can be said of socialists but you can still hear their yapping unfortunately.

A week or two ago, Auckland trains had to be stopped as the air temperature was 25 degrees. The Rail people claimed that the tracks were in danger at this high temperature. A tad over cautious I felt as the melting point of steel is about 1450 degrees, so there was quite a lot of leeway for error.

I couldn’t help but think that surely this excuse to cancel train

trips was just a cover; possibly they had just given too many drivers the day off, or maybe were running an internal training session on “Consideration of the Public”. Whatever the reason, the 25-degree temperature was surely not to blame.

Auckland has had over 1300 hundred rail trips cancelled from mid-January to mid-February. I thought that number seems far too high, surely the only trip

Aucklanders want to take is out of town. Seriously though, that number of cancellations makes the service a pitiful joke; in its worst week over 50 trips a day were cancelled on average. How can the average commuter rely on this? The answer is that they cannot.

The worst part of this joke is that we taxpayers from other regions are being forced to pay for the grossly over budget City

Rail Link in Auckland, a project designed to make Auckland’s magnificent rail system even more impressive, enabling trains to go around in circles.

A six-billion-dollar project that will be looking for purpose if trains can either not get there or just break down inside. What do you call a six-billion-dollar hole with a broken train inside? An excavation project? A hole needing purpose? I can see future Mayoral candidates in Auckland suggesting it become a cycle lane, or possibly a light rail track; the idiocy goes on.

The truth is that rail is a nineteenth century technology that struggles for relevance in the modern world.

It has been successful in the past, about 100 years or so ago, but now cannot run without huge taxpayer financial support.

Freight movement by rail is basically a waste of time in this country as you need bulk trips of greater than 400km to make it break even. We don’t have such freight, especially now that the Greenies have cancelled coal mining, so as a result only 6% of New Zealand freight is carried by

rail. This is not going to increase, and has actually trended down in recent years.

In terms of profit, KiwiRail declared an operating profit last year but still needed a massive boost from taxpayers to pay for capital expenditure, its operating profit being too low.

The country should just toughen up and get rid of rail. Electric bus systems will handle the commuter issue in metropolitan areas much more efficiently, converting old rail lanes to busways.

The freight industry will easily handle the low percentage that rail carries, so that is no real problem, and the CRL could be repurposed for electric scooter traffic, enabling young people to go around in circles all day long.

And a real reason to be cheerful; the savings made by the government not bailing out rail and covering the capital works can be dispersed to areas such as the Coromandel, who have wisely not installed any trains. I’m sure the mayor would like that.

„ Thought for the day: I didn’t realise how cold it was today, until I saw socialists with their hands in their own pockets.

Whitianga, 6 Tohetea Lane

Whitianga, 6 Hei Esplanade

• 5 bdrm,3 bthrm, separate laundry, solar panels, storage galore & so much more!

• Fully self-contained1 bedroom flat with,1 accessible bathroom, heat pump & tranquil water view.

NEW LISTING

Whitianga, 19E Albert Street

• 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment.

• Open plan living, covered balcony and no body corp fees.

• Double internal access garage and private courtyard.

FOR SALE By Negotiation

VIEW harcourts.co.nz/L26554558

Peter MacGregor 027 224 7332

Tairua, 8 Diamond Drive

AUCTION

• Low maintenance home offering 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, 2 toilets.

• Easy walking distance to the water, the Pepe Reserve & town.

• Large deck area, open plan living and a modern kitchen.

FOR SALE AUCTION 2nd March 2024 at 2.00pm

On Site (unless sold prior)

VIEW harcourts.co.nz/L25659398

Philippa Evans 021 266 9295

Jo Wardle-Heath 027 470 7883

Tairua, 58 Hinemoa Terrace

and office.

Whitianga, 3 Awatea Drive

• 4 bedrooms, large ensuite plus a bathroom and 3rd toilet.

• Near new home situated in the Whitianga Waterways.

• High stud ceilings, double internal access

FOR SALE By Negotiation

VIEW harcourts.co.nz/ L26583990

Peter MacGregor 027 224 7332

Tairua, 56 Paku Drive

• Beautifully presented, three bedrooms, two bathrooms, cedar cladhome.

• 2 decks both with stunning beach and water views.

• Properties like this do not come to the market very often.

FOR SALE AUCTION 2nd March 10.30am

On site (Unless sold prior)

VIEW harcourts.co.nz/ L26411783

Adam Fuller 022 018 0856

• 2 bedroom home set against a bush backdrop.

• Relax and enjoy the outlook to inner harbour & ocean views.

• Stacker doors bring the outside in with extensive decking for those summer BBQ’s with friends.

FOR SALE Price on application

VIEW harcourts.co.nz/L26565512

Philippa Evans 021 266 9295

Jo Wardle-Heath 027 470 7883

• Boat ramp plus boat park & double garaging.

FOR SALE AUCTION 9th March 2024

at 2.00pm On Site (unless sold prior)

VIEW harcourts.co.nz/L25351998

Katrina Carlyon 021 724 200

Opito, 7 Calder Place

• Brilliant home offering 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.

• 809m2 fully fenced section minutes from the water.

• Outstanding water views.

FOR SALE By Negotiation

VIEW harcourts.co.nz/ L26376755

Peter MacGregor 027 224 7332

Tairua, 2 Wharf Road

• 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom upstairs.

• Self contained, two bedroom, 1 bathroom unit downstairs.

• 200m from boat ramp, central location.

FOR SALE AUCTION 6th April 2024 2.00pm

Onsite (Unless sold prior)

VIEW harcourts.co.nz/ L26282956

Philippa Evans 021 266 9295

Jo Wardle-Heath 027 470 7883

Tairua, 14 Pine Grove

Introducing our new Tairua sales consultant

Jo Wardle-Heath 027 470 7883

Whitianga, 245 A & B South Highway

• Land and buildings on 2 titles.

• 3 sitting tenants who would like to stay.

• Situated in the Moewai Industrial area of Whitianga.

FOR SALE $1,400,000 (Plus gst if any)

VIEW harcourts.co.nz/L26601702

Ann Hamilton 027 488 6675

Hahei, 21b Harsant Avenue

• Offering 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom on the beachfront at Hahei.

• This is home with vintage style, boasting solid and honest bones.

• Skip backwards and forward to the beach as you desire.

FOR SALE Deadline Sale 16th March 2024 at 2.00pm On Site (unless sold prior)

VIEW harcourts.co.nz/L25693457

Philippa Evans 021 266 9295

Paulette Tainsh 027 241 2001

• 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom original 80’s home.

• All day sun and expansive views out over the Tairua harbour towards Mt Paku.

• Priced to sell, well maintained and ready for you to make your mark.

FOR SALE $1,250,000

VIEW harcourts.co.nz/L26518940

Adam Fuller 022 018 0856

From the editor – Pauline Stewart

The Coromandel Informer is a weekly, local and independently owned publication serving the whole of the Coromandel Peninsula. We aim to cover stories and provide insights on issues regarding life on the Coromandel Peninsula.

We are proud to have served the entire Coromandel Peninsula for over two decades.

Our mission has been steadfast, to share compelling stories, shed light on pivotal issues, and provide insights into life on the Coromandel Peninsula.

With approximately 9,000 copies printed weekly and a readership estimated at 18,000, we remain deeply committed to con-

necting our community.

The Informer is an unwavering independent news source, and for almost 1,100 issues we have achieved this goal. More recently, our weekly publication has been complemented by both local and seasonal magazines that reach thousands throughout the Coromandel region, and extending to Auckland and the Waikato.

Through all our publications, our core ethos is to deliver the critical news, local matters, and significant events that shape our community’s narrative.

Today, the Coromandel faces unique challenges, from environmental shifts and coastal protection to the vitality of marine life

and the intricacies of transport, tourism, hospitality, housing, and farming. These issues affect us collectively, forging a connectedness that is rare in larger urban areas. Our community’s diverse perspectives on addressing these matters are unified by one common goal: ensuring this community flourishes and maintains a safe, sustainable lifestyle for generations to come. It’s inspiring to be a part of all of this and as much as Stan and I have been challenged since we arrived twenty months ago, we have enjoyed the journey, love the people and from our home in Whitianga, we look forward to building on this for the next season.

In 2024 , we’re committed to continuing to bring you a weekly newspaper and have plans to expand our distribution throughout the Peninsula. Part of this expansion involves significant investments in our digital infrastructure. We are enhancing our online presence with a new website, delving into the creation of more video and audio content, and dedicating additional resources to improving the quality of our storytelling.

This investment will allow us to connect and reach more people across our community than ever before, but to bring our vision to full fruition, we need your support. By choosing to advertise

with The Informer, you are helping to champion independent journalism and helping protect the voice of the Coromandel Peninsula.

Our revised rate card now includes a new digital offering that helps extend your advertising reach, and connects your business with more people than ever before. We invite you to be a part of our journey by continuing to choose to advertise with us.

You can download our new 2024 rate card from our website (www.theinformer.co.nz) or if you would like to discuss an advertising package please call us on 027 271 6182 or email: sales@theinformer.co.nz.

Rebuttal of TCDC response to “Money does not grow on trees”

BY FLEMMING RASMUSSEN

In The Coromandel Informer, 20 February 2024 publication (p.13), TCDC allege Long Term Plan (LTP) inaccuracies in the “Money does not grow on trees” article in The Coromandel Informer 6 February 2024 publication (pp 20 and 25).

I RAISED THREE SPECIFIC POINTS IN THE ARTICLE,

1. A financially illiterate council (a back to basic approach);

2. A flawed process (non-representative and biased); and

3. Rates must not (necessarily) increase (Council (TCDC) spending money we do not have, using the ratepayer as an ATM). TCDC, in their response, only

seek to clarify points 2 and 3.

In rebutting TCDC’s response, I comment as follows on points 1-5 raised by TCDC; Points 1, 2, 3 and 5: A flawed and selective pseudo-process hiding behind a thinly disguised statutory compliance veil of the Local Government Act 2002 (LGA 2002), TCDC argues its early, informal engagement (to Iwi and a selective (few) “..partners… stakeholders and interest groups”) does not form part of TCDC’s statutory consultation requirement.

TCDC confirm they have engaged with (handpicked) “selective… partners… stakeholders and interest groups” and consulted with them for five months(since Oct. ‘23). Who

selects these partners, stakeholders and interest groups?

Who decides who is in? Who decides who is not in? On what basis?

Section 93A LGA 2002, “Use of special consultative procedure in relation to long-term plan”, refers to s 83(1)(a)(i) (statement of proposal), and per s 83((1)(b)(ii) and (iii) awards the public a period of “not less than 1 month (from time of publication) for providing views” (consultation period).

In contrast with the five months afforded its selective “..partners… stakeholders and interest groups”, the public, that is, us who pay the fees and rates, are afforded the absolute minimum statutory required consul-

tation period (8 March-8 April 2024) and a meagre three public hearing days (30 April-2 May 2024) to give input.

A balanced (unbiased) view would allow ratepayers an equal period for input – behold, s 83A LGA 2002 provides for a combined or concurrent consultation process. TCDC decided not to do that.

What do you think? Is it a flawed and selective pseudo-process?

Point 4:Rates must not necessarily increase TCDC state they are not developing “..draft budgets…. on the premise that rates and fees must increase”. BUT, simultaneously, they do not see”..any other… option to increase rates and fees

if … maintain current services”.

With respect, it is not granted existing, non-statutory services must remain. That is for us, the fee and ratepayer, to decide.

THAT is the exact point highlighted in the “Money does not grow on trees” article (p.25), 6 February 2024.

To make informed decisions, we require cost-benefit information about all services, especially non-statutory services, enabling us to decide whether we want a service and, if we want it, whether we can afford it. Commonly called “having to cut your cloth” in a cost-ofliving-, high-inflation environment!

What do you think? Should our fees and rates increase?

Official Opening of ‘The Moorings’ Retirement Village

Stage one of The Moorings Retirement Village was officially opened in Whitianga on Friday last. It is Hopper Developments’ latest extension to its ever-growing Whitianga Waterways canal lifestyle acreage, with the entrance right next to the Medical Centre on Joan Gaskell Drive.

The gathering of invited guests were welcomed by Sales Man-

ager Shana Hopper-McCully.

The official ribbon was cut by Judy Thody and Brenda Simpson, the purchasers of the first of the village units. The couple are looking forward to their move from Mangawhai and hope to take up residence in June.

Leigh Hopper, Director of Hopper Developments, said the retirement village had been on the plans since the inception of

the Waterways in 2001. A crucial component was always to be the establishment of the nearby one-stop Medical Centre, which opened last year.

“We are looking 50 years ahead,” Leigh Hopper said.

“This complex will offer access to wider medical services in a unique social environment, wrapped on three sides by canal frontage. This is where I would

like to retire.”

Ruth Scandrett, General Manager of Hopper Living said, “We are thrilled to officially open The Moorings Retirement Village.

This marks a significant milestone for both Hoppers and the Mercury Bay area. While the primary focus is on units for independent living, the plan here is eventually to offer a variety of living arrangements, including

integrated hospital care facilities.”

Guests were then invited to inspect the show home, where plans of the finished complex were distributed. Four villas are now complete, with two more almost finished. Stage one of The Moorings will eventually comprise 18 residences, while the long-term (8-10 year) plan is for up to 220 units.

by HOPPER LIVING

Brenda Simpson (centre left) and Judy Thody cut the ribbon, with Ruth Scandrett, General manager of Hopper Living Villages and Hopper Developments Director Leigh Hopper with Shana Hopper-McCully, Sales and Marketing Manager; invited guests, centre, take a first look at The Moorings complex; soon to be residents, right, Brenda Simpson and Judy Thody in The Moorings show home.

Gratitude to our hero, Sara Smerdon!

After an extraordinary 2.5-hour search through challenging, dense bush and a monumental 5-hour extraction, with Sara single-handedly carrying Angus up steep terrain, our beloved boy is safely home.

We express heartfelt thanks to Sara for her unwavering dedication in bringing him back. Sara is a crucial member of the Mahakirau Forest Estate community conservation project.

We invite you to contribute any amount you can to support her cause, enabling us to show our profound appreciation for her kindness and compassion.

To donate, please visit www.mahakirau.co.nz

Steady As You Go –prevents causes of injury

BY MICHELLE DELLABARCA

How many times have you heard these words as you trip on a mat or zoom round a corner too fast and lose your balance?

Falls are the number one causes of injury, hospitalisation and even death from injury in New Zealand, particularly for the over 65’s.

This is one of the reasons that Aged Concern has developed the Steady as You Go falls prevention programme, in collaboration with Otago University, for older New Zealanders. Steady As You Go© (SAYGo) is Age Concern’s peer-led exercise initiative designed to help older people / kaumātua reduce their likelihood of having a fall.

In Coromandel town, classes are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Coromandel Gym. Volunteer Peer Leader, Vicky Macrae started leading SAYGO in 2019 after contacting Aged Concern and offering to do home visits. When they heard that she had a background in teaching physical exercise they jumped at

her offer but asked her if she could teach this class instead. It started off with small numbers, meeting in a church hall, but as numbers grew, they have moved to the Coromandel Gym which has a dedicated floor space for exercise.

Numbers have increased from five people per session to up to 22 on a good day, when the gym appears to be bursting at the seams. There are a good mix of people, both men and women, ranging in age from

60- to 87-year-old Thelma, who attends most weeks. Vickie loves leading these exercises and plans to continue as long as she can. Her motivation is helping her own husband to stay mobile and active as he has Parkinson’s disease. Staying active with regular exercise can slow the progression of this disease.

She recognises that about one in three older adults falls each year. Falls among older adults are a serious issue, but research has shown that many fall risks can be reduced.

Falls by older people are almost always associated with weakened leg muscles and poor balance.

The SAYGo programme is designed to address these issues and is simple to participate in. Each session is the same, with Vicki presenting the exercises by way of following instructions on a CD. This enables participants to learn the moves by repetition. Vicki is there to correct technique if required. All the movements are designed to increase the strength of leg muscles and to improve balance. She also adds

in a few of her own warm-up exercises to improve hand dexterity and help slow the progress of arthritis.

Vicky comments that everyone who attends the classes will say that they have benefitted with increased strength, agility and confidence. Another benefit is that of belonging to a community of people who have become friends. Most days, after class, they go down to a local café for coffee and a chat.

The classes are on Tuesday and Thursday at the Coromandel Gym. The Tuesday group is full most weeks so Vicki would like to encourage new participants to come to the Thursday class. Cost is $2 per session. If you would like further information, you can contact Vicki on 027 417 7077. Unfortunately, classes are not currently available in Whitianga. Vicky says that it is hard to get volunteers to run these courses even though they are very easy to run. If becoming a Volunteer Peer Leader sounds like something you like the sound of you can contact Vicki or your local Age Concern group.

Peer instructor Vicki, demonstrating a “hand/brain” exercise.

Short comings of the RMA

Second part of actual letter sent by Malcolm to Simon Upton, Commissioner for the Environment

BY MALCOLM CAMPBELL

Dear Simon,

I am back from rushing to move my livestock. However, they are still alive; not like the insects, birds, amphibians, fish and especially the ducks, eels and even an Australian couple where their deaths can be traced back to manmade poisons.

As you will be well aware, regarding the Resource Management Act (RMA) Section 5, the purpose of the Act is to “Safeguard the Life Supporting Capacity of the Air, Soil, Water and Eco Systems, and Avoiding, Remedying or Mitigating any Adverse Effects of Activities on the Environment.”

That is a mouthful, but straightforward all the same. There is ample evidence that the ‘activity’ of spraying poison is having an adverse effect on the environment so what remedying or mitigating, is being carried out to alleviate the situation?

The Waikato Regional Council website reveals that Lakes Waikare and Whanape were in good condition until 1970 and are

now described as ‘eutrophic’.

The Waikato Regional Council is still regularly poisoning both lakes. The next main reason for the RMA is to “Promote sustainable development for the social, economic and cultural wellbeing of communities now and into the future.” Promote means aid, assist, help forward (Oxford Dictionary).

Well, well, I have yet to meet a

single person coming away from any council anywhere filled with joy at the encouragement they received from the council staff when applying for a ‘Resource Consent’.

However, the council staff are only applying the dictatorial controls of the RMA.

On file are a number of examples, where people applied in good faith for a ‘Consent, were

never granted such and lost massive sums of money. Some applicants gave up in despair and left the country. In the purpose of the Act, it mentions “wellbeing of communities”.

Again, there appears to be a contradiction as in a decision re a ‘Resource Consent’. For some applications, ‘Independent Commissioners’ are appointed to make the decision.

Well, this sounds fine and dandy, but are these commissioners of superior intelligence, to such a degree that they know what is good for a farmer or general citizen in his or her own community?

Supposing for example, a firm would like to set up a large manufacturing complex in central Whitianga. It is going to employ say 100 people, but there will be a large number of heavy vehicle movements, some manufacturing noise and so on. Why not have a simple vote of people within five or ten kilometres of this complex? Let the local community make the decision. If Independent Commissioners make the decision to

go ahead, it is 99% certain that they, the commissioners, will be nowhere within the sight or sound of this complex and may have inflicted on the community, something the community did not want.

STRESSFUL IN WELLINGTON:

Back in Wellington Simon, I realise of course, life is fairly stressful for you in Wellington.

The downtown streets are not really safe after dark, the commuter trains run on schedule only sometimes, the bus service is worse, water pipes are leaking in copious numbers, sewers sometimes spill into the harbour and personal showers are limited to four minutes even though the City Council can find water for flower beds and the pavement. So, you have a lot on your plate in the heart of Governance in New Zealand.

This is where we look for guidance, so please look at the issues I have raised. Give it your best shot and we would appreciate your comment. The Coromandel and Waikato are waiting.

Malcolm on his farm building a water wheel

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

COLLEGE ESTUARY SWIM – A

GREAT RACE

I had heard that the MBASC (largest in NZ) was having their cross-estuary swim from Ferry Landing to the town wharf. So I went along to be among the observers.

What a surprise – ferry-load after ferry-load of well-behaved children in togs transported across the estuary and walked down to the opposite beach.

At midday the first lot started and many heads dotted the exiting tide. The logistics of this exercise filled me with admiration.

Kayaks, harbour master and assorted craft kept an eye on the swimmers, who kept coming in waves.

Floatation aids were in evidence and if I had even had the courage to do this swim I would have needed my water wings.

What an adventurous way to start the school year and congratulations to all the children who made it across.

Did we end with the same number who started? Thank you to the teachers and planners for demonstrating the spirit of modern children/youth.

Peter H. Wood Whitianga

MONEY DOES NOT GROW ON TREES - REVISITED.

TCDC’s response to a recent, very insightful article on the Council’s Long-Term Plan (LTP)process is living proof of the key points Mr. Rasmussen made.

Locked in their ivory tower mentality, the Council immediately jumps into defensive mode to, yet again, point out perceived ‘inaccuracies’ in this article by merely repeating what their ‘duties’ are under the Local Government Act 2002 (LGA). Nobody, including Mr Rasmussen, suggests that the Council would risk legal challenge by not adhering to their statutory duties. This is not the point.

A truly open-minded and transparent Council would have looked at the many substantial and constructive points that are discussed in this article.

1. Yes, the LTP’s ‘key priorities’ are vague and lofty and will serve as a meaningless (yet very flexible from the Council’s point of view) elastic band to underpin what should be hard financial decisions.

2. Contrary to TCDC’s Corporate Services and Finance Group Manager’s statement that, “we don’t see any other reasonable option

but to increase rates and fees if we are to maintain our current services” rates do not necessarily have to increase. According to TCDC, “so much of what we do now is required by law, there is little scope for major reductions in our current services”.

A constructive way of conducting a consultation would be to list all anticipated Council services and their costs that fall under ‘statutory requirement’. Those services would be priority one. Core services (water/wastewater/roads/rubbish) are priority two; with, however, a very broad scope of actual ‘level of service’ that is offered for each category.

On the other hand, some staff and activity costs for ‘economic development’ and ‘communication’ could be cut back to focus expenses on core Council business.

3. Mr Rasmussen provides a very useful list of example questions that link services to corresponding costs. After all we are talking about ratepayers’ money, so it’s pointless to ask the community, “which services they think we could stop or reduce” when the ratepayers are left in the dark about how much money they would be saving.

Answers to similar fuzzy questions will give the Council diverse responses (according to ratepayers’ individual interests) so that they can pick and choose which of those best fit their policy intentions. All this would be well within the legal ambit of the LGA, but answers would not have been based on hard and available financial information.

Setting the right priorities (except priority one items) must be based on an informed decision made by those people who pay for these services and not by aspirational Council officers and elected members.

Real change could only happen if Council was prepared to genuinely listen to the people who pay their salaries and bills instead of

hiding behind hollow lists of LGA prescribed ‘processes’.

The Mayor’s and Councillor’s’ recent unanimous disrespect for basic democratic principles when voting on the establishment of Māori wards does not bode well for the upcoming LTP process.

Elisabeth

Resl,

Kuaotunu

PROMOTION OF SEA WALL SIMPLISTIC AND PAROCHIAL

The Informer’s promotion of a seawall for a few coastal properties is simplistic and parochial. It’s as if only Buffalo Beach has coastal hazards when every coastal community has them.

TCDC’s Shoreline consultants say 145 peninsula coastal locations require capital works for hazard “protection”. Seawalls for just 7 of these local communities will cost $1.2 billion. Now scale that nationwide around New Zealand’s 15,000 km coastline. (Netherlands has just 451 km, so a bogus comparison) That’s a fiscal black hole too huge for any government. Our small communities will miss out on government seawall funding.

Seawall costs will fall on all district ratepayers. Sensible ratepayers who heeded climate science will have to subsidise a minority of beachfront owners who ignored three decades of warnings about rising sea levels and increased hazard risk, including from Council in LIM reports, building/resource consents and land titles. We need personal responsibility, not ratepayer bailouts for wrong private property choices.

TCDC’s consultants propose a 6.4-metre-high rock barrier encircling Whitianga costing $342 million. So, goodbye to sea views and beach/estuary amenities. The community’s connection to the coast will be walled off, and Whitianga’s coastal visitor appeal - gone burger.

Even then, we’re not truly protected. Seawalls will routinely fail when tsunamis and increasingly

frequent extreme storms strike, leaving us clinging to the illusion of safety.

In many places, people will have to retreat. Some may get capped buyouts if parties in Parliament can agree on the criteria, (but probably not for holiday homes).

Contrary to The Informer article, there are no quick or cheap fixes to the climate crisis.

Maureen McGill, Whitianga

TEGG – HAS HAD HIS OPPORTUNITY

It is upsetting to see Tegg get so much space to spout his globalist propaganda which reads like he’s promoting himself to be a Green Party candidate.

Both Tegg and Minogue have had their opportunity to represent us ratepayers as councillors, a representation which they both stubbornly failed to do. Instead, they both absorbed the propaganda of the time and they both continue to persist with such.

We get plenty of their propaganda from mainstream media. Their stuff is not opinion. They have no original thought to propound. Sorry.

John Veysey, Colville

APOLOGY RE DETAIL ON LOANS FOR HOME SOLAR ENERGY

In regard to the article that appeared in The Informer on Tuesday, 20 February issue - Best time to invest in solar energy at home.

I apologise for my grammatical error in stating that the range of banks listed have finance packages from 0% - which was interpreted that ALL of the banks listed offer finance options from 0%, which is in fact incorrect. One of the finance options starts at 0%..... the online article has been updated to state ... starting from 0%. This refers to Westpac’s Greater Choices Home Loan which is available for financing solar energy.

Heather Jack, Whitianga

‘Wellness Survey’ results lead to exciting new initiatives

BY JAYE HARROD

Happylocal Hub’s co-founder Courtney Linnecar and the Hub’s newest health practitioner, Jaye Harrod, are on a mission to get more people connected with all things health-related in the wider coastal communities, and to engender happiness and health in our locals.

A recent ‘Wellness Survey’ in The Local Informer, revealed that the top three areas of importance to locals are:

„ 78% Exercise, fitness, and weight loss

„ 52% Detox and immune support

„ 45% Social connection and fun

Thank you to everyone who participated. Results showed that while most want to take a holistic approach to health and wellness, affordability proved to be a significant barrier.

In direct response to your feedback, we have used a collaborative, community-led approach to launch exciting new initiatives to keep our locals and their wallets happy and healthy!

SIX WEEK MOJO RESET FOR KOHA

Some of our valued local health and fitness instructors are passionate about removing any blocks to achieving your fitness goals. In response, they are collaborating to run a 6-week ‘Mojo Reset’ for Koha. At this stage classes will be based in Kuaotunu three times per week. This group is for anyone serious about resetting their health and fitness in a supportive and fun group environment. The reset includes accountability with regular, private non-invasive weigh-ins, and interactive circuits to match your level of fitness, pilates, flexibility, core strength, transitioning menopause, nutrition, and education. Sessions are open to both men and women and geared towards a beginner level of fitness. Please contact Deb 021 973 265.

HAPPY LOCALS MOVING AND GROOVING!

Thanks to the support of the kind crew at Lukes

Kitchen and Whitianga Social Services, The Happy Local Hub is thrilled to announce a weekly doorto-door shuttle service to transport our mature locals to various weekly exercise activities such as ‘steady and you go’ and ‘live longer, live stronger’ sessions. We are keen to discover the activities you most want to attend so that this service continues to be an engaging and fun way to connect whilst staying active. Lukes’s Kitchens Mover and Groover van will pick up independently mobile locals over 65 from Matarangi, Kuaotunu, and Whitianga areas for the cost of a gold coin. Once we have expressions of interest we can coordinate exact dates, times, and activities. We have been blown away by the whirlwind of support from the community in making this initiative possible, it has demonstrated a heartfelt desire to keep everyone in our coastal communities thriving. If you or your loved one requires assistance with transport or could benefit from a social outing, please contact Jaye on 020 413 22274.

STAYING CONNECTED AND ACTIVE OVER 65

Age Concern is launching additional events to keep our communities connected and active with ‘Chin-Wag Cafe’ and ‘Steady as you go’ sessions starting in Kuaotunu and Whitianga. Francine Hills is a forward-thinking Health Promoter for Age Concern Hauraki Coromandel and would love to hear from you if you would like to become a group leader in your area or wish

to attend group sessions. Please contact 07 868 9790 www.achc.org.nz

LOSING A LOVED ONE

In gaining a deeper understanding of our local communities, we have come to learn that many are navigating life following the loss of a loved one. While we can’t take the pain and grief away, we can support you to meet others who are navigating similar challenges, form new bonds and share common interests. If this is something you would like to explore or just have a chat, both men and women are welcome to call Margaret on 027 780 2744 or email ray.margaret1@xtra.co.nz

Counselling options are also available by referral through your local GP depending on your needs.

BOOST IV IS COMING TO THE COROMANDEL

Exciting news! Boost IV, Integrative Health are launching in the Coromandel in March. Treatments will include: Systemic vitamin support; Auto-Immune Disease; Weight management plans; Digestive Health; Cancer Wellness Pathways; COVID recovery Packages; Low energy; Stress.

Treatments will run from the Happy Local Hub Kuaotunu, Whitianga and from the convenience of your own home via a mobile service. For tailored support plans please email info@boostiv.co.nz or contact 0800 IV Therapy. www.boostiv.co.nz

Experience the transformative healing power of acupuncture at a fraction of the cost.

From March you can

attend group acupuncture clinics in Whitianga for only $30. Alexei McDermott is an experienced acupuncturist from Point of Difference and is passionate about accessible holistic treatment plans. Alexei is treating a variety of common health conditions: pain management – back pain, migraines, transitioning menopause, insomnia,

overall well-being. Each group has a maximum of 4-5 participants in a relaxed and friendly environment. Contact Alexei on 020 401 10121 https://pod-acupuncture.co.nz/

TAKE THE PLUNGE

While jumping into cold water sounds counterintuitive, evidence is stacking

up to prove the many benefits of cold-water immersion. A study conducted by Advanced Mind-Body Medicine 2022 revealed that cold water exposure coupled with deep breathing and mindfulness exercises resulted in significant differences in measures of stress, depression, and mental well-being.

Cam Smith from Ora Fitness offers cutting-edge techniques is achieving great results for clients. You’ll be surprised how energised and mentally sharp cold-water therapy makes you feel. If you would like to take the plunge Cam is offering an introductory 20% discount offer $40 for a 30-min immersion and deep breathing session. Please contact Cam on 021 026 31 437.

STAY TUNED!

Please stay tuned as we have many exciting initiatives in the pipeline to share. We will continue to bridge the gap between your local voice, community resources and service providers for a happy and healthy Coromandel. If you have any ideas or want to get involved, please connect with courtney@ happylocal.com

L-R: Celebrating the weekly door-to-door shuttle service out at Lukes Kitchen – Steve McKenzie, Chuck Edwards, Treena Percy, Christiane Hasselbach, Margaret Burgess, Elisabeth Kendall, Jaye Harrod, Yuvette Simpson and Deborah Maxwell.

An eventful swim across the estuary for hundreds of MBAS students

It was the 46th annual ‘across the river swim’ for Mercury Bay Area school students, years 7 to 13 last Thursday, 22nd February. It was a sunny and warm day, great for the swim.

Many local residents and whanau came to watch the spectacle as literally over 500 students caught the ferry across to ferry landing in relays and then

in age groupings swam the width of the river at the estuary across to the pier just upriver from the wharf. It is not an easy swim at the best of times and takes quite some strength to swim against the tidal current. Historically, the current is very strong and this year’s swim was no different. One quite large group of students was carried by the current to the seaward

side of the wharf. All were in good spirits coming out of the water 200 metres from the expected finishing point at the pier. They were safe and buoyed by the adventure - teachers and lifeguards at all the points ensured every swimmer who dived into the water on one side landed safely on the other. It was well organised yet had a sense of freedom and fun about

it. Some students brought along inflatables to enjoy their time in the water, still doing the distance but not in a competitive racing mode.

The community congratulates the students and staff for sharing this with them and for the care and organisation shown to ensure everyone could swim yet be safe and noticed in the water.

DORIS DAY LADIES FISHING COMPETITION

Early bird cut off is Thursday, 29 February, but you can still enter after this date.

Hurry ladies get your entry in to be eligible to win this special prize... and you don’t even have to fish for it

„ When – Saturday, 16 March

„ Where - From the tip of the Coromandel to the Mercs „ Brie�ing Night – Friday, 15 March

SKIPPERSClear your calendar, become that “Master Baiter”

for a day and take your lady and her friends out for a great day out on the boat.

LADIESPalm the kids off to the in-laws, get your best dressed costume underway and have your own “Master Baiter” tend to your every need out on that boat.

EARLYBIRD PRIZE

Get your registration in before 29 February. Limit of 80 anglers. Surprise Destination for the lucky lady.

40 years of Business Club Bowls

Tuesday 20 February 2024 was the last of six Tuesdays for the 40th Anniversary of the Business House Bowls at Mercury Bay Bowling and Sports Club.

BY JIMMY JOHNSON

32 teams of four from real estate agents to plumbers, from golfers to tennis players and Bridge Club members to a pub team participated. They all came to have a series of fun evenings of playing lawn bowls.

At the awards after the bowls, Betty Grant and Paul Simpson were recognised as being at the very first Business House event 40 years

ago, both from the Tennis Club and they have played for the 40 years.

When all the scores were calculated two teams were equal in first place – last year’s winners, Sunz and first time entrants, Topdogs. One bowler from each team was selected and a one bowl closest to the jack decided the winner.

Sunz prevailed only just, and retained the trophy again. Well done!

1. Second place winners, Top Dogs with award presenter, Pam Phillips; 2. Sunz, first place winners of Business Bowls 2024, also 2023 champions!; 3. The Hardy Boys, L-R Shane Hardy (at Business Bowls for 39 years), Gary Morton, Peter Mackenzie, Allan Henderson (absent Jen Heaphy); 4. Shane Hardy - still got his style; 5. Adam Hayward, a Thames Valley top bowler on Merv George Plumbing team (9); 6. Gwyn Howells, veteran bowler, with his granddaughter, Jess Howells; 7. Paul Simpson and Betty Grant – played Business Bowls here for all of the 40 years; 8. L-R, Adam Hayward, Stafford Moody, Mikaere Waterhouse, Vegas Brown; 9. Luke Courtenay of the Chee Chees (junior Champion Top 10 Thames valley) watches his team members bowl.

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If you have an activity or group or the existing information is incorrect, let The Informer know. Call 866 2090, email info@theinformer.co.nz or send a message on Facebook.

REGULAR ACTIVITIES/EVENTS

OP

SHOPS

Mercury Bay Cancer Support Trust Bookshop

Blacksmith Lane, Whitianga. Open every Monday –Saturday from 10.00am – 2.00pm.

St John Opportunity Shop – 29 Albert Street, Whitianga. Open Monday to Friday, 9.30am-4.00pm and Saturday 9.30am-2.00pm.

St Andrew’s Church Op-shop – Owen Street, Whitianga. 9.30am to 1pm Wednesday to Saturday. Social Services Op-shop – 15 Coghill Street (west of Albert Street), Whitianga. Open Monday to Saturday 9.30am-2.00pm. Donations welcome and can be dropped off at this address.

SPCA Op-shop – 2/Blacksmith Lane, Whitianga. Open Monday to Saturday 9.00am-5.00pm and Sunday 9.00am-4.00pm.

MONTHLY

AA Driver Licensing

Second and forth Friday of every month. In the Mercury Bay Service Centre Community Board Room in Monk Street, not at St. Andrews by the Sea Community Church, Owen Street.

Cooks Beach Garden Circle

Last Thursday of every month 11.15am – 2.30pm. New members are welcome. Phone Anne on 07 866 0268 for more information.

Kūaotunu Dune Care

Every third Wednesday of the month. Protecting the dunes by removing weeds and rubbish and planting native dune plants. To get involved, please email kuaotunudunecare@gmail.com to get on the emailing list.

FORTNIGHTLY

Knit for a Purpose

The first and third Fridays of the month, 10.00am to 12.00pm at St Peter the Fisherman, 7 Dundas St. Gillian Reid on 021 781081 for further details, or just turn up.

Mercury Bay Creative Fibre

Spin, knit, weave, crochet. First and third Wednesday every month, 10.00am-1.00pm, supper room of Town Hall. Phone. Vanessa 027 896 5037 Email. - vandoo555@gmail.com.

Whitianga Tramping Group

Every second Sunday at 8.30am. Phone Wally on 021 907 782 or Lesley on 021 157 9979 for more information.

WEEKLY OR MORE

Alcoholics Anonymous

The Whitianga Big Book Group meets every Thursday at 6.30pm at St Peter the Fisherman Church, Dundas Street. Phone 0800 AA WORKS (0800 229 6757) for more information.

Al-Anon Serenity Group

For those affected by someone else’s drinking. Every Wednesday at 1.30pm. Phone Pauline on 021 086 10955 for more info.

Chess Club

Monday nights 6.30-9.30pm. Bowling club. Players of all levels welcome. Come along and enjoy a game or two of chess. Cost $2 to go towards room costs and supper. Contact Brett Soanes 0272117195 or brettsoanes16@hotmail.com

Chinwag Café

Every Friday from 10.00am-12.00pm at Whitianga Social Services, 2 Cook Drive. A place for over 50s to meet other people, enjoy a cup of tea or coffee and have a chinwag.

Coffee and Discussion Group

Every Sunday, 2.00pm-4.00pm, at The Lost Spring. Topics are open and respect shown. No charge. Convener. Peter H. Wood.

Cooks Beach Care Group

Haere mai! We invite you to join our friendly team and learn about coastal conservation. Come weeding and planting while enjoying our beautiful environment. Thursday mornings. Register www. cooksbeachcare.org.nz

Coroglen Farmer's Market

Every Sunday 9.00am – 1.00pm. Coroglen

Gumtown Hall.

DANCING

Mercury Bay Dance Club

Recreational dance lessons. Thursday 6.00pm7.00pm. Please book with Kathleen 022 154 1702 and/or check out the Facebook page. facebook. com/mercurybaydanceclub/.

LINE DANCING – Mercury Bay Line Dancing Club

Commencing again 30 January, Tuesdays, beginners 11.15am-12.15pm; seniors 12.302.30pm. Starting 8 February, Thursdays, absolute beginners 11.30am-12.30pm, improvers 12.452.45pm. Whitianga Town Hall, Monk Street. Phone Margaret 027 463 8850 or Glynis 021 1099 155.

Whitianga Line Dancing Club Classes

Town Hall, Monk Street, $5 per session.

Intermediate classes Wednesday,12.00pm-1.30pm; Beginner / Improver classes Monday 10.30am -11.45am. Contact Cecily 027 294 1750 or Kathy 027 4321 353

Belly Dancing

Contact Catherine Corcoran, 021 210 2438 or smile@catherinecorcoran.com.

Weekend classes twice a month at 4pm.

SALSA/Merengue/Bachata and Cha Cha

Contact Molly, events@beatfairy.com

Every Monday from 6.30pm to 7.30pm at Monkey House. $20 per class which includes a drink.

Zumba

Contact Carly, book at www.infinitefitness.nz

Wednesdays at 5.30pm at gym for Zumba and Step Zumba on Mondays at 4.45pm, 86a Albert St. Free 7 day trial.

Cooks Beach Indoor Bowling club

Every Wednesday 1.45-4.30pm approx, Cooks Beach Hall. One month free trial (4 times). Contact Coral Strong 021 2303 944.

Dog walking group

Every Thursday at 2.00pm, Lovers Rock, Robinson Road. All breeds and sizes welcome to a very sociable group where great friendships are made.

Phone Jenny on 021 186 5797.

Grey Power Mercury Bay Coffee Morning

Meeting 10.30am, Thursday 15 February at the Lost Spring. All members and friends are welcome.

Living Well Within Oneness Meditation Centre

OM Centre focuses on the meditative art of going deeper within. Learn how to meditate, breath, calm the mind, relieve stress, anxiety and be a calm, peaceful, courageous, dynamic human being. Every Monday, 9.30-11.00am. Further info. text Linda 027 650 4881or email linda_c@orcon.net.nz

Meditation Stress Reduction Circle –Whitianga

Mondays from 7.30-9.00pm at the Embassy of Friendship, 5 Coghill St. More info. Steffen Lindner (Counsellor, Therapist & Mindfulness Facilitator). Ph 022 0853 121 or email steffen@eof.nz

Thursday Evening Meditation Classes

Spiritual, Heart, Soul Development. Sacred Energy, Chakra Activations, Working with Spiritual Guides, Open forum conversation, Thursdays, 6.30pm at Flat 1, 15 Mill Rd, Whitianga. Cost is $10. Contact Verna 027 320 0079, vernajcarr@gmail.com.

Mercury Bay Athletics

For information contact alana.baker@ bayleyscoromandel.co.nz.

Mercury Bay Badminton Club

Thursdays 5.00pm-7.00pm, 4 courts - All levels welcome with coaching available. At the school gym (adjacent to swimming pool). Mercury Bay Area School. Contact: Steve 027 211 3568

Mercury Bay Badminton

Every Wednesday from 9.00am-11.00am, at the Whitianga Town Hall, Monk Street. Social badminton. Casual players and visitors are welcome. Players of all levels, ages 16+. Phone

Carol on 027 474 7493 for more information.

Mercury Bay Bowling and Sports Club

Cook Drive, Whitianga. Contact Steve Williams 027 855 2772.

Mercury Bay Community Choir

Mondays 6.15-8.15pm, Music Room Mercury Bay Area School. Starts 5 February. Inclusive, open, friendly choir – no prior singing experience needed, no auditions. Contact Kate 027 2709 058 for details.

Mercury Bay Environmental Trust

Every Tuesday and Friday from 9.00am-11.00am, location advised prior. For more information, please email mbenvironmentaltrust@gmail.com or go to www.mbet.co.nz.

Mercury Bay Pickleball Club

Every Tuesday 5.30pm – 7.30pm and every Sunday 4.00pm – 6.00pm at the Mercury Bay Area School gymnasium, Whitianga. Outdoor sessions every Thursday 4.30pm – 6.30pm, Matai Place courts, Matarangi. $5 per session, includes equipment and training. Contact Tony Minto on 021 426 150 for more information.

Mercury Bay Quilters

From 10.00am-4.00pm on the first and third Mondays and second and fourth Saturdays of each month. 2 Cook Drive (Social Services building). Contact Margaret on 021 140 4016.

Mercury Bay Table Tennis

Every Tuesday, 9.00am – 11.30am at the Whitianga Town Hall, Monk Street. All welcome. Phone Anne on 07 869 5162 or 027 565 5575 for more information.

Mercury Bay Tennis Club

Social tennis at Lyon Park is on from 6.00pm on Thursdays. All welcome. Ph. Jason - 022 186 7992 or Steve - 021 256 6865.

Peninsula Penultimates (ex Probus Club)

Fourth Monday of every month, 10.00am at the Mercury Bay Bowling Club, Cook Drive, Whitianga. Phone Joan on 07 866 3801 or 027 275 1372 for more information.

SeniorNet Whitianga Incorporated

Learn more about new communications and information technology. Contact Sheryll Carruthers on 021 022 62504 or email seniornet.whitianga.admin@gmail.com.

Spiritual Coffee Mornings

Every Tuesday and Wednesday, 10.30am-11.30am, 19 Monk Street, the Starlight Centre. Grab a coffee and join in some great conversation where we talk about topics and subjects that have meaning. Gold coin donation. Contact Verna 027 320 0079.

Strength, Balance and Mobility classes for Seniors – men and women

Every Thursday morning from 10.00am to 11.00am at St Peter the Fisherman, 7 Dundas St. $2.00 per session. Contact Lisa Jury on 027 351 7110 for further information.

Tai Chi for beginners

Town Hall, Mondays 6.00pm-7.00pm. Gold coin donation. Ph. Tony 027 333 5146 for more info.

Tai Do Martial Arts

Town Hall, Tuesdays and Wednesdays 6.00pm7.30pm. Ph. Tony 027 333 5146 for more info.

Whitianga Art Group

Every Thursday and Friday 10am-4pm, 23 School Road. Visitors and new members welcome. Phone Margaret on 027 635 1615 for more information.

Whitianga Bike Park

144 Moewai Road, Whitianga. Open 24/7. Many bike tracks available, picnic areas, barbeques and walking trails. Donations welcome on entry. If you wish to volunteer or for programme enquiries, contact John 027 366 4606.

Whitianga Menz Shed

Open every Tuesday and Thursday, 9.00am – 12.00 noon. At the Moewai Park end of South Highway, past the diesel truck stop. All welcome.

Whitianga Playcentre

Every Tuesday and Friday 9.00am-12.00pm,1F White Street. Contact. whitianga@playcentre.org.nz or 027 880 3947.

Whitianga Senior Citizens Club – Indoor bowls and card games

Mondays at the Whitianga Town Hall, Monk St, from 1pm-4pm. Join us for a fun time and afternoon tea, 55+ age group. Phone Lionel Lawrence (president) on 027 274 6964 for more info.

Whiti Stitchers

Embroiderers meet every Tuesday at 9.00am start. For more information phone Margaret on 027 7802 744. All levels welcome.

Women’s Wellbeing and Weight Loss

Whitianga

Wednesdays 5.00-6.00pm, Room 10, Whitianga

Social Services, 2 Cook Drive, Whitianga. Learn portion control, eliminate processed sugar, eat well at meals, eat well for life. Support to lose weight wisely. Check out our Facebook page or phone Cecily on 027 294 1750 for more information.

Whitianga Gun Club

For information, phone Mike Deverell 0274 959 477 or Graham Sutcliffe on 021 846 655.

Whitianga Community Patrol

Monitors the township and neighbourhood. If interested in volunteering, ph Gary 027 391 3043.

Hahei Contract Bridge Club

Every Tuesday 12.30pm at the Hahei Community Hall. Learners and casual welcome. Contact Don Barry 021 741 959 or Robyn Hogg 021543015.

Mercury Bay Contract Bridge Club

Every Wednesday at 1.00pm and every Thursday at 7.00pm at the Mercury Bay Bowling Club, Cook Drive, Whitianga. For more information, phone Gavin on 07 866 2343 or 021 146 9203.

Tairua Contract Bridge Club

Every Monday at 12.30pm at the Tairua Bowling Club, 44 Hornsea Rd. Contact Lynnette Flowers 021 252 4709 or Johanna Bonnar 027 466 3726.

Mercury Bay Indoor Bowling Club

On summer break now. Phone Alan or Cheryl on 07 866 4024 or 027 452 7887 for more information.

Mercury Bay Squash Club

Usually on a Monday night. In recess at present. Several levels offered.

Mercury Bay Model Railway Club

Monthly meet. Contact. Damon 0273551650

Greeting Card Making

The second and fourth Fridays of the month, 10.00am to 12.00pm at St Peter the Fisherman, 7 Dundas St. All materials provided. Contact Rev. Gillian Reid on 021 781 081 or just turn up.

Craft Group

Meets first Saturday of the month 10.00am-3.00pm at Whitianga Social Services, 2 Cook Drive. Car park end. Work on your own craft (stitching, colouring in, scrapbook, card making anything goes). Bring your lunch and enjoy mixing with other crafty people. $2 per visit. Any queries phone Marilyn 021 1806 530 or Kim 021 1200 469.

American Muscle Street and Custom Club

Whitianga Club meetings first Sunday of the month, 11.00am at Smitty’s for cars and coffee. Phone Reg and Julie Smith on 027 493 5822.

New gym and health club grand opening

Saturday, 9 March

BY PAULINE STEWART

“The building will one day be mine.” Carly has been saying that since Robyn and Hugh Murdoch were having their ‘Tis The Season’ building purpose built,” says Josh McKee, Carly’s fiance.

Carly Allen, the proprietor of Infinite Fitness, chimes in. “Robyn was my client at Infinite Fitness at the Rugby Club. I loved the building from the first time I saw it being built, and one day when we were talking, I said,” If ever you leave the building, could you offer it to me.”

Well, that is what happened. When Robyn and Hugh decided to move their business to Cambridge, Carly was the first person they spoke to.

Now, Carly Allen and Josh McKee are opening Infinite Health Club in what used to be ‘Tis The Season’ in Campbell Street, Whitianga.

The Informer was welcomed to

“I wasn’t particularly physically active in my teens. I hated PE at school but when I about 20, I got into fitness

a peep at the amazing equipment and the very specifically designed layout in this magnificent space which has taken about six months of very intensive work, sometimes eighteen-hour days, seven days a week.

“We have been keeping up with our day jobs (Carly at Infinite Fitness and Josh at Black River Property Maintenance) and putting every spare moment into our dream.

“We are more than excited,” says Carly. The two met through a mutual friend and have a commitment to fitness and health as a lifestyle. Carly has not always been into fitness. “I wasn’t particularly physically active in my teens. I hated PE at school but when I about 20,

I got into fitness and I felt so at home that it became what I most wanted to do for other people.”

Josh was always one of those highly active boys. “I went though a serious knee injury and almost gave fitness away. But I decided to make it a lifestyle, not just fix the knee. I would laugh if you told me back then that I would be here now,” smiles Josh.

“I love helping people. That’s why I’m in the Fire Brigade. I love helping people get healthy and fit. Carly has been very inspiring. Now is a time for both of us to be able to fully put into practice our dream - what we believe in.”

Carly adds, “This is not a phase for us. It is a lifestyle, for the whole of life.”

Both Josh and Carly emphasised to The Informer that it was important for the community to know that this is not only a gymn, but a health club.

“We are about longevity and mental health as well as physical fitness. They are all connected.”

Family picnic day to celebrate Children’s Day

BY CYNTHIA DALY

Squeals of delight will fill the air as children chase giant bubbles during the annual Whitianga Lions Family Picnic Day on March 3, Children’s Day.

The inaugural event, held at the Whitianga Bike Park in 2023, proved popular with attendees saying it should become an annual event. With Lions as the organisers, it also helped raise money for Project Mammogram.

This year, Matilda the time travelling fairy and her fairy helpers return for more incredible face-painting and magical bubbles; there’ll be egg and spoon races and a bear hunt, along with music on the centre stage from various performers.

Such activities work up an appetite for big and little people alike, and you can’t beat a barbecue sausage or a creamy ice cream to satisfy those hunger pains.

So, bring along a rug, some extra picnic goodies, grab a coffee and enjoy a relaxing day in honour of the children in your life. There’s something for

everyone and all the Bike Park facilities will be available on the day too.

Need to know: all profits go to Project Mammogram, the activities are aimed at 2-8 years-old but everyone is welcome, the Bike Park gates open at 11.00 with entry $10 for a family of four or $3 per person.

The Family Picnic Day concludes at 3.00pm.

Project Mammogram committee chairperson, Mike Brown says: “What better way to celebrate your children on their special day than to spend time with them doing fun activities that remind you of your own childhood. Make some new memories with them and help support Project Mammogram at the same time.”

smiles Carly.

Infinite Health Club’s (new name) new location is at 11 Campbell street, Whitianga, central to town plus their very own dedicated car park for members.

The new facility features a 24/7 fully equipped gym, the biggest variety of group fitness classes plus a dedicated recovery room with amenities you won’t find anywhere on the Coromandel

From Carly: “The grand open day on Saturday 9 March pres-

ents the optimal time to secure a membership for our club as we will have limited memberships available to remain in line with our values of providing a personalised service.

“Along with that, we have very limited memberships for persons under 18 years old and they must undergo a strict approval process.”

“We are beyond excited to get our doors open and welcome you.”

Carly Allen and Josh McKee outside their new premises Infinite Health Club – excited to welcome you.

GAMES AND PUZZLES

Crossword Puzzle

Issue 1094

© Lovatts Puzzles 351

Name:

Tel no:

Win a $5.60 Wednesday Lotto ticket. Hand deliver, mail, or scan/photograph and email your entry to The Coromandel Informer, 14 Monk Street, Whitianga, or info@theinformer.co.nz to reach us by 12:00pm on Monday each week. The winner must please claim their prize from the New World checkout manager directly.

1.

5.

7.

8.

(8)

9. Acidity paper (6)

12. Calling (of donkey) (7)

15. Underground railway systems (7)

19. Perspires (6)

21. Intermittently (8)

22. Small food lift,

...waiter (22)

23. Aromatic herb (4)

24. Cannier (8)

DOWN

1. Violin (6)

2. Soundtrack CD (5)

3. Arrives (5)

4. Desk compartment (6)

5. Unstable (6)

6. Reigning (6)

10. Burial chamber (4)

Last week’s solution

11. Forearm bone (4)

12. Commuter vehicle (3)

13. Affirm (4)

14. Novel thought (4)

15. Rode on wave (6)

16. Dire (6)

17. Gives way (6)

18. Map pressure line (6)

19. Wilier (5)

20. Bequeath (5)

Issue 1094

Proudly sponsored by Proudly sponsored by

22

Name:

Tel no:

Win a coffee and a muffin from Espy Café in Whitianga. Hand deliver, mail, or scan and email your entry to The Coromandel Informer, 14 Monk Street, Whitianga, or info@theinformer.co.nz to reach us by 12:00pm on Monday each week. The winner must please claim their prize from Espy Café directly.

Word Search Instructions

Find all the words listed hidden in the grid of letters. They can be found in straight lines up, down, forwards, backwards or even diagonally.

Theme: BIG BIGGER

Last week’s soduku solution

BUMPER COLOSSAL CYCLOPS ELEPHANT ENORMOUS GIGANTIC GOLIATH GREAT HULKING IMMENSE KING SIZE LARGE MAMMOTH MASSIVE MIGHTY MONSTROUS SIZABLE TITANIC WHOPPER

Last week’s winner - Peter Mathias

Last week’s winner - Chris Bennett

•

•

•

•

•

Evakona

Long

SPORTS

Winners of the Karin McGirr trophy played

Friday, 23 Febraury – L-R, Lucy Crawford, Claire Williams, Jane Davis, Judy Fullerton, Alison Keane.

MERCURY BAY GOLF CLUB

Karin McGirr Golf Trophy

Karin McGirr was a dedicated member of the Te Aroha Golf Club. She held many positions in the club as well as positions on BOP. It was her wish to create a simple Stableford competition for the Thames Valley Clubs. She donated a Trophy (a clock) for this competition.

Eighteen-hole Women – Karin McGirr Trophy – Bay of Plenty Teams

Tournament Friday, 23 February

1 Hauraki Club, 2 Mercury Bay Club, 3 Thames Club.

Nine-hole Mixed - Net

Tuesday, 20 February

Div. 1: 1 Gaylene Imms, 2 Pam Voigt.

Div 2: 1 Jean Hancock, 2 Jandy Morton.

Nine-hole Mixed Scramble

1, Peter Chaffin, 2 Don Maquire, 3 Maurice Stewart.

Eighteen - hole Women – Nancy

McCormick – Wednesday, 21 February

1, Betty Tocker and Chris Lowe; 2, Sharyn Smith and Fiona Gardien; 3 Alison Bryson and Barbara Bradley

Eighteen -hole Men – Canada Cup – Net

Wednesday, 21 February

1, Brent Carruthers; 2, Richard Schofield; 3, Gary Wheeler.

Twos: Brent Carruthers, Ken George

Nine-hole Mixed Scramble – Stableford

Friday 3, February

1, Peter Chaffin; 2, Roger Pheasant; 3, Bob Holliday.

Eighteen-hole Men – Wiseman Trophy

Saturday, 24 February

Trophy Winner – Jim Kirkham

1, Greg Peterken; 2, Garry Morton; 3 Bruce Massie.

Twos: Shuya Takeyasu (2), Dave Enright (2), Luke Parsons, Ron Watson, Richard Steel

Gross: Div 1 -Shunya Takeyasu; Div 2Garry Morton.

Nearest Pin: Div 1 - Wayne Kearney, Div2 - Ron Watson.

Longest Drive: Div. 1 - Shunya Takeyasu; Div 2 - Paul Lupton.

THE DUNES MATARANGI

Wednesday Mens Eighteen-hole – 4BBB

1, Tim Bodle and Murray James; 2, Robin Fleming and Glen LeLievre; Trevor Martin and Mark Hall; 4, Peter Sharp and Chris Palmer.

Twos: Tim Bodle, Glen LeLievre, Murray James, Tracey Mulligan.

Thursday 9 Hole Mens - Best Stableford each hole

No. 10 - Peter Murphy, No. 11 - Phil Rodgers, No 12 - Mark Deutsch.

Twos: Mark Deutsch.

Saturday Haggle - Stableford

Ladies: 1, Karen Bodle; 2, Joanne Dartnall; 3, Allison Drake-Wells.

Mens: 1, Brent Holtom; 2, Norman Gilbert; 3, Barry Titchmarsh; 4, Chris Palmer.

Twos: Joanne Dartnell and Tony DeCoek.

PURANGI GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB

Nine-hole Stableford,

Tuesday, 20 February

1, Richard Duckworth; 2, Wayne Morrison; 3, John Hamilton, Jill Huston, Sandy Grigg.

Nine-hole Stableford,

Thursday, 22 February

1, Jo Geoghegan; 2, Jim Brown; 3, Catherine Borlase, Steve Borlase.

Eighteen-hole Stableford, Saturday 24 February

1, John Hamilton; 2, Bob Walker; 3, Tim Bartlett, Jeff Bright; 5, Frank Geoghegan.

4BBB Stableford: John Hamilton, Bob Walker.

Nearest the Pin: Tim Bartlett

Nett Eagles: Frank Geoghegan

MERCURY BAY CLUB SNOOKER

Wednesday, 21 February

to throw 180 this week was Rex Donaldson. It is easy to see why Rex was our club champion last year. Some of us will have to step up to the mark and improve our game.

MERCURY BAY CONTRACT BRIDGE CLUB

Handicap Pairs Round Two,

Wednesday, 21 February

North/South: 1 Rose Tegg & Val Dwight 65.9; 2 Sergio Valle & Giorgio Allemano 64.0; 3 Pete & Robyn Hogg 57.1.

East/West: 1 Jan Hawkins & Norma Hart 55.1; 2 Gallia Therin & Betty Smith 53.3; 3 Bob Schibli & Dave Dylla 53.0.

Kupe Pairs Round Two

Thursday, 22 February

1 Angela Cook and Julie Rutledge 64.6; 2 Ischelle Stevenson and Jenny Layton 56.3; 3 equal Norma Hart and Debbie Cragg, Rose Tegg and Faith Stock, Pat Doube and Paul Bradley, Terri Lipanovic and Hillary Scott 47.9.

HAHEI BRIDGE CLUB

Cummings Pairs Week 2

Tuesday, 20 February

North/South: 1, Jocelyn Taylor and Dave Dylla 61.00; 2, Peter Clark and Don Barry 56.50; 3, Sally Bush and Philippa Hall 49.50.

East/West: 1, Robyn and Peter Hogg 64.50; 2, Anne Knowles and Jean Myles 54.50; 3, Pam Churchill and Alison Tichbon 49.00.

TAIRUA BRIDGE CLUB

Monday, 19 February

North/South: 1, Sue Dalzell and Jocelyn Taylor 61.50; 2 Robyn Waters and Peter Clark 55.50, 3 Jo Feasey and Doreen Wernham 51.50.

East/West: 1 equal Judy McKenzie and Jenny Prince, Celia Young and Sonia Botica 57.00, 3 David Wilkinson and Johanna Bonnar 53.00.

Editors: Pauline and Stan Stewart (027 271 6182)

Guest Editor: Denis Tegg

Manager: Emma Gaunt Newspaper

: Diane Andrew

: EMD Agency

Best of three frames: Eight players on Wednesday and it was only Greg Murphy and Kevin Taylor with two straight wins to challenge the final third frame. A closely fought match to start with but in the colours Greg ran away for a comfortable win and took home the Cash Prize. Highest break Ken Gibson and received a small cash prize. With two wins were Kevin Taylor (runner up) Ken Gibson, Peter Challis and Ian Baumgren.

Saturday, 24 February

Best of three frames: Nine players on Saturday and it was Wayne Malcolm, Luke Trainor and Ian Baumgren with two straight’s wins to challenge the finals. Ian won the drawn bye and Luke disposed of Wayne in the semifinal to go through to meet Ian in the Final. A very close match this was but Ian took the win and the cash prize. Runner up was Luke Trainor and with two wins Wayne Malcolm, Phil Jones and Greg Murphy. No high break on Saturday.

MERCURY BAY CLUB DARTS

20 players this week with some new players, which is good to see. 501 doubles played this week. Only one team went through undefeated through all four sets and that was Rex Donaldson and Todd Moses. The highest finish of 118 was scored by Rex Donaldson. The only player

Editorial: Jack Biddle, Michelle Dellabarca, Suzanne Hansen, Stephen Holmes, Dorothy Preece, Trevor Ammundsen, Lynette Gee.

: 9000

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2023

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