Wanaka midwife
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A busy life.
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Jo Williams Taking a day at a time.
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Mayor Boult: Sobering, chilling reality before us
Mayor Boult: Our district-wide economy will shrink by 40 per cent as a result of the downstream effects of the coronavirus lockdown.
Pat Deavoll
editor@thewanakasun.co.nz
t a full council meeting on April 23, Queenstown Lakes District Mayor Jim Boult addressed councillors and the community on the QLDC response to coronavirus and the emerging recovery programme. Yesterday, a noted economist sent me a prediction that our district-wide economy would shrink by 40 per cent as a result of the downstream effects of the coronavirus lockdown, Boult said. “By a massive margin, we will be the most detrimentally affected district in New Zealand. Our unemployment rate is likely to reach somewhere between 25-30 per cent. “These are the sobering, chilling facts of the reality before us.” In little over a month, QLDC has gone from New Zealand’s most prosperous district, with a growing population and a growing GDP,
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to potentially one of the most impoverished communities in New Zealand, Boult said. Many in the community worry about their future. The district will see a migration of younger people away from the region directly through a lack of job opportunities. “Next week, we will move from a complete lockdown to level three. I doubt that this will make a lot of difference to most of us. That will more likely come when level two is declared in (hopefully) a couple of weeks. Our concentration must go into how we recover, how we ensure that there is a meal on the table for those who can no longer provide for their families and how an adequate level of support is provided for those in real trouble within our communities,” he said. “Our community is very much based on the tourism economy. We must diversify our economy. Our immediate concern right now, however, must focus on getting our economy moving to ensure those in our community have
an income. “I have asked councillors for their support for the council to be the catalyst to form two task forces. One is concentrating on community recovery and ensuring we look after the vulnerable. The other will focus on economic recovery. “In the immediate future, we need to do all we can to encourage visitors back here. The international markets will be some time in returning, but given that last year 36 per cent of our visitor mix was domestic, we need to do all we can to welcome Kiwis here. “In addition, the council has, along with many others in the district, asked the government for assistance to undertake and support some of its “shovel ready” projects in the QLD. This work has the triple intentions of getting some of the major infrastructure projects we have sought for years underway, providing an economic boost to our economy and creating jobs for our struggling
PHOTO: QLDC
community,” Boult said. As of 9.00 am ( last Friday), QLDC had received 8,422 requests for welfare support via an online registration portal on the QLDC website. Approximately three-quarters of this number are in New Zealand on employment visas, and one-quarter have dependents or other family members requiring support, Boult said. Queenstown Lakes has a significant population of migrant workers, many of whom are newly unemployed as a result of the coronavirus lockdown and not eligible for government financial support due to their visa status. The migrant workers are a vital part of the economy and community in the district, and the continued stress under which they are currently living is having a wide-reaching effect, he said. “All of these underline how important the work of the emergency response team, and in particular the welfare team, has been and will continue to be for the foreseeable future,” he said.
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Level 3 not a mass return to school
PHOTO: Pixabay
Horizons Poll predicts the number going to movies will rise to 31 per cent of adults, or about 1,110,900 people post lockdown.
Good news: a huge surge in business post coronavirus according to poll Pat Deavoll
editor@thewanakasun.co.nz
A survey conducted by Horizons Poll between April 7-12 predicts millions of New Zealanders will start using business and other services postcoronavirus lockdown. In the first six months after lockdown there will be considerable surges in retail, postal and travel sectors, the survey predicted. Within these, fast food outlets, hardware stores, garden centres and cafes will see millions of customers return. Some services open during alert level 4 lockdown, will also see significant growth in trade. The poll finds the number using petrol stations will jump from 43 per cent of adults to 82 per cent (up from around 1,553,200 people to an estimated 2,930,100 people). The number using hardware stores will lift from 4 per cent during the lockdown to 52 per cent (151,000 now, rising to 1,876,600). For hard-hit hospitality businesses, like cafes, there will be a strong resurgence – as soon as their use is allowed. Cafes rank seventh for the intended purpose out of 47 potential activities measured: 51per cent of adults will use a café, around 1,837,200 adults. Between 13 per cent and 25 per cent of adults will shop at electronics, appliance and furnishing stores.
The tourism and related businesses will enjoy a restart, with more than a million adults intending to take domestic holidays and road trips. Twenty-nine per cent or around 1,053,000 adults, will go on a domestic holiday. Thirty-three per cent or about 1,175,700 will go on New Zealand road trips. Nineteen per cent, or about 697,000 adults, will take domestic flights; 327,200 said they would take international flights – assuming they are available. Eight per cent, or around 276,800, will stay in hotels and 11 per cent (an estimated 388,300 people) in motels. While there will be a massive return to eating fast foods and going to restaurants and cafes, half a million will go back to the gym, around the same level of use measured in 2016 and by Horizon in 2018. There will also be a resurgence in the numbers attending sports events, funerals, weddings and events. The number going to movies will rise to 31 per cent of adults, around 1,110,900 people. The survey sample is weighted by age, gender, employment status, educational level, and personal income to ensure a representative sample of the adult population at the 2018 census. At a 95 per cent confidence level, the maximum margin of error is +/- 2.8 per cent.
If it is that one off project you’re looking for, maybe a special bespoke item of Joinery or Refurbish a old but much loved item of furniture.
Joanna Perry
newsdesk@thewanakasun.co.nz
Following Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s Monday announcement that New Zealand will drop to coronavirus alert level 3 schools, are preparing to open on a restricted level from today, Wednesday, April 28. But Mount Aspiring College (MAC) and Holy Family Catholic School have both urged parents to keep their children at home if at all possible in order to help them re-integrate staff and students as safely as possible. In a letter to parents yesterday, MAC Principal Wayne Bosley said “We have the power to really kick coronavirus to the curb, so let's proceed with caution.” MAC will be open for year 7 to 10 students only, with older students continuing distanced learning - online Zoom classes, alongside group and individual projects. Bosley reiterated that “if you choose not to send your child to school, they will not miss out on
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learning and will continue to be supported from a distance. If you do choose to send your child to school, please be assured we will be following strict health and safety measures including social distancing and staggered breaks.” Holy Family principal Jo McKay echoed these sentiments, telling parents to “only physically send your child to school if you need to because there is no one home to care for them.” She stressed that level 3 was “not intended for mass return to school,” and would be “very different from a typical school day,” with special safety measures including children remaining in a bubble of no more than ten people for the duration of the day, playgrounds staying closed and shared resources off limits. She thanked parents for their continued support, and for keeping children with compromised health or those who did not need to attend school at home. Level 3 restrictions will be reviewed by the government after two weeks.
Lake Wānaka Tourism and Ignite Wānaka announce LoveWanaka Supporting Local Pat Deavoll
148 Ballantyne Road, Unit 3 • 027 614 8801 PAGE 2
PHOTO: Pixabay
In a letter to parents last week, MAC principal Wayne Bosley said “We have the power to really kick coronavirus to the curb, so let's proceed with caution.”
Timed to kick off as the country transitions through Alert Level 3, Lake Wānaka Tourism (LWT) in partnership with Ignite Wānaka announces the launch of LoveWānaka, Supporting Local on Friday May 1. The objective of this campaign is to collectively promote a ‘go local’ approach to doing business and was born out of a vision to unite as a community and rally behind Wānaka businesses in a changed world. Businesses will have the opportunity to offer promotions, discounts, and initiatives under the banner of LoveWānaka, Supporting Local. General manager of LWT, James Helmore said that rebuilding needs to begin at a local level, with all of us working collectively.
THURSDAY 30.04.20 - WEDNESDAY 06.05.20
“We are in this together, the LWT team is working hard with our businesses and partners to get this off the ground, and we really encourage the Wānaka community to get behind this initiative and support local.” Ignite Wanaka joins LWT as campaign partner. Ignite Wānaka executive officer, Naomi Lindsay, said Ignite Wānaka’s goal was “to nurture and empower our local businesses through support and connections. “Now more than ever, we need to come together and support our local businesses to help them not just survive but thrive post lockdown. We are lucky to have such an amazing array of businesses here and we’re hopeful we can all “ignite” Wānaka’s economy again together.” The LoveWanaka, Supporting Local campaign will go live Friday May 1 with local deals, offers and events on the wanaka.co.nz website.
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Hunters must follow the rules Coronavirus update:
Alert level 3
Joanna Perry
newsdesk@thewanakasun.co.nz
After hunting organisations asked the government to reconsider the total hunting ban when New Zealand dropped to Covid-19 alert level 3, new rules for hunting were announced last Thursday. Hunting is now allowed on private land only, with the landowner’s permission, and must also be retained within your region and bubble. Overnight trips are not allowed, and hunting must be done on foot. The use of helicopters, quad bikes and other motorised vehicles is not permitted. “The Game Animal Council, along with NZDA and others in the hunting sector, advocated for hunting to be permitted on both public and private land under a set of conditions we saw as appropriate with alert level 3,” said Game Animal Council general manager Tim Gale. He said that the continued ban on public conservation land was disappointing, but that it was important hunters continued to “follow the rules and focus on getting down to level 2 as soon
Pat Deavoll
editor@thewanakasun.co.nz
PHOTO: Wānaka Sun archive
Game Animal Council general manager Tim Gale said it was vital hunters followed the rules under level 3, which include no hunting on public conservation land.
as possible.” “The reality is that level 3 is only temporary,” said Gale. “If we continue to make good progress in limiting the spread of the virus, then moving to level 2 may only be a few weeks away and at that point hunting will be able to take place on public conservation land also.” Specific instructions around what activities can and cannot be undertaken at level 3 are available on the government’s coronavirus website at covid19.govt.nz.
Ignite Wānaka appoints new vice chair and board member
Chris Hadfield.
Pat Deavoll
editor@thewanakasun.co.nz
Ignite Wānaka has appointed communications professional and board member Celia Crosbie to the role of vice chair at a recent board meeting. The vice chair role became available last month when the incumbent, Pete Eastwood, stepped into the chair role following the resignation of Bridget Legnavsky. In addition, Ritual Café owner Chris Hadfield has been co-opted onto the board to strengthen the breadth of the team and provide a connection and voice for the downtown and hospitality businesses. Ignite chair Pete Eastwood said the “new appointments will offer the additional stability, knowledge and connections needed at this time”. “We find ourselves in challenging times, with businesses being asked to "right size" and work with professionals to be in the best position to navigate the path ahead. “Ignite has made the decision to increase resources and grow our board during this time, a clear reflection of the dedication we have to supporting our membership as we work together through crisis, survival, recovery and planning for our future.” “Crosbie was unanimously supported by the board into her new vice chair role and we all wish her well. She has a genuine passion for living and doing business in Wānaka and is well respected within the Ignite community. Her intelligence and depth of understanding of the issues is vital
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Celia Crosbie.
PHOTOs: Ignite Wānaka
as we move forward,” said Eastwood. “With a focus on the hospitality and retail sectors for some time, we are all excited to have Chris (Hadfield) joining the board. He is very connected through these sectors along with his work on the Wānaka Community Board and of course his chats with many coffee lovers.” About Celia Crosbie Crosbie is the managing director of Scope Media, the Southern Lakes’ only PR, communications and content creation agency that specialises in digital. Prior to setting up Scope Media in 2013, Crosbie was an award-winning journalist who worked for major print and radio media outlets nationally, locally (Queenstown and Wānaka) and in the United Kingdom. She has since retrained and holds an accreditation in public relations and is a member of the Public Relations Institute of New Zealand (MPRINZ). About Chris Hadfield Born and raised in Christchurch and a qualified geologist, Hadfield moved to Wānaka 16 years ago. With a background in banking and finance Hadfield also spent many years singing with New Zealand Opera and was the theatre manager for the St James Theatre and opera house in Wellington. Almost 13 years ago Hadfield and his partner bought Ritual Café and immediately became involved with the greater Wānaka community. Recently Hadfield was the chair of the Wānaka Town Centre Business Group Inc. and became immersed in the process of looking at the potential changes to the town centre. In 2019 he was elected to the Wānaka Community Board.
On Wednesday 29 the number of those confirmed and probable with coronavirus nationally was 1474. • The number of new cases was 3. • The number of deaths was 0. • The number of new cases in the Southern District Health Board was 0. • The number of confirmed cases was 216. • The number of those with coronavirus in the Queenstown Lakes District was 87. Speaking to TV One on Tuesday 28 Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern had the following to say. "We are dropping to Alert Level 3 because our team of five million has all played a role. We couldn't have done it if even 20 per cent of the population had decided not to take part, so it has been an incredible team effort. "And now as a team, we have to make sure we don't lose any of those gains. If anything, this is the riskiest time because we are moving into a phase where there will be more contact with one another. "Yes, we are in an enviable position where we don't have community transmission, but that doesn't mean that we don't have coronavirus and so we have to put out any remaining embers. That's the way we should think about it -we need to make sure we aren't giving coronavirus a pathway to blow up again. That is going to be our goal to keep that number as low as possible. "We have a transmission rate of .4 per cent. When we went into lockdown, we had an infection rate of 4 per cent which put us in a dangerous position. Those countries that are coming out of lockdown are aiming to get below 1 per cent. "Level 3- we aren't opening up peoples' social
lives. We still need people to stay in their bubbles. We still need people to work and learn from home if they can. We need for people to limit their movements to what they really need to do. We are asking this for only a couple more weeks but how well we do here determines how quickly we open up New Zealand and open up people's lives again. "We (the government) have done nothing abruptly through this, and I think in part it's good to signal to people to have a period to prepare and that we do it in an orderly way and with confidence. I don't intend to change that. I think what has been really important has been giving people notice of what is happening. "Keeping in mind that at this level 3, 75 per cent of economic activity is underway. The goal is that face to face retail and hospitality all needs to be contactless. "The Ministry of Health has been looking at snapshots since April 12 to look at the speed at which we are contact tracing, lab turnaround and so on. What that is showing is that 80 per cent of close contacts have been within 48 hours and that lab testing and turnaround for positive cases have been within that standard range. That is the standard that we need to maintain. "At the moment the area we are struggling with is the period where someone becomes symptomatic – the time when someone gets a sniffle or a sore throat and when they go and get a test. I know New Zealanders, and I know their psyche, and we don't want to be a burden. So I need everyone to see the moment they get a sniffle, the clock has started. We need to make sure we have as much time as possible to get everyone they have been in contact with to get a test quickly. So that's the area we need to focus on, and I am relying on the public to help us with that.”
ONLY GLASS BOTTLES AND JARS GO IN THE BLUE BIN Alert Level 3
Glass recycling collected during Alert Level 3 can be recycled so long as we all keep our glass bins free of contamination. Thanks for recycling with care!
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Southern Land Development Consultants are open for business under Alert Level 3. We can now assist with field surveys including: Topographic surveys Building set-outs and surveyors’ certificates Boundary locations Our planners, engineers and surveyors continue to be available to discuss your development options.
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A day in the life of Virtual babysitting for a Wānaka midwife lockdown days Pat Deavoll
editor@thewanakasun.co.nz
Linda Baker is one of three midwives based in the Wānaka district. She talks to the Wānaka Sun about her busy day. My day would be typical for any lead maternity care (LMC) midwife, she says. That's a community midwife who contracts independently to the Ministry of Health as opposed to a hospital-based midwife who is paid directly by the District Health Board. "Here (in Wānaka) we have a few extra complexities being one of the most remote areas in New Zealand because we are three and a half hours from Dunedin and Southland Hospitals for secondary maternity care. That is for women who need a hospital that has anaesthetists, obstetricians etc." Low-risk women who don't require obstetric intervention (primary care) have the option of home birth or can go to Charlotte Jean in Alexandra or Queenstown Lakes Hospital. Primary maternity care is midwifery lead, she says. "That's what makes our situation in this part of the country unique- you have outstanding midwifery care ( three of us working the district with a high workload), but access to specialist care becomes tricky. "A typical day for me will start early to get some exercise because it can be a very long day. I have a dog that needs walking. "We are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week usually for about ten days a fortnight and we back each other up for a weekend off every fortnight. "There is no one else in the health profession in New Zealand that has this degree of accessibility. It is not a smart system, and we are working to change that because it's not sustainable." After exercise, she starts preparing consultations. A lot of this is electronic, so she will clear emails that have come in overnight- this could be ultrasound reports, letters from specialists or referrals for any women who have abnormal results that require action. That could be a referral to an obstetrician or allied health professional. Then she will either be doing a clinic seeing antenatal consults in Wānaka at the medical centre or running postnatal visits to women who have had their baby. She provides care right from the initial booking through to six weeks postnatal. She says she develops long relationships with women and their families. "Then I might be booking appointments with a woman for the first time. It's a long process to get her into the system and give her all the information she needs for a long and healthy pregnancy. I could be organising scans or any referrals she might need. "When you are pregnant in New Zealand your midwife is your one-stop-shop- she is your point of contact. "I also get a lot of women coming for pregnancy tests- these are free." She is also a trained homoeopath, so has a holistic health bent to the work she does. She gets a lot of women trying to get pregnant who come for advice and helps get them into optimum health for a future pregnancy. She says she tries to keep weekends to just necessary work otherwise she is never off call – and that is very taxing "Interwoven into that women will go into labour and you will have a birth. If that happens then, everything scatters, and you end up doing your delivery and rejigging all your clinics. "In Wanaka, we have a high home birth rate. If women choose to birth at home, we take care of
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PHOTO: Supplied
Linda Baker works as a lead maternity care midwife in the Wānaka region.
all aspects of this right through to the postnatal period, and that could be a couple of hours right through to 24 hours. "Last year there were about 150 births in Wānaka. You can have three in a day. Last weekend there were four deliveries in two days. They tend to cluster- and midwives will support each other." Into the mix, there could be a woman with acute natal problems that need immediate attention she says. That could involve getting them out to Dunedin by chopper or ambulance. "Ours is a complex role; You need to be flexible and good at logistics for a position in remote midwifery." There isn't a massive Maori or Pacific Island population in Wānaka, but there is a large migrant population. Midwives are required to meet the needs of all of these women all of the time. They need to develop amazing relationships with them so that their pregnancy is supported, she says. "I book between four to six women a month to birth. That could be one a week. However, the model is financed on deliveries alone. If you are not with the woman at birth, you don't get paid. It's a travesty. "There is huge work going on at the moment, and a whole new funding model was developed a couple of years ago working with the National Government. Unfortunately, with the change of government, this was waylaid. The government betrayed midwives. "When the New Zealand College of Midwives went to take the Ministry (of Health) to court, the government admitted they had betrayed us. We are now back at the table negotiating, but the government has already given early indications that they are not going to include us in the next budget "We've spent a lot of time and energy being political. "However, it's a privilege being so intimately involved with the woman and the birth for such a long period and being influential in the experience she has and the baby's start in life," she says. "It's wonderful – that's why we do it."
Looking for a way to keep your kids entertained?
Ollie Blyth
journalist@thewanakasun.co.nz
Yet another industry that has become redundant during the coronavirus pandemic is babysitting. In light of this, babysitting platform Babysits has partnered with child friendly video call app Caribu and created a remote babysitting feature. “The whole Babysits team is working on adapting our services to the current situation and circumstances. All our resources are directed towards the development of useful new features and content to pursue our mission of empowering communities around child care now also remotely,” said Peter Van Soldt, founder of Babysits. Named one of TIME Magazine’s Best
PHOTO: Babysits
Inventions of 2019, Caribu allows children and trusted people to read, draw, and do activities together in a real-time video-call. Caribu has announced free and unlimited access to their app during the coronavirus pandemic. Despite not being able to physically look after children during lockdown, online babysitters are able to take some of the load of parents working at home. One online tutor Joseph said that, “My experience remote babysitting with Lizzy was really fun. We played piano together and I tried to help her learn some basic melodies. It was a little more difficult than usual to show which keys she needed to play, but with a bit of practice and changing the camera angle so she could watch where my hands played it worked out quite well.”
A local spreading love Ollie Blyth
journalist@thewanakasun.co.nz
Scottish resident Mairi Raeburn is feeling very relieved after one Wānaka local made a special effort to get her daughter, Fiona, to safety amidst coronavirus concerns. Fiona had left Scotland in July of 2019 to travel the world and was working in Australia for a year. During this time, she had booked a trip to New Zealand. However, while she was in the country, lockdown procedures were starting to take shape, so she booked a flight back across the ditch. Unfortunately, she fell ill with cold-like symptoms a week before the flight was scheduled. Raeburn recounted that, “She was staying at the Flying Kiwi Hostel in Wānaka run by David Brown – originally from Dundee, Scotland. Whilst Fiona was waiting to go for testing at the
local hospital David went above and beyond for my daughter. He spoke to the other guests and they agreed that Fiona could stay in self isolation in the hostel. He then allowed Fiona to self isolate in the scottish themed room at the hostel. David also checked in daily with Fiona that she was alright and also provided Fiona with food.” However, Brown’s kindness didn’t end there. When Fiona’s test came back as negative for coronavirus and she was cleared to return to Australia, Brown drove her over the hill to the airport so that she could board her flight on time. “I just wish to highlight the kindness of David and his family in looking after my daughter when she was so far away from home here in Scotland. I cannot thank David enough and have emailed him my thanks, but I would like to highlight something good in the midst of this situation,” added Raeburn.
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Meeting our local achievers
From air force career to world class paraglider
Moore (on the right ) with members of his UN military observer team (from Finland, Ghana, Egypt and Poland). They were monitoring the ceasefire agreement on the Serbian / Croatian border in 1996.
Selfie taken at 6300m over the summit of Deo Tibba, a 6002m peak in Indian Himalaya).
Pat Deavoll
editor@thewanakasun.co.nz
This year’s Anzac Day Dawn Service was virtual due to Alert Level 4, but Brian Moore of Albert Town got up at 5.50 am regardless, to take part in the RNZ / Defence Force broadcast. “I served in the air force for ten years as a navigator and have always gone to the service,” he says. “But I don’t go to glorify the wars. Rather I go as a reminder of the futility of war as a way of resolving disputes. We should be talking and not being so militaristic. “I think the military gets the poor end of the stick. It’s the politicians who want power and glory. War is a waste of life- there are better ways of doing this.” Moore went into the airforce as a navigator in 1987 after a three-year degree at Auckland University. But he missed the outdoor pursuits he’d excelled in as a student – mountaineering, kayaking and paragliding. “I did a lot of outdoor pursuits at university,” he said, “ But in the air force, you had to shut that stuff down as they wanted you fit and healthy, not nursing some injury you’d got in the outdoors.” He spent two years training, and then the mandatory eight years of service. “I was on a Hercules, a freight aircraft and made hundreds of trips overseas. I did a few months in Rwanda doing aid flights into refugee camps during the conflict. There was also Somalia. And 12 months in the Yugoslav area as a United Nations military observer. “Back home you could turn up at work and find you had a trip up to the Pacific Islands or down to Antarctica supplying the scientific crews on the ice. “For a young person, it was pretty cool.” But in general, he wasn’t military-minded, he says. It was a great job and a great opportunity, but it took a lot out of his life. He missed what his outdoor-minded friends were doing- hanging out at Mt Cook, or paragliding over the Southern Alps. You were stuck at the base out at Whenuapai when others were off climbing or kayaking. “I had a schizophrenic life whereby the work I was doing was military stuff, but all of my leave I’d be off to the South Island climbing, paragliding, kayaking… then I’d have to go back to Auckland and put all my military kit back on. “I gave it away and moved to Wanaka in 1998.” Moore decided on a career in mountain
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guiding, and 1999 passed his first New Zealand Mountain Guides assessment. In those days it was enough to let you guide Mt Cook, he says. But then the International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation “put the screws on” and made things harder and for that reason, he stopped guiding. “To fully qualify as a mountain guide was going to be a huge time and money investment,” he says. “Also by then I had arthritis coming on quite badly (ankylosing spondylitis), a genetic disorder and was it quite crippling.” He couldn't be a mountain guide, but he wanted to be outdoors. Moore decided on a career in surveying and spent 2004-6 studying a degree at Dunedin University. In the meantime, his partner Kat West did her architect's registration, also at Dunedin. In 2007 Moore came back to Wanaka, a fullyfledged surveyor. But it didn’t take long in the surveying world to realise he didn’t like the “rape and pillage” aspect of the profession; the urban development that was overwhelming Wanaka, he says. He hung in there for ten years then he resigned from the job, determined to find another career. But instead he “pretty much went sea-kayaking for a year.” “Now I'm back at my job part-time. But its still “rape and pillage.” “I just work for time off, and that's spent in the outdoors. I have wished I had a career that was inspiring, but it hasn’t happened to me. Looking back, if I’d gone into something environmental like hydrology…even landscape gardening, there is some pretty cool stuff happening there.” But if a career hasn’t sparked a passion in Moore, paragliding has. He started as a hang glider in 1986 then paragliding hit the streets. It seemed idealyou could pack up the paraglider, and it was light enough to carry into the mountains. And have adventures. “It was self-contained – you could bugger off into the hills with a couple of days' food, having no idea where you were going to end up. You might get up to 2000m over the Southern Alps and think I'll go down that valley and end up camping on a ridge wondering where to go tomorrow?” The highlights of his paragliding career have changed a lot, he says. “What was a highlight in the early days
Packrafting the east Matukituki River.
Paragliding at Treble Cone in winter.
is no longer a highlight now. I started fully into the competition scene and won the NZ Championships and represented NZ at the World Championships in Japan and Spain. At various stages, I have held the NZ record for distance flying. But now I don’t do any competitions and just enjoy going to cool and remote places with the paraglider. “I've made a few trips to the Himalayas. In 2016 I went to Bir (India) on the southern edge of the Himalayas. I made a big trip from Pakistan across India to Nepal. It didn’t go that well because there was always low cloud. Every so often we would catch a glimpse of these 7000 m peaks gleaming through the clouds. “The next year, I went to the northern side of the Himalayas to do this big crossing of the three main Himalayan ranges from north to south. That went well- five days of hiking up mountain ranges and flying. Taking off and flying up to 6500m and across these beautiful ranges. After the first day, it ended just me making the trip. I got up to 7000m one day. I was very hypoxic (low oxygen to the body) but could still operate.” He also completed a solo flight across Europefrom Germany across Austria into Slovenia and back through Italy, Austria and Switzerland over
a couple of mountain systems. Recent highlights have been in NZ flying around the Southern Alps on multi-day journeys, he says. Moore can carry a week's food plus a micro tent on the paraglider. But a week is about the limit. If you are frugal- 10 days, but that is hard going. “These days I am concentrating on local trips,” he says. “I have turned down paragliding work guiding in the Himalayas this last season just because I can't justify flying across the planet. “I am getting more anti-driving/flying as I get more environmentally conscious. I don’t want to fly across the world because I don’t want to increase my environmental footprint. “I like local adventures like flying into the Olivine Ice Plateau and flying out to the West Coast afterwards. I have been doing a lot of pack-rafting- I can fit a pack-raft into the back of my paragliding harness. I also have an ultralightweight paraglider that only weighs 1.6 kg. “It's all to do with the ethos of unpowered outdoor recreation. I'm into anything that lets me go on journeys without the support of a powered craft of some form. “We are all going to have to change at some point, and I would rather do it now.”
We’re always here if you need us.. Any Health concerns? Your GP is just a phone call away. 03 443 0710 www.WanakaMedical.co.nz 23 Cardrona Valley Road, Wanaka
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PAGE 7
Sun Farming
NZ livestock responsible for fewer emissions than previously thought
PHOTOs: NZ Merino
New research shows that urine deposited by livestock on hilly terrain spreads over a larger area and is able to be better absorbed by the soil.
Pat Deavoll
editor@thewanakasun.co.nz
A recent finding that livestock is responsible for less nitrous oxide than previously estimated underlines the value of in-depth research and accurate data according to Federated Farmers climate change spokesperson Andrew Hoggard. Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a greenhouse gas that is both long-lived and potent. Federated Farmers supported the 2050 net-zero N2O target that was recently added to the Climate Change Response Act. This will require the livestock industry by 2050 to either reduce or offset the about 8.700 kilo tons of CO2- e (carbon dioxide equivalent ) of nitrous oxide emitted in 2017 (the most recent year data is available for). "Achieving net-zero nitrous oxide emissions by 2050 will not be easy to do, but is nonetheless a task we are committed to," Hoggard said. "The difficulty in reducing nitrous oxide is due to the emissions being mainly caused by the urine of livestock providing too much nitrogen for the soil to absorb. While nitrogen is good for plant growth, when there is too much nitrogen
in one spot, some will be released into the air as nitrous oxide." New research undertaken by Kiwi scientists shows that urine deposited by livestock on hilly terrain spreads over a larger area and is able to be better absorbed by the soil. This, coupled with the distinct microbial makeup of hill soil results in less nitrogen being lost to the atmosphere as nitrous oxide emissions. "The new research results in a 1,700 kt CO2-e reduction in agricultural nitrous oxide emissions estimated for 2017, an almost 20 per cent reduction," Hoggard said. "The bulk of these reductions come from sheep and beef livestock on steep slopes, but a lack of data resulted in the assumption that all dairy cattle were located entirely on flat terrain." This research results in hill country sheep and beef nitrous oxide emissions being reduced by about two-thirds and one-third respectively in the emissions inventory back to 1990. "This research highlights the fundamental importance of accurate data in managing environmental outcomes, such as greenhouse gas emissions," Hoggard said.
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A monthly column by Kim Reilly, Regional Policy Manager, Federated Farmers South Island.
The ORC water permit plan’s shifting goalposts Otago’s water users are understandably concerned about what’s happening with Otago Regional Council’s water permit plan change. Many look to be facing the extra expense of shorter-term resource consents and curtailment of usual Resource Management Act processes, never mind a whole lot of uncertainty. The ‘Proposed Water Permits Plan Change’ referred to as Plan Change 7, looks set to come with some real issues. The latest advice from Otago Regional Council (ORC) on April 8, was that the Minister for the Environment had ‘called-in’ this plan change. That means it is no longer in ORC’s hands; it has been passed to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), and normal council submission and hearing processes won’t be followed. It must be noted that it was ORC that on February 28 requested the Minister ‘call-in’ its water plan changes. ORC wanted them taken out of local hands and passed to central government. Yet importantly, despite asking the minister to take over its plan changes, on March 18 ORC proceeded to notify Plan Change 7.. What this means for water users is that despite the plan process now being in the EPA’s hands, the plan change had immediate legal effect, based on the contents of the ORC’s proposals (however flawed), from the day ORC notified it. This will have significant repercussions for impacted water users, particularly as Plan Change 7 goes well beyond the replacement of deemed ‘mining’ permits. It will impact anyone needing new or
replacement water permits before December 31 2025, including surface water and hydraulically connected groundwater. Our understanding is that this includes municipal water schemes. All impacted water users will be facing shortterm consents (a maximum of six years). These are proposed to be based on volume and limits on average maximum previous use from 2012 – 2017, while irrigated area is based on 2017/18. It also means submitters now have to decide whether to submit to the original ORC notified plan change (with submissions due May 4 ), or await the EPA’s call for submissions, likely in the next 4-8 weeks, or submit to both. Irrespective, all submissions will be collated and summarised as one, and hearing rights will apply, albeit through the Environment Court, and not typical council hearing processes. Federated Farmers will be submitting to both processes. We will also continue to urge ORC to improve its stakeholder and community engagement, which has been its failing for some time. Council seems to have a very short memory, given commitments made in its own media release on November 21 2019, where it was stated: “Chairperson Hobbs emphasises ORC’s strong commitment to working alongside the community. Together, we have a lot of work ahead. It will be absolutely essential that we work with the community every step of the way.” There is a distinction between talking the talk and walking the walk. We look forward to seeing a real commitment to engage reflected in the council’s actions, not just in its rhetoric.
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PAGE 8
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EDITORIAL
An Anzac Day for every culture
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
PHOTO: supplied
My great uncle Harry Byrch fought at Gallipoli and lost two of his brothers there. He always spoke of his respect for the Turkish soldiers. He didn’t unpack his kit bag until 1966.
Pat Deavoll
editor@thewanakasun.co.nz
For this week's profile, I interviewed Bryan Moore. He has lived in Wānaka for over 20 years, but at one point spent twelve years in the New Zealand armed forces. I thought he would be a fitting study because last Saturday was Anzac Day, and I knew he always went to the dawn service. So it was interesting to hear him say that he attended the service, not to glorify the fallen soldiers, but as a reminder to himself of the futility of war as a way of resolving disputes. We should be talking more, he said, and not being so "militaristic." For me, who has been to the Anzac Day service numerous times, and also visited Gallipoli and the graves of my great uncles, it has always been a poignant reminder of the lives lost and the futility of the Battle of Çanakkale. Gallipoli to most Kiwi visitors is a lovely location for remembrance, but how often do we consider the other side? The Turks have fostered a courteous relationship with New Zealand and Australia – they welcome tens of thousands to the Gallipoli Peninsula every year. They appreciate our loss, but do we appreciate theirs? Speaking on the 100th Anzac Day in 2016, former governor-general Sir Jerry Mateparae said Anzac Day brought everyone together – no matter our faith, language or culture. But that is not true. One group that is not welcomed readily into this collective commemoration is the Muslim community. And the Turks are Muslim. Anzac Day could mark more than just New Zealand and Australia's entry into World War I. It could recognise the dead on both sides
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and the damage from wars and terror attacks since. Do we consider the 85,000 Turkish soldiers who died in the Anzac conflict? I don't think so. Efforts to include a Muslim prayer at an Anzac Day service at Titahi Bay last year showed how this might work. It was a shame that this gesture was cancelled due to security concerns after the Christchurch Mosque attacks. But it should have already been included in our national commemorations. The unique bond between New Zealand and Turkey is just as important as the "Anzac Spirit" we have with Australia. Kemal Mustafa, later known as Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey, commanded the Turkish soldiers who fought successfully against the Anzac invasion of their country. Afterwards this man reassured Anzac mothers about their dead sons who "lie side by side here in this country of ours ... You, the mothers who sent their sons from faraway countries, wipe away your tears; your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well." Last year two-thirds of Auckland's Anzac Day services, and one in Christchurch, were cancelled after the mosque attacks. However, New Zealanders turned up for services in record numbers to express an unwillingness to be intimidated by terrorism.. Hopefully they were thinking of more than the thousands of Australians and New Zealanders who died over a century ago. But also about those Turkish soldiers who gave their lives in the same conflict. Their deaths should stand to remind us all that war must be avoided at all cost.
Is local government providing public service?
There is an impressive list of organisations that have produced material to inform and divert us during the uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic lockdown. Full marks go to; central government, the Ministry of Health, the museum, the art gallery and the businesses that sponsored the diversions. Our eerily quiet streets and towns are testament to the cooperative community spirit. Those of us who are older, with compromised health, are especially grateful because we would be more likely to succumb, if infected. We all understand that this cooperation has come with two major threats; the world economy has gone into sudden deep recession, taking our economy with it, and even more suddenly, our system of normal social interactions has been suspended and many are suffering from mental health strains. We have isolated ourselves in small ‘bubble’ groups, with severely reduced activities and outside interactions which has caused frustration to many and outright rebellion in a few. Overall, the national mood remains supportive of clear and decisive leadership but if there is one sad exception, it is the silence of local government. I cannot speak of other councils but the QLDC appears conspicuous by its absence, leaving many questions; 1. The council offices appear closed but are the staff still employed? working where? on what? supervised by whom? and what is the value of the work to the ratepayers? 2. Although the Wanaka office was closed, mail continued to accumulate in the foyer. Is the council's approach to business so neglectful that no one needs to attend the office during extended shutdowns? 3. I saw eight council vehicles parked up behind the Wanaka Service Centre. Who is organising regular care? If the vehicles have not been needed over five weeks, how many are really necessary for council operations? 4. Council is offering for people struggling to cope to make contact but there is no obvious attempt to use council’s otherwise under employed staff for social support. 5. What plans are council initiating to assist people to get back into work once the national alert drops to a level that allows return to work? How quickly will the council stop diverting recyclable materials to landfill? Does the council have any plans to use the wonderful services of Dr Compost [Ben Elms] to design and operate community food gardens to employ welfare recipients? There are many other questions to be answered. Council needs to decrease its focus on dispensing largess and start to address the important issues with its prime stakeholders and ratepayers. Dennis Pezaro
THURSDAY 30.04.20 - WEDNESDAY 06.05.20
PAGE 9
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Wanaka Pharmacy is Business Networking The your local pharmacy. International. Wanaka chapter of We’re the big BNI meets weekly at pharmacy at the top 7am Tuesday morning. Great networking of Helwick Street - opportunity to grow business. open from 8am until your Contact Randal 7pm every single day. Dobbs for information 021 973 043. Ph 443 8000.
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WĀNAKA’S INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER ISSUE 972 Free delivery to Wānaka, Cromwell and surrounds, PO boxes in Makarora, Cromwell, Haast, Wānaka, Albert Town and Hāwea. Also distributed to businesses in the Wānaka business district Average circulation: 15,000 weekly. Phone: 03 443 5252 • Fax: 03 443 5250 Editor: Pat Deavoll • 0274 487 741 editor@thewanakasun.co.nz Journalist: Ollie Blyth • journalist@thewanakasun.co.nz Joanna Perry • 021 736 740 newsdesk@thewanakasun.co.nz Advertising: 03 443 5252• marketing@thewanakasun.co.nz Admin: Benn Ashford • 021 956 740 admin@thewanakasun.co.nz Mail: PO Box 697, Wānaka Deadlines: Display Advertising 4pm Friday prior to publication. marketing@thewanakasun.co.nz 03 443 5252 Classified Advertising 5pm Monday prior admin@thewanakasun.co.nz Subscriptions: $175 within NZ (including GST) per year. Overseas rates on request. Remittances to PO Box 697, Wānaka, NZ.
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N o t i c e b o a rd | P a p a P ā n u i Amendment to Meeting Schedule for May 2020 Meeting Cancellation The meeting of the QLDC Community & Services Committee previously advertised as taking place on Thursday 21 May 2020 has been cancelled.
Additional Meeting Hearing of Submissions on the Annual Plan 2020 - 2021 - To be held via video conference on
Do you have an interest in reparing things and gardening? • Maintenance Person - Wanaka based • Permanent full time • Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 4pm Visit www. psotago.org.nz/jobs to view full job details and to apply online. Contact Madeleine Esdaile on 03 555 3010 for enquiries. Our Services
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A Wānaka love story
Retirement village security guards continue manning the gates
Joanna Perry
newsdesk@thewanakasun.co.nz
Ashley Ramsey and Manda Cheung met two and a half years ago in Vietnam, and have been travelling the world together ever since. Passing through Wānaka on a pre-wedding trip to New Zealand and Japan, an unusual turn of events triggered by the global spread of coronavirus led them not only to stay, but to get married here too. “We found ourselves in Wānaka as coronavirus was getting worse elsewhere in the world…and when uncertainty started to build, we returned there and stayed put,” wrote Ramsay. When it was announced that Canada and the US were going to close their borders to non-citizens, Ramsey (Canadian) and Cheung (American) decided the only situation they could control was to make sure they were legally able to be with each other whatever happened next. They secured local celebrant Gill Loughnan and began planning a Wānaka wedding. As border restrictions back home tightened, their plan on March 20 was to “get our wedding license on Tuesday, marry on Wednesday and fly out [to the US] on Friday.” Loughlan reached out to the community on Facebook to find last minute wedding dresses, and offers of dress loans, witnesses, flowers and photos came flooding in from the
PHOTO: supplied
The security guards will continue to man their post throughout the day after the country drops to alert level 3 next week.
Joanna Perry PHOTO: supplied
After navigating a number of plan changes brought on by the spread of coronavirus, the pair were married on March 23 at their celebrant’s home, with a backdrop of the lake and their family on a video call.
Wānaka community. But, in another twist, their plans for a helicopter-flown ceremony on Coromandel Peak was brought crashing down by the news on Monday, March 23 that New Zealand would go into lockdown on the day of the wedding. Finally, the pair were married that same day at their celebrant’s home, with a backdrop of the lake and their family on a video call. “It started off completely normally as a wedding request, and snowballed into what it became,” said Loughnan of what was only her second wedding as a celebrant. “They were just so lovely and wanted to get married. I was determined to do it. Our home seemed the ideal spot,
how could I not open it up for them? Wānaka is such a unique place, we have so many incredibly generous people here.” Ramsey and Cheung, who have now decided to stay here in New Zealand and are still in Wānaka, echoed Loughnan’s sentiments. “We settled in, and couldn’t be happier in this community,” said Ramsey. “We feel incredibly fortunate that our path found us here in these difficult times, and we cannot say thank you enough to those who made this day happen for us. “Our stress and planning were tested to their utmost. And in all, we were reminded of the power of love and community, and the kindness of complete strangers.”
newsdesk@thewanakasun.co.nz
If you have passed along Golf Course Road in the last few weeks, you may have noticed a security guard parked outside the gates of Aspiring Retirement Village - one of a handful of individuals tasked with ensuring the village’s 177 residents stay safe by monitoring who comes in and out. The security guards will continue to man their post throughout the day after the country drops to alert level 3 next week. New Zealand retirement villages went into lockdown when the country went into coronavirus alert level 4 four weeks ago, but Aspiring Retirement has also had security in place since the lockdown started, managing director Aaron
Armstrong told the Wānaka Sun. “The only people coming into the village are caregivers providing support to individual residents,” he said. “Any deliveries for residents are left at the front gate and distributed by our staff to residents’ homes. Online orders are made for supermarket shopping through the village.” All residents are in their own homes, with shared spaces closed down. A member of staff at the village tested positive for coronavirus last month, but four staff and five residents who exhibited “cold-like” symptoms and were subsequently tested for the disease all tested negative. The staff member who tested positive is recovering but has not yet returned to work.
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MEDIA SALES CONSULTANT The Wānaka Sun is seeking an enthusiastic, driven and outgoing salesperson to join its media sales team, selling across print and digital news platforms.
Position responsibilities include but are not limited to: • Reach monthly revenue targets • New business acquisition • Develop key client and business relationships • Prepare advertising proposals • Maintenance of client and revenue records • Provide weekly sales reports to management We’re looking for someone who has: • A proven history of success in a sales or business development role; preferably from within the media industry
• Strong interpersonal skills with an ability to develop effective
business relationships • Excellent communication, presentation and negotiation skills • Self-motivation, resilience and the ability to achieve objectives and goals within company guidelines • A strong sense of accountability and an attention to detail • Ideally a formal qualification in business or marketing This is a fantastic opportunity for a passionate Sales Executive who enjoys a challenge! If this sounds like you, please forward your application, including covering letter, resume and two professional referees to:
Benn Ashford, The Wānaka Sun, PO Box 697, Wānaka, admin@thewanakasun.co.nz
The staff at Wanaka Pharmacy want to ensure you can shop safely. Here are some things you can do to help: Plan what you need before you shop. Getting in and out of the pharmacy quickly is important to ensure we all limit contact and stay safe. Make sure you know exactly what you need to buy to make your shopping as efficient as possible. Follow physical distancing guidelines. Remember to maintain a two metre physical distance from staff and customers when in store and wait at the designated floor markers when in line to help keep everyone safe. Be patient and kind. Let’s continue to be patient, kind and considerate towards other shoppers, staff and one another. We know things are taking a little longer, but with your help and kindness we can all get through this together.
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PAGE 11
Sun Sport
Williams’ events season ended with the Motatapu Off-Road Triathlon in March, the week before the nationwide lockdown came into place.
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PHOTO: supplied
Jo Williams: just enjoying New Zealand Joanna Perry
newsdesk@thewanakasun.co.nz
It has been a strange year for Wānaka-based multisport athlete and adventure racer Joanna Williams, with the onset of coronavirus just the last chapter in a series of obstacles. Coming out of a year of injuries and rehabilitation, she was both excited and nervous to get back into training and events at the end of last winter. But after a “fantastic time” racing in the EcoChallenge Fiji (a reboot of the 672 km endurance challenge which is due to be released as an Amazon Prime series hosted by Bear Grylls) with Queenstown team Tiki Tour in September 2019, Williams said she found it hard to come up with any “real goals.” The Adventure Racing World Championships
in Sri Lanka planned for November 2019 were cancelled in May following the terrorist attacks, and - although she squeezed in some events beforehand - minor ankle surgery in December meant Williams avoided putting too much pressure on herself over summer, and enjoyed her first family Christmas in many years In February, she entered the Spirited Women Adventure Race in Alexandra with her sister Julia Tully. “There was some fear of putting her off for life,” Williams said, “so I persuaded my two good friends and incredible athletes Katharine Eustace and Kristy Jennings to join us. We had our disasters in this race with an unmendable broken bike. However, we somehow got through, and I think we loved it all the more for the disasters.” William’s season ended with the Motatapu Off-Road Triathlon in March, the week before
the nationwide lockdown came into place and with it the cancellation of all events in the foreseeable future. “All my dreams and plans of going home to Ireland in May and of competing in an adventure race in Europe were dashed,” said Williams, but, like many athletes, she was determined to see the positives in her situation. “It has allowed me to enjoy where I live at a slower pace. Walk, run, bike in my local ‘hood’ and appreciate the colours of autumn, collect walnuts, apples and driftwood, and take in more of the quietness and beauty of our surroundings. I have really appreciated this time.” For all the challenges she has faced this year, Williams is also grateful for the chance that competing almost entirely in New Zealand-based events has given her to appreciate “the scenery,
terrain, people and weather.” “With all the unknowns of races around the world, it makes me feel incredibly grateful to live here and to have many more parts of New Zealand to explore,” she said. Williams is keeping busy getting to grips with online technology to continue working as a physiotherapist at Wānaka Physiotherapy, running virtual pilates classes and participating in a ‘corona’ gym programme set out by coach Val Burke. “As for races and goals, I think I take each day at a time, enjoy being healthy and enjoy getting out to exercise for what it is. There will be a new appreciation for kayaking and swimming, never mind getting out into the local hills again,” she said. With GODZone Adventure Race rescheduled for 2021 in Rotorua, she has a long-term goal in mind, too.
20 rules for Wānaka golfers Joanna Perry
newsdesk@thewanakasun.co.nz
Wānaka golf players were able to return to the green yesterday after the country’s alert level status dropped to three, but it’s a very different game. The Wānaka Golf Club opened their online booking sheet to members, but also sent a list of 20 rules for safe play during the coronavirus level three alert. “Exercise and recreation is an important part of maintaining our health and wellbeing however we must continue to be aware the playing of golf presents a very high risk of transmission if we come into contact with others, use or touch common equipment or surfaces, or need rescuing or medical care,” read the document. As with all recreational activities, golfers must remain in their bubbles, regions, and at a safe distance from one another. They can play alone or with their bubble, and everyone must book in so that they can be contact traced if required.
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On the day, golfers must arrive in time to play and then leave immediately. All buildings are closed, including the hire shop and the clubhouse, and the use of drinking fountains, benches and other equipment on the course is not allowed. For Wānaka Golf Club's junior convenor Benn Ashford, the new safety measures did not detract from the enjoyment of getting out on the course. “From a personal point of view, and being one of the first to tee off this morning, I think the club has done a great job getting everything ready in time under a strict set of restrictions,” said Ashford. “The course was in good condition, and everyone out playing appeared to be following the rules. It's all a bit strange with no flags, the cups turned upside down, etc, but I think I speak for most golfers when I say that it was just good to be able to get out and play again.”
PHOTO: Benn Ashford
Benn Ashford: It's all a bit strange but I think I speak for most golfers when I say that it was just good to be able to get out and play again. THURSDAY 30.04.20 - WEDNESDAY 06.05.20
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