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People associate bullying with children in schools, but it can actually stretch beyond childhood to workplaces or neighbourhoods.
This Friday is Pink Shirt Day, which began in Canada in 2007 when two students took a stand against homophobic bullying after a new student was harassed for wearing … View morePeople associate bullying with children in schools, but it can actually stretch beyond childhood to workplaces or neighbourhoods.
This Friday is Pink Shirt Day, which began in Canada in 2007 when two students took a stand against homophobic bullying after a new student was harassed for wearing pink. People across the globe are now encouraged to wear pink on this day to take a stand against bullying and promote inclusivity.
Have you or your whānau ever experienced bullying? Share your thoughts on Pink Shirt Day below.
Type 'Not For Print' if you wish your comments to be excluded from the Conversations column of your local paper.
Building framed bunk beds and finishing with curtains, Resene Indian Ink and Resene Colorwood Bark elevates the bach classic. Kids also love them at home. Find out how to create your own with these easy step by step instructions.
We are continuing our Q&A sessions on Neighbourly. This week we have the amazing Sacha Green from Citizens Advice Bureau New Zealand (CABNZ) who will be answering your questions about your renting rights.
A little bit about Sacha:
She has been working for CABNZ for 10 years and is … View moreWe are continuing our Q&A sessions on Neighbourly. This week we have the amazing Sacha Green from Citizens Advice Bureau New Zealand (CABNZ) who will be answering your questions about your renting rights.
A little bit about Sacha:
She has been working for CABNZ for 10 years and is passionate about empowering people with knowledge of their rights as well as ensuring access to justice.
She helps support the team of over 2,000 trained volunteers who deliver the CAB service in 80 neighbourhoods around Aotearoa by providing advice and support at a national level on a wide range of issues. One of Sacha’s work areas is leading the CAB’s social justice work on housing and tenancy issues.
Whether you're a flatmate, landlord, boarder or flatmate, you can leave a comment below and Sacha will share an answer on Wednesday from 9.30am. You may want to ask about notice periods, bond fulfillment, reasonable rent increases, or even whose responsibility it is to deal with mould in the home.
Join Sacha here on Wednesday at 9.30am. See you then!.
⇩ Share your question below ⇩
Moving to a retirement village marks the beginning of a new chapter filled with opportunities waiting to be explored. Naturally, you want to share this journey with your beloved furry companion, and at Ryman, you are welcome to bring your pet along, provided they are suitable for the village … View moreMoving to a retirement village marks the beginning of a new chapter filled with opportunities waiting to be explored. Naturally, you want to share this journey with your beloved furry companion, and at Ryman, you are welcome to bring your pet along, provided they are suitable for the village environment.
Once your pet is approved for the village, the focus shifts to ensuring a smooth transition for them. Dogs and cats, being creatures of habit, may find relocating stressful. However, with patience and a thoughtful approach, we can mitigate their anxiety and help them settle into their new surroundings seamlessly.
For more tips click read more.
Sharing their love of Bluegrass, Old Time and Americana Music, The Port Hillbillies return to Oxford with a fund raising concert in support of the Oxford Cancer Support Group (Cancer Society of NZ) and Oxford Food Bank (Oxford Community Trust), Tickets $20. Group Bio and Booking details attached.
By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Local property developers have purchased the old Ashburton Public Library.
CBR Properties Limited completed the purchase of the old library site for $1.1 million from the Ashburton District Council on Friday.
The company's directors, Barry … View moreBy local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Local property developers have purchased the old Ashburton Public Library.
CBR Properties Limited completed the purchase of the old library site for $1.1 million from the Ashburton District Council on Friday.
The company's directors, Barry and Chris Redmond, could not be reached for comment on Monday.
The building, on the corner of State Highway 1 and Havelock St, was home to the Ashburton library for nearly 60 years and it’s unclear what plans the Redmonds have for the building.
The council had deemed it was not economical to strengthen and upgrade the building, opting instead to incorporate a new modern library with a new administration building.
Te Whare Whakatere, the new library and civic centre, opened earlier this year.
The decision was made to put the old library site up for sale at the end of last year.
Three offers were made but the property was snapped up by the Redmonds.
The developers own the property next door - 241 West St Ashburton – which they had planned to redevelop in 2017 but were halted by the Peter Cates grain store being a heritage-listed building.
The Redmonds also own the arcade in central Ashburton as well as several other sites.
Last year they completed the redevelopment of what had been a two-storey building on East St that was once home to Ashburton's oldest café, Reflections.
It was demolished to make way for a modern single-storey building.
New Zealand Bed Company has moved to one side of the new building.
The council planned to use the funds from the sale of the old library to be put towards paying off the construction of Te Whare Whakatere, the new library and civic centre, offsetting the impact on ratepayers.
Initially budgeted at $56.7m, before its completion the council signaled an overrun in the region of 10%. The final tally is yet to be confirmed.
The project also received $20m from the government’s shovel-ready infrastructure fund.
The council also planned to sell the old administration building site, but council chief executive Hamish Riach said a decision on that had not yet been made.
There's strength in community, especially when times are hard. Victim Support is here to ensure that nobody faces the aftermath of crime, suicide or traumatic events alone. But we need you! Bring your unique life experiences to the table and join us in meaningful work that changes lives.
… View moreThere's strength in community, especially when times are hard. Victim Support is here to ensure that nobody faces the aftermath of crime, suicide or traumatic events alone. But we need you! Bring your unique life experiences to the table and join us in meaningful work that changes lives.
By volunteering with us, you can make a real difference, helping victims stay informed, safe, and empowered. Volunteer today and do good in the dark times.
With heartfelt thanks,
The Victim Support Team
Some kiwis think hearing devices are big and ugly.
What if we told you technology has advanced substantially and they’re available in all shapes, colours, and sizes?
Go in the draw to win* a $40 MTA voucher when you share your answer to the
question below. Give it a go!
… View moreSome kiwis think hearing devices are big and ugly.
What if we told you technology has advanced substantially and they’re available in all shapes, colours, and sizes?
Go in the draw to win* a $40 MTA voucher when you share your answer to the
question below. Give it a go!
*T&C’s apply – must be over 18.
By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Developer Justin Skilling (pictured) and fellow developer Robert Grice
are proposing the Ashburton District Council considers closing part of Victoria St off to vehicles to make a laneway.
The pair have been restoring the old buildings along … View moreBy local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Developer Justin Skilling (pictured) and fellow developer Robert Grice
are proposing the Ashburton District Council considers closing part of Victoria St off to vehicles to make a laneway.
The pair have been restoring the old buildings along Victoria St - the Triangle precinct - and have big plans for continued major redevelopment.
Skilling formally presented his proposal at the first of four submission hearings for the council's long-term plan on Monday.
He presented his idea for the council to extend its CBD rejuvenation project into the Triangle Precinct and develop the streetscape from where Wills St and Victoria St divide by the Devon Hotel, all the way down to Baring Square East.
Looking at closing the section of Victoria St off now was “the perfect opportunity” given the conversations around the future of the Balmoral Hall site and the possibility of creating an arts and hospitality precinct, extending to the Events Centre, Skilling said.
There was also the opportunity to redevelop the old polytech land next to the Balmoral Hall into a car park that could cater to long-term parking, he said.
His submission was the last of the day. Earlier, DanceWorx dance studio teachers Charmaine Quaid and Jessie Thompson presented their case to councillors to retain Balmoral Hall.
They both want the council to consider a “modest upgrade” of the building to retain its affordability, both for ratepayers and potential users.
Quaid spoke of her grave concerns that the hall's fate would be decided by the $1.3m price tag to fix it up and she didn’t want to see the building “levelled down to a piece of tarmac”.
The future of stockwater was one of the main themes on Monday, with the hearing kicking off with submissions from Rangitata Diversion Race Management Ltd, Ashburton Lyndhurst Irrigation Limited, and Barrhill Chertsey Irrigation Ltd.
The hearings continue with a full day today, a half-day on Wednesday and the final day on Thursday.
Councillors will then make decisions on the long-term plan during deliberations on May 20-23.
The final plan is scheduled to be adopted in June.
Looking for a Dyson foot from an older Dyson Vaccum that someone may have lying around!!
By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
How much green waste the Ashburton District sends to landfill will be investigated before introducing kerbside green waste collection.
It is estimated that green waste makes up around 40% of the district’s general wast.
The Ashburton District … View moreBy local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
How much green waste the Ashburton District sends to landfill will be investigated before introducing kerbside green waste collection.
It is estimated that green waste makes up around 40% of the district’s general wast.
The Ashburton District Council is planning to introduce green waste collection in 2026, to align with a new waste management contract.
It has to start collecting household food waste by 2027 under government legislation, but in the long-term plan, the council is proposing to expand that to a food and organic waste collection service.
Which service it lands on will be decided over the next few weeks as councillors deliberate on public feedback to the draft plan.
But councillor Richard Wilson wants work done to get a clearer picture of how much green waste is being sent to the landfill at Kate Valley.
“So we don’t wake up on the first day of green waste and go 'whoops we were wrong' by what could be three of four thousand tonnes quite easily”.
Infrastructure and open spaces group manager Neil McCann said it was something the council could look into.
“We could do an occasional audit over the next few months just to get an idea or feel towards how much green waste is in the red bins.
“It would be a good idea to get a rough estimate.”
Between June 2023 and March, the Ashburton District sent 11,426 tonnes of waste to the regional landfill at Kate Valley.
That puts the district on track to surpass the 14,800 tonnes in the previous financial year.
The introduction of green waste bins aims to dramatically reduce those figures, with a 2001 study showing between 32-40% of the waste going to landfill was organic.
The introduction of green waste bins will also present a cost saving by reducing the amount of waste being transported to Kate Valley.
For both green bin options the collected waste would be taken to the Ashburton Resource Recovery Park, and then sent to a plant in Canterbury for composting.
But there is a setup cost and additional cost of collection.
The council expect to receive a waste minimisation fund subsidy to help offset the introduction costs.
The 240-litre organic and food waste bin would cost ratepayers $72 while the 23-litre food waste bins would cost $35 per year.
By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
A “do it once” mentality meant extra work went into the recent $2.45 million Baring Square East upgrade in Ashburton, Canterbury.
During the redevelopment of the square in front of Te Whare Whakatere, the new library and civic centre, the … View moreBy local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
A “do it once” mentality meant extra work went into the recent $2.45 million Baring Square East upgrade in Ashburton, Canterbury.
During the redevelopment of the square in front of Te Whare Whakatere, the new library and civic centre, the Ashburton District Council also completed additional work.
This included rubbish bin upgrades and new bike racks, which infrastructure and open spaces general manager Neil McCann said were “absorbed by existing budgets”.
The extras required some upfront expenditure from existing renewal or maintenance budgets but it had the benefit of “not having to come back and dig things up twice”, he said.
The extra projects included a $187,985 additional footpath, kerb and channel along East and Cameron streets, which was not part of the original upgrade plans.
As the footpaths were on the list to be upgraded in the future they were not included in the square upgrade, McCann said.
"Once work started on the project, it was evident that in removing the old concrete nib wall there would have been significant damage along the edge of the footpath that would have required repair by patching new asphalt alongside the old footpath.
“The decision was made to bring forward the footpath work from future years to blend in with the new project and avoid having to dig up repair work recently undertaken."
The work was funded from the subsidised roading and drainage budget, he said.
The only additional cost to the original scope of the $2.45m Baring Square upgrade was the $75,000 needed for the removal of coal tar from the new road in front of Te Whare Whakatere.
The coal tar removal was included in the 2023-24 unsubsidised roading project budget approved by the council in September 2023.
The reloctaion of the Boer War Memorial, which had stood in Baring Square East since 1903, across to Baring Square West was also part of the project but was funded by a $150,000 grant received by the council as part of the Three Waters Better Off funding package.
The final cost for the construction of Te Whare Whakatere remains unconfirmed.
It was initially budgeted at $56.7m when construction began in 2021 but before its completion the council signalled a forecast budget overrun in the region of 10%.
Council chief executive Hamish Riach has previously stated the final cost would be known after the “resolution of all matter between the council and construction and design contractors”.
The project also received $20m from the government’s shovel-ready infrastructure fund.
An official opening date is yet to be announced.
Hello! Are you a …
- A student/young professional renting
- A young family, renting or owning
- An older New Zealander/retiree/pensioner
We’re reaching out from the Tova show, the flagship weekly politics podcast on Stuff, as we prepare for our budget coverage and how it’s affecting … View moreHello! Are you a …
- A student/young professional renting
- A young family, renting or owning
- An older New Zealander/retiree/pensioner
We’re reaching out from the Tova show, the flagship weekly politics podcast on Stuff, as we prepare for our budget coverage and how it’s affecting Kiwis - we’d love to hear from you.
We need a few people who are available the week before the budget (Wednesday 22nd/Thursday 23rd May) and on the day of the announcement (Thursday 30th May).
Please email tova@stuff.co.nz or comment below if you’d like to share your perspective with us. We give you our commitment to treat your experience with sensitivity and care.
Type NFP if you don't wish your comments to be used.
It's NZ Music Month and New Zealand really has some beautiful songs from artists that we call our own.
Whether it's April Sun in Cuba, Don't Forget your Roots, or How Bizarre or Bic Runga's 'Sway' - songs have a way of unlocking memories and evoking old feelings.
… View moreIt's NZ Music Month and New Zealand really has some beautiful songs from artists that we call our own.
Whether it's April Sun in Cuba, Don't Forget your Roots, or How Bizarre or Bic Runga's 'Sway' - songs have a way of unlocking memories and evoking old feelings.
In honour of NZ Music Month, share a New Zealand song or artist that is special to you and explain why.
Type 'Not For Print' if you wish your comments to be excluded from the Conversations column of your local paper.
Payment negotiable depending on time the job takes . If school student we welcome parent coming to negotiate payment and conditions. This will be needed until winter is over.
Phone Marion on 03 3187237 or text on 027 3187237.
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