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To celebrate the FIFA World Cup, the TV Guide is giving you the chance to upgrade your lounge and impress your friends with a brand new 55” Panasonic 4K TV. Catch all the action with Panasonic’s new Premium LED TV, perfect for watching the FIFA World Cup, your favourite movies, streaming … View moreTo celebrate the FIFA World Cup, the TV Guide is giving you the chance to upgrade your lounge and impress your friends with a brand new 55” Panasonic 4K TV. Catch all the action with Panasonic’s new Premium LED TV, perfect for watching the FIFA World Cup, your favourite movies, streaming services, or classic TV shows.
Pick up a copy of the TV Guide each week between 13 Oct to 9 Nov, find the codeword, and follow the directions to be in to win! Each issue and codeword will be a new chance to win. You’ll have until 15 Nov to enter online or mail in your codeword. To view the T&Cs click here.
The team at the TV Guide
*based on recommended retail price
From local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Megan Fitzgerald is breaking the mould of elected members in Mid Canterbury.
The 26-year-old Fitzgerald is by far the youngest person to successfully stand in the Ashburton District’s local body elections, winning a seat on the Methven … View moreFrom local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Megan Fitzgerald is breaking the mould of elected members in Mid Canterbury.
The 26-year-old Fitzgerald is by far the youngest person to successfully stand in the Ashburton District’s local body elections, winning a seat on the Methven Community Board.
She takes the youngest mantle from fellow community board member Richie Owen, who has some 15-plus years on her, and compared to the current crop of councillors-elect, Fitzgerald is half the age of the youngest member.
She is a fresh face and youth voice on the local governance scene.
“I’m going to use the Methven Community Board as an experience to see if it is something that aligns with where I want to head in life.
“I’m really passionate about community development and is see the council as a pivotal spot for supporting our communities now and into the future.”
Fitzgerald will bring a younger voice to the table but said it’s not it’s not the age and gender of the voice, it is what it’s saying that should matter when representing the community.
“Everyone has their own natural bias and perspective so having diversity on a board feeds into making more robust decisions, ones that represent a wider demographic of the community.
“We need representation from the older demographic and people in between.
“I’m definitely different and have a different voice and approach to thinking about things.”
Born and bred in the Methven area, Fitzgerald attended Lauriston Primary and then Mt Hutt College before heading to Lincoln University to complete a Bachelor of Agricultural Science.
A keen hockey goalie she has played for Canterbury but suffered a severe concussion in 2016.
“I had to stop studying and just take a step back as it took me three months to recover.
“As I was getting back into things, I ended up working with St John as a volunteer on the ambulance for 18 months.
“I realised how important mental health and well-being are.”
It was a turning point for her.
She then got an opportunity to work in Malawi doing community development and went to the Netherlands and studied international land and water management – “really around coordinating people and the environment to produce food”.
She continued with post-graduate studies at Lincoln completing a master's on connecting smallholders to high-value vegetable supply chains in Malawi, spending another three months in Africa, and handed in her thesis at the start of the year.
As she was studying part-time for those two years, Fitzgerald also started with Wellbeing Ōpuke.
“It’s a community initiative trying to drive well-being objectives.
“We got it from a group of community members to a full trust with two employees.
“It’s pretty cool to see where it has got to”.
With her studies completed, she has taken up a part-time role with a farm consultancy business.
“It’s been quite a journey.”
Now she is embarking on a career in local politics, set to be sworn in as a Methven Community Board member on Thursday.
While Fitzgerald is only just dipping a toe into local politics, she said running for a seat at the council could be an option, following the pathway of former Methven Community Board chair and now deputy mayor Liz McMillan.
She could also eventually even make a run to be the youngest female mayor.
Currently, Ashburton has previously only had one female Mayor, Donna Favel who was in her 50s as mayor from 2016-19.
Depending on when and if she makes a run at the mayoralty she could even be the youngest mayor in district history.
But Fitzgerald isn’t getting ahead of herself.
The first step is getting into the swing of things on the Methven Community board, with the inaugural meeting on October 31.
Fitzgerald joins returning board members Kelvin Holmes and Richie Owen as well as fellow newcomers Allan Lock and Robin Jenkinson.
- - - -
Something needs to change
Fitzgerald said something needs to be done to make local government representation more accessible to younger people.
“I’m only working part-time which has enabled me to take this opportunity, it’s not because of the pay.
“As for the council, the reimbursement for the time and energy that goes into the role isn’t enough for people in the middle of their career.”
The problem isn’t only getting younger people to stand for the positions, it’s getting them voting and engaging in the decision-making process – but it’s a problem that isn’t just specific to the younger demographics she said.
The Government is currently reviewing the future of local government and will be looking at better ways to increase engagement and participation.
Fitzgerald highlighted the need for a change in tactics to increase community engagement and said using social media is making things more accessible.
“It’s one thing I’m keen with the Methven Community Board is to look at how we get engagement with our community across different demographics."
From local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
“Make her death mean something.”
That was the message from Ashburton's Claire and Gerard Rushton when they fronted the Health Select Committee on their petition to provide a free meningococcal vaccine programme for all secondary … View moreFrom local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
“Make her death mean something.”
That was the message from Ashburton's Claire and Gerard Rushton when they fronted the Health Select Committee on their petition to provide a free meningococcal vaccine programme for all secondary students.
An emotional Claire Rushton gave a detailed account of the harrowing experience of losing their daughter Courtenay to meningococcal disease in 2014.
It was a tragic, but avoidable loss that has the couple campaigning to ensure no other parent has to go through that anguish.
“It’s real and will be echoed through other families without a determined effort to eradicate the disease,” she said.
The Rushtons were leading the delegation from Meningitis Foundation Aotearoa New Zealand, of which Gerard is the chair.
The day before they addressed the health select committee, Pharmac announced it plans to fund the meningococcal B vaccine from March 2023.
Pharmac plans to make the vaccine available to all children up to 12 months of age, and a catch-up programme for children from 13 to 59 months of age (inclusive) to August 31, 2025.
It will also be for people aged 13 to 25 years “who are entering into or in their first year of close-living situations”, and a catch-up programme for people this age who are already living in close-living situations to February 28, 2024.
The timing of Pharmac’s announcement was suggested to be more than a coincidence but whatever the timing, the Rushtons said the announcement “doesn’t go far enough”.
Gerard questioned why the vaccine would only be available to those attending tertiary study and living in halls of residence, and said the proposal completely misses the two most significant at-risk groups, Māori and Pasifika within the age range.
The plan was rife with discrimination Gerard said and he believes it should be more widely available than a select few.
“We need to protect all our children before they leave school,” Gerard said.
Claire said Pharmac’s announcement would not have protected Courtenay and she pleaded to the select committee to do more.
“Prevention must come before treatment.
“Make her death mean something.”
Awareness is also a major issue as Rushton has concerns that the existing vaccination programme has failed to reach the target set by the government.
“People need to know they’re eligible, and that a vaccine is available,” Gerard said.
Following the submission, the Rushtons said it was a case of waiting to see if the select committee listened and in the meantime, they will prepare to submit on Pharmac’s proposal, which closes on November 8.
* Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air
Keep daytime deliveries secure with this simple to build box that doubles as a seat painted in Resene Lustacryl. Find out how to create your own.
With spring in the air, the price of veggies on the rise and Christmas around the corner there has never been a better time to get gardening!
You don’t need to spend big to get involved, and The Warehouse has plenty of options for anyone – from the avid green thumbs to the gardening novices.… View moreWith spring in the air, the price of veggies on the rise and Christmas around the corner there has never been a better time to get gardening!
You don’t need to spend big to get involved, and The Warehouse has plenty of options for anyone – from the avid green thumbs to the gardening novices. You could grow a few veggies, fruit trees or even some windowsill herbs – all are a small step to living more sustainably, while saving a little money! Check out 7 ways to garden greener with The Warehouse.
These amazing community gardeners are finalists for our 2022 Ryman Healthcare Gardener of the Year. Read about their great work (and the other four finalists), and vote for your favourite!
Smartsizing is about creating a life of simplicity and enjoyment, by ensuring your home fits your lifestyle, now and in the future.
If you want to spend more time with family and friends, travel, stay active and learn new things, smartsizing makes this much easier. With less time spent on … View moreSmartsizing is about creating a life of simplicity and enjoyment, by ensuring your home fits your lifestyle, now and in the future.
If you want to spend more time with family and friends, travel, stay active and learn new things, smartsizing makes this much easier. With less time spent on maintenance and chores you’ll have more time to create a life full of enjoyment and meaning.
These webinars will offer insight into how you can make this happen.
Join us to hear from experts in their field as they offer insight into how you can achieve this.
Understanding the property market - Presented by Shane Cortese on Monday 14 November, 3:30pm.
Smart home technology - Presented by Grant Sidaway on Tuesday 15 November, 3:30pm.
Downsizing your way to a richer, happier life - Presented by Peter Walsh on Wednesday 16 November, 3:30pm.
These informative presentations are not to be missed, to find out more or to register click below.
Wendy Zhou is one of the finalists for the 2022 Ryman Healthcare Gardener of the Year. Read about her (and the other four finalists), and vote for your favourite!
Major disruptions will occur to Greater Christchurch bus services on Thursday 27 October.
From 9am to 3pm there will be changes to the bus schedule for both bus operators as Amalgamated Workers Union NZ (AWUNZ) will be holding a stop-work meeting. Most services will not be operating from … View moreMajor disruptions will occur to Greater Christchurch bus services on Thursday 27 October.
From 9am to 3pm there will be changes to the bus schedule for both bus operators as Amalgamated Workers Union NZ (AWUNZ) will be holding a stop-work meeting. Most services will not be operating from 11am-1pm that day.
What you need to know:
- Services are likely to be impacted from 9am as buses start to come off route and some trips may end at the bus interchange
- All services are expected to be operating as normal by 3pm including the regular school services.
Environment Canterbury apologises for the inconvenience and recommends to plan ahead if travelling via public transport on this day. Public transport users are encouraged to check Metro Go for the latest updates.
She is one of the five finalists for the 2022 Ryman Healthcare Gardener of the Year. Read about her (and the other four finalists), and vote for your favourite!
Satiate your news hunger with Two Minutes of Stuff, a bite-sized snack of the top stories and key issues of the day.
Two minutes is all you'll need to get up to speed on today's talking point and the biggest news of the day and stories you don't want to miss. A fully-curated … View moreSatiate your news hunger with Two Minutes of Stuff, a bite-sized snack of the top stories and key issues of the day.
Two minutes is all you'll need to get up to speed on today's talking point and the biggest news of the day and stories you don't want to miss. A fully-curated experience, with items hand-picked by Stuff staff, sent each weekday evening. Sign up for free here.
We live and work right here in Whāingaroa Raglan, a really awesome neighbourhood and part of Aotearoa. Here at Raglan Food Co we’ve been lifting the vibe on plant-based eating, creating delicious dairy-free alternatives for nearly 8 years. Perhaps you’ve tried our tasty coconut yoghurts or … View moreWe live and work right here in Whāingaroa Raglan, a really awesome neighbourhood and part of Aotearoa. Here at Raglan Food Co we’ve been lifting the vibe on plant-based eating, creating delicious dairy-free alternatives for nearly 8 years. Perhaps you’ve tried our tasty coconut yoghurts or gut-loving kefir?
We want to share a slice of our paradise with you, so to win a Raglan getaway for you and three friends or family members simply head over to www.raglanfoodco.com to enter.
🙋♂️Happy Labour Weekend everyone.
Looking for a new lifestyle? The spring edition of the Property Express is here now! Featured quality rural properties and farmland for sale throughout New Zealand. Are you looking to bring rural style to your life? www.pggwre.co.nz...
Yates has been guiding gardeners for quite a while now (nearly 140 years), so we’ve learned a few crafty garden tricks along the way. We’re sharing our email newsletter, packed with our special Yates blend of leading-edge horticulture and old-school garden tips, fresh every month.
Stay on … View moreYates has been guiding gardeners for quite a while now (nearly 140 years), so we’ve learned a few crafty garden tricks along the way. We’re sharing our email newsletter, packed with our special Yates blend of leading-edge horticulture and old-school garden tips, fresh every month.
Stay on top of the seasonal tasks with us; whether you’re into vegies, herbs, fruit trees or houseplants, we’ll help you navigate your way to a gorgeous and luxuriant garden. Click through to get our timely advice on feeding, watering, weeding and how to nip your garden problems in the bud!
We have two 13 month old Toggenburg/British Alpine does for sale.
Both are humanized and will respond to petting and food.
$300 for both of them as selling as a pair, they are in the Oxford area.
$14,500,000
Marketed by Chris Murdoch
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