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Do you have some time to help your community????
The West Auckland Resource Centre, based in New Lynn for over 40yrs, is a facility where community groups can come and collect industrial/domestic offcuts etc for use in educational and craft activities. In the past few months 3 committee members … View moreDo you have some time to help your community????
The West Auckland Resource Centre, based in New Lynn for over 40yrs, is a facility where community groups can come and collect industrial/domestic offcuts etc for use in educational and craft activities. In the past few months 3 committee members have left us through death, shifting and other committments......WE NEED YOU! Please join our friendly group so we can continue helping groups in Auckland and beyond.
Nominations are closing soon for the 2019 Women of Influence Awards!
Nominate the local hero or thought-leader in your community for the 2019 Women of Influence Awards. Whether she’s involved in grassroots community work or a global leader, recognise the passionate women who are creating real … View moreNominations are closing soon for the 2019 Women of Influence Awards!
Nominate the local hero or thought-leader in your community for the 2019 Women of Influence Awards. Whether she’s involved in grassroots community work or a global leader, recognise the passionate women who are creating real change and forging a path for others.
Head to www.womenofinfluence.co.nz... for more information.
Frustrated by the state of a popular winding beach road, a resident has taken it on themselves to d…
Over the month of July, we’ll be talking to a range of residents to find out what they want from future Auckland. They’ll share their aspirations for the city they love and tell us what they want to be left behind in the past.
Petrol taxes and road user charges have increased today, with petrol up 4 cents a litre (GST incl.) and road user charges up 5.5 per cent.
The rises were first announced by Transport Minister, Phil Twyford, in June 2018, with importance put on the need to "fund the infrastructure for our … View morePetrol taxes and road user charges have increased today, with petrol up 4 cents a litre (GST incl.) and road user charges up 5.5 per cent.
The rises were first announced by Transport Minister, Phil Twyford, in June 2018, with importance put on the need to "fund the infrastructure for our cities and regions to thrive, and save lives".
Read more
Hi Neighbours, If you've wondered what it is like to find your home is in the (possibly, possibly not) path of a future highway, read the story below for my experience of getting that letter.
(Please type NFP if your comment is not for print)
Climate change is the most critical issue of the moment, and has been described by our prime minister as her generation's "nuclear-free moment". Its impacts, regardless of your views on it, are only going to get greater.
Yet it is not part of our school curriculum.
Some experts say… View moreClimate change is the most critical issue of the moment, and has been described by our prime minister as her generation's "nuclear-free moment". Its impacts, regardless of your views on it, are only going to get greater.
Yet it is not part of our school curriculum.
Some experts say that has to change. It is such an existential threat that not to make it a requirement to teach children about climate change is doing them a great disservice, they say.
To read more, click here
Keep an eye on your letterbox for an enrolment update pack. Check it to make sure your details are correct, and then you know you’re ready to vote in the local elections.
Want to know more? Visit vote.nz or call us on 0800 36 76 56.
Nominate a local hero for the 2019 Women of Influence Awards!
Whether she’s involved in grassroots community work or a global leader, help recognise the passionate women who are creating real change and forging a path for others.
Nominate a woman of influence before 15 July
Almost $10 million worth of speed camera tickets have been issued to some of the more than 44.5 million motorists who have travelled through our longest road tunnel since it opened to much fanfare and excitement two years ago next week. But latest police figures also showed the number of tickets … View moreAlmost $10 million worth of speed camera tickets have been issued to some of the more than 44.5 million motorists who have travelled through our longest road tunnel since it opened to much fanfare and excitement two years ago next week. But latest police figures also showed the number of tickets being issued from static speed cameras in Auckland's Waterview Tunnel dropped significantly in the last two months for which figures are available, raising hopes motorists are getting the message about safe speeds in the 2.4 kilometre long twin tunnels. NZTA has revealed between the July 2017 opening and April this year 44.56m vehicles had travelled through the tunnel, which is around half a million a week or on average 60,000 to 70,000 a day.Police have "no interest in the dollar value" when it came to infringement notices, it's about keeping people safe, Inspector Scott Webb says. But an early rush of speeding tickets had eased, which wasn't surprising, Tamaki Makaurau road policing manager Inspector Scott Webb said."What we have typically found is that safe speed camera offences are usually high when they are first installed before eventually decreasing over time as people become accustomed to the cameras being in position and moderate their driving behaviour accordingly."The numbers would indicate that this is indeed the case in this situation and it is pleasing to see motorists adjusting their driving behaviour."The figures showed 4568 tickets were issued in March, up slightly from 4344 the month before but dramatically down from January, when 8680 motorists were ticketed, and December, when 11,403 were caught going too fast.Those going too fast were captured by cameras installed in the tunnels, after a switch in August last year from cameras at the northern entrance and exit enforcing the 80km/h speed limit. The number of tickets from the entrance and exit cameras were generally between about 4000 and 6000 a month, with two months over 7000 and one — November last year — at just 277, before totalling 4201 the month before the cameras were switched off.The total number of tickets issued across all cameras since the $1.4 billion tunnel project opened, and until the end of March, was 108,281, with a total value of $9.7m. And despite the sting in the tunnel's tail for some heavy-footed drivers, they had some way to go to match the cost of the tunnel — if the tunnel's $1.4b cost were to be paid off by speed camera tickets it would take around 300 years. Police had "no interest in the dollar value" when it came to infringement notices, but were committed to keeping people safe, Webb said. "As the public know, speed is one of the biggest factors in crashes which result in serious harm or death on our roads. The speed limit is there for a reason - with motorists needing to take extra caution in confined, walled spaces such as tunnels."Our message remains the same, stick to the speed limit, wear your restraints at all times and avoid any distractions, such as cellphones, while driving." The twin tunnels were built to better link Auckland's sprawling isthmus and ease pressure on State Highway 1.There was good reason for the 80km/h speed limit in the tunnels and on the motorway approaches, NZ Transport Agency's Auckland System Manager Andrea Williamson said."The tunnels are an enclosed space and the consequences of a high-speed crash inside one of the tunnels are potentially catastrophic."We encourage everyone to drive safely, stay in their lane and keep to the speed limit."The twin tunnels — at the heart of a first anniversary Herald feature on the people working in the tunnel, and those making a life above it — are a key part of the Western Ring Route, aimed at providing an alternative to Auckland's under pressure State Highway 1 and better linking the city's sprawling isthmus.Figures also showed October last year was the busiest month since opening, with 2,383,931 vehicles using the tunnel.The busiest single day occurred the following month, on November 15, with 91,867, one of only four days totalling more than 90,000 vehicles. More than 44 million vehicles have passed through the Waterview Tunnel since it opened in July 2017. The quietest day was Anzac Day this year, when just 39,538 vehicles went through the tunnel. Only one other day had seen fewer than 40,000 vehicles - December 31 last year (39,780).
Safety features in the tunnel include fire sprinkler systems and 24 hour CCTV and incident response crews.
The crew, who are not limited to the tunnels, have attended 4396 incidents, including 1179 breakdowns, 635 out of fuel and 497 flat tyres since the tunnel opened, according to the agency.There have been 11 vehicle fires, but only one minor incident in the tunnel.They have also attended 193 crashes, but only 10 were in the tunnels and only three required emergency services.NZTA figures also showed it was not just the road tunnels proving popular - with the Waterview project's 3.4km of safe accessible shared path, connecting with the northwestern cycleway on SH16 to the city, used by 73,606 riders last year. In the first five months of 2019 there have been 40,214 trips recorded, a 16.4 per cent increase on the same period last year.
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We’re getting ready for our Countdown Collection Appeal.
We need volunteers to join us and collect essential funds for carer education and support programmes. A diagnosis of dementia is not just a diagnosis of an individual it’s of an entire family.
Dementia Auckland provides FREE … View moreWe’re getting ready for our Countdown Collection Appeal.
We need volunteers to join us and collect essential funds for carer education and support programmes. A diagnosis of dementia is not just a diagnosis of an individual it’s of an entire family.
Dementia Auckland provides FREE services supporting the community and those who are in a support role caring for someone with dementia.
A carer is a hero that bravely walks beside someone with dementia, these funds support those taking care of others.
Time: 10am – 6pm
Shifts: 2 Hours
Auckland Wide (North, East, South, Central, Waiheke, Rodney, West)
Kiwi drivers working for our three biggest ride-share companies have revealed which takes the biggest cut.
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Three reporters used either an Uber, Ola or Zoomy on return trips from the NZME office in central Auckland to Westfield St Lukes … View moreKiwi drivers working for our three biggest ride-share companies have revealed which takes the biggest cut.
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Three reporters used either an Uber, Ola or Zoomy on return trips from the NZME office in central Auckland to Westfield St Lukes this week to test things like price, pick-up speed and cleanliness.
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All six drivers worked for Uber and four for more than one company. They agreed that the rideshare giant took the largest cut, and said they got the bulk of their clients through the company.
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The drivers told our reporters Uber took a 25 per cent cut of their fares, Ola took 18 per cent cut and Zoomy 15 per cent. The companies confirmed the fees were correct.
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One Ola driver who was registered with all three companies said he could not have survived on Zoomy alone because 60 per cent of his jobs came through Uber with 30-35 per cent on Ola and about 5 per cent on Zoomy.
"I'm making a living, it's not a fantastic living, but it's just making living. But the driver should get more," he said.
"Because most of the companies take the money out of New Zealand. The driver, we spend money over here. The more we get, the more we spend." Both Zoomy drivers had other jobs but supplemented their income by driving.
One said the pay was too low by the time he paid for a passenger transport license, car maintenance and registration costs and a warrant of fitness every six months instead of annually. An Uber driver agreed he was not making good money but said the trick was to know when to work and where to go. "In the morning it is busy always. Tuesday night also, some people going out. Friday is always crazy. Sometimes it's also how lucky you are," he said. Zoomy, which was the cheapest during our trip at $28.83, is a New Zealand company which was founded in 2013 and operates only in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. Chief executive James Fisk said their fares were slightly cheaper per kilometre which helped keep the prices down for customers and they made sure their 4000 drivers received a bigger cut. "We're really happy with our growth. We feel we offer a fair service," Fisk said. Ola, which was founded in India, operates in more than 125 cities and launched in New Zealand last year, already had 7000 drivers and had made more than 500,000 trips. While they worked out the most pricey of the three - at $32.98 for the 13.4km trip - an Ola spokeswoman said discounts were regularly available to new and repeat customers. At the moment they were offering new users 50 per cent off rides for the first two weeks, she said. A spokeswoman for Uber - which cost $30.71 for the trip - said the company welcomed competition because it kept the company focused on providing the best product and experience. She said there were now more than 6500 drivers in New Zealand and 485,000 Kiwis who regularly used the service. Uber operated in 600 cities in 65 countries with about 15 million trips taken each day. During our trip, each of the drivers took the same route and the journey took about the same amount of time. The wait time before being picked up varied from less than a minute to 11 minutes after the driver found himself on the wrong side of the St Lukes carpark. All of the cars travelled in were clean and tidy while the drivers were friendly and happy to chat but not overly talkative.
The trip
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Simon Collins takes a Zoomy
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Return price: $28.83
"I had never used a rideshare app before and made the mistake of thinking I could book a car to come at a specified time. "There was no way I could see to do that on the Zoomy app, so I had to cancel my first attempt and try again at the time when I actually needed the car. "Zoomy was the last of the three cars to get to us, five minutes after I ordered it, presumably coming from further away than the other two, bigger companies. "But the rides to St Lukes and back were quick and cheaper than I expected, the cars were modern and clean, and the drivers knew where to go without having to consult a map. "Ethically, I worry that the rideshare drivers are underpaid and are undercutting traditional taxis which have more regulated protections for customers, such as in-cab cameras. But if you ignore that, Zoomy was a pleasure to use."
Tom Dillane rides Ola
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Return price: $32.98
"My first time using Ola was a smooth, effortless experience, and I'd definitely consider using it again despite being used to Uber. Downloading, registering, and booking on the new app were straightforward. Both drivers picked me up quickly and were very considerate. They didn't instigate conversation but were happy to chat when prompted. Radio wasn't too loud, car was clean, and they drove quickly but calmly. "The only small issue was the app itself was not quite as customer friendly as Uber. It seemed easier to unintentionally change your pick up location. Also, once my trip was under way, I accidentally exited the real time route tracker and it was not obvious to get back to the map of my current trip. Uber's app seems to stick with your current trip as a default home screen. A positive, though, was an email summary of the cost and map route of my trip upon arrival."
Cherie Howie catches an Uber
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Return price: $30.71
"Since I hate the mall with a passion, the journey there and back was easily the best part of this outing.
"But even if I couldn't wait to get under the fluoro lights of our modern shopping meccas, it was a fairly smooth experience. "My outbound Uber arrived in less than a minute, and the driver — just like his colleague on the return journey — was friendly, professional and kept a tidy set of wheels. "Both journeys were helped by the fact we avoided school or commuter traffic. If only travelling across Auckland's jam-packed suburbs was always this pleasant. "The only slip came with the wait for my return ride — three minutes blew out to 11 after the driver went to the wrong side of the mall. "I could've been annoyed, but I wasn't. After all, I was only going back to work. And who among us hasn't got tangled up in a mall car park at least once?"
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Q&A on Auckland's quality jobs for all, economic development and business growth
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We've got a super special offer for Neighbourly members with 50% off a movie of your choice at Stuff Pix. Simply sign-up for free at stuffpix.co.nz, choose your movie from over 1,000+ titles and enter the rewards code: LOCALHALFPRICE
With hits like Aquaman, Glass, Mortal Engines and … View moreWe've got a super special offer for Neighbourly members with 50% off a movie of your choice at Stuff Pix. Simply sign-up for free at stuffpix.co.nz, choose your movie from over 1,000+ titles and enter the rewards code: LOCALHALFPRICE
With hits like Aquaman, Glass, Mortal Engines and A Star is Born ready to stream what are you waiting for?
One redemption per user. Code expires 30 July 2019. Stuff Pix T&Cs apply.
Elvis remembered 42 years on, so we celebrate with Che Orton and his Band. Get ready to Rock & Roll and join with The Memories of Elvis Fan Club family and friends. Che and his Band are back by popular request. Bring your dancing shoes, your family and friends to remember Elvis at The Henderson… View moreElvis remembered 42 years on, so we celebrate with Che Orton and his Band. Get ready to Rock & Roll and join with The Memories of Elvis Fan Club family and friends. Che and his Band are back by popular request. Bring your dancing shoes, your family and friends to remember Elvis at The Henderson RSA Railside Ave, Henderson on Saturday 17th August 2019 at 7.30pm
Henderson RSA restaurant and bar will be open. This is a fundraiser for Elvis in the Park next January. Bring some coins for our Elvis raffle. Call Jackie 0274901126 or 8174892 to reserve tickets or buy from Henderson RSA Cost only $15 pp
Image may contain: Che King Orton
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