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Are you overdue a getaway? You could win a 13-day Sir Edmund Hillary Explorer South Island Rail & Coach tour by participating in Neighbourly’s 8th birthday celebration.
To enter the competition, just tell us what you love about your neighbourhood. It could be your favourite spot, a … View moreAre you overdue a getaway? You could win a 13-day Sir Edmund Hillary Explorer South Island Rail & Coach tour by participating in Neighbourly’s 8th birthday celebration.
To enter the competition, just tell us what you love about your neighbourhood. It could be your favourite spot, a beautiful view, or something that makes you smile. You could be in for a once-in-a-lifetime getaway!
Hey Neighbours!
Australian Open and Stuff newspaper are giving you and a friend the chance to kick off grand slam season in Melbourne next year with an epic prize valued at over $8,000! Simply follow the link below and enter your details to be in to win.
Competition closes on Friday 12 … View moreHey Neighbours!
Australian Open and Stuff newspaper are giving you and a friend the chance to kick off grand slam season in Melbourne next year with an epic prize valued at over $8,000! Simply follow the link below and enter your details to be in to win.
Competition closes on Friday 12 August 2022. Terms and conditions apply.
Enjoy an Antipodes skincare duo (RRP$50) when you purchase a three-month subscription to the Sunday Star-Times for just $52.
Subscribe at mags4gifts.co.nz antipodes Terms and conditions apply.
Spark have recently announced a price increase of $3 - $5 a month for new and existing broadband customers and other providers seem likely to follow suit.
Information collated by our research team has found that tens of thousands of Kiwis are still missing out on hundreds of dollars of savings … View moreSpark have recently announced a price increase of $3 - $5 a month for new and existing broadband customers and other providers seem likely to follow suit.
Information collated by our research team has found that tens of thousands of Kiwis are still missing out on hundreds of dollars of savings each year on their broadband bill, because they are failing to shop around for cheaper broadband plans.
We estimate that over 500,000 households would be able to pay less for their broadband each month but many consumers are unaware of the fact that they could be making these savings and people often don’t know where to start when looking for a change in broadband plan or provider.
This is where NZ Compare can help. Our websites are simple to use and if you need more help, our friendly, Auckland based, customer support centre can advise on the most suitable broadband plan for your needs and help talk you through the switch. With unlimited fibre broadband plans available for less than $60 a month why would you pay more?
Find out more at NZ Compare or call the team on 0508 226672
CORRECTION: This post has been amended to clarify that the price of fibre and copper broadband internet services will increase, and that the increase is between $3 and $5 a month, not only $5 a month on fibre broadband plans as previously posted. (Amended at 10.31am, June 23, 2022)
For delicious grass-raised beef New Zealand is the perfect combo.
An ideal climate, lush pastures and innovative farming produces enough beef for Macca’s in New Zealand and around the world. Our patties are 100% quality beef, and all that’s added is a dash of salt and pepper when cooked.
… View moreFor delicious grass-raised beef New Zealand is the perfect combo.
An ideal climate, lush pastures and innovative farming produces enough beef for Macca’s in New Zealand and around the world. Our patties are 100% quality beef, and all that’s added is a dash of salt and pepper when cooked.
We partner with many Kiwi farmers who produce our beef, including those at the world-class Whangara Farms.
Simply visit your local Resene owned ColorShop, choose your favourite red testpots and for each one you buy Resene will donate $1 to Cure Kids to help fund vital child health research!
Offer applies to all Resene green 60mL testpots (excludes metallic and wood stains) purchased by retail … View moreSimply visit your local Resene owned ColorShop, choose your favourite red testpots and for each one you buy Resene will donate $1 to Cure Kids to help fund vital child health research!
Offer applies to all Resene green 60mL testpots (excludes metallic and wood stains) purchased by retail customers between 13-31 July 2022 at Resene owned ColorShops.
Come in and see the Resene team today!
Daffodil Day falls on Friday August 27th this year. I am coordinating the Cash Converters Site in South Dunedin and need to fill my roster. I am looking for volunteers (12 to be exact) from 9am-3pm - 2 on every hour. I also need one of the volunteers to manage the site for me on the day as I … View moreDaffodil Day falls on Friday August 27th this year. I am coordinating the Cash Converters Site in South Dunedin and need to fill my roster. I am looking for volunteers (12 to be exact) from 9am-3pm - 2 on every hour. I also need one of the volunteers to manage the site for me on the day as I wont be in Dunedin. Please let me know if you can help . Thank you.
Dear neighbours,
NZ Gardener together with Ryman Healthcare is once again looking for greenfingered good sorts – individuals or groups who use their gardening skills to help others. Tell us about the great gardeners doing right by your community, and they could be one of five finalists who will… View moreDear neighbours,
NZ Gardener together with Ryman Healthcare is once again looking for greenfingered good sorts – individuals or groups who use their gardening skills to help others. Tell us about the great gardeners doing right by your community, and they could be one of five finalists who will feature in the October magazine!
There are some amazing prizes up for grabs, so if you know a homegrown hero who is using their gardening skills for the greater good, nominate them now for Ryman Healthcare 2022 Gardener of the Year!
Enjoy the flexibility to do what you want and be more in control of your finances. Our fixed base weekly fee means Ryman residents can relax and make confident financial choices. And as living costs continue to rise, our fixed fee guarantee is more important than ever.
Ryman residents say that … View moreEnjoy the flexibility to do what you want and be more in control of your finances. Our fixed base weekly fee means Ryman residents can relax and make confident financial choices. And as living costs continue to rise, our fixed fee guarantee is more important than ever.
Ryman residents say that this financial security helps them plan ahead for large expenses like holidays while still enjoying themselves today. Because fewer responsibilities mean that you can live on your own terms. It’s one of the ways we’re pioneering retirement living – so you can embrace life and blaze a new trail in retirement.
Are you overdue a getaway? You could win a 13-day Sir Edmund Hillary Explorer South Island Rail & Coach tour by participating in Neighbourly’s 8th birthday celebration.
To enter the competition, just tell us what you love about your neighbourhood. It could be your favourite spot, a … View moreAre you overdue a getaway? You could win a 13-day Sir Edmund Hillary Explorer South Island Rail & Coach tour by participating in Neighbourly’s 8th birthday celebration.
To enter the competition, just tell us what you love about your neighbourhood. It could be your favourite spot, a beautiful view, or something that makes you smile. You could be in for a once-in-a-lifetime getaway!
Popular ice cream brand Häagen-Dazs has recalled a specific batch of their product due to a low level chemical (ethylene oxide) contamination
The ice cream product is the Häagen-Dazs brand Classic Collection Mini Cups (4x95mL) with the Best Before dates from the 04.07.2022 up to and including … View morePopular ice cream brand Häagen-Dazs has recalled a specific batch of their product due to a low level chemical (ethylene oxide) contamination
The ice cream product is the Häagen-Dazs brand Classic Collection Mini Cups (4x95mL) with the Best Before dates from the 04.07.2022 up to and including 21.07.2023.
Ethylene Oxide has been found in the vanilla cup. This chemical is normally used as a fumigant for controlling post-harvest insects, moulds, and pathogens in a variety of food however there is low risk from ingesting this amount.
This product is sold in Pak'n Save, New World, Four Square, and Gilmours stores throughout the North Island and can be returned to these stores for a full refund.
Enjoy an Antipodes skincare duo (RRP$50) when you purchase a three-month subscription to the Sunday Star-Times for just $52. Subscribe now by clicking here!
Terms and conditions apply.
From reporter Hamish McNeilly:
Simon Bishop has represented New Zealand and travelled around the world – all thanks to a video game.
The 32-year-old has been playing the racing simulation game Gran Turismo, developed for PlayStation, since 1999.
"I always liked cars as a kid ... and it is… View moreFrom reporter Hamish McNeilly:
Simon Bishop has represented New Zealand and travelled around the world – all thanks to a video game.
The 32-year-old has been playing the racing simulation game Gran Turismo, developed for PlayStation, since 1999.
"I always liked cars as a kid ... and it is a very fun game to play.’’
That was when it was Gran Turismo 2, with the game now up to Gran Turismo 7, a game he himself makes an appearance in as a non-player character.
In recent years Bishop moved from playing on a controller to a portable racing rig, which includes a steering wheel, adjustable seats, foot pedals and takes pride of place in his bedroom.
It is from this corner site in his Dunedin flat where Bishop practices for about three to four hours a day during the competition season.
It was when the game moved to online racing that he realised he was good at it.
That coincided with the launch of the 2018 Gran Turismo World Championship and it had "basically been a whirlwind since then’’, he said.
He went to Tokyo, Japan, on an all-expenses-paid trip. It was his first time leaving New Zealand.
He qualified in second spot, before finishing third and coming away with the realisation “I could race with these guys”.
"It was a moment of self-belief" he said.
People often pictured e-sports, even at a high level, would involve larger people "covered in Dorito dust’’.
‘’But everybody has to be really fit, because you have to perform your best in tricky conditions,” Bishop said.
Another highlight was racing in person at the famous Nürburgring track in Germany, where he raced as part of a three-person Toyota team alongside the real 24-hour race.
"And we won. Basically that was the launching of this career."
The victory was one of the most famous moments in the world series history, decided ‘’right at the very end’’.
"That was pretty amazing ... it kick-started the entire year."
Soon he was jetting off on another all-expenses-paid trip, this time to New York, staying in the heart of Times Square.
The e-sport competition has taken him to Japan, the United States, Taiwan, Germany, Monaco, Australia, and Austria.
There was no prize money in the sport, but Bishop, who was sponsored by Logitech, said the travel opportunities made it all worthwhile.
He was heading to Austria again at the end of the month to compete in the Gran Turismo World Championship.
The top 12 people at the 30-strong event would qualify for Monaco in November, and "the goal is to make it".
"I have done two world finals, the last one in 2020, representing New Zealand," he said.
"It was always my dream as a kid ... to race cars."
One of his former teammates had moved into racing a real life car, with those drivers increasingly using simulators to train on.
While he would be considered too old for competitive racing, it would be a different story if he was 15 or 16, he said.
The people of Queenstown will celebrate the winter they hope will turn the tourist destination’s fortunes around after a lamentable two years of Covid-19.
The Welcome to Winter 2022 celebration will take place over four days starting on Thursday and include fireworks, live music, night skiing … View moreThe people of Queenstown will celebrate the winter they hope will turn the tourist destination’s fortunes around after a lamentable two years of Covid-19.
The Welcome to Winter 2022 celebration will take place over four days starting on Thursday and include fireworks, live music, night skiing and swimming in Lake Wakatipu for the enthusiastic.
Headline act Mitch James would play on the central Queenstown outdoor stage on Friday, followed by Stellar on Saturday.
Destination Queenstown chief executive Mat Woods said the celebration would be happening on one of the busiest weekends of winter when the Australian and New Zealand school holidays overlap.
Kiwi musician Mitch James will be performing in central Queenstown on Friday night.
Kiwi musician Mitch James will be performing in central Queenstown on Friday night.
While everyone would benefit, the celebrations would be focused on the local community, he said.
Since Covid-19 arrived in New Zealand in 2020 and borders closed, Queenstown’s tourism and hospitality businesses have been hit by a massive drop in customers.
Just in the year to January 2021 there was a 33% drop in visitor spending in the town, down to $610 million.
Even with borders open now, many businesses were running at less capacity due to critical staff shortages and staff being hit by winter illnesses and absences due to Covid-19.
However, the winter season had started with incredible snow, which attracted strong numbers of Australian visitors, Woods said.
Many direct trans-Tasman flights have been booked out and hotels were booked about 80%, the highest levels since 2019, Woods said.
“This is the boost we need. It’s great, but it’s going to be a long recovery.”
Future Hospitality Group co-owner Bert Haines said there were ten-fold more visitors in Queenstown in recent weeks compared to the last two years.
“We’re busy... we’re actually overwhelmed by the amount of people here combined with the lack of staff available to work.”
Like other businesses he was battling staff shortages and sickness across the company’s five central-Queenstown restaurants and bars.
Queenstown's latest boutique hotel is facing an unusual quandary as it prepares to welcome Australian tourists - it can't find any trained butlers.
“It’s been a very delicate line to navigate, trying to look after our team and look after our guests,” he said.
The company would not be able to continue operating all of its venues seven days a week, he said.
Woods said it would take some more time for the number of visitors to Queenstown to build up to 2019 levels and many hotels were restricting bookings due to the staff shortages.
Also, there were more beds in town than pre-Covid, including the 227-room Holiday Inn Express and Suites in central Queenstown and three new hotels with a total of about 340 rooms in the suburb of Frankton.
The Welcome to Winter celebration would also mark the return of large events to the district.
Paid for from the government’s $50 million Regional Events Fund, it marked the end of a horror run with events expected to generate $100 million cancelled in the first four months of the year.
“I’m looking forward to it. I can’t wait,” Woods said.
Despite the challenges of the global pandemic, Dunedin has fared “comparably well” compared with some other New Zealand cities, according to a new report.
Dunedin's goal is to be one of the world's great small cities and it is already trending favourably compared with other New … View moreDespite the challenges of the global pandemic, Dunedin has fared “comparably well” compared with some other New Zealand cities, according to a new report.
Dunedin's goal is to be one of the world's great small cities and it is already trending favourably compared with other New Zealand cities.
A six-month economic development progress report for the Dunedin City Council provides a progress update on the city’s goals for 2013-23, which include creating an extra 10,000 jobs and about $10,000 of extra income for each person.
The report, to be tabled at the council’s economic committee meeting on Thursday, said: “It is heartening to see that we are trending favourably against other New Zealand cities.
“Despite a very challenging period for the global economy, Dunedin is faring comparably well.’’
The report notes that employment stood at 59,016 in 2013, with the city recording 65,017 in 2021, after losing almost 1000 jobs since 2020 – the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Over that same period, the city’s population increased from 123,500 to 133,300.
The average annual household income also leapt from $60,560 in 2013 to $78,862 last year.
Other key indicators showed a 24% rise in new dwelling consents and a 120% increase in non-residential consents in the year ending March 2022 compared with the year before.
Over that same 12-month period, house prices increased 8.1% but there were 14% fewer house sales across the Dunedin market. Meanwhile, car registrations increased 23% and commercial vehicle registrations almost doubled to 46%.
The economic boost comes as the city renews its focus on tractional export opportunities, including the recovery of the international education sector.
The University of Otago had 1468 full fee paying international students in 2019 but that halved to 735 in 2022.
The report highlighted the large number of construction projects under way in the city, including a new hall of residence, the major Dunedin Hospital rebuild, and a new ACC building.
John Gallaher, chairman of Grow Dunedin Partnership – which includes representatives from the Dunedin City Council, Ngāi Tahu, Otago Polytechnic, and the University of Otago – said “our collective mindset shifts from initial recovery to a flourishing future”.
“The activities undertaken by our respective partners are not only laying the foundation for our city to grow and prosper but also contributing to the wellbeing of our residents, now and in the future.”
Dunedin’s economic vision was to be “one of the world’s great small cities”.
“A place renowned as a confident, competitive knowledge centre; a community where enterprise and creativity support a productive and sustainable city,” the report says.
© Neighbourly 2024
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