Monthly Archives: March 2022

It's been two years today since New Zealanders first experienced Covid-19 Alert Level 4.

The country was thrown into lockdown after two community cases couldn't be linked to the border.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced the move on March 23, 2020, moving the nation into Alert Level 3 immediately, but giving Kiwis a few days before Level 4 kicked in.

"To be clear, we're asking all New Zealanders who are outside essential services to stay home," she said.

At that point, there were just over 100 Covid cases.

It was six and a half weeks later that Ardern moved the country back to the more relaxed setting of Level 2.

A period of Covid-free life followed, leaving some to believe there would be no need for further lockdowns.

But in August 2020, Auckland was put back in Level 3 for two and a half weeks.

Auckland again got the brunt of it in February 2021, with two lockdowns in the same month.

Then, when Delta leaked into the community in August last year, Level 4 returned for the whole country.

University of Otago epidemiologist professor Michael Baker says New Zealand's elimination approach was the right one and gave us "unparalleled levels of freedom".

"The fact we got through those first two years with very little health impact in New Zealand, very few deaths, is because we initially eliminated the virus and then we suppressed it very effectively."

He described the announcement of the first lockdown as a "profound event".

"There are some events in New Zealand history where you will always remember where you were when you heard what was going to happen.

"I think for me, that was very much, for me, my memory of the day when the Prime Minister announced we were going to go into a lockdown," he said.

"Then there was that, I think, quite unreal feeling of preparing for something that none of us knew what to expect."

1News asked Kiwis for their reflections, looking back at the first Level 4 lockdown and what followed.

Several said they were grateful for the lockdowns.

"I stand by the decision of the Government," one said. "It was very necessary to go into lockdown for the safety of our people, and it worked."

"It's been really surreal... And while it's been hard, I can see we've had some real privileges living in New Zealand," another added.

Others said there were too many lockdowns.

"It's good to know it's behind us now," one Aucklander said.

Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield on Thursday thanked New Zealanders for playing their part over the two years since the first lockdown.

He also acknowledged the sacrifices many have made.

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Two years on from New Zealand's first ever Alert Level 4 - 1News

New Zealand's next Great Ride could be a 66km pedal alongside the Waikato River.

The Te Awa River Ride charitable trust will put forward its application to Ng Haerenga, the New Zealand Cycle Trails, to join the countrys 22 Great Rides once its final section, between Hamilton Gardens and the Tamahere Interchange, is complete in June.

Two-wheeled tourism is an absolute winner according to those experiencing a boom in Otago, and backers of the Waikato bid say it could also boost businesses and communities.

We believe weve got what it takes, Te Awa River Ride chairman Simon Perry told Stuff.

READ MORE:* Trust eyes Great Walk title as Waikato cycleway nears completion* Adventure park, housing development's future depends on Te Awa Lakes zoning decision* The Hamilton section of Te Awa cycle way underway

MARK TAYLOR/Stuff

Te Awa River Ride chairman Simon Perry said the walking and cycling track is right up there with the cycle trails in New Zealand.

Its right up there with the best half a dozen cycle trails in New Zealand, so were very confident well get the status of one of New Zealands Great Rides and appeal to tourists both international and domestic.

The ride stretches along the Waikato River, from Ngruawhia in the north to Karpiro in the south, and there are more than 300,000 walkers and cyclists on the trail each year.

Perry said its accessible to all ages and abilities and links regional assets and attractions, including cafs and restaurants, the Hamilton Gardens, Hakarimata walkway, Velodrome and Karpiros lake, hydropower station and domain.

Construction on the 66km river ride started in 2009, with the latest sixth section between Hooker Rd and the Velodrome in Cambridge opening in early March its had nearly 8000 users in two weeks.

Dylan Rushbrook, general manager of Tourism Central Otago, has seen the benefits of a trail ride firsthand.

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Dylan Rushbrook, general manager of Tourism Central Otago, has seen the benefits of a trail ride firsthand.

The 55-kilometre Lake Dunstan Trail, which opened in May 2021, attracted as many people in a month as was expected in an entire year.

The original business case predicted around 7000 people would use the trail in the first year. However, more than 62,500 people have used the track since it opened in May just 10 months ago.

Its been phenomenal how this trail has complemented the region and how it has helped the wider community thrive. Its not just tourism thats benefiting, but our retail sector, and the communities, too, Rushbrook said.

Lee Slater

The Lake Dunstan Trail is a super-scenic, fairly challenging full-day ride.

He said the launch of the Otago Central Rail Trail 21 years ago was the catalyst for the tourism economy.

Its been a gentle slow burn for tourism, its organically grown and as a result, weve seen more businesses pop up along the way to support this demand.

During Covid-19 and the locked borders, Kiwis fell back in love with biking again.

Rushbrook wished the trustees of Te Awa River Ride the best, saying both the community and tourism industry will benefit.

Cycle tourism is an absolute winner.

The Lake Dunstan Trail isnt considered one of New Zealands Great Rides, but an application has been submitted, Rushbrook said.

MARK TAYLOR/Stuff

The sixth section between Hooker Rd and the Velodrome in Cambridge opened in early March with nearly 8000 users since.

To be considered as one of New Zealands Great Rides it has to be a premium cycling experience, the best of the best, New Zealand Cycle Trails general manager Janet Purdey said.

It needs to be a multi-day experience, off-road with amazing scenery, have a high economic impact and an all-round great experience with accommodation and food, she said.

It has to be unique in its positioning and a bucket list experience.

Each year, nearly 2 million people use the 22 Great Rides which not only showcase the countrys landscapes but are also promote environmentally sustainable ways to reach major sites and activities.

Vanessa Williams of Hamilton Central Business Association said it would be such a win if Te Awa had that recognition, for both domestic and international tourism.

It showcases phenomenal assets in Waikato and people and the business community can get behind it.

Supplied/Stuff

Vanessa Williams, general manager of the Hamilton Central Business Association, said the benefits to businesses would be phenomenal.

Williams, who spends a lot of time on the Karangahake Gorge track biking with her family, or walking the tunnels, says towns and businesses benefit from something like this.

People build in a shopping trip, or stay overnight or head out to the local caf. It doesnt need to be done in isolation.

Something like the Te Awa River Ride isnt something you do once, she said, it could even be an annual thing.

Anything that showcases our region, Im all for it.

MARK TAYLOR/Stuff

The river ride stretches along the Waikato River, from Ngruawhia in the north to Karpiro in the south, and has more than 300,000 users on the trail each year.

The man behind a Waikato Great Ride said there are fundamentals that people look for.

Glyn Wooller, general manager of the Waikato River Trail, said food and beverages are key, for both walkers and cyclists, as they quickly become part of the experience.

On the Waikato River Trail, people park at the little Waip reserve, bike to Arapunis Rhubarb Caf, or people have a multi-day experience and the need for accommodation comes in.

This means people spend money, and the whole point of the cycle trail project was to create opportunities for communities that might not otherwise see that.

Luke Kirkeby/Stuff

Waikato River Trail general manager Glyn Wooller has seen the benefits of the Great Ride title first hand.

The 103km Waikato River Trail is in the heart of the South Waikato and extends from tiamuri Village to the southern end of Lake Karpiro.

Both Wooller and Perry voiced their aspiration to connect the Waikato River Trail and Te Awa River Ride.

The quality of the Te Awa ride is outstanding and if we can connect these guys together you could ride from Ngruawhia to tiamuri, Wooller said.

MARK TAYLOR/Stuff

Its accessible to users of all ages and abilities and links regional assets and attractions.

Punters have been rolling into cafs since the Ngruawhia section opened, Waikato district mayor Allan Sanson said.

It's really opened up opportunities for businesses from right across the route, he said.

Good on them. It's a fantastic walk and it deserves national recognition.

Sanson, who started using the track when the country went in lockdown in 2020, says its worth its weight in gold.

Tom Lee/Stuff

Waikato district mayor Allan Sanson, Hamilton mayor Paula Southgate and Waipa mayor Jim Mylchreest support the trusts move to be considered a Great Ride.

Waip district mayor Jim Mylchreest couldnt see why Te Awa wouldn't qualify as a New Zealand Great Ride.

It spans a fair distance, with historic points along the way, follows the river and can be used as a commute into Hamilton.

Mylchreest said, since the first section opened further south in Leamington in 2009, theres been overwhelming support from businesses and the community.

Being recognised as a Great Ride would add marking and advertising nationally and internationally. But whether its a Great Ride or not its still a great recreation facility for the whole region.

MARK TAYLOR/Stuff

Nearly 2 million people use the 22 Great Rides each year.

The more we can establish business opportunities and take advantage of additional visitors in the region, whether thats in accommodation or rental bike hire, the better.

Its needed more than ever.

Meanwhile, Hamilton City mayor Paula Southgate said you dont need to be an Olympic cyclist or the fittest person to get through and enjoy it, its suitable and accessible for everyone.

I think we deserve the recognition. We have quality in Waikato and I can imagine - once complete the many people who will jump on their bikes or walk it, itll be fantastic.

MARK TAYLOR/Stuff

The Te Awa River Ride charitable trust will put in its application to be considered one of New Zealand Great Rides when the final section of the trail is complete.

Te Awa River Ride chairman Simon Perry added the trust is certainly not shy of trying out for a Great Walk too, saying its set up for both.

See more here:

Is this New Zealand's next Great Ride? - Stuff

Travel

26 Mar, 2022 03:05 AM3 minutes to read

An ad campaign claims Wales as the "New Zealand of the North". Photo / Facebook

A Welsh distillery has found an unusual - and arguably risky - way to promote its whisky in New Zealand by advertising Wales as the "New Zealand of the North".

Kiwis on social media spotted the ad campaign which promotes Wales as being "just like New Zealand, only we're 100% open", in what can be read as a stab at Aotearoa's pandemic border restrictions.

The ad that has been popping up for Kiwi Facebook users is not, in fact, Wales' latest tourism promo, but is actually part of a campaign by Penderyn Distillery, which sells its Welsh single malt whiskies in New Zealand.

A series of posts on the "New Zealand of the North" Facebook page take aim at New Zealand as a tourism destination, as well as our rugby team and even New Zealand lamb.

"Just like New Zealand. Only we're 100 per cent open," one of the advertisements for Penderyn Distillery declared.

From majestic mountains to tranquil lakes, to deserted beaches, Wales is up there with the most beautiful places on the...

Luckily for Penderyn, Kiwis have seen the funny side of the tongue-in-cheek ad campaign and responded with quintessential Kiwi friendliness and good humour.

Flight of the Conchords star Jemaine Clement was among those who shared his thoughts on the playfully provocative campaign.

"Okay, but if you are in the UK ... maybe you should just go to Wales?" Clement posted.

In 2019, Wales took Dunedin's Baldwin St's Guinness World Record for world's steepest street but Dunedin got to claim the title back a few months later when Guinness reinstated Baldwin St as the steepest street on Earth.

One Kiwi commented on the ad: "First they tried to claim the world's steepest street from @Lovedunedin now they claim to be the entire country, well played, it does look quite nice there."

Read more:

Welsh whisky brand promoting Wales as 'New Zealand of the North' - New Zealand Herald

Trans women whakawhine (Mori trans women) specifically were the backbone of the communities from which the gay liberation movement grew, writes Will Hansen.

This article is the second in a series marking 50 years of gay liberation in Aotearoa. You can read the first here.

Trans activist and deeply committed Aotearoa gay liberationist Sandy Gauntlett wrote in the late 1970s of her frustration that cisgender gays conveniently overlooked the role of trans people in gay liberation. While the Gay Liberation Front itself may not have been founded by trans people, trans women were the initial impetus behind the gay movement: for it was trans women whakawhine (Mori trans women) specifically who were the backbone of the communities from which the movement grew. Whakawhine were community matriarchs who ran and staffed the coffee lounges, bars and night-time venues where the seeds of gay liberation germinated. In Gauntletts view, trans women were the very first freedom fighters in the gay movement.

Ideologically, the various chapters of the Gay Liberation Front were, at least initially, trans inclusive. When gay liberation first splashed into Aotearoa in 1972, gay liberationists demanded the right of everyone to sexual self-determination. In an early issue of the Auckland Gay Liberation Fronts newspaper, Gay Lib News, activists deplored the suffocating tightness of the nuclear family, which had resulted in anyone who doesnt act according to the male or female roles defined by society as being deemed unnatural, and subjected to discrimination and suffering. Meanwhile, Victoria University of Wellingtons Gay Liberation Front branch declared in its manifesto that those within the movement who face additional oppression, including women, Maoris [sic], Pacific Islanders, transvestites and trans-sexuals and blatant gays, should be given every encouragement to form special caucuses or sub-groups to present their cause to the movement.

Despite a desire to make these special caucuses a reality, it appears they never did develop, and its not entirely clear why. In an interview conducted in 1973, when she was 24 years old, Gauntlett was described as working in Wellington to help form an organisation for transvestites and transsexuals as part of Gay Pride Week. She advocated for state-funded gender-affirming medical care; for unisex bathrooms and the rights of trans people to use the bathrooms of their choice; for an end to legal discrimination, and an end to trans women being sent to mens jail cells (all issues trans communities are still struggling with today!).

At the 1974 annual Gay Liberation conference, Gauntlett led a group of trans people, plus one intersex activist, in a panel on trans and intersex struggles. In a report on the conference for Victoria University student magazine Salient, the author describes Gauntletts group as being suspicious because they had no idea whether the gays wanted them. The diverse group had decided on using the word drag as the most acceptable all-inclusive term, and on their behalf Gauntlett pledged the support of drags in the movement. Despite her initial nerves she eventually won over conference goers, achieving a vote of confidence.

Though they werent given nearly as much acknowledgement as trans people, intersex people were also a vibrant part of these movements, and often collaborated with trans activists. At this conference, an intersex person named Michelle joined Gauntletts drag panel, giving a speech about intersex oppression. Following Michelles talk, one participant said We should look into this, if its reasonably common. The author describes how a trans activist exploded in response: Reasonably common! If theres only one in a million we should help them! The report noted that the response of the participants showed that they thought so too.

The Gay Liberation Front also actively worked alongside trans organisations. Hedesthia, a trans advocacy group founded in Lower Hutt in 1972, was an early supporter of gay liberation, and in turn members were frequently asked to speak at conferences, invited to gay liberation dances, and gave educational panels alongside gay activists at hospitals and schools. Hedesthia was given Associate Member status by the National Gay Rights Coalition, an umbrella organisation created in 1977 which sought to sew unity among the diverse gay activist community. Suzan Xtabay, Hedesthias national co-ordinator, declared that trans people had:

a responsibility to all gay people to support them, because any advantages that are finally won, wrested from the establishment WILL benefit all of usits our cause, YOUR cause, and dont any of you forget it. Hedesthia HAS a place in the Gay movement, and so have ALL of its members.

Reactions to trans people from cis activists varied, ranging from the acceptance demonstrated above, through to confusion, outright exclusion and violence. Though many gay liberationists were supportive, others struggled to extend their liberatory politics to gender diversity. One anonymous Hedesthia member, who marched in the Auckland Gay Liberation Fronts first protest down Queen Street, remembered being heckled by butch lesbian separatists during a workshop Hedesthia gave on trans issues at a Gay Liberation Conference. She felt that instead of embracing trans people, the gay community were shunting them out. But the white, middle-class members of Hedesthia continued to be invited to conferences; it was the trans sex workers, mostly Mori and Pasefika, who really faced the brunt of discrimination within the gay liberation movement, and society more generally.

And yet, it was the Mori and Pasifika trans sex workers who were the backbone of the communities which birthed Gay Liberation. Nghuia Te Awekotuku, the very spark of Gay Liberation in Aotearoa, specifically named three whakawhine Mori trans women as the leaders in an inherited Polynesian tradition of queerness: from the Mahu of Hawaii, Tahiti, the Cook Islands, the Marquesas, of the Faafafine of Samoa, of the Fakaleiti of Tonga, of the Carmens, and Shirelles and Natashas of Aotearoa.

The Carmen who Te Awekotuku referred to is, of course, trans trailblazer, sex worker, community advocate, performer, and business woman Carmen Rupe. Rupe, who in 1966 challenged the courts and won the right to wear womens clothing eight years before Aucklands Gay Liberation Front, and three years before the famous New York Stonewall riots. Rupe, who in 1976 was dragged in front of the Parliamentary Privileges Committee by Muldoon for daring to speak of the existence of queer Parliamentarians. Rupe, who in 1977 ran for the Wellington mayoralty, the first out trans person in Aotearoa and potentially the world to do so.

Rupe, who most significantly of all, helped build trans and queer community. Through her venues like Carmens International Coffee Lounge and The Balcony, she created spaces where queer people could socialise, as well as be employed. New Zealand Prostitutes Collective community liaison Chanel Hati has described how incredible it was for her young trans self to see someone like Carmen being so unapologetic: this trans woman got out there, with her big titties out, not shyshe broke down the barriers of conservative ideals about what being trans, or being gay, or being anything other than the norm iswe stand on her shoulders.

More recently, academics such as Dr Elizabeth Kerekere and Dr Clive Aspin have corroborated this point. In her work on takatpui activism, Kerekere describes whakawhine as at the forefront, naming Georgina Beyer and Mama Tere Tahere-Strickland as 1990s examples. Aspin argues that Mori, and transsexuals especially, have played a major role in the gay community development that preceded AIDS and which has been fundamental to our fight to stop the epidemic. Like Gauntlett, he also highlights the several venues run and frequented by trans people like Rupe: it is worth remembering that these were people who courageously carved out a niche for themselves in the face of considerable societal prejudice and often brutal police harassment.

Beyond celebrity Carmen, many more whakawhine and trans sex workers dared to carve out spaces for themselves. Chrissy Witokos venues, most notably the Evergreen in Wellington, were renowned as safe spaces for queer people, and the Evergreen was even used as an organising space for gay and lesbian activists as well as a sex worker drop-in centre. Chanel Hati described the way trans sex workers practiced mutual aid, housing each other and pooling resources in an era of harsh housing and employment discrimination. Trans households were a central feature of community building. Hati remembered it was just the normal thing to do, to take others under ones wing, and how, though certainly not utopian infighting occurred, as it does among any group of flatmates households became a family away from family.

Trans sex worker and community matriarch Dana de Milo has also identified how trans people played a unique role in gay liberation as the face of gayness. Speaking to Caren Wilton for her book My body, my business: New Zealand sex workers in an era of change, de Milo explained that trans women, especially trans sex workers, were the most visible members of queer communities, and therefore copped the brunt of anti-queer oppression and violence. The white gay guys, meanwhile, could hide behind their mens kkahu (clothes) and did not have to admit if they were gay; for trans sex workers, there was little choice. For their place on the frontlines, trans sex workers were rewarded with scorn; deemed the bottom of the gay heap, even though we were the face of it as many cisgender lesbians and gays strove to distance themselves from this community that was so demonised.

It is worth remembering that before any New Zealanders were gay or trans, we were kamp, an identity that was more dynamic and amorphous. Kamp communities in Aotearoa were so developed that, as early as the 1930s, they even had their own language. Professor Welby Ings identified kamp language as a hodge-podge of prison slang, pig Latin, Polari, gay slang, [te reo] Mori and localised dialect, popularised by the kamp sex workers and seafarers. Though within this language there were certainly more specific ways of referring to different kinds of kamp people there were butches, fairies, arthurs and marthas, queens of all different sorts the distinctions between cis and trans kamp people were blurred. Before she knew she was trans Carmen herself identified as kamp, writing in her memoir of these three aunties who her particular kamp circle revolved around. Hinemoa and Freda both had Mori ancestry; Auntie Mamie was from Rarotonga, and all three went to great trouble and effort preparing for their parties, the centre of this kamp community. These kamp communities, in turn, formed the foundation out of which gay liberation sprung.

The history of trans involvement in gay liberation is not a straightforward one of either unity or exclusion. But the important detail is that trans communities were there, were actively a part of gay liberation, and their stories need to be preserved. Remembering their contributions does not to obscure the work of cis activists. Rather it reveals how deeply us queer people, us kamp folk, are tied together. Our movement is strengthened by our solidarity.

More:

A trans history of gay liberation in New Zealand - The Spinoff

Each week Stuff asks New Zealands business and community leaders how they think the economy is going, and what they believe are the biggest challenges.

Immigration expert Andrew Sayers is a founding partner of investment platform iNZvest, owner of Sayers Advisory Services, and president of the Hong Kong New Zealand Business Association.

He says New Zealand is at a crossroads and needs a reset, and suggests the country could take a leaf out of Singapores book and develop a long term strategic pathway.

The cost of the focus on the pandemic is the lack of focus and actual traction on future-looking initiatives, and this will cost us in the longer run.

READ MORE:* Monitor economy Q&A: Dion Tuuta, chair of Parininihi ki Waitotara Incorporation* The Monitor economy Q&A: Sue Moroney, CEO of Community Law Centres * The Monitor economy Q&A: The Salvation Army director of social policy Ian Hutson

Overall, I feel there is a lack of cohesion and strategy to governance of the economy. We need a reset and a long term strategic pathway.

The numbers suggest that New Zealands economy has managed with the huge challenges presented by the pandemic (in part due to expansion of government debt).

SUPPLIED

Andrew Sayers is president of the Hong Kong New Zealand business association.

However, the economy is at a crossroads, challenged by the continuing impact of Covid-19, high inflation, rising interest rates, a softening housing market, and the potential for significant migration inflows and outflows.

Now, more than ever, we need a roadmap to the future as a collective social and business community. While the gross domestic product numbers and forecasts sound favourable, there are many challenges to overcome in three to five years.

Covid-19 has presented unprecedented challenges to governments globally. However, the cost of the focus on the pandemic here has been the lack of focus and actual traction on forward-looking initiatives, and this will cost us in the longer run.

Again - the lack of any central cohesive plan.

New Zealand has many entrenched issues. These include:

I am baffled that the Government thinks that higher taxation is the pathway to reduced government debt or economic growth. No government in history has taxed its way to prosperity.

Tax policy/cost is a key decision-making tool for business/entrepreneurs. Domestic and foreign businesses have choices where they base operations.

We need to redevelop an attractive investment landscape in New Zealand to retain and attract local and foreign entrepreneurs.

The later part of my career has been working with high net worth non-residents that invest in New Zealand, looking to establish business in New Zealand, or invest new capital in existing business. This in turn creates new intellectual property, upskills already talented Kiwis and ultimately contributes to the tax revenue.

We as an economy need this smart capital. But policies such as the ban on acquisition of residential real estate (a policy based purely off a political agenda, not based on actual housing sales data), a new high headline tax rate (that in actual fact raises very little tax), and mooted changes to raise the investment amount required for investor visa migrants are all examples of policies that discourage foreign investment.

We as a nation have no reason to be elitist about our place in the world. High net worth members of the international business community have choices where they live and invest, and New Zealand struggles to compete globally on current policy settings.

That the fundamentals of what built the New Zealand economy over decades to a large extent carried the New Zealand economy through this pandemic the agricultural sector, and the resilience of many of New Zealands SME businesses and their owners.

We were fortunate with the timing of solid dairy prices during a time when tourism was decimated.

I am by nature an eternal optimist. I am optimistic from the point of view that businesses that have survived (and many have thrived) in the current environment are adaptable and sustainable. Other businesses will once again thrive once borders are open, and we return to a degree of normality (although this will take months and years to return to pre-2020 levels due to the huge task airlines face repurposing aircraft, crews and re-routing flights to our shores again).

But I am discouraged by the lack of fresh ideas coming out of any political party that economic, education and social models and policies (and those of councils) have remained fundamentally unchanged over decades, but the world and society have moved on.

Politics now more than ever focuses on survival and not sustainable long term policy. Perhaps wholesale change to our electoral settings is the first step to a strategic economic reset.

The Monitor is Stuffs unique set of insights to help the business community better understand the economic landscape, and maximise their success. Alongside the quarterly snapshot is an economic index showing the speed of growth across different parts of the economy.

See the article here:

The Monitor economy Q&A: Immigration expert Andrew Sayers - Stuff

OneRoof: The most expensive places to live in New Zealand revealed. Video / OneRoof

Auckland's Cremorne St may as well be paved in gold.

The coastal road in Herne Bay has been revealed as New Zealand's most expensive street with its mega-mansions worth an average $13 million each.

That's according to the latest Auckland Council capital value valuations released this month.

It means that while Cremorne St is tiny - just 150m or a two-minute stroll long its 13 luxury homes have a combined council valuation of $182m, analysts Valocity found.

The Rise in St Heliers in Auckland's inner-east, meanwhile, is the nation's second most expensive street, when ranked by the average CV of each of its houses.

Its mega-mansions many of which boast gorgeous clifftop views towards Rangitoto are worth an average $9.2m.

The combined CV of all homes on the street is $119m.

Incredibly, the nation's most expensive home is worth almost half the value of all those homes on The Rise combined.

The rkei home of China-born meat exporter Deyi Shi, known to his friends as Stone, has a new Auckland Council CV of $58m.

That is $20m more than the $38.5m Shi paid to buy the mansion in 2013.

7 Mar, 2022 11:46 PMQuick Read

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James Wilson, from valuation and property analysts Valocity, said Auckland's most expensive streets had earned their exclusive reputations over decades.

"So I'm not entirely surprised to see which streets are rating the highest," he said.

What was more surprising in the recent Auckland Council valuations was the significant jump in value of some streets outside of the city's traditionally exclusive enclaves, he said.

That was due to recently land rezoning.

It meant some streets with homes on large blocks of land in locations previously not as exclusive were now among the city's more expensive addresses because of their potential to be redeveloped, Wilson said.

CVs involve Auckland Council estimating the value of every residential and commercial property in the region every three years.

They give Kiwis a chance to get rough estimates of the value of property around Auckland and the rest of the nation when combined with data from other councils.

Cremorne St's status as the nation's most expensive street by average CV is partly due to the stunning mega-mansion owned by Simon and Paula Herbert.

In 2018, the couple were involved in what was described as a residential property record for New Zealand in which they bought and sold homes worth nearly $60m.

That involved investor and specialist marina developer Herbert and his wife selling one of Auckland's most stately mansions on Remuera Rd for $25m and then buying their Cremorne house for close to $30m.

Their three-storey modernist Cremorne house sits on the waterfront and boasts a rare residential helipad and was recently valued at $30m by Auckland Council.

The Herberts' home, along with other mega-mansions valued between $14m and $18m along Cremorne St, helped drag up its average house price.

But not every home is quite so expensive.

The Cremorne St house with the cheapest CV is valued at just $5m a steal for any millionaire hoping to buy on the street.

After Cremorne and The Rise in St Heliers, Garden Rd in Remuera is the nation's third most expensive street by average CV.

Luxury homes on Garden Rd have an average CV of $8.6m, while the combined value of all homes on the street is $112m.

In terms of the New Zealand street with the highest combined value of homes, data by property experts OneRoof and Valocity last year found the title went to Remuera Rd in Remuera.

Just on that road alone is $2 billion worth of luxury homes, the data found.

While Stone Shi's rkei home on Huriaro Pl is the nation's most expensive at $58m, it is classified by Auckland Council as being a home and a place of income.

The most expensive home classified as purely a place of residence is the Riddell Rd mega-mansion in Glendowie owned by New Zealand's richest man and billionaire Graeme Hart and his wife, Robyn.

Their home now has a $41m CV.

However, as recently reported by the Herald, the couple have gradually bought up surrounding properties to make an extended family compound with several driveway entrances.

Collectively the properties are now valued at more than $102m.

Queenstown's Pinnacle Pl is the most expensive street outside of Auckland.

Its luxury homes have an average CV of $7.2m and feature a number of ultra-modern properties boasting stunning views over Queenstown's mountains and Lake Wakatipu.

The combined value of homes along the street is $36m.

Butavas St in Wellington's Khandallah was the next most expensive, with homes having an average $4.9m CV and a combined value of $44m.

A stunning lodge in Helena Bay near Whangrei valued at $38.5m and a Queenstown escape on Buchanan rise in Glendhu Bay valued at $21.8m are the two most expensive homes outside Auckland.

Both homes are listed as lifestyle properties by the respective councils, however.

That means the most expensive home outside Auckland that is listed as purely a residential dwelling is a $16m mansion on Tauranga's Marine Pde, according to Valocity.

Excerpt from:

Streets of Gold: New Zealand's most expensive streets - New Zealand Herald

Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images

Dillon Boucher became the new chief executive of Basketball New Zealand last year.

Dillon Boucher has been a standout figure in New Zealand basketball for almost three decades.

The Taranaki-born 46-year-old was a founder player with the New Zealand Breakers in the Australian NBL, played for Perth and Brisbane before returning to the Auckland-based franchise to be part of their three-peat title-winning teams.

No one has played more NZ NBL games than the small forward, who made his living via his defensive skills and court smarts and was part of the Tall Blacks team which finished fourth at the 2002 world champs.

Te Kea

More than 20 basketball hoops have been donated to schools in South Auckland in a move to increase participation in the sport.Basketball New Zealand officially opened the first of these hoops, at Hmai School in Manurewa, in May 2018.

He spent three years as the Breakers general manager and became Basketball New Zealands chief executive last September.

Lets bounce some Back Chat at him.

Whats tougher being a player or an administrator?:

When youre on the court you can be fully controlling of your own abilities. Now its about being able to get everyone together and on the same page is the challenge. Off-the-court is more of a challenge, but I really love it it gives me an opportunity to grow the sport in NZ, to help the sport really flourish.

There were big expectations of the NZ Breakers when they first began, but the franchise struggled for years:

It was a real punch in the face.

We had a good team, all the things on paper looked like we could be successful in that league. But probably only half the team had been professional before we got a real fast lesson of how professional basketball in Australia was.

Stuff

Dillon Boucher, right, with Pero Cameron during the debut season of the NZ Breakers.

It took the Breakers quite a few years to work that out and how to develop a winning culture. It was really tough.

The biggest thing to remember was every failure gave the club an opportunity to see a reason why they failed. That was really important to get to the winning years.

What was the major problem?:

Back in those days, we really struggled to win away games.

We would often talk about how hard the travel was, and the more you talk about how hard it is, the more its planted in your head. So psychologically, before you even go into a game, youre not beaten already but youre already thinking that its hard.

In those years that we were successful, we made a vow as a group we would never talk about how hard it was if it was a trip to Perth, or multiple locations in Aus and double-headers, we wouldn't talk about how fatiguing travel was.

Jason Oxenham/Stuff

Dillon Boucher, far right, celebrates another Breakers win during the franchise's glory years.

That mental shift was a huge factor in us becoming successful.

There were some dire times, and the club was really searching for answers on and off the court.

How did things turn around?:

When the Blackwells [Paul and Liz] became owners, the built a family culture, but also every year they tried to build another piece to the puzzle.

They werent trying to win it straight away. Every year they werent buying a team that could win it, they were building pieces.

If you got a chance to have your playing career again, would you have become a player who could shoot threes?:

My kids at the moment are deciding whether to go to college [in the US] or not.

When I came out of high school, I chose not to go to the States and I dont regret not going, but I always asked myself what player would I become had I gone.

If I was a better shooter, would all the other things I brought to the table be as good as what they were? Its probably a bad analogy but if someones blind, their other senses are heightened.

Its funny because the advice I give every kid is to be a good shooter. Its really hard to survive in todays game without being able to knock a shot down.

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Back Chat: New Zealand basketball star Dillon Boucher on Breakers and business - Stuff

Genesis is replacing thermal baseload at Huntly with new renewable generation - a mix of wind and solar. Photo / File

OPINION:

The results of Genesis' annual Energy Survey make sobering reading. New Zealanders are less optimistic about reaching the goal of being carbon neutral by 2050, less sure how to get there, and less certain about the timeframe for a move to totally renewable electricity generation.

This lack of belief in the county's ability to meet its goals is perhaps reflective of the mood of uncertainty brought on by the pandemic, exacerbated by the war in Ukraine and its effect on energy supplies and prices.

Perhaps most worrying in our survey of 1000 people, fewer believe climate change will have an impact on the way they live and work over the next 10 years. The 58 per cent who do was down 10 per cent on last year; the 32 per cent who think climate change will have almost no impact on their lives was up 3 per cent.

Are people giving up? Burying their heads in the sand? I hope not, because the electricity industry is doing a great deal to address climate change. It may be up to us, in partnership with Government, to restore New Zealanders' faith in the country's progress to a low-carbon future.

The Ukraine war's effect on energy supplies and prices has focused many countries on the need for energy independence. Renewable energy enables more energy independence, so rather than the war causing a reversal of the climate change agenda as some commentators are suggesting, I believe we'll see an increasing alignment of geopolitical energy dynamics with the climate change agenda as more nations seek energy independence.

New Zealand is better placed than most to not only be energy independent, but for nearly all our electricity to be renewable. Our analysis of future market scenarios show that by 2030, the existing pipeline of projects will lift New Zealand from about 85 per cent renewable electricity generation to the lofty heights of 96-98 per cent a remarkable achievement of investment, risk, planning, logistics and flexibility.

Genesis is contributing to this transition by replacing thermal baseload at Huntly with new renewable generation a mix of wind and solar. This Future-gen strategy, as we call it, will result in the removal of 1.8 million tonnes of carbon emissions per year by 2030.

Coal burn is declining rapidly as new renewable generation comes online, and soon we'll run a biomass trial at Huntly to see if we could one day replace coal entirely as a back up to weather-dependant renewable generation. We're challenging ourselves to think about other changes we can make to our business as the country aims to be net zero by 2050.

This includes diversifying our generation portfolio with investment in grid scale solar and innovating to provide our customers with insights and information to tackle their business and household emissions.

Our county's highly renewable electricity system gives us the unique opportunity to use it to decarbonise the rest of NZ Inc to help other industries switch from coal and gas to clean electricity for process heat, and support the move away from petrol and diesel-powered vehicles to EVs.

When 26 per cent of New Zealand's emissions come from industrial process heat, and 21 per cent from transport, compared to only 5 per cent from electricity generation, it makes sense to spread our resource where it's most useful, while maintaining its reliability.

Although it's highly likely we'll get to 98 per cent renewable electricity, getting higher than that with existing technologies will be hard and expensive. At a certain point, the new wind and solar generation starts displacing hydro, the lakes spill more often, and our relatively low lake storage means we still need back-up for the system to ensure it remains reliable and low cost as well as low carbon what we call the energy trilemma.

Reliability is increasingly important, as highlighted by our survey respondents; 49 per cent of those surveyed (up 5 per cent from last year) named reliability their second most important consideration after price. A further 35 per cent said reliability was the most important factor in their electricity supply, with price second.

Perhaps this is in response to the uncertain times brought on by Covid-19 and the Ukraine conflict, the number of people working from home, and the unexpected power outage last August.

People's need for reliability reinforced for us the importance of back-up generation in New Zealand's highly renewable electricity system. Huntly will continue to play a key role in providing crucial back-up through the renewable transition, whether by burning biomass or coal, though in far smaller quantities than today.

Like our navigation through Covid-19, the road to carbon zero will be a marathon, not a sprint, and it will take all of us to deliver that outcome for New Zealand. In the past year, confidence that we'll reach that goal has dropped from 68 per cent to 46 per cent.

Those who think reaching that goal "not likely at all" increased by 8 per cent, and those unsure also increased by the same amount. That uncertainty presents an opportunity for industries like ours, in partnership with Government, to reassure New Zealanders that yes, we can reduce the country's emissions, and provide tools to help.

We look forward to the Government's release of the Emissions Reduction Plan in May and the sector working together on a National Energy Strategy to create the momentum the country needs.

New Zealand can lead the world in showing how a highly renewable electricity sector can help decarbonise the country's energy system as a whole, remain secure, and provide energy independence.

Marc England is the chief executive of Genesis Energy.

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Energy independence within New Zealand's grasp - Genesis CEO - New Zealand Herald

Monday, 28 March 2022, 10:39 amPress Release: Meat Industry Association

Current strong export returns for New Zealand red meatface pressure in the coming months due to labour shortagesand supply chain disruption, says the Meat IndustryAssociation (MIA).

The industry exported productsworth $1.1 billion during February 2022, with increases invalue to all major markets.

Sirma Karapeeva, chiefexecutive of MIA, said current strong meat prices werecompensating for a drop in the volume of exports, withsheepmeat volumes down 11 per cent and beef down seven percent compared to February 2021.

Absenteeism inprocessing plants due to staff having to isolate during theCOVID-19 pandemic is adding to the pressure on our industry,which is already dealing with a significant labour shortageand ongoing global logistics challenges.

While theimpact of labour shortages in the industry is not yetshowing up in the headline export data, they are starting toaffect exports of specific products.

For example,while offal prices are still high, the volume of offalexported in February was down around 35 per cent compared toFebruary exports in the previous six years, indicating thatthere arent the staff available to process every part ofthe carcass and companies are not able to maximise the valueof each carcass that is processed.

The supply chainissues are reflected in the drop in volumes of chilledsheepmeat, with more exporters opting to send frozen productto markets. Chilled sheepmeat exports were down 18 per centcompared to last February, with the largest drop to the UK,which was down 52 per cent.

This drop in chilledmeat exports impacts our ability to capture greater marketvalue from our products. Chilled meat is a sophisticatedvalue-add product backed by sophisticated processing andinnovation. However, the supply chain disruption means thatwe cant extract the maximum value because frozen productsoften attract a lower price point.

The overallvalue of exports to China increased by four per cent to$406m during February, the United States was up 34 per centto $238m and the UK 28 per cent to $66m.

The value ofsheepmeat exports was up by 13 per cent to $475m and beef by34 per cent to $460m. Co-products continued to perform well,with exports worth $172m, an increase of 16 percent.

Chilled beef exports held up better thansheepmeat, with the volume exported lifting slightly, by oneper cent. There was a 10 per cent drop in the volume ofoverall beef exports to China, to 17,938 tonnes, butFebruary 2021 was a record month and the overall volumeswere still historically veryhigh.

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New Zealand Red Meat Exports Top $1 Billion In February But Pressure Mounting On Sector - Scoop

Seeing the things I do on a daily basis, its dismaying to be told New Zealand isnt experiencing a healthcare crisis, writes emergency medicine specialist Dr Scott Orman.

I know Im not the only frontline health worker to be utterly baffled and disheartened by the denials from officials, including the director general of health, that there is a crisis in our healthcare system.

The fact is, we are in the middle of an utterly unprecedented healthcare workforce crisis in New Zealand, and while the current government focus is mainly on Covid, the emergency situation we are facing predates the pandemic by some years.

Covid-19 is simply the latest boot in the ribs.

For many years demand on the healthcare system has been increasing. The population is getting larger, living longer, and has greater complexity of illness. Demand on acute systems is increasing out of proportion to population growth. Many medical treatments are becoming better, but they are also becoming more expensive. Meanwhile, healthcare funding has increased with time but it has not been adequate to keep up with increasing demand. These issues have been occurring for years, and cannot be attributed to a single political party or government.

On the clinical frontline, long-term deficiencies in funding, investment and planning have led to ever-increasing deficits in necessary staffing levels, and healthcare being delivered in facilities that are frequently no longer fit for purpose.

In my practice setting in emergency medicine the crisis takes many forms, and Im aware that the problems are the same nationwide. Patients marooned in ambulances for hours because they are unable to access a staffed clinical space in the hospital. Patients lying on beds in corridors with untreated pain and no staff available to assist them. Delays in assessment by medical staff and nursing staff that grossly exceed expected standards. Patients stuck in the emergency department because there are no staffed beds available on the hospital wards. Mental health patients waiting up to three days in the emergency department for staffed inpatient beds to become available.

The risk to patients is extreme.

I am sure every other acute service in the healthcare system has its own equivalent markers of chronic system failure. Many team members in the healthcare sector feel burnt out, mistrustful, disillusioned, undervalued, and are struggling to deal with the moral injury of being unable to deliver safe care to their patients. This is clearly shown in the rolling wave of healthcare strikes that have occurred in recent years.

The problems described above are not new. They developed well before Covid-19 arrived in New Zealand.

The pandemic has placed further strain on an already struggling system. Delivering healthcare with Covid-19 has become even harder, more stressful, and more complex. Many staff have decided enough is enough and have resigned, with the result being further stress on those who remain. Nursing staffing shortfalls in particular are extreme. New Zealand has traditionally had a huge reliance on overseas-trained healthcare workers, and the inexplicable and inexcusable failure to prioritise and maintain the inflow of overseas healthcare workers when the borders closed in 2020 has hit the health sector hard.

The system is currently staying afloat through the desperate triage manoeuvre of cancelling a huge amount of planned care. This is absolutely necessary, but is not sustainable. Even with reductions in planned care the healthcare workforce is currently struggling to manage the combination of Covid-19 and business as usual.

While there will no doubt be a lot of well-deserved congratulatory back-patting when the omicron surge passes, the hardest times may yet be still to come. Covid-19 is not going to go away. We will have to live with it, and find ways to deliver healthcare with the threat of further surges still lurking around every corner. It is hard to see how the system will be able to safely reinstate the cancelled elements of healthcare with the current workforce limitations. Frontline staff are acutely aware of this, and there is a widespread perception that there is not a lot of light at the end of the tunnel.

Contrary to Ministry of Health messaging that suggests ICU beds are the only measure of capacity that matters, disruption to general healthcare is likely to be where the biggest risk to the New Zealand public lies going forward. For every person who dies of Covid-19 because they cant access an ICU bed how many more will die (from non-Covid causes) a preventable death in the back of an ambulance, or in a corridor, because they cant access normal care in an appropriate timeframe? How many people will die a preventable death due to delays in cancer diagnosis and treatment? How many will quietly deteriorate unnoticed in a corner of a hospital ward because nurse staffing numbers are inadequate to safely monitor them?

While access to staffed ICU beds is critically important and very concerning given our ICU bed numbers per head of population are among the lowest in the OECD problems in this area are dwarfed by the deficiencies across the rest of New Zealands healthcare system, and for two years now this has been largely ignored in the Ministry of Healths daily information releases.

To have the director general of health and at least one government minister now declare the healthcare system is not in crisis raises extreme concerns about the accuracy of the governments information, and its situational awareness. The current workforce deficiencies in our healthcare system represent a unprecedented crisis. It will take us years to recover from this, if we recover at all. There is a huge risk of normalisation of deviance, where we simply grow to accept that a decompensated, unsafe, understaffed healthcare system is normal and acceptable.

As always in healthcare, the next step is to recognise and declare an emergency. We cant fix problems unless we acknowledge them for what they are, and this requires our leaders to tell it like it is.

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If this isn't a healthcare crisis, what is? - The Spinoff