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The December Issue, No. 74 8

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the editor’s letter

the arriviste

the magpie

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It’s not just another brick in the wall for Colin Hogg

She’s excelled herself: this month, everything the Magpie has collected is in a draw that YOU could win

the columnists

12 the village Adrian Barkla signs off at New World Remuera; an intensive development mooted for Meadowbank; ticketed for parking in your own drive, and more

20 the challenge

26 the teacher Judi Paape reflects on a most unusual year

27 the suburbanist Come Christmas, you’ll find Tommy Honey working his way through quite a pile of books

34 the creative Remuera’s Heather Gerbic celebrates a silver anniversary for her business celebrating Kiwi craft, Pauanesia

38 the menu You will want to trifle with Lauraine Jacobs’ recipe this month

Locals take a very big plunge over 100km for St John

28 the investment

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22 the politicians

Not even tried and true market indicators have been reliable this year, observes Warren Couillault

What’s going on around here in December

Updates from Epsom MPs David Seymour and Paul Goldsmith

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the second act

the cryptic

Test yourself with Sandy Burgham’s take on the classic Proust Questionnaire

Māyā’s puzzle of the month

23 the councillor The councillor for the Ōrākei ward, Desley Simpson, shares her news

24 the plan Hamish Firth on the intensification now permissable with the National Policy Statement on Urban Development in force

30 the sound A difficult year for touring international acts has given a silver lining to Kiwi musicians, says Andrew Dickens

the hobson 6

the district diary

N issue 74, december 2020 Editor & Publisher Kirsty Cameron editor@thehobson.co.nz Art Direction & Production Stephen Penny design@thehobson.co.nz Writers this Issue Kirsty Cameron, Gretchen Carroll, Wayne Thompson Justine Williams Sub-editor Dawn Adams Columnists Sandy Burgham, Warren Couillault, Andrew Dickens, Hamish Firth, Colin Hogg, Tommy Honey, Lauraine Jacobs, Judi Paape, David Seymour, Desley Simpson Photographers Stephen Penny Cover Richard Hart, left, and Rick Wells, right, after a training swim on the Whangateau Harbour for their Great Barrier Challenge. See The Challenge, page 20 THE HOBSON is published 11 times a year by The Hobson Limited, PO Box 37490 Parnell, Auckland 1151. www.thehobson.co.nz F: The Hobson Magazine I: @The Hobson Ideas, suggestions, advertising inquiries welcome. editor@thehobson.co.nz

ot long after this edition went to press, the Waitematā Local Board was to meet to consider a landowner approval request from the Ministry for Culture and Heritage to erect the National Erebus Memorial in Dove-Myer Robinson Park, Parnell. The journey to this point has been fraught — a lack of community consultation at the outset, the 95m2 size of the steel sculpture in a heritage-rich park has upset many, while Erebus families polled believed the urban parkland site is appropriate. In a presentation to the Waitematā board in late October, Save Robbie’s Park pitched two alternative sites, one at Hillsborough and one a collaboration with MOTAT that would see the memorial placed near a permanent exhibition about the 1979 tragedy.

Members of Save Robbie’s Park, Parnell Heritage and the Parnell Community Committee will be in attendance at the meeting, where the board will vote on whether the memorial goes ahead as planned in Parnell, or whether it’s back to the drawing board, literally, for the ministry.

In this issue, we say farewell to Adrian Barkla, for 20 years the owner of New World Remuera (see The Village, page 13). He’s not going far — only to Eastridge — but his presence in Remuera will be missed.

He’s been a great supporter of community, a quiet donor to all kinds of organisations. And, of course, host of the best free Christmas party in town: the big night that would see 500 bottles of wine polished off and up to 60 platters devoured in his annual ‘thank you for your patronage’ in-store hooley. The party didn’t happen this year, Covid-19 impacted planning and there were too many ‘what-ifs’ for comfort. But he continued to give back: this magazine is one of the beneficiaries. The Hobson’s sole income stream is advertising, and for some time, New World Remuera was on an alternate-issue schedule of bookings. At the height of lockdown gloom, I called him and said I needed help, I needed a client like him to step up and help keep us publishing. Which he agreed to, in under five seconds. “We’ll go into every issue, don’t even think about it. Done.” Thank you Adrian, go well.

Kia kaha,

Kirsty Cameron editor@thehobson.co.nz 0275 326 424 Facebook: The Hobson Magazine Instagram: TheHobson

THE HOBSON is Remuera, Parnell and Ōrākei’s community magazine. We deliver into letterboxes in these neighbourhoods, and copies are also at local libraries, cafés, and at businesses including the Vicky Ave and White Heron dairies, and Paper Plus Parnell. For more about us, see The Hobson Magazine on Facebook.

The content of THE HOBSON is copyright. Our words, our pictures.

Don’t steal, and don’t borrow without checking with us first.

We aim for accuracy but cannot be held liable for any inaccuracies that do occur. The views of our contributors are their own and not necessarily those of THE HOBSON. We don’t favour unsolicited contributions but do welcome you getting in touch via editor@thehobson.co.nz to discuss ideas.

The Hobson Ltd is a member of the Magazine Publishers Association This publication uses environmentally responsible papers.

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Don’t miss our super special giveaway of beautiful things, just in time for Christmas. See The Magpie, page 31

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The Columnists

Left to right from top row: Sandy Burgham (The Second Act) is a brand strategist and an executive coach with a special interest in midlife change and transformational behaviours. She runs a central Auckland practice. www.playclc.com Remuera resident Warren Couillault (The Investment) is chairperson and CEO of Hobson Wealth, one of New Zealand’s leading private wealth advisory groups. He is also the chair of kōura Wealth, a registered KiwiSaver scheme manager.

Andrew Dickens (The Sound) is the breakfast host on radio station Gold, and hosts Monday afternoons on Newstalk ZB. He grew up in Remuera.

Hamish Firth (The Plan) lives and works in Parnell and is principal of the Mt Hobson Group, a specialist urban planning consultancy. www.mthobsonproperties.co.nz Urban design critic Tommy Honey (The Suburbanist) is a qualified architect-turned-academic. The Remuera resident is a regular guest on RNZ National, discussing the built environment.

Author, music writer, columnist Colin Hogg (The Arriviste) was born in the deep south. He spent many years living in other parts of Tāmaki Makarau, before relocating to Remuera from Wadestown in recent times.

The Hobson’s food editor, Lauraine Jacobs MNZM lives in Remuera. A former food editor for Cuisine and the Listener, she has published several best-selling cookbooks. She is a passionate champion of NZ ingredients.

Judi Paape (The Teacher) is a parent, grandparent and highly-experienced teacher and junior school principal.

A Parnell resident, her column appears bi-monthly.

Contributing writer Wayne Thompson is a former The New Zealand Herald journalist, covering Auckland news. He has been a resident of Parnell for 34 years.

Contributing editor Justine Williams (The Magpie) is an interiors stylist, writer and fashion editor. The Remuera resident has been the editor of Simply You and Simply You Living.

the hobson 10

I’m done with the garden.

I’ve thrown in the trowel.

CHRISTMAS CHEER IN REMUERA! Join the seasonal fun this December in Remuera, when your local shopping village comes alive with Christmas activity and fun for the whole family. From a world of shopping experiences, gourmet foods, and great coffee and dining to enjoy too, Remuera is the place to find innovative gifts and all your festive needs.

Santa and Mrs Claus will be back to say hello, hear about Christmas dreams and pose for selfies too.

Visit them at their Santa Grotto outside the Remuera Library, or catch them strolling about the village: Saturday December 12, Thursday December 17, Friday December 18, Saturday December 19, Monday December 21 and Tuesday December 22.

They’ll be visiting the shops and stopping for selfies between 10am and midday on those days, and ‘in residence’ at their Grotto from midday to 2pm, so be sure to stop by and share that wish list.

And mark Sunday December 20 with a gold star: it’s Santa Paws Day! Bring along your four-legged friends for very special photos at Santa’s Grotto, from 10am to 2pm

the village

Local News THE EXIT INTERVIEW Adrian Barkla is hard to miss around Remuera village. He’s usually in the white shirt he favours for work, and his height makes him easy to spot in the aisles of his supermarket, striding out for a coffee at a local café, or buying his preferred acid-free tomatoes at Jack Lum’s. Yes, he’s a New World owner, but he personally likes Jack’s tomatoes and being the sort of man who wears his heart and opinions on his sleeve, he’s happy to share the love.

But last month, Remuera said goodbye to him after 20 years as New World Remuera’s owner-operator. Barkla has sold and shifted across the valley and up to the Kepa Rd ridge, taking over New World Eastridge. He’ll be missed around the village, not just for his visible presence, the community Christmas party he throws — cancelled this year when Covid impacted planning — his chairing of the Remuera Business Association and support of other retailers, but for his finely-tuned understanding of what locals expect to find on his shelves.

Barkla has been a reliable champion of organic produce, of small artisan producers, of free-range egg suppliers, expanding and contracting supplies to meet local needs. “I think my nagging about

“I’ll miss the people. And the village atmosphere, how nice Remuera is. You don’t take that for granted,” says departing supermarket owner Adrian Barkla, outside the store.

the village

happy. It’s also why he’s supported brands like Sabato gourmet ingredients, locally made 180 Degrees crackers and biscuits, and more recently, fresh artisan loaves all the way from 4&20 Bakery, right across the road.

With so much going well, why the move to Eastridge? Barkla’s thinking is that at 59, he didn’t want to wait out the potential redevelopment of the Remuera site, pending the outcome of the carpark — he campaigned hard to keep the upper deck of the Clonbern Rd carpark, which was demolished late last year due to safety concerns. Foodstuffs, owner of the New World and Pak’nSave brands, would like to buy the carpark from council and redevelop the whole site. But that process could take years, so he thought it was best left to a younger operator. A redeveloped New World “could be one of the best stores in the southern hemisphere. The property team are very aware that they have the opportunity to create a wow factor.”

The new owner-operator, Sam Cockcroft, is 38. He comes to Remuera via Pak’nSave Albany and New World in Whitby, Wellington. While Foodstuffs makes its decisions on owner-operators after calling for expressions of interest, Barkla’s views were canvassed and he believes Cockcroft is the right fit. “He’s very people-oriented, he gets culture.” He will inherit a staff of 120

Barkla in December 2000, the year he took over. Opposite, the fringed lamps and cigarette displays of the '80s are long gone from the store.

cheese really worked,” laughs local food writer — and NZ produce champion — Lauraine Jacobs. “Look at the huge variety of imported, but more importantly, local ones we have now.”

Jacobs, The Hobson’s food editor and long-time contributor to both Cuisine and the NZ Listener, can remember when there were three smaller grocers serving the suburb. The range that became available when New World opened was manna from heaven for a recipe creator. “None of the owners [of New World] had made as much difference as Adrian. He obviously cares about the freshness, organic origin and variety of produce, and really knows the needs and taste of his customer base.”

Twenty years in Remuera and Barkla’s got a surefire gauge for whether a supermarket is serving its sophisticated shopper well: The Balsamic Index. A lonely bottle of cheap stuff? They’re not doing it right.

He likes to have multiple brands on offer, for his ingredient-conscious foodie customer. As well as good vinegar, the quality of beef fillet is another measure.

And something good to wash it all down with — New World Remuera sells an average 8000 bottles of Veuve Clicquot between Labour weekend and Christmas.

That’s over 665 dozen of a single label, part of the payoff for being the first supermarket in the country to make a major display of bubbly.

“We’re one of the biggest single sellers of Champagne in the country,” Barkla says. “It’s fun to sell Champagne, it’s more fun than selling a kilo of sugar. We display it, we don’t put it behind locked doors. We buy it for a good price and like selling it for a good price.” Wine, sparkling, red, pink, yellow; it’s accounted for up to five per cent of the store’s growth in sales over the past five years.

Retailing quality fizz and wines also answers the question he likes to toss around: What if the Queen came to dinner? What about the prime minister? What would you serve them? A decent drop and some eye fillet or fresh catch from his butchery or fish counter, and he’s sure you and your honoured guest will be

and has already joined the executive of the RBA: members Robyn Hellawell (ASB), Dorothy Fenn (Jems), Kate Boyden (Maman) and Deb Chait (4&20) will vote for a new chair at their next meeting.

The former owner-operator of Eastridge is heading to a presumably quieter life, taking up a Foodstuffs business in Morrinsville. You won’t see Barkla heading back to his Bay of Plenty roots, apart from to enjoy holidays at Ōhope.

“I like the energy of the city.” Born and bred in Kawerau, his first job was a fitter and turner apprenticeship at Tasman Pulp and Paper. He had left and the hobson 14

was trying to get his own idea off the ground when the 1987 stock market crash took away potential funding. “Why don’t you run a café or a pub?” his accountant asked. Barkla liked the idea, which lead to a pub in Whakatāne. It was there he met a supermarket owner who said “why don’t you run a supermarket?”. This turned out to be an even better idea and he was taken into the Foodstuffs’ management programme.

“I was a bit wary, country boy coming to the city and all of that.”

But his straight-shooting style soon won over the staff, many who have worked at the store for a decade or more, supported by Barkla to extend their skills. “You’ve just got to be honest with people.

Take ownership of your problems, and don’t bullshit. Or at least own your bullshit!,” he says of his management style. “I believe in openness and transparency. I’m really open with my staff. I never hold anyone back, and I make them accountable. I want them to be honest, to be able to say “no” to me. Or tell me to go home and have a rest! Which they do,” he laughs. With 40 per cent more floorspace and 100 more staff at Eastridge, Barkla will have a big team to win over. “It’ll be good! And I’ll work with Sam for sure. I won’t see him as a competitor, we’re both in the Ōrākei Local Board area, we’re neighbours. And why not? Let’s have some fun.”

— Kirsty Cameron p

SMALL FOOTPRINTS AND CAR-FREE Plans for a former state house site in Meadowbank aim to show the future of higher density residential developments in suburbia, with the proposed 15 one-bedroom apartments sporting bicycle racks instead of car parking spaces.

Potus Properties Ltd has applied for resource consent for the development at 45 Tahapa Cres, which presently has one 1940s home on its 812m2 site. The developer intends to build apartments in five three-storey blocks to cover 412m2 of the site, the absence of cars leaving the rest for footpaths, garden and a communal outdoor area. Tahapa Reserve is behind the property and to one side. A similar section on the other side of the site has two single homes.

With the floor areas of the units ranging from a compact 64m² to 67m2, it’s another choice of housing style in the suburb.

Potus spokesman James Doole told The Hobson the proposed development ties in with both the Auckland Unitary Plan and Auckland Council’s advisory Urban Design Panel provision for higher density residential developments with less emphasis on cars and parking, and more emphasis on public transport use.

“The development has been created with bike parking and racks for every apartment and we are looking into a ride share company and their ability to be situated close by,” says Doole. “We see this being an important part of the future of Auckland and its central suburbs.” The property is around 550m away from Meadowbank train station, a bus route/stop and sits near the edge of the Glen Innes to Tamaki Dr shared pathway, currently under construction.

The Meadowbank Shopping Centre is 1.4km away.

While the planning consultancy on the project says the Tahapa Cres plans won’t overburden infrastructure, the Ōrākei Local Board has asked that the resource consent be publicly notified.

Plan Co. consultant Mark Weingarth says the proposal introduces a scale of development that is becoming more common within the wider area and is generally provided for in the Mixed Housing Urban Zone’s encouragement of two or three-storey buildings and more housing choice and variety. He says the proposed buildings

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are generally of a design and scale which meets the height-inrelation-to-boundary standard and won’t burden existing water services infrastructure. The proposal is not to over-develop the site, he says, but to make sustainable use of an underutilised parcel of land, in line with the aims of the Regional Policy Statement and the new National Policy Statement on Urban Development (NPS-UD).

The latter requires councils to provide well for growth and meet the changing needs of diverse communities. It also directs councils to improve the supply of affordable housing and to remove overly restrictive rules, for example, those for building heights, and offstreet parking near rail and bus stops. (For more on the NPS-UD, see The Plan, page 24.)

Mark Weingarth says the proposal warrants passing by council without public or limited notification, or needing written approval. Ōrākei Local Board member Troy Churton disagrees. “On behalf of the board I indicated to the council that this consent application should be notified. To propose 15 units and not a single car park on site will cause an uproar. Tahapa is a narrow street already heavily parked by locals, let alone the people who catch the train. We have seen in Glen Innes where six units were built and even with six car parks provided, the residents had nine other cars to park on the street and interfere with footpaths. This is a consequence of the zoning and what you can get away with under the Auckland Unitary Plan. Trying to transform this area into intensive infill housing is putting the cart before the horse.”

Churton says the board can only recommend to the council that they allow the public to have a say, and it’s getting harder to meet the legal grounds for requiring notification of a residential development.

Grant Dickson, Meadowbank resident and a director of Ray

White Projects, says the suburb is as popular with families as it was a decade ago, because of the location and schools. “But I think we need to get used to the fact that we are going to see a diversity of development.” In this case, says Dickson, “the apartments’ target is young professionals working in the city and it will be interesting to see how the product is received by the market. But I think buyers still tend to want parking and there are no free spaces left in the morning by train-users.”

He also is concerned about the apartments increasing the load on a catchment which pollutes the Ōrākei Basin from an aging combined waste/stormwater drainage system. Remedial works are planned but are still some years away. Dickson says these need to be fast-tracked by the council if it continues to issue resource consents for intensive housing. — Wayne Thompson p

BACK OFF THE DRIVE The introduction of residential parking zones in streets near shops in Parnell, Remuera and Newmarket has come with a sting in the tail. High-tech camera car patrols by Auckland Transport (AT) to monitor the two-hour restrictions has led to a spate of $40 infringement tickets for people parking on or over driveways outside the boundary of their own homes.

Belatedly, warning of the crackdown came in October when residents who had paid their $70 annual fee to park in their street received a letter from AT which referred to complaints from homeowners about parking over vehicle entrances. “The permit does not exempt the driver from parking laws or general parking restrictions imposed by the Road User Rule (for example, no

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parking over a driveway, no parking within 6m of an intersection) or the Auckland Transport Traffic Bylaw 2012.” The letter went on to say “permitting residents or others to park illegally in this manner negates the reason the parking zone was installed. The zone will provide free spaces for the residents to park legally.”

In practice, the zone does not at all times provide free spaces in streets for residents if it’s a short walk from businesses and schools. During business hours, permit holders returning home often must cruise the neighbourhood to seek out a space. Often the only kerbside space available is right outside the driver’s house. It is tempting to park across the driveway or if there is a berm, nose the car in towards the footpath.

An initial warning or an infringement notice and the realisation that “your driveway” is AT’s money box and they’re shaking it has come as a shock to residents, says Parnell Community Committee chair Luke Niue. Residents asked AT for more monitoring of the two-hour parking restriction, now achieved by camera car. However, the step up from turning a blind eye to a minor infringement and issuing a $40 ticket appears to be “revenue-gathering” by AT, he says.

“Our street has wide driveways and a number of residents use them for weekday parking needs. A couple of weeks back a neighbour was ticketed $40 for Parked Obstructing Vehicle Entrance. My understanding was a car parking in these wide driveways but not impeding the footpath was OK, versus cars parking across.”

An AT source, however, explained that despite sufficient width between the road and the footpath within which to park a vehicle, this space remains part of the public road reserve and therefore under the control of the road controlling authority. Any vehicle parked in a public road reserve would be obstructing a vehicle entrance and in breach of the Land Transport (Road User) Rule 2004.

Niue says that given the outcry among residents in parking zones in Parnell and on the west side of the city, it could be advisable for the Parnell Community Committee to join with Freemans Bay Residents’ Association and others to petition Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency to change the rule.

Asked if a person would get a ticket if they left their vehicle reversed over the driveway as if in unloading mode, AT’s reply to The Hobson was: “A permit does not exempt the driver from parking laws, therefore no parking is allowed over a driveway. For parking infringement purposes, the words ‘stop’, ‘stand’, and ‘park’ all mean the same thing and the word ‘parking’ encompasses them all. A vehicle is considered to be parked even where the driver is present,

and the vehicle engine is running.”

That vehicle can be a delivery vehicle, too. The driver who partly obscured the footpath of busy Cleveland Rd in order to safely deliver a dishwasher was given a $40 ticket by a warden, who said he was acting on a complaint. AT said 186 tickets were issued for parking over driveways in Parnell, Freemans Bay, Ponsonby and Grey Lynn during September and October. — Wayne Thompson p

PLANNING HEARING FOR MARRIOTTS Auckland Council planners have recommended that resource consent be refused for a six-storey apartment building on the old Marriott’s art deco shop site in Parnell Rd, despite the developer saying its proposal is allowed under the government’s new rules to encourage intensive land use.

Independent commissioners will consider the resource consent bid by Andra Trading Ltd at a public hearing in the Auckland Town Hall from November 30 to December 2. The proposal drew 37 submissions in support and 57 opposing, many of which demand council stick to a 2016 consent allowing four storeys on the site.

Objectors include Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, the Anglican General Trust Board and local residents.

Since that was designed, says the applicant, the guidelines for the appearance of Parnell have changed. It’s now preferred to refurbish rather than demolish the Marriott’s façade with the aim of keeping the character of the environment. But the cost of this must be offset by going taller, with a retail unit at ground level topped by five residential floors.

In their report to the hearing, council resource consent planners say they looked at the new application in light of the Auckland Unitary Plan’s policies and found the potential effects unacceptable and proposals inconsistent with policy. The building would be 10m above what the UP provides for in a special character area.

Andra says the government’s National Policy Statement on Urban Development (NPS-UB) has since come in over the top of the Unitary Plan and its proposal clearly falls within the areas where the policy wants intensive development. Council planners disagree, saying that on its own is not a reason for consent, though regard was given to its relevant provisions as well as the Resource Management Act. — Wayne Thompson p

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Introducing Gavin Pollard to New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty is an award-winning real estate agency, founded in Queenstown by Mark Harris and Julian Brown 15 years ago. The progressive company has been attracting some of the country’s top-rated salespeople and brilliant business minds ever since.

One of these people is prominent Remuera businessman Gavin Pollard, who brings a balanced mix of local knowledge, communication skills, market insights and key contacts to the table when selling real estate.

With a background in B2B information technology sales and high-level management, Gavin says he is well placed to facilitate the sales of homes in central and eastern Auckland, particularly in Remuera and the northern slopes.

“Having been through the tapestry of life to the age of 53, I have had a lot of experience not just in selling but with people and running businesses, as well as understanding the dynamics of both sides of the equation,” he says. “This practical experience, as well as my current network, is invaluable for selling real estate.

My intention is to work to ensure vendors get the best-possible outcome; success in selling is all about communication and understanding, making connections with people, and having a high level of business acumen.”

Immersed in the corporate world for nearly 40 years, Gavin was introduced to NZSIR through a mutual friend who predicted Gavin’s approachability and inherent sales skills would successfully transfer to the real estate market. Born and bred in Surrey, England, Gavin was well versed with the rich history and prestige of the Sotheby’s auction brand and and felt compelled to join the rapidly expanding New Zealand company.

“It was a welcome opportunity as I wanted to work with a great team of professional, hard-working people at the top of their game, as my values and ambitions aligned strongly with those of NZSIR,” he says.

NZSIR’s 18 offices throughout the country have shaken up the Kiwi real estate industry with an approach that puts the emphasis on service and marketing. The company’s attention to detail in its marketing efforts raises the profile of every property beyond that of any other competing agency, exposing their properties to a wider audience. Not just a local or national audience, but an international audience too.

As a devoted Remuera resident for 25 years, Gavin understands the unique aspects and attractions of the area. He himself moved to the leafy suburb to take advantage of the reputable schooling options for his two daughters.

“Having that local knowledge is paramount when it comes to selling property,” he says. “I’ve lived here for half of my life so I think I can be considered as somewhat of an authority on Remuera and the northern slopes. Being aware of the environment here is a significant advantage, as is already having a local network of contacts. This all helps to stay on top of what’s going on in the industry, whether it’s what houses are arriving on the market, where the buyers are coming from and what the trends are.

“My goal is to be the expert on Remuera property and further cement NZSIR’s reputation as the leading local real estate agency”.

Gavin Pollard ph: 027 497 7771

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the challenge

Teaming up: from left to right, St John ambulance officer Callum Alexander with swim squad Karim Rostami, Ian Jones, Rick Wells and David Mitchell. Pictured on the cover are Wells and Richard Hart, the fifth member of the swimming team.

Support the swimmers and St John with a donation: go to greatbarrierchallenge.co.nz

the hobson 20

The Good Guys When a mate needed to call on St John during lockdown, it gave Parnell swim coach Rick Wells a bold idea

I

n March, five men, average age 53, will dive into the ocean for a swim that will not only challenge themselves but also raise money for the St John New Zealand ambulance service.

Rick Wells (Ngāi Tahu), former Commonwealth Games swimmer, triathlete and swim coach, Remuera real estate agent Richard Hart, café owner Karim Rostami, former All Black Ian Jones, and businessman David Mitchell are the squad. Parnell-based Wells coaches Rostami and Mitchell at his Olympic Pool swim squads, Hart and Jones are both mates who he knows are fit, keen swimmers who like a challenge.

And what a challenge — 100km, much of it open water, swimming through the night. “At night we’ll have lower coloured lights on the support boats,” says Wells. “Not bright white lights that may attract, ah, the big fish.”

The plan is to take the plunge on the best day for weather and tides between February 23 and March 6. The team will depart Great Barrier Is around 2-3pm, and arrive into Takapuna Beach around 4pm the following day. The swimmers aim to do 30-minute relays in the water, with one in the water at all times. As much as Wells would just like to hit the water and start swimming on the appointed day — “Just get in and do it” — there’s a comprehensive list of things to be ticked off between now and then. Wells’ To Do’s include ongoing consultation with the harbourmaster and Coastguard; sponsors; working out food and nutrition on the swim; the support crew needed for each swimmer. The squad will have a small flotilla — a support boat will be around 200m in front, while inflatables stay near the swimmer.

“I’m trying not to overthink it,” he says, fresh out of a meeting with the squad and a 24-point agenda covered off. “But you can’t plan for everything. Like someone was just asking about the currents. We’re there for 24 hours so we’re going to get a current anyway. We’ll probably head north a bit at the start. But yes, there’ll be a current.”

To prepare, the five have committed to a training programme of three to four swims during the week of up to 4.5km, and a longer one of five to six at the weekend. “We’re pushing ourselves but you’ve got to remember it’s not a race, it’s endurance.

“St John challenge themselves every day, in unique situations. And they’re under financial pressure. The least we can do is challenge ourselves.”

Only 70 per cent funded by government, St John is a charity and must raise the funds to cover the gap between its grants from the state, and the cost of providing its service. The agency receives more than 540,000 111 calls and responds to around 420,000 patients a year. Covid-19 has impacted and it is working to find significant savings to offset an increasingly large deficit.

“St John is delighted to be the chosen charity for this challenge,” says Andrew Boyd, St John North Island region general manager. “We’re incredibly grateful to the team of swimmers who have committed to raising funds for more emergency vehicles, helping us continue delivering the vital health services we provide for Kiwis across the country.”

While fighting fit, several of the squad have had close encounters with St John. “David had to call on St John twice during lockdown, which gave me the idea,” says Wells. “So I called together a bunch of mates, and we’re doing it.” They also exemplify resilience: Rostami arrived in New Zealand as a teenage refugee from Kabul. Having suffered polio as a child, he only learned to swim five years ago and with a strongly philanthropic nature, has been a keen participant in fundraising swims since. For Wells, “as I get older, I think of ways to keep challenging myself. Yes, I can swim.

Can I do the distance? Yes. Night swimming? Well there’s a challenge.

“We’re not 21 anymore. We’re a bunch of middle-aged men, one who’s had polio. And who knows what Mother Nature will throw at us?” — Kirsty Cameron

the hobson 21

the politicians

David Seymour

I

t took 25 years from when Michael Laws’ Death with Dignity Bill was heavily defeated in Parliament until the End of Life Choice Act was ratified by the New Zealand public.

It’s been a journey. Parliament’s laws require one person to put their name on a Members’ Bill, and I’m proud mine was on the End of Life Choice Bill. Democracy is drawn from the Greek words for ‘people’ and ‘power’, and this law passed thanks to the power of many people. I particularly want to thank you, my neighbours in the Epsom electorate, who sent me to Parliament. Without you, the End of Life Choice Act wouldn’t have been possible. There are many others who deserve thanks. Perhaps none braver than Lecretia Seales, who took the cause to the High Court despite painful brain cancer. I could add to that list the many long-time campaigners, fellow MPs, and the almost two million voters who ratified the law.

I believe this law has made NZ a gentler, more compassionate and humane society. People who might have faced excruciating death will be able to choose control and dignity. Better still, we’ve done it based on classical liberal values, that a person should be able to do as they please so long as they are not harming anyone else.

Of course, not everyone shares this view. If you’re in that camp, and you’re still reading, I want to make peace with you.

If you oppose the law on moral or spiritual grounds, that is ok.

Nobody is asking you to agree with or practise assisted dying. It is a choice, and nobody will expect you to choose it. The law forbids any doctor from even raising the topic with you.

You are being asked, however, to accept a choice that others may make. I hope you’ll agree this is not only reasonable but very normal.

We do this in so many facets of life that all of us rely on others’ tolerance for at least some of our personal choices.

The second kind of objection goes something more like: “I wouldn’t mind if it was a choice, but what if it’s not a real choice for some people?” I understand these objections because I used to share them. The evidence changed my mind. No country that has legalised assisted dying has ever gone back. The Netherlands has had a much more liberal assisted dying law than ours for 20 years. Only six per cent of the population oppose the law, which the Royal Dutch Medical Association supports.

If even one of the terrible things people like to say about these laws were true, how come so few oppose the law? Either the Dutch are more different than we realised, or the law is safe. Of course there is a much wider debate than I could cover here but I think the international experience makes the point. These laws are safe, and ours is at the more conservative end of the international spectrum.

To change gears slightly, a few people have playfully suggested that, since ACT has some more elected MPs, I may be too busy to help Epsom people with local issues.

Sacrilege. So long as I’m the MP for Epsom, that will be my main job. The first thing I said to the cameras on election night was “Thank you to my neighbours in the Epsom electorate for re-electing me. My electorate office will be open to serve you on Monday morning. 27 Gillies Ave. 522 7464. mpepsom@parliament.govt.nz”. If I can ever be helpful, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Paul Goldsmith

A

year like no other. 2020, when we learned about coronavirus; ‘social distancing’, ‘lockdowns’, Zoom conferences, the challenges of wearing a face mask without fogging up our glasses.

Those memorable weeks of glorious late summer, when most of us were on a forced holiday of sorts. When it was safe to ride a bike down the centre of Remuera Rd. A year when many Kiwis emerged financially unscathed or indeed prospered, while many other Kiwis – especially small business owners in hospitality or tourism – felt intense pain and despair. The axe fell seemingly randomly.

A year when government spending a billion dollars became a mere trifle.

A year when one wit said in a speech I heard that he’d put more alcohol on his hands than down his throat. A good year for book sellers, as many people rediscovered the joys of reading during lockdown. I myself knocked off the last two books of Hilary Mantel’s series on Thomas Cromwell and Henry VIII – politics hasn’t changed that much, but thankfully now the losers don’t get their heads chopped off.

A year when our remoteness from the world and small population became a distinct advantage – the beautiful Pacific Ocean a moat protecting us from the ravages we watched daily on our TV screens or smartphones.

And a brutal year for the National Party, starting off in February ahead in the polls and winding up steamrolled. I bumped into a former All Blacks’ coach in an Epsom carpark soon after the election. “Paul,” he said, “One word: disunity. That’s what did it for you.”

It’s hard to argue with that.

And so, we go into summer suitably humbled and reflective; a smaller team, but still with a burning desire to restore our fighting power. For the challenges facing our country haven’t gone away.

It is possible to put off the pain for most people when the government is borrowing around $1 billion a week – but we can’t keep doing that forever.

Nor can we be complacent about the competitiveness of our economy. The returned government has a focus on redistributing wealth, but it cannot ignore the fact that the wealth first has to be created.

My thanks go to the people of the Epsom electorate who, against a ripping red tide, still gave their all-important party vote to National. On election night, the seat returned the highest party vote to National in the country.

To those who went elsewhere, we’ll work hard to win you back over the next three years.

Congratulations to The Hobson for navigating its way through such a difficult year.

All the best for summer, and here’s hoping that 2021 brings better times both in our country and around the world.

Paul Goldsmith is a National list MP based in Epsom

David Seymour is the MP for Epsom the hobson 22

the councillor

Desley Simpson

O

ne of the many lessons I’ve learned from a decade in local government is the importance for Auckland Council of cultivating a strong relationship with central government. This holds true regardless of personal views and who is currently sitting on the parliamentary benches.

Why? Because to a large degree their decisions can save us money, cost us money, deliver infrastructure benefits, delay projects or speed up projects. In the Ōrākei ward, a shared path project from Glen Innes to Tamaki Dr has been underway for some time. This project was first started under the Key government and after a strong start, initially stalled when the government changed ‘colour’. However with careful negotiation, this project, which is co-funded by both central government and Auckland Council, is now back on track.

Central government has stepped up to fund all of the most expensive section as council finances recover from the impact of Covid-19. On the other hand, during the election the government promised to fund Skypath, a walking and cycling link across the Harbour Bridge, which they own. Regardless of whether you support this project or not, that announcement means Auckland Council now has to fast-track the consenting and associated money to ensure the end to end work is done to meet the deadlines imposed by central government and to make the project viable.

I work closely with a number of central government MPs in my role as Ōrākei ward councillor: David Seymour (ACT) MP for Epsom; Simon O’Connor (National) MP for Tāmaki and Paul Goldsmith (National List MP) who lives in Remuera. We often collaborate on local issues where our responsibilities overlap and through that co-operation and joint advocacy we can achieve positive outcomes for our constituents.

So, what are the differences in the roles of central and local government representatives?

Central government takes care of the ‘big stuff’ which affects all of New Zealand such as health, education, justice, foreign policy. Unsurprisingly, local government focuses on local matters such as roading and water infrastructure, waste, public transport and libraries. There is inevitable overlap between projects, which is why good communication and partnerships are key.

Local authorities raise much of our own funds, although central government does provide funding and subsidies towards particular activities such as roading and public transport. This is a good example of where the relationship is key. Our city’s bus network, and the roads they run on, are the responsibility of the Auckland Council family through Auckland Transport (AT); whereas our motorways are administered and maintained by Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Authority (NZTA), a central government entity.

In addition to sharing the tasks of government, local government provides effective accountability through greater engagement and opportunities for citizen participation.

Councils’ varying policies recognise that preferences differ between New Zealand’s diverse communities on issues where a one-size-fits-all approach may not be appropriate.

With Christmas fast approaching, I’m sure many of you will breathe a sigh of relief as 2020 draws to a close. It’s been a rollercoaster year with Covid-19 being the major disrupter.

Challenges have also included lockdown-associated economic woes; the worst drought on record; and a crash requiring partial closure of the Harbour Bridge to name but a few.

With limitations on overseas travel many of us will look to staycations or holidays within New Zealand.

We are incredibly lucky here in New Zealand where some of the best things to see and do are actually right in our own backyard - have you visited the gun emplacements next to the Michael Joseph Savage Memorial? Or seen the very impressive, large, and old pōhutukawa in Dove-Myer Robinson Park?

Without the usual hordes of overseas tourists, now’s the time if you’ve always wanted to try some of our great walks or some of the spectacular off-road cycle routes – check out doc.govt.nz and nzcycletrail.com for more details. Keep safe these summer holidays, enjoy any time off you might have and look after yourselves. Bring on 2021!

Desley Simpson is the Councillor for Auckland representing the Ōrākei ward

the hobson 23

the plan

Building Up and Out

I

wrote a few months back on the changing housing vista that the Auckland Unitary Plan is bringing to a street near you.

About how the focus has shifted from the amenity suburbia brings to us — things like open space, large green sections — to the amenity of actually having a house being more important than the outlook or view. This is creating conflict and tension as the reality unfolds. Interestingly, those people who move into a modified neighbourhood, on smaller sites with more compact living, do not share those tensions as they are happy to now be able to live there.

The shift in emphasis has been to get more houses built, without Hamilton and Auckland joining at Huntly, urban compactness trumping urban sprawl. Some of you – the new home buyers — will say it is working very well, those of you who now live less than a stone’s throw from these interlopers will say it is an outrage.

For the outraged, have I got news for you! In August the National Policy Statement on Urban Development (NPS-UD) came into effect. It has a lofty goal of having well-functioning urban environments that enable all people to provide for their social, economic and cultural wellbeing. In short, even more housing potential is being proposed and with all the outrage you can muster, nothing will stop this train.

About three months has passed since the NPS-UD came into effect and the reality of those is becoming clearer. Constraints in the planning system have made it hard for people to build homes they need, in areas they want. This has led to higher house prices, reductions in housing choice and a lot of land banking. And this has impacted the most on the young, the poor, and the culturally disadvantaged.

To overcome this, the NPS-UD sets out that councils must enable greater height and density (say six levels or higher with no unit limit) in areas of high demand and access. An example would be within an 800m or walkable radius of train stations or town centres. Council must no longer require carpark minimums, that is, there will be no requirement to provide for carparks on site in these developments, so developers will be free to determine the

number of carparks provided. But we suspect people will still have cars, so suburban streets may be full with cars that have no onsite parking.

Councils must consider private plan changes where they will add to development capacity and are near transport corridors.

Development may then occur even when it is not planned for, both on the fringe of urban areas and on already developed urban land. Again, this is because councils have not been as responsive to growth as they should have been – partly because in places like Auckland, the people who vote them in have pushed back on intensification. These decisions are no longer in local government hands at a macro level.

If you take the aforementioned example of the 800m radius from a train station, this would cover significant areas around existing low intensity neighbourhoods in Remuera, Epsom, Meadowbank and Ōrākei. If you are looking for perspective, the zoning in these areas will enable the sort of apartment buildings that are now appearing on Kepa Rd and the Remuera ridgeline.

Auckland has two years to bring in these compulsory changes and it will be interesting to see how many areas try to fit into the ‘exemption’ criteria, with heritage and natural hazards being the two mains ways to opt out of what is certain significant change to many suburbs. The viewshafts that criss-cross this part of town may now be considered of cultural importance, which may also limit changes. Based on our experience, the council has a lot of work to do in order to implement the NPS-UD and then to comply with it on an ongoing basis, as it’s required to monitor demand and supply and make constant provisioning.

In practical terms the enabling of additional development needs to be backed up with financial viability. However, in areas people want to live in, this may be less of a hurdle which may see more popular — but currently lower intensity areas — like Remuera, Newmarket, Parnell and Ōrākei, being ripe for development. I suspect that opposition will come but only after the fact and then, if not now it is too late. You’re welcome!

— Hamish Firth

Paul Goldsmith

National List MP Based in Epsom 107 Great South Road, Greenlane 09 524 4930 paul.goldsmith@parliament.govt.nz paulgoldsmith.co.nz paulgoldsmithnz

Funded by the Parliamentary Service.

Authorised by Paul Goldsmith MP, Parliament Buildings, Wellington.

the hobson 24

the arriviste

Gold Bricks

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he bloke at the demo yard began waxing nostalgic about bricks. Without much encouragement at all, he was recalling a time when you could pick up second-hand bricks for 10 cents apiece. These days, they go for between $2 and $5 each, as the signs on the various small mountains of them in his yard indicated.

And the reason I’m on the subject of bricks is that, perhaps worryingly, the little bricklaying project I distracted myself with during the first – and some of the second – lockdown, has developed into something bigger, something ongoing, possibly unstoppable.

The brick-walled raised garden I managed to build, with only a little help from others, has started feeling like a first step on a bigger journey, so now I’ve determined on another, even bigger garden, which is how I found myself chatting about bricks to the chap at the demo yard.

I came away with 200 of his $2 ones and a few $5s, which cost that much because they have the names of their makers stamped on them. Now they’re stacked in the backyard, beckoning me. But they’ll have to wait till I get my breath back, which could be some weeks off. I like to contemplate hard labour for as long as possible before actually engaging with it. Also, I have a feeling I’ll be back to see that bloke at the demo yard for more.

He said no one seemed to want new bricks for backyard jobs anymore and he could hardly keep up with the demand for his old ones, though I don’t think he was complaining. He probably knows he’s onto something and I think so too. Which is why I’m sharing this unique investment tip with you.

Not that I’ve ever harboured ambitions to become a financial adviser, but I think I know an opportunity when I encounter it and it seemed mean-spirited not to share it. We live in such strange times that the situation might be coming when banks start charging us instead of paying us for looking after our money.

My friend Sam rang me the other day in a bit of a state after someone had filled his head with talk about “negative interest”.

Like many of us, he’s sensitive about his savings and the thought of the bank siphoning off his hard-earned cash had him reaching for his heart pills. I tried to assure him his savings weren’t about to start disappearing, but it was hard to summon a convincing tone.

So I rang him a couple of days later with the hot news on bricks and their investment potential. “Don’t tell anyone else,” he said, but I told him I’d probably share it with my readers. “You might have to move fast,” I said.

There’s no end of up-sides when it comes to investing in bricks.

Unlike, say, gold, bricks offer a few fun options. While your one not-very-impressive little brick of gold might make an interesting paperweight at best, real bricks give you serious bang for your buck. You can obviously see what you’ve put your money into and, as well as apparently being deflation proof, they’re weatherproof.

Also, bricks are fun. You can get creative with them, make some temporary walls. A serious investment might make you a maze.

Then, in a few years when old bricks are selling for $4 or $5 apiece or even more, you can sell them off and make a very nice return.

And another thing about bricks is that they aren’t the sort of investment you’re likely to become too attached to, unlike, say, works of art which can become impossible to part with.

Though I’m now not entirely sure about that. The one possible downside I can see when it comes to investing in bricks is only just dawning on me as I become increasingly committed to making permanent artworks of them, as I fear I am. And when I say artworks, I simply mean something unique, handmade and unrepeatable, which my walls certainly are.

Though I’m hoping the next ones will be quite a bit less wobbly.

— Colin Hogg

Specialists in renovations Refresh is New Zealand’s leading design & build renovation specialist, and our business is based in Remuera.

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We work with a range of designers, and can deliver on any brief from cost-effective extra space to inspired extensions.

Due to the heritage classification of much of the architecture in our area, resource consent is often mandatory and will require designs to be sympathetic to the original style of the house.

We’re experts at achieving an interior to suit modern lifestyles within an exterior that looks like it was always there.

Call Dave Georgetti today for a free consultation to discuss how to turn your house into your dream home.

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the teacher

Navigating a New Year

A

This year has also highlighted several related issues.

One is with regards to school attendance, with a notable rising number of young students avoiding school on a regular basis. Another issue is the stress and anxiety levels of seriously committed students. The disruptions to their learning has created another worrying trend developing around mental health. I predict these two issues will manifest themselves in several different forms within schools in the years to come.

Those of us in schools will need to keep a close eye not only on teaching and learning, but checking that every student sitting in front of us is ‘in the zone’ where learning happens. Never before will relationships between school and home be more important. This community relationship will be of utmost importance with the view to ensuring successful outcomes for our students in the years to come.

And education is not only about academics, but also about making sure students attend school on a daily basis.

Only then can we be sure learning will be happening.

But now in December, it’s time for us — parents, teachers and students — to tick off another school year, check in on the goals set and achieved, and to take a well-deserved break to recharge and prepare for 2021. I can’t stress enough how important it is to encourage children to spend the school holidays outdoors as much as possible, enjoying the many activities New Zealand has to offer, if Covid-19 allows. Time away from screens and having actual face-toface conversations with friends and with you will bring a balance and joy to not only their life but to yours as well.

I have enjoyed sharing with you some of my thoughts around education today throughout the year and wish you, our Hobson readers, a very Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and a prosperous 2021.

We are all in this new norm together so let’s link arms and move forward into the new year with confidence and courage. — Judi Paape

ll through life we are encouraged to set goals, achievable ones as well as challenging ones. Goals that give us a sense of direction, a purpose, the gratifying feeling of achievement and the sweet taste of success. The ultimate goal of this process is so that we can lead a happy and fulfilling life.

However, this year in the life of a school setting most goals were challenged in unprecedented ways, forcing us to change direction both personally and as teachers.

2020 was challenging in every which way, and beyond. In March we faced a very real and complex situation regarding organising the daily routines of school life. However, New Zealand teachers picked up the challenge and delivered the curriculum admirably online to thousands of worried and anxious students.

They were not the only ones feeling like this. We teachers too wandered into the unknown of the full level four lockdown as the clock struck 11.59pm on the night of March 25. Cinderella had no choice but to run at the stroke of midnight, just as we had no choice but to get on with it.

And we did just that!

Classrooms took on a whole new definition, one where we learnt so much more about teaching and learning.

This experience has set a precedent and a wonderful opportunity for schools to take up the challenge of exploring future classroom practice and reformulating curriculum design. Can we take this new knowledge and put it into practice? It’s a very exciting and interesting challenge for all educational institutions, from early childhood through to tertiary.

It is also now time to face the reality of the possible academic fallout, as senior students prepare for their external examinations. I hope we can continue to support them with the very best in education, one that will realise the wonderful potential that each one of them carries within themselves.

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the suburbanist

A Very Covid Christmas

P

erhaps after the year we’ve had we need not twelve days, but twelve months of Christmas. Let’s spread it out and give each other the gift of kindness and good health, a little at a time, for a long time. And books. Here is a list. Some are about buildings and designs that already exist, and others are about what the future may bring. Some are available now, and some won’t be released until next year – which makes sense with our twelve months of giving.

Buying 1001 Buildings You Must See Before You Die (published

by Murdoch Books) may be the only way you’ll actually see them, with global travel so uncertain. Look at a building every day and by the time you’ve finished, it may be possible to visit your favourites.

In Neighbourhoods for the Future, authors Maarten Hajer, Peter Pelzer, Martijn van den Hurk, Chris ten Dam and Edwin Buitelaar (published by Valiz) make a case for the neighbourhood and its future role as being the right scale to be familiar and to make a difference. They argue for the engagement of residents to shape our cities using their own neighbourhoods as a starting point.

While not written specifically in response to Covid-19, as we experience the diminishing radius of our movement, we will look locally more and more.

Dutch writers Ed van Hinte and Adriaan Beukers have written Designing Lightness: Structures for Saving Energy (published by nai010) encouraging us to build lighter. Our cars, houses and planes have been getting bigger and we now have a chance to pause this trajectory. The book addresses everything from the energy used in production, distribution and waste disposal to the decreasing availability of raw materials. It is not simply a conceptual manifesto but has many practical examples and ideas.

Since we’ve made a right mess of this one, perhaps we need to source The Air from Other Planets by Sean Lally (Lars Müller Publisher) which is nobly subtitled A Brief History of Architecture to Come. The book explores a different approach to architecture through electromagnetic, thermodynamic, acoustic, and chemical energy. Walls and shells are redundant and are replaced with material energies that develop their own shapes, aesthetics,

organisational systems, and social experiences. The book has been described as ‘nostalgic for the future’, and is a reminder that architects do all their work in the future.

If you need more food (or perhaps water?) for thought, look no further than Floodscapes: Contemporary Landscape Strategies in Times of Climate Change by Frederic Rossano (nai010 Publishers), an examination of our relationship to flooding through history and six contemporary examples in Europe. It brings together flood-mitigation measures, landscape development, agriculture, recreation, nature, and river management treating them as design opportunities.

Antarctic Resolution (published by Lars Müller) is described as the first ever book on the architecture of the world’s southernmost continent. It draws from the declassified archive of Antarctic architecture, which records the evolution of architecture on the continent, from the first huts built by Scott and others, to today’s research bases constructed among the ice and snow. With contributions from international experts and practitioners of science, architecture, engineering, history, political science, law, anthropology, literature, arts and fashion technology, it includes essays, archival and contemporary photography, and visual data in the forms of diagrams and cartographies.

In the light of Donald Trump’s border wall (whatever happened to that?), historian and critic Ian Volner has written The Great Great Wall: Along the Borders of History from China to Mexico (Harry N Abrahams Publishers) which looks at famous walls from throughout history, asking why we build them, how effective they are and what they reveal about us.

If you are a fan of the podcasts of the radio show ‘99% Invisible’ (and if you’re not, you should be), its host Roman Mars has released, with co-author Kurt Kolhstedt, The 99% Invisible City: A Field Guide to the Hidden World of Everyday Design (Hodder & Stoughton). It’s a much anticipated collection of observations of all those things we take for granted in our cities, from who gets to name the streets we walk along, to power grids, fire escapes, drinking fountains and street signs. — Tommy Honey

David Seymour MP for Epsom

For an appointment, please contact me on 09 522 7464 or mpepsom@parliament.govt.nz

Epsom Electorate Office Level 2, 27 Gillies Avenue, Newmarket the hobson 27

Promoted by David Seymour, MP for Epsom, 27 Gillies Avenue, Newmarket

the investment

Things Sure Have Changed

T

here are many horrible phrases that have become common parlance over the past year, the worst of which surely must be “. . . in these unprecedented times . . . ” I do not have such clichés in my vocabulary and I hope that remains the case forever. However, when looking at the data screens over the past few weeks and in particular those relating to the various currency and bond markets, the ghastly phrase has popped into my mind at least a couple of times. The currency and bond markets are currently behaving in a whacky and ‘unprecedented’ way and our historic reliance on them as a relatively clear reflection of the financial and economic outlook is possibly no more.

In the past, there was a near-universal consensus that these markets are very good at reading the macro-economic picture and surrounding conditions driving financial markets, and thus can be a useful guide for investors when assessing risks and the direction of share markets.

At the moment, if we were to look at share markets around the world, which are close to or at all-time highs, one could be forgiven for not guessing that many industries and companies will soon be either permanently impaired or face prolonged recoveries.

One could also be forgiven for not seeing that political and social risks are rapidly rising if relying on the usually reliable currency and bond markets. High yielding debt instruments (riskier bonds which consequently demand a higher rate of return) are now back to some of their lowest levels in terms of yield and currency markets have been stable with very little in the way of volatility.

How can this be when economies have sharply contracted, jobs have been lost and the outlook is so uncertain?

Does it mean therefore that there are no risks on the horizon, and neither the Covid-19 pandemic, the US election, China nor Brexit are likely to cause the markets to wobble?

The answer I would have thought has to be “no”. Risks are ever-present but divergences between markets and reality

are common. In fact, markets (and market commentators) have been known to be wrong from time to time! I think the difference this time is the increasing role that governments are playing. And they have seemingly fallen over themselves to ‘do’ something to save us from the virus. In the past, divergences were due to market psychology and incomplete information, but now there are other factors, in particular, governments.

First, we are now highly indebted, with global debt more than three times the amount of global GDP and financial assets more than five times the amount of global GDP. This magnitude of excess implies that capital markets are now the dog and the real economies are merely the tail. What happens in that world of finance determines the reality. It is government intervention on steroids.

Second, bond and currency markets are no longer ‘signals’ but interpreters of government responses, and their current signalling is that neither defaults, price discovery nor volatility can be permitted while an inflationary surge is unlikely.

In the initial height of Covid-19 back in March and April, many market commentators were predicting residential house prices in New Zealand to be down somewhere in the region of 10–15 per cent by now. The markets then witnessed the large-scale government response and now we have median house prices up 166 per cent on the level just one year ago. And we are hearing reports that this same market could move higher in 2021 by as much as 10 per cent.

It is now governments and central banks that stand between the chaos of falling asset prices, job losses and declining consumption which would be highly likely and rational occurrences given the global economic shock earlier this year.

Bond and currency markets are no longer the signals they once were in ‘these unprecedented times’.

— Warren Couillault

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the hobson 28

the second act

Questioning Ourselves

W

hen I wrote for the January issue of The Hobson this year, I suggested that we each choose a word of the year to anchor our intention. Mine was “movement” — somewhat ironic given that life ground to a halt with two lockdowns and the UN declaring we are going into a global recession of epic proportions. Indeed, the best meme I have seen this year was one that read: “Did you try unplugging 2020 then plugging back in?” However, as a leadership coach, it would be amiss of me not to use this year as a reflection exercise. So I have devised a set a questions for my collaborators and I to ponder over during our annual Christmas lunch, and am sharing them with you as we head into December and prepare to farewell 2020.

The idea is inspired by the Proust Questionnaire, which evolved from a popular parlour game during the Victorian era. People would answer a set of searching questions kept in a confession album, the answers to which were said to reveal one’s true character. Marcel Proust and other 19th century luminaries — Oscar Wilde, Karl Marx and Arthur Conan Doyle amongst them — all played the game. The two surviving sets of Proust’s answers written around five years apart show just how much an individual can grow and evolve. But rather than replicate Proust’s questions, these Hobson questions have a coaching edge and are designed to help you consider what to take forward and what you want to leave behind as 2021 looms.

I challenge you to answer them right here right now or, if you want to go next level, grab a journal, pour a drink and prepare to get real . . .

1.

How would you sum up the year in one word?

2.

What did you learn from lockdown?

3.

What did you do, learn or make that was completely new?

4.

Who in your circle did you most appreciate?

5.

Who in the world did you have a new found appreciation for?

6.

When did you experience a moment of perfect joy?

7.

Who would be your hero of 2020 and why?

8.

Which living person most triggered you and why?

9.

What was your least proud moment?

10. So, what part of your character are you now ready to let go of?

11.

What did you consider your greatest achievement?

12.

How did your appearance change?

13. What new positive personal habit have you adopted?

14. What book did you read that you are now recommending?

In what way did it speak to you?

15. What conversation/s did you avoid?

16. What became your most treasured possession?

17.

What overused phrase are you wanting to retire?

18. If you had your time again this year, what would you do differently?

19. So, what wisdom will you take from 2020 into 2021?

20. And finally, what will be your word for 2021 to anchor it as a theme?

Thanks for reading the column this year. Here’s hoping you venture forth into 2021 with a healthy dose of optimism. — Sandy Burgham

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the sound

Silver Linings

A

nd so this atrocious, glorious, harrowing, calming, bittersweet and destructive year is finally coming to a close. The year that seemed never-ending is ending.

The Year of Covid. The Year of the Contagion. The Year of Shouting. The Year of Exquisite Silence. So I’m reminded of the opening words of Charles Dickens’ A Tale Of Two Cities.

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us.”

Bang on, Charles.

Covid has been a two-headed beast. It tested belief in science, it tested belief in blind faith in fellow humans. It gave platforms to the fools and the prescient. Luckily we live in a country of the sober and pragmatic. We took some bad-tasting medicine early in the piece which has avoided some gruesome surgery thus far.

Like me, some of us know people who have died (in England).

I know many people who have lost their jobs. Yet I also know many people that have regained their life, pivoting to a new career.

Continuing to work but from home. Realising a work-life balance that was always right in front of their face. How many of you know people who left for a family bach and never came back?

Covid has killed international tourism yet spawned new levels of domestic travel. It has put our primary industries on steroids as they fill the international food gap. With the benefit of hindsight, we know that every day out of lockdown is worth three or four days of partial lockdown and as the year ends, we’re ahead in the global ledger. We’re doing better than expected.

Covid-19 has taken so much from so many and yet given so much to others. It’s like the forest fire that destroys one house yet spares another, raising the survivor’s value.

That brings me to the entertainment industry. Undoubtedly it’s one of the hardest hit. It’s hard to have a show when you’re not allowed an audience, and the flow-on effects through venue staff, adjacent hospitality and even public transport is immense.

But for many New Zealand acts, Covid has been a windfall. Not when we were locked down but because we opened up. In the first 102-day period of freedom, New Zealand entertainment leapt into a void. Punters starved of gigs were keen. Bands who normally toured overseas were home. Gigs went off.

Fat Freddy’s Drop were initial beneficiaries but L.A.B were the big winners. Fresh off their first Number One record, In The Air, the band pounced and in July they played Spark Arena. It wasn’t a sell-out, the very top seats curtained off, but it was still a crowd of 10,000. The only Kiwi acts to use Spark before this were Lorde, Split Enz and Crowded House. This was a quantum leap.

Meanwhile plans were laid for the summer festivals. With overseas bands off the radar, the locals put their hands up.

Whether it’s Rhythm & Vines or Rhythm & Alps, the schedules are now 100 per cent Kiwi.

Auckland’s second lockdown was another spanner in the works, but in the immediate aftermath, Shapeshifter sold out the Auckland Town Hall and for the first time, Dave Dobbyn took the leap into the Spark Arena world.

The biggest winner of the Covid clampdown is undoubtedly Benee, Auckland singer-songwriter Stella Bennett (pictured above).

She was ready to go with some catchy, breezy, lightly cynical pop that speaks to late teens. When the world locked down and locked onto screens, Benee nailed it.

Her songs “Glitter”— winner of this year’s APRA Silver Scroll award — and “Supalonely” caught fire globally on TikTok. She parlayed that into remote internet performances on American television late-night talk shows. It’s the Zoom revolution: you used to have to travel to the markets to perform. Now with the right gear you can perform anywhere from the garden shed.

When the second lockdown ended, Benee toured nationwide, and played Spark Arena. Not once but twice: 20,000 punters.

To put this all in context, I understand Benee has just bought a house in Westmere. She’s a 20-year-old from Grey Lynn. All her international success has come while not stepping a foot out of Aotearoa.

In the near future, we’ve got a national tour by Crowded House, the first big band prepared to quarantine band members before touring. Amici Trust is preparing for a purple patch of local theatre productions with Jersey Boys on the horizon.

The big game changer from Covid is that we have turned to ourselves. Our discretionary dollars are spent on us. We buy tickets to New Zealand artists. We travel to New Zealand tourist destinations. There is silver in the dark clouds. Admittedly not gold, but silver nonetheless. The worst of times, the best of times.

— Andrew Dickens

the hobson 30

the magpie

Happy Christmas to You! The Magpie is wearing her Santa hat and dispensing gifts galore

This month, The Magpie is proud to present many beautiful things, just for you.

Yes, everything on the following Magpie pages could end up under your tree.

Winning is easy: simply go into the store mentioned and enter the draw (giving your name, email and phone contact) exclusively for readers of The Hobson.

You’ll need to do this by 6pm, Tuesday December 15.

Our lovely retail friends will then draw the winning name and be in touch, so if you’re the lucky winner, you’ll have your goodies in time for Christmas!

You can try for as many of the prizes as you wish, but can only enter your name once at each business.

There is one prize offered per store. Good luck, and Merry Christmas!

The Magpie would like to thank all the retailers who joyfully offered beautiful things: ECC, 39 Nugent St, Grafton. ecc.co.nz Hedgerow, 371 Remuera Rd. hedgerow.co.nz Kowtow, 6 York St, Newmarket. nzkowtowclothing.com Maman, 407 Remuera Rd. maman.co.nz Paper Plus Remuera, 389 Remuera Rd. paperplus.co.nz Skintopia Commercial Bay, 7 Queen St. skintopia.co.nz Stephen Marr & Sans [ceuticals], 16 Morrow St, Newmarket. stephenmarr.co.nz sansceuticals.com Wells Trading Co, Eastridge, 215 Kepa Rd. thewellstradingcompany.co.nz

the hobson 31

the magpie

Face up to Christmas and reveal your beauty with a ProSkin30 and Power Up Treatment designed to target key concerns for maximum impact, in minimal time — this luxury treatment is worth $120 from Skintopia. Plus, you’ll receive an introductory Dermalogica Discover Healthy Skin Kit, RRP $73.

It includes travel sizes of PreCleanse Oil, Special Cleansing Gel, Daily Microfoliant and Skin Smoothing Cream. Enter at Skintopia Commercial Bay, Shop 8, level 2, 7 Queen St (opposite the food court).

The Bianca, RRP $200, is one of the most popular designs in the stand-out Helen Kaminski range, coveted for being both stylish and comfortable to wear. Bianca’s 10.5cm peak shows off the artisanal hand-crafted raffia braid, offering protection from the sun whilst adding a luxe sporty style to any outfit. Want it?

Enter your name in the draw at Hedgerow, 371 Remuera Rd, Remuera.

With sumptuous photos and interesting stories, Homesteads: The Story of New Zealand’s Grand Country Houses (Point Publishing) offers a fabulous tour of rural heritage without leaving home. Written by Debra Millar with photography by Jane Ussher, Homesteads is a stunning tribute to the grand homes built by New Zealand's pioneering pastoralists. Be in the draw to win a copy, RRP $75, at Paper Plus Remuera, 389 Remuera Rd.

Stephen Marr salon and clean beauty pioneers Sans [ceuticals] have teamed up to offer a lucky reader a prize package valued at $500.

Not only will you receive the Sans Runaway + Reset Kit (RRP $139) but also a hair styling consultation, cut and colour at Stephen Marr, all up a value of $500. The Runaway + Reset kit contains Sans cult Activator 7 oil, body exfoliant and hair products, all in a grab-and-go canvas wash bag. So new year, new you? Stroll into Stephen Marr, 16 Morrow St, Newmarket, and enter your details to be the lucky winner. the hobson 32

Give me the good life: the Barebones Gathering Bag, RRP $100, is the essential foraging and harvesting partner.

Constructed of weather and water-resistant paraffin waxed canvas, it has a watertight removable liner. Our friends at Wells Trading Co are pairing it with a Sophie Conran for Burgon & Ball Hand Fork, RRP $45 and Digging Spade, RRP $158. Enter at Wells Trading Co, Eastridge Shopping Mall, Kepa Rd, Mission Bay.

Make your own selection at Kowtow’s beautiful new store. The ethical, sustainable and innovative fashion label is delivering one lucky winner a $200 gift card, so come on in, and start browsing the racks! Kowtow, 6 York St, Newmarket.

The glamorous Versace Medusa Break The Bank Money Box, RRP $429, lends a touch of opulence to any room in your home.

Crafted by Rosenthal using the finest porcelain, it takes the shape of Versace’s iconic motif, the Medusa head. You can view more Versace home items when you enter to win the money box at Maman, 407 Remuera Rd, Remuera.

Playing with function and sculptural form, Alentes presents the beautiful Pillar Display Stand, RRP $580. Handcrafted from a composite of stone, marble and cement, it could be the talk of your Christmas Day gathering.

View the full range of bowls, platters and side tables when you go into ECC, 39 Nugent St, Grafton.

the hobson 33

the creative

From Aotearoa to the World Remuera local Heather Gerbic decided New Zealand needed its own identifiable fabrics.

This year her crafty idea, Pauanesia, celebrated 25 years in business. She spoke to Gretchen Carroll about creating Kiwiana that finds homes just about everywhere.

I

n the mid-1990s Heather Gerbic was at a crossroads in her life. With a background in marketing, she was working for Maurice Kain Textiles, but she couldn’t stop thinking about the stories her friend, the late Finnish émigré architect Tytti Spencer, told her about Marimekko, Finland’s iconic textile brand.

“My passions are textiles and this country,” she explains. “I felt inspired to forge an enterprise celebrating New Zealand with its own design and patterns, and thought why are we importing paisley, Asian, European styles of textiles when we can be proud enough to do our own?”

She was 27, and had also found out that children couldn’t happen for her and husband Nigel. A small inheritance from her parents was the impetus to take a leap of faith. “I thought to myself, do I keep working like a dog for someone else, or do I go out on my own?

So I opened Pauanesia in 1995 to give New Zealanders an emporium of what is special about this country.”

Gerbic opened in the cute little space at 35 High St, which remains Paunesia’s sole retail store. From the small shop, she launched a revolution in creating and offering artisan-made New Zealand and Pasifika items. Angels for Christmas trees made of paua shells or dressed in tapa, table linens printed with native flora

“My ethos has been to tell our stories in a meaningful way. When you deliver something with pride and passion you are rich anyway.” and fauna. No-one had seen anything quite like it, a store dedicated to products sourced from the Pacific and Aotearoa.

“There were queues at the door of my little store at Christmas,” she says of the pre-internet days of retail (online orders are now a key part of the business).

“Kiwiana has grown so big in popularity that tacky imposters have smothered the genuine local goods.

But for those that want to celebrate the special things about our place, then enterprises like mine are crucial.

Kiwis overseas love to have Pauanesia calendars, birds, home textiles and local knitted goods in their Christmas parcel from home.”

Pauanesia’s products are made in New Zealand, often using vintage or sustainably sourced materials. Her only off-shore production is textiles digitally printed at small collectives in India, which allows her to keep prices manageable. She describes Pauanesia as sitting somewhere between the souvenir category and the artisan gallery. “We do nothing over 100 in a print

run, so once it’s sold out that’s it. It keeps the products fresh and like a fashion collection. That’s the difference between craft and manufacture.”

Each year Gerbic seeks out a New Zealand artist to design a calendar and she gives them a theme.

They then come back with 12 images for her to use as concepts to roll out through the store, printed on sarongs, tea towels, table runners. It’s a collaborative approach and she’s happy to be supporting local artists.

“My ethos has been to tell our stories in a meaningful way. When you deliver something with pride and passion you are rich anyway.”

Over the years the famous Pauanesia birds have been the hands-down winner, making sure the kiwi has travelled the world. There was the dentist in Hong Kong online purchasing of $850 worth of little handmade kiwi to decorate her clinic. Celebrity shoppers have called in too: America’s Cup helsman Dennis Conner came and bought 250 handmade Christmas decorations to send home in 2003. q

the hobson 34

Heather Gerbic at her Remuera home. It will be the last Christmas she celebrates in this house — after 30 years in their Remuera bungalow, the family are moving a few streets away. Photos by Stephen Penny.

the hobson 35

the creative

When Rolling Stone Keith Richards was recuperating in Auckland after surgery following a fall in Fiji, his wife Patti Hansen “nearly bought us out”. It’s charming to think of Paunesia’s linens and kiwi finding a home at the Richards’ Carribbean retreat.

This year has undoubtedly been the toughest, and her once optimistic outlook for next year has diminished, with no cruise ships, sports tournaments, APEC or overseas spectators for the America’s Cup. “Covid-19 has definitely tested our resolve to stay in business. The CBD workforce has reduced and therefore so has our daily foot traffic. People are prioritising their spending and I’ve noticed they either aren’t carrying shopping bags, or the bags are from the big retailers.”

Gerbic says Auckland Transport has made visiting the city less and less attractive for locals to shop in the city. However she says there’s easy, reasonably-priced parking at the weekends, which encourages people to make a day of their Christmas shopping and enjoy what the city has to offer.

“Many will find the city appealing for a browse and discover treats – gifts that can be posted to family offshore who can’t visit. We remain a beacon of what is special about this place.” She also hopes there’ll be domestic tourism during summer from the provinces, as Aucklanders have been visiting and supporting them.

Gerbic is a defender of small retail in the central city and says one of the biggest challenges is apathy from overseas-owned retailers who take, but don’t contribute back to creating a vibrant city. She’s convinced the Heart of the City business organisation to have a window-dressing competition this year.

“We have to think about, as a country, how do we face international retail? If we don’t watch out, profits go overseas, and we’ll be left with a small basket of goods for exporting. I worry where we’re heading as we have embraced international retail.”

Gerbic is also proud to be the store ‘mum’ to her staff, a small team with a low turnover. She says they’re passionate people, who have a sense of connection and contribution to New Zealand and support each other, a collegial feeling which is something she’s concerned we could lose in the current climate.

This year Gerbic encourages people to make their own fun with their Christmas decorations, gifts and wrapping. For example, wrapping presents in beautiful fabric and tea towels, making their own paper chain and lantern decorations, and gift tags. She remembers as a child helping at her grandparents’ place on Christmas Day to decorate the table with what they could make or find in the garden.

“You don’t need much to have fun in life. This year I think nature has been telling us, hold on a moment! We own enough, so when you do buy, make considered decisions and buy local!”

— Gretchen Carroll Pauanesia, 35 High St. pauanesia.co.nz

Christmas-ready gifts, all wrapped in Paunesia's prints and a crafted Christmas tree at Gerbic's home. The kiwi have been a popular seller for 18 years. They come in a variety of sizes and are made using salvaged fabrics by a bevvy of crafters in the Bay of Plenty.

the hobson 36

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A Berry Good Trifle

F

or some people, especially those with a sweet tooth, dessert is the highlight of any dinner. If out in a restaurant they will sneak a look at the desserts offered on the menu before they even start to think about the savoury food they are going to start with. And usually you can bet that these folk will order anything and everything that’s chocolate.

I have never been too fussed about dessert but when pushed, my favourite has always been a fresh, seasonal fruit salad. Growing up in New Zealand, our fruit salad traditionally came out of a tin – tiny cubes of peaches, pears and those fake plastic-like pinky red cherries that we kids often fought about. Those were the days when housewives bottled golden queen peaches and often served them with ice cream or whipped cream to end a meal.

So it was a real revelation when I realised I could buy several pieces of fresh fruit to cut into nice chunks for a real fruit salad.

The soon to arrive stonefruit season is the best time to make this light and healthy dessert, with a collection of apricots, peaches, plums and nectarines. If there are late berries to add in the results can be quite beautiful. I am also a fan of making a salad at the end

of the pip-fruit season, when citrus fruits start to ripen. Oranges are always an excellent addition and seem to be the one fruit that travels well without risking damaging bruising, so slices or segments are great to add.

And just to be sure, I usually add a light sprinkling of sugar or a drizzle of maple syrup to my fruit salads, along with the freshly squeezed juice of a lemon. It really brings out each fruit’s flavours.

To accompany the fruit salad it has to be whipped cream, but Greek yogurt makes a slightly tart alternative and if you offer a choice of both it will be intriguing how many will choose the yogurt every time.

With the festive season on top of us, I will be diverting from my fascination with fruity salads and probably start thinking about trifle. It’s one of the most all-time favourites with many dessert lovers, and although it can’t be whipped up with ease like old-fashioned instant pudding, the effort involved is well worth exploring.

We are just reaching peak berry season, the first of the seasonal fruit cycles, with stonefruit, then pip fruit and citrus to follow, in that order to get us through the projected long hot summer

the hobson 38

the menu

before the winter fruits arrive. So with Christmas and family get-togethers in mind I have made this sublime chocolate and berry trifle. There’s no booze in this one, as I am conscious of the small kiddies who will be sharing the celebrations. But if that seems unfair to some of the adults you know, you can always make two trifles and splash the sherry into one of them when adding the jelly. My usual answer to the “we-need-booze” brigade is to offer some celebratory sparkling wine to accompany dessert.

This trifle recipe has strawberries, blueberries and raspberries, but feel free to make it with strawberries only, or add in other varieties of berry that appear this month. And do choose a classy chocolate to add to the custard, as cheap chocolate doesn’t melt well and can get rather lumpy if you don’t take care.

The best trifles are made a day ahead to give everything a chance to settle. Be sure to cover the trifle and refrigerate until just before serving. And if there are any leftovers, trifle actually makes a very tempting breakfast!

— Lauraine Jacobs

Chocolate Trifle with Fresh Berries 4 punnets fresh berries (raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, etc) 1 sheet sponge cake (Ernest Adams) 1 packet raspberry jelly crystals For the chocolate custard: 5 egg yolks 140g sugar 400ml full cream milk 1 vanilla bean 125g dark chocolate, pieces or grated 1 tbsp cornflour 300ml cream

the microwave and keep aside.

Beat the egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl until light and thick. Heat the milk with the vanilla bean in a heavy-based saucepan until it almost comes to the boil.

Tip the hot milk with the cornflour onto the egg mixture and stir well to combine.

Pick over the berries, keeping about one third for the top. Cut the sponge into fingers and place firmly in the bottom of a trifle bowl, adding some of the berries in a layer on top.

Dissolve the raspberry jelly in 400ml boiling water. When this cools, tip over the sponge, allowing it to soak in well.

Chill.

Rinse the pan that the milk was heated in, return it to the heat and strain the egg, sugar and milk mixture into the pan. Carefully bring up the heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens to coat the spoon. It’s important not to let this boil as the mixture may curdle.

Discard the vanilla pod and add the melted chocolate off the heat, gently blending in.

When the custard is cool, tip this over the jellied sponge and berries and allow to set.

Finally, whip the cream lightly and spoon over to cover the top of the custard. Place the reserved berries on top. You can if you wish grate extra chocolate over the fruit.

Chill for several hours before serving.

Melt the chocolate very gently in a bowl in

Serves 10

Extra chocolate for grating on top

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the district diary

December 2020 Dates and events correct at the time of going to press, but please do check for changes due to any restrictions on gatherings 2-6 Fancy yourself a golfer? Take your shot at a hole-in-one on the Powerade G9 nine-hole golf course, temporarily sited on the hallowed turf of Eden Park. Daily 10am-10pm, Reimers Ave, Kingsland. All ages, ticketek.co.nz

7 Have a Merry Little Christmas with Operatunity at Somervell Presbyterian Church, cnr Greenlane and Remuera roads.

All your seasonal favourites. Tickets from operatunity.co.nz, 11am-1pm

3 The biennial Women in Film and Television NZ Awards is an intimate evening of conversation and connection celebrating the achievements of women in the screen industry. ASB Waterfront Theatre, 138 Halsey St, 7-11pm, tickets from nz.patronbase.com

Vicky Ave School’s annual carol service starts at 7pm at Holy Trinity Cathedral, Parnell

20 It’s Santa Paws Day! Bring the fur babies to get a memorable family pic with Santa in Remuera: 10am-2pm at Santa’s Grotto, outside the Remuera Library

5 Need last-minute gifts or knick-knacks?

The Auckland Mama Markets are holding their Christmas market at the Ellerslie War Memorial Hall, 138 Main Highway, 9.30am1pm. Free entry and a great way to support local small businesses

6 Head to General Collective’s flagship Lifestyle & Design Market, showcasing over 250 designers and creatives from around the country. Homewares, art, street food vendors, fashion and free kid’s activity stations. ASB Showgrounds, 217 Greenlane West, 9am-3pm, iticket.co.nz ($5 entry, kids under 12 free)

16 Bring your pre-schoolers along to run off some steam and make new friends at the Education Angels playgroup, a free event inspired by the Rie philosophy - free choice play and learning through experiences. Gather at Judges Bay Beach, Judges Bay Rd, Parnell, 10-11am 19 The Candlelight Music Series is a multisensory experience; jazz pianist Nick Dow will transport you to magical places with music from Chopin, Tchaikovsky, movie soundtracks and more. St Matthew-in-the-City, 187 Federal St, 8.30-10pm. Tickets from eventfinda.co.nz

4 Who’s loving the new trend of night markets?

A fun night out for the whole family with food vendors, art, jewellery, fresh produce and live music and entertainment. Meadowbank Shopping Centre, cnr St Johns Rd and Gerard Way, or on the 10th at Ellerslie War Memorial Hall, 138 Main Highway. 4-8pm, free

Have a Christmas sing-along and enjoy some Christmas cheer at North Shore Brass and Cantare Choir’s Christmas @ Holy Trinity.

Holy Trinity Cathedral, Parnell, 7-9pm, eventfinda.co.nz for tickets

at the Santa Grotto outside the library, from noon to 2pm. They’re also in Remuera at those times on Thursday 17, Friday 18, Saturday 19, Monday 21 and Tuesday 22

24 Christmas Eve. Don’t forget to leave a beverage and a snack out for the big guy 25 Happy Christmas!

11-12 It wouldn’t be Christmas without the APO’s annual festive concert at Holy Trinity. This year the Graduate Choir of New Zealand and soprano Amelia Berry will delight the senses and share tidings of joy. Friday 7.30-9pm, Sat 3-4.30pm. Holy Trinity Cathedral, Parnell, apo.co.nz for tickets 12-22 Ho ho ho . . . Santa and Mrs Claus are in Remuera from today. Catch them strolling around the village, 10am-noon, or visit them

26-30 Work off Christmas Day excitement at Waterworld — enjoy an hour of slippery, splashing fun, anchored just off the beach at Kohimarama. See dialled.co.nz/aquapark for times, prices and safety requirements 31 New Year’s Eve — bring on 2021!

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the hobson 40

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Improve your Home with Solar Window Films Create daytime privacy whilst preserving your view Reduce fading of your furniture and furnishings and block out excessive heat and 99% of harmful UV-radiation.

Improve your home working environment with glarereducing solar film, for better visibility of digital screens.

Contact Chris for an obligation-free consultation.

SOLAR FILM / SAFETY FILM / PRIVACY FILM SECURITY FILM / ANTI-GRAFFITI FILM / DECORATIVE FILM

0800 457 776 info@glassprotech.co.nz glassprotech.co.nz

$$ WANTED $$ CASH PAID FOR Memorabilia

antique furniture ,jewellery, paintings, bottles old signs, advertising, taxidermy, Maori items collectibles, toys, mirrors, tins, pottery, tools Anything old considered.... Ph. Will 0211852014

IVAN'S HOUSEWASHING 027 490 1917 H A RV E Y

G A R D E N S

Leave your garden’s care in our expert hands and free up your time. We provide the best garden and property maintenance for all our clients at competitive rates.

C ALL US TODAY FOR A FREE APPR AISAL: 021 943 267

Sick of having to wash and dry your hair after every swim?

Is your daughter in a swimming squad?

Get a Bunbathers swimcap! It's specially shaped to fit a ponytail on top, keeping hair higher and drier.

• more comfortable & won't ride up around the edges • great for girls with grommets —­ cap stays down over the ears

TECHNICAL CONCIERGE SERVICES Priority Apple Tech Support • Fast Reliable Secure WIFI • Technical Advisory Services Ph: 020 4 5POINT info@5point8.nz

• ideal for long, thick hair • metallic rose gold silicone • local Remuera business

www.bunbathers.com Instagram & Facebook: @bunbathers

the cryptic by māyā

Set by Māyā. Answers will appear in our next issue, January/February 2021.

Can’t wait, or need help? Visit https://thehobsoncrossword.wordpress.com ACROSS 1/8 “Marvellous” introduction to poem: Wonder Woman beat thug (I huddle, trembling!) (3,2,3,5,6,3,4) 10 Obsessive types swallow first part of farmyard chorus for nymphs (7) 11 About what document certifying vehicle safety herein? (7) 12 Oxbridge students in distress (5) 13 Open spaces reflected macho type of man on wagon - a type of Western, perhaps (9) 14 Mayhem with a vocal component (5) 16 Songboat released from plane? (3,6) 18 Coe Majors in inclination of the head, leading to minor injury (9) 19 Hand I shake - into a cat? (5) 20 Margaret T. ceding right to north - nasty, nasty woman! (9)

23 Dr Seuss, Chuck Jones and Frank Capra’s Private Breakdown (5) 24 She's warm: signal to stop? (7) 25 Order in American arithmetic isn't mentioned in the theatre (7) 26 Spotty rendition of “Ebony and Ivory”, perhaps? (6-3-4)

DOWN 2 Supports I wear ’ave sharp tip - they'll grind down (9) 3 Weight distributed about his bridge-like game (5) 4 After degree, close relative has something on which to build (5) 5 Television’s first “Doctor Who” broadcast was . . . blond? (3-6)

6 Accidentally discovered rook in sky (9) 7 Place and time for abbreviated rank (5) 8 See 1 Across 9 United Front leaders: “Shut thy trap during battle!” - in which boy stood, not so beamish (6,7) 15 Corn God to divide up Modesty Blaise’s final story (5,4) 16 Drink leads to kiss, and woman indoors . . . yes, he had many conquests (9) 17 Incomparable sweet (9) 21 German poet and novelist kind in religious schooling (5) 22 I’m not moved to become an Athenian (5) 23 Fires a professor of neurology? (5)

NOVEMBER CRYPTIC CROSSWORD ANSWERS Across: 1 Seventeen, 9 Bureau, 10 Drainpipe, 11 Staffs, 12 Breakfast, 13 No-goal, 17 Ere, 19 Nursery, 20 Wrestle, 21 Eve, 23 Angora, 27 Retweeted, 28 Grotto, 29 Inflected, 30 Eleven, 31 Emotional. Down: 2 Errors, 3 Epical, 4 Typify, 5 Exposer, 6 Kurt Gödel, 7 Self-worth, 8 Ourselves, 14 Entangled, 15 Prognoses, 16 Betrothed, 17 Eye, 18 Ewe, 22 Vietnam, 24 Twilit, 25 Velcro, 26 Geneva.

the hobson 42

TEAK DEEP SEATING OUTDOOR FURNITURE BE INSPIRED BY THE DESIGNS, VARIETY AND QUALITY Stunningly curated outdoor furniture from Italy, Belgium, France, Indonesia and the Philippines. All products are in stock, fully assembled, and available for nationwide delivery. Sunbrella® cushions are included with the purchase of our deep seating pieces as shown on our website.

IBIZA TEAK SECTIONAL COLLECTION

COPENHAGUE RECLAIMED TEAK LOVESEAT, CLUB CHAIR AND OTTOMAN

KENT STREET TEAK SECTIONAL FURNITURE COLLECTION

SUTHERLAND OUTDOOR TEAK AND ROPE COLLECTION

137 - 147 THE STRAND, PARNELL, AUCKLAND / 0800 111 112 / OPEN DAILY 9:30 TO 5:30 / DESIGNWAREHOUSE.CO.NZ

3A/38 James Cook Crescent, Remuera AUCTION: 2:00 p.m. Thursday 26 November 2020 (unless sold prior)

2/95 St Johns Road, Meadowbank AUCTION: 11:30 a.m. Thursday 3 December 2020 (unless sold prior)

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VIEW: nzsothebysrealty.com/NZE11300

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VIEW: nzsothebysrealty.com/NZE11289

PAUL SISSONS | M +64 27 432 5220 | paul.sissons@nzsir.com Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated. Browns Real Estate Limited (licensed under the REAA 2008) MREINZ.