Tribute to Dame Susan
By Frank Neill
A tribute to New Zealand squash great Dame Susan Devoy DNZM CBE hangs on the wall at Club Kelburn, which Dame Susan played a major role in saving from closure. The development of the new artwork coincided with Club Kelburn making Dame Susan a life member. Continued on page 2.
Gary Murdoch, who began the initiative that saved Club Kelburn, with the picture made as a tribute to Dame Susan Devoy. Photo: Frank Neill.
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New artwork features squash balls
Continued from page 1.
The new artwork, entitled “Devoted”, was developed using a photograph of Dame Susan.
Under the direction of Tim Christie, Club Kelburn members then used more than a thousand squash balls to create an image based on the photograph.
The final installation also includes a reducing lens that enhances the clarity of the artwork by compressing the field of view, making the squash balls appear more like halftone dots in a photographic image.
In 2017 Wellington City Council told Club Kelburn that if it did not repair the facility, which is on a council reserve, that it would have to close it down.
Squash New Zealand, which owns the building, and Wellington City Council explored possible solutions.
However Squash New Zealand decided that the cost of the necessary upgrade was too great and told Club Kelburn members that it would close on 30 September 2020 and would be demolished six to nine months after that.
Club Kelburn member Gary Murdoch, who has been playing squash at the club since 1969, put together an action group with the aim of saving the club.
Gary telephoned Dame Susan to gain her support for a campaign to save the building, and that marked the start of what would become a successful initiative.
Dame Susan decided to stand for the board of Squash New Zealand, and her main reason for standing was to help save Club Kelburn.
At the time the club had 119 members and Club Kelburn had eight squash courts, a gym, table tennis and other facilities.
It also had a Hell’s Pizza. In fact that was Hell Pizza’s first outlet, which it established in 1966.
As a board member, Dame Susan challenged the Squash New Zealand board’s decision to close the club.
She succeeded in getting a reprieve of three months to develop a rescue plan and then, eventuallly, Squash New Zealand contributed $300,000 towards the refurbishment, which cost around $500,000.
Gary and Dame Susan began the project with a big launch, with Dame Susan inviting the Minister of Sport Grant Robertson, who played a game of squash at the opening.
Working bees were set up, and the work done by the volunteers for months and months was significant.
Sections of the roof were replaced, asbestos removed, a leaky deck fixed, courts and corridors painted, new carpet laid, new gym equipment bought and LED lighting installed.
This all began during the Covid lockdown, and Dame Susan managed to obtain an exemption to travel, making the drive to Wellington a number of times to help lead the project.
She then moved to Wellington, where she rented a small studio for six months, and worked on the Club Kelburn restoration for 12 hours a day seven days a week.
In saving Club Kelburn “I provided the spark and [Dame Susan] provided the flame,” Gary says.
“If it was not for her, Club Kelburn would just be a hole in the wall.”
Some of the squash balls used in the artwork depicting Dame Susan playing squash, were retrieved from the ceiling of the building during the upgrade, Gary says.
It is believed that some of the balls date
back to the 1970s.
The configuration of the balls is based on the Fibonacci spiral, rooted in the Fibonacci sequence, a precise geometric progression that captures the essence of natural growth patterns, an expression of life itself.
Club Kelburn, which is located behind the tennis courts at 65 Salamanca Road, has been serving the community for more than 30 years.
The club has a big focus on Squash, and also includes a gymnasium, a sauna, Table Tennis and Basketball.
Dame Susan had a stellar Squash career.
She won the World Open Squash Championship four times, in 1985, 1987, 1990 and 1992.
She also won the British Open eight times.
When she retired in 1992, she was the Australian, British, French, Hong Kong, Irish, New Zealand, Scottish, Swedish and World squash champion.
Dame Susan was also New Zealand’s Race Relations Commissioner from 2013 to 2018.
Most people are starting to feel the impact of the recession which, believe it or not, is exactly what the Reserve Bank wants us to feel.
I recently hosted a meeting which included local property developers and representatives from the City and Regional Councils. The background for the meeting was the need to ensure all people involved in providing more housing in our electorate, whether it be those building them or those regulating and permitting that building, understand the issues which govern the ability to build the houses everyone agrees we need.
The Bank’s job is to get inflation down, and the way they do that is to reduce demand for goods and services. That is done by reducing the amount of money people have to spend, and of course, the Bank increases interest rates especially on our mortgages to achieve that.
There are essentially two types of development; greenfields and brownfields. Greenfields means building on currently undeveloped land, typically ex farmland on the edges of current urban areas, where infrastructure like sewers, water supply and other essential services don’t exist are usually built by the developer.
Tax cuts will give some of those still working more cash, but at the same time, as of 1 July many other costs will rise, including transport fares, prescription charges, and fuel excise. Those rising costs affect everyone, not just those getting tax cuts, and so it’s an uneven redistribution of wealth.
Brownfields development means rebuilding on existing sites, and there has been considerable discussion in recent times around how much intensification should be allowed in existing suburbs, especially changing of height limits to allow for more apartments.
It’s a pretty simple formula. Sadly, less demand for goods means less jobs, and many in Ōhāriu will know of someone who has either lost their job or has reduced hours.
Both have their advantages and disadvantages; the Regional Council in particular see their role to prevent more
Ultimately, we need to be making more as a country to ensure there is more money circulating, but at the same time we don’t want to become a wealthy country full of poor people; those were the places our ancestors and even current immigrants escaped from, coming to New Zealand for better lives for themselves and their descendants.
runoff and other material ending up in our harbours, especially the Porirua harbour in the case of development north of Johnsonville and Newlands. The Wellington City Council are concerned that the existing infrastructure cannot handle the pressure it comes under when new housing areas are developed. Existing infrastructure is aging and needs upgrading across our city, as evidenced by recent pipe failures. An advantage of intensification of existing areas means more people, therefore more ratepayers to pay for those upgrades.
Right now, too many New Zealanders are leaving, for Australia in particular, for those same reasons.
Developers of course need to make a profit, and wish to keep their compliance costs as low as possible. Many believe the Resource Management Act is too cumbersome. We as government for our part have undertaken to rewrite that act.
The feedback was good, but the success will be when there are sufficient affordable houses to meetdemand. That is certainly my goal as your MP.
What is essential is that we believe the future is bright here for our families, and that our kids will get good health care, education, and jobs.
That, and of course having a vibrant and functioning Johnsonville Shopping Centre we can all be proud of.
There’s plenty to be getting on with.
That only happens when governments get the balance of ensuring we create wealth as a country, and that everyone gets to share in it. Those losing jobs as a direct impact of Government policy will not be feeling that way.
The plaque for the artwork of Dame Susan Devoy, with the artwork of her in the background. Photo: Frank Neill.
Great community service giant
By Frank Neill
Edward Douglas (Doug) Langford CNZM is one of the great giants of community service.
Doug’s life has been defined by the leadership and service he provided to the community, to industry, to the church and to his family.
He passed away on 18 June, aged 88 years.
Doug’s community service is unsurpassed.
He was recognised for both his community service and services to manufacturing when he was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2003 Queen’s Birthday Honours.
He was a charter member of the Rotary Club of Karori, joining the club when it was launched in 1982.
He is a past President of the club and a long serving treasurer.
Doug was awarded Rotary’s highest international honour, the Paul Harris Fellowship and subsequently became a multi sapphire pin Paul Harris Fellow.
During his time with Karori Rotary Doug was involved in establishing the first Probus Club in Karori, and also helped set up a number of other Probus clubs in the Wellington area.
Probus clubs, which have been set up worldwide, are for retired or semi-retired people from all walks of life and provide regular opportunities for members to meet others in similar circumstances, with similar levels of interest, make new friends, and maintain and expand their interests.
He chaired many community organisations and trusts including the Marsden and Chelsea
Day Care Trusts for dementia patients.
It also included chairing the board of the Open Polytechnic Correspondence College NZ Ltd and leading the organisation for about 10 years.
As well as serving the community in a number of organisations, Doug also served others on a one-to-one basis, and was a mentor and teacher for many people.
Doug’s faith and his church involvement was another big part of his life.
He worked tirelessly for the Presbyterian Church, including serving as its Finance Manager.
The greatest gift Doug and his wife of 62 years Alison gave his children “was passing on the legacy of a Christian faith that was the anchor and hope of their lives,” his brother Philip Langford said during the celebration of Doug’s life, held at Old St Paul’s Church on 1 July. Music was another of Doug’s passions.
He sang bass with the Harbour Capital Chorus for some 20 years and also sang with the Khandallah Community Singers.
He loved playing the organ, playing both in church and at recitals.
One memory he recounted was when he played the colossal Sydney Town Hall pipe organ and announced: “I never dreamed I would ever play such a magnificent instrument.”
His service to industry began with his first job at the ANZ Bank in Nelson and then with the bank in Wellington.
Doug then left the bank and set up Supertex Industries in 1981, where he was the managing
He also led Walk Off Mats (Asia Pacific) Pty Ltd and Paragon Business Finance Ltd.
Doug also practised as an accountant after obtaining a degree in accounting.
Doug was born in Bainham, Golden Bay, on 28 May 1936.
He was the son of Kathleen Toll Langford and Lewis Campbell Langford and brother to Philip, Dorothy, Jean and Roger.
He was educated at Bainham School, Collingwood High School and Nelson College.
Doug is survived by his wife Alison, his children and their partners, Suzette and Simon, Lester and Simone, Tristram and Rachel, and Conwae and Sarah, and his 12 grand children Imogen, Tamsin, Rosie, Emily, Rory, Joshua, Baxter, Emerson, Florence, Violet, Archie and Olive.
Sports awards
Nominations are open for the 2024 Wellington Regional Sports Awards. There are 12 award categories, recognising the sport excellence of athletes, teams, clubs, volunteers, officials and coaches. This event, formerly known as the Wellington Sport and Recreation Awards, has been running for 40 years. Nominations can be made at www. wellingtonsportsawards.co.nz and close on Monday 5 August.
Finalists will be announced in mid August.
The winners will be announced at the Wellington Regional Sports Award night.
This will be held at the Alan Gibbs Centre, Wellington College, at 6:45pm on Thursday 24 October.
Free fish heads
People can collect fish heads and frames from the Newlands Community Centre as the freshly caught items will be delivered for a Thursday afternoon or Friday morning pick up.
Doug Langford CNZM. Photo: Supplied. director.
Some of the books
Altrusa Ohariu supporting literacy
Altrusa Ohariu, the local community support group, has supported literacy in the community with donations of books to the Johnsonville and Porirua Plunket parent support groups and to WELLFed Porirua.
Altrusa Ohariu has a long-standing relationship with WELLFed Porirua, which teaches cooking simple meals using seasonal ingredients.
WELLFed was grateful to receive 50 Edmonds ‘My First Cookbook’ in a mixture of English and Te Reo.
The Porirua and Johnsonville Plunket parent support group also received books for the families they support.
Altrusa member Hannah Cook delivered 200 Hairy Maclary books to the Porirua Plunket along with some baking that Altrusa Ohariu members had made.
Local Plunket volunteer Nila, who has been running parent support groups for new wh nau, said:“It was great to reach out to Altrusa Ohariu about getting some books for our parents to read to their babies and that the volunteers at Altrusa could make this happen”
In addition to this local literacy support Altrusa Ohariu members have provided funding for books and stationery to the Yen Daakye school for street children in Ghana.
“It is wonderful to see organisations working together to support each other” Hannah says.
“Being able to identify a need and support early literacy skills is a real privilege.”
Altrusa Ohariu’s next event to support literacy in the local community is a movie fundraiser on Thursday 11 July.
The movie is “Fly me to the Moon”. Tickets are $20 and can be obtained by contacting altrusaohariu@gmail.com.
Karori Lions at international convention
Seven Karori Lions attended the Lions International Convention 2024, the 106th annual International Convention, held for the first time in Melbourne, Australia, from 21 to 25 June.
They were among more than 10,000 registered attendees, including over 3,000 voting delegates, from around 160 countries worldwide.
This was the closest the convention has been held to New Zealand since Sydney 2010.
The convention took over the giant Melbourne Convention and Exhibition
Centre, and Lions emblems and messages were prominent on buildings and public transport throughout Melbourne.
The festive atmosphere was added to by the ‘Parade of Nations’, a favourite event in all the cities that have hosted the convention, at which bands, floats, and contingents from more than 100 countries and geographical areas parade along one of the main streets.
Another perennial favourite was the International Show, free to the thousands of registrants, featuring indigenous artists and a renowned Elton John impersonator.
Roundabout transformed
Wellington City Council has transformed the Johnsonville roundabout, making it greener and more sustainable.
The council has replaced the seasonal garden with Arcotis.
They created a stone buffer and planted the perennial Arcotis in the centre. Perennials are plants that live for more than two years and regrow each spring.
“This means our kaimahi no longer need to replant the garden twice a year, reducing disruption to road users,” the council says.
“Perennials require less wai than bedding plants, helping to conserve our precious resources.
“They also reduce the need for pesticides and fertilisers, which cuts down on pollution in our soil and waterways.”
Showroom: 29 Hutt Road, Thorndon
Then there were the plenary sessions, including awards, top speakers, voting, and installation of officers, including the installation of more than 700 District Governors for the 49,000 Lions Clubs across the planet. Of particular interest for the Karori Lions was the display of the 24 Merit Award winning peace posters.
Selected from more than 600,000 entries worldwide, one of these, by 13 year-old Sofia Litvinova, from Kelburn Normal School, was sponsored by the Karori Lions Club – a rare honour for the club.
Incoming Karori Lions President Gina Smith with the Merit Award Peace Poster by Sofia Litvinova from Kelburn Normal School. Photo: Supplied.
Karori Lions attending the 106th Lions International Convention. Photo: Supplied.
Altrusa Ohariu donated to Plunket. Photo: Supplied.
The transformed Johnsonville roundabout. Photo: Wellington City Council.
Musical monarchs grace KAT stage
The Queen of Hearts ordering “off with their heads” in a scene from KAT Theatre’s production of Alice. Photo: Supplied.
KAT Theatre’s mid-year production is a family-friendly musical romp based on Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass.
Alice – A musical play in two acts features all the favourite characters from the White Rabbit to the Mad Hatter and Cheshire Cat but takes a more modern, episodic approach and reinterprets the famous scenes in song.
Charlotte Stevens, who plays the obstreperous Queen of Hearts, has been working hard behind the scenes in many of KAT Theatre’s recent productions and is now in her first performing role for more than 10 years.
She was drawn to return to the stage when she read the character of the Queen and it “felt like a fit and a place I wanted to go.
“I’m too old for Alice,” Charlotte says.
“The Queen is a bad guy and I’m enjoying playing the villain.
“I’m one of those people who’s a people-pleaser. She’s the complete opposite to my personality.”
The demanding and foul-tempered monarch whom Lewis Carroll described as “a blind fury” is quick to give death sentences at even the slightest of offences.
“It’s interesting to be able to channel a person you aren’t, being bossy and the centre of attention,” Charlotte says.
“I’m trying to make her quite childish because who doesn’t like a good melodrama?
“Every time I hear the song she sings, all I can see is one of those villains who ties a damsel to the train tracks.”
As a teacher at a school renowned for its choral singing, she says: “I have a new appreciation for singing in harmony.
“The kids make it look so easy. Some aspects of this musical and a couple of the songs are really technical. As long as we all tone in with each other, the confidence comes.”
Playing the Queen’s long-suffering husband, the King of Hearts, is recent biology and theatre graduate Krzysztof Kowal.
He says of the king: “Although he has some sort of authority, he’s still quite a wimp and doesn’t have much control. Their relationship is rocky.”
Like many other members of the cast, Krzysztof was familiar with the books before auditioning.
“I like how it’s in the mind of a child, seeing escapism brought to life,” he says.
“I like pushing myself out of my comfort zone and this is my first musical with a solo singing part.”
With a mixed-age cast of children, teenagers, and adults, Alice – A musical is the kind of production in which KAT Theatre excels and it is the only city-based community theatre group that regularly produces them.
Charlotte relishes the opportunity to work with this eclectic cast.
“Everyone has individual qualities and everyone’s so cool and lovely,” she says.
“The best thing is meeting people I know again and spending more time with them and getting to know them better. The young people are enthusiastic and talented and fun to watch.”
Catch Charlotte and Krzysztof as the hearty heads of state, along with Alice and her assorted fantastical friends, from 18 to 27 July at Cochran Hall, Cashmere Avenue, Khandallah. Bookings are via the KAT Theatre website.
Update from your local city councillor
(Wharangi/Onslow-Western Ward)
Council’s Long Term Plan
The plan was approved last week by a slim majority of two votes. I did not support the overall plan for two main reasons;
The agreed reduction in Council’s debt was not included ($200 million out of $1.9 billion)
The sale of the airport shares lost majority support
There are however some good things in the plan for local communities across the city (including Khandallah Pool, Otari Wilton Bush, Ian Galloway Park). Communities should be at the heart of any council plan along with ensuring basic services are well provided for.
Council’s Exploding Debt
Debt helps us spread the cost of projects across the generations that use the assets so it’s not necessarily a bad thing. However for WCC, it’s the scale, the speed by which we are increasing debt and what we are spending the money on. We clearly need to spend more money on our water pipes and less on transport
Thorndon Quay
Five raised signalled crossings are planned. Overkill and complete madness and which is not supported by emergency services. Aside from the unnecessary cost, delays and disruption, local businesses really need your support. So please ‘navigate the cones” and pause for a bit of hospitality or retail therapy if you can.
Karori Rymans site
I continue to look into whether the Ministry of Education has any appetite to
Karori Town Centre
Council’s latest tender closed last week for the St John’s site. Looking forward known in a few months. I’m also waiting on an update for next steps around the completion of the Events Centre.
Please get in touch if you have a question or concern 029 971 8944 | diane.calvert@wcc.govt.nz www.dianecalvert.nz | /dianecalvertnz
Please get in touch if you have a question or concern 029 971 8944 | diane.calvert@wcc.govt.nz www.dianecalvert.nz | /dianecalvertnz
Authorised by J Owens, 22 Agra Cres, Wellington 6035.
Authorised by Diane Calvert, dianecalvert.nz
Check this before selling? YIP!
Hey Everyone! Hope you all had a great week! We’ve had a lot of market variables change recently and if you are thinking of selling or buying in this market, get in touch and we can work out the ideal way forward. This week, I want to share some things you should check on your property well ahead of any selling plans, as some of these things can cause issues at sale time.
Every few years, get a building inspection report done, to see if you have missed any issues that may be brewing. It is much better to catch and repair a minor leak earlier than to deal with any major issues later. After the inspection is done, you can work on your maintenance & repair plan to ensure when you do decide to sell, you have a quality, well-looked-after product.
If you are suspicious if a fence or garage is within the boundaries or not, get it checked out. An initial way to check it at a high level would be on the council maps. Look at the aerial shot & outline of the property around the boundary. These aerial shots are not exactly accurate, but they will let you know if there is anything worth investigating further. While you are on those maps, check if any encroachments need addressing too.
Check you aren’t missing any key components on your title that could result in a defective title. Although most lawyers are quite practical with some types of historic title deficiencies, it is better to have any issues covered with your lawyer ahead of time. Most common issues relate to wrong flat plans, missing easements for access, or maybe even covenants/interests that you didn’t know about.
: If there has been any work done on the property, that may have needed council sign-off, now is a great time to check it all the consents have been logged with WCC. Most tradespeople are good about doing
this with you, but some may have slipped the process. These could be things like fireplaces, new bathrooms with tiled wet areas, new structures attached to the property, etc. When selling a property, there is a lot that goes on to ensure you get the best possible outcome. Some of these things happen months/years before you go to sell. If you are unsure, get in touch - we will love to hear from you!
Have a great week!
Written by William YIP Your friend in Real Estate 021 106 9997
William.YIP@CollectiveFN.co.nz
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Fundraiser for Youthline
By Frank Neill
A V Funding Youth’s next fundraiser will be held at Atura Hotel, 24 Hawkestone Street Thorndon from 5pm to 11:30pm on Saturday 9 November.
The dinner, entertainment, music and dance event will raise money for Youthline Wellington.
The evening will feature the band The Party Animals, Anselm Martyn on saxophone and vox and a dance performance by L.O.D. Dance Studio.
A V Funding Youth was established by Khandallah residents Vino and Anselm Martyn to raise money for Youthline.
Vino and Anselm run the fundraisers in memory of their 17-year-old son Anshan, who took his own life around 25 years ago.
“It’s a legacy for our son, Vino says.
“He was born as an angel and he left as an angel.
“We took a long time to come to terms with the loss but we have accepted that we must keep raising awareness.”
In order to help and raise awareness Vino and Anselm set up the charity A V Funding Youth which has been raising funds for Youthline since 2018.
To date they have raised $33,595.
“They have both been working tirelessly to support our organisation throughout this time,” Youthline’s Manager Vicki Beachen says.
“We really appreciate their dedication and hard work.”
Youthline provides a 24/7 confidential helpline counselling service that provides support through phone calls, texts, emails
and webchat messages for young people and all those who support young people. It also provides youth programmes, workshops and training and is New Zealand’s leading youth mental health and youth development organisation.
Tickets to the 9 November fundraiser are $65 each and are available from Vino, 021 318 466, Anselm, 022 456 3627 or by emailing avfundingyouth@gmail.com.
People can also use these contacts for more information and any enquiries.
Resonance performing great choral work
The Karori-based choir Resonance is preparing to perform one of the greatest choral works ever written.
The choir will perform the Fauré Requiem at St Paul’s Cathedral Wellington on Saturday 6 July.
The work will be directed by Simon Christie with Lexus Song Quest finalist Joe Haddow as baritone and Anna Sedcole as soprano soloists.
Choir director Simon says the Fauré Requiem is arguably the greatest, most sumptuous music ever written in the choral repertoire.
“The concert will start with well-known pieces by Mozart and Bach and will crescendo towards the beginning of the Requiem.
“Under the wonderful acoustic of Wellington Cathedral of St Paul, you can sit back and wallow in the music.
“It promises to be a beautiful event,” Simon says.
The concert will be accompanied by the magnificent sounds of the cathedral organ with Michael Stewart, music director of St Paul's Cathedral Wellington and The Tudor Consort, at the helm.
Every Tuesday night Resonance rehearses at St Mary’s Anglican Church in Karori where Simon started his singing career as a boy soprano exactly 40 years ago.
“It’s surreal to be rehearsing in a church where I spent some of my childhood years.
“It was the only and last all male parish choir in New Zealand at the time,” he says.
“It’s a privilege to stand in front of 50 singers and be able to pass on the knowledge I gained in those formative years here, and from my experiences singing in Europe quite some years later.
“We even have a couple of singers in the choir who returned to the craft after singing at St Mary’s when I did.
“I guess the apples don’t fall far from the tree right?”
Resonance Director Simon Christie. Photo: Supplie.
Khandallah residents Vino and Anselm Martyn who are running a dinner and dance to raise money for Youthline. Photo: Supplied.
Lions’ trip to Wellington Zoo
Simon Eyre, Animal Science Manager at Te Nukuao Wellington Zoo, was the guest speaker at the May meeting of the REBUS Club of Khandallah.
Simon’s talk was entitled “Lion Transfer from Copenhagen Zoo to Wellington Zoo - a story of logistics.”
In November 2021 two African lions were flown on passenger planes from Copenhagen to Dubai, and from Dubai to Auckland.
The lions were not up front in business class, but in the temperature controlled hold: in individual specially constructed containers crates, which ensured that the lions couldn’t get out, had enough room to move easily, and where their special needs could be met in a nice
dark quiet place.
Their journey continued by truck from Auckland to Te Nukuao Wellington Zoo – with special permission to travel from Auckland during lockdown.
Full veterinary health screening before the lions left Copenhagen Zoo included testing them for Covid. At that time there was no animal Covid vaccine, as there is now, for all mammals.
On arrival at Te Nukuao Wellington Zoo, they were quarantined for 30 days.
Now the two lion brothers, Jelani and Sadiki, are contributing genetic diversity to the pride of lions at Te Nukuao Wellington Zoo.
REBUS is a social club for seniors and meets on the last Friday of the
month. However, because of the Matariki public holiday the next Rebus meeting will be held on Friday 5 July at 10am at Khandallah Bowling Club, 24 Woodmancote Road.
The guest speaker will be Stephen Tallon, on "Medicinal Cannabis and Hemp".
Stephen is the Principal Research Engineer at Callaghan Innovation. He leads a team of researchers helping New Zealand companies develop new health and cosmetic products with a focus on natural ingredients.
For more information about the club internet search “Khandallah REBUS” or go to https:// khandallahrebus.wixsite.com/ khandallahrebusclub.
Petition to help stop products going to landfill
Consumer NZ has launched a petition aimed at stopping products being thrown out rather than repaired.
The petition calls on the government to introduce a repairability label – so when people buy something they know how long it will last, and how repairable it is.
In the same way that Energy Ratings tell people how efficient a product is to use, a repairability label would tell you how easy it is to repair. The petition is at www. consumer.org.nz/articles/petition-to-helpstop-products-going-to-landfill.
“When we hit 20,000 signatures, we are going to head to Parliament to hand our petition over to MPs. The more people who join our call, the harder it is to ignore,” says Abby Damen campaigns adviser at Consumer. Each year we throw away 97,000 tonnes of e-waste, which equates to enough toasters to fill Eden Park and the Sky Tower.
New Zealand is the only country in the OECD without e-waste regulations.
“Although New Zealand’s e-waste volume is shameful, it’s not entirely our fault,” Abby says. "Our laws allow the sale of products that can't be repaired." In April, Marama Davidson’s Consumer Guarantees (Right to Repair) Amendment Bill was
drawn from the ballot. If passed, the bill would give consumers the right to repair their products by requiring manufacturers to make spare parts available to consumers for a reasonable period of time.
The bill also:
provide, on request, the information, spare parts and tools required to keep items in working order; and
rather than a replacement and requires repairs are done in a reasonable time.
“We are hopeful that MPs take time to really consider the benefits this bill offers to our planet and our pockets,” Abby says. “Having these provisions in place would make a big difference to the quality and longevity of products available on our shelves. “Right now, New Zealand is a magnet for poor quality appliances and electronics. “We regularly hear people reminiscing fondly about products from the good old days, and that’s for a good reason.
Things used to be built to last and could be passed on from person to person.
“We need to go back to that.”
According to Consumer, if this bill is passed it would be a great first step in the right to repair movement.
New Johnsonville Business Group manager
By Frank Neill
Oliver Smith is the new Johnsonville Business Improvement Manager.
Oliver has just been appointed to the role by the Johnsonville Business Improvement District (BID) and succeeds the Bid’s first manager Mike Helleur.
He comes to the new role as a beer engineer with The Beer Engine, which he set up with Dale Gould in 2021.
The two met over lunch to discuss what to do in a post pandemic lockdown world.
“It was the worst time in history to set up a hospitality business but we set it up anyway and we’ve never looked back,” Oliver says.
Since setting up The Beer Engine Oliver has worked with the Porirua City Council on improving the Titahi Bay area where the business is located.
“There are a lot of similarities between Titahi Bay and Johnsonville,” he says.
“They are not considered destinations and both are in need of improvements to the area.”
Oliver also set up and ran the first Porirua Rocks festival earlier this year. The festival combined craft beer, rock music and wrestling and was held at the Te Rauparaha Arena on 27 April.
One of the things he has noticed having met Johnsonville business owners so far is “there is so much passion. It’s amazing.”
Porirua Rocks proved a big success and Oliver is now looking forward to next year’s festival. The aim of the festival was to shine a light on the local hospitality scene and “good hospitality brings more people in.”
“There are a lot of good businesses in Johnsonville and I’m excited to help them grow,” Oliver says.
He is looking forward to helping them realise their visions. One of the long term aims of the Johnsonville BID is to work towards developing a multi-use sports venue in Johnsonville. The benefits of an indoor sports venue “would be really massive,” Oliver says, adding that he is very keen working towards its establishment. In its submission on Wellington City Council’s 2024-34 Long Term Plan, the Johnsonville Business Group promoted the need for an indoor recreation centre at Raroa Park.
Marsden teams shine brightly
Samuel Marsden Collegiate School teams shone brightly at the recent Pentangular Tournament, hosted by Nga Tawa, alongside Iona College, Woodford House, and St Matthew’s.
The schools’ Netball team finished first
in the tournament, with the matches played at Nga Tawa.
The Football and Hockey were held in various sports venues in Palmerston North. The Football team finished second and the hockey team in third equal.
Simon Eyre addressing the REBUS Club of Khandallah.
Photo: Supplied.
The Johnsonville BID’s new manager Oliver Smith. Photo: Supplied.
J’ville line 86 years old
An early picture of the Johnsonville railway station. Photo: Supplied.
By Frank Neill
The 86th anniversary of the opening of the electrified Johnsonville to Wellington rail line takes place today, 4 July.
The Johnsonville line opened in 1938, with the official opening ceremony held at the Wellington Railway Station on 2 July and the service starting two days later.
Wellington’s Mayor Thomas Hislop, the Governor-General George Monckton-Arundell, the acting Prime Minister Peter Fraser and the Minister of Railways Daniel Sullivan attended the ceremony.
The Johnsonville rail line was originally built by the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company, with work beginning in 1882 and finishing on 27 October 1886. It was part of a rail line between Wellington and Longburn.
The line became part of the North Island Main Trunk line after the government bought it in December 1908.
In 1937 the line was truncated so that it ended in Johnsonville, following the opening of the Tawa Flat deviation, which then became the southern end of the main trunk line.
Was the ‘team of five million’ a myth?
A new book dissecting New Zealand’s 2020 general election concludes the “Team of Five Million” catchphrase may have helped mask existing social divisions but these divisions still very much influenced how people voted.
The book, A Team of Five Million? The 2020 ‘Covid-19’ New Zealand General Election, analyses voting behaviour that saw Labour secure an overwhelming majority, the first time any political party has done so in Aotearoa’s history of MMP elections.
“Despite Labour’s historic result, the same social divides seen in previous elections were also evident in 2020,” says co-editor Jack Vowles, a professor in politics at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington.
“The socio-demographic foundations of party voting didn’t change all that much in 2020.
“Yes, we saw a nationwide swing to the Labour Party, which was rewarded for its management of COVID-19. But we also saw similar patterns to those of previous elections.
“Farmers, employers, and the self-employed resisted Labour more than others.
“The same resistance to voting Labour was also seen among those with high incomes and lots of assets,” Professor Vowles says.
In the book’s concluding chapter, Professor Vowles and co-editors Professor Jennifer Curtin and Associate Professor
Lara Greaves observe that poll results since the 2020 election have borne out the temporary nature of Labour’s surge.
“Post-election, polls started to go down for Labour from about April–May 2021, with a swing to the right from about August.
“By late 2022 National was routinely polling ahead of Labour and the gloss had gone off PM Jacinda Ardern’s role in evoking the ‘Team of Five Million’,” they write. They identify three key factors behind the shifting poll results: the rise of inflation, leadership changes for both Labour and National, and the diminishing salience of COVID-19.
However, they pinpoint inflation as likely to be “the dominant factor” behind Labour’s decline from its 2020 election high.
“Inflation, unemployment and growth are regarded as the trinity of economic factors that influence public opinion and voting preferences. As inflation rose, we saw Labour’s poll ratings drop,” Professor Vowles says.
“In contrast, rising inflation likely helped National’s ratings.
“There’s a perception that parties of the right are better at managing the economy and they can therefore get a boost in the polls when the economy is flagging,” he says. A Team of Five Million? The 2020 ‘Covid-19’ New Zealand General Election is published by ANU Press. It can be downloaded free at A Team of Five Million? (anu.edu.au). Hard copies cost A$70.
Khandallah man keeps frigate on course
A former Onslow College student is showing the way to go as the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) frigate HMNZS Te Kaha builds up capability for future missions.
Lieutenant Julian Grimmett, from Khandallah, is the navigating officer on board Te Kaha, which visited Wellington recently.
The navigating officer is a warfare officer of four to seven years’ experience who specialises in navigation. They are responsible for the safe passage and navigation of the ship at sea.
Lieutenant Grimmett studied Information Technology at Weltec in Petone but realised it wasn’t for him.
“It wasn’t what I was passionate about.
“I looked at the Police and looked at the Defence Force and applied for both. To coin a phrase, I was looking for better work stories, I wanted something active.”
He joined the Navy in 2013 and found he really enjoyed the 22-
week officer training course.
“You might not appreciate it at the time, but it was really cool.”
Part of the training included a stint aboard training ship Spirit of New Zealand, taking the vessel to Sydney for the Royal Australian Navy’s 100th anniversary.
“It was 10 days over there, in tough seas. It was also my 21st birthday when I was there, so there was a 100-gun salute at the same time, which was pretty nice.”
As Te Kaha’s navigating officer he’s not on bridge ‘watches’, but supervises a small team of bridge watchkeepers.
“I work pretty consistently from 8am to 8pm. There’s supervision and a lot of planning in my job.
When you come in and out of a harbour like Wellington, you have to plan it out.”
For the Wellington visit, Te Kaha took aboard a CentrePort Wellington pilot to guide the ship to its berth at Queen’s Wharf.
“If a pilot comes on board, we
don’t switch off. We have to be trained to fight regardless of circumstances. In a wartime situation a pilot may not be available.
“We train for visual navigation, and we need to be able do it anywhere in the world.”
He likes the mathematics side of the job.
“I know it’s a bit nerdy to say, but I’ve got a maths brain. Navigation is about triangulation, trigonometry and problem solving. There’s environmental factors, movement of the sun, the stars, the seasons.
“The other thing I like is the personal skills.
“I’m the oversight for a small team, as the most experienced watchkeeper on board. I give coaching and advice to younger ones.
“I’ve previously been an instructor at the navigation training school in Australia.”
Next year Lieutenant Grimmett will further his warfare officer training in the United Kingdom, to qualify as a ship’s Principal
Warfare Officer.
“My advice to people thinking about this career is to be open to experiences.
“I’ve been all around the Pacific and Asia, and made some amazing
GARDENING THIS WEEK
SOIL DISEASES :
By Wally Richards
Soils contain diverse communities of microscopic organisms some of which (pathogens) are capable of damaging plants.
Pathogens may grow in the soil feeding on the rotting roots of a host plant say for instance a tomato plant.
These pathogens will be fairly specific in regards to their preferred host plant.
Thus if you plant a new tomato plant in the area where previously one died there is a reasonable chance that the pathogens present in the soil will attack and damage the new tomato plant’s roots.
If we were to plant say a lettuce instead then it is fairly unlikely that the lettuce would be affected by those pathogens that like tomatoes and members of that family of plants.
These specialised interactions between soil organisms and plants can kill seedlings and even adult trees.
Some organisms target young plants but others only appear as problems in later stages of the plants life.
Then there are pathogens that are able to cause disease problems in many different plant species.
The soil organisms that have the potential to be plant pathogens include fungi, bacteria, viruses, nematodes and protozoa.
Some pathogens that attack leaves, stems of plants survive in the soil at various stages of their life cycles.
Therefore, a soil phase of a plant pathogen may be important, even if the organism does not infect roots.
In spite of the potential for severe damage to be inflicted on plants by soil pathogens, most plants do not display serious symptoms of disease.
Disease usually occurs when conditions are particularly unfavorable, or when a soil pathogen is accidentally introduced into an area where a highly susceptible plant species is growing.
Because of the intensive chemical induced production of agriculture, horticulture or forestry this increases the opportunities for diseases to develop compared with the undisturbed natural ecosystems.
Also by planting of similar plant species together in monoculture increases the probability of a disease outbreak. (A glasshouse full of tomatoes for instance)
In contrast, the damage caused by the fungus Phytophthora cinnamomi to many different plant species, in diverse natural ecosystems, demonstrates the damage that can be caused by a pathogen that infects the roots of many unrelated plants.
The control of pathogens and prevention of plant disease is a natural soil biological process. Indeed, in most situations, plant disease is not strongly evident even when potentially pathogenic fungi are present in a soil.
In Nature soil pathogens are normally held at bay due to the beneficial microbes.
Where on the other hand chemical agriculture practices creates soil conditions and a high density of susceptible roots that encourages the multiplication of pathogens.
Once potentially damaging organisms become present in high numbers in a soil, they may be difficult to eradicate.
Management practices are required that create conditions in the soil that are not favorable to pathogens so that their growth is limited and therefore, disease it restricted.
Owners of glasshouses become concerned about the build up of disease in their glasshouse soils when tomatoes and similar crops are planted year after year.
In the past there was chemicals such as Basamid that we could use to sterilise the soil.
That product has been banned. Besides Basamid was non-selective and it destroyed the good with the bad and having no beneficial microbes to control the pathogens one could find disease problems quickly building up in the soil.
Another common problem is a row of shrubs or trees are planted as a hedge or screen, they grow nicely and then one day a plant in the row becomes sick looking and dies, followed by the plant next to it and so on.
You may put in plant replacements but they also die.
You have soil pathogens that will kill the whole row in time and be impossible to plant that species there again.
There is a natural answer for the home gardener called Wallys Terracin.
Terracin uses a combination of a Bacillius amyloliquefaciens BS-1b a beneficial soil microbe and the enzymes, bacteriocins, secondary
friends in New Zealand and other countries.
“I did a lot of growing up in my first years in the Navy. It gives you some pretty good life skills,” he says.
metabolites and signal molecules from the fermentation of Enteroccocus faecium to suppress a broad range of fungal pathogens.
Terracin works fast. Firstly the B amyloliquefaciens directly attack the pathogens by excreting strong antimicrobial substances that inhibit the pathogens growth. The enzymes and bacteriocins from the fermentation extract weaken the pathogen by breaking down its outer cell walls.
The signal molecules and secondary metabolites then activate the beneficial soil microbes that produce antimicrobial substances which act to further suppress the pathogens.
As the populations of beneficial microbes rise they suppress pathogens by simply out competing them for food. (That was simple wasn’t it?)
Once the pathogens have been suppressed it is important to re-establish a healthy population of beneficial microbes so 3 weeks after using Terracin you drench the area with Mycorrcin.
It is also important not to water the area with Chlorinated water (Put a 10 micron Carbon Bonded filter on your tap which is on our mail order web site) as chlorine just kills the microbes and you waste your time and money.
Lieutenant Julian Grimmett from Khandallah has returned to his home port as the navigation officer aboard RNZN frigate Te Kaha. Photo: Supplied.
Wheel repairs by the Wheel Magician
What is
ADHD?
Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) is used to describe individuals who
or slower than reality and their
concepts of sequence and how to create
Here to stop family violence
Women’s Refuge is New Zealand’s largest organisation that supports and helps women and children experiencing family violence. Its vision is for all women and children in Aotearoa to live free from domestic violence.
“Our purpose is to linterate women, children and wh nau from family violence by providing quality services and social commentary,” Women’s Refuge says. It recognises six values: stand; values and cornerstones;respecting each other and our environment; collective protection; lifeforce across all things; and
and growth of our people, individually and collectively.
Women’s Refuge provides a 24/7 crisis phone line available on 0800 16 33 44. for women and children fleeing domestic violence.
children in the community who live in their own homes as well as those in the safe house. Women’s Refuge offers support and advocacy for women and children experiencing
government and non-government agencies. Women’s Refuge can also provide emergency housing for families with children who are homeless and on the Housing New Zealand register.
on 0800 16 33 44.
Women’s Refuge offers a confidential safe house for women and children fleeing domestic violence.
children in the community who live in their own homes as well as those in the safe house. Women’s Refuge we treats all women, children and their families/wh nau in a respectful, confidential, sensitive and non-judgemental manner.
Waitangi.
Refuge by visiting their web site, https:// womensrefuge.org.nz.
Principal Policy Advisor, was among the
Talk to young people about online safety
Police are urging parents and guardians to have healthy and open conversations of being online and to be proactive with online safety.
a recent report of an individual targeting as someone else online and attempting to extort them.
victim of child exploitation and sextortion, is to ensure you verify the people you are
“When instances of sextortion occur, the offending generally begins with a direct message on social media to the victim.
on a different app, and gradually the con-
versation becomes sexualised, although in some cases not obvious to our high school aged children.
“From here, the victim is coerced into sharing photos and/or videos of themselves, their school friends or their family.
“In time, these photos can be used as or share them with people close to the victim.
“In some instances, photos are reportedly appear to be in even more compromising positions.
“Offenders can also capture compromising images of the young person from video files, which can then be traded across the internet.
“If you are a victim to sextortion: 1. Avoid sending anymore images or videos – even if they are threatening you.
2. Remember – once you have complied with their demands there is nothing preventing them targeting you again.
3. Save all the online chat, immediately
Police, we need all the evidence that you can gather.
5. Report the content to the platform ie the social media or website they contacted you on, or the content has been sent or posted on and request the content is removed.
contact Police on 105, or an online report through Netsafe at netsafe.org.nz/ report.
Netsafe also provides resources for both young people and adults regarding sextortion at netsafe.org.nz/sextortion/.
Capital Football seeking board members
By Frank Neill
Capital Football is currently seeking applications for positions on its board
The board currently has three appointed vacancies and is looking for people to fill the positions.
People who have an affinity for football or sport in general, and a
commitment and alignment with Capital Football’s mission to provide, develop and nurture the future of Football in the Wellington region are wanted. “Successful applicants will have time and a genuine desire to contribute, be self-aware, culturally responsive and understand the difference between governance and management,” Capital Football says.
“The role is open to individuals based in the Capital Football catchment area. “We are committed to having a diverse board, so ethnic, female and younger individuals are especially encouraged to apply.
“The experience and knowledge we are seeking include law, accounting and human resources.
“These board roles will appeal to
those wanting to be part of a sport that is dynamic and continuing our journey of achieving our full potential. “It’s also a rare opportunity to join a sport that has such a close connection to the environment, as well as community wellbeing,” Capital Football says. The initial term of the appointed role is three years, is unpaid, with an average time commitment of about six hours each month. Board meetings are typically held 10 times a year. Applications including a covering letter and CV should be sent to the Chair of the Capital Football Board, Sola Freeman, email sola@capitalfootball.org.nz. Applications close on Friday 12 July and interviews will follow shortly thereafter.
ON... O WHAT’S
New strategy to cut transport emissions
A new strategy released by Greater Wellington Regional Council sets out a pathway to a low-carbon, resilient future, and the urgent action required to get there.
The Wellington Regional Transport Emissions Reduction Pathway, a collaborative initiative between the nine councils of the region, provides a long-term strategic approach to transforming the region’s transport system, and ultimately the way we design our towns and cities.
Wellington Male Voice Choir
Practice sessions every Thursday 6-9pm. Tenors, Baritones, Bass. Tawa Union Church, 6 Elena Place. Director: Mark Stamper. President: Les Williams lesliewills47@gmail.com Mob 022 106 1574
Life Art Class
5.30-7.15pm Wednesdays, Untutored. St Andrews on The Terrace. Entrance lane at right of church. $15.00 waged / $9 unwaged. Please bring your own materials.
Greater Wellington regional councillor and chair of the Regional Transport Committee Adrienne Staples says road transport is one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions.
“Road transport is responsible for 39 percent of our total national carbon dioxide emissions,” Cr Staples says.
“If we are going to meet the national goal of net zero emissions by 2050, we urgently need
Painters
to tackle transport emissions.
“As councils of the region, we’re not shying away from this responsibility – to our community, to the planet, and to future generations – but we all have a part to play.”
The Pathway has two ambitious goals: to reduce the amount of passenger vehicle kilometres per person by 25% by 2035, and to reduce all road transport-generated carbon emissions by 35% by 2030.
A major focus of the Pathway is increased transport choice through reliable public transport and active travel, reducing our dependence on private vehicles.
“Doing this right means we don’t just reduce emissions; these actions will also lead to cleaner air, less congested and safer roads, and all at a lower cost because we will be building more mixed-use, compact communities in the places where public and active transport infrastructure already exists,” Cr Staples says.
A recently commissioned study by Greater Wellington Regional Council found that higher density development near city and town centres leads to lower per-dwelling
infrastructure costs, especially for transport. But new, more compact and sustainable urban form cannot happen overnight. The Pathway shows what actions need to be taken in the shorter term to create more choice and resilience in our transport system, and reduce emissions as well as our reliance on fossil fuels.
Wellington City Councillor Iona Pannett describes the Pathway as a “bold strategy based on rigorous modelling and sound evidence”.
“The analysis we have done for this Pathway points to a need for bold and urgent action to safeguard a climate-resilient future.
“Now, we need our community and partners to support the vision and hold us all accountable to achieve it,” Cr Pannett says.
“The headwinds may be strong at the moment, but this highlights all the more the need for a clear vision and pathway for action, and this strategy delivers on this,” Cr Staples adds.
To view the pathway, visit https://www. gw.govt.nz/assets/Documents/2024/06/ WTERP-2024.pdf
THURSDAY FACT
How many teeth are in a dogs mouth?
The average adult dog has 42 teeth: 22 in the mandible or lower jaw, and 20 in the maxilla or upper jaw. In each jaw there are 6 incisors, 2 canines, and 8 premolars. There are 6 molars in the lower jaw and 4 in the upper jaw. In adult dogs, approximate age can be determined by checking the wear on the incisors.
Petrol engine igniter(5-4)
Expectations(9) 51. Type of gazelle(5) 52. Ridicules(7) 53. Felony(5) 54. Urged(7) 55. Gathered(11) DOWN
1. Hidden store of things (5) 2. Tenacity(11) 3. Cooked thoroughly (4-4)
Distributed (6)
Overhanging roof edges(5)
Enlisted man(7)
Most distinct(8)
Flood(6)
Light woollen fabric(7)
Afterwards(5)
Everywhere(3,4)
Issue(7)
Ooze out(5)
Hot,capsicum sauce(7)
Surpass in endurance(7)
Vessel(3)
Decay(3)
Entreats(5)
Featureless (11)
33. Estimated time of arrival (abbr) (3)
Banned(8)
Very hot(weather)(8)
Translucent variety of glass(7)
Universal arithmetic(7)
Talents(6)
Waterside surrenders fifth place
By Grant Stephen
The two thirds mark has been and gone in the Men’s Central Football League competition after round 12 matches played out after the weekend.
It was a case of the more things changed, they more they stayed the same with only a minor mid table swap between the Wellington Phoenix Reserves and Waterside Karori.
Waterside surrendered fifth place after a 5-0 home loss at the hands of league leaders, Wellington Olympic.
It’s all Greek at the top of the table with Olympic in a commanding position with an eight-point buffer over Western Suburbs and dropping just one match all year.
Waterside did well to stem the tide for almost all of the first half with the first goal coming a minute from the smoko break.
The remaining four scores were fairly evenly distributed and five goals were attributed to five different scorers including Gianni Bouzoukis who has recently returned from playing in Australia to shore up the side in the upcoming summer campaign.
The Phoenix Reserves took over fifth place by virtue of their 2-1 win over TFS North Wellington at Fraser Park.
The Nix kids were a feisty bunch and for a professionally run club they collected a lot of yellow cards
and free kicks against them in a disruptive style of play that was not pleasing to the eye.
Norths lost two men to injury during the match and that was another disappointing factor in the highly combative match.
The Nix scored in each half and looked in control with 20 minutes to play.
Ahmed Mohammadi put Norths on the board with 10 minutes remaining. This added extra flavour to an already spicy match and there was hope for a draw and a point by the visiting supporters –right until the final whistle.
Western Suburbs did their top three chances no end of good with a 2-1 win at home over Miramar Rangers.
Rangers are now six points adrift of third place and there will no doubt be serious concerns at the Miramar HQ about whether there will be any need to pack the roman sandles and stubbies for the summer campaign.
Island Bay couldn’t improve their four point cushion over bottom of the table Stop Out when they hosted Petone at Wakefield Park.
There was only one side in it and Petone headed back down State Highway 2 with all the points after a 3-0 win.
At Hutt Park, Stop Out put on a very credible performance against Napier City Rovers with a scoreless first half.
Rovers did prevail in the end
Terry Douglas.
though, 2-0. This leaves Rovers in third place with a game in hand while Stop Out still retain the ownership papers for bottom spot in the league.
In the Women’s Central League, Waterside Karori temporarily held top spot on Saturday night after a comprehensive 4-0 win over Moturoa.
The Taranaki-based side never looked in the hunt with the opening
Big win for Johnsonville
By Frank Neill
Johnsonville’s premier Rugby team celebrated the club’s Old Timers’ Day with a big 43-17 victory over Marist St Pats at Helston Park on 29 June.
Following a closely contested first half Johnsoville led 17-12 at the break.
The second half was virtually all Johnsonville, however, and they outscored their opponents by 26 points to five in the final 40 minutes.
Jacob Walmsley was in outstanding form for the home team, running in five tries – two more than the entire Marist St Pats team scored.
Finlay Sharp also scored a brace and Mark Sutton kicked four conversions.
Koloa Aisake reached a milestone when he played his blazer game for Johnsonville on 29 June.
Last Saturday saw the final round of the Swindale Shield competition, won by Old Boys University who finished the competition with a 95-0 victory over Northern United.
Johnsonville now heads into the second tier Hardham Cup competition.
They will begin the Hardham Cup near the head of the six confirmed Hardham Cup teams.
Wainuiomata leads these six teams with 31 points.
Johnsonville is just behind them on 30 points, while Poneke has 26 points, Norths
13, Wellington 5 and Avalon 4.
Two more teams will join them when the bottom four teams in the Jubilee Cup play on 6 July.
Johnsonville’s first Hardham Cup match sees them play Wellington at Helston Park on 6 July.
goal to Rhianna Broughton after just six minutes and then a brace to Kennedy Bryant in the 7th and 39th minutes. Jessica Shilton grabbed the final goal with 30 minutes still to play on the clock.
Palmerston North Marist are comfortably mid table after hosting and beating Seatoun 5-3.
Seatoun do not look like shaking off the relegation tag after straight losses in all seven games in the
eight team, 14 match competition.
Taradale hosted Wellington United on Sunday. Despite the road trip, United snared a 3-0 win and maintain their one point league lead over Waterside Karori in the process.
It’s highly likely that the league winner will be determined when Waterside host United in round nine of the competition on 20 July.
Savings of denser living
The cost benefits of urban intensification have been revealed in a proof-of-concept report commissioned by Greater Wellington Regional Council.
With the national conversation about urban density, including granny flats, heating up, the ‘Infrastructure costs and urban form’ report prepared by Sense Partners ‘concludes that, overall, density lowers the per-dwelling costs of infrastructure provision.
The report should give councils confidence to press on with plans that support compact mixed-use development in and around city centres and connected by high quality public transport, Regional Councillor Thomas Nash says.
“Regional growth needs to be smart growth.
“This report clearly shows that the best bang for our buck is to focus on upgrading existing water, public transport and local roading infrastructure so that we can build better quality, compact residential form, with improved amenities within our cities and towns,” Cr Nash says.
“The further out we go, the further we have to pave roads and lay pipes, and the greater the cost to local councils, the government, ratepayers and taxpayers both now and especially in the future.
“As an example, the report calculates the cost of maintaining pipes and roads per dwelling in central Wellington’s Dixon Street, to be seven times cheaper than in Upper Hutt’s Riverstone Terraces.”
The report also notes that the closer residential growth is to a city centre, the more people opt to walk or use other forms of ‘active’ transport, reducing road wearand-tear and upkeep costs.
“The further we sprawl, the more chal-
lenging and costly it becomes to provide attractive and frequent public transport options, giving people little alternative to using their car for every trip.
“We can achieve greater value for money for our infrastructure investment by prioritising public transport spending that supports compact, high-amenity urban growth,” Cr Nash says.
The report aims to inform future strategic planning for the region, and supports the Wellington Regional Leadership Committee’s recently adopted Future Development Strategy, which has a strong emphasis on growth within the existing urban footprint.
The Regional Transport Committee, of which Greater Wellington is a member, also recently released the Wellington Regional Transport Emissions Reduction Pathway, which recognises the key role of urban form over the long term in reducing our reliance on private vehicles.
“We are committed to playing a strong role in addressing New Zealand's infrastructure challenges and urgently need to be thinking about how to build smarter, especially while our ability to pay is increasingly constrained by the rising costs of building for a climate-impacted future,” Cr Nash says.
“Building more compact, mixed-use urban communities will help reduce infrastructure costs, and will make it cheaper and easier to reduce transport emissions, cleaning our air and making our towns and cities healthier.”
The full “Infrastructure costs and urban form” report is available at: Greater Wellington — Infrastructure costs and urban form - A proof-of-concept model (gw.govt. nz).
Action from the match between TFS North Wellington (wearing blue) and the Wellington Phoenix Reserves. Photo:
Koloa Aisake, who played his blazer match for Johnsonville on 6 June. Photo: Supplied.
