Firstly, may I thank you and your team for continuing to champion Ponsonby and all that it has to offer. Ponsonby is unique and so many exciting things take place here because of the people – you and your magazine share our great stories. With this in mind, I am sharing with you an event that took place recently in the area at Crest apartments. It shows that the quirky and innovative nature of Ponsonby is alive and well even in these big buildings.
Crest houses some great people and, together, we have built a community. We have an in-house library, collect for worthy causes and even have a group that helps others if they are sick. To top that off, we have working bees!
So, it is not surprising that every Christmas the Body Corporate committee organises a vertical concert. Musicians play in the foyer and residents gather on their floor with drinks and listen from above.
This year was a special treat with Anika Moa (well-known NZ singer) and Robert Scott (DJ and musician) entertaining us all. They delighted the residents with original songs by Anika, other popular music and then, of course, up-beat Christmas carols like we have never heard before.
Robert Scott engaged Anika and he was wooed to play. A part from having talent, he lives in Crest. What a stunning duo they made.
When asked why Anika and Robert agreed to do this crazy concert where everyone was above them, they said, “We were quietly confident that no one was going to throw down rotten fruit at us.” In fact, money was thrown. We even had members of the public trying to gatecrash the concert.
At the end of the concert, residents were invited to drinks in the foyer and one level provided food – we are being good hosts! Not that a lot of us had far to go home.
In truth, Anika and Robert loved the experience as much as the audience did.
Here’s to Christmas innovation and more of it in 2026.
Kathy Lloyd-Parker, resident of Crest, Great North Road, Grey Lynn.
HOW FOOTPATHS BECAME UNOFFICIAL SCOOTER ROADS
Councils have consistently justified the construction of cycle lanes on the basis that cyclists need safe, dedicated passageways because mixing them with faster or heavier traffic exposes them to unacceptable risk. That same reasoning once applied to pedestrians. Footpaths were understood to be safe spaces, where people could walk without constant vigilance, without fear of being struck from behind and without needing eyes in the backs of their heads.
That understanding has been quietly abandoned. Council has allowed footpaths (ie, for people on foot) to become something we could call 'scootwalks', a pedestrian footpath where electric scooters operate in the same unsegregated space. This creates unsafe and stressful conditions due to incompatible speeds and expectations.
Just as a 'stroad' fails both road and street functions, a 'scootwalk' fails both scooters and pedestrians.
By allowing fast-moving, heavy electric scooters to operate freely on footpaths, councils have effectively sacrificed pedestrian safety in favour of convenience and recreational micro-mobility. Under current law, e-scooters cannot use designated cycle lanes, as these are defined for bicycles and similar vehicles and are explicitly excluded from e-scooter use. How is an e-scooter not a 'similar vehicle' to those defined for cycle lanes? They have two wheels, carry a single passenger, share similar speeds (as some bicycles are also electric), cause the same damage if they hit a person, and require separation from cars.
Modern e-scooters are not toys: they carry substantial kinetic energy and can cause serious injury on impact, particularly to older people, children and those with limited mobility. Yet pedestrians — the slowest and most vulnerable users — are now expected to absorb the risk, adjust their behaviour and tolerate constant stress in what was once their only protected space.
This is not ‘sharing’. It is a reallocation of danger. If cyclists require protected infrastructure to be safe, it is illogical and unjust to deny pedestrians the same consideration. The question that must be asked is simple: why has the safety of people walking been downgraded in order to accommodate unregulated, often recreational scooter use — when safer, more appropriate infrastructure solutions are both possible and already justified for other modes?
CALL TO ACTION:
Rock The Vote NZ calls on City Vision (as the majority influencer on the Waitematā Local Board) to make urgent adjustments to policy, in the name of pedestrian safety. If e-scooters are to be part of the transport system in ways that do not endanger pedestrians, legislation and road user rules need to be updated to explicitly outlaw the use of e-scooters to transit where they endanger pedestrians and restricting them to cycle lanes which are relatively quiet in terms of use and grossly under-used in terms of investment.
Rock The Vote NZ www.rockthevotenz.org.nz www.facebook.com/RockTheVoteNewZealand
Opinions expressed in Ponsonby News are not always the opinion of Alchemy Media Limited & Ponsonby News.
Happy New Year, dear readers. We trust you’ve had a nice break?
Construction is soon to begin on a new retail and office building at the top end of Ponsonby Road, shaped by years of consultation, design work and careful consideration of its place within the neighbourhood.
Created by Samson Corporation, 42 Ponsonby will feature retail at ground level and three floors of office space above, with views toward Tuna-Mau (Western Park) and strong connections to Ponsonby Road.
The dream of peace, unity and acceptance remains strong, yet headlines around the world continue to be dominated by hate, conflict and division. New Zealand is not immune. At a time when many communities feel increasingly marginalised, the need to visibly celebrate diversity, inclusion and respect has never been more important.
That is why the Auckland Rainbow Parade proudly returns to Ponsonby on Saturday 21 February – bringing with it a vibrant reminder of what is possible when communities come together. After last year’s parade was disrupted by protests, this year’s event stands as a powerful statement of resilience, love and belonging wrapped in colour, creativity and joy.
The Association of Ki and Aikido New Zealand is pleased to announce the opening of its first Ki Aikido Dojo in Auckland. This Mind-Body Martial Art Practice is now available in Grey Lynn.
Our friends at Covert Theatre tell us they are glowing after a weekend of sold out shows and they’re gearing up to do it all over again. No shows on Waitangi Day, but they'll be back on Saturday with a few fan favourites!
First, set your trajectory and engage the warp-drive with Beam Me Up bringing cosmic-scale nonsense to Ponsonby's favourite little theatre. Then join in the carnival with Ferris Wheel. Every two minutes the wheel turns, and with it the story.
Strap into the ride or the captains seat – either way we'll see you at Covert Theatre on Saturday.
(JAY PLATT & MARTIN LEACH) PN
Photography: Connor Crawford
Jay Platt & Martin Leach
- Gusto Italiano -
GUSTO MEANING ‘TASTE AND ENJOYMENT’
When you dine with us, the focus is on freshly prepared classic dishes, featuring an excellent range of pasta, seafood, meats and our pizza classics.
We also offer our pasta dishes to takeaway, phone for details or check our website for the menu.
263 PONSONBY RD, THREE LAMPS, 09 361 1556 www.gustoitaliano.co.nz
Editor/Publisher: MARTIN LEACH M: 021 771 147 martinleach@xtra.co.nz or martin@ponsonbynews.co.nz
Distribution Manager: JAY PLATT M: 021 771 146 jayplatt@xtra.co.nz or jay@ponsonbynews.co.nz
Designer: ARNA MARTIN M: 021 354 984 arna@cocodesign.co.nz
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NEW SUSTAINABLE RETAIL-OFFICE BUILDING COMING TO PONSONBY ROAD
Construction is soon to begin on a new retail and office building at the top end of Ponsonby Road, shaped by years of consultation, design work and careful consideration of its place within the neighbourhood.
Created by Samson Corporation, 42 Ponsonby will feature retail at ground level and three floors of office space above, with views toward Tuna-Mau (Western Park) and strong connections to Ponsonby Road.
Design work started for the building in 2017. Resource consent for the wider site was granted in 2019, allowing for the demolition of the existing building. Now that early work to restore the neighbouring character building at 44–48 Ponsonby Road is complete, a 13 month construction process will begin soon at 42 Ponsonby.
Continuing Samson’s legacy of creating sustainable, community focused and architecturally thoughtful buildings in Auckland, sustainability has been embedded from the start. Targeting a 40% reduction in embodied carbon and 25% lower energy use compared with standard buildings, features include rainwater collection, efficient water systems, responsibly sourced materials and native planting.
The project is also pursuing certification under the New Zealand Green Building Council’s new Green Star rating tool, emphasising wellbeing, connection to place, and environmental impact. Samson’s team was the first in the country to commit to this framework in 2024. 42 Ponsonby was the very first project in Aotearoa to register under Green Star Buildings NZ, well before it was required, said Brad Crowley of the NZGBC.
“This early commitment shows real leadership, a significant step forward. This isn’t just a green building, it’s a truly sustainable building,” said Crowley. “It doesn’t just focus on making the building better for the planet and the people inside it, but also on its contribution to the local community and its connection to place and nature. 42 Ponsonby will demonstrate what next-generation sustainable development can look like.”
Architects Patterson Associates says that the design was conceived as a building playing a quiet but important urban role. “42 Ponsonby will help to extend Ponsonby Road’s centre of gravity toward Karangahape Road, reinforcing the area’s evolution alongside the new rapid-transit station to support a more linked and walkable city. Our core design drivers are wellness and community: a place people genuinely want to come to.”
The Patterson's design team has worked closely with heritage and special character experts to ensure the building respects the established character of the street while adding new features and connections. Cultural advisors Te Manu Taupua have helped to shape elements such as the entranceway and paving, incorporating inspired patterns and a pātiki motif, celebrating the nearby Tuna-Mau stream. “We worked closely with the project team to ensure the design responded to place, not just visually, but culturally. The building reflects a shared commitment to care, longevity, wellbeing and respect for its surroundings, with thought given to how people feel and move through the space.”
www.forlease.co.nz
IT’S A TEAM EFFORT... WE COULDN’T
DO IT
WITHOUT OUR CONTRIBUTORS
CHLÖE SWARBRICK
Chlöe Swarbrick is the MP for and the biggest fan of Auckland Central - she is Co-Leader of the Green Party of Aotearoa NZ.
CONNOR CRAWFORD
I am a working artist and photographer with a colourful and rhythmic perspective. I enjoy shooting the front covers of Ponsonby News.
DAVID HARTNELL - MNZM
For the last 53 years I’ve been a freelance entertainment journalist and author. I’ve lived in the Grey Lynn area for over three decades; I have met and interviewed some amazing people.
DESLEY SIMPSON
I am a dedicated and approachable Deputy Mayor of Auckland, with a handson approach and genuine commitment to improving local communities and solving issues in Auckland.
GAEL BALDOCK
We each follow our moral compass shaped by training. Mine is sculpting, architecture, sociology, anthropology and betterment of our shared world by community advocacy… and saving trees.
HELENE RAVLICH
A freelance writer and copywriter for almost 20 years, I have written for publications all over the world and couldn’t imagine myself in any other job.
HELEN WHITE
Helen is the Member of Parliament for Mt Albert and has a long-standing commitment to social justice, community well-being and ethical leadership. She is also keen on yoga.
KEN RING
My yearly NZ Weather Almanacs began in 1999. During the tragic 2011 Christchurch earthquakes, my work created international interest. I currently live in Ponsonby.
LISA PRAGER
A life long advocate for community issues, I am passionate about protecting and enhancing our natural environment and built heritage.
MELISSA LEE
I have been a National List MP based in Mt Albert for the past 16 years. I am dedicated to listening and understanding the needs of our community, working hard to deliver outcomes and drive positive change.
MIKE LEE
I am the councillor for Waitematā & Gulf. A former seafarer, former chair of the ARC, conservationist, PT advocate, and author. I have represented the Ponsonby area since 1992.
PHIL PARKER
Journalist and published author, I have had a career involving both wine writing and hosting boutique wine tours in the Auckland region.
PUNEET DHALL
I am an Aucklander of Indian origin, Punjabi and Sikh. I have a keen interest in food, wine and politics.
ROSS THORBY - QSM
I have had a wanderlust for travel ever since I was old enough to own a passport. Since I discovered cruising, I have become unstoppable.
SARITA SOLVIG BLANKENBURG
I am a passionate Ayurveda practitioner based in Ponsonby for the last 15 years. Inspiring others to live a healthy and fulfilled life is my higher purpose.
SARAH TROTMAN, ONZM
She has been rated the most effective Governor on the Waitematā Local Board. However, we rate her as the most effective community advocate, who led the C&R team from her sole voice on the Board to the majority at the last election, until...
DAVID HARTNELL: ONE MINUTE INTERVIEW WITH MARTY RICHARDS
Marty Richards (and Marley his French Bulldog) have just opened a new laundry called Laundry Heaven, right next door to Hell Pizza on Richmond Road.
It looks like a movie set and is the most glamorous laundromat you will ever see. We asked Marty to tell us more.
What are your opening hours?
I have reduced Hell Pizza back to the one unit it originally started in, and converted the left-hand unit into Laundry Heaven, a self-service laundromat. So, I guess you could say I now have one foot in Heaven and one foot in Hell. Eight washers and 12 dryers in three sizes – medium, large and XL – so you can wash everything from socks to king-size duvets. We are open from 6am to 10pm, seven days a week.
Did you do the renovation work yourself?
Yes – most of it. In a past life I was a qualified builder, so I was fortunate to have the skills to take on the conversion myself. It’s been a journey – challenging at times, but incredibly rewarding.
How did you come up with the name?
It hit me at 4am – a once-in-a-lifetime chance to put Heaven next to Hell and bring a bit of fun to the community. I couldn’t resist. I’ve had some wild ideas, but this one might actually be a good one.
Why a laundromat?
I initially planned to sub-lease the space at the beginning of the year, but when that fell through, I started researching other options. Laundromats kept popping up and the more I learned, the more it made sense for the neighbourhood and the block of shops we’re in. So I thought let’s have some fun and build the most heavenly laundromat possible!
What makes Laundry Heaven different from other laundromats?
Laundry Heaven is designed to make your laundry day enjoyable – even fun! Blue skies, clouds, heavenly music, a Garden of Eden interior, a pinball machine and brand new state-of-the-art laundry machines which are completely cashless – just tap your card or use the app. The idea is to walk in and feel like you’ve just stepped through the pearly gates, even if you’re just washing a few socks.
What do you like most about Ponsonby?
The restaurants, the energy and, of course, Lime Bar – my guilty pleasure. You can expect to hear a few guilty pleasure tracks at Laundry Heaven too.
You recently appeared on Seven Sharp celebrating 10 years of pizza deliveries to the James Liston Hostel. That was a really special milestone. For 10 years, every month, we’ve delivered 20 pizzas to the James Liston Hostel to support people doing it tough. It started quietly with no plan for recognition – it just felt like the right thing to do. To have Seven Sharp highlight it was humbling, and I’m incredibly proud of my team and our relationship with the hostel staff who helped make those deliveries happen over a decade.
What was your childhood like?
I grew up in West Auckland. A small family, great parents, Avondale College, lifelong mates, classic Kiwi upbringing.
Looking back now, the 80s and 90s were such a simple, great time to grow up. I wouldn’t change a thing.
Which TV series would you never miss?
Succession. I love the sharp writing, big egos and business chaos I don’t have to personally deal with.
Your bucket list?
More travel with my wife Kim, especially to new places, travelling for music concerts like Glastonbury and, of course, more snowboarding.
Most Kiwi thing about you?
I have a tendency to put Wattie’s Tomato Sauce on most meals.
See yourself in 10 years?
Doing more of the same but with a bit more time to travel and taking a step back to do whatever I feel like.
If you were reincarnated, what would you be?
A dog. I don’t know why, I just love dogs.
Like to be remembered how?
As the yes-man. Someone who said yes more than no and wasn’t afraid to have a go.
Something you really disapprove of?
Negativity for the sake of it. I try to look for the bright side and find the silver lining. Life’s better when you stay optimistic.
What motivates you?
I love creating happiness. Whether that’s serving great pizza or creating cool experiences for people, I’m into it.
Give your teenage self some advice.
Don’t dwell on problems. Time heals most things. Travel more, say yes to opportunities and back yourself – life gets bigger when you do.
Which item of clothing can’t you live without?
A baseball cap. You’ll rarely see me without one!
(DAVID HARTNELL, MNZM) PN
LOVE, INCLUSION AND DIVERSITY WORTH CELEBRATING
Saturday 21 February 2026
The dream of peace, unity and acceptance remains strong, yet headlines around the world continue to be dominated by hate, conflict and division. New Zealand is not immune. At a time when many communities feel increasingly marginalised, the need to visibly celebrate diversity, inclusion and respect has never been more important.
That is why the Auckland Rainbow Parade proudly returns to Ponsonby on Saturday 21 February 2026 – bringing with it a vibrant reminder of what is possible when communities come together.
After last year’s parade was disrupted by protests, this year’s event stands as a powerful statement of resilience, love and belonging wrapped in colour, creativity and joy.
The Rainbow Parade is more than a celebration; it is a public affirmation that everyone deserves to be seen, respected and celebrated. In a world that can feel fractured, the Parade offers a pot of gold – unity, acceptance and the simple but profound act of standing together.
Wear your most colourful clothes, sprinkle some glitter, wave those rainbow flags and bring the whole family to dance, smile and enjoy the pizzazz that the parade brings.
There will be representatives from all parts of the LGBTQIA+ communities, public services and corporate businesses showing their commitment to a community that is inclusive and diverse with energy, creativity, humour and fun – underlining some very serious issues.
Parade Event Manager Shaughan Woodcock says, “This is one of the most colourful parades in Auckland and in a world that seems to be becoming more divided, there’s something special when you bring everyone together to celebrate love and kindness no matter what colour you identify with. It’s a vibrant spectacle that has something for everyone and it is well worth celebrating!”
Street entertainment starts at 5.30pm which will include big flair, big hair, sounds and sparkle! The parade kicks off at Tole Street at 7.30pm with the parade finishing at Western Park at approximately 9.30pm.
rainbowparade.nz
FOR SALE BY AUCTION, 12 FEBRUARY 30 WEST END ROAD, HERNE BAY
Back in the 1960s, about the same time as NZ’s first ever TV broadcast, three houses were built on the ridge overlooking Coxs Bay.
No speculative developers in those days, these were carefully crafted by a builder who constructed 30 West End Road and the two houses either side for himself and family.
As the section slopes away gradually then steeply towards the mangroves of Coxs Park this family still tell stories of fishing for flounder off the muddy banks below, days in the sun, exploration in the bushy slopes, fun, family and connection to the whenua, generations enjoying the unique outlook and position of these grand old ladies.
Positioned to have a brilliant view of Coxs Park and the tidal waters below, there is a strong connection with the sea as well.
In fact, 30 West End was designed to enable boat building from the 130 sqm middle floor garage/workshop and was set out with kauri work benches and a thousand places to store tools and wood. It was the ultimate man den.
Several generations of the same family lived here for many years, the house eventually became a rental before we purchased it in 2020.
We looked at how we could reinvigorate this site and sought and received resource consent for a second dwelling on the flattish part of the site (now rear lawn). There are many other possible options here to do something amazing in this part of Herne Bay.
However, the potential of the main home was something that everyone who visited always mentioned. Ideas abounded for re-configuring the building and surroundings, and eventually we realised that the house is of great value and needed some love, 21st Century style.
The big issues were connection. There was absolutely no connection between the house and the rear section other than a muddy slope and no way to easily access the land that beckons so well from the windows of the top and middle floors.
This was rectified with an extensive deck and walkways to the rear and steps from both floors, surrounded with beautiful ferns that echo the huge nikau and exotic palms growing on the rear section.
Internally the stairs were relocated and re-designed to enable the building to become a three-storey home and not three separate disconnected spaces.
Where possible, we have tried to find a second use for some of the native timber that was stored or in use on the property. In particular, the second-floor workbench tops were solid kauri and have found a new life on the lower floor as we opened up a few extra square metres of flooring and rebuild the internal steps to the deck. Some of the planter boxes have rimu sleepers as the top layer, and some of the retaining walls are trimmed with recycled Rimu and totara.
Downstairs, the entry to the laundry and workshops is clad in pine boards we found under the house and carefully gave them a new life with a modern ‘distressed' look. We believe we have given this amazing, solid structure a new life, reconnecting it with the land and we are sure the old builder would smile to see his wood collection reused sympathetically.
There are exciting projects in the future for a new owner, maybe rebuilding steps down to the mangroves and a platform to fish for flounder with the next generations.
Auction AUCTION
30 West End Road, Herne Bay
Surprises and possibilities are yours to enjoy in this standout Herne Bay home. A fresh internal update complements the three levels and flexible spaces can be anything you need - media room, studio, second lounge - the versatility is phenomenal.
Auction 2pm Thursday 12 February
In rooms, 3 Pompallier Terrace Ponsonby (Unless Sold Prior)
View Saturday & Sunday 12:30 - 1:00pm or By Appointment
In one of Auckland’s most soughtafter suburbs, the resource consent for rear-site development provides great future options. Location, lifestyle, opportunity - endless appeal.
Deb Starr 027 780 8787
deb.starr@raywhite.com
Cherry Killgour 021 780 335
cherry.killgour@raywhite.com
LEYS LITTLE LIBRARY NEWS
Kia ora,
It is exciting to think of the new books that will arrive throughout 2026. Fans of Douglas Stuart, Maggie O’Farrell and Lauren Groff will be happy to know they have new work. George Saunders also releases his second novel. There is a memoir from Lena Dunham, a biography of Judy Blume, and popular author and journalist Patrick Radden Keefe’s book, London Falling, is about a family’s discovery of the secret criminal life of their teenage son. And, of course, there will be a lot more to look forward to. The downside is the waiting. So, while you wait for your new books, here are some great books from 2025 that you may have missed. The following books are all recommended by our Book Chats group.
At SBA Ponsonby we’re modern where it matters, but old school where it matters to you. We’re here to help, on the phone or in-person. No bots or form filling, just great accounting help and advice.
(09) 3600 166
ponsonby@sba.co.nz www.sba.co.nz /ponsonby
Orbital by Samantha Harvey
This Booker Prize winner was immensely popular, with Book Chats and the wider Auckland public. This slender novel follows the lives of seven international staff aboard a Space Station. Their lives are a mix of mundane daily tasks and the sublime – witnessing Earth from the vantage point of space. And from this perspective, the characters reflect on their lives and the bigger questions, religion, climate change and the meaning of life.
Heart Lamp: Selected Stories by Banu Mushtaq
A collection of short stories, which last year won the international Booker Prize for translated fiction. The 12 short stories focus on the lives of Muslim women in Southern India and explore gender roles and accompanying societal expectations. The stories are written with warmth and a dry and gentle humour.
The Names by Florence Knapp
This debut novel was another favourite. Have you ever wondered: do our names influence our lives? A mother gives her newborn son three different names, and three very different lives unfurl for Gordon, Julian and Bear. The critic in The Guardian wrote, "The Names stands out as a compelling and original debut, a book that asks at least as many questions as it answers."
If you prefer nonfiction, then you might like this book:
No More Tears: The Secret Life of Johnson and Johnson by Gardiner Harris
Described as a ‘damning account’ of powerful pharmaceutical company Johnson and Johnson. Harris, a pharmaceutical reporter for The New York Times, uncovers evidence of decades of deceit and dangerous corporate practices from the company synonymous with baby friendly products. You will quite possibly seethe with anger while you read this book.
You are welcome to join Book Chats. It is one of our longestrunning programmes with a loyal group of passionate and widely read supporters. They meet every fourth Thursday of the month at 10am.
LEYS INSTITUTE LITTLE LIBRARY, 14 Jervois Road, T: 09 377 0209, www.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz leysinstitutelibraryponsonby@aklc.govt.nz
RELATIONSHIP PROPERTY FOR THEE
BUT SEPARATE PROPERTY FOR ME?
Navigating the relationship property scene in New Zealand.
As fate would have it, you meet the one. If all goes well, you become partners or spouses. As two lives become one, so do their assets (with some exceptions). But what if something happens turning what was a romantic comedy into a horror show? This article provides an overview of the relationship property regime in New Zealand and what parties can do to protect their assets if their relationship falls apart.
What’s mine is yours
For married couples and de facto partners (generally, relationships of three years or more), the usual starting point for dividing relationship property upon separation is the Property (Relationships) Act 1976 (the “PRA”).
Section 11 establishes an equal sharing rule, under which relationship property is typically divided equally between partners, regardless of the respective contributions made by each party. Subject to some exceptions, without a binding agreement stating otherwise, the saying “what’s mine is yours” rings very true.
Equal division under the PRA often has unintended, undesirable effects, particularly where parties are unaware of or do not fully understand its implications.
Some exceptions
Some exceptions to “what’s mine is yours” include:
1. Assets acquired by way of an inheritance or gift. However, care is required to avoid inadvertently converting separate property into relationship property through intermingling. This may arise where the parties apply property that would otherwise be separate property for relationship property purposes - for example, where one party contributes to renovations to relationship property or to the other party’s separate property; and
2. Assets held in certain qualifying trust arrangements may sit outside the relationship property pool, where they were settled into the trust prior to the relationship and not with the purpose of defeating relationship property claims. Trust structures are frequently scrutinised in relationship property disputes so shouldn’t be relied on solely.
Contracting out
To mitigate the risk of unintended outcomes, parties commonly enter into a relationship property agreement contracting
out of the PRA under section 21 (commonly known as a “pre-nup”).
A section 21 agreement can specify what property will be treated as relationship property and what will remain separate property, and can address how increases in value, income, debts and other categories are to be dealt with.
For a section 21 agreement to be enforceable, it must satisfy strict procedural requirements, including that each party receives independent legal advice from different solicitors, and that the solicitors certify the advice and execution. If those formalities are met and no other factors undermine enforceability, the agreement will generally govern division on separation.
Conclusion
Without a valid relationship property agreement, most couples will be subject to the PRA’s equal sharing regime. On separation, each party may be required to account to the other for 50% of the value of relationship property. This percentage can differ in some circumstances if it is fair and reasonable for one party to receive a larger share of the relationship property pool. Depending on the circumstances, relationship property can include real property, investments (including Kiwisaver balances) pets, artwork and even intellectual property interests (including royalties).
Early planning is particularly important where parties enter a relationship with materially unequal assets, anticipate inheritances, own businesses, or wish to preserve family or trust-related arrangements. Please reach out if you or anyone you know of needs legal advice on this matter.
STEINDLE WILLIAMS LEGAL, Level 2, Suite 2.1, 18 Sale Street, T: 09 361 5563, www.swlegal.co.nz
SUMMER AT KELMARNA
This summer, we’re inviting you to spend summer at Kelmarna celebrating all the ways food brings people together.
Back on the menu for the eighth year running, Kelmarna’s acclaimed Farm Dinners kick off Wednesday 11 February. With four talented chefs over eight glorious evenings, our Farm Dinners showcase the best of our own fresh ingredients enjoyed al fresco on the farm itself.
Invited to take inspiration from what’s growing on the farm, the chefs will create multi-course meals for diners to share on long tables set amongst the trees, plants and flowers. It’s an experience that truly reflects the farm to table concept.
Elie Assaf and the team from Lebanese Grocer will serve a shared two-course menu celebrating fresh garden produce, vibrant mezze, house-made dips and warm flatbreads followed by fire-cooked protein. Designed to be generous, communal and relaxed, the two evenings over 11 and 12 February bring together Lebanese flavours and local produce finishing with a special sweet inspired by Lebanese Grocer favourites.
Second up on Friday 13 and Saturday 14 February is Kane Wilson from Someplace Somewhere. Kane, part of the OohFa whanau, finds his inspiration through fire, fermentation and time spent with good produce. "Cooking in such a beautiful, calming space and letting what’s growing guide the menu feels really special." Kane’s food leans closely into modern Japanese cooking.
Returning chef Joe O’Connell of MAMA restaurant brings over two decades of experience and is passionate about sourcing from small-scale producers, including Kelmarna Farm. Joe and his team will create a family style Italian feast on 18 and 19 February featuring some of MAMA’s signature dishes with a Kelmarna twist and lesser-known regional
For our last two dinners on Friday 20 and Saturday 21 February, Georgia van Prehn (Alta restaurant, also ex head chef at Scotch Wine Bar) is creating a vegetarian, grazing style three-course shared menu, catering to vegans also. Expect simple and comforting flavours but with a bit more creativity, playfulness and thought-provoking elements.
Says Kelmarna General Manager Sarah McFadden: "We’re excited to welcome Elie, Kane, Joe and Georgia and their teams to Kelmarna. Their generous support of our kaupapa really validates the important role the farm plays in the community and raises valuable funds to support the education and therapeutic work we do."
The Farm Dinners are a highlight of the farm’s event calendar which this year includes two community festivals in March. Little Kai Festival on Sunday 8 March is all about kids, kai and conversation. Come along and learn more about regenerative and sustainable food practices from the experts, while the kids enjoy craft, games and competitions around the green. Alcohol-free, family fun afternoon.
Equinox Festival on Saturday 21 March is your chance to say goodbye to summer and find your equilibrium with a lazy afternoon of music, wine and food. Listen to cruisey beats from local artists, sample artisan beverages and enjoy a selection of delicious kai. kelmarna.co.nz/events/
I hope everyone has enjoyed a well-earned break over the holidays — time to relax, catch up with friends and family and return refreshed for the year ahead. The Year of the Horse is often associated with energy, dedication and forward momentum, which feels fitting as we look ahead to the months to come.
Over the past two years, the National Government has focused on restoring stability, rebuilding confidence and getting New Zealand back on track. It is encouraging to see this reflected in the latest economic data, with GDP picking up in the September quarter and a range of indicators pointing to improving momentum. While challenges remain, these signs suggest New Zealand is showing clear signs of recovery as we work through 2026.
As the school year begins, parents and caregivers will also benefit from clearer information about their children’s learning. From this year, schools are moving to a nationally consistent approach to assessment and reporting. This will give families a better understanding of progress in reading, writing and maths, along with clearer guidance on how they can support learning at home.
This year will also bring changes for our local communities. Updated electorate boundaries were finalised in August last year and will apply at the 2026 General Election, reflecting population shifts across Auckland. While boundaries may change, the importance of staying connected with local communities remains unchanged.
That connection is why this will be the final issue in which I write a regular column for Ponsonby News. It has been a pleasure to share updates and reflections with readers over previous issues, and I sincerely thank you for your interest, engagement and support.
Looking ahead, my focus will be firmly on the Mt Albert communities. I will be spending more time listening, engaging and working alongside local residents, businesses and community organisations. Through this work, I will continue to play my part in fixing the basics and building the future, with practical outcomes that support families, strengthen our neighbourhoods and help New Zealand keep moving forward.
If you need any assistance, you’re welcome to make an appointment with my office or connect with me through social media. I wish you a great year ahead and I look forward to seeing you out and about in the community.
(HON MELISSA LEE) PN
National List MP based in Mt Albert
Authorised by Melissa Lee, Parliament Buildings, Wellington MPLee@parliament.govt.nz
If you require any assistance I and ready to provide advice and support
Please get in touch on 09 520 0538 or at MPLee@parliament.govt.nz to make an appointment.
Hon Melissa Lee
National List MP based in Mt A MPlee@parliament.govt.nz melissalee.co.nz mpmelissalee
DEPUTY MAYOR:
DESLEY SIMPSON
Well, 2026 has started with a bang and Auckland has wasted no time proving why summer in Tāmaki Makaurau is truly sizzling!
The year opened with world-class action at the ASB Classic, drawing tennis fans from across the globe and setting the scene for a month packed with events. Excitingly, Tātaki Auckland Unlimited announced the final $5 million of funding needed for the Tennis Auckland Roof Project, meaning this long-awaited upgrade will now go ahead. This will ensure we can continue to host major international tournaments like the ASB Classic well into the future, whatever the weather.
Auckland Council Events have also been powering the city’s summer buzz. Across our neighbourhoods, Music in the Parks has been filling greenspaces with free concerts and local talent as Aucklanders make the most of the long, warm evenings. Go Media Stadium hosted not one but two massive Ed Sheeran concerts, as well as the Auckland FC’s high-energy showdown with the Central Coast Mariners, drawing football fans out in force.
Out on the Waitematā, the 186th Auckland Anniversary Regatta delivered its traditional spectacle, with tugboats, keelboats, paddlers and classic vessels racing across the harbour in the world’s biggest one-day regatta and New Zealand's oldest sporting event.
Eden Park also welcomed thousands of international delegates for the Special Convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses, filling 38 of our city centre hotels and bringing in around $20 million in economic benefits.
And that’s just a snapshot. Across the board, January saw Auckland humming with sport, music, culture and celebration inviting locals and visitors to soak up our summer spirit.
Looking ahead, February continues the momentum with a vibrant mix of events keeping the city lively, including free community focused activities that draw people together. One to watch out for is Moana Auckland, New Zealand’s Ocean Festival, which gets underway from 28 February, bringing three weekends of ocean-inspired events like the Z-Manu World Champs and the Auckland Wooden Boat Festival.
Aucklanders and visitors can also celebrate the Lunar New Year in the city centre throughout the month with free events, installations and cultural experiences across Aotea Square, Lorne Street, libraries and Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, before celebrations conclude with the BNZ Auckland Lantern Festival in Manukau from 26 February to 1 March. Keep an eye on Discover Auckland for all the latest events information.
As vibrant as the year already feels, the most transformative moments are still ahead with major infrastructure openings in 2026.
The New Zealand International Convention Centre formally opens on 16 February, marking a major milestone for Auckland. As one of the largest and most advanced convention facilities in the country, the NZICC will attract major international conferences, exhibitions and business events that previously would have skipped New Zealand altogether. Its impact will be felt across the economy –
boosting visitor spending, supporting local hospitality and accommodation providers, creating jobs and strengthening Auckland’s position as a gateway for global business.
The Central Interceptor will open – one of the most significant infrastructure upgrades Auckland has ever undertaken. This massive underground tunnel will dramatically reduce wastewater overflows, increase capacity for our growing population and help protect our harbours and beaches for future generations. By capturing and redirecting stormwater and wastewater during heavy rain, it will also reduce flooding and improve resilience during extreme weather events. It’s a transformational project that will future -proof Auckland’s wastewater network for decades to come.
The end is finally in sight for the City Rail Link, the largest transport infrastructure project in New Zealand’s history. Once open, it will transform the way people move through Auckland, giving us faster, more frequent and more reliable travel options. For thousands who struggle daily to get in and out of our city, the CRL will offer an alternative to sitting in traffic and will ease pressure on the road network. The benefits will also be felt above ground. Business owners who endured years of CRL construction will soon reap the rewards as the streets are set to become some of the busiest pedestrian zones in the country. With the rail network’s total capacity set to increase by around 50 per cent, Auckland will finally have a rapid transit system that stands alongside global cities such as Sydney and London.
Auckland is already buzzing and, with so much still to come, 2026 is shaping up to be a defining year for Tāmaki Makaurau. I look forward to staying connected with you all over the coming months. PN
DESLEY SIMPSON, Deputy Mayor of Auckland www.desleysimpson.co.nz
WAYNE BROWN:
MAYOR OF AUCKLAND
I hope you had a relaxing summer break and managed to survive the 'silly season'.
While you get to enjoy a bit of sun when you can catch it, beach, surf and spend time with those who matter the most, it’s also a chance to reflect and set some goals for the year ahead.
Coming back into the office, it’s not lost on me that 2026 will be a big year for council, Aucklanders and the country.
This year will see the opening of two major projects, the City Rail Link (CRL) and International Convention Centre, that have taken ages and cost ratepayers and taxpayers a fortune to complete.
As I’ve said before, I’m all about doing things better, cheaper and faster and while the CRL and ICC have been complex, they’re both among the most over budget projects ever delivered in this country. On the bright side, they’ll provide lots of lessons on how not to do big projects!
Justifying the expense of CRL means getting more passengers on trains when it opens. This will be helped by more intensification along public transport routes. It’s a no-brainer and means people can live within easy access to transport without having to get into a car and clog up our arterial roads and motorways.
I’m also looking forward to council getting our hands on AT planning and turning AT’s focus on to public transport because it’s something they actually do well. The rest, like strategic decision making and long-term planning, will come back into council which will become a road controlling authority like every other council.
Make no mistake, it’ll be a big challenge, but I’ve never been one to shy away from the big issues. After all, Aucklanders re-elected me and gave me the mandate to finish the fix we started in my first term, like Get Auckland Moving and Stop Wasting Money.
This year is also a big year for a new partnership approach if agreement can be reached between Government and the biggest council in the country. The first of the Government’s City Deals could signal a fundamental shift in the relationship between central and local government because we deserve to be treated as the genuine partner we are.
Finally, my updated manifesto will be published this year with a list of what we’ll do and how Government can help us deliver – namely, being more hands off – so we can get on with lifting prosperity, building confidence, growing our tech economy and focusing on maximising benefit from the new southern link flights between China and South America through Auckland.
There are plenty more things on the list, but it’ll be helpful for the Government to be reminded that it’s Auckland that will decide who will win the central government elections at the end of the year. Note: Red tape and a ‘we know best’ attitude won’t be a vote winner.
Yes, it will be a big year. Let’s get on with it!
(WAYNE BROWN) PN
mayorofaucklandmedia@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
KEN
RING: WEATHER BY THE MOON AUCKLAND WEATHER DIARY, FEBRUARY 2026
February may be much drier than average, warmer than normal and with above average sunshine.
Any rain may be at the start and end of the month. The first week may start slightly wet, but the second week may bring the most sunshine and the highest pressures.
The third week may be the driest, while the fourth week may be the wettest with lowest pressures. The barometer may average 1015 mbs. The best weekend for outdoor activities may be 7th/8th.
For fishermen, one of the highest tides of the year is on the 4th. The best fishing bite times in the east may be around dusk
times of 1st-4thand 17th-19th. Bite chances are also good around lunchtimes of 9th-11thand 25th-27th.
For gardeners, planting is best on 1st and 27th/28th (waxing moon ascending); and pruning is best 14th-17th, (waning moon descending). For preserving and longer shelf-life, harvest crops or flowers around the neap tides of the 12th and 26th.
Allow 24-hour error for all forecasting. (KEN RING) PN For future weather for any date, and the 2026 NZ Weather Almanacs, see www.predictweather.com
Opinions expressed in Ponsonby News are not always the opinion of Alchemy Media Limited & Ponsonby News.
PONSONBY NEWS ONLINE...
In case you missed the news you will be aware that we are now going fully online. I love print and have been in the magazine business since 1990, I will miss those days. Thank you to all the locals who supported our Give a Little campaign. Sadly, we didn’t quite reach our target. It’s been a tough old year and going fully online will bring us more readers, which in turn gives our loyal advertisers more bang for their buck. You can also comment on the newsfeed stories. And remember we love letters to the editor. (MARTIN LEACH)
THE AOTEA COMPANY: ISLAND SPIRIT, SUMMER READY
Born from the rugged beauty of Aotea Great Barrier Island, The Aotea Company is built on a simple idea: creating premium, nature-led products that carry the island’s spirit into everyday life. Founded by Bayard Sinnema, the business blends sustainability, provenance and community into brands that celebrate connection, flavour and the joy of summer.
Leading the portfolio is Barrier Buzz, a naturally bold range of non-alcoholic beverages made with real ingredients and authentic Aotea mānuka honey. Available in Cola, Lemonade and Ginger Beer, each bottle delivers clean, honest refreshment with genuine character — perfect for beach days, boat trips, backyard BBQs or long evenings shared with friends. It’s soda, but with a sense of place.
Complementing this is Stumpy & Chop, a premium selection of sustainably sourced mānuka and kānuka wood splits and chunks designed for BBQ cooks and outdoor fire enthusiasts. With rich aromas and distinctive smoke profiles, Stumpy & Chop elevates everything from low-and-slow brisket to a simple weekend grill. It’s about the ritual of lighting the fire, slowing down and bringing people together around good food and natural flavour.
Together, Barrier Buzz and Stumpy & Chop embody The Aotea Company’s belief in better by nature — products that respect the land, honour local sourcing, and create memorable shared experiences.
Available now and perfectly timed for the warmer months, The Aotea Company invites you to bring a true taste of Aotea into your summer — whether it’s a chilled bottle in hand or the glow of a well-stoked BBQ at dusk.
theaoteacompany.co.nz
BARRIER BUZZ
A range of naturally sweetened sodas with Aotea mānuka honey. @drinkbarrierbuzz
STUMPY & CHOP
Premium mānuka and kānuka splits and chunks for superior BBQ smoking.
www.theaoteacompany.co.nz
LISA PRAGER:
MAKING MELVA MEDIA
Everyone has old video tapes tucked away with precious memories of weddings, family milestones and special holidays – I had half a shipping container full.
I couldn’t argue when my wife suggested it was time to konmari (clear out) the container. Like Harrison Ford cutting through the jungle in Raiders of the Lost Ark I dived in and was pleasantly surprised to find, packed away in crisp, heavy duty cardboard boxes, my vast video archive spanning 40 years. This large collection was on VHS, DV, Mini DV and Beta tapes, and it didn’t take me long to realise that if I didn't find a way to digitise this analogue content pretty soon all historical footage would be lost forever.
It all started in my early 20s after a stint as a Theatre Corporate actor when I became madly keen on becoming a filmmaker. In the 1980s one of my close friends was a TV editor and she too was passionate about social issues so we set up a company called Umbrella Films and started making documentaries.
At that time, the idea of American nuclear ships in Auckland harbour was very concerning, so when my dear friend Rex Le Grice (now departed) invited us to became the official videographers for the Peace Squadron we jumped aboard. The footage of the flotilla from those 5am escapades shot on borrowed equipment was the beginning of our video archive.
When the warship arrived, a group of women had set up the Devonport women’s peace camp to protest on land. This culminated in 40,000 people, mainly women, marching up Queen Street to rally for a Nuclear Free Pacific. Our small film crew was there to capture the mood of protest power. The crowd stretched the entire length of Queen Street and filled Aotea Square where the young MP from Mt Albert, Helen Clark, gave a rousing speech and the Topp Twins sung their iconic anti nuclear anthem.
Before the internet and YouTube, television programmes made outside the network system were difficult to sell or get screened. Our documentary called Women on the Move went on to win a special prize at the1984 Inaugural Media Peace Awards and was screened on TV One.
Throughout my life I have carried on filming events. However, because of the cost of traditional editing, have rarely
been able to turn them into finished content until now. In 1999 I arranged to shoot the multiple stages at the Puhinui Sweetwaters Festival with over 20 video cameras. The creme de la creme of NZ musical talent performed at this festival and it will be a huge relief for me when this substantial musical archive is finally digitised and preserved, making it easy to access for all the Kiwi artists who took part.
A lot of our early footage was shot on old-fashioned Beta tapes with equipment that was begged, borrowed and always returned. Now the majority of the technicians who serviced the playback machines have retired and it is fun to watch a new generation, full of fascination for these obsolete machines, tinker away trying to get them going. In our archive waiting to be digitised is the Triangle TV launch and the Inaugural Hero Festival gala, along with a rainy Hero night parade down Ponsonby Road that capturers an amazing slice of Auckland’s pumping gay past.
In other boxes we found forgotten footage of the Bop Olympics, Aotearoa’s response to the burgeoning international break dancing movement in the 1980s.
My wife has material from her years acting, as well as pieces she made during her uni studies in broadcasting. One features her nana, now long passed, and the other her never screened short film Nudes. It was marvellous to find an early VHS of my very first beloved dog Rosy. Seeing significant snippets of our lives on these tapes has inspired me to let you know about the creation of Melva Media: currently occupying the unused Tiny Theatre at Garnet Station in Westmere. Our friend Peter is a master at cleaning old tapes, meticulously removing dust and mould then carefully digitising it before transferring the footage to a hard drive, USB stick and uploading to the Cloud, or any place you choose.
Setting up Melva Media means that now everyone's video tapes, no matter what format or condition they are in, can be saved, digitised and transferred so they are immediately able to be edited, watched and shared with all the people in your life who would love to see them.
(LISA PRAGER) PN
CHLÖE SWARBRICK:
CO-LEADER OF THE GREEN PARTY AND MP FOR AUCKLAND CENTRAL
It’s quite something to open a column with necessary acknowledgement of celebrating bringing in the New Year and optimism that accompanies it, while also acknowledging the heartbreak that hangs over the end of this summer for many confronted with loss and tragedy in the climate emergencies that swept Northland and the East Coast.
Almost exactly two years from Auckland Anniversary floods and Cyclone Gabrielle that followed, our fellow North Islanders faced another devastating extreme surge of wild weather. Our hearts are with all impacted. And, more than that, anyone who holds themselves out to be a leader in this country must take the responsibility to act to mitigate the impacts of such future events. This is the direct request I received at Whakapaumahara Marae in Whananaki as I went up North to help with the clean-up, and it’s what I’ve heard on Aotea Great Barrier, also severely impacted, as I helped to bring the Minister of Emergency Response over to see responders and community first hand and commit to resourcing necessary support.
The science tells us that the more climate changing emissions there are in the atmosphere, the more frequent and extreme weather events will be. We know that our country is a small contributor in the scheme of the world, which is why it’s so critical that we do everything we can to hold together international coordination – the likes of the Paris Agreement, where more than 190 countries commit to doing their part. We're also a developed and relatively wealthy country, which is also where we have a responsibility and opportunity to develop better ways of doing things to help show others the way – such as in regenerative agriculture and renewable energy.
These opportunities aren’t only good for the planet, but they tend to improve our quality of life by lifting the quality of our air, food, soil and water, while also reducing the cost of living and creating good local jobs. This is precisely the kind of future the Greens envision, which sits in sharp contrast to Luxon’s Government’s seemingly insatiable desire to sell off our country for parts in a thirst for short-term profit at the cost of everything and everybody we love.
Chlöe Swarbrick at the Grey Lynn Park Festival last month
New Zealanders can see through politicians who out one side of their mouth thank our firefighters and first responders for their lifesaving work while out the other refuse to pay them adequately or ensure their equipment is safe. We can do better and that’s exactly what we’ve been focussed on showing is entirely possible throughout the last two years.
We have an election this year and these big picture questions of who we want to be as a country will be on the table. Closer to home, we’ll have the opportunity to really dig into the decisions this Government has made in Wellington which have increased homelessness and all kinds of associated challenges in Auckland Central. So, too, I look forward to championing the track record of our communities, social services, local businesses and business associations who I’ve been proud to work alongside of as tireless advocates for tangible, local solutions.
No politician or political party is entitled to anything, and I for sure take nothing for granted. I am proud to work every single day for Auckland Central and beyond.
If I can ever be of service, don’t hesitate to reach out at chloe.swarbrick@parliament.govt.nz (CHLÖE SWARBRICK) PN
Extracts from the Dunmore Medal award ceremony address.
This month, I thought I would share extracts from my address at the award ceremony of the Dunmore Medal which was presented to me late last year by the French Ambassador Madame Laurence Beau.
I am deeply honoured to accept this award and at the same time I have to say, somewhat embarrassed to be included in the ranks of the outstanding scholars and academics who have preceded me.
I should take this opportunity to thank those many people who encouraged and helped me in my research endeavours – especially in my writing Navigators and Naturalists - French exploration of the South Seas & New Zealand (1769 -1824).
I owe of course a great deal to Professor John Dunmore, this country’s true pathfinder in the history of the French exploration of the Pacific. Though, of course, John Dunmore was born in France, he always saw himself as a New Zealander. He was committed to and firmly believed in the possibilities of the New Zealand project. This commitment was underscored by his biography of Norman Kirk, Labour Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1972 to 1974, whom he greatly admired and his vision of nationhood he shared.
Sadly, and I guess surprisingly, given his influence on my work, I did not have the privilege of meeting him but we did correspond.
The reason I first wrote to him related to my research on Marion Dufresne and in particular the tragic killing of Marion and 24 of his men at the Bay of Islands in June 1772. This is in many ways is the centrepiece of my book.
When I began this project, I accepted without question the theory first proposed in 1991 that Marion’s death, unfortunate as it was, was very much of his own making, brought on by his insensitive actions in violating tapu. As the theory was perfectly attuned to the emerging zeitgeist of our times, it was readily accepted not just by historians and academics in this country but around the world – even in France.
But, after undertaking my own research, I concluded it didn’t stack up. Marion Dufresne’s personal behaviour and his orders as expedition commander of the two French ships at the Bay of Islands did not accord with the theory at all. To the contrary, Marion, a quintessential, charismatic 18th Century
man, a believer in the bon sauvage ideas of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, was sympathetic and sensitive in his dealings with Māori and deeply interested in their culture. My examination of the day-to-day records in the officers’ journals led me to conclude the true reason for this tragedy was much more complicated but at the same explicable enough in terms of human politics.
So, of all the factors in this affair – the prolonged length of stay of Marion’s ships, with 100 French sailors living and working ashore, the impacts on a subsistence economy, Marion’s personal popularity with the common people, destabilising to the social order, a volatile background of deep tribal rivalries and, finally, the actions of Marion’s direct subordinates rashly contravening his orders – of all of the parties involved, Marion was the most innocent. I refer to him as an ‘Enlightenment martyr’ deserving of a more worthy judgement.
This put me in a rather difficult position. How could I as a non-academic outsider challenge a theory which had become so widely and firmly accepted by the establishment as historical fact?
Then I thought of John Dunmore, realising he was not just a quotable authority but a still living person. So I wrote to him, enclosing a draft of my chapter ‘Why did Marion die?’ I promptly received a letter back, agreeing with my approach and encouraging me to proceed.
When the book was published in late 2018, I carelessly overlooked sending Professor Dunmore a copy. However, six months later, I received another communication from him –this time by email.
"Dear Mr Lee
I recently completed reading your voluminous tome on the French voyages, and I would like to offer you my warmest congratulations on this impressive work. I was fortunate to find a copy in a local bookseller, as being somewhat retired these days. I was unaware of its publication until a few weeks ago, hence my slight delay in expressing my admiration for this work. Sincerely John Dunmore.”
John Dunmore, CNZM, Officer of the Legion of Honour, passed away on 1 May 2023 just short of 100 years.
(MIKE LEE) PN
www.mikelee.co.nz
Mike Lee with the Dunmore Medal presented by Ambassador Madame Laurence Beau & Philippe Gerbeaux President France Aotearoa Science & Technology.
FREE EVENT AT TE WHATU STARDOME!
Saturday 14th February 3pm-5pm, One Tree Hill Domain, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland
Join Te Whatu Stardome for an early evening of delicious kai from the Food Truck Collective, plus summer sounds and views of Maungakiekie.
Food trucks onsite will include burgers and hotdogs from Catering Crew; Japanese street food from Miso Ra; South Indian dosa (gluten free) from Delicious Dosa; Kiwi-style pies from Pioneer Pies; and Indonesian street food from Sambal Bali.
Plus — inside the planetarium there are special 'Tāmaki Night Sky' sessions happening for just $5 per person (please note these are strictly subject to availability, bookings essential at stardome.org.nz).
If you've ever looked up and wondered about the stars, or are simply curious what our planetarium is like, this is the perfect taster session for the whole family!
TE RIMUTAHI UPDATE
JAN/FEB 2026
Happy New Year, everyone! Welcome to 2026, when Te Rimutahi will be one year old in May.
The past few months have been gratifying as we have watched people discover and enjoy Te Rimutahi. From the moment the construction fences were quietly taken down after the project was completed, and even before the official opening on 17 May, people began exploring, admiring and relishing being in the new space. It was as if the concept drawings had come to life, as real people in the real world began to populate the space. Kids scootered, young mums and dads met up with their babies, dogs sniffed and snuffled, people ate their lunch, enjoyed coffees, caught up and generally took pleasure in being there.
And DANCING!
So much dancing has been happening at Te Rimutahi. Organically organised and scheduled, usually happening on at least three evenings (Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays) each week. It has added an indefinable element of magic to the urban canopy space at Te Rimutahi. Bravo! So if you’re wondering which way to head for an evening stroll, head to Te Rimutahi to be enchanted.
By publication date, LandLAB, the brilliant design studio that conceived Te Rimutahi, will have presented to the New Zealand Institute of Landscape Architects (NZILA), Tuia Pito Ora Tāmaki Makaurau Branch, at Te Rimutahi on 29 January. A member of the Community-Led Design Group (CLDG) will also join the discussion to outline how the project came to be and their role throughout the design and delivery phases of the project. Project Leads Sam Gould and Jeremy Thompson, along with Bela Grimsdale, will then speak to the design response to the CLDG brief and also the input from mana whenua and their significant contributions. This will then
be followed by some discussion about the ongoing care/ activation of Te Rimutahi.
For anyone interested in holding an event or an activation at Te Rimutahi, remember Te Rimutahi is a public space and is open to everyone. So long as your event doesn’t need a permit to operate, then you are most welcome to hold an event at Te Rimutahi. People can check on the link below to see if a permit is needed. Just remember, everyone has to share the space, and so negotiation may be required to ensure your event integrates with others on the day.
The previously unloved and dilapidated site at 254 Ponsonby Road has been transformed into a beautiful and multifunctional public space. Te Rimutahi is the common ground for everyone to come together; to rest, relax and recreate. A place to meet new people and catch up with old friends, to enjoy some of the many activities, exhibitions and markets that are already happening there. Te Rimutahi is an urban oasis that is good for the people, good for the environment and good for Tāmaki Makaurau.
Bravo! See you at Te Rimutahi soon.
For more information or to contact the Friends of Te Rimutahi (formerly the CLDG), see our website 254ponsonbyrd.org.nz
Instagram te_rimutahi_ Facebook Te Rimutahi or 254 Ponsonby Road.
photography: Sam Gould
THE COST OF AIMING LOW: HELEN WHITE, MP FOR MT ALBERT
Every era has a prevailing mood and ours feels unmistakably like exhaustion.
A low-level pessimism hangs over public life with the sense that things are getting worse and the forces shaping our world are beyond our influence. At this point, even a good summer seems beyond our reach! Is it surprising that many appear to believe that the sensible response is to disengage? Apathy, increasingly, has become a form of self defence.
That is why Rutger Bregman’s recent BBC Reith Lecture Series, Moral Revolution, really resonated with me. Bregman, the Dutch historian and author, advances a deceptively simple argument that the central problem of our time is not a lack of knowledge, talent or resources, but a lack of ambition directed toward the common good. Too many capable people, he argues, are encouraged to aim low morally, to prioritise comfort, careerism or prestige rather than asking what it would mean to use their influence and skills to confront the defining challenges of our time.
In the second lecture (and my favourite), How to Start a Moral Revolution, Bregman sharpens the argument. Today’s great crises, from entrenched inequality to climate breakdown and from technological excess to fiscal irresponsibility to name a few, persist not because they are poorly understood or intractable, but rather because we collectively lack the courage to act on solutions we know to be both correct and workable. Bregman illustrates his point with a discussion about the abolition of slavery which began with a small, determined group who refused to accept the limits of what was considered appropriate or realistic and acted anyway.
At the centre of this concept is what Bregman calls moral ambition. This idea instantly appealed to me and it starts by redefining success. Instead of measuring achievement by income, status or titles, moral ambition asks deeper questions. Did we reduce harm? Did we expand opportunity? Did we leave the world a better place than we found it? Faced with the type of widespread systemic failures we are experiencing today, these are the sorts of questions we need to be asking. Serious challenges require seriousness of intent, a lot of imagination and sustained commitment to solutions.
Crucially, moral ambition is not about uniformity or heroics. It does not demand that everyone do the same thing at the same time, only that people contribute where their skills and positions matter most. Nor is it about lone saviours. Meaningful progress is collective work, carried out by the many, in small ways, every day. Underpinning it all is a demanding form of optimism, the belief that better is possible and that choosing engagement over cynicism is ultimately a moral act.
In the work that I do, I meet people every day who have made that choice. The choice of optimism over cynicism, of engagement over apathy, of genuine moral ambition. And they often make this choice at the cost to themselves of what society might recognise as success. Living one of the core tenets of moral ambition, their success comes through the success of others. I’m thinking here of the unheralded women who offer tireless support to immigrants struggling to adjust in their new home, the campaigners working to end domestic and sexual violence and the people setting up social enterprises for the good of the communities in which they operate.
These groups, organisations and businesses embed care, dignity and respect into their daily operations. By doing the work they do, in the way that they do it, they reject the notion that social good is peripheral, someone else’s concern. They make moral responsibility central to their process of creating value. Like Bregman’s vision, their efforts demonstrate that ambition doesn’t need to be divorced from ethics and their success demonstrates that lasting impact is created when professional expertise and moral commitment are aligned to
protect the vulnerable and expand opportunity, not only for those often excluded but ultimately, for everyone.
I know that most of us already make small, morally ambitious choices every day. Choices such as choosing ethically made clothes, selecting compostable packaging or walking to the supermarket. Many others will be involved in supporting those they know doing the hard yards, speaking up against injustice or choosing work that aligns with their values. In a moment defined by widening inequality, displacement and persistent injustice, these individual, incremental good choices are great steps on the way to accepting Bregman’s challenge of scaling up these choices, to start thinking more boldly about how our time, skills, influence and resources might be directed toward more meaningful change.
Expanding the scale of moral ambition means refusing the comfort of quiet intention and choosing collective impact instead. It means moving beyond isolated acts of care toward sustained effort equal to the urgency of the moment in which we are living. In Mt Albert, I see this moral ambition already operating in the many people who make the everyday choice to expand the opportunity around them to include others. My job as your MP, and my commitment as a longtime resident, is to amplify that work, eliminate apathy and promote moral ambition as our animating force.
When we aim high and act with bold purpose, we will start to make the kind of world shaping change our time demands.
NAVIGATING THE FUTURE: A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO BUSINESS SUCCESSION PLANNING
For many business owners, a business isn’t just an income stream – it’s years of hard work, risk and personal investment. As retirement approaches, one question inevitably comes up: what happens next?
Without a clear plan, a lifetime of effort can be left exposed. Succession planning is about deciding how and when to step back – whether that means keeping it in the family, handing it to key staff or selling to a new owner. Done properly, it protects value, preserves culture and gives everyone peace of mind.
Why It Matters
Protects your legacy by keeping the business stable and aligned with your values.
· Secures financial certainty for you and your family through a well-timed, tax-efficient transition.
Reduces risk from illness, unexpected events or rushed decisions that may compromise value.
Builds business value by showing structure, continuity and leadership depth that are valued by interested parties.
A Straightforward Succession Roadmap
· Clarify your goals – define what success and transition look like for you and the business.
Identify and prepare successors – family, staff or external buyers; make sure they share your vision and identify mentoring needs early.
Build your advisory team – accountants, lawyers, bankers, brokers and advisors who can manage tax, valuation, legal matters, finance and structure.
· Understand your business value – a professional valuation highlights strengths and gaps.
Plan the transition – set timelines, handover stages and communication strategies to maintain confidence. Timing and communication are critical when sharing this information.
Review legal and tax matters – update wills, trust deeds and shareholder agreements early. Look at tax plans and options well before execution.
Keep it under review – revisit the plan regularly as life and business circumstances evolve.
Family or External?
Family transitions need open discussion about roles, timing and expectations. Let the next generation grow into responsibility gradually.
External sales take more preparation: tidy up systems, lift profitability and document processes to make the business more attractive to buyers.
Succession planning isn’t just a financial exercise – it’s about ensuring continuity and rewarding the years of work that built the business in the first place.
At Johnston Associates, we help owners make this process structured and stress free, combining valuation, tax and advisory experience to protect what you’ve built and prepare what’s next. PN
Disclaimer – While all care has been taken, Johnston Associates Chartered Accountants Ltd and its staff accept no liability for the content of this article; always see your professional advisor before taking any action that you are unsure about.
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FOR COFFEE LOVERS...
House Coffee New Zealand supplies coffee machines to domestic consumers and offers servicing options for a range of different brands and models, most notably the new Rocket Evoluzione Espresso machine.
Tell us more about this machine?
This machine and others like it represent the absolute pinnacle of coffee machine technology and are made of durable, stainless materials that are sure to consistently impress and inspire. These attractive products will complement any kitchen and retain an essence of timeless style for years to come, not to mention saving you money on store bought coffees.
When did you start the business?
House Coffee started in 2006 selling the best espresso machines and grinders available in New Zealand. "We pride ourselves in providing top notch service and customer satisfaction and led the way with pick up and drop-off service and barista training. We ensure a quick turnaround on repairs and service and often may provide a loan machine for longer tasks.”
What’s the feedback been like?
Katipo Coffee started 10 years ago supplying domestic customers and offices with fresh roasted beans. "Our Red Back blend has been a favourite of many with its salted caramel notes and deep, satisfying flavour. Black Widow has appealed to those who prefer a dark roasted blend taken beyond second crack to develop a rich, grunty hit!
"All our beans are fairly sourced from Guatemala, Columbia and Sumatra. The importer has developed a long relationship with each grower and purchases the entire season's production each year. While not certified organic, nearly
all coffee is grown at altitude using organic practices which make most coffee production naturally organic.”
For more information simply email James at housecoffee@xtra.co.nz
Photography: Josh Griggs
Photography: Babiche Martens
FACES AT GREY LYNN FARMERS MARKET
In summer months, Phillip Frost brings fresh blueberries to Grey Lynn straight from his family orchard near Rotorua.
By early December, locals are already asking about his hotly anticipated return – a sure sign that blueberry season is nearly here.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up on our family farm near Rotorua. My parents bought the property in the late 1960s where they originally ran beef and dry stock.
How did Mamaku Blue get started?
A friend told my parents that blueberries were “blue gold.” They planted their first hectare in 1982 and expanded from there. The name Mamaku Blue comes from the Mamaku Plateau where the farm is located – an area known for its altitude, volcanic soils and cool climate, which are all ideal conditions for blueberries.
Did you always plan to work in the family business?
Not at all. I left the farm in the early 1990s and trained as a mechanical engineer. I worked at Kinleith before doing my OE in the UK. I did everything from prototype engineering to groundwork on building sites and travelled widely through Europe and Africa.
How did your engineering background shape what you do now?
It’s been incredibly useful. We’ve invested in new equipment and gradually upgraded and automated our systems, always looking for ways to improve efficiency while keeping quality high. After suffering repeated cyclone damage, we started building protective tunnels and now have 2.5 hectares under cover, with room to expand. The tunnels help protect the crop and give us a more reliable supply of high-quality fruit.
Your wife Michaela is a big part of the operation – how did you meet her?
Michaela came from the Czech Republic on a 12-month working visa. Fifteen years and three children later, she’s a core part of both our family and the business. She juggles marketing, accounting, staff and day-to-day sales alongside caring for our youngsters, aged four, seven and nine. It’s very much a handson family operation.
You don’t spray your berries – why is that important to you?
I want my kids to be able to walk through the orchard and eat berries straight off any bush. Our growing approach is guided by what feels right for our family and the land.
How fresh are the blueberries people buy at the market?
Very fresh. We hand pick during the week, grade berries on Fridays and usually sell them at the market that same weekend. Different varieties behave differently, so part of my job is knowing when each one is at its best.
What’s the best way to enjoy your berries? Honestly? Straight out of the punnet or, even better, straight off the bush if you ever get the chance.
How many varieties do you grow?
We’re always experimenting with different varieties to build resilience and stretch the season. We have around 20 varieties growing, with eight being the main ones we bring to the market. Each has its own character, flavour, texture and how long it keeps, which is why I enjoy talking with customers about what they’re buying.
What do you enjoy about selling at the market?
The conversations. People are genuinely interested in where their food comes from, and I like being able to answer questions honestly. It’s also rewarding to see people come back week after week and year after year once they’ve discovered the difference fresh, carefully grown blueberries make. PN
www.mamakublue.co.nz
www.greylynnfarmersmarket.co.nz
FINAL CLOSING DAYS OF A WORLD CRUISE
Subsequent owner Queen Victoria had the massive dining room chandelier moved into storage because she feared that it would drop on her head.
Again, I find myself in the final closing days of a World Cruise, a last few days in merry ole’ England then it will be the long laborious flight home to possibly plan another. To soften the blow, I had planned a few excursions and one was to follow in the steps of one of Britain's most colourful and outrageous characters. George IV – 'The Prince Regent', was a huge man with huge tastes and even larger whims. He had so loved Brighton, the 18th Century version of Las Vegas, that he began renovating an old farmhouse to create what would become his pleasure palace.
Thirty years ago I had been driven past this anachronism on the Brighton landscape and been fascinated by what may lie inside and now I would have a chance to find out.
Begun in 1787, the Prince's Palace was a cacophony of minarets, decorated arches and exotic domes screaming ignominiously at the traditional English buildings of Brighton – a once small, poor fishing village that was fast becoming a fashionable resort town thanks to his patronage. If George had been gay it would have gone part way to explain the high-camp extravagance of the exterior notwithstanding outrageous interior decorations of silk wallpapers, gold fittings, handmade carpets, massive chandeliers and Chinoiserie Chinese warriors which guarded hallways with gold phoenixes peering down at you from the ceiling cornices.
Slung low from the 45-foot high banqueting room ceiling and from the clutches of a massive silver dragon, hangs a huge 9m long, one ton chandelier dressed in Irish crystal and precious stones. The fitting hangs over a mahogany table seating 36 where 78 courses were often served during one of the Prince's many extravagant dinner parties. Here guests ate off solid gold plates and were entertained by exotic dancers and musicians.
Each room in the pavilion is decorated with more pizazz and gold than the last, competing with itself in an extravagant game of oneupmanship. To the Prince Regent, debt and money were of no consequence.
Huge chandeliers graced most rooms and were once the main feature of a near disastrous fire during a ball in 1863 when, after guests complained of smelling gas, a servant lit a taper to try and track the source. The subsequent conflagration travelled through the lighting plumbing, igniting the chandeliers and setting alight the rooms that they graced. Fortunately, the building was saved and a further restoration commenced.
By the time the Prince Regent had finished building, a reported 35 years after beginning, he was spending little time here completely losing interest in it. He had been distracted by other sparkly things, namely the English Crown. The building sat abandoned, languishing in its fading glory. An example of Regency overindulgence.
Subsequent owner Queen Victoria had the massive dining room chandelier moved into storage because she feared that it would drop on her head. She had never felt comfortable living here, detesting the lack of privacy and the easy accessibility to her by the public, so she sold the building to the city and used the funds to buy Osborne House where she would spend her last days.
She was obviously not amused by the building.
In 1975 an arsonist threw a flaming rag wrapped around a stone through the glass doors in the music room and set the room ablaze causing major damage to the room and those around it. It took 11 years to refurbish. A year after completion in 1986 during a huge storm in the area, one of the stone minarets from the roof dislodged and crashed through the ceiling embedding itself into the floor and causing further damage which took another five years to restore.
The building has fallen in and out of repair and restoration since its inception and more recently has had a major programme of works restoring the intricate stonework on the exterior of the building as well as the magnificent interiors which are as outrageous today as they were when first installed.
A lot of the interior furnishings have been returned by the Royal Family – perhaps too outrageous for their current tastes. One piece in particular has been carefully restored and reestablished – the huge one ton chandelier in the banqueting room with its silver dragon.
The building endures and restoration will continue to be an ongoing process which seems to be its story from when it was first begun.
It wasn't just over the top, it was completely over the top and a perfectly ostentatious finish to my World Cruise.
(ROSS THORBY) PN
MIND-BODY MARTIAL ART PRACTICE NOW AVAILABLE AT GREY LYNN
The Association of Ki and Aikido New Zealand today proudly announces the official opening of its first Ki Aikido Dojo in Auckland, welcoming practitioners of all ages and fitness levels to its Grey Lynn location.
This marks a significant milestone in Auckland’s martial arts and wellness community, introducing a practice that blends traditional Japanese martial art with modern mind-body development techniques for everyday wellbeing.
Ki Aikido is a unique martial art that evolved from the teachings of Koichi Tohei Sensei, integrating Aikido with Shin Shin Toitsu Do — a discipline focused on mind-body coordination and mental calmness. It offers a non-competitive training environment designed to help participants build confidence, manage stress, and improve physical and mental resilience in daily life
Key Features of Ki Aikido Practice:
Mind-Body Coordination training that enhances relaxation, posture and focus.
· Aikido techniques practised from a calm and coordinated state, refining physical responses through movement.
Breathing and meditation exercises that promote mental clarity and wellbeing.
Inclusive and supportive environment suitable for beginners and experienced martial artists alike.
“This dojo is a place for personal individual growth, health and mindful physical practice,” said Cristian Filimon Sensei, head instructor and founder of The Association of Ki and Aikido New Zealand. “Ki Aikido isn’t just about self-defense techniques; it’s a lifelong art that helps people move through life with calmness, confidence and clarity.”
The first club of the Association is named Dokkodo which means “The path I walk is mine alone”, inviting students of all ages to take ownership of their personal development and gain the skills and mindset to make positive changes in their lives.
Location & Schedule:
· Ki Aikido Dojo, 332 Great North Road, Grey Lynn Weekly Training: Wednesdays: 7:30PM – 9:30PM Fridays: 6PM – 8PM
All experience levels are welcome. All students above 16 years old are welcomed.
Beginners are encouraged to try their first class for free.
Ki Aikido blends traditional martial art values with practical techniques for modern life, helping participants face both everyday and physical challenges and balance both in their body as well as their minds. It is suitable for anyone regardless of age (above 16 years), gender, background, or prior martial arts experience.
For more information, class schedules, or media inquiries, please contact:
The Association of Ki and Aikido New Zealand Email: contact@kiaikido.org.nz
A late-summer reset: Ayurvedic support for replenishing your energy.
February in Aotearoa carries a very particular feeling – the golden warmth of summer mixed with the quiet fatigue that follows weeks of celebration, travel, hosting, school holidays and steady devotion to family life. Many of us reach this point of the year with a full heart but an empty cup.
In Ayurveda, this is a natural time for rasayana – rejuvenation. Late summer reflects heightened Pitta from the season’s heat combined with the light, mobile qualities of Vata after disrupted routines. When these forces accumulate, digestion can weaken, sleep becomes lighter and energy dips, leaving the body craving grounding, nourishment and structure.
This month offers a beautiful opportunity to gently restore yourself and reintroduce rhythms that build steadiness for the year ahead. To support this, we’re offering two deeply nourishing experiences designed to replenish the nervous system, awaken digestive strength and reconnect you with your inner balance.
AYURVEDIC DAY RETREAT – A FULL-DAY SUMMER RESET
Held at the tranquil Bali Garden in Matakana, our Ayurvedic Day Retreat is a full immersion into traditional rejuvenation practices. The day is thoughtfully crafted to soothe the mind, restore vitality and reset your system after the intensity and busyness of summer.
The morning begins with a grounding Hatha yoga session to open the body and steady the breath, followed by an accessible introduction to Ayurvedic philosophy. You’ll explore how to understand your unique constitution, how to work with the qualities of late summer and how gentle cleansing practices can support clarity, balance and sustainable energy at this time of year.
You will also be be treated to a therapeutic mini Shiro Abhyanga massage –a warm herbal oil treatment for the scalp, neck and shoulders, tailored to your dosha. This deeply calming therapy releases tension, settles the nervous system and encourages a feeling of inner quiet. A nourishing Ayurvedic lunch and morning refreshments are served throughout the day, each prepared to support digestive ease and maintain equilibrium in the summer heat.
In the afternoon, participants are guided through Yoga Nidra, a profoundly restorative practice that allows the whole system to unwind and reset. The retreat concludes with a grounding closing circle, offering space for reflection and intention as you return to daily life feeling steadier, clearer and deeply replenished.
Ayurveda Day Retreat Bali Garden, Matakana Sunday 22 February, 10.30am – 4pm
FOOD AS MEDICINE – AYURVEDIC COOKING DEMONSTRATION & DINNER
If you’re ready to bring more balance into your kitchen, our Ayurvedic Cooking Demonstration in Herne Bay offers a gentle way to reconnect with nourishment after the indulgence and irregular rhythms of summer. Throughout the evening, we will be introducing the foundational principles of Ayurvedic nutrition, exploring seasonal eating, the doshas and the importance of cooking in harmony with digestive fire.
Little Bird Head Chef Gawain Cowley then guides you through live demonstrations using fresh, plant-based ingredients, sharing simple techniques that make meals easier to digest and more supportive for late-summer balance. As each dish comes together, participants are treated to a beautifully prepared three-course Ayurvedic dinner accompanied by a warming herbal drink – an experience that brings this ancient food philosophy to life through taste, aroma and mindful preparation.
At the end of the class, you’ll take home recipes, spice guidance and practical meal-planning tools to help you integrate these principles into your own kitchen with confidence.
Food as Medicine: Ayurvedic Cooking Class
The Life Centre, Herne Bay Wednesday 18 March, 6pm – 9pm
February invites us to pause, reflect and gently gather ourselves after a full, generous summer. Whether you choose a day of deep rejuvenation or an evening of mindful cooking, we’d love to support you in beginning the year grounded, nourished and in balance.
We meet Gaen in his studio, surrounded by quiet geometric works – bands of colour, rising planes and softened horizons that feel both abstract and familiar.
These paintings don’t describe the New Zealand landscape so much as recall it, filtered through time, distance and memory.
Raised amongst the varied terrains of Aotearoa, from Hawkdun to the Southern Alps, Gaen’s work is shaped by early encounters with land and years spent travelling across the country. Working in acrylic within the genre of geometric abstraction, he begins with his own landscape photography, extracting region-specific palettes before reducing each scene to its most essential forms.
As he prepares for his upcoming solo exhibition at Black Door Gallery in Parnell, Auckland, we spoke with Gaen about memory, abstraction and the landscapes that linger.
Your work is deeply connected to the New Zealand landscape. Where does it begin?
The scenes I paint are really the playground of my youth. Growing up, you take them for granted. Then, moving away, you start to reflect and think, 'Wow, those places are magnificent’. Many of my paintings are a collection of those memories.
Why abstraction rather than representation?
My work is about bringing the landscape alive in its simplest forms. Up close, it’s abstract and confusing; but the further you step back, the more you see.
How does photography feed into the paintings?
Photography is my starting point. I take photographs as I travel, pull colour palettes from them, then reduce the image until only what feels essential remains.
Colour feels central to your work. How do you approach it?
Colour is essential to my practice. I source palettes directly from my photography, then replicate each hue meticulously to the hundredth of a gram on medical scales, before translating it onto canvas.
Your paintings shift depending on how close you stand. Why that tension?
That’s intentional. Up close, they’re abstract; from a distance, they resolve into landscape. It mirrors how we understand places we’ve left behind.
You sign your work under the name Gaen. Where does that come from?
The name ‘Gaen’ comes from Scots, a verb meaning ‘to go’ – evoking movement, progression and always being on the way somewhere. It’s about a sense of journey, not arrival.
As you prepare for your solo exhibition, how does this body of work feel?
More distilled. The palettes are softer than previous series, giving the collection a nostalgic feeling. There’s confidence in letting less do more.
What do you hope viewers take from the exhibition?
A moment of pause. A sense of recognition. Maybe a memory of a place that still lives with them. Opening night: Feb 12, 5:30–7:30pm (drinks and music).
EXHIBITION OPEN DAILY: 12 - 25 FEBRUARY
Come and enjoy Gaen’s contemporary reimagining of the New Zealand landscape through a cubist lens.
Words by Neala Glass
Gilbert & George were interviewed by Evan Woodruffe for our August 2022 Issue
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Aquarius (the Water Carrier)
21 January - 19 February
You are able to lift your mood and anyone else’s who comes into contact with you this month. Thankfully you are a person that can blend simultaneously real life and your imagination to produce some great results.
Pisces (the Fishes)
20 February - 20 March
Your life has opened up in a way that will create many possibilities not just for you but for anyone that is in your orbit. Whatever the outcome that you have for your future, you must follow your heart if you’re looking for love.
Taurus (the Bull)
21 April - 21 May
Changing your mind or reconsidering an offer is something that you may be faced with this month. If an opportunity presents itself to you regarding the tension you feel at work, then take it.
Leo (the Lion)
23 July - 21 August
You’re able to accept anyone or anything that is different from you and it's a gift that you’ve been blessed with. Make sure your thoughts are not muddled with anything banal and you could open up more of your potential.
Gemini (the Twins)
22 May - 21 June
Don’t dream about what might have been this month. Get out and do something about it. You have the summer to decide what might interest you. When you have figured it out, grab it with all the enthusiasm that you can muster.
Aries (the Ram)
21 March - 20 April
If someone you know is dangling a few baubles in front of you to do something, beware all that glitters is not gold. You don’t have to do anything that you don’t want to do anymore. You can lead your own life now.
Scorpio (the Scorpion)
24 October - 22 November
Taking time off to do what you want to do is something that you have always had a problem with. As tempting as only daydreaming about it is, at some point joining the real world is something that you will have to do.
Virgo (the Virgin)
22 August - 23 September
You have a highly trained intuition that has served you well for a long time. You can usually spot problems that appear and you are able to quickly sort them out. Finding clarity out of confusion is a skill that you have.
Cancer (the Crab)
22 June - 22 July
Your interest in the creative side of life has always fascinated you but you have never fully exposed yourself to the delights the arts have to offer. Don’t restrain yourself to one thing. Explore what your surroundings have to offer and just go from there.
Sagittarius (the Archer)
23 November - 22 December
Clearing your mind is definitely a prerogative this month. You have problems around you that you have to deal with. Try not to confuse emotional issues with those of the real world.
Libra (the Scales)
24 September - 23 October
Whatever path you may choose to travel on, you should be happy in the knowledge that you are going in the right direction. Don’t be tempted to split your time between projects. Focus on the path in front of you and try not deviate too much.
Capricorn (the Goat)
23 December - 20 January
Any opportunity that comes your way could be within your grasp as long as you are ready to make some adjustments. Don’t limit yourself to what’s within your sphere when you can open up and make some truly great changes in your life.
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