The Hobson JF 17

january/february 2017

gong xi fa cai! it's the year of the rooster local news, views & informed opinions

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“At Auckland Obstetric Centre we understand that pregnancy and childbirth is the most important time of your life and that you and baby should have the highest standard of care.”

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Auckland Obstetric Centre is a unique practice in Parnell made up of six leading specialist obstetricians and support staff. Together we have many years of experience and feel privileged to be able to share in the care of women during their pregnancy.

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The January/February Issue, No. 35 8

36

54

the editor’s letter

the reps

the check in

10

Words from our men in the House, MPs Paul Goldsmith and David Seymour

Louise Richardson on big events worth a visit, and Helen Jackson on the innovative cuisines of Fiji

the columnists

14 the village Fears for the future of Tamaki Drive’s iconic pohutukawa, community-minded kids, Parnell’s new look, and more

21/22 the boards An introduction from the new chairs — Waitematā’s Pippa Coom and Orākei’s Colin Davis

24/25 the councillors Our ward representatives, Mike Lee and Desley Simpson, sign on

27 the prizewinners Celebrating end-of-year success at our local schools

30 the plan Hamish Firth looks at the reality of the Unitary Plan detail for parts of the neighbourhood

32 the investment Warren Couillault’s annual report card on how he called it over the past year

33 the kaitiaki Settling in to her new home, Precious Clark embraces community living

38 the celebration

56

Welcome to the Year of the Rooster! A guide to local events and happenings for the Chinese New Year festival

the appetite Remuera foodwriter Helen Jackson shares recipes inspired by her visit to Fiji

42

58

the second act

the cinema

To save you the effort, Sandy Burgham has a ready list of unwelcome advice to trot out to teenagers

Caitlin McKenna selects the best in summer movies

43

the sound

the suburbanist Tommy Honey hails the future of public transport

44

60 Drumroll . . . it’s the return of the BAOTY, Andrew Dickens’ Best Album of the Year

61 the bookmark

the pretty Justine Williams gets you through the summer with beauty hacks

46

A reading list with a book for everyone, recommended by Gail Woodward

55 the district diary

the magpie

Dates to note for January and February

Artful ideas for last minute or New Year gifts

56

48 the heritage

the cryptic A bumper puzzle this month, by Māyā.

Hint: some of the answers are local

Historian Carolyn Cameron remembers nurse Evelyn Firth and the servicemens’ home in Parnell that bore her name

50 the neighbourhood In this exclusive extract from Love Letters to the Landscape, Remuera local Mai Chen writes of Waiatarua Reserve

Win Love Letters to the Landscape From Cape Reinga to Stewart Island, Love Letters to the Landscape is a celebration of New Zealand. A diverse list of contributors, including Mai Chen, Kerry Fox, Jordan Luck, Moana Maniapoto, Jenny Pattrick and Denys Watkins, write of their places close to the heart, whether discovered in childhood or later in life.

Courtesy of the publisher, Paul Little Books, we have three copies to give away. To win your copy, email business@thehobson.co.nz with “Landscape” in the subject line, by 5pm Friday January 27. Please include your address. Winners’ names will be selected at random. the hobson 4

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HEAD-UP DISPLAY

issue 35, january/february 2017 Editor & Publisher Kirsty Cameron editor@thehobson.co.nz Art Direction & Production Stephen Penny design@thehobson.co.nz Writers Carolyn Cameron, Jessica-Belle Greer, Helen Jackson, Louise Richardson, Wayne Thompson, Justine Williams Sub-editor Fiona Wilson Social Media Editor Sarah Lynch Columnists & Contributors This Issue Sandy Burgham, Pippa Coom, Precious Clark, Warren Couillault, Colin Davis, Andrew Dickens, Hamish Firth, Paul Goldsmith, Tommy Honey, Mike Lee, Māyā, Caitlin McKenna, David Seymour, Desley Simpson, Fiona Wilson, Gail Woodward Photographers Vanita Andrews, Liz Clarkson, Stephen Entwisle, Stephen Penny Cover “Stella” by Nicky Foreman, created for Parnell’s Chinese New Year charity auction. Photo courtesy of Jonathon Grant Galleries. See The Celebration, page 38 THE HOBSON is published 10 times a year by The Hobson Limited, PO Box 37490 Parnell, Auckland 1151. www.thehobson.co.nz F: TheHobsonMagazine T: @thehobson Ideas, suggestions, advertising inquiries welcome. editor@thehobson.co.nz Or via Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheHobsonMagazine

THE HOBSON is Remuera, Parnell and Orākei’s community magazine. We deliver into letterboxes in these neighbourhoods, and copies are also at local libraries, cafes, and at businesses including the Vicky Ave and White Heron dairies, and Paper Plus Parnell.

For more about us, visit www.thehobson.co.nz or TheHobsonMagazine on Facebook.

The content of THE HOBSON is copyright. Our words, our pictures. Don’t steal, and don’t borrow without checking with us first. We aim for accuracy but cannot be held liable for any inaccuracies that do occur. The views of our contributors are their own and not necessarily those of THE HOBSON. We don’t favour unsolicited contributions but do welcome you getting in touch via editor@thehobson.co.nz to discuss ideas.

The Hobson Ltd is a member of the Magazine Publishers Association

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B

y the time you receive this issue, there’ll be a scant few days left to give feedback on the proposed cycleway in Parnell, and a resident parking scheme. While the latter is of little concern if you’re not affected, the cycleway has wider public consequence.

What Auckland Transport is proposing has a profound impact on all road users travelling on St Stephens or Gladstone roads, and the roads that feed it into it — could the Brighton/ St Stephens intersection be worse? It’s possible. Likewise, the removal of 95 parking spaces to create the cycleway will be a huge blow for the Gladstone Rd shops, reliant as they are on commuters as much as pedestrians. Make your views known via AT.govt.nz/haveyoursay.

The feedback period closes off on December 23 (you can’t help but wonder about the timing of that, too).

Now, a straw poll you might like to contribute to. On a reasonably regular basis, we receive a “I don’t get THE HOBSON in my letterbox” complaint from people within our delivery zone. More often than not, it turns out the box has an “Addressed Mail Only” or “NZ Post Only” sticker, which precludes our delivery company giving you THE HOBSON. We have been asked if we can produce a sticker that will flag that you want to receive THE HOBSON. Let me know if you would be interested in that, and we’ll investigate further.

Have a spectacular summer and however you celebrate, a very happy new year. We'll see you again later in February, when we’re back with our March edition.

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

We had the privilege of attending some great art events recently. At the New Zealand Arts Foundation awards, philanthropists John and Jo Gow (left) were honoured with the Award for Patronage. Sponsors of the awards and the event, held at Shed 9, included our friends at Hobson Wealth Partners, and the Friedlander family. The Harriet Friedlander New York Residency is a wonderful biannual prize of $80,000 to a young artist(s), to support them as long as they can make the money last in NYC. It was won by filmmakers Chris Pryor and Miriam Smith.

The 2016 Foundation Laureates (who receive no-stringsattached $50,000 cash) included writer Eleanor Catton, filmmaker Taika Waititi and artists Peter Robinson and Dylan Horrocks. New Generation awards of $25,000 were given to composer Alex Taylor, artist André Hemer and choreographer Parris Goebel.

(Photos left and above by Andi @ Monster Valley)

There was also a force of Friedlanders at Maman boutique in Remuera the previous week, in support of Remuera artist Jillian Friedlander, who unveiled her Oscillate paintings at Maman. The circular works draw on the influences of her South Otago childhood, and are multi-layered in both texture and meaning. Friedlander is pictured far left, with one of the evening’s co-hosts, Maman’s Emma Main.

Why am I getting THE HOBSON in my letterbox? We are your local, neighbourhood magazine — that’s our brief, to be local, inform and connect our community. We distribute to households in Remuera, Parnell and Orākei. We also put copies into the Remuera and Parnell libraries and dairies and cafes around the wider neighbourhood, including Newmarket. You can read back issues on Facebook: The Hobson Magazine.

the hobson 8

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C O L L E C T I O N

The Columnists

Left to right from top row:

Sandy Burgham (The Second Act) is a brand strategist and an executive coach with a special interest in midlife change and transformational behaviours. She runs a central Auckland practice. www.sandyburgham.com Precious Clark (The Kaitiaki) is a professional director who sits on several boards, and a young leader of Ngāti Whātua Orākei. A law graduate, she lives in Orākei.

Remuera resident Warren Couillault (The Investment) is an executive director and the major shareholder of Hobson Wealth Partners (formerly Macquarie Private Wealth NZ), a private wealth advisory group.

He is a shareholder and director of Generate Investment Management Ltd; and manager of a registered Kiwisaver scheme.

Andrew Dickens (The Sound) is the host of Andrew Dickens’ Sunday Cafe on Sunday morning, from 9am, on Newstalk ZB. He is also the music reviewer on Jack Tame’s Saturday morning show on Newstalk ZB. He grew up in Remuera.

Hamish Firth (The Plan) lives and works in Parnell and is principal of the Mt Hobson Group, a specialist urban planning consultancy. www.mthobsonproperties.co.nz Urban design critic Tommy Honey (The Suburbanist) is a former architect, Remuera resident and Dean of College at Parnell’s Whitecliffe College of Arts & Design.

Caitlin McKenna (The Cinema) of Remuera is passionate about the cinema — she majored in film, sociology and marketing for her conjoint BCom/BA. She works in film.

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

A Parnell resident, her column appears bi-monthly.

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

Gail Woodward (The Bookmark) of Meadowbank is the senior book buyer for Paper Plus Newmarket.

She belongs to, and advises on selections for, a number of book clubs.

the hobson 10

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the village

Town & Around Pohutukawa on the cliff at Cliff Rd, St Heliers

the hobson 14

THE SCENIC DRIVE Following his December issue story about developments and changes planned along Tamaki Dr, Wayne Thompson follows up with the Tamaki Drive Protection Society’s battle to save the area’s iconic pohotukawa from the creep of housing, weeds and possums.

Twenty five years ago, some eastern bays’ residents realised Tamaki Drive’s clifftop pohutukawa were doomed to go out in a crimson blaze of glory, unless more were planted and saved from the house builders wanting clear sea views.

Banding under the name Tamaki Drive Protection Society, these residents saw the waterfront drive as both a park, and a thoroughfare.

They saw hundreds of people along its 7km chain of bays relishing the open space by the sea, but they saw too how other natural qualities — trees, cliffs, beaches, bird life — on public and private land, added to the attraction.

The society pushed the former Auckland City Council to give a special status to the waterfront drive, and a planting programme aided by the pohotukawa protection group, Project Crimson, extended Tamaki Dr’s display of pohutukawa to include the road causeway across Hobson Bay, from Judges Bay to Okahu Bay. It was the front door of the “Scenic Way” — an aspirational term for Tamaki Dr — which the society fought to get in district planning documents, to signal a need for special consideration and guidelines to preserve natural qualities.

However, Tamaki Drive Protection Society faces fresh challenges brought by the new Auckland Unitary Plan, says society committee member Juliet Yates.

The plan drops the “Scenic Way” in favour of Auckland Transport’s more prosaic term for the causeway, “arterial road”, in view of its carrying 30,000 vehicles per day.

“But describing it like that should not obliterate the scenic value,” Yates says. “Tamaki Drive’s pohutukawa and sandstone cliffs must be protected as heritage features.

“They give a spectacular and distinctive character to the Waitematā Harbour, which is not matched by any harbours in the world. Their surrounds are covered in concrete and high-rise towers.

“The old Auckland City District Plan gave clifftop pohutukawa protection all around the harbour, but this is not continued in the Unitary Plan.”

The society says there is no space for trees in the plan’s new mixed housing zones, and that even in designated Significant Ecological Areas, mature pohutukawa may be felled to allow building sites.

Auckland Council manager, Unitary Plan, Celia Davison, says mixed housing suburban zonings allow for a more dense and varied form of development than the single house zone. But what happens on any site will be site-specific, taking in factors such as daylight, private living space, site coverage and building height and landscaping.

The Resource Management Act now bans general tree protection rules on urban sites.

However, trees will still have a place, says Davison. Owners/ occupiers may be able to schedule any trees as heritage items if they merit this level of protection, and they will also likely retain or plant new specimens.

The society is worried about the area from Mission Bay to Cliff Rd, St Heliers, which Davison says did not meet the ecological criteria to be recognised as Significant Ecological Areas, unlike Paritai Reserve and Glendowie Cliffs.

the village

However, the Unitary Plan proposes some development checks: resource consent is needed for any new buildings or extensions in areas subject to coastal hazards. In addition, vegetation removal greater than 25 sq m, or removal of any native tree over 3m high, requires resource consent if it is within 20m from the top of any cliff with a slope greater than 18 degrees and within 150m of Mean High Water Springs.

The society’s concern about erosion of the Waitematā sandstone cliffs won grants from the Orākei Local Board for a survey of clifftop trees and a brochure on protecting the waterfront edge.

The ecological survey by Sarah Roth, of Wildland Consultants, finds the pohutukawa fringe not only looks good but also slows the natural erosion of the cliffs, with the trees’ roots stabilising the soft sedimentary rock.

At its most recent public meeting, society president Dr Peter Morton thanked the many residents, landowners and former councils who over decades have planted and maintained pohutukawa on private property and public land.

“With ongoing urban intensification we need to carefully manage and reduce the pressures on this unique habitat.”

The survey recommends care to prevent erosion, stormwater runoff and eradicate invasive alien weeds and pest animals.

Council senior biosecurity advisor Greg Hoskins says the Council has helped property owners in Hobson Bay with pest control and funding application advice and staff have given landowners advice about native plants and revegetation.

And recently, the Orākei Local Board announced it will offer grants to homeowners of up to $200 to spend on maintaining mature, notable trees on private property in the ward.

For further information, see www.tamakidrive.org.nz p

SNAP CHAT

A GOOD DAY’S ART “Art in a Day” returns to the neighbourhood this summer, with Saturday February 11 marked as the big creative day out. Sponsored by Rotary Newmarket, with support from Parnell Trust and Waitematā Local Board, this year’s event will focus on three defined locations — one to be confirmed in Parnell, the Osborne Lane precinct in Newmarket, and in Grafton, within sight of the gates to The Domain on Park Rd. Open to all, entrants are free to create in whatever medium they choose, but the work must be completed btween 10am and 5pm on the day. An exhibition of the works — which are for sale by silent auction — will be held at the St Mark’s Parish Centre, 95 Remuera Rd, from Wednesday February 15 to Sunday 19.

Additionally, there’ll be a colouring competition for junior artists, with the image donated by the popular artist, Flox.

For further information, see www.artinaday.org.nz p Last year Yuqing Qiu, above, took first prize for her mixed media work of Osborne Lane in , Newmarket. Yuqing’s choice of materials included coffee grounds and soil from the location.

GOOD CITIZENS

In our December issue, we featured a striking photographic work of the historic Newmarket Signal Box by Lynn Clayton. At that time, we didn’t realise Clayton was a local, with a great body of work to her name that celebrates our urban landscape (Cityscape, pictured above, is one such work).

Awarded an honorary PSNZ from the Photographic Society of New Zealand, she has exhibited widely, including in Italy. Printed in limited editions of five, two remain of the Signal Box image.

See more of Lynn Clayton’s work here, www.exhibitionsgallery. co.nz/artists, or lynnclaytonphotography.com p

For more than 50 years, the Remuera Lions Club has recognised great kids with its annual Junior Citizens Awards. At a ceremony held before the end of term in the hall of Saint Kentigern Boys’ School, the Lions added another 30 students from 17 schools to their roll of honour. The awards are given to Y6 and Y8 students who have been chosen by their school for recognition in helping others, and the community at large.

Inspirational Paralympic swimming gold medallist Cameron Leslie was guest speaker, presenting the framed certificates to the students alongside Remuera Lions Club president, Josephine Foged.

Local school students honoured were: Sophie Robinson (Baradene), Johnny Nguyen (Dilworth), Holly Haskell (Dio), Sam Thomson and Maikel Tuala (King’s School), Penny Valentine and Mitchell Rumble (Meadowbank School), Gemma

the hobson 16

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the village

Graham and Tony Fu (Parnell District School), Rebecca Clark and Dan Barclay (Remuera Intermediate), Madeline Woolford and Nicholas Sidnam (Remuera Primary), Elizabeth van Wijk (St Cuthbert’s), Benjamin Hardie and Akash Mudaliar (Saint Kentigern Boys’), Millie Thomas and Charlotte Koerber (Saint Kentigern Girls’), Poppy Cavanagh-Briggs and Dominic Kelliher (St Michael’s), Grace Merrilees and Zak Weston (Victoria Ave). p

work will begin on the creation of additional carparking, as proposed in the OLB’s Shore Rd concept plan. Once the 52 carparks have been completed, the next stage will be the sandcarpeting of the ground, making for more all-weather fields for rugby and cricket. p

MRS LEUSCHKE SIGNS OFF SHOW PONIES ON SHORE The Shore Rd Reserve fields will, briefly, become a polo ground in summer when mightily-groomed polo ponies, their riders and gussied-up locals turn out for the Heineken Urban Polo event on the late afternoon of Saturday February 25.

A version of the game created especially for city audiences, urban polo is played on a smaller pitch, says organiser, Remuera local and executive director of the Auckland Polo Club, Simon Wilson. There are only six players on the field at one time.

The event was sanctioned by the Orākei Local Board and the Parnell Cricket Club and nearby local residents were consulted, says OLB member, Kit Parkinson. It’s taking place on the nonsandcarpeted turf — the old Watercare site — at the eastern end of the reserve. And once the patter of hooves has died away,

Not many teachers can claim a connection with a school as Karen Leuschke can with St Cuthbert’s College. Mrs L, as her pupils know her, retired at the end of Term 4 after a 60-year relationship with the school. She began, as Karen Gifford, as a student in 1950, leaving 12 years later as Dux, and returning to teach, at the invitation of principal Violet Wood, once she had graduated with a degree in French and German.

“What do you do when your old principal says,“Karen, we need a French teacher for a year” ? I learned later I wasn’t her first choice!”

While she was a reluctant recruit — “I was on my way to Wellington to work in diplomacy, that was the plan” — Leuschke found her passion was indeed the classroom.

“I haven’t regretted a moment of it. I have loved every minute,” she says of her literal journey (she bikes to and from

Karen Leuschke as a 12-year-old student, and more recently. Below, far left in sunglasses in a St Cuthbert's staff photo, 1967. Photos courtesy of Karen Leuschke

the hobson 18

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the village

St Cuthbert’s Epsom campus every day from her Orākei home), and her one through education too.

Working part-time while her four children were young, Leuschke has taught languages, English, social studies and accounting during her almost 50-year tenure. Outside of school, she works with Restorative Justice (to which she will devote more time in retirement), and was a founder and advocate of KidsLine. Her passion for pastoral care — she remains in touch with many former pupils and their families — saw her develop the senior school’s mentoring program, Big Sister/Little Sister.

And it’s the whole person, rather than just academic success, that she feels should be valued at any school.

“The most important thing you can learn at school is how you should live your life.”

Along the way, young people need to learn resilience, she says, and understand that you don’t have to succeed in absolutely everything you do.

“Not getting what you want is not a bad thing”.

“I tell my students to make the most of the little things that happen — life is not all about big moments. I would like pupils at any school to leave with their head held high, feeling they have something to offer the world.” p

VALE MARTI FRIEDLANDER THE HOBSON is sorry to note the passing of one of our neighbourhood icons, celebrated photographer, Dr Marti Friedlander, CNZM. For the last few years, to not long before illness incapacitated her, she started most days with coffee at Alphabet Café on Parnell Rd with her beloved husband, Gerrard, to whom we offer sincere condolences.

In our November 2013 issue, art historian Dr Kriselle Baker interviewed Friedlander at her Parnell home about her just-released autobiography, Self-Portrait (Auckland University Press). Based on a series of interviews with oral historian Hugo Manson, the book is Friedlander’s journey from an East End Jewish orphanage, to the love affair with Gerrard that brought her to New Zealand, the friendships which have sustained her, and an analysis of her own work, which includes the seminal collaboration with historian Dr Michael King, Moko.

“She is a person who is completely engaged with the world — she was to know and see and photograph as much of it as she can,” Baker wrote in that interview. “Part of that wanting to know, and it is I think the very essence of her work, is an intense interest in other people.”

Not long before her death, Friedlander received an honorary Doctorate of Literature from The University of Auckland, which friends say delighted her. p

Marti Friedlander, above, in a self-portait, 1975. Opposite top, with Gerrard in Warsaw on their honeymoon — the couple toured Europe by Lambretta. Below, Ngakahikatea Whirihana and Dr Michael King, photographed by Friedlander in 1979. Photos from Self-Portrait, courtesy of Auckland University Press

PARNELL’S REVEAL The Parnell Business Association has revealed the new logo for the precinct. “The Space to Be” reflects the area’s different faces, and can be used to promote activities from recreation to hospitality and retail, and its historic quarters. The logo replaces the “The Creative Quarter” branding.

Unfortunately, the message has come too late for two retail businesses who have decided Parnell is no longer their space. Fine china and kitchenware store Galtons, for 30 years a presence at 287 Parnell Rd, was to close at Christmas. The Galtons name will continue as a Christmas décor business, with a pop-up planned for the area later in 2017. Owner Shona Loxton is working on a new, unrelated business, to be revealed in early 2017. Also shuttering at Christmas was the Parnell branch of Republic Home, the furniture and homewares shop at 56 Parnell Rd. p the hobson 20

orĀkei local board

COLIN DAVIS

I

FROM THE VIRTUAL MAILBAG Ted Ewbanks of Remuera petitioned for our cryptic crossword clues to run in the issue following the puzzle, rather than at the same time.

“Cryptic crosswords are a total mystery to most people,” Capt Ewbanks wrote. “How can those of us who can solve them feel superior when the answers are there, a few pages away, for all to see?”

We consulted on this with other cryptic fans, and as a result, from this issue the clues are no longer published simultaneously, protecting that hard-earned satisfaction of working it out yourself. If you can’t wait, you can check puzzle creator Māyā’s site for help: see page 64 for details. p

t’s my pleasure to become a regular contributor to THE HOBSON and to share with readers Orākei Local Board’s activities and matters of interest to you.

The Orākei Local Board’s first chair, Desley Simpson, has now been elected to the Auckland Council’s Governing Body. The board looks forward to continuing to work closely and collaboratively with her to help achieve positive results for our communities.

I thought I would take this opportunity to explain how local boards fit into the Auckland Council structure. During the election campaign it became increasingly clear there’s still public confusion about the respective roles of your elected representatives.

In the statutory declaration that board members make are the words: “Orākei Local Board of the Auckland Council”. In exercising our delegated responsibilities, duties and powers, the board is the Auckland Council. Local boards are not committees of the Governing Body, nor are they community boards, which may be created and discarded by councils.

The legislators created local boards as part of the Auckland Council in a two-tier shared governance structure between the Governing Body (20 members and the mayor, principally working on an Auckland-wide basis) and local boards, which have local decision-making powers, at the grass roots level, on behalf of communities within our areas. Of course, it’s recognised our decision-making will be minor when compared with the major and far-reaching decisions that will need to be made by the governing body. Nonetheless, local board members are local councillors too.

The Orākei Local Board has seven members, four of whom are new. Troy Churton, Kit Parkinson and I have been re-elected for another term. We are joined by new members Carmel Claridge of St Johns, Toni Millar of Stonefields, Rosalind Rundle of Orākei and David Wong of Remuera.

We’re privileged to have been elected by our fellow citizens to serve the community. We will endeavour to continue to earn trust and confidence, as we work together on behalf of, and in the best interests of, our communities, and as kaitiaki or guardians.

At its inaugural meeting, the board had the first opportunity to deal with the possible closure of libraries during the Christmas/New Year period. Information available to us showed the popularity of the two libraries in our area during this period. The decision was straightforward, Remuera and St Heliers libraries will remain open during that period.

Since the inauguration board members have been busy in workshops being briefed on Council activities. A lot of the projects from the board’s previous Annual Plan are under way or completed.

We’re now preparing the next Annual Plan, which is required by law. A draft will be available for public input during the coming year.

On behalf of my Orākei Local Board colleagues, I wish you all the compliments of the season and a happy 2017.

— Colin Davis, chair, Orākei Local Board

• Public board meetings are held on the third Thursday of every month, 3pm at St Chads Church, 38 St Johns Rd, Meadowbank.

• Contact Colin directly: colin.davis@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz • Follow the Orākei Local Board on Facebook www.facebook.com/orakeiLB

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waitematĀ local board

PIPPA COOM

M

ore than ever Aucklanders are enjoying “staycations” over the summer season to make the most of the city at a slower pace. Waitematā Local Board is responsible for community and recreational facilities, libraries, parks, reserves and playgrounds that visitors and locals enjoy all year round, but especially at this time of year. In recognition of the high demand faced by libraries, we made the decision to keep our local libraries open between Christmas and New Year.

Parnell is an exciting area to enjoy during summer.

The historic Parnell Baths are a great place to spend the warm days to come. In early 2017, the second stage of the Pt Resolution stairs will be upgraded to better connect the Baths to St Stephens Ave. This project is part of a longterm goal to complete a coastal walkway from Meola Reef to Hobson Bay, with connections to Orākei.

The board has a role in supporting local economic development. Board member Vernon Tava has been appointed representative to the Parnell Business Association (Parnell Inc). We’ll be working closely with the association and with the Parnell Community Committee to progress local priorities, including the opening of the Parnell Train Station, the on-going restoration of Waipapa stream, and developing a local plan with the community.

The New Year will bring a fresh opportunity to relook at the vision and priorities for Waitematā, with the development of the Board’s annual budget 2017/18 (going out for consultation in February) and the Local Board Plan (consultation in April).

Looking back, I am proud of what the board has achieved so far. One of the people who played a significant role achieving results for Waitematā over the last six years has been inaugural chair, Shale Chambers. Shale has done an outstanding job setting a strong foundation of leadership for the board.

In October I had the privilege of being elected chair by my fellow local board members. As chair I wish to serve by providing leadership that achieves the aspirations of the community. I am committed to celebrating and embracing diversity and providing space for creative innovation and design thinking. This also requires building trust and confidence in Council so all the people of Waitematā feel that local government matters, and that they wish to participate. I look forward to putting this into action with my impressive team of board members as we start on the term ahead. Season’s Greetings and best wishes to THE HOBSON readers for 2017.

— Pippa Coom, chair, Waitematā Local Board

• Public board meetings are held on the third Tuesday of every month, 2pm at the board office, 52 Swanson St • Contact Pippa directly: pippa.coom@aucklandcouncil. govt.nz • Follow the Waitematā Local Board on Facebook www. facebook.com/waitemata

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the councillors

Browns Island - Auckland's Forgotten Gift

M

otukorea or Browns Island, the iconic 60ha inner-Gulf island, is back in the news again – but for all the wrong reasons.

Early in November, a substantial area of the island was damaged by a wildfire lit by a distressed woman who had been mysteriously marooned on the island, trying to seek help.

Motukorea was purchased by John Logan Campbell and his partner William Brown from the Ngāti Tamaterā tribe in 1840.

Campbell and Brown’s canvas tents, nikau whare and pig run were the modest beginnings of Pākeha commercial activities in Tāmaki – even before Auckland was founded; the ancestor, if you will, of the Auckland CBD. After Campbell and Brown sold the island, (Campbell came to live in Parnell, his home Kilbryde overlooking the sea near presentday Dove-Myer Robinson Park) it passed through a succession of owners. Notably from 1906-1946, it was owned by the Alison family of the Devonport Steam Ferry Company, and it became popular for ferry excursions and picnics.

Then in 1944, sleepy Browns Island burst into the headlines. The reason: a controversial drainage scheme that would have seen the sewage of virtually the whole city pumped out to the island, and after rudimentary treatment, discharged into the Hauraki Gulf.

The scheme was promoted by the Auckland Metropolitan Drainage Board and the Auckland City Council, and backed by a host of technical experts. Public opposition to the scheme was initiated by a small fringe group, “The Auckland and Suburban Drainage League”, led by a businessman, Mr D.M. Robinson. The League held its first meeting at the old Parnell Library, at the apex of Parnell and St Georges Bay roads, in November 1944. To cut a long story short, after 10 years of very difficult struggle (at times very bitter), against the all odds, Robinson and his League won the day. They did so in the end by organising to get Robinson and his supporters elected onto the Drainage Board. Robinson then as chairman halted the scheme – but after contracts had been signed and the work begun!

It is hard for Aucklanders today to appreciate the magnitude of this epic struggle of citizens versus officialdom. The story is told by

Parnell resident, historian Dr Graham Bush, in his marvellous book Moving Against the Tide: The Browns Island Drainage Controversy.

Mr, then Sir, Dove-Myer Robinson — ‘Robbie’ — famously then went on to become six-times mayor of Auckland and the founding chairman of the Auckland Regional Authority. He is still revered as one of Auckland’s greatest civic leaders.

In 1955 his friend Sir Ernest Davis, a former mayor himself, bought and gifted Browns Island to — as the certificate-of-title states — “the Mayor, councillors and people of Auckland”.

In 1967, the City Council transferred the island’s management to the Hauraki Gulf Maritime Park Board. When the Maritime Park was abolished in 1990, the new Department of Conservation inherited management, but not apparently the enthusiasm or priorities of the Maritime Park Board.

In 2014, the government tried to include Motukorea in a Treaty of Waitangi settlement until it was pointed out that the island was owned not by the Crown but (literally) by the people of Auckland.

In November 2015, Auckland councillors supported my motion that the Council resume direct management of the island.

Regrettably, implementation of this decision has been continually delayed by Council officers.

In light of the recent fire, I asked to inspect the island with a team of Council parks and biosecurity officers. The damage done by the fire was significant. Thousands of native skinks burnt and thousands of dollars worth of fencing destroyed, but the evidence of decades of neglect and minimal management was even more dispiriting. Thankfully the memorial cairn to Sir Ernest and Lady Davis’ great gift (and to Robbie’s great victory) still stands on the northern shore, though forlorn and neglected, the great generosity forgotten and the vision unfulfilled.

Hopefully the sharp lesson of the fire will do the Council some good. Motukorea Browns Island can no longer be neglected in this way. Ideally, it should become Auckland’s next regional park.

Mike Lee [pictured on Browns Is] is the Councillor for Auckland representing the Waitematā & Gulf ward.

the hobson 24

Down to Business

F

ollowing the January recess, the Council’s governing body committees will be well underway finalising their work programmes for the coming three years. The Mayor has reduced the number of working committees, with the aim of being more efficient and effective. We now have four key committees that all councillors are members of, and provide the framework for all major Auckland Council decisions. These are known as Committees of the Whole, and are the Governing Body, the Finance and Performance Committee, the Planning Committee, and the Environment and Community Committee.

The Governing Body is the master committee to which all committees effectively report. Legislatively, it also includes sign-off on budgets and by-laws. The Finance and Performance committee (of which I have been appointed deputy chair by the Mayor) has as its remit, all of council’s budgeting (for example, the Annual and Long Term plans) as well as monitoring the organisations’ performance against its key performance indicators. This is the key committee to make sure that the people of Auckland are receiving value for money.

The Planning Committee will be concerned with the urban planning and infrastructure provision for Auckland. And last but not least, the Environment and Community Committee which will be working to enhance Auckland’s economic development, manage the acquisition and policy for parks and reserves, and work to combat and mitigate the effects of climate change along with a suite of other areas of policy that fall within the local government remit.

Below the four Committees of the Whole, there are a number of smaller committees that I also sit on. These committees work through issues, and where necessary raise major issues to the main Committees of the Whole for decision. Of these, I am on the Appointments and Performance Review committee, which is responsible for making appointments to the boards of Council Controlled Organisations (CCOs) such as Auckland Transport, as well as reviewing the performance of Auckland Council’s CEO. I also sit on the Community Development and Safety committee, which is responsible for grants to regional arts and cultural events, as well as focussing on strategies to tackle such things as homelessness.

I am also deputy chair of Ngāti Whātua Reserves Board. Ngāti Whātua Orākei and Auckland Council have a co-governance and co-management arrangement in place, in relation to the 48ha of the Whenua Rangatira. This is administered through the Reserves Board, which is chaired by Grant Hawke.

The Auckland Domain is Auckland’s oldest park and at 75ha, is one of the largest in the city. It now has a masterplan, adopted in 2016, which sets out the future direction of The Domain for the next 20 years. I am a member of the Domain Committee, whose role it is to begin to implement the priorities from the masterplan.

Finally, I remain a member of the Auckland Town Hall Organ Trust, acknowledging the role my family had in donating the first Auckland Town Hall pipe organ, contingent on there being at least four free organ concerts provided to Aucklanders each year.

There is no doubt I have my hands full with a heavy work load, but I knew that and welcome the challenge.

On top of all the above, I am also keen to stay engaged with the ratepayers of the ward. So please contact me if you wish to, my details are below.

Email: desley.simpson@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz Phone: 021 971 786 Desley Simpson is the Councillor for Auckland representing the Orākei ward

Property Talk Experienced licensed agent and territory owner Karen Moore talks property matters for Mike Pero Real Estate Remuera - Parnell.

NZ: Top Of The World!

The secret is well and truly out – New Zealand leads the world.

The latest Legatum prosperity survey delivered a stunning accolade for “Brand New Zealand”. Parnell & Remuera residents if you are confused by some of the media and economists posts recently regarding our housing market collapsing then ponder for a moment why so many of our one million expats are returning home and bringing friends and colleagues with them.

The latest Legatum Prosperity Index has New Zealand as the world’s top-ranked country. “Over the past decade it (NZ) has consistently delivered a prosperity surplus through the combination of a strong society, free and open markets, and high levels of personal freedom”. Social capital was the key factor: Personal relationship and social network support, plus economic quality observing macroeconomic indicators, financial foundations, growth and economic openness. Norway came in second with Australia 6th and UK 10th. America failed to feature in the top 25.

For Full Report Visit: http://www.prosperity.com/ Thinking of selling, contact me for a no obligation in depth market review

Happy & Prosperous New Year To all Karen Moore – Licensed Agent & Territory Owner Remuera – Waiheke

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All opinions expressed by Karen Moore in this article are solely Karen’s opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Mike Pero Real Estate. You should consider seeking advice from your own financial or investment adviser.

team.moore@mikepero.com • 027 279 5983 279 Remuera Road • 09 524 4393 www.remuera.mikepero.com

Mike Pero Real Estate Ltd Licensed REAA (2008)

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the prizewinners

The Honours Board Congratulations to all students who received recognition in subject, service and sports awards at end-of-year prizegiving ceremonies. Here are some of the senior winners at our local schools

Auckland Grammar School Dux: Byung Hoon Cho Proxime Accessit: Alex Reilly Sportsman of the Year: Sione Havili Radford Memorial Cup (allround effort and performance in a non-mainstream sport): Dean Shu Burroughs Cup (all-round effort in sport): Flynn Mcgregor-Sumpter

Douglas Cup (most outstanding performance in any sport): Takiula Fahrensohn Turner Cup (all-round participation in school activities): Petar Gorgiovski Ian MacKinley Memorial Scholarship (commitment and dedication in school activities): Hogan Wang Torch of Tradition: Edward Moody

Rope Cup (best all-round young man): Hector Law

Baradene College of The Sacred Heart The Madeline Sophie Medallion and Cup (the student who most closely represents the philosophy of the Sacred Heart schools): Jordan Skeet

the hobson 27

The Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne Pendant: Dior Sloane Dux: Juliet Nelson Proxime Accesserunt: Victoria Fookes, Meileen Huang School-wide Leadership Award: Zoe Vaunois Dedicatio Diligentiaque Trophy: Cecelia Filo

the prizewinners

Te Taonga o te Manuwa Tapu - The Trophy of the Sacred Heart: Indianna Ross Chan Cup for All-Round Achievement: Olivia McKenzie Pinto Cup (for celebration of diversity and inclusiveness of all cultures): Ruth Stowers Becky Sorensen Memorial Cup (maturity of thought, generosity of spirit): Annie Loots

Epsom Girls Grammar School Dux: Monique Waller Proxime Accessit: May Gao Te Ropu Wero Cup for Service to the School: Renee Zhang

King’s College Duces: Amay Aggarwal and William Wang Taylor Cups for Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year: Oliver Maclean and Natasha Eady Foster Prize (best all-round ability male student): Ben Goodwin Lawry Prize (best all-round ability female student): Kate Prebble Harry Maisey Prize (all-round ability): Joe Johnston Stan Empson Prize (all-round ability, boarder): Oliver Maclean Philip Baird Prize (all-round ability): Charlotte Horton Lloyd Seabrook Memorial Prize for the Arts: Bianca Escobar-Flaunty 2017 Leaders Head Boy: Sam Lowe Head Girl: Rita Shasha Deputy Head Prefects:

Benji Flacks, Geneva Roy, Jonathan Ta, Liam Campbell

King’s School Foster Cup for Loyalty to the Ideals of King’s School (Year 6) Ethan Henderson Glenie Cup for All-Round Performance (Year 6) Nicholas Stuart Baker Cup - Commitment to King’s School: Angus Stevens D G E Brown Plate and Award for All-Round Performance in Year 7: William Tingey Major Memorial Cup: Charles Couillault Whitecliffe Cup for Excellence in Art: William Yu Walker Trophy – Preparatory School Fixtures: Thomas McGuinness Worsp Citizenship Cup: Maikal Tuala Hsu Trophy for Outstanding Contribution to Music: Lars Featherstone J S Lazarus Trophy: Marcus Dalby Kay Award for Sportsmanship: Bradley Fifita King’s School Old Boys’ Cup Bradley Fifita Hellaby Cup for All Round Performance: Johnny Ross Victor Ludorum – Top Sportsman: Chicago Doyle Headmaster’s Prize for Head Boy: Max Chaplin The Pengelly Trophy, Dux 2016: Thomas Gordon

Excellence: Hayley Minturn Outstanding Achievement in Sport Award: Amelia Wilby SENIOR SCHOOL Dux: Dasha Shieff Proxime Accessit: Vivian Qiu Old Girls’ Award for Citizenship: Analeah Petaia House Cup for Senior Music: Sandy Niu Student Council Award for Support and Dedication to the College: Elizabeth New Art Cup for Most Dedicated Art Student: Sara Beetham Joan Holland Award for Poetry Writing: Vivian Qiu Mae Lovie Speech and Drama Memorial Trophy: Olivia Bennett Special Award for Head Girl: Antonia Young

St Cuthbert’s College MIDDLE SCHOOL Year 8 Prize for Academic Excellence: Katya De Silva Sydney Old Girls’ Award for Citizenship and All-Round the hobson 28

Saint Kentigern Boys’ School Foundation Pupil Cup for Dux: Matthew Chandler Jubilee Cup for Proxime Accessit: Isaac Mellis-Glynn Saint Kentigern College Dux, International Baccalaureate: Kevin Shen Dux, NCEA: Nicholas Allen Dux of Middle School: Isobel Merrie Saint Kentigern Girls’ School Dux: J’adore Harris-Tavita Proxime Accessit: Charlotte Koerber

Saint Kentigern College Duces Nicholas Allan (NCEA), left, and Kevin Shen (IB).

Below right, Grammar Dux Byung Hoon Cho is congratulated by Trust board chair, Jeff Blackburn. Left, Johnny Ross, King's School.

the hobson + lumino orthodontists

The Orthodontic Question An informed consumer — and parent — Kerry Dunphy weighs up the debate around orthodontic treatment options for your child

I

t goes without saying that we want the best for our children, and will give them every opportunity possible for them to succeed and excel in life. As the mum of three boys, aged between 10 and 14, one of the things I am bestowing on my children is the life-long gift of straight teeth, courtesy of orthodontic treatment. It is a gift my parents kindly gave me, and even after 30 years, I am still grateful for their foresight.

My choice of how to proceed with my oldest should have been easy, given my management role at Lumino The Dentists, but even I was confused. In our group, we have specialist orthodontists, general dentists who exclusively practise orthodontics, another handful who offer ‘invisible braces’, and an emerging group of dentists who are learning about new orthodontic systems that claim to straighten teeth quickly.

I now feel I can speak to the confusion that many parents feel about the conflicting advice they have been given. I’d like to address some common misconceptions about orthodontics: Myth #1: It’s best to start your child on orthodontics by the age of nine.

There seems to be a growing trend of nine and 10-year-olds starting orthodontic treatment, usually with a ‘plate’ or retainer.

This trend is probably exacerbated by a combination of overzealous but wellmeaning parents, and some orthodontic practices encouraging parents to start treatment early. “In most cases, you’re better off waiting until all the permanent teeth have come in first before treatment is started,” says one of our specialist orthodontists. “Have them checked by the age of nine if you have concerns, but 90 per cent of these children do not need treatment to start until they are approximately 12. There is no benefit in starting earlier.”

Myth #2: Using a lower plate will help lengthen your child’s lower jaw.

Many years of study have shown that either the treatment leads to no increase in lower jaw length, or results in such a small increase that it’s not significant and does not change the extent of treatment still needed later.

Myth #3: Removal of permanent teeth as part of orthodontic treatment should be avoided at all cost.

Our natural instinct as parents is to want to save every precious tooth in our children’s mouths. Until recently, I believed that any orthodontic clinician worth his salt would tout their ‘no extraction’ policy as a badge of honour. How wrong I was. Having recently spent time learning more about this issue, I now feel in certain cases that it is irresponsible not to remove teeth, if nonextraction would lead to protrusive teeth (ones sticking out in front of the supporting bone). Long-term, this can lead to loss

of gum, and even bone. Tooth removal is only recommended in around 20 per cent of the cases our Auckland specialists treat. If it is recommended, they will clearly explain why this is the optimal long term outcome for your child.

Myth Number #4: Most general dentists today can offer your child orthodontic treatment.

This is a tricky topic, so I will tread carefully. It is within the scope of a general dentist to carry out orthodontics. Many general dentists have been offering orthodontics for many years, and practise almost exclusively in this field with great success, whilst other dentists dabble in orthodontics and may have a small number of orthodontic cases that they are treating at any given time. I recommend that you make a fully informed decision about the clinician who will be treating your child. Ask questions about the number of cases they have treated, and what additional recognised qualifications they have. It’s also reasonable to ask them to show the treatment results of patients with similar problems to your child’s.

Myth #5: It is less expensive to get orthodontic treatment from a dentist than an orthodontist.

We regularly mystery shop our competitors to assess their level of service, including pricing. From our experience, there is minimal price difference between the providers, regardless of whether they are a general dentist or a specialist orthodontic practice.

Myth #6: There are new faster, cheaper, orthodontic systems now available that may be a good option for your child.

There is a very high demand for these new products by consumers. After all, who wouldn’t want their teeth straightened at half the cost and time? Under no circumstances would Lumino recommend these be used to treat anyone under 18.

Even for adults, it must be considered with caution. Lumino is now considering its position on these systems, due to the risks associated with them, such as the high level of relapse once the treatment is complete. This causes us great concern, as we want our patients to remain happy with their treatment long term.

Kerry Dunphy — pictured at age 12 — is Head of Marketing of Lumino The Dentists, with 105 dental and orthodontic practices across New Zealand.

Lumino Max + Beresford are specialist orthodontists, located at 116 Remuera Rd, Remuera.

Ph (09) 520 0159.

For further information about Lumino dental and orthodontic practices, visit lumino.co.nz

the hobson 29

the plan

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Scale @ A4 = 1:5,000 Date Printed: 25/11/2016

old on to your hats ladies and gentlemen, because the Auckland Unitary Plan is about to shake down the Auckland region. On November 15, the Auckland Unitary Plan became operative, less the outstanding appeals. So what does this mean for the people of THE HOBSON’s area?

Change is coming to a property near you, and some of it is going to cause angst and derision. If you haven’t realised by now, you may be in for a slight shock. Auckland is growing so fast that it’s busting at the seams. If you think getting out of the Greenlane Southern Motorway interchange is a nightmare now at weekends, then be prepared for far worse traffic. The reality is people want to live in this city, and the majority of the city has been “upzoned”, meaning more houses both vertically and horizontally to accommodate the expected million more people that will call Auckland home over the next 30 years.

By changing the makeup and rules of land supply and improving infrastructure (which is a whole other issue on its own) then more people can be accommodated. And it is now a reality. Our urban planning consultancy is working with clients on sites where 20 units, contained within a three-level building, will replace a single level house on a 900m2 site.

Here are a few examples of land supply change in our area.

The Newmarket town centre has been zoned a Metropolitan Town Centre. This is the second-highest zoning accorded to an area beyond the central city. Buildings of up to 72m high, or around 20

to 22 levels, can be expected. While the majority of Newmarket is blanketed by view shafts which protect the views of the volcanoes and of the Auckland War Memorial Museum, there are areas where this height limit could be achieved. As well as more built form becoming the norm in Newmarket, there will be fewer carparks as restrictions have been placed, limiting the maximum number of carparks permitted, with in some cases, no carparks needing to be provided.

Map 1 is a snapshot of the Auckland Unitary Plan around “medical mile,” or the part of Remuera Rd between Middleton and Bassett roads. The area has been zoned Mixed Use, and is noted by the light purple colour. This allows for buildings up to 18m – say six levels, and up to 27m where noted on the map. There is no building coverage limit. This zone change is a significant departure from the previous Residential 7 zone that allowed for three-level buildings and one house per 200m² of land area. The Mixed Use zone has no density limit and carparks are not required to be provided for residential use, however the good news is developers will be required to provide for one bicycle park per residential unit.

Significant zone changes have also occurred around Remuera village (Map 2). The shopping area now has an 18m height limit (noted in fuschia) with the surrounding properties being zoned Terrace House and Apartment Buildings, or THAB (the darker orange), which has a 16m height limit. While some of this upzoning has been appealed, there is a general expectation that the end result of the appeals process will not change that much.

the hobson 30

Auckland Council

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Maps 1, left, 2, above, and 3, right, reproduced from the Auckland Unitary Plan. Purple indicates a Business Mixed Use Zone, striped pink is Business Metropolitan Centre, fuschia is Town Centre Zone and pale pink, Neighbourhood Centre.

Orange is Town House and Apartment Buildings (THAB).

The paler orange is Mixed Housing Urban, yellow is Mixed Housing Suburban, the buff colour indicates Single House Zone.

For a fuller explanation, see aucklandcity.govt.nz

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DISCLAIMER: This map/plan is illustrative only and all information should be independently verified on site before taking any action.

Copyright Auckland Council. Land Parcel Boundary information from LINZ (Crown Copyright Reserved). Whilst due care has been taken, Auckland Council gives no warranty as to the accuracy and plan completeness of any information on this map/plan and accepts no liability for any error, omission or use of the information. Height datum: Auckland 1946.

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Bringing the subject to a more suburban level, Upland Rd (Map 3) has not only been upzoned but the majority of the street no longer has the heritage character protection it previously enjoyed. For those wanting to do a simple renovation to their period style house, this will be a welcome relief. However, for those who enjoy the streetscape of generally period-style homes, there will be disappointment. The predominant zone is now Mixed House Suburban, which allows for unlimited density, with an expected outcome of twolevel town houses.

Over time, the population of the area will grow and there will be significant changes to some areas as they develop. There will also be a time when some development occurs against the backdrop of the existing single house environment, where the new developments will look out of place.

Welcome to the new reality.

Enjoy your summer break and thank you for all your comments over the last year.

— Hamish Firth

DISCLAIMER: This map/plan is illustrative only and all information should be independently verified on site before taking any action. Copyright Auckland Council. Land Parcel Boundary information from LINZ (Crown Copyright Reserved). Whilst due care has been taken, Auckland Council gives no warranty as to the accuracy and plan completeness of any information on this map/plan and accepts no liability for any error, omission or use of the information. Height datum: Auckland 1946.

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Mixed Use Zone

Scale @ A4 = 1:2,500 Date Printed: 25/11/2016

the investment

The Forecast, Reviewed As he does in every January-February issue, private banker Warren Couillault looks back at how well his market predictions fared — and what he's picking will play out in this coming year (including a big call on Arsenal)

I

thought it would be good to look into 2017 and provide a set of predictions for what we expect to happen in the financial markets this coming year. But first, let me check on how accurate my same predictions were from this time last year.

First, exchange rates.

Last year I predicted: “I think 2016 will see the Kiwi range from 0.55 to 0.65 against the US dollar for a couple of reasons. The Fed has not yet begun to remove emergency monetary settings and actually increase the Fed Funds Rate . . . but doing so is inevitable and might even occur in 2016”. Not such a great call, with the Kiwi starting the year at about 0.65, dipping a touch over the first quarter but really spending most of the year headed north, breaching 0.74 a couple of times before finishing just over 0.70. I might have been a year early, as by the time you read this the Fed will have probably increased the Fed Funds Rate and signalled more rate increases to come. The curve steepened after the US election and is expected to continue to do so.

So, I have gotten the US interestrate prediction wrong for the past two years as I, like many, thought the US Federal Reserve would have increased by now. But this year and post-Trump, we’re highly likely to see US economic growth continuing to recover and indeed broaden. Rising US interest rates will see the US dollar strengthen further from here, and continue to attract even more money flows into the US. Outcome: soft Kiwi this year I am sure!

Inflation.

For the past couple of years I have predicted “forget about it!” An excellent call, with NZ registering annual CPI increases of just 0.3 per cent for the September quarter (annualised) and 0.4 per cent for the year ended 30 September 2016. I must admit though that in spite of expecting inflation to be low, I didn’t really think it would be quite as low as what we have seen, and that we would see the RBNZ Official Cash Rate as low as 1.75 per cent. My 2017 prediction for inflation? “Continue to forget about it!”

Interest rates here in NZ. Like the NZ dollar, another bad call, as interest rates across all maturities pretty much declined across the board in 2016, contrary to my expectation of some lift, particularly at the long-end. In spite of steady or even strong employment numbers and unemployment rates, good GDP growth and stabilising commodity prices, the persistence of negligible inflation and the rising NZ dollar (see above) put paid to any need for NZ’s interest rates to rise. Great for borrowers, but woeful for those with term deposits.

The rates for 12-month to five-year term deposits are currently still quite a bit below 4 per cent across all major deposittakers, and that’s before tax. But in spite of a sanguine outlook for inflation, and allowing for some pick-up in domestic growth, our interest rates are likely to lift from today’s levels throughout the next year – but not by much.

Stock markets.

Last year I said, repeating 2015 observations, that for 2016 — “I expect more of the same (sorry to be boring).

Real question marks remaining about China’s actual economic growth (remember my story on Ferrari sales in China?) as well as continued economic difficulties in the Eurozone, combined with increasing security threats ,will undermine any market boosts from continued US expansion and interest rates remaining low”. My thoughts were basically right, but stock markets generally bounced back from a shaky start to 2016 and were strong all through the middle of the year and into the September quarter. Some wobbles preceded the US election, then off to the races again. Who would have thought the US S&P 500 would hit all-time highs in the wake of the successful Trump campaign? So I got 2016 wrong, sorry.

For 2017, a Trump presidency will be positive for US growth, which will drive the US sharemarket in particular and might spill over to NZ. But my predictions are for a bit of an uphill battle here for the NZ sharemarket (it’s too expensive) and good gains in Australia and the US in particular. the hobson 32

Residential property prices.

Last year, I said: “ . . . the conditions for further price increase in 2016 and beyond remain . . . strong inward migration flows, population growth in Auckland, and nowhere near enough new dwellings being constructed.

Demand continues to exceed supply”.

Great call. Absolutely no change for 2017 for all the same reasons.

So, a mixed scorecard again with my 2016 predictions of financial markets.

Now how about some more interesting predictions: The Goff mayoralty in Auckland might see some real weight get behind the campaign to relocate the Ports of Auckland. I mean, really?

What responsible city or entity would locate such a busy facility there? Sell it to Port of Tauranga, phase the cargo and container volume out and get on with properly redeveloping that amazing asset – Auckland’s waterfront.

Britain exiting the EU and Donald Trump winning the US Presidency will be the most positive events to affect the Western economies since the Fed rate cuts in the mid-90s and we will see — perhaps not in 2017 but starting then and in following years — very, very strong UK and US economies and all the benefits that brings. Arsenal will win the English Premier League, and I have my flights booked (albeit tentatively) to see the title-winning game in early May. Team New Zealand will somehow prevail in Bermuda with Tuke and Burling succeeding to lift the America’s Cup after a couple of poor campaigns over recent years. And the Nats will win the general election, returning Prime Minister John Key for a fourth term (not that brave a call really).

Finally, but of most importance, and more of a hope than a prediction, seismic activity in the South Island and lower North Island will subside, the government will kick-in with some serious and responsible reconstruction of the affected areas, and the people that live there can get back to something resembling a normal life. Good things.

Safe and happy holidays.

— Warren Couillault

the kaitiaki

Values Based Living

W

hile scrubbing the dirt from under my nails, I couldn’t help but think we were setting off on this journey of living together on the right foot. It put a smile on my dial. A number of whanau and our tamariki had gathered at our communal garden beds with the intention of planting the garden, learning new things, but more importantly, growing into each other.

The communal gardens provided us with a safe, neutral zone to come together to share stories while weeding, and help each others’ kids develop green thumbs . . . even if us as parents are left wanting a little in that department.

With confidence, my husband led our group, explaining how to plant, how to compost, offering insights into waste reduction and allowing us all to bumble along and give it a go. And give it a go we did, and to my joy, it became fun. I suspect he’ll make gardeners out of us yet.

We have 30 families living within our new tribal housing development aptly called “Kāinga Tuatahi”, meaning “first home,” and indicating the first of other Ngāti Whātua Orākei tribal housing developments to come. It’s fair to say, I’m living in a community of impressive people, and we are all related to boot. All with our own dreams and aspirations for our future generations, valuable skills to contribute and a keen willingness to do so.

This became clear when my side of the development — we are split by a road between us — met for the first time to discuss the community rules that we will have to sign up to, and agree to live by.

A draft set of rules had been circulated, typically legalistic in nature.

But in a courageous collective decision, we decided to talk first about the things we value, and determine the rules based on that.

It was obvious that building strong community cohesion in a way that strengthens Ngāti Whātua Orākei was important. Equally important is the safety and happiness of our children.

With these priorities identified, it was really easy to decide that our Kāinga Tuatahi complex is smokefree, and that to ensure the safety of our children, all whanau agreed to back their cars into their driveways, so as to avoid accidentally running over our little treasures when backing out. Taking responsibility for looking after each others’ kids like they are your own is also a no-brainer.

Whether those kids like it or not, they have at least half a dozen sets of eyes looking out for them. Now that’s community watch!

And given that our kids’ happiness is important to us, whether the adults like it or not, we can expect to have cousins coming to visit regularly for play dates. Best be stocking up on biscuits I think.

One parent, who has just moved in, asked me how I found my 3-year-old daughter in the complex when she went off “visiting”.

An agreement to share phone numbers and text each other when someone else’s kid arrives at your home was quickly put in place.

It’s a powerful thing to be able to come together, open up and allow yourself to be vulnerable by talking about the things that are important to you. For some, this was done in a room full of strangers, as there are some whanau in our development who had never met other whanau who are now their neighbours. It would have been much easier to hide behind legal terminology and not attempt to connect as humans, but definitely less rewarding. While I’m under no false pretenses that it will be peace, love and mung beans all of the time, my intuition knows we have created fertile ground for our community to flourish with our values based approach.

Building on the momentum we have generated from our meeting and gardening day, I’m looking forward to our next planned get together — a Christmas function filled with games, a bouncy castle and of course, yummy kai. — Precious Clark

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the reps

DAVID SEYMOUR

PAUL GOLDSMITH

E

ach year I try to get to at least one school prizegiving.

Last year it was St Cuth’s. And a fine occasion it was.

This year I was able to attend Auckland Grammar’s.

It was a wonderful morning. Hundreds of boys crossed the stage. Sportsmen, musicians, mathematicians and leaders; all were acknowledged. The greatest cheer was saved for the Dux. He ascended the stairs amid tumultuous applause.

Sitting there, looking out to a sea of 2500 young men, the overwhelming impression was of enormous potential; of coiled energy ready to spring into the world. It seems only a short time ago that I sat in those stalls with my mates.

The objective fact, however, is that was 28 years ago. In that period, many of my cohort have thrived in professions, in the arts and in business. Some, sadly, have died. Some have been in jail.

The word “success” was mentioned frequently that morning. As we know, it comes in many forms. From time to time, as a Member of Parliament, I’m obliged to pass on some words of wisdom to young people. I find the question of how we measure success in life an interesting topic.

To me, a successful life has three elements. First and foremost, is our conduct in essential family relationships: being a good daughter, son, parent, uncle etc. No society can function without most people taking care of their loved ones.

Then we tend to measure success in terms of career.

For most students at local schools, that means going to university and striving to do as well as they can in whatever profession they choose. Many, quite rightly, expect that they’ll do several things throughout their working lives.

But there’s a third element. That is the contribution we make to the community – local, national or beyond. Of course, most of us serve the community in our working lives, as nurses, teachers, house builders or in whatever role we’ve taken up. Business, in its infinite variety, is a pure form of service – people only stay in business if they give their customers what they want, which is a good place to start.

But most Kiwis find some way to contribute to their local community beyond their professional capacity – whether it’s fundraising for Plunket, umpiring kids’ cricket, volunteering at the CAB, serving on the committee of the local historical society or a cultural group. That activity is the glue that holds our communities together.

I find it useful to think of a successful life in those terms.

The men and women on school boards are usually fine examples of such people. Those roles take an extraordinary amount of time and commitment. I was able to catch up with a room full of them recently when Education Minister Hekia Parata visited the electorate. There probably wasn’t the time for all of them to get everything off their chest, but the passion they had for their schools was palpable.

At this time of year, I want to thank them for their hard work, and to wish you all a happy New Year.

Paul Goldsmith is the Minister for Commerce and Consumer Affairs and a list MP based in Epsom

T

o everyone in the communities of Mt Eden, Epsom, Newmarket, Parnell, Remuera, and beyond, here’s wishing you a fantastic summer and an even better 2017. This year has been one of political upheaval overseas, and even seismic upheaval closer to home. Fortunately, here in Auckland our biggest problems seem to result from the fact that so many want to be here.

Like many of you, I’ll be spending this summer’s warm weekends making the most of our suburbs’ parks, fairs, dining, sports, and community events, hopefully running into locals like yourself in the process.

All life is problem solving, and when we return from the summer, every community will face its challenges. Ours is no exception, and as your representative in Parliament, I’ll need to be across these issues.

If you see me out and about, please say hello and feel free to discuss any of the issues affecting you and your family. You will actually be doing me a favour. We have a representative democracy, and when I stand up in Parliament, the representation I give is only as good as the last Epsom electorate resident I listened too.

Topics like traffic, policing, school zones and citizenship processes, will probably remain high on the agenda for Aucklanders, but the nature of concerns is that sometimes a smaller issue in the wider scheme of things can be enormous for one person.

Whatever you’re dealing with, my office in Newmarket will be open for normal hours from January 9 – you can set an appointment by emailing davidseymour.epsom@parliament. govt.nz.

In addition to addressing electorate issues, I’ll continue working on improvements in policy that affects the whole country. Priorities for my work in Parliament will include expanding educational choice for under-served children, simplifying and improving the quality of regulations affecting New Zealanders, and giving National the support and motivation to follow through on a programme of smaller, smarter government.

That’s on top of debating the issues that will come to dominate this year’s election campaign. Families in the Epsom electorate and beyond will expect to see politicians and the media debating the basic issues affecting all of us.

Here’s hoping that topics like education, health, crime, and tax will all receive their due attention, instead of being buried in Kim Dotcom-style distractions.

I’ll be doing my part as ACT Leader, which includes keeping tax cuts on the agenda, shining light on government waste, and making every political party stake out their solutions for long-term problems, like the housing shortage and the growing bill for superannuation.

In the meantime, thank you for electing me as your representative. I hope I am doing a good job for you, and will be working hard to earn your support again over the next year.

David Seymour is the MP for Epsom.

On the shores of Okahu Bay, there’s a new community hub in the making...

With construction of the Hyundai Marine Sports Centre set to begin early in the New Year, a new marine based multi-sports facility and café is on track to open in 2018.

The Centre will actively promote sports education, recreation and leisure opportunities; providing a fully inclusive, safe environment in which people can grow and explore in and around the sea.

With a host of clubs under one roof, including Royal Akarana Yacht Club, Waka Ama, Sailability, Akarana Paddlers, Auckland City Tri, Waterwise and The University of Auckland’s water sports clubs, it will bring an increased level of energy to the area, supporting healthy, active lifestyles.

A vibrant destination for the whole community, The Centre will be a place to actively participate, spectate or enjoy the stunning views and quality services in a safe, family friendly environment.

Visit us online to find out more about plans for the Hyundai Marine Sports Centre and the latest updates on funding and construction.

AkaranaMarineSports www.akaranamarinesports.co.nz

the celebration

Gong Xi Fa Cai! The Chinese New Year is auspiciously welcomed with a bang of drums and the flash of fireworks. Jessica-Belle Greer reports on the significance of the festival and what will be happening locally to herald the Year of the Rooster

The 2016 Lantern Festival. Photo courtesy of AsiaNZ

the hobson 38

N

ew Year is the moment for us to make new dreams and new plans,” says Jackie Hui. Born in Hong Kong, the central-Auckland resident remembers Hong Kong’s huge night flower markets, busy temples, fireworks and terrible traffic during the festival. “Streets were packed with dressed up people, carrying gifts, struggling to get a taxi or queuing for public transport for New Year blessing visits.”

It’s a little calmer than that here in Auckland, but not much, judging by the huge crowds keen to be part of Chinese New Year locally.

With a range of festive and family-friendly events popping up, all Aucklanders can experience this significant time of year. The first day of the 15-day festival this year is Saturday, January 28. The date is predicated by the Chinese lunar calendar, to coincide with the last new moon in a lunar year, and a full moon on the last day of the festival.

Although it’s during New Zealand’s high summer, the festival heralds the end of winter in China when, traditionally, farmers had a break as they prepared for spring, and the new activity it would bring.

“China is an agricultural country, so the important dates are marked according to the schedule of the farmers,” says Professor of Asian Studies at The University of Auckland, Manying Ip. Dr Ip says the festival is similar to other cultures as it is about a “happy reunion,” and she enjoys celebrating the festival in Auckland because it’s a multi-cultural event, with many visitors in New Zealand for summer.

Returning to The Domain in mid-February, the Auckland Lantern Festival will once again attract crowds with over 800 colourful lanterns on display. The park will burst with various Chinese performances, market stalls and food vendors, the latter offering a range of Asian street treats from long noodles — for long life — dumplings and pork buns.

The Lantern Festival is an urban mix of traditional and modern Chinese culture that culminates in a magnificent fireworks display. Being one of Auckland’s largest public events, the 2016 event attracted more than 200,000 visitors over the four days, so it’s best to plan your travel, and use public transport if possible — especially if you plan to enjoy the festivities on the Saturday, which last year attracted 100,000 lantern-gazers.

For the chair of the Auckland Chinese Community Centre, Remuera resident Kai Luey, Chinese New Year is a time for connection within the New Zealand Chinese community.

“The annual event has been successful because it allows the recent Chinese migrants to relive the fond memories of Chinese New Year celebrations back in their home country,” he says.

Luey and his team have been organising an annual Chinese New Year celebration for more than three decades. At the ASB Showgrounds in Epsom, they will host over 200 specialist stalls selling traditional Chinese food, arts and crafts. While dragon dancers, martial artists and Chinese pop singers will welcome those outside, Chinese acrobats, singers, dancers and musicians will add to the atmosphere inside the large fair.

It’s a place to experience the sights, sounds, smells and

pageantry of a traditional Chinese New Year celebration.

“I enjoy the event, “ says Kai Luey, “because it brings our members together by them volunteering to assist on the day, and showing their community spirit.”

Meanwhile, Parnell is calling in the New Year by celebrating the 2017 Chinese zodiac sign, the Rooster. Over 100 artful reincarnations of the animal will be on display at local shops and businesses. And 38 — an auspicious number — of lifesized rooster artworks (like handsome “Stella”, on the cover,

by Auckland artist Nicky Foreman ) will be auctioned for the Starship Foundation’s National Air Ambulance Service at the end of the New Year period. Artists contributing to the project include Anah Dunsheath, Kathryn Carter, and Dalene Meiring, along with celebrities such as former All Black Tony Woodcock, and fashion designer Jane Daniels.

Parnell will also put on a lion dance performance at Heard Park around the seventh day of the festivities. The seventh day is called rén rì, and it traditionally represents the ‘birthday’ of everyone, as it is said, in Chinese culture, to be the day all human beings were created.

Both lion and dragon dances are common at a Chinese festival. They are energetic performances, with a couple of martial artists often making up the lion and up to 30 performers creating the dragon. Expect to see these at Remuera’s Chinese New Year celebration as well.

In its second year after a successful street party last year, once again the top of St Vincent Ave (outside the Remuera Library) will be transformed to a festival space, with street performers, and food stalls — locals have already asked that the dumpling stand be included again, says Remuera Business Association manager, Laura Carr.

Local schools will perform alongside professional entertainers with traditional Chinese drum and dance demonstrations and the precinct will be decorated with prizewinning lanterns made by primary and imtermediate pupils.

THE YEAR OF THE ROOSTER Waking everyone up on time, the Rooster represents faithfulness and punctuality as a Chinese zodiac sign. It is the tenth sign in a 12-year cycle (2016 was the Year of the Monkey, 2018 will be the Dog).

"The coming year of the Rooster symbolises the wisdom, hard work, and intelligence that will bring hope, joy and success,” says Jackie Hui.

FESTIVAL DO’S

• Just before the New Year, write Chinese words for good luck on a piece of red paper, in black or gold ink, and hang on your wall – huī chūn wishing good fortune and good health • Dress up in new clothes and shoes, especially in red, to signify a beautiful start with the New Year • Visit senior family members and friends to give them your blessing • Wish good health and fortune to other festival goers by saying “Kung Hei Fat Choi” • Be extra cautious, and try not to break anything

the hobson 39

the celebration

FESTIVAL DON’T’S

SAVE THE DATE

• On the first day of the festival avoid cleaning — doing so will remove good fortune but also, having your washing out or wet unruly hair does not look good when friends and family visit • Teach your children not to say anything bad • Avoid visiting or calling others on the third day of the festival, when quarrels are prone to happen

Chinese New Year Festival & Market Day, ASB Showgrounds, Saturday, January 21, 9.30am – 4pm

“If you’ve got a good gathering of people, you don’t do these things anyway,” says Manying Ip.

GIFTS Red envelopes containing cash are given, mostly from seniors to younger people, to wish good luck.

There is no rule around how much money to pass on, but the better you know the receiver, the more money is given. Little amounts of money can be given to other well-wishers, or as tips to performers and restaurants.

The red envelopes can be bought from Chinese speciality stores such as Wah Lee, but there is also a modern way to gift red envelopes, via the WeChat app. It’s a popular method in China, with eight billion WeChat envelopes sent last year.

Parnell Lion Dance Performance and Acitivities, Heard Park, Saturday, February 4, 11am – 2pm Auckland Lantern Festival, Auckland Domain Thursday February 9, lantern only event, 7 – 10.30pm Friday 10 – Sunday 12, 5 – 10.30pm* Remuera Chinese New Year Festival, top of St Vincent Ave, Friday, February 10, 6 – 9pm Parnell’s Year of the Rooster Auction, Mossgreen-Webb’s, Falcon St, evening of Thursday, February 16

*times subject to change

EAT A dinner on New Year’s Eve — January 27 — the reunion hot pot, is the most important during the festival. It’s a time for family unity and a feeling of completeness. It’s typically a hot pot meal and whole fish is a mainstay because its name, yú, sounds like ‘abundance’ and having ‘more than enough’.

The Chinese characters that name each food give different meanings based on other words they look and sound like, and this is important for the festival’s well-wishes of luck and prosperity.

Lucky ingredients and New Year dishes include: • Sweet Rice Balls – tāng yuán – Reunion and togetherness • Glutinous Rice Cake – nián gāo – Growing taller and achieving more in work • Tangerine – gān jú – Good luck and precious things • Lettuce – shēng cài – Growing wealth • Spring Onion – cōng – Cleverness • Peanut – huā shēng – Rebirth, and having many children • Dried black moss – fà cài – Fortune

Right, girls from a traditional Chinese dance troupe wait their turn at last year's Lantern Festival. Photo courtesy AsiaNZ. Below, images from the Lantern Festival last year, courtesy of ATEED, and far right, dancers at the inaugural Remuera Chinese New Year event last February. Photo by Vanita Andrews

With an assortment of snacks, a Tray of Togetherness includes bites that bring their own symbolism; including melon seeds for prosperity, lotus root for possession, coconut for togetherness and lotus seeds for having many sons.

the hobson 40

the hobson 41

the second act

Useless Life Lessons, Repeated

W

e spend our life until we’re twenty deciding what parts of ourself to put into the bag, and we spend the rest of our lives trying to get them out again.” — Robert Bly

Our daughter is 20 and for the large part, I have been trying to shove “key messages” into her bag to keep her safe for her journey ahead. Of course, it appears this all goes in one ear and out the other, but there is one little inkling of hope. My father trotted out the exact same messages 30 years ago (bar the ones about social media and screen time), and was similarly ghost-faced by me at the time. I have no need for these speeches anymore, as I think the kids have these imprinted on their subconscious. So, these are for parents of young teens, those of you starting to formulate your own spiels. Let me save you the bother of this thankless part of parenting.

You’re not going out looking like that are you? (Daughter version) For god’s sake, you’ll freeze. Take a sweatshirt, you’ll get bronchitis.

It’s the middle of winter and why do you need to show so much flesh? What is wrong with you? Put some tights on, and a jumper, in fact just change the whole outfit and wear a ski suit.

You’re not going out looking like that are you? (Son version) For god’s sake, you have to iron that . . . and it’s stained! You can’t walk in looking like that. Get a clean t-shirt at least. I put clean washing on your bed yesterday. And, how long have you been wearing those shorts without washing them? You slept in those didn’t you? OMG, I can smell your feet from here, just saying.

When I said “tidy your room” . . . I didn’t mean put everything in a pile in your cupboard. I meant tidy the whole room, vacuum the floor including under the bed and in the corners, and dust. Plus, use this as an opportunity to put aside anything that doesn’t fit anymore so we can give it away. And empty the rubbish bin.

When I said “do the dishes” . . . I meant wipe the benches and clean the sinks, replace the tea towels, and put any food away. Also if you are loading the dishwasher, unload what is clean in there first; don’t just shove in dirty dishes on top of it.

No . . . NO, no way, forget it, it’s not happening. I can’t even believe

you asked me. No. Absolutely not. Do what you like when you leave home [BTW, not quite true], but while you are under my roof, it’s not happening.

Get in the car . . . You are coming. I’m not interested in your whining.

Hurry. We don’t have time to wait for you to snap out of your surly mood. You’re coming, it’s not going to kill you, get in the car.

Take down that social media post . . . I’ve just seen what you posted on [insert social media channel here]. What are you thinking? Take it down immediately. I don’t care if you think, “I don’t get it”. What message do you think that sends the world? Yes, well you might not care now, but in five years time when you’re looking for a job your employer is going to find this stuff and you won’t get the job. I don’t care if you don’t want a job, people are going to think you are a total loser. I don’t care if you don’t care if people think you are a total loser (And so on).

Get off the screen . . . I mean it. Two minutes or I’m coming in. If you don’t get off the screen now I’m turning off the modem . . . OK, I’m turning off the modem, selling the PlayStation AND getting rid of your iPad. OK that’s it, I’m confiscating everything that plugs in.

(And so forth).

For those cynics who consider repetitive nagging futile, consider this. In my early “tiger mother” time of being a Suzuki violin parent, I followed the memo and force-fed my daughter daily doses of violin music to reinforce her learning. After six years of this nonsense, she literally, yes, threw down the violin, never to pick it up again.

But, something unexpected occurred. No, she didn’t take it up in later years — in my dreams — but her younger brother, happily playing blocks in the corner and largely ignored during this process (we never did formal music lessons with him at a young age), now has an uncanny familiarity with music. At 16, he’s a willing learner who plays a variety of instruments, and is in four different bands.

Is the real lesson here that the less parenting I do, the better it is for all concerned? Or, as Mrs Marsh observed back in the day, perhaps “it really does get in”.

Good luck with your own endeavours! — Sandy Burgham

the suburbanist

The Jetsons, but Grounded

A

t the end of October, the new $28m Otahuhu Station opened, hailed as a significant hub for transport in the South Auckland area and, presumably, for public transit across the city. It is an integrated rail and bus station that will link in with the new southern bus network, cycle routes and car drop-off areas, to become the centre for the transfer of commuters.

Meanwhile, driverless cars are — in some cases literally — coming down the highway to meet us, and Uber is talking of having flying cars operating within a decade. When did the world become all George Jetson?

Some politicians sceptical of these visions of the future are content with building more roads for cars we may not have or, at least, not drive, ourselves.

Elsewhere in the world, incremental and less radical solutions are already being implemented, ones that are dependent more on new technologies than new modes of transport. In Helsinki, they have a tram fitted out as a fully operational pub that wends its way through the city in summer. But their real innovation is an app that facilitates door-to-door service by mixing public and private travel options. Called Whim, the app is the product of start-up MaaS Global (for Mobility as a Service) and it is designed for commuters to tap their smartphone screen for a route to get from A to B. The app responds by showing a combination of public — and here is where it differs from existing apps — and private transport. This could be a mix of train, taxi, a bicycle from the city’s bike-share programme, a rented e-bike, a oneway car-share or an on-demand bus — hail it and it comes to your door.

Once you have confirmed your route, Whim makes any necessary bookings or reserves the hire vehicles, tells you the cost, and if everything is running on time. Commuters will have different ways of paying, from one-off tickets or “bundles” modelled on mobile-phone contracts, that allow for so much travel per month.

Once a route has been chosen and the bookings done, it also ensures that hire vehicles are available and public-transport sections are running on time. Costs will be displayed for every option, making clear the trade-offs between speed, comfort and price.

Of course savvy commuters are already using the internet and various apps to plan and make journeys, but the beauty of this app is not the journey, or even the destination but how it joins everything up seamlessly. Because, in the end, it is the seams that frequently get in the way of more people using public transport options — when we need to take more than two modes of transport, we throw in the towel and take the car.

If we don’t change the way we think, our cities will grind to a halt through gridlock. Urban journeys currently account for nearly two-thirds of all surface travel, and the urban distance travelled each year is predicted to treble by 2050, by which time two-thirds of the world’s population will be urban dwellers (compared to half in 2007).

Helsinki’s approach is to make its centre car-free by 2025, not by banning them, but by making the public transport system so good cars will be redundant. Change will come through the combination of two interconnected trends: the spread of smartphones and the rise of the sharing economy. The latter, through greater utilisation of under-used assets (Uber: cars; Airbnb: rooms) has evolved a new term, “usership,” that is replacing “ownership”.

Does it mean the end of public transport as private operators take over? Unlikely, as the optimal solutions will be the right balance of both.

This is likely to ensure the ongoing value of the Otahuhu Station, as it is designed to be a hub that facilitates the transfer of people from one mode to another. Expect in the future that more of those modes will be private and easily connected.

— Tommy Honey

Enter to win over $3,500

1st Prize:

Paint or draw En Plein Air on

3rd Prize:

worth of prizes!

on Saturday 11 February 2017 Choose from locations in Parnell, Newmarket and Grafton Exhibition – Feb 15-19 Prizegiving – Feb 18 Register now and find out more at

www.artinaday.org.nz the hobson 43

$2,000 2nd Prize:

$1,000 $500

Sponsors: Rotary Newmarket, Waitemata Local Board, Newmarket Business Association, Parnell Trust, Parnell Inc, Grafton Residents Association, Parnell Community Committe Inc

the pretty

Cheat Sheet Justine Williams sorts out life-hack products to keep you sweet between salon appointments Play day spa at home with Dermalogica MultiVitamin Power Recovery Masque, $92. Especially great for stressed skin, when you’ve been burning the candle at both ends. From dermalogica. co.nz or Dermalogica salons

Welcome to summer — and the havoc it wreaks on your complexion. Clinique Even Better Dark Spot Corrector, $176, works to improve and reduce dark spots on the skin.

(You still need sunscreen and a hat to ward off future ones).

From Clinique counters

The BrowGal Double Ended Highlighter Pencil plays double duty with a shimmer end to highlight your brow arch — and the bow of your lips — while the matte end covers blemishes and fills in any gaps between brow tidies. Available in two shades, $39.95, from On Browhouse, Osborne St Whether you’re walking your own path, or following Kylie Jenner’s lead, you’re going to love playing with Schwarzkopf LIVE Pastel Sprays, $9.99. Spray in Icy Blue, Cotton Candy Pink, Mint Green or Pastel Apricot for instant hair highlights. Lasts up to three washes. From Farmers, Life Pharmacies and supermarkets New best friend! L’Oréal Professionnel Hair Touch Up, $27, gives instant coverage to hair regrowth at the roots. Available in four shades, to blend with hair base colours.

Available from salons stocking L’Oréal Professionel

If a jolly good deep clean is what your skin is crying out for, Trilogy Mineral Radiance Mask, $37.99, is a mineral-clay formulation that will do the trick nicely. At pharmacies No time (or money) for fillers? L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Filler Intensive Replumping Eye Cream, $44.99, specifically targets wrinkles and the loss of fullness around the under eye area. At Farmers

“Natural” and “fake tan” don’t usually go in the same sentence, but we’re happy to say Trilogy Instant Bronzing Gel, $25.99, is both natural, and great fake tan. Easy to apply, instant, buildable and quick drying. At pharmacies This powerful tinted Vitamin C serum is a great weapon for embattled legs. It repairs blemishes and bruises while suffusing the skin with a light, sunkissed glow. This Works Perfect Legs Skin Miracle, $78, from Mecca Cosmetica, meccabeauty.co.nz

In between salon treatments, care for your hair with Manuka Doctor ApiRevive Restorative Hair Mask, $29.95. A rich and creamy conditioning treatment that works to replenish lost moisture, and add nourishment to damaged hair — and it’s a great detangler.

At pharmacies

Nails are neat, but how are your hands looking? Take the best care of them with this glorious Estēe Lauder New Dimension Smooth + Tone Creme Glove. Fast absorbing, intensely hydrating, and over time it will battle the appearance of aging skin. $92, from Estēe Lauder counters

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Advertisement

Time to reach new heights in 2017 - By Cathy Roselli, local Ray White real estate salespeson

As this issue of The Hobson finds itself in your hands, local Ray White salesperson Cathy Roselli will be on her way to South America to meet her daughter and walk the Inca trail. As someone who always strives to take an introspective look at herself, Cathy shares her views on personal growth at a time of the year most of us take a good look in the mirror.

After spending the last year teaching and doing voluntary work in Argentina, and now Peru, my 19-year old daughter Georgi is finally coming home. I’ll be flying over to meet her with my other two daughters on a trip that will also see us embark on a four-day hike of the Inca trail. We’ll be spending New Year’s Eve in Cusco, a village in the Peruvian Andes that sits about 11,000ft above sea level. It’s the highest point on the Inca Trail to Machu Pichu and is renowned for inducing altitude sickness - which could make recovering from the New Year’s Eve interesting! So I’ll be acclimatising to new heights at a time of the year that we often find ourselves analysing where we’re at in life and where we want to be don’t we? JC Penny, the man behind the famous American department stores of the same name, once said: “Give me a stock clerk with a goal and I’ll give you A sketch by Sir Edmund Hillary that he kindly donated to my daughters’ old school in Wellington for a charity auction. a man who will make history. Give me a man with no goals and I’ll give you a stock clerk.” However grandiose or humble they may be, we all need goals to guide us. Without goals we can find ourselves meandering through life without anything to work towards.

I’ve always encouraged my daughters to live by the old adage of aiming for the moon; that way, even if they miss they’ll land in the stars. As Kiwis, we were fortunate to have Sir Edmund Hillary to look up to growing up. He was one of the greatest ever examples of someone who set lofty goals and worked relentlessly to achieve them. It goes to show anything is possible when you reach for the top.

It’s also a time of year for us to look for ways to inoculate ourselves against the challenges that lie ahead in 2017. With interest rates on the rise, uncertainty around bank funding and intense media scrutiny over the state of our housing market, we need to each look at ways to navigate the road ahead to protect what we have and get to where we want to be. Or it could be taking steps to inoculate yourself from aspects of your lifestyle that are affecting your personal life, whether that be removing people, places or situations that are detrimental to your happiness and wellbeing. After all, like Albert Einstein said: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”.

I wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Safe travels and I’ll see you in 2017!

the magpie

Art & Objects Whether a last-minute Christmas gift, something for a New Year birthday or just a well-earned treat, little makes the Magpie’s spirit soar as much as acquiring a beautiful new artwork

Brian Chrystall Forever in Bloom, hand-cast glass and copper, $280 per stem.

Black Door Gallery, 251 Parnell Rd, Parnell. blackdoorgallery.co.nz

Blurred Lines limited edition prints by Anna Church.

Unframed, large (32” x 36.5”), $1600 (also available in medium or mural sizes). At The Poi Room, 17 Osborne St, Newmarket. thepoiroom.co.nz

A collection of jugs from NZ potter Tony Sly, from his “Rustic” collection.

Prices start from $32, order via shoptonyslypottery.com

Mid-century string wall art sailing ships, $1475, sold as a pair. Each is 430 x 520mm, available from Mid Century Design, Suite 9, Level 1, 114 St Georges Bay Rd, Parnell. midcenturydesign.co.nz

The ceramic, glossy Balloon Bank Monkey Box is also available in bunny and elephant versions, in pink, gold or blue. $185 each, from Design 55, 55 Upper Queen St. design55.co.nz

Peter Miller One of a Kind, Crown Lynn, (#1 and #2), oil on canvas, 225 x 225mm. $650 each, available from nkb Gallery, 455 Mt Eden Rd, Mt Eden. nkbgallery.co.nz

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Barry Lett The Jumper, oil on board, 800 x 800mm. $9000, from Remuera Gallery, 360 Remuera Rd, Remuera. remuera-gallery.com Ramon Robertson Gravity Bag #2.

Plaster, concrete and enamel paint, 640 x 140 x 140mm. $1900 from nkb Gallery, 455 Mt Eden Rd, Mt Eden. nkbgallery.co.nz

Michael Matchitt Te Wh훮nau-훮-Apanui Te Ehut큰 I. Cast lead crystal glass, $1890 from Kura Gallery Auckland, PWC Tower, 188 Quay St. kuragallery.co.nz

Stephen Howard, Urban Tree No. 6, oil on board, 900 x 640mm, $5800, from Parnell Gallery, 263 Parnell Rd, Parnell. parnellgallery.co.nz

Mark Wooller Hauraki 1827 (Waitemata Harbour), 2016 oil on canvas, 1020 x 1020mm. $8250, Warwick Henderson Gallery, 255 Broadway. warwickhenderson.co.nz

Ben Foster Shadow, aluminium and auto paint, 580 x 200 x 240mm. $4200 from Sanderson Gallery, 2 Kent St, Newmarket. sanderson.co.nz

Ross Jones Freedom giclee print, 1180 x 750mm, $1000. From Parnell Gallery, 263 Parnell Rd, Parnell. parnellgallery.co.nz

Roberta Thornley Forget-me-not, 2015.

Inkjet photograph on Hahnem체hle Photo Rag, 670 x 450mm. $3500, from Tim Melville Gallery, 4 Winchester St, Grey Lynn. timmelville.com

the hobson 47

the heritage

The front and rear of the house during its time as the Evelyn Firth Home.

Photos reproduced with permission of the New Zealand Herald, newspix.co.nz

the hobson 48

Remembering Evelyn Firth A house in St Stephens Ave, Parnell, was home to wounded returned soldiers after WWI. Local historian Carolyn Cameron traces the history of the Evelyn Firth Home, and its founder.

S

ituated at the bottom of leafy St Stephens Avenue, the Evelyn Firth Home was named after Evelyn Clifton Firth, a nurse and dedicated worker for the Red Cross Society and the Order of St John. Born 12 December, 1875, she was one of the 12 children of colourful colonial entrepreneur Josiah Clifton Firth and his wife Anne (née Williams), whose final resting place is nearby in St Stephen’s Cemetery.

Evelyn Firth was primarily involved in the establishment of the Epsom branch of the Order of St John, which opened and managed the Epsom Convalescent Home for soldiers during WW1. She was co-superintendent, and her exceptional organisational and nursing skills were widely known. She was popular and highly respected by both patients and staff under her supervision. During the 1918 influenza epidemic, Firth volunteered her services at the Narrow Neck army hospital in Devonport, to assist with the extra influx of patients.

While nursing there, she also succumbed to the flu, and died at the hospital in November, 1918, aged 42. Her entire adult life had been devoted to caring and community service, and her death was felt deeply.

After the end of the war, the Auckland branches of the Order of St John and the Red Cross, which had combined for the war effort, wished to move the home at Epsom to a new location.

Kilbryde, the former home of Sir John Logan Campbell, at Campbell Point, Judges Bay — near the Parnell Rose Gardens — was the preferred choice, but the request was declined by the Auckland Hospital Board, who wished to retain it for emergency use. (The residence had been converted to a hospital during the 1918 epidemic. It was demolished by its new owner, the Auckland Harbour Board, in 1924).

The second choice was a large villa, the home of George Schwartz Kissling and family at 138 St Stephens Ave, Parnell, occupied at the time by the widowed Mrs Frances Kissling. The house, built for the Kisslings c. 1884 on over an acre of land overlooking the harbour, was purchased conjointly by the Order of St John and the Red Cross. The running expenses were to be funded by the New Zealand Defence Force and an Aucklandbased committee was to be set up for management purposes.

To accommodate requirements, a verandah was extended by 1.83m and enclosed, the stairs and doorways widened, and the interior repapered and painted. The second floor was reserved for staff accommodation.

The Evelyn Firth Home was officially opened on November 21, 1920, although the first 18 patients had been admitted on November 9, transferred from Narrow Neck and Rotorua hospitals. Known as “chronic cases”, these were soldiers with spinal and head injuries or serious heart and lung complaints, with no likelihood of recovery. They required constant care for the rest of their lives, and were not suitable for residential or general hospital stay. Some of the patients who passed through

the Home had also served in the South African War. The staff included a matron, four qualified nursing sisters, three VADs (nurse aides), two male porters — required for the heavy lifting — and a cook.

The soldiers, who had fought courageously for the defence of their country, were never able to return to a normal existence, not able to marry, raise a family, or seek employment. They were dependent on the skilful care of the dedicated nurses who attended them.

In 1922, the Defence Force transferred operations to the Auckland branch of the New Zealand Patriotic Fund Board, with the Order of St John and the Red Cross maintaining their management roles.

The Evelyn Firth Home was generously supported by gifts of equipment and entertainment by local organisations. Radios, a piano from Narrow Neck hospital, record players, a home cinema and films were donated. The men were taught basketmaking crafts, and the items were sold in an Auckland outlet.

Card games were also a popular pastime.

As part of ongoing rehabilitation, a trained masseuse (the nursing forerunner of physiotherapy) was employed, and patients attended sessions of up to one hour at a time. This therapy was essential for pain and anxiety management, and relief of joint stiffness and restoration of muscle function. When spare beds became available, veterans recovering from surgery at Auckland Hospital were accommodated for short-term care.

During WWII, the Home was temporarily closed and the building leased to the American Red Cross, for rest and recuperation by US servicemen. A new name was introduced by the Americans — Kia Ora. After the end of that war, the Home was back in business for NZ soldiers, and reopened as the Kia Ora Home. But after a public outcry, within months, the name of the Evelyn Firth Home was reinstated. It was decreed that soldiers from all wars would be eligible for admission.

There were frequent rumours that the Home might be sold as early as 1952, but these were always refuted by the New Zealand Patriotic Fund Board. When it was announced that a new veterans’ home was to be built at Mt Roskill, the outcome was obvious.

The number of patients was also declining — by 1960 the Ranfurly Veterans’ Home at Mt Roskill had been opened, with modern facilities, and predictably, in 1961, it was announced that the Evelyn Firth Home would be sold. Over 130 patients had passed through the Evelyn Firth Home in its 41 years of existence.

Like its neighbouring grand home, Rodean, the property was purchased by Kerridge-Odeon Properties Ltd (Robert J. Kerridge) and by October 1961, only the flagpole remained. In early 1962 the construction of the White Heron Hotel had begun, and a new chapter began at the end of St Stephens Ave. p

the hobson 49

the neighbourhood

Photo by Stephen Entwisle

the hobson 50

In Love with this Place In a new book, Love Letters to the Landscape, editor and publisher Paul Little asked 54 prominent, interesting New Zealanders, to write about a place they hold dear. In this exclusive extract, Remuera resident, lawyer and diversity advocate Mai Chen, writes of both her affection for Waiatarua Reserve, and a good walk.

the hobson 51

the neighbourhood

“

When I lived in Wellington, my favourite landscapes to walk or run in were Tinakori Hill or Oriental Parade. Since moving to Auckland, I have discovered so many places I like to walk or run in, especially near water.

A favourite is Waiatarua, a beautiful wetland reserve [in Remuera] which allows you to do a 3.2 kilometre loop while your dog is legally off-leash, barking at birds and sniffing and chasing other dogs and swimming in the ponds and rolling in the grass or worse! The challenge is keeping the dog out of the wetlands.

Our current dog overlapped with our golden Labrador, Socrates, for 10 weeks. Socrates was very old but she still loved to swim in anything bigger than a puddle, and she passed that love onto our new puppy, Pippin, before she died. But Pippin is a border collie and does not swim like Socs did. Rather, she soaks in ponds or streams like a hot tub or wallows in the water like a hippo. She stares at you as if to say, “That other dog taught me to get into the water, but I don’t have any natural instincts as to what I should do once I am here.”

So we have a border collie that displays Labrador characteristics — she loves getting a pat from strangers and eating the bread left for the ducks. But she also runs like the wind and I love to see her free and happy, meeting other, equally happy off-leash dogs of all shapes and sizes.

We get to witness the sometimes absurd combinations of dogs and owners. Big guys with poodles and pink track-suited women pushing prams with Rottweiler’s and pit bulls with metal studded collars.

I love the beauty and the variety of the Waiatarua landscape. I love the enormous green fields (perfect for throwing a Frisbee for Pippin, who is a champion catcher) and the wetland and especially the forest, (bordering the wetland and the Remuera Golf Club) which is always full of birds singing. At dusk, when I often walk there after the day’s work is done, the birdsong is deafening. No matter how many times I walk that track, clockwise or anticlockwise, there is always something new to see and enjoy.

It is my local, and my favourite place. I often run around it.

Twice round is nearing 6.5 kilometres, and you don’t have to worry about cars. You can just meditate, talk to your family about the day’s happenings or listen to music while you walk or pound the track. I often solve complex legal problems after a walk, or find peace if my soul is troubled by the cares of the world.

This Christmas, we also discovered the Hunua Ranges Regional Park and I spent a happy day with my family and dog tramping to the dam and back to the Hunua Falls via a ring route. I loved the quiet meditative nature of the walkway through dense bush and towering overlapping tree ferns.

My dog loved all the ways she could get wet in the numerous streams and waterways on the walk. The bellbirds were

captivating. The cover of the trees cool and calming. We watched a movie that night about walking the Camino de Santiago. My husband and I had talked about walking it before but after the meditative walk through the magic of the forest round Hunua Falls, I really wanted to tackle the 800-kilometre pilgrimage during the school holidays, although our 12-yearold son didn’t see the attraction of walking a minimum of 25 kilometres a day in summer heat carrying your own pack. I almost always have my best ideas when I am out walking or running or swimming somewhere beautiful. In January 2015, the idea that came to dominate that year for me, to write about superdiversity, dropped into my head while I was doing sprint practice at Bloodworth Park. We were just back from three weeks visiting Argentina, Iguacu Falls, Chile and Uruguay.

One minute the idea wasn’t there, the next it was and I knew this was what I should do. The Superdiversity Stocktake: Implications for Business, Government and New Zealand has now been downloaded over 100,000 times since it was published in November 2015.

That is why I have loved reading Frédéric Gros’s A Philosophy of Walking, which describes how great philosophers like Thoreau, Nietzsche and Rousseau worked while they walked in nature. I also read Brain Rules by John Medina, which explains that our brains were built for walking 19 kilometres a day, so it is no wonder that I think best when I am walking and running. If you want to improve your thinking skills, move. I wear my Apple watch which still records that I do a minimum of 10,000 steps every day and a lot more in the weekend. As a product of two elite athletes, I have always been happiest thinking and creating when I am moving.

Mum and Dad tell me I am hyperactive. I tell them that it is their fault that I have so much fast twitch muscle.

When I think about why I love being a New Zealander, it includes my love of walking in beautiful places and being able to see clear skies and to be able to breathe clean air. After immigrating to New Zealand when I was six, I spent most of my childhood outdoors. If I wasn’t on the sports field before, during or after school, in the Dunedin town belt across the road from our house with my first dog, Zachariah, walking or running, I was fishing off the rocks with my dad. We had a crib in Hampden in the South Island, near good fishing holes. I jumped around the rocks and found bait and discovered things while my dad fished.

On a recent Christmas holiday, we cycled the new cycleway starting from Greymouth. It was gorgeous and varied, but it confirmed for me that walking in a beautiful landscape is superior to cycling for meditation, ideas and simple enjoyment.

My bottom, back and knees don’t hurt when I walk, and I don’t need to concentrate on not skittering on the loose gravel roads nor changing gears to get up hills, or being careful on corners. Some years ago, I did a somersault on my mountain

the hobson 52

bike trying to avoid a cat. I nearly severed my arm from my shoulder and landed in hospital. My AC joint would never be the same again and still hampers my back bends in yoga. As a result, I now cycle like a little old lady driving her first car.

If I couldn’t be a lawyer, I would be a tramping guide. Bliss would be to get up every day, walk all day amongst great landscapes, and create new ideas.

”

Mai Chen is Managing Partner, Chen Palmer, and chair of the Superdiversity Centre for Law, Policy and Business. She is also adjunct professor at University of Auckland School of Law, a director on the BNZ board and chair of New Zealand Asian Leaders. Mai was also inaugural chair of NZ Global Women.

She was a top 10 finalist in the 2014 and 2016 New Zealander of the Year Awards. In 2016, she was named in the top 50 Diversity Figures in Public Life in the Global Diversity List affiliated with the Global Diversity Awards, which produces the annual European Diversity Awards, and is supported

by The Economist. Mai was born in Taiwan, immigrated to New Zealand in 1970, and has celebrated her 30th wedding anniversary to Dr John Sinclair in 2016.

Extract reproduced with permission from Paul Little Books.

Photo opposite courtesy of Mai Chen. Love Letters to the

Landscape is available at Paper Plus Newmarket and all good booksellers, or via paullittlebooks.co.nz, RRP $54.99.

Courtesy of Paul Little Books, we have three copies to give away — see page 4 for details. p

the hobson 53

the check in

Book It There are any number of good reasons to travel in 2017 — Louise Richardson picks significant events worthy of a trip

THE VENICE BIENNALE New Zealand’s artist at Venice’s Art Biennale (May 13 – November 26) will be Lisa Reihana. She will be presenting her work, Emissaries, at Tesa dell’Isolotto, a large historic warehouse in Venice’s shipyard quarter. An evolution of her multi-channel project, in Pursuit of Venus [infected] — a major attraction at Auckland Art Gallery in 2015 — the work is based on the reimagining of an 1804 French toile wallpaper, “Les Sauvages de la Mer Pacifique.”

Reihana uses current technology to bring scenes based on the original wallpaper panels alive, complete with botanical backdrops and characters, some from history and others drawn from mythology.

Named an Arts Laureate by the NZ Arts Foundation in 2014, Reihana has exhbited globally, and has undertaken many international residencies and commissions. in Pursuit of Venus [infected] was shortlisted for the 2016 Walters prize.

Patrons of NZ at the Biennale enjoy additional benefits during the event’s Vernissage week, including guided tours and museum visits. See nzatvenice.com and labiennale.org Image: Lisa Reihana, in Pursuit of Venus [infected] 2015-17, HD video (detail), Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, gift of the Patrons of Auckland Art Gallery. p

WORKS ON PAPER If you are a passionate bibliophile, all your dreams will come true at the New York Antiquarian Book Fair (March 9 to 12) which is being held in the Park Avenue Armory, between East 66th and 67th streets.

More than 200 booksellers from all around the world converge on Manhattan for the event, which features rare books, maps, autographs and general print ephemera. nyantiquarianbookfair.com p

I DO WANT TO GO TO CHELSEA Insight Vacations is hosting 8-day tours that are catnip to the green-fingered.

Departing in May, the tours begin in Amsterdam, with its famous floating flower market and spectacular Keukenhof Garden. Travelling via Belgium to Bavaria and Austria, there’s a stop at the northern Italian lakes district before taking in the wildflowers of the Swiss Alps. In France, guests will stroll the magnificent garden at Versailles, and Monet’s piece of paradise at Giverny. The tour ends in London in time for the Chelsea Flower Show, May 23-27. Formerly the Royal Horticultural Spring Show, it has, since 1862, showcased modern and traditional garden design.

Search “Netherlands” at insightvacations. com or ask your travel agent. p the hobson 54

A PAGE TURNER This one is very short notice, but if you get on to your agent now, you’ll make it to India in time for the Jaipur Literature Festival, which opens on January 19 at the Diggi Palace. The 10-year-old event always attracts top literary talent — this year, A.N Wilson, Nassim Nicholas Taleb, Alan Hollingshurst, Alice Walker and Vikram Chandra are amongst the participants.

It’s a free festival — you must register — but you can also pay to be a delegate for entry to additional sessions and soirees.

It’s been described by Time Out as “ . . the Woodstock, Live 8 and Ibiza of world literature,” with “an ambience best described as James Joyce meets Monsoon Wedding”. jaipurliteraturefestival.org p

SAVE THE DATE The Super Bowl, Houston USA, Feb 5 Monaco F1 Grand Prix, May 25 - 28 Wimbledon, July 3 - 16 New York City Marathon, November 5 And it’s Canada’s sesquicentennial, a yearlong celebration for the 150th anniversary of confederation. See us-keepexploring.canada.travel for events across the provinces and territories. p

Dinner in Paradise Remuera food writer Helen Jackson (foodlovers.co.nz) enjoys a taste of Fiji’s new, innovative cuisine

W

ith a balmy tropical climate, endless coconut palms, juicy sweet pineapples and water teaming with fish, Fiji is truly the destination for discovering fine ingredients and great food. Increasingly restaurants and resorts are actively seeking to source ingredients from within Fiji, boosting both the local economy, and simultaneously showing the world just how amazing their cuisine is.

While the resort area of Denarau is a popular choice due to its proximity to the international airport at Nadi, you can also leave Auckland in the morning and be beachside at islands such as Vomo in time for lunch.

The luxurious resort island, which is 15 minutes by seaplane or helicopter from Nadi, was severely hit by Cyclone Winston last February. That has meant a rebuild of not just bures and gardens, but also staff numbers due to the island being closed for many months. The doors are now open again, and new chef Preeti Bomzon (most recently from Vietnam) is working with her team of chefs and Vomo’s gardeners to bring her favourite recipes from Indian, Vietnamese and European cuisine to the table.

Over on the mainland of Viti Levu, many individuals and organisations are working closely together to ensure that Fiji earns a deserved place on the world food map. One to be commended is the organisation Friend Fiji. The team at Friend are committed to educating local farmers, assisting them to not only grow the spices, fruit and vegetables in demand by chefs, but also to use organic and free range farming methods. Friend have a small store selling delicious artisanal chutneys (mango and tamarind), jams (pineapple is a favourite), vanilla and coconut products. At time of writing, Friend are also due to open a café at their garden in Lautoka which, judging from our taste test, is sure to be a fabulous blend of traditional ingredients and contemporary methods.

Around Lautoka and Nadi are a collection of innovative food/ drink ventures that can be toured, taking in tastes including Fiji rum — excellent in mojitos —and the coconut liqueur over ice is dangerously drinkable. Adi chocolates are international in quality,

and the fragrance from the Lautoka basil farm could be bottled. A day out on a food trail is great for those wanting a break from the pool.

In the greater Nadi area you will find a number of superb eating places that offer full-flavoured, fresh fare, with fair pricing. Taste Fiji is one of my favourites. The quirky retro furniture and eclectic collectibles make for an aesthetically pleasing, relaxed environment.

The talented team of the Acremans — chef Lee and his front of house wife, Louise — believe in taking the best of local produce and cooking Fijian food with a contemporary twist, as well as South East Asian dishes that are well suited to the climate and ingredients.

Using freshly grated coconut blended with local basil for pesto, spooned over pan fried mahi mahi, made a delicious change to the usual pinenut variety.

Elsa Corrigan has for many years pleased the snow bunny set at at Lake Tahoe in the US with her modern Japanese food. A chance encounter saw Elsa taking her concept and recipes to Wailoaloa Beach, Nadi, where she serves dishes such as sesame crusted seared tuna, fabulous salads (lots of avocado) and an impressive range of sushi. Perfect for those wanting something different from resort food, the menu has such great choices that it is worth a repeat visit.

There is often live music, and a pool, for those really wanting to chill.

Closer to the Denarau resorts is the burgeoning Port Denarau area. John Oyagawa is well known in Auckland for Café O in Grey Lynn. His sister, Cherie, has replicated O at the Port (and also in Nadi) and the food is fabulous! Their ricotta hotcakes for brunch are super-light and fluffy, and my breakfast salad so full of vitality that I felt quite smugly healthy for the remainder of the day. The coffee is also as good as anywhere in my own local ‘hood.

Fiji today is all about choices, and for those wanting to discover fresh food cooked well, you certainly can. Kana vakalevu (eat a lot and eat well)!

Helen Jackson visited Fiji as a guest of Tourism Fiji and Vomo (pictured, the poolside dining area). See fiji.travel and vomofiji. com. Turn the page for recipes from Helen, inspired by her visit.

the hobson 55

the appetite

Summery Tastes of Fiji Inspired by the local flavours and techniques she encountered, Helen Jackson shares recipes to recreate a Fijian experience at home

Photos by Liz Clarkson

the hobson 56

KOKODA The Fijian version of ceviche, or fish marinated in citrus juice, Kokoda is enjoyed with any white fish — mahi mahi is a popular choice in the islands Serves 5 500g white fish fillets, as fresh as possible ¼ cup lime juice ¼ cup lemon juice 1 red onion, finely diced ½ red capsicum, diced ½ green capsicum, diced 8 cherry tomatoes, finely chopped 2 cups coconut milk 1 teaspoon sea salt ¼ iceberg lettuce, shredded ¼ cup coriander leaves ¼ cup coconut chips, lightly toasted lime wedges to serve

Chop the fish into 1cm pieces, place in a bowl with the citrus juice and refrigerate for two hours. Drain the fish and then mix in the onion, capsicum, and tomatoes. Pour over the coconut milk and season with sea salt. Divide the lettuce between glasses or bowls, and then spoon over the kokoda. Scatter with coriander leaves and coconut chips, and serve with lime wedges on the side.

It seems a bit ridiculous to stipulate fresh fish as all fish should be that, but when making raw fish salads like Kokoda it is important to have as fresh a fish as possible, so that the end flavour is sweet and mild.

Bake for 40 minutes — the centre will still be a little soft, which is as it should be. Allow to cool and then cut into 16 pieces.

Thanks to Taste Fiji (Nadi) for allowing me to share their brownie recipe, it’s a winner.

COCONUT PESTO

TASTE FIJI'S CHOCOLATE COCONUT BROWNIE

A Pacifica twist on the classic — we enjoyed eating this in Fiji with a variety of dishes

Soft and fudgy, this brownie is perfect to serve as afternoon tea or as dessert, with cream and berries. This recipe makes 16 generous pieces

Makes 1 ½ cups 2 cups basil leaves 2 cloves garlic, crushed ½ cup olive oil ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese ½ teaspoon sea salt ¼ cup desiccated coconut

250g butter 500g (2 ¼ cups) brown sugar 125g (1 cup) cocoa, preferably good quality 4 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 100g (1 rounded cup) desiccated coconut

Place the basil, garlic, olive oil, Parmesan, sea salt and coconut together in the bowl of a food processor and puree until smooth. You may need to scrape down the sides and then pulse again to make sure the pesto is well mixed.

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a 24cm square cake tin with baking paper.

In a small saucepan, gently melt the butter with the sugar. Add the cocoa and mix well. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy. Pour the chocolate mixture and coconut into the eggs, mix until well combined. Turn the batter into the prepared cake tin.

Serve with fish or chicken, or whenever you’d use pesto: its freshness lends itself to summery dishes. Leftover pesto can be stored, covered, in the fridge for a week, or freeze in ice cube trays.

the hobson 57

the cinema

The Summer Cinema JANUARY

A MONSTER CALLS Director J.A Bayona. Starring Sigourney Weaver, Felicity Jones, Toby Kebbell, Lewis MacDougall, Liam Neeson Young Conor O'Malley struggles to cope with the loss of his mother after a terminal illness, and bullies at school. One night, after a particularly bad day, Conor encounters the “Monster” (voiced by Neeson) — the very creature that he and his mother had drawn together before she died. Taking the form of a giant humanoid tree, the monster and Conor set about ensuring that he is no longer alone, or unhappy.

JACKIE Director Pablo Larrain. Starring Natalie Portman, Billy Crudup, Greta Gerwig, John Hurt, Peter Sarsgaard A winner at the Venice, Toronto and New York film festivals, Jackie re-examines American history, following Jackie Kennedy from her early days as America’s First Lady, to her dramatic widowhood after the assassination of her husband, John F Kennedy. The film blends dramatised and archival footage, including Jackie giving her first interview, barely a week after the tragedy, to Life magazine writer Theodore White — the interview that cast the Kennedy presidency as “Camelot”.

FEBRUARY GOLD

MANCHESTER BY THE SEA Director Kenneth Lonergan.

Starring Casey Affleck, Kyle Chandler, Gretchen Mol, Michelle Williams When his older brother dies, Lee becomes the legal guardian of his teenage nephew, Patrick.

Having to return to his small Massachusetts fishing village hometown to take up his brother’s wishes, Lee must face his former wife, and his old

community, all of who know why he left so abruptly. This drama was received to critical acclaim at the Sundance Film Festival, and the Toronto and London film festivals, with applause in particular for the performances of Affleck and Williams.

Director Stephen Gaghan.

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Bryce Dallas Howard, Toby Kebbell, Edgar Ramírez Kenny Wells (McConaughey, sporting a half-bald pate) has a dream that tells him of an undiscovered gold mine and he’s going to find it. Buried, he believes, in the heart of the Indonesian rainforest, the unlucky (so far) businessman teams up with a geologist to find

EXCLUSIVELY SCREENING AT RIALTO CINEMAS OUT 5 JANUARY BOOK ONLINE WWW.RIALTO.CO.NZ

Two 17th century Portuguese Jesuit priests (Drive, Garfield) encounter violence and persecution when they travel to Japan to locate their mentor (Neeson) who, after being tortured, has committed the sin of apostasy. A long-held “passion project” for the multi-award winning Scorcese, Silence is already tipped to take home a number of statues come awards season.

the cache that he foresees will change the world. Or at least, the most important world, his — or at least until the local and US authorities take an interest. Basely loosely on real events.

LOVING Director Jeff Nichols. Starring Joel Edgerton, Ruth Negga, Marton Csokas This dramatisation of a true story follows the aptly named Richard and Mildred Loving, a married couple in late 1950s America, trying to live a quiet life. Except that their marriage meant they were in violation of the law in their home state of Virginia, because Richard was white, and Mildred black, a union banned in Virginia. Reluctantly living in Washington D.C — and arrested when they tried to return to Virginia — the burgeoning civil rights movement encouraged the Lovings to petition for their right to be legally recognised, leading eventually to a Supreme Court ruling that wiped the US’s antimiscegenation laws forever.

FENCES Director Denzel Washington.

Starring Denzel Washington, Viola Davis Washington stars behind and in front of the camera in this drama, his feature directorial debut. With both Washington and

HIDDEN FIGURES

Davis reprising the roles they played in Fences on Broadway (the film script was written by playwright August Wilson), Washington is a former pro baseball player, struggling with discord in his family life, against the backdrop of midcentury US race relations.

SILENCE Director Martin Scorsese. Starring Adam Driver, Andrew Garfield, Liam Neeson

Directed by Paul Verhoeven. Starring Isabelle Huppert.

Screening exclusively at Rialto Cinemas from Boxing Day. Violence, sexual violence & offensive language

Director Theodore Melfi.

Starring Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe, Kevin Costner, Jim Parsons Everyone knows the story of the Space Race, and NASA’s achievements, but there are heroines and heroes of the story who never received public credit. This true tale rights some of the balance by acknowledging African-American mathematicians and physicists Katherine Johnson (Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Spencer) and Mary Jackson (Monáe), who worked in the segregated computers division of the Langley Research Centre. Their work for NASA would turn around the Space Race for the US. — Caitlin McKenna All titles are scheduled to screen at Rialto Cinemas Newmarket in January and February

the sound

The envelope, please

H

appy holiday season to you. It’s a time reviewers dread because as we draw a close to the year, we award the BAOTYs (Best Album Of The Year). I dread it because it keeps proving that my memory is an unreliable machine these days. More than once, I’ve discovered that the album I consider the best of the year was actually released the year before! I wouldn’t be surprised, if I’m still in this game in 10 years time, I might even get a bit dodgy on what decade something came out.

This year I appear to have time warped back to being a teenager, which was a time when the darker side of music held great appeal.

In 1981, I was 18, the same age my younger son is now.

Back then my life was very different from my son’s. No mobiles, computers, internet and barely any TV. No cafes, no Sunday trading, concert tours were rare.

Frankly, there wasn't much to do.

I was running Radio B, which was an oasis in the desert, and I was exposed to the music that was coming out of a stagnant Britain.

Music notably low on chuckles.

So, my day often started with me waiting for Mum and Dad to leave the house for work, so I was free to play my music at volume. Our house had no shower, so I’d get up, run a bath and then go to the Panasonic 3-in-1. Out would come Joy Division’s Closer. Side two put on the platter, the needle dropped, I’d climb into the bath and then listen to the four most depressing songs of all time — “A Means to An End”, “Heart and Soul”, “24 Hours” and “The Eternal”. The green valleys of Remuera would echo to the bellow of the morose.

If it wasn’t Joy Division, it was The Cure and “Faith” or “Seventeen Seconds”. Yeah. One man party, me.

But when sad is done good, it’s a powerful beast. And I was a sucker for it at 18.

Which brings me to the two albums I played the most in 2016.

They’re powerfully sad beasts, and they remind me of the gorgeous desolation I was so fond of back then.

First is Radiohead’s A Moon Shaped Pool. They had me with the first single, “Burn the Witch”. Strident strings building to a crescendo, and phrases floating out of the maelstrom like “This is a low flying panic attack”. All coupled with a video using childlike animation to portray the Salem witch trials. Quite brilliant, and appropriate as the US election played out, amongst name-calling and accusations returned to our lexicon. To put its impact and the band’s influence in perspective, Time magazine ran an entire article on the lyrics the week it was released, something I haven’t seen since U2 released “The Fly.”

The rest of the album took some time to digest, but it’s worth the effort. Partly inspired by the break-up of Thom Yorke's 26year marriage, it lyrically twitched, while underneath melodies churned like some chamber music on steroids. It’s tense and yet calming. Glacially elegaic. I learnt to love it.

But my album of the year is Bowie’s Blackstar. Released in the first week of the year, in time for his 69th birthday, it immediately astounded. I rushed straight out and bought it. He’d been invisible for three years, so when new material suddenly appeared, I was keen to see where the great man’s head was at.

The title track was released as a single but it was unlike any single heard on any planet. 10 minutes long, it dissonates. It dissolves into a free-form jazz piece, with David’s saxophone brought out of retirement. It transitions to an uplift and then back to a slow stomp — Bowie proclaiming he’s not a pop or rock or white star. He’s the blackstar. It was perfect. Record company execs and radio programmers didn’t get it at all. It was a grand canvas far too good for the cartoon world of pop music.

Two days later, Bowie shockingly died. The whole album swung in my mind from a piece on coming mortality, to one of knowing the death process. From either mindset you get different and equal emotions and appreciation of the music. “Lazarus” for two days sounded like Bowie was back for good. After his death, you realise it’s more about returning and being good. Surprising through the resurrection. The legend of the triumphant return lives forever, unlike flesh and blood.

Then there’s the closing “I Can’t Give Everything Away”. So sad and epic and the closest to a conventional pop song. Bowie sings about himself in a revelatory way.

“Saying more and meaning less / Saying no but meaning yes / This is all I ever meant / This is the message that I sent”. He sings “I can’t give everything” but as the songs fades into hyperspace and eternity just like Bowman in 2001: A Space Odyssey, I find myself feeling he gave more than anyone.

What a way to go. Bowie aced death.

So that’s my two. Happy holidays with those ones. Sad but sumptuous. But what I most appreciated was two artists aware of their skill, their legacy and their medium, and not of their bank accounts, who still approach an album as a whole.

A statement and most importantly, a work of art. That’s what counts and that’s why they were the best of the year.

— Andrew Dickens

David Bowie, photographed for the debut of Blackstar, shortly before his death. Photo by Jimmy King, courtesy of Sony Music. the hobson 60

the bookmark

Pick & Mix Some well-chosen words from reviewer Gail Woodward on titles to satisfy over the summer months

FOR YOUNGER READERS PENGUIN PROBLEMS Jory John (Walker Books) Age 3+ A penguin levels with human readers about what penguin life is really like — and it isn’t all fun and games.

MANGO & BAMBANG: TINY TAPIR TROUBLE Polly Faber & Clara Vulliamy (Walker Books) Ages 5-8 What is Bambang to do about a rather mischievous mini tapir? Or will Mango find a new friend in this, their third book?

THE BAD GUYS Aaron Blabey (Scholastic) Ages 6-8 Buckle up for the funniest, naughtiest and coolest book – it’s time to meet the Bad Guys if you haven’t already.

ILLUMINAE: THE ILLUMINAE FILES #1 Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff (Allen & Unwin) Age 13+ A stunningly creative, heart-stopping, highoctane space opera, set in the year 2575.

FICTION: NEW, AND SOME WORTH REVISITING

MIDDLEMARCH George Eliot (Penguin Classics) One of my favourite novels. A tale of men and women longing to do the right thing, but making bad decisions.

SLEEPING GIANTS Sylvain Neuvel (Michael Joseph) If you are new to science fiction, this lauded debut (2016) is a pacey thriller that makes for a great introduction to the genre.

THE DYING DETECTIVE Leif G W Persson (Doubleday) A Gail favourite, Persson is the king of Swedish crime fiction. Simply brilliant, without a single unnecessary page.

THE SEVEN SISTERS (and THE STORM SISTER and THE SHADOW SISTER) Lucinda Riley (Pan Macmillan) A spellbinding, addictive and captivating cleverly-plotted series of three books (so far). The ultimate in escapist reading.

PREFER NON-FICTION? NOT DEAD YET: THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY Phil Collins (Century) Candid, amusing, and revealing insights by an enduring popular music artist.

BRAVE NEW WORLD Aldous Huxley (Vintage Classics) This ingenious fantasy of the future is provoking, stimulating and shocking. If you have never read it, now is the time.

INSIDE VOGUE: A DIARY OF MY 100TH YEAR Alexandra Shulman (Penguin) The editor of British Vogue has produced

a funny, pacy book that is pleasingly blunt and self-aware about the fashion world.

ABSOLUTELY ON MUSIC: CONVERSATIONS WITH SEIJI OZAWA Haruki Murakami (Penguin) This unprecedented glimpse into the minds of the two maestros is essential reading for both book and music lovers.

PEGGY & ME Miranda Hart (Hachette) Hilariously funny, and often moving, this is a memoir about Hart’s misadventures with her Shih-Tzu x Bichon Frise puppy.

QUIRKY CHOICES THE BED OF PROCRUSTES: PHILOSOPHICAL AND PRACTICAL APHORISMS Nassim Nicholas Taleb (Penguin) Playful and irreverent, these will surprise you by exposing self-delusions you have, but have never recognised. Wonderful.

HIGHBALLS FOR BREAKFAST P G Wodehouse (Hutchinson) Vintage Wodehouse — a tonic for all lovers of both a laugh, and a good stiff drink.

THE OPTICIAN OF LAMPEDUSA Emma Jane Kirby (Allen Lane) Poetically written, absorbing, harrowing.

This novel of an ordinary man of our times, and a boat trip that changed his life.

409 021 873 508 text coffee orders to 021 BROWNS 4

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New artist in residence at MAMAN - JILLIAN FRIEDLANDER

Oscillate Come and view Jillian’s latest exhibition in abstract painting ‘Oscillate’ Opening NOVEMBER 16 TH at Maman ‘The Joie De Vivre of art with fashion’ Maman, 2a Clonbern Rd, Remuera AUCKLAND 1050

the district diary

January/February 2017 JANUARY 1 New Year’s Day 4 From today through to 27 January, the Parnell Trust “Summer Fiesta” School Holiday Programme has fun activities for 5-14 year olds including a pool party, ball bonanza, trips to Rainbow’s End, Wet ‘n Wild, and a Zoofari, plus special projects including Minecraft gaming, coding with Scratch, computer game design and more.

See parnell.org.nz 6 Head to the Powerstation for some legendary, rip-roaring rock ‘n’ roll. Clash of the Titans has a reputation of being one of the most epic tours on the summer music calendar and this year’s lineup of Mi-Sex, Dragon and The Feelers promises a night of rock ‘n’ roll mayhem! R18 gig, Powerstation, 33-35 Mt Eden Rd, from 8pm. ticketmaster.co.nz 9 Through till 24 February, Aotea Square will transform for Auckland’s biggest backyard party, Auckland Live Summer in the Square. Jam-packed with entertainment, activities and events for everyone, and best of all it is family-friendly and absolutely free. Live music and DJs, opera singers, mariachi bands and more. aucklandlive. co.nz 19 Summer Touch Rugby starts up, every Thursday from 6-8pm at Auckland Grammar, Mountain Rd, Epsom. This fun, mixed competition has teams made up from local businesses and groups of friends. Contact Joseph at joseph.oreilly@ outlook.com or 021 624494 20 The Summer School Finale Concert: Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, conducted by Tianyi Lu, showcases the talents of aspiring young musicians who have just completed an intensive week of workshops and mentoring. St Cuthbert’s College, 2.30pm, tickets from apo.co.nz 21 Welcome in the Year of the Rooster at the Chinese New Year festival and market day.

The grand opening is at 10am with a dragon dance. Entertainment, rides for the kids, and over 200 stalls selling traditional Chinese goods, foods, arts and crafts. Free entry, ASB Showgrounds, 9.30-4pm 23 Term 1 begins for ACG Parnell 24 Auckland Grammar returns 28 Count your chickens as Parnell shops and businesses will display 38 speciallydecorated Year of the Rooster statues as part of Chinese New Year celebrations. All roosters will be auctioned for charity (see February 16 entry) 28/29 If cars are your thing head along to the V 4 and Rotary Nationals ‘Show and Shine Day’. A dazzling display of show, drag and drift cars, mini trucks, V8’s, classic cars, lowriders, bikes and more. ASB Showgrounds, 9am-5pm, kids under 10 free, adult door sales only, $25 30 There’s something for everyone today, Auckland Anniversary Day Public Holiday, at the Mission Bay Art & Craft Market.

Art and crafts, gourmet food, clothing, jewellery and more. Free entry, 10am-4pm, Selwyn Reserve (Mission Bay fountain) 31 Back to school for Remuera Primary, Remuera Intermediate, St Michael’s, Epsom Girls Grammar, King’s School, Diocesan, Saint Kentigern Boys’ and Girls’, Dilworth

FEBRUARY 1 Term 1 commences for Parnell District, Victoria Avenue and Orākei schools, Saint Kentigern College, Mt Hobson Middle School, King’s College 2 Meadowbank School, Baradene, St Cuthbert’s back to school 3 Feb Selwyn College returns to school the hobson 63

6 Waitangi Day Public Holiday Right through till end March, Auckland Council’s Music in Parks will be rocking a line-up of Kiwi talent, with acts playing everything from dance and electro, to hiphop, pop, rock, jazz, indie, opera, salsa or reggae. See musicinparks.co.nz 9 The Lantern Festival opens tonight in The Domain at 7.30pm and runs Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 5 – 10.30pm.

Spectacular lanterns, food, dancing, traditional Chinese entertainment. Free 10 Remuera celebrates the Chinese New Year with a free street festival, 6-9pm, St Vincents Ave (outside the library).

Entertainment, food, and the winners announced of the lantern decorating competition 10-26 The 2017 Auckland Pride Festival, celebrating Auckland’s cultural and sexual diversity, brings love, light and colour to various events across Auckland.

See aucklandpridefestival.org.nz for full schedule of events 11 The Bean Rock Lighthouse Swim goes out to and around the largest navigational marker in the Waitematā Harbour. 3200m course, plus half-course swims available.

8-9.45am at Mission Bay, buy tickets at beanrockswim.co.nz or on the day The Rotary Newmarket Art in a Day competition sees artists capture the character and identity of Parnell, Newmarket or Grafton. Watch the artists at work, plus workshops and street performers, see artinaday.org.nz 16 Parnell’s Year of the Rooster statues go under the hammer tonight in aid of the Starship National Air Ambulance.

Mossgreen-Webb’s, Falcon St, Parnell 23 King’s School Open Day, 9am, register via admissions@kings.school.nz

the cryptic by mĀyĀ

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Set by Māyā. Answers will appear in our next issue (March 2017). Can't wait, or need help? Visit https://thehobsoncrossword.wordpress.com/ the hobson 64

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