Weekend Herald 27th September 2025

SixmoreMPsown undeclaredproperties

JoLuxton

SpeakerofHouseamong membersfromrangeofparties withinterestsnotonregister, writes ChrisKnox

SixmoreMPshavefailedtodeclare propertyunderParliament’srules,a Herald investigationhasfound. Thisfollowstheannouncementof aparliamentaryinquiryintoMPCarl Bates’25undeclaredproperties. The Herald hasthis weekaskedthesix MPswhyproperty recordsshowthey ownmorepropertythanthey havedeclared. Threeofthem saidtheywill updatetheir declarationsto

AyeshaVerrall

Parliament,twohavesoughtfurther advice,andonewasunabletobe contacted.

ItisanimportantpartofparliamentaryrulesthatMPsdeclaretheir business,property,andotherlegal interests,“providingtransparency andconfidenceinparliamentary processesanddecisionmaking”.

VeteranNationalMPandcurrent SpeakeroftheHouseGerryBrownlee included“Residentialproperty(x2)— Ilam,Christchurch”inhisdeclaration.

BrownleeactuallyownsadualtitlepropertyinIlamandathird propertyonIlamRdinBryndwr. Brownleetoldthe Herald he wasn’ttryingtohideanythingand willupdatetheregisterassoonas possible.

WhenhepurchasedtheIlam propertyin2012,hedidnotrealiseit wastwoseparatetitles,andhehad alwaysassumedtheBryndwrpropertywasinIlambecauseitwason IlamRd,heclaimed.

The Herald askedNZFirstMPand

MinisterforRuralCommunitiesMark Pattersonwhyhehadn’tdeclared292 hectaresoffarmlandinOtago.

Pattersonsaidhethoughthehad beentransparentbasedonadvice he’dreceivedatthetimeofhisdeclaration.

“However,asaresultoftheadvice Ihavereceivedtoday,theOfficeofthe Clerkwilleditthe2025return,”he said.

LabourMPforRangitataJoLuxton inheritedashareinapropertyin2022 andhasnotdeclaredit. Luxtontoldthe Herald,“Thisisan oversight,shouldbedeclaredandwill becorrectedassoonaspossible.Itis mystepfather’sproperty,andmy mother’sinterestinitwastransferred tomeaftershepassedawayin2022.I hadn’tconsideredthepropertymine andthereforehadn’tthoughttodeclareitbeforenow”.

The Herald askedLabourMP DamienO’Connoraboutlandowned byacompanyhehaddeclaredaninterestin.

O’Connorresponded,“Thecom-

panyanditsinterestinfarminghas beendeclared.InmyyearsasanMPI haveneverbeenadvisedtodeclare thisinanyotherway.HoweverIam morethanhappytoaddthatthecompanyownsaworkingfarmwhichis leasedtoafamilymember,andupdatetheregisterifrequired.”

Copwins drink-drive conviction appeal

BelindaFeek OpenJustice

The25-year-oldreturnedabreath alcohollevelof521mcg.Thelegal adultlimitis250mcg. Whenquestioned,hesaidhehad beendrinkingand“hadgonetotown tobuysomefood”. Hefailedinhisbidtogetadischargewhenheappearedbefore CommunityMagistrateLesleyJensen onJuly11,whoconvictedandfined him$470anddisqualifiedhimfrom drivingforsixmonths.

However,hehasnowsuccessfully appealedthatdecisionafterhislawyerBillNabneyarguedtheriskofhim losinghisjobwithaconvictionwas toohigh.

Inhissubmissions,Nabneysaid whenJensensentencedhisclient,she failedtoproperlyassessthe proportionalityoftheconsequences ofaconviction.

“Hislevelof521mcgwasobviously somewhathigherthan...400...but therewerenoothersignificant factors.

“Itwasarandomstop.Itwasn’tbecauseofhismannerofdriving.”

AnotherLabourMP,Ayesha Verrall,declaredherinterestina propertycompany,butdidnotdeclaretheactualpropertyownedby thecompany. Verralltoldthe Herald,“Ideclared thecompany’sinterestinpropertyin mylasttwopecuniaryinterestdeclarations,howeverthecompanyno longerhasaninterestinpropertyasit hasbeensoldwhichmeansitwillnot beincludednexttime.Ihavebeen guidedbyParliamentaryPracticein NZ(McGee)10.4.2p117forthisdeclaration.” Parliament’sStandingOrdersstate declarationsmustinclude“thelocationofrealpropertyinwhichthe memberhasalegalinterest,other thananinterestasatrustee,andadescriptionofthenatureofthereal property”. Whenaskedifherdeclarationmet thisstandard,Verrallsaid,“Ithasn’t beenraisedwithmeatanypointthat thedeclarationofthecompany’sinterestinpropertywasinsufficient.”

Verralltoldthe Herald MPtransparencyisimportantandshewillupdatethepreviousregisterifrequired. ClerkoftheHouse,DavidWilson toldthe Herald,“TheStandingOrders aretherulesoftheHouse,agreedby itsmembers.Ifthereisadiscrepancy betweensources,theStanding Ordersaretheauthority.” O’ConnorandVerrallhaveboth soughtclarityregardingtheirdeclarations. OneMPwasunavailabletodiscuss theirpropertywiththe Herald The Herald analysisisnotexhaustive.NotallMPs’propertyrecords couldbeidentified.

Whileitwasacceptedpolice wouldcarryouttheirowninvestigation,thelackofaconvictionmight haveanimpactonhowthatpansout. Nabneysaiditwas“significant” theemploymentinvestigationhad beenadjourneduntiltheoutcomeof hisclient’sappeal.

“Iftheappealisnotallowedthere willdefinitelybeanimpactonhimto remaininpolice.”

Themainaggravatingfeatureof theoffendingwasthefactRickardSimmswasapoliceofficer,hesaid.

“He,morethananyoneelse, shouldhaveknownbetter.” However,hewasalsoamemberof thecommunityandwasappealingto thecourttooverturnhisconviction sohecouldremainapoliceofficer. Rickard-Simmswasalsofollowing a“familytradition”,withbothhisparents,whowereinTokoroaDistrict CourtonWednesdaytosupporthim, workingaspoliceofficersbeforebecominglawyers.

“Bothparentswerepoliceofficers, soit’safamilythingaswell.

“Thisisn’tsomethinghehas

> ContinuedonA5 Apoliceofficerwhowascaughtdrinkdrivingaftergoingouttobuyfoodhas successfullyappealedhisconviction, buthisfighttokeephisjobcontinues. HarrisonMariusAnthonyRickardSimmswasstoppedinTokoroaabout 9.30pmonApril26,aspartofaroutinetrafficstop.

Petersdrops a‘truth bomb’at

UNmeeting

ForeignAffairs

Ministercalls outworld’s topemitters

AnnekeSmith ofRNZ

TheForeignAffairsMinistersaidthe worldneedstofacethe“elephantin theroom”onglobalemissions,duringaclimatechangemeetinginNew Yorkyesterdaymorning.

WinstonPeterswasupearlyfor theUnitedNationsleaders’breakfast,co-chairedbyNewZealand’s PacificneighbourTuvalu,todiscuss theexistentialthreatsposedbyrising sealevels.

NewZealandhasbeencontributingtoUNeffortstoclarifythelegal positionofcountries’exclusive economiczones,astheirlandmasses shrink. Addressingtheroomyesterday, Peterssaid:“Wehavetobehonest andrealistichere.

“Fourcountriescomprise60per centoftheworld’semissions,andthe restofthe191countries...arewrestlingwiththisproblem.Wehaveto facethefact,dealwithit—we’reina battlewecan’tpossiblywin.”

Petershaspreviouslypointedout thattheworld’sfourbiggestemitters —China,India,RussiaandtheUS— aren’tpullingtheirweightwhenit comestoemissionsreductions.

“Soonerorlaterwe’regoingto havetobelookingatthisissuewith oureyeswideopen,”hesaidyesterday. Reporterswereaskedtoleavethe meetingafterPeters’remarks,buta stafferlaterrelayedthattheWorld Bank’sGlobalDirectorforClimate Change,ValerieHickey,wentonto saytheForeignAffairsMinisterhad “droppedatruthbomb”and reinforcedhowcriticalitwasfor majoremitterstotakemeaningful action. ClimatechangehasbeenagrowingissuefortheUNtograpplewith, asmemberstateslikeTuvalu,alowlyingisland,sinkintotheocean.

Earlierthisweek,USPresident DonaldTrumptoldUNmembersthat climatechangewas“thegreatestcon jobeverperpetratedontheworld”. SpeakingtoNewZealandreportersearlier,TuvaluPrimeMinisterFeletiTeosaidTrump’s commentswereappalling.

“Wearefirmandconfidentinthe science—internationalscience—that mostofthecountriesaroundthe worldbelievethatclimatechangeisa reality.”

Teosaiditwouldbehelpfulifthe UnitedStatesshowedleadershipon climatechangeissues.

“TheUS,ofcourse,isamajorcontributortointernational multilateralism.SowiththeUSpositiononclimatechange—andevenrenewableenergy—theytotallydismissthemasahoax.

“It’squiteconcerningtocountries likeTuvalu,thatareattheforefront oftheimpactofclimatechange.”

Teosaidhewasheartenedthatthe UNGeneralAssemblyhadcommittedtoanotherdedicatedsummiton sea-levelrisenextyear,andhopeda UNdeclarationonthisissuewouldbe putforwardandadoptedthen.

Peterswasaskedabouthisview ontheUnitedStates’positionon climatechangeandwhatitmight meanforthePacific.

“Evenifitwasn’ttheUnitedStates involved,therearestillthreeother countries—Chinabeingtheleading one—andothereconomieswhereno contributionintermsofemissionsreductionisbeingmade.

“Solet’sfacetheelephantinthe roomandstopkiddingourselvesthat allthiseffortandallthismoneyisgoingtogetusanyoutcomewithout[an agreement].”

Fourcountriescomprise 60percentofthe world’semissions,and therestofthe191 countries...are wrestlingwiththis problem.Wehaveto facethefact,dealwithit —we’reinabattlewe can’tpossiblywin.

WinstonPeters

PetersmetwiththeWorldFood Programme’sexecutivedirector, CindyHensleyMcCain,foranupdate onthehumanitariansituationin Gaza,andtheprogramme’seffortsto getfoodsuppliesintotheregion.

NewZealandhascontributed $37.5millionforhumanitarianaidin Gazaoverthepasttwoyears,andit’s likelytheGovernmentisconsidering furtherfundingasitweighsuprecognisingPalestinianstatehood.

PetersalsometwithUnitedArab EmiratesDeputyPrimeMinisterand ForeignAffairsMinisterSheikh Abdullahtodiscussdevelopmentsin theMiddleEast.

HewilloutlineNewZealand’s positiononPalestinianstatehoodin hisspeechintheUNGeneralAssembly’sgeneraldebatetoday.

Formermayorsfuriousaftercouncilfilesfound

FormerWellingtonmayorsare furiousthathundredsofpagesof theirconfidentialcouncil documentsendedupinthehands ofalocalmanwhoboughtanold mayoralofficedeskatadump.

DameKerryPrendergast,whose privatepapersareincludedinthe files,saiditisa“diabolicalsituation onanumberoffronts”.

Sheplannedtoraiseitwiththe council’sCEOandMayorTory Whanauinameetingyesterday.

Thepapers,whichdetail terminationagreements,acouncil sexualharassmentclaimandstaff paydetails,werelockedinthe drawersofadesktakentothe dumpfromtheWellingtonTown Hall.

Thecouncil,whichinitiallytold the Herald itbelievedreportsofthe documentcachewas“socialmedia mischief”,hassubsequently launchedafullinvestigationand notifiedthePrivacyCommissioner afterournewsroomtrackeddown thefilesandassessedtheir contents.

“It’sappalling,I’mappalled,” DameFranWildetoldthe Herald Wilde,whoseprivate correspondenceisincludedinthe documents,saidsheisoutraged thefilesmadetheirwayintopublic hands.

“It’sanappallingbreachof confidencethatacouncil administrationwouldletabitof furnituregocontainingconfidential documents,”shesaid.

Shealsoplannedtocontactthe councildemandinganexplanation.

Prendergast,whowasmayor between2001and2010,told HeraldNOW’sMichaelMorrahshe couldnotbelievethedeskwasnot emptiedin2013andthatthe councildidnotbelievethemanwho foundthedocuments.

“We’renowisasituationwhere highlyconfidentialpapersare availabletothemedia.”

Shesaidshehopedtherewould beafullandrigorousinvestigation.

“Thosecupboardsinthe[desks] werelockedforagoodreason.

“Thesewerethedaysbefore digital,soeverythingwasinhard copy...thisisaterriblesituation forboththepeoplethatsignedthe documentsbutalsothepartiesthat werepartoftheagreements.It’s diabolical.”

Shesaidbeforesheleftofficein 2010,shewasmadetogothrough allthefiles.Aspecialimportance wasplacedonthingslockedaway indesks.

“AndIknowMarkBlumskyand DameFranWildewouldhavedone thesame.Andwhenyouhandover tothenextmayor,youhandover thekeys,youexplainwhyyou’ve

keptthemandwhythey’reinthat partofthedesk.”

Thepapersmostlydate between1988andtheearly2000s andcontaininformation concerningthehighestlevelof councilleadership.

Itincludesanonymousletters fromawhistle-blowerdetailing sexualharassmentallegations againstaformercouncillor,printed emailcorrespondenceabout claimsofabusiveworkplace behaviours,termination agreements,codeofconduct complaints,informationabout employees’pay,confidentiality agreements,privateemailsand highlightednewspaperclippings

frommediacoverageofthecouncil atthetime.

RaymondMorgan,abuilderwho livesinBreakerBay,saidhespotted adesk,whichwaslabelledasbeing fromtheOfficeofTheMayor,atthe TipShoplastweekamongother itemsfromtheoldTownHall. Hetookithomeandbrokethe lockstofindhundredsofpapers aboutformercouncilemployees. Contactingthecounciltoreport it,Morganclaimedofficials“didn’t reallytakemuchnoticeatall”. Heprovidedthe Herald withthe fullcollectionoffiles. Thecouncilhasnowsaiditis investigatingthesituation.

“Wearetakingthesituation extremelyseriouslyandare workingwithourlegalandprivacy staff—alongwithstaffand contractorsinvolvedwiththe disposaloftheTownHallfurniture —tounderstandwhathas happened,”thespokesmansaidina statement. “Wewillalsoendeavourto discussthesituationwiththe memberofthepublicwhoisalleged tohavefoundthesedocuments.” Thecouncildisputed suggestionsfromMorganthat officialsdidn’tappeartotakehis approachseriously,sayingthestaff memberwhospoketoMorgandid notunderstandwhatMorganwas talkingabout.

bedsrus.co.nz

PM’scommentsonindependent Crownentityunderscrutiny

Lawexpertsays ‘heshouldknow better’thanto leanonElection Commission

JamieEnsor

ThePrimeMinisterisbeing calleduponto“takemuch morecare”withhispublic commentsafterhelaiddown strongexpectationsoftheElectoral Commission,anentitythatisindependentofGovernment.

ChristopherLuxonyesterday morningwasrespondingto statementsbythecommissionthat legislationcurrentlybeforeParliamentendingsame-dayenrolment wasunlikelytospeeduptheprocess ofcountingvotesafteranelection.

Hesaidheexpectedcountingtobe fasterconsideringtheGovernment wasintendingtohaltenrolments nearlytwoweeksbeforeelectionday.

“Youdon’tjustmoveitbacktwo weeksandthensaywe’regoingto stickwiththesamedeadline,”hesaid onFriday.

“We’relivingin2025.Ijustsuggest thatthevotecanbecountedahellofa lotfasterthanwhatwehaveexperiencedinNewZealand.Golookat otherWesterneconomiesaroundthe worldandhowfasttheycounttheir vote.Wemustbetheslowestfolkon theplanet,Iwouldsuggesttoyou.

“Myexpectationisthattheywillgo backandlookattheirprocessesand theywilldoeverythingtheycanto moveheavenandearthtocountthe voteinNewZealandvery,very quicklytoensurewehavea functioningdemocracythatwe shouldbeveryproudof,thatwe countvotesappropriately,quickly, fastandwegetaresultthroughtothe NewZealandpeoplequickly.”

ThePMrepeatedthatheexpected thecommissionto“countthevotes fast”.

LuxonsaidNewZealanderswere morethancapableofenrollingnearly twoweeksoutfromanelection,adismissalofcriticismthatremoving same-dayenrolmentwouldmakeit moredifficultforsomepeopleto vote.

PrimeMinisterChristopherLuxonsaystheElectoralCommissionshouldcountvotesfast.

notdirectanindependentCrownentitytohaveregardtogovernmentpolicyunlessspecificallyprovidedforin anact”.

ProfessorDeanKnight,anacademicattheVictoriaUniversityof Wellingtonwhospecialisesinconstitutionallaw,toldthe Herald thePrime Minister“needstotakemuchmore carehere”.

“[He]mustn’ttrytoleanonthe ElectoralCommission.Heshould knowbetter,”saidKnight.

“TheElectoralCommissionisan independentCrownentityandthe ElectoralActspellsoutthatitis requiredtooperateindependently whendoingitswork.

“Forobviousconstitutional reasons,ministerscan’tgiveformal directionstoabodyliketheElectoral Commissionandnorshould ministersdosowithcasualand pointedremarksabouttheirwishes

orexpectations.”

Hesaidthecommissionwas chargedtoadministerelectionsimpartially,efficientlyandeffectively, mindfuloftheneedforparticipation andconfidenceinthesystem.

“It’snotforpoliticianstobemeddlinginthat.Theriskstoourdemocracyaretoogreat.Ofcourse,the Governmenthasoneleverproperly opentoittoenableaquickerresult;it canincreasethefundingand resourcesavailabletothecommissionforthecount.”

TheCrownEntitiesAct2004and CabinetManual sayministers“may

InresponsetoLuxon’scomments, ChiefElectoralOfficerKarlLeQuesne saidthecommissionunderstood “howimportantitistodelivera timelyelectionresult”.

“Itisalsocriticallyimportantthat anyresultwedeliveriscorrectandall thenecessarychecksareundertaken sothepubliccantrusttheresult,”he said.

“Whatslowstheprocessisthe growingnumberofspecialvotes, whichtakelongertocheckandthen count.Forexample,alloverseasvotes needtobereturnedtoNZtobe counted.

“However,wecangiveanassuranceweareworkinghardonstrategiestodeliverelectionresultsfaster.

“Thecommissionwillcontinueto provideinformationtoministersand Parliamentastheyworkthroughthe passageoftheElectoralAmendment Bill.”

Ataparliamentaryselectcommit-

teeonThursday,LeQuesnesaidit wasforecastthevotecountatthe 2026electionwouldstilltake20days, thesameasittooktocountvotesin 2023. That’sdespitethelegislationbeforeParliamentstoppingsame-day enrolment.Enrolmentwouldinstead close13daysbeforeanelection.

politicalplayingfieldinhisfavour. Makingitharderforpeopletohave theirsayshowshowoutoftouch ChristopherLuxonreallyis. “Over200,000peoplereliedon enrollingduringearlyvotingoron electiondaylasttimeandheisintentionallymakingitharderforthemto vote.”

However,“withoutchange”,the officialssaid,thegrowthinspecial votesandatrendoflaterenrolments wasexpectedtocontinue.

LeQuesneexplained20days wouldstillbeneeded,inpartbecause thecommissionwasforecasting about700,000specialvotesatthe nextelectionthatwouldneedintegritychecks.Anyoneenrolling betweenWritDayandthe13-daycutoffwouldbeaspecialvote.

Labour’sDuncanWebb questionedwhatthepointofthelegislationwasiftheElectoralCommissionwasn’tforecastingitscount wouldspeedupasaresult.LeQuesne respondedbysayingthecommission hadn’trecommendedthechange.

Webbtoldthe Herald thedecision toprogressthelegislationwasmade knowingitwouldn’tspeedupvote counting. “Luxonisintentionallytiltingthe

Webbcalledforthechangestobe dismissed.

JusticeMinisterPaulGoldsmith, whenannouncingthechangeinJuly, saidthelegislationwasintendedtoreducestrainonthesystemandwarned thatifnoactionwastaken,itcould takelongerthan20daysinthefuture.

TheRegulatoryImpactStatement onthepolicysaysGoldsmithhad“expressedanexpectationthatthevote countshouldbeabletobecompleted within14daysofelectiondayforthe 2026generalelection”.Thishadbeen thelengthbefore2020. Officialswarneditwas“uncertain”whetheranychangescouldreducethetimeframedownto14days “withoutcompromisingtheaccuracy oftheresults”.

“Thesetrendshavealreadyledto theofficialresultsbeingreleasedlater thaninpreviouselections.Iftheyare notaddressed,thenthecurrent timeframesfortheofficialcountmay eventuallybecomeunachievableand requirefurtherextension.”

Goldsmith,aftertheElectoral Commission’scomments,saidadvice clearlystatedoneoftheprimary reasonsforthevotecountperiod extendingfromtwoweekstoalmost threewasbecauseofthe“massiveincreaseinspecialvotes”.

“Withoutchanges,[this]could takeevenlonger.Combinedwith otherchangessuchastheintroductionofautomaticenrolment,theGovernment’sexpectationistheElectoralCommissionspeedsupthevote countprocessovertime.

“Ifyouwanttovote,youneedto beenrolled.Peoplehaveaboutayear togetorganised.IhaveeveryconfidenceNewZealanderscanmanage.”

‘Targeton myback’: Stanford hitsback

RachelMaher

EducationMinisterEricaStanfordhas clappedbackatcriticismthatshe’s notateamplayer,callingthe comments“weird”and“rough”. Stanfordsaidbeingnamedasthe top-rankedministerinthe2025Mood oftheBoardroomsurveyputa“giant targetonherback”afteranappraisal regardedherasmorepopularoutside theNationalcaucusthaninside. Insurveyresultsrevealedbythe Herald thisweek,55%ofrespondents ratedStanford’sministerialperformanceas“veryimpressive”,upfrom 37%inlastyear’ssurvey. Commentingonthesurvey, Herald seniorpoliticalcorrespondent AudreyYoungsingledoutStanford forher“superbjob”asEducation Ministerbutnotedshedidnotdelegatewell,resultinginhernotbeing popularamongfellowministers. Shesaidtherewasa“worldofdifference”betweenagoodEducation Ministerandgoodleader,and Stanfordwasnotateamplayer. Stanfordrespondedtotheclaims duringapanelwithLabour’sWillie Jacksonyesterday,telling Herald NOW’sMichaelMorrahthatYoung’s commentswere“weird”. “Well,I’mtheMinisterofEducation.HowwouldIdelegateresponsibilitiestomycaucuscolleagues?I mean,it’sabitofaweirdthingtosay.” Shesaidsheunderstandsthere wasnowa“gianttargetonherback” butherfocuswasonwhatshewas “passionate”about.

“Thisiswhathappens,right?The gianttargetisnowpaintedonmy backandIseeAudrey’sgonestraight inforit.

“It’sabitrough.”

Sherepeatedcommentsaboutnot gunningforthePrimeMinister’sjob eventhoughshewasrankedbybusinessleadersasthemostpopularminister,commendingleaderChristopherLuxononhiswork.

“CanIjustsay,ifitwasn’tforhim,I wouldn’tbeassuccessfulasIam.He hasputmeonanextremelylong leash. “Hebacksme100%.Whatyou don’tseebehindthescenesistheincrediblesupportthathegivesmeand alloftheotherministerstodoourjob successfully.” Thesurveyleftscathingreviewsof National’sleaders,includingLuxon andFinanceMinisterNicolaWillis, whofailedtomakethetop10.

Second-rankedWinstonPeters’ workasForeignAffairsMinisterwas rated“veryimpressive”by23%. OtherCabinetMinisterswhosework wasseenas“veryimpressive”included:InfrastructureMinisterChris Bishop(18%),TradeMinisterTodd McClay(21%),HealthMinisterSimeon Brown(15%),MarkMitchell(12%),DefenceMinisterJudithCollins(11%)and RegionalDevelopmentMinister ShaneJones(12%).

ActleaderDavidSeymour,at 3.18/5,satjustoutsidethetop10 ministers.

‘Shouldhaveknownbetter’:Copwinsdrink-drivingconvictionappeal > FromA3

embarkeduponlightlyintermsofhis decisiontohaveameaningfulcareer inpolice.

“Hehasfronteduptohisresponsibilitiesinregardstohisoffending.” Hewasco-operativewiththe officersonthenightanddidn’ttryto “dissuade”theminanyway.

“Hepleadedguiltydespitethefact thattherewasapotentialtechnical defence,buthewantedtotakeresponsibilityforhisactions.”

Nabneyalsoproducedanaffidavit fromanexpertnon-swornpolicewitnessabouttheramificationsofaconviction,inwhichitstateditwould havea“materialdifference”.

Therewerealsootherconsequences,givenhewasstillyoung,for otheremploymentifhedidlosehis job.

“IcanassurethecourtthatMr Rickard-Simmshaslearntaverysignificantlessonfromwhathashappenedtohim,andifhe’sgranteda dischargewithoutconviction.

“Icanjustaboutcategoricallyassurethecourtthathewon’tbein courtagain,inthisrole,butmaybein adifferentone[asanofficer].”

CrownprosecutorKrisBucher,of Rotorua,saidtherewas“reallyno mitigation”.

“Hehadbeendrinkingand wantedtogoandgetsomefood.

“Soit’snotacaseasiftherewas somethingrequiringhimtodriveon theeveninginquestion.

“Itisseriousoffending.”

Buchersaid,irrespectiveofthe

outcomeoftheappeal,RickardSimmswould“stillneedtorunthe gauntletwithhisemployer”.

“Itistheconsequencesoftheoffending,ratherthantheconsequencesofaconviction,whichwill applyforMrRickard-Simmsinthis case.”

Hesaidthereneededtobesome cautionthatthecourtdidn’t“usurp thefunctionoftheinternaldisciplinaryprocessofNewZealandPolice”.

However,JudgeAnnaSkellern categorisedhisoffendingatthe

“lowestendofmoderate”,addinghis breathalcohollevelwasnothigh,nor wasthereanydriverfault.

“Henotedtopolicethathehad stoppeddrinkingforaperioduntilhe thoughthewasabletodrive,before hethendrove.

“Heisremorsefulandhasno previoushistoryofoffending,”she said. Rickard-Simmswasassessedas “excellent”inhismostrecentannual performancereviewandbeforebecomingapolicemanhewasinthe

army.JudgeSkellernfoundtherewas arealandappreciableriskhecould losehisjob,sosheagreedtogranthis appeal.

“Thisisnotamatterofthecourt attemptingtousurptheprocessofthe NewZealandPoliceinanyway.Iam satisfiedthatthedirectandindirect consequencesofaconvictionwould beoutofallproportiontothegravity oftheoffending.”

SheorderedRickard-Simms,who wasemotionalattimes,topay$500 toadefensivedrivingorganisation.

Inastatement,BayofPlentyActingDistrictCommanderLewWarner saidasthematterwassubjecttoan ongoingemploymentinvestigation, “itwouldbeinappropriateforpolice tocommentfurtheratthistime”.

Newsalerecord hitinRemuera

Realestateagents expectthearound $40mbuywilllead tobiggersales

hehadnotrespondedatthetimeofpublication.Theagencyinvolvedintheoffmarketdealdeclinedtocomment.

ArneyRd,in Auckland’s Remuera,isoneof NewZealand’s wealthieststreets andishometothe city’smost expensivehome. Below,Ross Hawkins Photos/ ChrisTarpey, CatherineSmith

AsprawlingestateononeofNewZealand’s wealthieststreetshasbrokenAuckland’s housepricerecord,sellingforcirca$40 million,OneRoofcanreveal. TheprestigepropertyonArneyRd,in Remuera,wassnappedupbyamystery buyerearlierthisyear. Prestigeagentsbelievetherecordsale willleadtobiggerdeals,tellingOneRoofthat $40mwasthenew$20mattheupperendof themarket.

Thesalepricesurpassesthe$38.5m ChinesebusinessmanStoneShipaidin2013 fortheOra¯keimansionbuiltbyfailed financierMarkHotchin.

However,it’sseveralmillionoffthe nationwidehousepricerecordof$45.5m, setbyQueenstown’sChanteclerestatein 2023. TheArneyRdpropertywasboughtby thevendorin2000for$6.75m.The Herald reportedatthetimethathewasaNewZealanderwhohadbeenworkinginthecomputerindustryinCalifornia. OneRoofreachedouttothevendor,but

The1ha-plusproperty,thelargeston ArneyRd,overlookstheharbourandboasts anearly1000sqmhousewithfive bedroomsandgaragingforfourcarsaswell asatenniscourtandswimmingpool.The lavishlylandscapedgroundsarearranged inBalinese-stylepavilionsandgardens.

Theestate,formerlyknownasWoodville,wasonceownedbyHughWright, founderofthemenswearchain.TheWright familyrenovatedthemainVictorianhouse, builtinthe1850s,replacedthestableswith amoderngarage,andupgradedacottage forstaffaccommodation.

Thepropertywasalsobrieflyownedby entrepreneurDianeForemanandherlate husbandBillForeman.

Thecoupleboughttheestatein1998for $6.5mwiththeintentionofbuildingaretirementvillagethere,butafterneighbourhood objections,theysoldupin2000.

Theoriginalhousewasrelocatedto SouthHead,Kaipara,inthemid-2000sand replacedwiththecurrentmansion.

OneRoofcanvassedAuckland’stop agentsfortheirreactionstothesale.Allreactedpositivelyandbelievedmorerecords wouldtumbleasaresultoftheGovernment’sdecisiontoloosenNewZealand’s foreignbuyerrules.

Barfoot&ThompsonagentPaul Neshausensaidasalethissizehadcomeat therighttime.“Youjustneedoneofthese bigboysalestosetthesceneandstartthe stampede.It’sgoingtostimulatethemar-

ket.Typically,ifyougetonebigsale,there’ll betwoorthreemorethatfollow.Peoplego, ‘Well,themarketmustbegood,itmustbe takingoff’.”

Neshausensaidheknewofseveralbig propertieswortharound$20mthatwere likelytocometomarketinthecoming months,andseveralotherslookingforoffmarketdeals.

Headded:“$40misthenew$20m. Twentyyearsago,$20mwasunheardofin NewZealand,but$20mnolongergetsyou thedearesthouseonthestreetanymore.”

RayWhiteagentRossHawkinsagreed thatmorebigsaleswouldfollow.

“Ifyou’respendingin poundsorUSdollars,then NewZealandseemscheap comparedtoothercountries.I thinkasalelikethiswilldefinitely feedthroughintothehigherend,” hetoldOneRoof.

Henotedthatthesalewouldset expectationsfortheupper,upperendof themarket.“If$40misthemagicnumber, onceitiscracked,thenIsupposeoverseas peopleorexpatswillwanttoknowwhat elseisforsaleatthatlevel.Itsetsabenchmark.

“Itwon’tbearush,butitgivesbuyers

confidencetopaythosesorts offigures.Allyouhavetodois lookatSydneyandthenumbers peoplepaythere.Thenext benchmarktocrackwillbe$50m. Bringiton.” BayleysagentSarahLiusaidthatthere wereoverseasbuyersouttherewith$35mto $40mbudgets.“Ihavethebuyers,butthere arenotmanypropertiesonthemarketat thatlevel.Idon’tdodoor-knocking,but sometimesyouhaveacontactwithahouse theymightwanttosell,someat$40m.You needtomatchthemtoyourbuyerstogeta goodmarriage.”

‘Unlikelytosurrender’:

Policedetailrisks duringPhillipsmanhunt

PolicesayfugitivedadTomPhillipswasunlikelytosurrendereasilyandwasprepared toputhisthreechildreninharm’sway.

Theysaythefamilywasdetectedatvarioustimesoverthelastfouryears,butnever incircumstanceswherepolicecouldsafely intervene.

PoliceyesterdaymorningreleasedfurtherdetailsabouttheMarokopamanhunt astheycontinuetohuntforPhillips’ accomplices.

“ThevastareainwhichPhillipskeptthe childrenisdifficult,steepterrainalmost completelyobscuredfromallanglesby densebush,”saidDetectiveSuperintendent RossMcKay.

“Policeneverstoppedtrying—thousandsofhourswerededicatedtothesearch.

“Intelligenceplayedanimportantrolein informingdecisionsandplanningforpossibleoutcomes.

“WeknewPhillipshadfirearmsandwas motivatedtousethem.

“Wealsoknew,basedonprevious actionsandbehaviouralscienceanalysis, thatPhillipswasunlikelytosurrendereasily andwaspreparedtoputthechildrenin harm’sway.

“Theprimaryobjectivewaslocatingand returningthechildrensafely.”

Thefamilyregularlymovedaroundand adaptedtheirbehaviour,meaningnosites werefound.

“Theyweredetectedintransitonoccasionbutneverincircumstancesthatallowedpolicetosafelyintervene.”

McKaysaiddrones,suppliedandoperatedbyAirbus,flewfor111hoursovera periodoftwoweeksinAprilthisyear.

“Atvarioustimesduringtheoperation, policespecialistunitssuchasSpecialTacticsGroup,ArmedOffendersSquad,Search andRescueandTacticalOperationsGroup, wereused.

“TherewasalsosupportfromtheNew ZealandDefenceForce,withhelicopterand groundassets.

“Otherresourcesincludedgeospatial imagery,thermalimagery,coverttechnologysuchasmotion-activatedcameras,and AirbusFlexrotordrones.”

Hesaidthefocusoftheinvestigation, whichwasneverfullyreleasedtothepublic, wastofindacampsiteorasupplyroute.

Hesaiditwasalwaysexpectedthatthere wouldbemultiplecampsites.

Hesaidbecausethehunt,dubbedOperationCurly,hasnowconcluded,police wouldnotbereleasinganymoredetails aheadofthesubsequentandongoing investigationsandreviews.

“Ihopetheinformationreleasedtoday providessomereassuranceaboutthe lengthspoliceanditspartneragencieswent toinordertoresolvethiscomplexsituation, aswellassomeclarityonthedifficulties facedinachievingthatsafely.”

Phillipswaskilledinanearlymorning shootoutwithpoliceonTeAngaRd,westof WaitomoCaves,earlyonSeptember8.

Thefugitivefathershotatapoliceofficer whoconfrontedhimafterhisquadbike crashedwhenitwasspikedonaruralroad. Policewerealertedtoanight-timetheft fromruralsupplystorePGGWrightsonsin Piopio. Phillips’eldestchildwaswithhim,and hisothertwochildrenwerefoundlaterthat dayatacampsiteinwesternWaikato.

Thepolicemanwhowasshotsuffered seriousinjuriestohisheadandshoulder andwaslaterflowntohospital,wherehe receivedtreatmentand,later,visitsfrom boththePoliceMinisterandthePoliceCommissioner. McKaysaidtheofficerisoutofhospital andhisrecoveryisprogressing.

Hesaidtheyarealsocontinuingtohunt fortheaccomplicestheyalwaysbelieved Phillipshad,andarefollowing“stronglines ofinquiry”. Meanwhile,keydetailsinthecasecannotbereportedyetasmedialawyerscontinuetofightforaninjunctiontobelifted. ThematterreturnedtotheHighCourtat Wellingtonlastweekforpartiestoargue overwhetheraninjunctionshouldbein place.

ItwasinitiallygrantedonMondayeveninglastweekafterlawyerLindaClarkmade anurgentoralapplicationonbehalfofTom Phillips’mother,JuliaPhillips.

Theorderblockedmajormediaorganisations,policeandOrangaTamarikifrom sharingcertaininformationaboutthematter. Phillipsmadesporadicappearances acrosswesternWaikatooverhisfouryears ontherun. Mostwererelatedtocrime.

ThefirstoccurredinMay2023,when PhillipsrobbedabankandshotatasupermarketworkerinTeKu¯itibeforeheandan unidentifiedpersonescapedonamotorcycle,promptingpolicetolayseveral chargesandissueawarrantforPhillips’arrest. Threemonthslater,Phillipswasseen wearingafacemask,hatandglasses,shoppingatBunningsWarehousestoresinHamilton,beforedrivingsouthofTeAwamutu andeventuallygettingintoafightinKa¯whia withtheownerofautehe’dpinched.

Wealsoknew,basedon previousactionsand behaviouralscience analysis,thatPhillipswas unlikelytosurrendereasily andwaspreparedtoputthe childreninharm’sway. DetectiveSuperintendentRoss McKay

InNovemberthatyear,Phillipslandedin theheadlinesagainwhenheallegedlystole aquadbikefromaruralWaikatoproperty and—underthecoverofdarkness—broke intoaPiopioshopwithoneofhiskids. Elevenmonthslater,teenagepig huntersfilmedanarmedPhillipsandhis kids,cladincamouflageclothing,walking intheremoteMarokopafarmland.

Thelastsightingcamejust12daysbefore Phillips’fatalconfrontationwithpolice, whenthefugitiveandachildwerecaptured overnightonCCTVbreakingintoaPiopio superette.

DetectiveSeniorSergeantAndy Saundershadtoldmedianooneshould underestimatePhillips’ruthlessness. “Tomwillposearisktoanyonethattries tostopthewayhe’slivinghislifestylewith hischildren,”saidSaunders,whoheaded thehunt. Afterhisdisappearance,someofthe children’srelativesrespondedbyofferinga $10,000rewardforinformationleadingto theirsafereturn. OtorohangamayorMaxBaxteralsorepeatedlycalledforPhillipstohandthe youngstersover.InJunelastyear,police offeredan$80,000rewardforinformation leadingtothesafereturnofthechildren, withoutsuccess. Thekids’mumCatherine(Cat)Christey alsomadeapleatoPhillips,callinghima “criminal”usingtheirchildrenas“pawnsin hisgame”. “Theyshouldn’thavetobeworrying aboutwherethey’regoingtosleepthat nightorwhetherthey’regoingtobewarm ...theydeservebetter.” Staffreporter

Ahistoryof violenceand apenchant forfire

EsaronaLologa,50,wasfoundguiltyyesterdayonfivecountsofmurderandonecountofarsonforthedeadlyLoafersLodgehostelfireinWellington.

MelissaNightingale

LoafersLodge murderer unmasked: EsaronaLologa foundguilty offivemurders andarson

Themanwhomurderedfive peopleinaboardinghouse blazehasaviolentcriminal historyandapenchantfor fire.

EsaronaLologa,50,canbenamed afterbeingfoundguiltyonfivecounts ofmurderandonecountofarsonfor thedeadlyLoafersLodgehostelfirein Wellington.

Whilethejuryinhistrialinthe HighCourtatWellingtonknewhehad 50previousconvictions,including oneforseriousviolentoffending,its membersdidnotknowhehadonce beenconvictedofattemptingtomurderateenager.

Accordingtocourtdocuments, LologahadbeendrinkinginOctober 2009,consumingabout18cansof Cody’sandWoodstockpremixedalcoholicdrinks,beforethedangerous attack.

The19-year-oldvictimhadthreatenedtopunchLologa,thinkinghe hadhurthismother.

“Youwalkedtoyourvehicleand collectedasharpenedmachete.Its bladewasaround45cmlong,”the judgesaidinthesentencingdecision. “Youattackedthecomplainant, yellingthatyouweregoingtokillhim. Youattemptedtostrikehimand missedseveraltimes.Yousucceeded

indeliveringtwoheavyblowswith themachete.”

Oneoftheblowsstrucktheteen’s handashetriedtoshieldhishead, severingseveraltendons.Theother hitstrucktheboy’shead,inflictinga deep,13cm-longwoundand fracturinghisskull. Theattackendedonlywhen neighboursintervenedanddisarmed Lologa,wholatertoldpolice:“Iwant tokillhim.I’mnotadangerousperson,butIwanttokillhim.I’mgoingto killhimwhenIcomeback.I’mnotgoingtojail.”

Lologawas35atthetime.HeinitiallylivedinWellington,butwas takentoWesternSamoawhenhewas veryyoung.

Thejudgeinhisearliercasesaidhe hada“fearful,unhappychildhood” andwasbeatenbystrictfamilymembers.

HesentencedLologaatthattime tosixyearsofprison,withaminimum non-paroleperiodofthreeyears.

PartsofLologa’sviolentpastwere traversedinfrontoftheLoafersjury, includingapreviousconvictionfor attemptedarson,whichhappened whenhewasangryaboutbeing kickedoutofahotel.

Lologahadalsotoldpsychiatrists itwashisjobtoburnrubbishbackin Samoa,andthatheenjoyedlighting fires.

ThejuryalsoheardextensiveevidenceaboutLologa’smentalhealth history,includingthathe’dbeen hospitalisedninetimesforrelapsesin hisparanoidschizophrenia.

Akeydetailinthecasewasthathe hadabscondedfromamentalhealth facilityinAucklandjustafewweeks beforelightingthefatalfireinWellington. Duringhistrial,Crownprosecutor StephanieBishopreadouttheacceptedfactsrelatingtoLologa’sclinicalhistory,whichpaintedagrimpictureofamanhauntedbypersecutory delusionsandconstantfearsthat peoplewerepoisoningortampering withhisfood.

BishopsaidLologahadanestablisheddiagnosisofparanoidschizophreniathatgenerallyremained

Iwanttokill him.I’mnota dangerous person,butI wanttokillhim. EsaronaLologa

Staffingshortfallsexposedascoroner probesdeadlyfallincrowdedED

TaraShaskey OpenJustice

LeonardCollett,knownasLenor Lenny,inhisearlieryears. LeonardCollettwasapopularpublican,afamilyman,andastraightshooterwithagreatsenseofhumour.

Whilehislovedonescontinueto honourthememoryofCollett,known asLenorLenny,withtalesofalife well-lived,hisdeathhasalsobecome asignificantchapter. “Iwanttomakesurethatwhat happenedtoLenneverhappens againtoapatient,”hiswife,Vicky, saidinastatementthisweekataninquestintohisdeath. CoronerIanTelford,whodescribedthecircumstancesofCollett’s deathas“extremelytraumatic”,has alreadyconcludedthatitwaspreventable.HesaidVicky’spoint“hit thenailonthehead”. CollettdiedinJuly2020,aged78. Hewassufferingfromshortnessof breathandwastakentoTaranaki BaseHospital’sEmergencyDepartment(ED)byambulance. Whilewaitingtobetransferredto award,hewasseenstrugglingtoget backintobedaftervisitingthetoilet unassisted. Anursewenttogethima wheelchair.Hewasthenseensitting attheendofthebed. Shortlyafter,hefellandwasfound onthefloor.Itwasimmediately assessedthathewasinacriticalconditionfromthefall,andhediedsoon afterwards. Whilethecoronerhasalready draftedhisfindings,heheldtheinquestintheNewPlymouthDistrict CourtonThursdaytohelpin formulatinghisrecommendationsto preventfuturedeathsinsimilar circumstances.

Collett,whoalsohadanaemia,a recordeddropinbloodpressureand ahistoryofatrialfibrillation,wasata highriskoffalling,thecoroner’scourt heard. However,itwasbelievedthatthis riskwasnotassessedwhileCollett wasinED.

Theinquest,whichwasinitiallyset downfortwodaysbutconcludedin one,examinedHealthNewZealand (HNZ)Taranaki’sfallsriskassessment ofpatients,fallsprevention measures,staffcommunication, documentation,andauditingprocesses.

Inevidence,ClaudiaMatthews, HNZTaranaki’sserviceleadformedicalandacuteservices,saidafallsrisk assessmentwasanursingduty.However,sheconcededthatfallspreventionwasasharedresponsibility amongEDstaff.

Sheacknowledgedthatseveral issuescameintoplayinCollett’scare. TheyincludedEDbeingconsistentlyovercapacity,leavingpatients inwaitingroomsanddoornooks,and makingitdifficultfornursestosee theirpatients.

MatthewssaidtheEDcurrently operatedwith15fewerfulltime equivalentstaffthanitshouldhave had.

BusinesscaseshadbeensubmittedtoHNZ,butithadnotreceivedany fundingforrecruitment.

“Sowecontinuetorunshiftsinthe emergencydepartmentwithexcess presentationandstillhavebaseline staffingthatwehadin2020whenthis happenedwithLen,”Matthewssaid. “We’vehadnoincreaseinstaffing sincethen,whichcontinuestobe problematicwhenwe’recaringforan over-capacitiedemergencyroom.”

OntheeveningCollettwasinED, therewere32patients,despitethedepartmenthavingonlyenough cubiclestotreat23,shesaid.

Often,theEDtreatedmorethan 40patientsatonetime.

Shesaidauditsofcompliancewith thefallsriskdocumentationusedto happenregularly.

However,becauseofstaff constraints,therewerenownoclinicalstaffdesignatedtoundertakedepartmentalaudits.

In2022,anauditshowedthatonly 18%ofnursingstaffcompletedfall riskassessments.

Matthewssaidthestaffingissues meantnursesprioritiseddirect patientcareoverpaperwork.

AddressingVickyCollettdirectly, sheextendedhercondolencesonbehalfofHNZTaranaki.

Shesaidshewantedtoensurethe circumstancesinwhichCollettdied neverhappenedagain.

“I’veheardsomegreatstories aboutLen,”Matthewssaid.

“Asyouknow,Taranakiisasmall town.I’veheardhe’sdrivensome greatcarsandthrownpeopleoutof tavernswithonehand.Hedoessound likeagreatman.”

VickyCollett’sstatementspokeof thepairhavingbeenmarriedfor39 years,describing“awonderful,lovely lifetogether”.

In1974,thecouplewentintothe publicanbusinessinNewPlymouth together.

TheystartedtheBreakwaterTavern,beforelatertakingoverthe Nga¯motuTavern,andeventuallythe Ra¯hotuTavern.

Vickysaidherhusband,afatherof four,waswell-likedandrespectedby everyone.

“Hewassociablebutastraighttalker.Hetreatedeveryonethesame, regardlessoftheirbackground.”

Thecoupleretiredfromthepublicanbusinessabout20yearsagoand movedtoSouthTaranaki.

LenCollett,whomovedonto otherwork,retiredat67becauseof healthproblems,shesaid.

“Lendidn’tlikegoingtothedoctor’sbecauseheneverwantedtobea problemtoanyone.Heneverwanted toputanyoneoutwithhiscareorto bedisruptive.

“Fromthisinquest,Iwanttomake surethatwhathappenedtoLennever happensagaintoapatient.”

CoronerTelfordwillreleasehis findingsatalaterdate.

● OpenJustice,anNZMEinitiative fundedwiththehelpofNZonAir.

symptomaticevenwhenhewasfully medicated.

Hisfirsthospitalisationforhisillnesswaswhenhewas24yearsold, andhewashearingvoicesswearingat him.Heassaultedthepersonhe believedwasresponsible. Anassessmentafterhisattempted murderincidentfoundthevoiceshe heardwerenotinfluencinghis decisionsandwerenotlinkedtohis offendingatthattime.

InthemonthbeforetheLoafers Lodgefire,hespentmuchofhistime inhospital.HewasadmittedinJanuary2023,havingregularlybeen drinkingalcoholandconsuming drugs. Lologawasadmittedagainin March2023andreportedhearing oceanwavesand“smellingevilonthe ward”,Bishopsaid. Hismentalstateimprovedwith treatmenttothepointthathewas nearlyreadytobedischarged.However,heabscondedduringaperiodof unescortedleavebeforethattime came.

ThefirewaslitonMay15and16 thatyear,afterhe’dbeenlivingat LoafersLodgeforaboutaweek.

Someofthepsychiatristsgave theiropinionthatLologashowed signsofantisocialpersonalitydisorder,whichisalsoknownassociopathy,andthatsomeofthebehaviours

heshowedaroundthetimeofthefires couldbesymptomsofhispersonality ratherthanhisschizophrenia. Familymembersofthefivefire victims—MikeWahrlich,Liam Hockings,PeterO’Sullivan,Melvin ParunandKennethBarnard—aswell asformerresidentsofLoafersLodge sharedhugsandtearsafterthe verdictswerereadoutyesterday. Somehavesatforfiveweeksin court,listeningtotheevidence,includingheartbreakingaudioof111 callsfrompeopletrappedinthe building. Lologaclaimedadefenceofinsanityattrial,butfiveoutofsixforensicpsychiatristsgaveevidencethey didnotthinkhewasinsaneatthetime oftheoffending. Hetoldexpertshehadbeen overwhelmedbyvoicescommanding himtolightthefires,butsomeexpertsnotedhehadneverbeforereportedbeingcommandedbyvoices, andhisbehaviourclosertothetime ofthefireswasnotsevereenoughfor himtobeconsideredseriouslypsychotic.

Jurymemberswereaskedtoconsiderwhethertheybelievedhewas notguiltybywayofinsanity,andif not,whethertheythoughthefullyappreciatedpeoplecouldhavedied whenhelitthefires.Hewillbe sentencedinNovember.

Tereo courses likelyto become optional

JosephLos’e

TheUniversityofAuckland’scontroversialTreatyofWaitangiandteao Ma¯oricoursesareunlikelytoremain compulsoryafternegativefeedback fromstaffandstudents,andcriticism frompoliticians. TheuniversitysenatehasrecommendedthatWaipapaTaumataRau (WTR)coursesbecomeanoptional choice,ratherthanacorerequirement.

Thecoursesweremadecompulsoryforallfirst-yearstudentsthis year.Thebackdowncomesafterjust onecompletedsemester.

InMarch,ActleaderDavid Seymourcalledontheuniversityto scrapthecompulsorycourses,describingthemas“aperversionofacademicfreedom”and“aformofindoctrination”.

“Theuniversityhasbeen reviewingthefeedbackaboutthe WaipapaTaumataRaucourses,” AucklandUniversityvice-chancellor DawnFreshwaterpostedonlineon September12.

“Whilestudentshavefoundthe coursesvaluable,theyhavealso indicatedwhereimprovementscould bemadeandtoldustheywouldlike greaterflexibilityinhowWTRfits withintheirprogrammeofstudy,” shewrote.“Aswedowithallcourses, weaimtousestaffandstudent feedbacktostrengthenhowtheyare delivered.”

Thisclasshasbeenthe biggestwasteofmy time,Ilearntmoreinmy Year4class. Onlinecomment

AttheSeptember15meetingofthe university’ssenate,itwasvotedtorecommendthattheWTRcoursesbecomeanoptionalchoiceformost programmes,ratherthanacorerequirement.

TheWaipapaTaumataRau coursesaredesignedtoprovide foundationalskillsandknowledge, includinganunderstandingofthe TreatyofWaitangiandotherelementsofteaoMa¯ori(theMa¯ori world).

Notallstudentsweresoldonits educationalvalue,orthecost. Commentsonlineincluded:“From whatI’mseeing,youeitherpayfor thiscourseorsomeother.Youcandebatewhetheranotherelectiveor transdisciplinarywouldbemoreusefulthanWTR.”

Anothersaid:“Thisclassisliterallyprimaryschool-levelcontent.I lovetheideaofacompulsoryclasson TeTiriti,butobviouslytheyfailedat it.Thisclasshasbeenthebiggest wasteofmytime,Ilearntmoreinmy Year4class.”

Somestudentssaidthecourse costs—between$900and$1200— werehighandthecourseshadlittle relevancetotheirstudiescompared toothergeneraleducationcourses. Themajorityofcommentswere negativebutnotracist. Act’stertiaryeducation spokeswoman,DrParmjeetParmar, saidinMarchthatinternational studentswerebeingforcedtopay thousandsofdollarsforacoursewith littlerelevancetotheirfuturecareers.

Lotto’s$70m techtohelp spotrisky gambling

Gamingstaffwillpersonally contact‘high-risk’punters

NeilReid

Lottobossessaytheirnewtechnology willidentifyhigh-riskplayers,and staffwillcontactthempersonallyto discussgamblingharmandoffer help.

It’spartofamassivetechnology overhaulthat’scostingLottoNZabout $70millionandthatthecompanyhas describedasa“onceinageneration” upgrade.

It’sreplacingasystemwhichin somepartsisalmost20yearsold.

LottochiefexecutiveJason Delamoretoldthe Herald theoverhaulwillreplaceterminalsinevery outlet,producenew-lookticketsand helpitdetectplayerswithdangerous playinghabits,usinganewdigital tool.

Dramaticchangesinspending habitsorsuddenincreasesinthe numbersofticketspurchasedeach weekforLottoNZgamesPowerball, StrikeFour,Keno,InstantKiwiand Strikewillbenoted,andactedupon.

Customersidentifiedcouldface “interventions”includingemailsor phonecallsfromLottoHQ.

Theemailsandphonecallswill offertheminformationaboutSafer GamblingAotearoa,whichprovides helptothoseworriedabouttheir own,orotherpeople’sgambling.

DelamoresaidLottoNZ’sharm frameworkincludedthreeaspects: prevention,detection—andintervention.

“We’vegotaglobal-leadingtoolin thedetectionareathatcandetect potentiallydangerousplay,”hetold the Herald

“Itwillhighlight...achangein behaviour,andthat’ssomethingwe canthenkeepaneyeon.

“Ifsomeoneentersintothehighriskzone,thenwecanhaveaninterventionwherewemightsendtheman emailorgivethemacallandjust

makesureeverything’sokay.”

DelamoresaiditwasLottoNZ’sjob todetectand“referpeopletoanyparticularhelp”overpotentiallydamaginggamblinghabits.

Hetoldthe Herald heisexpecting thistohappentoa“verysmall”numberofcustomers.

“LottoNewZealandisastandout globallyforourharmminimisation,” Delamoresaid.“We’vealwaysgotour eyeonharmminimisation.”

ChangestoLotto’sspendinglimit willalsohelp,hesaid.

Thatchange,onSeptember29, willseea“seven-dayrollinglimit”of $150maximumspendonticketsfor allofLottoNZ’sgames.

Previously,onlinepunterscould spendamaximumof$150—including atopspendof$50onInstantKiwi tickets—acrossaweek.

Inastatement,theofficeofthe PrivacyCommissionertoldthe Herald itwasimperativeLottoNZ madeitcleartoitscustomerstheyit mayusepersonalinformationtocontactthem“wheretheybelievethe userisexhibitingproblemgambling traits”.

“Ensuringaccuratecontactinformationwillbeessentialtotheprivacyprotectionsoftheproposedtool,” itsaid.

“Therearepotentialharmsof usinginaccuratecontactinformation leadingtoapersonbeingmisidentifiedwhomaynotbeexperiencing problemgambling.”

Undertheheading“Responsible Gambling”onLottoNZ’saccount creationpageitexplainshowitmay usepersonalinformationtoensure responsiblegameplay.

LottoisNewZealand’sbiggestretailnetwork,with1140retailoutlets.

Thetechnologyupgradealso includesreplacingallterminalsand trainingmorethan10,000staffin howtousethem.

Dramadirectorkeepstheatrepassionaliveat87

At87yearsold,June Renwickstilllivesand breathestheatrejoy.

Photo/MichaelCraig

MitchellHageman

“Iamslightlymad,Ithink.Butit’s goodtobemadat87,”June Renwicksays.

Thehomeeconomicswhiz, cookingqueenandformerhockey playerhasdippedherfingerinto plentyofpiesovertheyears,but nothingbeatsthejoyofseeingthe castshe’sdirecteddiscovertheir potentialonstage.

TheSelwynCollegedrama classroomwe’resittinginisfilledto thebrimwithcostumesfor Renwick’slatestshow MammaMia, andit’semittingadistinctmusky smellthatanyformerhighschool dramastudentwouldremember. Butit’sinroomslikethiswhereshe haswitnessedplentyof“lightbulb” moments.

“Beingabletocreateimagesand bringpeopletogether,andtosee howgoodpeoplefeelabout themselveswhenthey’vedoneit. That’swhatreallygetstome,”she says.

Onethingthatbecomesvery clear,veryquicklyisthatRenwick

livesandbreathesherwork.She’s directedandproducedshowsfor SelwynCommunityArtsTheatre sinceitbeganin2005andspent morethan20yearsasSelwyn College’sheadofdrama,buther passionfortheartsstartedlong beforethat.

“Fromage4,Iwaslearning dancingandsingingonthetown hallstage,”shesays,recallingfond memoriesofperformingDame VeraLynn’s It’saLovelyDay Tomorrow

Herparentsencouragedherto joinalocaloperaticsociety,andshe saysathighschool,“dramawasmy life”.

“Ididn’tcareaboutanything else.”

Having“manystringstoher bow”likehockeytrainingandhome economicsskillsmeanttheworld washeroyster.Shetrainedasa homeeconomicsteacher,andit wasn’tuntilshewas40thatshe

studiedforadramadiploma.

“[Thediploma]wassortofmy secondchance,youknow,todo things.”

HerworktookhertoFiji,where shedirectedshows,includingone performedinHindi.Whenshe returnedtoNewZealand,she committedhertimetoteaching, bothinschoolsandcommunity theatre.

“Ijustlovetheenergyandwhat [students]give,andalsothefact thatwecanbeonthesame wavelength,notasagrannyand kids,butasateacherandyoung kidswhowanttolearn.I’mvery luckytohavebeenabletodothat.

“Ithinktheriseofdramaand musicinschoolshasgivenusthis wonderfulgroupofpeoplewhoare goingforthandcreating,notonlyon stage,butonthetechnicalsideof things,”shesays.

“It’sblossomingandkidshave gotfuturesinthatarea.”

Renwickstillkeepsincontact withpaststudents—theyoften turnuptohershows.Shebelieves it’satestamenttothepowerof communitytheatre.

“Everything’ssortofadisaster aroundus,sotocometothetheatre andbetakenawaybythemagicof theatre,it’sjustwonderful,”she says.

Asforherownpathahead, Renwickisjustasoptimistic.For her,it’snotaboutstrugglingor pushing,butinsteadaboutkeeping thatfeelingandpassionaliveby justdoingwhatshelovesthemost.

“Idon’tthinkaboutbeing87,” shelaughs.“I’mstillgoingtodo things.IsaytomyfamilythatifI everwriteabook,itwillbecalled ‘justdoit.’Youjustdoitandkeepon doingit.”

Atestamenttoherpassion— andperhapspersuasion— Renwicksaysshe’sconvinced 90-year-oldstogetonstage (althoughsometimestheyhave fallenasleep)andalsoconvinced hercousin’sretirementvillageto helpoutwithartprojectsforshows.

“Ibelieveyoushouldkeepon doingwhatyouloveuntilyoucan’t doitanymore.” Andit’slovethatdictatesthe musicalsthathaveaspecialplace inRenwick’sheart,likeRodgersand Hammerstein’s SouthPacific “Ilovedit,reallybecauseofmy husband.Whenwewentoverseas, I’dlosehim,andthenhewouldbe whistling SomeEnchantedEvening andbecauseofthatI’dfindhim again.” Nextdoor,drillsandhammers poundawayattheGreekIslandPier beingbuilttotransportaudiences fromSelwynTheatretotheworld of MammaMia.Magicinthe making,nodoubt.AndRenwickis alreadythinkingofawaytorope newpeopleintoperforminginher nextshow. “Itwillbegreat—youmight evenbeinit.”

‘Weallbelievethatthingshappenforareason’

Katikatifamily fined$138kover unconsented buildings,plan shiftto tinyhomes

HannahBartlett OpenJustice

BiancaReidandherfamilybelieve thingshappenforareason.

Andit’sforthatreasonthatthe Katikatifamilyarelookingahead, afteralengthybattlethat’sleftthem withnearly$140,000infinesand havingtoremoveseveralbuildings fromtheirsprawlingBayofPlenty property.

“Wemayaswelldoitcheerfully ...andtakeitassomethingpositive. Weallbelievethatthingshappenfora reason.”

BiancaspoketoNZMEaftershe andherhusbandDhruva,andhisparentsJasonandBhadra,were sentencedthisweekforhaving unconsenteddwellings,activitiesand buildingworkontheirruralblockof land. Thepropertyisscatteredwith sheds,houses,kids’climbingframes andtrampolines,ahalf-built American-stylebarnandanonoperationaltimbermill.

ItishometotheReidsand,upuntil now,atleasttwootherfamilies,andis an“intentionalliving”community, wherechildrenarehomeschooled andpeoplevisittopracticetheir sharedVedicfaith.

Thepropertyhasfiveadditional dwellings,buttheWesternBayof PlentyDistrictPlanallowsforonly onedwellingandoneminordwelling.

TheReidsdefendedthemselves duringtheirtwo-weekjurytrial earlierthisyear,sayingtheyshouldbe abletodowhattheywantwiththeir ownlandandwerecausingnoharm. Butthisweekitwascleartherehas beenwhatthejudgedescribedasa “significantchangeofheart”andthe familyhasnowbegunto“co-operate” withauthoritiestobringtheirpropertyintocompliance. Enforcementordersweremadeat sentencingthatwillseethebuildings removedandsold,ordemolished;it’s understoodtheReidsarenowmaking planstohave“tinyhouses”.

Bianca,speakingonbehalfofthe family,toldthejudgethattheyare comingtotermswiththeupcoming changeattheirproperty.

TheReidfamily(Jason,Dhruva,BiancaandBhadra),picturedhereattrial,spenttwoweeksdefending25chargesrelatedtounconsenteddwellingsandbuildingsontheirruralproperty(inset).

connectionwiththem.

Sheischoosingtoseeitasa“positive”andsaidtheyhadalready obtainedmaterialsfortinyhouses. Their“co-operationwiththe authorities”sawacompromisein termsoftheenforcementorders made.

Theyare“lessonerous”thanwhat wasinitiallyproposedbytheCrown, JudgeKelvinReidsaid,addingthey willneedtobecompliedwithovera “longerperiodoftime”. Theorderswillmeanthateventuallythepropertywillcomplywiththe DistrictPlan,buttheywillhaveuntil themiddleofnextyeartofinishthe work.

AmicuslawyerPeterAttwoodadvisedthecourtthatDhruvaReidwill bea“one-manband”intermsofany disassemblyofthedwellingsandthe constructionoftheplannedtiny homes.

Speakingaftersentencing,Bianca confirmedthatbuildingswerefor sale,andwouldberemovedfromthe property.

Intheirplace,theyplannedto havetinyhomesonwheelswith compostingtoilets,whichdidn’trequireconsents.

Shesaidtheystillfelttheir“wings wereclippedfromthestart”,interms ofhowthecourtprocessplayedout.

However,shefeltitwastheir“destinythatthischangehascomeupon us”.

Inadditiontoenforcementorders, thejudgeneededtodecidewhatpenaltytoimposeforeachfamilymember.

Acrossthefour,theywere convictedon23charges,whichprimarilyrelatedtotheirusingmorethan onedwelling,failingtocomplywith abatementnoticesandnoticestofix,

andoperatingacommercialkitchen inalargebuilding,withoutresource consent.

TheCrownwasnotseekingimprisonment,whichthejudgenoted wouldnothavebeenappropriatein thiscase,sothequestionwaswhether they’dbelandedwithfines,ordered todocommunitywork,orbesubject tocommunitydetention.

Apre-sentencereportindicated thefamilyhada“meagre”abilityto payfines.

However,ontheeveofsentencing, theTaurangaDistrictCourtreceiveda letterfromsomeoneofferingtopay $135,000onbehalfofthefamilyto assistwithfines.

Initially,itappearedthiswouldbe conditionalontherebeingnoother penaltyorenforcementordersto makethepropertycompliant.

However,duringthecourseof

sentencing,Biancaconfirmedit wouldstillbepaidifenforcement ordersweremade.

Thejudgemadeanorderforfines tobepaidwithinsevenworkingdays —ortheReidsmayberesentenced.

Atotalof$138,040infineswas splitintovariousamountsacrossthe fourfamilymembers,toreflecttheir varyinglevelsofculpabilityandpersonalcircumstances. Theywereallgivena30%discount toaccountforthecostoftheenforcementorderstothefamily,whichthe judgesaidwouldbea“majorupheaval”.

TheendfineforBhadraReidwas $32,760;BiancaReidwasfined $27,720;andbothDhruvaandJason Reidwerefined$39,000each. Followingsentencing,Biancasaid theydidn’tknowthebenefactor personally,buthadamutual

Thefamily’spositionwasbest summedupinalettertheysenttothe WesternBayofPlentyDistrictCouncil inFebruary2021,somefouryearsbeforetheyfoundthemselvesarraigned inthedock. “Theneedforfurtherbuilding, whichweseeasourGod-givenright, hasbecomeanecessity. “Asitaffectsonlyourselves,we consideritinappropriateforothersto meddleintheprocess.Itisdifficult enoughforustobuildwithinour meagremeans,andassuch,weconsideritjustifiedthatweproceedaccordingly.”

Essentially,theywantedthecounciltoleavethembe,todowhatthey wantedtodoontheirland. However,BiancaReidsaidthey nowacceptedthejury’sverdict.

“Wemaydisagreewithit,butwe haveshowedpositiveactiontowards complianceinthelastfewmonths,” shetoldJudgeReid.

“AllIcansayistherearegenerous, well-intended,wealthypeoplewho haveheardaboutourcaseandfeel sympathetic.”

Thejudgewasprovidedwith12 characterreferencesforthefamily, whichhesaidspokeofthe“warmth, generosity,andgenuinecaretheyextendtothosearoundthem”.

Hesaiditwas“cleartheyareheld inhighregard”bytheircommunity. However,theCrownsaidany creditforgoodcharacterhadtobe temperedbytheiroffending,which hadtakenplaceoverasignificant periodoftime.

BhadraReidsaid,followingthe trial,thattheproperty“grewwithout aplan”astheyerectedbuildingsto meettheneedsoftheirexpanding family,andotherfamiliestheyallowedtoliveontheirproperty.

JudgeReidacknowledgedtheir compliancewithenforcementorders wouldaffecttheirhomesandpersonallivingarrangementswhich“are importanttothemandtheirfamilies”,andwereconnectedtotheir “personalbeliefsandtheirfaith”. Healsonotedtherewasalackof evidenceofanyenvironmentalharm fromtheiroffending.

Whilethejudgesaiditwasclear duringthetrial,andupuntiltheverdict,thatthefamilypreviouslydidnot thinkthelawappliedtothem,heconsideredthiswas“misguidedrather thanmalicious”.

BiancaReidtoldNZMEtheidea theyhadn’tthoughtthelawappliedto themwasoverstatingtheirposition, andperhapswentabit“toofar”.

Review ‘Unthinkable’acts

Fromagrislydiscoveryina

suitcasedumpedinastorage facility,toaguiltyverdictintheHigh CourtatAuckland, CraigKapitan tellsthestoryofhowachild-killing motherwasbroughttojustice

Afterthreeyearsofdenying responsibilityinvarious forms,itmighthavebeena Minecraft trophythatsealed child-killingmumHakyung“Jasmine” Lee’sfateasaconvicteddoublemurderer.

The$20TripleDipLottoticket didn’thelpeither.

The45-year-oldstartedher AucklandHighCourttrialearlierthis monthwithsilenceandrefusalto makeeyecontactwhenaskedby JusticeGeoffreyVenninghowshe wishedtoplead,despitea2023 courtroomoutburstinwhichshe loudlyproclaimedherinnocence. Thepreviousdenialswereinthe faceofstrongevidenceLeekilledher daughterYunaJo,8,andherlittle brother,MinuJo,6,insidethefamily’s Papatoetoehome,andhidtheir bodiesinsuitcases.

Theywerediscoveredfouryears laterwhenLeestoppedpayingthe billsatastoragefacilitywhereshehad dumpedtheluggagebeforemoving overseasunderanewname.

Butbythestartofthetrial,despite hersilence,shehadsigneda documentacknowledgingshealone wasresponsiblefortheirdeathsand concealedbodies.Instead,her standbylawyerswouldexplain,she wasaskingjurorstofindhernotguilty duetoinsanity.

Toreachsuchaverdict,thesixmanandsix-womanpanelwould havetobeconvincedshewas sufferingadiseaseofthemindso severeshedidn’tunderstandthat whatshewasdoingwasmorally wrongwhenshekilledherchildren.

DefencelawyerLorraineSmith describedherthisweekasa“fragile person”whocouldhaveonly transformedfromadotingmotherto someonewhocouldcommitsuch unspeakableactsbutfortwowords: mentalillness.

“Thiswasahappylittlefamilyand JasminelovedMinuandYuna,but thenherhusbandgotillanddiedand shebeganherdescentintoaliving hell,”Smithsaid.

Butthe Minecraft trophy,among otherevidenceliketheLottoticket, createdatimelinethatprosecutors saidshowedtheopposite—“acold calculation...showingruthless rationalityofaction”.

“Itwasaselfishacttofreeherself fromtheburdenofparentingalone,” CrownSolicitorNatalieWalkertold jurors.

“Itwasnotthealtruisticactofa motherwhohadlosthermindand believeditwasthemorallyrightthing todo,itwastheopposite.

“MsLeedeliberatelyandinsound mindmurderedMinuandYuna.”

JurorsclearlypreferredtheCrown narrative,findingLeeguiltyofboth children’smurdersthisweek,after justunder3.5hoursofdeliberations.

JusticeVenninghasseta sentencingdateforNovember26, duringwhichLeewillmostlikelyface anautomaticlifesentence.The alternative,hadshebeenacquitted, wouldprobablyhavebeena compulsorystayattheMasonClinic lockdownpsychiatricfacilitywithno setenddate.

Withthetrialnowconcluded,the fullstoryoftheseven-yearpathto justicecanbereportedforthefirst time.

Hername,initially,wasJiEun Lee,althougheveryoneinNew Zealandcalledherbyher chosenWesternname,Jasmine.

ShewasaSundayschoolteacher whometheryouthleaderhusbandin churchanddecidedtoquithercareer inhotelhospitalitytobecomeastayat-homemumaftertheirfirstchild wasbornin2009. Itappearedtobeagoodlife,with hermotherdescribingthecoupleas theenvyoftheirchurch,anda teacherattheirchildren’sprimary schooldescribingthemasoneofher favouritefamilies. Butthenin2017,husbandIanJo— whohadsupportedthefamily throughvariousrolesatAuckland Airport—wasdiagnosedwithan aggressiveformofoesophageal cancer.HediedinNovemberthat year. Inhislastagonisingdays,there wasthefirstforeshadowingofthe grislycrimethatwastofollowseven monthslater.

IanJohadfledhishospice,andit wasfearedhemighttrytoendhislife onhisowntermsinaone-vehicle crashnearEastAuckland’sDuder RegionalPark.

Leeconvincedherhusbandto returnwithatextedthreat:Ifhedied, sheandthechildrenweregoingtodie too.

Thedefendantlaterinsistedto mentalhealthprofessionalsthatit wasanemptythreatonlyintendedto keepherhusbandsafe.Shehadno intentionofkillingherselforher children,shesaid.Shedismissed theirworriesinpartasnot understandingKoreanculture. Butmorehintswouldsoonemerge duringherpeculiargrievingprocess.

Fordays,shedidn’ttellthe childrenabouttheirfather’sdeath, witnessessaid.Thenshe permanentlypulledthemoutof schoolandbegantotakeaseriesof ritzy,impromptutrips,sayingshe couldnolongerbeartostayatthe familyhome.

WhileinAustralia’sGoldCoast, shetoldalongtimefriendshewished sheandthechildrenhaddiedonthe planerideoverandrevealedshe wouldhavepreferredherchildrento dieratherthanherhusband.

Shetoldhermothershewantedto burnthroughthe$330,000life insurancepayoutbeforedyingwith thechildren.Hermotherdidn’tthink shewascapableofcarryingoutsucha horrifyingactbut,asaprecaution, threwoutsomepoisonousgarden chemicalsbeforereturningtoher homeinHamilton.

Itwouldn’thappenuntilmonths later—authoritiesbelieveonthe afternoonoreveningofJune27, 2018. Leeandherchildrenhadreturned homefromatriptoQueenstownon June23.

Inherownaccount,recently relayedtoapairofpsychiatristsin separateinterviews,Leesaidshe couldn’tremembertheexactdate.

Whatshecouldremember,she said,wasdissolvingsleepingpills, Nortriptyline,intojuiceandoffering ittoherunsuspectingchildren.

Asitkickedin,thechildrenboth walkedofftotheirbedrooms,then shepreparedwhatshehopedwasa fataldoseforherself,sheexplainedin oneaccount.

Shewassurprisedtowakeupthe nextday,butherchildrenweredead, shesaid.Shethentooktheremainder ofthepillsandtriedagain,butagain wokeupadaylater,accordingtoher account.

Thechildren’sdeaths,she claimed,weremoreofan afterthought.Therealgoal,shesaid, wastokillherselfaftermonthsof cripplingdepression.

Shethoughtitwouldbemorecruel toleavethechildrenbehindtofind herbodyandliveouttheirlivesas orphans,sheexplainedtoa psychiatrist—whowouldlaterendup thedefence’ssolewitness.

Policemeticulouslywentthrough Lee’sbankrecordsforthatperiodand thereweretwodays—June25and26 —whentherewerenofinancial transactions.Atfirstglance,they appearedtomatchLee’sstoryof havingsleptfortwodaysafter successiveunsuccessfulsuicide attempts.

Butthencamethe Minecraft trophies.

ParentsIanJoandHakyung“Jasmine”Leehada“happylittlefamily”,withchildrenYunaandMinupriortoIan'scancerdiagnosis,thedefencesaidat HakyungLee'sdoublemurdertrial.Below:Leeonthefirstdayofhertrial.

there,Leedidn’tmentionher deceasedchildren.Shedeniedbeing amotheratall.Leeinsteadsaidshe decidedtokillherselfafteramanshe hadmetonadatingappstarted stalkingherandthentriedtostrangle androbher. Hermother,whoseattemptsto findLeeandhergrandchildrenover theyearshadfallenondeafears,was contactedbythepsychiatricfacilityin June2022andflewtoKoreatobe reunitedwithherdaughter. Butdoctorswarnedhernottosay anythingthatmightupsether daughter,soshedidn’tpersistafter askingonetimewhereYunaandMinu were. “Mum,Idon’thavekids,”she recalledherdaughtersaying. Leehadbeenscheduledtoreturn toNZinAugust2022,butthatwas whenherchildren’sbodieswere finallydiscoveredafterfouryears. Whileunderpsychiatriccare,she wasunabletocontinuemaking paymentstothestoragefacility,and afterseveralmonthsthecontentsof theshedhadbeenauctionedoffon TradeMeforabout$400. Thefamilythatwontheauction openedthefirstsuitcaseintheirfront yard,notwantingtotakeitinside becauseoftheoddsmell. Thescenethatfollowedwasso macabreitmadeheadlinesaround theworld.Widespreadinterestinthe casehasn’tabatedsincethen.

LeewasextraditedtoNZin November2022,andthedenials beganimmediately. SheinsistedtoabilingualNew ZealandPolicedetectivewho accompaniedherontheredeyeflight thatshehadleftherchildrenin orphanagestoprotectthemfromthe suicidalthoughtsshewashavingat thetime.

“Iknowwhodiditbutitdoesnot matter,”thedetectiverecalledher saying,unprompted.

“WhetherIgetfoundguiltyornot doesnotchangeanything.Ijustwant tosaythatIdidnotdoitandIwantto dieinNZalongwheremyhusband andchildrenare.ThatiswhyIwanted andwaitedtogobacktoNZ.” Multiplecourt-ordered psychiatricevaluationswouldfollow intheyearstocome.Mostdetailsof thatprocesscanonlybereported nowbecauseitwasarguedthat earlierreportingcouldhave jeopardisedherrighttoafairtrial. Byearly2023,Lee’sassigned lawyerswerecitinghermentalhealth asareasontokeephername suppressedinNewZealandeven thoughhernamehadbeenreported overseas. Thenamesuppressionbidfailed, inpartbecauseLeeexpressed indifferencetoherlawyer’sefforts— insistingshehadnothingtohide. “Idon’tcare[about]thetrial... it’snoneofmybusinessanymore,” shetoldapsychiatrist. “Thetruthisn’tgoingtochange. Theycanaskmeahundred,a thousandtimesifIkilledmykidsand I’llsayahundred,athousandtimes thatIdidn’tdoit.It’sthetruth,it’sa fact.

“Ifthejudgesays,‘Showmethe proof,’I’mamother—that’sthe proof.Myhusbandisgone,I’mthe onlyparent...That’stheproofI didn’tdoit.IknowIdon’thaveto provemyinnocence,butIhavethe proof...I’mamother.”

ShereiteratedthatstanceinApril 2023,viaanoutburstduringabrief routinecourtappearance:“Ididn’t doit,it’sthetruth,”shesaid,raising herhandtoaddressthecourt momentsbeforeshewasledawayby securityofficers.

Lee’sfitnesstostandtrialwas consideredinMarch2023andagain inMaythisyear,butonboth occasions,shewasfoundtobeableto understandcourtproceedings enoughforatrialtotakeplace.

AttheMayhearingherstandby lawyerstoldthecourttheywouldbe pursuinganotguiltybyreasonof insanitydefence,althoughitcould notbereportedatthetime.

Themediaalsodidn’treportwhen Leewastemporarilyadmittedtothe MasonClinicinFebruary2024,two monthsaheadofheroriginaltrial date. OnApril29lastyear,asajury panelwaiteddownstairsforwhatwas supposedtobethefirstdayofher trial,herstandbylawyersaskedforit tobeadjournedevenifthere wouldn’tbeanewdateavailableuntil 2026. Therehadbeenamajorbreakthroughinthelastfivedays, explainedPhilipHamlin,oneofher standbylawyersatthetime.

Aftermonthsofstandoffishness, shehadopeneduptothelawyers abouthercaseforthefirsttime,he explained.

OnFriday,shesatherdriver’stest, purchasedtheLottoticketandspent abouttwo-and-a-halfhoursand$900 atanAlbanyhairsalon. OnSaturday,shereturnedtoMitre 10andpurchasedmoreplasticbags andapadlock.ShereturnedtoSafe Storethreetimesthatday—atsome point,prosecutorssuggested,taking thebodiesofherchildrenthere.

OnJune27,someoneloggedonto thefamily’sPlayStationunderher son’s“HeroMinu”profileat10.53am. Policeknowthisbecausehisaccount updatedwitha Minecraft trophysetat thattime.At12.07pm,herdaughter’s “PrincessYuna”profilealsoupdated. Bythattime,itappearsthe childrenhadbeenleftaloneatthe house,theCrownsuggested. Financialtransactionsand documentssuggestLeewenttoa justiceofthepeacethatmorninginan efforttogethernamechanged.At 12.07pm,sheboughtanenvelope fromManukauCityPostand16 minuteslatershepaidforcourier tracking—itwouldseemforthename changedocument. At12.45pm,shewenttoMitre10 andboughtplasticrubbishbags, bubblewrapandducttape,followed byalunchpurchase12minuteslater. Thesuitcasesthechildrenwerelater foundinwerewrappedinrubbish bagsandducttape. UndertheCrowntheory,Leethen wenthomeandkilledherchildren— notsuicidalbutwantingtostartanew identityandanewlifewithoutthem. Sheeithergavethemafataldoseof thesleepingpillorgavethemenough tosubduethemthenkilledthemby othermethodssuchassuffocation,it wassuggested. Anexaminationofthe6-year-old’s remainsyearslaterwouldbolsterthe theorythattheydiedthatday.Hewas wearingdays-of-the-weekunderwear markedwiththeword“Wednesday,” whichcoincidedwithJune27. IfLeewastakingstepstochange hernameandbuyitemstoconceal theirbodiesbeforetheirdeaths,that suggestedpremeditationratherthan animpromptu,irrationalact,the Crownargued. Transactionsinthedaysthat followedalsocalledintoquestion Lee’sclaimthatshewassosuicidal andwithouthopethatshecouldn’t seewhatshewasdoingwaswrong. OnThursday,shesubmittedan applicationtositatestforherfull driver’slicence,purchasedanew suitcaseandtraveladaptorforan overseastrip,andpaid$497tobegin herstoragecontractwithSafeStore Papatoetoe.

Inthemonththatfollowed,Lee wouldhiremoverstoputallofthe family’sotherbelongingsinthe storageshedbeforeflyingbusiness classtoSouthKoreaunderhernew nameandpassport.Shewouldn’t returntoNZagainuntilfouryears later,afterherinsurancemoneyhad runoutandunderpoliceescort.

LittleisknownaboutLee’stime livingoverseasuntilMarch2022, whenshewasadmittedtoa psychiatrichospitalinSeoul. Onherhospitaladmission documents,apsychiatristnotedshe claimedtohavebeensosuicidalshe hadingested170sleepingpillsonone occasionandstabbedherselfeight timesintheneckonanother. Shesaidsheunderwentsurgeryin intensivecareafterthefirststabbing, butNewZealandauthoritiescould notfindhospitalrecordsconfirming ordenyingtheaccount. Whiletalkingtopsychiatrists

“Shewantedthistrialtostart,go aheadandproveherinnocence,”he toldJusticeRebeccaEdwards,who hadbeenscheduledtooverseethe originaltrial.

“It’snotquitethateasy,because whatshe’stoldusmeansfurther investigationandinquiriesneedtobe made.” Hamlinsuggestedaprivate investigatorwasneededtotrack downpotentiallycriticalnewdefence

evidenceinNewZealandandSouth Korea. “Ireallyhavenootheroptionbut toadjournthistrialforfairtrial rights,”JusticeEdwardsreluctantly agreed. Butbythetimethetrialbegan earlierthismonth,thoselinesof inquiryappearedtohavebeen abandonedinlightoftheinsanity defence.

WiththelandscapeofLee’s trialsuddenlyshiftedbyher admissionshehadkilledher children,manywitnesseswereno longerneededinperson. Jurorswereinsteadreadagreed factsorearlieraffidavitsthathad beencollectedbypolice—cuttingthe durationofthetrialnearlyinhalf fromthefourweeksthathadbeen initiallyenvisioned. Buttwowitnessesremained criticaltothejury’sdecision:forensic psychiatristsYvetteKelly,calledby thedefence,andErikMonasterio, calledbytheCrown. Intheend,itcamedowntoone questionforwhichthetwoexpertsat firststarklydisagreed:Wassheso mentallyunwellshedidn’t understandthemoralwrongnessof whatshewasdoing?

“Ihavenodoubtshewaslabouring underacomplexandprolongedgrief reaction,butIhavenoevidencethat shewasimpairedorexperienced symptomsofpsychosisorsevere cognitiveimpairment,”Monasterio toldjurors.

WhileLeetoldthepsychiatrist recently,forthefirsttime,thatshe washearingvoicesthattoldhertokill herchildren,theCrownexpert dismissedtheclaimasnotcredible.

Hecitedtheopinionofadoctorin KoreawhoevaluatedLeefivedays beforeherextradition:“Asignificant doubtisraisedregardingthe reliabilityofthedetailsreportedby thepatient.Shehasahistrionic personalityandanexaggeratedand passionateappearanceevenduring interview”.

Monasterioreachedasimilar conclusion.

“Inmyopinion,it’sprobablethat thedefendantisintentionally withholdinginformationregarding significantelementsofthealleged offences,”hesaid.

HeexplainedLee’sactions immediatelyafterthechildren’s deaths,includinggettinganew passportandmovingoverseas, showed“capacitytoundertake organised,complex,andcognitively demandingactivities”thatwouldn’t bepossibleifshewassounwellshe didn’tknowrightfromwrong.

Therewasno“severedetachment fromreality”thatthecourtsusually seeininsanitycases,heopined. Thedefence-calledpsychiatrist disagreed.

Lee’sseveredepressionwas pairedwithanirrationalbeliefthat shehadsomehowcausedthedeaths ofherhusbandandherfather20 yearsearlier,andabeliefshewasto blameforhersonhavingbeenborn withacleftlip,Kellytestified.

Itcausedaconfusedstateinwhich Leespontaneouslydecidedkilling herchildrenwasthealtruisticthingto doassheplannedherowndeath,the psychiatristsaid. However,theexpert’sopinionon Lee’sgraspofmoralwrongfulness shiftedsomewhatwhenprosecutors puttohertheirtheorythatLeehad beentakingstepstochangehername andbuyingitemstoconcealthe bodieshoursbeforeshekilledthe children. Ifthetimelinewascorrectand therewasevidenceofpremeditation, then“itiscertainlydamning”,the expertconceded.

DClockwisefromtop: babyphotosofYuna JoandMinuJo;a weddingphotographof thecouple;asecurity photofromSafeStore Papatoetoeshows Hakyung“Jasmine” Leeonthedayshe hiredashed;Yunaand Minu;policesearched thepartiallyemptied storageshedafterthe bodiesofthechildren werediscoveredin August2022;jurors wereshown screenshotsofthe children’sPlayStation4 profilesandother gamedataindicating theymighthavebeen playingMinecrafton thesamedaythey werekilled. Photos/ DeanPurcell,NZPolice

uringclosingargumentsthis week,thedefenceinsistedthat premeditationhadn’tbeen established. Smithcalledintoquestionthe veracityofthePlayStationevidence, pointingoutthatitwasretrievedbya policeemployeewithagame controllerafterSonywouldn’t provideuserdata. Butevenifthechildrenwerestill alivewhileLeewastakingstepsto changehername,itwasn’t necessarilyasignofnefariousintent, thedefencelawyerargued.InKorean culturepeoplesometimeschange theirnamestowardoffbadluck,she explained. Andtherubbishbagsandduct tapeboughtatMitre10thatdaycould havebeenintendedonlyforpacking upbelongingstoputinstoragewith theintentofmovingtheentirefamily toKorea,Smithsuggested. Theideaitwasapremeditated killingmightbe“superficially attractive”,shesaid,butit “disintegratesundercloser inspection”. ShenotedthatLeedidn’tchange hersurnameordateofbirth,

suggestingshewasn’tactuallytrying tohide.“IfJasminereallywasacold, calculatingmurdererdon’tyouthink shewouldhavetriedtogetridofall thesebelongings?”Smithsaid. “Ifshewassaneandnotmentally ill,wouldn’tyouthinkshewouldtake thechildren’sbodiessomeplace wheretheycouldneverbefound?” SheaccusedtheCrownoftryingto “ignorehowillthiswomanwas”. Itstretchedbackasfarasherlate teens,whenshetriedtostepinfront oftrafficafteranargumentwithher parentsbutwasstoppedbya bystander,shesaid. Leefirststartedtobreakasher husbandwasdying,butshehadher motherthereforsupportandthe interventionofahospicecounsellor, Smithsaid.

Butforsevenmonthsafterhis deaththerewas“alonelydescentinto isolation”asshepushedawayanyone whotriedtosupporther.

“Thereisaviciouscircle.The moredepressedJasminegets,the moreisolatedshebecomes,”Smith said.

“Themoreisolatedsheis,that lessensthechancesthathermental illnesswilltriggeranalertto professionalpeoplewhocouldstepin andgiveherthehelpthatsheneeded. “Sothiswasaverydarktimeinthe winterof2018forJasmineandthe children.Andthistimetherewasno onecomingtosavethem.” Theprosecutionagreeditwasa

darktime,buttheydisagreedithad anythingtodowithabreakfrom reality. Thedefendantcouldnotbe trusted,Walkersaid,suggestingthe shewascaughtinlieafterlieuntilshe finallyfoundapsychiatristwillingto takeherevolvingstoryatfacevalue.

“IsuggestMsLeewasinterrogated alittlemorerigorouslybyDr Monasterio,particularlyonthe implausibilityofheraccountthatshe triedtocommitsuicideusingonly halfoftheremainingpills,”Walker toldjurors.

“AsDrMonasteriosaidtoyouin hisevidence,itisimperativethat forensicpsychiatristsaimto substantiatetheaccountsprovidedto thembydefendantsandtodothisby referencetotheavailabledisclosure.” Sheremindedjurorsofeach “unthinkable”stepthemothertook tohidewhatshehaddone.

“MsLee...puteachofher clothed,deadchildreninthreelayers ofplasticeach—eachofwhichshe knottedthenliftedintothenextlayer andthenknotted,liftedintothenext layer,andthenknottedandthen liftedandputintothesuitcase,which shezippedupandlockedandthen liftedintoaplasticbagwhichshe taped...

“It’squiteunimaginable,andyet that’swhatshedid. “Itwould’verequiredreal planning,realcare,real determination.”

LIFEAFTER TENNIS BJORNBORG’S

Thestar’sautobiographydocumentsnear-deathexperiencesandrecovery

BjornBorgisapartoftennis folklore.

Hewon11GrandSlam tournamenttitles—six FrenchOpensandfive Wimbledons—andtransformedthe sportinthe1970sand1980swithhis styleonandoffthecourt.WithJohn McEnroe,heformedoneofthe greatestrivalriesintennishistory,the Swedish“IceBorg”totheAmerican’s fire,beforeburningoutandretiringin hismid-20s,despiteMcEnroe’spleas thathecontinue. Sowhatthenhappenedtoaplayer who,byhisownadmission,has alwaysbeenaclosedbook?Before turning70nextyear,Borgwantsto tellhisstory.

“Ihadabigbackpackonmyback.I wantedtothrowthataway,”hesaidin avideointerviewbeforetheUS releaseofhisautobiography, Heartbeats,lastweek. Inthebook,Borgopensuponhis relationshipwithhisparents, romanticpartnersandchildren,as wellashispartyingdayscentredon theNewYorknightclubStudio54.As hasbeenreported,herevealsthathe hasbeenlivingwithaprostatecancer diagnosis,andthatarelianceon drugs,pillsandalcoholintheyears afterhequittennisbroughthimtohis lowestebbs,includingtwoneardeathexperiencesinthe1980sand 1990s.

“Iwaslostinthisworld,”Borgsaid oftheperiodafterheofficiallyleftthe sportinJanuary1983.“Ididn’thave anyhelp.Ididn’thaveateamor agentstopushmeintherightway.I dideverythingbymyself.Ididn’t reallyhaveanyhelpduringthattime, andit’sverytoughtofixyourself.” Borg’sunflappabilityandsuccess onthecourtmadeitseemthatlittle botheredhim.Hewasimpossibly cool,withhisgoodlooksandan aestheticthatmadehimoneofsport’s firsttrueglobalsuperstars.

Borgduringhisbrief comebackintheearly1990s. Photo/GettyImages

Borgandfriendsleaving

Buthisfame,combinedwitha sportthatwasnotreallyreadyforits transformationfrombeingabitstiffto becomingincrediblypopular, weighedonhimmorethanhethenlet on. “Ineverexpressmyfeelings,”he said.“YoucouldseemyselfwhenI wasplayingtennis.Ididn’topenmy mouth.I’maGemini,Iamtwo people.Ifonesleeps,theotherone goesout.Andthisdevilonmy shoulder,hetriedtoputmedownso manytimes.”

Borgwasgenerallyabletokeep thedevilonhisshoulderquiet duringhisplayingcareer.He wasoneofthefirstplayerstoreally worryaboutdietandsleep,and claimstobethefirsttohaveafulltime coachtravellingwithhim(Lennart Bergelin,whodiedin2008).Bergelin alsogaveBorgregularsports massages,whichatthetimewas revolutionary—likewisethe meditationandyogaBorgstartedin theearly1970s. Borgalsousedlessconventional methodstogetanedge,suchas workingwithamediumaftera heartbreakingUSOpenlossin1979. In Heartbeats,hewrites:“Shetoldme thestarswereneveralignedformeat theUSOpen,andthatI’dneverwin there,andIneverdid.Itwaseerie

Iamtwopeople.If onesleeps,the otheronegoesout. Andthisdevilonmy shoulder,hetriedto putmedownso manytimes.

BjornBorg

howaccurateshewas.ButIwas hooked,andIkeptworkingwithher forthenextthreeyears.” Duringhisreignatthetopofthe sport,whichtookinfiveconsecutive Wimbledonsfrom1976to1980,Borg alsoneededareleasefromtimeto time,andlivedaglamorouslifestyle duringagoldenagefortennis

characters.McEnroe,Jimmy Connors,IlieNastaseandVitas Gerulaitiswereamongthegiantsof thesportatthetime,andwhileBorg’s relationshipwithMcEnroehas beendiscussedatlength, Gerulaitismaybemore importanttoBorg’sstory. Gerulaitis,anAmerican, wasacontinualsourceof supportforBorgandopened doorstothecelebrityworld.Borg wouldstayatGerulaitis’placeon LongIsland,NewYork,wherehe hadacourtthatmatchedthe surfaceoftheUSOpen,andfrom therethecitywastheiroyster. PaulSimon,Aerosmith, EltonJohn,Rod Stewart,Sting, TinaTurnerand MickJagger werejustafew oftheartists Borgrecalls

hangingoutwith,buthesaidthat whilehewasstillaplayer,Studio54 wasmoreofabreak fromthe structuredlifeof aproathlete thanan invitationto partyto excess.Itwas afterhe stopped playing,in 1982,thatthe devilonhis shouldertook over.

Aftera1981USOpenfinaldefeat toMcEnroe,whoalsobeathim inthefinalofthatyear’s Wimbledon,BorgleftFlushing Meadowsbeforethetrophy ceremony,wenttoaprearranged after-partyandrealisedthatthislife wasnolongerforhim. “AllIcouldthinkwashowIdidn’t belonginthisworldanymore,”Borg writes.“AllIcouldthinkwashow miserablemylifehadbecome.The thoughtsgrewheavierbythesecond, andsuddenly,everythingfelticecold andcrushing.NowIknewtherewas absolutelynojoyleftinitforme.” Borgstarted“self-medicating” throughdrugsandalcohol,first takingcocainein1982.Intheensuing

years,theimpactofhishabitsonhis healthworsened.In1989,afterthe clothingbusinesshehadsetupwent bankrupt,henearlydiedaftertaking acocktailofdrugs,pillsandalcoholin Milan. Hemakesclearthatitwasnota suicideattempt;hissecondwife, ItaliansingerLoredanaBerte,called emergencymedicalworkers,who savedhislife.Borghadbythen fatheredason,Robin,withaSwedish model,JannikeBjorling,having divorcedhisfirstwife,Romanian tennisplayerMarianaSimionescu. Borgwasrackedbyguiltaboutthe impactofhisactionsonRobin,andan attemptedtenniscomebackinthe early1990swasanattempttosave himself.Thecomebackdidnotlast long,onematch,adefeat,inMonte Carloin1991,then11more,alllosses, in1992and1993.Hisattemptstoplay withanoutdatedwoodenracketwere tragicomic,but,asheputit,“IfIdon’t

takethatdecision,maybeyouandI willnotbesittingheretodaytalking.” Itwasafterthatcomeback,in Borg’sview,thatthedevilonhis shouldercameclosest“topullingme downtostaydownallthetime”.Ata seniors’eventintheNetherlandsin themid-1990s,Borghadaheart attackandcollapsedinfrontofhis father,Rune,onabridge.Borg,an onlychildwhodescribedhisfatheras hisbestfriend,stillregretslettinghim down.Runediedthesameyearas Bergelin,whichBorgdescribedas brutal;Gerulaitis,hisbestfriendin tennis,haddiedatage40in1994.

Despitethewildernessthat greetedtheendofhiscareer, Borghasnoregretsabout quittingtennisyoung,acknowledging thingsmighthavebeendifferenthad hebeenplayinginadifferentera. Securityandtheculturalunderstandingofhowfameaffectsplayers offthecourthavebothchanged drasticallyinthepast45years. Butthosethoughtsdonotbother himmuch.Andevenwiththecancer diagnosistwoyearsago,anda lifesavingoperationinFebruary 2024,hesaysheisinamuchbetter place.Hehascheckupseverysix months.Hedoespush-upsandhe cycleseverydayinhislivingroomin Stockholm,whereheliveswithhis thirdwife,PatriciaOstfeld. Theyhavebeenmarriedfor23 years,withason,Leo,whoisa professionalplayer.BorgandOstfeld wrote Heartbeats together,afterBorg hadturneddownnumerousrequests earlierinhislife.Whennotin Sweden,theyspendalotoftimein Ibiza,butworkedonmuchofthe book,whichtookaroundtwo-anda-halfyears,inCapeVerde,offthe coastofWestAfrica. Borgstillwatchestennisregularly, enjoyingtheJannikSinner-Carlos AlcarazrivalryandidentifyingBen SheltonandJackDraperaspossible threatstotheirsupremacy. “Ilovetennis,”Borgsaid.“Iloveto watchtennis.I’mnotgoingtolet tennisgo,neverever,becausethat’s partofmylife.It’spartofmyheartto beinvolvedwithtennisbecauseit’s somethingImissedwithoutrealising itwhenIsteppedaway.Ihungaround withthewrongcrowds,thewrong people,butnowI’mintheright moment.” Borgsometimeshassuchvivid dreamsthatheisbackcompetingthat thebedshakes,hesaid.Heremainsin touchwitholdfriendslikeMcEnroe andBorisBecker,butwritesthathe hasastrongsensethatGerulaitisis “stillwithme,watchingoverme,and thatheseesI’mfinallyhappy”. Hishopesforthefuture, meanwhile,aresimple. “Ihavetwobeautifulsons,”he said.“Ihavetwobeautiful grandchildren,aged12and10.And I’mkindofafamilyman,andIwantto spendalotoftimewiththefamily. Andthat’simportantforme.” Borg,whosenicknamefroma youngagewastheJarbecauseofhow hekeptalidoneverything,hopesthat afterhisbook“peopleunderstandme asaperson,”aswellasthetennis playeroffolklorewhowonallthose titlesasiftheywerecarvedfromice. TheNewYorkTimes

AdamPearse

It’snotoftenLabourMPWillie Jacksonand150businessleaders findsomethingincommon. Butasheappearedon Herald NOW yesterdayalongsideNational’s EricaStanford,Jackson wholeheartedlyendorsedthisweek’s MoodoftheBoardroomsurveythat rankedtheEducationMinisteras Cabinet’sbestperformer. “It’sclearthatEricashouldbethe PrimeMinister,it’sclearasabell whenyou’rerankingasnumberone andclearlytheydon’tseethePrime Ministerinthatlightatthemoment.” Unfortunately,Jackson’smischiefmaking,designedtostoke speculationaboutChristopher Luxon’sdemise,alsoundermines ChrisHipkins’bidtoreclaimtherole, particularlygiventhesurvey rankedLabourMPs BarbaraEdmondsand KieranMcAnulty abovetheirparty leader. Jacksonthen describedthe survey’s respondents—chief executivesand directors—asNational’s “people”,claimingthey “neverdoanythingfor Labour”. Perhapshewasstillfeelingthe stingfromhisownrankinginthe bottomthreeofLabour’sfrontbench. Butwhatdoesringtrueisthat membersofNational’ssupportbase havedeliveredareportcardthathas madeforsomeuncomfortable reading.

positiverating,othersholdingtheir breathandpreparingforimpact. Ashasbeenestablished,the boardroomhasgrownlessfondof LuxonandFinanceMinisterNicola Willisinthespaceof12months. Bothfallingoutofthetop10, LuxonandWillisrecordedalmost identicaldipsintheiraveragerating outoffive:Luxonat2.96(3.73in 2024)andWillisat3.09(3.88in2024). Thenumbers,whichrepresentan impressivenessrating,areauseful guide.Moreconsequentialisthe commentaryandwho’ssayingit. It’slittlesurpriseLuxon’swork offshorepromotingNewZealand businessisseenashisbestquality— it’sanarenainwhichhethrives.

Whatdoyouthink? Emailletters@nzherald. co.nz

agreedtoafterencouragementfrom National. Thereareseveralstickingpoints, however.ScrappingLabour’s introductionofaminimum entitlementtosickleaveforparttimeemployeesisameasure Oppositionpartiesandtheunions stronglyoppose. Concernsremainoverthe consequencesofcashingoutleave andquestionsarebuildingamong payrollprovidersoverwhethervan Velden’sproposalcanachievethe simplicitysheseeks—theMinistryof Educationcouldneedadecadeto figureitout.

Speculationhadbeenbuzzingin theBeehiveforweeksaheadofthe survey’sreleaseonWednesday;eager anticipationamongthosehopefulofa

Respondentswereleastimpressed (whilestillratinghimabovethe midwaypointof2.5)with Luxon’sabilitytolead transformational change,hispolitical performanceand buildingconfidence withinthebusiness community. Independent directorFraser Whineray,alsoafriendof Luxon’s,spokepubliclyto thatsentiment,claimingthe formerAirNewZealandchief executivehassofarwastedthe “biggestRolodexofanyPM”. Therewereafewbrightspots—the Government’sfast-trackprocessand itsInvestmentBoostinitiativewere commended—butmuchofthe feedbackcalledforagreaterfocuson andspeedinaddressing“compelling nationalissues”,thesupplyandprice ofenergychiefamongthem. Luxondidn’trisetomuchofthe criticismthrownathiminthe

aftermath.Hebattedawayquestions aboutStanford’ssecrettosuccessby stressing,“Weplayateamsporthere andyes,I’mcaptainandIplaya positionintheteambutIcan’tbethe wingerandthepropaswell.”

Theuseoftheanalogyisslightly amusinggivenAllBlackscaptainScott Barrettistonighthandingoverthe armband—albeitduetoinjury—to themorepopularArdieSaveaata timewhenBarrett’sformisbeing debated.

Nevertheless,oneofthe overarchingthemesfromthesurvey wastheneedforbipartisanship. Westpac’sCatherineMcGrathspoke ofaneedfora“bipartisanpath”on

infrastructureandeducationtoaid investorconfidence,whileRoger PartridgeoftheNZInitiativeurged cross-partyagreementon superannuation. Muchlikegoodweatherin Wellington,bipartisanshipisoften talkedaboutbutrarelyseen.Neither LabournorNationalhavea particularlygoodrecordofcrosspartycollaboration,evenasthey espouseitsnecessity.

TheGovernment’slatestattempt appearstobethroughBrookevan Velden’sdesiretotacklethebeastof employmentlegislation,theHolidays Act. Theplethoraofflawswithinthe

2003legislationiswell-known, namelytheconfusionitcauses employers,leadingtoextensivenoncompliance(HealthNZhasforkedout $544millioninremediationsofarand there’sstillawaytogo). Andyet,severalgovernmentsof differentstripeshavetriedandfailed tofindaworkablesolution.

VanVelden’ssignallingherintent toreformtheactinearly2024earned herwishesofluckfromformer WorkplaceRelationsMinisterson eithersideoftheaisle,Labour’sIain Lees-GallowayandNational’sMichael Woodhouse—thelattersaying publiclyhisfailuretoconvince Cabinettofixtheact(reportedlydue

tofearsofunionbacklash)wasthe “biggestirritantofmytimeas minister”.

VanVelden’ssolution—creatinga newEmploymentLeaveActthat shiftstoanhours-basedleaveaccrual systemandallowsworkerstoearn leavefromdayone—initiallyreceived supportfromlikelydetractors, LabourandtheCouncilofTrade Unions. Anothermovewelcomedis guaranteeingthatparentsreceive normalleavepaywhentheytake annualleavesoonafterreturning fromparentalleave,asopposedtothe reducedrateallowedunderthe HolidaysAct—achangetheActParty

VanVeldenhasfirmlystatedshe wantsalastingreplacementforthe HolidaysAct,oneforgedthrougha fullparliamentaryprocesswithsix monthsspentinselectcommittee. SomemighthearvanVelden’scall forproperprocessandreachforthe saltshaker,givensheledthe Government’scontroversialreform ofpayequitylegislationwithout warningandunderurgency. Thistimearound,vanVeldenhas offeredbriefingstoLabour,the GreensandTePa¯tiMa¯oriinthe comingweekstodiscussher proposal. Despitegoodintentions,van Veldenmayfindtimeisnotonher side.Abillisn’texpectedtoreachthe Houseuntilearly2026andifit spendssixmonthsatselect committee,it’llbedangerouslyclose towhentheHousemightriseforthe election. WhethervanVeldenresists avoidingthedelaysanddebatesthat cancomewithgoodlawmakingwill showjusthowcommittedthe Governmentistoimprovingitsnext reportcardin2026.

Land-rovingtheCoromandel

TheCoromandel’sruggedlandscapesandoften challengingroadconditionsareperfectfortheLand Rover’sgo-anywhereability.In1948ademonstrator modelwasshippedtoNewZealand,itwasthe 20thLandRovermadeinthehistoricJaguarLandRover Birminghamfactory.

CoromandelHelicopterTrustsfirstchairmannowpatron andWhitiangaresidentsince1941,WalterRussell,owneda 1949modelwhichseemsfittingconsideringtheTrustsvery firstlotterywithNZRescueisatwopackagedealofferinga 2025LandRoverDefendertowingaNewAgeCaravan,anda JBMotorhome.

Walter,whilstamechanic-engineerwasalsoyourtypical hunting-shooting-fishingKiwibloke.A‘fix-it-yourself’owner, whofoundthestraight-forwardmechanicsoftheLandRover easytomaintainwithpartsalwaysavailable.Heboughtthe vehicleoffAlfSimpsonfromKuaotunu.Atthetimetheyboth sharedaninterestinduckshootingonalakethatWalterhad towalkanhourinordertobereadyby6amonopenmorning, comparedtoAlfwhoonlytook10minutesdrivingacross streams,throughbushandclimbingmountains.

WalterwassoimpressedwiththeLandRover,Alfwastoo, somuchsohehadanotheronitswayandwashappytosell hisolderonetoWalter,andsotheloveaffairbegan.Family picnicstoremoteareasnoweasilyaccessible,tothebeautiful WaitaiaBayforsacksofmusselsandbackhomewithapigon thefrontbar.

TherewereplentyofotherLandRoverownersinWhitianga whoenjoyedexploringtheCoromandel’sbushtracks.Walter andhismateswerealsokeenmilitaryenthusiastsandwould oftenheadtoMOTATatWesternSpringsforanopenworking day.Afteradecadeofhardyakka,andthefamilynowgrown, itwastimetomoveonfromhisoff-roadingantics.

Waltermovedontootherbusinessandbecamethedriving forcebehindsettinguptheCoromandelHelicopterTrust formedtoestablishabasein2012.Themainfocusnow thattheWhitiangaRescueHubiscomplete,isfundraising

andmaintainingthefacilityforincominguserswhetherit beAuckland,Waikato,ortheBayofPlenty.Police,Search andRescueandfirefightersalsousethebasefacilitywhen required.

Waltersays,thefasterandmoreequippedAW169 helicopterserviceisnowfarsuperiortowhatonceserved theCoromandel.Whatwasa‘taxi’servicetotheemergency departmentisnolonger,nowEDcomestothesiteofthe eventwiththespecificmedicalpersonnelforthejob.

Viewpoints Weekend

1. WhichEuropeancityhostsanannual eventknownasLaTomatina,where residentsthrowtomatoesateachother?

2. Whichanimalhasthelargesteyes?

3. Worcestershiresauceistraditionally fermentedwithwhichunusualingredient?

Answersatbottomofpage

DonaldTrumpmadehiscommentsaboutautismattheWhiteHouse.

4.Whatistheonlycountryintheworld thathasa Bible onitsnationalflag?

5. TheancientGreektragedy OedipusRex waswrittenbywhom?

6. Whatdynastybuiltthemajorityof theGreatWallofChina(pictured)that remainstoday?

RodEmmerson’sview

Trumpisnota doctor:Listen totheexperts

USPresidentDonaldTrump makesalotofcontroversial statements,butit’snotoften thattheycauseactual shockwavesinNewZealand. However,ithappenedthisweek. Trump,supportedbyUSSecretary ofHealth,RobertKennedyjnr,sparked outrageandconcernamongthe medicalfraternitywithhisclaimsofan unfoundedlinkbetweenparacetamol useinpregnancyandincreasedautism risk.

Hedescribedrisingautism numbersasa“horrible,horrible crisis”,sayingpregnantwomenshould nottakethepainkiller,citingthe unprovenlinkasamajorfactorinthe riseofautismdiagnoses.

ThePresidentalsoallegedalink betweenvaccinesandautism,and falselyclaimedbabieswere“loaded up”withupto80differentvaccines.

Theresultisthatdoctorsinthe UnitedStateswillsoonbeadvisednot toprescribethedrug.

Trump’scommentswerealways goingtosparkastrongresponseand, unsurprisingly,expertsherehaven’t heldback. NewZealandGeneralPracticechair DrBryanBettybelievesit“vergeson outrageous”,putspregnantwomen andtheirunbornchildrenatriskand plungesusbackintothe19thcentury. Feverduringpregnancyis “potentiallydangerous”sothereis goodreasonwhypregnantwomen takeparacetamol. TheMinistryofHealthsaysitisthe safestmedicationforpainandfever.

DrDeralieFlower,anobstetrician andpresidentoftheAssociationof SalariedMedicalSpecialists’Auckland branch,saiditwasdisturbing“when peoplewhoarenotexpertsinthatfield putoutstatementslikethat”.

DrJoanIngram,amedicaladviser attheImmunisationAdvisoryCentre, saidtheevidencefailstosuggestany linkbetweenvaccinesandautism.

HelenPetousis-Harris,a vaccinologistandco-directorofthe GlobalVaccineDataNetwork,told NewstalkZBtheTrump administration’sdeclarationisa“load ofnonsense”. AnangrySirCollinTukuitonga,an AucklandUniversityprofessorand NewZealand’sformerDirectorof PublicHealth,believesTrumpis“an idiot”.

Medsafetoldthe NZHerald thereis noprovenlinkbetweenparacetamol andautism.

AutismNewZealandchief

7. TheGreatBarrierReefliesoffthecoastof whichAustralianstate?

8. MountKilimanjaroisinwhatAfrican country?

9. Whatisthemostabundantelementinthe Earth’scrust?

10. InwhatyeardidIndiagainindependence fromBritain?

Muldoon’smissedopportunity

executiveDaneDougandescribedthe rhetoricas“quitescary”.“Whatwe knowisthereisnosinglecausefor autism...it’sincrediblycomplexand cannotbeboileddowntoonecause either.”

Autismisaneurodevelopmental conditionthataffectsaperson’s cognitive,sensoryandsocial processing—essentially,thewaythey seetheworld.

About159,000peopleinNew Zealandareestimatedtohaveit.There willbemanypeoplewhoknowpeople withautism,eitherintheirownfamily, throughfriendsoratwork.

Trump’sdescriptionoftherising numbersasa“horrible,horriblecrisis” isalsodisrespectful,ifnotupsetting,to peoplewhoareontheautism spectrum.

It’snotthefirsttimethatTrumphas dangerouslystrayedintothefieldof medicine.Rememberhiscomments duringtheCovid-19pandemic,inwhich heclaimedthatinjectingbleachwould curepeopleofthevirus?

Thedangerwithhislatestcomments isthatsomepeoplemightbelievehim andactaccordingly,potentiallyputting themselvesortheirunbornbabyor newbornatrisk.

Theofficialadviceisthatpregnant womencansafelytakeparacetamol. Vaccinescansavelives. Andasfor80babyvaccines?The NewZealandnationalimmunisation scheduleshowsbabiesget12 vaccinationsintheirfirstyear, excludingtheoneforflu. Petousis-Harris,thevaccinologist, alsopointsoutthattheclaimthatthere isanautismepidemicisnottrue. Instead,thewaytheautismspectrumis definedhaschangedovertimeand morepeoplearebeingdiagnosed becausethereismoreawareness. Sothereisagulfbetweenwhat Trumpallegesandwhattheexpertssay. Thereisoneotherimportantthingto bearinmind. Trump,inmakinghisvaccine commentsattheWhiteHouse,also conceded:“I’mnotadoctor,butI’m givingmyopinion”. Thissaysitall,really. ThePresidentisnotadoctor. Flower,theobstetrician,hasthis adviceforconcernedpregnantwomen: “Peopleshouldtalktotheirmidwifeor theirobstetricianbeforetakingany healthadvicefromPresidentTrump.” Wisewordsindeed.

TrumpshouldfixUN,notjustgrandstand

JohnMackintoshwritesinhis letter(NZHerald,Sept25)ofthe damagedonetooureconomyby RogerDouglas’decisionsinthe4th LabourGovernment. Oncomingtopowerin1975, RobertMuldoon’sNational Governmentmadethedecisionto repealthe1974NZ SuperannuationActintroducedby NormanKirk’sLabour Government. Thatdecisionhasbeena disasterforNewZealand.Ifthe Labourschemehadcontinuedour

ReserveBankrisk

ChoosinganewReserveBank governorfromtheothersideofthe worldwhodoesn’thaveany instinctiveunderstandingofthe NewZealandeconomyanddoesn’t dobankregulation,abigpartofthe functionoftheReserveBankand otherfinancialinstitutions,makes theappointmentahigh-riskchoice. Withtwo[substantial]dropsinGDP inarow,thishasallthehallmarksof aGovernmentinpanicmode. GaryHollis,MellonsBay Quakerisk misunderstood

LeonieFreemanmakessomegood pointsinherarticleaboutthe shiftingquakerules.However,there areafewpointsworthmakingto clearupanypotential misconceptionsaboutthesafetyof buildingsinanearthquake. The33%NBSmeasureof“EPB ornot”simplydefineswhena buildingcanberequiredtobe strengthenedbylaw.Itisnota measureofsafeornot.Buildings arenot“safe”or“unsafe”eitherside ofanarbitraryNBSnumber.The legaldefinitionisimportantasit governsconsiderationsofliability ofdesigners,ownersandlocal authorities.Inthiscontextthe changesmadetoEPBsettingsin 2016havenotbeenhelpful. Designofbuildingsforearthquakesisdifferentindifferent placesaroundNewZealandand hasbeensince1965.Auckland currentlyusesearthquakedesign forceswhichareaboutathirdof thoseusedinWellington.Thus,over timeAuckland’searthquakerisk (asopposedtoitsearthquake hazard)isbecomingsimilarto Wellington’s.Asoberingthought. Becausevariationinearthquake hazardisallowedforinourdesign standards,itshouldbepossibleto devisesensibleEPBruleswhich applyalloverthecountry— withouttheneedforexemptionsfor regionsoflowseismicity. DavidHopkins,Remuera

countrywouldnowbeoneofthe richestcountriesintheworld. WhatMuldoondestroyedwasthe realityofhaving$500billioninour retirementaccountaswellasthe resourcestofundthehealth, educationandhousingneedsof oursocietynow.

ToalsoquotethelateBrian Gaynorina Herald columnfrom 2007:“Withoutthisdecisionwe wouldnowbecalledthe AntipodeanTigerandbetheenvy oftherestoftheworld.” Gaynoralsosaid“adreadful

politicaldecisionannouncedon December15,1975,transformed NewZealandfromthepotential SwitzerlandoftheSouthern Hemisphereintoalow-ranking OECDcountry”. Maybeallgovernments,not leastthiscurrentone,couldwell stopandtakeabreathtoconsider whatisbestforourcountryand heedthewhakatauki,“Kia whakatomuritehaere whakamua”.Iwalkbackwardsinto thefuturewithmyeyesfixedon mypast.

The Libyan shipOmar Mukhtar, partof theGlobal Samud Fleeten routeto Gazainan effortto breakthe Israeli blockade onthe Gaza Strip. Photo/ Getty Images

SilenceonGazaflotilla

Aflotillaof52smallshipswithnearlya thousandcitizensfrom44different countriesismovingthroughthe MediterraneantowardsGaza carryingmedicinesandbasiclife necessities,allinanefforttobeakthe inhumansiegeimposedonGazaby Israel. Theshipshavebeenreportedly attackedatleastthricebyIsrael. Followingwhich,thegovernmentof Italyhasdecidedtosendanavalship toprotectandescorttheflotilla,with Spainannouncingitwilldothesame. TheUnitedNationsissuedareport earlierintheweekconcludingIsrael’s actionsinGazaamounttoagenocide. Thisisanunparalleledeventin historywherethousandsofunarmed civiliansareriskingtheirlivesforthe sakeofhumanity.Sadly,notevena mentionofthisin NZHerald orother leadingNewZealandnewsmedia. Pleaseaskyourselves,whatisthis silenceifnotcomplicity? AdnanShaikh,Greenhithe UNparalysis:Who’sto blame?

SoTrumpiscriticaloftheUNforits inabilitytoactonthebigissues.Butit ishisGovernmentthathasexercised itsvetopower51timestoblockUN

criticismofIsraelandrefusestojoin worldwideactiononclimatechange. CertainlytheUNshouldbe reformed,particularlythevetopower ofthe“big5”ontheSecurityCouncil. Whilesomehavebeenrelatively sparingintheiruseoftheveto (France—16times,China—19,and theUK—29),theUShasusedit89 times,onlyexceededbyRussia’s129 times. Perhapstheworstexampleofthis occurredin1994whentheSecurity Councilwasparalysedbyweeksof pointlessbigpowerwranglingasover 100,000RwandansandadozenUN peacekeepersweremassacred. GraemeEaste,MountAlbert Praiseforhospitalcare HelloSimeon. IwentintoPalmerstonNorth hospital(MidCentralHealth) yesterday,September24,fortwo proceduresandImustsayahuge thankyoutoallstaffwholookedafter myselfsooooowell. Ihavenevermetsuchabeautiful bunchofpeoplewhoweresoooooo caringandfriendly,soIthankyou,Mr Brown,forthewayIwastreated. IamduetogobackinforaCT ScanonOctober8andreallylooking forwardtoit. GaryStewart,FoxtonBeach

Aquick word

IftheoldAucklandCity planwascalledPC78,and thenewplanisPC120, whathappenedtoplans 79through119?Seems likealotofplanningforno tangibleresult.Perhaps youcouldputSimon Wilsononthecase? DuncanSimpson, HobsonvillePoint.

IseetheNZPolicegot10 tonnesofmarijuanain Aucklandraids,welldone. Onequestionthough, whensomeone—and therearethousands everyyear—diesasa directresultofalcohol consumption,howmany alcoholwholesalersand retailshopsareraided andtheiralcohol destroyed?Iamgoingto saynone,becausethe Governmentgetsso muchtaxfromalcohol andtobaccoitcan’t affordtomakeeither illegal. JamesMcCormick, Oamaru.

“Hatsoff”tothe NZ Herald andexecutive editorFranO’Sullivanfor thisyear’sMoodofthe Boardroomsupplement. Forbothabudding overseasinvestororfor localbusinesspeople,this largelysurvey-based productiondeliversan enormousdepthand rangeofexpertopinions. Theseviewsandtheir attendantcommentaries arecompulsoryreading togainatakeonour country’scurrentand futureeconomicand financialstatesofhealth. LarryN.Mitchell, RothesayBay. SimonWilsongavean interestingaccountofthe council’sdebateoverthe newhousingintensificationarrangements.However,heleftoutalistof howeachcouncillor voted.Theissuehasbeen muchdiscussedinthe Herald andthe community.Asthereisan electioncomingup readersshouldbe informedhowtheir councillorsvotedonthis controversialmeasure. NickHamilton, Remuera.

MEDIA INSIDER

Surprise:TVNZchairleavesearly

ShayneCurrie

TVNZ’schairmanisdeparting theroleninemonthsearly, havingsteeredthecompany throughoneofitsmost tumultuousperiods—includingthe introductionofanewdigitalstrategy, theaxingofpopularshowsandthe dramaticreductionofstaff.

AlastairCarruthersbecame chairmanofthestatebroadcasterin July2023,appointedforathree-year termbytheLabourGovernment’s BroadcastingMinister,Willie Jackson.

ButaTreasurydocumentreleased tothe NZHerald undertheOfficial InformationActrevealsCarruthers hasoptedforan“earlyretirement”, andwillleavethebroadcasterin October.

Thedocument,anaidememoire toMediaandCommunications MinisterPaulGoldsmithinJune, revealstheTreasuryhasbeenonthe huntforanewchair.

“Atargetedsearchisunderwayto appointanewchairfollowingthe currentchair’searlyretirementin October2025,andnominationsare beingsoughtfromyourcaucus colleagues,”saysthepaper,which waspreparedforGoldsmith aheadofameetingwith CarruthersandTVNZ chiefexecutiveJodi O’Donnell.

“Wewillsend youalistof candidatesinJuly 2025toconsider forinterview.”

Goldsmithhas yettoannouncea replacement, althoughhehasbeen slowlybutsurely overhaulingtheboards ofbothTVNZandRNZover thepast12monthsInTVNZ’scase,he appointedformerSkyTVchief executiveJohnFellettotheboardin SeptemberlastyearandtopbroadcasterPaulHenryinJulythisyear.

Herenewedexistingboard memberJohnQuirk’stenure,buttwo otherdirectors,LindaClarkandMeg Matthews,left.

Therewerealwaysquestions aboutwhetherCarrutherswould surviveundertheNational-NZFirstActcoalitionGovernment,especially withTVNZandRNZfacingintense scrutinyonseveralfronts.

InTVNZ’scase,theGovernment hasbeenclearthatitwantsthestate broadcaster—whichislargelyfunded throughadvertisingrevenue,not taxpayerfunding—tostartreturning dividendstothepubliccoffers.

IthasalsowantedTVNZtobuild itstrustlevels.Invarioussurveys,it hasalwaysbeenatornearthetopof themosttrustednewsorganisations.

TVNZ’sfinancialturnaround Inaveryshortperiod,andwith O’Donnellatthehelmsinceearlylast year,Carruthershashelpedleada remarkablefinancialturnaround.

Lastmonth,TVNZannounceda $25.7millionnetprofitaftertaxforits 2024-25financialyear,andadividend totaxpayersforthefirsttimeinthree years. Theturnaround,froman$85m netlossaftertaxintheprevious12 months,followsmajorcost-cutting acrosstheorganisation,including rolesateverylevelandthelossof showssuchas Sunday and FairGo

Thefinalreportednetprofitafter taxof$25.7mincludednetpositive, non-cashimpairmentadjustments.

Onanadjustedbasis,thenetprofit aftertaxwas$10.7m—atthetopend ofitsearlierguidance—compared withanetadjustedlossof$22.9min theprevious12months.

TVNZalsoconfirmedadividend of$3.1mforitsfullfinancialyear,to June30,2025.Itisthefirsttimesince 2022thatthestatebroadcasterhas paidadividend. Carruthers’timeontheboardhas notbeenwithoutsomecontroversy, andtherehavebeenindustry whispersforseveralmonthsthathe mightdecidetodepartearly. Notably,hesteppeddownfrom hisroleasNZFilmCommission chairmaninMaylastyearamid concernsofaperceivedconflictof interestbetweenthatroleandhis TVNZduties.

Carruthersiswidelyrespectedin theartsandscreensectors,andthere wasnosuggestionofapersonal conflict.Concernshadbeenraised, however,abouthimholdingtwo majormediaindustryroles, especiallyasdiscussionsover fundingandindustrystructural issuesbecamemorepointed. Whowillbethenewchair? Oftheexistingboardmembers,Quirk andFelletwouldbethestrongest contenderstobethenewTVNZchair. Theappointmentislikelytobethe causeofconsiderabledebateand discussionwithintheGovernment, especiallywithActandNZFirstboth usingananti-mediarhetorictohelp buildandstabilisetheirsupportbase. ActleaderDavidSeymourhas beenpublishingaregularsocial mediaseriestitled Oneoftheparty’ssocialmedia stafffilmedaninterviewbetween SeymourandTVNZchief correspondentJohnCampbellearlier thisyear,whichhassofarattracted 104,000views.

Campbellponderedwhetherhis interviewwasbeing“weaponised”; Actsaiditwasholdingmediato accountandgivingviewersthefull picture.TVNZranthefullexchange andinterview,aswell,onTVNZ+.

GrenonacquiresmoreNZME shares NZMEdirectorJimGrenonhas acquiredanotheronemillionNZME shares,accordingtoanewNZX notice,andismovingcloserto becomingthecompany’sbiggest shareholder.

Thebusinessmannowhas 34,694,802sharesofthemedia business—ownerofthe NZHerald representingaholdingofjustunder 18.5%.

Heacquiredthelatestparcelof onemillionsharesforatotal$1.1mon Wednesday,accordingtoanNZX notice.

Themovesfurthercement Grenon’spositionasasubstantial shareholderofNZME,sittingjust behindthecompany’sbiggest investor,Australianinvestmentfund SpheriaAssetManagementLtd, whichowns19%ofthecompany.

Grenonledachargethisyearfora boardrefreshofthecompanythat alsoownsNewstalkZB,OneRoofand asuiteofentertainmentradio stations.

Thelatestacquisitionofshares followsseveralsimilarmovesin recentweeks.AnoticetotheNZXon

Monday,September15,stated

Grenonhadliftedhisshareholding from15.963%to17.932%,after acquiring3.7millionsharesfor$4.07 million.Grenondidnotwishto commentatthattime.

InanNZXnoticeinMarch,hehad statedtherewasnointentionto makeatakeoverbid.UnderNew Zealandlaw,individualshareholders canlifttheirstaketoamaximum 20%beforeTakeoversCode provisionscomeintoplay.

NZMEsharesclosedat$1.10on Thursday.

TroyBowker’sCaniwibuildsSky TVinvestment

Anoutspokenformershareholderof mediacompanyNZMEhasmoved moreofhiscompany’sinvestment focus—andcapital—toSkyTV,

whichhebelievesis“significantly undervalued”.

“Weareshareholders,although I’mnotdisclosingmyinterestother thanit’scurrentlybelowthe5% disclosurethreshold,”CaniwiCapital executivechairmanTroyBowkertold MediaInsider.“Iamabuyer.”

Skysharesweretradingat$3.05on Thursday;Bowkerbelievesthe companysharesarewortha “minimum”$4.50.

“Wethinkit’ssignificantly undervalued.Ithasoneofthehighest dividendyieldsonNZX...myCEO DesGittingsmeetswithSophie[Sky TVchiefexecutiveSophieMoloney] andwehaveaverygood understandingofthenumbers.We thinkthedividendissustainableand hascapacityforgrowth.

“UnlikemyinvestmentinNZME, whereIdeliberatelysetouttochange theboard,Iamnotlookingtoremove thechairofSkyTV.

“IhaveahighregardforPhilip[Sky TVchairmanPhilipBowman]and meetwithhimregularly,andIenjoy hiscompany.”

BowkerandGittingswillsoonseea familiarfaceatSkyTV.NZMEchief financialofficerDavidMackrelljoins SkyinJanuaryasCFO. BowkersoldoutofNZMEinMay, whichhelpedprominentshareholder JimGrenonlifthisstakeatthattimeto 13%ofthe NZHerald publisher. Grenonhassubsequentlyliftedhis stakeinNZMEtojustunder18%.

“Isetoutwithtwogoalswhen investinginNZME,”Bowkertold MediaInsiderbackinMay.

“One,toreplacethechairand refreshtheboard.Two,tomakea goodreturnonmyinvestment.I’ve achievedboth.

“Theboardchairisgoneagainst herwishes,despitehermediaspin; andI’vemadeaverygoodprofiton myinvestment.”

HebelievedGrenonwouldbea “majordisruptor”toNZMEasa director.“Ithinkheisexactlywhat’s neededforNZME.Adisruptoriswhat thebusinessneeds.”

Healsothoughtthatchangesat NZMEwouldcause“short-to medium-termpaintoshareholders.I maywellinvestbackintoNZMEata muchlowerpricelater”.

Grenonsaidatthetimethatitwas

“alwaysnicetosetgoalsandachieve them”.

“SocongratstoTroy.Iwillnote Troymaywellnotbeabletogetback inatalowerprice.Ihavetalkedto manyofthesignificantshareholders, andtheyarelong-termbelieversina lotofupside.”

NZMEsharesweretradingat$1.17 onthatdayinMay;theyclosed yesterdayat$1.10.

Chilling’:Ex-Heraldeditoron MediaCouncilruling Aformer NZHerald editor-in-chiefhas urgedtheMediaCounciltoreviewa controversialruling,inwhichit upheldacomplaintabouta newspaper’scoverageofanunsolved cold-casedisappearance,and publishedinformationthatwas alreadyinthepublicdomain.

The RotoruaDailyPost story, publishedonthe50thanniversaryof MonaBlades’disappearance,was ruledbythecounciltobeaccurate andbalanced,andtherewereno issueswiththeheadlineorcaptions.

But,byamajorityof6-4,the councilruledthearticlewasunfairto thefamilyofadeadman—aformer policeofficerwhowasaccusedby anotherofficer,alsonowdead,of beinginvolvedinBlades’ disappearance.

Thesedetails,alongwiththe accusedofficer’sfamily’sdisgust, werealreadyinthepublicdomain. Policeinvestigatedthetheory—in

TheTraitorsAustraliaismovingin

Thethirdseasonof TheTraitorsAustralia show issettobeshotinNewZealand. The Herald understandsSouthPacific Pictures(SPP)willproducetheshowinthe sameSouthCanterburyhomesteadwhere The TraitorsNewZealand ismade. SPPhasproducedtwoseasonsoftheNew Zealandversion.Thesecondseason,in particular,hasresonatedwellhereandin overseasmarkets.Australia’sChannel10may havebeendrawntotheseshoresbySPP’s expertise,aswellasthelikelycosteffectivenessoffilminghere. NeitherSPPmanagingdirectorAndrew SzustermannoraChannel10Australia spokeswomansaidtheycouldcomment. TheNewZealandFilmCommissionis refusingtosaywhetherTraitorsAustraliahas registeredforthe20%internationalscreen productionrebate.Apparently,suchbasic information,involvingpublicsupport,isnot deemedbytheNZFCtobeinthepublic interest. ScreenCanterburywasalotmore forthcoming. “Weunderstandthat TheTraitorsAustralia isexpectedtofilminCanterbury(Timaru); however,noapplicationhasbeenreceivedfor theScreenCanterburyNZProductionGrantin relationtothisproduction,”saidaScreen CanterburyNZspokesman.

“Wedonotcurrentlyhaveconfirmeddetails regardingitsshootdates.” FilmingonthethirdseasonoftheNew Zealandversionoftheshowisunderstoodto havestartedthisweekinSouthCanterbury. ItseemslikelythattheAustralianversion willcoincidewiththeendoffilmingoftheKiwi show.

2012,theydrilledintothelaundry floorofaKawerauhousewherethe accusedofficerlivedinthe1970s.But theycameupwithnothing. Thecaseremainsunsolved,but open.

Former NZHerald editor-in-chief GavinEllissaidhewasdisturbedto readaboutthecouncil’sruling. “The50thanniversaryofMona Blades’disappearanceisasignificant milestoneandalegitimatereasonto revisitthecase.Indoingso,itwasalso reasonabletorevisitthevarious theories—disprovenorotherwise— thatitgenerated. “Theunsolvedcase(andthatof TraceyAnnPatient)continuetobe

mattersofpublicinterestforthevery reasonthattheyremainopeninthe hopethattheywillbesolved.

“Thedecisionbythecouncilhas potentiallyfar-reachingeffects.Itwill makemediathinktwicebefore publiclyre-examiningcoldcasesand evenhistoricalcontroversy.In reachingthisdecision,thecouncilhas createdthesortofchillingeffectthat itshouldstandagainst.

“Thedecisionshouldbe reviewed.”

TheMediaCouncilhasdefended itsruling,butalsoindicateditwill reviewthefeedbackithasreceivedat itsnextmeeting,“asitalwaysdoes”.

“Wearealwayshappytodiscuss concernswiththemedia,”saida statementprovidedbycomplaints directorKatrinaReinsfield.

“Itwasthefirmviewofthe majoritythatthecomplaintshouldbe upheldonthebasisthat,inthe particularcircumstances,itwas unfairthataflimsyand unsubstantiatedtheoryofoneman abouttheidentityoftheperpetrator oftwodifferentterriblemurderswas publicised50yearson.

“Itwassignificantthattheperson namedinthestorywasnever charged,evenafteranextensive policeinvestigation,andthatthe policeofficermakingtheaccusation hadnoinvolvementinthe investigation.Thepersonnamedwas deceasedandunabletorespond,but hisfamilyarestillveryengaged.

“Itwasthenamingoftheman,not thearticleitself,thatwasthebreach. Therulingisnotsayingthemediacan nevernamesuspectsorpersonsof interest.

“However,theremustbeapoint whereatheoryissounsubstantiated thatitamountstounfairnesstowards thepersonaccused.Thismajority rulingreflectsaviewthatthisarticle crossedtheline.” Fourcouncilmembersissueda dissentingopinion,sayingtheruling was“unfair”andsenta“worrying signaltonewsrooms”. Andinanunusualmove,the newspaper’spublisher,NZME,saysit believesthecouncilhasmadea “seriouserror”—andthatthe decisionhas“potentiallyfar-reaching consequencestojournalisminNew Zealandandtothewiderpublicwe serve”.

“Adivisionofviewlikethisisnot uncommonintheMediaCouncil,” thecouncilsaid.“Itisobligedtoapply theMediaCouncilprinciples,which arebroadandwhichgiverisetoissues onwhichreasonablemindscandiffer.

“TheMediaCouncilwillreviewthe expressionsofsupportand oppositionrelatingtothedecisionat thenextmeeting,asitalwaysdoes.”

TVNZapologisesfortimingofad TVNZhasapologisedfor inadvertentlyscreeningan advertisementforanerectile dysfunctionsupplementduring daytimehours.

“Thecontentoftheadvertisement referencessexualdysfunctionina mannerthatIconsidergrossly unsuitablefordaytimebroadcast, particularlyonaSundaywhen familiesandchildrenaremorelikely tobewatchingTVtogether,”a complainanttoldtheAdvertising StandardsAuthority.

TheASAsoughtanexplanation fromboththeadvertiser,Caruso’s NaturalHealth,andthebroadcaster, TVNZ.

“Theadvertiser’sinvestigation foundthattheadvertisementwas mistakenlyairedattheincorrect time,”reportedtheASA.

“Theyacknowledgedtheconcern raisedregardingthetimingofthe advertisementanditspotential impactonfamilyaudiences.

“Inresponsetothecomplaint, theyadvisedthattheyaretakingsteps toensurethatallfuturebroadcastsof thisadvertisementwillbescheduled after8pmlocaltimeinTVshows targetinganolder,maleaudience only.”

TVNZtoldtheASAthatthe NutJob filmduringwhichtheadvertaired hadbeenscheduledforatime consistentwiththead’sGXCrating. However,anerroroccurredwhenthe filmwasmovedintheschedule. TVNZapologisedfortheerrorand hadputinplaceweeklyremindersto checkupdatedfilmcontent.

USPresident’s claimsabout vaccinesand painkillershave turneda personalfixation intoapolitical weapon

JillFoster

WhenUSPresidentDonald Trumpclaimedthisweek thatpregnantwomen should“fightlikehell” nottotakeparacetamol—citing disputedlinksbetweenthedrugand autism—hislongstandingobsession withthematterreacheditscritical peak.

“Ialwayshadverystrongfeelings aboutautism,”hesaid,makingclear howpersonallyhetakestheissue.

“I’vestoppedsevendifferent wars.I’vesavedmillionsoflives.I’ve donealotofthings.Thiswillbeas importantasanysinglethingI’ve done.”

ItisfarfromthefirsttimeTrump’s interestinautismhassparked controversy.

AsearlyasDecember2007,when hehostedleadersoftheadvocacy groupAutismSpeaks(foundedby formerNBCchairman,BobWright)at hisMar-a-LagoresidenceinFlorida, hewastheorisingthatneurodiversity couldbecausedbyvaccines.

“WhenIwasgrowingup,autism wasn’treallyafactor,andnowallofa suddenit’sanepidemic,”hesaid.

“Everybodyhastheirtheory,and mytheoryistheshots.They’re gettingthesemassiveinjectionsat onetime.Ithinkit’sthe vaccinations.”

Helateradmittedthatheandhis wife,Melania,hadonlygiventheir youngsonBarron,now19,oneshotat atime.

“Whatwe’vedonewithBarronis takehimthroughaveryslow process,”Trumpsaidatthetime.

“Hegetsoneshotatatime,then wewaitafewmonthsandgivehim anothershot,theold-fashionedway.” Andin2014,hetweeted:“Healthy youngchildgoestodoctor,gets pumpedwithmassiveshotofmany vaccines,doesn’tfeelgoodand changes—AUTISM.Manysuch cases!”

Autismadvocatesareconcerned thatTrump’stheoriesmaystemfrom hisassociationwithDrAndrew Wakefield,whowasstruckoffthe UK’smedicalregisterafterpublishing anow-debunkedstudyinthe1990s thatlinkedthemeasles,mumpsand rubella(MMR)vaccinewithautism.

HehasbeenconnectedtoTrump’s politicalcareer,andtheUSPresident issaidtohavespokenwithhim—and otheranti-vaccineactivists—during his2016campaign.Wakefieldeven attendedoneofTrump’sinaugural ballsin2017.

In2016,Wakefieldhimselfsaid: “Forthefirsttimeinalongtime,Ifeel verypositiveaboutthis,because DonaldTrumpisnotbeholdentothe pharmaceuticalindustry.”

Bizarrely,Wakefieldwasalsoina relationshipwithformersupermodel andwellnessguru,ElleMacpherson, between2018and2019,withsome commentatorssuggestingshemay haveopeneddoorsforhiminthe politicalsphere.

Trump’ssuspicionofautism,the pharmaceuticalindustryand vaccinesgenerallyplaysverystrongly intheMagaworld—whoseinfluential MakeAmericaHealthyAgain(Maha) wingisledbyhishealthsecretary— RobertKennedyJr.

ManyintheMahamovement believetheUSGovernmentshould notdictatewhatgoesintopeople’s bodies,andseevaccinesasaformof

Trump’sautism

OBSESSION

Trump’s suspicionof autism,the pharmaceutical industryand vaccinesplays verystronglyin theMagaworld.

state“control”.

Now,despiteTrumpoverseeing theOperationWarpSpeed programmeinresponsetoCovid-19, deliveringtensofmillionsofvaccine doses,anti-vaccinesentimentis acceleratingthroughouttheUS.

OnTuesday,forexample,theUS PresidentalsotargetedtheMMRjab, whichcombinesmeasles,mumps andrubellavaccines,arguingthat theyshouldbegivenseparately.

“Itseemstomethatwhenyoumix them,therecouldbeaproblem.It’s practicallyaknownfactthatifyou breakitup,you’renotgoingtohavea problem,”hesaidinhisWhiteHouse appearance.

Butexpertscautionthatthe scienceisfarfromconclusive,and somesaytheyfearthattalkof “causing”autismwillonlyaddto

parentalanguish.

“Alongsidemyresearch experience,Iamalsothemotherof twoautisticchildren,andIknowthis announcementwillcausedistress andguiltformanyparents,whooften askthemselveswhethertheyareto blame,”saysProfessorLaurie Tomlinson,researchprofessoratthe LondonSchoolofHygieneand TropicalMedicine.

“Iurgeparentsnottogetcaught upinahuntforan‘easy’answerasto howautismdevelops,asitdoesnot servetohelpourchildren.”

ThatringstrueforNickyClark,59, acampaignerandscreenwriter,who wasdiagnosedwithautism10years ago.

Clarkalsohastwogrown-up daughterswithautism.

“Thewholeideaofacureis anathematome,”shesays.

“Firstly,autismisn’tanillness;it’s aneurologicaldisability.Ithinkit’s enteringmurky,totalitarianwatersto speakof‘cures’.Forme,it’sno differentfrommyeyecolourorage. It’safact,notaflaw,andIthinkitadds tomycreativity,asIoftendoseethe worlddifferently.

“Whenwetalkaboutcause,that oftenpivotstotalkingaboutcure,and IwouldbelyingifIsaidthereweren’t dayswhenIwishedIdidn’thave

Five-yearprisontermforSarkozy

autism.Sometimesit’sreallybloody hardtobeautistic,particularlywhen you’reawomanandtheworld expectsyoutopresentorbehaveina certainway.

Ithinkit’sentering murky,totalitarian waterstospeakof ‘cures’.Forme,it’sno differentfrommyeye colourorage. NickyClark

“Butit’spartofmylifeandmy daughters’lives,andwedon’tknow anyotherway.Ireallydon’tknow whatitmeanswhenpeoplesaythey identifyasautistic.It’snotpartofan identity—it’sjustafactoflife.”

Clarksaysthedamagedoneby politicalrhetoricfromfigureslike TrumpandKennedyJr—whohas pledgedtocureautism—cannotbe underestimated.

“Oncemore,whatseemssettledin scienceisbeingquestionedbythose whoappeartohavegonedownthe autismrabbitholeofconspiracy theories,”shesays.

“NowwehaveTrumpsuggesting

thatadecisionyoumighthavemade whilepregnantcouldhavecaused yourchild’sautism.He’scalledthe riseinreportedautism‘ahorrible crisis’.It’snonsense.Itonlypileson moreguilt.”

ItwasAustrian-American psychiatrist,LeoKanner,whofirst describedclassicautisticsyndrome morethan50yearsago.

Alifelongneurodivergenceand disability,autismcaninfluencehow peopleexperienceandinteractwith theworld.

AccordingtotheNationalAutistic Society,morethanonein100people areautistic.

Clark,whowasdiagnosedatthe ageof49,saysthatdespiteits prevalence,peopleremainfearfulof whattheydon’tunderstand.

Shebelievespopulistpoliticians aremakingcapitaloutofthisfear.

“Thereisnosingletest,noblood testthatgivesayesorno.Diagnosisis basedonpsychiatricevaluation,and thecauseisn’tentirelyknown,”she says.

Thatlackofcertaintyseemsto havesparkedaverypersonalquest forTrump.

AlisonSinger,formerexecutive vicepresidentofAutismSpeaks, recallsmeetinghimwhenhis youngestsonwasverysmall.

“MelaniawascarryingBarron,he wasababy,andeventhenDonald Trumptalkedabouthisinterestand concernsaroundvaccines,”Singer told TheNewYorkTimes “Idobelievehecomestothe questionoftryingtofindthecauseof autismlegitimately.”

But,aswithsomanyissues, analystssuggestTrumpisfusingthe personalwiththepolitical.

SupportersofKennedyandhis Mahamovementare“asignificant reasonhe[Trump]wonthe election”,notesCraigSnyder,a lobbyistwhorepresentedAutism Speaks.

“Sothisisundertherubricof fulfillingacampaignpromise.”

TelegraphGroupLtd

NicolasSarkozy sayshewill “sleepinprison withmyhead heldhigh”.

Acourtyesterdaysentencedformer FrenchPresidentNicolasSarkozyto fiveyearsinprisonoveraschemefor lateLibyandictatorMuammar Gaddafitofundhis2007presidential run. Inaverdictthatwillmakethe rightwingerthefirstFrenchpostwar leadertoservejailtime,theParis criminalcourtconvictedSarkozy,70, oncriminalconspiracycharges. However,itacquittedtheformer headofstate,France’sPresidentfrom 2007to2012,ofcorruptionandpersonallyacceptingillegalcampaign financing. ThecourtorderedthatSarkozy shouldbeplacedincustodyatalater date,withprosecutorstoinformhim onOctober13whenheshouldgoto prison.Hewasalsofined €100,000 ($202,000)andbannedfromholding publicoffice. Hehasbeenconvictedalreadyin twoseparatetrialsbutalwaysavoided jail,inonecaseservinghisgraftsentencewithanelectronictag,which hassincebeenremoved. Sarkozy,whowaspresentincourt fortheverdictaccompaniedbyhis modelandmusicianwifeCarlaBruniSarkozyaswellashisthreesons, lookedashen-facedandshakenafter theverdict.Buthevowedtoappeal andhislawyerChristopheIngrain laterconfirmedonehadbeenfiled. Theverdictwas“extremelyseriousfortheruleoflaw”,Sarkozytold reportersafterleavingthecourtroom,addingthathewould“sleepin prisonwithmyheadheldhigh”. “Thisinjusticeisascandal,”he said. Afterherhusbandfinishedaddressingreporters,Bruni-Sarkozy,in asignofthefamily’sanger,snatched awaythemicrophonemufflerofthe Mediapartnewswebsitewhichhad publishedthefirstrevelationsonthe case. Sarkozywillhavetoservehissentencewhileawaitingtheoutcomeof hisappeal.HeistobethefirstFrench leadertobeincarceratedsince PhilippePetain,theNazicollaborationistheadofstateofFrance’sVichy regime,whowasjailedafterWorld WarII. ProsecutorsarguedSarkozyand hisaides,actingwithhisauthority andinhisname,struckadealwith

Gaddafiin2005toillegallyfundhis victoriouspresidentialelectionbid twoyearslater.Thepublicprosecutor accusedSarkozyofenteringintoa “Faustianpactofcorruptionwithone ofthemostunspeakabledictatorsof thelast30years”.

Investigatorsbelievethatinreturn,Gaddafiwaspromisedhelpto restorehisinternationalimageafter TripoliwasblamedbytheWestfor bombingaplanein1988over Lockerbie,Scotland,andanother overNigerin1989,killinghundredsof passengers.

Thepresidingjudge,Nathalie Gavarino,saidtheoffenceswereof “exceptionalgravity”.

Thecourt’sruling,however,did notfollowtheconclusionof prosecutorsthatSarkozywasthe beneficiaryoftheillegalcampaign financing.Hewasacquittedonseparatechargesofembezzlementof Libyanpublicfunds,passivecorruptionandillicitfinancingofanelectoralcampaign.

Anotherdefendantinthetrial, AlexandreDjouhri,whoisaccusedof beingtheintermediaryinthe scheme,wassentencedtosixyears andorderedtobeplacedimmediatelyunderarrest.

Sarkozy’sright-handman,Claude Gueant,andex-ministerBrice Hortefeuxwereorderedtoservesix andtwoyearsrespectively. Hortefeux,67,willbeabletoserve histermwithanelectronictag,while Gueant,80,willnotgotoprison,due tohishealth.HortefeuxtoldBFMTV hewas“angry”atthesentence. EricWoerth,Sarkozy’s2007campaigntreasurer,wasacquitted. Thejudgmentcametwodaysafter thedeathinBeirutofFrancoLebanesebusinessmanZiad Takieddine,akeyaccuserinthecase. Takieddine,75,hadclaimedseveraltimeshehelpeddeliveruptofive millioneurosincashfromGaddafito SarkozyandtheformerPresident’s chiefofstaffin2006and2007. Hethenspectacularlyretracted hisclaims,beforecontradictinghis ownretraction,promptingtheopeningofanothercaseagainstboth SarkozyandBruni-Sarkozy,onsuspicionofpressuringawitness. InteriorMinisterBrunoRetailleau, wholeadsSarkozy’sright-wing Republicansparty,expressedhis“full supportandfriendship”forSarkozy, addinghehad“nodoubt”theexPresidentwill“devoteallhisenergy” todefendinghimselfonappeal. AFP

FormerFBIdirectorJamesComey wasindictedintheUSyesterdayon twocriminalcounts. Comeywaschargedwithmaking falsestatementsandobstructionof justiceinconnectionwiththeprobe heconductedintowhetherRussia interferedinthe2016USelectionthat PresidentDonaldTrumpwon,andif TrumpcolludedwiththeRussians. Trumphailedtheindictment,sayingComeyis“oneoftheworsthuman beingsthiscountryhaseverbeenexposedto”. Comeyfacesuptofiveyearsin prisonifconvictedaccordingtofederalprosecutorLindseyHalligan, whowasappointedbyTrumpjust daysago. “Nooneisabovethelaw,”Bondi saidinastatementastheJusticeDepartmentannouncedchargesagainst Comeyforcommitting“serious crimes”. InavideopostedonInstagram, Comeysaid“I’mnotafraid”anddeniedanywrongdoing. TrumpfiredComeyin2017amida probeintowhetheranymembersof theTrumpcampaignhadcolluded withMoscowtoswaythe2016presidentialvote.

DuringTrump’ssecondterm, Comeyhasbeenanoutspokencritic

ofwhathesaysarethePresident’s effortstousethejusticesystemasa toolforpoliticalgain. Trump’sfirststintintheWhite Housewasdoggedbycontroversy overRussianinvolvementintryingto influencethe2016electioninwhich hesurprisedmanybywinningthe WhiteHouse.Sincereturningto powerthisyear,hehasmovedquickly tousehispowerstoattacktheinvestigationintotheelection. Hisintelligencechiefshaveissued reportscastingtheoriginalprobesas politicallymotivatedandflawed. Trumphimselfrepeatedlycallsthe entireissuethe“Russiahoax”. However,theintelligencecommunity’soriginalfindingsthatRussia meddledinthetumultuous2016US electionhavebeenbackedupbycommitteesbothintheHouseofRepresentativesandtheSenate. Halligan,theprosecutor,was workingunderintensepressurefrom Trumpbecausethefive-yearstatute oflimitationsonComey’stestimony toCongressthatisattheheartofthe caseexpiresonWednesday. ShewasappointedtothehighprofilepostofUSAttorneyforthe EasternDistrictofVirginiafollowing theresignationlastweekofthepreviousUSAttorney,ErikSiebert. AFP

TrumpshouldfixUN,notjustgrandstand

WiththeUnitedNationsturning80 yearsold,nowistherightmoment tofocusonitsfailings—andeven tostartimaginingsomeremedies.

JohnR.Boltonopinion

Baulkingescalatorsandrecalcitrant telepromptersarecompelling metaphorsfortheUnitedNations. OnWednesday,theygaveUS PresidentDonaldTrumptheexcuse toventthesortofpersonalgrievances thatsooftenpreoccupyhim.Ihave walkedupthatstoppedUNescalator atimeortwobutnevergraspedits metaphysicalsignificance.

ButTrump’smoresubstantive grievancesabouttheUNwerealsoon fulldisplayinhisspeechtothe GeneralAssembly.Someofthem wereevenaccurate,although obscuredbyrepeatedunscripted digressionsfromhispreparedtext. Trump’srhetoricalfogaside,withthe

Familiar facesget shoppers talking

Bemusedshopperssnappedselfies andsippedmatchalattesinfrontofa replicaofMountRushmoreataThai mallwhere,insteadofdeadUS Presidents,thefacesoffourcurrent worldleadershavebeencarvedoutas acommercialstunt.

ThestonylikenessesofVladimir Putin,XiJinping,KimJongUnand DonaldTrumplookeddownoverstalls ofcampingequipmentandaclimbing wallaspartofapop-updisplayinone oftheThaicapital’sbiggestmalls.

Bangkok’sSeaconSquareis knownforitsunconventionalexhibits, thisyearshowcasinga“GreatWallof China”anda“Noah’sArk”withreal animals,butthisisperhapsitsfirst overtlypoliticaldisplay.

“It’slikeapowerfulstatement,allof themtogether,”JamesKumar,a 32-year-oldmall-goerfromAustralia, saidthisweek. Accordingtoastatementfromthe mall,theconcept“wasn’tmeantto deliveranysinglemessage—butto inviteconversation”. AmericanAndrewDavis, describedbyhispartnerasaTrump supporter,saidthemarketingploy wasfunny.

“IthinkTrumpwouldreallylikethis, becauseinthepasthe’smadejokes aboutaddinghimselftotherealMount Rushmore,”Davissaid.However,he saiditwouldbe“ahugepolitical drama”ifitweredisplayedinthe UnitedStates.

“That’showdividedthecountryis rightnow.”

Trumphasdeniedsuggestinghe shouldbecarvedalongsidethefaces ofPresidentsGeorgeWashington, ThomasJefferson,Theodore RooseveltandAbrahamLincoln.

UNturning80yearsold,nowis preciselytherightmomenttofocus ontheUN’sfailings—andeventostart imaginingsomeremedies. WhenaskedwhetherAmerica shouldwithdrawfromthe organisation,JeaneKirkpatrick,US PresidentRonaldReagan’s formidableambassadortotheUN, toldmeshehadresponded,“No,it’s notworththeeffort.”Herinsightwas that,flawedassomuchoftheUN systemis,Americahadenough equitiesatstakethatitdidnothave theluxuryofignoringwhathappened inNewYork,Geneva,Viennaand otherUNcities.Instead,Washington hadtosetpriorities:minimise damagefromlargeswathesofthe organisation;usewhatisbeneficialto

USnationalinterests;andwithdraw fromwhatwasunsalvageable.

TheUNuniverseisavastarrayof assemblies,agenciesand programmes—itsverysize, redundancyandinstitutionalinertia formingpartoftheproblem.Talking broadlyabout“theUN”doesn’teven begintodescribethecomplexand oftenfrustratingreality. TheUN’skeypoliticaldecisionmakingbodiesareallbuthopelessly broken.

TheGeneralAssemblyhasalmost neverhadacoherentpurposeother thanofferingabackdropfor authoritarianleaderstopractisetheir rhetoric.AndtheSecurityCouncilis asgridlockednowasduringthe heightoftheColdWar.Disputes amongitsfivepermanentmembers meanthattrulyimportantissuesare addressedelsewhereandbroughtto thecouncilonlyforasplashofUN holywater—ifthey’rebroughtatall.

AlltoomanyUNpeacekeeping operationscontinueendlesslyaspart oftheproblemstheywerecreatedto solve.IntheMiddleEast,theUN TruceSupervisionOrganisation lumbersonasithassince1949,as

doesitscontemporary,theUN MilitaryObserverGroupinIndiaand Pakistan.IntheWesternSahara,fora morerecentexample,theSecurity Councilhasfailedtoprovidetheselfdeterminationreferendumforthe Sahrawipeoplepromisedin1991.The listcouldgoon.

Althoughthe1990scollapseof Sovietcommunismbrieflybrought hopethatthingswouldimprove,that hopesoonprovedforlorn.The vitalityshowninresponsetoSaddam Hussein’s1990invasionofKuwaitwas aone-timephenomenon, rememberedfondlybutnotrepeated. TheNewYorkheadquartersseesa lotofprocessbutpreciouslittle product.AsoneBritishdiplomatput it,theUNisabureaucracy,notan activity.

Thesituationisdifferent, however,inatleastsomeoftheUN’s specialisedagenciesand programmes,oftenthosevoluntarily fundedratherthanfinancedthrough assessed(thatistosay,compulsory) contributions.Suchagencieshave well-defined,technicalmandates and,iftheyavoidpoliticisation,can anddoperformimportantfunctions.

ConsidertheInternationalCivil AviationOrganisationinMontreal; theInternationalMaritime OrganisationinLondon;the InternationalAtomicEnergyAgency inVienna;andtheWorldIntellectual PropertyOrganisation,the InternationalTelecommunications UnionandtheWorldMeteorological Organisation,allinGeneva. AgenciessuchasUnesconever hadaclearmandateandthrivedon anti-Americanandanti-Western controversies.Reaganwasrightto boldlywithdrawtheUnitedStates fromtheagencyin1984. Similarly,theWorldHealth Organisationshoweditsvulnerability topoliticisationduringthe coronaviruspandemicandsuffered accordingly.ButseveralUN programmeshavedoneimportant workovermanyyears.Consider UnicefandtheWorldFood Programme,bothoftenledby Americans,andtheUNHigh CommissionerforRefugees.Allare fundedvoluntarily,andallprovide importanthumanitarianassistancein internationalcrises.Others,suchas theUNReliefandWorksAgencyfor

PalestineRefugeesintheNearEast, havefailedbadly. Meanwhile,hugeorganisations suchastheWorldBankGroup, technicallyaffiliatedwiththeUN, deservescrutinyandenormous reformorretrenchment,especially giventheirprogrammaticoverlap withvariousUNcomponentsand regionaldevelopmentbanks. Tomakealastingimpact,hard workwillberequired. Washingtonwillneedtoassessthe meritsofeachoftheagenciesthat makeuptheungainlyUNsystem. Thesystemisresilient—itknows howtotheatricallygaspatanyinsults hurleditswaywhilecontinuingtodo businessasusual.Drive-byspeeches, eventhoseofTrumpianduration,just comeandgo,likealltheotherhotair thathascoursedthroughUN headquartersfordecades.

JohnR.BoltonwasUSambassadorto theUnitedNationsunderPresident GeorgeW.Bushandnationalsecurity adviserunderPresidentDonald Trump.

WashingtonPost

Inbrief

‘Victimofhybridattacks’ Denmarkyesterdaysaiddroneflights overitsairportsthisweekwerepartof “hybridattacks”tocreatefear,adding itwouldacquirenewcapabilitiesto interceptsuchaircraft.Policesaid dronesflewoverseveralairports acrossthecountryandcausedoneof themtocloseforhours,afterasimilar incidentearlythisweekprompted Copenhagenairporttoshutdown. “Overrecentdays,Denmarkhasbeen thevictimofhybridattacks,”Prime MinisterMetteFrederiksensaidina videomessageonsocialmedia— referringtoanovelformoflargely unconventionalwarfare.Investigators saidtheyhadsofarfailedtoidentify thoseresponsible,butFrederiksen stressed:“Thereisonemaincountry thatposesathreattoEurope’s security,anditisRussia.”However, Moscowsaidit“firmlyrejects”any suggestionthatitwasinvolvedinthe Danishincidents.

ThelikenessesofVladimirPutin,XiJinping,KimJongUnandDonaldTrumparepartofapop-updisplayinoneoftheThaicapital’sbiggestmalls. Photo/ChanakarnLaosarakham,AFP

TheUSPresidenttraditionallysits ontheoppositesideofthe geopoliticaldividefromthethree otherleaders,althoughaChinese shopperalsosawthehumourinthe display. Trumphasvoicedadmirationfor

WaitemataHarbour Wind: NW10kt,risingtoN20ktG30kt,possiblyG45kt inafternoonsqualls,easingtoNW15ktintheafternoon. Sea: Becomingmoderate.Wavesmayriserapidlyduring squalls. Visibility: Poorinshowers/thunderstorms. ManukauHarbour Wind: NW10kt,risingtoN20ktG30kt,possiblyG45kt inafternoonsqualls,easingtoNW15ktintheafternoon.

Sea: Becomingmoderate.Wavesmayriserapidlyduring squalls. Swell: Forthewestcoast:SW4m,easingto3m. Visibility: Poorinshowers/thunderstorms. LakeRotorua Wind: NE15ktforatimeinthemorningandafternoon. Waves: Lessthan0.5m. Weather: Morningcloud.Poor visibilityinshowersfromafternoon,someheavy.

China’sXi,Russia’sPutinandNorth Korea’sKim,toutinghisclose relationshipswiththem. ManyoftheshoppersAFP spoketowantedtoremain anonymousduetothegimmick’s politicalnature,withsomesaying

theleaderswere“allauthoritarians”. “AsanAmerican,Ifeelsadtosayit isanaccuratedisplay,”oneUSvisitor said.“SoI’msorrytotheworldthatthis isnowourimage.” Ratchanee,aThaiwomanwhoonly gaveherfirstname,saidshefollowed

thenewsinvolvingallfourleaders. “Iwanttheworldtoloveeach other,”shesaid. Thedisplayhadnotgenerateda publicresponsefromdiplomatsafter itsfirsttwodays,eventhoughsome shopperswonderedwhetheritwas

tooshockingtolast.

“I’msurprisedSeacon—whichisa majorThaicompany—wouldlet somethingthispoliticallyawkwardbe displayedhere,”saidalong-time Britishresidentwhogavehisnameas George. AFP

Postalproblems Canadayesterdayannouncedits money-losingpostalsystemwouldno longerprovidehomedeliveryfivedays aweek,asitmakesbigcutstoremain viable.CanadaPosthasseenahuge dropinmailvolume—3.5billion piecesfewerperyearcomparedwith 20yearsago.Thesystemloses Can$10million($12.4m)aday,said publicservicesministerJoel Lightbound.“CanadaPostisfacingan existentialcrisis,”Lightboundtolda newsconferencewithoutsayingwhat wouldreplacethecurrenthome deliverymodel.Canadaisnottheonly countrywhosemailsystemisin trouble.Denmarksaiditsstate-run postalsystemwillenddeliveriesatthe endofthisyear.

DeadlyriotinEcuadoranprison Clashesbetweendruggangsclaimed atleast17livesintheseconddeadly riotinanEcuadoranprisonindays, withrampaginginmatesbeheading andmaimingrivals,officialssaid yesterday.Thefightinginthecityof Esmeraldas,neartheColombian border,addedtoatollofabout500 inmatesmassacredinEcuadorsince 2021.Imagessharedonsocialmedia andverifiedbyAFPshowdeadmen sprawledontheground.Atleasttwo ofthemweredecapitated,andmany hadstabwounds.OnMonday,13 prisonersandaguardwerekilledin southwestEcuador,whose overcrowdedandviolentprisonshave becomehubsfororganisedcrime groups.Nestledbetweentheglobe’s toptwococaineexporters— ColombiaandPeru—Ecuadorhas seenviolencespiralinrecentyearsas rivalgangswithtiestointernational cartelsvieforcontrol.

RentfreezeinRiyadh Saudiauthoritiesyesterday announcedafive-yearfreezeonrent forresidentialandcommercial propertiesinRiyadh,wheredemand forhousinghassoaredasthe kingdom’sambitiousmegaprojects drawworkerstothecity.Riyadh,the capitalcityoftheMiddleEast’slargest economy,ishometomorethan8.6 millionpeople,nearlyhalfofthem foreigners.Manyhaveconvergedon thecitytoworkonmultibillion-dollar projectsaspartoftheVision2030 planlaunchedbySaudiCrownPrince MohammedbinSalman,seekingto diversifythecountry’seconomyaway fromoil.TheGeneralAuthorityfor StatisticsreportedinAugusta7.6% year-on-yearincreaseinresidential rentprices.TheofficialSaudiPress Agencysaidthecrownprincehad issuedorders“inresponsetothe challengesthecapitalhaswitnessed inrecentyearsregardingrising residentialandcommercialrents”.

BayofIslands Wind: NW15kt,risingtoN20ktG30kt,possiblyG45ktin afternoonsqualls,easingtoNW15ktintheafternoon. Sea: Moderateattimes.Wavesmayriserapidlyduring squalls. Swell: NE1m. Visibility: Poorinshowers/thunder. HaurakiGulf Wind: NW10kt,risingtoN20ktG30kt,G45ktinafternoon squalls,easingtoNW15ktafternoon. Sea: Becoming moderate.Wavesmayriserapidlyduringsqualls. Swell: Nilsignificant. Visibility: Poorinshowers/thunder. BayofPlenty Wind: N10kt,risingto20ktG30ktforatime.TurningNW 10ktlateevening. Sea: Moderateforatime. Swell: N1m. Visibility: Poorinafternoonandevening showers,heavyattimes.

Showersdeveloping,possibly heavy,withsquallythunderinthe afternoon,clearingevening.NW, gustyintheafternoon.

Partlycloudy,withisolated showers.Westerlies. Fine,butbecoming mostlycloudywith isolatedshowersin theafternoon.W.

Showersdeveloping,possibly heavy,withsquallythunderinthe afternoon,clearingevening.NW, gustyintheafternoon.

Mainlyfine,withisolated showers.Westerlies.

Partlycloudy,with afewshowers developinginthe morning.Westerlies.

Cloudyperiods.Showers developingtowardsmidday, possiblyheavynorthofte maunga,clearingevening.N.

Mostlycloudywithisolated showers.Northerlies,turning westerlyforatimeinthe afternoon.

Occasionalrain, clearingafternoonbut remainingcloudy. N,turningW.

Earlyfog.Showersdeveloping latemorning,possiblyheavy, clearingevening.NW,strongand gustyaboutthecoast.

Partlycloudy,withisolated showersclearinginthe evening.Wforatimeinthe afternoonandevening.

Showersdeveloping inthemorning. Westerlies,easing.

Fine,thenpartlycloudyfrom afternoon,withisolatedshowers, possiblyheavyabouttheranges. NW,turningNEforatime.

Partlycloudy. Northwesterliesdeveloping intheafternoon.

Mostlycloudywith isolatedshowers, becomingwidespread foratime.W,easing.

CookStrait Wind: NW20kt. Sea: Moderate. Swell: Nilsignificant. Visibility: Poorinafternoonoreveningshowers.

Finespells.Showersdeveloping intheafternoon,possiblyheavy, clearingfromthewestinthe evening.NW.

Finespells.Showersdeveloping intheafternoon,possibly heavy,clearingevening. Northwesterlies.

Earlyfog.Showersdeveloping aroundmidday,possiblyheavy, clearingevening.NWdeveloping inthemorning.

Fine,butbecomingcloudy intheevening.Westerlies, easingatnight.

Mostlycloudywith isolatedshowers, widespreadforatime. Wdeveloping.

Cloudyperiodsincreasingin themorning.Isolatedshowers developingtowardsafternoon. Westerlies.

Fine,butbecomingcloudyin theevening.Northwesterlies, becomingstrongforatime intheafternoon.

Showers,clearing intheafternoonbut remainingcloudy. StrongNW,easing.

Fine,butbecomingcloudy intheevening.Westerlies, easingintheevening.

Mostlycloudy,with showersinthe afternoon.Westerlies, easing.

Fine,butbecomingmostly cloudywithisolatedshowers inthemorning.Wforatime intheafternoonandevening.

Occasionalrain. Westerlies,easing.

Fine,thencloudincreasing.A fewshowersdevelopinginthe evening.Northerlies.

Fine,thenpartlycloudyfrom afternoon,withisolatedshowers. Northwesterlies.

Partlycloudy,withisolated showersclearinginthe afternoon.Northwesterlies, risingtogaleinthemorning.

Showers,becoming isolatedinthemorning butremainingcloudy. StrongNW,easing.

Mainlyfine.Northwesterlies, risingtogaleforatimein theafternoonandevening.

Afewshowers. Northwesterlies, easing.

‘Ultimateclubman’exitswithfondmemories

Afoacanfinish his10yearswith Warriorsonhigh inNSWCupfinal League MichaelBurgess

BuntyAfoaisn’treadyforthefinal curtain—eventhoughhistimeis almostupattheWarriors.

Thepopularprophasnotbeen offeredadealfornextseason, slippingdowntheranksasyoung talenthasemerged.

Itwasnotwhatheenvisaged— Afoahopedtobeaone-clubman.

HewillfinishasthelongestservingcurrentWarrior,withan unbrokenrunof10seasonsdating backtohis2016debut,with145firstgradegames.Whilesadtobeleaving, the29-year-oldisn’tthinkingabout retirement.

“Iwanttokeepgoing—100%,” Afoatoldthe WeekendHerald “Peoplearealwayssurprisedatmy age.TheythinkI’mfreaking35.I’ve onlyhadonemajorinjury,touch woodIstaylikethat,stayhealthyand keepgoing.SomaybeNRL,maybe England.Whateverdooropensand suitsmyselfandmyfamily.”

AttheWarriors,Afoahasbeen graduallyovertakenthepasttwo seasons.

Heplayed21matchesinAndrew Webster’sfirstseasonin2023,after 20and24in2021and2022respectively. Butlastyear,therewerejustnine appearances,andin2025,seven.

“It’sbeenmixedemotionsthis year,tobehonest,”saidAfoa.

“Yourmaingoalisalwaystoplay NRL;toplayconsistentfooty,andat thestartoftheyear,IthoughtIwas doingthat.

BuntyAfoawashonouredatthe Warriorsawardsnightlastweek. Iwanttokeepgoing— 100%.Peoplearealways surprisedatmyage. TheythinkI’mfreaking 35.I’veonlyhadone majorinjury,touchwood Istaylikethat,stay healthyandkeepgoing. SomaybeNRL,maybe England.Whateverdoor opensandsuitsmyself andmyfamily.

BuntyAfoa,29,onhisrugby leaguefuture

BuntyAfoalastweekhelpedtheWarriorsqualifyfortheNewSouthWalesCupfinal,tobeplayedtomorrow.

“Buttoseeouryoungboystakethe extrastepandperformhasbroughta bitofjoytomycareer,toseethem thriveandknowtheclubisingood hands.” ThatsumsupAfoa,withformer NRLcoachandcurrentheadof recruitmentanddevelopment AndrewMcFaddendescribinghimas the“ultimateclubman”.

“Ithasn’tbeentheeasiestcouple ofyearsforhimbutIcan’tspeak highlyenoughofhischaracterand howhe’sdealtwithit,”McFadden said.“Hehasn’twaveredfromthe commitmenttotheclubandwe’ll alwaysrememberthat.”

Afoawillalsobefondlyrememberedbythefanbase,agenuinecult heroalmostfromhisdebutseason.

TheStPaul’sCollegeproductwasa JuniorWarriorsstandoutin2014and 2015,beforeMcFaddengavehimhis firsttasteofNRLinJuly2016.

Asidefromhislonghair,Afoa quicklybecameknownforhisnoholds-barredstyle,ashesmashed intodefensivelineswithlittlethought forself-preservation.

Itmadehimacrowdfavourite amongtheMtSmartregulars,evokingmemoriesofHitroOkesene,Iafeta PaleaaesinaandJerrySeuseu.

“I’vealwayswantedtobethat personthatjustputupmyhand andputmybodyonthelineforthis

“Thatoff-the-back-fencesortof carry,hehadthatbackinunder-20s, andthemomenthejumpedintothe NRL,hehaditthere,”saidMcFadden. “Noteveryonecandothatsortof run.You’vegottobefearlessand that’sprobablyoneofBunty’sgreat strengths;he’salwaysbeenvery tough.”

Pairclaimworldtitleatfirstattempt

Rowing

NewZealand’sBenTaylorandOliver Welch,competingintheirfirstworld championshipstogether,havewon goldinthemen’spairatShanghai, China.

Injustafewshortmonths,they haveprogressedfromwinningthe VareseroundoftheWorldCupin theirfirstregattatogethertoconsolidatingtheirpotentialwithsilvertwo weekslaterinLucernetonowbeing crownedworldchampions.

TheNewZealanderswereontheir A-gamefromtheveryfirststrokes, leadingoutagainstahighlytouted Romaniancrewthroughthefirst 100m.

Theysurgedtoa2mleadover EuropeanchampionsRomaniainthe first250mandcontinuedinching awayfromthefield.

“Usuallywegooutfor200mor 300mandthensettleintoabitofa rhythmbutitwasjustsuchabulletproofrhythm[inthefinal],”said Welch.

“Wejustknewwewereonto somethinggood;weknewwewere goingtohavetoworkhardbutwere definitelyinwithashot.Justseeing themfallfurtherandfurtherbehind wasprettyrewarding.” Confidenceandattentiontodetail hadthemouttoalengthatthe1000m mark.

“It’sdefinitelysomethingwe’ve beenworkingonthroughoutthe regatta,”saidWelch.“Trustingour basespeed,andformeinthebow, justsittingbehindBen,lettinghim leadit.Wejustdiditperfectly.”

jersey,”saidAfoa.“Thisclubhas meantalottomeandIalwayswanted toinspiretheboystotryandgivea littlebitmore.

“Sometimestheflashyfootworkis notforme,soIalwayssticktowhat worksforme.

“IwishIhadaShaunJohnsonstep ora[Roger]Tuivasa-Sheckwhack, butI’vealwayssaid,justplaytomy strengths,thecrash-and-bashgame.

“There’salwayssomeoneinyour teamthat’sgottodoit.”

Thepredictedthreatfromthe Romaniansinthethird500mnever materialised.

NewZealand’smarginkeptincreasing,TaylorandWelchcrossing in6m37.87s,withRomaniasecondin 6m42.85sandSwitzerlandthirdin 6m43.84s.

“Iguessgettingintoourfirstrace togetheratthenationalsinFebruary wasagoodfirsttasteofwhatitcould belike,”saidTaylor.“Wewentout

anddominatedthefirstKinthatone, too.

“Iwasthinkingmaybewecanbein themedalsattheseWorldCupsbutto beworldchampion...it’sdefinitely somethingelse.”

It’sbeenarapidascentforWelch, whohasonlyjustturned22,andis competinginhisfirstfullworldchampionships.Hisabilitywas foreshadowedwhenheandJosh Vodanovichwonthepairatthe under-23worldchampionshipsin Canada12monthsago. VeronicaWall,StellaClaytonGreene,KathrynGlenandEllaCossill wereintheirfirstregattatogetherasa crewandlinedupforthemedalrace

inthequadimmediatelyafterthe pair.

Itwasatoughacttofollowbutthey canbepleasedwiththeirprogress, crossingthelinein6m47.90stobe rankedfifthintheworld.

TheNetherlandsreversedsomeof thedisappointmentoflosingtoGreat Britaininthefinalstrokesofthe OlympicfinalinParistowinin6m 32.92s.

DoublescullersBenMasonand FinnHamillcanlookbackontheir firstseasontogetherwithasenseof achievement,evenifthepinnacle eventdidn’tfinishasthey’dhoped. TheywonbronzeatWorldCup VareseandsilveratLucerne,where

theywerejust0.05sbehindSerbia’s NikolajPimenovandMartin Mackovic.TheduelwithPimenovand Mackovichascontinuedthroughthe weekinShanghai,firstintheheatand thentheirsemifinal.

Inastackedfieldthatalsoincluded Poland,Switzerland,Belgiumand Australia,NewZealandcouldn’t breakintothethreesemifinalspots afterconcedingalengthinthefirst 500m.

Serbiadictatedfromstarttofinish, crossingin6m36.46s.NewZealand clocked6m40.23sforfourth,droppingintotheBfinaltoday.Masonis alsoscheduledtoracethemixed doublewithKathrynGlentomorrow.

Afoadepartswithplentyoffond memories.HisdebutagainsttheGold CoastTitans—“themostspecial match”—thenscoringtwotries againstManlyaweeklater.

The2018season,whenAfoawas oneofthepackleaders,astheteam returnedtothefinals.

“Thatwasprobablythehardest pre-seasonI’veeverdone.Wehad [trainer]AlexCorvoandalotofthe boysjustboughtin.Wedidthepreseasonandthenwentfiveinarow.”

DamaginghisACLbeforethe2020 season,thenspendingthebestpartof threeyearsmaroonedinAustralia duringtheCovidpandemicareother indeliblemoments. “Thatwasacrazytime;somany hurdles.” Butthatmeantthereturnwasso muchsweeter,withthe2022homecomingmatchcoincidingwithAfoa’s 100thNRLappearance. “Thatdaywasfullofemotions,not justformyself,butfortheclub.” Andofcoursethe2023campaign, astheclubrodeawaveofnational support. “Everyonewasjustenjoyingtheir footy.Youplayyourbestfootywhen you’rehappy,andtheteamwas happy.Itwasagreatenvironment.” Afoa’sstandingwasepitomisedat therecentWarriorsawards,whenthe playersperformedanimpromptu hakaafterhisspeech. “I’mnotanemotionalperson,my wholefamilyknowsthat,butthatwas anhonour.” Afoawilltomorrowbepartofthe NewSouthWalesCupsidehopingto wintheclub’sfirstreservegradetitle, afterfinaldefeatsin1996,1997and 2011. TheCupteamhaveenjoyedan imperiouscampaign,cruisingtothe minorpremiershipwithonlythree regular-seasondefeats. Buttherewasahiccuptwoweeks ago,losingtothesecond-placed Dragons24-10,beforebouncingback tooverwhelmtheEels42-14inthe preliminaryfinallastSaturday. Intomorrow’sfinalat6.15pm,they willagainfacethejoint-ventureclub whofeaturethelikesofBenMurdochMasilaandRaymondFaitala-Mariner. “They’vegotalotofexperience,” saidAfoa.“ButI’vegotfullbeliefin ourboys.” Itwillhopefullybethe penultimategameofAfoa’sWarriors career—withthewinnersintheState Championshipfinalnextweekend againsttheQueenslandCupholders— thoughhealreadyfeelsblessed. “Frommyfirstyear,forayoung kidcomingthrough,therewerealot ofguysthatIidolisedthatIgottoplay with,legendsoftheclubthatIgotto strapthebootsonwith,likeSimon Manneringforhis250th.Those[are things]I’llneverforget.”

Montague:FirstKiwiwoman inUFC‘abeautifulprivilege’

MixedMartialArts ChristopherReive

TakinginhersurroundingsinPerth, themagnitudeofthepositionisn’t lostonMichelleMontague. TheMatamatamixedmartialartist willtomorrowbecomethefirstNew Zealandwomantocompeteinthe UFCwhenshetakesonBrazilian LuanaCarolina. Joiningtheworld’stopMMApromotionwitha6-0record,allsixwins bysubmission,the31-year-oldknows shehasearnedherplaceintheUFC. Butthat’snottosayshedoesn’t feelthepressurethatcomeswith beingtheonetobreakthatbarrier.

“Yeah,butthat’sabeautifulprivilege,right?Formetohavethatlabel issomethingthatisn’tjustgiven randomly.I’veearnedthatspotand nowisthecoolthingtodosomething withthat.

“WhenIdowhatI’vedoneevery otherfight,inaperfectworld,that’s exactlywhatIneedtodotoearnthat label.”

Montague,nowFlorida-basedand trainingatthefamedAmericanTop Teamgym,willlinkbackupwith coachCarloMeisterfromHamilton’s CoreMMAforthebout.

MeisterwasherfirstMMAcoach andwasinhercornerforallbutone fightinheramateurandprofessional careertodate.

Theyhavealsobroughtpromising CoreMMAlightweightEthanBrockett toWesternAustraliatobeintheir corner,whileoneofherATTcoaches willtakethethirdspot.

AlthoughMontagueandBrockett haven’tspentalotoftimeonthemats together,shesayshiseyeforthesport wasabigboost.

Montaguesaysthisweekhasbeen acomfortableintroductiontothe sport’stoplevel.

“Itdoesn’tfeelanydifferentwhen

Izoominandjustthinkaboutmeand theteam,itfeelsthesame.ButwhenI zoomout,I’mlike,oh,yeah,thisisa bigproduction.Buthavingenoughof thesameconsistenciesaroundme makesitfeelniceandnormal.”

Montaguemakesherdebut againstafighterwithan11-4professionalrecordandnineUFCappearances,withCarolinarankedNo15in theflyweightdivision. Thepairwillmeetatbantamweight,oneweightclasshigherthan flyweight,whichisexpectedtobea comfortableclassforboth. WhileMontaguehasspenthercareeratlightweightandfeatherweight, shesaysbantamweightisamore naturalweightclassforher,with Carolinahavingacoupleofweight missingonherresume,suggesting themoveupwillsuitheraswell. Theboutisaclassicclashofstyles. Carolinadoesherbestworkwhen abletostrike,whilegrapplingis Montague’sworld. “Ikindoflikeherwildloopiness,” Montaguesaysofthematch-up.“She

hasabitofacrazystyle,andIdo,but ontheotherendofthespectrum, whereit’slikecrazyinthegrappling sense...that’swhyitcouldbe probablyanexcitingfight.” Montaguewillbeoneofseveral Kiwiscompetingonthecard. No3-rankedlightheavyweight CarlosUlbergwillbelookingtostake hisclaimtoatitleshotinthemain eventagainstNo7andtwo-timetitle challengerDominickReyes. FellowlightheavyweightNavajo Stirlingwilllooktocontinuehis strongstartintheUFCagainst RodolfoBellato,whileBrisbanebasedKiwiheavyweightJustinTafa welcomesUFCnewcomerLouie Sutherland. AustraliansBrandoPericicand CameronRowston,whotrainatAuckland’sCityKickboxing,willalsobe makingtheirUFCdebutsonthecard. Thecardgetsunderwayatmidday tomorrowonESPN2,SkySportNow andUFCFightPass. The Herald willalsoberunninga liveblogofalltheaction.

Changingtrackconditionscouldtriggerlatescratching

Racing

MichaelGuerin

Today’sracing

● TeRapa: FeaturingGroup1 HowdenMileandGroup2 TimberspanHawke’sBayGuineas, firstraceat12.02pm.

● Riccarton: Firstrace11.45am.

● Rosehill: Firstrace1.55pm.

● Sandown: Firstrace2.10pm.

HowlikelyitisthatQuintessastartsin theGroup1HowdenMileatTeRapa todaydependsonwhoyouask. Andthatuncertaintysumsuphow manypuntersandtrainerswillfeel headingintooneofthebiggestdaysof springracing. Quintessacamefromlasttoslingshotmanyoftoday’sopponentsinthe ProisirPlateatEllersliethreeweeks agoandwouldbealogicalchance undersimilarcircumstancesstepping upto1600mtoday. Butwhethersheevenstarts willdependonthetrackreportthis morningandpotentiallyeven whetheritrainsduringtoday’sstarstuddedmeeting. Themanwhowillmakethat decisionisco-trainerSamBergerson, andyesterday,hewasn’texactly soundinglikeatrainergettingready toplanaGroup1celebration.

downgradedbecauseofrainduring themeeting. Noneofthiswillgivepunters muchconfidencethemarewhowon thefirstlegofthespringTripleCrown willbewinningthesecond. TeRapatrackmanagerBart Cowanwasenjoyingsomesunyesterdayandsuggestingthetrackcould sneakbacktoaheavy9—butthenit wouldn’ttakemuchtogetbackinto the10range.

thetrackwas,”Ritchietoldthe WeekendHerald

“She’sstillachancetostart, becausewhileitwasaheavy10[yesterdayafternoon],there’ssomeheat intheairandsomebreeze,somaybe itwillgetbacktoaheavy9,”said Bergerson.“Ifthathappens,she mightstart,butonaheavy10,that becomesverydoubtful.” Bergersonalsohastheoptionof late-scratchingQuintessaifthetrack isratedaheavy9inthemorningbut

“Butlookingattheforecast,we mightnotgetthebulkofanyrain [today]untilafter4pm,”saidCowan, withthelevelofoptimismthatkeeps trackmanagerssemi-sane.

Onemanwhohasafootinboth camps,trackwalkerandtrainer,is CambridgetrainerShauneRitchie, whodrovetoTeRapayesterday afternoontofindoutforhimselfwhat sortofconditionsawaithisHowden runnerTuxedo.

“Iwasabitsurprisedbyhowgood

“Itwasrateda10butitwalked morelikea9,andunlesstheyget heapsofrain,Idon’tseeitbeingareal deep-slogtrack. “Ithinkit’llbeokayandtheinside willplaywellearly,butbythebig race,theycouldbecomingtowards themiddleofthetracklookingfor fresherground.” Therearesomanyquestionmarks overtoday’sbigrace—mostobviously whowillhandlethetrack—that Tuxedocomesintofavourasaneachwayplaybecauseheishardertomake acaseagainst.

“Hewillhandleaheavybetterthan mostandhiswidedrawprobably doesn’tmatterasmuchnow,”said Ritchie. “Whatmighthelphimthemostis youfindwiththosereallygood horses,aheavytrackcantakeaway thattop10%theyhaveovertheother horsesandmakeitamorelevel playingfield.” Thatcouldbethecasealldayona programmelacedwithtophorses, manyofthemstillfreshintheir campaigns.Thatmakespuntinga complexequationofhowmanypercentagepointsyoumaydockLegarto, LaCriqueorElVencedorfortheir perceiveddislikeofareallyheavy track. LegartolovesTeRapaenoughthat perhapsshecangetawaywithit,La Criquerarelygoesabadrace,while TuxedoandparticularlySterling Expresscomemoresharplyintofocus ashorseswhohavealreadyproven theycanwininthewetthisspring. TheHowdenMilepuntingstrategy couldsumuptheday,withpunters wisetosticktofithorsesthatare provenonatleastsofttracks,and shouldnotbeaversetobackingtwo

McIlroyinspiresEuropesquad

TeammatestalkupNorthernIrishman’sinfluenceasRyderCupgetsunderwayatBethpage

Golf

JimSlater

RoryMcIlroylearnedwhatitmeantto beonEurope’sRyderCupsquad watchingteammatescryinalocker roomasa21-year-oldrookiein2010.

Nowthefive-timemajorchampion fromNorthernIreland,who completedacareerGrandSlamby winningtheMastersinApril,isthe talismanicleaderofaveteranside readytofollowhimintoanemotional showdownagainsttheUnitedStates atBethpageBlack.

Theopeningroundoffoursome matcheswasplayedovernight,with thefourballmatchesfollowingthis morning.

McIlroyandEngland'sTommy Fleetwood,2-0togetherinfoursomes atthe2023RyderCupinRome,faced

AmericansHarrisEnglishandCollin Morikawainmatchthreeofthe foursomesovernight.

“He’saleader.He’spotentially thegreatestEuropeangolferof alltime.Imean,thesethingsspeak forthemselves,”Scotland’sRobert MacIntyresaid.

“I’velookeduptohimsinceI wasyoung,andI’vegotnoproblem walkingbehindRoryMcIlroyifhe’s leadingthecharge.

“He’saguythat’sspecialtothe gameofgolfbutveryspecialtothe Europeanside.”

WorldNo2McIlroy,36,haswon theRyderCupfivetimesinseven appearancesbutlongstodelivera fifthEuropevictoryonUSsoilinaway hecouldn’timagine15yearsago.

“IwatchedRyderCupsgrowing up.IcriedwheneverAmericawon— atBrookline.It’snotasifIdidn’tfeel

somethingwhenIwatchedRyder Cups.ButIgotintothatteamroomat CelticManorandIjustsawhowmuch itmeanttoeveryone.Iwaslike, maybeIgotthiswrong.”

Hewastherewhenthe2010team hadaconferencecallwithSpanish legendSeveBallesteros,whowould diethenextyearofbraincancerat age54.

“Sevewassick,”McIlroysaid. “He’sspeakingtotheteamandwe’re allintheteamroom...andIlook aroundandthemajorityoftheteam iscryingasSeveistalkingtous.

“AndI’mlike,that’sit.That’sthe embodimentofwhattheEuropean RyderCupteamis.”

ThelegacyEuropecaptainLuke Donaldtalksupismorethanwords. It’sworkpasseddownthrough generationsofEuropegolfgreats, withMcIlroynowattheforefront.

“He’sthebiggestnamewehavein Europe,”SpanishstarJonRahmsaid. “He’sthebetterplayerwehavein Europeandhe’sdefinitelythebiggest presence.That’shisrole.

“It’sspecialtohavehimaround. He’saheckofasuperstar.Myrespect forhisgameonlygrowsthemoretime Ispendwithhim.Hehasgonefrom beinganincrediblygoodplayertoa greatRyderCupplayertonowbeing,I wouldsay,thecornerstonethatteam Europeneeds.”

McIlroy,whohadamatchrecord of16-13-4inCupplayheadingintothis week,boostedtheconfidenceofhis teammates,Norway’sViktorHovland said.

“He’sobviouslyagreatplayerand veryskilled,veryexperienced,but alsohecarriesalotofweightinthe teamroom,”Hovlandsaid.“He’svery comfortingtohavethere.

“Ithinkhebringsoutthebestin everyoneinthere.It’sgreattohavea personlikethatintheteamroom.”

England’sMattFitzpatrick,the 2022USOpenchampion,said McIlroywasinspiring.

“Youcanseeiteverydayinthe practicewehave,thediscussionswe have,hisattitudetowardstheweek andhowimportantitistohimthathe wantstosucceed,”Fitzpatricksaid.

“Thatgetseveryoneelsegoing aroundhimandwewanttobepart ofthat.”

Ireland’sShaneLowry,the2019 BritishOpenchampion,saysclose friendMcIlroyisonewhowill“lead fromthefront”.

“Justtohaveoneofthegreatest golfersofyourgenerationinyour teamroom,aswell,isprettycool,” Lowrysaid.“Everyonefeelsvery luckytohavehimonourteam.” AFP

AllBlacksbelatedlybuildabetterbench

PaulLewis

TheBledisloeCuptestteampicksare clearlyaimedatfixingamajorfailing oftheAllBlacksinseveralteststhis yearandlast:theirinabilitytoscore pointsandcontrolgamesinthe secondhalf-lastquarter,anissue pointingstronglytotheselection anddeploymentofthebench. It’sacoaching-selectionissue. Otherteams,particularlythe Springboks,havecreatedamore precisescienceinthemake-upof theirbenchanduseofthelaunch button. TheAllBlacksbench,meanwhile, hastoooftenlookedlikeamechanism togivepeoplegametime,ascoach ScottRobertsonandCoseektobuild depth. InWellington,theBoksbench becameanemergencymeasure insteadofastrategicmoveafterthey lostthreekeybacks—yetthehandpickedreplacementsaddedtotheir overallthrustandenergy. Incontrast,theAllBlacksbench hasseemedactivatedonlybytime: “Oh,60minutesareup;offhegoes andonhegoes...”Ithasn’tsolved theteam’sshortcomingsinthelast 20minutes. Thebenchfortoday’sAustralia clashshowsthecoachinggrouphave attempted,afterthewoefulnessin Wellington,toshapethebenchinto moreofaweapon—buttheycould havegonefurther. Forexample,theymayhave learnedFabianHolland(onthebench inWellington)isnotanimpactplayer. Hisvalueisinlineouts,tacklingandat breakdowns.Bettertostarthimand useaplayerofmoreimpactoffthe bench—suchasPatrickTuipulotu, cominginforScottBarrettafterhis shoulderinjury. However,evenhadhenotbeen injured,wouldBarrettbethebest choiceasastartinglock?Thatspills overontothediscussionabout captaincy.Barrettlooksweighed downbyit.Heisafineplayer, respectedbyhispeers,butishe amongthetoptwolocksrightnow? Therewasalsoastarkcontrast withSiyaKolisiinWellington.The Springboksskipperisaninspiring,

UScrossalinewith 9/11comparison

OliverBrown atBethpage

Forachingearnestness,orcomically distortedperspective,nothingin sportsurpassestheRyderCup. ColinMontgomeriewasfond oflikeninghisthreedaysofzipping aroundCelticManoronabuggyto beingacommanderatCampBastion inHelmand. DavisLoveIIIoncequivered withemotionashedescribedPhil Mickelson’sinfluenceonteam-room tabletennis. Tospendanytimelisteningtothis isakintobeingdunkedinavatof treacle. Andyetjustwhenitseemswehave reachedmaximummawkishness, alongcometheAmericanstoconflate agolfeventwith9/11. ChrisMascali,aNewYork firefighterwhosefatherJoediedatthe WorldTradeCenterintheAl-Qaeda attacksofSeptember11,2001,was enlistedhereatBethpagebyUnited StatescaptainKeeganBradley,to findsometangentialconnection.

Inaspeechfilmedandsettoa tear-jerkingsoundtrack,hetoldthe players:“Beingafiremanisalotmore thanajob,it’sacalling.It’sacalling toputothersfirst,toupholdthe standardssetbygenerationsbefore us.Tofightforeachother,nomatter what.Inalotofways,that’swhatthe RyderCupisabout.” Itmarkedthemomentthatthe hooplaveeredfromtheabsurdinto thedownrightdistasteful. Thiswashardlythefaultof Mascali,aproudsonsimplydoing whatwasaskedofhim.

Butitreflectedpainfullyon thehubrisofthemeninred,who imaginedthattheirtaskthisweek ofhittingalittlewhiteballarounda LongIslandfieldwastantamountto firefightersracingtowardsaburning skyscraper.

On9/11,343membersoftheNew YorkCityFireDepartmentperished inthelineofduty.

Forthesegolfers,aRyderCup simplyrepresentstheoneweekevery twoyearswhentheypursueahigher callingthanpersonalenrichment. Ornot,inthecaseofTeamUSA, whoarefreetospend40%oftheir US$500,000($866,000)“stipends” astheyplease.

TheRyderCupencapsulates GeorgeOrwell’sdepictionofsportas “warminustheshooting”.

AtKiawahIslandin1991,the openingceremonyfeaturedaflyover byfighterjets,aMarinehonourguard andadrillteamfromtheCitadelin SouthCarolina. Nowonderoneobserver describedtheEuropeansaslooking likeSovietdissidentswatchingthe VictoryDayparadeofweaponryin RedSquare. Thecreepingsenseofdread increasedwhenonelocalradio stationannounceda“wakeupthe enemy”campaign,makingpre-dawn telephonecallstotheirhotelrooms. Asforthegolf,itonlyaccentuated themartialmood,withCoreyPavin wearingacamouflagehatina

passionateleader.Barrettisaquieter model,lessobviousandperhaps indangerofbeingperceivedby impatientfansthesamewayanother CrusaderscaptainoftheAllBlacks was—ReubenThorne,oncenastily termed“CaptainInvisible”.The differenceisthatThornehadan 86%winrecordwiththeAllBlacks. NooneisblamingBarrettforwhat happenedinWellington.However, responsibilityisusuallysheeted somewhere,captainandcoaches generally.Italsobegsthisquestion: if,foranyreason,ArdieSaveaturned downthecaptaincy,thenwho? Let’snotgetboggeddownwith captaincyconundrums;thegoalhere istoexamineassemblinganeffective bench.PartoftheproblemfortheAll Blackshasbeeninjuryandplayers withtoolittlegametimeatahighlevel —whichiswhythestartingteamand benchtoplayAustraliacouldhave lookedalittledifferent:

● Hooker: CodieTaylor.

● Props: FletcherNewell,Ethande Groot,thelattersolidinthescrum. Newelldidthebusinessscrum-wise againsttheBoksinthefirsttestand hasuppedhisgamearoundthefield. ThatleavesroomforTamaitiWilliams andTyrelLomaxtocomeoffthe bench.Thecoachesdecidedon Lomaxtostartandmaybethat’sright; heisworld-classwhenonformand afteruninterruptedgametime.

● Locks: TupouVaa’iandHolland, aspertheselection.Whenhe’sfit, Barrettcomesoffthebench.

● Looseforwards: Asperselection —SimonParker,Savea,WallaceSititi (butonlyjust...hisformpost-injury isnotyetuptohisformpre-injury), butwithSamipeniFinauonthe bench.Theselectorsinstead plumpedforPeterLakaitocoverall threepositions,andifhecanrevive hiscompellingformoflastyear, perhapsthey’reright.Finauhas

lineoutcapabilityandundoubted firepowerasanimpactplayer,though hehasn’tconsistentlydisplayedthat, henceLakai’sopportunity.

● Halfbacks: CamRoigard,Cortez Ratimaonthebench. ● Firstfive-eighths: Beauden Barrett,DamianMcKenzieonthe bench. Sofar,sosimilar.Butnow:

● Midfield: Mychoicewouldbe JordieBarrettandBraydonEnnor. BillyProctorplayedwellotherwise inWellington,butonceheldonto theballwithaplayeroutsideandwas nailedbyCheslinKolbe.Nexttime, KolbereadProctor’spassingintent perfectlyforhisintercepttry.Proctor hashadaconsistentoutingatcentre withoutreallycementinghisspot— partlyduetothemisfiringbackline, withtheAllBlacksattackfourthbest inthechampionshiprightnow. LeicesterFainga’anukumaybethe eventualansweratcentre,butEnnor

hasbeenplayingwellforCanterbury intheNPC,figuringthreetimesin aterrificmovementforAndrew Knewstubb’stryintheRanfurly ShieldlosstoOtago.Hehasspeed andheft,issoliddefensivelyand hascalmedfearsheisoffoverseas byre-signingfortheCrusaders.

● Backthree: CalebClarke,Leroy Carter,WillJordan,asperselection. Fainga’anukuwouldbeonthebench, covering12,13andbothwings,ready forearlyentryiftheteamneededa powerboost.Heoffersadifferent dimension,oftenstayingclosetothe ballandmakingtellingpick-and-go runsinthestyleofthemuch-missed MarkTele’a.

AfullyavailableAllBlacksbench couldlooklikethis:Samisoni Taukei’aho,Williams,Lomax, Barrett,Finau;Ratima,McKenzie, Fainga’anuku.Theyaresubscapable oftheconsiderableimpactneededat thislevel.

desperateattempttochannelthe spiritofOperationDesertStorm. BythetimetheAmericans celebratedtheirone-pointvictory, PaulAzingerdidnotexactlychoose humility,declaring:“Wewentover thereandthumpedtheIraqis.Now we’vetakentheCupback.I’mproud tobeanAmerican.” Eversince,thecontesthasbeen drapedinacloakofmilitarism.This instalmentisnoexception,withthe GoldenKnights,aUSArmyparachute team,droppinginontheopening ceremonyatBethpageBlackto delivertheflags. Atthemomentof“therockets’red glare”in TheStar-SpangledBanner threehelicoptersrumbledintothe skyabovethestage. WhenAzingerbecamecaptain in2008,headoptedaUSNavySeals tacticbydividinghisteamintothree “pods”offour. WhenPavinsucceededhimin 2010,hewheeledoutF-16fighterpilot DanRooneytoaddressthetroops. BubbaWatson,thesonofa Vietnamveteranandalachrymose soulatthebestoftimes,couldbarely keepittogether,reflecting:“Iam morethanlikelynevergoingtobein themilitaryunlesstheyaskforour help,sothisisachancetobelike mydad.”

TheAmericansbuyinto theoverheatedrhetoric, asifconvincedthatone autumnweekonthese manicuredfairwaysis comparabletohoisting thetatteredStarsand StripesatIwoJima.

Youwanttobelievethatthe playersareactingknowinglyas parodiesofthemselves,thatRickie Fowlerwassendinghimselfupwhen hearrivedatGleneaglesin2014with theletters“U-S-A”shavedintohis hair.Exceptgolfinthisrealmtends nottotradeinsubtletyorironyor satire. TheAmericans,inparticular,buy intoeverylineofoverheatedrhetoric, asifconvincedthatoneautumnweek onthesemanicuredfairwaysis comparabletohoistingthetattered StarsandStripesatIwoJima.

Thegratuitous9/11reference, though,hascrossedaline.Agolf matchandAmerica’sresponseto aterroristatrocityhavenothingin common,anditisfatuoustopretend otherwise.Indeed,theoverwhelming tragedyledthePGAofAmericato postponethe2001duelby12months. “It’sanimportantevent,”saidJim Furyk.“Buttherearemoreimportant thingsinlife.” Quiteso.Somewherealong theline,thismessagehasbeenlost, withthesheerhyperboleofthe21stcenturyRyderCupmakingitatonce agrippingspectacleandthemost sanctimoniouseventinsport. TelegraphGroupLtd

Fernswellmotivated

aftersemidejection

ChristopherReive

TheBlackFernshavenothadtolook veryfarformotivationaheadoftheir bronzemedalmatchagainstFranceat Twickenhamtonight.

Forthefirsttimeinmorethana decade,theNewZealandsidewillnot featureintheWomen’sRugbyWorld Cupfinalafterlosingtheirsemifinal againstCanadalastweekend.

TheBlackFernstrailed17-0after 24minutesonthewaytoa34-19 defeatinBristol.

Forthedefendingchampions,it wasn’tthesortofdisplaytheyhad hopedtoproduceatthatstageofthe tournament.

“Theperformanceweputout [againstCanada]wasmotivation enoughtoletourselvesfeelthefeelingsthatwewerefeelinginitiallybut thengetbackuponthehorseand continuetotrainandpreparewellfor thematchwehaveonSaturday,”said captainRuaheiDemant.“Therewas noothermotivationreallyneeded.”

TheBlackFernswillwelcomeback ahandfulofplayersintothematchday23forthetestagainstFrance. Inthestarting15,lockLaura BayfieldandlooseforwardJorja Millerhavebeenclearedtoreturn afterundisclosedinjurieskeptthem outofthesemifinal. Onthebench,hookerVici-Rose Green,looseheadpropAwhina Tangen-WainohuandwingerKatelyn Vahaakoloreturntothesquad,while lockAlanaBremnermovesbackto thebenchwithBayfieldstarting. It’sonlythesecondtimesince theirmaidenWorldCuptitlein1998 thattheNewZealandsidehave missedthefinal,withCanadameeting Englandinarepeatofthe2014final whichsawtheRedRosesclaimtheir secondcrown. “Youprobablydidn’tseethebest ofuslastweek,”BlackFernsdirector ofperformanceAllanBuntingsaid. “I’mnottakinganythingawayfrom Canada.Theywereprettysharp,they weregood,andwhentheyscoretries ateight,11and24minutes,wewere chasingthegameabit. “We’vegotanotheropportunityto reallygetourgamegoing.We’vegota massivelytalentedsquadandwe’ve gotanopportunitytoreallygoand showitthisweek.” Withtheoutingbeingtheirlastfor theyear,theBlackFernswilllookto

Youprobablydidn’tsee thebestofuslastweek. We’vegotamassively talentedsquadandan opportunitytoreallygo andshowit(tonight). BlackFernsdirectorof performanceAllanBunting

finishonahighandholdontotheir No3ranking, Shouldtheylose,No4France wouldtiptheBlackFernsoutofthe world’stopthreeforthefirsttimein theteam’shistory. ThetestalsogivestheFerns anotherchancetoaddressissues arounddiscipline,whichagain provedcostlyagainstCanada,who wonthepenaltycount10-6. “Therewasn’tanylackofintent, right?Obviouslydisciplinehasbeen evidentinallourgames,”Bunting said. “Thefocushasbeenontryingto beabitcleanerandclearerand sharperwithourdecisionsbutwe don’twanttostopplayingeither. “It’sprettytoughwhenyou’vegot apenaltycountlikethat—Ithinkit was10-1at75minutes—that’salways goingtobetough. “Westillwantourladiestoplay butjustbeabitcleanerandclearer andshowbetterpictures.Wewantto bedecisive,too.”

Noexcuses:TimeforAllBlackstodeliver

Iftheycan’tbeatdepletedAussies, theydon’tdeserveBledisloeCup

Backstothewall, onceagain.Forcedto respondanddefend thefortress,once more.Thereareno excusesforthenear full-strengthAllBlacks nottofrontagainsttheWallabies.

It’satipofthecaptorespected NewZealandcoachesJoeSchmidt andMikeCronthatthisyear’stwotestBledisloeseriesatEdenParkand Perth—bothsoldout—isamongthe mosthighlyanticipatedofthepast decade.

There’sastrongargumentthat SchmidtandCronhaveimproved theWallabiesfarmorethanScott Robertsonandhiscoachingteam haveevolvedtheAllBlacks.

That’sthestarkbackdropthat

LiamNapier

greetsRobertson’sAllBlacksin all-too-familiarterritorytoday.

Threeweeksago,theAllBlacks arrivedattheirsamespiritualhome withsimilarfrustrationsanddoubts circlingaftertheirmaidenlossin Argentina.

Onestepforward,oneback,to remainstagnantatbest.

WithRassieErasmus’world championSpringbokshunting historyandseekingtostormthe

fortress,thepressurevalvewasready toburst.

TheAllBlacksdeliveredthatnight togrindoutagrittyvictory,butas theirinconsistentcyclecontinues, it’sworthrevisitingArdieSavea’s commentsafterthatfirst-testsuccess againsttheBoks.

“Thisisourhomebutevery stadiuminNewZealandisour home,”Saveasaidashecelebrated his100thtest.

“That’sthemindsetweshould have.Weshouldn’twaitforEdenPark togetupwithaperformancelikethat. We’llenjoytonightandthengodown toWellingtonandtrytodoajobdown there.”

Thefollowingweek,theAllBlacks deliveredoneoftheworstsecondhalfperformancesintheteam’s history,leaking36unanswered pointsandmissing46tacklesagainst theBoksinastaggeringcollapseto revivethecapitalcurse.

Whichbringsustoanother Bledisloebattle.

AsSaveaassumestheAllBlacks captaincyfromtheinjuredScott Barrett,heissuretoservehome truthsaroundtheteam’sfailureto heedhisdemandtodeliveratallNew Zealandvenuesandissueanothercall toarms.

Win,loss,win,loss,win?

TheAllBlacksarevulnerable, buthavingregainedCamRoigard, CodieTaylor,PatrickTuipulotuand CortezRatimafrominjuryandfinally selectingCalebClarkeontheleft wing,shouldcontinuetheirflip-flop RugbyChampionshippatternto retaintheBledisloefora23rdstraight yearandextendEdenPark’s 51-match,31-yearunbeatenstatus.

ThereturnofRoigardandTaylor cannotbeunderestimated.

TheAllBlacks’lackofattacking penetrationthisseasonhascome underfireforgoodreason.Digging deepintotheirhalfbackranks contributedtothoseissues.

Roigardisworld-class.Hisrunning threatforcesdefenderstohold

aroundthefringes.Hisboomingleft bootalleviatesresponsibilityonother playmakersandhissizeallowshimto dealwithruckpressure.

NootherAllBlackshalfbackcomes closetomatchinghisinfluence.

WithTaylorthrowingdarts,the AllBlackslineoutwasatrustedstrike weaponthatlaidtheplatformforthe firsttwotriesagainsttheSpringboks atEdenPark.

Thefollowingweek,though,with third-choicehookerBrodieMcAlister andsomeseriouslyquestionable lineoutcalls,thesameset-piece platformdisintegrated.

Clarke’sinclusionshouldhave comemuchsoonerinthequestto amendissuesunderthehighball, andTuipulotu’scomebackfroma facialfractureaddsmuch-needed physicalityandexperiencetothe bench.

WhiletheAllBlacksregainthose influentialfigures,theWallabiesface atestofdepth. Schmidthasinstilledadepthof

character,resilience,beliefand collectiveunderstandingrecent Wallabiesteamsdidnotsharebefore hisarrival.

EvenwhentheWallabieslose, theyarecompetitive.

Thisyear,theWallabieswere onerefereeingdecisionawayfrom stunningtheBritishandIrishLions, againstallodds.

Theythenwenttoe-to-toewiththe SpringboksinSouthAfrica,splitting twoteststherewhichincluded scoring38unansweredpointsat EllisParkinoneoftheall-time greatcomebacks.

Another1-1homeseriesagainst thePumasfollowed,withcaptain HarryWilsonetchinghisnameinto Wallabiesfolklorebyturningdown multipleshotsatgoaltobackhismen topulloffvictoryinTownsville.

Thisweek,though,theWallabies aremissingpowerhouseforwards WillSkeltonandRobValetini.

AndstartingfullbackAndrew Kellawayisalsoabsent,forcinga reshuffletothebackthree.

Andthey,too,emergefromdefeat, withanothercomebacknotenough toreelinthePumasinSydney, despitethebenefitofablatant forwardpassintheirfinaltry. Schmidthassignalledthe Wallabies’intenttochasepoints againsttheAllBlacksbyselecting anattack-mindedteamthatfeatures TateMcDermott’ssnipingthreatfrom thebase,CoreyToole’spaceonthe edge,LukhanSalakaia-Lotoinjected asthesecond-rowenforcerand Joseph-AukusoSua’ali’i’sworld-class presencefromcentre. ButtheWallabiesarefarfromfull strength. Aftertheirheaviestdefeatin history,withtheneedtoharness thathurtandrestorepride,iftheAll Blackscan’tputawaythedepleted WallabiesatEdenPark,theydon’t deservetheBledisloe. Muchmorewasexpectedfrom Robertson’sAllBlacksera. Thetimehascometowalkthetalk.

Proverbs14:21.

TAKING TRANSPARENCY TOTHEBANK

NewReserveBank

Transparencyisthekeytobuilding confidenceinmonetarypolicy, saysnewReserveBankgovernor

LiamDann

NewReserveBankGovernorAnna Bremancomesfromacentralbank thatpridesitselfontransparency. Thatcouldpotentiallybringa majorchangetothewaytheRBNZ handlesitsmonetarypolicydecisionmaking. AtSweden’sRiksbank,theMonetaryPolicyCommitteemembers’ commentsareattributedinthe minutesofthemeeting. Theyarealsonamedintherecord ofthevote.InNewZealand,theprocessiscurrentlyanonymousonboth counts. WhileBreman’saddresstothe NewZealandmediaonWednesday wasbrief,itspecificallyaddressed transparency. Sheemphasisedtheneedfor “transparency,accountabilityand clearcommunication”attheReserve Bank. GiventhedebaclearoundAdrian

Orr’sresignationandsubsequentlack oftransparency—whichledtothe resignationofboardchairmanNeil Quigley—itwasanastutepointto make. However,theSwedishcentral bank’scommitmenttotransparency extendsbeyondBremen’swell-honed introductoryspeech. Infact,itwasthesubjectfora muchmorein-depthspeechBreman gaveattheBankofEngland’sCentre forCentralBankingStudiesin LondoninJune.

Inaspeechtitled“DaringtoThink Differently”—ontheRiksbank’smonetarypolicycommunication—she outlinedhowshebelievedthe Swedishcentralbankleadstheworld onopennessandtransparency.

“Inmyexperience,transparency buildstrust.Opennessaboutthebasis fordecisionscreatesanunderstandingofmonetarypolicy,andofthe oftendifficulttrade-offsitfaces.

“Suchanunderstandingincreases

confidenceinmonetarypolicy, ratherthanreducingit,whichinturn makesthepolicyeasiertoconduct.”

Shehighlightedthreekeyareasof focusforbuildingthattrust:the Riksbank’sstrategyofpublishinga forecastforthepolicyrate,ofpublishingalternativescenariosandits attributingintheminutes.

“[This]createsanunderstanding ofmonetarypolicy,andoftheoften difficulttrade-offsitfaces,”shesaid inthespeech.

“Suchanunderstandingincreases confidenceinmonetarypolicy, ratherthanreducingit,whichinturn makesthepolicyeasiertoconduct.”

TheRBNZdoespublishaforward ratetrack,whichprovidesaproxy forecastforwhereitbelievesthecash rateisheaded.

Butithasbeenproblematicinthe pastcoupleofyears.

In2024,theRBNZpublisheda trackwhichsuggestedtheOfficial CashRatewouldrisefurtherand wouldn’tbecutuntilAugustthis year.

Asitturnedout,theOCRwascut inAugust2024.Criticscalledita U-turnandaflip-flop.TheRBNZ rejectedthis.

Then-GovernorAdrianOrrarguedtherewasamisunderstanding aroundinterpretingtheratetrack.

WeofferWholesaleInvestorsattractivereturns,backedbyfirst

Inmyexperience, transparencybuilds trust.Opennessabout thebasisfordecisions createsan understandingof monetarypolicy,andof theoftendifficulttradeoffsitfaces.

AnnaBreman

InherresponsetosimilarcriticisminSweden,Bremenappearsto havestruckamoreconciliatorytone inherspeech:“Whileitwouldhave beendesirablefortheforecaststobe morecloselyalignedwithactualoutcomesandlesssystematicallyinaccurate,Ithinkthesefiguresarestill aprettygoodillustrationofthequote usuallyattributedtoJohnMaynard Keynes:‘Whenthefactschange,I changemymind—whatdoyoudo, sir?’

“Animportantmessagehereis thatitisnaturalthatinterestrate forecaststurnouttobewrong,and thatthereisnodramainthis.We havenotfoundthatthishasaffected

publicconfidenceinourabilitytofulfilourmandate,”shesaid. Inotherwords:acknowledgeand moveon.

ThetransparencyattheRiksbank hasallowedforareviewofBreman’s callsthroughCovidandmorerecently. WestpacchiefeconomistKelly Eckholdhastakenalookback throughtherecords.

“Whenwelookatherpublic commentsandvotingrecordwhileat theRiksbankwedoseeevidencethat shewasinthedovishrangeofthe Riksbankexecutiveboard,”Eckhold says.

“Inthe35executiveboardmeetingsthatshehasparticipatedin,on33 occasionsshevotedwiththeconsensus.Hertwodissentsweredovish:in December2019shevotedagainsta 25bphike,whileinApril2023shepreferreda25bphiketotheconsensus callfora50bphike.”

However,itwasimportantto recognisethatthisdidnotnecessarily meanshewouldbedovishrelativeto theRBNZMonetaryPolicyCommitteeofthepastseveralyears,hesaid.

“Wealsoseesomeevidencethat DrBremanhasactivisttendencies relativetotheothermembersofthe executiveboard,”hesaid.

“Forexample,in2020shewas

firmlywiththeconsensuson advocatingforlarge-scaleassetpurchasestocombatthepandemic.However,bylaterin2020,DrBremanwas amongthegroupthatbegantoexpressreservationsabouttheduration andscaleofthepolicy.”

In2022,Bremanalsoappearedto haveadoptedahawkishstanceat leastasquicklyasthewiderboard,he said.

Butshewasarelativelyearly movertoamorebalancedapproach andin2024and2025tendedtobe relativelydovishcomparedtothe broaderboard.

EckholdnotesthattheRiksbank hasastrongtrackrecordoftransparencyandhasbeen“atrailblazerin theareafordecades”.

“Forexample,theRiksbank quicklyfollowedtheBankofEngland inadoptingtheuseoffanchartsfor thecommunicationofforecastuncertaintyinDecember1997.”

Eckholdalsociteditsuseofregularpressconferences,publishedMPC memberviewsontheoutlook,and publicisedvotes.

Inresponsetocriticismofits forecasting,RBNZchiefeconomist PaulConwayhassaidtheBankwilldo moremodellingofscenarios,asaway tobemoretransparentandensure thepublicunderstandsrisks.

Thatislikelytoalignwiththe thinkingofthenewgovernor. IndependenteconomistCameron Bagriesaidhewouldliketoseethe MPCpublishitsvotingrecord. Hewelcomedanymovestoamore transparentapproachfromtheRBNZ, butsaidhefeltthedebaclearoundthe handlingofOrr’sdeparturewasabiggerissuethananyconcernsaround monetarypolicyitself. “Attheepicentreofacentralbank isitscredibility,andtransparencyisa subsetofcredibility,”hesaid.“What I’dliketoseeistherecordofthevote published.” Butthepreviousregimeatthe Bankhadbeen“prettytransparent” withmonetarypolicy,hesaid. Theyhadgotthingswrong. “Butmonetarypolicyisanimperfectscience,”hesaid. “Unlesstherewasasignificant changeincultureataboardlevel,it wasgoingtobedifficultforthenew governortoeffectrealchange,”he said. Anewboardchairpersonis expectedtobeappointedinthe comingweeks. Bremantakesupthegovernor’s roleonDecember1,whichmeansshe won’tbeinvolvedinthenexttwo OfficialCashRatedecisions—widely expectedtobecuts.

BruceCotterill

GDPslump exposes deepercracks ineconomy

OPINION Bruce

Cotterillisa professional directorand adviserto businessleaders

WTheJunequarterresultcamein withanegativeresultof0.9%.That meansthattheeconomyshrank duringthequarter.Mosteconomists hadpredicted0.4%.Theresultwas doublethemostpessimistic projections.

Makenomistake,shrinkageof 0.9%inthreemonthsisadisaster— especiallyforasmalleconomywitha growingpopulationwhoseNo1 exportiscurrentlyenjoyinga boomingmarketandaweakdollar.

Sothefactthattheresultcaught ourpoliticians,economistsandeven theReserveBankoffguardshouldsee usaskingsomequestions. ButI’msurprisedthatwe’re surprised.MostofthepeoplethatI talktoknewthattheperiodfrom ApriltoJunewasexceptionallytough. Onthegrounditfeltbad.Numbers aside,itwaseasilytheworstquarter we’vehadinthiscycle.Itfeltlike1991 alloveragain. InthecourseofmydailylifeItalk topeopleoperatingbusinesses.

Transportgroupsandfreight forwarders.Motorvehicledealers, mediacompaniesandrealestate operators.Retailers,construction companiesandsoftwaredevelopers. Evenprofessionalservicesfirms.The peopleontheground.Mostofthose peopleweren’tevenslightlystartled attheJuneGDPhorror.Theyfeltitas ithappened.

Theimpendingdisasterwasso obviousthatinJuly,Iwentsofarasto saypubliclythattheReserveBank neededtwocutsof0.5%beforethe endofOctobertosavewhat’sleftof oureconomy.InAugusttheycutrates byjust0.25%.

Idon’thaveaswatheofcomputer screensinfrontofme,nordoIhavea constantstreamofGovernment officialsbriefingme.ButItalktothe peopleonthegroundeveryday.It’sa lessonthateveryonefromour FinanceMinistertoournewReserve Bankchiefwoulddowelltoheed.

Inthiswriter’sopinion,the ReserveBankhasbeentoolatetoact atalmosteveryturnoftheeconomic rollercoasteroverthepastfiveyears. Ithasonejob:tokeepinflationwithin thetargetedband.Andyougetthe sensethatithasbecomesocautious thatitoperatesreactively,basedon whathashappened,ratherthan proactively,basedonwhatis happening.

Tobefairtothebank,the Governmenthasn’thelpedit. TheGovernmentinheritedan overburdenedadministration.Its predecessorsmadelittleinthewayof economicorinfrastructuralprogress duringtheirsix-yearterm.Meanwhile theyemployedtoomanypeople, injectedtoomuchstimulusand introducedtoomuchdebt.Inflation, housepricebubblesand,ultimately, economicparalysisweretheresult. Therewasonlyonewaywecouldgo

afterthat.So,whenChristopher Luxon’scoalitionGovernmentcame topower,mostofusknewthe economyhadbeenleftinaverysorry state.Weexpectedthenewteamto dosomethingaboutit.

Luxoncameintohisprime ministershipwiththesupportoftwo otherpoliticalparties,bothofwhom, webelieved,wouldsupporttheneed togettheeconomyinorder.

Theyalsocameinwiththe permissionoftheelectorate,whofor themostparthadvotedwiththe understandingthatwewerenotin greatshapeandthatwewouldneed someharshmedicinetorestore economicorder.Weknewweneeded togetthecostofrunningGovernment down.

Andweknewwehadtoreduceour debt. Atthesametime,weneededto investmoneyoninfrastructure, buildingassetsandcreatingjobs. There’sadifferencebetween investingandspending. Butthemedicinenevercame. DuringitsfirstyeartheGovernment talkedcautiouslyabouttrimmingthe sizeofthebureaucracy.Butthe massiveactionneverhappened.

Instead,wehavecontinuedtoborrow andspend,actionsthatruncounter totheReserveBank’sinflation objective.

Theweaponstocombatinflation includereducingdemandthrough increasedinterestrates,restrained Governmentspendingandreduced borrowing.We’veonlydoneonethird ofthejob.

Asaresult,theburdenhasfallen oneverythingandeveryone,except theGovernmentanditsrelated bureaucracy.Thatburdenhas thereforebeenconcentratedonthe commercialsector.Thesectorthat couldfeelthosecoldwindsofApril, MayandJune.Thatsectorthathas seenhospitalitybusinessesandlarge constructioncompaniesalikefail. Thatsamesectorthathasseena regularflowofdiscontinuedjobs acrossaspectrumofbusinessesfrom retailtotimberprocessing.

Whenthecommercialsectorfails, taxrevenuereduces.That’sthe incometheGovernmentusestopay itsoperatingcosts.Iftaxrevenue declines,andcostsaren’treducedto compensate,additionalborrowingis theonlywaytofillthegap.

Andsohereaswesitheretoday,

inflationisbackundercontroland ourharshinterestratepunishmentis almostover.ButourGovernment’s borrowings,aswellasitsoperating costs,aregreaterthanbefore.There is,therefore,arealriskthatany recoverythatmaycomeistemporary. Mostofuswillunderstandthe impactofbuyingthathousethatyou can’tquiteafford.Oncetheinitial enthusiasmfades,you’releftwitha mortgagepaymentthatyoustruggle tomakeeachmonth.Thereareonlya fewthingsyoucando.Sellthehouse, probablyataloss.Earnmoremoney, byincreasingtheproductivityofyour household.Orfinally,getyourother costsdownbyreducingspending.If youcan’tgetthingsundercontrolyou becomeparalysed,andunabletodo whatyouneedorwanttodo. TheoptionsfortheGovernment arenodifferent.Butwedon’thave manyassetsthatwewanttosell,and ourproductivityisappallingand unlikelytoimproveanytimesoon. Wehavetostopspendingmoney. Havingmissedtheopportunityto “cutitscloth”duringthefirst18 monthsofitsparliamentaryterm,the Governmentisnowparalysedbythe prospectofanelectionayearorso

away.Accordingly,theother“nonsurprise”oftheweekwasthis newspaper’sMoodoftheBoardroom surveyresults.

Thesurvey,across150business leaders,dealtsomeharshfeedbackto boththePrimeMinisterandour FinanceMinisterfortheir performanceontheeconomy.And whynot?

Duringthepastfewyears, businesseshavebeenforcedtoget theiracttogether.They’veinnovated, reducedcosts,andhittheroads sellingharderthanbefore,justtostay afloat.They’dfeelbetteriftheysaw theGovernmentdoingthesame. Onecommentatordescribedthe Government’sfiscalpositionasa“ball andchainaroundtheeconomy”in callingfortheGovernmenttotackle thebigissues,includingthestructural deficit.

Thebusinessbossesrolledout theirconcernsabouttheusualissues, too.Infrastructure.Business confidence.Productivity.Lossof talent.Allthingswe’veheardbefore. Allthingsthatwecontinuetostruggle with.Allthingsthatneedsome aspirationandaturnaroundplan.

ButtheMoodoftheBoardroom

wasn’tallbadnews.Infact,ifyouput asidetheeconomicmanagement,the surveytellsusthatwehaveplentyto bepositiveabout.TheGovernment hasmaderealprogressacrossa numberofourportfoliosthathad beenpreviouslyneglectedandrun down,andithasdonethatinashort amountoftime.Thebusiness communityisnoticingthatprogress andcelebratingit. Mostimportantly,the replatformingofoureducation frameworksisoneofthehighlights andmaywellbethelastinglegacyof thisparliamentaryterm.ThereengineeringofPharmacwasalso overdueandwithnewleadership nowinplace,weseempoisedtoget betterbangforbuckforthoseliving withmedicalmisfortune.Actleader DavidSeymoursaidduringtheweek that“ourgoalistomakePharmacthe world’sleadingmedicaltechnology assessor”.Weneedmoreaspiration likethat. Meanwhile,ourtradeandforeign policyteamsaredoinggreatwork internationally,againafteraperiodof neglect.Thegeopoliticalmessisa toughlandscapeatpresentand,ifwe aretobecomeoutrageously successful,oursmalleconomyneeds therestoftheworldonourside. Butthere’sashadowthathangs overtheseachievements.Asthe sayinggoes,“it’stheeconomy, stupid.”It’snotintheplacethatwe needittobe.Andasmuchaswewant waitinglistsdownandourkidstobe educatedproperly,wecanonlydo thatstuffifwerunasuccessfuland viableeconomy. Thegoodnewsisthatweshould expectsomebettereconomicnews onthehorizon.Thisquarterfeels betterthanthelast,despitethegloom ofwinter.Fonterra’sresult, announcedduringtheweek, providesaneconomicbonanzatothe ruralsectoronwhichwerelyso much.Thosefarmers’paycheques willpumpmillionsofdollarsintoa thirstymarketplaceandthere’s positivenoisearoundhousingfora change. Let’staketheeconomicmedicine beforeit’stoolate.It’stimetostop blamingthepastandinsteaddesign thecountrywewantforthefuture. Onewithinfrastructure,jobs, educationandhealthcare,anda functioningGovernmentthat’sright sizedandfitforpurpose. Thegreenshootswon’tbehere beforeChristmas,but2026islooking awholelotbetter.

Insidestory

Masteringconsciousconsumption

HealthPostCEO talksgrowth, e-commerce andafocuson sustainability

TomRaynel

AbelButlerremembers growinguparoundboxesof supplementsinthelate 1980swhenhismumLinley beganHealthPost.

Atthetime,Linleylookedto naturalhealthproductsasawayto treathealthissuesshewasfacing.But whenshesawanopportunitytomake naturalhealthproductsaccessibleto peopleinremoteandrural communities,shejumpedatit.

Whatbeganassellingbarleygrass fromherkitchenevolvedintoamailordercataloguebusinessrunoutof thebasementoftheirfamilyhomein Collingwood,GoldenBay.

Now,nearly30yearslater,withan expansivee-commerceplatformat thecoreofthebusiness,Abel,along withhissisterLucy,isleading HealthPostintoitsnextevolution aftertworecentAustralian acquisitions.

Nestledinthenorthwestcornerof theSouthIslandwithover90 employees,HealthPostisalreadya sizeableonlinenaturalhealthretailer, withover$30millioninannualsales andrevenuegrowthof6%overthe lastyear.

Itserveshundredsofthousandsof domesticandinternational customersannually,withmorethan 15,000productsavailable,ranging fromtraditionalvitaminsand supplementstofood,drinkandbody careproducts.

Butlerfirstgotinvolvedwiththe businessintheearly2000sasit launchedanonlineretailplatform.

“Youhadtheverybeginningsof e-commercethen.Amazonwas established,andcounterintuitively, youalsohadthedotcombubbleand bust.Therewereobviouslybarriersto adoptionintheearlystages,butthe modelofrelativelysmall,high-value productsandtheabilitytoshipthem allaroundthecountry,whichwe werealreadydoing,lentitselfvery welltoanonlinemodel.”

In2009,afteryearsofbuildingup HealthPost’scustomerbaseandprior tothelaunchofitsnewe-commerce site,Linleymadethedecisiontostep awayfromthebusinessduetohealth reasons. ThatyearAbelassumedthe positionofchiefexecutive,while Lucytookontheroleofsustainability lead. Heexplainedthatsincethe business’searlybeginnings,therehas beenhugegrowthinconsumer awarenessoftheimpactsoftheir choices.

“Evennaturalhealthasacategory wasrelativelynovel.Ithinkthe conceptofconsciousconsumption wasreallyquitenascentandhadn’t hitthemainstream,”Butlersaid.

“WhatIthinkforusinthelastfew years,there’sbeenahugeincreasein consumerawarenessoftheimpacts ofthechoicestheymake,andalsofor

Wehavereally goodsystems thatwe’vebuilt upovermany yearsof experience.

AbelButler

thempersonally,Ithinkthere’sa continuingdemandforhigherquality andgreatertransparencyfrom retailers.”

HealthPostisoperatingina competitiveindustry,sharing customersandmarketsharewith boutiqueplayers,independent pharmaciesandretailgiantssuchas ChemistWarehouse.

Butlersaiditwasgoodthat customerscouldbeservedinalltheir diverseneeds,butsaidHealthPost hasa“realstrength”inits transparency,efficacyand environmentalstandards.

“We’remakingiteasierfor customerstomakemindfuland consideredchoicesthattheycanbe confidentinwithouthavingtodoan

enormousamountofresearch themselves.Ifwestockit,theycanbe confidentthatitalreadymeetsa numberofstandardswhichwe’re transparentabout.”

InMay2023,thebusiness establishedaphysicalpresencein Australiawithitspurchaseoftwo competitorstherewhoseparent companywentintoreceivership, Flora&Fauna(aveganandecolifestylepioneer)andNourishedLife (acleanbeautyandnaturalhealth platform).

Butlersaidtheyalreadyhadalove forthetwobrandsandcouldsee themastheclosesttowhatHealthPost wasdoingintheAustralianmarket.

Butinhisopinion,despitethetwo businessesbeginningasfounder-led

brandswithclearvisions,bothwere victimsofcorporate mismanagement.

“Thebrandshadsufferedquitea bitofreputationaldamage,sothefirst thingthatwehadtodoisrestoretrust inthem.That’sbeenamatterof focusingondoingallofthebasics verywell,andwe’vebeenreally pleasedtoseethewaythemarkethas respondedtothat.”

SinceHealthPosttookownership ofthebrandsforanundisclosed amount,thetranstasmanexpansion hasdeliveredmonth-on-monthsales growthaveraging15%,andisontrack tobeprofitablewithinthefinancial year.

Butlersaidithasbeenintensely competitivebothhereandin

Zealandisnormallytwotothreeyears behindglobaltrends.However, HealthPostisbenefitingfromits Australianfootprint,asthemarket acrosstheDitchtendstobeanearly adopterofinnovationacrossthe naturalhealthcategory. NowwiththeAustralian acquisitionsbackontrack,Butler’s attentionisreturningtowherehe started,thebusiness’onlineretail platform.

“It’sareallyinterestingtimein termsofe-commercetechnologyat themoment,particularlywiththe intersectionofe-commerceandAI. Thingsarebecomingpossiblein termsofstreamliningcustomer experiencesthatwereonlyadream previously.”

Butlersaidsomecapitalwouldbe investedintothebusiness’s technologyto“enableworld-class customerexperiences”,aswellas continuedexpansionofitsrangeand supplychaincapabilities. Thebusinesswillalsocontinueits focusonsustainability.Itcurrently holdsB-Corpcertificationandiszerocarboncertified,withalargemultiyearcommitmenttoenvironmental restorationinitsbackyardofGolden Bay. Perhapsthebiggestchangefor Butlerandthebusinesswashis mum’slatelastyear.

Reflectingonherlifeandhis relationshipwithher,Butlersaidshe washugelyinfluentialingivinghim lessonsinbusiness.

Australia,butcreditsthebusiness’ recentgrowthtotheteam’sability andunderstandingofunit economics.

“Thesupplychainandlogisticsare reallycomplex,anditdoesrequirean enormousamountoftimeandeffort tokeeptrackofsuchalargeand diversestockholding.

“Wehavereallygoodsystemsthat we’vebuiltupovermanyyearsof experienceintermsofhowwe forecast,howwemanageand offboardslow-movingstock,howwe interfacewithsuppliers,howwe manageproductsacrossthewebsite, allofthosesystemshavebeenreally wellestablished.”

Whenitcomestoexpandingthe rangeofthebusiness,ButlersaidNew

“Iwouldsayit’sabaranda standardforustoaspireto.It’s relativelyhardtofeellikewe consistentlyliveuptoit,butIthinkit givesusaNorthStartotrytohonour thatincrediblelegacythatshedidsee forus.” Butlersaidthebiggestlesson Linleytaughthimwasinher approachto“radicalgenerosity”.

“Agoodexampleisshewouldlook attheproductsacustomerwas buyingonanindividuallevel, ascertainfromthatormakeherbest reasonableestimateofthetypeof persontheywereandwhytheywere accessingproductsfromus,andthen addadditionalproductsofher choosingintotheparcel.

“Wetalkasateamabouttryingto replicatethattypeofethosand approachthroughdigitalchannels. Thebusinesswasalotsmallerthen, anditwaseasiertodo,butIthinkthat radicalgenerosityinapersonalised wayisagreatapproachtowinning customerloyaltyandfeelinggood aboutwhatwedo.”

carrierscannot. There’salsoaqueue-bustingbenefit,withcustomersabletoaccessa privateterminalandavoidlongwait times. “Thejetisjustreadywhenthey needit,”SofiaAmblertoldthe Herald

“We’vealreadyhadquiteafew clientsthataredomesticclients,”she added. “Itcouldbeaboardofdirectors who,say,havetovisitthreestops whichmightnotbeservicedbycommercialairlines.” Touristsfromoverseasmightwant totailoranitinerarynototherwise available. “WemightdoKerikeri,Napierand Queenstown.” ShesaidNZJetwaslaunchedin 2022andthefirstyearwentwellbut the2023/24financialyearwasharder.

Still,businesswasholdingup. Shesaidthecouplealsobuiltup Heletranz,growingitsfleetfromtwo helicoptersto13andmergingitwith InfliteGroup. ThehelicoptercompanymetdemandforVIPprivateservices.

Shesaidthatbusinesshadgrown toapointwherethecoupledidnot havetobehands-onwithit.

“Westillhaveashareholdinginthe groupbutwe’renotoperationally involvedinit.”

JohnAmblersaidwiththeG100, possibledestinationswere“wherever theclientneedstobe”andthemain seasonforbusinesstravelwas NovembertoMay,headded.

“They’rehereforthesummer.” Hesaidbusinesstravelhadtakena hitfromthedomesticeconomic downturn.

ThatwasincontrasttotheUnited States,especiallyTexasandCalifornia,hesaid.

“Trumphasgiventhem100%taxabledeductionsinsecond-handaircraftnow,”hesaid,referringtothe BigBeautifulBillActrestoringataxincentiveforqualifyingaircraft.

HesaidtheG100wasafairly straightforwardchoice.

“Initspricepointinthemarketfor rangeandspeeditdoesn’treallyhave alotofcompetition,”hesaid.

“Ourclientswantfaster,moreefficientoptionsthataccommodate theirwholefamilyorassociates,ata price-sensitiverate,whilestillprovidingtheexceptionalserviceand comforttheyexpect.”

Thecouplesaidbuyingthe Gulfstreamduringachallenging economicenvironmentwasabigdecision,buttheywerehappythey’d doneit.

NZJetexpectedtheaircrafttobe availableforcharterfromDecember.

Billionaireheadssouth

Anew restaurantand twovineyards jointhe Spencerempire

AnneGibson

BillionaireBerridgeSpencer hastakenabigswervesouth, withanew,much-acclaimed SouthIslandrestaurantas wellastwovineyards.

InMay,SwiftsurebyManO’War restaurantopened,servingwines fromvineyardsSpencerhasonWaihekeIslandaswellasthenewsouthernventures.

GeneralmanagerofSwiftsureand ManO’Warrestaurantandvineyard operations,PaulFranich,saidthe operationsweregoingextremely well.

CelebrityUnitedStatesOlympic skierandTigerWoods’formerpartnerLindseyVonnvisitedtheArrowtownrestaurantafewweeksago.

“Sheslippedinquietly,enjoyed thevibeandmenuandwithinaweek, severalothermembersoftheUS women’sskiteam—whowereona trainingcamplocally—alsocameina coupleoftimes.” Staffattherestaurantweredelighted.

“Itwassuchanhonourtogive thematasteoftheSouthIsland, especiallyaswewanttocreateaplace thatresonateswiththealpineandadventurouslifestyle,”Franichsaid.

Swiftsureisnotonlythenameof thenewsouthernrestaurantbutis alsoanewSouthIslandwinelabel.

Twonewvineyardsaremaking product,notjustforthebarandrestaurantinthehistoricvillagebutfor widersale.

Thesouthernrestaurantand vineyardsgreatlyextendthebusiness operationsofthemuch-awardedMan O’WarvineyardonWaihekeIsland.

Thatisownedbythelow-profile NorthShore-basedSpencerofStanley Point,whohasbeenactiveonother frontslately.

Afterbuyingastripofretailand commercialbuildingsinDevonport viaPeninsulaCapital,Spencerhas takenahugemovesouth.

“SwiftsureVineyardsisanew chapterforManO’War—ajourney southandtheopportunitytoproduce world-classvarietalsfromlowyielding,high-altitudevineyardsites iniconicwineregions,”Franichsaid. IsaacGroup’swebsitesaysthe $6.6mBirchHilldam,completed threeyearsago,wasthelargestlined damintheMarlboroughregion, covering12.7haandwith13mhigh walls. Thejobwassobigandsoremote thatitbuiltashelteredcompoundfor workerswithoffices,breakrooms, ablutionblockandtanksfordiesel, wasteandfreshwater.

ThechiefwinemakerforallSpencer’svineyardoperationsisDuncan McTavish.

FranichsaidMcTavishhadnearly twodecadesheadingManO’War“so isnostrangertochallenging conditionsandisrelishingtheopportunitytocomplementourWaiheke

portfoliowithsauvignonblancand pinotnoirfromalpinevineyardsin theSouth.

“Intermsofhospitality,weapproachitthesamewaywhereverwe are,weareheretolookafterpeople, makethemfeelwelcome,andensure theyhavememorableexperiences.”

ThebusinessproducesaSingle VineyardBannockburnpinotnoir andMarlboroughsauvignonblancas wellasaYoungVinespinotnoirand Bannockburnros.

Thelattertwoarebothlimited releases,exclusivelyavailablefrom theArrowtownrestaurant.

ThatrestaurantandWaiheke’s

ManO’Warsellthenewbrands.

Thewinesarealsoonsaletothe publicandservedinothereateries.

“TheSingleVineyardpinotnoir andsauvignonblancaregainingtraction,mainlythroughboutique retailersandrestaurantsnationwide —andwe’reexcitedbytheresponse internationally,”Franichsaid.

The OtagoDailyTimes reported thatthefour-levelrestaurantandbar took11monthstobuild.Ithasoutdoor diningspaceswithfireplaces,a“gin pit”andaninternalbarandrestaurant.

Queenstown’sBTPConstruction workedwithinteriordesignby

Swiftsure’screativedirectorOlivia Spencer(marriedtoBerridgeSpencer)andMitchellAddison,the ODT said. Askedbythe Herald abouttheperformanceoftherestaurantrunby headchefYannRobe,previouslyof Amisfield,Franichsaidpatronage hadgrownfromacoldstart.

“WeopenedinMayandhaveseen steadygrowthinthemonthssince.

Weekenddinnersarenowconsistentlynearcapacity,withcoversmore thandoublingsincewinterbegan,” Franichsaid.“Peoplearen’tjust comingonce,they’recomingback, whichisagoodsign.Localsdropping

inforaglassandaquickbiteorcelebratingspecialoccasionsoverdinner andvisitorssettlinginforlong lunches,soakingintheviews.

“It’sbecomingthegreatblendof communityanddestination.The feedbackandearlyreviewshavebeen hugelyencouragingThename Swiftsurecamefromalittleopen-top boatthatonceferriedgoldminers andmailacrossCookStrait, connectingWellingtontoPicton.Soit isasubtlenodtoourownpathfrom WaiheketotheSouthIsland.”

Therestaurantwasreviewedin the Herald’s Viva onAugust11.

“Icanseewhythepeoplebehind ManO’Warwantedtoplantaflag downhere,bothtostartanewchapterforthecompanyandtocontinue creatingaportfolioofwinesthatwill helptellthestoryofNewZealandto theworld,”reviewerJesseMulligan wrote.

ManO’Warsaysthatformorethan threedecades,ithadchallengedconventionbypursuingrugged,steep hillsideviticultureontheeastern edgeofWaihekeIsland.

Right,USOlympicskierLindsey Vonn,picturedherewithformer partnerTigerWoods,visitedthe Arrowtownrestaurantrecently. Photo/GettyImages

Theresultingpatchworkofcoastal vineyardsitesfollowstheland’s naturalcontours,capturingdistinct terroirsandproducingdifferent varietals.

● Long-establishedManO’War Vineyard,WaihekeIsland; ● Peninsula Capitalbought arowofshops andofficesin Devonport, 2023; ● New SwiftsureBy ManO’Warbar andrestaurant, Arrowtown openedMay12; ● Swiftsure Vineyards:two SouthIsland areas; ● BirchHillintheWairauValley, Marlboroughanda5.1havineyard atBannockburnnearQueenstown.

Berridge Spencer

Theislandfarmhas75vineyards, sheep,cattle,orchards,olivegroves, restorednativeforestsandbeehives, ManO’Warsays. “We’vebecomewellknownfor oursyrah,chardonnayandWaiheke’s signatureBordeauxblends.Wealso produceadistinctlydifferent sauvignonblanc,apinotgrisandits famousros. SpencergrewuponthefamilyestateonCliftonRd,Takapuna.Afterhis fatherJohnSpencerdiedinEngland in2016,hebuiltanewhomeforhimself,Oliviaandtheirchildrenat StanleyPointonthelandownedby hisgrandfather,BerridgeSpencer snr. Thefamily’sfortunecomesfrom theCaxtonpulpandpaperoperations.

Remuera’s$120millionsix-level award-winningStMarksapartments arebeingfixedafterwaterpenetrated layersintheroofaboveitstopfloors andtheroofofalower-levelpodium. “Iambeyonddisappointed,”said breastsurgeon-turned-developer JohnHarmanofdefectsinthebuilding,whichhiscompanydeveloped andwhereheownscommercialunits. Waterhadnotcomeintothe apartmentsbutthereweredefectsin theroofmembraneandthepodium roof,Harmansaid. DominionConstructorsbuiltthe projectandHarmansaidthatbusinesshadreturnedforrepairs. Thewhiteglazedresidentialand commercialbuildingat10StMarks Rd,offRemueraRd,isneartheSouthernMotorway. Scaffoldingisnowbeingerected fortheroofrepairsfollowingthepodiumfixinthepastfewmonths, Harmansaid. BrettRussellofDominion Constructorsconfirmedhisbusiness wasfixingthebuildings.

“It’sallundercontrolandallpartiesworkedtogethertogetasolution, alongwithsubcontractorsand supplierssoagoodresult,”Russell said. TheStMarksapartmentswere onlyfinishedin2018. In2019,theprojectwontheProp-

ertyCouncil’sbestincategorymultiunithousingawardafterMartin Cooper’sCooperandAssociatesenteredit. Harmansaidwaterpenetratedthe roofmembraneabovetheunitsas wellasthepodiumroof,whichresultedinwaterenteringthecarpark.

LawyerSteveWoodfieldisthe chairmanoftheowners’committee ofoneoftwoStMarks’bodiescorporate. “Thisislargelyagoodnewsstory,” hesaid,referringtothefactthatwater didnotcomeintoanyoftheluxury apartments.

“DominionConstructorsandits suppliersarerespondingto requestedbuildingmaintenanceand upgrades.Partsofthebuildingare currentlybeingwrappedtoallow continuousworkflowindry conditions,”Woodfieldsaid. Dominionbuilttheprojectfor

Harman’sStMarksDevelopment [nowcalledSMD1]between2016and 2018. DominionreferredtoStMarksasa $56mcontractbutHarmansaidthe propertyhadafullvaluationof$120m forlandandbuildings. Thepenthousewasreportedby the Herald in2021tohavesoldfor $6m-plus. NickGaites,anengineeranda directorofRevealBuildingConsultants,wroteareportin2022describingdefectsontheupper-levelmain roofsabovethetwoblocks. Thoseblocksareconnectedwitha lower-levelpodiuminthemiddle. “Thisletteridentifiestheresponsi-

bilities,actsandomissionsofthe maincontractorfortheconstruction ofStMarks–DominionConstructors–athighlevel,”Gaiteswrote. Onematerialwasswappedforanotherinferiormaterialontheroofs: insteadofahigh-performanceboard, polystyrenehadbeensubstituted. Thewaymaterialswerefixedon thoserooftopswasalsonotasrobust asitshouldhavebeen,either. Nurathermboardwassubstituted foranexpandedpolystyrenebase layer,Gaiteswrote. Screwfixingswerealsosubstitutedforglue,henoted. Becausetherewasasignificant deviationawayfromtheproduct manufacturers’specification,the roofprobablydidnotcomplywiththe BuildingCode,Gaiteswrote. “Becauseofthecodebreaches causedbythesubstitutions,defects andwateringresstotheroofs,correctivebuildingworkisrequired,”Gaites wrote. Harmansaidtwistedinternal gutterswerediscoveredduringaroutineroofinspectionin2022. Thenthewiderextentoftheissues wasrevealedwhenexpertswerecontractedtoidentifywhathadgone wrong. Harmansaidhehadspent $500,000onlegaladviceandfound thesituationextremelyupsetting. “Itwasmyfirstmajordevelopment.

“Therehasbeencriticismofmeas adeveloper.Butthestandardofconstructionofthepodiumandroofwas poor.” In2016,Harmantoldthe Herald he plannedtohavetheprojectbuilton hissiteoftheStMarksBreastCentre, wherehepractisedformanyyears. Buyerspayingdepositsthenwere mainlyagedintheir50s,whosechildrenhavelefthome,andwhowere lookingtodownsizeandmoveintoa top-qualityapartment. Atwo-levelbasementcarparkwas developed. Apartmentspre-soldfrom $680,000to$6m+andonebuyer joinedtwoapartments,reducingthe overallnumberofplaces,hesaid. Harmanperformedthefirstbreast reconstructionsurgeryinNewZealandandsetupthecountry’sfirst breastclinic.Hesaidhebecamea luxuryapartmentdeveloperaftera spapoolaccidentlefthimunableto operate.

MexicoGroupHitstheMarket

“I’vebeeninvolvedwithsomeincrediblehospitality brandsovertheyears,”says NickGilesofLINK Business,“butMexicoGroupisoneofthose opportunitiesthatreallyexcitesme,andI’mdelighted toofferitforsale.Thisisafranchisebrandwithovera decadeoftrading,sevenlocations,andanidentitythat’s asstrongasanythingyou’llseeintheNewZealand market.It’sbold,it’svibrant,andit’sprofitable.” MexicoGroup openeditsfirstrestaurantin2012and quicklycarvedoutareputationforimmersivedining experiences,distinctivedesign,andacocktail-led foodofferingthatappealedtoanewgenerationof diners.Today,thenetworkspans sevenfranchised restaurantsnationwide,delivering over$9millionin annualstoresales andproducing franchiseincome ofmorethan $500,000peryear.

“ForsaleistheentireMexicoGroupfranchisesystem. Thatmeansallthetrademarks,thebrand,thesystems, themanuals,thelegalframework,andofcoursesome tangibleassets.Thisisn’tjustaconcept;thisisafully provenfranchisemodelthat’sbeentradingsuccessfully formorethanadecade.” Includedinthesalearesevenfranchisedrestaurants spreadacrossthecountry,theassetsofonefullyfitted company-ownedrestaurant,loanstofranchisees valuedataround$305,000,andregisteredtrademarks protectingMexico’sname,logo,andbrandidentity throughto2032.

“Thevaluehereisclear.Thepriceof$1.6milliondoesn’t justbuyyouarevenuestream,itbuysyouintellectual property,brandequity,assets,andafootholdinoneof themostresilientandexcitingsectorsinhospitality.”

“Mexicoismorethanarestaurant.It’sanexperience. Fromthemomentyouwalkin,you’reimmersedin colour,inmusic,inenergy.It’sacocktail-first,fooddriven,culture-richbrand.That’swhatkeepsdiners comingback.”

Overtheyears,Mexicohasbuiltaloyalfollowingand strongsocialmediapresence.Itsmenuofshareplates, seasonalspecials,andpremiumcocktailshashelpedit standapartfromotherMexicanconceptsinthemarket.

“Consumerstodaywantmorethanameal;theywanta story.Mexicodeliversthatinspades.Theauthenticity, theflavour,theinteriors,themusic…italltellsastory. Andit’sonethatresonateswithmillennialandGenZ diners,whichiswherethefutureofhospitalitylies.”

Behindtheboldexteriorliesaseriousbusiness.Mexico Groupissupportedbycomprehensivemanuals, operationalsystems,andalegalframeworkestablished by CaféBrandsLtd,thecompanythatalsobuilt ColumbusCoffeeintoa70+cafépowerhouse.

“FromtrainingandmarketingtoHRandfinancial reporting,thesystemsareallthere.That’swhatmakes thissuchascalableopportunity.Youcanwalkin,take over,andimmediatelyseehowit’srun.”

Theregisteredtrademarksformpartofthepackage,

Anexclusiveopportunitywith aglobalpetfoodbrandina high-growthcategory

andaccessiblepricepointshaveallowedittoearn customerstrustinacategorywhenloyaltyishardwon.Thisbrandequityisfurtherreinforcedbydeep marketingassetsandanengageddigitalcommunity, amplifyingconsumertrustanddrivinggrowthacross multiplegeographies.

ensuringtheMexicoidentityislockeddownforyearsto come.“Thatlegalprotectionisahugepartofthevalue. Itmeansthebrandyou’rebuyingisnotjustaname,it’s aprotectedassetwithlong-termsecurity.” So,who’sgoingtobuyMexicoGroup?Nickseesseveral

possibilities.“Thiscouldbeperfectforanexisting hospitalityfranchiseoperatorwhowantstoaddahighprofilebrandtotheirportfolio.Itcouldworkforafood producerorretaildiningcompanylookingforverticalor horizontalintegration.Itcouldevenbeaprivateequity

grouporinvestorwhounderstandsthescalabilityofa brandlikethis.Andofcourse,thereareentrepreneurs, peoplewhocanseetheopportunitytotakeMexico offshoreandbuilditinternationally.”

Thegrowthavenuesareclear.InNewZealand,Mexico couldexpandfurtherintoregionalcentreslikeTauranga, Queenstown,andNapier.Internationally,themodel isideallysuitedtomarketslikeAustralia,thePacific Islands,andSoutheastAsia.“Mexicoisexportable.The look,thefeel,theflavour,italltranslates.Andthat’s wheretherealupsideisforthenextowner.” “Thisisoneofthemostexcitinghospitality opportunitiesonthemarketrightnow.You’vegota provenbrand,sevenstores,over$9millioninsales, morethanhalfamilliondollarsinfranchiseincome,one companyrestaurant,franchiseeloans,andafullsuite ofintellectualproperty.Allfor$1.615million.It’srare.It’s ready.Andit’sgotamassiverunwayaheadofit.” FormoredetailscontactNickGilesat nick.giles@linkbusiness.co.nzoron021676832.

theforefrontofoneofthefastest-growingconsumer sectorsworldwide.

“Thisisahighlystrategicopportunity,”saysLINK Businessbroker,AlanMorpeth.“Thebrandisprofitable, scalable,andalreadyembeddedwithsomeofthe world’sleadingretailers.Forbuyersfamiliarwith FMCGorpetcare,itrepresentsimmediateaccessto internationaldistributionandacategorywithsignificant momentum.” Bringingthisopportunitytomarkettogetherwith LINKBusinessbroker,LisaDudson,Alanpointsout thatthebusinesshassuccessfullydifferentiateditself throughaccessiblepremiumpositioningwithhighquality,naturalformulationsthatresonatestrongly withdiscerningconsumers.Itsproductquality

Highbarrierstoentryprotectitsmarketposition. Long-standingglobalretailerrelationships,aproven supplychain,andstrongbrandrecognitionmake thisopportunitydifficulttoreplicate.Withacapitallight,outsourcedmanufacturingmodel,thebusiness offersrapidscalabilitywithouttheneedforheavy infrastructureinvestment,enablinganewownerto growvolumeandexpandtheproductrangeefficiently whilemaintaininghealthymargins.

“Theglobalpetfoodmarketcontinuestooutperform, andinvestorappetitefordefensible,scalablebrands inthisspaceisstrong.Thisbusinessoffersnotjusta footholdbutaheadstart,it’sprofitabletoday,witha clearrunwayforacceleratedgrowth.”

Financialperformanceisconsistentlystrong,with

marginsunderpinnedbydisciplinedoperations andtheleverageofestablishedretailchannels.For privateequityfirms,itoffersaplatforminvestment withpotentialforfurtherinternationalexpansionand categorydiversification.FortradebuyersinFMCG,pet care,oradjacentconsumersectors,itrepresentsan opportunitytoboltonahigh-growthbrandwithproven

globalappeal.

Beyonditscurrentfootprint,thebusinessis exceptionallywell-positionedtocapturefurthergrowth asconsumerbehaviourcontinuestoevolve.Pet ownershipisrisingglobally,withpetsviewedasintegral membersofthefamilyunit,ownersareprioritising nutrition,wellness,andsustainabilityintheirpurchasing

decisions.Thesemacrotrendsprovideapowerful tailwindforthepremiumsegment,wherethisbrand alreadyhasproventraction.Foranewownerwiththe networks,resources,andvisiontoscale,thisisachance tobuildonaproveninternationalplatformandcapture alargershareofoneofthemostresilientandrapidly expandinggrowthstoriesinglobalFMCG. Strictconfidentialityapplies.Fulldetailswillbeprovided onlytoqualifiedbuyers.Whatcanbedisclosedisthat thisisararechancetoacquireagloballyrecognised, premiumbrandinacategorythatisbothscalableand resilient. Tolearnmore,contactLINKBusinessbrokersAlan MorpethandLisaDudsontoday.

AlanMorpethalan.morpeth@linkbusiness.co.nz +6421655920

LisaDudsonlisa.dudson@linkbusiness.co.nz +6421486000

Orchardscount lossesafter wildweather

BijouJohnson

TheBayofPlentyavocadoindustry hasbandedtogetherafter“devastating”windshitmorethan400 orchards,withsomelosing90%of theirfruit.

GrowersareworkingwithNew ZealandAvocadoandtheNewZealandFoodNetworktorecoverand distributetonnesofwindfallfruitto charitiesacrosstheregion.

Strongwindsblewthroughlast weekend,disruptingtheavocado harvest.

KatikatigrowerEddieBiesieksaid thewinds“completelyuprooted” sheltertreesandsomematureavocadotrees.

“Twodaysofcontinuous,devastatingwindhaveresultedinabout 60%ofourcropformingacarpetof literallytonnesofavocadosonthe flooroftheorchard.” Hesaidoneorchardthatpacked fruitbeforeandafterthestormexperiencedadropintheexportpackoutfrom85%to65%.

“Fruitisunabletobemarketed onceitisontheground—itmustbe pickedfromthetree.

“Ourinitialknee-jerkreaction wastomowthefallenfruitsothatwe weren’tbeingremindedofourloss, butwhenNZAvocadosuggested offeringthefruittoNZFoodNetwork fordonations,andwerealisedsomeonecouldbenefit,wegotonboard.”

Onebinoftheirwindfallfruit

Growersaretaking immediateactionto workwiththeirsupply chainpartners, assessingthequantum offruitlossand determiningharvest strategyandtimingfor remainingfruitonthe trees.

BradSiebert,NZAvocado chiefexecutive

holdsabout300kg. SixteenRSEworkersfromVanuatu,whousuallyworkinkiwifruit orchards,filled26morebinson Tuesday,makingatotalof10tonnes offruitdestinedforlocalcharities.

“Manypeoplehaveofferedtheir servicestoenablesomethinggoodto comefromabadsituation,”said Biesiek.

AlistairYoung,chairmanofthe NewZealandAvocadoGrowers Association(NZAGA)andanorchardist,saidthattheareabetween AthenreeandOmokoroa,northof Tauranga,experiencedtheheaviest losses.

Thepeninsulaswereexposedto southwesterlywinds.

“Thewindstendtocomeingusts, sothebranchessortofcracklikea whip.That’showthefruitcomesoff prettyquickly.” TheavocadoindustryhadsubmittedanongoingimpactassessmentreporttotheMinistryforPrimaryIndustries(MPI)toseeiffurther supportcouldbeavailable,hesaid.

“Theindustryiscollatingthe amountofdamagetogrowers,which growersareaffectedbywhatpercentage,andwe’resupplyingthatinformationtoMPI.Wehavenoability atthisstagetoreportonanyoutcomesfromthat.” NewZealandAvocadochief executiveBradSiebertsaideach orchardwasaffecteddifferently,but somegrowershadlostmorethan 90%oftheirfruit.

“Growersaretakingimmediate actiontoworkwiththeirsupply chainpartners,assessingthequantumoffruitlossanddetermining harveststrategyandtimingforremainingfruitonthetrees.”

Morethan400orchardscovering 900hectareswithintheBayofPlenty hadbeenaffectedbyrecentweather events,Siebertsaid.

Windfallavocados feedinglocalfamilies

“Theearlyseason’s2025-26crop estimatewasjustover6milliontrays, split60/40betweenexportandlocal market.

“Whilethisisaround1million traysdownfrompreviousseasons, packoutscontinuetoimprove,and weareyettofullyquantifyhowrecentweathereventshaveimpacted thenationalcropvolume.”

Hesaidtherewouldbeanimpact

onfruitvolumesoutoftheWestern BayofPlenty,butthiswouldsitinthe contextofthenationalcrop.

Stringentandmandatoryindustrysystemsensurethatthefruit harvestedmeetsNewZealandstandards. Consumerswouldcontinuetosee “exceptional”fruitquality.

“Aswestarttopackfruitfollowing theevent,wewilllikelyseean

increasedpercentageoffruit downgradedawayfromexportdue tosuperficialwinddamage.”

GavinFindlayischiefexecutiveof theNZFoodNetwork,anon-profit dedicatedtosharingfooddonations withcommunitiesinneed. HemadecontactwithSiebertlast weekendandbeganworkonthe groundonMonday.

“We’verescuedabout85binsof fruitintheBayofPlentyfromfour orchardsinandaroundtheKatikati area.

“There’safairbitofworkbetween organisinglabourtogoandcollect fruit,organisingtransport,organisingon-sitemachinery,thecollection itself,andtheconsolidationofthe binsattheendofthepick.”

“Attimes,there’sabitofacostto them,sosometimesthecommunitiesweworkwithwouldn’tnecessarilypurchaseavocados.

“Soit’sgreattogetthemexposed toagood-qualityandnutritiousproduct.”

NZFoodNetworkpartneredwith TeamGlobalExpresstotransport fruittocharities,whichincludeGood NeighbourandFeedingRotorua. “Avocadosareasuperfood,” Findlaysaid.

Injustoneyear,GoogleturnsAIsetbacksintodominance

gine’sgeneration-longdominanceof theinternet. Ayearlater,inMay2024,the MountainView,Californiagiant unveiledAIOverviews,afeatureintegratedintoGoogleSearchthatagain causedonlineridiculeafter recommendingagluepizzarecipe andeatingarockadayinanswersto queries.

Themarkethadwritten offAlphabetinthe AIrace.Thatwas short-sighted. MattBritzman,analystatHargreaves Lansdown CaughtoffguardbyChatGPTand mockedforearlyblunderswithits owngenerativeartificialintelligence efforts,Googlehaspulledoffadramaticturnaroundinjustoneyear,becomingamajorplayerinconsumerfacingAI. “ThemarkethadwrittenoffAlphabetintheAIrace,”MattBritzman, analystatHargreavesLansdown,said ofGoogle’sparentcompany.“That wasshort-sighted.” InMarch2023,Googlehastily launcheditsversionofChatGPT, calledBard,fourmonthsafterthe originalshooktheworld. Duringitslaunchevent,Bard madeanerroransweringaquestion abouttheJamesWebbtelescope, drawingridiculefromviewerstuning infromaroundtheworld. Severalanalystssubsequently downgradedtheirrecommendations ofAlphabet,worriedthatChatGPT wouldeatintotheGooglesearchen-

DespitemassiveinvestmentsinAI technologyforoveradecade—acquiringtheDeepMindlabin2014and producinghigh-levelresearch publicationsthatinspiredthe ChatGPTphenomenon—Google keptstumbling. MuchofGoogle’sAIdevelopment “focusedonpoweringitsplatforms ratherthandeliveringservices directlytoconsumers,”saidBen Wood,ananalystatCCSInsight. TedMortonson,ananalystatfinancialservicesfirmBaird,said Googleleadershipwascaught“flatfooted”andhadgrown“toocomplacent”abouttheirAIadvantage. Turnaroundtrajectory Amidthecrisis,changewasafoot. Googleco-founderSergeyBrinwas seenbackattheGoogleplex,andthe companyundertookadrasticinternalreorganisation. Inspring2024,AIdevelopers

wereconsolidatedunderasingle GoogleDeepMindbannerwithNobel PrizewinnerDemisHassabisputin charge. “Ittookustimetobringthese teamstogether,”chiefexecutive SundarPichaiexplainedontheLex FridmanPodcastinearlyJune. Googlealsoneededtimetodeploy itsnewin-houseAIchips,theTPUs (Tensorprocessingunits),essentialto thecompany’sambitions. But“Icouldsee,internally,thetrajectorywewereon,”hesaid.

Despitethe“gluepizza”missteps, orhallucinationsinAIparlance, Overviewsmarkedthefirststepin Google’sturnaround. Nextcamethecommerciallaunch ofNotebookLM—adigitaldocument toolthatcansynthesiseuploaded contentintoeasy-to-understand writingorevenachattypodcast. AtGoogle’sdeveloperconference inMay2025,thecompanyunveiled

videogenerationtoolVeo3,whose precisionandconsistencymadeabig splash,alongwithAIMode,afeature thatcompletedthetransformationof searchengineintoChatGPT-style chatbot. Augustbroughtanewversionof thePixelsmartphone,whoseAI enables100xzoomandreal-time translation.Mid-Septembersawthe launchofvideogenerationon YouTube. “Today’stools,especiallyfrom Google,canbeusedintherealworld, asopposedtojustbeingdeveloper conferencedemos,”emphasisedAvi GreengartofTechsponential. WithPixel,“GoogleisinpolepositioninAIequipment,”saidWood. Googledrovethepointhomewith itsimageeditingprogramintegrated intoGemini,informallycalledNano Banana,whichbecamesuchasensationthatGeminitoppedChatGPTin iPhonedownloadsforthefirsttime earlierthismonth. Theoutlookbrightenedfurtherfor Googlewhenitavoidedhavingtosell itsChromebrowser—agovernment demandinitssearchmonopolytrial thatwasrejectedbyaUSfederaljudge inearlySeptember. Signallingtheshift,Appleis reportedlyconsideringusingGemini foritsoverhaulofAIvoiceassistant Siri,accordingtoBloomberg. ApartnershipwiththeiPhone giantwouldhandGoogleanew revenuestream,thoughmonetising itsAI“isstillsomewhatofaquestion mark,”saidGreengart. “Googleisplayingthelonggame,” saidWood. “Itknowsthatrightnow,itneeds toofferfreeservicestogetconsumers engagedwithGemini. “However,inthelongerterm,it’s hopingthiscanbeturnedintoasubstantialrevenuestream.” AFP

Forus,business isalways personal.

Beforewehelpyougrow,ourPartnerstakethetimetogettoknowyouand yourbusiness,buildingapartnershipbasedontrustandunderstanding.In Auckland,CourtneyishelpingStephenandtheteamatSuperbHerbsprout newshootswithexpertadvice,industryknow-how,andspecialistsupport. Talktousaboutgrowingyourbusiness. BNZbusinesslending

Gameindustryrevealsanotherboomyear

Ministergrants Kiwidevelopers tworequestson industrywishlist

ChrisKeall

Thevideogameindustryhas deliveredanotherboom year—butreceivedonlyone offouritemsonitswishlist forfurtherGovernmentsupportto accelerateitsgrowth.

Totalrevenuejumped38%yearon-yearto$759million,almostallofit inexportreceipts,accordingtothe NewZealandGameDevelopers Association2025IndustrySurvey,releasedyesterday.

Totalstaffemployedbythesector rose29%to1418.

Eighty-sevenpercentofNZGDA membersthinktheywillmaintainor growtheirincomeinthefinancial yearahead.

Thesectorhasalsobeeninthe news,fromElonMuskapparently hiringaring-intoboosthisstandingin PathofExile,themutiplayerfantasy gameproducedbyWestAuckland’s GrindingGearGames(FY2024 revenue:$105.2m)toSplittingPoint Studios—whichfounderJanzen Madsenstartedfromhisparents’ Aucklandhome—settingsimultaneousplayerrecordsforits“cosygame” GrowAGarden,outstrippingthe morerambunctiousFortnite.

AndWetaWorkshopdrewglobal notice—ifnotallofitpositive—forits Hobbit entryintotheboomingcosy gamegenre.

NZGDAexecutivedirectorJoy Keenesaysataxrebateforthesector, nowinitsthirdyear,hasfuelledthe industry’sgrowth.

Keenesayslastyear$22.4mwas paidtovideogamecompaniesunder thescheme,buttheyreturnedmore than$115mtoCrowncoffersthrough incometaxandPAYE.

“Thetaxrevenuepaidbyourindustryrepresentsa474.31%directreturnonthatinvestment,”Keenesaid.

“Foreverydollarinvestedviathe GDSR[GameDevelopmentSectorRebate],theGovernmenthasadirectreturnof$4.74,underliningthefiscal impactofthesector’srapidgrowth.” Theschemealsoachieveditsaim

tostoptalentdefectingacrosstheTasman(whereasimilarrebatehadbeen introduced)andtoencouragemore localhiring.

“BeforereceivingtheGDSR,only about5%ofourworkforcewasbased inNewZealand,whereasnowit’s almosta50/50splitasadirectresult oftheGDSR,”Madsentoldthe Herald inJuly.

The20-somethingAucklander employs20forhisfirm,akindtalentspottingoutfitthatbuysmakersof emerginghitsonthefreemium

Robluxplatform. Oneflyintheointment:After fiercelylobbyingforarebatefor years,theindustryclaimedonlyjust overhalfoftheupto$40monoffer forthelastfinancialyear(unclaimed fundsdon’trollover;themoneyis returnedtoTreasury). NZonAir,whichadministersthe scheme,saiditwasnotamatterofrebateclaimsbeingrejected.Nearlyall whometthecriteriawereapproved forthe20%rebateongamedevelopmentcosts.

Therewerejustnotenoughfirms puttingtheirhandup(inthecontext ofa$3mcappergamestudio).

Itwasasimilarsituationthepreviousyearwhen$22.3mofthepotential $40mwaspaidout. AheadoftheNZGDA’sannualconferenceyesterday,whichwasdueto kickoffwithakeynotespeechfrom theindustry’sminister,ShaneReti, industryfigureLanceBurgessput fourideastothe Herald —allofwhich hesaidwouldboosttheindustryby allowingittoclaimmoreofthe$40m

ayearallocatedtothe rebate,orcouldbe accommodatedbyleftoverfunding. Burgessischieffinancialofficerforoneofthe industry’sbiggestplayers, Wellington-basedmobile gamespecialistPikTokanda NZGDAdirector. Onewastomaketherebate schemepermanent.TheGDSR fundedbythepreviousGovernment forfouryears.Thisisitsthirdyear

afterbecomingoneoftheonlytechadjacentincentiveschemestosurvivepost-election. Asecondwastoboostthemaximumrebatetoeachgamingcompany to$4mfromthecurrentcapof$3m. Burgessmuseditcouldevenberaised to$5mor$6mforsomeofthelarger firmswhileremainingunderthe $40mcap.

Athirdwastoboosttherebate from20cineverydollarspenton gamedevelopmentto25c,whichBurgesssaidwouldputitonaparwith thefilmindustry(withwhichit competesforspecialeffectsjobs), andbringitclosetotheA30coffered acrosstheTasman. Thefourthwastoboostforthe modestly-fundedCentreofDigitalExcellence(Code),whichrunsagrant programmeforgamingstart-ups. Intheevent,inakeynoteaddress totheNZGDA’sannualconference yesterday,Retionlydeliveredon Code,announcingthatitsannual fundingwouldbedoubledto$2.75m. Hisofficeconfirmedtherewereno changestotheleveloftherebate scheme. Butinasecondwin,Burgesssaid hehadtalkedtoRetishortlybefore hisspeechandtherebateschemehad beenmadepermanent(the Herald hassoughtconfirmationfromthe minister).

Thelocalgamingindustrycontinuestoskewwhitemale,ifless heavilythanbefore. Forexample,in2022,22%of thoseemployedbythesector werewomen.Inthisyear’s survey,it’s28%.Overthe sameperiod,Ma¯oristaff haveincreasedfrom2% to5%.LGBTQand neurodiversenumbers alsoincreased.

Eighty-threeper centofvideogame companiesinNZare locallyowned,the surveysays— althoughby revenue,the(undisclosed)percentage wouldbehighergiven someofthelargest playerssuchasGrindingGearGames(now 100%controlledby China’sTencent)andNinja Kiwi(ownedbySweden’s MTB)havebeensoldoffshorein dealsrunningintothehundredsof millions.

MaryHolm

A$3000surprise:

Reclaimingwhatyouareowed

Makesure

Collections knowshow tofindyou

Iwasinbusinessforabout25 years.Duringthattimeseveral peopleowedmemoney,either havingborroweditorbeentoldby thecourtsthattheyhadtopayit. Somedebtorswereverygoodat repayingtheirborrowings.But courtreparationsusuallystopped soonafterthefirstfewpayments. Dishonestpeoplejustmoved addressandnevertoldanyone. Oneday,IrangCollection Servicestoinformthemofmynew bankaccountdetails.Tomy surprise,theysaid“Wehave $3000sittingherewaitingfor you!”Aformeremployeewho stolemyfuelcardandmanagedto syphonoff$23,000ofpetrol withinthreeweeksbeforeIcould stophimwaschargedandfound guilty.Hespent30monthsinjail. Thenhestartedrepayingthedebt. Thatwas13yearsago.Heisstill repayingitandhasrepaidabout 80%.Amazing,asIhadlongago givenupanyhopeofever receivinganything! Mysuggestionischeckthat Collectionshasyourup-to-date bankaccountdetails,phone number,physicaladdressand emailaddress.

A:TheMinistryofJusticesays “amen”tothat!Iaskedtheministry howthesystemworks.

“Ajudgecanmakeareparation order,anddetermineitsvalue,when anoffenderisbeingsentenced.This orderwilloutlinehowreparationis made—eitherimmediately,orthey aregiven28daystomakefull payment,ortohaveapaymentplan inplace,”nationalservicedelivery groupmanagerTraceyBaguleysaid.

“Whenthisdoesn’thappen,the courtmaytakeenforcementaction suchaswageorbankdeductions;an offender’spropertycanbeseized,or theirdriver’slicencecanbe suspended.”

Whenreparationisordered,the courtgetscontactandbankaccount detailsfromthevictim.“Insome instances,collectingreparationcan taketime,especiallyiftheoffenderis servingaprisonsentence.Itis importantforpeoplewhoareowed moneytokeeptheircontactand bankingdetailsuptodate.”

Baguleyadded:“Victimsareour priority,andthereforeenforcing thesejudicialordersiscritically important.”

Sohowdoestheministrytrack downpeoplewhostopmaking payments?

Theministry“hasautomateddatamatchingprogrammeswithother governmentdepartments(suchasthe MinistryofSocialDevelopmentand InlandRevenue)andthird-party agencies”,actingnationalservice deliverygroupmanagerLouisa Carrollsaid.

Throughtheseprogrammes, CollectionServicesgetsinformation —suchasaddress,phonenumberand employerdetails—ofpeopleowing finesorreparation. Othermethodsthecourtwilluse totrytofindpeopleandencourage themtomakepaymentsare:

● Contactingthemthroughtext, emailandletter.

● Automaticnumberplate recognition(ANPR)technology. BailiffsarecurrentlytriallingANPR

handhelddevicestoidentifyvehicles linkedtoindividualswithoutstanding courtfinesandreparations.

● Preventinginternationaltravel— issuinganalertattheborder.Ifa personisstoppedattheborderthey aregiventhechancetopaytheirfine orreparation.Iftheydonotpay,the policemayarrestthemandprevent themfromtravelling.Ifthishappens, theywillneedtoappearincourt.

● Enforcementaction—whichcan includedeductingmoneyfromtheir wagesorbenefit,issuingwarrantsfor theseizureandsaleoftheoffender’s propertyorissuingawarrantfor arrest.

“Theaboveoptionsaredependent ontheinformationavailabletothe courtandtheirabilitytolocateand contacttheoffender,andtheirability topay.Informationmaybeprovided fromtheoffenderthemselves, throughdatamatchingprogrammes withothergovernmentagencies,or fromvictims.”

That’squiteanimpressivelist—or ascaryone,dependingonyour perspective.

I’mleftwithonemorequestion, butnotfortheministry:whatdid youremployeedowiththatmuch petrol?!

Goforit!

Q:Weareamarriedcoupleaged77 and79,bothretired.Wehavea modest,mortgage-freehome,plus amortgage-freeholidayhome worthabout$750,000.Weare usingthatlessandless.Wealso haveabout$400,000inan investmentfundreturningabout 4%.

TheinvestmentincomeplusNZ Superjustcoversouroutgoings, withnothingleftoverforlocalor overseastrips,ortheoccasional lumpsumsuchascarrepairsetc. Wehadabusinessfailmorethan 25yearsagoandlostprettywell everything,sobothofus, especiallymywife,are understandablyveryrisk-averse. Ontheotherhand,wewouldlike tobeabletoenjoyourretirement andcan’tdecidewhethertojust grinandbearit,orlookat

alternativessuchasareverse mortgageetctoprovidesome additionalcashflow.Any suggestions?

A:Icanunderstandyourrisk aversion.Butgrinningandbearingit isabsolutelynotnecessary. There’snothingriskyaboutselling yourholidayhome.Ifyou’renotusing itoften,thatsuggestsit’snotaplace youlovesomuchyoucan’tletitgo. Andwith$750,000,minusselling expenses,freedup,youcanrent manylovelyholidayplaces—all aroundthecountryandelsewhere— andstillhaveheapsoverforfurther travelandbigexpenses.

You’vealsogototheroptions, shouldyousuddenlyneedmore money:

● Spendmorethanjusttheincome inyourinvestmentfund.It’sfineto eatintothecapital,too.

● Getareversemortgage.Atyour ages,it’salow-risksteptotake because—toputitbluntly—the interestprobablywon’tcompound formorethanacoupleofdecades!

● Lookintoanalternative,called homereversion.Learnmoreabout this,andcompareitwithareverse mortgage,atequityrelease.co.nz.

Somewouldsaythisisnotagreat timetoselltheholidayhome,with pricesdownfromafewyearsago.But nobodyknowswherepriceswill head.Andinthemeantime,youtwo aremissingoutonfunwhileyou’re stillhealthyenoughtomakethemost ofit.

Springisagoodtimetoputa holidayhomeonthemarket.Goforit!

Dudstoavoid

Q:AresomeKiwiSaverfundsthat havenotperformedacrossthe yearsjustdudstoavoid?

Iagreewiththepointyoumake repeatedlynottolookatpast resultsofKiwiSaverfundsasan indicationfortheirfuture.Butcan pastresultsindicatethatthefund isacompletedud?

InAustralia,some superannuationfundsturnedout tonotperformyearafteryear, somethingacknowledgedevenby theregulator.Wouldthatnotbe

thecasehere,too,thatsomefunds justdon’tperformand— consequently—arebesttoavoid?

A:Yes,I’veoftensuggestedruling outfunds—inoroutofKiwiSaver— thathaveperformedbadlyforyears. Quitesimply,theymaybebadly managed.

Ialsosuggest,though,thatyou firstcompareafund’sperformance withothersimilarfunds.Maybethe wholesectorhashadabadrun.

Youcaneasilymakecomparisons usingtheSmartInvestortoolon sorted.org.nz.Clickonthefundand scrolldowntotheReturnssectionfor agraphshowingitsperformanceover thelast10years—orlessifit’sanewer fund—comparedwithaverage returnsofallfundsatasimilarrisk level.Thesegraphsalsoshow,ata glance,howvolatilethefundis.

‘Whatirksme...’ Q:I,too,wasaninvestorin Kernel’sKenshoMoonshotsFund, whichwasclosedrecently. Irefertoyourstatementinlast week’scolumn:“Butreally,inthe end,theproblemsthatarisefrom afundclosingarenotusually major.”

Well,iflosingtwo-thirdsofyour investmentcapitalisn’tmajor,I don’tknowwhatis.Whatirksme themost(besideslosingmy money)isthatKernelprovidesa suggestedminimumholding periodforeachoftheirfunds.The suggestedperiodforthisfundwas sevento10years. YouquoteKernelchiefexecutive DeanAndersonsaying“despite beingavailableforseveralyears, theysimplyweren’tresonating withenoughofourinvestors”.In actualfact,thefund’sunitprice tankedshortlyafteritwassoldto investorsandneverrecovered.It ishardlysurprisinginvestors weren’tinterested.

Moralofthestory—stayaway fromsmallsatellitefunds.

A:Iwouldn’tnecessarilysayto avoidsuchfunds.ButIwouldsay: “Don’tputalargeportionofyour savingsintoanyspecialisedfund. Eitherinvestinawiderangeofthese

Thoseowed moneyshould keepbankdetails updatedtoreceive courtreparations fromcrimessuch asfuelcardtheft. Photo/123rf

requirement.Ihaveaverygood onlinecomputer. TheytoldmethatIcouldcheckmy accountbalanceonthephone. Theyneverofferedmeanynew token—whichtheysaidinyour columnlastweekwasofferedto currentcustomerswithout smartphones. Iclosedallthreeaccounts(by emailrequest)—orsoIthought.In June,Ifoundouttheyhadnotbeen closed.Thistimetheydidit.I emailedthemlatertorequestthe taxreturnforms.Noneever received. Theyusedtogivegreatservice. Pitytheelderlyaresurplusto requirements. A:Withyourpermission,Igave Rabobankyournamesotheycould lookintowhathappened. ARabobankspokesmansaidthe offerofahardtoken“was communicatedtocustomerswho contactedusaboutthismatterfrom lateAugust2024.Unfortunately,this wasnotproactivelycommunicatedto thereader,andthereaderthen requestedtheiraccountswereclosed inOctober2024”.

“Weconcedeourcommunication tocustomerswhocontactedus duringthechangeovertothesecure codewasinconsistentandwe apologisetothereaderandanyother customerswhodidnothaveasmart deviceandwerenotmadeawareof theopportunitytoapplyforatoken.”

funds,orsimplychooseoneortwo widelydiversifiedfunds,suchas globalsharefunds.” KernelWealthconfirmsthatthe Moonshotsfund—andtheKensho ElectricVehiclesInnovationFund, whichitalsoclosedinJune— recordedlargelossesinrecentyears. Bothfundshadariskratingof7,the highestscore,whichmeansthiswill sometimeshappen.Butitmusthave beenhardtowatch. Kernelalsosaid“theminimum suggestedtimeframeisapieceof informationthatisprudentforusto providecustomerstoassistthem[to] decidewhetherafund/investment strategyisappropriateforthem”. However,itadded:“Itisnota commitmenttomaintainingafundas open.”AndAndersonpointedout lastweekthatit’scommonforfunds toclose.Overthelast15years,halfof NewZealand-basedNewZealand sharefundsandtwo-thirdsofour globalsharefundswereclosed. Whenafundcloses,asIsaidlast week,itdoesn’tneedtobeabigdeal, aslongasyoumovetoanotherfund thatmakessimilarinvestments. You’resellingandthenbuyinginthe samemarket. IntheinfoKernelsenttoinvestors, itlistedsomesimilaroptionsand offeredtohelppeopletransfertheir money.Itsaidwhiletherewasnot anotherPIEfundavailablefromNew Zealandofferingthesamestrategy, “thereareotherinvestment providers(ETFs)thatwouldhave enabledcustomerstomaintaina similar(slightlyexpandedbutvery close)investmentintothesethematic sectors,shouldtheyhaveconviction intheiroriginalinvestmentchoice”. Itseemsyoudidn’ttakeupthis suggestion.

Ahappyending Q:YourinfoonRabobanklast weekaboutaccesstosomeoftheir accountsrequiringasmartphone doesnotcoincidewithmy experience. LastOctober,ItoldthemthatIwas notwillingtobuyasmartphone justtoaccessmythreeaccounts there.Nootherbankhadthat

Thespokesmanconfirmedthe bankreceivedyourrequesttoclose youraccountslastOctoberandsaidit “respondedthesamedaywitha requesttosendusasecuremessage confirmingtheaccountclosures.No furthercommunicationwasreceived fromthereaderuntilJune2025,at whichstagetheaccountswere closed”.

“Wewereunabletolocatean emailfromthereaderrequestingtax forms.”However,thebankhasnow senttheformstoyou. Itseemsthebank’s communicationshaven’tbeengreat. Perhapsyou’veslippedupabittooor, forsomeotherreason,some messagesfromyoudidn’tgetwhere theyshouldhave.

Onyourfinalcomments,the spokesmansaid:“Everycustomeris importanttous,andweare committedtocarefullyconsidering anyfeedbackwereceiveaboutour productsandservices.”

PS:Rightondeadline,Iheardback fromyou:“Rabogotintouch.Unable toexplainwhyIdidnotgettheiremail replylastOctober,whenIaskedfor accountclosure.

“Theyhavenowsenttax certificateadvisingthatthepasscode toopenismybirthday,whichby chanceistoday!Soallisgoodand manythanks.”

MaryHolm,ONZM,isafreelance journalist,aseminarpresenter andabestsellingauthoron personalfinance.Sheisadirector ofFinancialServicesComplaints Ltd(FSCL)andaformerdirector oftheFinancialMarkets Authority.Heropinionsdonot reflectthepositionofany organisationinwhichsheholds office.Mary’sadviceisofageneral nature,andsheisnotresponsible foranylossthatanyreadermay sufferfromfollowingit.Send questionstomary@maryholm. com.Lettersshouldnotexceed 200words.Wewon’tpublishyour name.Pleaseprovidea (preferablydaytime)phone number.Unfortunately,Mary cannotanswerallquestions, corresponddirectlywithreaders, orgivefinancialadvice.

StartingOctober1“wewillbeimposinga100%Tariffonanybranded orpatentedPharmaceuticalProduct, unlessaCompanyISBUILDING theirPharmaceuticalManufacturing PlantinAmerica,”theRepublican leaderwroteonhisTruthSocialplatform. Inaseparatepost,hewroteofa 25%tariffon“all‘Heavy(Big)Trucks’ madeinotherpartsoftheworld”to supportUSmanufacturerssuchas “Peterbilt,Kenworth,Freightliner, MackTrucksandothers.” Hesaidthetrucktariffswere“for manyreasons,butaboveallelse,for NationalSecuritypurposes!” Earlierthisyear,theTrump administrationlaunchedaprobeinto importsoftrucksto“determinethe effectsofnationalsecurity.” Therealestatetycoonalso targetedhomerenovationmaterials, writing“Wewillbeimposinga50% TariffonallKitchenCabinets,BathroomVanitiesandassociatedproducts,”asofOctober1. “Additionally,wewillbecharging a30%TariffonUpholsteredFurniture,”headded.

Portfoliowith$2m incomeforsale

TheresilienceofNewZealand’sindustrialsectorisunderscoringthe appealofqualityinvestments,witha portfolioofthreemodern,incomebackedfacilitiesinTauranga,Nelson andChristchurchbeingsoldindividually,offeringinvestorslong-term securityatatimeofshiftingportfolio priorities,Bayleysbrokerssay. Theassetsarefullyleasedto Cubro,amultinationalhealthanddisabilityequipmentsupplierwitha strongnationalfootprintandgrowing internationalpresence. Together,theygeneratemorethan $2millioninnetannualincomeplus GST,underpinnedbystructured growthandlongleasetermsthatextendinsomecasesto2056. BayleysnationalindustrialdirectorScottCampbell,directorsGreg HallandPaulSteele,andlocalagents GillIreland,SimonMaxwellandNick O’Styke,aremarketingtheassetsindividuallythroughauctionanddeadlineprocessesendinginlateOctober. Campbellsaystheportfolio encapsulatesthefundamentalsdrivingdemandintheindustrialsector.

“Eachpropertyoffersinvestors fixedrentalgrowth,proventenant covenantstrength,andstrategiclocationsinhigh-performingregional markets.”

Attheheartoftheportfoliois 149TaurikuraDriveinTauranga’s TaurikoBusinessEstate,whichis offeredforsalebydeadline,closing October22.Purpose-builttoa premiumstandard,the9413sqmfacilitysitsona1.5hafreeholdcorner siteandgenerates$1,459,050netper annumplusGST.

tivity,whileproximitytothePortof Taurangaensureslong-termoccupier demand.

Campbellsaysthebuilding combinesasubstantialhigh-stud warehousewithanexceptionaloffice andshowroomfit-out,supportedby large-scalesitecirculationdesigned forlogisticsefficiency.

Thelong-termleasetoCubrohas nearlysevenyearsremainingonits initialterm,withrenewalrights extendingoccupationuntil2056. Fixed2.75%annualrentalincreases from2026underpinincomegrowth overthelifeofthelease.

“Thisassetrepresentsa‘bestin class’industrialinvestmentinoneof thecountry’smostdynamiclogistics hubs.Tauriko’spositionwithinthe ‘GoldenTriangle’freightcorridor linkingAuckland,Hamilton,andTaurangaprovidesunrivalledconnec-

“Forinvestors,thisisabout securingstabilityinasectorwhere landandqualityfacilitiesare increasinglyscarce.”

Complementingthescaleof Taurikoisanewlycompletedfacility at5BrockWay,Richmond,whichis offeredforsalebydeadline,closing October22.The1510sqmproperty sitsona3000sqmfreeholdsitegenerating$260,000netperannumplus GST.Thebuilding,whichcomprises warehouse,showroomandworkshop accommodation,waspurposedesignedforthetenant,which commenceditsinitialleaseinMarch 2025.

BayleysNelson’sGillIrelandsays theRichmondpropertyexemplifies thescarcityofprimefreeholdindustrialstockintheNelson-Tasmanregion.

“High-qualitynewbuilds areseldomavailableinthis market,particularlythose withlongleasestostrong multinationaloperators.

Richmond’sconnectivitytoState Highway6anditsstatusastheregion’spremierindustrialhubadd weighttothelong-termvalueforpassiveinvestors.”

Thesouthernmostpropertyisa 2250sqmfacilityona4242sqmfreeholdsiteminutesfromChristchurch InternationalAirportat5Lakeside Place,Harewood.Itistobesoldby auctiononOctober23.

Theassetreturns$353,973netper annumplusGST,withaleasestructureprovidingfixedannualrental growthandrenewalrightsto2044.

“Harewoodisamongthemost tightlyheldindustrialprecinctsin Canterbury,whereproximityto freightinfrastructuredrivesstrong occupierdemand.

“IndustrialvacancyinChristchurchremainsamongthelowestin thecountry,andtheairport-adjacent locationonlystrengthensitsinvestmentproposition,”saysBayleysCanterbury’sNickO’Styke.

Thebrokersnotethatinterestin thetrioreflectsabroader recalibrationofinvestmentstrategy acrossthemarket.

“Industrialinvestmentshavefared wellinthefaceofmarketvolatility, supportedbystructuraltailwindsin logistics,distributionandessential services.Investorscontinueto prioritisedefensive,incomeproducingassets,wheregrowthis embeddedintotheleasestructurethisportfolioanswersthatcall.

“Someinvestorswillbeattracted tothesizeandstabilityofTauriko, otherstothescarcityvaluesof Richmond,ortheresilienceand premiumlocationofChristchurch.

“Together,thepropertiesrepresentabalancedcollectionofincomebackedinvestmentsinmarkets poisedforenduringgrowth.

“WithCubro’scovenantspanning allthreefacilities,theportfoliooffers certaintythatfewindustrialopportunitiescanmatch.

“Itprovidesaninvestmentplatformbuiltaroundmodernfacilitiesin premiumlocations,andatenantcovenantalignedwithdemographicand economicgrowth sectors.”

—Suppliedby Bayleys

TeWaihorotiu,withentrancesonVictoriaandWellesleySt,isforecasttobethebusiestinthenewCRLnetwork.

CRListickettoprogress

Emergingfromtheshadowofthe now-glossyDowntown,Wynyard QuarterandBritomartprecincts, Auckland’smidtownareaisgettinga glow-upoffthebackofthe$5billion CityRailLink(CRL)mega-project, scheduledtoopensometimenext year.

InthelatesteditionofBayleys’ TotalProperty,thefirm’sAuckland MetroseniordirectorAlanHaydock saystheCRLwillhelpAucklandCBD getitsmojoback.

HaydocksaysTeWaihorotiu Station,withentrancesonVictoria StreetandWellesleyStreet,is forecasttobethebusiestinthenew CRLnetwork,withearlymoversinthe commercialpropertysphere leveragingtheprecinct’sexpected gains.Atleast18private-led developmentsareplanned,under construction,orrecentlycompleted, withinafive-minutewalkofthe station.

“Functionalandthoughtful developmentaroundthecorestations willhelptakecentralAucklandtothe nextlevelafterwhathasbeena particularlytoughmarketfor commercialrealestate,withfewCBD buildingssold,andrecentBayleys datashowing13%retailvacancy.

“Othermetropolitancitiesaround theworldhaveproventhatgreater connectivityandaccessbolstersland valueappreciationandproperty demandaroundmajortransithubs,so there’stangiblevaluetobeunlocked fromtheCRL,”saysHaydock. AucklandCouncildirectorof resilienceandinfrastructureBarry PottersaystheCRLprojectis expectedtodelivercloseto$12bnin

economicbenefits tothecityandwill behandedoverin 2026.

Datasourcedby AucklandCouncil earlierthisyear showsapipelineof around$6.8bnof privatesector investmentacross thecitycentre, roughlyevenlysplit betweenoffshore andonshore investors.Around $2.8bnofthat investmentis locatedinthe QueenStreetValley (Waihorotiu) precinct,which includesMidtown.

Pottersayswhile importanttoAuckland’sfuture,the CRLisnottheonlylevertodrive Aucklandforward,withbillionsof dollarsallocatedtoclimateresilience, wastewatercapacity,andother transportprojects.

Internationalpropertydeveloper MalaysianResourcesCorporation Berhad(MRCB),alongwithNew Zealand-owneddevelopmentand projectmanagementcompanyRCP, willdeliverTheSymphonyCentre,a residentialandcommercialmixedusedevelopment,aboveTe WaihorotiuStationatthecornerof WellesleyStreetandMayoralDrive. Itwillalsorefurbishthe neighbouringheritage-listedBledisloe House,withthecomplementary projectstobelinkedbyvibrant,

Welcometothelatesteditionof

street-level,publiclaneways. RCPheadofdevelopment managementBorisBabicsays midtownfeaturesseveralunique heritageassets,suchastheCivic TheatreandTownHall,whichare protected,willneverbebuiltoutor demolished,andarguablyhavenever hadtheiridentityembraced.

“ThisgaveMRCBarare opportunitytoembeditselfwithinthe urbanheartofthecity,leveragingits internationalunderstandingofthe economicupsideavailablewitha projectofthisscale,”Babicsays. Meanwhile,HeartoftheCitychief executiveVivBecksaysit’show AucklandersusetheCRLandwhat happensnextthatwillhelpshapethe futureofthecitycentre. “Realprogresswillrequire cohesive,urgentactionbetween centralandlocalgovernment,andthe privatesectortoleapfrogfromwhere wearetoday.”

Apipelineofnewhotel developmentsisprogressinginthe midtownarea,followingtherecent openingsofIHGHotelIndigo,JW MarriottAuckland,andHorizonby SkyCity,andthemuch-anticipated InternationalConventionCentre, scheduledtoopenearly2026. Bayleysnationaldirectoroffice leasingMattLambsaysmidtownis alsoemergingasadesirablebasefor officeoccupiers. “We’regoingtowitnesssome excitingchangeasoccupiers recognisethevirtuesoftheMidtown areaoffthebackoftheCRL,andits capacitytochangethefaceof businessinthecity.” —SuppliedbyBayleys

TransformingManukau

FORSALE | 10 PutneyWay,9OsterleyWay,33and50Manukau StationRoad,ManukauCityCentre,Auckland

Fourhighprofile developmentsitesoffer establishedamenityand infrastructure,providing superbopportunities todeliverarangeof commercial,retail,and residentialuses. •Rareopportunityto driveManukau’surban transformation •Manukauisthecommercial heartofSouthAuckland •MetropolitanCentreZoning offersarangeofcommercial, retail,andresidential opportunities •Growthfacilitatedby infrastructureinvestmentand planning

•10PutneyWay1,430sqm •50ManukauStationRoad–9,713sqmorLot1:2,616sqm Lot2:2,155sqmLot3: 2,359sqm •33ManukauStationRoad 5,569sqm •9OsterleyWay1,753sqm Availableindividuallyorinany combination. bayleys.co.nz/1699950

Twoglobalbrandsanchorinvestment

AfullyleasedretailblockintheheartofGlen Innes’rapidlyevolvingcommercialcore, anchoredbytwooftheworld’sbest-known foodandbeverageoperators,presentsinvestorswiththedualappealofsecurelong-term incomeanddevelopment-readypotential, Bayleysbrokerssay.

BayleysAsianmarketsdirectorJamesChan, andcolleaguesCameronMelhuishandKaren Yungaremarketingthefreeholdlandholdingat 227ApiranaAvenue,forsalebyauctionon October29.

The1512sqmlandholdingoccupiesacommandingfrontagetooneofEastAuckland’s busiestarterials,withstrongexposuretoaveragedailytrafficflowsexceeding17,000vehicles. Thesiteaccommodatesamodernretail blockoccupiedbyglobalcoffeegiantStarbucks, abarber’s,andavapestore,complementedby anewly-builtBurgerKingrestaurant.Together,

theoccupiersreturnanet$370,460plusGST perannum,withaWeightedAverageLease Term(WALT)ofabout14years(byincome).

Chansaysthepropertyexemplifiesthetype ofincome-backed,future-flexibleinvestment increasinglysoughtafterbysophisticated purchasers.

“Anchoredbytwohouseholdnameswith proventradingresilience,thepropertydelivers near-20yearsofincomesecuritywhileholding oneofthearea’smostdevelopment-intensive zoningclassifications.”

TheBusiness-TownCentrezoning,witha heightallowanceofupto32.5m(subjecttoconsent),permitsawiderangeofcommercialand mixed-usedevelopment,includingresidential, education,healthcare,andentertainmentuses. Chansaysthisflexibilitypositionstheasset asbothadefensiveholdingandalong-term growthplay.

GlenInneshasemergedasoneofAuckland’s mostsignificantregenerationareas,supported bytheTa¯makiRegenerationProgramme–a long-termstrategytodelivernewhousing, upgradedinfrastructure,andenhancedpublic spaces.

Between2013and2023,thesuburb’spopulationgrewbynearly30%,withgrowth expectedtocontinueasmajorinvestmentin transportandresidentialintensification unlocksfurtherdemand.

Melhuishsaysthesuburb’stransporthub, linkingrail,bus,walkingandcycling connections,isminutesfromthesubjectproperty.

“OncetheCityRailLink(CRL)opens,trains fromGlenInneswillconnecttoBritomartat five-minutefrequenciesinpeakperiods, strengtheningthesuburb’sroleasatransitorientedcommercialandresidentialcentre.In-

Taumarunuisiteupforauction

reception,open-planworkarea, stereotypicalprivateoffices,staffkitchen, andstaffbathroomamenities.

SittinginthemiddleofTaumarunui’s centralbusinessdistrict,therectangularshapedpropertyat29MiriamaStreet benefitsfromhavingadditionalvehicular accessoffHuiaStreet. PGGWrightsonLtdhasathree-year leaseontheproperty,payinganannual rentalof$74,860plusGSTandoutgoings. ThebuildinghasaNewBuilding Standardsratingof45%.Thefreehold

commerciallyzonedlandandbuildingat 29MiriamaStreetinTaumarunuiarebeing marketedforsaleatauctiononOctober30 throughBayleysHamilton.

SalespersonJoshSmithsaidthe physicalpositioningoftheproperty’s buildingtoonesideoftheaddressallowed forefficientaccessbydeliverytrucksand customerswithtrailersvisitingPGG Wrightsonfortheirsupplies.

“Withasinglemasterlease,theproperty hasasubstantialfrontageontoMiriama Street-deliveringprominentbranding visibilitytoPGGWrightson,”Smithsaid.

“Comparatively,thereareveryfew propertiesofthisdynamicinthe TaumarunuiCBD–withmostsustaining commercialentitiesonamuchsmaller scale,andcertainlynothingwiththe sizeablebuildingstructure,yardspace,and on-siteparkingfacilitiesseenaroundthe PGGpremises.”

RuapehuDistrictCouncil’sTaumarunui ManunuiSpatialPlanhasspecifically identifiedtheMiriamaStreetlocaleasbeing crucialtothetowncentre’srevivalby changingtheover-archingcommercial zoningtoamixed-usedefinition.

—SuppliedbyBayleys

vestorsareincreasinglytargetinglocations whereinfrastructureandpopulationgrowth converge.

“GlenInnesfitssquarelyintothatframework;itisstrategicallypositionedbetweenthe CBDanddesirableeasternsuburbs,withexceptionalconnectivity,andarapidlyexpanding consumercatchment.”

Yungaddsthatdemandforincomeproducingretailinvestmentshasheldfirmdespitebroadercapitalmarketheadwinds,particularlywheretenantsarenationallyorinternationallyrecognisedbrands.

“Wecontinuetoseeagravitationtoward assetswithbothsecureincomeandfutureflexibility.Thesubjectpropertyisjustthat–fully leased,high-profile,andsupportedbyzoning thatprovidesagenuinepathwaytohigherand moreproductiveuseinagrowtharea.”

—SuppliedbyBayleys

IndustrialopportunityinTaupo¯

AnindustrialpropertyinTaupo¯isbeing offeredtothemarketforsaleandwillcatch theattentionofowner-occupiersand developerslookingtoacquireanassetwith long-termupside.

Locatedat237TauharaRoad,itisnestled withinanindustrialprecinctthatishometo manysuccessfulbusinesses,includingITM, PGGWrightsonandHukaHonda.

Thelandholdingmeasures4041sqmand includesanindustrialbuildingthathas about400sqmoftotallettableareaandadditionalcanopyaswellassealedyardspace thatspans900sqm.

Thebulkofthepropertyisleasedtothe MinistryofEducationforTauharaCollege. ThisleaseexpiresinFebruary2026butasixmonthextensioniscurrentlybeingfinalised. Additionally,thereisabout1160sqmof vacant,fenced,flatlandtotheeastofthesite thatisleasedtoProtradeGroupand cancellablebyeitherpartybyproviding threemonths’noticetoterminate.

Thepropertyisstrategicallylocated 450mfromtheinterchangeofStateHighway1andBroadlandsRoad,ononeof Taupo¯’smainarterialroutes.

237TauharaRoadisanindustrialproperty inTaupo¯forsalebynegotiation.

“Owner-occupiershavethechancetoacquireapremisesfortheirownbusinessoperationsandtheywillbeabletocontroltheir owndestinywithoutbeingboundtofuture leaseagreements,”Milloysays.

“Conversely,adevelopermaywishto purchasetheassetandintensifytheusageof thesitethroughcapitalisingonthelowsite coverage.Conceptplanshavebeendesigned toextendtheexistingstructureattheproperty,subjecttotherelevantconsents.

“Withshort-termholdingincomeinplace fromtheexistingtenants,thenewowner willhavethechancetostrategicallyplan theirfuturemoveswhileenjoyingthecurrentrentalstream.”

Taupo¯iswellknownasanattractivedestinationfordomesticandinternational travellersduetoitsscenery,outdooractivities,andreputationforhostingeventsand conferences.

HughMilloy,investmentsalesbrokerat ColliersTaupo¯,hasbeenexclusively appointedtosellthepropertyvianegotiationandsaysthereisconsiderablepotentialonoffer.

Itisonlyafewminutesfromtheheartof Taupo¯’sCBD,whichhasadynamicarrayof retailstoresandhospitalityoptions.

Amidchallengingeconomicconditions thatarebeingfeltacrossthecountry,data fromInfometricspointstosomeindicators thatthelocaleconomyinTaupo¯maybeset toimprove.IntheyeartoJune2025,there wasa2.1%increaseinthenumberofbusinesses,wellaheadofthenationalfigureof 0.9%.Therewasalsoa1.3%uptickintheregistrationofcommercialvehicles.

“Iencourageallinterestedpartiesto reachouttometodiscusstheiroptions.” —SuppliedbyColliers

Game-changer forinvestors

TEEGoperatesmorethan350centresinternationallyandhasinvestedmillionsintotheHendersonsite,signallingitscommitmenttothelocation.The current10-yearleaseterm,extendingto2032,withrenewalrights,issecuredbyaparentcompanyguaranteeandfurtherenhancedbyasix-monthrentalbond, providinginvestorswithmultiplelayersofincome security.

“Hendersonisprojectedtoabsorbsignificant populationgrowth,withthelocalcatchmentexpected toexpandbymorethan36,000residentsby2048.

BuildingnearIKEAinkeyspot

Awell-locatedMtWellingtonindustrial propertywithfavourableunderlying zoningisforsale,withagentssaying thatthesite’sappealissettorampup evenfurtherwhenglobalretailgiant IKEAopenslaterthisyear.

Thepropertyat6ArthurBrown Place,MtWellington,isonSylviaPark’s backdoorstep.Thisaddstangible weighttobothitscurrentuseas multinationalelectricaland infrastructuresolutionsprovider Atkore’sNewZealandheadquarters, andalsothefutureredevelopment potentialofthesiteoffthebackofthe land’sBusiness-MixedUsezoning.

Themodernwarehousing/office buildinghasalettablefloorareaof 1160sqm,andsitsona2000sqm landholding.Thestandaloneindustrial propertyisatmorethan100%new buildingstandard,andincludes contemporaryofficespaceovertwo levels,efficientwarehousingaccessed viatworollerdoors,agenerousand secureyardandamplecarparking.

itscloseproximitytoSylviaParkandthesoon-to-be-openedIKEA.

outgoings,withregularrentreviews withinthelease.

Well-establishedoccupierAtkore ConstructionTechnologiesLimitedhas beenon-sitesince2010,withitscurrent leaserunningthroughtoApril1,2029,if thescheduledrightofrenewalis exercised.Thepropertyreturnsannual netincomeof$265,752plusGSTand

SunilBhana,JamesValintineand TonyChaudhary,ofBayleysSouth Auckland,aremarketingtheproperty bywayofdeadlineprivatetreaty, closingOctober30.Ithasbeenheldin familyownershipformorethan 36years,andtheproperty’slegacyhas beencharacterisedbytenantstability andconsistentincomeasalow-risk, high-yieldinvestment. Bhanasaystheproperty’sprivileged

locationalreadyleveragestheSylvia Park-effectwithexcellentexposure andstreamlinedarterialaccess,which enhanceslogisticsandcommuterflow.

“It’sproventobeabeneficial locationforthecurrenttenant,given thecapacitytomovestockinwardsand outwardseasily,thankstogreat connectivity,withproximitytoSH1and MtWellingtonHighway.

“Asaprecinct,MtWellingtonhas stronglinkstomajorfreightand transportinfrastructure,makingit

suitableforbusinessesrelianton distributionandefficientlast-mile delivery.Thishassupportedongoing demandfortraderetailspaceinthe broaderarea.

“Thesubjectproperty’sinherent futurepotentialhowever,liesinits flexibleBusiness-Mixedusezoning, withresidentialdevelopmentarguably abetterandhighestuseforthesite.”

SylviaParkownerKiwiPropertyhas investedheavilyinthecommercial/ retailprecinct,butalsointheresidential sector,withitsResidobuild-to-rent (BTR)apartmentprojectresonating withtherentalmarket.

“Thisisthecountry'sbiggestBTR developmentandit’samodelthatis expectedtogaintractionacrossthe citygiventheshortageofhousing,and thescalethatcanberealisedonwellpositionedsiteswithhighlevelsof surroundingamenity,”saysValintine.

“MtWellingtonisonaroll,with SwedishfurnituregiantIKEAdueto openitsfirstNewZealandstorein Decemberthisyear,nexttotheSylvia Parkshoppingcentre.

“Opportunitiestoinvestalongside SylviaParkarerare,andthispropertyis stronglypositionedforbothindustrial useandfutureredevelopment.” —SuppliedbyBayleys

WarehouseinAucklandlogisticshubforlease

annualrentalgrowthandaWeightedAverageLease Term(WALT)of6.5years.

Seymoursaysthepropertyexemplifiesgrowinginvestorappetiteforscaleassetsinmetropolitan centres,underpinnedbyprovencatchmentsandresilienttenantdemand.

“Entertainmentandexperience-basedretailhave beenquietlyresilient,supportedbystrongconsumer demandforsharedactivitiespost-pandemic.Thesubjectproperty,substantiallyrefurbishedin2022for TEEG’sdualbrandoffering,alignssquarelywiththose trends,whileofferingthelong-termcertaintyofaglobaloperator’scovenant.”

“Anchoredbymajorretaildestinationsincluding theWestCityandTheBoundaryshoppingprecincts, andbenefittingfromexcellenttransportlinks,the areaisundergoingawaveofurbanregeneration undertheAucklandCouncil’s‘UnlockHenderson’ programme,”saysBayleyscapitalmarketsdirector CameronMelhuish.

Bayleyscommercial,industrialandlandsales directorCraigSmithsaysitrepresentsasecure, income-producingassetwithembeddeddevelopmentoptions.

“Inamarketwhereinvestorsareprioritisingstability,scale,andgrowthprospects,thesubjectproperty,withitscovenantstrength,primelocationina high-growthcatchment,andassetflexibility,offersan immediateandreliablereturn,well-positionedtosee outWestAuckland’snextgrowthcycle.” —SuppliedbyBayleys

29LandingDriveis3kmawayfrom AucklandAirport.

Apremium-specificationfullyracked industrialfacilityinoneofAuckland’s mostsought-afterlogisticshubsisavailableforsublease.

Locatedat29LandingDrivenear AucklandAirport,thispurpose-built propertyhas7951sqmoftotalnet lettablearea.Ithasahighclearance warehousewithastudheightof12.1mat thekneerisingto16.7mattheapexand spans7682sqm.

Thereis1535sqmofgenerouscanopycoverage,andfulldrive-through accesswithmultiplefull-heightroller doors,twoofwhicharerapidroller doors.Thefullysprinkleredwarehouse has15,000palletpositionsand269sqm ofofficespace. Thefacilitywillbeavailableforoccu-

pationfromOctober1.Theairportis lessthan3kmaway.Thepropertyis zonedBusiness-LightIndustryZone undertheAucklandUnitaryPlan.

ColliersdirectorsBradJohnstonand PaulJarviehavebeenexclusively appointedtomarketthepropertyfor subleasevianegotiation.

Johnstonsaysthisisatop-tierfacility thatwilltickplentyofboxesforbusinessesseekingahighlyfunctionalspace toconducttheiroperationsfrom.

“Thereisseparateaccessfortrucks andcarsensuringseamlessvehiclecirculationandoperationalefficiency.The spaciousyardprovidesroomforall typesoftruckmovementsandthegenerouscanopycoveragewillbeofsignificantbenefittoassistwith

all-weatherdevanning,”Johnstonsays. TheoverallvacancyrateforindustrialspaceacrossAucklandsitsatonly 2.2%,indicatingtheongoingneedfor industrialpropertyinthecity. Jarviesaysthelocationisamajor drawcardforthisleasingopportunity giventheaccessitprovidestovital transportinfrastructure.

“TheLandingbusinessparknear AucklandAirportishometomanyof thecountry’slargestdistribution centres,logisticscompanies,and manufacturingbusinesseswhobenefit fromthestrategiclocation’saccessto themotorwayandproximitytopopular industrialhubsMountWellington,Wiri, Penrose,andOnehunga,”Jarviesays. —SuppliedbyColliers

BayofIslands’ buzzedventure

Datapointstoretailrecovery

Fiveconsecutivemonthsofincreased electroniccardspendingoncoreretail itemssuggestthepossibilityofarecovery intheretailsectorissteadilygrowing.

There’snoescapingtherealitiesofthe economicpainthathasbeenfeltin differentpartsofNewZealandduringthe pasttwoyearsandretailershavebeenhit particularlyhard.

Bothbusinessesandaresidential unitatthepropertyareheldundera singlecommerciallease,providinga streamlinedandsecuretenancy structureforinvestors.

Thetenant’scurrent10-yearlease runsuntilAugust2031andthereare fourrightsofrenewalavailablefor fiveyearseachleadingtoafinalexpiryofAugust1,2051.Theleaseagreementincludesfive-yearlymarketrent reviewswiththenextonescheduled forAugust2026.TherearealsoCPIincreaseseverytwoyears.Thecurrent totalnetannualrentalincomefrom thepropertyis$88,736plusGST.

Thepropertyiszonedcommercial undertheFarNorthDistrictPlan.Itis only5kmfromPahia’stowncentre, whichisabout60kmnorthof Whanga¯rei.

ColliersbrokersGawanBakshiand MeganMcGregorhavebeenexclusivelyappointedtomarketthepropertyforsaleviaauctiontobeheldat ColliersWhanga¯reionOctober20.

thetavernandneighbouringliquor storethatispartofahighlyrecognisablenationalnetwork.”

Opuaisoftenreferredtoasthe “GatewaytotheBayofIslands”andis apopularseasidelocationthatisrenownedforitssailing.

McGregorsaysNorthlandisaprovincethatoffersvisitorsmemorable sceneryandtourismexperiences.

“Withitswarmclimateandbroad rangeoflifestyleactivities,theBayof Islandshaslongbeenapopulardestinationforlocalandinternational travellers,”McGregorsays.

ButthedatafromStatsNZthattracks electroniccardspendingsuggestsbetter timesmaybeonthehorizon.Thisis coupledwithinformationfromtheNew ZealandInstituteofEconomicResearch thatnotesabout77%ofmortgagesaredue forrepricinginthenext12months.

Lowermortgageratesarealready reducingtheamountofinteresthouseholds arepaying.DatafromtheReserveBank showsinthefirsthalfoftheyear,the averageshareofincomesspenton mortgageinteresthascomedownbyabout 0.6percentagepoints.

HamishFitchett,nationaldirectorof researchandeconomicsatColliers,says whenconsumershavemoremoneyintheir pocketwetypicallyseepositiveflow-on effectstotheretailindustry.

“Withhomeloanratesnowintheupper 4%range,peoplewhorefixtheirmortgage maynoticeaboostintheirdisposable incomeiftheyhavebeenpaying somewherecloserto6or7%.

“There’sundeniablybeenchallenges fortheNewZealandretailsectorrecently buttheeconomicdriversindicatethe possibilityofimprovedtradingconditions duringthenextyear,”Fitchettsays. Meanwhile,thelatestretailvacancy surveysfromColliershighlighttheexisting challengesthesectorisfacingwith AucklandCBD’sstripretailvacancyrate increasingto11%comparedwith10%a yearago. ClosuresofDFSandSmith&Caughey’s havebeenwellpublicisedbutthereisstill strongdemandforfloorspaceintheluxury andinternationalbrandsprecinctin AucklandatthebaseofQueenStreet. Vacancyratesinthismarketsegmentare 5.7%,aroundhalfofthewiderAuckland CBDmarket. TheresearchhighlightedAuckland’s retaildevelopmentactivityissubdued whenexaminingitviatotalfloorspace,but thevalueofnewconsentshashitarecord high,ledbymajorprojectssuchasthe MakiCentreatWestgateandIKEA’s impendingopeningnearSylviaParkin Auckland.

Meanwhile,inWellington,theoverall vacancyrateinCBDretailremainedat 9.3%,whichisunmovedfromDecember 2024.

RichardFindlay,managingdirectorat ColliersWellington,sayswhilethecityis

navigatingatrickyretailenvironmentthere arerenewedsignsofactivityemerging.

“Mitre10hasconfirmedplanstoreplace TheWarehouseonToryStreet,introducing anewlargeformatofferingtotheCBDby early2026andtheredevelopmentofthe ReadingCinemacomplexwillgive CourtenayPlaceanewlookandfeel,” Findlaysays.

“TherevitalisationofTeNga¯kauCivic Squarewillalsolikelyintroducenewretail opportunities,furtherstrengtheningthe city’sculturalandcommercialcore.” Lookingacrossthecountry,thereare high-profileretaildevelopmentsinKinloch, Queenstown,andtheKa¯pitiCoastthat Colliersisworkingonthrougheither consultancyormasterplanning.

RichardJames,nationaldirectorof retailatColliers,saysthesecentreswillbe readytocapitaliseonconsumerdemand wheneconomicconditionsimprove.

“Thereisresilienceamongretailersthat haveastrongvaluepropositionfor customersandwell-locatedassetsthat haveacomplementarytenancymixremain attractive,”Jamessays.

“Largeformatretailhasbeenastandout performerintheretailindustrythisyear withnewbrandsenteringtheNewZealand marketandothernationallyrenowned operatorsgrowingtheirpresence.”

FormerOtahuhupolicestationonthemarket

Bakshisaysthepropertyisanattractivepassiveinvestmentopportunitywithasteadyrentalstream.

“Withanestablishedoperatorin placewhoiscommittedtoalongtermleasethereisalsopotentialto growtherentalincomethroughfuturereviews,”Bakshisays.

“Thispropertypresentsbuyers withadualincomestreamthrough

Thetwo-storeypropertyoffers convenientstoragespace,indoorand outdoorareasforpatronsoftheRoadRunnerTavern,andamplecar parking.Thedirectorsoftheproperty alsoownSuperLiquorinPaihia, reinforcingtheirpresenceinthelocal hospitalitysector.

“Opua,whichisaboutthreehours northofAuckland,isnotableforbeingthefirstportforoverseasyachts arrivinginthecountryaftercrossing thePacificOcean.

“DatafromInfometricsnotesa slightboostintourismspending acrossNorthlandfortheyearending June2025astotalexpenditureroseto justover$1.2billion,whichisencouragingforlocaloperators.” —SuppliedbyColliers

Asubstantial,commercialbuilding adaptedforeducationaluseoffers owner-occupiers,add-valueinvestors anddevelopersadiversifiedopportunitytosecurescale,incomeand long-termadaptabilityinoneofAuckland’smostconnectedtowncentres, Bayleysbrokerssay. Bayleyscommercialdirector RanjanUnka,andcolleaguesMichael NeesandGeoffWyattaremarketing thefreeholdsiteat12-16GordonRoad forsalebydeadline,closingOctober30.The2207sqmbuilding occupiesanapproximate1958sqm landholding,with32fullysecuredcar parks–asignificantadvantageinthe locale.Currentlyreturninganet $371,422plusGSTperannumfroman

educationsectortenantwithacurrentleasetermthroughtoDecember 2026,thepropertyprovidesholding incomewhileofferingawidespectrumoffuturepossibilities.

Unkasaysithasbeenutilisedas thetertiarycampusfortheNewZealandManagementAcademies (NZMA),andpriortothat,theOtahuhuPoliceStation.

Thebuildinghasbeenpurposefittedforeducationandtraining.Its existingconfigurationincludes classrooms,partitionedoffices,a commercialkitchen,gymfacilities, andliftaccessacrossallthreelevels. Eachfloorcanbeindependently leased. “Adaptabilityistheasset’sdefining

feature.Thepropertyisequallywellsuitedforeducationproviders,trainingorganisations,medicalorcommunityoperators,orcorporate occupiers.” ThesiteiszonedBusiness-Town CentreundertheAucklandUnitary Plan. Thebrokerssayaseismicassessmentof113%ofNewBuildingStandard(NBS)strengthenstheproperty’s credentialsasalow-risk,futureproofedholding. Ofdemandforassetsofthis nature,Neessaysthatadd-valueinvestorsaretargetingpropertiesthat deliverbothnear-termcashflowand strategiclong-termpotential.

—SuppliedbyBayleys

Tender (unlesssoldprior) Closing4pm,Thu30Oct2025 BayleysHouse,30Gaunt Street,AucklandCentral KateKirby 021469479 kate.kirby@bayleys.co.nz StephenScott 0274060298 stephen.scott@bayleys.co.nz BAYLEYSREALESTATELTD,AUCKLANDCENTRAL, LICENSEDUNDERTHEREAACT2008

6ManadonStreet,Spotswood

•Secure10-yearleasetoGeneralDistributorsLtd(WoolworthsGroup) Baserentof$1,235,000pawithrenewalrightsuntil2070

•Prominent1.1536hasiteonmajorarterialcornerinSpotswood •Modern4,187sqmsupermarketwithrecentupgradesandanewextension Thispremiumsupermarketinvestmentisanchoredbyanew10-yearleasetoGeneral DistributorsLimited,tradingasWoolworths,oneofNewZealand’smosttrustedretail brands.Theleaseofferslong-termincomesecurityinahighlyresilientmarketsector,with long-termoccupancyrights. bayleys.co.nz/

HosteltowerinCBDforsale

itiesforthefutureoftheasset,buyer strategiescouldrangefromcontinuing existinghosteloperationsundera moreefficientmodel,orrepositioning thebuilding.

withvacantpossession,Rosssaid.

tialtoaddvalue. The11-level,99-roombuildingat 150VincentStreetiscurrentlyoperatingastheCityLodgeHostel. Itpresentsimmediatescopeto driveincreasedoperational efficienciestomaximisecashflowreturn,providingaclearvalueaddopportunitywithinAuckland’slivingsector,whilealsoofferingdiversefuture opportunity.

CBRE’scapitalmarketsteamismarketingthepropertyforsalebytender, closingOctober16. AssociatedirectorBradRosssaid theasset’sappealliesinitscombinationofawhole-buildingplay,central citylocationandscopetoaddvaluein thehighlysought-afterlivingsector. “Thebuildingoffersthechanceto acquireexposuretotheAucklandCBD livingsectoratacompellingpricepoint wellbelowreplacementcost,with broadpotentialtoachieveoperational improvementstodeliversuperior returns.” Withadiverserangeofopportun-

Theasset’sfull-year2025netreturn of$622,014liessignificantlybelow whereCBREseesachievable normalisedpotential,whichliescloser to$1.15millionayear,saidRoss.

“Theoperatingefficiency improvementsavailablearesignificant.Alternatively,re-positioning opportunitiescouldincludeworkeraccommodation,internationalstudent accommodationorsocialhousingto leverageshortagesinthesesectors.”

Thebuildingiscurrentlyconfigured into99ensuiterooms,withkitchen, dining,loungeandlaundryfacilities providedononelevel.Thereisalsoa full-floor,three-bedroom,selfcontainedpenthouseapartment.

Forinvestorstargetingtheliving sector,thebuildingprovidesanopportuneentrypointintothemarket.

Thereisaresidentialtenancyover thepenthouseapartment,anexisting leasebuy-outoftwofloors(24rooms) andafurthertwofloorsundernegotiation.

Thebalanceoftheassetisoffered

“Theassethasasteadylevelofoccupancyhistory,withitsbuy-outagreementincreasingbaselineoccupancy andenhancingtheasset’srevenueprofilelookingforward.Anewownerwill havetheoptiontocontinuetooperate thepropertyasahostelthemselves,or seekotheralternatives,suchasfurther buy-outagreements.”

Rosssaidthepricingguidance reflectstheasset’scurrentcondition andoperations.

“Thevendorhascommissioned buildingconditionandconsulting reportsidentifyingremedialworks, whichhavebeencostedandare reflectedinpricingguidance. Purchasersmaywellidentify efficiencieswithregardstothese works.”

Thebuildingpresentsalow-costentryoptionintoAuckland’saccommodationmarketinalocationsettobenefitfromtheupcomingCityRailLink,he added.

“Theofferingsuitsactiveinvestors withastrongvisionforvaluegrowth, whoarelookingforaCBDfoothold withtheopportunitytodrivebottom linecashflowimprovement.”

—SuppliedbyCBRE

LocatedinSilverdale,just10minutesnorthofAlbany, thedevelopmentfeatureshigh-studwarehousing, integratedoffices,andonsiteparking.Idealfor logistics,trade,andservice-basedusersseekinga connectedbase.

VanderPutten movestoColliers’ capitalmarkets

MikevanderPuttenhasmovedtothe Collierscapitalmarketsteam,returningto thedivisionwherehebeganhiscareer withthecompanyin2010. AftercompletingaBachelorofPropertyattheUniversityofAuckland,vander PuttenjoinedColliers15yearsagoasan executiveassistantinthecapitalmarkets teamwhentheywereknownasthecorporateandinstitutionalsalesdivision.

Heworkedinthatroleforthreeyears beforemovingtobrokerageaspartofthe officeleasingteamwherehespecialisedin theAucklandcityfringeandsoutherncorridor.

Mikevander Putten

Hehasbrokeredsignificantdealswithcorporateandgovernmentclients,includingHeartlandBank,HatoHoneSt John,andtheMinistryofSocialDevelopment,among others.ThelargestdealheworkedonwasKiwiRail’s25-year leaseinAuckland’sCentralParkcommercialprecinctin Ellerslie.

“Joiningcapitalmarketsisanoutstandingopportunity andIamlookingforwardtogettingstuckinandworking alongsidethemostrespectedBrokersintheindustry,”van derPuttensays.

“IbelievetheknowledgeandskillsIhavedevelopedin theleasingsectorwillbehugelyvaluabletotheteamandI amexcitedabouttheprospectofdeliveringthebestpossible resultsforourclients.”

—SuppliedbyColliers

Ameticulouslyrenovatedmulti-tenantedretailtrophyinvestment,commandinga highprofileandelevatedpositiononapopulararterialroad.Returning$1.399m panet,thediversifiedincomestreamissplitbetween5tenants,andbenefitsfrom guaranteedrentalgrowthwithvaryinglongleaseterms.Fullyredevelopedbythe vendorin2022,thebustlingandprovendevelopment,anchoredbyChemist WarehouseandGoldenAppleSupermarket,islocatedwithincloseproximityto Bunnings,Mitre10andPakNSave.

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I,RakeshKumarresidingat 1/128Rangitotoroad, Papatoetoe,Manukau2025have changedmyminordaughter namefromAvnitoAvni Lakhanpal.

Dated:11September2025 NOTICEOFNAME CHANGE

I,RakeshKumarresidingat 1/128Rangitotoroad, Papatoetoe,Manukau2025have changedmyminordaughter namefromAshnatoAshna Sharma. Dated:11September2025

Allpersonshavingclaims againsttheunder mentionedestatesare requiredtosend particularsofsuchclaims certifiedasowingasat dateofdeathofthe deceasedtoPerpetual Guardianatitsofficeat Level23,191Queen Street,POBox1934, ShortlandStreet, Auckland1140,withinone monthfromthedateof publicationofthisnotice. Creditorsandother claimantsarewarnedthat anyclaimnotlodgedby thatdateisliablefor exclusion. Thisnoticeisissued pursuanttoSection79of theTrustsAct2019.

DAVEY,RobertDennisof Auckland,Retireddied Tuesday,31December 2024

MCCONACHY,Ewen Andrewformerlyof PalmerstonNorthNew Zealand,PostOffice Technician,latterlyof Taihape,Retireddied Tuesday,29July2025

BRADLEY,BrianJohnof Tauranga,Retireddied Saturday,6September 2025

KENNEDY,NeilCharlesof TePuke,Retireddied Saturday,15March2025

BROAD,KennethEdward ofInvercargill,Retireddied Tuesday,5August2025 HAMILTON,Lindsay ValentineofWaikouaiti, formerlycontractor, latterlyRetireddied Monday,1September 2025 BLOW,HannahLouiseof AucklandinNewZealand, RegisteredNursedied Wednesday,12February 2025 GRAHAM,FlorenceEnid formerlyofHamiltonin New Zealand, OccupationalTherapist, latterlyofCambridge, RetireddiedMonday,14 July2025 CAIN,PeterWilliamJohn formerlyofPalmerston North,Insurance Consultant,latterlyof Feilding,Retireddied Sunday,29December 2024 FLETCHER,CarolJoy formerlyofAucklandin NewZealand,Psychiatric Assistant,latterlyof Dargaville,Nursedied Saturday,22March2025 SKILTON,AltonGordon ofUpperHutt,Retired diedTuesday,9 September2025 ALLAN,JohnAlexander formerlyofKingston, Landscaper,latterlyof Queenstown,Retireddied Saturday,30August2025 BLAND,GloriaVioletMay ofChristchurchinNew ZealandformerlyOffice Administrator,latterly RetireddiedSunday,17 August2025 CONNOR,JenniferAnn akaJenniferAnneConnor ofWellington,Retireddied Sunday,31August2025 SMITH,SammySaturday, ofDunedininNew Zealand,formerlyDriver, latterlyRetireddied Saturday,9August2025 ALDRIDGE,Mark RaymondofWaiauinNew Zealand,formerly Engineer,latterlyRetired diedbetween21August 2025and7September 2025 PARKER,Douglas PercivalofRoxburgh, RetireddiedWednesday, 20July2022

PerpetualGuardianisa tradingnameofTheNew ZealandGuardianTrust CompanyLimitedand PerpetualTrustLimited.

NoticeofPaymentintoVictims’ ClaimsTrustAccount

Acompensationpaymenthasbeenmadeto Anna MarieCollings inrespectofaspecifiedclaimunderthe Prisoners’andVictims’ClaimsAct2005(theAct).

TheActrequiresthataftertheSecretaryofJusticemakes certaindeductionsfromthecompensationpayment,the surplusremaininggoesintotheVictims’ClaimsTrust Accounttoenablevictimsof AnnaMarieCollings to makeclaimsagainstit.

Anymoneyleftafteranyvictims’claimshavebeenpaid willbepaidto AnnaMarieCollings

On 5September2025$3,500.00 waspaidintothe Victims’ClaimsTrustAccountonbehalfof AnnaMarie Collings

ThemoneypaidintotheVictims’ClaimsTrustAccount isheldintrustfor AnnaMarieCollings untilithasbeen paidoutinaccordancewithsubpart2ofPart2oftheAct.

Anypersonwhohasbeenavictimof AnnaMarie Collings inrespectofanoffenceforwhich AnnaMarie Collings wasconvictedinaCourtofNewZealand,is entitledtomakeaclaimagainstthemoneyheldinthe

TrustAccountonbehalfof AnnaMarieCollings

Claimsbyvictimsarenotlimitedtotheamountavailable intheTrustAccount.

Claimforms,andinformationonhowtomake aclaim,maybefoundontheTribunal’swebsite (www.justice.govt.nz/tribunals/victims-and-justice/ special-claims)orobtainedfrom:

TheSecretary Victims’SpecialClaimsTribunal DXSX11159 WELLINGTON Ph:044626660 Fax:044626686 Email:PVC@justice.govt.nz

Allclaimsmustbefiledonorbefore31March2026

NoticeofPaymentintoVictims’

ClaimsTrustAccount

Acompensationpaymenthasbeenmadeto Robert MichaelRUTHERFORDAKAGarySPEDDYE in respectofaspecifiedclaimunderthePrisoners’and Victims’ClaimsAct2005(theAct).

TheActrequiresthataftertheSecretaryofJusticemakes certaindeductionsfromthecompensationpayment, thesurplusremaininggoesintotheVictims’Claims TrustAccounttoenablevictimsof RobertMichael RUTHERFORDAKAGarySPEDDYE tomakeclaims againstit.

Anymoneyleftafteranyvictims’claimshavebeenpaid willbepaidto RobertMichaelRUTHERFORDAKA GarySPEDDYE On 02/09/25$70,000.00 waspaidintotheVictims’ ClaimsTrustAccountonbehalfofRobert Michael RUTHERFORDAKAGarySPEDDYE

ThemoneypaidintotheVictims’ClaimsTrustAccountis heldintrustfor RobertMichaelRUTHERFORDAKA

GarySPEDDYE untilithasbeenpaidoutinaccordance withsubpart2ofPart2oftheAct.

Anypersonwhohasbeenavictimof RobertMichael RUTHERFORDAKAGarySPEDDYE,inrespectof anoffenceforwhich RobertMichaelRUTHERFORD AKAGarySPEDDYE wasconvictedinaCourtofNew Zealand,isentitledtomakeaclaimagainstthemoney heldintheTrustAccountonbehalfof RobertMichael RUTHERFORDAKAGarySPEDDYE

Claimsbyvictimsarenotlimitedtotheamountavailable intheTrustAccount.

Claimforms,andinformationonhowtomakeaclaim, maybefoundontheTribunal’swebsite(www.justice. govt.nz/tribunals/victims-and-justice/special-claims)or obtainedfrom:

TheSecretary

Victims’SpecialClaimsTribunal

DXSX11159

WELLINGTON

Ph:044626660

Fax:044626686

Email:PVC@justice.govt.nz

Allclaimsmustbefiledonorbefore31March2026

PERSONAL SINGLEBUSHMAN 60Seeksa singlewomantoshare Yamagoyabythesea WhakataneJohn0278645092 honestrack@gmail.com

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PeoplewhohaveHIVor Hepatitisareinvitedtotestthe Novimtreatment,whichisa newelectronicmethodfor treatinganyviralinfection.A personsimplyliesonthe NovimelectronicE-pulse blanketfor30minutes.For yourfreetrialinAucklandonly emailtrial@healthaire.co.nz

Allyou need toknow tobuy yournext car.

Formalnoticeisherebygiventhatthe 70thAnnualGeneralMeetingwillbeheld onWednesday29thOctober2025, at111CollingwoodStreet,Hamilton, commencingat12.00pm. Allmembersarecordiallyinvitedtoattend. AGENDA

1.Welcometomembersandguests

2.CreditUnionPrayer 3.AttendanceandApologies 4.Minutesofpreviousmeetings

5.MattersArising

6.AnnualReports 7.AppointmentofAuditors

8.Elections 9.GeneralBusiness 10.Close AKALOUMAIRA SECRETARY

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SKINNER PatrickJames(Pat) Passedawaypeacefullyon 23rdSeptember2025aged85 yearssurroundedbyhis lovingfamily.Muchloved eldestsonofthelateAthol andMaySkinner.Brotherto Cheryl,MichaelandTerry. UncletoJessicaand Andrew,&great-uncleto Alexander.Untilweare reunitedagain,rest peacefullyPat.

SMITH, DavidBasil(Dave). PassedawayatAuckland HospitalonSaturday20 September2025,aged87. MuchloveduncleofBarryand family(Canada).Treasured friendtoSelwynNash (Howick),BennieBrott (Thames),Jan,Tau,Pauland musicianmatesovermany years. SpecialthankstoMarthafor hercareandkindness. Gratefulthanksand appreciationfortheAuckland hospitalstaff. Privateserviceand cremation.

STEEL, Joyce(neeFilac). PassedawayonSunday,14th September2025inher92nd Year.Backwithherbeloved Patrick.LovedMotherof Glenda,Tony,Michaeland Rick(deceased).Muchloved Nanaofher7Grandchildren, 16GreatGrandchildrenand4 GreatGreatGrandchildren. AsperJoyce’swishes,a privatecremationhasbeen held.MessagestoTheSteel FamilyC/-MountainView FuneralServices,POBox461, Rotorua3040

THOMAS DavidMalcolm Born2February1953. Passedawaysuddenlyon21 September2025inAuckland, aged72.Oldestsonof MalcolmandMarieThomas (deceased);Lovingpartnerto Mariaanddotingstep-father toLan;BrothertoGillian, WarrenandGraeme;Friend tomany.Hewillbe rememberedascaringand supportive,withhisown styleandpanache.Davidwill begreatlymissed.

THOMPSON, IanAlbert. 26March1934-25September 2025-Aged91years. Passedawaypeacefullyat BupaHospitalon25th September2025. Dearlylovedhusbandof Isabella(Phyl)for69years. Lovedfatherandfather-inlawofMaree(deceased)and IanGray;CraigandJude Thompson;Cheryl(deceased); andPaulaandGreg (deceased)Jaques. TreasuredPoppaofPetraand Kurt,ElleandJono,Jordan andCody,DanielandMichelle, Logan,andTaylerandMitch; andGreatPopPoptoKirra, Gray,andKoa. Aprivatefamilyservicewillbe held,inaccordancewithIan’s wishes. Foreverlovedand remembered.

VINCENT, PeterMichael. Passedaway22nd September 2025aged83years. BelovedhusbandofMargaret forover59years.Brotherto SteveandthelateGeoff. CherishedfatherofKaren,Sue andBelinda.FatherinLawto Arnold,JosephandNick.Much lovedgrandfathertoKatya, James,Nikolas,Anastacia, Ariana,Tyler,Oliviaand Alexander. AservicetocelebratePeter’s lifewillbeheldatHowick FuneralHome,35Wellington Street,Howick,Auckland,on Monday6th October2025at 11am,followedbyaprivate cremation. Inlieuofflowersadonationto anyHospice(https://www. hospice.org.nz/donate)would beappreciated.

WERNHAM, GareyBryanKeir. Bornon15thJune1940. Passedawaypeacefullyonthe 21stofSeptember2025. Muchlovedhusbandandbest friendtoMargaret,beloved fathertoElizabethTogaand ScottWernham.Belovedand adored"Garey"toAnnika Toga. Gareylovedtheoutdoors,his quiettimeandspendingtime withhisfamily. Garey’sservicewillbeheldat StJohnsCooperatingChurch, 245BucklandsBeachRoad, BucklandsBeach,onTuesday 30thSeptember2025at2pm. Communicationsc/ResthavenFunerals,POBox 39118,Howick.

WILSON, AnnGrahame. Annpassedaway12 September2025,aged93 years. Belovedwifeofthelate Russell.Muchlovedmother andmother-in-lawtoMichael andBarbara,Johnand Heather,HowardandMaree, andSimon.Lovedbyher12 grandchildrenand18greatgrandchildren. Specialthankstothestaffat ArvidaCascades,Hamiltonfor theirlovingcareofAnn. AMemorialServiceto celebrateAnn’slifewillbeheld attheChapelofMemories,32 WilliamStreet,Huntlyon Friday3Octoberat1.30pm. Forthelivestreamlinkemail HavenFuneralServices.All communicationstotheWilson FamilyC/-POBox147,Huntly 3740.

WOOD, Gordon Peacefullyon24September 2025.Aged79. Lovingpartnerofthelate Alma.Lovinggrandfatherto KathrynandAdam. Delightedgreatgrandfather ofLuca. AcelebrationofGordonslife willbeheldattheRoyal OakBowlingClub,146 SelwynStreet,Onehungaon Monday29Septemberat 11am.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

TRUSCOTT, PeterBennetts. 14August1941–1September2025 SueandPeter’sfamilieswish tooffertheirsincerethanksto allthefriendsandextended familyfortheirkindnessand careatthetimeofPeter’s passing.Yourloveand supportistrulyappreciated. UponreflectionsincePeter’s death,wehavedecidedasa family,totreasurethe intimatefarewellweshared priortohiscremationand

DECEASEDESTATE NOTICETO CREDITORSAND OTHERCLAIMANTS Anyperson(s)havinga claimagainsttheestate of LEIGHMATHESON lateofMeadowbank, Auckland,whodiedon4 May2025arerequiredto sendparticularsofsuch claimsowingatthedate ofdeathtothesolicitors attheaddressbelow within30daysofthedate ofpublicationofthis notice.Creditorsare warnedthatanyclaimnot lodgedbythisdateis liabletoexclusion,and theestatemaybe administeredor distributedhavingregard onlytotheclaims received.Theestate solicitorsareWRMK Lawyers,PrivateBag 9012,TeMai,Whangarei 0143,oremail: info@wrmk.co.nz.

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Thissuperbhistoricalnovelis basedonthereallifeofthe CountessofBessborough, whoheldanenviableposition insociety,buthermarriage waswithoutlove.Butthenshe metLordGranville,12years herjunior,andfoundthelove ofherlife.Isfollowingher heart’sdesireworthscandal andruin?Thiswillappealtoloversof Prideand Prejudice —KarenMcMillan

TheHatchling, bySuzanneMain(Dogbox Press,RRP$25)

Inthismadcap,engaging juniorfictionadventure,twins WillowandHunterareliving withtheirgrandfatherinhisold housesincetheirparents mysteriouslydisappeared. Grandpaishavingtroublewith hismemory,andthetwinsare facingtheprospectofbeingputinfostercare.Butthen therearecrashesintheattic,andtheyareastonished tofindadragonhashatchedthere...

—KarenMcMillan

TheTerribleTrio: The(notso)Superheroes, bySwapnaHaddowandMinky Stapleton(ScholasticNZ,RRP $18)

placesof reflection, challengeand renewal.

Somuchfun!Allanimalshave superpowersinthisgraphic novelforchildren,butZebthe Zebra,Margarinethepenguin, andBarrythelemurhavethe lamestpowersofall,whichcan betryingtoseetheotheranimalsbeingsuperheroes. Fullofslapstick,loadsoflaughs,andwarm-hearted, goofycharacters.Internationalrightshavebeen snappeduparoundtheworld.

—KarenMcMillan

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Murderinsuburbia:a

Noonewearstheirheartontheirsleevequitelike AustralianwriterTrentDalton,writes JoannaWane Afterarapturousreceptiononhislasttwotripsto Auckland,he’sbackwithanewbook,anewstage showandthesamethemesong:Allyouneedislove.

IttakesalottomakeanAussieblokecryin public.Thecricket,ofcourse(KimHughes whenhesurrenderedthecaptaincy;Steve Smithwhenheapologisedforball tampering).

Adultery(formerPrimeMinisterBobHawke), drugaddiction(Hawkeonhisdaughter’sbattle withheroinabuse)andwhathappenedtothe protestersinTiananmenSquare(Hawkeagain).

For BoySwallowsUniverse authorTrentDalton, whatmakeshimchokeupwithemotionis...well, justaboutanything.

AthispackedAucklandWritersFestivalsession inMay,hehadprettymuchtheentireaudience ofsome2000people,includinghostMichelle Langstone,movedtotears.Somewerestilltrying tocomposethemselveswhentheyjoinedalengthy book-signingqueueinthefoyer.

Langstone—anactorandone-timegannet advocateforBirdoftheYear—coveredsomedeeply personalgroundofherownintheessaycollection, TimesLikeThese:Ongrief,hope&remarkablelove, sothetwowerewell-matched.Yet,Dalton’s willingnesstoshareandtobevulnerablestartled her.

“Ifoundmyselfthinkingabouthowtiredhemust get,givenhowmuchofhimselfhegivesaway,”she says,describingtheBrisbane-basedwriterasan immenselycuriouspersonwhotalksfastand absorbsinformationevenfaster.

“Theeffectissortoflikebeinginthecompany ofalargeweathersystem;yougetgatheredupin thewildenergyandoffyougo.”

Braceyourselves,people,becauseCycloneTrent isonceagainbearingdownonourshores.

Nextweek,the46-year-oldkicksoffanationwide tourinAustralia,withastop-offinAuckland,for thelaunchofhisfourthnovel, GravityLetMeGo –abookhe’scallinghismostpersonalstoryyet.

Drawingonhisearlycareerasajournalist coveringtheunderbellyoflifeinthesuburbs,it’s aliteralskeleton-rattleraboutaserialkiller,the powerofstorytellingand(hisfavouritetopic)true love.There’sevena GravityLetMeGo playliston Spotify.

“Holdontoyourhearts,”hispublisherposted onFacebook.“TrentDaltonisback!”

BetweengigsinSydneyandHobart,Daltonis divertingtoNewZealandonOctober15foraninpersonchatwithlocalcrimewriterandfilm-maker MichaelBennettatTheCivicinAuckland,where thetheatreadaptationofhis2021book LoveStories premieresthefollowingnight.

Expectationswillbehighafterthefervent responsetohistwopreviousvisits,includingasoldoutsessionin2024thatCaroleBeu,ownerofThe Women’sBookshopinPonsonby,saidmadepeople weepaswellasroarwithlaughter.

It’sraretoseeallthefeelssoopenlyondisplay, especiallywithmalewriters,andDaltonadmits he’scoppedsomeflakforit.Evenhiswife,Fiona Franzmann,sometimesfindshimexhausting.

“IfIgetcriticism,it’slike,‘Oh,he’stoomuch,’” saysDalton,whoserecord-breakingdebut,the semi-autobiographical BoySwallowsUniverse,was madeintoarecord-breakingNetflixserieslast year.“Igetthatallthetime.Fiona’llsay,‘Canyou justtakeitdownanotch?’

“Idotrytoholdbackabitinmybooks,butI can’t,becauseIbelieveinthepowerofthatstuff. Twelve-year-oldmewasabsolutelyablubbererand awaterworkskid,andI’mgoingtohonourthat boy,who’dneverbelieveIcouldbeherenowtalking aboutthesethings.

“I’malwayssayingtopeople,pleasedon’tbe

fooledbythegiddinessofitormistakemy sentimentalityfornaivetyaboutthedarknessof life.It’sabetterwayofdealingwithitthan drinkingbourbon,youknow?There’sadark oppositethat’sverymuchinmyveins.”

Setinthe80s, BoySwallowsUniverse draws heavilyfromDalton’sturbulentchildhood onthefringesofBrisbane’scriminal underworld.

Theyoungestoffourbrothers,hewas7when hismotherwasjailedondrugcharges.His stepfather,adealerwho’dintroducedhertoheroin, spentseveralstretchesinBrisbane’snotorious BoggoRoadprison.

fortherelease ofhislatest novel,Gravity LetMeGo.

Inthebook,Daltonageshimselfupto12as theendlesslyoptimisticEliBell,whosebestmate istheconvictedmurdererandnotorious jailbreakerArthur“Slim”Halliday(playedbya gravellyBryanBrownintheNetflixseries),who reallywashischildhoodbabysitter.

Hismothergotherselfclean,onlytofallinto anabusiverelationshipwithamanherefersto as“themonster”,wholeftherfordeadinapublic phonebox.

Nowabouttoturn70,she“workedherwayout ofthathell”andisoneofDalton’sgreatest inspirations.

Itwashisfather,though,whoingrainedinhim aloveoflanguageandbooks—albeithischoices

mostpersonaltale

LoveStories,astageadaptationofDalton's2021book, opensinAucklandnextmonth.

difficultthings,itwaswild.Hewasdrinkingtoo much,andthereweretoomanyfights.Butnone ofusfourboyseverdoubtedthelove.

“ThattheoryisineverybookIwrite.Ifyoupaint thedarknessandthenoiseandthebloodonthe walls,thatcheeseballnotionoflovebeingthe answerbecomesreallytrueandreallypowerful.”

he’sasolitaryandintrovertedpersonbynature, andthatchildhoodabilitytoobservetheworld fromaquietcornerhasbecomeoneofhisgreatest assets.

Inhispursuittouncoverthetruthatallcosts, Corkmakessomechoicesthataremorally questionable.Theethicsofrepackaginganother person’sstoryforpublicconsumptionisanaspect oflifeasawriterthatDaltonhimselfcontinues tograpplewith.

“Inmy20s,Iwasreallyambitiousandhadthis mentalitythatnothingmattersbutthestory,”he says.“Noahisinaperiodinhislifewherehe’s blinkeredtoallofthatcomplexity,andIfoundthat reallyinteresting,becauseI’vebeenthatguy before.”

Aswith BoySwallowsUniverse,thegenesis of GravityLetMeGo wasanobscurephrase thatrandomlypoppedintohishead.

Standingathisletterboxoneday,hefound himselfimaginingalltheboringthingsinhisstreet simplyfloatingaway—“themundanityofthe Australiansuburbssuddenlybecomingdeeply profoundbygravitylettingusgo”.

Idotrytohold backabitinmy books,butI can’t,because Ibelieveinthe powerofthat stuff.

—TrentDalton

weresomewhateccentric.WhenDalton’smother wenttojail,hegavehisyoungsonacopyofexconvictHenriCharriere’sgrimnovel Papillon to read,sayingitmighthelphimunderstandwhere hismumwas.

Acomplex,troubledmanwhostruggledwith hisowndemons,hediedin2016,twoyearsbefore BoySwallowsUniverse waspublished.

“That’swhyitgetsemotional,becauseIwrote thatwithhimlookingovermyshoulder,inaway,” saysDalton.“Ifhewalkedintoabookshopandsaw mybooksonthesameshelvesasTolkien,hewould falltohiskneesandweep.

“Whenmyoldmanwasraisingusinthe90s, whenMumwasoffdoingtimeandgoingthrough

Pausingforbreath,hepushesbackanunruly hankofhairthatlooksalotmoredishevelledthan inhispolishedpublicityphotos.“Sorry,Joanna, don’tletmeramble,butthesearebeautifuldoors you’reopening.Thankyou.”

Allakidneeds,heoncesaid,isaquiethouse andtruelove.ForallthetraumaDaltonstill carriesfromhistumultuousearlyyears,atleast hecouldcountononehalfofthatequation.

Now,asthefatheroftwoteenagegirls,he’s pulledoffthedouble.Thatgetshimemotional, too.“I’mprettyproudofthefactthattheonly reasonourhouseisloudisbecausewe’reall singingTaylorSwiftsongs.”

Thatgavehimthetitle,andthenastoryevolved fromthere.“Isitastatementorisitarequest? AndwhatifNoahhastoworkoutwhatthehell thosefourwordsmean,anddiscoverjusthowlittle heknowsabouthisownwife.”

UnlikeCork,who’sportrayedasabitofahack, Daltonhaswonmultiplenationalawardsforhis featurewriting.Hisfirstnon-fictionbook, Detours: StoriesfromtheStreet,wasacollectionofprofiles addressinghomelessness.

For LoveStories,hespenttwomonthssitting onaBrisbanestreetcornerwithasky-blueOlivetti typewriterthathisbestfriend’smother—oneof hisgreatestsupporters—lefthimwhenshedied in2020onChristmasDay.

Asignbyhistableread:“Sentimentalwriter collectinglovestories.Doyouhaveonetoshare?” Some60storieshecollectedfromrandom passersbymadethefinalcut.

It’sbeensevenyearssince BoySwallows Universe waspublished,sellingmorecopiesthan anyotherdebutbyanAustraliannovelist. Inthebook’slaterstages,Eliistakenonby thelocalnewspaperasa“colourwriter”,mirroring Dalton’sfirstjobasa20-year-oldona communitypapercalledthe BrisbaneNews ThepivotalcharacterofreporterCaitlyn Spiesismodelledonhiswife,Fiona,afellow journalistwhotaughthimtheproperuseof apostrophes(adashofWinonaRyder,Dalton’s favourite90sactress,wasalsothrownintothe mix).

Ontheauthor'sestimate,thenovelisroughly 60%factand40%fiction.Yetinmanyways, GravityLetMeGo cutsjustasclosetothebone.

Amurder-mysteryentwinedwitha meditationonenduringlove,it’sanoften hilariouslyunhingeddiveintothebanalityofevil thatlurksbehindthetwitchingcurtainsofmiddleclasssuburbia.

Fromleft: SimonBaker playsEliBell's troubledfather, Robert,inthe Netflix adaptationof BoySwallows Universe;Bryan Brown,left,as ex-conSlim Hallidayand Vikingsstar TravisFimmel ashaplessdrug dealerLyle Orlik;Felix CameronasEli Bell,left,with hisstepfather, Lyle;Felix CameronasEli.

PHOTOS/NETFLIX, 123rf

Asin BoySwallowsUniverse,theprotagonist isframedaroundaspectsofDalton’sown character,butthistimeinalessflatteringlight.

“It’smuchmorehonestaboutthetruenature ofwhoIam,”hesays.“Therewerefewmistakes toEliBell.Thekidwasbrave,andinnocent,and reallywell-intentioned.

“NoahCorkisonemistakeafteranother,and that’swhatgotmeexcited.Here’swhatitmight beliketobemarriedtoaguylikeme.”

Asmall-towncrimereporter,Corkbecomesso obsessedwithacoldcaseinhisneighbourhood thatheriskslosingtheonethingkeepinghim sane:theloveofhisfamily.

MirroringEli’sbigbrother,Gus,oneofthemain charactersbecomesmuteformuchofthestory —asymbolicactwithmultipleinterpretations, butmostobviouslyareflectionofCork’sinability tocommunicatewiththosearoundhim.

Interestingly,Daltonwentthroughaperiodof “selectivemutism”asaboy—hisvoicedrowned out,perhaps,bythreeolderbrothersinwhatwas alreadyaveryloudhouse.

Despiteoutwardappearancestothecontrary,

Thebookhassincebeendevelopedintoahitplay, threadedthroughwithasometimesflayingexpose ofDalton’smanyfailingsinhisownlong-term relationshipwithFiona.

Officially,thebestsellingnovelistisstillonleave withoutpayfromhisstaffjobatthe Weekend AustralianMagazine —apsychologicalsafetynet he’snotquitereadytodiscardjustyet.

Themostrecentpiecehe’swrittenisan impassionedresponsetoaninterimreporton Australia’sdigitaleconomyandhowartificial intelligencecouldbeusedtoboostproductivity.

InajointsubmissionwithUniversityof QueenslandlawprofessorJohnSwinson,heraises concernsaboutthedegradationofhuman creativityandcallsforwriterstohavegreater controlovertheirintellectualproperty.

Akeyissueatstakeiswhethertechfirmsshould beexemptfromcopyrightrulesthatstop companiesfromminingtextanddatatotrainAI models.

Daltonrecentlydiscoveredallfiveofhisbooks havebeenharvestedwithouthisknowledge, includingtranslationsof BoySwallowsUniverse inFrench,Dutch,ItalianandPortuguese.

“It’snotevenmystory,youknow,it’smymum’s story,”hesays.“It’slike,takethestory,butwhy don’tyoutakethepainwithit?Allthetearsmy mumshedforthatbook,allthefearIhadwriting it,beingscaredofwhatpeoplewouldthink.

“Youneedallofthatdifficulty,allthatemotion andcomplicationtowriteahalf-decentbook.AI juststealstheshinyfinishedproduct,nottheugly thingthat’sbehindit.”

Andthat,Daltonreckons,isenoughtomake anyonecry.

● GravityLetMeGo isoutonSeptember30. Auckland’sCivicTheatrewillhostAn EveningwithTrentDaltononOctober15, followedbytheNewZealandpremiere seasonof LoveStories,October16-19.

ONTHE MONEY

Canvasaskedacouple ofexpertsabout investmentsandtrusts

Howtoworkyourwindfall

Soyou’vesoldahouse,inheritedachunk ofmoneyorhaveaccumulatedquite significantsavings.What’sthebestshortterminvestmenttousetoparkthatmoney?

Rememberthatinflationiscruel.Adollarat thestartof2020bought17%lessstuffbythe endof2023.AfterCovid,manydiscoveredthat investingcanbeawaytocreateextradollars, whichhelpsoffsettheimpactsofinflation.The onlyproblemis,themessagegotalittletooloud. Forsome,everydollarsittingidlenowfeels likealostopportunity.Soifyoufindyourself inpossessionofmorecashthanusual,firstly, welldone.Secondly,don’tforgetthebasics–first clearanyshort-termdebt,thenbuildupan emergencyfund.

I’dsuggestonlylockingawayinaninvestment fundmoneyyoudon’tplantotouchforatleast fivetosevenyears.Investingtendstobeat inflationoverthelongrun,butforshort-term money,itcanbeatrap.

Straightup,whenyourtimeframe’sshort,just saveit.

Where?Foreverydaypeople,Icanthinkof threeplacesto“invest”moneyneededinthenext onetothreeyears.Thinkofitlikeamotorway: theleftlaneisforthenextexit,themiddlelane isformedium-termdestinationsandtheright laneisforwhenperformancereallymatters. Lane1isyourhumblesavingsaccount.Any moneytobespentwithinthenext12months shouldcreepalonghere,intheslowlane,where it’sreadyforaquickexit.Considerusinga savingsaccountforthingslikeparentalleave, renovations,oranythingyouthinkwillhappen soon.

Thislaneisn’taboutbeatinginflation;it’s

DarcyUngaro looksatthebestshort-terminvestments forthoseluckyenoughtoreapaheapofcash

aboutkeepingyourmoneysafeandoncall.

Whenyourexit’snotcomingupforawhile, it’stimeforthemiddlelane:termdeposits. Maybeyourfundsareforahousesettlement, aweddingnextyear,orretirementspending moneyforthenot-too-distantfuture.

Termdepositscanofferhigherratesofinterest withmorecertainty.Lockinaperiodthat matchesyourplans,orladderafewtogether–eachexpiringatdifferentterms,say12,18or 24months–tosmoothoutanychangestoyour interestincome.

Justdon’tforgetthatifyouunexpectedlyneed togetthemoneybackearly,breakingtheagreed termwillusuallycutintoyourinterestreturns, sopickyourtermscarefully.

IshouldalsomentiontheDepositor CompensationScheme.Bankfailuresarerare, buttheydohappen.Thisnewgovernment schemecoversyouforupto$100,000ifyour deposit-takerfails,whenyourmoneyisheldin DCS-protectedaccounts.The$100,000isper depositor,foreachlicenseddeposit-taker.To maximiseyourcoverunderthescheme,keep yourcombinedcashamountsatunder$100,000 ateachbank.

Now,ontothefastlane.Ifyoursavingsare smallerthanyourmortgagebalance,thiscanbe thebest,short-term“investment”youcanmake.

Ihadalittleextracashatthestartofthis year,andIputitintoaspecialtypeofmortgage accountthatallowedmetowithdrawitagain

wheneverIwanted.

Forthistowork,youneedahouseanda mortgage,ideallyaspecialtypeknownasan “offset”,or“revolvinglineofcredit”.Byrepaying amortgageinoneofthesefacilities,you’re effectivelycreatingatypeofsavingsaccount,with averyattractiveinterestrate.

Inmycase,itworkedoutthatIwasachieving anaftertaxreturncloseto9%,simplybyparking mycashinmymortgage.Andunlikeinvesting, mymoneywasn’tatriskofdropsintheshare market.It’simportanttonotethatthereisalittle complexityhere,sotalktoamortgageadviser ifyouwanttolearnmore.

So,whichisthebestshort-terminvestment?

Lane1:Forunder12monthsorwhenyour timingisunclear,stayintheleftlanewitha savingsaccount.

Lane2:Foronetothreeyearsorwithaset timeframe,usethemiddlelanewithterm deposits.Spreadthemoverdifferentterms,and differentbanksifthemoneyisover$100,000,to getthebestuseoftheDepositorCompensation Scheme.

Lane3:Ifyouhaveamortgage,usethefast lane.Parkyourcashhereinanoffsetorrevolving lineofcreditmortgageaccount,forariskfree, after-taxreturnsimilartothesharemarket.

Youshouldinvestforthefuture,yes,butwithin threeyears,youshouldavoidlockingupshorttermmoneyinlong-termstrategies.Pickthelane, setareviewdate,andlettheplandothework.

Fromboomtoburden

Thetimeandmoneyinvolvedinrunningfamilytrustsmaynotbeworththeeffort. MartinHawes explains.

Familytrustsarealotlesspopularthanthey were20yearsago.Noonereallyknows,butI thinkit’slikelythatmoretrustsarebeing wounduptodaythanarebeingformed.Thescaleshave tilted,makingthecostofatrust(moneyandtime) weighheavierthantheadvantages.

Nevertheless,thatstillleavesagreatrumpoftrusts thathavebeenformedinthepastwhicharecarrying onasifthingswerestillthesametodayastheywere in(say)1995.

Ithinkitislikelythatifweweighedtheprosand consoftheoldertruststhatstillexist,thebenefits wouldnotoutweighthedisadvantages.Thereare ongoingcostsintermsoftimeandmoneywithlittle ornobenefitformany.Thatshouldsignalthatitis timetodissolvethetrust.

Backinthe1990s,trustswerethethinginfinance —attimes,thereseemedtobeastampedetoform atrust.Iwroteabookontrustsin1995thatwas constantlyonthebestsellerlistsfortwoyears,and whichhasnowsoldabout130,000copies.

Trustswerepopularbecausetheadvantageswere many:thereweretaxadvantages,protectionfrom creditors,resthomesubsidiestobehad,relationship propertyissuessolved,deathdutiestoavoid,etc.

However,inthe1990s,perhapsthebiggestboostfor familytrustswasanill-judgedimpostputonNZSuper bytheGovernmentcalledSuperannuationSurcharge. Thiswasa25%taxappliedtothosereceivingNZSuper andwhohadotherincomeoverareasonablysmall threshold.

SuperannuationSurchargewaswidelyhated.

Politicianspromisedtoremoveitandthenrenegedon theirpromises,andforretireeswhohadsavedwell, therewasasignificantlossofincome.Familytrusts couldeffectivelydodgethesurcharge,andthehatred oftheadditionaltaxwassointensethatmany,many trustswereformed.

Afteradecadeorso,aGovernmentfinallygotrid ofthesurcharge.Theabolitionleftbehindmanytrusts thathadbeenformedtoavoiditwithlittleornoother purpose.

Backinthe“glorydays”oftrusts,theadvantageof trustsusuallyeasilyoutweighedthedisadvantages. Thedisadvantages(cost,management,inconvenience) werelikeafeathertothecast-ironblockofperceived advantages.Hundredsofthousandsoftrustswere formed.

However,threethingshavehappenedoverthepast coupleofdecadestotipthescalestheotherway.This hasdrasticallyreducedthenumberoftrustsbeing formed,andalsomeansthatmanytrustsnolonger givemuch(ifany)benefit.

Thesethreechangeswere:

1.Foracoupleofdecades,therehasbeenageneral tighteningofthelawanditsapplicationthathasrun againstsomeoftheadvantagesoftrusts.Giftingrules forresidentialcaresubsidiesaretighter,taxbenefits aremuchreduced,caselawforrelationshipproperty hasmadeatrustlesscertainforassetprotection,and theOfficialAssigneeseemsmorerigorousin bankruptcycases.Thesethingsmeantheweighton theadvantagessideofthescalesisoftenreduced.

2.TheTrustsAct2019setsoutclearlythethingsthat needtobedonetoensureatrustiswellmanaged. Theactdidnotreallychangetrustlaw,butitdoes setitoutclearlysotrusteesputinmoreefforttoensure trustsareproperlymanaged.Withagreater involvementoflawyersandaccountants,thistrust managementcomeswithacostandasignificant additionalweightonthedisadvantagesideofthe scales.

3.Thosewhohavesettledtrustshaveagedand/or theircircumstancehavechanged.Forexample,you mayhaveformedatrust30yearsagobecauseyouwere goingintoafairlyriskybusinessventure,andyou wantedtoprotectlifestyleassets(especiallythefamily home).

Todothat,youcouldformafamilytrustandgift thefamilyhometothetrustsoitisprotected.Thirty yearslater,thebusinessissold,andtheriskisgone; thetrustisnolongerdoingajobofprotectionandcould bewoundup.

Itcouldbetimetoweighupyourowntrust.Isit stillfitforpurposeandprotectingyoufromrealrisks? Whatisthetrustsupposedtoachieve,andatwhat costoftimeandmoney?Thetrustworldhaschanged, andtrustsarenotthefinancialpanaceathattheywere; maybeitisagoodtimetotakeafreshlookatthe advantagesandthedisadvantagesandseewhich weighstheheavier.

● MartinHawesisafinancialwriterandpresenter. Heisnotafinancialadviser,andtheinformationand opinionshereshouldnotbetakenasfinancialadvice.

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TheCrown Roomatthe Hoteldel Coronadoin SanDiego; above,Marilyn Monroeand TonyCurtisin SomeLikeIt Hot;below,an ocean-facing room.

AGRANDCOMEBACKFOR AGRANDSEASIDEHOTEL

DaniellePergament visitsthenewly renovated—andpossiblyhaunted— hotelofSomeLikeItHotfame

Tothepeoplewhoknowit,theHoteldel CoronadoinSanDiegoisnotapageof history—it’sachapter.Openedin1888 byElishaBabcockandHamptonStory, itwasthenthelargesthotelintheworld.The ownerssetouttocreatearesortthatwould“be thetalkoftheWesternworld”—a750-room VictorianrightontheedgeofthePacific.

CharlieChaplin,JudyGarland,BabeRuth, ThomasEdison,HenryFord—theyallcameto theDel,asitisknown. SomeLikeItHot wasshot atthehotel.Justupthecoastfromthehotelis theNavalAirStationNorthIsland(asin TopGun) and,duringWorldWarII,thehotelhousednaval officersfor$2aday.“Themanagerwasworried theywouldlosemoneyrentingitsocheapbutthe officersmorethanmadeupforitinthebar,”said GinaPetrone,thehotel’sheritagemanager. Since2019,thehotelhasbeenundergoingthe largest,mostambitiousrenovationinitshistory. Meticulously,deliberately—andveryexpensively —ithasbeenrestoredtoitsformerglory,andnext month,aftersixyearsand$550million,the renovationwillbecomplete.(Itiscurrentlyowned bytheNewYork-basedBlackstoneGroup.) Constructioncrewshavebeenpullingoutdrywall, removinglayersandlayersofpaint,tearingout droppedceilingsandpeelingbackdecadesof previousrenovationssotheDelcanreclaimits originalgrandeur.

DavidMarshall,thepresidentofHeritage Architecture&Planning,aSanDiego-basedfirm specialisinginhistoricrenovation,oversawthe restorationproject,withguidancefromPetrone, usingoriginalphotographsandthehotel’sfirstset ofblueprintstoinformasmuchoftherenovation aspossible.Theelevatorcage,thewoodinthe lobby,therailingsonmanyofthebalconies—all original.“Weevenkeptthewarpingonsome flooring,”hesaid,whilestandingontheundulating balconyoverlookingthelobby.“Wesecureditso it’sstructurallysafe,butwewantedtokeepthat bitofhistory.”Abitofhistorythatmaymakeyou

feeldrunkifyouwalktoofast.

Overlookingthelobbyisthenewlyrestored CoronationWindow—a700-piece,stainedglass depictionofawoman,theunofficialpatronsaint ofCoronadoIsland,crowningherself.“Thiswindow wasfrom1888butitwasmovedseveraltimesso it’sevenmoreincrediblethatitsurvived,”Marshall said.Onlyafewpaneshadtobereplaced.

Therealcrownofthehotelis,well,theCrown Room.Imagineanaeroplanehangarmadeof Oregonsugarpinewithceilings10m-highandfour massivecrown-shapedchandeliershangingdown thecentrepanels.(L.FrankBaum,afrequentguest whowrote TheWonderfulWizardofOz,designed thesignaturechandeliers.)WalkingintotheCrown RoomislikesteppingontotheTitanicondryland.

Fortherenovation,Marshallfocusedonthe periodfrom1888to1948,whenthehotelwas mostlystructurallyunchanged.

“Inthepost-warera,peoplewantedthingsclean andsmooth.Theydidn’twantornatedesigns,” Marshallsaid.“Theydroppedtheceilingsand coveredanythingthatshowedthehandofthe craftsman.Everythingwas‘formfollowsfunction’. Therewasanarchitectatthattimewhoactually said,‘Ornamentationisacrime.’”

Otherchangesoverthedecadesweremore practical.Thehotel’s750guestroomseventually became371.

“Notworoomsarealike,”Marshallexplained. “Wecouldn’treuseasingledrawing.”

“YouhavetorememberthatVictoriansdidn’t swim;theydidn’twalkonthebeach,”Petronesaid. “Theirswimsuitsweremadeofwool.Theycame herefortheseaairsothebestroomsbackthen weretheonesfacingthegarden.”Inotherwords, themostdesirableroomstodayweretheleast popularinthelate1800s.

TheNationalHistoricPreservationActof1966 eventuallyputanendtothearchitecturalheresy happeningattheDel.Andin1977,itwas designatedaNationalHistoricLandmark— puttingitonparwiththeStatueofLiberty,Mount RushmoreandtheGoldenGateBridge.

Butalmost50yearslater,thearchitectshadto figureoutwhatwasoriginal,whatwasaddedlater, andperhapsmostimportantly,whatwashidden inthewalls.

Oneafternoonduringtherenovation,Petrone calledMarshallandtoldhimtolookataspotin asecondfloorguestcorridor.Accordingtothe blueprints,“thereshouldbeawindowthere”, Petronetoldhim.Sureenough,behindsheetsof drywall,workersfoundoriginalamberwindows embeddedinmassivewoodenpanels.

Thenafewmonthsbeforetherenovationwas complete,Petronewasinthevestibuletothe ballroomwhenshelookedup.Theceilingwas coveredbyconstructionequipmentbuttherewas somethingjustbehindtheoilcloth.“Icouldn’t believeit,”Petronesaid.Shehadinadvertently discoveredthebuilding’slastremainingfresco— aburstofflowers—whichhasnowbeenuncovered, restored,andmarkstheentrancetothehotel’s ballroom.

“PeoplecometotheDeltohaveahistorical experience,sopreservingtheintegritywasvery important,”Marshallsaid.

Apparentlya“historicalexperience”cantake manyforms—likethepresenceof“MissKate”. InNovember1892,a27-year-oldwomannamed KateMorgancheckedintothehotelaloneunder anassumedname.Fivedayslater,shewasfound deadonthebackpatio,withasinglegunshotwound toherhead.Butaccordingtomanypeoplewhostay attheDel,sheneverleft.

“Igetpictureseverydayfromguestswhohave seentheghostofMissKate,”saidPetrone,laughing conspiratorially.“Youknowwedoliketohonour thepasthere.”

TheNewYorkTimes

ComedianKuraForrestersaysPeter Gordonistakenveryseriouslyasa chef‘butIreallylikebeingsillywith him.Wealwayshaveagoodlaugh.’

Cookingup bigbelly laughs

ComedianKuraForresterisinthe house!Orisitthekitchen?And whyischefPeterGordonaboutto getflamed,asks JoannaWane

KuraForresteradmitsshewaspretty cluelesswhensheturnedupatchef PeterGordon’sLondonrestaurant,The Providores,lookingforajob.

Asabuddingyoungactor,she’ddoneherfair shareofhospitalityworkincafesbackhomebefore headingoffonherOE,butquicklyrealisedfine diningwaswayoutofherleague.

“IhadtodothatclassicKiwithingofblagging mywayin,”saysForrester,whowentontowin aBillyTAwardforbestemergingcomedianin2019 andhadalong-runningroleastheeccentric socialiteDesdemonaSchmidton ShortlandStreet

“Peterwouldwriteanewmenueverynight,and IwaslearningwordsI’dneverheardbefore.‘What istapioca?I’vegotnoidea.’Soitwasabiglearning curveforme.”

Now,Forresterhasachancetoturnthetables whensheandGordonfaceoffat AMassive FundraisingDinner nextmonthforoneof Aotearoa’slongest-runningtheatrecompanies.

Agrassrootsinitiativeestablishedin1991, MassiveTheatreCompanyrunsfreeworkshopsfor youngpeopleandprofessionaldevelopmentfor emergingandprofessionalactors,writersand

KuraForrester andPeter Gordonare abouttocreate kitchenchaos— foragood cause. Photos/ MichaelCraig

directors.However,alongwiththerestofthe creativeartssector,it’sbeenhardhitbyfunding cutsandforcedtotrimbackthenumberofshows beingstaged.

OnOctober11,thecompany’sGreyLynn wharenuiisbeingtransformedfora“wha¯naustyle”three-coursebanquettohelpboostitscoffers. Gordon,along-timefriendoffounderSamantha Scott,isdesigningthemenu.

“PeterwillbecookingandI’llbethehost,so hopefullythere’llbesomelaughs,”saysForrester, whodescribesitasafancydinnerparty—without thefanciness.

“WehavethisrunninggagthatIreallywantto tryandhelphimcook,butinsteadof‘helping’,I’m justgonnagetintheway.Ithinkthere’llbealot ofmegoing‘Comeon,chef!’andhe’llbelike,‘Get thehelloutofmykitchen.’”

Betweenwhettingherknivesforthebigevent, Forrestertalkedto Canvas abouthobnobbingwith London’srichandfamous,andwhatitmeansto beoneofthe“Massives”.

“Beinginhospoisagreatwayforanactorto

sharpentheirskills.AtTheProvidores,itwasall aboutwaitingonveryfamouspeopleandtrying toremainnonchalant.Iwasterribleatthat.When AlecBaldwincamein,Ialmostcouldn’tspeak. “KateHudsonwasaregularandRussellBrand cameinonce—obviously,he’sabitofad***now. IwaitedonthesingerDidoforanentirenightand hadnoideaitwasher.Butmeeting[Kiwiactor] MartinHendersonforthefirsttimewascool.Iwas like‘Chur,bro.Kiaora!’

“Somenights,I’dworkthedooraswell,which wasquitefast-pacedandhigh-pressure.People tryingitontogetatablewouldsay,‘Weknow PeterGordon.’AndI’dgo,‘Yeah,right.Don’t weall.’

“Oftenthere’dbescallopsonthemenu andIfounditreallyannoyingthatBritish peoplewouldalwaysleavetheorangepart ofthescallopbehindontheirplate.Iwas like,youidiots.It’sthebestbit!

“Ofcourse,Peteristakenveryseriously asachef,asheshouldbe.ButIreallylike beingsillywithhim.He’sthemost wonderfullygenerouspersonandwealways haveagoodlaugh.

“Manymoonsago,IstudiedactingatUnitech. IwenttoseesomeofMassiveTheatreCompany’s showsandjustfellinlovewiththeirwayofmaking theatre.

“Ijoinedthecompanyin2008andneverleft. That’swhathappenstoalotofusMassives,as wecallourselves.Asanactor,IfeellikeI’mmy mostpassionateartistselfwhenI’mworkingwith them.

“Thecompanyhasbeengoingforalmost35years now,soitslegacyislongandrich.There’savery strongkaupapaandarealsenseofbelonging.

“Whatsetsusapart,asadevisedtheatre company,isthatwe’realwaysputtingonoriginal work,usingourartistsasthestartingpointfor ourstories.

“Myfirsteverprofessionalshow[in2008]was Whero’sNewNet byAlbertBelz.Sincethen,I’ve beenateacher,astagemanager,adirector,and I’mcurrentlyontheboardoftrustees.It’san extremelyspecialplace.”

AMassiveFundraisingDinnerwillbeheldon October11,featuringathree-coursebanquet, anartsandculturequiz,anauction andspotprizes.Tofindoutmore,see massivecompany.co.nz

Youdffff

CLASSICALMISCHIEF WITHAUCKLANDPHIL

OnThursday,classicalmusicenthusiasts willbetreatedtoaneveningofvirtuosic pianowhenBenjaminGrosvernorjoins theAucklandPhiltoperformMozart’s PianoConcertoNo.21.Theinternationally acclaimedBritishpianisthasplayedallover theworldandhasbeencalledoneofthetop 50pianistseveronrecordbyGramophone magazine.Theevening’srepertoire—titled MozartandMischief—willbeconductedby ShiyeonSungandincludesplayfulpieces from LaBoutiquefantasque byRespighi,a balletaboutmagicaldollscomingtolife,and Shostakovich’slively SymphonyNo.9 October2,7.30pm.AucklandTownHall, QueenSt,AucklandCentral.Tickets startat$27fromaucklandphil.nzor ticketmaster.co.nz

PHOTO/ANDREJGRILC

LOUISEBOURGEOIS WITHSPIDERIV,1996. PHOTO/PETER BELLAMY,COPYRIGHT PETERBELLAMY ART&THEEASTON FOUNDATION

PETERGORDON’SMASSIVEDINNER

OPENINGTODAYATAUCKLANDARTGALLERY

DAYATAUCKLAND ARTGALLERY

Toio TamakiopensanewexhibitiontodaybyinfluentialFrenchartist LouiseBourgeois. LouiseBourgeois:InPrivateView isaselectionof worksonloanfromaninternationalprivatecollection.Knownfordeeply personalsculpturesandinstallations,theartistrosetoprominencelate inherlife,becomingthefirstwomanartisttobegivenaretrospectiveat MoMA,NewYorkin1982,whenshewas71yearsold.Thisafternoon, seniorcuratorNatashaConlandwillhostacuratortalkabouttheexhibit (2pm-3pm).Andbeginningtomorrowandcontinuingthroughoutthe schoolholidaysandweekendsthereafter,familiescanparticipatein ahands-onactivitycreatingfabricbooksasanodetoLouise(11am3pm).

TodayuntilMarch15,2026.AucklandArtGalleryToioTamaki,cnr KitchenerStandWellesleySt,AucklandCentral.FREE.

MONSTERTRUCKSATEDENPARK

MassiveTheatreCompanyisoneofAotearoa’slongest-running theatrecompaniesandhometosomeofourmostbelovedperformers includingAlisonBruce(Tina, OneLaneBridge),Bubbah(akaTina fromTurners),andBeulahKoale(Tina, HawaiiFive-0).Tohelpkeep thecompanyonitsfeet,PeterGordonONZMhasjumpedonboard foraone-of-a-kindfundraisingdinner.He’llbepreparingathreecoursewhanau-stylemeal,servedwithasideofentertainmentby comedianandMassiveboardmemberKuraForrester,anartsand culturequiz,andanauction.Allproceedswillgotowardsupporting MassiveTheatreCompanytocontinueprovidingworkshopsfor youngpeopleandprofessionaldevelopmentforperformers.Thriving citieshaveathrivingartscommunity,andMassiveisapillarofthat communityhereinAuckland,soheadalongforimpeccablefoodand entertainment,andtosupportagoodcause.

October11,6pm.MassiveTheatreCompany,562Richmond Rd,GreyLynn.Tickets:$299.Groupbookingsavailableevents. humanitix.com/massive-dinner

massive-dinner NGREGSON

PHOTO/JONATHANGREGSON

Onewaytomakesuretheseschoolholidaysgooutwithabangistotake yourkidsalongtoHotWheelsMonsterTrucksLive:Glow-N-Fireshownext weekendatEdenPark.Tonight,they’redoingsomedamageinWellington beforetheymaketheirwayupthecountrytoTamakiMakaurau.OnThursday, youcangetalittletasterbyseeingMonsterTruckTigerSharkoutsideThe WarehouseManukau(4pm-8pm)aheadoftheweekend’saction-packed shows.WithnameslikeMegaWrex,BoneShakerandGunkster,youcan expectthisshowtobealoud,gasp-worthyspectaclethatHotWheelsfanswill bethoroughlythrilledby.

October4,4pm,and5,2pm.EdenPark,ReimersAve,Kingsland.Tickets startat$45fromticketek.co.nzorhotwheelsmonstertruckslive.com

YES,AND…

YES, A Improv IGet the au

ImprovtheatrecompanyImpoverishedhastheirfinalperformancesof Can IGetanUndergroundLocation and AMythicalCreature thisweekendat thePumpHouseTheatre.TheDungeons&Dragons-themedshowtakes audiencesonanentirelymade-upfantasticaladventuredeterminedby therollofthediceandtheaudience.Tomorrow’sshowisasensory relaxedperformance,hasapre-showtouchtourandissuitablefor ages8andabove,andtonight’s9pmshowisadults-onlyso theperformersarefreeto“yes,and…”theirwayintothe gutter.

Tonight6.30pmand9pm,tomorrow11am.The PumpHouseTheatre,KillarneyPark,Takapuna.Tickets $18-$28+bookingfeesfrompumphouse.co.nz

Giventhecurrentclimate,thiseventmaydrawthebiggestcrowdofthemallnextweek.TheNZCareers

GOODOL’FASHIONEDPLAY

AucklandHeritageFestivalheadsintoitssecondweekofevents thisweekend,andinkeepingwiththefestival’stheme—Auckland atPlay—CornwallParkishostingaHeritageDayofPlaytoday. There’llbebicycleraces,kiteflying,tirakau,rugbyandmore, alongsideheritagedisplays,funactivitiesandfamilyentertainment. Getintothespiritofthefestivalanddressupinvintageclothingor bringalongavintagepicnictoenjoyundertheshadeofthemorethan-100-year-oldtrees,theverysameonesyourancestorsmay havepicnickedandplayedunder.

Today,11am-2pm.SurroundingtheBandRotunda, CornwallPark,Epsom.

TAKEANARTROADIE

Ifthere’sanychanceyoucanhittheroadnextweekendortheone after,setyourcompasstoCoromandelTownfortheCoromandel OpenStudiosArtTour2025.Thirty-threelocalartists,including painters,pastelartists,ceramicists,sculptors,glassartists, woodworkers,fabricartistsandscreenprinters,willopentheir studiosforthepublictoseetheirwork.It’scompletelyfree-visitors simplypickupordownloadtheguideandtakethemselvesona self-guidedtour.HaurakiHouseArtGalleryinCoromandelTownwill alsohostanexhibitionwithworksfromalltheparticipatingartists, soastoptherewouldprovideawonderfulbookendtoeitherend ofyourtour.Ifyougetlost,therearen’tmanymorebeautiful locationsthantheCoromandeltodrivearoundtryingtofindyour bearings.

October4-5and11-12,10am-4pm.Coromandel.Visit coromandelartstour.co.nzformoreinformationandthe guide,orpickoneupfromtheinformationcentreand localartoutlets.

PHOTO/SCULPTURESBYKAYOGILVIE

ENGINEERING, CREATIVITYANDLEGO

COMINGUP

VividLivingKaraka’sGrandDayOut: October 4,Karaka.

Oneoftheworld’smostenduringtoys, Lego,isondisplaythisweekendatthe AucklandBrickShowhostedbytheAuckland LegoUsersGroup.TakingovertheAuckland NetballCentreinStJohns,theshowfeatureshundreds ofcreationsbymembersofthegroup,alongwithaLegoplay zone,activities,competitionsandarampjump.Enthusiastsyoung andoldwillfindmuchtobeawedbyatthisevent,thebiggestof theyearforthegroup.

Today9am-5pmandtomorrow9am-4pm.AucklandNetball Centre,7AllisonFergusonDrive,StJohns,Auckland.Tickets $10/eachor$35forfamilyof4fromeventbrite.co.nzoronthe door.

GLOWINTHEDARKANDUNDERTHESEA

Congratulationsonmakingithalfwaythroughtheschool holidays.Ifyou’vealreadyexhaustedyourentertainmentgotos,considerheadingalongto TeMoanaGlowShow.Stagedat KomanawaTheatreinTePunaCreativeHub—formerlyWhoa Studios—theshowfeatures40glow-in-the-darkpuppets tellingamagicalstoryunderthesea,withasweetmessage aboutresilienceandkindness.It’savisuallyenchanting experience,bestsuitedforchildrenaged3-12.

Today,tomorrowandOctober1-5,10amand11.30am. KomanawaTheatre,TePunaCreativeHub,8/14Henderson ValleyRd,Henderson.Tickets$5-$26+bookingfeesfrom glowshow.co.nzoreventfinda.co.nz

PHOTO/LKCREATIVE

AlbertonVintageMarketDay: October5, Alberton,MtAlbert. MingleattheMuseum&Mingleatthe MuseumPrideEdition: October8-9, AucklandMuseum. FaultyTowersTheDining Experience: October8-26, Christchurch,Wellington, Whanganui,NewPlymouth, Rotorua,Tauranga,Auckland. StonesinHisPocketsbyMarie Jones: October9-18,Artworks Theatre,Waiheke. BNZAucklandDiwaliFestival: October11-12,AucklandCentral. TheNZHighwaymentour: October 15-19,Tauranga,Putaruru,Auckland, hang rei, Orewa.

CaptainMorrowandtheSandsofTime: October21-November8,QTheatre,Auckland. NelsonArtsFestival: October23-November2, Nelson.

BillBailey—Vaudevillean: nationwidetourfrom October29-November23. AucklandFestivalofQuilts: October 31-November2,AucklandNetballCentre. AnalogueAotearoa: November1-2,TeAroha. TofigaFepulea’i,ShuuushYourMouf: November1-8,Hamilton,Auckland,Tauranga. TheDryHouse: November4-15,Basement Theatre,Auckland. KowhaiArt&CraftClubSaleandExhibition: November7-9,MatakanaHall. NZSculptureOnShore: November7-23, Devonport.

AllTogetherNowChoir,Mixtapeforthe Mission: November9,AucklandTownHall. AnEveningwithPriscillaPresley,Lifeafter Elvis: November20,BruceMasonCentre, Takapuna.

EddieIzzard—TheRemixTourLive: November21-26,Christchurch,Wellington, Auckland.

H.R.TheMusical#2: November25-December 6,QTheatre,Auckland. KirkFranklin,TheWorldTour: December1013,Christchurch,Wellington,Auckland. Dynamotion&QTheatrepresentAChristmas Crisis: December10-20,QTheatre,Auckland. OprahInConversation: December14,Spark Arena,Auckland.

TheASBClassic: January5-17,Auckland. JimmyCarr—LaughsFunnyTour: Nationwide 7-28January,2026.

Emailcanvasguide@nzherald.co.nzwithbrief detailsofyourupcomingevent,including dates/times,locationandwebsite.

RICERITUALS

tasty—grain,riceisaglobal winner,writes NiciWickes

Affordable,versatileandcomforting. That’srice—andIloveit.Themainstay ofsomanyoftheworld’scuisines,from steamingbowlsoffragrantbasmatiin IndiaandjasmineinThailandtopaellainSpain andsushiinJapan.InVietnam,ricepaperreigns supremeandinItalyrisottoisrevered.Asaside dishit’sthequietherosoakingup,curries,gravies, juicesandsaucesbutIlikemealswherericeis themaindeal,notthesidekick.

Takethekedgereethisweek.Ifit’sadishthat youliketoorderfromcafemenus,waituntilto makeyourown—unbelievablygood!Andasit’s alreadyamash-updish,bornofAnglo-Indian culinarycross-pollination,Ifeelfreetomeddle further.Traditionally,smokedfishisusedbutI liketofryupfreshfilletsofgurnardandfold chunksofitthroughthespicedrice,boiledeggs andherbs.Itgivesthedishanewleaseoflife— lighter,fresher,stilldeeplysatisfying.

Thenthere’srisotto.Ilikeminesloppyand spoonable,brimmingwithcreamygoodness.This weekI’msharingonethat’scrammedfullof greens.Eachmouthfulfeelslikebothacomfort andatonic.

Whenitcomestousingriceinsweetdishes,I adorericepudding.IuseArborioformineasit’s extracreamyandIeithercookitwithvanilla, sultanasandorangezestorIdoastheydoinParis, serveitchilledwithwhippedcreamfoldedthrough andtoppedwithsaltedcaramel.TheSpanish makearrozconleche,perfumedwithlemonand vanilla.InIndia,kheer,infusedwithcardamom andsaffron,iscelebratoryandregal.Another favouriteofmineisthestickyriceinThailand, drownedincoconutmilkandtoppedwithslices ofmangoandasprinkleofsalt.Servedstreet-side, it’ssogood.

Partofrice’senduringappealisitsaffordability. Akiloofricegoesaverylongway,makingitone ofthebestvaluestaplesaround.Nutritionally, basmatiisconsideredthestarofthewhiterices, withalowerglycaemicindex,soit’slesslikelyto causesharpspikesinbloodsugar.Brownrice,with itsbranlayerintact,deliversmorefibre,vitamins andminerals,andiswonderfullynutty. Interestingly,there’salsoaquirkofsciencehere: ifyoucookanywhiterice,letitcoolcompletely, thenreheatit,thestarchstructurechanges.This produceswhat’scalledresistantstarch,whichis digestedmoreslowlyandmayhelpreduceglucose spikes.Cleverlittlegrain,isn’tit?

Sowhetheryou’resimmeringitgentlyintoa risotto,turningitintostreetfood-stylesnacksor bakingitslowlywithmilkandspice,riceisa reliablefriendinthekitchen.

RISOTTOVERDE

Ijustlovethisrisotto,packedwithgreensforacompletemeal.

Serves2

1Tbspeachbutterandoliveoil 1mediumonion,diced 200grisottorice 1⁄4 cupwhitewine 200gspinachleaves 3cupshotliquidstock(seenote) 75gparmesan,grated Saltandpepper,totaste Squeezeoffreshlemonjuice Drizzleofoliveoil,toserve

Inamediumsaucepan,frytheonioninbutterandoiluntilsoft. Pourinthericeandcookfor1-2minutes,stirringtocoatinthe butterandoil.Addinthewineandletitsimmertocookofffor 1minute.Startbyaddingathirdofthestockandsimmeruntil it’salmostallgonebeforeaddinginthenextthird. Betweenadditionspreparethegreens:removethestems,chop finelyandsautetojustcooked—savethesefortopping.Add spinachleavestoablenderwithenoughofthestocktoblitzinto aperfectlysmoothpuree.

Addthespinachpureetothericewiththefinalstockaddition andcookuntilaldente–firmbutnotchalky.Removefromthe heatandstirinmostoftheparmesanandsaltandpepper,to taste.

Serveimmediatelysprinkledwithextraparmesan,spinachstems andlemonjuice.Enjoy!

Note: Iusethegelstocksthatyoudissolveinboilingwateras Ifindthemconvenientandflavourfulwithoutbeingoverpowering.

KEDGEREE

ThiscrazyAnglo-Indianricedishisawinner.Theingredients andflavoursthatcometogethersomagicallytoformthe perfect,one-pancomfortdish.

Serves2

1-2filletsgurnardorsimilar

1largecarrots,slicedthinlyintorounds

1tspsmokedpaprika

2Tbspcookingoil

2Tbspbutter

1mediumonion,slicedthinly

2Tbspcurrypowder

1tspmustardseeds

1⁄4 tspchilliflakes(optional)

3cupscoldcookedrice(1cupuncooked),preferablybasmati

1-2boiledeggs Salt,toseason Juicefromonelemon+extralemonwedges,toserve Freshcoriander,togarnish Plainunsweetenedyoghurt,toserve Tossfishandcarrotsinsmokedpaprikaand1Tbspofthe oil.Cookfishfor3-4minutesinalargepan(orawok).Set asideandwipethepanclean.

Heatremainingoilandbutterinthepanandgentlycook carrotsandonionuntilsoft.Addcurrypowderandmustard seedsandcookuntilseedsbegintopop.Addchilliflakes(if using)andriceandheatthrough,tossingricetocoatinspices. Stirthroughthefishandlemonjuice.Tasteforseasoning. Addsalt,lemonjuiceormorechilliflakestotaste. Servewarmtoppedwithboiledeggs,corianderandadrizzle ofyoghurt.

NOSTALGIAWITHA MODERNTWIST

Makeasimpleapple crumbleevenmore deliciouswithasalted caramelsauceanda nuttytopping.Takecare makingthecaramel, boilingsugaris extremelyhot!

SALTEDCARAMELAND CASHEWAPPLECRUMBLE

Serves6

Filling

500gapples,cored&thinlysliced

2Tbspwater

Saltedcaramelsauce:

1cupcastersugar

1⁄2 cupwater

50gunsaltedbutter

1⁄2 cupcream

1tspseasalt,ortotaste

Crumble

13⁄4 cupsrolledoats

3⁄4 cuprawcashews,chopped

1⁄4 cupflour

1⁄3 cupbrownsugar

50gbutter,cubedandatroomtemperature

Method

Preheattheovento180C(fanbake). Forthesaltedcaramelsauce,addsugarand watertoalargesaucepanovermediumheat. Stiruntilthesugardissolves.Addbutter,whisk andbringtoaboil.Stopwhiskingandwaitfor themixtoturnanambercolour,watching carefullythatitdoesnotburn.Tiltingthe saucepanoccasionallypreventsthis.Bepatient —itmaytakeupto10minutestocaramelise butdon’ttrytorushit.

Removefromtheheat,pourthecreamin slowly(toofastandyourisksplattersofred-hot caramel)andwhiskuntilcombined.Addthesalt, whiskagain,thensetasidetocoolslightly. Forthetopping,placetheoats,flourand

brownsugarinalargebowl.Usingyourfingers, rubinthebutteruntilwellcombined.Addthe cashewsandmixwell.Setaside. Toassemble,tossapplesliceswithwaterand halfofthesaltedcaramelsauce.Placeinthebottom ofanovenproofbakingdish.Scatterthecrumble mixontop.

Bakefor25-30mins,untiltheappleiscooked andcrumbleisgoldenandcrunchy. Servehotwiththeotherhalfofthesaltedcaramel sauceandagenerousscoopoficecream.

NOTE: Ifthecaramelsaucehardens,softenitfor afewsecondsinthemicrowave.

—fresh.co.nz

WFRANCESCA RUDKIN Reviews

e’veallhadourownexperiencesand opinionsoverthelastfiveyears,butin thisfilmweseetheseyearsfromthe perspectiveofapersonwhohadarather differentsetofresponsibilitiesfromtherestofus.

PrimeMinister isnotapoliticaldissectionofDame JacindaArdern’stimeasPrimeMinisterfrom2017 to2023.Ifyou’relookingforanobjectiveexamination ofhergovernment’spolicies,achievementsand

CANDIDCAMERA ONARDERN

election,theWhakaari/WhiteIslandtragedyand,of course,Covid-19.

Arderndoesn’tshyfromtheimpactrelivingthese eventshasonher.Fromadmittingsheneverreallygot achancetositwiththeideashehadbecomePrime Minister,toherconcernaboutwhethershecould managebeinganewmum,continuedsadnessoverthe Mosqueattacks,andtherevelationshemanagedto sleepthanksonlytosleepingpillsduringthelaterperiod ofCovid,itisacandidreflection.

Thisisofcourseinpartduetoherhusband’snous topickupacameraanddocumentabehindthescenes perspectiveofwhatbecamealeadershipfilledwith firsts.

failures,youwon’tgetithere—norisittheintention.

Rather, PrimeMinister offersussomethingquite unique.It’sanintimateandpersonallookbehindthe scenesatthetollthejobtakesonaperson,and theunrelentingcumulativeimpactsofdealingwith someofthebiggesttragediesNewZealandhas facedinrecenttimes.

ThefilmfocusesalittleonArdern’supbringing; butyoucanreadthememoirforthat.Here,we meetArdernin2024,livinginMassachusettswith herfamilywhileworkingatHarvardandonher memoir.Ardernlistenstorecordingsfromher PoliticalDiariesOralHistoryprojectinterviews, relivingthemajormomentsofherprime ministership;formingacoalitionwithWinston Petersin2017,herpregnancywhileinoffice,the Mosqueterroristattackin2019,the2020general

ArdernisdevoidofvanityassheallowsClarke Gayfordtofilmherconstantlyworking,whetherit’slate atnightinbed,eatingbreakfastorrockingNevetosleep. Clarkemakestheoccasionalonscreenappearance— oftenofferingalighter,comedictouchasheplayswith Neveandpretendstodolaundryforthecamera. Althoughhemakesapertinentobservationwhenhe suggeststhatperhapsArdern’sreigncouldhavebeen easierifshe’ddelegatedmore.

Andthat’sthebigtakeaway—theheavyburdenof responsibilityArdernfeltduringeverydayofhertime asPrimeMinister.

Forallthatwehavethisuniquepointofview,this documentaryisputtogetherinaprettytraditionalway —tickingoffallthemajorevents.Therearemoments whenArdernopensupandyouwishco-directors LindsayUtzandMichelleWalshewouldpushjust alittlemore.

Butundoubtedlyit’stheyoungestmemberof thefamilywhodelights—footageofNeveasa toddlerwalkingaroundaroomshakingguest’s handsathemother’s40thbirthdayworkcelebration isutterlycharming.Nowthere’sarealscene-stealer.

Bromancetakesadarkturn

JudeLawandJasonBatemanplaymutuallytoxicbrothersinanewNetflixcrimedrama setamidtheseedyundersideoftheNewYorkrestaurantscene,writes

Bytheirownadmission,JudeLawand JasonBatemanarenotfoodies.Andyet, lastyeartheyfoundthemselvesata seriesoftastingmenuoutingstogether, choosingamongentrees—lambshankenpapillote, aCaribbean-inspiredsoft-shellcrabsandwich— “likeweweregettingmarried”,Batemansaid. “Like,‘Doyoulikethatone,honey?’‘Ooh,Ilove it!’”

Law,laughing:“Wewerechoosingsideplates, andglasses.”

Itwasallprepfortheirneweight-episodelimited series, BlackRabbit,whichisavailabletostream onNetflix.LawandBatemanplayfriction-fuelled brothers,andtheshow,setinafictionalbuzzy restaurantinLowerManhattan,pairsandpits theminahigh-stakesdramaticthriller. TheBear, withitsheroshotsofmise-en-place,it’snot.Here, themenusmaybedelectable,buttheyarea backdrop.

Inaway,thechasesandsloppyviolencearetoo. Theemotionalcruxisreallyaboutfamilialbonds laidbarebyambitionandgreed.

“Itgoesbackprobablytotheearliestformsof storytelling,”saidLaw,aco-executiveproducer withBatemanontheseries.“Warringbrothers, lovingbrothers,opposites.”

Bateman,whodirectedthefirsttwoepisodes, added:“Structurally,beingbrothersgivesyoua bankthatallowsformassivemisbehaviour— withoutdestroyingtheconnection.”Marriagescan dissolveindivorce.Withsiblings,“theycanliterally beateachotherup”,hesaid,andstill,“We’realways goingtobebrothers.You’re[expletive]stuckwith me.”

Theirunionmayseemlikeaheadscratch—the elegantLaw,52,isanexemplarofacertainkind ofhighcheekboneBritishdrama;Bateman,56,a sonofHollywood,isacomedystapleturned multimediaheavyweight.Buttheywereequally obsessedwithassemblingtheworldofBlack Rabbit,asthefictionalrestaurantiscalled.

Althoughtheshowiscontemporary,itscreators, themarriedwritersZachBaylinandKateSusman, wereinspiredbytheatmosphericsceneofhipstereradowntownManhattan.

Thestarsandproducerswerecommittedto

authenticity,inlocationand detail,downtotherestaurant’s trendyBoBochickens.The writers’roomincludedaformer employeeoficonicItalian restaurantBabbo,amongother ex-restaurantstaffers.

BaylinandSusmanpitchedthe projecttoBatemanandLaw,but theactorsalsosoughteachother out.Lawhadbeenafanofthe dark-yet-wryseaminessthat Batemanhelpedorchestrateon Ozark (2017-22),theNetflixcrime caperthathestarredinandoften directed.

AndBatemanwasjustafan. “There’sbeennooneI’vebeen moreexcitedaboutasanew personinmylife,”hegushed whenLawappearedlastyearas agueston SmartLess,thehit podcastBatemanhostswithWillArnettandSean Hayes.TheygabbedinsatiablyaboutLaw’scareer: hisbreakoutrolesin Gattaca and TheTalentedMr. Ripley;boxofficehitslike SherlockHolmes;and hiscampypapallegacy,HBO’s TheYoungPope and itssequelseries, TheNewPope,bothofwhichLaw starredinandproduced.

butLawhadpartakenintheNew Yorknightlifeoftheaughts, whichmadeitfittingforhimto slideintoJake.Andhaving Batemangosomewhatagainst hisstrait-lacedtypegave everyoneafrisson.

“Hetookitfurtherthanwe couldhaveeverdreamedof,” Susmansaid.(Thebeardwas Bateman’sidea.)

Reviewsoftheseries,fromits premiereattheToronto InternationalFilmFestival, havebeenmixed,buttheypraise theleads’chemistry.Theironscreenrelationshippops “becausethey’resodifferent,” saidLauraLinney,whoplayed Bateman’swifein Ozark,and whodirectedEpisodes3and4of BlackRabbit.Shealsostarred withLawinthe2016movie Genius

“Judeisanincredibly,uniquelyrefreshing persontobearound,”shesaid.“He’sjustpositive, andawellspringofcirculation.He’sagreatdestresser.”

AndBateman?“He’sagalvaniser,”Linneysaid. “Hisenthusiasmiscontagious.”

“Acting’saweirdjob,”Lawsaid.“Youdon’twant tobedoingalotoflonelywanderingaround.It’s greathavingapartner;it’skindoflikeplaying sport.”

Lawistheyoungerbrother,JakeFriedken,a seemingslicksterwhorunsBlackRabbit,aclubby townhousepubonthevergeofmajorsuccess;he ishopingtoparlayitintofancierestablishments withlessgreasycashflow.BatemanplaysVince, theoldermiscreantwhothrowsawrench,anda meancocktail,intothemixwhenhereturnshome, indebtedtoamobster(OscarwinnerTroyKotsur, of Coda).Theirmixofcharismaandchaosshifts throughouttheseries.

“Together,theykindofmakeonegoodbrother,” Batemansaid.

SusmanandBaylinsaidtheycouldn’trecall discussionsaboutwhowouldplaywhichcharacter,

In BlackRabbit,thebrothers’drivethreatens toleadthemastray.Inreallife,BatemanandLaw propelledeachothertoexpand.

On Ozark,BatemanhadpushedLinney,a celebratedstageandscreenactor,todirect,and heturnedthatsamecheerleadingontoLawat breakfast.His“setIQisastonishing”,Bateman said.“Histasteisunmatched.”

Lawwasintimidatedbytheideaofactingand directing.“Idonotknowhowyoucompartmentalise allofthosenecessarydecisions,”hesaidto Bateman.

“Youcandoitinasecond,”Batemansaid.He launchedintoalengthypitch,andLawlistened intently,readytobeconvinced.

WanderingaroundlowerManhattanlater,they neveroncestoppedtalking.

TheNewYorkTimes

6am Infomercials

7.30 RickStein’sFoodStories 30 Rickdiscoversthe historyoftheYorkshire puddingandhowtomake it,hevisitstheUK’sbiggest tofufactory,andcooks veggiedishesathome.

8am RuralDelivery 30

8.30 CountryCalendar 30

9am BarkleyManor PG 30

9.30 TagataPasifika 0

10am MarcusWareing’sTales fromaKitchenGarden 0

10.35 CelebrityBakeOff 30

11.35 KeepingUpAppearances PGC 0

12.45 DiaryofaJuniorDoctor PG 3 (StartingToday)

1.40 TheTravellingAuctioneers

2.35 DealorNoDealUK 3

3.35 TippingPoint:BestEver Finals 3

4pm SittingonaFortune 3

5pm TheChase 30

6pm 1NewsatSix 0

7pm TheDogHouseAustralia 0 Afamilytriestofita husky-crossin,effortsto tameastressball,anda pocket-rocketleapsintoa home.

8pm Lotto

8.05 BradleyWalshandSon: BreakingDad PG 30 Thepairmaketheirway toMaineforwilderness trainingandlobsterfishing, andtheylookbackontheir favouritemomentsfromthe trip.

8.30 M TheCastle ML 3 1997 Comedy. Afamilyfightsthe airportauthoritywhentheir houseisthreatenedwith acompulsoryacquisition order.MichaelCaton, SophieLee,EricBana.

10.20 Elsbeth M 30

11.10 Sherwood 16VL 3 (Starting Today)

12.15 TheSplit ML 3

1.15 DrDeath 16L 3

2am Quiz

0

3.30 Infomercials

6am Children’sProgrammes

9.10 HollyHobbie 30

9.35 TheGamers2037 30 10am Fresh PG 0

10.30 ShortlandStreetOmnibus PG 3

12.30 YoungSheldon 3

1pm GladiatorsUK 3

2.10 CaughtonDashcam PGC 3

3.05 TheAmazingRace Australia:CelebrityEdition PG 3

4.10 DanceMoms:ANewEra PGC Audreygetsbenched afterherinjury;Tammi ghoststheteam.

5.05 TwoandaHalfMen PGS 3

6.05 TheBigBangTheory PG 3

7pm America’sGotTalent 0 America’svotesreveal whichtwoactswillmove ontothesemi-finals,and alsoadvancingisoneact thatwassentstraighttothe finalslastnight.

8pm M MeanGirls PGLC 30 2004Comedy. Agirlraised intheAfricanbushbyher zoologistparentsthinksshe knowsaboutsurvivalofthe fittest–untilshegoesto highschool.LindsayLohan, TinaFey,RachelMcAdams.

9.50 M ChaosWalking MVC 3 2021Sci-fi. Twounlikely companionsembarkona perilousadventureonan unexploredplanetwhere allthoughtsareheardby everyone.TomHolland, DaisyRidley.

11.55 Boyzone:Life,Deathand BoyBands 16L 3

12.45 M AlienAddiction 16VLSC 2018Comedy.

2.25 UpandVanished MC 3

4.10 Fresh PG 3

4.35 Closedown 5am Infomercials

6.45 TheUninvited 16LC2024 Comedy. 8.23 OrdinaryAngels PGL 2023Drama. 10.17 Afraid 162024 Horror. 11.40 IntheLostLands MV2025Action. 1.25 FrenchGirl MLSC2024Comedy. 3.15 AQuiet Place:DayOne MVL2024Horror. 4.55 CivilWar 16VLC2024Action. 6.45 Longlegs 16VL2024Horror. 8.30 Megalopolis 16VLSC2024 Sci-fi. ThecityofNewRomefaces theduelbetweenabrilliantartist, whofavoursautopianfuture,and agreedymayor.AdamDriver, GiancarloEsposito. 10.50 The Return M2024Drama. 12.55 Alone Together ML2022Drama.

7.20 10Years ML2011Comedy. 9am AnalyzeThis MVL1999Comedy. 10.45 AFewLessMen 16LS2016 Comedy. 12.15 TwoWeeksNotice PGS2002Comedy. 1.55 AllRoads LeadtoRome PG2015Comedy. 3.25 ThisistheEnd 16VLS2013 Comedy. 5.10 TheInterview 16VLS 2014Comedy. 7pm TheBigWedding MLS2013Comedy. 8.30 ItCould HappentoYou PGV1994Rom-com. 10.15 TheRewrite ML2014Romcom. 12.05 GreedyPeople 16VLS 2024Comedy.

6am CharlesStanley

6.30 Infomercials

9.30 SupermarketStakeout 30

10.25 TheZoo PG Twosickly newbornfawnsformabond whiletheyarehand-reared bystaff.

11.25 AnimalEmbassy 3

11.55 CupcakeWars 3 Four viewers’choicebakersare giventhechancetoserve theircreationsatacharity gala.

12.50 UnsellableHouses

1.50 LakefrontBargainHunt: Renovation

2.45 LakefrontBargainHunt 3

3.15 ParentalGuidance PG 3 In thelastroundofchallenges, American,RoadSchool, SlowandUnstructured parentsarereadytoshow theirbestparentingskills.

4.30 The1%ClubAustralia PGC 30

5.30 OceanBounty PG 0 Napier fishermanMikeTerryis alwaystryingtoimprove environmentalimpact,and hissonistakingoverthe business.

6pm ThreeNews 0

6.30 M DCLeagueofSuperpets PGVL 0 2022Animation. A Superdogmustmasterhis ownpowersforarescue missionwhenSupermanis kidnapped.

8.30 M SuicideSquad MVC 3 2016Action. Asecret governmentagencyrecruits agroupofincarcerated supervillainstostopa powerful,anciententity.Will Smith,MargotRobbie.

10.55 DoomPatrol 16VLSC MadameRougeenliststhe team’shelpafterfinding outaboutherpastand,as theteamworkstoinfiltrate thetarget,Ritamakesa surprisingconnection.

12am Infomercials

5am LeadingtheWay 5.30 CharlesStanley

6.55 BohemianRhapsody MLSC 2018Drama. 9.05 Arrival ML2016 Drama. 10.57 TheBigEasy PGV1986 Drama. 12.35 PointBreak MVL2015 Crime. 2.29 AmericanSniper 16VLC 2014Action. 4.41 Sicario 16VC2015 Crime. 6.45 Closer 16LS2004Drama. 8.30 MillionDollarBaby MC2004 Drama. Thestoryofawomantrying tofightherwayintothemaledominatedarenaofprofessional boxing.ClintEastwood,Hilary Swank,MorganFreeman. 10.45 Hustlers 16LSC2019Comedy. 12.35 Foxcatcher MVC2014Drama.

6am Beetlejuice PGL1988Comedy. 7.30 TheSwimmer M1968Drama. 9.05 ThePassenger PG1975

8am MyFavouriteDeadPerson 30

8.20 KiriandLou 30

8.35 MoeandFriends 30

8.50 ExtremeCakeSports 30

9.35 KeaKidsNews 30

10am Infomercials

Noon Motorsport:Formula1 (HLS) AzerbaijanGrandPrix.

1pm Women'sRugbyWorld CupPreviewShowBlack Ferns 0 BronzeMedalFinal.

1.30 AllBlacksvAustralia PreviewShow

2pm Rugby:Heartland Championship (DLY) 0 NorthOtagovSouth Canterbury.FromtheA&P Showgrounds,Oamaru.

4.30 Rugby:NPC (HLS) 0 Hawke’sBayvAuckland.

4.45 Rugby:NPC (HLS) Southland vTasman.

5pm Rugby:NPC (DLY) TaranakivWellington.From StadiumTaranaki,New Plymouth.

7pm RugbyChampionship:All BlacksvAustralia (DLY) 0 FromEdenPark,Auckland.

9.30 AussieRules:AFL (DLY) GrandFinal:GeelongCats vBrisbaneLions.Fromthe MCG,Melbourne.

12.30 Infomercials

3am L Rugby:Women’sWorld Cup 0 Final:Englandv Canada.FromTwickenham Stadium,London.

7.35 NoEnd 161985Drama. 9.25 TheLastShowgirl M2024 Drama. 10.55 GoodbyeJulia M 2023Drama. 1pm Kokako PG2023 Short. 1.15 MarieAntoinette 16 Mini-series. 2.15 MarieAntoinette 16 Mini-series. 3.15 Marie Antoinette 16 Mini-series. 4.15 MarieAntoinette 16 Miniseries. 5.15 Mozart’sSister 2024 Documentary. 7pm ThePeople’s Joker M2022Comedy. 8.30 Queer 162024Drama. 10.45 BlindChance M1987Drama. 12.45 TheGreat90s Rewind M2025Documentary.

6am QI M 6.30 RichardOsman’s HouseofGames PG 9.15 Dragons’ Den PG 10.20 8Outof10CatsDoes Countdown M Noon Shakespeare andHathaway:PrivateInvestigators PG 12.55 Shakespeareand Hathaway:PrivateInvestigators PG 1.50 Queen’sGuard:AYearin Service 16 2.45 Queen’sGuard:A YearinService M 3.40 Antiques Roadshow PG 4.45 FatherBrown PG 5.40 Grantchester PG 6.35 OurWelsh ChapelDream PG 7.35 Queen’s Guard:AYearinService 16 8.30 MidsomerMurders PG 10.15 NewTricks M 11.15 Queen’s Guard:AYearinService 16 12am WhodoYouThinkYouare? PG

6.30

Fly MyPepeha 3 8am Pukana 3 8.30 NgaKapaHakaTuarua oAotearoa 3 9.30 M Spark: ASpaceTail PG 3 2016Animation. 11am Rewind PG 3 11.30 Tui Teka’sTrail 3 Noon Rugby: Super8 3 2pm Piri’sTikiTour PG 3 2.30 HuntwithMe PG 3 3pm TamarikiHaka 3 3.25 Mauri ReoMauriOra 3.50 TokuReo Kokara 3 4pm NgaToaTauao teReo 4.30 MauriReoMauri Ora 3 5pm WhiuatePaatai PG 3 5.30 MauriReoMauriOra 3 6pm Yukon’sWildGrizzlies 3 7pm HuikiHaere PG 3 7.30 M Swift 2019Animation. Aswift raisedbyseagullsstruggleswith identityandfindscouragetosave hisfamily.KateWinslet,Willem Dafoe,JoshKeaton. 9pm M The Judge M2014Drama. Abig-city lawyerreturnstohischildhood home,wherehisestrangedfather, thetown’sjudge,isaccusedof murder. 11pm Closedown

6am TripleThreat WalkTowardsIt. 6.40 L Rugby:Gallagher Premiership HarlequinsvBath. FromTwickenhamStoop,London. 8.45 Rugby:NPC (HLS) Hawke’s BayvAuckland. 9am Rugby:NPC (RPL) Southland vTasman.FromRugbyPark, Invercargill. 11am Rugby: GallagherPremiership (RPL) NewcastlevSaracens.From KingstonPark,Newcastle. 1pm Golf:RyderCup (HLS) DayOne.FromBlackCourseof BethpageStatePark,NewYork. 2pm L Rugby:U85kgClubFinal FromEdenPark,Auckland. 4pm L RugbyChampionship: AllBlacksvAustralia FromEden Park,Auckland. 7.40 Lolo:TheChampionMaker CoachLoloHeimuli’sfocushas shiftedtodevelopingnotjustgreat fighters,butgreatpeople. 8.45 RugbyChampionship:All BlacksvAustralia (RPL) FromEden Park,Auckland. 10.50 L Rugby:Women’sWorld Cup BronzeFinal:BlackFernsv France.FromTwickenham,London. 3am L Rugby:Women’sWorld Cup Final:EnglandvCanada.From Twickenham,London.

6am RuralDelivery 30

6.25 BorderSecurity 30

6.45 Attitude 30

7.10 TagataPasifika 30

7.35 SongsofPraise 30

8.10 JohnandLisa’sWeekend Kitchen 30

9am Q+AwithJackTame 0 10am WakaHuia

10.30 Marae

11am RichHousePoorHouse PGL 30 Noon Attitude

12.30 FindMyCountryHouse Canada PG 1pm TippingPoint:BestEver Finals 3

1.30 CoronationStreet PG 3

2pm ChateauDIY 3

3pm FindMyCountryHouse: NewZealand 3

3.30 NewZealand’sBestHomes withPhilSpencer 3

4.30 FishingandAdventure PG 0

5pm TheChase 0 6pm 1NewsatSix 0

7pm CountryCalendar PG 0

7.30 NewZealand’sBest HomeswithPhilSpencer PG 0 Philexploresthree uniquehomesandthe architectswhodesigned them,withthegoalof puttingtheowners’lifestyle frontandcentre.

8.25 N IFoughttheLaw ML In 1980sBillingham,amother fightsforjusticefollowing herdaughter’smurderand policefailings.

9.25 TheCoupleNextDoor 16LS CharlotteandJacob’s romantictriptoAntwerp takesanerotic,but dangerous,turnwhena thirdpersonarrives.

10.25 Reunion 16LC

11.30 Q+AwithJackTame 3

12.35 Quiz

1am Infomercials

6am Children’sProgrammes DarwinandNewts;Love Monster;Bluey;NightEyes; RoyalsNextDoor;Scooby DooandGuessWho?

8.10 IslandofMystery

8.25 YoungRiders 3

8.30 WhatNow? 0

9.35 TheVoiceUSA PG 0 11am HomeandAwayOmnibus PG 30

1pm DogSquadPuppySchool 3

2pm MKR 3

3.30 M BeeMovie PG 3 2007 Animation. Ayoungbee leaveshishiveandgoes toNewYork,befriendsa humanfloristandbecomes outragedatthesellingof honey.

5.10 TwoandaHalfMen PGS 3

6.05 TheBigBangTheory PG 3

7pm F Warren’sVortex PG 0 WarrenandLucylandina cultured,rugby-freeutopia, whenWarrenreintroduces thesport,chaoserupts, landinghimondeathrow.

7.30 AmbulanceAustralia PG 30 Paramedicsrespond toalife-threateningcyclist accident,abreathing emergency,asuspected strokeandachildstuckin mud.

8.30 M Spectre 16VC 0 2015 Action. Acrypticmessage frombeyondthegrave leadsJamesBondon amissiontoexposea powerfulorganisation. DanielCraig,Christoph Waltz.

11.10 Watson M Watson announcesanew, ambitiousprojectthathe hasbeenworkingon.

12am FBI:International MV

12.45 SealTeam 16VL

1.35 UnidentifiedBodies PGC

2.25 IKnewMyMurderer MC

3.35 Infomercials

5.35 Closedown

6.35 Longlegs 16VL2024Horror. 8.13 UnsungHero PG2024Drama. 10.02 TheReturn M2024Drama. 12.01 AloneTogether ML2022 Drama. 1.41 BloodlineKiller 16VLC 2024Horror. 3.26 CashOut MVLC2024Action. 5pm 5lbsofPressure 16VLC2024 Thriller. 6.50 HeartEyes 16VLC2025Horror. 8.30 Locked 16VLC2025Thriller. AfterbreakingintoaluxurySUV,a manrealiseshehasbeencaught inatrapsetbyatwistedvigilante. 10.10 OneofThemDays 16VLS 2025Comedy. 11.50 Ambush 16VLC2023Action.

6.12 Another48Hours MVL 1990Comedy. 7.52 TheEdge ofSeventeen MLS2016Comedy. 9.37 AnalyzeThat MVLS2002 Comedy. 11.12 Swingers ML1996 ComedyDrama. 12.50 Madame MLS 2017Comedy. 2.20 LicensetoWed MS2007Rom-com. 3.50 The4:30 Movie 16C2024Comedy. 5.20 The InbetweenersMovie 16LS2011 Comedy. 6.55 TheInbetweeners 2 16LSC2013Comedy. 8.30 The SpyWhoDumpedMe 16VLC2018 Comedy. 10.30 TheInformant ML 2009ComedyDrama. 12.20 Late Night MLS2019Comedy.

6am BeachfrontBargainHunt 30

6.30 LeadingtheWay

7am CharlesStanley

8am KeyofDavid

8.30 TurningPoint

9am Guy’sRanchKitchen PG 0 GuyFieriandhischef friendscookchicken schnitzel,four-cheese spaghetti,andboon Brusselssprouts.

9.25 TheHui

9.55 YouLiveinWhat? 3

10.50 TheGreatFoodTruck Race

11.40 Motorsport:FIM SpeedwayGrandPrix (HLS)

1pm Motorsport:WorldGT Sprint (HLS)

2pm Motorsport:British Superbikes (HLS)

3pm Motorsport:DTM (HLS)

4pm Motorsport:NascarCup Series (HLS)

5pm GoldRush:DaveTurin’s LostMine PGLC 0 Daveand Jasonclashonstrategiesto stayonthegold.

6pm ThreeNews 0

6.30 GoldCoastCops PG 30

7pm UltimateEscape PGLC 0 Theclockresetsat Matukituki,intheSouth Island,wherethecaptives mustnavigatetheir exhaustedrescuersthrough thefourth24-hourleg.

8.20 M TheDarkKnightRises MV 3 2012Action. Years aftertheJoker’sreign,the DarkKnightmustreturnto defendGothamCityagainst Catwomanandmercenary Bane,asthecityison thebrinkofannihilation. ChristianBale,TomHardy, AnneHathaway.

11.25 M PacificRim MV 3 2013 Sci-fi.

1.50 Infomercials

7.08 Limitless MVLS2011Thriller. 8.51 MarleyandMe PGC2008 Comedy. 10.45 SilverLinings Playbook MVLS2012ComedyRomance. 12.50 InBruges 16VLC2008Thriller. 2.40 WrathoftheTitans MV2012 Fantasy. 4.25 CatchMeifYouCan ML2002Crime. 6.45 IKnowWhat YouDidLastSummer 16V1997 Horror. 8.30 TheWolfofWallStreet 18LS 2013Drama. TruestoryofJordan Belfort,ayoungstockbrokerwhose hungerforwealthsawhimsuccumb togreedandcorruption.Leonardo DiCaprio,JonahHill. 11.30 Selma MVL2015Drama.

6.30 KeaKidsNews 30 7am ReligiousProgrammes 9am TagataPasifika

9.30 RugbyLeague:NRL (HLS) 9.45 RugbyLeague:NRL (HLS) 10am PremierLeague:Goal Rush

Noon Rugby:Women’sWorld Cup (RPL) 0 Final:Englandv Canada.FromTwickenham Stadium,London.

2pm Rugby:Women’sWorld Cup (RPL) 0 BronzeFinal: BlackFernsvFrance.From TwickenhamStadium, London.

4pm Rugby:FPC (HLS) PremiershipSemi-final: CanterburyvManawatu.

4.15 Rugby:FPC (HLS) PremiershipSemi-final: WaikatovAuckland.

4.30 Rugby:Women’sWorld Cup (HLS) 0 Matchday12.

5.30 RugbyNation 6pm PointlessAustralia 0 7pm F RobsonGreen’s WeekendEscapes PG 0 IntheLakeDistrict,Robson andUncleMathesongo ghyllscrambling,which involvesslidingdown streamsandlandinginicecoldplungepools.

7.30 L Netball:TainiJamison SilverFernsvSouth Africa:GameThree.From ILTStadiumSouthland, Invercargill.

9.30 HighSpeedChase MVLC 30 Policeofficershunt aruthlesscopkillerand chasedownthreeviolent bankrobbers.

10.30 TheBreakdown 11.30 AllAmerican: Homecoming M 0 Simone mustchoosebetweenthe mostimportantthingsin herlife;Nate’scousinhasa heart-to-heartwithLando; Keishacomesupwitha plantohelpJR.

12.30 Infomercials

7.50 Mozart’sSister 2024 Documentary. 9.35 BlindChance M 1987Drama. 11.35 MarieAntoinette 16 Mini-series. 12.35 Queer 16 2024Drama. 2.50 MarieAntoinette 16 Mini-series. 3.40 Marie Antoinette 16 Mini-series. 4.35 MarieAntoinette 16 Miniseries. 5.30 MarieAntoinette 16 Mini-series. 6.25 Jacques Rozier:FromOneWaveto Another M2024Documentary. 7.30 TheGold M 8.30 TheGold M 9.30 Enforcement 162020Thriller. 11.15 TheBlondBoyfromthe Casbah M2023Comedy.

6am NewTricks PG 6.55 New Tricks PG 7.45 NewTricks PG 8.40 NewTricks PG 9.35 Ghosts PG 10.05 EastEnders PG 12.25 MidsomerMurders M 2.10 MidsomerMurders PG 3.55 DocMartin

4.50 Father Brown PG 5.45 Holding M 6.40 8 Outof10CatsDoesCountdown M 7.35 GreatCanalJourneys PG 8.30 WhodoYouThink Youare? PG 9.40 Grantchester M 10.35 Grantchester M

Rugby:Women’sWorld Cup Final:EnglandvCanada. FromTwickenham,London. 9am RugbyChampionship: SouthAfricavArgentina From KingsPark,Durban. 11am Rugby Championship:AllBlacks vAustralia FromEdenPark, Auckland. 1pm Rugby:Women’s WorldCup 1.30 Rugby:Women’s WorldCup 2pm L Rugby:NPC BayofPlentyvWaikato.From TaurangaDomain. 4pm Netball: TainiJamisonTrophy 4.15 L Rugby:NPC Northland vCanterbury.FromSemenoff Stadium,Whangarei. 6pm The Breakdown 7pm L Netball: TainiJamisontrophy SilverFerns vSouthAfrica:GameThree. FromILTStadiumSouthland, Invercargill. 9.30 TheBreakdown 10.30 Rugby:NPC BayofPlentyv Waikato. 12.30 Rugby:Gallagher Premiership 12.55 L Rugby: GallagherPremiership NorthamptonvExeter.From Franklin’sGardens,Northampton. 3am Golf:RyderCup 5am L Golf: RyderCup DayThree.FromBlack CourseofBethpageStateParkin Farmingdale,NewYork.

Puzzlesandhoroscopes

Crypticcrossword

ACROSS

1. Itmaybeinjuriousbeforethecasecomestocourt(11)

7. Tookmeetingthathidraceriot(7)

9. Graduallymovethemoneyofftheshelf(4)

11. ThrowadanceinScotland(5)

12. Afrightaboutcarbonbeinginshortsupply(6)

14. One’sdistinctivecharactermakesone’spaltryoneout(11)

18. Australianbreakingnewground?(6)

20. CharacteristicexpressionofoneModImadeout(5)

22. Anattackonthejournalendlesslyputback(4)

23. Suchcapitalasonemayexposetohazard(7)

24. Rememberedashortprayerwritteninreed(11) DOWN

2. Cometoseeliarismistaken(7)

3. Twopartiesnowextinct(4)

4. Treeforsuchamanasacivicdignitary(5)

5. Laughatthefood(5)

6. Horizontalgoesupaswellasdown(5)

8. Enterone’snametomakesomesortofimpression(8)

10. Slavetothewashinguptookoarnoonegaveup(8)

13. Darkfluidfoundincertainkrill(3)

15. Wordsofpraiseusedtobutteroneinsuchaway(7)

16. DeckgiventotheNavyafteraparty(5)

17. Yellowlightbeamadjustedright(5)

19. GoodScottishandEnglishBaedeker(5)

21. Verybadfibgivenupwhenaboutfive(4)

WordWheel

Insertthemissinglettertocomplete aneight-letterwordreadingclockwise oranti-clockwise.

WordBuilder

Quickcrossword

Deeplycommitted(6)

Lookatclosely(7)

Jewishteacher(5)

Aim(4)

13. Firstappearance(5)

16. Sketched(5) 17. Reserve(4)

20. Proprietor(5) 21. Substitute(5-2)

22. Pantsabovetheknee(6) 23. Studyforexam(6)

Previoussolution: DEFRAUDS

www.thepuzzlecompany.co.nz

Howmanywordsofthreeormore letters,includingplurals,canyoumake fromthefiveletters,usingeachletter onlyonce?Nowordsbeginningwitha capitalareallowed.There’satleastone five-letterword. Good 11 VeryGood 15 Excellent 21

Previoussolution: ark,arks,art,arts, ask,ats,karst,kas,rat,rats,sark,sat, ska,skat,star,stark,tar,tars,task,tsar

ARIES(Mar21-Apr19): Theweightyoucarryprovesyour strength,butit'salsowhyyouarestronginthe firstplace.Evenwithdoubt,you'reshowing youcanhandlemorethanmost.Thisisthebig leagues,bigleaguerewardswillbeinplay.

TAURUS(Apr20-May20): Somepeoplehavesecretlives, butevenmoretrue,mostpeopledo.Weonly seefromourownpointofview,blindspots inevitable.You'llgetarareandnewglimpseof someonetoday–intriguing.

GEMINI(May21-Jun21): It'snaturalforenvytorisewhen youseeotherscarefree?Befuelled.Theirjoyis evidencejoyexists.You'llfindyourownversion inawayonlyyourlifecoulddeliver.

CANCER(Jun22-Jul22): You'llseerelationshipswhere othersseechaos.You'llfindawaytoreconcile schedules,resourcesorpersonalitiesthat seemimpossibletoalign.Turningconflicting opinionsintoasharedsolutionisaspecialty.

LEO(Jul23-Aug22): Theredoesnothavetobealeader andafollowerforpeopletoworkinharmony. Today,withoutaleader,thegroupwillemerge naturallyintoaformspecifictotheircollective chemistrywithastonishingresults.

VIRGO(Aug23-Sep22): Restrictionswillbelifted.Some seeitasaninvitationtobecarefree,but youseeitasanopportunitytoworkwithout obstacle.You'rethinkingahead,eagertobuild resourcesthatcouldhelpintoughertimes.

LIBRA(Sep23-Oct23): You'veearnedtherighttohope. Notbyaccident,butthroughendurance.There aretalentsyou'veyettounleash,doorsyou've yettoopen.Thebestisstillahead.

SCORPIO(Oct24-Nov21): Youcanandwilldoitbetter, notbecausethere'sanythingwrongwiththe wayyouaredoingitnow,butbecauseyou loveexcellence,cravemasteryandthrilltothe feelingofimproving.

SAGITTARIUS(Nov22-Dec21): Whensomeonetriesto masktheiremotions,theactofsuppression createstension.Vibes,timingandintuitionis therealpowertoday,andyoursensitivitytoit willbeakeyadvantage.

CAPRICORN(Dec22-Jan19): Numbers,followers, externalmeasuresallmeltawayagainstthe truth:nooneelsehasyourvoice.Noone showsupwithyourpresence.Noonesees avisionquitelikeyours.Thatdistinctiveness magnetisestherightpeople.

AQUARIUS(Jan20-Feb18): Peoplewillseewhatyou cando.Beingsopublicfeelsriskybecauseit is,butofcourseyou'reuptoit.Youwon'teven havetorisetotheoccasion;whatyoualready doandareismightyfine.

PISCES(Feb19-Mar20): Evenwhenloveisn'tshown clearly,itsurroundsyou.Someoneremembers adetailofyourlife,someonesendsatextout oftheblue,someonekeepscomingback.It's allproofthatyouareheldintheheart.

Previouscrypticsolution

Across: 1.Custard5.Pinch8.Alimony9.Reign10.Tolerance 12.Err13.Point17.Pot19.Expedient21.Opine22.Nothing 24.Treat25.Lanyard

Down: 1.Chatty2.Skillet3.Ago4.Doyen5.Perfected 6.Noise7.Hungry11.Represent14.America15.Sprout 16.Staged18.Trite20.Panel23.Ton

Previousquicksolution

Across: 1.Flaw8.Exonerated9.Well-to-do10.Case 12.Ticket14.Allure15.Corner17.Absurd18.Eden19.Last post21.Messengers22.High. Down: 2.Likelihood3.Well4.Cohort5.Fedora6.Calculus 7.Idle11.Surprising13.Kindness16.Ruling17.Answer 18.Emmy20.Posh.

Fillthegridsothateverycolumn,everyrowand3x3boxcontainsthedigits1to9.

Across

1. Boardmemberthatisbeing recruited(6)

4. Unusualposepreviouslyemployed byanothershouldbeadopted(8)

10. Louddogsnappedbackather Mafiaboss(9)

11. Expressionofdispleasure followingthanksisforbidden(5)

12. Stocksleepinone(3,4)

13. Timeoffastingisbrokenbylarge vegetarian’smealforone(7)

14. Associatesofcommodore eventuallyappointedoldEnglish official(5)

15. Pompousoneleftandrelocated (8)

18. Portisinfiltratedbystreetpeople withradicalviews(8)

20. Callleaderofpartytomakea sharppoint(5)

23. Shakeabarrierholdingit(7)

25. Greendrinker,originallyin tavern,chuckedallovertheplace(7)

26. Wastepaperusedforlighting(5)

27. Experimentaloddsandendsone includedinorganisedevent(9)

28. Passinformationfromobject encasedinsteel(4,4)

29. Partsalwaysusedbetween identicalbearings(6)

Down 1. Unionofficeregulationisapplied tojudge(8)

2. OnetravellinginrestoredModel-T isancient(3-4)

3. Staffbroughtuppropheticsignin itveryquickly(2,1,6)

5. Fiveinvolvedinsailingsuffer badly–ittendstohappenjustoff shore(4-10)

6. Footisputinonebymistake regularly(5)

ObserverEveryman

7. Coachpickedupteamwithease (7)

8. Medicationlinkedtoboy’slast fluidbuild-up(6)

9. IsthePCinforcemixedupwitha high-rankingpoliceofficer?(5,9)

16. Sweeteneris,forinstance, standardandbland(9)

17. FacilitysentFBIagentback–backtoclass(8)

Lastweek

19. Lieisunravelledaboutomission (7)

21. Saysomethingaboutaluminium andglass(7)

22. Producesuraniuminstrong containers(6)

24. Luminoussilveroflittlevalue(5)

Across: 1.Bangtorights,9.Lemur,10.Operation,11.Assail,12. Anathema,13.Elixir,15.Dethrone,18.Everybit,19.Inters,21.Dithered, 23.Priest,26.Riflefire,27.Ditto,28.Takestoheart.

Down: 1.Ballade,2.Names,3.Torpidity,4.Root,5.Guernsey,6.Tract,7. Pinecone,8.Engage,14.Identify,16.Hundredth,17.Lifeline,18.Enduro, 20.Setsout,22.Enema,24.Extra,25.Pelt.

Howtoplay It’slikesudoku:each verticalandhorizontalline hastocontainthenumbers 1-6,andthenumberscan’t berepeatedinanyrowor column.Thenumbersin eachheavilyoutlinedsetof squaresmustproducethe numberinthetopcorner. Forexample,5+means thenumbersaddupto5, 15xmeansthenumbers multiplyto15.

Lastweek

Across

1 Wherebrothmaybeblackbirdof prey(4)

3 Whatmakesyoudieofcold?(3,7)

9 Condemnatmospherethat’s reactionary(4)

10 Agrandmawonatchess,didyou say?Notsofast(10)

11 Ifyou’respoonfed,thismayput wordsinyourmouth(8,4)

15 Toplessseasidetown?Amen (5,2)

16 Teaandsliceofnougatgivesyou wind(7)

17 Putanendtoslipperyoilbaths–notime!(7)

19 Wasinchargeoftwerp somewhereinBurma(7)

20 Notincluded:howcrossword

Juniorcrosswordsolution

Overdue,14.Cocoa,15.Free,17.Lid.

Down: 1.Vanishing,2.Lasso,3.Back, 4.Exactly,5.Doe,8.Different,10.

Elephant.

Across: 1.Valuable,6.Nose,7. Chased,9.Spoon,11.Stiff,12.Index, 13.Cycle,16.Glider,18.Ache,19.

setterfoundanagramfor‘pothole’? (3,2,3,4)

23 Celebrityinjumpermaybe sendinginvoice(3,7)

24 Porkpiepurveyoradmittedto Juilliard(4)

25 Madmonk?I’llsupplydrink(6,4)

26 Crosswordsettergetting commercialforbooze(4) Down

1 Periodofsmallmisfortunes–like losingtoatortoise,reportssuggest (3,4,3)

2 Bakedpie?Good,nowwhat’sin it?(4,6)

4 Businesstrouble(7)

5 Resents‘80sfilm’soutlookonlife (7)

6 Riseandcriticisechurch?That’s

justretribution(11)

7 ‘I’–onethat’sAthenian,primarily? (4)

8 Atfirst,Everyman’sdreary, vacuous,dreary–I’mgoingroundin circles(4)

12 Titiantoruboutcredit(11)

13 Swimmingpool–mine–so refusetoshare(10)

14 Dull,likeaperfumeyoudon’t smell?(10)

18 Stinksurroundingold,old,rough ruffian(7)

19 Dealingwithpartoftheeye, actualmetal’sinserted(7)

21 Volcano:petnamesomeignored (4)

22 Rejectedplanstopesterpeople online(4)

Across

1. Worthalotofmoney(8)

6. Smellwiththis(4) 7. Ranafter,tryingtocatch (6) 9. Eatsoupwiththis(5) 11. Rigid(5) 12. Alphabeticlistatthe backofabook(5) 13. Travelbybike(5) 16. Anaeroplanewithout anengine(6) 18. Apainfulthrob(4) 19. Alargeanimal(8)

Down

1. Disappearing(9) 2. Acowboy’snoosedrope (5) 3. Oppositeoffront(4) 4. Precisely(7) 5. Femaledeerorrabbit(3) 8.

©KenKenPuzzleLLC. Allrightsreserved

RNZNATIONAL

SATURDAY: 6.00CountryLife:Memorable scenes,peopleandplacesinruralNew Zealand7.00SaturdayMorningpresentedby SusieFergusonandMihingarangiForbes12.10 Ma¯punawithJulianWilcox:Juliantalksto Ma¯orithroughoutAotearoa,fromsports legendstobusinessleaders,toartistsand communityadvocates.1.06Music101:Thebest songs,music-relatedstories,interviews,live music,industrynewsandmusic documentariesfromNewZealandandthe world5.00TheWorldatFive:Newsandsport 5.10FocusonPolitics:5.30TagataOTeMoana: NewZealandandregionalPacificnews,issues, informationandmusic.6.06NashvilleBabylon: Americana,altcountry,folk,soulandblues music7.06SaturdayNightwithPhilO’Brien:An eveningofrequests,nostalgiaandmusical memories12.00AllNightProgramme:RNZ Nationalinterviewsandfeatures. SUNDAY: 6.00Storytime7.00RNZ’sPodcast Hour8.00SundayMorningwithJimMora: Currentaffairs,thenewsbehindthenews,indepthdocumentaries,sportfromtheoutfield, politicsfromtheinsiders.9.06Mediawatch: RecentperformanceandtrendsinNew Zealand’snewsmedia9.36SundayMorning withJimMoracontinues12.12Culture101: PerlinaLauandMarkAmeryhostaweekly showaboutcreativityandcultureinAotearoa. 1.30AttheMovies:Currentfilmreleasesand

film-relatedtopics2.06Culture101continues. 3.05Drama:Highlightingradioplaywritingand performance4.06TheSundaySampler:Tony Stampreviewsthelatestalbumreleases5.00 TheWorldatFive:Newsandsport.5.10Feature Programming6.45HereNow7.06Feature Programming8.06TheSundayNightRetro ShowwithPhilO’Brien:Aneveningofmusic andmemories10.10Mediawatch11.06Inside Out:JazzwithNickTipping12.00AllNight Programme.

RNZCONCERT

SATURDAY: NewsandWeather:6am,7am, 8am,9am,noonand5pm.6.00Morningswith CareyMcDonald10.00RNZConcertDays3.00 RNZConcertAfternoons5.00InsideOutwith NickTipping—ajourneythroughthejazz spectrum7.00TheMetOperaSeries10.30 Evenings12.00MusicThroughtheNight. SUNDAY: 6.00MorningswithCareyMcDonald 7.30HymnsonSunday—aweeklyselectionof traditionalandmodernhymns,presentedby RobynJaquiery8.00MorningswithCarey McDonald10.00RNZConcertDays3.00The MusicalOmnivorewithDavidMorriss5.00RNZ ConcertAfternoons6.00WorldsofMusicwith TrevorReekie7.00MadeinNewZealand9.00 SoundLounge11.00NewMusicDreams12.00 MusicThroughtheNight. Schedulesmayvaryafterpublication

Bengali —Sat6.45pm CookIslands Thu6.30pm. Chaldean —Sat2.05pm Dalmatian —Tue7.20pm. Fijian —Thur 6pm. Ghanian —Sat8.30pm Irish Wed10pm Khmer —Tue2.10pm,Thu 12.00pm,Sunday2.10pm Konkani —Sat 3.45pm Korean —Weekdays9.40am Malayalam —Fri7.25pm Ma¯ori —Fri 3.50pm Nepali —Fri6.50pm. Niue Tue8am,Wed6.35pm&7.40pm. Panjabi —Tue3.15pm Romanian —Fri8.30pm& 9.35pm Samoan —Wed1.35pm Sinhalese —Wed8.15pm Spanish Wed4.25pm Tagalog —Wed12.40pm, Sat12.25pm,Sun4.05pm Tamil —Fri 7am,7.35am,8.10am,Sat7.15am,7.50am, Sun8.25am,9am. Tokelauan —Tue 12.00pm Tongan —Mon7.40pm,Tue 7.55pm,Thu3.55pm,4.50pm,7.40pm, 8.45pm. SPECIALINTERESTS:Children —Sun 3.15pm Property —Mon4.15pm Rainbow —Sat11.50am MentalHealth —Sun 10.45am VinylRevival —Sun6.55pm Jazz,Blues,World,AC —12amto7am PacificHealth —Tue12.00pm,Wed 1.35pm,7.40pm,Thu6pm,6.30pm. Seniors —Sun5.25pm Sports —Mon 5pm,Sat9.40pm Women —Wed3.55pm. BELIEFS:English —Fri1.35pm,2.10pm, 3.15pm,6.40am. Gujurati —Sun7am. Hindi —Sun7.15am

PuzzleExtra

#1

Across

1. Noticeofdismissal(8,6)

10. Untidy(5)

11. Foolishperson(9)

12. Pilot(7)

13. Africancountry(7)

14. Ornamentalheadband(5)

16. Soliloquy(9)

19. Purification(9)

20. Range(5)

22. Preserved(7)

25. Inthemiddleof(7)

27. Pulsating(9)

28. Indistinct(5)

29. Impressive(6-4-4)

Down

2. Attacker(9)

3. Burialchamber(5)

4. Dimwit(9)

5. Pastimes(5)

6. Lookslike(9)

7. Matched(5)

8. Rescue(7)

9. Effect(6)

15. Free,notoccupied(9)

Anacross

17. Alongingforsomething past(9)

18. Expressionofshock (4,5)

19. Uppercase(7)

Anacrossisatwo-partpuzzle.Firstsolvetheanagrams,then workouthowtofitthewordsyou’vefoundintothegrid.

FLUEGEL IDICOTI TOAISLE INSOLES SOYSDYE DADSLED IBUTTER

Myriad

21. Land(6)

23. Attendant(5)

24. Moveaimlessly(5)

26. Animalorgansusedas food(5)

DiceMaze

15x15 #2

Across 1. Soundlydefeat(7)

5. Altered(7)

9. Stronglydislike(5)

10. Din(9) 11. Torment(9)

12. Ballroomdance(5)

13. Live(5)

15. Greekphilosopher(9) 18. Exceedbudget(9) 19. Bundleofwheat(5) 21. Takeawayfood(5) 23. Lawyer(9) 25. Spendsparingly,cut back(9)

26. Femalerelative(5) 27. Putintocode(7) 28. Farmvehicle(7)

Down

1. Trudge(7)

2. Orelse(9) 3. Courage(5) 4. Givesupport,spuron(9) 5. Pedal(5) 6. Equipment(9)

Eachcolourrepresentsadirection (up,down,leftorright)andthe numberofdotsoneachdietellyou howfartogo. Startinginthemiddle,followthe directionscorrectlyandyouwillvisit everydieinturnonceonly. Whichdiceisthelastyouvisiton yourtrip?

15x15#1

Darkness(5)

8. Placeforpreschoolers(7) 14. Evidence(9) 16. Pampering(9) 17. Handling(9)

18. Filthy(7)

20. Holdback(7) 22. Unemotional(5) 23. Fast-moving(5) 24. Danceline(5)

Myriad LuckyNumbers

CompletetheMyriadgridsothatalltherows andcolumns,andallsquaresofthesame colour,containthenumbers1to7.

Thisweek’snumbersarein. Noneofthefivewinningballsisblue,and nonecontainsthenumber2orisdivisible by5. Canyoufindthefortunatefive?

Down:2.Assailant,3.Crypt,4.Ignoramus,5.Games,6.Resembles,7.Equal, 8.Salvage,9.Impact,15.Available,17.Nostalgia,18.Goodgrief,19.Capital, 21.Estate,23.Carer,24.Drift,26.Offal. 15x15#2

Across:1.Marchingorders,10.Messy,11.Numbskull,12.Aviator,13.Somalia, 14.Tiara,16.Monologue,19.Catharsis,20.Scope,22.Pickled,25.Amongst, 27.Throbbing,28.Faint,29.Larger-than-life.

Downwise,3.Nerve,4.Encourage,5.Cycle,6.Apparatus,r:1.Traipse,2.Othe 7.Gloom,8.Daycare,14.Testimony,16.Indulgent,17.Treatment,18.Obscene, 20.Forbear,22.Stoic,23.Swift,24.Conga.

Across:1.Trounce,5.Changed,9.Abhor,10.Cacophony,11.Persecute,12. Rumba,13.Exist,15.Aristotle,18.Overspend,19.Sheaf,21.Sushi,23.Solicitor, 25.Economise,26.Niece,27.Encrypt,28.Tractor.

PuzzleExtra

HighFiveSudoku

Thesefive9x9puzzlesworkinthesamewayasasinglesudoku-each3x3box,eachrow andeachcolumnrequiresthenumbers1-9.But,inaddition,wherea3x3boxisshared betweentwopuzzles,thenumbersinthatboxmustworkforbothpuzzles.

VennDDiagram

Canyouworkout which areasofthis diagramrepresent acrobaticclowns withrednosesand bigshoeswhodon’t juggle,andjuggling red-nosedclowns whowearbigshoes butaren’tacrobatic?

Crackingthesafe

Wordsearch: KARAKAGRANDDAYOUT

Canyoufindallthewordsinthelistbelow? Thewordscanreadbackwards,forwards,up,downordiagonally

COMMUNITY DAY DISCOVER DOORS DRINKS ENTERTAINMENT FAMILY FOURTH FRIENDLY FUN GARDENS GRAND HOME ICECREAM KARAKA LEAFY LOUNGE OCTOBER OPEN OUT PARKING PETANQUE RESIDENTS SATURDAY SAUSAGE SIZZLE SPACIOUS SPECIAL TASTY TEAM TOGETHER TOURS TREATS VIBRANT VILLAGE WALKABOUT WELCOME

Quick quiz

Name Britain’s previousfive monarchsbefore ElizabethII Answerbelow wordsearch solution

SATURDAYSEPTEMBER27 |2025

EUROPEAN CARSPECIAL

HeyToyota,doIgetmuch includedintheprice?

Uh,howdoes… upto5yearswarranty, upto5yearscappedpriceservicingcoverage, upto5yearsAARoadservice, upto5yearsWOFcoverage, 12monthsregistration, 1,000kmRUC(whereapplicable), tyrestewardshipfee, floormats, andafulltankoffuel/charge …sound?

The new 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander, the SUV of choiceforsomanyKiwifamiliesishere.Enhanced design, a stunning new colourway Moonstone Grey, the introduction of new technology and a suite of safety features including Mi-PILOT and digital rear-view mirror

Inside you’ll find a number of exciting new upgrades. Yamaha provides the highest quality soundtrack to your driving experience, with their premium 8-speaker Dynamic Sound Audio System. Larger 12.3-inch high-resolution infotainment and driver display screens complement the dash and redesigned centre console.

With 5 and 7 seat options, new Outlander delivers greater levels of comfort and safety to every passenger.

Outside you’ll notice the smooth front grille that blends into the smoked daytime running lights. The rear tail lights get the same smoked finish and all models sit on beautiful new machinefinished alloy wheels.

VRX and Exceed models get ventilated front seats and a luxurious leather-appointed cabin.

With 8 different versions to choose from there’s now even more choice for you and your family.

Audi’sradicalConceptCwillmakeitto

Audi’sConceptCisanallelectrictwo-seatershow carthatwillshareits underpinningswiththenext-gen Porsche718Cayman/Boxster.But italsoshowcasesAudi'sradical newdesignlanguage,taking inspirationfromthe1936Auto UnionTypeCwithadistinctive verticalnoseandbold,minimalist design.

Thecar'smid-engined-style proportionscomefromits "central-battery"layout,giving theConceptCproportionssimilar

tothoseofboththeoriginalAudi TTandtheR8.

Itfeaturesanelectrically retractablehardtopcomprisedof tworoofelementswhichallowthe vehicleto"retainamonolithic shape",whilealsoallowingforan open-topdrivingexperience.

Anewlightsignaturefeatures fourhorizontallyarranged elementsineachheadlightand rearlight.

Audisaysthiswill"definethe brand'svisualidentitybothday andnight,ensuringan

unmistakablepresenceonthe road".

Theinteriorismadeupof "strongarchitecturalsurfacesand cleargeometricforms".Physical controlsaremanufacturedfrom anodisedaluminiumtoprovidea "tactileexperiencethatreflects mechanicalquality",whilethe

steeringwheelfeatureshaptic elementsandtheinterioruses "shytechnology"withafoldable centredisplaythat"isalwaysclose by,yetneverdominant".

WhiletheConceptChasbeen rumouredtobeareplacementfor theAudiTT,thisdoesn'tseemto bethecase.AudiCEOGernot

DEPUTYEDITOR DavidLinklater MULTIMEDIAJOURNALIST DamienO’Carroll DIGITALWRITER JetSanchez

DRIVENEDITORIAL driven@nzme.co.nz PRODUCTION JillStanford,CourtneyWenzlick,IsobelMarriner DRIVENADVERTISING susana.leitao@nzme.co.nz

Dollnerhascategoricallyruledout theuseoftheTTnameforthe productionversiontooverseas media.

ButAudi'snewheadofdesign, MassimoFrascella,hasassured theproductionversionwilllook verysimilartothestrikingConcept Cwhenitlaunchesin2027.

DISCLAIMER: DRIVENCarGuide isregularlyinvitedtoattend brandevents,whereflightsandaccommodationarepaidfor. Editorialviewsexpressedremainimpartialandindependent.

www.continentalcars.co.nz/volkswagen/|095266968|38GreatSouthRoad|Newmarket

Thelast‘real’ Lamborghini?

Preguntaconcept from1988ispure Lamborghini underneath,and youcouldbuyit nextmonth

Thelastconceptcarbuiltby Lamborghinionitsown platformisheadingto auctionwithanunsurprisingly largesalesestimate.

BroadArrowAuctionsisoffering whatitcalls"atrulyuniquepiece ofLamborghiniandperformance carhistory"atitsnextauctionon October10:theLamborghini Pregunta,aconceptdesignedby MarcDeschampsandbasedona LamborghiniDiabloplatform.

WithasalesestimateofNZ$57million,thePreguntawill headlinetheauctionheldatthe ZouteGrandPrixCarWeekin Knokke-Heist,Belgium.

Originallyrevealedin1988,the Preguntaistheresultofa collaborationbetween LamborghiniandFrench coachbuilderCarrosserieHeuliez andwasoriginallycommissioned whenLamborghiniwasownedby Chrysler.

However,beforeitsdebutatthe 1998ParisMotorShow, Lamborghiniwassnappedupby theVolkswagenGroupduringits high-end-brandbuyingspreethat alsosawitabsorbBentleyand Bugatti.Assuch,thePreguntais regardedbymanyasthelasttruly radicalconceptcartocarrythe famousLamborghininame,and thelasttobebuiltonabespoke Lamborghiniplatform.

Muchlikemorerecent Lamborghiniconceptssuchasthe 2007Reventonandthe2013 Egoista,thePreguntawasinspired byafighterjet,theFrench DassaultRafale.Itfeaturescarbon fibrebodyworkbyHeuliez,with enormousairintakes,canopy-like scissordoors,wraparoundglass andmattegreypaintthatall referencetheRafale.

Theinteriorisequallyfighterjetinspired,albeitwithlotsofvibrant blueAlcantara,glassscreens, aviation-styleseats,fibre-optic lightingandrearviewcameras.A FormulaOne-derivedMagneti

THEPREGUNTAIS REGARDEDBY MANYASTHELAST TRULYRADICAL CONCEPTCARTO CARRYTHEFAMOUS LAMBORGHINI NAME,ANDTHE LASTTOBEBUILT ONABESPOKE LAMBORGHINI PLATFORM.

Marellidigitalinstrumentclusteris usedinthedash,andthere’san Alpineaudiosystemthatwas seeminglyobligatoryforconcept carsfromthe1980sand90s.

ThePreguntasitson "extensivelyreworked"Diablo underpinnings,andits5.7-litreV12 produced395kW/605Nm,witha five-speedmanualgearbox.It couldhit100km/hinjust3.9 secondsandgoontoatopspeed of337km/h.

OwnedbyHeuliez,thePregunta wasdisplayedbyLamborghiniat tradeshowsandpromotional eventsaroundtheworld throughoutthedecadeafterit debutedinParis,makingitsfinal appearanceunderHeuliez ownershipatRetromobilein2007, beforeitwassoldtoaprivate collectorin2008.

In2021,Lamborghini’sheritage divisioninspectedandserviced thePreguntabeforeitwasplaced ondisplayinthefamousMuseo Lamborghini.

VWturnsTiguanupto7

Theseven-seatTayronissettojoinVolkswagen’slocalline-up

ThenewVolkswagenTayron seven-seateristhenextgenerationTiguanAllspace byanothername.Andtheline-up justannouncedforNewZealand doesn’tjustputdistancebetween itselfandthestandardTiguanwith adifferentbadge;it’sdestinedto sitquiteabithigheronthepricing ladder.

Tayronwillbelaunchedherein twomodels,theEleganceat $78,990andR-Lineat$96,990.

That’sright,aTiguan(well,kindof aTiguan)thatwillcrack$100kwith anoptionortwo.Andthereare indeedsomeofthose;readon.

SoTayronopensat$19kmore thantheentry-levelTiguanLife, althoughthereisstillsome crossover:thetopTiguanR-Line costs$84,490.

Asyoumight/shouldexpect, TayronissignificantlyhigherspecificationthantheTiguan.It eschewsthe1.4-litreengineand FWDemployedfortwoofthe threeTiguanmodels,andisbeing soldexclusivelywitha2.0-litre turboengineandAWD.

TayronElegancegetsa150kW/

320Nmversionofthepowerplant (notcurrentlyofferedinany Tiguan),whilethetopR-Line makes195kW/400Nm(sameasthe TiguanR-LineAWD).

BothmeetEU6eemissions standards.

Tayronis202mmlongerinthe wheelbaseand253mmlonger overallthanTiguan.Butifyou’re planningabitoflightoff-roading withthefamily,there’sgoodnews: groundclearanceis198mm,which isatleast22mmmorethanany Tiguan.

Drivingprofiles4MotionAWD “ActiveControl”foroff-roadand snowandAdaptiveChassis

ControlProsuspensionare standardonboth,buttheR-Line addsProgressiveSteering,which canadjusttheratiotospecific corneringcircumstances.

TheR-Linealsoadds20-inch alloywheels,amore comprehensivecamera-view system,IQ.Lightmatrix headlamps,dynamicindicators, illuminatedrear“VW”logo,sports steeringwheelandergoActive part-leatherfrontseatswith heating,ventilationandmassage functions,plusalarger15-inch infotainmentandhead-updisplay. Toeithermodelyoucanadda TouringPackage,whichincludes

thefancyseats,HarmanKardon audioandpanoramicslidingglass roof.FortheEleganceitadds $6000,butit’sonly$4000forthe R-Linebecauseitalreadyhasthe ergoActivechairs. ExclusivetotheR-Lineisa$2000 Blackpackagefortheexterior, includingthewheels.

Oneofthemoststriking additionstothenewmodelisa newpurplecolourcalled UltravioletMetallic—although theonlyhueintherangetoattract apremiumisactuallyOnyxWhite Pearlescent,whichonlycomeson theR-Lineandcostsanextra $2000.

ThelatestM5 Touringisonlythe thirdwagon versioninthe model’s40-yearplushistory

Manycarmakerswould giveanythingtohave thekindof performanceheritageandbrand loyaltyboastedbyBMW.Butit surecanworkagainstyou,too.

TheM5isacaseinpoint.Long asublimeexampleofsubtletyand high-performancefinesse,it’s evolvedintoasubstantial performance-PHEVwithlotsof angles,lotsoftechnologyandlots ofweight(minimum2.5tonnes). Andlotsofpeoplearen’thappy, despiteitstillbeingincrediblyfast andcapable.

MaybeitwouldhelpifBMW turneditintoastationwagon,and thendoubterscouldstopbeing annoyedattheprofligacyofa once-classicsedanandbewowed bytheperversepleasureofalowto-the-ground(i.e.notanSUV) practicalfamilyhaulerwith 1000Nmoftorque.

Ohhangon,itjustdid.Meetthe TouringversionoftheseventhgenerationM5;althoughthisis actuallyonlythethirdtimeBMW MhasmadeanM5wagonversion inthesedan’s41-yearhistory.

TheM5isstillaphenomenal machinebyanymeasure.The combinationofa4.4-litrebiturbo V8andplug-inhybridsystem (18.3kWhbattery,69kmelectric range)producesacombined 535kW/1000Nm.

No,it’snotquiteasfleet-of-foot asM5sprevious,butits performanceandhandling abilitiesarestaggering.Andifyou lovedscienceexperimentsat school,you’lllovethisM5:virtually everyaspectofthecarcanbe configuredtoyourliking individually(everythingfrom enginetobrakingfeel),withthe abilitytosavefavourite combinationsviathebigredM1 andM2buttonsonthesteering wheel.

Honestly,youcouldownthis thingforyearsandstillnotgetto thebottomofthedynamic possibilities.

Andyes,youcandialbackthe AWDintoaRWD“driftmode”. You’dhavetobeverybrave/skilled todothatinthiscar.Anddefinitely beonaracetrack.

TheTouringisexactlythesame specificationasthesedan,except foranadditional50kg(which doesn’tmatterajotina2.5-tonne car)andthefactthatit’sawagon.

Whichwillalwaysmakeitcooler amonganenthusiastcrowd,but especiallywhenitlookssomuch betterthanthesedan,whichhas someless-than-ideal-looking anglesfromtherear.

Intruth,it’snotassuperpracticalasalargewagoncould be,becausethetailgateaperture

isrelativelynarrow.Andpossibly becausetheplushcarpetand surroundingtrimiswaytoonice todirtyup.Butforapaltryextra $4k(thisisa$251,000machine, remember),thishasgottobethe pick.

Sinceyou’reasking,that awesomecolourisIsleofMan

GreenandtheinteriorisBMW IndividualleatherinKyalami Orange.Goon,youknowyou wantto.

ThisM5Touringpartlyexists becauseBMWhasbeenpleasantly surprisedbytheresponsetothe M3CompetitionTouring,which looksevencoolerbutisn’t

BREAKITDOWN BMWM5TOURING

POWERTRAIN: 4.4-litretwinturbopetrolV8withplug-in hybridsystemincluding 18.6kWhbatteryandelectric motor,8-speedautomatic, AWD

OUTPUT: 535kW/1000Nm (combined)

EFFICIENCY: 1.7l/100km (3P-WLTP),EVrange69km

SIZE: 5096mmlong,2551kg

PRICE: $251,000

+ Outrageousperformance, betterlookingthanthe sedan,muchcoolerthanthe sedan

— It’saheavything,cargo areanotasspaciousasyou mightbeexpecting DRIVENCARGUIDE.CO.NZ

anywherenearascomfortable/ capableasaday-to-daydriveras theM5Touring;althoughit’sa muchmorenimbleperformance machineforsure.

HowlongthisTouring resurgencecarriesonbeforeSUVs destroyusallremainstobeseen, butwe’relovingit.

Euroflair

with extrachairs

ThePeugeot5008looksgreatand impresseswithitspracticality

We’vereviewedhalfof thiscaralready.The Peugeot5008ispretty muchidenticaltothe3008fromthe B-pillarforward:thestyling, outrageous(butsoexcellent) dashboarddesignand1.2-litre three-cylinderpetrolenginewith 48-voltmildhybridsystemdriving thefrontwheels.Whichisn’treally “mild”inourbook,becausethere’s anelectricmotorinthetransmission thatcanpowerthewheels...but hey,that’swhatPeugeotcallsit.

This008-pairarebasedonanewgenplatformthat’soptimisedfor pure-electric,butcanalsoaccept plug-inhybridandcombustionengines(includingpetrolelectrified).Sothere’saworldof possibilityhere,althoughlocal importerAutoDistributors(ADNZ) isstayingclosetocurrentKiwi customerpreferenceand concentratingonnon-plug-in hybridsfornow.

Wedigress.FromtheB-pillar backinthe5008,there’sa162mm stretchinthewheelbase,245mm extralengthoverallandaproperly squared-offroofline(the3008is quitecoupe-like)tocreateasevenseatcabinandlotsofluggage volume.

Butwereckonthe5008addsa lotmorethanjustspaceandseats. The3008hasacertainquirkysense ofproportion,butthemoreSUVlikeprofilereallygivesthe5008 presenceandasenseofstyling balance.Itlooksgreat.

Asapassengervehicle,there’sa

lottorecommendit.Thelonger wheelbaseliberatessomeserious legroomforthesecond-row occupants,andtheseatsarenicely shaped—albeitwiththat40/20/40 splittocontendwithifyouliketo spreadout.

NICECLIMATECONTROLUNIT FORTHESECONDROW,AND THERE’SASEPARATEREAR BLOWERANDAIRFILTER.PLUS THOSEVERYFRENCHPULL-UP SHADESFORTHESIDE WINDOWS.

Butit’salsofairtosaythenew 5008isabitless...MPV-ishthan previousgenerations.Stillvastly morepracticalthanyouraverage SUV,withathree-partsecondrow thattiltsandslides,andapairof third-rowchairsthatfoldflatto

BREAKITDOWN

PEUGEOT5008GTHYBRID

POWERTRAIN: 1.2-litre

3-cylinderturbo-petrol,48-volt mildhybridsystemwith integratedelectricmotor, 6-speeddual-clutch automatedtransmission,FWD

OUTPUT: 110kW/230Nm

EFFICIENCY: 5.4l/100km (WLTP)

SIZE: 4791mmlong,1705kg

createatrulyenormous916-litre bootinfive-seatconfiguration(the 3008has588l,whichisalsopretty good).

Butaccesstothethirdrowisn’t exactlyeasy;secondrowseatsfold andslide,butdon’ttilt.Andwhile the3008bit(thefront,inother words)boastsnumerouscapacious storagebinsandslotstocontain yourstuff,there’sverylittleofthat sortofthingfortherearoccupants. Niceclimatecontrolunitforthe secondrowthough,andthere’sa separaterearblowerandairfilter. PlusthoseveryFrenchpull-up shadesforthesidewindows.

It’snotsupposedtobeadriver’s car,butthere’splentytoenjoy aboutthe5008.Thelittlethreecylinderengineiseagerandmakes interestingnoises;thehybrid systemisunobtrusive,butyoucan

PRICE: $67,990

+ Distinctivestyle(noteasy withanSUV),fizzy-butthriftyengine,practical seatingconfigurations Notascleverlypackagedas previous5008s,notasmany surprise-and-delight featuresinthebackasyou mightexpect DRIVENCARGUIDE.CO.NZ

certainlyfeelalittleEV-creepin stop-starttraffic.

Thepowertrain,withadual-clutch automatedtransmission,stilltakes asecondtogatheritsthoughtsfrom astandstill,orkickdownatspeed forovertaking,soyouhavetofactor thatintoyourdrivingstyle.Butonce it’supandrunningit’sadelight,and itlovestoworkhard.

The5008is132kgheavierthan the3008,soyes,it’sslower:ittakes awholeextrasecondtoreach 100km/h,withasprinttimeof 11.3sec.

Buteventhe3008favours

comfortoversportiness,andthe 5008’sextrawheelbaselength furtherimprovesrideandhigherspeedstability. Andthe3008bitscontinueto surpriseanddelight.The dashboardiscrammedwith interestingmaterialsand interestingillumination,thelow-set steeringwheelandhigh-set instruments(nowPeugeot-normal) appealmoreeverytimewe experiencethem,andtheslightly murkyinfotainmentOSisbalanced outbyclever“i-Toggles”inthe centreconsole—atouch-screenof

10shortcutsthatyoucanselectand arrangetosuit.

You’llprobablyonlybe consideringthe5008overthe3008 ifyouhavepeopleorcargotocarry; it’sactuallyquiteabigcar,nearly aslongasaHyundaiSantaFe(to pickanotherslightlystrangelookingseven-seater).

And$4000moreexpensivethan itssmallersibling.

We’dbeinclinedtogoforthe 5008overitsmorecurvaceous siblingregardless.Itlooksgreat, ridesbetterandimpresseswithits practicality.

Andjustforcontext,arepriseperformancefromthe Peugeot3008.It’sstructurallysosimilartothe5008, yetalsoaverydifferentcar,theshorterwheelbase combinedwiththeslopingtailgatetocreateanSUVcoupeshape.

Comparedtothe5008,there’stwiceasmuchchoice withthe3008forKiwicustomers–bywhichwemean onemoremodel.

The3008openswiththeAllureat$56,990,although

youstillgetthe1.2-litrehybridengine.

Thestepuptothe3008hybridGTtakesyouto $63,990andasimilarlevelofspecificationtothe 5008GT.

ThisincludesPixelLEDlights,hands-freepower tailgate,upgradedinteriortrimwitheight-colour ambientlighting,360-degreecamerasandextra driver-assistancefeaturessuchasadaptivecruise, lane-changeassistandfrontparkingsensors.

AIRAND

Nevermindthe confusinghistoryof theMercedes-Benz CLE,justenjoya stylishspring

turbofour-cylinderpetrolengine withhelpfroma48-voltmild hybridsystem,sendingpowerto allfourwheelsviaanine-speed automatictransmission.

ThelifecycleofMercedesBenzcoupesandcabrios hasseenacurious evolutionovertheyears.Wayback in1996,thecompanyintroduced anewmodelcalledtheCLKthat replacedthepreviousW124and A124E-Classcoupeandcabriolet. Butwhileitmayhavelookedlike anE-Class,itactuallysatonW203 C-Classunderpinnings. Mercedesthensetabout makingthingsevenmore confusing,bymakingtheCLK officiallyanE-Classin2009,even thoughitstillusedtheplatform fromtheW204C-Class.

Atthesametimeasthat,the fairlyhorridCLC-Classthathad spawnedfromthe“SportCoupe” C-Classhatch(whichwasa desperatecut-and-shutpanic responsetotheslightlylesshorrid BMW3SeriesCompact)wasleft todeservedlywitheranddie,with aC-Classcoupereplacingit.Yep, thatwouldbetheW204C-Class fromabove.

EventuallytheE-Classcoupe/ cabriowouldactuallybecomean E-Classagainwiththeintroduction oftheW123in2016,whilethe C-Classwouldcontinueoffering coupeandcabrioversionsofthe W205introducedin2014.

Gotthat?Good,butdon’trelax yet,becausenowMercedeshas launchedtheCLE,acoupeand cabrioletdesignedtoreplaceboth theCandE-Classversionsand, thankfully,simplifythewhole messymid-sizeMercedescoupe situation.

TheCLEisroughlythesamesize astheoldE-Classcoupe/cabrio, whichmakesitonlyslightlylarger thantheoldC-Classcoupe/cabrio thathadgrownconsiderablyover theyears.Thecoupelaunched first,in2023,whilethecabriowas ayearlater,landinghereearlier thisyear.

TheCLE3004Maticcabriolet youseehereispoweredby Mercedes’190kWM2542.0-litre

Thisis...perfectlyadequate. ParticularlyforwhattheCLEis:it knocksoffthe0-100km/hsprintin 6.6seconds,whichisquitefrankly morethanquickenoughfora luxuriousfour-seaterconvertible, anditevenmanagestosound quitesnarlywhiledoingit.So that’sanicebonus.

ButwhattheCLEisreallyall aboutiscruisingwiththetopdown inluxuriouscomfort.Whichis somethingitdoesverywell indeed.

SomethingthatMercedeshas alwaysdoneverywellismakinga convertiblethatyougenuinelycan enjoywiththetopdownonacold day(ornight,whichisthebestway toenjoyone!),andtheCLEisno exceptiontothatrule.

Mercedes’clever“Airscarf”— basicallyaventinthefrontseat headreststhatblowswarmair downthebackyourneck—is standard,asisanewversionofthe “Aircap”systemthatisessentially thefinalbossformofawind deflectorthatpopsupfromabove thewindscreenandisextremely effectiveatredirectingtheairflow overthecabinratherthanintoit.

Whileit’sextremelyeffective,it doesalsomakeyourexpensive Mercedeslooklikethetopofthe windscreenhascomeaway,thanks toitselaboratedeploymentand tallstance.Still,it’sasmallprice topayforcosyandcomfortable toplessmotoringonacoldday, plusitalsoensuresthatyourhair remainsfirmlyunmolestedbywind withthetopdown.

Withthetopup,theCLEcabrio couldbemistakenforthecoupe frominsidethecabin,asthetop isimpressivelysoundproofed, makingthetop-upexperienceas luxuriousasyouwouldexpect fromaBenz.Likewise,rideand handlingareverymuchinlinewith thecoupe,withthesamefirmly controlledchassisandAWD confidence.

Allofthispresentsinapackage thatiseverythingyouwould expectabigMercedes-Benz cabriotobe:comfortable, luxuriousandsuperblycomposed, withoutanysurprises,bador good.No,itdoesn’tdoanything mind-bowinginthesegment,but itstillperfectlydefinesit.

It’sgameonwith Logitech’snew direct-drivewheel andMcLaren collaboration

Logitechhasfullyrevealedits newline-upofGgaming gear,andit’sgoodnewsfor racingsimfans.Notonlywerethe firstnewproductsfromthe McLarencollaborationrevealed, buttherewasalsothenewRS50 modularwheelandpedalsset-up that,inafirstforLogitech,brings amid-rangeunitwithadirectdrive basetoitsline-up.

WhileLogitechhasoneofthe largestfootprintsinthecasualsim racingarena,ithaspreviouslyonly playedintheextremeendsofthe segmentbyofferingtheexcellent gear-drivenG29/G290/G293 $300-$500entrylevelwheels, beforejumpinguptothe$2000 direct-driveGProracingwheel. TheRS50splitsthisandbrings direct-drivetechnologydowntoa moreaffordablelevelwithits $1399pricetag.

What’ssogreataboutdirect drive,Ihearyouask?Gear-driven wheelsuse,asthenamesuggests, aseriesofgearstodirecttheforce feedbacktothewheel,whichisa cheaperset-up,butlacksinfine detail,whereasdirectdrive connectsthewheeldirectlytothe motor,pumpingmoretorque directlytothedriverwhich producesfaster,moreprecise responses.

Direct-drivewheelsaremore expensivetoproduce,sohave tendedtositattheprofessional/ seriouslydedicatedamateurlevel. Logitech’smovetobringthemore preciseset-updowntoa consumer-levelpricepointis significant,mainlybecausethelast fewyearshasseentherapidrise ofsmallercompetitorsintroducing direct-driveunitsatlowerprices.

FEEL

the FORCE

TheRS50packs8Nmoftorque (comparedtothe11NmoftheG Prowheelandjustover2Nmof theG293)and2700degreesof rotation.Itcomesintwoforms— onecompatiblewithPCand PlayStation4/5,andone compatiblewithPCandXboxOne andXboxSeriesX/S.

Anotherfeaturethatsetsthe RS50apartfromtheG29/G293is aquickreleasesteeringbossthat alsoallowstheuseofanew expandedwheelrange,aswellas customset-upsandarangeof Momosteeringwheels.

LiketheG293,theRS50 incorporatesLogitech’s “TrueForce”proprietaryhaptic systemthatusesboththe

feedbackfromagamesphysics systemandaudioforamore detailed,precisefeedback.

LogitechGhasalsoreleaseda newsetofRSpedalstogowith theRS50wheel. Theseincludea75kg-capable loadcellbrakepedal(which providesimprovedbrakefeeland theabilitytocustomisethe amountofbrakepressure)anda hall-effectthrottlepedal.An optionalclutchpedalwillbe availableseparately. Logitechmadeabigdealout

oftheamountofattentionitpaid tostabilitywhendevelopingthe newRSpedals,andassuchtheunit featuresasteelframewith extendersthatreachouttheback topreventtippingunderbraking, alongwithimprovedcarpetgrips andsmallfeetontheendofthe extendersthatcanflipuptoact asawallbrace.

BoththeRS50andpedalscan becustomisedinLogitech’sGHub softwareforPCandMac,and featureanon-boardmemorythat allowanytweakstobecarriedover

ontoconsoles.Logitech’sexisting GRacingadaptoralsoallowsfor increasedmodularity,withthe pedalsthatcomewithaG29or G293beingcompatiblethrough theadaptorsothatexisting G29/G293ownerscanupgrade graduallywithouthavingtoshell outforawheelandpedalsinone go. OntheMcLarensideofthe equationwegetthenewRS FormulaWheel,theMcLaren EditionAstroA50XLightspeed headsetandbasestation,andthe

spectacularPlaySeatFormula Instinctcockpit. Thenewwheelismodelledafter theunitusedinMcLaren’sMC38 F1car(albeitmodifiedtosuitsim racing,asapparentlythereal wheeldidn’tgelwellwithtesters) andisbuiltfromaluminiumand glass-filledpolycarbonate. ItiscompatiblewithboththeG ProandnewRS50wheelbases and,inanicetouchhasBruce McLaren’siconic“Lifeismeasured inachievement,notinyears alone”quoteinscribedonthe back.

Theheadsetisareskinof Logitech’sexcellentAstroA50X, butinastrikingshadeofMcLaren’s signaturePapayaorangeand featuresgraphenedriversanda 48KHzmicrophone,aswellasdual devicemixingthatalsoallowsa phonetobeconnectedalongside theconsole/PC.

PlaySeatFormulaInstinct LogitechGMcLarenRacing Editioncockpit(togiveitsfull, ratherwordyname)isa collaborationbetweenLogitech andPlaySeatthatpacksasteeland aluminiumframe,andaslimline racingseatall,ofcourse,liveried inMcLarenPapayaorange.

TheRS50wheel,RSpedalsand theMcLarenA50Xheadsetand PlaySeatwilllaunchnextmonth, withtheMcLarenRSFormula wheelscheduledforQ12026.

Thrillstothe

POWEROFTHREE

AGT3withthe WeissachPackage andmanual gearbox:Porsche 911sdon’tcome muchpurerthan this

Sowheredowestart?A Porsche911isspecial.A Porsche911GT3isvery special:theroadgoingmodel that’smostcloselyrelatedto motorsportandalwaysreadyfor atrack-attack.APorsche911GT3 withtheoptionalWeissach Packageissomethingnewforthis modelandvery...yougetit.

Oh,andaPorsche911GT3 WeissachPackagewitha conventionalmanualtransmission isalloftheabove,withanextra pedalandenthusiastappealto spare.

Inlong-timePorschetradition, theupdated911GT3doesn’tlook muchdifferentfromtheprevious one.There’sbeensomeminor tweakingofspoilersand aerodynamicsfrontandrear, includingafewsuspension componentsfromtheGT3RSto enhancethedynamicdemeanour andreducepitchingunderbrakes athighspeed.

TheWeissachPackageisa familiarthingforVerySerious Porschesbut,incredibly,hasnever beenofferedontheGT3.Until now.

Ourcaristhusequipped,which addsawhopping$44,450tothe alreadywhopping$435,900base price.Itbringsalotofcarbonfibre reinforcedplastic(CFRP), includingthebonnetandroof;so yes,thatcarbonstripeisthenaked panelunderneaththepaint,rather thanameredecal.

Theinteriorfeaturesarearroll cage(carbonfibre),lightweight doorpanelsandmanyWeissach Packagelogos.Ourparticularcar isalsofittedwithlightweight bucketseats(another$12,310)that featureremovablehead-restraint padding,providingamore hollowed-outplaceforyour helmet.

Thechassisalsogainscarbon fibrefortherear-axleanti-rollbar andcouplingrods.

Trackdrivingisatleasthalfof theGT3’sintendedpurposeinlife. Butit’salsostillverymucharoad car,andstillquiteanexperience evenatmoresensiblespeeds.

BREAKITDOWN

PORSCHE911GT3

POWERTRAIN: 4.0-litre

petrol6-cylinder,6-speed manual,RWD

OUTPUT: 375kW/450Nm

EFFICIENCY: 15.2l/100km (WLTP)

SIZE: 4750mmlong,1462kg

PRICE: $435,900

+ Arguablythepurestofall 911s,hard-edged soundtrack,exquisite attentiontodetail

Ourcarclimbingtowards half-a-milliondollarswith options,trickytogetaclean startwiththeGT3clutch DRIVENCARGUIDE.CO.NZ

There’sagreatsenseofoccasion juststartingup;whiletheGT3 adoptstheall-digitalinstrument panelofothernew-gen911s,you canstillhavealargecentralrev counterdisplayedandunlikethe lessermodels,itretainsthefauxkeytwiststarter.Asmallthing,but itcounts.

Andthentheenginewoofles intolife.Noneofthis turbochargednonsenseforthe GT3.Itstillhasamotorsportinspirednaturallyaspirated 4.0-litre,whichawakeswitha grumblebutcanspinfreelyto 9000rpm.Ifpurityofpowertrainis importanttoyou,thisisstillthe 911tohave.

Speakingofpurity,oursisa manual.Porsche’sdual-clutch gearboxissensationalandthe two-pedalversionisstillhalfa secondquickerto100km/h,sowhy botherwithamanual?Whatasilly question.

Theshort-throw6-speedshifter isassweetastheycome:quick, preciseandsimplyexhilarating.It canalsomakeyoulookandsound likeaproperdriver,because there’sarev-matchingfunctionon thedownshift.Thegearratioshave

beenshortenedby8%compared tothepreviousmodel;partlyto helpaddressemissions,although italsobenefitsspiriteddrivingon theslowerkindsofbackroadswe haveinNZ.

Youcannothopetoapproach theGT3’shandlingcapabilitieson apublicroad.Tobehonest,it’s hardenoughapproachingthat 9000rpmredline,althoughit’s worththeriskforthehard-edged soundtrack.Theenginebenefits fromsomeRSbitstoo,including thecamshafts;althoughpower remainsunchangedfromthe previousGT3.

Butthebeautyisthatthis911, any911,stillfeelsdynamically

delightfulandsofullofcharacter atanyspeed.Thecartalkstoyou andonanengagingbackroad, there’senoughofthatclassic Porschesquat-and-thrustfeeling fromthechassistomakeyoufeel you’reonthelimit.You’renot.Not thecar’s,anyway.

Forallofitsmotorsportgenes, theGT3isstillprettyluxuriousand semi-practical.Thelow-speedride stillgetsyourattention,butyou can’tcomplaintoomuchabout thatforamotorsport-themed machine;Porscheisclearthe suspensionchangesareaimedat bettercontrolon-track.

Theoptionalbucketseatsare reallylow(youdropdowninto

themquiteaggressively),but remarkablycomfortablefordayto-dayuse.Andtheyfeaturea foldingbackrest,soyoucan indeedthrowshoppingintheback ...especiallyifyoudon’thavethe rollcage.

Infact,it’sworthpointingoutat thisstagethatyoucanalsohave theGT3inaTouringPackage specification,includingrearseats (afirstforthemodel).It’sless aggressivelooking,youcanstill havethemanualandyoucaneven addaLightweightPackage(albeit atanenormousextracostof $66,510)that’slessmotorsporty butstillbringslotsofCFRP.That’s atemptingbucket-listcar.

SweetsmellofSpyder

There’ssomethingawesomeaboutthisMaserati/AcquadiParmacollab.It’snottheperfume.

Wenormallyscoffwhen premiumcarmakers explore“synergies” withpremiumlifestylebrands.It’s normallyacueforsome pretentiouscopyandcheesy photography.

Alloftheaboveistrueof Maserati’scollaborationwith Italian“living”brandAcquadi Parma.Butthey’vealsototally drawusinbyincludingpicturesof astunning1970sGhibliSpyder,so it’stoolatenow.Let’spresson.

There’squiteabitofwaffle aboutthe“ArtofTravel”involved, butbasicallytheglamouritemin theAcquadiParmaxMaserati collectionisthecoffret(meaning acontainer,basically)inAcquadi Parma’ssignaturehat-boxshape. ItcontainstheAndiamoCar Diffuser,pairedwithaLucedi Coloniarefillandasetofdriving gloves(yes,really)inMaserati-blue nappaleather,trimmedwith yellowpiping.

TheCarDiffuserisfinishedin AcquadiParma’ssignatureyellow andembossedwiththeMaison’s emblemalongsideMaserati’s Trident.

Thecompaniessaysthe diffuser’s“circularshapeis inspiredbytheiconicboxes ofAcquadiParmaandisa perfectfitforanyinterior withitssimpleandintuitive mountingsystemthat allowsforeasymagnetic attachmenttothecar’s ventilationgrill”.

Thefragranceisdiffused viathevehicle’saircirculation system.Thefragrancescomein specialrefillsthatcanbereplaced anytime.

Please,pleasedon’truinyour classicGhibliSpyderbyclamping abrightyellowdiffuserontothe

ventilationgrilles. Thegloves, “designedfor comfortandgrip,are fingerless, perforatedatthe knuckles,and fastenedwithtoneon-tonelaseretchedbuttons”. Andactually,they’d probablybequite appropriateforyour classicGhibliSpyder.

There’salsothe PassepartoutLeatherCharmwith yellowstitchingandtheMaserati logoonthecharm,plusa12ml

ColoniaEaudeCologne.Hangit onyourbag...notonthecar. TheAcquadiParmaxMaserati ArtofTravelcoffretislimitedto 100piecesandwillbesold exclusivelyatAcquadiParma boutiquesinMilan,Rome,SaintTropez,andParis.Ofcourse. Whichalsoconvenientlymeansit doesn’thavetoquotetheprice, unlessyoucanshowupatoneof thoselocations.We’dsayprepare forashock.

A“limitednumber”ofcar diffuserswillalsobeofferedatthe abovementionedboutiquesand onthebrand’se-commerce platform.

Spring Cleanout Cleanout.

Financeavailablefrom NoDepositandNoRepaymentsfor6months.* Springisthetimeforfreshstarts. Clearoutthegarageandrefreshyourdrivewaywitha SpringCleanoutdealacross20+globalbrandsnationwide.

DriveintoSpringwith outstandingsavings onselectdemonstrators andqualityusedvehicles.

Plus,foralimitedtimeenjoyacomplimentarygift^ withpurchase tokeepyourcarfreshandcleanfortheroadahead.

*Nopaymentsfor6monthsavailableonallnewandusedvehiclespurchasedfromanArmstrong’sdealerandfinancedbyHeartlandBankbetween1stSeptemberand30thSeptember2025.Thisofferis availablefromnodeposit,subjecttoapproval.Afixedinterestratewillapplyovertheselectedloantermwithrepaymentsdeferredfor6monthsfromthefinancestartdate.Maxloantermis60-months.The 6-monthdeferredpaymentperiodisnotinterest-freeanddeferredpaymentswillbespreadovertheremainingmonthsoftheapprovedterm.Intereststillaccruesduringnopaymentperiod.Overallinterest costswillbehigherasaresultwhencomparedtoanon-deferredloan.Principalandinterestloansonly.Loanswithballoonrepaymentsarenotapplicable.SubjecttoHeartlandBankLimited’sresponsible lendingcriteria,terms,conditionsandfeesapply.Includinganestablishmentfeeof$130,PPSRFeeof$7.39andaBrokerFeeupto$495.Offerends30thSeptember2025.^Giftavailableonlyuponpurchase ofdemonstratororusedvehiclesbetween1st–30thSeptember2025.Giftnotredeemableforcashandissubjecttoavailabilityattimeofpurchase.ComplimentarygiftexcludesMercedes-BenzBotany, Christchurch,Dunedindemonstratorvehicles.

HOMESWELOVE

IT’STIME FORA CHANGE

ByLouiseRichardson

“I thinkthishousewasalready aheadofitstime,design-wise, whenmywifeKarenandIbought itin2013,”saysownerDavid,oftheir centralParnellhome.

Thesolidmasonryexecutivedwelling, whichwascompletedaround2005,is extremelysubstantialataround600sqm–includingcovereddecks–andsitsona generous716sqmlevelsite,providingall thespaceDavidandKarenwerelookingfor withtwothen-youngsonsandtwin daughterstoaccommodate.

“Italsohadtheflexibilityweneededfor guestsbecauseI’mBritishandKarenis fromSouthAfricawhichmeansweoften havefamilyandfriendstostayforlong periodsoftime,”hesays.

“Ourgirlslearnedtoride

theirbikesontheturntable. Itwasjustperfect.”

Aswellaslookingafterthehouse diligently,DavidandKarenhaveadded theirowntouches,particularlyintheform ofstylishbuilt-infittedfurnitureinthe livingareasandbedrooms,createdby craftsman-designerWimDe+Bruin.

“Itdoesn’tonlylookgood,it’salsobeen greatforkeepingthefamilyorganised,” saysDavid.

Hesaysthatthehome’slayoutwas obviouslyverycarefullyconsideredbythe peoplewhobuiltit,withthecool, contemporaryMorganCroninkitchen situatedonthetoplevel,formingtheheart ofcasualdiningandlivingareas.

Alsoonthisfloorisaguestpowderroom andformalloungewhereadultscanescape thedinofeverydaylife.

Thegiantdeckbeyondisreachedvia glassdoorsandcanbeusedyear-round, thankstooutdoorheatersandalouvred roof.

Afullyequippedmediaroom,starson themiddlelevel,alongwithanimpressive winecellar,whichisDavid’sprideandjoy.

Twodoublebedroomsenjoyensuites, andthepalatialmastersuitehasan

elegant,tiledbathroom,enviablewalk-in wardrobe,gasfireplaceandsunnyprivate deck.

Therearetwobedrooms–onewith ensuite–andarumpusroomorgym downstairs(completewithkitchenette), plusaccesstotheheatedpool.

Anelevatorthatrunsbetweenfloors providesdramawhenit’slitupatnight, whileanautomaticturntablemakesgetting inandoutofthetriplegaragingeasy.

“Ourgirlslearnedtoridetheirbikeson

theturntable.Itwasjustperfect,”he laughs.

After12happyyears,DavidandKaren haveentrustedthemarketingoftheirhome toGaryandVickiWallace,ofBayleys,who soldittothemoriginally.

“Itfeelslikewe’regoingfullcircle–they alreadyknowthepropertyverywell,” Davidsays.

Vickinotesthatnotonlyhavethe couplelookedafter22ABrightonRoad meticulously,they’vealsoaddedvalue.

“They’vedonesomelovelylandscaping work,andthefittedfurnitureisvery stylish.”

ShesaysthattheParnelllocationisa hugeadvantage–justashortwalkfrom shops,eateriesandpublictransport,with theCBDinonedirectionandNewmarket intheother.

TheirboyshavelefthomesoDavid, Karenandtheirdaughters,now16,are downsizingalittle.

“There’snothinglikeachange,”hesays.

5 Bedrooms|3Living|5Bathrooms Freehold1,061sqm

ForSale: Pricebynegotiation View:Byprivateappointment bayleys.co.nz/1755053

Landmarkinthemaking

Thewordlandmarkisoften overused–butinthecaseof 2NewStreet,there’snoquestion.

Thisdevelopmentispoisedtobecome SaintMarysBay’snewestarchitectural icon–astatementofrefinement, permanence,andprestigeinoneof Auckland’smostcovetedsuburbs.

CommandingthecornerofNewStreet andCollegeHill,thebuildingoccupiesan addressthatblendsvibrancyandserenity.

PonsonbyRoad,theViaductand WynyardQuarterareallashortstroll away,whilethequiet,tree-linedstreetsof SaintMarysBayprovideacalmbackdrop todailylife.

Seasonedinternationaldevelopers LighthousePropertyDevelopmenthave assembledapowerhouseteamfortheir projectinSaintMarysBay–theaward winningduoofLeuschkeGroupArchitects andIzzardDesign.

Theirsharedvisionisamajestic statementbuildingworthyofthis prominentsite.

Withitssculpturalform,textured brickworkanddarkbronzeaccents,the designisbothcontemporaryandtimeless–anhomagetoSaintMarysBay’sstately neighbourhoods.

CraftedinBelgium,thesebrickscreatea fac¸adeoftimelesselegance.Asthefaceof thebuilding,wechosenottocompromise onquality–optingforthefinest.

Thedevelopmentispurposefully boutique,offeringjust15luxuryresidences –eachthoughtfullydesignedtofeellightfilledandairy.

Withacovetedcornersitedrawinglight fromthreesides,acentralatriumand generousstudheightsenhancethesenseof space.

Inside,theinteriorsareasrefinedasthe architecture.Richtimbers,naturalstones andblackenedbrasscreateapaletteof understatedluxury.

Herringbonefloorsandplushwool carpetsaddtactilewarmth,whileMiele appliancesandEV-readyside-by-side parkingensuremodernconvenience.

Individuallybespokeapartments comprisingofonetofourbedrooms,each withitsowncharacter,outlookandscale–fromvistasoftheHaurakiGulftosweeping citypanoramasandwesternsunsets.

Withmostapartments pricedfrom$1.4mto$6.25m, thereissomethingtosuita rangeofaspirations.

Withmostapartmentspricedfrom $1.4to$6.25million,thereissomethingto suitarangeofaspirations.

Thecollectioniscrownedbyafull-floor penthouse–ashowpieceofferinga 360-degreepanorama,atruestatementof grandeur.

Apointofdifferencewith2NewStreetis theabilityforthepurchaserstoengage withthedevelopertocustomisetheir individualapartments.

Layoutscanbeexpandedor reconfigured,ensuringourdiscerning purchasershavetheopportunitytoshape theirhometotheirexactneeds.

“Thiswasaboutcreatingsomething trulyspecial,”saysLighthouseDirector, MarkCooper.

“Ourpurchasersknowwhattheywant, andwe’vebuiltintheabilitytodeliverit.

“Importantly,ourbodycorporatefees areexceptionallycompetitive,adirect reflectionofthebuilding’sthoughtful designandhigh-qualityspecification.

“Withfeescircaonethirdlessthan comparabledevelopments,thisisa meaningfuldifferenceforlong-term owners.”

Andforthosewithfour-legged companions,2NewStreetispet-friendly.

MarketingagentsPaulaHalford,Peter TannerandJoeTelford,ofBayleys,report thatthedevelopmenthasalreadybeen verywellreceived,withstrongenquiryand buyersactivelyworkingthroughapartment layoutsalongsidethedevelopers.

“Interesthasbeenexcellent,”says Halford.

“2NewStreetenjoysaprimelocation justmomentsfromPonsonby’svibrant heart,yetitselevatedcornerpositionalso offerscalm,privacyandseparationfrom thebustle.

“Prospectivepurchasershavealsobeen captivatedbytheonsiteviewingtower, whichallowsthemtoexperiencethe uniqueoutlooksfromeachlevelfirsthand –culminatinginthepenthouse’s 360-degreepanorama,atruespectacle.”

SitesofthiscalibreinSaintMarysBay arealmostimpossibletosecure.

Thatscarcity,combinedwiththedesign pedigreeanduncompromisingexecution, ensures2NewStreetismorethanjusta development–itisaonce-in-a-generation opportunitytoownapieceofarchitectural legacyinoneofAuckland’smost prestigioussuburbs.

PAIGE’S PASSION PROJECT

ByAmyHoulihan

Fromthemomentshelaideyeson it,self-confessedmid-centurynut Paigeknewshehadtohavethis classicMeadowbankproperty.

“I’mamid-centuryfanthroughand throughandassoonasIsawthefrontofthe house,therewasnootheroptionforme.”

Oncethefamilyhadmovedintotheir newhome2020,theyundertookamajor renovationthatsoonevolvedintoan almost90%reworkandrefresh,withno expensespared.

It’screatedfarbetterfunctionality throughoutandincorporatedasuiteof stylishmodernmust-haves,whilestill retainingandcelebratingthesignature 70sstyle.Theinspiredreimaginationwasa truepassionprojectforPaigeandshe utilisedacompanycalledRarebirds Interiorstohelpexecutehervision.

PalmSprings-inspiredmodernist touchesmakethelivingenvironmenta feastforthesenses,withpopsoffuncolour, boldgeometricsandtactiletexture bringingthespacestolife.

Aswellasachichomagetotheera,there ismethodtothemadness,explainsPaige.

“Imetsomeonewhospecialisesin colourpsychologyininteriordesign.The bathroomispinkbecauseitstartsyourday rightandyoufeelgood,thenthesamegoes fortheyellowupthestairs.Itplaysinto thatemotionandpersonality–you’renot justinawhitebox.Boring!”

Therenovationwasn’tallabout aestheticsandit’sfairtosaythisisnowa “newold”house.

“Thebathroomispink becauseitstartsyourday rightandyoufeelgood, thenthesamegoesforthe yellowupthestairs.”

“Whenweboughtitnoneofthehouse wasinsulated,soIfullyreframed, insulated,jibbedandpainted,redidallthe lightingandelectrics,andputthedouble glazingin.”

Thefloorplanwasalsoreworkedto maximisespace,createbetterconnection andformasocialhubupstairsintheopenplanliving,diningandhigh-specwalnut kitchenzone.Asoaringwallofglassfloods theareawithnorthernlightandsun,while bifoldsopenouttotheLouvreTec-covered

entertainer’spavilionandoutdoor fireplace,wraparounddecks,anda sparklingpoolandspathatareall envelopedwithinlush,landscapedgardens andlevellawns.

Thetwo-levelfloorplanincorporates threebedroomsandthefamilybathroom upstairs,whilethelowerlevelfeaturesa self-containedrumpusroomwith kitchenettethatiscurrentlyutilisedasa masterretreat,withitsownwardrobeand ensuite.

Whileseriouslybeautiful,thehouseis alsorobustenoughforanimalsandkids, saysPaige.

“Thecarpetswererippedupand replacedwithwoodenfloors.Icanhost playdateswithmydaughter’sfriendsand nothingcandowrong.”

Equippedwithsolarpanelsandcentral heatingandcooling,thehomealsoenjoys year-roundcomfortandefficiency.

Anelectricsecuritygateprovidesadded

Auction,October8

322

Matt Gibson,RayWhite, 0276296001

protectiontothepropertyandincluding thecarport,thereissecure,off-street parkingavailableforuptosixcars.

Paigesaysabsolutelyeverythinghas beendesignedtostandthetestoftimeand beeasilylookedafter.

“It’sbuiltlikeabrickshithouseandvery secure.Youcanopenthedoorsrightup andswiminthepoolandit’scompletely private.”

SalespersonMattGibson,fromRay White,saysthephonestartedgoingmad themorningthelistingwentlive.

“It’sstunning.WhenIsoldittothemin 2020,Ihad120groupsthroughandthat wasbeforetherenovation.

“Soit’soneofthosehousesandstreets thatholdappeal.Whatthey’vedoneis magicandit’soneofthosespecialhomes thatdon’tcomealongveryoften.

“Meadowbankissuchasought-after suburbandwhenahouseisfinishedtothis standard,it’sgoingtodrawbuyers.”

HOMESWELOVE SPONSORED

SCALE, VIEWSAND LIFESTYLE

Puttingtheirownstamponthe property they’djustbought–makingitintoatrueforever home,sawthecurrentownersofthis immaculateStMarysBayhome substantiallyupgradetheinteriorfollowing theirpurchasein2020.

“Itwasalreadylovely,butwe’vemadeit anextraspecialplace,”saysone.

Theclassic1920sbungalowsitselevated ona1448sqmsite–remarkablylargefor thiscity-fringeneighbourhood,anditeven boastsatriplegarage,pluscarport,whichis highlyunusualtoo.

Havinglandtothefrontandtherear enhancesthesenseofspaciousnessand seclusionwhilethecity,SkyTower, harbour,marinaandRangitotoviewsare unbeatable.

Inside,recentimprovementsinclude doubleglazing,upgradedpolishedtimber floors,newlypaintedwallsandasubtleyet sophisticatedlightingplan.

“Wereplacedthekitchenbenchtopsto naturalTajMahalstone,addedmodern hardware,newovensandaninduction cooktopandtweakedthelayouttomake betteruseofspace,”saystheowner.

Aspartoftheirrenovationthelaundry, combinedwithsculleryandmaster bedroomensuite–werealsocompletely transformedwithnewCalacattatiles, vanityandallnewmodernhardware.

Thekitchenissurroundedbyextensive livingspacearrangedindiscretezones–includingadiningarea,familyroomand informalliving.Alsoonthisfloorisa separateformalloungewithcharacterbay window.

“It’sarealentertainer’shouse,”saysthe owner.

Intermsofstructure,shesaysthatthe onlyrealchangewastakingdowna partitionwallonthetopfloor–betweenthe masterandanadjacentbedroom.Itwas previouslyusedasanurseryandisnowone oftwo“hisandhers”dressingrooms.

Theownersaysthattheresultingmaster suite,whichalsoincludesaluxuriousblack andwhite,double-sinkbathroom,is expansiveandrelaxingwiththeadded bonusofaprivatebalcony.

Twofurtherbedroomslieontheground

levelalongwiththethirdbathroomandan officenook.Thisallowsgoodseparationfor teenagersorworkingfromhome,butthe property’sappealdoesn’tendthere.

Apoolhouseformspartofthegarage complexandhasalivingarea,bathroom andstudiobedroomabove,withitsown deck.It’sidealforanaupair,orforvisitors, becauseit’spleasantforthemtohavetheir ownspace,theownersays.

Outdoorlivingareasincludeplentyof deckingaroundtheheatedpoolwithlush, easy-carelandscapingandmaturetrees addingextraappeal.

“Wealwaysfindithardtobelievethat we’relivingsocentrallybecausethisis suchaquietculdesacandtheairisalways fullofbirdsong,”shesays.

Sheaddsthatabackwalkwaythroughto WestwoodTerraceoffersquickaccessto JervoisRoadforshoppinganddining.

PeneMilne,fromNewZealandSotheby’s InternationalRealty,saysthisisan exceptionalproperty,whereland,harbour views,andlifestylealign.

“Atruefamilyoasis–anexceptional propertywherescale,viewsandlifestyle cometogetherinawaythatisrarelyfound minutesfromtheCBD.”

THISCONTENTWASCREATEDIN PARTNERSHIPWITHNZSOTHEBY’S

Sun-soakedmornings,longafternoonsonthedeck,andeasy indoor-outdoorliving,thisexceptionalfamilysanctuaryinvitesboth relaxationandconnection.Multiplelivingzonesontheground floorofferflexibility,whilebifoldwindowsopentoabar-style outdoorserveryandcoveredlouvreddeck,idealforsummerBBQs orcosywinterevenings.Aguestsuitewithensuiteandapowder roomensurecomfortforfamilyandvisitors.Upstairs,threerestful bedroomsincludeaprimarysuitewithwalk-inwardrobeand elegantensuite.JustashortstrolltoSacredHeartCollege,and withbeaches,parks,andcaféscloseby,thishomecombines lifestyleandconvenienceinasought-aftereasternsuburb.

$2,395,000

RichardThode 021336002

richard.thode@raywhite.com

MarkRoberts 0278081830

mark.roberts@raywhite.com

AUCTION

Astunninghomeinaprivatesettingwithbeach/mooringmakes thisaspecialhaven.Theuniquehouse,bymodernistarchitectLen Hoogerbrug,sitsattheendofasweepingdrivewaymaximising PutikiBayviews.Aspaciousinteriorisscrupulouslydetailed,with cedarshuttersonfloortoceilingglass,solidashdoors,Chant hardware,SEVREcolouredglass,ECClighting,passiveheating fromporcelaintilesandinterior/exteriorbrickwallsenhancedby skylightsandPyroclassicwoodburner,zincflashings&garagedoor. TheRobynLabbdesignedkitchen/pantryisabsolutelysuperbin polishedstainlesssteel.Thegardensareasuniqueasthehousedesigned&plantedasamaturewoodlandfullofcolour/character.

2:00pm,Saturday 1November,Onsite (unlesssoldprior) MatthewSmith 021924435

matthew.smith@raywhite.com

SETDATEOFSALE

2DTweedStreet,SaintMarysBay

IntheheartofSaintMarysBay,thiselegantthree-levelendterrace combinesstyle,comfort,andconveniencewithglimpsesofthe harbour.Thesun-filledmainlivingopenstoanorth-facingterrace, complementedbyadesignerkitchenwithpremiumfinishesand integratedappliances.Thegroundfloorhostsaguestsuite,office, courtyardgarden,anddoublegarage,whileupstairsfeaturestwo ensuitebedrooms.Themasterretreatincludesastudy,walk-inrobe andanamazingluxuriousbathroom.

raywhite.co.nz/GRY30963

LocalsGreyLynnLimitedLicensed(REAA2008)

NewListing

AUCTION

8SchofieldStreet,GreyLynn

4:00pm,Thursday9October 2025(unlesssoldprior)

View

ContactElaineForYourPersonal PrivateViewingTimes.

ElaineFerguson 0275345024

elaine.ferguson@raywhite.com

Steepedintraditionalcharm,yetperfectlydesignedformodernliving, thismagnificentvillaisastatementinrefinedelegance,sittingproudly abovethestreet.Behindthehome'stimelessfacade,theexpansive livingzoneopenstoalargewest-facingdeckwithfireplaceand manicuredgardens.Perfectforyear-roundentertaining,thisprivate oasisiscomplementedbyasleekkitchenwhileaseparateformal loungeoffersaquietretreat.Asensationalopportunitypositioned momentsfromGreyLynnPark,WestLynnandPonsonbyRoad.

raywhite.co.nz/GRY30657

LocalsGreyLynnLimitedLicensed(REAA2008)

6:00pm,Wednesday15October 2025,15WilliamsonAve,Grey Lynn(unlesssoldprior)

View

Sunday1:00-1:30pmand Wednesday12:00-12:30pmor ByAppointment

ScottWither 0212255988

scott.wither@raywhite.com

ChloeWither 021672191

chloe.wither@raywhite.com

AUCTION

3GoringRoad,Sandringham

Thisisyourchancetosecureanimmaculatelypresented,beautifully consideredhomeinoneofAuckland'smostdesirablelocations.

Behinditsclassicvillafacade,thehomeisbathedinall-daywarmthand sunshine,thecleverextensionhasbeendesignedtocapturethe goldenafternoonlight,makingeverydaylivinghereadelight.

Don'tmissthisexceptionalhome!

rwmteden.co.nz/EDN33773

JTRealtyLimitedLicensed(REAA2008)

NewListing

Auction

5:00pm,Wednesday8October, Inrooms,RayWhiteMtEden (unlesssoldprior)

View SaturdayandSunday 1:00-1:30pm orByAppointment

RobynEllson 021800891 robyn.ellson@raywhite.com

JoshPowell 021905234 josh.powell@raywhite.com

167OrakeiRoad,Remuera

Thisrare,much-lovedarchitecturalgemfromcirca1987enjoys gloriousspaceinagenerousprivatesunnygarden.Animmaculately maintaineddeceasedestate,itisperfectforafamilyseekingentrytoa topDGZlocation.Highpitchedtongue-and-grooveceilingsadd voluminousspacethroughoutandbigpicturewindowsframebeautiful leafygardenviews.

Move-inreadywithscopetoaddvalue-earlyoffersencouraged.

MeganJaffeRealEstateLimitedLicensed(REAA2008)

Auction

10:00amWednesday8October, Inrooms,411RemueraRoad (unlesssoldprior)

View SaturdayandSunday 2:00-2:30pm

HarryChamptaloup 0220363015 harry.champtaloup@raywhite.com

20E/9-17ByronAvenue,Takapuna Discoverluxurylivingonthe20thfloorofTakapuna'sboutiqueresort complex.Thisbespokepenthousewasfullyrenovatedtothehighest standardin2024.

Thisnorth-facing,174sqmresidencecapturespanoramicviewsof TakapunaBeach,theHaurakiGulf,Rangitotoandbeyondfromevery livingspaceandbedroom.

rwremuera.co.nz/RMU43874

MeganJaffeRealEstateLimitedLicensed(REAA2008)

NewListing

AUCTION

16AMaungareiRoad,Remuera

$3,695,000

View AsAdvertisedOnline orByPrivateAppointment

RossTierney 021855721 ross.tierney@raywhite.com

CarlRussell 021896783 c.russell@raywhite.com

Stylish,welcoming,andthoughtfullyupdated,16AMaungareiRoadisa characterbungalowdesignedforfamiliestogrowandenjoy.Withits warmRimufloors,versatilelivingspaces,andalow-maintenance outdoorarea,thishomebalancestimelesscharmwithmoderncomfort -idealforyoungparentslookingforahomethatworksashardasthey do.Nottobemissed.

*2024CVdoesnotreflectthequalityandupgradesofthisproperty

rwremuera.co.nz/RMU43762

MeganJaffeRealEstateLimitedLicensed(REAA2008)

12:00pm,Thursday9October, 411RemueraRoad,Remuera (unlesssoldprior)

View SaturdayandSunday 12:30-1:00pmand PrivateAppointment

FrazerMackenzie-Johnson 0211273711

frazer.mj@raywhite.com

JackCampbell 02108407269

jack.campbell@raywhite.com

101/85DaldyStreet,WynyardQuarter Sleekdesignandluxuryfinishesdefinethisexceptionalnorth-facing apartmentbasksinanabundanceofnaturallightandsunshine. Presentstwogenerousbedrooms,twoelegant bathrooms,securecarparking,aconvenientstoragelockerand wheelchairaccess.

12:30pm,9Oct2025,atLevel3, 246QueenSt,AucklandCentral (unlesssoldprior)

View SaturdayandSunday 1:00-1:30pm orByAppointment

GabrielaGalateanu 02041413853 gabriela.galateanu@raywhite.com

rwwynyardquarter.co.nz/WQR31638

CityRealtyLimitedLicensed(REAA2008)

Waterfrontraritywithpanoramicviews

ThiscontemporaryresidencecommandssweepingseaviewsacrosstheOrakeiBasinandAucklandCity’sskyline.Seton 1158sqmofprimefreeholdland(MixedHousingSuburbanZone),offersapproximately326sqmofversatileliving, designedforbothrelaxedfamilylivingandsophisticatedentertaining.Everylivingspaceandbedroominthiscarefully designedpropertyisorientedtocapturethespectacularwaterfrontoutlook,wherethepanoramashiftswiththeday, fromtranquilreflectionsatdawntoabreathtakingsunsetspectacleatduskwithAuckland’sskylineignitingin shimmeringlightsthatdanceacrossthewater,creatinganatmospherenothingshortofmagical. Overseasvendorsayssell-yourchanceatAuckland’scoastalparadise! bayleys.co.nz/1755028

4 3 3 1 2

Auction (unlesssoldprior) 10am,Wed1Oct2025

303RemueraRoad,Remuera,Auckland View Sat/Sun2-2.30pmorbyappointment

HarryCheng 0212306877

harry.cheng@bayleys.co.nz

CharlottePowdrell 0223615840

charlotte.powdrell@bayleys.co.nz

BAYLEYSREALESTATELTD,REMUERA,LICENSEDUNDERTHEREAACT2008

Firsttimeeveronthemarket!JustonehousebackfromRemuera’sWilsonsBeach,thismuch-lovedfamilyproperty offers1,075sqmoffreeholdland—ararechancetorenovateorredevelopinapremiercoastallocation. Heldbythesamefamilysince1872,279VictoriaAvefeaturesaprivate3-bed,2-bathCapeCod-stylehomewithdouble garage,sun-soakedpool,andsweepingviewstoNorthHead&theWaitematāHarbour. Modestinscale,richinhistory,andpackedwithpotential—thisisyourchancetosecureapieceofRemuera’sheritage. After75+years,thefamilyismovingtoaretirementvillageandthecountdowntosaleison.DisregardtheCV. bayleys.co.nz/1755040

3 2 2

Tender (unlesssoldprior) Closing4pm,Thu16Oct2025

303RemueraRoad,Remuera,Auckland View Sat/Sun3-3.30pm

SteveKoerber 021864166

steve.koerber@bayleys.co.nz

NilaKoerber 021723559

nila.koerber@bayleys.co.nz

BAYLEYSREALESTATELTD,REMUERA,LICENSEDUNDERTHEREAACT2008

AnadmiredWhitfordlifestyle

ExclusivelypositionedonWhitford’scoveted'CliftonPeninsula',thismuchadmiredlifestyleblockof1.9302ha(moreor less)pairsanimpressivemainresidencewithanelegantsinglelevel,two-bedroomcottage.Thisfabulouslifestyle propertyfeaturessun-filledlivingspaces,anall-weatheroutdoorloungewithfireplace,louvretecroof,andboasts seamlessflowtobeautifullymanicuredlawnsandasparklingheatedinground,saltwaterpool,offeringyear-roundfun forfamilyandfriends.Connectedbyacoveredwalkway,theimpeccablyfinishedcottageoffersitsownentrance,high ceilings,andgenerousliving,idealforguestsorextendedfamily.Featuringanorchard,extraparkingandpaddocksfor grazing,thisexceptionalpropertyclosetothebridlepathisalsoonlyashortdrivefromthenearbyPineHarbourMarina, foraferrycommutetoAuckland'sCBD.Pleasephoneformoredetailsorapriceguideasthisislifestylelivingatitsbest. bayleys.co.nz/1852480

PricebyNegotiation View Sat/Sun3-3.45pmorbyappointment AngelaRudling 0274770176 angela.rudling@bayleys.co.nz

MichaelChi 021886363 michael.chi@bayleys.co.nz

BAYLEYSREALESTATELTD,HOWICK,LICENSEDUNDERTHEREAACT2008

Youropportunityawaits!

Thissolidbrickandtilefourbedroom,twobathroomhomeofferscomfort,space,andplentyofpotential.Thehome’s designflowsseamlesslywithanopenplankitchen,dining,familyarea;complementedbyaseparatelounge.Themaster bedroomincludesensuiteandwalkinrobeandopensouttodecking.Openplanlivingflowsouttowestfacing, expansivecovereddecking-idealforall-yearroundenjoyment,withlarge,levellawnforchildrenandpetstoplay. Internaldoublegarageplusoff-streetparkingforcamperorjetskis.Under2kmstolaunchtheboat,playgolforenjoya coffeewithfriends.

Familywantssold-greatbuyinghere-don'tdelay! bayleys.co.nz/1154454

Iconiccharacterhomewithpositionandpotential

Onthemarketforthefirsttimein58years,thisoriginalhomeisbiggerthanitlooksandfullofperiodcharmandpotential. Featuringtimberpanelling,leadlights,fireplacesandasweepingstaircase,it’sarareopportunitytorestoreatrueclassic. Withfourbedroomsandtwobathrooms,thehomeoffersmultiplelivingareasincludingaformalloungewithparkviews, sunnyfamilyroom,diningroom,breakfastroom,kitchenandanupstairslivingspace.Manyroomsenjoyharbourviews andestablishedgardenson850sqmprovideapeacefulbackdrop.Asinglegarageandworkshopcompletetheproperty. Situatedoppositeaparkandplayground,andjustmomentsfromthewaterfront,Devonportvillage,excellentschools andtheferrytothecity,thislocationismuchcoveted. bayleys.co.nz/1470775

4 2 2 2

Auction (unlesssoldprior) 1pm,Thu23Oct2025

Bayleys,83MolesworthDrive,MangawhaiCentral View Sat/Sun1-1.45pmorbyappointment DianneChristensen 021741541 dianne.christensen@bayleys.co.nz RobbieRobertson 021959798 robbie.robertson@bayleys.co.nz MACKYSREALESTATELTD,BAYLEYS,LICENSEDUNDERTHEREAACT2008

Auction (unlesssoldprior) 1.30pm,Thu9Oct2025 28NorthcroftStreet,Takapuna View Sat/Sun11-11.45am LyndaBetts 0212783024 lynda.betts@bayleys.co.nz BAYLEYSREALESTATELTD,DEVONPORT,LICENSEDUNDERTHEREAACT2008

TimelessHerneBayhaven

Elevatedineverysense,thisHerneBayvillaonasoughtafterAvenuessitepresentsimpeccablefamilylivinginatruly prestigiouslocation.

Therearofthehomeiswheredailylifeunfoldswithease,offeringopenplanlivinganddiningdesignedforboth entertainingandeverydaycomfort.Agenerousgourmet-readykitchenanchorsthespace,completewithpremium appliancesincludingtripleovens,afreestandingislandandabundantstorage.Stepfromthediningdirectlyouttothe west-facingalfrescodeckandamanicuredgardenborderedbyhedging,atranquil,sun-drenchedescapewithabsolute privacy.Inthecoolermonthsretreattotheloungeforcosyrelaxationbythegasfireplace. bayleys.co.nz/1672701

Lifestyle–privacy,sun&parkviews

OverlookingWesternPark,thiscedar-cladterracedhomeoffersarareblendoftranquilityandcityconvenience.Bathed inall-daysunandsurroundedbybirdsong,it’shardtobelievePonsonbyRoadisjustatwo-minutestrollaway.Setacross twolevels,thegenerouslayoutfeaturesmultiplelivingzonesandanelevatednorth-eastaspectthatfillstheinteriorswith morninglightandlushparkviews.Theopen-planlivinganddiningspacesflowseamlesslytoasun-soakedwest-facing courtyard,whilethespaciousreardeck—partlycoveredbyaLouvretecsystem—isperfectforyear-roundentertaining. Privatelynestledamongstmaturetrees,thishomeoffersasenseofsanctuarywhilekeepingyouclosetocafés,boutique shopping,andsomeofAuckland’sbestdiningspots.WithWesternParkliterallyonyourdoorstep,you’llenjoytennis courts,walkingtracks,andanoff-leashdogareajuststepsaway.Thisisn’tjustahome—it’salifestyleyou’lllove. bayleys.co.nz/2157634

431sqm 4 2 2

Auction (unlesssoldprior) 2pm,Wed8Oct2025

BayleysHouse,30GauntStreet,AucklandCentral View 12.30-1pmSun28Seporbyappointment CristinaCasares 021333615 cristina.casares@bayleys.co.nz

BAYLEYSREALESTATELTD,PONSONBY,LICENSEDUNDERTHEREAACT2008

3 1 2 2

Auction (unlesssoldprior) 2pm,Wed22Oct2025

BayleysHouse,30GauntStreet,AucklandCentral Phoneforviewingtimes

TriciaLafferty 021611205

tricia.lafferty@bayleys.co.nz

KymAikin 021596222kym.aikin@bayleys.co.nz

BAYLEYSREALESTATELTD,WAIHEKE&GREATBARRIER,LICENSEDUNDERTHEREAACT2008

Cox’sBaycontemporary

LowMaintenanceArchitecturalLuxury

Arareopportunitytosecureaprestigiouscontemporaryoasisonthewater’sedge.Designedbyacclaimedarchitect DavidPontingofPontingFitzgeraldArchitects,thisthree-bedroommasterpieceoffersalifestylelikenoother, combiningstrikingdesign,seamlessindoor-outdoorflow,andbreathtakingoutlookacrossCoxsBay.

Theexpansiveopen-planlivingareaframesthepicturesqueCox’sBayboatshedsthroughfull-heightglazing.Thisentire spaceopenstoalargenorth-east-facingbalcony,floodingthehomewithnaturallightandprovidingastunning backdropoftwinklingHerneBaylightsbynight. bayleys.co.nz/1672725

Landmarkpenthouseliving

IgnoretheCVof$7,250,000.ForthefirsttimesinceSonata’scompletionin2023(BuchanArchitects),thiscoveted luxurypenthouseisofferedtothemarket.Thisiscontemporarylivingatitsbest,offeringyouapeacefulandluxurious retreathighabovethebustleofthebeachandvillagelife.Floor-to-ceilingwindowsoffermagnificentvistasacrossthe harbourandaleafycityscape.Light-filled,openplanlivingwithahigh-speckitchenandbutler'spantrymake entertainingeasy,flowingtothelargebalcony.Beautifulbedroomsandbathroomsprovideprivatespaces.Everypartof thismodernapartmentisthoughtfullyconsideredwithalltheextras.Secureparking,workshopandaprivatepathtothe heartofthevillagefordining,shopping,thelibraryandbeach.Inspectnow,vendorsareselling.

Sonata-craftedforluxury,composedforTheBayslifestyle bayleys.co.nz/1801078

3 2 2.5 2

Auction 2pm,Wed15Oct2025

BayleysHouse,30GauntStreet,AucklandCentral Phoneforviewingtimes

NickGilbert 021809413nick.gilbert@bayleys.co.nz

BAYLEYSREALESTATELTD,PONSONBY,LICENSEDUNDERTHEREAACT2008

0211963000 murray.wallace@bayleys.co.nz

SarahLiu 0211824701sarah.liu@bayleys.co.nz BAYLEYSREALESTATELTD,STHELIERS,LICENSEDUNDERTHEREAACT2008

Sun-soakedliving

Abeautifullymaintained,modernresidencetuckedaway attheendofapeacefulcul-de-sacinoneof Queenstown’smostestablishedanddesirable neighbourhoods.Bathedinsunshineandframedby expansivemountainviews,thishomeoffersspace, comfort,andalayoutperfectlysuitedtorelaxedliving andeffortlessentertaining.Positionedona708sqm (moreorless)north-facingsection,thehomeenjoys immediateproximitytolocalwalkways. bayleys.co.nz/4483399

Auction (unlesssoldprior) 11am,Fri17Oct2025

SofitelHotel,8DukeStreet,Queenstown View Sat12.45-1.15pm&Sat11.30am-12pm

orbyappointment

MoniqueSimpson 021312478

monique.simpson@bayleys.co.nz

HemiBrown 0275241962

hemi.brown@bayleys.co.nz

QUEENSTOWN&SOUTHERNNZREALTYLTD,BAYLEYS, LICENSEDUNDERTHEREAACT2008

Yourretreatawaits!

PositionedintheprestigiousJack’sPointcommunity, thisbrand-new,beautifullycraftedfour-bedroom,threebathroomhomeofferseffortlessmodernlivinginaworldclassalpinesetting.Spreadacrosstwolevels,this residencedeliverstheperfectblendofstyle,space,and sun-soakedcomfort.Stepintotheopen-plankitchen, diningandlivingarea,wherelargewindowsframe sweepingviewsofthemountainranges.Seamlessly extendingouttoaspaciousbalcony. bayleys.co.nz/4483420

SofitelHotel,8DukeStreet,Queenstown Phoneforviewingtimes

PhoebeSwale 0278438653 JimmyAllen 021676013 JessicaCoburn 021955558

QUEENSTOWN&SOUTHERNNZREALTYLTD,BAYLEYS, LICENSEDUNDERTHEREAACT2008

Astatementindesign

Positionedalongararefront-rowridgeline,113Spur RidgeRiseisaboldarchitecturalstatement-ahome purposefullydesignedtoelevatetheQueenstown lifestyle,bothliterallyandfiguratively.Architecturally designedbyGaryTodd,thisrecentlycompleted residenceiscladincedarandstoneandwasconceived tohonouritsextraordinarysetting-capturingradiant sunlightinonedirectionandofferingsweeping, uninterruptedviews. bayleys.co.nz/4483303

Waterfrontopportunity

PerfectlypositionedonFranktonRoad,theapartment offers365VACandenjoysdirectaccesstothelakeside walkingtrackandcapturesspectacularviewsacross LakeWakatiputoTheRemarkables.Setonasinglelevel, thelight-filledcornerunitfeaturesanopen-plankitchen andlivingareathatflowseffortlesslytoaprivate balcony.Aspaciousbedroom,largemoderntiled bathroom,andtheconvenienceofanallocatedcarpark completethepicture.

bayleys.co.nz/4483417

Primeopportunity

LocatedjustmomentsfromQueenstownCBD,this residenceoffersacompellingdual-incomeopportunity comprisingofathree-bedroomhomeplusanattached two-bedroom,self-containedunitwithasuccessful rentalhistory.ZonedHigh-DensityResidential,thissite offersexcellentscopeforfuturedevelopment. OpportunitiesofthiscalibreincentralQueenstowndon’t lastlong.

bayleys.co.nz/4483421

(unlesssoldprior) 11am,Fri17Oct2025

SofitelHotel,8DukeStreet,Queenstown View Sat10.30-11amorbyappointment

BeataPociecha 0211215738

beata.pociecha@bayleys.co.nz

QUEENSTOWN&SOUTHERNNZREALTYLTD,BAYLEYS, LICENSEDUNDERTHEREAACT2008

Boundarylinesareindicativeonly

622sqm 5 2

Auction (unlesssoldprior) 11am,Fri17Oct2025

SofitelHotel,8DukeStreet,Queenstown

MadelineBraun 0277417747

madeline.braun@bayleys.co.nz

SarenaGlass 0275896133

sarena.glass@bayleys.co.nz

SarahMcBride 021790156

sarah.mcbride@bayleys.co.nz

QUEENSTOWN&SOUTHERNNZREALTYLTD,BAYLEYS, LICENSEDUNDERTHEREAACT2008

640sqm 4 3 2

PricebyNegotiation View byappointment MoniqueSimpson 021312478 monique.simpson@bayleys.co.nz HemiBrown 0275241962 hemi.brown@bayleys.co.nz

QUEENSTOWN&SOUTHERNNZREALTYLTD,BAYLEYS, LICENSEDUNDERTHEREAACT2008

Mustbesold

Completedin2023,thismodernpropertyoffersfour generousbedrooms,eachwithitsownprivateensuite, plusaguesttoilet.Anexcellentoptionforstaff accommodationorbuyersseekingstrongrentalreturns. Theopen-plankitchen,dining,andlivingareasflow seamlessly,complementedbyawell-equippedpantry anddedicatedstudynook—perfectforentertainingor relaxingwhiletakinginthestunningviews.Fullyfenced plusasinglegarage.

bayleys.co.nz/4483396

512sqm 4 4 1

Auction (unlesssoldprior) 11am,Fri17Oct2025

SofitelHotel,8DukeStreet,Queenstown View Sat1-1.30pmorbyappointment

TingXie 0210660860 ting.xie@bayleys.co.nz QUEENSTOWN&SOUTHERNNZREALTYLTD,BAYLEYS, LICENSEDUNDERTHEREAACT2008

Theprestigiousgoldenmilelifestyle

DiscoverluxuryandelegancewiththisJannHurley-designedhome,builtbymastercraftsmanHarryVanderPuttin.This residenceonGraceJamesRoadisatruestatementofqualityanddesign.Withatriple-carinternalaccessgarage, expansiveatticstorage,andpark-likegrounds,itoffersalifestyleofentertaining,relaxation,land-banking,plusthe benefitofFutureUrbanzoning.Thespaciousloungewithgasfireplaceflowstotheformaldiningandpatio,capturing sweepingnorth-facingviews.Amagnificentkitchenanchorsthehome,designedforgatheringsorintimatedinnerswith high-endappliancesandanexceptionallayout.Themastersuiteisaprivateretreatwithwalk-inwardrobeandensuite, whileadditionalbedroomsprovidecomfort.Outside,manicuredlawns,apondwithwaterfall,greenhouse,andan orchardof87fruitingtreescompleteanestatesostrikingitcouldhostweddings. bayleys.co.nz/1972869

MikeMurphy 021404189 mike.murphy@bayleys.co.nz PatrickMurphy 021404954 patrick.murphy@bayleys.co.nz

BAYLEYSREALESTATELTD,PUKEKOHE,LICENSEDUNDERTHEREAACT2008

WHATMAKESBAYLEYS ALTOGETHERBETTER?

AtBayleys,we’rerelentlessaboutbringingouttha ry

t energyineveryhomewesell,andbringourown uniqueenergytoeverydetail,everyconversation,

Ofcourse,successtakesmorethanenergy.Italsocalls foranunwaveringcommitmenttoservicefromthefirst handshakeuntilthedealisdone.

Asaresult,morepeopletakenotice,moregenuine buyersshowupandmorevalueisunlocked. WithBayleys,youcanexpectmoreenergyand AltogetherBetterservice. 0800BAYLEYS | bayleys.co.nz

Thisisthelife, experienceexceptional.

AtNorthbrook,unparalleledelegance,comfort,sophisticated designandasenseofbelongingcometogetherseamlessly. It’saplacewhereyoucancontinuethedistinguished, activeandconnectedlifeyou’vealwayschosen.

Becauseluxurylaterlivingislivingyourbest day,everyday,startingtoday.

StageoneofNorthbrookWānakaisopen,andresidentsare makingthemostoftheirnewhomes,theirnewcommunity, andthecloseproximityofeverythingtheyloveaboutWānaka. Luxurylivingextendstothetailoredin-residencecare,offering privateandflexiblecareshouldresidentsneedit.

Experienceexceptionalforyourself,eitherdropinanytimeduringthe DisplaySuiteopeninghoursormakeatimeforanexclusiveviewing.

Arrowtown

Pricedfrom$2,200,000. 1AyrAvenue Arrowtown,CentralOtago DisplaySuiteopenTuesday–Saturday 12pm–4pm

AnnahDowsett +6421311287 annah.dowsett@northbrook.co.nz

Wānaka

Pricedfrom$1,450,000. 3/31TenAcreDrive (OffLindisRoad) Northlake,Wānaka DisplaySuiteopen10am–4pmdaily

UrsulaPorter +64212420399 ursula.porter@northbrook.co.nz

JustafewstepsfromthegoldensandsofStHeliersBeachandthevibrantvillage,discoveran unparalleledopportunityat12GoldieStreet.ZonedResidentialMixedHousingUrban,this substantial607m²freeholdsiteoffersendlesspossibilities.Evenbetter,thispropertyisoffered inconjunctionwithnumber14GoldieStreet,furtherextendingyourdevelopmentpotentialand buildingplatform.Arareopportunityinaprimelocation-don'tmissout!

ClassicEpsomVillainDGZ

AUCTION

5:30pm,8Oct2025at280Manukau Road,Epsom (unlesssoldprior)

4 1 2 2 2 barfoot.co.nz/919522

VIEWING Sat&Sun12:00pm-12:30pm orByAppointment

Afteralmost30years,thetimehascomeforachangeofownership.Thisspaciousvilla, nestledinaprizedneighbourhood,hasmuchonoffer.Moveinandenjoy;extend,renovateand createyourdreamhomeorexplorethepossiblefuturedevelopmentpotentialof1148m²(mol). Thechoiceisyours.

DeeBrennan 021581007 d.brennan@barfoot.co.nz

LeoChen 021668483 l.chen2@barfoot.co.nz

FamilyHaven,PremiumFinish

4 2 3

1:30pm15Oct2025at34Shortland Street,City (unlesssoldprior)

barfoot.co.nz/920032

VIEWING Sat&Sun1:00pm-2:00pm

BeautifullyrefurbishedEdwardianVilla.Future-proofedfortoday'smodernfamily,withdouble glazingandfullyinsulatedthroughout.Abespokelight-filledkitchenwithqualityappliances, fixturesandfittings.Fourwell-proportionedbedrooms,spaciousopenplanlivinganddining roomleadtoawidedeckandlevelmanicuredlawns,setonasunny612m²site.Thecurrent ownersdescribeitasanidyllicplacetoraiseafamily.Thisexceptionalhomeisamust-see.

HelenPaterson 021721659 h.paterson@barfoot.co.nz

Boundarylinesareindicativeonly

PONSONBY 16&18PARAWAICRESCENT

TENDER

2:00pm,16Oct2025at18Commerce St,AucklandCity(Office) (unlesssoldprior)

barfoot.co.nz/919685

VIEWING PhoneForViewingTimes

TheUltimatePonsonbyDevelopment

Here'sararechancetosecurea1284m²,gentlysloping,parkandroadfrontagesite,zoned MHU,inoneofAuckland'smostsought-after,centrallocations.Dontdelayyourenquiry!

PhilipDavis 021873934 p.davis@barfoot.co.nz

EddieZhao 0272880188 e.zhao@barfoot.co.nz

4 1 3 2 2 2

AUCTION

10:00am,Wed8Oct2025at34

ShortlandStreet,City (unlesssoldprior)

barfoot.co.nz/906090

Agold-platedaddresswithprotectedharbourviews,thisprime400m²(approx)freeholdsite offersanexceptionalopportunity.Theexistinghomehasmajorweathertightnessissues,sothe focusisontheland.Bringyourarchitect,builder,orconsultanttounlockthepotential.Justa shortstrolltoStHeliersvillage&beach,theelevatedpositionboastsbreathtakingviews, magicalbyday&night.Arareofferinginasought-afterlocation—estatesale,actnow! VIEWING

SaturdayandSunday 3:00pm-3:30pm

AlexBaker 0274579805 a.baker@barfoot.co.nz

JulieFitzpatrick 021530290 j.fitzpatrick@barfoot.co.nz

Whitford’sGrandEstate

Locatedinthesought-afterCliftonPeninsula,thisimposing“oneofakind”80-acrelifestyle propertyoffersauniquecombinationofscale,privacy,anduninterruptedseaviews.Themain homeisanexpansive740m²andoverlooksthepropertiesfarmlandandbeyondtosomeofthe HaurakiGulf'smostwell-knownislands.

4:00pm,16Oct2025

3:00pm-3:30pm

Thisbeautifullymaintainedhomeinthe heartofsought-afterWaiOTaikiBayisa bargain.Stepinsideandimmediatelyfeel thesenseofspaceandcomfortinthis 2-level167m²residence.Justafewdoors downfromFernwoodReserve;andwithin easyreachofbeaches,shops,amenities andpublictransport.Callmenow!

KellyMidwood 021407416 k.midwood@barfoot.co.nz

MikeDeverell 021466300 m.deverell@barfoot.co.nz

NadineBryant 0212657512 n.bryant@barfoot.co.nz

Theresafull-sizedtenniscourt,aswimmingpoolandalargeentertaining deck.Accordingtoapastadvertisement,the254m²(accordingtoRelab) dwellingprovidesfivebedrooms,spaciousopen-planliving,threelounge areasalongwithparkingtoaccommodateseveralvehicles.

ThepropertyislocatedwithinwalkingdistanceofNewLynnandlocalparks andashortdrivetoBlockHouseBayandmotorwayaccess.Somuch

tenderforboth.PositionedontheprestigiousgoldenstretchofGlenbervie andreminiscentofacharmingEnglishcountrymanor,getreadytofallin love.Theprincipalresidence,seton11.1228ha(C/TNA397307)isjust perfectforcelebrationsandgatherings,withmultiplelivingareas,four doublebedrooms,threebathrooms,studyandtheformallivingareawitha welcominglogfireplace.Upstairsisamassivemasterbedroom,enjoying sweepingviewsoverlushnativeforest.Thereisalsoaseparate,secure, triplebaygarage.Thesecondtitle,seton6523m²(C/TNA397308)isa versatiletwo-storeyclassicbarn/workshopwithastudioaboveand brimmingwithpotential!Thisuniquepropertyenjoyspicturesqueviews overmajesticrollinggreenhillsandnativebush.Daretodream,callnow!

Positionedonahigh-profile2,403m²freeholdsitealongbusyGreatSouth Road,thisexceptionalpropertyoffersawealthofpossibilitiesforinvestors &developers.Thesitefeaturesa715m²building,formerlyhometoa restaurant&commercialkitchen,withtheaddedbenefitofthirty-fouron-

RiverfrontLandinRototunaSchool Zones Justwheredoyousecureriverfront landlikethisinHamilton?Onofferis anabsolute1226m²(MOL)vacant sitewithanapproximatetwenty metrefrontagethatyourastute architectwillusetocapitaliseon views&offstreetparking.The adjoiningriverfrontsiteat1Riverlinks Laneisalsoonofferunderthe MortgageeSaleBanner.Seizethe opportunityandcontactPaultoday! Auction: 12:30pm1Oct2025atLodge RealEstate,28HarwoodStreet www.barfoot.co.nz/919210 View: Sun2:15pm-2:45pm PaulConway 0272701608 PhilipDavis 021873934 MORTGAGEEAUCTION

MORTGAGEEAUCTION

RiverfrontLandinRototunaSchool Zones Achancetosecureanabosolute riverfront1052m²(MOL)vacantsite withanapproximate13mfront boundary.Theadjoiningriverfront siteat1911RiverRoadisalsoon offer.Withviewsacrosstothe PuketeBoatRamp&theWaikato EquestrianCentre,theopportunity tocreateasubstantial&prestigious hometorivalthosealreadybuilt nearbyisunlikelytoreoccur.

Auction: 12:30pm1Oct2025atLodge RealEstate,28HarwoodStreet www.barfoot.co.nz/919213 View: Sun2:15pm-2:45pm PaulConway 0272701608 PhilipDavis 021873934

StunningHomewithAmazingViews! Thissubstantialhomeof324m²(accordingtoPropertySmarts),features brickandweatherboardconstruction,situatedonanelevatedrear,620m² section. Accordingtoapastrealestateadvertisementoftheproperty,theinterior comprisessixdoublebedroomsandthreetofourlivingareas,supported byatotalofthree-and-a-halfbathroomsincludinganensuite.Alarge sunnydeckispositionedtotakeadvantageoftheviewsandprovides additionaloutdoorlivingspace.Internalgaragingisprovidedfortwo vehicles,withadditionaloff-streetparkingavailableonsite.Thedwelling andthegroundspresentwell.Thepropertyislocatedashortdriveto HendersonandLincolnRoadmotorwayaccess.Calltoday!

www.barfoot.co.nz/920013 AriTidyman 02102646621

MORTGAGEEAUCTION

ThisisYourChance! Thepropertycomprisesa115m² (acctoPropertySmarts), weatherboardhomeona417m² streetfrontagesectiononaquiet cul-de-sac.Accordingtoapastreal estateadvertisement,theinterior comprisesanopenplankitchen/ living/diningroom,fourbedrooms, decking,bathroom,toilet&laundry room.Locatedashortdriveto Papakuratownship&theSouthern Motorway.Calltoday! Auction: 2:00pm8Oct2025at18 CommerceStreet,CityCentre www.barfoot.co.nz/919633

AgentOnSite: Sun2:30-2:45pm AriTidyman 02102646621 PhilipDavis 021873934

AgentOnSite: Sun11.00-11.15am PhilipDavis 021873934

HIGHCOURTSALE

Anestateinstratuminfreeholdbeing401/28CollegeHill,FreemansBay,Auckland,referredtoinRecordofTitle 220820(NorthAucklandRegistry)isofferedforsalebyGAMortimer,SheriffatAuckland,actingonbehalfofJia JunQu,JianPingWang,YanQu,JMBuildingMaterialsCompanyLimitedandFormodaRealEstateDevelopment CompanyLimited(together,the“EntitledParties”)whohaveobtainedjudgmentintheHighCourtatAuckland.The solicitorfortheEntitledPartiesisChenJiangofTompkinsWake,Auckland.

Thepropertycomprisesa71m²(accordingtoPropertyGuru),two-bedroomapartmentinthePerspective Complex.Theinteriorlayoutfeaturestwobedrooms,familybathroom,gallykitchenandopenplanliving/dining roomwhichflowstoacoveredbalconythatoverlookstheswimmingpoolandthecommongardenareaofthe complex.Theapartmentcomeswithasecurecoveredcarparkasanaccessoryunit.Theresidentsofthecomplex enjoysharedcommunalfacilitieswhichincludeaswimmingpoolandoutdoorcoveredcourtyard.Theapartmentis welllocatedinapopularlocationwithinwalkingdistancetoPonsonbyRoad,JervoisRoad,VictoriaPark,TheViaduct andvibrantlifestyletheCBDhastooffer.

Auction: 2:00pm15Oct2025at18CommerceStreet,CityCentre(willnotbesoldprior)

Location,CharacterandReturn Aspecialopportunitytosecurethisweatherboardbungalowin3flats, situatedona747m²,frontagesectioninoneofAuckland’smostdesirable suburbs.Flat1ontheroadfrontagecomprises2bedrooms&1bathroom withanopenplankitchen/living/diningroom.Theflatwasrecently renovated,isingoodconditionandweunderstandisrentingfor$570.00 perweek.Flat2inthemiddlepositioncomprises2bedrooms&1 bathroomwithanopenplankitchen/living/diningroomweunderstandis rentingfor$500.00perweek.Flat3attherearcomprises3bedrooms&1 bathroomwithanopenplankitchen/living/diningroomopeningtoanorth facingdeck&backyard.Accordingtoapastrealestateadvertisement, thetotalincomewas$93,000perannum.Thepropertyislocatedwithin walkingdistanceofCoxsBayReserve,JervoisRoadshops&Ponsonby.

Tender: Closeson23Oct2025at2:00pm,18CommerceStreet,CityCentre

www.barfoot.co.nz/920540 AriTidyman 02102646621 View: PhoneForViewingTimes PhilipDavis 021873934

Anestateinfreeholdbeing19MillbraePlace,Pokeno,AucklandreferredtoinCT682006,NorthAucklandRegistry, isofferedforsalebyPeterGayaman(Deputy)SheriffatAuckland,actingonbehalfofAlaimatagiandFeagai JaninaLauitiitiwhohaveobtainedjudgmentintheHighCourtatAuckland.ThesolicitorforAlaimatagiandFeagai JaninaLauitiitiisAndrewLemaluofAndrewLemaluLaw,2RobertStreet,Ellerslie,Auckland1051,ph(09)5790045, andrew@andrewlemalulaw.co.nz.

Thepropertycomprisesa269m²(accordingtoPropertyGuru),six-bedroom,four-bathroomhousesituatedona 1434m²section.Accordingapastrealestateadvertisementoftheproperty,theinteriorcomprisessixbedrooms, fourbathrooms,doubleinternalgaraging,largedeck,sculleryandwasbuiltin2022.Thegroundsoftheproperty aremaintainedandtheexteriorappearstobeingoodconditionandpresentable.Thepropertyislocatedwithin walkingdistanceofallthelocalPokenoamenitiesandclosetomotorwayaccess.

Auction: 2:00pm15Oct2025at18CommerceStreet,CityCentre(willnotbesoldprior)

www.barfoot.co.nz/920024

PaulaTuhaka 0272389496

upside.Calltoday.C/TNA1096/292.

View: PhoneForViewingTimes PhilipDavis 021873934

978m²MacleansCollegeZoned Thepropertycomprisesa250m²(accordingtoPropertySmarts),brick andcedarhomeonamostlylevel978m²section,zonedMixedHousing Suburban.

AccordingtoRelab,thehousecontainsfivebedrooms.Adetacheddouble garageison-site,andthelayoutincludesanorth-facingbackyard,anda masterbedroomontheupperlevelwithasmallbalcony. ThelocationiswithinwalkingdistanceofHalfMoonBayMarinaandis zonedforMacleansCollege. Whataspecialopportunity,don’tdelayyourenquiry!CTNA64C/500.

GreatNorthFacingHome Asubstantialtwo-leveldwellingofapproximately278m²floorarea, constructedofconcretemasonryandHebelpanel(accordingtoonline information).Theresidenceispositionedona616m²freeholdsite,with accesssecuredbyelectronicsecuritygates.Accordingtoapastreal estateadvertisement,thelayoutprovidesmultiplelivingareas,together withalargekitchenenjoyingviewsacrosstheadjacentlagoon.Thereis directaccesstoanextensivewraparounddeckprovidingoutdoorliving, fourbedroomsandthreebathrooms,adoubleinternal-accessgaragewith

MORTGAGEEAUCTION

SpaciousFamilyHomeinWellsford Recentlybuilt,thishomeissetona 611m²(MOL),fullyfencedsection. Offeringlight-filledlivingwithhighstudceilings&open-plandesign flowingtosunnynorth-facingdecks. Accordingtoapastadvertisement, thehomefeaturesthreegenerous bedrooms(masterwithensuite), built-inwardrobes&smartstorage throughout.Aseparatelaundryadds convenience,whileaconcrete drivewayprovideseasyparking. Auction: 2:00pm15Oct2025at18 CommerceStreet,CityCentre www.barfoot.co.nz/920019 View: Sat1:00-1:30pm BradMatthews 0211389953 PhilipDavis 021873934

BeachyVibesinStanmoreBay

ThisisyourchancetobeaStanmoreBaylocal!

Thisthree-bedroom,250m²(accordingtoPropertySmarts)propertycomprisesatwo-levelhomeconstructedof boardandbattenwithaportionofweatherboardcladding,ironroofingandaluminiumjoinery,positionedona 941m²frontagesitezonedSingleHouse.Fromanexteriorviewing,anofficeisattachedtotherightwithitsown separateentrance.Aconcretedrivewayoffersampleoff-streetparking. Localbeaches,schooling,andshopsareonlyashortdriveaway.CallMalcomforfurtherdetails.CTNA964/247.

Auction: 2:00pm15Oct2025at18CommerceStreet,CityCentre

www.barfoot.co.nz/920029

MalcolmParker 021622220

AgentOnSite: Sun12:30-1:00pm

PhilipDavis 021873934

WaterfrontOpportunity!

Checkoutthepotentialherewiththis116m²gentlysloping,waterfront, 976m²,roadfrontagesectionzonedMixedHousingSuburban. OnlinerecordsshowthepropertywasissuedwithaResourceConsentfor tenResidentialDwellingsin2023(purchasersshouldmaketheirown enquiryastothecurrentstatusofthis).

Accordingtoapastrealestateadvertisement,theinteriorcomprisestwo bedrooms,adiningareaopeningtoasmalldeckattherear,andone bathroom.Fromthephotostheinteriorlookedtobetidyandoriginal.The propertyislocatedwithinwalkingdistanceoftheharbourfrontesplanade andashortdrivetolocalschools,shopsandamenities.Somuchpotential here,donotmissout!C/TNA42A/1324.

9SPRINGCOMBEROAD, SAINTHELIERS StHeliersTrophyEstate -3,038sqm Developers,Visionaries&LuxuryEstateBuildersThisisOneoftheRarestLandholdingsinStHeliers. Setonanexpansive3,038sqm(moreorless)singletitlesite,thisgrandestatestandsasoneofthemost prestigiousprivateholdingsinStHeliers.Offering scale,position,andunrivalledcoastalprestige,itis trulyaonce-in-a-generationopportunity. Elevatedandperfectlynorth-facing,theproperty capturespanoramicviewsacross theglisteningWaitemataHarbourtoRangitoto Island.Fromsunrisetosunset,theoutlookisnothing shortofextraordinary-amajesticbackdropfordaily lifeandentertainingalike.

Sun-filledretreat

Thismodernandlight-filled townhouseisperfectlypositioned forsun.Nestledinaquietcul-de-sac, itofferspeacefulliving,withvillage amenitiesjustashortstrollaway throughtheparklikegrounds.

EdmundHillaryVillage 221AbbottsWay,Remuera

BeckyGillanders 0278011419

Sweepingviews

Enjoysweeping,elevatedviews stretchingoverthevillagegardens, surroundinghills,andouttothe stunningManukauHarbourfrom thisspaciousopenplanapartment withitswell-appointedkitchenand dedicatedstudyspace.

MurrayHalbergVillage 11CommodoreDrive,Lynfield 89m2 IAE74 2 $866,000

LucyCaldwell 0275600541

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Groundfloorliving

Thisapartmentoffersastunningoutlook ontoalargegardenarea,providinga peacefulenvironment.Positionedto capturethemorningsun,youcanenjoy fromyourpatio,accessiblefromthe livingareaandmasterbedroom.

$927,200

2 IA 278 2 1.5

BruceMcLarenVillage 795ChapelRoad,Howick

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RoseLawlor 0275352263

Walkingonsunshine

Situatedinaquietareawithall-daysun, this brand-newtownhousewillhaveyou feelingathomeassoonasyoustepinside. Beautifulandlight,thecontemporary designandlargewindowscreatethe perfectsuntrap.

2 1.5

PatrickHoganVillage 23HugoShawDrive,Cambridge

Viewfromthetop

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DaviddeVeth 0276141569

Enjoyanever-changingvistafromthis gorgeousapartment,with180-degree viewsofWhangāreiHarbourand surroundingareas.Soakupthe morningsunonyourprivatebalcony orentertainfriendsandfamilyinthe spaciousopenplanlivingarea.

$655,000

Whangārei 1 1.5

JaneManderVillage 262FairwayDrive,TeKamo,Whangārei 82m2 IA265 2

DonnaNewman 0275596532

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Arewarding careerinproperty management?

Ifyou’researchingforahomewhereyourgrowthisourpriority,then it’stimewetalkedtoyouaboutourdesiretomakethatareality.

Introducing Anewcommunity. Yournewhome.

Toi,thefirststageofMarutūāhu-Ockham’stransformational projectinPointChevalier,isnowcomplete.

Thisstrikingharakeke-greenbuildingboastsstunningviewsoftheWaitematā HarbourandAuckland’sskyline.Itsitsjust400mfromPointChevalierVillage, hometooneofthebusiestbusroutesinthecity.It’salsoashortstrolltotwotrain stationsandwiththeNorthwesternCyclewayonyourdoorstep,Toiisyourticket toasuper-connectedcitylifestyle.

Thereare65apartmentsinarangeofstudios,one-,two-andthree-bedroomoptions, aswellasaresidents’lounge,andthere’ssomethingextraspecialaboutthisone.

Toiisthefirstbuildinginanentirelynew11-hectarecommunitycalledMaungārongo, whichwill,intime,includeasupermarket,swimclub,daycare,commercialgym andhospitalityprecinctcentredaroundanarrayofcommunalspaces.

Comeandtalktousatouron-sitesalessuiteatToi,2ATeAraTaurapa, PointChevalier,tomakeoneofthesebeautifulapartmentsyourown!

OPENHOMESSATURDAYANDSUNDAY10AM–12PM.

seascapeauckland.co.nz

RisingabovethesparklingWaitematāHarbour, Seascape isthedefinitivestatementinluxury apartmentliving,intheheartofAuckland’sCBD. Withconstructionnowinthetrustedhandsof IconConstruction,thisiconictowerisbackon track—andbetterthanever.

Designedfordiscerningcitydwellerswho demandstyle,security,andsweepingviews, Seascapeoffersanunmatchedopportunityto ownaprestigeresidenceofunrivalledscale. Whetheryouseekaweekdaycitybaseorarefined full-timeaddress,Seascape’slimitedcollection ofone,two,andthree-bedroomresidencesare designedforthewayyouwanttolive,work andplay.

Thisiselevatedlivingatitsfinest—sophisticated, lowmaintenanceandutterlyserene.

Salessuiteopen

Saturday&Sunday,11am-12pm 81CustomsStreetEast,Auckland