Issue 1223 18 August 2026

Te Kai Whakarongo Issue 1223 | 18 August 2026 | Proudly locally owned and operated

theinformer.co.nz

@theinformernz

CONNECTING COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COROMANDEL PENINSULA

BASKER ROAST NIGHT Every Wednesday night from 5pm Pork, lamb, chicken or beef Buffet salad and sauce bar Bookings recommended

3A Reweti Drive (opposite Mobil) www.basker.co.nz info@basker.co.nz Phone: 07 866 0645 Hours 8.00am to late

Buffalo Beach – great for school cross-country

A wonderful day and a wonderful place for a cross-country race – MBAS and Whenuakite Primary Schools’ cross-country race. See page 17

WAREHOUSE STATIONERY OPENS NEW WHITIANGA STORE

W

arehouse Stationery is proud to be opening a brand-new store in the Coromandel town of Whitianga on Friday, 21 August. Located on Joan Gaskell Drive opposite The Warehouse, local businesses, schools and whānau will be able to get their hands on a comprehensive range of stationery, office furniture, arts and crafts products and access print-

ing services without travelling outside the district. Debby Watts, General Manager Merchandise and Operations for Warehouse Stationery, says the new store reflects a commitment to supporting regional communities. “We’re delighted to be coming to Whitianga and joining such a vibrant and artistic community in the Coromandel.

“We know schools and customers want convenient access to quality stationery, tech print services, and we’re excited to bring all of that closer to home.” “Whitianga is a community with a strong mix of local families, schools, businesses and also visitors. We’re excited to build lasting connections with our new neighbours and customers,” Debby said.

Kia K ia o ora ra Whitianga! W hitia hiti anga!

To celebrate, the new store will host a three-day opening weekend from Friday, 21 to Sunday, 23 August, featuring giveaways, spot prizes, a coffee cart, sausage sizzle and live broadcasts from Coromandel FM. The first 100 customers will be invited to try the Spin & Win Wheel, with a Canon SELPHY photo printer just one of many prizes up for grabs. For the tam-

ariki, there will also be spot prizes to be won. As part of the opening celebrations, Warehouse Stationery is partnering with Mercury Bay Area School with a sausage sizzle and coffee cart fundraiser. Customers are encouraged to make a gold coin donation, with proceeds going towards new sports equipment and supporting structured activities for students.

Join us for Opening Weekend! 21st to 23rd August warehousestationery.co.nz/whitianga-store-opening

Pauline’s Piece

Differences not the final word

T

here has been strong response to last week’s front page article – both agreement and disagreement. There are some points on which all respondents seem to agree. However Mayor Peter and the Editor had a good meeting to speak of our differences. He was clearly surprised at the criticism in the article. I asked if he would have time to write a response and he has. From the Mayor: “I express my concern at the way the article in last week’s The Informer (11 August) was presented – ‘Local Democracy Sold Down the Line.’ “I believe Geoff Robinson’s article is not reporting; it is opinion. And yet it was accorded front page news positioning with no label as being opinion. In my view the reader could be forgiven for not seeing a distinction between opinion and factual reporting. The article clearly contained prediction, on headquarters, rates, community boards, even who will lead a council voters will not elect until 2028, thus conveying speculation as fact. You refer to ‘some far-off centre of admin-

istration’ (not Thames), and Geoff’s article calls out Paeroa, as if these are decisions made. They have not. They have not been discussed. “I am not questioning Geoff's right to hold the views or speculations that he does. I would be sure, as indeed you have af�irmed, that others share them. Robust criticism of council decisions is legitimate and valuable. “I am concerned about balance. Given the level and nature of criticism in the article – some of it personal – I might have expected that the view from the ‘other side’ be presented, enabling readers to weigh the arguments/comments in the one article, side-by-side. “I ended up thinking the article read more like a social media posting than a thinking person’s article in a respected local paper, which is how I have thought of The Informer. “My constructive suggestion is to always label opinion as opinion, and secondly when someone is criticised, allow them to make their point of view in the same article.” Admittedly I have been personally disappointed in the choice

of Option Three by our Council and what does look like a prepared Memorandum of Agreement, though nothing is set in concrete, I sensed a forboding of – not less processes to get decisions but more; not more results and less meetings but less results and more committees. It could be seen that The Informer was jumping to conclusions. I will believe that there is strength and truth in the first item in The MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING signed by the three Mayors – Representation and Local Voice. The “clear line of sight between communities and decision-making at both local and higher levels” has not been a marked feature of what many experience. We will all need to speak out on the detail of this “local voice and decision making” as reports come from our Council, so we are able together to decide our own future on the Peninsula and the Plains. AN UNTIMELY DEATH Barbara, my sister was 77. Old enough to die you could say as even in this issue there is the news of previous Mayor Chris Lux dying of cancer at 75. Yet Beth Hopping lived to 100. Readers

Barbara with Motor Neuron Disease.

will have many experiences to relate to in terms of the age when a loved one died. I want to tell you about Barbara. she had motor neuron disease and she lived with it for more than two years – until talking, eating and moving any of her limbs was nigh impossible. She wanted to decide her future before she could no longer communicate. She had lived with her husband in Mackay, Queensland running a good business and held in high esteem by her community. Her husband had died two years earlier. Barbara had asked her family to organise Assisted Dying, it is legal in Queensland. The family-

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her sons, their wives and children, her siblings and other relatives all gathered. She had asked me to come a few days earlier, to be with her when she died. On the last night I slept beside her at her request – she murmured in a slurred and half whisper through the night different instructions. I would stroke her and write down what I thought she was saying. We all managed to say goodbye, and it all ended so peacefully and on time. Yet did I see in her eyes anguish earlier that morning? The thought of not being there for her grandchildren was unbearable. There would never be a good time. The waiting for someone you love to die knowing the day and the time distressed members of our family. However, I believe she made courageous and brave decision that was best for her. She said to me months earlier, “I want to remember who I was. I want my family to remember who I was.” We all understood. She loved living even when it was tough and her dear Ken was gone. She loved giving and felt she could no longer do that. Assisted Dying is necessary, but it is full of anguish and sadness. Human life is the most valuable gift we have. I miss Barbara, a wonderful sister.

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2 | The Coromandel Informer – 18 August 2026

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Phone 07 - 868 7960 www.theinformer.co.nz

Farewell and thank you to Beth Hopping BY PAULINE STEWART

B

eth Hopping was 100 years and seven months. Her life was honoured and celebrated by her family, extended family and the wider community of Whitianga on Friday, 14 August at St Andrews By The Sea. Following the funeral service at the church, Beth was buried at the Mercury Bay Cemetery at Ferry Landing. This requires the casket to be carried to the ferry and then from the ferry up to the cemetery. It can be quite a trial for the pall bearers but it is a very moving, ceremonial, processional part of saying goodbye and indeed fitting for a matriarch who is 100 years old. Beth was buried in a family plot shared by her husband Fred, who died in 2005. Beth has lived in Whitianga since 1993 when she moved here with Fred after having enjoyed many years of holidays in Whitianga prior to that. The people whom we associate most with Beth in Mercury Bay are her daughter Jude Gordan who hosts a daily CFM radio programme, and Beth’s older son, Alan who bought the Buffalo Beach Holiday Camp about the same time as his parents which led to his search for The Lost Spring, now a major attraction to this region. There are also some of Beth’s grand-children in Whitianga – Andrew, Hayley and Alanna and some of her great

The Hopping clan and friends pausing on there way to Beth’s final home at Ferry Landing; Pall bearers lead the funeral procession from Ferry Landing to the Mercury Bay Cemetery; Beth Hopping as a young women.

grand-children, Anabelle, Noah, Jackson, Ryder, and Isla. Altogether, Beth had 15 grandchildren and 23 great grandchildren. This matriarch was the second oldest resident of Whitianga, outlived only by Margaret Guthrie who is 101. Of interest to many

is that Beth’s mother, Bertha, was 51 when she gave birth to Beth, and Bertha herself lived to 100, passing two days after her 100th birthday. Beth exceeded her mum’s 100 years by a few months. Beth was truly a matriarch. She

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inspired hard work and was a pioneer in her own right. Her four surviving children Alan, Raewyn, Gaylene and Jude (John died suddenly) all led a tribute to Beth as did some of the grandchildren and great grandchildren. Many talked about her love of words and read-

ing and there is a definite articulate strain inherited judging by the tone and quality of speaking by those who shared tributes. The officiant was her grand-daughter, Sarah Beisly, eloquent, tender and empathic. At 93, Beth was still volunteering in the local church Op Shop at St. Andrews By The Sea every Saturday, rain or shine. Throughout her life Beth was an early riser and worked both as a homemaker and on the farm – coping with anything and very proud of what they (Fred and Beth) achieved together. Continued on page 17

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The Coromandel Informer – 18 August 2026 | 3

WHERE

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Winter Hiatus! Luke's Kitchen will be CLOSED from Monday 20th July, reopens Thursday 3rd September. A big thank you to our locals, visitors, musicians & team for another epic season. We truly appreciate your r support and look forward to kicking the doors back open in September! omeness) 20 2 0B Black lack J Jack ack Rd, Rd, K Kuaotunu uaotunu P PH: H: 0 07 78 866 66 4 4480 480 www.lukeskitchen.co.nz FUSH ‘N CHUP MEAL DEAL 2 for 1 ALL DAY LONG

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Private Hire Charters • Auckland Airport Transfers 4 | The Coromandel Informer – 18 August 2026

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Waikato-wide award for Hayley

BY PAULINE STEWART

T

he Swimming Waikato Awards Night for 2026 took place at St. Paul’s Collegiate School, Hamilton on Friday night, 7 August. The theme was “In Living Colour: Celebrating Our Swimmers.” This annual event honours regional contributors, including the Swimming Volunteer of the Year Award, club achievements, and top athletes. Hayley Jones, a coach and committee member of the Mercury Bay Swimming Club was awarded Swimming Volunteer of the Year at that auspicious event. Hayley has loved swimming for as long as she can remember. She grew up in Exmouth in Western Australia. “I was a swimmer all through my schooling years. I swam in my club in Western Australia from the age of 8 years to 14 years and then took a break for a few years. I came back to swimming as an adult. Instead of the pool however, it was the ocean. I decided to try open water swimming and I loved it. When Hayley came to live in New Zealand in 2013 with her New Zealand born husband, Mark, she found there was a strong open water swimming community in New Zealand. Hayley is a master swimmer and competes in swimming competitions throughout the summer. “I make podium in my age group and I am very pleased about achieving that,” says Hayley.

Hayley Jones with her award certificate at the Swimming Waikato Awards Night in Hamilton; The Mad KOWS (Kuaotunu Open Water Swimmers) – they swim every Sunday morning throughout the year, and welcome new members.

“I swim weekly through the summer and winter with the Mad KOWS (Kuaotunu Open Water Swimmers). Not long ago some of us swam to Great Mercury island.” (For any swimmer reading his, The Mad Kows are a group of allyear-round swimmers who swim every Sunday morning at 8.00am from the Kuaotunu Reserve.) Hayley’s volunteer role is actually with the Mercury Bay Swimming Club where she has been involved for the last six years. “I have a real passion for swimming and I really love coaching. We have such a cool club here in Whitianga. It’s a small country

club but we have between 160190 club members. I am not the only volunteer. There is a very good group of volunteers plus we also have a wonderful group of coaches who are also all volunteers who dedicate their time to the club. Some don’t have their kids involved anymore but they still come. My role in the swimming club entails being a coach, committee member and Treasurer. I organize race nights and help the coaches in the organization of the groups and the schedules alongside the rest of the committee. I am also a member of the Pool Trust.

So in particular, last season this meant Hayley coached five groups and at some point was at the pool four days a week. She also managed the Masters which is two mornings a week. That entails the Masters swimmers coming to do their training plan or they just swim. They are part of the club as well. “The award is for the club,” says Hayley. “None of us do it for awards and certificates. We do it because we love it, but just to get some recognition makes it that little bit extra worthwhile. “These days people are busy and juggling work and family

time. Being a volunteer costs time. effort and money. It is nice to be recognized and it’s great for our swimming club.” Hayley and Mark have two young daughters, Amelia and Jasmine who are part of the swimming club. “Our girls love swimming and they come to events with me. Both have just started open water swimming. I encourage anyone who loves swimming to come and join in an open water event.” One last word from Hayley; “We do need more coaches. If anyone is interested, please reach out through Facebook messenger.”

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The Coromandel Informer – 18 August 2026 | 5

Honouring Death of former Christopher John Lux Mayor TCDC 1998 – 2004

BY MAYOR PETER REVELL I was sad to hear of the passing of Chris Lux, who served as District Mayor from 1998 to 2004. Many will remember his pride in the district and his support for local autonomy. Longtime residents will also fondly recall the dedication of his wife, Kay who regularly supported community activities alongside Mayor Lux. Chris Lux’s experience leading the district was characterised by strength and advocacy. He led the district through the civil defence response to the devastating 2002 Weather Bomb, railed against the Resource Management Act, and supported a ‘one peninsula’ approach to planning and infrastructure. Outside local government, Chris Lux was a true ambassador for the beaches, bush and lush farmland around his home in Tuateawa, where Kay’s family had deep ties. That connection to the land, his can-do approach, and his love of a good yarn made Chris a natural in real estate. Many people living in the district today will remember him for his sales prowess, but he never stepped away from governance and leadership, remaining involved in numerous local boards and committees. As recently as 2022, TCDC awarded Chris Lux a Community Service Award in recognition of his contribution.

TCDC mayor Christopher Lux

BY DAVID BURKEKENNEDY ON BEHALF OF THE LUX FAMILY

On behalf of the elected members of the Thames Coromandel District, we remember Chris Lux for his dedicated service, and send our heartfelt sympathies to his family, friends and loved ones. ANOTHER TRIBUTE: “The Coromandel Heritage Trust would like to acknowledge that assisting greatly in the establishment of The Treasury Heritage Research Centre and Archive this is just one of many things Chris Lux did in his time as TCDC Mayor. We appreciated his support for the heritage sector. Our thoughts are with his family at this time.”

BUFFALO BEACH CLUB 18 The Esplanade, Whitianga www.buffalobeachclub.bar

Former 2-term Thames Coromandel Mayor Chris Lux has died aged 75 after a two-year battle with cancer. Mr Lux, also a former Hauraki Federated Farmers Chairman, won the Mayoralty in 1998. His landslide victory saw him come from virtually nowhere to take over 50 percent of the vote after a short hard-hitting humorous campaign to oust 3-term Mayor Alasdair Thompson. Former local MP and Mayor, Sandra Goudie, says Mr Lux excelled at resolving long standing issues of

Council, and forging solid friendships across the political spectrum. He belonged to the Resource Users Group – fighting district and regional council regulatory madness. He treasured his success in securing $330,000 from the government for clean up after the June 2002 weather bomb. And he achieved success with the Mayors’ Taskforce for Jobs. “Chris had a mischievous sense of humour and delighted in participating in all sorts of community activities,” Mrs Goudie says, “especially being Elvis Presley at a Mercury Bay Area School fundraiser. He was

also well-known for wearing red shoes.” Mr Lux was living with his American-born wife Deete in Arizona when he was diagnosed and began treatment there for cancer two years ago. He returned to NZ to spend his last few months at home with family at his coastal property in Tuateawa, northern Coromandel, where he farmed, developed a community and built a coastal walkway that he donated to Council. A talented songwriter and performer, his music will background his funeral at Twentymans in Thames at 11.00am, Wednesday 19 August. Red shoes will adorn his coffin.

Thanks to all the people across the peninsula who how been supporting their favourite local businesses by voting in the lead-up to the Hauraki-Coromandel Business Awards. People’s Choice voting concludes on 23 August. The awards night is 15 October at the Thames War Memorial Civic Centre.

BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS CHARITY NIGHT – TAPAS MENU Wednesday 26 August $80/person All proceeds go to this local charity – the whole lot

Lou will be getting a hair cut and you ca n participate !

Winter hours open 12 noon Tuesday to Sunday. Easy food, drink, relaxation and music. 6 | The Coromandel Informer – 18 August 2026

www.theinformer.co.nz

Seasonal drug and crime challenges BY TONY MARSTERS

G

rassroots volunteer groups and local trusts in Whitianga are stepping up to protect their neighbourhoods as new data highlights how national drug trends and seasonal tourism impact the Coromandel Peninsula. With New Zealand border authorities on track to intercept a record 15,000 kilograms of illicit drugs this year, the nationwide spike in supply is being felt locally. While major cities experience steady, year-round drug issues, coastal towns like Whitianga face unique pressures. Local wastewater testing reveals that during the summer holiday peak, MDMA consumption in Whitianga spikes by over 150%, alongside volatile surges in cocaine use, as the town’s population swells with visitors [NZ Police Wastewater Reports, National Wastewater Testing Q1 2026]. This seasonal influx of substance abuse directly impacts local neighbourhoods and families: • Protecting Local Homes: Theft and burglary account for over 83% of all reported offences in Whitianga [Whitianga North Crime Breakdown]. Local offenders frequently target unoccupied baches and holiday rentals to fund drug dependencies, creating a stressful cycle for local property owners. • A Tale of Two Sectors: The impact of this crime loop varies greatly across town. Whitianga South currently records a crime rate of 64.7 per 1,000 residents,

placing it in the top quarter of Waikato suburbs, while Whitianga North remains exceptionally safe at just 13.5 per 1,000 residents [Whitianga Crime Statistics]. Faced with a lack of permanent, citystyle infrastructure, Whitianga residents have taken the safety and well-being of their community into their own hands. The Mercury Bay Community Patrol, a dedicated team of local volunteers, is actively running day and night mobile patrols to deter opportunistic burglars and look out for vulnerable properties. On the wellbeing front, the Whitianga Community Services Trust is working hard to break the cycle by providing local teenagers with positive alternatives through Blue Light youth programs. The Trust also hosts free, public Blueprint Addiction 101 workshops to educate families and remove the stigma around addiction, empowering locals to safely support loved ones in need. These community-led efforts are bolstered by vital mobile healthcare teams from Te Korowai Hauora o Hauraki, Pathways and Te Whatu Ora, who travel to the peninsula weekly to provide essential, confidential counselling and rehabilitation support close to home. Struggling with addiction? Want to get clean? Do you have an addict in the home that wants help? Tony Marsters is General Manager, Whitianga Community Services Trust, manager@wcst.org.nz, 07 866 4476.

Coroglen’s Big Summer Party BY CAMPBELL DUNCAN I’m a dairy farmer here in Coroglen these days, but in a previous life I worked in the music industry, spending time in recording studios as a recording engineer and working for record labels. Music has always been a big part of my life, and I’ve always wanted to put on a show at the Coroglen Tavern. This year, we’re finally going to do it. MONUMENT is a brand-new oneday music festival coming to the Coroglen Tavern on 30 December, bringing together some of New Zealand’s best hip hop and electronic acts for one massive summer party in the Coromandel. The lineup features Ladi6, David Dallas, CHAII and Team Dynamite, with music running from the moment the gates open at 5pm. Like plenty of good ideas, MONUMENT started over a few beers with mates. We were talking about how good it would be to have a big summer show at the Tavern again, with a lineup we’d all genuinely want to go and see. At some point the conversation changed from “someone should do it” to “why don’t we do it?” A few beers probably made the whole thing sound a bit easier than it actually is! But I told enough people about the idea that there was no backing out. MONUMENT started to become a reality. I’m in my mid-30s now and put together a lineup that I’d want to see myself. Ladi6 and David Dallas are leg-

ZOO WILD PRESENTS

Campbell Duncan at Coroglen Tavern, Farmer and organiser of MONUMENT

ends of the game, CHAII brings an awesome blend of hip hop and electronic music, and Team Dynamite are going to be unreal live. We’re treating MONUMENT as a oneday festival rather than just another gig. The plan is for it to feel like one massive, non-stop summer party from the moment you scan your ticket until the last act finishes. It is also really important that we look after the local community. We’ve set aside 100 Local Tickets for $75 each, available exclusively as physical tickets from the Coroglen Tavern and Whitianga isite. They’re the cheapest tickets available for MONUMENT and, once those 100 are gone, they’re gone. Public Early Bird tickets will be $79.99 and available online through Eventbrite. We’ve got a massive night planned– 30 December.

30 DECEMBER 2026

COROGLEN TAVERN

LADI6 ⁄ DAVID DALLAS CHAII ⁄ TEAM DYNAMITE monumentfestival.nz

www.theinformer.co.nz

Hunt for your tickets at eventbrite.co.nz

The Coromandel Informer – 18 August 2026 | 7

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!e power of kindness – it matters BY JEREMY CRUMP

I

n New Zealand we have very high suicide rates and most of us are affected. Personally, I’ve had two friends and a co-worker take the shortcut home – very sad. Personally, I’ve considered suicide when I was a youth, in my darker days. Suicide is invisible and relentless. During those times I would sometimes receive some kindness. it was a beam of light striking through the evil, through the illusion that,“I didn’t matter”. I almost never received personal encouragement, but when I did, it was like a sword slicing through the heaviness, giving hope and a sense of purpose again. Young people need us to care, to encourage them. They face even greater challenges than I did some 20 years ago. Social disconnection is at an all-time high as far as I can tell, and I cannot see a general improvement for society in the near future.

Jeremy Crump.

A kind word can save a life; a careless word can lay another rock in the bag, dragging someone under. Consider it. The brave smile from the ‘people pleaser’; the joke from your alcoholic neighbour; the silent years from the tradesman fixing your house; – we are all facing something. We don’t have to fix others, just acknowledging each other and being genuinely interested in each other’s well-being is enough. Even just passing comment can transform someone’s day. Being enthusiastic when you see them, kind

of like they are a celebrity/ worth celebrating, just for being there! Life is pretty amazing folks, but let us remember that for many it is a black hole with a thin shield barely holding them from falling in. Personally, I remember a dark season in my life when I couldn’t control my tears falling apart while building a shed – turning to face the corner of the structure so the client wouldn’t see the rivers pouring down my face. Still to this day I struggle to explain why I had so much grief or why I was crying. I just knew I wasn’t okay and felt so worthless. I’m much better – whole now in my late 30s, so don’t worry about me (still have a healthy cry sometimes). People matter; you matter. Be kind; It matters. Editor’s note: Jeremy is a local tradie. He brought this into The Informer of�ice. He wasn’t afraid to share his re�lections though I could see it took courage. These words reminded me of some of Barry Crump’s re�lections – Jeremy’s grandfather.

The Light Tour at The Embassy of Friendship

BY MICHELLE RHODES On a recent August Saturday last from 4.00pm to 6.30pm a wonderful family friendly early evening showcase took place. Dylan Wade presented some of the music of his new album – “The Light” at what is Whitianga’s boutique event venue. Supported by his daughter Nur Peach on vocals, keyboard and bass guitar, Nigel Sanders on drums and percussion. Paul Lee another famous local musician, with beautiful soprano sax and tenor flute; it was a really cool vibe from these professional musicians. Nur showcased some

songs from her own album “Syncopate” which features “Gift from Above” often played on CFM. THE EMBASSY – A DELIGHTFUL VENUE As impressive as the music was, this newly renovated charming venue in the heart of Whitianga township – the Embassy of Friendship at 5 Coghill Street, needs to be celebrated more as a venue for boutique events. It really is the perfect small intimate venue for hire; alongside the permanent practice rooms and office space of Steffen Lindner, registered counsellor and practitioner. The Embassy of Friend-

ship is also home to some regular courses/classes - ‘Inner Balance’ facilitating space for body and energy restoration and mindfulness, Aerial Yoga and Pilates. • Contacts: Steffen –Counselling & Psychotherapy Services for individuals and couples, Men’s mental wellbeing and therapy, Director of the Embassy of Friendship – mobile: 0220853121 or steffen. eof@gmail.com. Inner Balance - 02040106301 Facebook Inner Balance. Dylan Wade Band and Nur Peach – https:// linktr.ee/dylanwademusic + https://linktr.ee/ nurpeachmusic

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E: whitianga@flooringxtra.co.nz The Coromandel Informer – 18 August 2026 | 9

Environment Matters

True Local Government Reform is when locals do the reforming BY MALCOLM CAMPBELL

W

e are experiencing yet another ‘Local Government movement of the deck chairs’ but the Titanic is still sinking. David Blume’s great book “Alcohol Can be a Gas” provides a great insight into the reality that there are no waste products, only those that have not found a purpose. Some still remember what Pa used to say – “Don’t throw out that piece of steel, it might be of some use.” Usually, at some stage it was. Resources are not squandered when you are paying for them yourself. Every time regulation comes into being, it seems that the theme is what the author of the regulations has been trained in. This means you get what someone else believes is true by education, without actual experience of local conditions, knowledge and resources. The four big attempts to change local body regulations continues. All are promised as being more

efficient, leaner in costs, effective economies of scale. This current and the fourth one is far removed from the first scheme that I had real faith in, which was the establishment of local body drainage and catchment boards run by locals with actual experience of the environment, local weather, water movement and not the least farmers’ requirements to keep the land dry and utilisable for primary production. Max Phireg of Victorian Farmers Union and a Churchill Fellow, having studied water ways around the world, found that the Catchment Board was the structure that stood head and shoulders above any other as to engage the locals in local matters. The requirement to be governed by central government does not stand the test even as a

Malcolm wrote this book some years ago and it reflects his life attitude to getting things done.

very poor comedy show. I provide this example from memory - the original problem of mangroves

growing in the Whangamata Harbour. The community came together to cut them down, only to be told they would be prosecuted by Environment Waikato if they continued. Environment Waikato, shortly after, actually realised they had to get rid of the mangroves, so went ahead and got contractors to remove them when they could have been removed by the locals. There was no apology to the locals for threatening them, or for taking the money in rates to do something that could have been done by the locals themselves. So we don’t have local government, we have locals directed by central government. The locals are overwhelmed by central government regulations enforced by all sorts of threats, mainly the reduction in funding if you don’t comply. This certainly doesn’t

appear to be going to change as the National Party has recently vocalised that they will step in ‘and do it for you’ if the Councils don’t come up with the changes they want, meaning ‘do what we tell you or else’. The reality of centralisation created by Muldoon’s Think Big, followed by Rogernomics, removed the local governance of local affairs to be bullied from Wellington. This in no uncertain manner will continue to strip the regions of their capacity to look after themselves, all the time taking the contracting funds for service from local businesses to large scale corporates. Then we see the workers travelling up to eighty kilometres to get to jobs that should have been done locally. It may be a shot in the dark but we need to find a way to stop giving up our independence, and our money to those who don’t have the experience and ability to manage local affairs and actually keep it where there are people who care and have passion for the community.

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Digital Decoder

By Agent EJ

Mid-Winter Magic:

What is Biocomputing? Penn’s celebrate at Smitty’s

– Powering AI with a brain As the AI industry grapples with backlash for hyperscale data centres that draw on huge amounts of water and energy, developers are desperately looking at alternatives and one of the solutions, isn’t made of silicon at all. The human brain runs on roughly 20 watts, about the same as a light bulb, unlike the mainstream data centres needing megawatts to chase the same intelligence. Somewhere in a lab, a clump of a few hundred thousand human neurons are learning to play Doom, the video game. They're not very good at it, researchers describe their skill level as a complete beginner who's never touched a keyboard, but they're learning. This is biocomputing. Two companies, Cortical Labs in Melbourne and FinalSpark in Switzerland, are at the forefront of this field. Cortical Labs sells the CL1, a self-contained biological computer that keeps neurons alive for up to six months, while Final-

Spark rents out access to its Neuroplatform. The process itself is fairly straightforward: it involves taking ordinary skin or blood cells, coaxing them back into a stem-cell-like state, and allowing them to grow into organoids. These organoids are placed on a grid of electrodes, which send electrical signals and read patterns, teaching the tissue to associate certain signals with reward or chaos, based on Karl Friston's free energy principle. The neurons are not just processing data; they exhibit behaviours that suggest a form of sentience. For instance, they seem to feel frustration when the ball misses the paddle in a game of Pong and adjust their actions to avoid this feeling. However, this raises ethical questions. Are these neurons aware? What does informed consent mean for cells that outlive the reason they were donated? Who owns the output of a brain that isn't attached to

a person? For instance, a coma patient can show minimal outward response yet have measurable brain activity. If a dish of neurons can display something that looks like feeling, and a body with no visible response can still hold awareness inside it, the nature of consciousness becomes increasingly complex. In Aotearoa, these developments carry particular cultural significance. Māori concepts of tapu and whakapapa view human tissue as carrying the mana and lineage of the person it came from. A framework built entirely around efficiency and IP ownership, with no space for this relationship, could sit uneasily here, and probably should. Which brings us to the real question underneath all of it. If a dish of neurons can learn, adapt, and respond to its environment without ever being a full-grown person, what exactly is it that makes the rest of us human?

BY JO BOWDEN

Festive spirit shone as Peninsula Penultimates gathered for their annual festive Mid-Winter Christmas lunch at Smitty’s Bar N Grill on Monday, 27 July. Smitty’s venue was adorned with beautiful, handmade Christmas decorations crafted by Julie Kipling. Many embraced the “Christmas bling” theme for the judging of the best-dressed categories. The winners were • Best Dressed Woman: Carol Wood. • Best Dressed Couple: John and Helen Parkinson. The staff at Smitty’s challenged the group to a spirited round of Christmas Bingo. Congratulations went to Pauline Brown and Carol Wood, who emerged as the Bingo winners. Everyone enjoyed a delicious meal followed by “super delicious” desserts. One of the members, Elaine Adamson, personally prepared the Christmas pudding. The entire Smitty’s team was highly appreciated, contributing significantly to the success of the event. The event, organized by President Bronwyn Macfarlane, offered an event filled with fun and the spirit of Christmas.

Members of the Peninsula Penultimates enjoyed the fun of their festive mid-winter Christmas at Smitty’s Whitianga.

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The Coromandel Informer – 18 August 2026 | 11

Inspiration Alley

By Ananda Laberge

Choosing the opposite reaction

I

’m curious what this world would be like if everyone did the opposite of what their initial reaction might be to something to which they would normally react negatively. A mentor of mine, Alan Cohen, tells a story about traveling to see a friend in another town. This friend offers to pick him up at a designated time. The time comes and goes, and Alan misses the appointed time. Once realizing his mistake, he calls his friend to apologize. This kind man reacts the opposite of what you would think… he says, no problem! When would a good time be to show you around? Most of us, if we had offered this and then been stood up, would not have been as gracious, I think. We would have held a grudge. But this kind man, did the opposite. He simply asked if Alan would like to reschedule it. You see, there was no ego in it for him. He did not take it personally and so was not affected by Alan’s unintended behaviour. If we all reacted from a higher Self, what a world this would be! I love the story about a teenager at an American baseball game who was lucky enough to catch a fly ball – quite a trophy to bring

I can choose to give freely of my time, my helpfulness, my love and knowing I don’t have to get anything from the other person because the Gift is in the Giving.

home! A younger boy next to him started crying when he didn’t catch the ball. This teenager then handed the ball to him. Wow. I wonder where that teenage boy is today. Such a small and simple gesture that could teach many of us adults right behaviour. Having negotiated high stakes deals in the US for many years, the mantra was always: Get to Give. In

other words, don’t give anything away without getting something in return. The idea was that if we Give first, we may not Get, and thus erode our deal and power at the table. I now see Get to Give very differently. I see it more as a way of life to have to ability to be able to Get to Give. I can choose to give freely of my time, my helpfulness, my love and knowing I don’t

have to get anything from the other person because the Gift is in the Giving. The joy it brings me. No expectations from the other person frees us to give unconditionally and from that we can be filled with joy. I’ve realized that having expectations about anything sets me up for failure. If I choose to go see a movie someone has talked up and then when I watch it I don’t like it, is it because I expected it to be so good in the first place? What if I went to see it without that expectation? Would I have enjoyed it more? Probably. Expectations about other people can also leave us flat and unfulfilled. I remember getting invited to a dinner party with people I didn’t know very well yet. One of the women there seemed distant and I read into that that she was cold. Rather than approach her and ask about her, I kept my distance. Days later, I was told this woman was suffering deeply from an illness. I imagine if I had done the opposite – approached her – I might have maybe made her and me feel better. What a missed opportunity to be helpful. I now choose to look upon these situations as learnings. I think

that if I can learn from them then the next time my awareness will kick in and I will make the better choice. The easiest way I find to make the right choice in the moment is to ask myself: what would love (not fear) look like in this situation? That makes the action very easy to choose. Many of us complain about a lot of things. Is complaining coming from love? Obviously not. What about gossiping? What about being greedy? If I can just take any of these actions and turn them inside out, what would it look like? Instead of gossiping, I choose to say something nice about the person I might have spoken negatively about. If I’m inclined to be greedy, I will choose to give freely. Instead of complaining about a long wait due to roadworks, I’m going to thank those roadworkers as we drive by. I feel better just writing about this. It all comes down to being better humans. Choosing the path less trodden and doing our part in the world to lift others – and ourselves – up. Ahhh, that feels good! Feel like connecting with me? You can reach me at: ananda. laberge@gmail.com

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Notes and quotes from Shane Jones BY GARRY BRANDON

S

hane Jones rolled into Thames on Saturday to a volatile reception from anti-mining locals, and an appreciative couple of hundred NZ First supporters who turned out to hear him speak at the Civic Centre. He announced NZ First would campaign to withdraw from the Paris Agreement , the international treaty on climate change, saying “we’re not going to be told how many cows we can have in a paddock” He spoke of how proud he was of his upbringing and how proud he is to be able to speak te reo Maori, and that more people should wake up early, give the kids breakfast and get them ready for school, and stop blaming so called Treaty breaches for everything that’s wrong in their lives. We have to all pile in and take responsibility for our actions. We have to commit ourselves to New Zealand’s growth and development. This can be achieved by “unravelling the Green, Brown, and Red tape” which is holding the country back. He thinks too many people on the Coromandel “fell in love with Jacinda Ardern”, and NZ First “Sees through the false religion of the Greens.” He warned against falling for the hollow rhetoric of the Opportunity Party. Look at the policies. Labour have long since moved

Attendees at the NZ First pre-election meeting, led by Shane Jones, were heckled by protestors, but all very civilised; Shane in full swing; Protestors against mining and Conservation Amendment Bill were there to greet and farewell Shane Jones at Thames on Saturday, 15 August.

away from the traditional values of New Zealand and is now the woke party. He denounced co-governance ... “I will not have a Hapu having more power than elected representatives.” He wants to ensure that rules and regulations don’t ruin the wider Waikato area as a first rate food producer. He is against any reform of local/ regional councils without a mandate from the people affected by any decisions, so doesn’t want any changes before the next election. He said NZ First wants to rein in power companies who are making vast profits, and want to expand our geo-thermal energy production. New Zealanders need to grab the opportunities in front of us. He urged Iwi to stop trying to

“There will be no expansion of data centres in NZ unless those who wish to build them also build their own power stations to run them.”

reclaim everything they might think they have lost and instead rejuvenate and regenerate. On immigration, Jones says NZ can’t afford indiscriminate, unfettered immigration, and is not interested in the Indian trade deal if it means replacing our population with immigrants. On mining, it was a grave day when Jacinda closed refineries and stopped coal mining and oil and gas exploration. He mentioned the hypocrisy of NZ importing “a million tonnes of coal from Indonesia” (NZ has an

estimated 16 Billion tonnes of coal in the ground). The result of these Labour policies is higher energy costs for ordinary Kiwis, a loss of jobs for Kiwis, and the departure of some industries from NZ He was asked about his stance on secondary tax and replied that this will be covered in NZ First’s economic manifesto to be released in three or four weeks time. He believes that people who work hard should be rewarded, not penalised by secondary tax. In response to another question from the crowd, “There will be no expansion of data centres in NZ unless those who wish to build them also build their own power stations to run them.” Places like Thames have been “hollowed out” by the Labour

government , and “If we don’t find and extract the valuable minerals, then we surrender economic fortune to China.” He said NZ was on the verge of signing deals worth hundreds of millions of dollars before Jacinda pulled the plug on mining and oil extraction, and it will be “A million years” before those affected investors would deal with NZ again. “We need a government which will not scare off investors with uncertainty about future development.” “Mining creates economic activity apart from the actual worth of the minerals mined.” Some attendees were heckled by protesters as they left the meeting, but it was pretty civilised and there was no trouble. There were several police there just in case!

Peter’s quiz

Issue 1223 – Quiz 16 1) What is a dimer? 2) One eighth of 96? 3) How many shillings in a guinea? 4) Where does Whitianga’s power originate? 5) What reason for life did the Hitch-hikers Guide give? For solutions see page 21

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The Coromandel Informer – 18 August 2026 | 13

Musings from the Village

Opinion

What dinner could you expect from political parties?

BY GORDON T

T

he Gardener looked a little bit perplexed the other day as he came inside and started fossicking around in my beer fridge. I could see there was something on his mind as he had almost done a full hour of work on the estate so, as he handed me one of my beers, I had to ask, “What’s bugging you?” He paused while he had a drinks break before replying “It’s politics and the election, I find it a bit hard to work out which of these parties I should support. I need a method of classifying them so I can make sense of the options”. I could understand his problem and felt it could be common within the community. After a brief pause, I came up with an idea. “Why don’t you consider what sort of meal they would serve you if you were to visit them? That should give you a pretty good idea of where they stand, and what they offer”. He raised an eyebrow, so I continued, saying “Let me explain”. “Take New Zealand First,” I

started. “They would probably be an old meat stew filled with last week’s leftovers. Nothing new or tasty and the centrepiece would be a gristly old bit of meat that was left over from the last stew. It keeps on being passed from stew to stew because no one really wants to chew on it and they are not allowed to throw it out”. The Gardener smiled and remarked, “I get it, that summary makes sense to me – a meal if you are starving but not very tasty. What about the Greens – tofu salad?” “An easy mistake to make,” I replied. “However, the Greens have morphed from being a pack of vegans with environmental policies. They seem to be very much after Maori support now, particularly with their policy of taking over two billion from rich folk to give to Maori for Marae refurbishment and development. I think if you were to visit them now, you would be served a meal of puha and pork bones”. I carried on. “Labour would be the takeaway cheeseburger option, very little flavour or sub-

stance but could look okay in a glossy advertisement”. The Gardener nodded and added “a meal you have when you don’t really know what food should taste like”. It was my turn to smile at his summary, and I took a sip of my beer before continuing. “If you want flavour you have to go to ACT. They would probably serve you a combination meat stir fry with heaps of chilli, garlic and onions. Heaps of flavour and options”. The Gardener started nodding, “plenty of flavour and presumably some rice on the side for substance. Starting to sound like a real meal but what could be expect from Te Pati Maori?” I had to open another beer and had a sip before answering “The culinary rules differ for Te Pati Maori. They wouldn’t bother cooking anything, you would have to turn up with a pile of takeaways and a carton of beer. So, the meal could be good or bad, depending on your budget”. “This brings me to National.” I said, “They would offer a farm-

Labour would probably serve a takeaway cheeseburger, where as ACT would probably serve you a stir fry.

er’s dinner, some mutton chops, boiled potatoes, boiled cabbage and boiled pumpkin. Nothing too tasty but it would be a substantial meal”. The Gardener laughed and remarked, “I suppose the recipe would have been handed down over generations and never changed – presumably served with a bowl of gravy.” I shook my head. “Modern farmers don’t have much time; best you could expect is some tomato sauce”. After a brief pause while we finished our beers and opened another one, the Gardener remarked “You’ve missed one out, what about that new crowd, the Opportunities Party”. I smiled

then told him “They are too young to know how to cook a decent meal. They would just invite you to their parent’s place so what you would get would depend upon their parents, and whether they were expecting you. A mystery really”. Another sip of beer and then the Gardner finished the conversation, remarking “so with MMP I can pick two courses, for example the stir fry from ACT to give me some flavour and variety and National as the main, a good solid feed to follow. It’s starting to sound clear,” he carried on before asking, “But what would we have for dessert?”

funding Dead End Highway District-wide proposed for Pool at Has anyone ever been lost in Whitianga? There are two points where it happens for visitors.

Thames High School FROM TCDC NEWSLETTER Council’s Finance and Infrastructure Committee has voted to recommend to Council that the construction of a new pool at Thames High School be included in years 1 to 3 of the 2027-2037 Long Term Plan. The committee recommended funding to be covered by the Long Term Plan, and for Council to take a

This truck and trailer did not see the sign directing to Highway 25 and had to reverse in unsafe circumstances; right, the inadequate sign on South Highway East.

BY A CONCERNED RESIDENT FIRST: “Why are these people driving down Albert Street to find their way out of Whitianga township?” Romy Stowers, working on a construction at 115 South Highway East where the canal of the Waterways starts, asked himself this question. While working on site, he noticed that some vehicles’ GPS systems – following a ‘to Tairua’ direction, were directing their drivers southward, past the Mercury Bay Area School, leading them onto South Highway East, a dead-end road with no crossing over the canal. The road ends at a boat ramp, causing unexpected stops if you are unfamiliar with Whitianga. The drivers needed to turn right into Kupe Drive to reach Joan Gaskell Drive and then exit the town-

ship There is a sign telling them to do this but it is very small, high up on a pole above line of sight and at night would be even more difficult to see This misleading signage has resulted in incidents, such as a tanker truck being unable to turn around. The driver had to reverse back up the road. The issue was reported by a resident to TCDC, who advised to, “Get in touch with the Community Board”. After waiting a month, the reply was “Get in touch with TCDC roading.” Finally the response came – “The cost of adding a sign is not currently in the budget.” For safety reasons, a bigger and better sign should be added at Kupe Drive to guide drivers out of town. SECOND: Outside the town near OPC, the road is called South Highway West. This denotes it is a main drive-through road when it is not.

14 | The Coromandel Informer – 18 August 2026

strategic approach to aquatic facilities across the district. Specifically, the committee recommended that Council adopt a population-based national benchmark for outside swimming water amenities; thus partial district funding for both capital and operating costs, and has asked staff to develop a funding model that would balance affordability and flexibility for communities across the Coromandel.

Construction of the new Whitianga Wharf pontoon It is a dead-end street. The name South Highway West should be removed as it misleads drivers and leads to confusion. Previously, there were attempts to rename the road but an objection by a couple of residents halted the process.

Good progress is being made on the concrete floating pontoon for Whitianga Wharf, which is being replaced due to its deteriorated condition. The replacement pontoon is currently being built by Heron Construction at its Whangārei yard. The project has reached an important milestone, with engineering inspections completed and

the two pontoon sections now successfully poured. From the first week of September, access to the pontoon will be closed to allow the safe replacement of pontoon and piles. Work in the harbour is expected to take around two weeks. During construction, a temporary berth will be provided for the ferry. www.theinformer.co.nz

Letters to the Editor enable members of the public to express an opinion, about an article or a topic of interest/concern. Please keep them to 200 words or less.They do not reflect the view of the Editor who reserves the right to edit and decide what is published.

Vincent Andersen, Coromandel NZ First candidate.

NZ FIRST MAN IN COROMANDEL Reading your item on Vincent Andersen, NZ First candidate for Coromandel (Informer, 11 August) it struck me that his and his Party’s “principles and values” as reported by you are muddled or just downright wrong. A few examples are: 1. He contends that one of NZ First’s pillars is fair democracy and equal citizenship. Someone needs to tell Mr Peters this. His recent despicable rant in Parliament where he told the Green MP, Dr Yu-Nan, a naturalised citizen, to “go back to your own country, that’s where they lie like a flatfish” was the antithesis both of a fair democracy and equal citizenship. 2. Another “pillar” is to build a prosperous nation. NZ First has been a very influential Coalition partner for almost the past three years. It has had its chance to build a prosperous nation. However, according to the OECD economic survey for New Zealand for 2026, our economy is still lagging behind peer OECD countries. Why would anyone think NZ First will do better if voted back in again? 3. An aspect of another “pillar” is claimed to be “pragmatic environmentalism”. Let’s face it. This is just political doublespeak for saying that environmentalism is fine - but just so long as it doesn’t interfere with commercial interests, eg mining interests. Sadly, his apparent view that we all have a personal interest to protect the environment without unnecessary regulation is hopelessly naive. 4. He claims that the US, China and India sit outside the Paris climate accord. He is wrong about China and India. They have been signatories of the accord since 2016. He is right about the US. Trump withdrew it from the accord, but this had nothing to do with climate change science. It was motivated by the selfish objective of protecting the powerful US fossil fuel industry - being a reason that has no analogy for New Zealand. If voters in the Coromandel choose to vote for Mr Andersen or NZ First, then so be it. But let’s not delude ourselves into thinking that his Party is based on high minded “principle and values”. Mr Peters and his colleagues are capable of opportunistically changing their political views whenever it suits them. Phil Bartlett Coromandel Town BAD TIME FOR A HOLIDAY I was flabbergasted to read in last week’s The Informer that our mayor has just arrived back from www.theinformer.co.nz

4 weeks overseas......4 weeks?! He’s only been in the job for 10 months! I hope it was a nice get away Mr Mayor. I’m interested to know, what was the reasoning taking a month off, while the council, that you were voted to lead, is working through some of the biggest structural changes that we have seen in a long time, amalgamation. Surely your time would have been better spent in your electorate, working with your constituents to assess the best way forward. Lucky you arrived back just in time for the photo op with the other two mayors. It seems that you are all united on this collaboration. Now let’s see how long it takes before three pals are running against each other. Let’s see if the bromance survives. Gabe Johnston Whitianga

WATER METERS - NOT AS SIMPLE I wish to place on record that it’s healthy to live in a democratic country and ratepayers put pen to paper about issues concerning the community but the facts must remain factual and balanced. I am very confident that all Councillors and Council staff are aware of anomalies with the cost of unmetered water but the issue is not straight forward and will in certain circumstances have to be an area of grave concern because there may be no win for any party. If you take the complex I and Mr Ian Stewart live in, i.e., the Mercury Bay Apartments on cnr of Albert/Hannan/Eyre Street there is uncertainty as to where the current water pipes actually are located. I do not have a map showing myself precisely where all the drinking pipes are for the 13 apartments and what condition are the pipes in after 26 years and taking into account that the building was originally started by Philip Leather and taken over by Bernard Barber Builder. This was a cheap build, thus are the pipes nearing an age when they will need replacing? As far as I am aware Mr Ian Stewart does not have written or verbal consent from all 13 owners for a bulk meter and as was suggested by one owner – the cost of the water be split 13 way; the writer would not agree to this for many reasons. 1. If a bulk meter, whose name would the bulk meter be in or is Mr Ian Stewart expecting TCDC to invoice 13 owners every time the meter is read? 2. Is Mr Ian Stewart also want-

Letters to the Editor

ing sub-meters and has he costed these as they would normally then be charged to the 13 owners – where is the costing for same and installation? 3. Does Mr Ian Stewart propose that the sub-meters run off a pipe from land in middle at back of the 13 apartments? If so – does this provide legal implications as this land is not registered on our Titles as communal land and owned by the society that he is currently Chairman of but which the Constitution infers that they own land/buildings, etc. The original constitution registered in 2001 and the more recent constitution have irregularities. It is not compulsory to belong to this society and if the numbers fall below 10 this society must be wound up and liquidated – what would then happen if the account was forwarded to the society for payment at some time in the near future. 4. What happens if a leak in the main pipe which goes thru what is supposed to be communal land and owned by the Society – BUT IS NOT – who is to pay for the drainlayer/plumber and/or in a worst case scenario replacement of main pipe into the complex, etc. I am currently paying approx. $1100 pa for my water contribution and this may be considerably cheaper than what it will cost to put in sub meters, legal fees, new pipes, cost of drainlayers, etc, for the apartment complex where Mr Ian Stewart and others own an apartment. Very easy to criticise TCDC in this instance, but the full facts need to be disclosed. The Society in this particular complex is just a group of people who have NO LEGAL STANDING for reason that they own nothing. It was known by original committee members back in 2001. There will be a solution but it may not necessarily be meters but a flat fee which has to be jointly agreed upon via consultation with all owners – the Society in this complex doesn’t have the legal clout to make that decision on behalf of owners I have experienced a healthy dialogue when discussing the above-mentioned issue of water meters for this complex with the Water Engineer of TCDC. Mrs Bev Cain/Andrew Hand Waikaraka Trust – property owner Whitianga DEMOCRATIC ACCOUNTABILITY IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT I read with interest Ady ColeEwan’s piece “Democratic Accountability in Local Government” (The Informer, 260811), and I agree with the central concern she raises. Ady is right to draw attention to Jonathan Ayling’s question - Who Really Governs Local Government? - because it goes to the heart of what ratepayers should expect from the system. The Local Government Act 2002 is clear: elected members set policy and direction, and hold the organisation to account; the chief executive is responsible for implementation. When that line blurs, so does accountability. Here in Whangamatā we have seen the pattern Ady describes

play out directly. TCDC’s communications with the community on water and wastewater at Wharekaho, which prompted this article, are a case in point decisions and information have too often reached residents only after they were effectively settled by staff, leaving elected members and the public to react rather than direct. We have had similar experiences locally around stormwater and flooding, where residents and the Community Board have had to push hard for information that should have been offered as a matter of course. None of this is a criticism of council staff doing their jobs. Engineers, planners and finance specialists are essential, and their advice should carry real weight. But advice is not the same as decision-making, and Ady’s point stands: if the information councillors see, the options they are offered, and the pace of decisions are all shaped upstream by the CE’s office, then the governance ratepayers voted for in October is governance in name only. Public transparency has to go further than better reporting to councillors. Ratepayers are entitled to know, project by project, who actually holds delegated authority to approve spending and sign off decisions - the elected council, a committee, or a staff member acting under delegation - and where that line sits. And once a project is underway, the public is entitled to genuine accountability: the estimated budget and timeframe published against the actual budget and timeframe, with a clear, honest explanation of why and how any overrun occurred. Without that, cost blowouts and delays are quietly absorbed rather than answered for, and no one is ever really held to account. Restoring genuine democratic accountability starts with elected members insisting on full, timely information and independent advice where it matters, and with councils being transparent about how decisions are actually reached, who made them, and what they cost against what was promised. Ady has done local democracy a service by putting this question on the table. It deserves a proper public discussion - not just here in Whangamatā, but across the Cor-

omandel Peninsula and beyond. Patrick Kerr Whangamata RESISTING PRESSURE TO CONFORM The way TCDC mis-treated its rate-payers has been the subject of discussion for some time in your paper and now the council has chosen to ignore the will of its rate-payers and opt for amalgamation Option 3. In Peter Wood’s words, they did not have the ‘backbone’ to resist the pressure from the state. Which leaves all rate-payers who do not work for or in council to come together and discuss how we want to govern ourselves, make a plan in which all decisions now being made by councils are made at a local level. A weekly collection of ideas in the paper could be assessed daily if a web-site were set up to which we all have access and to which we can all contribute. The only stipulation must be that all ideas come unfettered by state pressure. John Veysey Thames Coast

FROM GREENPEACE NEWSLETTER “HANDS OFF CONSERVATION LAND” Thousands of people across Aotearoa have taken part in a nationwide day of action today, calling on the Coalition Government to keep its hands off public conservation land and throw out the Conservation Amendment Bill. More than 35 protests took place across the country on Saturday 14 August, coordinated by Greenpeace and organised by local communities from Invercargill all the way up to Aotea Great Barrier Island. Greenpeace campaigner Gen Toop says the scale of the mobilisation reflects how strongly New Zealanders feel about protecting public conservation land.

Mike’s Minutes ‘Worth Watching Online’

Just key in the title to find the video in YouTube (and it’s best on a flat screen tv) 1) DNA Traced Every Polynesian Back to One Island-Five Thousand Years Ago in Taiwan The Genome Archive catalogues what ancient DNA reveals about the people history forgot, misidentified or mythologized. 2) Impossible Places|50 Most Alien Places on Earth that Shocked the World|Travel Video 4k This cinematic travel film reveals 50 of the most other-

worldly places on the planet (N.B. Best viewed on wide screen 4K Smart TV). 3) How to Connect Android Phone to Smart TV|Screen Mirroring | Wireless Display Learn how to connect your Android Phone to a Smart TV and Wireless. If your not that Tech savvy ask the kid next door to help! N.B. You can also connect via USB cable phone to tv. Enjoy watching, Mike.

The Coromandel Informer – 18 August 2026 | 15

WIN! Games & Puzzles Issue 1223

Crossword Puzzle

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Issue 1223 – Grid 1190

Sudoku Puzzle

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DOWN 1. Acts properly (7) 2. Curved sword (5) 3. Delightful to eat (5) 4. Withdrawal of labour (7) 5. African flightless bird (7) 6. Regional speech (7) 12. Piloted (3) 15. Extremely bad (7) 16. Examined (accounts) (7) 17. Wound with claw (7) 19. Mellow & ripen (3) 20. People from Hindu land (7) 22. Carved into shape (5) 23. Remove errors from (5)

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16 | The Coromandel Informer – 18 August 2026

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School beach cross country

On Tuesday 11 August, under the bright, shining sun, the Year 4–8 Cross Country combining Whenuakite School with Mercury Bay Area school was a fantastic success down at Buffalo Beach! A massive thanks goes out to everyone who made it such a great day by the water. Special shout-out to Whaea Jazz for busting out her old Jump Jam moves to get the kids moving and shaking, as well as Mrs Mikkelsen and Whaea Montana for running awesome warm-up sessions. The top 6 runners from each group will qualify for the TVP Cross Country.

Farewell Beth Continued from page 3 Farming at Hikutaia, Ardmore, and Karaka was for Fred and Beth about pioneering and developing each piece of land until it was productive and they could move on to the next. Beth loved her gardens and fostering green growth anywhere. In her later years she was able to enjoy the lush growth of Alan’s plantings at The Lost Spring. It was her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren who gave her the most pleasure and pride and kept her alive and interested. A common

Fred and Beth Hopping on their wedding day.

theme in all of Beth Hopping’s eulogies was that she did not give away easy compliments. They had to be earned but she found ways of assuring each one of her love and her pride in their living and achievements. A compliment or gift from Beth in childhood and youth was treasured and remembered into adulthood. The funeral occasion with all of its invitations to hospitality and sharing memories of Beth both honoured her long life and strengthened the value of continuing Hopping family bonds. This community thanks Beth.

OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD

RESULTS

Leisa McCleery, Sports Director, and Ross Dunn, Principal MBAS, at the wrap-up of the MBAS and Whenuakite primary schools Cross Country at Buffalo Beach on Tuesday, 11 August.

www.theinformer.co.nz

Boys 8 yrs 1st Rocco Sneddon, Matawhaorua 2nd equal Harry Pointon, Tainui and Xavier Mardell, Buffalo Girls 8 yrs 1st Luca Shortland, Whenuakite 2nd Milia Parata, Buffalo Boys 9 yrs 1st Brock Norris, Whenuakite 2nd Jack Marshall, Buffalo Girls 9 yrs 1st Jasmine Jones, Mercury 2nd Anahera Kingi, Matawhaorua Boys 10 yrs 1st Koby Maxwell, Tainui 2nd Rio Eccles, Matawhaorua Girls 10 yrs 1st Amelia Jones, Mercury 2nd Marli Jarvis, Mercury Boys 11 yrs 1st Anmol Rawat, Tainui 2nd Dom McKenzie, Mercury Girls 11 yrs 1st Zoe Pederson, Matawhaorua 2nd Isla Goodall, Buffalo Boys 12 yrs & 12+ 1st Cody Spyve, Mercury 2nd Ryder Weir, Tainui Girls 12 yrs & 12+ 1st Hazel Velvin-Turner, Whenuakite 2nd – Lucy Bramley, Whenuakite

PROJECT LEADER Shoeboxes for WORKSHOP! 2026 Operation Christmas Child are ready Hear exciting updates

TIME:

7PM - 9PM Learn new and creative WEDNESDAY 5 AUGUST peration Christmas it’s always a good time to get Whitianga: St Patrick’s for runninginvolved Operation Child ideas – Samaritan’s in thinking of those in Catholic, St Peter’s AngliChild at your Purse Christmas is the Christian poorer countries. She wantsLOCATION: to can, Whitianga Baptist, charity that location. takes Christmas encourage families to take the CrossroadsBYChurch, C3, ST ANDREWS THE SEA

O

boxes throughout the world children shopping for the little St STREET Andrew’s Church and 82 ALBERT WHITIANGA 3510Cogill Café, The to a huge number of children gifts that can bring so much Opshop, Fellowship and celebrate who, due towith third other and fourth joy to others who have almost Informer office in Monk Project Leaders world poverty or remote loca- nothing to call their own. Street. we anticipate that God tions would as otherwise receive all “Children love shopping for Pauanui: Pauanui Informawill do through OCC in the no Christmas presents. gifts and useful items to put in tion Centre. region. Last year an astounding total the boxes, and it teaches them Whangamata: Baptist of 12,205,900 shoebox gifts to spare a thought for those Church, Whangamata. globally were collected during less fortunate,” Robyn says. “I Recommendations about the the 2025 season. Over 336 of wish more people could see toys and essentials that are so these came from the Coroman- what a difference those boxes much appreciated are included RSVP BY CONTACT ROBYN: del Peninsula. make to children who have in the boxes that you pick up to 4093 The boxes 31 are JULY distributed nothing. People020 on the Coro- 9674 fill. Cash donations also help through Christmas gatherings mandel are very generous and towards shipping the boxes. where the whole community is I know they will be again this Last drop-off date: All boxes invited, and every child gets a year.” must be returned by Saturday, box. 24 October to St Andrews Op Robyn Balfour is the local EMPTY DECORATED SHOE Shop. Open Tuesday-Saturday co-ordinator for Operation BOXES AVAILABLE: 9.30am-1.30pm Christmas Child and she Right now you can pick up dec- Cash donations also help wants to remind people that orated empty shoeboxes from: towards shipping the boxes.

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The Coromandel Informer – 18 August 2026 | 17

Report #33 Ray’s Hon Scott Simpson From a small town to packed MP For Coromandel

The beauty of theatres across Australia Terri"c news for schools in the Coromandel electorate

Stella Evered

Kolbie’s success is inspiring FROM INTERVIEW WITH The AND Government investment in both our KOLBIE HER DAD,has BLAIR others back home. Eight-year-old announced that 500 schools and New ZeaHarlow Macaw from Tairua also schools been is selected land’s future. olbiehave Fraser seventeen joined the Adelaide and Sydney to and have solar After undergoing an until technology the beginning legs of BIG Live’s Nutcracker tour, installed as she partwas of in theCooks on-site assessment for t the very end of of 2025 a remarkable achievement for Solarpreparing on Schools suitability, solar panels Lees Road and runBeach to goproto Welsomeone so young. Performing in gramme, andpost-MBAS I’m pleased will be installed at the ning down to the lington for her college the Party scene’ in front of thouto seeatmore thanZealand a few of schools over three years. Purangi Estuary is one of studies the New School sands each day, Harlow thrived our local schools included This initiative is jointly the best kept secrets on of Dance. on stage and says she loved in the funded through $20 milthe Coromandel Peninsula. She is list. quietly proving that talevery minute of it. She has since Schoolsbyingrit thegoes Corolion from the Energy EffiThe Stella Evered Memoent backed far. Late returned home full of inspiration electorate thatof her ciency and Conservation rial Park is stunningly lastmandel year almost at the end and will continue training under have are: KolAuthority’s Community beautiful and is a must first yearbeen at theincluded dance school, Sarah Fitzsimons at Thames School, Hauraki Renewable Energy Fund visit for anyone on the bieColville earned the invitation to a fiveHauraki Dance Theatre where all Plains Katikati erate clean, renewable and $10 million from the Peninsula. week paidCollege, professional contract the girls have come from, united College, Primary BIG energy which will result Ministry of Education. The history of the park is with RisingKatikati Ballet Company by their love of dance. School, Kerepehi School, proin lower power bills, I am a big supporter that from the middle of last Live, performing Nutcracker The Coromandel Peninsula’s Netherton century Eric Evered and ductions across School, Australia. Te more energy resilience, of solar energy and I am presence in national dance continPuru directors School and and reduced emissions. pleased that this prohis wife, Stella, farmed a Under JoelWaihi Burke and ues to grow, with Kolbie training in Central School. The school buildings are gramme will give stularge block of land on this Khalid Tarabay, part of one of the ballet and Liarah Anderson – 2nd This is really already in place, so mak- dents, as well as the very site opposite Cooks highest-selling balletexciting companies year, Izzy Fitzsimons and Neka these schools because ing use of their roofs to wider community, a realBeach. in for the Southern Hemisphere, Woolf - now accepted into the New installation of solar harness the power of the world example of renewIn 1981 the 37 hectares shethe completed 45 performances, Zealand School of Dance, first year panels five will help them gen-some sun is a smart, practical able energy in action. at the end of Lees Road dancing ballet roles, contemporary programs. was donated by Eric as a the accommodation cotone of which leads lasting nearly seven minutes, perProudly carrying her down Coropark to the people of New tages and start extensive the old stone jetty. This forming to around 80,000 people. mandeltoroots into every lesson, Zealand and named after planting of native speback some 175 years She was also trusted with partner Kolbie’sdates journey is proof that his deceased wife Stella as cies. These cottages were when are the being area was heavily work, which was an honour and big dreams built right the Stella Evered Memorial removed and relocatedhere to atinvolved in the embraced wholeheartedly. home. Kolbie hasextraction just now Park. About 18 hectares Sue’s stunning garden begun and of and the Kolbie could hardly believe the herKauri secondtimber year – carrying Kolbie posing infront of The Nutcracker promotion in which she featured; Kolbie with young ballerina Harlow. are open park with the property further backwith on her coastal shipping experience she was getting and the lessons oftrade. life away remainder off resilience as Leesand Rd. decision to from home Near there of is being chosen to be part of the nights walking 30 minutes uphill tures, and strict dancer nutritionfencedThat andthe thewater experience of a working farm. her situation, As I understand our a largedancing modern elite ballerinas in the country. after training, soaked by Welling- became unexpected part hurdles, and change soon turned it, professional for wooden several For many years Sue,opportunity with localasIwi, Ngati Hei, weeks are structure She knows her achievements ton rain and buffeted by wind, Kolbie made the tough call to into it was after and therecommemorating will be more to Akubra holstered nowthecontracted the the visit by Captain James to this point are not just about legs burning and body exhausted. move, prioritising her healthhat andandthat she earned invitation toby come! secateurs, and dance her partTrust for the maintenance hours in the studio. There were Shared houses, different cul- training. in Australia Well Cook done! and early interacner, looked after the park of the park. A large num- tions with local Iwi in and did extensive planting, ber of exotic trees have 1769. The Endeavour crew weeding and pest control. been felled and replaced came ashore to fill their They lived in the old house with natives. water barrels. down near the very old If we are hosting friends, At our doorstep we have MP For Coromandel OUR LEGAL SERVICES INCLUDE: stone jetty with a couple of family or visitors one of a beautiful park with great accommodation cottages the first ports of call is the historical and cultural sigPROPERTY - COMMERCIAL - FAMILY available to visitors. Stella Evered Park. There nificance, readily accesCOROMANDEL-COLVILLE COMMON LAW - PERSONAL FINANCING No visitor left empty are extensive views north sible to allareand a great In terms of the - Coromandel “Major events critical for BETTER HEALTH CARE handed and Sue was always to the Cooks Beach our and hospitality example and of a tourism Community pilot programme, it began in midsecTRUSTS - ASSET PROTECTION - NOTARY PUBLIC incredibly generous with Purangi and the Coromanpartnership the Access to healthcare is one of 2025 and is being delivered at tors, especially herebetween in the Coroher locally grown fruit. del Ranges. Park Trust, local Iwi the biggest concerns for people the Coromandel Family Medical mandel. Accommodations fill and up, Eventually the Park The walk is an easy stroll the wider community. Go in rural and remote areas and Centre and Colville Health Clinic restaurants and cafés thrive, and Trust decided to remove on well-maintained tracks visit. our government is committed practice. been benefiting local businesses see more cusWHAT WEThey’ve OFFER: to ensuring New Zealanders can from extra support, better access tomers, creating jobs and lifting • Long tradition of trusted performance and reliability get the care they need, when they to information and working more incomes.” • Quality andan practical need it, no matter where theyof live.service closely with Emergencyadvice Care “Across New Zealand, Tourism Last year’s Budget• invested Paramedic which can treat urgent directly contributes $17 billion Promptness and efficiency $164 million to strengthen urgent care patients in the clinic, while to national GDP and just under • care Reasonable and regular reporting and after-hours nationwide, fees also available to respond to local 200,000 jobs. Tourism makes up meaning 98 per cent of New Zea- 111 calls. almost 12% of Coromandel’s GDP. landers will be able to access I’m hoping that there will be economic effect of Penns is a vibrant social club dedicated to providing “Friendship,The Fellowship, and Fun”ripple for its members. these services within one hour’s even more support for similar major events is huge, supporting Our regular activities include: drive of their home. One of the projects around our region and our local businesses and growing • Monthly Guest speakers – topics on environmental trusts to first aid demonstrations. Festival. initiatives funded was a pilot the rest of the country in the com- Scott Simpson and Chris Penk;• Oceans our economy.” Dinner Club: Social evenings once a month at a local restaurant such as programme to enhance urgent ing year. People in rural areas can Indian Aromas, Grace O’Malley’s, and“Events Smitty’s.such as the Whitianga and after-hours healthcare in six often travel long distances for couple of weeks ago alongside the Trips Addition to Scott’s column ExcerptlocalOceans Festival just bring • Outings: have included Tairua Troubadours, garden visits, and don’t pool parties. rural communities, including Cor- care and rely on small teams sup- Associate Minister of Emergency from his Connection: Press releaseAWed 11 Feb. they bring life and energy • Community chance to meet visitors; like-minded individuals omandel and Colville. porting large regions, that’s why Management and Recovery Chris to our region and to our towns and stay active in the Whitianga community. GOVERNMENT FUNDING FOR I was thrilled to hear the this investment is so important. Penk. which helps to create vibrant Join Us: We meet on the 4th Monday of every OCEANS FESTIVAL announcement from Associate In other news, our region is still We received a briefing from communities and unforgettable month. We would love to see you there. Health Minister Matt Doocey recovering from January’s heavy the Thames-Coromandel Dis- Sat “I’m excited10.00am that the Coroman- experiences.” Next meeting: 24 August Mercury that these pilots have been rolled weather event, but it’s encourag- trict Council, which outlined theClub. del will you once “This funding is a significant Bay Bowling Whether are aagain long- host the out and have shown the positive ing to see communities rebound impact of the storm and workor new Whitianga Oceans Festival timethe resident to the area, you are most in Sep- boost to Whitianga and the welcome to attend to see what we attracting are all about. 14 MonksoSt, Whitianga 3510 impact that locally led approaches quickly and contractors work- ahead. It was stressed throughtember 2026, visitors wider Coromandel, and I’m lookcan make, with faster care, better ing to stabilise our roads. There out these visits thatFor support is from around New Zealand and ing forward to our region hostmore information, contact Jo Bowden, www.renniecox.co.nz access to treatment, and stronger are parts of the Peninsula which available, such as Civil Defence overseas, Secretary Ph: 021 264 3753as part of the national ing another great event which warwickandjo@gmail.com links between rural health ser- are still affected by storm dam- payments through theEmail: Ministry of $70 million Major Events and encourages locals and visitors to whitianga@renniecox.co.nz vices. age, and I visited these areas a Social Development. We look forwardTourism Package. celebrate all that we have offer.” to meeting you! “

K

A

Hon Scott Simpson

Peninsula Penultimates - a great group to join

0800RENNIECOX (0800 736 643)

18 August 2026 16 | The Coromandel Informer – 18 17 February 2026

www.theinformer.co.nz

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The Coromandel Informer – 18 August 2026 | 19

Trades & Services KICKSTART MOTORCYCLES

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existing homes - Aluminium & glass balustrades Photo: FernVision

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Call Bill for a free no obligation quote. 027 2714803

www.dynamicelectrical-whitianga.co.nz Warm up a medium sized bedroom with a Mitsubishi heatpump. Starting at $2000 installed.

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Whitianga Contact Stu Macfarlane Mobile: 021 914 226 Email: stu@drainagesystems.co.nz web: www.drainagesystems.co.nz Windscreens

• Builders • Plastering • Painting • Section Maintenance • Wallpapering • Fences • Decks Maree(Director) WPR Safe as Houses swprenos@xtra.co.nz Safe as 0274 571 436 Houses 0800 007 366

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20 | The Coromandel Informer – 18 August 2026

ADVERTISE WITH US Call 07 866 2090 or email sales@theinformer.co.nz

Your Local Electricians - we do it all! * Domestic * Commercial * Rural * Ph: 07 866 2452 | 027 4972 680 | 24/7 Service • New Houses, Buildings and Renovations • Heat Pump Installations & Underfloor Heating • Security Alarms & Cameras • Maintenance & Service • Installer of Evnex EV Chargers plus we offer other brands • FREE Quotes - call today www.coromandel.laserelectrical.co.nz | p.hally@laserelectrical.co.nz

JIMMY RODLEY CONCRETE POLISHING LTD Owner/Operated 25 years experience High quality finishes • Ground and polished concrete floors • Residential and commercial • Outdoor patios and driveways • Garage floors • Floor prep • Shot blasting • Fire hearths Contact Jimmy Rodley 027 656 8717 jimmyrodley@hotmail.com | 31 Wells Place, Whitianga

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Jasmin Cottle-Gallichan | 021 867 703 Melanie Stephens | 027 600 0349 Residential Property Managers

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Krissie Brand OUR PROPERTY MANAGER OF 25 YEARS

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Licensed under the Real Estate Agents Act 2008 Understanding the Coromandel Since 1960

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Church Services

GR8 STORAGE, WHITIANGA Phil – 0273 433023, Car, boat, campervan storage, 20 foot containers available to store your belongings. STORAGE SHEDS Whitianga Total Storage, opposite Carters. Ph: 0800 944 660 HOLISTIC HEALTH

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For all your storage needs?!! We have clean dry containers and units in a range of sizes for you to choose from at four di!erent sites. If you need a temporary or longer term storage solution at an a!ordable price give us a call today! • Units – range of sizes from 2m x 1m to 9m x 6m with roller doors for easy access. Prices start from $30 per week. • Containers – range from 1.9m x 1.6m to 6m x 2.4m. Prices start from $27 per week. Moewai Road, Whitianga. Ph: 0274 817 258

E: whiti@totalstorage.co.nz www.totalstorage.co.nz

St Andrew’s by the Sea Community Church 82 Albert St Whitianga (Opp Z)

SUNDAY WORSHIP 10:00AM Come, join the family Find peace and friendship. Enquiries: ph 022 1322 061 www.standrewsbythesea.org.nz

Anglican Worship Every Sunday at 9.00am at St Peter the Fisherman 7 Dundas Street, Whitianga ALL WELCOME Enquiries ph 021 781 081 www.anglicanchurchwhitianga.org.nz

AKC-REGISTERED ENGLISH BULLDOG PUPPIES FOR ADOPTION We have AKC-registered male and female English Bulldog puppies available for adoption. They are looking for loving, responsible forever homes.

If you’re interested or would like more information, please contact: malyschristine65@outlook.com

ACCOMMODATION OFFERED

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IN MEMORIAM

If you love cutting hair..... Looking for negotiable hours..... No weekends..... Please phone Sally 0276 849 050

VEHICLES WANTED

VEHICLES WANTED

book@tongariroriverretreat.com 26 Ngawaka Place, Turangi. Ph 07 386 8949

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Call 0800 333 398 or text 021 344 449

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DEAD OR ALIVE

• Cars •Vans• Utes • Trucks

sales@theinformer.co.nz

I’m curently selling my part time business, 20+ clients, 20k+ turnover. All lawns are ride-on mulching mows.

Must sell – Make an offer Contact 027 471 7785 Kyle

LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE SOLUTIONS PETER’S QUIZ ANSWERS Answers to quiz 16 on page 13 1) A molecule 2) 12 3) 21 4) Arapuni or Karapiro 5) 42

Memorial 21 August 2026 St Andrews by the Sea Community Church. Come at 10.45am for 11.00am Friends welcome

GARAGE SALES

GARAGE SALE SATURDAY 22 AUGUST SARAH AVE, WHITIANGA

Furniture, whiteware, garden planter boxes, plants, swimming pool, homewares & biltong! SIGNS OUT 9AM-1PM

PUBLIC NOTICES

Whitianga Art Group

Notice of Annual General Meeting 2026 23 School Road, Whitianga Friday 28 August 12.30pm All welcome

x www.tongariroriverretreat.com

the cut hut

Call 07 866 2090 or email

Trish’s Bible Gems

“These are written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and that believing you might have life through his name.” John 20:31

Cuppa at 10 Cook Drive, Whitianga at 12 noon, Saturday 22 August RSVP by Thursday 20 August. Phone 027 363 9980

PUPPIES FOR ADOPTION

HAIRDRESSER Full or part time C3 Church Whitianga Join Us – Expect Miracles! Sundays 10am 22 Coghill Street, Whitianga

Passed away peacefully at Thames Hospital on Tuesday, 11 August. Loved husband of Catherine Brown and loved father of Tony and his wife Tracey.

Claire Glazer

ALTOGETHER YOUR

Long term & holiday. Free rental appraisals. Landlords & Tenants, for all your rental requirements.

James Clifford ROBERTSON

Please be advised that Cooks Beach Lawn Mowing & Property Maintenance Services will be carrying out weed control spraying of Onehunga Weed (Prickle Weed) in the Cooks Beach area between 1 September 2026 and 31 October 2026. The area will be signposted, and a spray plan is available on request. For further information, please contact – Bryan Skelton – 027 473 6114 cooksbeachlawnmowing@gmail.com

Mercury Bay Medical Centre Te Korowai Hauora o Hauraki Whitianga Community Services Trust would like to invite you to a

KAUMĀTUA / SENIORS MORNING TEA

Dr Dan Asquith presents Nepal trip reflections, ageing well, and cognitive testing for Driver Licence renewal. Plus, updates from Te Korowai Whitianga, Mercury Bay Medical Centre and Whitianga Community Services. When: Wednesday 26 August Time: 10:30am Where: Mercury Bay Club

A free event – no bookings required.

Whitianga Volunteer Coastguard Inc NOTICE OF AGM

Date & Time: Saturday, 29th August 2026 from 11am to 12 noon Venue: Whitianga Coastguard Training Room, Albert Street, Whitianga All members and potential members welcome.

The Coromandel Informer – 18 August 2026 | 21

Sports Golf results are from last week: THE DUNES GOLF CLUB, MATARANGI Men’s Shootout Qualifying Mon 3 Aug 1, Rey Bertling 20; 2, Noel Rogers 17; 3, Richard Cummins 17 Ladies Stableford Tuesday 4 August 1, Glenda Philpott 16; 2, Ruth Fisken 16; 3, Glenys Wilson 15 Men’s Monthly Net Medal Wednesday 5 August 1, Robert Smith 71; 2, Geoffrey Hill 72; 3, Trevor Martin 73 Men’s Monthly Medal (Gross) Wednesday 5 August 1, Allan Trow 79; 2, Geoffrey Hill 86; 3, Geoff Atmore 87 Twos: Allan Trow #7 NTP: Allan Trow Men’s East vs West Day – Stableford Thursday 6 August Team West won – 1, Mark Rea 19; 2, Peter Murphy 17 18 hole Ladies Stableford shootout Quali�ier Thursday 6 August 1, Sandra Bowen 41; 2, Kayleen Smith 38; 3, Marie Dunn 35 Men’s MWSS: 9 Hole Stableford Thursday 6 August 1, Ross Kingdom 19; 2, Neil McGregor 18; 3, Jack Bancroft 16 PURANGI GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB G.Free Trophy. Putts round 3 and stableford Tuesday 4 August 1, Annelise La Roche; 2=, Jason Godward, Jo Geoghegan, Lauren Stephen’s Putts – Women – Annelise La Roche, Men – Ryan Cochrane 9 hole stableford Cooks Beach Building Supplies Monthly Medal Thursday 6 August 1, Lauren Stephens winner of monthly medal; 2, Steve Borlase; 3, Jason Godward 18 hole stableford Saturday 10 August 1, Callum Murray; 2, Dianne Gilmour; 3, Grant Webster; 4, Wayne Radonich 4BBB: Mike Farance and Jock Peacock NTP: Wayne Radonich Nett Eagles Callum Murray

TAIRUA BRIDGE CLUB 2nd Round Paci�ic Pairs Mon 10 Aug North/South: 1, Christine Meinhold & Jim Buffett 65.18; 2, Jocelyn Taylor & Peter McNeil 61.01; 3, Robyn Waters & Tony White 54.46. East/West: 1, Celia Young & David Wilkinson 59.82; 2, Heather Buffett & Ton Vanessa Der Meer 55.65; 3, Heather Campbell & Jenny Hemmings. MERCURY BAY BRIDGE CLUB August Competition round 1 Wednesday, 12 August North/South: 1, Gavin Hedwig & Kate Palmano 65.4; 2, Robyn Hogg & Jenny Layton 61.8; 3, Bryan Patterson & Alison Tichbon 47.5 East/West: 1, Sue Gill & Tadek Gawor 66.3; 2, Giorgio Allemano & Bob Schibli 55.8; 3= Rose Tegg & Deidre Stevenson, Ischelle Stevenson & Geoff Jervis 53.3 Moewai Pairs round 3 Thur 13 Aug 1, Deidre Stevenson & Bob Schibli 61.3; 2, Rose Tegg & Angela Cook 60.0; 3, Tony Van Der Drift & Ischelle Stevenson 52.5 HAHEI BRIDGE CLUB Week 2 of the Te Pare Point Pairs Tuesday 11 August North/South: 1, Alison Tichbon and Peter Clark 57.81%; 2, Val Dwight and Natasha Courtney 53.13%; 3, Maggie Urlich and Angela Butterworth 51.04% East/West: 1, Johanna Bonnar and Jean Myles 58.13%; 2, Tia Ormsby and Peter Hogg 56.25%; 3, Sue Gill and Robyn Waters 53.13% MERCURY BAY CLUB INDOOR BOWLS Ladies’ singles Monday 10 August 1, Sandie Morris; 2, Maureen Lack. Good Sport: Pat Fisher MERCURY BAY CLUB DARTS Tuesday 11 August There were 19 players this week, so we played 501 singles. There were three unbeaten players. They were Benson Lockhart, BJ McGregor and Bluey Stratton. They had a play-off and Blue Stratton came away with the win. The highest finish for the men was Benson Lockhart with 100 and for the ladies Eleanor Higgins with 62. There was also three players with a 180. They were Peter Reekers, BJ McGregor and Astronomy Tours and B&B Phone (07) 866 5343 www.stargazersbb.com

STAR and SPACE STATION GAZING IN 2026 – your guide to the night sky Tuesday 18 to Wednesday, 26 August Venus still outshines everything in the northwestern dusk sky but will now gradually start to get ever lower in the sky as it slowly approaches the Sun. We will lose it from view next month. It is still visible as a lovely ever thinning crescent in a small telescope or even strong binoculars. Faint Mars and Mercury are also visible low in the east at dawn. There may still be a few meteorites from the Persid meteor shower visible mainly after midnight. We will have several Tiangong passes to view this week but, as usual, timings may change especially towards the end of the week if it has to be moved to avoid space junk. It is always best to check the website

Office: 14 Monk Street, Whitianga 3510, Phone: (07) 866 2090 Office hours: Mon-Fri 9:00am-3:00pm We are online www.theinformer.co.nz Facebook, Instagram @theinformernz

heavens-above.com for updated timings. Tuesday, 18 August: The Moon now sits above and to the right of Venus at dusk and we have a bright Tiangong pass from 6:57pm in the west. Wednesday, 19 August: The Moon is now well above Venus at dusk. Thursday, 20 August: The Moon sits just above the red giant star Antares in Scorpio all night while from 6:39pm we have a Tiangong pass in the west moving next to Venus. Friday, 21 August: Antares in Scorpio and the Moon lie right beside each other. Saturday, 22 August: The Moon in now just below Antares in Scorpio. Sunday, 23 August: The Moon now lies in Sagittarius right where the centre of the Milky Way and its black hole reside.

Proudly sponsored by

Bluey Stratton. A great night had by all. COOKS BEACH INDOOR BOWLS CLUB Annual Singles Tournament Wednesday, 12 August Cooks Beach Indoor Bowls Club held their Club Bowls Single Tournament. This was a great tournament and there was a great attendance on the day by club members and after many games the overall winner on the day was Sumer Bartleet. Congratulations Sumer. MERCURY BAY CLUB SNOOKER Wednesday 12 August A very good turnout of players was reduced to two players after section play over 3 rounds. Doug Pascoe and Brian Codyre were in great form with 3 wins each. In the play-off final, it was the experienced old campaigner Brian who came through with a comfortable win to take the day’s honours. Brian also scored a very good break of 25 but Dave Colman, with an excellent break of 30, took away the High Break Jackpot prizemoney. Saturday 15 August Four rounds of matches were contested in section play and it was Bob Haase who took out the day’s honours with 4 good wins from 4. Rob Reilly was runner-up with 3 wins while Ian Baumgren and Greg Murphy achieved 2 wins each. The High Break Jackpot was not struck. THE DUNES MATARANGI GOLF CLUB Men’s 9 holes – 3 Blind Mice Mon 10 Aug 1, Rob Fisken; 2, Paul Anderson. Best Stableford: Graham Kemp (19) Twos: Rey Bertling #14 Women’s 9 holes 5 Club Day including putter stableford Tuesday 11 August 1, Maree Cabaret 20; 2, Ruth Fisken 20; 3, Glenda Philpott 19. Men’s 18 hole Stableford Wed, 12 Aug 1, Peter Mathias 38; 2, Norman Gilbert 37; 3, Graham Harrison 36; 4, David Young 35; 5 Russell Barnett 35. Twos: Charlie Chilwell #5, Tony De Coek #5, Graham Harrison #7, Mike Friis #14, Barry Bowen #18. NTP # 18: Barry Bowen. 18 Hole Ladies Gross, Nett & Putting Thur 13 August 1, Sandra Bowen Nett 70, Putt 32; 2, Kayleen Smith Nett 75, Putt 36. Men’s 9 Hole 2-Man Ambrose

Friday 14 August 1, Mark Deutsch + Peter Mathias, Nett 34; 2, Graham Kemp + Rob Fisken, Nett 35.75. Saturday Haggle (Mixed Haggle) Stableford Saturday 15 August 1, Chris Palmer 39; 2, David Gaskell 39; 3, Darryn Pritchard 36; 4, Nicole Dunn 36. NTP: Allison Drake-Wells Twos: Allison Drake-Wells #18 PURANGI GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB 9 Hole Stableford Tues 11 August 1st =Jo Geoghegan, Nicola Godward, Catherine Borlase, Ryan Cochrane 18 Hole Nett Sat 15 August 1st =Callum Murray, Kelly Phillips, 3 David Young, 4 Tim Bartlett, 5= Danny Phillips Jo Geoghegan. 4BBB NETT: Callum Murray and Catherine Borlase FOOTBALL Hauraki Plains handed MBAS Junior Girls heavy defeat A week after their heroic performance with short numbers against the league leaders, Mercury Bay were hopeful of their chances against visiting Hauraki Plains. Despite a much better performance in the second half, the Mercury Bay girls simply could not match Hauraki, eventually going down 7-0. Standing out in the tough encounter, the Players of the Day were awarded to Neela Sacult and Charlotte Allen.

Mercury Bay Football U13s Sharks The Mercury Bay Sharks hosted the Paeroa Rangers on Saturday, 15 August. The Sharks started brilliantly and some slick passing created two early goals for Sarico. Paeroa fought their way back into the game and scored a couple of their own. Harry was outstanding in defence, stopping almost everything that came his way. Sarico was superb, with some surgical runs, pinpoint passing and another excellent contribution in front of goal. Harry and Sarico were deservedly awarded joint Players of the Day.

Mercury Bay – the sun, the moon and the tides Wednesday 19 August

Thursday 20 August

Friday 21 August

Sun: Rise 6:56am Set 5:46pm

Sun: Rise 6:54am Set 5:47pm

Sun: Rise 6:53am Set 5:47pm

Sun: Rise 6:52am Set 5:48pm

Moon: Rise 9:57am

Moon: Set 12:42am Rise 10:31am

Moon: Set 1:43am Rise 11:10am

Moon: Set 2:41am Rise 11:55am

High Tides:11:56am

High Tides:12:10am 12:44pm

High Tides:12:56am 1:35pm

High Tides:1:44am 2:29pm

HOT WATER Low Tides:5:22am 5:42pm BEACH

HOT WATER Low Tides:6:07am 6:31pm BEACH

HOT WATER Low Tides:6:54am 7:23pm BEACH

HOT WATER Low Tides:7:44am 8:17pm BEACH

Sunday 23 August

Monday 24 August

Tuesday 25 August

THIS SPACE COULD BE YOURS

Sun: Rise 6:51am Set 5:49pm

Sun: Rise 6:49am Set 5:50pm

Sun: Rise 6:48am Set 5:51pm

Moon: Set 3:35am Rise 12:47pm

Moon: Set 4:22am Rise 1:44pm

Moon: Set 5:03am Rise 2:45pm

High Tides:2:36am 3:24pm

High Tides:3:30am 4:18pm

High Tides:4:26am 5:09pm

HOT WATER Low Tides:8:37am 9:13pm BEACH

HOT WATER Low Tides:9:32am 10:08pm BEACH

HOT WATER Low Tides:10:25am 10:59pm BEACH

Editorial/advertorial/News: Contact Pauline Stewart, Editor/owner ph: 027 271 6182 info@theinformer.co.nz. Advertising: Phone (07) 866 2090 or email - sales@theinformer.co.nz Letters to the Editor: 200 - 250 words, name and town of residence required, email to info@ theinformer.co.nz. Published weekly - Distributed throughout the Coromandel Peninsula covering the East and West coasts. Readers’ contributions of articles and letters are welcome. Publication is at the discretion of the Editor. Distribution: Over 10,500. ISSN 3021-4114 (Print), ISSN 3021-4122 (Online), © 2022 Mercury Bay Informer Ltd

22 | The Coromandel Informer – 18 August 2026

Saturday 22 August

Sponsor the tides column

For details email: sales@theinformer.co.nz

Newspaper Layout: Diane Andrew & Debbie Morgan Business Manager & Sales: Emma Gaunt Delivery Managers: Dave Piper & Merv Gregory Writers: Trevor Ammundsen, Jack Biddle, Pam Ferla, Geoff Robinson, Verna Carr www.theinformer.co.nz

Sports An exciting new sport – Disc Golf Proudly sponsored by

G

allagher Park is one of the lovely reserves in Pauanui and it recently became the venue for an emerging sport – Disc Golf. Leading the project is Pauanui resident, Rowan Anderson. “It’s like playing golf, but with a disc like a frisbee and there are nets instead of holes,” says Rowan. “It’s a sport for all ages and anyone can play. And I believe it is one of the fastest growing sports, with about 17,000 courses worldwide.” She says it is good to see people enjoying the game and bringing Gallagher Park back to life. “It’s there for the community to have fun and it’s free. We’ve got the tick from the council, which has funded us for five of the nets.” Members of Pauanui MenzShed have been busy installing equipment for this fascinating game. They are also sponsors of the Pauanui project, along with Pauanui Focus Club and the Pauanui Sports and Recreation Club.

Members of Pauanui’s MenzShed prepare the course for play; Pauanui resident Paul Schrader joins Rowan Anderson for a game of Disc Golf.. Photo Paul Schrader

Rowan has also sponsored the game and says she appreciates the support of New Zealand Disc Golf champion, Simon Feasey. He designed the course layout on a pro bono basis and manufactured and delivered the equipment. Simon has represented New Zealand in the Disc Golf World Games. Rowan says she has been encouraged by the interest and community support for the game.

“Feedback from our locals and holidaymakers has been very positive. We held a trial last summer which showed there was strong interest in the community, with up to 22 groups using the course in one day. And I am happy that the disc golf nets used during our trail of this sport are going to Mercury Bay Area School, to be used by the students.” Pauanui’s 9-hole course starts

HOW TO PLAY Disc golf is similar to traditional golf. Instead of hitting the golf ball with clubs, players throw a disc

w

Aug‘26

from a tee towards a target. This is usually an elevated metal basket, which is the hole. Players aim to complete each hole in the least number of throws. As they move down the fairway, they make each consecutive shot from the spot where the previous throw landed. Gallagher Park’s undulating course and large trees bring extra interest, and challenge to the game. 21 Aug, ticket, drink & treats $25, 7pm

August 2026

A steam-cooked Hangi fundraiser

by the pump house and incorporates the horse arena. You can bring own frisbee or borrow one from Pauanui Information Centre. There are currently about 20 Disc Golf courses in New Zealand, from Dargaville to Invercargill.

for your 23 August, Sunday dinner The Mercury Bay Area School Senior Boys Football team and their families have organised something great for winter to raise funds for their competition trip to the prestigious Trident Tournament held in Rotorua. This fund raiser is to help cover entry costs, transportation, accommodation and food. On Sunday, 23 August the team will be very busy putting together meals that can be picked up in time for an amazing Sunday dinner. This fund raiser is to help cover entry costs, transportation, accommodation and food. On Sun-

day, 23 August the team will be very busy putting together meals that can be picked up in time for an amazing Sunday dinner. Hangi Dinner – Included in each meal pack are 3 meats, potato, kumara,

cabbage, pumpkin, stuffing, pudding and custard. The cost is $25 each meal. Everyone needs to prebook as all meals will be prepared from pre-sales. It must be picked up from 5.00pm at the front of MBAS. Purchase your Hangi Dinner Please deposit $25 per meal to 03-15780089624-00 Mark Collins with your surname in the particulars. If there are any issues or questions, please contact Mark at collinsm@ mbas.ac.nz. Any other assistance, sponsorship, or donations of ingredients would also be deeply appreciated.

SPORT RESULTS CONT. The MBAS Senior Boys football hosted Rototuna High School Kea on Saturday, a team that we have previously drawn with twice this season. The home team got off to great start scoring in the first five minutes before missing a few opportunities and then extending their lead by getting the second goal just before halftime. MBAS took their opportunities again in the second half to win 4-0 and keep their league title hope alive. Special menwww.theinformer.co.nz

tion to Beau Marshall for his outstanding work in a new position and Curtis Treherne for his continual all round quality. Goal scorers were Lui Yamada, Hyodo Tanaguchi, Noah Palmer and an own goal. Mercury Bay Football U9, Sat 15 Aug U9 played Tairua at home in Whitianga. The team improved as the match went on, producing some great passes, disciplined field positioning and goals. Player of the day awarded by our coaches

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Shade that fits. Everyone’s home is different, and your shade should match. With Archgola, you can customise your canopy and outdoor blinds to fit your style and space just right. We’re about making your space, yours. Call Daniel for your FREE Quote 0204 198 4000

U9 Players of the Day Nico H and Rocco S.

ARCHGOLA.CO.NZ

to Nico H for his involvement on attack, footwork with the ball and field positioning, and the opposition awarded it to Rocco S for his ball skills and goals. The Coromandel Informer – 18 August 2026 | 23

Whitianga Boat Repairs & Chandlery NEW tracked Scissor Lift available for hire, with 8.7m working height with stabilizing legs. 230kg lift capacity, non marking tracks, call today to secure your booking!!

Small engine sales, repairs and servicing. Corner Moewai Rd & Dakota Drive, Whitianga. Ph 0274 428 635

Business Hours Monday to Friday 8am-5.00pm Weekends by appointment

Summer Abrahamson

International Travel Broker

Email: summer@ultimatejourneys.net

64 27 376 0695

Mitch has over 40 years experience with an Advanced Trade Cert Wooden Boat Building qualification to back it up We specialise in woodwork repairs & maintenance, including teak decks & platforms, insurance and rot repairs, plus we fit new transducers, anchor winches, bow thrusters and more.

We stock International & Altex antifoul & marine paints, Propspeed, anodes, resin, fibreglass, TruDesign plumbing fittings and so much more!

Phone or email for info: info@whitiangaboatrepairs.co.nz info@whitiangaboatchandlery.co.nz Mitch 027 4852046 | Phyll 027 4852036

WANT

• Native • Ornamental • Big Trees • Fruit Trees • Citrus • Hedging • Palms• Hire Plants • Bagged Products • Bulk Mulch • Bulk Compost and more... Open Thurs-Sun 8.30am-4.30pm; others days by phone appointment

WAITAIA NURSERY Waitaia Road, Kuaotunu Phone Colin or Cam 07 869 5910 www.waitaianursery.co.nz

Moving Moving House? Moving House?House? Packing PackingPacking || Removals Removals | Removals || Storage Storage | Storage

Free

CURTAIN MAKING ON THOUSANDS OF FABRICS*

Local Local || NZ NZLocal wide wide || NZ International International wide | International

15

SELECTED BLINDS, SHUTTERS AND MOTORISATION^ On On site site inspection inspection On site inspection

Plus, a free in-home measure and quote! Right now at Guthrie Bowron, get FREE curtain making* on thousands of fabrics, and 15% o! selected blinds, shutters and motorisation^! Orders must be in by 31st August 2026, so pop in store and have a chat to our knowledgeable team about your window furnishings.

Inspiration starts here, at your local Guthrie Bowron.

Your Your trusted trusted Your trusted local local team team local since since team 2010 2010 since 2010

07 07 866 866 5589 5589 07 866 5589 info@nzmoveit.co.nz info@nzmoveit.co.nz nzmoveit .co.nz .co.nz .co.nzinfo@nzmoveit.co.nz www. www.nzmoveit www. nzmoveit 24 | The Coromandel Informer – 18 August 2026

GUTHRIE BOWRON WHITIANGA 2/9 Joan Gaskell Drive, Whitianga 3510 | 07 866 0035 sales@gbwhitianga.co.nz | facebook.com/gbwhitianga guthriebowron.co.nz *Applies to lined curtains only using selected fabrics over $69.99 per metre when width is under 150cm, or $79.99 and over per metre for wide width or continuous fabrics. Minimum drop of 160cm and maximum height of 250cm. Excludes Roman Blinds, Eyelet Curtains and componentry. Orders must be confirmed by 31st August 2026 to be eligible for this o!er. Not available in conjunction with any other o!er. ^Selected styles and brands only. Confirmations must be received by 31st August 2026 to be eligible for this o!er. Not available in conjunction with any other o!er. Please see in-store for full details.

www.theinformer.co.nz