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Dear neighbours,
Every month, NZ Gardener runs a series of tested reader recipes using a seasonal crop. We are now on the hunt for nasturtium recipes and also basil recipes! Send your best ones to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz by Oct 16, 2022. Every published recipe wins a copy of our special edition… View moreDear neighbours,
Every month, NZ Gardener runs a series of tested reader recipes using a seasonal crop. We are now on the hunt for nasturtium recipes and also basil recipes! Send your best ones to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz by Oct 16, 2022. Every published recipe wins a copy of our special edition Vegetable Growing Made Easy.
Satiate your news hunger with Two Minutes of Stuff, a bite-sized snack of the top stories and key issues of the day.
Two minutes is all you'll need to get up to speed on today's talking point, the biggest news of the day and stories you don't want to miss. A fully-curated … View moreSatiate your news hunger with Two Minutes of Stuff, a bite-sized snack of the top stories and key issues of the day.
Two minutes is all you'll need to get up to speed on today's talking point, the biggest news of the day and stories you don't want to miss. A fully-curated experience, with items hand-picked by Stuff staff, sent each weekday evening. Sign up for free here.
Foodstuffs Own Brands Ltd is recalling all batches and all dates of its six Pams brand berry products.
New Zealand has seen a surge of cases of Hepatitis A this year and 12 of those infected (including seven hospitalised) have been linked with the consumption of frozen berries.
The recall of … View moreFoodstuffs Own Brands Ltd is recalling all batches and all dates of its six Pams brand berry products.
New Zealand has seen a surge of cases of Hepatitis A this year and 12 of those infected (including seven hospitalised) have been linked with the consumption of frozen berries.
The recall of Pams products is a precaution due to this possible link of Hepatitis A associated with berries sourced from Serbia.
Here's what you need to know:
- All batches and all dates of Pams Mixed Berries, Two Berry Mix, Smoothie Berry Mix, and Raspberries have been recalled and removed from supermarkets.
- The Pams products are sold at New World, PAK’nSAVE and Four Square stores nationwide.
- Hepatitis A is a contagious virus which spreads easily. Learn more here.
- Due to the possibility that other brands of berries may be infected, New Zealand Food Safety continues to advise those eating frozen berries to wash hands before and after preparing the berries, briefly boil them before eating and ensure cooking temperatures exceed 85 degree Celsius for 1 minute.
If you have consumed any of these products and have any concerns about your health, seek medical advice.
From reporter Debbie Jamieson:
The owners of a popular Central Otago water park fear they won’t open this summer after being bogged down by bureaucracy.
The Kiwi Water Park opened in 2020 and is New Zealand’s largest water park, attracting 30,000 visitors last summer.
It’s based on a… View moreFrom reporter Debbie Jamieson:
The owners of a popular Central Otago water park fear they won’t open this summer after being bogged down by bureaucracy.
The Kiwi Water Park opened in 2020 and is New Zealand’s largest water park, attracting 30,000 visitors last summer.
It’s based on a reserve shared by freedom campers and boaties off State Highway 8, near Cromwell.
The popularity of the area has led to a review of the entrance and a suggestion a right-turning bay is needed.
Land Information New Zealand (Linz), Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency and the Central Otago District Council are all involved, but progress has come to a standstill.
Now Kiwi Water Park co-owner and marketing manager Emily Rutherford says that after six months of fruitlessly waiting for decisions, the business may not be able to open this summer.
The requirements of the water park’s licence include that any changes are made by November 4.
“In the meantime, our business planning and recruitment of staff for this season hangs in the balance. We’ve got two months till we open and we need action urgently,” she said.
The park was originally granted a six-year consent by the council to operate at the Lowburn Reserve – an area frequented by campers and boaties as well as water park users.
Last season, they shifted the park to a more sheltered area at the reserve and had to apply for a variation to their consent.
At that time, Waka Kotahi raised concerns about the number of vehicles entering the reserve, so a temporary speed reduction along the stretch of road was installed.
An agreement was made between the government departments and the business to monitor the amount of traffic using the area and concluded the majority of traffic was caused by freedom campers and boaties – and that a right turning bay was needed.
In a statement a Waka Kotahi spokesperson said the review followed a serious crash at the access to the car park used by the water park in the 2020-21 season.
All the parties agreed a right-turning bay was necessary, but there was disagreement on who would pay for it.
“If no agreement is reached on the access upgrade requirement process the consent conditions stipulate that the final decision sits with [the council] as the consent authority,” the statement said.
It was now up to the business to get a detailed design and submit it to the department, the statement said.
However, Rutherford said the cost of the right-turning bay could be prohibitive for the business, particularly without a long-term lease.
“We’ve been put in an impossible position.
“It could cost $1 million, I don’t know, but we don’t even make that in a year. How would we pay for it?”
Linz was currently renewing the lease annually. Rutherford said she would need a 20 or 30-year lease to justify the investment.
It would also take at least 18 months to design and build, so it would not be ready for this year, Rutherford said.
Even more frustrating was that the bulk of traffic was generated by freedom campers, not water park users who tended to travel in buses or family groups.
Linz could decide to close the area to freedom campers, which would resolve the problem, she said.
Regardless, the company needed LINZ to confirm the lease would be renewed.
Linz Minister Damien O’Connor told the Rutherfords this month that the department was still considering the company’s application.
“This whole process has been incredibly frustrating,” Rutherford said.
She described the Kiwi Water Park as a Covid-19 success story, which received no public funding but phenomenal support from the local community.
“It’s now two months before we’re due to open, and we should be busy recruiting locals for another summer season and contributing to the local economy.”
Linz has been approached for comment.
The Cutest Pet Competition is back by popular demand! Show off your furry friend this October to see if you’ve got the cutest pet in the country. This year’s competition is sponsored by Wishbone, giving you the chance to win your share of $10,000 worth of pet food.
From 26 September, … View moreThe Cutest Pet Competition is back by popular demand! Show off your furry friend this October to see if you’ve got the cutest pet in the country. This year’s competition is sponsored by Wishbone, giving you the chance to win your share of $10,000 worth of pet food.
From 26 September, purchase a copy of your local Stuff newspaper, find our promo ad, and follow the link to submit a photo of your pet online. If your pet is selected, they’ll feature in our promotional adverts across all Stuff newspapers for a day, plus you will receive $50 worth of Wishbone pet food so you can spoil them rotten. For more information on the prizes and to view the T&Cs, click here!
The team at Stunday Star-Times
Dear neighbours, in the October issue of NZ Gardener, you'll see the five finalists for our 2022 Ryman Healthcare Gardener of the Year competition. They've all done amazing things for their communities. You can read about their wonderful work here, and then vote for your favourite.
Join the Lake Dunstan Charitable Trust and Te Tapu o Tāne to plant a portion of 10,000 native trees on the beautiful Lake Dunstan shoreline.
Be a part of restoring the native flora and fauna in this stunning location.
Dear neighbours,
Every month, NZ Gardener runs a series of tested reader recipes using a seasonal crop. We are now on the hunt for new potato recipes, so send your best ones to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz by Oct 3, 2022.
Every published recipe wins a copy of our special edition Vegetable Growing… View moreDear neighbours,
Every month, NZ Gardener runs a series of tested reader recipes using a seasonal crop. We are now on the hunt for new potato recipes, so send your best ones to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz by Oct 3, 2022.
Every published recipe wins a copy of our special edition Vegetable Growing Made Easy.
Retirement is an exciting time, filled with possibilities. Our fixed fee guarantee is one of the ways we provide financial certainty. Ryman residents love it as it helps them reduce rising living costs and surprise expenses.
Enjoy the quality amenities at every Ryman village and splurge a little… View moreRetirement is an exciting time, filled with possibilities. Our fixed fee guarantee is one of the ways we provide financial certainty. Ryman residents love it as it helps them reduce rising living costs and surprise expenses.
Enjoy the quality amenities at every Ryman village and splurge a little on yourself if you feel like it! Take up that hobby you’ve dreamed of or plan a holiday somewhere warm.
It’s easy to live life your way when you have freedom to do the things you enjoy. It’s another example of how we’re pioneering retirement living.
Simple stripes create stunning results with these great craft ideas. Brighten up some old napkins (or plain new ones) with eye-catching designs inspired by traditional patterns using Resene paint. Plus paint your own height chart and Ti rakau.
Find out how to create your own.
From reporter Debbie Jamieson:
A new Central Otago airport based in Tarras would be reliant on mass inbound tourism to be viable, Queenstown Airport chief executive Glen Sowry says.
“Do the communities of Queenstown Lakes District and Central Otago want that level of mass inbound tourism … View moreFrom reporter Debbie Jamieson:
A new Central Otago airport based in Tarras would be reliant on mass inbound tourism to be viable, Queenstown Airport chief executive Glen Sowry says.
“Do the communities of Queenstown Lakes District and Central Otago want that level of mass inbound tourism that is required to justify that airport?” he asked.
“Every conversation I’ve been part of and privy to, the answer to that is ‘no’.”
Sowry was talking as Queenstown Airport Corporation prepared to publicly launch its first 10-year plan.
The plan recognises that Christchurch International Airport Limited (CIAL) is investigating the feasibility and establishment of an international airport at Tarras but assumes it will not be developed before 2032
Sowry said travellers saw enormous value in being able to fly in and out of Queenstown.
“It is close and convenient. The location and amenity Queenstown Airport offers are very attractive.”
Despite the recent resignation of CIAL chief executive Malcolm Johns, CIAL chairperson Catherine Drayton said the organisation would focus on growth including “intergenerational projects such as the Central Otago airport project”.
CIAL project director Michael Singleton said demand to and from Central Otago would continue to grow.
“Central Otago’s need for new airport infrastructure has been talked about for decades – and not just by us.
“Covid-19 has not taken away the limits on the area’s airport capacity – it’s just changed the timeframe on when they will be reached,” he said.
The 10-year Queenstown plan precedes the preparation of a 30-year masterplan, which will provide more specifics on how the airport will achieve its goals.
The masterplan process will include public input and would replace a 2018 plan, which resulted in a huge backlash from the public that owns three-quarters of the airport via the Queenstown Lakes District Council.
The corporation has since pulled back on contentious issues within the 2018 plan.
It’s intention to introduce more flights to Wānaka Airport was quashed when a High Court Judicial Review found the corporation’s 100-year lease of Wānaka report was unlawful.
The plan to increase noise levels and more than double the number of passenger movements at the airport to over five million by 2031 was so unpopular it was dumped by Sowry soon after he started in the role.
The slow-down in international tourism from Covid-19 has reduced pressure on Queenstown Airport, and the 10-year plan shows capacity to continue growing within current noise boundaries.
Air New Zealand flight NZ1209 from Auckland lands in Queenstown, welcomed by Queenstown Lakes District Mayor Jim Boult, Clutha-Southland MP Hamish Walker, and Queenstown Airport Corporation chief executive Colin Keel.
In 2018 and using pre-Covid-19 growth rates, previous airport chief executive Colin Keel estimated the airport would reach capacity in its noise boundaries around 2022.
However, the number of passenger movements peaked in the year ended June 2019 when there was 2.3m passenger movements (or 1.15m arriving) passengers.
That dipped to 1.1 million in the last year. Forecasts now project 3.2 million passenger movements in the financial year ending June 2032.
The plan anticipates these numbers will be achievable within the current noise boundaries.
Airlines use of “new engine option” (neo) planes could increase capacity at the airport by another 25%, Sowry said.
Air New Zealand and Qantas are already including the planes in their fleets. They use 15% less fuel, are quieter and carry more passengers.
Sowry said the 10-year plan was written to reflect the “sensitivities and concerns” of the community, but also apply a responsible view of the biggest economic asset the region owns.
Increasingly that was about delivering those principles in an environmentally sensitive manner, he said.
The plan includes an intention to achieve carbon neutrality in the coming year, and net-zero by 2040, within the airport.
With the bulk of carbon emissions coming from aircraft, the airport would look to support the “highly motivated” airlines and aircraft manufacturers looking to run electric aircraft and those operated by alternative fuels.
It also contains an intention to develop airport owned land to diversify revenue, including moving the general aviation hub and creating commercial and industrial developments around Queenstown Airport.
The corporation also owned 148.5 hectares of land surrounding Wānaka Airport, which was leased for farming activities and to NASA for their superpressure balloon launches.
There were no plans to further develop that land.
From reporter Olivia Caldwell:
Karen Peterson says there is a chance she is now the oldest living queen.
The 80-year-old was the first woman to be crowned Alexandra Blossom Queen in 1957, but says a lot has changed since the days of judging on beauty alone – and it had to.
“Put it … View moreFrom reporter Olivia Caldwell:
Karen Peterson says there is a chance she is now the oldest living queen.
The 80-year-old was the first woman to be crowned Alexandra Blossom Queen in 1957, but says a lot has changed since the days of judging on beauty alone – and it had to.
“Put it this way, it had to move somewhere. If they carried on running it the way they were, it wouldn't be here today,” Peterson said.
“Back then all the princesses on the float had to wear a white dress. Today you can't put any old person on the float. It is just so different - I am going to notice a big difference.”
Festival organiser Martin McPherson said the Blossom Queen competition has never been a beauty pageant – or at least the benchmark to become queen has shifted in the festival’s 65-year existence.
“Having these things in the 21st century may seem a bit archaic, but it’s not like that. The young women who volunteer put their hands up, there is never any shortage of them.”
The balance between living out a tradition and moving with modern day society has to be met, he said. Judges look at the entrants through a different lens now.
Contestants are still aged between 16-25, he said, but judges look at what they do for the community, rather than their physical appearance.
“It's never been a beauty pageant in the sense of Miss New Zealand. Princesses have always tended to be either on the winning float as judged by the public, or judged by a group of judges. It's definitely not a beauty pageant.”
In 2018, Timaru’s annual Caroline Bay Carnival’s traditional beauty pageant style competitions went under review amidst dwindling numbers and calls from the public saying it was inappropriate for the time.
Dianne Elliot, princess convenor of the Alexandra Blossom Festival, said the princesses are not judged on beauty. “The judges ask them all sorts of questions. It has never been a beauty contest, you wouldn't get girls putting their names forward.”
A few years back, the festival included a fashion parade and this put many of the contestants off, she said.
“It is surprising how much community involvement [the entrants] have - sport, community, extracurricular, hobbies and whatever they like about Alexandra. They are just local girls and most of them have been involved in some way.”
McPherson said a few men had entered the competition over the years, but there are none this year.
Peterson was excited to head back to her hometown for the event this weekend. She will be joined by 21 more former Blossom Queens.
She said she won by luck because her mother was part of Plunket, and she was on the Plunket float at the time.
After being crowned she walked into a hall where men were boxing in a ring (a festival event at the time) and the boxing match was stopped as all the men came over to shake her hand.
Peterson, now retired and living in a retirement village in Christchurch, was 14 when she was crowned, and says it is a point of pride even today.
“I am the oldest queen in the world now. I’ve even got my original sash and all the bits and bobs. I have an album of all the old paper clippings, that’s my pride and joy.”
Dear neighbours,
Every month, NZ Gardener runs a series of tested reader recipes using a seasonal crop. We are now on the hunt for new potato recipes, so send your best ones to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz by Sept 25, 2022.
Every published recipe wins a copy of our special edition Vegetable … View moreDear neighbours,
Every month, NZ Gardener runs a series of tested reader recipes using a seasonal crop. We are now on the hunt for new potato recipes, so send your best ones to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz by Sept 25, 2022.
Every published recipe wins a copy of our special edition Vegetable Growing Made Easy.
Brighten up a tired concrete wall with Resene Lumbersider. Find out how to brighten up your wall.
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