1328 days ago

Watch: Navy sailor proposes during emotional reunion following Canada deployment

Caroline Williams Reporter from North Shore Times

Kia ora neighbours. A navy sailor has proposed to his girlfriend – who said yes – in an emotional reunion in Auckland following a lengthy overseas deployment.

HMNZS Te Mana and her crew of 170 docked at the Devonport Naval Base on Friday morning.

The frigate left New Zealand for Canada more than three years ago to receive an extensive systems upgrade.

The first thing petty officer Jacob Biddle​ (Tūhoe) did when he disembarked Te Mana after a year on board was drop down onto one knee to ask his partner of three years, Takimoana Hawea​, to marry him.

The pair kissed and Hawea nodded “yes”, before jumping into Biddle’s arms as his comrades cheered and whistled from the ship.

Watch the video to see the special moment.

More messages from your neighbours
1 day ago

🧩😏 Riddle me this, Neighbours…

The Riddler from The Neighbourly Riddler

I am an odd number. Take away a letter and I become even. What number am I?

Do you think you know the answer?

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3 days ago

Some Choice News!

Kia pai from Sharing the Good Stuff

DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.

Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, we’re a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.

For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.

Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature — and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?

We hope this brings a smile!

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12 hours ago

Poll: Is Auckland’s economy improving?

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

The latest reporting from The Post suggests a wave of optimism for 2026. With interest rates finally heading south, businesses are feeling more positive. But for many on the ground, the real-world recovery feels a bit like a slow-moving commute on Auckland's motorways.

We want to know: Are you seeing signs of Auckland's economy improving in your industry or neighbourhood? Whether it's busier shops, new projects kicking off, or just a shift in the mood ...

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Is Auckland’s economy improving?
  • 10% Yes
    10% Complete
  • 76% No
    76% Complete
  • 14% A little
    14% Complete
50 votes