Glen Eden, Auckland

Time to tidy that garage?

Time to tidy that garage?

Use Neighbourly Market to make a few bucks while you're at it

1565 days ago

BREAKING NEWS: New Zealand will move to level 3 of lockdown from 11.59pm next Monday, April 27. Alert level 3 will be held for two weeks and then Cabinet will assess whether to move down another level. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern made the announcement just after 4pm today. Cabinet wanted to "lock in some gains" and give some certainty, Ardern said. Level 4 had originally been scheduled to lift on Thursday this week.

Brian from New Lynn

"Ultimately we have taken a balanced approach," Ardern said. Ardern said at every point along the way the Government's decision was based on health and economic advice, and NZ was in the fortunate position that those were linked. Lifting level 4 restrictions late on Monday - a public… View more"Ultimately we have taken a balanced approach," Ardern said. Ardern said at every point along the way the Government's decision was based on health and economic advice, and NZ was in the fortunate position that those were linked. Lifting level 4 restrictions late on Monday - a public holiday to mark Anzac Day which this year falls on a Saturday - was also recommended by Bloomfield. Any businesses needing to prepare to move into level 3 could be accessed, Ardern said, as could schools, to prepare for the return of pupils. April 28 will be a teachers' only day and April 29 will be the first day of term. On businesses accessing their premises, it wasn't an invitation to open or trade, she said - just to prepare. Ardern's message to the hospitality sector - which is losing another weekend of businesss - was that it is in their interest to get back to normal life as soon as possible, and the extra week of level 4 lockdown would help NZ achieve that. Testing will continue this week to ensure all demographics in the community were reached, Ardern said. Alert level 3 still has many restrictions and does not allow more social activity, though allows more commerce to re-open. Cabinet would decide on May 11 whether to move out of alert level 3.
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Alert level 3: What you can and can't do
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You are allowed to expand your 'bubble'
Bars, cafes and restaurants closed
Food delivery services available
Travel still restricted to your local area
You can swim and fish from the shore but cannot go out on a boat
Public transport only allowed for travel to work or school
Public venues remain closed
Gatherings of up to 10 people allowed for weddings and funerals
Retails stores to remain shut
Employees asked to work from home if possible
Kids can return to school if their parents need to go to work
You still cannot go to the gym or get a haircut
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1568 days ago

What'll it be Auckland $1.83 a week rate rise or $1.35?

Todd Niall Reporter from Auckland Stuff

Hi Neighbours, Auckland Council says it faces a $450 million revenue hit due to Covid-19. You will get a new chance to choose between a 3.5 per cent or 2.5 per cent average rate rise. What do you think? Read below:

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1570 days ago

Imagine the Army was going to hold an exercise near you ...

Todd Niall Reporter from Auckland Stuff

Hi Neighbours, If the Defence Force planned to hold an exercise near you, during Covid-19 lockdown, what would you want to know? NZDF is giving little away about one starting tomorrow in south Auckland. Good enough? Read the story below:

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1566 days ago

Muslims worldwide urged to pray at home during Ramadan

Brian from New Lynn

Saudi Arabia's highest religious body, the Council of Senior Scholars, has urged Muslims worldwide to pray at home during Ramadan if their countries require social distancing to curb the spread of the coronavirus, state news agency SPA reports. The holy fasting month of Ramadan begins later … View moreSaudi Arabia's highest religious body, the Council of Senior Scholars, has urged Muslims worldwide to pray at home during Ramadan if their countries require social distancing to curb the spread of the coronavirus, state news agency SPA reports. The holy fasting month of Ramadan begins later this week. During the month, believers usually break their fast with families and friends and perform an evening prayer, known as Taraweeh, in large gatherings at mosques. "Muslims shall avoid gatherings, because they are the main cause of the spread of infection...and shall remember that preserving the lives of people is a great act that brings them closer to God," it said in a statement on Sunday (local time). The kingdom's Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz Al al-Sheikh on Friday expressed the same sentiment, saying that Muslim prayers during Ramadan and for the subsequent Eid al-Fitr feast should be performed at home if the coronavirus outbreak continues. Saudi Arabia has reported 8274 cases of COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the new coronavirus, and 92 deaths so far, the highest among the six Gulf Arab states where the total has reached 24,374 with 156 deaths. The Saudi government in mid-March stopped people performing their five daily prayers and the weekly Friday prayer inside mosques as part of efforts to limit the spread of the coronavirus. Last week, the Prophet's Mosque in the holy city of Medina said it was banning events that dispense evening meals in the mosque to those in need during Ramadan to break their daily fast.
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1566 days ago

Family to me means love.

Lifewise

Lifewise has helped me a lot. My life before this place, was a bit of a mess. I could never find stability, and a family to love me. Family to me means people who love and actually care for you. We just need more places like Lifewise so other people can get inside, too. With your support, LifewiseView moreLifewise has helped me a lot. My life before this place, was a bit of a mess. I could never find stability, and a family to love me. Family to me means people who love and actually care for you. We just need more places like Lifewise so other people can get inside, too. With your support, Lifewise can ensure more young people like me, who have had a rough start in life, find new opportunities. Please donate today.

-- Starr, 19, Lifewise rangatahi
Donate here

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1570 days ago

Jacinda Ardern has announced she, along with Government ministers and public service chief executives will take a 20 per cent pay cut to identify with the difficulties facing New Zealanders in the wake of Covid-19.

Brian from New Lynn

The Prime Minister said the pay cut would last for the next six months.
Following her announcement, National leader Simon Bridges tweeted he would chip in and take a 20 per cent pay cut too. "As we acknowledge New Zealanders who are reliant on wage subsidies, taking pay cuts and losing their … View more
The Prime Minister said the pay cut would last for the next six months.
Following her announcement, National leader Simon Bridges tweeted he would chip in and take a 20 per cent pay cut too. "As we acknowledge New Zealanders who are reliant on wage subsidies, taking pay cuts and losing their jobs as a result of Covid-19's global pandemic. "We feel acutely the struggle that many New Zealanders are facing and so too, do the people that I work with on a daily basis. "It is about leadership," said Ms Ardern, adding that the move would not "shift the Government's overall fiscal position". "If there was ever a time to close the gap between different positions, it's now," the Prime Minister said. "This is where we can take action which is why we have." She said the move stands alongside "many actions taken by many people". Ms Ardern acknowledged many sectors working to help New Zealanders at this time.
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1567 days ago

New Zealand's 1422 coronavirus cases: Locations, ages, clusters, ethnicities

Brian from New Lynn

Where are the cases?
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This week, the Ministry began highlighting how many active, recovered and dead cases there are in each District Health Board. Southern DHB continues to have the most cases overall, while Tairawhiti has the fewest.
Cases in each DHB, ordered by the overall … View more
Where are the cases?
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This week, the Ministry began highlighting how many active, recovered and dead cases there are in each District Health Board. Southern DHB continues to have the most cases overall, while Tairawhiti has the fewest.
Cases in each DHB, ordered by the overall number of cases recorded
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Southern: 64 active, 152 recovered, 0 dead. Total: 216
Waitemata: 86 active, 120 recovered, 0 dead. Total: 206
Auckland: 49 active, 136 recovered, 0 dead. Total: 185
Waikato: 98 active, 84 recovered, 1 dead. Total: 183
Canterbury: 64 active, 76 recovered, 7 dead. Total: 147
Counties Manukau: 32 active, 78 recovered, 0 dead. Total: 110
Capital and Coast: 42 active, 49 recovered, 2 dead. Total: 93
Nelson-Marlborough: 14 active, 34 recovered, 0 dead. Total: 48
Bay of Plenty: 13 active, 32 recovered, 0 dead. Total: 45
Hawke's Bay: 21 active, 20 recovered, 0 dead. Total: 41
Mid Central: 11 active, 20 recovered, 0 dead. Total: 31
Northland: 17 active, 10 recovered, 0 dead. Total: 27
Hutt Valley: 7 active, 13 recovered, 0 dead. Total: 20
Lakes: 5 active, 11 recovered, 0 dead. Total: 16
South Canterbury: 9 active, 6 recovered, 0 dead. Total: 15
Taranaki: 3 active, 11 recovered, 0 dead. Total: 14
Wairarapa: 0 active, 8 recovered, 0 dead. Total: 8
Whanganui: 4 active, 4 recovered, 0 dead. Total: 8
West Coast: 2 active, 2 recovered, 1 dead. Total: 5
Tairawhiti: 3 active, 1 recovered, 0 dead. Total: 4
The seven deaths in Canterbury are all linked to the group from the Rosewood Rest Home cluster who were transferred to Burwood Hospital. New Zealand's first death was Greymouth woman Anne Guenole on the West Coast. Two people have died in Wellington, one of which was linked to the Bluff cluster. A single person has died in Waikato. He was linked to the Matamata cluster. Of New Zealand's 20 hospitalised cases, seven are in Waitemata, four are in Auckland, there are two each in Canterbury, Counties Manukau and Waikato, with single hospitalised cases in Northland, Southern and South Canterbury DHBs.
Transmission type:
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Contact with known case: 54 percent
Recent overseas travel: 38 percent
Community transmission: 4 percent
Source under investigation: 3 percent
Clusters
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Most of the cases now being recorded in New Zealand are being linked to clusters. These are groups of COVID-19 cases linked together as they have all been to the same location, but are not all part of the same household. Within a cluster there may be an individual who has a link to someone who has travelled. New Zealand has 16 significant clusters, up three since last Saturday. These are clusters with 10 or more cases. The origin of some remains unknown and under investigation.
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Bluff wedding: 96 cases, linked to overseas exposure
Marist College, Auckland: 92 cases, unknown origin
Matamata bar: 75 cases, linked to overseas exposure
Rosewood Rest Home, Christchurch: 40 cases, unknown origin
Stag party, Auckland: 38 cases, unknown origin
World Hereford Conference, Queenstown: 35 cases, linked to overseas exposure
"Community", Auckland: 30 cases, unknown origin
Ruby Princess cruise ship, Hawkes Bay: 22 cases, linked to overseas exposure
Auckland rest home (1): 21 cases, unknown origin
George Manning retirement village, Christchurch: 20 cases, unknown origin
Wellington group which travelled to the United States: 16 cases, linked to overseas exposure
Auckland group which travelled to the United States: 16 cases, linked to overseas exposure
Waikato rest home: 14 cases, linked to overseas exposure
Auckland rest home: 14 cases, linked to overseas exposure
Wellington wedding: 13 cases, linked to overseas exposure
Christchurch workplace: 10 cases, linked to overseas exposure
Ages
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0-9: 33
10-19: 113
20-29: 340
30-39: 217
40-49: 209
50-59: 234
60-69: 167
70+: 109
Gender
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Male: 639
Female: 782
Not specified: 1
Ethnicity
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European or other: 1053
Asian: 158
Maori: 121
Pacific peoples: 65
Unknown: 25
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1567 days ago

Work visa rules relaxed during Covid-19 lockdown

Brian from New Lynn

The Government has eased visa rules to allow businesses to make greater use of immigrant labour during Alert Levels 3 and 4. The changes mean some immigrants can start new jobs. Until now, only health, supermarket and aged care workers had been allowed to change their roles or hours. Employers and … View moreThe Government has eased visa rules to allow businesses to make greater use of immigrant labour during Alert Levels 3 and 4. The changes mean some immigrants can start new jobs. Until now, only health, supermarket and aged care workers had been allowed to change their roles or hours. Employers and immigrants have been told that has now been extended to other essential sectors, which according to the Covid-19 website include utilities, education, financial services, construction and accommodation providers.
Immigration New Zealand (INZ) said the changes that could be requested include:
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-Any staff who are student visa holders to work full time for that employer
-Any staff who are employer-specific work visa holders to work for that same employer in any occupation
-Any staff who are work visa holders to work for a different employer in the same region in the same occupation as they are currently employed.
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The changes will be allowed to extend up to six weeks after the country moves to Alert Level 2. "The short timeframe will enable employers in essential industries to maintain their labour pool as hiring would be very difficult while New Zealand remains at Alert Level 3 or 4," said INZ. "This means that the ability of employers to move migrant workers between roles, or employ them for more than would normally be allowed will end when recruitment of New Zealanders becomes possible under fewer restrictions on recruitment and movement of New Zealanders." It went on to spell out the help immigrants in financial hardship can access, including emergency accommodation and supplies. "Currently our advice to people who are here from overseas, who are not currently employed, and are experiencing financial difficulty during Covid-19 Alert Level 4 is to talk to their Embassy or Consulate for assistance," said an INZ email to stakeholders. "This includes workers here on a Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme, working holiday, short-term visa, students and tourists. "If you are unable to secure self-isolation accommodation, some limited assistance can be provided to find accommodation to self-isolate by contacting the Temporary Accommodation Service (TAS) to register on 0508 754 163. "In extreme cases where you cannot obtain essential supplies during phase 4, contact can be made with the local Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) Groups (0800 numbers on their website) here." Meanwhile, INZ said it had limited visa processing capability but was now in a position to start processing some other visa categories. They included student visas, post-study work visas, victims of domestic violence and partnership visas. "Due to Immigration New Zealand's limited visa processing capacity, the assessment of these applications or requests may take longer than usual," it said in a statement. On its website it said it would only usually be processing applications on that list, except ones related to the Covid-19 response. ''But immigration officers will retain the discretion to prioritise other applications where the circumstances of the application require particular urgency," it said. ''INZ is focusing on processing applications that are a priority and can be processed within the current operational constraints. ''We appreciate this will be disappointing news for those people affected, but we are continuing to review our priorities and are hopeful we will be able to process more visa types in the near future.''
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1568 days ago

How are your pets handling lockdown? Share your photos below!

Neighbourly.co.nz

This is Lulu from Mount Eden in Auckland, who has gone from having almost no-one home at the same time to having seven flatmates home almost all the time and this is how she feels about it...

Who are your bubble pets? Share your photos of your pets in the comments below - whether it’s helping … View more
This is Lulu from Mount Eden in Auckland, who has gone from having almost no-one home at the same time to having seven flatmates home almost all the time and this is how she feels about it...

Who are your bubble pets? Share your photos of your pets in the comments below - whether it’s helping you work from home, on a local neighbourhood walk getting some exercise, or any cute, fun, and funny photos!

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1569 days ago

Auckland under 'voluntary' water restrictions as dam levels sink below 50 per cent

Brian from New Lynn

Auckland is essentially under water restrictions for the first time since the early 1990s as the region's storage dams drop below 50 per cent amid a severe drought.
Watercare's advice to Aucklanders
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• Keep washing your hands regularly
• Keep your … View more
Auckland is essentially under water restrictions for the first time since the early 1990s as the region's storage dams drop below 50 per cent amid a severe drought.
Watercare's advice to Aucklanders
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• Keep washing your hands regularly
• Keep your showers short: 4 minutes or less
• Only run your dishwasher or washing machine when they're full
• Don't wash the car
• Don't waterblast the house or driveway
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1569 days ago

Free inspirational posters

Durba from Avondale

Dear Neighbours,
Please feel free to download these beautiful inspirational posters for your home, work place or community space.

More can be found on this page ....
www.meditationauckland.co.nz...

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