Community Meeting: A visit with British High Commissioner Iona Thomas OBE
Friday 16 August 1pm-2pm
In this session, the High Commissioner will highlight the importance of further strengthening the longstanding links and friendships between our two countries. What would you like to ask about trade, business, education, tourism, travel, or our future on the world stage? No Bridgerton questions, please! fb.me...
Iona Thomas OBE
Her Excellency Ms Iona Thomas OBE was appointed the
British High Commissioner to New Zealand and Governor
of the Pitcairn Islands in August 2022. Before commencing
her role in Wellington, Iona was Political Counsellor at
the British High Commission in Islamabad where she was
responsible for domestic and regional politics, counter
terrorism and justice and home affairs. Prior to this she
held the post of Additional Deputy Director for the
Middle East and North Africa at the then Foreign and
Commonwealth Office in London. She served as Deputy Head
of Mission in Tripoli from 2015 to 2017 and was responsible
for re-establishing the UK’s permanent presence in Libya,
for which she was awarded an OBE. From 2012-2015
she was Spokesperson at the UK Mission to the United
Nations in New York. Iona has also served in Afghanastan,
New York, and Pakistan.
Venue: St Heliers Church and Community Centre, 100 St Heliers Bay Road, St Heliers
maps.app.goo.gl... (link for venue)
Questions and rsvp to mptamaki@parliament 09 574 1345
Poll: If we want to reduce speeding, what do you think actually changes driver behaviour? 🛻🚨🚓
In the Post's article on speeding penalties, the question is asked whether speeding fines are truly about road safety, or are they just a way to boost revenue for the Crown?
What do you think? Should speeding motorists receive speeding fines or demerit points?
-
36.2% The sting of a fine (Money talks!)
-
63.8% The threat of demerit points (Nobody wants to lose their license!)
Some Choice News!
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!
Poll: Is Auckland’s economy improving?
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 ...
-
17.4% Yes
-
65.8% No
-
16.8% A little
Loading…
