Mount Eden, Auckland

Local Highlight

65 days ago

Through your lense: Share your favourite corner of your indoor sanctuary

Your cozy reading nook, a sunlit verandah, or a steaming mug of coffee with your curled up cat ...

We’d love to see a corner of your indoor happy place. Share a photo below...

46 days ago

Migrant Women's Wellness Event- ONLY $5- Nov 1st - 11am to 2 pm

Paula from Epsom

groundednz.bigcartel.com...

Follow @groundednz_ on Instagram for the latest updates

Grouned Poster.pdf Download View

46 days ago

free bathroomware

Mabel from Hillsborough

Heated towel rail and slide shower - in working condition. Pick up asap from Hillsborough.

Free

47 days ago

Contact Energy gas price hike: Tens of thousands of customers will see average 17% jump

Brian from Mount Roskill

Tens of thousands of households will see their gas prices hiked by an average of 17% as Contact Energy says the decline in production has hit faster and harder than expected.
“We work hard to ensure our customers are on a competitive gas rate,” Contact’s chief retail officer Carolyn Luey … View moreTens of thousands of households will see their gas prices hiked by an average of 17% as Contact Energy says the decline in production has hit faster and harder than expected.
“We work hard to ensure our customers are on a competitive gas rate,” Contact’s chief retail officer Carolyn Luey said.
“We are balancing the need for energy security with a constrained gas supply as the country transitions to a renewable energy future.”
Contact has “committed more than $2 billion on building the critical energy infrastructure New Zealand needs”, Luey said.
“In the past financial year, our entire net profit – and some – was invested in developing renewable energy projects.
“The more power stations we build, the faster prices will come down over time. And this will help ensure New Zealand has a secure, sustainable renewable energy supply for households and businesses.”
A letter to one affected customer in Wellington said their prices would rise more than 20% on December 1, the Post reported.
One of Contact’s energy plans will see prices increased to 14.9 cents per kilowatt hour, excluding GST or prompt-payment discounts, the Post said.
It would see each gigajoule (GJ) of gas priced around $41.40, excluding GST, the Post said.
The latest spot price for gas today was $13.12, Transpower-owned EMS Tradepoint showed. The average price for the quarter was listed today as $15.98.
Statistics NZ last week revealed September price figures.
Gas was 17% more expensive than a year ago and 1.4% more expensive than the month before, the data showed.
The Post reported the country’s largest gas user, methanol producer Methanex, was believed to pay $6/GJ. Other businesses are paying $25 or more per GJ, a BusinessNZ survey from August found.
Contact Energy chief executive Mike Fuge told the Herald in August: “No one foresaw the collapse on the upstream gas market, and how rapid it was going to be.
“The answer is to get off base load gas [for continuous power generation], as we’ve done, and to build more renewables as we’re doing.
“And the answer is to actually keep going.”
Contact earlier reported a net profit of $331 million and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, amortisation and financial instruments (ebitdaf) of $872m for the 2025 financial year.
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47 days ago

An embattled Auckland school has announced the closure of its hostels amid reports of violence and “ongoing concerns about student safety and hostel culture”.

Brian from Mount Roskill

Wesley College was placed under statutory management in 2023 after allegations emerged of bullying and violence at the school, including reports of “coverings”, in which students were made to cover their faces before being punched, kicked and slapped by older students.
In April that year, the … View moreWesley College was placed under statutory management in 2023 after allegations emerged of bullying and violence at the school, including reports of “coverings”, in which students were made to cover their faces before being punched, kicked and slapped by older students.
In April that year, the Herald reported that Oranga Tamariki was working with police to investigate a “report of concern”.
The Education Review Office (ERO) launched a special review due to “significant concerns” about the school and its hostels, and warned the college had a duty of care to ensure students are “physically and emotionally safe”.
Today, the school issued a statement announcing the closure of its boarding hostels from the end of this term “for a period sufficient to ensure meaningful and lasting improvements are achieved”.
Wesley College Trust Board chair Jan Tasker said the decision followed “ongoing concerns about student safety and hostel culture”.
“While significant progress has been made in recent years – including improved supervision, safeguarding measures, and upgraded facilities – the Trust Board accepts that further deep, structural change is required.
“Student safety and wellbeing are our highest priority.
“We acknowledge that our hostel provision has not yet met the consistent standard we expect. Closing the hostels is a decisive step that will allow us to reset the culture, systems, and facilities once and for all.”
Tasker said the closure would take effect at the end of term 4, after students had completed NCEA and other end-of-year assessments, in order to minimise disruption to their academic success.
During the closure period, the trust board would undertake a comprehensive review of hostel operations, including culture, staffing, safeguarding and infrastructure.
“The goal is to ensure that when the hostels reopen, they provide a safe, inclusive, and values-based environment.
“Wesley College will work closely with families, staff, and the Methodist Church during this transition, and is committed to supporting boarders with accommodation and pastoral care options.”
School rocked by allegations of violence
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The Methodist school, which champions the importance of learning institutions that are “real communities” with a “family feel”, was rocked two years ago by allegations of violence against pupils and the appointment of a limited statutory manager (LSM).
At the time, principal Brian Evans said the school’s trust board welcomed the support “to assist us in our progress towards being an exemplary model of change”.
The Ministry of Education appointed Dr Shane Edwards as statutory manager after concerns emerged about violence and management of the school’s hostels.
The school’s hostel licence was revoked in November 2022 for potential breaches of regulations – understood to relate to the “active supervision of boarders” – but was later reinstated for five of its six hostels.
1News reported allegations of students receiving violence “coverings”, with claims by students that it was normal to be assaulted by older students for making mistakes, with “coverings” occurring almost weekly.
In response to “significant concerns”, ERO said it commissioned a special review of the college and its hostel operations.
“The school board and hostel management of Wesley College have a duty of care to ensure all learners at the school and all boarders in the hostel are physically and emotionally safe.”
In a statement on the school’s website, Evans says, “You always know your son or daughter is capable of great things. At Wesley College, we can take them beyond that to be among the best in the world. In the words of John Wesley, ‘Every child matters’.”
A trust board document relating to “abuse, harassment or neglect of boarders” says any report or suspicion that a boarder is experiencing abuse must be taken seriously.
The document says that, if the principal believes such abuse or neglect has occurred, written notice must be made within 24 hours to the child’s parents, Oranga Tamariki or police.
When the statutory manager was appointed, the Herald asked Evans how many written referrals had been made to police or Oranga Tamariki, whether any students had been suspended or expelled for violence, and what guarantees the school could give parents that students in its care were safe.
He provided a short statement that did not address the questions. It said ERO launched its special review after the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care and media coverage.
“ERO and the Ministry of Education [MOE] continue to work closely with the school.
“We welcome this support as we feel it will assist us in our progress towards being an exemplary model of change.”
Ministry of Education North leader Isabel Evans said the statutory manager could advise the board on the health and safety of staff and students, and help the school return to self-management once recommendations had been met.
She confirmed the ministry had received one complaint about bullying, which was forwarded to Wesley College for investigation.
In October 2022, the Methodist Church told the royal commission it wanted to apologise unreservedly to historic abuse victims.
It acknowledged people who had suffered abuse in former children’s homes and other schools overseen by the Methodists.
The church admitted some children were horribly abused and neglected, and said 20 redress claims were being resolved.
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47 days ago

Single bed for sale

Nirender from Royal Oak

Single bed for sell, good condition
No Stains
Pick up royal oak

Price: $100

Premium Business

47 days ago

Proud to be New Zealand's Best!

Logan Campbell Retirement Village

Big news! Ryman has won Best Provider Nationwide at the 2025 Seniors New Zealand Awards - for the 6th time!
Leading the way in retirement living and aged care, again and again.

47 days ago

Picture, beach scene

Jude from Hillsborough

Beach scene picture

This can stand alone on a shelf, or, there is a hole on the back to hang.

Eden Ripley
Made in NZ

14 x 6 cm… View moreBeach scene picture

This can stand alone on a shelf, or, there is a hole on the back to hang.

Eden Ripley
Made in NZ

14 x 6 cm
2 cm depth

Collection is from Herd Rd, Hillsborough

Price: $10

47 days ago

Wax eye bird, picture

Jude from Hillsborough

Picture of NZ wax eye bird
By Kirk O'Donoghue
Made in NZ

This picture can stand alone on a shelf, or, there is a hole on the back which you can use.

10 x 10
2 cm depth

Collection is from Herd Rd, Hillsborough

Price: $10