2602 days ago

Is your paddling pool legal?

Sarah Reporter from Stuff

Hi neighbours,

Many people setting up paddling pools for their children this summer will be breaking the law - are you one of them?

Any pool, fixed or portable, deeper than 400mm is now subject to safety provisions under the Building Act, meaning there a quite a few rules you probably aren't even aware of.

For example, do you have a 1.2-metre fixed childproof fence with a self-closing gate opening outwards?

What are your thoughts on paddling pool safety? If faced with an inspection, would your pool set-up pass? Do you think all these rules are essential? What are your tips for setting up a paddling pool safely?
To read more about how to keep your kids safe in and around pools, click here.
(Please add "NFP/not for print" if you do not want your images/ comments used on Stuff)

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More messages from your neighbours
19 hours 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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5 hours ago

Cleaner required.

Paul from Opawa - Saint Martins

Cleaner required for Central City restaurant. 5 days a week , Wednesday to Sunday . Usually takes around 3 hours. I’m flexible on time . 9-12, 10-1. Whatever suits!
28 dollars per hour… experience would be great but not essential. Ideally the candidate needs to be physically fit, as it’s a fairly big venue. Anyone interested please email me
paul@twentysevensteps.co.nz

20 days ago

Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!

Mei Leng Wong Reporter from NZ Gardener & Get Growing

Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.

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