Architect's vision for MIQ 'pods' on Quail Island in Lyttelton Harbour
Architect Michael O’Sullivan suggests we take a cue from our own history to provide quarantine facilities for incoming travellers.
O’Sullivan says Quail Island in Lyttelton Harbour was used to quarantine people with leprosy more than a century ago, and is perfectly located to be an MIQ facility.
The architect, who has an office overlooking the harbour, has suggested a prefabricated pod design could provide suitable accommodation on the island. The pods would be environmentally and aesthetically responsive to the landscape.
The government has previously resisted suggestions that we should develop purpose-built MIQ facilities, including isolating people on military bases or other remote locations, in favour of using hotels.
What do you think of O'Sullivan's idea? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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Love potatoes? We will give away free copies of the May 2026 issue to readers whose potato recipes are used in our magazine. To be in the running, make sure you email your family's favourite way to enjoy potatoes: mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, by March 1, 2026.
Poll: 🤖 What skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
The Reserve Bank has shared some pretty blunt advice: there’s no such thing as a “safe” job anymore 🛟😑
Robots are stepping into repetitive roles in factories, plants and warehouses. AI is taking care of the admin tasks that once filled many mid-level office jobs.
We want to know: As the world evolves, what skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
Want to read more? The Press has you covered!
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52.8% Human-centred experience and communication
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14.8% Critical thinking
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29.7% Resilience and adaptability
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2.8% Other - I will share below!
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!
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