Thank you for using Neighbourly
🚗 Vehicle parked in a visible location, or off the street if possible.
🚙 Valuables, including keys, removed from vehicle, or stored safely out of sight.
🚗 Vehicle locked & keys taken with you.
🚙 Keys & key chains do not display names, addresses, or license plate numbers.
… View more🚗 Vehicle parked in a visible location, or off the street if possible.
🚙 Valuables, including keys, removed from vehicle, or stored safely out of sight.
🚗 Vehicle locked & keys taken with you.
🚙 Keys & key chains do not display names, addresses, or license plate numbers.
🚗 Number plates secured with anti-theft screws (available at car accessory stores).
🚙 Alloy wheels secured with fit locking, anti-tamper wheel nuts.
🚗 Car ownership information stored at home, not in the vehicle.
🚙 Vehicle fitted with an anti-theft device, such as a steering wheel lock or alarm.
🚗 If the vehicle is keyless, ‘keys’ (or entry device) kept a safe distance from the car, away from doors & windows so the signal cannot be interfered with.
🚙 Get to know neighbours & their vehicles so you’ll know if you see something that doesn’t seem right.
Always report suspicious behaviour in your neighbourhood.
If it's already happened, phone 105 or report at 105.police.govt.nz.
If it's happening now, call 111.
Want to make an anonymous report? Contact Crime Stoppers
For more tips on keeping safe, visit the police.govt.nz website.
Recently, I ran a quick poll in a Ngaaruawaahia community group on Facebook, and asked a simple question - “Do you truly understand why the rates have increased?”
The results were telling. A full 88% of respondents said “No” while another 11% seemed to be unaware of rate increases … View moreRecently, I ran a quick poll in a Ngaaruawaahia community group on Facebook, and asked a simple question - “Do you truly understand why the rates have increased?”
The results were telling. A full 88% of respondents said “No” while another 11% seemed to be unaware of rate increases altogether. I think this shows how disconnected many feel from the decision-making process. When residents don’t have clear, accessible information about why things cost more, trust erodes and apathy grows. And it looks like this is being reflected in our low voter turnout. Both are signs that people don’t feel their voices make a difference.
I believe the way forward then is for councillors to take the extra step to educate, explain, and engage - not only when decisions are made, but before they’re made as well. When people understand the why, they can take part in shaping the how, and possibly get more involved.
Hamilton’s housing market may never be this “affordable” again, a real estate expert says, but for many residents the dream of owning a home remains out of reach.
After years of freefall from the pandemic-era peak, prices in the city appear to have stabilised. August’s median house price… View moreHamilton’s housing market may never be this “affordable” again, a real estate expert says, but for many residents the dream of owning a home remains out of reach.
After years of freefall from the pandemic-era peak, prices in the city appear to have stabilised. August’s median house price sat at $742,000, almost unchanged from a year ago and well below the December 2021 peak of $870,000, according to REINZ data.
Do you think homes are more affordable at the moment? Tell us your reasons in the comments (adding NFP if you don't want your words used in print).
Financial Markets Authority are warning the community about a new scam where scammers are hacking social media accounts in order to pretend to be a friend and loved one. When impersonating, they use special codes and sophisticated software to manipulate the target's cryptocurrency wallets
… View moreFinancial Markets Authority are warning the community about a new scam where scammers are hacking social media accounts in order to pretend to be a friend and loved one. When impersonating, they use special codes and sophisticated software to manipulate the target's cryptocurrency wallets
How to avoid scams involving hacked social media accounts:
- When approached by your family or friends on social media talking about investment opportunities, be wary.
- Consider contacting the loved one by other means toverify their identity, such as by phone.
- Be careful when anyone or any platform requires advance payments to withdraw funds.
The Neighbourly team has been diving into a big question: should our curiosity take us up into space or down into the ocean?
It’s wild to think that more people have walked on the Moon than have reached the deepest point of the sea. Why is that?
Cupcake Day is back on Wednesday 29 October, and we need you!
Across New Zealand, animal lovers will be baking and selling cupcakes, raising funds to give vulnerable animals the second chances they deserve. Whether you host a morning tea, run a bake sale, or simply share treats with friends for… View moreCupcake Day is back on Wednesday 29 October, and we need you!
Across New Zealand, animal lovers will be baking and selling cupcakes, raising funds to give vulnerable animals the second chances they deserve. Whether you host a morning tea, run a bake sale, or simply share treats with friends for a donation, you’ll be part of a nationwide community making a real difference. Every cupcake counts so sign up today and help create a brighter future for animals in need.
There’s been a lot of focus this election on ratepayers and their relationship with council services. But let’s not forget the many small business owners who also need to work closely with the council just to keep their operations running smoothly. It's no secret that business owners … View moreThere’s been a lot of focus this election on ratepayers and their relationship with council services. But let’s not forget the many small business owners who also need to work closely with the council just to keep their operations running smoothly. It's no secret that business owners sometimes feel like the system is designed to police and not to guide. But that’s not because council folk don’t care. It’s because the mindset of regulating shapes the process itself. A partnership mindset, on the other hand, would achieve the same outcomes of compliance, safety and quality but in a more facilitative, supportive way. Imagine if every business owner had a single council contact who could help navigate the steps and ensure everything’s done properly. Things would move much more smoothly - without compromising compliance.
The University of Waikato has signed an agreement to explore if Whanganui could become a location for medical school students to do their placements.
The university inked a document on Tuesday with the Whanganui District Council, Health New Zealand and regional health providers to explore the … View moreThe University of Waikato has signed an agreement to explore if Whanganui could become a location for medical school students to do their placements.
The university inked a document on Tuesday with the Whanganui District Council, Health New Zealand and regional health providers to explore the proposal.
A Government decision to roll back speed limit reductions has put holidaymakers at risk — and now NZTA is scrambling to fix it.
The transport agency has reopened consultation on a proposal to drop the speed limit outside Motutere Holiday Park, south of Taupō, from 100kph back to 60kph.
Do … View moreA Government decision to roll back speed limit reductions has put holidaymakers at risk — and now NZTA is scrambling to fix it.
The transport agency has reopened consultation on a proposal to drop the speed limit outside Motutere Holiday Park, south of Taupō, from 100kph back to 60kph.
Do you think this lakeside speed limit should be dropped (again)? Tell us your reasons in the comments (adding NFP if you don't want your words used in print).
Six seats. That’s all it takes for one of New Zealand’s most celebrated chefs to make his grand return home.
After closing the doors of Napier’s acclaimed Pacifica, a restaurant that earned three Cuisine hats and was twice crowned New Zealand’s Best Regional Restaurant, chef Jeremy … View moreSix seats. That’s all it takes for one of New Zealand’s most celebrated chefs to make his grand return home.
After closing the doors of Napier’s acclaimed Pacifica, a restaurant that earned three Cuisine hats and was twice crowned New Zealand’s Best Regional Restaurant, chef Jeremy Rameka and his partner - sommelier Natalie Bulman - are trading their seaside stage for something far smaller and far more personal.
Their new venture, Ni, will seat just six diners at a time in a tiny railway cottage in the heart of Kākahi, near Taumarunui.
We are hosting coffee mornings in the coming weeks if you would like to come catch up and hear about our 2026 program.
Mixture Eatery, Tamahere on Thursday, 16th October at 10.30AM
Address: Tamahere Country Club, 70 Tamahere Drive, Tamahere, Hamilton, 3283
Please RSVP to Rochelle if you are… View moreWe are hosting coffee mornings in the coming weeks if you would like to come catch up and hear about our 2026 program.
Mixture Eatery, Tamahere on Thursday, 16th October at 10.30AM
Address: Tamahere Country Club, 70 Tamahere Drive, Tamahere, Hamilton, 3283
Please RSVP to Rochelle if you are keen to join us rochelle@calderandlawsontours.co.nz
or phone 0800 853 276
Looking for inspiration for your home and garden? Subscribe to NZ House & Garden today and receive a luxurious bonus gift.
When you take out a 1- or 2-year subscription, you’ll receive a FREE ManukaRx Firming Day Cream, valued at $52 RRP.
Infused with the power of East Cape mānuka … View moreLooking for inspiration for your home and garden? Subscribe to NZ House & Garden today and receive a luxurious bonus gift.
When you take out a 1- or 2-year subscription, you’ll receive a FREE ManukaRx Firming Day Cream, valued at $52 RRP.
Infused with the power of East Cape mānuka oil, this lightweight daily cream is designed to hydrate, firm, and nourish your skin – the perfect treat to enjoy while you relax with your magazine.
Subscribe now for endless ideas, beautiful homes and gardens from across New Zealand, and a little indulgence just for you.
From the team at Mags4Gifts
T&Cs apply. Offer available to the first 300 people who subscribe to NZ House & Garden for 1 or 2 years before 26 October 2025
From what I've observed, the issue of council staffing versus consultant use works a bit like this... Imagine you have a home that needs regular maintenance. You hire one handyman for your main house and another for your garage. Then someone comes along and points out that it’s wasteful … View moreFrom what I've observed, the issue of council staffing versus consultant use works a bit like this... Imagine you have a home that needs regular maintenance. You hire one handyman for your main house and another for your garage. Then someone comes along and points out that it’s wasteful since one handyman could easily manage both.
So, to 'fix' the problem, you fire both handymen and decide to use specialist contractors as and when needed. That way, you tell yourself, you’ll only pay for what you need. But before long, the same amount of work starts costing even more than what you paid for having two handymen (even though they were surplus to needs to begin with).
And now, someone else points out that you're paying too much for consultants, and in response, you hire three handymen - because it’s still cheaper than the contractors. And so, the cycle continues.
The real issue therefore, isn’t how much we spend on staff or consultants - it’s how wisely we use them.
Mayoral candidate Sarah Thomson says she will cut the city council’s consultancy spend by one-third over the next three years if she is elected to Hamilton’s top job.
“In the last financial year, the council spent $36.8 million on consultant costs, with most of this related to … View moreMayoral candidate Sarah Thomson says she will cut the city council’s consultancy spend by one-third over the next three years if she is elected to Hamilton’s top job.
“In the last financial year, the council spent $36.8 million on consultant costs, with most of this related to infrastructure projects,” Thomson said, announcing the campaign pledge on Monday.
Matamata’s long-awaited stadium is rising fast, leading the way for community-school partnerships in rural New Zealand.
The $11.1M project, Te Whare Whakapakari, is taking shape on Matamata College grounds and represents a unique partnership between Matamata-Piako District Council, the … View moreMatamata’s long-awaited stadium is rising fast, leading the way for community-school partnerships in rural New Zealand.
The $11.1M project, Te Whare Whakapakari, is taking shape on Matamata College grounds and represents a unique partnership between Matamata-Piako District Council, the Ministry of Education, Sport Waikato and the local community.
© Neighbourly 2025
Loading…
