2319 days ago

Poll: Was the $19k Hamilton City Council team talk a good use of ratepayers' money?

Matt Bowen Reporter from Waikato Times

Morning neighbours,

Hamilton City Council staff have been treated to a $19k mass team talk at Claudelands Event Centre. It featured motivational speakers and a 25-minute acrobatic performance from circus company The Dust Palace.

Chief executive Richard Briggs defended the spend.

"Old school thinking is you don't spend any money on your staff and you expect them to just show up to work and go hard," he said after the event.

"New school thinking is you've got to give them some purpose for being here, and today was all about understanding that purpose and improving the wellbeing of the community."

What's your take on it? Read more here

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Was the $19k Hamilton City Council team talk a good use of ratepayers' money?
  • 30.2% Yes
    30.2% Complete
  • 60.7% No
    60.7% Complete
  • 9.1% I'm ambivalent
    9.1% Complete
341 votes
More messages from your neighbours
2 days ago

Poll: 🤖 What skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

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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🤖 What skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
  • 52.1% Human-centred experience and communication
    52.1% Complete
  • 15.2% Critical thinking
    15.2% Complete
  • 30.1% Resilience and adaptability
    30.1% Complete
  • 2.6% Other - I will share below!
    2.6% Complete
382 votes
17 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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19 days ago

Poll: Are you a Te Huia fan?

Libby Totton Reporter from Waikato Times

All three Hamilton MPs appear to be united behind the retention of the Te Huia passenger rail service between Hamilton and Auckland, as well as potentially expanding it to Tauranga.

But whether Hamilton East’s Ryan Hamilton, Hamilton West’s Tama Potaka and soon-to-be Labour list MP Georgie Dansey have the combined power to shunt transport minister Chris Bishop and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon onto their line of thinking remains to be seen.

Are you a Te Huia fan? Tell us more in the comments (adding NFP if you don't want your words used in print).

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Are you a Te Huia fan?
  • 80.7% Yes
    80.7% Complete
  • 19.3% No
    19.3% Complete
88 votes