RIP Hawkes Bay Expressway.
Hello all,
I write to mourn the passing of our very young Hawke's Bay Expressway.
I fear that the over-protective element in our local and state government has decided that "express" is something that only Aucklanders are entitled to use, and we must bear with the down-scaling of something that the Twin Cities Area had awaited for almost 60 years.
We had, for a very brief time, a complete and unencumbered "express" line through the twin urban areas, allowing "express" journeys to be enjoyed by all.
Sadly, ity appears that the Nanny State has decided the general population must be "protected" from each other, by the rampant installation of barriers all over the blessed place.
These have effectively converted an "Expressway" into a tram-line, with all being subjected to the whims of the slowest trams.
Now, we have agricultural vehicle driven by bucolic ingrates, on an "Expressway," at busy times, at 60kph, with nowhere for them to pull in to let traffic pass.
Similarly, we have the disinterested plodding home at 80kph, holding up those who are needing to travel an "Expressway" to get where they need to be.
The Truckies have no choice, they are limited by the class of vehicle they operate, but nonetheless, the choke the system.
I have no aversion to the barriers, providing we have the TWO LANES in each direction that we really need.
With what we have now, our poor lamented "Expressway" is much more a "Depressway."
RIP Hawke's Bay Expressway, we will miss you.
Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
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.
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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53.8% Human-centred experience and communication
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14.1% Critical thinking
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29.4% Resilience and adaptability
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2.7% Other - I will share below!
The latest product recalls
We are bringing you the latest list of recalled products from across the country. Make sure you aren't using these at home!
Click on the blue text to learn more about that particular product and why it was recalled.
Food and household item recalls:
⚠️Cereulide toxin risk in Nestlé brand Alfamino Infant Formula (0-12 months) recalled due to the possible presence of the toxin cereulide
Nestlé Milo Dipped Snack Bars
BC Hot Water Bottles sold at Bargain Chemist
Product Recalls: Infant care and clothing
Nature Baby Sleeping Gown
Product Recalls: Toys
Sensory Game Controller - sold at Kmart
Product Recalls: Cosmetics
Outside Beauty & Skincare SPF 50+ Mineral Primer (2 batches)
Anessa and Shiseido Anessa sunscreens sold only at Daikoku
Biore and Kao Biore sunscreens sold only at Daikoku
Kose Sunscreens sold only at Daikoku
Mentholatum sunscreens sold only at Daikoku
Pigeon sunscreens sold only at Daikoku
Rohto sunscreens sold only at Daikoku
Product Recalls: Electronics
Harvest Right Freeze Dryer HRFDSBKP-PP sold at Costco
Product Recalls: Other
Michelin X Multi Z and X Line Energy Z, size: 355/50R22.5, load/speed index:156K
UPDATED GASGAS Motorcycles: GASGAS Cross Country and Motocross model motorcycles with BRAKTEC brake system. New VINS added
Check the New Zealand Transport Agency's handy vehicle recall list here.
See past months' recalls. Stay safe, neighbours!
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