Congratulations to Finn Anderson-Budd – winner of Eastbourne Unplugged 2025!
At just Year 7 at Muritai, Finn’s original rap Fair Shot cut through with honesty, rhythm, and heart. It’s bold, real, and says what a lot of people feel but don’t always say — and that’s exactly what great songwriting does.
The judges were blown away by the creativity and passion across all entries this year. After collating thousands of likes, comments, and messages from the community, Fair Shot rose to the top — proving that age is no barrier when you’ve got something to say.
As part of his win, Finn has chosen to donate $200 to KidsCan, continuing the Eastbourne Unplugged tradition of giving back to the community. The remaining $300 goes directly to Finn as the winner — well deserved!
Well done, Finn — you’ve made Eastbourne proud!
MEGA Issue #8 – October
Finally, some movement on the political front — Tory, Barry, and Guppy are gone, replaced by Little, Laban, and Zee. The fossils are flushed, but the pipes still leak and the turnout’s still tragic. Fresh faces, same sludge — that’s Wellington local government for you.
Meanwhile, Live Nation keeps tightening its grip on NZ’s live music scene — one company booking the acts, owning the venues, selling the tickets, and milking the profits. It’s not live entertainment anymore; it’s corporate captivity.
In Eastbourne, The Herald changes hands — a reminder that local journalism only survives if locals back it. Advertise, contribute, or lose it.
And real estate? Four agencies fighting over a handful of listings in a village that barely needs one. The signs are everywhere — literally. Time to bury the billboards and sell some common sense.
Visit www.mega.kiwi.nz...
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.
Share your favourite main crop potato recipe and win a copy of our mag!
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!
-
52.8% Human-centred experience and communication
-
14.8% Critical thinking
-
29.6% Resilience and adaptability
-
2.8% Other - I will share below!
Loading…
