Let's Talk - an app that connects voters with candidates
The "Let's Talk" app connecting voters and candidates in the New Plymouth District for the local body elections is up and running www.stuff.co.nz... .
A similar app is running in Rotorua and the opportunity was offered to our local council to pick it up as well. They declined in favour of an in-house solution they were developing which delivers only a fraction of what this app does.
The app was rolled out to candidates last week to allow them to see it, update their profiles and images and to start answering some of the questions which might help reveal to us whether they actually understand what local government is for (and not for) and what governance skills are actually needed beyond an ability to read an officer's report.
The app is also now available for free in the google and apple stores ;
play.google.com...
apps.apple.com...
While I am hopeful that this might actually sort out the wheat from the chaff so that we actually end up with people who can properly govern the district, it does come down to people and candidates engaging with this product that goes beyond empty sloganeering and name recognition that characterises the usual process. Will it change the outcome and reverse the rapid slide of interest in local government? We live in hope.
🧩😏 Riddle me this, Neighbours…
I am an odd number. Take away a letter and I become even. What number am I?
Do you think you know the answer?
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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!
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.
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