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Making it onto the first rung of the property ladder can be an incredibly rewarding journey – and Stuff is here to help you through.
Stuff Homed has launched the First Time Buyers’ Club, an email series to help you navigate the equal-parts exciting and terrifying process of buying your first… View moreMaking it onto the first rung of the property ladder can be an incredibly rewarding journey – and Stuff is here to help you through.
Stuff Homed has launched the First Time Buyers’ Club, an email series to help you navigate the equal-parts exciting and terrifying process of buying your first ever home. When you join our six-week LearnStuff course, you’ll get an email every week giving you all the basics on what you need to know, who you need on your side, and what you need to do at each stage of the journey.
We can’t make the houses any cheaper, but we can guide you through the process, share some tips from the experts, and help you avoid some of the trips and traps.
Sign up (it's free) and get started on your house-buying journey.
Now is the right planting time! Mondo grass (Ophiopogon japonicus) makes perfect low borders or massed planting under trees. $12.00 ea or $10.00 ea for 10 or more. Reach 30cm high and wide. These ones well established with strong roots. Do best in semi-shade (midday summer sun can burn the leaves) … View moreNow is the right planting time! Mondo grass (Ophiopogon japonicus) makes perfect low borders or massed planting under trees. $12.00 ea or $10.00 ea for 10 or more. Reach 30cm high and wide. These ones well established with strong roots. Do best in semi-shade (midday summer sun can burn the leaves) with good drainage. Hardy to frosts and dry periods once established. Plant now, ready for best look in summer.
The countdown is on! Make sure you’re enrolled and your details are up to date by 12 August to make voting in the local elections easy.
Visit vote.nz or call 0800 36 76 56 to find out more.
The Ministry for the Environment released New Zealand’s first national adaptation plan. It will help us adapt to the effects of climate change which will better protect us against changes to come.
The full plan is almost 200 pages long. I found the 12-page summary quite helpful. It provides an … View moreThe Ministry for the Environment released New Zealand’s first national adaptation plan. It will help us adapt to the effects of climate change which will better protect us against changes to come.
The full plan is almost 200 pages long. I found the 12-page summary quite helpful. It provides an overview of the plan, its main actions, participants, and the roadmap from 2018 to 2028.
There will be some who don't, won't or can't engage with the topic and wish for it to please just go away, like the pandemic. Others will want the government, or ratepayers, to build protections or bail them out. There are many uncomfortable discussions ahead of us, for example around home insurance, now that we have waited too long before taking any meaningful action. The plan is our chance to engage and reduce our risk and exposure to the increasingly unavoidable effects of climate change.
Study with us
Meet Denise from Germany who wanted to learn about the language and culture of Aotearoa. “I wanted to engage with Māori and understand and honour the culture”.
I was lucky to get the opportunity to study with Awanuiārangi at Papatūānuku Kōkiri Marae. It was the best … View moreStudy with us
Meet Denise from Germany who wanted to learn about the language and culture of Aotearoa. “I wanted to engage with Māori and understand and honour the culture”.
I was lucky to get the opportunity to study with Awanuiārangi at Papatūānuku Kōkiri Marae. It was the best thing that could have happened, a game-changer. I had a great teacher. Learning at the marae was very special – it got me into Te Ao Māori quickly applying our learning straight away.
I don’t know where I would be without this te reo journey. It was an incredible experience that has changed my life.
It’s time to start thinking about what you can do to help out those who need it most this Christmas. 1 in 5 Kiwi children are currently living in households that don’t have enough food. Christmas Box is a food box that caters to a family of 4-6, helping supplement breakfast, lunch and dinner … View moreIt’s time to start thinking about what you can do to help out those who need it most this Christmas. 1 in 5 Kiwi children are currently living in households that don’t have enough food. Christmas Box is a food box that caters to a family of 4-6, helping supplement breakfast, lunch and dinner meals over a week.
For just $40 you’re not only providing food essentials and treats but you’re also giving hope to families in need.
To sponsor a box, go to christmasbox.co.nz.
Bake a bargain and get 25% off all cookbooks, casserole dishes and platters.
This week only, so don’t miss out. Come in and see us at 48 Victoria Street Dargaville.
Could your local dance group use a $5,000 cash injection?
Whether it’s pre-schoolers or seniors, Scottish dancing or salsa, kapa haka or Kathak, breakdance or ballet – if you’re encouraging people of all ages and abilities to keep moving through dance, we have three Love to Dance grants up… View moreCould your local dance group use a $5,000 cash injection?
Whether it’s pre-schoolers or seniors, Scottish dancing or salsa, kapa haka or Kathak, breakdance or ballet – if you’re encouraging people of all ages and abilities to keep moving through dance, we have three Love to Dance grants up for grabs.
Receive one of three $5,000 grants to spend on equipment, transport, costumes or anything you need to support your community’s love of dance.
George Weston Foods (NZ) Ltd is recalling specific batches of various Tip Top brand Supersoft Wholemeal and Oatilicious breads as the products may contain foreign matter (plastic).
This recall affects loaves of bread with the Best Before Date of 26JUL22 in these products:
Tip Top brand … View moreGeorge Weston Foods (NZ) Ltd is recalling specific batches of various Tip Top brand Supersoft Wholemeal and Oatilicious breads as the products may contain foreign matter (plastic).
This recall affects loaves of bread with the Best Before Date of 26JUL22 in these products:
Tip Top brand Supersoft Wholemeal Sandwich (700g)
Tip Top brand Supersoft Wholemeal Toast (700g)
Tip Top brand Oatilicious Sandwich (700g)
Tip Top brand Oatilicious Toast (700g)
Tip Top brand Oatilicious Super Thick (700g)
There have been no reports of associated injury but consumers are being advised not to eat these products. If you have concerns about your health after consuming this bread, seek medical advice.
Customers should return the products to their retailer for a replacement or full refund, and direct any questions to George Weston Foods (NZ) Ltd by phone - 0800 449 660.
Enjoy an Antipodes skincare duo (RRP$50) when you purchase a three-month subscription to the Sunday Star-Times for just $52.
Subscribe at mags4gifts.co.nz/antipodes Terms and Conditions apply.
Quick reminder before prices increase: make sure you register your dog before 1 August. Please use the link below - it only takes a moment and funds 90% of the dog-control programme in Whangarei.
WDC - Register your dog
It’s that time again neighbours - we need your help! Look at all this creativity hiding behind front doors. We now need YOU to vote for your favourite Upcycling Award finalist. The four designs with the most votes will each receive a $200 Resene voucher and a $300 Prezzy® card!
… View moreIt’s that time again neighbours - we need your help! Look at all this creativity hiding behind front doors. We now need YOU to vote for your favourite Upcycling Award finalist. The four designs with the most votes will each receive a $200 Resene voucher and a $300 Prezzy® card!
Find out a little more about each entry here. Voting closes 5pm Thursday 4 August.
Thanks for voting; your clever neighbours thank you!
Grunge up your style at the Red Cross shop in Dargaville. Come in and see us at 48 Victoria Street Dargaville. We are open from 9.30am to 3.30pm week days, and 9am to 1pm Saturdays.
Are you overdue a getaway? You could win a 13-day Sir Edmund Hillary Explorer South Island Rail & Coach tour by participating in Neighbourly’s 8th birthday celebration.
To enter the competition, just tell us what you love about your neighbourhood. It could be your favourite spot, a … View moreAre you overdue a getaway? You could win a 13-day Sir Edmund Hillary Explorer South Island Rail & Coach tour by participating in Neighbourly’s 8th birthday celebration.
To enter the competition, just tell us what you love about your neighbourhood. It could be your favourite spot, a beautiful view, or something that makes you smile. You could be in for a once-in-a-lifetime getaway!
Last week's Local Government Conference showed a promising focus on elected membership, co-governance and climate change. I am however worried that we might see a number of single-issue candidates in the upcoming local elections, who will exploit the current controversies around major … View moreLast week's Local Government Conference showed a promising focus on elected membership, co-governance and climate change. I am however worried that we might see a number of single-issue candidates in the upcoming local elections, who will exploit the current controversies around major initiatives and dominate the debates. The Three Waters reforms are the obvious choice for such tactics.
Past and present councils have shown foresight and made prudent decisions to secure excellent drinking water systems in our district. There is however no guarantee that it will forever stay like this and not be run into the ground, as it has happened in so many other districts all over NZ. WDC have unfortunately taken a very adversarial approach to the reforms, rather than deciding to support these, hand over our well-maintained water assets to the professionals, accept the offered rewards for a job well done, and quit while we're well ahead.
However, the narrative that WDC can keep doing it better and cheaper has now been seriously undermined by the recent 31% price hike in water consumption rates, due to the closure of the refinery. It is completely counterintuitive that the price goes up when demand goes down, it provides zero incentives for us to conserve water and reduce our usage, and it shows that WDC's financial governance of our water services hasn't been as prudent as claimed, by allowing a single large customer to cross-subsidise household connections. It is obvious that losing Refining NZ would have been just a blip and not have had such a large negative effect (if at all) on our water rates if we had already been part of the proposed "Northwater" Entity A.
Councils do not provide other utilities, like electricity and telecommunications services. We should ask ourselves what is so different about water services that councils would have to continue to be the ones to provide these, and we should strongly reject any campaign slogans that try to sell us more opposition and promise us rollback of the reforms. This is not the time for pretending to know better and going it all alone.
Given the division and misinformation around co-governance in general as well as the introduction of Māori wards we should also be prepared for further challenges to these developing changes and inoculate ourselves against any forms of propaganda and thinly-veiled racism.
Personally I will ignore any single-issue campaigners and only consider candidates who can present a credible pathway for a just and respectful transition to a circular, sustainable low-carbon economy in our district. Unfortunately our options might be limited, since the decision to elect all WDC councillors district-wide was overturned. We are once again confined to our wards and constituencies and stuck with the archaic First Past The Post voting system. If all I get to choose from were more dairy farmers, businessmen and long-term incumbents selling us Past As Future and Back To Normal, then I might not even bother voting.
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