Aotearoa / New Zealand

Fairly scathing

I don’t know why we’re not talking about this more. We have a steep decline in fertility, a rapidly ageing population, and, out of Covid, we are seeing the rise and rise of departures,” says Massey University’s emeritus professor Paul Spoonley, a leading sociologist.

“Parts of New Zealand are beginning to empty out, they will suffer stagnation or are in decline. The question for me is – will the number of New Zealanders leaving the country begin to come back?” Spoonley say

I ended up buying on the Gold Coast becase NZ housing was too unaffordable, back just before Covid.

Covid saw NZ housing prices then go from ridiculous to statospheric, so now I am in Tassie. Not been looking since but interested in the exoerinxes of others.

I'm an Aussie's that spent some time in NZ and was looking to move there full time, so a different take I guess and keen to here from locals.

Last weeks thread here

Welcome to this week’s casual kōrero thread!

This post will be pinned in this community so you can always find it, and will stay for about a week until replaced by the next one.

It’s for talking about anything that might not justify a full post. For example:

• Something interesting that happened to you
• Something humourous that happened to you
• Something frustrating that happened to you
• A quick question
• A request for recommendations
• Pictures of your pet
• A picture of a cloud that kind of looks like an elephant
• Anything else, there are no rules (except the rule)

So how’s it going?

A rare and threatened species of West Coast snail has been captured on camera laying an egg for the first time.

The Powelliphanta augusta snail was being weighed by Department of Conservation (DOC) ranger Lisa Flanagan in when the little egg emerged from its neck.

DOC had been managing a captive population of the snails in chilled containers since 2006, when Solid Energy started mining their habitat on the Mt Augustus ridgeline on the western side of the Stockton Plateau near Westport.

Flanagan said it was a special moment after 12 years looking after the snails.

"It's remarkable that in all the time we've spent caring for the snails, this is the first time we've seen one lay an egg.

The websites look pretty slick too

The Commerce Commission has filed criminal charges against Woolworths NZ for alleged inaccurate pricing and misleading specials that may have breached the Fair Trading Act.

The commission filed the charges against Woolworths in the Auckland District Court.

It indicated in December last year that it would be filing separate criminal charges against Woolworths and two Pak'nSave supermarkets.

At that time, the commission said there were ongoing issues with pricing in the supermarket sector and the operators may have breached the Fair Trading Act.

An Auckland bird hospital wants public light displays like the Harbour Bridge and Sky Tower to be dimmed on cloudy nights, to help prevent native seabirds being injured or grounded.

BirdCare Aotearoa cares for hundreds of seabirds each autumn, and believed that light pollution from Auckland was disorientating juvenile birds.

Although light pollution came from across the city, large, bright LED displays were a particular problem, the charity said.

SkyCity - which lights the Sky Tower - has subsequently agreed to meet with BirdCare to discuss the issue and how it might be able to help.

Vandals in four-wheel drives have mowed down 38 pōhutukawa trees on Napier's Marine Parade.

The damage was done overnight on Saturday, after the vandals first removed new vehicle barriers in front of the trees, Napier Mayor Kirsten Wise said.

She said the council was concerned at the behaviour and said an early estimate to replace the damage came to $20,000. What's left of a pohutukawa tree after vandals mowed 38 of them down on Napier's Marine Parade.

"These trees were planted for our community by the Rotary Club as a gift over the past five years," Wise said.

Well intentioned... but, how?!

Wellington Airport is about to have its wings clipped.

Its two giant eagle sculptures - each of which weighs more than a tonne - are to be packed away, and what will replace them is being kept under wraps.

"It's not unusual to see airborne departures from Wellington Airport, but in this case, it will be emotional for us," Wellington Airport chief executive Matt Clarke said.

"They have been a huge success and travellers from around the world have loved admiring them. After 12 years it's the right time for them to fly the nest."

The sculptures, made by Wētā Workshop, were installed in 2013 as a tie-in with Peter Jackson's The Hobbit movie trilogy.

"We're working with Wētā Workshop on some exciting plans for a unique, locally themed replacement to take their place," Clarke said.

Not a particularly good look for FENZ.

Businessman and politician Sir Bob Jones has died at the age of 85.

"I can confirm on behalf of the family that Sir Robert Jones died peacefully at home surrounded by family after a brief illness," The NZ general manager of Robert Jones Holdings confirmed on Friday.

Jones imposed himself on the New Zealand consciousness like few other businesspeople of his time.

He amassed a multi-billion portfolio of commercial buildings in Auckland, Wellington, and Glasgow, Scotland, as well as forming a political party to challenge Robert Muldoon's National Party.

Last weeks thread here

Welcome to this week’s casual kōrero thread!

This post will be pinned in this community so you can always find it, and will stay for about a week until replaced by the next one.

It’s for talking about anything that might not justify a full post. For example:

• Something interesting that happened to you
• Something humourous that happened to you
• Something frustrating that happened to you
• A quick question
• A request for recommendations
• Pictures of your pet
• A picture of a cloud that kind of looks like an elephant
• Anything else, there are no rules (except the rule)

So how’s it going?

What do you think, are they still around?

I do notice all these sightings seem to be from tourists, and they never take photos.

Credit card company Visa is calling for a ban on the surcharge fee some merchants charge card-paying consumers at the point of sale.

The Commerce Commission was undertaking a review of card charges, and considering cutting the regulated interchange fee card companies can charge banks by as much as 75 percent, for example.

Card interchange fees were in turn passed on by banks to merchants at whatever rate the merchant can negotiate, meaning that some pay much more than others.

Canadian here looking to read news from a strong democracy with mixed-member proportional.

If you can help it avoid going to the USA.

Last weeks thread here

Welcome to this week’s casual kōrero thread!

This post will be pinned in this community so you can always find it, and will stay for about a week until replaced by the next one.

It’s for talking about anything that might not justify a full post. For example:

• Something interesting that happened to you
• Something humourous that happened to you
• Something frustrating that happened to you
• A quick question
• A request for recommendations
• Pictures of your pet
• A picture of a cloud that kind of looks like an elephant
• Anything else, there are no rules (except the rule)

So how’s it going?

Hundreds of people gathered at Kaiuku Marae in Māhia where poppies and white crosses were placed in the ground around the local war memorial.

Wairoa RSA president Jeremy Harker said Kaiuku Marae always had a big turnout for the dawn service.

"Obviously there's a lot of understanding about the past, and I think this is a pretty special place and people like coming out here.

"It's quite cool, you know the first place to see the light, so it works really well and it's just a really special occasion."

An entomologist says the spread of Portuguese millipedes across Wellington - and beyond - is almost certain after residents on the south coast sounded the alarm about infestations of the invasive species.

Residents have described waking to find hundreds of scaly black millipedes around their homes, discovering them in shoes, bags and even their beds.

Biosecurity New Zealand said the invertebrate had been identified on the south coast and in Lower Hutt for about 20 years, but not much was known about it.

A local councillor is now calling for an urgent meeting with local authorities to discuss how to tackle the problem.

When Shihad announced they would be calling it quits in 2025, they left not just a legacy of tinnitus-inducing live shows stretching back 37 years, but also one of the richest catalogues of recordings by any New Zealand band.

Overlords and all that.

A New Zealand architecture company has designed a three-bedroom house that three people can assemble in six weeks for $335,000.

RTA Studio just constructed its first 'Living House' in Rotorua.

It is 85sqm and designed for quick assembly once the foundations are in place, the cost includes a functional kitchen with appliances as well as flooring, lighting, carpets and heating. It does not include the land value.

It’s one of those moments in the year when many parents wonder why they lie to their children about a magical rabbit that leaves Easter eggs in the garden.

In our multicultural society, there are various approaches to the concepts of Santa, the Easter Bunny, and the tooth fairy. At a guess, for the majority of New Zealand children, these fictional characters are real — at least in the first few years of their lives. After all, New Zealand Post receives more than 100,000 letters each year addressed to Santa at Christmas.

But there are some, whether it is for religious or ethical reasons, who don’t raise their kids to believe in these fictional characters.

Last weeks thread here

Welcome to this week’s casual kōrero thread!

This post will be pinned in this community so you can always find it, and will stay for about a week until replaced by the next one.

It’s for talking about anything that might not justify a full post. For example:

• Something interesting that happened to you
• Something humourous that happened to you
• Something frustrating that happened to you
• A quick question
• A request for recommendations
• Pictures of your pet
• A picture of a cloud that kind of looks like an elephant
• Anything else, there are no rules (except the rule)

So how’s it going?