It's Daffodil Day.The well-known national Cancer Society fundraiser is held on the last Friday of August every year, to raise money to help fight the disease which will affect everyone in some way in their lifetime. The money raised from Daffodil Day helps cancer patients and their whānau receive care and practical support, as well as helping to fund cancer research.There are stands selling daffodils in Ōamaru and other North Otago towns for most of the day, and an online donation can be made if you don't have cash available or can't make it to a stand.Statistics show that one in three of us will get cancer in our lifetime - a donation today could be helping you or a loved one tomorrow.

“Everyone should be free to question and challenge, but please do so in a respectful way,” says Waitaki District Councillor Rebecca Ryan.Rebecca, who is almost two years into her first term as an elected member of the council, says she appreciates she is in a public role and “absolutely” expects people to tell her if they are unhappy with something the council has made a decision on.“But I do feel like something has changed and the current political climate feels more hostile.”Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) recently polled some elected members about the abuse they received - with 53% saying it was worse than a year ago, LGNZ chief executive Susan Freeman-Greene says.Sixty-five percent of elected members polled said they faced abuse online, 39% faced it at community events, and 33% faced it doing everyday activities like shopping or collecting children from school. No one deserves to be subjected to this sort of behaviour when going about their job, she says.“Elected members are facing an increasing level of intimidation and abuse. This is a rising trend that affects everyone elected in our democracy – whether you’re an MP or a local councillor.”Rebecca is thankful to have not experienced a lot of abuse from the public directly, but it is a problem she is aware of in Waitaki and further afield, she says.“As a result of the way a lot of people speak and engage online, I have become a more passive user of social media than I intended to be when I was first elected.”She does continue to keep an eye on social media to gauge the community feel on issues, and as she feels more settled in her role, her confidence is increasing to engage more in that space.“I actually much rather engage with people face to face, and enjoy those discussions I have in supermarket aisles, at cafes, and on the sidelines of sports games etc. “People find it more difficult to be rude in person and I think they remember they’re dealing with humans.”As one of the younger councillors, Rebecca has a particular passion for engaging and educating more young people in the work of local government.Facebook, which seems to be the most popular social media platform for council abuse, is used by only about a third of teenagers, while 71% or those 50 and older were on the platform, she says.“It’s sad the negative behaviour we’re seeing online is from older people, who I’d like to think would know and behave better.”“People find it more difficult to be rude in person and I think they remember they’re dealing with humans," Councillor Rebecca Ryan says. Photo: SuppliedThere is a good mix of community-minded councillors around the table in Waitaki and they are trying to make decisions with the best interests of the district at heart, she says.“We all go about our mahi in different ways and I have a lot of respect for each of them for putting their hands up to do the job.”Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher says he is passionate about his role to make the district “an even better place”, so he finds it difficult when people take a step beyond commenting on that work, and get personal and abusive.Gary does not want to promote most of what has been sent or said to him, but did share a “poster” he received.“[They] let me know my arrest was imminent and that I should prepare my family for that. I would either be imprisoned or executed,” he says.“When people mention my family in the same comments, I know most of that is nonsense and bluster, but there are always deranged people who may take it further. Protecting my family is very important and something I don't take lightly.” While he is “mildly concerned” for his safety, he knows the types of messages he receives have the potential to affect other people more, and his family worries for him and themselves. Hearing stories like when former Nelson Mayor Rachel Reese came home to a 'Sovereign Citizen' in her house with a nail gun, it is difficult to know whether some people will carry out their threats, he says.The abuse from a few is tempered by comments from others who understand what a challenge it is be in a local government role right now, but the negative comments can still have an impact when they are so “personal and full of hate”, he says.A poster sent to Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher. Photo: SuppliedMeanwhile, council policy has been likened to Nazi concentration camps, and the council being part of “shadowy links” to global conspiracies are two of the more unusual accusations that have been made, a council spokesperson says.Employed staff are also coming under fire, with roading contractors and customer liaison staff in particular, two undeserving targets in recent months who are just doing their jobs, he says.There have also been “quite a lot of letters”, with content ranging from the “obviously furious to the outright weird".Most are not anonymous.Quite aggressive threats made on Facebook have been reported to page owners and Facebook, as breaches of their terms of service. Many of our local community Facebook page owners are more than happy to remove them, and we’d like to thank them for that.The spokesperson does not want to give any unnecessary credibility to the insults but emphasises the letters, emails, calls and requests that come in from the community highlighting issues, expressing concerns and giving genuine critical feedback are encouraged and valued, and help the council “do its job better”.“There are far more members of our community engaging with council positively (even to constructively criticise us) than there are being weird.”

The Māori King, Tuheitia Paki, crowned Te Arikinui Kiingi Tuheitia, has died at the age of 69.Kiingi Tuheitia succeeded his mother, Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu, following her death in 2006.He was the seventh of the line of Pootatau Te Wherowhero to head the Kiingitanga, which was founded in 1858.He grew up around Waahi near Huntly. He started his schooling at Rakaumanga but at the age of eight, like his mother before him, was sent to a pakeha school in Hamilton before going on to boarding school at St Stephens College.Tūheitia enjoyed his time there, meeting boys from around the country. He spent his final year at Huntly College and then embarked on a series of jobs, including working as a meatworker and as a farmhand. He joined the army and served three years in the artillery, and then joined the construction crew building the Huntly Power Station.Kiingi Te Arikinui Tūheitia Paki is shown seated on the throne at Tūrangawaewae on 21 August 2006, soon after his succession. Photo: NZPA / Peter Drury via RNZAlthough he was the eldest son of Dame Te Ata, he expected his older sister Heeni would succeed her and did not discover he was to head the Kiingitanga movement until just before the Queen's death.He had five brothers and one sister. His father was Whatumoana Paki.The position of Māori monarch is not hereditary by right and a new leader is appointed by leaders of the tribes associated with the Kiingitanga on the day of the previous monarch's funeral and before burial.Kiingi Tūheitia was an unpretentious man and his home remained the house he and his wife built at Huntly at Waahi Marae.He had suffered from poor health for a number of years, with cancer and diabetes-related ailments.Kiingi Tūheitia has died aged 69. Photo: RNZHe underwent surgery in what his office called a minor operation in September 2013.There was serious concern over his wellbeing in August 2014 when he spent some weeks in Waikato Hospital.At the time his spokesperson, Tukoroirangi Morgan assured people that the King had been overwhelmed by an outpouring of aroha and support from the public and that he wished to allay any fears over the latest setback in his ongoing recovery.During that period of ill health, a King's Council, Te Kaunihera a Te Kingi was created to help guide the King's eldest son, Whatumoana Paki while he acted for his father and took over his duties.Whatumoana was given the title Te Whirinaki a te Kiingi.The Kiingitanga flag at Ihumātao has come down and Kiingitanga representatives say a positive resolution is expected ahead of Waitangi Day. Photo: RNZ / Dan CookKiingi Tūheitia slowly returned to work and did attend the annual Rātana celebrations at Rātana Pā in January 2015.His younger son, Korotangi caused him some problems during 2014 when at the age of 19 he appeared in court charged with being five times over the youth alcohol driving limit and stealing surfboards in Gisborne.Korotangi Paki was discharged with out conviction after it was argued that a conviction could end any chance he might have to be the next Māori King.The Crown appealed and Korotangi was convicted of drinking and driving and was disqualified from driving for eight months.The High Court allowed the discharge on the burglary charges.Kiingi Tūheitia is survived by his wife Te Atawhai and their two sons Whatumoana and Korotangi and daughter, Ngā Wai hono i te po Paki.Tūheitia Pōtatau Te Wherowhero VII: 21 April 1955-29 August 2024

As cases of bird flu mount overseas, New Zealand officials are bolstering their plans in case the virus arrives on our shores.Hundreds of millions of birds have now been destroyed around the globe due to infection with the highly pathogenic strains of avian influenza, mostly the H5 and H7 strains.In June, the first human case of H5N2 died in Mexico, and this month, pet cats have been confirmed infected in the United States.Overseas officials are ramping up testing amid fears of infected beef being eaten by humans, while experts here at home are vaccinating native manu against the deadly virus.Here's what you need to know.Bird flu's spread overseasAvian influenza has been recorded as far back as 1878, but the current outbreak of highly pathogenic forms of the virus began in 2020 on turkey farms in the United States. Wild birds then spread the virus to Europe, and from there to the Middle East, parts of Africa and Asia, according to the US Centers for Disease Control.In February 2024, bird flu was detected in Antarctica, then entered Australia - where it spread to numerous poultry farms - a few months later.In June, more than one million birds were slaughtered across Victoria to try to halt the spread of the virus.In July, ABC News reported nearly 10 percent of Australia's egg laying hens had been affected by the outbreak. McDonald's stopped serving breakfast early to conserve its egg supply and supermarkets imposed restrictions on how many cartons of eggs could be purchased in one transaction.Meanwhile, bird flu has spread from birds to at least 26 species of mammals, according to Harvard Health Publishing. Among them are mice, bears, foxes, dolphins, otters, alpacas, goats and hedgehogs. In Denmark, millions of mink have been culled after the virus spread through fur farms, and tens of thousands of seals and sea lions have died throughout the Americas, the BBC reported.Cases of bird flu have been confirmed in goats, among other mammals. Photo: 123RFThis month, the Colorado Veterinary Medical Association reported six domestic cats in the US state had been diagnosed with the virus. This is not the first time it has threatened pets - in 12 cats died of bird flu in Poland and nearly 40 in South Korea. Their deaths were traced back to raw pet food that contained infected chicken and duck.The BBC estimates at least half a billion farmed birds have been slaughtered due to the H5 strains of bird flu.In the United States, nearly 200 dairy herds have been infected since March, when the virus jumped from wild birds to cows. The country's Department of Agriculture will in September begin testing beef entering the food supply over concerns the virus could be infecting meat, according to Reuters.Human cases of bird fluCompared to bird flu's spread in animals, relatively few people have been infected so far, and the risk to human health is still classified as low.In 2020, there were 13 human cases of bird flu reported - mostly in China, with one each in Russia, Hong Kong and Senegal, according to the US Centers for Disease Control.The following year, 2021, was the deadliest of the epidemic for humans. There were 62 human cases reported in China, of whom 19 died, World Health Organization figures show. All but one of the deceased had the H5N6 strain.Over the next two years, human cases were reported in the United States (where the majority have been dairy farm workers), the United Kingdom, Cambodia, Vietnam, India, Mexico and Spain, according to the World Health Organization. Two further cases in China died in 2022, while a person from Mexico - the first confirmed human case of H5N2 - died in June.Australia reported its first human case of the H5N1 strain in May - a child who had likely contracted the virus while on holiday in India.A digitally colourised microscopic image of H5N1 virus particles (seen in gold), grown in epithelial cells (green). Photo: CDC/ Cynthia Goldsmith, Jacqueline Katz, Sherif R ZakiThat development led New Zealand public health experts to issue a warning, saying Aotearoa needed to update its national pandemic plan in response to the "evolving threat" posed by bird flu.According to the World Health Organization, there have not yet been any cases of H5N1 that have been transferred from person to person. However, the virus is "constantly evolving" and could potentially become transmissible in that way."If this occurs, it could be the start of a new influenza pandemic, as was the case with the 1918 and 2009 H1N1 pandemics."The situation in New ZealandNew Zealand has never had a case of highly pathogenic avian influenza, but the Ministry for Primary Industries has been monitoring its movement around the world for more than 20 years, chief veterinary officer Dr Mary van Andel says."New Zealand's geographical isolation has protected us from HPAI in the past, but we can't rely on it forever. Given the unpredictable journey of wild birds who can travel with HPAI, it may still arrive here."The ministry is developing a response plan alongside the Department of Conservation, Ministry of Health, Te Whatu Ora and key sector groups, van Andel says. That will cover surveillance, biosecurity, wild bird populations and human health.This month, representatives from the ministry and the poultry industry visited the United Kingdom to meet with experts and learn about the British response to the virus. A small delegation visited Victoria in July.Some takahē have been vaccinated against bird flu. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver"Both trips will be used to sharpen ongoing operational planning and building of sector resilience at home," van Andel says.The ministry meets regularly with representatives from the poultry and egg farming sectors to raise awareness about bird flu and the need for good biosecurity practices, she says."We are also working closely with New Zealand's wildlife hospitals, poultry industry groups, veterinarians, wildlife hospitals and rehabilitation centres on monitoring and awareness to enable early detection."The Dunedin Wildlife Hospital is surveilling migratory wild birds and shorebirds and sampling for bird flu, and the ministry is working with Fish & Game to conduct summer surveillance programmes for waterfowl, she says.Meanwhile, the Department of Conservation has vaccinated 50 native birds, including takahē, kākāpō, tūturuatu, kakī and kākāriki, as part of a trial to see if it is an effective line of defence, The Guardian reported.The birds, which are about to undergo six-month efficacy tests, are all part of DOC's breeding programmes.Meanwhile, van Andel says, anyone who sees a sick or dead bird is encouraged to report it to the Exotic Pest and Disease hotline on 0800 80 99 66. Samples will be taken to rule out bird flu.

Bids totalling more than $6000 have been received in the Forrester Gallery’s silent auction fundraiser, which finishes this Sunday.As the Uplifting Art Auction draws to a close, members of the public are invited to join the Friends of the Forrester from 3pm on Sunday (1 September), until the auction winds up at 4pm.The silent auction for 22 original artworks is on the top floor of the gallery, and Friends chair Heather Machin says they are “delighted with the bidding so far”, and hope to raise $10,000 towards the planned extension for the building.“People have really enjoyed the diverse range of works on offer and the chance to support the gallery as well as taking home a lovely piece of art,” Heather says.The artworks have all been donated by gallery supporters and can also be viewed online.Forrester Gallery director Chloe Searle says Friends of the Forrester has taken a lead role in the fundraising efforts for the gallery’s upgrade.This is a final push for the approximately $8m extension to the 1884 Ōamaru stone building, which will expand the exhibition, education and storage spaces and improve accessibility.  “Initiatives like the auction and applications to funding bodies are ensuring the Gallery extension project can proceed on time,” Chloe says.Building work on the extension is expected to start in early 2025, with the building completed in 2026.

Nominations are open for the 2024 Waitaki Sports Awards.Sport Waitaki coordinator Sara Harding says the nominations close at the end of November, and are for this year, from 1 January to 31 December.The awards evening will be held in March next year.The categories are Male and Female Emerging Talents (a year 8 pupil), Male and Female Junior Sportsperson of the Year (aged 18 and under as of 1 January 2024), Male and Female Sportsperson of the Year, Team of the Year, Masters Athlete of the Year (aged 50 or over as of 1 January), Athlete with a Disability, and Coach of the Year, A Waitaki District Sportsperson of the Year will then be decided from other winners.Nominations for the Denis Birtles Memorial Services to Sport Award – for lifetime service to sport - and Stewart Mitchell Award for Official in Sport, are also open - but are not always awarded.The North Otago Sports Bodies Association is overseeing the awards, which can be traced back to 1963… but have potentially been running longer, Sara says. “It is a wonderful evening's entertainment celebrating the amazing achievements of our local sportspeople and sports administrators,” she says.The evening also includes an induction to the Waitaki Sports Hall of Fame, a guest speaker, and a buffet meal. To make a nomination, or for information about entry criteria, please contact Sport Waitaki on 029 4349379 or email [email protected].

The government has announced new details for the second phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Covid-19 response.Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden said phase 2 will cover vaccine efficacy and safety, and look at the impact of extended lockdowns in Auckland and Northland.Litigation specialist Grant Illingworth KC has been appointed as chairperson, along with commissioners Judy Kavanagh and Anthony Hill.Phase 1 has met with thousands of people throughout the country, and received more than 13,000 public submissions.Listen:Tony Blakely to leave Covid-19 inquiry duration 9':34″ from Morning Report The inquiry's chair, Professor Tony Blakely, who is stepping down from November, said during the course of his work he had observed the depth of the divisions the pandemic had caused in New Zealand society.Some people felt, and indeed, had been wronged."I hope that what our report will do is speak independently and impartially ... and at least put some sunlight, some daylight onto that so people can see [what went on] ... it's very interesting to see some people standing back and reflecting on the pandemic."He cited the example of an Australian politician recently expressing his regret that vaccine mandates were used too much."So people are looking back and going 'gosh, there are some unintended consequences here'."While New Zealand had handled the pandemic well, it could have done better and the panel was intent on coming up with some solutions.Risk having two panels, two reportsHe told Morning Report he didn't think an inquiry of this kind had ever had two phases before, but he didn't want to continue in his role beyond this year.He agreed the investigation was already politicised, however, there would be some "profound" recommendations from the panel's work.A wide range of voices had been heard ranging from Voices for Freedom through to medical experts and policy makers.However, with another panel taking over there was a risk that there would be two reports with different conclusions."Our job and I'm confident we're going to do it is to write a really good authoritative report that covers the wide breadth of the things that we can cover. The next inquiry will go deeper in some issues."His panel had passed on to the new one some aspects that might need to be explored further.Some of the second panel's work would have more focus on the more controversial pandemic aspects such as vaccine mandates and vaccine efficacy.Prof Blakely's work had also covered those topics although it had not looked at vaccine safety and harm.There had been submissions from people who had been affected personally and professionally by this issue."So there's issues like that where phase two could dig deeper."While the UK's inquiry had been held in public, Prof Blakely said it was a very expensive approach and he was satisfied with New Zealanders giving their views in private.In phase two there would be some public hearings "if they deem it to be useful".Van Velden has declined a request to be interviewed on the inquiry's next stage. A spokesperson from her office said there was a freeze on ACT MPs talking to Morning Report.

What does a climate-resilient Otago look like? This is the question the Otago Regional Council is asking for feedback on, with the draft Strategic Climate Action Plan 2024-2034 open for public consultation.Council chairperson Gretchen Robertson says it has a vision for a low-emissions Otago, resilient to the impacts of climate change, but wants to know what the public thinks.“We want to know if our vision aligns with yours,” Gretchen says.“Is a changing climate of concern to you, and have greenhouse gas emissions and changing climate influenced your choices when it comes to things like travel, transport, your purchases, business decisions and where you want to live?”The survey seeks feedback on the council’s “draft mitigation and adaptation goals” and whether more can be done.The results will help shape a plan that aims to enhance the social, economic, environmental, and cultural well-being of Otago’s communities, Gretchen says.“It’ll help us stay proactive and closely aligned with the communities we serve, as we build resilience and navigate a changing environment and climate together.”The survey opened on Monday (26 August) and closes on 6 October, a period which will allow for the rural sector, who are busy lambing and calving, to contribute, she says.The draft plan sets out goals the regional council will adopt and actions it will take to help the region reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the changing climate. The plan will be reviewed and updated every three years – or more often if needed – to take advantage of emerging opportunities and ensure we stay on track to achieve these goals. The plan includes actions to help mitigate greenhouse gases and help Otago communities adapt to climate change, but the council wants to know if it is doing enough, what the priorities should be, and what can be built on, Gretchen says.Some of the work the ORC already does in this area includes providing public transport services and working jointly with Dunedin City Council on a plan for the future of South Dunedin. “We want to hear from you about your climate action priorities and what you think about the draft plan,” she says.“You can do this by reading the draft plan then completing the survey online or in hardcopy at your local library or council service centre. Your responses will inform the development of the plan and the work wedo to implement it. Please read the draft Strategic Climate Action Plan 2024-2034 first and then have your say.” The draft Strategic Climate Action Plan 2024-2034 can be read online, with hard copies available from council offices, service centres and district libraries.

When Wellington journalist Sarah Catherall separated from her husband, she couldn't find a book with practical advice to help her family get through.Now, 15 years later, she and her ex are both happily re-partnered and their three daughters are thriving.To offer guidance and hope to others struggling through a separation, Catherall shares her own experiences and expert tips in the new book How To Break Up Well.Listen to Sarah Catherall on Saturday Morning - duration: 15′ :17″  The book is for men and women who are dealing with a break-up and want insights into how to navigate these tricky, often painful times, Catherall says.After her divorce, she was "a bit of a sad mum" but sought therapy as women are more inclined to do.Many "sad dads", on the other hand, seek to fill the void of a break-up by downloading with someone new from a dating app."You've got your glass of wine and this guy's moaning about the ex. He should be doing that with a therapist."After Catherall's divorce, she also jumped into the seemingly exciting world of online dating before she was actually ready. "You've got to think are you emotionally ready to connect with someone on a dating app? You might have suffered the rejection of your husband or partner and then you have to deal with [ghosting]."In How To Break Up Well, the Australasian head of Bumble emphasises the importance of being open-minded on dating apps."If you're looking for your 6'2" Aries with a holiday house in Queenstown and dark hair, you might not find him exactly." Now, instead of browsing dating apps, Catherall checks the diary-sharing app she and her ex use for family planning.She says it's helpful to think of co-parenting as a family business you're running together."As one wonderful divorce coach I interviewed said, 'You're both co-pilots. You're flying the plane and you've got to land the plane safely. How are you best going to do that?'"As a separated parent, handing your kids over to your ex and accepting there will be part of their lives you won't ever get to see is often very difficult, Catherall says.Christmas is one of the hardest times of year for parents on their own, especially if - like her - you're used to it being a big, fun family day. On her first Christmas after separating from her ex, Catherall fought back tears driving home to Wellington after handing over the kids at the top of Remutaka Hill. "It's the most terrible feeling."Now, though, she feels very fortunate that things are amicable with her ex and their kids are doing well."His new wife is lovely, and my kids have been raised by us and also parents have all contributed to their lives."During and after a separation, children need to know they're loved and supported by both parents, Catherall says, and also be protected as much as possible from conflict.She attributes her kids' current well-being to their parents' shared belief that children's interests should always be put first."It breaks my heart when I see parents who embroil their kids in their own war, and it's not helpful."

Hayden Donnell, Mediawatch producerThe associate justice minister was put through a tough examination on TVNZ's Q+A last weekend over past and present statements on gun laws.But not every minister's recent announcements on policy plans have has been as rigorously fact-checked before ending up in the news.Jack Tame arrived armed with a high-capacity magazine of facts to interview associate justice minister Nicole McKee about a potential loosening of our gun laws last Sunday.After she talked about $350 million the Labour government spent on arms control, he asked how much the gun registry - which she opposes - has cost so far. When the minister demurred, he told her not to worry."I've checked it out. It's public information. It's cost $10m to establish a firearms registry. And they estimate it'll cost $8.5m to continue operating. Seems like good value for money really," Tame told the minster. That statistical bait-and-switch has become a signature move for the Q+A presenter.He used the same tactic while interviewing aspiring finance minister Nicola Willis, Act leader David Seymour and New Zealand First leader Winston Peters last year.But McKee's interview also included two on-the-spot fact checks.When she said she had lobbied to close a loophole which allowed the Christchurch mosque shooter to modify a legally bought gun into a military-style assault rifle, Tame had trawled Facebook and found McKee telling members of her firearms lobby group COLFO she was working to defeat a recommendation that may have done just that.McKee insisted she did campaign against the loophole in her role as a firearms safety expert hired as an adviser - and that she believed the proposals at the time could unduly restrict legal and responsible gun owners.But it was definitely a bruising encounter. Afterward she retreated into a safe space: Leah Panapa’s show on The Platform."To let the minister finish her questions and explain a few issues, please welcome associate justice minister Nicole McKee," she began."Thank you for the opportunity to have a grown-up discussion," replied McKee.That grown-up discussion was followed by Panapa encouraging her listeners to complain to the Broadcasting Standards Authority about Q+A. She reckoned Tame had been unfair to McKee.Others have called him biased, but that would be more convincing if Tame didn’t regularly harvest the political hides of left-wing MPs as well.It's not bias Tame exhibits but a severe allergy to obfuscation, evasion, and spin. That’s probably a good condition to have as a journalist.Not everyone seems to have it.Almost every news media outlet reported a recent road safety announcement from transport minister Simeon Brown as a "crackdown" on drink and drug driving.Headlines about the government's crackdown on drink and drug driving. Photo: GoogleMoney has indeed been assigned to combat impaired driving. But dig a little deeper than the media release, and it emerges that the overall road policing budget today has been cut over the last three years.That's partly because the responsibility for operating speed cameras has been taken away from police and given to NZTA.But people may have assumed the funding for targeting impaired drivers represented a large increase in road policing investment over and above what was previously in place - and that's not really the case.It’s not the first time announcements from Brown have distracted our news organisations by dangling a ring-fenced pot of money in front of headline writers. Earlier this year, he announced what many outlets described as a $500m pothole repair fund.On the face of it, that was accurate too. But the cash for the new pothole fund came from zeroing the old road maintenance fund which was used in large part for fixing potholes.The actual budget increase overall for fixing the roads was marginal.For all our news organisations’ talk about cutting through the spin, the blade has sometimes been a little bit blunt.One outlet didn't report it with a crackdown-infused headline on impaired drivers.The Greater Auckland blog titled its piece on the government’s latest transport announcement ‘road policing reduction’."It's being presented as a brand new passage of new funding that's coming in but if you look at the detail it's actually a reduction," director Matt Lowrie told Mediawatch.Lowrie said before publishing, the media needed to ask whether the funding being announced is new, and if not, where it's coming from."Road safety is a really critical issue in New Zealand. If we're seeing the government reduce funding, we should have that reported."Brown isn’t the only minister benefiting from our media’s sometimes less than forensic analysis of the facts at hand.Prime Minister Christopher Luxon recently told journalists in Australia that 88 percent of Māori children in Year 8 can’t read.As it turns out, he’d got his numbers mixed up, conflating maths and reading achievement rates.His error didn’t get coverage until days later, after it was debunked on Reddit. Just a mistake, but probably one the media should have picked up on.Housing crisisSome potentially iffy political claims are more serious.On 11 August, associate housing minister Tama Potaka delivered some good news on emergency housing numbers, announcing they'd dropped 32 percent in this term of government.He got the desired headline from the Waikato Times and the other Stuff papers, which ran with ‘1000 fewer children in emergency accommodation, associate housing minister reveals’. But in the story, Potaka stops short of saying all those children were actually in a better form of housing, instead telling the paper 300 are in private accommodation and 500 in "some form of social housing".That raises questions, chief among them: what about the other 200 children? Other media treated the stats with more scepticism. A Herald editorial questioned whether some of the reduction was actually down to the government making emergency housing harder to access. Ryan Bridge cast a doubtful eye over the figures on Newstalk ZB.But it took a week for Stuff political journalist Glenn McConnell to ask the obvious question of the minister."No, I’m not worried that some are now homeless. But I am worried about the emergency crisis that is housing across the country,” Potaka replied.Not all journalists have 25 minutes to interview a minster or days to prepare, as Tame does on TVNZ's Q+A. On the internet, the deadline is always now, and that creates a rush to publish. But that doesn’t mean stories repeating claims in a government press release should be published before basic scrutiny. And it shouldn't take eight days and a completely different reporter to ask a simple missing question at the heart of a story.

Teachers are blaming Covid-19, excessive screen time and limited interaction with books for an increase in five-year-olds struggling to string a four- or five-word sentence together.That is according to a new report from the Education Review Office, published on Thursday."There is a complete lack of positional language, pronouns, and simple grammar tenses. A 6-year-old might say 'Me go pee' instead of 'I need the toilet'," a new entrant teacher told researchers."I have been teaching for 24 years and have never seen this low level of oral language."But parents need not panic, at least not too much anyway. There are simple strategies that parents can do to up their children's chatter skills, according to Dr Elizabeth Doell, a speech-language and communication lecturer from Massey University."If we think about starting early, that would be really good," Doell says, adding that for most kids it is never too late for a parent to start consciously working on their child's language development.Turn takingEven when a baby accidentally smiles and a parent responds with a smile or a kind word, we are practising "turn taking". This strategy can continue with verbal language."Right throughout the whole of a child's early life, they need to have responsive partners, conversational partners who are aware of what they like to talk about and who can engage them in things that are interesting," Doell says, adding that this could be a parent or even an older sibling.Tired, busy parents take heart: it doesn't need to be a long, planned conversation, but small interactions as the day unfolds.An example could be an adult asking a child what they would like for dinner and the child says "Fish and chips." The adult can respond with something like "I like fish and chips too.""[That] is just making it into a slightly longer sentence and that's what we call modelling and expanding," Doell says.Listen:Research shows some new entrants starting school unable to speak coherently duration 5′ :12″ from Morning ReportThrow out a complex questionHome language and communication is typically more simple than what a child will encounter at school. It is also often in the here and now, such as "What do you want to eat?"The questions children encounter at school will likely be more complex and looking into the future, according to Doell.But there is no reason why a parent can't give their child some practice at home. Often this means posing an open-ended question, Doell says. This might be "what do you want to do on the weekend?" or "what do you want to do in the future?""That is quite a big jump from that home language," she says.This is something that children impacted by Covid-19 lockdowns and closed schools might struggle with, but many will likely catch up, she says."Just because they didn't learn it at the time we expected them to learn the language, doesn't mean they can't learn it."Interactive readingBeing read to might be a passive activity for a child, but parents can turn it into a conversation. Try reading a page or two and asking your child 'What is going to happen next?" or "How might that person be feeling?""Those nice open questions create a conversation around the story," Doell says."It's a strategy that we use a lot with children who are needing some more support with their language."While excessive TV has been partly blamed by teachers for poor language skills, parents can use TV as a conversation starter just like they would books, Doell says.Is there a health problem?It is so simple that parents might overlook it, but a constant stream of snotty noses, ear infections or other hearing issues can impact a child's ability to engage in conversation, Doell says.This is something a GP can look at.Children who are neurodivergent, such as those with autism, might also struggle with language.Quality early educationStudies show that quality early education can accelerate literacy learning by up to a year.This is especially the case for children from poor communities and is one of the reasons that New Zealand heavily subsidises early education from age three.When to seek helpParents who are concerned about their child's language and communication can first chat with their child's school or early learning teachers, because you might not have anything to worry about. A GP can also help."In those [school] contexts, the children will be using quite different language," Doell says."The language at home is going to be much more informal and probably not as big a range of vocabulary."

It’s that time of year again - when the red-billed gulls choose where to settle down and have their babies.With a significant decrease in gull nests in Ōamaru’s town centre last year, building owners and tenants are again being reminded what they need to do ahead of this year’s breeding season.Dr Chris Lalas, who monitors red-billed gull nesting in Otago, reported in July that an estimate of between seven and nine nests were in Ōamaru’s town centre during last year’s breeding season - a dramatic drop from the year before, when the estimate was around 150.Meanwhile, the colony established at Graves Track has grown from an estimated 587 nests in 2022 to around 1334 nests last year. These numbers were arrived at using visual inspection and aerial photos of the site.To build on last year’s success story, the Waitaki District Council and Department of Conservation are reminding people to make their buildings less appealing to the protected birds as a nesting site before it’s too late.If the red-billed gulls choose to nest on top of a building, it can lead to expensive repairs, clogged gutters and noisy neighbours for up to five months, a council spokesperson says.People are advised to check their roofs in the evening or early morning, if they are safely accessible, as the birds do not usually use the roof during the day, and regular human presence may be enough to make the site less attractive to the birds.Clearing gutters and drains of debris that could be used for nest-building is also encouraged.Identifying and preventing access to parts of the roof that are attractive to nesting gulls is also advised. These include flat ledges, gutters, flat roof surfaces, small walls or parapets that provide shelter from the wind, and high points used as lookouts.If birds are roosting, but the nests do not have any eggs or chicks, removing nesting material is allowed, and a sudden increase in gull activity is a sign to get up there safely as soon as possible, and check it out, the spokesperson says.Once a breeding nest is established, it is illegal to disturb or remove the nest, with the maximum penalties for disturbing wildlife up to two years in prison, a $100,000 fine, or both. While the red-billed gulls seem abundant, they are actually in decline nationally and protected (numbers are 50% down over the last 25 years).“Ōamaru is a coastal area which means we’re encroaching on the gulls’ natural habitat, as much as they are on ours,” the spokesperson says.The council can provide a list of roofing contractors in Ōamaru familiar with red-billed gulls, their protection status and managing them.There is also information on the Council website (https://www.waitaki.govt.nz/Services/Food-and-Environmental-Health/Pest-control/Red-Billed-Gulls), or available as a flyer, providing advice and guidance for building owners and tenants.Those who find gulls with eggs or chicks can contact Doc (0800 DOCHOT) to receive advice on the best way forward. 

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced new plans to tighten the reins on local authorities, in what he says is a war on council waste.He revealed the move on Wednesday afternoon at a conference of mayors, councillors and officials - who could be heard groaning as his speech went on.Representative group Local Government New Zealand says they do go through their finances line by line every three years, in consultation with communities, as is legally required through the Long Term Plan process.Opposition parties say councils are being hung out to dry, and the government's actions simply do not match Luxon's pre-election commitments to localism and devolution.Luxon's speech called on councils to "rein in the fantasies", delivering a hardline message they should be living within their means and cut spending on the nice-to-haves.He said the government wanted a constructive relationship with councils, but that "localism and devolution comes with both rights and also responsibilities", a throwback to his announcement earlier in the month cracking down on beneficiaries.He said the government would abolish the four wellbeing provisions in the Local Government Act, and introduce performance benchmarks that would see councils collect and publish data he said they should already be familiar with: "financial performance" and "customer service delivery".Listen: Govt plans to tighten reins on local council spending duration 3′ 21″ from Morning ReportHe also wants a kind of crackdown on council officials keeping information from councillors, and maybe a limit for council spending on so-called non-core projects.It was about getting local government back to "doing the basics brilliantly", he said.Local Government New Zealand president Sam Broughton, mayor of Selwyn, took issue with that framing of council spending. He noted councils were investing heavily in infrastructure and did what they could to avoid unnecessary spending."Councils go line by line through our budgets every three years, that's what a long term plan is. We do it in a transparent way with our communities with input and consultation from our communities and it's really great to have that level of input. To suggest that we don't already do that - we do."Selwyn mayor and LGNZ President Sam Broughton is campaigning to "give rates a rest", pushing for new ways for councils to bring in revenue. Photo: RNZ / REECE BAKER"At the moment all growth that we produce in the country is based on transport corridors, water and waste water systems and that's all put in by local councils. And yet all of the benefits of that growth accrue in Wellington here, all the GST, all of the income tax comes back to Wellington."He reiterated his call for councils to be provided with a range of new ways to collect revenue - including tourism levies - as well as councils' desire for a four-year term.Luxon highlighted Tākina, Wellington's new convention centre, as a prime example of wasteful spending - particularly with yet another case of water mains bursting just down the road, particularly considering its unprofitability.Wellington City mayor Tory Whanau said it was set up for a different purpose."I'm also very proud to be hosting this at Tākina, our world class convention centre, built to bring events like this to our capital city and stimulate our local economy. This event alone will bring in a million dollars to boost our city."She also won resounding applause from the audience for criticism of the government's Māori wards legislation, passed three weeks earlier, which requires councils to hold a referendum on their Māori wards."Localism also means that councils should decide for themselves on the use of Māori wards," she said.Wellington City mayor Tory Whanau Photo: RNZ / Reece BakerProtesters outside the venue also cried foul over the government's legislation.LGNZ has been vocal about its own position on the wards, saying other types like rural wards do not require a referendum.Broughton in April said it was a complete overreach by a "coalition government that prided itself on talking about localism ahead of the election".Greater Wellington Regional Council chair Daran Ponter on Wednesday had his own message in response: "At this conference, we're leaning into localism and we're celebrating activism," he said - a reference to ACT MP Cameron Luxton's criticism of the "activist mayors" opposing the bill during its first reading.The referendums will be yet another cost imposition councils say they need new funding tools for, before the year is out.Luxon has promised more details in the coming months on city and regional deals, one solution National proposed ahead of last year's elections. It will, he says, include how they will work - and what the government will expect in return."This year's been really hard for councils, grappling with increased costs, very few funding leavers, as we went line by line through our long term plans and understood costs and the consequences for our communities," Broughton said."Our council for example is spending 85% of our capital spend on transport, water and wastewater over the next 30 years. That's where the investment is in councils."Opposition cries foul over Luxon speechLabour said the government was hanging councils out to dry."The government is ignoring its responsibilities to councils and setting up local elected officials to take the blame for its lack of action," Labour local government spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said."The LGNZ conference was an opportunity to give the sector some support into the future. Instead, the prime minister gave local elected officials a patronising lecture. It's completely out of touch."The Greens co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick was also aghast."Some pretty absurd statements about how local government need to live within their means despite just last year a report being tabled which showed that local government has been drastically underfunded, especially based on international benchmarks, for decades," she told RNZ."Luxon's rhetoric on localism is hollow, it is absolutely meaningless. And hearing from those who were in the room when he delivered his speech it appeared as though it was completely tone-deaf, and completely out of touch, and completely the opposite of localism."

The Waitaki has 19 more official New Zealanders, following a citizenship ceremony at the Ōamaru Opera House on Tuesday (20 August).Hailing from United Kingdom, Netherlands, the United States, Tonga, India, South Africa, Fiji, Samoa, Philippines and China, the newest Kiwis were welcomed with a waiata from Maheno School’s kapa haka group.The ceremony was led by Waitaki District Mayor Gary Kircher, with Deputy Mayor Hana Halalele and councillor Rebecca Ryan also taking part. Each new citizen swore an oath and was presented with a certificate and a native hebe as a welcoming gift.A welcome video from Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro was screened, before attendees and students from Maheno School sang the National Anthem.“Citizenship ceremonies are always very special for our community, as people commit their future to New Zealand,” Gary says.“It’s a pleasure to welcome the newest New Zealanders, and their families with help from one of our local schools.”The new citizens are: Lorraine Adams (UK), Jessica De Ridder (Netherlands), Paul and Pamela Jacobs (USA), Ekilau Le’ohau (Tonga), Staju Lukose, Sephrin Staju, Serah Staju, Daiki Thomas (India), Ryan Macklin (South Africa), Shakuntala and Sate Narayan (Fiji), Faranisoa Poasa and Sueseu Taefu (Samoa), Sonja Roco (Netherlands), Litisila Tuatonga (Tonga), Gareth Thomas (UK), Virginia Walker (Philippines) and Chen Yang (China).

You'll need streaky bacon, sliced figs and plenty of cheese to make the best toastie in New Zealand.'Figgy in the Middle', a sweet and savoury creation from Rotorua chef Rich Johns, has just been crowned the ultimate champion at this year's Great New Zealand Toastie Takeover.The winning toastie can be found on the menu at Okere Falls Store, Cafe & Craft Beer Garden, just outside Rotorua.It features dill pickle cheesecake whip, Swiss cheese, sliced figs, Vandy's streaky bacon, toasted walnuts, rocket, McClure's pickles, blue cheese, and a generous drizzle of chilli honey, all sandwiched between golden and toasted sourdough. It's then topped with copious amounts of grated parmesan for that finishing touch.'Figgy in the Middle', up close. Photo: Supplied via RNZListen: NZ's best toastie winner announced duration 4':20″ from Morning Report Johns describes it as "a cheeseboard in a sandwich", inspired by a recent summer holiday trip to Italy."We were eating so many different cheeses and fresh, delicious food. We were initially thinking of doing a sweet toastie to begin with, but we kind of changed it at the last minute ... we just found these flavours that would gel together, different textures and things, that's how it came together."The figs were added at the last minute, it was initially going to be called 'Piggy in the Middle' because it had the bacon, but it was just missing something ... we were like, 'Man, what does well with blue cheese?' and came to figs. They got chucked in and that kind of just elevated it. We were like, 'Wow, 'Figgy in the Middle' it is."'Figgy in the Middle' beat out 169 other entries from across the country.The figs ended up being the star of the show. Photo: Supplied via RNZHead judge Kerry Tyack praised the toastie for the range of "exotic flavours" and "tempting textures" it had, saying the ingredients worked harmoniously.Johns says contradicting flavours and textures are important to creating a good toastie."Texture plays a massive part in it. Your bread has to be really well toasted so you get that initial crunch as you bite your teeth into it, it has to have a real good balance of flavours, some good saltiness, it needs to have a little bit of sweetness, it needs some savoury going on, and then flavours that kind of contrast with each other work exceptionally well."It's the second time Johns has taken out the prestigious toastie competition. In 2022, Okere Falls' 'Get Smoked, Pickled + Toasted' sandwich impressed judges with an innovative combination of flavours, including beer-brined brisket, hot-salted mozzarella, and horseradish.Rich "definitely" didn't expect to win a second time."It's got blue cheese, the figs, all of those are just such polarising ingredients. We definitely didn't go into the competition thinking we were gonna win, we were stoked to just make the finals."Johns has twice taken out the top place in the Great New Zealand Toastie Takeover. Photo: Supplied via RNZBut the toastie was a hit with judges - which comes as no surprise to Rotorua locals. Okere Falls is always busy dishing out hundreds of toasties each week to hungry patrons.The 'Figgy in the Middle' toastie has been sold over a thousand times already - a number Johns expects will jump once word gets out about the win."It sounds crazy but we sold more than 10,000 toasties last time we won (in 2022). We still get people asking for it, even now."And 2024 should be no different - Johns' winning toastie was determined the overall winner by a panel of 30 judges, who assessed the entrants on presentation, effectiveness of preparation technique, eatability, taste, innovation, and originality."A couple of them said it was a perfect score, they couldn't find any fault in it ... it was quite mindblowing really."

Word on the street - Harbour Street in particular - is Ōamaru has been lined up as a location for a major filming production early next year.Although exact details are vague and lips are sealed, some Harbour Street business owners have been asked to sign contracts to allow their business premises to either be used, or to close while filming takes place.Whitestone Civic Trust property manager Jacob Barwick says at this stage details are scarce - all he knows is that it is a large production, with a cast and crew of about 200. Filming is set for early January, next year.The names Florence Pugh and Netflix have been bandied about in conversations, but those in the know can neither confirm nor deny the rumours that either party is involved.The Waitaki District Council is unable to comment with any details, but a spokesperson said they will share what they can, when they can - as it is definitely a “good news” story.Tracy Cameron, director of Ican Models and Talent, also has her lips zipped, but she confirms emails have been sent to her Ōamaru “talent”.“I can only say so much, as these productions always have a degree of confidentiality,” she says.In one of the emails provided to the Waitaki App by a person on Ican's books - the agency is looking for background extras in Ōamaru, Dunedin and Central Otago. Experienced actors are also being sought, and some background extras may be upgraded on the day to a “featured extra” role.The email states the series is set in 1800s America, and European, African American and Hispanic-looking ethnicities are welcome.Tracy says those interested in being part of the production, and being added to the Ican agency’s books, can contact her through [email protected].

The support Carissa Samuelu received from Dunedin’s Daffodil House during her cancer treatment has left her wanting to return the favour.The Ōamaru-based mother of two has organised a Kid’s Fun Afternoon, Daffodil Day Fundraiser for this Friday (23 August), with all funds raised going to the place which provided a bed for her during her treatment. Last year was the first year for the fundraiser, which Carissa threw together in a week.“At this point last year, I knew that I was going to be staying there for my treatment because I was diagnosed with cervical cancer in July last year.“My treatment was starting in September. No one knew that yet - I hadn't told anybody, but I knew that I wanted to give back, for what I was going to receive there, and yeah, they were incredible. “It's just a wonderful place to have right next door to the hospital, for those of us that have to go through that treatment.”Last year she says the response was great, and she raised more than $600. This year, she would love to raise more than $1000."But at the end of the day, I'm just grateful to be able to contribute something back.”The fundraiser is at the Waitaki Community Recreation Centre from 3pm to 5pm and, for a $2 entry fee, children can play in a Sport Waitaki play area, create some craft with items donated by PaperPlus and Barnados, and play on a bouncy castle loaned by TK Hire. There will also be a cake stall with $2 goodies donated by Delectables and Temptations bakeries, and a sausage sizzle run by Waiareka Valley Lions.A raffle, with $350 worth of prizes (and counting) donated by local businesses, will be running too.A lot of children are impacted by cancer, whether they have it, a parent has it, or a grandparent, Carissa says.“So I thought it would be great to have a fun day for kids, and . . . maybe some kids have spoken about it before and some haven't. So it's a good way, I guess, to be able to have that conversation with them, and them to come along and have fun, and donate to the cause as well.”Children are encouraged to wear yellow, and there will be prizes for the best-dressed.Carissa has finished her treatment now, but still has three-monthly checkups, and now she wants to help raise awareness around cervical cancer and the potential causes that some people may not be aware of.“I decided I want to share, just to get awareness out there and to make it okay to talk about. “Cervical cancer is not, I guess, so much talked about.”While the cancer is generally caused by certain strains of the human papilloma virus (HPV), the chances of developing it can be exacerbated by other factors such as smoking and use of the contraceptive pill. Carissa says she was not aware of the risks, especially from the contraceptive pill, and wants others to know.“And then maybe to make some changes if they feel like they would like to . . . and also, there was a lesion found on my liver, which is common and normal with those who have been on the contraceptive pill, as well. “So, you're not told about that, or maybe you are, but you just don't think, you know?“That lesion can be left and it is fine as it is, but you know, you just don't think about these things,” she says.Carissa is hoping for a bigger turnout this Friday than last year, and is keen to hear from people who would like to help with setting up or packing up, collecting donations or general supervision of activities.Businesses and individuals who would like to donate materials for an activity or something for the raffle are also invited to get in touch with her on 021 0837 3505.Also fundraising for cancer is the Vintage Car Club of New Zealand with its Daffodil Rally for Cancer. The Ōamaru event takes place on Sunday (25 August). There is a car display at the Friendly Bay parking area on lower Wansbeck Street, starting at 1pm, with the rally beginning at 2pm. All cars are welcome.The cost is $20 per car, and for more information, people can contact Gordon Hay on 028 400 7586.Daffodil Day, the annual official Cancer Society fundraiser, is on Friday, 30 August.

Drought and on-going low returns for sheep-meat has seen sheep numbers fall yet again - with the flow on effects being felt in rural communities around the country.Beef and Lamb New Zealand's latest stock number survey shows sheep numbers fell 4.3 per cent in the year to the end of June - to 23.31 million.Breeding ewe numbers are down 2.9 per cent while hogget numbers dropped seven per cent.It continues the trend with sheep numbers dropping for the last decade.The report said in previous years the primary driver had been land use change as a result of the conversion of sheep and beef farms into forestry. This year the primary drivers were low sheep prices and drought in parts of the country."This has seen farmers needing to destock and has impacted on the outlook for lamb production for the coming season."Softer demand from China and Australia flooding markets with more sheep-meat has seen prices plummet in the last year - that on top of rising input costs means many sheep farmers are set to make a loss this year."Livestock that might typically be wintered were sold to improve cashflow, additionally capital livestock were sold to bolster revenue as well -this loss of capital livestock will reduce lamb and calf crops in spring 2024 and affect future potential earnings," the report said.Canterbury and Marlborough, which have been dealing with drought, had the biggest drop in sheep numbers - at 12.2 per cent.Flock reductions of 30-60 percent were common in the driest areas such as Nelson and North Canterbury and complete ewe flocks were sold in extreme casesHuge flow on effectsIn recent weeks RNZ has reported of job losses at a Waitaki meat plant which was struggling to secure enough stock and shearing gangs have less work due to lower sheep numbers.Beef and Lamb New Zealand chair Kate Acland said with no recovery in sheep numbers in sight the flow on effects will continue."The sheep and beef sector creates about $11 billion in revenue for New Zealand and supports 90,000 jobs throughout farming and the processing sector and we know that sheep and beef farmers spend most of their money in their rural communities."So what we're seeing is in a lot of these rural communities it's having an impact, we're seeing reductions in vets and services, we're seeing local schools close or lose teachers, so the flow on impact is here and it's being felt in large parts of the country already."Acland said a lot of sheep farmers are getting extra jobs, selling to carbon forestry or transitioning into beef farming which is currently getting better returns."Unfortunately, we're not seeing anything that will signal a a sharp turn around, I mean, at Beef and Lamb we are really trying to focus on the factors that farmers can control on farm, which is really building productivity and profitability."But we're concerned about the critical mass of our sector, you know, the sheep and beef sector is an economic powerhouse for our country and it supports the biodiversity and those iconic hill country landscapes so it's so important that we do rebuild the profitability and the confidence in our sector."Beef cattle numbers also dropPhoto: RNZ/Carol StilesDespite beef prices performing really well this year, beef cattle numbers fell 2.8 per cent to 3.55 million in the year to the end of June.Beef and Lambs' report said the drop was mostly due to drought related destocking in the South Island.Breeding cow numbers were down across most regions and fewer older, heavier trade cattle were on hand at 30 June 2024."One possible reason for fewer older, particularly bulls on hand at 30 June is a reduction in calf rearers due to very tight margins two years ago creating a lack of these animals in the current market for processing." the report said.Like the drop in sheep numbers Canterbury and Marlborough had the biggest dip in cattle numbers at 10.7 per cent due to drought reducing feed levels.

Creativity has always been a passion for Ōamaru newcomer Angela Gudex.Angela is participating in the latest round of Revitalise Our Places Ōamaru (Ropo) pop-up shops with her upholstery and sewing business Revamp and Revive.The shop is in the former Health 2000 building on Thames Street, between Paper Plus and Badger & Mackerel. The mother of two almost-grown sons started sewing when she was eight years old on a treadle sewing machine, “because my mum wouldn’t let me on the electric”, she says.“She was very crafty and I followed in her footsteps.”Her introduction to the working world was sewing for a Glassons clothing manufacturer when she left school at 17, and then for Macpac - making tents in her early 20s, until the manufacturing was shifted to China. “I could still make those tents from scratch, I remember them so well,” Angela says.She “dabbled in doing markets and things” while raising her two boys, and now sews clothing and sells it, as well as doing repairs and alterations.Angela has 10 different machines for a range of uses, and can fix horse covers, and even car and boat upholstery.Now that Angela’s youngest son is 16 and leaving school, she plans to move permanently to Ōamaru from Dunback where she has been living.“I've been running my business down there, just sort of puddling along, but it's next level here, and I can see a future of employing people and teaching others, keeping this industry alive,” she says.Angela loves restoring old furniture and giving it a modern twist. It’s more sturdy and better quality, she says.“Mum and I did a course when I was 16, and I absolutely loved it then, because we did our captain's chair, and all the lounge chairs, and couch.”She has a supply of fabrics and samples, and will be in her Thames Street pop-up store until 5 September while also on the hunt for a more permanent premises.Angela also wants to run basic, non-sewing, upholstery workshops to restore footstools and children’s chairs.“Just the way to fold the fabric and how to put it back together . . . and they'll be evolving into different ones as time goes on.”She is always on the lookout for new restoration projects and is currently trying to sort the logistics of getting 22 second-hand chairs here from Queenstown.“I'm hopeless. I have a four-bay shed at home, and two bays are full of furniture.”Ropo is a Waitaki District Council-led initiative to temporarily fill empty shops in Ōamaru's town centre with businesses.Angela has appreciated being part of the Ropo project, as it's given her the opportunity to see what having a place in town is like.“Cause I'm not a town person. I've grown up in farms, so I don't really like town much. So for me to be here, it was like, oh, do I really want to do this? “But with my son leaving home I need to be really busy, because I'm going to be an empty nester and it's not much fun living out in a small place by myself.” Revamp and Revive is open Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm, and Saturdays 10am to 2pm.