As Ōamaru's Harbour Street Jazz and Blues Festival grooves into its tenth year, the event still strikes a chord with musicians and music lovers alike.The festival, which runs every year on Otago Anniversary Weekend (March 21-23), means locals and visitors to Ōamaru will hear live music in bars and on street corners across the three days.About 40 acts - a mix of soloists, duos, trios and groups - both visiting and local, will be showcasing their talent.Festival organising committee treasurer Paula Gray says across the 10 years, the festival has changed from one that was almost being propped up by local musicians, to one that now draws musical acts from across the country who want to come back every year.“Our local bands have been absolutely amazing over the years and without them I don't think there would have been a festival to be honest, because they have supported it in the past when it needed to be supported - especially doing gigs for free for fundraisers and that sort of thing - they've been amazing,” she says.Regular out-of-town favourites such as Paul Ubana Jones, Jimi Kara, Dr Blue and the Ellesmere Big Band are among those back for another go, while one of the new local bands, Hot Mess, has only performed a handful of times.Hot Mess bass guitarist Jay Morriss is excited about the festival.“It's a great opportunity to wander down the historic part of Ōamaru, music emanating from all the alleyways, starting from mid-morning to late evening,” he says. “As a musician, it's a really supportive and welcoming environment.“It's a great chance to catch up with musicians from past events, meet new ones, and I think it's generally pretty inspiring really, just to see the music. And I think it's really nice being able to play in your hometown or your community.”A Jam Night at the Penguin Club on the Friday night offers the chance for different musicians to play together, Jay says.“It’s a great time to maybe see collaborations you wouldn’t normally. And I think most of the musicians that are there, you know, really welcome people just coming up and having a talk if they want to do that.”Two staple events on the weekend itinerary are the Talent Quest and the Grand Finale.The Talent Quest is on the Saturday, on the Harbour St main stage, with more than $2000 worth of prizes to win, the main one being a recording session at Kurow’s Sublime Studios.The competition is open to individuals and bands of all ages, and there are even prizes for the best air instrument playing and best “jazz hands” impression.Festival favourite Paul Ubana Jones is returning for another jam. Photo: Supplied/Dave BoyleSunday night’s Grand Finale has a theme this year of Old Hollywood Glamour, and with a burlesque show as part of the night’s entertainment, it promises to be one to remember.The night is being held in the Loan & Merc building, and begins with a two-course meal. Paula says the food is followed by performances from Burlesk Dunedin's Jersey Rhein and Verona Vega, plus Christchurch-based artists Bonita Dangerdoll and Amy Leigh.Guitarist extraordinaire Jimi Kara from Auckland will follow the burlesque acts, and then local and loved covers band Dee May and the Saints, who formed especially for the jazz festival back in 2015, will round out the night.The band was formed when drummer Rowan Park approached Mark Renalson (bass) and Deirdre McNulty (vocals) to form a band for the 2015 festival. After recruiting a few more band members, and learning 12 songs in 8 weeks, the band was given the thumbs up by organisers and included in the festival.“We had a ball, and the feedback was tremendous - so we couldn't stop there,” Deirdre says.What started as a potential one-off performance has turned into 10 years of gigs.“The Harbour Street Jazz and Blues Festival was where it all began and is our favourite gig of the year,” she says. “We love the energy, buzz and vibe the audiences bring to this event, making our performances extra special.” Tickets for the grand finale are available online, at Rose’s General Store and if there are still some left by the weekend, can also be bought from festival headquarters in the Grainstore on Harbour Street, Paula says.The event usually sells out, and as the only gig with a cover-charge, it is the festival’s major fundraiser.All the bands who attend the festival are paid, but a number of the local bands have performed in the past for free, especially for fundraising events, Paula says.“We do fundraising events throughout the year, because we try not to just rely on funding but, of course, the funding is really important to us, and our sponsors are extremely important to us.”People can also pay $25 to become a member, which comes with discounts to certain events, and helps with the costs of holding the event.The committee is made up of dedicated volunteers who come with a range of skills, “which is really fantastic”, she says.“They're all well-skilled in different areas that we require. So, yeah, a great committee.”Free workshops are another feature of the weekend, offering free tips on guitar playing, songwriting, singing, and swing dancing and even using effects pedals.Early registration is encouraged for these events to secure a spot.“The headquarters on Harbour St over the weekend is an important place for people to find out information, and the programmes will be there,” Paula says.The headquarters is open from 10am-4pm on Saturday and Sunday. All event information can also be found online at harbourstreetfestival.comThe Harbour Street Jazz and Blues Festival is one of the busiest weekends in Ōamaru's calendar. Photo: Supplied/Dave Boyle

An Orepuki deer farmer, who invented a non-polluting, edible bale netting, says he has been "overwhelmed" by the response to his product.Southland farmer Grant Lightfoot is the man behind Kiwi Econet, a type of bale netting made from jute.While Kiwi Econet does not replace the outer plastic wrapping used for baleage and silage, it provided an alternative to the plastic-based netting inside which stock have been known to eat."You can't recycle it, you can't do anything with it. Some farmers bury it, some burn it. It's a serious problem," Lightfoot said of the plastic netting used.He came up with the idea of an edible-alternative while working as a commercial diver, thinking of the farm back home while waiting in a decompression chamber.Grant tugs on the jute netting Photo: Cosmo Kentish-Barnes via RNZReturning home, Lightfoot and his partner Colleen Quirk hand-knitted the first 50m of the 1.25m wide netting out of jute twine. It took weeks at a rate of about a metre per night."Then we put it in the baler and it held together. It went through like a piece of cake and I thought, wow, we're onto something here and the old goose bumps started."The prototype bale net won the open section in the Southern Rural Life Farm Innovation Awards last year, and the first two shipping containers, filled with hundreds of rolls, have just arrived in New Zealand."I've been doing this for five years now just about and I can guarantee it works, it does, it works 100% on baleage."The inventor with a bale wrapped in his netting Photo: Supplied via RNZSince his story was shared on Country Life last week, he received dozens of calls and even more emails from farmers interested in his product.He said the interest had come from "all over the world", with several farmers from Texas getting in touch."One guy wants a shipping container already."He said the response was "mind-blowing" and left him feeling "pretty emotional".Lightfoot said it was still too early to tell what the overseas interest will mean for the business, with the nets currently manufactured in in Kolkata, India.In May, the entrepreneur is heading to the United States and Europe to further promote his product. - RNZ

Monday nights are not usually the most exciting time to venture out in Ōamaru, but this Monday threatens to change all that, as Japanese rock'n'roll legends Guitar Wolf take to the stage at the Penguin Club.Led by irrepressible frontman Seiji for more than 30 years, Guitar Wolf have a reputation as one of the wildest live acts on the planet, mixing the music of the Ramones, Johnny Thunders, the Cramps and Joan Jett into a sound Senji calls 'Jet rock'n'roll'."I love jet plane," Seiji once told an interviewer. "I love noisy music, too. Many records are easy to listen. I hate that! So! I add jet sounds! 'Bwaaaahng!' Explosion!"Over the course of 15 albums – with titles like Kung Fu Ramone, Beast Vibrator and Missile Me!, Seiji and his leather-clad cohorts have plotted a chaotic course through rock'n'roll, bringing the kind of riotous excitement to the stage rarely seen in the age of modern, over-produced pop.As esteemed international publication Pitchfork once said: "Much as 1960s British Invasion groups bastardised the blues and sold it back to American teens, Guitar Wolf have spent the past 30-plus years making once-rebellious Stateside sounds – surf, rockabilly, Nuggets, CBGB punk – seem dangerous again."Martin "Robot Man" Horspool, who owns the Buggyrobot Gallery in Ōamaru and is one of those responsible for Guitar Wolf's presence at the Penguin Club, is excited."March 10 will go down in the history of Ōamaru," Horspool exclaims. "A tsunami of sound. A triumph of tinnitus. A plethora of perspiration. A wall of warm leather. A rampage of riffs. A sonic sensation. A sweaty bombardment of 1000% energy live on the stage of the Penguin Club never seen before!"Support will come from Ōamaru favourites Cuticles – who'll be debuting a new, five-piece line-up – and Kurow singer-songwriter Mads Harrop.The show is at the Penguin Club on Emulsion Lane (just off Harbour Street) on Monday (March 10), with doors open at 6pm.All ages are welcome with tickets for under-18s just $10, and over 18s $25. Tickets are available in advance from Under The Radar.

Independent cinemas across the country that were hit hard by Covid are seeing audience numbers picking up - but the recovery is slow.At this week's Oscars ceremony, award-winning US director Sean Baker took the opportunity to acknowledge the struggling industry during his acceptance speech for his film Anora, in an attempt to get people in seats at cinemas across the globe."Where did we fall in love with the movies? At the movie theatre. Watching a film in the theatre with an audience, is an experience."We can laugh together, cry together and scream and fight together and perhaps sit in devastated silence together and in a time in which the world can feel very divided."This is more important than ever, it's a communal experience you simply don't get at home."And right now, the theatre-going experience is under threat. Movie theatres, especially independently owned theatres, are struggling, and it's up to us to support them," Baker said.Dunedin's Metro Cinema owner John Wilson agreed and said his business was still struggling to win back audiences after Covid."The weekends pick up - Thursday, Friday and Saturdays are sort of getting close to what it used to be, but Mondays usually I'm closed, because Mondays have been a shocker," Wilson said.But Christchurch's Lumiere Cinema managing director Nick Paris said while Covid was hard, things have picked up."I've just sensed over the last 3-4 months, a bit of a paradigm shift in our fortunes in terms of attendance numbers and what not."And that's driven, I think, because the writers and actors strike has finished and there seems to be a lot more content available to us."Matakana Cinemas owner Dan Paine also said his business has improved recently and has an idea as to why that is."I think you can talk about people feeling a little bit more confident about having a bit more expendable income."People are feeling more confident coming back to cinemas in terms of sitting in a public space."The quality of films has actually improved because production was really affected by Covid, obviously."Paine said streaming websites were a real threat to the industry."Streaming will take out a certain percentage of the audience, so we probably will never see those people come back to the cinema."But I do think that that percentage is probably lower than what I might have said it was a couple of years ago and that just comes down to the macro forces of the way that the industry, from a distribution and studio perspective, are thinking about the release of their films." Paine said.Residents of a small Central Otago town were devastated after fire gutted Roxburgh's 128-year-old Town Hall and Cinema, the day after Waitangi Day.The movie theatre was first built in 1897 and had been part of a Guinness World Records claim of "longest continuously running movie theatre in the world".The Roxburgh Entertainment Centre and Improvements Committee's Curtis Crawford said the cinema and hall was a lifeline for locals, the heart of the community, and it was being missed.'We haven't been able to do anything much, unfortunately, it's a 258-seat theatre and cinema complex. It's an all-in-one basically, you could call it."At the moment the district doesn't have anything in the actual centre of Roxburgh to cater for that."Crawford said the cinema had good and bad days."It fluctuated a fair bit, some movies you had good patronage and then other ones you thought would be quite good, but you didn't, you got a dozen people which didn't quite pay the way, but was kind of lucky in how things most of my people that look after it are all volunteers."I think if you had to pay people then some of those movies would run at quite a loss."Crawford said the district is not going to give up fighting for a new cinema and town hall, and says there are even plans to show a film on the old site, if it is safe to do so, later in March. - RNZ

People looking to declutter and downsize are finding a growing market for their cast-offs.A survey by Trade Me Marketplace estimates the second-hand market grew by half a billion dollars in last year with the sale of an estimated 81 million items.The survey of 4000 consumers indicates second-hand sales were at record highs, driving the up the size of the circular economy to $5.5b."This is Trade Me's sixth annual report and each year we continue to see an upward trend, with 89 percent of respondents having bought something second-hand in the past six months marking the highest level since we first started tracking," Trade Me's Sally Feinson said."Our latest research shows there's no slowing down the growth of New Zealand's circular economy with the average Kiwi having around $1350 worth of unwanted possessions they could sell - $50 more than last year."Clothing, shoes and accessories, home and living, and books, CDs and DVDs remained the dominant sale categories."On the sold side, 79 percent of people surveyed sold at least one of their preloved items in the last six months," she said.The main reason people sold items was to create space, followed by making extra money."It's interesting to see the driver to make a little extra cash is down 10 percent on the previous year despite the continued rising cost of living," she said.In contrast the main reason for buying second-hand was to save money."People had different motivations for shopping second-hand, with saving money (71 percent), wanting to be more environmentally friendly (25 percent) and buying quality (17 percent) the top three reasons given by respondents."The survey found women were more likely than men to buy second-hand with 91 percent having made a purchase in the last six months, compared to 85 percent of men.When looking at the regions, people in Marlborough and Southland were found to be the biggest second-hand shoppers with 97 percent buying an item in the last six months. Taranaki was third at 93 percent.The Gen Z generation (born between 1997 and 2013) were the keenest bargain hunters with 94 percent saying they had bought a second-and item in the last six months.Upcycling, restoring and repurposing"The art of taking something old or worn out and breathing new life into it can be incredibly rewarding - whether you're the one doing the upcycling, or one of the 58 percent who say buying such items allows them to own something unique," Feinson said.The survey also found New Zealanders had two items around the house they could upcycle, repurpose, or restore, with 55 percent saying the cost of living made them consider upcycling items as a means to make some extra money, with 47 percent saying upcycling gave them an opportunity to be creative.The research found Millennial women (born between 1980 and mid-1990) were the most active group of upcycle entrepreneurs with more than a quarter (26%) of respondents having sold upcycled items. - RNZ

A new medical centre opening in Ōamaru will hopefully help remedy people's problems finding a GP.Te Hā o Maru General Practice has been running for about a month now, with doctors Lily Fraser and Chuan Lai sharing the five days it is open, and also offering virtual consults.The clinic is at 23 Coquet Street, upstairs in the Work and Income New Zealand building. It is part of Te Hā o Maru’s Health and Social Services, which is wholly owned by Te Rūnaka o Moeraki.“In our hauora, which is our health service, we do have community nursing already. So we've had that for almost a year now,” Lily says.“Our workers are based in this building and then go out and see people in the community. And we've actually just started a nurse drop-in clinic on Thursdays. So that's for people that just want to talk to a nurse and see if they might be able to get things sorted quickly.”Since the GP clinic has opened, enrolments have been slow and steady.“Given that we are a very small team right now, I think that's appropriate,” Lily says.It's been a big task to start everything up from scratch. Months have been spent getting everything ready, and there is still more that needs to happen.Lily has been a GP for 16 years and is based in Dunedin. She used to be the clinical director at Te Kaika Wellbeing Hub in Dunedin, and is still one of three clinical directors at Turuki Health Care in Auckland, where she has worked since 2011.She also has a new job teaching part-time at the Otago University medical school. Chuan is Chinese-Malay. She came to New Zealand for her clinical placements, and settled here.She is also based in Dunedin, and the two have worked together before, Lily says.“She's just a really, vibrant, caring, hard worker, and I really value the way that she works with whānau. I think she provides an excellent GP service.”Chuan is particularly passionate about older people's health, and supporting people in rest homes, while Lily’s interests lie with lifestyle medicine.“Particularly, nutrition is my big passion. And then I just really love GP work.“I love that we support people from birth to death, really, and there's never a dull day. You get to talk to so many amazing people and share pretty intimate experiences in their lives and struggles that they might be facing.”While Lily and Chuan provide the GP component to the Te Hā o Maru health services, the community offering is “much broader” than that, Lily says.“We definitely want to provide a wide range of health services, including Māori practitioners.”Rokoā is traditional Māori medicine which encompasses a range of modalities. It is the healing method Māori used pre-Pakeha arrival and has been sustained over the past 200 years.“So it can be like different types of massage (mirimiri), it can also be using different plants to drink or apply to the body. There’s definitely a large wairua or spiritual component to that type of work.” It is more visible now, and has even been recognised by ACC as a treatment option, Lily says.“So I think definitely we hear stories and see research that our Māori whānau particularly haven't always had a great experience in the health system, and so where people have had the knowledge or access, sometimes there is better trust in Rokoā Māori.”For some people, it can be all they want or need, and for others it might go hand in hand with more modern medicine, she says.“It's definitely not an and/or . . . and we're really respectful of people's choices.“You know, the people or the whānau that choose to only use that, we (as GPs) don't see them, right? It's their choice, but I think it's really important that we make it available for whānau.”Rokoā wānaka is offered once a month for koha, either in Ōamaru at Te Whare Koa Community Marae or at Te Runaka o Moeraki.So far Lily is enjoying her role at the new GP clinic.“Te Runaka o Moeraki, the whānau there, have provided, I think, just a really great foundation for the service to grow.“And the work that the other workers in Te Hā o Maru have been doing in the community has been really well received.”Te Hā o Maru was incorporated as a charitable company in October 2022. It has about 20 employees, and offers social and education services within the takiwa (district), some of which have been running for more than a year.It has established contracts with different Government organisations, such as Te Whatu Ora and the Ministry of Education, and there is also a relationship with Oranga Tamariki.“Definitely Moeraki, you know, they govern us and provide us with that direction. But we still need to have contracts to create a service,” Lily says.Lily, who whakapapas to Puketaraki Marae in Karitane, says the motivation behind running the health and education services is to offer care to the whole community, not only Māori.“I think, as tangata whenua, definitely, we see our role as welcoming everybody and caring for them with open arms.“The focus, I think, has been more on our own whānau for quite a long time, and I think there's definitely a desire to extend that manaakitanga - take the care out further into the community.“And so these are definitely services that Te Ha o Maru provides for everybody, you know, in a specifically Maori way.”There is an expectation the GP team and services will grow to accommodate need.“We can do all the fundamental GP things, but health is definitely more than a 15-minute consultation, so we're really looking forward to providing support in different ways, whether that's through ourselves or through other people that come on board.”Lily was born in Dunedin, but grew up in Auckland, and saw this job opportunity as a way to return to her whakapapa.“So it feels, you know, even though (Moeraki) is not my marae, it feels like I'm helping out our whanau up the road, which was really important for me coming home, is that I really wanted to do mahi for the iwi.” The Whakatauāki on Te Hā o Maru’s website homepage reads: “Inā tae he manuhiri ki tō whare, watua he kōrero, whākana ō manuhiri.”This translates to: “When a guest is in our house, present them with a speech of welcome. Let your guest want for nothing.”Lily says at Te Hā o Maru clinic they refer to people not as patients, but “as our manuhiri - which is a guest in our home”.The second whakatauāki says: “Tohutohu i a tātou tamariki kaua e wareware i to rātou Māoritaka. Haere i ruka i te tika i te pono pēra i o tātou kaumatua.”“This is about raising our own children to not forget their Maoritanga - and that they are raised well, like the way our ancestors were - so we’re not forgetting our traditions and values and ways of living.” Both whakatauāki are from Hastings Tipa (Ūpoko Rūnanga and rakatira nō Moeraki) recorded in 1936, and they are what Te Hā o Maru is founded on, Lily says.For people wanting to register with the Te Hā o Maru GP Clinic, forms can be found online, or they can do it in person at the clinic.

This year’s major Musical Theatre Ōamaru production hopes to leave the crowd wanting more.After taking a year off to recover from 2023's double-header of School of Rock and That Bloody Woman, Musical Theatre Oamaru (MTO) is bringing the universally loved Oliver! to the stage.The musical is based on Charles Dickens's 1838 novel Oliver Twist. Lionel Bart transformed the tale into a stage show, which debuted in southwest London in 1960 before opening for a record-breaking stint in the West End.MTO production manager Melissa Yockney says the group is looking forward to putting on the show, and an information evening is being run on Monday (March 3) for people interested in being part of it.“We’re really excited about bringing this classic musical to life, and giving our juniors the opportunity to join us again at the Opera House,” she says.“We’re looking for a big cast of youth, aged seven-plus, as the ideal scenario will be to have two casts of youngsters who can alternate performances, and with a large list of characters there are plenty of adult roles too for all ages, be they leads or general ensemble.”The information night is being held at the Ōamaru Opera House Ink Box, at 6.30pm, with auditions the following weekend. The show will be performed from July 10-19.Oliver! will be directed by Helen Horsnell, who has been involved with theatre for 50 years, and has directed more than 25 productions including Mamma Mia! and Chicago.Helen has recently moved from Dunedin to Waimate.Musical director Samuel Leaper is coming to MTO fresh from winning the Best Musical Director at the Otago-Southland Theatre Awards for the Taieri Musical Society’s 2024 production of Footloose.He has worked as a musical director in both New Zealand and Australia, has toured the country with a number of bands, and was even one of the inaugural recipients of the band Six60’s musical scholarship, living at 660 Castle Street, in Dunedin while he studied a Bachelor or Music at Otago University.The vocal coach is Sonya Creedy, and choreographer will be Anna Stuart, assisted by Shannon Bond.More information on the show and the creative team can be found at the Musical Theatre Ōamaru website.Melissa says while some junior performers might be involved in the Waitaki Girls’ and Boys’ High School production, and Ōamaru Repertory, they are still encouraged to come along to the information night, if they are keen to be involved.

Local bands are coming together this weekend to thank Scotts Brewing Co and the community for the ongoing support.Nine local acts are performing at the brewery this Saturday (March 1) from 1pm, to showcase their talent, and also show their gratitude, says Jay Morriss, who plays guitar for The Reveal and Deluxe, who will both be playing.Jay says the Live and Local event was the idea of one of the drummers, Toni Natapu.“It was actually put together as a thank you to Scotts and the community for the support that we've had for musicians having somewhere to play and perform.”Over the summer, Scotts has had local bands playing Sunday Sessions, in the afternoons. “Everyone's really appreciated having the Sundays especially because I don't think anyone's doing that in town.“It's quite a low-key welcoming environment for families, and usually that music emanates beyond the boundaries of Scotts itself, and you can hear it down at Friendly Bay, down Harbour Street, and in all honesty, probably the houses within a 1km radius,” Jay says.Having the support of local venues in general is great for people to experience live music, he says.“And hopefully be encouraged to maybe, well obviously continue listening, but maybe even take up an instrument themselves.”Dee May & the Saints. Photo: SuppliedBands will play until about 11pm, and there will be two stages.“So, as soon as one band ends, another will begin on the other stage.”  The event will happen regardless of the weather, but the forecast is looking fine, Jay says. People should be familiar with most of the musicians, having seen them play locally, but it would be the first time performing in public for a few, Jay says.He is particularly grateful to Scotts general manager Brooke Kofoed who he says has been instrumental in ensuring the success of the Sunday Sessions.“And the staff have been great as well. It's just a really welcoming environment.”The bands playing on Saturday are Dee May & the Saints, Whitestone City Rockers, $1 Ice Cream Band, Te Band, Southern Rust, Deluxe, The Reveal, The Bonny T120s, and Same Same Different.

OpinionMost of us have heard the saying “No news is good news”.This can be interpreted two ways - there’s no such thing as good news (such a depressing thought), or maybe if there is no word about something, then that in itself is good news.Here, at the Waitaki App, we disagree on both points.The beauty of the app is, because it’s digital, everything is measurable. And apart from the occasional car crash and inclement weather story - we have found that overall, what you, our users and readers, want to read about is he tāngata, he tāngata, he tāngata - it is people, it is people, it is people.I love writing about people, and luckily for me, people seem to love reading about people.Their triumphs and their challenges; their new businesses, their different cultures, their children, their interesting lives, their sporting battles and achievements; artists, entrepreneurs and the elderly.Everybody has a story to tell, and I want to hear it - and so it seems, do you.The app is privately owned, and not in any way affiliated with the Waitaki District Council and we receive no funding from them (no matter how many people on social media will argue with us over that - we are still right and they are still wrong).But over the past two and a bit years we have been operating - and I have been writing the majority of the news stories - our statistics over and over show far fewer people are engaged with stories about the council.So with our limited resources, and given I am for the most part the sole reporter here, I have mostly stopped writing them.Occasionally there might be a new initiative happening - a positive project for the town, or an interesting new staff member who I will sit down for a chat with. And of course we will cover the upcoming local body elections (although, again, there is a chance the public interest will be low). Also, if you have an issue that is affecting you on a personal level and you don’t know where to go next, then feel free to give us a call.But I am reluctant to get into the nitty-gritty of how these people, who I mostly believe are trying to do their best for the district they and their families also live in, deal with the impossible task of keeping the owners of 14,000 rateable properties happy with the decisions they have to make.It is sometimes hard to remember that a loud minority, particularly on social media, does not necessarily reflect the views of a largely silent (and can I say, more evenly-tempered?) majority. And while council news is not officially bad news it appears to have a negative effect on people - providing fuel for another online barrage.So, whether people consume their news with their coffee in the morning, or watch it with dinner at night - or choose to expose themselves to continuous online sources throughout the day - they can seek out the “bad news” in a million other places.According to a 2015 study in the Harvard Business Review, people exposed to negative news stories in the morning were much more likely to report their day as unhappy, even up to six to eight hours later, compared with people who had been exposed to "solutions-focussed" stories. It also affects productivity at work.Close to 10 years on from that study, with a far more toxic climate online, I can’t imagine things have improved much in that department.Here at the app, while stories can’t always be happy - because life has its ups and downs - they can always be human, and hopefully uplifting in some way.Maybe they will help make your day better instead of worse. 

By RNZ Team Leader Entertainment and Lifestyle Nicky Park"Ten things women with great skin do", "The science of orgasms" and a guide to modern dating terms - all coverlines the very first edition of Australian Cosmopolitan magazine screams at us from New Zealand newsstands.But in a day with fast-moving internet trends, access to every bit of information, and our tiny attention spans - can a 132-page glossy women's lifestyle magazine cut through the noise?Australian businesswoman Katarina Kroslakova, head of independent publishing house KK Press, thinks it can.Cosmopolitan started life in the US in 1886, but became the version we know, aimed at "single, modern women" in the 1960s under the guidance of celebrated feminist Helen Gurley Brown.After a 45-year run in Australia the magazine closed in 2018 after it was deemed "commercially unviable" by owner Bauer Media. The German family-owned publishing company axed rows of lifestyle magazines in Australia and New Zealand, including Cleo, Cosmo, Grazia and InStyle prior to Covid, then went on to cull many more during the Covid years (including the company's entire New Zealand arm).Kroslakova, who says she likes to be "disruptive", launched T magazine - the New York Times style magazine - in Australia in 2021 in collaboration with Hearst Magazines International."I know that seems like madness and my financial planner and my accountant at the time were like, 'Um, are you not reading the media landscape at the moment?'"And I'm like, I am, which is exactly why we're gonna do this."Kroslakova says there were highly skilled creative writers and artists who needed work, and plenty of advertisers wanting to spend cash."This is like a really cynical way of looking at it, but you actually have all these different people who still needed magazines… I thought … I have an opportunity to do something really different, really fabulous."Australian businesswoman Katarina Kroslakova, head of independent publishing house KK Press. Photo: [email protected] via RNZWhen Cosmo was staging its comeback from a "six-year hiatus" (as they put it) in Australia, Kroslakova got the call to kickstart the magazine. She signed up Tessa Ogle as editor-in-chief and they are now four issues in. The plan was always to hit New Zealand, and the launch issue with 'The Veronica's at 40' on the cover dropped this week. A version of Cosmo is already available in about 40 different countries.The magazine is aimed at women aged 18-32, but early data suggests readers skew older. It features all the classic elements - a sealed section to rip open, a sexy centrefold to unfold, quizzes like "what's your manifestation style?"Twenty-year-old Aucklander Isla shared the first issue of the magazine with her 50-year-old mum who immediately felt a lot of the content was "a nod to nostalgia".But Isla, an international relations student who grew up reading Dolly magazine aged 11 and 12, says no one in her age group would get that.Isla says she thought the reincarnated Cosmo would be more "experimental".While she thought the launch issue was "plain" and "boring", she did lap up the longer reads about dating with ADHD and "why we need to talk about male friendships" (once her TikTok attention span could focus on the printed word). She says the spicy sealed section still hits the spot, despite the saturation of sex advice on the internet."When you're a teenager, these [topics unpacked in Cosmo] are still the biggest things on your mind," she says."You can't go and ask your mum 'How am I going to give a great blow job?'. At least in a magazine it's going to be censored. When you search up 'how to give a blow job' online... you get extreme pornography, so wouldn't you rather get something that's written by women, for women?"Annie, 17, agreed ripping open the sealed section was a highlight: "I thought that was a really fun thing ... a lot of it I did not know."...In terms of learning about sexual stuff you don't really get much of that stuff online so I think a magazine would be a cool way to do that."However, Annie, who likes to flip through her mum's old music magazines, added, "the cover [of Cosmo] didn't really pull me in".Ogle, Cosmo's optimistic editor-in-chief, is determined that there are some things digital media can't snatch away from print.Tessa Ogle, Cosmopolitan Australian editor-in-chief. Photo: Supplied"There's nothing like holding a magazine... it's immersive and curated and it's also a break from the screens. I think people are really craving that," she says from the Sydney office."Print allows for this different level of depth and it's... something to sit with and return to and hopefully collect... I've still got stacks of magazines from back in the day... I collected them and had them under my bed and would redo quizzes with friends."Ogle was at the tail end of the original Cosmo generation in Australia."I would buy it and then my mum would be like, 'you can read it, but you can't read the sealed section'. I'd be like in my room under my doona just ripping it so quietly..."I was of that generation that was like just on the cusp of the internet generation. So the sealed section was absolutely a way that I learned about sex... I'm also gay, so... learning about queer sex was definitely not something that I had access to."Ogle reckons young people want to turn down social media noise, they are aware of its impacts on their mental health, and they want to have a more considered approach to screen time.She says the experience and expertise of the freelance writers they use across style, beauty, lifestyle and entertainment ensures the magazine feels "fresh and relevant and speaks to current social trends, speaks to the challenges that this current generation is experiencing".Rosa, 19, who read the magazine when it arrived in NZ this week, backed up Ogle's expectations."I like having the information in print because it means I am off my phone and it means what I am reading in my hands is trustworthy," she said, "because there's always a doubt in my mind that what I am reading online is trusthworthy."Dr Rosemary Overell, a media lecturer at the University of Otago, agrees New Zealanders are turning to hard copy press as an alternative to scrolling. But she says there is nothing new about the latest iteration of Cosmopolitan."It really is the same sort of stuff that was in there 20 years ago."Having a sealed section is almost a cute, novelty thing rather than giving women some sort of secret info they may not have had before access to the web... it's not exactly ground-breaking women's lifestyle journalism."Could Cosmo kickstart the return to rows and rows of glossy magazines on New Zealand newsstands?Kroslakova says she is in talks with Hearst to bring back two more familiar titles - but she can not say which yet.Overell says Kiwis could be here for it."Even with Gen Z, there's a push-back towards the screen and for in-real-life, tactile experiences… which could bring back the magazine."In a world where all of our lives are screens there could be this kick back for something held." - RNZ

By RNZ Senior Rural journalist Stephanie OckhuysenAn industry body leader says New Zealand is at risk of losing significant amounts of its locally grown veggie supply if government policies are not addressed.John Murphy, of Vegetables NZ, said the current system was broken and local growers were being put out of business.He said this was not an issue that was 30 or 40 years away, this was an issue right now."Growers are being strangled by regional decisions that take too long, make no sense, and ultimately drive them out of business. This isn't just a grower issue - it's a public health issue."He said vegetable growing needed to become a permitted activity in the current round of resource management reforms."In places like Horowhenua there's a very real prospect of growers being told that they can no longer grow as they currently are. That will have a dramatic impact on New Zealand's vegetable supply."The reality is that in many places growers are having to operate outside of consents, which is alarming."There was currently a patchwork of different rules and policies based on different regions which was making it unworkable for some growers, Murphy said.Associate Minister of Agriculture Nicola Grigg, who is responsible for horticulture, said she understood the commercial vegetable sector was urgently seeking regulatory certainty."As the Minister responsible for Horticulture, I am relentlessly focused on supporting the sector's success," Grigg said in a statement.Government was considering the best ways to address their concerns to enable growth and reduce burdensome regulation that allowed for New Zealand to be an export powerhouse, she said.Grigg said this included considering policy amendments including proposals relating to freshwater, water storage, and vegetable growing.Cabinet would take decisions on a new direction for freshwater as part of the government's Quarter 1 action plan to ensure pragmatic rules for on-farm water storage and vegetable growing, she said. - RNZ

A GP who has branched out into lifestyle medicine is offering a new specialised service, and has a special interest in helping women navigate menopause.Dr Erika Hollow, who has worked as a GP in Ōamaru, and now lives in Alexandra, says she was drawn to lifestyle medicine as she came to appreciate how much of an impact the way we live our lives has on our health and wellbeing. With her new business Life Reno Medic Erika is in Ōamaru once a month offering in-person consultations, and other times is available through telehealth support.Erika, who has worked as a GP for more than 20 years, began studying lifestyle medicine in 2020.“So that's kind of looking at the way that we live and our, what we call pillars of health - so sleep, social connection, nutrition, physical activity. They do discuss tobacco, alcohol use, that kind of stuff - stress management. “Looking at all the determinants of health and healthy living.”Having lived in Wānaka and around Central Otago, where people tend to lead more active lifestyles, and then living and working in Greymouth and observing the lack of access to care and how lifestyle was impacting peoples’ health, Erika was encouraged to search for “a different way”.“Trying to look at the preventative ... I think it's about giving people the tools and resources to make gradual lifestyle improvements in the right direction to live healthier lives and feel better.It is too easy to pull out the prescription pad, she says.“I'm not anti-prescription, I still work as a GP part-time as well.”She says there are a lot of “really good GPs working really hard”. “They're all just doing what they can do . . . it's not that they don't want help. It's just sometimes they don't have the time or the resources.” The difference with her new clinic is people have more time to talk about what is going on for them. “So it's having more time to kind of sit with people, and really get to grips with what their health concerns are.”An initial consult with her is up to 60 minutes, and then follow-ups are 30. She takes a holistic approach, looking at the whole person in front of her.“What I like to do is just spend a bit of time in the first consult getting to know people, getting to know what their issues are.” She sends out an extensive questionnaire and spends time going through it before the appointment, so she can have a think about what might be going on for the patient.“Then we'll have a really good chat and then come up with a bit of a plan. “That might mean me doing some tests and things . . . sort of talk about what resources are available, what they might want to do, and then do a follow up with them to see how everything's going.”Erika says lifestyle medicine should not be confused with functional medicine, which tends to focus more on testing and supplement use.“I don't really do a lot of that.”She describes herself as “one piece of the puzzle for people”.“So I'm kind of doing a bit of the overview and the medical assessment, so I can organise any screening that's needed.“It's really just more of a consult service . . . and it’s kind of led by the person and what they want to address and what they want to do.Women's health is particular focus for Erika. Photo: Pixabay/Skica911“So if they want more nutritional help, I might refer them to a nutritionist . . . whatever's needed, basically.”While she sees people with a range of health concerns, there is a particular focus on women’s health.“I think there’s become a lot more of awareness around menopause and perimenopause symptoms and issues . . . and there are a lot of really fantastic female GPs that really know a lot in that space, but there’s also people who may not be able to get into say, a female GP in their own practice, and for them that can be tricky.” Also, a lot of women don’t realise some of what they’re going through could be related to menopause, and so Erika will take them through a menopause score sheet. “So we can actually identify all of that.” Erika started Life Reno Medic towards the end of last year, and says people contact her for a variety of reasons.“It's often been maybe slightly tricky issues that they haven't managed to get sorted, and just feeling like they need a little bit more time.”She likes sitting down with people and “solving a puzzle”.“And spending that time with people, getting to know them as well.“I just think it's hopefully the future of medicine too . . . there's definitely a place for medication, there's a place for surgery, but I think our health system at the moment is really overwhelmed with a lot of people who are chronic - like the increasing rates of diabetes - and I think it's really important to look at what's driving that.” She acknowledges it is a difficult time for everyone navigating the health system at the moment and wants to acknowledge there are a lot of “really good GPs working really hard”. “They're all just doing what they can do . . . it's not that they don't want help. It's just sometimes they don't have the time or the resources. “It's challenging for Kiwis trying to access healthcare - it can be extremely challenging - and it's also challenging for the few of us that are actually left in the public health system, because it feels to me like dwindling numbers and increasing demand, really.“We just haven't met pace, really, both with infrastructure and training. And I think there's a whole lot of other determinants of health that are deteriorating, you know, like financial stresses, cost of living. It's just tricky for people.”Putting basic steps towards better health into practice can feel difficult for people, but she offers some pointers on where to begin.“It comes back to really basic stuff. Walking in time and nature is really important for people.“We're kind of designed to spend time in nature and we spend a lot of time in rooms inside, so having that time in nature and a little bit of gentle exercise . . . and breathing strategies, mindfulness meditation, it's all really helpful.“The tricky thing is we all know what to do, there's plenty of information about it. It's actually practising it over a regular period.”A little bit of coaching and/or accountability can be a big help, she says. That might be a friend or a family member who checks in as to whether a person has done what they intended to do, or asks if they want to go for a walk.“It's also that kind of knowing where to start. It can be really overwhelming.”In her spare time Erika loves to walk her dog, ideally on the beach, which is something she has missed since moving to Alexandra, but she makes do walking along the Clutha River track.She enjoys mindfulness meditation and recommends the YouTube channel Mindful Movement. “Some people find it difficult to sit and breathe and meditate, and so they've got yoga-based things that they can do as well.”She also enjoys Pilates, gardening and reading.Time in nature is good place to start when it comes to improving your health, Erika says. Photo: Pixabay

~Opinion ~This week is Eating Disorders Awareness Week with theme being "The Time is Now!"Eating disorders (ED) and disordered eating (DE) continue to be among the last taboo subjects in mental health, often surrounded by silence and numerous misconceptions in our community and workplaces.Despite our dedicated efforts, these common conditions within our communities¹ remain largely unnoticed by early detection systems, including our healthcare system, and are escalating at alarming rates.Research indicates that prevention and early detection are the most effective strategies to avoid potentially life-long medical issues related to both physical and mental health, as well as relationship challenges and substance abuse, which can lead to high fatality risks.The link between ED and suicide is highly notable. Research highlights the distressing reality that eating disorders and suicidality are deeply interconnected, requiring urgent attention in national prevention strategies.Among psychiatric conditions, ED has the highest mortality rates, with 20-30% of individuals succumbing to medical complications or suicide.Depression and overdose have been linked to these fatalities, including cases in elite sports, where years of untreated ED and the effects of malnutrition on the body and brain are often overlooked.Evidence of the harmful effects dates back over 150 years ago to 1868 when the term “Anorexia Nervosa” was first introduced by Sir William Gull who was a physician to Queen Victoria.Gull recorded detailed case studies including his treatment approach of refeeding support, rest, and supervision, leading to full recovery for his patients.Oftentimes, talk therapy is still prioritised in treatment over this understanding extending duration and harm.EDCS believes that "The Time is Now" to raise ED as a key priority public health focus to alter the trajectory of this deeply harmful condition that affects individuals and their families.We must take action now by emphasising ED in our systems, services, and legislation, while also addressing the many misconceptions through improved education in our schools and communities.We urge our community, media, and government public services makes active efforts to:✅ Become EDucated & ED Aware about the harmful effects which negative talk around food and other people's bodies has, including deriding our own bodies!✅ Share and adhere to the Eating Disorders Communication Guidelines, which closely mirror those for suicide.Now is the time to act for our loved ones. Please support us by reading, sharing, and promoting the ED guidelines, and by engaging in conversations about ED within our communities.With the right treatment and support, individuals can achieve a full recovery and lead a normal, productive life 💜Sarah Rowland lives in Oamaru and is Co-founder and Co-chair of Eating Disorders Carer Support NZ and takes part in community, system and lived experience advocacy.Eating Disorders Carer Support NZ (EDCS) is a New Zealand/Aotearoa registered non-profit charitable trust which supports all carers of people with eating disorders or disordered eating.Resources:If you are concerned that someone you know might have an eating disorder, the sooner you discuss your concerns with them the better.If you think your child or young person has an eating disorder, visit a health professional straight away. Ask for a referral to an eating disorder specialist service. If you feel your concerns aren't being taken seriously enough don't be afraid to ask for a second opinion.Any delay in seeking treatment can lead to serious long term consequences.Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand Kids Health The KidsHealth website has been created by a partnership between the Paediatric Society of New Zealand - Te Kāhui Mātai Arotamariki o Aotearoa (PSNZ) and the Starship Foundation, supported and funded by Te Whatu Ora - Health New Zealand.Eating Disorders Carer Support NZ (EDCS) The Mental Health Foundation Hope and Healing is a lived experienced support group for those fighting an Eating Disorder.

A business advocacy group says planned changes to the Overseas Investment Act will bring much-needed capital to the country.The government's changes will include making decisions on foreign investment within 15 days, unless they relate to residential or farm land and fishing quota.Associate Finance Minister David Seymour on Sunday said that the reforms would improve economic growth with foreign investment providing better tools and technologies, making workers more productive and improving pay rates.Listen to Morning Report here: Business NZ on planned changes to Overseas Investment ActBusinessNZ director of advocacy Catherine Beard said the organisation had been calling for a more encouraging business regime for many years."New Zealand's one of the hardest places to invest in the OECD and I guess a lot of that has centred around sensitivity over land."So the definition in the Act of sensitive land is anything over five hectares which is actually a pretty small footprint."That meant that New Zealand looked "quite opaque and difficult" to international investors, she said."The investment into the OECD generally from foreign money has been trending up over the years but if you look at the graph for New Zealand it's flat line, so we're missing out on a lot of capital and we're quite a capital-shallow economy."BusinessNZ believed the changes would be positive and lead to more money coming into the country, she said.It could boost jobs and the jobs tended to be higher paid, she said."Most of our big frontier firms have foreign investors sitting behind them, they don't just put money into plant and equipment and technology but they are also often a bridge into that international market to sell into."Asked whether the proposed changes would mean more infrastructure would be foreign-owned and whether that was an issue, Beard said ports that had outside investment rather than being council-owned did much better."Port of Tauranga is a great example of that, it outperforms most of the rest of the ports, so nothing to be concerned about, if councils own some of those assets they don't need to sell 100 percent of them, they can keep a controlling ownership."A lack of outside investment was part of the reason that New Zealand was "a low productivity and a low wage country", she said.Beard said the issues were things like whether a port could take big ships, expand, employ people and pay high wages rather than whether it was foreign-owned."All of those people will pay tax in New Zealand and when I look at our top companies most of them would have foreign investment."Beard said she did not agree with farm land being exempted from the proposed 15 day foreign investment decision-making saying it was a little "paranoid" given farm land could not be taken out of the country and it would not be in a foreign owner's interest for it not to be profitable."Probably a bit too much paranoia around that, but you know there are safeguards in there so if that's what's politically acceptable to free up other parts of the economy for investment then I guess that's the way it's going to go."Labour says proposed changes 'reckless'Labour says the government's overhaul of the Overseas Investment Act is a reckless fast-track for foreign investment at the expense of New Zealand interests.Currently the Overseas Investment Act states it is a privilege to control or own sensitive New Zealand assets.Listen to Morning Report here: Labour on govt's overhaul of Overseas Investment ActLabour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said the government intended to change that premise to make it more risk-based or permissive."The new starting point is that investment can proceed unless there is an identified risk to New Zealand's interests - that's a huge shift from the way the regime currently works."The new application review process would remove current protections particularly for those assets which needed to go through a full national impact assessments, she said.Edmonds agreed that overseas investment was beneficial to New Zealand but said safeguards needed to be in place.The minister's paper did not mention dedicating further resources and applying more scrutiny "particularly in terms of economic benefits and security risks to foreign investment proposals," she said.The minister's paper did not mention any way to enforce compliance to ensure any overseas investment conditions were met, she said."It's [the paper] quite light on the detail, there's no draft legislation that's been released for us to scrutinise."There was no guarantee that the new proposals would lead to more jobs and investment, she said. - RNZ

Looking through the list of finalists for the 2024 Network Waitaki Sports Awards, you might notice one surname in triplicate.But it’s not a misprint. Three Loe siblings have all been nominated in their respective sports and categories for the awards, which will take place on March 17 at the Waitaki Community Recreation Centre.Molly Loe has been nominated for Female Sportsperson of the Year, up against two Otago Spirit rugby players Cheyenne Cunningham (who also played for South Island women’s Super Rugby team Matatū) and Jamie Church.Molly has been a star all-rounder for her Otago women’s cricket team the Sparks. The Sparks won last year’s women’s domestic competition (Hallyburton Johnstone Shield), and her quality bowling has seen her attain figures such as 4/12 in the Super Smash competition.Younger brother William has been nominated for Male Sportsperson of the Year, but faces extra tough competition from 2024 Coast to Coast winner Hamish Elliot and Black Cap Nathan Smith. William played in the New Zealand Junior Curling team who competed in Finland at the end of last year, at the World B Champs. Meanwhile, the youngest Loe - Angus, who was year 13 at John McGlashan College last year, will be competing against Ned Newlands-Carter (rowing) and Kobe Narruhn (rugby) for the Male Junior Sportsperson of the Year.Angus had success at the 2024 National Secondary Schools Rowing Championships (Maadi Cup) winning gold with his partner in the U18 Double Sculls, a performance which also helped earn him a trial for the NZ Junior Rowing squad.Their mother, Nicola Loe, says while she and husband Hamish always encouraged their children to play a team sport, which they believe taught them a number of life skills, it was the children themselves who did the “hard yards” with training.All three of the children attended Weston School, before boarding at Dunedin secondary schools.They were encouraged to make the most of opportunities, which then came with rewards, she says.  “Many helped them along the way to achieve what they have - team mates, coaches, parents and mentors."They consider themselves lucky to be “in the mix” for the awards, and are looking forward to spending the night catching up, Nicola says.Some of the winners from the 2023 Network Waitaki Sports Awards. Photo: SuppliedSport Waitaki co-ordinator Sara Harding says there were some outstanding nominees for the awards this time, which made it particularly difficult for the judges to reach their final decisions.The judges are Nicki Paterson, Adair Craik, Barry Fox, Kayla Hodge, Anjelica Matapo and Sara.“Our guest speaker this year is Kees Meews, who will share insights from his remarkable rugby career as an All Black, as well as his success as a rugby coach,” Sara says.“It promises to be a fantastic evening, as we will be celebrating some incredible accomplishments. We will also be inducting two individuals into the Waitaki Sports Hall of Fame.” Tickets to the event can be bought individually or in tables of 10, through the North Otago Sports Bodies Website.The complete list of finalists is:Male Junior Sportsperson of the YearAngus Loe (rowing)Ned Newlands-Carter (rowing)Kobe Narruhn (rugby)Female Junior Sportsperson of the YearEmma Gillies (equestrian)Emma Spittle (rowing)Ruby Fox (touch)Male Sportsperson of the YearHamish Elliot (multisport)William Loe (curling)Nathan Smith (cricket)Female Sportsperson of the YearMolly Loe (cricket)Cheyenne Cunningham (rugby)Jaime Church (rugby)Team of the YearOamaru Rowing Men’s Coxed FourWaitaki Boys’ High School Year 9/10 Cricket TeamExcelsior Premier Rugby TeamMasters Athlete of the YearBelinda Hurst (tennis)Mark Esselink (multisport)Craig Brett (hockey)Coach of the YearSam Senior (basketball)Shaun Cunningham (hockey)Mark Holthusen (hockey)

The mood amongst farmers has lifted dramatically, with the latest Federated Farmers survey finding confidence is at a 10-year high.The latest Farm Confidence Survey from January, found farmers' confidence in current general economic conditions has surged from a deeply negative - 66 percent in July last year] to a positive score of 2 percent.It marks the largest one-off improvement since the question was introduced in 2016.Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford said the last few years had been "bloody tough" and it was "fantastic" to hear that farmers are feeling more positive.He said it had likely been driven by falling interest rates, rising incomes and "more favourable" farming rules."We've seen the government make significant efforts to look at what's been holding farming back. You know the removal of the idea of emissions pricing, the removal of expensive and unworkable farm plans and getting on-farm inflation under control."These sorts of things give farmers confidence that they can invest in their business, they can invest in their staff and on their farm."Langford said the mood has lifted across the primary sector, with good dairy payouts and beef prices, and improving sheep and wool prices."I've definitely noticed a significant shift in the mood of rural New Zealand."These survey results paint a clear picture of a sector finally able to breathe a sigh of relief as some of that weight is lifted."'More farmers think they'll make a profit'The survey also found there had been a sharp lift in profitability, with 54 percent of farmers now reporting they were making a profit - double the number in the last survey six months ago.Langford said it was great to see farmers being able to cash in on the way the markets are beginning to respond."That is really good result because there's nothing worse than doing this job for free or potentially making a loss."Farmers being more confident about future profitability has also seen a lift in farm production expectations, as well as increased plans for spending and reducing debt.The survey found just under a quarter of farmers planned to increase spending over the next 12 months, and more than 40 percent planned to reduce their debts.Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford. Photo: RNZ/Carol StilesLangford said this was being driven by lower interest rates, improved confidence, and stronger production forecasts.More farmers spending was good for rural communities and the country, he said."Ultimately there will be more money in the bank and that will see more money being spent in rural communities, more rural debt being paid off and ultimately a great result for the New Zealand economy."Langford said it was important to note that, despite confidence being at its highest point in more than a decade, it was still only just in the positive and there were other ongoing concerns.The top issues farmers were worried about include regulation and compliance costs, followed by interest rates and banks, and input costs."Interest payments are a huge cost for most farming businesses and farmers have been under massive pressure from their banks in recent years."We want to see the Government take a much closer look at our banking system and whether farmers are getting a fair deal from their lenders."The survey found farmers' highest priorities for the Government are the economy and business environment, fiscal policy, and reducing regulatory burdens."If the Government are serious about their ambitious growth agenda and doubling exports over the next decade, this is where they need to be focusing their energy," Langford said. - RNZ

Rural and urban people across Otago are being cautioned to keep an eye on rising rivers and streams, potential road flooding, landslips and to look at safeguarding stock – with a further round of thunderstorms and localised rain expected before 9pm today (Wednesday, 19 February). Earlier today Metservice issued a severe thunderstorm watch for Dunedin, Central Otago, and North Otago, as a trough brings increasingly unstable conditions to southern and central parts of the country. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means people in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening weather conditions and monitor for a possible upgrade to Severe Thunderstorm Warnings. ORC Natural Hazards manager Dr Jean-Luc Payan says the thunderstorms can produce heavy localised rain anywhere and the watch was mainly for Dunedin and coastal areas, Central Otago and North Otago. “As we saw yesterday, isolated and localised rain can fall to extreme levels, of around 80mm-90mm per hour,” he says of several areas hard hit yesterday: near Millers Flat, Beaumont-Lawrence, Tuapeka Mouth and Clydevale. Metservice says the thunderstorms today are expected to generate localised heavy rain (10 to 25 mm per hour) and hail. There is a moderate risk that storms in Dunedin and coastal, Central Otago and North Otago could become “severe’’ delivering localised downpours (25 to 35 mm per hour) and large hail stones. Although there was localised flooding around properties and on roads yesterday, the Clutha River among others tracked by the ORC did not rise to flood warning levels, Dr Payan says. “With these forecast intensities, the risk is more likely for individual properties, farming activities and roads,” he said. Waterway monitoring is accessible through ORC’s website and Environmental Data Portal, while rain and thunderstorms can be tracked on Metservice’s Rain Radar. Whether rural or urban, people should be aware of the potential for creeks, streams and rivers to rise rapidly and for roads to be affected by surface flooding, prompting dangerous conditions and possible closures. Rainfall of this intensity can trigger s landslides in steep areas, both urban and rural, which people should be aware of.In rural communities, Dr Payan said farmers should be considering whether they needed to move stock and machinery away from low lying waterways, flats areas or gullies. “Check on your neighbours too,” Dr Payan suggested. Emergency Management Otago and ORC is advising people not to travel during thunderstorms and to stay away from streams and rivers. Should a thunderstorm warning be issued, Emergency Management Otago recommend:Take shelter, preferably indoors away from windows;Avoid sheltering under trees, if outside;Get back to land, if outdoors on the water;Move cars and machinery under cover or away from trees;Secure any loose objects around properties;Check drains and gutters are clear;Be ready to slow down or stop, if driving. During and after the storm, you should also:Beware of road flooding, slips and debris;Beware of fallen trees and power lines;Avoid streams and drains as people could be swept away in flash flooding.

“Kakanui School is very chill with animals,” says 11-year-old Beth Taylor, and she’s not wrong.On a random Wednesday, there are two silkie chickens and two dogs, who have joined the resident pony and chickens.Rabbits, more dogs, lambs and occasionally cats are also not unheard of, and Beth, with her sisters Grace and Lucie, have also brought in their pet guinea pigs.Beth, and Grace - who is nine, regularly bring their silkie chickens Mabel and Tomple to school.“They’re good therapy,” Beth says.At the beginning of the year, Grace’s best friends had left school and she felt a bit nervous about returning, so her mother Elle asked the school if she could bring in Tomple for the first week.“The school agreed, which gave Grace something to look forward to and plan all of January,” Elle says.“It gave her a positive focus, and we spent time planning the different cages that we would need, a companion chicken for Tomple, and a little basket to sit in for when she was out of the cage in the classroom. “Grace is a very responsible and dedicated chicken mum.”The response in the classroom was so positive, Tomple and Mabel are now regular visitors.“Apparently the junior class wrote stories and did art work about them, and we also heard that they had helped settle other students into the new year, especially some who were new to the school,” Elle says.Tomple is a name Grace chose from the Keeper of Lost Cities books she reads.Beth chose Mabel’s name, with some help from the virtual assistant Alexa.Youngest sister Lucie, eight, didn’t get to bring one of her chickens, but maybe one day, her mum says.The three girls hand-raised six silkies from five days old. They lived in a cage in the lounge for two months under a heat lamp until they were big enough to go outside and so they are used to being handled.Taking the Kakanui School's resident pony for a ride. Photo: Supplied/Kakanui School principal Ann Roughan says having the animals there helps give the children a sense of belonging.“It stops any anxiety. It just helps them to settle.“They can go and pick them up anytime they want. It's just that sense of security.”One of the teachers brings their dog for her daughter, and the children will sit there and pat it, she says.“And sometimes my little dog comes out, but she's too naughty to stay.“We're a rural school, we’ve got a pony . . . and chickens . . . as well, so, it's just that whole sense of belonging."Although pets are welcome, it’s not a complete free for all. “They usually do run it past us and ask, otherwise we might have too many dogs and too many cats and the dogs would chase the cats…“So, no, they do. The parents are very respectful.” The girls love Kakanui School.“It’s one of the best schools,: Grace says. "Once I'm a year eight, I'm gonna be sad to leave here.”She also loves her pet chicken.“I think Tomple’s brilliant,” she says.“I think we all think our babies are brilliant,” Beth says.A pupil cuddles a visiting lamb. Photo: Supplied

By RNZ reporter Serena SolomonFour years ago, Summer Haycock reinstalled a landline in her Auckland home. It was a grey corded phone reminiscent of a bland 1990s office.The original thought behind it was safety: what if something happened at home and one of her four girls needed to call 111? Haycock's mobile phone could be out of reach or the battery dead.Now, the landline has become an alternative to giving her daughters (aged four to 11) a mobile phone. The landline, a $5 add-on to the family's mobile and internet package, allows Haycock's daughters and their friends to call each other."My daughter is almost 12 and I'm feeling like I want to hold off on getting a smartphone for as long as possible."And it turns out the things that many of us hated about landlines, kids love. They are delighted with the surprise of not knowing who is calling. They like learning how to answer it or how to call and ask if their friend can speak (some of the girls' friends also have landlines or use their parent's mobiles)."They think it is such a novelty factor, which to me is hilarious," says Haycock, who remembers her home phone as a teenager and "chatting about nothing until mum kicked you off"."It has been quite unexpected and quite fun."The conversation around kids, smartphones and the internet has shifted dramatically in the past 18 months starting with the National government's ban on mobile phones in schools at the start of 2024.Halfway through last year, the surgeon general, the US government's top doctor, called for tobacco-style warnings on social media and for kids to have more phone-free time. Research continues to show connecting poor mental and physical health to children with smartphones and social media accounts.Some parents are bringing back the home phone to avoid the pitfalls of smartphones while still providing an avenue for kids to connect with friends. To be clear, landline connections are majorly declining, according to New Zealand's telco companies, so these parents are bucking a trend. However, it shows novel ways parents are delaying giving their kids a smartphone.And it isn't the only thing Gen Z and Gen Alpha are rediscovering: physical magazines are making a comeback, polaroid and film cameras are cool and my entire wardrobe from the 1990s is on trend. Last week, my friend's kid proudly showed off his Walkman.Holly Brooker. Photo: The Crib Collective"I just really like simplifying life for our kids because giving our kids a phone adds more disruption and more distraction," said Holly Brooker, a parent of a 13 and 9-year-old. She is also an online child safety advocate.Instead of an actual landline, Brooker has a "dumb" mobile phone that sits on the kitchen bench at all times. The phone, a Samsung Safe Surfer designed for kids, can only be used for texting or phone calls, but Brooker intends to lift those restrictions gradually as her kids get older. Neither of Brooker's kids has a phone, despite a long bus ride to school."We actually have some really good chats on the phone," she added, of conversations with her son when she is out and he is at home.Brooker works in media and admits constantly having to keep her own social media and smartphone use in check, but that can lead to open conversations with her kids about the addictive nature of technology.Summer Haycock's daughter talking on the family's landline. Photo: suppliedSo far her kids have accepted they won't be getting a phone anytime soon, even though her 13-year-old is the only one in his friendship group without one."Culturally it's really hard to be the outlier and not give your kids a smartphone," said Brooker, adding that most parents give their kids a phone because they don't want them missing out on the cornerstone of a modern social life.Auckland mother Georgia had a landline installed in her home six months ago. Like Haycock, the phone's primary purpose is for emergencies. The secondary purpose is to give the kids - aged seven, four and two - a mobile phone alternative for connecting with friends as they get older. She doesn't intend to give them their own phone anytime soon."I am chronic at dumping my mobile phone around the house so my husband really likes that he can get hold of me when he needs to," said Georgia, of the landline's other benefits.An Auckland mother who is currently building a new home, says she is planning to install a home phone so her four boys can stay in touch with friends. The idea was inspired by a trip to the telephone exhibit at Auckland's Museum of Transportation and Technology."First, they didn't even know how to hold the phone. They had the receiver upside down."Her boys had such a great time calling each other that she looked into how she could get a home phone. She says she wants to keep smartphones out of her kids' hands to limit exposure to online bullying and social media use.Young people who spend more than three hours a day on social media double their risk of depression and anxiety symptoms, according to a study quoted by Dr Vivek Murthy, the US surgeon general, when he argued for warning labels. New Zealanders spend an average of two and a half hours on social media platforms. Many young people reported spending seven or more hours on social media each day.For Brooker, a major wake-up call on the issue of kids and smartphones was a 2018 survey from New Zealand's Classification Office. It found that two-thirds of New Zealanders aged 14 to 17 had seen pornography and the vast majority of those had found it online by accident.Last year, Brooker helped launch the "Hold the Phone" campaign, encouraging parents to delay or limit their child's smartphone use. She is also advocating the government to improve national internet filters to block some sexual imagery including rape, bestiality and child pornography from New Zealand screens.The Parenting Place chief executive Dave Atkinson says that installing a landline might not be everyone's approach, but "I think it is great that parents are taking an active role in their kid's technology".The organisation's official suggestion to parents is to delay giving their child a smartphone until year nine, but "we recognise for a bunch of reasons why that might not be realistic," says Atkinson.It's one thing to limit smartphone use, but parents also need to consider what their kids are doing instead, calling it the "healthy mind platter"."Are they engaging with friends? Are they doing well with school? Are they involved in sports? Are they getting exercise? Do we have quality time with the family?"If all of those things are in place, a bit of cell phone use, a bit of online gaming is okay." - RNZ