Egg-cellent Easter activities to enjoy in Auckland

March 12, 2025

Source: Auckland Council

Hop into action! Easter and the school holidays are on the horizon and there are plenty of activities around Tāmaki Makaurau during Easter to keep kids (and adults) entertained. From egg-citing Easter egg hunts to city centre art trails and hiking trails, here are some great ways to make the most of your holidays.

Frolic & Play in Auckland

Why look beyond the Bombay Hills for your Easter getaway when you can experience world-class parks right here in Auckland? Our 28 regional parks are the jewels in Tāmaki Makaurau’s crown and and provide the perfect backdrop for scenic walks, picnics and barbecues this Easter.

Many of our regional parks and local parks are working farms where stock graze. Discover life on the farm at Ambury Regional Park in Māngere, where you can see sheep, goats, cows, pigs, horses, chickens, turkeys, rabbits and peacocks. The park is named after the Ambury Milk Company, which ran a town milk supply farm on the site from 1893-1965 – today, families can visit the milking and shearing sheds on the Family Farm walk, which has pushchair and wheelchair access around the animal enclosures.

If visiting Karamatura Falls in Huia, stop by the Barn Paddock Campsite at historic Karamatura Farm to see pigs, chickens, ducks and a vintage tractor.

See local sheep grazing at the Barn Paddock campsite in Huia.

Highfield Garden Reserve has been home to donkeys since the 1960s when the property was an orchard and flower farm owned by Alison and Ted Roberts. The family gifted 8.5ha of land to the people of New Zealand in the 1980s for use as a donkey reserve, allowing animal lovers to visit for free to feed the resident donkeys carrots or apples.

This reserve sits between Snells Beach and Algies Bay. Follow the 60 minute walk to enjoy good views of Algies Bay, Snells Beach and Scandrett Regional Park from the lookouts.

Whether you’re planning to cosy up in a corner for some holiday reading or looking for some fun activities for kids during the break, Auckland Council Libraries are a hub of entertainment. Adults can read their way through the library staff picks lists or the longlist of finalists of the Ockham New Zealand Book Awards before the winners are announced on 15 May.

Keep the kids occupied these holidays at Auckland City Libraries.

Don’t forget to check out the Besties Collection. Bestie is a collection of new and bestselling books available at our libraries. There are no holds or renewals on Bestie books, so you can pick one up and read it right away!

Kids can enjoy events at library branches across the region, including an Easter Egg Maze at Ōtāhuhu Library (16 April) and Easter-themed Wriggle and Rhyme sessions (on 7 and 8 April) at Parnell Library.

Nature-loving kids can learn how to build a bug hotel (14 April) or get hands-on at the Jellyfish Slime Sessions (23 April) at Highland Park Library (book online).

Plus, look out for Auckland Zoo and Auckland Council Libraries’ conservation sessions taking place at libraries across Tāmaki Makaurau. Check out your local library’s website for more information on Easter and school holiday events happening near you.

Combine your love of art with a dose of vitamin D by walking the Karangahape Road to Queens Wharf Art Path, a 5km stroll that celebrates Auckland’s heritage and culture through dynamic public artworks and sculptures. The walk gets off to a colourful start with Janet Lilo’s banana lightbox artworks Don’t Dream It’s Over on Karangahape Rd and further down the street are two cartoon-like sculptures Twist and Thief by Tanja McMillan (street artist and illustrator also known as Misery) in collaboration with John Oz. Twist depicts a girl dancing with an elephant recalling the Ridgeway Circus which was on the roof of the former George Courts department store in the 1960s, while Thief draws on a time when the area was surrounded by fields filled with farm animals and the street was lined with fruit and vegetable shops.

Twist by Tanja McMillan and John Oz is part of the Karangahape Road to Queens Wharf Art Path.

Continuing through the city the path takes you past Waharoa by Selwyn Muru, Aotea Square’s iconic gateway sculpture built from macrocapa and copper sourced from heritage Waitangi wharf piles, which welcomes visitors with the spiritual forces of the sea, sky and land.

Further along the path you’ll encounter A Māori Figure in a Kaitaka Cloak – when Molly Macalister created this bronze statue on Quay Street in the late 1960s, it sent ripples through the art world. She was the first woman in Aotearoa to receive a public art commission and worked closely with local iwi Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei to complete the sculpture.

The trail ends with Michael Parekowhai’s The Lighthouse / Tū Whenua-a-Kura on Queens Wharf. This full-scale 1950s state house is designed to be viewed through the windows, and the inside features a light installation as well as a steel sculpture of Captain Cook titled The English Channel.

Egg hunts are a popular Easter tradition that has a rich history. Pagan and early Christian societies first used eggs to symbolise new life and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and decorating eggs became a popular tradition in the Middle Ages to mark eggs laid during Holy Week. The first egg hunts started in Germany in the late 1500s and over the centuries they became popular in Europe when royalty such as Queen Victoria adopted the tradition.

Easter activities at Howick Village.

Here in 21st-century Tāmaki Makaurau, the egg hunt tradition is alive and well with many egg-cellent events to enjoy. Green Bay Community House’s Early Easter Extravaganza kicks off (on 11 April) with fun and games including a scavenger hunt and Easter crafts. Soak up some of Auckland’s history while enjoying festive fun at the Howick Historical Village Easter Extravaganza (on 20 April). Families can explore the colonial era village and gardens by following an Easter trail – kids that collect all the clues will receive an Easter egg.

Booking is strongly recommended, only a limited of door sales will be available on the day. Book on Eventfinda.

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Banking Inquiry exposes $600 million rural lending squeeze

LiveNews Publisher

March 12, 2025

Source: ACT Party

ACT’s Rural Communities spokesperson Mark Cameron is calling on the Reserve Bank to scrap its restrictive banking capital requirements, after banking bosses admitted these rules have added billions in extra costs to borrowers – hitting farmers the hardest.

“In our Banking Inquiry, BNZ has told MPs the Reserve Bank’s capital rules have driven up farmers’ interest rates by 1%, meaning a 6.5% loan is now 7.5%. That’s $44,000 a year in extra costs for the average farmer – money that should be going into wages, local businesses, new technology, or paying down debt faster. Instead, it’s being eaten up by regulatory overreach,” says Mr Cameron.

“BNZ’s CEO understated the cost of these rules by a factor of nine due to a calculation error. He told the Select Committee the cost was around $200 million, but the real figure is closer to $1.8 billion – with $600 million of that burden falling on rural borrowers.

“The irony of these rules is that by putting pressure on sectors such as farming, it risks putting people out of business and fuelling the instability the rules are meant to prevent.

“ACT warned in 2019 that these capital requirements would hurt farmers and small businesses, and sadly, those warnings have now been vindicated. At a time when we need to be going for growth, we simply can’t afford to be having red tape strangling our rural economy.”

Notes to editors:

During questioning from Mark Cameron, BNZ CEO Dan Huggins stated the impact of the stricter capital requirements was “roughly based on our numbers…the average of all loans is roughly 30 basis points at the moment”, going on to say “I think there’s roughly $600 billion worth of loans in New Zealand. So if you see 30 points across all of those loans, then you’re talking $200 million roughly, you know, plus or minus. So it’s a big number.”

30 basis points or 0.3% of $600 billion worth of loans is $1.8 billion, not the $200 million as Mr Huggins claimed, likely as a result of a decimal point error when trying to do on the spot mental calculations.

BNZ also confirmed that the impact of the capital requirements was an approximate one percentage point increase in rural lending rates, equating to roughly $600 million across the $60 billion in total lending to the agriculture sector.

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Councils need to follow Govt’s lead on procurement

LiveNews Publisher

March 12, 2025

Source: ACT Party

ACT Leader David Seymour is calling on local councils to ditch complex procurement rules, in line with today’s announcement for central government from the Economic Growth Minister.

“MBIE encourages local councils to follow all-of-government practice on procurement, so councils should sit up, take notice, and rapidly implement simplified procurement policies in line with the Government’s moves.

“It’s absurd that councils are forcing traffic management operators and pipeline technicians to explain their commitment to Te Tiriti, or their approach to climate change, or their recycling practices.

“Last year, the Government has scrapped Labour’s race-based procurement targets, but local councils seemed to miss the memo. Many councils continue to interrogate would-be contractors about the ethnicity of their employees, or whether they are Māori-owned.

“When a council considers a contractor, the focus should be on value for money – can they get the job done, at a competitive price.

“Dopey procurement rules add more costs to contracts, and discourage some operators from even trying to bid for contracts. Less competition for council contracts ultimately means higher prices, and higher rates.

“Simplification of council procurement will cut costs, promote competition, and reduce the cost of living.”

ACT’s research team has identified examples of ridiculous procurement rules at local councils across the country. These can be provided to media on request.

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Government plan to scrap the Living Wage for contracts “abhorrent” – E tū

LiveNews Publisher

March 12, 2025

Source: Etu Union

E tū is furious to learn that the Government is proposing to scrap the Living Wage for workers employed by government contractors.

Currently, contractors who deliver cleaning, security, and catering services for government agencies are required to pay at least the Living Wage ($27.80 at present time) to all their workers. In a media release today, Nicola Willis has announced a proposal to scrap that requirement altogether.

E tū National Secretary Rachel Mackintosh says the proposal is cruel.

“It is heartless to consider taking away this important protection for workers, which will categorically mean their lives will become much harder,” Rachel says.

“The affected workers, once celebrated as essential workers during the Covid-19 pandemic, are employed by contractors to do crucial work keeping our public buildings clean and secure. They are the same workers who are often ignored by governments and exploited by businesses.

“The Living Wage requirement in the procurement rules gives these workers some much-needed reprieve. Our members have reported the huge difference the Living Wage makes in their lives, like allowing them to do the basics – pay the bills, put food on the table, buy clothing for their kids, and spend more time with their families.

“Proposing to end this support for these workers is frankly abhorrent.”

Rachel says the Government’s justification is completely inadequate.

“Nicola Willis says this is to “simplify the process” of procurement for businesses.

“Basic human dignity is not an obstacle to delivering services. Spinning this as some kind of streamlining process is disgusting – in reality, this is a proposal to make cleaners, security guards, and catering staff even poorer so the National-led Government can give more to their rich mates.

“Even more galling is Willis’ claim that this is “part of [their] plan to increase jobs and incomes” – you don’t have to be an economist to understand that you do not increase incomes by cutting them.

“Nicola Willis should face up to affected workers and justify herself to them. Why does she think they shouldn’t be able to put food on the table? Why does she want to make it harder for them to pay for their kids’ school uniforms?

“She will not face the workers. This Government has refused to engage with unions on these issues, so they can keep living in complete ignorance of the damage they are causing.”

Rachel says it’s not too late to change course.

“These changes are now open for public consultation, and if the Government has any regard whatsoever for the essential workers employed by contractors to look after government buildings and provide key services, they will keep the Living Wage requirement in their procurement rules.”

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Release: Govt procurement plan cuts wages and trashes the environment

LiveNews Publisher

March 12, 2025

Source: New Zealand Labour Party

The Government’s new procurement rules are a blatant attack on workers and the environment, showing once again that National’s priorities are completely out of touch with everyday Kiwis.

“Nicola Willis is so desperate to have their failing policies work that they are selling working Kiwis and the environment down the river. The Government’s procurement announcement shows their priorities: they want to cut wages while making it easier to ignore environmental standards,” Labour finance and economy spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said.

“Labour stands for jobs, health, and homes—that means fair pay, strong public services, and a future where working people aren’t left behind. Removing the living wage requirement just proves National doesn’t care about working Kiwis.

“At a time when we should be tackling climate change, this Government is also choosing to gut basic sustainability measures. The Government should be leading by example, not falling behind the rest of the world,” Barbara Edmonds said.

“No one working full-time should be struggling to put food on the table, but that’s exactly what National is enabling by scrapping living wage requirements. All workers, whether you’re a cleaner, a caterer, or a security guard, deserve better,” Labour workplace relations spokesperson Jan Tinetti said.

“Removing the living wage requirement proves National doesn’t care about the people who keep our schools, hospitals, and public buildings running. That’s not ‘growth,’ it’s a slap in the face to working Kiwis,” Jan Tinetti said.

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Update in Grey Lynn appeal

LiveNews Publisher

March 12, 2025

Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

Police can provide an update in the investigation into an indecent assault aboard a bus in Grey Lynn this morning.

We acknowledge the public for a very swift response to our appeal this afternoon.

Police have received further information which is assisting Auckland City Crime Squad’s enquiries.

Police are no longer seeking information on this man’s identity.

We would encourage anyone else who witnessed this morning’s incident to contact us to assist with enquiries.

You can update Police online now or call 105 using the reference number 250312/9531.

Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

ENDS.

Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

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Survey results show continued high levels of trust and confidence in Police

LiveNews Publisher

March 12, 2025

Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

New Zealand Police is pleased to see an increase in trust and confidence in the latest results from the Police component of the annual Ministry of Justice New Zealand Crime and Victims Survey (NZCVS).

The Police Module, which measures the public’s perceptions, experiences, and views about New Zealand Police, saw public trust and confidence in Police rise from 67% to 69% between October 2023 and October 2024.

Acting Deputy Commissioner Mike Pannett says building and maintaining high trust and confidence within our communities is a priority for New Zealand Police, and it is encouraging to see the numbers trending in the right direction.

Some of the other highlights from the Police Module findings include:

83% of the public believe New Zealand Police conduct their duties professionally
74% of respondents said they were either satisfied or very satisfied with the service they received when they contacted Police
The proportion of people with no trust and confidence in Police dropped from 3% to 2% – the lowest it has been since the creation of the Police Module.

“These numbers are the direct result of the hard work our staff put in everyday when dealing with victims of crime,” Acting Deputy Commissioner Pannett says.

“They are dedicated and committed to preventing, investigating, and resolving crime across the country.

“While these results are encouraging, we know there is more work to do.

“We would like to see these numbers continue to increase as we want to have the trust and confidence of all New Zealanders.

“This survey has also given us sufficient data to assess areas where we need to continue to improve.

“One such area is looking at our visibility and deployment, with 58% of respondents agreeing or strongly agreeing that we have a suitable presence in their community. We would like to see that number increase.

“Police are continuing to work hard to recruit an additional 500 officers as part of the Government’s commitment to increase overall officer numbers, and these additional staff will make a difference in deterring crime, enforcing the law, and increasing feelings of public safety.

“We have extremely high standards for our organisation and every one of the 15,000 people in it.

“Overall, our other trust and confidence performance indicators within the Police Module saw positive movement in areas of Police focus, such as response to serious crimes.”

The NZCVS and Police Module provide a credible source of information that can shape and direct future decisions within New Zealand Police, with the intention of building greater trust and confidence in communities.

The NZCVS was introduced in 2018 and aims to survey 7000 New Zealanders. The total number of responses for this round was 7705.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

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INVESTMENT SUMMIT: Next steps to increase investment

LiveNews Publisher

March 12, 2025

Source: New Zealand Government

The Government has decided on the next steps to establish Invest New Zealand (Invest NZ) including its scope and mandate to drive a significant increase in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to New Zealand, Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay announced today.

“Cabinet has directed Invest NZ to provide the certainty international investors need and accelerate international investment into New Zealand to turbo charge growth, and create jobs,” Mr McClay says.

“To deliver economic growth through high-value investment, Invest NZ will be mandated to leverage New Zealand’s competitive advantage, and attract investment to boost businesses and industry.

“Invest NZ will be a one stop shop and a problem solver. If it’s good for New Zealand, and good for New Zealander’s, we will be saying yes to investment.”

Core responsibilities include:

Attracting FDI to drive economic growth, create high-paying jobs, and enhance New Zealand’s global competitiveness.
Encouraging multinational corporations (MNCs) to establish operations and conduct research and development (R&D) in New Zealand.
Streamlining investor engagement, to help businesses navigate regulatory and commercial landscapes while working closely with existing infrastructure investment bodies, such as National Infrastructure Funding and Financing Limited (NIFF).
Facilitating collaboration between global investors, multinational corporations, New Zealand businesses, and research institutions.
Providing expert insights to support government policy decisions that enhance New Zealand’s investment climate.

“To deliver these outcomes for the business community, Invest NZ will require a strong performance and renumeration system that recognises achievement,” Mr McClay says.

“We will look to attract the best and brightest from New Zealand and around the world, borrowing the skills, experience, and contacts from the private sector.

“We will shortly commence the process to recruit a highly skilled investment specialist with international experience as the Chief Executive, and are working toward the establishment of an executive board.

“By attracting global companies we can grow the economy, provide more opportunities and create more jobs,” Mr McClay says.

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Permanent works underway to repair an underslip at Devil’s Corner on SH2

LiveNews Publisher

March 12, 2025

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

More than 500 truckloads of earth have been removed from the largest recovery site at Devil’s Elbow, as work onsite progresses.

This recovery site, known as Devil’s Corner, on State Highway 2 north of Napier, is the final project underway in the 5km Devil’s Elbow area, following extensive damage caused to the road during Cyclone Gabrielle.

A 40 metre long and 10 metre high slip closed the southbound lane and work is underway to repair this large and challenging underslip.

Transport Rebuild East Coast (TREC) alliance crews, on behalf of NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA), are working with local contractors to restore access through the site.

It’s one of the last single lane stretches remaining between Napier and Wairoa.

Crews have completed the 120m long temporary works which will support the state highway and hillside before permanent works are undertaken. This work involved drilling 633 nails through over 4km of drilling and excavating 500 truckloads of material.

TREC project manager Richard Bayley says this is the largest, and last recovery project in the Devil’s Elbow section.

“This is a complex site where access to the bottom of the gorge has proved extremely challenging due to the constraints of the site. The team has done a great job with stabilising and supporting the road and hillside ready for the next stage of works.”

The next stage, the permanent works, started last week. Construction will involve piling and soil anchoring in readiness for a new 12 metre high retaining wall.

There will be 32 nine metre long piles to support the wall and 57 fifteen metre long soil anchors to strengthen it. More than 5,500m3 of aggregate will be used to construct the retaining wall.

“This site has been down to one lane since the underslip damaged the highway but the majority of the construction is off the road, which helps to keep traffic moving through. Once this site is complete later this year, the whole 5km section of Devil’s Elbow will be restored back to two lanes”, says Mr Bayley.

This timelapse video shows this first stage of works which started in November 2024 and finished last week:

[embedded content]

Work continues at three other sites in the upper section at Devil’s Elbow – Projects H, J and R (see map below) and short-term work (approximately 4 weeks) will be undertaken at night at Project O from April.

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EIT student’s passion for wine takes her to Italy on Bragato Exchange | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

LiveNews Publisher

March 12, 2025

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

6 minutes ago

Elise Williams love for wine science is taking her beyond the vineyards of Hawke’s Bay and into the heart of Italy, thanks to the prestigious Wine-Searcher Bragato Exchange Scholarship.

The 23-year-old is in her final year of the Bachelor of Viticulture and Wine Science at EIT and found out about her selection for the scholarship following an intensive application and interview process.

EIT Bachelor of Viticulture and Wine Science student Elise Williams has been awarded the prestigious Wine-Searcher Bragato Exchange Scholarship.

“It’s hard to put into words exactly what this means to me,” she says. “This will be my first time travelling overseas, so the opportunity to experience a new culture while learning about wine is incredible. I just couldn’t pass up the chance to go to Italy and be immersed in the industry there.”

Her curiosity in wine initially developed from an unexpected place—a wine tasting experience during a superyacht crewing course in Nelson.

“I quickly realised that boats weren’t for me—seasickness is no fun! But that tasting stuck with me. When I moved to Hawke’s Bay, I saw an opportunity to explore the wine industry, and I haven’t looked back since.”

Originally from Wellington, Elise moved to Hawke’s Bay with her mum after the Covid-19 pandemic. With her grandmother living in the region, she had always considered it her ‘second home’.

In 2021, she completed the NZ Certificate in Cellar Operations (Level 3) at EIT, which set the foundation for her journey into the wine industry, leading her to pursue further studies.

“I kind of fell into this industry, but once I started working my first harvest, I knew this was what I wanted to do. The work is constantly changing, and you’re always problem-solving. It’s so rewarding.”

Throughout her time at EIT, Elise says she has gained valuable hands-on experience, including working vintages in wineries and obtaining her forklift licence.

“Getting my forklift licence was really useful,” she said. “I was also lucky to work for a winery that gave me a lot of training, which not every student gets.”

Her skills were put to good use in 2023 when Cyclone Gabrielle hit the region. With winery work on hold due to the devastation, Elise stepped up as a volunteer, using her forklift licence to assist at the showgrounds, moving pallets of supplies to help those in need.

“It was something I felt needed to be done. People needed supplies, and I could do my part to help keep things moving. It was incredible to see the community come together.”

Her winemaking achievements have also been impressive. In 2023, she was awarded the Richard Vuletich Memorial Trophy and received a silver medal for her Chardonnay at the EIT Wine Show.

“That was a really special moment. Making my own wine and seeing it recognised reinforced that I was on the right path. Wine is such an incredible mix of art and science, and that’s what makes it so exciting.”

As part of the Wine-Searcher Bragato Exchange, Elise will be hosted by Padua University and welcomed by Italian wine families who have previously participated in the programme. She will gain insights into Italy’s wine industry, meet key figures in the field, and explore some of the country’s most prestigious wineries.

“I’m so excited to meet people who are passionate about wine and see how things are done in a different part of the world. I want to take in as much as I can and bring that knowledge back with me.”

Upon her return to New Zealand in August, Elise will host an Italian scholar in Hawke’s Bay before travelling to Christchurch, where they will attend New Zealand Winegrower events together.

Looking ahead, Elise envisions a future in winemaking, with aspirations of working her way up to an assistant winemaker and, eventually, a head winemaker role.

“The wine industry is so dynamic; no two days are the same. I love the problem-solving and hands-on aspects of it,” she says. “I’ll start off with more vintage experiences and hopefully work my way up to assistant winemaker and beyond.”

Reflecting on her journey so far, Elise expressed immense gratitude for the opportunities she has had.

“I’m so thankful to the people who have organised this exchange and to EIT for providing such a strong foundation. I can’t wait to take this next step. This is something I’ve wanted for a long time, and now it’s actually happening. It still feels a little unreal!”

Head of School Viticulture and Wine Science Sue Blackmore said they are excited that this exchange will continue to provide EIT graduates with a unique life changing opportunity.

“The exchange enables the building of invaluable connections, as well as the opportunity to be hosted by the University of Padua and by ex-exchange scholars in different parts of Italy. We are extremely thankful to our long-term sponsors and the main sponsor, Wine-Searcher, who are ensuring the longevity of this valuable exchange that commemorates its founder, Kevyn Moore.”

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