NZ Engine

Source: Secondary teachers question rationale for changes to relationship education guidelines

Make the most of the King’s Birthday weekend holiday on 2 June by having a right royal good time around Auckland. But spending the day living a life fit for a king doesn’t mean riding in gilded carriages, cutting ribbons or waving from a balcony – King Charles III has a wide range of interests, from beekeeping to the theatre. You can enjoy the King’s favourite hobbies in many locations around Auckland.

1. Brush up on your art

King Charles III has had an interest in watercolour painting since his days at boarding school. He’s also been a keen gardener since a young age, and he and his sister Princess Anne had a small vege patch at Buckingham Palace. You can combine both of these hobbies by visiting the Botanical Art Worldwide 2025 exhibition at Auckland Botanic Gardens.

King Charles, pictured painting in Switzerland in 1994, prefers to paint his watercolours en plein air (in the open air) as he finds the experience relaxing.

New Zealand is one of many countries taking part in a global exhibition highlighting botanical art, plants and their importance to humanity. Each participating country is holding their own exhibition featuring art from their region, and New Zealand’s display, titled Our Plants – Past, Present and Future / O Tātou Tipu o Mua – o Ināianei me te Āpōpō, includes 40 stunning works. There’s also a screen showing digital images of the artworks from the international exhibitions.

While you’re at the Auckland Botanic Gardens, you might be inspired to take in your surroundings and paint outdoors en plein air, which is King Charles’ favourite way to paint. If you’d like to hone your craft further, consider a painting or watercolour class at Mairangi Arts Centre, Howick’s Uxbridge Arts and Culture or the Botanical Art Basics with Jennifer Duval-Smith at Te Uru in Titirangi.

If you’re keen to embrace your artistic side like King Charles, Te Uru offers an array of classes where you can hone your skills.

2. Dare to be dramatic

King Charles is a long-time supporter of the performing arts, and is a patron of The Royal Ballet, the Royal Shakespeare Company and The Royal Theatrical Fund. He even took the stage himself, playing the title role in a 1965 school production of Macbeth. Other schoolboy roles for the future king include playing the Duke of Exeter in Shakespeare’s Henry V, as well as the Pirate King in the Gilbert and Sullivan musical The Pirates of Penzance.

Auckland Council supports a wide range of performing arts groups and theatre venues across the region, and there’s no shortage of shows to see in the winter season. Some upcoming shows include Bernard Shaw’s Saint Joan at Q Theatre (25 June-5 July), a choose-what-you-pay performance of Snart at Basement Theatre (3-7 June), and The Play That Goes Wrong (14 May-1 Jun) and William Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet (15 Jul-9 Aug 2025) at ASB Waterfront Theatre. If you prefer the drama of the opera, NZ Opera’s La bohème is playing at Aotea Centre’s Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre (29 May-6 June). Or if you’ve ever considered taking the stage yourself, why not try an acting class at Howick Little Theatre or TAPAC?

Opera singer Benson Wilson is performing in NZ Opera’s La bohème.

3. Bee kind to pollinators

Queens rule the beehive, and King Charles loves bees – he’s been known to sweeten his tea with a spoonful of honey harvested from the hives at Highgrove House. There are also hives at Buckingham Palace and Clarence House, and honey from each estate has the distinctive taste of the flowers and trees in each garden.

King Charles, seen here looking at a beehive at Meanwood Valley Urban Farm in 2002, keeps hives at several of his estates.

Many members of the British monarchy have a connection to bees, including King Charles’ wife, Queen Camilla, who also keeps hives, and his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II. When Queen Elizabeth passed away in 2022, the royal beekeeper took part in an old tradition of draping the hive with a black ribbon.

To attract wild bees into your garden, why not plant your own pollinator garden? Find inspiration in the bee-friendly gardens at Howick Historical Village, the herb garden at Auckland Botanic Gardens and Auckland’s Eco-Neighbourhood community groups, many of which have workshops and share information about helping bees and other pollinators.

If you’re keen to get hands-on with beekeeping, check out the beginner beekeeper’s course at the Auckland Beekeepers’ Club, based at Gribblehirst Community Hub. Please note that all hives must be registered with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), and beekeepers should follow Animal Management Bylaws and responsible beekeeping guidelines.

4. Saddle up

King Charles was a polo player for many years and a keen horse rider for most of his life, and only recently gave up the saddle due to injuries. In fact, in many royal visits to New Zealand over the years, Charles has enjoyed his favourite horsey hobbies, even playing polo in Clevedon on a visit in 1983. While you might have to wait until spring and summer to “stomp the divots” at a polo match, there are many parks around Auckland where you can enjoy a ride.

If you wish to enjoy horse riding, one King Charles’ favourite activities, the Farm Loop trail at Duder Regional Park offers epic views of the Hauraki Gulf.

Auckland’s terrain is a far cry from the grounds of Sandringham, but there’s plenty of variety in our riding tracks – from beautiful views at Duder Regional Park to the bridle path at Tōtara Park in the heart of suburban Manurewa, to trails along the white sand beaches of Te Ārai Regional Park. Riding is permitted in these parks and many others with a free Auckland Council horse riding pass. Please note however that most locations will be closing due to wet conditions over winter. 

5. Dig in to help the planet

King Charles has been advocating for conservation and sustainable living since the 1970s, and his decades of work with environmental groups have seen him dubbed “the climate king” and “the most significant environmentalist in history”. Highgrove House’s gardens and farm are completely organic and highly sustainable and embody Charles’ environmental philosophy: that it is better to work with nature than against it. Sustainable practices at Highgrove include chemical-free pest control using predatory insects, recycling of waste materials, rainwater harvesting, solar power, composting, free-range chickens, wildflower meadows and restoring native species.

King Charles has been dubbed “the climate king” due to his strong interest in environmentalism. He is pictured here planting a tree at Highgrove House in 2008.

If you’re feeling inspired and want practical ideas for living a greener life here in Tāmaki Makaurau, head to Auckland Council’s Live Lightly website, where there is a wealth of information on sustainable transport, healthy eating, energy-efficient home solutions, carbon-conscious shopping ideas and growing your own food.

Spread your efforts beyond your own backyard by getting involved in Auckland’s biodiversity and conservation projects to protect native species through Auckland Council’s Friends of Parks programme. Many local and regional parks regularly hold working bees and tree planting days to provide habitat for wildlife and replenish the whenua.

Source: New Zealand Police

Gore Police are following positive lines of enquiry in the investigation of a suspicious house fire in Waikaia.

On Wednesday 21 February 2024, emergency services were alerted to a house fire on Elswick Street just after midnight.

Thankfully there were no injuries, however the house and two vehicles on the property sustained extensive damage in the incident.

Detective Sergeant Brian McKinney says Police are determined to hold the person responsible accountable, and while an offender has not been located at this stage, we’re making progress to an arrest.

“There are positive leads in our investigation that we are looking into, however we continue to appeal to the public for any information they have on this incident.”

Police appreciates this arson was some time ago, however any information provided by the public could be pivotal to the investigation.

“We know there are people out there who may know something about this house fire, and we would like them to get in touch.”

“If you know anything, we encourage you to come forward and speak to us.”

Anyone with information can get in touch with Police online through 105.police.govt.nz, clicking “Update Report” or by calling 105.

Please use the reference number 240222/8704.

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

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

Source: Statistics New Zealand

Local authority financial statistics: Year ended June 2024 – 26 May 2025 – Local authority financial statistics provide information on the annual performance of core non-trading activities of all New Zealand’s territorial and regional councils.

Data quality
The Local Authority Census for the June 2024 year did not achieve full coverage. Historically, the legal requirements to provide financial data to Stats NZ, and the Local Government Act, have meant that Local Authority Census returns and annual reports have been available for all units.

For the two units with unavailable data for the 2024 year, imputed values were derived using information from the respective published annual plans for the 2023/2024 period.

Files:

Source: University of Auckland (UoA)

Savvy media interaction can shape the perception and success of community-led health initiatives, particularly for Māori and Pacific people, according to a recent study.

Organisations working to assist Indigenous and diverse communities should take control of their narrative in the news rather than reacting to media coverage, according to research led by University of Auckland senior marketing lecturer Dr Sandra Smith.

Published in Pacific Health Dialog, a journal dedicated to health issues in the Pacific region, the paper is connected to a larger post-doctoral research project led by co-author, Dr Fa’asisila Savila (Pacific Health) and funded by the Health Research Council.

It examines how Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest community-based fitness and well-being organisation, Brown Buttabean Motivation (BBM), the brainchild of former professional boxer Dave Letele, navigated media narratives before and during the pandemic.

Smith and colleagues examined how Māori and Pacific communities were framed in the media when referencing the health programme, whether those narratives aligned with, enhanced or competed against the organisation’s message, and how the personal brand of Letele and Brown Buttabean Motivation evolved.

By using Māori and Pacific research methodologies and analysing more than 100 media articles and interviews, the study found that although media narratives reinforced some negative tropes, such as an emphasis on Māori and Pacific people experiencing higher prevalence of obesity than national averages, Letele’s reputation and positive public persona allowed him to shape media narratives.

“Letele was proactive in reaching out to journalists and editors, and ensuring that the community’s story was told accurately,” says Smith. ”This level of engagement is valuable for Māori and Pacific led organisations, who can sometimes struggle to have their voices heard and accurately represented in the mainstream media.”

The fact that the media accurately represented the organisation, its activities and its philosophy, without a specific spin or bias, and with only limited evidence of negative media framing, contrasts with the negative stereotypes frequently encountered in the representation of Māori and Pacific people in the mass media, says Smith.

“This is likely due to Dave Letele’s ability to influence the coverage proactively, to a greater extent than would usually occur between community agencies and the press,” she says.

“Māori and Pacific people face significant health inequities, often exacerbated by media framing that places the burden of health on individuals rather than that of government or society.”

The findings also show how the health and fitness organisation adapted and changed during the pandemic, shifting to supporting people by providing food and online classes and linking members with important information and services.
 
“It became an extension of whānau and a safe space where support could be provided to members in need. This finding echoes the notion that Māori and Pacific people are likely to seek help from family and community rather than from formal health providers.”
 
Smith and her fellow researchers hope the study will inspire other community-based groups and charities to take a more active role in their media engagement and say media outlets should be mindful of the impact their reporting can have on such groups.
 
“Dave Letele’s ability to engage with the media and shape the discourse around Brown Buttabean Motivation is a game-changer,” she says. “It’s a powerful example of how Indigenous and diverse communities can positively influence public perception and knowledge of their activities and offerings.”

The study’s multidisciplinary authorial team also consists of Dr Truely Harding (Te Kupenga Hauora Māori), Professor Karen Fernandez (Marketing), Professor Felicity Goodyear-Smith (General Practice and Primary Healthcare), Professor Warwick Bagg (Medical and Health Sciences) and Professor Boyd Swinburn (Epidemiology and Biostatistics).

Source: Secondary teachers question rationale for changes to relationship education guidelines

A recent bird survey along the south Kaipara Peninsula including Pāpakanui, Muriwai, Bethells, Piha, and the east coast’s Tāwharanui Peninsula has revealed a sobering result for the New Zealand pipit, or pihoihoi. Despite the area’s seemingly good dune habitat, just four solitary pipits were detected across the surveyed areas, and human activities like illegal four-wheel driving play a part in the decline, along with predation from rats and feral cats.

Native pipit on beach.

The survey, undertaken by Auckland Council’s environmental services team, aimed to help identify sites that could support the known pipit strongholds of Te Arai and Whatipu to guide conservation efforts. However, what the findings highlight is a worrying trend that mirrors broader declines in this native coastal bird species.

Chair of the Policy and Planning Committee Councillor Richard Hills expressed his concern over the findings.

“The decline of the pipit isn’t just a biodiversity issue; it’s a signal that our ecosystems are under stress.

“The results of this initial survey reinforce the need for targeted conservation efforts, including predator control and habitat protection, to ensure these once common birds don’t vanish from our landscapes,” says Councillor Hills.

Auckland Council Regional Advisor Biodiversity, Jacinda Woolly, says the survey team anticipated finding at least a small population in duneland habitats.

“The dunes of the south Kaipara Peninsula provide open spaces and low vegetation that should be perfect for pipits. But predators, such as rats, mustelids, and feral cats, are likely a significant factor in their absence. Human activities like illegal four-wheel driving through these dune areas are also disturbing and damaging their habitats.”

The survey results also point to the success of predator eradication programmes elsewhere. On Campbell and Antipodes Islands, pipit populations flourished following the removal of introduced rats and mice. This connection highlights the importance of addressing predation on the mainland.

Intensified land use, habitat loss, introduced mammalian predators, and the effects of climate change are all adding pressure to this already vulnerable bird.

While the pipit’s plight is disheartening, there is a silver lining. The council plans to extend its surveys to other known pipit habitats in the region, seeking a clearer picture of their status and how best to manage conservation efforts.

The pipit concealed among dune grasses.

“These surveys remind us of the urgent need to act,” says Councillor Hills.

“Protecting our native species is a shared responsibility, and these birds are worth every effort.”

The council encourages the public to report sightings of pipits through citizen science platforms such as iNaturalist and eBird. People can help protect the species by staying out of protected dune areas, following relevant dog rules in these sensitive spaces, and consider volunteering for a dune planting day or with local pest-control projects.

Source:

“As of today, it’s a going to be a lot harder to exploit the benefit system,” says ACT Leader David Seymour.

“Today marks the launch of new benefit sanctions, including electronic money management. This has been an ACT policy since 2017, and in 2023 National agreed to include it in our coalition agreement. It means MSD can place half of a non-compliant beneficiary’s payment onto a card for essentials like groceries and health needs.

“Taxpayers don’t fund benefits to be spent on alcohol or entertainment. So, we’re taking steps to ensure benefits are used responsibly, prioritising families and children while promoting accountability.

“The sanction also works as an incentive to find employment. If you don’t like the sound of having your benefit payments managed, then you’ll need to put the work in. Apply for jobs, show up for interviews, attend exployment expos. If you can work, you should work.

“Too many New Zealanders have treated welfare as a lifestyle, not a safety net. We fund the job seekers benefit as a temporary safety net for people who find themselves out of work. It was never intended to be a long-term income stream for people who refuse to take basic steps to support themselves.”