POPULARITY
Life isn't fair. It's one of the first lessons you learn. And it's not fair when you find yourself, or more accurately your home, right smack in the middle of a vital piece of infrastructure. There's been so many cases around the country over a long period of time, but more recently you had the buyout of houses after the Canterbury quakes. Technically the buyouts of more than 8,000 properties were structured as voluntary offers. However, many residents felt forced to accept because the Government explicitly stated that essential infrastructure and council services would cease in those zones. They would be no more. They'd be living in a literal no man's land. You had the buyout of 160 odd homes for the Waterview Tunnel. We've had 50 odd homes in Ranui in West Auckland bought by the council to make way for new floodplains and to uncover a buried piped stream. So if your house happened to be right over the top of that stream, you were gone. Now we have the buyout of homes in Grey Lynn in Auckland for the Northwest Busway project. Some of the residents in the suburb of Grey Lynn have lived in their homes for more than 50 years, but the bus needs to get through. The Northwest Busway project will give the growing population of West Auckland a valuable public transport option. When completed, it will be able to carry 9,000 passengers per hour either way. There's just the matter of the people living on the land that's needed for the expansion of the motorway. About 20 of the properties have already been purchased at a cost of $40 million, which seems about right for that part of Grey Lynn and should still buy you a house in this market in the area of similar quality and standard of renovation if that's where you want to live. Negotiations will take place over the coming years for the remainder of the busway project as it progresses. And it might be tough for the residents, but at least the Government's learned lessons from the past. Remember Raglan Golf Club? You might not, but the Crown originally seized the 63-acre coastal site for a Second World War wartime military airfield. Turns out it wasn't needed. But instead of giving the land back when the war was over, instead of returning it to its Tainui owners, the Government leased it to the Raglan County Council, who turned the land into a golf course. Local Māori were evicted and expansion plans for the golf course encroached upon Māori sacred sites and burial grounds. When Māori objected and started to protest on the golf course, the council said, “Oh, all right then, well we'll sell it back to you." And Māori said, the Tainui said, “I don't think so. You didn't pay for it in the first place. You took it off us because you said it was absolutely needed for the defence of the country, and then you didn't give it back." I mean, imagine if the Crown just said, “Right, well we need this for the busway, bugger off." You know, at least they've learned the error of their ways. Eventually the golf course was returned to Tainui, the rightful owners. So at least we're not living in those grim times. There seems to be an understanding that a home is more than land and a house. And the neighbourhood buyouts are always complicated by differences of opinion. We saw that in Canterbury, we saw that in Ranui, we're seeing it now in Grey Lynn. There are pragmatists, some are even sanguine about it, seeing it as a new opportunity. You know, it has to happen, it's got to happen, well, you know. Others want to chain themselves to trees – “over my dead body," they're saying, will the NZTA take their home. And in that same area roughly, a supermarket was buying up land for its brand new supermarket. One holdout who wanted something absurd for his run down little home. I mean it's his castle, but he was wanting an absurd amount, so they just built round him. All right then, stuff you, we'll build round you. But what options do you have if you have been there and done that? There'd be plenty of people who have had NZTA come knocking on their door, especially with the highways between Auckland and Cambridge, between Auckland and the Brynderwyns really, and there's still more looking to develop that. Residents of Canterbury, you know, what options do you have? Have you been treated fairly? I mean, just looking at the prices that they're paying for the Grey Lynn residents of that part of Grey Lynn, that's market rates, which is fair enough. You don't want, I suppose you do if you're the owner, but as the taxpayer, you don't want the former administration going in with an open chequebook saying, “No, name your figure. No, that's too low. Let's give you more." You would want to see market rates being paid, a fair market rate being paid, so if people want to stay in the area they can, if they want to move on elsewhere, they can do that too. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The way the Government acquires land under the Public Works Act is being labelled unfair. Grey Lynn locals are the latest to deal with their land potentially being bought for a major Auckland busway. The Transport Agency plans to build the 18 kilometre Northwest Busway, to link the CBD with the city's western suburbs. It will soon be acquiring half of the homes on Ivanhoe Road, to tear them down for the multi-billion dollar project. Lawyer Adina Thorn told Kerre Woodham the projects can take 10, 15 years to eventuate, which means the people who own the designated land are stuck in never-never land. She says their property has been completely devalued through no fault of their own, and you're also stuck in the politics of the day – unsure whether the project will go ahead or not. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Keeping stray cats around could be the answer to eradicating Auckland's rat problem. Residents in Ponsonby, Grey Lynn and Westmere are reporting a sharp increase in rodents - sharing concerns on social media. New Zealand Cat Foundation founder Anne Batley joined the Afternoons team to explain further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
One expert has offered his insights into why there's a growing rat problem impacting Aucklanders. Residents of Ponsonby, Grey Lynn and Westmere have noticed a significant rise in rodent numbers around their homes, and they've taken their concerns to social media. Pest control expert Craig says environmental changes and urbanisation has lead to the rats adapting to the situation. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
I love an Anzac biscuit so much and this slice combines all the flavours of them with another Kiwi favourite, condensed milk! Thanks to Ripe Deli in Grey Lynn for the inspiration for this. Makes 20-24 pieces Ingredients Base 1½ cups rolled oats ¾ cups coconut ¾ cups plain flour ¼ cup sesame seeds 1½ tsp baking powder Pinch baking soda 150g butter ¾ cups brown sugar 2 tbsp. golden syrup Topping 1 x 395g sweetened condensed milk ½ cup brown sugar 100g butter 3 tbsp. golden syrup 1/3 cup walnut pieces Method Preheat your oven to 180C. Line a swiss roll tin with baking paper. Mix the dry ingredients of the base in a large bowl. Melt the butter, sugar, and golden syrup, and add to the dry ingredients. Mix well to combine. With wet hands, press all but half a cup of the mix into the tray in an even layer. Bake for 15 minutes. Make the topping while the base cooks. Heat all the ingredients except the walnuts in a saucepan and stir while it bubbles for about 10 minutes. Pour over the cooked base, sprinkle over the walnuts and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until top is browned and caramelised around the edges. Cool completely before slicing. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
For Fancy New Band today Huia was joined by Grey Lynn based rapper, Joe Foley who was showcasing his current project 'Sophisticated Sarcasm' to which the name says it all, he's able to blend well thought out lyricism, cheeky remarks and still pull a strong sense of vulnerability and honesty to his art. Brought to you by NZ On Air !
For Fancy New Band today Huia was joined by Grey Lynn based rapper, Joe Foley who was showcasing his current project 'Sophisticated Sarcasm' to which the name says it all, he's able to blend well thought out lyricism, cheeky remarks and still pull a strong sense of vulnerability and honesty to his art. Brought to you by NZ On Air !
A 1pm presser and Covid‑style alert levels. This fuel price spike is bringing back bad memories from those dark days of lockdown. But a few facts help put things in perspective. There are a lot of scenarios and best guesses floating around, but the reality is we're not yet short on fuel. That's at least weeks away, we're told. The economy is in recovery, and even the worst‑case scenarios still have us growing at a little under 3% — about half a percent off pre‑war predictions. The other big difference is the response. Interest rates, even if inflation hits the high 3s, aren't expected to shoot up dramatically or immediately, because demand falls as people put less petrol in the Honda. If you live rurally, or don't have a Grey Lynn tractor — a.k.a. a Tesla — the price of fuel will sting. But it won't cause the sort of catastrophic, long‑term damage that lockdowns and Covid supply disruptions did.Nicola Willis, who fronted yesterday's 1pm media event, made it pretty clear that excise cuts and other expensive relief (think cost‑of‑living payments) aren't off the table — but they're not top of the list either. This government is a different beast from the one that came before it. They've learned the lesson — one we're currently paying for — about splashing the cash to stay popular. They've resisted demands for stimulus despite two bitter years of recession. Spending big when inflation is about to spike would completely undermine their political credibility. Which means that when something bad happens — which it is, or is about to — we'll feel the effects in real time. And that's no bad thing.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Official Cash Rate has been left unchanged, 2.25%, expected by all the commentators, but perhaps less expected was a dovish view of the future. It was the new Reserve Bank Governor's, well she's not that new I suppose, the newish Reserve Bank Governor's first OCR review, having come on board at the end of '25. She is pretty optimistic about the economy. She said it will continue to recover, but she understands that many households are not feeling it yet. Must be rather annoying being told, no, everything's fine, everything's turning around, everything's great, while you're looking down the back of the couch for coins to get the kids' school lunches. But there are great numbers coming out of our primary industry sector and thank God for you. Just take a moment on your tractor, in your shed, on the motorbike, in the fields, just take a little moment to have a big deep breath and consider yourself congratulated and thanked. Kiwifruit, dairy, sheep, beef, yet again that sector, our primary industry sector, is doing the heavy lifting to keep the engine of the economy running. How many times? And we should point out, you were doing it with one hand and one leg tied behind your back for much of the past decade. So thank you again for keeping us going, producing stuff that the rest of the world wants. However, we can't depend on you, we shouldn't be as reliant upon you as we all are. Trends change, markets change, you know, all of a sudden, the world will decide that, oh I don't know, refined sugar is the way to go, not protein, and all of a sudden, the world will change. Unlikely to go for refined sugar, but you know what I mean. You're also vulnerable to climate, you know, a good season needs good weather. You're vulnerable to external markets. To a certain extent you are not the author of your own fortune, you are very dependent on outside and external sources. And if you're dependent on that, so too are we. We need to find other strands, other sectors to build up. You know, technology would be ideal and we've made some great marks in that, bioscience, fantastic, but not houses. Let's not look at an unproductive sector of the economy to provide us with wealth again. House prices have come back a little in the North Island, Auckland's average asking price is once again over a million dollars, and you should see the tat you get for that. That's up 9% from December. Tale of two islands: Christchurch, Queenstown, Otago, Southland, all seen significant increases in prices. But the “drop in value” has seen a drop in confidence. Reserve Bank's Paul Conway says the reduced prominence of the wealth effect from higher house prices is a risk to the economic recovery. It's a big change, he says, for the New Zealand economy to not have that increase in house prices as a kicker to aggregate demand. He says there may well have been structural changes in the housing market that means an increase in demand for housing no longer equates with higher house prices. And it's true, for a couple of decades Kiwi property owners have been living off the wealth of their main asset. There were astronomical rises in the value of homes around the country and people felt wealthy and spent like they were wealthy. A chronic undersupply of homes, high migration, low interest rates saw huge rises in the value of homes around the country and so people spent like they were rich. All of a sudden, a home became far more than a place you lived in, it was an asset with equity which you could use to springboard yourself into wealth, as so many of the ads that we ran on this station told you. People spent like drunken sailors and the economy boomed. Fast track to the post Covid slump and people have seen their house prices drop – in some horrible cases they owe more on their house than they can sell it for. And as Paul Conway says, there may well have been structural changes to the housing market. High prices for the essentials means there's less disposable income in households and if one of you has been made redundant, it has been a tough few years. We've lost our groove. But as Reserve Bank Governor Dr. Anne Bremen told Mike Hosking this morning, there's enormous potential in the New Zealand economy and there are reasons to be optimistic. “I think it's a great economy. I think New Zealanders are underestimating actually the potential going forward in the New Zealand economy. We're already seeing some sectors doing really well, agriculture, manufacturing is starting going, and I do expect this to broaden in this year. So I'm very positive. We actually think there's quite a lot of what we call spare capacity in the economy, so we think that the economy can grow at a higher pace without causing so much inflationary pressure because there is still high unemployment, firms can increase, you know, manufacturing without having, they're starting to invest actually, which is also really good to see. So we do think there is spare capacity. And I know people, there is a lot of good potential in this economy. People should be a bit more optimistic.” There you go. So many people are telling us to be optimistic. We must be optimistic. We're all going to be optimistic, we're going to stay after class until we're all optimistic. Okay, I mean, a little bit hard when you've got the, you know, the infrastructure plan coming out yesterday which said that pretty much we need so much and we can't afford it. But there is room to grow in the economy as Dr. Bremen said, and as people know. But if you're not feeling it, you're not going to be spending. Back in the day when we were using our houses as ATMs, I mean I was one of them, we bought a house in Grey Lynn because it was the only place we could afford. I think it was about $250,000 —might have been closer to $300,000— which seemed a fortune at the time, but then the house price just went up and up and up so you could afford to do the renos. We could take it from an uninsulated place where the floorboards were open to the bare dirt floor underneath, as it had been since 1890. You could do the renos, you could do the landscaping of the garden, you were spending and New Zealand businesses were the ones who benefited from that. So if you're not doing that, where are the sustainable businesses going to get their work? If people don't feel confident enough about improving their homes or, you know, using the money that they've built up in their homes, how do you replace that quite significant chunk of money go round? Do you feel confident? Do you feel optimistic? Can you see light at the end of the tunnel? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
First of all, can I start by offering an apology to TVNZ? I gave them a bit of grief last night for starting the news bulletin with the peaches, but it turns out I was wrong and they were right. This has sparked a flurry of debate over whether we prefer our Wattie's peaches from Hawke's Bay or whether we don't really care if it comes from China or not. It's also prompted a statement from Wattie's asking us to support local growers. In other words, can we please buy New Zealand made? Now, that is a very nice sentiment, but let's be honest, that's all it is. It is a sentiment and it's not going to work. I mean, this is me, this is not me being cavalier about how hard this must be for the Hawke's Bay peach growers who are losing their Wattie's contracts. For them, this must be absolutely devastating and I feel terrible for them. But this is me being realistic about the prospect of any 'Buy New Zealand Made' campaign working. Wattie's New Zealand peaches, according to Pak'nSave's online store, are $3.90 a can. Pam's cheap peaches are 99 cents a can. That's a no-brainer, you're gonna buy the 99 cent can. Who is buying the $3.90 can? Grey Lynn? That makes no sense whatsoever. I mean - look, maybe if I thought about it a little bit, which I don't, but if I did, maybe I would pay 10, 20 cents, 40 cents at a push, more for a New Zealand made product. But I would not pay four times as much, it's far too expensive. And I wouldn't even do it in the first place because buying New Zealand made never works, does it? It never has. If it did, we would still be wearing Bata Bullets and buying Juliet Hogan and eating Sanitarium peanut butter. We wouldn't be reading about the closure of manufacturing businesses every other month, which today, by the way, is the Carter Holt Harvey mill in Tokoroa. I do the shopping in our house 90 percent of the time and I don't even know the provenance of the food I'm buying. I do not know where the canned food comes from, I absolutely do not know where the dried goods come from. And often, I'm not even really looking where the fresh fruit comes from. Yep, I know where the meat comes from, but that's basically a given, isn't it? It's simple economics, it always will be. And even if Wattie's has this tiny little hope that there might be a last-minute public rally for the New Zealand grown peaches, I think they already know the outcome, which is why they've already cut the contracts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
First of all, can I start by offering an apology to TVNZ? I gave them a bit of grief last night for starting the news bulletin with the peaches, but it turns out I was wrong and they were right. This has sparked a flurry of debate over whether we prefer our Wattie's peaches from Hawke's Bay or whether we don't really care if it comes from China or not. It's also prompted a statement from Wattie's asking us to support local growers. In other words, can we please buy New Zealand made? Now, that is a very nice sentiment, but let's be honest, that's all it is. It is a sentiment and it's not going to work. I mean, this is me, this is not me being cavalier about how hard this must be for the Hawke's Bay peach growers who are losing their Wattie's contracts. For them, this must be absolutely devastating and I feel terrible for them. But this is me being realistic about the prospect of any 'Buy New Zealand Made' campaign working. Wattie's New Zealand peaches, according to Pak'nSave's online store, are $3.90 a can. Pam's cheap peaches are 99 cents a can. That's a no-brainer, you're gonna buy the 99 cent can. Who is buying the $3.90 can? Grey Lynn? That makes no sense whatsoever. I mean - look, maybe if I thought about it a little bit, which I don't, but if I did, maybe I would pay 10, 20 cents, 40 cents at a push, more for a New Zealand made product. But I would not pay four times as much, it's far too expensive. And I wouldn't even do it in the first place because buying New Zealand made never works, does it? It never has. If it did, we would still be wearing Bata Bullets and buying Juliet Hogan and eating Sanitarium peanut butter. We wouldn't be reading about the closure of manufacturing businesses every other month, which today, by the way, is the Carter Holt Harvey mill in Tokoroa. I do the shopping in our house 90 percent of the time and I don't even know the provenance of the food I'm buying. I do not know where the canned food comes from, I absolutely do not know where the dried goods come from. And often, I'm not even really looking where the fresh fruit comes from. Yep, I know where the meat comes from, but that's basically a given, isn't it? It's simple economics, it always will be. And even if Wattie's has this tiny little hope that there might be a last-minute public rally for the New Zealand grown peaches, I think they already know the outcome, which is why they've already cut the contracts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Behind a sea of road cones, diggers and traffic chaos businesses on a busy Auckland road are crying out for help. Shop owners in the suburb of Grey Lynn say they've been struggling to stay afloat since a year long roadwork project began on Great North Road. With access often cut off and shops hidden from view one business is surviving off loans while another says times are the toughest it's been in 23 years including during Covid. They keep being told the work is about to wrap up but with multiple delays already some fear the end could be a long way off. Evie Richardson reports.
Wikipedia describes Subbuteo as a "tabletop football game in which players simulate association football by flicking miniature players with their fingers". Auckland-based artist Bob Moore transforms the miniature player models into well known pop culture figures. The launch of his exhibition Arty Little Flickers takes place in Grey Lynn tonight. Bob tells Emile what to expect.
It was a big day at Auckland Council yesterday, and I think a good day. The Policy and Planning Committee met for most of yesterday to thrash out the future of Auckland's housing, debating where and how Auckland is going plan for more homes. The council voted 18-5 to discard PC78 and notify PC120 – which basically means the 3 storey townhouses seen increasingly all over Auckland's suburbs are on the way out, and high-rises and greater intensification around key CRL stations and transport corridors are in. This is, of course, highly contentious – and where you lean in the debate may depend on what neighbourhood you live in. Residents of wealthy inner city suburbs like Mt Eden, Parnell, Herne Bay, and Grey Lynn will likely have reservations about more high-rise apartments in their neighbourhoods – citing a loss of character, loss of light, and an increased demand on infrastructure. The new plan retains 73% of the special character areas established under the 2016 Auckland unitary plan, which isn't bad The new plan is also about allowing the council to down-zone in some areas. The 2023 flooding taught us that it's well past time we stopped further housing development in areas we now know are prone to flooding and coastal erosion. This is a no brainer. It's also cheaper to build where good supporting infrastructure already exists than it is to create new housing areas where infrastructure has to be developed from scratch. In particular, given the cost of the CRL, it makes sense to have as many people living near it and benefiting from it as possible. Or as the mayor said, “There's no point in spending $6 billion on something if there's nobody on the damn thing.” Even though the council meeting voted in favour 18-5, it doesn't mean there wasn't plenty of discussion around the council table. Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson asked for conditions around high towers. She suggested tall apartments need to be set back and have communal areas and facilities. Mayor Wayne Brown supported the amendment, saying there needs to be parking and commercial activity on the lower levels, and this was incorporated into the main motion. Carparking is essential, so it's a sensible idea. Councillor Christine Fletcher didn't have quite the same luck with her amendment, which asked for greater consultation and for the plan change to be publicly notified. At present, public consultation will begin on November 3rd and close on December 19th. It's quick. Fletcher's amendment would have dragged consultation out until the middle of next year. To be honest, yesterday I thought the council would take the safe option and extend consultation, but after much debate about what Minister Chris Bishop would think about all this, the amendment was voted down 15-8. While debate was generally a bit dry, the day did come with some interesting rhetoric. Councillor Maurice Williamson thought both options were unacceptable, saying, "It's a choice between a firing squad and a lethal injection,". Rather surprisingly he voted for the plan – I'm not sure which option he considered this to be. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Christchurch-headquartered Brooksfield Homes is looking to bring a new style of townhouse to Auckland. Reports claim the company's planned eight new Pt Chevalier homes on two sites, with a projected end valuation of $11.6 million. Brooksfield Homes managing director Vincent Holloway says a lot of people want to live in similar heritage properties found in Grey Lynn or Ponsonby - but prices keep many out of reach. "People are wanting that in a home, so we aim to do that in a smaller scale in a cheaper area, basically." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Christchurch-headquartered Brooksfield Homes is looking to bring a new style of townhouse to Auckland. Reports claim the company's planned eight new Pt Chevalier homes on two sites, with a projected end valuation of $11.6 million. Brooksfield Homes managing director Vincent Holloway says a lot of people want to live in similar heritage properties found in Grey Lynn or Ponsonby - but prices keep many out of reach. "People are wanting that in a home, so we aim to do that in a smaller scale in a cheaper area, basically." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
First of all, can I start by offering an apology to TVNZ? I gave them a bit of grief last night for starting the news bulletin with the peaches, but it turns out I was wrong and they were right. This has sparked a flurry of debate over whether we prefer our Wattie's peaches from Hawke's Bay or whether we don't really care if it comes from China or not. It's also prompted a statement from Wattie's asking us to support local growers. In other words, can we please buy New Zealand made? Now, that is a very nice sentiment, but let's be honest, that's all it is. It is a sentiment and it's not going to work. I mean, this is me, this is not me being cavalier about how hard this must be for the Hawke's Bay peach growers who are losing their Wattie's contracts. For them, this must be absolutely devastating and I feel terrible for them. But this is me being realistic about the prospect of any 'Buy New Zealand Made' campaign working. Wattie's New Zealand peaches, according to Pak'nSave's online store, are $3.90 a can. Pam's cheap peaches are 99 cents a can. That's a no-brainer, you're gonna buy the 99 cent can. Who is buying the $3.90 can? Grey Lynn? That makes no sense whatsoever. I mean - look, maybe if I thought about it a little bit, which I don't, but if I did, maybe I would pay 10, 20 cents, 40 cents at a push, more for a New Zealand made product. But I would not pay four times as much, it's far too expensive. And I wouldn't even do it in the first place because buying New Zealand made never works, does it? It never has. If it did, we would still be wearing Bata Bullets and buying Juliet Hogan and eating Sanitarium peanut butter. We wouldn't be reading about the closure of manufacturing businesses every other month, which today, by the way, is the Carter Holt Harvey mill in Tokoroa. I do the shopping in our house 90 percent of the time and I don't even know the provenance of the food I'm buying. I do not know where the canned food comes from, I absolutely do not know where the dried goods come from. And often, I'm not even really looking where the fresh fruit comes from. Yep, I know where the meat comes from, but that's basically a given, isn't it? It's simple economics, it always will be. And even if Wattie's has this tiny little hope that there might be a last-minute public rally for the New Zealand grown peaches, I think they already know the outcome, which is why they've already cut the contracts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
First of all, can I start by offering an apology to TVNZ? I gave them a bit of grief last night for starting the news bulletin with the peaches, but it turns out I was wrong and they were right. This has sparked a flurry of debate over whether we prefer our Wattie's peaches from Hawke's Bay or whether we don't really care if it comes from China or not. It's also prompted a statement from Wattie's asking us to support local growers. In other words, can we please buy New Zealand made? Now, that is a very nice sentiment, but let's be honest, that's all it is. It is a sentiment and it's not going to work. I mean, this is me, this is not me being cavalier about how hard this must be for the Hawke's Bay peach growers who are losing their Wattie's contracts. For them, this must be absolutely devastating and I feel terrible for them. But this is me being realistic about the prospect of any 'Buy New Zealand Made' campaign working. Wattie's New Zealand peaches, according to Pak'nSave's online store, are $3.90 a can. Pam's cheap peaches are 99 cents a can. That's a no-brainer, you're gonna buy the 99 cent can. Who is buying the $3.90 can? Grey Lynn? That makes no sense whatsoever. I mean - look, maybe if I thought about it a little bit, which I don't, but if I did, maybe I would pay 10, 20 cents, 40 cents at a push, more for a New Zealand made product. But I would not pay four times as much, it's far too expensive. And I wouldn't even do it in the first place because buying New Zealand made never works, does it? It never has. If it did, we would still be wearing Bata Bullets and buying Juliet Hogan and eating Sanitarium peanut butter. We wouldn't be reading about the closure of manufacturing businesses every other month, which today, by the way, is the Carter Holt Harvey mill in Tokoroa. I do the shopping in our house 90 percent of the time and I don't even know the provenance of the food I'm buying. I do not know where the canned food comes from, I absolutely do not know where the dried goods come from. And often, I'm not even really looking where the fresh fruit comes from. Yep, I know where the meat comes from, but that's basically a given, isn't it? It's simple economics, it always will be. And even if Wattie's has this tiny little hope that there might be a last-minute public rally for the New Zealand grown peaches, I think they already know the outcome, which is why they've already cut the contracts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Winner of the week has got to be NZ First. In the latest Taxpayer's Union Curia poll, they are the third biggest party now, overtaking Act and the Greens. If you've been watching the polls lately that's not a surprise. This has been coming for a while. National has been up and down, Act has been pretty flat, but NZ First has just been heading up most of the year. There are a bunch of reasons for this. Winston is very statesman-like. He manages to disagree with his coalition partners without being quite as bratty as David Seymour can sometimes be. NZ First are choosing their battles. They stayed out of the pay equity kerfuffle, so they didn't cop the blowback. But mainly, it's because they're being refreshingly blunt. Shane Jones doesn't care if the lizard-lovers get upset that he wants to dig a mine where the lizards are. He just says it. Winston doesn't care if Grey Lynn and Aro Valley are offended that he wants transwomen kept out of women's sport. He just says it. He doesn't care if wool carpets into state houses is likely a bad financial decision. He got it done. This party is unashamedly appealing to a group of voters no one else really is, which is working class New Zealanders – people who see things simply and often more correctly than elites would care to imagine. It's the same thing playing out in the UK with the rise of the Reform Party. It's the same reason Trump is back in the White House. Of the three coalition parties NZ First is the only one hitting the same vein of voters. Now, we're still only talking about 10% and 10% doesn't a major party make. But it's only been headed in one direction lately, and that tells you something. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Blind Mango Chutney takes you on a journey through the jazz universe. Joining him in the studio this week is evergreen vocalist local legend Linn Lorkin, telling stories and painting colours from a whole lifetime in music—and *singing* her newest book: Linn Lorkin's Song Book, lyrics referencing life from Grey Lynn to K Rd. DJ Sassy pops in to fix microphones and deliver the Gig Guide and general sunniness. And Blind Mango continues the tribute to Frank Gibson Jr., because there's so much to play, and to others to whom the Grim Reaper has been unkind this week: Sly Stone, who needs no introduction, and trumpeter Al Foster, best known for his work with Miles Davis. The 95bFM Jazz Show is sponsored by San Ray on Ponsonby Rd, eulogised earlier by Linn Lorkin
A co-housing development group has shelled out $9 million for two neighubouring sections in Auckland's Grey Lynn, where the plan is to build thirty or more homes with shared facilities, including a communal garden. The goal of Cohaus is to build affordable sustainable housing in consultation with potential home owners, while encouraging people to be less reliant on cars and share more resources. It will be Cohaus's second Auckland development. The first was finished in 2022. Architect and project manager of the new development Thom Gill spoke to Lisa Owen.
In this track Sue Berman talks with Tania Mace about her research into early inner city Auckland neighbourhoods. Tania talks about her history research interests, her approach to documentary heritage material, her discoveries and the opportunities for research still to come. Tania's research was undertaken with the support of the Auckland Libraries Heritage Trust - John Stacpoole Scholarship and through the use of the Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections. Listen to the associated oral history clips - https://soundcloud.com/auckland-libraries/sets/lost-neighbourhoods-of Read about Tania's research findings on Heritage et AL https://heritageetal.blogspot.com/2025/05/lost-neighbourhoods-of-central-auckland.html Information about the ALHT John Stacpoole Scholarship here: https://heritageetal.blogspot.com/2025/05/auckland-library-heritage-trust-john.html Read: Tania's recent publication The near west : a history of Grey Lynn, Arch Hill and Westmere https://discover.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/search/card?id=5d618312-e8c3-5cf4-9d6f-b31a81c813f6&entityType=FormatGroup
This week Suri reviews 1985 by Dominic Hoey - a cinematic fiction set in Grey Lynn. Thanks to our friends at Time Out Bookstore!
Hosts Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot share new music they're digging that flies under the mainstream radar, buried treasures! They also hear buried treasure picks from the production staff.Join our Facebook Group: https://bit.ly/3sivr9TBecome a member on Patreon: https://bit.ly/3slWZvcSign up for our newsletter: https://bit.ly/3eEvRnGMake a donation via PayPal: https://bit.ly/3dmt9lUSend us a Voice Memo: Desktop: bit.ly/2RyD5Ah Mobile: sayhi.chat/soundops Featured Songs:Daisychain, "G-String," G-String (Single), self-released, 2025The Beatles, "With A Little Help From My Friends," Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Parlophone, 1967Obongjayar, "Not in Surrender," Paradise Now, September, 2025Sex Scenes, "Want & Need," Want & Need (Single), Big Neck, 2025TAKAAT, "Amidinin," Is Noise, Vol. 1, Purplish, 2025GoGo Penguin, "Fallowfield Loops," Necessary Fictions, XXIM, 2025Propagandhi, "At Peace," At Peace, Epitaph, 2025Jim Nothing, "Raleigh Arena," Grey Eyes, Grey Lynn, Meritorio, 2024Point Mort, "The Bent Neck Lady," The Bent Neck Lady (Single), Almost Famous, 2025Sombr, "undressed," undressed (Single), Warner, 2025Bnny, "Good Stuff," One Million Love Songs, Fire Talk, 2024Ben Kweller, "Dollar Store (feat. Waxahatchee)," Dollar Store (feat. Waxahatchee) (Single), The Noise Company, 2025Cameron Winter, "Love Takes Miles," Heavy Metal, Partisan, 2024Shishi, "Can't Stop Believing," FAQ - EP, Birthday Cake, 2025Barry Can't Swim, "Different," Different (Single), Ninja Tune, 2025Poor Creature, "The Whole Town Knows," The Whole Town Knows (Single), River Lea, 2025PyPy, "Erase," Sacred Times, Goner, 2024Daisychain, "Waste Your Time," Waste Your Time (Single), self-released, 2025Pere Ubu, "Non-Alignment Pact," The Modern Dance, Plan 9, 1978See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
1985: A Novel by Dominic Hoey. Set in Auckland in the mid 80's as the title suggests, this is the story of a young man coming of age in a dysfunctional family in Grey Lynn before it became gentrified, when the area and many of the people who lived in it were rough, not necessarily law abiding and where there seemed sometimes to be no future. Obi and his best friend Al discover a map which they believe leads to treasure, and which they hope will turn their fortunes around. The book is extremely atmospheric of the era, and took me right back. Terrific local fiction. High Heels and Gumboots by Rebecca Hayter. Rebecca is a sailor and a journalist, often combining the two things, who turned her back on Auckland and bought a property in Golden Bay, where she had grown up many years earlier. It's a story about leaving the city and discovering independence and self sufficiency, a strong community to call her own, and finding ways to come to terms with the fractious relationship she had had with her mother, who was something of a legend in the area. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A fish and chop shop in Grey Lynn is a far cry from cooking for oligarchs on superyachts and in top restaurants in Melbourne and London
Situated in the affluent Auckland suburb of Grey Lynn sits a house covered in mold inside and out, with a collapsed floor and a leaky roof. But new owner Steve Partridge says it's got good bones.
Today we are treated to a performance by singer-songwriter Jim Nothing, who is back with his second album 'Grey Eyes, Grey Lynn'
Should you be able to park in your own drive way without fear of gettting a ticket? Some residents in inner city Auckland suburbs reckon so; they've been hit with $70 fines from Auckland Transport for parking up their own drive ways or letting visitors do the same. Parking within a metre each side of a drive or up a drive but outside your property is against the rules. One resident is adament they aren't blocking the road or pavement, yet they've still being stung with tickets. Grey Lynn resident Jennifer Austin-Mannes spoke to Lisa Owen.
Grey Lynn historian Tania Mace has taken a deep dive into a well known older part of Auckland she calls home.
In the last four weeks there's been up to twice as many killings as an average month. Police say there's no need for alarm yet but they'll be closely watching whether the the increase in continues. Over the weekend two teenagers were arrested in connection to a fatal shooting in Grey Lynn. One's been charged with murder, the other as an accessory after the fact. But as Assistant police commisioner Sam Hoyle explained to Lisa Owen there's almost a dozen open cases.
Another homicide investigation is underway in Auckland, after a neighbourhood dispute turned deadly last night. Police say a man was found critically injured at a Grey Lynn address after reports of gunshots but could not be revived, three others are in hospital with gunshot wounds and need surgery. The lead detective is calling for calm and said although it's the fourth homicide in Auckland in 10 days - none appear to be linked, Amy Williams reports.
A person is believed to be dead after a shooting at a Grey Lynn house on Thursday night. Reporter Felix Walton spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.
Armed police cordoned off Tuarangi Road after the incident was reported just before 7 o'clock. Reporter Felix Walton spoke to Corin Dann.
Two of the worlds best kayakers just so happen to be siblings too. Tuva'a and Samalulu Clifton grew up in Grey Lynn, but are both members of the Samoa squad for the Paris Olympics. They chat to Jesse about their journey to the Olympics.
Judging by the list of the most popular reads on any particular website, it seems quite a few of us have now read the account of how rude the audience at the Ockham Book Awards were to the Prime Minister.According to Steve Braunias, when Luxon was welcomed onto the stage, the "applause basically sounded like one hand clapping" - and after his speech was done, the applause was even less than before. And he was apparently gently mocked in comments by the MC, our very own Jack Tame, and two authors thereafter. I'm predicting that there are going to be split opinions on this, and that the opinions will probably largely be split along voting lines. But I'm going to come to the defence of that audience, because I think it is perfectly acceptable for an audience not to applaud a politician.You don't have to. You don't have to give a round of applause to a politician if you do not agree with what they stand for. Jacinda Ardern had to live with that kind of treatment, and I'm sure many of us thought it was completely deserved. She got yelled at by farmers at Fieldays, she and a bunch of Labour politicians were bugged by protestors at pre-arranged events after the lockdowns. And that's not even to mention the stuff that apparently used to get said to her just on the street.It is bad manners, you'll have no argument from me on that one. But as long as it's not going too far, like that kid who spat at David Seymour, and it's just words or deliberate silence - I can accept some bad manners in politics. Because the decisions that are made by these people in power are actually material - they affect our lives. Sometimes really badly, think of what Jacinda's Government was doing to farmers. You could hardly expect farmers to give her a round of applause. It's the same with the Ockham's audience. The kind of people who go to book awards evenings are generally going to be the kind of people who go to dinner parties in Grey Lynn, and while drinking a bottle of $200 pinot noir, they moan about child poverty - and they can't even see the irony in that. They're hardly going to love Luxon, and they don't have to love Luxon. And they don't have to pretend to, just like you don't have to pretend to like your least favourite politician either. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
f Stop Photo Fair is a photography exhibition with stalls, activities and more. It's taking place next Saturday 27th of April at Studio One Toi Tū in Grey Lynn. The event is in collaboration with Camila Araos, representing Auckland Zinefest, and Fernanda Venegas, representing Colectivo Narval from Chile. Beth caught up with Camila and Fernanda about f Stop and all things photography.
Auckland Transport's roll out of raised pedestrian crossings may have hit a speed bump. One in the central city suburb of Grey Lynn has cost close to half a million dollars. And a dozen so called signalised crossings has cost the agency six million. Mayor Wayne Brown has reportedly accused A-T of losing the plot.. with accusation's the capital is doing the same work for way less. Joining us now is Auckland Transport CEO Dean Kimpton. [embed] https://players.brightcove.net/6093072280001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6345524069112
In Auckland there's an interesting housing development called CoHaus, and after a long development process residents finally moved in around three years ago. We catch up with one of the residents, Dr David Welch.
Grey Lynn, Auckland—All Smiles Dental—(800) 255-764—will help you achieve a straighter, more beautiful smile without the need for clunky metal braces. Learn more about this procedure at https://www.allsmilesdental.co.nz/invisalign-mt-eden-auckland/ All Smiles Dental City: Mount Eden Address: 395 Dominion Road Website https://www.allsmilesdental.co.nz/ Phone +64-800-255-764 Email info@allsmiles.co.nz
Art writer and author Megan Dunn is taking us to church. A surprising amount of art can be found on the walls and windows of Aotearoa's places of worship. Milan Mrkusich, Doreen Blumhardt, Nigel Brown and Shane Cotton are just some of the creatives whose work adorns churches. Megan's art pilgrimage takes us from Saint Joseph's in Grey Lynn, to Parnell's Trinity Cathedral, St Faiths Anglican Church in Rotorua, and an exhibition about Wellington's recently demolished First Church of Christ Scientist.
We're checking in with two innovative co-housing initiatives at separate ends of the country.
It's his "think tank" on wheels And that's why monopoly busting entrepreneur Tex Edwards is a offering a reward almost equal to the value of his stolen car that he really wants returned. The Lexus that's more than a decade and a half old was nicked from outside the 2 Degrees founders Grey Lynn home overnight Monday, and he's put up five grand for its return. Edwards says does some of his best thinking in the car which he got around the same time he launched market disrupter 2 Degrees. [embed] https://players.brightcove.net/6093072280001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6329328450112
2degrees founder Tex Edwards is offering a $5000 reward to recover his stolen Lexus. Edwards believes police have better things to do than hunt for the missing vehicle, which disappeared from outside his Grey Lynn home yesterday. He acknowledged he was lucky enough to be able to dig into his pockets and offer a reward to hopefully get the car back. "It's bad that we have crime, but on the whole, I thought the police experience was satisfactory after what happened." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
I really hate wealth taxes. I hate them even more than I hate capital gains taxes. Because at least with a capital gains tax, you have sold the asset, so you made some money and can use that money to pay the tax. With a wealth tax, you haven't sold anything. You're just getting taxed because the house you live in and the assets you own are worth enough to tax. And so you need to start paying, but you don't have any extra cash to pay that with. And sometimes what will happen is that people like retirees might have enough assets to qualify, but won't have even cash to pay the tax because they don't work anymore. So it'll be lodged as a debt against the asset they own. Isn't that nuts? You haven't done anything, you haven't earned anything, and you haven't made anything. You're just getting taxed because you have something. There is nothing more ‘politics of envy' than a wealth tax. I can guarantee you the end result of a wealth tax- if the Greens get a chance to do this in Government- is that NZ will end up poorer. In Norway they increased their wealth tax last year. As a result a record number of wealthy people left the country. Twice as many people left the country in 2022 than the previous 13 years combined. And in the end, they ended up losing tax. Maybe that'll happen here. Or more likely, a whole bunch of Kiwis will stay here, but will transfer their wealth to Australia. For example, maybe stop putting money into Kiwisaver and instead start putting it into Australian shares or Australian rental property, where it's out of the way. So we'll end up with less wealth- but we'll end up with more beneficiaries. Because remember, the Greens are using the wealth tax to pay for a UBI for everyone. Even the Green Party's own policy document predicts we'll end up with an additional 45 percent uptake in benefits in two years. Question is- will the Greens get to do this? As in, will they get into Government with Labour? Well, their policy is less crazy than last election so it'll drive fewer people away. But I think it's still enough to swing some votes. It's a tight election, which means every vote counts. And there will be just enough votes in nice swing electorates like Auckland Central. Where Ponsonby and Grey Lynn people have houses worth close enough to $4 million. Who maybe weren't sure about Labour or National- and this will make their mind up for them. Because I bet there are a few out there who, like me, just hate the idea of a wealth tax. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Doughnut Economics Advocates NZ have launched a number of sustainable initiatives over the years. Their latest project is a community compost hub which has been set up in partnership with Newton Central School in Grey Lynn.
A man remains in a critical condition tonight, after being shot by police in the Auckland suburb of Grey Lynn. Police say the man was armed.. and shooting at his own, empty, home. Felix Walton reports.
Gun Control advocates are calling for an end to firearms advertising to help stem gun violence. A 32-year-old man was shot and critically injured by police in the Auckland suburb of Grey Lynn on Monday evening, after shooting up his own house and then turning his gun on police. Gun Control New Zealand spokesperson Hera Cook says there are anywhere between 1.2 and 1.7 million guns in the country, and it's easy enough for unlicenced individuals to get their hands on one. She spoke to Kim Hill.
Police remain at the scene of a shooting in the Auckland suburb of Grey Lynn. Armed police swarmed Wallingford Street shortly after 5pm on Monday after reports of a man in an agitated state was standing on the street with a gun. Police shot and critically injured the 32-year-old who had been firing at his own house, although there was no-one inside. Reporter Felix Walton spoke to Kim Hill from the cordon.
HELLO FROM CANADA MY BEAUTIFUL LISTENERS!!! Just a warning - I'm extra excitable today... And that's all down to the fact that I'm recording for the first time in my new home, Canada! In today's episode I share all the nitty gritty details of the night I booked into one of Auckland's boutique hotels, The Convent, out of convenience, but didn't find out that it was a known haunted building before it was too late. The Convent was (surprise, surprise) a convent, turned halfway house that was suspiciously burned down. It has now been refurbished and is a swanky wee spot for a stay in Auckland's Grey Lynn. Pray for past Lyd! Keep an eye out on my podcast's Instagram @psychicishpodcast, for an unsettling photo that was taken outside of the hotel when my family returned to Ada for dinner a few days after my stay. I'll have a question box up on the Insta as always on the Thursday after the ep has released for you to share any theories/thoughts/explanations or similar stories... (secretly hoping you don't have any similar stories). Best of luck getting to sleep tonight!!! xo