Podcasts about Hutt Valley

In tonight's dead letter, we head about as far from the Office as you can get — the Hutt Valley near Wellington, New Zealand — for a story from Billy, a working artist who'd call himself a cautious skeptic. His wife was deep into a spiritualist church and her own psychic abilities, and he mostly kept his distance from all of it. Then something started visiting their bed at night, something that felt exactly like a cat walking up the covers, even though their actual cat was nowhere near the room. Weeks later, a message about it came back to the family through his wife that no one was expecting.Windy Wellington — Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand: https://teara.govt.nz/en/diagram/13182/windy-wellingtonCook Strait — Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand: https://www.linz.govt.nz/our-work/new-zealand-geographic-board/place-name-stories/place-names-cooks-voyages/cook-straitKupe — Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand: https://teara.govt.nz/en/first-peoples-in-maori-tradition/page-6Hutt Valley — Wellington places — Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand: https://teara.govt.nz/en/wellington-places/page-8Capital city: Wellington since 1865 — Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand: https://teara.govt.nz/en/capital-cityCan Our Dead Pets Come Back to Visit Us? — Rupert Sheldrake: https://www.sheldrake.org/essays/can-our-dead-pets-come-back-to-visit-usKaitiaki — guardians — Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand: https://teara.govt.nz/en/kaitiakitanga-guardianship-and-conservation/page-4Sleep Paralysis, the "Bedroom Intruder," and the Sensed Presence — NIH / NCBI: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5329044/Wellington Paranormal — Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wellington_ParanormalWe're looking for more stories! Send your Dead Letter to deadletteroffice@astonishinglegends.com!Thanks to Mint Mobile for sponsoring tonight's episode. Ditch the overpriced wireless bill, bring your own phone and number, and get premium coverage on the nation's largest 5G network for $15 a month — three months at that price at mintmobile.com/dlo.

People pilfering crucial bits of rail infrastructure are causing major headaches for KiwiRail with disruptions to Wellington freight and commuter services. Signals, cables and overhead lines have all been stolen. During April, services on the Hutt Valley line had to be cancelled several times and dozens of services delays because of stolen equipment. KiwiRail Chief Metros Officer David Gordon spoke to Lisa Owen.

Cam Madgwick is the CEO of Gibson Sheat, a medium sized law firm that has serviced the Wellington, Hutt Valley and Wairarapa regions for the last 100 years.‍Cam began his career as a practising lawyer and has built an impressive career spanning private practice, in-house legal roles, governance, and executive leadership. Over the years he has worked across a diverse range of organisations and industries, giving him a unique perspective on the legal profession from both inside and outside traditional law firm environments. His experience extends well beyond the technical practice of law, encompassing strategy, organisational leadership, client service, and the broader role lawyers play in helping organisations and communities thrive.‍ Today, Cam is best known for his leadership within the legal sector and his commitment to building high-performing, people-centred organisations. As CEO of Gibson Sheat, he has become a respected voice on law firm culture, leadership, and the future of professional services. He is also widely recognised for his governance and community contributions, including many years of service supporting access to justice and community organisations throughout New Zealand.‍ Cam discusses his background, practicing law in private practice and in-house environments, key leadership ideas and the detail around them and some practical tools that our lawyers of tomorrow could implement today.

A youth employment charity In the Hutt Valley is turning to crowdsourcing funding to keep its driving school open.

Riverside Medical opens in Lower Hutt this August, it's the dream of Javier and Chantelle Stroud who saw a gap in GP access that needed fixing. Dr Javier Stroud is the lead GP of the practice and along with his wife Chantelle, who is a lawyer, are accepting patient enrolments now and gearing up to open in August. The Strouds join Nick Mills to discuss their new venture and why the Hutt? Chantelle says the Hutt Valley is in one of New Zealand's GP "red zones", ranking among the worst areas in the country for access to general practitioners. And more than 13,000 residents are still not enrolled with a GP. They share the struggles of keeping GPs in New Zealand, and how technology is advancing the medical field and their own productivity. Check out more information on the practice on their website riversidemedical.co.nz. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Hutt Zone with John MacDonald focuses on the people, issues, events, and music that shape the Hutt Valley community.

Three Reasons for Revenge by Dervla McTiernan - a terrific crime thriller set in Melbourne, about Judith Lee, a detective who is drawn into a nasty case that has the police baffled. Alexis Turner walks into the police station to report an assault which Judith recognises as the mirror of an identical assault which was brought to her attention some years prior. Then three people (one of whom is Judith) each receive a beautifully wrapped box with an individually tailored, insidious gift inside which will tear their lives apart. Somehow, these things are connected and Judith embarks on a race against time to stop the perpetrator and save innocent lives. The Valley by Asher Emanuel - the culmination of over two years of field research and hundreds of hours of interviews, this extraordinary book follows three Hutt Valley men through courtrooms, prison, hospital, rehab, boarding houses and welfare offices, two of whom are recidivist offenders, the other being their legal aid lawyer. Told largely in verbatim dialogue, it's a remarkable up-close and personal account bringing the realities of the New Zealand criminal justice system to life through the voices of those who experience it first-hand. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Ngauraunga to Petone Shared Path, Te Ara Tupua, officially opens to the public tomorrow. Transport Minister Chris Bishop joins Nick Mills to talk about the opneing. The project will provide a new walking and cycling route between Wellington and Lower Hutt and improve transport reliability and resilience along SH2 and the Hutt Valley rail line. Bishop says the project is100 years in the making but serious planning began in 2013/2014, and cost $350 million. Te Ara Tupua formally opens at 2pm today, and tomorrow May 16th the public open day Plus, Nick gets an update on Wellingtons SH1 improvements. Bishop says although we will not see diggers for "some time", the government is committed to the tunnels and fast track applications are on the way. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cyclists have been left heading into incoming traffic on a long-awaited Hutt Valley cycleway which ends abruptly for almost a kilometre. Anya Fielding reports.

The Hutt Zone with John MacDonald focuses on the people, issues, events, and music that shape the Hutt Valley community.

Fewer Maori and Pacific young people hold drivers licence's compared to Pakeha, and a Hutt Valley youth employment charity says that's locking them out of employment opportunities. Youth Inspire has been running a Driving School for more than seven years, during which over a thousand young people have come through its doors. However, they've just found out they will cease getting government funding and if it's forced to close there's concern there will be more road-related offending in the comunity. Maori News Journalist Pokere Paewai tagged along for one of the lessons.

The Hutt Zone with John MacDonald focuses on the people, issues, events, and music that shape the Hutt Valley community.

The Hutt Zone with John MacDonald focuses on the people, issues, events, and music that shape the Hutt Valley community.

The cost for water is going up for Wellington households. Tiaki Wai - the new water entity looks after Wellington, Porirua, and Hutt Valley is coming into effect July 1 and the price is eyewatering. The average household in the region currently pays about $2,100 a year for water through rates, but under the new model that would shift to a standalone charge of roughly $2,410 annually — about $200 a month — with costs expected to climb. Modelling projects yearly increases of 8.9% to 14.4% through to 2035, meaning compounding rises could push annual water bills to around $6,831 within a decade, or more than $130 a week. Former WCC spokesperson for the Regional Water Committee and current Director of the Infrastructure Commission, Tim Brown shares his thoughts on the cost announcement. Brown tell Nick of his experience dealing with water and the councils and how the forecasts are looking for their future. He advocates for a Water Consumer Advocacy Trust to monitor Tiaki Wai. And shares his concern for Wellington making it through high rates and an extra bill for water. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From Client to Clinic Leader: Kylie Lindsay on Energy Vets' Growth and Team CultureKylie Lindsay didn't originally join Energy Vets as a staff member — she joined as a client.Growing up in rural Inglewood with horses and other animals, the clinic (then Inglewood Veterinary Services) cared for the animals on her family's lifestyle block. One day, while a vet was visiting one of her horses, Kylie asked whether there might be any work available at the clinic.Her timing was good. A role had just opened on the after-hours phone team.More than twenty years later, Kylie is now Clinic Services Manager, overseeing reception, companion animal services, and stock across Energy Vets' Inglewood and Waitara clinics in Taranaki on New Zealand's North Island.In this conversation with Julie South, Kylie reflects on the growth of the clinic over the past two decades, how teams rotate across both clinics so clients receive consistent service, and the professional development opportunities available across the whole team — including reception and support staff.She also shares one of the clinic's quieter success stories: the number of kennel hands who have gone on to train in the veterinary industry, with several returning to work at Energy Vets after completing their studies.When asked to describe the team in three words, Kylie chooses: welcoming, supportive, and professional.Next week, Kylie talks about the type of veterinarian who fits the EnergyVets team and her own journey from answering after-hours phones to becoming a shareholder and director in the business.In This Episode00:04 – Introduction to the REAL+STORY episode with Kylie Lindsay 01:33 – Kylie's role and how long she has been with the clinic 02:02 – Joining the clinic after originally being a client 03:45 – Growing up in the Hutt Valley, Rotorua, and settling in Taranaki 04:34 – Raising children and schooling in rural Taranaki 08:19 – Sporting opportunities and life in the region08:49 – Growth of the clinic since 2005 10:41 – Professional development and leadership training 12:34 – Rotating teams across the Inglewood and Waitara clinics15:27 – How Kylie's role evolved as the clinic grew 17:10 – Examples of team members stepping into leadership roles 19:16 – Energy Vets' “best kept secret” — the culture 21:14 – Kennel hands entering the veterinary profession 22:57 – Former kennel hands returning to work at the clinic 23:31 – Three words Kylie uses to describe the teamHiring LinkEnergy Vets is currently looking for an experienced small animal veterinarian ready to co-lead the companion animal team.Learn more here:vetclinicjobs.com/energyvetsStruggling to get results from your job advertisements?  If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic.   The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

The Hutt Zone with John MacDonald focuses on the people, issues, events, and music that shape the Hutt Valley community.

The Hutt Zone with John MacDonald focuses on the people, issues, events, and music that shape the Hutt Valley community.

A charity working with at risk youth in the Hutt Valley says they are now seeing rangatahi from better off families also struggling to find work. 

The Hutt Zone with John MacDonald focuses on the people, issues, events, and music that shape the Hutt Valley community.

The Hutt Zone with John MacDonald focuses on the people, issues, events, and music that shape the Hutt Valley community.

It has been a day of weather chaos at the bottom of the North Island with thousands of properties still without power. Planes, trains and ferries were also disrupted. Five areas remain under local states of emergency as heavy rain and strong wind warnings continue for the central and southern North Island and eastern South Island. In Wellington, Hutt Valley roads were closed to due to flooding with some schools also closed. Hutt City emergency operations centre controller John Kingsbury spoke to Lisa Owen.

The Hutt Zone with John MacDonald focuses on the people, issues, events, and music that shape the Hutt Valley community.

The Hutt Zone with John MacDonald focuses on the people, issues, events, and music that shape the Hutt Valley community.

A Wellington charity supplying school stationery to families who can't afford it may be forced to turn people away because demand is so high. Te Awakairangi School Stationery Drive, supplies children in the Hutt Valley with essentials like exercise books, pens, and backpacks. It's just one of several cost families face at the start of the school year on top of things like school uniforms. Nicky Smith, the organiser of Te Awakairangi School Stationery Drive spoke to Lisa Owen.

The Hutt Zone with John MacDonald focuses on the people, issues, events, and music that shape the Hutt Valley community.

Bar managers say they're stepping up security after a series of armed robberies in the Hutt Valley. Krystal Gibbens reports.

The Hutt Zone with John MacDonald focuses on the people, issues, events, and music that shape the Hutt Valley community.

The Hutt Zone with John MacDonald focuses on the people, issues, events, and music that shape the Hutt Valley community.

The Hutt Zone with John MacDonald focuses on the people, issues, events, and music that shape the Hutt Valley community.

For a Hutt special Business Panel this week, Nick is joined by Henry Hutcheon, owner of Plenty Foods, and Sarah Wilson, founder of her own recruitment firm and board member of Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce. They discuss their businesses, what they do, and how it's going at the moment. Henry's new supermarket is three weeks old, and Sarah has been in the recruitment agency for twenty-three years and had her own business for eight years – they discuss the differences in starting independent businesses now compared to then. They also gave their thoughts on the new Hutt mayors, and how the councils impact business in the valley. Nick asks our panel what the mood in the Hutt is with business right now, the toughest times in businesses, and their advice on starting an independent business. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Hutt Zone with John MacDonald focuses on the people, issues, events, and music that shape the Hutt Valley community.

The Hutt Zone with John MacDonald focuses on the people, issues, events, and music that shape the Hutt Valley community.

The Hutt Zone with John MacDonald focuses on the people, issues, events, and music that shape the Hutt Valley community.

Our resident gardener Hannah Zwartz is back, this time with advice on how to show weeds who's boss. Hannah has over 30 years' experience gardening professionally, including looking after the herb and succulent areas at Wellington Botanic Garden and running community market gardens in the Hutt Valley. She answers your questions.

Do we need more MPs? The NZ Initiative thinks we do - saying today that, instead of 120, we should have 170. It says the number of MPs in New Zealand is low compared to other countries with similar populations and we need 50 more to keep them accessible to voters. Another thing it's calling for is a four-year parliamentary term. That's a no-brainer, as far as I'm concerned. But 50 more MPs? No thanks. However, I do think some change is needed because of the size of some of our electorates. Which is essentially why the NZ Initiative is advocating for more MPs. But I think a much better option would be to have less list MPs and more electorate MPs. Because, you think about the size of some electorates - the West Coast is a prime example - I've always thought it's crazy that one electorate MP has to represent and cover such a huge area. The Te Tai Tonga Maori seat is another one. One MP has to cover the whole South Island - as well as Stewart Island, the Chatham Islands, Wellington City and the Hutt Valley. The reason the NZ Initiative is making this call today, is because it's reviewed the last 30 years under the MMP voting system. And its two key points are the parliamentary term and the number of MPs. Senior Fellow Nick Clark says the three-year term is too short for effective long-term policymaking. He says: "By the time a government finds its feet and starts implementing policy, it is already thinking about the next election. A four-year term would give governments time to develop coherent long-term policies." No argument from me there. He also says our parliament - with 120 MPs - is about 30 percent smaller than international benchmarks say it should be. So he says get 50 more. He also thinks we need less cabinet ministers and reckons 15 would be enough. But I reckon he's going to be pushing it uphill to sell his idea of more politicians. I'm not sold. Far from it. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Hutt Zone with John MacDonald focuses on the people, issues, events, and music that shape the Hutt Valley community.

The Hutt Zone with John MacDonald focuses on the people, issues, events, and music that shape the Hutt Valley community.

In this episode of Socially Democratic, Stephen Donnelly sits down with Chris Hipkins, the 41st Prime Minister of New Zealand, to talk about his journey from the Hutt Valley to the halls of power. ​They dive into the highs and lows of leadership, lessons learned from nine years in opposition, and the challenges of rebuilding the Labour Party after a tough election loss.Chris also shares his thoughts on the complexities of tax reform, the need for bold leadership to address New Zealand's narrow tax base, and how Labour plans to tackle the cost of living crisis.Plus, stay tuned until the end for Chris's hidden talent.Tune in for a glimpse at what's next for the NZ Labour campaign.Support the showNew episodes every Friday. If you like the show, rate and review us on your favourite podcast app. Follow Us on Socials: Facebook (https://tr.ee/9jGIOy)Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/sociallydemocratic)LinkedIn (https://tr.ee/YxyYJh)Twitter (https://x.com/SocialDemPod)Bluesky (https://tr.ee/EqdapC)YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@DunnStreet) The presenting sponsor of the Socially Democratic podcast is Dunn Street. For more information on how Dunn Street can help you organise to build winning campaigns in your community, business or organisation, and make the world a better place, look us up at: dunnstreet.com.au

A council in the Hutt Valley is using artificial intelligence to cut LIM wait times, inform residents during emergencies and cut staff workloads. 

A social enterprise in the Hutt Valley said demand for basic essentials has increased since the public sector cuts. Common Unity Project Aotearoa is based in a building called the The Remakery - home to a koha cafe, community garden and textile workshop. It's been providing support to the community for over 12 years, by giving away fresh produce, clothing and and hosting training workshops. But as demand soars, so too does the need for more donations. Bella Craig reports.

If you're looking for reliable, high-quality commercial cleaning services in Lower Hutt or a surrounding part of the Hutt Valley, Mr Green (0800-674-733) offers a unique business model that guarantees satisfaction. Go to https://local.mrgreenwellingtoncleaning.nz/cleaning-lower-hutt for more information. Mr Green City: Wellington Address: 85 Cortina Avenue Website: https://mrgreenwellingtoncleaning.nz

A hāngī isn't an everyday meal for most people, but Lower Hutt local CJ Collier has set out to make it just that. 

One of the Wellington region's busiest roads, State Highway Two through the Hutt Valley will be severely disrupted when Wellington Water digs up an aging sewerage pipe that runs under it. Nick James reports.

Hutt Valley mountain biker Erice van Leuven is optimistic about her recovery after surviving the biggest crash of her life. van Leuven spoke to reporter Bill Hickman.

Police are warning there may be some traffic disruption on Tuesday as officers keep a close eye on a gang member's funeral in Hutt Valley and Porirua. Acting Area Commander Inspector Shaun Lingard spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

There were tears and anger when Hutt Valley residents found out that a terrible smell from a wastewater treatment plant won't be fixed for another four years. Ashleigh McCaull was at Monday night's meeting as tempers flared.

Southbound trains on the Hutt Valley line in Wellington were held up on Wednesday morning after a seal was on the rail tracks between Petone and Wellington. Nine to noon producer Emma Hatton spoke to Corin Dann.

Heavy rain warnings were in force Monday morning for the lower North Island, as the weekend's wet and boisterous north-to-westerly winds continued. Lower Hutt mayor Campbell Barry spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Now to a long-running battle in the Hutt Valley where the council is set to fell a section of native black beech trees so a road can be widened. 

Thousands of school children across Hutt Valley could lose out on science kits as the organisation which provides them faces closure.