Podcasts about Waikato River

It's not really a huge shock, is it? The news that homeowners will have to pay even more for home insurance to help the Natural Hazards Commission (formerly known as the EQC), is to be expected. Insurers have been warning for years that premiums will rise and will continue to rise, that they may have to put some of the cost of risky properties back onto homeowners and in some cases, they'll be declining to insure homes altogether. And we've already started to see that. In 2017, a then-record $242 million in weather-related claims was paid out. Just six years later, climate related claims were more than $3.5 billion due to the Auckland anniversary floods and Cyclone Gabrielle. It's incredible when you see the insurers' charts, 20 odd years ago they'd say this is a record year or this is a once in 100 year, then the next year, or three years later it would treble in terms of the cost of the claims that had to be paid out. So there's a pattern, you'd be a fool to ignore it, and the government is not doing so. Nor is the insurance industry. The Natural Hazards Commission provides cover for capped portions of residential buildings and land damaged by earthquakes, landslides, volcanoes, hydrothermal activities, tsunamis, storms, and floods (land cover only). Leaving private insurers to cover the rest. The NHC has struggled to recover following the Canterbury earthquakes and faces huge future claims costs. The new modelling lifts the likelihood of a big earthquake, with construction costs soaring post-pandemic and the reinsurance market hardening. The NHC is so underfunded that there's only a 37% chance the levy income will meet the costs over the next five years, according to the Treasury. And the NHC must cover the first $2.1 billion of claims related to a natural disaster before it can tap into its reinsurance cover. So just like any insurance claim, you must pay your excess, and then it will chip in. It's just in this case, $2.1 billion is your excess. Given there's only $500 million in the kitty, if there was a big disaster today or tomorrow, the government would have to find more than $1.6 billion to cover the claim costs before reinsurance cover could kick in. Associate Finance Minister David Seymour says levies will almost certainly need to rise, Cabinet's set to decide on the changes in the coming months. An insurance consultant told Ryan Bridge this morning it'll probably cost homeowners an extra $200 to $300 more a year. And if that sounds like a lot, well count yourself lucky, because there are some people who simply won't be able to get insurance for their homes. And it's not just people in the obvious places on cliffs or banks next to rivers who will be paying. Everyone is at risk. And those living up the top, who's homes are built on traditional drainage areas or water soak areas are part of the problem. We're all in this together. So, what are your options? If you have a mortgage you have to be insured, but it might mean that people take the bare minimum because that's all they can afford, meaning they are left underinsured and depending on the kindness of strangers to recover after disaster strikes. Will Give A Little be the insurer of choice for people who can't afford to cover themselves? I assumed Hamilton might be the safest place to live, and I was right. Volcanologists say Hamilton is probably the safest place to live. It's away from the coast which cancels out tsunamis. It's a safe distance from known fault lines, although there is the caveat that one could be lurking. It's far enough away from Auckland's volcanic field to be considered safe, and even if the Waikato River flooded its much lower than the houses around it. In the North Island, there's no real escape so should the north be paying more? Do we start pointing the finger at other areas? Can the people of the Waikato say “Hey, not us. We are living in a really safe area. If you choose to live anywhere outside of Hamilton, it's on you.” Do we ban the rebuilding? Make them no go zones of any area that's been flooded 2, 3, 4 times in the past 100 years. It's all very well and good for those who have not been flooded or have not been affected or haven't seen their homes turned to smithereens to say just move. But for most people, their home is their castle. It is their most significant financial investment. If they can't sell their home, they can't move. They have to patch it up and make do. So I would be really interested to hear your thoughts on this one. Do we go in this as “we're all in this together?” We accept that we're living on the shaky aisles, that we are a natural hazard magnet and that's the price you pay for living in a bucolic paradise. Should some areas pay more than others? Do you get the insurance companies whose business it is to gauge risk to set cover across the country based on the riskiness of each region.? Do we ban the rebuilding on known flood areas? What do you think the answer might be as we struggle to come to terms with living within our environment? We're not so far removed from early settlers really as we try to balance the advantages and disadvantages of living where we do. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The funny thing with social media is you can have these online relationships with people but never ever physically meet them. Paul Pujol was one of those blokes for me. Almost every restaurateur I knew raved about the man and couldn't believe I'd never met him. Thanks to that raving, voyeuristic portal that is Instagram, to be honest, I sort of thought I had. Turns out I hadn't — until we had this not serious chat. There are some people you should never meet. You know the saying, “never meet your heroes”? It's a premise that they never meet your expectations and you leave the encounter deflated and resentful. Well, let me tell you, meeting Paul Pujol in real life is not like that. It is, in fact, pretty bloody dreamy. Armed with a dry wit meets a fiery sarcasm, Paul has this lovely unassuming calm that is balanced by a clearly caring, sentimental take on life while being something of a adrenalin junky — and he makes tasty gear for us all to enjoy — and he comes from Hamilton. The storytelling flows from this dude like the Waikato River cuts a track through that city. Broad and deep and carefree albeit with planned direction. Paul shares a winemaking story during this chat that really takes the biscuit. It's like the Lottery win of how to kick start your wine career. He talks about how his French Father coped with the cheese selection of 1980's back country New Zealand, spoiler alert – he describes it as being like soap—which is by all accounts was fair for those days. Mon dieu! At least these days Les fromage is much more fanciful and shares the same attention to craft as our winemakers. Speaking of making wine, Paul gets candid about what it takes to make the Prophets Rock Vin de Paille— a wine that arrives dressed in a striking short bottle eluding to the fact it's something a little bit different. This little sucker is made from a single parcel of Pinot Gris and takes 21 months to ferment. Now, I may have just gotten technical for the wine curious folk but let me tell you, that's a shit tonne of time to ferment and by all accounts, what's left in the barrel at the end of it to be asserted into the aforementioned snazzy bottle is one fifth of fuck all which why it's sold out. Honestly, listen to this story of winemaking and if you're not sold on this fella's vision and his mad passion for the craft then I'm not sure you deserve to drink any of his booze. He has the commitment of a monk trying to beckon God from the sky. It's close to insanity but also pretty bloody dreamy. So, grip those rosary beads firmly in one hand, grab a glass of some heavenly sweet, sweet nectar in the other and get ready for some enlightenment. This is the not serious Paul Pujol chat. not serious wine chats would like to thank our supporters:TradecraftBy the BottleAntipodes Water Co. Special thanks to my pal, Benj Brooking of Popular.nz for his help with the editing. An expert filmmaker, editing these chats is being done as one mate helping another. Thanks Benj. You're a legend. join the chatinstagram | facebookIf you're struggling to put that glass down, perhaps our chats aren't the right ear candy for you. While the chats are not serious, living your best life is a very serious matter indeed and a life fuelled by addiction doesn't sound dreamy at all. If you think you need a hand, visit the Ministry of Health site for platforms that might help you take the first step towards taking control back. Our warmest wishes for success on that journey.

The whole show was such great music, one person pulled in to a layby beside the Waikato River to listen and send a txt of thanks! Standout tracks included "Please Come On Inside" by Madeleine Peyroux, "The Dust" from The Kearns Family, "Spirits" from The Devil Makes Three and "Colours" from Black Pumas. 

The whole show was such great music, one person pulled in to a layby beside the Waikato River to listen and send a txt of thanks! Standout tracks included "Please Come On Inside" by Madeleine Peyroux, "The Dust" from The Kearns Family, "Spirits" from The Devil Makes Three and "Colours" from Black Pumas. 

The Waikato River is full of old rusting cars and motorbikes Commercial dive company Deep Dive have pulled out 33 in the last three years. And they only do it in their spare time! Today they are cleaning up a site in near Graham Island in Hamilton east. A dumping ground so popular they've already discovered three cars stacked on top of each other... All under the water. According to diver and managing director Tua Karalus this is the most challenging site yet.

Brian Gray spent thirty hours swimming 150 kilometres of the Waikato River to raise money for Starship Hospital.

Test results reveal drinking water in Waipā and Waikato District has slightly elevated arsenic levels - and Auckland's supply is back within safe levels. Auckland's Watercare and Hamilton City Council yesterday revealed levels were fractionally above the maximum amount in recent samples from Waikato River. Watercare's Chief Operations Manager Mark Bourne says they're tracking down the cause. "We've been able to share our results with the other agencies further up the river - and that'll help identify where, when and what might be causing this." Watercare says tap water is still safe to drink. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Thursday, 28 November 2024, the first part of the Royal Commission into the Covid response has criticised vaccine mandates and the length of the lockdowns. Heather asks Chris Hipkins, former Health Minister, whether he thinks he should apologise for decisions made. Watercare's Mark Bourne with an update on the arsenic levels in the Waikato River, and why it took so long to tell the public about elevated levels. Plus the Huddle debates why we just don't seem to like fake meat, after plant-based food producer Sustainable Foods goes into liquidation. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elevated levels of arsenic have been detected in the Waikato River, affecting water supplies in Auckland and Waikato. The Government has been briefed this evening and sought assurances that water supplies are safe. Authorities are carrying out further testing with results due back tomorrow. Watercare is also rejigging the way it processes water to reduce the amount of arsenic in the city's water supply but said there was no immediate concern to public health. Steve Taylor, head of operations at Water Services Authority (WSA), told Newstalk ZB there had been increased levels of arsenic recorded in the Waikato River, affecting water supplies in Auckland and Hamilton. He said there was “naturally a level of arsenic” in the river, but it had been notified levels had increased recently. “I'm not sure what the reason for that increase is and that is affecting water supplies in Auckland and Hamilton,” he said. He explained the maximum acceptable value for arsenic is 0.01mg a litre – an “incredibly low amount” – but they had seen levels around 0.013mg, which is “marginally above the acceptable value for drinking water”. “The level of arsenic is above what we've described as a maximum acceptable value, but it's not at a level that we would suggest has a significant health effect. “There's no health risk in drinking that water,” Taylor said. “What we would expect is that those levels of arsenic would reduce over time.” Elevated readings of arsenic have been recorded in the Waikato River. Photo / Waikato District Council. Taylor said it is safe for people to keep drinking tap water. “The key thing about the maximum acceptable value for arsenic is it's designed for long-term exposure, so it's not an acute level. ”Unlike some other levels, you know, if you exceed that level, it has an immediate health effect – that's not the case with these levels.” Taylor said the WSA was only notified of the elevated levels on Wednesday and it had been “a very short-term situation”. ”We've contacted the [Waikato] regional council to try and understand what is the reason for this change in source water,” he said. Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has been briefed on the issue this evening. Photo / Mark Mitchell Local Government Minister Simeon Brown said he had been briefed on the issue by the WSA this evening. “I have asked the WSA to ensure that water suppliers in Auckland and Hamilton are taking appropriate steps, and that they communicate with their customers,” Brown said. “The WSA is the lead agency for this issue and will be providing regular updates.” Watercare reduces production at Waikato Water Treatment Plant The Herald repeatedly sought comment from Watercare this afternoon and it responded shortly before 8pm, saying it had reduced production at its Waikato Water Treatment Plant since detecting the elevated result. Watercare CEO Mark Bourne said the Waikato River supplies about 20% of Auckland's drinking water. ”We treat the water at our Waikato Water Treatment Plant in Tūākau and distribute it throughout the metropolitan network. ”In most parts of Auckland, treated water from the Waikato River is blended with treated water from our dams. However, Pukekohe, Buckland, Clarks Beach/Waiau Pā, Patumahoe, Glenbrook Beach, and Drury south receive water solely sourced from the Waikato River.” Bourne said Watercare had increased production at its major Ardmore plant, which treats water from four dams in the Hūnua Ranges. “This extends the processing time at the plant, and we expect it to improve our ability to reduce the level of arsenic in the treated drinking water. “We're working closely with other agencies and will continue to share information as we learn more.” The current minor exceedance of the standards does not present any immediate concern for public health, Watercare said. A Waikato District Council spokesperson said Watercare operates the local water networks in the area under contract. “Pōkeno and Tūākau are supplied by Watercare's Waikato Water Treatment Plant. There are also treatment plants that serve the townships of Huntly, Te Kauwhata, Meremere, Taupiri and Ngāruawāhia.” The spokesperson said samples from these plants were being tested, with results due tomorrow. Hamilton City Council's water supply remained safe for drinking, bathing, cleaning and cooking, following test results that showed small increases in the level of arsenic present. What is arsenic? The Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora website describes arsenic as a substance found in rock, which in some situations “harms your health”. It commonly enters the body in food and water and people can swallow small amounts every day for a long time without any obvious health effects. But swallowing larger amounts may cause long-term health effects, arsenic poisoning or death. Someone with arsenic poisoning may suffer from: Stomach pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. Extreme tiredness and bruising. An abnormal heartbeat. A “pins and needles” feeling in the hands and feet. Arsenic can not be removed from water by boiling it. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 27 November, the OCR has dropped another 50 basis points to 4.25 percent. Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen explained what might come next. Price comparison service PriceMe has issued a warning about deceptive Black Friday deals, with CEO Gavin Male explaining the techniques retailers use to drive up spending. Elevated levels of arsenic have been detected in the Waikato River, affecting water supplies in Auckland and Waikato. Steve Taylor from Water Services Authority explains the ongoing situation. Plus, The Huddle debates whether or not paper bags need to go, after Early Edition's Ryan Bridge slammed them on his show. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Water Services Authority says they are expecting further results around arsenic levels in the Waikato River this morning. An elevated level of arsenic has been detected in the river which supplies drinking water to Hamilton and parts of Auckland. It says there's no risk to public health and the water is safe to drink. Authority Head of Operations Steve Taylor told Ryan Bridge that to impact health, people would need to drink at levels above the accepted value for 40 to 50 years. But he says this is a marginal increase over acceptable value, which they expect to see reduced over coming days. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thousands gathered across Turangawaewae Marae and the Waikato River to farewell Kiingi Tuheitia before he was finally laid to rest on Taupiri maunga. His daughter Kuini Nga Wai Hono I Te Po was crowned as the new Māori Queen, making her the eighth Māori monarch. Host of RNZ's mata, and co-host of Saturday Morning, Mihingarangi Forbes spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Watercare is under fire for keeping a $20 million deal with Waikato-Tainui under wraps. It's been revealed the Auckland Council-controlled water provider last year signed up to paying $1 million a year, for two decades. The money will go into research and environmental projects in the Waikato River and catchment. It's on top of $40 million paid for clean-up projects under Watercare's river-consent agreement. Watercare chief executive Dave Chambers says they could've been more open. "As things have unfolded today - certainly if we had our time again, we would have done things in a different way."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Infrastructure NZ CEO Nick Leggett and former Labour Party advisor Mike Munro joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Watercare struck a $20 million dollar deal with Waikato-Tainui in exchange for permission to take more water from the Waikato River - and kept it secret. What do we make of this? Wellington ratepayers recently shelled out over $550,000 on the upgrade of a 32m laneway to accommodate a new designer bike rack and two extra motorbike parks - with the bike rack alone costing $136,000. How can the council justify this? Raygun has spoken out about the backlash she received after the Olympics - do we feel sorry for her because of how she was treated or do we think she's taking advantage of the attention? LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kathryn speaks to RNZ journalist Ella Stewart as Kiingi Tuheitia is led towards the waka that will ferry him to Taupiri maunga.

Homestyle editor Alice Lines talks with Nick Holcroft about the process of building a family home overlooking the Waikato River. Listen now, and visit https://www.firstwindows.co.nz/down-by-the-riverside to see the story.

Playing chicken with trains continues to plague the Waikato town of Ngāruawāhia. A new video on social media shows seven kids jumping from the rail bridge into the Waikato River just as a train engine barrels past them with its horn blarring. There are more trains now than ever before and yet kids continue to dice with death - despite two children dying after being struck by trains on the bridge. Ngāruawāhia Community Board chairperson Kiri Morgan speaks to Susana Leiataua.

The Waikato River and Lake Whakamaru near Mangakino, northwest of Taupo, is looking "greener than the treeline" according to locals. It's unclear why the water quality is so bad, but local businesses and holidaymakers say it's having a negative impact on their summer, with most avoiding the water. The lake's levels and inflows are managed by power company Mercury. In a statement, Mercury said their hydro lakes provide an environment for algae blooms when water quality issues combine with warm, settled weather. But it adds that none of Mercury's operations add contaminants that increase the presence of blooms. Taupō Mayor David Trewavas visited the lake on Tuesday and spoke with Charlotte Cook.

For episode 4, we've connected with Dr Mark Davey, Chief Planner and City Planning Manager for Hamilton City Council. Mark is an incredibly bright and outcomes focused planner who brings a profound expertise in how Hamilton City plans for it's growth over the coming years. In this episode, Mark Shares: * His career background and story into planning, and why he ultimately came back to being a planner! * Insights on Hamilton's Urban Growth Strategy, focusing on major developments like Peacocks (7500 new homes). * Outside the box strategic infrastructure such as "bikes on pipes" combining cycleways and sewage infrastructure together. * Implementation of gold-standard urban design and sustainable development principles, aligning with the Waikato River's major ecological corridor. You can follow Mark here - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-mark-davey-418b8a30/ Speak to Callum here - https://www.linkedin.com/in/callum-horler-8b3257b1/ callum@bureau.co.nz | 021 847 190

The Hamilton City Council has been considering its draft long term plan budget, with the Mayor, Paula Southgate saying tough decisions will need to be made. The beach-side community of Raglan, in Waikato, needs a new plan for its treated sewage with the current treatment plant operating under an expired consent for the last three years. Limits have been placed on Waikato River wake boats to help stop spread of invasive clam and Libby will talk about the iconic Wellington Street Beach in Hamilton.

A big week on the election trail, Newsable makes sense of the week in politics. How Donald Trump is pretty much banned from doing business in New York and what is the worry about golden clams setting up shop in the Waikato River? Plus your chance to stay in a recreated Shrek swamp home.

The invasive Gold Clam has been found in the Waikato River. Andrew says it's a concern because the exotic species is a prolific breeder - producing 400 offspring in one day - which can clog up water-based infrastructure like water treatment plants and irrigation systems. Fieldays kicks off tomorrow - after Covid it's now back to its regular June schedule and a decision is due on Friday on the final plan for Founders Theatre.

An invasive highly invasive and destructive gold clam, has been found in the Waikato River for the first time creating fears for the survival of native freshwater muscles Kakahi and wider ecosystem in the awa.

Theia (Waikato-Tainui, Ngāti Tīpa) has earned a reputation for fearless pop music. Now her Māori language project, Te Kaahu o Rangi [Taite Music Prize] has caught the imagination of new fans worldwide. In this episode, Jen and Theia head out to the Waikato River to trace the origins of Theia's rich songwriting ancestry, dig into the significance of Pai Mārire, and spend time at Theia's beloved Taupiri. Find out more about Te Kaahu: https://www.princesstheia.com/https://www.princesstheia.com/ See tour dates and listen to Jen's new album: https://bio.site/jencloher  Credits: Executive Producer/Host: Jen Cloher Producer/Engineer: Mike Williams Story Editor: Karla Arnall Cover Artwork: Huriana Kopeke -Te Aho Layout and Design: Sebastian White Web Design: Aron Lebani With thanks to: Triple R 102.7FM, Australia Council for the Arts

A Waikato hapū is calling on the Hamilton City Council to immediately abandon any plans to develop what Māori say is an historic pā site. The one-hectare site in Claudelands is home to the Sonning carpark just across the Waikato River from the CBD, but the council is keen to develop high-rise housing there. Ngāti Wairere says as mana whenua they are feeling excluded from any decision making. Andrew McRae reports.  

Questions from NZ schools about rivers are answered by Lewis, a carver and environmental worker for his iwi, Ngati Kuia and by Anna, freshwater ecologist and environmental educator for Marlborough District Council Note: The first question is 7 minutes in. 1. Are there any rivers in the North Island that were formed by glaciers? If so, where? (https://teara.govt.nz/en/glaciers-and-glaciation) 2. Was there one earthquake that created the Waikato River? If so, where did this happen? (https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/images/415-waikato-river and https://www.gns.cri.nz/data-and-resources/new-zealand-active-faults-map/) 3. How do people do a thorough test to make sure the water is clean and safe to swim in? 4. Can you drink from the Waikato River? 5. On average, how many animals die each year from polluted water and which species are most commonly affected? 6. What are some of the ways to treat polluted water? 7. What are the introduced species of trout and why were they introduced? 8. What part of the Waikato River is the most polluted, and why? 9. What do dams do to the river? 10. Lewis, how did you become a carver and why do you like working with pakohe (argillite)? More at https://www.learnz.org.nz/rivers211/connect-with-experts

In this episode: The FAQ is: on being single and traveling: The destination is New Zealand, North Island. The lesson learned is: losing jewelry while traveling and the tip is: be willing to pause and be safe in travel.   FAQ : Ruth asks, I will be newly single in the new year and want to do some traveling that I did not have the opportunity to do when I was married, I am excited but a little timid about solo travel. Does anyone have any tips on trips that would be a good dipping the toe in the water?   Response:  Being newly single is a great time to take a travel somewhere new. It's ok that you're timid at first. Some tips to dip your toe in the water will be found on Level 1 or Level 2 travel stages. Here's some advice: Don't wait for your trip to come to you. Find out yourself how much you like travel and just start out small, this weekend take a trip on a city bus, train or to your nearby next city you've never seen. Go alone. Don't be tempted to find a friend and see how you do. Let me know when you get back how did that go.   Today's Independent Destination- New Zealand's North Island   New Zealand was one of the first locked down countries who did well with Corona Virus in 2020. In this episode, we'll focus on the North Island, and in another episode, I cover the South Island. My friend, Jenny Latto, talked to me about what's new on the North Island, New Zealand. She's an artist who lives in Waiuku, part of Auckland City, an hour's drive to Auckland Central or downtown. About 8k away from her home are some surfing beaches, including one that has either black sand beaches on one side or white sand, whatever you prefer. She told me about a Sandspit beach with a slide into the water which sounds nice. They are on an 8-week holiday in the summer months, the opposite weather from the Northern Hemisphere. She said that you could really travel from one end of the north island in a day if you wanted to. http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-KohStor-t1-back-d3.html   If you go to NZ North Island, you'll hear about the Waikato River, the longest river in NZ. 264 miles long. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waikato_River You may find a nice rural area in Ohakune, where the ski areas are nearby. https://www.mountainviewestate.co.nz/about.php Wellington on the North Island is nice to walk on the boardwalk and stroll the restaurants and waterfront bars. Touristy places to visit include the Lord of the Rings sights and the Peter Jackson owned, Weta Studios in Wellington.   https://www.wellingtonnz.com/experience/see-and-do/weta-workshop/ https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/destinations/oceania/new-zealand/things-to-do-lord-of-the-rings-locations/   www.jennylatto.com   Today's Lesson learned-losing jewelry on the road   Walking through a small town in Alaska, I felt a chain from my necklace in my sleeve. That was not a good sign. It indicated that my special cross from my necklace had broken and was missing. I have the chain, but not the pendant. The lesson learned was to buy a better chain with clasp. I had warnings prior that the clasp was old and I should have done something about that. So, learn from my lessons, replace the old clasp before you lose the pendant.   Today's Travel Advice- Be willing to pause and be safe Pandemic travel may be with us a long time, so you will be getting used to new ways of walking through airports, using public spaces, and making meaningful travel decisions, especially about safety. Be more willing to smile, take a breath, and to let someone go ahead of you in line during these stressful outings. You never know, you may just make someone's day when you do. What a great experience that will be, right? Website Drmarytravelbest.com Mary Beth on Twitter Dr. Mary Travelbest Twitter  Dr. Mary Travelbest Facebook Page Dr. Mary Travelbest Facebook Group Dr. Mary Travelbest Instagram

95bFM's youngest reporter, Iris Butler, interviews the Kelvin Powell of the Hamilton City Council about Lime scooters in the Waikato River.

This week on The Wire for Rāmere Friday! David brings us City Counselling, our regular segment with Auckland Councillor with Mike Lee. This week they discussed the Auckland Council's draft proposal for the 2023/2024 budget.  Daniel looks at cuts in Art Funding but with a focus on the comedy and theatre community. He spoke to Lauren Whitney, the General Manager of the New Zealand Comedy Trust, Mark Harvey who is part of Arts Makers Aotearoa and Cat Ruka, the Executive Director of Basement Theater We bring you The Best of The Wire from 2022 as well, where we recap the year that was in news and current affairs. We revisit our interviews with Dr Nic Rawlence, from the paelogenetics lab at the University of Otago, about all the fossil related chats we've had throughout the duration of this year. David speaks to Professor Corinne Seals, an Applied Linguistics Professor at Victoria University of Wellington, about the Ukrainian language and culture seeing a renaissance in the face of Russian aggression. And our youngest reporter, Iris Butler, interviews the Hamilton City Council about Lime scooters in the Waikato River. That's us for the last Friday Wire of 2022!

Watercare in Auckland is looking to bring forward its plans to take more water out of the Waikato River and change its drought trigger levels, as a result of contamination by 'forever' chemicals in its systems. PFAS chemicals, found products such as in teflon and firefighting foam, are dubbed 'forever chemicals' for how they persist in nature and can build up in the body. The chemicals forced a shutdown at the Onehunga plant. They have been causing headaches for water supply authorities in many countries, including here, where the forced Manawatu to install a new 12-million dollar water system at Ohakea this year Reporter Phil Pennington spoke to Corin Dann.

Auckland's water management body is looking to bring forward plans to take more water out of the Waikato River, due to 'forever' chemicals contaminating its supply. Internal Watercare documents reveal PFAS chemicals have forced a shutdown at the Onehunga treatment plant. Those chemicals, found in things like food packaging, cosmetics and carpets, are dubbed 'forever chemicals' because they don't break down in the environment. Waikato River Authority Iwi's Roger Pikia spoke to Corin Dann.

The Labour Party drew on its star power in Hamilton West today as former Prime Minister Helen Clark joined its candidate on the by-election campaign trail. Georgie Dansey is up against National's Tama Potaka in the race for the western side of the Waikato River - traditionally a bellweather seat. It's shaping up to be National's seat to lose but Helen Clark says her political experience tells her nothing can be taken for granted. Our political reporter Anneke Smith has more.

A saxophone, Lime Scooters, a cash register and more than 17 cars are just a few of the items that have been pulled out of the Waikato River. Deep Dive Division is working on getting them out of the awa.

New Zealand’s longest waterway has become a meandering river of filth. The Waikato River is regularly unswimmable and high levels of pollutants have left community members deeply concerned about how much worse it could become. There is, however, a plan to clean this mess. The only catch is that it’s going to take more than seven decades. Today, RNZ data journalist Farah Hancock joins Damien to discuss her investigation into what’s gone wrong with this important waterway - and why it has such a long road to recovery. Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts. You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network. Host: Damien VenutoProducer/Editor: Shaun D WilsonExecutive Producer: Ethan Sills See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Caitlin Harvey maps out land transfers from Indigenous communities to European education institutions, through an 1873 Map of New Zealand's 'Colonial' University. Depicting the North Island of Aotearoa New Zealand, a vast map outlines the lands around the Kimihia and Hakanoa Lakes and Waikato River. It's largest feature, thousands of acres in size, is labelled 'Endowment for Colonial University' - referring to the British University of New Zealand, hundreds of miles away in Christchurch. Exporting the Oxford model, 19th century settler-governments across the world supplied higher education institutions with enormous tracts of Indigenous lands, sometimes violently seized, their lease and sale generating great income. Possibly the longest-lasting myth of the land-grant university is that its operations exist in one, fixed place. Indeed, students often nostalgically associate their university with its distinct city or campus. But this map exposes their mobile and broad territorial reach, how university-building was used as a tool of imperial expansion, and who was excluded from the production of new knowledge and wealth in these new 'progressive' institutions. PRESENTER: Dr. Caitlin Harvey, Research Fellow in History and POLIS at Fitzwilliam College, University of Cambridge. ART: Map of Endowments for 'Colonial' University, New Zealand (1873). IMAGE: 'Endowments'. SOUNDS: onion. PRODUCER: Jelena Sofronijevic. Follow EMPIRE LINES at: twitter.com/jelsofron/status/1306563558063271936 Support EMPIRE LINES on Patreon: patreon.com/empirelines

The Taupo region is one of the most popular weekend getaways for New Zealanders in the country's North Island. It offers enough outdoor activities to satisfy the most adventurous of travelers. And the views of Tongariro National Park from across Lake Taupo are priceless. Before you go, book a spot on a jet boat ride of the Waikato River. Experienced drivers will zip you along at a white-knuckle 80 kilometers per hour, pulling 360-degree spins and taking you close to the banks. The 30-minute experience ends at the foot of Huka Falls — a small but powerful waterfall. Wave to people on the observation deck. Later, you can visit the deck yourself to see the massive volume of water passing through Huka Falls from a different angle. There are other lookouts onto the river, and several easy trails that take you and your kids into the bush. In fact, trails crisscross the whole area. One of the best is a 90-minute walk from Spa Park to Huka Falls and back. Families can spend some time at Spa Park, soaking in the geothermal hot pools, but if you love hot pools, arrange a stay at a resort hotel at Wairakei. The resort offers spectacular terraces and geysers — all artificial — and milky blue hot pools as warm as 44 degrees Celsius. Bring your own swimwear. Finally, take a cruise on the lake to the rock carving in Mine Bay by Maori artist Matahi Whakataka-Brightwell. This labor of love was finished in 1980 in the likeness of Ngatoroirangi, who, according to Maori legend, guided his people here thousands of years ago from across the Pacific. (T) This article was provided by The Japan Times Alpha.

Watercare's $145 dollar water treatment plant is opening in Tuakau today and the company insists it is one of the last times it will dip into the Waikato River. The facility will provide Auckland with up to 50 million litres of water a day but its construction comes amidst concern from Hamilton City Council and other opponents that our biggest city has become too reliant on our biggest river. Watercare's chief infrastructure officer​ Steve Webster told Perlina Lau the new plant won't make an immediate impact on the current low water storage levels.

Watercare's $145 dollar water treatment plant is opening in Tuakau today and the company insists it is one of the last times it will dip into the Waikato River. The facility will provide Auckland with up to 50 million litres of water a day but its construction comes amidst concern from Hamilton City Council and other opponents that our biggest city has become too reliant on our biggest river. Watercare's chief infrastructure officer​ Steve Webster told Perlina Lau the new plant won't make an immediate impact on the current low water storage levels.

BECOME A PRODUCER! http://www.patreon.com/themidnighttrainpodcast   Find The Midnight Train Podcast: www.themidnighttrainpodcast.com www.facebook.com/themidnighttrainpodcast www.twitter.com/themidnighttrainpc www.instagram.com/themidnighttrainpodcast www.discord.com/themidnighttrainpodcast www.tiktok.com/themidnighttrainp   And wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.   Subscribe to our official YouTube channel: OUR YOUTUBE   Boarding the train in Japan we're taking the imaginary bridge and heading to a beautiful island. What island is that you ask? We are heading to a place that has been kicking ass with listener support recently, and as we learned from a listener, they are not all pussies. We are heading to the land of Peter Jackson, Taika Waititi, Sir Edmund Hillary, Ernest Rutherford, who if you're not up on your scientists, was a  physicist who came to be known as the father of nuclear physics. Encyclopædia Britannica considers him to be the greatest experimentalist since Michael Faraday, Jean Batten, a female aviator who made the first solo flight from England to New Zealand, and the list could go on. Since we gave it away in the last description… You've probably guessed it… We're heading to New Zealand! Not only that… Creepy New Zealand!   So you know by now how we do it here on our creepy series, we like to give you a history of the location we're at and then drive into all that is creepy about said place! Having said that, let's check out the history of New Zealand. It all started when Bilbo Baggins found a ring. It was the one ring to rule them all… Oh wait.. Sorry… Wrong history… oh ya here we go.. Māori were the first inhabitants of New Zealand or Aotearoa, guided by Kupe the great navigator. When did Maori first arrive in New Zealand? According to Māori, the first explorer to reach New Zealand was Kupe. Using the stars and ocean currents as his navigational guides, he ventured across the Pacific on his waka hourua (voyaging canoe) from his ancestral Polynesian homeland of Hawaiki. It is thought that Kupe made landfall at the Hokianga Harbour in Northland, around 1000 years ago. You will not find Hawaiki on a map, but it is believed Māori came from an island or group of islands in Polynesia in the South Pacific Ocean. There are distinct similarities between the Māori language and culture and others of Polynesia including the Cook Islands, Hawaii, and Tahiti. More waka hourua followed Kupe over the next few hundred years, landing at various parts of New Zealand. It is believed that Polynesian migration was planned and deliberate, with many waka hourua making return journeys to Hawaiki. Today, Māori are part of an iwi (tribe), a group of people who are descendants of a common ancestor and associated with a certain region or area in New Zealand. Each iwi has their own hapū (sub-tribes). Iwi can trace their entire origins and whakapapa (genealogy) back to certain waka hourua. The seven waka that arrived to Aotearoa were called Tainui, Te Arawa, Mātaatua, Kurahaupō, Tokomaru, Aotea and Tākitimu. Māori were expert hunters, gatherers and growers. They wove fishing nets from harakeke (flax), and carved fish hooks from bone and stone. They hunted native birds, including moa, the world's largest bird, with a range of ingenious traps and snares.   Māori cultivated land and introduced vegetables from Polynesia, including the kūmara (sweet potato) and often cooked hāngi (an earth oven). They also ate native vegetables, roots and berries. Woven baskets were used to carry food, which was often stored in a pātaka — a storehouse raised on stilts.  To protect themselves from being attacked by others, Māori would construct pā (fortified village). Built in strategic locations, pā were cleverly constructed with a series of stockades and trenches protecting the inhabitants from intruders. Today, many historic pā sites can be found throughout the country.   Māori warriors were strong and fearless, able to skillfully wield a variety of traditional weapons, including the spear-like taiaha and club-like mere. Today, these weapons may be seen in Māori ceremonies, such as the wero (challenge). You can also find these traditional weapons in museums. While Māori lived throughout the North and South Islands, the Moriori, another Polynesian tribe, lived on the Chatham Islands, nearly 900 kilometres east of Christchurch. Moriori are believed to have migrated to the Chathams from the South Island of New Zealand. In the late 18th century, there were about 2000 Moriori living in the Chathams. However, disease and attacks from Māori saw the numbers of this peace-loving tribe become severely depleted. The last full-blooded Moriori is believed to have died in 1933.The first European to sight New Zealand was Dutch explorer Abel Tasman. He was on an expedition to discover a great Southern continent ‘Great South Land' that was believed to be rich in minerals. In 1642, while searching for this continent, Tasman sighted a ‘large high-lying land' off the West Coast of the South Island.   Abel Tasman annexed the country for Holland under the name of ‘Staten Landt' (later changed to ‘New Zealand' by Dutch mapmakers). Sailing up the country's West Coast, Tasman's first contact with Māori was at the top of the South Island in what is now called Golden Bay. Two waka (canoes) full of Māori men sighted Tasman's boat. Tasman sent out his men in a small boat, but various misunderstandings saw it rammed by one of the waka. In the resulting skirmish, four of Tasman's men were killed.   Tasman never set foot on New Zealand, and after sailing up the West Coast, went on to some Pacific Islands, and then back to Batavia (now Jakarta) in the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia). His mission to New Zealand was considered unsuccessful by his employers, the Dutch East India Company, Tasman having found ‘no treasures or matters of great profit'. Captain James Cook, sent to Tahiti to observe the transit of Venus, was also tasked with the search for the great southern continent thought to exist in the southern seas. Cook's cabin boy, Young Nick, sighted a piece of land (now called Young Nick's Head) near Gisborne in 1769. Cook successfully circumnavigated and mapped the country, and led two more expeditions to New Zealand before being killed in Hawaii in 1779. Prior to 1840, it was mainly whalers, sealers, and missionaries who came to New Zealand. These settlers had considerable contact with Māori, especially in coastal areas. Māori and Pākehā (Europeans) traded extensively, and some Europeans lived among Māori. The contribution of guns to Māori intertribal warfare, along with European diseases, led to a steep decline in the Māori population during this time.  Signed in 1840, the Treaty of Waitangi is an agreement between the British Crown and Māori.   Around this time, there were 125,000 Māori and about 2000 settlers in New Zealand. Sealers and whalers were the first Europeans settlers, followed by missionaries. Merchants also arrived to trade natural resources such as flax and timber from Māori in exchange for clothing, guns and other products.   As more immigrants settled permanently in New Zealand, they weren't always fair in their dealings with Māori over land. A number of Māori chiefs sought protection from William IV, the King of England, and recognition of their special trade and missionary contacts with Britain. They feared a takeover by nations like France, and wanted to stop the lawlessness of the British people in their country. As British settlement increased, the British Government decided to negotiate a formal agreement with Māori chiefs to become a British Colony. A treaty was drawn up in English then translated into Māori.   The Treaty of Waitangi was signed on February 6, 1840, at Waitangi in the Bay of Islands. Forty-three Northland Chiefs signed the treaty on that day. Over 500 Māori Chiefs signed it as it was taken around the country during the next eight months. The Treaty had three articles:   that the Queen (or king) of Great Britain has the right to rule over New Zealand; that Māori chiefs would keep their land and their chieftainships, and would agree to sell their land only to the British monarch; and that all Māori would have the same rights as British subjects. The second and third articles have caused controversy through the years, mainly because of translation problems. Successive governments believed the Treaty enabled complete sovereignty over Māori, their lands and resources. But Māori believed that they were merely giving permission for the British to use their land. Disputes over ownership followed involving a series of violent conflicts during the 19th century. These became known as the New Zealand Land Wars, and were concentrated around Northland and the southern part of the North Island during the 1840s, and the central North Island in the 1860s. Both sides suffered losses, with the British Crown the eventual victor. Land confiscation and questionable land sales carried on through to the 20th century, until the vast majority of land in New Zealand was owned by settlers and the Crown. Following its signing, many of the rights guaranteed to Māori in the Treaty of Waitangi were ignored. To help rectify this, the Waitangi Tribunal was set up in 1975. It has ruled on a number of claims brought by Māori iwi (tribes) and in many cases, compensation has been granted.   While disagreements over the terms of the treaty continue to this day, it is still considered New Zealand's founding document.   The grounds and building where the treaty was signed have been preserved. Today, the Waitangi Historic Reserve is a popular tourist attraction. Here you can explore the museum, watch a cultural performance inside the carved Māori meeting house, and visit the colonial mission house, historic flagstaff, and beautiful waka taua (Māori war canoe). Throughout the 19th and much of the 20th century, the ‘homeland' of Britain had an enormous influence on New Zealand. Government administration, education, and culture were largely built on British models. New Zealand troops fought, and suffered severe casualties in the Boer War and the two World Wars. As Prime Minister Michael Savage said about England in 1939, ‘where she goes, we go, where she stands, we stand'. After World War II, cultural ties with Great Britain remained strong. However, successive New Zealand governments saw the USA as their major ally and protector. New Zealand signed the joined SEATO (South-East Asia Treaty Organisation) and signed the ANZUS (Australia, New Zealand, and United States) Pact. New Zealand troops also fought with US forces during the Korean and Vietnam wars. While New Zealand is still heavily influenced by its colonial heritage, the country now has its own strong sense of identity. While still a member of the British Commonwealth, and maintaining close, friendly relations with the USA, New Zealand now has a far more independent trading and foreign policy. Since the mid 1980s, New Zealand has been a nuclear free zone, with its armed forces primarily focused on peacekeeping in the Pacific region. This history of the country was taken directly from NewZealand.Com. It was the best summation without getting too overblown we could find!  So now with that history of the country down let's get into the creepiness!!   First up, a ghost town!  Now farmland and Bush, Tangarakau once was a thriving community of 1200 people. It's a tiny dot on the map 90 minutes' drive from both Stratford and Taumarunui - so remote that it isn't even on the Forgotten Highway. You must turn off State Highway 43 and drive 6km into bush and rugged farmland to reach all that's left of it, which is almost nothing. There's a campground with cabins and provision for motorhomes, a working farm, the heavily rainforested banks of the Tangarakau River and surrounding hills to explore and plenty of outdoor activities: fossil collecting, kayaking, hunting. The name, which translates as "to fell trees” seems appropriate, for there's nothing but paddocks where a community of 1200 tunnellers and railway workers once thrived. Tangarakau was the epicentre of an epic construction job accomplished with picks, shovels and dynamite - a project which it's said would have cost $9 billion in today's money. Construction of the Stratford-Okahukura railway line began from Stratford in 1901 and took more than three decades to complete. The link was mothballed in 2009, though you can still ride over it in tourist railcarts. For most of its life this railway thrived, with goods trains carrying coal, stock and wool and passenger railcars travelling both ways every day. One feature of visiting Tangarakau on the railcarts is that the railway ballast on this part of the track is full of fossils. For about 10 years, during the height of construction, Tangarakau boasted a drapery store, hairdresser and tobacconist, boot shop, tearooms, confectioner and fruiterer, social rooms, post office and savings bank, police station, a boarding house, resident doctor and dispensary (formed by a co-operative Tangarakau Medical Association), a maternity home, cinema and social hall, lending library and reading room, a well-equipped school, recreation ground and tennis court. The streets were lit by a power station provided by the Public Works Department. According to Taranaki's Ghost Town by Derek Morris, men who built the Stratford-Okahukura railway line earned only a few pounds a week. But everyone gave a day's wages to the victims of the 1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake. After the line was completed in 1932, the workers drifted away and most buildings were dismantled and removed. During the 1960s, the population dwindled to eight. Now only Bushlands Holiday Park remains.   Not far from the ghost town, in the spectacular Tangarakau Gorge, is the grave of pioneer surveyor Joshua Morgan who died in 1893. Morgan was an extraordinary man - the first European to cross the Urewera Ranges and an eyewitness to the 1886 Tarawera eruption. He spoke fluent Maori and often used English and Maori interchangeably. Morgan fell ill while surveying the road linking Stratford and Taumarunui and did not survive to see the historic railway line through to completion. Morgan's tomb has become a place for travellers to pause and reflect on those who built the Stratford-Okahukura railway line. There's not a ton of sightings from this place but there are a few ghost stories. Some have stated that they've seen apparitions wandering the ground. And there are reports of strange noises in the area as well. Some campers at the campground have reported creepy things happening while they've stayed there including odd noises and something messing with their tents andRVs, wildlife or spirits of  the tallest workers that died working hard to complete the railway?    So we started out light to whet your whistles. Let's get into more creepiness!   Next up we head to Auckland! There we find the Ewelme cottage, which from what we can tell is considered one of the most haunted places in the area! Built in the 1860s, this charming cottage in Parnell was once home to Reverend Lush and his wife. It also functioned as a bolt-hole during times of tribal conflict in Howick, where Reverend Lush preached. This house has remained largely intact and virtually unchanged in the years since when it was built. It is a glimpse into what life in New Zealand used to be like!   It is also rumoured to be haunted by the spirits of women and children, and in particular by the spirit of a young girl. We found a description of a paranormal investigation done at the house and we're gonna share some of those findings. Rather high EMF levels were detected in a few places within the house.

Auckland council water company, Watercare has just announced its 20 year plan, which outlines how $18.5 billion dollars will be spent on the city's water and wastewater network, servicing 1.7 million people. Earlier this year a mothballed dam in the Hunua Ranges was upgraded to supplement Auckland's water supply network and to help with the region's drought and the council applied to take an extra 150 million litres of water a day from Waikato River, on top of the 150 million litre allocation. Work on a new water treatment plant in Waikato is also progressing and will soon provide up to 50 million litres a day. But continued supply from the Waikato River is part of the new long range blueprint, with Watercare Chief Executive Jon Lamonte saying it is the preferred water source to meet short-term population growth.

Auckland council water company, Watercare has just announced its 20 year plan, which outlines how $18.5 billion dollars will be spent on the city's water and wastewater network, servicing 1.7 million people. Earlier this year a mothballed dam in the Hunua Ranges was upgraded to supplement Auckland's water supply network and to help with the region's drought and the council applied to take an extra 150 million litres of water a day from Waikato River, on top of the 150 million litre allocation. Work on a new water treatment plant in Waikato is also progressing and will soon provide up to 50 million litres a day. But continued supply from the Waikato River is part of the new long range blueprint, with Watercare Chief Executive Jon Lamonte saying it is the preferred water source to meet short-term population growth.

Auckland's dams are about to dip under half-way again, with dry skies forecast through to next week. They're a long way from the historical average for this time of year of 76 per cent and inching uncomfortably close to the mid-40s level that last year saw the city impose restrictions on residential and commercial users. Level one restrictions - no hose without a trigger nozzle - are in place, but otherwise the city's water management company Watercare is relying on the goodwill of Aucklanders to keep usage under 430m litres a day. $224m was sought last year to boost supply - and consent to take more from the Waikato River is being considered. Kathryn talks to new chief executive of Watercare, Jon Lamont.

Auckland's dams are about to dip under half-way again, with dry skies forecast through to next week. They're a long way from the historical average for this time of year of 76 per cent and inching uncomfortably close to the mid-40s level that last year saw the city impose restrictions on residential and commercial users. Level one restrictions - no hose without a trigger nozzle - are in place, but otherwise the city's water management company Watercare is relying on the goodwill of Aucklanders to keep usage under 430m litres a day. $224m was sought last year to boost supply - and consent to take more from the Waikato River is being considered. Kathryn talks to new chief executive of Watercare, Jon Lamont.

Russel Norman, Executive Director of Greenpeace Aotearoa Allocation of water resources: Private wealth vs Public Health One and a half million Aucklanders have to compete with ten wealthy owners of a dairy company to get their drinking water from the Waikato River. A discussion on conservation, the environment or peace with justice.

Prawn numbers are mysteriously dropping off at Taupō's iconic Huka Prawn Park.It's been a recurring issue over the last few years, with this year being harder hit than previous years, and despite extensive scientific research and monitoring, the cause is still unknown.Huka Prawn Park has been breeding prawns for the last 30 years. It all began with a vision of researching and developing the ability to breed and grow tropical prawns in captivity using geothermal heat from the Wairakei geothermal power station next door to the park.The park, which is located on the banks of the upper Waikato River in Taupō, has developed over the years beyond prawn breeding to become a popular family attraction.It has entertained thousands of visitors over the years, including with its unique prawn fishing, says co-owner Richard Klein"They're tricky little beggars to catch and have certainly kept everyone entertained."But Richard has now been forced to make a heartbreaking decision to temporarily close the prawn fishing part of the park."I'm devastated," Richard says. "But we, along with our consulting scientists are truly baffled about what is happening to the prawns. And for some reason the issues are worse in summer."

An 18-year-old builder is being labelled a hero, after he successfully put his water rescue skills to the test. Joel Kumeroa rescued an 11-year-old boy from the Waikato River at the weekend. He told First Up reporter Louise Ternouth he was just about to leave the river when he heard someone yell out just in the nick of time.

Some residents in northern Waikato are being forced to break Covid-19 border restrictions in order to buy food at a supermarket. The rural townships of Otaua and Aka Aka are surrounded in the south by the Waikato River, and in the north by Auckland's border - they're essentially trapped. For some it means they haven't bought food for a week, and others are breaking the law to do so. Liu Chen and Jordan Bond report.

Update on the Waikato River taxi services.

In the midst of the worst water shortage in 25 years, Auckland now has a lifeline - its bid for more water from the Waikato River will be heard this year.

A trust fund is being set up to look after the health of the Waikato River as authorities agree in principle for Auckland to take more water from it. The agreement is an interim measure to help ease the region's drought crisis while a Board of Enquiry is looking at the city's resource consent application to take more water from the Waikato Regional Council long term. Several millions of dollars will go into the new fund to improve the river's water quality. Chen Liu reports.

Auckland is having its consent to take extra water from the Waikato River fast-tracked, as it grapples with its worst drought in 25 years.

The government has "called in" an application by Auckland Council to take an extra 200 million litres of water a day from the Waikato River as the city continues to stare down a severe water shortage. That means the application will take an accelerated path to approval, and more than double the city's current take from the river. David Parker is the Minister for the Environment.

Welcome to another episode of Sarah’s Country. Sarah is joined again by four great guests to talk about the matters that matter most. How are we possibly going to service a burgeoning demand for natives coming from farmers and Government projects? New Zealand Plant Producers chief executive Matthew Dolan will join us to share the industry’s recently hatched action plan that will provide that path.  The back of the Hawke’s Bay drought might be broken but many Canterbury farmers are continuing to donate surplus feed with 2000 bales of hay and silage heading north to their fellow farming friends and family. Nicky Hyslop has been one of the coordinators of the donations and joins us to discuss why she got involved as what goes around comes around. A painting created in support of farmers’ mental health will raise funds for the Rural Support Trust and reduce the stigma of depression. Taranaki artist Paul Rangiwahia wrote and produced Top Six Inches and hopes to raise more than $250,000 for the trust.  Auckland is under mandatory water use restrictions for the first time in a quarter-century and the over-allocated Waikato River doesn't have more to provide. We will discuss Environment Minister David Parker's Resource Management Act reforms to put the environment above all social requirements with ECan councillor Megan Hands. Sarah's Country - The matters that matter most with open hearts and open minds LIVE Mon-Thurs 7pm - www.sarahperriam.com Sarah Perriam, the host of Sarah's Country, is joined in self-isolation still broadcasting from the Lincoln University campus as an ‘essential service’ with her guest co-host, her Irish producer, Joel Rock. Guests on this week’s show: 1. “Native tree windfall from covid“ with Matthew Dolan, CEO, New Zealand Plant Producers 2. “Feed heads North“ with Nicky Hyslop, Farmer, South Canterbury 3. “Art raising money and awareness“ with Paul Rangiwahia, Artist, Taranaki 4. “Water Use Restrictions in Auckland“ with Megan Hands, Councillor, Environment Canterbury To watch to the full-length interviews and to contact the show visit www.sarahperriam.com

Auckland is under mandatory water use restrictions for the first time in a quarter-century and the over-allocated Waikato River doesn't have more to provide. We will discuss Environment Minister David Parker's Resource Management Act reforms to put the environment above all social requirements with ECan councillor Megan Hands. To watch to the full-length interviews and to contact the show visit www.sarahperriam.com

The Auckland Council wants to fast-track its application to take more water from the Waikato River.

Waikato iwi want to block Auckland Council's bid to more than double the city's daily water grab from the Waikato River. Auckland's mayor has asked the Environment Select Committee to add the consent to the list of 11 fast-tracked projects on the Covid-19 Recovery Bill. Those responsible for protecting the river say Auckland's drought crisis is nothing to do with Covid-19. Rachel Thomas reports.

The Mayor of Auckland wants the government to fast-track a bid to more than double the city's daily water grab from the Waikato River. Phil Goff has asked the Environment Select Committee to have a hearing on the resource consent application and include the project in the Covid-19 Recovery Bill lineup. Waikato-Tainui iwi and the Waikato River Authority have both condemned the move, saying the crisis has nothing to do with Covid-19. The original consent was made in 2013 and remains 106th in the queue. Auckland Mayor Phil Goff told our environment reporter Rachel Thomas the region is facing a major drought and it can't wait any longer.

Auckland has been warned it cannot rely on the Waikato River alone to get it out of a drought-induced water supply crisis.Waikato Regional Council chair Russ Rimmington said while the Waikato could help the country's largest city with its water woes to some extent, it was important for other options - such as harvesting rainwater from roofs and enlarging dams - to be considered."To actually run the water supply today just on the weather gods is probably foolhardy, that's the nicest way to put it," Rimmington said."They've got to look at longer, more sustainable ways of water harvesting and collection and retention in the dams."He said Watercare had "dropped the ball" with its strategic planning."We are water-conservation conscious, the city of Hamilton put on water restrictions as early as October but in Auckland it was more like [May], then it was like 'oh there's no water'."Rimmington was among the regional council leaders who met with the heads of Watercare and Auckland Council on Friday to discuss options.They will next meet with Waikato-Tainui and the Waikato River Authority.Rimmongton and Auckland Mayor Phil Goff both said that if the drought continued into spring, Auckland's water shortage would be a crisis come summer.Goff said the meeting with Waikato Regional Council was a crucial step towards ensuring a more joined-up approach."With Auckland facing its worst drought on record, it's critical that additional supply from the Waikato River is made available in the short to medium term, without sacrificing the health of the awa," he said.Yesterday, the seven-day rolling average of water use in Auckland was 408 million litres per day, below Watercare's 410 million litre target."However, even with the significant efforts Aucklanders are making, the record low rainfall we've seen in recent months continues to be a serious challenge," Goff said."If we do not get enough rain in winter and spring, Auckland will face a crisis in water supply this summer. I have instructed Watercare to seek supply from every available water source to head off a potential emergency.By RNZ

The Auckland Council's water company Watercare is using emergency powers to pull a further 15 million litres of water a day from the Waikato River. It's already taking 150 million litres a day. The change was pushed through using emergency powers under the Resource Management Act.  The Auckland region has been subject to water restrictions since last month as it grapples with a record-breaking drought.  The heads of Watercare, Auckland Council and Waikato Regional Council met on Friday to discuss options. Waikato Regional Council chair Russ Rimmington says while Waikato can help the country's largest city with its water woes, Watercare appears to have "dropped the ball". Watercare CEO Raveen Jaduram speaks to Corin Dann.

We speak to Simon Wilson about the Auckland drought.

With water restrictions being placed on Auckland and Northland due to drought, should urban dwellers be storing rainwater for irrigation and non-potable use when the weather gets dry?

With water restrictions being placed on Auckland and Northland due to drought, should urban dwellers be storing rainwater for irrigation and non-potable use when the weather gets dry?

Would you look at that: we've finally got some rules around vaping and the law will be introduced to Parliament on Monday.Sales of vaping products to under-18s will be banned and vapers will be barred from lighting up in smoke-free areas. There will be a ban on advertising and sponsorship involving vaping products and e-cigarettes.But while this is similar to smoking laws, the Minister Jenny Salesa acknowledges the part vaping has played in getting people off the smokes as we head towards Smokefree 2025.So full disclosure. I vape. I started two years ago to get off smoking. It worked. Spectacularly, can I say. I'm cutting down on the vaping. I'll have a puff once or twice a day.Now, bizarrely, flavoured vapes will only be allowed to be sold in R18 specialty stores. In dairies and supermarkets, the only flavours allowed will be tobacco, mint and menthol.My preferred flavour is  Vanilla Custard.  It's not sickly sweet it's not tangy. It leaves a room smelling of the faintest hint of vanilla which is quite pleasant.Being told I and others will have to go out of our way to find a flavour we like at a speciality shop full of bongs and glow in the dark Frisbees seems counterproductive. I wonder how many will just go back to the fags rather than traipsing across town.I guess the law allows the three flavours because they're tradition tobacco flavours and so that's for the smokers trying to quit and they don't want all the candy flavours seducing the young.  Well, hold on.  If vaping is now R18 the young are protected and what's all this about restricting adults legal choice?Another quibble is how long this law took to draft. They started in November 2018.  The reason I'm not doing an interview about the subject is that, apart from the flavour weirdness, this law is so basic and predictable that it's boring.  It's the sort of thing a half decent health official could bang up in a month.  So why did it take so long?National is asking the same question, which is only a little rich. Vaping has been around for years and nothing happened until now under all governments, National and Labour led.My real concern is with the glacial pace of the bureaucrats and advisers that serve the government. Once the trigger was pulled 18 months ago, why didn't the Civil Service get cracking.If you're of a certain age you'll remember Sir Humphrey and his Minister in the telly programme Yes Minister.  That was called a comedy though politicians actually called it a documentary.  The obfuscation and bewilderment you saw in that programme happens every day in Wellington. The Civil Service has to learn to pull its finger out.I learnt of another classic today.  Seven years ago Watercare Auckland applied to the Waikato Regional Council to double the cities 150,000 cubic meter a day intake of water from the Waikato River. Nothing's happened.  The council says it's legally obliged to process hundreds of applications ahead of Auckland's in the queue. Hello? Seven years of holding a city to ransom over water.  Because of bureaucracy! Get a grip, civil servants.  Use common sense and prioritise.

This week Theo chats to Julia Jack from Mercury NZ. Mercury NZ is a New Zealand electricity generation and electricity retailing company. All of the company's electricity generation is renewable. It owns and operates nine hydroelectric generating stations on the Waikato River and five geothermal plants in the Taupo area. Mercury promotes EV transport in many forms and offers a selection of great offers.EV Subscriptions: https://evdrive.co.nz/.E-bike: https://www.mercury.co.nz/e-transport-(1)/e-bikes-(1)E-scooters: https://www.mercury.co.nz/e-transport-(1)/e-bikes-(1)/try-an-e-bike?viewmode=0Special power plans for New Zealand customers who want to save money when charging their Electric vehicles.For more info see: https://www.mercury.co.nz/

Ben Brown is considered a New Zealand whitewater legend. He's completed at least nine first descents of rivers or rapids in nine different countries. He became the first Kiwi to be given a Red Bull helmet, which is akin to being knighted in the world of extreme sports. And now he's started his own TV show, Built to Fish TV, which is gaining a huge online following.In this episode, we talk about how Ben got started with kayaking on the Waikato River in his hometown of Hamilton, the extreme life of a Red Bull athlete, and some of his most incredible adventures, including kayaking through rebel territory and crocodile-infested waters in Uganda.We also get into facing fear, flow states, and bouncing back from a couple of horrific injuries.This is a rare insight into the life of someone who's constantly pushing the boundaries of what's possible.Follow Ben on Instagram hereWatch Built to Fish TV on Facebook hereOr visit https://builttofish.tv/ The Wild Podcast is produced by The Content Lab, which provides content marketing, copywriting, and brand storytelling services for New Zealand businesses that want to build audiences and authority online. Visit contentlab.co.nz

Part III - New Zealand Adventure Series : The North Island The last two podcasts focused on the South Island, including Milford Sound, Mt Cook/Aorika, Queenstown, Kaikora Pennisula, Pancake Rocks and much more.   My original plan was to spend one week exploring solo, join Active Adventures (one of my affiliates) on their two week 'Rimu' tour and then continue solo once more for my final week in New Zealand.  However, I had so much fun with Active and my group, that once I found out that several of my tour-mates were going to catch the back half of Active's North Island 'Kauri' tour, I decided to scrap my plans (and prepaid accomodations and flight) and book the tour to join them.  Best idea I've had in a while! Many people just explore the South Island, but seriously, make the time to head north!  It is completely different in landscape and feel, and isn't as crowded.  It was the perfect finale to an EPIC holiday! Links Mentioned in this Podcast: New Zealand South Island Part I New Zealand South Island Part II Costa Rica Adventures Australia Adventures Visit Te Aroha, hike to Wairere Waterfall Our guides, Jo and Andy, picked us up in Auckland and we headed up the coast.  After a short bit, we stopped in Te Aroha, a cute town famous for its soda waters and Mokena geyser.  Jo said we were going to take a 'wee' hike.  Her idea of 'wee' and mine are quite different, as the trail through the moss covered trees and over several bridged covered rivers was a bit steep. Well worth it when we reached the base of the Wairere Falls, where we were not only treated to a great view of the waterfall, but also a panoramic view of Auckland down below. On our way down, we took a swim in a river to cool off, and while we saw several other hikers, we had the river to ourselves. Once back in town, Jo fixed us a wonderful picnic lunch that we ate in the town square.  Then we headed up to Rotorua, the spiritual home of the Maori people (the original people ("tangata whenua") of the land who came over by canoe from Polynesia ).  Rotorua is considered the heartland of the Maori people (pronounced something like MOUWRDEE, not MAYOREE, as you might think). The town of Rotorua is ALIVE!  And not just with folks on adventure on the land and lake:  The tectonic plates below the surface have slid under each other and the steam vents from the soil all over the place!  You'll see steam curling up someone's fence, or next to a garage, etc.  It's cool and looks like a nuke bomb oddly went off sparing the people and the buildings.  A bit surreal! There are hot pools and mud pools all over the place along this lakeside town, then lake itself a collapsed caldera filled with water. Mountain Bike Whakarewarewa Forest  I step outside my comfort zone and go 'REAL' mountain biking in the Whakarewarewa  Forest.  We arrive at the bike rental shop that has a cool coffee food truck outside, so we can enjoy a cup while we are getting fitted for our bikes.  Nice bikes.  Very expensive bikes.  Do they realize that my only experience mountain biking is on a $15 yard sale bike?  Apparently not, so after our guide gives us instructions in the parking lot and we get to ride in circles, we head out to the equivalent of the 'Bunny Hill' for him to assess us.  Our group does great and we quickly move up the skill level to intermediate.  The Whakarewarewa Forest is pretty close to Rotorua making for an easy to get to, fun outing!  The forest features over 130 km of well-maintained trails for all skill levels.  You can also hike and trail run these pretty well maintained paths suitable for beginners to expert.  You can even bring your horse! Get a guide or a map and the trails intersect each other.  This is world class for mountain bikers.  Te Puia Geothermals In the afternoon, we checked out Te Puia in the Te Whakarewarewa geothermal valley.  I thought we saw a lot of steam in town - NOPE!  THIS place has A LOT of steam.  Plus mud pools, hot pools and geysers to boot.  Interpretive signs help us to understand how come the land is erupting.  Hot mud pools and natural baths are used by the Maori people (some of the really hot ones - over 200 degrees are off limits to non-Maori). Back in town, if you have time, check out the Rotorua Museum to learn more about this land, its people and history.  The architecture of the massive Swiss Tudor-like building looks a bit out of place in this town of steamy fissures.   Maori Cultural Visit and Hangi (Traditional Pit Steamed Dinner) Be sure to take time to explore the fascinating Maori culture and the various tribes that came over by canoe from Polynesia in several waves from around 1250 -1300.  They developed distinct language and traditions still practiced today. While in Rotorua. attend a Meeting Hall ritual where you will experience a 'Welcome' offered to guests and the warrior dance.  To intimidate guests, the warriors bulge their eyes and stick out their tongues. Afterwards, the women demonstrate a ball and string dance and chant, and then ask for female volunteers.  I went up and did my best to do the twirling and clacking balls as instructed.  Afterwards, you'll have a traditional hangii dinner which has all sorts of delectable meat and veggies in a buried pit that is pretty much steamed, offering a healthy dinner.  They put out a massive buffet not only of the hangii foods, but a huge assortment of western foods and seafood. Active Adventures (similar name but different company than Active Travel Adventures), the company I did much of my visit with in New Zealand, is an affiliate of ATA.  Please use my links if you decide to use them, and at no additional cost to you, you'll be helping to support this podcast and website - Thanks!  Kit Hike Rainbow Mountain, hike to Huka Falls  Just when I think  it can't get any better - it does!  My group hikes pretty fast and we conquered Rainbow Mountain, named for its multi-colored layers of exposed soil, and Huka Falls pretty quickly.  The vegetation is starting to re-establish on Rainbow Mountain, but you can still see the beautiful colors.  At the top, you'll see forest as far as the eye can see.  Once the largest specialty timber forest, since replanted.  You reach Huka Falls after following the ice blue Waikato River upstream (New Zealand's longest river).  Once the main means of transport, now you can take a Jet boat up, or walk up as we did.  As with all glacial water, the sediment suspension gives the water an unnatural crystal blue look. From here, we coast over to a hot spring for a dip. This is cool not only because it is nice to soak in a hot spring, but also because a regular cold river meets here so you can go back and forth between the hot and cold waters for a refreshing break.  There's a changing room so you don't need to hike in your bathing suit all morning. Because we are ahead of schedule,  Jo and Andy ask us if we want to raft the world's tallest commercially navigable waterfall, the Tutea, located on the Kaituna River.  We say "YES"!  Not only is going over a 21' waterfall super fun and exciting (and less dangerous than it sounds - you plunge into a deep, rock free large pool, so even if you fall out, as I did, there's nothing to get banged up on).  You float through a beautiful rainforest with several falls and rapids.  My best rafting trip EVER and I've don't the Pacuare in Costa Rica and the Tulley in Australia. Tongarino Alpine Crossing  New Zealand's favorite day hike!  Epic in grandeur.  Located in New Zealand's first national park, the Tongarino National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, this approximately 20 km hike starts out easy enough before you start hiking up to the ridgeline where you'll see remnants of previous eruptions and several glacial lakes with their eerie crystal blue or teal colors.  Like much we've seen on the North Island, steam vents abound!  Always hike prepared for all climates as the weather can change rapidly without notice.  You end the hike back down under tree line in a magical rainforest.  Allow about seven hours and bring PLENTY of water - though you'll see lakes and rivers you cannot drink out of them, even if you treat it. TRAVEL INSURANCE Not all travel insurance companies cover adventures!  World Nomads, the company I use and trust, understands adventure travel and automatically covers MOST adventure activities.  Use my link to help support this podcast at no additional cost to you - thanks! Train for Your Adventure Make sure you and your body are ready for whatever adventure you have planned.  With Fit For Trips, you can get a customized training schedule with regular phone consultations to make sure you are on track to enjoy your adventures.  Use ATAKIT at checkout for a discount, plus at no additional cost to you, you'll be helping to support the podcast - thanks!

Long-tailed bats are thriving in gullies and bush along the Waikato River, where it flows through central Hamilton.

Long-tailed bats are thriving in gullies and bush along the Waikato River, where it flows through central Hamilton.

Long-tailed bats are thriving in gullies and bush along the Waikato River, where it flows through central Hamilton.

Long-tailed bats are thriving in gullies and bush along the Waikato River, where it flows through central Hamilton.

Yet he humbly focus’s his life on a message of care and due diligence and then broadcasts it across the silent airwaves to anyone who wishes to ‘tune in.’ The radio wave ecological footprint is zero, but the message is huge - global in fact and Roy has no limits.   Mixing music, facts, anecdotes, humour and irony - RushFM finds a way to infiltrate your focus and enable you, if you want to take an in-breath, to recognise truth from fiction, fact from fake the whys and whats - of … how does a human being live on a planet and in harmony with all life? Roy has clearly set out goals: What is factual, what is encouraging and uplifting We need solutions and we need to laugh at ourselves and that differences are OK – it's good to have differences Concerns about sameness – the “same swamp of sameness” as if we are all being homogenised – and been put through a blender until all things are the same – with the resulting - “group think!" Yet RushFM does not focus on politics as such because politics is so fraught with deception and Roy does not want to present anything that is untrue. As politicians change their mind. Like before elections they say this is there goal - then afterwards they change the goal posts under the pretext that ‘we have had to reassess the situation’ we have new information … stances are at first Yes  – then 6 months later it is NO! Roy wants continuity of stated purpose. Station Axioms Truthfulness – fairness – compassion – a positive contribution – these a writ components to life – politics is not. What do you stand for? – Roy wants thinking individuals – he wants to stimulate the natural inclination with the people. Roy’s observation of people today on 2018 is that there is an underlying level of anxiety that is more predominant now than ever before  … listen He says RushFM says things that catch people ‘on the edge’ … He wants people to express their feelings – yet as peacefully as they can - he says it takes endeavour to express oneself Saying - “it’s easy to be hard but it is hard to be gentle.” Also - that we have been programmed with being PC.  ‘Politically Correct’ so as to muffle our society. Not to question, be inquisitive and to wonder? Then he talks Radio and Programs that he broadcasts. Good high quality food, organic, non GE or GMO’s Covering some of the major challenges of the 5 G Telephone Networks  – Fluoride and the mass medication of the community1080 Poison – and the discussion comes around to poisoning of your adversaries – That’s what we are doing to the human race. This ever so subtle poisoning is all being done by minute parts per million – but we are still being poisoned – by poisoning rodents especially possums – but the resulting leachate is ending up in our waterways. Listen   Vaccines  that contain mercury and other substances like human cells. He mentions laconically - its cannibalism and has been introduced for years Roundup and glyphosate sprayed on grass that is turned into silage and the cows are fed it – and then cows are milked that then goes to the factory … for mass consumption at supermarkets - and we ask why more people especially children are unhealthy? Go organic immediately is the only current thing we can do.   Any person from another world looking in at our farmers – would have to find them guilty of poisoning people through the produce that they grow. Roy’s question – How can you be your best as a human? – Especially if you ingest something (food or drink) that reduces your capacity as a human.Even though we know what we are doing is basically insane – how can we just brush it off and pretend that is is not happening? But. he says - “if these subtle poisons do not kill you - they definitely dumb you down.”    Professor Emeritus Paul Connett’s name comes up.Who says in an ordinary society there are 5% genius and 5% idiots and the rest of society are in the middle but when we add fluoride to the water – it shifts the spectrum by 5%  - which means instead of their being 5% genius’s there aren’t any - and there are now 10% idiots in our society. Polluted Water SystemsDOC - the Department of Conservation are dropping 1080 poison into the forests around Lake Taupo and the residue is finding its way via the catchment area into the lake and river system - the Waikato – that flows in the direction of Auckland to then be pumped into the Auckland drinking water supply – and the water is not been tested for any particulates or residue – and we wonder why at another level so many children have allergies?  Roy mentions that this 1080 has been filmed entering Lake Taupo. That some 14 communities source their drinking water downstream from its source – being Taupo, the largest city being Hamilton. Now these 14 communities along this river dispose of their “treated effluent” back into the Waikato River as well!!    Fourteen river bank communities are involved. Not only this – but antidepressants plus birth control, heart medicine and a whole plethora of different medications are in this waterway – and just before the Waikato flows out to the sea – Auckland Council’s Water Care – pumps and pipes water up to Auckland dams to then pipes it to householders in the suburbs. That there are no steps taken to purify (filter) most of these medicinal residues out! There is also a marked increase of estrogen in the water and Roy gives a tip for men – to take some fresh lemon drops in a glass of water every day – so that it removes the estrogen  and makes a man - a man again. Because the men are slowly feminising … This interview goes on to coverCell phones  … hullo?  Hypnosis? What’s really going on.People farmingCompartmentalism Depopulation Scalar waves   EMF frequency influences on animal brain wave patterns Telephone towers have 300,000 watts  Our mobile phone only uses only 3 or 4 watts This interview then goes right off the charts … Listen it is well worth your while ... Note that Doctors will never speak out against the profligate use of drugs, because the Pharmaceutical Corporations who control the whole industry - will have you struck off! Dentists will not speak out against fluoride, because the corporate Industry is lock stepped with big Pharma - so Dentist remain silent. Water Scientists also remain speechless in relationship to 1080 poison  - for fear of losing their job, due to pressure from higher up the system. There is a lockdown on free speech in NZ –  the word ‘gag’ is commonly used to close down free speech and this is becoming predominant. This interview is of an honest man doing his best to relay the truth RushFM.co.nz

Episode 19 features a story about the Waikato River - with ‘Te Awa i Tahuti' in our 5th installment of 'Once Upon a Taima'.

The Crewe Murders. June, 1970. Pukekawa, New Zealand. A successful farming couple have been married for four years and have an 18 month-old daughter. Things are going quite well for them save for some troubling occurrences. A burglary at their farmhouse is followed by arson fires at their home and their barn. Is someone out to get them? Harvey and Jeannette would go missing in June of 1970. Jeannette's father, Len Demler, would visit the home and find young Rochelle in her cot, but no sign of her parents other than bloodstains and signs that furniture had been moved. The Crewe's bound bodies would later be found in the Waikato River which helped authorities focus on a suspect. Evidence would mount and a conviction would twice be secured before Arthur Allan Thomas was pardoned. Thomas maintained his innocence while police would be forced to admit evidence may have been planted against him. Much like the Steven Avery case, questionable evidence and suggestions that an innocent man was framed popped up. Why was justice not done in this case?

Hello friends and friends I haven't met yet. Welcome to an awesome episode #16 of Dougit the podcast with the man behind the flowers, beard, the charity Live More Awesome and a new book titled - A Guide to Live More Awesome Volume 1 - Mr Jimi Hunt!!! Mental health is something we all have like constant cravings for chocolate and guacamole (and by all I mean me) physical health but somehow we don't treat it with the same enthusiasm, flash lycra and gym selfies, until now.... Jimi Hunt has brought new life and awesomeness to what is normally a sad old/new story. From building the world's biggest waterslide, to taking a Lilo down the Waikato River, to giving TED talks and giving away almost every possession he has, he has helped to inspire, encourage, inform and provide help for people struggling with depression, anxiety and suicide and for those who just feel like they could get a bit more "zip" into their mental stride and a more interesting pair of pants. Socrate wrote that: 'No man has the right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training. ... for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable. Yet somehow we don't approach mental health the same. Jimi was kind enough to give me a copy of his new book and sit down with me in a fine/bizarre pair of pants for a chat minus the small talk plus some funny and fascinating insights. I wish Jimi all the best on his new crusade to inspire the world through inspiring 7% off us so that he can tip the mentality on mental health in a more positive direction away from Kardashians towards health and happiness as the measures of success of the future. I encourage you to buy his awesome book, check out live more awesome, spread some awesomeness around the issue of mental health and write an awesome comment below, on Instagram or facebook for your chance to win a copy of Jimi's book. Think less, experience more, and live more awesome! Doug :)

This week on My Kiwi Life, Jimi Hunt joins Will in the Podcasts.NZ studio to talk about his life, his giant water slide, lilo-ing the Waikato River and the game changing tools he uses to keep his mind on track and his life going forward. Running time: 0:46:29

A conversation around key strategies and healthy choices to take care of ones being, during stressful times.How do we relate to the present and deepening our understanding of our place in the ecology, that surrounds us?A wide ranging discussion from organic food, to Koanga Gardens now Kaiwaka Organics, to broths, and seeds - about Chinese and Indian foods, many greens eaten in China and many seeds in curries in India.No frying of foods is encouraged - due to the fact that the heat and the oils/fats produce free radicals, that are detrimental to bodily health.What can we grow at our own back door? Can we and should we catch rainwater off our roof, once the first 10 minutes of rain flushes the roof and guttering, to then put through a filter for house use?What quality of water are we pumping into our city from the Waikato River and drinking?Dr Masaru Emoto, the Japanese researcher of thought and intention using frozen water crystals programed with Love and Gratitude that show an exquisitely, elegant and refined geometry compared to hate, and a dark convoluted unsightly structure.Stress free living, is paramount for us as a humanity, and the need to simplify our life during these times.The act of giving to others feeds us 'warm' hormones that makes us feel good inside and more connected. That we innately respond when reciprocity is engaged in.And much more …John Coombs and Fi Rutlandhttp://www.globalhealthclinics.co.nz

The best interviews from Radio New Zealand Sport for the week ending Friday 3rd September. In the programme this week - we look back at one of the greatest moment's in New Zealand sporting history, The Cambridge University rowing eight are back in the country ready to race on the Waikato River, The Olympic silver medallist Nick Willis returns to the track, and the Silver Ferns are feeling confident as their preparation for October's Commonwealth Games hits top gear...

The best interviews from Radio New Zealand Sport for the week ending Friday 3rd September. In the programme this week - we look back at one of the greatest moment's in New Zealand sporting history, The Cambridge University rowing eight are back in the country ready to race on the Waikato River, The Olympic silver medallist Nick Willis returns to the track, and the Silver Ferns are feeling confident as their preparation for October's Commonwealth Games hits top gear...

A forum to explore the rights of Indigenous peoples to be involved in the governance of freshwater. Linda Te Aho, senior law lecturer, University of Waikato and member of the Guardians Establishment Committee created under the Waikato River Agreement in Principle, "Negotiating co-management of the Waikato River".

A forum to explore the rights of Indigenous peoples to be involved in the governance of freshwater. Linda Te Aho, senior law lecturer, University of Waikato and member of the Guardians Establishment Committee created under the Waikato River Agreement in Principle, "Negotiating co-management of the Waikato River".

A forum to explore the rights of Indigenous peoples to be involved in the governance of freshwater. Linda Te Aho, senior law lecturer, University of Waikato and member of the Guardians Establishment Committee created under the Waikato River Agreement in Principle, "Negotiating co-management of the Waikato River".