Mayor Yule, meet Mayor Arnott. As much as you claim you and other local elected leaders have linked arms to put amalgamation on the agenda, consider this … You indeed put it on the agenda. And it was considered perfunctorily, then declared dead on arrival (unless you’re talking Hastings and, maybe, CHB). Evidence? Read this […]
Posted inEnvironment
$2m win for Bay biodiversity
A partnership for nature announced this week provides welcome news … and enormous challenges. A diverse coalition of funders is contributing $2m to rescue 14 critically endangered patches of native bush across Hawke’s Bay. There’s much to like in this initiative. Half the funding comes from the Department of Conservation, reflecting the Government’s commitment to securing important ecological sites, […]
Posted inCommunity
Quilting news
The Keirunga Quilters Annual Exhibition is being held at the Havelock North Function Centre from 14 – 21 August (entrance by gold coin donation) and the group’s President, Jo Farmery tells me that members have been really busy making a range of items, big and small, to ensure that this year’s exhibition will be one […]
Posted inCommunity
New look for HB Farmers’ Market
A new website launches Sunday for one of HB’s treasured institutions. Take a look here. Appealing, clean and fresh — as a food site should be — by BayBuzz’s reckoning. The new site includes in-depth introductions to each supplier, so it’s possible for customers to connect directly with the producers and find out what makes […]
Posted inBusiness/Economy
Is your grocery bill increasing?
The Commerce Commission just released a draft report on the retail grocery sector, which indicates that NZ is the sixth-most expensive grocery sector in the OECD. According to the report, food is the second largest expense for New Zealand households, with an average spend of $234 a week (2019 data). Our own survey of BayBuzz readers, […]
Posted inEnvironment
Extinction events
The bad news is that we (the planet) are in our sixth ‘extinction’ event in the geological record. The first five were caused by ‘natural’ events; the sixth – dramatic loss of biodiversity and ecological collapse – is human caused: “… driven by the concurrence of phenomena unique to human actions including changes in land and […]
Posted inCulture
10 Best Donuts
The BayBuzz team have been munching on donuts – yes, it’s a hard job, but we’ve taken the hit in order to make our list of ten best donuts in the Bay. In no particular order, here are our picks: 1 Churros from Mamacita. Whether you’re at the Napier or Havelock North Mexican restaurant, save […]
Posted inCommunity
A perch is not a home
My neighbour is putting on an extension. He’s a dedicated DIY-er and does all the grunt work himself. When he hits a construction conundrum, mates turn up to help out. He’s been collecting demo windows and doors, bits of 4×2, weather boards, for weeks and now he’s got a reclaimed timber addition to his suburban […]
Posted inBooks
Demand and (eventual) supply
A small brouhaha erupted in the publishing industry in the midst of the Ockham New Zealand Book Awards celebrations. A much-respected publisher celebrated a win, they of course immediately ran out of stock, someone Tweeted ‘You had one job,’ and a twitterary stoush ensued, entertaining for its use of florid vocabulary. It’s tricky. Booksellers know […]
Posted inCulture
Napier Rep: Two one-act plays
Napier Repertory Players are soon to be presenting two thought-provoking, award-winning one-act plays, performed on one night. First, Jonathan Smith MNZM is bringing us “100”. This is a strikingly original play combining traditional storytelling with physical theatre. Imagine that you must choose one single memory from your life, Imagine that choosing this memory is your only way of […]
Posted inBusiness/Economy
Airport terminal about to land
Hawke’s Bay Airport is taking a punt announcing a date for the opening of its new terminal – it’s pending Council sign-off on the building. But fingers crossed, the redeveloped terminal will be open the first week of August, with a Mana Ahuriri blessing on Monday 2 August and the first flights arriving and departing […]
Posted inBusiness/Economy
HB meat processing threatened?
More than 45% of NZ’s red meat exports – worth $3 billion – are ‘halal certified’, destined mainly for the Middle East and Southeast Asia. ‘Halal certified’ requires that only a Muslim man can slaughter the animal and the entire processing must involve utensils, equipment and machinery cleansed according to Islamic law. Fully 90% of […]
Posted inCommunity
Help Cure Kids
A special courier satchel is giving Cure Kids a funding boost during the month of July. Aramex New Zealand (formerly Fastway Couriers) is encouraging Kiwis to purchase the re-designed satchel, which features drawings by Cure Kids Ambassador Mela and her sister Boe, to raise much-need funds for the organisation. For every satchel purchased during July, […]
Posted inCommunity
Mark your ‘fun’ diary!
There’s plenty on during these winter weeks and months. Here are my BayBuzz picks for the coming week: MTG Re-opens From Saturday, July 24th, MTG Hawke’s Bay will be open to the public again! We’ve missed it – what’s it been – six months since it closed the doors due to issues with the sprinkler […]
Posted inEnvironment
Recovery value from waste
Hawke’s Bay food producers and processors will soon have the opportunity to join a collaborative sector-wide initiative aimed at reducing waste and adding value to by-products. Modelled on South Canterbury’s ‘Sustainable is Attainable’ programme, begun in 2019, the initiative aims to help overcome some of the key obstacles to getting value from waste streams, such […]
Posted inCulture
No more ‘sizzle then fizzle’
Changes are in the air for the Hawke’s Bay creative sector following the recent announcement of $425,000 allocated to this region by Manatū Taonga, Ministry of Culture and Heritage. Granted to NgāToi Hawke’s Bay last month, the money will support a creative sector-led, regionally supported initiative, designed to grow the capability of our cultural and […]
Posted inEnvironment
Three crises at once!
Living in Wellington for 34 years, I experienced numerous small earthquakes, a few moderate ones causing significant damage, and a lot of the city’s notorious wet windy weather. The periodic carnage inflicted on the garden, minor cracks in a wall or two, and destruction of one large sash window in 100+ kph winds were manageable. […]
Posted inSocial
What’s your relationship with alcohol?
While there is no age in which it is illegal to drink alcohol in New Zealand, there are strict parameters for minors, such as parental consent, conditions of responsibility and laws around supply (you cannot sell alcohol to those under 18). Why is it that we have laws to protect our children from alcohol? Research […]
Posted inCulture
Food festivals
Whether it’s a music festival or a motor racing festival there’s always food. Food is at the centre of any and nearly every gathering of any import. From the weekly market to the annual congress of pilgrims at Womad. Food is the backbone. The memory of the vegetable pakoras is recalled with much greater clarity […]
Posted inBusiness/Economy
Pan Pac: a quiet giant
Tokyo, 1 February 2020. Tony Clifford, the 28-year company veteran and newly appointed CEO of Pan Pac Forest Products, was presenting to the company’s board of directors. It was his first day on the job in his new role. In Japan’s capital city, the effects of COVID-19 were beginning to be felt, he explains. “All […]
Posted inCommunity
More court time for HB youth
No, they’re not going to jail … this is good news! Construction began this week on a $20 million 5900m2 indoor sport facility, significantly expanding the capacity of Pettigrew.Green Arena. Funding partners include the Government via the Infrastructure Reference Group (IRG) Covid Response and Recovery Fund contributing $6.4 million, along with $4.1 million from Napier […]
