Get Informed About Resource Consents
It’s a common complaint: “how could the Council let people build that, and not even notify anyone?” That’s partly down to a misunderstanding of what “notification” means under the RMA: it’s not just about letting people know, but also the start of a long and complex process involving hearings, lawyers and possible appeals, and it only occurs […]
Serious Monkey(ish) business at Wellington Zoo
Okay, let’s get the puns out of the way. While it is never inappropriate to spank your monkey in public, and only Peter Gabriel can shock the monkey, at Wellington Zoo you can, however, touch some monkeys. Sort of. Well, the touching part is correct, but technically the Black-and-White Ruffed Lemurs aren’t actually primates, they’re a […]
Craft Central, moves into the Centre of Wellington
For over a year Craft Central’s been a delightful little market held monthly at Miramar School, one of those little secrets only locals know about, like Craig the Chemist who always has stickers on hand to bring a smile to kids’ faces. But Libby and Katherine, Craft Central’s creators, had big dreams, to turn their 100% NZ […]
Review: Whore &, Lashings of whipped cream
I had high hopes for Whore. Described in the promo material as “Contemporary, topical, true-life based monologues told by six characters…this work is a collection of stories about street sex workers in Auckland, New Zealand” I thought it would be an up to date exploration of modern, decriminalised sex work. Well, I was disappointed. If […]
Snakes and Shadows: History as Poetry in Chris Tse’s Year of Snakes
Cross Tory Street heading toward Aro; banish the Carrilon’s long shadow behind the white-and-teal Bible Society on your left, Nurse Maude’s mosaic gaze upon your right shoulder. Point your nose toward Tara-Ngaki Street – “shining mountain-peak” – and feel Haining Street incline beneath your feet as Tory’s constant woosh recedes into urban din. The senses […]
Nominees for the 2014 Capital Awards
This afternoon we popped down to Vivo for the annoucing of nominees in the 2014 Capital Awards ‑Wellington’s premier hospitality awards. It was a pretty casual affair, with many of the nominees hard at work and therefore unable to front to receive their certificates. Still though, it was great seeing so many Wellingtonista favourites get […]
Spot That Pigeon!
Take a break from watching polls and start watching birds with The Great Kererū Count. Forest & Bird have teamed up with local company Thundermaps to create an easy way for all of us to track these magnificent yet near-threatened native pigeons, using the Thundermaps smartphone apps or web application. Kererū are vital to the health of our […]
Victoria, What Do We Want From You?
Saturday is your last opportunity to make your voice heard on the future of…no, I’m not talking about the elections, but about something more specific to Wellington. In a very condensed consultation process, WCC is seeking your input on the proposed transformation of three blocks Victoria St, between Dixon and Abel Smith streets. And that […]
Voting Weather
There are signs that this election could have a good turnout. Advance voting is about twice what it was at the same stage in the last two elections, and there have been over 35,000 new enrolments since I posted about poor enrolment figures: nearly 1500 in Wellington Central alone! However, one thing that can still put […]
Bring Back Kate — March on Monday
On average the National Collective of Independent Women’s Refuges receive one call for help every nine minutes. From July 2013 to June 2014 the Shakti national crisis line service exceeded 10,000 calls. Bring Back Kate is Women’s Refuge’s latest call to action on domestic violence in New Zealand. In 1893 Kate Shepherd and a band of […]