I had the absolute pleasure of organizing a meeting between a ex Scott’s boy Craig Gribble, who at the time was a big wig at Merri Lynch Sydney offices, and the legendary founders of TRADE ME Sam Morgan and Rowan Swain. There, we were waiting breathlessly for the pitch from the 5 Merrill executives. The Merrill boys were repping the Canadian pension fund. They wanted to know if Sam, in all his newfound success, wanted to buy the Yellow Pages.Did TRADE ME want to buy the biggest competitor they had? Amidst all the excitement, Sam jumps up and draws a…

Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand, is a microcosm of the nation’s road safety challenges. In 2022, Wellington saw a 15% increase in road accidents compared to the previous year, with the following breakdown: Accidents: 780 (2022) vs 680 (2021) Fatalities: 4 Serious Injuries: 58 The city’s winding roads, combined with increasing traffic congestion (an average of 30 minutes of delay per commuter daily) and a growing population (215,000 residents as of 2023), have contributed to a rise in accidents. This mirrors the national trend, where factors like driver distraction (responsible for 30% of fatal crashes), impaired driving…

Wellington, New Zealand’s capital city, was once a far cry from the bustling, cosmopolitan hub it is today. In its early days, the city was characterized by a grey, uninviting atmosphere, with a population of a mere 400 people living in the CBD. The culinary scene could have been better, with a handful of restaurants and a mere 20 bars catering to the limited clientele.However, over the decades, Wellington underwent a remarkable transformation, shedding its drab image and emerging as a vibrant epicenter of hospitality. The city’s evolution can be traced through various factors, including a growing population, changing demographics,…

In a bold move, Suburban Tauranga’s Matua Bar has decided to remove all of its pokie machines, hoping to foster a more welcoming atmosphere for families and the community.Co-owners April Fletcher and Jeff Hazelwood, who took over the establishment two years ago, initially reduced the number of machines from nine to seven. Now, they’re taking the final step of removing them entirely.Fletcher expressed her dislike for pokies, believing they hurt the community. “We’re better off having more table space and fun space rather than having these machines in here,” she stated.The decision comes amid a growing awareness of the harm…

Wellington Airport is a busy hub with around 250 flights coming and going every day. Because planes need to take off and land in the wind, and Wellington’s runway is north-south, the wind plays a big part in flight directions. Most of the time, the wind blows from the north, so planes usually arrive from the south, landing in the wind, and then take off towards the north. But when the wind changes and blows from the south, everything flips, and planes do the opposite!Due to prevailing northerly winds, 70% of arrivals into Wellington Airport come from the south, flying…

Over the past ten years, Wellington has experienced a subtle yet significant shift in its ethnic makeup. While the European population remains the largest group in most suburbs, its dominance has slightly decreased. This change is most noticeable in the city center (CBD), where the Asian population has grown considerably, likely due to an influx of international students and skilled workers.The accompanying graph visually illustrates these trends. Each bar chart represents a suburb, with the vertical axis showing the percentage of each ethnic group in 2013 (blue) and 2023 (orange). The stacked bars make it easy to compare the proportions…

A legal battle is brewing between the Wellington Pride Festival (WPF) and Lesbian Action for Visibility Aotearoa (Lava), a lesbian group that holds views considered anti-trans. The dispute centers on WPF’s 2021 decision to deny Lava a stall at their annual gala, citing concerns raised by the community about the group’s stance on transgender individuals.WPF board co-chair Tasmin Prichard defended the decision, emphasizing the festival’s commitment to inclusivity and equal rights for trans people. Prichard also highlighted the festival’s rigorous selection process for stalls, which prioritizes those that contribute positively to the overall experience of attendees.Lava, however, argues that the…

If you live in Wainuiomata,  New Plymouth, Rotorua, Napier Hastings or anywhere in a cold climate and park your car outside, a frozen windscreen can be a real pain. But don’t worry, there are effective ways to tackle this icy problem without causing any damage to your car.How to Defrost a Windscreen and What Not to Do Nathan Kilah, a chemistry expert at the University of Tasmania, recommends using regular tap water as the most effective way to defrost a windscreen. The goal is to raise the temperature of the glass above freezing, and plain water does the trick. You can…

You wouldn’t know it by looking at a map, but Wellington’s supposed retail heart is struggling. We are talking about that stretch between Lambton Quay and Courtenay Place – prime real estate, right? Yet, a staggering 46 shops stand empty. It’s a ghost town, and things could get worse.Retailers are hurting. Sales are down, profits are thin, and the future looks bleak. The pandemic didn’t help, with more people working from home and fewer government jobs in the city. It’s like the life has been sucked out of the place during the week.Ian Douglas, the owner of Village Goldsmith, has seen…

In a land down under, where kiwis roamed and sheep outnumbered people, a retired broadcaster named Paul Henry found himself thrust back into the limelight. It wasn’t for a new show or a juicy interview but for a speech at a political gathering. This wasn’t just any political party, but the ACT party, known for its bold stances and fearless leader, David Seymour.Paul, a man not known for mincing words, delivered a scathing assessment of New Zealand’s current state. He called it “deeply in the shit,” a country adrift, squabbling amongst itself rather than seizing the opportunities before it. He…