News / Events

KiwiSavers and investors are bemoaning the fall in value of their investments. Over the last few months, investment returns for balanced and growth portfolios have been negative, causing many to rethink their feelings about risk and return. It’s all very well to be an aggressive, risk-taking investor when share markets are rising, but the true test of your risk aversion comes when the market takes a tumble.

As we come to the close of another year, there are no doubt many people who are feeling glad the year is over. For some people, it would well have been the worst year of their lives, with everything imaginable having gone wrong. Death of loved ones, loss of a job, poor health, business failure, the end of a relationship – all manner of traumatic events are possibilities in any year and some people cop more than their fair share.

The all new RAV4, to be launched in 2019 locally, will be the first Toyota sport utility vehicle to be offered here with self-charging electric hybrid technology.

Wellington City Council will expand its New Zealand-first project of providing affordable inner city apartments with the owners of six more buildings wanting to convert their properties.

Volatility is a new experience for KiwiSaver investors who have known nothing but stable markets in recent years. There will be plenty of opportunity over the next two or three years for nervous investors to make bad choices about how their funds are invested.

Sites for a new indoor concert arena in Wellington have been narrowed down with the most likely spot at Kings Wharf on the waterfront, says Wellington Mayor Justin Lester

NZTech will launch New Zealand’s first formal digital identity organisation in Auckland on Monday.

Digital Identity NZ, a group of organisations and government agencies, has been set up to connect everyone in New Zealand that cares about digital identity.

Wellington’s Ngarama Milner-Olsen of Wellington has been named New Zealand’s best personal trainer at the Exercise NZ awards in Auckland at the weekend.

There’s never been a cheaper time to borrow money, with some banks having dropped their mortgage interest rates below 4%. Rates this low make it very tempting to borrow more to buy a bigger house, add an extension, take an overseas trip, or trade in the car for a newer model.

Since the 1970s a deluge of research studies, books, documentaries, media and internet articles have conditioned us to believe that stress is bad.

Wellington’s commitment to ending sexual violence was reflected in the Safety in the City awards ceremony at the Wharewaka on the waterfront last night.

A boutique Wellington software design studio whose tools are being used on TV shows and films such as Stranger Things, Game of Thrones and Blade Runner 2049 has picked up an Emmy Award for contributions to the television industry.

New Zealand can lead the world in financial technology, or fintech, which will totally transform the financial services industry economy, Xero small business director Nicole Buisson says.

We are told that work related stress has reached epidemic proportions. So why are our workplaces increasingly full of people suffering with stress? And what can organisations do about it?

I am both a personal coach and digital marketing consultant and set up Tony Cutting Digital earlier this year. I had over 25 years in the talent management industry prior to moving into digital marketing.

I am now on the hunt to find and/or create Wellington Region's very own Social Media Influencer collective.

Our moment to moment decisions and actions are almost ALWAYS driven by our need to meet one or more of our Emotional Needs.

Wellington and Canberra are working together to protect rare, threatened and symbolic trees and plants from around the world

A ‘waka laboratory’ to sample gas emissions from some of the world’s most inaccessible volcanoes is among 22 Victoria University of Wellington-led projects to receive more than $14.5 million from the Government’s Marsden Fund for innovative thinking by top researchers.

Toyota has restyled the 14 wide-bodied variants of its 21-ute range as the iconic workhorse of choice celebrates its 50th anniversary globally.

One hundred and fifty young people are taking the chance to tell the Wellington City Council what their vision is for Wellington at a summit being held today.

The Wellington Pride Parade has announced next year's parade will be on the evening of Saturday 16 March 2019 – the same day as Out in the Park – and everyone's welcome.

In many stress management books and articles we are painted as hapless victims of a pathetically primitive survival system – the Fight or Flight response (aka the stress response). The argument goes that the Fight or Flight response whilst suitable for helping our ancestors deal with sabre-tooth tigers and the suchlike, is wholly inappropriate for us modern day humans when, for example, we're stuck in a traffic jam or facing an unrealistic deadline at work.

It’s easy to invest when markets are running smoothly but when they fall your confidence can be sorely tested. More uncertainty in investment markets means more volatility and a need to review your investment strategy.

Tenants in the capital can expect to pay $30 more a week in rent compared to last year, after the median rent in Wellington rose 6.7 per cent to $480 per week in September.

Egg salad makes a wonderful lunch or a side for your next barbeque. Using mini cucumbers would make great low carb finger food too. Makng home made Aioli ensures you are eating good fats instead of processed vegetable oil.

Victoria University of Wellington student Lucia Kennedy has been given a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet the Duke and Duchess of Sussex at Maranui Café’s Youth Mental Health event in Wellington on Monday.

Wellington Mayor Justin Lester has welcomed the news the Commerce Commission will be granted new powers to allow it to investigate fuel prices.

Thousands of people are expected to gather at Wellington’s Pukeahu National War Memorial Park this Sunday 28 October for a glimpse of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

Everyone experiences anxiety to some degree - but individuals who suffer from severe anxiety have excessive and unrealistic feelings of dread, apprehension and impending disaster that interfere with their normal everyday lives and relationships.

There is an increasing trend for young couples to manage their money separately, unlike previous generations who pooled their financial resources. Women are becoming more financially independent, which is great, however there are a number of factors which mean that women lag behind men in the wealth creation stakes.

The new sea-themed murals on the entrances to the subway below the airport runway were blessed and celebrated at a ceremony this morning (Thursday 25 October).

Who knew 10 years ago we would be replacing our starches with Cauliflower! There is cauliflower rice and cauliflower mash and even whole roasted cauliflower! This is a very versatile vegetable.

One of the barriers to people working with a financial adviser is knowing who to talk to. The relationship between an adviser and a client is founded on trust and it takes time to develop. There is an element of risk in putting your trust in someone when you don’t them that well, but there are some signals that can indicate whether you are talking to the right person.

The theme of World Mental Health Day (10 Oct) is young people and mental health in a changing world, and it recognises that children and young adults are facing a crisis in mental health with fast-rising rates of anxiety, self-harm and depression.

Bread alternatives normally taste terrible and eggy or dry and nothing like the real thing. This bread is life changing, not because it tastes like the addictive stuff that is hard to give up but because it is dense, tasty and satisfying. It makes a great base for many toppings or slathered with butter or nut butter.

Wellington City Council is aiming to secure up to $24 million in Government funding for walking and cycling improvements in the city’s southern suburbs – Island Bay, Berhampore, Newtown and Mt Cook.

Successive generations always seem to be better off than the last. Our parents had a better standard of living than their parents and our children seem set to have a much more than we ever had.

There were plenty of fresh faces on the various podiums at the 2018 New Zealand Mini Motocross Championships near Porirua at the weekend.

Limiting global warming to 1.5​C would require rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society, the IPCC said in a new assessment released today (2pm Monday 8 October NZTime). With clear benefits to people and natural ecosystems, limiting global warming to 1.5​C compared to 2​C could go hand-in-hand with ensuring a more sustainable and equitable society, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) said today.

Want a great weekend out exploring all the artistry the Kāpiti Coast has to offer? Then don’t miss the explosion of colour and creativity that is the Kāpiti Arts Trail.

Wellington City Council is proud to be supporting its biggest Te Wiki Kaumātua Seniors’ Week programme – celebrating, engaging and connecting the capital’s older residents.

Monday 8 October marks the start of Mental Health Awareness Week here in NZ. This year’s theme is: Let nature in, strengthen your wellbeing – Mā te taiao kia whakapakari tōu oranga!

Wellington City’s first bike share scheme was launched yesterday (6 October) as a six-month trial that will see 200 fixed-gear bicycles available for hire around the central city.

Investing in shares is becoming a popular option with young people keen to get ahead. It’s much easier than investing in property. The entry cost is much lower (you can literally start with just a few dollars), you don’t have to borrow money to invest, there are no rules and regulations to restrict you, and you don’t have all the hassles of maintenance and dealing with tenants.

Thirteen properties have received $450,000 in funding from the Built Heritage Incentive Fund (BHIF), continuing the Council’s commitment to heritage, tourism, the community, and the safety of future generations.

New Zealand - Robbie Schneider, a noted financial specialist has recently spent time in USA discussing his business Succession First, a niche investment service that helps people get involved in SRI. Financial advisor, Robbie Schneider offers a solution that the consumer can easily understand.

Lack of exercise is putting pressure on the health of many Kiwis, a leading New Zealand exercise expert says.

One of the ways in which I explain anxiety to my clients is: “it's a mind/body system by which our subconscious mind (i.e. our out of conscious awareness) alerts our conscious mind (i.e. our conscious awareness) to potential danger.”

The stunning design of the almost-complete north Kumutoto public space on Wellington’s waterfront has been recognised with two awards for landscape architects Isthmus Group.

Wellington’s Botanic Garden is celebrating its 150th anniversary, and it’s looking pretty as a picture – so give us your best shot..

They say the best way to become a billionaire is to act like one. You can find the secrets of billionaires in their values, beliefs and strategies which, if you study them, can guide you to great wealth.

Wellington City Council has agreed to lease its newly built 104-unit social housing complex in Mt Cook to Housing New Zealand (HNZ) in what has been described as a “win-win-win” deal.

Wellington’s Rainbow Crossing will soon become a reality, with the controlled crossing to be officially opened on 10 October to coincide with the birthday of one of the city’s most iconic transgender activists, Carmen Rupe (1936-2011).

Blockworks, clearly the biggest and most significant event to consider the benefits and impacts of the burgeoning blockchain technology in New Zealand, will be held in Auckland on October 12.

Victoria University of Wellington’s Council has confirmed its earlier draft decision to change the University’s name to ‘University of Wellington’.

For a while now, there has been talk of a possible share market crash. Since the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, share markets have shown a strong upward trend, and we have forgotten what it’s like when returns are negative.

Kiwis will continue to face record digital threats and cyber incidents every month, NZTech chief executive Graeme Muller says.

Winner of the New Zealand executive assistant (EA) of the year award Nyia Strachan may come from one of New Zealand’s smallest cities but she would still be the best EA if she worked in Auckland, her boss Alpine Energy chief executive Andrew Tombs says.

Toyota has enhanced the daring styling of the C-HR compact SUV with the availability of a two-tone paint scheme on a new Limited variant.

Te Māra apartments – 104 new social housing units built by Wellington City Council – were blessed in a dawn ceremony today (Monday 17 September).

Confusion about the name of Wellington’s waterfront lagoon will be no more, with Whairepo Lagoon now etched into the landscape.

A New Zealand-first model to help bring more affordable and quality rental accommodation to the central city has been unveiled in Wellington.

Wellington City Council is embracing Te Wiki o te reo Māori by proposing to name several new reserves after native birds.

A recent survey done by the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) for Money Week shows that we still have a lot to learn about KiwiSaver.

Kiwi businesses can now afford to protect themselves against intellectual property (IP) risks, thanks to an audacious move by Delta Insurance.

New Zealand company ODocs Eye Care has signed its first overseas international partnership with Riyadh’s King Saud University, which is the biggest medical university in the Arab world.

When I thought up this joke on the way to the bank, I was laughing all the way to the bank. I put lots of money in the bank; I guess a genius and money are soon parted. I don’t bank my pennies though, because I burn through them so fast I keep them in a rather large urn. I guess a penny saved is a penny urned.

There is no question that it is hard to save – and harder for some people than for others. While it might be prudent to save 10% of your income towards your retirement, not everyone has an income high enough to do this. A focus on saving often results in feelings of guilt, failure and inadequacy which lead to a vicious circle of saving even less, and feeling even worse. With a fixed income, it is the level of spending that determines how much is saved.

Wellington City Council and The Sustainable Business Network are excited to announce the four winners of the 2018 Good Food Boost programme – giving fledgling food businesses the wings to fly.

A total of 176,000 New Zealanders says they will definitely start exercising at a gym or fitness facility in the next 12 months according to a survey by an Auckland research company.

Wellington City Council is reviewing the current Liquor Control bylaw and has proposed some changes to the alcohol ban areas.

This spring, drivers across the Wellington region will receive the message to stay alert at intersections.

Wellington City Council has agreed to proceed to a user-pays model with parking at weekends.

This healthy-fat laden hollandaise sauce is made with the egg yolks left over from making the grain free bread. I posted that recipe a few weeks ago.

Situated at the corner of Molesworth and Aitken Streets, Wellington’s National Library houses a huge amount of wonderful resources for the entrepreneurial researcher.

Agritech could be destined to save the New Zealand economy, leading New Zealand tech expert Graeme Muller says.

When I was a child a treat was a special food to be eaten on special occasions such as birthdays. These days treats have become everyday foods and unfortunately all of that sugar and starch we are eating every day is having a massive impact on our health.

One of the greatest gifts you can give your kids is to teach them about money. It has been shown many times over that while academic success can lead to higher paying jobs, it is financial capability that gives young people the ability to create wealth. The earlier you start teaching kids about money the better. It just got easier to do that with the launch of Sharesies Kids Accounts.

Work is well underway in creating a new sand dune at Lyall Bay, and restoring Surfers' Corner at the popular south coast beach.

A New Zealand business leader has come in to bat for many unsung personal assistants (PAs), just weeks out from the annual New Zealand Office and PA Show.

Yoga teachers want to introduce quality standards for yoga teacher training and support in New Zealand for yoga teachers.

Investing in managed funds such as KiwiSaver is a great way to save for retirement. For investors with small amounts or who wish to make regular, small contributions, managed funds offer a cost-effective, simple solution with diversification to help reduce investment risk.

Spring is almost here – and it’s time for Wellington City Council’s lawn renovations programme to get rolling.

Wellington Mayor Justin Lester has paid tribute to local basketball stalwart Justin Toebes following his death earlier this week.

Imagine taking a leisurely walk in the park when a gun wielding man emerges from the bushes a few feet in front of you and demands you hand over your wallet/purse.

Whittaker’s has launched their very first permanent store which is located through customs in Auckland International Airport. The store opened yesterday and will be accessible to anyone travelling internationally from Auckland.

Wellington City Council and The Movie Museum Limited (TMML) have today announced a mutually-agreed parting of the ways for a joint project between the Council’s Convention Centre and TMML’s Movie Museum, which were proposed for Cable Street in central Wellington. Both parties remain optimistic for the future of their respective projects.

A New Zealand boxing-fitness expert is urging Kiwis with chronic neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s to lead more physically active lives and start boxing.

A clampdown on dangerous buildings in Wellington has sparked some unexpected transformations in the historic Cuba Street quarter as the deadline for remedial work looms

Hi there. Welcome to my first blog post. My name is Theresa Joyce. I've been an internationally qualified beauty therapist for the last 30 years, with 7 of those years abroad. Where have those years gone? Its true that time flies when you're having fun!! And yes... I so love my work.

Whangarei, winner of the most electric vehicle friendly-town in New Zealand award, has a big advantage over other regions.

The Government’s decision to phase out single-use plastic shopping bags is being hailed by Wellington Mayor Justin Lester and local government leaders.

One of the biggest fears for retirees is the prospect of ending life in a rest home, and seeing the family fortune eaten up by fees. While at any given time only around 5-7% of people over the age of 65 are living in residential care, statistics show that just under 40% of older people die in care.

In last week’s blog I wrote about the difference between normal and problematic worrying and how categorising our worries can help us to deal with it. This week I’m sharing another practical, effective technique for controlling problematic worry – Worry Time.

Construction of the $22-million hub, on the corner of Moorefield Road and Frankmoore Avenue, is on track and it is scheduled to open in December 2019.

I discovered a wonderful little pub in Wellington last night. I’ve been living in Mount Victoria for the last year and a half, and while I’ve walked past The Hop Garden a few times, I had never been inside.

In less than a fortnight, more than 30 New Zealand agritech leaders will make history in Silicon Valley.

It’s estimated we have between 12,000-80,000 thoughts per day. A large proportion of these thoughts involve us asking ourselves....

When a major change in your life hits you, some people handle it well and others at times struggle. The fact is life is always changing, and well, it kind of has to. If it wasn’t so big or so shocking, we probably would not call it a change at all.

The basic principles of financial success do not change over time. Despite this, younger generations don’t always take on board the lessons learned by their parents and grandparents.

Wellington City is on the right track to cope with a population boom after approving a record number of new dwellings, says Mayor Justin Lester.

Last Saturday I bought an herb, mint. It grew nicely for a week or so, now it’s wilting. I think this is because I put it into a glass jar (because I’m a hippy and don’t like plastic) and there were no holes in the bottom. I realised yesterday the soil was still water-logged, so today I transferred it back to plastic.

Agile allows teams to deliver things of greatest value for the stakeholders every single time. But what do I mean by that and how?

At the 2018 Wellington Airport Regional Community Awards last night, long-running community care providers Compassion Soup Kitchen were honoured as Supreme Winner for their commitment to helping vulnerable people.

Nine Wellington organisations were last night honoured at Wellington City Council’s inaugural Accessibility Awards for their efforts to help make Wellington more accessible for everyone.

There is nothing complicated about money; you either spend it or save it. Over the course of a lifetime it mostly gets spent, so saving is just money to be set aside for spending at some point in the future.

To stop stress impacting adversely on our performance, health and enjoyment of life there are three key things we need to do. But, before I discuss those three things, let’s take a look at what stress is.

I bought you at Pak N’ Save for three dollars. I haven’t been with a mint plant for a few years, so I was a little shy. But you’re not judgemental so I don’t seem to have a problem opening up, the way you open up your frondy goodness to me.

The country’s top exercise industry body, ExerciseNZ, is behind the call for industry-wide guidelines around high intensity workouts including a weekly maximum time limit for this type of training for gym-goers.

As every investor knows, there is no such thing as a completely risk-free investment, and the lower the investment risk, the lower the investment return is likely to be.

The Treasury has today released the latest round of Investor Confidence Rating (ICR) results for three public sector agencies. The ICR assesses how well investment-intensive government agencies are managing their investments and assets and highlights areas for performance improvement.

Have you heard about the Vagus Nerve? It’s the most important nerve you perhaps didn’t know you had.

As the saying goes, there is nothing more certain in life than death and taxes. The minute we are born we are on a gradual path towards the inevitable, while paying taxes along the way! Around the age of eighty people start to become conscious of their mortality. Beyond this point, a traumatic health event, such as surgery, a critical illness or a serious fracture, can trigger a sudden decline in overall health which may be difficult to recover from.

Whittaker’s have searched the world for the finest ingredients to showcase in their world class chocolate and created three delicious new flavours to add to their premium 100g Destinations. The new flavours give Whittaker’s Chocolate Lovers a chance to enjoy the tastes of Colombia, Madagascar, and Australia.

A sighting of a southern right whale/tohorā in the Moa Point area yesterday morning – and no sightings for at least two days of a whale in Wellington Harbour – raises the prospect that Wellington’s first Matariki fireworks display will go ahead this weekend.

Victoria University of Wellington’s Senior Lecturer in Art History, Dr Peter Brunt has co-curated the United Kingdom’s first major show to explore Oceanic art, at London’s Royal Academy of Arts.

I went outside (inadvertently) to use nature’s restroom you see – one of my housemates has a room a little close to the toilet and I didn’t want to wake him. I looked up, and here’s what I saw...

The luxury brand is the only prestige marque to have double figure sales increases – up 17 per cent to the end of June over last year.

Choosing the time to retire is a key life decision that some people find extremely difficult. No doubt we can all think of someone who has stayed in the workforce a bit too long. There are a number of reasons why people can be reluctant to retire.

There are four key steps that we need to take in order to regain, and maintain, control over our stress and anxiety:

Once a month I go to this café. If you haven’t been there, and you’re something of an intrepid explorer with good taste, go check it out.

New Zealand is beginning to witness unprecedented opportunities in areas of technology convergence as cutting-edge and world-first technology continues to accelerate and merge.

We’re pleased to announce a new trial of a donation scheme launching in Wellington – using existing sensors to support a free travel app designed to make freedom camping easier and more sustainable, with the ability for campers to make a koha.

A fledgling New Zealand agritech company run by a rising Kiwi entrepreneur who has worked for Rocket Lab has raised $8 million, from Silicon Valley venture capital firm Data Collective, which is likely to result in massive changes to the nation’s burgeoning dairy industry.

NZTech Women will this month launch 100TechWomen which will feature a collection of inspiring stories from New Zealand’s brightest female tech talent from around the country.

Solo Art Exhibition: Held at Zealandia Ecosanctuary (gallery space on the stairwell up to Rata café)

Here we are half way through the year, with distant memories of summer, the start of the New Year and all those resolutions that were made. In the middle of winter, everything seems like a hard grind. In the darkness and cold it is easy to let go of promises made to get fit, lose weight and save more.

Research tells us that writing about our core values is one of the most effective psychological interventions we can engage in.

Wellington City Council has chosen a course of growth and future-proofing the city for the next 50 years while also bringing forward work on sewage sludge growth and flood protection.

So you are getting close to 50 years old or maybe you are like me and now into your 50's?

When I was staring down the barrel of redundancy for the first time in my career, I experienced anxiety and stress big time. The trigger for my anxiety was a combination of intrusive, negative, distressing thoughts and images.

Drion sanitary products are hypoallergenic, ultra-absorbent and technologically advanced, and support menstrual comfort. They contain a green strip infused with far infrared rays and negative ions. Drion sanitary products also help minimise vaginal odours.

The latest Prius Prime Plug-in Hybrid, C-HR, Camry and soon to be launched Corolla are a result of Toyota’s global president Akio Toyoda challenging the company’s designers to create cars that speak to people’s emotions.

Tomorrow is international yoga day and yoga is surging in popularity all around New Zealand, while organised sport is in decline, Exercise NZ chief executive Richard Beddie says.

The Electrical (Safety) Regulations 2010 require all electrical equipment and fittings that are available for use in the workplace, in rental or leased accommodation, or are offered for hire, to be electrically safe.

More of Wellington City’s cycle network will be under way in the next few months following confirmation that the Government will fund the eastern suburbs cycling projects that the Council has recently approved.

The rapid rise of tech companies working in the insurance market and investment by traditional insurance firms into new advanced technologies is expected to lead to better deals for customers in coming years, InsurTechNZ chair Jason Roberts says.

Wellington City Council is looking at a 30-piece tool kit to tackle housing affordability, availability and quality as the capital faces increasing housing demand over the next 25 years – an approach welcomed by the Government.

The light-bulb moment that changed the direction of my life for ever, was when a fellow trainee coach read out to me the core values he’d just elicited from me. I thought he was reading from someone else’s values listing, because the ones he was reading out didn’t align with my perception of who I was.

Your retirement years are around a third of your adult life and it’s worth planning ahead to make sure they are the best years of your life. Approaching retirement age is a bit like running up to the finishing line after a marathon race. A big spurt of effort is needed just at a time when you feel like giving up and taking it easy.

ReCut, Ahi Kā, and the Sky Show are all part of the Capital’s Matariki calendar – but we’re also proud supporters of many smaller events, exhibitions, and initiatives celebrating the Māori New Year.

Following the tragic fire in the Grenfell Tower in London and, in New Zealand, a nationwide MBIE request to gather information about buildings clad in aluminium composite panels, Wellington City Council has identified 113 buildings with aluminium composite panelling.

The digital revolution that has begun will change, redefine and disrupt almost every sector across the country, New Zealand Techleaders chair David Kennedy says.

New Zealand Police has signed a lease for a new building in Paraparaumu, north of Wellington.

Every adviser dreams of the day when they can kick back and just wait for the leads to come rolling in effortlessly. Sure, there are some advisers who love the thrill of the chase, hunting down clients, but the majority of advisers I know would rather spend their time doing what they are good at – providing advice and looking after their clients.

This month it’s Men’s Health month: #menstarttalking

This year's theme is about encouraging us guys to open up and start talking about our health (mental and physical) and to get along to the Doc for a check-up. The strap-line is “Ask Your Mate How He’s Doing.”

At this time of year it is a good idea to prepare for rainy days. That’s not just the wet stuff! Rainy days cause problems with our financial affairs as well, hence the old adage about saving for a rainy day.

Teachers need to be better paid as they adjust to educating kids in the fastest growing sector in New Zealand, - technology, an award-winning Maori chief executive of a fast growing ed-tech company says.

Wellington City Youth Council is today celebrating 20 years of bringing young people’s voices to the ears of the city’s leaders.

How do you feel right now? Are you happy? If not it is time to make some changes.

Scrap metal dealers around the region are asked to keep a watch-out for a number of distinctive bronze plaques stolen from Wellington’s Botanic Garden last weekend.

Wellington City Council’s 10-year plan is ready for adoption, after the Mayor and Councillors passed the proposed plan at today’s deliberation session.

People who live or regularly travel in Newtown, Berhampore and Mt Cook are being asked to share their thoughts and local knowledge as planning gets under way to develop safer bike connections in the area.

Throughout my life, I have been successful in many ways. I have genuinely succeeded in most things I put my heart and soul into.

Whether you are starting out or have an established business you are wanting to grow there are some actions you need to take if you want to succeed quickly.

New Zealanders have always been good at giving to others. Whether it is selling sausages, baking for a cake stall or running errands for elderly neighbours, most Kiwis pitch in at some stage in their lives to lend a helping hand.

I live in New Zealand and people here generally do not like to promote themselves. We like to be humble and there really is quite a tall poppy syndrome that goes on here.

World Smokefree Day is on 31 May – if you are keen to stop smoking then hypnosis could be the secret weapon you’ve been searching for.

Being active during childhood helps with brain development and leads to lower rates of degenerative diseases later in life, a national exercise expert says.

Eco-sanctuary Zealandia continues to be increasingly popular with tourists and in the January-March quarter more than 42,000 people visited, up 14 percent on the same time last year. Fifty-seven percent of visitors were from outside Wellington.

Where can you feast your eyes on some psychedelic cave figures “cavorting wildly around large canvases” in the heart of the capital?

There has been much talk lately about KiwiSaver fees and the impact this has on the value of KiwiSaver funds over time. Simplicity KiwiSaver is a recent market entrant which prides itself on low fees and uses this as a selling point. The Financial Markets Authority (FMA) has recently changed the way in which KiwiSaver providers disclose fees so that funds can be more easily compared.

Three local organisations were celebrated in a Social Enterprise Showcase presentation at the Wellington Gold Awards finalist announcement event at Te Wharewaka last night.

You’ve probably had this experience many times…..

You get in the car and drive to work. During the journey, your mind is focused on an upcoming holiday, or what to buy your partner for their birthday, or where to go for dinner on Saturday etc. You arrive at work but can’t recall anything of the journey. Why is that?

Whittaker’s is delighted to have been named New Zealand’s Most Trusted Brand for the seventh consecutive year, and thanks the New Zealand public for their ongoing support.

Wellington shocked many when it was ranked the most liveable city in the world last year, but it won’t surprise Wellingtonians to learn it has kept that number one spot in 2018, says the capital’s Mayor Justin Lester.

A recent survey shows Wellingtonians are proud of their city’s creativity, and are backing investment in art and culture to make the Culture Capital a vibrant and interesting place to live, says Mayor Justin Lester.

The New Zealand Tech and Innovation Story, the UpStarters, launched this morning by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern at Techweek ’18, is a key milestone in supporting our tech and innovation companies to promote themselves on the world stage.

Budget 2018 oozed fiscal responsibility, but for many a shift to a truly wellbeing Budget cannot come quick enough, BERL chief economist Dr Ganesh Nana says.

Life has seasons. There are good times and bad times, and the changes are often caused by factors outside our control. At a personal level, our health, employment status and family relationships can all work either in our favour or against us. At a higher level, the economic state of the region we live in, of New Zealand, and of the world, can have an impact.

The Museum Stand will remain a fixture at the Basin Reserve after Wellington City Council agreed the 94-year-old structure is worth preserving.

The capital’s increasingly popular waterfront walkway could get a new official name – Ara Moana – following a proposal at a meeting of Wellington City Council’s Regulatory Processes Committee today.

Technology will soon help make New Zealand’s farms more productive while also making lakes and rivers cleaner, NZTech chief executive Graeme Muller says.

Up until my mid-thirties, I chewed my nails down to the quick, very often until my fingers bled. It was a habit I’d learned as child when, unable to master trimming my nails with scissors, I’d resorted to using my teeth to trim them. Then one day I stopped, and I haven’t bitten them since. Read on to find out how I achieved that breakthrough ….

If you want to know how to manage your money and create wealth, look no further than your garden. The principles you use to create a beautiful, flourishing garden are exactly the same as you need for wealth creation.

A proposal to save, refurbish and strengthen the Basin Reserve’s heritage-listed Museum Stand will be debated by Wellington City Council next week, with Mayor Justin Lester strongly behind the proposal.

Wellington’s winter will light up with fire, fun and fireworks over three events for the first Matariki ki Pōneke festival.

Electrical safety and hazard prevention are the key to longevity and success for every business in New Zealand. Imagine, after the all the hard work you’ve poured into your business, that your organisation is closed down due to safety issues. If you fail to deal with hazards, it won’t be just your reputation that’s damaged – you could receive huge fines and have your operating licenses removed – not to mention the lives that could be damaged in the process.

Whittaker’s has perfected a new caramel filling and is releasing two new caramel products. As well as pairing the new creamier, smoother and more velvety caramel with Whittaker’s 5 Roll Refined Creamy Milk Chocolate, Whittaker’s has also created a 62% Dark Salted Caramel.

As part of its draft 10-Year Plan, Wellington City Council has earmarked $10.7 million to ensure Ngaio Gorge Road remains useable in the event of a disaster or severe weather.

Massey University has strategic goals to increase the quantity and quality of Pasifika tertiary graduates. To help achieve our strategic goals we are seeking a knowledgeable, empathetic professional with the right skills, attitude and enthusiasm to support our Pasifika students to achieve their academic goals as independent learners.

“All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” ~ William Shakespeare

Shakespeare was correct – we’re all performers and we play many roles each and every day. Each of those roles places demands on us and we strive to satisfy those ever increasing demands to the best of our ability but often the pressure becomes excessive and it all becomes too overwhelming.…..

Managing money is more of an art than a science. There is no right and wrong when it comes to managing money. It is simply a matter of finding the right balance.

Graduating from Le Cordon Bleu New Zealand in 2015, Josh has achieved a lot within the last three years; now Head Chef at the Logan Brown-owned restaurant Bellamys, he tells us about his time at Le Cordon Bleu New Zealand, his experience at Logan Brown, and his future plans for the new restaurant.

One of the biggest dilemmas for people with a limited budget is whether it is worth taking out health insurance. This group of people includes retirees, young people at the beginning of their career and couples with young families. For retirees the dilemma is magnified, because both claims and premiums escalate very quickly with age. In the event of an accident, emergency, or critical illness, the public health system generally provides an excellent standard of care. However, our aging population is putting severe pressure on health services which is only going to get worse.

New Zealand – Robbie Schneider, a noted financial specialist has recently launched
Succession First, a niche investment service that helps people get involved in SRI.

It’s the final straw for plastic straws on the Wellington waterfront, with the area now 100 percent free of them thanks to two American exchange students, Wellington City Council and Sustainable Coastlines.

Retirement planning is not easy, and it’s made even harder when there is a significant difference in age or health status between two partners in retirement.

The most congested part of the Oriental Bay pathway will be made safer for people on bikes and on foot later this year with no loss of parking.

The changing face of local communities is being increasingly reflected by those working to support people with mental health needs.

All through my childhood, teenage years and early adulthood I was described as quiet and shy – someone who much preferred their own company to that of others.

So, you finished College, University or your trade course, started work or founded a cool business, it must be time to forget about learning and focus on making the most of the time you have, right?

Conventional wisdom says that once you are retired you shouldn’t take risks with your money. That’s good advice, however it doesn’t mean you need to be a ‘conservative’ investor. It simply means that if you invest in assets such as shares and property which have a high return but high volatility, you need strategies for minimising the risk of loss.

Tech is the fastest growing and third biggest industry sector in New Zealand contributing more than $6.3 billion in annual exports and now other countries are chasing the cream of our tech crop.

A New Zealand start-up company, RIP Global, is among eight companies to be selected for the next women-only Springboard Enterprises Australia (SBE) accelerator programme.

New Zealand’s umbrella rural health organisation will move to shut down if it does not receive government funding next week.

“The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”

~ Winston Churchill

Compulsory retirement ended in New Zealand in 1999, and since then, the percentage of people over the age of 65 who are working has rapidly increased. It is estimated that 27% of men and 17% of women aged 65 or more are working – some through choice and some because they cannot afford to retire.

One of the most contentious issues with financial advice is the way in which advisers are remunerated. There is a great deal of variation between advisers as to how they are rewarded for their services to clients and regulators struggle to achieve consistency and transparency of how much is paid by whom to whom.

“Frustrated. Perhaps a little angry. There’s some stuff going on at work I’m not happy about.” He stared at me, holding my gaze. “But, I’m not stressed....,” he paused, “.... you know, I’m only here because my wife wanted me to come.”

The motor industry and personal mobility are changing radically and Toyota is leading the way in making changes to its overall business to keep pace.

New Zealand is becoming a global blockchain centre, FintechNZ general manager James Brown says.

Baby boomers are not only getting older – they are getting wealthier. As they reach retirement age, they bring along with them a large amount of wealth that needs to be invested, spent, and finally bequeathed to their heirs or charity.

New Zealand is about to see an explosion in the number of people taking up yoga, 24/7 gyms, boutique studios, boot camps and mobile trainers, a leading exercise expert says.

The Karori Project was formed in 2017 when the Council agreed to provide the support necessary to help the people of Karori develop a long-term vision for their community.

Interest rates have been low for some time now - great for borrowers but bad news for investors. Looking ahead, there are signs that interest rates will rise, albeit slowly. We have had low inflation, so leaving your money invested in the bank at a low rate hasn’t led to a loss of purchasing power.

“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.”

The announcement of the world’s first self-driving electric air taxi being piloted in Christchurch is just one of the examples of New Zealand becoming a living tech laboratory, NZTech chief executive Graeme Muller said today.

In Phoenix, Arizona, cars are self-navigating the streets. In many homes, people are speaking to digital assistants, with the machines responding.

The unique Lexus Sport Yacht concept was recognised with a special award by Japan’s “Boat of the Year” committee at the Japan International Boat Show in Yokohama on Friday.

Awareness of each moment is the easiest way to find joy and have a happy life. Geshe la will speak about and give instructions, including practical and meditation techniques for the powerful practice of staying in the present moment.

A researcher described as a hopelessly addicted inventor who is using artificial intelligence (AI) to find native bird predators such as rats, stoats and possums, will be an interesting speaker at AI Day in Auckland on March 28.

Wellingtonians will be walking on rainbows later this year when the city becomes home to New Zealand's first rainbow-coloured pedestrian crossing, with the city's Mayor announcing that work will commence on Cuba Street to prepare the site.

Last week I performed as the right hand man for a blue puppet in Late Night Puppets  produced by the Wellington Improvisers Troupe (WIT), as part of the Fringe Festival.

International Women’s Day is a global celebration of women which occurs on 8 March every year. While women continue to make progress on gender parity, this year’s theme of #PressforProgress indicates there is still lots to be done. Women face a range of specific financial risks stemming from gender related issues - the gender pay gap, the roles they are expected to play in families and society, and how they perceive themselves.

The worm has turned in the tech world as a wave of females are joining the tech community, according to national and global reports.

Wellington City Council’s 10-year plan sets out a clear road map to deliver on our vision for all Wellingtonians to have safe, dry, warm homes, says Mayor Justin Lester.

There are two ways to build wealth – the slow way and the fast way. The slow way involves saving and investing part of your income over a long period of time, in other words, building wealth using your own money. The key to building wealth faster is to use other people’s money; that is, to invest borrowed funds. This is the principle of leverage, and it allows you to multiply your investment gains. It is highly unlikely that significant wealth can be created without using this principle, barring a windfall such as an inheritance or a lottery win.

Wellington Mayor Justin Lester is giving Wellington’s predator-free projects extra priority and is bolstering the city’s efforts to be eco-friendly.

We’ve all been affected at some point in our lives by the fear of being judged.

As a holistic health practitioner, it’s been a revelation to learn that periods needn't be a painful or negative experience, particularly when I help so many women deal with this often debilitating issue.

Wellington will enjoy a refreshed and reinvigorated arts, events and culture scene as a result of a $127 million investment over the next 10 years.

Are YOU Wanting to Create a Simple 90-Day Action Plan for Your Business?…
and have the competitive edge?

Join us in a relaxed down-to-earth workshop as we give you practical tools & strategies to improve your communication & leadership skills.

A New Zealander who is leading one of the world’s most exciting artificial intelligent (AI) teams at Amazon in Silicon Valley is working on cutting-edge social impact projects such as catching game poachers and child sex traffickers.

Kapiti Coast, Monday 26 February - Craig Pope has announced its new location and refreshed brand, shortly after being confirmed as one of ‘NZ Advisor’s Top 10’ Mortgage Advisors for 2017.

Today I’m going to share a simple, yet powerful, mind-set shift that helped me to be more successful in my life.

Financial freedom is a concept that most people aspire to, but which few people understand and even fewer people achieve. The term financial freedom means different things to different people.

A leading economist says New Zealanders will have to wait until later in the year to see where the needle settles on the government’s ‘superficial change v substantive change’ spectrum.

The appointment of a chief technology officer for New Zealand is critical for the future of the country if we hope to be a thriving digital nation by 2030, NZTech chief executive Graeme Muller says.

Spark Digital chief executive Jolie Hodson, who is speaking to the international Digital Nations summit in Auckland starting today, has painted a picture of dramatic tech changes in New Zealand over the next 12 years.

Internationally acclaimed London-based New Zealand artist Luke Willis Thompson will open his first major solo exhibition in this country tomorrow at Victoria University of Wellington’s Adam Art Gallery.

Whether you are building your business or developing a career there is one essential skill that you must put time into - networking.

The New Zealand Health Survey 2016/17 found that around 1 in 3 adults (aged 15 years and over) were obese (32%) and a further 34% of adults were overweight but not obese.

It’s estimated that at any point in time, one in four adults are trying to lose weight, most of the time usually by going on a diet. Most of those people are going to be disappointed because as I wrote a few weeks ago, diets don't work long-term (The BIG Con – Diets Don’t Work).

The Government has recently released its report ‘Stocktake of New Zealand Housing’ which looks at homelessness and housing-related poverty. Undertaken by a team of independent experts, this report brings into the open the consequences of falling home ownership. A significant cause is the under-supply of housing; the number of houses being built has fallen behind the rate of population increase. This has pushed up house prices and rents.

More than 500 tech people are gathering at the international Digital Nations Summit in Auckland on Monday to share ideas and thoughts about what sort of country New Zealand will be like in 2030 and the role technology will play, NZTech chief executive Graeme Muller says.

A penthouse in the sky, look at all this information
Vendor highly motivated. Property vacant. Registered valuation of Fritz Stigter. Market value range $1,000,000 - $1,100,000. Dated valuation 14 November 2017.

Kiwis should think seriously about their heart and their loved one tomorrow on Valentine’s Day, a leading New Zealand health expert says.

Heart diseases is the single biggest killer of New Zealanders. Every 90 minutes a New Zealander dies from heart disease and cardiovascular disease accounts for 30 percent of Kiwi deaths every year. The Heart Foundation says many of the deaths are preventable.

Some of the world’s leading tech experts, including tech Ministers from other countries, will attend a coding session with a bunch of young New Zealand’s school children at the Young Coders Showcase during the international Digital Nations tech summit in Auckland next week.

Its not too late...
Spoil a loved one with beautiful flowers on this special day. Choose from Juliettes special valentines collection or choose from her everyday bouquets....

The demand for portable operating departments to ease hospital surgical strain is growing substantially, Mobile Health chief executive Mark Eager says.

Over the Christmas break, Mobile Health’s surgical bus unit was busy working in Auckland at the Counties District Health Board as an extra theatre helping them to get through their elective surgery lists, Eager says.

On Wednesday morning I woke up at 4am. The bedroom was way too hot (see below for the optimum temperature for sleep). I gave myself 10 minutes to get back to sleep and, when I didn’t, decided to get up and start work for the day. I re-framed the situation as an opportunity to use the two extra hours to progress a project I’m working on. When I turned on my PC I discovered it was #InternationalWellbeingWednesday, and that the theme for 2018 was all about getting a good night’s sleep! How timely!!

Over the last few days we have been reminded of something that has almost been forgotten; that share markets don’t always keep going up. The last ten years have been very good for share investors. The long period of good returns followed the Global Financial Crisis in 2008, which prompted various central banks around the world to inject cash into their economies and drop interest rates.

Whether from your dining table, a converted garage and everything in between, it’s important to set certain boundaries when you are running a business from home. One of the biggest time thieves – apart from the Internet, is the telephone. Not only does it steal precious time (usually at the most inopportune moment), it can also raise havoc on your busy schedule.

Wellington City Council is saving a much-loved Worser Bay tree swing from the chop following requests from the community.

Whittaker’s Chocolate Lovers are in for a treat with the addition of two exciting new flavours to the Artisan Collection: West Coast Buttermilk Caramelised White Chocolate with Gingerbread Biscuit, and Marlborough Sea Salt and Caramel Brittle with Saffron in 62% Dark Chocolate.

Newly-sworn in Southern Ward Councillor Fleur Fitzsimons will start her term mandated to tackle sexual violence in Wellington, with Mayor Justin Lester announcing Cr Fitzsimons as portfolio lead for City Safety.

Toyota Hilux will ramp up its attitude with the introduction of the SR5 Cruiser variant, which sits above the SR5 and replaces the outgoing SR5 limited in the 21 strong range.

Go by Bike Day this Wednesday 7 February will be a big celebration for the growing number of Wellingtonians who are choosing to make some trips by bike.

Wellington City Council wants to hear from the public on how it can achieve the goal of making Wellington a te reo Māori city, Deputy Mayor Jill Day announced today.

The Capital will be celebrating Te Rā o Waitangi in style this coming Tuesday with an exciting line-up of entertainment and activities at Waitangi Park, and along the waterfront.

There are several different ways to generate cash from an investment portfolio to top up your retirement income. Many retirees make the mistake of confusing cash with income and this leads them to invest in interest-bearing investments such as bonds and term deposits to supplement their superannuation. Yet interest is only one of the ‘four pillars’ of retirement income.

Some of the top cutting-edge tech companies, academics and leading tech chief executives will unleash all the latest information and how AI (artificial intelligence) is impacting on New Zealanders’ lives at a major event in Auckland in March.

Be. Accessible's journey in Wellington began in 2011 with the genesis of our organisation. We started with a vision to make Aotearoa a leader in accessibility, beginning by working with organisations and councils to adopt best practice in preparation for the Rugby World Cup.

The ride up in Wellington’s Cable Car is now brighter and more colourful thanks to a new mural.

Wellington is hoping to double its involvement in a national Māori mentoring programme this year, Wellington Mayor Justin Lester says.

The New Zealand 2017 personal trainer of the year winner has sent an open letter to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, pleading for more government input to help Kiwi school children get fitter.

It is common for two people to stay in an unhappy relationship for the sake of children and because they can’t afford to split their assets and income in half. But is seems that now, the number of people who divorce later in life is on the increase. Known as silver splitters, they are over 50, the kids are off their hands, they have a home with little or no debt and they are looking for freedom and independence.

For many people, their New Year’s resolutions concerned breaking bad habits or building new, more useful ones.

If you were one of those people, then perhaps you’ve already discovered that breaking an unwanted habit, and installing a new one, can be more challenging than you anticipated.

Changes to Singapore Airlines’ route linking Wellington to the world will enhance economic opportunities for the region.

We all know Wellington is renowned for its great weather, but this summer has been something else. It’s hot – so Wellington City Council’s experts have compiled the following tips to help locals beat the heat:

There is a lot to remember when you are motivated to change your life for the better.

The first step is to make a personal plan that covers all aspects of our life which may include career or business, relationships, health, financial, friends & family, personal growth and development, fun and recreation, and environment etc. For more information on goal setting visit my blog ‘Dreaming and goal setting’

Digital learning skills, smarter homes and medical drone deliveries will be major tech developments that will significantly impact lives of Kiwis, a leading New Zealand tech expert says.

NZTech chief executive Graeme Muller says while the tech talk is often about issues such as robots stealing jobs or virtual reality worlds New Zealanders may sometimes overlook some of the advances that are happening already that will be important for Kiwis in the coming days of 2018.

Did you read The BIG Con article in the Your Weekend section of last Saturday’s Dominion Post (written by Rose Hoare)? It carried the by-line: “If you’ve been thinking about going on a diet as part of a New Year resolution, don’t bother.”

Holiday time is a great time to declutter. Just as cupboards and wardrobes fill up with unused or out of date items, your financial affairs can become cluttered. Whether it is bank accounts, credit cards, store cards, loyalty cards, loans, investments or insurance, you can easily get to the point where you have so much going on you lose track.

Major strengthening work will continue on Ngaio Gorge Road next month as part of the long term project to improve resilience on this key transport route.

Exercise is still the #1 new year’s resolution for most Kiwis, a leading New Zealand exercise expert says.

Exercise NZ chief executive Richard Beddie says just doing something is better than nothing, and people wary of huge fitness challenges should start with things they enjoy.

Having goals focuses your mind on what you need to know and do to be successful, so that you can make the most of your life. The start of a new year is great time to set goals. However, if you want to be able to achieve your goals there a few secrets in how you set them.

I don’t know about you, but over the last few weeks, my inbox has been bombarded with offers of help and advice on setting my goals for 2018.

Kiwi businesses are having to substantially change how they operate with the rapid arrival of the digital age, a leading New Zealand business expert says.

The New Year is a chance to make resolutions to eat healthier food, exercise more often and manage money better. Just like diet and exercise, money is something that people feel often guilty about. Opening your credit card bill after Christmas and the New Year sales can certainly create the feeling that you have done something wrong or spent money you weren’t supposed to. However, while an initial rush of guilt can trigger desire to change money behaviours, New Year’s resolutions get forgotten about as life settles back to normal. There is an easy way to avoid feeling guilty about money and to keep on track with money goals.

Happy New Year! I hope you had a wonderful, enjoyable festive season and wish you a healthy, happy, successful and prosperous New Year.

A Christmas Carol published in 1843, is one of Charles Dicken’s most popular novels and has been the subject of numerous films, TV series and musicals. Dickens wrote the story in six weeks, during October and November of 1843 to highlight the plight of poor children.

Wellington City Council has launched the application phase of a national-first programme – trialling electric vehicle charging points in residential streets.

Construction will begin in January 2018 on the new Johnsonville Community Hub and public library, Deputy Mayor Jill Day announced today.

The incoming government has hit the ground running but will face many obstacles in 2018 as it seeks to sustain a stable economy, leading New Zealand economic forecaster BERL says.

Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) announced today its plans toward the popularization of electrified vehicles for the decade 2020-2030.

The future of New Zealand’s economy hangs on its ability to swiftly embrace and invest in digital tech skills, NZTech chief executive Graeme Muller says.

A major report released today shows that New Zealand has a significant and growing digital skills shortage, primarily due to the speed and scale of the increase in demand for tech skills.

With Xmas Day just over a week away, how’s your stress level? Did you know that according to the UK’s Stress Management Society, one in 20 people consider Christmas more stressful than a burglary!

Starting out in life after school or tertiary education is an exciting milestone. It is one of the best times in life, with a future full of potential opportunities, without the responsibilities of dependent children to support and with few financial commitments. Anything is possible at this stage of life. However, it is also a critical time as making the wrong financial decisions when starting out can have long term consequences.

New sensors installed at each end of Karori Tunnel will detect people on bikes as they approach the tunnel, and flashing signs will let drivers know to slow down and let the bikes go first.

Wellington City Council is asking the public to report suspected myrtle rust infections in the city, after the tree disease was recently confirmed to have infected a ramarama tree in Lower Hutt suburb Naenae..

The national surgical bus, possibly the only one of its type in the world, is looking for a significant change next year to keep up with demands and with high technology.

People wanting to be more active in 2018 should, first of all, enjoy the luxuries and pleasures of Christmas through the festive season, one of New Zealand’s leading exercise experts says.

My advice is that we need to take extra special care of ourselves in the lead up to and during our period. At this time our body is working extra hard to clear out the lining of the uterus that it was hoping would be a nice nest for an embryo. Our immune system is challenged at this time; we feel extra tired, achy and more cold than usual, so it's common sense to take extra care and rest more. Moderate exercise is good especially just before your period and can help reduce cramping.

In an effort to make our streets safer and reduce cars killing kererū, Wellington City Council has installed “Slow for kererū” road signs at key locations around Zealandia and Otari Wiltons Bush.

Whether you are investing money, setting up a business or gambling on horses, your first consideration, before parting with any money, should be how much risk you can afford to take. Risk is not necessarily the probability of loss – it is the probability that an outcome will be different than you expect. For example, an investment might make a positive return, but a lower (or higher) return than you expected.

Wellington City Council today adopted a draft Housing Strategy that is expected to set a new standard for measuring housing affordability.

Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Kris Faafoi says the first reading of the Financial Services Legislation Amendment Bill in Parliament today is the first step in a significant package of changes to ensure all Kiwis can get good quality financial advice based on their individual needs.

Wellington City Council allocated $131,760 to 35 arts and culture groups and projects – with recipients representing a wide and diverse range of creative talent from all over the capital.

Exciting tech advances are playing a much greater part in Christmas gifts in New Zealand than ever before, Kriv Naicker, executive director of the New Zealand Internet of Things (IoT) Alliance says.

The new improved walking and biking paths being built along Hutt Road will be extended next year, creating another important link in the planned route from the north and Hutt Valley.

A 2017 bird report by Wellington City Council today revealed that tui, kaka and kakariki numbers have all increased significantly in Wellington Reserves since 2011, and there has been no decrease detected for any other species.

More than 60 percent of building consents made to Wellington City Council are now received online through GoShift, a new initiative to improve the building consents process.

The government is right to raise this concern that there is a growing digital divide, NZTech chief executive Graeme Muller says in response to a digital report released today.

A public tip-off has led to the conviction of a man who illegally fished in Wellington’s Taputeranga Marine Reserve.

International credit rating agency Standard & Poor's has this week reaffirmed Wellington City Council’s strong credit rating, with an AA rating for longer-term and an A-1+ rating for short-term.

Giving to others brings great pleasure and happiness and there is no better evidence of this than the joy of Christmas. However, giving is often loaded with emotion and purpose. We place various meanings on the act of both giving and receiving. In some cases, people give to make themselves feel better – perhaps by absolving themselves of guilt - or as a way of demonstrating love, particularly if they have trouble expressing love in other ways.

Wellington City Council has already started working to minimise the watering of lawns and gardens in light of the drought conditions that are hitting the region.

Victoria University of Wellington is building partnerships with iwi and other Māori organisations to boost opportunities for Māori students and foster research collaborations.

On Wednesday night at the recently opened Scruffy Bunny Improv Theatre in Wellington, two of the Base Jump Improv teams put on an end of term show (Improv is short for improvisation).

Some overseas reports say petrol cars may be obsolete by 2026 but either way the massive switch to electric vehicles will be the biggest disruptive change to people’s lives in more than 100 years, NZTech chief executive Graeme Muller says.

Northland’s Corinne Austin and Wellington studio Power Living New Zealand have won two of the major awards at the at the annual New Zealand’s exercise industry awards.

A new public artwork being put up near Civic Square will kick off Wellington City Council’s Art on Walls programme, says Mayor Justin Lester.

KiwiSaver is an easy way to invest. Your contributions are deducted automatically, along with the contributions from your employer, and every year the Government pays you a tax credit. You could argue that KiwiSaver is a ‘set and forget’ type of investment. However, paying little or no attention to your KiwiSaver is not wise.

The City Strategy Committee has unanimously approved a proposed lease of Council land to go to public consultation, before making a final decision on a new tourism venture for the site.

Last week we looked at ways to reduce the amount of pressure we experience in the run up to Xmas, and in so doing reduce the amount of stress we experience. This week let’s look at three highly effective, proven, ways to reduce and/or cope with stress at any time of the year:

Auckland University’s Michelle Dickinson and Soul Machines business chief Greg Cross are among top key speakers at the biggest artificial intelligence (AI) event ever to be held in New Zealand next year.

You can claim for lots of daily expenses when you’re travelling for work. If you take a holiday as part of the same trip, you can only claim for the parts of the trip that were work-related.

Christmas is coming, and so is A Very Welly Christmas – the fun, fabulous and family-friendly festival which stretches along Lambton Quay is back again this weekend, and it’s even bigger and better than before.

Many of the country’s fitness experts and exercise facilities of all types and sizes who help half a million Kiwis get healthier will be vying for the annual Exercise NZ annual awards in Auckland on Saturday night.

Treaty of Waitangi expert, indigenous rights legal scholar and Māori leader Moana Jackson (Ngāti Kahungunu, Rongomaiwahine and Ngāti Porou) will receive an honorary doctorate from Victoria University of Wellington at a graduation ceremony in December.

New research co-authored by a University of Canterbury scientist and academics from around the world, suggests that plant respiration is a larger source of carbon emissions than previously thought, and warns that as the world warms, this may reduce the ability of Earth’s land surface to absorb emissions due to fossil fuel burning.

The biggest and most important international tech conference to be staged in New Zealand will be held in Auckland early next year which may pave the way for faster advances for the Kiwi economy.

Wellington City Council’s proposed Te Reo Māori policy will honour Billie Tait-Jones, the organisation’s Cultural Advisor, who passed away earlier this month.

For many people the run up to Xmas can be a highly demanding time that sees their stress levels soar.

Stress is triggered by the fear that one or more of our emotional needs is under threat. In the run up to Xmas the emotional need that most often comes under threat is our need for control.

The festive season kicks-off this weekend with Christmas trees appearing in the capital, then Santa will be popping up all over the place, and there’ll be free events and activities happening around the city for all to enjoy.

There is no doubt that Christmas is one of the most expensive times of the year. Many families find themselves still paying off Christmas debt months later. Here are a few tips to help keep you out of the cycle of debt over Christmas:

Wellingtonians have a once-in-a-generation chance to shape the future of their city’s transport and need to make sure their views are known, Wellington Mayor Justin Lester says in response to today’s Let’s Get Wellington Moving consultation launch.

A PhD student from Victoria University of Wellington has been awarded $345,156 to research the chemical and biological properties of plants found in the Pacific that are traditionally used for medicinal purposes.

Ever wondered how and where whales, dolphins and porpoises sleep? New work by University of Canterbury researcher Andrew Wright at the released this week reveals for the first time that harbour porpoises sleep during diving.

Now, more than ever, it is time to make sure your KiwiSaver investment strategy is matched to your investment time frame. KiwiSaver was introduced ten years ago and since that time we have seen strong growth in the share market. KiwiSaver members have not yet experienced a period of high volatility. The share market is overdue for a correction, and with all the uncertainties in the world at the moment the next few years could be quite volatile.

I have. It’s not a pleasant experience.

During my 30 year accounting career I experienced burnout a number of times thanks to excessively long hours in the office, working under excessive pressure, combined with inadequate exercise, nutrition and sleep.

Automation, artificial intelligence (AI) and digital transformation issues facing the country could become threats, leading to increased social and economic difficulties and a strain on government resources unless they are immediately addressed, New Zealand’s tech leader say.

The government needs to do much more if it wants to make a difference to New Zealand’s appalling obesity levels than look at a sugar tax, leading New Zealand exercise expert Richard Beddie says.

A New Zealand insurance underwriting agency is providing an exclusive cover for manufacturers which are facing major challenges in relation to recall of contaminated food and beverage products.

Cutting-edge, life-changing Auckland mobile solutions developer Vensa Health has won the top New Zealand Health IT accolade.

If you’re like most solo entrepreneurs or small business owners, you are under constant pressure from work and personal demands. The range of business related demands you face is wide ranging and ever increasing - demands from customers, suppliers, employees, new legislation etc.

It is not always easy to work efficiently and effectively when you run your own business. There are external pressures that can de-rail you from your purpose.

Microsoft Word doesn’t make adding macrons to Māori words in your documents a straightforward exercise, or at least it doesn’t feel like one. There’s no key you can just type them in with, and increasingly we’re becoming aware of words that we should have been including macrons on.

One of the biggest mistakes retirees make is to underspend in their retirement. Retirement is full of uncertainties, so the safest strategy is to spend as little as possible. There is nothing wrong with that approach if you don’t mind going without for the benefit of your children.

Parkinson’s is a condition that affects more than 13,000 New Zealand and can affect anyone of any age but exercise and movement have been shown to significantly improve the lives of those who have the disease, a national exercise expert says.

The Buildx project by WikiHouse Foundation has been announced as one of three winners in the 2017 European Social Innovation Competition. Selected from a total of nearly 800 entries from more than 40 countries, the project was awarded a €50,000 prize at the Awards Ceremony in Brussels on 26 October.

Ensure you have a prime view of the harbour this Saturday 4 November for New Zealand’s largest annual fireworks display – Wellington Sky Show.

Research from at Victoria University of Wellington has identified the names and details of 12,000 imperial soldiers who fought in the New Zealand Land Wars of the 1860s.

The world’s largest tech firm Apple has confirmed New Zealand is on the right track to become a great global tech story, just like tourism, NZTech chief executive Graeme Muller says.

XBody New Zealand founder Sabine Parry will this weekend present the cutting-edge Germany body-shaping technology that has revolutionised the fitness industry in Europe at the NZ Fitness and Health Expo in Auckland.

The apparent impossibility of buying a first home has many young people questioning whether owning a property should still be part of long term financial plan. Does it really make sense to put aside other things in life such as travel, having children, paying off student loans or simply having fun, just to save a deposit and pay off a mortgage?

Did you know stress management is a critical part of any weight-loss programme?

Cat owners – get in quick if you still need to microchip your cat before a Wellington City bylaw makes it compulsory in February.

Kapiti's annual Arts Trail kicks off this Saturday the 28th of October at 10:00 am. The trail which has been running for 17 years showcases a diverse range of artists from Paekakariki in the South all the way through to Otaki in the North.

The lessons of the 1918 influenza pandemic could help inform planning for a future pandemic in New Zealand, according to historian Dr Geoffrey Rice.

Facelift and specification upgrades for the exclusively-electric hybrid CT 200h have further enhanced its desirability for young drivers who enjoy sporty driving while still maintaining their sustainable lifestyle.

The national rural health group is calling for urgent meetings with the incoming health and primary industries ministers to help solve the serious rural health crisis.

Tech advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) might help New Zealand move toward a solution for helping feed the world which will require food production to double to meet a growing population demands, says a Kiwi tech expert.

The Financial Markets Authority has given the go-ahead for personalised advice to be offered online. Such advice is referred to as ‘robo-advice’. Under current legislation, personalised investment advice can only be given by certain categories of advisers in accordance with the Code of Professional Conduct for Authorised Financial Advisers. From 2018, there will be an exemption which will allow personalised advice to be given electronically, however the advice given must meet the same standards that apply to Authorised Financial Advisers.

Rocket Lab has won the supreme accolade at the New Zealand Innovation Awards in Auckland last night.

Rocket Lab, named the Bayer Supreme New Zealand Innovation for 2017, has pioneered a Kiwi space programme, with purpose-built rockets for regular commercial satellite launches.

Wellington City Council has agreed to reappoint its Chief Executive Kevin Lavery, Wellington Mayor Justin Lester has announced.

Nominations are now open for the 2017 Safety in the City awards – recognising every day super heroes that live amongst us.

Leading economic researcher BERL challenges all businesses to become Living Wage employers to make a real difference to New Zealanders and their communities.

The New Zealand financial sector will be able to provide their clients with unprecedented online advice from next year and a leading fintech expert today urged companies to start looking to the process sooner rather than later as the FMA is expecting substantial submissions early next year.

The New Zealand virtual reality and augmented reality (VRAR) industry sector’s forecast revenues are estimated to be worth more than $320 million within two years, a report release today says.

New Zealanders are buying into the benefits of artificial intelligence (AI) as it is creeps into many walks of everyday life, an AI specialist says.

Finding a mobility parking space in Wellington is set to get easier for people with access issues.

This weekend, Wellington City Council will be supporting the 14 Hours Homeless event to help raise funds while shining a light on the plight of the one in 100 Kiwis currently homeless in New Zealand.

This edition of the blog was prompted by the fact that it’s Mental Health Awareness Week here in NZ. The theme this year is “Nature is key – unlock your well-being.”

One of the best ways to create substantial wealth is to set up your own business. However, not everybody has the skills, confidence or entrepreneurial flair to build a business from the ground up, or even to buy an existing business and grow it.

Wellington Mayor Justin Lester has completed a reshuffle of councillor portfolios following Paul Eagle’s election to Parliament and resignation from Council.

STRESS IS A NATURAL RESPONSE. IN FACT, IT’S A NECESSARY RESPONSE. A LITTLE STRESS HELPS US TO AVOID DANGEROUS SITUATIONS AND ACT WHEN NECESSARY. HOWEVER, STRESS CAN BECOME A PROBLEM WHEN USED IRRATIONALLY.

So, you have a new business or maybe you have an existing business and its time to build more customers, how is the best way to do it locally?

University of Canterbury Associate Professor Geoff Rodgers has received a prestigious award for developing new technology for earthquake-safe buildings less likely to require repair after large earthquakes.

Leading New Zealand economic research company BERL next week celebrates 60 years in business with a special event in Wellington.

Through the lens of one culture, the city of Wellington was formed by geological forces that include a network of jittery fault lines running through the region. Through another, the landscape was shaped through the actions of two taniwha, Ngake and Whātaitai.

When I’m at a social event meeting new people, the answer to the “what do you do” question “I’m an acupuncturist” is usually a conversation killer! There is such a fear of needles even mentioning the word needle sends people into a frenzy of anxiety and distress. They politely move away and find someone else to talk to…unless they have a health condition that they like to talk about endlessly and get free advice! Lol!

Top experts from Whangarei, Palmerston North, Dunedin, Hamilton and Auckland have been named best personal trainer of the year finalists in ExerciseNZ’s annual exercise industry awards.

I have been a fast talker, from the moment sentences formed in my mind I spat them out like machinegun fire, why, why ,what if, why not, the list was endless. It was this ADHD approach that made my mother fear educating me, as because she was giving me the information I expected her to know why, fair enough eh?

Victoria University of Wellington’s 2017 Dr Michael Volkerling Memorial Lecture will examine the impact of climate change on coastal farming through art and design.

Managing finances can be very stressful, even if you are savvy with your money. A recent global survey by the Financial Planning Standards Board, an international body which oversees professional standards for financial planners, found that most people feel challenged by their finances. However, people who work with financial advisers feel better prepared to achieve their financial goals.

Research suggests that two-thirds of small business owners suffer work related stress.

Altmusic and the Audio Foundation are proud to present a nationwide tour of renowned saxophone/pedal steel guitar duo, Brötzmann / Leigh.

A leading tech businessman, who has possibly done more to improve trade ties with Vietnam than any other New Zealander, has last night recognised for his leadership at the Auckland University of Technology Business School NZ Business Support Excellence awards.

Wellington City Council has today officially confirmed that it has purchased a residential property at 6 Campbell Street in Karori.

Wellington’s new Deputy Mayor will spearhead a Wellington delegation to Canberra this week, cementing the sister city relationship formed last year.

Wellington City Council will work closely with the community to perfect the detailed design of the new cycleway and the $1 million upgrade and beautification of the town centre and The Parade, Council’s Community Planning and Engagement Portfolio Leader Diane Calvert says.

Wellington is set to celebrate the World Champion Black Ferns and their success at the 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup with a public event this Wednesday.

Building consents in Wellington can now be handled through an easy, streamlined online application service, Wellington Mayor Justin Lester has announced.

New Zealand researchers have shown that vitamin-mineral treatment improves aggression and emotional regulation in children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), in the first published results from a new trial.

Peace Action Wellington has launched a campaign of resistance to the upcoming Weapons Expo which will be held at the Westpac Stadium on 10-11th October. The campaign has begun with a striking art piece that questions, "how close does war have to get before it makes you uncomfortable?"

Wellington will formally make Matariki, the Māori New Year, a major city celebration in 2018, Mayor Justin Lester has announced.

As the rebuild takes effect, Christchurch has a golden opportunity to become New Zealand’s number one city of choice, says outgoing Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce chief executive Peter Townsend.

A by-election will be held to fill the seat vacated by Councillor Paul Eagle who was elected MP for Rongotai last weekend in the general election.

Wellington City Councillors have today voted in favour of the sale and lease of land at Shelly Bay.

In our consumerist society the basic tenet is the more we have to spend, the happier we will be. Research shows that, while there is a link between money and happiness, it is a weak one. However, it is possible to get more happiness for your money by making good decisions about what you do with it.

For a moment lets think of what success really is. It is not about winning or losing or attaining objects that we think may or may not represent success. To first understand what success really is we need to take away what other people think success is and what they think success for you is.

A first-year Marine Biology student and star swimmer from American Samoa has won Sportsperson of the Year at Victoria University of Wellington’s annual sports awards.

New changes proposed for Hutt Road could see improved walking and biking facilities extended further south to the Tinakori Road intersection – as well as some new on-road car parking north of Westminster Street.

A new national group of New Zealand’s leading tech experts was formed in Auckland today, because the country is facing unprecedented growth and change in tech – which is now the nation’s fastest growing sector.

If New Zealand raises its education outcomes over a period of 20 years to a level comparable with Finland, it can generate a 204 percent increase in GDP worth an additional $US258 billion, NZTech chief executive Graeme Muller says.

Wellington City Council contractors started work this week to build a new two-way, off-road bike path and footpath on the harbour side of Cobham Drive.

Cutting-edge, lifechanging e-health companies Celo, Vensa and Orion Health have been named finalists in the New Zealand Health IT (NZHIT) annual innovation awards.

Victoria University’s New Zealand Sign Language Studies (NZSL) programme is celebrating two decades of helping to make more New Zealanders understood.

We’ve had a good run in share markets since the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) of 2008. Initially this growth was underpinned by central banks engaging in quantitative easing – otherwise known as ‘printing money’. Central banks released funds into circulation through purchasing securities as a way of reducing the likelihood of economies going into recession after the GFC.

I’m guessing that if you’re a small business owner, like me, you love what you do and would never consider doing anything else.

None of the political parties have an answer to solve the growing rural health crisis, a leading rural health expert says.

Victoria University of Wellington and Va’aomanū Pasifika, Victoria’s Pacific and Samoan Studies programme, will launch a new scholarship fund in memory of Dr Teresia Teaiwa, who passed away in March 2017.

ExerciseNZ has asked the major political parties for their stance on health-related fitness in the run up to Saturday’s national election, so more Kiwis are better educated about exercise.

Queenstown based artist Tess Sheerin has almost completed the final leg of her five-city giant mural of New Zealand to highlight marine pollution.

The Council recently approved almost a quarter-of-a-million dollars in grants to 48 diverse projects around the city – from underwater awareness to undergrowth activists.

There are two golden rules for creating wealth that stand out above all others. The first, and most important, is to Spend Less Than You Earn. The second is to Pay Yourself First (PYF). Under the PYF principle, you give yourself top priority when it comes to deciding how to spend your income. Pay Yourself First by transferring money into a savings or investment account before you pay your living expenses.

Wellington City Council’s City Strategy Committee has today agreed to consult on expansion plans for the Kiwi Point Quarry in the Ngauranga Gorge.

The September 9th issue of the Listener has an excellent and important article by Nicky Pellegrino, called Taking Off The Mask.

This Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, Wellington Mayor Justin Lester is encouraging Wellingtonians to have a go.

NCEA exams are on the horizon. This can be a stressful time.

The pressure to perform during exams generates huge amounts of stress and anxiety that inhibits peak performance and creates a nerve-wracking home and school environment.

The word ‘cash’ has a very different meaning now than it did a few decades ago but it is still a vital part of a financial plan. Cash provides liquidity; that is, money when you need it. Liquidity can take many different forms. It can be notes and coin, bank deposits, credit – such as revolving credit mortgage or a credit card – or a financial asset that can be quickly and easily sold, such as bonus bonds, corporate bonds, or shares. Ideally liquid assets should be available immediately if required, with no cost or risk of loss of value associated with access to the funds.

Toyota New Zealand has built on the driving pleasure of its 86 sports coupé with a limited-edition ‘Chris Amon Edition’ GT86 which is available in a unique Solar Flare exterior colour.

Work is continuing on the analysis of the 3763 submissions received on proposed options for a revamp of the cycleway on The Parade, Island Bay.

Whittaker’s is proud to have been named New Zealand’s ‘Most Loved Brand’ for the sixth consecutive year, sharing the number one spot with the All Blacks for the first time, in the annual Colmar Brunton ‘Brands I Love’ survey.

Ten heritage buildings will benefit from the latest round of Wellington City Council’s Built Heritage Incentive Fund (BHIF) – continuing to make the Capital safer and stronger, while preserving the past.

The fee rise of 50 cents an hour will affect the area bounded by Bunny Street, Lambton Quay, Bowen Street, The Terrace, Boulcott Street, Willis Street, Dixon Street, Cuba Street, Jervois Quay and Waterloo Quay.

Persistence and understanding the Law of Accumulation will help you achieve things you may never have thought possible.

Everybody creates a certain amount of income and during their lifetime by one means or another – through employment, investment or setting up a business. What you do with that income determines how financially successful you will be and ultimately impacts on your enjoyment of life.

Growing evidence shows that the downside of super-fast connectivity and ultra-fast broadband is producing an equivalent lift in cyber-attacks, NZTech chief executive Graeme Muller says.

A new indoor arena for Wellington is a step closer today, with mayors instructing the region’s economic development agency to begin work towards a business case for the project.

It's time New Zealand seriously started to invest in promoting technology, the country’s third largest export industry and fastest growing sector of our economy, a leading New Zealand tech businessman says.

Hi, I’m Belinda and I’m an advocate for women’s health. As the sole distributor for Drion to New Zealand, I am passionate about the product and have experienced the amazing effects that the Drion product range has had on my own health, as well as the lives of my clients.

Conventional wisdom says the first significant step towards creating wealth is to get on the property ladder. However, it’s hard for young people to start creating wealth when property prices are out of reach and lending restrictions are tight. Not only that, but young people prefer to be mobile and don’t necessarily want to be tied down by owning a property. So what are the alternatives?

The Prime Minister of Samoa, a New Zealand QC, a top business journalist and academics from universities in Australia, New Zealand, Samoa, Fiji and the United States are among the line-up of speakers to present at Victoria University of Wellington’s second Pacific Climate Change Conference in February next year.

A group of three landscape architecture students from Victoria University of Wellington has won the Reimagine Tory Street concept design competition with their project 'It’s Tory Time'.

The term 'pressure' means to press. All kinds of thoughts, situations, expectations and demands press on us as we go about our day. The demands can come from others (workload, work related responsibilities, performance targets etc.) or they can be demands we put on ourselves (I need to .... , I must ..... , I have to .....).

Another week, another big player signing!

Yesterday saw Phoenix sign their fourth Internationally-capped player join us for season 2017/18, with Iraqi international Ali Abbas signing on for two seasons.

New Zealand farmers and companies are starting to use Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, data analytics and automation to decrease impact on New Zealand rivers, a leading national tech expert says.

The New Zealand School of Dance (NZSD), is celebrating 50 years of training and inspiring world class professional young dancers. Show attendees will be moved and inspired in this year's contemporary solo season ONCE.

Did you know that America celebrates National Relaxation Day? What a fantastic idea! This year America celebrated National Relaxation Day on August 15.

New Zealand Police and New Zealand Cricket have been honoured at RiskNZ’s annual awards in Wellington last night for their exemplary efforts in managing and mitigating risk management.

Wellington City Council is partnering with the University of Otago, Wellington, to launch a voluntary Rental Warrant of Fitness for minimum housing standards in Wellington, Mayor Justin Lester has announced.

Wellington Regional Economic Development Agency (WREDA) continues to leverage the opportunities unlocked by the Singapore Airlines Capital Express service, with a comprehensive business and tourism trade mission recently giving the Lion City a high-profile taste of 'the coolest little capital'.

If you are serious about getting ahead financially, then getting rid of debt should be one of your top priorities. Short term debt is the worst kind as it generally has very high interest rates and high repayments. It comes about for three reasons – an unexpected expense, sudden loss of income or long-term overspending. Here are five steps that will help you get rid of short term debt faster:

Now in its fourth generation, the Prius has sold more than 4 million cars worldwide since its introduction in Japan in 1997, and internationally from 2000. Toyota took the car’s name from Latin meaning “to go before”.

Two University of Canterbury MBA students are heading to Paris as the only New Zealand team to compete in the finals of the Schneider Electric global competition Go Green in the City 2017.

New Zealand is seeing a substantial increase in demand from the older ageing population for fitness, exercise and personal trainers, according to ExerciseNZ chief executive Richard Beddie.

The role of engineers in post-disaster recovery will be brought to light at an upcoming lecture at Victoria University of Wellington.

Kiwi companies are queueing up to do business with Vietnam and other similar sized Asian countries, a leading New Zealand tech businessman says.

Christchurch’s Davinia Sutton and New Plymouth’s Glen Johns were the Supreme winners at the New Zealand’s kitchen and bathroom Excellence in Design Awards in Sydney on Friday night.

School children all over New Zealand on Tuesday will be part of a world record setting event to get the most kids coding in 24 hours.

A leading New Zealand artist, Auckland’s Rewa Walia, will soon feature in one of the world’s biggest digital online art exhibition.

This week I had an unexpected opportunity to put some of the stress and anxiety reducing techniques in my Anxiety Solutions Toolkit into practice.

With a bit of luck and hard work, you will arrive at retirement with a pot of money to supplement your income from NZ Superannuation and allow you to live comfortably. The problem is, so many uncertainties lie ahead. How long will you live? How much money will you need? What will your investment returns be? Where should you invest your money?

Three quarters of New Zealanders believe more funding for health and medical research should be a government priority and that the government should invest more funding in health research, according to a survey just released.

BNZ and PwC New Zealand are pleased to announce a new scholarship programme established at the University of Canterbury to honour former BNZ Board Chairman and respected PwC Managing Partner John Waller, ONZM, FCA.

The University of Canterbury will bestow former Prime Minister and UC alumnus Rt Hon Sir John Key with a Doctor of Commerce (honoris causa) honorary degree at an official Graduation ceremony on Friday 15 December.

This morning I heard Jacinda Adern, the newly elected leader of the Labour Party respond to a question by Guy Espinner, stating that she is a pragmatic idealist. I’ve never heard these terms put together in this way. What is a pragmatic idealist? The two words seem diametrically opposed!

Emotions and investment are best kept apart. Put them together and you have the ingredients of a disappointing investment outcome, if not a failure. The best investment decision is one which is based on thorough financial analysis using well founded assumptions about the future. There are some investment decisions where emotions are more likely to get in the way.

When you wake up do you immediately start thinking about all the things you've got to do, all the problems you're struggling to overcome, all the deadlines you're facing? How does all that thinking make you feel? You probably want to climb back into bed and pull the sheets over your head.

A national rural organisation says it is concerned the public may believe nothing is happening in suicide prevention training.

The Wages Protection & Contractors Liens Act Repeal Act 1987 states that a person or business repairing or improving goods this could include mechanic or a computer repair business is entitled to a lien over the repaired goods for payment of that work. In effect the lien gives the repairer the right to retain possession of the goods until the account is paid

Andrea Hancox, NZTech’s national director of government relations, says the whole world faces the issue of attracting and retaining women in tech and introducing tech to young women as a choice of career.

A total of 92 percent of New Zealanders do not want their nation to follow President Donald Trump’s lead and withdraw from the Paris Climate Change Agreement set in 2015.

Join us in a relaxed down-to-earth workshop as we give you the practical tools & strategies to sell yourself & watch your profits and cashflow soar.

The word failure is often used to describe a situation in which your desired goals were not realized at a specific point in time. There are many reasons that could have played a part in your goal not being realized and absolutely none of them have to do with your value as a person.

With over 85 percent of Māori now living in urban areas, a Victoria University of Wellington researcher is exploring how whānau have adapted their environment to fit cultural needs.

The education sector and the community are early beneficiaries of Victoria University of Wellington’s divestment of its Karori campus with the University establishing new scholarships for students from low decile schools and giving surplus equipment away free to North Island schools.

A leading digital health expert says the New Zealand health sector is still slow to embrace the tech world.

New Zealand cannot hide from the tyranny of distance anymore as it faces a multitude of threats similar to any other developed nation, an international risk management expert and University of Auckland senior lecturer Dr Bridgette Sullivan-Taylor says.

The University of Canterbury (UC) and IBM Research are bringing together their collaborative brain power to develop better computer modelling for the human brain in a new joint study agreement.

Do you feel that you are constantly walking a pressure tightrope? One false move and you will tumble into stress?

It is natural for parents to want to give their children a good start in life, and often parents will have a financial goal of saving for their children’s education.

Dragon speech recognition software is a great tool for improving productivity in the workplace.

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman says a new website and social media campaign will help encourage women to have regular cervical smear tests and mammograms.

Maleerat Lertruedeeporn is an accidental pâtisserie chef. Growing up in Thailand she never learned to bake. “Baking in ovens is not part of Thai culture,” said Maleerat. “We only use pots and pans. There is no oven in my parent’s house.”

Living up to New Zealand’s reputation as a standout digital nation, the tech sector and the government will stage a major international tech summit in Auckland next year, NZTech chief executive Graeme Muller says.

New Zealand has a major problem committing to active participation, ExerciseNZ chief executive Richard Beddie says.

Too many of the government messages in the early 2000s focused on slogans such as walk to the bus stop when that was never the answer to the looming inactivity, diabetes and obesity issues, Beddie says.

The Tu Tangata Wellington Secondary Schools’ Poly festival 2007 will take place this Tuesday, 25 July at the Michael Fowler Centre, featuring 9 student led groups with close to 700 students showcasing Pasifika performance.

Getting to a financial position where early retirement is a real possibility is not as difficult as it may seem. There are three key ingredients to being able to retire early; spending less, saving more and starting to invest as soon as possible.

One emerging treatment option is nutritional supplementation. Nutritional demands are increased during childbirth which may potentially result in nutritional deficiencies. There is also emerging evidence that poor diet and nutritional deficiency may be correlated with postnatal depression. It would therefore make sense to increase the nutritional intake of pregnant women which can be done by supplementing their diets.

US actress Bryce Dallas Howard is telling the world of her love for Wellington as part of a new tourism campaign.

A University of Canterbury PhD student is using milk protein to 3D-imprint muscle and bone cells and one day she hopes her research may be used to regrow missing body parts.

Minister for Primary Industries Nathan Guy has confirmed 46 new animal welfare regulations will be developed this year.

In your personal life or business life, you may need to change the way you are approaching things if you want to take big steps forward. In fact, if you are not making progress in leaps and bounds then it is time to embrace the science of the quantum leap.

The last few years before you stop working are crucial for setting yourself up for a fantastic retirement. They need careful planning to achieve your goals. Of course, with more people now working past the age of 65 it is not always possible to plan towards a specific retirement date. Here are the most important things to do.

Victoria University of Wellington is offering inaugural scholarships to mark the official launch of its new Bachelor of Health degree this week.

I've been busy this week developing my latest one day workshop - Perform Under Pressure Without Stressing Out. The workshop will take place in Island Bay on Saturday 16 September and promises to be informative, fun, and above all life changing. You can register for the workshop here. Numbers are limited.

Whittaker’s new Destinations Collection showcases the finest ingredients from around the world combined with Whittaker’s delicious chocolate. This exciting new range gives Whittaker’s Chocolate Lovers a chance to enjoy a taste of India, Canada, Italy and Nicaragua with hero ingredients for each sourced from world-class producers in those locations.

It’s rough out there – and travellers are warned to take care around Wellington as the region continues to be battered by severe gales and rain today.

New Zealand Communities are set to get a boost in funding to help provide a range of services and conserve some of our most precious taonga thanks to the Lottery Grants Board.

Wellington City Council showcases a wide variety of local legends and rising stars on the Botanic Garden Soundshell stage. As the sun goes down, the surrounding gardens are transformed with a magical lighting installation. Eighteen nights perfect for a summer picnic with family or friends.

Decked out in bold, brawny accessories, the Hilux Gladiator Concept vehicle turned plenty of heads during the 2017 Mystery Creek Fieldays®, near Hamilton.

Recent cyber-attacks have shown that Kiwis’ health information is vulnerable and at risk and a global expert says that it's a matter of when not if the next attack will occur.

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman has welcomed the generosity of Wellington benefactor Mark Dunajtschik, who will build and gift a new $50 million children’s hospital for the region.

Here there is much goodness—one very good and strong lady who is leading such good community action to save our planet and all the species that exist upon it accompanied by my good chance to have the opportunity to photograph her in action.

Throughout life there are various points where key financial decisions need to be made that involve a substantial amount of money or which can take you off on a different path

We all experience stress at one stage or another and it can make our lives miserable. Fortunately there are many treatments and techniques that you can practice to get your stress level back under control, including hypnotherapy.

New Zealand’s top food innovation network is helping fast rising clean-tech company Hydroxsys with its amazing water extraction technologies aimed at mining, dairy and other industries that need water extraction or remediation.

The role of genetics, and how it relates to people’s nutrition, exercise and health is an absolute game changer when it comes to Kiwis improving their lives, a leading New Zealand exercise expert says.

A leading New Zealand digital health specialist says it is not a matter of if but when a major cyber-attack will cause massive disruption to the country’s health sector.

University of Canterbury researchers looking into strategies for addressing dyslexia and related language learning disabilities have been awarded $350,000 in funding by the National Science Challenge, A Better Start, in partnership with the child health research charity Cure Kids.

Kiwi singer-songwriter and Toyota New Zealand ambassador, Jason Kerrison, has released a song – Humming along - to celebrate Emirates Team New Zealand’s victory in the America’s Cup.

When I was researching my book 7 Ways to Reduce Anxiety in 7 Minutes or Less I collected a large number of simple, effective, and quick to apply techniques that can help reduce the level of stress we experience. One super easy technique that didn’t make it into the book is one I use many times a day because it’s so effective at quietening the mind. The technique involves taking conscious control of your tongue.

The Mayor’s Housing Taskforce has unveiled a bold new plan for fixing Wellington’s housing issues.

It is predicted that within three years 100 percent of all effective IoT efforts will be supported by cognitive or artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, a landmark New Zealand IoT Alliance study says.

Wellington City Council is getting slammed this morning due to a piece of seriously irresponsible journalism in the DomPost regarding Lions tour campervans. This is unfair – and we’re calling out the DomPost on their story.

Introducing the fantastic new book for children, actually written by a child! Young eleven-year old New Zealand author, Ben Spies, publishes his second fiction title for children

New bus hubs are planned for Kilbirnie and Johnsonville next year – and it’s essential that commuters have their say about the proposals.

Your retirement years should be the best years of your life. With life expectancy increasing, the average person can expect to live to around 90, so retiring at 65 means you will spend over a quarter of your life not working. You can choose for that period of life to be ordinary; or you can choose for it to be extraordinary.

Isaac ‘s family lived in Kapiti whilst the two boys were at Primary School – Jodan & Isaac Letoa attended Raumati Beach School, before they moved into Wellington just before older brother Jordan started College.

A landmark pay equity deal is just one of a number of government policy changes coming into effect tomorrow that deliver for New Zealanders, Prime Minister Bill English says.

An historic and landmark national research study estimates the roll out of IoT (internet of things) is likely to produce a benefit for the New Zealand economy of billions of dollars. The study found that just across a mere nine common IoT applications the potential net benefit over 10 years could be $2.2 billion in present value terms.

Natraj School of Dance is proud to present “Tamil” a thematic classical Indian dance production on the Saturday of 15 July 2017, at 6.30 pm at the Sacred Heart College, Laings Road, Lower Hutt, Wellington.

Work to change a busy zebra crossing on Wallace Street, Mount Cook into a pedestrian-operated signalised crossing starts on Sunday 25 June.

Come along to the #wellynextdoor exhibition opening at the Wellington Museum Flux space next week, as we start building a paper version of our city – with every picture telling a different story.

Earthquake-strengthening work on the Northland Tunnel is progressing well, with 40 percent of work now complete.

Wellingtonians and visitors will be treated to a jam-packed programme of events to celebrate the annual Māori festival and welcome the DHL New Zealand Lions Series, as Wellington sees the busiest weekend in the city’s history.

Walking and biking along Cobham Drive will be made safer and easier with new paths to be built on the harbour’s edge as part of an enhancement for the city’s eastern gateway.

There is something about human nature that makes us wired to believe that anything which is scarce or available only for a limited time is something we must have, despite the price. It’s called FOMO – Fear of Missing Out – and it is without doubt the biggest driver of poor financial decisions. Everywhere you look there are examples of selling tactics that prey on our FOMO insecurities.

A working party of Wellington City Councillors is to oversee the final engagement process and design options on the future of the Island Bay cycleway in preparation for public consultation due to commence by the end of July.

Greater Wellington Regional Council is looking for spade aid this weekend – it wants the people of Kapiti to dig deep for the future by planting 5000 trees in Queen Elizabeth Park in just four hours.

In the book The Upside Of Stress Kelly McGonigal refers to a 1990s study in which a group of Stanford University college students were given the task of keeping a daily journal over the winter break. Some of the students were asked to write about their most important personal values and then describe how the events of each day connected with those values

Hi, This is my first ever blog. I'm going to make this a regular way of connecting with all of my great clients and supporters. So, the subject of my first blog is a cause close to my heart.

The national music centre will be developed in collaboration with Victoria University of Wellington, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (NZSO) and Wellington City Council to establish a world-class centre of musical excellence and centre for culture and the arts.

The success of New Zealand's Pacific nurses will be the focus of a special event at Te Papa Museum this evening with the Prime Minister and a number of Pacific health leaders in attendance.

If exercise was considered a sport, it would be the biggest sport in New Zealand, by more than 50 percent, Exercise New Zealand chief executive Richard Beddie says.

Unfortunately, in general, we men are not very good at looking after our health. Here are some of the facts you can find on the Men’s Health Week website:

It goes without saying that one of the reasons entrepreneurs are successful at growing wealth is that they are risk takers. Some entrepreneurs argue that in fact there is little risk in what they do, because they fully analyse the financial implications of their wealth-building strategies before they part with their money.

Visa Wellington On a Plate is getting ready to warm up Winter with two weeks of food related fun from 11 to 27 August. 100+ events, 100+ special menus, 100+ burgers and 40+ cocktails, and a new Festival Dish Award at participating eateries.

Becoming an expert in your field is easier than you think.

Works get underway on a major upgrade of Lombard Street, Denton Park, and Bond Street in the central city this week.

At least 22 health nationwide organisations have been inundated with the rural community seeking advice from the landmark health hub at New Zealand’s Fieldays in Hamilton this week.

The Council’s social housing team won all four award categories it had been nominated for in the New Zealand branch of the Australasian Housing Institute Awards.

New Zealand’s primary industries need to latch on to technology faster to support the economic growth of its agri sector and become a world leader in a fast growing agritech market, NZTech chief executive Graeme Muller says.

Another dog attack resulting in the death of two penguins has highlighted the importance of careful supervision of dogs – even in off-leash exercise areas.

The Mayor will be stationed at the Love Food Hate Waste stall at the Countdown supermarket in Newtown today (Tuesday 13 June, 4pm) to give out reusable shopping bags to shoppers.

The risk that a dilapidated and earthquake-damaged house in Mt Cook, Wellington, may collapse in strong winds or a moderate quake has forced Wellington City Council to temporarily close a popular walkway over the weekend.

Do you have in place terms of trade and procedures for the handling any overdue accounts or slower payers.

Wellington Water Ltd has applied under the Wellington Town Belt Act (2016) to construct a new water reservoir at Prince of Wales Park on the Town Belt.

New Zealand guys need to get out and start exercising more or the severe preventable death rate will continue to soar, a leading national exercise expert says.

A leading Kiwi tech expert has slammed New Zealand’s slow progress to embrace technology.

A fledgling, cutting-edge cyber security Wellington company has launched a virtual chief information security officer (vCISO) service aimed at helping New Zealand businesses to respond as cyber-crime begins to bite.

This is a completely new idea on how to manage situations in one’s life with different techniques and strategies.

Do you love biking, running, or walking in Polhill Reserve? Wellington City Council and Brooklyn Trail Builders are proposing changes to tracks in the reserve, and we’d like to know what you think.

Wellington City has been rated as the third top biking town in the NZ Transport Agency’s annual Favourite Places to Ride competition.

There are very few people who, if offered a 50% guaranteed return on their money, would turn it down, particularly with investment returns being so low at present. Yet every June, thousands of people miss such an opportunity by failing to realise that their KiwiSaver contributions are less than what is required to get the full Member Tax Credit.

Three international experts are travelling to New Zealand next week to share their expertise in wearable technology with entrants in NZ’s premier innovation challenge.

Mayor Justin Lester has announced that Wellington City Council will seek to partner with developers and community housing providers to redevelop inner-city buildings into new social and affordable apartments.

The Swindale Shield, Harper Lock Shield and both Colts first round divisions are done and dusted for another year!

Whether you are in business or wanting to build a network to increase career options here are a few simple steps to help you get started – even if you are a naturally shy person.

There is an emerging socio-economic class which I call Fifty and Broke (FAB). FABs are post- baby boomers, from a generation of divorce, serial relationships, corporate restructuring, multiple career changes, consumerism, and increased longevity. Many people suffer at least one crisis during their lives, such as relationship breakdown, redundancy, business failure, bankruptcy, mental health problems or a serious illness such as cancer. Such crises are a test of resilience.

This week’s post is prompted by the fact that May 31 was World Smokefree Day (WSFD), internationally known as World No Tobacco Day.

The last issue of Rugby prints from Internationally reknown Wellington artist Michel Tuffery has just been released. The perfect gift for that Rugby mad person in your house.

The launch next week of the New Zealand Artificial Intelligence (AI) Forum is a strong sign Kiwi tech companies are keen to not just get onboard the burgeoning AI industry, they want to lead from the front, Forum chair Stu Christie says.

Wellington’s economy continues its strong run, despite last year’s earthquake, with 2.2% economic growth for the year to March.

A number of Kiwis struggle to keep active and healthy when winter temperatures plummet, but a leading New Zealand exercise expert says gym membership numbers actually go up in winter.

Le Cordon Bleu New Zealand Chef De Cuisine, Francis Motta won the coveted 2017 'Chef of The Capital award'. Along with six Le Cordon Bleu students achieving Gold & Silver medals during the NZChefs competition.

The hit TV show 13 Reasons Why has been the most sought-after top 10 digital show in New Zealand over the last 30 days, Hollywood-based Kiwi artificial intelligence company Parrot Analytics says.

For young singles with a reasonably good income, life is full of possibilities. There is a lifetime ahead with many choices and opportunities along the way and plenty of time to recover from any mistakes made. However, choice can create uncertainty and confusion. It can be very hard to set goals when there are so many possible opportunities and unknowns. A financial plan is a set of strategies that help you achieve goals and without goals, it is hard to plan.

Do you believe you’re not good enough?

“I am me. In all the world there is no one else exactly like me. There are persons who have parts like me, but no one who adds up exactly like me. Therefore, everything that comes out of me is authentically mine, because I alone chose it.” ~ Virginia Satir

National award-winning personal trainer Renee Riley is encouraging more discussion about pelvic health because too many Kiwi women tolerate bladder leaks unnecessarily.

The Children’s Garden will be officially opening late-September, but we’re giving Wellingtonians a sneak peek to see the progress on this exciting project.

Artificial Intelligence or AI is fast being used to make people more efficient and it will touch every element of New Zealanders’ lives from better healthcare and education to faster service and more personalised products, tech leader Stu Christie says.

In early 2016 a friend of mine, who suffers from pain attacks, came up with the Idea to visualize all sorts of usually hidden, invisible illnesses, via Photography.

Barely five percent of New Zealand companies have taken out cyber insurance, despite a predicted rise in ransomware and other cyber issues, a leading New Zealand specialist underwriting agency says.

Wellington City Council is proud to be sponsoring the Emerging Sportswoman of the Year category at next month’s Wellington Hospitality Group Sportsperson of the Year Awards – adding to their current support of Wellington sportswomen in the capital.

We have all heard that saying. “For Less than a cup of Coffee” or “For less than a dollar a day”

Well my answer to that is that one size does not fit all and as individuals all our needs are different.

The decision to send the annual Rugby Sevens Tournament to Hamilton is an opportunity for Wellington to refresh its events calendar, Wellington Mayor Justin Lester says.

Mobile operating theatre units will soon significantly help struggling New Zealand hospitals during periods of high patient surgery demands, Mobile Health chief executive Mark Eager says.

It’s been a double celebration for the Puka family of Lower Hutt this week, as father and daughter donned matching gowns and trenchers to graduate from Victoria University of Wellington.

Opening a bank account and buying and selling investments are not such simple processes as they were a few years ago. Now you must provide formal photo identification such as a passport or driver’s licence, proof of address, and, if you are transacting a large sum of money, evidence of how you came to have the money.

Lexus aficionados will be relieved to know the wait is almost over – the arrival in New Zealand of the unprecedented Lexus LC coupe is set to deliver an amazing driving experience from mid-July.

Over the last couple of months I’ve written a number of posts about work related stress. Yesterday I had the pleasure of speaking on this topic to the Wellington Leadership Meetup Group. The title of my presentation was How leaders/managers can identify and help staff who are experiencing stress.

It’s been a profound revelation to me that periods don’t need to be a painful, negative experience for women. Whilst a small percentage of women suffer extreme pain from endometriosis, thought to be an autoimmune condition, another small percentage suffer no pain at all, but for most women, menstrual discomfort and premenstrual tension (PMT) is a fact of life.

Emergency ambulance crews are under greater pressure in remote areas of New Zealand as ambulance staff should provide more robust emergency response services, a rural health leader says.

One of New Zealand’s leading Maori health companies, Navilluso, has again been recognised for its enormous work helping people’s health all over New Zealand.

None of the recipients from the latest rounds of Council funding will be taking their allocations for granted – with a wide range of community groups and organisations benefiting from the latest distributions.

New Zealand tech exporters are likely to benefit from an accelerating market in Japan following this coming week’s economic and trade trip lead by Prime Minister Bill English, NZTech chief executive Graeme Muller says.

This weekend the largest ever ransomware attack in the world has been hitting computer systems of private and public organisations in hundreds of countries, NZTech chief executive Graeme Muller says.

A pest monitoring trial undertaken on the Miramar Peninsula is a first step to understanding the scale of the predator issue facing the peninsula as the community gears up to eradicate pests and bring back birds and other native animals to the region.

The planned redevelopment of the Johnsonville Library is to be expanded into a $22.5 million Northern Suburbs Community Hub following a Wellington City Council decision today to spend an additional $3.1 million on the project.

Check your bank account and you are sure to find lots of small transactions that average at least $20 a day. A coffee, lunch, snacks, a beer or wine after work; each transaction is low in value but combined they can add up to a significant sum. Money can only be spent once and should be spent on what gives you the most satisfaction. It helps to have a clear understanding of how else money could be spent now and in the future so the best choice can be made. Let’s look at what else $20 a day could be used for over a period of five years.

A set of psychiatric scales designed to measure mental health difficulties experienced by severely maltreated children is creating new possibilities for treatment and support around the world.

The future is looking bright for New Zealand businesses when they begin integrating artificial intelligence (AI) and new technologies into products, NZTech chief executive Graeme Muller says.

A new bilingual children’s book written by a Victoria University of Wellington academic is using te reo Māori to connect with a new generation of speakers.

Future tech realities are beginning to change the face of how New Zealanders operate in their daily lives – at home and work, and coming research results will help shape the nation’s future, NZTech chief executive Graeme Muller says.

Future health facilities in New Zealand are unlikely to have patients in them, a leading health IT expert says.

Quake affected Kaikoura businesses are set to benefit from a joint University of Canterbury and New Zealand Transport Agency initiative to boost visitor numbers to the area.

Can the huia escape the re-extinction vortex?

The perils of resurrecting extinct species, such as the moa or huia, will be discussed when a new paper, led by University of Canterbury (UC) conservation geneticist Dr Tammy Steeves, is published in international journal Functional Ecology this week.

Once you have defined what motivates you through working through what you want to achieve in your life, and understanding where you are in terms of your all-around balance between Mental, Physical, Emotional and Spiritual desires the ability to set goals and make plans to achieve them is KEY to success.

How many ways is your pet inducing chemicals on a regular basis?

It’s good to be cautious with money. However, is there such a thing as too much caution? When is it OK to take a risk? Throughout life there are significant events that require large amounts of money or which come with a high level of financial risk. The anxiety that comes with this risk can hold cautious people back from taking vital steps – whether it is taking on a student loan in order to study, getting married, buying a house, having children, setting up a business, paying for a medical procedure or making the decision to retire.

Wellington is the best city in the world to live in, according to a global survey published in the Financial Times, acting Wellington Mayor Paul Eagle says.

A further section of Wellington’s waterfront is about to get a makeover to open it up to the public as part of the North Kumutoto redevelopment project starting this month.

Many of the people I coach have been living with stress for so long (chronic stress) that they’ve become used to the effects. They’ve forgotten how much better their life was prior to stress. For many people it takes some kind of wake-up call, like a relationship break-up, the loss of a job or a physical illness to make them aware that something is wrong.

Electric car share company Mevo will open its second waterfront car share pod next week (Tuesday 9 May). The move is indicative of Wellington City Council’s strong commitment to car share, says Councillor Chris Calvi-Freeman, the Council’s Portfolio Lead for Transport Strategy and Operations.

New Zealand Techweek, which is the biggest festival of tech events ever held in New Zealand, begins all over the country tomorrow.

Wellington City Council is partnering with the Wellington SPCA to offer free microchipping of cats on Saturdays throughout the month of May.

The Exercise Association of New Zealand (ExerciseNZ) says Kiwis with mental health illnesses should be encouraged to exercise but it advises against starting off with extravagant exercise regimes.

The Treasury publishes economic forecasts at least twice during the year. These forecasts are communicated as a central track which represents our view of the most likely path the economy will take over a forecast horizon.

The community is to be consulted on the proposed sale or lease of 1 ha of Wellington City Council-owned land to a joint-venture company seeking to develop and transform the Shelly Bay area.

I’ve been working with a client recently who’d secured a job interview after some years out of the workforce. My client was feeling anxious about the interview and was experiencing stress.

The first step towards creating wealth is also the hardest. Being able to spend less than you earn is a pre-requisite of every other strategy for wealth creation. Despite good intentions, savings plans are easily de-railed by distractions, disasters and lack of discipline. Here are some simple tips for improving your chances of being a successful saver:

Research on early detection of wear and tear of hip joint implants is set to make significant new progress following an infusion of funding.

Is New Zealand a butcher shop or a milking shed? Do Kiwis live on the sheep’s back with a glass of sauvignon blanc? These and other questions will be addressed when Victoria University of Wellington hosts a series of lively public discussions exploring primary products’ place in the national imagination and how they define us as New Zealanders.

New Zealand exercise facilities score significantly higher than United Kingdom and United States operators when it comes to customers recommending the business and this has been put down to an exceptionally high standard of personal trainers and customer focus.

Forensic brainwave analysis – or ‘brain fingerprinting’ – could add a revolutionary new dimension to criminal investigations in New Zealand, a NZ Law Foundation-backed research project led by the University of Canterbury has found.

Computer programming jobs have previously struggled to attract women, but new technologies are providing substantial opportunities for a growing number of young girls seeking tech jobs, NZTech government relations director Andrea Hancox says.

More than 800 New Zealanders from the health and tech sectors will unite at the annual Health Informatics New Zealand (HiNZ) conference in Rotorua later this year which aims to help break down silo barriers and support the success of complex digital health projects to improve health outcomes for New Zealanders.

Toyota has won back-to-back World Green Car of the Year awards, reaffirming its global leadership in automotive environmental responsibility.

The fear of missing out is continuing to fuel the property market. Buying in a heated market can lead to impulsive decisions with negative financial consequences. Here are the top five mistakes people make when borrowing money to buy a house:

Wellington’s Housing Taskforce is investigating a comprehensive range of initiatives to help the Capital City avoid a housing crisis, Taskforce Chair and Deputy Mayor Paul Eagle says.

Wellington City Council and the Goethe Institut are proud to support the third annual artist residency forum, International Connections, at City Gallery Wellington on Wednesday 12 April at 5.30pm.

Wellington City Council will mark more roads with bicycle arrows, or ‘sharrows’, in 30 new locations across the city after a trial found they improved safety for everyone.

As leading New Zealand economic forecaster BERL celebrates its 60th year, the Kiwi economy has just celebrated its seventh year of uninterrupted annual expansion, BERL chief economist Dr Ganesh Nana says.

A Victoria University of Wellington academic has been awarded nearly $100,000 in funding to research the effectiveness of music therapy for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Following a successful trial last year, Wellington City Council parking officers will now use body-worn video cameras as part of their regular uniform and gear.

The Council’s Grants Subcommittee has approved the funding towards seismic strengthening work and conservation to ten buildings in the city through its Built Heritage Incentive Fund (BHIF).

In my first post in this series about work related stress, I wrote that there is no such thing as workplace stress – workplaces are not full of stress – workplaces are full of people who are experiencing some level of stress.

The next book I recommend you invest in if you are truly interested in developing your personal skills – The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell.

A rural health leader says she’s absolutely thrilled digital service providers and rivals Vodafone, Spark and 2degrees are joining forces to help with rural broadband.

Wellington City Council Urban Design team, along with Wraights + Associates Ltd, are the proud winners of this year’s New Zealand Institute of Landscape Architects Award for the Urban Spaces category.

Wellington Mic Drop is an exciting new web series, featuring the very best of Wellington's thriving comedy scene.

Wellington City Council has voted unanimously to include an extra $75,000 to enhance community engagement in this year’s draft of the Annual Plan, says Council’s Community Planning and Engagement portfolio lead Diane Calvert.

It’s hardly big news that a ground-breaking, game-changing virtual digital health business, Navilluso, has reached the finals in two innovative categories of the New Zealand Hi-Tech awards.

An interactive online map has recently been launched in Wellington, highlighting the unique connection the city has to its natural surroundings, environment, and local wildlife.

Victoria University of Wellington in collaboration with Ngāti Toa is today launching an urban design competition asking people to imagine what a decolonised city might be like using two sites in Porirua.

If there is one blog I hope my children (and eventually my grandchildren) read I hope it is this one.

“Workplace stress” is a misnomer. Workplaces aren’t full of stress, they’re full of employees experiencing some level of stress.

Yesterday Pipitea Marae was a place full of celebration as Mayor Justin Lester led Wellington City Council in its first ever Council meeting at the marae, and in renewing formal partnerships with local iwi.

The Capital will look at ways to encourage the development of thousands of new homes on the city fringes over the next ten years, says Wellington Mayor Justin Lester

A small but innovative Christchurch app developer is today rubbing shoulders with the cream of New Zealand’s top chief information officers (CIO) by being named among the top 100 CIOs in the country.

New Zealand can expect many more people taking out drone insurance as the number of drones rapidly multiply meaning potential for accidents significantly increases.

Once you understand that whatever your age you should be learning, keeping your mind active becomes even more crucial as we grow older. Committing to personal development will help you stay young and of course provide you with new skills and awareness.

Well I am glad to say I tried the new VR tool from the New Zealand Fire Service and managed to 'escape my house'. However, it immediately reminds you to check if everyone managed to get out. This VR app should be applauded it really send you a strong message. It feels real and the fact it uses clever technology so that when you finally escape your house, you find yourself actually outside your real house the real impact of a fire at home hits you.

Stress is NOT a thing it's something we experience

Remember stress is not a tangible thing, it's a mind/body experience - a cocktail of physical, cognitive and emotional symptoms.

If stress was a thing, then all an organisation would need to do, in order to create a stress free workplace, would be to gather up all the stress in the building and deposit it in the nearest skip. Hey presto! No more stressful workplace.

The golden years can be the most enjoyable years of people’s lives and New Zealand exercise experts say regular exercise is a golden ticket for those who strive for elderly independence.

A University of Canterbury professor leading worldwide research into the effects of ground-shaking caused by earthquakes has been presented with one of New Zealand’s top science prizes.

After a cracking, and successful Gala Day start to the season clubs will be looking forward to familiarity of home grounds from this weekend on.

Tony Fleming is an experienced worker with much to offer the right employer. Take a look at this profile and if you like what you see please feel free to contact Tony directly - no recruitment fees

Please note: these results are provisional until all clubs submit their weekly club result sheets and team cards.

New Zealand is potentially at risk of damaging its economy, unless the government does not act on improving rural health services, a national rural leader says.

I believe that gaining an understanding of anxiety (and it’s connection to stress) is one of the keys to gaining long-term freedom from problematic anxiety. Helping people develop a better and richer understanding of anxiety is one of my goals in writing these blog posts. I’ve covered a lot of ground over the last twelve months and I thought it was time to provide a snapshot of some of the key points I’ve written about.

Residents at Kotuku Apartments are now enjoying warmer, drier, and healthier homes thanks to the Council’s Housing Upgrade Programme says Wellington Mayor Justin Lester.

The increase in pollution and contamination incidents in New Zealand means businesses are becoming increasingly vulnerable to the potentially high financial cost of such events, a leading insurance expert says.

Created in conjunction with 100 Resilient Cities – Pioneered by The Rockefeller Foundation, the Resilience Strategy will help the city thrive in the face of seismic risk, a changing society, and new climate realities

A group of undergraduate students who have just completed Summer Research scholarships at Victoria University of Wellington’s Te Kawa a Māui—School of Māori Studies have contributed to research projects and lent a youth perspective to current te ao Māori and New Zealand issues.

The $1.4 billion dollar cost of new infrastructure to support the tourism boom shows new funding options are needed to avoid ratepayers being forced to bear the full cost alone, Wellington Mayor Justin Lester says.

According to the Sesame Street song, these are the people you meet each day, but in real life that’s not always the case – which is why Neighbours Day Aotearoa is all about connecting with your community.

Mayor Justin Lester has announced that a $5000 rates discount for first-home builders will take effect from July 1 and is being extended to cover new apartments.

After a six month break club rugby is back, and its shaping up to be a cracker or a year!

Prior to becoming a performance coach and clinical hypnotherapist, I spent 30+ years as an accountant. A considerable amount of my time was spent auditing – checking facts and figures against the available evidence to ensure that information was true and fair and complied with applicable rules and regulations. The need for evidence became part of my modus operandi.

Leading national food and beverage innovators say non-dairy powdered food products are in high demand world-wide and New Zealand needs to act quickly to take advantage of an untapped export growth opportunity.

Collective Marketing is the commitment of a group of businesses with a common agenda to build a marketplace, using a structured form of collaboration.

Rural women are vital to resilience in rural communities and families and New Zealanders should pay tribute to their role tomorrow, which is International Women’s Day, a rural health leader says.

Wellingtonians and visitors are going to be spoilt for choice with the number, diversity, and range of events and exhibitions happening in the capital over the next few weeks – and the Council is right behind them all.

Financial service providers are regulated by the Financial Markets Authority (FMA). Part of the FMA’s role is to educate consumers of financial services and for that reason they have released a checklist of things you can expect from your financial services provider

A proposal for new walking and biking paths on the harbour side of Cobham Drive is part of Wellington City Council’s programme to build a safe connected cycle network and improve travel for people who walk or take the bus.

When our body is experiencing stress the adrenal glands on top of our kidneys release a powerful hormone called cortisol.

Wellington residents will welcome the Regional Council’s proposal to freeze bus fares for another year and the promise of a comprehensive package of improvements and initiatives to come in the near future, says Mayor Justin Lester.

Our business solution is to ensure you and your business remains financially secure through life’s journey. We do this by understanding you, identifying your goals and aspirations, and providing a tailor made solution specific to you.

Toyota owners will get a rare opportunity to drive their pride and joy on the Hampton Downs full international race circuit, when the annual Toyota Festival is held there on Saturday 1 April.

Armed with knitting needles and origami paper, University of Canterbury mathematicians Dr Jeanette McLeod and Dr Phil Wilson are on a mission to bring maths to the masses, through craft.

Wellington Phoenix is celebrating it's tenth year in the Hyundai A-League and throughout it all, through the highs and the lows, there's been one man - Vince Lia.

A great opportunity to network and learn from international Guest Speaker John Wareham.

All hands were on deck on Thursday when Wellington Regional Hospital took possession of its new CT scanner.

The Toshiba Aquilion ONE / GENESIS Edition scanner is the first of its kind to be installed in New Zealand. It is the first of two replacement scanners to be installed at the hospital this year.

Azaria Felagai has gone from carpentry training at Whitireia last year to working on projects for construction firm Hawkins.
Whitireia Graduate Forges the Way for Young Women in the Building Industry

Aucklander Nick Cassidy will be part of the expanding Lexus motorsport involvement worldwide in 2017 when he competes in Japan’s SUPER GT series.

Every year Wellington City Council funds a wide range of arts, culture and community projects, and as the new funding rounds closing dates approach many of the past recipients are happening around town now.

Wellington is making good progress against its annual targets for new building consents, with 1204 new dwellings or sections consented in the last six months – well over half the 1500 targeted for the year.

‘Check Yourself’ has launched today (Monday 20 February) – a Wellington City Council and NZ Police collaboration urging young Wellingtonians to understand the consequences of their actions.

Wellington Mayor Justin Lester warmly welcomes the Pasifika Film Festival beginning in Wellington on Thursday, as it crosses the ditch for the first time.

Wellington’s sold out event Cigna Round the Bays has opened up a number of charity entries to help fundraise for the Christchurch Disaster Relief Fund.

Wellington City Council is working with Victoria University to keep the streets leading from the university into the Wellington CBD safe, Mayor Justin Lester has announced.

Not everyone would enjoy getting emailed pictures of dead rats on a regular basis but for Wilton resident Jim Tait it is proof of success.

2016 saw a host of changes to employment laws aimed at improving the productivity and fairness of New Zealand workplaces. To help you prepare for a successful 2017, we have identified the most notable developments that took place in the past year.

Children in the Vanuatu village Manua have a new cyclone-proof early education centre after Victoria University of Wellington, its staff, students and two student groups joined forces to fundraise over $28,000 in aid.

Peter brings over 30 years of IT experience to all over IT Limited. Having only just missed out on the punch card era that got Neil Armstrong to the Moon, Peter started his IT career programming mainframes for the banking industry in Wellington.

This year, Z will give away a total of more than $1 million to neighbourhood groups and projects that help people who need it and/or the environment. You can apply to be part of Good in the Hood by visiting www.z.co.nz/GoodintheHood. Applications are open until 28 February.

Coastella Music Festival will return to the Kāpiti Coast on 25th February 2017, after the success of its “near perfect” inaugural year. Early bird tickets go on sale 27th October 2016 with next year’s Festival featuring toe-tapping music from Ireland, promising festival-goers an unmissable day out.

Wellington prides itself on being the cultural capital of New Zealand, and the weekend coming reinforces this idea – with something for everyone all over the city.

Taking children for a swim in Wellington will soon be cheaper with Mayor Justin Lester announcing the Council will waive spectator charges for guardians.

What happens when culture mixes with sport? Wellington’s Phoenix battles Beijing BG for the Huawei Capital Cup at Westpac Stadium.

Wellington Mayor Justin Lester is announcing he has tasked Wellington City Council with saving ratepayers at least $8 million.

All of Wellington will be mourning the loss of local hero and notable Wellingtonian Bernie Portenski, says Wellington Mayor Justin Lester.

Wellington’s Mayor Justin Lester welcomes today’s announcement from the Government of a $3 million fund to assist Wellington building owners to secure unreinforced masonry on their buildings and says it will go a long way to keeping people safe in future earthquakes.

Porirua Skate Park has had an award-winning makeover, with its new 3D mural winning first place for Best Professional Mural in the 2016 Resene Mural Masterpieces Awards.

Wellington Water staff and contractors worked all night Friday to find and repair a leak affecting the main supply pipe to Wellington City.

Wellington City Council has teamed up with the Newtown community to open the doors to a new community base

Wellingtonians can celebrate the capital’s anniversary with a taste of the Pacific at the annual Wellington Pasifika Festival at Waitangi Park this Monday.

Wellington Cup Day, today, is a great way to shake off the back-to-work blues, with over 15,000 people expected to attend the event, says Wellington Mayor Justin Lester.

Business confidence in Wellington has hit a two year high, showing the city’s businesses have been resilient in the face of the earthquakes, says Wellington Mayor Justin Lester.

Chris Gibbes has been appointed as the Wellington Lions head coach for the next three years.
The 43-year-old former Waikato coach is heading home to New Zealand after four successful years as the forwards coach at top Welsh club Ospreys.

One of the highlights on Wellington’s summer calendar kicks-off tomorrow, with Meridian Gardens Magic showcasing a host of great Kiwi talent over three weeks on the Botanic Garden’s Soundshell stage.

The carpark was significantly damaged in the 14 November earthquake to the point that it’s not safe for anyone to enter and therefore has to be demolished.

As the new year fast approaches I wanted to take a few minutes to thank all those people who have contributed to our project Wellington Today.

The cordon around the post-quake demolition site in Wellington’s Molesworth Street was to be reduced from 7am this morning.

Meet the team of Wellington's MSO Design. Formed in 1977 by John McIntyre, Graham Sword and Dave Oliver, hence the MSO the comapny is now owned by Mark Whitecliff who started out with MSO as a Junior Designer.

Earthquake-strengthening work on Northland Tunnel is due to get under way early in the New Year and will take about six months.

City Gallery Wellington security staff are getting an early Christmas present - they will be paid the same as Council security contractors for all hours worked.

Street lighting along Hutt Road will be better and brighter with the installation of new poles and LED lights over the next few months. This work is part of updating Wellington City’s lighting infrastructure and starts the first phase of work to upgrade the Hutt Road shared walking and cycling path.

As Christmas, fast approaches, and then we celebrate the start of a new year I am preparing myself for my annual ritual of reviewing my lifelong dreams and goals and setting the course for a successful 2017.

The decision has been made that the car parking building beside the Reading Cinema complex at Courtenay Central is to be demolished as a result of the earthquake on 14 November.

New Zealand health is on the cusp of an exciting new era in bettering the country’s healthcare for all Kiwis, New Zealand Health, Information and Technology (NZHIT) chief executive Scott Arrol says.

What: The Halo project
Where: The Wind Garden, Wellington Waterfront Walkway near Waitangi Park.
When: 2nd Dec 2016 - 7th Feb 2017

A limited TRD (Toyota Racing Development) Special Edition Hilux ute has been developed, arriving with matte black TRD accessories and a remote locking motorised ABS plastic hard lid - a New Zealand first, and exclusive to the TRD Toyota.

Imagine being able to read print, recognize faces and much more with a smart camera that clips onto a regular spectacle frame.

Wellington Police have arrested seven people after executing search warrants in Wellington, Hutt Valley and Porirua targeting a Wellington city-based methamphetamine dealing syndicate.

Wellington City Council is to organise the quick demolition of three of its buildings around the city in light of inspections following the 14 November quake.

Wellington Mayor Justin Lester welcomes the news that Wellington’s economy has performed strongly over the last twelve months.

Wellington’s Central Library will reopen on Saturday morning (19 November) for normal working hours.

Wellington Mayor Justin Lester has welcomed the comments today by the Hon. Gerry Brownlee, Acting Civil Defence Minister, that the city has responded appropriately throughout the week to the earthquake and aftershocks.

Leaders and luminaries in business between New Zealand and Japan will converge on the Capital next week for the 43rd annual conference for Japan New Zealand Business Council (JNZBC).

Wellington will be hosting a large Government and business delegation from Canberra next week looking at ways to increase tourism, economic growth, job creation and closer ties between the two capitals, Mayor Justin Lester says.

Five Wellington Māori artists have combined to produce an audio-visual exploration of the conflated socio-political interests and multi layered tensions that underpin culture in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Ichi, ni, san, shi, go! The fifth Japan Festival Wellington is springing into the Capital this November, bringing the best of the Land of the Rising Sun to the Coolest Little Capital in the World.

From today, Wellingtonians will be able to give their views on the proposed development of Makara Peak Mountain Bike Park.

Make sure you have a prime view of the waterfront this Saturday 5 November for the country’s largest annual fireworks display, the Wellington Sky Show, presented by Wellington City Council, and supported by CentrePort.

Mayor Lester says he will work with Councillor David Lee – who holds the new Technology, Innovation & Enterprise (TIE) and Climate Change portfolio - and other stakeholders to further boost and support the growing tech sector in Wellington.

Two thousand school students from the Wellington region will attend free expos aimed at inspiring Māori and Pasifika youth and their communities into science, technology, engineering, art, maths and design (STEAMD).

Wellington City Council has partnered with David Jones to bring a two-day, fun-filled festival to Lambton Quay from 10 to 11 December.

The country’s largest annual fireworks display, the Wellington Sky Show, presented by Wellington City Council, and supported by CentrePort takes place on Saturday 5 November. Entertainment on the waterfront kicks off around 7pm with an exciting new addition to the programme, presented by our sister city Canberra, to be announced this week.

Wellington Comedy is a supportive and talented community, but there aren't enough opportunities for our best artists to spread their work to a wider audience.

A chair and deputy chair were elected and sworn in today at the first meeting of the newly elected Greater Wellington Regional Council, the term of which will run from October 2016-October 2019.

An upcoming 24 hour event co-hosted by Wellington City Council and Victoria University of Wellington aims to identify new ways for Wellington to adapt to climate change.

One of Wellington’s oldest seawalls is being significantly upgraded to help protect a part of the south coast that has been repeatedly damaged by high seas.

All around the Wellington region, more and more people are walking, catching the bus, train or ferry, cycling and scooting - even for part of their journey to work. For the past six years Active a2b has been all about promoting and celebrating those journeys as well as the benefits everyday people get from their active commute.

Disability Pride Week is being celebrated in Wellington this year, it’s a time for us to be proud and to claim our place in the world; one where we are included, visible and valued.

New Zealand’s economic rock star – strong gross domestic product - is back but caution required, a leading Kiwi economist says.

The devastation caused by Cyclone Pam is still being felt in Vanuatu 18 months after the Category 5 cyclone wreaked havoc across the Pacific, but help is arriving this week as on-site construction begins on a new cyclone-resistant model kindergarten.

Indian music, food and dance to spice up the capital at Labour Weekend Captivating artists and performers from four states of India will entertain audiences at Wellington’s 15th Diwali Festival of Lights at Labour Weekend. Organised by Wellington City Council …Indian music, food and dance to spice up the capital at Labour Weekend

The winter temperatures aren’t quite over but this Friday, Wellington Police will be jumping at the opportunity to encourage safer boating this summer.

New Wellington Mayor Justin Lester has signalled major changes to how Wellington City Council will operate, with a new committee structure designed to give Councillors more input into decision-making and open up more spending decisions to public oversight.

The Nix kick off today at the Stadium. Would be great for Wellingtonians who can get there to get out and support the only professional football team in the country - our team.

Superfast one gigabit per second (1Gbps) fibre broadband services will soon be available to Vodafone customers within reach of the government-backed ultra-fast broadband (UFB) network.

A group of 16 international students studying at Victoria University of Wellington have been invited by New Zealand Police to become International Student Ambassadors.

A Nationally Vulnerable Whitaker’s Skink has returned to a breeding programme after veterinary treatment at Wellington Zoo.

NZTech’s new government and member relations director Andrea Hancox says New Zealand needs to protect its economy and livelihood as a nation by bringing cyber security to the forefront of leaders at top executive levels.

NZTech head Graeme Muller predicts hundreds of driverless cars will be seen on New Zealand’s roads by the end of next year.

Wellington Phoenix will be linking up with long-term supporter of New Zealand grassroots football McDonald’s, as the club’s official Community Partner.

Wellington’s Commonwealth Walkway has opened today encouraging walkers to visit 32 of the City’s most important and historic sites.

A new Lexus compact crossover concept vehicle, the UX Concept, makes its world debut at the 2016 Paris motor show, showcasing Lexus’ vision for a compact SUV of the future. Designed by ED2, Lexus' design centre in the South of France, the UX Concept represents a new step in the company's design journey and a redefinition of the driving experience.

Residents in the Wellington Region will be learning ways to save money and reduce food waste next month thanks to a series of workshops coming to town.

This year marks the 21st year the iconic Toyota RAV4 has graced New Zealand roads - and off roads – with Toyota New Zealand launching an ‘Edition 21’ complete with unique styling features to commemorate the occasion.

Food business owners will also have a chance to influence how they follow the rules, in a second workshop on the same day.
The workshops, being run by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), will take place on Monday 3 October.

Ray White New Zealand has joined forces with world-leading rugby coach Steven Hansen through his appointment as their global brand ambassador.

Wellington’s iconic Boulcott Street Bistro celebrates 25 years of hospitality this October, making it one of Wellington’s oldest owner-operator dining establishments.

Wellington City Taiaha to be presented today in lead-up to the DHL NZ British & Irish Lions Series

Wellington City Council, the Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC) and NEXT Foundation, today announced a joint collaboration to make Wellington the first Predator Free capital city in the world.

From a field of 133 garments, New Zealand designer Gillian Saunders’ Supernova won the Brancott Estate Supreme WOW® Award at tonight’s international World of WearableArt™ (WOW®) Awards Show.

The programme, organised by the US State Department and ESPN, the sports television network, is a one-month mentorship focused on empowering female leaders to serve their local community by increasing access to and opportunities for participation in sport.

The Wellington-based Weta Group of Companies will sponsor the Cinematographer of the Year Award as the major sponsor of October’s New Zealand Cinematography Society (NZCS) Awards.

Wellington today welcomed the new Singapore Airlines Capital Express service providing a direct link from Singapore via Canberra which will open up greater tourism, trade and education links between the three cities and beyond.

Greater Wellington’s public transport website www.metlink.org.nz has won a “2016 WebAward for outstanding achievement in web development” accolade in the world’s premier competition for web developers and advertising agencies.

Members of Wellington’s diplomatic community came together to open a walkway newly-named ‘Europe Lane’, marking Wellington’s long-standing ties with Europe.

Mayor Celia Wade-Brown said it was great to see that Wellingtonians’ enjoyment of the city’s rich arts and cultural scene, a strong sense of health and wellbeing and good work-life balance were among the things that make Wellington a great place to live.

New Zealand’s three top airport awards, sponsored by Beca, have been won by the airports of Wellington, Invercargill and Queenstown.

Wellington City Council is proud to be working closely with the Blind Foundation to introduce a new product to the capital which will help people with sight loss comfortably navigate the city and its businesses.

A star studded line-up of musicians will take the stage in Newtown on Thursday 22 September to raise funds for Renters United.

The gig — at Moon Bar in Newtown — will feature a fantastic roster of well-known and critically acclaim musicians: Samuel Flynn Scott (The Phoenix Foundation), French for Rabbits, Adam McGrath (The Eastern, The Harbour Union) and Paddy Burgin and the Wooden Box Band.

Wellington’s Fiona Cameron and Christchurch’s Jacqueline Lyttle have tonight been named joint winners of RiskNZ’s Risk Management Professional of the Year award.

Jason Woodward’s return from injury is one of four changes to the Wellington Lions starting team named to play Bay of Plenty in round five of the Mitre 10 Cup at Westpac Stadium on Friday.

The Cigna Kids Waterfront Fun Run will be held next month with hundreds of children expected to take part. Now in its fourth year the annual Athletics Wellington event is run in partnership with Cigna New Zealand and Sport Wellington.

Victoria University of Wellington Students’ Association (VUWSA) and Victoria Politics Students’ Society welcomes mayoral candidates to debate on how they’ll improve Wellington living conditions for students, if elected.

September is World Alzheimers Month, and Alzheimers Wellington has events coming up in the next few weeks that highlight all the services we offer for everyone affected by dementia in the Wellington region.

Picking a supreme winner from a top line-up of the Wellington regions businesses will be a tough call for judges at this year’s prestigious Chamber of Commerce business excellence awards to be staged at the Expressions Arts & Entertainment Centre, 836 Fergusson Drive, Upper Hutt on Friday 4 November 2016, says chamber Chief Executive Mark Futter. “Business confidence has grown in the last year and top performing companies and organisations have emerged to contest the awards again this year,” he says.

Eleven of the region’s top attractions and events will benefit from new funding after the latest meeting of the Wellington Regional Amenities Fund (WRAF).

Wellington Mayor Celia Wade-Brown has congratulated Christchurch on the launch today of its first-ever resilience plan, saying there is much the Capital can learn from Christchurch’s experiences.

Mayoral candidate Helene Ritchie said last night that the fight against extending the runway at Wellington Airport “will go on until the application is either completely withdrawn from the Environment Court or thrown out.” She was commenting on the airport company’s decision to suspend its resource consent application for the extension.

Yesterday Wellington City Council allocated just over $140,000 from the Arts and Culture Fund to 34 art projects in the capital.

Premium department store David Jones and the World of WearableArt Ltd (WOW ®) today announced their partnership for New Zealand’s largest theatrical event, taking place in Wellington next month.

As part of Conservation week Wellington City Council, in partnership with the Department of Conservation, will host a wild food fare at Harbourside Market on Sunday 11 and Sunday 18 September.

The Waste Minimisation Seed Fund is open for applications to support smart ways to reduce waste in the Capital.

The $70,000 per annum fund is split into two pools: funding for projects less than $2000 and another for larger projects over $2000, with a $25,000 cap.

Wellington’s first solar-powered electric vehicle charging station – built especially by and for the community – will be launched at Sustainability Trust next month.

Marc Taddei, Conductor, Wilma Smith, Violin

Wilma Smith to feature in Wellington homecoming concerto performance

Former NZSO concertmaster, Wilma Smith, is back in Wellington next week to perform music fit for Heaven.

Witness the stadium tour of the century when Guns N’ Roses reunite for a special reunion tour in 2017. The Not In This Lifetime tour will mark the first time the band have performed in New Zealand since their infamous Use Your Illusion tour back in 1993.

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) prosecution of Sir Ralph Heberley Ngatata Love has received a verdict in the Wellington High Court today.

September is Bee Aware Month and there’s a real buzz around Wellington City Council as we help raise awareness around the crucial role bees play in our lives.

Car share vehicles look set to become an increasingly common sight on Wellington streets thanks in part to a new Wellington City Council policy.

The Wellington region has again benefited from the fantastic Visa Wellington On a Plate culinary festival, says the Wellington Chamber of Commerce.

The Cancer Society’s Margaret Stewart House in Wellington has launched a fundraising appeal to pay for solar panels that will generate predicted savings on power bills of $300,000 over the next 25 years.

Thousands of young people from primary and intermediate schools around the Wellington region will perform in massed choirs at the Michael Fowler Centre, accompanied by Wellington’s Sinfonietta Orchestra, Chilton Amadeus Orchestra, and the professional musicians that make up the Artsplash Festival Band.

With a sold-out stadium and kick off at 7.35pm ticket holders should arrive early – between 5.30-6pm.

Returning for a second year Wellington City Council will host the opening ceremony of the annual Wellington SportsFest at the ASB Sports Centre in Kilbirnie at 9.15am Tuesday 16 August.

A key piece of the Wellington Phoenix’ playing roster has been filled with the signing of experienced Italian defender Marco Rossi.

Wellington ecosanctuary Zealandia is charging ahead with sustainability goals after launching electric vehicle and bike charging facilities this morning.

The Golden Mile is now the smart Golden Mile with smart parking sensors live from Harris Street to Parliament.