the Flaxmere development will include 39 new affordable one- and two-bedroom senior housing units Called Te Pā Harakeke, it will comprise 39 new, affordable one- and two-bedroom senior housing units situated on council-owned land in the southwest corner of Flaxmere town centre, bounded by Caernarvon Drive, Swansea Road and the newly constructed Pam O’Keefe Avenue and Te Ara Huata. Being built by Alexander Construction HB (Ltd), the complex will provide affordable, high-quality homes divided into 12 blocks, each containing two to four units and designed to create a modern aesthetic and layout. The plan includes a shared public space. As with the council’s existing senior housing, rents will be set at a percentage of equivalent market rent. In the case of the new homes, that will be 80% of median market rent, meeting the threshold for “affordable housing” set by the HUD. The rent for the council’s existing homes is set at 65% of market rent. Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said in a statement it was very exciting to be bringing new senior housing to Flaxmere and to have other complementary developments under way in the suburb. “Recently it was confirmed that TW Group has purchased the Flaxmere Shopping Centre and a resource consent has been issued to TW Property for a new Woolworths supermarket complex to be built behind the village shops. “These other developments will help support those residents living at Te Pā Harakeke, which is the first new senior housing to be built in Hastings in about 40 years. “At the same time, new housing will also start being built by our development partners this year on the land behind Flaxmere College and the community centre, and at Whakaruru Cres.” People can find out more about this housing and all the other housing and retail activity that’s planned by attending this weekend’s Community Day at Flaxmere Park on Saturday, April 5. Running from 11am to 3pm, there will be information stalls about the new supermarket and various housing developments and a free sausage sizzle, bouncy castles and mini-jeeps, facepainting, live entertainment and more. The Saturday closure comes amid a proposal to shut Napier Library for at least two years. Around 50 Flaxmere locals braved the crisp 7am start to get a first glimpse of the store. The supermarket opened following song, karakia and an official ribbon cutting. Owner and manager Nirav Patel told 1News he hopes to boost the local economy and spirits. “We have locals on the checkouts, we use a local butcher for our meats, and we hope to only use locally-grown fruit and vegetables. “I am so proud to be opening – the Flaxmere community have been so supportive.” One of the first to browse its aisles was Flaxmere resident Jacob Gee. “[The supermarket is] really impressive, seems quite cheap, and it's easy to come here as I don’t want to waste fuel," he said. "It’s pretty flash, pretty amazing." Another resident said the opening is "vital for the kaumātua who live nearby and have no way of driving to Hastings or Napier". "I’m so happy. Good on you, Flaxmere supermarket – thumbs up.” The shoppers were also treated to free ice blocks. Henare O'Keefe has advocated for Flaxmere's supermarket return for years. “Flaxmere is an opportunity, not a liability and this is the place to be. Just look around, look at the faces, the smiles on all the families." The new independent Flaxmere supernarket. (Source: 1News) A new independent supermarket has officially opened its doors in Flaxmere today – more than a year after the closure of the local New World left the community without a dedicated grocer. The grocer is filling the gap left by the closure of the local New World more than a year ago. (Source: 1News) Trade war: Sir John Key's 'optimism' on Trump's next tariff moves Former New Zealand prime minister has long disagreed with the US president's view on trade but says he is hopeful the tariffs will land in a "sensible place" Business Qantas confirms new Auckland-Perth flights Flights between Auckland and Western Australia's capital would begin in December Destiny Church to move out of its South Auckland headquarters the building was extensively renovated with funding sourced from the sale of its Mount Wellington site and a $1000 tithe from Destiny Church members Tipene Funerals owners break silence after ex-employee jailed Francis and Kaiora Tipene told TVNZ's Marae they should have noticed something sooner but said they knew nothing of former employee Fiona Bakulich's offending Companies directors fined $1.6m for altering tallow for profit The defendants worked together to mix tallow with adulterants including out of specification products containing unknown quantities of unknown various fats and oils Sir Bob Jones dies aged 85 Sir Bob was one of New Zealand's most colourful business characters Trade war: Sir John Key's 'optimism' on Trump's next tariff moves 29 mins ago More than 25kg cocaine seizure leads to four arrests across NZ 33 mins ago Sole survivor of poisoned beef Wellington takes the stand 36 mins ago US woman who disappeared for more than six decades found safe 47 mins ago Victoria Uni law students to sit handwritten exams due to AI fears 58 mins ago Five Big Things That Happened Today: Tuesday, May 6 2 mins ago 1US woman who disappeared for more than six decades found safe Two men's shared name brings years of trouble and a hefty bill to one Owner prosecuted after dog starves to death New Zealand's Cardinal John Dew prepares to go into conclave Erica Stanford concedes use of personal email 'untidy' Photos: Lorde among stars at 2025 Met Gala A$AP Rocky and Rihanna also revealed they are expecting their third child. Two arrested over alleged plot targeting Lady Gaga concert in RioBrazilian police said they thwarted an alleged bomb attack planned for Lady Gaga's concert on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro. Lady Gaga rocks Copacabana Beach with free concert for over 2 million fansSun, May 4 Lorde announces new album name, dateThu, May 1 Kim Kardashian to testify in Paris trial over 2016 armed robberyMon, Apr 28 Chubby Checker, Outkast, Cyndi Lauper join Rock & Roll Hall of FameMon, Apr 28 Kim Kardashian to testify in Paris trial over 2016 armed robberyMon A new independent supermarket has officially opened its doors in Flaxmere today – more than a year after the closure of the local New World left the community without a dedicated grocer Around 50 Flaxmere locals braved the crisp 7am start to get a first glimpse of the store Owner and manager Nirav Patel told 1News he hopes to boost the local economy and spirits and we hope to only use locally-grown fruit and vegetables One of the first to browse its aisles was Flaxmere resident Jacob Gee and it's easy to come here as I don’t want to waste fuel," he said Another resident said the opening is "vital for the kaumātua who live nearby and have no way of driving to Hastings or Napier" The shoppers were also treated to free ice blocks Henare O'Keefe has advocated for Flaxmere's supermarket return for years not a liability and this is the place to be Former prime minister Sir John Key says he remains optimistic about Donald Trump's domestic economic policy despite opposing the tariff strategy that has sent global markets into turmoil in recent months who served as prime minister for eight years was the keynote speaker at an Auckland business summit earlier today Sir John told 1News he believed Trump would ultimately take a more moderate approach to tariffs than initially proposed "I'm not a fan of tariff policies I don't think they really work," he said as I think the stock market is telling you at the moment that actually there will be a more sensible landing place for the tariffs that he's wanting to impose." Sir John said he "wasn't entirely surprised" at Trump's call to go ahead with the policy "They're just a negotiating point I think he simply put on widespread and high rates of tariffs on every country to give himself a leverage point and a negotiating point "What I think he actually grossly underestimated was the stock market reaction You can actually make the case that his own strategy hasn't worked The reason the markets have recovered is because he's taken those tariffs off the most part 'I'm going to negotiate case by case'." Sir John suggested Trump's economic policies could still generally be positive for the US but the tariffs could be trickier for the global economy Asked whether he stood by his October comments that Trump would be good for the economy he said: "Do I think he's going to reduce regulatory burden in the United States It depends on where things shake down in terms of tariffs." Sir John acknowledged that for certain industries Trump's policies could be "a really negative thing" particularly if the president's proposed 100% tariff on the film industry were to be implemented "I can't see how it would be cost-competitive to make a movie in New Zealand with a 100% tariff on it," he said noting that films such as The Hobbit would not have been made in New Zealand without government subsidies who now served as a director of US tech company Palo Alto Networks said he had "always been opposed" to Trump's tariff policies but believes they won't be the "dominant part of his economic solutions" "I don't think it's perfect from New Zealand's point of view but I don't think we should panic either and America will still be a very big market for us to sell things to," he said "There are growing markets around the world It's not a great thing from New Zealand's point of view We've got a very sound economy with lots of options in front of us." Sir John suggested a belief that the Republican Trump was was better "on balance" for the US economy than Democratic opponent Kamala Harris he expressed concerns about Trump's tariff approach: "China doesn't pay those tariffs middle-income consumers or consumers in America do because when a tariff goes on a good that you bring into a country He added: "I don't agree with the massive tariffs and I don't think you'll follow through with all of that and I certainly don't agree with this view on trade." Qantas has announced that direct flights between Perth and Auckland will take off later this year Flights between Auckland and Western Australia's capital would begin in December The airline also added flights between Perth and Johannesburg and Sundays with an approximate flight time of 8 hours Perth to Auckland flights would operate as QF111 on Monday The approximate flight time was around six hours and 45 minutes Both flights would use Qantas A330 aircraft with 27 business class seats and 224 economy seats The new flights would allow a one-stop route to London via Perth It would also allow for connections via Perth from Auckland to airports across South Africa the new flight to Auckland would also allow a one-stop connection to New York on the airline's QF3 service “We’re so excited to be launching two new international routes unlocking more options and greater choice for all Australians to connect to the world through our growing network," Qantas International chief executive Cam Wallace said “By connecting Perth directly with Auckland and Johannesburg we’re supporting the local economy by opening valuable inbound tourism opportunities for Western Australia as well as generating new jobs for the state These routes also enable further growth throughout Australia with connections across our domestic network." The owners of Tipene Funerals have spoken out for the first time after a former long-time employee was jailed for misconduct in relation to burials Francis and Kaiora Tipene told TVNZ's Marae they should have noticed something sooner but said they knew nothing of former employee Fiona Bakulich's offending For the full Marae story, watch on TVNZ+ Fiona Bakulich, 48, a former employee, was jailed for two years and three months and ordered to pay more than $16,900 in reparations over her misconduct The Tipene owners spoke to Marae in their first interview since Bakulich was jailed Francis said he was called to a meeting alongside Bakulich at Waikumete Cemetery by Auckland Council staff Cyclone Gabrielle had badly damaged a mausoleum housing two coffins interred by Bakulich Repairs to the roof necessitated the disinterment of the remains revealing she had not installed the zinc liner required and pocketed the $3000 in cash instead "I just couldn't believe how someone could do that." Bakulich was stood down for six weeks and continued offending upon her return to work The pair said they only discovered she had further defrauded families after her dismissal and I wish we did so we could have acted sooner," Francis said but I'm deeply apologetic to those whānau." Asked how the charges weren't detected in the company's accounting Francis said the transactions were taking place off-site so that's a hard one to swallow." The company would have to "build trust from the bottom up" the pair said of their business' relationship with the community Marae did not receive a response when Fiona Bakulich's lawyer was approached for comment directors and managers have been fined $1.6 million for deliberately and illegally altering exported tallow for profit following an investigation and prosecution by New Zealand Food Safety GrainCorp Commodity Management (NZ) Limited and GrainCorp Liquid Terminals NZ Limited were all sentenced on various charges under the Animal Products Act Tallow is rendered from animal fat into a range of products the New Zealand Food Safety deputy director general Vincent Arbuckle said "The price of tallow is based on its free fatty acid level (FFA) and the lower the level the defendants were able to command a higher price by lowering the free fatty acid levels "Following a lengthy and complex investigation food safety investigators found this offending was deliberate to maximise profits." Arbuckle said these companies' directors and managers knew their responsibilities under the law "The rules for export are there for a reason - to ensure the product is fit for its intended purpose and meets the requirements of importing countries "While there was no food safety issue identified with the offending people and organisations that deliberately try to get around the rules can damage New Zealand's valuable trade reputation which has been built over generations by high quality exports and backed by our robust food safety system." The investigation was sparked by a whistleblower who notified New Zealand Food Safety that vegetable oil may have been blended with tallow for export "We followed up on the tip and the investigation broadened over time as investigators gathered evidence They were eventually able to prove that several companies and individuals worked together to illegally export more than 8000 tonnes of non-compliant tallow and Wallace Proteins Ltd all owned rendering plants that make tallow managers and directors worked together to create this product "The prosecution was the result of a meticulous and long-running investigation which made connections between multiple defendants and proved deliberate offending." rnz.co.nz New Zealand businessman and former political party leader Sir Bob Jones has died Sir Bob earned his wealth through his property investments holding a $2 billion portfolio of commercial buildings in Auckland having commented on matches and written columns Jones earned a university blue in boxing while at Victoria University of Wellington Sir Bob launched the short-lived New Zealand Party in an attempt to oust then-Prime Minister Robert Muldoon from Parliament In 1985, Sir Bob was involved in one of New Zealand's most famous television moments when journalist Rod Vaughan emerged from the bush with a bloody nose following a confrontation between the two on the banks of the Tongariro River Sir Bob served in several government committees including chairman of the 1989 Winter Olympics enquiry Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said Jones was a "living legend" and a "huge loss" for the country "To think a guy started off in a state house became one of our most successful business leaders.. and had a massive impact on a 1984 election with the New Zealand party," he said "He had just an acerbic wit and was just a very quick and clever and highly intelligent man very best from all of us in New Zealand." Historian Paul Moon noted Sir Bob was "one of the most important figures in the country from that most important of elections" in 1984 it's unlikely we'll see someone like Bob Jones on the political stage again," Moon said 🕯️ Sir Bob Jones has died. A provocateur for liberty, a generous supporter of the Taxpayers’ Union, and the man behind some of Wellington’s finest quirks — from the “Save the krill, kill the whales” billboard to the “Toilet in 100m” signs pointing dutifully toward Parliament.He… pic.twitter.com/cPgWUfs0i9 More than 25kg of cocaine has been seized and four men arrested following an joint investigation into the importation of the drug into Christchurch Police and Customs received information about a "significant importation" of cocaine that had come through Lyttelton Port on March 29 Search warrants were then executed across the country by specialist teams to support investigators with evidence gathering Tauranga and Auckland as a result of the six-week investigation including possession of cocaine for supply and burglary and will appear in various district courts across a range of dates Detective Senior Sergeant Phil Sparks said the seizure equated to more than 250,000 doses of cocaine and $9 million of harm "That is an enormous amount of damage and misery that had been heading into our communities that has now been halted through this investigation." Sparks said the success of the investigation was partly down to the "excellent partnership" between Customs and the police "We continue to have a focus on engaging with businesses and supporting their legitimate services by keeping them safe with prevention advice to deter drug trafficking organisations’ attempts to exploit their people and premises." Customs acting investigations manager Rachael Manning said the investigation resulted from quick action and close collaboration between the agencies as well as industry partners "We know that transnational and serious organised crime groups are actively targeting New Zealand to drive up both demand and supply of illegal drugs such as cocaine for maximum profit They’re using every method possible to exploit any vulnerabilities within international supply chains in secure areas or on vessels themselves." Audrey Backeberg disappeared from a small city in south-central Wisconsin after reportedly hitchhiking with her family’s babysitter and catching a bus to Indianapolis Nobody ever knew where she went or what happened to her All that changed last week when she was found alive and safe in another state thanks to the fresh eyes from a deputy who took over the case in February Detective Isaac Hanson discovered an out-of-state arrest record that matched Backeberg which triggered a series of investigative moves that led to finding her alive and safe in another state Turns out Backeberg chose to leave the town of Reedsburg on her own accord – likely due to an abusive husband safe and secure; And just kind of lived under the radar for that long,” he said Hanson was assigned the case in late February and he and other officials met with Backeberg’s family to see if they had a connection with that region They also started digging through Backeberg's sister's Ancestry.com account obituaries and marriage licenses from that region they found an address where a woman was living that Hanson said shared a lot of similarities with Backeberg including date of birth and social security number Hanson was able to get a deputy from that jurisdiction to go to the address "I was expecting the deputy to call me back and say ‘Oh nobody answered the door.’ And I thought it was the deputy calling me I could sense that she obviously had her reasons for leaving.” Most of the information he learned during that call he declined to share saying that it was still important to Backeberg that she not be found “I think it overwhelmed her of course with the emotions that she had having a deputy show up at her house and then kind of call her out and talk with her about what happened and kind of relive 62 years in 45 minutes,” he said Hanson described discovering her safe after more than six decades practically unheard of And while he doesn't know what will happen next in terms of her family reconnecting he said he was happy that she can reach out if she wants to so she has my contact number if she ever wants to reach out or needs anything any phone numbers of family members back here," he said "Ultimately she kind of holds the cards for that.” A law student at Victoria University of Wellington said students had been "left in the lurch" after an announcement on Monday that said next month's exams for two law subjects would have to be handwritten also said a timetable had still not been provided he said he had become "increasingly worried that the embedding of artificial intelligence (AI) in many students' laptops makes ensuring that students' work is their own very difficult" He had hoped the university would have a technical solution although he hoped one would be available at the end of the year "This means that we will not be able to allow students to use laptops for exams next month," McLay wrote "I want to make this announcement as soon as possible so students have time to prepare for handwritten examinations." McLay added that there would be an exception for students with a disability that required them to use a keyboard The situation affected the LAWS 312 Equity and LAWS 334 Ethics exams The student said the announcement was stressful during an already stressful time a representative of the Victoria University of Wellington Law Students' Society said the Council of Legal Education had to be certain that everyone who passed the exams in Equity and Ethics deserved a pass (and did not cheat) "Previously in person invigilation has been sufficient to manage these concerns due to the increasing ability and sophistication of AI the faculty were concerned about the reliability of the exams leading to their decision to make the Equity and Ethics exams handwritten." The representative said the law students' society had expressed that students' preference was for typed exams — "reflecting how our professional lives will look" once it became clear that the faculty felt they needed to proceed with handwritten exams we emphasised that students should be informed as early as possible accessibility options should be made clear and exam content and timing should reflect the fact that many students have not done handwritten exams since high school and are not used to writing for extended periods of time." The representative added it was separate from the delay to the exam timetable Victoria University Provost Professor Bryony James said students' handwriting their exams meant the university could be confident that the results truly reflected the students' own knowledge and effort — free of any suggestion of the influence of AI James said she would ensure that no student was disadvantaged and was committed to working with students — including those with disabilities — who might need further support to participate in exams and final assessments as a result "As part of this undertaking the Faculty of Law will review this Trimester's exam results to ensure this cohort's performance is in line with previous years and confirm that students are not significantly impacted by this decision." President of Victoria University's Students' Association Liban Ali told Morning Report he was aware that this could happen as early as last year "It has been on the card as of last year I feel like there was something that was going to happen." Ali said the announcement had come at the wrong time and that the Students' Association were very concerned for students He said the Students' Association had engaged the Law Society and the faculty to determine the best way to support students He added that he would make sure that any changes were communicated early in the future rnz.co.nz The Government halts all current pay equity claims Stanford concedes use of personal email 'untidy' and a Kiwi motorcyclist has been killed in a crash in England Workplace Minister Brooke van Velden said the proposed changes would "significantly reduce costs to the Crown" and would discontinue current claims There have been massive pay equity claims in recent years for nurses and rest home workers The PSA union said the changes were a "dark day for New Zealand women" while the nurse's union described it as a "blatant and shameful attack" Read More Erica Stanford has spoken after 1News revealed she sent pre-Budget announcements to her personal email last year and had used her Gmail for ministerial business over the course of her time as a minister who holds the education and immigration portfolios said today she was "not a perfect human" she put the practice down to printing issues But Stanford said she had "taken lots of steps" to avoid the issue from arising further Read More A stranger allegedly tried to force an 8-year-old boy into a car outside an Auckland primary school yesterday before bystanders intervened and the man drove off Rowandale School principal Karl Vasau told 1News the pupil was "doing fine" following the incident and was surrounded by a "supportive Police confirmed they were investigating an incident from around 3pm on Monday outside Rowandale School in the suburb of Manurewa Read More Shane William Pritchard has been charged with crimes he didn’t commit and chased for debts he doesn’t owe That’s because the Dunedin man is not the only Shane William Pritchard in town The duo’s shared name and age has sometimes been a handy loophole for one Shane but it has caused problems for 36 years and he's approached Gill Higgins for help Read More was fatally injured alongside Englishman Owen Jenner on the first corner of the race at Oulton Park who was a previous New Zealand rider of the year Cemetery Circuit in Whanganui posted to its social media in tribute to Richardson a fantastic and talented racer and a genuine human" Read More Homegrown will be held at Hamilton's Claudelands Oval confirmed it would be leaving Wellington's waterfront after being there for 18 years Organisers said Hamilton offers potential for the festival to expand and evolve as New Zealand's fastest-growing city Read More While the duo’s shared name and age has sometimes been a handy loophole for one Shane for the other it has caused problems for 36 years It’s been years of fearing every knock on the door Years of wondering if he’ll be hand-cuffed and taken to jail to be honest,” says Shane William Pritchard a scout and a member of the Air Training Corp remembers getting quite a shock when her friend called one evening She'd been acting as a referee for a gun licence for Shane whose friend informed her that the police had a long list of offences against Shane’s name Not long after that the police turned up to where Shane was working at the local tannery to arrest him “You're scrambling in your head to think of ways that you can prove it's not you.” Another Shane William Pritchard had been born in Otago They were separated by just two weeks and about 50 miles – one growing up in Mosgiel the other in Milton – but also by the lives they’d been leading To watch the full video story go to TVNZ+ Shane from Milton had huge problems focusing at school He was raised in foster care and then boys’ homes I just wanted to look cool and get in trouble,” he tells Fair Go Milton Shane was used to run-ins with police he got pulled over in his car and asked about his driving licence one’s got a licence and the other hasn’t.’ And I’m like ‘obviously it must be the one with a licence’.” he went to his bank to draw out an ACC payment and was asked which bank account was his He says that at that point he was trying to figure out what was going on “I thought it was just an error.” But he took advantage of the situation and withdrew a large sum of cash Mosgiel Shane became aware of the withdrawal when a scheduled car payment was declined and when Milton Shane turned up at the bank to withdraw more money Identity fraud was considered but Milton Shane was legitimately expecting an ACC payment so the withdrawal appeared to be a genuine mistake and the police couldn’t take any action 'Anything I could get away with Mosgiel Shane thought the bank incident would have alerted police to the problem But his nemesis had cottoned on to the advantages of having a second identity to use Milton Shane acquired a suite of furniture on hire-purchase Milton-Shane clocked up more driving offences Mosgiel Shane thought about changing his name but realised he’d have to provide his previous name in the process the courts and debt collectors such as Baycorp should be able to distinguish between himself and Milton Shane The police first addressed the issue in the 1990s after Mosgiel Shane went to the media He was given a letter to carry with him should he be apprehended He and his parents felt his situation wasn’t being taken seriously Mosgiel Shane went to the media a second time in the mid-2000s the police gave their word that a record in their system would stop the misidentification from happening again This does appear to have worked as far as police action goes But while Mosgiel Shane was given the same reassurance by the Ministry of Justice he continued to receive demands from the courts for unpaid fines He’d also get stopped and questioned whenever he left the country for work trips or holidays It took a huge toll on Mosgiel Shane’s mental health not realising the constant stress it placed on his life John Pritchard says that at times his son felt his life wasn’t worth living worrying about what he was going to do to himself and that really ate me up.” he and his son were in tears as Shane admitted he was at breaking point He described going for days at a time unable to eat or sleep wondering what might happen next "Am I going to be in a position where they've got me in handcuffs or I've got debt collectors coming to the door?" ...You're spiralling into this black hole." He started taking anti-anxiety medication which helped And events regarding Milton Shane seemed to settle Milton Shane was charged for fishing without a licence in Twizel and failing to comply with fisheries officers But a court registrar incorrectly entered the birth date of Mosgiel Shane in the system both Shanes were being chased to pay the $1530 fine It was Mosgiel Shane who spotted the error and rang the court He also sent a statement from his manager saying he’d not been fishing in Twizel that day The reply he got was to say he’d been given the wrong form and that they wouldn’t accept his proof They just wanted to know how I was going to pay the fine.” The first Milton Shane knew about this was when Fair Go told him Mosgiel Shane had been chased for the fine He was told to pay up or face the consequences feeling he shouldn’t have to pay good money to correct someone else’s mistake But it cost Mosgiel Shane over $5000 in legal fees and took months of back and forth between him “Why should anybody have to pay their own money to right somebody else's wrongs and prove who they are I’m sick and tired of proving who I am all the time.” He wanted the Ministry of Justice to take responsibility and reimburse him for his legal costs saying court staff such as the registrar in this case have immunity if they make mistakes such as the one made here and if I make a mistake and it's affecting my client that it's going to cost them money to rectify a mistake that I've made.” he deserves a million apologies from those guys,” she says Milton Shane told Fair Go he still gets in trouble but wants the other Shane to know he doesn’t use his birth date anymore And he had a message for him: “We’ve got to get it sorted for you so you can have a good life with you and your family because I’m trying to get my life together with my son and my grandson” He offers to meet to see if they can sort it out together but I’m not interested in meeting him,.” says Mosgiel Shane He says he doesn’t hold any grudges and accepts Milton Shane’s apology And he believes the only way for that to happen is for the courts and the Ministry of Justice to give him a guarantee that mix-ups won’t occur in the future Fair Go asked the Ministry of Justice to appear in person to apologise and provide reassurance to Shane of its plans to guard against these mistakes The Ministry declined our request to be on camera saying any comment on an individual case would compromise the independence of the courts as the Ministry operates separately But it did send a written apology directly to Mosgiel Shane It also admitted mistakes can occur in clerical records but said instructions were clear and the importance of getting things right had been emphasised to staff Mosgiel Shane isn’t totally convinced that’s the end of it “All I want is for the Ministry of Justice and the courts to do their job I'd like to live without this hanging over me all the time his criminal check has come back showing a clean slate Cardinal John Dew is about to go into conclave to vote for a new pope is among the 133 cardinals gathered in the Vatican to elect a successor to Pope Francis Dew and his fellow Cardinals will be locked away from the world as they participate in daily votes in the Sistine Chapel until white smoke billows from the rooftop signalling a new pope is selected Read more about how the conclave works here He follows in the footsteps of Cardinal Reginald Delargey and Cardinal Thomas Williams - Kiwis who had previously entered conclave in 1978 and 2005 Dew said cardinals had been meeting daily to share their perspectives on the needs of the church and what qualities a new pope would need to possess to address said needs “Listening to what everyone is saying and the kind of person they're looking for to hear the passion that people have for spreading the work of the Gospel,” Dew said “I think one of the things that a new pope will need to do is to continue to try and give hope to the world “But as well as being the leader of the Church he needs to be a world leader who's prepared to speak out and in this world of disinformation and misinformation and sometimes lies Dew said other cardinals who had previously participated in conclavce described the centuries-old tradition as "divinely inspired" “A couple of the cardinals actually said you can go into the conclave and even have some ideas but it's only after a vote or two that things start to clarify,” he recalled but it became very clear that he was the one They described that as the work of Holy Spirit “And the fact that you're in a place where you have no contact with anybody else – no cell phones no iPads – the whole thing becomes a bit like a retreat and a real time of prayer.” Dew said finding a successor among a sea of so many contenders also had him feeling some "apprehension" the fact that this only happens once every few years and it has incredible consequences for the Church and for the world Lady Gaga gave a free concert Saturday night in front of 2 million fans who poured onto Copacabana Beach for the biggest show of her career (...) Thank you for making history with me,” Lady Gaga told a screaming crowd kicked off the show at around 22.10pm local time with her 2011 song Bloody Mary Cries of joy rose from the tightly-packed fans who sang and danced shoulder-to-shoulder on the vast stretch of sand Concert organisers said 2.1 million people attended the show switching between an array of dresses including one with the colours of the Brazilian flag Some fans – many of them young – arrived on the beach at the crack of dawn to secure a good spot “Today is the best day of my life,” said Manoela Dobes a 27-year-old designer who was wearing a dress plastered with a photograph from when she met Lady Gaga in the United States in 2019 Madonna also turned Copacabana Beach into a massive dance floor last year The large-scale performances are part of an effort led by City Hall to boost economic activity after Carnival and New Years’ Eve festivities and the upcoming month-long Saint John’s Day celebrations in June “It brings activity to the city during what was previously considered the low season – filling hotels and increasing spending in bars generating jobs and income for the population,” said Osmar Lima the city’s secretary of economic development in a statement released by Rio City Hall’s tourism department last month Rio’s City Hall said in a recent report that around 1.6 million people were expected to attend Lady Gaga's concert and that the show should inject at least 600 million reais (NZ$178.3 million) into Rio’s economy Similar concerts are scheduled to take place every year in May at least until 2028 Lady Gaga arrived in Rio in the early hours of Tuesday The city has been alive with Gaga-mania since as it geared up to welcome the pop star for her first show in the country since 2012 Rio’s metro employees danced to Lady Gaga’s 2008 hit song LoveGame and gave instructions for today in a video A free exhibition celebrating her career sold out While the vast majority of attendees were from Rio the event also attracted Brazilians from across the country and international visitors More than 500,000 tourists poured into the city in the days leading up to the show according to data from the local bus station and Tom Jobim airport Rio’s City Hall said in a statement yesterday made a cross-continent trip from Colombia to Brazil to attend the show “I’ve been a 100% fan of Lady Gaga my whole life,” said Serrano who was wearing a T-shirt featuring Lady Gaga’s outlandish costumes over the years the mega-star represents “total freedom of expression – being who one wants without shame” Rio officials have a history of organising huge concerts on Copacabana Beach Madonna’s show drew an estimated 1.6 million fans last year while 4 million people flooded onto the beach for a 1994 New Year’s Eve show by Rod Stewart in 1994 that was the biggest free rock concert in history sixteen sound towers were spread along the beach Rio state’s security plan included the presence of 3300 military and 1500 police officers Among those present were Lady Gaga admirers who remember their disappointment in 2017 when the artist cancelled a performance scheduled in Rio at the last minute due to health issues “She's the best artist in the world,” the 25-year-old said I love you” in Portuguese rose from the crowd behind him whose real name is Ella Yelich O'Connor which also displayed what appears to be the album cover art — an X-ray of a pelvis "100% written in blood," the website read The new album's announcement came a week after she released her latest single What Was That The song's music video was filmed at a mysterious pop-up event in New York City's Washington Square Park that was initially shut down by police. The event ended up going ahead after all, and fans who stayed got to hear the new song for the first time. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lorde (@lorde) It was the first sign of a follow-up to Lorde's previous album Her other albums were 2013's Pure Heroine and 2017's Melodrama she collaborated with British singer Charli XCX on a remix of Girl so confusing — on a re-release of the Grammy award-winning Brat Kim Kardashian thought she was going to be raped and killed when criminals broke into her bedroom in central Paris tied her up and stole more than US$6 million in jewellery 10 people will go on trial in Paris over the robbery abduction and kidnapping of the media personality and the concierge of the residence where she was staying during Paris Fashion Week the night of October 2 Kardashian’s lawyers said she will testify in person at the trial starting Monday and scheduled to run through May 23 "Ms Kardashian is reserving her testimony for the court and jury and does not wish to elaborate further at this time," they said "She has great respect and admiration for the French justice system and has been treated with great respect by the French authorities "She wishes the trial to proceed in an orderly fashion in accordance with French law and with respect for all parties to the case." In interviews and on her family’s reality TV show Kardashian has described being terrified as robbers pointed a gun at her In a 2020 appearance on David Letterman’s Netflix show she tearfully recalled thinking: "This is the time I’m going to get raped Twelve people were originally expected in the defendants’ box and another is seriously ill and can't be tried five of the 10 defendants were present at the scene of the robbery The French press has dubbed them The Granddad Robbers because the main defendants are elderly and have careers as bank robbers with long criminal records Kardashian told investigators she was taken to a bathroom next to her bedroom and placed in the bathtub Her attackers fled on bicycles or on foot and she managed to free herself by removing the tape from her hands and mouth She had also removed the tape from her feet and rushed to her stylist’s room She called her sister Kourtney to tell her about the theft Kardashian told investigators that she had not been injured adding that she wanted to leave France as soon as possible to be reunited with her children According to her testimony and that of the concierge at least one of the suspects had a handgun The gangsters stole many pieces of jewellery estimated to be worth more than US$6 million (NZ$10 million) Only one piece of jewellery — a diamond cross on platinum that was lost during the suspects' escape — has been recovered Two of the accused have partially confessed to the crime is one of two suspected robbers who allegedly entered the apartment his genetic profile was found on the tape used to gag Kardashian who was waiting for him in a parked car at a nearby train station The second robber said he tied up the concierge with cables but did not go up to Kardashian’s apartment said he acted as a lookout in the ground-floor reception area He said he was unarmed and did not personally threaten Kardashian but admitted he shared responsibility for the crime Abbas was arrested in January 2017 and spent 21 months in prison before being released under judicial supervision he co-authored a French-language book titled I Sequestered Kim Kardashian is the second alleged robber suspected of entering the flat although he was filmed by CCTV cameras and numerous telephone contacts with the other co-defendants show his involvement The other defendants are suspected of providing information about Kardashian’s presence in the apartment Others are accused of playing a role in the resale of the jewellery in Antwerp Joe Cocker and Bad Company will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame — in a class that also includes pop star Cyndi Lauper the rock duo the White Stripes and grunge masters Soundgarden the first female rap act to achieve gold and platinum status and the late singer-songwriter Warren Zevon will get the Musical Influence Award pianist Nicky Hopkins and bassist Carol Kaye will each get the Musical Excellence Award who sang at Woodstock and was best known for his cover of The Beatles’ With a Little Help From My Friends a member of Elvis Costello & The Attractions who argued that Cocker is "about as rock and roll as it gets" Soundgarden — with the late Chris Cornell as singer — get into the Hall on their third nomination They follow two other grunge acts in the Hall — Nirvana and Pearl Jam Bad Company get in having become radio fixtures with such arena-rock staples as Feel Like Makin’ Love Can’t Get Enough and Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy The Ahmet Ertegun Award — given to nonperforming industry professionals who had a major influence on music — will go to Lenny Waronker Some nominees that didn't get in this year included Mariah Carey and subsequent Let’s Twist Again are considered among the most popular songs in the history of rock 'n' roll The 83-year-old has expressed frustration that he hadn't been granted entry before including telling the AP in 2014: "I don’t want to get in there when I’m 85 years old so you better do it quick while I’m still smiling." Lauper rose to fame in the 1980s with hits such as Time After Time and Girls Just Want To Have Fun and went on to win a Tony Award for Kinky Boots have six Grammys and a reputation for pushing the boundaries of hip-hop The White Stripes — made up of Jack White and Meg White — were indie darlings in the early 2000s with such songs as Seven Nation Army Artists must have released their first commercial recording at least 25 years before they’re eligible for induction The induction ceremony will take place in Los Angeles this fall Nominees were voted on by more than 1200 artists historians and music industry professionals The selection criteria include "an artist’s impact on other musicians the scope and longevity of their career and body of work as well as their innovation and excellence in style and technique" Dave Matthews Band and singer-guitarist Peter Frampton were inducted Henare O'Keefe is adamant that Flaxmere is on the up The Hawke's Bay town has had a reputation for crime and violence but that hasn't stopped Henare from promoting it as a place of opportunity Late last year a major new housing development of 500 homes was announced while another development between the Government and Hastings District Council will see a new senior housing development built in the southwest corner of Flaxmere's town centre Getting more housing into Flaxmere to meet a growing population has been one of Henare's focuses and he has become the face of one of the new housing developments He is renowned for his hands-on approach to addressing violence and empowering the disadvantaged whether through his work in prisons or setting up the marae-based Māori youth court in Flaxmere Serving as a Hastings District Councillor for 15 years Henare was honoured with the Queen's Service Medal in 2011 for all of his community work Henare talks to Kathryn about his life's work See terms of use for easy access to all your favourite programmes A resource consent application to build a new Woolworths supermarket in Flaxmere has been received by Hastings District Council – an important step towards providing an enhanced amenity for the Flaxmere community TW Property made the announcement this morning; more information in their media release below: TW Property have confirmed that they have submitted a resource consent to the Hastings District Council for the development of a new Woolworths supermarket in Flaxmere The proposed site for the supermarket sits at the rear of the Flaxmere shopping precinct and borders Swansea Road Renders show plans for a 3460m² full - service supermarket along with a separate retail space and customer car park with 171 car parks said that they have entered into a conditional agreement for lease with nationwide supermarket chain “We are thrilled to be able to deliver a supermarket to the people of Flaxmere in partnership with Woolworths “Whilst this project is currently at the resource consent stage we are hopeful that we can get it across the line and deliver this much-needed amenity that will service the Flaxmere community.” Woolworths New Zealand’s Director of Property says Woolworths is pleased to be at this stage with a proposed new supermarket for the local community “We’re always looking for opportunities to better serve New Zealanders across the country and we’re excited about the possibility of bringing a state-of-the-art Woolworths supermarket to Flaxmere.” Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said it was fantastic news for Flaxmere “The Flaxmere community has been waiting for this for a long time and it’s wonderful that a full-sized supermarket similar to that in Hastings is being proposed and our award-winning Flaxmere Park and skate plaza Flaxmere ward councillor Henry Heke said the new supermarket would be a game-changer for the thriving community “This is the start of our opportunity to develop a township that supports the fastest-growing population in Hastings “Alongside expansions in senior housing and first-home ownership this much-needed addition strengthens local commerce and ensures a prosperous future “It will also bring invaluable job opportunities especially for our younger generation seeking after-school or weekend work “Flaxmere’s unique culture will enhance this development I can’t wait to see what other surprises we can unfold as we build a strong TW Group are a locally owned and operated property development who have 14 different businesses operating under their umbrella Mr May confirmed that once consent is granted they will be using their in-house civil and construction teams as well as a number of their other trades businesses so this will be a special project for all involved” he said The timeframe for the construction of the supermarket is yet to be released and more information will be available to the public once the proposal is out of the resource consent stage Woolworths currently has four stores in the Hawke’s Bay and is a major employer in the area Back to My Hastings customerservice@hdc.govt.nz More Contact Details Hastings District Council - Copyright © 2025 Hastings District Council A tribute at the crash site as a 34-year-old woman is charged with manslaughter A woman has appeared in court charged with manslaughter after a crash that killed 11-year-old Emma-Jane Sylvia Kupa The fatal crash occurred as Emma-Jane cycled with her 15-year-old sister on Chatham Rd but Emma-Jane died from her injuries at the scene A police spokesperson said a 34-year-old woman had now been charged with multiple offences The woman appeared before Judge Gordon Matenga in the Hastings District Court on Tuesday morning via an audio visual link from prison A large number of people were in the public gallery The woman’s interim name suppression was continued until her first High Court appearance which is due to take place in the High Court at Napier on March 21 The woman also faces charges of driving with excess breath alcohol A memorial to Emma-Jane has been created at the site where she was killed previously told Hawke’s Bay Today they and their whānau were struggling to cope with the devastating loss Emma-Jane was helping her mother sprinkle cheese on a lasagne for dinner before heading to the shop with her sister Davis said her last words to her daughter were simple but now carry deep weight: “Thank you “She was a real bubbly person,” she said of Emma-Jane when they received a call that would change their lives my oldest daughter told us it was Emma-Jane who had passed away,” Davis said The Saturday closure comes amid a proposal to shut Napier Library for at least two years What began three years ago as a small community project to build four garden planter boxes in Flaxmere has now expanded to eight planters that are a thriving source of fresh produce and community connection The original four raised garden beds were built in front of the Flaxmere Community Centre before Cyclone Gabrielle hit the region with materials secured through the community centre and the time to build them generously donated by Direct Earth these planters provided fresh food for those sheltered at the centre The success of the initiative prompted a second stage Thanks to a donation of timber from Carters once again with Direct Earth donating time and labour to construct and install them has been tending to the gardens since their inception and said other local businesses had been pitching in to support the project “I pick up used coffee grounds from Ka Pai Cuppa Waka for composting and fish heads and liquid are dropped off which we use for the garden and compost,” he said The plots now grow a diverse range of vegetables and companion plants such as calendula and marigolds Community feedback revealed a strong desire for citrus with other popular requests being kawakawa The first lemon tree planted in 2023 was a memorial to Nanny Gail – a well-loved community member the most popular vegetable has been the kamokamo which grows alongside the likes of silverbeet Ponga (silver fern) and native trees have also been planted The garden is open to all—anyone in the community is welcome to plant One thoughtful feature is the inclusion of steps on the side of the planters making them accessible for younger children Carters account manager Dan Still said Carters was happy to donate the materials for the planters to be built "This is a great community initiative that we were more than happy to get behind – it’d be great to see even more of them." Direct Earth building manager Matt Harvey said they reached out three years ago to assist with the first planters It’s a small but meaningful way we can give back to the community." Hastings District Council youth development co-ordinator Renee Makea who runs a lot of activities at the Flaxmere Community Centre said the staff there identified a need for healthy and homegrown food (kai) that was accessible to everyone in the community “As the māra is now finished and flourishing we will be creating a community māra roopu (garden group) so the community can manage it themselves and plant according to the seasons.” This grassroots initiative is a powerful example of what can grow when communities Back to My Hastings Flaxmere residents will finally have a local supermarket again The launch begins at 7am with a blessing ceremony followed by what part-owner Nirav Patel promises will be a “surprise” for shoppers with special deals across the shop “Our motto is to give good service to the local community.” the store stocks a small selection of alcoholic drinks “We are going to display just a little to give them a full supermarket feel .. we are not going to be a big bottle shop.” a business funded by Patel and two more stakeholders It fills the gap left when New World closed its Flaxmere branch in February 2024 without a dedicated supermarket for over a year Patel says the independent supermarket has stepped in with the mission to provide to the community and create connections While the store is exploring more local producers’ partnerships a local butcher will supply the meat section “We haven’t met legitimate [suppliers] who can provide sustainably and consistently .. but we are looking for a few options to have local producers on board,” Patel said Flaxmere Supermarket will open with four checkouts and an initial staff of seven locals Patel said the community response has already been strong Many of them sent us a message saying that they were available to volunteer in the store to give us a hand.” Flaxmere residents have shared their excitement and support for the new shop no more driving into town for a few things anymore.” Another said the new supermarket shouldn’t be afraid of the Foodstuffs because the community will support them Patel said while he is concerned about the upcoming competition from a future Woolworths supermarket planned for Flaxmere “It definitely makes us worried because it’s about the supply chain and product pricing “It’s very hard to manage in a certain price range But I think we can survive in this competition.” Flaxmere Supermarket is the only grocery store in the suburb and Patel said customers can expect special deals and a welcoming atmosphere with ice cream as a treat for the children on the opening day and TW Property Chief Executive Terry May at the Flaxmere Village shopping centre which is back in local hands after 17 years A local business has bought Flaxmere’s village shopping centre after 17 years of foreign ownership Hawke’s Bay-based property development firm TW Property has taken over the 2.17ha shopping centre from the Hong Kong-based Sung Family Trust TW Property chief executive Terry May said it sees huge potential in Flaxmere “It’s an up-and-coming suburb that will appeal to first-home buyers and young families but strong community infrastructure and quality amenities are essential,” May said “Hastings District Council often refers to the suburb as ‘Fabulous Flaxmere’ and we share that vision for the community’s future.” He said while there were no immediate plans for change the company was committed to a programme of enhancements and would work with Hastings District Council to create a long-term master plan for the town centre “The master planning process will focus on developing a comprehensive vision for Flaxmere’s town centre and community input will be sought at the appropriate time,” he said Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst says she’s thrilled the 40-plus-year-old shopping centre is back in local ownership with the new owners just as committed as council to revitalising the complex “We’ve been keen to see the shopping centre return to local ownership and it’s fantastic that TW Property is committed to the bigger picture of Fabulous Flaxmere.” Hastings ambassador and well-known Flaxmere resident Henare O’Keefe said it was not surprising TW Property had gravitated to Flaxmere “Thirty years ago Flaxmere was a beacon in the dark now it’s a beacon in the light,” O’Keefe said “It really should be seen as a template for other low-decile areas in the country with several new residential developments under way – including a council-led senior housing development TW Property has a contract to purchase the land for the new Woolworths supermarket Flaxmere Ward councillor Henry Heke says the purchase is a game-changer for the community and it’s fantastic to see local investors like TW Property stepping up with both the resources and the commitment to revitalise what has become a tired town centre,” Heke said and hospitality precinct that rivals some of the best in Hawke’s Bay There’s no reason why Flaxmere residents shouldn’t enjoy the same high-quality experience you find elsewhere in the region,” he said A co-owner of the independent Flaxmere Supermarket in the village shopping centre says it is great news Nirav Patel says returning the shopping centre to local owners will be good for business especially as it comes while we are on track to open our doors in April,” Patel said “We are really busy at the moment with suppliers arriving every day “That’s why it’s taking a bit longer than we thought to open We have been negotiating to buy our stock as cheaply as possible so we can pass that on to our customers so our aim is to be comparable to other supermarkets in Hawke’s Bay.” He said they had a lot of resumes sent to them by locals and they would be starting the hiring and training process soon “I’m really excited to open but we still have lots to do Our aim is April 11 but we need to be fully stocked before we open.” May said they wanted to hear directly from Flaxmere residents about their aspirations for the town centre before they made any major changes “We will be at the Flaxmere Community Day in April and will have a suggestion box available for residents to provide their ideas.” Originally designed and built in the 1970s the shopping centre houses more than 20 tenants and has more than 160 car parks TW Property is part of TW Group – a locally owned and operated property development and trades company comprising 14 businesses under one umbrella LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air The building of a new senior housing complex on a council-owned site in the Flaxmere Town Centre is set to get underway early next year with Alexander Construction awarded the contract to build the 39-unit development It’s a partnership between Te Tūāpapa Kura Kāinga – Ministry of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Hastings District Council being co-funded through the contestable Affordable Housing Fund contractor and mana whenua representatives broke the ground at the site behind the Flaxmere Village shops and also announced the name for the new development – Te Pā Harakeke Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said it was a very exciting step towards achieving one of the goals of the Hastings medium and long-term housing strategy – to provide affordable rental homes for seniors struggling in the private rental market “This is the first senior housing we have built in about 40 years – it will be fantastic to have this housing option right in the heart of the village “Our seniors are an important part of our community secure modern option for residents to call home “And what’s even better is we have confirmed we are on our way to having a full-sized supermarket built which will help support our growing Flaxmere community.” The name for the development symbolises the harakeke (flax plant) and was endorsed by the Heretaunga Takoto Noa Māori Standing Committee where the outer blades (hākui and hākoro) protect and nurture the younger shoots at the centre aligns with the housing complex’s purpose—offering security The name also honours Flaxmere’s historical ties to harakeke once central to its textile and aquaculture industries which refers to the wider area of Flaxmere Te Pā Harakeke carries no specific ancestral associations making it inclusive and reflective of whānau values The complex’s design incorporates Te Aranga design principles connecting it to local culture and history Gabled rooflines echo traditional whare (houses) while a harakeke-inspired colour palette and landscaping enhance its cultural authenticity and warmth Mrs Hazlehurst said the name was very appropriate “Te Pā Harakeke beautifully encapsulates whānau values and Flaxmere’s heritage It reflects our commitment to creating a nurturing culturally connected environment for our senior residents.” Flaxmere Planning Committee chairman Trace Tuimaseve said the name would sit well in the community and the enduring importance of whānau - especially the care and respect due to our elders.” Flaxmere ward councillor Henry Heke said it was very important that Council and the community supported seniors who needed safe warm homes “Te Pā Harakeke is a testament to our community’s dedication to honouring our heritage while providing for the needs of our kaumātua It’s a meaningful step towards ensuring our seniors have a safe Construction of the units is anticipated to start in the first quarter of 2025 and Alexander Construction managing director Mark Hamilton said his team was excited and grateful to be given the opportunity to build these homes “We put our best foot forward for this project and are confident that the whare we will deliver will hit the mark for the people who will be living in them.” Back to Flaxmere Homes Local developers TW Property have confirmed that they have submitted a resource consent to the Hastings District Council for the development of a new Woolworths supermarket in Flaxmere The proposed site for the supermarket sits at the rear of the Flaxmere shopping precinct and borders Swansea Rd Woolworths currently has four stores in Hawke’s Bay and is a major employer in the area The Flaxmere New World was closed in February 2024, leaving the community without a suitable option for groceries, and it was recently revealed that Anugrah Limited, a grocery supermarket operation would open by the end of January 2025 Renders now show plans for a 3460sq m full service supermarket along with a separate retail space and customer carpark with 171 car parks said they entered into a conditional agreement for a lease with nationwide supermarket chain Woolworths Woolworths New Zealand’s Director of Property Matthew Grainger said Woolworths is pleased to be at this stage with a proposed new supermarket for the local community and we’re excited about the possibility of bringing a state-of-the-art Woolworths supermarket to Flaxmere,” Councillor for the Flaxmere Ward Henry Heke said the new supermarket would be a game-changer for the thriving community He said the supermarket would bring job opportunities and Flaxmere’s unique culture would enhance this development “I can’t wait to see what other surprises we can unfold as we build a strong May confirmed that once consent is granted they would use their in-house civil and construction teams More than 2000 people gathered in Flaxmere on Saturday to celebrate the suburb’s progress and get a glimpse of what’s ahead The event showcased the exciting developments underway in Flaxmere – and brought whānau together to enjoy kai and entertainment and be part of shaping the suburb’s future Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said the day was a true reflection of the spirit and strength of the Flaxmere community potential and passion – and this event was a wonderful celebration of that and it was fantastic to see families come together and discover what’s planned A key attraction was the Alexander Construction display with attendees able to take a virtual reality walk-through of a new home and view an impressive high-tech flyover of the senior housing development The digital showcase gave people a clear picture of the modern design and amenities being delivered in the area housing in the gum tree and town centre block and has purchased the existing Flaxmere Shopping Village gave out more than 700 free sausages in under two hours The TW team shared visuals of upcoming developments and invited ideas from residents for the reimagining of the shopping centre Chair of the Flaxmere Planning Committee and event co-organiser said events like this were all about connection “Our Flaxmere community showed up in force – especially our young families These days are about celebrating where we’ve come from and where we’re going,” he said and building a future our community can be proud of We’re grateful to have leaders like Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst who believe in Flaxmere and continue to invest in our future.” Mrs Hazlehurst added: “This is just the beginning Together with the community and our partners we’re building a brighter future for Flaxmere - one that reflects the needs and aspirations of everyone who calls this special place home.” Back to My Hastings This climbing wall was a popular attraction at Flaxrock Gym in Flaxmere but it has been out of use for several years now Hastings District Council intends to close the gym in April now it’s Flaxmere’s gym shutting its doors that is riling residents owned and run by the Hastings District Council It will close on April 4 as part of a widespread review of the council’s expenditure gym members are not taking the decision sitting down A petition urging the council to keep the gym open says it is a crucial institution for many in the community “The Flaxrock Gym has now grown to be an integral part of our daily routines,” the petition says “It is not just a space for physical well-being but it is also a community spot where we find support and encouragement “Closing the Flaxrock Gym would mean stripping us of our right to a healthy life especially when alternatives are scarce and expensive “We ask the Hastings District Council to consider our plea and recognise the value of Flaxrock Gym in our community let’s work together to find ways to keep it open and continue providing accessible fitness to those who need it the most.” A council spokesperson said the decision had not been made lightly and was part of a widespread spending review aimed at reducing costs “After exploring a range of options and consulting with staff Hastings District Council has made the difficult decision to close the Flaxrock Gym due to operational challenges very low usage numbers and pressure on council’s finances,” the spokesperson said only seven people per day on average have been tagging in to use the gym while closing it will result in the loss of $14,000 of revenue a year it will save approximately $200,000 per year.” Gym member Tracey Reid said the council’s data could be inaccurate She frequently failed to tag in because the machine was broken “The equipment is outdated but the price was right Maybe if the gym extended its hours beyond 6am to 5pm updated some of the equipment and ran more classes “It’s another affordable resource taken out of Flaxmere I hope someone local picks up the contract and employs local people.” The council said it was keen to continue the popular kaumātua classes previously run by gym staff “We are working with an external provider to deliver them,” the spokesperson said “This is a more cost-efficient model that’s used at other council facilities External groups and providers currently using the various spaces will continue as usual.” the council will seek formal “expressions of interest” from providers interested in running the gym spaces The community will be advised of any updates on this process The gym was once home to a popular climbing wall which was closed several years ago because of health and safety concerns A ground-breaking and blessing was held at Whakaruru Cres today ahead of a range of new homes being built there over the coming year Government funding from Crown Infrastructure Partners helped enable Council to install water and roading infrastructure to create the new subdivision the community and whānau joined Council to celebrate the completion of those groundworks The road is named after long-time Flaxmere advocate Steve Whakaruru who played a big part in the development of Te Aranga Marae Now houses will now start being built by two organisations with a focus on providing accessible Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated is developing six sections and will build quality three-bedroom affordable rentals for registered iwi whānau which will be available to move into by February next year Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga (TToH) is developing 13 sections - building a standalone home either for purchase or rent Construction of the first six of those homes is scheduled to start this year and be completed by April 2026 followed by the staged delivery of a further seven Ngāti Kahungunu chairman Bayden Barber said it was exciting to be working with Hastings District Council and Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga on this project “Quality housing for our people is a key priority for Ngāti Kahungunu as it unlocks other parts of whānau wellbeing such as improved jobs We look forward to further partnerships to help build a better future for Flaxmere and Ngāti Kahungunu.” TToH chief executive Waylyn Tahuri-Whaipakanga welcomed the building of new homes “These new homes will provide a stepping stone towards home ownership for whānau through the Whare Āhei (affordable rentals) scheme.” Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said it was fantastic to be realising the aspiration to provide homes in the Whakaruru Cres subdivision “This site is one of four council owned blocks of land where we have undertaken the groundworks for homes to be developed by our partners “Our thanks to Ngāti Kahungunu and Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga for enabling another part of our shared vision to provide more homes for our people in Flaxmere.” there are two large sections within Whakaruru Cres that may be used for higher density development that will also be developed by TToH These two projects require Resource Consents and the TToH team is working on detailed design ahead of applying for those consents The timeline for these two projects is about three years Back to Flaxmere Homes this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read Plans have been revealed to build more than 2000 homes on land between Flaxmere and Hastings (pictured) A developer has revealed his controversial plan to convert orchards and farms between Hastings and Flaxmere into more than 2000 new homes The proposal, known as the Heretaunga Connection Project, aims to merge the two urban areas of Hastings and Flaxmere into one The land is currently made up of orchards and other growing land and zoned Plains Production there would also be enough space to potentially relocate Hawke’s Bay Hospital or Hastings Racecourse on to the land if the project went ahead Pressure group Save Our Plains which aims to protect growing land in Heretaunga from development has already voiced its disdain at the proposal which it says is “preposterous” due to the significant loss of fertile soil if it went ahead Hawke’s Bay developer David Colville is behind the project and the sole director of Heretaunga Connection Project Colville said the region needed to think bigger when it came to planning for housing growth or risk “repeating the pattern of failure” that has compounded the housing crisis in Hawke’s Bay His proposal stated having a “piecemeal approach” for “tacking on” sites for future development was not the way to go and the large-scale project had a lot of merit the ambitious proposal has struggled to gain traction It did not make the cut for the Government’s fast-track projects announced last year and it has been left out of the draft Napier-Hastings Future Development Strategy (FDS) Hastings District Council assessed the proposal and opted not to include it in that draft FDS for reasons including that it rated poorly for protecting productive land and promoting a compact urban form The proposal will go before an independent panel at the end of this month which has the power to recommend a proposal be added into the FDS The FDS sets out sections of land around Napier and Hastings that are deemed suitable for development over the next 30 years to meet growth Councils will have the final say on whether to include a section of land in the final FDS document Colville said there was not enough land earmarked for development to meet the region’s high housing demand which had a wait list of 582 applicants (one applicant can be an entire family) in the Hastings district in need of a public home as at December he said there was a difference between fertile and productive land as not all fertile land can be used for growing purposes (such as an apple orchard) because small land holdings were not attractive to commercial growers The 470ha of land in the proposal is owned by a list of different landowners Colville said roughly 60% were supportive of selling their land to Heretaunga Connection Project if the proposal eventually gained approval Save Our Plains spokesman Richard Gaddum said the project was a “ridiculous suggestion” He said it would erase almost 500ha of some of the best soil on the Heretaunga Plains with the majority of the land in question being LUC Class 1 and LUC Class 2 soil He said the growing industry was a major driver of the regional economy “To take out that amount of land is just preposterous Four other significant proposals to be considered by the FDS independent panel: Gary Hamilton-Irvine is a Hawke’s Bay-based reporter who covers a range of news topics including business The heartbroken parents of an 11-year-old girl killed while cycling with her sister in Flaxmere are urging drivers to act as if it’s their own “babies” in front of them on the road Emma-Jane Sylvia Kupa died when she was hit by a car on Chatham Rd on Thursday evening A 34-year-old woman arrested by police after the crash was due to appear in Hastings District Court charged with driving in a dangerous manner with police not ruling out further charges told Hawke’s Bay Today they and their whānau are struggling to cope with the devastating loss He said his last moments with Emma-Jane are alive in his memory “She gave me a kiss on my cheek after school The couple say they are trying to stay strong for their four other children especially Emma’s 7-year-old younger brother but we’ve got to hold it together for the rest of our kids,” Davis said The parents are now focused on seeking justice for Emma-Jane and hope the ongoing police investigation will not only bring that but also lead to greater road safety awareness and think twice before jumping in a car,” Kupa said it could be their babies or someone else,” Davis said The family has received support from the Flaxmere community hygiene items and heartfelt messages of condolence One Voice Community Services Trust has been co-ordinating support efforts and a fund has been set up to help the family through has been created at the site where she was killed a service will take place on Tuesday at 10am A 34-year-old woman has been charged by police with driving with excess breath alcohol after a crash that killed Flaxmere 11-year-old Emma-Jane Sylvia Kupa who is also facing a charge of operating a vehicle carelessly is set to appear in Hastings District Court on February 18 and police have not ruled out the possibility of further charges when Emma-Jane was cycling with her 15-year-old sister on Chatham Rd Emma-Jane died after being struck by a vehicle Police said on Wednesday they had now charged the woman with driving with a breath alcohol level over 400 micrograms per litre of breath The Flaxmere community has rallied around Emma-Jane’s grieving family offering support through donations and heartfelt messages A memorial has been set up at the site of the crash family and friends gathered for a service at the Te Aranga Marae followed by a convoy that made a final stop outside Flaxmere Primary School before heading to the crematorium A rising opera star from Hawke’s Bay has secured one of the most prestigious opportunities in the global opera scene a graduate of Project Prima Volta (PPV) and Te Pae Kōkako – The Aotearoa New Zealand Opera Studio (Tanzos) has been accepted into The Royal Opera’s Jette Parker Artist Programme in London He is among a handful of singers chosen from more than 600 applicants worldwide and the first New Zealander to be invited to audition without having studied abroad “From growing up in Flaxmere to stepping onto one of the world’s greatest opera stages this is a dream come true,” Fonoti-Fuimaono says This milestone comes on the heels of another major achievement Fonoti-Fuimaono’s selection for the Merola Opera Program in San Francisco a renowned training ground for future opera stars He credited his vocal teacher Nikki-Li Hartliep and his supporters for their contributions to this successful journey whose foundation has supported Fonoti-Fuimaono’s development says his success is proof of New Zealand’s extraordinary talent and highlights the impact of Tanzos a programme providing world-class training for young opera singers “I always believed in the importance of a dedicated professional training programme for young artists here in New Zealand and it’s now delivering exactly as I hoped it would,” Major said who worked with Fonoti-Fuimaono from the beginning of his musical journey in 2014 said Fonoti-Fuimaono’s ability to connect with music and audiences has always been “extraordinary” “His success is entirely his own - driven by talent and I have no doubt he will thrive on the international stage,” she says Fonoti-Fuimaono is now ready for a new chapter of his career “I’m incredibly grateful to the many people who have supported and encouraged me over the past 10 years,” he said “To now have the Royal Opera House as my training ground for the next two years is an incredible opportunity and I plan to make the most of every moment.” Developer Simon Tremain (left) alongside former Flaxmere ward councillor Henare O'Keefe (right) at the site Plans have been revealed for more than 500 new homes to be built as an expansion to Flaxmere A newly-formed development group has announced the plans to expand the fast-growing Hastings suburb even further by developing a 36ha property at 301 Portsmouth Rd Maven Collective includes four directors including businessmen Simon Tremain and Graham Turley The property is largely vacant and has been included in the draft Napier-Hastings Future Development Strategy which means it has been identified for future housing The developer plans to lodge a resource consent application in 2025 with Hastings District Council as a next step Maven Collective spokesman Tremain said the development could get under way as early as 2026 “We believe that we can offer reasonably-priced sections as there is already existing council water and roading infrastructure as well as electricity on Portsmouth Rd,” he said “We have intentionally put this land forward so that we can bring to market quality sections which in turn enables working whānau to become homeowners.” Maven Collective plans to subdivide the property and build most Tremain said it would be developed in stages and include a range of house sizes Earlier this year, another big development to expand Flaxmere was granted consent which will see 450 homes built on a large site off Stock Rd Save Our Plains spokesman Richard Gaddum said he visited the proposed development site on Portsmouth Rd and “we are all for it” The group advocates for protecting fertile growing soil from large developments around the wider Napier and Hastings area “The soil is not that great out there,” Gaddum said “We thought it was a great spot - a good spot for a subdivision - so we have been championing that along with the council since then and they have included it in the draft FDS.” made a “call for opportunities” to identify potential growth areas in its draft Napier-Hastings Future Development Strategy (FDS) The Portsmouth Rd site was considered and has now been included in that draft FDS The FDS document is an important tool for councils including to help guide decisions to approve (or decline) developments and will replace the long-standing Heretaunga Plains Urban Development Strategy The draft FDS will go out for public consultation later this month and could undergo changes before being adopted “We have a growing region with our population projected to rise from around 160,000 to nearly 200,000 across Hastings and Napier by 2053,” Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said we need to balance housing and industrial land demand with timely investment in infrastructure we need to protect our valuable fertile growing soils which contribute close to $1 billion to our region’s economy.” While Save Our Plains is comfortable with the Portsmouth Rd development the group is unhappy with other locations included in the draft FDS some of which they believe will infringe on fertile land Former Flaxmere ward councillor and Hastings Ambassador Henare O’Keefe said he supported more affordable housing for Flaxmere “This is further evidence that Paharakeke [Flaxmere] is on the rise Despite the growing population of over 10,000 people, Flaxmere currently has no supermarket after Flaxmere New World closed in February The vacant Flaxmere New World supermarket site is set to be filled by an independent grocery operation by the end of January The new tenants are Anugrah Limited, a grocery supermarket operation started in May 2024 by three Auckland-based shareholders which has no obvious supermarkets to its name at present is planned to open by the end of January 2025 and Kavan Prabodhchandra Sonara – who each hold a 33% share in the business Companies Office records show Rakeshbhai – of the three – appears to have the most experience in the industry and dairies and grocery outlets in Auckland A spokesman for the landlords of the building said they were pleased to welcome Anugrah Limited into Flaxmere Village The spokesman said the new tenants would be “a great asset to the community” The Sung Family Trust and Anugrah signed a lease agreement for the building with a plan to open an independent supermarket The trust spokesman said he understood Anugrah was “busily setting up their new supermarket this month” and said it was best to let them reveal their plans “We are happy to have someone who believes in the people and community of Flaxmere and is prepared to make such a large investment in it “We wish them every success and hope the community will show their support.” Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said it was important for the Flaxmere community to access grocery supplies in the suburb without having to travel into Hastings city “We thank these operators for bringing this option to the Flaxmere Town Centre.” At the beginning of August Hastings District Council said it had entered into an agreement to sell a vacant Flaxmere site that Foodstuffs once promised to build a new supermarket on stating it looked forward to sharing more information in the “coming weeks” Hazlehurst said the Hastings District Council was still working with the development community to bring a new supermarket to the commercial land in the town centre Michaela Gower joined Hawke’s Bay Today in 2023 and is based out of the Hastings newsroom She covers Dannevirke and Hawke’s Bay news and loves sharing stories about farming and rural communities Police say they want to hear from witnesses after a police car smashed into a line of parked vehicles following the pursuit of a motorbike rider through Flaxmere The three-vehicle crash sandwiched a parked car between a van setting off airbags and sending debris scattering A police spokesman said police had for a short time pursued a motorbike rider who failed to stop for police on Saturday The police car crashed into the parked car on Flaxmere Ave “The officers involved have since been spoken to and police are making further inquiries as to the circumstances.” Police were in contact with the owners of the vehicles involved “If you witnessed this incident or have any information that may assist with our inquiries please contact police via 105 either online or over the phone Please reference file number 241130/6868.” Two occupants of a car that crashed into a Flaxmere house on Saturday night are on the run Police said the incident happened about 9.30pm on Birkenhead Crescent the occupants of the house were not injured," they said in a statement on Sunday morning and police are hoping to hear from anyone saw a "poorly painted blue Ford Falcon with no registration plates" in the area "We would also like to hear from anyone who might have CCTV footage from the area that may have captured footage of the incident or the vehicle/occupants." please use our 105 service and quote reference number 250216/6819." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday New Zealand RSS Follow RNZ News A cyclist has died after a crash with a car on Chatham Rd A cyclist is dead after a crash on Chatham Rd A police spokesperson said they were notified of the crash this evening and was reported to police just before 6pm,” they said A St John spokesperson said they responded to the incident at about 5.55pm and sent one ambulance one rapid response vehicle and one operations manager “We are still on scene but you will need to refer to police for further information.” Chatham Rd is closed while a scene examination is carried out Motorists are advised to avoid the area and expect delays It comes after police arrested a man over an alleged hit-and-run in which a cyclist died in Ōkaihau, Far North of the Northland Criminal Investigation Branch said police were contacted by Settlers Way residents about 10.15pm on Tuesday “We believe the collision between a cyclist and vehicle has occurred between 10pm and 10.15pm on that road,” he said “Tragically, it has resulted in a 19-year-old dying from his injuries at the scene.” A 27-year-old Kaikohe man has initially been charged with failing to stop or ascertain injury He is expected to appear in the Kaikohe District Court on Friday Verry said the investigation was ongoing and police couldn’t rule out further charges “We know that there were several vehicles travelling on Settlers Rd at the time “I’m still asking that those people make contact with us.” Verry said on Wednesday the victim’s family had been engaged with Victim Support “Our thoughts are with the family at this difficult time and with what they are going through.” People can provide information online or call 105 using reference No 250129/0360 Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111 Sign up to The Daily H a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday 'This is not something we’ve seen before.' Big turnout for the 10-year celebration of the Flaxmere College The Teen Parent Unit Flaxmere College celebrated 10 years since the school’s Teen Parent Unit opened The college has been supporting its students and community helping teen parents continue their education while supporting the needs of both the parents and their child or children Te Tipu Whenua ō Pā Harakeke is an alternative education facility that provides holistic support and education to young parents The unit is open to those who are hapū or have tamariki the school can take those who are a bit older and have a few students who are in their early 20s Flaxmere College saw a gap when it came to teen parents in Hastings having the opportunity to continue their education as the Napier teen parent unit at the time had a waiting list Te Tipu Whenua ō Pā Harakeke head of department Melanie Fowler said “It’s still very important to the community and wider district as there is still a need for holistic support for young parents.” Along with helping students get to their NCEA levels regular activities such as art sessions and going to the gym with Sports HB as well as workshops with other outside providers The unit also helps students to get their driving licences and there is a daycare attached (although they don’t have to send their tamariki there to attend the unit) “The beauty of having it next door is if their tamariki needs breastfeeding or a bit of extra awhi they are just down the corridor,” Fowler said The unit also has subject specialist teachers who will develop an individual learning plan with each parent based on their goals and academic achievements to date “We also have a support worker who can advocate and assist the student with any benefit each year the unit has 19 enrolments However the last couple of years it has been closer to 30 with some of these enrolments being returning students When asked what would happen to the students if there was no Flaxmere Teen Parent Unit option “There are other great courses out there that also support young parents “The success of the students always stands out to the teachers whether that be the success of the student who completed all her secondary qualifications with us who has gone on to complete a teaching degree and is now a primary teacher settled into her own home and whose partner now has long term work sometimes it’s even the achievement of attending despite the barriers and demands of being a parent like the moment a student realised she had more to offer and a whole world of career opportunities was opened up,” Fowler said past and present students and staff were invited to attend an afternoon celebration at the unit Photos of students from every year were on display and the current students made finger foods for the event There were speeches from staff and students and cake to mark the occasion “It was wonderful to see the students catching up with one another and staff reconnecting with ex-students.” sharing a favourite memory from their time here which was beautiful to read and reinforced the positive impact we can have if they are happy to let us come of their journey with them.” Top cop: 'I was always confident that we were going to get Mr Heremaia.' A powerful haka for an immigrant who overcame a language barrier to become dux of Hastings’ Flaxmere College has gone viral across the world The haka was posted to TikTok on Saturday and has quickly gained global attention with over 2.7 million views and more than 300,000 likes moved to New Zealand from the Philippines in August last year she gained school-wide recognition and was crowned dux The viral video depicts Sai being awarded the title of dux before her peers stand up and perform a moving haka Viewers from across the world commented on the video I would be SOBBING if a haka was ever performed to me I’m happy for you and I don’t even know you,” said another Sai told the Herald she was shocked when her peers stood up and she did not expect the video to gain the attention it did appreciative and grateful to all the people that performed to me it was so special because I didn’t expect that at all,” she said Moving from Philippines to New Zealand because moving from my home country to here that was one of my problems,” she told the Herald “I didn’t expect that I’ll be dux 2024 of our school .. Sai said her immigration status has hindered her ability to apply for student loans and allowances she worked in a hospital kitchen alongside her schoolwork Flaxmere College later awarded her a scholarship to go towards her future studies “I want to acknowledge the McKibbin scholarship and Francis Foundation on behalf of Flaxmere College for giving me a scholarship for my studies,” she said Flaxmere College principal James Hay-Mackenzie said Sai quickly became a valued member of the kura “In 2024 she was appointed deputy head girl juggling part-time work and fulltime study and shows incredible perseverance in order to gain success,” he said Hay-Mackenzie said Sai’s willingness to give things a go is “commendable” Sai plans to next attend EIT in Taradale to study a conjoint Bachelor of Business Studies and Sports and Recreation Katie Oliver is a Christchurch-based Multimedia Journalist and breaking news reporter The Police Child Protection Team is investigating a Hawke’s Bay primary school after concerns were raised about the conduct of a staff member Hawke’s Bay Today was sent a letter written by Detective Senior Sergeant John McCarthy co-ordinator of child protection for the Eastern District states the Police Child Protection Team is actively investigating the matter which potentially involves multiple pupils “They are working with the affected students and their families providing support.” “There are likely rumours about the persons involved and nature of the concerns.” “I do ask however that parents check in on their children and establish whether they have any concerns about the behaviour or actions of a staff member.” Te Whai Hiringa‘s principal said the school couldn’t comment on the investigation specifically “Our highest priority is always our students and supporting their education and wellbeing,” she said Ministry of Education deputy secretary Te Tai Whenua (Central) Jocelyn Mikaere Hautū confirmed it was aware of the matter and the investigation “Our Traumatic Incident Team is supporting the school and will be available for as long as needed.” The push to bring a supermarket back to the Hawke’s Bay suburb of Flaxmere appears to have stalled Sustainable Hawke’s Bay has decided to suspend the Flaxmere Food Co-op trial after six months of operation because of slow growth in orders The group launched in May to supply the community with regular, healthy and affordable kai after Flaxmere New World closed in February Sustainable Hawke’s Bay chief executive Emma Horgan said she was disappointed to suspend the service “The Flaxmere Food Co-op is just the first of several food resilience projects we hope to trial in the region with other local initiatives now at the scoping and planning stage.” She said the project identified that food poverty and related needs were greater than expected and future projects would focus on “free or low-cost options” Horgan acknowledged the contribution of partners and volunteers to the Food Co-op Hastings District Council and Food Together “I’d like to give a special shout-out to the group of dedicated students led by Flaxmere College teachers who showed up every Thursday afternoon and volunteered to pack kete kai for distribution.” She said the food co-op trial was designed to provide another option so the community did not have to ”rely exclusively on the supermarket duopoly and long supply chains vulnerable to natural disasters” “As these risk factors have not changed for our communities our determination to establish pathways to equitable resilient communities has most definitely not changed.” At the beginning of August Hastings District Council (HDC) said it had entered into an agreement to sell a vacant Flaxmere site that Foodstuffs once promised to build a new supermarket on HDC director of growth and development Raoul Oosterkamp said on Friday he could not provide any updates on what was happening at the vacant site He said all work being done related to the sale and purchase agreement remained confidential “Timelines are not available at this stage will be made available as soon as possible.” The former New World building in the Flaxmere shopping village also remains vacant despite an announcement in July that a lease had been signed with a tenant who planned to open an independent supermarket. A Sung Family Trust spokesperson told Hawke’s Bay Today the tenant didn’t want to disclose any information “Landlord’s works are still being carried out at the premises and should be completed by the end of this month.” The spokesperson said it would then be up to the tenant to fit out the space Flaxmere resident Mark Davis was appalled when he first laid eyes on the Hastings District Council Gateway sign in Flaxmere Ave He rallied the community and now the sign has been removed A Flaxmere resident can’t stop smiling now “the damn monstrosity of a sign” put in front of the suburb by Hastings District Council has been taken down was appalled when he first laid eyes on the Hastings ‘H’ sign on Flaxmere Ave It was just there,” Davis said of the sign’s May arrival But he didn’t just shake his head and walk away He wrote he had lived in Flaxmere for many happy years and loved his suburb “But recently this monstrosity of a sign is upsetting As people enter our village it says nothing about the people who are here or things that are on offer We have so many artists and designers in Flaxmere that could have done so much better I would like it taken down and replaced with something beautiful from our own perspective “I am going to start the ball rolling by complaining to council “It shouldn’t have been there in the first place which means they are placed on boundaries of regions cities and towns so people know when you leave one and enter one He went to a meeting attended by councillors and community leaders They said they would take it to the council.” A Hastings District Council spokesperson said the sign was removed after feedback from the Flaxmere Planning Committee and the wider community via councillors Henry Heke The yellow Paharakeke Flaxmere sign will remain in place The council spokesperson said the sign would not be replaced in the foreseeable future There were no plans to remove any of the other gateway signs however they intended to re-skin a grey sign on the Expressway after feedback Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said they had decided to remove the sign after the feedback from the Flaxmere community “Flaxmere has its own proud identity and will keep its Paharakeke Welcome to Flaxmere sign much like Havelock North has its own entry sign,” she said It’s not the first time the signs have caused a stir in the region Hastings resident Yvonne Lorkin said every time she drove past one of them “my toes curl in embarrassment that that’s the image our authorities chose to represent us” The total cost of all of the signs was $75,639 The cost to re-skin the grey sign and remove and store the Flaxmere sign would be $6100 plus GST The removed Flaxmere sign will be re-purposed at a later date Another milestone in the provision of more housing for the people of Hastings has been reached with the completion of groundworks at a site behind Swansea Ave in Flaxmere This is one of four council-owned sites that are being developed for housing in Flaxmere between them projected to deliver up to 200 new warm the completion of groundworks at Swansea Ave has included the creation of three new streets At the weekend the community gathered with representatives from Hastings District Council and Council’s other housing partners to open the new streets which are named after three local Flaxmere heroes – all nominated by the community Pam gave back to her community in many different ways She spent countless hours at Te Aranga Marae and travelling the streets with the Tunu Tunu Along with former Hastings councillor and Hastings ambassador Henare O’Keefe she cared for many foster children over the years Te Ara Huata has been named after Tama Huata – a trailblazer for Māori arts and culture both in Heretaunga and beyond Tama was behind the formation of the Kahurangi Māori Dance Theatre and led the establishment of Te Wānanga Whare Tapere o Takitimu He was instrumental in the development of Ngā Pou o Heretanga in Civic Square in Hastings and led the team that brought Te Matatini to Hastings in 2017 and he founded the National Waiata Māori Music Awards Te Ara Moeke is named in recognition of local master carver Haami Moeke His most notable works locally can be found at Te Aranga Marae a role model and a “go-to man” for many marae – often volunteering his carving skills and knowledge and renowned for his special ability to weave history with the present Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said it was very special to have whānau members come together in Flaxmere on Sunday [July 21] to celebrate the occasion “We are proud that the community recommended that these people be recognised and it’s wonderful that their contributions will be remembered forever through these new streets “All three of these outstanding individuals made a huge impact on the lives of many.” She said it was also exciting to have reached another milestone on Council’s journey to provide more homes for the community “This has been the result of a great deal of work by committed organisations working in partnership to find solutions to our housing crisis non-government organisations and private sector representatives have been around the table with the Council team and we look forward to construction starting on the new homes at this site.” new affordable senior housing will be delivered with allocation for 39 warm quality homes in the Swansea Ave subdivision There is also capacity for another 21 homes to be built at the site which Council is hopeful will include first home options delivered by its development partners Council is exploring options for how the commercially zoned area on this site will be used This follows 17 first homes and 18 social homes already built at Tarbet Street and physical works completed at 244 Flaxmere Ave with the aim to deliver up to 45 homes - a mix of affordable rentals and home ownership options groundworks at 75 Caernarvon Drive will also be complete Back to News A woman has been charged after a crash that killed an 11-year-old girl cycling in the Hawke’s Bay suburb of Flaxmere on Thursday evening.  A police spokesperson said that a 34-year-old woman is set to appear in Hastings District Court charged with driving in a dangerous manner They had not ruled out further charges.  The fatal crash happened on Chatham Rd just before 6pm.  A St John spokesperson said they responded to the incident about 5.55pm and sent one ambulance Police say they were not in pursuit of the vehicle at the time of the crash.  Investigations into the crash are ongoing.  Hawke’s Bay police are appealing to the public for information following a serious assault in the Hastings suburb of Flaxmere early Thursday morning police were called to an address near Dundee Dr where a man was found in a critical condition with injuries “consistent with an assault” “We are working to piece together what occurred A scene guard was put in place after the discovery and a scene examination commenced Thursday morning Police want to hear from anyone who witnessed any suspicious activity in the area of Dundee Dr overnight Contact police via 105 either online or over the phone referencing the file number 250313/3694 Hawke's Bay Apprentice Challenge winner Hohepa Goulton has taken out the Hawke’s Bay heat of the Certified Builders (NZCB) Apprentice Challenge earning a shot at the national title in June The Mark Roil Hawke’s Bay Homes apprentice who grew up in Flaxmere and attended Hastings Boys’ High School returned well-prepared to the 2025 competition after finishing fourth in last year’s challenge “One thing I would say to those looking to do it again is not to spend too much time on one thing Move on and come back to it if you have time.” He discovered his passion for building through a pre-trade course at school and dreams of one day rebuilding his family home held at the Mitre 10 Trade Distribution Centre in Whakatu gave apprentices eight hours to construct a planter box from scratch All finished projects will be donated to community spaces The intensity challenge tested precision and time management under pressure Hohepa’s efforts won him a $1000 Makita and Mitre 10 Trade prize pack and a spot in the national final in Hamilton where he will compete against 21 top apprentices from across Aotearoa for the Ken Read Memorial Trophy and a $10,000 prize pack Rounding out the podium in Hawke’s Bay were Keith Tarrega NZCB chief executive Malcolm Fleming said the competition continued to raise the bar the finalists have all shown the professional carpentry standards that NZCB members are known for.” Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation (Bcito) director Greg Durkin was proud to see about 80% of the contestants this year were Bcito apprentices “We’re incredibly proud to see such skilled apprentices stepping up to demonstrate their talents.” with support from Mitre 10 Trade and Makita also introduced a design element in partnership with Architectural Designers NZ Four council-owned sites in Flaxmere have now had roading or in the process of being developed to deliver up to 200 new warm A community celebration was held to mark the completion of groundworks at the final site at 72 Caernarvon Drive in the weekend centred on the unveiling of four new streets named after well-known Flaxmere identities these local heroes contributed significantly to the suburb and beyond during their lifetimes The new streets are: Tuivaiti Street – named after Pasifika community leader Tuivaiti Fetaiaimauso Tuivaiti Tuivaiti was determined to strengthen community bonds and part of that was organising sporting and church events with younger people always encouraged to be part of the activities His annual Kilikiti and volleyball tournaments drawing the Samoan community from across Hawke’s Bay He was president of the Samoan Labour Party and was also the Tukituki Samoan community sports chairman and would organise sports days that brought the Samoan community together as well as being known as the Mayor of Whakatū where the family later lived Chairman of Flaxmere Marae Committee for some time he was passionate about sharing Māori tikanga and was committed to improving educational and health outcomes for Māori Jacob was a fierce supporter and defender of Flaxmere moving there in 1976 when it was a very new suburb he was known for his humble and gentle heart and his contributions – including being involved in Age Concern being a member of the Flaxmere Licensing Trust for 11 years and being a foundation member and patron of Te Aranga Marae Kibblewhite Road – named after one of Flaxmere’s very first residents Ken Kibblewhite whose passion and advocacy for the suburb was legendary Elected to the Flaxmere Licensing Trust in 1977 where he remained until his retirement in 2021 Ken was instrumental in gaining funding to contribute to Flaxmere projects more than $8 million was donated to projects in education Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said all four of these outstanding individuals made a huge impact on the lives of many “They epitomise the spirit of Flaxmere and the wealth of humanity talent and leadership that can be found here “Celebrating this occasion is the result of a great deal of work by committed organisations working in partnership with council “We look forward to the construction of up to 75 new homes on this particular site in the near future.” The homes to be built at Caernarvon Drive will add to the 17 first homes and 18 social homes that have been built in Tarbet Street Agreements are expected to be reached next month to build up to 45 new homes – a mix of affordable rentals and homes for purchase at 244 Flaxmere Ave agreements are in placer to deliver 39 new affordable senior housing units Back to News Flaxmere College on the Kaituna River in Rotorua taking on the rafting challenge with the Rotorua White Water Rafting Company and nearly a broken nose while whitewater rafting led to Flaxmere College’s Service Academy’s first win at the 2024 NZ Defence Force Academy (NZDF) Challenge after 14 years of attending the annual camp 18 Flaxmere College Services Academy students along with services academy director staff Pita Lloyd and teacher Maree Lloyd headed to Okataina in the Bay of Plenty for five days of extreme outdoor sports as part of the inter-school Service Academy Challenge the NZDF hosts Service Academies from high schools across the country in an adventure challenge that tests students on what they have learned over the year through military activities and local outdoor recreation tasks “It is designed to be both challenging and fun with each academy competing against each other for the ultimate bragging rights of winning the adventure challenge.” Some of this year’s challenge activities included whitewater rafting and a corporate challenge consisting of a 5km walk Mikaera Patuwai almost broke his nose on his knee in the chaos of hitting the bottom of a waterfall but what could he do but carry on?” Maree said Patuwai’s nose wasn’t the only casualty of the week Cody Bishop and Hera Peni-Tipu did a few handlebar flips and took out some 100-year-old pines along with missing a bridge here and there Maree said “They were all smiling at the end” Stacking up points in the rafting and bike riding Flaxmere’s three orientation teams also gained as many points as they could in the time allocated Each activity was timed and scored; only the tough guy/girl challenge remained and Flaxmere’s service academy believed they had “no chance” of winning Despite the group doubting they had a shot at first place they still jumped in and gave the final challenge their all or what the students refer to as “the mud run,” was held at Lake Ranch in Rotorua they were split into two teams; the rabbits were supported by Pita who put in a speedy effort and gave it their all had a few who were broken from the previous day’s activities “We put in a stellar effort and tugged at the heartstrings of all those watching as we supported each other to finish as a team.” Service Academy student Robbie Kara said he “really enjoyed” the whitewater rafting and ziplining but found the tough guy/girl challenge was the “hardest” activity the NZDF staff added all the points over the week was surprised to find out that they were sitting in first place with a three-point lead thanks to Hera Peni-Tipu’s persistent effort in the 20km bike ride as the only female to complete it which was critical since there were only three points between first and second place Flaxmere teacher Maree said she is “super proud to say I work with these amazing young people at Flaxmere College.” Service Academy member Kara had a great time away and said he would “absolutely I would definitely do it again.” “I would recommend students join the services academy so they can experience challenging themselves Maddisyn Jeffares became the editor of the Hawke’s Bay community papers Hastings Leader and Napier Courier in 2023 after writing at the Hastings Leader for almost a year. She has been a reporter with NZME for almost three years and has a strong focus on what’s going on in communities, good and bad, big and small. Email news tips to her at: maddisyn.jeffares@nzme.co.nz Two men have been shot and taken to hospital in Hawke’s Bay One was seriously hurt and the other received moderate injuries Police said they were called to a Flaxmere property on Berwick St at 11.30pm yesterday after reports of a shooting once police got there they were told two men had arrived at Hawke’s Bay Hospital with “injuries consistent with being shot” Inquiries are under way to find out what happened Anyone with information is asked to update police online or call 105 Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers Flaxmere's new supermarket opens tomorrow at 7am at the Flaxmere Village Centre Police said emergency services were called to a Mahia Rd property just before 10am after a report of a person seriously injured Mairehau house fire: Firefighters battle two-storey house blaze 10 patients were assessed and treated by our crews in total Auckland commuters face a chaotic morning after two highways leading into the central city have been majorly disrupted by crashes NZ film industry faces uncertainty over US tariff ongoing decline in livestock numbers and questions over longer sentences reducing reoffending Reporter Sierra is at Magnificent Moa Day where experts are revealing their incredible 3.6 million year-old find Emergency services are attending the fire at a McDonald's on Pakuranga Rd Christopher Luxon holds a post-Cabinet press conference A memorial tree has been planted at the entrance of St John’s bush in honour of slain American entomology student Kyle Whorrall Victim of abuse is wanting a judicial review Goodman Group is upgrading Highbrook Crossing to add retail dining and public space to New Zealand’s largest business park in East Tāmaki where hip hop crews from all over the world are battling to see who’s the best and Parliament tackles alcohol and mental health The Coleman family has been melting down precious metals for more than 40 years This is the first time they've shared inside their multi-million dollar gold and silver operation The Prime Minister joins Mike Hosking in the Newstalk ZB studio to talk all the big politicial issues Moana Pasifika beat the Highlanders 34-29 in Dunedin Prime Minister Christopher Luxon was joined by Deputy PM Winston Peters and Minister of defence Judith Collins to make a pre-budget defence announcement and 3D-printed limbs help child amputees in Gaza Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is expected to be joined by Defence Minister Judith Collins and deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters make a pre-Budget defence announcement Neighbours heard explosions as a fire ripped through a Mt Roskill house Mum pays tribute after Auckland bus stop killing Australians vote early and insurance companies brace for claims Megyn Cordner and Lucas Prince started their business from the back of a van in 2022 Andrew Che lost his life savings after sending it to the wrong account Barclays Bank has refunded his money after a prolonged battle for compensation Aerial footage reveals the scale of flooding across areas of Canterbury after a destructive weather system hit the region and prompted a state of emergency North Shore real estate agency chief responds to a Real Estate Disciplinary Tribunal decision Mark Mitchell provides an update on the state of emergency in Christchurch and Selwyn A possible mini tornado was spotted about Auckland Harbour as the latest band of wild weather hits the city Fire and Emergency NZ said it responded to more than 30 callouts overnight more Kiwis turning to methamphetamine and Drs are back at the negotiating table NZSA chief executive Oliver Mander speaks about CEO pay in 2024 Waiwhetu woman Julie Paterson heard 'a loud cracking' and saw a tree branch falling towards her during Wednesday's storm Heather Keats updates the powerful system battering New Zealand breaks down why Wellington is under a rare red warning with extreme winds and Local MP Hon Nicola Grigg speak to the media on the local state of emergency in Selwyn Gisborne locals and health workers marched to Heipipi Park where speakers highlighted what they say is a regional health crisis NZ Herald Live: Simeon Brown talks to media A new weekly food giveaway scheme in Flaxmere aims to end food poverty and needless food waste by giving away fish heads and frames to hungry families LegaSea Hawke’s Bay and Sustainable Hawke’s Bay have joined forces to collect fish parts that would otherwise go to waste and distribute them to the community The first of these events was held on Thursday afternoon at the Samoan Assembly of God Church on Flaxmere Ave where it will be held weekly going forward Wayne Bicknell from LegaSea Hawke’s Bay estimated they had about 250 fish heads and frames to give away with all the fish caught in Hawke’s Bay by Star Food Service and Saltwater Seafoods “We’re looking at this stage at about five or six fish per person,” said Bicknell Bicknell said LegaSea’s mission with the giveaways was to minimise the impact on the marine environment through better utilisation of natural resources Bicknell said he was unsure why people weren’t eating fish heads “I guess us fishermen just like the fillets and that’s probably a bit disrespectful to the fish “What we’re doing here is utilising the whole animal and appreciating the whole animal.” LegaSea and Sustainable Hawke’s are planning on opening several other weekly fish head drops around the region Sustainable Hawke’s Bay chief executive Emma Horgan-Heke calls the partnership with LegaSea “the first step in exploring other free food sources” “We’re also looking at how we bring a project that might look at pest control with deer by turning that into a meat source that’s free for everyone “The extension of that would be looking at what crops are left on the tree at the end of the season so that we can partner with horticulture to pick those crops and do something with them and get them out into the community “A long-term focus for us is looking at food resilience and what works for what communities and how we bring about more long-term independence.” it’s helping reduce waste which is helping reduce emissions and then it’s also helping with biodiversity with some of those projects.” When asked what they like to do with fish heads Bicknell said the meat from the head makes the best fish chowder while Horgan-Heke likes to use it to make a fish stock to go in her Asian cooking who was one of the first in line at the giveaway Jack Riddell is a multimedia journalist with Hawke’s Bay Today and spent the last 15 years working in radio and media in Auckland He reports on all stories relevant to residents of the region The man was arrested without incident in Picton A man was arrested disembarking a ferry in Picton over an Armed Offenders Squad callout in Hawke’s Bay on Wednesday afternoon Police responded to a property in the Hastings township of Flaxmere after reports of a firearms incident on Wednesday afternoon No injuries were reported in the incident at a Yarmouth Rd address about 3.45pm which police at the time said was believed to be a family dispute A police spokesperson said charges are being considered after the man being sought by police after the incident was arrested at 6.15am on Thursday Police placed multiple cordons at the Flaxmere Ave intersections with Margate Ave and Chatham Rd and the intersection of Chatham Rd and Margate Ave The Armed Offenders Squad were also in attendance There have been 465 complaints regarding wandering dogs and 47 about animals being attacked in the Hastings district A pair of uncontrolled dogs are being blamed for a cat-killing spree in the Hastings suburb of Flaxmere No one knows their or their owner’s identity yet but they have been captured on private CCTV in the vicinity of reported cat maulings Hastings District Council regulatory solutions manager John Payne said “There is no evidence of where these dogs are from,” Payne said He said wandering dogs were a big problem in Flaxmere and if you get uncontrolled dogs that pair up Figures provided by the council show over the past four months there were 465 complaints about wandering dogs and 47 regarding animals being attacked in the Hastings district This is similar to the four-monthly average for the district over the past five years – Hastings has an average of 507 wandering dog complaints and 42 animal attacks every four months Flaxmere resident Rachael Mako said a drive over Labour weekend turned into a horrific experience when they went down Yarmouth Rd and saw two cats dead on front lawns Mako said her partner has a three-legged rottweiler A child had told him recently the dog looked like the one that killed his cat “Who is responsible here if it’s so common?” Mako said the animals responsible aren’t being looked after by the owners “Something has to be done before more animals get hurt or pet owners start to take matters into their own hands to protect their pets.” I’d be terrified if someone left the gate open for some reason and something happened to him There are pet owners who truly love their pets.” Payne said if a dog killed another animal or bit a human providing there was sufficient evidence to identify the offender “There can be several different outcomes depending on the circumstances and seriousness of the offending This ranges from warnings to prosecution,” he said While the council deals with the control of dogs the SPCA deals with the welfare of animals “We have a good working relationship with the SPCA and often help each other out with support the rehoming of dogs and looking after pups,” Payne said A previous version of this story incorrectly stated there had been a spike in reports of wandering dogs and attacks in Hastings This was based on a misinterpretation of the statistics Hastings District Council (HDC) says it has entered into an agreement to sell a vacant Flaxmere site that Foodstuffs once promised to build a new supermarket on The potential buyer remains a mystery with supermarket giants Woolworths and Foodstuffs denying any involvement in the purchase Flaxmere could now potentially end up with two supermarkets after an announcement last month that a new tenant was entering the former New World site and the revelation this week that HDC is selling another site for a supermarket A council spokesperson said the Flaxmere community had been asking for a full-size supermarket in the suburb we are bound by commercial confidentiality and cannot share any further information but we look forward to telling the community more in the coming weeks.” The spokesperson said after market research three parties had been invited to participate in a formal tender process seeking development proposals for a supermarket on the one-hectare commercially zoned site in Flaxmere’s town centre One tender was received and negotiations commenced in November last year and in February the council approved the chief executive to negotiate terms HDC chief executive Nigel Bickle signed a sale and purchase agreement after negotiations and purchasers’ due diligence A spokesperson for Woolworths New Zealand - Foodstuffs’ biggest competitor - said they were not involved with the sale and purchase “We’re always looking for new opportunities to open stores in communities across Aotearoa New Zealand we don’t have a Flaxmere proposal to share at the moment We will update the local community if that changes.” A Foodstuffs spokesperson said they had not signed any agreements which opened a supermarket in Hamilton earlier this year has expressed recent interest in starting a supermarket in Flaxmere FIFO owner Manish Thakkar also denied he had signed a sale and purchase agreement with the Hastings District Council Ngāti Kahungunu chair Bayden Barber said the iwi group which in 2021 expressed interest in breaking up the supermarket duopoly in a submission to the Commerce Commission had not been involved with any negotiations for the vacant site “We haven’t been a part of that discussion.” In 2022 Foodstuffs North Island received resource consent for its new supermarket to be built on a vacant piece of land behind the existing New World Flaxmere The project was expected to cost about $21 million for the new 1900sqm supermarket Foodstuffs North Island general manager of property Nick Hanson said in 2022 it would be a great addition to Flaxmere “This brand-new New World will provide a world class in-store shopping experience and fresh foods offering while catering to the unique needs of the Flaxmere community.” He did not give a timeframe of when the new supermarket would open Then in 2023 HDC and Foodstuffs North Island pulled the plug on the plans which would have had access off Swansea Rd A joint statement at the time from the council and the supermarket giant said they had made the “difficult decision” to cancel a sale and purchase agreement “This follows Foodstuffs North Island’s conclusion that building a supermarket on the site in the current economic environment isn’t sustainable,” the statement said In July, the owners of the former Flaxmere New World building said they had signed a lease with a new tenant planning to open an independent supermarket The Sung Family Trust said basic work had been carried out on the building and it hoped work would be completed by the end of the year “The tenant’s work will start soon after,” a family spokesperson said The Sung Family Trust couldn’t confirm the name or a specific timeline for when the independent supermarket would open in the Hastings suburb we are unable to release further information - they will release more information when the time comes.” The lease for the ageing building in the heart of the growing suburb was up for renewal in March, with Foodstuffs North Island confirming it would not take it up due to the significant refurbishment the building needed The New World store closed its doors on February 25 In May a community-initiated Flaxmere food co-op was launched inspired by the closure and community need Michaela Gower joined Hawke’s Bay Today in 2023 and is based out of the Hastings and Central Hawke’s Bay newsrooms She covers Dannevirke and Hawke’s Bay news and has a love for sharing stories about farming and rural communities Flaxmere College students hauling an NZ Army Unimog truck as the final part of the 'The Longest Day Challenge.' Flaxmere College students have smashed the final challenge in the Te Vaka Maia (formerly known as Cactus) 2024 programme have been getting to school at 6.30 am three times a week to run All the early mornings and physical training have been in the lead-up for the final challenge of the 2024 Te Vaka Maia programme known as The Longest Day during which students had to take part in loads such as tyres The grand final of the challenge saw the group come together to pull one of the NZ Army’s Unimog trucks down Henderson Road and past the school One of the Flaxmere College students involved in this year’s Te Vaka Maia programme explained that being part of the programme has allowed them to become more confident and more able to voice their thoughts and opinions “I feel more confident knowing I completed the longest day and how utilising teamwork has positively affected my fitness one of the students said they used teamwork to the fullest extent and kept pushing “I learnt more about myself within the eight weeks and longest day and what my strengths and weaknesses are in terms of fitness “I felt a huge sense of achievement when we had finished the longest day and I miss the programme now it has finished.” Completing The Longest Day involved a few tears but those who attended and took part said that there was a “massive” sense of achievement and pride A Flaxmere College student told Hastings Leader that they “feel more active and have a positive mindset about their goals and school It’s a small community widely known for crime and violence but, beyond the darkness is the light and it is plain to see for one of its heroes, Henare O’Keefe. “Pāharakeke is an opportunity, it’s not a liability and no longer are we in grievance mode. We’re not victims anymore - we are now masters of our own destiny.” Five hundred new homes are expected to be built spread across 36 hectares in Flaxmere, providing more job opportunities as well as new homes for its residents. Project developer and property manager Simon Tremain says this is a great opportunity for the Hastings suburb. “It’s got to be good for the community and the rebuilding of the actual CBD of Flaxmere is a big part of how all of this comes together as well.” O’Keefe further says every man, woman and child deserves to have a warm affordable home. “It’s not a privilege, it’s a right. It’s our God-given right. We recognise this in Pāharakeke - that’s why we’re saying we’re building Pāharakeke from the inside out, not the outside in.” O’Keefe has been a community leader and advocate for years. His love for his community stretches far and wide, and he says that Tremain has his full support. “I would not have put my name to it if I didn’t get a guarantee to those things, which isj obs for our people and affordable homes. So, I’ve put my name to it because I trust Simon Tremain, and I said to him, and he won’t mind me saying this ‘I’m only here because of you’ and we shook on it and he said,’ I will honour you’.” Tremain says the value of the land in Flaxmere is going to make it easy for whānau to find a home. “The cost of the land is where this development can have some real traction for locals and for the community. The cost of land in comparison to other areas in Hawke’s Bay and other regions in New Zealand will be very affordable.” Over the years Flaxmere has been a community known for gang ties, violence, murder and more. However O’Keefe says the tides have turned. “These things that are happening now, it’s not by chance. It hasn’t fallen out of the sky and landed in our lap. We’ve worked damn hard. What’s happened here is, this is a community that has taken ownership and responsibility. They are the masters of their own destiny.” The planned site for 39 new one and two-bedroom homes in Flaxmere- the first new senior housing built in Hastings in about 40 years An upcoming development in Flaxmere will see new senior housing built in Hastings for the first time in about 40 years thanks to affordable housing funding A resource consent application was lodged for 39 new affordable one and two-bedroom senior housing units last week The units will be built on Council-owned land in the southwest corner of Flaxmere town centre, bounded by Caernarvon Dr, Swansea Rd, and the newly constructed Pam O’Keefe Ave and Te Ara Huata. The streets were named after local heroes nominated by the community, including ‘Mother of Flaxmere’ Pam O’Keefe and champion of Māori arts and culture Tama Huata. The development is a partnership between the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development (Hud) and Hastings District Council, funded through the contestable Affordable Housing Fund. A statement from Hastings District Council said the development aligned with the Council’s medium and long-term housing strategy providing affordable rental homes for seniors struggling in the private rental market Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst described it as a huge milestone for the community high-quality homes for our seniors is a priority and this project will make a significant difference in the lives of those who need it most,” Hazlehurst said each containing two to four units with the homes designed to create a modern aesthetic and layout Rent for the new homes would be set at 80% of median market rent reflecting that they will be newly built and provisioned whilst in keeping with guidance from Hud on affordable housing according to a Council spokesperson The spokesperson said rents for the current portfolio of homes run by the Council were set at 65% of the market rate following a Council review in 2023, when they were lifted from between 30% and 44% of the market rate The new houses will be owned by the Council and the rental income received will be ring-fenced for the upkeep of the senior housing portfolio The owners of the former Flaxmere New World building have signed a lease with a new tenant planning to open an independent supermarket we are unable to release further information they will release more information when the time comes.” The lease for the ageing building in the heart of the growing suburb was up for renewal in March, with Foodstuffs North Island confirming it would not take it up due to the significant refurbishment the building needed and left residents with no suitable long-term option on the horizon The initiative allowed shoppers to place orders online through a simple and user-friendly process for the selection of a kete of kai that suited their whānau Hastings ambassador Henare O’Keefe said in January before the closure that Flaxmere was on the up and it was only a matter of time before the supermarket was replaced “Flaxmere is an opportunity and not a liability,” he said who was a Hastings district councillor for 15 years said the increase in population had led to a demand for infrastructure such as a supermarket so we are in desperate need of a supermarket and so there are opportunities there for anyone who wishes to take it” She covers Dannevirke and Hawke’s Bay news and has a love of sharing stories about farming and rural communities A new street in Flaxmere is named in honour of Pam O’Keefe Flaxmere’s newly opened streets are named after three local heroes: Pam O’Keefe, Tama Huata and Haami Moeke, who were all nominated by the community The Hastings District Council stated that the completion of groundwork at a site behind Swansea Ave and the opening of three new streets were milestones in providing more housing for the people of Hastings Community members gathered to open the new streets along with representatives from the Government the Hastings council and the council’s other housing partners One of the street names unveiled was Pam O’Keefe Avenue who gave back to her community in many different ways She spent countless hours at Te Aranga Marae the community gardens and travelling the streets with the Tunu Tunu community barbecue Along with former Hastings councillor and ambassador Henare O’Keefe Pam O’Keefe cared for many foster children over the years a trailblazer for Māori arts and culture both in Heretaunga and beyond Huata was behind the formation of the Kahurangi Māori Dance Theatre and led the establishment of Te Wānanga Whare Tapere o Takitimu and the Taikura Kaumatua programme He was instrumental in the development of Ngā Pou o Heretanga in the Hastings Civic Square and led the team that brought Te Matatini to Hastings in 2017 Huata also founded the National Waiata Māori Music Awards Last but not the least of the newest streets was Te Ara Moeke named in recognition of local master carver Haami Moeke Moeke’s most notable works locally can be found at Te Aranga Marae a role model and a “go-to man” for many marae He often volunteered his carving skills and knowledge and was renowned for his special ability to weave history with the present The new streets are part of one of four council-owned sites being developed for housing in Flaxmere they are projected to deliver up to 200 new warm Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said it was very special that whānau members came together in Flaxmere on July 21 to celebrate the occasion and it’s wonderful that their contributions will be remembered forever through these new streets,” Hazlehurst said “All three of these outstanding individuals made a huge impact on the lives of many,” she said The mayor was also excited that the council had reached another milestone on its journey to provide more homes for the community and is the result of the work of committed organisations working in partnership to find solutions to our housing crisis non-government organisations and private sector representatives have been around the table with the council team and we look forward to construction starting on the new homes at this site,” Hazlehurst said new affordable senior housing will be delivered The site has capacity for another 21 homes which the council hopes will include first-home options delivered by its development partners The council is exploring options for how the commercially zoned area on this site will be used This follows the 17 first homes and 18 social homes already built at Tarbet Street and physical works completed at 244 Flaxmere Ave with the aim of delivering up to 45 homes – a mix of affordable rentals and home ownership options groundwork at 75 Caernarvon Drive will also be complete Flaxmere Primary School principal Robyn Isaacson is concerned about a lack of communication from the Ministry of Education over its budget review of classroom replacement projects Three schools in Flaxmere have been stuck in “limbo” for months after projects to replace almost-50-year-old classrooms at the end of their lifespans were paused nearly two years into the planning process while a Government budget review takes place The Ministry of Education is reviewing 352 projects in 305 schools and kura in pre-construction nationwide to identify opportunities to achieve better value for money 18 projects are in Hawke’s Bay including three Flaxmere primary schools — Irongate School Te Whai Hiringa Peterhead and Flaxmere Primary School All three were in the planning stages for redevelopment to replace their portable modular classrooms (PMCs) Education Ministry head of property Sam Fowler said it was working with 86 schools in Hawke’s Bay replace or dispose of all remaining PMCs over the next 10 years “Portable modular classrooms or PMCs were constructed during the 1960s and 70s around Gisborne Hawke’s Bay and Tararua to address roll growth pressures at the time Despite being only intended to last 15-20 years “The number of PMCs at each school varies from one or two stand-alone classrooms through to schools constructed almost entirely from PMC buildings.” “We were working together as three schools because it was a prime opportunity All three schools are in Flaxmere and if we are doing something in Flaxmere He said his school was notified in 2022 that it would be in the next tranche of PMC replacements and then last year we had our architects assigned we started with our cultural narratives,” he said “We were trucking along quite nicely last year getting ready for the concept designs and I think it was December last year that we had a visit from the ministry to say that with the new Government’s 100-day plan all new builds would be put on pause and reviewed as the budget was being prepared for.” He was concerned the review would leave the budget much smaller than what was allocated to the classroom rebuilds when the schools were already far into the process what that means from experience is there are going to be budget cuts and anything that you had initially planned is no longer yours.” Te Hiringa Whai tumuaki (principal) Tineka Tuala-Fata said there were about 11 50-year-old PMC learning spaces that were going to be replaced at her school She said an old pipe had burst in one of the PMC classrooms during the last school holiday and it wasn’t until one of our teachers went to the classroom a couple of weeks before school returned That flooded five classrooms ankle deep,” Tuala-Fata said Every time we get an electrician to look at something they are like ‘these electrics are really ancient’; so much so that you’ve got to go find powerboards halfway around the school and things like that.” She said the review hold-up had affected everything else around it including her school’s 10-year maintenance plan because they weren’t sure of the scope of the rebuild until it was complete and didn’t want to invest their limited budget in buildings that would be torn down “We are stuck here unable to make plans or do anything and you are sitting there trying to make judgment calls like do I get this patched up?” she said it is my responsibility to ensure that money is used as wisely as possible.” She said it should be every government’s priority to ensure school buildings were safe for children Flaxmere Primary was looking at having 12 PMCs replaced Tumuaki Robyn Isaacson said she was concerned with the lack of communication from the Ministry of Education because her school had last heard from the Government about the beginning of the year “We did start off with quite a big project with quite a big lead into it with architects and everything else and quite a lot of time dedicated on the principles and planning part,” she said Fowler said it was expected decisions for most schools will be communicated from the end of June “With such high demand for investment in school property across the country the more cost efficiencies we can achieve on individual projects the more we can deliver across the country to the benefit of all ākonga (students),” Fowler said “New funding has been provided through Budget 2024 and we are working through how this funding is allocated to prioritised property projects.” Budget 2024 included $1.48 billion to build new schools and classrooms and to upgrade existing ones James Pocock joined Hawke’s Bay Today in 2021 and writes breaking news and features with a focus on the environment, local government and post-cyclone issues in the region. He has a keen interest in finding the bigger picture in research and making it more accessible to audiences. He lives in Napier. james.pocock@nzme.co.nz A motorcyclist has been seriously injured after a crash that has closed a road in the Hawke’s Bay suburb of Flaxmere on Monday afternoon The crash between a car and a motorcycle happened on Flaxmere Ave about 2.30pm on Monday the Police Serious Crash Unit was still examining the scene and the road remained closed between Henderson Ave and Chatham Rd Police confirmed the rider of the motorcycle was transported to hospital with serious injuries and that the road would be closed “for some time” while the examination continued Motorists were advised to avoid the area and expect delays Police would also like to speak with anyone who was in the area at the time and witnessed the crash or anyone who may have dashcam footage