Category Archives: New Zealand

All Blacks loose forward Ardie Savea has signed a four-year deal with New Zealand Rugby. Photosport

All Blacks loose forward Ardie Savea has signed a four-year deal with New Zealand Rugby (NZR) which will keep him in Aotearoa through to the end of the 2025 season.

Savea, who captained the All Blacks for the first time in 2021 and produced consistently compelling performances throughout the test season, has also extended his contract with the Hurricanes.

The 28-year-old said he was grateful to extend his contract with club and country and have certainty for himself and his family for the next four years.

"I've really enjoyed this season, both the good and the bad," Savea said. "While it's taken awhile to finalise my contract, my wife Saskia and I are very grateful that I'm able to play here in New Zealand for another four years. Our family is settled and happy in New Zealand and there are things I want to challenge and pursue with New Zealand Rugby, the All Blacks and the 'Canes, both on and off the field.

"Right now, I'm looking forward to really getting away from rugby and getting mentally refreshed to come back and be better in the 2022 season."

Savea has played 59 Tests for the All Blacks since his debut in 2016 and was a key figure in 2021, starting 10 of 15 Tests and captaining the team four times during the Fortinet Rugby Championship, becoming the All Blacks 70th Test captain.

As part of his new contract, Savea will have the option of playing his rugby offshore for a period of six-months during the 2024 season.

NZR General Manager Professional Rugby and Performance Chris Lendrum said:

"Ardie's been loyal to his club Oriental Rongotai, his province Wellington and to the Hurricanes in Super Rugby during his playing career and he's continuing that loyalty by recommitting to New Zealand Rugby for another four seasons.

"His performances this season have been very strong, and it's testament to the drive and passion Ardie has for the Hurricanes and All Blacks that he's committed his long-term future to New Zealand. We look forward to his continued contribution to the teams and communities he represents so well."

Savea has recommitted to the Hurricanes until 2023. He made his Super Rugby debut for the club in 2013 and has gone on to play 108 matches, captaining the side in 2021.

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Rugby: All Black Ardie Savea recommits to New Zealand Rugby and the Hurricanes - New Zealand Herald

Most New Zealand youth appear to see themselves as the next titans of e-commerce or stars of online streaming and gaming, according to a survey.

Three-quarters of 10 to 11 year olds in the survey said they watch streamers and gamers. (file image) Photo: 123RF

A survey by computer hardware firm Logitech New Zealand indicates 75 percent of youth between the ages of 10 and 18 believe sites like YouTube and Twitch offer a viable career option, compared with just over half of their parents (55 percent).

Children watch significantly more online videos than their parents, with two-thirds (63 percent) reporting they watched online videos at least once a day, compared with 43 percent of their parents.

While online gaming is another area of interest, the most popular online video platforms for 10 to 18 year olds are YouTube (90 percent), TikTok (46 percent) Instagram (43 percent) and Facebook (35 percent).

Children start viewing online content from a young age, with three-quarters (73 percent) of 10 to 11 year olds currently watching streamers and gamers, and nearly one-in-five of the same age group saying they could not wait to post videos once they were old enough or allowed to.

While most of the youths relied on their parents to pay for electronics (76 percent), their parents were not interested in contributing financially to supporting a child who wanted to become an online streamer.

Less than half (47 percent) said they would not support their child financially, while the rest said they would as long as the average investment was under $500.

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Many New Zealand youth show interest in online platforms and streamers in survey - RNZ

Immigration NZ has closed down an avenue opened by a court last week last week for Afghans trapped there after the Taliban came into power to get a visa.

People boarding a defence force plane at Hamid Karzai International Airport earlier this year after the Taliban came into power. Photo: NZ Defence Force

The High Court ruled Immigration NZ was wrong to deny exceptions to grant them visas, based on humanitarian grounds existing in their home country.

But Immigration NZ has now issued instructions to re-close this avenue.

Read the document here

"A humanitarian crisis occurring outside of New Zealand is not relevant to the determination of a request to travel to New Zealand," it said last night in an internal circular.

Sue Moroney Photo: RNZ / Alexander Robertson

Community Law Centres Aotearoa was not surprised.

"It is cynical but it's not unexpected," said chief executive Sue Moroney.

They had rushed through visa applications last week to get in ahead of this, she said.

The immigration changes, which apply from yesterday, also alter the "humanitarian" exception for getting a critical purpose visa, to "compassionate" grounds.

"When determining whether an applicant meets the compassionate entry requirements, factors that are not considered relevant include whether ... the applicant has been affected by a humanitarian crisis occurring outside of New Zealand," Immigration NZ said.

These "compassionate" grounds were less clear and not as well understood internationally, Moroney said.

The speed of Immigration NZ's response to the court ruling was ironic, she said.

"It's interesting to us to note that Immigration New Zealand can act with pace and haste when it suits them.

"We have had really sensible proposals in front of them for years ... and they have been telling us they don't have the policy capacity to actually do that simple piece of work, yet here almost overnight they could do the policy work to support this change."

A second avenue, also won in court last week, for refugee family support visas, remains open.

Immigration NZ was ordered to restart processing these, for applications lodged before Covid-19 restrictions closed the border.

Moroney said so far two out of at least 70 Afghans their centres represent have got a visa in recent days this way.

These two are the Afghan applicants named in the court case. Their identities are suppressed.

"We expect the others to follow," Moroney said.

Read more here:

Immigration blocks pathway for at-risk Afghans to settle in New Zealand - RNZ

As Tom Blundell presented Rachin Ravindra his New Zealand Test cap in Kanpur last week, the third member of the trio - Devon Conway - was glued to his television some 12,000 kilometres away in Wellington, feeling "gutted" at not being around for his mate's big moment - only an injured hand preventing him from being there on the spot.

The three are the best of friends who live close to each other, play for the same domestic team, frequent coffee shops and restaurants together, drop into each other's homes for meals. They used to spend their free time on the golf course too, until Ravindra put it on hold after being advised by one of their good friends, Sriram Krishnamurthy who is also one of the coaches in Wellington, to stop playing as it could potentially hamper his bat swing.

They bond over other things too, like marathon PlayStation sessions - "sometimes well into the night, 2-3am," laughs Conway - trying to pass missions on Grand Theft Auto. Yet for all the fun off the field, it's the camaraderie through cricket that they cherish and respect the most.

As Conway watched Ravindra hold his nerve and bat confidently against three top-class spinners in a gripping final session in fading light, his mind jogged back to three winters ago in Wellington.

"We didn't necessarily have coaches. It was just the four of us trying to direct ourselves and help each other out. We'd have real conservations on where we can improve, what we can do to get better to help add a layer to where we've gotten as individuals. We were going through tough physical exercises as well as into the technical side of batting and bowling."

The idea was to feed off each other's strengths and work on their weaknesses. "The three of us have different strengths," Conway continues. "Rachin is really good through the onside. He has typical Indian wrists, hits them beautifully. Tom is really good on the short ball, I'm strong square on the off-side. And we're always asking questions of each other. 'How do you access a particular side of the wicket? How do you get into position for a particular shot?' and stuff like that.

"It was cool to learn from each other. I'm, for example, a little limited on the leg side, so those conversations on how he (Ravindra) dominates in that area helped. He'd give me his clues, triggers, how to get into strong positions to execute. After that stint, we grew as players, not just as batters, but physically too. We were thinking ahead. Fact that we're all there together, playing in the environment we are, is special. The hard work we've put in in the past is paying off. That's why I was gutted for not being there to see him receive that cap from Tommy. That would have been special."

It's the winter of 2017. Ravindra is told he's in New Zealand's plans for the 2018 Under-19 World Cup. He'd already played as a 16-year old in the 2016 edition in Bangladesh, but with limited success. After exhaustive preparation, spanning three months in Lincoln, Ravindra could've afforded some time off.

But the cricket nerd in him wanted to tackle spin better. So he gets on a plane to India to "freshen" his game against spin instead. He lands in Bangalore, drives three hours to Anantapur to the Rural Development Trust which runs an organised cricketing set-up. The curator there, a friend of his father Ravi, who brings his Hutt Hawks Cricket Club on preparatory tours every year, prepares multiple strips that aid turn.

Conway, who has had a ringside view of Ravindra's development as a young batter, isn't one bit surprised. Conway believes Ravindra's manner of tackling R Ashwin or Ravindra Jadeja, playing forward and back with assuredness, was down to the mindset that has come about due to hours of training.

"The way Rachin held his nerve, he seemed so calm, relaxed. I asked him the following day on a zoom call how he felt, and he was like, 'I felt fine, was in the moment, tried to keep everything out, felt a lot calmer than I expected.' For a 22-year old coming in and absorbing the pressure the way he did on debut, was outstanding."

"I saw him get through the pressure we put on him in the training session, it didn't shock me that he was able to do what he did in the Test match. For a 22-year old, he has got a 35-year old head on his shoulders."

Devon Conway on Rachin Ravindra

Conway looks back to a preparatory camp in Lincoln in 2019, around the time Ravindra first broke into the New Zealand A team, where he was amazed at the youngster's game against spin.

"We've done quite a lot of spin training to the point where it's funny," he says. "I remember a couple of years ago, we did a very similar training session at our winter camps in Lincoln. It was on very used surfaces in the marquee nets. Balls were turning and bouncing, balls keeping low. They were outrageous wickets it was really good because what the coaches did was they told us, 'If you get out in this net, you're out. You're here to try and save a Test.'

"Funny enough, he was the only guy who managed to bat through the entire session without getting out, to the point where all of us players who had gotten out, had to come and stand around the net, not inside, to try and put him off, say the odd chirp, try and get under his skin to get him to make a mistake. That was brilliant, when I saw him get through the pressure we put on him in the training session, it didn't shock me that he was able to do what he did in the Test match. For a 22-year old, he has got a 35-year old head on his shoulders."

Ravindra wasn't meant to play international cricket in 2021. In January this year, he was assisted off the Basin Reserve during a Super Smash game. He had hurt his right shoulder while diving, and scans soon revealed considerable damage to his shoulder cartilage. He was going to be out for at least 10 months.

Two weeks later, Ravindra, with his shoulder strapped, was back on the field, carving a 55-ball 84 in a club game for the Hutt Hawks.

Ten months on from the injury, Ravindra is now a capped player in Tests and T20Is. The hectic travelling for tours has left him with no time to attend lectures or give examinations for his Computer Engineering degree.

"When it comes to his cricket, I'm the one constantly asking him or telling him things. He's such a cricket-obsessed guy, these days even his girlfriend phones me up to talk cricket."

Ravi - Rachin's father

"I've told my wife to be less harsh on him," father Ravi laughs. "She doesn't follow much of his cricket. She gets far too nervous. When it comes to his cricket, I'm the one constantly asking him or telling him things. He's such a cricket-obsessed guy, these days even his girlfriend phones me up to talk cricket (laughs)."'

None of this surprises Conway, a close friend of the family. Conway and Ravindra first met in the summer of 2018. "What I remember is the confidence he had as a young guy," Conway says. "As a rookie coming into the Wellington setup, he felt really comfortable to he himself in and around the squad. I enjoyed that about him.

"For a young guy coming in, you'd naturally be within yourself as a person but he just came out, just himself, quite vibrant. That's how we got talking, it's been cool to know him and his family. We often have them over at our house, or we go over to Ravi's place for some Indian curries."

Conway, who is nursing an injury that put him out of the India Tests, now awaits the return of his good mates. The bantering, coffee, lunches and cricket chats are set to resume. And when they're off for the next tour together, it'll complete a circle of sorts for the trio - from best friends who played and trained together, to best friends who are team-mates for New Zealand.

Shashank Kishore is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo

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Rachin Ravindra - the cricketer you want, and the friend you need - ESPNcricinfo.com

New Zealand arm-wrestlers are stepping out from behind the pub table and hoping to raise awareness of the sport. VICKI ANDERSON reports.

The strong men stand across the table from each other and lock eyes, mentally sizing each other up.

Observers nudge each other knowingly. Some flex their biceps awaiting their turn at the table.

A few days earlier, Christchurch medical student Mark Makin had met a stranger on an app and invited him to this super match, held at a suburban football clubrooms on a warm Saturday morning.

With all eyes on the table, the arm-wrestling begins. Faces contort from smiles to grimaces as forearms teeter back and forth before a winner is declared.

READ MORE:* Why Kumail Nanjiani feels 'very uncomfortable' talking about his body* The gentle man behind 'The Beast' Maateiwarangi Heta-Morris* Joost van der Westhuizen and Jonah Lomu - friendship borne from rugby's ultimate rivalry

Referee Makin has enthusiastically been helping to organise events for the 40-odd members of the Christchurch Arm-Wrestling Club.

The sport is growing in popularity in New Zealand. At this event competitors from Dunedin compete alongside their Christchurch counterparts.

For training, arm-wrestlers use custom equipment towels, karate belts and more. The exercises range from strength and conditioning to table sparring time and specifically targeted exercises fingers, forearms, biceps and pronation.

These exercises consist of small movements.

There's an app, Armbet, explains Makin. You can look up people in your area who are serious arm-wrestlers and connect that way. This year there was a point where we were getting a new member every week, and now were up around 30 to 40.

Having just finished his first year in the sport, Makin is considered a newbie.

Its a cool sport to get into, he said. Theres a lot to learn on the technical side. I enjoy the combination of the fact you can use technique to outsmart and beat people who are stronger than you. I also enjoy the community.

Arm-wrestling is something of a hobby for Makin as he finishes his hospital placements, recently working in both the intensive care unit and emergency departments.

Mark Makin, centre, referees at an arm-wrestling event held by the Christchurch Arm-Wrestling Club.

The club has a varied demographic, he said. Our oldest club member is around 50 and our youngest is Felix who just turned 18. He started at 15 or 16.

Left arm or right?

Most people train with both.

Josh Roussel, a member of the Christchurch club for four years, said the sport had been underground for a while in New Zealand but had recently experienced a surge in popularity.

Its a good year for the sport. Its a sport rather than just something you do with your mates on a Friday night when youre having a few beers, Roussel said.

Supplied

Competitive arm-wrestling is increasing in popularity.

On the world arm-wrestling stage, New Zealand is a baby.

Other countries have been arm-wrestling a lot longer and have quite a storied history, whereas New Zealand is just scratching the surface.

Anton van der Westhuizen, president of the New Zealand Arm-Wrestling Federation, founded in 2013, said there are clubs throughout the country.

New Zealand belongs to WAF (World Arm-Wrestling Federation) and a world championship event is held each year. New Zealand could not attend the championships in Romania this year because of Covid-19.

There has been a recent boom due to social media and YouTubers creating content with high-profile matches, van der Westhuizen said.

This year there has been an increase in club members from the Polynesian community and university students.

Pulling as arm-wrestling is also known is one sport where age is an advantage.

You can continue arm-wrestling until you are quite old. We call it old man strength, Roussel said.

You get a build-up of strength in your tendons, so you get a lot stronger as you get older. To really reach your peak with that it takes up to six years of training to really get that arm-wrestling strength.

New Zealands oldest arm-wrestler, Levan Kavtaradze, is in his 70s.

Levan is the first New Zealander to have won a medal at the World Championships, van der Westhuizen said.

He achieved this in 2019, Romania, for the senior grand master, category right arm, bronze.

Western countries tend to associate arm-wrestling as a pub sport, he said, whereas in the Eastern Block you can become a household name.

He describes John Brzenk as the G.O.A.T. of arm-wrestling. Theres even a movie about him its called Pulling John.

New Zealand has only a handful of female arm wrestlers.

Our best female arm wrestlers are Ngareta Barbarich and Tracy Barbarich, van der Westhuizen said.

They come from a Tug Of War background both have represented New Zealand in the battle against Australia and walked away with the gold.

Te Kea

Maateiwarangi Heta-Morris has claimed his eighth straight New Zealand heavy weight championship at the National Arm Wrestling Competition held in Gisborne, the first time the competition has been outside of Auckland. (First published July 2018).

Top arm-wrestlers have hands, wrists, and arms like steel once it is set, it will not bend, van der Westhuizen said.

But good technique can beat pure strength.

Any strong athlete will know the name Larry Wheels he is a powerhouse, and he has thrown himself into arm-wrestling for the last two years, van der Westuizen said.

It was an eye-opener for novices and viewers to see this powerhouse of a mountain getting beaten by an experienced arm-wrestler weighing up to 50kg lighter than him. The point is you have to be well-rounded.

At the Christchurch club meeting on this particular Saturday morning, as the arm-wrestlers compete on specially designed tables, there are many high-fives of joy and some handshakes of defeat.

Win or lose, you shake hands, and its a lot of fun, Makin said.

Read more here:

Biceps and buddies: Kiwi arm-wrestlers share their secrets - Stuff.co.nz

Jerome Delay/AP

A new coronavirus variant has been detected in South Africa that scientists say is a concern because of its high number of mutations and rapid spread among young people in Gauteng, South Africa. (File photo)

An infectious diseases expert believes the country is well placed to detect and respond to any cases of the Omicron Covid-19 variant.

The World Health Organisation declared the new variant to be "of concern" and New Zealand has banned travel from nine southern African countries.

Omicron was first reported to the WHO from South Africa on 24 November, and has since been identified in Botswana, Belgium, Hong Kong, Israel, Germany, the UK, Italy and the Czech Republic.

The WHO said the variant had a large number of mutations, and early evidence suggested a possible increased risk of reinfection.

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Massey University professor Nigel French said not much was known about Omicron yet, but he was optimistic vaccines may still protect against the new variant

"There's no evidence to date to suggest that vaccination, particularly if you've had two doses, would not protect against this new variant or any other new variant, but we just don't know," he said.

"And it will become more and more apparent, particularly if it does spread to other countries with higher vaccination rates."

French said sequencing technology should pick up any cases at the border and the country was well-placed to detect and respond to any cases of the Omicron Covid-19 variant.

In Saturdays Covid-19 update, the Ministry of Health said it was monitoring the Omicron variant.

"This particular strain is in its infancy and as with any emerging developments to do with Covid-19 we are closely watching and monitoring evidence and countries' responses," the Ministry said in its statement.

"We will advise on any potential impacts for New Zealand, noting that we remain in a good position to minimise the impact of any new variants with isolation and routine testing of international arrivals."

Gary McLean from the London Metropolitan University said laboratories would be carrying out tests to see exactly what threat the variant poses.

He said considering the make-up of the new variant, and the speed with which it is spreading, it was right to be cautious.

"There's a staggering number of new mutations in spike that have never been seen before and that also corresponds to sharing mutations with other variants that we know about well, so it's really worrying," he said.

He said work was underway to see if vaccines needed to be adjusted.

The head of the South African Medical Association told the BBC that the cases found so far in South Africa - where only about 24 per cent of the population is fully vaccinated - were not severe, but said investigations into the variant were still at a very early stage.

"The patients are mostly complaining about a sore body and tiredness, extreme tiredness and we see it in the younger generation, it's not the older people... We're not talking about patients that might go straight to a hospital and be admitted," Dr Angelique Coetzee said.

South Africa has also complained it was being punished instead of applauded for discovering the concerning new variant, the BBC reported.

A statement from the South African foreign ministry strongly criticised the travel bans.

"Excellent science should be applauded and not punished," it said.

The bans were "akin to punishing South Africa for its advanced genomic sequencing and the ability to detect new variants quicker".

The statement added that the reaction had been completely different when new variants were discovered elsewhere in the world.

The UK, Australia, Japan, India and Canada have all announced new measures for travellers from Southern African countries.

See the article here:

New Zealand well-placed to detect and contain new Omicron Covid variant - expert - Stuff.co.nz

Experience some of New Zealand's most iconic backcountry landscapes in half the time. Photo / Abel Tasman Aqua Taxi

When DoC's booking system for the Great Walks season opens every year, trampers line up virtually to snag their spot but being an early bird doesn't offer any guarantees. This year, for example, 6700 customers had booked online within 30 minutes of slots opening for the Milford, Heaphy and Rakiura Tracks, with the Milford Track selling out in its usual record time.

If you didn't get your desired dates this year or if you simply don't have the time to tackle a Great Walk in its entirety don't despair. Portions of nearly all the Great Walks can be experienced as half-day or full-day adventures. Best of all, you won't have to sleep in a hut or schlep your stuff but you'll still get to experience some of New Zealand's most iconic backcountry landscapes. Let's just call them "the Great Shortcuts of New Zealand".

The shortcuts: Bark Bay to Anchorage or Bark Bay to Awaroa Bay

Known for its crystal blue waters and golden sands, the Abel Tasman Track is one of the easiest Great Walks to tackle in sections, thanks to water taxis.

One of the most-loved sections of the track runs between Anchorage and Bark Bay, starting from the park's southern entrance (Marahua). Catch the Abel Tasman AquaTaxi to Bark Bay, then spend a half-day walking back to Anchorage for your pick-up. Highlights include the 47m-long suspension Falls River bridge, and Cleopatra's Pools, where you can slide down a moss-lined natural waterslide into crystal clear pools.

From the northern end of the park (Ttaranui), take the water taxi to Bark Bay and walk to Awaroa, where the taxi will pick you up. The walk only takes about three hours but it's best to budget enough time for a leisurely lunch on Awaroa Lodge's patio.

The Shortcuts: The Tongariro Alpine Crossing or the Taranaki Falls Walk

Possibly the only shortcut more famous than its four-day counterpart is the Tongariro Crossing. Over roughly eight hours, trampers climb through a dramatic volcanic landscape of steaming vents and vividly coloured high-alpine lakes. At 19.4km, it's widely considered one of the best one-day walks in the country, if not the world. You'll need a somewhat flexible schedule to tackle it though, as the weather can be fickle even in the summer months.

If the Crossing is closed due to weather, the 6km Taranaki Falls circuit is a good option to have up your sleeve. Starting from Whakapapa Village, you'll pass though alpine shrublands and ancient lava flows before arriving at the 20m-high Taranaki Falls. If you have extra time, you can also continue onwards to Tama Lakes, a favourite among locals. In total, the walk takes about two hours.

Want to see a bit of both? On Adrift Tongariro's guided half-day Volcanic Explorer Tour (from $215), trampers will get a taste of multiple sections of the Great Walk, with the option to do the full-day Tongariro Crossing if the mood strikes.

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The Shortcut: Mangapurua Landing to Pipiriki

The only one of the Great Walks that's not a walk at all, the full Whanganui River Journey usually takes five days by canoe or kayak. However, the half and full-day shortcuts are no less serene. You'll still manage to explore one of the most interesting sites along the river (the historic Bridge to Nowhere) and be challenged with tackling one of the most difficult rapids (the Autapu rapids, nicknamed the "50-50 rapids" because you have a 50 per cent chance of falling out).

On Whanganui River Adventure's "Onedayer Adventure" ($175 adults; $87.50 children aged 5 to 15), a jetboat will take you upstream from Pipiriki to Mangapurua Landing, the start of the 40-minute walk to the Bridge of Nowhere. Then, you'll have the rest of your day to paddle back the 32km to Pipiriki.

The Shortcuts: The Pororari River Track or Blackball to Barrytown

Get a taste for New Zealand's newest Great Walk on the 11km Punakaiki to Pororari loop, which takes about three hours to complete. Starting from the visitor centre at Punakaiki, the track follows the mountain bike entry/exit for the Paparoa Track, before crossing the Punakaiki River via footbridge. You can then follow the Pororari River Track downriver to the carpark, before walking the kilometre back to the visitor centre.

Feeling a bit more adventurous? Starting at the Blackball end of the track (the Smoke-ho carpark), you can spend the day hiking to the Ces Clark Hut. Although it's nearly 800m in elevation gain over 10km, the fact that the track is graded for mountain bikers works to trampers' advantage. Then, take the Croesus Track (a route most suitable for experienced outdoors people) down to Barrytown. Arrange a vehicle relocation with PaparoaGreatWalk.co.nz in advance, and your ride will be waiting for you at the bottom.

The Shortcut: Sandfly Point to Giants Gate Falls

Missed out on a Milford reservation? You're not the only one. The most popular of the Great Walks, it can be tricky to get a coveted spot on this track but luckily, a shortcut exists. With outfitter Fiordland OutdoorsCo., you can catch a boat to Sandfly Point and spend the next two hours walking to the 20m Giants Gate Falls. After a swim and picnic, return to Sandfly Point, where your boat will pick you back up ($50 adults; $25 children).

If that's not enough bragging rights, family-owned operator Trips & Tramps has a three-day guided package (adults $1175; children $1020), which includes one day on the Kepler (via helicopter), one day on the Milford (via boat) and one day on the Routeburn.

The Shortcut: Port William to Lee Bay

Like the Abel Tasman Great Walk, the parts of Stewart Island's Great Walk that run along the coastline can be done in sections with the help of a water taxi. For a satisfying half-day walk, we recommend hopping aboard a Rakiura Charters water taxi to Port William wharf and walking to Lee Bay.

The four-hour journey will take you past the former Mori Beach sawmill settlement, which operated from 1913 until 1931, onwards to Lee Bay. From there, you can book a taxi to collect you and take you back to Halfmoon Bay/Oban. Or you can walk the rest of the way back along the road, which takes an extra 90 minutes.

Check alert level restrictions, vaccine requirements and Ministry of Health advice before travel. covid19.govt.nz

Excerpt from:

Six shortcuts on New Zealand's Great Walks: Day hikes and taster trails - New Zealand Herald

Robyn Edie/Stuff

Graham and Glenise Hawkes will close Paddington Arms Restaurant at the end of December after 30 years. The restaurant was the only one in New Zealand to win the Beef and Lamb Excellence Awards 23 years in a row.

Well-known Southland chef Graham Hawkes is stepping out of the kitchen the commercial one, that is with the admiration and respect of his peers for his passion and dedication to the industry.

Hawkes has been inducted into the Hospitality New Zealand Hall of Fame on the eve of his retirement an honour he said made him feel humbly proud.

It comes as he and wife Glenise announced on Tuesday that they had sold their Invercargill restaurant Paddington Arms, which would close in December.

The family have operated hospitality businesses in the city since 1990 when they opened the Orchid Cafe tea kiosk in Queens Park (now the Cheeky Llama) before opening Paddington Arms in 1992.

READ MORE:* Young Southland chefs learn about hero local produce* Southland's hero produce featured in food tourism campaign * Southern students get a taste of the international hospitality industry * Invercargill chef Graham Hawkes celebrates 50 years of hearty culinary memories

Hawkes career has been filled with highlights like being the first Kiwi-born and trained chef to represent New Zealand in the Culinary Olympics in 1984, serving as Chef de Mission, judging, and even overseeing the Culinary Olympic judges.

Ive been very blessed by the people Ive met and the way Ive been entertained around the world."

Today, Hawkes, now 70, is an industry voice as the Southland branch president for Hospitality New Zealand a role hell continue.

He is also fiercely passionate about training young chefs and will continue his work with Southland Boys High Schools pathways programme, along with promoting Southland through the Savour the South campaign.

Having knowledge is a good thing, but youve got to share it. Im not retiring from the industry.

Hawkes said he wouldnt have been able to do any of it without the support of his wife and children.

I couldnt have done the thing Ive done without Glenise to keep the home fires burning, he said.

She fell into the hospitality industry when the pair married and Glenise said for her the life had been all about the people".

Weve had a relationship with the people of Invercargill for a long time, she said.

Come January, theyre looking forward to relaxing and spending time with their eight grandchildren.

The last two years have been really hard, Glenise said, while Hawkes added: There's still a lot of wine I havent tried.

Read the original here:

Graham Hawkes inducted into New Zealand Hospitality Hall of Fame - Stuff.co.nz

Business

2 Dec, 2021 04:25 AM2 minutes to read

The 2020-2021 dairy season average milk payout was the second highest in 10 years. Photo / File

Cows in New Zealand's $37 billion dairy industry produced record milk volumes last season despite a fall in their numbers.

The latest annual NZ Dairy Statistics report from industry good organisation DairyNZ and Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC) showed milking cows numbered 4.9 million - down from 4.92 million the previous season.

Yet the season posted a record total milk volume, total milksolids and per cow production, with 1.95 billion kgs of milksolids processed from the country's dairy farms.

The milksolids were contained in the total 21.7 billion litres of milk produced by the sector - up 560 million litres and 51 million kg on the previous season's processing.

The decrease in cow numbers was small at 0.36 per cent, but continued a trend of "more milk from fewer cows" as the industry focused on milking better cows and farming more sustainably, DairyNZ chief executive Dr Tim Mackle said.

Farmers were intent on developing more productive and efficient cows and farming systems with a lighter environmental footprint, he said.

Favourable weather conditions made grass grow well, and robust milk prices meant many farmers extended their 2020-2021 milking season.

The sector employs 50,000 Kiwis and was estimated to contribute $37b to the economy in 2020-2021, DairyNZ said.

Other key statistics from the new report:

Average milk production per cow was 397kg milksolids, a 3.1 per cent increase from 385kg last season and the highest on record. A total of 3.735 million cows were herd tested (76.2 per cent of cows) the highest on record. 3.497 million cows were mated to AB. The percentage of cows mated to AB was 71.3 per cent, which was higher than the previous season (70.8 per cent). 49.6 per cent of cows are Holstein-Friesian/Jersey crossbreed, a 0.5 per cent increase; 32.5 per cent are Holstein-Friesian; 8.2 per cent are Jersey; 0.4 per cent are Ayrshire; 9.3 per cent are other breeds. The average dairy cooperative payout of $7.75kg/milksolids was higher than the previous season ($7.20) and the second-highest average payout in the past 10 seasons.

1 Dec, 2021 10:30 PMQuick Read

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New Zealand milk production up but cow numbers fall - New Zealand Herald

A Hauraki iwi is nervous for its unvaccinated whnau as the lights of the new Covid-19 management system switch on.

Mori leaders have seen two close calls with Covid-19 cases in Hauraki, but with the move to the traffic light system at 11.59pm on Thursday, plans are being put in place to handle an outbreak.

Ngti Hei kaumtua Joe Davis said he was worried about the community and the pressure that Covid cases will place on health providers as the ability to keep Covid-19 out of the area becomes unrealistic.

Tom Lee/Stuff

Typical holiday traffic in Tairua the Hauraki region has long been a popular summer holiday spot.

Were absolutely scared as s..., and, if positive tests come back, what if we have to lock them all in here?

READ MORE:* Covid-19: Should we travel to areas with low vaccination rates this summer?* 'Don't come if you're not vaccinated' Whakat iwi urge holidaymakers to be responsible* Interislander introduces vaccine, testing requirements for passengers from December 15

Kelly Hodel/Stuff

Ngti Hei kaumtua Joe Davis is concerned about how unvaccinated whnau will cope as thousands visit Hauraki.

The iwi, theyre all on high alert. If youve got a cold, just stay home, its the least you can do.

The Hauraki region hosts more than 200,000 visitors over the holiday period, boosting its population tenfold over two months.

Thousands of people pack into campsites and, with Mori vaccination rates at a lower level than the general population, Davis was concerned the worst was yet to come.

It only takes one person to blow it apart, and its just around the corner. The statistics for Hauraki Mori are not good.

Around Whitianga we have a lot of artists, alternative lifestyles and anti-establishment, they have their rights. We have that dynamic, so that doesnt help.

Davis said the local GPs, Waikato District Health Board, public health organisations and Mori health providers were doing what they could to prepare for the swarm, but visitors needed to take responsibility for the consequences of their holiday travel.

With the borders going down, I dont know whats going to happen.

[Health providers] wont have the capacity or the capability. It will be a state of emergency.

In August, Coromandel residents set up a makeshift barricade at Manaia Bridge protect locals from visitors during alert level 4.

Davis said its possible roadblocks may be used again to close off the area by those who didnt want people to visit.

Christel Yardley/Stuff

Locals set up a roadblock just out of Coromandel stopping people coming in and out in August.

But Mori health provider Te Korowai Hauora o Hauraki chief executive Riana Manuel said that was before their vaccination numbers had risen, and the traffic light system had been developed to protect the unvaccinated.

Manuels staff were preparing as they always do to support the influx of visitors, but she knew there were added complexities with Covid-19 this year.

Everybody, vaccinated or unvaccinated, you must make a clear plan for how you are going to move around, and you must be responsible about your choices for you and your whnau.

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Te Korowai Hauora o Hauraki chief executive Riana Manuel says health providers are preparing for an influx of visitors.

Understand where youre coming to theres one way in and one way out and there are limited services and infrastructure here.

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The coastal townships of Hauraki were wonderful places to holiday, Manuel said, but visitors needed to take extra precautions.

Any symptom is a symptom, dont just assume its a head cold, just get a test.

Manuel urged visitors to be prepared if they tested positive for Covid-19 and be mindful of the resources they had on their trip and at home if they needed to isolate.

Whether it was food or health supplies, make sure those items were readily available in the home and in the car, Manuel said.

Have a plan for how you will return home and, at home, make sure you have all the gear you need.

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'Scared as' Hauraki iwi on high alert as New Zealand enters the traffic light system - Stuff.co.nz