The Star: June 15, 2023

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The latest 2023 Nielsen readership survey
is out and it reports...
Thursday, June 8, 2023 | Christchurch’s best read and largest circulating newspaper
School principals
on vaping
crackdown
– page 5
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 7, 2023 Passionate about our place
starnews.co.nz
Rising
to the
challenge
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Sometimes the most compelling thing is what isn’t there.
Petrus van der Velden Burial in the Winter on the Island of Marken 1872. Co lection of
Christchurch Art Ga lery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, gift of Henry Charles Drury van Asch, 1932
By JOHN COSGROVE
Eyebrows were raised at the Rangiora
Showgrounds when a duck waddled off
with the top prize.
Chief Judge Ian Selby says the real
question was ‘‘why not a duck’’?
This was the first time the Champion
Bird in Show award has gone to a duck
in the history of the New Zealand
National Poultry Show.
‘‘I only had six birds to judge. They
were the best in their breeds here, and
so I was looking for anything wrong
with them.’’
He says every one of them were good
birds, but Willow, the Silver Appleyard
Duck, was the one with the least
number of faults.
‘‘The duck's body and stance were
good, and it had a great temperament,
so it was worth putting the duck up for
the champion in the show.’’
Willows's temperament extends to
cuddles and kisses, said owner and
breeder Caroline Falkingham of
Darfield.
She says winning was an accident.
‘‘A couple of years ago I put one male
duck, with one female duck, and out
popped a very special Appleyard.’’
Three generations later, Caroline
says her very special Appleyard, has
climbed to the top and somehow beaten
out all the chickens at the show.
‘‘I’m very surprised she won. She has
won at other shows, but to have a duck
come out and win at the national show
is something very amazing.’’
The president of the North
Canterbury Poultry and Pigeon Club,
Gary Donald, says hosting the national
show was a long time coming.
‘‘We applied to hold it four years ago.
‘‘It runs on alternate years between
the North and South Islands, and in
Rangiora we had over 1400 in nine
categories from all over the country
competing.’’
The categories included light and
heavy breeds, fancy bantams, pigeons,
ducks and game fowl.
Serena O’Brien of Twizel has been
exhibiting for 17 years, starting when
she was four.
She loves her bantams and finds
competing a lot of fun. ‘‘It’s my own
• By Tara Shaskey
TWO Australian sports
stars dancing in their undies
provoked more complaints
from TV viewers than any
other.
The commercial ad
complained about the most
to the Advertising Standards
Now open | Free entry
District
weathers
property slump
Page 3
Authority was a Tradie
workwear campaign featuring
Australian freestyle skier
Danielle Scott dancing in front
of rugby union player Nick
‘Honey Badger’ Cummins.
The eight complainants
said the ad was offensive,
objectified women and was
not appropriate for children.
But the Advertising Standards
Authority complaints board
dismissed their gripes, ruling
the scene showing Cummins
using a leaf blower while he
and Scott were dressed in their
underwear did not reach the
threshold to cause serious
offence.
•Turn to page 3
are bearing the
financial burden of transporting
cruise ship passengers from
Lyttelton into the central city.
It has led Environment
Canterbury, which operates the
city’s public bus services, to warn
it is likely to cost ratepayers a
minimum of $500,000 more next
cruise ship season with passenger
numbers increasing by 30 per
cent.
The warning comes as the city
council grapples with its planned
general rates rise of 7.88 per
cent, up from the 5.68 per cent
projected in March. It is hoped
cost cutting will get the increase
down to just over 6 per cent when
the rates are set later this month.
Cruise ship passengers
swamped public buses in Lyttelton
and on the return trip from the
central city during the summer,
angering other bus users who
couldn’t get seats.
ECan reacted to the outcry by
putting on more buses to meet the
demand at a time when there were
driver shortages.
Seventy-nine cruise ships
berthed at Lyttelton during the
season, including the massive
Ovation of the Seas.
•Turn to page 4
– page 18
Cruise
ship
buses
impact
on rates
Property Guide liftout inside
Cancer survivor
makes her mark
helping others
Pages 9-10
Boys’ netball soars
• By Jaime Cunningham
MEET THE ‘Westie Wekas’
all boys netball team – a first
for Selwyn – and a sign of the
changing times.
The West Melton team was
formed by friends Brax, Kaiden,
Reid, Kade, Finn, Ollie and
Franklin after two of the boys
played last year and “loved it”.
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Parent-coach Hannah Helm,
who has played netball since
she was five, looked forward to
coaching her kids until her sons
chose to play rugby.
However, last year Helm asked
her youngest son Reid if he
wanted to give netball a go. He
agreed to – as long as he could
play with a friend.
“This year, Reid said he would
Thursday, June 8, 2023 | Issue 1049 | www.starnews.co.nz
A quacking champion tale
• By Jaime Cunningham
FOR THE third time this
season, Sumner will have the
opportunity to get their hands
on the DCL Shield – this time
against table-leaders University
on Saturday.
Coming off the back of a
rest week following their 47-36
comeback win over thirdplaced
Lincoln University, the
Wave have the chance to climb
into the top four of the Metro
Premier competition with a
win in round eight.
The Wave have already
challenged the shield in round
one against Linwood (24-20
loss) and in round four against
Marist Albion (40-20).
Although beating University
at home will be a challenging
feat, Sumner head coach
Gareth D’almeida is primarily
focused on the improvement of
his team.
“Each opposition is different,
but it’s more about us than any
opposition,” he said.
“The most exciting thing is to
only play if I got all his friends
to play. It didn’t take much convincing,
and the Westie Wekas
were formed,” Helm said.
The seven boys play on
Monday nights at the Selwyn
Sports Centre in the year 3 and
4 FutureFerns grade, a 5-a-side
format consisting of eightminute
quarters.
• Turn to page 6
TEAM: The Westie
Wekas are the first
all-boys netball team
to play at the Selwyn
Netball Centre. From
left: Brax, Kaiden,
Reid, Kade, Finn,
Ollie and Franklin.
• Netball team’s breast
cancer fundraiser, page 6
Willow wins . . . Willow, the Champion Bird in Show a the NZ National Poultry
Show, is cuddled by breeder and owner Caroline Falkingham of Darfield . (More
photos page 22). PHOTO: JOHN COSGROVE
special project, I love breeding my her father Clinton O’Brien introduced
Bantams and competing,’’ Serena, who her to breeding.
works for DOC in its rare Black Stilts He has exhibited since he was 12
breeding programme in Twizel, says years old.
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With four round robin games
remaining, Sumner sit sixth
Lynley, Orla, Lil, Grant (Pharmacist/Owner) Pav, Sue, Bri tany, Ke lie
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with 21 points – just three
behind third-placed Lincoln
University (24).
But D’almeida believes his
team’s best is yet to come.
• By Daniel Alvey
PROPERTY OWNERS in the
district will face a 5.9 per cent
rates increase – despite the district
council signing off on nearly
$500,000 in extra spending.
It will mean households will pay
on average an extra $3.36 a week –
or $174.72 a year.
Selwyn’s rates increase is the
lowest of any of its neighbouring
councils.
Each household’s increase may
be smaller or greater, depending
on its location, services and
property value.
District councillors set the
increase after debating several
final additions to the draft
Annual Plan following public
submissions.
The plan will now be
signed-off on June 28, with the
new rates set to be charged from
the end of July.
It comes as Christchurch
City Council ratepayers face
an average rise of 7.9 per cent,
higher than the 5.68 per cent
forecast earlier this year.
• Turn to page 4
Business
Premises
to Lease
80m 2 & 176m 2
8 Vernon Drive,
Lincoln
Enquiries to
Mike 027 570 7674
E: mike@bel.nz
Selwyn
facing
5.9%
rates
increase
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 7, 2023 Connecting Your Local Community
New future
for old
clubhouse
By ROBYN BRISTOW
Waimakariri District Mayor Dan Gordon is
running for the role of President of Local
Government New Zealand (LGNZ).
He says standing for the role had not been on
his ‘‘horizon’’, but a growing number had
encouraged him to consider standing due to the
‘‘leadership I had taken on Three Waters’’.
LGNZ is the leadership group for local
government and provides advocacy and support
for local councils.
It is the lobby group for local government to
central government and provides professional
development and consultancy services for
councils.
‘‘ In recent years LGNZ has lost its way
especially with regards to Three Waters, this has
been witnessed with a number of councils like
Auckland and Kaipara deciding to leave and a
number of others considering similar action.
‘‘I made the decision to stand as you can either
sit on the side­lines or do something about it. A
key priority for me is to ensure that LGNZ
represents its membership and concentrates on
advocating for councils and their communities,’’
says Mr Gordon.
‘‘My record shows that I am prepared to stand
up for the things that matter.’’
Mr Gordon helped set up Communities 4
Local Democracy, a Three Waters advocacy
group born out of frustration that LGNZ signed
an agreement with the Government affecting
‘‘our ability to engage and shape Three Waters
Reform’’.
‘‘It did this without obtaining a mandate from
members. This must never happen again.’’
‘‘I am a candidate for change. I want to build
strong relationships across the political
spectrum and work hard to re­unite the sector.
LGNZ needs to regain trust and show that we
can make a difference.
‘‘Strong local government and local
democracy are hugely important for the success
of every council and community. We have seen
through Three Waters and other reform
processes recently that the local voice is not
being heard. Local Government needs to work
and lobby for all communities.’’
Third time lucky
for Sumner?
Page 7
“Our main focus is the
second round. Whatever
way we can get through is
fine.”
• Turn to page 10
BID: Sumner lock
Hugo O’Loughlin
challenges a lineout
in the Wave’s last
DCL Shield match
against Marist
Albion in round
four. Sumner lost
40-20.
PHOTO: MARIST
ALBION RUGBY
CLUB
Waimak Mayor
to stand for
LGNZ president
How much
screen time is
too much?
Page 10
• By Heidi Slade
A HEATHCOTE Valley book
editor and author has become
a member of the New Zealand
Order of Merit.
The King’s
Birthday Honour
was for Anna
Rogers’ services to
literature.
It is given for
meritorious service
to the Crown
and nation or
for distinguished
contributions.
Currently working as a freelance
book editor from her Heathcote
Valley home, Rogers said the
award feels strange.
“The thing about editing is that
no one sees the work,” she said.
“It’s a back-room job. It feels
quite strange to be out of the backroom.”
As the author of more than 10
books, Rogers is most proud of
writing, With Them Through
Hell, which was shortlisted in the
2019 Ockham New Zealand Book
Awards. •Turn to page 4
30 Jun
- 2 Jul
2023
Author
joins
Order
of Merit
Anna
Rogers
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Christchurch Aren
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