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Queen Elizabeth II, the UK's longest-serving monarch, died last month at Balmoral aged 96, after reigning for 70 years. She died peacefully at her Scottish estate, where she had spent much of the summer, with family by her side. Her last duty, just two days before her death to appoint the new British Prime Minister, Liz Truss, which she did with her usual grace and smile. Her…

CHRISTMAS IS COMING! It may seem like a way off, but Christmas is just around the corner and local festivities include these unmissable events and shopping opportunities: Carols in the Park, December 2, from 6pm, Central Park Papakura Rotary Santa Parade, December 4, from 3pm, leaving from Central Park Chilling in the Park, follows the Santa Parade, from 4-6pm, Central Park …

Strong Competition amongst the mainstream banks has been a key factor in the limiting of interest rates rises until recently. The likelihood that we have reached the peak of the rising interest rate cycle is uncertain but with one last week and another signalled before the end year – we are not out of the woods yet. Interest rates and their influence on the borrowing power and…

I had an email last month from a reader in Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia who wanted to check on the whereabouts of his elocal from his home address in Pukekohe as his sister mentioned she hadn’t received one for a few months and he was disappointed as she would send them to him in Jakarta and he would pass them to the expat kiwis to read and there were thoroughly enjoyed. We…

Local elections decide who represents us on our city, district, and regional councils. In some parts of New Zealand, local elections are also held for local and community boards, licensing trusts, and some other organisations. The people elected to local councils get to make decisions about our daily lives and the future of our towns and cities. They set and collect rates,…

Every good relationship is built on knowing the people you deal with well and being able to communicate with them with a high degree of honesty. When you meet Ryan and Raphaëlle it is immediately apparent that they run their business in exactly that way. But who are Ryan and Raphaëlle and why should you reach out to them? Raphaëlle hails from a picturesque village (pop. 800)…

When Bayleys Branch Manager Sharleen Buchanan jumped into the driving seat of the local Pukekohe office just over 4 years ago, she set a goal to successfully lead and grow a dynamic sales team and to compliment them with a new modern office and customer focused space in which to work in. As the team grew and their market share increased, it quickly became evident that their…

Croquet is a sport that involves hitting ½kg plastic balls with a mallet through a series of hoops that are embedded in a grass playing court 32m x 25.6m. Pukekohe boasts its own local club with superb modern facilities that is looking to share its love of the game with new members. Officially formed in 1913, on land behind what is now the Town Hall, Pukekohe Croquet Club moved…

My decision to stand this year as a Franklin Ward candidate for Auckland Council reflects my view that voters must have the opportunity for a fresh voice and a fresh set of eyes. The role of a councillor is to represent to the Council the views and voice of residents, not the other way around and I will do that. Our community is gripped by the worst cost a living crisis in a…

Dr Adam Greenbaum Consultant Plastic Surgeon and Owner of Pukekohe’s newest plastic surgery clinic recently sat down with elocal to answer questions about his practice. From mole removal to full reconstructive surgeries, the team at Cutting Edge is here to help. E How long have you been in Pukekohe and what did you do before you came here? I’ve been practicing in Pukekohe…

The Youth Parliament programme is held every three years and provides an amazing opportunity for young people aged 16 to 18 years who are keen to make a difference in their communities. Every Member of Parliament around the country gets to select their own Youth MP to represent them and the young people of their local electorate for a six-month community-based tenure, the…

Bruce is married with two teenagers and has lived in Pukekohe for the last 18 years. Growing up in Taranaki with two older brothers; his father was a mechanic, mother a part-time cleaner at the local school. He Completed an Electrical apprenticeship upon leaving school, then later moved to Auckland. Bruce has a philosophy of self-reliance, personal freedom, and believes in the…

For further information or dinner ticket bookings, please do not hesitate to email Gary Bogaart at meremeredragway@xtra.co.nz - Saturday night’s formal dinner is ONLY $55 per head. There will be no door sales for Saturday night and it is limited to 200 people, so get in quick. There will be more information to follow. Back in 1973 a significant milestone was reached when…

Rarely has a political party promised so much in an election campaign and achieved so little during its time in office. Labour made extravagant promises to end child poverty, to build 100,000 houses over 10 years and make housing more affordable, to make a major contribution to reducing greenhouse gases, and to improve our education system. Instead child poverty has increased on…

Death of a Legend – Jimi Hendrix September 18th, 1970 A performance by Jimi Hendrix was sure to be frenetic, full of energy, and wild. He would rip fast on his guitar and at times smash his instrument to pieces at the end of a show. Watching Hendrix play was more than merely observing a performance — it was an experience. But it all ended when he was found dead on September 18th,…

The reversal in house prices comes as the Reserve Bank pursues aggressive policy tightening to dampen demand and curb inflation. It delivered a fourth straight half-percentage point interest-rate hike -- taking the Official Cash Rate to 3% -- and signalling more rises to come. Despite the soft July month, some chief economists don’t yet see sufficient cause to change their…

Welcome We welcome another new business to our community being Crown Cutz Barbershop located on the Great South Road in Papakura. Papakura Online: Don’t forget to check us out on Instagram (at #LivePapakura) and like us on Facebook with the two fabulous pages that we have: Papakura.Town.Centre and LivePapakura. These pages are all intended to keep locals up to date with…

A farmer named Bob was overseeing his animals in a remote mountainous pasture in Canterbury when suddenly a brand-new 2022 BMW iX, advanced toward him out of a cloud of dust. The driver, a young man in a Brioni®suit, Gucci® shoes, RayBan® sunglasses and YSL® tie, leaned out the window and asked the farmer “If I tell you exactly how many cows and calves you have in your herd, will…

By Maryanne Demasi, PhD In December 2020, the US FDA authorised the Moderna and Pfizer mRNA covid-19 vaccines, claiming “the benefits outweighed the harms.” Now, a group of international researchers has gone back to re-analyse the original trial data upon which that claim was made. A valid claim? A pre-print study (not yet peer-reviewed) by Fraiman and colleagues contradicts…

Two days ago Jacinda Ardern said her government was about to make a significant Covid policy announcement. Yesterday we were subjected to an hour long government extravaganza where a succession of expert politicians urged us yet again to wear masks (we already are), get boosted, leave our windows open (in winter), test frequently, and isolate (presumably whenever you feel a need…