60 days ago

Did you vote yet?

Hira Siddiqui from Citizens Advice Bureau Pakuranga/Eastern Manukau

Who ticks your boxes in Auckland local elections? 🗳

Voting in the local elections is open now and Aucklanders are invited to learn about candidates.

Find out who to vote for by using the Vote Auckland online candidate catalogue:

voteauckland.co.nz...

The candidate catalogue helps voters learn which ward and local board areas they are voting in and who is standing for their area.
Best of all, candidates have supplied their own short statements for the catalogue so voters can get a real flavour about them and their aspirations.

Auckland Council’s General Manager Governance and Engagement, Lou-Ann Ballantyne believes this catalogue will be a great help to voters.
“Elected members are important people in our community and region, but they may not have the same instant recognition as TV or movie stars. That aside, your vote could make a difference to the way local decisions are made about your area’s busy library, pools and leisure centres, parks and sports fields, public transport, infrastructure, and much more,” she says.
“Remember, it’s not just about voting for the mayor. Decisions for Tāmaki Makaurau are made by the council’s Governing Body, that’s the mayor and 20 councillors, and our 21 local boards.”

Find out more about the responsibilities of the mayor, ward councillors and local board members:
voteauckland.co.nz......

Here’s how you can easily find out who you might vote for:
1. Visit voteauckland.co.nz/en/information-for-voters/candidates.html
2. If you know your ward and local board area, click on it to view the candidates and their profiles. Or enter your home address to see the candidates you can vote for.
3. Filter your search by looking at candidates for each position: mayoral, ward councillor, local board member and licensing trust.
4. Filters are also available by topics, such as: transport, natural environment and more, so you can compare and contrast candidates by their priorities.
Once you have an idea of who you might ‘swipe right’ for, all you need to do is sit back and wait for your voting papers to arrive between 9 - 22 September. Tick the names of the people you think can best represent you, pop your paper into the return envelope and drop your vote at your nearest vote box.

No papers? No problem!

If your papers don’t arrive, pop into select libraries across the region, or a Vote-on-the-Go where you can enrol and cast a special vote on the spot. Vote-on-the-Gos will be held at markets, community centres, universities, marae and many other locations. You can find all the details also at:

voteauckland.co.nz...

Info credit (abridged): Auckland Council
Image(s) credit: Vote 2025 / votelocal.co.nz

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5 days ago

Poll: Should we be giving the green light to new mining projects? 💰🌲

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

The Environmental Protection Authority announced this week that a proposed mine in Central Otago (near Cromwell) is about to enter its fast-track assessment process. A final decision could come within six months, and if it’s approved, construction might start as early as mid-2026.

We want to know: Should mining projects like this move ahead?

Keen to dig deeper? Mike White has the scoop.

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Should we be giving the green light to new mining projects? 💰🌲
  • 53.1% Yes
    53.1% Complete
  • 46.9% No
    46.9% Complete
1627 votes
8 days ago

Aucklanders, we want to know: How are you feeling about the current property market?

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

New Zealand homeowners are now more likely to sell at a loss than at any time since 2013, and if you’re in Auckland or Wellington, the odds are even higher.

But there is a silver lining: buyers are still in a strong position when it comes to negotiating prices.

So we’re curious…
How are you feeling about the current property market?

If you’re keen to dive into the details, Deborah Morris breaks down all the latest insights.

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14 hours ago

‘Tis the season to not get scammed ...

The Team from New Zealand Police

As Christmas gift shopping moves increasingly online, scammers are ramping up their activity across the country.

Dunedin’s Investigation Support Unit is seeing more and more people fall victim to scams and other fraudulent activity, particularly on Facebook Marketplace.

There are a few ways to avoid the scams and keep yourself safe doing online trades this holiday season, says Southern District Service Delivery Manager Senior Sergeant Dalton.
🔒 “A good first step when looking to purchase something on Marketplace is to check when the seller’s Facebook profile was created. If it’s very recent, there is a higher risk that they have just created this account for a one-off fake item.”
🔒 Another important step is to make sure the seller’s profile name and bank account name match up. “We’re seeing a lot of scammers claiming their bank account name is different because it belongs to their partner or family member - that’s a huge red flag."
🔒 “When you’re selling, never trust a screenshot anyone sends you showing that payment has been made. Check your own bank account to make sure a payment has gone through."
🔒 “Quite frankly, it’s best for all parties to agree to pay, or be paid, for items in cash and in-person. Ideally in a public place with CCTV coverage."
🔒 "If you’re buying a car, check Carjam.co.nz to see if it’s stolen or if there’s money owed on it.”

A reminder: Suspicious activity can be reported on 105

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