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We’re delighted to have been awarded silver in the 2026 Reader’s Digest Quality Service Awards.
This is the eighth time we’ve been honoured in these awards since they began in 2015.
Each year, Reader’s Digest conducts the Quality Service Awards survey to discover New Zealanders’ … View moreWe’re delighted to have been awarded silver in the 2026 Reader’s Digest Quality Service Awards.
This is the eighth time we’ve been honoured in these awards since they began in 2015.
Each year, Reader’s Digest conducts the Quality Service Awards survey to discover New Zealanders’ attitudes towards services from business across various industries.
Companies are assessed based on five pillars: personalisation, understanding, simplicity, satisfaction and consistency.
This recognition reflects the hard work, dedication and excellence that our teams strive for every day in our villages to deliver exceptional service standards.
Thank you to our amazing teams and to all those who took the time to complete the surveys!
With Christmas fast approaching and trees beginning to twinkle in homes across New Zealand, we’re on the hunt for NZ’s Most Loved Christmas Tree!
Whether it’s bursting with colour, elegantly minimal, or filled with sentimental touches from years past, we want to see how Kiwis are spreading… View moreWith Christmas fast approaching and trees beginning to twinkle in homes across New Zealand, we’re on the hunt for NZ’s Most Loved Christmas Tree!
Whether it’s bursting with colour, elegantly minimal, or filled with sentimental touches from years past, we want to see how Kiwis are spreading Christmas magic this season.
And now for the showstopper... 🌟
One tree will rise above them all, capturing the most public votes and the title of NZ’s Most Loved Christmas Tree 2025, along with the iPhone 17 Pro in Cosmic Orange, this year’s ultimate Christmas prize. 🎁🎄
To spread the cheer even further, four lucky trees will be chosen as Santa’s Lucky Trees, each receiving a $200 Space General Gift Voucher, the perfect way to add extra sparkle this season. 🎅🎁
Need a tree first? Explore our beautiful range here and start your Christmas magic!
📅 Public voting opens: 10 November 2025
⏳ Entries close: 17 December 2025
🎄 Winners unwrapped before Christmas — so strike a pose and share your festive masterpiece!
Parents and caregivers! Take advantage of FREE "Babysitting" for Kids 5+ while you enjoy a Kid-Free Date Night at one of our fabulous eating places here in Mt Eden Village!
The FREE supervised children’s activities will be held at the Mt Eden Village Centre and managed by Bricks4Kidz… View moreParents and caregivers! Take advantage of FREE "Babysitting" for Kids 5+ while you enjoy a Kid-Free Date Night at one of our fabulous eating places here in Mt Eden Village!
The FREE supervised children’s activities will be held at the Mt Eden Village Centre and managed by Bricks4Kidz Mount Eden which will organize different LEGO-building stations catering to various age groups and interests. This will not only keep the children engaged but also add an educational element to the evening. Pizza provided!
So go ahead and BOOK a Date Night with your partner or friend (or group of friends), BOOK your favourite eating place and BOOK your free "babysitting" service! We look forward to seeing you in Mt Eden Village!
Bookings essential. For children 5-13 years old.
For details and to register, please go to:
www.mounteden.co.nz...
Date Night Enquiries to: datenight@mounteden.co.nz
Bricks 4 Kidz Childrens Activities Enquiries to: centralwestakl@bricks4kidz.nz
Eateries: Circus Circus Cafe, De Nada, De Post Belgian Beer Cafe, Frasers, The Garden Shed, Gina's Italian Kitchen, Impression Restaurant Auckland, Indian Lounge, Katsu-Bay, Pasta & Cuore, Slimms Bar & Eatery, Sora Japanese Restaurant - Mt Eden, Taste of India Mount Eden, Vani's Kitchen New Zealand, Wu & You, XOONG
Brought to you by the Mt Eden Village Business Association in Conjunction with Bricks4Kidz Mount Eden
www.mounteden.co.nz...
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www.instagram.com...
www.bricks4kidz.co.nz...
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This is Mt Eden Village's last Date Night in 2025. We will advise dates for 2026 soon.
#MtEdenVillage #MountEdenVillage #Maungawhau #DineLocal #ShopLocal #DateNightInMtEdenVillage #KidFreeDateNight #Bricks4Kidz
Mayor Wayne Brown says he welcomes any Government law change to empower police to forcibly move homeless out of Auckland’s city centre - insisting it’s the Prime Minister’s job, not his, to eliminate the city’s “scruffy” characters.
Brown told the Herald Auckland Council has done all … View moreMayor Wayne Brown says he welcomes any Government law change to empower police to forcibly move homeless out of Auckland’s city centre - insisting it’s the Prime Minister’s job, not his, to eliminate the city’s “scruffy” characters.
Brown told the Herald Auckland Council has done all it can to solve the problem of rough sleepers’ intimidating, drunken behaviour in the city centre, but the bylaws available to him are weak.
“I had to put up with the Prime Minister telling me that the town is scruffy. The town looks good, but the people in it are scruffy,” Brown said.
“The thing is that we’re [Auckland Council] responsible for places. But the Government makes the rules about people’s behaviour. It’s a people problem. Bylaws are a very weak thing.
“I’ve spent half a million of my mayoral budget on supporting Māori wardens and council approval staff. The people out there [in the CBD] that they’re dealing with know that they can’t arrest them. It’s pretty frightening.”
The comments from Brown come after Government ministers confirmed this week they are considering possible legislation to give police new powers to move homeless people out of Auckland’s city centre.
On Thursday, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith confirmed a proposal for a move-on order was among the recommendations delivered to ministers by the Ministerial Advisory Group for Victims of Retail Crime.
Speculation around whether the Government was considering a law change to ban homeless people from the Auckland CBD – of which there are an estimated 800 – began on Tuesday, when Luxon was questioned about it by Labour in the House.
After a week of questioning by the media, Luxon indicated yesterday on Newstalk ZB that the Minister for Auckland, Simeon Brown, has “started to convene” with all the various agencies responsible for the Auckland CBD: Auckland Council, government agencies and NGOs.
“Yes, people have then leaked those conversations out to the media,” Luxon said.
“We should look at bylaws, we should look at move-on powers, we should look at all sorts of things. If you’re going to put a move-on power, you need to look at how you’re going to support that individual so you’re not just moving that individual into another part of the city.
“We have to sort this CBD out … it’s not good.”
Brown said he had no problem with such possible Government intervention and it was “exactly what they [the Government] should be focusing on”.
“No [problem], not at all. I mean, if they clean up Queen St, that’s bloody fine,” Brown said.
“I’m telling you [Prime Minister Christoper Luxon], that’s your job, mate. It’s not mine. I’ve made it nice. We’ve put planting in there. We’ve done all our other [stuff]. You go down there on a nice day and there’s no one bad around, it’s actually quite a nice place.”
Goldsmith said while the Ministerial Advisory Group for Victims of Retail Crime had been given suggestions, they had “made no decisions yet and all options are on the table”.
“I think everybody’s conscious of the fact that in terms of the CBD in Auckland, there’s a lot of antisocial behaviour and widespread concern amongst people who live there and work there,” Goldsmith said.
The policy hasn’t been included in any Cabinet paper, which would most likely need to be agreed to by the four ministers with responsibility for the issue: Goldsmith, Police Minister Mark Mitchell, Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka.
But Brown said it would be entirely feasible to have police move intimidating individuals to another, less high-profile location where the social and economic impact of their presence is reduced.
“Well, I think they go out into the countryside,” Brown said of a possible location for downtown Auckland’s homeless.
“The other part about it is the economic damage they do. [It] depends on where they’re doing it. I mean, if there’s a scruffy-looking person sitting outside a pub in Ngāruawāhia right now, it’s probably not enchanting, but it’s probably not closing off wealthy foreign tourists from spending a lot of money here. So the economic damage depends on where you are.”
In October, the business association for Auckland’s city centre “reluctantly” released a scathing survey that found store owners and offices believe homelessness, too few police, “neglect and disorder” and “frightening” antisocial behaviour are crippling their trade.
Among the most dire findings was 91% of operators saying rough sleepers and begging were affecting their business, and 81% believing the city centre was not in a good state to attract significantly more people and investment.
Brown said he greatly sympathised with the traders on Queen St.
“It’s a high-value area. They pay a lot of rates and they like to sell a lot of expensive s***.
“They should be able to, and they’ve been prevented by a whole lot of people who are not contributing to the economy, but who are being funded from the economy. The Government has to work out how they can connect giving them money and having some impact on them.
“You know, [for example] ‘we won’t give you any money if we find you sleeping in the street’ ... There’s plenty of freedom camping places they can go to.”
The city mayor was also not bothered by an apparent lack of communication between himself and the relevant Government ministers regarding discussions on any potential law change to remove the central city’s homeless population.
“I don’t need to hear from the Prime Minister or the Police Minister on that, they just do their job. They don’t have to consult the mayor. I mean, I’m sure he doesn’t expect me to ask him about where to put a bloody public seat for people to sit on.
“Simeon [Brown] to his credit, has shown up to represent the Government, but there’s about 15 different ministers who’ve got a say in this.”
Brown said he did speak with the Minister for Auckland, Simeon Brown, about the Government discussions last week.
Brown also said he himself had been subjected to intimidating behaviour recently while walking through the “lovely” Fort St pocket park, which Auckland Council installed.
“If you happen to be there when there’s nobody in it or there’s nobody nasty in it, it’s quite an appealing place to sit there in the sunshine and have a coffee and your lunch.
“But if there happens to be two big, ugly, angry drug dealers sitting on the bench, not surprisingly [it isn’t appealing]. Particularly when I went there last time, a very large fellow told me that I should f*** off, so I took his advice.”
National MP Ryan Hamilton’s member’s bill is also in the ballot, which would give police the ability to move people on from an area if their presence was causing distress, disorder or a nuisance.
As with most member’s bills, it already has the support of the National caucus, which would include the four ministers charged with drawing up a Cabinet paper.
If Goldsmith and his colleagues were to draft a proposal, it would need to go out to consultation with coalition partners Act and NZ First.
Sources in these parties seemed unaware of a move-on order proposal, only hearing about it on Tuesday when Labour leader Chris Hipkins started probing Prime Minister Christopher Luxon about it in the House.
If the two coalition partners agreed on the proposal, it could then be drafted into legislation and passed. However, it is not clear that they do.
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Or maybe you’re caring for someone who is. Prostate Cancer Foundation NZ invites you to join them and local specialists for a patient information evening at Auckland Grammer School,Thursday 13 November. Learn how new therapies, technologies, and innovations are improving outcomes and quality of … View moreOr maybe you’re caring for someone who is. Prostate Cancer Foundation NZ invites you to join them and local specialists for a patient information evening at Auckland Grammer School,Thursday 13 November. Learn how new therapies, technologies, and innovations are improving outcomes and quality of life for men living with advanced prostate cancer.
FREE Entry. Registration required.
For patients, families, whānau, carers, and health professionals.
Anybody interested in used decking timber, free to a good home? It is pine, 32mm x 90mm, griptread on one side, smooth on the other. I have around 45 lengths @ 1.5m and 35 @ 2.1m.
Good for making raised garden beds, compost boxes etc.
Pickup is in Alverston St, Waterview
One of the performers at Cirque du Soleil’s Auckland show today suffered a fall and had to be stretchered off and taken to hospital.
The show at Spark Arena was stopped for around half an hour while medical staff attended to the injured performer, a member of the crowd told the Herald.
The … View moreOne of the performers at Cirque du Soleil’s Auckland show today suffered a fall and had to be stretchered off and taken to hospital.
The show at Spark Arena was stopped for around half an hour while medical staff attended to the injured performer, a member of the crowd told the Herald.
The crowd member said that screens covered the stage while the performer was receiving treatment.
Cirque du Soleil said the man suffered a “rough landing” but was fully conscious and taken to hospital for further checks.
“On Saturday, November 8th, 2025, during the 12h00 performance of Cirque du Soleil’s Corteo in Auckland, an artist who is part of the final act Tournik act had a rough landing in the safety mattress during the completion of a group acrobatic skill.” the company said.
“As a precautionary measure and in accordance with our emergency response protocols, we stopped the show to allow the emergency intervention team of Corteo to safely bring the artist backstage, where he was immediately taken in good care by our performance medicine team.
“He was fully conscious and was transported to the hospital for further examination. The show resumed about 25 minutes after the incident.”
Cirque du Soleil said the man’s condition would be monitored to determine when he could safely return to his activities.
“Corteo will continue performing as planned through Sunday, November 9th at Spark Arena.”
The audience member said initially they thought the medical staff could have been part of the show, but they “pretty quickly got the feeling it wasn’t.”
It was hard to tell what happened as there were a lot of performers on stage, but it looked like the man fell awkwardly, they said.
He initially got up but soon collapsed.
Another audience member told the Herald that once the injured performer was taken off, the stage was reset and the show went straight to the finale with performers coming on and bowing.
Others they had spoken with said the incident happened near the end of the show, which would only have a couple of minutes left to run anyway.
Hato Hone St John said it was notified of the incident at 2.11pm.
“Our crews assessed and treated one patient who was transported to Auckland City Hospital in a moderate condition.”
Today’s remaining scheduled Cirque du Soleil shows at Spark Arena for today are at 4pm and 8pm.
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Spark, One NZ and 2degrees are all switching off their 3G cellular networks by early 2026. If you have a 3G-reliant mobile phone, tablet or watch, it’ll lose its ability to call, text and use data. Here’s how to avoid disruption.
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Person using phone… View moreSpark, One NZ and 2degrees are all switching off their 3G cellular networks by early 2026. If you have a 3G-reliant mobile phone, tablet or watch, it’ll lose its ability to call, text and use data. Here’s how to avoid disruption.
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Person using phone
Short for ‘third generation’, 3G describes a wave of mobile network technology. 3G was the first generation to truly support mobile internet, but it’s been superseded by faster and more reliable 4G and 5G networks. Extensive 4G coverage, in particular, means 3G isn’t required any longer.
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Free-text 3G to 550 to check your device
Find out if you’re ready for the shutdown using your provider’s free checking service.
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All you need to do is text the word ‘3G’ (without the quote marks) to the robot number 550. A few seconds later, the number will respond with instructions from your provider on what you need to do to prepare for the end of 3G.
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Most people won’t have to do anything, because their devices will be able to use 4G instead. But, if you do need to take action, you'll want to know as soon as possible.
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Some 4G phones won’t be able to make calls
Even if you have a 4G-capable phone, don’t assume it’ll be able to make phone calls over 4G – especially if it’s second-hand, bought from overseas or very basic.
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Some 4G-enabled mobiles still fall back on 3G for voice calls (even for 111 emergency calls).
Initially, 4G was focused on data only. Later, the industry introduced VoLTE (voice over long-term evolution), which let compatible devices make calls over the 4G network. Sometimes VoLTE is simply called ‘4G calling’.
However, VoLTE adoption was relatively slow among low-cost phones, and some cheaper devices still use 3G for voice even while they use 4G for data.
You can check lists of VoLTE-compatible devices for the Spark, One NZ and 2degrees networks. However, support is only guaranteed if you bought directly from your mobile provider.
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How to activate 4G calling in your phone settings
If your phone is relying on 3G, you might be able to change some settings to get it ready for the shutdown.
First, if you have any pending system updates, install them now.
Apple
If you have an iPhone 6 or later, running iOS 14 or higher, it's fully 4G capable by default. You can go to Settings > Mobile, select your SIM (or Mobile Data Options for a single-SIM model) then Voice & Data to check 4G and/or 5G are on.
Android
If you see a small VoLTE symbol at the top of your phone screen next to the signal bar, it means VoLTE is active. You don’t need to do anything, and your phone will continue to make calls after 3G is turned off.
If you don’t see the VoLTE symbol, look for an option to switch on VoLTE in your phone’s settings menu.
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Samsung: Go to Settings > Connections > Mobile networks. Make sure the network mode is either 5G preferred or LTE preferred. On an older Samsung, the option might be called auto connect instead. Then, switch on the VoLTE calls option, if it’s there.
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Oppo: Navigate to Settings > Mobile network, then select your SIM. Switch on VoLTE calls.
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On other Androids, from brands such as Motorola and Google, the setting will be in a similar place.
If you can’t get 4G calling, you need a new phone
Unfortunately, if none of the above options work, you might need to buy a new device.
If cost is a factor for you, ask your provider about affordable options.
When it comes time to get rid of your 3G phone, don’t throw it away. New Zealand has a comprehensive phone recycling and reuse programme.
You can recycle any phone for free at over 500 locations, including any Noel Leeming or Resene paint store, and at all 2degrees, One NZ and Spark shops (regardless of which provider you’re with). For more details, visit remobile.org.nz.
Your consumer rights
Any recently sold phone should support 4G calling. We think if you’ve bought a phone that relies on 3G calling since early 2024, and you weren’t told it’d stop working this year, you were sold a phone that's not fit for purpose. You’d be within your rights to ask for a refund or replacement under the Consumer Guarantees Act.
The final network operator to announce its 3G shutdown, 2degrees, did so in July 2023, signalling a late-2025 end date. Even before that, the signs were clear that 3G was on its way out, so retailers and importers had plenty of warning.
Remember to check specifically about 3G reliance before you buy a new device. Online shops based overseas, in particular, may not be aware that 3G is ending here or may be intentionally offloading old stock while they can.
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Frequently asked questions
Will any other products be affected by the shutdown?
Yes. 3G mobile is used by more than just phones and tablets. If you have one of the following devices in your home, check with its provider whether it runs on 3G. If it does, it’ll fail once the switch is flicked, so you should look to upgrade or replace it now.
Medical alarms
Security alarms
Car trackers
Some smart electricity meters
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What if my area is only serviced by 3G?
If you’re in one of the pockets of the country that’s covered by 3G, but not 4G, try not to worry. The network owners – 2degrees, One NZ and Spark – are working to expand their 4G (and 5G) coverage over the coming months.
One NZ claims that “you’ll be able to access 4G everywhere that you currently access 3G” by 31 December, while 2degrees is “committed to rolling out 4G at every existing 3G site”.
A small number of customers are expected to lose coverage temporarily due to the physics of broadcasting radio waves at new frequencies. The operators say they will tune their networks to support these customers.
When I make a call, I hear a recorded message about 3G beforehand. Am I being scammed?
No, these are genuine messages. Your mobile operator believes that you may have a 3G-reliant device and wants to help you stay connected after the shutdown.
You can stop the messages by shifting onto 4G calling – either by activating it in your settings or moving to a new device.
You might not hear the message every time you make a call, but as the shutdown date approaches, it may play more often.
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Can I get by with internet-based instant messaging?
If your phone doesn’t have 4G calling but can use 4G data, you might be tempted to use a service like WhatsApp or Messenger for calling.
The big risk with not having a cellular connection is how you will be able to deal with an emergency.
Over mobile networks, 111 calls are prioritised for the best possible connection and will even jump to another network if your provider’s network isn’t available.
However, internet-based voice services don’t necessarily deliver 111 calls in the same way, meaning your emergency call might not get through at all. This is also true for satellite services, such as Starlink.
For many people, the risk isn’t worth it.
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Are 4G and 5G dangerous to my health?
No. Consumer NZ helps advise the government on the health effects of radio frequency fields, including those generated by 4G and 5G. We are in the room when the most up-to-date research is analysed and discussed. To date, we have seen no evidence of health risks from 4G or 5G infrastructure. If reliable research about any dangers does start to appear, we will act immediately.
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Need more help?
Your mobile provider can support you through the 3G shutdown if you’re nervous or unsure what to do next. If you can, it’s best to drop into a branch and ask for their help.
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Wanted wooden post caps in metal or wood or plastic.
Ready to buy if you have few.
Rates have been rising quickly in many parts of the country in recent years.
When Stats NZ released consumer price index (CPI) data for the September quarter last week, it noted that rates were up 8.8 percent year-on-year.
That was lower than the 12.2 percent increase in the September 2024 … View moreRates have been rising quickly in many parts of the country in recent years.
When Stats NZ released consumer price index (CPI) data for the September quarter last week, it noted that rates were up 8.8 percent year-on-year.
That was lower than the 12.2 percent increase in the September 2024 quarter, but higher than the average increase of around 7.3 percent observed between 2018 and 2025.
Auckland Council's head of rates, valuations and data management, Rhonwen Heath, said 6.6 percent of rates, or 42,902 households were outstanding at the start of the 2025/2026 year.
"For the previous two years, 5.4 percent of rates were unpaid. Four years ago in 2022/2023, 8.2 percent of rates were outstanding.
"Throughout the year, reminder letters, follow-up calls and emails are issued to assist customers. Ratepayers can catch-up on any outstanding rates at any time during the rating year."
Wellington City Council said 7825 ratepayers were in arrears at the end of September, or 9.3 percent. They owed a total $39 million. In 2021, 7302 ratepayers had been in arrears, or 9.05 percent.
In Christchurch, 2.98 percent of properties had rates arrears, compared to 3 percent in 2021.
David Verry, a financial mentor at North Harbour Budgeting Services said before Covid, budget services rarely saw clients who had mortgages.
But as interest rates rose, that had started to change. Many households struggled with large home loan debt they had taken on while rates were low, he said.
"Whilst they were struggling to meet the fortnightly repayments, alongside all the other expenses, it was things like the rates bill that tipped them completely over the edge. This would have been common amongst the budgeting services.
"From what I've seen, rates increases across the country have been well above the rate of inflation ...Where there haven't been commensurate increases in incomes then things like the rates increases will tip people over the edge when budgets are tight. And things like insurance premiums may have also gone up too…along with electricity prices and the other cost of living increases."
He said it was not uncommon to see councils taking action under the Property Law Act to force a bank to pay rates and add the money to a mortgage.
It was something that was highlighted in Massey University's recent retirement expenditure guidelines.
Research lead Associate Professor Claire Matthews said rates were a growing problem for retired households.
She said some of the arrears could be a protest vote against council while others were because people could not afford them.
Jake Lilley, spokesperson for Fincap, the network that supports financial mentors, said rates and power costs were difficult for people on fixed incomes.
"The numbers in our Voices reports continue to show more homeowners presenting for assistance with financial mentors each year. We've seen a 38.7 percent increase in the proportion of debt listings where local government is the creditor between 2021 and 2024. However, the median amount of these debts has reduced to $1098 between 2023 and 2024.
"The data also captures dog registrations, parking infringements, library fines, and unpaid noise complaint fines and other local government debts as well as rates.
"Financial mentors have commented on lack of clarity and inconsistencies between different councils, which makes dealing with debt to council especially challenging. We've made recommendations to include debt to local government in the debt to government framework, and to ensure that there are effective hardship support policies at councils."
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Transform wooden pallets into a portable bench or kitchen island with Resene paints and wood stains. Find out how to make and paint your own portable bench with these easy step by step instructions.
From 2 to 26 November, we will be installing a new electronic overhead sign on SH20 near the Portage Road overbridge. Works will take place Sunday to Thursday nights, between 10pm and 5am.
Expect a combination of northbound and southbound closures as well as lane restrictions.
Should fireworks be restricted to public displays only
A big congratulations to the 2025 Resene Bright Spots winners! We are proud to announce our ten winners who have all won a $250 Prezzy card and a $250 Resene Gift card!
Deepa Keenawinna - Lower Hutt (home crafts)
Slava Voronin - Kerikeri (blossoming tree)
Sam Holliday - Paraparaumu (hot pink … View moreA big congratulations to the 2025 Resene Bright Spots winners! We are proud to announce our ten winners who have all won a $250 Prezzy card and a $250 Resene Gift card!
Deepa Keenawinna - Lower Hutt (home crafts)
Slava Voronin - Kerikeri (blossoming tree)
Sam Holliday - Paraparaumu (hot pink outdoor chair)
Chris Carlyon - Waikanae (French Bulldog painting)
Joel Bradley - Auckland (Kea painting)
Jayne Walton - Rangiora (rainbow gate
Charmaine Macpherson - Cheviot (colourful bathtab)
Adele Whittaker - Auckland (school mural)
Karan Robson - Foxton Beach (blue backdoor)
Dave Bang - Levin (native bird mural)
Take a look at their wonderful colourful entries below. A huge thank you to everyone who shared a Bright Spot in their community this year; we have loved seeing the places in your neighbourhood that bring you joy.
© Neighbourly 2025
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