New book - Cannibals, Crocodiles and Cassowaries
Now in his 70s, Ross Lockyer spent much of his life living and working in the forestry and logging industry in remote locations in the Pacific and Asia (Papua New Guinea, Irian Jaya/West Papua, Borneo, Sumatra, Burma and more). With a gung-ho approach to life (and his own safety), Ross threw himself into his work and immersed himself in the local culture and communities wherever he went, learning the languages and customs that helped him fit in and do his job. He had many hair-raising adventures and close scrapes, and he encountered many amazing people wherever he went. This book is about Ross's time in pre-independence Papua New Guinea (1967-73) and captures a particular time in history when real adventure was still possible, and a young man's attitude made those adventures happen. His retelling is as fresh as if it happened yesterday and there is never a dull moment. The book includes some 60 coloured photographs from Ross's vast collection, which richly illustrate his writing.
Sample review from Brent.
A thoroughly enjoyable read written in a warm intimate kiwi style (often humorous) that really draws you in to Ross’s experiences. At times I felt like I was there with him facing the myriad of challenges, joys, hardships and fun of a kiwi bushman's life in late 60’s PNG. What’s so great about this story is that it’s equal part personal experience, PNG people & culture, environment and nature and Ross’s work life in forestry. It’s told from the kiwi bloke adventurer perspective in language that’s easily relatable - although very informative, it doesn’t come off as academic ‘study’ of PNG. On the contrary it strikes a great blend of personal recounts, observation and information based on the context of the events. This is an inspiring tale, especially in a modern age where we’re overly tempted to take the easy route and live vicariously through digital domains such as social media - this will light a spark in every youngster to get out there and LIVE!
Scam Alert: Fake information regarding December Bonuses from MSD
The Ministry of Social Development is reporting that fake information is circulating about new ‘December bonuses’ or ‘benefit increases’
If you get suspicious communication, please contact Netsafe.
Poll: Do you set New Year’s resolutions?
🎉 2026 is almost here!
We’re curious ... how do you welcome it?
Do you set resolutions, follow special traditions, or just go with the flow?
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10% Yes! New Year, New Me
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16.9% Yes - but I rarely stick to them
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73.1% Nah - not for me
Update to Neighbourly members on data breach 06/01/2025 8am
Yesterday in the High Court at Auckland, Neighbourly was successful in being granted an injunction against any unauthorised use of the data taken in a recent breach.
As we alerted you on January 1 and confirmed on January 3, our systems were accessed illegally and members’ information, including names, email addresses, GPS coordinates from the address you provided to us, forum posts and direct member communications were among the data that was accessed.
We acted immediately upon hearing of a potential breach: we temporarily disabled the site, notified members and authorities and worked with our external security consultants to understand if and how it had occurred. We then confirmed the breach with members, safely restored the site to service and began the process of seeking the injunction. Yesterday’s decision by Justice Johnstone prohibits the use of the data by any unauthorised person, and requires them to permanently delete it, or any information obtained from it.
This does not mean that vigilance against scammers is not still required: there is a large industry globally that seeks to use stolen information for identity fraud or to dupe people into providing details of their financial affairs for theft. Again, to keep yourself safe from scammers it is critical that you:
- Don’t click links in emails. Instead, type the web address directly into your browser. This helps ensure you’re visiting a real site, not a fake one
- Enable two-factor authentication where available as this adds an extra layer of security to your data
- Stay alert for phishing emails. Be cautious of unexpected emails asking for personal information, especially ones that create a sense of urgency.
Again, we want to apologise to you for this illegal access to the Neighbourly database and to assure you that we have carefully worked through how this occurred. We have safely secured the site and its services for use and ensured we have robust processes in place so this cannot happen again.
We are continuing to work with the relevant authorities, including the National Cyber Security Centre, on any further steps we need to take.
If you have any further questions please contact us via our customer support team at helpdesk@neighbourly.co.nz.
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