Congratulations to Finn Anderson-Budd – winner of Eastbourne Unplugged 2025!
At just Year 7 at Muritai, Finn’s original rap Fair Shot cut through with honesty, rhythm, and heart. It’s bold, real, and says what a lot of people feel but don’t always say — and that’s exactly what great songwriting does.
The judges were blown away by the creativity and passion across all entries this year. After collating thousands of likes, comments, and messages from the community, Fair Shot rose to the top — proving that age is no barrier when you’ve got something to say.
As part of his win, Finn has chosen to donate $200 to KidsCan, continuing the Eastbourne Unplugged tradition of giving back to the community. The remaining $300 goes directly to Finn as the winner — well deserved!
Well done, Finn — you’ve made Eastbourne proud!
MEGA Issue #8 – October
Finally, some movement on the political front — Tory, Barry, and Guppy are gone, replaced by Little, Laban, and Zee. The fossils are flushed, but the pipes still leak and the turnout’s still tragic. Fresh faces, same sludge — that’s Wellington local government for you.
Meanwhile, Live Nation keeps tightening its grip on NZ’s live music scene — one company booking the acts, owning the venues, selling the tickets, and milking the profits. It’s not live entertainment anymore; it’s corporate captivity.
In Eastbourne, The Herald changes hands — a reminder that local journalism only survives if locals back it. Advertise, contribute, or lose it.
And real estate? Four agencies fighting over a handful of listings in a village that barely needs one. The signs are everywhere — literally. Time to bury the billboards and sell some common sense.
Visit www.mega.kiwi.nz...
Poll: Should we be giving the green light to new mining projects? 💰🌲
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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53.1% Yes
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46.9% No
GARDENER WANTED
Looking for recommendations for a gardener (no lawn-mowing), who can give our gardens and section the TLC they deserve (weeding, pruning, diggng out, planting and binning old garden waste) and anything else you may see that needs doing.
Thanks in advance 🙂
‘Tis the season to not get scammed ...
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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