Watch out for this pretty flower
Green thumbs are being asked to watch out for a beautiful but toxic flower that could be growing in their backyards.
What you need to know:
- Every part of the plant is poisonous, and can cause gastroenteritis, thirst, paralysis, blindness, and heart and kidney failure.
- This plant is hardy and normal pest control efforts are often not enough to eradicate.
- The cape tulip, growing up to 90cm high with one strap-like leaf, was introduced to Aotearoa in the 1940s, the Ministry for Primary Industries’ manager for pest management John Sanson said. “Cape tulips, like many of these invasive weeds, are really attractive ornamental species ...but they escape over people’s backyard fences and into pasture, as these things often do,”
- It was classified as a noxious plant in the late 1970s after they were discovered to cause harm to livestock and humans, even killing animals when too much as ingested.
- The salmon-pink flowers bloom for about two days a year between June and December, and have previously been an ornamental species for keen gardeners.
Sanson urged people who believed they had the weed growing on their property to leave it untouched and contact Biosecurity New New Zealand’s Exotic Pest and Disease on 0800 80 99 66.
Once a site was confirmed, manual removal or chemical treatment would start.
Secure your homes over summer
Police are reminding people to keep their homes secure during the summer months.
Inspector Glenda Barnaby, Christchurch Area Prevention manager, says daytime burglaries are just as common as nightime burglaries.
“Burglaries can be committed at any time of the day, and coming into warmer months there is more opportunity for thieves."
"Although a majority of burglaries involve forced entry through windows and doors, we are starting to see more incidents at insecure premises. Police deal with cases where burglaries are committed in broad daylight, sometimes even while the victim is at home. Good weather means open doors and windows, which makes homes more vulnerable to burglars.”
Inspector Barnaby says there’s a few things people can do to reduce their changes of a burglary being committed.
⚠️ If you’re going outside for gardening, relaxing in the sun, or working in the garage, take a moment to lock your doors and secure your windows first.
⚠️ Do the same at night when you go to bed - keep your doors and windows secure and close your curtains. Fitting window stays means you can get a breeze coming through, while keeping your windows secure.
⚠️ Get to know your neighbours - let them know if you’re going away and look out for one another.”
If you see any suspicious activity, people or vehicles in your neighbourhood, don't hesitate to contact Police.
If you witness or suspect any illegal activity, please call 111 if it is happening now, or make a report through 105 either online or over the phone, if it is after the fact.
Poll: Are our Kiwi summer holidays helping us recharge, or holding the economy back? ☀️🥝
There’s growing debate about whether New Zealand’s extended Christmas break (and the slowdown that comes with it) affects productivity.
Tracy Watkins has weighed in ... now it’s your turn. What’s your take? 🤔
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72.5% We work hard, we deserve a break!
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16.4% Hmm, maybe?
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11.1% Yes!
Read if you are in need of work to be done or looking to do work
Palmerston North people 👋
It seems like nearly every second day we are hearing about someone who has been scammed or messed around when they’re just trying to organise simple help. That's why I'm testing an idea for a local odd-jobs platform to help people get small household tasks done without the stress of trying to find someone reliable.
The goal is to build something that feels safe, local, and fair for everyone.
clear job descriptions
transparent pricing/bids
real profiles + ratings
We’ll start small with non-licensed jobs like:
🌿yard tidy-ups
🚮 rubbish removal
🚐 small moving help
🪣cleaning
🏠 minor repairs & maintenance (non-licensed)
The pilot won’t include electrical, gas, or certified plumbing.
With the cost of living right now, if you want to jump onboard as a customer or worker i’ve made an early access waitlist:
Join the early access list here: forms.gle...
I’ve also got a fully anonymous survey up that takes less than two minutes. This will help me tailor the categories, pricing expectations and see what people want most:
Quick survey here: forms.gle...
If you’ve ever struggled to get a small job done because it’s “too small” for tradies, or if you’re someone who wants to earn extra money doing honest work - I’d really love your input.
👉You can also book on behalf of a family member who needs a bit of extra help.
Thanks heaps 🙌
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