On Sunday September 19, Feilding residents will be challenged to complete “10,000 laps for Feilding” in an event to support strength in the community.

In light of recent events, Sport Manawatu wants to help unite Feilding and the wider community by creating a special event based on fun sporting activities. 

Sport Manawatu’s Sean O’Connor sheds light on the event, “I grew up, went to school and played sport in Feilding so I know that it’s a great town with great people and we want to show support by putting on a festival of sport that the entire community can be part of and enjoy.”

To be held at Feilding’s Kowhai Park and with the aid of Feilding Promotions and Manawatu District Council, “10,000 Laps for Feilding” will incorporate a number of popular sports and activities like frisbee, golf, touch rugby, backyard cricket and a big running track to register 10,000 laps of support. 

Manawatu District Council Mayor, Ian McKelvie says, “the community has been heavily affected by recent events and it’s important to show strength during these times.  Coming together to play sport and have fun is a great way to fight back and to show what a vibrant and community focused district we are.”

Sport Manawatu is also asking for other community groups, wider regional organisations and any individuals who would like to be involved with the event to get in touch.

“This is a perfect way to get the community together and have some fun, but we are calling on businesses and the local community to show their support by jumping on board with the event,” Mr O’Connor says.

10,000 Laps for Feilding will be held on Sunday September 19 from 11am to 3pm at Kowhai Park in Feilding.

For further information:

Troy Thurston

Sport Manawatu

Phone: (06) 357 5349

Are you getting the most out of your money in retirement?

The Retirement Commission has produced a new edition of its free booklet, Your Money in Retirement, to help people in their sixties and beyond to take stock of their financial affairs.

Whether you are planning for retirement, semi-retired or retired, the booklet will help you answer a lot of questions.

It has sections on having a regular income in retirement, where to live when you get older and protecting your assets.

It also has some interesting stories about how different people are living in retirement on a range of budgets. As well as showing how people’s weekly spending pans out the stories give some good insights into different options for planning, spending and saving.

You can order copies of Your Money in Retirement by calling 0800 SORT MONEY (767 866) or online at sorted.org.nz/ordering.

Sorted is New Zealand’s free, independent online money guide, run by the Retirement Commission.

The discussion document Making Tax Easier and an accompanying online forum include ways of simplifying PAYE and income tax returns for individuals and employers, Mr English says.

"Budget 2010 introduced a major rebalancing of the tax system away from consumption towards saving and investment that will better support New Zealand's long-term economic growth.

"The Government is now looking to reform the way our tax system is administered to make it easier and more certain for taxpayers to manage their tax obligations.

The proposed changes also set out how people could self-manage most of their tax and social assistance entitlements such as Working for Families, using their own secure area on Inland Revenue's website, Mr Dunne says.

"This would be done much like internet banking, making the whole process easier, faster and more certain for taxpayers," he says.

"At the same time, the Government wants to ensure that the tax administration system operates efficiently and delivers value for money.

"The online consultation forum proposes several ways this might be achieved. The main idea is to shift Inland Revenue's current emphasis away from paper-based systems towards greater use of customer-focused online technologies.

"To further simplify and reduce the number of interactions that individuals must have with Inland Revenue, a new approach is being proposed, which for some people would mean PAYE would be treated as a final tax.

"More timely and correct information would mean that tax is deducted at the right tax code each pay-day, so there would be a reduced need for an end-of-year square-up," Mr Dunne says.

"This would give people greater confidence that the amount of tax they pay throughout the year is correct, with no unexpected tax bills arising at the end of the year."

For businesses, including employers and the not-for-profit sector, PAYE tasks such as filing an employer monthly schedule could be managed by software that automatically communicates with Inland Revenue.

"Such a move towards electronic technologies would require all businesses to eventually move to electronic filing, Mr English says. "The Government wants to hear from employers and businesses on these proposals."

Similarly, the Government wants to hear from the software development industry on how strategic partnerships might be developed to create the tools to help employers move to an electronic environment.The closing date for comment on the proposals is 23 July 2010.

Have your say on the online forum at www.ird.govt.nz/makingtaxeasier or read the full discussion document at www.taxpolicy.ird.govt.nz

Entitled ABSTRACTION, the works chosen for hanging by FADAS Art centre manager, Beverley Waugh, are described as "eclectic", "different", "exciting", "perhaps challenging" and sometimes "flamboyant."The exhibition includes works by accomplished local artists and FADAS members as well as works from award-winners, Maurice Brooks, Judy Johnstone and David Taylor, the ‘inspirational' Wellington artist, Paul Forrest, the FADAS resident tutor artist Claire Elwin and the widely, exhibited Sara Waugh.

The exhibition will be open until July 12.The Feilding Art Centre, with the FADAS gallery, studio and library space, is open to the public from 10am - 4pm Tuesday - Saturday and Sunday 1 - 4pm. Admission gold coin koha.

"However, the global financial markets remain fragile," Dr Bollard said."The sovereign debt concerns facing some European economies have weighedheavily on financial markets in recent weeks. European authorities andthe IMF have recently announced initiatives to support sovereign debtmarkets and to begin dealing with the underlying problems. But there isclearly a risk of further turbulence if adequate progress is not made.

"As an external debtor country, New Zealand could be vulnerable to anyrenewed deterioration in global debt markets. At the same time, theprocess of fiscal consolidation could dampen the global recovery,although our major trading partners in Asia and Australia should be lessdirectly affected."

Dr Bollard noted that global imbalances have reduced over the past twoyears with higher savings helping to shrink current account deficits.New Zealand has also seen a marked narrowing of its current accountdeficit.

"New Zealand households have increased their savings, which is positivefor financial stability. It will be important that households maintaina cautious approach to debt accumulation as the recovery continues."

Commenting on the financial system, Deputy Governor Grant Spencer saidthat the New Zealand banks remain in good shape and will benefit fromthe economic recovery. Non-performing loans appear to be plateauing outand, notwithstanding the recent market hiccups, banks have successfullybeen issuing term debt over the past year, lengthening their maturitystructure and reducing liquidity risk.

"Bank credit growth was restrained through the recession, reflectingweaker demand for credit by households and businesses and tighterlending standards," Mr Spencer said. "We believe the banks have thecapacity to meet an increase in demand for credit and doing so will beimportant to sustain the economic recovery."

Mr Spencer noted that a gradual rationalisation of the finance companysector is continuing, with the new more stringent regulatory regimepromoting further consolidation.

"A number of finance companies have joined the extended Retail DepositGuarantee Scheme to give them more time to realign their balance sheets.We do not expect the banks to enter the extended guarantee scheme giventhere is no need for them to do so," Mr Spencer said.

"Significant changes to financial sector regulation are occurring aroundthe globe. New Zealand will adopt measures that improve the soundnessof the financial system while not undermining its efficiency. A newPrudential Liquidity Policy for banks became effective in April and weexpect to make further changes to the bank regulatory regime.

"The new non-bank regulatory regime should be largely in place by theend of the year. And the Insurance Bill, giving the Reserve Bankoversight of the insurance industry, is currently progressing throughParliament."

This is a really exciting time for tourism in New Zealand. The economy is growing again, more people are travelling, and next year we're hosting the Rugby World Cup.

There is simply no over-stating how important the World Cup will be for New Zealand. It's the third largest sporting event in the world, and our fantastic country will be in the spotlight for six weeks. We're expecting at least 85,000 international visitors, and billions more will be watching from home.

Things are certainly looking up.

It's a great time to think about how you can make the most of the opportunities coming your way.

Your industry has a big role to play in the future economic growth of this country.

I'd like to welcome new Tourism New Zealand Chief Executive Officer Kevin Bowler. Kevin has shown he is extremely optimistic for the tourism industry, and I'm looking forward to working with him.

[....]

Rugby World Cup 2011

The next big opportunity for us is the Rugby World Cup 2011. And I don't just mean winning the tournament - although I am behind the All Blacks all the way!

One of my priorities for the Government at the moment is hosting a successful Rugby World Cup. This will be the most exciting and largest sporting event New Zealand has ever hosted.

It is our big chance to showcase New Zealand to the rest of the world, and we're expecting at least 85,000 visitors.

It will deliver huge benefits to our tourism and hospitality industries, and have a lasting impact on New Zealand's reputation. A Deloitte report estimates the World Cup will deliver a $1.25 billion boost to our economy.

Next year we'll be in celebration mode with festival events up and down the country.

You will have heard the recent announcement by Rugby World Cup Minister Murray McCully, about our plans for Queen's Wharf during the World Cup. We're going to use it for a fan zone, or party central as it's affectionately known.

Fans will want to congregate somewhere they can experience the spirit of the World Cup. We think Queen's Wharf will be a great place for that.

Our plan is to take the old sheds off Queen's Wharf, and put in place a mobile temporary facility that can host almost 8000 people. I believe it will be a focal point that many Aucklanders, New Zealanders and visitors will enjoy.

I'm delighted that communities all over New Zealand are getting in behind the Cup too.

A great example is Bluff. Bluff is going to have two oyster seasons next year. The first will be in March as usual. But they're going to save part of that catch, so the oysters continue to grow in preparation for their second oyster season - which will kick off in September for the World Cup.

Your role

As hoteliers, you will be a vital face for New Zealand during the Rugby World Cup. Ultimately the thing visitors will remember long after they have gone home is the hospitality and service they received during their stay.

The additional visitors that the Cup brings will provide an important boost during a tourism shoulder season.

As you know, there have been some concerns recently about accommodation pricing for the World Cup. News reports show some visitors are being asked to pay much higher rates during the World Cup than they usually would.

Obviously hotels, motels, and travel wholesalers are going to make fair returns during the World Cup. Market forces will prevail to some extent. It's a great opportunity for the industry to make some money during what is a quiet tourism season.

But if we take it too far and overcharge visitors, we'll risk damaging New Zealand's tourism reputation. We need to balance the opportunity to make money on accommodation with how important our reputation is.

We want to make sure visitors have a truly memorable experience. We want to make sure visitors get a taste of New Zealand and want to come back. You have an important role to play in ensuring their visit is an outstanding one.

This Government is determined to ensure that New Zealand makes the most of every opportunity that the World Cup presents. We want the positive impact of hosting the tournament to be felt long after the teams have gone home, and I'm confident we won't be disappointed.

[....]

Conclusion

Ladies and gentlemen, the National-led Government is strongly committed to tourism. We are determined to grow the industry for the benefit of all New Zealanders.

The extra funding I announced today will help ensure that is possible. It has been a tough few years, but now is the time to ensure you are positioned to take advantage of a recovering economy.

I'm really impressed by the talent, the enthusiasm, and the huge potential I see in the sector. I'm confident that we can work together to secure a brighter future for tourism in New Zealand.

Thank you for your hard work. I wish you all the best for a successful conference.

More FM Manawatu was named as the Best Regional Station in the 2010 New Zealand Radio Awards announced in a live over the internet broadcast on Thursday the 28th of April.

The local station featured in the finals of four categories, and won three.

The More FM Ron-a-thon which raised $50,000 to build a Manawatu Room at Ronald McDonald House in Wellington won the Outstanding Community Campaign Award, with afternoon hosts, Justin and Kendall, winning the Best Regional Music Non-Breakfast category.

The Mike West in the Morning Breakfast Show was the fourth finalist, in the Best Regional Music Breakfast category, and although it was disappointing for Mike West not to win, his night was buoyed by the Ron-a-thon, which was organised by his son Jason, winning of the Outstanding Community Award.

"Jason, Justin and Mike, they're all local. All born here," says More FM Manawatu General Manager Willie Furnell."Manawatu is lucky to have a team of award winning local broadcasters. I am very proud of all of them for their success in the New Zealand Radio Awards this year."

 MENTORING PROGRAMME

Little Moments, Big Magic.

Youth development experts agree that, in addition to their parents, children need additional supportive, caring adults in their lives. For most children this need is met through family and family friends. For some children, however, this need is not met and they struggle to grow and achieve their potential.

Big Brothers Big Sisters, the world's premier mentoring programme for children and youth, has been developed to support these young people.

With a proven track record of over 100 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters is the world's largest mentoring programme helping over 280,000 children around the world reach their potential through professionally supported one-to-one relationships.

In 11 locations around New Zealand Big Brothers Big Sisters works closely with parents to match every child on the programme with the right Big Brother or Big Sister. Each potential Big Brother and Big Sister is screened, trained and receives ongoing support to help ensure that the relationship will be safe and rewarding for everyone involved.

Research shows that our mentoring works - young people with a Big Brother or Big Sister show real differences in their personal and academic lives.

BBBS of Manawatu established it's journey in February 2009, after the National Convenor, Dave Marshall presented the programme to social service agencies in the community who saw the need and gap for such a programme in our community. A working party was established in February 2009, which developed into a formal Trust Board of elected positions in June 2009. An interim coordinator for the programme was employed in November 2009. The charitable trust was then established with affiliation with BBBS New Zealand. BBBS Manawatu operates its programme in partnership with the Manawatu Police and has currently being developing relationships with the RNZAF at Ohakea for mentoring assistance. The community based mentoring programme is designed for children and young people aged from 7 to 17 years of age. The mentors can range from the age of 20 years plus.

The children and young people are referred from a wide variety of services in our community as well as from parents.

Case managers (social workers) provide ongoing guidance and support to the mentor, the young person and their family. This includes follow up contacts, regular visits, responding to family and mentor queries and problems, communication about social events, monitoring mentor contact sheets, attendance at monthly mentor meetings and involvement with BBBS group activities.

Are you thinking about getting involved as a mentor, sponsor or member? Or would you like more information first? Either way, it's just a few simple steps away...Contact Dale Anderson (coordinator for BBBS Manawatu)

Office: Linton Court, 10 Linton Street, Palmerston North.

Phone; 358 1204

email address: bbbsmanawatu@xtra.co.nz

Contrary to popular belief CDS is not just here to save the day. The hospitality side of CD Security is dedicated to protecting the licenses of our clients against breaches of the Sale of Liquor Act. These breaches include allowing intoxicated or under age people to enter or remain in your bar. It is generally thought that we spend our nights stopping fights or throwing out drunks, however most of our time and resources are increasingly being dedicated to dealing with identification issues.

Literally, every weekend we are confronted with minors handing us ID's, which either do not belong to them, have been tampered with to change the date of birth or are just blatant fakes. Armed with these, there are numerous techniques these little sweethearts employ to attempt to gain access to the bar. They will rush you, try to distract you or sandwich themselves between a group of older people, hoping you wont pay too much attention to their pathetic use of the laser printer and sticky tape. For the ones that don't have access to such office products, they rely more heavily on scaling fences, walls and drain pipes. Alternatively if they have friends over 18 who are already inside, they could be let in a fire exit or unguarded window. Much like a burglar, they will do anything to gain access (illegally), for the reward inside.

Since July of 2009, CDS has retained 157 IDs, from just ONE bar. When a questionable ID is handed over, such as a drivers license, they are given a chance to prove themselves by signing a piece of paper to match to the licence, as well as being asked numerous questions that only the licence owner would know. These IDs, being evidence of fraudulent use of identification, are handed to the Police in weekly batches, where they are processed and the offender's information recorded. Surprisingly it is not the card board laminates that are the problem. 147 of the 157 IDs were not the presenters, meaning older sisters and brothers, cousins and friends are handing them on to your young ones by the truck load. A few cheeky/brave/stupid? kids have even tried using their own IDs, which state they are underage or occasionally an older persons ID who is of a different ethnicity than the presenter...interesting to say the least.

It is always surprising, the lengths that minors will go to, to get into the bar and the reasons are varied. Personally I think the problem is just that the kids like to act grown up and they all want what they cant have i.e. booze, and if that means looking cool in a bar, so be it.

Checking ID's does not only elicit interest when it is a minor presenting it, patrons above the legal age limit come with their own set of intriguing situations. Unacceptable forms of ID are frequently handed over and rejected much to the dismay of patrons who may be old enough. A perfect example is a nineteen year old who presents a passport which boasts a pimply fourteen year old whom they look nothing like (anymore?) and yet expects to be let in. Also we are often plied with documents which, in lieu of photographic ID, patrons hope to prove their identity with. Legally we can only accept photographic identification, be it a drivers licence, passport or 18+ card. The handing over in bulk of personal papers, from birth certificates to bank statements, demonstrates that the desperation involved in gaining entry to bars is not exclusively suffered by minors.

Requesting to see a patrons identification sails along the thin boundary society has set when it comes to age sensitivity. As a matter of procedure we ask to view ID for anyone who looks under 25. This is general practise throughout the country and yet generates a wide array of reactions. It is rather entertaining when a patron who's "18 and three quarters" thinks they're above being asked. Likewise the simple request can brighten a youthful looking thirty-something, eliciting giggles and blushing as if they truly were a teenager.

Unfortunately though, these teenagers can be costly. Even though minors purposely approach the bar with the intent to break the law, it is the bars and licensees which suffer. In many jobs mistakes of sheer human error can be easily undone; mistakes in our occupation however can result in breaches of the law. The consequences of any sort of slip are harsh and can involve job loss, fines of up to $22,000, seven day closure and suspension of licence, without which a bar cannot operate.

If you have read this far, you show dedication and perseverance, congratulations! As you can see, all sorts of drama and amusement transpire in response to a seemingly insignificant request. Involving outcomes from law breaking to compliments, it is an essential part of the hospitality security profession, as we must ensure that the Sale of Liquor Act is strictly adhered to.

Liz Miller

Administration Manager

CD Security

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