Lunch with... Sistema founder Sir Brendan Lindsay, the plastic-fantastic boss and rich-lister now helping other people click
One of our newest knights, Sir Brendan Lindsay, has an incredible backstory. The following article, originally published last September, was one of the best-read Premium articles in 2024.
The man who created Sistema from his garage and later sold it for $660 million opens up on his extraordinary backstory,
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NZ Herald
2 days ago
- NZ Herald
Lunch with... Sistema founder Sir Brendan Lindsay, the plastic-fantastic boss and rich-lister now helping other people click
One of our newest knights, Sir Brendan Lindsay, has an incredible backstory. The following article, originally published last September, was one of the best-read Premium articles in 2024. The man who created Sistema from his garage and later sold it for $660 million opens up on his extraordinary backstory,
NZ Autocar
4 days ago
- NZ Autocar
2024 BYD Dolphin Premium Long Term
The BYD Dolphin is the brand's most affordable machine, an all-electric hatch starting at $39,990 for the Essential. That's $10k cheaper than when it first arrived here. The choice for buyers is whether to go for the Essential value, or pay extra for the $48,990 Premium. This more potent model has recently joined the NZ Autocar line-up, resplendent in its striking pink livery. The difference between variants is more than just specification. Essential comes with a 70kW/180Nm motor but the Premium has double the power, with 150kW and 310Nm of torque. That means 0–100km/h drops from a sedate 12.3sec to a brisk seven seconds in the Premium. Read more 2023 BYD Dolphin Extended review Of more relevance perhaps is the extra range you get with the Premium. The Essential offers a respectable WLTP driving range of 340km from its 44.9kWh Blade battery. Step up to the Premium, and you'll get a larger 60.48kWh battery offering 427km. DC fast charging also improves: the Essential supports up to 60kW, while the Premium can hook up to 80kW chargers. Both models are well specified with BYD's rotating 12.8-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a full suite of driver assistance systems and V2L (vehicle-to-load) functionality. The Premium adds extras like heated front seats, wireless phone charging and a panoramic glass roof. There's also a suspension upgrade. Where the Essential uses a torsion beam set-up in the rear, the Premium switches to a multi-link arrangement for improved ride and handling. Upping the spend to the Premium seems justified in our eyes, given you get more than just a few extra creature comforts. The added power, range and dynamic boost are good value for the money. Our GM, Gavin Shaw, has been enjoying the Dolphin for the past month. With his weekly mileage amounting to around 350km, he is getting by with one fast charge a week. He says this takes around 40mins, and it is easy to monitor the process if you are not in the vehicle by using the app. After being an EV skeptic for many years, he has enjoyed the refinement of the power delivery and the ample power of the Premium. Equally impressive for him are the open road dynamics with controlled body roll in bends and a good ride on the highway. His only real bugbear with the Dolphin is the thick A pillar restricting outward vision at some intersections, especially when turning right. While not a fan of the colour combination, he is getting used to the constant comments questioning his supposed lifestyle choice. He says women love the colour combination however. After having spent the past few months being electrically motivated (he was in the Atto 3 prior to this) his view on EVs has changed somewhat. He says he has been pleasantly surprised, particularly as a die-hard enthusiast of petrol power. He reckons that anyone who is hesitant about the idea of an EV should experience one for more than just a quick drive around the block. He reckons the benefits, including the relative ease of refuelling at home, can only be realised with an extended test drive. BYD Dolphin Premium$48,990 / 15.9kWh/100km / 0g/km 0-100 km/h 7.0s Motor 150kW / 310Nm Battery LFP 60.5kWh Drivetrain 1-speed auto / FWD Range 427km
Scoop
4 days ago
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Ode To Ōtara: A Symphony Of Hope, Culture And Call For Support
Article – Mary Afemata – Local Democracy Reporter Beethoven's 'Ode to Joy' was written centuries ago, but this week it became a powerful celebration of unity through music, bringing together youth as they rehearsed for an upcoming concert with the Auckland Philharmonia and the Sāmoan music education initiative, Sol Fa. Dozens of young musicians performed 'Ode to Joy' at a Sistema Aotearoa rehearsal, welcoming Arts Minister Paul Goldsmith to Ōtara's Music and Arts Centre on Tuesday. The rehearsal was part of the lead-up to their annual 'Pese! Fasi! Pūoro!' concert and provided Goldsmith with insight into the talent, discipline, and pride of South Auckland. However, when asked about increasing government investment in community arts, the minister was cautious. 'It's amazing to be out here and to see the smiling little faces as they're exposed to the wonderful world of music,' Goldsmith says. 'There are few greater things than being part of a group making music together. 'We can't walk in with a chequebook and throw money around. We're maintaining arts funding in a very tough environment, and we're encouraging agencies to invest widely, from professionals to grassroots groups like this.' Sistema Aotearoa, which partners with over 60 South Auckland schools to provide free orchestral education, is widely celebrated for its impact on tamariki. But board member Tasha Hohaia says the programme's success has been achieved despite limited resources. 'We make magic happen with the little we have. And with just a little bit more, we could reach more,' Hohaia says. 'It's critical to have Māori and Pasifika whānau supported in classical music. We have so much to offer the world.' Iain Rea, General Manager for Sistema Aotearoa, says the programme goes beyond music education. 'Sistema Aotearoa is much more than a music programme, it's also about community development and the programme has been going for almost 15 years. It's hugely supported by the community, it's as much about community building as it is about music.' One example is Reece Ferrer, 19, who joined Sistema Aotearoa as a child and is now a tutor. 'I joined when I was five, so that was back in 2013. I currently do midwifery at AUT, but I've been with Sistema basically for 14 years. Sistema to me is much more than a music programme. 'It helped me build my social skills and helped me connect with the community in Aotearoa.' Ferrer, who learned the violin and flute, has forged connections with fellow students through Sistema Aotearoa, and is now giving back to her community as a young adult. For parents like Terry Filipo, whose son plays the violin, the change is deeply personal. Filipo's son is a Year Four student at Flatbush School, and she hopes he will gain discipline and self-belief from the programme. Filipo says the programme exposes children like her son to new spaces. 'I look at my son and see a future that's more open because of exposure to classical music. It's an investment, not just in music, but in how our kids see the world. 'It's a practice. Whether it's a sport or an instrument, you learn commitment, and that progress follows discipline. 'It's a type of cultural exchange, which is important not just musically and not just skill-wise but their perspective … it's allowing them to expand on their worldview even as young people.' Filipo stresses the need for government funding and support. 'It's extremely important … Without the funding and without the support that Aotearoa Sistema gets, children that come from certain areas … may not go to schools [with access to] this type of music or even this type of culture.' 'It is an investment, even for our music industry. We have so much to contribute … We don't support small, we support big.' Rene's son has participated in the Sistema Aotearoa programme for three years, starting in Year Two. He plays the cello, and Rene believes the opportunity might not have come without it. She says the programme teaches more than just music; it nurtures confidence and opens doors. She adds that the programme fosters engagement and uncovers hidden talents, strongly endorsing the initiative. 'I think without the awareness of the programme, it may not have been an opportunity that he would have pursued. 'I think it's very crucial, opening up their eyes to different opportunities, different disciplines. So it's not just about the musical ability, but it offers a wide range of, I guess, perspective and life lessons as well that they can carry through to other areas of their lives. 'It's much better to have our kids engaging in this kind of activity rather than on the couch and so forth.' William Kingi, Sistema Aotearoa's youth adviser, says the programme opens doors that would otherwise remain closed to rangatahi. 'Even though this community is under-resourced, we're culturally rich. Classical music allows our kids to participate in spaces that might feel foreign, but instead, they feel like they belong. 'Sistema helps level the playing field. Not a lot, but just enough to change a life.' That potential was visible during the rehearsal, as students beamed with pride while performing for their families and friends.
