Latest news with #Bayly
NZ Herald
23-05-2025
- Health
- NZ Herald
Northland news in brief: Police name victim in fatal State Highway 12 crash near Matakohe
Paihia firefighters on top The Paihia Fire Fighters team took part in the Northland Fire Brigades Sub Association Drivers Challenge and achieved a clean sweep of awards. Heath Taylor secured first place, Kaine Joyce was runner-up and Paihia Fire Brigade won the team competition. Dietitian boosts healthcare Health NZ's first dietitian permanently based in the mid-North is offering dietetic care for acute patients at Bay of Islands Hospital, as well as support for outpatients and those in the community. Rachel Keane started her role in January, which involves providing specialised nutritional support for patients with serious or complex health conditions. These plans help manage these conditions, promote recovery and improve overall health outcomes. Recycling bags out, bins in Kerikeri residents will soon need to adapt to a new way of recycling, as local waste operators transition away from taking bagged recycling in favour of bin-only collections. Far North District Council says the change was part of a move to improve efficiency and reduce contamination in the recycling stream. This means branded recycling bags are no longer available for purchase in Kerikeri stores. Kerikeri residents can still recycle a broad range of items at the Waipapa Re:Sort Station. Northland food to the fore Savour Northland will take place in October. Developed in collaboration with the local hospitality and producer industry, Savour Northland 2025 will again showcase the region's food, drink and manaakitanga through a calendar of events. Last year 126 events were featured. There were also 49 entries in the Savour Northland Challenge, which encouraged restaurants, cafes and food trucks to present the ultimate expression of Northland on a plate or in a glass. Farmer withdraws appeals Dairy farmer Phillip Bayly has withdrawn two appeals he filed against abatement notices issued by the Northland Regional Council (NRC) after NRC agreed to cancel the notices as part of a wider enforcement resolution. Bayly had appealed two separate abatement notices – one concerning wastewater management at his Hūkerenui Rd farm and another prohibiting silage discharge at his Inksters Rd property in Towai. The notices required immediate environmental compliance actions, including the preparation of a wastewater management plan and the prevention of contaminant discharges to land and water. The council had sought enforcement orders against Bayly and three others in relation to dairy operations across five farms in the region. However, a joint memorandum submitted to the Environment Court on May 1 proposed a resolution that if enforcement orders were granted by consent, the abatement notices would be cancelled. The court accepted the agreement and issued the enforcement orders.
NZ Herald
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
TV shows to watch if ‘toxic' reality TV isn't for you
The good news is there are plenty of alternatives if you still need your reality TV fix. Here are a few suggestions for your next binge-watch that won't leave your brain feeling fried. Wholesome reality shows If you occasionally need to be reminded that there are good people out there who are funny, kind, inspiring and creative, look no further than these reality shows. Wholesome, bittersweet, genuinely interesting and just a little bizarre, these shows feature ordinary people, not aspiring influencers, and give some insight into parts of society you may not have given much thought to. The Restaurant that Makes Mistakes This New Zealand-made reality series follows New Zealanders living with dementia as they learn hospitality skills under Auckland restaurateur Ben Bayly. Each one of the Kiwis featured on this show - and their families - have had a different experience with dementia as they come to terms with their diagnosis. Here, they work together to run restaurant services under Bayly's guidance. There are two seasons available to view on TVNZ+, by turns bittersweet, funny and emotional. The Casketeers Francis and Kaiora Tipene star in this reality TV series filmed in Aotearoa. Available to view on TVNZ+, there are six seasons of the original series so far, as well as The Casketeers: Life and Death Around the World - a global twist on the original format. The Tipenes introduce viewers to a side of life many of us don't know much about - what really goes into running a funeral home in New Zealand. Old Enough This documentary-style show filmed in Japan follows toddlers setting out on tasks designed to test their independence, from picking up grocery items to taking the bus. It may sound like a bizarre concept, but it's strangely heartwarming to watch, as kids aged 2-5 years old learn new skills that boost their confidence. Advertisement Advertise with NZME. It's important to note that their parents and production staff preview the errands they will run and inform neighbours in the area what's happening, while a safety crew and camera operators follow closely behind during filming. It's been airing for decades in Japan, with just two seasons available to view on Netflix in New Zealand. Dating and relationship shows There's a reason there are so many reality TV shows about relationships these days - we all love a bit of real-life romance. If you're interested in shows about relationships that don't involve dramatic dinner parties or beauty contests, here are a few other options to try. Love Is Blind Netflix's Love is Blind is MAFS without the focus on appearance-based attraction - at least, that was the idea when the show was created. More recent seasons have devolved into drama between the couples rather than focusing on the marriages that do work out. If you do tune in, the first season of the original US series is arguably the best; it gave us some of the most successful couples in the franchise, including Cameron and Lauren. Love on the Spectrum Love On The Spectrum is an Australian Netflix dating show that follows several people with autism as they navigate the world of dating and relationships. While it's faced some criticism - for example, not all of the date locations chosen by producers are neurodivergent-friendly - it's been lauded for its portrayal of what life with autism can be like. Marriage or Mortgage Netflix's Marriage or Mortgage isn't a dating show but it does highlight a dilemma faced by many modern couples: should you spend your savings on your dream wedding or your dream home? Filmed in the US, it's hosted by Nashville real estate agent Nichole Holmes and wedding planner Sarah Miller, as they each aim to win over clients. Adventure and escapism shows There's nothing like judging the antics of the likes of Bear Grylls from the comfort of your couch. If you like the stakes a little higher when it comes to reality TV, here are some adventure shows to add to your watchlist. Tracked NZ Survival series Tracked, filmed in the South Island, hit screens in 2023. Hosted by none other than UK hard-man Vinnie Jones, it followed eight teams of two adventurers from all over the world attempting to evade capture by elite SAS Trackers. Available to view on ThreeNow, it's a tense watch that's worth it for Jones' gruff commentary as host alone. Alone On Alone, contestants are dropped into an isolated area with a camera and a few necessities as they attempt to survive the wild - and the loneliness, each documenting their own experience along the way. It's been filmed all over the world from Norway to Canada, with the Australian series even featuring one brave Kiwi this year. It's available to watch on TVNZ+. The Mole The Mole is a US game show dating back to 2001, with an updated version arriving on Netflix in 2022. It follows 12 contestants undertaking a series of challenges to earn a cash prize, while trying to identify which one among them is the titular Mole attempting to sabotage their efforts.
BBC News
20-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Wales has some of the best football pitches, says groundhopper
An amateur photographer from Sheffield who has visited hundreds of football pitches says many in Wales are "magnificent" and among the very Bayly, 50, works as an IT consultant but also has a passion for groundhopping - travelling the country to explore lesser-known football grounds and connect with the communities behind 2013, he set out to write a book on Britain's best football grounds, guided by votes from fans across the said the "warm welcome" from grassroots clubs, especially in Wales, kept him returning year after year, and has led him to visit around 40 of the country's grounds. Mr Bayly grew up near the Welsh border in Ludlow, Shropshire, and supported Kidderminster Harriers. He moved to Sheffield for university in the 1990s and has lived there ever passion for football evolved into groundhopping in 2012 after meeting like-minded friends, and he began attending random matches for the "love of the game" and the people he met."It was quite nice to go to a game where you didn't have anything emotionally riding on it," he he does some freelance photography for a magazine and volunteers with a local club in Sheffield, the football fan described it as "a passion more than anything" and "a labour of love".In 2013, Mr Bayly decided to write a book on Britain's must-see football grounds. He collected thousands of public votes and then went on a journey to visit the top 100, which sparked his interest in photography and led him to buy a second-hand camera to capture the "striking landscapes".The book also explored the history behind each ground. Mr Bayly said he was especially drawn to the "unique beauty of Welsh non-league grounds", which reminded him of the grassroots football of his added: "I really appreciated just how stunning Welsh football is."It's a beautiful country that's been close to my heart from a very young age - the grounds are just magnificent." The Welsh grounds featured in Mr Bayly's book include Garw SBGC, Merthyr Town FC, Blaenrhondda AFC, Blaenau Ffestiniog Amateur FC, Abertillery Bluebirds FC, Cefn Druids AFC, and Treharris Athletic Western of the first matches he photographed was in 2014 at Treharris Athletic Western FC, a Merthyr county club whose now-demolished ground appears in the book's "ghost ground" said: ",Their ground was stunning, I was blown away."Mr Bayly also described the grounds at Blaenrhondda in Rhondda Cynon Taf and Abertillery Bluebirds in Blaenau Gwent as "majestic", and said the most memorable and welcoming clubs and the "real gems" were often found in the lower Welsh also praised the history-rich grounds at Merthyr Tydfil and Penydarren, and called Garw SBGC in Pontycymer "remarkable" for its dramatic 40-foot drop to the pitch. Accessed by zigzag steps, Mr Bayly said it offered stunning elevated views and was a "bucket list moment" for most groundhoppers. When asked about his favourite ground, Mr Bayly said it was "tricky" and "hard to pinpoint just one".Among his top picks were Fraserburgh FC in Scotland, Cadbury Athletic in Birmingham, and several picturesque grounds in Innsbruck and Salzburg, Mr Bayly named Blaenau Ffestiniog Amateur FC as one of his all-time favourites, as it reminded him of childhood visits to the local has visited the ground three times and is always struck by the warm welcome and stunning surroundings. Mr Bayly added: "It's an incredible landscape, because it's naturally stunning. "I am always genuinely in awe of all of its surroundings."Mr Bayly also said he was "incredibly inspired" by how the ground has been shaped by decades of slate mining. What is groundhopping? Mr Bayly said groundhopping was a "small but dedicated community", with some enthusiasts visiting up to seven different grounds a week. Others, often season ticket holders, only explore new clubs when their own team plays away."What never failed to amaze me was that I could visit the most remote places in Britain - whether on Anglesey or the Scottish Isles - and I'd always bump into someone from the community and have a chat," he Bayly said groundhoppers came from "all over Europe" and it was "not just a British thing".He explained how he regularly exchanged ideas with fellow fans through shared interests in football and groundhoppers, he said, had attended "thousands and thousands" of games worldwide, which is "far more than I could ever do or would ever want to do". Mr Bayly said he typically visited a new ground once a week, although in recent years has scaled back to "one or two a month"."I stayed in touch with a few people on social media, and without groundhopping, I would never have had the opportunity to do that," Mr Bayly added.A few years ago he arrived at a football ground in north Wales and, after asking to take photos, the club was "so surprised" Mr Bayly had come all the way from Sheffield that they gave him a pin badge, a cup of tea, and a KitKat - "kind gestures" he will never forget. "I've always been made to feel very welcome wherever I've gone in Wales, and that's why I will continue to go back every year," Mr Bayly added.
CBC
19-04-2025
- CBC
Court must consider showing child porn sample at sentencing hearing: Manitoba judge
Social Sharing A Manitoba judge says the court must consider showing a sample of child pornography during a May sentencing hearing for a man who has pleaded guilty to possessing the material. "The proper administration of justice requires the court to consider the representative sample," provincial court Judge Geoffrey H. Bayly wrote in an April 9 decision delivered from court in the Interlake community of Ashern. Rodney Yankie's defence had made a motion to prevent the court from seeing the material. The defence had argued "there is no necessity" for the court to view the child sex abuse material, suggesting that doing so would "create a prejudice to the accused that far outweighs the probative value of the sample," according to Bayly's decision. Yankie's lawyer also argued that showing the material could be "adding to the trauma and victimization of the children depicted in the sample." The defence suggested because Yankie is not contesting the facts in this case, a written description of the material would suffice. However, the Crown said the sample should be reviewed alongside a written description of the material at the sentencing hearing, referencing a 2002 Alberta appeal court decision that stated "the photographs do not depict the crime — they are the crime." Bayly denied the application, ruling that the evidence the defence wanted to exclude accurately demonstrates the seriousness of the crime and Yankie's culpability, suggesting the presiding judge should consider showing a sample at the sentencing hearing next month. Differing views on benefits, harm of showing material Monique St. Germain, general counsel for the Winnipeg-based Canadian Centre for Child Protection, told CBC News that generally speaking, judges may decide to review child sexual abuse material to get an accurate understanding of the crime, as opposed to "a sanitized version." "Seeing an image is never going to be replaced by words. That's just not possible," St. Germain said, adding that a written or verbal description "diminishes the victim's experience in a considerable way." "In the context of sentencing, it is viewed because that is the crime that was committed — either the making of it, or the possessing of it, or the distributing it. Understanding what [child sexual abuse material] was possessed or distributed is part of the sentencing process." In his decision, Judge Bayly wrote that the sentencing judge serves a "gatekeeper function," adding the decision to review the material is decided on a case-by-case basis, depending on how the judge weighs the value of the evidence to the case at hand. Showing the child pornography could revictimize the children depicted in it, Bayly wrote, but his decision also said a judge shouldn't avoid showing it on the grounds it is "distasteful or upsetting," if safeguards are put in place to protect the children's dignity. However, no one but the court — the witness, judge and counsel — should view the material, Bayly wrote. The public and Yankie should not see it, he wrote. Brandon Trask, a University of Manitoba associate law professor who himself developed post-traumatic stress disorder while prosecuting a number of child sex abuse cases as a Crown attorney in Nova Scotia, says viewing these types of images and videos in a court setting is "definitely an unsettled issue," with judges ruling both for and against. "Every time somebody views these materials, arguably that has a very negative impact on the victim — wherever they are located," Trask told CBC News. "Unless it's absolutely necessary for the truth-finding function of the criminal justice system, I'm certainly of the perspective that we should not be encouraging the actual submission of the actual materials where there is agreement on, through a verbal description, of what the materials depict," he said. "We should be looking to protect people as much as possible — victims and everybody else involved in the criminal justice system." Trask also said descriptions should be the "default" approach for courts, with materials provided only in "exceptional situations." Yankie's sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 12.
CBC
04-04-2025
- Business
- CBC
SkyCity developers intentionally misled investors about value of Winnipeg land, Crown argues at fraud trial
Lawyers wrapped up closing arguments Wednesday in a criminal fraud case against the developers of the never-built SkyCity condo project, whose developers are accused of misleading investors. Fortress Real Developments principals Jawad Rathore and Vince Petrozza, who are on trial in the Ontario Court of Justice in Toronto, headed up SkyCity, a failed $200-million 45-storey condo project that was supposed to rise from a parking lot at the corner of Graham Avenue and Smith Street in Winnipeg. The two were charged with fraud in 2022 in connection with a type of investment called syndicated mortgages — loans made by several investors to cover initial development costs like marketing and zoning, with the land itself acting as collateral. Crown prosecutors argued Rathore and Petrozza committed fraud by misleading investors about the value of land underlying syndicated mortgages on the SkyCity project in Winnipeg and the Collier Centre in Barrie, Ont., while the defence countered that investors were made aware of the risks of the investments and that it was the brokers' not the developers' responsibility to inform investors. Since syndicated mortgage investments are secured against land, the value of that asset is key, because if there's a problem with the project, the investment can be recovered by selling the property, Crown prosecutor Vallery Bayly said. Information given to investors was purported to show the current market value of the land, "but these were lies," she said. "It's not honest to conduct one's business by lying to mom-and-pop investors in plain language while expecting them to untangle the precise meaning of technical documents or follow a trail of breadcrumbs to discover the truth," Bayly said. Fortress made the value of the land securing syndicated mortgages a central theme in marketing, Bayly said. "A reasonable person would consider it dishonest to fail to disclose to investors that appraisals were done and showed drastically lower values than the opinions of value, because that information bore directly on one of the central security features that were advertised to investors." Rathore and Petrozza knew what investors were being told and met personally with investors to promote the investments, Bayly said. Bayly quoted a witness who testified about a presentation where Petrozza and Rathore spoke about how safe and secure the syndicated mortgages were, because investors are registered on the land title. A SkyCity video that was entered into evidence showed Petrozza training brokers on what needed to be disclosed to investors in the syndicated mortgages. Bayly said there were internal email discussions that demonstrate beyond a reasonable doubt that Petrozza and Rathore knew there were property appraisals that had lower values than the opinion of value given to investors. "They should be found guilty of fraud on this basis," Bayly said. Fortress defence lawyer Scott Fenton opened by saying two of the four projects that were initially part of this fraud case were dropped. He said of the 80 projects Fortress undertook using the same financing and disclosure models, "most were successful, if not fantastically so." Fortress was involved in raising $920 million by way of syndicated mortgage loans, which helped 25 developers build 5,200 residential and 1,700 commercial units, Fenton said. He quoted a Fortress report that said 19 of 20 projects provided syndicated mortgage investors a rate of return that was above eight per cent, and seven of those projects had a rate of return between 10.4 and 14.32 per cent. "Not possibly fraud — rather, a successful business endeavour lawfully conducted," Fenton said. Defence attorney Gerald Chan said an important part of this case is that Petrozza and Rathore did not deal with the investors directly in terms of selling these loans. Rather, they relied on licensed mortgage brokers who have the legal duty to ensure their clients understand the loans and the risks involved. Chan said the opinions of value that were given to investors were independent and based on acceptable, legitimate, legally permissible methodology. "Fortress was not required to disclose other valuations and appraisals in its possession on which it was not relying to obtain financing and, in fact, it was contractually prohibited from doing so," said Chan. The syndicated mortgages "were not and were never advertised as risk-free investments," Chan said.
