Latest news with #Checkpoint
Otago Daily Times
2 days ago
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Families hope proposed Christchurch sites end Erebus memorial wait
By Anna Sargent of RNZ Some families of Mt Erebus victims who have endured an excruciating wait for a national memorial hope the emergence of three potential sites in Christchurch will eventually put an end to years of controversy and delay. The Ministry for Culture and Heritage was seeking feedback from families about building a memorial on the Avon River bank in the central city, in Cracroft Reserve in Cashmere or the St James' Church grounds in Harewood to remember the 257 people killed in the plane crash in Antarctica in 1979. A plan for a memorial in Auckland's Dove Meyer Robinson Park in Parnell faced major pushback, with objectors claiming it would change the tone of the gardens. The plan was ultimately abandoned in 2023 after cyclone damage meant the land was unsafe to build on. The government committed to building a memorial in 2017. Erebus captain's daughter grateful for Chch offer Phil Stewart, who lost his aunt Dawn Matthews in the disaster, said the wait was frustrating. "For a lot of us, there's a fair bit of unresolved grief related to Erebus, and this dragging out hasn't helped," he said. "My own brother, who was equally keen for the memorial to be built, has died since this process started, so he never got to see the memorial. I'm sure there are a lot of other stories like that, too. "I just want it sorted, and I will be very sad if it descends to bickering about whether it should be Auckland or Christchurch. I just think we need to get it done." As a Wellingtonian, Stewart said he was neutral about which city the memorial should be built in, but it was ultimately important for it to be a respectful place where families could gather to reflect and remember. "Either place would involve some travel for me. I think Christchurch is fine, obviously Auckland was the first starting point, but to be honest, I think Auckland has had its chance and I think they've blown it," he said. The Avon River bank was Stewart's favourite option. "I've visited the earthquake memorial along there a couple of times, and it occurred to me this would be a nice site. It's very accessible, it's quite a peaceful setting, and it's in the heart of Christchurch. "To me, it also shows Christchurch is embracing the memorial and offering some hospitality, which is much appreciated. "Cracroft Park on the Port Hills is fine too, from a different perspective, it offers these sweeping views of the plains and mountains and is somehow more connected to the sky." David Allan, who lost his parents and sister in the Erebus disaster, told Checkpoint that a national memorial was long overdue. "My view is regardless of location, the important thing is that we actually have a memorial. I am ambivalent about whether it be Auckland or Christchurch," he said. "It's a complete indictment of our society that after all this time we don't have one, and it's still causing considerable anguish for a lot of people." Kathryn Carter, the eldest daughter of the late Erebus captain Jim Collins, said she wanted to see Auckland "take ownership" of the national memorial. She said the Christchurch offer was generous, but she believed Auckland was most suitable because it was home to a significant number of passengers and crew. The flight departed from Auckland, so the city would be the best place for the memorial to celebrate Erebus passengers' "journey into the unknown" and to celebrate their lives, Carter said. However, the whole country was involved in the tragedy, making it frustrating that there was still no memorial decades after the disaster. Christchurch mayor Phil Mauger said the city was honoured to be considered as a possible location. "We just offered and said if we can help, we certainly will," he said. "I go down to the earthquake memorial, and you see people there holding their hands on their loved one's name and remembering, so it's important, we know what it's like. "Two of the places that have been suggested are council land, we're more than happy to give that for the cause, it's up to the families or the Ministry for Culture and Heritage to decide where they want to put it." The ministry's senior officer responsible for the memorial, Glenis Philip-Barbara, told Morning Report families had been surveyed on preferred alternatives to Auckland. "Christchurch came up on top, and then, of course, we received the very generous offer from the mayor of Christchurch city to consider them," she said. "So we moved off to Christchurch to have a look and see what we could present to families." She acknowledged the wait for a memorial had been "excruciating" for families. "It has been a long journey and far more difficult than we ever anticipated. There are many Erebus families who just want us to get on and build a memorial." The site at Auckland's Takaparawhau was also being considered, she said.
RNZ News
2 days ago
- Health
- RNZ News
'Mark your own homework': Healthy Homes checks under fire for DIY loophole
Photo: 123rf Like drivers issuing their own warrants of fitness - that's how building experts and renter advocates describe the new Healthy Homes Standards. Since 1 July, all rental properties across the motu have been required to comply with the new standards, which set minimum requirements for heating, insulation, ventilation, moisture ingress and drainage. But who gets to say whether a property is up to scratch? Well, with no certification required in order to complete an assessment, the role could technically be filled by anyone. This has prompted calls for an independent certification system. Ideally, under the new standards, damp and draughty rentals should now be a thing of the past. But the New Zealand Institute of Building Inspectors isn't convinced. Chief executive Graeme Blissett, said the standards contain several loopholes. Not least, that anyone can label themselves a healthy homes assessor. "It's a huge problem, because there's no one looking at what they're actually inspecting and writing reports on is actually correct. "There are no guarantees because no one's double-checking what they're doing, and I believe that if you're charging $150, $200 to do a healthy homes inspection on a house, you're not doing it correctly." It doesn't take long to find companies offering Healthy Homes assessments - Checkpoint found a business online, offering to carry out a certification for around $200. But Blissett fears that without certification, many of these businesses will prioritise "quantity over quality". He said he's seen several certificates that ticked off each of the standards, despite the properties falling short. "The tenants [are] usually up to speed with these sorts of regulations and rules, so if the landlords do it on their own property and they get it incorrect, and the tenant finds out about it or talks to someone, and they've got a little bit of knowledge on it. There is a chance for them to be taken [to] the Tenancy Tribunal. "I believe there's fines of like $5000 or something like that for non-compliance." Renters United President, Zac Thomas, said the Healthy Homes Standards are a positive step towards a warmer and drier housing stock. But he's also concerned about the assessment process. "There is a mark your own homework situation where landlords don't even need to use an independent assessor in the first place. They can say that they are healthy homes compliant, that's the first thing. "But then the second thing is they can get this assessment from an agency that in many cases won't actually be complying or assessing to the standards as they should be." Thomas said that if the checks were completed by qualified assessors, it would give peace of mind to both landlords and tenants. "A renter might go, 'hey, please show me your healthy homes compliance.' They might be worried that the house is not compliant, and the landlord will probably show this, and then they might go, 'Oh well, I guess I have nothing to complain about'. "In reality, if there was a consistent standard, tenants would have the confidence to say, 'Okay, like this does meet standard, therefore I don't need to worry about going to the Tenancy Tribunal." University of Otago Professor, Lucy Telfer Barnard, said that as winter rolls around, if houses aren't up to standard, it's the tenants who face the consequences. "The tenants may not necessarily initially know that's why they're feeling unwell, but then if they do start to wonder, there's whole process that they can then have to go through to get those standards met. "To have that after the fact when they've moved in, in good faith, thinking that the property meets the standards, really isn't fair and puts a whole burden onto people." Landlords who fail to meet the Healthy Homes standards can face fines of up to $7200. Owners of six or more rentals that do not comply could be hit with $50,000 fines. A statement from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development said they don't assess how landlords achieve compliance, and there is no licensing requirement to undertake Healthy Homes Standards assessments. Moving to this sort of "WOF" scheme would be a big undertaking with significant costs and impacts. It said landlords need to satisfy themselves that the person they hire is suitably experienced and can undertake the required inspection or work to an acceptable standard. If a tenant thinks the property they are renting is not up to standard, they can make a complaint on the Tenancy Services website or apply for a work order from the Tenancy Tribunal. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
The Review Geek
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Review Geek
Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream Guide: Chapter 1 Walkthrough & All Collectibles
Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream Guide: Chapter 1 Introductions Back to top ↑ Welcome to Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream, the latest isometric stealth game on PC and consoles. This one's a relatively short playthrough (roughly around 8-10 hours depending on how thorough you are) but it certainly packs a good punch across that run-time. Chapters are generally quite linear but later chapters mix up the mechanics and keep things fresh so it very rarely drags. There are a number of different collectibles to grab though, including Notes and, well, Collectibles. In this guide we'll detail all of these as you reach them, along with how to grab every Trophy/Achievement too. If you miss anything, the game has a very generous Checkpoint system, allowing you to finish the chapter then replay at certain points. If you grab what you need and trigger the next checkpoint, you can exit back to the Main Menu and not lose anything. The end of each Chapter also reveals which Note or Collectible you've missed too, so you'll know roughly where to jump across to. So, with all of that in mind, lets get moving. Escape The Building Back to top ↑ When you first gain control of Hanna, you'll be inside the Boiler Room. This is a good time to get a feel for the controls. The left analog stick moves your character, holding R1 lets you run, while the right analog stick swings the camera around. L1 (LB) will help you center the camera but you can also use this to scan the environment too. As you move around each area, you can actually scan for where all the achievements are by rotating the camera and moving it around the general area. This is also useful for scouting where all the enemies are and any secrets, allowing for a slightly easier experience while playing. To start with, approach the table and grab Note #1. Now, if you spin the camera around slightly, you'll also find Collectible #1 pinned to the wall just beyond this: Walk up the stairs and approach the window to look outside. As you watch the soldiers, wait for the officer to be distracted by the rowdy neighbour before heading into the hallway. Head down the south corridor (away from the soldiers) and approach the door. After heading inside, police will then knock on the door. Ignore this and head up the ladder. In the attic, you'll need to make it past the two guards in the distance. Crouch behind the film reel box (marked X on the picture below) and wait for the officers to investigate the trap door you just entered. When the officer has his back turned, run along and take a left at the big wheel. Spin the camera around and enter the vent. In the next room you'll have some metal floors to avoid. Even stepping on these lightly will trigger any nearby guards to investigate so it's best to avoid them any chance you can. In this game, if enemies spot you or find unconscious bodies (more on that later) then it'll trigger a game over, so you'll need to be vigilant here. Wait for the fat officer, Sigurson, to head down the stairs and past the metal grates before exiting the vents. Hide behind the shelf with the cogs (marked X on the picture below) and then wait for Sigurson to be excused by the senior officer. As this officer mutters to himself, head down the stairs and zig-zag past the tables and up the adjacent stairwell. Check the window on the far left, then enter through the door. The Noisy Machine Room Back to top ↑ This next section is a little more complicated than the previous rooms and requires a bit of precision. First, head down the stairs to the right and crouch behind the box of cogs and the green machine (marked X on the picture below). When the soldier does his rounds and heads back up the stairwell, hug the wall and head through to the room with the valve. Shut off the valve and hide just to the right of the white desk until the soldier starts chatting to the other officers (marked with an X on the picture below). As soon as he does, run up the stairwell and across the metal grates. With the machinery running, your footsteps are now muffled. Circle all the way back around and wait for the soldier to inspect the middle machinery near the valve before moving to the back of the room. Watch out for the soldier on the balcony here! Now. you want to move with the wooden box at the back of the room, which will obscure the view of the other officer. Crouch across at the same time and aproach the ladder to climb out. The Rooftops (Get to Cobbler's Gate) Back to top ↑ As soon as you emerge onto the rooftop, you'll gain the Achievement: Escape Artist. Follow the linear path along and you'll automatically find Note #2. Just past this, you'll need to climb down two ladders. At this point, head through the red gate and take the path south (pictured below). Just beyond this, you'll find a ladder to the side, by the yellow 69 Silo. Head up and you'll find Collectible #2 on the table. Return to the main path (by the two metal ladders you climbed down) and hop over the fence. You'll find Note #3 here just to the right (circled below). With the guard distracted by the birds, crouch past. As you do, you'll gain the Achievement: Fowl Play. Run past the next guard on the balcony when his back is turned and then prepare for another big stealth section. Head south when the guard in the alleyway (patrolling up and down) has his back turned and grab Note #4 just beyond this to the left. Hop over the fence and look inside the window. You'll find more collectibles here, which can be reached by dropping down the ledge, then circling around and through the vent by the wall (pictured below). Exit the vent on the other side and grab Note #5 and Collectible #3. Return back through the vents to the original area. Now we need to head to the far end of the area, but there are three guards patrolling this section. The best way to proceed is to head over to the birds on the far side of the arena and cause them to fly away by stepping nearby. All three guards will come over and investigate. Slip down the ledge just south of this area and then hop over the wooden fence. Proceed north, being careful of the third guard and down the metal ladder (route pictured below). At the bottom of the ladder, follow the stairs down and instead of crossing the wooden panels, take a detour to the right (just past the rusty machinery on the outside of the house). You'll find Collectible #4 just resting on the side. Return to the wooden plank crossing and head over the little river. On the other side, you'll find Note #6 on a wooden bench. Cross back over whence you came and this time, follow the panels up to the left of the metal ladder. Climb up the planks and over the wall, where you'll find Note #7. We'll now be well on our way to Cuttler's Gate but instead of heading through the gate with the white banner, cross over the street and up the stairwell. Following this path, you'll cross the balcony guy again (move when he's not looking). Just past him, there's a little alcove that holds Note #8 inside. Just below the stairs, next to the train, you'll also find Collectible #5 (both pictured below) Head back to the main path and through the earlier gate with the white banner. Cross The Drawbridge Back to top ↑ Head up the metal ladder and wait for the soldier to move over to the stairwell on the left. When he does, head directly forward and hide behind the double-stacked barrels with the wine bottles. When the soldier returns to his position facing the ladder, sneak past him and up the rooftop. Follow the main path and grab Note #9 on the way up the ladder onto the rooftop with the metal letters reading MONARCH. Cross over and be sure to swing the camera around to find Note #10 here: Head down off the rooftop and follow the path around to find Note #11. Return back to the warehouse and through the vents just left of the blue doors (by the train tracks) to find a puzzle. The Crane Puzzle Back to top ↑ This puzzle is quite simple but it does have a few different steps. First up, approach the crane console and move it across to the empty wooden platform. Spin the crane around so the metal can hook on and move it away from the wires. Now, follow the wires to the correct number on the wall to figure out where the canisters go. When you follow the wires across the floor, you'll notice it leads to number 3. Use the crane again to move the cannisters across to number 3. You may need to spin the cannisters around so they'll fit inside but eventually when they do, it'll trigger the puzzle to be completed. Once they slot in, you'll gain the Achievement: Heavy Lifter. Head back through the vents and approach the console next to the drawbridge. With the power now working, activate the console then head on across and follow the linear path along. On the way, you'll find Note #12 near the stationary train and Note #13 on a barrel next to the tables by the balcony (pictured below) Head through the next two red gates, and be sure to grab Note #14 on the table with the flower pot. Continue on the path, past the fisherman and the coffins before heading up the stairs. Next to the red cannisters, you'll find Note #15. To the right of this, be sure to take a detour down the stairwell (just before the metal ladder leading up) to find Note #16 on a wooden crate. When you're ready, climb up the ladder and a police van will pull up. Now, take a slight detour off the main path and head south of the parked truck (pictured below). You may have seen this earlier but Collectible #6 is just in the corner of this area by a couple of workers. Keep moving down to the far end and you'll find it tucked in the corner. Getting To The Train Back to top ↑ The next section is a bit tricky and goads you into taking the shorter path (don't, it's much harder). What you want to do is follow the train tracks all the way up the road and enter through the open green gate at the end of the train tracks. Once you do, stick to the shaded area and you'll find a useful alcove to hide in (marked X on the picture below) Wait for the soldiers to move past then stick to the shade and move up. The guard in the next section follows a predictable pattern so wait for his back to be turned before moving. However, you also want to keep an eye on the soldiers behind you too so be careful not to move if they're facing you! Time it right and head through the open doorway and out of this area. Round the corner you'll find the train. To get there, hop down the main path and head along the wooden panels. You'll find Note #17 at the end. Pick this up then head up the metal ladder just to the left of this. Wait for the soldier to look away then hop into the carriage. Escape The Police Back to top ↑ In this final section, you'll now need to evade the police, who will be all over you like a rash. You need to sit tight for a while until the police officers are moving to investigate your carriage before exiting your carriage. As the officers walk to your carriage, there will be a brief moment where the officer to your right will move down just as the officer to the left starts to ascend and look in your carriage. Move just before this. Head directly across to the wooden fence, hop over, then do the same north (when that officer isn't watching). Head up to the wooden gate and press X (A) to trigger a cutscene. In this next section, you'll need to move in a specific pattern to avoid the guards. These are marked as numbers on the picture below. Move to point 1 and wait for the two guards to move from their spots just above you. When the guard on the right moves down, head to point 2. Two more officers will enter from the north and try to smoke you out. Stay tight until the next officer starts to patrol in the shade. Follow the officer that's nearest to you round in a clockwise motion so you end up back where you came from (point 3). Stay where you are as the officer will then turn round and move anti-clockwise. As soon as he's facing away from you and heading south, leave this alcove and head for point 4. Stop halfway though and wait until the senior officer faces away from you (south), then sneak past and head for point 4. Head up the metal ladder and approach the valve to trigger a cutscene. When you gain control of Hanna again, head up the ladder and approach the door. Press X (A) to trigger another cutscene and end the level.
RNZ News
5 days ago
- RNZ News
NZ Police tackling challenge of officers jumping the ditch
New Zealand Police is tackling the challenge of officers going to Australia head on. Yesterday Checkpoint heard from a recruitment officer for Northern Territory Police who had no qualms about luring kiwi cops over, and said they would be coming here on a roadshow this month to talk about the higher salaries and housing allowances on offer. First year constables in the Northern Territory earn a salary of $111,000 compared to $83,000 here - the salary quoted on the new cops website in New Zealand. After five years in the force an officer would get $121,000 in Northern Territory compared to $91,000 here.
1News
12-07-2025
- General
- 1News
Budget meals: What it was like to eat a wartime dinner
During the Second World War and the years that followed, New Zealand, like much of the world, faced a time of austerity - especially when it came to food. Rationing, coupons and making do became part of everyday life with things like tripe, makeshift butter and fidget pie on the menu. Cookbooks from this period are all about making food go further and letting nothing go to waste. With the cost of food a struggle for many families today, RNZ's Checkpoint had a chat with some of those who can remember this time to get some tips. Ann Hunt and Patricia McFarland live at Summerset retirement village in Flatbush Auckland. ADVERTISEMENT They have some thoughts about the current cost of groceries. "I would not like to be in a family at the moment trying to provide good, healthy, fresh food for my family because I look at the prices in the supermarkets and I think how on earth can a family afford those prices? "The dairy and the butter and the cheese is just beyond a joke," Ann said. Patricia agreed it is very hard for families. "We have so many takeaways now that a lot of children now would grow up not knowing any different comparing to some of the food that you'd buy in the supermarket, there probably isn't much difference in price." Each of them have memories of food rationing which began in 1942 and lasted until 1950. Ration books were registered with local shops and contained a page of "emergency counterfoils" to be used if you were away from home and unable to get butter or sugar from the local grocer. Hunt grew up in Auckland and was five years old when the Second World War came to an end. ADVERTISEMENT For the next several years life on rations continued. "My job as a probably more like five to seven [year old], was to walk the 1.5km to the shop once a week to get whatever for food was on ration, the milk or the butter, particularly flour." Patricia McFarland's Fidget pie recipe. (Source: To keep their food fresh, her family used an ice chest and preserved eggs in a jar of jelly. "I'm not quite sure what kind of gel it was, but it was my worst thing I had to do was put my hand in and get the egg out for my mother." She said food was basic, but it was all they knew, they had sandwiches for school, and a banana if you were lucky. Her recipes are collected in a little red cookbook which is now hard to read and in pieces, passed down through the generations with handwritten recipes. ADVERTISEMENT Everything was homemade growing up - but due to rationing they often had to make do without butter or eggs. Her wartime recipe is Myrtle's pudding which came from her mother-in-law. "It used a tin of unsweetened condensed milk and condensed milk and evaporated milk were on everybody's shelves because half the time you couldn't get fresh milk." Other ingredients mixed in are sugar, gelatine, lemon juice and vanilla. "Very like some of the puddings that are now fashionable to buy the blancmanges and things like that, beat until thick and pour it into a tin and set it." Patricia McFarland was just six months old when the war broke out, living in the UK in Shropshire. "I had to go to school with a gas mask on my back and when I got to school, the infant mistress, there were three of us who started school that day, she said, 'please put your gas masks on stand up in that corner there and sing Baa, Baa Black Sheep'." ADVERTISEMENT Their school lunches were mostly meat, vegetables and steamed pudding. At home it was a different story. "All we could have for tea, was bread and jam that was all there was, except my brother liked condensed milk sandwiches or HP sauce sandwiches but there was no such thing as meat." McFarland recalled three ration books growing up for babies, children and adults. Things like cheese were scarce. "My father as a treat on a Sunday night, he used to have his portion of cheese he'd have bread and cheese and we would have toast and dripping, which is out of the roast we'd had during the day." Her recipe is an emergency "Fidget pie" with carrots, potatoes, swedes and onion, covered in gravy or cheese and pastry. ADVERTISEMENT "So it would all go in that and cover it with pastry that would be an issue in itself because we didn't have much in the way of butter. "If it said six ounces of butter or six ounces of shortening, they'd use two ounces of butter, two ounces of margarine which is pretty awful and two ounces of lard, so you mix that all up to make the pastry." Ann Hunt and Patricia McFarland are hopeful food prices will come down for future generations but said their war time recipes might help those looking to make do with less.
