Latest news with #MaxFrethey
Scoop
6 days ago
- Business
- Scoop
New Lease To Return ‘Kiwi Camping' To Nelson
Article – Max Frethey – Local Democracy Reporter Nelson's Maitai Valley Camp has a new lessee and the company hopes to bring 'traditional Kiwi camping' back to the city. A new lease has been signed for the Maitai Valley Camp and the company that's taking over wants to see a return of 'traditional Kiwi camping' in the city. Nelson City Council has been managing the camp, but Kiwi Cash Limited, trading as Penny will take over on 1 June. Penny founder Chris Wagner said the Nelson Tasman region has been on the company's radar 'for some time'. 'We're really, really looking forward to it. If there was any spot to have it in New Zealand, having one in Nelson, and especially up the Maitai [Valley], is just awesome.' Wagner said that many travellers skip Nelson – 'vis-à-vis they come off the ferry and they go to Queenstown' – and he hopes to attract more visitors to the region. The Maitai Valley was 'absolutely beautiful' with great activities, like the nearby mountain bike trails and golf course, but was generally 'underused', and Wagner hoped a refreshed campground will encourage more visitors and locals to explore the area. He thought that 'traditional Kiwi camping' has been eroded around the country, and Penny hopes to offer that experience in Nelson. 'When I was a kid, we used to go out fishing, we used to light a fire, we used to be taught how to do it safely and properly… getting taught how to make a bivvy out of trees, getting taught how to hang your own hammock, and stuff like that,' Wagner said. 'Those kinds of spaces are getting lost, and that's kind of what we're really [promoting], is the idea of actually getting people to have that experience and get out of the comfort zone.' The council has undertaken $1.8 million of campground upgrades over the last two years, such as a complete replacement of the sewer system to enable the number of visitors being lifted from 80 to 400 campers a night. Other improvements include a new barbeque and picnic area, relocated cabins, and new taps and caravan dump stations. Penny also had plans for other installations, like a new playground, and its use of automated systems and a light presence on the ground aims to ensure that campsites are offered at 'reasonable' prices based on hiring the site, rather than per person fees. 'We're going to try and provide facilities and activities for Nelsonians to actually go up there and enjoy it,' Wagner said. Long-term residents at the campground aren't expected to see any 'dramatic changes', but will get upgraded Wi-Fi, fixed toilet blocks, and a new laundry machine to 'life the site up', he added. Wagner and Mayor Nick Smith signed the five-year lease, which includes the right to a five-year renewal, last week. Smith has welcomed the lease, saying running campgrounds are not the council's core business despite their importance to local tourism. 'By investing in upgrades and partnering with experienced operators like Penny, we're delivering real benefits for the city and our visitor infrastructure,' he said. 'Both the Brook and Maitai campgrounds have previously made losses and required significant upgrades after many years of deferred maintenance. Last year, we successfully leased the Brook campground to the Brook Waimārama Sanctuary Trust and since then camper reviews have been overwhelmingly positive. We're aiming for the same here.' The campground's rent is set at $40,000 plus GST for the first year, with subsequent years being either the base fee or 9.75% of the camp's gross income, whichever was higher. Kevrol Limited held the lease for the campground for 17 years. When the lease expired in 2022, they did not want to enter into a new lease as the company was moving away from the area. The council has run the campground since.
Scoop
7 days ago
- Business
- Scoop
New Lease To Return ‘Kiwi Camping' To Nelson
Wednesday, 28 May 2025, 8:12 pm Article: Max Frethey - Local Democracy Reporter A new lease has been signed for the Maitai Valley Camp and the company that's taking over wants to see a return of 'traditional Kiwi camping' in the city. Nelson City Council has been managing the camp, but Kiwi Cash Limited, trading as Penny will take over on 1 June. Penny founder Chris Wagner said the Nelson Tasman region has been on the company's radar 'for some time'. 'We're really, really looking forward to it. If there was any spot to have it in New Zealand, having one in Nelson, and especially up the Maitai [Valley], is just awesome.' Wagner said that many travellers skip Nelson – 'vis-à-vis they come off the ferry and they go to Queenstown' – and he hopes to attract more visitors to the region. The Maitai Valley was 'absolutely beautiful' with great activities, like the nearby mountain bike trails and golf course, but was generally 'underused', and Wagner hoped a refreshed campground will encourage more visitors and locals to explore the area. He thought that 'traditional Kiwi camping' has been eroded around the country, and Penny hopes to offer that experience in Nelson. 'When I was a kid, we used to go out fishing, we used to light a fire, we used to be taught how to do it safely and properly… getting taught how to make a bivvy out of trees, getting taught how to hang your own hammock, and stuff like that,' Wagner said. 'Those kinds of spaces are getting lost, and that's kind of what we're really [promoting], is the idea of actually getting people to have that experience and get out of the comfort zone.' The council has undertaken $1.8 million of campground upgrades over the last two years, such as a complete replacement of the sewer system to enable the number of visitors being lifted from 80 to 400 campers a night. Other improvements include a new barbeque and picnic area, relocated cabins, and new taps and caravan dump stations. Penny also had plans for other installations, like a new playground, and its use of automated systems and a light presence on the ground aims to ensure that campsites are offered at 'reasonable' prices based on hiring the site, rather than per person fees. 'We're going to try and provide facilities and activities for Nelsonians to actually go up there and enjoy it,' Wagner said. Long-term residents at the campground aren't expected to see any 'dramatic changes', but will get upgraded Wi-Fi, fixed toilet blocks, and a new laundry machine to 'life the site up', he added. Wagner and Mayor Nick Smith signed the five-year lease, which includes the right to a five-year renewal, last week. Smith has welcomed the lease, saying running campgrounds are not the council's core business despite their importance to local tourism. 'By investing in upgrades and partnering with experienced operators like Penny, we're delivering real benefits for the city and our visitor infrastructure,' he said. 'Both the Brook and Maitai campgrounds have previously made losses and required significant upgrades after many years of deferred maintenance. Last year, we successfully leased the Brook campground to the Brook Waimārama Sanctuary Trust and since then camper reviews have been overwhelmingly positive. We're aiming for the same here.' The campground's rent is set at $40,000 plus GST for the first year, with subsequent years being either the base fee or 9.75% of the camp's gross income, whichever was higher. Kevrol Limited held the lease for the campground for 17 years. When the lease expired in 2022, they did not want to enter into a new lease as the company was moving away from the area. The council has run the campground since. Local Democracy Reporting is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air © Scoop Media
Scoop
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scoop
‘Please Walk On Me' – Flag Artwork Sparks Outrage Again
Article – Max Frethey – Local Democracy Reporter An artistic invitation to 'please walk' on the New Zealand flag is continuing to offend gallery visitors 30 years after it was first displayed. Flagging the Future is just one of several artworks currently on display at Nelson's Suter Art Gallery as part of an exhibition showcasing the multimedia works of Diane Prince, who has a long history of Māori activism. Recreated by Prince last year, the artwork features a surveying tripod – 'a talismatic symbol of territorial conquest' by the Crown against Māori, according to the artist – made from flax stalks to symbolise Māori reclamation of their land. However, it's the New Zealand flag stencilled with the words 'Please Walk On Me' which sits at the base of the tripod that has sparked outrage from some in Nelson. The artwork was first displayed in Auckland in 1995 as a critique of the Bolger government's decision to put a fiscal cap on Treaty of Waitangi settlements, but outrage from some at that time resulted in the artwork's removal. Returned and Services' Association Nelson branch president Barry Pont said his reaction to seeing the artwork was one of 'shock horror'. 'Over the years, we've fought under the New Zealand flag and to wipe your feet on it is an insult in my eyes,' he said. 'You've got to give and take a bit, but this is beyond the joke, I think… I don't mind the flag lying on the floor, but not with the wording 'wipe your feet'. That's an insult to New Zealand's flag.' He added that legislation prohibits displaying the flag with the intention to dishonour it, and didn't think the artwork should be displayed in an art gallery that was supported by ratepayers. Mayor Nick Smith said he personally found the artwork to be 'in bad taste' and said he and the council had received 19 complaints about it. 'I would hold the same view if an artwork encouraged people to walk on the Tino Rangatiratanga flag,' he said. 'I know others may view this art differently and that is just how art is.' He acknowledged the Suter was independent of the council and encouraged the board and director to consider public feedback of its exhibitions, 'as it is important our art gallery enjoys broad community support'. Exhibition curator Gina Matchitt said that Prince recognised the services of soldiers with 'reverence and compassion'. Another artwork in the exhibition – gas masks woven from flax – even honours Prince's tīpuna (ancestors) who fought in the Land Wars and World War I. 'It's just important to really understand that there's more than one view of our flag,' Matchitt said. 'For Māori, that Union Jack symbolises land loss, language loss, culture loss… the flag actually belongs to all New Zealanders, it doesn't just belong to the RSA.' She acknowledged that Aotearoa New Zealand's past was confronting for both Pākehā and Māori. However, she said an art gallery was a safe way to unpack those stories and recommended people learn about local Māori history, potentially by reading Treaty settlements for their local iwi, to gain a greater understanding of how Māori were treated during colonisation. Matchitt added that the artwork was particularly relevant in the contemporary context as the current Government attempts to 'extinguish Māori rights'. Suter Art Gallery director Toni MacKinnon said 'Flagging the Future' was a significant piece of the country's art history. 'Its return to public view is both an act of recognition and a chance to highlight a pivotal moment in the career of Diane Prince. 'Throughout history, galleries have exhibited works that challenge conventions and provoke thought – it's part of their role in a healthy society.' Diane Prince: Artist Activist is on display at the Suter Art Gallery until 5 October, and is being toured by Porirua's Pātaka Art + Museum.
1News
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- 1News
'Please walk on me' – flag artwork sparks outrage again
An artistic invitation to 'please walk' on the New Zealand flag is continuing to offend gallery visitors 30 years after it was first displayed. 'Flagging the Future' is just one of several artworks currently on display at Nelson's Suter Art Gallery as part of an exhibition showcasing the multimedia works of Diane Prince who has a long history of Māori activism. Recreated by Prince last year, the artwork features a surveying tripod – 'a talismatic symbol of territorial conquest' by the Crown against Māori, according to the artist – made from flax stalks to symbolise Māori reclamation of their land. However, it's the New Zealand flag stencilled with the words 'Please Walk On Me' which sits at the base of the tripod that has sparked outrage from some in Nelson. The artwork was first displayed in Auckland in 1995 as a critique of the Bolger Government's decision to put a fiscal cap on Treaty of Waitangi settlements but outrage from some at that time resulted in the artwork's removal. ADVERTISEMENT The artwork features a surveyor's tripod made from flax stalks to symbolise Māori reclamation of their land. (Source: LDR / Max Frethey) President of the Nelson branch of the Returned and Services' Association Barry Pont said his reaction to seeing the artwork was one of 'shock horror'. 'Over the years, we've fought under the New Zealand flag and to wipe your feet on it is an insult in my eyes,' he said. 'You've got to give and take a bit, but this is beyond the joke, I think… I don't mind the flag lying on the floor, but not with the wording 'wipe your feet'. That's an insult to New Zealand's flag.' He added that legislation prohibits displaying the flag with the intention to dishonour it, and didn't think the artwork should be displayed in an art gallery that was supported by ratepayers. Nelson RSA president Barry Pont said the artwork as an "insult" to veterans. (Source: LDR / Max Frethey) Mayor Nick Smith said he personally found the artwork to be 'in bad taste' and said he and the council had received 19 complaints about it. ADVERTISEMENT 'I would hold the same view if an artwork encouraged people to walk on the Tino Rangatiratanga flag,' he said. 'I know others may view this art differently and that is just how art is.' He acknowledged the Suter was independent of the council and encouraged the board and director to take on board public feedback of its exhibitions, 'as it is important our art gallery enjoys broad community support'. Exhibition curator Gina Matchitt said that Prince recognised the services of soldiers with 'reverence and compassion'. Another artwork in the exhibition – gas masks woven from flax – even honours Prince's tīpuna (ancestors) who fought in the Land Wars and World War I. 'It's just important to really understand that there's more than one view of our flag,' Matchitt said. 'For Māori, that Union Jack symbolises land loss, language loss, culture loss… the flag actually belongs to all New Zealanders, it doesn't just belong to the RSA.' ADVERTISEMENT She acknowledged that Aotearoa New Zealand's past was confronting for both Pākehā and Māori. However, she said an art gallery was a safe way to unpack those stories and recommended people learn about local Māori history, potentially by reading Treaty settlements for their local iwi, to gain a greater understanding of how Māori were treated during colonisation. Matchitt added that the artwork was particularly relevant in the contemporary context as the current Government attempts to 'extinguish Māori rights'. Suter Art Gallery director Toni MacKinnon said 'Flagging the Future' was a significant piece of the country's art history. Suter Art Gallery director Toni MacKinnon said it was the role of galleries to challenge conventions and provoke thought. (Source: LDR / Max Frethey) 'Its return to public view is both an act of recognition and a chance to highlight a pivotal moment in the career of Diane Prince… 'Throughout history, galleries have exhibited works that challenge conventions and provoke thought – it's part of their role in a healthy society.' Diane Prince: Artist Activist is on display at the Suter Art Gallery until October 5, and is being toured by Porirua's Pātaka Art + Museum. Local Democracy Reporting is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Scoop
24-05-2025
- Health
- Scoop
Budget 2025: Awesome Or Disappointing? Nelson's Leaders Divided On Hospital News
Article – Max Frethey – Local Democracy Reporter Budget 2025 has revealed some details about Nelson's long-awaited hospital rebuild, but the city's leaders don't agree on whether it's positive for residents. The Government has announced the continuation of the redevelopment of Nelson Hospital, with funding allocated over the next four years to address capacity issues, poor seismic resilience, and outdated care delivery. 'This will deliver a new inpatient building with more beds to meet population growth. The hospital's two main buildings will be refurbished, and essential services will be upgraded,' Minister of Health Simeon Brown said on Thursday. The inpatient building will have 128 beds – 41 more than current capacity – and was expected to be built by 2029, 'two years earlier than planned'. A new energy centre will also be built at the hospital to house 'critical infrastructure'. Over $1 billion for health infrastructure was included within Budget 2025, which included money for redeveloping the Wellington Emergency Department and upgrading Auckland hospitals, alongside funding for the Nelson Hospital projects. However, the specific amount allocated for the Nelson Hospital over the next four years remains unknown, with the exact figures withheld 'due to commercial sensitivities'. Brown said the $73 million design and enabling works for the new hospital buildings were 'well underway', and the $11 million emergency department expansion was expected to be completed early next year. There was no specific mention of funding for the Hope Bypass, a Road of National Significance whose investment case will be presented to the NZTA board in the coming months. Nelson Mayor Nick Smith wasn't concerned about the hospital's blank budget lines. 'This is the biggest investment ever by Government in Nelson,' he said. 'This is awesome news for Nelson, and welcome relief to the long-term problems we have with our Nelson Hospital.' Smith said the new inpatient building would be 11,000 square metres – 'almost the size of the existing two tower blocks added together'. 'I am pleasantly surprised, given the level of fiscal pressure the Government is under, that they've delivered the funding and in the timeframe I wanted.' He acknowledged that health services also depended on doctors and nurses, but said better facilities would improve the region's ability to attract and retain staff, and improve their ability to do their jobs. The next step for the hospital redevelopment was the detailed design and construction. 'Council will be working closely with Government and Health New Zealand to progress the resource [consents] of the buildings as quickly as possible to meet this challenging timetable.' Smith said he hadn't been expecting specific funding announcements on the Hope Bypass, but added that he was 'encouraged' by allocations for state highway upgrades. But Nelson's Labour MP, Rachel Boyack, was scathing in her criticism of the 2025 Budget. 'The funding announced in today's budget fails to provide the certainty needed that Nelson's new hospital will be built and funded.' She said the details confirmed the 'downgrade' of the Nelson Hospital rebuild, with no mention of a large acute services building that Labour had committed to while in government. 'Instead, they are planning a smaller building that won't provide for the needs of Nelson's ageing and growing population. She said the $1 billion allocated was a 'just a pittance' of the $20 billion identified by the Government that was needed for health infrastructure over the next decade. She added that it was 'very disappointing' that the budget hadn't made any mention of the Hope Bypass, nor guaranteed that the new road would not be tolled. Other reductions in KiwiSaver and Best Start funding, along with the controversial pay equity changes, would hurt working Nelsonians who were 'doing it tough', Boyack said. 'National's Budget is a choice – to build for the future or not – they've chosen not to. They have stolen from women's back pockets and our kids' retirement savings to subsidise fossil fuels.'
