Latest news with #PeterMcIntyre
Otago Daily Times
17-07-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
ODT Rugby Chat: How is the final shaping up?
The final looms and we lay it on the line to the two coaches in Saturday's showdown, this week on ODT Rugby Chat, brought to you by Garador. Harbour coach Peter McIntyre talks about winning the key moments, and how crucial that has been to making the final. Kaikorai coach Andy Hunter tells us how tight the competition has been this year, and how finishing sixth did not sway their confidence. He delves into how his lightweight pack got on top of Southern in last week's semifinal. We ask them both what the last words will be to the teams before they head out of the tunnel?
NZ Herald
14-07-2025
- Health
- NZ Herald
Vaccine hesitancy growing in at-risk communities, providers blame social media misinformation
'[We've even had] community teams lurking in bushes, waiting to ambush mums coming home from shopping,' she said wryly. In a league table of primary health organisations (PHOs) published by Health NZ, Ngā Mataapuna Oranga has the highest decline rate, with 25% of families refusing immunisation. As a small PHO, with just four general practices, it only took a handful of families to decline immunisation to drop its rates below target, Davis pointed out. However, she admitted it was up against persistent anti-vaccination propaganda, which spread like contagion via social media. 'I guess their promotion is just as good as our promotions are, so they counter a lot of the work we do.' Nationally, 79.3% of 2-year-olds were fully vaccinated in the first three months of the year – marginally better than at the same time last year. In some regions, however, rates were much lower: Northland had just 66.4% coverage, while in Tairāwhiti/Gisborne and Bay of Plenty, it was around 68%. Davis said the Covid pandemic damaged trust in the health system and it was taking time to rebuild those relationships. 'I think too that we have to balance our attempts at immunisation in relation to our relationships with our families. 'To put it bluntly, sometimes we're going two or three times to the same families. And at the end of the day, from their perspective, they're over us.' Decline rates threaten 95% target – expert Infectious disease expert Professor Peter McIntyre, from Otago University, said before Covid, decline rates for childhood immunisation were around 5%. However, for about one in three PHOs in those Health NZ figures, the decline rate was now more than 10%. 'This substantial increase in the proportion of families declining, effectively makes that impossible.' Unfortunately, vaccine distrust had got a stronger hold among Māori and Pacific communities, which already had more 'delayed' immunisations, he said. 'What the decline figures are telling is that these are people who are indicating they just don't intend to get their child immunised full stop, which is a development that's really worrying, because decline is a whole lot worse than delay.' Full coverage remained a worthy goal, he said. 'But if we really have to choose – which maybe at this stage we do – we want to focus on: How good is our protection against measles? What's that looking like? What do we have to do about it? And maybe whooping cough as well. And meningococcal B.' More younger parents and caregivers vaccine sceptical Ngāti Porou Oranga in Tairāwhiti recorded the lowest coverage, with just 38.5% of 2-year-olds fully vaccinated in the first three months of the year. No one from the PHO was available to comment. Eastern Bay Primary Health Alliance in Bay of Plenty said its figures had improved: 58.4% of enrolled tamariki were fully immunised as of July 1, up from 52.5% in the previous quarter. Chief executive Katarina Gordon said, however, it was also seeing a growing number of whānau 'expressing hesitancy or choosing to decline immunisation'. 'We're seeing a steady increase in vaccine hesitancy, particularly among younger parents and caregivers. 'Some are actively declining, but many are simply unsure or misinformed. Social media misinformation, past experiences of the health system, and general mistrust all contribute to this hesitancy.' Many whānau were living in rural or remote areas, with limited access to transport, housing instability and economic hardship, which meant day-to-day needs often took priority over preventive healthcare like immunisations, she said. Health providers were struggling themselves with limited clinic availability, workforce shortages (especially nurses and outreach staff) and high demand, which meant some whānau faced long wait times or limited options for appointments. 'Mobile outreach services help, but capacity is stretched, and funding is not always available and or sustainable.' Despite these challenges, Eastern Bay Primary Health Alliance continued to work with its practice network, outreach teams, Hauora Māori partners, the National Public Health Service and Te Whatu Ora Health NZ to boost immunisation rates. 'We remain committed to ensuring all interactions with whānau are timely, respectful, and culturally safe.' -RNZ
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Fly tipping fury as Port Glasgow man hits out at 'dumping ground' in town
FLAGRANT fly-tippers are turning a Port Glasgow road into Inverclyde's latest dumping ground, according to an angry campaigner. Peter McIntyre hit out after sofas, fridges, freezers, toys and grass cuttings were among the items dumped out in the open in Parkhill Avenue. Peter McIntyre, 72, says the mess is getting worse, with people simply throwing items over a nearby wall instead of going to the council's recycling depot at Pottery Street. Mr McIntyre, who has labelled the area 'the new Pottery Street', has complained to River Clyde Homes (RCH), who own the land, and spoken to several politicians in a bid to get something done. Peter McIntyre with local councillor Chris Curley in Parkhill Avenue. (Image: George Munro) Sofas, fridges, freezers, toys and grass cuttings are among the dumped items. (Image: George Munro) He said: "There's more stuff getting dumped here than in Pottery Street. "It's happening all over the area. It's time Inverclyde Council came back and took over from River Clyde Homes. "If Inverclyde Council had been in charge this would have all been cleared up. (Image: George Munro) "It's blatant. People are dumping things right in from of these houses in Parkhill Avenue - three piece suites, fridges and freezers. Guys are cutting people's grass and dumping the cuttings over the wall. "There's builder's materials as well. "This is the new Pottery Street. Then it is getting covered with grass and leaves from the trees. "There's new stuff underneath and it is from shops, including cans and bottles." OTHER NEWS: Veterans ask for discount to leisure services and their own fitness classes Super slimmer to share her story with Port Glasgow Slimming World group Carers left shocked and distraught at closure of lifeline Greenock centre Mr McIntyre, of High Carnegie Road, says that all that is needed is CCTV to catch culprits and then have their vehicles seized as a warning to others. He added that it's not only an eyesore but it smells too. Among those Mr McIntyre has contacted seeking help is local councillor Chris Curley - who agrees on the need for action, and says that while RCH has removed items, the sheer scale of the problem makes it difficult to fix. Councillor Curley told the Telegraph: "I have been in contact with River Clyde Homes who have suggested erecting a fence to dissuade people from dumping rubbish, as it is a low wall, we have also asked for CCTV in the past." Councillor Curley said he had been reported the issues for a couple of years. "It's a large area over a quarter of a mile, that is the issue," he continued "It is the tenants of RCH that have to pay the increased cost caused by fly tipping. (Image: George Munro) "I would urge people to dispose of their refuse responsibly and, if anyone sees anyone dumping rubbish, to report it. Community safety officers also patrol the area." He also added that CCTV could be a possibility. A River Clyde Homes spokesperson said: "We are aware of fly-tipping on land at Parkhill Avenue and have already cleared the site several times. "In an effort to mitigate the recurring issue, we are currently looking into the construction of fencing around the area concerned. "We bear the expense of removing fly-tipped waste from our land, which is a substantial and costly drain on resources that could otherwise be invested in crucial services improvements directly benefitting tenants, such as estate maintenance, property upgrades, or community programmes. "River Clyde Homes are also working with Inverclyde Council's environmental enforcement team to address issues of fly-tipping across several areas. "We join them in strongly condemning the selfish and irresponsible practice of fly-tipping and encourage everyone to use the proper channels for waste disposal.' Inverclyde Council was also asked for a comment but said it wasn't on council land and there had been no council involvement. A council spokesperson said: "We, of course, strongly condemn fly-tipping and would always encourage people to dispose of their rubbish responsibly, including through the recycling centres. "There is also a bulky uplift service for a small fee, as well as rubbish disposal options for businesses. "Information about the services we provide and how to report fly-tipping is on the council website."
Otago Daily Times
30-04-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Residency gives a new focus
A granddaughter and daughter of prominent late Dunedin artists Peter McIntyre sen and Peter McIntyre, Sara McIntyre, has returned to the South as the inaugural Forrester Gallery Residency recipient. She talks to Rebecca Fox about her photography journey. No-one loves a good road trip more than Sara McIntyre, but she does have one gripe — she only gets to skim the surface of a new place. So to get the chance to spend weeks in one place and get to know a community is her dream. She is getting that chance as the inaugural Forrester Gallery Residency recipient. The residency not only gives her a stipend to support her time in the Waitaki district, but she also gets the use of a cottage at Kakanui for about two months. So instead of moving on every few days in her campervan, she can settle in and explore the region. It is something McIntyre has always wanted to do. She has had a soft spot for Otago, as her family comes from Dunedin. Her grandfather Peter McIntyre sen (1862-1932) was a prominent commercial artist who created political cartoons for the Otago Daily Times and made lithographs while her father, also Peter McIntyre (1910-95), was renowned as New Zealand's official World War 2 artist. "Both my parents were brought up in Dunedin. In fact, all my New Zealand ancestors are all Dunedin. I think I was one of the first born in the North Island." McIntyre grew up in Wellington but spent a lot of time in Dunedin visiting her grandmother, aunts and family. She also went to George Street Normal School for a term. "I just remember being rather miserable. It was winter and I didn't fit in." It was through her father that she was introduced to cameras. He saw himself as a painter but took a lot of photographs. "We were brought up with cameras and taking photos, but painting was his thing." She started off with "hand-me-down" cameras, until her brother came back from overseas and gave her a Pentax. "This would have been in the '70s. And he said, 'You know, your photographs are good. You need a better camera'. I went round Europe in the early '70s with an Instamatic — you know, one of those cameras where you put the cartridge in. And he was horrified by that." Taking photographs became McIntyre's "thing". Even back then she remembers wanting to tell a story, rather than worrying about the technical aspects of it. "I just didn't care about quality. You know, I travelled for months in an old ambulance with my 3-year-old twins." She went to university but says she was not a great student. Then, when she had children, she found the rounds of coffee mornings a bit tedious so decided to train as a nurse. "I got right into it and loved it. And I think it sort of helped that I was a bit older because I just knew that's what I wanted to do. So it was more sort of wanting to be employable." Photography had fallen away in the intervening years but working in hospitals inspired her to pick a camera up again. As an neonatal intensive care nurse, she began taking photographs of babies in the unit. She was then asked to take photos of babies who had died. "That was the sad part of it. They were extremely private photos and then I just got a reputation within the hospital. It was just always a huge interest to me. "The family always referred to me as the family photographer. If there was any photo [that] needed taking, it was call Sara." It was not until she moved from Wellington to Kakahi in the King Country with the idea of semi-retiring that photography slowly became more of a focus. Her family had land in Kakahi. Keen trout fishers, they often visited over the years. "I just started coming here a lot. And then I decided to come and live here and give it a go." She took a month off to see how she found it and discovered at the end of that month she did not want to go back to the city. "It's just peaceful and it's sort of low-key. I live above the river. And I have the best of both worlds. I go to Auckland quite a lot and Wellington. I just find it nice and easy living here and people come and go and that's really nice." McIntyre also found plenty of inspiration in Kakahi. While she was only supposed to be a casual district nurse in the area, the job soon became fulltime. Photographing people is her great love. "It's really almost like an extension of conversations. And it's an excuse, in a way, to talk to people. I sometimes stop and ask people if they mind if I take a photograph. And I'm amazed at how amiable people are. They like to tell you about their lives. I think I'm a frustrated writer. Taking photographs is a really nice way of doing it. And to me, a photograph actually tells the story better, in a different way." It was during this time that she began taking photographs of people in their homes after seeing things she thought would make a great photograph. "I think that sort of became obvious to me when I was district nursing, because as a nurse, you're seeing them in their home and it means a hell of a lot more than if you see them somewhere else. I quite like photographing people in their gardens as well." So she upgraded her cellphone so she could take photos in a less intrusive way. "I couldn't lug my big Nikon camera around with me while I was visiting people in their homes to do their wounds and things." These days, she takes photographs on both, depending on the situation. Exhibition photography still requires the use of a professional camera. "The iPhone is just convenience when you haven't got a camera with you. And there are times when it's almost more appropriate because it's not a big camera in your face. And I find people are much less self-conscious about a phone." She began to put some of her photographs on Instagram and was picked up by Anna Miles Gallery in Auckland. She had her first solo exhibition in 2016 — "an incredible break". In 2020, she put together a book of her photographs, Observations of a Rural Nurse , featuring the landscapes and people she had come across while living and working in the King Country. "This is where I've probably taken most of my photographs." McIntyre says she can spot a good photograph almost instantly. "I don't really think about it. It's just there in your face. I can get quite frustrated because I will sometimes have an idea and try and make it work. But really, it has to sort of be obvious from the start." People are either good to photograph or they are not, she says. "There's nothing personal. It's when the photograph also tells you something about that person. You know, that's why I quite like photographing people in their home ... I could never do it in a studio." It was while creating the book that she finally retired from nursing to concentrate on photography. With the days now her own, she "traipses around", often taking her van on road trips about the countryside. "I spend a few weeks going up to the Hokianga or Northland or down south. And I've done quite a few road trips down south." On those southern trips, she never managed to visit Kakanui, so is looking forward to it. "I don't really have a plan. I just know the sort of photographs I like doing, and I think that it will sort of fall into place, I hope. "So this will give me the opportunity to really have a more in-depth look and I just know the way it goes that things will pop up." Waitaki District Council arts, culture and libraries manager Chloe Searle says the up-to-two-month residency is an exciting way to introduce different artists to the Waitaki district and see how they respond to "our place" in whatever way they create. Artists will be invited to take part. "It means we obviously get some interesting work to exhibit which is really exciting and a wonderful spinoff for the the project." It is also another way to extend the Forrester's reach across New Zealand and comes at a great time when the gallery has just celebrated its 40th and is in the midst of a building project. For the first year, the Friends of Forrester and the J.W. Christie Trust have helped fund the residency and the cottage is being provided free of charge. "We are hoping the Friends and the local arts community will work to provide the stipend each year."
NZ Herald
24-04-2025
- General
- NZ Herald
The legacy of Ted Lewis: Whanganui war artist who captured the Kiwi spirit
His introduction to art began in 1924 when he left for England, learning interior decoration, architectural drawing, lettering and design. Lewis studied part-time at Harrogate School of Art. In 1927, he was awarded a Yorkshire County Craft Scholarship for one year of fulltime study at the Harrogate School of Art and in 1928, he was awarded another Yorkshire County Craft Scholarship, this time for three years of study at The Royal College of Art (RCA) in London. In 1931, Lewis graduated from the RCA and also obtained AIBD status (Associate of the Institute of British Decorators and Interior Design). He returned to New Zealand and took up a position as Arts Master at Hamilton Technical College and then as Assistant Art Master at Wellington Technical College. Then in 1941, Lewis enlisted for war service, joining the medical corps on the Maunganui, a hospital ship. He served in the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force (2NZEF) regiment and saw action in Egypt, Palestine, Tripolitania, Tunisia and Italy. Whenever off-duty, Lewis sketched and painted, often in dramatic and dangerous situations. When the official war artist Peter McIntyre went off to the front, Lewis' artistic talents were soon discovered and this led to his secondment as a map-maker for General Freyberg. Lewis was often given dispensation from his map drawing to also paint on the front, happier with a paintbrush in his hand than a gun. With pen, ink and wash, he captured the atmosphere of the Middle East and Italy under the shadow of war. His wry cartoons, which he mainly drew while in Italy for the NZEF Times, epitomised Kiwi humour and spirit and helped preserve sanity in a fighting division. Then there was the human side of Lewis, being a father and husband as well as an artist. His daughter Marion Davidson said: 'He was fiercely correct in his drawing, with trees being his favourite object to draw.' 'He was the world's greatest encourager and with his infectious humour, he could have easily been an actor.' And she should know, as he taught her to paint with watercolours, as that was his choice of media because it was so easy to transport. 'My father loved beautiful handmade paper and the feel of beautiful sable brushes, something he passed down to me,' Davidson said. Religion had always played a large part in his life and in his later years, he became ordained as a minister in the Anglican Church. He also made a mark in his hometown, where he designed Whanganui's Coat of Arms.
