The backyard at 39 Marine Parade. Photo / Josh Burns Up Imagery
The backyard at 39 Marine Parade. Photo / Josh Burns Up Imagery
Bay of Plenty Times is looking back at the stories of 2022. Here’s what made headlines in February:
February 2:
Tauranga women struggling to find a midwife were calling a birthing unit “in tears”, with one midwife called up from Central Otago saying the shortage in the Bay of Plenty was “critical”.
Midwives from other parts of the country were called upon to work in the region due to “significant loss”, a Tauranga Lead Maternity Carer said.
And the Bay of Plenty District Health Board said its midwives were going “the extra mile” by doing more shifts or longer hours due to the shortage.
Operation Morepork busted a $4.2 million hydroponic cannabis growing operation in Rotorua, Taupō and Hamilton that was described as “massive” and based on an “excellence model”.
Appearing for sentencing for cultivating cannabis are (from left) Clayton Grant, Joseph Horoparapa and Gareth Tabener. Photo / Andrew Warner
February 8:
When Graham Hoete was five years old, he would draw Star Wars doodles in his maths book.
Now the Māori multi-disciplinary artist is carving for the franchise itself.
Pāpāmoa-based Hoete, whose artist name is Mr G, carved a wooden Boba Fett helmet. He was approached by Disney and Lucas Films to carve a taonga in Whakairo style for Star Wars actor Temuera Morrison after a New Zealand Disney representative came across Hoete’s Whakairo-style gumboot carving in Auckland.
Boba Fett, a bounty hunter in the fictional Star Wars franchise, is played by Morrison.
Mr G Hoete carving a wooden Boba Fett helmet. Photo / Supplied
February 10:
Residential property values in Tauranga were up an average 50 per cent on 2018, according to new council revaluations.
The rating valuations, to be sent to ratepayers from February 10, put the average value of a residential property in Tauranga at $1.12 million, with all suburbs seeing a substantial increase.
Tauranga City Council attributed the rise to high demand, a lack of available land and listings, and Covid-related constraints on the building industry.
While the new values don’t mean rates will rise 50 per cent, ratepayers in the suburbs with the fastest-rising values may be in for bigger bills.
The Lakes and suburbs along the Mount Maunganui and Pāpāmoa coast - including areas that generally already had among the highest average values - recorded the steepest rises.
JJ Devine was swimming at a Mount Maunganui beach last month when he passed out. He was rescued and revived by strangers, and later identified by a photo of his beach towel.
After an unexpectedly short stay in hospital, he was well on the road to recovery.
All he recalled of his brush with death was floating above his body, considering whether he should stay, or go towards the light. He and some of his rescuers told Megan Wilson of his extraordinary tale of survival.
JJ Devine, 21, was swimming alone at Omanu Beach when he suffered an epileptic seizure and nearly drowned. Photo / Andrew Warner
February 17:
A former Australian politician turned Māori-sovereignty activist who illegally attempted to build his family a park by reclaiming Tauranga Harbour was sent to prison - becoming just the ninth person to be imprisoned for offending under the Resource Management Act.
But the man at the centre of the case continued to believe his status as mana whenua exempts him from all New Zealand law, and has already filed an appeal in the High Court challenging the conviction.
Tio Faulkner, who represented himself, was sentenced to three months and two weeks’ imprisonment for offending which saw him dump nearly 1500cu m of rebar and concrete waste into the category two protected area, in an effort to extend his Matapihi property.
It was only a matter of time before bus driver staffing hit “crisis level” as Omicron cases climbed in Tauranga.
That’s according to First Union transport and logistics organiser Graham McKean who said public transport in the region would reach a “critical situation”.
It came as Bay of Plenty Regional Council moves to a reduced timetable because of driver shortages.
McKean said the number of drivers was already “well down” and it was difficult to retain and attract recruits due to the “low [pay] rates and broken shifts”.
The backyard at 39 Marine Parade. Photo / Josh Burns Up Imagery
February 27:
Ask food-obsessive Stacey Jones what her favourite item to buy from the supermarket is, and she struggles.
As a culinary addict, it’s impossible for her to pick just one thing - and also, she notes, she prefers shopping at a farmers’ market.
“I am completely and utterly crackers about food,” she says.
Born and bred in London, Jones’ mum Caryl is a cordon bleu chef, and it wasn’t unusual for her to serve Jones and her two sisters smoked salmon mousse and pavlova for afternoon tea.
Dad Tony was an actuary but also had a chocolate business.
