John Arts Abundant Living www.johnarts.co.nz One of my favourite cricketers is the Indian batsman Rahul Dravid. His nickname is ‘The Wall'. His defence is so good he seems to be impenetrable, even to world class bowling. Our bodies likewise... Read More

Philip Holland Financial Independence financialindependence What a right mess we are in the mighty Bay of Plenty. Between the slow and devastating Psa outbreak and the potential devastating effects of Rena, things are starting to look somewhat... Read More

Steve Bailey Federated Farmers Te Puke branch chairperson The devastating news that kiwifruit killing disease Pseudomonas syringae pv actinidiae (Psa) has spread from Te Puke to Tauranga, Waihi and Katikati highlights the need to deal with biosecurity... Read More

Mike Chapman NZKGI Chief Executive Kiwifruit growers voted ‘yes' to funding NZ Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated's activities via a Commodity Levy for the next five years, with 87 per cent of the growers who voted saying yes to the proposed... Read More

Brian Rogers Rogers Rabbits www.sunlive.co.nz The All Blacks go into their final against France this weekend knowing that one province has gone overboard with the 'Paint it Black” theme. Having our beaches and coastline smothered in black... Read More

News Hound Ady & Flo It's a big, wide world out there, as I'm finding out in my first few weeks on this planet. There are so many things to learn and remember. Like: Sit, come, stay, no, no, and no. I like the sound of 'good Flo” though.... Read More

Claire Rogers All about wine www.sunlive.co.nz It was a privilege to catch up with John Hancock from Trinity Hill. John is a legend in wine making, having made his first wine in 1972 in the Barossa Valley. The 2008 Gimblett Gravels Hawke's Bay,... Read More

Cr Bill Faulkner Faulkners Corner www.sunlive.co.nz Tauranga City Council and the regional and Western Bay councils continue to play an integral part in the consequences of the Rena shipwreck on Astrolabe Reef. Shipwreck is my term - it's unlikely... Read More

Brian Anderson The Western Front www.sunlive.co.nz Naples in 2002 was unbelievably broken down. Whole families were sleeping in the streets and even setting up house on traffic islands in the centre of town. e counted at least 100 sleeping on... Read More

Andrew von Dadelszen Former Regional Councillor The news for the last two weeks has been dominated by the stranding of the Rena on Astrolabe Reef. I was fortunate enough to witness the stranding on the morning of this event, when I accompanied... Read More

Jane Nees BOP Regional Councillor www.janenees.co.nz There is no doubt the Bay of Plenty is facing its biggest environmental challenge in recent history with the stranding of the container ship Rena on the Astrolabe Reef. Emotions have been running... Read More

Ian McLean Green candidate for Tauranga Has the response been enough? The initial response has already failed, therefore it was not good enough. No criticism of the people working against the odds to deal with this enormous problem is intended... Read More