Responding to reports that packs of cat-sized rats have taken over Titirangi, Don Rowe travelled to West Auckland to find out the truth. There’s an infestation in Titirangi and it’s not just white girls with dreadlocks. Rats “the size of cats”, ten to a pack, staring down residents like a gang of mean teenagers. Frothing, … Read more
This year’s Te Matatini winners, Ngā Tūmanako, were first brought together as kura kaupapa students at West Auckland’s Hoani Waititi Marae. Foundation members look back at the group’s evolution over the years. In the early 2000s, talks among a few West Auckland school friends signalled a new kapa haka group was on the horizon. Bonded … Read more
In the second in our (rather sporadic) series “Why I love”, Hayden Donnell is convinced that Auckland’s best Mexican food is tucked away in an unlikely spot in Henderson. To find the best Mexican food in Auckland, you have to head west from the city centre, cross the causeway on State Highway 16 and exit … Read more
For 18 years a small group of local business owners ran the Avondale Business Association as they pleased. It took 18 months for two brothers to spark a revolution. Marcus Amosa loves Avondale. And not in the reluctant way that most people love a place they’ve been forced to spend years of their lives in. … Read more
The West Auckland Licensing Trusts Action Group (WALTAG) needs 28,000 signatures to force a vote over The Trusts’ monopoly on the sale of alcohol in its region. The Trusts’ chief executive Simon Wickham makes the case against change, arguing that West Aucklanders should think twice about hitting ‘delete’ on a system which delivers $2 million a … Read more
The West Auckland Licensing Trusts Action Group (WALTAG) needs 28,000 signatures to force a vote over The Trusts’ monopoly on the sale of alcohol in its region. WALTAG member Nick Smale makes the case for change, arguing that West Auckland suffers from the consequences of a blunt, out-dated approach to alcohol control. Read more: The case … Read more
Licensing trusts say they exist to sell alcohol responsibly. So why did a West Auckland trust ask people to recount their ‘craziest’ moments with hard liquor? They market themselves as responsible sellers of alcohol, a locally-owned organisation controlling access to alcohol to minimise harm and give back to the community. But social media activity by … Read more
It’s a monopoly that brings in more than $100 million a year revenue, intended to benefit the community. So why are West Auckland residents agitating to get rid of it? We’ve been hearing a lot about The Trusts lately. They’re a big business operating in West Auckland; between them the Portage Licensing Trust and the … Read more
Gambling and booze, booze and gambling. Those legal – but potentially devastating – vices. Rebecca Stevenson investigates how a handful of people, including sitting councillors, hold a tight grip on West Auckland nightlife. A piece published last week on the Spinoff, arguing that licensing trusts are holding back West Auckland, triggered a national conversation about the arcane governance that … Read more
Ever wondered why the bars in West Auckland are so lame? Or why you can’t buy alcohol at the supermarket? It’s because of a monopoly called The Trusts, and Sam Learmonth says it’s time to talk about why it exists. This opinion piece was first published in April 2018. Unless you live in Invercargill or … Read more
The National MP’s leadership bid has put his broad Kiwi accent back in the spotlight. Henderson-Massey local board chair and ‘proud Westie’ Shane Henderson thinks we should all lay off the jokes. I can empathise a little with Simon Bridges. Not with his politics, but with his accent. Last week Bridges announced his intention to … Read more
We review the entire country and culture of New Zealand, one thing at a time. Today, José Barbosa and photographer Joel Thomas plunge into suburbia to bear witness to the majesty of west Auckland’s Christmas displays. It’s the time of year when Auckland’s bail the family up into their Swifts or Pathfinders and go to … Read more
Steve Braunias reports from the 2017 Going West festival – held for the first time, and forever, he hopes, in Henderson. There were writers of distinction all over the place at the 2017 Going West literary festival held in the weekend but the star of the show was Henderson. The annual event has been staged in Titirangi for … Read more