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LINKZREGION WELLINGTONISSUE 58 2014
Volunteering for successful settlement
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WHEN YOU ARE NEW TO NEW ZEALAND
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CONTENTS
REGIONAL
16
06
LINKZ is published quarterly by:
Immigration New Zealand,
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.
PO Box 3705
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
Editor: Chris Clarke/ Mary de Ruyter
Design: Abi Holt
Contributors: Wellington City Council Prof. Rawiri Taonui The Office of the Banking Ombudsman Te Papa Tongarewa Stoked for Saturday
Photographers/Images: Ivor Earp-Jones Ian Robertson Phillip Capper Te Marae at Te Papa Nature’s Pic images Tekapo Springs Steve and Jem Copley
Disclaimer
Immigration New Zealand is part of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, a New Zealand Government department.
The information included in this publication was current at the time of print. The Ministry cannot guarantee its accuracy. Views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Ministry and may not accurately reflect the Ministry’s policies. Inclusion of contact information for external agencies in no way implies an endorsement of that service or agency by the Ministry.
ISSN 1174-4162 (PRINT)
ISSN 2324-3848 (ONLINE)
Copyright
© Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment 2014
Text may be reproduced without permission but acknowledgement of source is required.
04 Broadcast Welcome from Steve McGill
06 Wellington – Capital Culture
11 Rohe: Te Whanganui-a-Tara
13 Engineering an outdoor kiwi life
16 Silver screen dream
20 Volunteering for settlement success
25 New Zealand a land of opportunity
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MĀORI
11 Rohe: Te Whanganui-a-Tara
32 Te Reo – Basic pronunciation
33 Māori Society and Culture – The Hangi
HEALTH
35 Healthline – Where to go for health help
COMMUNITY
28 Information for new migrants
IMMIGRATION
30 Helping students and partners get ready for New Zealand
CONSUMER RIGHTS
36 Labour day and public holidays in New Zealand
38 Complaining about your bank
GETTING AROUND
40 Safe driving in New Zealand
LEISURE
42 Hot pools in New Zealand
LOCAL INFORMATION
44 Find the CAB office nearest you
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BROADCAST
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WELCOME TO NEW ZEALANDHello to our regular readers, and to all new subscribers and recent arrivals, welcome.
As the General Manager of the Settlement, Pro-tection and Attraction Division within Immigration New Zealand, my role is to ensure you are feeling welcome here, and have the right information to help you settle well and make a contribution to our country.
This quarterly magazine is one way we work to pro-vide you with the information you may need. We value the skills and knowledge you bring and want to ensure you can use your talents to grow our existing companies – or to invest in or start your own.
We have a great country, here on the edge of the world. New Zealand is a fantastic place to live, with an engaging climate, landscape and culture, and real opportunities to be what you want to be.
We also value your feedback. If there are things we can do better to help you settle, please take the time to let us know.
Email us: [email protected]
Many thanks and best wishes for your future here.
Steve McGill General Manager, Settlement, Protection and Attraction Division Immigration New Zealand
New Zealand in bloom
As the weather warms up, spring festivals around the country show off beautiful gardens and colourful blooms. Here are some highlights:
A Rare and Curious Country Garden Tour, Wairarapa October 19
This tour of three large, private country gardens, including a category-one historic homestead, raises money for Wainuioru School, a country school near Masterton. The three gardens will also host free talks, food stalls, a plant sale and places to relax. www.eventfinder.co.nz
Powerco Taranaki Garden Spectacular October 31–November 9
Events around the Taranaki region showcase a range of stunning public and private gar-dens, some of which are not usually open to the public. www.taft.co.nz/gardenfestnz
Parnell Festival of Roses, Auckland November 15–16
Enjoy this large garden of heritage and new roses at its best, when the roses have just bloomed. The festival also includes a market, food stalls and live performances. www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/EN/newsev-entsculture
BROADCAST
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Baker book 25 years in the making
Ellie Baker has been thinking and writing about migration since she first moved here from the UK 25 years ago, and understands what it’s like to live “with a heart in two homes”. She shares that experience in her book The Emotional Challenges of Immigration. Launched in Pukekohe, Auckland in September, it is now available through her website (www.migrantemotions.com).
Scam alert - fake phone calls threaten Indian nationals
Indian nationals living here should be aware of scammers who are making phone calls claiming they are from Immigration New Zealand and demanding money.
The callers are aggressive and – by having some details of the person they are calling – manage to convince people they are genuine. They are not.
Immigration New Zealand, Inland Revenue or local banks will never email, call or text you asking for information or money to be sent using money transfer services. If you receive one of these calls, do not pay the money. Simply hang up, and contact the New Zealand Police or report the call to Scamwatch. [www.consumeraffairs.govt.nz/scams]
Watch out for waste
Now in its third year, Recycling Week NZ (November 10–16) is a chance to think about how much waste we create in our lives, and how we can protect our beautiful country by recycling more. Around 2.5 million tonnes of waste is still going to landfills each year in New Zealand, which goes against our ‘clean, green’ image. So what can we do?
During Recycling Week, each day of the week has a theme: on Choose Nude Tuesday, you can ensure you only use recyclable packaging for your lunch at school or work; on Fling It Out Friday, it’s time to dig out all that old paper at home or at the office and recycle it; on Shop Smart Saturday, you can look at the products you buy, make sure the packaging is recyclable, and say no to plastic bags.
So tell your friends and family, and use this as an excuse for a satisfying spring-clean (a big clean-up) while doing your best for our environment. For more details and ideas, visit www.recycle.co.nz/recycleweek.php
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Kia ora!Wellington is a wonderful city to live in. There are great beaches, museums, parks, shops and world-class eateries, along with great schools, libraries and community centres that provide a superb qual-ity of life for our residents. One of the best things about Wellington is the huge array of cultures from around the world that make our city a diverse, exciting and welcoming place for new migrants.
The Wellington City Council and residents celebrate our city’s ethnic diversity. One-third of our population was born overseas, and a recent Quality of Life Survey revealed Wellington is the most welcoming city to new migrants.
At citizenship ceremonies, I have the great privilege of meeting many outstanding new Wellingtonians from all walks of life, who choose to begin new lives in Wellington for themselves and their families for good reason. I’m excited about the valuable role that all of our resi-dents and our many cultures will play in our city’s future.
Wherever you are from in the world, you will find a welcome home in Wellington.
Celia Wade Brown Mayor
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WELLINGTONWellington city is the vibrant and creative capital of New Zealand.
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Greater Wellington is home to almost 500,000 people, most of whom live around the connected city areas of Wellington, Upper Hutt, Lower Hutt and Porirua. To the north, the Kapiti Coast and the Wairarapa region over the Rimutaka Range both offer weather and lifestyle benefits for those who don’t mind an hour or so each way on the train.
Over time the strategic importance of govern-ment has helped the city attract many of New Zealand’s best and brightest. Wellington regularly tops national qualifications and salary tables. The early adoption of a fibre optic network and then the success of Peter Jackson and the WETA companies has seen the region become an inter-national force in IT development.
Wellington is now a global industry leader in screen and digital technologies, and the city is brimming with innovative people.
It has the highest concentration of web-based and digital technology companies in New Zealand, and the most companies in the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 Asia Pacific index for the region’s fast-est-growing tech businesses. Wellingtonians are more than twice as likely to work in ICT (informa-tion and communications technology) as people in other parts of the country.
Wellington has also become the New Zealand city of choice for an increasing number of international students. It has three universities, two institutes
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Population
Wellington
Climate
Average maximum temperature
mid-summer: 20.3°C
Average minimum temperature
mid-winter: 5.9°C
Average house price
2014
$420,000
471,315
From bright sunshine to winter storms, Wellington weather is always striking.
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of technology, and well-respected private train-ing establishments offering a range of courses including design, culinary arts, agriculture, film and English language.
It’s no surprise then that the region’s economy is also growing: recent figures show increases in GDP (gross domestic product, or the size and health of the economy), employment, retail sales, visitors and migrants.
Its size makes it a great place for businesses to connect and collaborate.
A diversity of natural resources means within 10-15 minutes you can be walking or mountain biking in native bush, or kayaking around the
coastline. Lonely Planet dubbed Wellington the "coolest little capital in the world" and it was named the fourth top city to visit in the publisher’s Best in Travel awards.
For all its other qualities and even with the warm welcome most migrants enjoy across New Zealand, Wellington can still claim to be something special when it comes to hospitality. It is unlikely there is another city anywhere, in which people have more eating choices per head of population. Ask any Wellingtonian why they live here and you’ll see why the city’s tagline is Absolutely Positively Wellington! ▪
Mountain biking is popular in the public 'green belt' areas that contribute to Wellington's character.
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Mythology
The Wellington region is steeped in māori myth- ology. Māori lore says the cultural hero, Māui, fished a great stingray from the depths of the sea which petrified and became the North Island (Te-Ika-a-Māui – Māui’s fish). Northland formed the tail of the stingray, Taranaki and the East Coast its wings, and Wellington became Te Ūpoko-o-te-ika-a-Māui (or the Head of the Fish of Māui).
Another myth says Wellington Harbour was originally a lake until a taniwha (guardian) named Ngake, which lived there, carved a route to the open sea. Another taniwha, Whātaitai, attempted to follow but was washed up exhausted on the southern shore – that taniwha petrified and became the hill above Hātaitai that you can see today.
Rohe: Te Whanganui-a-Tara – Wellingtonby Prof. Rawiri Taonui
Traditional history
Pōneke (another name for Wellington) has a layered history. The explorer Kupe was the first to visit Wellington, where he named islands in the harbour, Matiu (Somes Island) and Mākaro (Ward Island), after two of his daughters. The Kura-haupō canoe ancestors, Tarataraika and Tautoki, who followed after Kupe, named the harbour Te Whanganui-a-Tara (the Great Harbour of Taratara-ika). Their descendants – the tribes of Ngāi Tara, Muaūpoko and Rangitāne – settled the region.
Between 1600 and 1700, several East Coast tribes that were migrating south joined them, includ-ing Ngāti Ira, Ngāti Kahungunu and Ngāi Tahu. During the disruptive Musket Wars of the 1820s, the northern Waikato and Taranaki tribes of Ngāti Toa, Ngāti Raukawa, Te Āti Awa, Ngāti Tama and
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Ngāti Mutunga displaced many of the Wellington tribes. Ngāi Tara and Ngāti Ira almost ceased to exist. Muaūpoko and Rangitāne were displaced.
Colonisation
Māori declined under European colonisation. Most of the land was lost, the population was much reduced; by 1900, no traditional marae (cultural centres) remained in Wellington. The last Māori settlement at Waiwhetū (Lower Hutt) disappeared in the 1920s.
Renaissance
Māori began returning to Wellington after World War One in search of employment. This accelerated after World War Two. Over time the Māori population became more concentrated in the region.
There was also a new energy. Several new marae were built: the Hutt Valley Te Tatau-o-te-pō (Doorway of the Night) meeting house in 1933; the elaborately carved Toa Rangatira in Porirua; the first urban marae, Tapu te ranga in Island Bay in 1974; and in 1986, New Zealand’s first university marae, Te Herenga Waka (the Tethering Place of Canoes) at Victoria University.
Wainuiomata was the location of the first Kōhanga Reo (total-immersion language pro-gramme) to teach young Māori children the language, which grew into a national movement comprising more than 400 centres throughout New Zealand. The Te Rūnanganui-o-Te Āti Awa and the Wellington Tenths Trust tribal organisa-tions play an important part in the cultural and social fabric of Wellington.
This renaissance is nowhere more evident than in the contemporary marae at Te Papa, the national museum. Opened in 1992, the marae atop the museum is embellished with traditional designs in a contemporary form, in a way that illustrates the journey of Māori into the modern era.
The museum runs multiple Māori-centred exhibi-tions and has been at the forefront of an effort to retrieve the remains of ancestors taken overseas as curiosities and exhibits during the colonial era.
Sunrise at Rongomaraeroa, the marae at Te Papa, our national museum.
Photo – Te Marae at Te Papa
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A sense of adventure brought Jordan Poste and Jenna Cock across the ocean from Canada to Wellington, in more ways than one.
ENGINEERING AN OUTDOOR KIWI LIFE
Their curiosity prompted them to leave behind houses, jobs, friends and family, to follow a long-held desire to live in and explore New Zealand. They were also attracted here by the intrepid achieve-ments of many Kiwis, says Jordan.
“Kiwis tend to have an awesome entre-preneurial spirit, which has led to some of the coolest inventions of all time, like Zorb, and bungy jumping, and the Britten V1000 [racing motorcycle],” he enthuses. “That mentality of creating cool, fun things because you can really connected with me.”
The very first seed was sown, though, when Jordan was a child – he had a poster of Milford Sound on his bedroom wall. “I have no idea how the poster of New Zealand ended up on my wall. I've asked my parents that question, I've
asked my grandparents. Nobody seems to know!” he laughs. "It just made me dream of climbing those mountains. To this day, on my list of things to do that we haven't done yet is to climb Mitre Peak.”
The two Canadians both have engineer-ing backgrounds, and met in 2010 while both studying for an MBA (Master of Business Administration). Jenna says throughout their studies, “New Zealand came up a number of times as actually being one of the best countries in the world to do business” – less corruption and good protection for investors were among the reasons.
After they graduated, Jordan says, “There was nothing really holding us back other than ourselves.” So they set the wheels in motion. Being do-it-yourself people,
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Jenna and Jordan researched their visa options online, and Jenna successfully applied for one of the 300 Silver Fern Job Search visas given out each year, to people under 35 whose skills are in demand. (Jordan came here on a Working Holiday visa, but switched to a Partner-ship visa.)
After sensing recruiters would prefer to hire people already in New Zealand, they sold both their houses and came here without secure jobs. Jordan explains they decided to “have faith that every-thing will work out, that our skills will be required by companies and we'll each get a job that we like”.
Jenna had one interview via Skype before they arrived here in September 2013, and when she met with that company in Wellington, they offered her a project management job in banking. After a month of hunting, Jordan had two job offers and is now happily employed as a business solutions manager in the retirement-village industry.
Because having an outdoor life was a major goal, the couple were very particu-lar about where in Wellington they would live. “We wanted to go surfing right next to our doorstep,” Jordan explains – so places such as Lyall Bay or Breaker Bay were top of their list.
Their next challenge was to find some-where furnished, as many places didn't come with whiteware (fridge, freezer, washing machine). After searching for nearly two months, they found “the perfect place” in Lyall Bay, says Jordan.
Although the rent is a little higher than they expected, and houses aren’t as well insulated, Jenna loves the city. “There are not many places in the world I can live on
“I have no idea how the poster of New Zealand ended up on my wall."
“A tamarillo almost looks like a tomato, yet it's got a bit of a fruit texture to it. It's really interesting and it's got a unique taste.”
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the beach and be a 10–15-minute scooter ride to my downtown work in a fairly large city,” she smiles.
They’ve settled in well to windy Wel-lington life, learning Kiwi words such as ‘heaps’ and ‘dairy’, and taking advantage of New Zealand’s social culture. “It's helped us build some strong relation-ships with our co-workers, and make some friendships,” Jenna says.
She also enjoys buying fresh produce at local markets, and trying new foods such as feijoas and tamarillos. “A tamarillo almost looks like a tomato, yet it's got a bit of a fruit texture to it. It's really inter-esting and it's got a unique taste.”
The desire to share their adventures with loved ones back home prompted Jordan and Jenna to start a blog, origi-nally named Living a Kiwi Life but now www.stokedforsaturday.com (‘stoked’
means to be very pleased or excited) where they write about their experiences with visas and Kiwi culture, for others looking at moving to New Zealand, and share videos and photographs of their adventures here.
The couple are learning a lot about writing, social media and making videos along the way. Jordan’s even upgraded from a couple of GoPro cameras to a high-quality digital SLR camera. “The video just keeps getting more and more involved and more and more dramatic, and we really enjoy showing off New Zealand because we love it so much,” he laughs.
They’re planning to go skiing soon in Wanaka and Queenstown. Jenna says, “We love all the outdoor activities we can do on our evenings and weekends. We’ve never been bored since we've been here.”▪
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SILVER-SCREEN DREAMS
PLAY VIDEO
YASMINE
PLAY VIDEO
BRIAN
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Twenty years ago, if you wanted to create special effects in films, you had to move to Hollywood – but now, Wellington's weta Digital encourages highly skilled migrants like Brian Goodwin from South Africa and Yasmine El Ghamrawy from Egypt to settle and help build iconic movies here in Wellington.
Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings, and now The Hobbit, films have done wonders for New Zealand tourism, showcasing the country’s spectacular landscapes and encouraging tourists and locals alike to explore them.
The company Peter co-founded in 1993, Weta Digital, has also helped New Zealand’s indus-try, but in a different way – and Brian Goodwin and Yasmine El Ghamrawy are two of the many migrants who’ve benefited from what Weta Digital does.
Weta Digital is a digital visual effects company, providing special effects for films such as the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit series, Avatar, King Kong and many others. (The weta is a native New Zealand insect, one of the biggest insects in the
world.) Before Weta came along, Hollywood was virtually the only place people thought special effects could be done, says Brian.
Originally from South Africa, Brian studied film-making and television and dreamed of moving to the United States to work in visual effects for films. “Then Peter Jackson released The Lord of the Rings [in 2001], and really shook things up,” says Brian. He and his classmates realised “this is a huge triumph for the country and for the company”.
After finishing his studies, Brian moved to London for work; Yasmine shifted to London from Egypt for the same reason, and spent 14 years there working as a compositer (someone who combines various visual elements into a single picture). She
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came to New Zealand in early 2011 because her husband David had worked at Weta Digital before on short-term contracts, and the opportunity came up for them to work on the same project.
Yasmine was unsure if she would adjust to living in a smaller city, but she loves it and she and her husband have stayed longer than they meant to. The transition was made easier by Weta Digital’s human resources department, which provides useful advice to help newcomers settle in.
“They were very keen on making sure that we got a house that was on the sunny side of the hill,” she says. “Because if it’s not on the sunny side of the hill, it could be really cold. We were lucky.”
Although Yasmine doesn’t think she’ll ever get used to the earthquakes she has experienced here, she likes how windy Wellington is. “No matter how horrible the weather is, usually within two days it blows over and it’s really nice, sunny weather afterwards.” Less light pollution means it’s easier to see the stars at night, and “we even managed to see craters on the moon one night with just binoculars”.
The quality of fresh fruit and vegetables means Yasmine and her husband eat more healthily,
instead of relying on pre-packaged meals. They’ve also discovered Wellington’s famous coffee cul-ture. “There’s really nice coffee everywhere and everybody is so passionate about it, so you get really involved in tasting the different flavours.”
Brian initially moved here in 2009 for a few months to work on the film Avatar, but he has stayed on and enjoys going snowboarding and snorkelling, and having a four-minute commute to work. He also appreciates how consumer culture (always buying the newest clothes or television) is less strong here, and there are fewer advertisements everywhere.
As the lead FX technical director at Weta Digital, Brian creates digital versions of elements (like fire and water) for scenes that would be impossible to film in real life (such as hobbits travelling in barrels down a fast-flowing river and going over a waterfall). It’s a high-pressure industry with tight deadlines. He says often people from overseas have more experience in the computer programs used in this work, and by bringing them to New Zealand, they can help train local workers.
“Fifteen years ago there was a shortage of skills. You couldn’t pull people off the streets and talk to
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“There’s really nice coffee everywhere and everybody is so passionate about it, so you get really involved in tasting the different flavours.”
them about what they needed to do, and expect them to do it without training,” says Brian, adding that Weta now ensures they employ more locals than migrants. “That’s going to start allowing the company to have senior people who are local – whereas traditionally a lot of the senior people were foreign.”
Brian also praises the help Weta gave him when he moved to New Zealand. They help new migrants find a house, go on a driving course, set up bank accounts and get mobile phones.
“It’s a big company but they do try as far as they can to treat you as part of the family. They really
make sure that you’re happy – and that’s been pretty cool,” he says.
It looks like work at Weta Digital will keep both Yasmine and Brian here for a while. But even if things change, Brian says he’s still keen to stay in Wellington. “There’s a lot I could do – there’s a lot of entrepreneurial energy going on in this city.”▪
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VOLUNTEERING FOR SETTLEMENT SUCCESS
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Shikha arrived in Wellington in February 2010, full of excitement about building a life with new husband Rupesh. But while the wait to rejoin her husband was over, the hunt for a job was only just beginning.
Back in Mumbai, India, Shikha’s degree in sociology and a post-graduate diploma in mass communications and journalism meant she had no trouble finding jobs in magazines, and with charities helping disadvantaged children and women. But in New Zealand, she found it very hard even to get interviews. Volunteer work was what set her on the path to employment.
Well qualified in her own country, Shikha Mahajan never dreamed it would take her so long to find a paid job in New Zealand. But doing voluntary work rewarded her in unexpected ways – and ultimately helped her settle in to Kiwi life.
It all began in 2008, when Shikha and Rupesh connected on an Indian matri-monial website; they met in person when Rupesh (who’d lived here since 2005) travelled back to India, and in 2009 he proposed. “It was not the typical Indian wedding where families make you meet your groom,” Shikha laughs. “I was telling my family, ‘This is my choice!’”
They married that same year, and two days later Rupesh returned to New Zealand. The separation was difficult, but Shikha believed that with patience and the right documents, all their preparation would pay off. And it did.
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Shikha got her partnership-based Visi-tor’s visa on February 17, 2010, and the next day she was on a plane to New Zealand.
She expected Wellington to be a fast-paced city like Mumbai or New York. “When I came here, it was completely different to that! It had its own laid- backness and slow pace,” she says. “That was a blessing in disguise for me. In the past four years, I’ve enjoyed look-ing after my family, my work and myself.”
For the first two months, Shikha concen-trated on getting to know her new home. She learned to navigate her way around the city, and overcome her nervousness about talking to people. “Getting gro-ceries using the Eftpos card was quite different to cash transactions that we are used to in India,” she says.
When she began looking for a job, life became trickier. “I was probably quite overconfident that I would get a job very soon, as I had never been rejected for interviews in India,” Shikha explains. She found the constant rejection frustrating and it affected her self-confidence. Luckily, her husband encouraged her to stick to her dreams – and one of their friends recommended she talk to Volunteer Wellington and Volunteering New Zealand.
Her first job involved working on a newsletter for Age Concern, then she worked with members of the Seafar-ers’ Association (she once worked as a journalist in India’s shipping industry). Next, she trained as a volunteer for the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB), which pro-vides free advice on a range of consumer,
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“Getting groceries using the Eftpos card was quite different to cash transactions that we are used to in India.”
property, financial and legal issues. This helped Shikha learn more about how New Zealand’s society works, and meant she could also help others.
“I started meeting so many different people from different cultures having the same struggle, no job,” she says. “I tell them that this would be a part of any other person’s struggle because you don’t go into a country and expect them to initially give you a job without any experience.”
Adjusting to different ways of commu-nicating in the workplace was tricky, especially when greeting people. “We wouldn’t address anybody with their first names, even in work culture, if someone is elder to us or in a higher position. We would say Sir or Madam,” explains Shikha. She’s still getting used to Kiwi slang words, too.
After more volunteering, at a commu-nity radio station and an Asian women’s refuge, she received a Volunteer Con-nect Award from Wellington Settlement Support, for completing 100 hours of volunteer work. And in January 2011, the regional manager of the CAB offered her a part-time paid role.
That experience, combined with help from an English Language Partners mentor to tailor her CV to the New Zealand market, helped her get a full-time job as a clinical administrator. In fact, Shikha had applied for that same job a few months after she came to New Zealand; she didn’t get the job then, but one year later it came up again.
“This time they called me for an inter-view and they were stunned to see the growth that I had made in one year,”
she says. “They offered me the role! Perseverance, in the end, paid off for me.”
Shikha became a permanent resident in November 2011, and is now an addictions counsellor at Arohata Prison. “When I left Mumbai I left my whole family, I left all my friends, and that was a big thing,” she says. “But this society is very welcoming to the new people who are coming here and to volunteers, and if you offer yourself, you know you’ll be accepted.”▪
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NEW ZEALAND A LAND OF OPPORTUNITY
Four years ago, New Zealand was a mystery to Los Angeles-born Dylan Schwartz – but now this country is his home and it’s offering him plenty of room to grow, in his studies and now in his working life.
Many people dream of moving to the United States for a better life and more job options – but one American found moving to New Zealand gave him profes-sional opportunities he wouldn’t have found in a larger country.
Dylan first had the idea of coming to New Zealand when he was an econom-ics student – exchange programmes offered the opportunity to study in another country for six months. Most of his fellow students chose countries such as France, the United Kingdom and Italy, or far-flung places such as Ghana. Dylan planned to head to Sweden, until a friend mentioned New Zealand. “All I knew of it at the time was that it was where they filmed The Lord of the Rings, and was famous for having more sheep than people,” he says.
Fellow students, neighbours and family were all enthusiastic about the won-derful hospitality and outdoor activities
on offer. “For such a small country, New Zealand certainly makes a large, positive impact on those individuals lucky enough to live, work and travel here,” says Dylan. The process of getting a Student visa was quick and easy, then he flew to New Zealand.
Before settling in to study at the Uni-versity of Auckland, Dylan explored the South Island for two weeks with other American students. There were many highlights, such as driving through the snow-capped mountains of Arthur’s Pass and climbing on Fox Glacier. But his favourite parts of the trip were “meeting colourful locals at small-town pubs, camping, and of course the never-ending backdrop of vast, open meadows, dramatic rock formations and crystal-clear lakes”.
After six months of study, Dylan had made friends with local students and started to think New Zealand could
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become home – but he wasn’t quite ready to commit to living here perma-nently. So he returned to complete an honours degree in economics at the Uni-versity of Auckland; his thesis looked at a new initiative in residential aged care.
He originally thought New Zealand’s small size would mean there were fewer chances for work experience and research. “But in reality you actually have a lot better access to researchers at the top of their field in the country because it's so small and well connected, and that's really helped me professionally.”
Halfway through his honours year, Dylan began applying for jobs in the economics field. He found a job as an analyst for the National Health Committee, which
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makes decisions about funding the most effective health services for Kiwis. This meant a change of scenery, as almost all government jobs are based in Wellington – but Dylan liked the city, as it reminded him a lot of San Francisco, one of his favourite cities in the United States. “And I was ready to experience some-thing different – I was ready to experi-ence cold weather!” he laughs.
Not long after arriving in Wellington, Dylan applied for a Skilled Migrant Visa, adding up the points he gained from his university studies, the job he had found and how long he’d already been in New Zealand. Within six months, in February 2013, he was accepted.
Like all new migrants, Dylan found it difficult to adjust to certain aspects of Kiwi life. He had no trouble driving on the left-hand side of the road, instead of the right-hand side – “But parallel parking on the other side of the road has been a bit challenging!”
In Los Angeles it's usually warm enough to go to the beach all year round, but that isn’t the case in Wellington. Missing his favourite American foods, and New Zealand’s geographical isolation, also affect him: “Being a 12-hour plane ride from home doesn't sound like much, but you can realistically go home once or twice a year, if you're lucky, to visit family.”
In his spare time Dylan works as a volunteer ambulance officer with St John, which runs most of the ambulance services in New Zealand. This helps him meet a wide range of New Zealanders. “They're very open-minded and very interested to find out where you come from,” he says. “They go out of their way to help you, more so than you would think would be humanly possible.”
It’s now been three years since Dylan came to New Zealand on his first student visa, and he’s loved the opportunities working in a smaller country has given him. “I'm actually able to take on a lot more responsibility and get exposure to a lot more areas within such a spe-cialised field than I would normally in a larger environment. That's been great for career development.
“Four years ago I really didn't know very much about New Zealand,” Dylan says. “It's exceeded my expectations both professionally and in terms of making friends.” ▪
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COMMUNITY
Thirty CAB offices are now providing Information for New Migrants. Look for the CAB logo, and the new blue signs and posters.
New Zealand Now (www.newzealandnow.govt.nz) provides detailed information for poten-tial migrants offshore and new arrivals to New Zealand. Depending on whether you visit New
Zealand Now from offshore or onshore, you’ll find a different home page. This makes it easier for users to find the information they are likely to be looking for.
A new information service for new migrants Finding the right information at the right time is an important part of settling in to a new country, community and workplace. Immigration New Zealand provides an extensive information service for new migrants from before they arrive until well after they arrive to live and work in New Zealand. This makes sure that new migrants are connected with the services and information that can help them settle quickly and well. A new information system started in July 2014 and it is available free for all new migrants.
The internet comes first – with New Zealand Now
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COMMUNITY
For settlement information:
www.newzealandnow.govt.nz Freephone: 0508 558 855 (then press 2) Or: 0800 776 948 Email: [email protected] www.facebook.com/newtoNewZealand
The New Zealand Now website has a huge amount of information about life in New Zealand in general, and it also has specific information about regions and the services available in local communities.
A wide range of resources for new migrants is available on the website – booklets, PDFs, articles, video, emails and social media. These include New Zealand workplace communication advice, and specific information for migrants working in the aged care, construction and dairy industries – many of them are translated. Resources in Pacific languages for people from the Pacific are available too.
Social media
Social media, in particular Facebook, has quickly become an important way people communicate. Some look for information and others are keen to share their experiences, but it can be diffi-cult to know which information can be relied on. Government social media provides an important balance in this area – and it’s a great way for new migrants to link up and create their own local networks in New Zealand.
A new, New Zealand-based Facebook page has been created to help new arrivals access informa-tion and connect with other newcomers. The page ‘New to New Zealand’ is moderated by Immigration New Zealand staff, with email invita-tions sent to new visa holders as they arrive in New Zealand.
The Facebook page is a key place where existing local networks can touch base with new arrivals to their regions.
Email and phone enquiries
New migrants can call a freephone number 0800-776 948 to speak directly to someone about their settlement information questions. They can also email their questions to [email protected]. These calls and emails
are answered by the Immigration Contact Centre. Remember, your questions about living and work-ing in New Zealand are important and staff are ready to help you.
For people who speak languages other than English, Language Line a free telephone inter-preting service is available and can provide a live interpreter in any of 70 languages.
Face-to-face assistance widely available
Some people prefer to talk to someone local, face to face about the questions they have. To meet this need Immigration New Zealand has partnered with the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) to provide a face to face settlement information service in 30 locations around New Zealand. The CAB is a well-known, New Zealand wide infor-mation service, that can help any person with their questions, and Immigration New Zealand is pleased to be working with them to extend their service to new migrants.
CAB will also deliver workshops and seminars to new migrants in local areas throughout the country covering key settlement topics such as understanding the New Zealand education system, finding a job in New Zealand, and employ-ment rights and responsibilities.
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IMMIGRATION
These two groups of people – partners and inter-national students are important to New Zealand and that is why Immigration New Zealand has developed new information sections for partners and for international students on its popular online planning tool for migrants- NZReady.
Information for partners of Principal visa holders
When a family or couple migrates, one person is likely to be the Principal visa holder – and this is almost always the person with the most in- demand employment skills at that time.
This person is highly likely to get a job, and will often already have a job offer. At work they will meet new people and start to learn about Kiwi culture. Their new life will quickly have a sense of direction and purpose.
NZ Ready – for partners and studentsWhen it comes to planning a new life in New Zealand, the partner of an executive or IT professional has different information needs from those of an international student.
For the partner, usually the Secondary visa holder, things can be quite different. They may also want to participate in work, or connect with others, but may find things more difficult.
The partner can feel isolated and unsure about where to go for information, advice and to make connections. This is when good planning and support can make a critical difference.
With new questions in NZ Ready identifies partners, and tailors the information and task lists they receive to direct them towards plans, actions and services that can help them to build a network of knowledge and personal connec-tions. Those points of contact can help them feel more at home and to settle in more easily, once they are living in New Zealand.
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IMMIGRATION
“If you have no help, it really becomes challenging and difficult, because back home we have so many family friends and relatives.”
Shambhavi Manjrekar – Mumbai, to Auckland, N.Z.
Information for international students
International students are extremely important to New Zealand. Almost 40% of skilled migrants were formerly international students; others return here regularly after their studies strength-ening New Zealand’s international ties, and creating important export opportunities.
Often international students accepted for study in New Zealand are travelling overseas by them-selves for the first time, and they can be easily misled by incorrect information picked up on social media or in casual conversation. Perhaps more than any other migrants, international stu-dents can greatly benefit from planning and good information.
A well-informed international student will be prepared for our weather, our student accommo-dation options and Kiwi culture, and what their rights and responsibilities are, if they choose to work while studying.
Students who want to stay in New Zealand can make the most of opportunities, such as network-ing, or finding temporary jobs or work experience. Those who work while studying can get valuable cultural experience – or become vulnerable to exploitation if they are not aware of their rights and the obligations of New Zealand employers.
The new Study section of NZ Ready prepares international students by giving them the
• The Institute of International Education ranks New Zealand as having the 15th-largest international student population in the world – but if the calculation was adjusted according to population, New Zealand would be ranked number one.
• 22% of international students gain residency within five years of holding a Student visa.
• 42% of principal skilled migrants previously held a student visa.
“ … you can't bring your knowledge from home because it's quite different here …”
Iko Sato – Japan, to Wellington, N.Z.
information they need to plan well and make good choices, so that their time in New Zealand is safe, productive and successful.
Visit and try. Tell your friends and family
NZ Ready is Immigration New Zealand’s online planning tool for migrants. Answer a few ques-tions and you will receive a list of things to know and do – you can edit this list as you like, and because it’s online, it’s the plan you can’t lose.
See http://nzready.immigration.govt.nz
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MĀORI
Te Reo Māori
a as in hat ā as in car
e as in desk or pen ē as in end
i as in fee, me or see ī as in tea
o as in for ō as in your
u as in put ū as in blue
Kaitaiā Kai-tie-ar (as in car)
Whāngarei Far/ung-a-ray
Tāmaki (Auckland) Tar-muck-ee
Kirikiriroa (Hamilton) Ki-ree-ki-ree-row-a
Pōneke (Wellington) Paw-neck-ee
Whakatū (Nelson) Facka-two
Ōtautahi (Christchurch) Aw-toe-ta-he
Basic pronunciation – AEIOU
There are five vowel sounds in Māori; they are pronounced ‘short’ or ’long’. In written form, the long vowel is usually signalled with a macron, eg ā. The fol-lowing English equivalents are a general guide to pronouncing vowels in Māori:
There are fewer consonants in Te Reo (the Māori language) than in English, but only some have a different sound from English, such as:
• wh acts as a consonant; the standard pronunciation is close to the 'f' sound;
• ng counts as one consonant and is pronounced like the 'ng' in the word 'singer'.
A common mispronunciation
Learning speakers often mispronounce ‘au’ like ‘our’ – it should sound like ‘o’, as in toe. They also mispronounce o/ō as ‘o’ when it should sound like ‘oar’ or ‘paw’, for example:
Lake Taupō Lake Toe-paw
Tandem skydiving over Lake Taupo (Toe-paw) with Taranaki in the background
Try these place names:
by Prof. Rawiri Taonui
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MĀORI
The hangi is a traditional form of cooking that has its origins in the umu (earth ovens) of ancient Polynesia. Its unique taste comes from the com-bination of smoking (burnt wood), steaming (wet cloths) and the distinctive baked bouquet of the earth oven.
Māori regard the elements of the hangi as descendants and gifts from the gods. The foods come from Haumia (wild vegetables), Rongo (kūmara – sweet potato – and cultivated foods) and Tangaroa (fish). Tāne provides the firewood (forests, birds), the earth is from Pāpa (Earth-mother), water to make steam is from Ranginui (Skyfather) and Hineawaawa (streams), and fire comes from the goddess Mahuika.
Māori society and culture – the hangi by Prof. Rawiri Taonui
Preparation
Hangi can be time consuming to prepare, so do as much as possible the day before. Make the baskets, cut firewood, dig the hole. The size of the hole depends on the size of the food basket/s and the number of people attending. Hangi for 50-100 people usually measure around 2 metres square and 1 metre deep. Place wood and stones by the hole; cover the hole and wood if left over-night. Prepare as much of the meat and vege-tables as possible. All varieties of meat, poultry, vegetables and even steamed puddings wrapped in cloth can be cooked in a hangi.
Before and After. The meats here were browned first in a hot oven. A modern touch with a great looking result!
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MĀORI
Selecting the umu (oven hole) site
A good hangi site is close to water for soaking the cloths and bags to create steam. Ash is a good fertiliser, so a site near the vegetable garden is often ideal.
Stones
Collect good-sized river stones. Light igneous (volcanic) stones or heavy, round river rocks are better than brittle stone such as sandstone. Many people use old iron railway tracks cut into rock-sized lengths. These are great but very heavy! Place the stones and iron in the hole, filling it to about half a metre deep.
Firewood
Place firewood on the stones until it reaches higher than the edge of the pit. Place lighter timber (such as pine) underneath and hard woods (such as mānuka and kānuka) on top. Light the fire and burn for 2–4 hours so the rocks are as hot as possible. Keep a watchful eye on your fire and make sure it is well away from buildings, trees or anything that may catch fire. When the fire burns down, push the ash to the sides of the hangi to expose the heated stones/iron below. The more ash you leave in the pit, the smokier the taste of the food.
Food and baskets
Load the food into metal baskets; welded wire trays are a handy option. Baskets made from mesh or chicken-wire netting with folded sides are a good cheap alternative. As a rule, place red meat at the bottom, chicken in the middle, hard vegetables such as kūmara, pumpkin and potato above that, and leafy vegetables on top.
Covering
Cover the baskets with two layers of cloth soaked in water. Cotton sheets or mutton cloth (also known as muslin or cheese cloth) are an ideal first thin layer to protect the food – perhaps layer
them over cabbage or taro leaves, which are a tasty addition. Don’t forget to cover the sides of the baskets as well. Lay thicker material, such as old sacks, on top of the thin first layer. The heavier layer keeps the soil from getting into the food. Spray liberal amounts of water over the sacking. This prevents fire and provides the steam needed for cooking.
Cover the outer layer of sacking with soil. Check the hangi at regular intervals and cover any escaping steam with additional soil. If too much steam escapes, the food won’t cook! Cook for 2–4 hours, depending on the size of the hangi. If steam emerges from the hangi after the first shovel of soil is removed, the hangi will be suc-cessful. If no steam appears, cover it up and buy fish and chips!
Alternative oven hangi
Prepare this meal in a roasting dish with a tight-fitting lid. It will serve 4–5 people.
Heat the oven to a moderate heat, about 170°C.
Sprinkle some parsley and a few pieces of diced celery in the dish. Start layering your meat in the dish, with beef at the bottom, pork in the middle and chicken on top – separate each layer with tin foil.
Place 3–4 potatoes, 3–4 trimmed kūmara and 3-4 pieces of pumpkin on top. Lay cabbage over the top. If possible add some watercress.
Add 1.5 cups of water (no salt is needed). Cover the dish with tin foil. Place lid on top and bake for 3 hours.
As the smell of cooked food drifts through the air, it’s a great time to think about the blending of traditional Māori cooking with equally delicious techniques from the modern world. Enjoy your meal!
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HEALTH
Where to go for health helpKnow who to call and when
Emergency departments at hospitals are for emergencies only. If you are uncertain how serious a problem is, you can call Healthline (0800 611 116) or your GP (doctor) for advice, or contact your local emergency department.
Because illness and injury don’t always happen during normal working hours (Monday–Friday 8am–5pm), most primary health care providers and GPs have arrangements in place to care for their patients after hours. This could be an accident and medical centre or an after-hours duty doctor. Next time you visit your doctor, ask what you should do if you have a minor illness or injury outside their normal working hours.
Emergency departments
Emergency departments can be contacted through your local hospital’s main phone number, which will be listed online, and in the front of the phone book.
Healthline
Healthline is a free telephone health-advice service for all the family. You can phone
0800 611 116 free of charge, from a mobile phone or your home phone (landline). The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Healthline is staffed by registered nurses who will assess your health needs, and give information and advice to help you decide on the best level of care. If English is not your first language, Health-line uses Language Line Monday-Friday 9am–6pm and Saturday 9am–2pm. When you call Healthline during these hours, the nurse or call handler can usually arrange for an interpreter. Outside these hours Healthline uses other interpreter services as much as possible. It is not always possible to locate an interpreter in a particular language at short notice.
Free health care – are you eligible?
To see whether you’re eligible to receive free health care in New Zealand hospitals visit: www.moh.govt.nz/eligibility
Healthline also has a free symptom checker app for iPad and iPhone. Down-load it from: tinyurl.com/HealthlineApp
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CONSUMER RIGHTS
falls on October 27. Labour Day celebrates the introduction of the eight-hour working day in 1840. This was good news for builders and other labourers, who often had to work very long days at that time – after all, in 1840 New Zealand was a new colony, and there were many houses and roads to build.
The eight-hour working day happened because of a London-born carpenter named Samuel Parnell.
He arrived in Wellington in 1840, and was soon asked to build a house in Petone, near Wellington. Samuel declared he would work no more than eight hours a day.
As Te Ara – The Encyclopaedia of New Zealand (www.teara.govt.nz) says, “There were only three other carpenters in Wellington at that time, so Parnell’s employer had little choice but to agree.
Everyone loves a public holiday – it’s a day off work when you can spend time with friends or family and get paid for it (if you have a full-time job). The reason for most public holidays is easy to understand from their names: Queen’s Birthday, New Year’s Day. But what about Labour Day?
This public holiday occurs every year in New Zealand on the fourth Monday of October: this year it
Explaining Labour Day
Labour Day, on the fourth Monday in October, is the first public holiday of the spring season. When the weather’s fine, Kiwis head for the beach.
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CONSUMER RIGHTS
Samuel Parnell. Photo: Alexander Turnbull Library - 1/1-020463-G.
Annual Holiday definition tinyurl.com/nzholidays1
Transferring a public holiday tinyurl.com/nzholidays2
NZ Public Holiday calendar tinyurl.com/nzholidays3
Public Holiday entitlement tinyurl.com/nzholidays4
After that, tradesmen arriving in Wellington were warned that if they worked more than eight hours a day without being paid overtime rates (a higher hourly rate), they could be ducked (thrown in to) in the harbour.”
Samuel encouraged other tradesmen to insist on the same conditions, and in October 1840, a group of Wellington workers officially stated their support for the idea. The idea spread around the country, although there were no official unions to enforce the idea for many years. From 1890 onwards, Kiwis began celebrating that Octo-ber 1840 meeting, and in 1900 the government declared a public holiday to mark the event.
What is a public holiday?
Public holidays are separate to the annual leave earned as part of employment. They are for everyone, and are usually taken on the day they fall – or on the agreed alternative day.
If you are entitled to the holiday you do not have to work and your employer must pay you what they would normally have done – unless an alter-native arrangement has been previously agreed in writing (emails do count).
Most New Zealanders get eleven public holidays each year, including an anniversary day for the
region they live in.
Who gets public holidays?
If the public holiday is on a day you would nor-mally be working, you are entitled to the public holiday. However, if you work irregular hours check with your employer. If you don’t agree with them check your options, and other employment conditions, online at the MBIE-labour website. (See below).
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CONSUMER RIGHTS
The Banking Ombudsman Scheme is the dis-pute-resolution service all New Zealand’s major retail banks, their subsidiaries and related compa-nies are members of. The scheme’s service is free and independent.
Complaints must go through a bank’s internal complaints process before we investigate. Prob-lems are often resolved at this stage. We can help you make a complaint to your bank if you have
Banking Ombudsman Scheme helps customers, including non-English speakers, with bank complaintsIn New Zealand, bank customers have the legal right to complain if they are not happy with their bank.
not done so and need help doing this. We can help you whether you speak English or not.
If you and your bank cannot resolve your problem, we will investigate and find a resolution. We are not advocates for either customers or banks, and do not take sides. This means we listen, consider the relevant facts and give both the customer and the bank a fair hearing.
If you think your bank has acted wrongly, contact the Banking Ombudsman’s Office.
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The bank must accept the Banking Ombudsman’s decision, but you can accept or reject it. The scheme can award up to $200,000 compensa-tion for direct loss and up to $9,000 for inconve-nience, which recognises stress, embarrassment or financial disruption. We can also recommend other ways of resolution, including not seeking repayment of all or part of a debt, or making an apology.
As long as a complaint is within our terms of reference, we can look into it. This does not automatically mean you have a good case. We need to understand the issues to form a view.
We cannot consider complaints about:
• a bank’s commercial judgement
• bank interest rates, fees and charges policies
• an issue more than six years old
• an issue you and your bank have previously settled.
We also cannot give legal advice or rule on points of law.
You can make a complaint through our website, by email, telephone, letter or Facebook. Tell us about your complaint, what you think your bank did wrong, how it has affected you financially and otherwise, and what you want your bank to do.
The website also has a collection of Quick Guides on banking issues to help you avoid disputes, and case notes showing how we have resolved cases.
Seek advice and complain in your own language
Non-English speakers who require an interpreter can call us for help on 0800 805 950. They just need to say "Language Line", the language they speak, and a contact number (if possible) in case the call is disconnected. We can then have an interpreter on the phone within minutes.
We have helped a number of non-English speak-ers through the service. In a recent case, we
assisted a less-skilled English speaker who had taken out a life insurance policy with her bank. There was a critical-condition benefit attached to it.
She had a stroke and could no longer work, but her bank declined her claim because her post-stroke disability did not meet the threshold to receive the benefit. It also wanted her to pay for an independent medical assessment.
After the woman complained to us, the bank agreed to pay for the assessment. We explained the bank’s offer to her using a Language Line interpreter. She accepted the offer and settled her complaint.
New Zealand’s anti money–laundering law – how it affects your banking
The purpose of the 2013 anti money–laundering law is to ensure businesses take appropriate measures to guard against money laundering and terrorism financing, and enhance New Zealand’s reputation as a safe place to do business.
Banks are required to be more strict when verify-ing customer identity, and have to gather more customer information. This may cause some inconvenience, particularly for customers who send or receive money from overseas. Find out more in our ‘Quick Guide to anti-money launder-ing legislation – changes to banking’ on our website.
Contact us by:
Freephone: 0800 805 950 Phone: 04 915 0400 Email: [email protected] Web: www.bankomb.org.nz Facebook: www.facebook.com/bankombnz
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GETTING AROUND
When you arrive
If you have a current and valid overseas driver licence or international driving permit, you will be able to drive the types of vehicle covered by that licence immediately. However, if you have been disqualified from driving or your licence is currently suspended, expired or revoked in either New Zealand or your former home country, then you are not allowed to drive in New Zealand.
Safe driving in New Zealand Getting a car and starting to drive around your new environment is one of the first steps to becoming independent and feeling at home in New Zealand. So what do you need to do to get safely on the road?
Your overseas licence allows you to drive in New Zealand for up to one year. If your overseas licence or permit isn't in English, you must also carry an acceptable translation.
Converting your licence
If you wish to continue driving after a year, you must obtain a New Zealand driver licence. It’s a good idea to apply early to make sure you have
When the road is empty, remember - KEEP LEFT!
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a new licence before the year is up. The forms to apply for an overseas licence conversion are avail-able from NZ Transport Agency driver licensing agents: the Automobile Association (AA), Vehicle Inspection New Zealand (VINZ), and Vehicle Test-ing New Zealand (VTNZ).
You’ll need to provide evidence of your identity and address and pass an eyesight screening check. Depending on the country where you obtained your licence, you may also have to pass theory and practical tests.
Getting a licence for the first time
New Zealand has a graduated licensing system. This is to assist young and inexperienced drivers to get the necessary experience they need to drive safely on our roads. There are three steps - a learner licence, restricted licence, and a full licence. These all have different conditions under which the holder can drive.
Tips for driving in New Zealand
KEEP LEFT. The first thing to remember is that you must always drive on the left side of the road. If you drive on the right side of the road in your home country, please remember to keep left when pulling out onto the road. It can be easy to forget where you are.
DON’T OVERTAKE ON YELLOW LINES. Most roads in New Zealand – other than motorways (free-ways) – have a single lane each way, and some provide passing lanes at regular intervals. You should use these where possible when overtak-ing. You must not cross a solid yellow line on your side of the centre line to pass a vehicle, as the line indicates it’s too dangerous to overtake there.
DRIVES TAKE TIME. It’s easy to underestimate travelling times here, because while distances may seem short on paper, New Zealand roads may be narrower than those you’re used to, cover hilly country, and vary from motorways to unsealed gravel roads. Allow plenty of time to reach your destination and take time to rest before each long drive.
Driving safely
Preparing to drive safely involves a number of ele-ments – these include buying the safest vehicle you can afford, always travelling at a safe speed for the road and conditions, and sharing the road safely with others.
Safety belts or child restraints must be worn by everyone in your car, whether they’re in the front or back seat. It’s also illegal to use a hand-held mobile phone, whether you’re calling or texting, while driving.
Drugs and driving
Finally, don’t drink and drive! The New Zealand Police and transport authorities take the issue of driving while affected by alcohol or drugs very seriously and impose appropriate penalties.
To create a road system where fewer people die or are seriously injured, we need to improve the safety of all parts of the system – roads and road-sides, speeds, vehicles, and road use. This is a job for all of us – for drivers and for those working in the transport sector. Please ensure you do your bit to help create safer journeys on our roads.
More information:
Driving in New Zealand http://tinyurl.com/nzdriving
The Road Code www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/roadcode/
Getting a licence http://tinyurl.com/nz/licence
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LEISURE
Many of this country’s natural wonders are above ground, from snow-capped mountains to golden beaches – but one of our greatest delights bubbles up from below our feet.
Hot springs are pools of naturally heated water, perfect for soaking in on a cold winter’s day or after you’ve been for a walk in the bush. There
Hot stuffThere’s nothing like a long soak in a mineral-rich hot spring to ease your aching muscles and appreciate New Zealand’s natural riches.
are more than 100 hot pools around the coun-try, from commercial pools to free springs in the ‘wild’, and locals and visitors alike enjoy soaking in the steaming waters.
These pools occur when water is heated under-ground and rises to the surface – along the way, the water absorbs minerals from the rocks it
Photo by Steve & Jem Copley. Creative Commons 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
At Hot Water Beach on the Coromandel Peninsula, bathers dig their own holes which are filled by warm water.
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passes. The minerals can help people with medical problems, from arthritis to insomnia.
Hot springs are usually located near volcanoes that were active in the past, or are still active today. Historically, Māori used hot springs for cooking, bathing and washing; from the 1880s to the early 1900s, thermal spas were a big tourist attraction. Today, some commercial hot pools also offer camping and playgrounds.
COMMERCIAL HOT POOLS
• Ngāwhā Springs, near Kaikohe, Northland
• Waiwera Thermal Resort, northern Auckland
• Miranda Hot Springs, southern Auckland
• AC Baths, TaupŌ
• Hanmer Springs, Canterbury
• Tekapo Springs, Tekapo
• Onsen Hot Pools, Queenstown
FREE HOT POOLS
• Hot Water Beach, Coromandel Peninsula
• Kerosene Creek, south of Rotorua
THINGS TO REMEMBER
Take off all your jewellery (including earrings) before getting into a hot pool. Minerals in the water can turn jewellery a very strange colour!
Don’t put your head underwater in a hot pool; there is a very small chance that you may get amoebic meningitis, which can be fatal.
Find out more
www.nzhotpools.co.nz
Ngāwhā Springs near Kaikohe.
Kerosene Creek.
Tekapo Springs, Tekapo.
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INFORMATION
NELSON–TASMAN
CAB Nelson-Tasman 9 Paru Paru Road, Nelson Monday–Friday 9am – 4.30pm
WEST COAST
CAB Buller Clocktower Building, 113 Palmerston Street, Westport Monday–Friday 10am – 3pm
SOUTHLAND
CAB Invercargill 97 Spey Street Invercargill Monday–Friday 9am – 5pm, Saturday 10am – 12pm
OTAGO
CAB Dunedin 283-301 Moray Place, Dunedin Monday–Friday 8.45am – 5.30pm, Saturday 9.30am – 12 noon.
CAB Outreach Mosgeil Mosgiel Library, Hartstonge Avenue, Mosgiel Wednesday 11.30am – 1.30pm
CAB Queenstown 44 Stanley Street, Queenstown Monday- Friday 9.30am – 4.30pm
CANTERBURY
CAB North Canterbury Trevor Inch Memorial Library, 141 Percival Street, Rangiora Monday-Friday 9am – 4.30pm
CAB Christchurch City Christchurch Polytechnic Student Association Building, 5 Madras Street, Central City, Christchurch Monday and Friday 9am – 12pm, Tuesday-Thursday 9am – 3pm
CAB Christchurch West Hornby Community Care Centre, 8 Goulding Avenue, Hornby, Christchurch Monday-Friday 9am – 5pm
CAB Christchurch North Fendalton Library, Cnr Clyde and Jeffreys Roads, Fendalton, Christchurch Monday and Friday 10am – 4pm, Tuesday-Thursday 10am – 1pm
MARLBOROUGH
CAB Marlborough Marlborough Community Centre, 25 Alfred Street, Blenheim Monday–Friday 9.30am – 4pm
Local information for new migrantsImmigration New Zealand provides a free local information service for new migrants about living and working in New Zealand. This service can be accessed at the Citizens Advice Bureau in 30 locations around the country.
SOUTH ISLAND
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INFORMATION
AUCKLAND
CAB New Lynn New Lynn Library Building, 3 Memorial Drive, Auckland Monday-Friday 9am – 4.30pm, Saturday 10am – 1pm
CAB Northcote Northcote Library Buildings, 5 Ernie Mays Streey, Northcote, Auckland Monday-Friday 9:15am – 3:30pm
CAB Eden Albert 82 St Lukes Road (by Public Library) Mt Albert, Auckland Monday-Friday 9am – 4pm
CAB Manurewa Library Complex, 7J Hill Road, Manurewa, Auckland Monday-Friday 9am – 4pm, Saturday 9am– 11am
CAB Auckland Central 1st floor, Auckland Central City Library, 44-46 Lorne Street, Auckland Monday 11am-3pm Tuesday-Thursday: 9.30am – 4.30pm, Friday 11am – 3pm, Saturday (JP only) 10am – 12noon
CAB Pakuranga- East Manukau Library Building, Aylesbury Street, Pakuranga, Auckland Monday-Friday 9am – 4.30pm, Saturday 9.30 – 11.30am
CAB Browns Bay 2 Glen Road, Browns Bay, North Shore, Auckland Monday-Friday 9am – 4.30pm
NORTHLAND
CAB Whangarei Municipal Building, 71 Bank Street, Whangarei Monday-Friday 9am – 4.30pm
WAIKATO
CAB Hamilton 55 Victoria Street, Hamilton Monday-Friday 8.45am – 5pm
TARANAKI
CAB New Plymouth Community House, 32 Leach Street, New Plymouth Monday-Friday 9.30am – 3.30pm
WHANGANUI–MANAWATU
CAB Palmerston North Community House, 77 King Street, Palmerston North Monday–Friday 9am – 4.30pm
WELLINGTON
CAB Lower Hutt Apex House, Cnr Queens Drive and Laings Road, Lower Hutt Monday–Friday 9am – 5pm
CAB Upper Hutt 18 Logan Street, Upper Hutt Monday–Friday 9am – 4.30pm
CAB Porirua 2nd Floor, Pember House, 16 Hagley Street, Porirua Monday–Friday 9am – 4.30pm
CAB Kapiti 1st Floor Coastlands Shoppingtown, Paraparaumu Monday–Friday 9am – 4pm
CAB Wellington City Mezzanine Floor Central Library, 65 Victoria Street, Wellington Monday 9.30am – 5.15pm, Tues–Thurs 9.30am – 6.30pm, Friday 9.30am – 3.30pm, Saturday 11am – v1pm
HAWKES BAY
CAB Napier Community Hub, Community House, 62 Raffles Street, Napier Monday–Friday 9am – 4pm, Saturday 9:30 am – 12 pm
GISBORNE
CAB Gisborne 124A Bright Street, Gisborne Monday–Friday 9.30am – 4pm
BAY OF PLENTY
CAB Tauranga 38 Hamilton Street, Tauranga Monday–Friday 9am – 5pm
CAB Rotorua Community House, 1115 Haupapa Street, Rotorua Monday–Friday 9am – 5.30pm
NORTH ISLAND
46 LINKZ ISSUE 58
INFORMATION
In Auckland and nationwide…
New Kiwis
Are you looking for employment?
www.newkiwis.co.nz is a free job site for skilled returning Kiwis and new migrants who are seeking employment.
Benefits:
• Access a network of around 20,000 NZ employers
• Employers advertise vacancies and can search for you
• Access to an information centre with relevant information for newcomers
• Understand the NZ job market with specialist online training courses.
Immigration New Zealand funds the following specialist services to support the settlement of new migrants, and to assist New Zealand employers to easily locate the skills their businesses need.
CAB Language Link – free help in your language
Citizens Advice Bureau is an independent community organisation providing free, confidential information, advice, support and advocacy. CAB Language Link is funded by Immigration New Zealand to provide the CAB service to newcomers in more than 20 languages. To contact CAB Language Link about any issue, phone 0800 78 88 77 or go to: www.cab.org.nz and search for "Language Link".
Immigration New Zealand funds several services that match newcomers with the skills employers are seeking. These services assist newcomers with careers guidance, CV reviewing and interview performance and improves access to employment opportunities that match their skills and experience.
In Wellington and Canterbury…
Newcomer Skills Matching Programme – Wellington
Connecting Canterbury Employers and Newcomers’ Skills Programme – Christchurch
These programmes match newcomers with the skills that employers are seeking in the Wellington and Can-terbury regions. They assist newcomers to New Zea-land with career guidance, CV reviewing, and interview techniques; and improve access to employment oppor-tunities that match their skills. For more information about the Newcomer Skills Matching Programme:
• in Wellington: phone 04 470 9949, email [email protected] or go to: http://tinyurl.com/weccskills
• in Canterbury: phone 03 353 4161, email [email protected] or go to: www.cecc.org.nz
Chinese New Settlers Services Trust – work-shops about living in New Zealand for Chinese and Korean newcomers
The Chinese New Settlers Services Trust provides a series of workshops across Auckland that help Chinese and Korean newcomers learn more about settling in New Zealand. For more information, phone 09 570 1188 or go to: www.chineseservice.org.nz and follow the links on the home page.
LINKZ ISSUE 58 47
INFORMATION
Previous Issues
To read: www.newzealandnow.govt.nz/resources/linkz To order or subscribe: [email protected]
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