Our Opinion – Changing times

It’s been a busy couple of weeks, with a lot of events to attend and report on around the Coast. Several of them feature in this edition.

The full event calendar reflects a positive mood out there that things are looking up – Covid-19 numbers dropping, summer on its way, and sports, events such as galas, and cultural activities, more or less back to normal. 

While unfortunately some businesses have closed, and others continue to struggle with staff shortages and illness, there are signs that these stressful times may be almost behind us. 

While covering a football game in Stanmore Bay recently, someone on the sidelines commented how great it was to be back and at full strength – for the teams taking part but also for the supporters. Post-lockdowns, there’s a new recognition of how important and precious these activities are as a way of bringing the community together.

There were also a number of Spring-focused events that featured flowering and edible plants, and gardeners were out in force at these. If you weren’t able to attend, maybe the photos in these pages will inspire you to get growing this Spring.

Also, thank you for all the feedback about our Te Reo masthead last issue, which was done to mark Māori Language week. Generally, opinions were divided by age, with younger people very enthusiastic, and the older generation not so much! 

Surprisingly, the different masthead made a few readers unsure whether the last issue was actually the Hibiscus Matters that they know and love – although the rest of the layout was exactly the same as usual. The masthead has obviously been cemented in as a strong part of the paper’s identity.

Interesting times ahead, as New Zealand continues its journey towards becoming a nation where Te Reo Māori – and perhaps sign language (which we’d struggle to include in a masthead!) – is in everyday use alongside English.

Finally, it’s important to note the passing of the Queen, Elizabeth II. This has caused a lot of sadness and reflection in the community – most of us have never known another monarch. It will no doubt be some time before we get used to those changes and to a new profile, that of King Charles III, on our currency.

Terry Moore