Chetwin has always had a strong sense of justice, stemming from her early career in journalism. She was editor of the Sunday Star-Times from 1998 to 2003, and the founding editor of the Herald on Sunday in 2003. That sense of justice and outrage transferred naturally into consumer activism. “I learnt the ability to investigate, but also standing up for what you believe is right. Standing up for people who can t speak for themselves, but also standing against people who are well able to speak for themselves and who threaten you,” she said. “You’ve got to be able to stand your ground when you think you’re right.”
Madu Kari, who brokered the deal, has since sold a number of properties across south Auckland for over a million dollars, and he doesn’t see the market losing steam any time soon. “The way it’s going, there’s a huge demand, and I’m expecting even more houses to start going in that price range,” he says. And he sees sections like the one in Ōtara as prime fodder for developers. Mason Ngawhika, of Ngāi Tahu and Te Arawa, worries about the creep of gentrification.
David White/Stuff
Ōtara’s first million-dollar home sold in Luke Place in October.
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Oron and Saffari’s festival isn’t like others. Instead of binge-drinking to loud music, ticket holders enjoy wellness workshops, yoga tutorials, sweat lodges and juice cleanses during the day, while an eclectic musical selection soundtracks dance parties at night. “The essence of Earthbeat is for people to feel empowered, revitalised and amped up for life,” says Saffari. “People come away more energised than when they came to the festival.” On that hot March day, Oron and Saffari were standing in the serenity of Ātiu Creek, watching their festival city being built around them with smiles on their faces. Then their phones buzzed. It was a government alert: New Zealand would soon go into lockdown to contain the spread of an outbreak of Covid-19.