The Dolphins.

On February 24th, I received a nice surprise in the mail from the courier. It was a poster of the NRL Redcliffe Dolphins. It had a couple of signatures from the players, which Mum and I thought was cool. My favourite Dolphin is Herbie Farnworth, who plays for Great Britain. The Dolphins are my new favourite NRL side, along with the Wests Tigers, the Warriors, and the Canterbury Bulldogs. 

The Botanics.

The Botanics is where the Centre of New Zealand is located, and it is also where the first rugby union match was played in the 19th century. It is a nice place to walk around, and walking up to the Centre of New Zealand gives you a good view of Nelson. It is very popular with tourists. It takes about 25 minutes to get to the top, but if you walk slowly, it will take you longer.

Meeting Damien.

On Friday, February 27th, I met Labour List MP, the Honourable Damien O'Connor, former West Coast-Tasman MP. Damien now lives in Otago and is running in a National Party safe seat called Waitaki, which is in Central Otago, against sitting MP Miles Anderson. I think National will win despite the tide going out on them. I have met him a number of times over the years, and he enjoys getting my letters. He was the Minister of Agriculture in the last Labour Government. He is a nice person and very approachable.

New Shoes.

I got my first pair of good shoes for the year. It was a pair of Asics, making it my third pair of shoes overall. They were down in price from $129 to $89, so I believe they should last a long time. I am still currently wearing the Adidas shoes that I bought in October of last year. I always buy my shoes from Rebel Sport, and I always buy them when they are on sale.

My Grandparents Place.

I have wonderful memories of this house. It's so close to town, and I remember playing soccer and cricket on the grass when I was seven and eight years old. It is where my father was brought up alongside his brothers and sister. Out the back, there used to be a vegetable garden and a grapevine. Built in 1934, the house is located in one of the most expensive parts of town, right near the Rutherford
Hotel—the tallest building in Nelson.

Jacinda Ardern.

In my opinion, New Zealand was incredibly lucky to have Jacinda Ardern during the COVID-19 pandemic. She handled the situation very well, especially when compared to Donald Trump in America. II will see the COVID-19 inquiry released by this terrible government, and I am sure it will have some nasty things to say about the previous administration. I met Jacinda a total of five times—the most I have ever met any Prime Minister. I think she was wonderful.

Founders Park.

Founders Park is a lovely historic park showcasing a lot of Nelson's history. It even features a train station, something Nelson hasn't had since the late 1950s. We are one of the few regions without one; even Blenheim, which is much smaller than Nelson, has a train station. I really enjoy visiting Founders Park. It has a great cafe that serves local beer, and you even get the chance to ride a train.

Alex Wharf.

I am a big fan of international cricket umpire Alex Wharf, who is from England. I was lucky enough to meet Alex in December 2023 when he was in Nelson for the NZ vs. Bangladesh One Day International match at Saxton Oval. He was very down-to-earth and approachable. He is from Yorkshire in England. He joked about going to Pakistan for his sins. Alex Wharf is regarded as one of the best umpires in international cricket. He was promoted to the ICC Elite Umpires in April 2025.

The General Election.

I think this year's General Election in New Zealand will be very dirty. I do not support the asset sales that the National Party wants to do if elected for a second term. I don't think the New Zealand economy is doing well. You never know who veteran politician Winston Peters is going to go with because he loves the limelight. He is currently Foreign Affairs Minister, a role which he has held with both Labour and National governments, respectively.

A visit from Harvey.

On the 6th of January, I had Harvey, the Black Labrador, round at my house and he stayed for a night. Mum had suggested it a while back. Mum first met Harvey properly in October 2025 and fell in love with him. Mum had seen Harvey from a distance before. Harvey loved being on the couch and sleeping; he snored a lot when out in the lounge. He slept with me but took up too much room. He loves coming to my house; it is like a hotel to him. I look forward to Harvey coming up from Christchurch again around Easter time. I hope he stays perhaps two nights, and maybe in the future, a week. I have known Harvey since February 2016. He turns eleven in July. My Mum and I love him heaps.

The Beatles.

 

On December 23rd, I bought a Beatles book from Page & Blackmore Booksellers. It features a collection of memorabilia from the lives of the Fab Four. My favourite Beatle is George Harrison; I particularly like his song 'Taxman' from the album Revolver, which was released in 1966. The Beatle I dislike most is Paul McCartney because he comes across as bossy, though I do admire him as a songwriter for both the Beatles and Wings. I think it's terrible that John was murdered by that garbage individual, Mark Chapman. I don’t mind Ringo, even though he famously decided not to sign autographs anymore. My favorite Beatles song is 'The Long and Winding Road' from the album Let It Be. I also like 'A Hard Day's Night' and have watched part of the movie. The Beatles are my favourite group, but I also like the Beach Boys from the same era—they were the American version of the Beatles.

Meeting Cricketers.

On December 19th, there was a North vs. South cricket game at Saxton Oval. I actually bumped into the players in town while they were doing some Christmas shopping! They are playing a total of three games, and it's free to attend. The New Zealand Women’s team has upcoming games against Zimbabwe and South Africa—unfortunately, none are in Nelson this time, but hopefully next summer! I enjoy watching women's cricket just as much as men’s international matches

November Twenty20 Internationals.

On 9th and 10th November, Saxton Oval in Nelson hosted two Twenty20 International cricket matches. The Sunday game was a sell-out, with New Zealand narrowly winning, while the Monday match was unfortunately washed out due to rain. The matches brought together a mix of personalities from the cricketing world, both on and off the field.

Based on these experiences and the enthusiasm surrounding the matches, I believe Nelson will continue to host international cricket events in the future—whether men’s or women’s internationals. There is already anticipation for the upcoming North v South women’s matches in December of this year, with three games scheduled and free entry for spectators. I plan to attend these games, which serve as trials for the White Ferns’ Twenty20 squad.

The maximum crowd size at Saxton Oval is 6000 and that was achieved on Sunday. I spoke to the events manager who helps get the games to Nelson. He told me that with a crowd like that, Nelson is destined to host more International Cricket in the future.

Capital Gains Tax.

In my opinion, New Zealand should introduce a Capital Gains Tax to better fund hospitals, the education system, and public services. Australia has had such a tax since the 1980s. The National Government often compares New Zealand’s tax system to Australia’s, claiming we pay more tax, even though that isn’t accurate. My mum says it’s like comparing apples to pears, as the National Party does, which doesn’t make sense. New Zealand is one of only 20 countries worldwide without a Capital Gains Tax. Right-wing media outlets like TVNZ and the New Herald oppose it and attempt to portray it negatively, but I believe it’s long overdue.

Patrick Gower.

On 20th October, I met, former Newshub journalist, Patrick Gower who now works at Radio New Zealand. He was in Nelson to visit a friend and was very down earth and friendly. It was so nice to meet Patrick Gower.