Have a read of some of RNZ's latest upbeat news. Photo: RNZ
A podcast promoting financial literacy to rangatahi, a new grass-roots comedy club and a cute but ugly canine actor are among the latest feel-good stories from RNZ.
The 'Māori Millionaire' preaching financial literacy
Finance podcaster Te Kahukura Boynton. Photo: Tori Te Puke Photography
Te Kahukura Boynton is on a mission to change what she sees as a "scarcity mindset" when it comes to financial literacy.
Boynton (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāi Tuhoe, Te Whakatōhea) is the 20-year-old director and founder of Māori Millionaire, a podcast and platform with over 30,000 followers, that is dedicated to educating others, particularly rangatahi Māori, on financial literacy.
Her work to create change for underprivileged communities and reduce the wealth gap has been recognised in this year's YMCA Y25 list of young trailblazers who are "doing incredible things for their communities and world".
Poppys: South Auckland family garage becomes a comedy club
The stage at Poppys. Photo: Supplied
Comedian Heta Dawson has turned his garage in his South Auckland family home into a comedy venue. Tickets are public and anyone can turn up.
The club was designed and created with Māori and Pasifika comedians in mind, being able to perform in front of audiences who represent and relate to them. "It's like being in the backyard. It's in my hood. The vibe is very family-orientated," says comedian 'Timprovise'.
The 'mini Olympics' kicking off on NZ's ski slopes
Nico Porteous is one of the Kiwi Olympians who has been looking forward to the NZ Winter Games. (File photo) Photo: Xinhua/Fei Maohua via A
A "mini Olympics" featuring world-class local and overseas athletes has begun at Queenstown Lakes.
For emerging New Zealand athletes, the Winter Games is a chance to pit themselves against some of the world's best on home turf in freeriding, alpine ski racing, and park and pipe events. It is the largest snow sports event in the Southern Hemisphere.
Freestyle skier Nico Porteous, already a two-time Winter Olympic medalist, said he was stoked to compete in front of a home crowd.
Pristine night skies - Kaikōura plans to dim the lights with DarkSky application
An image of the Matariki constellation taken at Te Kura Hapuku, near Kaikōura. Photo: David Hill
The Kaikōura Dark Sky Trust has submitted its application to DarkSky International for most of the Kaikōura district to become an international dark sky sanctuary.
The prime motivation for the project was to protect the endangered Hutton's shearwater birds / tītī from the detrimental effects of artificial lighting.
''It has been a long time coming and it has taken a lot of hard work, but it has had a lot of support from the community, which is great,'' says Kaikōura District Council chief executive Will Doughty.
Dogpool: Life with the 'ugliest' dog turned Hollywood star
Penny the pooch is "Dogpool" Photo: AFP/JUSTIN TALLIS
Five-year-old pugese (a pug and Chinese crested cross) Penny has been cast as "Dogpool" after finding fame last year when she was crowned the ugliest pooch in a national contest in the United Kingdom. She stars alongside Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman in the latest Marvel film Deadpool & Wolverine.
Recalling the past 18 months, Peggy's owner Holly Middleton, from East Yorkshire, said: "Not in my wildest dreams did I think anything like that would have ever happened." However, despite amassing "a massive fan base", Middleton said Peggy was not displaying any "diva behaviour" at home.
