Akaroa

The moratorium replaces one that's due to expire next week.

In a bid to protect threatened Hector's dolphins, it does not affect permits that are already held by six operators in Akaroa and Lyttelton.

The RSA's Christmas parcels to New Zealanders serving overseas have been packed and are about to head off to arrive in time for a festive treat later this year.

About 175 Christmas parcels were packed at the Trentham military camp in Upper Hutt yesterday.

It is a very stronghold area for the threatened Hector's dolphins.

These changes won't affect any existing permits that are in place for six operators that are out in the Akaroa and Littleton Harbour.

But DOC's Mahanui operations manager, Andy Thompson, says the Hector's dolphins are being pushed out of Akaroa Harbour and that's putting both them, of course, but also the local businesses at risk.

He says DOC has a great relationship with the operators who provide a quality public education.

So this is about protecting that and consolidating both the industry and the dolphins.

So where did that drive come from? If you talk about your upbringing with your parents, where has that come from?

Well, as interesting, the first place was actually on the beach in Akaroa, with the sand in amongst the toes and a beautiful summer day.

Myself as a seven-year-old and my sister on the beach.

Listening to some people, some young adults, bring a message of hope and Christ onto the beach, and we both made a decision.

So we, we would go forward with that.

Um, a year down the track, we're preparing to get married, and he says to me, "Where would you like to go for your honeymoon?" And I said, "Well, I, I would like to go to Kaikoura, and I'd like to go to Akaroa." And he said, "Why would you want to go to those places?" I said, "Oh, well, I was just reading the local ha- um, latest House and Garden magazine, that, um, there was some cool art, art places in Kaikoura that I'd like to check out, since it's all about me, and Akaroa for its French feel." And he said, "Well, if, uh, I found, um, something overseas, um, would you allow me to take you there?" And I thought, "Well, we are getting married, so I suppose I will be tagging along."

[laughs]

And, um, anyway, we, um, end up in Tuscany.

We also talk about disruption to the seafloor, but actually we've also seen disruption to sea life and mammals.

I think previous research showed that cruise ships visiting Akaroa harbour could have been responsible for changing behaviour of Hector's dolphins in the area.

So it's not just the seafloor that's disturbing as well.

It's also potentially disturbing dolphins.

I mean, I know Napoleon never came down this way.

No, but we did have some French lineage here, Akaroa, and there was a few French people who landed here back in the early days.

Maybe they bought a tree with them from Napoleon.

Yeah, if anyone knows what the tree I was impressed to meet in Featherston, what its relationship to Napoleon was.