received financial support from his partner, Alice Flett. On 8 September 2003 The Wizard's large wooden house was destroyed by a fire, which Christchurch police treated as arson. The Wizard, his partner and two boarders were lucky to escape with their lives and The Wizard's extensive book and video collections were destroyed. The "Wizardmobile", constructed from the front halves of two VW Beetles, was also attacked and damaged. The Wizard was awarded the Queen's Service Medal in the 2009 Queen's Birthday Honours, for service to the community. After the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake, The Wizard planned to retire and permanently leave Christchurch, saying that the town he loved had gone and that it was the end of an era. After it was announced by the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority and the Anglican bishop that the remains of Christchurch Cathedral would be demolished, The Wizard returned to Christchurch to oppose the demolition. The Wizard continues to speak on the need to preserve Christchurch's heritage buildings. Since 2014, Ari Freeman has been The Wizard's apprentice. In October 2021, the Christchurch City Council ended its contract with The Wizard after two decades of service. The Wizard said he was disappointed but will continue to appear in the city. The Wizard stood as a candidate in the 2022 Christchurch mayoral election, receiving 2,474 votes and coming in fifth place. Public speaking The Wizard performed in Cathedral Square on weekdays from 1–2pm from November to Easter. He now spends a significant amount of his time in Oamaru, a place known as a center for arts and craftsmanship. He was present at the official reopening of Oamaru Airport on 6 August 2006, where he claimed to have successfully cast a spell to disperse the fog that was preventing the first flight from landing. Autobiography In 1998, an autobiography titled My Life as a Miracle was published. Cartography The Wizard produced an upside-down map using the Hobo–Dyer projection which placed New Zealand and Australia top-centre. Documentaries The Wizard of New Zealand QSM, directed by Grant John Neville and Director of Photography Karlos Filipov includes interviews with The Wizard, Mike Moore and many others. Among other topics, the documentary details the Wizard's views that women cause wars through their shopping habits and that governments with monarchies are more stable. It was awarded Best Short Documentary at the Beijing International Film Festival 2010, and Best Film about Real People