/news/national/lower-north-island/rss 九一星空无限 Keep up with the latest in Lower North Island news with 九一星空无限talk ZB. Fri, 31 Jan 2025 08:56:46 Z en /news/national/lower-north-island/cook-strait-disruption-passengers-warned-of-more-rough-trips-due-to-swells/ /news/national/lower-north-island/cook-strait-disruption-passengers-warned-of-more-rough-trips-due-to-swells/ By RNZ Passengers crossing Cook Strait are being warned rough seas could once again make the journey tough going. A run of southerlies has led to delays and cancellations in recent days, although trips are going ahead on both Interislander and Bluebridge ferries on Monday. Bluebridge said while the huge swells were starting to ease sailings might still take longer than normal — with delays to some services — and be uncomfortable. Passengers on affected sailings have been contacted. “We appreciate that a lot of people are travelling with us over the holidays, and we are sorry that these weather-related disruptions may impact your travel plans,” the ferry said on its website. “Our top priority is ensuring everyone’s safety while minimising the impact on our customers.” Some Interislander ferries were cancelled on Sunday but services are running as usual today. It said the large swells in the strait should start to ease tomorrow. It recommended sitting towards the rear of the ship where there was less movement, not sailing on an empty stomach, sipping ginger ale during the trip, and trying seasickness pills. Mon, 13 Jan 2025 03:32:37 Z /news/national/lower-north-island/gisborne-rodeo-draws-record-crowd-organisers-say/ /news/national/lower-north-island/gisborne-rodeo-draws-record-crowd-organisers-say/ The 2025 Gisborne Rodeo attracted a record number of spectators to its Birrell St venue at the back of Showgrounds Park on Saturday, organisers say. Gisborne Rodeo Club secretary Sue Rylott said they had to open up a third paddock for vehicle parking, such was the size of the crowd – estimated at around 4000. “We had 250 entries in the NZ Rodeo Cowboy Association [NZRCA] events, and nearly 50 locals in their side of the rodeo.” The open competitors took part in events such as barrel racing, bareback and saddle bronc riding and bull riding. A competitor keeps his cool as he tries to stay on board in the bull ride. Local competitors took on steer and bull riding, saddle and bareback bronc riding and barrel racing. “The NZRCA riders put on an awesome show, it was fantastic,” Rylott said. Zac Taylor in broncs (first), Zahlia Whakataka in junior barrel racing (first), Hine Walker in adult barrels (first), and junior novice steer rider Rylan Matiaha were the standout local competitors. Local rodeo legend Dick Parsons (right) is presented with a special buckle marking 50 years as chute boss. He receives it from club president Graeme Rylott, accompanied by 5-year-old Keanu Rangiwai. Local rodeo legend Dick Parsons was presented with a special award of a buckle for 50 years of service to Gisborne rodeo events as chute boss. Mon, 13 Jan 2025 02:37:03 Z /news/national/lower-north-island/north-island-colgate-games-2025-hawke-s-bay-clubs-shine-in-hastings/ /news/national/lower-north-island/north-island-colgate-games-2025-hawke-s-bay-clubs-shine-in-hastings/ Organisers of the 2025 North Island Colgate Games in Hastings hailed the event a success. Over 1000 young athletes competed, with strong performances from five Hawke’s Bay clubs. Hawke’s Bay Olympians and New Zealand representatives awarded medals, inspiring participants with their presence. Organisers of the 2025 North Island Colgate Games held in Hastings over the weekend are hailing the event a success, with the five Hawke’s Bay athletic clubs that entered also achieving strong results. More than 1000 kids aged 7 to 14 from around the country and a few Australians competed at Mitre 10 Park in the athletic competition in front of what organisers said was an average of 1300 spectators each of the three days. Sharee Jones, president of Athletics New Zealand, secretary of Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne Athletics, and one of the main organisers of the games, said that the event ran smoothly “when the weather played ball”, and praised the sponsors for keeping the competition running over the years. “Colgate’s ongoing sponsorship for over 45 years now has been invaluable for our young athletes,” Jones said. Hawke’s Bay Olympians middle distance runner Geordie Beamish and kayaker Aimee Fisher handed out medals, as did world championship NZ athletics representative Georgia Hulls, local councillors and Tukituki MP Catherine Wedd. “[It’s] nice for the kids to come along and see those athletes and see the pathway there,” Jones said. Hawke's Bay athlete Georgia Hulls awards pennants to competitors at the 2025 Colgate North Island Games at Hastings Mitre 10 Sports Park. Photo / Michael Dawson / Athletics NZ Central Hawke’s Bay Athletics chairwoman Shaye Andersen said plenty of her discus throwers scored personal best results and one of her 8-year-old boys, Oscar Neville, achieved a place for every divisional race that he was in. “It’s such an awesome event for kids to get involved in whether they are good athletes or not, just the confidence the kids get from meeting other people and giving it a go,” Andersen said. Dannevirke Athletic and Harrier Club sent 14 of their athletes and achieved a bronze in the long jump with Will Hogan in the boys’ grade 13. Club treasurer Kelly Gillard says the games are a good environment for kids to have a go at things that they haven’t done before. “[It’s a] really good experience for the young ones to be able to get out of their comfort zone, get out of the small town, go and see what it’s like on an artificial track – not just a grass track at home and it gives them reassurance if they want to stay in the sport,” Gillard said. Yvette Pohe from Athletics Wairoa said her athletes delivered an outstanding performance, with Cagiva Huata achieving a gold in the boys’ grade 11 discus and a silver in the boys’ grade 11 shot put and Celia Martin qualifying for the finals in both the girls’ grade 11 800m and 200m events. “The team showcased determination, skill, and great sportsmanship, and we are incredibly proud of their achievements,” Pohe said. Napier Athletic Club chairman Richard Rutherford said he believed the club had its best Colgate Games in recent years, with Luka Donaldson scoring a silver in the boys’ grade 13 high jump and Eva Redward achieving a bronze in the girls’ grade 14 shot put and “a whole lot of pennants” for their 7, 8, and 9 grade kids. “Great event, it was a little bit dodgy on the weather front at the end of the third day – apart from that, things went pretty smoothly,” Rutherford said. Jack Coombe of the Hastings Athletic club races the 1500m at the Colgate North Island Games at Hastings Mitre 10 Sports Park. Photo / Michael Dawson - Athletics NZ Hastings Athletics had over 70 athletes compete at the games and came away with several medals, including Hana Symes winning gold in the girls’ grade 14 400m and bronze in the girls’ grade 14 100m, and Alfie Kuklinski winning silver medals in the boys’ grade 14 100m hurdles, 100m and long jump. The club also had Jennifer Eruo win gold in the grade 11 girls’ long jump, Sylvia Allen took bronze in girls’ grade 13 400m, 800m and as a member of the grade 13 girls’ 4x100m relay team with Scarlett Gray, Maia O’Connor and Lucy Strong. Nikau Rowlands got silver in the boys’ grade 10 1200m race walk and Harper Aukuso, Jae Symes, Lola Burt and Indiana Riggs silver in the grade 10 girls’ 4x100. Jack Riddell is a multimedia journalist with Hawke’s Bay Today and has spent the last 15 years working in radio and media in Auckland, London, Berlin, and Napier. He reports on all stories relevant to residents of the region. Mon, 13 Jan 2025 02:20:23 Z /news/national/lower-north-island/clean-boats-crucial-to-stopping-spread-of-marine-pests-in-hawke-s-bay-waters/ /news/national/lower-north-island/clean-boats-crucial-to-stopping-spread-of-marine-pests-in-hawke-s-bay-waters/ Recreational fisherman and boat owner John Hogan knows how important it is to run a clean ship. The Hawke’s Bay boatie washes his vessel after every outing to ensure he gets rid of salt and any marine pests. “When we bring the boat in we hose it down, then it’s hosed down with an attachment containing Salt-Away (a water-based, non-hazardous, biodegradable solution that dissolves, releases and removes salt crystals) It’s them brushed down and hosed off again,” Hogan said. Hawke’s Bay Regional Council senior biosecurity advisor Alice McNatty says a clean anchor and hull are essential to stop marine pests in their tracks. “Marine pests often hitch a ride on boat hulls and anchors, so cleaning your vessel before leaving or entering Hawke’s Bay waters is one of the easiest ways to reduce this risk. We also recommend hauling your boat out before the height of summer for a thorough cleaning,” McNatty said. “Marine pests are a growing threat to our local ecosystems, spreading quickly and outcompeting native marine life, damaging habitats, and disrupting the marine environment we all enjoy. “Hawke’s Bay is at risk from many marine pests, including Caulerpa, Mediterranean fanworm and Clubbed tunicate. These pests can negatively impact our marine environment, and once established, are extremely difficult to eradicate. Preventing their spread is our first line of defence, and it’s crucial.” Hogan says not only does washing your boat thoroughly get rid of any pests it also ensures the trailers don’t rust out. Hawke’s Bay Regional Council is urging boaties to ensure their boats are clean before entering the water. Photo / Warren Buckland “I’ve been fishing out of Clifton and Napier for 15 years. My boat is fibreglass so cleaning it is important.” He is a member of the Clifton Marine Club and says so far the season has been a good one. “There are plenty of fish about. Last Friday we were out for two hours and had caught our quota. “Fifteen years ago there were more gurnard than snapper but these days with the warmer water snapper are coming down from the north and the opposite applies,” he said. Clean your gear Checking, cleaning and drying gear and equipment while in Hawke’s Bay waterways is also important to stop the spread of freshwater pests. Regional Council team leader biosecurity Matt Short says there are several freshwater pests of particular concern, including Corbicula species – exotic freshwater clams. “Some aquatic pest species are already present in New Zealand and within our region, but many of our lakes and rivers remain pest-free. Corbicula has been found in the Waikato, and legal controls have been implemented to prevent its spread. However, it can still be dispersed on people’s gear and equipment to other regions.” Mon, 13 Jan 2025 01:44:17 Z /news/national/lower-north-island/major-roadworks-in-waikato-and-bay-of-plenty-summer-programme-ambitious-says-nzta/ /news/national/lower-north-island/major-roadworks-in-waikato-and-bay-of-plenty-summer-programme-ambitious-says-nzta/ Motorists are urged to plan ahead and expect delays with several roadworks under way and planned throughout Bay of Plenty and Waikato in the coming weeks. NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi said with good weather forecast for the next few weeks it was perfect timing for crews to get stuck back into the huge chip-sealing programme. The agency’s Waikato system manager, Andy Oakley, said the their programme for the remainder of the summer was ambitious. “It means a lot of roadworks and disruption, however, planning ahead will ease the frustration. “Using the NZTA Journey Planner, which provides real-time updates of network conditions including traffic delays, will help road users plan their way around the most disruptive worksites. “Our Summer Journeys page will also be available in the lead-up to long weekends, helping holidaymakers choose the best time to travel to their destination. This work forms part of the Government’s $2.07 billion investment into road and drainage renewal and maintenance across 2024-27 via the State Highway Pothole Prevention fund. Bay of Plenty Tauranga: SH2/Fifteenth Ave: Major works to build the connection from Fifteenth Ave to SH29/Takitimu Drive Toll Rd are under way. Works involve the building of a 120m-long retaining wall and earthworks, prior to the Fifteenth Ave bridge construction. One lane at SH2/Fifteenth Ave near Edgecumbe Rd is closed while the construction of the 120m retaining wall takes lace prior to the construction of the Fifteenth Ave Bridge. This is likely to remain in place until mid-2026. SH29 Kaimai Range: A programme of night work continues on SH29 Kaimai Range, now under way near Old Kaimai Rd. Crews are back on site after the Christmas break; when work is under way there will be stop/go traffic management in place. Over the coming six months there will be several significant worksites to complete. More information SH29 McLarens Fall Rd: The Lower Kaimai passing lane from Poripori Rd will be closed and reduced to one lane from January 13 to January 22, while drainage maintenance work takes place near McLarens Fall Rd. For the duration of the work there will be a 24/7 temporary speed limit through the SH29 site. SH29 Tauriko West between Redwood Lane and Cambridge Rd: A short section of the northbound lane on Cambridge Rd, from the SH29 intersection to 563 Cambridge Rd, is closed 24/7 until early February, with no entry into Cambridge Rd from SH29. All Bethlehem-bound vehicles are required to detour via SH29 Takitimu Drive Toll Rd or SH29A and Cameron Rd. The free detour for heavy vehicles is via SH29A, Fifteenth Ave to SH2. The southbound lane of Cambridge Rd remains open for the duration of the works. A 60km/h speed limit applies on SH29 on all approaches to the intersection, and a 30km/h speed limit around the work site on Cambridge Rd. Crews are working Monday to Saturday, between 7am and 6pm. Access for Cambridge Rd residents from SH29 is via the detours. In addition, temporary safety barriers have been installed on SH29 (between 841 SH29 and 782 SH29) to allow for retaining wall construction in this area. People are advised to expect delays. More information SH29/Redwood Lane:Shoulder closures, reduced speed limits and mobile operations are in place. Motorists and cyclists are urged to drive and ride with extra care, especially in the areas between Redwood Lane and Belk Rd, and adhere to the reduced speed. SH2 Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road (TELTR):The Tauranga City Council-led project continues. A 2km section of SH2 just past the Kaituna River Bridge continues to be reduced to a single lane in each direction to allow construction of the Pāpāmoa East Interchange to progress. This closure will remain in place for the duration of construction, with a temporary 70km/h speed limit in place. More information. SH2 TELTR: The Quayside Properties Ltd-led Rangiuru Business Park Interchange project continues. More information SH2 TELTR: On January 18, the Tauranga Half Triathlon takes place, and from 5.30am to 1pm the eastbound lane of the toll road from Domain Rd (including the Domain Rd eastbound on-ramp) to the intersection with SH33 will be closed. The alternative route for motorists during this time is via the Te Puke Highway. The westbound lanes will remain open. Western Bay of Plenty: SH2 Apata Station Rd to Wainui South Rd: Road construction works are under way in preparation for the new roundabout. Lane shifts are in place along with speed restrictions. There will be intermittent stop/go traffic management in place that may cause longer delays. Follow the temporary signs and directions of the traffic management team and watch for layout changes. Expect minor delays. SH2 Ōmokoroa Rd: Road construction and service relocation works are under way in preparation for the new roundabout. Lane shifts are in place along with speed restrictions. There will be intermittent stop/go traffic management that may cause longer delays. Follow the temporary signs and directions of the traffic management team and watch for layout changes. Expect minor delays, especially during peak times. More information SH2 Snodgrass Rd, Te Puna: Night work will start on a road rebuild on January 12, taking about six weeks to complete near the Snodgrass and Te Puna Quarry Rds intersection. While the work is taking place, the entry into Snodgrass and Te Puna Quarry Rds will be closed at the state highway end. Alternative roads are available to the south via Munro Rd and to the north via Armstrong Rd or Borrell Rd. Work will start at 8 each night and finish at 5.30am, Sunday to Thursday; there will be stop/go in place and a temporary speed limit of 30km/h during the day. SH2 Minden Rd – Takitimu North Link Stage 1: Shoulder closures and stop/go traffic management will continue from January 13. Please take direction from staff on the ground and slow down through the worksite. SH2 North chip seal programme: Several chip seal sites on SH2 north of Tauranga start on January 12 at night taking 10 nights to complete all nine worksites. Kicking off at Te Mete Rd and finishing near Aongatete. There will be a temporary speed limit in place the day after the chip sealing has been completed to allow the chip seal to bed in. Rotorua: SH30 TeNgae Rd, Rotorua: Resurfacing works on TeNgae Rd between Iles Rd to Ōwhata Rd have started and will take 10 nights to complete. While the work is taking place the road will be closed and traffic detoured. All traffic travelling north, including heavy traffic, will be required to turn left at Vaughan Rd and follow detours to Ōwhata roundabout. All southbound traffic will turn right at Ōwhata roundabout and follow detours to Marino Rd/SH30 TeNgae Rd intersection. SH5 Rotorua: Those travelling between Rotorua and Tīrau on SH5 will encounter two major road rebuilds and are advised to allow extra time when planning their journeys through this section of highway. The first is an approximate 2km stretch of SH5 just west of Oturoa Rd Mamaku, with the second just east of Tapapa. Both are expected to take three months to complete and will have stop/go traffic management and temporary speed restrictions in place during this time. More information. SH38 Kaingaroa Forest: Tree felling will take place for a week from January 21 on SH38 near Dun Rd, there will be a temporary speed limit in place of 30km/h while work is happening. Waikato SH1 Ātiamuri to Wairākei: All work and traffic management has ended on this stretch of SH1, with final surfacing south of the Waikato River Bridge to be done later in summer. SH1 Tīrau to Waiōuru overall programme: Keep up to date – sign up to the e-newsletter SH1 between Tūrangi and Waiōuru: The Desert Rd will closed from 5am on Monday, January 13, for about two months. As well as reconstructing 16 lane km (three sites) of road, improving drainage, and clearing about 15km of shoulders, the deck of the Mangatoetoenui Bridge will be replaced. The detour (from north to south) is via SH41, SH47, SH4, SH49 and back to SH1 in Waiōuru. It is the usual recommended detour route whenever the Desert Rd is closed and adds about 30-40 minutes to journeys. To encourage safe driving on the detours, the speed limit near and through Ohakune will be reduced to 50km/h while the detour is in place. Additional billboards and signage will be in place, and police have indicated they will have an increased presence on the detour roads. South of Tīrau to north of Putāruru: Final asphalt surfacing is scheduled to start on Sunday, January 19, subject to final testing. More information. East Waikato Various pre-chip-seal sites on SH25, SH27, SH26, SH29 and SH2 in the Waikato have started and will continue until Saturday, February 15, weather permitting. The work will take place between 6am and 6pm each weekday. While the work is taking place there will be traffic management and speed restrictions in place. SH25 Tairua:Repairs to a large underslip at Pumpkin Hill near Sailors Grave Rd just north of Tairua are under way. Work at this site will take about six months to complete and is due to be completed in April. There are temporary speed restrictions and a shoulder closure through the worksite. Stop/stop traffic management will be required at times. More information. SH25 between Waihī and Whangamatā: Resurfacing repairs have started and will continue until Friday, January 24. While this work is taking place there will be stop/go traffic management in place, delays are to be expected. SH25 Whangapoua Hill: Until Friday, January 17, asphalt repairs will take place between Coromandel and TeRerenga on SH25. While this work is taking place there will be stop/go traffic management, delays are to be expected. SH25 between Whiritoa and Whangamatā: Asphalt repairs will start on Sunday, January 12, until Friday, January 24, between 6pm and 6am each night. There will be stop/stop traffic management in place due to the location of the worksite. Delays of up to 30 minutes can be expected. There will be no work on January 17-18. Central Waikato SH41 Tokaanu: Works to fix an underslip are complete and SH41 is now open. Further finishing works will continue from Monday, January 13, and will require a single lane closure for two days. West Waikato SH3 Melville, Hamilton: Resurfacing will begin on SH3 Ōhaupō Rd between Collins Rd and Mahoe St at the Normanby Ave intersection, taking five nights to complete from Sunday, January 12, between 8pm and 6am each night. While this work is taking place SH3 will be closed to through traffic, a detour will be available via Collins St, Prisk St, Mahoe St to rejoin SH3 and then left on to SH1C Lorne St. HPMV, heavy and over-dimensional vehicles will be stacked and released. SH21 Narrows Bridge: Resurfacing on SH21 on the Narrows Bridge will start on Sunday, January 19, from 8pm to 5am, taking two nights to complete. While the work is taking place the road will be closed between SH3 intersection and the Tamahere Interchange, residents and businesses will have access at all times. The detour available is via SH1 northbound, southbound will use SH3 and SH1C to rejoin SH1. SH1/SH29 Piarere intersection: Two out of three permanent approach roads have now opened on the SH1/SH29 roundabout in Piarere, with the new SH1 (from Tīrau) and SH29 approaches opened in December. The temporary Hamilton approach road remains in use while work continues on the permanent configuration, which is expected to be finished in early 2025. NZTA thanks motorists for their patience and asks drivers to stick to temporary speed limits and take extra care when travelling through the area while people adjust to the layout. View a map here. SH1 Karāpiro: SH1 will be closed to all traffic between Karāpiro Rd south to SH1/29 Piarere for maintenance work from midnight on Sunday, January 19, to midnight on Thursday, January 23. During the works, contractors will lay 42,000sq m of chip seal and apply a second seal on barrier areas and shoulders. Following the resealing, the road will reopen with a 70km/h temporary speed limit. A detour will be in place and traffic is urged to use alternative routes. All properties within the closure and sideroads leading to it will have access maintained. More information. SH3 Ōhaupō township: A road rebuild has started on SH3 on Ōhaupō Rd in the Ōhaupō township and will take seven weeks to complete. While the work is taking place, northbound light vehicles will be detoured 24/7 via Ryburn Forkert Rds, adding about eight minutes to the journey; heavy vehicles, including buses, overweight and over-dimension vehicles, will be stacked and allowed through the worksite with delays of up to 30 minutes. The southbound lane will remain open to all traffic. More information SH3 TeKūiti: Waitomo District Council has started work to replace a large watermain, from Carroll St along to Duke St. This work is expected to continue until Wednesday, January 19. There will be a single road closure in Carroll St, with eastbound light vehicles being diverted along Taupiri St and Te Kumi Station Rd, heavy vehicles will detour via Esplanade and TeKūiti Rd, northbound traffic will use the single lane in Carroll St. SH30 Bennydale: A second road rebuild site near Kiwi Place will start on Tuesday, January 14, and take six weeks to complete. Enabling works will be done first between 7am and 7pm each day with stop/go traffic management in place. Once the site has been prepared the road rebuild will start, with stop/go traffic management in place and a temporary speed limit of 30km/h. Delays of up to 20 minutes can be expected. North Waikato SH1 Pōkeno Interchange to Mercer Interchange: There will be a full southbound closure on Monday, January 13, and Wednesday, January 15, between 9pm and 5am for resurfacing. Traffic will still be able to travel south using one of the northbound lanes. Pōkeno southbound on-ramp will also be closed between 9pm and 5am. Please use alternative on-ramp at Nikau Rd. SH1 Mercer Interchange to Island Block Road: There will be a full southbound closure on Wednesday, January 15 and Thursday, January 16 between 9pm and 5am for resurfacing. Traffic will still be able to travel south using one of the northbound lanes. SH1 Island Block Rd to Dragway Rd: There will be a full southbound closure on Wednesday, January 15 and Thursday, January 16 between 9pm and 5am for stormwater maintenance. Traffic will still be able to travel south using one of the northbound lanes. Please slow down and follow traffic management instructions. Dragway Rd southbound off-ramp will also be closed. Please use alternative off-ramp at Springhill Rd or Hampton Downs. SH1 southbound to SH2 eastbound link: There will be a full southbound closure on Sunday and Monday, January12-13 between 9pm and 5am for stormwater maintenance. Please stay on SH1 and turn around at the next interchange at Pokeno to travel back via SH1 northbound to SH2 eastbound link. Tairāwhiti Gisborne/Hawke’s Bay SH5 Napier to Taupō: Recovery alliance Transport Rebuild East Coast (TREC) continues to progress safety improvements, as well as repair, recovery and maintenance activities at multiple sites on SH5 between Eskdale and Waipunga.More information Journey planner: journeys.nzta.govt.nz Phone: 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49) Mon, 13 Jan 2025 01:11:06 Z /news/national/lower-north-island/tair%C4%81whiti-news-digest-spark-starts-shed-fire-rescue-chopper-callouts/ /news/national/lower-north-island/tair%C4%81whiti-news-digest-spark-starts-shed-fire-rescue-chopper-callouts/ A fire which destroyed a Gisborne shed over the weekend is believed to have started from sparks getting into its dust extraction system. Firefighters responded to reports of a fire at a shed used for woodworking on a property in Russell St about 10.30pm on Sunday. “We received the calls from neighbours and passers by,” a senior firefighter said. “When the first crew arrived the shed was fully involved in fire.” The Russell St shed fire was believed to have been started by a spark that got into a dust extraction system in the shed, smouldered away, and then caught fire according a senior firefighter. The fire crews used breathing apparatus and high-pressure and low-pressure hoses to tackle the blaze. “The shed was on the front boundary of the property and well away from other buildings,” the senior firefighter said. The senior firefighter said the owner of the 9 x 7m shed used it for woodworking and working with native timbers. “It’s believed a spark had got into the dust extraction system in the shed, smouldered away and eventually set fire to the building,” he said. “The shell of the shed was still standing, but otherwise it was totally destroyed.” The shed was taped off for safety reasons and the cause is not being treated as suspicious. One of the Trust Tairawhiti Eastland Rescue Helicopter team’s missions for last week was Thursday’s early-evening response to a motor vehicle accident at Whatatutu. Five missions for Eastland Rescue helicopter The Trust Tairāwhiti Eastland Rescue Helicopter was one of three helicopters dispatched as part of a multi-agency response to Sunday’s motor vehicle accident at Ohinepaka, between Wairoa and Mohaka. The Gisborne team responded at 11.20am. After treating their patient, the Eastland team flew them in critical condition to Hawke’s Bay Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital. The mission was one of five completed by the Gisborne-based rescue helicopter in the seven days from Monday, January 6. The others were: January 8, 11.30am: The team carried out an inter-hospital transfer from Gisborne to Auckland Hospital, transporting a patient who had suffered a medical event and was in serious condition. January 8, 5.30pm: Soon after their return to Gisborne the team was dispatched to a trauma at Wairoa, flying their patient in stable condition to Gisborne Hospital. January 9, 7.45pm: They responded to a motor vehicle accident at Whatatutu, flying their patient in stable condition to Gisborne Hospital. January 11, 11.50am: The team was called to a medical event at Ruatoria, again flying their patient in stable condition to Gisborne Hospital. Mon, 13 Jan 2025 00:56:41 Z /news/national/lower-north-island/coastguard-s-water-safety-initiative-old4new-heads-to-whanganui/ /news/national/lower-north-island/coastguard-s-water-safety-initiative-old4new-heads-to-whanganui/ Coastguard’s Old4New programme is heading to Whanganui to promote safety on the water this summer. Old4New offers the opportunity to trade in old lifejackets for a discount on a new Hutchwilco lifejacket. Whanganui Coastguard president Mike Carson said many people were using lifejackets beyond their use-by date. “So it’s a case of making sure we get the right lifejackets,” he said. Lifejackets have a useful life of about 10 years, but this can be shorter depending on use. “Some of the really old ones people have are the old kapok ones, which, once they’re in the water, absorb the water and they have less ability to keep someone afloat. “Some of the newer inflatable lifejackets, if they haven’t been serviced regularly, quite often have a small CO2 cylinder in them and if they haven’t been serviced they corrode, and when you go to use them they don’t operate. “Some of them are just old and not suitable, they just wear out.” Coastguard says more than 22,000 lifejackets have been swapped during the past decade. Old4New takes lifejackets in any state and various types of jackets are available for discount, tailored for various sports and ages. A $30 discount is offered on any lifejacket when an old lifejacket is swapped. Fitting assistance, servicing and additional water safety education will also be available at this event. Meanwhile, Carson was urging everyone out on the water to put trip reports in. Trip reports allow the local Coastguard to be aware when someone is potentially in trouble on the water by having an expected return time. “Last summer we ended up with a few jetskis that got in trouble up the river and it took us a while to be notified that they were having a problem,” he said. “We’re out there to help people. It doesn’t matter what your waka is, we’re out there to make sure people come home safe – that’s our mission.” Old4New is on in Whanganui on January 24 from 11am to 4pm. For anyone unable to make this time, the Whanganui Boating Centre will be offering the swap and discount from January 23 to 30. Old4New programme details and Coastguard trip report forms can be found at coastguard.nz Olivia Reid is a multimedia journalist based in Whanganui. Sun, 12 Jan 2025 23:16:46 Z /news/national/lower-north-island/north-island-burglaries-five-arrested-in-bay-of-plenty-after-police-use-spikes-to-stop-vehicles/ /news/national/lower-north-island/north-island-burglaries-five-arrested-in-bay-of-plenty-after-police-use-spikes-to-stop-vehicles/ Five people have been arrested in the Bay of Plenty following two alleged burglaries involving fleeing drivers, police say. At about 3.45am today police went to Tamamutu St in Taupō after a ram raid. The offenders left the scene in another vehicle. Police signalled the driver to stop at the end of Tumunui Rd after the vehicle was seen driving north through Golden Springs towards Rotorua but they continued. A pursuit was not initiated, but police successfully deployed spikes on Hemo Rd at the entry to Rotorua. The vehicle came to a stop on Clayton Rd around 4.40am, where the occupants fled the vehicle on foot and were arrested with the help of a police dog unit. Police said in a statement today four people between the ages of 15 and 20 were due to appear in the Rotorua Youth Court today on charges including burglary, failing to stop, unlawfully taking a motor vehicle, and possessing an offensive weapon. In a second incident, a patched gang member was arrested near Kawerau after allegedly stealing a vehicle in Bayview, Napier and fleeing police. At around 2.10pm yesterday a vehicle was reportedly stolen from a Bayview address, after the owner left the vehicle for a brief time while in the driveway while he stopped in at the house. The alleged offender has then driven along State Highway 5 towards Taupō where it was seen driving past the Tarawera Cafe. The vehicle was signalled to stop on SH5, however the driver continued, and a pursuit was not initiated. Instead, police followed from a distance until spikes were successfully deployed at McKee Rd south of Kawerau, where the vehicle came to a stop and the driver was arrested. The 41-year-old man is due to appear in the Rotorua District Court today on charges of failing to stop and burglary. Rotorua Area Commander, Inspector Herby Ngawhika, said this was an excellent example of inter-district and inter-area communication which had led to the arrest of the offenders involved in two alleged burglaries. “Successful plans were put in place which allowed police to resolve these potentially dangerous situations without incident. “We will continue to work hard to hold offenders to account, and we remind people to continue to report anything unusual or suspicious to us so we can respond appropriately.” You can report information by calling 111 if it’s happening now or via 105 either online or over the phone if it’s after the fact. Sun, 12 Jan 2025 22:41:52 Z /news/national/lower-north-island/bay-of-plenty-weather-kawerau-locals-wary-as-high-temperatures-spark-fire-warnings/ /news/national/lower-north-island/bay-of-plenty-weather-kawerau-locals-wary-as-high-temperatures-spark-fire-warnings/ The Kawerau community is staying vigilant amid high temperatures and the declaration of a restricted fire season. Kawerau was the hottest place in the country last month with a scorching high of 34.8C. The last time temperatures were that high was in February last year in Cheviot, Christchurch, which recorded 36.3C. Kawerau Fire Brigade station manager Carl Moon said the community had been vigilant so far amid the high heat. He encouraged them to “keep that up” while the forestry town remained in a restricted fire season, meaning anyone wanting to light a fire needs a permit. Restricted fire seasons have been declared for the Bay of Plenty, Waikato, and Northland. Restrictions have eased in Hawke’s Bay after a bout of wet weather. Moon said the Kawerau Fire Brigade had not attended “too many calls”. “It’s been really, really good.” However, the few call outs involved a vegetation fire in the pine forest on Mount Putauaki on December 19. Firefighters from Kawerau, Edgecumbe and Eastern Bay of Plenty Rotoma attended the blaze. Moon said firefighters had to wear restrictive PPE to protect them from the heat. Gregor Macara, climate scientist at the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa), said its seasonal climate outlook until March indicated that “above-average temperatures” were likely for the North Island. A spokesperson for Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) said higher temperatures in the area created a stronger fire risk. People should check that fires were put out properly after being lit. More information was available on the Fenz website. As of 9am on Friday, the Bay of Plenty region, Waikato and Hawke’s Bay were categorised as a restricted fire zone. “Higher temperatures – especially when there has been little rain in recent weeks – increase the chances of a fire getting started and spreading out of control,“ the Fenz spokesperson said. “If anyone is thinking about lighting a fire in these conditions, they must go to www.checkitsalright.nzto check it is safe to do so and to see what the fire restrictions are in their area.” Kaingaroa fire chief Kenneth Austin told the Rotorua Daily Post that people needed to be “careful” this summer, especially when lighting fires outside. He said this was “extremely important” because it posed a huge fire risk. With ”the area we live in being surrounded by forest, the potential for a big fire is hazardous”, Austin said. Above-average temperatures are expected for the North Island from January to March, according to Niwa. A scrub fire at Whangārei Heads on Thursday caused the evacuation of two homes. Niwa’s annual climate report highlighted that, of the 10 hottest years on record, eight had been recorded since 2013. The highest December temperature was 34.8C, observed at Kawerau on December 29. Of the six main centres in December, Auckland was the driest, Dunedin was the coolest and least sunny, and Tauranga was the warmest, wettest and sunniest. Bay of Plenty was the third sunniest region for December, with 2734 hours of sun. Marlborough had the most sun with 2769 hours and the wider Nelson area had the second most, with 2760 hours. This story has been updated to correct Kenneth Austin’s position to Kaingaroa fire chief. Aleyna Martinez is a multimedia journalist based in the Bay of Plenty. She moved to the region in 2024 and has previously reported in Wairarapa and at Pacific Media Network. Sun, 12 Jan 2025 22:04:03 Z /news/national/lower-north-island/desert-road-state-highway-1-closure-t%C5%ABrangi-to-waiouru-closed-for-two-months/ /news/national/lower-north-island/desert-road-state-highway-1-closure-t%C5%ABrangi-to-waiouru-closed-for-two-months/ By Kate Green ofRNZ The Desert Rd between Tūrangi and Waiouru will close for maintenance for two months from today. Waka Kotahi NZTA said the work involved reconstructing 16km of road, improving drainage, clearing 15km of road shoulder and replacing the deck of the Mangatoetoenui Bridge. Regional manager of maintenance and operations in Waikato-Bay of Plenty, Roger Brady, said the bridge was built in 1966 and in need of replacement. “This job alone would require the road to have been closed for about a month, so being able to do this at the same time as the other maintenance work due is a real win,” he said. The new deck for the Mangatoetoenui Bridge had been designed and was being built in Napier, ready to be shipped this week. It consisted of steel girders and a concrete slab, which would be transported in two sections and then stitched together once on-site. Once the new deck was in place, the Mangatoetoenui Bridge was expected to last another 50 years before it needed replacing. Brady said the average ground temperatures were analysed during the planning stages, and for work to go ahead it needed be a minimum of 13C. Overnight minimum temperatures started to drop below zero across the Desert Rd from March onwards, meaning the possibility of ground frosts. “Already the area has experienced snow flurries in January and while these are rare in the summer months, there is more chance of lower temperatures from March onwards,” Brady said. The detour from north to southis via SH41, SH47, SH4, SH49 and then back to SH1 in Waiouru, and adds 30 to 40 minutes to the journey. NZTA said the speed limit near and through Ohakune would be reduced to 50km/h while the detour was in place, along with additional billboards, signage and police patrols. The section of road south of the SH1/SH47 intersection (the “soft closure point” shown in orange on the map) to the beginning of the first worksite (south of the Tongariro National Trout Centre) would remain open for visitors to access the Trout Centre, but not SH46. Sun, 12 Jan 2025 20:13:33 Z /news/national/lower-north-island/wairoa-crash-one-dead-after-single-vehicle-crash-four-others-injured/ /news/national/lower-north-island/wairoa-crash-one-dead-after-single-vehicle-crash-four-others-injured/ One person has died in a crash on State Highway 2 near Wairoa today. The crash happened several kilometres west of the town at about 11.15am. Four other people in the car were injured and transported to hospital, police confirmed. State Highway 2 was blocked due to the crash. But one lane of the road (between Ohinepaka and Mohaka) has since reopened and traffic management remains in place. Motorists are advised to expect significant delays, and to delay travel if possible. Sat, 11 Jan 2025 23:23:57 Z /news/national/lower-north-island/one-person-dead-in-feilding-motorcycle-crash/ /news/national/lower-north-island/one-person-dead-in-feilding-motorcycle-crash/ A motorcyclist has died in a crashnear Feilding last night, police have confirmed. Police were advised of the crash just before 8pm that a motorcycle had crashed on Kawakawa Rd, a spokesperson said. The motorcyclist was located deceased at the scene. No other vehicles were involved. Enquiries into the circumstances of the crash are underway. Sat, 11 Jan 2025 21:06:34 Z /news/national/lower-north-island/k%C5%ABaotunu-fire-crews-continue-to-battle-blaze-that-cut-off-coromandel-day-trippers/ /news/national/lower-north-island/k%C5%ABaotunu-fire-crews-continue-to-battle-blaze-that-cut-off-coromandel-day-trippers/ Firefighters continue to battle a scrub fire that cut off carloads of day trippers in two isolated Coromandel bays yesterday afternoon. Three helicopters and four ground crews continue work on the Black Jack Road, Kūaotunu, fire today, Incident Controller Shane Bromley said. “Black Jack Road will be closed all day today with stop go traffic management supporting access for residents. There will be periods of total road closure to allow our firefighters to work safely.” “We will let everyone know when the road reopens.” Bromley said there have been no evacuations due to the fire, which is estimated to be approximately 600m x 600m. A strong southerly wind is blowing smoke from the fire out to sea. It is not known how the fire started at this stage. An investigation will take place to determine the cause. Helicopters battling the blaze were grounded yesterday evening at 8.30pm. The fire was burning through pine slash and regrowth, a Fire and Emergency spokesperson said. Fire crews battling the blaze. Photo / Chris Larcombe A fire is burning on Black Jack Road in Coromandel. Photo / Emily Clarke Daytrippers feared getting trapped Tarah Spyve told the Herald she could not drive back along Black Jack Rd because of the fire. She later said firefighters began allowing cars through five at a time about 8.30pm. While Spyve was trapped, she said there was no shop to buy food from. A local allowed the strandees into their home to fill up their water bottles, she said. A Fire and Emergency NZ spokeswoman said the fire service would be closing Black Jack Rd overnight. She said Fire and Emergency was not aware of anyone being trapped by the road closure. A witness told the Herald he could see flames atop the hills between Kūaotunu and Otama Beach. Photo / Connor Le Vert Police were also unaware of reports of people being trapped and were not involved in responding to the blaze, a spokeswoman said. A witness told the Herald he could see flames atop the hills between Kūaotunu and Ōtama Beach. He described “huge smoke” billowing from the fire. He said motorists were being stopped from driving down Black Jack Rd. A holidaymaker in the area could see the flames and smoke while he was out on the water. Photo / Leanne Davies “It’s like a volcano,” Connor Le Vert told the Herald. Le Vert described the smoke as being a yellow colour and said he could see bright red flames on the top of the hill. “We can see smoke coming out. There’s a tonne of smoke coming off,” Le Vert said. “We could see flames, bright red flames at the top of the hill.“We saw firefighters climbing up the hill.” Sat, 11 Jan 2025 20:22:49 Z /news/national/lower-north-island/historic-waka-piece-found-in-waiari-stream/ /news/national/lower-north-island/historic-waka-piece-found-in-waiari-stream/ A large part of a waka, possibly dating back to the 16th century, has been found by a man swimming in the Waiari Stream at Te Puke. “We’ve always known that waka were in that area,” Māori cultural heritage manager at Tauranga City Council, Dean Flavell, said as he admired the waka, pulled from the banks of the Waiari last week. “I estimate that it is from around 1500s to 1600s,” he said. Māori cultural heritage manager at Tauranga City Council, Dean Flavell believes the waka was made from rimu, due to the red colour of the wood. Flavell believes the historic waka is made of either rimu or kahikatia, “but my gut feeling is it’s rimu”. The piece is about 1.5m-long, and the waka could have been anywhere from 5 to 6m, Flavell said. Robert Miles-Kingston from Te Puke discovered the waka while swimming in Waiari with his tamariki (children) and contacted Flavell to discuss it. “I just said to Robert, ‘you know, thank goodness it was you who found it because some people would think it is just a piece of wood and let it drift through’.” After his conversation with Miles-Kingston, Flavell had a karakia at the Waiari before removing the centuries-old waka. Dean Flavell points out various holes on the waka used for the lashings. He believes that a chisel was used and dates the waka to around the 16 and 17th centuries. “The lash holes are generally oblong; if they were circular, then I would have taken the date to the early or mid-1800s,” Flavell said. The unique piece of history predates the founding of the township of Te Puke, a stone’s throw away from where the waka was found, Flavell said. “It was a yet-to-be township, and then the first ancestors of the European people, who were mainly Irish, came here." Schooners would travel up the Kaituna River to Canaan’s Landing, where Flavell’s ancestors would then paddle the settlers down to what would become the main Te Puke road. The importance of such a taonga is not lost on Flavell, and it can shine new light on long-forgotten histories. Termites would have eaten away at the wood, when it was still in use. “It has the ability to tell local history, yeah, at different levels. “This is a true taonga. It’s a gift from the old people.” He believes that waka most likely belonged to either the Tawakeptio or the Makahae marae and had floated away and got stuck beneath the water. The piece of waka is remarkably well-preserved for its age, and Flavell thinks the water helped preserve the wood. The waka piece sitting safely on Dean Flavell's land, in Te Puke. “The air and sun crack the wood. So being encapsulated in the side of the bank underwater preserved it.” Flooding and earthworks along the Waiari likely shook the waka loose from its slumber, allowing Miles-Kingston to pull it onto the river bank, Flavell believes. The piece of waka was found on Flavell’s ancestral land. Dean Flavell shows sketches of the piece of waka. Flavell now has to apply to Heritage New Zealand and obtain a z-number that will allow the waka to be tracked and protected. “So in the future, this object can’t leave the country or has to be connected with the local people.” The next step will be to preserve the piece of waka before it goes on display so it can remain in its excellent condition, Flavell said. “It will be up to the marae what will happen to it after that.” Sun, 05 Jan 2025 02:16:35 Z /news/national/lower-north-island/intercity-apologises-after-bus-leaves-15yo-stranded-in-piopio-during-toilet-stop/ /news/national/lower-north-island/intercity-apologises-after-bus-leaves-15yo-stranded-in-piopio-during-toilet-stop/ A Stratford mother is furious after an InterCity coach driver left her 15-year-old son midway through a North Island bus trip during a toilet break. The bus company has admitted responsibility and apologised, describing the incident as a “distressing situation”. The passenger has been offered a full refund of the ticket and the bus company says it is committed to resolving the matter. Martha, who did not want her last name published, told the Herald her son had been on a coach trip from Hamilton to New Plymouth yesterday afternoon. “They normally stop in Te Kuiti during the trip, but apparently they stopped in Te Kuiti and nobody got off the bus because they were picking someone up,” she said. “They stopped in Piopio about 1.15pm and the bus driver said this was the toilet break and don’t be long. “There were 10 to 15 people in the line to go to the bathroom. He was the one at the back of the line.” Fifteen minutes later, she received a text from her son saying the bus had left him behind and his bags were still on the bus. The Stratford resident rang Intercity to tell them her son had been left in the small town, but she claimed they had “no urgency, no care, and all they said they could offer was a refund”. Martha made a four-hour round trip from Stratford to Piopio to pick up her stranded son. They were initially unable to retrieve his luggage with his laptop and clothes. “I rang them up and said, ‘You left my son there, what do we do about the bags? They said you can pick them up from between 4pm and 7am the next day’,” she said. “Obviously we couldn’t be there by 4pm when the bus got there because we had to go and pick him up. We didn’t get back to New Plymouth until about 6.30pm. “The bus stop was closed. We don’t know where his bags are.” InterCity chief operating officer Sam Peate said customer safety and care were the company’s highest priorities. “We sincerely apologise for the incident involving one of our passengers, who was left behind in Piopio. “We understand it was a distressing situation for them.” Peate said while Piopio was not a scheduled toilet stop, the driver stopped to pick up a passenger. Four passengers alerted the driver and got off to use the toilet. While the driver was assisting with luggage, the fifth passenger also left the bus. As the driver was unaware of this passenger leaving the bus, the passenger was left behind, he said. “We are very sorry, and we have explained the circumstances and apologised to the family.” Peate said InterCity’s policy was to only conduct headcounts at scheduled rest stops, as passengers were asked to let the driver know if they were leaving the bus. The customer care team had been in contact with the passenger’s parents to offer apologies and a full refund of the ticket. David Williams is an Auckland-based Multimedia Journalist who joined the Herald in 2023. He covers breaking news and general topics. Fri, 03 Jan 2025 03:36:49 Z /news/national/lower-north-island/another-heavy-rain-watch-for-wairoa-as-southerly-brings-wet-weekend/ /news/national/lower-north-island/another-heavy-rain-watch-for-wairoa-as-southerly-brings-wet-weekend/ MetService has issued a heavy rain watch for Wairoa District from noon to 11pm Saturday. Forecaster Gerard Bellam warns of rain driven by a strong southerly flow and moist air. A wet and cold weekend is expected across Hawke’s Bay into next week due to southerly winds. MetService has issued a heavy rain watch for the Wairoa District for Saturday from noon to 11pm. MetService forecaster Gerard Bellam said he was sure the rain would not be welcome in Wairoa after a wet second half of December along the East Coast. “We’ve got a broad low-pressure system passing the country and we do see an active cold front spread up the east of the country through the course of tomorrow, and behind that is quite a strong southerly flow coming through – which sort of drives the rain into that northern Hawke’s Bay-Wairoa District.” Bellam expected the rainfall to be enhanced thanks to moist air being pushed up against the hills and ranges around Lake Waikaremoana. The heavy rain watch has a moderate chance of being upgraded to a warning. However, Wairoa won’t be the only damp place in the region with Bellam predicting a wet and cold weekend across the Hawke’s Bay region until Monday, thanks to southerly winds making their way up the country bringing cold temperatures into next week. This watch marks the fifth watch or warning issued by MetService for Wairoa in less than a week. Jack Riddell is a multimedia journalist with Hawke’s Bay Today and spent the past 15 years working in radio and media in Auckland, London, Berlin and Napier. He reports on all stories relevant to residents of the region, along with pieces on art, music and culture. Fri, 03 Jan 2025 00:43:55 Z /news/national/lower-north-island/community-supports-ruat%C5%8Dria-early-childcare-centre-after-vandalism/ /news/national/lower-north-island/community-supports-ruat%C5%8Dria-early-childcare-centre-after-vandalism/ A small East Coast community has shown big love to a local early childcare centre after a “senseless” act of vandalism left it “smashed and trashed”. The manager of Te Puna Reo o Raparapaririki hopes to find solutions when the culprits are found, to foster “connection and inclusivity” that can create positive outcomes. Te Puna Reo o Raparapaririki manager Cali Morice said she believed the break-in happened about midnight on Monday. “When one of our staff members arrived on Tuesday morning, she found our premises just smashed and trashed,” Morice said. She said there was damage to the play equipment and outdoor area, loose parts barrels were smashed and strewn everywhere, Perspex panels were smashed, garden beds overturned and graffiti was left throughout the kura property and on vehicles. Morice said the community had faced “a range of emotions” because of the incident. “Anger is the first, natural emotion when you are confronted by something like that at a place, a service, a centre that contributes so much to our community,” she said. “To see it ravished like that was a real shock to everybody. It is just senseless.” It's believed the break-in at Te Puna Reo o Raparapaririki happened about midnight on Monday. Photo / Cali Morice The community quickly pulled together to show their support by showing up to the kura to help clean up, remove the rubbish and sharp broken Perspex, and to offer cash, rebuild and repair work. “We are really blown away by the offers in the community, these are cash offers and offers of labour. That has been a real positive,” Morice said. “We had two or three people go through and just do a drive-by check of the school last night, so we have a little community watch group going on here.” She understood police were investigating leads on the identity of the culprits. She wanted to find solutions to prevent further incidents when they were found. “It is just helping them through that process as well and getting some connection and inclusivity going, what we can do as a community to keep them active and keep them connected and looking forward to something more positive.” This is the first incident of vandalism the kura has experienced in the 15 years since the centre building was built, says Cali Morice. Photo / Cali Morice The kura restarts classes mid-January, so it was working to get everything ready by then. She wasn’t sure of the cost of repairs and replacements yet, but estimated them to be about $10,000. “This is something that we didn’t have planned, but we will go through the insurance process and put in a claim for that.” Morice said the centre building was 15 years old and this was the first incident of vandalism it had experienced in that time. A police spokesman said they responded to reports of vandalism and burglary at an early childcare centre in Tuparoa Rd, Ruatōria, about 12.30pm on Tuesday, but the incident was believed to have happened overnight. The spokesman said the incident was “currently being assessed for potential lines of inquiry”. Fri, 03 Jan 2025 00:09:51 Z /news/national/lower-north-island/it-s-action-stations-at-gisborne-rivers-and-beaches-after-health-warnings-lifted/ /news/national/lower-north-island/it-s-action-stations-at-gisborne-rivers-and-beaches-after-health-warnings-lifted/ Gisborne city’s rivers and beaches were back in business on Friday after the lifting of health warnings put in place as a result of Boxing Day rain. Many people took advantage of the waters being clean again. Waka ama clubs had their paddlers back on the water training for the national sprint titles on Lake Karāpiro from January 12-18. Many people were enjoying a swim at Waikanae and Midway beaches and anglers were out around the rivers and along the popular stretch of water at The Cut. It was also a good day for another cruise ship visit. “It’s great to be back on the water,” a paddler called out to the Gisborne Herald as she and her teammates headed out for a training session yesterday morning. Waka ama paddlers were back on the water on Friday in training for this month's national sprint titles. Photo / Murray Robertson Gisborne District Council issued a standard health warning after emergency raw sewage discharges into city rivers were stopped last Saturday following the Boxing Day rain. On Thursday, five days after city scours were shut again, the warnings were lifted and signs removed. However, the district is set to endure more rain. MetService predicted possible thunderstorms and hail for Friday afternoon, and more shower and rain activity is forecast for most of the next six days. The Friday forecast indicated Tuesday would be the only fine day for a week. Thu, 02 Jan 2025 23:36:49 Z /news/national/lower-north-island/hawke-s-bay-pilot-tops-rnzaf-course-earns-wings-and-wigram-trophy/ /news/national/lower-north-island/hawke-s-bay-pilot-tops-rnzaf-course-earns-wings-and-wigram-trophy/ Khan Coleman earned top marks in his Royal New Zealand Air Force pilot training course. Coleman received the Wigram Trophy for the highest academic mark and hopes to join No 3 Squadron. He previously worked in ski patrol and search and rescue, developing a passion for flying helicopters. A Hawke’s Bay pilot has gone from working with helicopters on ski fields to earning top marks in his Royal New Zealand Air Force pilot training course. Now Pilot Officer Khan Coleman is on track to realise his dream career of flying them. He was one of seven Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) students who gained their “wings” at a graduation ceremony held at RNZAF Base Ohakea, where he was awarded the Wigram Trophy for the highest academic mark on the course. He now hopes to be posted to No 3 Squadron, learning to fly helicopters. After leaving Napier Boys’ High School, Coleman “chased winter”, working at ski fields overseas and in New Zealand. “I have a passion for mountains and worked for a number of years over winters in ski patrol and search and rescue, and as a summer glacier guide in the South Island. “The part of these jobs that I loved more than anything was flying around in helicopters. “I started learning to fly in Wānaka before starting the application process to join the Air Force.” Coleman was accepted into the RNZAF Pilot Training Course as a student pilot in 2022, with 20 hours’ flying under his belt. During the course Coleman sat 14 ground exams and flew 139 sorties, being assessed and marked on each of them. “I clearly remember my first solo flight as I had to do a ‘go around’ after not getting the landing approach quite right. “I was aware my instructor was watching me from the control tower and assessing me, but the next landing was perfect.” Thu, 02 Jan 2025 21:25:33 Z /news/national/lower-north-island/man-facing-firearms-and-drug-charges-after-incident-in-whanganui-cbd/ /news/national/lower-north-island/man-facing-firearms-and-drug-charges-after-incident-in-whanganui-cbd/ A man will appear in court after being sighted with a firearm in the Whanganui CBD.A police spokespersonsaid they were called to a disorder incident on Ridgway St about 12.30am on January 2, with the man arrested in a vehicle nearby. “The 34-year-old man is next due to appear in Whanganui District Court on February 18 on a range of firearms and drug-related charges,” they said. Thu, 02 Jan 2025 20:51:32 Z /news/national/lower-north-island/gisborne-youth-group-ka-timata-helps-rangatahi-build-confidence-and-life-skills/ /news/national/lower-north-island/gisborne-youth-group-ka-timata-helps-rangatahi-build-confidence-and-life-skills/ Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air An ex-convict who resolved to turn his life around is helping disengaged Gisborne rangatahi find confidence and purpose through a youth group. Freddy Bishop, a 37-year-old father of four, started Ka Timata after noticing a group of about 20 young people regularly gathering at his home instead of attending school. “I saw they weren’t doing anything and thought I could help in some way,” Bishop said. He began talking to each of them and discovered many were dealing with challenges at school or home. “Some of them lacked so much confidence they wouldn’t even want to speak in front of others,” he said. Bishop’s life experience is the inspiration and driver behind his work with Ka Timata. Bishop, whose last name is known to be connected to the Mongrel Mob, said he had a religious upbringing through his mother who wanted different for him and tried to steer him away from the gang path. However, he ended up in the mob, leading to him being convicted and jailed for drug supply and possession. “Prison rehabilitated me,” said Bishop, who was released in 2020. In jail he reflected on how his actions might define his children’s memories of him and made the resolution to change his life. During rehabilitation sessions, Bishop met the late Tuta Ngarimu, a life-long but non-active Mongrel Mob member who became committed to reducing meth harm and violence in communities. “When he shared his story, it made me realise that if he could do it, then so could I,” Bishop said. Bishop first considered a dedicated programme for rangatahi after running a successful holiday programme earlier in 2024. He decided to formalise it into Ka Timata. With support from partner Arihi Matenga and her mother, Bishop turned a shed into a meeting space. Daily sessions involved goal-setting, confidence-building, mathematics, literacy and tikanga Māori. Ka Timata (KT) youth group founders Freddy Bishop and Arihi Matenga in front of a mural the KT kids did in collaboration with artist Aaron Tumai-Wirangi as part of a city centre clean-up. It has gone from strength to strength and the rangatahi who are part of it have developed considerably ina short period of time. Raniera Apisai Kuru, 14, told the Gisborne Herald that Ka Timata made him feel valued. “I felt good about doing this, so I kept coming back.” TiakiTe Kani, 15, said the programme was creating better opportunities for him. “I feel valued here ... it’s built up my confidence and I enjoy doing this.” Bishop’s eldest son, Kayhden Matenga-Bishop, 16, has been committed to Ka Timata from its inception. He has since secured a job, got his driver’s licence and set himself a goal of becoming a real estate agent. “I stuck with this because I can see how it is good for myself and others.” The programme also incorporates practical learning. Participants fundraise to develop money and maths skills, and Bishop teaches them about whakapapa to connect with their heritage. Bishop shares updates and progress with parents. Ka Timata collaborates with other organisations such as Turanga Health and Atawhai Charitable Trust. Atawhai youth mentor Harlem Ratapu ran a free diving and kai gathering course for Ka Timata participants. “Free diving is a gateway to the moana, a powerful healing classroom,” Ratapu said. Ka Timata has also volunteered with the Salvation Army and took part in the recent city centre clean-up in which, alongside others, they helped paint murals. Ka Timata held a youth-led hip hop concert in June, selling 98 tickets. Bishop said it was a “smoke-, drink-, drug- and violence-free event” that pushed the rangatahi out of their comfort zones. Bishop funds Ka Timata himself and is working to register it as a charitable trust to secure further funding. “It’s a struggle, but I’m dedicated to this.” He hopes to grow Ka Timata and potentially partner with the Government to help prevent youth from entering the justice system. “I might only help six boys, but they’ll take what they learn and show others, and it grows from there. “I’m trying to create a generational legacy that moves away from trauma and into something positive.” Matai O’Connor, Ngāti Porou, has been a journalist for five years and Kaupapa Māori reporter at the Gisborne Herald for two years. Thu, 02 Jan 2025 03:05:42 Z /news/national/lower-north-island/new-year-honours-firefighter-ian-pickard-of-p%C4%81p%C4%81moa-recognised/ /news/national/lower-north-island/new-year-honours-firefighter-ian-pickard-of-p%C4%81p%C4%81moa-recognised/ In his 50 years as a firefighter, including helping lead responses to the Christchurch earthquake and Pike River mine disaster, the job was always about one thing for Ian Martyn Pickard. Saving lives. “It used to be such a huge thrill to be able to save someone’s life,” said Pickard. The now retired and Pāpāmoa-based Pickard has been made a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2025 New Year Honours list for his work in the fire service. He started his career in 1971 at the Timaru Fire Brigade and the New Zealand Fire Service was established five years later. “I worked for a different place right through for the whole of the life of New Zealand Fire Service before we became Fire and Emergency New Zealand,” he said. One of Pickard’s many instrumental roles was to help establish the Heathcare99 healthcare plan for firefighters and their families. “A group of us that were connected to the union got together one day and said ‘we need to start something’.” It was firefighters helping firefighters and, not long after, the healthcare plan would grow to include other insurance benefits and access to a range of holiday homes in New Zealand. These houses are available for firefighters who need time to decompress, as the job can get dark quickly, Pickard said. “Even now today, sometimes at night, and the different things, there’ll be triggers, and I’ll still see that young, 3-year-old girl who was killed in a car accident or some other horrific sight I saw.” Pickard was hospitalised twice for carbon monoxide poisoning during his time in service for the United Nations. Former New Zealand Fire Service national commander Mike Hall, who died in a Tararua plane crash in 2019, had tapped Pickard to become part of the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination team. Ian Pickard has been honoured in the New Year's Honours List 2025 for his 50-year service in the New Zealand Fire Service and Fire and Emergency New Zealand. Photo / Tom Eley He recalled talking to the families of the Pike River incident and the decision not to retrieve the bodies from inside the mine. “I can’t say that I know what you’re going through, but can I tell you I lost an uncle in a mine disaster.” His uncle died in the Strongman mine explosion on the West Coast in 1967. “It broke down a whole lot of barriers.” He said he only commanded the response at Pike River for a short time as it became very political and his position was taken over. He said if he had remained in charge, he would have made it clear to the Greymouth community “there was no chance of rescuing anyone anymore”. He believed the mine should be sealed and turned into a tomb, as re-entry could cost even more lives. Pickard was the day shift incident commander during the Christchurch earthquake, working four days on, four days off and swapping over with other commanders. “I wanted to be there because my daughters and grandchildren lived in Christchurch.” He witnessed all sorts of action during his time, from major earthquakes to rescuing many cats from trees. “The minute you get up to find the cat, it will run over your back and down the ladder.” Pickard was also instrumental in running the fire service National Training Centre in Rotorua, where professional firefighters are trained. “The centre has a fully functioning community unit. I wanted it to look like a real-life command unit. “It was my design.” He said the command centre teaches officers to react to an emergency within seconds. “We were trying to train our officers to understand the risk, what’s happening, and make decisions.” He is pleased to have retired from firefighting and is eager to see where the new generation takes the fire service. “The biggest thing I miss is the people. “I have got some amazing memories, had some amazing opportunities, and just you can’t replace a lot of the stuff that no one else has had the opportunity to do,” he said. Thu, 02 Jan 2025 01:39:22 Z /news/national/lower-north-island/man-who-died-after-jumping-into-%C5%8Dhiwa-harbour-was-hikato-maaka-of-whakat%C4%81ne-police-say/ /news/national/lower-north-island/man-who-died-after-jumping-into-%C5%8Dhiwa-harbour-was-hikato-maaka-of-whakat%C4%81ne-police-say/ The man who died after jumping into Ōhiwa Harbour on Christmas Dayhas been named by police as Hikato Maaka. A police spokesman confirmed today it was the Whakatāne 41-year-old’s body which was found overnight on Saturday at a beach in Ōhope, Bay of Plenty. Police have said he was evading arrest at the time he jumped into the water, but a family member has disputed this. The death has been referred to the coroner. Police previously said officers were called to a family harm-related incident involving a 42-year-old man on Wednesday about 6pm. When authorities arrived, he “ran away and jumped into the harbour” and swam out into the water. A family member told 九一星空无限 the man was under arrest but was briefly released so he could “retrieve his fishing net”. It comes after changes to rāhui – temporary cultural restrictions – for Ōhiwa Harbour. A cultural rāhui placed over Ōhiwa Harbour by iwi Ngāti Awa after the man went missing in the water was lifted on Monday. A Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa Facebook post shared by Whakatāne District Council confirmed the Ōhiwa Harbour rāhui was lifted on Monday at 7am. “Ngāti Awa acknowledges with heavy hearts the recovery of the body of the individual who tragically drowned in the Ōhiwa harbour,” the post said. “Our thoughts and deepest condolences remain with the grieving whānau as they begin their journey of healing and remembrance. “We extend our gratitude to the community for respecting the rāhui and the cultural protocols during this time.” TeRūnanga o Ngāti Awa acknowledged the police and supporting personnel for their “tireless efforts and dedication” in ensuring the recovery of the dead man. “Their commitment has provided closure for the whānau and brought comfort to the community during this challenging time. “We once again offer our aroha and support to the bereaved whānau and wish them peace and strength in the days ahead.” Another tribal group, meanwhile, has extended a rāhui across the entirety of Ōhiwa Harbour until January 12 to “protect the dignity of the deceased”. On Te Ūpokorehe’s Facebook page, kaumātua Wallace Aramoana said the extended rāhui would allow for respectful processes in accordance with the tikanga of te iwi o Te Ūpokorehe. During this time, there would be “no fishing and no gathering of shellfish/seafood or other activities in the rāhui area”, the post said. What are rāhui Te Aka Māori Dictionary defines rāhui as putting in place a temporary ritual prohibition, closed season, ban or reserve. “Traditionally a rāhui was placed on an area, resource or stretch of water as a conservation measure or as a means of social and political control for a variety of reasons, which can be grouped into three main categories: pollution by tapu, conservation and politics. “Death pollutes land, water and people through tapu. A rāhui is a device for separating people from tapu things. After an agreed lapse of time, the rāhui is lifted. A rāhui is marked by a visible sign, such as the erection of a pou rāhui, a post. It is initiated by someone of rank and placed and lifted with appropriate karakia by a tohunga.” Tue, 31 Dec 2024 03:27:49 Z /news/national/lower-north-island/taranaki-harbour-spill-prompts-swift-response-from-port-authorities/ /news/national/lower-north-island/taranaki-harbour-spill-prompts-swift-response-from-port-authorities/ By RNZ Port Taranaki says a spill response is under way after a tanker released a substance – believed to be a sooty carbon particle – into the New Plymouth harbour. In a post on social media, Port Taranaki chief executive Simon Craddock said the substance was released into the harbour from a visiting tanker on Tuesday. “The source of the release has been isolated and resolved and a spill response is under way, involving the use of booms to contain and remove the substance.” The spill happened before a cargo transfer from the vessel had begun, he said. “The wind has moved the sooty substance towards the main breakwater, and we have initiated a spill response to quickly have it contained.” - RNZ Tue, 31 Dec 2024 03:06:00 Z /news/national/lower-north-island/police-probe-napier-man-s-death-from-car-roof-fall-no-other-vehicle-involved/ /news/national/lower-north-island/police-probe-napier-man-s-death-from-car-roof-fall-no-other-vehicle-involved/ Police confirm Reif Cotter died from falling off a car, not being hit by a vehicle. The vehicle is in police possession and they seek public information to understand the incident. A Givealittle page supports Cotter’s partner Holly and their children after his tragic death. Police have determined that a Napier man died when he fell from a car, not from being hit by another vehicle. On Monday 33-year-old Reif Cotter of Tamatea was named as the victim who fell from the roof of a car in Marewa. According to a spokesman, police are investigating the exact circumstances that led to Cotter’s death. The spokesman confirmed police have determined Cotter died from injuries sustained in the fall from the car, and he was not subsequently run over. Police have the vehicle Cotter fell from in their possession and are not seeking any other vehicle. However, the police spokesman reiterated the appeal to the public to come forward with any information that may help them piece together what happened and get answers for Cotter’s family. Cotter was travelling on a mattress on top of a black station wagon which travelled from the Marewa shops on Kennedy Rd, along Nuffield Ave, shortly before 9pm on Friday, December 27. The spokesman asked the public to consider Cotter’s family when making any online comment or speculation. Police want to talk to anyone who saw the vehicle or knows anything about the situation, no matter how small, to get in touch. A Givealittle page has been set up to support Cotter’s partner Holly and their children. “This page has been set up to help Holly and her children after the unexpected and tragic passing of the children’s Dad, Reif,” it says. “Holly is the most beautiful, kind, caring and loving mum to her daughter Amaia and boys Mitara and Aoterangi. She is a great, supportive friend and work colleague who never says ‘No’ to whatever requests come her way. You know our Holly, she is always there for all of us. “We ask you kindly to please donate as much as you can to help Holly and her children adjust to a new life, to be able to enjoy and stay in their home and to do all the nice things like kids’ sports and hobbies, now sadly without the support of Reif.” Jack Riddell is a multimedia journalist with Hawke’s Bay Today and spent the last 15 years working in radio and media in Auckland, London, Berlin, and Napier. He reports on all stories relevant to residents of the region, with pieces on art, music, and culture. Tue, 31 Dec 2024 01:39:55 Z /news/national/lower-north-island/three-youths-youths-in-rotorua-police-custody-after-alleged-robbery-at-gas-station/ /news/national/lower-north-island/three-youths-youths-in-rotorua-police-custody-after-alleged-robbery-at-gas-station/ Three youths are in custody after a report of a robbery in Rotorua this morning. Police were alerted to a group of people entering a gas station on Te Ngae Rd about 6.25am, a police spokeswoman told the Rotorua Daily Post. Police alleged the group threatened employees of the store with weapons and took items before leaving the area in a stolen vehicle, the spokeswoman said. The weapons were not firearms. “After making a number of inquiries, police located the group, and they were placed into custody without incident.” The vehicle was located shortly afterwards on Owhata Rd. Inquiries into the matter were ongoing, she said. Tue, 31 Dec 2024 00:35:58 Z /news/national/lower-north-island/police-seek-assault-victim-from-livamol-classic-in-hastings-for-welfare-check/ /news/national/lower-north-island/police-seek-assault-victim-from-livamol-classic-in-hastings-for-welfare-check/ Police are searching for the victim of an alleged assault which occurred at the Colliers Hawke’s Bay Racing Carnival – Livamol Classic Raceday for a wellbeing check. The assault happened on Saturday, October 12, in the R18 party zone, which contained an inflatable pool filled with plastic balls, at the Hastings Racecourse. A police spokeswoman said the main reason for wanting to contact the victim was to “ensure her welfare, but we would also see whether she is willing/able to give us any further information that may help us”. The spokeswoman said police knew the identity of the alleged offender and had been in touch. Although the spokeswoman could not comment on the circumstances of the assault, she could say there were no significant injuries. Racing at the 2024 Livamol Classic shifted from the Hastings Racecourse to Te Rapa in Waikato following an assessment of the Hastings track after a horse slipped but did not fall. The slip occurred just past the post during the first lap of that weekend’s opening event over 2100m. However, the expected entertainment, hospitality, music and fashion displays continued as planned. Plans for the future of horse racing at the Hastings Racecourse are expected in 2025. Jack Riddell is a multimedia journalist with Hawke’s Bay Today and spent the last 15 years working in radio and media in Auckland, London, Berlin and Napier. He reports on all stories relevant to residents of the region, along with pieces on art, music, and culture. Tue, 31 Dec 2024 00:28:35 Z /news/national/lower-north-island/a-quarter-century-of-family-friendly-new-year-s-eves-in-hawke-s-bay/ /news/national/lower-north-island/a-quarter-century-of-family-friendly-new-year-s-eves-in-hawke-s-bay/ The countdown to seeing out 2024 and welcoming the New Year has started with the erection of lighting towers and other equipment for the 25th anniversary of the resurrection of Napier’s Marine Parade Sound Shell civic celebration. The celebration was reinstated on the eve of the new millennium at the end of 1999. Hit annually by drunken and disorderly behaviour, civic celebrations on the parade had been scrapped for more than a decade before steps were taken to capture the moment marking the end of the 1900s and arrival of the year 2000 (or Y2K) in an alcohol-free and family-friendly environment. It’s now established as Hawke’s Bay’s major celebration, with events in Hastings, at Tomoana Showgrounds, scheduled to give people time to get to Napier for the big one. Despite packing in more than 10,000 people on the most summery of December 31 evenings each year for a quarter-century, it’s worked with little to no sign of the scuffles and trouble that plagued the earlier years. It’s ready to kick off with the now-regular two fireworks displays and five hours of entertainment, starting at 7pm. Its popularity has attracted two well-performed and durable outfits escaping Auckland for the night, in the covers band Hands Off, themselves with 25 years under the belt, and the Phil Edwards Band. Joining them will be Hawke’s Bay acts El’Goobers, a rock band, and Danica Bryant Band, a pop-folk powerhouse with a rock edge. The first fireworks display targets the whole whānau, especially the littlies who might want an early night, and lights up at 9.45pm. The second will ring in 2025. The vicinity of the Sound Shell will be vehicle-free. Marine Parade from Browning St to Vautier St, Tennyson St from Hastings St to the Parade, and Herschell St from Emerson St to Tennyson St will be closed to traffic from 4pm to 1am, with detours in place. A liquor ban will be in place apart from within licensed premises. Hastings stages its New Year’s Eve event at the Fiesta of Lights at the showgrounds from 7.45-11pm, with a $7 charge. There will be family movies, entertainment by Napier band Pulse, other activities targeting family and the younger ones, and a fireworks display. Mon, 30 Dec 2024 03:21:55 Z /news/national/lower-north-island/one-critical-after-two-vehicle-crash-near-new-plymouth/ /news/national/lower-north-island/one-critical-after-two-vehicle-crash-near-new-plymouth/ One person is in a critical condition after a crash near New Plymouth today. Police were called to a two-vehicle crash on State Highway 3/Devon Road at about 1.20pm. One person received critical injuries. Hato Hone St John said it sent an ambulance and rapid response unit and took a patient to Taranaki Base Hospital. The road was blocked until the vehicle was towed. Mon, 30 Dec 2024 02:09:00 Z /news/national/lower-north-island/police-crack-down-on-rotorua-drivers-flouting-phone-ban-seatbelt-rules/ /news/national/lower-north-island/police-crack-down-on-rotorua-drivers-flouting-phone-ban-seatbelt-rules/ About 140 Rotorua motorists are being snapped for seatbelt offences on average every month — including “too many” failing to properly buckle in children, police say. Seatbelt fines topping $165,000 were dished out in the city in the first nine months of 2024, as well as almost $65,000 from the roughly 50 drivers a month caught flouting the phone ban. A top cop said police targeted distracted and improperly restrained drivers — along with impaired drivers and speeders — because those were key factors in whether people walked or were carried away from crashes. Police data showed 445 drivers were caught on their phones in the first nine months of this year in Rotorua, compared with 656 in the whole of 2023. Those caught last year racked up infringement notices totalling $96,900, and each driver incurred 20 demerit points — risking a three-month licence suspension if they accumulate 100 demerits in two years. In nine months, 1112 drivers were ticketed for not wearing a seatbelt, on top of the 1847 in 2023 fined a total of $274,200. In Taupō, drivers were fined at a monthly rate of about 102 for seatbelt offences and 61 for phone use over the two periods. For the Eastern Bay, it was about 55 a month for seatbelts and 15 for phone use. Rotorua’s road policing manager Sergeant Jordan Waldron said there were four activities police knew contributed to deaths and injuries on the roads — distracted driving, impaired driving, going too fast for the conditions, and not wearing seatbelts. “Cell phones are a major distraction behind the wheel and nothing on your phone is so important that it’s worth risking yours, or someone else’s life, on the road. “When you’re driving, your focus should be on driving. Nothing else,” he said. Police are cracking down on drivers flouting the mobile phone ban and not wearing seatbelts. Photo / 九一星空无限 Waldron said police also saw “too many” unrestrained or improperly restrained drivers and passengers in vehicles. “We target this area, along with the three other key contributors to serious crashes as we know the impact it can have on whether you walk or are carried away from a crash. “And too many of the infringements issued for occupants being improperly restrained relate to children either unrestrained or in incorrect car seats.” Police will continue to target these four behaviours heading into the busy summer months, he said. “Motorists can expect to see the police out in force right across the district working hard to ensure people get to where they’re going safely.” The latest Ministry of Transport road crash statistics show not wearing a seatbelt was a factor in 23 fatalities and 150 serious injury crashes in the Bay of Plenty region in 2023 and since 2019 it was a contributing factor in at least 41 fatal crashes and 67 serious injury crashes in this region. Since 2019, cell phone distraction was also a factor in at least one fatality and five serious injury crashes in the Bay of Plenty. Brake New Zealand's director Caroline Perry is urging drivers to put their phones down, labelling the risky behaviour as putting themselves and other road users' lives in danger, Photo / 九一星空无限 Road safety charity Brake NZ director Caroline Perry said it was “extremely concerning” so many drivers continued to break the law and put their lives and the lives of others at risk by using a phone while at the wheel. Driving was one of the “most risky and complex tasks” and required complete concentration. “Using a phone whilst driving reduces your ability to spot and react to hazards, putting you at increased risk of being involved in a crash.” She said wearing a seatbelt was the “quickest, easiest thing you can do to reduce your risk of being killed or seriously injured if you’re involved in a crash”. “Taking two seconds to put your belt on could save your life.” Perry urged drivers to wear a seatbelt on every trip — no matter how short — and to ensure all passengers were belted up, and that children under 148cm tall were in a child seat appropriate for their height and weight. Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) said according to the agency’s crash analysis data, distracted driving was a major cause of crashes. Common distractions included using a mobile phone, eating, drinking, smoking, personal grooming, talking to passengers and reaching for objects. Fabian Marsh, NZTA strategy director of safety, said seatbelts had been compulsory in New Zealand since the 1970s. “But despite people knowing seatbelts can save lives and limit the injury severity from a crash research shows that New Zealanders are still dying because they’re not wearing belts. “Wearing a seatbelt reduces the risk of being killed or seriously injured in a road crash by about 40%. If everyone wore their seatbelts an estimated 25 lives could be saved from road crashes a year.” He said NZTA encouraged road users to put their phones away or on do-not-disturb mode before setting off. Sandra Conchie is a senior journalist at the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post who has been a journalist for 24 years. She mainly covers police, court and other justice stories, as well as general news. She has been a Canon Media Awards regional/community reporter of the year. Mon, 30 Dec 2024 01:30:52 Z