SH1 BRYNDERWYN HILLS - DELAYS, 12-13 JUNRetaining wall inspection work is planned for State Highway 1 on the south side of the Brynderwyn Hills on Sunday and Monday nights, 12 & 13 June. This work will require an extended Stop/Go traffic management operation along the entire south side of the hill, from the summit to the base, from 7pm until 5am.Delays are expected and motorists may wish to consider alternative routes on these nights. Suggested detours are northbound via SH12 and Paparoa Oakleigh Rd and southbound via Waipu, Mangawhai and Kaiwaka which may add up to 40 minutes to your journey: http://spr.ly/6181zZHa5

​Paddling with their hands, torches clenched between their teeth, Constables Josh Kauika and Rory Jones headed into darkness towards desperate cries for help after two fishermen capsized in the cold waters of Whangārei Harbour.The drama began when two Auckland visitors were reported overdue from a recent kayak fishing trip at Parua Bay. The duo had set off from Ritchie Road foreshore on a plastic double kayak that seemed to be taking on water.They continued to a rocky outcrop, about 300m offshore, where they landed a snapper. Their friends, who had been watching through binoculars, then lost sight of the men due to darkness closing in and raised the alarm.Answering the call, Josh and Rory headed to the end of Wharf Road, where they parked the patrol car and shone its headlights across the black expanse.“We could hear calls for help but we couldn’t see anyone,” says former Navy diver Josh. “They were about 400m from shore and drifting.“We yelled out for them to stay where they were. The next response back was, ‘we need help he’s drowning’. That sent chills up my spine.”Rory, a keen surfer, knew it was going to be too far to swim and they would need some means of getting the men back to shore.“I knew we were going out," he says. "There was no way we were just going to stand there.”Onerahi Constable Spence Penney heard the job on the radio and, with knowledge of the area and experience as a former Search And Rescue member, recommended the officers try to get a dinghy or a vessel to go out on the water.The constables ran to a nearby house where the owners gave them a kayak, minus the paddle, and a surfboard to use. The duo used the vessels like kneeboards, and holding their torches in their mouths, paddled towards where they had last heard the desperate fishermen.Josh says after about 400m, anchored boats came into view.“I couldn’t hear the voices anymore. I was thinking the worst. But then I heard splashing behind a catamaran, and they were trying to scramble up the back.”Josh pushed the men aboard. Both were hypothermic but one was close to stopping shivering – a bad sign. Josh got on board and phoned Spence on shore to update him, saying: “They’re in bad shape.”Rory was also on hand and together they removed the men’s wet clothing, towelled them dry and wrapped them in blankets.“We were lucky we got there when we did,” says Josh. “One guy was at the point where his body was about to shut down.”In the meantime, SAR incident controller Detective Sergeant Paul Overton had rung a local he knew in Parua Bay and asked if he could launch his rib to look for the missing fisherman. Coastguard had been contacted but were at least 30 minutes away.Coincidentally, the boat the men had scrambled aboard was owned by the man dispatched to help find them. He boarded with his teenage son and quickly brewed up hot drinks before pulling alongside the wharf at the Parua Bay boating club to avoid the men being further exposed to the elements.The men were checked over by a paramedic and deemed well enough to return to their Airbnb accommodation.Josh and Rory returned to Whangārei Station, had a shower, a meal and went back out on the road until the end of their shift.The fishermen had been wearing lifejackets, but they were not fitted well and one of the men could not swim. When their kayak flipped after taking on water they were unable to get back on.Detective Sergeant Paul Overton says the incident highlights the need to check all vessels before going out on the water, and the importance of having two forms of communication and making sure lifejackets are fitted correctly.“It was great team work between all those involved and being able to respond quickly avoided a tragic outcome.”​

New drone footage of Ara Tūhono (connecting pathway) - Pūhoi to Warkworth Motorway project area is here!This footage was taken in May 2022, flying from Warkworth in the North to Pūhoi in the South.Currently scheduled to open in 2023.Enjoy!https://nx2group.com/page/10/project-photos-drone-footage-and-videosor https://www.facebook.com/watch/?ref=saved&v=325597206415169

An international study has found a link between the first Covid lockdown and worsening mental health for people with mood disorders, such as depression and bipolar.The study published in the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry questioned 997 people, with just over half of them (521) in New Zealand.Other countries taking part were Australia, Scotland, Canada, the United States and the Netherlands.Of those questioned, 40 percent reported moderate to severe depression during the lockdown in 2020.Researcher for the New Zealand part of the study and head of the department of psychological medicine at the University of Otago, Richard Porter, said those with mood disorders are vulnerable to disruptions in their circadian rhythms, the body's rhythm over a 24-hour period.He said the rhythms are disrupted if a person's social interactions are disrupted, as was the case in lockdown.''It really is a very important part of the way the body functions."''It is set mainly by light but also by all sorts of social interactions and things that happen for people at the same time each day.''Porter said while only 12 percent of participants self-reported minimal depressive feelings from Covid-19 disruption to their circadian rhythms, 20 percent reported having mild depression; 27 percent moderate depression; 21 percent moderate-to-severe depression and 18 percent severe depression."The fact that nearly 40 percent of these already vulnerable people reported their symptoms as moderate to severe raises concern.''Prof Richard Porter Photo: Supplied / Otago UniversityHe said with the potential prospect of future lockdowns, more emphasis is needed from a public health standpoint to help people with mood disorders better regulate their circadian rhythms and maintain good mental health.Porter said participants in the study reported the worst causes of Covid-19 disruption as an inability to go to work, forced isolation at home, not being able to socialise as normal, and struggling to maintain their usual eating and sleeping patterns.These factors negatively affected mental health such as their general mood, outlook on life, positivity and irritability levels.He said practical responses, such as giving those most at risk the tips, tools and strategies to allow them to better support their circadian rhythms and mental health should be a priority for health professionals delivering their care.Psychotherapy is being used to help regulate social and circadian rhythms - with participants recording meal times, social interactions, sleep and waking times, to better scaffold and regularise their activities and support circadian patterns.The use of light therapy is also being trialled, as well as the use of blue-blocking glasses before sleep to help suppress melatonin secretion.Porter said helping your body clock to stay on track during major life disruptions such as the Covid-19 pandemic may help you feel better.He has provided are some easy tips for improving the regularity of daily routines, even when nothing about your life feels regular.Set up a routine for yourself while you are in quarantine or working from home. Routines help stabilise body clocksGet up at the same time every day. A regular wake time is the most important input for stabilising your body clockMake sure you spend some time outdoors every day, especially in the early morning. Your body clock needs to "see" light in the morning to know "when" it is.If you can't go outside try to spend at least two hours next to a window, looking into the daylight, and focusing on being calm.Set times for a few regular activities each day such as home tutoring, telephone calls with a friend, or cooking. Do these activities at the same time each day

Leaders in the midwifery profession say the government doesn't seem to understand the critical situation the sector is in.New Zealand is hundreds of midwives short and there are concerns a new healthcare recruitment drive in New South Wales could make the staff shortage problem worse.On Sunday, New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet announced a $4.5 billion healthcare package, set to bring 10,000 more staff into the state over the next four years.Midwives' Union co-leader Caroline Conway says some midwives here are already heading overseas, while others are burning out."Some are simply just walking away from the job because it's so stressful because of the shortages. It's a downward spiral - you've got vacancies and shortages which put pressure on your existing workforce and then midwives get to the point where they think 'I can't do this any more,'" she explained."If they leave, then it only applies even more stress to those who stay."She believed at the very least, the government should match the pay offered in Australia and pay midwifery students while they study."If you want our health professionals to reflect the communities of New Zealand, we need to support local people to do those careers in a way that's affordable for them," she said.Conway said healthcare degrees are intensive and often don't allow students to work part-time while they study - creating a massive financial barrier for prospective staff."For many midwifery students, it's a second career option so they're not even eligible for the first year of free tertiary education. They've also just come out of full-time work but still need to support their families."The country cannot rely upon attracting international staff alone to fix chronic staff shortages, she said.New Zealand College of Midwives chief executive Alison Eddy said now's the time for the government to pull out all the stops to keep healthcare staff in the country.Better pay in Australia and uncertainly around the transition to the Health New Zealand model may prompt people to cross the Tasman, she said.New Zealand College of Midwives chief executive Alison Eddy. Photo: Supplied / NZ College of Midwives"There simply hasn't been enough attention on the midwifery workforce. It's a critical, relatively small but very specialised workforce, that we really needed to be investing in and looking strategically at how we continue grow our own New Zealand-educated midwives, many years ago," she explained.The country is already hundreds of midwives short and Eddy said we can't afford to lose any more.The sector is playing catch up after years of neglect but she believed there are some short-term solutions which can be put in place to buffer staff shortages while long-term solutions are worked on."There's a lot more that can be done around retention initiatives like issues with pay, voluntary bonding schemes and better support for student fees."Midwives have been in pay negotiations since the start of the year.

When Monty Knight was toying with the idea of growing grapes on the outskirts of Kaitaia in the 1980s, a respected wine maker gave him a piece of advice."He said to me 'Monty, it'd be better to go out the back of your property and dig a big hole and start throwing your money into it - it'd be cheaper'."Northland, with its humid climate, high rainfall and untested soils, was considered unsuitable for wine production.Monty was one of just two growers brave enough to plant grapes in the region.Monty Knight, Okahu Estate Photo: RNZ/Carol StilesHe decided to heed the advice of another wine maker who told him 'given good grapes, red wine practically makes itself,' and went on to produce the first New Zealand syrah to win a gold meal."You just have to look after them (the grapes) and every one or two years you'll have a really good crop. Sometimes you'll have failure and disaster just like potato growers or kumara growers. There's no magic formula - just do it well."Today Northland has about 40 grape growers. Nearly all of them take their fruit to Marsden Estate near Kerikeri to be transformed into wine.Its owner Rod McIvor says most of the region's vineyards are a hectare or less in size, a handful have three or four hectares in grapes and three have 12 hectares planted.In all the region has less than 100 ha in grapes."Northland is like Central Otago where you buy a block of land, you see your see a neighbours growing grapes and think that's a good idea."He says Northland may be a tiny part of the New Zealand's wine industry but it's an important part."We get a lot of tourists here and their experience of wine here will influence what they think of New Zealand wines."Rod McIvor Photo: RNZ/Carol StilesTo ensure standards are high, Rod organises a number of viticulture and wine workshops each year."We are all one brand ... so we are trying to get consistency and lift the profile and quality of the wines."It doesn't take too many bad wines to spoil the whole brand."Some of this year's grapes are spectacular, he says."We've seen some of the highest sugar rates in 30 years this year and part of that is growers doing their jobs properly and site selection."Rod believes every red variety will do well on a different site in Northland, perhaps excluding thin-skinned grapes which may split in Northland's rain.Peter Jones, The Landing Photo: RNZ/Carol StilesNorthland's chardonnay and viognier also shine, he says."There'll be varieties we haven't planted yet that will be very successful. So that's the excitement, that's the thing that keeps you going."Bay of Islands vineyard The Landing is one of only two in Northland to export wines.Its director Peter Jones says the label is selling well in Orange County, California."I think the idea of a wine from New Zealand that's not a Marlborough sauvignon blanc or a pinot noir actually really piques people's interest over there."The Landing's wine currently sells for US$50 a bottle, more in a restaurant.Vines, Northland Photo: RNZ/Carol StilesMarsden Estate, Northland Photo: RNZ/Carol StilesPietro Aloisi Photo: RNZ/Carol StilesView from The Landing Photo: RNZ/Carol Stiles

Today - Cloudy periods and a few showers. Northeasterlies easing this afternoon. High of 18 and low of 12 degrees.Tuesday - A few showers, turning to rain at night with thunderstorms possible. Northeasterlies. High of 19 and low of 13.Wednesday - Rain, possibly with thunderstorms, easing to one or two showers in the morning. Northwesterlies.High of 19 and low of 12.Thursday - Partly cloudy. A few showers possible. Northwesterlies. High of 18 and low of 11.Friday - Fine, then showers developing. Northwesterlies. High of 17 and low of 11 degrees.

A peanut growing trial in Northland is proving successful, with yields of about 2 tonnes of nuts per hectare.Nelson-based Pic's Peanut Butter sources its nuts from overseas but wants to create a viable peanut growing industry here - to make its product NZ grown and to reduce its environmental footprint.A small trial last year went well - so nine hectares were planted around Northland this season.Company owner Pic Picot said the harvest is underway and the results are looking promising."We did some exploratory plantings last year and that turned out pretty fine, we made a little bit of peanut butter out of it, but this year we've got a harvesting machine up there, and we're digging up five different plots in different areas around Northland."We're looking at getting about two tonnes of nuts per hectare, we'd like to double that, then we would be on par with what they're growing in Australia."Pic's Peanut Butter currently sources all of it's nuts from Australia and Brazil which caused some issues during the pandemic.Photo: Supplied to RNZ by Pic's Peanut Butter"Australia is having more and more trouble growing peanuts due to the weather, it's become unpredictable and Brazil is a very long way away so with the disruptions in freight its been touch and go sometimes."We're a peanut butter factory, there's not a lot we can do without peanuts," Picot said.He said they buy about $10 million worth of peanuts a year - money he would like to spend domestically."It would be great and to spend that kind of money in a place like Northland."In the long run the company would like to establish a processing factory to deshell and clean the nuts before they are sent to the Nelson factory for roasting.Picot said there is a lot of work to be done in the meantime with the peanut butter produced last season not tasting the best."I think we harvested a bit early, there is a lot to learn still but we will get there."

Queen's birthday weather isn't looking great for getting away! So enjoy the break in rain where you can!Friday - Showers, some heavy with possible thunderstorms, especially this afternoon. Northwesterlies, strong in exposed places, turning southwesterly this evening.Saturday - Partly cloudy, isolated showers. Southwesterlies dying out. Northeasterlies later. High of 18 and low of 12 degrees.Sunday - Cloudy, with showers turning to rain in the evening. Northeasterlies. High of 17 and low of 13 degrees.Monday - Rain, possibly heavy at first easing in the evening. Fresh northeasterlies. High of 18 and low of 13 degrees.

Kaipara Mayor Dr Jason Smith is seeking National party candidacy for Northland.He will not be seeking re-election as Kaipara Mayor for this year's October local government elections as a result."Earlier this year, I had indicated I expected to stand again for the Kaipara mayoralty," Smith, Northland Mayoral Forum chair said."However, the reform storm being brewed by the government grows. Three Waters, Significant Natural Areas (SNAs), Resource Management Act (RMA) and health reforms are among what's forecast to impact the lives of Northland people and radically alter our democracy," he said.Smith recently served on the government's Three Waters working party, set up to address growing nationwide councils' concerns over proposals for the restructuring's representation, governance and accountability.He said he firmly rejected what the government was proposing under Three Waters restructuring.Smith's decision to not seek re-election for the October local government elections means the tsunami of leadership change facing Northland gathering force.Far North Mayor John Carter and Whangārei Mayor Sheryl Mai will not be seeking re-election. Northland Regional Council (NRC) chair Penny Smart said she was 'undecided' about standing again, last time approached by Local Democracy Reporting Northland. (The NRC chair is selected by fellow successful councillor candidates, in contrast to district councils where candidates stand for Mayoral positions).Smith's move means there will be no incumbent mayors for the government's proposed entity A Three Waters inter-regional body coverage area. Auckland Mayor Phil Goff has also announced he will not be seeking re-election.Smith said seeking the National Party candidacy for Northland had become the best way to serve the people of Northland. The seat encompassed all of Kaipara and Far North district."If successful I would then contest the Northland electorate for the National Party in next year's general election. I want to win back the Northland seat for National and change the government," Smith said.Smith said his first job, at 21, at the European Parliament in Luxembourg, had started a lifelong interest in politics, alongside his interest in farming on the family's 600 hectare Ruawai sheep and beef farm.He said representing Kaipara people as Mayor since first being elected in 2018 had been a life's highlight.Smith said he had made his decision to head towards national-level politics earlier this week."It is important the people of Kaipara district know at the earliest moment, especially possible mayoral candidates for the council in the next term."Nominations for elected members of council close 10 weeks from now, on 12 August."I will not contest two positions at the same time and risk the cost of a by-election for the Kaipara ratepayers if I were to be successful in the candidate election process later this year," Smith said.

Close to 10 percent of Auckland bus trips are being cancelled each day due to a shortage of 270 bus drivers.A resurgence of Covid-19 cases is ripping through Auckland's bus depots and it's not just bus services; the city's commuter ferries are running on reduced frequency too.The issue has also been exacerbated by a world wide shortage of transit drivers.Auckland Transport (AT) Acting Group Manager Metro Services Darek Koper told Checkpoint the shortage meant 1400 bus trips had to be cancelled each day.AT typically operates 11,600 bus trips each day, meaning the number of cancelled trips makes up close to 10 percent of its usual workload.Koper said the organisation was aiming to avoid cancelling high frequency trips, buses on low frequency routes and the first and last bus trips of the day.Meanwhile, the top priority was keeping all school-related services running to make sure children got home and to school on time, he said.With the government currently offering half-price public transport, Koper said AT was working to reduce the effects of the shortage while keeping its system as reliable as possible."At this stage capacity is there in terms of providing service, the reliability is the key factor that people value and they want to turn up and go."So, while we're working on solving the issue we try to communicate with customers [and] help them plan their trips so they could be least affected as possible."The driver shortage was not a new issue but Covid-19 had made it more apparent."Covid really just brought the issue to the surface, we have been dealing with a bus driver shortage for quite some time," Koper said.Drivers were leaving the job for other opportunities within the transport network due to a variety of reasons including better payrates, more flexible work patterns and the rising rate of abuse towards public transport workers."[We] have been working with the Council of Trades Unions, bus operators and Waka Kotahi our co-founders to find a way we could improve the bus driver terms and conditions to make the profession more attractive."The starting wage for AT bus drivers is around $23.30 per hour, which Koper admitted was not a good rate."We're working towards $27-$30 to be competitive with the rest of the industry but we need some additional funding from our funders to enable this."AT had previously attempted to use employment bonding to retain drivers but it was found to be a barrier to employment for some.Koper hoped the Budget's $61 million package for public transport driver support would help alleviate the financial pressure of the increasing wages.Discussions were underway with central government, Auckland Council and Waka Kotahi to source additional funding to enable AT to pay drivers a more competitive wage, he said.

Amendments to Kaipara District’s Speed Limits Bylaw were unanimously passed at the May Council Meeting, resulting in new speed limits in the Mangawhai – Kaiwaka (including Hakaru) and Kaiwaka West (including Oneriri Road and Oruawharo Road) areas. The new speed limits come into effect on 13 June 2022.The speed changes are the outcome of Kaipara District Council and Northland Transportation Alliance’s (NTA) speed review, triggered by the Government’s Road to Zero National Strategy.The amendments include new speed limits for Estuary Drive and Moir Point Road in Mangawhai. It was originally proposed that they change to 50km, however after community feedback and detailed design, these will now change to 40km. This means drivers can maintain a consistent speed while in this area.Locals and visitors may have already noticed staff from NTA and their contractor, Ventia, installing new speed signs around Mangawhai and Kaiwaka. These signs will remain covered until the new speed limits come into effect.The recommendations on new speed limits were informed by 84 submissions from the community and technical assessments. The changes were confirmed by the Mangawhai and Kaiwaka Speed Limit Review Hearing Committee on 15 July 2021.Before confirming the speed changes, Council made the Statement of Proposal and technical information available to the community and promoted the opportunity to submit feedback on the Kaipara District Council website, in newspaper advertising, and direct communication to statutory consultees. Information and community drop-in sessions, attended by key staff, were held in Mangawhai, Kaiwaka, and Hakaru.You can see where speed limits are changing, and read more about the review at www.kaipara.govt.nz/speedreview

A fish tagged by researchers 20 years ago has been found in almost exactly the same spot.The tag was implanted in February 2002 by the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) to track snapper stocks.The snapper. Photo: Supplied / Mr ChiltThe snapper was caught by a person known as Mr Chilt, an amateur jetski fisher, on 27 February in Patea, South Taranaki.The tag is known as a passive integrated transponder.Chilt, who recorded the find for his YouTube channel, said it was just another regular day out fishing when he made the discovery."I got to my fishing [position], dropped down the old 'ham on the bone' - that's the name of my homemade fishing lure - and began catching big snappers straight away. I released most of them back but took some snapper home with me."It wasn't until I started filleting this particular one that I saw the tag and thought 'what the fish is that?' I did a bit of research and found out that it belonged to NIWA, so I contacted them and sent them the tag for inspecting," he said.When first tagged, the fish was 49cm long and was estimated to weigh around 2.35kg.Two decades later, it was 65cm long and estimated to weigh 5.17kg.NIWA fisheries programme leader Dr Darren Parsons said recatching a tagged fish after such a long time was unusual as the tag was positioned in the gut cavity of the animal.But finding the fish in the same region where it was originally released was not a coincidence, he said."The fish has been moving over those 20 years but it follows a seasonal pattern, moving in-shore and off-shore with the seasons for spawning, because that's what a lot of snapper do."The purpose of the 2002 tagging programme was to estimate the biomass of snapper off the west coast of the North Island, with the data then given to the Ministry of Primary Industries for managing fishery stock targets.Niwa no longer tags snapper with PITs, with the 2002 programme being the last undertaken, meaning that this snapper was one of the last ever to be given a PIT tag in New Zealand.The device is the only of its type to have been reported since the early 2000s.

Major supermarket chain Woolworths, owners of Countdown, says it cannot offer large scale wholesale supply at present but is working on delivering what the government wants.Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister David Clark announced the government's response to the Commerce Commission's findings on the supermarket sector after this afternoon's weekly Cabinet meeting, alongside Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson.The steps taken by the government will match 12 of the Commission's 14 recommendations, and go further than the other two recommendations suggested.The government is establishing a grocery sector watchdog and a mandatory code of conduct as it tries to tackle the supermarket duopoly.It will also force supermarkets to open up their wholesale arms to would-be competitors if they have not already done so by the end of the year.All the changes would ensure New Zealanders would pay fairer prices for their groceries, Clark said.Both supermarket chains say they are committed to working with the government on the changes.In a statement Woolworths NZ managing director Spencer Sonn said the chain supported the Commerce Commission's recommendations and while the government planned to go further, "we accept that change is needed, and we're committed to playing a positive role in a competitive grocery market for Kiwis"."We don't yet have the capability to offer large scale wholesale supply, however, we are already in the process of planning how we achieve this," Sonn said."We're committed to working with the government to meet their expectations and with our supply partners who will play an important part in this."He added that Woolworths knew times were tough for consumers and selling food "at the lowest prices" remained its focus.Chris Quin Photo: Supplied / FoodstuffsThe second major supermarket chain, Foodstuffs, has also released a statement saying it would work with the government to implement the changes.Its two cooperatives, Foodstuffs North Island and Foodstuffs South Island, were already working with the Ministry of Innovation, Business and Employment on the mandatory code, said managing director Chris Quin.The code would provide "clarity" to the rules of engagement with suppliers, he said." ... and we have indicated our support for a set of principles that we believe will make a difference in providing clarity, certainty, fairness, meaningful consequences, and opportunities for redress when the code is not honoured."Foodstuffs also supported the establishment of a regulator to monitor compliance with the code."We support the government's request that there be an active wholesale market in New Zealand, and the request for us to participate in that market.... what is key now is understanding the demand landscape and ensuring that suppliers work with us and our wholesale customers to enable those customers to access wholesale groceries at competitive prices," Quin said.Code of conduct welcomedThe New Zealand Food & Grocery Council has welcomed the changes, especially the mandatory code of conduct."It's a major task unravelling the harm caused by New Zealand's duopoly market structure, but announcements today make the direction clear," chief executive Katherine Rich said.New Zealand was the only country in the world operating a supermarket duopoly and new forms of competition would arise in the wake of the government's changes, she said."Independent retailers will never be competitive as long as they have to line up at the supermarket with everyone else."As we have said regularly, the wholesale market for groceries is broken, and competitive access to a full range of products is important to support healthy competition."She praised Clark's work to arrive at today's announcement. "And he has made it clear today there is more to do."The changes he has quietly championed in the Commerce portfolio will make a difference to the competitiveness of New Zealand's grocery market."Code of conduct welcomedThe New Zealand Food & Grocery Council has welcomed the changes, especially the mandatory code of conduct."It's a major task unravelling the harm caused by New Zealand's duopoly market structure, but announcements today make the direction clear," chief executive Katherine Rich said.New Zealand was the only country in the world operating a supermarket duopoly and new forms of competition would arise in the wake of the government's changes, she said."Independent retailers will never be competitive as long as they have to line up at the supermarket with everyone else."As we have said regularly, the wholesale market for groceries is broken, and competitive access to a full range of products is important to support healthy competition."She praised Clark's work to arrive at today's announcement. "And he has made it clear today there is more to do."The changes he has quietly championed in the Commerce portfolio will make a difference to the competitiveness of New Zealand's grocery market."

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency advises of the following closures for motorway improvements. Work delayed by bad weather will be completed at the next available date, prior to Friday, 3 June 2022.Unless otherwise stated, closures start at 9pm and finish at 5am.Northern Motorway (SH1)Southbound lanes between Silverdale off-ramp and Oteha Valley Road on-ramp, 2 JuneSilverdale southbound on-ramp, 2 JuneNorthbound lanes between Greville Road off-ramp and Oteha Valley Road on-ramp, 29 May-2 JuneGreville Road northbound on-ramp, 29 May-2 JuneSouthbound lanes between Greville Road off-ramp and Upper Harbour Highway on-ramp, 29 May-1 JuneGreville Road southbound on-ramp, 29 May-1 JuneNorthcote Road northbound on-ramp, 30-31 MayCentral Motorway Junction (CMJ)Southbound lanes between Fanshawe Street off-ramp and Symonds Street on-ramp, 30 May (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Hobson Street southbound on-ramp, 30 MayFanshawe Street northbound on-ramp, 30 May-1 June (approx. 11:00pm to 5:00am)Southern Motorway (SH1)Mt Wellington Highway southbound on-ramp, 1-2 JuneNorthbound lanes between Princes Street off-ramp and Mt Wellington Highway on-ramp, 29 May (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Princes Street northbound on-ramp, 29 MayEast Tamaki Road northbound on-ramp, 30-31 MayEast Tamaki Road northbound off-ramp, 30-31 MayTe Irirangi Drive northbound on-ramp, 29 MaySouthbound lanes between Papakura off-ramp and Drury/SH22 on-ramp, 29 May-2 JunePapakura southbound on-ramp, 29 May-2 JuneNorthbound lanes between Drury/SH22 off-ramp and Papakura on-ramp, 27 May (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Drury/SH22 northbound on-ramp, 27 May (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Northbound lanes between Drury/SH22 off-ramp and Papakura on-ramp, 29 May-2 JuneDrury/SH22 northbound on-ramp, 29 May-2 JuneNorthbound lanes between Mill Road off-ramp and Ramarama on-ramp, 31 May-2 JuneMill Road northbound on-ramp, 31 May-2 JuneSouthbound lanes between Mill Road off-ramp and Beaver Road on-ramp, 29 May-2 JuneMill Road southbound on-ramp, 29 May-2 JunePokeno northbound off-ramp, 2 JuneSouthbound lanes between Mercer off-ramp and Oram Road, 29-31 May (approx. 11:00pm to 5:00am)Mercer southbound on-ramp, 29-31 May (approx. 11:00pm to 5:00am)Te Kauwhata southbound off-ramp, 29 MayNorthwestern Motorway (SH16)Eastbound lanes between St Lukes Road off-ramp and Nelson Street on-ramp, 30 May (approx. 10:30pm to 5:00am)St Lukes Road eastbound on-ramp, 30 MaySH16 eastbound to SH1 northbound link, 30 May (approx. 10:30pm to 5:00am)SH16 eastbound to SH1 southbound link, 30 May (approx. 10:30pm to 5:00am)SH 16 eastbound to SH 16 (Port) link, 30 May (approx. 10:30pm to 5:00am)Rosebank Road northbound off-ramp, 29-31 MayTe Atatu southbound off-ramp, 29 May-1 JuneTe Atatu northbound off-ramp, 2 JuneHobsonville Road northbound off-ramp, 31 May-1 JuneSH16 northbound to SH18 eastbound link, 31 May-1 JuneUpper Harbour Motorway (SH18)None plannedSouthwestern Motorway (SH20)Walmsley Road southbound on-ramp, 31 MayGeorge Bolt Memorial Drive (SH20A)Kirkbride Road southbound off-ramp, 29-30 May

Police are once again urging people to be cautious when it comes to buying good listed for sale on social media. Auckland City Police have seen no shortage of reports of members of the public being threatened for their money and property after agreeing to meet to sell or buy items through Facebook Marketplace. Unfortunately, innocent members of the public are putting themselves in danger of receiving serious injuries. Our advice is to always be vigilant when shopping via social media. We’re seeing the same common tactics, which offenders use to lure in victims, including specifically requesting the victim bring cash for the sale, or requesting the buyer to come to the sellers home address to purchase the item. We’re also seeing an increase of alleged buyers providing a fake home address to the victim.We have a number of suggestions for people looking to buy or sell online: First and foremost, we recommend using a reputable online site to buy or sell items. Check the social media profile of the seller. Is it a new profile or relatively blank? There's a chance it may be a fake profile. If the trader insists on meeting at a public place or unusual location to make a sale, be cautious. It may be that they are selling stolen items or don't want to be identified for some other reason. Equally, if purchasers are reluctant to meet in person or insist items are dropped off at a location, they may be avoiding being seen or identified. Purchasers who are happy to pay full price without trying to negotiate. If you are the seller, make sure the money is in your account before sending or handing off items. As the saying goes: if it is too good to be true, it probably is.If you wish to report a social media scam, contact Police on 105 or report it online at 105.police.govt.nz Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

Auckland Council is asking for public help after a spate of thefts, and vandalism to public art pieces across the region.In the last month, five pieces have been damaged, including Francis Upritchard's Loafers, The Five Rams in Myers Park and the Matakana War Memorial.The bronze figurine and base from the Valkyrie Fountain in Auckland Domain were stolen with its supporting marble pillar severely damaged.The Ōwairaka - Statue of a cloaked woman by Christine Hellyar was damaged beyond repair and will need to be removed from the Alie Wylie Reserve, the council said.Public art manager Hayley Wolters said it was disappointing to see the blatant disregard for public property."It's really important to remember that our public spaces should be able to be enjoyed by Aucklanders, and unfortunately vandalism takes away from that both from an expense, a resource perspective."She said the public could help by contacting police if they witnessed any vandalism acts."Following two years of Covid-19 disruptions, the council's budgets are already under pressure, and any costs to repair or replace artworks are adding further strain and diverting investment away from other important areas," Wolters said in a statement.The council's parks, arts, community and events committee chair councillor Alf Filipaina said it must stop."It is beyond frustrating that these incidents keep happening, and that those committing these acts have no pride in their city, or regard for their fellow Aucklanders," Filipaina said in a statement on the council's Our Auckland website."We are blessed to have unique art pieces across the region that we can visit freely. This is not a privilege enjoyed in other places, and it upsets me that these opportunities are not only being taken for granted by some, but that through these mindless acts, they are also being taken away from those who would appreciate them."Graffiti levels risingAuckland Council manager business delivery Grant Muir said graffiti levels were increasing across the region and while it prioritised the quick removal of graffiti this had been impacted due to Covid-19 staff shortages."Over the past year or two, we have seen an increase in graffiti incidents, which can partially be attributed to periods of L4 [level four] lockdown, during which only offensive graffiti could be removed as an essential service," Grant said in a statement."This caused a build-up of graffiti and meant that our service providers were dealing with backlogs when we returned to full-service levels."Muir advised people to ensure graffiti is removed promptly since the vandals can interpret its non-removal "as tacit approval".In this financial year to date, there has been over 66,000 reports of graffiti across the region, with 2117 requests for service made to the council. In the last financial year, there were just over 70,000 reported incidents, but in comparison, only 1375 requests for service.

Monday - Rain, with heavy falls possible, turning to showers towards midday. Thunderstorms, hail, and localised downpours also possible. Strong northeasterlies, gusting 90 km/h in exposed places, turn lighter northerly this morning.Heavy rain and thunderstorm watch until 3pmTuesday - Partly cloudy. Rain developing evening. Northwesterlies, becoming strong in the evening.Wednesday - Rain before dawn, then cloudy periods. Northerlies.Thursday - A few showers, turning to rain for a time. Strong northwesterlies, easing.Friday - Showers. Westerlies easing.Saturday - Showers with westerlies.Sunday - Partly cloudy with light wind.

Instantly recognisable photographs of Dame Whina Cooper, Muhammad Ali and Prince William are among 100 iconic New Zealand images set to feature in a charity auction for the cash-strapped Taranaki Hospice.The auction is the brainchild of former NZ Herald illustrations editor, Rob Tucker, who has terminal cancer.Tucker said he wanted to do something to help "the angels in the night" who had been instrumental in him being able to continue to live at his New Plymouth home."Some nights I'd be laying bad and the pain would get to a stage where the morphine or the oxy tablet pills I was taking didn't put a lid on the pain and they'll come 24/7."You just give them a phone call and they would come in and give me an injection and lay me out for the night and relieve my pain."Horrified to find out the organisation needed to find $4 million to cover its operating costs Tucker called upon the "brotherhood" of New Zealand photojournalists to help out."So I came up with this idea with all my mates who were photojournalists working on newspapers, why don't we get together a collection of historic photos that helped mould the history of New Zealand like the Buzzy Bee on the lawn with Prince William."Rob Tucker's iconic photo of Prince William with a Buzzy Bee on the lawn of Auckland's Government House. Photo: Rob TuckerThe 74-year-old took that shot which had been seen around the world, but never before been up for sale.Other single-edition prints to be included in the auction include Michael Tubberty's image of Dame Whina Cooper walking hand-in-hand with a moko during the 1975 Māori Land March.And Geoff Dale's photo of Muhammad Ali sparring with a couple of likely lads on Queen St in 1979.Muhammad Ali sparring with a couple of likely lads on Queen St in 1979. Photo: Geoff DaleAward-winning Muriwai-based photographer Ross Land said he couldn't refuse Tucker's call."Absolutely not, I mean it's a fantastic idea, it's a fantastic cause and I feel very very happy to be able to help Rob out."And it's also a way for me to give back to Taranaki Hospice a little bit too because they looked after both my mum and dad and one of my brothers."Dame Whina Cooper walking hand-in-hand with a moko during the 1975 Māori Land March. Photo:He credited Tucker with kickstarting his career by assigning him to the 1981 Springbox tour, but it was a shot of an fading athletics superstar his old boss selected for the auction."One of the ones he quite likes and I'm quite fond on of as well is a shot of John Walker at the very end of his career at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland."He's struggling up the straight to finish the race and both the gold and silver medal winning Kenyan runners are shaking hands in the foreground with him struggling up the straight in the background, so that's one I particularly like so I'm glad Rob's chosen that."New Plymouth-based photographer and former Stuff staffer, Andy Jackson Photo: RNZ / Robin MartinNew Plymouth-based photographer and former Stuff staffer, Andy Jackson, was helping Tucker put together the catalogue.He'd been blown away with what had been sent in."I really love the one of Fred Dagg sitting on the front of a Land Rover. That's one of my favourites, but they're all just incredible and a lot of them will be familiar to people."It's also been really cool finding out the back story to some of these photographs which I never knew."John Clarke as Fred Dagg Photo: John SelkirkJackson has a dramatic picture of Oakura surfer Paige Hareb surfing on the women's world tour when it visited Taranaki included in the catalogue.Meanwhile, Rob Tucker said the project had given him a new lease of life."For one it stops me looking around my garden to see where my funeral plot will be, and secondly it's just lovely to be able to bring the brotherhood together and communicating because they haven't got together for years, so it's bringing this brotherhood of photographers together and it's also hopefully going to raise some good funds for the hospice."Oakura surfer Paige Hareb surfing at the ASP Women's World Tour held at Fitzroy Beach in New Plymouth. Photo: Andy JacksonTaranaki Hospice chief executive Paul Lamb said it had been overwhelmed with Tucker's generosity."Rob is facing a life-limiting illness with all its complexities, but has still said he wants to give back to the organisation, so that connection, Rob's high profile and the different approach he's taking to the project is going to be fantastic from the hospice's point of view in being able to talk about our work and in generating funds."And if we can add value to the life Rob is experiencing at the moment through the project that's part of the work we do and it's going to be fantastic."King Koroki's tangi at Taupiri Mountain, it was shot by Wayne Harman in 1966. Photo: Wayne HarmanThe Photo Journalism New Zealand Charity Auction will be held at the Plymouth International Hotel in New Plymouth in September.Images included in the auction can be viewed at the Photo Journalism New Zealand Charity Auction Facebook page.