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.

This weekends weather there is a STRONG WIND warning from Sunday afternoon.Saturday - Fine for most of the day. One or two showers north of Whangaparaoa in the evening, with the chance of one farther south. Easterlies. High of 18 and low of 13 degrees.Sunday - Becoming cloudy. The odd shower, then rain at night. Northeasterlies, becoming strong. High of 18 and low of 15 degrees. 13 hrs from 5pm Sunday to 6am MondayAuckland area including Great Barrier IslandNortheast winds may approach severe gale in exposed areas.

An Auckland company is to appeal a council decision to refuse resource consent for sand extraction off shore from Pakiri Beach, north of the city.McCallum Brothers Limited applied to take up to two-million cubic metres of sand over the next 35-years from between 25 to 40-metres from the beach.The dredging company was turned down by the council earlier this month.The company said because the case was complex an appeal to the Environment Court will allow experts to be called to closely analyse the evidence.It said without the Pakiri sand the construction market would suffer, affecting housing and infrastructure projects.McCallum Bros managing director Callum McCallum said the sand needed must come from somewhere."Without this sand, the construction market could be hit with a major supply shock, seriously impacting housing, transport and other infrastructure developments. Sustainable extraction at Pakiri is the best solution not only because of the quality of the sand, but also due to its ability to be delivered into the centre of Auckland in bulk by shipping. Up to half of the city's construction sand requirements come from Pakiri."I understand many Kiwis naturally have questions about sand extraction. Anything to do with New Zealand's natural resources should be carefully considered. This is exactly why we want to progress the case to the Environment Court where experts can analyse all the evidence, including our research that indicates our sand extraction at Pakiri is sustainable and has minimal impact on the local environment."The company said it has been extracting sand sustainably from Pakiri for more than 75-years.Environmental groups opposed the resource consent arguing sand mining is wrecking the dunes, destroying the seabed and putting a wide variety of wildlife, including the rare fairy terns that nest on the beach, at risk.There is no indication yet of a date when the Environment Court will review the case.

An innovative trial offering courier pick-up of soft plastics for recycling into fence posts is now offered by NZ Post.They have teamed up with The Packaging Forum and a new business called Future Post which will turn the plastics into fence posts.Future Post was founded in the time-honoured Kiwi way of looking for an ingenious solution to a challenging problem.While attempting to build a fence on a former rubbish dump site, farmer Jerome Wenzlick of Waiuku (near Auckland) found his wooden fenceposts were breaking as he tried ramming them through all the waste plastic in the ground.With a passion for the environment, Jerome had the revelation that if he could build a stronger fencepost from waste plastic, he’d also help solve a bigger environmental problem, leading to a commitment to produce premium products that perform better and for longer. The resulting product is designed, re-recycled and made in New Zealand.A cooking recipeJerome, who is the managing director of Future Post, says the process of turning soft plastics (including bread bags, courier bags and bubble wrap) into fence posts is like “cooking”.“There’s definitely a bit of a recipe to it and we did a lot of homework to make sure we got the recipe right,” Jerome says.Using processing machinery specifically designed and made in New Zealand, Jerome says the soft plastic packaging is granulated into small chips and put through an extruder before being moulded into fence posts."It takes approximately 1500 bags to make one standard fence post.” He says the factory can turn out about 800 posts a day. They are suitable for use in farms, gardens, parks and vineyards.“Purchase one of NZ Post’s latest pre-paid Soft Plastic Recycle Courier bags, fill it with your clean, soft plastics, book a courier for pick-up and we will take care of the rest,” NZ Post Group Sustainability Manager Dawn Baggaley says.“Supporting this project and making it easier for Kiwis to recycle their soft plastics aligns perfectly with NZ Post’s own sustainable packaging goals,” Dawn says.Working with key partnersNZ Post will be working with key partners including The Warehouse Group and Foodstuffs to make the pre-paid Soft Plastic Recycle Courier bags widely available.The Warehouse Group’s Chief Sustainability Officer, David Benattar, says the new soft plastics recycling service is a step towards giving all Kiwis access to convenient recycling solutions.“We’re focused on making it as easy as possible for our customers to recycle, and through this new initiative, anyone can pick up a pre-paid courier bag at any one of The Warehouse and Warehouse Stationery stores nationwide or online, as well as on TheMarket.com, take them back home or to the office and fill with their soft plastics and NZ Post will do the rest,” David says.Foodstuffs New Zealand’s Head of Sustainability, Mike Sammons, says this pilot is another way the business is encouraging customers to reduce their packaging waste.“We want to do all we can to help our customers reduce their packaging waste and providing this recycling service to our customers based in more remote locations and our online shoppers is another important piece of the jigsaw,” Mike says.Helping those without access to recyclingSoft Plastic Recycling Scheme Manager Lyn Mayes says the partnership is a way to open the soft plastic recycling scheme to communities who do not have access to a soft plastic recycling bin, or those who are unable to get to their local store to drop off their soft plastics.“People have been asking us (The Packaging Forum) about whether they can post their soft plastics, so we are delighted to launch this service,” Lyn says.The soft plastics will be collected from NZ Post and baled by Abilities Group and then dropped off at Future Post for recycling.The pre-paid recycle courier bags went on sale on April 22 at selected NZ Post stores and online and selected New World supermarkets, The Warehouse and The Warehouse Stationery stores and cost $7 each.For more information:NZ Post soft plastic recycling

A small section of the new Ara Tūhono – Pūhoi to Warkworth motorway opened to traffic for the first time, with people travelling across Arawhiti ki Ōkahu (the viaduct over the Ōkahu Inlet) northbound from Hibiscus Coast Highway. This is an exciting stage in our work to connect the new motorway to the existing State Highway 1 and is one of a series of significant road layout changes scheduled to take place in 2022.On Friday 20 May, project partners Hōkai Nuku hosted a dawn blessing to make the pathway safe for road users and to honour the Iwi artwork that has been installed around the southern end of the project. The artworks are a visible reminder of the cultural footprint on a road of significance which reflect the history and values of mana whenua in this area.With the new road layout change we ask that drivers keep to the temporary speed limit for the safety of our work crews and road users, drive to the conditions and do not be distracted by work activity.

New Zealand will stay in the orange traffic light setting ahead of the Omicron winter spike, the government has announced.The country has been at the orange alert level since 11.59pm at 13 April.In a statement, Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said the next review would be in late June but for now, the Orange setting remained appropriate."While daily cases numbers have flattened nationally, they are again beginning to increase in the Northern region and hospitalisation rates have also increased slightly over the past month," he said.He said modelling showed there was also likely to be a second wave appearing, and warned that while case numbers for now remained fairly steady the arrival of new strains of cold and flu as winter was nearing were adding to the workloads of already busy hospitals."I urge everyone to continue to be cautious and think about the health of others, especially those who are immunocompromised or at higher risk of long-term health impacts from infection. Please also get boosted, if you haven't already."He said public health measures like isolation, vaccination and mask wearing continued to be the main defences against Covid-19 and masks would continue to be required in many indoor settings.At Orange, masks are required on flights, ferries and passenger terminals, public transport and taxis, in retail settings including supermarkets, public venues, healthcare and vet clinics, courts and tribunals, and government-run buildings.Masks are otherwise encouraged indoors, although they may be removed at eating and drinking venues. Businesses may also require them as a condition of entry.

From today, across three Auckland locations, Auckland Transport is trialing safety cameras to get a better understanding of how many people drive while using their mobile phones, and how many people don’t wear their seatbelts. This trial is the first of its kind in Aotearoa New Zealand.While these are well-known issues, we don’t currently have accurate information about the scale of them. The six-month trial will provide useful insight as well as test the technology itself.A key part of Road to Zero, New Zealand’s road safety strategy, involves supporting people to make good choices on our roads, which includes encouraging people to not use their phones while driving, and making sure everyone is wearing a seatbelt.No enforcement action will be taken during the trial. No drivers will receive infringement notices, warnings, or any other communication from Waka Kotahi as a result of the trial. All images taken will be deleted within 48 hours, with a small number of anonymised images kept for reporting purposes. For more on the trial, visit https://www.nzta.govt.nz/safety-cameras.

The election of Australia's new prime minister means there's an opportunity for changes in the trans-Tasman relationship.It's already got off to a good start. Anthony Albanese kept the Labor faithful waiting on Saturday night, because he was taking a phone call from Jacinda Ardern.The prime minister says she called Australia's new prime minister-elect as he was preparing to address his supporters."It was a warm conversation and I'm really looking forward to formally meeting with him soon," she said in a statement."Australia is our most important partner, our only official ally and single economic market relationship, and I believe our countries will work even more closely together in these tumultuous times."New Zealand and Australia might be mates but the relationship has taken a frosty turn of late, over Australia's501 deportation policy."I've been absolutely clear, this is corrosive to our relationship," said Ardern in 2020.She was standing right next to a grinning Scott Morrison, and taking him to task over the policy."We have a simple request: send back Kiwis, genuine Kiwis. Do not deport your people, and your problems," she said.501 advocate Filipa Payne said the Morrison government used deportees as a political football."Any time they want to get any community support, they'd amend the legislation."I pray Labor comes in and amends it so that it can now be implemented with fairness, with humanity, and with respect and dignity for people that it's impacting on."Photo: AFP / Wendell TeodoroPayne said Australia was not our closest ally at all."No, I think they were our closest enemy. Australia is damaging our country daily, we just have to look at the lack of support that deportees are getting in New Zealand, what it's doing on our society, but also the brutality that Australia implements in those detention centres is causing global damage."Morrison was preparing to introduce new legislation to strengthen the so-called 'character test,' making it harder for deportees to appeal.The bill was passed in Australia's lower house, with Labor's support. But the Australian Senate didn't have a chance to debate it before the election was called, and now Morrison is out.Payne believes Albanese's win is promising, and has high hopes and expectations.But there is little sign yet that he will end the policy, or relist the bill."Section 501 applies for breaches of people who are on visas, and if people commit serious offences then action should be taken in Australia's national interests," Albanese said earlier this month.And then there's AUKUS. New Zealand was left out of the new security partnership between Australia, the UK, and the US last year.ACT's foreign policy spokesperson Brooke van Velden said a new leader is an opportunity to strengthen our ties when it comes to defence."New Zealand needs to play its part in the Pacific too. Our hope as the ACT party is that this new government in Australia will be a reset for our relationship."We really need to work together to show we are committed to peace and security in the Pacific."It's not just Australian Labor toasting success.The Australian Greens had their best-ever election result, and could hold the balance of power in the Senate.Greens co-leader James Shaw said his Aussie counterparts finally have a chance to use their voice."It's absolutely critical. The Australian Green Party has been very, very strong in leading on climate change, they just haven't been in a position to be able to exert influence over a government until now."How much influence they will have is unclear. Albanese has pledged to make Australia a renewable energy superpower, but also supports new coal mines.Last week the New Zealand government revealed its Emissions Reduction Plan. Shaw said there is an opportunity for us to share our experience."I think what we can do is work with the Australians and say 'look, here's been our recent experience and that seems to be gaining some momentum and some traction now, are there things we might be able to share that get us both on the same page?'"A wishlist for Australia's new leader, from its neighbour.

Monday - Partly cloudy with morning showers, then fine apart from evening high cloud. Fresh southwesterlies dying out this evening. High of 17 and low of 9 degrees.Tuesday - Partly cloudy. Isolated showers developing in the afternoon. Southwesterlies.High of 18 and low of 11 degrees.Wednesday - Partly cloudy with isolated showers. Southwesterlies.High of 18 and low of 11 degrees.Thursday - Partly cloudy with isolated showers. Southerlies. High of 18 and low of 11 degrees.Friday - Showers, turning to rain. Northeasterlies. High of 17 and low of 12 degrees.Saturday - Showers, clearing to partly cloudy weather. Northeasterlies. High of 18 and low of 12 degrees.Sunday - Rain. Strong northeasterlies.High of 19 and low of 12 degrees.Have a great week!

The next nationwide test of the Emergency Mobile Alert system is happening today, Sunday 22 May 2022, between 6-7pm.The nationwide test is a necessary part of making sure the Emergency Mobile Alert system works well.You can find more info including a fact sheet, capable phones and a list of FAQ's here - https://getready.govt.nz/emergency-mobile-alert/