Northshore commuters now have access to congestion free travel to and from the city, as far north as Albany, thanks to the completion of the latest Northern Busway extension which was opened today by the Minister of Transport, Michael Wood.The four year project has delivered an additional five kilometres of separated, two-way lanes for buses, adjacent to the Northern Motorway (SH1) and a $23 million upgrade of Constellation Station.“The Government is committed to delivering public transport that is convenient, reliable and cost-effective. Thanks to the extension, commuters will now experience quicker, improved bus journeys during peak travel times,” said Michael Wood.“The efficient and effective movement of people and goods is crucial to our economic recovery. That’s why we are investing a record $24.3 billion into transport services and infrastructure over the next three years – a 44 per cent increase compared to the last three years and 75 per cent more than the previous government.“The success of the Northern Busway, which clocked eight million trips in its first 10 years, is proof that when we build a rapid public transport system that meets the needs of the community, there will always be the demand to use it.“Climate change is the most significant factor influencing the land transport system over the next decade. If we want to tackle climate change, we need to move people out of their cars and into other modes like public transport and walking and cycling. The actions and decisions that we make now for the transport system will help shape the future.“The northern busway extension is an important part of our broader plan to future proof Auckland with a high quality, linked up mass transit system, which includes a range of projects such as the Eastern busway, Auckland Light Rail, and the Alternative Waitemata Harbour crossing,” said Michael Wood.The extension and upgrades are part of the wider of Northern Corridor Improvements project. The project also includes completion of the Western Ring Route which will support people and goods to easily travel around the region using direct SH1 and SH18 connections. More than 7km of walking and cycling paths with local road and park connections are included. This work is planned to be completed in 2023.

A dead possum has been found on Aotea / Great Barrier Island - home to many protected species including pāteke and tāiko.It is the first time the pest has been found on the possum-free island since 2016.Department of Conservation operations manager Kirsty Prior said it was found on the road at Whangaparapara last month by a local.The discovery would be taken very seriously, she said."Possums have never been established on Aotea / Great Barrier Island and as a significant ecological pest in New Zealand, it is important that we ensure they are not able to set up home," DOC Operations Manager Kirsty Prior said."The necropsy, completed by Massey University, indicated the possum had died from gunshot wounds and we think it is unlikely that a local resident would shoot a possum and leave it unreported on the road. These kinds of incidences are usually associated with deliberate mischief or washing up from a distant site."There is no information to suggest there are other possum on the island and no further possum signs such as droppings, browse or scratch marks have been found, Prior said."Great Barrier Island is home to many protected species such as tāiko/black petrel, brown teal/pāteke, and other endemic species such as kakariki/red crowned parakeet and miromiro/tomtit."Any new establishment of a pest or predator would have a significant impact on the wildlife on the island, and mana whenua, the local community, DOC and Auckland Council are committed to ensuring we prevent this."Anyone who sees an unwanted pest on Aotea is encouraged to call 0800 DOC HOT.

A marker that could help identify babies at a higher risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) has been discovered by Sydney researchers.The study conducted by The Children's Hospital Westmead confirmed what had long been suspected - that SIDS victims were unable to wake themselves up - but it went one step further by providing the why.The enzyme butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) plays a major role in the "brain's arousal pathway" and was found at "significantly lower" levels in babies who die of SIDS."Babies have a very powerful mechanism to let us know when they are not happy," lead researcher and Honorary Research Fellow Dr Carmel Harrington said."Usually, if a baby is confronted with a life-threatening situation, such as difficulty breathing during sleep because they're on their tummies, they will arouse and cry out."What this research shows is that some babies don't have this same robust arousal response."Now that we know that BChE is involved, we can begin to change the outcome for these babies and make SIDS a thing of the past."Public health campaigns focusing on safe sleeping, overheating and maternal smoking during a baby's first three months have reduced the incidence of SIDS.However, the children's hospital says death rates remain high."There is this perception that SIDS isn't a problem anymore or that the problem can be solved if all babies had the correct sleep conditions, but two children still die from SIDS in Australia every week," said Professor Karen Waters, the head of the children's hospital SIDS and Sleep Apnoea Research Group.It is hoped the finding could lead to the development of a screening test in a few years' time.Hailed as a "game-changer" to "every parent's worst nightmare", the discovery of BChE also provides answers to parents, like Dr Harrington, whose healthy babies died "on their watch"."These families can now live with the knowledge that this was not their fault," she said."My son, Damien, died suddenly and unexpectedly one night. It took me about two years before I could really take a breath again, and at that point, I thought I actually want to find out why he died."Nobody could tell me. They just said it's a tragedy. But it was a tragedy that didn't sit well with my scientific brain."That was 29 years ago.Since then, Dr Harrington has dedicated her life to finding answers and funding, which has also involved setting up the crowdfunding [campaign Damien's Legacy in honour of her "beautiful little boy".The study, published in The Lancet, analysed dried blood spots taken as part of the Newborn Screening Program.The blood was analysed after deaths from SIDS and other causes, and each one was compared to 10 surviving infants.Attention will now focus on using the findings to develop targeted interventions."This is the gift that I feel I got for Mother's Day because the timing of this is really peculiar to me, that it's coming on Mother's Day," Dr Harrington said."This gives us a focus for our future research. So there's quite a lot to be done. We need to understand the system better … We know what we have to do. It's just actually getting the funding for it."

Here's our weather forecast for this week:Today and Tuesday look a bit iffy, but pretty good the rest of the weekMonday: Often cloudy. Isolated showers developing this morning, becoming widespread later this afternoon, some possibly heavy. Northwest breezes.Tuesday: A few showers, mainly morning and evening. Southwesterlies change southeast in the evening.Wednesday: Fine with southeasterlies.Thursday: Fine with southerlies.Friday: Fine with southerlies.

The Auckland Council has released their decision to refuse the proposal to extract sand from the coastal marine area off-shore at Pakiri. This is a massive win for the many groups that oppose sand mining in Pakiri and Mangawhai beaches. Some of the supporting organisations included Save our Sand Mangawhai Pakiri (SOS), Kaipara District Council, Greenpeace, the Endangered Species Organisation, Fairy Tern Trust, Surf Riders Association and Te Whānau o Pakiri.A statement released from Save our Sand Mangawhai Pakiri facebook page says “This two year campaign has taken a huge amount of good work done by a huge amount of good people. From the thousands who put in submissions and signed petitions, to financial contributions, coastal process specialists, to vessel spotters, Fairy Tern costume wearers, media pluggers, expert lawyers, local iwi, enthusiastic locals and receptive organisations we want to say thank-you.We also want to take the time to thank the commissioners for their work and for making the right decision and upholding the precautionary approach and cultural heritage of the area.Future battles still await, two more consent applications for the Near Shore and Mid Shore also need to be stopped, these are even more environmentally contentious and directly damaging to the beach. Saying that, momentum is a great thing, and a precedent has now been set.” For an in-depth look at sand mining:https://friendsofpakiribeach.org.nz/ https://www.endangeredspecies.org.nz/post/off-shore-sand-mining-application-at-pakiri-declined  

Quick thinking by Police’s Eagle crew this afternoon resulted in the arrest of seven youths who were attempting to steal vehicles from members of the public on State Highway 1 in Wellsford after fleeing from Police. The incident unfolded after members of the public observed a suspicious vehicle in Kaiwaka township shortly before 1pm today.The car didn’t have any registration plates and was being driven at speeds well in excess of the speed limit.Eagle staff attended and located the vehicle in the Dome Forest, and monitored the car as it travelled south, providing vital updates to ground staff.The car subsequently changed direction and headed northbound again, and road spikes were deployed near the northern end of Dome Forest. The car continued on for a short distance, before not being able to travel any further and coming to a stop on State Highway 1 in Wellsford, near Wayby Valley Road. Seven youths ran from the stolen car and approached a queue of stationary vehicles that had been blocked by the youths' car parked across the road. The youths unsuccessfully attempted to gain access to some of these vehicles, in an attempt to make their escape in another vehicle.With ground staff still some distance away, Eagle staff made a decision to land on farmland adjacent to the incident, just off State Highway 1.Two officers from the helicopter ran to the scene and took the seven youths into custody before they could escape again. “I have no doubt that the actions of our Eagle crew prevented further offending being committed by these seven youths, who were intent on securing a second stolen vehicle - and undoubtedly fleeing again," says Inspector Jason Homan. "We are very proud to have such high performing staff, who are so committed to keeping our communities safe. The team did a really great job today.”

Another major highway project is suffering significant delays, with the Pūhoi-to-Warkworth Ara Tūhono motorway not opening until next year.The Pūhoi-to-Warkworth Ara Tūhono motorway - north of Auckland - had already been pushed back from late last year to a new opening date this month.But the delay until 2023 was confirmed by Waka Kotahi.It did not give a specific date for when it aimed to open the 18.5km route, which picks up where the northern motorway out of Auckland ends.A Waka Kotahi statement said it "cannot confirm an exact opening date" but its partners had "advised that the road will be completed next year which means the safer, more reliable and resilient route will now open in 2023".Like the long-delayed and over-budget Transmission Gully motorway, Pūhoi is being built by a public private partnership (PPP).It was budgeted to cost almost $900 million. NZTA has not said if costs will over-run, or by how much.The motorway is Spanish giant Acciona's first project in New Zealand.The project's website said "work is progressing well", then added: "Because this is a PPP, road opening is determined by contractual agreements and obligations. The impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic response on these contractual matters, and in turn the programme of works, is currently being worked through with our partners".The hold-up could be have a domino-delay effect on the next stage, an extension of the highway from Warkworth to Wellsford.Traffic had been expected to start using one of the two big viaducts (at Ōkahu inlet) on 23 May, before coming off on the new Pūhoi offramp back on to the existing SH1, project updates said, and north and southbound traffic was to move onto the new motorway on 13 June.Safety concerns about the design and durability of the viaducts were raised by an engineering firm in 2020. NZTA said these were fully addressed.The NX2 private-sector consortium is responsible for designing, building, maintaining and operating the motorway for up to 25 years.

An enzyme variant created by engineers and scientists at The University of Texas at Austin can break down environment-throttling plastics that typically take centuries to degrade in just a matter of hours to days.This discovery, published in Nature, could help solve one of the world’s most pressing environmental problems: what to do with the billions of tons of plastic waste piling up in landfills and polluting our natural lands and water.The enzyme has the potential to supercharge recycling on a large scale that would allow major industries to reduce their environmental impact by recovering and reusing plastics at the molecular level."The possibilities are endless across industries to leverage this leading-edge recycling process," said Hal Alper, professor in the McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering at UT Austin."Beyond the obvious waste management industry, this also provides corporations from every sector the opportunity to take a lead in recycling their products. Through these more sustainable enzyme approaches, we can begin to envision a true circular plastics economy."

Weekend Weather ForecastSaturday - fine with light winds. High of 21 and low of 13 degrees.Sunday - Fine with light winds. High of 21 and low of 13 degrees.Set to be a lovely weekend. A perfect chance to enjoy our many markets!

Auckland Transport (AT) will be undertaking road resurfacing along Glenmore Drive, Warkworth.Work is scheduled to take place over two nights (from 8pm – 5am) on Tuesday 10 May and Wednesday 11 May 2022. In the event weather disrupts our schedule work will be move to the next available shift. We will not work Friday or Saturday nights or public holidays.Road closure will be in place on Glenmore Drive.Between 7pm and 5am, parking restrictions will be enforced near the work site to allow for the traffic management set up. Outside of these hours, parking will be available as normal.Driveway access will be maintained, traffic controllers will guide vehicles across the work site as required.During work hours large machinery will be operating in the area, please expect an increase in noise, dust and/or vibration. Every effort will be taken to keep construction impacts to a minimum.For more information and a MAPhttps://mcusercontent.com/36ae5475dc1256b998966f800/files/879fa7eb-20e1-31db-d4b9-1d3f93a49f58/Morrison_Dr_Warkworth.pdf Auckland Transport (AT) will also be undertaking road resurfacing along Morrison Drive, Warkworth.Work is scheduled to take place over three nights (8pm – 5am) on Thursday 12 May, Sunday 15 May and Monday 16 May 2022.There will be three different stages that will include – 1) Road closure on Morrison Drive 2) Stop/Go operation on Woodcocks Road 3) No on-street parking.Between 7pm and 5am, parking restrictions will be enforced near the work site to allow for the traffic management set up. Outside of these hours, parking will be available as normal.Driveway access will be maintained, traffic controllers will guide vehicles across the work site as required.During work hours large machinery will be operating in the area, please expect an increase in noise, dust and/or vibration. Every effort will be taken to keep construction impacts to a minimum.For more information and a MAPhttps://mcusercontent.com/36ae5475dc1256b998966f800/files/879fa7eb-20e1-31db-d4b9-1d3f93a49f58/Morrison_Dr_Warkworth.pdf

A happy Mother’s Day to all our mums, mums to be, grandmas, or guardians for this Sunday! We want to spoil a family, so we are giving away a dinner voucher worth $200 for a family dinner at either The Stables, Smith’s Bar, Warkworth Hotel or Bam Boo. If you WIN then you choose!To enter the draw head over to our WIN STUFF! button on the main page in the App and enter your details. Good luck!

Attribute to Detective Senior Sergeant Chris Allan, Auckland City District Financial Crime Unit:Millions of dollars a year are being swiped by scammers taking advantage of those looking for love online.NZ Police are receiving a consistent stream of reports from people who have been scammed by a ‘person’ they have met online via either a dating website or a dating app.Those who carry out romance scams are experts at what they do and will seem genuine, caring, and believable. Unfortunately, they are present on most dating platforms.We’re aware of a repeat pattern of events across all reports, where the scammer typically moves the conversation from a reputable dating site to WhatsApp and quickly professes their love and admiration for the victim, before revealing they are a wealthy businessman or military staff who are based overseas. Once trust has been gained they request financial assistance from the target.The method of payment request depends on the proficiency of the victim.If the victim is able to open a cryptocurrency account, then buying and sending cryptocurrency preferred method of transmission.However, sending cash or making a bank transfer offshore via a money remitter, transferring funds to a bank account of someone else that is being scammed, or handing cash to a money laundering cryptocurrency trader, are other potential ways a scammer will ask the victim to provide them with funds.Our investigations indicate that those who perpetrate these romance scams are predominantly based offshore.They are typically organised criminal networks who are scamming multiple victims at once.To keep their story on-track when engaging with multiple people, they use the same profile. Police often see the same photo used over and over again, with a different generic name, pedalling a similar story about their fraudulent background.We have repeatedly seen the same stolen image used on doctored New Zealand Drivers Licences, such as the one attached.We are advising everyone to be wary of any online approaches where something might seem amiss.Some red flags to be aware of:- People who always have excuses about why they can’t meet you in person or even video call.- Those who are often in a hard to reach place (e.g. working on oil rigs, in the military, working overseas).- People who seem to always have a sob story (e.g. a child or family member is sick), and there's always a degree of urgency.We advise those looking for love online to be wary of who you are speaking to:- Be careful what you post and make public on the internet. Scammers can use details shared on social media and dating sites to better understand and target you.- Research the person’s photo and profile using online searches to see if the image, name, or details have been used elsewhere.- Beware if the individual seems too perfect or quickly asks you to leave a dating service or social media site to communicate directly.- Note if the individual attempts to isolate you from friends and family or requests inappropriate photos or financial information that could later be used to extort you.If you believe you are the victim of a scam you can contact Police and report the matter via 105.Visit consumerprotection.govt.nz/general-help/scamwatch/(link is external) for more information on how you can prevent yourself, family and friends from being scammed.

The iconic Fiordland track was the first of the Great Walks to open for bookings with the rest opening over the next few days.The Great Walks season runs between late October and the end of April.DOC bookings service manager Ross Shearer said it had predicted a high level of demand and initial observations showed it."The track was close to fully booked, aside from some ongoing cancellations and bookings changes, well within the first 30 minutes of opening."DOC's booking service coped well with the high volume of bookings over a short period of time."Nearly two hours after opening, there were only sporadic bookings left with no huts dates recording more than eight available spaces on any given day.Last year, it took just 15 minutes for accommodation on the Milford Track to fill up for the entire season."We'll have a full breakdown of how Milford bookings went once the data has been compiled - around midday tomorrow," Shearer said.Last year, DOC created a myth-busting blog post about how the Great Walks bookings work.

Te Tohu o Matariki - the new logo for Matariki - has been unveiled as the historic first matauranga Māori public holiday is soon to be observed.Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, several other ministers and the chair of the Matariki advisory board, Professor Rangi Matamua, gathered at the Carter Observatory in Wellington today to learn about the tohu and its relevance.The tohu illustrates each star in the cluster as a tukutuku design and each has a different colour associated with it and is depicted by nine woven stitches to symbolise Māori culture intertwining with the rest of the country.One of the creators of the new logo, Tyrone Ohia, said the design represents Aotearoa uniting as one."They cross in and out of each other and hold each other together.... we're hoping it's a metaphor for us as a nation coming together under this Māori kaupapa to celebrate in a distinctively Aotearoa way that's inclusive of all of us".The government first announced in 2020 it would make Matariki a public holiday if it was re-elected later that year.Jacinda Ardern speaks at the logo launch at the Carter Observatory in Wellington. Photo: RNZ / Ashleigh McCaulRecently law to set up Matariki as a public holiday passed in Parliament, making it the 12th public holiday in Aotearoa.Speaking at the gifting, Ardern said introducing Matariki as a public holiday will help shape Aotearoa's future identity."In the many many things that we will do as a government this, alongside our children learning New Zealand's history in schools, I think will lay a foundation for New Zealand's future that means that we better recognise and understand who we are; what makes us unique and we celebrate that together."She expected the holiday to change over time with more people learning about what Matariki meant to the country.Professor Matamua spoke about the design, saying there was an undeniable connection between the tukutuku panels inside the wharenui and the stars at night."This logo represents something that can embed and reaffirm our national identity, and those really crucial elements that make us who we are and where we are."Professor Matamua expected there to be numerous events to celebrate the Māori New Year across the motu including from whānau waking up early to stargaze, to arts events and concerts.Matariki will be celebrated for the first time as a public holiday on 24 June.Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Kiritapu Allan acknowledged the tamariki of Te Kōhanga Reo o Ngā Mokopuna and sang a waiata about Matariki with them.Allan has a daughter named after one of the stars of Matariki, Hiwa-i-te-rangi.She said her daughter was growing up in a world where Matariki had been normalised."She's growing up in a world where mātauranga is something that's inherently built into our culture and characteristics and fibres. So she won't know any different."It's estimated Matariki will benefit domestic tourism industry between $110 million to $160m.

You would have passed the Matakana War Memorial statue of King George V numerous times, who stands at the the entrance to our beautiful Matakana Village.The Matakana War Memorial is a dedication to the 13 men from our village, who lost their lives in the First World War. In 2012 another plaque was added, listing six local men who died in World War Two. This statue, our symbol of remembrance has been continually vandalised since the 1980’s and sadly has met the hands of vandals once again, as last Saturday night the Matakana War Memorial was desecrated again with another beheading of the George V statue.Previously in the years 1999, 2006 and 2011 the statues head was severed and on 2 occasions not recovered.The cost in 2012 to sculpt and attach a new head for the statue was roughly $20,000+. Fortunately after some negotiations by Adrienne Miller the Auckland Council have again agreed to fix and pay for the repairs.You may now notice that the War Memorial New Zealand flag is now hanging upside down on the monument, a navy signal that represents one being in trouble and needing help."This will be a reminder to all that past - that the Matakana War Memorial is in trouble and needs your help. I will return the flag upright when the head has been reinstalled” said Adrienne Miller.We are thankful for the dedication to our War Memorial by passionate locals, as we want to remember those who lost their lives in conflict. 

Omicron-generated disruptions and nervousness along with rising prices and interest rates are taking a bigger toll on consumers, but there signs of an improvement for business.The latest data from credit reporting firm Centrix shows consumer credit demand fell 6 percent in the year ended April, and mortgage applications were down 12 percent.The firm's monthly credit report showed the number of consumers missing payments for unsecured credit such as Buy Now Pay Later and telecommunications contracts was close to a two-year high, while creditworthiness also eased."Arrears are also increasing across the board, as Kiwis begin to struggle with making repayments in the face of the rising cost of living," Centrix managing director Keith McLaughlin said.He said mortgage demand had fallen 12 percent over the past year and the value of mortgage lending was down nearly a third, as the housing market slowed, mortgage rates increased, and getting credit became more difficult."Borrowers are being pushed into longer term mortgages to keep payments as low as they can, with 57 percent of new mortgages in 2022 issued with 30-year loan terms."McLaughlin said mortgage arrears remained low but have been rising, which he saw as "an early signal of increasing financial hardship and a potential sign of future trouble".However, he said there were some signs of a turnaround in business credit demand, with fewer credit defaults and improved creditworthiness."[This] could indicate signs of recovery across the country, or businesses managing their cashflows and making some tough calls before getting into financial distress," he said adding that the retail and hospitality sectors were showing signs of recovery.McLaughlin said he expected tougher financial times and demand for credit to remain through the year.

Expect a few days of full sun this week! Today - Fine. Easterlies.Tuesday - Fine. Easterlies.Wednesday - Partly cloudy. Chance of a shower. Easterlies.Thursday - Partly cloudy. Chance of a shower. Easterlies.Friday - Fine with southeasterlies.Saturday - Fine. Easterlies.Sunday - A few showers. Northerlies.

Explosive new data shows the sea level is rising twice as fast as previously thought in some parts of Aotearoa, massively reducing the amount of time authorities have to respond.The major new projections show infrastructure and homes in Auckland and Wellington - as well as many other places - risk inundation decades earlier than expected.For example, in just 18 years parts of the capital will see 30cm of sea level rise, causing once-in-a-century flood damage every year.Previously, councils and other authorities had not expected to reach this threshold until 2060 - halving the time to plan for mitigation or retreat.The new information comes from a programme comprising dozens of local and international scientists called NZ SeaRise, which also includes GNS Science and Niwa.It combines data about where land is sinking with the latest international sea-level rise projections.The new information is a game changer, and will likely have serious consequences for climate adaptation planning, and could impact property prices.Globally the sea level is expected to rise about half a metre by 2100 - but for large parts of New Zealand it could more than double that because of land subsidence.Victoria University of Wellington Professor and SeaRise programme co-leader Tim Naish said: "We have less time to act than we thought."Photo: 123RFWellington: Just 18 years or less before serious effectsNaish said he was surprised how soon impacts would be felt in parts of Auckland and Wellington.Some areas are sinking 3mm or 4mm a year - about the annual rate at which the sea is rising."[This] doubles the amount of sea level rise and it halves the time ... you thought you had to deal with the sea-level rise that was in the original guidance documents that councils were using."Naish described a case study of the road connecting Petone and Eastbourne in Lower Hutt, which would see 30cm of sea level rise by 2040.This threshold is important because at that level a one-in-100 year storm which closes the roads and damages infrastructure could happen every year.He said local and regional councils have been making plans for this threshold to be reached in 2060, giving 20 fewer years to plan and adapt accordingly.Other places on Wellington's south coast such as Ōwhiro Bay, Lyall Bay, Seatoun among others are also subsiding."You are going to see the impacts of quite damaging sea level rise much sooner than we thought .... roads and properties inundated."He said road and rail infrastructure on State Highway 2 at the Korokoro interchange in Petone is another highly vulnerable area.The largest overall increases in the whole country are on the southeast North Island along the Wairarapa Coast.Here, the sea level could be be up well over one and a half metres by 2100.About 30cm of sea level rise is unavoidable because of the amount of climate gases already in the atmosphere.Homes and crucial infrastructure in Auckland in the firing lineNaish said vulnerable places in Auckland included the waterfront around the bays, Tamaki Drive, the Viaduct, areas around the Northwestern Motorway at Point Chevalier, St Heliers and Mission Bay.He said many of these places already have issues during king tides, are close to sea level, and are sinking.At the Viaduct the land is sinking about about 2.5mm a year."That almost doubles the rate of expected sea-level rise and halves the time you have."The city council, [and] the port authority are all going to have to start looking closely in terms of their future activities at this new information."He said in many parts of Auckland the sea-level would rise 30 to 50 percent faster than what was previously thought.Meanwhile, he said parts of Thames township is also very vulnerable, and the sinking happening in the Hauraki plains means the stopbanks there have a shorter lifespan than previously thought.Photo: RNZ / Tracy NealRichmond in Nelson a hotspotA major worry is the suburb of Richmond and nearby parts in the Nelson area which is subsiding at about 5mm a year."That whole area there has been a lot of development, new subdivisions, housing ... the airport is very exposed, and that road around [the coast to Richmond] is vulnerable," Naish said.He said local and regional councils in the region have known for a long time there could be issues there with sea-level rise."There is going to be some really big challenges for that region."Online tool lets residents, authorities checkNew Zealanders will soon be able to see for the first time how much and how fast sea-level will rise along their own stretch of coast.NZ SeaRise's online tool showing how your home could be affected will be available here from 5am, Monday 2 May.The entire coastline has been mapped down to a 2km spacing.The new advice combines data about where land is sinking with the latest international sea-level rise projections.It will be an major new tool for councils, businesses and homeowners to assess risk from erosion and floods.'Information is power'Naish said the new data was important information and people should try not to be too overwhelmed."Information is power, so don't be afraid of it."We still have time ... but we don't have time to sit on our hands anymore."If you're a [council representative] or you're a developer, or you're a decisions maker in the coastal areas of New Zealand you need to start thinking right now what the plan is for adapting to that sea-level rise."Yes, it is a bit terrifying but there is still time and I think that is the way to look at it."The information is timely, coming hot on the heels of the climate change draft adaptation plan released last week.It asks for public input on the plans, and on so-called ''managed retreat'" - abandoning areas where it is not possible or financially viable to live any longer.Naish said uncertainty about the predictions were clearly laid out in the tool - but he said there was no question that there would be a response from property owners, the insurance and banking sectors to the new information.GNS Science Environment and Climate Theme Leader Dr Richard Levy said until now, the risk from sea-level rise has been quite poorly defined for New Zealand."Current sea-level projections in the Ministry for the Environment coastal hazards guidance do not take into account local vertical land movements."Most of the information about sea-level rise was more or less extrapolated out from the global average.NZ SeaRise is a five-year research programme comprising local and international experts from Te Herenga Waka-Victoria University of Wellington, GNS Science, NIWA, University of Otago and the Antarctic Science Platform.It is funded by the Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment.Climate change and warming temperatures are causing sea levels to rise, on average, by 3.5 mm per year.This sea level rise is caused by thermal expansion of the ocean, by melting land based glaciers, and by melting of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets.

This morning there are reports of slow-moving traffic from the stretch of highway from Warkworth to Wellsford. Especially around the Kaipara Flats intersection.There is stop and go in place, due to road works. Expect delays from today until the 7th May when it is completed.For more information on the project: https://nx2group.com/pukerito