Two people charged after a woman's body was found in the Gulf Harbour have pleaded not guilty to all charges.The body of 70-year-old Chinese woman Shulai Wang was found in a black rubbish bag in the water in Gulf Harbour on 12 March, but her identity wasn't revealed until October.Three people have been charged with manslaughter and kidnapping, a 36-year-old man, a 37-year-old woman, and a 61-year-old woman.The younger man and woman are facing additional charges related to obstruction and providing false immigration information.Both appeared in the North Shore District Court on Friday morning and entered not guilty pleas.The man applied for bail with a 24-hour curfew but was denied and detained.

Celebrate being in business!I had a chat last week with the owner of a small business here in Warkworth. During our conversation, they said something that stuck with me: “I’d probably be better off working at a supermarket, where I could clock out at the end of the day and not worry about staff rosters, taxes, suppliers, or council fees.”This comment got me thinking about how business owners are often perceived. There’s a common belief that business owners are raking it in, while all the pressure falls on their workers. But those of us who have been in business know the reality is quite different. In fact, around 97% of businesses in New Zealand are classified as small to medium, and making a success of any business is no easy feat.Sure, people might think that being a business owner means you have the freedom to come and go as you please. But they don’t see the late nights and weekends spent trying to balance the books, worrying about whether they can pay the suppliers, the tax office, and their staff. Often, paying themselves comes last on the list.These are the things that keep many business owners awake at night. Of course, some businesses do well, but people don’t always see the hard work and long hours it took to get them there, or the personal sacrifices along the way.So, why am I mentioning this? Because when you look at our local business owners, I want you to remember that they’ve invested more than just money and time into their businesses. Often, their homes are tied up in it, too. For them, this isn’t just a job—it’s their future. They’re responsible not only for their business but also for the wellbeing of their staff. You’d be surprised how often wages are paid out, but the owner is left without a paycheck.I know people might be tired of hearing me push the “Buy Local” message, but these businesses are the backbone of our community. They deserve our support and respect for the risks they’ve taken and the effort they’ve put in.The answer is simple: Buy Local. Support Local. Employ Local. Love Local.We really are stronger together.Murray ChapmanManager, One Mahurangi Business AssociationEmail: [email protected]// Celebrate Local Business! //Northland Waste Takes Top Honours at This Year’s Northland Business Awards!We’re thrilled to announce that Northland Waste, a One Mahurangi member and Silver Sponsor, has been named the Supreme Winner at this year’s awards, earning recognition across three major categories—a testament to their remarkable leadership and community impact.Here’s a closer look at Northland Waste’s achievements:Supreme Excellence Award – Celebrating their outstanding leadership and influence within the business community.Excellence in Business - Large Business Award – Acknowledging their resilience and consistent growth over the years.Best Digital Adaptation Award – Recognising their forward-thinking approach to digital innovation.Judges' CommentsThe judges commended Northland Waste for its steady growth since 2008, highlighting their innovative, tailored solutions that benefit both employees and clients. Their strong, people-centered culture and unwavering commitment to innovation set them apart as they continue to shape the future of waste management.Congratulations to Northland Waste on these well-deserved accolades!Read the NZ Herald article HERE>Davco Electrical Services Shines Bright with Award-Winning Riverbank Lighting Project!Congratulations to Davco Electrical Services, a valued One Mahurangi Silver Sponsor, on their recent success at the Master Electricians Awards! Davco was honoured with the Lighting Design Award for their impressive work on the Mahurangi Riverbank lighting installation as part of the Te Hokinga Mahara (Collection of Memories) project.This award-winning installation is no ordinary lighting project. Davco's work reflects a meticulous blend of cultural respect, ecological consideration, and technical prowess. Designed to illuminate the riverbank with both beauty and purpose, the installation also required Davco to navigate complex civil, health and safety, and technical challenges. Their dedication and skill in executing this vision have set a new benchmark for lighting design in the region.This achievement is a fantastic recognition of Davco’s expertise and commitment to creating projects that enhance our community spaces with creativity and care. Well done to the Davco team!Read the full Master Electricians Press Release HERE>OMBA SILVER SPONSOR// Community Noticeboard //🔗 Event link: Read more and register hereFacebook Event listing HERE>Facebook Event listing HERE>TO READ THE FULL NEWSLETTER HEAD HERE

Warkworth / Rodney RegionFriday 8th November - Cloudy periods, with patchy morning fog possible. A few showers developing around midday, possibly heavy. Northerlies developing this morning.Saturday 9th November - Mostly cloudy, with a few showers in the afternoon. Northerlies, turning westerly for a time in the afternoon and evening.Sunday 10th November - Partly cloudy, with a few showers developing. Northwesterlies.Mangawhai / Northland RegionFriday 8th November - Mainly fine after morning cloud and possibly fog. A few afternoon showers. Northerlies developing this morningSaturday 9th November - Partly cloudy, with a few showers in the afternoon. Northerlies developing in the morning.Sunday 10th November - A few showers. Northerlies developing.

Gwen Mcclure, for The DetailOver the course of years, patients at North Shore Hospital's gynaecological and obstetric theatres were examined and treated by medical students, without giving their consent.In the obstetrics and gynaecological theatres at North Shore Hospital, patients were treated or examined by trainee doctors without giving their consent.And the nurse who raised concerns was stood down for doing so.Now a report that looked at the issues has made adverse comments about what happened, but has stopped short of saying the events had breached health's code of ethics on patient rights.The former North Shore Hospital nurse, known as Registered Nurse A, contacted Stuff Circuit investigative journalist Paula Penfold to share her story. For years, she had been concerned with the processes around informed consent in the theatres where she worked."She says, 'you know, somebody that you hadn't consented to having their hands in your vagina, trying to find your cervix, would you want to know?' She says 'I would want to know, and I would want my children and my granddaughters to know," says Penfold.Eventually, after her complaints were ignored, she went to the Health and Disability Commissioner Morag McDowell, who investigated and released the findings of her report in October.That report found 'weaknesses in the systems' around obtaining informed consent at what was then Waitematā District Health Board.But Registered Nurse A had much more to say."She wanted to describe what the process had been like, because it was a fight for her and even though there are aspects of the eventual finding that she's happy about, there are some that she's not, so she wanted the story to be told in a fuller way than the report ever could."That story began in 2012, when Nurse A was concerned about medical staff not following protocols around getting informed consent from patients. She complained to the DHB, and it came back with updated policies.But after a medical leave, she came back to the hospital in 2018 to find that things had 'significantly deteriorated in terms of issue of consent'," says Penfold.Those issues of consent included "a dossier of more than 40 cases of varying types of concerns."The report refers to two of these."One of them was a situation in which a woman had been examined vaginally by a junior doctor... she was already under anaesthetic and then the house officer, who's a doctor in training, was told by the junior doctor to do the same examination... for the purposes of teaching. As the nurse describes it, so that this house officer could find out where the cervix was."In this case, Nurse A protested that the patient had not given consent for that, and that secondary examination didn't go ahead."Another situation was where Nurse A walked into the theatre to be met by a surgeon saying 'oh you're here, we better do it properly,' and so then updated the consent on the documentation."Nurse A says that if she had been allowed as a part of the investigation to go back into the DHB and find those records, she would have been able to show that there were two different coloured inks used, i.e. that the consent had been recorded after the woman was already anaesthetised."For Nurse A, the concept of informed consent was straightforward."She talks about wanting to know - having the right to know - who's touching your body, who's going to be present and who's going to be carrying out the procedure. It's quite simple to her," says Penfold.But it doesn't seem it was simple to her employer."One of the criticisms that the Commissioner makes of North Shore Hospital is that in large part its defences were around the fact that it's a teaching hospital and that as such it was almost implicit - I'm paraphrasing - but because it's a teaching hospital of course teaching is going to happen on women, on patients and if you were to seek explicit consent for every possibly situation then one of its arguments... was that the patient might say no and then that would interfere with training."The commissioner was very clear on that: that's not good enough. The purpose of consent is exactly that."The fact that they might say no is not a good enough reason to not ask them."Monique Jonas, who teaches ethics to medical students at Auckland University, agrees."Informed consent is not just about patients agreeing to something, it's really about patients being able to make their own choice, and that means sometimes patients will refuse things and that's all part of informed consent."In New Zealand, the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers' Rights spells out what rights patients have, including the "Right to Make an Informed Choice and Give Informed Consent.""[It's] really the anchor for informed consent and for how treatment decisions should be made in New Zealand," says Jonas.At North Shore Hospital, Nurse A's colleagues grew increasingly hostile toward her, and in 2020 she was put on leave, before retiring nine years early.Find the full story on today's episode of The Detail, and read Penfold's articles here and here.Check out how to listen to and follow The Detail here.This story was originally published by RNZ

Farah Hancock, Data journalist, In DepthA sand mining company has been ordered to pay $500,000 in costs to community groups who fiercely opposed its plans to mine near Pākiri beach north of Auckland.McCallum Bros was ordered to pay the costs to Manuhiri Kaitiaki Charitable Trust and Pākiri local Damon Clapshaw after losing its Environment Court case in April.The award appeared to be among the largest ever ordered by the Environment Court. A $412,000 costs order against a Waiheke vineyard in 2022 was thought to be the highest at that time.McCallum Bros, which has mined offshore from Pākiri previously, was seeking to take up to two million cubic metres of sand from the area.It has appealed the case to the High Court.In the meantime, the Environment Court ordered the company to pay $50,000 to Clapshaw and $450,000 to Manuhiri Kaitiaki. Other parties to the case, including Auckland Council, the Department of Conservation, Forest and Bird and several community groups, settled their costs outside of court.RNZ understands that includes at least $100,000 in additional payments.Clapshaw chose to fight the company's mining bid after discovering the company had breached conditions of its previous resource consent by digging deep trenches in the seabed.The Environment Court found evidence provided by the company about the ecological effects of the mining had been "patchy", "inconclusive" and even "incorrect" in the past.It also found the effects on mana whenua could not be mitigated.Damon Clapshaw was among those awarded costs in the case. Photo: SuppliedClapshaw described the case as prolonged, complicated and "acrimonious" at times.He sought $96,000 in costs he incurred hiring experts to analyse information, and nothing to cover his own time.The court awarded him $50,000, which he said he was content with."In terms of the overall return, if I looked at the investment of both time and energy and resources and opportunity loss, it's about a fraction, but it's something I would do again."The other amount, awarded to Manuhiri Kaitiaki Charitable Trust, consisted of $100,000 for costs related to expert witnesses, and a further $350,000 to cover other costs.Part of the cost related to a last-minute attempt by McCallum Bros to have the trust struck out of the case on the basis it was a trade competitor.The court called the attempt a "concerning aspect" of the case, as the matter had been covered many weeks earlier. The application was "without merit" and should not have been made in the final days of the case, the court found.Manuhiri Kaitiaki Charitable Trust received 57 percent of the $795,000 in costs it applied for and Clapshaw 52 percent. Environment law firms cite 25 to 33 percent of actual costs as more typical.The court's cost decision noted McCallum Bros called the sum sought by Manuhiri Kaitiaki Charitable Trust "unprecedented" if awarded by the court.However the court decision said what stood out in the case was the late attempt to remove the trust from the case.McCallum Bros chief executive Shayne Elstob did not want to comment on the cost decision, but has talked previously about the court process in the select committee hearings for the Fast-track Approvals Bill.Pākiri beach is about an hour's drive north of Auckland. Photo: RNZ / Marika KhabaziThe company's attempt to gain consent to carry on mining had been a "horrendous" process, Elstob said."When all is said and done, this process could take more than seven years and has come at a huge cost to the business," Elstob told the committee."Had we known what we would have been dealing with through the current Resource Management Act process, I'm really not sure whether we would have made the application in the first place. We would have possibly invested our money elsewhere."Until the company's appeal to the High Court is resolved it is operating under a temporary consent with the agreement of parties involved in the case.Clapshaw said there have been breaches of the temporary arrangement, with more trawls taking place than were allowed. The company had admitted this and put the error down to an incorrect spreadsheet, he said.In a letter RNZ has seen, a McCallum Bros staff member told Auckland Council the error was due to an incorrectly-set-up spreadsheet."That does speak volumes to competence, because for most people counting something eight times in a 30 day period is not really requiring the work of an Excel spreadsheet."The company also applied for the consent to be included in the proposed fast-track legislation, which could allow projects rejected by courts to proceed.The expert advisory group recommended it be included, but it did not make the final list of 149 projects selected by Cabinet.Another McCallum Bros project, seeking to mine up to 8 million cubic metres of sand from Bream Bay, further up the coast from Pākiri, has been greenlit for fast-track consideration.This story was originally published by RNZ

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Our friends at LESS WASTE – Warkworth and Wellsford are now offering a FREE drop-off service for old cellphones!We absolutely love product stewardship schemes, especially when they support amazing charities. Thanks to RE:MOBILE NZ, you can now drop off your old cellphones at LESS WASTE locations in Warkworth and Wellsford for free! The Mobile Phone Recycling Scheme grades your old phones, wipes or destroys any data and SIM cards, refurbishes them, and resells them to those in need of basic devices. The profits from these sales are donated to Sustainable Coastlines, supporting their mission to reduce coastline litter by 60% by 2030.So far, over 30 tonnes of phones have been recycled, keeping them out of landfills thanks to the RE:MOBILE initiative. Take your clunky old bricks or smartphones that have bitten the dust to LESS WASTE! The free drop box is located at the pay station as you enter through the main gate.Why Recycle Your Phone?- Environmental Protection:** Mobile phones that end up in landfills can release harmful substances into the surrounding land and waterways. Recycling your phone helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prevent hazardous material buildup.- Supporting a Circular Economy:** Mobile phones contain valuable materials like gold, silver, and other precious metals. Recycling allows these resources to be reused, minimising the need for new materials.- Safe Disposal of Lithium-Ion Batteries:** Phones contain lithium-ion batteries, which can cause fires if they end up in landfills. Recycling ensures these batteries are disposed of safely.- Raising Money for a Great Cause:** For every phone recycled through RE:MOBILE, donations are made to Sustainable Coastlines, a New Zealand charity focused on reducing plastic pollution and litter. So far, they’ve removed over 1.7 million litres of litter from our coastlines!- Extending the Life of Phones:** If your phone still works and is in good condition, it can be refurbished and resold, reducing demand for new handsets and lowering the environmental impact of manufacturing.What’s Inside Your Mobile Phone?Aside from your SIM card, your phone is packed with valuable materials like gold, silver, palladium, and platinum. Although each phone contains only small amounts, it adds up when you consider that there are an estimated 7 billion mobile phones in use worldwide! Nearly all the components of your phone can be recycled and used to make new devices.Did You Know?It’s estimated that 4,000 tonnes of silver, 380 tonnes of gold, and 200,000 tonnes of copper are trapped in unused mobile phones worldwide!How to Recycle Your Phone with RE:MOBILE1. Drop it off at any 2degrees, Spark, or one.nz retail store, or one of our other collection points.2. Post or courier it directly to RE:MOBILE using one of their addresses.Recycling your phone is easy, good for the environment, and supports a fantastic cause. So, take your old phones to LESS WASTE or one of the other drop off points and help make a difference today!

Keiller MacDuff, Senior reporterPets and their owners can tune into the country's first Concert for Animals tonight to soothe nerves during Guy Fawkes.The concert, a collaboration by RNZ Concert and the SPCA will include music shown to help calm animals.SPCA scientific officer Dr Alison Vaughan said there was a body of research around the impacts of music on animals, in particular for animals in shelters, which have been used to form the basis of the playlist.SPCA centres around the country will be tuning in on Tuesday night, she said.She said the SPCA has been campaigning for decades for a ban on the private sale and use of fireworks.An online petition to end private sales had topped forty four thousand signatures by midday Monday.Dr Vaughan told Midday Report the best thing owners could do was be with their animals.She advised getting some exercise in early, closing doors and windows before it gets dark, and settling in for the night.SPCA supports the use of fireworks in controlled and notified public displays.Some may find the use of pheromone diffusers and sprays useful, and Vaughan suggested owners who know their animals react badly should talk to their vets about the use of medication.The New Zealand Veterinary Association Te Pae Kīrehe (NZVA) said every year veterinarians see badly injured horses who have panicked and run through fences, attempted to jump out of paddocks, or run on to roads, endangering themselves and motorists.Cats and dogs often get anxious and attempt to flee, resulting in an increased risk of injury and trauma. Large animals in general suffer from fear and stress related to fireworks, and fireworks also impact wildlife.In its position statement on fireworks, the SPCA says wild animals change their behaviour in response to loud and abrupt noises which can lead to physical injury, disrupted feeding, abandonment of young, stress and death.People also directly target wildlife and other animals who are injured or killed deliberately with fireworks.In New Zealand, the sale of fireworks is restricted to just four days a year, from Saturday 2 November to Tuesday 5 November but there are no restrictions on when they can be used.NZVA Head of Veterinary Services (Large Animals) Cristin Dwyer said this unpredictability, especially when fireworks are stockpiled and set off at other times of the year, is one of the biggest challenges for pet owners."This means animal owners often feel helpless because they may not have a choice or be given enough warning to move their animals to a safe place," she said."Fireworks have a significant impact on livestock animals, specifically on horses, so we urge anyone setting off fireworks to consider their surroundings, discuss their plans with their neighbours, and be prepared to stop if someone indicates their animals are distressed."The Warehouse, once New Zealand's largest fireworks retailer, stopped selling them in 2021, saying they "no longer reflected the company's values."The 'Concert for Animals' playlist is available here (scroll down to 6pm). You - and your pets - can tune in on the radio, or stream from rnz.co.nz, the RNZ App, SKY TV channel 422, or Freeview Channel 51.This story was originally published by RNZ

Susan Edmunds, Money CorrespondentPower prices offered to customers through comparison website Powerswitch have increased significantly this year, one retailer says, and there is a warning more bill pain may be to come.Octopus Energy has looked at data from Powerswitch and compared January pricing with that available at the end of September.It shows Contact had an average increase of 10 percent in Auckland, and Mercury 5 percent. Mercury's short term discounted offers lifted more than 30 percent in Auckland, Octopus said,In Christchurch, Contact's prices were up almost 15 percent, Mercury's almost 10 percent, Meridian's almost 15 percent and Mercury's short-term discount offered more than 40 percent.In Wellington, Contact's prices were up almost 10 percent, Mercury more than 5 percent, Mercury's short-term discount almost 25 percent and Meridian more than 5 percent.Powerswitch general manager Paul Fuge said the situation was "not looking good"."We are seeing a lot of price changes coming through."He said it had been expected that higher wholesale prices would flow through to retail prices at some point. "But we didn't know when or to what extent... this analysis shows that is starting to happen."Fuge said pricing could be hard to track because households even next door to each other could be paying "radically different" electricity prices.But he said lines prices would increase 8 percent to 10 percent next year when prices go up $15 a month.People who had been paying low user charges, which are being fazed out, would also face another increase of about $150 a year."You've got a perfect storm of price increases, all going in the same direction."Normally you might see, as has happened before, energy price increases offset by a lines price decrease. But what we are seeing at the moment is all those things going up, there's no offsetting going on."He said that was concerning when 20 percent of people already said they struggled to pay their power bills. "What happens when the price is put up again... we are really worried."He said, if there was another crisis in wholesale prices next year, as seen in the middle of this year, "it could get really dire".Gareth Kiernan, chief forecaster at Infometrics, said the price increases were not showing through in official data yet. The consumer price index showed household electricity cost up 5.9 percent in the last year."It doesn't sound that rapid and there is probably more to come but it's still the fastest since 2009 with the exception of the increase in GST in 2010."He said the futures market had moderated in the last two or three months but prices were still double what they were three years ago.A spokesperson for Mercury said it reviewed its pricing from time to time,."We recently changed our Powerswitch offerings as we are conscious that from April 1, the forward path for transmission and distribution pricing, which is set by the Commerce Commission, will increase and this will flow through to consumers. Indications are there are further increases in April 26. Our Powerswitch offers are a mix of one- and two-year fixed offers and therefore need to reflect these increases. Prices for our existing standard rate and fixed rate customers have not changed."Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.This story was originally published by RNZ

The Mangawhai Education Trust is on track to open Mangawhai Hills College, a new, independent secondary school aimed at providing progressive, future-focused education for the community. Located on Tara Road, the private college is set to welcome its first intake of students in February 2025, catering to Year 7-13 students.Mangawhai Hills College addresses a significant gap in local education, as there is currently no secondary school in Mangawhai. The Ministry of Education has confirmed that establishing a public secondary school in the area is not part of its short- to medium-term plans. As a result, students from Mangawhai currently face long commutes to high schools in Maungaturoto, Wellsford, or Warkworth.Despite its appeal, the school comes with a steep tuition fee of $16,000 per year, which may be out of reach for many local families. However, as a non-profit institution, the college aims to offer a high-quality education experience with small class sizes, maintaining a student-to-teacher ratio of 20:1.Mangawhai Hills College will start with 40 students in Years 7, 8, and 9, with plans to expand to include Years 10-13 over the next four years. The school recently received resource consent, and construction is underway. They have also announced the first three foundational teachers for the inaugural school year.For more information or to enrol, visit their website: [Mangawhai Education Trust](https://www.mangawhaieducation.org.nz).

Warkworth / Rodney RegionMonday 4th November - Fine, apart from areas of morning cloud and the chance of an afternoon shower. Light winds, afternoon sea breezes.Tuesday 5th November - Cloud clearing and becoming fine at night. Westerlies.Wednesday 6th November - Fine, but becoming cloudy in the morning. Southwesterlies developing.Thursday 7th November - Mainly fine, chance of a shower. Light windsFriday 8th - A few showers. Light winds.Saturday 9th - A few showers with light winds.Sunday 10th - Showers. Northerlies.Mangawhai / Northland RegionMonday 4th November - Partly cloudy with the chance of an afternoon shower. Light winds.Tuesday 5th November - Fine. Light winds.Wednesday 6th November - Partly cloudy. Light winds.Thursday 7th November - A few showers developing. Light winds.Friday 8th - A few showers. Light winds.Saturday 9th - Showers with light winds.Sunday 10th - Rain. Northerlies.

Less than a week to go until Tomarata Fireworks celebrates 21 years of bringing its spectacular fireworks show to the region. Having grown in popularity year-after-year, the event now attracts almost 5,000 people, delighting local families and those from the wider region alike.To celebrate turning 21, the event this year boasts a fantastic line-up of food vendors, live-music, a Kids’ Zone with rides and face painting, as well as the signature, world-class fireworks show it has become known for.Many believe the fireworks are the best they’ve experienced, partly because they can safely view them from a closer distance, and because of the event’s rural location, which has no light pollution.While providing a fantastic outing for the whole family, the event is also an important fundraiser for Tomarata School, with all funds raised going to the school to help fund key projects and upgrades.“Being a small, rural school of 70 pupils, there are many projects that fall outside of what the Ministry of Education can support us with, therefore we must fundraise for these ourselves”, says Chris King, Principal of Tomarata School.This year, all funds raised will go towards upgrading the school’s playground, so that children of all ages, and particularly the younger children, can have the opportunity to develop confidence, strength and agility through play.With rising costs of putting on the event, the event’s sponsors play a crucial role in ensuring the fireworks can continue to run year after year as a fundraiser. This year, Tomarata Fireworks is presented by New World Mangawhai, the event’s principal sponsor.“We are incredibly grateful to Scott and the team at New World Mangawhai for helping us bring the event to life this year. Their contribution will have a direct impact on all students at our school,” says Chris.“We’d also like to thank all of our volunteers, including Mangawhai Rotary and Coastguard Kawau, who get involved year after year to help make the event a success.”Regular event goers may notice a few new features at this year’s event. There will be traffic management in place, great public transport options, more delicious food options, fun event merchandise, and cashless payment will also be available.“The event is an opportunity to bring members of our community together and we know many look forward to it each year. We’re looking forward to hosting another night of fantastic entertainment again this year,” says Chris.Tickets are on sale now – visit https://events.humanitix.com/tomarata-fireworks-2024Key event details:When: Saturday 9th November, 2024, gates open at 4pmWhere: Tomarata Domain, 112, Pakiri Block Road, Tomarata 0974.Tickets:Child under 5 freeChild under 16 $15Adult 16+ $20Family - 2 Adult, 2 Children $55Family - 2 Adult, 3 Children $70Booking and service fees applyFor more information, interviews or images, please contact Emma Cameron or Linda Chim at [email protected] or 021 428 708.Presenting PartnerPartnersSupportersRaffle Supporters

Russell Palmer, Political ReporterThe government wants to speed up house building by allowing builders to sign off their own work.The usual critics seem unusually optimistic, but there are warnings the process needs to be handled properly or New Zealand risks another leaky buildings crisis - which last time around cost the country about $11 billion.Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk's plan would mean builders and plumbers not longer needing to wait for inspections and resource consents from local councils by self-certifying the work themselves, something electricians can already do.With the scheme still out for consultation, final details are not set to be nailed down and announced until sometime next year.Options being consideredIn a long-form interview with RNZ for the Focus on Politics podcast, Penk said it would be a risk-based approach only used for straightforward jobs, or by trusted construction groups with a proven track record and the finances to pay out to home-buyers if things do go wrong.This would be paired with harsher penalties for those found breaking the rules."An obvious starting point would be single-storey detached residential dwellings, of which there are many thousands ... we hope, as many as possible able to be built every year in this country," he said."From a technical point of view, there's a standard design known as '3604' which is in effect a simple, standard residential dwelling of usual proportions, for which we would consider the risk to be low."That might give us a starting point and it might be that that would be enough to have as a scheme for self certification to get a lot of bang for the buck without needing to enter into risky territory where there's more complex building typologies or renovations."He said it was yet to be decided if the scheme would cover alterations, but they could be added later if the system worked as planned.His announcement had highlighted the 569-day average for getting a house fully consented, and the 10 or more council inspections typically required. He told RNZ he was hopeful of halving the time taken, but that this was not a target or firm commitment.The number of in-person inspections could also be brought down - perhaps to one at the start and one at the end - with other checks done remotely via teleconferencing and the like.Another detail still being explored was exactly what requirements would need to be met for a building company to be considered trusted. Other backing could include indemnity insurance.Penk had told RNZ's Checkpoint on Tuesday it would not be one-person operations, and reiterated that."Strength of financial position is probably the point to emphasise, we can't have operators that are too small, because almost inevitably they won't have a sufficiently strong position that if they were to be sued or otherwise held accountable, then they would be able to come to the party and meet those shortfalls."But of course, it may also be the case that a large outfit may be in a perilous financial position - and sadly, there have been a few examples of those over the years."Construction franchises would also need some consideration."It is effectively a number of relatively small businesses under a single banner, and the extent to which the master franchisor might be able to be held accountable or might be prepared to offer an assurance effectively underwriting the quality."Risks, complications, and insuranceInstitute of Building Surveyors president David Clifton warned of the risks if the process was not properly handled, highlighting a need for stronger continuous education processes in the industry to get the current high inspection failure rates under control."There are some fundamental foundation blocks that need to be put in place," he said. "The first one is some real steps around the cost of consent, and the time that consents take needs to be established. We need to understand how much our failure rates actually are and what is acceptable before we go self certifying."In Auckland Council at the moment, there are reasonable number of posts on LinkedIn talking about failure rates well in excess of 20 percent, I don't think that's acceptable to then turn the tap on and start self certifying."Penk believed cowboy operators were largely responsible for the high inspection rate failures, and pointed to permanent licence cancellation or higher fines as ways to counter that."The size of the fine is up for discussion. Just to be really blunt, it needs to be sufficiently high to be a disincentive for people to be operating in a shonky way ... it seems to me that at the moment, $10,000 fine for example and a temporary loss of a license as a licensed building practitioner, isn't a sufficient deterrent."The announcement included confirmation there would be stronger qualification requirements for builders, but the details were still in the design phase.Clifton highlighted education as key to bringing those inspection failure rates down. He said the current system for ongoing on-the-job training - continuous professional development - for builders and general contractors was "reasonably easy to comply with, there isn't much need for formal training courses and the like - just supervising your staff".Standardising simple house designs and materials would also be needed to ensure consistency of approach and ease of construction, he said, along with setting up a professional indemnity insurance market."Professional indemnity insurance is an expensive and high-threshold product. You don't just get it willy nilly normally," Clifton said."That market in itself has to mature, there has to be the financial backing for that market, and that means international insurance markets need to come to the party and say 'hey, yes, we we can help backstop this insurance piece and make sure it's suitably funded' so if there is a claim, the insurance is going to stand up."If you can't achieve it with insurance market backing, then you're going to have to come up with another scheme - so things like a government-backed scheme or something like they have in the UK, or you're going to have to look to the likes of Master Builders, Certified Builders and their guarantee scheme and upgrading that into an insurance-type policy scheme."However, he said that approach would be a "big ask" for those professional bodies, which were primarily set up to represent their members rather than providing insurance the public could claim against.Penk acknowledged there was more work to be done."Yeah, we will need to have a few key details locked in from the start, and those will go to the criteria of the building companies operating at that high level and from a tradesperson perspective, making sure that the relevant registration boards - which already exist, by the way, and are created by statute - have the necessary mandate to provide a system that's really robust."There will need to be more education and ongoing certification will need to be meaningful ... I'd rather have a system that's more stringent, if anything, in terms of assuring us that such people are qualified ... but then give them the quid pro quo, which is the ability to get on and do that job relatively unencumbered by inspections that don't necessarily add anything."He said he had not yet discussed indemnity with international providers, or reinsurers - who cover insurers in case of large-scale or sector-wide failures - but had been speaking with some New Zealand-based insurers."They tell me that they would require there to be certain conditions in place, such as an effective regime for cracking down on cowboys ... high standards of ongoing education, appropriate licensing and so on, which is all the things that we want in any case."He acknowledged there could be a risk - however small - in the high cost of insurance leading to higher prices for house builds than under the previous system, but it would be part of the system anyway."If you're thinking about building new homes or even renovations and in terms of a cost of doing business, I think it's inevitable that insurance will be part of the picture anyway. If we require it then, yes, there's a possibility that will effectively mandate an additional cost but I think that cost if anyone's acting in a reasonably prudent way, probably exists anyway."It might be that we allow [in some cases] - for the comfort of the homeowner - that they would require that their tradesperson still have their work signed off by council, and that might be the remedy for those for whom insurance isn't obtainable or isn't obtainable at a reasonable price."He committed also to ensuring councils would not be liable for works they had not themselves signed off on.Non-partisan approach 'really important'Labour's Kieran McAnulty this week expressed cautious optimism for the changes.Penk felt maintaining a bipartisan approach to the system would be "really important"."I've been pleased that actually, they seem to be very minded of the need to improve our systems in building control ... we know there'll be good engagement because New Zealand Inc requires that we get some solutions to the housing supply and affordability crisis that's dogged this country over successive governments."I'm very hopeful we'll have a bipartisan approach, such that the sector as a whole and therefore New Zealand can enjoy the confidence that the settings won't change every three or six or nine years."The self-certification consultation revealed on Tuesday follows Penk's other work with the sector, including plans announced a month earlier to reduce the number of consenting authorities. Other moves have included not requiring consenting for granny flats (buildings 60sqm or less); making virtual inspections the default; and in April the loosening of restrictions on overseas building products."It's interesting in this, the further get into this discussion, the more you realize that everyone's interests are aligned here, be it the homeowners, the governments, certainly local government on the current footprint of building consent authorities and insurers, everyone wants a system that rewards people who are doing good work and penalises those that are not."This story was originally published by RNZ

MOTORWAY CLOSURES FOR AUCKLAND MARATHON - SUN 03 NOVThe Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Marathon takes place this weekend and will involve citybound lane and ramp closures on the Northern Mwy and Auckland Harbour Bridge between 4:00am and 12:00 midday on Sunday morning, 03 November 2024.Please note that the Harbour Bridge will be OPEN at all times during this period, however some delays may be experienced by motorists with fewer lanes available than usual (three lanes in each direction will be open). A detour is not required.CLOSURE DETAILS:The Northern Busway Bus-Only lanes will be closed from Constellation Dr to Onewa Rd interchange, with runners entering the Busway at Smales Farm. One lane of the Northern Motorway will be closed southbound after Esmonde Rd interchange, with the Onewa Rd southbound on-ramp to the motorway (including the bus-only lane) closed. Esmonde Rd on-ramp will remain open.South of Onewa Rd, the two left southbound motorway lanes will be closed while runners use the two southbound clip-on lanes over the Harbour Bridge, leaving the motorway at Shelly Beach Rd off-ramp (which will be closed to all traffic) and then looping around to use Curran St to run beneath the bridge (the Curran St on-ramp will be closed to all traffic) and along Westhaven Dr into the city. In addition, the Fanshawe St motorway off-ramp (citybound) will be closed from 2am until 3pm for the duration of the event.Other road closures, and parking restrictions, will be in place, with detail available on Auckland Transport's website: http://spr.ly/6187qLEiDRunners and supporters should check the Auckland Marathon website: http://spr.ly/6188qLEiE for information about travelling to/from the event.Overnight motorway closures 3-8 November 2024 NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi advises of the following closures for motorway improvements. Work delayed by bad weather will be completed at the next available date, prior to Friday, 8 November 2024.Unless otherwise stated, closures start at 9pm and finish at 5am. Traffic management may be in place before the advertised closure times for the mainline. NORTHERN MOTORWAY (SH1)• Southbound lanes between Constellation Drive off-ramp and Tristram Avenue on-ramp, 4 November (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)o Constellation Drive southbound on-ramp, 4 November• Northbound lanes between Tristram Avenue off-ramp and Constellation Drive on-ramp, 6-7 November (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)o Tristram Avenue northbound on-ramp, 6-7 November• Onewa southbound on-ramp, 3 November (approx. 2:00am to 3:00pm)• Curran Street northbound on-ramp, 3 November (approx. 2:00am to 3:00pm)• Shelly Beach Road southbound off-ramp, 3 November (approx. 2:00am to 3:00pm)CENTRAL MOTORWAY JUNCTION (CMJ)• Fanshawe Street southbound off-ramp, 3 November (approx. 2:00am to 3:00pm)• Symonds Street southbound on-ramp, 7 November (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)SOUTHERN MOTORWAY (SH1)• Hill Road southbound off-ramp, 5-7 November (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)• Northbound lanes between Papakura off-ramp and Redoubt Road on-ramp, 3-4 November (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)o SH1 northbound to SH20 northbound link, 3-4 November (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)o Hill Road northbound on-ramp, 3-4 Novembero Takanini northbound on-ramp, 3-7 Novembero Papakura (Diamond) northbound on-ramp, 3-4 Novembero Papakura (Loop) northbound on-ramp, 3-4 November• Southbound lanes between Papakura off-ramp and Ramarama on-ramp, 3-7 Novembero Papakura (Loop) southbound on-ramp, 3-7 Novembero Papakura (Diamond) southbound on-ramp, 3-7 Novembero Drury/SH22 southbound on-ramp, 3-7 November• Northbound lanes between Ramarama off-ramp and Papakura on-ramp, 5-7 Novembero Drury/SH22 northbound on-ramp, 5-7 Novembero Ramarama northbound on-ramp, 5-7 November• Bombay southbound off-ramp, 3-7 November• Bombay northbound off-ramp, 3-7 November• Northbound lanes between Pokeno off-ramp and Razorback Road on-ramp, 3-4 November (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)o SH1 northbound to SH2 eastbound link, 3-4 November (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)o Pokeno northbound on-ramp, 3-4 November (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am) SOUTHWESTERN MOTORWAY (SH20)• Southbound lanes between Maioro Street off-ramp and Hillsborough Road on-ramp, 7 November (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)o Maioro Street southbound on-ramp, 7 Novembero Dominion Road southbound on-ramp, 7 November• Dominion Road northbound off-ramp, 3-6 November• Southbound lanes between Hillsborough Road off-ramp and Neilson Street on-ramp, 6 Novembero Hillsborough Road southbound on-ramp, 6 Novembero Queenstown Road southbound on-ramp, 6 November• Southbound lanes between Mahunga Drive off-ramp and Massey Road on-ramp, 3-5 November (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)o Walmsley Road southbound on-ramp, 3-5 & 7 Novembero SH20 southbound to SH20A southbound link, 3-5 November (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)• SH20 southbound to SH1 northbound link, 3-4 November (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)

Warkworth / Rodney RegionFriday 1st November - Mainly fine, but isolated morning showers. Westerlies, easing this evening.Saturday 2nd November - Mainly fine, but a few showers in the afternoon. Fresh northwesterlies, turning southwesterly in the afternoon.Sunday 3rd November - Fine. Fresh southerlies, easing.Mangawhai / Northland RegionFriday 1st November - Mainly fine, but the chance of a morning shower. Northwesterlies.Saturday 2nd November - Mainly fine, but a few showers in the afternoon. Northwesterlies, turning southwesterly in the afternoon.Sunday 3rd November - Partly cloudy. Southerlies, becoming fresh.

Matakana Coast Trail rebranded to The Coastal TrailWe are excited to unveil our new identity as The Coastal Trail. This rebrand marks a revitalised chapter for our community project. This new identity captures the spirit of what makes this project so special: the seamless blend of community, native bush, and stunning coastline.When completed, The Coastal Trail will offer locals and visitors a sustainable and safe way to explore the region's breathtaking landscapes, all while connecting our coastal communities from Pūhoi to Mangawhai via the Matakana Coast.Be sure to visit our new website at www.thecoastaltrail.co.nz, and keep an eye out for our upcoming billboards and informative marketing initiatives!Progress On The Ground: Construction Beginning Next Week!We are thrilled to announce that construction is starting next week on a critical 2.2km section of the trail, linking Point Wells to the Matakana Country Park via Omaha Flats and Point Wells Road. This development marks a major milestone, improving safety and accessibility for walkers and cyclists.Our goal is to complete this section by the end of summer, transforming a once hazardous route into a welcoming path for all to enjoy. This progress wouldn't be possible without tremendous community assistance that has resulted in us raising over $1 million worth of community support for this project!We are especially grateful to Hutchinson Consulting Engineers for their generous pro bono services and Mason Contractors for their construction support. Their contributions, along with the efforts of many local businesses, have been instrumental in advancing this project. Thank you for believing in the vision of The Coastal Trail!Join Us For The Trail-Raiser FundraiserSave the date! On Sunday, November 17th, from 3 PM. We're hosting an exciting fundraising event at The Sawmill Brewery. Excellent beer, food stalls, Charlies Gelato, Live Music, Kids games & face painting, raffles & more!Plus we're launching our Limited-Edition TRAIL RAISER Matakana Oyster Stout.Proceeds will go towards the development of The Coastal Trail. It's a perfect opportunity to celebrate, meet fellow trail supporters, and enjoy great food, entertainment, and community spirit. We look forward to seeing you there!

Peter de GraafFar North residents are in for the best Christmas present they could have hoped for with State Highway 1 through the Mangamuka Gorge due to reopen on 20 December.The vital section of highway, south of Kaitāia, has been closed since a storm in August 2022 triggered dozens of destructive slips.The slip-prone, 13km-long section of highway had only been open for a year after a previous closure for storm repairs.The closure has forced Mangamuka residents to take a long detour around the west coast to get to Kaitāia, their main service town as well as a centre for jobs and schooling.The long-awaited reopening date was announced today by Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Northland MP Grant McCallum.The news that the road would be open in time for Christmas was cause for celebration, McCallum saidIt also meant Northland would be able to take full advantage of the influx of summer visitors.He also encouraged other New Zealanders to seize the chance and see what Northland had to offer."Northlanders have been incredibly patient as work has progressed. I want to recognise them and the many workers who put in over 530,000 hours on site to get this essential project done," he said.The closure of the highway turned the settlement of Mangamuka - once a busy pit stop on the road to Kaitāia - into a virtual ghost town on a dead-end road.It also threatened the survival of Mangamuka Dairy, the town's only shop and a vital social hub.The $100-million-plus project to rebuild the road was initially due to have been completed in May 2024, but another big storm in 2023 increased the number of slips from 26 to 38.The damage caused by the August 2022 deluge was so severe there were fears the gorge would never reopen, as was the fate of some Northland roads after Cyclone Bola in 1988.This article was originally published by RNZ

The search for a missing swimmer in Whangārei Harbour is continuing in a limited capacity.The 83-year-old man went swimming daily in Whangārei Harbour but failed to return from his swim on Sunday 20 October.He was reported missing on Monday 21 October and since then, Police, Coastguard, Land Search and Rescue, and Surf Life Saving New Zealand have been searching the Whangārei Harbour and Bream Bay.Sadly, there has been no sign of the man and Police are reassessing the search to ensure all likely places have been covered.Police have been in contact with the man’s family and support is being provided to them at what is an understandably difficult time.A rāhui remains in place for at least one more week. Police would still like to hear from members of the public who may have information to help us, no matter how small or insignificant you think it might be.If you saw the swimmer, have any dashcam footage from the area or have any information, please update us online now or call 105, referencing file number 241021/1742.Police would like to thank Northland & Far North Search and Rescue, Surf Life Saving NZ, volunteers from Northland Coastguard Air Patrol and Coastguard Whangarei and Whangaruru, the Northland Harbour Master and the Onerahi Yacht who have all been involved in the search.

We have some new business listings for you to check out. Remember to SUPPORT LOCAL!!Under the Trades button📱 If you want your business to be on the App get in contact [email protected] ⚡ D & G Electrical Ltd - Devan has been an Electrician for 40 years in the Warkworth area and self-employed for 20 years. He started his apprenticeship at Snells Beach when he was 17 years old. He has undertaken high end housing projects as well as commercial buildings and landscape lighting. Devan currently has his son Regan working for him and he is on his final year as an apprentice. Give them a call for all your Electrical needs in & around Warkworth. 🔨 KML Construction, based in Matakana, specialises in transforming clients' visions into finely crafted homes. Their services include new builds, renovations, reclads, and maintenance, with a strong emphasis on attention to detail and client satisfaction. Serving areas from Puhoi to Mangawhai, they ensure projects are completed on time and within budget. 🌳 Oakcraft Floors, originating from the esteemed Footprint Floors in Sydney, brings over two decades of experience to the design and installation of bespoke timber flooring in New Zealand. Specialising in hardwood floors, bespoke staircases, and feature walls, they cater to both residential and commercial clients. 🔑 Armstrong Smarter Security Warkworth is your trusted locksmith partner, offering 24/7 expert services for residential, commercial, and automotive needs. They provide fast, reliable solutions. Their services include emergency lockout assistance, lock repairs, key cutting, security system installations, and advanced automotive locksmithing. 🏡 Modern Barn Living specialises in the design and construction of contemporary barn-style homes, merging architectural elegance with modern functionality. They offer a range of services, including custom designs and ready-to-go plans, tailored to diverse preferences. Modern Barn Living provides fixed-priced contracts and 10-year guarantees on all builds.💥 SG Fabrication Ltd is a family-owned metalwork fabrication business based in Warkworth, specialising in high-end architectural finishes for the hospitality, residential, and retail sectors. Renowned for their commitment to both quality and affordability, they offer custom metalwork solutions designed to meet the unique needs of each project. SG Fabrication is dedicated to delivering precision craftsmanship and exceptional service.