Peter de GraafNorthland leaders are welcoming government plans to speed up the construction of an expressway from Warkworth to Whangārei by combining three separate roading plans into one mega-project to be built as a public-private partnership.The announcement was made this afternoon by Transport Minister Simeon Brown, just days after State Highway One over Northland's Brynderwyn Hills was once again closed by slips.The latest closure lasted less than eight hours but came just 24 days after a four-month closure for slip repairs.Tracey Rissetto, chairwoman of the Automobile Association's Northland Council, said the announcement showed the government understood how badly the region needed a resilient four-lane highway.The government's approach to building the Northland Expressway was similar to that used for the Waikato Expressway, she said."That was one project broken into different phases. That enabled contractors to get themselves the resources and capacity they needed. It meant they had ongoing work, and there's definitely economies of scale when you look not only at the contracting work, but also the design work and consents."But Rissetto said the "pinch point" would be the Brynderwyns."I appreciate that the section from Warkworth to Te Hana is shovel ready, it's got all the consents ready to go, but the road over the Brynderwyns has only got a seven-year life span, and as we've seen recently, that life span could include a lot of closures. So that's where we'd like to see the priority when it comes to the planning and design stage."The road over the Brynderwyns has been repeatedly closed during the last 18 months due to bad weather and slips. Photo: Supplied / NZTARissetto's other reservation was around the use of a public-private partnership (PPP), because that could mean more highway tolls in Northland.Northland was already the only region in New Zealand where motorists had to pay a toll to use State Highway 1, she said."I think there needs to be an overall discussion and a policy on tolling of roads. We're pragmatic and we know there's not a lot of money in the pot, especially with the underinvestment over the past decades, but we need to have a robust discussion about what roads are going to be tolled and what aren't."Rissetto said a four-lane highway to Whangārei would unlock Northland's economy and boost its contribution to the rest of New Zealand.It would also save lives because studies had shown new roads were safe roads, she said.Whangārei Mayor Vince Cocurullo said the announcement was "wonderful news" for Northland."Having it as one big project means that it won't be stopped by any change of government. It allows a consistent approach and makes sure that Northland is looked after for the future," he said."We're all very, very excited about it. We just waiting for when we can start putting the spade in the ground."The National Road Carriers Association, which represents the nation's truckies, said the government's approach of a three-phase PPP was exactly what the organisation had been calling for from successive governments.Chief executive Justin Tighe-Umbers said an ongoing pipeline of work, with the scale to attract infrastructure companies to commit to investing in equipment and people to deliver a quality transport network, was what was needed to grow New Zealand's economy."As we saw last weekend the route into Northland is vulnerable and this announcement will be welcomed by our members and the wider Northland business community. Combining the projects into a single corridor will mean less time and money spent on procurement, design and supporting project management."Transport Minister Simeon Brown said the approach could shave 10 years off the expressway's completion date.The lack of resilient transport connections between Northland and the rest of the country had for too long been a handbrake on the region's economic development.Brown said the previous government's decision to stop planning a replacement for State Highway 1 over the Brynderwyns had left Northland more vulnerable, and a significant amount of work was now required to get the project back on track.The Northland Expressway would be treated as a single project, divided into three phases: From Warkworth to Te Hana (just north of Wellsford); Te Hana to Port Marsden (around the Brynderwyn Hills); and Port Marsden to Whangārei."Taking a corridor approach means NZTA will avoid multiple procurement processes. It will also deliver integrated design, construction, maintenance and operations across the entire Northland Expressway, and allow greater efficiencies through scale to deliver the project up to 10 years faster than traditional approaches," Brown said.The government would also consider law changes to accelerate delivery and provide increased certainty for delivery partners.Options being considered included changes to the Public Works Act, he said."The Northland Expressway is one of the largest infrastructure projects in New Zealand's history. We are considering a wide range of funding, financing, and delivery tools to get this project completed as soon as possible."The project's cost has yet to be estimated. An investment case will be considered by Cabinet later this year.This story was originally published by RNZ

Dana Johannsen, Sports CorrespondentThe wall never changes.No matter the competition, the field of play for New Zealand speed climber Sarah Tetzlaff remains the same: a standardised 15-metre high wall, with a five-degree overhang.The red, five-pointed hand holds that snake their way up the wall are always positioned in the same spot, fixed at the same angle. So, too, the narrow footholds that barely seem large enough to accommodate a big toe.At Climbing NZ's indoor training venue in Mount Maunganui, Tetzlaff - one half of New Zealand's pioneering speed climbing duo that will make their debut in Paris next month - dips her hands into her chalk bag and takes her place on the touch pad at the base of the wall.The starting position. Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-FarrellyShe then stretches her body out like a slingshot ready to catapult herself to the top of the wall, as she grips the first handhold above her tightly with both hands. Her left foot sits on the first foothold, the right stays in contact with the touch pad.Three loud beeps count Tetzlaff down, before the buzzer sounds and she explodes up the wall, lightly pouncing from hold to hold. Within seconds she is slamming the pad at the top to stop the clock.It takes the top male climbers in the world less than five seconds to clamber up the wall, while the women's world record sits at a shade over six seconds, making speed climbing the fastest Olympic sport.Doing this in training is one thing. But the event format - in which climbers are pitted head-to-head in a vertical sprint - adds to the high octane, high stress nature of the sport.Tetzlaff has a more zen view.She finds a sense of calm in the familiar constellation of 20 handholds and 11 footholds that span the wall."I think because the wall is always the same, you can control the stresses," Tetzlaff, who will be New Zealand's first Olympic speed climbing representative alongside Julian David, says."You can get into this really nice flow state that you don't feel in the rest of your life, and it's just a feeling that you chase."And so she chases that feeling over and over again. The repetition is the addictive element, she says.New Zealand Olympian Sarah Tetzlaff. Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-FarrellyAfter each run, Tetzlaff consults with her coach, Rob Moore, who has an iPad trained on the wall.Together they huddle around the screen, breaking the run down move-by-move to see where improvements can be made. With so little time on the wall, there is no room for error. It is a sport that rewards attention to detail."I'm definitely a bit of a perfectionist. So it works really well with how my brain ticks," Tetzlaff, who is studying towards a masters in environmental science, says."It's little micro-movements and micro-adjustments that can either keep you on the wall or throw you off the wall."So like the angles of my knees, of my hips, of my wrists - even down to something as simple as your finger hitting the hold wrong - it all contributes to either a really good run or something that can be quite average, like 0.2 seconds slower."While Tetzlaff prepares for her next run, Moore explains that each climber's method - or what they call their "beta" - is different. How an athlete tackles the wall depends on their physiology."Even though the wall is exactly the same, they will use different holds and have different methods to getting through sections, depending on their height or their amount of pop or strength, so one of the big things is always trying to work out what each athlete can do on the wall."Olympic speed climber Julian David. Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-FarrellyHe says climbers develop new approaches over time. A year ago, for example, Julian David won the junior world championships using a different beta to the one he will run at the Games in just over a week.The wall never changes. But there are many pathways to the top.Selling the dreamMoore loves to make a statement.His whole look - he sports a mohawk-mullet hybrid hairdo that competes for attention with orange spectacles - is a statement in self-expression.When the International Climbing Federation announced that it would create a separate speed climbing event for the Paris Olympic Games, Moore made a huge statement in resigning as head coach of Climbing NZ.Sport climbing made its splashy Olympic debut in 2021 at the Tokyo Games. There, climbers competed in a unique format combining three disciplines - boulder, lead and speed climbing - for a single medal event.Within the sport, the format proved controversial. Bouldering and lead are more aerobic disciplines in which the emphasis is on problem solving, requiring a very different skillset to that required for an explosive five-second vertical scramble. As one athlete described it, "it's like asking Novak Djokovic to play table tennis for the opening set".But the innovative format succeeded in packaging up the essential elements of the sport to create a highly watchable event for billions around the world.Coach Rob Moore. Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-FarrellyAfter the event's successful debut, the International Olympic Committee allocated climbing an additional medal for the Paris Games, allowing the world governing body to split off the bouldering and lead from the speed climbing event.Moore saw in this a golden (or silver, or bronze) opportunity."As soon as that happened, I thought 'we have a speed climbing wall here, we have all the infrastructure and facilities to run a really good programme'," he says."So I resigned as head coach of Climbing NZ and said 'I wanna run this programme - I've written it all up and I know how we can make it work'."As climbing has morphed from purely an adventure sport to one that is condensed, codified and scored for elite competition, the challenge for the sport's leaders has been to develop structures that support a high-performance programme.Moore says he learned a lot from earlier attempts to establish formal pathways."Climbing, like skateboarding and surfing and those sort of sports, comes from a pretty laid-back sort of culture, so it is hard to establish a high performance programme where athletes want to be really dedicated to the competition side of it, because there's so much enjoyment in the hobby side of it as well," he says."So part of the challenge for me was finding athletes who were like 'ok, I love the hobby side of it but I really do want to see if I can explore being better at the competitive side of it'."The view from the touchpad at the bottom of the wall. Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-FarrellyMoore already had a dedicated student of the sport in Tetzlaff.After unexpectedly qualifying for the 2018 Youth Olympics, the Wellingtonian made the move to Mount Maunganui the day after her final NCEA exam to commit herself to training for the event.Back then, David was still in intermediate school in Tauranga, exasperating his teachers by spending his lunch hour climbing up onto the roof of the school building. One such teacher suggested he ought to give sport climbing a go at the AIMS Games.Only a few years later, he was starting to make waves on the international scene."[Tetzlaff and David] have been a big part of helping me sell the vision and getting others to come on board and be part of that dream," Moore says."We have a much more credible programme when we can show it is working and we are moving in the right direction."It helps, too, that Moore is a natural salesman. So good, in fact, he doesn't even realise he is doing it sometimes.When he was drawing up his programme, Moore sought feedback from Mike Flynn - a consultant at High Performance Sport NZ (HPSNZ). He ended up inadvertently getting funding for the programme."I wanted him to look over it to see if it could work and based on his knowledge, whether it was going to be a successful programme. It just so happened that I sent that through around three weeks before the funding cycle was about to close," Moore recalls."He gets back to me and says 'right we've got three weeks to make this happen, let's go'. He just assumed I knew the funding applications closed in three weeks. He never told me."Flynn set Moore up with a couple of "boffins" at HPSNZ to help put together the funding application."I was in the dark, just answering the questions they were throwing at me," recalls Moore."I had to stop them in the middle of the conversation on Zoom, and go 'hang on a second, I have no idea what's going on right now'."Climbing NZ secured $40,000 towards the speed climbing programme. It's a modest amount in the context of the millions of dollars that are ploughed into the top tier sports like rowing, cycling, canoe racing and athletics each year, but it made all the difference for Moore's fledgling programme.It meant Moore could secure an indoor facility, allowing the athletes to continue to train when the wind and rain is battering the full Olympic-size outdoor wall.Rob Moore goes through a training drill with speed climber Julian David. Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-FarrellyBut Moore says the biggest advantage of the relationship with the government funding agency is gaining access to sports scientists who have taken on the challenge of helping to develop sports-specific strength and conditioning exercises."It's made the climbers feel like they are part of this world."They are already leaving their mark on it. In the HPSNZ gym in Cambridge there's a white board on the wall listing records in various strength and power exercises.The list is a who's who of rugby stars, netballers, and past and present Olympians.For 14 years, former sprint cyclist Eddie Dawkins held the record for best standing vertical jump. Last year, his name was scrubbed out and Julian David's was written in his place.Rapid ascentSix years ago, Moore cornered one of his counterparts from Japan at an event in Austria and asked him how he had built such a successful programme.At that point the Japanese were dominating the sport climbing scene, particularly in bouldering. Moore wanted to know what they had done to achieve strong, sustainable success that he might be able to apply back home.Earlier this year, a visiting coach from Japan contacted Moore to see if she could glean some insights into what is behind New Zealand's sudden rise. It was a full circle moment for the Kiwi coach."On the world stage our trajectory has climbed really, really fast," he says.It started with David's breakthrough victory at the youth world championships in 2023 - a result that saw the 19-year-old, whose father is French, being pursued to switch allegiances to France, where the sport has a large following.Later that year, both David and Tetzlaff took out the Oceania Championships, qualifying New Zealand a spot in the men's and women's speed climbing at the Olympics.Julian David & Rob Moore in between training drills. Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-FarrellyIn the lead-up to the Games the New Zealand pair have both lowered their national and Oceania records several times - including twice in one day at last week's World Cup meeting in Chamonix, France.There, Tetzlaff set a new mark of 8.40 seconds, while David recorded a new personal best of 5.26."We always joke that if we started the programme one year earlier, we would have been breaking world records," Moore says."We all have long term visions for how the programme will work and we're still really young on the programme - it's only two and a bit years so it is pretty exciting to see where we have got to."David believes the rapid ascent of the New Zealand speed climbers can be put squarely down to Moore's energy and passion."It's incredible. Like he was the one with the idea, you know, he's been doing this for so long before I was born. He's had this passion, this dream. And, well, he's freaking made it happen, hasn't he?"This story was originally published by RNZ

Warkworth / Rodney RegionMonday 22nd July - Showers, heavy at times, and thunderstorms possible. Showers clearing this evening. Northwesterlies, turning lighter southwesterly this afternoon.Tuesday 23rd July - Mainly fine, chance of a shower in the morning and evening. Southwesterlies, becoming fresh for a time in the afternoon and evening.Wedneday 24th - Fine. Fresh southwesterlies, easing in the afternoon.Thursday 25th - Fine. Southerlies, easing.Friday 26th - Fine. Southwesterlies.Saturday 27th - Cloudy. Light winds.Sunday 28th - A few showers. Northerlies.Mangawhai / Northland RegionMonday 22nd July - A few showers, possibly heavy and thundery, clearing this evening. Northwesterlies, turning lighter southwesterly this afternoon.Tuesday 23rd July - Mainly fine, chance of a shower until evening. Southwesterlies.Wedneday 24th - Partly cloudy, chance of a shower until afternoon. Fresh southwesterlies, easing in the afternoon.Thursday 25th - Fine. Southwesterlies, easing.Friday 26th - Fine with southwesterlies.Saturday 27th - Partly cloudy. Southwesterlies.Sunday 28th - A few showers. Light winds.

My Food Bag has issued recall notices for sesame seed products across three weeks of its meal programme, due to the possible presence of salmonella.The warning came as the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) issued further recalls for products containing a possibly contaminated batch of sesame seeds.In its third recall notice in four days, the ministry included burger buns, marinated beef sold at Costco and more brands of sesame seeds.Its Food Safety branch said it had not received any notifications of illness, but anyone who had eaten a recalled item and had concerns should contact a health professional.In an email to customers, My Food Bag said 17 items from recent deliveries - including dressings, pastes and sauces - were affected.My Food Bag has sent an email to customers, warning them to dispose sesame products 'immediately'. Photo: My Food Bag / RNZThe products would have been in deliveries dating from 6 July to their latest delivery, which would have started arriving on Saturday 20 July, the meal-kit home-delivery service said."For your safety, if you have not consumed any of these products, please refrain from consuming them and dispose of them immediately."If you have consumed any of these products and have any concerns, we recommend seeking medical advice."My Food Bag said if the ingredients had not been used, customers could seek a credit."Please rest assured that we are working closely with our supplier and MPI to address the issue and prevent any further incidents."On Thursday, the Ministry of Primary Industries said it was supporting Davis Trading Company in its recall of imported Sesame Seed Kernels White Hulled retail packs due to the possible presence of salmonella.In its recall notice, MPI said the affected product was sold at Davis Food Ingredients in Auckland, who on-sold it to supermarkets and smaller retailers nationwide.Since then, it had updated the list of products affected by the recall:Mahadeo's Spices and Produce Warehouse brand sesame seedQandahari Bazaar brand sesame seedPapamoa Spice King brand sesame seedDough Boys Limited (Daily Bread) hamburger buns and ham and cheese croissantsKiki brand Seed Cracker Mix Sea Salt and Kiki brand Seed Cracker Mix Chilli CuminKirkland Signature Marinated Beef Bulgogi (sold at Costco)Apna Spice and Grocery store brand sesame seedFood 4 Less Otahuhu brand sesame seedBin Inn brand sesame seedClassic Taste brand sesame seedGrand Market brand sesame seedMy Food Bag Ltd white sesame seed and products containing sesame seedsBare Refill Grocery brand white sesame seedsScrumptious brand sesame seedsDavis Trading Co brand sesame seeds"New Zealand Food Safety is in the process of working with the food business to trace the product and further recalls are a possibility," the recall notice said."Symptoms of salmonellosis appear within 12 to 72 hours and include abdominal cramps, diarrhoea, fever, headache, nausea, and vomiting. Illness usually lasts between 4 and 7 days but, in more severe cases, it can go on for up to 10 days and cause more serious illness."If you have consumed any of the product and are concerned for your health, contact your health professional, or call Healthline on 0800 61 11 16."New Zealand Food Safety said it had not received any notifications of associated illness.This story was originally published by RNZ

My Food Bag has issued recall notices for sesame seed products across three weeks of its meal programme, due to the possible presence of salmonella.In an email to customers, the meal-kit home-delivery service said 17 items from recent deliveries - including dressings, pastes and sauces - were affected.The products would have been in deliveries dating from 6 July to their latest delivery, which would have started arriving on Saturday 20 July, My Food Bag said."For your safety, if you have not consumed any of these products, please refrain from consuming them and dispose of them immediately."If you have consumed any of these products and have any concerns, we recommend seeking medical advice."My Food Bag said if the ingredients had not been used, customers could seek a credit."Please rest assured that we are working closely with our supplier and MPI to address the issue and prevent any further incidents."On Thursday, the Ministry of Primary Industries said it was supporting Davis Trading Company in its recall of their imported Sesame Seed Kernels White Hulled retail packs due to the possible presence of salmonella.In its recall notice, MPI said the affected product was sold at Davis Food Ingredients in Auckland, who on-sold it to supermarkets and smaller retailers nationwide.Since then, it had updated the list of products affected by the recall."New Zealand Food Safety is in the process of working with the food business to trace the product and further recalls are a possibility," the recall notice said."Symptoms of salmonellosis appear within 12 to 72 hours and include abdominal cramps, diarrhoea, fever, headache, nausea, and vomiting. Illness usually lasts between 4 and 7 days but, in more severe cases, it can go on for up to 10 days and cause more serious illness."If you have consumed any of the product and are concerned for your health, contact your health professional, or call Healthline on 0800 61 11 16."New Zealand Food Safety said it had not received any notifications of associated illness.This story was originally posted on RNZ News

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, 26 July 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 Orewa off-ramp and Silverdale on-ramp, 25 JulyOrewa southbound on-ramp, 25 JulyMillwater southbound on-ramp, 25 JulyNorthbound lanes between Silverdale off-ramp and Orewa on-ramp, 24-25 JulySilverdale northbound on-ramp, 24-25 JulySouthbound lanes between Silverdale off-ramp and Oteha Valley Road on-ramp, 21-23 JulySilverdale southbound on-ramp, 21-23 JulyEsmonde Road northbound off-ramp, 24 July (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Northbound lanes between Onewa Road off-ramp and Northcote Road on-ramp, 21 July (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Esmonde Road (Diamond) northbound on-ramp, 21 JulyEsmonde Road (Loop) northbound on-ramp, 21 JulyOnewa Road northbound on-ramp, 21 JulyOnewa Road southbound on-ramp, 24-25 JulyShelly Beach Road southbound off-ramp, 24-25 JulyCENTRAL MOTORWAY JUNCTION (CMJ)SH1 northbound to SH16 eastbound (Port) link, 21-25 July (10:00pm to 5:00am)Eastbound lanes between Wellesley Street East (SH1) off-ramp and Alten Road, 21-25 July (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Eastbound lanes between Wellesley Street East (SH16) off-ramp and Alten Road, 21-25 July (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Grafton Road eastbound on-ramp, 21-25 July (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)SOUTHERN MOTORWAY (SH1)Southbound lanes between Takanini off-ramp and Papakura on-ramp, 24-25 July (approx. 9:30pm to 5:30am)Takanini southbound on-ramp, 24-25 July (approx. 9:30pm to 5:30am)Northbound lanes between Drury/SH22 off-ramp and Takanini on-ramp, 21 & 24-25 July Papakura (Diamond) northbound on-ramp, 21 & 24-25 JulyPapakura (Loop) northbound on-ramp, 21 & 24-25 JulyNorthbound lanes between Drury/SH22 off-ramp and Papakura on-ramp, 23 JulyDrury/SH22 northbound on-ramp, 21-25 JulyNorthbound lanes between Ramarama off-ramp and Papakura on-ramp, 22 JulyRamarama northbound on-ramp, 22 JulyPioneer Road northbound off-ramp, 19 July (approx. 12 Midnight to 5:00pm)Northbound lanes between Mercer off-ramp and Mercer on-ramp, 25 July (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Southbound lanes between Mercer off-ramp and Mercer on-ramp, 25 July (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)NORTHWESTERN MOTORWAY (SH16)Southbound lanes between Foster Road and Trigg Road, 21-25 July (approx. 8:00pm to 5:00am)Northbound lanes between Trigg Rd and Foster Road, 21-25 July (approx. 8:00pm to 5:00am)Patiki Road northbound on-ramp, 23-24 JulySOUTHWESTERN MOTORWAY (SH20)Northbound lanes between Hillsborough Road off-ramp and Maioro Street on-ramp, 23 July (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Dominion Road northbound on-ramp, 23 JulyHillsborough Road northbound on-ramp, 23 JulyNorthbound lanes between Neilson Street off-ramp and Hillsborough Road on-ramp, 22 July (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Neilson Street northbound on-ramp, 22 JulyNorthbound lanes between Massey Road off-ramp and Rimu Road on-ramp, 24 July (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Coronation Road northbound on-ramp, 24 JulySH20 northbound to SH20A southbound link, 24 July (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Massey Road northbound on-ramp, 24 JulyGEORGE BOLT MEMORIAL DRIVE (SH20A)Northbound lanes between Kirkbride Road off-ramp and SH20A/SH20 link, 24 JulySH20A northbound to SH20 northbound link, 24 JulyKirkbride Road northbound on-ramp, 24 JulyPlease follow the signposted detours. NZ Transport Agency thanks you for your co-operation during these essential improvements and maintenance.

UPDATED 6.42pm NOW OPENLast night there was approximately 90mm of rain in the last 24 hours around the Brynderwyns according to Northland Regional Council rainfall data.This caused several slips along the main highway as well as an under slip on Paparoa Oakleigh rd resulting in both direction road closure.

Retailers will be anxiously opening their stores on Saturday morning, hoping a global IT outage has been resolved, Retail NZ says.The outage - caused by an update to a piece of software run by US cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike - caused Windows computers around the world to crash on Friday, cancelling flights, disrupting transactions and stopping people from accessing their online banking accounts.People were left stranded at petrol stations because they had no cash to pay for fuel, while stores were forced to close their doors.Retail NZ chief executive Carolyn Young told RNZ many stores would be "opening first thing in the morning and looking for this to be resolved"."Largely it's out of our hands," she said.The outage would have an impact on business confidence, which was already shaky thanks to the high cost of living and the official cash rate, she said.CrowdStrike deployed a fix for the software on Friday evening, but tech experts have said it could take several days for systems worldwide to be running as normal.Cybersecurity researcher Kevin Beaumont told BBC News affected computers all needed to be started in safe mode to remove the faulty update."This is incredibly time-consuming and will take organisations days to do at scale. Essentially we have one of the world's highest impact IT incidents caused by a cyber-security vendor."this story was originally posted on RNZ News

NEW Trades on the app to check out.Remember to SUPPORT LOCAL!!🌺 Hibiscus Tiling covers North Shore to Mangawhai areas. With 30 years’ experience, Darcy offers quality workmanship and materials for the following services: Wall and Floor Tiling; Underfloor Heating; Wet Rooms; Floor Levelling; Total Bathroom Renovations. He is an Accredited Water Proofer and offers free consultations.🔨 Smith Construction build exceptional architectural homes of distinction north of Auckland, predominately for clients in Mangawhai, Langs Beach and Waipu. Nick Smith and his team believe delivering premium homes requires a passion for innovation and workmanship.❄ Mangawhai Appliance Services Warwick has 34 years’ experience in the electrical appliance service industry. He's moved north to Mangawhai and bought his skills with him. Warwick is authorised to do warranty repairs on Electrolux, Westinghouse, AEG, Simpson and LG products as well as service/repairs to out of warranty products. Additionally he repairs washing machines, dryers, fridges, freezers, dishwashers, ovens, cooktops etc.🎨 The Paint Guru is your local Snells Beach painter. Covering Warkworth, Snells Beach, Matakana, Omaha. Specialising in: Interior and exterior painting; Specialised spray finishing; Roofs, doors, decks; Window cleaning; Emergency painting; Aluminium refinishing; Stains and waterproofing; Technical advice and troubleshooting. 💦 Northern Gas service the North Shore to Wellsford & Kaipara Flats to Mahurangi areas. They can assist you with both gas (certified) and electric hot water services and plumbing requirements (certified). They diagnose, repair or install new systems. Consider them for all your water and gas needs.📱 If you want your business to be on the App get in [email protected] or Contact

Warkworth / Rodney RegionFriday 19th July - Periods of rain, possibly heavy. Northeasterlies.Heavy Rain WatchPeriod: 12hrs from 8pm Fri, 19 Jul - 8am Sat, 20 JulArea: Northland, Auckland north of Whangaparaoa Peninsula, and Great Barrier IslandForecast: Periods of heavy rain, and amounts may approach warning criteria. Low chance of upgrading to a Warning.Saturday 20th July - Rain, with heavy falls north of Orewa, easing to a few showers in the morning, then clearing in the afternoon. Southeasterlies, turning to fresh southwesterlies in the morning.Sunday 21st July - Partly cloudy, with showers developing late morning, some heavy. Northwesterlies.Mangawhai / Northland RegionFriday 19th July - Periods of rain, possibly heavy. Northerlies easing this evening.Heavy Rain WatchPeriod: 12hrs from 8pm Fri, 19 Jul - 8am Sat, 20 JulArea: Northland, Auckland north of Whangaparaoa Peninsula, and Great Barrier IslandForecast: Periods of heavy rain, and amounts may approach warning criteria. Low chance of upgrading to a Warning.Saturday 20th July - Rain with heavy falls, easing to a few showers in the morning, then clearing in the afternoon. Fresh southeasterlies, turning southwesterly in the morning.Sunday 21st July - Partly cloudy, with showers developing for a time in the afternoon and evening, some heavy. Northerlies, turning westerly in the afternoon.

17th July 2024Hello Warkworth Residents & Businesses! Thank you for the massive response we got to the petition to Watercare for an alternative route through Warkworth. Following our townhall meeting we’ve continued to work hard and represent the concerns of the community and the petition was one of those steps.We managed to present this petition at the Watercare Board meeting on 10th July, ahead of their August meeting where they were slated to make their final decision on the pipeline route. At the presentation we had 3,033 signatures with a following 343 received in the following days, making a total of 3,376 signatures; estimated at over 75% of our voting age population in Warkworth! This is no small feat, and we thank the community for the support. There will however be further call to action so keep your eyes peeled for this and bring your friends and family when the call goes out – this is the only chance we have! We would like to share with you the letter we received from the Chair of Watercare Board, acknowledging our deputation at the meeting and agreeing to defer their decision until December and confirming invitation to work with their engineers to look at options, including any new proposals. As I said at the town hall meeting our primary approach is to confirm an alternative route that does not create the same issues as going down the main street. We continue to work on these alternatives, and we thank the landowners who alternative routes may affect for their positivity and willingness to consider the greater good for the community as well as the potential impact on their properties. If, through every effort, the route continues down the main street then we pivot to mitigating and reducing disruptions through potential use of alternative technology (instead of open trenching) as well as pressing for nightworks and work over weekends to complete work as quickly as possible. We also continue to explore legal and consenting avenues. We again thank everyone for their galvanizing support and while this is a huge positive step and it buys us more critical time we still have the same issues and challenges to resolve as well as raising the public and national awareness of this.Please see below to the response from Watercare as well as the presentation and letter presented to the board.Kind Regards,Bevan MorrisonCo-Chair of One Mahurangi Business Association16 July 2024 Bevan Morrison and Dave Stott Co-ChairsOne Mahurangi Business [email protected] Bevan and DaveResponse to your deputation to our Board concerning our Warkworth wastewater servicing project Thank you for presenting at our board meeting on 10 July 2024. We acknowledge receipt of your letter and petition.It is reassuring to hear your business association understands the vital need for a new wastewater pipeline: to support growth in the area and to improve the health of the Mahurangi River and harbour. We acknowledge that your concerns with our project are focused on the pipeline’s route and its potential impact on local businesses.As you are aware, we have invested $1 million over the past 18 months investigating route options. This was in response to feedback from your association in 2022. We shared the results of our investigation with you in May.Our board was planning to make the final decision on the route at their August meeting. In acknowledgement of your deputation and petition, we have agreed to defer the decision for the time being.We would like to invite your engineers to join us, as well as several developer engineers, for a facilitated workshop where we can share ideas and discuss the options, including any new proposals. We will come back to you by 26 July 2024 with details of the workshop.As the pipeline is critical for the town and protection of the environment we must continue to move forward. With this in mind, the Board expects to confirm the route for the Hill Street intersection to Lucy Moore Pump Station section of the pipeline by December at the latest.Yours faithfully,Geoff HuntChairWatercare Services Limited

Police investigating a firearms incident in Whangārei on the weekend are seeking information on a vehicle’s movements prior to the incident.Police were called shortly after 4am on Saturday following a report of shots fired towards a Collingwood Street property.The incident has left significant damage to the inside and outside of the address and the occupant of the home understandably distressed.Detective Sergeant Paul Overton says a vehicle used in the incident was recovered on Saturday afternoon.Police are releasing an image of the black Nissan Pathfinder SUV, with the registration EPW244.“We are now appealing for sightings of this Nissan in the days leading up to the firearms incident on Saturday afternoon,” Detective Sergeant Overton says.“If you saw this vehicle or have information about any of its occupants in recent days, we need to hear from you.”Police are particularly interested in sightings in the days prior up until the incident on Saturday, 13 July.“This was a terrifying incident for the victim and we are continuing to provide support to her,” Detective Sergeant Overton says.“We are asking anyone who may know anything in relation to this to please come forward.“Any piece of information, no matter how small, could assist us in locating those responsible.”Police would also like any drivers who were in the area to please check dashcam footage.Anyone with information should call 105 and quote file number 240713/7934.Information can also be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

The New Zealand team for the 2024 Paris Olympics at a glance:195 athletes98 males, 97 females17.4 percent of the team is MāoriLuuka Jones (canoe slalom), Ali Riley (football) and Emma Twigg (rowing) all attending their fifth Olympic GamesYoungest athlete: 18-year-old footballer Milly CleggOldest athlete: 45-year-old equestrian athlete Tim PriceNew Zealand will compete across more sports than ever before at the 2024 Olympic Games, with athletes to contest 23 sports, including NZ's Olympic debut in kiteboarding and speed climbing.The team is close to gender equal, made up of 98 males and 97 females. Auckland has produced the largest number of athletes, with 58 team members hailing from the region. Canterbury is next with 24, Wellington 18, the Waikato 17, and Bay of Plenty 14.The team members come from a wide range of cultural backgrounds, including athletes with Samoan, Tongan, French, Australian, Fijian, Chinese, Korean, Dutch, Indian, South African and American heritage. Māori athletes make up 17.4 percent of the team (34 athletes).Milly Clegg is New Zealand's youngest Olympian at Paris 2024. Photo: PHOTOSPORTNew Zealand's youngest athlete is footballer Milly Clegg who is just 18 years old, while equestrian athlete Tim Price is the oldest team member at 45.Attending their first Olympic Games, will be 101 athletes, while the other 94 have already competed at one or more Games. Luuka Jones (canoe slalom), Ali Riley (football) and Emma Twigg (rowing) are the most capped team members, attending their fifth Olympic Games.Emma Twigg will be at Olympics number five. Photo: PHOTOSPORTNew Zealand team Chef de Mission Nigel Avery said New Zealand's athletes are looking forward to arriving in Paris and performing at the Games."I've spoken to a lot of our athletes recently and the overwhelming feeling is that they are prepared and ready for this challenge," Avery said."Paris is also ready, there's a real buzz in the city and the venues are looking amazing. We're expecting a fantastic Games in one of the most beautiful cities in the world."Giant rings installed on the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, on 14 June, 2024. Photo: Telmo Pinto / NurPhoto / NurPhoto via AFPAvery and the advance team have been in the Olympic Village, preparing for athlete arrivals."We've been working hard behind the scenes to create an environment which allows our athletes to perform to the best of their abilities."We've been busy unloading two shipping containers of equipment and are turning our village space into a high-performance environment. We've brought over everything from gym equipment to ice baths, snack packs and slushie machines, and all the gear we need for preparation, recovery, and strength and conditioning.Tim Price is the oldest athlete in the New Zealand team in Paris. Photo: Libby Law"We have our first arrivals to the village later this week and we're looking forward to supporting our athletes as they wear the fern and represent New Zealand on the world's biggest sporting stage."The majority of New Zealand's athletes are already in France or Europe ahead of the Games. The canoe slalom team will be the first athletes welcomed into the village, arriving on 18 July. The first athletes in competition are the men's rugby sevens team and the men's football team on 24 July.The full list of New Zealand athletes for Paris 2024 can be viewed here.This story was originally published by RNZ

Susan Edmunds, Money CorrespondentFirst-home buyers generally need to be earning at least $100,000 per year to get into the housing market.Data from CoreLogic shows that the median price paid by first-home buyers across April and May was $688,000.According to the mortgagerates.co.nz calculator, to borrow 80 percent of that amount, an individual would normally need to be earning about $100,000 if they had one car but few other expenses.A couple would need roughly $124,000 if they had two cars and no children.A couple with two cars and two children, but no childcare expenses, would need to earn closer to $140,000 a year.An individual wanting to borrow $800,000 might need income of nearly $150,000 and a couple with two children might need closer to $180,000.Squirrel chief executive David Cunningham said while individual circumstances would affect the final amount that could be borrowed, the figures were a good ballpark.Jeremy Andrews, of Key Mortgages, said there could sometimes be tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars' difference in the maximum that different lenders would approve, depending on the type of income someone earnt, their outgoings and the type of property they were buying.He said if someone was buying a three-bedroom property, some banks would allow a borrower to include the income from two boarders to show they could afford the repayments.He said he had had a client who was single approved for a mortgage of more than $500,000 on an $85,000 income with boarders.A couple might need to be earning twice that to be approved for the same amount, he said, particularly if they had childcare expenses or other debt,Cunningham said applications would be tested against the bank's test rates, which were usually significantly higher than the rates being charged.Glen McLeod of Edge Mortgages said couples often had less borrowing power on the same annual income as an individual because they had more expenses to cover - twice the food and more power and transport bills, for example.He said things like consumer debt and credit cards could also limit how much people could borrow on any set income.New debt-to-income ratios had also put a cap on how large debts could be compared to household incomes. Owner-occupiers could not have debt of more than six times their household income, including other debts such as student loans.McLeod said that had not limited any deals he had tried to do yet, but it would increasingly be a consideration.Andrews said some of the most attractive options for first-home buyers were if they could qualify for a First Home Loan, which was available to single buyers earning up to $95,000 and couples or single parents earning up to $150,000.Cunningham said banks had a "fairly decent" appetite for lending at the moment.The market was weak and they had capacity for deals even for borrowers with smaller deposits."We're getting good deals away - first-home buyers are a strong part of the market."Interest rates are likely to start falling. It's a good time to be looking, if you can afford things now it probably gets better."This story was originally published by RNZ

We have put together a fantastic and comprehensive list of family friendly walks for you to try out or redo your favs these school holidays, weather permitting of course!Puhoi River Walkway, PuhoiRecently reopened after Cyclone Gabrielle. A gentle walk along the Puhoi River, suitable for families, with opportunities for birdwatching.Puhoi Loop Track, PuhoiRecently reopened after Cyclone Gabrielle.Mahurangi Regional ParkNumerous walk and nice beaches to enjoy.Here is a PDF link of the Auckland Council park mapCudlip Point Loop trackMita Bay Loop trackTe Muri trackTungutu Loop trackScandrett Regional Park, Mahurangi EastLocated on the north-east tip of the Mahurangi Peninsula. Scandrett Regional Park encompasses Mullet Point and the rocky headlands that protrude into Kawau Bay.A wonderful beach, regenerating coastal forest, and a group of historic farm buildings await as well as stunning coastal views.Parry Kauri ParkEnjoy the boardwalks through the native trees.Tāwharanui Regional ParkLots of lovely walks, through bush and farmland as well as a stunning beach.Explore the Tāwharanui Ecology Trail and check out the native New Zealand birdlife.Matakana to Omaha Trail Matakana to Omaha Flats Cycle Path is a 6 km popular green gravel path family friendly trail, which is also suitable for walking.Mt Tamahunga This is a long and steep walk through regenerating native bush that is also home to recently released Kiwi. The views from the top are incredible!Ti Point Coastal WalkA gravel track and boardwalk follows the foreshore and passes very large, old Pohutukawa trees and huge boulders along the shore line. Look out towards Omaha Beach and the entrance to the Whangateau Harbour.Matheson Bay Bush WalkFrom Matheson Bay beach, this beautiful bush walk begins at the flat grassed reserve on the west side of the Kohuroa Stream. There are some steep sections as the track follows the stream and a series of waterfalls along boardwalk. Return alongthe same route or walk back via the road. There’s also a playground at Matheson’s Bay.Leigh Coastal WalkwayEnjoy the lovely views from the cliff tops. Look out for Dolphins, Orca and Little Blue Penguins.Goat Island Coastal TrackEnjoy the views out to Goat Island. Visit the Marine Reserve and the Marine Discovery Centre while you’re there.Tomarata Lake, Te ĀraiThe Tomarata – Te Ārai Dune Lakes biodiversity focus area in north-east Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland includes three small dune lakes in Te Ārai Regional Park and three larger, deeper dune lakes nearby (Lakes Tomarata, Slipper and Spectacle).The lakes were created when the formation of sand dunes along the coast prevented inland water from running out to sea. No rivers or streams flow into the lakes. The lake water comes from rainfall, as well as water seeping up through the sand. Thelakes are fringed with extensive freshwater wetlands.As well as the lakes explore Te Ārai Forest and Te Ārai Point. Te Ārai Point offers great peaceful beach areas and surf.Check out https://www.tiakitamakimakaurau.nz/discover-tamaki-makaurau/learn-about-your-area/bfa-tomarata-te-arai-dune-lakes/Tanekaha Loop Tracks, MangawhaiEnjoy these lovely walks with waterfalls, ridgelines, forest and farmland.https://www.mangawhaitracks.com/tanekaha-tracksWaipu Coast Walkway, WaipuWaipu Coastal Walkway is a beautiful coastal walk with gorgeous views of the rocky coastline between Waipu and Langs Beach.https://www.wdc.govt.nz/Community/Parks-and-recreation/Parks-and-reserves/Waipu-Coastal-WalkwayWaipu Caves Track, WaipuFrom the caves, a 2-km walk leads you through a picturesque karst limestone landscape across farmland and regenerating bush to a point where you can take in the magnificent views. Within the entrance to the caves themselves, you will findstalactites, stalagmites and glow worms.https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/northland/places/waipu-area/things-to-do/waipu-caves-track/Hātea Loop Walkway, WhangāreiA flat, easy walk around the Hātea River suitable for all ages.https://www.wdc.govt.nz/Community/Parks-and-recreation/Parks-and-reserves/Hatea-Loop-walkwayParihaka Summit Track, WhangāreiA moderately steep walk to the summit with panoramic views, suitable for older children in Parihaka Scenic Reserve.https://www.wdc.govt.nz/Community/Parks-and-recreation/Parks-and-reserves/ParihakaPukenui Forest Walks, WhangāreiOffers a variety of short tracks through 1700 hectares of the Pukenui/Western Hills Forest which is located on the doorstep of Whangarei City.https://pukenuitrust.org.nz/walking-tracks/AH Reed Memorial Kauri Park, WhangāreiThe A H Reed Memorial Park is a magnificent remnant of the original Northland kauri forest. Maturing kauri trees known to be at least 500 years old can be easily viewed close up from a raised walkway through the forest canopy.https://www.wdc.govt.nz/Community/Parks-and-recreation/Parks-and-reserves/A-H-Reed-Memorial-Park

Puhoi Heritage MuseumCome and explore the unique history of Puhoi from its Bohemian/Maori foundations in the 1860s to the present day.Open 11am – 2pm DailyThe Range Multi-purpose sports facility for visitors of all ages, including our automated golf driving range with TopTracer, 9-hole mini golf course, baseball and softball batting cages, and an air rifle range.Saturday - Wednesday 9.30am - 6pmThursday - Friday 9.30am - 7pmWarkworth LibraryVarious daily activitiesMonday - Thursday 9am - 5pmFriday 9am - 6pmSaturday 9am - 3pmSunday 10am - 3pmWarkworth Museum A local history museum with exhibits suitable for kids.Sheep World, Dome ValleySheepworld was formed with the purpose of giving visitors a practical hands-on New Zealand farming experience. Visitors of all ages get the opportunity to hold, pat, feed, and truly encounter farm life first-hand. The interactive farm park north of Auckland features sheep and dog shows along with animal feeding sessions. Surrounds include an eco-trail through New Zealand native bush, playground facilities, and an on-site family-friendly Cafe. Open 7 days a week from 10am to 4pmHighfield Gardens ReserveLovely walks with views of Algies Bay, Snells Beach and Scandrett Regional Park from the lookouts. Meet the resident donkeys who live there.Brick Bay Wines & Sculpture TrailBrick Bay Sculpture Trail is FREE for all young explorers, weekdays through the July school holidays!Explore incredible kauri forests, lakes and farmland abundant with native birds; discovering over 60 sculptures from NZ’s leading contemporary artists.Kids love the complimentary Young Explorers maps, inspiring their learning, creativity and love of nature.Free entry for up to 3 children with every paying adult.Monday to Friday during the July School holidays.Open 10am–4pm everyday. Kiwiness Tours, TawharanuiEvening Kiwi Bird Watching Tour5pm – 8pm During the WinterCharlies Gelato GardenOpen 7 days a week during the July School Holidays with some awesome kids activities planned, and not forgetting the delicious award winning gelato!Matakana Country Park Offers a range of activities including animal encounters, mini train, pony rides and playground and a great choice of places to eat onsite.SculptureumKids get free entry to Sculptureum these school holidays. T&Cs are maximum 3 kids per paying adult, kids free are up to and including 15 years old.Open daily from 10am to 4pm.Also pizza making activity at Sculptureum with Perfectly Imperfect, Tuesdays and Wednesdays during school holidays.Dates: 9th & 10th , 16th & 17thCost: $25pp – cost includes all ingredients to make pizza and have it cooked to eat for lunchBookings available: 12pm till 2pmOmaha BeachEnjoy a walk along the beach or a play at the playground.Point WellsEnjoy the playground, good for bike riding and afterwards finish off at the Point Wells General Store for some great fish & chips.Ti Point Reptile ParkTi Point reptile Park holds New Zealand’s largest and most diverse collection of Reptiles including American alligators, Turtles and Tortoises, Tarantula Spiders, Green iguanas, Tuatara and many more!Glass Bottom Boat Tours Kayak & Snorkel HireEnjoy a 45-minute eco-tour on the glass bottom boat. You will see the fish, fauna, marine life and birds that thrive in this protected reserve, as well as the mysterious caves and sea-battered rocky cliffs of Goat Island.Goat Island Marine Discovery Centre, Leigh Get up close with Aotearoa New Zealand’s marine life, through our range of displays and interactive activities for all ages. Our microscopes will allow you to get up close with live animals and walk through the sound corridor to hear an acoustic symphony of shrimp snapping, kina munching and whales singing in our big blue backyard. Then head out back to explore our living aquaria where you can hold a live kina or seastar, observe kōura and much more.Open daily from 10am – 4pm.  1. Two holiday programme days in collaboration with our friends at Young Ocean Explorers. These will be run on Friday the 12 th and 19 th of July, from 9:30am – 3pm.2. Discovery Centre Workshop on our winter theme; seaweeds. This will be a day-long event run on Thursday 18 th July, from 9am – 3pm.Both the Young Ocean Explorers Holiday programme and Discovery Centre workshop will be suitable for children 8-12 years old. Wellsford Library, WellsfordVarious daily activitiesOpen Monday to Friday 9am to 5pmSaturday 9am to 1pmTe Hana MaraeExperience Maori Culture at Te Hana Te Ao Marama; regular Maori Village tours, authentic Marae stays and awe inspiring Maori cultural performances. Bookings essential.Mangawhai MuseumA local museum showcasing the history and heritage of MangawhaiMangawhai Activity ZoneThe Mangawhai Activity Zone (MAZ) is a great playground for all ages. It has children's playground, flying fox, pump track, state-of-the-art skate park, tennis courts, walking tracks and more. There's even a BBQ area for the parents to enjoy a family picnic while the kids enjoy what this wonderful area has tooffer.Mangawhai Heads Beach, MangawhaiA beautiful beach with safe swimming and picnic areas.Mangawhai Sand DunesThe sand dunes at Mangawhai Surf Beach are awesome for the kids to be sliding, rolling, running down, while the parents sit and have a picnic under the trees. This is only a 15 minute walk from the park or an easy 2 minute drive.For more giant dunes, you can cross the estuary and spend all day exploring the dunes right across from the park. You can go all the way down the estuary and even walk over to the surf beach on the other side.Kauri Museum, MatakoheCelebrating everything to do with kauri and the people of northern New Zealand/Aotearoa, the Museum has stories of the Māori of the north eastern Kaipara, of European pioneers, of foresters and sawmillers, gum diggers and farmers, and of business people, fishers and the families who have made thisarea their home. They are offering half price entry for the July School Holidays and new scavenger hunts available for the kids.Easy, medium and hard options are available to accommodate all age groups.Just ask at the front desk and receive a piece of kauri gum on completion.Open Daily from 9am to 5pm.Waipu Cove Glow Worm Farm and ClimbingExplore glow worms and enjoy climbing activitiesBookings essential.Alpaca Farm Experience, WaipuVisit this Alpaca farm and learn about these unique animals. This is best experienced when it is not raining and must be pre-booked. One family group at a time makes this experience very personal and unforgettable. By appointment only.One Tree Point, Marsden CoveEnjoy family friendly walks, check out the Marina and nearby Ruakaka Surf Beach. This area is also popular for fishing and diving.Kiwi North, WhangareiA cultural and heritage centre featuring a museum, kiwi house, and heritage park. Open 7 days from 10am to 4pm.Action Zone, WhangareiTen pin bowling, Laser Tag and Arcade games. Open 7 days from 10am.HeadUp AdventuresNorthland’s most diverse mountain bike park and home to New Zealand’s first and only monster scooters, and they offer authentic forest paintball too.Whangarei Indoor Climbing at McKay Stadium, KensingtonThe Northland Climbing Club currently operates the McKay Stadium Climbing wall on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 5pm - 9pm depending on availability.https://www.facebook.com/groups/519509866288146Whangārei Quarry GardensBotanical gardens with walking trails suitable for families.Open 7 days from 9am to 5pm.Whangārei Art MuseumNorthland’s public art gallery, and the permanent home of the city’s art collection, which embraces both heritage and contemporary artworks.Open 7 day from 10am to 4pm.Clapham’s Clock Museum, WhangāreiTake a walk through the history of time. From ancient sun, sand and water clocks, to rare antique clocks, and wacky, zany, unbelievable clocks – there’s something to entertain everyone in one of the largest and most historically significant collection of clocks in the Southern Hemisphere.Open 7 days from 9am to 4.30pm.Packard’s Motor Museum, Maungatapere, WhangāreiThe Packard Motor Museum provides an informative educational experience based around the automobiles, machinery, stories and lives of those who led the industrial revolution and created and shaped our modern way of life.Open Wednesday to Saturday from 10am to 4pm.

The Automobile Association (AA) says the long-promised rollout of new speed camera signs for Northland and Auckland in the coming weeks is a win-win for everybody.The operation of over 100 fixed speed cameras across the country will transfer from police to NZTA in the coming year, and each will get a warning sign, starting with those in the north."Providing Kiwis with an opportunity to check their speed and slow down in high-crash areas where speed cameras are located will avoid speeding tickets and the more tragic consequences of speeding," Transport Minister Simeon Brown said."Speed cameras should be about improving safety, not raising revenue. And that's why they should be sign-posted so Kiwis have a fair warning to slow down and avoid a ticket. It's the right thing to do."AA says the signs will get drivers checking their speeds, improve road safety overall and help people avoid speeding tickets.The association said the government is making good on a promise made by Labour while in office more than five years ago. No new warning signs at all had been installed since the promise was made in 2019."We're only talking about permanent speed cameras here, so those are the ones that you know are in place at all times. We're not talking about mobile cameras. They will continue to operate without signs," spokesperson Dylan Thomsen told Morning Report."But by 12 months' time, the middle of next year, all about 100 permanent speed cameras in New Zealand are going to have some white signs with a camera image on them saying 'safety camera area'. when you're approaching a camera, we think that's going to be a really good change."Mobile speed cameras will remain sign-free.Fines collected from fixed speed cameras in recent years has been lower than before Covid-19.Thomsen said the evidence was that sign-posted cameras did collect less revenue than those without signs - but also big reductions in speeding."It is going to give people the opportunity to check their speed. It's basically going to give them an incentive to check their speed and if they need to slow down - and we've seen some really good evidence to show that what that means is we actually see a big reduction in people speeding at those permanent camera sites, which are high-risk locations."Simeon Brown. Photo: RNZ / Angus DreaverHe said while there would be some drivers who only slow down to get past the camera without being ticketed and then speed up again, most were trying to stick to the limit and would appreciate the reminder to slow down so they could avoid a ticket."These are high-risk locations with a history of crashes, so we want more people to be travelling at a safe speed in those locations, and I don't think for a lot of people it's going to mean that they just use them to slow down and then speed up again."A trial in Northland saw tickets reduced by more than 50 percent, he said.Brown said the rollout would be complete by June 2025."Our government is focused on improving road safety by deterring those breaking the law and targeting the highest contributing factors to fatal road crashes, including alcohol and drugs."NZTA's plan was to dramatically increase the number of fixed speed cameras to around 800 over the coming years, but that has since been put in doubt.The latest moves comes amid moves from the government to remove blanket speed limits imposed by councils, which some councils have rejected, citing safety improvements.This story was published by RNZ

Police are seeking the public’s assistance in locating 63-year-old Ramona Rudolph who has been reported missing.Ramona was reported missing to Police on Saturday night, but has been missing from her home in Avondale for approximately three weeks.The last confirmed sighting of her was on 22 June.It’s believed Ramona could be anywhere in the wider Auckland area.Police have concerns for her safety and ask anyone who sights Ramona to contact Police as soon as possible on 111.Additionally, anyone who has further information on her whereabouts should contact Police on 105, quoting file number 240713/0243.Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

Warkworth / Rodney RegionMonday 15th July - Rain, possibly heavy, clearing to fine spells with isolated showers this evening. The risk of thunderstorms this afternoon. Strong northeasterlies, gusting 80 km/h in exposed places, turning lighter westerly at night.Heavy Rain WatchPeriod: 8hrs from 8am - 4pm Mon, 15 JulArea: Auckland about and north of Whangaparaoa PeninsulaForecast: A period of heavy rain, and amounts may approach warning criteria. Note, heavy showers and thunderstorms are likely to develop following the period of heavy rain. Low chance of upgrading to a Warning.Tuesday 16th - Rain clearing to partly cloudy early morning. Westerlies.Wednesday 17th - Scattered showers developing in the morning, but clearing in the evening. Light winds.Thursday 18th - Partly cloudy. Northerlies developing.Friday 19th - Rain. Northeasterlies.Saturday 20th - Rain with westerlies.Sunday 21st - Showers with westerlies.Mangawhai / Northland RegionMonday 15th - Rain, with heavy falls and thunderstorms possible, clearing to fine spells and the odd shower this evening. Strong northeasterlies, turn lighter northwesterly from afternoon.Heavy Rain WatchPeriod: 6hrs from 8am - 2pm Mon, 15 JulArea: NorthlandForecast: A period of heavy rain, mostly in the east, where amounts may approach warning criteria. Note, heavy showers and thunderstorms are likely to develop following the period of heavy rain. Moderate chance of upgrading to a Warning.Tuesday 16th July - Fine, but becoming cloudy in the evening. Westerlies, easing in the afternoon.Wednesday 17th - Showers, clearing to fine in the evening. Northeasterlies, easing in the afternoon.Thursday 18th - Mainly fine. Westerlies, turning northerly.Friday 19th - Fine, then rain developing. Northeasterlies.Saturday 20th - Heavy rain, easing to a few showers. Westerlies.Sunday 21st - Showers with westerlies.