Police are seeking sightings of a vehicle of interest in the homicide investigation into the death of Ruakākā man Teina Pickering in October 2023.Last year, Police arrested two men in the days following Mr Pickering’s death and they remain before the Whangārei District Court on firearms offences. Detective Inspector Al Symonds, of Northland CIB, says the investigation team are not seeking anyone else in connection with Teina’s death.“Our investigation is continuing into Mr Pickering’s death, and we would like to hear from anyone who saw a vehicle of interest to aid the investigation,” he says.That vehicle is a green 1998 Mitsubishi Lancer.“We believe it was driven by a male wearing a brown camouflage jacket, between Whangārei and Warkworth on 12 October 2023,” Detective Inspector Symonds says.“Please contact us if you are familiar this car, or believe you have CCTV or dashcam footage of it between Whangārei, Warkworth and Ruakākā.”Contact Police on 105 or go online to https://www.police.govt.nz/use-105.Please reference file number 231012/4721.Reports can also be made anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.The two men arrested in connection with this investigation, aged 28 and 29, have next appearances scheduled in the Whangārei District Court on 12 March and 26 April respectively.

Wellsford's ASB branch recently closed due to low foot traffic, which has many locals upset as they now need to drive to Warkworth to visit a branch. The most affected are elderly people who cannot drive further afield or who are unable to use internet banking.Coast to Coast Health in Wellsford has closed their after-hours medical support. Their nighttime on call GP service was the only one serving between North Shore and Whangarei. It used to run from 8pm to 9am each night. The service ended on 1st March.The closure is believed to be due to several factors: ageing workforce; lack of funding; safety concerns for the staff and residence after a break in back in 2022 and recently an assault on a staff member. Patients can still call the Wellsford clinic for a triage assessment by a nurse via phone.In Warkworth the long-standing popular cafe Chocolate Brown is set to close for good before Easter. They officially close on the 28th of March. They are having a final sale on 23rd and 24th March, with everything heavily discounted, including Easter stock.In Kaiwaka the local food bank (Te Pātaka o Kaiwaka), and OpShop has been burgled two times in 2 weeks and has had to close their doors. They provided food and other items to the local community when in need. They are unsure if or when they will open again, and potentially must upgrade their security.Many of the stolen items were one-off donations from the producers or importers of the goods and from own very own community donors. Pictures of some of the stolen items shown.Please email them if you know of anything related to this crime, [email protected] business owners have seen increased traffic and business due to Brynderwyns closing. Some businesses are trying to capitalise on this by increasing their operating hours. There has unfortunately been an increase in theft reported also.After a long hiatus the Mangawhai Toy Library in the Domain is set to open shortly. A great resource for families that can’t or don’t want to buy ongoing toys for kids, not to mention reducing the number of plastic toys floating around unnecessarily! We would love to report on some good news that is happening in our community so it's not all doom and gloom! If you have anything you would like to share with our community, please email us at [email protected]

A scrub fire near the Newton Road overbridge in central Auckland closed a section of the citybound motorway for several hours overnight.Fire and Emergency says about 40 firefighters attended the fire and put it out from the motorway.They were called just after midnight and the fire was extinguished by 3am.Both the overbridge and the motorway have reopened.Fire and Emergency says there was been some damage to the bridge.This story was originally published by RNZ

Susan MurrayPasture seeds from New Zealand have just arrived in a doomsday mountain vault in Norway - safeguarding their survival into the future.The Svalbard Global Seed vault is on the remote Arctic Svalbard archipelago, 120 metres underground in the permafrost.It stores duplicates of every important crop in the world as an insurance policy to secure future food supplies in case seeds are lost due to mismanagement, accidents, funding cuts, war, sabotage, disease or natural disaster.Wild seed varieties are also stored for future breeding to increase the range of plants which can adapt to climate change.The director of New Zealand's Palmerston North based Margot Forde genebank, Dr Kioumars Ghamkhar, said from its store of over 2400 plant seeds, they've just sent some ryegrass, a standard clover and a subterranean clover.He said being a forage based country, New Zealand has the most diverse forage collection in the world."They're not necessarily used pasture species of today, but they can be potential pastures of the future as well, meaning that they probably are families or sisters of the current pastures, like perennial ryegrass or clover."So for just what we sent this time around it was perennial ryegrass, subterranean clover and some other clover. Basically, subterranean clover is a species that is grown in Australia a lot. We think it's got a very good future here."Of course, some farmers grow it already, Lincoln University is working on it, on a large scale, but it's not used as broadly as a white clover. So it's got a lot of potential for future adaptation to climate change .... it's got more what we call sub-species, like different groups within one species," he said.Dr Kioumars Ghamkhar is optimistic about the potential of subterranean clover in this country. Photo: Supplied / Dr Kioumars GhamkharGhamkhar said while the seeds New Zealand sends to the Norwegian seed bank "belong to humanity", the gene bank works like "a Swiss bank"."It's the kind of blackbox system for us, only New Zealand can have access to the seeds it sends there."Ghamkhar said it was important New Zealand seed was stored in case of a natural catastrophe like fire or an earthquake, or war."A good example of that is Syria, they had one of the biggest collections of wheat in Syria, and a lot of other crops. And then the Syrian war happened, civil war, or ISIS basically having taking over the city that the gene bank was based in, and a lot of material was lost. But luckily, they had already sent a lot of backup to Svalbard."That seed has now been accessed and relocated to storage in Lebanon and Morocco.Sending the New Zealand seed to Norway involved double packaging it in aluminium bags and airmailing it.The packages are carefully handled with the boxes opened in front of several people, it is then deposited beside New Zealand's other seeds.Ghamkhar said the black packages were always sent with a New Zealand flag and kiwi bird sign.More details about the vault can be found here.Photo: Supplied / Dr Kioumars GhamkharThis story was originally published by RNZ

Aucklanders out and about looking for somewhere to dispose of their garbage are finding there are fewer bins than there used to be.Since November, the council has been binning bins it says contractors often find empty, in an effort to cut costs. The number across the Auckland region will drop from 10,000 to 7000 by the end of March, saving ratepayers $1.4 million a year."We're taking a careful approach and making sure we only remove the bins that have historically low use, are in neighbourhood parks generally visited by local residents close to home or which are near to other bins," Auckland Council general manager for parks and community facilities Taryn Crewe said in February.Bins in the CBD and "popular coastal areas" have been left alone, but Aucklanders "out on their daily walk might notice a rubbish bin along their usual route has been removed and may have to walk a little bit further to find the next bin".Auckland Council has been looking for ways to cut costs in order to keep rates rises in check since Wayne Brown was elected mayor.But some locals think the idea is a load of rubbish. The New Zealand Herald on Tuesday reported dog owners were being "left clutching putrid sacks of faeces" wondering if they should just throw them in the ocean, while a school principal said his students were just throwing their pie wrappers on the ground.Aucklanders had complained "en masse" on social media about the lack of bins, the Herald reported.Local boards reportedly were taken by surprise, some opting to fund temporary wheelie bins to discourage littering.Crewe said if there was not a bin nearby, Aucklanders should take their rubbish home with them."I have no doubt that walking those extra steps to the next rubbish bin, or taking your rubbish home with you, is a small step the vast majority of Aucklanders won't mind taking for the millions of dollars in savings to ratepayers."She said Auckland's regional parks were already bin-free, and people "by and large" respected this and took their rubbish with them when they left."There are also no public rubbish bins on Aotea / Great Barrier Island. Locals have embraced this and there are no major litter problems there."The discarded bins will be recycled as scrap metal or used as replacements when those left in place sustain damage.The council recently reduced the range of items that can be recycled in its fortnightly collections, and has proposed halving the frequency of its rubbish collection serviceThis story was originally published by RNZ

Have you visited the wreck of the ‘Rewa’ near Kawau?This massive steel hull began life as the ‘Alice A. Leigh’, a product of S. B. Whitehaven Company in the United Kingdom. The name was taken from the Mayoress of Stockport, who christened the ship in September 1889.From the time it launched, the barque was the largest sail ship on the British register at 94 metres long, 4 masts, and 31 sails, with a 2,999-ton displacement.For the first decade of its existence, ‘Alice’ plied the trade lanes on behalf of John Joyce & Company of Liverpool, hauling cargo between Asia, North America, and Europe.In 1895, it made its first trip to Australia, where it delivered kerosene to Melbourne. During the First World War, the ship was nearly destroyed by a German U-boat, but it was saved by the sudden appearance of a French destroyer.In 1917, ‘Alice’ was sold to the New York & Pacific Sailing Company. Shortly after a trip to Australia in 1920, she was sold again, this time to George H. Scales Pacific Ltd of Wellington.The company renamed the vessel ‘Rewa’, but it proved incompatible with new unloading equipment at the port. In late 1921, the ship made its final voyage to London with a cargo of wool, returning to Auckland in August 1922. By this point, ‘Rewa’ was no longer competitive with steamships and was laid up.Charles Percy Hanson, a hermit who owned Moturekareka off the Mahurangi Peninsula, bought ‘Rewa’ in 1930 to use as a breakwater for the cove outside his island home. Shortly after it was towed to the island, though, a storm beached the ship just offshore, where it was gradually stripped down to its gunwale.When it was scuttled, it was the last full-rigged ship on the British register. Its figurehead is now at the Torpedo Bay Naval Museum, while the hull can be visited at its final resting place off Moturekareka.Reposted from Auckland Research Centres

Confirmation that the government-funded school lunch programme is under review has sparked serious concern from health charities and principals.The programme, Ka Ora, Ka Ako, was introduced by the Labour government in 2019. It now provides free healthy lunches to more than 220,000 students - about a quarter of all students.But Associate Education Minister David Seymour said 10,000 lunches were wasted each day and there was no hard evidence the programme, which cost about $325 million annually, improved school attendance or achievement.On Monday, he told Checkpoint he was looking to cut funding for the programme by up to half.Health Coalition Aotearoa has asked Seymour for a meeting about the programme to try to ensure its future.In an interview with Nine to Noon, co-chairperson Professor Boyd Swinburn acknowledged that a report by Treasury, put out last year in the lead-up to the Budget, did not find evidence of improved achievement or attendance at schools receiving the lunches.▶ LISTEN "You can imagine trying to learn maths when your stomach is grumbling" - Boyd SwinburnHowever, studies had shown the programme had other benefits for students, such as improved mental health and wellbeing, he said.It also found the programme improved nutrition for 7.3 percent of students, who did not have sufficient access to food at home.Swinburn said Seymour should not "flip it off and say, 'because it's not meeting one of these [measures], then we need to ditch the programme".There was a "suite" of evidence he and other public health advocates wanted to put in front of the minister, he said.Professor Boyd Swinburn. Photo: Supplied"We need to remember that a lot of these kids have poor nutrition, we have very high obesity, we have 35 percent of Māori kids living in households that have food insecurity, and this is definitely a benefit for whānau resources when it comes to trying to pay for the expenses of food."According to results from the Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa) - a worldwide study looking at 15-year-olds' achievement - students living with food insecurity were, on average, two to four years behind their schoolmates, Swinburn said."You can imagine trying to learn maths when your stomach is grumbling because you haven't had breakfast and you haven't had lunch."Dr Pippa McKelvie-Sebileau has been researching the effectiveness of the programme, particularly in Hawke's Bay.She said the difference in achievement when students missed meals was "pretty stark", even accounting for other factors associated with hunger, like socioeconomic deprivation.▶ LISTEN "Students who are missing meals up to every day are four years behind in their learning" - Dr Pippa McKelvie Sebileau durationAs well as the Pisa study, data from the Trends in International Maths and Science study showed "the same enormous differences" in achievement between students with enough food and those who went hungry, McKelvie-Sebileau said.While the Treasury study did not show an improvement in attendance in students receiving free school lunches, it was carried out in 2021 "during a really bizarre time" - the aftermath of the Covid-19 lockdowns, when "it was really hard to get students into schools", she said.Cutting the programme would make it incredibly difficult for some whānau to make ends meet, McKelvie-Sebileau said."The cost of food has increased, the cost of living has increased and to add that to their family bill would really be a tragedy."'Not necessarily' fewer children, schools getting lunches - LuxonPrime Minister Christopher Luxon said the review of the programme did "not necessarily" mean fewer children or schools would receive the free lunches.National promised during the election campaign to continue the programme, but with some changes to make it more efficient."Our coalition agreement's really clear, we are supporters of the school lunch programme - but like every programme across this country, and government, we are very determined to make sure that we can make it more efficient, more effective and make sure there's less waste," Luxon said at the weekly post-Cabinet media briefing."What it means is, look, the school lunch programme has been in place, we had a Labour government that was going to stop funding it on January 2025 - end of story, there's no money going into school lunches beyond January 2025."We believe in the programme. We are now funding the programme, but we want to make sure that it's been effective. That's quite a good question to ask a few years down the road as the programme's got bigger and as we have made a big commitment to fund it - to make sure we're getting a return on it."The previous Labour government discontinued funding for the programme from the end of this year, but confirmed during the election campaign it would continue to fund it at the current settings.Principal warns school will have to buy lunches for kids if programme axedWestport South School principal Craig Adams told Midday Report the lunch programme "enables success for our students".He was alarmed at news it was under review. Before it began, "some students were just not having a school lunch", he said.▶ LISTEN "Families are really struggling at the moment" - Craig Adams "We would constantly have to be buying and supplying school lunches out of our operating grant, which takes away from other initiatives that we need to pay for in school."For some people, who can't afford [groceries], school lunches are a real lifeline."About 230 children, or 80 percent of the students at Westport South School, received lunches through the programme.Adams said he could not speak to the wider issue of wasted lunches, but said company that supplied his school also supplied another in the area, which had a later lunch break.Any lunches not eaten at Westport South were then taken to the other school, so wastage was minimal, he said."Our process is pretty streamlined."Associate Education Minister David Seymour. Photo: RNZ / Samuel RillstoneSeymour told Nine to Noon he took the issue of free school lunches "extremely seriously".He said the government was in a "difficult position", as the previous government had committed to the spending programme "without commissioning any robust empirical study to evaluate its effectiveness"."What's worse, the evidence that is in place indicates that the free school lunch programme has not improved attendance or achievement in any measurable way," he said."I will be looking at what evidence we do have, and what feedback we get from the community, in order to make a decision that balances the country's books and the expectations people have around the free school lunch programme."Seymour told Checkpoint there was agreement among all three parties in the coalition government that a programme offering taxpayer-funded school lunches would continue in "some form".What exactly that would look like was still up for discussion, he said.He was looking to cut its funding by between 30 and 50 percent - a government saving of between $100m and $160m - but did not want to name an exact figure while he was still receiving advice on the programme, he said.To make those savings, either the number of schools or students receiving the lunches could be cut, or the programme itself could be changed.'It's making a real difference'But a Porirua Principal said free lunch in schools was the most successful education initiative she had ever seen rolled out.Porirua College feeds more than 1000 students a day across the city under the scheme.Principal Ragne Maxwell said she was deeply disappointed the government wanted to reduce funding."It's making a real difference for young people and their ability to learn, attend school and succeed with their work. Removing any support from it is going to cut back on the effectiveness of the programme or the number of people it's trying to reach."Maxwell said if the government wanted to eliminate wasteful spending it should equip more schools to deliver free lunches themselves.She said the coalition could free up funds by cutting the profit margin for businesses providing lunches."We cook the lunches ourselves in our school, obviously we're not making any profit from the situation. Now not all schools have those facilities but where you can set up schools to be able to deliver without there being any question of profit being put in anyone's pocket, that's where I think you'll get the really targeted, effective use of money."Maxwell said feeding kids at school was having a direct effect on learning outcomes.This story was originally published by RNZ

4 March 2024: This recall has been updated to include Gluten Freedom brand Everything Sourdough Bagels (400g) with best before dates from 25-12-2023 up to and including 05-03-2024 as the product may contain foreign matter (plastic).20 February 2024: Venerdi Limited is recalling specific batches of its Gluten Freedom brand Broken Black Rice & Polenta Sourdough, Splendid Sourdough English Muffins and Everything Sourdough Bagels as the products may contain foreign matter (plastic).Point of sale notice for retailersIf you are a retailer of the products in this recall, download a copy of the point of sale notice. You need to display it in your store for one month.Point of sale notice – Gluten Freedom brand [PDF, 128KB]Consumer adviceCustomers are asked to check the best before date printed on the packaging.Affected products should not be consumed. There have been no reports of associated injury, however if you have consumed any of these products and have any concerns about your health, seek medical advice.Customers should return the products to their retailer for a full refund.Who to contactIf you have questions, contact Venerdi Limited:Phone: 09 813 5481Address: 33A Cartwright Road, Kelston, Auckland 0602PO Box 20527, Glen Eden

More local businesses’ under Professional Services for you to check out⚖ Vicki Morrison-Shaw is a Barrister & Commissioner, working in the areas of: Resource Management; Local Government; Environmental; Marine and Coastal; Māori Land. Vicki is also an accredited Resource Management Act Hearings Commissioner. 📷 Hotshots Creative Photography are based in Warkworth and offer fun and sensitive photoshoots for families, love stories, weddings, commercial, real estate, fine art, albums, and finally, aerial drone photography. 📏 Resource Planning Inc provide quality environmental planning and resource consent advice. They assist in:Subdivision Applications; Minor Household Units; Esplanade Reduction Waivers; Development Control Infringements; Visitor Accommodation; Commercial and Retail Developments; Planning Appraisals and Project Assessments; Retrospective Planning Consents; Wetland Planning; Boundary Adjustments; Transferable Titles; Renovations. 🟩 LDE – Engineering Consultants have offices around New Zealand with one in Whangarei and another in Warkworth. They offer:Consents; Civil and Coastal Engineering;Drilling Services; Geology and Environmental Engineering; Geotechnical; Geophysics Structural Engineering.  ⚖ John Allen Law in Warkworth, specialise in:Property (Residential, Commercial, Farm); Wills, Trusts and Estates; Business Sale/Purchase/Lease; Elder Law. 📱 If you want your business to be on the App get in [email protected] or Contact

Warkworth RegionMonday 4th March - Rain developing this morning, possibly heavy this afternoon, clearing late evening. Fresh northerlies turn strong westerly this afternoon.Tuesday 5th March - Partly cloudy, with a few showers clearing in the evening. Fresh westerlies, strong in exposed places, easing in the evening.Wednesday 6th March - Partly cloudy, chance of an evening shower. Southerlies, easing in the evening.Thursday 7th March - Cloudy. Westerlies.Friday 8th March - A few showers. Southerlies.Saturday 9th March - Fine. Southerlies.Sunday 10th March - Fine. Light winds.Mangawhai RegionMonday 4th March - A few showers, turning to rain this afternoon, possibly heavy, easing evening. Northerlies turning strong westerly this afternoon.Tuesday 5th March - Partly cloudy, with the chance of a shower until evening. Fresh westerlies, easing in the afternoon.Wednesday 6th March - Partly cloudy. Southerlies, easing in the evening.Thursday 7th March - Fine. Southwesterlies developing.Friday 8th March - Cloudy. Southerlies.Saturday 9th March - Fine with southeasterlies.Sunday 10th March - A few showers. Easterlies.

The government has given final approval for the country's first open ocean salmon farm.New Zealand King Salmon (NZKS) confirmed the news in a share market announcement on Friday, but construction could still be years away.It marked the end of a near five-year consent process for the project, known as Blue Endeavour.The company estimated the project could generate $300 million in new revenue per year.The Cook Strait farm, which would be 7 kilometres off Cape Lambert in Marlborough, would also mark a world-first in farming the King Salmon species in the open ocean.NZKS says its farm, shown here in a mock-up image, would have two blocks of 10 circular pens and the total farm would be less than 12 surface hectares in size. Photo: Supplied / NZKSNZKS chief executive, Carl Carrington, said the company would take things slowly following the approval."From here, we will complete our 18-month programme of rigourous benthic (seabed), seabird and marine mammal monitoring. This will provide a baseline of information, against which we can measure the impacts of a working salmon farm," he said."The next step will be a 'proof-of-concept' phase, putting in the trial pens from June 2025. This is when it starts to get exciting from a farming point of view - building a smaller-scale pilot farm so that we can trial new infrastructure while monitoring the welfare of our salmon, to ensure they can thrive."A map shows the planned location of the Blue Endeavour open ocean salmon farm in Cook Strait. Photo: Supplied / NZKSCarrington said the project required patience.The approval for an open ocean farm - in cooler and deeper waters - would be seen as a major win for NZKS, which has faced issues due to rising sea temperatures.Its plans have also faced some controversy, with the Department of Conservation and the Wellington-based think tank McGuiness Institute previously appealing the decision to grant NZKS resource consent for the Cook Strait project.McGuiness Institute chief executive Wendy McGuiness said in December 2022 it was appealing the consent due to concerns over the open ocean farming model and the potential for pollution, the risks it posed to wildlife and reduced access."King Salmon basically have a right under this consent to use 1000 hectares [for marine farming] that no one else is allowed to use."It's a little bit like giving a farmer free land to pollute and use for 35 years and them not ever paying anything for it."The same month, DOC said it had lodged an appeal seeking to change conditions on the consent."Should those changes be made, DOC has signalled that it does not oppose the granting of the consent of the Blue Endeavour application."NZKS said at the time that it would enter mediation with DOC and any other interested parties in 2023.According to a 2021 report prepared for the Ministry for Primary Industries, open ocean farming was a relatively recent method of salmon farming.The method has been mainly used in Norway, the global leader in Atlantic salmon farming.NZKS said its farm would have two blocks of 10 circular pens and the total farm would be less than 12 surface hectares in size.NZKS chief executive, Carl Carrington says the company will take things slowly following the approval. Photo: Supplied / NZKSWhen fully operational, the Blue Endeavour farm would have the capacity to produce 10,000 metric tonnes of chinook salmon.'Win for economy' - MinisterOceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones said the approval was a "significant step" for the aquaculture sector, and a "win for the economy"."It's going to provide more jobs for the Marlborough region and benefit our economy by providing sustainable kaimoana to the world," he said.But Jones said the project took "far too long" to receive the necessary approval."The coalition government is committed to removing unnecessary barriers to make approval processes for projects such as this quicker and easier and, in doing so, a lot cheaper," he said."There are currently too many hurdles causing delays for aquaculture projects, and these delays hurt our economy and the communities that rely on aquaculture," Jones said.This story was originally published by RNZ

Consultation on Kaipara District’s Long Term Plan is fast approaching. This is a really important opportunity for you to give us feedback on the work we are planning for the next three years. Sign up to People’s Panel now to receive your invitation to provide feedback as soon as consultation opens. Register today at https://www.kaipara.govt.nz/panelWhat is the People's Panel?The People's Panel is a quick and easy way for citizens of Kaipara to help shape the District by taking part in short surveys. We encourage anyone who is interested in the future of Kaipara to join the People's Panel.How People's Panel worksPeople who sign up will receive surveys by email.We have approximately one survey every couple months, but you only need to complete those that interest you.Most surveys take five or 10 minutes to complete.We keep personal details private and members are not identified in reports of survey results.Key findings and how the results have been used are shared with you.We'll keep you informed about other opportunities to give feedback to Kaipara District Council.

Final repairs on Devich Road bridge to start next week From Monday 4 March the bridge will be closed during work days for approximately four weeks, to enable Council contractors to complete work on the retaining walls and a ground anchor that is integral to the bridge’s structure. The majority of work was completed prior to Christmas, to allow peak holiday traffic through during the summer months. Traffic management will be in place and the bridge will be closed between 7.30am – 5pm Monday – Friday while the work is carried out. It will open again at the end of each work day and during the weekends. Thank you for your patience while we carry out this work. Since February’s extreme weather events, we have restored most roads that were damaged but are still working on a number of sites in the Kaipara District.You can find information on the recovery works at www.kaipara.govt.nz/road-repairs

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 March 2024. Please note this Traffic Bulletin is updated every Friday.Check daily updated closure information: www.nzta.govt.nz/traffic/aucklandUnless otherwise stated, closures start at 9pm and finish at 5am. NORTHERN MOTORWAY (SH1)Southbound lanes between Orewa off-ramp and Silverdale on-ramp, 3-6 MarchOrewa southbound on-ramp, 3-6 MarchMillwater southbound on-ramp, 3-6 MarchNorthbound lanes between Silverdale off-ramp and Orewa on-ramp, 3-5 MarchNorthbound lanes between Oteha Valley Road off-ramp and Orewa on-ramp, 6 MarchSilverdale northbound on-ramp, 3-6 MarchOteha Valley Road northbound on-ramp, 6 MarchShelly Beach Road southbound off-ramp, 3-7 MarchCENTRAL MOTORWAY JUNCTION (CMJ)Eastbound lanes between Wellesley Street East (SH1) off ramp and Alten Road, 3-7 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Eastbound lanes between Wellesley Street East (SH16) off-ramp and Alten Road, 3-7 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Grafton Road eastbound on-ramp, 3-7 MarchWestbound lanes between Stanley Street off-ramp and Wellesley Street East on-ramp, 3-7 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)SOUTHERN MOTORWAY (SH1)Northbound lanes between Ellerslie-Panmure Highway off-ramp and Greenlane on-ramp, 5-6 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Ellerslie-Panmure Highway northbound on-ramp, 5-6 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Northbound lanes between Mt Wellington Highway off-ramp and Greenlane on-ramp, 3-4 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Ellerslie-Panmure Highway northbound on-ramp, 3-4 MarchSouth Eastern Highway northbound on-ramp, 3-4 MarchMt Wellington Highway northbound on-ramp, 3-4 MarchEast Tamaki Road northbound off-ramp, 3-4 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Southbound lanes between Redoubt Road off-ramp and Papakura on-ramp, 6 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)SH1 southbound to SH20 northbound link, 6 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Redoubt Road southbound on-ramp, 6 MarchTakanini southbound on-ramp, 6 MarchPapakura northbound off-ramp, 1-9 March (24/7)Papakura (Loop) northbound on-ramp, 6-7 MarchNorthbound lanes between Drury/SH22 off-ramp and Papakura on-ramp, 5-7 MarchDrury/SH22 northbound on-ramp, 5-7 MarchSouthbound lanes between Drury/SH22 off-ramp and Bombay on-ramp, 5 MarchDrury/SH22 southbound on-ramp, 5 MarchRamarama southbound on-ramp, 5 MarchRamarama northbound on-ramp, 3-4 MarchRamarama northbound off-ramp, 3-4 March Northbound lanes between Bombay off-ramp and Ramarama on-ramp, 5 MarchBombay northbound on-ramp, 5 MarchSouthbound lanes between Mercer off-ramp and Mercer on-ramp, 6-7 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Northbound lanes between Mercer off-ramp and Mercer on-ramp, 6-7 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Te Kauwhata northbound on-ramp, 5-9 March (24/7)Te Kauwhata northbound off-ramp, 5-9 March (24/7)NORTHWESTERN MOTORWAY (SH16)Southbound lanes between Waimauku roundabout and Trigg Road, 3-7 MarchNorthbound lanes between Trigg Road and Waimauku roundabout, 3-7 MarchHobsonville Road southbound on-ramp, 5 MarchPatiki Road southbound off-ramp, 4-5 MarchTe Atatu Road (Loop) southbound on-ramp, 4-5 MarchTe Atatu Road (Diamond) southbound on-ramp, 3 MarchSOUTHWESTERN MOTORWAY (SH20)Northbound lanes between Neilson Street off-ramp and Neilson Street on-ramp, 3 & 7 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Neilson Street southbound on-ramp, 4-5 MarchSouthbound lanes between SH20 southbound link and Landing Drive, 7 MarchSH20 southbound to SH20A southbound link, 7 MarchSH20 northbound to SH20A southbound link, 7 MarchSouthbound lanes between Lambie Drive off-ramp and SH1 Links, 6 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Lambie Drive southbound on-ramp, 6 MarchSH20 southbound to SH1 northbound link, 6 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)SH20 southbound to SH1 southbound link, 6 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)GEORGE BOLT MEMORIAL DRIVE (SH20A)Kirkbride Road southbound on-ramp, 7 March STATE HIGHWAY 2 (SH2)Mangatawhiri eastbound off-ramp, 3-7 March

By Jan Dewar, Denise Wilson, Gail Pacheco and Lisa Meehan* ofDuring the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, policy was being made in crisis management mode. Decisions had to be made faster than usual, and there was limited ability to undertake wider consultation and impact analysis.Now the worst of the pandemic is over, we have the luxury of being able to reflect on what worked well and what did not.One of the more controversial policies implemented during the height of the pandemic was the vaccine mandates. Thousands of workers across a range of professions had to get vaccinated to keep their jobs.This mandate presented a trade-off between public health considerations and the right of individuals to refuse medical treatment and earn a living in their chosen profession.Our research looked at whether these vaccine mandates increased Covid-19 vaccination rates among these workers, and what their employment, earnings and workplace experiences were.The stated purpose of the mandates was to increase vaccination rates among these workers to ensure the continuity of public services.In reality, the mandates had limited effect on increasing vaccine uptake. But they had a substantive negative effect on the employment, earnings and wellbeing of unvaccinated health workers.Photo: Sebastian Gollnow / DPA / dpa Picture-Alliance via AFPThe importance of choiceVaccination rates among healthcare, education and corrections workers were already high when the government announced the mandates in October 2021.Almost 90 percent of healthcare workers and 86 percent of corrections workers had already received two doses of the vaccine. The share among education workers was somewhat lower (82 percent), but they also did not have early access to the vaccine. There were only six weeks between the vaccine becoming available to everyone over 12 years and the mandates being announced.While vaccination rates among these mandated workers did increase after the mandates were announced, the data shows a continuation of an upward trend rather than a jump in uptake.It will not surprise anyone that people do not like being told what to do. And this appears to have some bearing on mandatory vaccine uptake.One German survey found just over 3 percent of people said they would not want the Covid-19 vaccination if it was voluntary. But more than 16 percent said they would not want to get vaccinated if it was mandatory.A consequence of vaccine mandates is that they can erode trust in government and provoke more resistance. This erosion of trust could potentially strengthen anti-vaccination sentiment generally and reduce uptake, not just of Covid-19 vaccinations, but also other vaccines.This outcome is especially concerning given research has found New Zealand's routine childhood immunisation rates have decreased since the pandemic.Photo: Supplied / Ministry of HealthEarnings took a hitIn addition to not causing a noticeable increase in vaccination rates, the mandates also had negative consequences for the employment and earnings of unvaccinated health workers.Their employment rate fell by 15 percent and their earnings fell by 19 percent, compared with vaccinated health workers and those not subject to the mandates.Even after the health worker mandates were lifted in September 2022, the employment and earnings of unvaccinated workers never fully recovered.This exacerbated existing health worker shortages. Closed borders and a global shortage of healthcare workers meant fewer moved into the health sector compared with the number leaving.The trauma of being branded 'anti-vax'The effect of the mandates on health workers also went beyond financial consequences.Affected health workers talked to us about the loss and ongoing trauma they have experienced. Those opposed to mandates are often incorrectly labelled as "anti-vaxxers", or even conspiracy theorists.All health workers we spoke to were pro-vaccination, but had legitimate reasons for not completing, or struggling to complete, the required vaccinations. They had researched the vaccine and made informed decisions based on their circumstances.Some health workers pointed out that the case for mandates was not strong based on available evidence. While the vaccine reduces symptom severity, its ability to prevent transmission is currently limited.As one health worker said: "I looked at the Australian data and couldn't see the logic of me potentially being exposed to another vaccine where my potential benefit was so low … the evidence wasn't really strong."Some workers had health conditions that put them at elevated risk from the vaccine. Or they had a history of adverse reactions to vaccines. But the mandates meant they either had to get vaccinated, sometimes against their doctors' advice, or lose their jobs. While some medical exemptions were available, the threshold for these was very high.In addition, even those with medical exemptions faced stigma. One health worker who got an exemption after suffering a stroke following their vaccination, described people's reaction upon showing them the exemption."That look on people's faces, it was disgust … it was really, really awful."As another health worker explained: "We're supposed to be a caring profession. Nothing about this is caring … Due to no fault of my own, I have now been labelled an anti-vaxxer and anti-science, and in some people's opinion, not worthy of calling myself a nurse. This hurts me immensely. This is what mandates have done. There is no room for individual circumstances."The people we spoke with said they lost their sense of control, and it eroded their trust in the health system and government.The risk of mandatesWhat does this tell us about the use of vaccine mandates during future pandemics?In the context of high voluntary compliance, mandates should be used judiciously. Mandating something is not always the most effective way to get people to do something for the greater good.During the Covid-19 pandemic, a strong motivator for vaccination was the "feel-good" factor of knowing you were protecting yourself and others.Ironically, the increase in distrust that resulted from the use of mandates in the Covid-19 pandemic may actually lower voluntary vaccine uptake in future pandemics.As one health worker summed it up: "Someone who's been vaccinated badly, the trauma of that - it's not just them, it's their entire social circle, it's their entire whānau. You're seeding distrust in the health system, not just for Covid vaccinations, but the whole system, everything to do with medicine and the whole immunisation programme … if there's a policy that's as big as a mandate for a whole population or health professionals, you really need to think about what are the unintended consequences."* Jan Dewar is Head of Nursing at Auckland University of Technology, Denise Wilson is Associate Dean Māori Advancement and Professor Māori Health at Auckland University of Technology, Gail Pacheco is Professor of Economics and Director of the NZ Work Research Institute at Auckland University of Technology and Lisa Meehan is Deputy Director of the NZ Work Research Institute at Auckland University of TechnologyThis story was originally published by The Conversation.

Warkworth RegionFriday 1st March - Fine apart from evening cloud. Fresh southwesterlies developing this morning.Saturday 2nd March - Partly cloudy, chance of a shower. Westerlies, becoming fresh in the morning.Sunday 3rd March - Occasional rain developing early. Northwesterlies, becoming strong for a time in the afternoon and evening.Mangawhai RegionFriday 1st March - Mainly fine apart from the chance of morning and early afternoon shower or two. Areas of evening cloud. Southwesterlies, fresh this afternoon and evening.Saturday 2nd March - Mostly cloudy with isolated showers, clearing to fine in the evening. Westerlies, becoming fresh in the morning.Sunday 3rd March - Partly cloudy, with isolated showers developing in the morning. Northwesterlies, becoming strong for a time in the afternoon and evening

A government bailout is off the cards for one of the country's major news outlets which has announced its intention to shut at the end of June.Up to 300 people could lose their jobs.Newshub said it has not asked Prime Minister Christopher Luxon for financial help and the government appears to have no intention of stepping in.Journalists, commentators and some politicians said the closure was bad news for democracy and a forewarning of worse to come.MPs shared their sympathies - and their concerns over the wider implications of one the country's major TV news services shutting down.Broadcasting Minister Melissa Lee said it was something outlets around the globe were experiencing."I think journalists actually losing jobs - as a former journalist - I actually feel for them, I just think it's a sad day."Having said that, plurality is not an issue, because the way that people consume media has actually changed. We're no longer sitting in front of a television box watching the news at 6 o'clock.Broadcasting Minister Melissa Lee. Photo: RNZ / Samuel RillstoneLee was given a heads up by network chief Glen Kyne on Tuesday night - before he broke it to the newsroom late on Wednesday morning.She said Warner Brothers Discovery did not ask the government for financial assistance - and she was clear it cannot intervene."He said there was nothing that could have actually helped, it was actually a failure in terms of the way they're advertising for their news, it was actually a massive drop and nothing could have actually helped."And Labour's broadcasting spokesperson, the former minister, told Morning Report his party wouldn't have bailed Newshub out either."I think it's probably a bit much, you and I both know, anybody would know, you've got a $20m company behind Newshub," Willie Jackson told Morning Report."I know we would not have intervened, but we would not have just left them in the lurch."He said they would have brought the company in and tried to help them find a way through.Jackson questioned Lee's commitment to finding a solution.Labour introduced a Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill - which would require social media platforms to pay news outlets to use their content.But Jackson said the current government was not interested in the bill, which was currently before a Select Committee.He said Newshub briefed him about financial difficulties last year - but the closure was a surprise."They did say things were not going too well, they didn't ask for any assistance in terms of funding but they were pretty clear that things were not too good."LISTEN ▶ "I believe that you have to bring in different strategies so that you can have a plurality of voices" - Labour's broadcasting spokesperson Willie Jackson:Coalition's thoughts: disasterPhoto: RNZ/Marika KhabaziDeputy Prime Minister Winston Peters framed the situation as a disaster for the staff and New Zealand."A critical part of any democracy and free society is the fourth estate, an independent fourth estate, and I'm concerned about where we're going now," he said."Frankly for those 300 or so staff and their spouses and their families, this is an absolute disaster. But it's also a disaster for this country's democracy."Associate finance minister David Seymour said while the government would not buy out Newshub, he had requested advice on whether government-owned TVNZ should start returning a dividend, to help level the playing field."I think there's a question mark around whether the government's ownership of one TV channel and the poor returns it's demanded as a shareholder has actually contributed to an uncompetitive market."Sad dayDeputy Labour leader Carmel Sepuloni told First Up the probable Newshub closure was sad and dissapointing for those losing their jobs, and democracy."In this day and age when we're bombarded with information, some of which is not true, it's really important that we've got trusted sources of information and now we're not going to have that through Newshub."She said while it was not always comfortable when journalists asked questions, they were "doing their job"."Respect for the work they do and it's fundamental, like I said, for our democracy."LISTEN ▶ "We rely on the fourth estate" - Deputy Labour leader Carmel Sepuloni Labour leader Chris Hipkins said it was a sad day for democracy."I want to extend my thoughts to everybody who's been affected by that announcement, I know that it will be a really uncertain time for them."This story was originally published by RNZ

Kaiwaka Playcentre are doing a fundraiser gala for their playcentre. As a part of this they are doing some raffles. They've had some amazing local businesses donate towards these.Information in the photos below. Happy for a bank transfer or they can do cash on a Wednesday or Friday 9-12 by dropping it into the Kaiwaka playcentre. Winners will be drawn the Wednesday 27th March week before Easter so you can enjoy the goodies pm them for more details.They are thanking the following businesses for their contributions:The SaloonThe Beauty Lab MangawhaiSwim Mangawhai Northcoast Bricklayers LtdRota and Piston Performance Ltd Mangawhai Museum Bammas Surf Shop Mangawhai Pest Busters Northland The Don Barber and Beauty ShopSovereign ElectricalFour Square KaiwakaNorthcoast Homes Group LtdEutopia Cafe Nina G Photography Kaiwaka Foodbank and OpshopMangawhai Opportunity FactoryBk sushiMangawhai Tyres Four Little Birds

Auckland Transport is planning to construct a new footpath between Rodney Street and Centennial Park Road in Wellsford.Project status: Construction to begin in February 2024Project overviewRodney Street is a busy stretch of highway with residential and commercial properties on either side. Nearby is Centennial Park, a popular sporting, recreational and community hub. Currently there is no safe facility linking pedestrians between Rodney Street and Centennial Park Road.The existing footpath ends outside 68 Rodney Street on the eastern side of the street. Pedestrians must use the western side of the road, crossing Rodney Street twice to access Centennial Park Road and the park grounds.The project is funded by the Rodney Transport Targeted Rate. One key objective of the fund is to add vital pieces of infrastructure to expand the footpath network in your area, making it safer and easier for people to get around.Proposal for Rodney Street footpathUnder the most current project design, we will:Install a 1.8m-wide footpath from outside 68 Rodney Street where the current footpath ends to Centennial Park Road along the eastern side the street.Build a new, dedicated footbridge east of the vehicle overbridge to complete the footpath link over the railway tracks to Centennial Park Road.Download the final drawing for the Rodney Street footpath (PDF 2.38MB).Next stepsWe have finalised the project design and plan to begin construction at the end of February 2024. We will notify the community as soon as we have confirmed the construction schedule and start date.