Warkworth RegionFriday 6th October - Cloudy periods. Patchy drizzle until evening. Southwesterlies, turning northwesterly late evening.Saturday 7th October - A few showers, turning to rain with heavy falls for a time in the afternoon and evening. Northwesterlies, turning southerly in the afternoon.Sunday 8th - Fine, then a few showers developing in the afternoon. Fresh southerlies developing in the afternoon.Mangawhai RegionFriday 6th October - Partly cloudy. Southwesterlies, turning northwesterly late evening.Saturday 7th October - Showers, turning to rain for a time in the afternoon and evening. Northwesterlies, easing in the afternoon.Sunday 8th - Partly cloudy, with showers developing in the morning, some possibly heavy. Fresh southerlies developing in the afternoon.

Expanding Rodney’s footpath network is picking up pace with a $23 million investment set to deliver 31 footpaths across Rodney.The footpath programme, which began in 2020 and is funded through the Rodney Local Board Transport Targeted Rate, has made steady progress with eight footpaths complete, four more under construction and another 19 moving through the investigation and design stages.Local Board chair Brent Bailey says footpaths are a priority for the local board and community who want to expand the network, so it’s easier and safer for people to get around.“People often tell us about their children who can’t walk to school, that they can’t walk outside their homes and about roads that are getting busier and aren’t safe for pedestrians,” he says.“It’s very important these footpath projects deliver the maximum benefit for our area. We use funding criteria to decide where new footpaths are built which includes busy school routes, well-used pedestrian routes, and linking existing and new developments which extends our pedestrian network even further.”The targeted rate delivers transport projects in the local board area which are excluded from the Regional Land Transport Plan 2021-2031. It follows the principle that revenue collected from each of the board’s four subdivisions is only used for projects delivered in that subdivision.Bailey says that each footpath project and the associated costs are monitored carefully through to delivery stage.“Auckland Transport regularly reconciles the budget to maintain proportionality across subdivisions. Sometimes there’s good news, if savings are made or other funding sources become available, the funds can be reallocated to more projects for that subdivision.”Better access to the park that will be developed at Green Road is a priority for the Dairy Flat community, with $620,000 allocated for a footpath through the park.Another $695,000 has been allocated to build the Rodney Street footpath and pedestrian overbridge which will keep Wellsford residents safe when crossing the railway line.The board will also look at additional footpath projects for the Kumeū subdivision using funds reallocated from the cancelled Huapai Community Transport Hub project.Footpaths under construction or completed by Wellsford contractor Wharehine Construction Ltd include:Kumeū – Matua Road (complete), Tapu Road (complete), York Terrace (complete), Princes Street East (complete), Princes Street West (complete), George Street (complete), Alice Street and King Street (underway).Dairy Flat – Dairy Flat Highway to Postman Road (complete).Warkworth – Pakiri Road, Leigh (underway), Wech Drive, Warkworth (underway) and Leigh Road, Whangateau (underway).Wellsford – School Road (underway).Auckland Transport are finalising contracts with Wharehine Construction to deliver footpaths at Albert Street, Leigh; Puhoi Road, Puhoi; Goodall Road, Snells Beach; Rodney Street, Wellsford; Point Wells Road, Point Wells; Ahuroa Road, Puhoi and Olympus Road, Wellsford.

Finn Blackwell, ReporterAucklanders could be facing a double-digit rates hike next year, as the city council again looks at how to cover costs.Earlier this year, Auckland Council put rates up by 7.7 percent as part of a plan to plug its $325 million budget hole.Looking ahead, the council had said those rates could nearly double next year from a starting point of 13.75 percent, as it looks to once again balance the books.Many Aucklanders saw rising costs in the city as a sign of the times.Some ratepayers in central Auckland told RNZ a rates hike was the last thing they need.One said a 13.75 percent increase was "outrageous", while another said they were not getting anything for their money.An Auckland Council spokesperson said rates of 13.75 percent for the next financial year, were forecast for their Long Term Plan, as a result of decisions made for this year's annual budget.People said living in the city was already unaffordable, a unanimous answer by those RNZ spoke to.This year's 7.7 percent rates rise meant the average property owner was paying an extra $253 per year.A 13.75 percent increase would be an annual increase up to $487.Auckland councillor Shane Henderson said the council needed to take a closer look at its spending."We need to look at what our expenditure is, and then out of it will come a rates figure," he said."[13.75 percent] is certainly something that's in play but I don't think that's going to pass, and we need to get something across the line that the majority of councillors and the majority of Aucklanders want."He said a double-digit rates increase would be tough for residents and businesses already struggling with the cost of living.But Henderson said it would be months before any rates increase was decided."Luckily, we've got many months to work on this, to try and knock together a budget that, I think, will be a bit more palatable, we've just got to work really hard on it."Cuts to council services were not the answer, he said."It's not as simple as cutting your way to prosperity, that's never really worked," he said.Chief executive of the central city business association Viv Beck said any further costs to businesses would hit them hard.Viv Beck. Photo: Supplied / HOTC"They're certainly still noticing the impact of increased costs, high interest rates, and we're not through this yet," she said."I think any talk about increased costs to business is concerning, particularly for those businesses that are really struggling."Auckland Ratepayers Alliance spokesperson Jordan Williams said it was opposed to a double-digit rates hike."The big problem that Auckland Council has is the chickens are coming home to roost," he said."All that money that Len Brown, and Phil Goff have borrowed, now comes with an enormous interest bill attached."A spokesperson for Brown said he had no intention of proposing those types of increases.They said he wanted things done better, cheaper, and faster and had made it clear that everyone needed to work together to stop such rises.This story was originally published by RNZ

𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲: Missing person Dylan BarfordPolice are appealing for dashcam footage, sightings, or any relevant information on the whereabouts of missing West Auckland man Dylan Barford.Dylan has been missing now for over a week. He was last seen in CCTV footage (pictured) walking north along Guntan Drive past Kedgley Road, which is adjacent to the Westgate Mall shops, just before 1am on Sunday 24 September 2023.Police are appealing to residents of, or people who travelled through the Westgate, Whenuapai or Hobsonville areas early on Sunday 24 September, to please check their dashcam video, or outside home CCTV video, for possible vision of Dylan.Dylan is 34 years old, of medium build, 168cm tall and has tattoos on the rear of his right elbow and left forearm. He was last seen wearing a black jacket and blue adidas tear away pants late on Saturday evening 23 September.Please contact Police on 105, referencing case file number 230924/2185 if you find any footage of a person matching that description, in the early hours of Sunday 24 September.

A Northland council aims to switch to electric buses and tap into solar power as part of an "ambitious" plan to go carbon-zero by 2050.Northland Regional Council (NRC) has voted to slash the organisation's carbon emissions in half by 2030 and to net zero by 2050, with the aim of achieving "climate-positive status" from 2050 on.NRC chair Tui Shortland said the plan was "unashamedly ambitious" but analysis done so far on potential emissions reductions indicated the goal was achievable.She said scientific evidence around human-induced climate change was unequivocal and the council, which is responsible for environmental regulations in Northland, was well positioned to display strong leadership on the issue."Climate change is an existential threat and therefore vital that we reduce greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible," Shortland said.The Northland Regional Council's move highlights the diverging views among Northland's local authorities, with the Kaipara District Council voting earlier this week to axe some of its climate-related measures.At its September meeting, Kaipara councillors voted to discontinue the organisation's climate policy and cancel its emission accounting contract.Kaipara mayor Craig Jepson said the move would save ratepayers about $33,000 and prevent double-ups with work already being done by central government.Kaipara mayor Craig Jepson says he would rather give funding to "real" activities. Photo: Supplied / Kaipara District CouncilThe climate policy and emission accounting had been budgeted in the council's 2021-31 Long Term Plan but there was no statutory requirement to carry out either.Funding would, however, continue for activities that were "real", Jepson said."We must continually look for savings and efficiencies in our budgets wherever we can. I would rather give funding to activities that are real, actions such as supporting the Raupō Drainage Scheme, which has shown tangible benefits as evidenced in Cyclone Gabrielle earlier this year and responds directly to the effects of weather events," he said."It's obvious that central government covers all these issues and we are repeating a process that we don't need to."Meanwhile, central to the Northland Regional Council's net-zero plan is the electrification of Whangārei's CityLink bus fleet by 2030.Other possible moves include making the council's vehicle fleet fully electric and installing solar arrays to cover all electricity consumption.The regional council currently currently has 78 vehicles, six of which are full EVs while 18 are plug-in hybrids.Shortland said meeting the new targets would require putting "an emissions reduction lens" across all aspects of council business.In the long term, the council would also need to develop a carbon removal/offset investment plan.Collectively the measures could slash the council's annual carbon emissions from 1288 tonnes annually to 644 tonnes by 2030, and 128 tonnes by 2050.Costings and detailed plans for cutting emissions had yet to be worked through, but feasibility studies would be carried out and business cases developed ahead of any significant spending.She expected an increased budget would be sought through the long-term plan process for initiatives such as fleet electrification and a feasibility study for electrification of Whangārei's buses.Some measures, such as installing more solar arrays, could save ratepayers money.The emissions reduction and net-zero targets were adopted at a meeting in Kaitāia on 26 September."The effects of climate change will increasingly disrupt our water, land, ecosystems, people and economy and Northland communities are particularly exposed," Shortland said."Many of our most vulnerable community members, settlements, town centres and roads sit on coastal floodplains, exposed to sea level rise and increased flooding. Negative impacts on human health will also affect our communities."This story was originally published by RNZ

Rayssa Almeida, ReporterAuckland needs to urgently address old infrastructure if it wants to avoid further water contamination, an environmental ecologist says.Tonnes of debris has been removed from the blocked pipe where a 13-metre deep sinkhole opened in Parnell a week ago, with hundreds of litres of sewage per second being pumped into the Waitematā Harbour since.Watercare postponed until Tuesday the laying of a temporary pipeline to reduce the wastewater overflow.The pipeline was expected to go in on Monday, but Watercare said crews spent the day preparing the ground.Victoria University ecology and environmental science senior researcher Dr Mike Joy said the problem was not new."This is in the news because it's a big one, but wastewater has been leaking from the broken infrastructure in Auckland as it is in many cities in New Zealand for a long time and much smaller levels."At least over the last two decades I've seen many of the broken pipes and slow discharges into streams."He said the issue was a result of aged infrastructure that had never been updated."This is just a spike in an ongoing failure of critical sewage infrastructure. Some of those pipes and networks are ancient and Auckland is growing incredibly fast and not keeping up with that."This diagram shows the impact of the sinkhole on the Ōrākei main sewer. Photo: WatercareWatercare said until the bypass was completed, hundreds of litres of waste per second were being pumped into the Waitematā Harbour."The amount of wastewater in this part of the network fluctuates throughout the day, as the volume increases during wet weather and decreases in dry weather."We don't have flow meters at the overflow locations, so our best estimate of the overflow volume is that it's several hundred litres per second. It's a high-volume overflow and we're doing everything we possibly can to put an end to it as soon as possible."Joy said the contamination could have serious effects on the sea life."There are nutrients in [the sewage] that will drive algal blooms in the harbour and the waterways, which can limit the sunlight available and cause lack of oxygen in water."Human waste tends to be really high and some unusual things like oestrogens, some hormones and nettles, and there's often industrial waste going into these wastewater systems as well."That can cause big problems in the aquatic balance."He said water life would carry damaging consequences."Shellfish will accumulate the pathogens from the wastewater, and those pathogens can live a lot longer inside the shellfish."So even when the water tests come clear for pathogens and it's safe to swim again, you can still have high levels of potentially dangerous pathogens in shellfish for a lot longer."It will still be unsafe to eat it for quite a long time."Joy said the issue was ongoing and needed to be addressed urgently to avoid an even greater environmental damage."That's not the only place that wastewater is leaking into the harbour, there are many other points. Some of it tends to be not directly into harbour, but into the streams that flow into it, so they get flushed through when you have a big rainfall event."The government should be taking a precautionary approach, he said."We have this kind of tendency to not do anything about an issue until we have to. Everyone knows how dangerous this is, and we should be upgrading the wastewater infrastructure so that it doesn't happen again."We need to start thinking of the longer term, climate change is here."'Stay out of the water' - National Public HealthA global study by the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimated that bathing in polluted seas caused 250 million cases of gastroenteritis and upper respiratory disease every year.The group of experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection - GESAMP - said most illnesses are caused by pathogens."They cause a wide variety of acute illnesses including diarrhoea, cholera, dysentery, typhoid, and hepatitis A."Pathogenic bacteria can survive in the sea from a few days to several weeks, while viruses can survive in water, fish or shellfish for several months. The hepatitis virus can remain viable in the sea for over a year," it said.Twenty-four inner-city beaches in Auckland were closed for swimming due to the wastewater overflow.Te Whatu Ora national public health northern region medical officer of health Dr David Sinclair said the amount of different diseases that could come from contact with contaminated water was concerning."If people get into the water they could [get] several types of skin infections, eye and ear infections and get respiratory infections as well."And of course, they can also get gastroenteritis from any gastro bugs that might be in the water at the same time. That is contagious and could result in an outbreak."He said water activities should be avoided, as well as letting pets in."It's preferable for people to stay out of the water until the all clear is given, including air paddling and kayaking."Pets too can be affected by infections as much as humans, so it's best for them to be kept away."Fishing was also not recommended."Particularly not shell fishing, as they absorb those sewage nutrients for quite a while," Sinclair said.This story was originally published by RNZ

Early voting is now open so you can vote now if you would like to.The main voting day is Saturday 14th October.Kaipara ki Mahurangi ElectorateIncludes Puhoi, Parakai, Kaukapakapa, Warkworth, Matakana, Leigh, Pakiri, Wellsford, Te Hana, Te Arai, Tapora and Tomarata.Candidates for Northland the 2023 General ElectionBAILEY, Brent ACT New ZealandBREWER, Sarah DemocracyNZBROWN, Zephyr Green PartyMARCROFT, Jenny New Zealand First PartyPENK, Chris National PartyWISHART, Guy Labour PartyNorthland ElectorateIncludes Kaiwaka, Mangawhai, and the rest of Northland, with exception to Whangarei which is its own electorate.Candidates for Northland the 2023 General ElectionCAMERON, Mark ACT New Zealand FEYEN, Michael New Zealand Loyal FINLAYSON, Mike Northland Party JONES, Shane Geoffrey New Zealand First Party KING, Matt DemocracyNZ LYE, Jeffrey Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party McCALLUM, Grant National Party PENNEY, Reina Tuai Green Party PRIME, Willow-Jean Labour Party To find out which electorate you are in go to the mapTo enrol to vote or change your details onlineVoting LocationsOrewa Community Centre, Main Hall 40-46 Orewa SquareTue 3 Oct 9:00 AM - 7:00 PMWed 4 Oct 9:00 AM - 7:00 PMThu 5 Oct 9:00 AM - 7:00 PMFri 6 Oct 9:00 AM - 7:00 PMSat 7 Oct 9:00 AM - 7:00 PMSun 8 Oct 10:00 AM - 5:00 PMMon 9 Oct 9:00 AM - 7:00 PMTue 10 Oct 9:00 AM - 7:00 PMWed 11 Oct 9:00 AM - 7:00 PMThu 12 Oct 9:00 AM - 7:00 PMFri 13 Oct 9:00 AM - 5:00 PMSat 14 Oct 9:00 AM - 7:00 PMPAK'nSAVE Silverdale, Portacom- 20 Hibiscus Coast HighwayTue 3 Oct 9:00 AM - 7:00 PMWed 4 Oct 9:00 AM - 7:00 PMThu 5 Oct 9:00 AM - 7:00 PMFri 6 Oct 9:00 AM - 7:00 PMSat 7 Oct 9:00 AM - 7:00 PMSun 8 Oct 9:00 AM - 7:00 PMMon 9 Oct 9:00 AM - 7:00 PMTue 10 Oct 9:00 AM - 7:00 PMWed 11 Oct 9:00 AM - 7:00 PMThu 12 Oct 9:00 AM - 7:00 PMFri 13 Oct 9:00 AM - 5:00 PMSat 14 Oct 9:00 AM - 7:00 PMPūhoi Fire Station 52 Ahuroa RoadSat 14 Oct9:00 AM - 7:00 PMMahurangi West Hall 401 Mahurangi West RoadSat 14 Oct 9:00 AM - 7:00 PMMatakana Community Hall 43 Matakana Valley RoadSat 7 Oct 9:00 AM - 6:00 PMSun 8 Oct 9:00 AM - 6:00 PMMon 9 Oct 9:00 AM - 6:00 PMTue 10 Oct 9:00 AM - 6:00 PMWed 11 Oct 9:00 AM - 6:00 PMThu 12 Oct 9:00 AM - 6:00 PMFri 13 Oct 9:00 AM - 5:00 PMSat 14 Oct 9:00 AM - 7:00 PMPoint Wells Hall 5 Point Wells RoadSat 14 Oct 9:00 AM - 7:00 PMLeigh School 22 Hauraki RoadSat 14 Oct9:00 AM - 7:00 PMMahurangi East Tennis Club 296 Mahurangi East RoadSat 7 Oct9:00 AM - 6:00 PM Sun 8 Oct9:00 AM - 6:00 PMMon 9 Oct9:00 AM - 6:00 PMTue 10 Oct9:00 AM - 6:00 PMWed 11 Oct9:00 AM - 6:00 PMThu 12 Oct9:00 AM - 6:00 PMFri 13 Oct9:00 AM - 5:00 PMSat 14 Oct9:00 AM - 7:00 PMMahurangi College Hall Foyer 2 Woodcocks RoadSat 14 Oct9:00 AM - 7:00 PMPAK'nSAVE Warkworth Hudson Road (corner State Highway 1)Tue 3 Oct9:00 AM - 6:00 PMWed 4 Oct9:00 AM - 6:00 PMThu 5 Oct9:00 AM - 6:00 PMFri 6 Oct9:00 AM - 6:00 PMSat 7 Oct9:00 AM - 6:00 PMSun 8 Oct9:00 AM - 6:00 PMMon 9 Oct9:00 AM - 6:00 PMTue 10 Oct9:00 AM - 6:00 PMWed 11 Oct9:00 AM - 6:00 PMThu 12 Oct9:00 AM - 6:00 PMFri 13 Oct9:00 AM - 6:00 PMSat 14 Oct9:00 AM - 7:00 PMWarkworth Masonic Hall 3 Baxter StreetTue 3 Oct8:30 AM - 6:00 PMWed 4 Oct8:30 AM - 6:00 PMThu 5 Oct8:30 AM - 6:00 PMFri 6 Oct8:30 AM - 6:00 PMSat 7 Oct8:30 AM - 6:00 PMSun 8 Oct8:30 AM - 6:00 PMMon 9 Oct8:30 AM - 6:00 PMTue 10 Oct8:30 AM - 7:00 PMWed 11 Oct8:30 AM - 7:00 PMThu 12 Oct8:30 AM - 7:00 PMFri 13 Oct8:30 AM - 5:00 PMSat 14 Oct9:00 AM - 7:00 PMWarkworth School Hall 35 Hill StreetSat 14 Oct9:00 AM - 7:00 PMPort Albert Hall 980 Port Albert RoadSat 14 Oct9:00 AM - 7:00 PMWellsford District Community Centre 1 Matheson RoadTue 3 Oct9:00 AM - 6:00 PMWed 4 Oct9:00 AM - 6:00 PMThu 5 Oct9:00 AM - 6:00 PMFri 6 Oct9:00 AM - 6:00 PMSat 7 Oct9:00 AM - 6:00 PMSun 8 Oct9:00 AM - 6:00 PMMon 9 Oct9:00 AM - 6:00 PMTue 10 Oct9:00 AM - 6:00 PMWed 11 Oct9:00 AM - 6:00 PMThu 12 Oct9:00 AM - 6:00 PMFri 13 Oct9:00 AM - 5:00 PMSat 14 Oct9:00 AM - 7:00 PMTe Hana Te Ao Marama Māori Cultural Centre 311 State Highway 1Sat 7 Oct9:00 AM - 6:00 PMSun 8 Oct9:00 AM - 6:00 PMMon 9 Oct9:00 AM - 6:00 PMTue 10 Oct9:00 AM - 6:00 PMWed 11 Oct9:00 AM - 6:00 PMThu 12 Oct9:00 AM - 6:00 PMFri 13 Oct9:00 AM - 5:00 PMSat 14 Oct9:00 AM - 7:00 PMTomarata School Hall 8 Pakiri Block RoadSat 14 Oct 9:00 AM - 7:00 PMKaiwaka War Memorial Hall 4 Kaiwaka-Mangawhai RoadSat 14 Oct 9:00 AM - 7:00 PMMangawhai Beach School Recreation Centre 34 Insley StreetSat 14 Oct 9:00 AM - 7:00 PMNew World Mangawhai Car Park- 83 Molesworth Drive Tue 3 Oct 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Wed 4 Oct 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Thu 5 Oct 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM Fri 6 Oct 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM Sat 7 Oct 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Sun 8 Oct 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Mon 9 Oct 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Tue 10 Oct 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Wed 11 Oct 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Thu 12 Oct 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM Fri 13 Oct 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Sat 14 Oct 9:00 AM - 7:00 PMFor a full list and map go here

Warkworth RegionMonday 2nd October - Cloudy periods. Possible drizzle this morning. Rain developing for a time this evening, possibly heavy. Westerlies, strong this afternoon and early evening.Tuesday 3rd October - Isolated showers clearing early, then fine. Fresh southwesterlies, easing in the afternoon.Wednesday 4th - Fine. Southeasterlies, turning southwesterly in the morning.Thursday 5th - Cloudy periods, with isolated showers developing. Southwesterlies, becoming fresh.Friday 6th - Cloudy, clearing and becoming fine. Westerlies developing.Saturday 7th - Cloudy, with occasional rain developing later. Northwesterlies, becoming fresh.Sunday 8th - Showers with westerlies.Mangawhai RegionMonday 2nd October - Partly cloudy. Rain developing late this evening. Westerlies.Tuesday 3rd October -Fine. Fresh southwesterlies, easing in the afternoon.Wednesday 4th - Fine. Southerlies, turning westerly in the evening.Thursday 5th - Fine, but becoming cloudy. Southwesterlies, easing.Friday 6th - Partly cloudy with southwesterlies.Saturday 7th - Partly cloudy, with rain developing. Northwesterlies.Sunday 8th - Showers with westerlies.

Early voting is opening today and hundreds of polling booths will be available for people to start casting their votes from 9am.It comes as Labour's campaign is turned on its head with leader Chris Hipkins isolating with Covid-19.Organisers of Tuesday's Press Leaders debate in Christchurch are scrambling to keep the high-profile election event on track.National Party leader Christopher Luxon is voting on Monday in his Botany electorate and is encouraging others to crack into it as well."Whenever people want to, but I'd encourage them to vote early. I'd start going on Monday. We've got a lot of work to do, we want to change this government, get this country sorted and moved around".Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson said people should vote as soon as they could, even if they are not registered yet."My main message is, you don't even have to be registered. You can just rock up to a polling booth, register, and vote at the same time."These voters are planning to follow the advice.One woman told RNZ: "I think I really know [who] I want to vote for already so it's easier to do it before the day".Another said: "It's Ellesmere Show Day on the 14th of October and it's a big day where I come from in Christchurch, so I'll be doing it beforehand".About 400 voting sites open today and that number gradually increases until election day when 2300 sites will be available.Electoral Commission chief executive Karl Le Quesne said there would be some new voting places this year."Eleven of The Warehouse stores will have voting places and nine Foodstuffs supermarkets. We've also got 44 marae, kōhanga, wānanga, and kura; 15 of those will also be able to offer voting services in te reo Māori."He said two in three people voted early in the 2020 election and that was expected to go up slightly this time around."I think it is convenient for people. It allows people to plan the voting around what they need to be doing".But some New Zealanders want to hold off voting until election day, on Saturday, 14 October.One man told RNZ: "I'm going to vote but just on the day."A woman said she had voted on election day every year since she started voting. "I tend to do it with family because it can turn into a nice outing.""I'll do it on election day because I've still got some thinking to do," another woman said.After a Covid-19 diagnosis, Labour leader Chris Hipkins will be off the campaign trail for a few days but he had this advice for voters."If people have really made up their mind, of course they should vote. But if you're sitting there thinking I'm not quite sure yet, I've still got some nagging doubts in my mind, then do wait because there is still another two weeks of campaigning to go."He said high numbers of early votes in 2020 could be put down to the pandemic."Last election was a bit of an aberration. There were reasons why people were going to go out early because they were worried something might happen and they might not be able to vote at all. This election will be a little bit different to that one. I think there are a lot of undecided voters out there still."For more information on early voting, look for an EasyVote pack in the letterbox which will have information about the candidates and how to vote.Or go online to vote.nz to find polling booths and when they are open, or enrol to vote.This story was originally published by RNZ

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency advises of the following closures for motorway improvements. Work delayed by bad weather will be completed at the next available date, prior to Friday, 6 October 2023. Unless otherwise stated, closures start at 9pm and finish at 5am.NORTHERN MOTORWAY (SH1)Southbound lanes between Silverdale off-ramp and Oteha Valley Road on-ramp, 3-4 OctoberSilverdale southbound on-ramp, 3-4 OctoberSouthbound lanes between Oteha Valley Road off-ramp and Constellation Drive on-ramp, 1 OctoberOteha Valley Road southbound on-ramp, 1 OctoberGreville Road southbound on-ramp, 1 OctoberSH1 southbound to SH18 westbound link, 1-2 OctoberTristram Avenue southbound on-ramp, 3 OctoberShelly Beach Road southbound off-ramp, 2 OctoberCENTRAL MOTORWAY JUNCTION (CMJ)Fanshawe Street southbound off-ramp, 2 OctoberSH16 (Port) westbound to SH1 southbound link, 5 OctoberGrafton Road southbound on-ramp, 5 OctoberSOUTHERN MOTORWAY (SH1)Southbound lanes between Mt Wellington Highway off-ramp and East Tamaki Road on-ramp, 5 October (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Mt Wellington Highway southbound on-ramp, 5 OctoberPrinces Street southbound on-ramp, 5 OctoberHighbrook Drive southbound on-ramp, 5 OctoberSouthbound lanes between Redoubt Road off-ramp and Papakura on-ramp, 1-2 October (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Southbound lanes between Redoubt Road off-ramp and Takanini on-ramp, 3-4 October (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)SH1 southbound to SH20 northbound link, 1-4 October (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Redoubt Road southbound on-ramp, 1-4 OctoberSouthbound lanes between Takanini off-ramp and Takanini on-ramp, 5 October (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)Southbound lanes between Takanini off-ramp and Papakura on-ramp, 1-2 October (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)Takanini southbound on-ramp, 1-2 October (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)Papakura southbound on-ramp, 3-5 OctoberPapakura (Loop) northbound on-ramp, 1-5 OctoberNorthbound lanes between Drury/SH22 off-ramp and Papakura on-ramp, 2-5 OctoberDrury/SH22 northbound on-ramp, 2-5 OctoberSouthbound lanes between Hampton Downs off-ramp and Hampton Downs on-ramp, 4-5 OctoberNorthbound lanes between Hampton Downs off-ramp and Hampton Downs on-ramp, 4-5 OctoberTe Kauwhata northbound off-ramp, 29-30 Sep & 1-6 October (24/7)Te Kauwhata northbound on-ramp, 29-30 Sep & 1-6 October (24/7)NORTHWESTERN MOTORWAY (SH16)Southbound lanes between Muriwai Road and Foster Road, 2-5 OctoberNorthbound lanes between Foster Road and Muriwai Road, 2-5 OctoberSouthbound lanes between Foster Road and Trigg Road, 1 OctoberNorthbound lanes between Trigg Road and Foster Road, 1 OctoberNorthbound lanes between Hobsonville Road off-ramp and Brigham Creek Road Roundabout, 4 October (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)SH16 northbound to SH18 eastbound link, 4 October (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)Southbound lanes between Te Atatu Road off-ramp and Rosebank Road on-ramp, 1-2 October (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Te Atatu Road southbound on-ramp, 1-2 OctoberUPPER HARBOUR MOTORWAY (SH18)Caribbean Drive westbound on-ramp, 2 OctoberEastbound lanes between Tauhinu Road off-ramp and Albany Highway on-ramp, 1 October (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Greenhithe Road eastbound on-ramp, 1 OctoberWestbound lanes between Greenhithe Road off-ramp and Tauhinu Road on-ramp, 1 October (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Squadron Drive eastbound on-ramp, 1 OctoberEastbound lanes between Hobsonville Road off-ramp and Squadron Drive on-ramp, 4 October (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)Brigham Creek Road eastbound on-ramp, 4 October (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)Trig Road eastbound on-ramp, 4 October (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)Hobsonville Road eastbound on-ramp, 4 October (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)SOUTHWESTERN MOTORWAY (SH20)Southbound lanes between Hillsborough Road off-ramp and Neilson Street on-ramp, 2-3 October (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Hillsborough Road southbound on-ramp, 2-3 OctoberQueenstown Road southbound on-ramp, 2-3 OctoberSouthbound lanes between SH20 Links and Landing Drive, 2 OctoberSH20 southbound to SH20A southbound link, 2 OctoberSH20 northbound to SH20A southbound link, 2 OctoberSouthbound lanes between Lambie Drive off-ramp and SH1 links, 1-4 October (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Lambie Drive southbound on-ramp, 1-4 OctoberSH20 southbound to SH1 northbound link, 1-4 October (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)SH20 southbound to SH1 southbound link, 1-4 October (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)GEORGE BOLT MEMORIAL DRIVE (SH20A)Northbound lanes between Landing Drive and SH20 link, 3 OctoberSH20A northbound to SH20 northbound link, 3 OctoberKirkbride Road northbound on-ramp, 3 OctoberKirkbride Road southbound on-ramp, 2 OctoberNorthbound lanes between Kirkbride Road off-ramp and Kirkbride Road on-ramp, 4 October

One person is critically injured after a crash in Auckland last night.Police said a driver travelled the wrong way down the Squadron Drive on-ramp in the Upper Harbour Motorway in Greenhithe and collided with a ute towing a boat and another car.The incident happened at around 8.15pm.Police said the driver of the car that travelled the wrong way had critical injuries, while three passengers from the other two vehicles had moderate injuries.The road was closed while the Serious Crash Unit examined the scene and enquiries into the circumstances of the crash were underway.

NEW TRADES for you to check out on the app and support! Head to the TRADES button Raphaella Painting & Decorating Ltd are your local painting and decorating specialists based in Warkworth. Services include painting, decorating, water-blasting, plastering, wallpapering, colour consulting, staining. CHR Residential Builders service Warkworth to Ruakaka areas and can take care of all of your building needs. From architectural new builds, high end renovations, decks, fencing, driveways and retaining walls. They are licensed building practitioners who offer a 10-year guarantee. Positive Image is the one stop shop for all your branding needs. From high quality embroidery to screen printing. They offer affordable products and professional service. Warkworth Towing & Salvage cover the whole of Rodney District and offers 24/7 response to all your towing and salvaging requirements. They also over tyre changes, jump-starts, and lockout service. Blind Pro are local to Mangawhai and service Puhoi to Ruakaka and everywhere in between. Fully mobile service they come to you! For a free measure and quote for your window furnishings and outdoor living products give Geoff a call. Tradesafety can take care of your work safety needs by providing safety Uniforms, Footwear, Hand protection Head and eye protection, Protective Clothing, Rainwear, First Aid Kits and Medical, Fire Fighting Equipment, Hazardous goods management, Height and confined space safety, Workplace signage, Sirens and beacons.📱 If you want your business to be on the App get in [email protected] or Contact

Have you seen Dylan?Police are appealing for assistance from the public to locate West Auckland man Dylan Barford, who has been reported missing.Dylan is 34 years old, of medium build, 168cm tall and has tattoos on the rear of his right elbow and left forearm.He was last seen wearing a black jacket and blue adidas tear away track pants late on Saturday evening 23 September.A person matching Dylan's description was captured in CCTV images walking up Don Buck Road towards Red Hills Road, past Massey High School, at 11.40pm that same evening.Police and his family have concerns for his welfare and safety.Anyone who knows where Dylan is, or has information on his whereabouts, is urged to contact Police on 105, referencing case file number 230924/2185.Information can also be provided via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.Update: Missing person Dylan BarfordPolice enquiries into the whereabouts of missing man Dylan Barford have identified a CCTV recording of Dylan in the early hours of Sunday 24 September.The image accompanying this release shows Dylan in the vicinity of Westgate Shopping Centre at around 12.30am on Sunday 24 September.Police would like to hear from anyone who was around the Westgate Shopping Centre at this time. Please contact Police on 105, referencing case file number 230924/2185.Police are also appealing to residents of the Massey/West Harbour area to review their CCTV cameras and contact Police if their footage reveals sightings of Dylan late on Saturday night or early on Sunday morning. We also make the same appeal to motorists with dashcam footage in this area at this time.

Warkworth Region (Auckland)Severe Thunderstorm WatchPeriod: 3hrs 43min from 6:17am - 10am Sat, 30 SepArea: Northland, AucklandForecast: Thunderstorms are expected to affect Northland and Auckland this morning. These thunderstorms are expected to be accompanied by heavy showers, hail and strong west to southwest winds. These is also a risk of SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS in localised places north of Albany bringing damaging winds gusting greater than 110 km/h. Wind gusts of this strength can cause some structural damage, including trees and power lines, and may make driving hazardous.Strong Wind WatchPeriod: 20hrs from 4am - midnight Sat, 30 SepArea: Auckland including Great Barrier Island, and Coromandel PeninsulaForecast: Westerly quarter winds (west to northwest at first, then west to southwest from late Saturday morning) may approach severe gale in exposed places.Mangawhai Region (Northland)Severe Thunderstorm WarningArea: Kaipara, Far North and WhangareiForecast: At 06:37 am, MetService weather radar detected a line of severe thunderstorms lying from OMAPERE to WAIPOUA FOREST to TUTAMOE. This line of severe thunderstorms is moving towards the northeast, and is expected to lie from KAIKOHE to NGAWHA SPRINGS to AWARUA at 07:07 am and from KERIKERI to KAWAKAWA to TOWAI at 07:37 am. These thunderstorms are expected to be accompanied by very heavy rain, damaging wind gusts and hail.Impact: Very heavy rain can cause surface and/or flash flooding about streams, gullies and urban areas, and make driving conditions extremely hazardous. Very strong wind gusts can break branches from trees, damage roofing, and make driving hazardous especially for high-sided vehicles and motorcycles. Hail can cause damage to crops, orchards and vines and may make driving conditions hazardous.Severe Thunderstorm WatchPeriod: 3hrs 43min from 6:17am - 10am Sat, 30 SepArea: Northland, AucklandForecast: Thunderstorms are expected to affect Northland and Auckland this morning. These thunderstorms are expected to be accompanied by heavy showers, hail and strong west to southwest winds. These is also a risk of SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS in localised places north of Albany bringing damaging winds gusting greater than 110 km/h. Wind gusts of this strength can cause some structural damage, including trees and power lines, and may make driving hazardous.Strong Wind WatchPeriod: 12hrs from 6am - 6pm Sat, 30 SepArea: NorthlandForecast: Westerly quarter winds (west to northwest at first, then west to southwest from late Saturday morning) may approach severe gale in exposed places.

Jordan Dunn, ReporterIwi and residents are becoming increasingly frustrated with Auckland city's failing infrastructure, as contamination from a burst sewer pipe closes inner-city beaches for 10 days.Sewage has been spilling into the ocean after a main sewer line collapsed this week, causing massive sinkhole in the upmarket suburb of Parnell.Watercare said it was trying to work out where exactly the contamination was ending up.All beaches on the Waitematā Harbour have been deemed unsafe for swimming and fishing in the meantime.Ngarimu Blair, from Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Trust, said he was not impressed."It's a source of our identity, we say 'Ko Waitematā te moana' - the Waitematā is us," Blair said."So to see it suffering under the huge deluge of sewage right now is very saddening."But Blair said watching hundreds of litres of raw sewage being dumped into Waitematā Harbour was nothing new."This is a bit of a reminder of what our grandparents, and great-grandparents, had to go through when the sewage was discharged in front of the village."Nor was it new for any iwi, he said."Our story of suffering under poor infrastructure is not dissimilar to many tribes across the country."When you look at the history of the planning of our urban areas and cities, often you only have to find the end of the sewer pipe to find the nearest Māori village or marae."Locals walking at St Helier's Bay on Thursday were also unimpressed,They hoped the council would get its act together before the weather warmed up and people flocked to the beaches."Yeah, it's pretty sad; obviously people like to take their dogs and their kids. Even though it's raining, the sun is gonna come out," said one."[I'm] kind of worrying, obviously, going into spring and summer," said another, "hopefully it doesn't happen again."Another man said he lived overseas for three decades and never came across another city with as many sewage issues."I don't understand, this issue has been going on for thirty years," he said."Every time we have a heavy rain, whether it's the sewer or not, we still have this issue. To close these kinds of beaches is unbelievable in a city like this," he said.To add salt to the wound, the annual Iron Māori triathlon had been postponed.Organiser Heather Te Au-Skipworth said more than 400 people were expected to attend on Saturday.She said she was "pretty gutted" for those who had registered."There's been lots of work gone on to prepare for this event."However, the decision was for the best, she said."For me, it's about precautionary measures and I'm all for that," Skipworth said."People's wellbeing is far more important than us being able to put on an event we can postpone and put on at a later date."Northern region medical officer of health Jay Harrower said the sewage contained pathogens which could be harmful to animals and humans, while also accumulating in shellfish."There is a potential likelihood you can get infected if you have an open sore or an open wound if you come in contact with contaminated water," he said."You can also get infected through your eyes, ears and nose and, if swallowed, contaminated water can cause gastroenteritis."Dr Harrower said the best advice was to keep children and pets away from the ocean for the meantime and not to collect shellfish for 28 days.This story was originally published by RNZ

Warkworth RegionFriday 29th September - Cloudy periods. Showers easing this morning, then increasing at night. Strong southwesterlies.Saturday 30th - Showers, some heavy, clearing to fine in the afternoon. Strong northwesterlies, turning to gale southwesterlies in the morning.Strong Wind WatchPeriod: 20hrs from 4am - midnight Sat, 30 SepArea: Auckland including Great Barrier Island, and Coromandel PeninsulaForecast: Westerly quarter winds (west to northwest at first, then west to southwest from late Saturday morning) may approach severe gale in exposed places.Sunday 1st October - Partly cloudy, chance of a shower from late. Fresh southerlies, turning westerly early.Mangawhai RegionFriday 29th September - Cloudy periods with the odd shower. Westerlies, fresh this morning and afternoon.Saturday 30th -Showers, clearing to fine in the evening. Strong northwesterlies, turning southwesterly in the morning.Sunday 1st October - Fine. Fresh southwesterlies, easing in the afternoon.

The model of TASER that New Zealand Police has been using for more than a decade will soon no longer be produced and Police will replace the TASER with a newer model over the next three years.Deputy Commissioner Tania Kura says replacing the fleet is an important part of equipping officers to keep themselves and our communities safe.“TASERs have been used as a prevention tool by New Zealand Police since their introduction in 2010," Deputy Commissioner Kura says."Our officers can consistently rely on them to de-escalate violent behaviour. "They are an effective less-lethal tactical alternative to a firearm and help achieve safer outcomes for Police and communities. “In 82% of incidents where a TASER is presented – the presentation alone without discharging is enough for the situation to be successfully de-escalated.“With our current TASER fleet nearing its end of life and components of the model we use no longer being manufactured, we need to ensure our staff have the best tools available to them to keep themselves, and our communities, safe.“While our current TASER has a built-in camera – the new model does not."New TASER devices are not manufactured with a built-in camera – most other jurisdictions rely on body worn cameras to record TASER use.“New Zealand Police does not currently use body worn cameras."The wider question of whether body worn cameras is appropriate for the New Zealand policing environment, and what that might look like, is being considered separately.“It’s a decision that will need to be taken carefully with the right legal consideration as well as engagement with communities and Police staff.“We’ll continue to be transparent and accountable for TASER use, both locally and nationally, through ongoing review of Tactical Options Reports, technical meta-data on presentation or use of TASER, debriefs and monitoring by the TASER Assurance Forum."We’re also strengthening accountability through our external reference group to provide community assurance and transparency over our use of tactical options, including TASER.”The reference group will have representatives from across the community.“The new TASER will be rolled out to all Police Districts over the next three years beginning in the South Island in early 2024,” Deputy Commissioner Kura says.

Upgrading the Taharoa Domain day visitor toilet facilities, improving drainage in Mangawhai Community Park, and completing the award-winning Baylys Beach boardwalk are all on the cards for Kaipara District Council’s (KDC) work programme thanks to a cash injection from the Tourism Infrastructure Fund (TIF).A total of $1,123,500 has been awarded to KDC in the latest round of the central Government fund, which supports communities and local councils to improve the visitor experience in their area.The money is split across three projects. A total of $607,000 has been allocated to upgrading facilities at Pine Beach in Taharoa Domain. Portaloos are currently in place for day visitors, and these will be replaced by a modern toilet block. The options for improved ablution facilities for campers will be discussed at the Taharoa Domain Governance Committee meeting 14 November 2023.In Mangawhai, February’s extreme weather events highlighted the lack of drainage in some popular areas of Mangawhai Community Park – a valuable community asset enjoyed by many tamariki (children), rangatahi (young people) and their families. $206,500 will go towards improving drainage around the pumptrack and behind the firestation.Pictured: Mangawhai Community Park. Image credit Andy Bruce, Elevated Media Limited. At Baylys Beach, $310,000 has been allocated to complete the award-winning boardwalk. The boardwalk, which is currently around 140m in length and follows the road corridor on the beach side, improves pedestrian safety in the area. This will be the second TIF grant the project has received and will connect the boardwalk to the carpark area.About the Tourism Infrastructure Fund:The central Government Tourism Infrastructure Fund (TIF) provides up to $25 million annually for local councils to develop tourism-related infrastructure that supports regions facing pressure from tourism growth and in need of assistance — such as areas with high visitor numbers but small ratepayer bases. Particular priority is given to applications from councils where visitor-related infrastructure has been affected by the recent extreme weather events in the last year.

Leonard PowellPeople who fail their driver's licence tests will be breathing a sigh of relief from Sunday, when the fee to resit examinations is scrapped.From 1 October 2023 you will only have to pay an application fee, as changing, rebooking and cancelling of tests becomes free.The initial cost to book will rise slightly for both learners (from $93.90 to $96.10) and restricted (from $134.80 to $167.50), while a full licence will now be cheaper (from $109.50 to $98.90).The major saving will come from the new cost being a one-off fee, which currently sits at $45.70 for learners, $59.50 for full and to $86.60 for a restricted licence.'Everyone knows you'll never pass the first time'The change could not come soon enough for North Shore teenager Amanda*. When First Up spoke to her, she had just failed her restricted licence for a second time, despite 15 driving lessons and countless hours driving with her mother.Dejected, Amanda said the first test had sapped her confidence, after the examiner shamed her for a botched parallel park."She opened the door and she's like 'when you go shopping with your friends like you expect them to jump onto the curb?' I was like, whoa, didn't expect to hear that. It threw me off of it from there, I almost started crying because it was just really out of the blue and she just got a really bad tone."Still confident of passing, Amanda rebooked another test, but failed that just five minutes into the hour-long examination. She was now waiting until the rebooking fee disappears, to save money.Amanda said the talk among her peers, one of whom had failed seven times, was that the system was against them."Everyone knows you'll never pass the first time, which is quite weird to know that you're just never gonna pass the first time and you have to keep giving them all your money," Amanda said.Her mother said she had seen posts on social media saying the system was designed to fail, and was prepared for the result."There is an expectation that no one passes on the first round. It's almost a given, which surprises me, because it's a lot of money."She was also weighing up whether she would accompany her daughter in the back seat for the next test, something she had previously considered "helicopter parenting"."It's a difficult one because it's her journey, right? And normally I would sit back and just go 'this is your moment.' But it does seem, especially with the first one where there's demeaning kind of conversation, it seems there's a very unequal power imbalance."'There is no quota'Craig Basher is the national technical manager for Vehicle Testing New Zealand (VTNZ).He was used to hearing people's theories, but assured First Up there was no funny business going on, and that driving tests were not a money-making venture."There is no quota at all for restricted, full or learners' tests."Basher said despite the online discourse, VTNZ's pass rates had remained relatively consistent for the last eight years, with a 55 percent pass rate for the restricted test and a 66 percent pass rate for a full driver's licence."It's all based around the how the candidate performed on the day and whether they passed all of the assessable tasks."Basher said the most common reasons for failing were speeding through road works, not coming to a complete stop at stop signs - and poor gap selection.Some people even fail the test before leaving the carpark."One of the things I will say is that when you get there, make sure you've got your licence make sure your car's fit to drive, because some people fail because the car doesn't have a WOF [warrant of fitness], or it's not registered, or the seat belts don't work, or the indicators don't work."The eye of an expertAlistair McGregor has run the Counties Driving School for 20 years in Auckland's Pukekohe. He said he had heard all of the excuses from people who had not passed.People should be patient with learner drivers, Alistair McGregor said. Photo: RNZ / Leonard Powell"A lot of rumours go out when students fail the test. They often feel that they've been victimised in some ways, but the reality is people fail the test because they're ill-prepared, don't have enough time on the road and then when they go out, basic errors are created and the test is failed."He blamed a lack of preparation by learner drivers for failing, and said with more parents working full-time now, they often have less time to teach their children.The change in standards over the years also meant parents might not be teaching their children to drive correctly."It's often quoted by parents 'You know, we just took 20 minute tests around the block with the traffic officer', etc etc. And so they're teaching their children out on the road skills that are not necessarily applicable or will be looked for on the restricted."McGregor also took the chance to urge "notoriously impatient" New Zealand drivers to be kinder with those starting out."As soon as they see a vehicle with an L plate on or drive a training plate on, they feel a need to overtake or drive really closely now. You have to ask yourself, why would you drive close to a learner driver? If the learner driver panics and breaks hard, both vehicles are gonna be damaged."Everyone had to learn at some point or other, just take your time be patient with learners on the road."*Amanda's real name has not been used to protect her privacy.This story was originally published by RNZ