A survey of drug users in New Zealand has found that more people are using nicotine vapes, even if they have never smoked.Massey University's New Zealand Drug Trends Survey also found that doctors were more willing to prescribe medicinal cannabis, but many patients were still too nervous to ask for it.The survey is conducted every two to three years by the university's SHORE and Whāriki Research Centre to keep track of Aotearoa's ever-changing drug landscape.More non-smokers were using nicotine vapes with senior researcher Dr Marta Rychert saying they had become extremely common."Sixty-nine percent of people who responded use vapes, compared to 55 percent in 2020," she said."Of those, around 90 percent were nicotine vapers. It's overwhelmingly nicotine."Even though nicotine e-liquids were designed to help smokers quit, Rychert said one in five vapers had never touched a cigarette."That's a worrying number because it's not what nicotine vapes are all about," she said.Rychert said the survey was targeting adults, but she expected it to be even more common among younger people."We've had the proliferation of stores and marketing on social media, it's been normalised."Senior researcher Dr Marta Rychert. Photo: suppliedCompared to vapers who used non-nicotine or cannabis liquids, those who used nicotine liquids vaped far more often."We found nicotine vapers were predominantly daily users, they use their vapes daily or a few times a day. It speaks to the addictiveness."For non-nicotine vapers it was much more occasional, maybe at a party, and cannabis vapers were also less frequent."That meant nicotine vapers were more exposed to the health risks associated with vaping, she said."Vaping anything is bad, a pulmonologist would tell you breathing anything other than fresh air is not the best idea for your lungs."Medicinal cannabis users opt for grey, rather than greenMost medicinal cannabis users are too nervous to ask for a prescription.Rychert said doctors and patients were still coming to grips with the government's medicinal cannabis scheme, with many users still choosing to source their cannabis illegally."There is positive movement on the implementation of the scheme," she said."Users are more willing to ask their doctors for a prescription [than three years ago], and more of those requests are successful."But a vast majority of people who used cannabis for pain relief, mental health issues or other medical reasons accessed it through the grey market, Rychert said."Roughly one in 10 medicinal cannabis users had a prescription, which is an improvement [over just one in 50 in 2020]."The rest used "different sources," such as sharing with friends, buying from dealers, or growing their own."One of the leading reasons was that they didn't think their doctor would prescribe it, or they were scared to ask," she said."There's still a stigma around talking about cannabis."She said acquiring cannabis illegally had several risks that could be avoided by getting a prescription."You don't actually know what you're getting when you get cannabis from the grey market," she said."They haven't been through all the testing and procedures the legal products have been."Rychert said doctors appeared to be more open to the idea of prescribing medicinal cannabis than they were when the scheme first started in 2020."When we did this survey a couple of years ago we saw that roughly one in three requests were successful, but now it's actually two in three," she said.She said the opening of private cannabis clinics around the country had also made it easier to access legally.This story was originally published by RNZ

A new bypass pipe installed in Parnell has reduced the sewage discharged into the Waitematā Harbour but has not stopped it, Watercare says.It has been three weeks since a waste and stormwater pipe burst under a 13-metre-deep sinkhole in a central Parnell car park.Crews have since created a 400-metre long above-ground bypass pipe to skip the broken section and stop hundreds of litres of wastewater flowing into the ocean every second.Watercare head of service delivery Sharon Danks told Morning Report water samples were being taken from the ocean to measure the environmental impacts of the sewage overflow."The pumps are running from today, it'll be a slow ramp up over the next couple of days because there's a few things that we need to do ahead of the pumps being at full capacity."This included pumping down all of the water that was stored in the main and resolving the overflows fully."The sewage is still overflowing into the Waitematā right now and it will be over the next day or two but it will be with decreasing volumes as the pumps pump down."Overflows would still occur in wet weather, she said."And they probably will occur more often than they occur in normal circumstances. 'Cause of the catchments being combined catchments which take a lot of stormwater as well there is always a risk of wet weather overflow in this catchment."Sinkhole in Parnell Photo: WatercareBanks said it was a huge milestone for Watercare that the pumps were running.She said the underground pipe was still blocked and it was hoped this would be unblocked in the coming few weeks.Rehabilitating and repairing a larger section of the main was likely to take about five months, she said.Some beaches still unsafe to fish and swim inAuckland Council's Healthy Waters is continuing to monitor water quality over 40 beaches, and about 20 are still marked as unsafe to swim in by Safeswim.Watercare chief operations officer Mark Bourne said environmental monitoring of the harbour was also ongoing, including the sampling of oysters for pollutants like heavy metals and viruses.The gathering of kaimoana across those affected beaches was still strictly off limits, Bourne said.Deputy mayor Desley Simpson said even after Safeswim marked a beach as safe, people were advised not to eat seafood from those areas until 28 days later.Meanwhile, beachgoer Te Ngakau Rakete said officials had taken too long to stop the overflow."It's a long time when you think about three weeks of sewage flowing into the ocean, that's horrendous actually, when I think about it, I'm very shocked to hear that it's taken that long."Te Ngakau Rakete, who was visiting Okahu Bay on Tuesday, said it was disappointing there was no water quality warning signage in the area.Orakei local Carmen Goodwin said the Parnell sinkhole incident reflected a wider problem."I think it's probably a systemic problem in making sure that infrastructure is up kept, and I don't think it's a surprise but it's a shock that it's come at such an extent."Goodwin would like to see more communication from officials."A little bit of transparency perhaps around what the issues are, it seems to be everything comes to a crisis and action is taken that is very last minute approach."Auckland Council alcohol and environmental health manager Mervyn Chetty said there were water quality warning signs at all locations marked as unsafe by Safeswim, including "no fishing" signs at Okahu Bay Wharf.Chetty said they had sent an officer to check if the signage was still in place at Okahu Bay.

A recent decision by Kaipara District Council has given Fagan Place community housing tenants assurance on a way forward for new warm, dry, modern and healthy homes. Council owns community housing across the district, at Fagan Place Mangawhai, Kauri Court and Awakino Road in Dargaville, and in Ruawai. Dargaville and Ruawai housing was upgraded in the late 2000s. The Mangawhai units, originally constructed in the late 1970s have not been upgraded and are in poor condition.For some time now, Council has been investigating different options for improving the homes and ensuring they met Healthy Homes standards before the deadline.In 2020, Council began discussions with a community housing provider to purchase and run the Fagan Place housing units, which stalled after parties were unable to reach an agreement. Multiple options were then investigated and considered to upgrade the current units.The new Council decided to look at modular, pre-fabricated homes for the Fagan Place site after considering the costs to refurbish and upgrade the existing units. Following reports prepared by staff, pre-fabricated housing was identified as cost-effective and the preferred option for Council to provide new, modern, warm, dry, healthy, homes for the tenants. Building off-site also meant disruption for the current tenants is also minimal. As landlords, Council must provide housing that complies with the Healthy Homes standards no later than 30 June 2025.Kaipara District Council Mayor Craig Jepson commented that the process had taken some time, “and I acknowledge the uncertainty and anxiety many tenants will have been feeling. The new Council worked through the options as quickly as possible, to ensure the solution was suitable and cost-effective, and looked after our current tenants. I have seen examples of some of these pre-fabricated one-bedroom homes. We are really happy that they will provide safe, dry and healthy homes for some of our community’s most vulnerable.”Council discussions about the pensioner housing have been publicly excluded (held in confidential workshops and meetings), to protect the privacy of the current tenants.“It was important that once Council had made a decision and agreed a way forward, that we met and discussed the solution with the current residents first before we released the information more widely,” Mayor Jepson said.“We hope that with this resolution, the new Council has provided confidence for the tenants that we are making the decisions and getting on with it. We will be keeping them updated throughout this process.”As part of the procurement process, Council has developed and agreed a set of standards for the homes based on feedback the residents have previously provided and that are in line with best practice for this type of community housing.Council-owned community housing in Kaipara is currently provided without ratepayer contribution. The costs for the new homes have been included in this year’s Annual Plan (2023/2024), with $1.5 million set aside. This will be mainly loan funded and paid off over time by the rental income generated from the housing. Additional capital will be required in the following year to complete the project.Council will shortly begin the search for a company who is able to build the homes through an official procurement process, and plans to make a decision to award the contract before the end of the year. It’s expected that a tender will go out to market in late October, with proposals received, evaluated and the contract award made by Council later this year.

Two men have been arrested in a homicide investigation into the death of Teina Pickering in Ruakākā.The 24-year-old's body was found on a street in the Northland settlement on 12 October.Police said a 29-year-old man was arrested yesterday and appeared in the Whangārei District Court on a charge of unlawful possession of a firearm.He has been remanded in custody and is due to reappear on 17 October.Another man, aged 28, was arrested this morning and charged with weapons and firearms-related offences.He is due to appear in the Whangārei court tomorrow.Detective Inspector Al Symond said they were not seeking anyone else at this time, but further charges were likely.Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact police.This story was originally published by RNZ

Warkworth RegionMonday 16th October - Partly cloudy. The odd shower from afternoon. Northerlies.Tuesday 17th October - Partly cloudy, chance of a morning shower. Northerlies, becoming fresh for a time in the afternoon and evening.Wednesday 18th - A few showers, clearing to fine in the afternoon. Fresh northeasterlies, easing in the evening.Thursday 19th - Partly cloudy, with a few showers developing. Easterlies, becoming fresh.Friday 20th - A few showers. Easterlies.Saturday 21st - Rain, clearing to partly cloudy weather. Southwesterlies.Sunday 22nd - Partly cloudy. Southwesterlies.Mangawhai RegionMonday 16th October - .Partly cloudy. Chance of a shower from afternoon. Northwesterlies.Tuesday 17th October - Partly cloudy, with the chance of a morning shower. Fresh northerlies.Wednesday 18th - Showers, clearing in the afternoon but remaining cloudy. Fresh northeasterlies.Thursday 19th - A few showers, turning to rain. Fresh easterlies.Friday 20th - Rain. Southeasterlies.Saturday 21st - Showers with southwesterlies.Sunday 22nd - Partly cloudy. Southwesterlies.

We’ve been working with Mangawhai Surf Club on temporary lifeguard facilities. Two temporary buildings and a shipping container have already been moved onto the lower car park, and a second shipping container will be delivered sometime this week.Fencing will remain up around closed parts of the reserve, including Mangawhai Heads lookout and public tracks behind the clubhouse, as well as around the lower car park where Mangawhai Surf Club will operate.The Mangawhai Surf Club and surrounding area remains off limits to the public due to a significant landslide behind the clubhouse.The beach is still accessible for the public by using the northern access track, across from the upper car park.Thank you for your patience while Council and Mangawhai Surf Club work on long-term solutions for the Club and access at Mangawhai Heads Recreation Reserve.

Kiwibank has been ordered to pay hundreds of thousand of dollars in a civil penalty after overcharging customers a total of more than $1.1m.The bank admitted breaching the Fair Dealing provisions of the Financial Markets Conduct Act earlier this year, after court proceedings were brought by the Financial Markets Authority.The case related to Kiwibank's general terms and conditions that told customers they would not pay transaction fees on their accounts if they also had a Kiwibank home loan.However 35,000 of the bank's customers did not have their fees waved over a 14 and a half year period and were overcharged a total of $1,172,639.94.As the Financial Markets Conduct Act came into force in 2014, the proceedings only cover conduct from that date onwards, capturing some 19,000 of the total affected customers and overcharged fees totalling $576,809.66.Kiwibank was ordered to pay a $812,500 civil penalty at the High Court in Wellington this week.Justice Francis Cooke said the bank's failures potentially had important market consequences."Banking customers can rightly assume that their bank has good systems and has accurately calculated and applied financial entitlements," they said."They cannot be expected to cross-check every item on their bank statements, and there would be adverse market implications if any such expectation existed."This is particularly so when the financial impact for each individual customer is low, but where the financial benefit for the institution is higher because of the number of affected customers."The judge said the bank's conduct involved negligence and no intention to deprive customers of their entitlements."Once identified Kiwibank also brought the contraventions to the FMA's attention, and embarked upon a process of remedying their error, and addressing its systemic failures."This story was originally published by RNZ

John Hartevelt, Executive Editor, Investigative & Longform JournalismFourth time lucky.After the wondrous John Key years, National tried three successors. None of them measured up.In November 2021, Christopher Luxon took over a party in tatters. He was picked by 32 caucus colleagues in desperation, as much as hope. Today, he is Prime Minister-elect.With almost all of the ordinary ballots counted late last night, National had 38.95 percent of the party vote, and ACT 8.98 percent. Between them, they were clinging to 61 seats, the barest possible margin to govern.The buffer is so slim that Luxon will surely be pushed to seek a deal with NZ First, which completed a stunning surge to return to Parliament with 6.4 percent of the party vote - enough for eight seats.On the other side of the aisle, Labour had a disastrous night and now faces a leadership crisis of its own. With only 26.8 percent of the vote and a slew of humiliating electorate defeats, Chris Hipkins appeared ready to quit, but for the urging of his colleagues to accommodate a more orderly transition of power.The Greens fell a little short of expectations, winning 10.7 percent of the party vote, but took a stunning three electorate seats.Te Pāti Māori joined in the heist of Labour electorates, winning four of them - including Hauraki Waikato which had been held by Nanaia Mahuta for its entire existence.Luxon and family at home on election night. Photo: Supplied / National PartyMeet the new Prime MinisterLuxon might be the most politically inexperienced person ever to hold the office of Prime Minister in New Zealand.He was ranked 61 on National's list when he arrived as the MP for Botany in October 2020. In the 13 months he was an MP before being chosen to lead, he was scarcely cited.A Gen-Xer from Christchurch, Luxon was known to the public and had a taste of the news media from his time as chief executive officer of Air New Zealand for seven years. But really, he was totally untested as a politician, let alone a political leader.His first job was to stabilise the caucus room, which was in complete turmoil. Then, to restore respectability to its polling.He did both within months, moving National from 27 percent in RNZ's poll of polls to 37.5 percent by March 2022. Weeks later, it edged ahead of Labour, which was at the beginning of a slow decline.The morning after the night beforeAdrenaline, exhaustion and trays of drinks fuelled the celebrations at election night parties last night. But as the phones are juiced back up and the hotel room blinds drawn back this morning, there will be tension.Luxon will be PM - no doubt - but this is an awkward result.Luxon and his advisors know they need to keep the line to NZ First open.There are half a million special votes still to count. National and ACT might lose a seat from those. Or, they might gain a seat. Maybe more either way.National will win the Port Waikato by-election to be held next month. Where does all of that leave them? It's hard to be much more precise than: with a margin that's slim to non-existent.On the one hand, Luxon might want to keep things as simple as possible if there's only a seat in it. The time and effort spent on negotiating with NZ First's Winston Peters might be so great that he'd prefer to live with the risk of a wafer thin majority.But on the other, a deal with NZ First would be insurance against a rogue MP or two from National or ACT bringing the government down. It would also provide a moderating counterweight - Luxon would have ACT to his right and NZ First to his left to support whatever measure the other one might not like. Handy.In his victory speech and media appearances afterwards, Luxon cited a comment from Peters about being "willing to help". He said he hadn't called Peters but wanted to "acknowledge" the remark. All very non-committal.New Zealand First leader Winston Peters at the Duke of Marlborough in Russell on Election Night on October 14 2023. Photo: RNZ / Samuel RillstoneThe Peters problemWhat Luxon didn't "acknowledge" was another, much darker series of remarks Peters made last night."When we open the books very shortly, we will realise just how serious our crisis in economic terms is," Peters said.Without naming any names, he suggested there were a lot of unaffordable promises floating around. He almost - but didn't quite - say he was ready to rein them in.Peters will be thinking of National's $14b income tax plan. He would probably want to delay it. He might also want to shrink it - perhaps by a lot - or even replace it completely with something more targeted.He also will not be keen on allowing wealthy foreigners (whom National want to tax) to buy our most expensive real estate.This could all bring a swift end to any notion of a confidence and supply deal with NZ First, assuming they're not absolutely needed.Luxon's deputy Nicola Willis has staked her role as finance minister on the tax plan."If we didn't deliver tax reduction, yes, I would resign," she said during the campaign.But if you read those words carefully, Willis' pledge does leave room for a short delay in tax cuts and perhaps a modest haircut on National's plan - they'd still be delivering tax cuts, just not exactly of the scale and type they'd promised. A wholesale gutting of the plan, however, would be broken promise territory.Deal makingThat's what makes it all so awkward for National.It ought to be easy to figure out the details of a deal with ACT and get cracking with a mini-Budget before Christmas.But hold on. The official results won't be finalised for three weeks. Can they really charge ahead with an ACT deal that doesn't account for NZ First before they know whether or not they need its support?A vanquished Chris Hipkins Photo: RNZ / Nathan MckinnonCrash, bang, wallopedStill, at least they're not Labour, whose election night result was almost identical to the drubbing National took three years ago.Winning over half of the vote at the 2020 election looked at the time like an historic aberration at the time. The result last night confirms it.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, 20 October 2023.Unless otherwise stated, closures start at 9pm and finish at 5am.NORTHERN MOTORWAY (SH1)Northbound lanes between Greville Road off-ramp and Oteha Valley Road on-ramp, 18-19 October (approx. 9:30pm to 7:00am)Northbound lanes between Constellation Drive off-ramp and Oteha Valley Road on-ramp, 16-17 October (approx. 10:00pm to 7:00am)Greville Road northbound on-ramp, 16-19 October (approx. 9:00pm to 7:00am)Northbound lanes between Constellation Drive off-ramp and Greville Road on-ramp, 15 October (approx. 9:30pm to 7:00am)Constellation Drive northbound on-ramp, 15-17 October (approx. 9:00pm to 7:00am)CENTRAL MOTORWAY JUNCTION (CMJ)None plannedSOUTHERN MOTORWAY (SH1)Khyber Pass Road southbound on-ramp, 17-19 OctoberGreenlane southbound off-ramp, 15-17 OctoberEast Tamaki Road southbound on-ramp, 15 OctoberSouthbound lanes between Redoubt Road off-ramp and Takanini on-ramp, 17-18 October (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)SH1 southbound to SH20 northbound link, 17-18 October (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Redoubt Road southbound on-ramp, 17-18 OctoberSouthbound lanes between Takanini off-ramp and Takanini on-ramp, 15-16 & 19 October (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)Papakura southbound off-ramp, 15 OctoberNorthbound lanes between Mercer off-ramp and Mercer on-ramp, 18-19 October (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Southbound lanes between Mercer off-ramp and Mercer on-ramp, 18-19 October (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Te Kauwhata northbound on-ramp, 13-20 October (24/7)Te Kauwhata northbound off-ramp, 13-20 October (24/7)NORTHWESTERN MOTORWAY (SH16)Southbound lanes between Foster Road and Trigg Road, 15-19 OctoberNorthbound lanes between Trigg Road and Foster Road, 15-19 OctoberSouthbound lanes between Te Atatu Road off-ramp and Rosebank Road on-ramp, 17-18 October (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Te Atatu Road (Loop) southbound on-ramp, 17-18 OctoberTe Atatu Road (Diamond) southbound on-ramp, 17-18 OctoberUPPER HARBOUR MOTORWAY (SH18)Eastbound lanes between Paul Mathews Road off-ramp and SH1 link, 15-17 October (approx. 9:00pm to 7:00am)SH18 eastbound to SH1 northbound link, 15-17 October (approx. 9:00pm to 7:00am)SOUTHWESTERN MOTORWAY (SH20)Northbound lanes between Hillsborough Road off-ramp and Maioro Street on-ramp, 17 October (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Dominion Road northbound on-ramp, 17 OctoberHillsborough Road northbound on-ramp, 17 OctoberNorthbound lanes between Neilson Street off-ramp and Hillsborough Road on-ramp, 16 October (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Neilson Street northbound on-ramp, 16 OctoberNorthbound lanes between Massey Road off-ramp and Rimu Road on-ramp, 18 OctoberCoronation Road northbound on-ramp, 18 OctoberSH20 northbound to SH20A southbound link, 18 OctoberMassey Road northbound on-ramp, 18 OctoberCoronation Road northbound off-ramp, 17 & 19 October (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Northbound lanes between Cavendish Drive off-ramp and Massey Road on-ramp, 19 October (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)Puhinui Road northbound on-ramp, 19 October (approx. 8:30pm to 5:00am)Cavendish Drive northbound on-ramp, 19 October (approx. 8:30pm to 5:00am)Southbound lanes between Lambie Drive off-ramp and SH1 links, 17-18 October (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Lambie Drive southbound on-ramp, 17-18 OctoberSH20 southbound to SH1 northbound link, 17-18 October (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)SH20 southbound to SH1 southbound link, 17-18 October (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)GEORGE BOLT MEMORIAL DRIVE (SH20A)Northbound lanes between Kirkbride Road off-ramp and SH20 link, 18 OctoberSH20A northbound to SH20 northbound link, 18 OctoberKirkbride Road northbound on-ramp, 18 October

NZ Police and the institute of Environmental Science Research (ESR) have begun a trial in the use of a genetic investigative tool on two serious crime cold cases, Operations Dallington and Sturbridge.The family of Mellory Manning, who was murdered in Christchurch in December 2008 (Operation Dallington) and Alicia O’Reilly, who was murdered aged 6 years, in Auckland in August 1980 (Operation Sturbridge) have been advised of these developments.We acknowledge this is a difficult time for these families and hope we can provide them with the information they need to seek closure on these cases.  Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy (FIGG) combines DNA testing with genealogical research to analyse genetic relationships between individuals who share very small amounts of inherited DNA with the crime scene DNA sample using genealogy databases and publicly available records and is being used internationally to help solve cold cases and identify human remains.Using techniques like FIGG, has the potential to provide investigative leads and potentially resolve some of the most serious unsolved crimes.This is a complex investigative tool and only cases where suitable DNA evidence has been captured during the criminal investigation would be considered, after all other investigative avenues have been considered and exhausted.To meet New Zealand conditions our forensic service provider, ESR, reassures that all physical sample testing is completed in New Zealand and extractions of the digital genetic code will be provided to a third-party international service provider with no actual DNA material needing to be sent outside of New Zealand.Results from genealogy websites, where submitters provide law enforcement access to their records, are used as the basis of genealogy searching of publicly available records such as genealogy database, church records and libraries. Criteria has been developed and assessed to determine the trials success. A staged approach to measuring success has been developed and an evaluation of the trial will be conducted at the conclusion of the use of FIGG for these two cold cases.  Using techniques like this, provides Police with the opportunity to resolve these cases and make our communities safer.Author: Detective Superintendent Ross McKay

The Collective Suckies Strawberry Kids YoghurtEpicurean Dairy Ltd is recalling specific batches of The Collective Suckies Strawberry Kids Yoghurt (4x100g) as it may contain foreign matter (black plastic).Consumer adviceCustomers are asked to check the batch and date mark on the box of the product.Affected products should not be consumed. There have been no reports of associated injury, however if you have consumed this product 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 Epicurean Dairy Co. Ltd:Phone: 09 8205555Address: 119 Lansford Crescent, Avondale, Auckland – 0600

Police have completed formal identification procedures and can now formally identify the deceased as Teina Pickering, age 24, of Ruakākā.His body will be returned to his whānau today.Detective Inspector Al Symonds, of Whangārei CIB, says while Police are following positive lines of enquiry, there is still a lot of work ahead for his investigation team."We appreciate the public interest in this case however we still need to work through our investigation process."Ruakākā locals can expect to see a continued Police presence in the area in coming days."Police would like to hear from anyone who saw suspicious activity in the Peter Snell Road area in the early hours of Thursday 12 October, or who has information that could assist the investigation.Please call Police on 105 or make a report online at https://www.police.govt.nz/use-105 referencing file number 231012/4721.Reports can also be made anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.Further updates will be provided as the investigation allows.

Warkworth RegionFriday 13th October - Partly cloudy. Isolated showers, clearing this evening. Westerlies, easing this evening.Saturday 14th October - Partly cloudy, a few showers in the evening. Northwesterlies, becoming fresh in the morning.Sunday 15th - Mainly fine, chance of a shower until evening. Westerlies, becoming fresh for a time in the afternoon and evening.Mangawhai RegionFriday 13th October - Partly cloudy. Chance of a shower until evening. Westerlies, easing this evening.Saturday 14th October - Cloudy. Fresh northwesterlies developing in the morning.Sunday 15th - Showers, clearing to fine in the afternoon. Northerlies, turning westerly early.

Sharon Brettkelly, co-host of The Detail [email protected] used to make high performance boats that went like rockets, but now Warkworth's big manufacturer is switching to actual rockets. ▶ Listen to the audio clip.Garry Clark has made war ships, superyachts, hovercraft and sonar domes. Only last week he and his workmates were building high-tech racing boats.Now, in a simple shed inside a shed in the same Warkworth factory north of Auckland, the leading hand composite technician is building a rocket."Rocket Lab taking over? Best thing that can happen to us, it's fantastic news," says Clark. "It's long term employment, you've got exciting projects to work on, it's perfect."It's all come about after Sir Russell Coutts sold his SailGP Technologies racing boat manufacturing complex to Rocket Lab, shifting his operation to the northern hemisphere to be closer to the racing events.With the complex comes all the high-tech composite machinery – and more than 50 workers with specialised skills in building with carbon composites.Today The Detail takes a tour of the 6,500 square metre site in Warkworth as it makes the speedy transition from boat building to rocket building, and we go inside Rocket Lab's Auckland plant to see how they make and fit tens of thousands of components to a rocket.Both the high-tech, high-performance industries use these super strong but ultra light carbon composites. The two firms already had a relationship as the Warkworth factory was making some carbon composite materials for Rocket Lab before the deal.Part of Rocket Lab's Neutron launch vehicle, still in development. Photo: Sharon BrettkellyBen Malcolm, who is in charge of the carbon composite production for the new big rocket Neutron, says being able to retain SailGP's skilled staff has helped the team – and hopefully helped the community, too."This is the next level, this is the next step," says Malcolm. "No one can deny that the scale of the vehicle, the scale of what we're trying to achieve here, is pretty up there with anything that's been done in the industry in New Zealand."At the Warkworth plant, a large SailGP banner is draped on the wall next to the last boat being built there – and there are other remnants of the marine industry.Malcolm Ewing, composites manager for the Warkworth site, next to the last boat to be built at Warkworth. Photo: Sharon Brettkelly"There's a lot to be said about keeping the Kiwi boatyard," says Malcolm, who helped build Team New Zealand boats before joining Rocket Lab. "To be honest, that's at the heart of the composite structures at Rocket Lab. "The same industry has fed our team so we've supported and also been supported by the composites industry and a lot of that is founded in the marine industry."Most of the Warkworth team had worked on America's Cup boats, then SailGP's F50 catamarans, and are used to working to tight deadlines for yacht racing, Malcolm says. Their experience translates well to working on research and development of the Neutron, with its expected launch date just around the corner in 2024.The factory floor in Warkworth is a stark contrast to Rocket Lab's security-conscious Auckland site, with its all-black reception area giving a view of the control room. The space is also lit by billboards telling the story of the company: started by Kiwi space entrepreneur Peter Beck in 2006, and now listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange in the US, employing 1,700 people here and stateside, and launching missions every month.Behind it is a special room where visitors can watch their rockets taking off, if they're not at the New Zealand launch site at Mahia."It is quite an emotional time for some of them. We have had some of them working up to 15 years on something that takes a few minutes to get to space."Ben Malcolm (left) and Dylan Ewing work in carbon composites for Rocket Lab. Photo: Sharon BrettkellyTwo huge flags – one NZ and one US – hang over the thousands of rocket parts on the factory floor. So pristine and tightly managed is this space that even the tiniest tool has its place on a board and must be accounted for.Several "vehicles" are on the production line for customers, who range from private businesses putting up satellites to take photos of Earth, to government agencies working on climate change research, to defence agencies.Malcolm shows The Detail the finished rocket at the end of the production, but photos are banned."You're seeing nearly everything here," he says. "This is going to space, you're seeing the engine, you're seeing the batteries."But an image can too easily wind up on the internet and get scrutinised."You have some very smart people out there who can reverse engineer this." Check out how to listen to and follow The Detail here.  You can also stay up-to-date by liking us on Facebook or following us on Twitter. This story was originally published by RNZ

A man has been arrested in Northland, accused of forcing a vehicle off the road, stealing cash from the driver, and making them drive to an ATM and withdraw more money.Whangārei police said the robbery happened on Mangakahia Road in the town of Maungatapere on 14 September.They said the vehicle was tailgated before it was forced off the road.Police said the arrest was made this week, and the accused made an initial court appearance in Whangārei.He has been remanded in custody and is due to reappear in the Auckland District Court on 8 November.Detective Inspector Al Symonds said police were aware of a number of similar incidents in the same area being reported on social media, and urged people to come forward."Police acknowledge the Maungatapere community are understandably concerned by these incidents," Symonds said."If you are the victim of this type of behaviour, please call 111 if it is happening now."Additionally, anyone who has experienced this and has not yet been in touch with police, is encouraged to do so by contacting us via our 105 service."This story was originally published by RNZ

A message from Mahurangi Wastebusters......Auckland Council are beginning their food scraps (rukenga kai) collection service in Warkworth shortly, and we’re excited to get behind an initiative that is keeping food waste out of landfill. If you have any questions on this new service (including what you can and can’t put in it) keep your eyes out for our info stand in Warkworth town where we will be answering any questions you may have. Alternatively, take a look at the EcoMatters Rukenga Kai FAQ sheet: https://www.ecomatters.org.nz/.../FAQ-sheet-for-website...

Police investigating the disappearance of Auckland man Dylan Barford want to speak to the driver and occupants of a vehicle of interest.The vehicle is a small silver hatchback (pictured), believed to be a Suzuki Swift, Nissan Tiida, or other similar car.This vehicle was captured on various CCTV cameras across Auckland on the morning Dylan went missing, Sunday 24 September: At around 4.15am, the vehicle entered the Northwestern motorway (SH 16), probably from the St Lukes onramp, heading north. At around 4.28am, the vehicle stopped on the left-hand shoulder of SH 16 between Westgate and the Brigham Creek Roundabout. It stayed stationary for approximately two minutes before being driven off again and continued north along SH 16. At around 4:34am, the vehicle travelled through the Brigham Creek Roundabout and continued north towards Kumeu.Please contact Police on 105, referencing case file number 230924/2185 if you were driving or travelled in the vehicle described above, or noticed this vehicle, in the early hours of Sunday 24 September.Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.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.His family have requested that their privacy is respected during this difficult time.

The public EV charging network has received a significant boost with government co-funding announced today for over 100 EV chargers – with over 200 charging ports altogether – across New Zealand, and many planned to be up and running on key holiday routes by Christmas this year.Minister of Energy and Resources Dr Megan Woods says the focus is on major highways, throughfares, and places New Zealanders regularly visit while out and about, such as shopping.“Our EV sales keep increasing month on month, so we’re working with the industry to ensure charging capacity grows, and in front of demand,” said Megan Woods.“We have hit the previous EV charging target of one charger each 75km on our State highways, but our new vision is that New Zealanders should be able to charge where and when they need to. The projects that have received co-funding today show the full mix of options EV drivers can expect.”EECA (Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority) research shows that while 80% of people do more than half of their charging at home, Kiwis also need a range of options available to them while out and about, and especially on longer journeys.“New chargers will be situated at places like shopping centres where people may be parked for up to a couple of hours,” said Megan Woods.“To help with longer journeys, the government is co-funding high-speed chargers on main highways at 19 popular holiday routes including Bombay, Turangi and Wanaka. Also included are the country’s first charging ‘hubs’ where up to ten high-speed chargers will sit alongside amenities like food options and toilets.”The government's draft National EV Charging Strategy - Charging our Future - proposed a target for hubs to be situated about every 150-200km across the State highway network.The announced projects come from three rounds of the Low Emission Transport Fund (LETF), administered by EECA. Altogether, 16 projects will receive $11 million in government co-funding, matched by $13.5 million in private investment.Danusia Wypych, ChargeNet’s CEO, says that when partnering with EECA, ChargeNet leverages data-driven insights and valuable customer feedback to strategically invest co-funding into communities that will support current and future EV drivers.“We are excited to bring eight new electric vehicle charging sites across New Zealand’s regional centres. Our focus is on providing fast charging in the right place, at the right time and at the right speed.“The co-funding will support improving charging capacity ahead of the anticipated summer demand and build network coverage in regional areas and holiday hotspots throughout the country.”Craig Marshall, Head of We.EV at WEL networks, says, “The LETF funding has been instrumental in enabling both the viability and speed to market of new public charging stations and is key to meeting the future charging demand.“These sites are not necessarily economic from day one, however we need to build out the infrastructure to meet increasing demand and the funding assists business to bridge that gap.“The size of the chargers we are looking to install now has increased enabling faster charge times and allowance for future upgrades.”Kieran Turner, Head of EV Charging, Z Energy, echoed the role of the partnership saying, “the support will enable Z to deliver more charging bays sooner at key locations for drivers.“This includes the ability to put in more capacity ahead of the curve at some of our busiest locations, as well as plugging some of the gaps on people’s longer journeys. As part of this work, Z is excited to be partnering with Red Phase Technologies to bring innovation to the industry for our larger sites that will reduce the demand on the electricity grid while enhancing the overall customer experience.”Megan Woods said, “The LETF has been a key driver for the development of the public network.“The investment will help ensure we are in a good position to reduce emissions from transport. This is critical to hitting New Zealand’s net zero goal and avoiding the worst of climate change.“We are starting to bend the curve on transport emissions; the latest data shows that emissions from household vehicle use fell 2.5% in the December 2022 quarter. We want to not only continue that downward trend but accelerate its pace.“We will continue to invest in the infrastructure that can help us get there,” Megan Woods said.More information about the confirmed co-funding, and previous rounds, can be found here: Low Emission Transport Fund | EECA.Notes for editors:About the LETF:The Low Emission Transport Fund, administered by EECA, supports the demonstration and adoption of low emission transport technology, innovation, and infrastructure to accelerate the decarbonisation of the New Zealand transport sector.The fund focusses on activities in the transport sector that move people and/or goods on roads, off-road, and in the marine and aviation sectors to:Demonstrate innovative solutions that will enable future adoption and deploymentReduce energy-related emissions in the transport sectorAddress market and organisational barriers through co-investment and diffusion of new knowledge and lessons, andShare knowledge and lessons to stimulate wider replication of successful projects and solutions in the transport sector.Wider transport systems and activities (such as building roads, urban design, and mode shift policy) are excluded.Each round of the LETF provides co-funding to a particular area of interest (unlike the previous LEVCF, in which each round welcomed the full range of applications). An announcement will be made in advance of each funding round advising which areas of interest will be included.Projects:Round Six – Public Charging Infrastructure – Destination ChargingJOLT Charge (New Zealand) Limited t/a Jolt $500,000JOLT Charge will install 10 25-50kW DC EV chargers. Locations: Henderson, Mt Wellington, Hornby, Papanui, Manurewa, Whangarei, Botany, Silverdale, Napier, Te Atatu.WEL Networks Ltd $38,711WEL Networks are installing 2 x 30kW DC chargers in Morrinsville, Waikato.WEL Networks Ltd $31,908WEL Networks are installing 2 x 30kW DC chargers at 409 Grey St, Hamilton.WEL Networks Ltd $39,026WEL Networks are installing 2 x 30kW DC chargers in Matamata, Waikato.ChargeNet NZ Limited $500,000ChargeNet NZ will install or upgrade six 75kW DC fast chargers across five sites in Motueka, Tairua, Blenheim, Cromwell and Waihi to support holidaying traffic and regional adoption, with the capacity to charge four EVs at each location.Jump Charging Limited $56,707Jump Charging are installing a 75kW dual head fast charger at the Mandeville Village shopping centre in Mandeville village to fill a gap for users at a location which is central and accessible.Network Waitaki Limited $105,052Network Waitaki are adding 3 x 50kW chargers in the Oamaru Harbour area which will mean there will be 4 x 50kW chargers at this site.Round Nine – Public Charging Infrastructure – Journey ChargingZ Energy LimitedCulverden – one 150kW charger with two ports (1 CHADEMO, 3 CCS) $240,000 Taipa – one 180kW + one 50kW chargers with 3 ports (1 CHADEMO, 2 CCS) $283,800 Wairoa – one 75kW charger with 2 ports (1 CHADEMO, 1 CCS) $150,000 Ngatea – four 200kW chargers with 8 ports (1 CHADEMO, 7 CCS) $327,500 Stratford – two 180kW chargers with 4 ports (1 CHADEMO, 3 CCS) $247,500 The Lines CompanyTaumarunui - one 150kW charger with two ports (2 CCS) $122,500 WEL NetworksHikuai – two 160kW chargers with four ports (1 CHADEMO, 3 CCS) $266,000 Raglan – two 180kW chargers with four ports (1 CHADEMO, 3 CCS) $255,500 ChargeNet NZ LimitedChargeNet NZ will install six 150kW DC fast chargers across three sites in Greytown, Paeroa and Whakatāne to support holidaying traffic and regional adoption, with the capacity to charge four EVs at each locationGreytown - two 150kW chargers with 4 ports (1 CHADEMO, 3 CCS) $190,000 Paeroa - two 150kW chargers with 4 ports (1 CHADEMO, 3 CCS) $190,000 Whakatāne - two 150kW chargers with 4 ports (1 CHADEMO, 3 CCS) $190,000 Jump Charging LimitedGeraldine - two 150kW chargers with four ports (1 CHADEMO, CCS) $272,500 Twizel - two 150kW chargers with four ports (1 CHADEMO, 3 CCS) $308,500 Omarama – two 150kW chargers with four ports (1 CHADEMO, 3 CCS) $295,500 EV Infrastructure PartnersRoxburgh - one 150kW charger with two ports (1 CHADEMO, 1 CCS) $165,100 Te Anau - one 150kW charger with two ports (1 CHADEMO, 1 CCS) $165,100 Greymouth - two 150kW chargers with four ports (1 CHADEMO, 3 CCS) $240,850 Mangawhai - two 150kW chargers with four ports (1 CHADEMO, 3 CCS) $267,100 Round Ten – Public Charging Infrastructure – HubsZ Energy LimitedBombay – Hub site at Z – Bombay $1,336,500: eight chargers capable of charging eight vehicles at speeds up to 150kWh to 200kWhMasterton – Hub site at Z – Masterton $935,000: four chargers capable of charging four cars at once at speeds of up to 200kWhTurangi– Hub site at Z - Turangi $1,314,500: six chargers capable of charging six vehicles at speeds up to 200kWh Service Station, Cnr State Highway One and, Pīhanga Road, Tūrangi 3334. ChargeNetChargeNet – Tauriko, Tauranga: five 150kW DC fast chargers able to charge up to ten vehicles at once.BPPapamoa – Hub site at BP Papamoa $795,000: five 150kw Tritium charging units, capable of charging up to 10 vehicles at onceTirau – Hub site at BP Tirau $671,000: four 150kw Tritium charging units, capable of charging up to eight vehicles at onceWanaka – Hub site at BP Wanaka $377,000: three 150kw Tritium charging units, capable of charging up to six vehicles at once.Round Ten total of 35 chargers, able to charge up to 52 vehicles at once.

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins says he has spoken to his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese and both are agreed in their condemnation of attacks by Hamas militants on Israeli territory.He says New Zealand is poised and ready to assist with any international humanitarian response."We'll see how things unfold, but we will be ready to participate in any kind of humanitarian response, and I've asked the minister of foreign affairs to make sure we're ready to do that."Hipkins says there have been no reports of New Zealanders being caught up in the attacks.Consular assistance is being offered to any Kiwis caught up in the conflict in Israel, the prime minister says, and an international law expert is warning the conflict will escalate.Nearly 200 New Zealanders are registered in Israel or Palestinian Territories and those who may be near the fighting are being urged to leave.At least one New Zealander has registered their presence in Palestinian territory with the government's Safe Travel website.More than 35 hours after the unprecedented attack, more than 700 Israelis are known to have been killed in the fighting or from rocket strikes from Gaza, and more than 400 people have been killed in retaliatory air strikes by Israeli forces into Gaza. Thousands have been wounded on both sides, and both have confirmed that many Israelis were taken hostage by Hamas.