Monique Steele, JournalistA Northland horticulturist is hoping to slash the carbon miles of one of the country's most popular fruits.New Zealand imported more than 81,000 tonnes of bananas in 2022 - which makes up about a third of all fresh produce imports, according to large pan-industry group United Fresh.But at Kotare Subtropicals, a wholesale nursery at Maungatapere southwest of Whangārei, its orchard manager Geoff Mansell hoped consumers would soon be able to buy locally-grown bananas.The nursery has around three hectares of feijoas trees, figs and now bananas - including Honduran hybrids such as Goldfinger, Mona Lisa, Bonanza and High Noon, grown both outdoors and indoors.Mansell said the business was hoping to add value to the land by establishing the bananas, which were a burgeoning sector of tropical and sub-tropical produce."We started the new banana plantation to provide an additional crop type so we could generate more value from our land," Mansell said."After a few seasons we realised we couldn't make enough income off our feijoa and figs crops."In addition to bananas, Kotare Subtropicals specialises in growing subtropical fruits such as papaya, pineapple and jackfruit. Photo: RNZ/Leah TebbuttPart of a collective of tropical growers, hundreds of kilograms of locally-grown bananas can go out to Northland supermarkets each month, when supply is good, he said.Mansell said they hoped to expand into Northland and Auckland - and to help growers in other areas of warmer climates establish banana plantations and shore up local supplies."In terms of import substitution, it's a good way to bring New Zealand food to the table and into supermarkets, growing a crop or other crops such as papayas and pineapples and other sub-tropicals which are now viable in our climate."That brings about also employment benefits and give us a wider range of products available to the public to customers at supermarkets or through the markets."He said interest in growing bananas locally had been growing over the past five years amid land-use change and as growers sought high-value crops."What we want out of it is to grow that enthusiasm for locally-grown and high quality produce going into the supermarkets."Mansell said strong subtropical plant sales indicated good demand for them, and local groups like the NZ Rare Fruit Growers Facebook page had gained around 20,000 members within five years.Geoff Mansell (left) is part of a collective of tropical growers and says when supply is good, hundreds of kilograms of locally-grown bananas can go out to Northland supermarkets each month. Photo: RNZ/Leah TebbuttThe most critical element for a banana plantation in New Zealand was to have adequate shelter to buffer plants from the strong winds, he said.Mansell worked on industry trials to test the feasibility of growing tropical and sub-tropical fruits in New Zealand before establishing the new banana plantation.The nursery also specialises in other subtropical fruits like papaya, pineapple and jackfruit.This story was originally published by RNZ

A fisherman has described the moment he pulled a bag of human remains out of Auckland's Gulf Harbour on Tuesday.Paul Middleton said he was in the Whangaparaoa area to do some fishing, trying to catch some some decent-sized kahawai or snapper.He had gone to Army Bay this morning, but had not found much fish so he came back around the ferry terminal."I [threw] my lure out ... and nothing much was happening but there was a bag out there."▶ Watch the interview with Paul Middleton here (warning - contains some graphic details):He said at the time he did not know it was a bag, and thought it was a log or a dead animal. Boat had been passing through the area, near the entrance to the marina."Anyway the wind changed, brought it in to the coast. I think yeah, anything floating in the water brings fish around, so I'm targeting it. I got that perfect shot, like millimetres to the side of it."He hooked it and pulled it into the shore - it was heavy but easy to move - and managed to pull it up the rocks a little."Took the hook out and thought 'Right, let's see if it's a bag of rubbish and I need to dump it in a rubbish bin or something'."Paul Middleton hands over his fishing rod. Photo: RNZ / Nick MonroHe struggled through "layer and layer" of plastic to open the bag.There was "a bit of clothing ... and then there was this hand sticking out".It was at that point that he called police."Two cops turned up and they thought I'd actually said there's just a hand in a bag and then they went down there and went, 'Oh no we've got a body'," Middleton said.The hearse carrying the human remains found near the Gulf Harbour ferry terminal. Photo: RNZ / Nick MonroMiddleton said he did not try to open the bag further once he discovered the hand.Police earlier confirmed that a body had been found in the water near Laurie Southwick Parade on Tuesday afternoon.They were treating the death as unexplained and the area was cordoned off while officers made enquiries in the nearby area, they said.There was no immediate risk to the public in relation to this death, said police.Police at Gulf Harbour. Photo: RNZ / Nick MonroThis story was originally published by RNZ

Are you up to speed with the changes to kerbside recycling?Test your knowledge with WasteMINZ’s #RecycleRight quiz Recycling right reduces waste, gives items a second life, and makes the job of the recyclers safer and easier. WasteMINZ is the largest representative body of Aotearoa New Zealand's waste, resource recovery and contaminated land sectors. They have been a huge support in bringing in the new kerbside recycling rules. Go on – see if you know how to recycle right from home: https://www.canirecyclethis.org.nz/

A toroa chick has died after eating plastic at the Royal Albatross Centre at Taiaroa Head, near Dunedin.The 10-day old northern royal albatross swallowed soft plastic that had been regurgitated by its parent.The plastic was found blocking its intestinal tract after it died at the Dunedin Wildlife Hospital last month.An example of plastic found in the regurgitation of an albatross chick. Photo: Department of ConservationDepartment of Conservation biodiversity ranger Sharyn Broni said it was the first death of its kind at the Taiaroa Head colony, but rangers had feared something like this could happen after other close calls in recent years."The parent will have picked up the plastic while foraging at sea and then regurgitated it for the chick, which unfortunately has blocked the digestive system," she said."This heartbreaking incident is a reminder it's vital to dispose of plastic rubbish carefully. People can also help by picking up litter they see on beaches, near waterways, or out on the ocean. Every piece you pick up could save a seabird's life."In May 2021, a 9cm-long plastic pony toy, which had been regurgitated by a parent, was found in a chick's nest. Fortunately in that case the chick did not swallow it, Broni said."DOC staff found plastic in almost all the toroa chick regurgitations checked last season. The most common plastics seen were bottlecaps, however items like a plastic syringe were also found."Plastic pollution is a significant threat facing our seabirds like toroa, because they can mistake floating plastic for food and eat it. Algae can grow on the plastic, making it smell like food and can encourage the birds to eat it."As well as being a risk for chicks, it can also kill adult birds because it sits in the stomach and they can't digest it, causing dehydration or starvation."Te Pōari a Pukekura chairperson Nadia Wesley-Smith said every piece of plastic discarded had an impact on the delicate balance of our environment."The devastating death of this albatross chick serves as a poignant reminder our actions, no matter how small, can have profound consequences not only on the mauri of Pukekura and the toroa that live there, but also on the world around us."Dunedin Wildlife Hospital director Lisa Argilla said vets were distressed that plastic was the cause of death of this toroa chick."The soft but very tough plastic was discovered at necropsy and had caused an obstruction in the gastrointestinal tract, which ultimately led to starvation and organ failure."We echo the call from DOC to please dispose of plastic carefully. Even better would be to try to limit how much plastic you use and therefore reduce waste."Toroa, one of the largest seabirds in the world, had a conservation status of "nationally vulnerable".This story was originally published by RNZ

Private operators, instead of police, will run mobile speed cameras on highways nationwide for the first time.Waka Kotahi/New Zealand Transport Agency put out a tender a week ago to run the country's 45 mobile cameras from next year.It said the provider that won the contract would not issue speeding tickets or get bonuses for pinging more drivers.Waka Kotahi would have responsibility for processing the images and issuing fines, as well as deciding where and when the cameras would be placed.Bidders must show they can meet future requirements, "which could include point-to-point mobile operations", the tender said.The move comes as Waka Kotahi readies to take over all of New Zealand's mobile cameras - as well as 150 fixed speed cameras - from police by July 2025.It also aims to add another 50 fixed cameras soon.Waka Kotahi already has a contract with United States company Verro Mobility to start running the fixed cameras from later this year. These run on automated number plate recognition (ANPR) software.The agency has previously estimated the whole system upgrade will triple the number of camera-issued tickets to three million a year by 2030, and increase prosecutions to around 3300.It had been aiming to achieve an "anywhere, anytime" camera deterrent to cut average speeds by between 20 and 30 percent, and increase driver compliance with speed limits by 60 percent. However, the coalition government may change that directive.Waka Kotahi said neither it, nor the provider, would receive any funds from mobile cameras, with all fees going to the government consolidated fund.The mobile camera tender, which has a deadline of mid-April, is for spot-speed tickets only, using the private company's unbranded vehicles and staff.Under the new contract, speed tolerances will be set by the Director of Land Transport."Internationally, it is a well-established practice for mobile camera operations on the roadside to be delivered by a third-party operator," Waka Kotahi said.The footage captured will be sent to Sydney, to data centres run by Amazon Web Services and Microsoft, and be retained for 30 days while Waka Kotahi assesses it.The agency has been warned to manage the risks around "the public's trust and confidence in the system".A privacy impact assessment three months ago told Waka Kotahi to safeguard the personal data that cameras caught, and strike a balance between automation using artificial intelligence and human oversight.The privacy assessment showed Waka Kotahi wanted to quadruple the number of fixed cameras nationwide, to 800 in a decade.But the agency pulled back on that this week, telling RNZ any expansion beyond 200 cameras was up to the government.As for mobile cameras, Waka Kotahi "does not have a specific number of cameras that we are expecting to be in use, but will specify a number of hours of operation per year", it said.Tickets issued by the mobile cameras look likely to expand beyond speed limit breaches. Bidders must show they have the potential to spot people without seatbelts on and drivers using cellphones.Bidders must also have a track record in a comparable market such as Australia. Europe or the US, and be able to set up in New Zealand by next January."A high degree of evidential accuracy and assurance is required" along with effective cybersecurity, the tender said.The tender is giving only a very small weighting - five percent - to a bid's broader benefits, such as to job creation in New Zealand.Waka Kotahi said whoever won the tender would be monitored and audited, including in its responsibilities to keep its mobile camera operators safe.In 2021, a police operator was badly hurt when a car was deliberately driven into a mobile camera van at about 150kph.WorkSafe originally charged police over the incident, then dropped the charge when police agreed last month to a suite of health and safety measures.This story was originally published by RNZ

Warkworth RegionMonday 11th March - Fine breaks, then cloudy periods from afternoon. Fresh southwesterlies from late morning.Tuesday 12th March - Mostly cloudy. A few showers clearing in the evening. Southwesterlies.Wednesday 13th March - Cloud and isolated showers clearing and becoming fine in the morning. Westerlies.Thursday 14th March - Fine. Westerlies.Friday 15th March - Rain with northwesterlies.Saturday 16th March - A few showers, clearing and becoming fine. Southwesterlies.Sunday 17th March - Fine with southerlies.Mangawhai RegionMonday 11th March - Fine breaks, then cloudy periods from afternoon. Southwesterlies developing this afternoon.Tuesday 12th March - Cloudy periods. Chance of a shower or two. Westerlies, easing in the evening.Wednesday 13th March - Morning cloud, then fine. Southwesterlies, easing in the evening.Thursday 14th March - Fine. Westerlies developing.Friday 15th March - Fine with northwesterlies.Saturday 16th March - Showers, clearing and becoming fine. Southwesterlies easing.Sunday 17th March - Fine with southerlies.

In some exciting news, the new substation at Mangawhai Central is almost complete and ready for commissioning. It's nearly time to connect it and switch it on! Northpower will need to turn off the power to some of the area to connect the new substation safely. This work cannot be completed on live high-voltage lines, and when power starts flowing through the transformers it takes a while to warm things up. There will be a couple of widespread power outages overnight on the 19th and 26th of March to complete this work. We will contact those customers who are affected either by email (if we have received this information from your retailer) or by post. You may be affected by one or both outages. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.Please call Northpower directly if you have any questions 0800 10 40 40

Auckland Central MP Chlöe Swarbrick will be the Green Party's new co-leader alongside Marama Davidson, as James Shaw steps down.Last month, Shaw said he would be stepping down from his duties as co-leader in March.Dunedin-based activist and conservationist Alex Foulkes had put his hand up too for the role but announced on Sunday that he had conceded defeat.Swarbrick received 169 votes from party delegates, Foulkes received no votes.Speaking to media on Sunday morning, Swarbrick thanked both Davidson - who could not be at the conference because she had Covid-19 - and Shaw.She said the Greens were a party that would speak for all voices in New Zealand, and believed it could make changes for the better of all in New Zealand, sharing finite resources "justly and equitably" as well as protecting the environment."We know our environment is not an endless resource to keep drawing from - we know there is enough to go around.The Greens have the political courage and ability to invest in public services and address housing problems, and to provide a guaranteed minimum income for all, she said.Swarbrick criticised the government's 100-day plan and said, as Green co-leader, she was equally as comfortable marching in the streets as she was in Parliament."The Greens' see you, we hear you and we will represent you in the halls of power."Change would "require human cooperation on a scale we have never seen before", she said: "Democracy can work better for all of us."Politics belongs to those who show up, and we need everyday people to not leave politics to the politicians or we'll get what we've got".The Greens were concerned about a drift to the right side of politics in New Zealand, she said.Change would not come "from top down vested interest", she said."Legacy politics is not working to serve people and the planet."Swarbrick said both the "red and blue" parties were tying up votes and not serving voters effectively: "I believe we are the leading voice on the left."In a statement earlier on Sunday morning, Swarbrick thanked the party's members and reiterated the Greens' vision for the future."Aotearoa can be a place where everyone has what they need to live a decent life, and our natural world is restored and protected, on a foundation honouring te Tiriti o Waitangi. That is the Greens' vision, and one we work to see realised every single day."Shaw said there was no-one else he would rather take his place as co-leader than Swarbrick."Ever since I first sat down to coffee with her after her mayoral campaign in 2016 she has struck me as a remarkable leader with an extraordinary belief in the power of people to make a difference."Her passion and strength is second to none, and alongside Marama, will lead the Greens to make even more of a difference in the future."Davidson said it was fantastic to be have Swarbrick by her side, leading their biggest caucus."Chlöe is an incredible MP, colleague, and friend. She has proven time and time again her unique ability to mobilise communities to push for the change Aotearoa needs," Davidson said in a statement."It has never been more important for there to be a strong voice for an Aotearoa that works for everyone, where everyone is supported to live good lives, in warm dry homes, and where we take bold action to cut pollution and protect native wildlife," she said."Chlöe and I will be in communities up and down Aotearoa working with people to build an unprecedented grassroots movement fighting for the future Aotearoa deserves."Foulkes, who admitted defeat in the co-leadership race, congratulated Swarbrick and said she would do an incredible job."I am confident Chlöe and Marama will lead the party from strength to strength."I have enjoyed the debate with Chlöe and the party members and would like to commend and thank the party staff for the efficient organisation of the election and the members for their engagement and respectful, intelligent, and thoughtful questions throughout this process."He described her as "one of the most talented politicians in Aotearoa New Zealand", and said he never expected to win against her."Indeed, someone suggested to me that I had more chance of spotting the fabled South-Island kokako than winning this election."However, he said his goal in contesting was to discuss and debate policies. Last month, he put forward a radical manifesto, outlining his vision.Who is Chlöe Swarbrick?Ranked third on the party list, the Auckland Central MP appeared to be the popular choice from when Shaw made his announcement.After losing the mayoral race in 2016, she joined the Green Party.Winning the Auckland Central seat in 2020 and becoming the country's youngest MP in 42 years, she has proven her popularity from early on.She is the first Green MP ever to hold on to a seat for more than one term after winning again in the 2023 elections.Swarbrick denied leadership ambitions in 2022, when more than 25 percent of delegates at the party's annual general meeting voted to reopen Shaw's position.She has regularly registered in preferred prime minister polls ahead of the party's co-leaders.Last year, she had to apologise to Parliament a week after saying in the debating chamber Prime Minister Christopher Luxon had lied - a breach of the rules.This story was originally posted on RNZ News

Police can confirm that a person has died, following a water-related incident at Omaha yesterday afternoon.Shortly before 3pm Police received a report of a person needing assistance in the water off the north end of Omaha Beach.Emergency services responded to Ida Way, Omaha where the person had been brought into the shore by Surf Life Saving New Zealand.Attempts were made to resuscitate the person but sadly they could not be resuscitated.Police and victim support are helping the family through this difficult time and we extend our condolences to all affected. The incident will be referred to the Coroner.

Joseph Lupesoliai La'auli Parker's stellar run in the ring has continued with a hard-fought majority decision win over Chinese heavyweight Zhilei Zhang.Despite being knocked down twice, Parker's fight IQ, relentless jab and fitness saw him triumph to claim the interim WBO heavyweight title. It was Parker's third fight in 20 weeks and takes his career record to 35-3."Thank you to my team, this is a great win, I just feel like we are on the up now," Parker said.He said his team kept him composed in the corner after being knocked down on two occasions."Andy just told me to follow the plan."The win marks Parker's fifth in a row after suffering a loss at the hands of Joe Joyce in 2022. He's now rebounded with two knockout wins before the biggest victory of his career over Deontay Wilder back in December."It's an incredible feeling coming back from that loss and now look where we are."Parker's trainer Andy Lee said that this is just the beginning, and Parker has already lined up his next bout, a rematch with Big Bang."I'm fighting Zhang again, we are doing it again."Parker looked calm and collected as he strolled to the ring in Riyadh while Zhang "Big Bang" came out to Queen's 'We Will Rock You'. But it was a timid first round by both men, as Parker looked to gauge his southpaw opponent.Parker upped the ante in the third, finding Zhang's body with some powerful shots, but Zhang landed a crisp straight left, sitting Parker on the canvas. He bounced back up but Zhang followed up with a flurry to Parker's head to claim the fight's first 10-8 round.However, Parker recovered brilliantly in the fourth, managing to find some solid overhand rights, then began to work the body and was spoken to by the referee for potential low blows.The action slowed slightly in the fifth, Parker managing to do enough to take it after again peppering Zhang's mid-section. Parker was landing at 50 percent midway through the bout, again the busier boxer in the sixth. He was looking more comfortable and started to dictate the fight with Zhang's output slowing, Parker claiming his fourth round on the trot.A thunderous right hand rocked Zhang in the seventh, however Parker then caught one behind the ear and was forced to take a knee, conceding a second 10-8 round.Round nine saw a close back and forth, Parker edging it through activity. His superior fitness came to the fore in the later rounds, throwing a number of flurries as Zhang struggled to keep pace.Having dragged Zhang into deep waters, Parker floated effortlessly around the ring dominating with forward pressure in the final two rounds.Zhang didn't land a single punch in the final round, as Parker finished strong but couldn't find a finishing blow, Zhang's granite chin held up to the onslaught with the fight to be decided by the judges scorecards.They saw it 113-113, 114-112, 115-111, giving Parker the win by majority decision. The contract between the two has stipulated a rematch for the WBO Interim Heavyweight title, which Parker confirmed in the post fight interviews.This story was originally posted on RNZ News

A 10-year-old is among a group of youths accused of fleeing Auckland police in two stolen cars last night.Auckland City East area prevention manager Inspector Rachel Dolheguy said police responded to reports of the cars travelling in tandem on a residential street in Pt England just before midnight.When police arrived, both vehicles "fled at speed in different directions"."Police units elected not to pursue, and the vehicles movements were tracked before the Police Air Support Unit was able to get overhead to provide further assistance. A short time later, both vehicles were located abandoned on Point England Road."She says the occupants, aged between 10 and 16, abandoned the cars and a police dog handler found them at a nearby address.All seven have been referred to Youth Aid."This was a great example of our policing teams working together to hold offenders to account," Dolheguy said.This story was originally posted by RNZ News

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi advises of the following closures for motorway improvements. Work delayed by bad weather will be completed at the next available date, prior to Friday, 15 March 2024. Check daily updated closure information: www.nzta.govt.nz/traffic/aucklandUnless otherwise stated, closures start at 9pm and finish at 5am. NORTHERN MOTORWAY (SH1)Orewa southbound off-ramp, 11-13 MarchOrewa southbound on-ramp, 11-13 MarchOrewa northbound on-ramp, 11-13 MarchOrewa northbound off-ramp, 11-13 MarchNorthbound lanes between Oteha Valley Road off-ramp and Silverdale on-ramp, 10-14 MarchOteha Valley Road northbound on-ramp, 10-14 MarchNorthbound lanes between Northcote Road off-ramp and Constellation Drive on-ramp, 12 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Tristram Avenue northbound on-ramp, 12 March (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)Northcote Road northbound on-ramp, 12 March (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)Southbound lanes between Northcote Road off-ramp and Onewa Road on-ramp, 14 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Northcote Road southbound on-ramp, 14 MarchEsmonde Road southbound on-ramp, 14 MarchNorthbound lanes between Onewa Road off-ramp and Northcote Road on-ramp, 13 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Esmonde Road (Diamond) northbound on-ramp, 13 MarchEsmonde Road (loop) northbound on-ramp, 13 MarchOnewa Road northbound on-ramp, 13 MarchShelly Beach Road southbound off-ramp, 10-14 MarchCENTRAL MOTORWAY JUNCTION (CMJ)SH16 eastbound to SH1 northbound link, 10-11 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Nelson Street eastbound off-ramp, 10-11 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Eastbound lanes between Wellesley Street East (SH1) off ramp and Alten Road, 10-14 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Eastbound lanes between Wellesley Street East (SH16) off-ramp and Alten Road, 10-14 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Grafton Road eastbound on-ramp, 10-14 MarchWestbound lanes between Stanley Street off-ramp and Wellesley Street East on-ramp, 11-14 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)SOUTHERN MOTORWAY (SH1)Ellerslie-Panmure Highway southbound off-ramp, 10-11 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Ellerslie-Panmure Highway northbound on-ramp, 10-11 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Ellerslie-Panmure Highway southbound on-ramp, 10-11 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Papakura northbound off-ramp, 8-16 March (24/7)Northbound lanes between Drury/SH22 off-ramp and Papakura on-ramp, 10-14 MarchDrury/SH22 northbound on-ramp, 10-14 MarchSouthbound lanes between Ramarama off-ramp and Bombay on-ramp, 11-13 MarchRamarama southbound on-ramp, 11-13 MarchNorthbound lanes between Bombay off-ramp and Ramarama on-ramp, 11-13 MarchBombay northbound on-ramp, 11-13 MarchBeaver Road northbound on-ramp, 14 MarchBeaver Road northbound off-ramp, 14 MarchNikau Road northbound on-ramp, 14 MarchNorthbound lanes between Mercer off-ramp and Mercer on-ramp, 10 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Southbound lanes between Mercer off-ramp and Mercer on-ramp, 10 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Te Kauwhata southbound off-ramp, 13- 16 March (24/7)Te Kauwhata southbound on-ramp, 13- 16 March (24/7)Te Kauwhata northbound on-ramp, 8 -12 March (24/7)Te Kauwhata northbound off-ramp, 8 -12 March (24/7)Rangiriri southbound off-ramp, 13-16 March (24/7)NORTHWESTERN MOTORWAY (SH16)Southbound lanes between Waimauku roundabout and Trigg Road, 10-14 MarchNorthbound lanes between Trigg Road and Waimauku roundabout, 10-14 MarchNorthbound lanes between Lincoln Road off-ramp and Brigham Creek Road Roundabout, 11 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)SH16 northbound to SH18 eastbound link, 11 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Lincoln Road northbound on-ramp, 11 MarchTe Atatu Road (Loop) southbound on-ramp, 13 MarchPatiki Road southbound off-ramp, 13 MarchNewton Road westbound on-ramp, 12 March SOUTHWESTERN MOTORWAY (SH20)Northbound lanes between Maioro Street off-ramp and SH16 links (Waterview northbound tunnel closed), 11 MarchSH20 northbound to SH16 eastbound link (Waterview northbound tunnel closed), 11 MarchSH20 northbound to SH16 westbound link (Waterview northbound tunnel closed), 11 MarchMaioro Street northbound on-ramp (Waterview northbound tunnel closed), 11 March GEORGE BOLT MEMORIAL DRIVE (SH20A)Bader Drive northbound off-ramp, 12-13 MarchNorthbound lanes between Landing Drive and SH20 Link, 11 MarchSH20A northbound to SH20 northbound link,11 MarchKirkbride Road northbound on-ramp, 11 MarchSTATE HIGHWAY 2 (SH2)Mangatawhiri eastbound off-ramp, 10-14 March

Warkworth RegionFriday 8th March - Cloudy periods. A few showers clearing this afternoon to fine this evening. Southwesterlies.Saturday 9th March - Partly cloudy. Fresh southwesterlies, turning lighter southeasterly in the evening.Sunday 10th March - Fine. Northeasterlies, easing in the evening.Mangawhai RegionFriday 8th March - Cloudy periods, with the odd shower clearing this afternoon. Southwesterlies developing this morning.Saturday 9th March - Fine. Southerlies.Sunday 10th March - Fine. Easterlies, easing in the evening.

By Niki BezzantAs International Women's Day rolls around again, women can sit back, relax and reflect on all the amazing progress that's been made in the past year.Kidding!Last year I wrote a piece on why we still need International Women's Day. Sadly, these reasons all still apply. We're still behind (or going backwards) in the gender pay gap; representation in the nation's boardrooms; the orgasm gap and access to equitable healthcare.To put a positive spin on it, we can also reflect on this year's IWD theme - 'Inspire Inclusion' - and know we have, at least, come a relatively long way.In the past, women were excluded from many spheres and activities we now take for granted. To choose a random few examples: voting, attending university, working outside the home, owning or inheriting property, wearing trousers and leaving the house alone are all things that were once either widely unacceptable or illegal. (Pop quiz: can you name a country for each of those activities where these things are still illegal for women?*)Here are some other ways women have been excluded in history - and a look at how far (or not) we've come.Banking and mortgagesWe may laugh now at the quaint idea of The Ladies' Bank (opened in 1958 by the BNZ and widely mocked at the time). But it's worth remembering: it's only within my lifetime that women have been able to take out mortgages or even open bank accounts in their own right. As recently as the 1980s in Aotearoa, single women wanting to buy property were either refused mortgages or only given mortgages when a male relative guaranteed the loan.A 1958 newspaper advertisement for BNZ's foray into 'Ladies' Banking Services'. Photo: BNZ ArchiveWe might think things are better now - and they mostly are - but that might not be the case for all women on their own.Ange Meyer, co-founder of Hi Money - a business aimed at transforming how women think and feel about money - says she's talked to women recently who have been advised by mortgage brokers that the best way to get a mortgage would be to find a partner."I would be extraordinarily surprised if single men were being told this," she says.Meyer says the brokers may have intended this as a helpful problem-solving hack."There is this constant bloody perception that women are really good at spending and really useless at saving. And that kind of misogyny is so insidious."It also speaks to the fact that we have this utterly ridiculous economic system here that makes it so difficult for women to participate and to grow our wealth and to have financial freedom and wellbeing. We've got a gender pay gap so we earn less. And then if you take time out of the workforce for your caring responsibilities, because of the way money works… you don't have the ability to save as much money and get the benefit of compounding interest."Perhaps that's partly why research from the Financial Services Council found that 80 percent of New Zealand women rated their financial wellbeing as low or very low.Retirement savingsWomen retire with far less money saved than men."We've got a 25 percent gender gap in retirement that's gone up five percent in the last year", says Meyer, "which is outrageous."Ange Meyer, co-founder of Hi Money: "We have this utterly ridiculous economic system here that makes it so difficult for women to participate." Photo: Ange MeyerIt makes for an insecure time in retirement. Around one in four Kiwis now reaches retirement age without owning the home they live in; women still have lower home ownership rates than men, plus they tend to live longer than men (by about four years) and will live longer without their partners, meaning older women are more vulnerable to poverty.Retirement Commissioner Jane Wrightson says the retirement savings gap "speaks volumes about the systemic challenges women face, from wage inequality to career breaks for caregiving."The Retirement Commission notes the solutions are multi-faceted, and include government policies aimed at stamping out the gender pay gap; keeping the age of eligibility to New Zealand Super at 65, and retirement savings plans and Kiwisaver concessions that account for the career breaks and part-time work more often undertaken by women.StatuesStatues and monuments have been the subject of controversy around the world in recent years, with particularly problematic people sometimes being removed from their pedestals.Figurehead of the New Zealand suffrage for women movement, Kate Sheppard. Photo: Archives New ZealandLocally, there have been calls for public statues of colonial military leaders, politicians and royals to be moved or removed due to their less-than-glorious deeds.There haven't been many calls to even up the statue gender gap, though. Of the 123 outdoor statues of named people in public settings featured in a study by Otago University in 2020, just 16 (13 percent) were of women. Only one was of a Māori woman. George Grey, Edmund Hillary and Peter Snell have multiple statues; suffrage trailblazer Kate Sheppard has just one, which isn't even a statue at all - she's featured on a panel with five other women at our nation's only monument dedicated to the fight for women's suffrage, in Christchurch.Singer Dua Lipa poses on the red carpet at the 2023 Met Gala, showing off a dress with pockets. Photo: ANGELA WEISSPocketsYou might think pockets are a trivial thing, but they're a fascinating marker of inequality. In her book Pockets: An Intimate History of How We Keep Things Close, fashion historian Hannah Carlson says this aspect of clothing is "a proxy battle of the sexes that has continued to simmer for over two centuries".Since pockets were first put into clothes, there's been debate over whether women should be allowed or even needed to have them. In the early 1900s, a dearth of pockets was termed one of the "unrecognised disabilities of women".Pockets: An Intimate History of How We Keep Things Close by Hannah Carlson. Photo: HachetteThings have not changed very much. These days, clothing manufacturers have done the deciding for us: women's pockets are routinely smaller, non-functional or absent, where men's are useful and abundant. A survey in 2018 found - after measuring pockets in 80 pairs of jeans - that women's pockets were 48 percent shorter and 6.5 percent narrower than men's, and more than half of women's pockets could not hold a wallet, cellphone or pen.I can't help but think of the way money and pockets are frequently paired in common parlance. Perhaps if we had pocket equity, the money stuff would follow?*Pop quiz answersVoting: Women can vote almost everywhere, except Eritrea where there haven't been elections since its independence in 1993, and Vatican City where there is no voting, except for the Pope.University: Women are not allowed secondary or tertiary education in Afghanistan.Property ownership: In more than 30 countries, women and girls still do not have the same rights to own and inherit land as men and boys.Trousers: Until 2013 it was technically illegal for women in France to wear trousers. Now, trousers for women are reportedly banned in North Korea, though it's said the law is not often enforced. Ten women were arrested in 2023 for wearing shorts, though. Sudan repealed its law against women wearing trousers in 2019.Other: Afghanistan also forbids women to work outside the home in most cases, and to leave the house except when absolutely necessary. Then, it's only with a male chaperone.*Niki Bezzant is a writer, speaker, journalist and author focusing on health, wellbeing and science.This story was originally published by RNZ

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

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

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

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

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