Do you know about the Mangawhai & Maungaturoto Chess Clubs? Only $10 per child per session and adults are half price! ALL ages and levels welcome. Boys and Girls (girls can play chess too!)We teach you Chess from scratch! Chess brings together different generations and communities regardless of their age, skill set or economic status. Kids will love our relaxed and fun approach to learning Chess. Our clubs include teaching and training of beginners as well as preparing kids for tournament level. We recently have a very successful Fundraising Day at Mitre10. All proceeds will help our Northland Chess kids, who have qualified for NZ Nationals, to be able to attend! They are from hard-working families, some are Dairy Farmers, and without financial help with the Chess Competition fees, would not be able to afford to send their kids!  We are also attending the Northland Chess Championship in October this year and are raising funds for 1 night's accommodation for our kids, as the Chess Competition takes place in Kerikeri, which is a fair distance away! If you are in a position to donate any amount big or small to help our Chess Club families, we would be very grateful! We have a fundraiser event coming up this Father’s Day 3rd Sept 3.15pm. Please come along and support us. To join our Facebook grouphttps://www.facebook.com/groups/795009064527481 Contact Tina Smith 021 689 988

Have your sayFisheries New Zealand is seeking your views on proposed bottom fishing restrictions in the Hauraki Gulf (Tīkapa Moana / Te Moananui-ā-Toi).We're looking at options for establishing bottom fishing access zones, also known as trawl corridors.The proposals seek to protect key seafloor habitats by excluding bottom trawling and Danish seining from the Hauraki Gulf, except within defined areas. The consultation opened on 30 August and closes at 5pm on 6 November 2023.A summary of the 4 proposed options is on this page and full details are in the consultation document.Consultation documentProposed options for bottom fishing access zones in the Hauraki Gulf [PDF, 3.2 MB]Summary of what's being proposedRestrictions on bottom trawl and Danish seine fishing to carefully selected “bottom fishing access zones” were signalled as part of the Government's Revitalising the Gulf strategy. The strategy set out the range of actions needed to manage the effects that people have on the Hauraki Gulf. It was also a key action included in the recently approved Hauraki Gulf Fisheries Plan [PDF, 14 MB]The proposed options would restrict bottom trawl and Danish Seine fishing methods in the Hauraki Gulf to defined areas to protect important benthic habitats.Option 1: Danish seine fishing banned from 74.1% and trawl fishing banned from 77.1% of the Gulf shallower than 200 metres* and limit these fishing methods to 6 defined zones.Option 2: Danish seine fishing banned from 79.4% and trawl fishing banned from 82.4% of the Gulf shallower than 200 metres and limit these fishing methods to 5 defined zones.Option 3: Danish seine fishing banned from 86.6% and trawl fishing banned from 88.5% of the Gulf shallower than 200 metres and limit these fishing methods to 4 defined zones.Option 4: Danish seine fishing banned from 87.3% and trawl fishing banned from 89.2% of the Gulf shallower than 200 metres and limit these fishing methods to 4 defined zones.*About 3.4% of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park is deeper than 200 metres. The use of bottom contact fishing methods in areas deeper than 200 metres is outside the scope of this consultation and will need to be assessed in a separate process that includes representation of deep-water fisheries stakeholders.Proposals developed though collaborationFisheries New Zealand has undertaken extensive stakeholder engagement to develop the proposed bottom fishing access zones. The options were developed using the best available scientific information by a spatial planning group which included representation by key stakeholders and with input from the Hauraki Gulf Fisheries Plan Advisory GroupFisheries New Zealand engaged widely with tangata whenua with interests in the Hauraki Gulf through 2 rounds of engagement during the development of Revitalising the Gulf and the Hauraki Gulf Fisheries Plan. This included discussion on marine protection, fisheries priorities for iwi, and managing mobile bottom impact fishing methods. Fisheries New Zealand also undertook further engagement with iwi, prior to public consultation, on the development of options for bottom fishing access zones.Making your submissionEmail your feedback on the proposed bottom fishing restrictions by 5pm on 6 November 2023 to [email protected] we prefer email, you can post written submissions to:Fisheries ManagementFisheries New Zealand17 Maurice Wilson AvenuePO Box 53030Auckland Airport 2022New Zealand.Following this consultation, the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries will be provided with advice and submissions from the public to support making final decisions on where bottom trawling and Danish seining will be permitted in the Hauraki Gulf.What to includeMake sure you tell us in your submission:the title of the consultation documentyour name and titleyour organisation's name (if you are submitting on behalf of an organisation, and whether your submission represents the whole organisation or a section of it)your contact details (such as phone number, address, and email).Related informationRevitalising the GulfFrequently asked questions about the proposed bottom fishing restrictions [PDF, 185 KB]Aquatic environment and biodiversity report: Exploring the use of spatial decision support tools to identify trawl corridors in the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park [PDF, 25 MB] Bottom-trawling ban for most of Hauraki Gulf – Government media release Fishing methods 

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Get in quick, THE 100 CLUB RAFFLE IS ON until 31st August!The Leigh Community Club had a good initial response to our 100 Club Raffle ticket sales, but we still need more support to complete this month’s draw. Thankyou if you have already bought a ticket! There’s still time to buy one, or multiple tickets, before 31st August, when the first draw is held. The raffle consists of 100 tickets @$100 each with 10 draws over 10 months from August 2023 to May 2024. Prizes for each draw are 1 st prize $300, 2nd prize, $150, 3rd prize $50. Winning tickets remain in the draw each month. Prize winners will be advised via email with results published on Leigh CommunityFacebook page and in the Leigh Rag. Remember, it is your generosity that keeps the LCC going, so thank you!To buy a ticket: deposit $100 in the LCC Account No. 12-3095-0015590-51 with your name and a contact phone number for reference. A committee member willthen be in touch and you will receive a numbered ticket. Alternatively, email us at [email protected] or phone any of the following Community ClubCommittee members: Dave Shapleski: 027 4716612, Deen Hall: 021 595152,Helen Parkes: 021 484432The Leigh Community Club member’s meeting will be at the Leigh Bowling Club at 4 pm on Sunday September 3rd. All are welcome!All money raised (excluding prize money) supports community work on local tracks and walkways. It is also used for local grants to support new initiatives.Membership fees, fundraisers and Waste Free Leigh product sales contribute towards trail improvement materials/equipment, picnic tables, and the upgradedDigby seat.

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, 1 September 202 Unless otherwise stated, closures start at 9pm and finish at 5am.NORTHERN MOTORWAY (SH1)Northbound lanes between Oteha Valley Road off-ramp and Silverdale on-ramp, 29-31 AugustOteha Valley Road northbound on-ramp, 29-31 AugustCENTRAL MOTORWAY JUNCTION (CMJ)None plannedSOUTHERN MOTORWAY (SH1)Northbound lanes between East Tamaki Road off-ramp and Mt Wellington Highway on-ramp, 31 August (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Princes Street northbound on-ramp, 31 AugustHighbrook Drive northbound on-ramp, 31 AugustEast Tamaki Road northbound on-ramp, 31 AugustNorthbound lanes between Drury/SH22 off-ramp and Redoubt Road on-ramp, 27-31 AugustPapakura (Diamond) northbound on-ramp, 27-31 AugustPapakura (Loop) northbound on-ramp, 27-31 AugustDrury/SH22 northbound on-ramp, 27-31 AugustSouthbound lanes between Redoubt Road off-ramp and Drury/SH22 on-ramp, 30 August (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Redoubt Road southbound on-ramp, 30 AugustSH1 southbound to SH20 northbound link, 30 August (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Southbound lanes between Takanini off-ramp and Drury/SH22 on-ramp, 27-28 & 30-31 AugustTakanini southbound on-ramp, 27-28 & 30-31 AugustSouthbound lanes between Papakura off-ramp and Bombay on-ramp, 29 AugustPapakura southbound on-ramp, 25-31 August & 1-2 September (24/7)Drury/SH22 southbound on-ramp, 29 AugustRamarama southbound on-ramp, 29 AugustBombay southbound on-ramp, 28 AugustBeaver Road southbound off-ramp, 28 August (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)Beaver Road southbound on-ramp, 28 AugustNikau Road southbound off-ramp, 28 August (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)Southbound lanes between Nikau Road off-ramp and Nikau Road on-ramp, 27 August (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)Northbound lanes between Nikau Road off-ramp and Nikau Road on-ramp, 27 August (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)SH1 southbound to SH2 eastbound link, 27 August (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)Razorback Road southbound off-ramp, 27 August (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)Southbound lanes between Pokeno off-ramp and Pokeno on-ramp, 27 August (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00amNorthbound lanes between Pokeno off-ramp and Pokeno on-ramp, 27 August (approx. 8:00pm to 5:00am)Hampton Downs northbound off-ramp, 30 August (approx. 8:00pm to 5:00am)Hampton Downs northbound on-ramp, 29 August (approx. 8:00pm to 5:00am)NORTHWESTERN MOTORWAY (SH16)Southbound lanes between Brigham Creek Road Roundabout and Hobsonville Road on-ramp, 27 AugustNorthbound lanes between Hobsonville Road off-ramp and Brigham Creek Road Roundabout, 27 August (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)Lincoln Road northbound off-ramp, 30-31 AugustLincoln Road northbound on-ramp, 29 AugustUPPER HARBOUR MOTORWAY (SH18)Brigham Creek Road eastbound on-ramp, 28 August (approx. 8:00pm to 5:00am)SOUTHWESTERN MOTORWAY (SH20)Northbound lanes between Hillsborough Road off-ramp and Dominion Road on-ramp, 30-31 August (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Hillsborough Road northbound on-ramp, 30-31 AugustSouthbound lanes between Lambie Drive off-ramp and SH1 links, 30 August (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Lambie Drive southbound on-ramp, 30 August (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)SH20 southbound to SH1 northbound link, 30 August (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)SH20 southbound to SH1 southbound link, 30 August (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)STATE HIGHWAY 2 (SH2)SH2 westbound to SH1 southbound, 27 August

👴👨‍🦳🧔👱🏾‍♂️Wow, thank you to all of those who entered! So many beautiful memories of you and your father’s. They brought me to tears, it was so difficult choosing the winners.Congratulations to :Jorja Heyns- you have won the Creative Hospitality voucherTiffany – you have the Warkworth Menswear voucherSchalk – you have won the Warkworth Butchery voucherNilufer Fernandes – you have won #8 Wired beerWe will email you prize infoThank you to our local businesses who donatedWarkworth ButcheryWarkworth MenswearWarkworth Hotel 8 Wired Brewing - Barrelworks & Tap Room

Warkworth RegionMonday 28th August - Cloudy with the odd shower until late afternoon, then becoming fine. Southwesterlies easing this evening.Tuesday 29th August - Fine. Light winds.Wednesday 30th - A few showers developing in the morning. Easterlies, turning northerly in the afternoon.Thursday 31st - Becoming fine early. Light winds.Friday 1st - Partly cloudy with northeasterlies.Saturday 2nd - Partly cloudy, with showers developing. Northeasterlies.Sunday 3rd - Showers with northeasterlies.Mangawhai RegionMonday 28th August - Cloudy with one or two morning showers, then becoming fine. Southwesterlies dying out this evening.Tuesday 29th August - Partly cloudy. Light winds.Wednesday 30th - Showers, clearing to fine in the evening. Northeasterlies, turning northwesterly in the afternoon.Thursday 31st - Becoming fine early. Light winds.Friday 1st - Rain, clearing to partly cloudy weather. Northeasterlies.Saturday 2nd - Rain, clearing but remaining cloudy. Northeasterlies.Sunday 3rd - Rain with northeasterlies.

Labour leader Chris Hipkins has ruled out New Zealand First as a possible coalition partner after this year's election, saying Winston Peters and his party would cause "instability and chaos".Labour leader Chris Hipkins confirmed the decision at a media conference today."New Zealand First has become a party more interested in toilets than the issues that matter most to New Zealanders," said Hipkins.Labour could work with the Green Party and with Te Pāti Māori, Hipkins said.New Zealand First had already ruled out working with Labour.Hipkins said the rhetoric he was hearing from Peters this election "means I just don't see any compatibility with my vision for an inclusive, progressive and prosperous society"."Winston Peters and NZ First are a force for instability and chaos and that's the last thing New Zealand needs at the moment."He described a National Party, ACT and NZ First coalition as one of "cuts, chaos and confusion" that holds views he thought would alienate large sections of New Zealand society - not just economically, but people's sense of belonging.Peters was "seeking to make trans people the enemy in this campaign", Hipkins said."Living fully in your own skin isn't always easy for any of us at the best of times but it can be particularly hard for our rainbow communities. None of them deserve the kind of abuse that's been directed their way, stoked up by politicians who should know better."I have news for all those who try to divide us and take us backwards - you will ultimately fail, because Kiwis have always regarded unity as more important than division."Hipkins said he would continue to defend "a women's right to choose" and said many National MPs and candidates wanted to roll back women's rights."Members of their caucus celebrated the US Supreme Court decision to roll back a women's right to choose."He said he backed initiatives like the Māori Health Authority and described David Seymour's comments about the Pacific community as "chilling".Seymour had said the comments were a joke, Hipkins said: "I don't think it's a laughing matter."Hipkins said he had considered which party's values and policies aligned with his own and those of the Labour Party."Kiwis deserve to know who they're voting for, what their bottom lines are and what kind of government they could get after the election."Policy disagreements, in his experience, could be overcome if you had shared goals and values, he said.Hipkins intended to promote a message of unity this election campaign and said he wanted to work with parties and leaders who want to do the same.This did not mean he will not criticize his opponents, he said."But in doing so I will not be seeking to divide New Zealand communities. Labour's focus in this election won't be on imported culture wars, but fighting an economic war against inflation and inequality."Bread and butter issues were always about helping families and communities to get ahead, he said."And I mean every member of our community and every member of our families."This story was originally reported by RNZ News

"Search warrant executed for wanted man Dariush Talagi"Police are maintaining its appeal for information on the whereabouts of Dariush Talagi, who is wanted to arrest for murder.This morning, the Operation Alto investigation team, supported by the Armed Offenders Squad, executed a search warrant at a Mt Wellington address.Detective Senior Sergeant Craig Bolton says the investigation team are continuing to look, assess and act on the information being provided by the public.“We believed Talagi may have been at this address, however he was not located this morning and our enquiries continue.“A search was conducted at the property and we have recovered a rifle, ammunition and a quantity of cannabis."A 24-year-old man at the address has been charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, and possession for supply of cannabis.He is expected to appear in the Auckland District Court next week.Detective Senior Sergeant Bolton says the investigation team are still seeking information of the whereabouts of Tiari Boon-Harris, who is believed to be with Talagi.“I would like to acknowledge those who have provided us information to date.My message remains that anyone with information should contact us, even if that is anonymously.“It is a criminal offence to be an accessory after the fact for murder, and you could be liable for prosecution.”If you sight Talagi, please contact 111.Anyone with information can share this anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.Information can also be provided through calling 105 or going online to https://www.police.govt.nz/use-105 , referencing file number 230804/3399.ENDS. Jarred Williamson/NZ PoliceYou can also view this release, including any additional images, on the NZ Police app or at: https://www.police.govt.nz/news/release/search-warrant-executed-wanted-man-dariush-talagiNoho ora mai,New Zealand Police

Exercise. We know it’s good for us, but sometimes it’s just so hard to prioritise it. 'Tomorrow I’ll start,' we say. Well, spring – with its increasingly warmer, longer days and (fingers crossed) blue skies – is here to give you that burst of motivation you need to put on your trainers and get out the door. Here are some low-cost and free ideas to help you stay active this season.Get organised, start smallCreating a new habit is much easier when you start small. Instead of setting yourself an overly ambitious goal of running a marathon in six months’ time, give yourself the best chance by committing to a smaller, more realistic challenge – even if it’s as simple as walking around the block during your lunch hour every day. The following week you can increase it to two blocks.If you’re planning to exercise first thing in the morning, make it easy for yourself by laying out your gear the night before so you can get up and go, rather than heading back under the covers to catch some more z’s because you’re too sleepy to find the trainers at the back of your wardrobe.External accountability is also a great motivator. If you’ve made a plan to exercise with a friend, you’re much more likely to stick to it than be a no-show. Plus, exercising with friends is a great way to keep fit while catching up. You can encourage each other by setting fitness goals together.Become a gym bunnyAuckland Council has more than pool and leisure centre facilities across the region where you can become a member or pay per hour or per class. While each centre is different, most of them have gym equipment for strength training and cardio fitness.If group fitness is more your jam, many offer exercise classes, such as Energy HIIT (high-intensity interval training), Zumba and yoga. Centres with pools also offer aqua group fitness classes such as AquaPOWER, which is great if you’re looking for a low-weight-bearing exercise.Certain Auckland Council operated centres offer free one week trials to new potential members, during which time you can try out the facilities and classes. Visit https://aucklandleisure.co.nz/free-trial-form/ to fill out a free trial form, https://www.aucklandleisure.co.nz/locations to find a pool and/or leisure centre near you and go to https://aucklandleisure.co.nz/prices-and-membership/ for membership and casual prices.Use free exercise equipmentFresh air is free and so is the outdoor exercise equipment at 80 parks across the region. A list of parks with outdoor exercise gear – including the types of equipment on offer and location in the park – can be found at https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/parks-recreation/get-outdoors/staying-active/Pages/fitness-equipment.aspx.Let team spirit motivate you Some of us are naturally competitive, so if team sports get you off the couch, why not get a group of friends together and head to a basketball or volleyball court at a park or reserve? There are a whopping 204 full and half basketball courts, 22 sand or concrete volleyball courts, 64 tennis courts at parks, reserves and leisure centres across Auckland. Most are free, or you can book courts at some leisure centres for a small fee. Or if you fall in love tennis then join one of the clubs that use our courts.I want to ride my bicycleThere are bike tracks and shared paths all over Tāmaki Makaurau where you can embrace your best freewheeling self. Whether you want to bike through the bush or are looking for a flat path with heritage features, tailor a bike ride to suit your needs by using the filters on Auckland Council’s Akl Paths page.If you want to explore outside your local neighbourhood, don’t forget you can take your bike on trains and most ferries (with a few exceptions) without paying an extra fare, and providing there is space. However, only compact folding bikes are allowed on buses.

New Zealand's vulnerability to severe weather events is undermining long-term business confidence and resilience within the country's civil construction sector.The latest Civil Contractors New Zealand and Teletrac Navman survey shows only 7 percent of respondents believe the country's infrastructure can cope with extreme weather - a fall of 10 percentage points from last year.Civil Contractors NZ chief executive Alan Pollard said the industry needed clearer project pipelines from central and local government in the face of climate change."Too often you'll find on both sides of the political spectrum there are a lot of promises made about funding being made available. But for us, we actually need projects to be built. So schedule the projects, fund the projects and commit to a timeframe and actually get on and do it."If that doesn't happen it creates uncertainty across the industry."One of the big things that came out of our survey was the impact a lack of confidence in things actually being done is having on the broader sector."Around half of businesses wanted more access to on-site technology in order to help deliver mandatory reporting on decarbonisation and sustainability efforts.Meanwhile, more frequent and severe storms were causing unprecedented levels of destruction."There is very low confidence in the industry in the ability of New Zealand's infrastructure to actually cope with these things," Pollard said."It's pretty obvious when you look at what happened up north and what happened in the Hawke's Bay - massive devastation to infrastructure."Contractors were often first responders in a natural disaster, working to repair and restore damaged infrastructure.According to the industry survey, 47 percent of respondents had been involved in emergency or disaster response over the past year.Nearly 70 percent of businesses said ongoing projects had been impacted by extreme weather events, causing project delays, insurance claims and the need to renegotiate contracts.This story was originally posted on RNZ News

Felix Walton, reporterAuckland residents say they are afraid to go out at night after two suspected homicides in the city on the same day.A man and a woman were arrested following the death of a 70-year-old man at an Upper Queen Street apartment yesterday afternoon.Hours later, a 19-year-old was arrested after the death of a person at the Off Broadway Motel in Epsom.They each appeared in the Auckland District Court today charged with murder and were remanded in custody to reappear next month.Meanwhile, residents grappled with the aftermath. A contractor drinking coffee opposite the scene on Upper Queen Street described seeing the victim."I think he was lying down in the lobby," he said. "We tried to help the ambulances when they arrived, but nobody was allowed to go inside."His colleagues worked around the yellow tape left by police.He said authorities had to step it up. "They're not tough on the criminals at the moment," he said.One of his colleagues said they were no strangers to crime, but murder was on another level."It's the first time we've had something this bad happen so close to our site," he said. "We've had other things like thefts and all of that, but nothing this serious."He said something had to change. "Crime's getting terrible in Auckland," he said."Every other day you hear about a shooting or a gang fight or something like that, it needs to be sorted out."A North Shore resident visiting the city said she and her family would never visit at night. "At night, we're afraid come to here," she said. "Very afraid."Residents of Epsom were similarly anxious after a person died at the Off Broadway Hotel.Around the corner, students were on their way to the nearby Epsom Girls' Grammar and Diocesan high schools.One resident feared for their safety. "A lot of families live in Epsom, a lot of school children," she said. "It's much more alarming when it's local."She was also afraid to walk alone at night. "If I'm out at night I'm with my husband or friends or family," she said. "At daytime, I feel safe [alone]."Another resident worried about the social factors driving young people to commit violent crimes."It just makes me wonder about the 19-year-old," he said. "What caused that sort of thing, what sort of trauma they were suffering and how they got to do such a thing."He said authorities were not doing enough to address those factors."The whole slide into this sort of crime, ram raids and stuff like that, says something about what we're not doing in our society."I reckon we've got to think about that widening gap."Another hoped to see more police on the street. "Like a lot of people, I think we should have police on the beat and visible in the city."Youth worker calls for early interventionAuckland youth worker Aaron Hendry said he understood why people were anxious, but he said a tougher approach could cause more harm than good."There's definitely that anxiety and fear, and there's a perception that tougher penalties and more police will keep us safer."The reality is, assuming we look at the evidence, that mechanism of the justice system that acts in a really punitive way doesn't keep us safer."Hendry said heavy-handed responses to crime could push recovering criminals to reoffend."We drag people into that court system, and that system itself causes further harm."Those individuals who go through that system end up coming out again and there's no healing, so there's risk of more crime occurring."Early interventions with at-risk youths, before they are driven to violence, would be the most effective way to reduce crime in Auckland, he said."If we really want some change, what I'd say is we need to look at how to do early intervention well," he said. "How do we respond to those basic needs and ensure that people who are in a vulnerable space are getting the support they need?"Hendry said police were frequently called to situations a mental health professional would be better equipped to handle."[We need] resources in our local communities so we're not relying on the blunt instrument that can be the police."The defendants in both cases have been remanded in custody and are expected to reappear in Auckland High Court next month.'This story was originally published by RNZ

Warkworth RegionFriday 25th August - Partly cloudy, with patchy morning fog. Light winds.Saturday 26th August - Mainly fine. Light winds.Sunday 27th August - Partly cloudy, chance of a shower in the afternoon and evening. Southwesterlies developing in the morning.Mangawhai RegionFriday 25th August - Partly cloudy, chance of an afternoon shower. Light winds.Saturday 26th August - Partly cloudy, chance of a shower in the afternoon and evening. Light winds.Sunday 27th August - Mainly fine. Light winds.

Auckland Transport would like to advise of the following slip repair work for Mahurangi East Road.From Monday 28th August for approximately 4 months.

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Horticulture industry body Hort NZ says one of the new acts replacing the RMA will do a far better job at protecting New Zealand's fruit and vegetable growing areas.The Natural and Built Environment Bill, which passed its third reading last week, sets out a national planning framework which provides national direction for the rules and policies that support environmental protection and natural resource management.Hort NZ's Michelle Sands said this national policy must enable the supply of fresh fruit and vegetables. In other words, it requires councils to specifically think about the impact land use rules will have on vegetable and fruit production."And that's really important because at the moment in the RMA we have a number of policies and rules that prevent vegetable growing in particular from being able to be undertaken because they don't provide a rule framework that supports crop rotation and don't provide a framework that enables vegetable growers to produce more vegetables," she said.Crop rotation is when different crops are planted in the same area over successive years which helps manage pests and disease, and soil management.Sands said the RMA did not currently put a practical lens on what food production requirements were, and did not protect New Zealand's food security."What tends to happen in policy and rules is that 80:20 rule, where you design something that works for most activities - and most activities are pastoral activities," she said."So if you have an activity that is a bit different, sometimes you end up with unintended consequences when those rules are applied to a different activity ..."It's really just about saying, actually we're geographically isolated, we need a supply of fresh fruit and vegetables so we need to make sure that our rules framework doesn't have unintended consequences for these activities and that we are enabling that supply through the way that we manage our natural resources," she said.Sands said it had been too easy for councils to set up rules that were easy to administer and that had become the focus, rather than considering the best use of the land.Instead of simple administrative systems that worked well for pastoral farming being applied to vegetable growing, Sands said efforts should be made to think of an administrative system that worked for vegetable growing.It was all about the council's "mind-set" she said, "because growers can and should manage their environmental impacts".Vegetables NZ also welcomed the change in regulation and said increasing growers' ability to grow and expand would improve food security.However, Federated Farmers said the legislation would strip local communities of their decision-making ability.National is promising to repeal the RMA replacement bills if elected.This story was originally published by RNZ

The Kawau Bay Action Group and the Snells Beach Ratepayers and Residents Association have put together this questionnaire, asking locals what improvements they would like to see in their community. If you would like to participate here is the link.

Peter de GraafA well-known Northland dive company has avoided prosecution over an incident in which two children were trapped in a sea cave by agreeing to a raft of measures to improve safety and help the victims.Those measures are expected to cost Dive! Tutukaka, which is based on the Tūtūkākā Coast about 30km north of Whangārei, more than $250,000.WorkSafe, which led the investigation, said that was more than the company may have been fined if the prosecution had gone ahead.The drama unfolded in December 2020 when Dive! Tutukaka took a group of students from Tauraroa Area School on a kayaking and snorkelling trip to the Poor Knights Islands.During the trip, a 14-year-old girl and a 13-year-old boy were stuck in a sea cave after their shared kayak capsized in choppy waters.The girl feared she would drown when her foot became wedged in a crevice.According to a WorkSafe report, she had to hold her breath each time a wave swept over her head.She was rescued by a Dive! Tutukaka staff member, but he was unable to get the boy out because he was paralysed with fear on a ledge inside the cave.The boy and his rescuer remained there until the Northland Rescue Helicopter arrived about two hours later. They were able to exit the cave once the tide had dropped.According to WorkSafe, all three suffered cuts and abrasions and the children were traumatised.WorkSafe specialist interventions acting head Catalijne Pille said the company had committed to "putting things right" by entering into a legally binding safety pledge, known as an enforceable undertaking.That commitment included paying reparations to the two young victims; training for Dive! Tutukaka workers; funding and training for the Northland Rescue Helicopter and Tūtūkākā Coastguard; water confidence programmes for local rangatahi; and partnering with Education Outdoors New Zealand to upskill providers working with schools."The investment Dive! Tutukaka will make exceeds what even the courts may have ordered in penalties. This demonstrates a substantial commitment to health and safety, with benefits circled back to the community, workers, and the industry," Pille said.WorkSafe would monitor progress and could resume prosecution if the commitments were not met."In light of this incident at the Poor Knights Islands, and the recent fatality at Abbey Caves, this commitment is a timely boost for the outdoor education system. Students should be able to participate in activities safely, and parents must have confidence their rangatahi will be kept safe," Pille said.School's board pays student victimsTauraroa Area School's Board of Trustees faced the same charge under the Health and Safety at Work Act of exposing individuals to risk of harm or illness.The board was sentenced in Whangārei District Court in December 2022 and ordered to pay reparation to the two students. The amount paid was suppressed.The school board was not fined due to its financial circumstances.Dive! Tutukaka director Kate Malcolm said a conviction for the company, or a fine that disappeared into the justice system's coffers, would not have done anyone a good service."I think we can do a better thing with that money by putting it directly into the community over a long period of time, and that's what we chose to do," she said.It was not a "get out of jail free card" or an easy option, but it was the best path for healing and moving forward."You can just suck it up, get a conviction and pay the money, and keep doing what you're doing. But this is about fundamental change. Because the children, and their learnings and outdoor experiences as they way-find and navigate, are our future. Our purpose really is to help them and to make sure it's possible for them to do that safely," Malcolm said.As part of the commitment, the company was developing outdoor leadership programmes and offering time, boats and facilities to the rescue helicopter trust and Tūtūkākā Coastguard.That would allow training otherwise unavailable to community services and improve safety for everyone along the coast.The incident had also been tough on her staff, Malcolm said."Even though we did get everybody home that afternoon, we certainly left some trauma and some scrapes and bruises on two of the children in particular. My team also felt it very strongly - they define themselves about how they deliver a day and how they share the experience of the Poor Knights Islands. So it's deeply affected us."The company was working with the families of the two children in the hope of helping them heal, she said.This story was originally posted by RNZ

Walk, scooter, bike – you'll soon be able to pick your mode of transport and experience the new boardwalk over the Mangawhai estuary!Council contractors are winding up the last bits and bobs of the second phase of the Mangawhai shared path, with the boardwalk open to the public for use from around mid-morning, Tuesday 22 August. We’ll be sharing some of the background on the art and design of the boardwalk (including info on the name gifted by the Taumata Kaunihera of Te Uri o Hau — Te Ara o Te Whai) later this week. The first two phases of the Mangawhai shared path is supported by funding from Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (majority grant) and the COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund – Infrastructure Reference Group (IRG) administered by Kānoa – Regional Development & Investment Unit. The shared path improves safety and connectivity between the village and the heads, making it easier to travel by foot, bike, or scooter along busy Molesworth Drive.For more information about the Mangawhai shared path project, go to www.mangawhaicommunityplan.co.nz/projects/transport