Warkworth RegionMonday 5th June - A few showers, some heavy. Westerlies, becoming southeasterly this afternoon.Tuesday 6th June - Cloudy with a few showers, clearing in the evening. Fresh southeasterlies.Wednesday 7th June - Fine. Fresh southeasterlies.Thursday 8th June - Fine, but becoming cloudy later. Fresh southeasterlies.Friday 9th June - Partly cloudy, with isolated showers clearing. Fresh southerlies, easing.Saturday 10th June - Partly cloudy, with a few showers developing. Southerlies.Sunday 11th June - A few showers with southwesterlies.🏠 Looking for an amazing real estate agent capable of selling your home in the current market? Look no further than Harcourts Cooper & Co Ltd 🏠Mangawhai RegionMonday 5th June - Showers, heavy at times. Thunderstorms with hail possible until midday. Westerlies turning southeasterly this afternoon.Tuesday 6th June - Periods of rain, possibly thundery from afternoon. Southeasterlies, becoming fresh in the morning.Wednesday 7th June - Occasional rain, clearing to partly cloudy in the morning. Fresh southeasterlies, easing in the evening.Thursday 8th June - Fine. Fresh southerlies, easing.Friday 9th June - A few showers. Southerlies easing.Saturday 10th June - Fine, then showers developing. Southwesterlies.Sunday 11th June - A few showers with southwesterlies.

The first major public housing development in Whangārei for decades has reached completion, with 37 new homes opened in the suburb of Maunu today.The project on Tapatahi Crescent and Puriri Park Road, consists of 15 one-bedroom, 4 two-bedroom, 7 three-bedroom, 8 four-bedroom and 3 five-bedroom homes, as well as a community room.People moved into the first five homes in mid-2022, and another dozen earlier this year, as the development was delivered in three stages.“The Maunu development is part of a number of major public housing developments that will make a huge impact on the affordability and quality of housing in Whangārei,” Minister of Housing Dr Megan Woods said.“We have rebuilt the public housing sector since the lost years under National. When it left office it had only added six public houses to Whangārei.This Government has already delivered 226, with plans for hundreds more.“This project is part of a build programme in Whangarei that also includes a number of significant housing developments underway in Tikipunga, Kamo, and a 95-home project in the Avenues. These are going to collectively add nearly 200 homes to the Kainga Ora Whangārei portfolio.The name Tapatahi Cres comes courtesy of local iwi Te Parawhau, who chose the name from the waiata Tū Tira Mai Ngā Iwi – “kia tapatahi, kia kotahi rā’”. Those words are about valuing unity, and also valuing diversity.“I can’t think of a better aspiration for a new community of public housing customers in this beautiful place,” Minister Woods said.“It’s impossible to overstate the importance of warm, dry, secure housing in driving good social outcomes. Being free of the illness that comes from living in a damp or overcrowded home, full health and employment means less time off school and work, less time going back and forth between doctors or the hospital.“The residents and schools of the area, the Whangārei community as a whole and inputs from key locals such Iwi and Whangārei District Council have all contributed to getting these new homes in place.”

By Brianna Mcilraith ofFor more than 70 years June's first public holiday was known as Queen's Birthday - but just because it has a new name, it doesn't mean the rules have changed.What is King's Birthday?Despite King Charles' birthday being in November, a public holiday on the first Monday of June every year commemorates the day, which is 5 June this year.This is because it is traditional for British monarchs who are not born in summer to celebrate twice. They get one celebration on their actual date of birth, and then an official one in the British summer, including the Trooping the Colour parade.The tradition was started by George II in 1748, who was also born in November. He tied his celebrations in with the Trooping the Colour because it was too cold for his own celebratory parade.King's Birthday was formerly known as Queen's Birthday until the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September last year.So what will be open on King's Birthday?By law, all shops must close for three-and-a-half days a year - Christmas Day, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, and until 1pm on Anzac Day.There is no obligation for retailers and cafes to be closed this weekend, although they can if they wish.Big retailers and supermarkets will stay open, including malls, but some may be operating with shorter hours.A lot of big retailers also hold sales throughout the long weekend.Meanwhile, most council-run libraries, swimming pools and attractions will be closed on King's Birthday.If you are required to work on a public holiday you'll be paid time-and-a-half, and may get an alternative day off.But will I be charged a surcharge?Retail NZ chief executive Greg Harford said public holidays were an expensive day to be a business and King's Birthday was no exception.Because of this, businesses such as cafes are entitled to charge extra on a public holiday when they have a justifiable reason to do so."These are big costs, and some businesses which are staff intensive will often surcharge so that they are not out of pocket when they open their doors on a public holiday," Harford said.Often businesses charge a surcharge on public holidays to cover their staff being paid extra.If a business does charge a surcharge, it must have clear signage or communicate this to customers before they pay.If customers believe they've been misled about a surcharge, they can complain to the Commerce Commission.Is anything else affected?Those receiving payments from Work and Income will get their money a little earlier this week thanks to the public holiday.If your pay day is a Tuesday, you'll instead be paid on Saturday, 3 June, as payments will not be processed on Monday.* This story originally appeared on Stuff. and then published by RNZ.

If you’re looking for something local to do this long weekend that isn’t going to break the bank, will entertain the kids, and won’t be too overcrowded.The Algies Bay Donkey Park at Highfield Garden is a little-known place that is free to the public to visit with no booking necessary.Located at 483 Mahurangi East Road, Algies Bay, just a few mins from Snells beach.You can feed donkeys and their foals and it’s awesome for children and adults alike.The donkeys are very friendly, and most will approach for pats and scratches.Come prepared with carrots, apples or green veggies as you are welcome to feed them. There are limits as to how much to feed each donkey.There is parking at the foot of the hill and more at the top, where you get an incredible panoramic view of the bays below for miles around.With picnic tables and lots of open space it’s a lovely spot to set up, enjoy lunch and make an afternoon of it.“Donkeys Inc” (formally, the Highfield Donkeys Incorporated Society) looks after the donkeys and their environment, with help from local volunteers and donations and in partnership with the Highfield Reserve Advisory Committee and Auckland Council.Highfield Reserve and the original donkeys were generously gifted to the people of New Zealand by Mrs Alison Roberts.There is a donation box positioned on the gate as you enter the park and donations are greatly appreciated for ongoing care of the donkeys.Or alternatively, You can sign up to be a memberMemberships are $10 per household per year.More information can be found on the sign as you enter the park or on their website.donkeys – SBRRA (snellsbeach.co.nz)Or on their facebook page Donkeys at Highfield | Facebook

The message remains the same - we urge every road user to drive carefully and stay patient on the roads this long weekend, and every other day of the year.Many Kiwis will be making the most of the King’s Birthday weekend and we want everyone travelling near or far to reach their destinations and back again safely.Superintendent Steve Greally, Director of National Road Policing Centre says Police will have an active and visible presence throughout our roading network to deter any risky behaviours that lead to deaths and further road trauma.“We all have a responsibility when it comes to road safety and as part of Police’s responsibility, I can’t stress enough to everyone the importance of driving carefully and staying patient and alert on our roads no matter what time of the year it is.“Our role is to prevent offending and enforce the law, so you can expect to see our frontline anywhere and at any time patrolling our roads.”Superintendent Greally said Police can’t be everywhere all the time, although would continue focusing on the four main behaviours that lead to death and serious injury on our roads.“People driving too fast for the conditions, driving while impaired by either alcohol, drugs, or fatigue, driving while distracted – including using a mobile phone – and not being properly restrained are all causes we see too often in our roads and continues to be a regular focus for our team throughout the country."In addition, Superintendent Greally encouraged people not to become complacent and to drive to the conditions as the weather can often present another complicating factor for drivers.“At this time of year, the weather is unpredictable and it’s generally worse than other times of the year. Please remember to check your speeds and to watch your following distances. When the weather is terrible you need space and time to react."If you see poor driving please call 111 or *555 and we will respond with urgency where we can.Issued by Police Media Centre

Auckland’s next bi-annual tsunami siren testing is happening at 12pm (midday) on Sunday 4 June.Testing the system ensures we can check it is working as expected. Located in a number of coastal locations, sirens make a combination of alert sounds and voice instructions advising what actions residents should take in a real emergency. During the test, no action is needed from the public.What does a siren test sound like?Voice instructions say, “Attention Please. This is a test of the Auckland Emergency Management tsunami siren network. The next sound you hear will be the standard emergency warning signal.”Siren tone sounds (5x “whoops”)Voice instructions say, “In the event of a siren activation, follow the instructions that accompany this signal. Thank you.”<Siren test ends>Check and listen to the siren sound sample on the Auckland Emergency Management website [.WAV].Where are tsunami warning sirens located in Auckland?Rodney: Point Wells, Whangateau, OmahaAlbany Ward:  Waiwera, Ōrewa, Hobsonville, Herald IslandWaitākere: Bethells / Te Henga, Piha North, Piha South, Karekare, Whatipu, Little Huia, Te Atatū South, Te Atatū Peninsula NorthDuring this test we will also be checking the performance of any sirens that have been subject to vandalism and thefts. The loss of sirens means the audible warnings for a tsunami threat at these locations are not functioning at full capacity.If you observe anyone tampering with sirens, please contact the Police immediately. Additionally, if you notice damaged or missing tsunami sirens, call us on 09 301 0101 or report via Auckland Council's report a problem tool.🚸--- Looking for before / after school / holiday care for your kids? Contact Julie at Matakids Club ---Emergency Mobile Alert (EMA)It is important to remember tsunami sirens are not present in all coastal areas in the Auckland region and are not the primary way we inform the public in a tsunami emergency.Auckland Emergency Management General Manager, Paul Amaral says in the event of an actual tsunami emergency, an Emergency Mobile Alert will be broadcast to all capable mobile phones.“As well as sending an Emergency Mobile Alert, we will also get the message out through broadcast on radio, television, news media and social media platforms.“We encourage people to share official messages with others to make sure the message gets out if needed.“However, if you are at the coast and feel an earthquake which is long or strong, or see other natural warning signs, evacuate immediately to higher ground without waiting for an official alert.”Remember: LONG or STRONG, GET GONE.If you feel a strong earthquake that makes it hard to stand up or a weak rolling earthquake that lasts a minute or more, see a sudden rise or fall in sea level, hear loud or unusual noises from the sea, don’t wait for an official warning. Go immediately to the nearest high ground or as far inland as you can, taking the route quickest for you.What will happen if there is a tsunami and I need to evacuate?Tsunami testing time is a great reminder to check out whether you live, work, or play in one of Auckland’s three tsunami evacuation zones. Check the Auckland hazard viewer map. We are updating these evacuation maps this year so remember to check back regularly to see if your zone has changed from the previous year.If you are required to evacuate, you should always follow the instructions of the emergency services. You will need to evacuate to higher ground or as far inland as possible, to an area not covered by evacuation zones. If you are not in an evacuation zone, you do not need to evacuate.Create an emergency plan for your home and whānau and practice it so everyone knows what to do in an emergency and what you need to take if you are evacuating.Stay informed and preparedDownload The Red Cross Hazards App for free from your mobile app store. The app is a useful tool to help you through emergencies and receive disaster alerts for your selected area.Check the tsunami preparedness tips and what to do before, during and after a tsunami.Make a household emergency plan.Follow AEM’s official Facebook and Twitter channels to stay updated.For more information, visit Auckland Emergency Management website.Please note: this siren testing differs from the National Emergency Management Agency’s annual mobile alert test that was held on Sunday 28 May.

Lots on this long weekend so get out there and have fun!Friday 2nd JuneLeigh Sawmill Friday Happy HourLive Music Friday Nights @ Matakana Village PubFiji Fridays @ SmithsWhat's on this month at the Warkworth RSA🎈🥳 Throwing a party and need help? Carlton Party Hire Warkworth can take care of it for you!Saturday 3rd JuneMangawhai Community MarketMangawhai Tavern MarketMatakana Village Farmers MarketHuge Pop & Rock Vinyl Record SaleA Day in Southeast Asia - Day RetreatBarnyard Boogie with Silent AuctionPop Up Dinner Series - Amaranto x Brewed AsMixed Messages Saturdays @ SmithsSunday 4th JuneMatakana Country Park Market - King's Birthday Weekend - Last until October!Barnyard Boogie with Silent AuctionPop Up Dinner Series - Amaranto x Brewed AsMovie screening "For the Blue" & Clothes SwapKings Birthday Weekend Live Music @ Matakana EstateSunday Service @ SmithsMonday 5th JuneBarnyard Boogie with Silent Auction

The husband of the woman injured after her quad bike slipped 50 metres down a bank in Auckland's Rodney District is thanking the emergency services who helped save his family.Paula McLean was riding her quad bike with her three children on Ashton Road in Whangateau on Saturday.The bike slid down a bank and she had to be airlifted out by the Westpac Rescue Helicopter and taken to Auckland City Hospital in a serious condition.Two of her children, Jasmine and Delilah, were taken to Starship Hospital but have since been discharged.Her third child suffered only minor injuries.John McLean is extending his gratitude to Fire and Emergency, police and St John ambulance, as well as a digger driver and the Westpac helicopter crew for their quick response."I am blown away by the support we've received," he said."The road ahead is uncertain, but the number of people in our local community who have dropped everything to support us during this traumatic time, has been incredible."He said a local family has gone above and beyond since the accident and "their love, generosity and support means the world".McLean said he was now "100 percent focused on the recovery and healing" of his wife and daughters.A Givealittle page has been set up to help with living costs as Paula McLean recovers.Other residents of Ashton Road said the road was in a bad state and many of the houses were inaccessible by car.They said they have been complaining to Auckland Transport for more than a year.Auckland Transport has been approached for comment.A section of Ashton Road, Whangateau, in the Rodney District in Auckland. Photo: Google MapsThis story was first published by RNZ.

Warkworth RegionFriday 2nd June - Cloudy periods and a few showers, turning to rain for a time from late morning, possibly heavy. Fresh northwesterlies turn fresh southwesterly this afternoon.Saturday 3rd June - Mainly fine, a few morning showers. Southwesterlies easing.Sunday 4th June - Cloudy, with rain developing in the afternoon. Northwesterlies, becoming fresh for a time in the afternoon and evening.Mangawhai RegionFriday 2nd June - A shower or two, turning to rain for a time this afternoon and early evening, possibly heavy. Northwesterlies turn southwesterly by evening.Saturday 3rd June - Fine. Southwesterlies, easing in the evening.Sunday 4th June - Partly cloudy, with showers developing in the afternoon. Northwesterlies developing in the morning.

Gull Matakana have generously set up a Fuel Account for the McLean Family who were recently involved in a tragic quad bike accident. John McLean and other family are having to make regular journeys down to hosptial for his family.You can find our previous article on the subject and how you can help here (HELP REQUIRED for Whangateau family affected by tragic accident - here's how to help). Gull Matakana have donated $500 to open the Fuel Account. The Account is only for fuel. NB: John has been asked by Gull if this ok and he is very grateful for this account as he will need it. Donations are welcomePeople buying fuel can add to it at Gull Matakana, ask instore.People can donate through the following bank account: Gull Matakana 03 0481 0045903 00 Reference # McLean Code: 472Thank you for your generosity 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

The Pūhoi to Warkworth motorway, will not be open in time for the upcoming King's Birthday weekend.Travelers heading north on State Highway 1 can anticipate significant delays and congestion, escpiecially around not only the usual hot spots like Johnstones Hill Tunnel and Hill Street at Warkworth, but also where the diversion is in place at Puhoi. Northbound travelers will still have to exit at the Pūhoi off-ramp, briefly follow a section of Pūhoi Rd, and then rejoin SH1, this diversion causes delays under normal circumstances.Holiday makers expect heavy traffic. Alternatively, consider taking an alternate route such as SH16 for northbound travel.Rumorville whisperers say the new motorway will open next month! Fingers crossed this turns out to be true! The new motorway will reduce northbound travel time by 11 minutes.We will keep you updated with any road or traffic delays over the long weekend. Drive safe!

Countdown is freezing prices on a revised list of basic food items again this winter.Basics are now more expensive than what they were last year - rising by 12.5 percent compared to last April.Last year Countdown froze prices on more than 500 products as a measure to curb the cost of living crisis, that had since, steadily worsened.Now it was back, but had been revised to just over 300 products - including double ups like blue and green top milk - which would stay the same price they are now until the end of winter.Countdown brand milk would stay at $5.69, a kilogram of beef mince at $16.90, and a kilo of chicken breasts for $12.90.Just two vegetables were on the list - a pack of mushrooms remained at $4 and 4kg of potatoes at $10.Countdown packaged goods commercial director Steve Mills said they could not control all the causes contributing to inflation, but hoped holding prices would help.Last year's price freeze garnered criticism for not necessarily including the basics included this year, but instead plenty of herbs and more higher priced items like salmon.Foodtsuffs, who last year followed suit with a roll back on some of its essential items, was tight lipped on whether it will bring back the same scheme.The company owns New World and Pak n Save supermarkets.Foodstuffs spokesperson Emma Wooster said the supermarket was focusing on the things it could control."This includes buying well, running our stores and supply chain as efficiently as possible, and keeping costs down. We'll be keeping this focus on throughout 2023," she said.--- Check out Rodney Honda for all your Honda needs - parts, service, new products ---Prices of items that were discounted last year, have since risen.In 2022, a loaf of value bread was rolled back from $1.40 to $1.19, today in North Island stores it was at $1.49.A 1 kg block cheese went from $11.55 to $9.99, but now it was at $11.99. And 1 kg of frozen mixed vegetables, which last year dropped from $2.59 to $2.19, today cost $3.39.Foodstuffs referred RNZ to its Infometrics reporting which showed its prices had stayed below the national food price index for a year now.Food price inflation was at its highest level in 36 year and the national index showed there had been a 12 percent increase in groceries in the last year.Supermarkets still winning - Consumer NZConsumer NZ head of research and advocacy Gemma Rasmussen said because supermarkets put their own brands on the freezing line, they were still winning."In these instances the supermarket is both the supplier and the retailer, so they can retain higher profit, and it also means that increases their market power over other suppliers."Lincoln University Agribusiness' Hamish Gow said the country's expensive grocery bill was symptomatic of the entire industry model needing change."Our food industry is still based around this middle, department-store, traditional supermarket with this large mixed offering - but we haven't seen the differentiation of it in New Zealand like we have elsewhere in the world," he said.Gow said it was not something that could be changed tomorrow - but more hard discounters like Aldi could add some much-needed pressure.This story was first published by RNZ.

Last weekend in Whangateau the quad bike the McLean family was travelling on (while the slips on their road were being fixed) slid off the road and went down a steep ravine.John, Jasmine and Delilah sustained moderate injuries but Paula remains in hospital in a stable but serious condition.At present, the future remains uncertain but any donations will assist this community-driven family to rebuild and recover from this traumatic and horrific accident.A Give A Little page has been set up to help with ongoing costs. You can donate hereUse of funds - The goal is to relieve the financial pressure for the McLean family while they work their way through the coming weeks and months of rehabilitation and recovery. Any donation, small or big, will be used to pay bills and associated costs.$25,000 has currently been donated and more will be needed.There is also a meal train set up where people can make food for the family to help if you prefer . Drop off is in Whangateau.Amazing to see the daily slots are already full until the end of July! You can find news articles about the family accident herehttps://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/490770/woman-and-three-children-injured-in-quad-bike-accidenthttps://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/490803/whangateau-quad-bike-accident-steep-road-narrows-after-heavy-rain-resident-sayshttps://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/2018892199/safety-fears-after-accident-on-damaged-whangateau-road

A small West Coast community says fully reopening the Heaphy Track will breathe fresh life back into their town.Last February, storms destroyed three bridges and damaged the track, reducing trips to in and out only without a helicopter transfer.Karamea businesses say it has caused a significant drop in visitors, but they're hopeful that will soon change.There's only one road in to Karamea, and at the end of it lies an entrance to the Heaphy Track which winds close to 80km towards Golden Bay.Karamea Village Hotel manager Rochelle Crossman said the Great Walk was a huge drawcard for the town."Through the summer months, we'd get a lot of the walkers coming through. Even though they may not stay in the village, they'll come in and have a beer and some lunch or something before they head out of town."In the winter, she said, mountain bikers would usually stop by and it had been tough seeing fewer people coming through.Hopes were high for the upcoming Great Walk season.The Department of Conservation had confirmed it was on track to fully reopen in October, and it would announce booking dates on Wednesday along with most other Great Walks.It was exciting news for Crossman."Just the amount of people that it should bring back through the district. Good for the local Four Square, the cafes, and all of our businesses really."She was hopeful more promotion of the different activities in the area could encourage more people to stay longer.Helicopter Charter Karamea has been choppering trampers over the impassable part of the track along with a scenic flight.Vanessa Kingan said communities at both ends of the Heaphy had suffered."At the time when the flooding happened, it was really important to us as members of our community to look at what we can do to help drive more people right through the track."While uptake had been positive, she couldn't wait for the Heaphy to fully open again."You talk about the track opening again and you see a great sense of relief and joy on people's faces, locally business-wise and speaking to people in the Golden Bay community because they've equally been impacted.Engineers had found a 147-metre long flood-damaged Heaphy Bridge on the Heaphy Track. Photo: Supplied / Department of ConservationDevelopment West Coast tourism and destination manager Patrick Dault said there had been a big drop in visitor spend with some tourism operators recording an occupancy drop of up to 70 percent"We've seen visitor numbers drop from 500 monthly visitors to the i-Site to less than 65 in the month of July only, and in April, from a peak of 1200, almost 1300 to about 300."Fully reopening the track would be a significant milestone, he said."It says that this hopefully is the final chapter in to what was an incredible journey of, not only of Covid, but of climate change and resilience, and this means that it sets 2023, 2024 for success."--- Moving house and need some help? CanDo Movers have got you covered ---DOC Buller operations manager Suvi Van Smit said it was exciting to see the progress being made after the Great Walk was extensively damaged."The scale of the damage meant major repair work was required to be able to reinstate the track as a through walk as the damage included three bridges destroyed or washed away," she said.The final stage involved building two bridges including one further downstream of previous one across the Heaphy River and the other across the Lewis River."These bridges will replace the Heaphy Bridge which was destroyed by ex-cyclone Dovey."The two-bridge solution was decided on after a hydrology report found that current erosion patterns and predicted flood levels and flows meant a new bridge at the old site would soon be threatened."The booking dates for the next Great Walks season, including the Heaphy Track, will be announced on Wednesday.Last month, the Department of Conservation's booking website crashed for several hours when 10,000 people tried to book the Milford Track at once.A week later, bookings for other Great Walks were postponed due to ongoing technical issues with plans to open for booking in mid June.In a response to an Official Information Act request, DOC's Heritage and Visitors director Catherine Wilson said it was extremely disappointed to have experienced these issues, but it was happy with the IT provider's response so far and impressed with the effort put in to resolve the problems."The Department is currently undertaking commercial negotiations with our booking system provider."These negotiations were scheduled under our existing contract with the provider and are not a result of the issues we experienced with the Great Walks booking system in April 2023."However, the issues have given extra importance and a higher level of sensitivity to the process."

Changes to New Zealand's surrogacy laws are set to be fast-tracked, with the government deciding to adopt a member's bill.A bill to change and streamline the law from Labour MP Tamati Coffey has been going through Parliament, and is currently before select committee.New Zealand's surrogacy laws do not currently recognise the intended parents of a child as the legal parents, meaning they must adopt the baby."This process is discriminatory, causes unnecessary harm and stress and reflects how outdated the system is," Justice Minister Kiri Allan said.By adopting Coffey's bill as a government bill, the government can speed the process up and put more weight behind any reforms. Last year, the Law Commission proposed changes to the laws, which the select committee will now consider.They include removing the need for parents to adopt their child born by surrogacy, establishing a register for babies so they can access more information about their birth origins later on in life, and clarity over payments surrogates can receive from parents.The member's bill was drawn from the ballot in September 2021, and its first reading received unanimous support in May 2022.-- Looking for a chartered accountant? Altitude Advisors are Wellsford based and got you covered ---Even with the government's adoption of the bill, given the amount of time left this parliamentary term, it is unlikely it would pass before the election, but Tamati Coffey said he hoped all political parties would continue to support it through the House.Coffey, himself a parent of children born through surrogacy, is set to retire from politics at the election."Given I am signing out of politics at this election, it's a relief that I can hand this baby over to minister Allan, who will make surrogacy the equitable and mana-enhancing process it needs to be," Coffey said.Fertility New Zealand board member Juanita Copeland said she was heartened the legislation would be escalated."There has long been a need for greater clarity and protection for everyone involved in surrogacy and this bill will provide that. It will make it easier for people to build the family they have always dreamed of while honouring the tremendous gift that surrogacy is," she said.

The multimillion-dollar Bay of Islands tourism and recreation industry is facing potential economic and environmental ruin, a Northland biosecurity leader is warning.This is as the new invasive superspreader caulerpa seaweed is discovered in more than a dozen locations in the tourist mecca.Exotic caulerpa has been identified by Northland Regional Council (NRC) divers making emergency checks in Bay of Islands in the last week, since the discovery of the 'foot and mouth' of the sea at Te Rāwhiti in the eastern Bay of Islands on 3 May.The find is a first for the New Zealand mainland, outside the pest's Great Barrier Island stronghold.NRC biodiversity and biosecurity working party chair Geoff Crawford said the devastating find in a number of Bay of Islands locations should be a huge wakeup call for the government and all New Zealanders who live, work or play in the Bay of Islands.Caulerpa has been found in more than 45 percent of the roughly 25 mainland spots investigated including at Omakiwi Cove and Shag Rock off the cove's nearby Okuia Point. It has also been found off Parorenui Bay.Crawford said it would be reasonable to expect the seaweed would be found beyond the week's checked locations.More than 1000 yachts and launches head to the Bay of Islands annually with recreational fishing potentially facing huge impacts as well. Many of the boats head to the Bay of Islands from Auckland via Great Barrier Island. Omakiwi is a hugely popular boat anchorage.Anchors, rather than boat hulls, are thought to be the main spreading method.Crawford said people going boating in the Bay of Islands needed to be particularly careful about checking their anchors when anchoring in affected areas around Omakiwi.He said eradication was the only option, even if it took 10 years. Management and control was not.About 30 eastern Bay of Islands locations have so far been checked by NRC divers with NIWA dive specialists also involved, including Urupukapuka Island.Te Rāwhiti Marae would host a hui about tackling the caulerpa on Wednesday. Photo: Northern AdvocateTe Rāwhiti environmental restoration and pest control specialist Rana Rewha (Patukeha) found 10-20cm clumps of caulerpa on the beach at Omakiwi Cove on 3 May.Rewha said he felt lost about "where to from here", upon finding the pest on the coast that provided essential kaimoana."It's devastating for the whole Bay of Islands," Rewha said.He said caulerpa had the potential to impact cultural, social, environmental, economic and spiritual aspects of life for mana whenua and everybody in the Bay of Islands.Wellington-based Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) director readiness and response services John Walsh, who is leading the government's caulerpa response, will be among about 150 people expected at a Te Rāwhiti Marae caulerpa hui on Wednesday. It was being held to hear more about the spread and to put action in place towards getting the pest sorted.NRC and NIWA will also be present.Rewha said the hui was for all those in the Bay of Islands because the problem affected everybody. Boating clubs, marinas and others were expected to be at the hui.--- For right the first time, on time car repairs call Calibre Collision ---Business Paihia chair Charles Parker said finding caulerpa at Te Rāwhiti and now beyond was of significant concern."Anything that threatens the natural environment is of concern because we rely so heavily on it to attract visitors."The natural environment was used in marketing the Bay of Islands, which now included a new marine mammal sanctuary.Parker said it was important to build a better picture of where caulerpa was in the Bay of Islands. More information would assist decision-making on the best way to eradicate it, if that was possible."We eradicate pests on the [Ipiriri] islands, we eradicate pests on the mainland. If we have to fight an invasive seaweed I am sure people would get in behind that," Parker said.Far North District Council Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board member Jane Hindle from Russell said finding caulerpa was of concern for the many people who used the Bay of Islands for kaimoana gathering, fishing and recreation.Caulerpa can grow from a piece the size of a freckle to cover an area the size of a rugby field in just a few weeks. It carpets the sea floor like a horizontal trifid and smothers traditional kaimoana sources such as cockles.

The country's payments system takes a significant step forward with the processing of transactions being extended to seven days a week.Previously, payments done on a weekend would not go through until Monday, but now they will be done on the same day, every day of the year.Payments NZ chief executive Steve Wiggins said the change was a major modernisation of a key piece of financial infrastructure."Previously, banks could only send and settle payment transactions on business days. But from this weekend, consumers and businesses will be able to transact every day of the year and no longer need to wait for a traditional business day."--- Need help with your debit? Contact Debtfix - NZ's first debt charity dedicated to reducing debt in New Zealand---Ten banks - ANZ, ASB, Bank of China, BNZ, Citi, HSBC, ICBC, Kiwibank, TSB and Westpac - had signed up, and the change would affect all direct credit, debit, automatic and bill payments.Wiggins said that would help the cashflow of small businesses allowing them to pay and be paid, especially over long weekends such as Easter, and buying and selling on online trading sites such as TradeMe would be easier.He said people needed to be aware of how the change might affect them."Electronic bank payments like automatic payments and direct debit payments may come out on their actual due date, which could be a weekend or public holiday.... and people should check their automatic payments, and make sure they have funds to cover those payments."Wiggins said more than $1.5 trillion was transacted a year, and the next development being worked on was real time payments.

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, 2 June 2023.Please note this Traffic Bulletin is updated every Friday.Unless otherwise stated, closures start at 9pm and finish at 5am.NORTHERN MOTORWAY (SH1)Esmonde Road northbound off-ramp, 1 JuneCENTRAL MOTORWAY JUNCTION (CMJ)Wellington Street northbound on-ramp, 1 JuneEastbound lanes between Wellesley Street East off-ramp and Tamaki Drive, 30-31 MayGrafton Road eastbound on-ramp, 30-31 MayStanley Street westbound off-ramp, 1 June--- Is your vechicle broken down? Contact Warkworth Towing & Salvage ---SOUTHERN MOTORWAY (SH1)Gillies Avenue northbound on-ramp, 30 MayNorthbound lanes between Mt Wellington Highway off-ramp and Greenlane on-ramp, 29 May (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Ellerslie-Panmure Highway northbound on-ramp, 29 MaySouth Eastern Highway (SEART) northbound on-ramp, 29 MayMt Wellington Highway northbound on-ramp, 29 MayNorthbound lanes between East Tamaki Road off-ramp and Mt Wellington Highway on-ramp, 30 MayPrinces Street northbound on-ramp, 30 MayHighbrook Drive northbound on-ramp, 30 MayEast Tamaki Road northbound on-ramp, 30 MayNorthbound lanes between Manukau off-ramp and East Tamaki Road on-ramp, 31 May (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Te Irirangi Drive northbound on-ramp, 31 MayRedoubt Road northbound on-ramp, 31 MayRedoubt Road southbound on-ramp, 29-30 MayNorthbound lanes between Papakura off-ramp and Redoubt Road on-ramp, 1 JuneSH1 northbound to SH20 northbound link, 1 JuneHill Road northbound on-ramp, 1 JuneTakanini northbound on-ramp, 1 JunePapakura (Diamond) northbound on-ramp, 1 JunePapakura (Loop) northbound on-ramp, 1 JuneNorthbound lanes between Bombay off-ramp and Drury/SH22 on-ramp, 29 MayRamarama northbound on-ramp, 29 MayBombay northbound on-ramp, 29 MaySouthbound lanes between Nikau Road off-ramp and Nikau Road on-ramp, 28 May (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)Northbound lanes between Nikau Road off-ramp and Nikau Road on-ramp, 28 May (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)Razorback Road southbound off-ramp, 28 May (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)SH1 southbound to SH2 eastbound link, 28 May (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)Southbound lanes between Pokeno off-ramp and Pokeno On-ramp, 28 May (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)Northbound lanes between Pokeno off-ramp and Pokeno on-ramp, 28 May (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)Hampton Downs southbound off-ramp, 28-30 May (approx. 8:00pm to 5:00am)Hampton Downs southbound on-ramp, 28-31 may & 1 June (approx. 8:00pm to 5:00am)Hampton Downs northbound on-ramp, 31 may & 1 June (approx. 8:00pm to 5:00am)NORTHWESTERN MOTORWAY (SH16)Southbound lanes between Brigham Creek Road Roundabout and Lincoln Road on-ramp, 29 MayHobsonville Road southbound on-ramp, 29 MayRoyal Road southbound on-ramp, 29 MayNorthbound lanes between Lincoln Road off-ramp and Brigham Creek Road Roundabout, 28 May (approx. 10:30pm to 5:00am)SH16 northbound to SH18 eastbound link, 28 May (approx. 10:30pm to 5:00am)Lincoln Road northbound on-ramp, 28 & 30 May - 1 JuneLincoln Road southbound off-ramp, 30–31 May & 1 JuneNorthbound lanes between Rosebank Road off-ramp and Te Atatu Road on-ramp, 29-30 May (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Patiki Road northbound on-ramp, 29-30 MayPatiki Road southbound off-ramp, 31 May (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Rosebank Road southbound on-ramp, 28 & 31 MayEastbound lanes between St Lukes Road off-ramp and SH1/SH16 links, 30 May (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)St Lukes Road eastbound on-ramp, 30 MaySH16 eastbound to SH1 northbound link, 30 May (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)SH16 eastbound to SH1 southbound link, 30 May(approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)SH16 eastbound to SH16 eastbound (Port) link, 30 May (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)UPPER HARBOUR MOTORWAY (SH18)Westbound lanes between Albany Highway off-ramp and Tauhinu Road on-ramp, 1 JuneAlbany Highway westbound on-ramp, 1 JuneSH18 westbound to SH16 southbound link, 29 MaySOUTHWESTERN MOTORWAY (SH20)Queenstown Road northbound off-ramp, 28 MaySouthbound lanes between Massey Road off-ramp and Puhinui Road on-ramp, 30 May (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Massey Road southbound on-ramp, 30 MaySouthbound lanes between Lambie Drive off-ramp and SH1 links, 31 May (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Lambie Drive southbound on-ramp, 31 MaySH20 southbound to SH1 northbound link, 31 May (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)SH20 southbound to SH1 northbound link, 1 JuneSH20 southbound to SH1 southbound link, 31 May (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)GEORGE BOLT MEMORIAL DRIVE (SH20A)Northbound lanes between Kirkbride Road off-ramp and SH20 northbound link, 29-31 May & 1 JuneNorthbound lanes between Landing Drive and SH20 northbound link, 28 MaySH20A northbound to SH20 northbound link, 28-31 May & 1 JuneKirkbride Road northbound on-ramp, 28-31 May & 1 June

Warkworth RegionMonday 29th May - Heavy rain, easing to a few showers this morning. Some heavy with possible thunderstorms this afternoon and evening. Strong northerlies, gusting 90 km/h in exposed places, easing this morning.Heavy Rain WatchPeriod: 13hrs from 11pm Sun, 28 May - noon Mon, 29 MayArea: Auckland including Great Barrier IslandForecast: Periods of heavy rain, with thunderstorms possible. Rainfall amounts may approach warning criteria.Tuesday 30th May - Partly cloudy, with isolated showers developing in the afternoon. Northwesterlies.Wednesday 31st May - Mainly fine, isolated showers developing in the morning. Westerlies, becoming fresh for a time in the afternoon and evening.Thursday 1st June - Fine apart from isolated showers. Fresh westerlies, easing.Friday 2nd June - Mostly cloudy, with showers developing. Fresh westerlies, easing.Saturday 3rd June - Fine. Fresh southwesterlies, easing.Sunday 4th June - Showers with westerlies.--- Visit Heads of Hair in Mangawhai for your cut and colour needs ---Mangawhai RegionMonday 29th May - A few showers and fine breaks. Northerlies.Tuesday 30th May - Mostly cloudy, with showers in the afternoon and evening. Northwesterlies, easing in the afternoon.Wednesday 31st May - Cloud clearing and becoming fine in the morning. Westerlies.Thursday 1st June - Fine. Westerlies.Friday 2nd June - Showers, clearing and becoming fine. Southwesterlies.Saturday 3rd June - Fine. Southwesterlies.Sunday 4th June - Showers with westerlies.