Gun owners are accusing police of stonewalling their attempts to understand what is behind plans to make them pay a lot more for a firearms licence.But the police say taxpayers are subsidising the current licensing system by hundreds of millions of dollars annually, and that has to change.Firearms licensing fees have not risen in more than 20 years. In the recent public consultation, police estimated the costs behind a 10-year firearms licence were now more than seven-and-a-half times the current fee of $126.50.Gwyn Thurlow of the Deerstalkers Association said it was a "troubling sign" police were refusing to disclose exactly what was behind those estimates."It raises serious concerns on what we're paying for and how much it should be," he told Checkpoint."We know that there had to be calculations provided to Cabinet and we are not getting anywhere when we ask for that information. We are being delayed and our requests are being declined."Hugh Deveraux-Mack of the Council of Licenced Firearms Owners said police were reaching into their members' pockets to fund excessive paperwork processes that did little to improve public safety."That screams inefficiency across the board. If police are charging this much because they cannot figure out how to do it, then it needs to go to an independent agency that can clearly do the paperwork side much better than they can."More than 6000 submissions were received during public consultation on the fees, which came to a close this month.Respondents were asked to express their preference for an underwrite from a quarter to three-quarters of costs, which would see the 10-year licence fee rise to up to $730.New Zealand Police Association president Chris Cahill said police had not done a good job of gun licensing in the past. He said police had a duty to improve the delivery of firearms licensing and the new fees would make that possible.Cahill said he felt even the highest tier of cost recovery was still a reasonable proposition."They've been paying about $12 per year, which is patently ridiculous. It costs about $180 to register your dog a year. I think those figures, police are talking about, are much more realistic."Alec Melville of the Sporting Shooters Association said the hikes were just another way licensed firearms owners had been hammered in the aftermath of the mosque shootings.Gun owners were being targeted by police for their own mishandling of the licensing process, Melville said."We all feel just as bad as everybody else about what happened there, [but] the bottom line is that the police didn't do the vetting correctly. We know for a fact that the funding given to police was sufficient, but they'd taken that funding and used it for general duties."Gun clubs fear extinctionJon Phillipps represented New Zealand more than 15 times in 40 years of competitive shooting. He said new fees tacked on to the police proposal could see as much as $1500 added to the costs of anyone coming through the border to compete in events."[The National Rifle Association of New Zealand] has an invitation out to come and shoot at the Ballinger Belt [shooting competition]. The [Australian] national body has said that if those fees are imposed they will not be sending any shooters to New Zealand."Phillipps said the inclusion of new fees for gun ranges and clubs were contrary to the intentions of the reforms."The safest place for people to learn how to use a firearm responsibly is the clubs and, if these clubs are no longer there, then where will they go? That's not making it safer for people."John Gill has been hunting and shooting for sport for over 60 years. He said he was worried bureaucracy and changing attitudes were killing the future of a much-loved part of the country's rural heritage."I'm just a regular Kiwi guy who was brought up in a culture where the land provided opportunities for achieving food and having sport. I'd like to think that my grandchildren can continue that if they choose to."Submissions on the proposed fees would be analysed and put to Cabinet for discussion in the oncoming months. Police have been approached for comment.

A man who was shot by police after an "inexcusable act of violence" has died in hospital, Waitematā District Commander Superintendent Naila Hassan has confirmed.Police said early this evening that the man had undergone surgery, but died at Auckland Hospital this afternoon.Hassan spoke to media this afternoon after the man was shot by police earlier on Friday. Hassan said the man, in his mid-20s, approached a cash in transit van at a petrol station on Henderson Valley Road at about 10am Friday and fired his weapon. Nobody was injured, and the man fled the scene.He then returned a few minutes later and a firearm was pointed at a police officer, Hassan said.The man fled, firing at police as they pursued him."He was seen acting erratically and firing on multiple occasions at police staff. The offender has done this with absolutely zero regard for the safety of the public or the police staff."The man fired at police on at least seven occasions, Hassan said, and he may have also fired at members of the public.The offender drove to the Henderson Police Station, which was immediately locked down."The man exited his vehicle holding a firearm" at the police station, she said.He was warned to drop his weapon but continued brandishing it, ignoring warnings, and was shot."What unfolded today was an inexcusable act of violence towards police staff and members of the public," Hassan said."It is incredibly fortunate that no police officers or members of the public have suffered serious injuries."One police officer suffered minor injuries taking evasive action.Hassan said the offender is known to police and is on active charges relating to drugs and violence. She said his behaviour was extremely unpredictable.A number of crime scenes are being looked at around West Auckland in connection with the case."Gun crime is definitely out there across New Zealand," Hassan said, but expressed confidence that police were working to stamp it out.Hassan said Friday's incident incident brough back grim memories for many police and locals after the killing of Constable Matt Hunt, who died during a police incident in West Auckland in 2020."I've spoken to those officers involved [in today's incident], they're doing okay," Hassan said.There are now several investigations underway. The Independent Police Conduct Authority has also been notified as part of standard practice.Hassan said they will be doing additional patrols in the area.Police association president Chris Cahill said officers involved today will be severly affected for the rest of their lives, by the fact that they've had to take the action they did.Cahill said the evidence to date suggests this was an aggresive offender who left officers with no real options, and it was a difficult situation for officers and that person's whanau.

We had over 40,000+ visits last month in February!!As well as 214,000 page views!!Thank you for your support Thank you for spreading the wordWe are on the up and up, so let's all keep it going!A big year ahead with lots of plans for The Matakana App, an exciting time! Thank you, thank you, thank you from our hearts to yours.Louise, Anita and Zarah ♥💙♥💙

Friday 17th MarchADOBE Bottle Brick Earth building experiential learningRoller Disco Snells BeachLeigh Sawmill Happy Hour Friday Matakana Village Pub - MEAT PACK RAFFLE Every FRI @ 4pmLive Music - Friday nights @ Matakana Village PubFiji Friday @ SmithsSaturday 18th MarchMangawhai Community MarketMangawhai Tavern MarketMatakana Village Farmers MarketMangawhai Walking Weekend 2023Warkworth A&P Lifestyle ShowHarvest FestivalCellar Door Live Session - Matakana EstateMangawhai MenPerfume Workshop with Sarah Dwyer PerfumeMixed Messages Saturday @ SmithsMAGGIE COCCOPest Free Leigh Open DaySunday 19th MarchMatakana Country Park MarketMangawhai Walking Weekend 2023Sunday Service @ SmithsSunday Sessions @ Leigh Sawmill CafeFamily Fun Day at Leigh School

Warkworth RegionFriday 17th March - Mostly cloudy. Showers, some heavy with possible thunderstorms from afternoon. Fresh northerlies, easing in the afternoon.Saturday 18th March - Showers, becoming isolated with longer fine breaks in the morning. Northwesterlies, turning southwesterly in the morning.Sunday 19th March - Fine. Southerlies.Mangawhai RegionFriday 17th March - Mostly cloudy with showers. Fresh northerlies, easing in the afternoon.Saturday 18th March - Occasional rain, easing to isolated showers and fine breaks in the morning. Northwesterlies, turning southwesterly in the morning.Sunday 19th March - Cloud clearing and becoming fine in the morning. Southerlies, easing late.

Our teams have been working hard across Northland after impacts caused by recent weather events.We’ve been making good progress and working alongside Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM), Northland Transport Alliance (NTA), and the Lifelines groups to ensure critical supply lines are maintained and people can move around safely.The latest updates on the state of our Northland highways:SH1 Dome ValleySignificant over slips have been cleared, and temporary barriers installed to shift traffic away from under slips. The designs for permanent repairs are being finalised with materials enroute so you will start to see our teams on site in the next couple of weeks.SH1 Brynderwyn HillsWe have seven major sites that require repair. We have cleared the road surface and installed temporary barriers to allow a single lane of northbound traffic while our teams are working. At any given time, seven teams are working throughout the site.Easter will see an increase in vehicles travelling to and from Northland. To ensure our local road detours aren’t impacted by high volumes of holiday traffic, both northbound and southbound lanes will open from Friday 31 March in time for the Easter break.Our team will then close the highway later in April so they can address the severe under and over slips. Further details regarding dates and duration for the final works are yet to be confirmed.Detour routes for southbound traffic only: light vehicles use The Braigh, to Cove Rd, to Tara Rd, Kaiwaka Mangawhai Rd, return to SH1 at Kaiwaka. Heavy vehicles: use SH14 from Whangarei and SH12 (via Dargaville) to return to SH1 at Brynderwyn.SH12 Dargaville to BrynderwynOpen.SH14 Dargaville to WhangareiOpen. Two bridges have temporary speed limits to minimise the effects of extra loading.SH15 TitokiOpen but reduced to one lane near Tokiri Road due to an underslip.SH16 Kaukapakapa to WaimaukuOpen with temporary speed limits in place at Jordan Road and Omeru Falls.HPMVHigh Productivity Motor Vehicles (HPMV) can access Northland in both directions, northbound via SH1 Brynderwyn and southbound on SH12 and SH14 via Dargaville. We send our thanks to the freight industry for your patience during this time.We ask all drivers to please drive to the conditions, adhere to the temporary speed limits and be kind to our people working to restore our state highways.This information is accurate at the time of release and is subject to change due to weather conditions.

Whangārei Harbour - and others along Northland's east coast - are at risk from a new superspreader invasive pest seaweed devastating parts of Great Barrier Island, a Northland ocean ecologist is warning.Tūtūkākā-based ocean ecologist Glenn Edney said it was now a case of when not if the seaweed caulerpa brachypus and or caulerpa parvifolia arrived in Northland.In the case of Whangārei Harbour, its arrival would devastate a harbour already under pressure from run-off, sediment and over-fishing.The two highly invasive exotic seafloor species were first found in New Zealand on Great Barrier Island by members of the public in 2021 and have only been confirmed there and about 65km by sea south on Great Mercury Island off Coromandel's east coast.Edney said Northland's coastline including the internally important Waipū River mouth wildlife refuge, Mangawhai, Tūtūkākā, Ngunguru, Pātaua, the Bay of Islands and Mangonui were among other at-risk harbours. Boats travelling to the Three Kings Islands often leave from Mangonui.Ōpua marina is already displaying a notice about the pest."We need to have an official plan in place before its arrival," Edney said.He said caulerpa posed a greater risk to Northland's east coast due to prevailing sea currents and boat traffic. It was unlikely to be able to get as far as Kaipara Harbour.Edney has been working with community marine projects on Great Barrier Island, visiting there in early March and also with the community, identified the spread of the new seaweed species to a new place on the island in October.He said a piece of these caulerpa species not much bigger than a freckle, arriving at Whangārei Harbour's seagrass beds could grow to become a thick mat covering the area of a rugby field within "a matter of weeks", depending on the time of the year. The short bright green smothering seaweed grows up to 10cm tall and spreads via creeping horizontal runners.Northland ocean ecologist Glenn Edney says harbours like Tūtūkākā (where he is photographed) on the North's east coast are highly at risk from new invasive seaweed on Great Barrier Island. Photo: Northern Acvocate / Tania Whyte.Last month, Cyclone Gabrielle saw 40 tonnes of the pest seaweed washed ashore in huge bright green swathes, covering the beach in a deep thick mat at Great Barrier Island's Okupu Beach at Blind Bay.Edney said the seaweeds' Whangārei Harbour arrival would threaten the estuary's internationally-famous shellfish beds at Mair Bank, Marsden Bank and Snake Bank. It would also put scallop beds at places like Urquharts Bay at risk. Seagrass beds at One Tree Point would also be under threat.This would in turn severely impact the local community's recreational fishing on the harbour. It would also add further pressure for orca visiting the harbour, due to a reduction in the availability of food for stingray, their favourite prey.The new caulerpa species up close at Okupu Beach Great Barrier Island. Photo: Sid Wales / Ministry for Primary IndustriesWhangārei Harbour's seagrass beds were critical juvenile fish habitats."Areas like the Urquharts Bay scallop beds and Mair Bank and Marsden Bank are already closed to try and help hugely under pressure stocks of scallops, cockles and pipis in these places recover," Edney said."If the pest caulerpa species arrived, it would tip these spots over the edge," Edney said.Whangārei Harbour is a major estuary habitat and food source for as many as 2000 shorebirds at a time.Edney said the invasive weed would also impact their world.The highly tenacious and invasive seaweed would cover an area like Snake Bank "within a matter of months:.Key boating harbours and bays on Great Barrier Island's south - including Tryphena and Whangaparapara - have been closed to boaties by a Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) now five-month ban and a mana whenua rāhui is also in place to try and halt the pest's spread.The ban means taking fish, shellfish, seaweed and crayfish is now illegal, along with spearfishing and netting for flounder. Movement of diving and snorkeling gear, kayaks, wetsuits, and boat trailers is also banned. Gathering shellfish and shifting crayfish pots is added into the ban at Great Mercury Island, another popular sailing mecca for upper North Island boaties.Being convicted on charges of not complying with the bans means a fine of up to $50,000 or up to three months' imprisonment.Great Barrier Island is a key part of the country's biggest and busiest Northland, Auckland, and Tauranga boating region. Boats are constantly moving between these areas. This area also includes busy international shipping.The island is about 100km by boat from the Bay of Islands, and 95km from Whangārei. Recreational yachties and boaties from Whangārei and wider Northland visit Great Barrier Island year-round. Commercial operations also take place around the island. It is about 95km by boat from Auckland, 100 kilometres by boat from Tauranga and only 25km from the tip of Coromandel Peninsula.Two species of the non-native caulerpa have been found - caulerpa brachypus and caulerpa parvifolia. The Ministry for Primary Industries website says they are a native to the Indo-Pacific from Africa to Australia, the Pacific and southern Japan. Caulerpa brachypus is considered an invasive pest in the US' Florida and Caribbean's Martinique Island.Mount Manaia watches over the entrance to at-risk Whangārei Harbour, less than 100 kilometres from new invasive super spreader seaweed on Great Barrier Island. Photo: Northern Acvocate / Tania WhyteEdney said affected Great Barrier Island communities were highly distressed about what was happening, how the pest had been allowed to proliferate and what the official plan for dealing with it was going forward.He said nobody knew where the pest, which has also majorly infested areas such as the Mediterranean, had come from to Great Barrier Island.Overseas ships whose hulls are too fouled, are regularly turned away from Auckland's port and are known to travel to deeper water including near Great Barrier Island, anchoring there to clean their boats.Edney said the two caulerpa species had been thought to cover only sandy seabeds, but at Great Barrier they were also taking over rocky areas and growing up ecklonia kelp stems.Information about the two new caulerpa seaweeds can also be found via Northland Regional Council's online pest hub.Information about the new seaweed invaders and what to do if finding it can be found here: Biosecurity New Zealand/Ministry for Primary Industries.

Auckland's City Rail Link will be finished a year late and cost an extra $1 billion.Inflation, Covid-19 and associated lockdowns and staffing are being blamed for a 25 percent increase in costs.Construction of the rail project's stations and supporting rail infrastructure is now likely to be completed by the end of 2025.City Rail Link Limited (CRL) has requested an extra $1.074b in funding, bringing the total cost to an estimated $5.493b.The previous estimate of $4.419b was approved by the council and government in May 2019.Following the end of the construction programme in November 2025, CRL will hand over the infrastructure to KiwiRail and Auckland Transport, which will carry out additional work required to open the CRL to its first passengers.Construction had been due to finish late next year.CRL chief executive Sean Sweeney said in a statement the extra funding and delays were primarily due to the Covid-19 pandemic; time lost on site and the knock on effect on the supply chain, resourcing, materials, and labour costs."People need to remember that in Auckland we endured two level four lockdowns, a further 280 days of restricted working conditions (Covid traffic light system) and we lost 3.2 million hours through illness among staff, with 800-plus workers infected."CRL chief executive Sean Sweeney says the pandemic was the primary reason for delays. Photo: STUFF / Ryan AndersonAuckland Council said the increase meant tough choices in its 10-year budget, as it also dealt with weather-related costs.Initial estimates of the council's operational response to the floods and cyclone, and returning assets to their previous service levels, are between $900 million and $1.2b.The council said it could cover the increased capital requirement from CRL and weather costs within existing debt limits, and can consider a mix of funding options through its 10-year Budget 2024-2034.Its governing body will consider the City Rail Link funding request when it meets next week.New Zealand's first underground metro rail network has already seen rising costs. In April 2019, it rose by $1b from the previous $3.4b estimate made in 2014.An estimated 54,000 passengers an hour will use CRL stations at peak times.Twin 3.4km tunnels will connect Britomart with Mount Eden Station on the western line, and two new underground stations, Karanga-a-Hape and Midtown, were being built.Auckland Airport share saleAuckland Council said its financial strategy set a limit for debt not to exceed 290 percent of operating revenues.The proposed Annual Budget 2023/2024 indicated, after taking into account debt reduction from the sale of Auckland International Airport shares, that the ratio out to 2030/2031 would track below 220 percent.Auckland Council has considered whether it should sell its stake in the airport.Initial financial modelling suggested that even without the proposed airport share sale debt and revenue would remain within limits but could make its operating position difficult from the 2024/2025 financial year.Funding options included reducing or deferring other capital spending, further sale of assets, service reductions or rates increases.It might also explore changes to funding arrangements with the government, including new revenue tools and the possible use of future 'better-off' funding as part of the Three Waters reform programme.Auckland Ratepayers' Alliance spokesperson Josh Van Veen said the City Rail Link costs would stretch Auckland Council finances to breaking point, and councillors must choose between big rate increases or the sale of non-strategic assets.In a statement, Van Veen said the council was already in trouble with a $295m budget hole."In December, Mayor Brown proposed a $130m savings package that will reduce council expenditure by 1.7 percent and keep rate increases below inflation. The proposal included the sale of shares in Auckland International Airport."While many councillors have argued against the sale of airport shares on philosophical grounds, today's announcement from CRL Limited brings home the bleak reality. Unless the council's $2b stake in the airport is sold, the Governing Body will have no choice but to impose big double-digit rate increases that will punish low-income households and worsen the cost-of-living crisis."

Approximately 1.4 million people will benefit from increased assistance to help with the cost of livingSuperannuation to increase by over $100 a pay for a coupleMain benefits to increase by the rate of inflation, meaning a family on a benefit with children will receive an extra $40.86 a week and a sole parent will receive an extra $31.83 a weekStudent support rates will increase in line with inflation, with single students under 24 without children to get an extra $20.21 per weekIncreases to Childcare Assistance income thresholds to kick in from 1 AprilPensioners, students, children and parents, and those on main benefits will all see a boost to their income from next month, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins announced today.“The package of bread and butter support we are announcing today will help people who are really feeling the bite from the rise in the cost of living,” Chris Hipkins said.“In our first term of Government we indexed main benefits to the increases in the average wage as this has traditionally risen faster than inflation. It was a practical solution to ensure those being supported by the Government didn’t fall behind.“However with global cost of living pressures, Cabinet has this year agreed to provide additional support to this group by increasing main benefits by 7.22% in line with inflation.“Superannuation will rise by the same percentage on 1 April. This will see a couple who are both aged over 65 receive $102.84 more in total a fortnight and a single person living alone receive an extra $66.86 each payment.“Alongside this, working families will see increases to Working for Families, including an extra $4 for Best Start Payments taking it to $69 per week and an increase of $9 for the eldest child rate of Family Tax Credit lifting it to $136 per week. More people will also be eligible for Childcare Assistance due to the increases to the income thresholds.“It follows our decisions to increase the minimum wage by $1.50 to $22.70 an hour from 1 April 2023, cutting the cost of petrol, and making public transport half price until the end of June – and permanently for Community Services Card holders and tertiary students.“Tertiary students receiving student allowance or student loan living cost payments will also see around $20 extra each payment from 1 April,” Chris Hipkins said.The annual general adjustment to benefits will mean approximately 1.4 million New Zealanders will not go backwards.This includes 880,000 people receiving New Zealand Superannuation and Veteran’s Pension, 354,000 working-age beneficiaries, 52,000 students receiving Student Allowance and 74,000 people receiving supplementary assistance.“I know every little bits counts when making ends meet. In a cost of living crisis we can’t leave those on the lowest incomes and Government support behind,” Social Development and Employment Minister Carmel Sepuloni said.The CPI rose by 7.22 percent in the year to December 2022 while the net average wage, against which main benefits are indexed, rose by 6.24 percent. The extra boost to main benefits covers the 0.98 percentage point gap.“For the working-age people receiving a main benefit, they will see an increase of between $19.81 and $46.20, depending on the type of benefit and whether they are single or a couple,” Carmel Sepuloni said.“Working families will also be helped with around 10,000 more children being covered by childcare assistance through the Childcare Subsidy (7,400) and the OSCAR subsidy (2,900).“The annual adjustment process and the extra one-off boost to main benefits further demonstrate the Government’s focus on the things that matter right now, like helping New Zealanders deal with the cost of living,” Carmel Sepuloni said.All up the additional support above the Annual General Adjustment equates to an extra $311 million, this is on top of the $189m announced for the changes to Childcare Subsidy.

A study of 937 people over many years shows victims of child sexual abuse are likely to suffer from multiple problems in later life.The Dunedin Study, by the University of Otago, has followed the development of the same people through now to past the age of 45.The latest findings, published in the Journal of Development and Psychopathology, reveal 19 percent reported - retrospectively at the age of 26 - unwanted sexual contact before the age of 16.They were one-and-a-half to two times more likely than their peers to experience adverse outcomes as an adult, including alcohol consumption, oral health issues, mental health issues, sexually transmitted diseases, personal relationship difficulties, financial problems and anti-social behaviour.Abuse survivors were also between 2.5 and four times more likely to have attempted suicide in their lifetime.Lead author Dr Hayley Guiney of the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Research Unit said while not all survivors experienced the same negative outcomes, the study found the chances of experiencing difficulties "across multiple life domains" increased with more severe types of abuse."When abuse survivors tell their own stories, they often talk about the impacts of childhood sexual abuse being felt across many different life domains in adulthood. Our research aligns with these personal testimonies, reflecting the considerable individual and societal burden of abuse."The Dunedin Study's current headquarters, opened in 2017. Photo: RNZ / Ian TelferGuiney believed it was important to understand how multifaceted and long-lasting the impacts of childhood sexual abuse can be.She hoped the research highlighted the value in interventions designed to prevent abuse in the first place; early interventions to help survivors as much and as quickly as possible; and the inclusion of multiple domains of functioning into assessment and treatment."Intervening early and supporting survivors is likely to help them avoid the potential long-term effects of those negative experiences.'"However, it is important to remember that negative childhood experiences are not a person's destiny. A significant number of survivors do not continue to experience problems into adulthood."Where to get help:Need to Talk? Free call or text 1737 any time to speak to a trained counsellor, for any reason.Lifeline: 0800 543 354 or text HELP to 4357Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 / 0508 TAUTOKO (24/7). This is a service for people who may be thinking about suicide, or those who are concerned about family or friends.Depression Helpline: 0800 111 757 (24/7) or text 4202Samaritans: 0800 726 666 (24/7)Youthline: 0800 376 633 (24/7) or free text 234 (8am-12am), or email [email protected]'s Up: free counselling for 5 to 19 years old, online chat 11am-10.30pm 7days/week or free phone 0800 WHATSUP / 0800 9428 787 11am-11pm Asian Family Services: 0800 862 342 Monday to Friday 9am to 8pm or text 832 Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm. Languages spoken: Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi and English.Rural Support Trust Helpline: 0800 787 254Healthline: 0800 611 116Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155OUTLine: 0800 688 5463 (6pm-9pm)Sexual ViolenceNZ PoliceVictim Support 0800 842 846Rape Crisis 0800 88 33 00Rape Prevention EducationEmpowerment TrustHELP Call 24/7 (Auckland): 09 623 1700, (Wellington): 04 801 6655 - push 0 at the menuSafe to talk: a 24/7 confidential helpline for survivors, support people and those with harmful sexual behaviour: 0800044334Male Survivors AotearoaSurvivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) 022 344 0496If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.

Aucklanders will be paying more for water from July, with water and wastewater service prices increase by 9.5 percent.Watercare chief executive Dave Chambers said the rise was in line with the price path approved by the board of directors in December 2020 and included in Auckland Council's Long-Term Plan."Since the board approved the price path in 2020, we've faced significant challenges, including very high rates of inflation and extreme weather events ranging from drought to the recent floods."Households with average use would pay about $2.20 more a week, he said."We encourage our customers to get in touch with us if they're struggling to pay their bills. We can work out flexible payment plans or refer them to the Water Utility Consumer Assistance Trust which we fund to support customers suffering genuine hardship."Infrastructure growth charges will rise by 8 percent from 1 July 2023, the council-owned company said.The price for 1000 litres of water will go from $1.825 to $1.998, while 1000 litres of wastewater will go from $3.174 to $3.476.The fixed wastewater charge will go from $264 a year to $289.Chambers said the company had focused on reducing costs and without that Aucklanders would be looking at a 10.7 percent rise."One of the ways we've made savings is by reducing our overall head count through attrition. We've gone from having 1255 full-time equivalent staff in June 2022, to 1198 in January 2023."Watercare's board considered whether it could defer spending given the cost of living crisis but it couldn't be put off any longer, Chambers told Morning Report.The 94-year-old Huia water treatment plant in the Waitākeres, for example, was not able to be used during heavy rain and would cost $800m to replace.Watercare had borrowed as much as it could within the constraints on debt levels as a council-owned organisation. Under either government's Three Waters policy or National's alternative it could borrow more which would result in lower prices than otherwise planned, he said.Inflation had put up cost of imported chemicals to treat water and wastewater by the "hundreds of percents".It had put in efficiency savings of 3-4 percent off costs, irrespective of inflation, every year for the next five or six years.Watercare has estimated the cost of the recovery from Cyclone Gabrielle and Auckland Anniversary flooding at more than $250 million.

Health experts are increasingly worried about silicosis, a deadly lung disease caused by exposure to tiny particles of silica dust. And it is trade people, working with engineered stone, who are bearing the brunt of it. ListenIt's a kitchen and bathroom designer's dream. Cheaper, more varied in colour and less porous than marble; better looking and more hard wearing than Formica; engineered stone is the material of choice when you're renovating. But the workers who custom-cut it are paying the price - in the form of a deadly lung disease caused by breathing in tiny particles of silica.Manufacturers have known about this for decades. But it's taken an expose by Sydney Morning Herald investigative reporter Adele Ferguson to push the issue front and centre - to the extent that authorities there are now looking at a ban. Ferguson speaks to The Detail about what triggered her 60 Minutes programme, and how, in spite of all the publicity, companies are still operating under unsafe conditions. Perth's Curtin University has estimated that 270,000 Australian workers are exposed to high levels of crystalline silica every day, and that 103,000 workers will be diagnosed with silicosis. Ferguson backs a ban on engineered stone and doesn't believe the industry can be regulated."At the end of the day this is a vanity product. How much is it going to cost to properly regulate a lot of these small little businesses that the regulator doesn't even know they exist? I've had respiratory physicians saying that they're getting people coming to them that aren't even on the books."You know, it's Chinese who are getting loaded up on buses, sent out to sites and workplaces...they get silicosis...and as soon as they get sick they get shipped back to their own country." New Zealand health experts have been keeping a close eye on the situation in Australia, after realising it must also be going on under the radar here. Occupational and environmental physician Dr Alexandra Muthu says in 2019, her industry group wrote to the ministers of health, ACC and social development and workplace relations raising red flags. She co-chairs the group that was subsequently formed, the New Zealand Dust Diseases Taskforce. Work to identify and assess people at risk of accelerated silicosis began in September 2020. As of the end of last month 140 claims had been lodged with ACC for assessment. WorkSafe knows of about 600 current and former workers in New Zealand who fabricate engineered stone, who are at risk and potentially eligible for a health check - there will be other workers who've slipped through the gaps.One of the problems is that there's no agency that specifically looks at health related illness in the workplace."WorkSafe is very safety focused," she says. "There are no occupational health experts on the board or in the executive leadership team of WorkSafe New Zealand." There is some recognition of illnesses that take a while to develop, Muthu says, but no one's looking at the horizon to respond to these new threats. New Zealand hasn't done widespread screening of workers from, or who have left, the industry, but there is an ACC pathway to getting help. "Of the people that we have done screening on, I saw an initial cohort of about 26 people in 2019. Of those, three people had significant disease and needed to stop working in the industry. About another 40 percent had significant history of exposure and had some early signs of lung disease." There have so far been no deaths - that we know of. "One of the problems with dust exposures, particularly silica exposure, is that you can have these diseases that look the same but are caused by other things," Muthu says."It's not until you are specifically asked about your workplace exposures that we know it's that."GPs have an online portal with the information on silicosis available, but Muthu points out that GPs are extremely overwhelmed in our system - we have thousands of GPs around the country and about 1000 people exposed to silica dust, so it's unlikely the same doctors will be seeing multiple patients to the point where they can manage or assess cases.New Zealand imports about 60,000 engineered stone slabs a year, and WorkSafe knows of 132 businesses that fabricate them into benchtops. In 2019 it issued 113 notices to 64 businesses, including 21 prohibition notices and 71 improvement notices. But the very next year it issued 166 notices to 75 businesses - just three prohibitions, but 115 improvement notices.Muthu says education doesn't last, and she'd like to see better regulation. Overseas the levels of dust allowable in the air have been lowered, but New Zealand doesn't currently require workplaces to meet those lower levels. "There needs to be a whole suite of regulations," she says. "But WorkSafe needs to go further than that." 

Warkworth RegionMonday 13th March - Mostly cloudy. Isolated showers, mainly in the west, briefly turning to rain this evening as fresh westerlies turn southerly.Tuesday 14th March - Fine. Southerlies, easing in the afternoon.Wednesday 15th March - Mainly fine, isolated showers in the afternoon and evening. Northeasterlies developing in the morning.Thursday 16th - Cloud increasing, with rain developing. Northerlies, becoming strong or gale in exposed places.Friday 17th - Showers, some heavy, becoming isolated with longer fine breaks. Fresh northwesterlies.Saturday 18th - A few showers, clearing to fine. Southwesterlies.Sunday 19th - Partly cloudy with southwesterlies.Mangawhai RegionMonday 13th March - Mostly cloudy. Chance of a shower from afternoon, turning to rain for a time this evening. Westerlies, becoming fresh this afternoon.Tuesday 14th March - Fine, apart from some morning cloud. Southerlies, turning easterly in the evening.Wednesday 15th March - One or two showers, clearing later in the day and becoming fine. Northeasterlies.Thursday 16th - Rain developing. Northerlies, strong for a time.Friday 17th - Showers. Northwesterlies easing.Saturday 18th - Rain, clearing and becoming fine. Southwesterlies.Sunday 19th - Fine with southwesterlies.

UPDATE ON KAIWAKA THROUGH MANGAWHAI TO WAIPU ROUTE UPDATED 4.45PM SUNDAY 12/03/23Kaiwaka-Mangawhai Road is now open. This means the eastern Brynderwyns detour route from Kaiwaka through Mangawhai to Waipu is now open for light vehicles and trucks (without trailer units) servicing the local area.Please drive carefully as traffic management is still in place on some sections.Truck and trailer units will need to continue to use SH14 and SH12. Check out the below section of this post for details around the restrictions in place on this route

The prime minister hopes a last minute meeting with teachers will avert next week's schools and preschools strike action.About 50,000 teachers have planned to walk off the job on Thursday but Chris Hipkins said the government was working hard to resolve the dispute.He said he acknowledged the issues raised by the union and wanted more negotiations, to make progress toward an agreement.Kindergarten teachers said this week's planned strike would be the first time they joined their primary and secondary colleagues in walking off the job.It was estimated about 50,000 teachers would protest on Thursday in support of better pay and conditions, after rejecting two offers from the government.Union for kindergarten teachers NZEI Te Riu Ro president Mark Potter said all three sectors shared common goals."What we are finding is that all the teachers have more in common than they have apart, and kindergarten teachers are no different, they have some needs for improved pay and they definitely have some needs for improved conditions."Potter said last year's offer had failed to address additional sick leave, removal of a pay cap for relief teachers, and pay recognition for kaiako Māori, head teachers and senior teachers.Unions are scheduled to meet with the government on Tuesday, ahead of the strike.Hipkins said the government wanted to come to an agreement with the union as soon as possible to avoid disruption."We acknowledge that some of the issues that they're raising, including around workload, those are issues we do want to work with them on."My invitation to them is to get back around the table with the Ministry of Education so that we can find a way forward."Hipkins said he supports teachers having more time out of the classroom to prepare for assignments.

Police have concerns some cans of a distinctive beer circulating in the community could be contaminated with methamphetamine.This has come to light as Auckland City Police continue to investigate an importation of methamphetamine into New Zealand contained in cans of beer.The specific beer is called ‘Honey Bear House Beer’ and is packaged in a distinctive blue and red aluminium can. This shipment were of 473ml cans with a picture of a red bear.It is not believed this beer is available to be purchased in New Zealand and no other brand is involved in this shipment.Police believe it is unlikely that any cans from this shipment have been sold over the counter or online, however part of the shipment may have been given away or passed on between associates.We are advising anyone in possession of these cans that there is a risk they could be contaminated with methamphetamine.Consuming beer contaminated with methamphetamine may have serious or fatal medical consequences.Police ask anyone who might be in possession of a can of ‘Honey Bear House Beer’ to not drink it.Please contact Police immediately by phoning our 105 phone service quoting the file number 230310/6793.We also ask anyone that might have further information regarding the product to also contact Police on 105 or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.Police is continuing with the investigation and due to the ongoing nature will be limited in further comment on those aspects.However, the immediate priority is to advise anyone in possession of the cans to avoid consuming the beverage and to notify us.It is anticipated further investigation updates may be available in the coming days.

More products containing tahini have been recalled over fears of salmonella.Earlier this month, 21 hummus and tahini products from Lisa's, Greater! and Prep Kitchen brands were recalled. Later, products that contain tahini from the brands Seasons Gourmet, Turkish Kitchen, and Ceres Organics were added to the recall.On Saturday, products containing tahini from five more brands were added, including specific batches Little Bird Organics' Good Breakfast Cookie Apple Cinnamon Almond Hemp, GoodFor's Sugar Free Spheres and Silky Ta-hini, She Universe's Sesame & Cashew Butter Batons, Forty Thieves' Organic Tahini Hulled, and Bin Inn's Organic Hulled and Unhulled Tahini.New Zealand Food Safety (NZFS) deputy director-general Vincent Arbuckle said salmonellosis could be serious and it was important people did not eat any of the products involved in the recall."Symptoms appear within 12 to 72 hours and include abdominal cramps, diarrhoea, fever, headache, nausea, and vomiting. Illness usually lasts between 4 and 7 days but, in more severe cases, it can go on for up to 10 days and cause more serious illness."People with symptoms should drink lots of fluids and get plenty of rest."Anyone who has consumed this product and has severe symptoms - such as dehydration, severe diarrhoea or feeling sick for more than 7 days - should talk to their health professional or call Healthline on 0800 611 116."Arbuckle said any products involved in the recall could be returned to where they were purchased for a refund.He said NZFS was continuing to work with Te Whatu Ora to identify any salmonella cases relating to the recall.No confirmed cases have been identified yet but testing is underway.Tahini is a known high -risk food, and subject to a more stringent process in New Zealand, requiring border clearance.Arbuckle said NZFS would be working to understand how the contamination came to be and how to prevent it in future."We have informed food safety authorities in Turkey and will work together with them to identify and manage any further risk."

Drug drivers have been warned they face a sobering response at checkpoints as tougher transport laws come into force on Saturday.Assistant Commissioner Bruce O'Brien said new infringements and tougher penalties are in line for drivers found to be driving while impaired when the new Land Transport (Drug Driving) Amendment Act comes kicks in."For the first time, drugs that impair the ability to drive safely have been ring-fenced by law and drug concentration levels introduced that enable additional enforcement measures and penalties," he said."This is a significant step against reducing the harm caused on our roads by drug driving."Data collected from fatal crashes highlighted the presence of impairing drugs in a driver's blood was now generally about equal to alcohol, O'Brien said.The figure has more than doubled since 2015.There were 93 people killed in crashes in 2021 where a driver was found to have the presence of drugs, nearly a third of all fatalities that year."Police are ready to enforce these new laws and we will continue to use our current practice to identify drivers using drugs by carrying out compulsory impairment tests (CIT)," O'Brien said."If a driver fails this test, they would be required to give an evidential blood test for analysis which can determine what enforcement action is deemed appropriate for the offence."Legislative changesIntroduction of Schedule 5 to the Act with 25 listed qualifying drugs that have the highest risk of impairing the ability to drive safely. These are: alprazolam, amphetamine, buprenorphine, clonazepam, cocaine, codeine, diazepam, dihydrocodeine, fentanyl, GHB, ketamine, lorazepam, MDMA, methadone, methamphetamine, midazolam, morphine, nitrazepam, oxazepam, oxycodone, temazepam, THC (cannabis), tramadol, triazolam, and zopiclone.New enforcement levels (or limits) with a lower (threshold) and higher (high-risk) level for each listed qualifying drug in Schedule 5.Blood test analysis will now confirm either the presence or level of a qualifying drug.Introduction of infringement level offences for drivers between the threshold and high-risk levels.Tougher penalties for driving after consuming qualifying drugs, mixing with other qualifying drugs, and/or alcohol.82 new offences.O'Brien said a procurement process to identify a suitable oral fluid testing device to carry out random roadside drug driving testing could not find a device to meet the criteria and intent of the legislation."Random roadside drug driving testing will still be implemented following amendments made to the legislation, which is likely to include a confirmatory evidential laboratory test similar to how devices are used in other jurisdictions including Australia," O'Brien said.

A group of care and support workers have successfully sued the government in the High Court over the vaccine mandate.They sought a judicial review after losing thousands of dollars in payments.The workers, who mostly look after family members they live with, had their payments cut because they were not vaccinated against Covid-19.Justice Van Bohemen's judgment said the decision by then Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins to extend the mandate to the family carers was invalid.The Crown now agrees there was an error in decision making.The group's lawyer, Matthew Hague, said as a result of the mandate, care and support workers could not receive financial support to care for family members because of the alleged risk posed by the carer being near the person being cared for."However, in this case carers were near their family member anyway, whether or not financial support is provided."The families could ask the government to reimburse them, Hague said.Hipkins, who is now prime minister, needed to apologise to the support workers who had desperately needed financial support withheld, he said.Caregiver Jude Bignell said it was a win for "common sense".