Public hospitals are poised to start paying back tens of thousands of staff for breaches of the Holidays Act.They have been working for years with expensive consultants trying to unpick the tangle and bring in new payroll systems.Te Whatu Ora Health NZ said it now expected payments to current staff to begin in July.An estimated 270,000 current and former staff are owed money stretching back to 2010.Health NZ did not provide an update of its liability which last November was put at almost two billion dollars, double the estimate of 2021.Interim chief people officer Jim Green said teams across New Zealand were working to recalculate former and current staff holiday pay "as efficiently as possible, without compromising the process and outcomes"."It is anticipated that we will be on a pathway to making payments to current staff, district by district, starting from July 2023."You will understand that we cannot be more specific than this at the moment, given the processes that need to be worked through prior to any payments being made."Reform of the complicated Holidays Act itself has been delayed yet again, to after the election.

We are still receiving reports of text messages claiming to be from NZTA, various NZ banks and IRD asking recipients to pay a small sum or ‘toll’. This is a phishing campaign. If you receive an unexpected text message, follow these 5 steps:1. Check it’s legit - contact the organisation directly to check the message is real.2. Do not click on any suspicious hyperlinks.3. Never provide any personal details – including bank or payment card details.4. Keep an eye on the spelling – spelling and grammar mistakes are a common feature of scams and spam.5. Forward the message directly to us at 7726 for free.

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 Thursday, 6 April 2023.Unless otherwise stated, closures start at 9pm and finish at 5am.NORTHERN MOTORWAY (SH1)Southbound lanes between Waiwera off-ramp and Silverdale on-ramp, 2-5 AprilOrewa southbound on-ramp, 2-6 AprilMillwater southbound on-ramp, 2-6 AprilSouthbound lanes between Waiwera off-ramp and Silverdale on-ramp, 6 April (approx. 11:00pm to 5:00am)Orewa southbound on-ramp, 6 April (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Millwater southbound on-ramp, 6 April (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Northbound lanes between Silverdale off-ramp and Waiwera on-ramp, 2-5 April (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Orewa northbound on-ramp, 2-5 AprilSilverdale northbound on-ramp, 2-5 AprilNorthbound lanes between Silverdale off-ramp and Waiwera on-ramp, 6 April (approx. 11:00pm to 5:00am)Orewa northbound on-ramp, 6 April (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Silverdale northbound on-ramp, 6 April (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Southbound lanes between Oteha Valley Road off-ramp and Greville Road on-ramp, 4 AprilOteha Valley Road southbound on-ramp, 4 AprilSouthbound lanes between Greville Road off-ramp and Tristram Avenue on-ramp, 3 AprilGreville Road southbound on-ramp, 3 AprilConstellation Drive southbound on-ramp, 2-3 AprilNorthbound lanes between Greville Road off-ramp and Oteha Valley Road on-ramp, 5 April (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)Greville Road northbound on-ramp, 5 AprilConstellation Drive southbound off-ramp, 2 & 5 AprilConstellation Drive southbound on-ramp, 5 AprilConstellation Drive northbound on-ramp, 4 AprilSouthbound lanes between Esmonde Road off-ramp and Onewa Road on-ramp, 3-4 April (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Esmonde Road southbound on-ramp, 3-4 AprilEsmonde Road northbound on-ramp, 2-5 AprilEsmonde Road (loop) northbound on-ramp, 2-5 AprilCurran Street northbound on-ramp, 2 AprilStafford Road northbound off-ramp, 2 AprilCENTRAL MOTORWAY JUNCTION (CMJ)SH1 northbound to SH16 westbound link, 2 April (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Hobson Street southbound on-ramp, 2 AprilHobson Street westbound on-ramp, 2 AprilWestbound lanes between Stanley Street off-ramp and Grafton Road on-ramp, 2 AprilWellesley Street East westbound on-ramp, 2 AprilSH16 (Port) westbound to SH1 northbound link, 2 April (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)SH16 westbound (Port) to SH16 westbound link, 2 April (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)SOUTHERN MOTORWAY (SH1)Southbound lanes between Greenlane off-ramp and Ellerslie on-ramp, 5 April (approx. 11:00pm to 5:00am)Greenlane southbound on-ramp, 5 April (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)South Eastern Highway (SEART) southbound off-ramp, 4 AprilSouthbound lanes between Manukau off-ramp and Takanini on-ramp, 4 April (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)SH1 southbound to SH20 northbound link, 4 April (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Manukau southbound on-ramp, 4 AprilNorthbound lanes between Takanini off-ramp and Takanini on-ramp, 2 & 5 AprilPapakura southbound off-ramp, 2 AprilNorthbound lanes between Ramarama off-ramp and Papakura on-ramp, 2-5 AprilPapakura northbound loop on ramp, 2-5 AprilDrury/SH22 northbound on-ramp, 2-5 AprilRamarama northbound on-ramp, 2-5 AprilPokeno southbound off-ramp, 2-3 AprilNORTHWESTERN MOTORWAY (SH16)Lincoln Road northbound on-ramp, 2-5 AprilNorthbound lanes between Rosebank Road off-ramp and Te Atatu on-ramp, 2 AprilPatiki Road northbound on-ramp, 2 AprilEastbound lanes between St Lukes Road off-ramp and SH1/SH16 links, 2-5 April (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Newton Road westbound on-ramp, 2 & 4-5 AprilUPPER HARBOUR MOTORWAY (SH18)SH18 eastbound to SH1 northbound link, 4 AprilEastbound lanes between Tauhinu Road off-ramp and Greenhithe Road on-ramp, 3 April (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Westbound lanes between Greenhithe Road off-ramp and Tauhinu Road on-ramp, 3 April (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Squadron Drive eastbound on-ramp, 3 AprilSOUTHWESTERN MOTORWAY (SH20)Hillsborough Road northbound on-ramp, 2-5 AprilNeilson Street northbound off-ramp, 2-4 April (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Rimu Road northbound on-ramp, 2-4 AprilSouthbound lanes between Lambie Drive off-ramp and SH1 links, 4 April (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Lambie Drive southbound on-ramp, 4 AprilSH20 southbound to SH1 northbound link, 4 April (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)SH20 southbound to SH1 southbound link, 4 April (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)

Friday 31st MarchLeigh Sawmill - Friday Happy Hour Matakana Village Pub MEAT PACK RAFFLE Every FRI @ 4pmLive Music - Friday nights @ Matakana Village PubFiji Fridays @ SmithsMexican Community Dinner Gin Wigmore Leigh Sawmill Beatroots: Dave Ti (DiCE) + Matt SawyerSaturday 1st AprilMangawhai Community MarketMangawhai Tavern MarketMatakana Village Farmers MarketDonkey DayMixed Messages Saturday @ SmithsGin Wigmore Leigh SawmillSunday 2nd AprilSunday Service @ SmithsSunday Sessions @ Leigh Sawmill CafeMatakana Country Park MarketNZ String QuartetSunday Sessions With Ezysol @ Mangawhai Tavern

Warkworth RegionFriday 31st March - Fine, then high cloud increasing this afternoon, and a few spots of rain at night. Northerlies developing this afternoon.Saturday 1st April - Mostly cloudy with isolated showers, turning to rain from late morning to early afternoon, then easing to a few showers in the evening. Fresh northerlies easing in the evening.Sunday 2nd April - Partly cloudy, with isolated showers clearing in the evening. Westerlies, turning southerly in the afternoon.Mangawhai RegionFriday 31st March - Fine at first, then increasing high cloud. Northerlies developing late morning.Saturday 1st April - Rain, easing in the evening. Northwesterlies.Sunday 2nd April - Partly cloudy, with a few showers possible. Southwesterlies.

The government has announced a new recycling project that will prevent the equivalent of approximately 45,000 tonnes of carbon emissions by 2035.The initiative aimed to have a standardised recycling service by 2027 and food scraps collection by 2030.Environment Minister David Parker said the strategy represented a new era for New Zealand's waste system."New Zealand is one of the highest generators of waste per person in the world, every year producing about 750kg per person. At home, we only recycle and compost about one-third of household waste."Waste issues were one of the top 10 concerns for New Zealanders, Parker said."The strategy - which received strong public support during consultation - commits us to becoming a low-emissions, low-waste circular economy by 2050."A circular economy means we keep resources in use for as long as possible and there is a shift away from the wasteful 'take - make - dispose' system."The initiative involved a new waste strategy to set New Zealand's direction on waste for the next three decades, and a new and more comprehensive waste legislation."The way we create and manage waste is way behind many other developed countries, but with these improvements, we're putting the right foundations in place to bring our waste and recycling systems up to global standards," Parker said.With the new project - named 'Getting Rid of Waste for a Circular Aotearoa New Zealand' - households in urban areas would have a standardised recycling service and a household food scraps collection.It would be made clear what could or could not be recycled from home.From February next year, all district and city councils would only accept glass bottles and jars; paper and cardboard; plastic bottles and containers from plastic types 1, 2, and 5; and aluminium and steel tins and cans in their recycling collections.By 2030, the new strategy aimed to have all district and city councils providing food scraps (or food and garden waste) collections to households in urban areas.Parker said kerbside food scrap collections would be a new service for many households."In 2019, waste was responsible for 4 percent of our total gross emissions, most of which was methane from decomposing of organic material in landfills."By 2035, kerbside food scrap collections will be preventing approximately 45,000 tonnes of CO2-equivalent of methane emissions."The measures would support social and economic changes to address waste problems, Parker said.The strategy had three phases, with plans to guide the immediate priorities for the next five years."Our focus in the first phase is reducing waste emissions and improve recycling and recovery, as well as reducing how much is created in the first place."The new waste legislation, to be progressed during the next Parliamentary term, will provide clear roles and responsibilities for central and local government, and the legal framework needed to achieve the government's goals."Auckland Council waste solutions general manager Parul Sood welcomed the government's new strategy.It was important for all councils to be on the same page when it came to waste, Sood said.But she said the council would be recycling less products in the future under the new guidelines."We currently accept all types of plastics it's not just the ones, twos and fives and we also accept Tetra Pak's in the mix."About 16 percent of materials in recycling bins can not be recycled, which contaminates a bin and makes it unrecyclable.Sood was hoping the new standardised recycling would make that clearer.In Auckland there were many repeat offender items that turned up in the recycling like bagged rubbish, clothing, bread or chip bags.The new legislation will replace both the Litter Act 1979 and the Waste Minimisation Act 2008, and the government intends to introduce the legislation to the House before this year's election.

Transport Minister Michael Wood has unveiled five options for an additional Auckland Harbour crossing for Tāmaki Makaurau.Construction of the long-awaited second Waitemata crossing is expected to begin before the end of the decade.A final decision is scheduled for June, with construction to begin in 2029.Wood said Auckland businesses had made it clear that persistent congestion was one of the biggest barriers to the success of Auckland."We want an unclogged, connected, and futureproofed transport network so Aucklanders can get to work on time, and don't need to wake up earlier just to get their kids to school - it's vital that we have a harbour crossing that works for the city," he said in a statement.Construction for the additional Waitematā Harbour connections would begin in 2029 and would provide a future-proofed solution for people wanting to get across Te Waitematā as fast as possible."After considering feedback from Aucklanders, we've developed five scenarios for future transport connections across Te Waitematā including both bridge and tunnel options. The scenarios also include ways to connect to growing residential and business hubs on the North Shore," Wood said.A new walking and cycling link across the harbour is considered in each scenario, as well as a new light rail link to connect Auckland Light Rail in the city centre, he said.Light rail is the key to building a linked up rapid transit network across the city and to providing "faster, safer, low-carbon travel", he said."A new rapid transit connection from the city centre to the North Shore will fully integrate with other projects including Auckland Light Rail and rapid transit to the Northwest to allow people to travel seamlessly across Auckland," Wood said.Feedback provided would help shape the final decision on the preferred option which would be confirmed in June 2023, he said.

Teachers and principals are warning they cannot cope with the pace and scale of changes to the school system.Groups including secondary school English teachers and Northland principals have told RNZ they have written to the Education Ministry and to Education Minister Jan Tinetti, calling for a slow-down.They said the workload created by the changes was so great principals would quit or refuse to implement some of the changes.They said the list included an overhaul of the curriculum, new rules for physically restraining children, changes to planning and reporting, a review of teacher aide funding, a review of assistance for children with high needs, a national push to improve attendance, new NCEA standards and new NCEA literacy and numeracy tests.Principals Federation president Leanne Otene said principals had "a myriad" of consultation documents on their desks that they were expected to read and respond to within the next month.People did not necessarily disagree with the changes, but there were too many and principals were not coping, Otene said."We're getting calls on a daily basis from principals who are feeling overwhelmed with the amount of consultation documents, with the curriculum refresh and the work in and around that. It's just become a bit too much, in fact a lot, for principals to deal with," she said.The ministry had promised to make the workload more manageable, Otene said, but that would not be enough and the pressure was likely to drive people out of the job."If you continue to keep pushing out documents throughout the year we're going to see an exit in the profession," she said."The second thing that's going to happen which is really concerning is that teachers are going to take their eye off the ball, which means teaching and learning, because they're going to need to get their heads into these documents to understand them."Urgent need for information - English teachersThis week the Association of Teachers of English wrote to Education Minister Jan Tinetti warning that its members did not have enough information about NCEA changes that start next year.Association vice-president Pip Tinning said teachers were expected to work with new NCEA level 1 English standards from 2024, but they still had not seen those standards."We need the information urgently, we need a timeline that's really definitive urgently, or do we look at a postponement or a transition year," she said.Tinning said teachers of English were also trying to understand other changes to the school system and many were finding the amount of work overwhelming.Balancing prioritiesPat Newman Photo: RNZ / Sam OlleyTe Tai Tokerau Principals Association president Pat Newman said by his count schools were getting to grips with 25 major changes."That's absolutely cuckoo," he said.Newman said the government should reprioritise so schools could focus on just three or four major projects.If it did not do that, there would be three likely reactions, he said."You'll find a heck of a lot more principals going and saying that we've had enough. It's already happening. Secondly, you'll have schools that will try and bring the whole damn lot in and destroy their staff and destroy themselves, and thirdly people just saying 'no, we're not doing it'," he said.Secondary Principals Association president Vaughan Couillault said schools could not do all that was being asked of them on top of staff shortages, recent flooding, and the effects of the pandemic."We'll prioritise one over the other. It's just not tenable to do all of the things that are being asked of us at the moment. So I don't think just blindly carrying on at the same pace and scale is something that the sector can actually do," he said.Couillault said the association's members were telling him that their staff did not have the capacity or capability in terms of energy and resilience to keep up with the pace of change.Nobody was suggesting a complete halt to the work, he said."What we need to implement change with fidelity is high quality staff in every position that we've got and at the moment there are many of us that have done Band-aid fixes, collapsing this class or putting a non-specialist over there to make sure our students are safe because we've got a significant workforce issue," he said."When we've got a workforce issue we put strain on the existing workforce which have been working at capacity just to deliver what's normal. You try and throw other change management over the top of that and something's got to give."Tinetti said the past three years had put an enormous amount of pressure on teachers and students."I am mindful that there needs to be balance between the changes needed to ensure our kids are getting the world class education they deserve, and putting too much on teachers' and school leaders' plates. I am committed to supporting changes, if and when, needed," she said.Secondary school students are due to miss another day of lessons today as thousands of secondary teachers take a second day of strike action.The union, the Post Primary Teachers Association says they want better pay and better work conditions.They will be joined by some staff from area schools which are rural schools that cover all year groups.The strike does not include primary school teachers, who joined natiowide strikes two weeks ago.

LATEST BRYNDERWYN'S UPDATE FROM FULTON HOGAN - 4.17PM TUESDAY 28 MARCH 2023SH1 Brynderwyn Hills to open in both directions in time for EasterWaka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency is reminding motorists that this Friday 31 March from 12pm (midday) State Highway 1 over the Brynderwyn Hills will open in both directions for the first time since Cyclone Gabrielle hit last month. Traffic management and a temporary speed limit will be in place so that northbound and southbound traffic can travel in time for Easter, which will see an increase in vehicles travelling to and from Northland. The road will then need to close in both directions from 17 April for two weeks to complete major earth works and drainage installation before permanently opening the road in May. Jacqui Hori-Hoult, Regional Manager Maintenance and Operations says that teams on the ground have been working extremely hard in tricky conditions to re-open the road so that local road detours aren’t impacted by high volumes of holiday traffic. “The team has put in a huge amount of mahi to get the road open in both directions and I am immensely proud of our people, contractors and consultants who have worked tirelessly over the past two months. We know however that we still have a lot of work to do to provide access as usual to Northland road-users. “To date we have cleared approximately three Olympic sized swimming pools of material from the Brynderwyn Hills, but there is still the equivalent of another twenty to go. “There are up to seven teams working through the site at any given time, clearing multiple over slips and cutting tracks to access the top of the major slip. At the major underslip they have installed 48 reinforcing bars and concreted so that the road can open this Friday” says Ms Hori-Hoult. Teams will also be installing anchors in a retaining wall and configuring barriers ready for Friday.While the road will be open, we’ll be closely monitoring it along with the weather. We won’t hesitate to close the road at short notice should conditions become unsafe for road users. We know that this route is a crucial connection to and from Northland for both people and freight, so getting it fully reopened is a priority. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work through this. We ask drivers to drive to the conditions and be patient with other drivers and our crews. Note for freight: Over dimension vehicles can be accommodated through SH1 Brynderwyn, subject to a route check by the transport operator and movement in accordance with an approved permit.

A new survey shows short-staffed businesses are yet to see the benefits of a two-year high in annual net migration levels, with 90 percent of businesses struggling to find workers.The annual skills shortage survey by the Employment and Manufacturers Association (EMA) surveyed just over 540 businesses, only 12 percent of which said they had no current vacancies.It comes as new Stats NZ data showed a 0.4 percent monthly rise in the number of jobs filled and an increase in the number of new businesses.Just under half of respondents to the EMA survey planned to use migrants to fill staffing gaps but many complained the visa process was difficult to navigate.The EMA's head of advocacy and strategy Alan McDonald said despite a jump in annual net immigration levels - Stats NZ data showed an annual net migration gain of 33,200 people in 2022 - that had yet to trickle down to job applicants.McDonald said immigration staff were still working through major Covid-related backlogs and it was taking too long for workers to get into the country."The December migration figure was a net gain of just under 16,000 people, and a lot of that would have been seasonal workers rather than permanent workers," he said."The issue that we're seeing and that's reflected in that number of people or employers looking for highly skilled people, is that it's still very hard to find highly skilled workers."Of the businesses surveyed, 71 percent said highly skilled roles were proving to be the most difficult to fill."We're in a worldwide talent war, I guess is the way to say it, and we're no longer regarded as a great place to come and live and work," McDonald said.He said New Zealand needed to streamline its entry process so businesses could compete with the likes of Australia and Canada for skilled migrant workers.A third of those surveyed had been advertising vacancies for more than half a year.Businesses also said they noticed a significant drop in literacy and numeracy skills among domestic job seekers.The number of job applicants lacking in basic literacy and numeracy skills had more than doubled in the past year, with the number of applicants lacking the skills rising from 19-22 percent last year to 43-44 percent, businesses said.They said 83 percent of applicants' communication skills were not up to scratch."It's always been an issue for employers, but it seems to be getting steadily worse," McDonald said."That means young people, in particular, are heading into the workforce and they're just not ready, so employers are having to spend more time money and effort bringing those people up to up to suitable levels to have them engaged as a good part of the workforce."

Well, we’re not sure how it happened but this coming Sunday, 2 April will be the end of daylight saving That also means it's time for another six-monthly test of the tsunami siren network in Northland coastal communities The sirens sound twice: firstly at 10am for 10 minutes and then again at 10.30am for 30 seconds, and will be monitored for any faults.As always, we are continually grateful for the ongoing support of Northland's two electricity networks ( Northpower and Top Energy NZ ) and the volunteers - mainly from Community Response Groups - who assist our team by monitoring the sirens on the day.You can check out whether you live, work or play in a tsunami evacuation zone, and plan the quickest route to safety, using the interactive maps here: www.nrc.govt.nz/evacuationzonesMore detail about the tsunami siren test can be found in this media release: https://www.nrc.govt.nz/.../northland-tsunami-siren.../

Te Tai Tokerau councils are warning $250 million is needed to sustainably fix ailing local roads as roading infrastructure damage spreads like smallpox across the region.There have been more than 1770 live slips across Northland's 5755km of local roads in the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle and seven other major Northland weather events since July 2022.More than 1000 slips were spread along the most crucial 1110km of these local roads before Cyclone Gabrielle - averaging one slip per kilometre of road. The cyclone and February 24 Mangawhai rain event added another 645 slips to these most crucial local roads.Northland Mayoral Forum chair Vince Cocurullo said Cyclone Gabrielle further seriously exacerbated the roading infrastructure damage, spreading across the region like smallpox."The current estimate to repair and improve Northland's local roading network is $250m. This funding is essential to provide Northland with a safer, more resilient local road network," Cocurullo said.More central government money was needed, after what had been decades of its underspending.Cocurullo said it was about providing a sustainable, but not gold-plated fix for the region's roads.Northland Mayoral Forum chair Vince Cocurullo. Photo: Northern Advocate / Michael CunninghamHis Northland Mayoral Forum message was delivered loud and clear to Minister of Local government Kieran McAnulty on Monday in his live link into the meeting.Cocurullo also sent a new Northland Transportation Alliance report to Minister of Transport Michael Wood, along with Northland MPs Kelvin Davis, Emily Henderson and Shane Reti.The eight major weather events - including Cyclones Gabrielle and Hale, Auckland Anniversary weekend heavy rainfall in Mangawhai and the deluge that also shut State Highway 1 over the Mangamukas - brought a $75m damage bill for the 2022/2023 financial year.Pre-Cyclone Gabrielle damage totalled $23.7m (Far North $18.4m, Whangārei $3.5m and Kaipara $1.8m). Cyclone Gabrielle added to that with an early $50m repair estimate (Kaipara $23m, Whangārei $20m and Far North $10m).Cocurullo said there was also the almost $120m to bring the Brynderwyns SH1 bypass diversion routes through Kaipara and Whangārei local roads up to scratch as sustainable alternatives. This included $52m for Paparoa-Oakleigh Rd and $10m for Cove Rd.He said a further estimated $36.28m was needed to repair just 10 percent or 116 of Northland's local road slips.Cocurullo said slip and damage assessments had been completed for only the most crucial 40 percent of local roads.These were ranked based on the degree to which they served forestry, schools, marae, churches, quarries, residential areas and land use such as avocados or dairying - as well as how wide and how remote they were.He said slip damage was so bad that affected local roads had to be reduced to a single lane.More than half of the 645 new post Gabrielle/24 February Mangawhai rain event slips were the more serious underslips - where roading infrastructure slips out from underneath the road.Cocurullo said eight of Northland's local roads were still closed.Underslips dominated these remaining closures on four of the five affected Whangārei District Council (WDC) roads - Finlayson Brook, Shoemaker, Waipū Caves Rds and in Whangarei Memorial Drive on Parihaka. An overslip that had fallen onto the road at Whangārei Heads' Stuart Rd was the fifth closure.Underslips affected Tangowahine's Avoca North Rd and Mahuta Gap Rd near Dargaville. Mangawhai's Devich Rd was still closed, because of bridge damageCocurullo said a further 67 local roads were still down to a single lane (WDC 43, KDC 19 and FNDC five).He said local detour roads bypassing SH1 through the Brynderwyns were getting increasingly damaged.Regional Transport Committee chair Joe Carr said it was good to see the government had put funding towards some of the region's earlier weather-damaged local road repairs, but more was needed.He said people had not yet taken on board that the weather events battering the region since July last year were not aberrations.They were part of a new normal the region had to lean into.Regional Transport Committee chair Joe Carr. Photo: Northern Advocate / Michael CunninghamCarr said roading funding needed to be at a level where extreme weather damage and normal scheduled roading maintenance could both be done.He said "drainage, drainage, drainage" was an essential roading repair component.More rain falling meant more groundwater backing up against the foundation structures on which the roads were built. This meant increasing force pressing against these foundations which simply burst and disintegrated in heavy weather as a result, causing underslips.Carr said there needed to be more investment in developing local skills and resources to build resilience into Northland's roading network repairs, rather than having to rely on large companies from outside the region doing the job.He said pre-emptive main route roading resilience work needed to be done, via major investment.Carr said fixing areas of poor stability before the road dropped away in an underslip was up to 30 times cheaper than doing so after the slip happened.Work being done to address main route access such as through SH10's Waipapa also meant addressing surrounding catchments, in the case of this location, investigation into an upstream Kerikeri River detention dam illustrated the point.

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, 31 March 2023. Please note this Traffic Bulletin is updated every Friday.Unless otherwise stated, closures start at 9pm and finish at 5am.NORTHERN MOTORWAY (SH1)Southbound lanes between Waiwera off-ramp and Silverdale on-ramp, 26–30 MarchOrewa southbound on-ramp, 26–30 MarchMillwater southbound on-ramp, 26–30 MarchNorthbound lanes between Silverdale off-ramp and Waiwera on-ramp, 26-30 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Orewa northbound on-ramp, 26-30 MarchSilverdale northbound on-ramp, 26-30 MarchSouthbound lanes between Oteha Valley Road off-ramp and Greville Road on-ramp, 26-28 MarchOteha Valley Road southbound on-ramp, 26-28 MarchSouthbound lanes between Greville Road off-ramp and Constellation Drive on-ramp, 30 MarchGreville Road southbound on-ramp, 30 MarchNorthbound lanes between Greville Road off-ramp and Oteha Valley Road on-ramp, 26-28 March (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)Greville Road northbound on-ramp, 26-28 MarchConstellation Drive northbound on-ramp, 29-30 MarchConstellation Drive northbound off-ramp, 26-27 MarchCurran Street northbound on-ramp, 26-30 MarchStafford Road northbound off-ramp, 26-30 March (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)CENTRAL MOTORWAY JUNCTION (CMJ)Hobson Street southbound on-ramp, 30 MarchHobson Street westbound on-ramp, 30 MarchSH1 northbound to SH16 westbound link, 30 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)SH16 eastbound to SH1 northbound link, 26 March (approx. 08:00pm to 05:00am)SH16 eastbound to SH1 southbound link, 26 March (approx. 08:00pm to 05:00am)SH 16 eastbound to SH 16 (Port) link, 26 March (approx. 08:00pm to 05:00am)SH16 eastbound to SH1 northbound link, 27-30 MarchSH16 eastbound to SH1 southbound link, 27-30 MarchSH16 eastbound to SH16 (Port) link, 30 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Westbound lanes between Stanley Street off-ramp and Grafton Road on-ramp, 30 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Wellesley Street East westbound on-ramp, 30 MarchSH16 (Port) westbound to SH1 northbound link, 30 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)SH16 westbound (Port) to SH16 westbound, 30 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)SOUTHERN MOTORWAY (SH1)Northbound lanes between Manukau off-ramp and East Tamaki Road on-ramp, 27 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Te Irirangi Drive northbound on-ramp, 27 MarchManukau northbound on-ramp, 27 MarchSouthbound lanes between Takanini off-ramp and Drury/SH22 on-ramp, 26 MarchTakanini southbound on-ramp, 26 MarchSouthbound lanes between Papakura off-ramp and Drury/SH22 on-ramp, 27-30 MarchPapakura southbound on-ramp, 27-30 MarchPapakura northbound (loop) on-ramp, 26-30 MarchSouthbound lanes between Drury/SH22 off-ramp and Bombay on-ramp, 29-30 MarchDrury/SH22 southbound on-ramp, 26-30 MarchRamarama southbound on-ramp, 29-30 MarchNorthbound lanes between Ramarama off-ramp and Papakura on-ramp, 26 & 28-30 MarchNorthbound lanes between Ramarama off-ramp and Drury/SH22 on-ramp, 27 MarchDrury/SH22 northbound on-ramp, 26-30 March Ramarama northbound on-ramp, 26-30 MarchBombay southbound on-ramp, 28 March (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)Beaver Road southbound off-ramp, 28 March (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)Beaver Road southbound on-ramp, 28 March (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)Nikau Road southbound off-ramp, 28 March (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)Southbound lanes between Nikau Road off-ramp and Nikau Road on-ramp, 26 March (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)Northbound lanes between Nikau Road off-ramp and Nikau Road on-ramp, 26 March (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)Razorback Road southbound off-ramp, 26 March (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)SH1 southbound to SH2 eastbound link, 26 March (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)Southbound lanes between Pokeno off-ramp and Pokeno on-ramp, 26 March (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)Northbound lanes between Pokeno off-ramp and Pokeno on-ramp, 26 March (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)NORTHWESTERN MOTORWAY (SH16)Lincoln Road northbound on-ramp, 26-30 MarchEastbound lanes between St Lukes Road off-ramp and SH1/SH16 links, 26 March (approx. 8:00pm to 5:00am)Eastbound lanes between St Lukes Road off-ramp and SH1/SH16 links, 27-30 MarchSt Lukes Road eastbound on-ramp, 26 March (approx. 8:00pm to 5:00am)St Lukes Road eastbound on-ramp, 27-30 MarchSH16 Newton Road westbound on-ramp, 30 MarchSt Lukes Road westbound on-ramp, 30 MarchSH16 westbound to SH20 southbound link, 30 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)UPPER HARBOUR MOTORWAY (SH18)Paul Mathews Drive westbound on-ramp, 27 & 30 MarchPaul Mathews Drive eastbound off-ramp, 28 MarchSH18 to SH1 link, 29 MarchSOUTHWESTERN MOTORWAY (SH20)Southbound lanes between Walmsley Road off-ramp and Massey Road on-ramp, 28 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Walmsley Road southbound on-ramp, 28 MarchSouthbound lanes between Mahunga Drive off-ramp and Walmsley Road on-ramp, 30 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Southbound lanes between Lambie Drive off-ramp and SH1 link, 27 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Lambie Drive southbound on-ramp, 27 MarchSH20 southbound to SH1 northbound link, 27 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)SH20 southbound to SH1 southbound link, 27 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)

Warkworth RegionMonday 27th March - Partly cloudy. The odd shower this morning, mainly in the west. A few showers from late afternoon also, with one or two possibly heavy. Light winds.Tuesday 28th March - Mostly cloudy, with isolated showers clearing in the afternoon, but returning at night. Southwesterlies developing in the morning.Wednesday 29th March - Fine. Southerlies, easing in the morning.Thursday 30th March - Fine. Light winds.Friday 31st March - Mostly cloudy, with isolated showers clearing. Easterlies, easing.Saturday 1st April - Rain, easing to isolated showers and fine breaks. Fresh northwesterlies, turning lighter southwesterly.Sunday 2nd April - Showers with northwesterlies.Whangarei RegionMonday 27th March - Fine, then showers from midday, possibly heavy with a thunderstorm, clearing late evening. Light winds, afternoon northeasterly breezes.Tuesday 28th March - Cloudy with southwesterlies.Wednesday 29th March - A few showers, clearing to fine in the morning. Southeasterlies.Thursday 30th March - Fine. Northeasterlies.Friday 31st March - A few showers with northerlies.Saturday 1st April - Showers. Westerlies easing.Sunday 2nd April - Showers with light winds.

The Treaty Negotiations Minister says the Crown is deeply sorry for the way a Wairarapa iwi has been treated.Today's settlement in Masterton with Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa Tāmaki Nui-a-Rua has taken more than three decades of negotiation.Andrew Little said today the Crown treated the iwi poorly."It began its relationship in 1845 by prejudging their guilt in a dispute with settlers and depriving Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa Tāmaki Nui-a-Rua of tens of thousands of acres by forcing them to cede this land with threats of armed violence."The settlement includes $115 million in redress and the return of 27 sites of cultural significance.Little said it has been decades coming."The Crown pays tribute to the struggles of Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa Tāmaki Nui-a-Rua and your ancestors in pursuit of justice for the Crown's wrongs and especially to those who have not survived to see the settlement completed."To you, to your tupuna and your mokopuna, the Crown offers this apology."The apology ceremony took place at Queen Elizabeth Park in Masterton.The iwi also paid tribute to the efforts of Treaty Negotiations ministers over the years.Iwi representative Rikihana Fox told Little that he has a hard job."You'll get people ... screaming and swearing at you but at the same time you'll be sitting right next to them later having cream paua and some crayfish."And I couldn't think of a much more rewarding job to have."The Crown is apologising for the forced ceding of tens of thousands of acres, and the government's failure to provide promised funds, or create a promised reserve for the Wairarapa Lakes.It marks the end of a process that's taken more than 30 years and proved divisive at several stages - with one affiliated whānau taking a claim to the Supreme Court last year.The historical account contained within the settlement details nearly two centuries of injustices, starting in 1845 when Ngāti Kahungunu were forced to cede tens of thousands of acres at Maungaroa under threat of Crown invasion.Ngāti Kahungunu were then put under sustained pressure to sell their remaining land, with the state machinery forcing Māori to give up pastoral leases, through which they had sustained a thriving economy, and the Native Land Court dividing title.

Health officials have found a case of a drug-resistant superbug that kills about one-third of all infected patients.Candida auris is a fungus that causes invasive yeast infections in people with serious illnesses and weak immune systems, such as the elderly and the very young.Infections occur mainly in patients who have spent a long time in hospital or aged care facilities, and who are hooked up to intravenous (IV) drips or catheters.The Candida auris fungus cannot be treated with normal anti-fungal medication. Symptoms include a persistent fever and chills.Te Whatu Ora said the infected person contracted the illness overseas, and it was monitoring the situation closely.New Zealand hospitals had good infection protection procedures, it said.Diseases expert Michael Baker said the case was another challenge the health system did not need.The drug-resistant superbug Candida auris spreads by close contact.Baker said more effort would have to go into infection control and cleaning in hospital and aged care facilities."It's obviously another burden that we don't want in our health system."It means that we will have some people who otherwise would have gone into a facility and come out again, who will die from this infection in the future."But it will be small numbers."Baker said New Zealand hospitals had good infection protection measures, and it was possible the bug could be eliminated.Bacterial and viral infections were much more common than fungal agents, which meant there was less research and development to find treatments, he said.Drug-resistant illnesses were a growing problem and the risk was increasing, Baker said.Cases of Candida auris in the US have spread rapidly in the past three years, although the numbers are still low overall.

Only minor changes are expected from the government's ''reset'' of Three Waters reform, Waimakariri Mayor Dan Gordon says.Gordon attended a meeting at the Beehive on Tuesday with other mayors and Local Government Minister Kieran McAnulty to discuss possible changes to the government's proposed reform.The Communities 4 Local Democracy (C4LD) co-chairperson said it was "a positive meeting", but McAnulty did not address the mayor's concerns.''We appreciated the chance to be part of the discussion, but it appears only minor changes are being considered.''The possibility of creating more than the proposed four entities was raised, but it did not go far enough, Gordon said.''For us it is not simply about the number or size of entities proposed, it has always been about ownership and effective control and influence of our assets.''It is an issue of basic property rights, which was a point we made clear to the Minister.''Gordon said there needed to be further movement from the government before a consensus could be achieved with councils and the wider community.''We renewed our offer to work together with the government to see if we can find consensus.''It would be ideal if support could be achieved that is cross-party because, if it is rushed, it will simply become a political football and an issue at this year's election.''Gordon and fellow C4LD co-chairperson, Manawatū Mayor Helen Worboys sent a follow up letter to McAnulty and Prime Minister Chris Hipkins to reiterate their position.McAnulty said the purpose of the meeting was to seek input from the mayors before he presented proposals to Cabinet.''From my perspective I felt the discussions were productive and informative.''Local councils were clear on their thoughts on how we move forward together.''He declined to discuss those conversations publicly as he was still working through the options.McAnulty said he would now consult with the sector and iwi.

Warkworth RegionFriday 24th March - Mainly fine, but the chance of a shower from afternoon. Light winds, afternoon sea breezes.Saturday 25th March - Fine. Westerlies developing in the morning.Sunday 26th March - Mainly fine, isolated showers developing in the morning. Westerlies, turning northerly late.Mangawhai RegionFriday 24th March - Partly cloudy. The odd shower, mainly this evening. Light winds.Saturday 25th March - Partly cloudy. Chance afternoon shower. Light winds.Sunday 26th March - Partly cloudy with light winds.

Friday 24thEarth Beat Festival 2023Leigh Sawmill - Friday Happy HourMatakana Village Pub MEAT PACK RAFFLE Every FRI @ 4pmLive Music - Friday nights @ Matakana Village PubFiji Fridays @ SmithsSeafood Celebration @ RothkoSaturday 25thMangawhai Community MarketMangawhai Tavern MarketMatakana Village Farmers MarketMixed Messages Saturday @ SmithsThe Mangawhai Meltdown - Sojourn And Friends!Sunday 26thMatakana Country Park MarketPop - Up Autumn Market! Sunday Service @ SmithsSunday Sessions @ Leigh Sawmill CafeTattletale Saints In The Summertime Album Release TourA Bee Story - Auckland Arts Festival @ Sculptureum