The night works at the Southern Connection of the project are still progressing following the recent weather events. However, works were postponed due to the cyclone and because of this we have had to extend these works for a further week.The full SH1 closures between Silverdale to Johnstones Hill Tunnels (JHT) will continue for the following dates. While the closure is in place, traffic will detour along Hibiscus Coast Highway (HCH). A stop/go operation will be in place on HCH to manage traffic safely, from 9pm to 5am.• Sunday 5 to Thursday 9 March• Sunday 12 to Thursday 16 March• Sunday 19 to Thursday 23 MarchThese are very weather dependant, so timings may change at short notice. While all efforts have been made to limit disruption to traffic flows, we encourage you to plan your journey over this time and check the Waka Kotahi Journey Planner before heading out https://www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/

Have your say with Auckland CouncilWith consultation now open on Auckland Council’s Annual Budget, Rodney residents are being urged to give their feedback on proposals that impact the area.The budget aims to address an estimated $295 million shortfall while prioritising services residents value.Rodney Ward Councillor Greg Sayers says the council is facing financial challenges that require tough choices and it’s important Rodney residents’ views are heard.“Everyone knows we are facing financial challenges and must balance the budget. The shortfall is partly down to the council’s services and assets expanding over time, but just like any household budget, things have been made worse by inflation, interest rates and the issues highlighted by the recent storms.“We have options to address the shortfall. It’s time for people to have their say and help shape the budget.”Options to close the shortfall include:reducing the council's and its organisations’ operating costs by another $125 milliona $154 a year / $3 a week (4.66 per cent) rate increase for the average value residential propertyselling Auckland Airport shares to reduce debtborrowing up to $75 million to allow for future financial uncertainty (current policy allows up to $140 million).Sayers says recent weather events have devastated Rodney communities.“We are proposing increasing our operating budgets by around $20 million a year to better prepare for future storms but that would likely require rates to increase another 1 per cent on top of the 4.66 per cent proposed.”He says the budget allows for everyday services, $2.8 billion in capital investment for transport, parks, community facilities, city centre and local development, urban regeneration, cultural development and environmental management.Proposals that reduce or stop services such as community and education programmes, grants, events, Mahurangi Regional Park events, economic development, homelessness funding, community empowerment and youth centre funding could save $20 million.But, if public feedback opposes the proposed budget, or the financial challenge worsens, it will need to fund the shortfall another way, likely by:Increasing rates by up to $336 a year / $6.50 a week (13.5 per cent) for average value residential propertyincreasing debt.Sayers says there is more in the budget and he’s encouraging everyone to read the proposals, share their ideas and give feedback.The city’s 21 local boards are also facing cuts, with a proposal to reduce operating budgets by $16 million.Rodney Local Board areaChair Brent Bailey says a budget proposal calling for $921,000 of savings in Rodney could hit services.“With the reduction in our operational budget and everything on the table, we need to know what services residents value most.“Capital projects and projects funded by our transport targeted rate will continue, which includes public transport and footpath infrastructure improvements.“Feedback will help us make the right funding decisions for our communities.”Key priorities to continue include:Develop a new Milldale park with a developerrenew Goodall Reserve skate ramp, Helensville river walkway, Wellsford Centennial Park assetsdeliver Warkworth and Helensville town centre improvements.Key services that may stop or reduce include:Kumeū and Helensville arts centre grantsWarkworth Library opening hoursevents such as Anzac Day, A&P shows and Santa paradescommunity workers and hall user subsidiesenvironmental volunteersecological restorationlow and no-mow areas in parkswaste minimisation programme.Have your sayFeedback can be provided online, via email, by phone, post or at Have Your Say events:Kumeū Library, 296 Main Road, 3 March, 10.30am-12.30pmWarkworth Library, 2 Baxter Street, 10 March, 11am-1pmKumeū Show, 35/41 Access Road, 11 March, 8.30am - 4.30pmVisit akhaveyoursay.nz/budget before 28 March to find out more.

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, 10 March 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, 5-9 MarchOrewa southbound on-ramp, 5-9 MarchMillwater southbound on-ramp, 5-9 MarchNorthbound lanes between Silverdale off-ramp and Waiwera on-ramp, 5-9 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00pm)Orewa northbound on-ramp, 5-9 MarchSilverdale northbound on-ramp, 5-9 MarchSouthbound lanes between Oteha Valley Road off-ramp and Greville Road on-ramp, 5 MarchOteha Valley Road southbound on-ramp, 5 MarchSouthbound lanes between Oteha Valley Road off-ramp and Greville Road on-ramp, 6-8 March (approx. 8:00pm to 5:00am)Oteha Valley Road southbound on-ramp, 6-8 March (approx. 8:00pm to 5:00am)Northbound lanes between Greville Road off-ramp and Oteha Valley Road on-ramp, 8-9 March (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)Greville Road northbound on-ramp, 8-9 MarchSouthbound lanes between Greville Road off-ramp and Tristram Avenue on-ramp, 9 March.Greville Road southbound on-ramp, 9 MarchUpper Harbour Highway southbound on-ramp, 9 marchUpper Harbour Highway southbound off-ramp, 5 MarchNorthbound lanes between Upper Harbour Highway off-ramp and Greville Road on-ramp, 6-7 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Northbound lanes between Tristram Avenue off-ramp and Greville Road on-ramp, 5 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Upper Harbour Highway northbound on-ramp, 5-7 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Tristram Avenue northbound on-ramp, 5 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Esmonde Road northbound off-ramp, 5 MarchShelly Beach Road southbound off-ramp, 5-9 March (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)CENTRAL MOTORWAY JUNCTION (CMJ)SH16 eastbound to SH1 northbound link, 5-9 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)SH16 eastbound to SH1 southbound link, 5-9 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)SH16 eastbound to SH16 eastbound (Port) link, 5-9 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)SH1 northbound to SH16 eastbound (Port) link, 8 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Wellesley Street northbound off-ramp, 8 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)SOUTHERN MOTORWAY (SH1)Greenlane southbound on-ramp, 7-8 MarchNorthbound lanes between Mt Wellington Highway off-ramp and Greenlane on-ramp, 5-6 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Ellerslie-Panmure Highway northbound on-ramp, 5-6 MarchSouth Eastern Highway (SEART) northbound on-ramp, 5-6 MarchMt Wellington Highway northbound on-ramp, 5-6 MarchHighbrook Drive southbound off-ramp, 9 MarchHighbrook Drive southbound on-ramp, 9 MarchNorthbound lanes between Ramarama off-ramp and Drury/SH22 on-ramp, 5-9 MarchRamarama northbound on-ramp, 5-9 MarchSouthbound lanes between Mercer off-ramp and Mercer on-ramp, 5-7 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Northbound lanes between Mercer off-ramp and Mercer on-ramp, 5-7 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Southbound lanes between Hampton Downs off-ramp and Hampton Downs on-ramp, 8-9 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Dragway Road northbound off-ramp, 8-9 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Northbound lanes between Hampton Downs off-ramp and Hampton Downs on-ramp, 8-9 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)NORTHWESTERN MOTORWAY (SH16)Lincoln Road northbound on-ramp, 5-9 MarchLincoln Road northbound off-ramp, 5-9 MarchEastbound lanes between St Lukes Road off-ramp and SH1/SH16 links, 5-9 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)St Lukes Road eastbound on-ramp, 5-9 MarchUPPER HARBOUR MOTORWAY (SH18)Eastbound lanes between Albany Highway off-ramp and Paul Mathews Road, 9 MarchAlbany Highway eastbound on-ramp, 9 MarchSH18 eastbound to SH1 northbound link, 5-7 MarchSOUTHWESTERN MOTORWAY (SH20)Neilson Street southbound on-ramp, 9 MarchMahunga Drive southbound off-ramp, 9 MarchSouthbound lanes between Mahunga Drive off-ramp and Massey Road on-ramp, 8 MarchWalmsley Road southbound on-ramp, 8 MarchWalmsley Road southbound off-ramp, 6-7 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)SH20 southbound to SH20A southbound link, 8 MarchSouthbound lanes between Massey Road off-ramp and Puhinui on-ramp, 7 March (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Massey Road southbound on-ramp, 7 MarchCavendish Drive southbound on-ramp, 9 March

A massive slip has closed the main railway freight line between Auckland and Northland.The slip brought down about 35,000 cubic metres of debris onto a section of road and rail line near Tahekeroa between Helensville and Wellsford, covering an area nearly three times as big as a rugby field.The North Auckland Line between Swanson and Whangārei - one of the main routes for dairy products and cement to the rest of the country - is now expected to be closed for months, stopping all rail freight services to and from Northland.Hundreds of freight containers will now have to be trucked on Northland's already fragile roads each week.It was one of a number of KiwiRail lines expected to remain closed for the coming months.KiwiRail chief operations officer Siva Sivapakkiam Photo: RNZ/ Rayssa AlmeidaLine to NorthlandKiwiRail chief operations officer Siva Sivapakkiam said 50 slips fell on the rail line between Swanson and Whangārei, and fixing it could take up to three months, weather dependent."Our track teams have been busy clearing vegetation, repairing damaged rails and replacing culverts and we are still working through detailed engineering assessments for significant slips and flood damaged bridges," Sivapakkiam said."It's gonna be quite challenging ... one of the first things we really want to do is build back the rail track because it's one of the lifeline connections for us to move freight in and out of Northland.""So, 10 weeks is going to be pretty challenging for us, and today's probably the first day we've gotten there," he said.KiwiRail upgraded the North Auckland Line between Swanson and Whangārei in 2020 to make the track more secure.Sivapakkiam said with the slips, the project would now have to start again from scratch."At the moment we haven't been moving a hell of a lot because the line has been upgraded. We started on the 27th of January, and with ... what's happened. We've now gone back to square one."Regarding the slip at Tahekeroa, a large, temporary earth bund would be built so the slip could be cleared safely, then a permanent earth bund and significant drainage improvements would be built to help prevent future slips, he said.More than 40 extra freight trucks per day will be on the already fragile roads of Northland after a major slip on the region's main rail network. Photo: RNZ / Rayssa AlmeidaHawke's BayThe line between Woodville and Hastings was expected to remain closed for at least 3- 4 weeks."Once open it will allow us to then road freight to and from Napier," Sivapakkiam said."Track repairs are making good progress, detailed inspections of bridges are progressing, and we are setting up the temporary road-rail container terminal in Hastings."It would be months before the section of line between Hastings and Napier would reopen, he said.The line was badly damaged during Cyclone Gabrielle with a number of bridges damaged.Bridge 217, north of Clive, lost piers and spans.Napier - Wairoa trackThere were a number of washouts and slips of various sizes on the track between Napier and Wairoa.While high-level assessments have been undertaken via helicopter, ground level track inspections would begin this week."Given access to the rail line is difficult in some areas, inspections will take time," Sivapakkiam said."Our focus has to be on reopening the rail line to Hastings and then Napier, so at this stage Napier to Wairoa, which is used to transport logs, is expected to remain closed for some time."Slips have badly damaged rail corridors across many places in the North Island Photo: RNZ/ Rayssa AlmeidaMore trucks and trips neededRail and Maritime Transport Union spokesperson Todd Valster said the closed rail lines and increased truck movements to shift what would normally be carried by rail could mean more stress to the already fragile roading system in Northland.There would normally be one freight train through the region each day, with goods mainly heading toward Auckland."The goods now have to be moved by truck, but there are big challenges with the roads as well - not just rail, you're looking at potentially 24 to 48 trucks a day," Valster said.Transporting New Zealand chief executive Nick Leggett said there would be a significant effect on the roads."What goes on a train still has to be transported and then will have to go on the back of a truck - so it will will mean more trucking movements," Leggett said.One of the company that relied on the North Auckland Line was Fonterra, which said it had switched its product transport from rail to road.Fonterra global supply chain director Anna Palairet said using trucks as an alternative to trains was less efficient and more carbon intensive.KiwiRail said works to repair the road and rail line will begin this week and will include building a temporary earth bund to make the site safe before beginning to remove the slip.It said its working on a long-term engineering solution to avoid further slips.

Friday 3rd MarchLeigh Sawmill - Happy Hour FridayMatakana Village Pub MEAT PACK RAFFLE Every FRI @ 4pmLive Music - Friday nights @ Matakana Village PubFiji Fridays @ SmithsADAM HATTAWAY and The Hawkers & JACKIE BRISTOW and Mark PunchSaturday 4th MarchMangawhai Community MarketMangawhai Tavern MarketMatakana Village Farmers MarketMixed Messages Saturday @ SmithsTuff Love @ Leigh SawmillSunday 5th MarchMatakana Country Park MarketSika 'Singing Stones' Sound Journey TourSunday Service @ Smiths

Warkworth regionFriday 3rd March - Fine, then high cloud increasing this afternoon. Light winds, afternoon sea breezes.Saturday 4th March - Fine apart from morning cloud. Southwesterlies.Sunday 5th - Fine apart from morning cloud. Southwesterlies, fresh about the Great Barrier Island.Mangawhai regionFriday 3rd March - Fine, then high cloud increasing this afternoon. Light winds, southeasterlies from afternoon.Saturday 4th March - Morning cloud then fine. Southerlies.Sunday 5th - Fine. Southwesterlies.

The price of some vegetables like kūmara and broccoli have doubled since Cyclone Gabrielle swept through New Zealand and decimated vast areas of crops.Customers should get used to the higher prices, which could linger until after next year's harvests, some supermarkets say."I usually spend $30, now it's gone up to $40 or $50, so it makes it hard," one shopper told Checkpoint."Cauliflower, broccoli, it used to be $1.99 and now it's gone up to $4. It's only a small little broccoli so it's not really worth it."So basically, when they say you've got to eat healthy, you can't afford it."Point Chev Fresh assistant manager Manni Singh. Photo: RNZ / Tom TaylorAt Auckland greengrocer Point Chev Fresh on Tuesday, assistant manager Manni Singh said he had never seen such a big increase in such a short time."The kūmara price has gone up to $9 a kilo," Singh said."Normally, we were selling it for $4.50."At Fruit World Grey Lynn on Tuesday, kūmara had shot up to $12.99/kg, while broccoli heads were $5.99 each.Store manager Hitul Patel said his business had no choice but to pass the cost on to customers."Everything looks inflated. It looks like we are really busy, but actually our margins have dropped quite a bit."The prices have gone up, so obviously it will show the sales have gone up, but the actual margin of the product has dropped."Broccoli was being sold at $5.99 each in Fruit World Grey Lynn on 28 February, 2023. Photo: RNZ / Tom TaylorFruit like apples, which were diversified across New Zealand, had more resilience than vegetables like kūmara, he said.The vast majority of New Zealand's kūmara stock came from Northland's Kaipara District, which experienced severe flooding in the cyclone.Rain had also impacted the quality and shelf life of green vegetables like lettuce, rocket, and cauliflower.After the current price increases, Patel expected potatoes and onions to follow in the medium term."Right now, a lot of growers have suffered quite a lot of losses. They have to replant, and it takes time."Nothing can be done overnight, unfortunately."Broccoli was being sold at $5.49 each in Point Chev Fresh on 28 February, 2023. Photo: RNZ / Tom TaylorCustomers at supermarket chains Countdown and Foodstuffs had also seen their vegetable prices shoot up."In some places, there's an extra 10 bucks, but there's not much I can do about it," one shopper said."I'm a uni student, so if it's a dollar more, it's a dollar more. I'll put that on StudyLink, so she'll be right."Another shopper said price rises were inevitable."They're going to increase, unfortunately. [It's] supply and demand, and with all the bad weather, the farmers are going to have a difficult time trying to match that."On Countdown's online store, red kūmara were selling on Tuesday for $14/kg while at Pak'nSave they ranged from $8-11/kg.If prices remained this high, they could be on track to beat the record monthly average of $8.99/kg set in November 2017.Red kūmara was being sold at $9.99 per kg in Point Chev Fresh on 28 February, 2023. Photo: RNZ / Tom TaylorA Countdown spokesperson said the chain was experiencing challenges with its bagged salads, coleslaws, lettuce, and kūmara - but carrots, onions, and potatoes were still in plentiful supply for the time being.Last week, Countdown senior leaders visited Hawke's Bay and Gisborne to understand how to support its producers."We partner directly with over 100 Kiwi growers and we're working really closely with them to understand the effects Cyclone Gabrielle has had and will have on our fruit and vegetable supply to make sure we have all the essentials in store for Kiwis."Foodstuffs said it was unclear how high kūmara prices could reach until the harvest was complete but customers could expect higher prices all the way through the year until the next harvest in February 2024.At one of New Zealand's biggest wholesalers MG Group, chief executive Peter Hendry said it was up to the customer how long these prices stayed up."If the demand's still strong and the volume's not there, then the prices will stay high," he said."But... there'll be a point where the consumer says, 'I'm not going to buy that anymore', and demand lessens until the price gets to the point where they'll re-engage."Around the country, Hendry said Hawke's Bay's apple exports would be impacted, while Gisborne's supply of citrus fruit would suffer in the short to medium term.The impact of flooding in Pukekohe could see gaps in the market for onions, potatoes, and leafy greens in months to come.Although prices were likely to climb, consumers could do simple things to cope during this time, he said."It's just being sensible around your purchasing."Sometimes consumers waste a lot of produce at home; it's just making sure they're buying sufficient volumes for their current needs and maybe doing a bit more regular shopping, making sure they keep their produce fresh and don't have that waste."The pricing will soften over time; just at the moment with these weather events, it's going to be a bit of a battle for a few weeks."Trials were underway to grow kūmara in other parts of the country, increasing its resilience against future severe weather events, he said.

LANGS BEACH BRIDGE UPDATELangs Beach bridge on Cove Road will open today (Wednesday 1 March) following a final safety check.The likely timing is mid-morning (so unfortunately too late for most people's morning commutes). We will post to confirm when it's open, as will Kaipara District Council and Whangarei District Council.There will still be multiple work sites with traffic management along Cove Road so expect delays - this work will continue until the weekend. Please don't use this as a route for travelling further south until this work is completed - this is for local traffic through to Mangawhai in the interim. The remaining work will take longer if there are high traffic volumes.Thanks to everyone for their patience while this work has been taking place, and to the contractors who have been working continuously since the weekend.

Aucklanders from Tuesday get to have a say on Mayor Wayne Brown's first budget containing hard choices to plug a $295 million shortfall.Councillors have approved the draft budget for public consultation, which includes a proposal to sell the council shares in Auckland Airport currently valued at $2.2 billion to reduce debt and interest repayments and reducing running costs by $125m across the council and council-controlled organisations (CCOs).Among the most contentious proposals are plans to reduce regional, community and social services by $20m and regional contestable grants by $3m in the areas of arts, culture and events.It is proposed to cut funding for things like Music in Parks, CultureFest and Botanic Garden events, $2m to Citizens Advice Bureau offices in Auckland, and stop funding for homelessness initiatives.Tataki Auckland Unlimited, the CCO that oversees major events, cultural activities and economic development also loses $27.5m of funding leaving it with no ratepayer money for major events after 2024 and very little for economic development.The 27 January floods and Cyclone Gabrielle have caused financial implications but it has not been possible to fully work out the detailed costs, which officers are saying could be substantial over time.Flooded grounds after the rain storm at Eden Park, Auckland on 1 February, 2023. Photo: PhotosportIn the meantime, there is a proposal to increase spending by $20m on a "storm respond fund", which would increase rates by a further 1 percent.This is on top of the proposed general rate rise of 7 percent, which with rating changes equates to a 4.6 percent rate rise for households.Under the proposed budget, the average household rates bill will increase by $154 to $3460, or $66.50 a week.Brown says in a foreword to the consultation material that after inheriting a $295m budget hole "there is a high chance this hole could get worse in light of recent events".He is proposing a mix of levers to produce a balanced budget, including cutting unnecessary and inefficient spending, demanding better performance from council organisations, reducing debt servicing costs by selling the airport shares, increasing rates and potentially borrowing up to $75m."We have worked hard to resist the temptation of adding excess rates cost to your household at a time when you are already under severe cost-of-living strain, interest rates pressures and for a large number of Aucklanders, financial impacts from of devastating floods," Brown said.The consultation process starts amid a grim warning from Westpac economists that many Auckland mortgage holders will be paying $900 per fortnight more than they were at the lower rates.An overview headed 'Weathering the Storm' released by the bank on Tuesday found large increases in interest rates will take a big hit on many households disposable incomes.In the budget, the 21 Local Boards are being asked to cut their operational budgets by $16m, or 5 percent. The cuts range from $347,000 for the Great Barrier Local Board to $1.23m for Māngere-Ōtāhuhu.Each Local Board will make decisions on how the savings are achieved, but this could result in reduced opening hours at libraries, community centres, art facilities and swimming pools.There are also plans to raise fees for community facilities. For example, the cost of hiring Westwave small basketball court doubles from $28.80 to $60, Howick Badminton court hire rises from $10.30 to $20, and hiring half the Albany Stadium leisure pool more than doubles from $40.40 to $100.As part of a $21m cost-cutting exercise for Auckland Transport, the budget proposes a freeze on 138 bus trips per week, reflecting 588 fewer bus trips following a review last year due to driver shortages and up to 450 more bus trips when Northwest Busway improvements start in November this year.Ferry services will remain the same and train services will be impacted by KiwiRail's staged track closures with alternative transport options.The public consultation runs until 28 March after which councillors will consider the feedback and make final decisions. The budget comes into effect on 1 July. The consultation information can be found at akhaveyoursay.nz/budget.

SH1 Brynderwyn to Waipu is NOW OPEN to NORTHBOUND traffic ONLY. All southbound traffic MUST continue to follow detour routes via Paparoa Oakleigh Rd (Light vehicles only) or SH14/SH12 (all heavy vehicles). Read our latest media release here: https://www.nzta.govt.nz/.../sh1-brynderwyns-to-open-for.../-----We know how important State Highway 1 over the Brynderwyn Hills is—it’s a critical route for people travelling, as well as for moving freight and produce around the country. Here's a look at the progress we're making to get the road open.Our teams are facing challenging conditions with the ground still moving above and below them, but they’re pushing as hard as they can to get this road cleared and these communities reconnected.Keep an eye on our page for regular updates on our progress. Check road conditions on our website before travelling: https://www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/auckland/ and https://www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/northland/. Our website is updated 24/7 with the latest information on state highway closures and disruptions.Friday’s rain caused some small slips, but they've been cleared and we're still tracking well. Based on the latest assessments, we’re aiming to fully reopen the Brynderwyns route in late March, and we’re hoping some controlled access can happen prior to that.

A message from NZ Blood Service....NZ Blood will be in Warkworth for our blood drive this week. Our appointments are looking low for Thursday, and we need the help of our wonderful donors to replenish out blood stocks - particularly our O blood type If you have a spare moment we would appreciate if you could pop down to donate blood and save lives!To make a booking: https://www.nzblood.co.nz/booking/#scheduleRemember to bring along ID

Whangārei Hospital nurses asked bosses to bring in the army to help with extreme understaffing at the height of the flu season last year.Emergency department (ED) nurses issued a formal health and safety complaint to the hospital in September that has just been released under the Official Information Act.The complaint said urgent help was needed because the department was so understaffed it was "extremely unsafe".It asked the hospital to employ army medics to cover shifts - one of a series of measures suggested to help.There were 240 roster gaps in a four-week period, not counting sick leave."The physical and mental load on the staff trying to cover the roster gaps is immense," the complaint report said.The department was made more dangerous because the fill-in nurses were often inexperienced and untrained in emergency work, it said.Association of Salaried Medical Specialists executive director Sarah Dalton said the complaint showed the depth of stress staff were working under."What do you do when there is a crisis? You call in the army," Dalton said.The nurses also asked for elective surgery to be stopped for three weeks and for outpatient clinics to be called off if needed so staff could be redeployed to help in the ED.It asked bosses to lobby to sort the visa status of existing staff, fearing they might have to leave, and to start a worldwide recruitment drive.Te Whatu Ora did not treat the formal complaint as valid, because the person who issued it did not have the full health and safety training required and did not consult with management first, as required.Despite that, the hospital said it was taking the concerns raised seriously.The interim district director, Tracey Schiebli, said they were working with the team to improve recruitment, and to move staff to the ED when there were spikes in demand."However, overall progress is slower than we would have liked as we grapple with continued attrition of senior experienced nursing staff and gaps resulting from long-term leave," Schiebli said in a statement.Any decision to deploy army medics would be made at a national level and would have a high threshold as a national emergency response, she said.Dalton said doctors on the ground told her the pressures now were just as bad as in September.There were still huge nursing shortages, there were not enough junior doctors on at night, and there was a paper-based system for some services like radiology, she said."Every day is a difficult day at Whangārei Hospital," she said.RNZ understands the nurse who issued the notice has since undertaken the required health and safety training.

A message from NorthpowerPower will be out in the Mangawhai heads, Cove Road, King Road and Molesworth Drive area from 10am to 3 pm today Tuesday 28th February.Following Friday's torrential rain, one of our high voltage poles was undermined by a land slip near the corner of Cove Road and King Road, we have been busy building a new line to ensure we can keep the power going in the Mangawhai area.Over the weekend, we have installed new poles along Cove Road. This will allow us to move the poles and lines away from land that is on the move.We are now ready to liven this new line. This requires a shut down in power while we switch over from the current line to connect up the new one.Power will be out in the Mangawhai heads, Cove Road, King Road and Molesworth Drive area (see below map) from 10am to 3 pm tomorrow Tuesday 28th February.We apologise for the inconvenience and thank you for your understanding and patience while we complete this work.

Mangawhai spent the weekend cleaning up flooding damage from an enormous downpour on Friday night.A regional council rain gauge recorded 250mm of rainfall in just three hours - on ground that was already saturated from Cyclone Gabrielle.Cars were submerged and stuck, others temporarily stranded between slips, and some homes were flooded and their occupants evacuated.The bill for roading repairs from Cyclone Gabrielle was already estimated at $120m in Northland alone, before Friday's storm.Damien Hochberg had lived in his new house by the estuary for six months.It is insured, but he estimates there is close to $500,000 worth of damage to his property and possessions, submerged in a metre of water on Friday.Walls are soaked through, electrics ruined, furniture and appliances are unsalvagable, and he knows it will be months before he will live there again."The beds are buggered, there's no bed for me to sleep on, I've got no power, no nothing. So basically I just take out what's salvageable and just air the house out for the next couple of days."Damien Hochberg's back yard and pool post-flood. Photo: RNZ / Samantha OlleyHe said tradespeople will "have to take off all the walls - so every single wall will have the Gib taken off to assess how bad it is"."It depends on how bad the wiring is if things have to be rewired, so it will be a long, long process".On Friday night, the mangroves over the fence were rapidly submerged.The water level on Damien Hochberg's fence. Photo: RNZ / Samantha Olley"I jumped on the tanks and looked over. And next door was a stream, basically a river coming down with logs and all that floating through. So at that stage there, between that and our house fully flooding, it was probably the best part of 10 minutes."He quickly put some valuables up high in his home, and evacuated in a dinghy."[We] took a boat, along the road, to get down the far end, because the was up to ... my chest."A few houses down, Aidan Hand's place was just spared - the water reached a centimetre below the top of his deck.He also hurriedly evacuated for the night - the only escape was climbing a back fence with his child.Upon returning home on Saturday - there was a footbridge outside - the flood waters had carried down the street and dumped."It literally flowed from half a kilometre away and floated down in front of our house. Crazy."Jenny Bateman lives in a house raised on piles, closer to the beach.It was an island surrounded by flood water over the weekend, with no garden in sight."Just water, and just the one tree basically and that's it. That's normally just all lawn ... It is [the water is] up to my knees," she said on Saturday."When I'm walking along to the front door, up to the stairs, it's to my knees."The view from the Campbell Park Christian Camp on Saturday. Photo: RNZ / Samantha OlleySome evacuees went to family and friends' homes. Others - as well as travellers who were stranded by roads cut off - stayed at the Campbell Park Christian Camp.There were 55 people in total there on Friday night and all had departed by lunchtime on Saturday.Community members rushed to bring blankets, pillows and towels so the evacuees could make beds for the night.Camp manager Julie Scott said: "There were people here who were flooded in their own properties and they're pumping out water today [Saturday] from their places but they still dropped off supplies to help other people."Bedding and towels donated for evacuees on Friday night to the Campbell Park Christian Camp where 55 people stayed. Photo: RNZ / Samantha OlleyRoading workers and engineers have spent the weekend working to reopen key routes out of Mangawhai.The Kaipara District Council expects Kaiwaka-Mangawhai Road may reopen midweek - and the road north to Waipū is expected to reopen tonight.Traffic heading north is being diverted via Paparoa in the meantime - and trucks have to go even further through Dargaville.On Friday night nearly every route in and out of Mangawhai was closed.Harry Smithson's 15-minute drive south from Waipū became a 5.5 hour zig-zag of impassable road after impassable road."We weren't sure that we'd even get home," he told RNZ."We were like 'oh well, we will just see how close we can get and try to walk'. We were clueless."My family was ringing up and my phone was dead. So we had to try navigate all these back roads at night while it was pissing down."Another resident, Sophia Smith, also tried to drive back from work to Kaiwaka on Friday and said: "It was torrential rain and I couldn't see more than a couple meters ahead of my windscreen."She stayed in Mangawhai instead with her father."We watched over Mangawhai Central where we could see police cars and fire engines with their flashing lights on most of the evening."We watched over King Rd as the flooding got worse and worse. We saw a few cars driving through the floods with water up to their car windows."

END OF WEEKEND ROADING UPDATE - 6PM SUNDAY 26 FEBRUARYThanks everyone for your patience - as the weekend draws to a close, time frames for restoration are now clearer. Despite everyone's best efforts, we will be going into the working week with effectively the same set of options that we have now.The detail is below - and because these roads affect so many people, it has ended up being detailed. If you're planning to travel between Northland and Auckland, you'll probably find what you need in the first half. If you want the full detail on local roads around Mangawhai, that's in there too but further down.For those most affected, it's going to continue to be a bit challenging. We appreciate everyone's support to date - as a region, as communities, as networks of agencies working together on restoration, we're doing pretty well.__________Authorities in Northland are advising travellers to stay up-to-date and amend their plans if necessary as key local roads damaged in Friday’s heavy rain around Mangawhai and surrounding areas will remain closed until midweek and in some cases, longer.Key among the closed roads is the Cove Rd detour route (Waipu to Mangawhai and onwards to Kaiwaka) which has been used by many travellers since SH1 through the Brynderwyns has been closed by slips.Repairs to the bridge at Langs Beach will not be completed before the end of tomorrow (Monday) at the earliest. Further south on this route, there is still a slip to be cleared from Cove Rd on the Mangawhai side and in turn, work cannot start on this until power company Northpower has been able to complete the relocation of a high-voltage power line around a landslip.“Friday’s downpours over Mangawhai and the surrounding area have caused significant damage and despite the contractors giving it their all over the weekend, the options are still quite limited,” said Northland Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Controller Graeme MacDonald. “We know there are many people who live and work around the Mangawhai and surrounding area whose normal routes will not be available, as well as the freight industry and visitors to our region.“By midweek, we expect to have a better set of options around this area; however it will be Friday before the full reopening of the official SH1 Brynderwyn detour route for light vehicles through Mangawhai and Waipu. Until then, unfortunately all parties are going to have to continue to compromise. The damage to those roads has been significant and we appreciate all the work that's been put in over the weekend, including the restoration of SH1 at Topuni by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency - Northland overnight by Saturday morning.”State Highway access in and out of NorthlandWhile SH1 Brynderwyns remains closed to all traffic, the detour routes for all traffic between Auckland and Northland are:• SH12/14 via Dargaville. This is the recommended route for all heavy traffic• Paparoa/Oakleigh Road. A temporary 70km/h speed limit is in placeAccess in and out of Mangawhai for local residents/workers and local freight deliveries only• Mangawhai Rd off SH1 near Te Hana is the only access point into Mangawhai tomorrow. There is still one single-lane section of this road past an underslip and there are concerns about further deterioration of this. Kaipara District Council and roading partner the Northland Transportation Alliance is asking that only local traffic (people who live or work in Mangawhai) and local freight deliveries use this route to get in and out of Mangawhai. Other through-routes (unsealed local roads) between Kaipara and Whangarei districts are also restricted or closed.• Waipu Gorge Road is closed due to a slip during Cyclone Gabrielle• Finlayson Brook Road is closed by a dropout/underslip.Cove Road between Mangawhai and Waipu• Cove Road from Mangawhai to Waipu is not currently available as a detour route due to the Lang’s Beach bridge being closed. It remains open at either end but cannot be used as a through road. The Lang’s Beach bridge has been assessed by a structural engineer and while there is no damage to the bridge structure, the abutments have been washed out and contractors are working on backfilling these. Pedestrians also advised to not use due to risk of pavement collapse.• A slip near King Rd on the Mangawhai side will be cleared once Northpower has completed relocation of a high-voltage power line. Access between Waipu and Mangawhai is expected to re-open from tomorrow (Monday) evening with the completion of partial restoration works on the bridge at Lang’s Beach.• However, at this stage, the likely date for full reopening of the official SH1 Brynderwyn detour route for light vehicles through Mangawhai and Waipu is Friday 3 March. • When it does reopen, the restriction to prevent use by truck and trailer units, as directed by the Northland CDEM Group Controller, will remain and will continue to be supported by Police patrols.Other key roads between Mangawhai and Kaiwaka:• Kaiwaka-Mangawhai Road remains closed near Hilltop Road intersection due to a major underslip. Excavation works are continuing there today, with the current expectation this may open midweek, with two lanes unsealed• Devich Road remains closed at the bridge due to safety risk. Access is available out both ends.Mangawhai area roads down to single lane in places due to slips or drop-outs:• Mangawhai Road (as noted above)• Baldrock Road• Garbolino Road• Tara Road • Lawrence Road• Pebblebrooke Road• Lawrence Road• Sailrock Drive is open, but water is still being pumped from properties there.Mangawhai area roads recently closed and now open:• Tara Road is now open to local traffic only• Valley Road• Settlement Road.

Update on tropical cyclone potential in the South Pacific.A tropical low is moving westwards towards Vanuatu and is likely to develop into a tropical cyclone early this week. It should then curve southeast and move out of the tropics later in the week. At this stage, the risk of it directly impacting New Zealand after it leaves the tropics is relatively low as it should track to the northeast of us in about a weeks’ time. However, indirect impacts such as rain and large swells for eastern areas are more likely. There is still a lot to happen before the track becomes more certain so things could change. There is also another low in the Coral Sea that has an increased risk of developing into a tropical cyclone later in the week and could follow a similar path. We are near the historical peak of the cyclone season, so it is not unusual for tropical cyclones to develop this time of year.Our tropical cyclone activity page http://bit.ly/TropicalCycloneActivity is updated daily and we will signal any threats in the Severe Weather Outlook http://bit.ly/SWOutlook if necessary.FORCASTWarkworth RegionMonday 27th February - Showers, mostly in the east at first, becoming widespread and heavy at times from late morning until evening. Thunderstorms possible this afternoon and evening with a risk of downpours. Southerlies.Severe Thunderstorm WatchPeriod: 8hrs from 1pm - 9pm Mon, 27 FebArea: Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Waitomo, Taumarunui, Bay of Plenty, Rotorua, Taupo, Hawkes Bay, Taihape, Wanganui, ManawatuForecast: There is a moderate risk of thunderstorms for many parts of the North Island this afternoon and evening. These thunderstorms will bring localised heavy rain and hail. In addition, these thunderstorms are expected to be slow-moving, and consequently there is a moderate risk that these storms could become severe, generating localised downpours of 25 to 40 mm per hour, or possibly more. The affected areas are Northland, Auckland, Waikato, the Kaimai Range, inland Waitomo, Taumarunui, southern Rotorua, Taupo, Taihape, northern Manawatu and inland Hawke's Bay. Rainfall of this intensity can cause surface and/or flash flooding, especially about low-lying areas such as streams, rivers or narrow valleys, and may also lead to slips. Driving conditions will also be hazardous with surface flooding and poor visibility in heavy rain.Tuesday 28th February - Partly cloudy, with isolated showers clearing by evening. Southwesterlies developing in the morning.Wednesday 1st March - Mainly fine, some afternoon cloud. Light winds.Thursday 2nd March - Fine. Light winds.Friday 3rd March - Partly cloudy. Light winds.Mangawhai RegionMonday 27th February - Mostly cloudy with a few showers, some heavy with possible thunderstorms and downpours this afternoon and evening. Southerly breezes.Severe Thunderstorm WatchPeriod: 8hrs from 1pm - 9pm Mon, 27 FebArea: Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Waitomo, Taumarunui, Bay of Plenty, Rotorua, Taupo, Hawkes Bay, Taihape, Wanganui, ManawatuForecast: There is a moderate risk of thunderstorms for many parts of the North Island this afternoon and evening. These thunderstorms will bring localised heavy rain and hail. In addition, these thunderstorms are expected to be slow-moving, and consequently there is a moderate risk that these storms could become severe, generating localised downpours of 25 to 40 mm per hour, or possibly more. The affected areas are Northland, Auckland, Waikato, the Kaimai Range, inland Waitomo, Taumarunui, southern Rotorua, Taupo, Taihape, northern Manawatu and inland Hawke's Bay. Rainfall of this intensity can cause surface and/or flash flooding, especially about low-lying areas such as streams, rivers or narrow valleys, and may also lead to slips. Driving conditions will also be hazardous with surface flooding and poor visibility in heavy rain.Tuesday 28th February - Partly cloudy with a few showers clearing in the afternoon. Southwesterlies.Wednesday 1st March - Mainly fine, some afternoon cloud. Light winds.Thursday 2nd March - Fine. Light winds.Friday 3rd March - Fine. Easterlies.

CLOSEDSH1 at Brynderwyns – CLOSED until further notice. Previous light vehicle detour via Mangawhai is also CLOSED. Waipu / Langs detour for Brynderwyn is CLOSED - Cove road detour has slips and is closed. Detour routes northbound:- Light vehicles: use SH12 and Paparoa-Oakleigh Rd to Whangarei.- Heavy vehicles, excluding HPMV (unless permitted) use SH12 / SH14 via Dargaville to Whangarei.Ahuroa Valley Road.Devich Road is closed from the bridge due to safety risk.Kaiwaka Mangawhai Road is closed from Settlement Road due to slips at Hill Top Road.Wayby Valley - Flooded.OPEN WITH CAUTIONSH1 is open. In Dome Valley - Stop/go in place, cautionWoodcocks there is roadworks which could delay your journey.Matakana Valley RoadMartins Bay - slip across the road.ROADS NOW OPENBrown Road - caution flooding in areas.Settlement RoadValley RoadTara Road - local traffic onlyLawrence Road - down to one lane accessBaldrock RoadCove road near Kind road intersectionPebblebrooke Road- down to one lane accessGarbolino Road- down to one lane accessMangawhai Road - open for residents and people leaving MangawhaiPakiri Hill Road

Motorists from outside Northland are being asked not to travel to the region today, as crews work to repair flood-damaged roads.Thunderstorms swept through Mangawhai at the border with Auckland on Friday, with floodwaters stranding hundreds of people.They were escorted to State Highway One yesterday because of damage on many local roads between Kaiwaka, Mangawhai and Waipu.Cove Road is open to residents from Waipu only in the north, with the Lang's Beach bridge being assessed by a structural engineer.The Kaiwaka to Mangawhai Road is closed near the Hilltop Road intersection and Devich Road is closed at the bridge.Waka Kotahi says light vehicles can use SH12 and the Paparoa-Oakleigh Road to get to Whangārei but heavy vehicles must use SH12 and SH14 between Brynderwyn and Whangārei (via Dargaville) only.Road crews are trying to make as much progress as possible in the area before the working week begins, with some local roads expected to reopen later today.SH1 at the Brynderwyn Hills and Waipu remains closed due to large slips, and motorists from outside the region are being asked not to travel to Northland, unless it is necessary.Mayor pleads for help from central governmentWhangārei Mayor Vince Cocurullo said the damage caused by Cyclone Gabrielle to roads in Northland was significant and would cost at least $120 million to fix."We would just love central government to come to the party and actually get the Brynderwyns back open or even to - what we would really love - is a four-laning between Whangārei and Auckland."The additional rain on Friday night meant costs would continue to rise, he said."We are also realistic that there may be some more damage happening to the roading network; we have got the contractors out there at the moment, the team's out there keeping a close eye on the roading," he said."But it is a major issue when you constantly have more and more rain."Cocurullo said road crews were working around the clock to restore access.

SH 16 Kaukapakapa to Wellsford - Due to a slip SH16 is closed north of Cleasby Hill Lookout.SH1 Brynderwyn to Waipu – CLOSED until further notice. Previous light vehicle detour via Mangawhai is also CLOSED due to severe weather. Northbound light vehicles detour via SH12, Paparoa Oakleigh Rd, Mangapai Rd and back onto SH1. Reverse for southbound. HPMV’s continue to detour via SH12 and SH14.Waipu / Langs - Cove road detour has slips and is closed. Detour routes northbound:- Light vehicles: use SH12 and Paparoa-Oakleigh Rd to Whangarei.- Heavy vehicles, excluding HPMV (unless permitted) use SH12 / SH14 via Dargaville to Whangarei.Ahuroa Valley Road is closedPakiri Road is closed after Pakiri River Road to Goat Island Road.Devich Road is closed from Wallbank Way to Kopara Lane.Kaiwaka Mangawhai Road is closed from Settlement RoadKiawaka Mangawhai Road is closed from Stewart Road to Lawrence Road.Kaiwaka Mangawhai Road has flooding and slips and not passable at Hill Top Road.Te Arai Downs bridge is underwater.Devich Road is closed at the bridge due to safety risk.Atiu Creek - Slip- road is blocked.Wayby Valley - Flooded.An alternative route between Matakana and Mangawahi is open via Whangaripo Valley, up Waitetei Road, and then Mangawhai Road.( Drive with caution as there are small passable slips)CAUTIONMatakana Valley Road has slipsWarkworth to Puhoi - Due to a slip between Mahurangi West Rd and Schollum Access Rd, temporary traffic management is in place.Mangawhai Road and Coal Hill Road to Te Airi Point Road.Grader on Millbrook Road - Heavy trafficSH16 Waimauku to Helensville, between Hutchison Rd and Bradley Rd, low clearance vehicles should use an alternate route. High clearance vehicles should drive with caution.SH1 between Kaiwaka and Mangawhai Road is under caution due to flooding and multiple slips.SH16 Waimauku to Helensville is under caution due to flooding and multiple slips.SH16 Helensville to Kaukapakapa is under caution due to flooding and multiple slips.SH1 between Kaiwaka and Mangawhai Rd is now OPEN under cautionROADS NOW OPENBrown RoadSH 16 Glorit to WellsfordSettlement RoadValley RoadDome Valley is open but at a reduced speed, drive with caution.Tara Road - down to one lane access and open to local traffic onlyLawrence Roadown - down to one lane accessBaldrock Road - down to one lane accessPebblebrooke Road- down to one lane accessGarbolino Road- down to one lane accessMangawhai Road - open for residents and people leaving MangawhaiS1 Southbound just before Oteha Valley Road - Slips cleared