SH2 Waioweka Gorge daily closures extended

February 13, 2025

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

The closure of State Highway 2 (SH2) through the Waioweka Gorge will be extended as additional days are required next week to complete the maintenance work.

Work is well underway repairing SH2 and laying a new asphalt, providing a good quality surface, improving resilience and safety through the area.

The work is taking longer than anticipated and to achieve the quality finish required, the contractor will be using the contingency days next week to complete the work.

This means, SH2 Waioweka Gorge will be closed Monday 17 and Tuesday 18 February, between 10am and 6pm (with soft closure times being 9.40am and 5.40pm). If works cannot be carried out due to weather, the road will be open.

Please note, with the predicted weather looking unfavourable, Wednesday 19 February may also be needed.

People are encouraged to check the NZTA Journey Planner(external link) on the day of travel for up-to-date information about the closures. 

Date	Road status
Thursday 13 February	Closed between 10am – 6pm
Friday 14 February	Closed between 10am – 6pm
Saturday 15 February	OPEN
Sunday 16 February	OPEN
Monday 17 February	Closed between 10am – 6pm
Tuesday 18 February	Closed between 10am – 6pm
Wednesday 19 February	Contingency day. If needed, closed between 10am – 6pm

Closure points and details

Soft Closures: The soft closure points are Kerei Street, Matawai and Warrington Road, Ōpōtiki.
Access for businesses and residents will be maintained at both ends of the affected area, up to the hard closure points.

The soft closure times are 9.40am and 5.40pm – enabling people to get through the site before the hard closure starts at 10am and reach the site before it reopens at 6pm.

Hard Closures: 2 hard closure points will be in the Gorge, closer to the actual road works. There will be no access through the site between 10am and 6pm each workday.

Otoko Hill tree removal, drainage and culvert work deferred

Late-Feb to mid-April: Drainage upgrades and tree felling work planned to take place on Otoko Hill this week, (between Hihiroroa Road and Fitzgerald Road) has been deferred to late-Feb. Once work is underway, crews will be on-site 8am to 5pm. Stop/go will be in place to safely do this work and delays of up to 15 minutes are expected however this wait time could be longer if a tree is being felled. We encourage you to plan your journey and travel outside of these work hours if possible. Tree removal and trimming is required to further the Otoko Hill works, clear fallen debris and remove the risk they present in weather events. This work will continue through until mid-April.

The SH2 Waioweka Gorge work forms part of the government’s $2.07 billion investment into road and drainage renewal and maintenance across 2024-27 via the State Highway Pothole Prevention fund. 

NZTA thanks everyone for their patience and understanding as we undertake these important works.

MIL OSI

SH1 Grovetown night works set to begin

LiveNews Publisher

February 13, 2025

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

People travelling to and from Picton can expect to see more road works on State Highway 1, Marlborough over five nights in early March.

Work will be underway, just north of Blenheim at the Grovetown site, from Sunday, 2 March, to Thursday, 6 March (five nights), 7 pm – 6 am. It is scheduled to finish at 6 am on Friday, 7 March.

Stop/Go traffic management will be in place and road users should expect delays of up to 10 minutes during work hours. The intersection of State Highway 1 and Aberharts Road will be closed during work hours and residents will have to detour via Vickerman Street.

During the night works, contractors will rebuild just under a kilometre of the highway between Rowley Crescent and Ross Lane.

They will remove the top layer of the road, lay new gravel, and then apply new chipseal on top. The end result is a more stable and improved road surface.

These works are critical for ensuring a critical transport link in Marlborough is kept safe and reliable for all road users.

A 30 km/h temporary speed limit will be in place while the work is underway. Drivers must follow it and all traffic management in place. The lower speed is there to protect the road surface and keep drivers safe.

Works schedule

Grovetown is located approximately 5 km north of Blenheim on SH1 Marlborough.
Sunday, 2 March, to Thursday, 6 March (five nights). 7 pm – 6 am.
Stop/go and 30km/h temporary speed limit.
During work hours the State Highway 1/Aberharts Road intersection will be closed. Residents must detour via Vickerman Street.
Delays of up to 10 minutes can be expected.
Work is subject to weather and other unforeseen circumstances. In the event of unsuitable conditions, work will be rescheduled to the next suitable night.

With other road work sites on State Highway 1 at Freeths Road, Dashwood and south of Seddon, at the same time as this work, people travelling between Picton and Ward should allow an extra 30 minutes travel time. Drivers must plan ahead and should check NZTA/Waka Kotahi Journey Planner(external link) for more information.

More Information

MIL OSI

Auckland Council’s intern adventures in Healthy Waters end

LiveNews Publisher

February 13, 2025

Source: Auckland Council

In December last year, 50 ambitious, wide-eyed twenty-somethings strode into Auckland Council, each wearing an outfit meticulously chosen to scream “hire me!” (or at least whisper it convincingly). Day one was a heady mix of excitement, nerves, and an almost audible chorus of imposter syndrome echoing off the walls. As we exchanged awkward smiles and first-day introductions, one question loomed large: why us?

For three of our interns, the answer lies in their unique stories and unstoppable passion.

Georgia Dennis: a life of green perspectives

Georgia Dennis is the person you’d want to sit next to on a plane — and not just because she’s clocked enough frequent flyer miles to rival a seasoned pilot. From backpacking across South America to attending high school in Italy, Georgia’s experiences have shaped her passion for sustainability.

A small Guatemalan town devoid of plastic opened her eyes to a world without mass production. A month-long conversation with a Venezuelan man in Ecuador taught her how privilege shapes opportunity. Canada showed her how New Zealand leads the way in environmental action. Her most important lesson? Perspective.

Now, pursuing a master’s in environmental management and armed with degrees in physics and philosophy, Georgia is bringing that perspective and purpose to her role.

“Working at Council feels like a way to repay the environment for all we’ve taken from it,” she says. Georgia believes the world isn’t black and white, but if we all embraced a little more “green”, it might just thrive.

Deshma Weerapperuma: passionate about rocks and ripple effects

“I love rocks,” Deshma declared at three, setting the stage for a lifelong passion that’s now guiding her through a degree in Earth Sciences.

Born in Botswana and raised in New Zealand, Deshma’s love for nature is as vast as her hobbies. She climbs mountains despite being terrified of heights, bakes stunning treats through her own pâtisserie business, and plays competitive tennis when she’s not sampling water as a Safeswim intern.

Driving to Auckland’s beaches and waterways for Safeswim makes her work feel like an adventure, blending her passion for the outdoors with meaningful environmental action. Whether she’s scaling rocks or analysing them, Deshma’s enthusiasm reminds us all to chase what we love — even if it’s scary sometimes.

Olivia Wentzell: where wildlife meets waterways

If animals, photography, and travel had a mascot, it would be Olivia Wentzell. Splitting her early years between Montana and Nelson, Olivia developed a “dream big” mindset. Now pursuing a degree in zoology, Olivia balances volunteering at Auckland Zoo and a wild bird hospital with her role on the Overland Flow Path Compliance Team.

Through site visits and stormwater projects, she’s learning how protecting waterways supports biodiversity and marine life. She sees her internship as more than a stepping stone — it’s a chance to make lasting connections while safeguarding New Zealand’s future ecosystems.

The answer to “why us?”

So, why us? Because we care. And that’s what makes all the difference.

It’s not about the miles we’ve travelled, the hobbies we’ve mastered, or the degrees we’re earning. It’s about our shared drive to make a difference. Every one of us, from bakers to backpackers, climbers to conservationists, brings passion to Auckland Council.

So, after 11 weeks packed with hard-work, meetings, and lots of laughter, the 2025 Intern Programme has come to a close.

Clarke Mckinney, Auckland Councils Healthy Waters Recourse Management Team Manager, and the interns work dad, thinks this group of interns has the potential to go far.

“The interns have exceeded all expectations: their curiosity, passion and skill have brought immense value to the council, and we look forward to repeating the success of this programme next year!”

More information on Auckland Council’s graduate programme is available via the Auckland Council Careers website.

Written by Auckland Council intern Kaavya Ghoshal of Healthy Waters.

MIL OSI

From Traditional to Transformational: Stellar Ace Outlines 2025 Evolution

MIL OSI

February 13, 2025

Source: Media Outreach

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 13 February 2025 – In November 2022, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) made a monumental announcement of auctioning off the right to operate ad spaces at approximately 120 pedestrian overhead bridges, underpasses, and covered link-ways in a 10-year contract—a true first for the entity.

One year later, the entity announced that out of seven proposals from four tenderers for the LTA, Stellar Experience, a subsidiary of public transport operator SMRT, had come out on top.

LTA said the proposals were evaluated on their quality, whether tenderers were able to maintain the bus and taxi shelters per LTA’s requirements, as well as their ability to generate non-fare revenue from these road assets.

Stellar Experience, more commonly known within the adland ecosystem as Stellar Ace, was touted to have the strongest overall proposal.

Under the leadership of Tony Heng, president of Stellar Lifestyle, and managing director of Stellar Ace and Stellar Ace Outdoor, the team is actively looking to transform Singapore’s transit network into a vibrant advertising and retail hub.

The corporation’s vision is to advance the Lifestyle 360 concept, and seamlessly blend offline and online activations to create a holistic experience for the millions of commuters who journey with SMRT daily.

Guided by SMRT’s vision—”Moving people, enhancing lifestyles”—Heng is dedicated to transforming Stellar Ace’s advertising ecosystem into an interactive brand experience through integration with retail spaces, event areas, and machine distribution points, along with versatile short, medium, and long-term spaces for retail promotions.

The team is accelerating asset digitalisation by installing cutting-edge anamorphic digital screens at high-traffic MRT stations like Raffles Place, City Hall, and Orchard, offering dynamic, real-time advertising opportunities.

“It’s no longer just about placing static ads in high-traffic areas, but enhancing the commuter experience,” said Heng.

As such, the team is embracing out-of-the-box thinking. A prime example of digitalisation is Stellar Ace’s 3D Ad Crown, featuring creative executions on the roofs of bus shelters. The exciting innovation elevates traditional static panels by incorporating dynamic 3D elements in a conventional bus shelter.

This format captivates and engages commuters in new ways, providing brands with a unique and attention-grabbing platform while transforming a daily commuting journey into an immersive and interactive experience.

“We are continuously working towards ensuring the content reaches the right demographics, and in turn, creates maximum value and impact for advertisers,” he said.

Transforming Stellar Ace’s spaces into lifestyle destinations isn’t without challenges. With users saturated by digital interactions, Heng’s team is rethinking advertising through sensory authenticity and online-offline integration.

As consumers increasingly interact with brands across physical and digital channels, Lifestyle 360 aims to align with how consumers live, travel, shop, and play.

“This allows advertisers to engage their audience at multiple touch-points—whether through an immersive experience at a bus shelter, an interactive event at an MRT station, or a digital ad on a commuter’s smartphone via apps such as WINK+,” said Heng.

Embracing the digital revolution for marketers

Not one to be left behind the digital revolution, the team is also harnessing data-driven insights through AI and machine learning to enhance audience targeting and ROI measurement.

This comes as many marketers investing in OOH advertising say they struggle to ensure their campaigns are targeted and relevant to the right audience. Traditional OOH, marketers say, lacks precise audience insights and engagement metrics.

“By shifting from traditional static formats to dynamic, interactive digital experiences, we’re adapting to the evolving OOH advertising landscape, where engagement is fuelled by technology and personalisation,” Heng said, addressing the challenge faced by marketers.

Endorsing his statement is Tjhin Poi Chung, deputy managing director of Stellar Ace and Stellar Ace Outdoor, who leads the company’s digital transformation and media solutions expansion.

Since joining SMRT in 2022, Tjhin has leveraged his expertise in engineering, AI technology, and business leadership, honed at previous jobs in ST Engineering and the government sector, to drive innovation and enhance operations and the customer experience.

Under his leadership, Stellar Ace is advancing towards a tech-driven, integrated approach to OOH advertising, using latest ridership and footfall data and interactive, multi-touch-point experiences, to deliver success for brands.

“We are leveraging digital data to enhance ROI measurement for marketers,” Tjhin says. By utilising AI and analytics, Stellar Ace can now provide precise audience targeting and real-time campaign tracking.

“Marketers gain actionable insights into audience behaviour, foot traffic, and engagement, ensuring campaigns reach the right people and deliver measurable results.”

Addressing the challenges marketers face, he shares the team is constantly brainstorming ways to help marketers tackle issues. “When it comes to creating targeted advertising, we use our ability to analyse ridership patterns and foot traffic data across the transit network, and our digital team uses this data to target the right audience at the right time, maximising campaign reach,” he added.

Stellar Ace also caters to commuters who prefer engaging with content via their smartphones through its widely recognised WINK+ app, which enhances the physical OOH experience by providing a mobile-first platform for advertisers.

It allows brands to reach commuters through digital formats while offering insights into campaign performance on mobile devices. This creates a more interactive and personalised experience, extending connections beyond traditional OOH.

The future of OOH

At the end of the day, technology is transforming the OOH advertising industry, with digitalisation at the forefront. AI is pivotal in this shift, enabling not just timely messaging, but also the analysis and prediction of consumer behaviour. By leveraging ridership patterns and foot traffic data, advertisers can effectively reach their target audience, resulting in more targeted campaigns and better ROI.

“The integration of more screens and digital platforms into public spaces enables dynamic, real-time content delivery and allows advertisers to tailor messages based on factors such as time of day, weather, location, or audience demographics,” Tjhin said.

As such, marketers must embrace these advancements, including digital screens and AI-driven insights, to stay competitive. Platforms such as its WINK+ app extend reach beyond traditional billboards, offering a mobile-first experience for commuters and engaging audiences on the go.

“Embracing these digital tools is essential for thriving in the evolving OOH landscape,” he added.

Hashtag: #LTA

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

UM Scholars Make Scientific Discoveries with Global Impact

MIL OSI

February 13, 2025

Source: Media Outreach

MACAU SAR – Media Outreach Newswire – 13 February 2025 – The University of Macau (UM) has strengthened its position as a leading research institution through multiple strategies, including the recruitment of high-calibre scholars from around the world. The groundbreaking scientific discoveries made by these distinguished scholars and their teams have greatly advanced the university’s global influence and Macao’s development as an innovation hub.

From left to right: Prof Chuxia Deng, Chair Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences; Prof Chen Xin, Distinguished Professor and Director of the Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences; Prof Yuen Ka-Veng, Distinguished Professor in the Faculty of Science and Technology.

Top-tier academics are vital to the academic and research advancement of a university. UM’s faculty boasts leading scholars from diverse cultural backgrounds who are actively engaged in cutting-edge research in their respective disciplines. Notably, Chuxia Deng, Chair Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences; Chen Xin, Distinguished Professor and Director of the Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences; and Yuen Ka-Veng, Distinguished Professor in the Faculty of Science and Technology, have made remarkable achievements in cancer research, immunology, and civil engineering respectively.

Chuxia Deng: Advancing Cancer and Precision Medicine Research

Prof Chuxia Deng, a prominent figure in life sciences, has a successful track record in cancer research, focusing on precision oncology, oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes, gene targeting, and drug development. Notably, his breakthrough work involves using BRCA1 mutant mouse models to identify new targets for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), a highly aggressive form of cancer. His research innovations span a 24-hour cancer drug screening biochip, drug susceptibility testing using patient-derived organoids, and 3D tumour slice culture technology.

Since joining UM in 2014, Prof Deng and his research teams have published 150 papers in top journals, with over 4,300 citation counts. His leadership has significantly boosted the Faculty of Health Sciences’s research output, elevating the number of publications from 43 in 2014 to over 2,400 by 2024, with more than 60,000 citation counts, including over 400 publications with an impact factor ≥10. As the chief scientist of the Ministry of Education Frontiers Science Center for Precision Oncology at UM, Prof Deng spearheads cutting-edge cancer research to enhance early cancer diagnosis and advance personalised treatment for cancer patients through precision medicine.

Chen Xin: Leading the Way in Innovative Immunotherapy

Prof Chen Xin, a renowned scholar in immunology and Chinese medicine, has led groundbreaking studies that advances a safer and more effective treatment for cancer and autoimmune diseases. His team in the Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences (ICMS) at UM, in collaboration with the US National Cancer Institute (NCI), discovered that targeting a specific protein called TNFR2 can enhance anti-tumour immune responses and kill cancer cells, bringing new hope to cancer patients.

Under Prof Chen’s leadership, ICMS has made significant progress in the internationalisation of Chinese medicine. Upholding the motto of ‘seeking innovation through tradition’, the institute has produced many research results with global impact. A series of international symposia have also been held to promote global academic exchange and strengthening international partnerships in the field of Chinese medicine. In addition to advancing innovative research and development, ICMS is also dedicated to training Chinese medicine professionals to support the development of the ‘big health’ industry.

Yuen Ka-Veng: Setting the Foundation for Bayesian Methods in Civil Engineering

Prof Yuen Ka-Veng is the leading scientist of the State Key Laboratory of Internet of Things for Smart City at UM and an eminent engineering expert in Macao, specialising in Bayesian inference, structural health monitoring, and machine learning. According to Web of Science, Prof Yuen is ranked 2nd worldwide in terms of the number of journal publications of Bayesian in all engineering disciplines. In 2024, Prof Yuen was awarded the 15th Guanghua Engineering Science and Technology Prize by the Chinese Academy of Engineering in recognition of his contributions to engineering technology and engineering management.

His pioneering work in developing new Bayesian methods tailored to real-world engineering scenarios has had a significant impact on the advancement of engineering practices and technologies. The methods have been extensively applied not only to structural health monitoring of major structures in mainland China and Hong Kong, but also in many other fields such as air pollution modelling, soil mechanics, rock mechanics, computational physics, disaster mitigation, neuroscience, smart transportation, and communications engineering.

The achievements of these scholars highlight UM’s commitment to academic excellence and innovation, and to establishing Macao as a leading hub for scientific research. The success of these scholars and their teams has not only enhanced UM’s global reputation and amplified Macao’s role in promoting technological development in the Greater Bay Area, but has also contributed to the city’s economic diversification.

Hashtag: #UniversityofMacau #UM

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

Shock, anger over boaties and dogs on pest-free island

LiveNews Publisher

February 13, 2025

Source: Department of Conservation

Date: 13 February 2025

And they’re calling on responsible boaties to report other recreational sailors who land on Coromandel’s off-limits islands.

DOC’s Coromandel Operations Manager Nick Kelly says the most recent incident occurred on Kawhitu/Stanley Island on Saturday 8 February, and was witnessed by two members of the public who alerted DOC.

“Our informants saw two people – believed to be from a 660 Haines Hunter boat named Nirvana 2 – ashore on Kawhitu,” says Nick.

“These people were spotted walking along a beach on the island at about 1.30 pm with two dogs.”

Nick says Kawhitu is classified as Nature Reserve, under the Reserves Act 1977 – meaning no-one can enter without express permission.

“To see people flagrantly disregard the rules – and in this case walk right past a sign telling them they shouldn’t be there – is very distressing”.

“As well as being somewhere they shouldn’t have been, the two people who’ve landed on Kawhitu have risked undoing decades of conservation work protecting vulnerable species.

“They’ve also risked the biosecurity of the island, which is protected through strict protocols we place on our own staff and any visitor authorised to carry out work on Kawhitu.”

Nick encouraged the owner or skipper of the Nirvana 2 – or anyone who saw the people from the vessel go ashore – to contact DOC on 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468), and quote CLE-8615.

Roughly 86 ha in size, Kawhitu is a haven for a number of protected and threatened species, including tieke/saddlebacks, flesh-footed shearwaters/toanui, and kakariki/red-crowned parakeet.

Contact

For media enquiries contact:

Email: media@doc.govt.nz

MIL OSI

Weather News – Hot Valentine’s ahead before showers in the upper North – MetService

LiveNews Publisher

February 13, 2025

Source: MetService

Covering period of Thursday 13th – Sunday 16th February – MetService is forecasting a settled start to the weekend before showers move onto northeastern parts of the North Island.

Generally dry and warm weather with sunny skies expected today (Thursday). One or two showers are possible about and north of Taupō in the North Island, and in the inland ranges for the South Island from this afternoon.

Valentine’s Day weather could not be better if we ordered it; a high-pressure system over the country slowly moves east tomorrow, providing a warm and sunny Valentine’s Day for many across the country, however, for those in the east it will be a cloudier day as northeasterlies persist, providing for a more cozy and intimate day. An even more romantic evening for those in the west of the North Island as a few spots of rain are expected.

Southern parts of the North Island continue to have beach and barbeque weather on Saturday but up north cloudy skies, risk of a shower and large easterly swells bring an end to the settled run of weather. South Islanders should still expect a great day for their outdoor activities with clear skies persisting.

MetService meteorologist Oscar Shiviti says, “Although we are looking forward to settled weather starting the weekend, we do expect showers to push onto the North Island from the northeast through Sunday”. These showery conditions are not expected to reach the southern half of the North Island, and therefore no need to panic for those looking forward to the long distance running this weekend as “dry conditions are expected during Wellington’s “Round The Bays” this Sunday” Shiviti continued.

Sunday brings passing showers for those in the west of the South Island, whereas warm days and clear skies persist elsewhere as that high finally makes its way out to the east.

Places like Otago see temperatures reaching maximums in the high twenties and low thirties at times through the weekend, while the lower North Island has maximums reaching high twenties as well, however a warm weekend in store for all New Zealanders.

However, for those looking for rain to wet the parched ground, early next week may hold something in store as a rain-bearing weather system looks to sweep across the country.

MIL OSI

Swift biosecurity response to fruit fly has positive outcome

LiveNews Publisher

February 13, 2025

Source: New Zealand Government

Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard has today applauded the efforts of a south Auckland community, the horticulture industry and Biosecurity New Zealand, to mark the end of the Oriental fruit fly response.

Biosecurity New Zealand has now lifted controls on movement of fruit and vegetables in the suburb of Papatoetoe following no further finds of fruit flies since a single male Oriental fruit fly was discovered in a surveillance trap in the suburb in early January.

“This is great news, particularly for our $7 billion horticulture export industry, which could have been devastated by the establishment of a fruit fly population in New Zealand,” Mr Hoggard says.

Mr Hoggard thanks the South Auckland community and sector groups for their support during the biosecurity response.

“Residents have worked with the movement restrictions and regular checking of traps in their gardens and we’re extremely grateful for their support.

“This response has been vital to our success in keeping fruit fly out of New Zealand. It could not have happened without backing from the community and the horticultural sector,” Mr Hoggard says.

“The discovery has highlighted the importance of a small country like New Zealand having a strong biosecurity system.

“I would especially like to thank Biosecurity New Zealand staff for their work to rapidly stand up a response while most of us were enjoying a Christmas holiday.

“Incursions of pests and diseases don’t take a break and that’s why our biosecurity system doesn’t either.

“The dedication of skilled staff is vital to protect New Zealand’s valuable agricultural and horticultural exports.”

Biosecurity New Zealand’s national fruit fly surveillance programme will continue, which includes a network of fruit fly traps.

“This find last month shows the effectiveness of our surveillance trapping system. There are more than 7,800 traps set nationwide and checked regularly. These enable us to find fruit flies early and enable a faster and more effective response if finds are made, like we did in Papatoetoe,” Mr Hoggard says.

MIL OSI

Auckland fruit fly controls lifted

LiveNews Publisher

February 13, 2025

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries

Controls on the movement of fruit and vegetables in the Auckland suburb of Papatoetoe have been lifted after no further evidence of the Oriental fruit fly was found in the area, says Mike Inglis, Biosecurity New Zealand commissioner north.

The decision to end the operation follows more than a month of intensive fruit fly trapping and inspections of hundreds of kilograms of fruit.

Mr Inglis thanked residents and businesses in the affected area for their support with the movement controls, keeping an eye out for fruit flies and safely disposing of fruit in provided bins.

“I can’t stress enough how vital this work has been to protect our horticultural sector. This particular insect pest is a significant threat to horticultural exports and home gardens.”

Biosecurity New Zealand quickly placed legal controls on the movement of fruit and vegetables in an area of Papatoetoe on 4 January 2025 after a single male Oriental fruit fly was identified from a national surveillance trap.

“No further adult fruit flies, eggs, larvae or pupae have been found,” says Mr Inglis.

“We are satisfied that with no further detections over six weeks, the Controlled Area Notice restrictions can be lifted, and response operations closed.”

The Biosecurity New Zealand signs and wheelie bins will be removed from the affected area in Papatoetoe over the next few days.

Mr Inglis says checking of Biosecurity New Zealand’s 7,800 fruit fly traps around the country, including some 200 traps in the Papatoetoe/Māngere area, will continue as normal.

“Our people will be out in the Papatoetoe community today, handing out flyers about the response closure and personally thanking residents and business owners for their contribution to the effort.

“I’d also like to acknowledge the good work of our people and our partners across the horticulture sector. By working together, and responding quickly, we have managed this situation well.”

Key figures:

More than 1,500 individual visits were made to check the 109 special fruit fly response traps in Papatoetoe/Māngere throughout the response.
These traps are in addition to 187 routine fruit fly surveillance traps in the area.
Over 600 biosecurity bins distributed in the community to collect produce waste for safe disposal.
More than 470 kilos of fruit cut up and examined for any signs of fruit fly eggs or larvae.
More than 150 Biosecurity New Zealand staff were involved throughout the response.

Find out what we did and why we have now closed the response

For more information, email BiosecurityNZ_media@mpi.govt.nz

For media enquiries, contact the media team on 029 894 0328.

MIL OSI

Industry focus

LiveNews Publisher

February 13, 2025

Source: Tertiary Education Commission

Last updated 5 March 2020
Last updated 5 March 2020

New Zealand is facing skills shortages in a number of sectors, including construction, food and fibre, health, and Secondary Initial Teacher Education.
New Zealand is facing skills shortages in a number of sectors, including construction, food and fibre, health, and Secondary Initial Teacher Education.

One of TEC’s core priorities is to help address these labour and skills shortages. Our work will link communities, industries, and education providers to education and employment pathways that are easy to navigate. Every New Zealander should have the skills, knowledge and confidence to create a fulfilling life.
To achieve this, we are:

building strategic partnerships and investing in provision that can deliver long-term post-study outcomes for learners
providing better quality learner information through our career services, including industry-specific attraction initiatives and dedicated career hub pages
encouraging the development of quality and innovative learning packages and accessible pathways through funding training schemes and micro-credentials
leading the work on the Reform of Vocational Education (RoVE). This includes developing a new Unified Funding System and facilitating the development of Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVEs), Workforce Development Councils (WDCs) and working with MBIE as they facilitate the development of Regional Skills Leadership Groups (RSLGs).