Fire and Emergency New Zealand has declared a prohibited fire season in Otago’s Strath Taieri zone from 8am on Saturday 15 February, until further notice.
A prohibited fire season means no open-air fires are allowed and all fire permits are suspended.
Fireworks will also be prohibited in Strath Taieri, which is possible under Section 52 of the Fire and Emergency Act.
Strath Taieri is a large area of land in Otago which includes the Taieri River, the Rock and Pillar Range and the town of Middlemarch.
Fire and Emergency Otago District Manager Phil Marsh says the area has an abundance of grass and scrub and experiences hot dry summers.
“The current dry conditions are expected to continue, with blustery westerly winds forecast for the remainder of summer and into autumn,” he says.
“This combination presents a very high fire risk, as dry grass and scrub can ignite easily and fire will rapidly spread.
“As part of our ongoing efforts to reduce the risk of wildfire, we are also putting a ban on fireworks.
“It only takes one spark to start a wildfire. The risk is far too high in these dry and windy conditions.”
The Strath Taieri zone includes Te Papanui Conservation Park, home to a huge variety of native plants and animals.
“We are urging everybody to do their part to protect this area from wildfire,” Phil Marsh says.
“Along with the ban on fireworks, we ask people to be vigilant with other heat or spark-generating activities.
“Using machinery or power tools and parking or driving vehicles near dry vegetation have the potential to start a wildfire that will spread quickly. You should avoid these activities on hot, windy days.
“If you are camping in the area, always set up your gas cooker on a stable surface and away from long, dry grass.
Please take extra care this weekend as the fire danger will be elevated in Strath Taieri and across Otago.
Drivers are reminded to allow extra time travelling on SH1 through Timaru over the next few months as work starts on a new Timaru District Council watermain near the Showgrounds on Monday, 17 February.
Evans St, between Grants Road and Waimataitai Street, is the area affected. (See map below). The watermain replacement work is expected to run into winter (May/June) and is weather dependent.
Work hours will be 7.30 am to 6 pm.
“There will be reduced lane widths and 30km/h temporary speed limits in the area which are likely to cause additional congestion and queue lengths especially at peak travel times,” says Chris Chambers, Maintenance Contract Manager South Canterbury, NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA).
“Drivers should plan ahead and consider alternative routes if they want to avoid delays,” he says.
More road work coming from NZTA, early March
Early in March, NZTA will begin resurfacing a section of SH1 Evans St between Beverley Road and Te Weka St, south of the watermain works.
“We know that these multiple worksites will cause delays through Timaru,” says Mr Chambers. “But we are also pleased to be getting these road improvements underway after several years of patching and holding repairs.”
To help ease the pressure please build extra time into your travel and avoid roadworks sites during peak times if you can, he says.
Key maintenance works will see upcoming closures on two busy Auckland state highways.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) asks people to plan ahead and allow additional time for their journeys if traveling during these works.
State Highway 1 – Central Motorway Junction night closures (10pm to 5am)
A full northbound closure on State Highway 1 (SH1) between the Ellerslie Panmure Hwy and Symonds St will be in place on Sunday 16 and Monday 17 February.
A full northbound closure between Mt Wellington Hwy and Ellerslie Panmure Hwy will be in place Tuesday 18 February.
A full northbound closure between the Ellerslie Panmure Hwy and Gillies Ave on Wednesday 19 and Thursday 20 February, for road resurfacing. Work will continue into the following week from Monday 24 to Thursday 27 February.
Motorists traveling northbound on SH1 from Ellerslie to the Central Motorway Junction should detour via Great South Rd, Broadway, Khyber Pass and Grafton Rd to the State Highway 16 Wellesley St westbound on-ramp, where they can rejoin SH1.
Motorists traveling northbound on SH1 to State Highway 16 westbound should detour via Great South Road, Greenlane West, Balmoral Rd and St Lukes Rd.
Motorists traveling northbound on SH1 from Mt Wellington Hwy to Ellerslie should detour via Great South Road.
Detours will be signposted and are expected to add no more than 15 minutes to northbound journeys.
As well as ensuring a smooth, skid-resistant surface, road resurfacing helps to protect the important structural layers underneath, improves watertightness to help prevent potholes, and extends the life of the road.
State Highway 18 – Tauhinu Road to Albany Highway night closures (9pm to 5am)
Overnight closures of State Highway 18 eastbound between Tauhinu Rd and Albany Hwy will take place over 10 nights in late February and early March while contractors reconstruct the road.
Closures will take place between 9pm and 5am on the following dates:
Sunday 16 February to Tuesday 18 February
Sunday 23 February
Thursday 27 February
Sunday 2 March to Wednesday 5 March
Sunday 9 March
During the closure, road users will be detoured via Upper Harbour Drive. The detour route will be signposted and is expected to add less than 10 minutes to eastbound journeys.
Rebuilding the road, which often involves replacing all or most of the structural road layers, improves the longevity of the network, the resilience and ultimately the safety and efficiency for all road users. Nearby residents can expect increased noise during the works, however, contractors will work to minimise disruption as much as possible.
These works are weather dependent and there may be changes to the planned works in the case of unsuitable weather. Please visit the NZTA Journey Planner website (journeys.nzta.govt.nz(external link)) for up-to-date information, including any changes due to weather.
NZTA thanks everyone for their patience as we carry out these important works.
Roading crews are making good progress on the SH2 road rebuild (rehabilitation) in Waipawa between Victoria Street and Tamumu Road.
The first stage of work, installing kerb and channel, has now been finished with more than 360 metres of concrete poured in the installation.
The focus now shifts to the rebuild of this stretch of road. Crews will begin from next Monday (17 February), working at night for approximately 4 weeks.
The work will be carried out under stop/go traffic management between 8pm and 5am Mondays to Fridays (finishing each week at 5am on Saturday).
The rebuild will be done section by section to reduce traffic impacts and during the work, access for residents and businesses will remain and there will be on street parking – just not on the section of state highway being worked on.
Rebuilding the road will involve recycling the existing road materials with cement added to the road, to extend the life of the road and provide a smoother surface, improving the journey through this stretch of road.
At the same time, Central Hawke’s Bay District Council was scheduled to complete work on the southbound footpath this year, which was beside the area of State Highway 2 that NZTA is working on. The two organisations aligned on this renewal, with NZTA contractors completing the road and Council-funded footpath construction work at the same time– minimising costs and disruptions to ratepayers.
“State Highway 2 is the road that keeps us connected to each other, and the rest of the country,” says the council’s Community Infrastructure and Development General Manager Mark Kinvig.
“The road’s part to play in the economic growth of the district and the accessibility it creates, allowing people to move around, cannot be underplayed.
“Working together delivers what the community wants and needs, but for a lot less money.
“This translates into better roads for everyone,” says Mr Kinvig.
At this stage, the rebuild project is expected to be complete mid-March, slightly earlier than initially planned.
“We know this work has already involved some disruption to businesses and the community and we’re grateful for people’s support – without it, the works would undoubtedly take longer to complete,” says NZTA Regional Manager of Maintenance and Operations Rua Pani.
SH2 resealing between Waipukurau and Takapau – day work
Starting this week, a stretch of SH2 between Takapau and Waipukurau will be resealed over the next 6 weeks.
Crews will be working onsite Monday to Friday from 7am to 6pm each weekday.
The road will be under stop/go traffic management and road users should expect possible delays of up to 20 minutes.
When the sun continues to shine, road workers across the Waikato and Bay of Plenty are continuing to make significant progress on many worksites.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) and its contractors are completing an ambitious programme to improve safety and resilience of the state highway network, making the most of the summer months in which they’re able to reseal and re-construct roads, says Sandra King, Bay of Plenty System Manager.
“The recent spell of good weather has allowed our contractors to make great progress on their maintenance programmes, some ahead of schedule, across both regions. Examples include completing the rebuild of both State Highway 2 north of Tauranga at Snodgrass Road and State Highway 27 in Matamata, several asphalting sites on State Highway 29 Kaimai Range and the scheduled closure on the Kaimai Range.
“We appreciate everyone’s patience, especially where we have road closures and detours, or multiple worksites in the same area. This scale of work shows our investment in the region, and commitment to improving people’s journeys.
“Due to the work taking place there will inevitably be delays to some journeys. As always, our key focus is to keep road users and contracting crews safe at all times,” says Ms King.
This 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.
To plan ahead and see where disruptive works are, people can use the NZTA Journey Planner (journeys.nzta.govt.nz(external link)) This is kept up to date in real time so you can see all disruptive activity and potential hazards on the state highway network.
Nicola Willis thought it was the perfect time to celebrate today, while 230 people lost their jobs.
Her press release titled ‘Manufacturing increase welcomed’ landed as the people of Tokoroa are only just coming to terms with the closure of the Kinleith paper mill.
“Talk about tone deaf. People are hurting, whānau don’t know what to do, and instead of showing any kind of humility, Nicola Willis is sitting in her Beehive office patting herself on the back,” Labour Employment Spokesperson Willie Jackson said.
“As she is crowing about the sector doing well, 230 people no longer have a job or an income.
“Many of them would have thought the Government would act. Especially after the Deputy Prime Minister promised he’d do something about it. Instead, they’ve let the paper mill close with no plan to help the workers and Nicola Willis thought it was her time to shine.
“Shame on her, and shame on this Government for doing nothing,” Willie Jackson said.
It’s been revealed that Muslim students have been misled on the Government’s school lunches, which were claimed to be halal.
“It’s unacceptable that our Muslim students were served a meal that David Seymour’s lunch provider said was halal, when it fact it wasn’t,” Labour’s Ethnic Communities Spokesperson Jenny Salesa said.
“Claiming a meal is religiously permissible for groups of students when it isn’t, breaks a trust we have fought long and hard to establish with communities who have long called Aotearoa home.
“New Zealand is a culturally diverse nation, rich with people of all backgrounds and faiths – and they should feel comfortable expressing their identities here.
“I back my local school principal in her push to ensure halal school lunches are as they claim to be, halal-certified.
“David Seymour must front up and apologise to these students and their families for a false claim that has resulted in disrespect to their faith,” Jenny Salesa said.
“It seems with each passing day, we hear about another mishap with David Seymour’s school lunches. First they were arriving late or not at all, then it was schools having to cover extra costs for distribution and clean up, and now they’re misleading religious students,” said Education Spokesperson Jan Tinetti.
“They should have never tampered with these school lunches in the first place, but now they’ve created a huge mess that is distracting our students’ from their learning and causing headaches for schools across the country.”
Officers who attempted to stop a vehicle in Drury have taken a homemade weapon off the streets after the driver fled from Police.
At about 2.50pm yesterday, Police signalled for a vehicle on Great South Road to stop, however it failed to do so and continued on towards Papakura.
Counties Manukau South Area Prevention Manager, Inspector Matt Hoyes, says the vehicle was on Te Napi Drive, Takanini after it had stopped.
“Staff have quickly taken the driver into custody and a search of the vehicle has located a homemade taser, shotgun shell and ammunition.
“This is a great result and yet another example that we are committed to keeping offensive weapons such as these out of our community.”
A 29-year-old man will appear in Papakura District Court on 20 February charged with possession of an offensive weapon, unlawful possession of a restricted weapon, unlawful possession of ammunition and cannabis possession.
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 14 February 2025 – Energea has introduced three tech kits to keep you powered for life in motion: the Essential Kit, Travel Kit, and Voyager Kit. Offering a powerful arsenal of tech solutions for digital nomads, these three uniquely tailored packages are perfect for content creators, globe-trotters, as well as business professionals. Encompassing a wall charger, cable, and an option between a power bank or a wireless charger, each kit is thoughtfully selected with convenience, functionality, and portability as its top priorities.
Energea introduces premium tech kits, specially curated for digital nomads. (Left: Essential Kit, Right: Voyager Kit)
In this launch, Energea redefines tech with a sharp focus on aesthetics. These curated kits bring together utility and sophistication with stylish designs that surpass ordinary expectations of tech products. Each kit features a soft, coordinating pouch designed to match the products it contains whilst keeping them well-protected for travel.
The Essential Kit is the ideal starting point for occasional adventurers and everyday users. In it, you’ll find the MagTrio Plus, a bestselling 3-in-1 magnetic fast wireless charging station, lauded for its slim 18mm profile and foldable, portable design. Complementing it is the Helix magnetic charging cable, offering a clutter-free and time-saving charging experience. The AmpCharge GaN35 wall charger efficiently powers the MagTrio Plus, providing sufficient power to all three devices for fast charging, even when used simultaneously. Leveraging on GaNSmart Technology, it optimizes charging efficiency by minimizing heat loss and ensuring safety for worry-free usage.
These practical and versatile items ensure you stay powered and connected with ease, so you will never miss a moment of productivity or collaboration. The Essential Kit is available in sleek gunmetal black.
As you embark on a more rigorous travel routine, the Travel Kit is your ultimate companion. Leading the charge is the AluPac10K, Energea’s latest wireless powerbank. It boasts an impressive 10,000mAh capacity and a PD20W wired output, all elegantly encased in a sleek aluminum profile.
The magnetic wireless power bank, finished in luxurious gold, synergizes flawlessly with the GoCharge AluCable (15cm), recognized for its four swappable connectors, accommodating a wide range of charging ports and data transfer needs. Completing the mix is Energea’s vacation-approved TravelWorld Adapter 25, an ultra-portable PD25W adapter with interchangeable plugs, smart power identification technology, and worldwide compatibility in over 150 countries.
These products are crafted to help you navigate your journey with confidence, allowing for instant content sharing on the go to fuel your creative process.
Leading the lineup, the Voyager Kit perfectly blends the Essential and Travel Kits into the most advanced, comprehensive bundle. Most remarkably, it features the AluPac10K magnetic wireless power bank, which allows users to charge up to two devices simultaneously with the flexibility of both wireless and wired charging. The familiar Helix fast charging cable offers a streamlined charging experience along with a magnetic snap for tangle-free storage. Capping off the bundle is the TravelWorld Adapter 25, delivering an exceptionally portable and featherlight design as a universal travel adapter.
With enduring power, exceptional compatibility, and a rugged design built to withstand the toughest conditions, these selections guarantee you’re always charged and prepared for any challenge, wherever your adventures lead. Similar to Travel Kit, the Voyager Kit comes in a lustrous gold finishing for a touch of luxury and full metal housing for added durability, combining style and resilience for every trip.
Recognizing the evolving trends in the tech accessories market, Energea strives to inspire modern nomads to embrace their adventures, while ensuring their devices are well cared for. Combining functionality and style, these newly unveiled tech kits are designed to perfectly complement various on-the-go lifestyles.
Energea’s tech kits are designed for effortless grab-and-go usage, removing the guesswork from travel and ensuring you never have to worry about charging, syncing, or compatibility. Created for the discerning digital nomad, these kits allow any individual to focus on the journey, and not the tech. Order the Essential Kit, Travel Kit, and Voyager Kit on Energea’s website now—to experience worry-free travel at its absolute best.
Check out the individual products and their specially curated collections, which can be ordered and delivered through Energea’s website. These products are also available in selected stores across the globe. To keep in the loop on the latest tech releases, follow Energea on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.
Statement attributable to Deputy Commissioner Tania Kura:
Police is issuing a statement of record regarding a media report concerning a private trip to China by Police staff in late 2024.
A media report claims the tour was organised by a government entity and a dinner was hosted by a government tourism official.
Police reiterate that on day three of the tour, a banquet dinner was hosted by the travel company for the travelling party.
The dinner was not hosted by the official, as referenced in the media reporting. Attendance of the tourism official was due to an invitation by the tour company.
Police have previously referenced on multiple occasions that each participant paid for their tour costs personally.
The dinner cost was incorporated into the overall tour price, paid for out of staff’s own pocket.
The group involved in this trip followed all requirements for a private trip of this nature. However, we acknowledge that the nature of this travel has resulted in some public scrutiny.
As a result, we have reviewed our national policy to ensure our advice for staff remains up to date and appropriate.
