Southland District Council has launched its consultation phase for Local Water Done Well (LWDW). District residents are encouraged to submit their feedback with consultation open until 7 May 2025. Councils are required to decide on how water services will be delivered in their area, consult on at least two options,

* State Highway 6 is closed between Branxholme-Makarewa and Ryal Bush-Wallacetown Roads * Light vehicles are being diverted via North Makarewa-Grove Bush and Branxholme-Makarewa Roads * Heavy and HPMV vehicles must use SH99 and Ryal Bush-Wallacetown Road as a detour UPDATE: Road Now Open A crash has closed part of State Highway 6

• Sixty-eight CCTV cameras now live across Invercargill and Bluff to improve public safety • Footage is recorded 24 hours a day and kept securely for up to three months • Council and Police say the project will help deter crime and assist investigations A new CCTV network is now up and running

The project working group preparing the Bluff wastewater consent has been given until September to prepare its submission. Council’s Infrastructure and Projects Committee was told yesterday that the team will continue to prepare a two-year consent which will give them time for the new legislative changes to settle. Legal

Griffin’s has announced it will phase out the Cookie Bear character from its biscuit packaging, marking the end of a nostalgic era for many New Zealanders. The cheerful bear has been a familiar face in Kiwi households since the 1970s, making this decision a significant shift in the country’

A major redevelopment of Lions Park in Te Anau will transform the popular space into Southland’s latest destination playground. The Fiordland Community Board and Southland District Council have this week released the final concept plans to the community. Work is set to begin after Easter, with local contractors engaged

* February red meat exports rose 25 per cent, reaching $1.1 billion in total value * United States led beef growth with record-breaking $251 million in monthly exports * EU sheepmeat demand surged, with volumes up 42 per cent and value climbing 84 per cent New Zealand’s red meat sector had

* Farmers and small businesses say health and safety rules have created unnecessary burdens. * New changes aim to cut red tape and focus on preventing serious workplace injuries. * Retailers and chambers of commerce back the move towards more practical safety laws. Federated Farmers has welcomed the Government’s announcement of new