OPINION: Invercargill MP Penny Simmonds Minister for the Environment and Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills. As we approach the end of the year, I’d like to take the time to thank you all for your support. I value your contribution and appreciate your ongoing commitment to me, to

* Invercargill and Bluff gain enhanced security with 46 CCTV cameras operational by Christmas. * Council invests $2.3 million in phase one of CCTV project to support investigations. * New MOU formalises collaboration between Council and Police to ensure public safety. Progress continues on the installation of 68 CCTV cameras across Invercargill

* Police seized firearms, drugs, and ammunition in raids across Otago Lakes Central. * Operation Speargrass targeted drug suppliers and found improperly stored firearms. * Four individuals face penalties, including arrests and suspended firearms licences. Police conducted a series of targeted raids across Cromwell, Alexandra, Clyde, Hawea, Wānaka, and Queenstown this week as

Invercargill MP Penny Simmonds has congratulated Southlander Robin McNeill on being awarded the inaugural Prime Minister’s Space Prize for Professional Excellence. “This is a big moment for SpaceOps New Zealand founder and chief executive Robin McNeill MNZM, but it’s also huge for Southland and for the space industry

* SH6 crash involves bus and two cars, leaving one dead and several injured. * Emergency services confirm multiple injuries; road closure expected to last overnight. * Motorists warned of significant delays, with detour adding 2.5 hours to travel time. UPDATE 2am: SH6 is now OPEN between Kingston township and Wye Creek.

* Gore District Council approves directional drilling for Mataura River water project. * Two pipelines to link bores, reservoir, and treatment plant using advanced drilling. * $2.65 million project starts next year, set to finish by December. The Gore District Council has endorsed the use of directional drilling technology to install water

My vision is that Destination Bluff needs to be a tourism and aquaculture centre for this part of the country, somewhere where tourists want to stay for days. The businesses developing at Ocean Beach include growing paua, whitebait, kelp and seaweed, with a salmon farm to come later. There is