Increased fire dangers are forecast for Otago and Southland on Wednesday as predicted gale force winds cover the regions. Last week strong winds fanned many fires across Otago, keeping firefighters busy. Fire and Emergency New Zealand is asking people who have burnt in the last two months to check o

UPDATE: Road now open. SH 1 Edendale, near Clark Road, Road Closed due to a crash, the road is closed. A detour is in place. Please follow the detour and allow for extra travel time. There were no fatal or serious injuries. Detour route: Eastbound traffic use Homestead Road, onto Hilda Road, back on

Labour leader Jacinda Ardern is promising to make Matariki a public holiday if re-elected. Ardern made the pledge to mark the start of the Māori New Year while campaigning in Rotorua this morning. “As I’ve travelled around New Zealand I’ve heard the calls for Matariki to become a public holiday – it

A dispute over responsibility for 8500 tonnes of toxic waste in Southland is heading to court. The Environmental Defence Society is this morning seeking a ruling from the Environment Court over who has ultimate responsibility for removing the ouvea premix from Mataura’s disused papermill. A byproduc

Police continue to make enquiries into the fatal crash in Makarewa on 2nd September. A teenager remains in a critical condition in Dunedin Hospital and the investigation is progressing. However, Police believe there may be people who are yet to speak to Police with information that may assist with t

Former St Patricks School principal Callan Goodall has become a children’s book author. He said it was almost like winning a golden ticket – you know, the one in Charlie and The Chocolate Factory. Midmost Marvin tells the tale of a very average boy with better than average skateboard skills. He trie

Police are appealing for the public’s help after a number of vehicles were broken into in Invercargill over the weekend. Items such as wallets, phones and electronics were taken from the vehicles parked at walking tracks in the Sandy Point area. Initial enquiries indicate about 6 vehicles were targe

A first in New Zealand for the Southern DHB. This with the delivery of a new MRI magnet unit at the Invercargill Hospital on Saturday morning. The new magnet is part of a new $1.5m MRI and replaces an 18 year old unit. Brendon Clifford, project manager for supplier Philips told whatsoninvers that th