It is more perverse as we strongly identify with our regions through rugby, culture and in many other important ways. I am not suggesting the current regions are perfect or well run; the evidence shows otherwise. Local governance is not a managerial puzzle or structural inconvenience. The regions are the direct descendants of the original provinces, often closer to locals’ needs, iwi and hapū than Wellington can ever be. Pass authority from Wellington to cities and regions that understand their own environments better than someone elected in Auckland or an unelected official in the capital.

PHOTOS: SUPPLIEDAn operator of a Catlins camping ground says he is being forced out by council red tape, racist taunts and a lack of support from the wider community. There was only one way to get to the headland and that was a road through the camping ground. That created pressure on amenities and the trust’s only income was the rent payment from Mr Schmidt and Ms Shua. The trust was not ‘‘putting its head in the sand’’ and wanted to support the operators of the camping ground, he said. Mr Schmidt had given the trust an indication he would be moving on when his lease ended in June.

Photo: GettyOne of the world's largest pornography websites has blocked Australian users days before a deadline to introduce age-verification measures aimed at protecting children. "A child today can't walk into a bar and order a drink," eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant told ABC Radio on Monday. Ms Inman Grant said pornography sites using a button to ask users whether they are over 18 will no longer suffice. "There are now a dozen lawsuits in the US taking on various chatbot providers," Ms Inman Grant said. Ms Inman Grant said the social media ban has had early success, with 4.7 million accounts restricted across banned platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.

The defendant losing his job, Richards said, was a “normal and ordinary consequence” of offending like this. It means a court can no longer make an order for an offender’s permanent name suppression without the victim’s agreement. This brought Judge Maxwell’s starting point down to 21 months, which meant the defendant was eligible for home detention. Between September 3 and 17 last year, the girl sent the defendant 12 images and 19 short videos. “On Sunday 21 September 2025 at 10.40am, the defendant paid for an Uber to bring the victim to his house.

They came to the attention of police on patrol when they were clocked by their radar going 161kmh. They were going too fast, and crashed straight through a fence and into a paddock, Sgt Lee said. The driver only held a learners licence, Sgt Lee said. The 93-year-old was attempting to conduct a U-turn when midway through he shot forward and smashed right into an unoccupied parked car, Sgt Lee said. Sgt Lee said inquiries were ongoing to locate the man, police were reviewing the ample CCTV footage in the area.

Emergency services at the scene of the crash just south of Milton this morning. Photo: Richard DavisonState Highway 1 south of Milton has reopened after a crash between a truck and a car this morning, resulting in critical injuries. In a statement, police said they were called to the crash near the intersection of SH1 and Adams Flat Rd just before 9am. A witness said a white SUV had sustained extensive damage in the crash. One patient, in a critical condition, was transported to Dunedin Hospital, the spokesperson said.

Photo: RNZPetrol stations across the country are seeing a surge of drivers filling up as tensions in the Middle East push the global oil prices higher. "The later I leave it, the more the petrol prices are going up. "Over the last week, we've seen the Singapore Platts price go up by about $60 a barrel. Earlier, Mike Newton from Gaspy told First Up the queuing at petrol stations over the weekend was similar to when a fuel brand ran a big discount day. AA Transport policy advisor Terry Collins told Morning Report companies were also raising the prices to manage the risk.

Photo: ODT FilesQueenstown police are asking for the public’s help to find out who stole two cars early yesterday. However, the driver "took off at speed", Sen Sgt Wilkinson said. "Given the danger a pursuit would’ve posed around Lake Hayes Estate, they didn't chase it." Police subsequently received complaints from two more vehicle owners in Lake Hayes Estate - in Castalia Dr and Orbell Dr - that appeared to have been interfered with in an attempt to steal them. Sen Sgt Wilkinson said it was a reminder to vehicle owners to keep valuables out of sight, to keep them locked, and to park on driveways where possible.

US equities fell following a weaker‑than‑expected US labour market report, while ongoing Middle East tensions drove another leg higher in oil prices. Treasury markets saw whipsaw price action, while an early lift in the US dollar index faded into the weekly close. An dip in oil prices during Asian trading proved short‑lived. Adding to the upside pressure, reports that Kuwait has begun cutting output at some fields due to storage constraints saw oil prices surge higher. Oil sensitive currencies including the Canadian dollar and Norwegian krone outperformed within the G10 basket.

File photo: RNZA freight company is warning New Zealand faces sharply higher freight prices, rising living costs, and months‑long delivery delays as the impact of the Iran conflict spreads through global supply chains. Many vessels were avoiding the Middle East entirely, re-routing around southern Africa - adding up to 40 days to transit times and significantly increasing fuel costs. The only stable spot, for now, was freight to Australia and China - though Coleman expected prices on those routes to rise as fuel costs continued to climb. Coleman said rising transport costs would ripple through every part of the supply chain. "It comes down to that loaf of bread - it's going to increase dramatically just because of transport costs."

Scott O'Donnell. Photo: ODT filesKiwiRail director Scott O'Donnell will step down from the KiwiRail board of directors on March 24, cutting short an appointment more than two years ahead of schedule. Board chair Suzanne Tindal said a new venture will require him to spend more time in Australia. O'Donnell attended at least three KiwiRail board meetings and RNZ knows of at least one item O'Donnell had to step aside for in December. • The Board reserves the right to invite Scott O'Donnell to recuse himself if the Board feels it is inappropriate to include him in discussions and decisions.

Waimakariri River. Photo: RNZ (file)Police say a man who drowned in Canterbury's Waimakariri River was trying to save his dog. Emergency services were called to the river at 4.30pm on Sunday. Christchurch metro area commander Superintendent Lane Todd said the drowning was tragic and the dog had not been found. The man's death has been referred to the coroner.

Zimbabwean opening batter Kelis Ndhlovu is transported off the field after being hit in the head while batting. Photo: Getty ImagesZimbabwean cricketer Kelis Ndhlovu is out of hospital and recovering well after being struck on the head by a bouncer during the second ODI against the White Ferns in Dunedin yesterday. The left-hander, who was wearing a helmet, was looking well-set at the crease but ducked into a bouncer from White Ferns left-armer Bree Illing. "Yeah, so she’s just recovering and we’ll just see what the scans say and then we’ll move on from there. The second ODI is at the University Oval on Wednesday.

Photos: Gerard O'BrienPetrolheads carved out a slice of Dunedin and turned it into a hive of American-made car heaven for hot-rod enthusiasts. There was a sea of classic cars flooding Tahuna Park on Saturday as the Stateside Streeters Car Club hosted their annual Great USA Day car show. Event organiser Paul Barron said about 265 cars from all over the South Island came together for the show. Crowds gather at the The Great USA Day car show at Tāhuna Park on Saturday. Proceeds made from the day went to the Otago Community Hospice.

File photoA senior first responder facing child exploitation charges has elected to have a judge-alone trial. The man, whose name and occupation are suppressed, has pleaded not guilty to five charges relating to the possession and exportation of child exploitation material brought by Customs last year. He had previously elected a trial by jury but has now opted for a judge-alone trial. His lawyer Craig Ruane said the man's employment had been terminated because the charges "brought his employer into disrepute". Judge Elkin agreed to extend the man's interim name suppression until his trial because publication would cause extreme hardship.