Video / SuppliedWitnesses at Tāwharanui where a man drowned yesterday said they had earlier got out of the water because the strong currents and rips “spooked” them. Witnesses said the man had got in trouble in the water. A rescue helicopter lands at Tawharanui regional park where a man drowned yesterday. Photo / Jeri BruntonAnother woman at the scene, who didn’t wish to be named, said she had also left the water because it was rough. “If you swim at an unpatrolled beach, or outside patrol hours, you are placing yourself at an incredible risk.

An Australian man who drowned while trying to rescue a child in a lake on New Zealand’s South Island has been identified as 35-year-old NSW resident Jonathan Jordan Young. Young drowned in Lake Wakatipu at Glenorchy, a small town 45 minutes’ drive from Queenstown, about 4pm on Thursday last week. New Zealand’s police dive squad located the body of Jonathan Jordan Young on Friday. Young had been in New Zealand for only three days before his death, travelling with his fiancee. His parents and brother flew to New Zealand when the search began and were at the site when his body was recovered.

…Ardern was promising if she were elected Labour would cut immigration by 30,000 people from over 70,000 a year. …Despite pledging to cut the number of migrants, Labour actually increased them. In the year to October 2017 – the month Ardern took office – net migration was 55,000. In December 2019, the last month before the COVID pandemic struck it was 72,000. …Between 2019 and the end of 2021 property prices rose by 50 per cent.

Political Roundup: Labour shifts focus from Grey Lynn to West Auckland The days of the Labour Government being associated with middle class social liberalism look to be numbered. It was precisely what he needed to do.” Smart for Hipkins to focus on the economy Matthew Hooton writes in The Australian today that Hipkins is smart to focus Labour on the economy – it’s the overwhelming voting issue for 2023. And when the poll asked the public who they thought could best tackle inflation, 49 per cent chose National, with only 23 per cent favouring Labour. On the economy in general, National is favoured by 50 per cent, to Labour’s 27 per cent. TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com Labour desperately needs to turn around the perception that the party isn’t focused on economic issues during a recession.

Fifty people were rescued from the water in northern region over the weekend, along with two with mass rescues in Raglan. The six fatal drownings in Auckland since Friday afternoon share one common factor, say lifeguards: unpatrolled beaches. All six drownings happened at locations where lifeguards aren’t stationed or where patrols had finished for the day. Two people also drowned at unpatrolled beaches on Friday: one at Narrow Neck Beach on Auckland’s North Shore, and another at Big Manly Beach on the Whangaparāoa Peninsula. “We’re seeing common sense playing a huge part [in the water incidents].

Most bank economists believe Stats NZ data out on Wednesday will show consumer inflation fell very slightly in the December quarter, from 7.2 per cent year-on-year in the September quarter. This will really concern the Reserve Bank, given it is domestic price pressures that it can influence. Indeed, economists see non-tradeable (domestic) inflation coming in stronger than tradeable (imported) inflation. Meanwhile, BNZ and Kiwibank economists believe it will opt for a 50-point lift. Kiwibank economists believe labour market conditions should loosen in the second half of this year, with the unemployment rate steadily rising.

A Stuff NowNext survey gave the first insight into who readers might prefer to lead the Labour party following Jacinda Ardern’s resignation and whether the announcement changes the way they might vote in the upcoming election. Stuff Chief Data and Insights Officer Dina Hay says she wasn’t surprised at the volume of responses received in such a short timeframe. Advertising customers are taking advantage of Stuff’s established data and insights capabilities says Executive Commercial Director Matt Headland. Forty one percent of respondents said Chris Hipkins should be the next Labour leader. The survey also showed that Ardern’s resignation may influence how people intend to vote in the upcoming election.

The 21-year-old trombonist’s “highlight of the year” came last week as he toured some of the South Island with fellow musicians in the National Youth Brass Band for his fourth year. Thirty-seven young brass and percussion musicians aged from 14 to 22 were selected by audition to be in the band.

nzherald.co.nz published this video item, entitled “Focus: Chris Hipkins to become Prime Minister wrap-up | nzherald.co.nz” – below is their description. Thomas Coughlan wraps up the big changes in Labour leadership this week. Full story: https://bit.ly/xxxxxxxx Subscribe and be notified of breaking news: https://goo.gl/LP45jX Check out our playlists: https://goo.gl/Swd249 Like NZ Herald on Facebook: https://goo.gl/tUC4oq Follow NZ Herald on Instagram: https://goo.gl/oLicXe Follow NZ Herald on Twitter: https://goo.gl/Wi6mbv nzherald.co.nz YouTube ChannelGot a comment? Leave your thoughts in the comments section, below. Please note comments are moderated before publication.

SHAREShare on Facebook SHAREShare on Twitter TWEETPin to Pinterest PINLink Megan Stephens chased her missing luggage from American to Europe, only for it to be stolen from right outside her Auckland home. Megan Stephens' suitcases were lost on the Auckland to Sydney leg of a world trip. On December 20, Stephens received a call saying her bags were at Paris airport. Eight days later, Stephens received a message from her flatmate that her van had been broken into. Because Stephens' Air New Zealand flight was a codeshare and not Air New Zealand-operated, Marren said the company was not responsible.

Chris Hipkins and Jacinda Ardern. Photo: NZ HeraldThe usually solid political management skills of the Labour Party demonstrated over the past five years have been decidedly shaky in the past 12 months, but over the last three days it has reacted perfectly to an unexpected crisis. This could have been a terribly divisive process, especially as the most logical successor to Ms Ardern, Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson, had created a power vacuum by immediately ruling himself out. The rise of Mr Hipkins to the top job is a logical one, but little in politics is logical and some kind of leadership contest was entirely possible. But, for now, Labour has handily cleared what could have been a first fence fall in the election race.

Photo: Stuff / Abigail DoughertyAn Aucklander who has a rare genetic disorder says moving her family to Australia last week was her only option to access a life-changing drug. She said being able to access Spinraza in Australia would allow her to maintain her existing quality of life. She said Pharmac should fund the drug for those with the disease so they could enjoy a better quality of life. However, Williams did not rule out funding Spinraza for a larger group of SMA sufferers in the future. "The decision we announced in December 2022 does not mean we won't widen access to nusinersen (Spinraza) in the future."

Will swing voters reward the vitriol from the Right that gutted Jacinda? There is a danger in the way and manner in which the Right have burnt Jacinda out. They voted for Jacinda because in her leadership they saw themselves and they emotionally bonded deeply to her. By burning Jacinda out with hate, ACT and National have ended up like the Republicans winning Abortion rights in America last year. I don’t think Kiwis will reward this type of political malice and ACT and National will see a backlash to this type of toxic politics.

Wow, Colbert’s tribute to Jacinda has to be seen to appreciate how important she has been to building our global profile……his tribute reminds you that Jacinda with nothing in the tank could still run circles around Luxon with 5 full tanks! Some will be frustrated that Jacinda is standing down when the progressive movement needs her most, but. A vote for ACT or National is rewarding this feral spite. Friends don’t let friends vote ACT or National. Increasingly having independent opinion in a mainstream media environment which mostly echo one another has become more important than ever, so if you value having an independent voice – please donate here.

NZ’s first homegrown THC product has received approval from the Medicinal Cannabis Agency, and two big health insurers will now cover medicinal cannabis consultations (NZ Herald). Changes are also coming to NZ’s Medicinal Cannabis Scheme, having already received Ministerial sign off. Coming up:Test your stash, with the NZ Drug Foundation, at The Hempstore this Saturday 21st Jan. Clinic runs 11am-pm. Tune in to bFM Drive’s Jonny and Chris Fowlie from The Hempstore on Marijuana Media, every Thursday at 4:20pm on 95bFM. Stream or download the pot-cast for this show here or hundreds of previous Marijuana Media shows at 95bFM.com (or via iTunes / RSS feed).