E-scooter injuries have risen, according to ACC claims data. Photo: Gerard O'BrienNewly-released ACC data shows claims for e-scooter injuries are on the rise, with children and young people among the most affected. The age group recorded 203 new e-scooter claims in 2022, tripling to 605 by 2025. "For a small number of people, these e-scooter injuries are life-threatening." ACC paid out almost $16 million for scooter-related injuries in 2025, an increase of about 10% on the year prior.
Photo: Supplied via RNZThe Barkers jam maker is already in trouble with its neighbours over stinky wastewater ponds, and now it wants to dump the waste on to DOC land. With the backdrop of the Southern Alps and a pristine river running by the famous jam-maker, Barker's factory tells the ideal story of a successful New Zealand business. What's not captured in that idyllic image is the stench of its wastewater ponds and the company's solution, that involves spraying five Olympic-sized pools of liquid on to nearby conservation land. The Timaru Herald's Federico Magrin has also been digging into Barker's wastewater practises and found it has been in tense discussions with ECan and DOC over it for months. Williams says it is not the first time that Barker's has sprayed wastewater onto the DOC reserve.
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says the Government is pushing ahead and police will now work on what the rules look like. Video / Ryan Bridge Today Video / Ryan Bridge Today
Gore's brown trout statue newly named Trevor. The brown trout statue has been proudly leaping in the Southland town since 1989 after being locally designed, built and fundraised. Trevor was officially announced at the On The Fly Festival on the banks of the Mataura River on Sunday afternoon. Fly fishing guide Shelen Boyes was showing people how to fly fish at the festival. Fly fishing has been Mike Weddell's career and passion - he has been flying fishing for more than 60 years.
That represents an excellent start for a team that came into 2026 holding the wooden spoon. A best-case scenario is beating both Australian teams and sitting quite pretty after roughly the first third of the season. "We worked really hard to change those tight results around, and last week we were successful," Joseph said. Joseph had no comment on whether the Chiefs restart before that try was an illegal drop-out. "I feel that we’re definitely going in the right direction, but we’re playing quality teams, and when you get your chance, you’ve got to nail it."
A chilly morning did not put off large numbers of athletes and their supporters attending Challenge Wanaka on Saturday. "The final numbers for this year’s event represent remarkable growth for Challenge Wānaka. Athletes completed a 1.9km swim in Lake Wānaka, a 90km bike ride towards Mount Aspiring National Park and a 21.1km run along the lakefront. Challenge athlete Jackie Connell, of Christchurch, said she had been practising rain, hail or shine to compete in the swim portion of Challenge Wanaka with her sons under the team name "Mum Fit and Sons". Anna Ramsey, of Balclutha, said she and her friends had entered the challenge "because it looked fun".
USA's players celebrate with their gold medals after the medals ceremony of the men's ice hockey event at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. Photo / AFPUSA beat Canada to win men’s Olympic ice hockey gold for first time in 46 yearsUSA's players celebrate with their gold medals after the medals ceremony of the men's ice hockey event at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. Photo / AFPThe United States have beaten Canada 2-1 to win men’s ice hockey gold at the Winter Olympics, the last medal up for grabs at the Milan-Cortina Games. Jack Hughes scored the winning goal in overtime to hand the US men their first Olympic triumph since the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” win over the Soviet Union in Lake Placid. But chants of “USA, USA” soon rang out and they got louder when Matt Boldy gave the Americans a 1-0 lead in the first period.
Colette Palmer, left, and Jasmine Begg, of The Ink Pot, use a rolling library ladder at the independent romance bookstore’s opening in St Andrew St on Saturday. Dozens of people queued down St Andrew St on Saturday morning when The Ink Pot opened its doors for the first time, to the delight of owner Colette Palmer. "We’ve got some local Dunedin authors on the shelves, and it’s always such a pleasure when we scan their books through." Work by local crafters was also for sale — Ms Palmer said she wanted the store to feel like a "real Dunedin space". Eager readers line Dunedin’s St Andrew St for the opening of independent romance bookstore The Ink Pot.
US Secret Service agents shot and killed an armed man who illegally entered the premises of President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate. A deputy and two Secret Service agents then shot him. The Secret Service said no one under its protection was present in Mar-a-Lago at the time. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt blamed Democrats for an ongoing partial government shutdown affecting the Department of Homeland Security, which includes the Secret Service. The US Secret Service is responsible for the safety of the President, Vice-President and former Presidents, and their families, as well as major election candidates and visiting foreign heads of state.
The Student Job Search organisation is New Zealand’s largest, Government-funded employment service, connecting tertiary students and recent graduates with employers. Forty-nine per cent of all jobs listed on Student Job Search in quarter 2 of the 2025/26 financial year were casual roles, while permanent fulltime roles made up just 2.5%, well below historical norms. “It’s creating tensions between work and study – with students missing a lecture or study to go to work. “They can’t afford to not have access to student allowances and loans, which has a long-term impact.”Both the Victoria and Otago University Students’ Association presidents said university students are struggling to support themselves. Victoria University Student Association president Aidan Donoghue said there are only so many part-time jobs that can accommodate the university schedule.
Newly appointed Police Commissioner Richard Chambers said Ms Z had been “ignored” and accused high-ranking officers of being part of a “cover-up”. On February 13, an email sent from a different Gmail account reiterated the request for “$600 for every sexual act”. Despite the police decision not to charge McSkimming for sexual offending against her, Ms Z has repeated claims she was abused by him. Meanwhile, a prosecution of Ms Z over online harassment after a complaint from McSkimming was abandoned in September last year. After the case was dropped, another complaint was made by a separate police officer and his wife after he started investigating Ms Z.
Runners put themselves through a gruelling Three Peaks "orientation" starting at Woodhaugh St yesterday morning. PHOTO: PETER MCINTOSHDunedin's dire summer has not deterred entries for this year’s Three Peaks race, with numbers already near capacity. But already there is strong interest, and several dozen attended a "training run" yesterday. But at the moment it’s looking OK," Ms Pattillo saidThe orientation runs were "always a point of interest". Trail running was regarded as a "typically male" pursuit, which meant the Three Peaks run had another point of difference as nearly half of the participants were female.
A new bylaw could be needed to enable the Dunedin City Council to manage its water supply network effectively, safely and in alignment with new legislation. This culminated in the Local Government (Water Services) Act 2025 and government acceptance of the council’s water services delivery plan. The council’s water supply network serves more than 45,000 properties and includes nine water supply dams, 62 treated-water reservoirs, over 1700km of pipelines, 21 pumping stations and six water treatment plants. The purpose of the bylaw would be to enable efficient and effective management of the water supply network, including servicing areas where growth is anticipated, protect the council’s water supply and equipment from contamination and against damage, and protect against water wastage. A person may commit an infringement offence if they carry out building work over or near water services infrastructure without approval, discharge into the water supply network without authorisation or tamper with a water meter.
A person was taken to hospital with moderate injuries after getting "stuck in a window" in the early hours of the morning in Queenstown. Firefighters were on the scene for about 20 minutes after being alerted by a bystander just after 2am yesterday. They reported "someone stuck in a window", a Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) spokeswoman said. The crew assessed and treated one patient who was transported to Lakes District Hospital in a moderate condition, she said. Information was not available on where and how the cat was stuck, but it seemed to have taken a long time to free it.
Cruise ships 'Azamara Onward' (left) and 'Carnival Splendor' are joined at Port Chalmers by two tugboats, which aided the former after two lines disconnected while it was berthed yesterday. Two lines securing Azamara Onward to the Port Chalmers container terminal "parted safely" under the strain of the wind, Port Otago marine and infrastructure general manager Grant Bicknell said. Port Otago had been prepared for the strong winds since Friday and had tugboats on standby, he said. The captain of Azamara Onward contacted harbour control to notify them of the wind and raised concerns about the lines. Most cruise ships used self-tensioning winches to keep the lines at an even tension.
