Covid causes oversupply in rental market
PHOTO: ODT FILESIt is a tenants’ market in Queenstown Lakes and Central Otago as holiday and longer-term rentals fall victim to the long tail of Covid-19. Harcourts Property Management Queenstown business manager Paul Hibbett said the Airbnb-type market was experiencing demand over the school holidays but there was a "dearth either side". Many short-term rentals had reverted to long-term rentals and there was an "oversupply" in the rental market. Rental listings were "slightly above normal" for the whole of Otago, with a spike in June. Predictions there would be a flood of Airbnbs into the market had amounted to little more than a trickle across the province.
Source:Otago Daily Times
July 10, 2020 16:30 UTC
Awake, up and out the door
Arrowtown fire chief Murray Forward certainly knows how to leap out of bed in the dead of the night. Born in Dunedin, Mr Forward arrived in Arrowtown as a 5-year-old and has lived in close proximity to the station ever since. "She will have the lights on, the curtains pulled, the door unlocked, so I’m heading off in the right direction. Naturally, this means Mr Forward has witnessed a fair amount of trauma. I think that’s quite important."
Source:Otago Daily Times
July 10, 2020 16:30 UTC
Charity hospital fundraising effort reaches $100K mark
To begin the refit of the hospital building, formerly the Clifton Club Inn, off Armagh St, donated by the Invercargill Licensing Trust in February, the charity hospital board has to raise a total of $500,000. She was surprised to receive a phone call from charity hospital board member Melissa Vining, whose husband, Blair, died in October last year of bowel cancer. His public fight for better healthcare access in the South garnered national attention and he was a driving force in the creation of the Southland Charity Hospital Trust. Mrs Brown said she hoped the planned new hospital would provide earlier diagnosis and treatment options for future patients. The Southland Charity Hospital had $500,000 in the bank before the "buy a brick" campaign was launched and the trust needed to match that before it could proceed with the physical work.
Source:Otago Daily Times
July 10, 2020 16:30 UTC
School holidays provide fillip for Air NZ
PHOTO: ODT FILESAir New Zealand expects to fly more passengers to Queenstown during the school holidays than it did last year. "We had anticipated a slower recovery, closer to 55%, so it’s quite a material amount better than we anticipated." "With Queenstown having such a great breadth and variety of product, this is where we’re getting a lot of customers." "They’re all very aware that once we get through this peak of the school holidays, we’re going to have another period where we’re going to have to stimulate the local economy again." When a transtasman bubble was announced by the Government, the airline would resume international flights into Queenstown "as soon as possible".
Source:Otago Daily Times
July 10, 2020 16:30 UTC
Rubber sellers open new Dunedin store
When he finished his studies in Dunedin, Mr Ng returned to Malaysia where he worked in a laboratory testing and certifying rubber for Michelin tyres. "We grew up with rubber," Mrs Ng said. So when the Dunedin City Council bought the site their old Para Rubber store was in in South Dunedin and the franchise agreement came to an end, what were they going to do? Well, open another rubber store. The store would sell rubber parts to a range of tradespeople and businesses — including Farra Engineering and the University of Otago.
Source:Otago Daily Times
July 10, 2020 16:30 UTC
Pint-sized library a labour of love
Waitaki district libraries digital services and reference librarian Debbie Price- Ewen with her book nook. PHOTOS: REBECCA RYANA tiny library within the Oamaru Public Library has been capturing the imaginations of visitors. Created during lockdown by digital services and reference librarian Debbie Price-Ewen, the incredibly detailed diorama of a miniature library, or "book nook", has been on display for the past week. It started as a lockdown project for Mrs Price-Ewen, who was missing the library and was inspired by a miniature armchair she created about three years ago. "I was thinking more and more about how much I was missing the library and — voila," she said.
Source:Otago Daily Times
July 10, 2020 16:30 UTC
Why aren't we more accepting of those returning?
OPINION: This isn’t an original scenario; a smart friend outlined it on the phone a couple of weeks ago. The question of asking them to pay towards their obligatory 14 days in managed isolation was starting to be discussed. RNZ An epidemiologist wants those returning to this country to be confined to their rooms during Covid-19 quarantine. In short, I think it explains a generally hostile stance in some quarters to returning Kiwis having their fortnight in managed isolation paid for. That would save thousands”; “Let’s ping these returning Kiwis at the border”.
Source:Stuff
July 10, 2020 06:11 UTC
No-one hurt in car incidents
No-one was hurt in two incidents involving cars south of central Dunedin about 5pm today, emergency services said. A car went on fire in southern Kaikorai Valley Rd, near Burnside, about 5pm, and firefighters extinguished the fire, police helping with traffic control in the area, near Ensor St.Another car broke down in the southbound lane of the Southern Motorway at Fairfield, shortly before 5pm and onlookers reported smoke coming from the vehicle, a police spokeswoman said. Occupants of the car were unhurt, she said. Further details were not immediately available.
Source:Otago Daily Times
July 10, 2020 05:48 UTC
Victoria records 288 new coronavirus cases
Victoria has recorded 288 new coronavirus cases, the biggest daily increase of any state since the pandemic began. Previously, the highest daily state total in Australia was 212 cases recorded in New South Wales on March 27. He said the number of new cases proved the need for parts of the state to re-enter lockdown. They include 16 people at a Dandenong birthday party, who were fined a total of $26,000. "That is a heck of a birthday party to recall."
Source:Otago Daily Times
July 10, 2020 05:15 UTC
Bankruptcy proceedings for Mainzeal director Richard Yan halted
Bankruptcy proceedings for Mainzeal director Richard Yan have been halted. READ MORE:* Mainzeal director defending bankruptcy says he can't secure $18m payment* Yan fails to block bankruptcy bid over Mainzeal damages* Dame Shipley and Mainzeal directors fail to overturn $36m penaltiesThe insurer of Shipley, Gomm and Tilby had secured $18m, but Yan resisted putting up security for his $18m share. The key issue was whether the bankruptcy proceedings should be halted ahead of the appeal, and whether Yan should have to provide more security “than the relatively minimal amount he has offered thus far”. Any bankruptcy order made now was likely to be annulled if Yan’s appeal succeeded, and evidence had indicated that Chinese courts would not recognise or enforce a New Zealand bankruptcy order. Judge Andrew did not order Yan to provide any extra security, although “he had “provided very little information as to his current remuneration.
Source:Stuff
July 10, 2020 05:07 UTC
Auckland shooting: Man charged with murdering Clifford Umuhiri named
A man charged with murdering a gang member who was fatally shot in Auckland can now be named. Clifford Umuhuri, 47, of Whakatāne, died on a central Auckland street after a mad dash to hospital following a shooting in another part of the city, on June 1. He was arrested and charged with Umuhuri’s murder on June 18 and denied the killing at the High Court in Auckland on July 8. READ MORE:* St Johns homicide: Not guilty plea to murdering Clifford Umuhuri* Auckland shooting: Clifford Umuhuri's alleged killer in courtGEORGE BLOCK/STUFF CCTV footage of the minutes before a body was found in downtown Auckland, after a shooting across town. The man previously denied the aggravated robbery charge and his lawyer indicated he would also deny murder.
Source:Stuff
July 10, 2020 04:52 UTC
New arrest at Auckland isolation hotel
A man has been arrested at an Auckland Covid-19 isolation hotel after allegedly becoming abusive at staff. Auckland Police Superintendent Steve Kehoe said on Monday night a 21-year-old man who was in managed isolation at a hotel in Māngere was arrested after he allegedly became abusive to staff. The Ministry of Health confirmed to the New Zealand Herald it was at Naumi Hotel, Auckland Airport. The liquor store is roughly a nine-minute walk from the hotel. On Saturday, a woman jumped two fences at the Pullman Hotel in Auckland shortly before 6.20pm but was soon found a couple of blocks away on Anzac Ave.She is due to appear in the Auckland District Court on Monday.
Source:Otago Daily Times
July 10, 2020 04:52 UTC
Timaru man recognised by Defence Force for work as medic
On Friday New Zealand Army Staff Sergeant Jeremy Boyd was presented with a Chief of Defence Force Commendation by Chief of Defence Force Air Marshal Kevin Short at a ceremony in Wellington. Timaru man Jeremy Boyd has been recognised by the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) for his work as a medic in Iraq in 2018. On Friday Staff Sergeant Boyd, who decided he wanted to join the Army as a little boy in Timaru, was presented with a Chief of Defence Force Commendation by Chief of Defence Force Air Marshal Kevin Short, at a ceremony in Wellington. “Staff Sergeant Boyd brought great credit on himself and enhanced the reputation of the New Zealand Defence Force.”Staff Sergeant Boyd, based at Linton Military Camp as a senior instructor in the Defence Health Organisation, said he was humbled to receive the award. Staff Sergeant Boyd joined the New Zealand Army as a medic in 1999.
Source:Stuff
July 10, 2020 04:30 UTC
Govt, Rio Tinto urged to try to keep smelter open
PHOTO: ODT FILESThe Government and Rio Tinto are being urged to explore all avenues to keep the Tiwai Point Aluminium Smelter open "before irretrievable steps are taken". Southland Mayoral Forum chairman Gore District Mayor Tracy Hicks made the statement following yesterday’s announcement the mining giant would close the smelter next year. Rio Tinto said plans to wind-down the smelter were a result of it no longer being considered viable, due to its high energy costs and a challenging outlook for the aluminium industry. However, the mayoral forum would work with regional economic development agency, Great South to explore ways to "enhance partnerships" with Government to ensure Southland "is a vibrant, welcoming place". The mayoral forum wanted a direct connection to any discussions had between Government and Rio Tinto, he said.
Source:Otago Daily Times
July 10, 2020 04:30 UTC
China embassy warns of deadly 'unknown pneumonia'
China's embassy in Kazakhstan has warned its citizens to take precautions against an outbreak of pneumonia in the country that it says is more lethal than COVID-19. Pneumonia in Kazakhstan had killed 1772 people in the first half of the year, with 628 deaths in June alone, including Chinese citizens, the embassy said. "The mortality rate of the disease is much higher than that of pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus," it said. The embassy said Kazakhstan's health ministry and other health institutions were now carrying out a "comparative study", but no conclusions had yet been made. According to a Tuesday report by Kazinform, the state news agency of Kazakhstan, the number of pneumonia cases "increased 2.2 times in June as compared to the same period of 2019".
Source:Otago Daily Times
July 10, 2020 04:18 UTC