Rat poison left on popular dog-walking route
John Wilson Ocean Drive at St Kilda. File photo: Google MapsA Dunedin veterinarian is calling on anyone who has taken their dog for a walk off-lead along John Wilson Ocean Drive over the past seven days, to contact their vet immediately, after it was discovered someone had placed rat poison along the popular walking route. Several dog owners have reported having to take their dogs to vets in the city after seeing them eat blocks of the poison near a rubbish bin. Unfortunately, it could take several days for a dog to show symptoms after eating the poison. She said poisoning could be lethal and dog owners who had been in the area recently should contact their vet immediately to see if treatment and an antidote were needed.
Source:Otago Daily Times
March 29, 2026 21:58 UTC
'Possibly intentional': Damaged cable causes diesel leak
Emergency services respond to sabotaged fuel pipe at Auckland petrol station. Photo: RNZFire and Emergency have discovered that it is a power cable - not a fuel pipe - which has caused a diesel leak in South Auckland on Monday. Three crews have been at the scene on Great South Road in the suburb of Manurewa since 6.30am this morning. Northpower helped Fire and Emergency to establish that it was a power cable with fuel insulation around it in order to cool it down. A lane on busy Great South Road was closed with traffic being moved around it.
Source:Otago Daily Times
March 29, 2026 21:00 UTC
One dead after crash in Belfast, Christchurch
Sign in hereAccess to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. One dead after crash in Belfast, ChristchurchOne person has died after a crash in Belfast, Christchurch last week. Police were called to the two-vehicle crash on Main North Rd just after 1.30pm last Thursday. Five people were taken to hospital by ambulance with injuries ranging from moderate to serious. “Sadly, one person died in hospital last night,” police said this morning.
Source:New Zealand Herald
March 29, 2026 20:26 UTC
The raft of changes that could affect your wallet this week
File photo: Getty ImagesApril 1 is approaching - a day on which a host of rule changes take effect. JobSeeker for a single person over 25 will increase from $361.32 to $372.55 a week, after tax. Residential solarA new exemption takes effect from April 1 that means power generated by rooftop solar systems and sold back into the grid is exempt from tax. There have ben concerns that the scheme is not well targeted and sometimes helps higher-income earners, while large low-income families pay comparatively more. A new rule will also allow employers to pay tax on employee benefits through the fringe benefit tax regime, rather than PAYE.
Source:Otago Daily Times
March 29, 2026 20:16 UTC
Before an elevator door severed her arm, tenants complained about safety
(Video: D.C.’s Department of Buildings)The door opens and Shadow, whose leash handle was looped on Fisher’s arm, steps into the hallway. When firefighters arrived, Beristain said, they were initially unable to open the elevator door and were forced to use an electric saw and other tools to pry it apart. Days after Fisher’s arm was severed in the door, Borger placed posters in the two operable elevators instructing residents on how to control pets in the elevator. “There’s just a laxness of enforcement in this city.”Fisher’s injury is by far the worst elevator incident to have occurred in the building, but not the only one. Fox frantically pushed the “open door” button but the elevator went up immediately, pulling Ruthie with it.
Source:New Zealand Herald
March 29, 2026 19:01 UTC
Person dies following Christchurch crash
One person has died following a crash in Belfast, Christchurch last week that left five people hospitalised. Police said they were called to the two-vehicle crash on Main North Rd just after 1.30pm on Thursday, March 26. Five people were transported to hospital by ambulance with injuries ranging from moderate to serious. "Sadly, one person died in hospital last night," police said in a statement this morning. Another person remains in hospital in a stable condition, while the other three people were discharged at an earlier date.
Source:Otago Daily Times
March 29, 2026 19:01 UTC
Lawson 'very pleased' to get in the points in Japan
Red Bull's Isack Hadjar and RB's Liam Lawson during the Japanese Grand Prix. Photo: ReutersSmiles again for Liam Lawson as some luck went his way in the Japanese Grand Prix. Lawson finished in the points for the third straight race after grabbing ninth position at Suzuka. "We were also a bit fortunate with the Safety Car, which helped us move into the points. His team-mate Arvid Linblad suffered because of the safety car after pitting just before and finished 14th.
Source:Otago Daily Times
March 29, 2026 18:21 UTC
Acknowledge inadequate South D pipes
If insurance retreat reaches South Dunedin, it will not be due to tsunamis, but long-term inadequate drainage. About 90% of Facebook comments challenged the council’s stance, arguing that South Dunedin has been let down for decades. Climate adaptation is essential for the future, but it should not prevent a flood-free South Dunedin today, with fit-for-purpose infrastructure. This will demonstrate that 60 years of South Dunedin flooding has been triggered by moderate to heavy rain acting on an undersized stormwater system. Until the DCC formally acknowledges the inadequate South Dunedin stormwater system, accepts responsibility and commits to delivering a right-sized system within a defined timeframe, advocacy for South Dunedin stormwater justice will continue.
Source:Otago Daily Times
March 29, 2026 17:03 UTC
Accident near miss thanks to device
A close call on a quadbike could have been worse if Otago farmer Simon Davies did not have a crush protection device fitted. PHOTO: SUPPLIEDOtago's Simon Davies is among farmers dipping into their pockets to make safety upgrades on quadbikes after a near miss on his sheep and beef farm near Milton. The accident would have been worse if it was not for a crush protection device fitted on a quadbike he was riding. She said Safer Rides was being continued so more farmers could benefit as the numbers showed incentives encouraged them to make safety a priority. Mr Davies said he would recommend other farmers get bars fitted to their quadbikes and side-by-side vehicles.
Source:Otago Daily Times
March 29, 2026 17:03 UTC
Medical imaging firm finds export market
The company’s compact spectral molecular imaging CT scanner delivers 3D colour X-rays for upper extremity imaging. Official clearance unlocks the spectral molecular imaging scanners being able to enter US medical centres and clinics for producing three-dimensional colour X-rays initially for diagnosing hand to shoulder complaints. This is the first CT imaging system developed in New Zealand to be cleared by the big agency. Chairman Chris Stoelhorst said the milestone would expand patient and clinic access to photon-counting CT imaging. The company hopes to generate sales of clinical scanners in medical centres and the likes of wrist clinics.
Source:Otago Daily Times
March 29, 2026 17:03 UTC
Naysayers, native moths and lizards, and getting anything done
PHOTO: SUPPLIEDIt is fair to say that New Zealand is fast becoming a nation of naysayers. The Santana mining proposal is a case in point. Many others, however, express equal but opposite concerns if the Santana proposal fails to actually gain approval. Unless you are into moths, which most of us are unlikely to be, it’s hard to assess a native moth’s true value — in every sense of the word value — to our society. Santana is to be commended for engaging with the public on a scale rarely seen over their mining proposal.
Source:Otago Daily Times
March 29, 2026 17:03 UTC
Poor process on policing Bill
A truncated select committee process is not a good look for legislation which relates to police powers. Instead of the usual six weeks for submissions on the Policing Amendment Bill, there will, by our reckoning, be three weeks and six days, with two of those days public holidays. The joint report revealed officers had poor grasp of privacy law, even though that law has been around since 1993. Accordingly, they had to meet a higher standard than members of the public taking photos in a public place. Privacy Commissioner Michael Webster has described the safeguards in the Bill as setting a low bar.
Source:Otago Daily Times
March 29, 2026 17:03 UTC
New programmes to aid tech sector
Prof Richard BarkerAn ambition to create a billion-dollar technology sector in Queenstown will take a significant step forward next year. Speaking at last week’s Otago Tourism Policy School in the resort, organised by the university, Prof Barker said the aim was to use partnerships to leverage what was special about the region and create educational programmes that were both transformational and ‘‘globally attractive’’. ‘‘Our plan in all of this is not really to teach foundational technology skills,’’ Prof Barker said. Prof Barker said the university believed there was sufficient housing capacity within the existing market for next year’s pilot programme. QRC, for example, already had student accommodation with capacity for about 250, while Prof Barker told delegates at the policy school there was also a ‘‘huge amount of housing’’ planned.
Source:Otago Daily Times
March 29, 2026 16:59 UTC
Celebrating Pasifika elders and knowledge
Christiana Moeroa, from the Cook Islands group, performs at Moana Nui at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin on Saturday. PHOTOS: GREGOR RICHARDSONBringing together generations, learning from your elders and passing on knowledge was the theme for this year’s Moana Nui Festival. The theme this year was ‘‘Weaving the Generations Together’’, which was a celebration of the elders and all the different generations that flowed below them and the knowledge that was passed down. Pacific Trust Otago director of health Finau Taungapeau said they were also acknowledging that some of the elders were starting to disappear. Running the stall at Moana Nui was a family affair for Ms Bryden — this was her fourth year selling her wares.
Source:Otago Daily Times
March 29, 2026 16:59 UTC