MDMA warning for Kiwis after suspected mass overdose at Australian music festival
Photo / 123rfKnow Your Stuff first published a warning about the high-dose pills in 2018. General manager Casey Spearin told the Herald the harm-reduction agency has been detecting high-dose MDMA pills for nearly as long as they have been running their free and confidential drug checking services. “In our 2024-25 testing season, we found 101 pressed pills that we estimated to contain two or more doses of MDMA (at least 150mg). MDMA in particular carries a risk of overamping, which is a type of stimulant overdose. “A lot of the drug harm this summer will come from high-risk drug practices, such as mixing drugs or taking very high doses.
Source:New Zealand Herald
February 09, 2026 16:59 UTC
Invasive lagarosiphon weed removal to begin
Lagarosiphon at Lake Dunstan. PHOTO: EARTH SCIENCES NEW ZEALANDWork to reduce the impact of the invasive lakeweedin Lake Dunstan will begin next week. Linz biosecurity leader Tracey Burton said in a statement lagarosiphon was one of New Zealand’s most problematic aquatic weeds. "Effective control in key areas is essential to help prevent this weed from spreading to other lakes in the region." The wider control programme in Lake Dunstan was jointly funded by Linz, the Otago Regional Council and Contact Energy.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 09, 2026 16:46 UTC
Committee urged to improve bus stops
PHOTO: ODT FILESBus stops in South Invercargill are plagued with issues around safety, damage and graffiti, a group of rangatahi pushing for change says. Ms Kairau said although bus stops were essential public infrastructure, their condition communicated neglect and lack of investment. Aurora College head girl Ashe MacDonald had first-hand experience with bad bus stops, having previously endured long waits for a Kingswell service without shelter. "For many young people, the bus stop is where the stress starts, before the bus even arrives," she said. Mr Pearson believed roughly a third of the city’s bus stops had shelter.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 09, 2026 16:46 UTC
Anger as fence cuts access to summit
Kordia has built a fence that has permanently blocked off access to the summit under the transmission tower on Mt Cargill. Race director Lydia Pattillo said the new fence was annoying for runners and people trying to access the peak of the mountain. Leith Harrier and Athletic Club president Dr Chris Sole said Mt Cargill was iconic the way Mt Roy was to Wanaka. PHOTO: STEPHEN JAQUIERYHe had never heard of anyone trying to climb the transmission tower, so thought the barbed wired fence was very excessive. A Kordia spokesman said it had been carrying out upgrades at its transmission tower site at Mt Cargill to improve public access and safety.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 09, 2026 16:46 UTC
Centre receives $175k donation
PHOTO: NIC DUFFThe Oamaru Licensing Trust has just handed out its largest donation in the past 25 years. The Waitaki Event Centre Trust received a $175,000 donation from the licensing trust, on behalf of the Lion Foundation. The donation was the biggest single donation the licensing trust had given in the past 25 years, licensing trust grants committee chairman Ali Brosnan said. Waitaki Event Centre Trust chairman Kevin Malcolm said the donation was a continuation of the great work dome by the the licensing trust and Lion Foundation. The event centre would be operational in time for winter sports, he said.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 09, 2026 16:00 UTC
News you can trust
Of course, we have no way of proving that: you will have to trust the credibility of the Otago Daily Times. It has been supplanted by "Metropolitan Newspaper of the Year — Voyager Media Awards 2025", but that does not mean we regard credibility or trust any the less; such awards only come when a newspaper is trusted. The trust of our readers is the bedrock that this newspaper and other Allied Media titles is built on. But the Otago Daily Times does not live in a media vacuum. Dr Lensen’s main fear — and also ours — is that such AI piffle could also erode trust in legitimate news sources.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 09, 2026 16:00 UTC
Decision highlights need for clarity
PHOTO: GETTY IMAGESA recent decision of the Employment Relations Authority (Camacho v North Beach) highlights the importance of having a clear and comprehensive employment agreement. What this means is that employers seeking to dismiss, because of an unsatisfactory probationary period, need to follow a full, comprehensive, good-faith process. In that decision, the court found there were inconsistencies between a trial period provision and probationary provision which created ambiguity, rendering the trial period provision unable to be relied upon by the employer. The authority’s preliminary decision was only about whether the 90-day trial provision was lawful or not. In circumstances where two clauses contradict each other, there is a contrary argument that the 90-day trial provision should take precedent.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 09, 2026 15:39 UTC
Otago turn to youthful trio
PHOTOS: ODT FILESOtago have called in their young guns as they hunt their first Ford Trophy win today. The Otago Volts have headed down the road to Invercargill, hosting Canterbury in the one-day clash at Queens Park today. Wonderkid Hugo Bogue could be in line to make his Otago debut after being named in the travelling squad. Bogue, Clarke and O’Connor are all fresh off helping Otago Country snatch an outright victory against Mid Canterbury in their Hawke Cup clash at the weekend. The Volts are yet to win a Ford Trophy clash this summer.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 09, 2026 15:39 UTC
Good and bad news for Landers
PHOTOS: PETER MCINTOSH & INSTAGRAMThere is good news — and there is bad news. Let’s start with the good. But the Highlanders know what they are up against and will be looking to start their season with a bang. "We’re expecting the Crusaders to be the Crusaders really," Smith said. "They’re a good team, but in the same sentence we’re really looking forward to the opportunity and playing at home on Friday night with hopefully a good crowd in.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 09, 2026 15:35 UTC
Christchurch gunman fights to overturn guilty pleas, says prison made him irrational
AdvertisementWorldOceaniaChristchurch shooting Christchurch gunman fights to overturn guilty pleas, says prison made him irrational Charlotte Graham-McLay February 9, 2026 — 2:30pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Tarrant, a self-declared white supremacist, migrated to New Zealand with a view to committing the massacre, which he planned in detail. By the time he pleaded guilty, Tarrant said he was “irrational” and suffering from “nervous exhaustion” and uncertainty about his identity and beliefs. AdvertisementRelated Article Christchurch shooting 'I don't have enemies': How Christchurch terrorist slipped through the net Bids to appeal convictions or sentences in New Zealand must be made within 20 working days. If they reject Tarrant’s attempt to have his guilty pleas discarded, a later hearing will focus on his bid to appeal his sentence.
Source:Stuff
February 09, 2026 08:02 UTC
Uber driver who raped teen gives up fight for suppression
Photo: Belinda FeekAn Uber driver, convicted of raping a teenage passenger, has given up his fight to prevent media from publishing his photo. Judge Clark allowed the media to take his photo but not to publish it until she made a ruling. He then climbed on top of her and raped her, which the victim described as "very rough and very hurtful". Judge Clark rejected Singh’s defence submissions at trial that the sexual activity was either consensual, didn’t happen at all, or that he had rejected her advances. However, the judge wasn’t convinced, citing the fact that he was an Uber driver in New Zealand.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 09, 2026 07:26 UTC
Latest poll points to possible hung Parliament
Photo: RNZNeither the right or left bloc would be able to govern if an election were held today, according to the latest Taxpayers' Union-Curia Poll. The Labour Party has dropped 0.3 points to 34.1 percent, while National dropped 0.2 points to 31.3 percent. New Zealand First dropped 1.4 points to 10.5 percent, while the Greens jumped 2.6 points to 10.3 percent. The ACT Party dropped 0.3 points to 6.7 percent, while Te Pāti Māori dropped 0.1 points to 2.9 percent. For parties outside of Parliament, TOP was on 1.4 percent (+0.7 points), NZ Outdoors and Freedom was on 1.2 percent (+0.6 points), Vision NZ was on 0.4 percent (+0.1 points), and New Conservatives were on 0.1 percent (-0.2 points).
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 09, 2026 04:09 UTC
Highlanders retain co-captains for new season
Photo: Getty ImagesTimoci Tavatavanawai and Hugh Renton have been locked in as the Highlanders co-captains for 2026. The pair are familiar with each other and bring experience to the leadership group, having served as co-captains last season. Hugh Renton is back for another season as Highlanders co-captain. Photo: Getty ImagesRenton, the bruising No 8, spent much of last season sidelined, hampered by a horror run of injuries. The Highlanders open their Super Rugby Pacific season on Friday against the Crusaders at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 09, 2026 01:35 UTC
General Debate 09 February 2026
Share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Facebook
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 09, 2026 01:06 UTC
Vehicle fire sends thick black smoke over city
Firefighters tackle the blaze near Blackhead this afternoon. Photo: Stephen JaquieryA hedge cutter fire near Blackhead, south of Dunedin, sent large plumes of thick black smoke across the area this afternoon. "But en route, they could see a lot of black smoke, so they then requested another appliance." A tanker was sent from the central Dunedin station and another appliance from Roslyn attended the fire. He said it was fortunate the hedge cutter was not in a shed, because there was no danger to other property.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 09, 2026 00:32 UTC