More charges possible in fatal crash case
Flowers have been laid at the scene of a fatal crash in Wickliffe Tce, Port Chalmers. PHOTO: STEPHEN JAQUIERYA Dunedin man who allegedly caused a fatal crash in Port Chalmers may yet face more serious charges, a court has heard. The lawyer said he had been told further charges would be laid which could ‘‘necessitate jurisdictional changes’’. The case would be elevated to the High Court if a charge of manslaughter was laid by police. On January 30, at 9pm, the defendant was allegedly driving in Wickliffe Tce, Port Chalmers, when he hit a power pole.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 05, 2026 22:02 UTC
Daniel Harris jailed for hammer attack and Rimutaka Prison assault
Harris then pulled out a hammer, telling the victim, “Shut the f***, I’ll smash your f****** head in with this hammer”. At this point, Harris walked away, only to return when the man yelled at him to return his wallet and drop the hammer. A month later, while on remand for those matters, Harris punched a prison officer in Rimutaka Prison. Judge Hastings noted the aggravating features of the offending. Judge Hastings said he was prepared to give a discount as a result of Harris’ indication he wanted rehabilitation, his addiction and his adverse upbringing.
Source:New Zealand Herald
February 05, 2026 21:38 UTC
Pedestrian dead after being struck by vehicle on Auckland’s Southern Motorway
The pedestrian was struck in a northbound lane on the Southern Motorway between the Te Irirangi Drive on-ramp in Manukau and the East Tamaki Rd off-ramp in Papatoetoe. Pedestrian dead after being struck by vehicle on Auckland’s Southern MotorwayThe pedestrian was struck in a northbound lane on the Southern Motorway between the Te Irirangi Drive on-ramp in Manukau and the East Tamaki Rd off-ramp in Papatoetoe. Image / Google MapsA pedestrian is dead after being struck by a vehicle on the Southern Motorway in Auckland. Emergency services were called to the crash, in a northbound lane between the Te Irirangi Drive on-ramp and the East Tamaki Rd off-ramp, near Ōtara, about 12.30am, police said. “Despite the best efforts of first responders, the person died at the scene.”The northbound lanes were closed on the affected section of the motorway before being reopened about 6am.
Source:New Zealand Herald
February 05, 2026 21:38 UTC
Dry garden on show
Dry garden plants can be colourful, as this display at the Otago Polytechnic Bannockburn campus shows. A dry garden is one way to reduce water use and cut household costs long-term. Otago Polytechnic’s Bannockburn campus is having an open day next week to show off an 18-month-old dry gravel garden. It was packed with dry-thriving, low-water plants that prove constant irrigation is not necessary to have a stunning garden, Mr Thurlow said. On Wednesday the day will offer a free dry garden tour.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 05, 2026 21:33 UTC
MP wants whales recognised as legal persons
Photo: RNZA Green MP wants tohorā/whales to be recognised as legal persons. In New Zealand, laws have been passed to grant legal personhood to natural features, allowing them to be represented in court and have rights similar to those of individuals. Green MP Teanau Tuiono Photo: RNZAs whales were under threat from commercial fishing, pollution and the climate crisis, a different approach to marine protection was needed, he believed. Actually, we share the planet with other species and with other sentient species as well. Members' bills are put forward by an MP who is not a minister and are drawn via a ballot system.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 05, 2026 20:58 UTC
Concern at financial impact of wastewater spill
Dive Wellington runs sessions in the Taputeranga Marine Reserve almost everyday. A couple of kilometres from the outfall is the eastern boundary of the Taputeranga Marine Reserve. Since 1998 Dive Wellington has overlooked the reserve and owner Dave Drane told RNZ he was lucky to have it on his doorstep. Drane said 30 students were lined up to dive in the Taputeranga Marine Reserve next week, which now would not happen. The whole thing had left him feeling "pretty rubbish," and he believed water quality in the marine reserve was an ongoing concern.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 05, 2026 20:38 UTC
Twenty20 World Cup: Black Caps’ Daryl Mitchell gamble as tournament preparation concludes
He understands where the game’s at, it’s critically important for the back end of the innings to understand what’s required. “We’ve got a pretty clear idea of a best XI,” said Walter. “However, the best XI will change, there’s no doubt about that. “We understand what our best XI looks like for the conditions in front of us. If the conditions change, so will that XI.”Alex Powell is a sports journalist for the NZ Herald.
Source:New Zealand Herald
February 05, 2026 20:10 UTC
Deputy PM booed and heckled at Waitangi service
Bishop Te Kito Pikaahu asked the crowd for calm while Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour delivered his prayer at the Waitangi Day dawn service. Seymour made the comments during Waitangi Day, a public holiday commemorating the anniversary of the initial signing of the Treaty of Waitangi on February 6 in 1840. His address at this morning's dawn service at Te Whare Rūnanga, Waitangi Treaty Ground in Northland was interrupted by loud hecklers and boos. A large crowd gathered for the dawn service at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. Following the ceremonies, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon reaffirmed that National would not back a rehash of the Treaty Principles Bill.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 05, 2026 19:46 UTC
Waitangi Day 2026: Thousand gather for dawn service as Seymour heckled, waka ceremony and hīkoi to Treaty Grounds
Waitangi Day 2026: Thousand gather for dawn service as Seymour heckled, waka ceremony and hīkoi to Treaty GroundsFighting for the rights of the next generation is the focus of this year’s hīkoi to Waitangi led by Northland Māori. Video / NZ Herald
Source:New Zealand Herald
February 05, 2026 19:35 UTC
Winter Olympics opening ceremony nears as virus disrupts ice hockey
According to Italian media four Finnish players have contracted the highly contagious virus, a form of gastroenteritis, which causes vomiting and diarrhoea. The game has been postponed until February 12, but other women’s games did go ahead. Vonn’s Olympic comeback at the age of 41 depends on her being able to ski with a ruptured ACL (anterior cruciate ligament). Italy said on Wednesday it had thwarted a series of Russian cyberattacks targeting the Olympics. A Russian hacker group claimed responsibility for the attack, which it said was in response to the Italian government’s support for Ukraine.
Source:New Zealand Herald
February 05, 2026 19:20 UTC
Auckland’s Herald Island under boil water notice after E. coli alert
Sign in hereAccess to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Watercare has issued a precautionary boil water notice for residents of an Auckland island after a sample tested positive for E. coli. Chief operations officer Mark Bourne said the notice for Herald Island, in the Upper Waitematā Harbour, was in place to protect public health. “While the other results from this routine sample were completely normal, we are taking a careful and precautionary approach,” he said late last night. “We’re asking Herald Island residents to boil their tap water before use while we complete further testing.”
Source:New Zealand Herald
February 05, 2026 19:04 UTC
New Zealand vet jailed in Australia for possession of child abuse material to be deported after serving time
The town of Katherine, in Australia's Northern Territory, has a population of around 6000 people. Photo / Getty ImagesWadsworth’s interactions included engaging in sexually explicit conversations and sending sexually explicit photos to a Kik user who claimed to be 13 years old, while receiving child abuse material from the same user. In addition, Wadsworth also accessed child abuse material files transmitted by a Session application user and engaged in another sexually explicit conversation with a Kik user, which involved the sharing of text-based child abuse material and discussions about sexual violence against children. The document says watching pornography and using the internet to seek out sexually explicit content was normalised during Wadsworth’s time at boarding school, leading to an unhealthy porn addiction. Wadsworth was sentenced in Darwin's Northern Territory Supreme Court on January 14.
Source:New Zealand Herald
February 05, 2026 19:02 UTC
Media Insider: The upscale Los Angeles lifestyle of fraud-accused Stripe Studios managing director Alex Breingan
The Serious Fraud Office has laid 33 charges against Breingan, relating to almost $15 million in public and private funding for 13 TV shows, produced under the banner of his Auckland-based Stripe Media (Stripe Studios) company, and associated firms. Stripe Media (Stripe Studios) managing director Alex Breingan is facing 33 charges following a Serious Fraud Office investigation. The IMDB movie database lists Alex James as the founder of 2nd Hour Films. On Instagram, 2nd Hour Films has one post from November 2024 - another promotional image for The Circus of Death and the promise of it “coming soon”. BDO ‘welcomes’ chargesThe receivers of Stripe Media told the Herald that they welcomed the action being taken by the Serious Fraud Office.
Source:New Zealand Herald
February 05, 2026 19:00 UTC
Brooklyn Beckham covers tattoo dedicated to dad David amid ongoing feud
Brooklyn Beckham's tattoo as it was before the word "Dad" was covered up. Brooklyn Beckham's anchor tattoo, with the word "Dad" covered up. “To see Brooklyn covering up Victoria’s tattoo, and now the one he had for his dad, will sting,” a source told the Sun. David Beckham, Victoria, Nicola Peltz and Brooklyn Beckham. Nicola Peltz wore Valentino Haute Couture to marry Brooklyn Beckham at her family home in Palm Beach, Florida.
Source:New Zealand Herald
February 05, 2026 18:56 UTC
Centenarian Betty Gilgen celebrates 100th birthday with vintage car drive
Betty Gilgen and her father, Harry Pennell. Phil said Betty had “Pop’s engineer’s eye for detail” and “monitored the Bayfair bridge pile progress”. Betty Gilgen as a baby. Betty also had “extremely good sewing and millinery skills,” spinning possum, alpaca, and mohair wool into garments, rugs, and blankets. Betty remarried in 1958 to Swiss immigrant and horticulturist Ernst Gilgen, who died in 2005.
Source:New Zealand Herald
February 05, 2026 18:51 UTC