Ong nominates himself for NZME board
However, board chairman Steven Joyce has noted a lack of information on Cr Ong and said the board felt its current membership was appropriate, public documents released last week show. Cr Ong said he was happy to contribute his oft-referenced banking background to the company. In the annual shareholders’ meeting agenda, Mr Joyce noted the board did not have ‘‘sufficient information regarding Mr Ong to form a view regarding the specific relevant skills and expertise that he would bring to the NZME board’’. Cr Ong said, given this, he was pleased to allocate his time to ‘‘serve our community in other great, board ways’’ such as with NZME. Last year, Cr Ong lodged a complaint against Cr John Chambers for ‘‘discriminatory remarks’’, but this was found to be without substance.
Source:Otago Daily Times
March 23, 2026 17:54 UTC
Catlins Canter draws to a close
Riders gather at Pūrākaunui Bay for the 28th and final Catlins Canter on Saturday. PHOTO: SUPPLIEDThey cantered through the Catlins for the final time. Last weekend marked the 28th and final Catlins Canter, which has been a fundraising activity for Owaka Lions. This time around, more than 90 riders participated in the two-day trek in which they negotiated a ‘‘variety of terrain’’, Owaka Lions member Warren Burgess said. ‘‘It’s been fantastic, from the volunteers to the landowners, everyone has done their bit.’’Over the 28 years of the Catlins Canter, the Owaka Lions Club had raised somewhere from ‘‘$250,000 to $300,000’’ for the broader Owaka community.
Source:Otago Daily Times
March 23, 2026 17:04 UTC
Tuna return to South Dunedin
Dunedin artist Aroha Novak stands by her nearly completed Glasgow St mural, which includes a large tuna, or eel. PHOTO: STEPHEN JAQUIERYA Dunedin artist has paid tribute to South Dunedin’s traditional name and historical estuary in a new mural. Dunedin multidisciplinary artist Aroha Novak was completing her mural on a Cargill Enterprises building in Glasgow St yesterday. Ms Novak said she designed it in homage to Kaituna, the traditional name of the South Dunedin area. The mural is one of eight featured in ‘‘Ebb and Flow’’ — a street art festival organised by the South Dunedin Street Art Trail, which features large-scale, live mural painting and street art workshops.
Source:Otago Daily Times
March 23, 2026 16:40 UTC
Big ideas for small homes
Wanaka-based Seventy Squares co-founders Tristan Penrose and Jason Bint are building compact homes dovetailing architectural designs and affordability for home buyers seeking a first home or wanting to downsize. Their homes fit within new rules allowing standalone dwellings no larger than 70sqm to be built without consent, provided they meet building code standards. Both of them have been builders for 20-plus years constructing architectural homes more latterly in Central Otago, but have bigger plans for the compact Seventy Squares designs. They follow a design checklist of efficiently built homes within buyers budgets in a simple design without compromising on quality. ‘‘We will always build larger architectural homes — that market isn’t going anywhere.
Source:Otago Daily Times
March 23, 2026 16:40 UTC
Hunters urged to be 100% sure of target
Gun City Dunedin manager John Simpson adds an orange hat to a shop mannequin as deerstalkers prepare for the roar. PHOTO: STEPHEN JAQUIERYDeerstalkers are being urged to be 100% sure of their targets when they head into the hills for the roar this year. The roar or rut — from mid-March to the end of April — is when stags are most vocal, calling to attract the attention of hinds. ‘‘Instead, hunters should take the time to analyse their target, wait and see if it is a hind or stag, how old is the animal, how many points does its antlers have? ‘‘Taking a little extra time to identify your target and check the firing zone is the key to safer hunting.
Source:Otago Daily Times
March 23, 2026 16:38 UTC
Fall off sea wall leaves one seriously injured
PHOTO: STEPHEN JAQUIERYA person was taken to hospital with serious injuries after falling off a 2.5m sea wall in Macandrew Bay. An ambulance, rapid response unit and operations manager responded to the incident near the intersection of Portobello Rd and Greenacres St about 2pm yesterday, a Hato Hone St John spokesperson said. One patient was transported to Dunedin Hospital. Fire and Emergency New Zealand responded with crews from Lookout Point and St Kilda who used ladders and a plastic stretcher to lift the person to safety. Police attended and a spokeswoman said it appeared the injured person was a cyclist.
Source:Otago Daily Times
March 23, 2026 16:34 UTC
Minor injuries to pair after car lands in ditch
PHOTO: STEPHEN JAQUIERYEmergency services respond to a car that crashed into a ditch yesterday. Fire and Emergency New Zealand were alerted to the incident at Three Mile Hill Rd, North Taieri, Dunedin just after noon. Volunteer crews from Outram and Ravensbourne responded, but were not required, a Fenz spokesperson said. Hato Hone St John was notified of the incident and treated two patients at the scene. Both were in minor condition, a spokesperson said.
Source:Otago Daily Times
March 23, 2026 16:34 UTC
400 new homes in pipeline
Glenpanel Development Ltd’s Flint’s Park Ladies Mile development was granted approval for subdivision and land use consent in an interim decision from the government’s fast-track panel issued late last week. It would bring an estimated 400 homes to the Queenstown Lakes district, once complete. The original application for fast-track approval was made under the Covid-19 Recovery (Fast-track Consenting) Act 2020 in August 2020. The Court of Appeal referred the matter back to the original panel for re-consideration in May last year. Meanwhile, Glenpanel submitted a renewed application for fast-track approval in December 2023, but just for stage one of the original application.
Source:Otago Daily Times
March 23, 2026 16:32 UTC
Tom Walsh wins fourth world indoor shot put title in Poland, bronze for Imogen Ayris
I did not quite get to 22 but I won gold so it is pretty good. The next progression of 4.80m, unstuck most of the field as all but two athletes failed to clear the height. Leaving Ayris in a three way tie for bronze with Amálie Švábíková (Czech Republic) and Angelica Moser (Switzerland). Caudrey eventually winning the outright title, with a 4.85m clearance to defend her title from 2025. McCartney couldn’t quite find the height of two weeks ago in Auckland where she cleared 4.81m at the NZ Track and Field Championships.
Source:Stuff
March 23, 2026 16:27 UTC
Singapore Airlines boosts London, Melbourne flights, Dubai flight cancellations extended
“This will bring Singapore Airlines’ total London services to up to six flights per day, strengthening connectivity to one of the most in-demand long-haul destinations for New Zealand travellers.”Gatwick is about 45km south of central London and is England’s second-busiest airport. Singapore Airlines said it would deploy its flagship Airbus A380 on the Singapore–Melbourne route between March and October. On Singapore-Gatwick flights, Singapore Airlines will operate its Airbus A350-900 long-haul, a widebody twinjet. And Singapore Airlines said it would extend cancellation of services SQ494 and SQ495 between Singapore and Dubai until April 30. United Airlines chief executive Scott Kirby earlier this month said demand was surging from people wanting an alternative route to Europe.
Source:New Zealand Herald
March 23, 2026 14:22 UTC
Fuel crisis: The next NZ shortage could be electric and hybrid vehicles, as customers flock to them
“Rising fuel prices have clearly become a much more prominent part of the conversation,” Simpson said. On the Lexus side of the yard, Simpson said it had been the “strongest month yet” for the brand’s plug-in hybrid models. Now, Enticott said customers could be forced to wait two to three months to receive their vehicles. Bayswater Hastings Hyundai, Isuzu and MG branch manager Paul Kerr said EV and hybrid sales had “absolutely” increased since fuel prices soared. But he too was steadily running out of cars despite having a good range of EVs and hybrids available.
Source:New Zealand Herald
March 23, 2026 11:20 UTC
Collision between plane and vehicle halts flights at New York’s LaGuardia Airport
AFP has contacted the port authority and Air Canada for comment. Emergency personnel respond to an Air Canada Express CRJ-900 sitting on the runway after colliding with a Port Authority fire truck at LaGuardia Airport in New York, on March 23, 2026. Photo / Angela Weiss, AFPFlight tracking platform FlightRadar24 said an Air Canada Express plane had “collided with an airport rescue and firefighting vehicle” while landing. New York’s emergency management authority warned people to “expect cancellations, road closures, traffic delays & emergency personnel” near the major transport hub in the borough of Queens. AFP has also contacted the airport and the port authority police department for comment.
Source:New Zealand Herald
March 23, 2026 10:14 UTC
General Debate 23 March 2026
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Source:Stuff
March 23, 2026 10:05 UTC
Pilots killed as plane crashes into fire engine at New York airport
Emergency crews work around an Air Canada Express jet that had collided with a ground vehicle at LaGuardia Airport in Queens, New York. Photo: ReutersThe pilot and co-pilot of an Air Canada Express regional jet were killed after it collided with a fire truck while landing at New York's LaGuardia airport late on Sunday, in an incident that closed the airport, authorities and US media said. The Air Canada Express CRJ-900 plane, operated by its partner Jazz Aviation, was carrying 72 passengers and four crew members from Montreal, based on a preliminary passenger list that remained subject to confirmation. Air Canada referred Reuters to Jazz's statement and said it was aware of the incident. New York City's emergency notification system said people could expect cancellations, road closures, traffic delays and emergency personnel near the airport.
Source:Otago Daily Times
March 23, 2026 08:21 UTC