Police, university brace for 'feral' behaviour
Castle Street in Dunedin on a Sunday morning during O-Week. Photo: RNZ / Tess BruntonPolice and the University of Otago will be monitoring student behaviour, with concerns about another year of out-of-control and dangerous behaviour during Orientation Week (O-Week). Second year students Charlie, Hunter and Hugo hosted Saturday night's Castle Street bash, saying hundreds of people attended. Since September, two young men have been critically injured from falls - including from the roof of a Castle Street flat. The Otago University Students' Association is hosting a range of events for O-Week, which kicked off on Monday.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 15, 2026 22:09 UTC
Storm's tail forecast to hit Dunedin tomorrow
The tail of the storm that is ravaging much of the lower North Island today, is expected to hit Dunedin tomorrow. Periods of heavy rain are expected to hit Dunedin (east of Pukerangi) from 4am until 7pm tomorrow, and there is a strong possibility the watch could be upgraded to an Orange warning. MetService is forecasting the heavy rain to peak between 10am and 2pm. Because South Dunedin was quite low-lying and flooded relatively easily, she said it was wise for residents to be prepared. "Follow advice from the Civil Defence and stay alert with the latest heavy rain watches and warnings on the MetService website."
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 15, 2026 22:09 UTC
Letters to the Editor: ORC, climate and Trump
A council submission that reads as defensive pushback rather than constructive critique may struggle to land. No changes that New Zealand makes in reducing fossil fuels will have any effect on climate change and global warming. I did not see any opinion pieces from Duncan Connors criticising the pathetic and ideologically compromised Biden administration. I guess this did not fit Duncan Connors’ left-leaning narrative. Dave TackneyFairfieldAddress Letters to the Editor to: Otago Daily Times, PO Box 517, 52-56 Lower Stuart St, Dunedin.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 15, 2026 21:36 UTC
Wild weather moving south as North Island takes battering
Photo: RNZThe wild weather that has battered the North Island appears set to make its way south. MetService meteorologist John Law told RNZ the rainfall was sticking around in the north, but gradually moving south. There would also be extremely strong winds, he said. Chief operating officer Alex Marren said strong wind conditions were continuing in Wellington, with forecasts of more than 60 knots. The entire Manawatū-Whanganui region is in a state of emergency with heavy rain, flooding as severe weather lashes the lower North Island.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 15, 2026 21:15 UTC
Live: Flooded streets across lower North Island; Christchurch braces for deluge
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Source:New Zealand Herald
February 15, 2026 20:51 UTC
Taking a stand
I already have a track record of getting on with people I don’t agree with - I date across the divide. On the campaign trail, I wouldn’t have any trouble explaining what I bring to the role, as I’d only have one policy: Don’t be a dick. Actually, someone really did encourage me to stand for election to the Dunedin City Council once. My sole policy, don’t be a dick (tator), would prevent that happening, were I to get elected. Not at the moment, of course, where the tone is ridiculous, but you know, if there was a proper council going on.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 15, 2026 20:13 UTC
Fantasy Dairy Game Puts Real Cows In The Spotlight
The initiative, launched by Meadow Fresh, taps into behavioural data collected via Halter’s solar-powered wearable collars on cows at Tim Richards’ Georgetown–Ngapara farm. These collars feed real-time milking and activity data into the game, transforming everyday dairy performance into measurable fantasy league scores. Marketing manager Jen Jones explains that the game is designed to make dairy farming both “fun and visible,” showcasing the sophistication of modern dairying and its high-tech underpinnings. Farmer Tim Richards, whose herd of around 700 cows provides the backbone of the game’s data, was enthusiastic about the initiative because it required no extra work on farm. Richards has been using Halter technology for several years, and sees the game as a fresh way to spotlight the day-to-day dynamics of herd performance to a broader audience, potentially demystifying dairy farming for non-farmers.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 15, 2026 19:37 UTC
Francs at the ready: How much has Lactalis committed to Mainland Group’s NZ capex
Fonterra’s consumer operation is not far away from getting its new owner. (Image: Supplied)The soon‑to‑be owner of Mainland Group has committed to $100 million in capital expenditure as part of its new investment in New Zealand. The $4.2 billion deal for Fonterra Co-operative Group to sell the consumer dairy business to French giant Lactalis might have been one of the largest corporate transactions in New Zealand’s history.But the Government appears to have thought it did not warrant a national interest assessment.Watch Herald NOW: Investment commitments vary from a promo to a promise looking at the market today.After a 15...
Source:Stuff
February 15, 2026 19:24 UTC
Corrections labels staff's AI use as 'unacceptable'
RNZ understands there have been instances where staff used AI to draft formal reports such as Extended Supervision Order reports. Stewart said the uptake of Copilot remained "relatively low" with about 30% of Corrections staff engaging with the tool since it was introduced on Corrections devices in November 2025. "Corrections has an AI assurance officer, a function held by the director cybersecurity, who is accountable for guiding safe and secure adoption of AI. "If this is correct, then privacy concerns would be limited to any cases in which Corrections staff use Copilot in breach of Corrections policy. Where Copilot is used in a way that breaches Corrections policy, OPC would expect Corrections to take appropriate action to remedy this."
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 15, 2026 19:09 UTC
Reserve Bank expected to bring forward interest rate hike as inflation risk grows
In other words, the RBNZ is likely to shift its forecast to suggest that the next move for the OCR is up. Most economists believe it will do that gently, by moving the odds towards a rate rise in December. “It will be interesting to see how governor Breman characterises the data during her debut against the NZ inflation dragon,” ASB economist Wesley Tanuvasa said. “The RBNZ Monetary Policy Committee will likely be wary of a meaningful further tightening of monetary conditions at this stage, as it would risk killing off the nascent recovery. There were also worrying signs of a rise in core inflation.
Source:New Zealand Herald
February 15, 2026 19:02 UTC
Coroner rules teen driver Jacob Hoani Butler’s death was preventable
But soon after 10pm, Butler was driving a Mitsubishi, and was on his learner’s licence. The Mitsubishi slowed briefly, and security staff identified themselves, before Butler took off at speed. Police hypothesised that, after actively fleeing from forestry security immediately beforehand, Butler believed the oncoming vehicle was another security patrol. “Learner drivers lack the training, experience and judgement that develops over time, particularly when confronted with unexpected or high-stress situations,” Coroner Telford said. “In these circumstances, judgment can rapidly deteriorate, leading to poor decision-making and an inability to accurately assess road conditions, other road users or safe speeds,” Coroner Telford said.
Source:New Zealand Herald
February 15, 2026 19:02 UTC
Hills Real Estate: With forced liquidation looming, flipping king Rickhil Prakash and staff joined new real estate firm
Wallace Real Estate chief executive Luke Nutting said he took the tax authorities’ allegations “extremely seriously” and was “disappointed” to only recently learn the “severity of the situation”. Real estate agents in a liquidated firm are entitled to seek work with another business. By then, the Hills Real Estate website had been taken down. One former Hills staff member had taken over 10 for-sale listings that previously been under Prakash and Prasad’s names on the site. “Wallace has not acquired, absorbed, or entered into any formal takeover arrangement with Hills Real Estate,” he said.
Source:New Zealand Herald
February 15, 2026 19:02 UTC
Robinson misses medals, Harrington into final
Photo: Getty ImagesQueenstown skier Alice Robinson missed out on the medals in the Giant Slalom at the Winter Olympics. Robinson finished eighth in a very tight Giant Slalom competition, missing out on the podium by just 0.13 seconds. Robinson finished eighth equal in the Super G last week. Harrington into finalWānaka freeskier Luca Harrington has qualified for the final of the big air this morning. "Felt really good, came in with a plan and executed the plan," Harrington told Sky Sports afterwards.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 15, 2026 19:01 UTC
Trio sentenced after failed North Shore toy-store burglary leads to a 180km/h chase
The men were sentenced in the North Shore District Court. “It was clear you were involved in drug dealing,” Judge Murray said. Judge Murray said these comments had given him “pause”, but letters from supportive family members had helped his case. For wilful damage and burglary of the second business, Apaina Browne was sentenced to five months’ community detention and 12 months’ intensive supervision. For the same charges, plus his earlier drug offending, Tu’uta received 11 months’ home detention.
Source:New Zealand Herald
February 15, 2026 16:10 UTC