Regular users sought to avoid hall closure
Waikoikoi Hall is under threat of closure once again, unless regular users can be found. New Waikoikoi Hall chairman Josh Crawford said last week he feared the hall may end up permanently shutting its doors, unless regular users could be found. It’s really only used for [Waikoikoi] school productions every two years, and an occasional party, but if we could find some regular weekly users, that would give it a reason to continue." He said regular use would help maintain the hall, allowing it to be heated up and swept occasionally. Mr Crawford said those in favour of its closure were concerned the hall was an unnecessary drain on ratepayers.
Source:Otago Daily Times
March 17, 2026 16:02 UTC
Action urged to save Catlins forest
PHOTO: MARY WILLIAMSDestruction of the Catlins bush is a crisis demanding urgent pest control funding, conservationists and locals say. The calls are made as a community-led, ten-year strategic pest management plan is being prepared with $55,000 funding from Otago Regional Council. The Catlins plan, due in June and called the Invasive Mammal Plan, was one of the actions to come out of a Catlins Catchment Action Plan and will identify priority pests and areas to target. The preparation of the plan has been contracted to iwi-owned Catlins Pest Management. The dream of a fence after extensive pest control would require "long-term planning commitment and a source of continuous funding".
Source:Otago Daily Times
March 17, 2026 16:02 UTC
Harvest starts in Indian summer conditions
Quartz Reef owner and general manager Rudi Bauer works on the first day of the sparkling grape harvest on Monday. Quartz Reef owner and winemaker Rudi Bauer said the region’s harvest started on Monday, 10 days later than usual, but in perfect "Indian summer" conditions. So long as vineyards had good canopy and fruit density management the quality would be good, Mr Bauer said. So far it was looking like it would be good harvest and hopes were high, he said. "You pick a bit earlier and you make sure you retain the acidity — that’s the two key factors [for sparkling wine]," Mr Bauer said.
Source:Otago Daily Times
March 17, 2026 15:38 UTC
Promise fulfilled at farewell to church
Glenkenich Church community representative Lindsay Alderton (left) and church builder descendant Ian Rhodes display the church’s foundation stone and time capsule during a recent ceremony before the church’s removal to Greenvale. Photos: suppliedA 91-year-old hidden secret was revealed — and a long-standing promise fulfilled — during a recent farewell to a much-loved church building. Former parishioners, heritage stakeholders and local residents came together at the former Glenkenich Presbyterian Church earlier this month to say goodbye before it was moved across the district under new ownership. Mrs Erickson said she was delighted to have been able to fulfil that promise after selling the church to nearby new owners recently. The Glenkenich Presbyterian Church building in West Otago will shortly be on the move.
Source:Otago Daily Times
March 17, 2026 15:37 UTC
Meningococcal vaccines in demand
Roslyn Pharmacy’s Kate Catchpole says the two meningococcal vaccines are proving popular in the wake of the recent outbreak. Photo: Peter McIntoshVaccines for meningococcal disease are "going out the door" at Dunedin pharmacies, after reports of two cases in the city within close proximity of the student quarter. "The National Public Health Service in Southern are treating these cases as a meningococcal outbreak in Dunedin. Despite the demand for the vaccine, Health New Zealand confirmed there was no issue with vaccine supply in New Zealand. "Pharmac are ensuring there is adequate supply of the MenACWY and MenB vaccines available in Dunedin," a spokesman said.
Source:Otago Daily Times
March 17, 2026 15:37 UTC
Father decries reforms
The government this week announced reforms to alcohol laws aimed at cutting red tape, which would stop people objecting to liquor licences if they did not live or work nearby. Bede Crestani, who lives in Wellington but has objected to licence applications in Dunedin, said such a change could undermine the work of the Sophia Charter. Alcohol contributed "in a major way" to his daughter's death and he did not want other people to die, he said. Photo: RNZ"Alcohol is responsible for a lot of death and it contributed in a major way to our daughter's death. The change to objections ensured they came from people or organisations with a direct connection to the local community affected, she said.
Source:Otago Daily Times
March 17, 2026 15:37 UTC
Oscars 2026: Brigitte Bardot, Eric Dane among stars snubbed during in memoriam tribute
French actor Brigitte Bardot did not receive a mention during the Oscars 2026 in memoriam tribute. Robert Redford was honoured by his The Way We Were co-star Barbra Streisand during the 2026 Oscars. The Guardian reported a tribute to Bardot at the Oscars’ French equivalent, the Cesar’s, was met with boos from audience members. Photo / SuppliedEric Dane, who died last month after a battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, was also left out of the tribute. Producer Shonda Rhimes, creator of Grey’s Anatomy, defended the Oscars’ decision, telling Entertainment Tonight “he’s not a movie star”.
Source:New Zealand Herald
March 17, 2026 15:00 UTC
Travellers pushing trips to second half of year to avoid Iran conflict, Intrepid Travel boss says
The bigger challenge is for travellers closer to home in Australia and New Zealand. “Yes some areas are affected, but what you’ll see I think is travellers might travel a bit closer to home. When looking at the underlying performance of the business versus 2024, Thornton said profit grew 26%. Thornton said that per capita, more Kiwis continued to travel with Intrepid than in any other market worldwide. As for the wider industry, Thornton said that after 21 years in travel, he recognises the sector’s various cycles.
Source:New Zealand Herald
March 17, 2026 14:49 UTC
Presidents shouldn't have learning disabilities: Trump
California Governor Gavin Newsom. Photos: ReutersUS President Donald Trump says presidents should not have learning disabilities, doubling down on remarks aimed at California Governor Gavin Newsom in recent days. "Gavin Newscum has admitted that he is a - that he has learning disabilities," Trump told reporters. Gavin Newscum admitted that he has learning disabilities, dyslexia, everything about him is dumb." "He admitted he had learning disabilities.
Source:Otago Daily Times
March 17, 2026 14:28 UTC
Cannabis shows 'little benefit' for most mental disorders
Photo: Getty ImagesCannabis-based medicines have shown little evidence of effectiveness for treating most mental health and substance-use disorders, a large review of past studies shows. The studies assessed cannabinoids as a primary treatment for mental disorders or substance-use disorders. Overall, the review found no significant benefit for several conditions commonly cited as reasons for medical cannabis use, including anxiety disorders, psychotic disorders, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and opioid-use disorder. Researchers also found a reduction in some autistic traits in those with autism spectrum disorder, and increased sleep time in patients with insomnia among those treated with cannabis medicines. "We clearly need to do more research on medical cannabis, particularly for those conditions that have limited alternative treatments," Wilson said.
Source:Otago Daily Times
March 17, 2026 14:13 UTC
Dave Letele says ‘wave of crime coming’ if Kiwis don’t receive support amid soaring fuel prices
Increasing fuel costs and inflation will push people already doing it tough over the edge, Letele said. “These people are going to be trying to siphon petrol to then sell it. There is more of this wave of crime coming, I’m telling you right now.”Community activist and former boxer David Letele. The price increase has even caused auto stores across Auckland to sell out of petrol containers as some Kiwis look to stock up on fuel. Finance Minister Nicola Willis said on Sunday there was about 50 days of petrol and diesel in the country, or on its way here.
Source:New Zealand Herald
March 17, 2026 13:34 UTC
Why has the price of mince risen 23% in a year?
The average price of a kilogram of beef mince was now $4.60 more than the same time in 2025. Sirloin steak was up 21.5 percent annually and even beef mince was up 23.2 percent, to an average $24.46 a kilogram. Stats NZ's price and deflators spokesperson Nicola Growden said the average price of a kilogram of beef mince was now $4.60 more than the same time in 2025. "This is the largest annual price increase in beef mince prices since the series began in June 2006." Westpac senior economist Satish Ranchhod said export beef prices were up, which was being reflected in local prices.
Source:Otago Daily Times
March 17, 2026 11:21 UTC
Two brutal killings decades apart: How the mental system failed
Photo: SuppliedRNZ has obtained court documents including statements from those who knew him best that lift the lid on Parr's life, his mental health battles and his family's anger with the mental health system. He was admitted to a psychiatric unit under the Mental Health Act in August that year after attempting suicide. Justice Grau said the case occurred "against a backdrop of apparent significant failures in the mental health system". When RNZ first revealed the case she called for a Royal Commission of Inquiry into forensic mental health facilities. "Given that unbelievably this is not the only recent case where someone in forensic mental health 'care' has gone on to kill twice.
Source:Otago Daily Times
March 17, 2026 09:13 UTC
Bondi attack: Gunman's family fearful, court told
Angry, misguided individuals keen to be vigilantes could target Akram's mother and siblings, Mr Wilson said. The family had received death threats and had been intimidated by groups of men turning up at their western Sydney home late at night, Mr Wilson told the court. "We're going to kill you," someone else told Akram's brother on WhatsApp. The suppression order was needed because there was a catastrophic risk that one of Akram's family members could be killed, Mr Wilson said. "The court could have sympathy with Akram's mother and siblings, finding they were three further people impacted by the Bondi attack," Mr Lewis said.
Source:Otago Daily Times
March 17, 2026 08:53 UTC
Health funding for winter a drop in the bucket: unions
Photo: Getty ImagesMillions in new government funding to meet winter demand is a drop in the bucket, healthcare unions say. Photo: RNZ"We know that demand will still be high and hospitals will face record levels of patients this winter. There aren't 567 short-term care beds just sitting empty right now in New Zealand." "It's a pretty standard winter plan, the sort that was rolled out under Labour governments. Sarah Dalton from the senior doctor's union, the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, called it a drop in the bucket.
Source:Otago Daily Times
March 17, 2026 05:55 UTC