The Southern Institute of Technology (SIT), including Telford campus, is one of ten institutes around the country to have regional decision-making restored from next year, Vocational Education Minister, Invercargill MP and former SIT chief executive Penny Simmonds said today (14 Jul).SIT lost its local governance on 1st November 2022, when the then Labour government controversially amalgamated it as a division of the new Te Pūkenga – New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology.“Labour dismantled regionally-led vocational education – and now we are restoring it,” said Simmonds said.“This is all about returning SIT to the people of Southland – to the students, the local businesses and the Southern industries who rely on and support our local polytechnic."“It’s a great day for our city, and our province, with this return to regional decision-making bolstering strong economic growth across the Southland province."“Locally led, regionally responsive, and future focused vocational education is at the heart of what will become this region’s on-going success story."“If we are to grow our economy, provide Southland businesses with the staff that they need to expand, and ensure that SIT graduates secure the employment that they deserve, then locally-led decision making is the way of the future."Simmonds said they had listened to extensive industry feedback and was confident the plan will set up the vocational education secto, both in the South and New Zealand, for long term economic growth and learning success.SIT Operations Lead Daryl Haggerty said the community was strongly supportive of SIT’s goal to regain its autonomy, and had expressed it through written submissions, attending meetings and voicing their preference for an independent SIT during the VET consultation phase.“The shift to autonomy is a momentous step forward,” Haggerty said.“We’re thrilled to regain our independence, and we know our community and industries will welcome this announcement as much as we do.""This milestone recognises the high quality of our institute and our staff, the dedication of our learners, and the strength of our links with our community, industry and iwi.”Being independent will enable SIT to provide more opportunities to students, break down barriers, and deliver easier access to tertiary education through SIT’s iconic Zero Fees Scheme, its visionary HyFlex delivery mode, and its well-recognised, successful online SIT2LRN programmes.“We now have greater flexibility to innovate, respond more directly to local needs, and preserve the unique identity that makes SIT so special,” he said.The institute was also planning a campaign to strengthen its international partnerships and attract more overseas students to Southland to study at SIT and support the local workforce as skilled graduates.The ten polytechnics returning to regional governance are the Southern Institute of Technology (SIT), Ara Institute of Canterbury (Ara), Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT), Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT), Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology, Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec), Unitec Institute of Technology (Unitec) and Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT), which will stand up as a single entity, Otago Polytechnic, Universal College of Learning (UCOL) and The Open Polytechnic of New Zealand.

A Southland district councillor living under a boil water notice says he’s not bothering with it because "there’s nothing wrong" with what's coming out of the tap.But the council behind the notice has issued a fresh reminder to residents that the water must be boiled before consumption.Local Democracy Reporting put questions to Southland’s three territorial authorities asking how many boil water notices were currently in place.The answer was just one — in the Southland District Council administered area of Eastern Bush/Otahu Flat, north of Tūātapere.Councillor Derek Chamberlain lives in one of the 54 properties affected, but says he still drinks the water without boiling it first.“I’d sooner drink our water than bloody Auckland water. There’s nothing wrong with it,” he said.Southland district councillor Derek Chamberlain is living under a boil water notice but is none too concerned. Credit: SuppliedA key factor was the turbidity — or cloudiness — of water coming out of the Wairaki River, which Chamberlain said was originally a supply for livestock that people had later tapped into.The river became dirty when it rained, and the council was not able to effectively filter the water due to hardware issues.Chamberlain testified that discolouration was a factor but said there was no issue with the water which he ran through a filter.“People aren’t getting sick or dying or anything in Eastern Bush, I can assure you.”The notice was issued just over a year ago on 11 July 2024 and will likely remain in place until 2026 or 2027 when the treatment plant is upgraded.On Monday, the council reminded residents on social media that the notice remained in place because of potential contamination from flood water.That meant there was a risk of disease-causing bacteria, protozoa, and other contaminants.Water “must be boiled” for drinking, preparing food and personal use such as brushing teeth, it said.The notice is an outlier in the region.Gore District Council had not issued one since the September 2023 flood event, which it did out of precaution.Invercargill City Council had no record of a notice being issued in recent decades.LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air

Two updates below to the work happening on Southland state highways this week: Southbound closure on SH1 Clyde St on Wednesday 16th July for surfacing repairs:Light vehicles detour via Earn/Nith streetsHeavy vehicles coming from the Bond St bypass detour via Clyde St (northbound direction)/Crinan Street/Nith St This work will take place from 9am-7pm on Wednesday 16th July (rain date 17th July) Stop/stop traffic management on SH1 Edendale-Woodlands highway near Homestead Road on Wednesday 16th July. Stop/stop traffic management will be in place during the day for hedge removal and rock work, expect delays.

Te Anau is kicking goals both on and off the field, with junior football enjoying a major revival thanks to strong community and volunteer support, and the backing of Southland Football.Junior numbers have more than tripled in recent years, and for the first time in ten years Te Anau is fielding teams in the junior Southland-wide competition.The increase in interest is in part attributed to local volunteers running, for more than 10-years, winter football sessions at the school focusing on skill development, friendly games, fun and development.Te Anau Football Club coordinator Stef Braaksma said there had been massive support for the club over the last three years with numbers rising from 30-40 kids to now around 120.The players are thriving with regular competition, skills are improving and they are genuinely enjoying the game.“Over the last two years we entered teams in the Old Boys Junior Football Festival in Invercargill."Te Anau v's Thistle game on Saturday (12 Jul). Photo: Supplied"The kids loved it and competed really well and we just thought why not get them involved in the Southland-wide competition,” she said.This season Te Anau has two 11th grade and one 14th grade team in the competition and they’re backed by strong volunteer and parent support.There’s already talk of up to five junior teams for next year’s competition, and the process to formalise the club is on the cards.Southland Football had been eager to support the growth of the game in Te Anau and had allowed two home games a month in an effort to limit their travel to every second week.Football Development Officer Ryan Gardiner said it was fantastic having Te Anau teams in the competition.“It creates a wider range of opposition in Southland for our junior players,” he said.“Within Southland there is often lots of travel involved in community sport, but it’s great to see all clubs willing to travel to Te Anau to play football.”Football Southland Development and Operations Manager Iain Walker said the Junior Committee was supportive from day one and had looked at various ways in which they could support, with member clubs ultimately suggested the bi-weekly travel model."We have a very positive, solutions-based committee - this puts us in a very healthy position and is another reason why we are experiencing growth in our game.”“I watched the Under 14 team play recently at Waikiwi Domain in Invercargill and can say firsthand that they are definitely enjoying the experience.”Funders including the Fiordland Community Board and the Kepler Challenge Mountain Run Trust have made it possible for the Te Anau club to host official matches by supporting the purchase of proper goals and other equipment.

Three men have been rescued following a boat capsize near Howells Point, Riverton, yesterday afternoon (14 Jul).The men, believed to have been fishing in a small home-built ply-over-wood boat, were returning to shore when the incident took place.Riverton Coastguard president Ross McKenzie said they dispatched the 8.5m Russell John Chisholm just after 5pm after being alerted by both members of the public and the National Rescue Centre."One swam to shore while the other two were picked up by Russell Rescue.""They had an EPIRB, a VHS radio, and were wearing lifejackets," he said.Mckenzie estimated the men had been in the water for 20 minutes before being rescued.McKenzie praised members of Riverton Coastguard saying they had done really well getting out there so fast.Environment Southland Harbourmaster Lyndon Cleaver said the Environment Southland maritime team had now visited the scene (14 Jul) and had located the boat.Attempts are being made by Riverton Coastguard to tow the boat to a more secure location and out of the shipping channel, he said.The boat was powered by two outboard motors, and there is no sign of any oil spill.

On Friday, 27th June, we said farewell to someone who has not just led Hedgehope School but has been the heartbeat of it. Sue Rogers has been the Principal of Hedgehope for 8.5 years and has built a culture that’s vibrant, caring, and brave.Whaeā Sue is a leader with boundless energy, big dreams, and ideas so wild they somehow always worked. Sue planted seeds of greatness here. And they will keep growing long after she has gone. We’ll miss you.Thank you to the MAARD chefs and Wendy for catering the delicious MidWinter Feast, Kate for her kind words, current students for their caring speeches, and to all the Hedgehope students and staff for their passionate haka and waiata.Farewell to Sue Rogers with flowers and midwinter feast for all. Photo: Supplied.On Wednesday, 25th June, families braved the darkness and cold sea temperatures to collect toheroa from Oreti Beach for our Mid-Winter Christmas/Farewell Whaeā Sue dinner.It was a great experience! Randomly, it was 3 years ago to the very day that these shellfish were harvested for a Matariki feast in the Hedgehope Hall. Collecting toheroa from Oreti Beach. Photo: Supplied.Two of our Enviro Leaders and two members of our MAARD cheffing team were invited to a Sustainable Kai Day at Rock Hut on Mt Linton Station earlier this month.Students went target shooting, butchered deer and wild pork, competed in orienteering, built campfires, cooked pancakes and made connections with like-minded peers..Hedgehope School proudly sponsored by Winton & District Funeral ServicesThe Hedgehope students REACHed for Greatness and are inspired to embed some of these learnings at our school. A huge thanks to Active Southland, Matt Middlemass and Michelle from Takitium Area School for hosting a great day of rich learning. Sustainable Kai Day at Rock Hut on Mt Linton Station. Photo: Supplied.Thanks to Josh at Environment Southland, we have been able to access an Enviro Schools Action Fund. These funds will help us manage the vegetable garden and hothouse, upgrade the chicken coop area, create more structures in the nursery to protect our nursery stocks, and hang gates in the garden.We wish for the students to become kaitaiki and take ownership of this space.The vision is to create a space which will draw the children into graze on their choice of vegetable/fruit/berries. If you are keen on any native plants from our nursery, please get in touch.Students learning to become kaitaiki and take ownership of thier space. Photo: Supplied.

Road OpenNo Avalanche HazardComments:Brief snow expected tuesday morning near the tunnel , not expected to cause delays.  Weather forecast for the Homer Tunnel area:Today: Showers clearing in evening Tomorrow: Brief snow in morning Wednesday: Fine Thursday: Rain developing Friday: Periods of rain

Southland Police are seriously concerned about an alarming increase in young drink drivers, one a 17-year-old driver who allegedly blew a whopping 1097mcg after leaving a local rugby last weekend.Acting Inspector Mel Robertson says the marked spike in drink driving offences among young drivers under 20 throughout the province is extremely concerning with three high readings just last weekend (5 and 6 July) alone highlighting the severity of the issue.Drivers under 20 have a zero-alcohol limit.An 18-year-old-driver, stopped shortly after leaving a licensed venue, allegedly blew 817mcg and another teenage driver allegedly blew 576mcg on a rural road near Waikaka, she says.“These figures are well over the legal limit for any driver over the age of 20, but it’s even more alarming that these young drivers have a zero-alcohol limit while driving, showing a dangerous disregard for road safety,” Robertson says.Western Southland Road Policing Supervisor Sergeant Dave Leach, of Te Anau, says he was also charging a 19-year-old Lumsden man with allegedly driving five times over the legal youth limit, twice the adult alcohol limit, at 800mcgs.He says considering it’s illegal for youth under 20 to drive having had any alcohol at all – a zero limit, that level was “through the roof”.Police regularly catch drivers in their late teens – 17, 18 and 19 drink driving in rural areas.Anyone under 20 caught driving with 200mcg of alcohol per litre of breath was heading straight for court, while those under that level received an instant $200 fine and 200 D-merit points.“It’s pretty clear cut. If you’re under 20 and you’ve even just had one beer, you can’t drive,” Leach says. Young drivers are taking risks and driving home. “Make plans to get home or arrange a sober driver.”Robertson says there’s been “a troubling upward trend in excess breath alcohol offences, particularly among drivers under 20” during the last few months.Police have increased proactive patrols and enforcement efforts across the district with support from Impairment Prevention Teams and further operations are planned for the Eastern Area in particular.“We’re doing everything we can, boots on the ground, education in clubs, regular messaging through local radio, to get the message across, Eastern Southland Area Response Manager Senior Sergeant Gary Iddenten says.“But it’s frustrating when it feels like it’s going in one ear and out the other.“We’re urging people to think ahead, plan their nights, and make smart decisions. One poor choice can have devastating consequences, not just for the driver, but for everyone on the road.”Overseas Drivers Speeding To Milford Clock up to 156km/hrMeanwhile, Western Southland Police continue to regularly catch drivers clocking excessively high speeds, especially in the Lowther area near Five Rivers.Leach says the last person he caught speeding this week clocked 96km/hr in a 50km/hr zone at Mossburn.“They’re mostly overseas visitors rushing to catch boat cruises in Fiordland, four caught recently with speeds ranging from 146km/hr to 156km/hr,” he says.“They’re often rushing to get to a boat cruise and feel pressured because of what their GPS is telling them. Naturally they want to speed up,” Leach says.“If they didn’t have GPS, they wouldn’t be in tune with how late they were.”Black Ice Warnings – Slow DownAll this in mid-winter with black ice crashes happening around the south and warnings for drivers to slow down.Leach says there have been several crashes in which black ice has been a factor, fortunately nobody was injured.One was by The Key where a motorist slid off the bridge and down to the water table coming to rest in the grass.“Bridges are always high risk for black ice, so people need to slow down and be cautious,” he says.Police around the region say people should expect loose grit, ice or black ice at the time of year with some heavy frosts.They say icy roads are “unforgiving, especially in the south”, which has some of the most intense winter conditions in the country.Drivers are being urged to drive to the conditions, slow down and check their speed, wear seatbelts, make sure they’re well-rested and take regular breaks.Anyone wanting to look at the scenery should pull over in a safe area or designated rest stop.Aggravated robberies - Enquiries continuingEnquiries are still continuing into the two aggravated robberies in Invercargill last Saturday morning, however, Southern District Police Area Investigations Manager Sean Carins says they’re not seeking anybody else in relation to these.A young person appeared in the Youth Court this week after being arrested in relation to the robberies that occurred at around 6am in commercial premises in Tay and Dee Streets. Cairns says Police are very grateful to the members of the public who assisted them with information in relation to these.Police CBD Holiday Clampdown Deters DisorderA Police clampdown on unruly and disorderly behaviour in Invercargill’s CBD this school holidays produced the desired result with “overwhelmingly positive feedback” from both local retailers and members of the public.“As the school holiday period concludes, we’re happy to report a highly successful and positive fortnight within the Invercargill CBD,” Robertson says.Police ran increased patrols throughout the two-week break and reports of disorder were minimal.“The city centre, as well as popular gathering areas for youth, remained vibrant and well managed,” she says.Police want to commend those in the community for their “cooperation and commendable behaviour”, which contributed to a safe and enjoyable environment for all.Sue Fea is a senior journalist with more than 40-years experience covering police, social and general news in the southern regions.

Morning all, a map of sites where you may experience delays on Southland state highways due to maintenance or third-party contractor work can be found here, and these sites are listed below.   **SH1/Clyde St Invercargill closure:Due to resurfacing repairs, there is likely to be a southbound closure of Clyde Street in Invercargill between Balmoral Drive and Grace St on Wednesday 16th and Thursday 17th with a detour for all traffic. Detour route confirmed Monday 14th. Highways South work with temporary speed limits this week:SH1 Clyde St from Nith St to Grace St, southbound closure, detour (as above)SH1 Clyde St from Tay St to Eye St, lane dropIntersection of SH94/SH97 in Mossburn, stop/go Third party work and events with traffic management in place this week:SH1 Gore Mataura Highway between Racecourse Road and Saleyards Road, stop/goSH1 Gore Mataura Highway between Falconer Road and Racecourse Road, stop/goSH1 Gore Main St, between Mersey Street and Medway Street, northbound closure between Mersey and Medway Streets.  Northbound detour via Mersey St east - River St - SH1 Southbound unaffected. Closure from 9pm for less than an hour, Thursday 17th July. Useful links:NZTA Journeys website - https://www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/journey-plannerFreight Impact Register - https://www.nzta.govt.nz/commercial-driving/trucks-and-tow-trucks/potential-restrictions-affecting-freight/ - download and filter the region for ‘Southland’. This will indicate any upcoming work in the next fortnight which have closures, detours or width restrictions for freight.

It is quite literally going to take some magic for the Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel to keep its 2025 ANZ Premiership season alive.Perhaps one of the worst feelings in sport, the Steel’s future lies firmly in the hands of one it its rivals, the Avis Magic.It’s a simple scenario. If the Magic beat the Te Wānanga o Raukawa Pulse on Saturday, the Steel can cement a place in the playoffs with a win over the Go Media Stars at ILT Stadium Southland on Monday night. Alternatively, if the Pulse win or get a bonus point by finishing within five goals, the Steel’s campaign effectively grinds to a halt. Not being in control of their own destiny doesn’t sit well with head coach Wendy Frew but you won’t hear any excuses.“We probably wish we had another round to be honest. We lost a couple of games on the trot earlier in the season and that’s really affected us now on the table,” she said.“We’ve done that to ourselves with some of our performances. There’s a couple of games where we could have hung in there for the bonus point or that Mystics game in Dunedin that we could have taken and got the three points. It just comes down to so many little moments that make such a big difference.“It is all valuable learning. As a player, if you’ve never been in a situation where you’ve missed out on goal differential, or by one win, or by one or two points, those experiences are really important. You build from it and make sure you’re ticking every box in the future to ensure we have the best opportunity to make that top three. “This group of players, and us as coaches, will be a lot better for those learnings going forward in the future.”The Steel hasn’t wavered in its approach to Monday night’s clash. “For us as a team we’re just ensuring we are purely focused on the Stars and putting in a good performance against them. Obviously, we’ll be watching the Magic-Pulse game but really it’s out of our control so we’re just concentrating on bringing the intensity to training and doing all the prep we can do to be ready for the Stars,” Frew said.When it comes time to reflect, she already knows it will evoke immense pride in the team’s progress. “They’ve worked really hard. Even though it was a new coaching group and new players, everything gelled pretty nicely. ‘It’s certainly been an enjoyable season so far watching the players grow on the court with their combinations and the culture we’ve created off the court – it’s been such an enjoyable ride and I hope we get the opportunity to make that top three and push on because I feel like the potential of this team is really huge and I would love to have the chance to play in that top three and see what’s possible.”Scenes of the bench erupting when the Steel beat the Pulse in round seven were a highlight. “I’ve looked back at that moment and watched it quite a few times and that was just pure emotion right there of getting over the line after being down by nine in the last quarter. It was a whole team effort and those girls on court were just true professionals and put everything out there to execute those last 15 minutes so well,” Frew said. “You just can’t script those moments – it was just pure emotion. That’s why we play.” Frew was eager to see a packed house at ILT Stadium.“Nothing beats playing in our Steel fortress with a full crowd of our loyal fans. We need everyone out in force – the noisier the better.”Tickets are on sale from the venue or online at www.southernsteel.co.nz.

Location AreaSH 94 Te Anau to Milford (Homer Tunnel)DirectionBoth DirectionsEvent DescriptionRoad WorksEvent CommentsState Highway 94, Homer Tunnel is open. Maintenance Works are complete. Road users are advised to take extra care along this route.StatusResolved

Road OpenNo Avalanche HazardComments:Normal travel times expected. Very unsettled weather in the foreseeable future with frequent bursts of rain. Snow is mentioned in the forecast for next week.  Weather forecast for the Homer Tunnel area:Today: Rain. Tomorrow: Rain. Sunday: Showers. Monday: Showers turning to rain. Tuesday: Heavy rain, easing.

The family of the New Zealander killed by an elephant in Zambia have told RNZ they are thankful for the support they are receiving as they work to bring their loved one home.Alison Jean Taylor, 67, from Porirua, was attacked by a female elephant on 3 July while walking on a safari in South Luangwa National Park, along with another woman from the UK.Her brother Bill Taylor said the other woman who died was his sister's longtime friend and second cousin Janice Taylor Easton, also known as Janet.Bill Taylor said the family's focus was currently on repatriating his sister and her belongings back to New Zealand.He said they were thankful to the many people who were providing them with assistance during "this difficult process".He said Alison Taylor grew up in Southland and after attending Otago University, spent the majority of her working life in Wellington, where she lived.Alison Taylor was the deputy chair for Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) Porirua.On Wednesday, CAB Porirua said Alison Taylor was "a valued and highly effective volunteer" and would be profoundly missed.Porirua councillor Geoff Hayward said Alison Taylor was a cheerful, compassionate and helpful person."I think of her as an inspiration that we can all do more and be more kind in this world," Hayward said.The two women were near big Lagoon Bush Camp in South Luangwa National Park when the elephant, which was with its calf, charged at them.Shots were fired at the elephant, wounding the animal and ultimately stopping the attack.However, Eastern Province Police commanding officer Robertson Mweemba confirmed both women died at the scene.Two others travelling with the group were uninjured.A farewell is expected to be held for Alison Taylor on 15 August in Wellington.The family were requesting privacy at this time.Published by arrangement

A group of Fiordland kids are now better prepared to enjoy boating thanks to a kids' boat safely session held on Lake Te Anau yesterday (9 Jul).The event, covering basic boat handling, man-overboard drills, life rings and jackets, flares and signaling equipment, was the brainchild of Cruise Te Anau tourism operators Erica and Chris Musgrave.The Musgraves are both commercial skippers who have not only operated a 24m catamaran servicing the Taranaki oil fields but also - for 15-years - run power boat training courses for schools in Auckland and around the country.Cruise Te Anau's Chris and Erica Musgrave. Photo: SuppliedChris, a Coastguard tutor and examiner, said that after moving to Te Anau in November, they recognised there was a huge boating public here but no training courses, so thought they would try it."It's really important when kids are going out on boats with their parents... the kids know what to do," Erica said.The couple said up to 30 people had initially showed an interest, with 4 eventually turning up for yesterday's session.The couple said they took both their boats out - 'Flyby', an 8.5m Protector and 'Matai', a 5.5m Stabicraft.That way the kids got one-on-one training, and by taking two boats out also meant they got more exposure and time on the wheel, the couple said."With the older kids we did a little bit more about awareness - if you turn this way... if the fog comes in, how do you find your way home," Chris said."We [went] through all the safety equipment every boat should have, which is recommended by Maritime New Zealand.""We had a really in-depth discussion about life jackets, because there is a lot of misnomers around about life jackets - a lot of really bad information out there, so [we] dispelled a few myths," he said."Then [we did] some basic boat handling.""We had one 7-year-old girl swinging the boat around and parking by the wharf like a champ," he said."I reckon they could drive and park boats better than most adults now," Erica said.As the formal session ended the kids were treated to half an hour fishing in Lake Te Anau's South Arm.After session wind-down. Photo: SuppliedThe Musgraves said the day had been a bit of a pilot run and they would look at repeating it later in the year, maybe when the lake was quiet and to coincide with the school holidays.They said if there was enough interest they would look at running two sessions in a day which would further help reduce the cost.The couple said they had also appreciated Fiordland Marine's help sponsoring yesterday's session which meant all the kids also got to take home a hat and compass.

Southland District Council (SDC) Mayor Rob Scott's vision of just two councils governing Southland moved a step closer yesterday (8 Jul) after the Local Government Commission (LGC) announced it would be formally investigating the proposal.Southland is currently governed by three territorial councils - Southland District (SDC), Gore District (GDC) and Invercargill City (ICC), and one regional council - Environment Southland (ES).SDC Mayor Rob Scott made his initial proposal in August last year to reorganise local government in Southland into two unitary authorities – one rural based and one for Invercargill city.The proposal was subsequently formally lodged with the Local Government Commission (LGC) by the SDC.Yesterday's LGC announcement follows preliminary consultations with all four affected councils and Te Ao Mārama Incorporated, on behalf of Ngāi Tahu ki Murihiku.Scott said he was pleased the Local Government Commission had seen merit in the proposal.“There’s definitely a need for change in local government in Southland.”“The people of Southland deserve relevant representation that is connected to their communities and is efficient and affordable."“I’m looking forward to working with the commission over the coming months,” he said.In April and May respectively, both ICC and ES councilors supported the further investigating the proposal, although ICC councilors preferred a single unitary authority.GDC Chief Executive Debbie Lascelles said in May that while there had been some interest from both the community and council to the current proposal, for Gore to give up its local voice and control the proposal would need to demonstrate considerably more financial benefits.She said the GDC believed a much bigger proposal needed to be explored.The commission said in its announcement that the initiative set out potential benefits for the Southland region, and some concerns of the other affected councils.“Each council and Ngāi Tahu ki Murihiku will have the opportunity to feed into development of the investigation process document, which may assist in allaying some concerns,” the LGC decision said.The LGC process is expected to take between three and five years to complete.

The Local Government Commission is investigating the reorganisation of councils in the Southland region.Southland District Mayor Rob Scott last year proposed two authorities for the region - one rural-based and one for Invercargill city.The commission consulted with Gore District Council, Invercargill City Council, Southland District Council and Environment Southland, before deciding on the investigation.It also engaged with Te Ao Mārama Incorporated, on behalf of Ngāi Tahu ki Murihiku.The commission said Southland District's initiative meets the aims of the Local Government Act, including improved local decision-making and better service delivery.Published by permission

Road OpenNo Avalanche HazardRoad status:OPEN from Te Anau to Milford SoundComments:The road is open. We have completed the maintenance works earlier than expected, so there will not be any further tunnel closures this week.  Weather forecast for the Homer Tunnel area:Today: Rain developing. Tomorrow: Periods of rain. Friday: Rain. Saturday: Periods of rain. Sunday: Showers.

A newly-appointed KiwiRail board director is associated with a company which donated to NZ First.Scott O'Donnell is one of the four directors of Dynes Transport Tapanui, which donated $20,000 to NZ First in July 2024.The company is also involved in a project which recently received a government regional infrastructure loan of $8 million.Political scientist Bryce Edwards said even though party donations are not considered to be a conflict of interest, he believed it was a "perfect storm" of factors, which can erode trust in the political system."It's definitely this type of relationship that leads to, at the very least, a perception of a quid-pro-quo arrangement whereby donations give the donors special treatment in government."Minister for Rail Winston Peters' announcement of Scott O'Donnell's appointment to state-owned KiwiRail last week noted a conflict of interest plan was in place related to O'Donnell's business interests."The company's road freight operation is primarily south of Oamaru, and as such Mr O'Donnell will recuse himself from KiwiRail activities in this part of New Zealand," said Peters in the press statement.He said O'Donnell "brings actual experience to the role" and would bolster KiwiRail's freight expertise and that his commercial interests were disclosed during the appointment process.Information about the donation was not included in Peters' announcement."Dynes Transport is a company, not an individual, and its donation was declared to the Electoral Commission and in full public view while Mr O'Donnell's directorship was considered," said Peters.Dynes Transport was also a recipient of a government loan for a transport hub project in Mosgiel.The Southern Link Logistics Park received an $8 million loan towards creating an "inland port". The project would connect Dunedin's Port Chalmers to Mosgiel by track and potentially cut 19,000 truck trips through Dunedin streets a year.The hub would be developed by Southern Link Property Limited, which is owned by Port Otago and Dynes Transport.NZ First's Shane Jones announced the government loan for the project days after a competing project was revealed.Calder Stewart had plans for a 55-hectare development on heavy industrial-zoned land near Milton, which would be approximately 50 kilometres southwest of Dunedin. It would be connected to State Highway 1 and the South Island's main trunk line and its development would be privately funded.Jones told RNZ to the best of his knowledge he was not aware of another proposal for an inland port. He said five ministers were involved in making the decision regarding the Regional Infrastructure Fund loan, including National's Nicola Willis, Chris Bishop, Tama Potaka and Simon Watts.Conflicts of interest regarding donations were handled in a similar manner to Fast Track Applicants, said Jones, where only donations made to candidates directly were considered to be a conflict. "Just because someone contributes to the party doesn't necessarily mean that I, as a member of New Zealand First, one of five ministers would be in a conflict situation."KiwiRail's executive general manager freight markets supplied a letter of support to Dyne Transport's unsuccessful fast track proposal in April 2024.Are party donations a conflict of interest?A recent investigation regarding the handling of conflicts of interest and the Fast Track Approvals Act conducted by the Office of the Auditor General backed Jones' stance, that party donations are not currently considered to be a conflict of interest.The report, however, noted that further thought could be given to making decisions which tangibly benefit a party donor, rather than confer a generalised benefit, and recommended the Cabinet Manual could provide more guidance on the matter.The Auditor General stated: "These issues are beyond my mandate, but I note that the recent Independent Electoral Review considers that there is a need to protect against the perception that large political donations are a way to obtain undue access and influence."Edwards said he believed situations like this can dent public confidence in the coalition government, "especially because it's a donation to the party that has the two ministers that have been making these decisions".He would like to see some debate about reforms to the way donations and conflicts of interest are handled.He believed there was a case for more transparency around party donations when announcements about loans, or board appointments were made."We might even need to start talking about cooling off periods whereby, when companies make donations to political parties, especially those in government, they shouldn't be eligible for government contracts or funding for a period of time."He agreed with the Auditor General's suggestion that new conflict of interest procedures could be instituted when companies or people who have donated to a party may benefit from government decisions.RNZ has requested comment from Scott O'Donnell.Published by permission

A 10-year-old tourist died in Fiordland National Park due to "an accidental slip, during a happy family journey which had appalling consequences", a coroner says.Tegan Chen, of Lindfield, New South Wales, last year drowned in the fast-flowing Marian Creek, in the Hollyford Valley, after she fell in and was swept downstream.In findings released on Wednesday morning, Coroner Mary-Anne Borrowdale described Chen as "a very active and happy girl"."She was brave and expressive. She loved horse riding, dancing, and performing for her family and friends. She had written many song lyrics," Borrowdale said.The fall happened on Lake Marian Falls Track, in the company of Chen's two older brothers, parents, two grandparents and an aunt, the coroner said.The family were on holiday and were returning to Te Anau after an overnight cruise in Milford Sound.The track - a popular 20-minute, 360-metre walk - had been recommended to the family.At about 11am on 25 January, the group walked to the end of a boardwalk, where a large, smooth outcrop of rocks jutted into Marian Creek, Borrowdale said.Marian Creek was an alpine, very cold, fast-flowing river fed from Lake Marian - "not a 'creek' in the usual use of that term", she said.The three children walked onto the rocks, which were not separated from the boardwalk by any structures.Chen had been squatting by the river's edge when her father saw her try to stand up, slip and fall into the river.As she was carried downstream, she was initially able to hold onto a rock and raise herself up, but was quickly swept off the rock and out of sight, Borrowdale said.Other visitors helped the family to look for Chen and emergency services were called.She was found unresponsive by a logjam about 420 metres downstream.Chen could not be revived, despite bystanders performing CPR as well as a doctor, who was winched in by an emergency helicopter.A pathologist found Chen drowned and had also sustained bruises and abrasions consistent with being tumbled in a rocky river.Borrowdale said the track was on public conservation land managed by the Department of Conservation (DOC).The department had "comprehensively investigated all factors within its control that may have been influential in the tragedy", she said.The track was well-maintained at the time of the accident and there was no prior history of serious reported incidents at the site where the boardwalk met the rocky outcrop.However, the department found storm damage in 2020 had subtly changed the track, and washed away some moss and ground cover that "may have been acting as a natural boundary between the walkway and the outcrop".Following the accident, DOC upgraded the track to include a platform that covered the rocks, with barriers on all sides and prominent signage warning of a drowning risk.It also internally reclassified the track to cater for less-experienced walkers and "short stop travellers".Borrowdale said in light of the significant safety improvements at the site, she had no further recommendations.Published by permission