Police have arrested ten people on over 70 drug charges following a series of search warrants in Southland and Otago this week.Police also seized approximately $16,000, ammunition, drugs, and other drug paraphernalia.Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Baird said the Southland and Otago Coastal Organised Crime teams executed warrants as part of Operation Strata, targeting drug dealers with gang connections.There were 15 warrants in total, in Invercargill, Dunedin, Gore, Mataura, and other rural properties, he said.The 10 people arrested face numerous serious charges, from supplying methamphetamine, MDMA, cocaine, LSD and cannabis, to possession of restricted weapons and ammunition.Baird said investigations were ongoing and he expected to make more arrests, and file further charges, in coming days.Operation Strata involved over 30 staff from a number of Police groups across the Southern District and South Island, including the Te Waipounamu Gang Disruption Unit based in Christchurch.If you have any information about the supply of illicit drugs, please contact Police through 105, either online or via phone, report it to your local Police station, or anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 0800 555 111.Braid said Police encourage anyone affected by drug addiction to seek help through Alcohol and Drug helpline on 0800 787 797, or free text 8681.

A coroner has directed police to launch a fresh investigation into the death of Gore preschooler Lachlan Jones, describing much of what happened as a "shambles".Coroner Alexander Ho also shut down "implausible" accusations the three-year-old was killed, frozen and dumped by his mother and half-brothers in 2019, saying she did not harm her child.Two police investigations concluded Lachlan accidentally drowned in a council oxidation sewage pond a little over a kilometre from his home, although his father Paul Jones disputed the findings.In delivering his findings to a packed courtroom in Invercargill, coroner Ho found the boy ran down the street to the sewage ponds on the night he died but he could not establish how the boy got into the water or his cause of death.He directed police to reinvestigate Lachlan's death because of a multitude of unanswered questions, including whether it was "a calamitous confluence of chance"."It would be remiss to overlook the fact that Lachie was able to come to harm because he was not being adequately supervised, or to overlook how the conduct of the subsequent police and medical investigations into this death have compromised my ability to make findings about how a vulnerable three-year-old child came to die," he said."Bluntly, it is difficult to escape the lingering impression that much of what occurred was a shambles which could, and should, have been avoided."Lachlan Jones' father Paul Jones, family members and friends were in the public gallery to hear the coroner's findings, many of whom wore hoodies emblazoned with #Justice4Lachie, angel wings or large rainbow lollipops.Coroner Ho said it was "inherently improbable" that Lachlan's mother was complicit in killing her child before she ordered pizza that night, nor any evidence that Lachlan's body was placed in a freezer."I accept that a morally moribund mother who accidentally killed her child in a momentary fit of violent exasperation might well panic and try to cover it up, but I do not think a natural reaction would be for her to pick up the phone and order a pizza with extra aioli," he said.Coroner Ho found police almost immediately formed a view that Lachlan's drowning was accidental and never treated his death as unexplained or suspicious, instead relying on an untested account from his mother and on eyewitness sightings.He told the court he could not rule out the possibility of foul play as a result of police failings, including confusion over who was in charge and neglecting to seek expert input from criminal investigators."There were frankly astonishing scenes at inquest of two senior police officers each disclaiming responsibility for leading the investigation," he said.Coroner Ho said it was concerning that police had not considered foul play given there was a two-hour window between a sighting near a road corner and when he was found in the pond."That is ample time for harm to befall: a push into the pond or a deliberate holding underwater of him would take only seconds," the coroner said.Investigation flawsPolice acknowledged "missed steps" in their first investigation, triggering a formal review, while a second concluded there was not enough evidence to lay criminal charges.Coroner Ho identified "shortcomings" in the investigations."There was confusion about the identity of the officer in charge in the first investigation. It did not bode well for the quality of the investigation that no one could tell me who was actually in control," he said.He found some eyewitnesses' statements were not taken promptly, others were recorded as saying things about areas they had no first-had knowledge about, police did not seek expert criminal investigation advice from CIB and the police report for the coroner contained factual errors.He did not accept the police investigation correctly detailed what happened that night and found many instances where the evidence did not support what the police presented fact.Coroner Ho directed police to launch a further investigation into Lachlan's death and report back by 16 January 2026, with the findings to be provided to the Independent Police Conduct Authority and the New Zealand Medical Council."The fact that I am directing a re-investigation should not be taken as implicating any individual as complicit in or responsible for Lachie's death," he said."I emphasise that the reinvestigation I am directing should include not only those incomplete issues which I have identified in these findings but also any other matter which police would normally examine during their usual investigative process. It is to be a full and fresh investigation."Accident or something sinister?Coroner Ho had hoped to answer the question of how the boy came to be floating in a sewage pond more than a kilometre from his home late on a hot summer's night.Lachlan's father Paul Jones and others never accepted that he would run such a long distance in a soiled nappy, barefoot down a gravel road and scale a wooden fence so late in the day.Instead, they believed others were involved in his death.During the inquest Jones' lawyer Max Simpkins accused Lachlan's mother and her two older sons of killing the boy and storing his body in a freezer before dumping it to try and cover up his death.Coroner Ho said there was enough evidence about her movements - including scanning into the depot where she worked - and her conduct - exchanging innocuous text messages with her son about the weather and playful text messages with Jones - that suggested it was unlikely he died during that time.There was no evidence to support the accusation that his body was ever placed in a freezer, he said."Michelle Officer did not cause Lachie direct harm in a manner materially contributory to death after Lachie turned down Grasslands Road," he said."It is not otherwise possible to find whether there was third party involvement in Lachie's death."The early death theory was not plausible because he found that Lachlan was alive and running down Salford Street that night, the coroner said.He detailed many witness accounts of a small child wearing a high-vis vest and emergency services hat."The child who the six eyewitnesses saw running down Salford Street and turning the corner on to Grasslands Road was Lachie," he said.Coroner Ho was not convinced that he had heard the entire truth about what happened that night and did not rule out the possibility of third-party involvement."On the evidence, it is certainly possible that Lachie could have run out to the ponds by himself, entered the water and drowned, notwithstanding the apparent impediments of bare feet, a full nappy, unforgiving surfaces and the late hour," he said."Lachie could have entered the water, whether under his own steam or by being placed in it by someone else, at any point in the 340 metres between the top of the south pond and where he was found."The post-mortemThe pathologist who performed Lachlan's autopsy told the inquest he was reluctant to do the post-mortem because Southland was not set up to autopsy children and he did not routinely perform them on children.The coroner noted he did not raise his concerns with the duty coroner, instead saying he considered it would be a kindness to his family to have the autopsy done locally and police did not regard the death as suspicious.The pathologist did not perform a full autopsy but maintained he found nothing suspicious and stood by his findings.The coroner said the examination and report were "not completed to the standard which would allow me to safely rely on their contents" and he exercised "extreme caution" on relying on anything in the post-mortem report.The conversation with the duty coroner - which there was no record of - did not absolve the pathologist's responsibility to provide appropriate medical advice, coroner Ho said.Coroner Ho said the evidence left three possible causes of death - drowning, drowning secondary to head trauma and fatal head trauma - none of which crossed the balance of probabilities threshold so the cause of death was undetermined.It was plausible that Lachlan could have drowned in the pond but he did not have enough evidence to make an official finding, he said.While he understood the pathologist was no longer registered to practice medicine in New Zealand he said it was appropriate for the Medical Council to be aware of his findings to make an informed decision if the pathologist sought to practice again.Next steps for policeCoroner Ho directed experienced police to re-investigate Lachlan's death."Had I the power to do so, I would require that any re-investigation be led by an experienced officer from outside Southland District," he said."It would be beneficial for a fresh lens to be applied to the investigation and any conflicts of interest minimised. ... it is to be a full and fresh investigation."Coroner Ho strongly urged anyone who had further information about the events of 29 January 2019 to contact the police.The inquiry would remain open until he got the report.Published by permission

Farmers and tradies buying utes under the government's Investment Boost initiative will be hit by a "tax grenade" in the form of a fringe benefit tax (FBT), according to an expert.Findex tax advisory partner Craig Macalister said the repeal of a work-related vehicle FBT exemption for mixed private and business use committed to in the government's latest Budget will result in tax implications for people who use their utes for business.IRD was consulting on the proposed changes.Under the change, farmers with a mixed used farm ute costing $70,000 will be hit with an annual FBT bill of $6370, at the proposed 26 percent rate for petrol and diesel vehicles."Farmers are buying vehicles at Fieldays, looking forward to a reduced cost thanks to depreciation deductibility, but oblivious to the tax grenade coming their way in 12 months," Macalister said."Worse still, any vehicle over $80,000 - such as a $75,000 ute with $6000 in extras - will be classified as 100 percent taxable, resulting in a staggering $21,060 in FBT per year in [taxable benefit]."A tax of about $10,000 or $13,000 could then apply.Macalister said consultation on the tax changes had not been given inadequate consideration, resulting in a policy that over-taxed essential business assets."In our view, the use of the current FBT exemption strikes the right balance for work-related vehicles. Scrapping it will hurt farmers and other industries reliant on utility vehicles," he said."These utes are not perks or 'Remuera tractors' - they're essential tools for carrying equipment, personnel and of course dogs on and off the farm."Yet, the IRD seems locked in a paradigm that views any provided vehicle as a perk to be taxed, unless it's an emergency vehicle."Published by permission

A southern council is upping the ante as it clamps down on speeding work cars.Environment Southland vehicles are fitted with devices in all vehicles which record speeding events later sent to managers.Every quarter, a summary is presented to the council showing the results.The most recent set of data revealed a jump in the number of events where the speed limit was exceeded by more than 10km/hr, with a total of 458 recorded from January to March.That number was an increase of 51 from the previous period.Council health and safety manager Paul le Roux said proactive action was happening at the council as a result of the bump.An increase in reporting was the focus, so that managers could receive information weekly instead of monthly.The goal was to intervene more quickly and “get on top” of the speeding, le Roux said.Overtaking manoeuvres were still proving an issue as were areas where speed limits had changed, he said.Council reports also highlight speeding events where the limit was exceeded by more than 20km/hr.Nineteen such events were recorded in the most recent quarter, up from just four in the previous.Despite the overall increase between the two most recent quarters, numbers were down on the whole.For the quarters ending June 2024 and September 2024, there were 856 and 884 recorded incidents, respectively.Council cars are fitted with both a monitoring system and an audible alarm that goes off when the speed limit is exceeded.The council regularly notes the size of the region in its reporting, with 220,367km travelled in work cars over the most recent reporting period.LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air

Police have seized 478 firearms including five pistols - some that may be prohibited, along with ammunition and parts, from a Gore property on Friday (6 Jun) in what is believed to be one of New Zealand’s largest seizures of weaponry.Concerns about the purchasing history of a Gore man, led Police officers to issue him with a notice of temporary suspension – which allows Police to retain a firearms licence holder’s licence and uplift any firearms in the person’s possession.Only six of the firearms were registered in the man’s name, and while some were locked in safes, a large number were unsecure.Southland Area Commander Inspector Mike Bowman said it was shocking to see so many firearms unsecured and the scale of it is concerning.It was largest seizure of firearms ever seen in the Southern District “by far”.No charges have been laid, but that may change, depending on the investigation, Inspector Bowman said.Bowman said it was too soon to say if any of the firearms were destined to be sold to criminal groups.“A number of enquiries are being made into this discovery, but the sheer number of firearms involved means that will take some time.”Unusual purchasesIt was the man’s purchase history that caught the attention of officials.“Through the Firearms Registry, the Firearms Safety Authority was able to establish the man had purchased multiple firearms since 2023, and not all were registered as they should have been after purchase,” Bowman said.“In buying a firearm, the man was required to register older firearms already in his possession, and we allege that did not happen.”Because of the number of firearms located, multiple Police vehicles were required to transport them from the property.The firearms, ammo and parts will be held securely by Police until the investigation, and any legal action that may follow, is complete.The future of the seized firearms remains unclear.“It’s still early days in the investigation and we have a lot of work to do before we get to that point,” Bowman said.

A southern council has opted to keep its water services in-house following strong community feedback.On Wednesday, Southland district councillors unanimously voted to run with an 'adjusted status quo model' for Three Waters services which allows it to retain responsibility while meeting new requirements.It comes at a time when councils all over the country are responding to Government reform on how they want to deliver drinking water, wastewater and stormwater.More than 97 percent of Southland respondents preferred an adjusted status quo option instead of a standalone council-controlled organisation (CCO).Reasons for the overwhelming vote included local control, accountability, affordability, cost efficiency and a feeling of "reform fatigue".If the council had opted to go down the CCO route, estimated costs of $750,000 would have been required for setup as well as about $625,000 a year for operating.Mayor Rob Scott attended a number of meetings during consultation.“It was really good engagement everywhere we went, even with the smaller numbers,” he said.The adjusted status quo model will form part of the council’s water services delivery plan, as required under legislation.That plan needs to show how the council will be compliant in delivering a satisfactory and financially sustainable service by mid-2028, and must be submitted to the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) by 3 September.The council was also involved in DIA case study looking at how new standards would impact rural councils.Results from that study were received yesterday, by which point the staff report had already been prepared for Wednesday’s meeting.Community consultation in Southland ran from 3 April to 21 May and included nine locations from Te Anau to Stewart Island/Rakiura.In May, Invercargill City Council also voted to keep its delivery in-house.Consultation has just ended on a proposal which would see Gore join forces with other district councils including Clutha, Central Otago and Waitaki.LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air

Police have located the kayaker, whose upturned kayak sparked a search involving Police, local boats and a helicopter late yesterday afternoon (10 Jun).Police said the kayaker was safe and well, and they will not be taking any further action.Police thanked the prompt action of the public who had raised the alarm.Searches undertaken by Fiordland Land Search and Rescue and Southern Lakes Helicopters were greatly appreciated, they said.Police encourage all recreational water users ensure all their equipment is removed from the water and area at the end of any activities to prevent any undue alarm being raised.

A police operation targeting antisocial driving behaviour in Invercargill has resulted in multiple vehicles being issued infringements and ordered off the road.Police said over Friday and Saturday nights (7-8 Jun) officers pulled over 161 vehicles in the city, 54 of which were sent for inspection.Southland area road policing manager Senior Sergeant Scott MacKenzie said this was not good enough."The number of vehicles ordered off the road really surprised us; coupled with the fact that only eight of the 54 vehicles inspected were found without any faults," he said."In total the teams stopped 161 vehicles, of which those with numerous and or serious faults came in at 33.5 percent - one third of all cars stopped should not have been on the road."We've been very clear - we have no tolerance for this behaviour and the havoc it wreaks in our communities."Officers also issued 12 green stickers and 16 pink stickers.Senior Sergeant MacKenzie said he and his colleagues were all too familiar with the devastating impacts that could occur when driving recklessly or at speed, along with the fact many of the vehicles were unsafe to travel in."We're the ones having to visit families and deliver awful news about their loved ones being involved in serious incidents resulting in injury or death," he said."Police are sending a message to anyone participating in antisocial road user behaviour - we are ready and waiting, and you can expect us to take action."We continue to encourage anyone who witnesses this type of activity to report it to Police."Published by permission

A search and rescue operation has been launched on Lake Te Anau, near Blue Gum Point, following the discovery of an upturned kayak on the lake at around 3.15pm this afternoon (10 Jun).Chris Musgrave from Cruise Te Anau said they were on their way home from one of their regular cruises when they found the kayak and debris about 200 meters from shore.Debris included a paddle, stainless-steel flask and some fishing tackle.Cruise Te Anau crew found an upturned kayak and debris about 200m from Blue Gum Point. Photo: Cruise Te Anau"We did a search pattern straight away and called the Police", Musgrave said.A Police spokesperson said they responded, along with local boats and a helicopter, however nothing further was discovered.At 5.45pm the Search and Rescue team decided to regroup at the hanger, with Police saying it is now a 'watch and wait' situation.Police urge anyone who recognises the kayak or has failed to return home from fishing on Lake Te Anau to contact Police, quote event number P062824240.

Invercargill City Councillor and former mayoral candidate, Ria Bond, has today (10 Jun) announced she will be running for the Invercargill mayoralty in the upcoming 2025 local body elections.She will also be standing for the City Council, a position she has held for the past 3-years.In 2022 Bond unsuccessfully bid for the mayoralty but was the highest polling female elected to council. She has previously been a New Zealand First list Member of Parliament (2015 to 2017).Bond said her decision to stand stemmed from a profound respect for the community and a determination to lead into a future defined by unity, opportunities and sustainability.Local Government is the cornerstone of democracy, the place where decisions influence the daily lives of residents in the most tangible ways, she said.However Bond said the Invercargill City Council faced a crisis of confidence, with a lack of trust in council by members of the community.Bond said that necessitated a change in how the council engaged with the community by fostering open in-depth communication, consultation and active listening to rebuild trust and effectively address local challenges.Maintaining a consistent approach to being effective, open and transparent can be challenging over time, she said.“The governance arm of council must ensure that their actions align with their promises and that they continuously work towards building trust within our community.""I believe our Council needs to do better and I have a plan for this.” Bond said.Bond joins fellow Councillor Alex Crackett who has also confirmed she is standing for the Invercargill mayoralty.Voting in the 2025 local body elections opens on 9th September and close on 11th October.Local Body elections are held every 3-years and, in Southland, decide who will represent the public on the Invercargill City Council, Southland District Council, Gore District Council and Environment Southland.

He’s been almost 20 years at the heart of the Southland Rural Support Trust getting alongside farmers who’ve done the hard yards through tough times.Throughout that time, out of his own bad Lindsay Wright has been able to bring about good, something he’s now very passionate about.Lindsay, 70, recently retired as a volunteer trustee from the trust which he chaired for three years through the effects of Southland’s ‘Big Snow’ in 2010, also working as the trust’s coordinator for 10 years.However, he says if he hadn’t hit rock bottom himself due to extreme financial pressure farming then he wouldn’t have been able to help from a place of such empathy and understanding.Born in Mosgiel where his dad was the weather officer at Taieri Airfield, the family - six children, moved to Wendonside, near Riversdale, to his mother’s family farm to help his grandfather, who’d lost a son in World War II.His grandfather died just four years in leaving his parents to run the farm.A young Lindsay Wright negotiating the farm cattle stop on his trike. Photo: SuppliedLindsay went to Gore High then Canterbury University from 1972 where he studied electrical engineering before switching to a Bachelor of Computer Science, one of the early students.For five years he worked as a computer programmer for International Harvester in Christchurch then British Leyland in Sydney. “International Harvester had one of the first companies using data transmission up telephone lines in the mid-70s,” he says.“Transmission speed was 1200 characters a second and you could literally see the letters rolling onto the screen.""Now the internet is at 50 million characters per second."“It was fun, and I enjoyed it but it was a very ego-driven and empire building occupation back then,” he says.After a year-long OE in 1981 Lindsay returned to Wendonside to help his father on the farm which he and his first wife bought from the family in 1985.“I borrowed as much as I could but two months after I got my mortgage Roger Douglas (then Labour Finance Minister) removed SMPs (Supplementary Minimum Price) subsidies for farmers.""My mortgage stayed the same and my income halved.""I don’t know how we survived,” Lindsay says.“At the worst I could only feed the sheep. That was all I did. I was still farming with my grandfather’s old 7 to 8-foot-wide (2.13m to 2.44m) equipment.”His married couple farm worker left for the freezing works leaving Lindsay to run 1100 acres (445ha) on his own. “We just existed.”Even when the rural economy picked up it took 18 months to catch up on all the jobs. “Everything we had went back into the farm. I was forever in overdraft paying high interest rates. It’s expenses first in farming and income at the end of the year.”Lindsay Wright. Photo: SuppliedLindsay tried diversifying into goats, even developing some computer software for a goat consortium. “But I was spending so much time on that instead of my main income of sheep. I paid up to $200 a head for goats and sold them for $5. I lost $3000,” he says. “I learned to stick to my knitting.”After 24 years farming the numbers just wouldn’t add up while the bills and pressure mounted, which all took its toll on Lindsay’s health and he leased the property to neighbours in 2006.“The lamb price had gone through the roof in 2001 – the first time it had gone over $100. But four years later it had plummeted, Lindsay losing $40,000 a year while his mortgage kept growing.It was an immensely difficult time for him and his relationships.“I’ve discovered through my Rural Support work that many issues based out in the paddock end up in the kitchen affecting families,” he says.Farming can be a lonely, isolated existence so it’s important for farmers to stay connected and Kiwi men to learn to open up and realise it’s ok to ask for help,” Lindsay says.Lindsay Wright. Photo: Supplied“When you’re a farmer you don’t have a ‘Smoko’ room where you can talk to your workmates. Thankfully, now we have organisations like Rural Support and Farm Strong to look after farmers’ wellbeing.”After taking time out from farming Lindsay was able to turn all this life experience into both practical and emotional support for other farmers doing it tough, whether that be due to adverse weather events or personal issues.It all started as a follow-on to the lessons learned from the big snowfalls in Mid-Canterbury in the 1990s when Lindsay says farmers found themselves last to receive assistance as help always reached the greater populace first.“Farmers began to form groups to help themselves during adverse weather events.”By the late 90s the government through MAF (Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries) realised it was worth having standardised groups in every province nationally.“By 2007 Northland and Southland were the only places without support groups so Southland Federated Farmers put an ad in the paper seeking expressions of interest for an Adverse Events Trust.”Lindsay Wright competing in the EH Coast Classic. Photo: SuppliedLindsay put his hand up for the steering committee to investigate setting up a trust for Southland. He turned out to be a real asset. “If you’ve been down the road you know where the bumps are and it gives you the ability to sit with people and go through what they’re going through,” he says.By 2008 the trust was formed, the volunteer trustees all actively out in the community helping initially. “We didn’t know much about what we were doing, but we did what we thought we could do.”There had been some droughts in those early days, but on 18 September 2010 ‘The Big Snow’ came catching farmers out in southern Southland during spring lambing and calving.It was a baptism of fire for the support trust.“Stadium Southland’s roof caved in in the snow on the Saturday. We had our AGM on Monday, where I was elected chairman, and by Thursday MAF was in Invercargill declaring an ‘adverse event’. We hit the ground running, co-managing it with Federated Farmers. We all got into a room and hatched a plan.”They brought in stakeholders from rural professions, Civil Defence, Councils, sending troops in trucks to all farms in the affected area with food packs and questionnaires asking if rural families were ok and what they needed.As Southland Rural Support coordinator, Lindsay Wright fronted the initiative that saw farmers invited off-farm for a 'Brunch on Us' event after the 2020 Southland Floods. Photo: Supplied“Over three weeks they visited 2000 farms.” Seminars were organised to help farmers with the necessary information to deal with what they’d lost.“Some had lost 50% of their stock. We brought in vets, mental health advisors. Some people had to make some major adjustments.” They didn’t know the true extent of the damage until tailing in October. “That was where we learned a lot about dealing with disaster.”Through his involvement with the trust and Toastmasters, Lindsay was invited to help create a mental health workshop with WellSouth.Lindsay Wright (centre) is farewelled from the Southland Rural Support Trust by chair Simon Hopcroft and vice chair Georgette Wouda. Photo: SuppliedThis piloted in Gore in 2014, morphing into what is now the nationally renowned Good Yarn workshops.“So far 23,000 people have attended one of these workshops in 10 years. That for me is a real buzz.”

Invercargill councillor Alex Crackett says there’s no backup plan as she risks it all for a shot at council’s top job.Crackett has announced she is leaving her role as the head of marketing and client experience at Invercargill accounting firm McIntyre Dick to focus on her mayoral campaign.The three-term councillor said a lot of time went into the decision, but she had to back herself if she expected the city to do the same.“Really for me, the most important thing was being able to get to the end of the campaign and say that I’ve given it absolutely everything.”At this stage there was no backup and no plan of standing for a regular council seat, with Crackett saying she was “100 percent all in”.She said she was prepared to take the risk because she didn’t have the luxury of doing it in retirement.“I’m not doing it for something to do. I’m doing it because I genuinely believe in Invercargill and its future."Crackett's campaign was shaping up to be a busy time as she sought to engage with all facets of society.“For me, it’s making sure I’m at every single community meeting that I can possibly get to. Making sure that I’m hearing all the voices that I possibly can, and right across our community, not just the usual forums that councillors are in,” Crackett said.The campaign would focus on rates affordability, regional collaboration, infrastructure renewal and inclusive economic development, she said in a statement.Crackett was first elected to the council in 2016 and has worked for McIntyre Dick for six years.If successful in her bid, she will be just the second female mayor in Invercargill's history, following Eve Poole who was in charge from 1983 - 1992.Mayor Nobby Clark has previously ruled out a second term at the helm, but deputy mayor Tom Campbell and long serving councillor Ian Pottinger have both announced they will be running.The local elections are set for 11 October, with voting documents delivered from 9 September.LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air

Inexperienced ‘girl boy racer’ careers into carAn innocent driver’s car was struck, allegedly by an inexperienced, 21-year-old Learner driver, ‘girl racer’ on Invercargill’s Bay Road on Sunday evening (1 June), just days after last Friday’s major boy racer incident in Levin, which left Police and bystanders injured, one woman seriously.Senior Sergeant Mel Robertson says the road was wet and the 21-year-old female Learner driver boy racing another car was believed to be travelling at 100km/hr in a 50km zone where the member of the public’s car was hit.The driver of the car she hit was left with minor injuries requiring medical attention.A passenger in the victim’s vehicle was assessed by St John’s and transferred to Southland Hospital.“This young woman was an inexperienced Learner driver travelling at excessive speed and she’s misjudged the conditions and slid on the wet road colliding with the victim’s car,” Robertson says.Police investigations are continuing, and charges are likely pending.She assures Southern Police will not be putting up with boy racer activity in their patch, the significant boy racer activity in Levin in which Police were pelted and members of the public injured only highlighting the need for a hard line on this.“We take a zero-tolerance approach to boy racer behaviour,” she says.Crash brings power pole and live lines down – Tragedy narrowly avertedA multiple tragedy was narrowly averted when a car attempting to overtake another car turning right clipped that car while trying to avoid an accident.It then crashed into a power pole about 6.30pm on State Highway 1, near Longbush.“The driver managed to extract himself from the vehicle and just as he did the power pole came down on his car,” Roberston says.The power lines then came tumbling down onto an awaiting St John Ambulance about to attend to him, rendering the officers inside both powerless and trapped in their vehicle.PowerNet was called to isolate the wires and make the site safe.The driver, who’d sustained minor injuries, was then attended to by the ambulance staff.Alleged Drink Driver Clock at 178km/hrPolice were extremely concerned to have clocked an alleged drink driver speeding at 178km/hr in a 100km/hr zone at East Road on the outskirts of Invercargill at 9pm last Friday night (31 May).The man was charged with driving with an excess breath alcohol level, third or subsequent, driving at a dangerous speed and driving while forbidden.He will appear in the Invercargill District Court on 27 June.Dangerous speedster clocked at 150km/hr – Devil’s StaircaseAn off-duty officer was also able to dob in a speeding driver clocked at 150km/hr because he was late for his Milford boat cruise on King’s Birthday (Monday, 2 June) morning.The 31-year-old man was allegedly seen overtaking multiple vehicles on double yellow lines coming off the south end of Devil’s Staircase.The off-duty officer alerted an on-duty officer who managed to locate the vehicle allegedly locked at 150km/hr in a 100km/hr zone just south of Garston.The driver had his licence suspended and was issued an infringement notice for failure to comply with yellow lines and speeding.“His excuse was that he was running late to catch a tourist boat trip to Milford,” Robertson says.“Police and Milford tourism operators are trying to urge people to plan their trip, know how long it takes and know the current road conditions, then plan accordingly,” she says.“It’s simply unacceptable to put others at risk like that.”No bull!Only in Southland….Invercargill Police and some South Invercargill Elles Road residents got an “incredi-bull” surprise on Sunday morning after a bull turned up in the driveway of a residential Elles Road home, refusing to budge.Police high-tailed it down there to assist, blocking the driveway access with their patrol car until Invercargill City Council Animal Control arrived.Senior Sergeant Mel Robertson says between them they managed to round the bull along the street to nearby Ball Street Reserve, keeping it off busy Elles Road.“The contractor was just ringing for a horse float when the bull fortunately jumped into a neighbouring paddock by the reserve,” Roberston says.However, there were horses in the paddock, so they herded it into another paddock.Thinking the stray bull was now safely secured they left, to try and locate the owner.However, the bull was still on the mooooove!Police received a report again on Monday morning to say it had again escaped confinement and trotted off down Elles Road to turn up at another house.Once again, Police arrived with Animal Control, this time a horse float in tow, and the large cattle beast was eventually herded into custody.Entertaining for all involved, but as far as this offender was concerned custody was a whole lot of bull.Robertson was unsure how far the bull had wandered after running away from home.“It had been a weekend of very strong winds so potentially fences may have been damaged but it was a pretty unique occurrence to see a bull down in South City Invercargill.”

A chair of a Southern council group is unrepentant about his behaviour at a recent meeting which was dubbed “disrespectful” by a council leader.Mataura Catchment Liaison Committee chair Hugh Gardyne has also rejected the use of "kia ora" in an email which reprimanded him for his actions.The committee Gardyne oversees is one of eight in the region which supports Environment Southland with local river work.In May, Gardyne gave a blunt presentation to councillors alleging catchment management was in “a state of paralysis” under the watch of the council chief executive, and that communication was ineffective with the general manager in charge.He was shut down at the end of his talk when he mentioned an abatement notice — later revealed to be one issued by Environment Southland against itself.A letter from council chair Nicol Horrell on 28 May warned Gardyne of his behaviour, saying parts of his presentation were factually incorrect and disrespectful.“My intention is both to correct your understanding of the facts, and to inform you that councillors will not tolerate any criticism levelled at staff in public meetings, or disrespectful behaviour,” Horrell wrote.Horrell added that it was incorrect to suggest catchment work was in a state of paralysis and accused Gardyne of not having all the facts.“I would be interested to know from where you are getting your information.”The letter ended with a suggestion that Gardyne apologise to the chief executive and manager in question.But Gardyne has defended his actions, saying his criticism was about questioning professional ability.“It doesn’t, in my opinion, deserve a response or an apology.”Gardyne said he would speak at council again in the future and the response from the general manager had been “great” following the presentation.Separately, he also took exception with the use of “kia ora” in the email sent by Horrell which delivered the reprimanding letter.Gardyne requested he instead be addressed with “hello” or “dear”.Horrell told Local Democracy Reporting it was common practice to use the te reo Māori greeting and didn’t think its use would have been Gardyne’s biggest issue.“I would have thought that that’s almost a wee bit racist.”In a letter back to Horrell, Gardyne doubled down on perceived issues with river management and questioned whether the chair’s concerns were shared by other members.Environment Southland oversees eight catchment liaison committees which help the council develop annual maintenance programs and budgets, as well as provide a local point of contact.Gardyne has been involved with the Mataura group since the early 1990s.The council said last month it was working to improve communication with its catchment committees.LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air

Southern tourism legend Lady Olive Hutchins’ life has been one of courage, resilience and sheer hard work - the backbone and matriarch of one of New Zealand’s most renowned family tourism empires.One of the original boats used by the Hutchins for tourist excursions in Doubtful Sound in 1954. Photo: RealNZOlive turns 100 tomorrow (Saturday, 7 June) and will celebrate with a family function in Queenstown, many of her 28 great grandchildren in tow.From her challenging and quite traumatic childhood through to often single-handedly raising her, and late husband Les’s, family of five while he was founding their tourism business, Manapouri Doubtful Sound Tourist Company.A young Olive Hutchins (nee Simpson) at Heddon Bush. Photo: Cochrane Family CollectionOlive’s always been a girl who “got the job done”.Despite living their early years in Manapouri without electricity, Olive was a tremendous support to Les throughout their tourism career, “keeping the home fires burning”, eldest daughter Robynne Peacock says.“Mum has always been a great family person, so was Dad. They’ve led very busy lives but always managed to keep in touch with extended family and friends,” she says.Extremely loyal, supportive, very social, kind and generous, Olive was always a woman who overcame, her strong Christian faith giving her the strength to get through.Always positive and keeping excellent health even now, Robynne believes her mother’s early childhood years built resilience that’s seen her through.Growing up in Myross Bush, Southland, Olive’s father died of tuberculosis when she was just two.Lady Olive Hutchins (nee Simpson) as a young lady. Photo: SuppliedHer mother then contracted the disease and was sent to the Waipiata Sanatorium deep in the heart of Central Otago to recover for two years.Little Olive and her two older siblings were sent to live with her mother’s elderly relatives at Heddon Bush.Once her mother was healed, they all moved in with her mother’s single brothers and uncles, where her mother became housekeeper and cook and they in turn supported her family.“There were no widow’s benefits in those days,” Robynne says.“Mum had fun though and was always very fond of the relatives at Heddon Bush.”Later back at Myross Bush she biked to Southland Girls’ High and back – about 16kms, daily, working in the office at H & J Smiths after leaving school.“There were 12 girls in there and they called themselves ‘The Twelve Unclaimed Treasures’,” Robynne smiles.She met Les Hutchins at an Invercargill ball, Les having just returned from training as an Air Force pilot in Canada, fortunately sent home as World War II was ending.“Dad was in a uniform and Mum thought he was a bit of alright.” They married on 6 October 1948.Sir Les and Lady Olive Hutchins. Photo: SuppliedLes ran a furniture business initially in Invercargill’s Tay Street, but a distant cousin lived in Manapouri which took his fancy.He and Olive soon bought Les Murrell’s estate and founded the Manapouri Doubtful Sound Tourist Company, operating four-day walking trips to Doubtful Sound and return.By 1954 they’d moved the family to Manapouri during summers, leaving a manager in the Invercargill business, moving up permanently by 1956.There was no electricity in those early years, Olive managing with a tilly lantern and candles in the house they’d built, running the family and base manager and communications for the business via a two-way radio while Les was away running trips.Eventually Les bought a windmill and a generator.“We’d play on the roof of the generator shed,” Robynne says.While that got lights on it still wasn’t play for Olive with her gas stove, kerosene-powered fridge and a frustrating old washing machine run by a petrol motor that had to be kick started.They bought the then existing Fiordland Travel Ltd at Te Anau off Wilson Campbell and Lawson Burrows, renaming their whole company Fiordland Travel, later Real Journeys and now Real NZ.Olive made all the sandwiches and lunches for their boat trips each morning, the kids roped in to help.The Hutchins family, from left, Joceyln, Robynne, Bryan, Les, Olive, holding Graeme, and Shona. Olive sewed all the children's clothes. She was also very proud of all of her grandchildren and great grandchildren. Photo: SuppliedShe was very involved in Plunket and held ‘house church’ at their home, led by the industrial chaplain from the power project.Later she and Les were founding members of the Te Anau Presbyterian Church.Olive was also involved with Federated Farmers’ Women’s Division.Fiordland Travel's MV Explorer ferrying tourists to the Te Anau-au glow worm caves in 1975. Photo: Iain CampbellThe then dilapidated TSS Earnslaw steamship was due to be scrapped over in Queenstown in 1968, so Olive and Les bought her, painstakingly restoring her to her former glory.“Dad always said it took 11 years to turn a profit in Queenstown,” Robynne says.Les was always eyeing up new opportunities, Olive the steady influence.TSS Earnslaw. Photo: RealNZ“She always says she was the hand brake when it came to Dad’s big ideas,” Robynne smiles.The company continued to expand with their children now at the helm and Olive resigned from the board 30 years ago, still sharp and doing business into her 70s.She was as passionate as Les about the Save Manapouri Campaign in the early 1970s, making the odd television appearance in support of his fight. They became renowned for their local conservation efforts.Lady Olive Hutchins. Photo: SuppliedLabour had made a campaign promise not to raise Lake Manapouri for the planned hydro scheme, while National said they’d raise it. Robynne well recalls the celebration the night of her 21st birthday when Labour was elected government.Olive has always had a heart to help others and for many years has run her own charitable trust helping everyone from children who’ve lost parents to Christian schools.“Her faith has been a huge part of her life,” Robynne says.She also loved tramping, and they introduced their kids to a love of the outdoors, also travelling extensively once Les stepped back a bit from the business.‘The Shaylene’ their yacht decked out for Doubtful Sound was a favourite past-time. They even entertained former Prime Minister Helen Clark, and politicians like Trevor de Cleene, taking them to Dusky Sound for a week.Olive and Les also did the Auckland to Suva Yacht Race twice with friends.Lady Olive Hutchins (right) with her granddaughter Madeleine Peacock. Photo: SuppliedOlive was known for her cheeky wit: “We were flying from Queenstown to Wellington for the Wearable Arts when Mum was about 90 and she fluttered her eyelids at people in the queue, saying ‘I’m 90, you know’ and they’d let her through.”Unfortunately, her much-loved TSS Earnslaw won’t be able to sail the other Lady of the Lake to Walter Peak tomorrow, but Real NZ’s Spirit of Queenstown will do the honours.Prior to her arrival local scouts will have been busy planting 80 of 100 native plants going in at Walter Peak to mark her 100th birthday, leaving about 20 for those great grandchildren old enough to plant while Great Grandma looks on proudly.RealNZ's Walter Peak Station will play host to Lady Olive's 100th birthday celebration. Photo: RealNZ

Southern Police are asking motorists to drive to the conditions and take extreme care today (6 Jun) with black ice forming on Southland roads and snow incoming later throughout Otago.Police said they had already attended one black-ice related crash this morning and are aware of another.Thankfully no one has been injured but we want to ensure everyone gets to their destination safely, they said.Meanwhile motorists on SH94, the Milford Road, are now required to carry snow chains after 5pm from Lower Hollyford to The Chasm.The latest weather update, issued by 45S Weather Services, advises a small low just west of Haast is moving slowly north, with the front around this low lagging behind and lying through Foveaux Strait.It is also moving only slowly north and probably won't get into northern Southland until towards noon or early afternoon, they forecast.This front has also broken up somewhat and snowfalls don't look likely to be heavy at the moment, and may be patchy in nature below 400mThey predict that over the weekend a high will lie south of the Tasman Sea sand Stewart Island, with a slow moving low out towards the Chathams.A cold SE flow is expected to cover New Zealand with rain and snow low on the hills into the east coast of the South Island, but there should be slowly improving weather over most of Southland, they said.

The rapid spread of an invasive seaweed in Fiordland waters has forced a regional council to adjust how it deals with the plant.Undaria is a fast-spreading pest that has established itself around the country over the past 30 years, including in Fiordland’s Te Puaitaha/Breaksea Sound and Tamatea/Dusky Sound.Environment Southland has now revealed it is shifting away from large-scale control at those sites because it cannot contain it under existing budgets.Instead, it will target new infestations and concentrate on high-risk anchorages and moorings.“This change will enable an increase of surveillance trips to high-risk areas and to act quickly if any new infestations are found — within existing budgets and resources,” council team leader marine Kathryn McLachlan said.The decision was made by a governance group which includes the council, the Ministry of Primary Industries and DOC, with support from Fiordland Marine Guardians.The new approach had already been successful at Taiari/Chalky Inlet in 2019, with the area declared free of the pest last year, McLachlan said.Guardians chair Dr Rebecca McLeod said while the previous goal was to contain the plant to an area until eradication technology could be developed, it had now spread extensively throughout the two sounds.“We appreciate that this incursion has now reached a size where efforts to reduce its spread and reduce the biomass are no longer effective.”The focus was now on containing Undaria within the two fiords and making sure new incursions were detected quickly, she said.Undaria competes with native species and travels by attaching onto ship hulls.Fiordland Marine Guardians urged operators entering Fiordland to check their hulls and gear were clean, and reminded that all vessels entering Fiordland were required to hold a clean vessel pass from the council.The plant was not believed to have reached Fiordland until 2010, when a single mature plant was found in Te Puaitaha/Breaksea Sound.Environment Southland said it was also doing control work at Easy Harbour on Rakiura/Stewart Island.LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air

Four Southlanders will be recognised for their tireless dedication to community sport at the ILT Southland Sports Awards on June 13. Up to four of the prestigious Services to Sport awards, supported by new sponsor the Invercargill City Council, are announced at the event each year.Craig Smith (football), Tim Ward (swimming), Danny Young (rowing) and Murray Heath (bowls) will be acknowledged at ILT Stadium Southland. The Awards are presented by Active Southland, on behalf of the Southland Amateur Sports Trust. Tickets are available now through the ILT Stadium Southland or Active Southland websites. Active Southland communications manager Nathan Burdon said the four Southlanders would join a long list of recipients who were vital, but often unsung, heroes for their codes. “Every sport in the province relies on having volunteers like Craig, Tim, Danny and Murray to ensure that future generations get to enjoy great opportunities in those sports. Where would we be without them?” Smith has been involved in Southland football for over 40 years, much of that time with the Queens Park club.A coach and manager across many junior teams, he has been a committee member and treasurer.Concerned at the standard of refereeing, he took up the whistle and has been named Referee of the Year multiple times.President of the referee group, Smith has also been appointed to the Southern Football Referee Advisory Group. A competitive junior swimmer, Ward became involved in officiating 20 years ago and is a current NZ Referee and Officials Examiner for Southland, dedicating a huge amount of time supporting local meets.His mentorship and support has meant many officials have been able to undergo their own training without having to travel away.Ward has been recognised by Swimming Southland with a Services Award (2011), Honours Award (2018) and life membership (2019). Young’s first involvement with Waihopai Rowing Club came in 1971 when he competed as a novice rower.Twenty years later he returned when his daughter started rowing, starting a long association with the club.Young has been a successful coach across the years, including helping Lisa Owen (now Manson) to a bronze medal in the women’s under 23 lightweight world championships. Described as the backbone of the Waihopai Bowling Club, Heath is a long-time member, current president and member of the Bowls Southland governing board.Heath has been involved in everything from maintaining the greens to working with an architect on a structural renovation of the clubrooms and driving social membership at the club.Heath was recognised as Bowls New Zealand’s Club Person of the Year (South Island) last year.Amongst his other sporting involvements, he is a stalwart of the Riverton Rugby Club, a former player and manager of the Southland Stags and has been a key organiser of the annual Westpac Chopper Appeal cycling fundraiser. All other categories, including the ILT Senior Sportsperson, Te Rourou One NZ Foundation Junior Sportsperson, BDO Coach of the Year, Southland Kia Team of the Year, NZME Masters Achievement, Community Trust South Community Impact and Inclusive Activity Murihiku Athlete with a Disability awards will be announced on June 13.

After a very successful event last year, Bluff will again host a Night Market combined with a Fire & Light Show at the Bluff Oyster & Food Festival Site on Saturday 21 June as the nation celebrates the Matariki Holiday weekend.Organised by the regular monthly Thieves Alley Market team along with Bluff Promotions, last year’s event saw a very good crowd come from all over Southland to enjoy a night market plus fire & light demonstrations.This year, organisers are promising more, much more, as the cancellation of the Matariki celebrations in Invercargill has brought some of the vendors from that event to Bluff.Music is one big addition to this year’s event with ukelele band Don’t Fret plus Nolan Henigan and friends entertaining throughout the night.Organiser Frazer Murdoch is also hoping for one more element of the entertainment programme to be announced shortly.Meanwhile there will be a good muster of marketeers with stalls featuring a range of wares while several food trucks will descend on the site to add to the atmosphere of markets, music and food. Of course, with the country celebrating Matariki, a fire & light show featuring fire poi and decorated fire drums will complement the activities.The event will take place from 5.00pm until 9.00pm and admission will be free.Inquiries from prospective stallholders are more than welcome by contacting Frazer Murdoch at 0278 506 261 or at [email protected] Oyster Festival site is perfect for the event with covered areas for the market while the Fire & Light Show can take place outdoors under the stars as the town celebrates Matariki.