The South Island has its first community case of Covid-19 since the current outbreak began, with a person testing positive for the coronavirus in Blenheim, the Health Ministry has confirmed.The case flew from Rotorua and arrived in Blenheim on Thursday. They were tested upon arrival after developing a sore throat."The initial test, including a follow-up swab, returned a weak positive result."The ministry said the case is now isolating awaiting the results of further testing.The case is considered low risk, due to their likely late stage of infection.The ministry said initial case interviews suggested the case was linked to the Te Awamutu cluster.A small number of close contacts had been identified. They are now isolating and will be tested.The ministry said any locations of interest will be added to its website.Advertisement: Southern Automobiles Subaru"We are also asking Blenheim residents with symptoms - no matter how mild - to please get tested, even if they are vaccinated."Vaccination rates in the Marlborough region have seen 90 percent of residents receive their first dose, with 78 percent fully immunised.It is the first community case in the South Island in almost a year.Today's full case numbers are due at 1pm.There were 129 cases reported yesterday and 102 cases on Thursday. Republished by Arrangement

A giant pāua shell that is the pride of a small Southland town was destined for Trade Me before a concerned member of the community stepped in and saved the day.Now it is staying where it belongs — in the seaside town it was created.The Riverton pāua shell, which is lined with 1000 sheets of real pāua, sits on the side of State Highway 99 at the town’s entrance.In 1998, it featured in a series of postage stamps celebrating New Zealand’s town icons.Advertisement: Aparima Restaurant & BarWhat many people do not realise is the shell actually belongs to Fiordland Souvenirs, a family-owned manufacturer of pāua shell products located directly behind the structure.The shell was built by the family in the early 1990s to advertise the business, and became the town’s unofficial icon thereafter.But the business has sold the land the shell sits on, so it’s up for sale.When Carole Elder heard her boss was putting it on the chopping block, she was dismayed it could end up in the wrong city, and tipped off the Ōraka-Aparima Community Board.Advertisement: Curioscape"He sold the two sections where the pāua shell sits. So he wasn’t sure what he was going to do," Elder said."That's when I went to the community board and said 'you've got to save our shell'."They didn’t realise it could end up anywhere in New Zealand."Carole Elder lives in nearby Colac Bay/Ōraka. She was concerned the shell could end up anywhere in the country if it was sold. Photo: Matthew Rosenberg/LDRThe two parties have all but reached a deal, and the board is set to fork out up to $45,000 to secure the shell and relocate it to a new home.Chairman Graeme Stuart said the board was just waiting on some outside funding to be confirmed before they could close the deal.However, there is disagreement in the town about where the shell should go.The community board plan to move it one street back from the state highway to Bath Rd, which is not a thoroughfare for the town of 1400.Advertisement: Blue Star TaxisStuart said the board had heard from people who felt the giant pāua should remain on the main street, but still felt the revamped Bath Rd site was a better fit for the installation."This is still situated at the middle of the business area, back one street off the main street. It will be well signposted," he said."We’ve got picnic tables set up, we'll have landscaping. Businesses [are] developing there. There’ll be a cafe."Elder was not convinced, though.Advertisement: Diane Wilson Todd Real Estate RivertonShe said the shell should be moved about 50m along the road to a council-owned section that also had parking next to it.Failing that, the space outside the museum — also on the main street — was a logical destination, she believed.However, Stuart did not back the museum idea, saying the location had been looked at, but other "bits and pieces" used it throughout the year."The RSA put crosses on it. We felt that that was going to clutter the area."Stuart would not say how much the shell cost, but said the final cost to set it up in its entirety was likely to be about $40,000 to $45,000.That included purchase, refurbishment, transport, and set-up, he said.Matthew RosenbergLocal Democracy Reporting EditorRepublished by Arrangement

Fiordland tourism giant RealNZ has appointed a chief marketing and digital officer.Scott McNab takes up the new position at the company, recently rebranded from Wayfare, next month.RealNZ has Real Journeys, Te Anau Glowworm Caves Experiences, Cardrona Alpine Resort, Go Orange and other tourism businesses in its stable.McNab has been at Icebreaker for 11 years, including four years as general manager (NZ & Australia), and most recently as global director responsible for the success of Icebreaker’s retail and digital strategy. Prior to that, he held senior wholesale and sales roles.Advertisement: Heather Sinclair Ray White Real Estate Te AnauRealNZ CEO Stephen England-Hall says: "Scott brings extensive digital knowledge, is renowned for his team building and will play a key role in the group’s recovery from COVID-19."McNab is originally from the Catlins, went to Dunedin University (has a Bachelor of Science) and his wife Steph, is from Alexandra. He says he is pleased to be making the move from Auckland back down south for both personal and professional reasons."This is an exciting time to join the tourism industry – when things are really tough," NcNab says."The current challenges and consumers’ behavioural shift in a more digital world, make the ideal climate to review key strategic choices and accelerate innovation.Advertisement: Bike Fiordland"Place the right bets and we can emerge from COVID-19 an even stronger business."Real Journeys was founded in 1954 by Les and Lady Olive Hutchins, who bought the Manapouri-Doubtful Sound Tourist Company and began sharing the spectacular wilderness of Fiordland with the world. The company continues to run cruises through Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound.

Te Anau township has been briefed to expect more than 1500 competitors and 5000 supporters for an all women's adventure race this time next year.The 16th edition of the Spring Challenge will be held on 1 October, 2022.Six-time adventure racing world champion, and multiple GODZone winner, Nathan Fa'avae, created and launched the event in 2007, to prove the sport has huge appeal to women.Teams of three will navigate through a series of stages and disciplines, including rafting, kayaking, mountain biking and hiking, connecting checkpoints.Advertisement: Radhas Indian RestaurantAny outdoor adventure sport can be included in an adventure race, with navigation being a theme throughout the events. Teams navigate using only maps and compasses.Entries opened on 7 October and is has already nearly sold out.Spring Challenge moves to a new location each year, and Te Anau will follow the successful 2021 event held recently in Greymouth."A core part of adventure racing is visiting unique and interesting places," Fa'avae says.Advertisement: Glowing Sky"Because navigation is a key factor in the events, no course can be used twice. It makes it fresh and exciting for the teams also, they get to travel around the country visiting places they probably would never have the opportunity to otherwise."The event will be held on the first weekend of the school holidays, and many teams are planning to stay longer and explore the region, he says.As well as 1500 participants and about 5000 supporters, Fa’avae has a staff team of 150.The Spring Challenge course design team have stated that their challenge is to design a course that best showcases the region.Advertisement: McGregor Concrete"One reason we chose Te Anau is that we are aware of the benefits to a township by hosting the event."Not just economically, socially it's powerful as local people and businesses can have a strong sense of pride, the event meets many health objectives and promotes environmental preservation."We believe there is a social responsibility for us to be thoughtful and considerate where we take the event, to the communities we can reach.In 2020, the team took the event to Christchurch in the wake of the Mosque shootings. In 2021, it went to Greymouth because that community had been hit hard by the Pyke River mining disaster.Advertisement: Petsmart.nz"We know Te Anau is hurting because of Covid, and if we can ease just a small bit of the pressure, we'll give it our best."We not driven by economics, as long as we can keep our event operating sustainably to provide the opportunity to women, and support communities, that's more than enough."Fa'avae said Great South, the Southland Regional Development Agency, was really encouraging and supportive when we first raised the idea of a Te Anau Spring Challenge, back in 2020.Te Anau will be the furthermost south the event has been staged, it was in Queenstown in 2013, Wanaka in 2015, and more recently, in Cromwell in 2019.Advertisement: Rockgas Te Anau"We're well aware that spring in the south can overlap with winter, and for that reason we’ve tended to stay in more northern regions, but as the event grows, so does the participants abilities, and we know they’re ready to tackle what the south can deliver."Adventure racing has been a huge part of my life, Te Anau and Fiordland is very significant for the sport, it is the official home of adventure racing as the first ever race finished there in 1989."The landscape, mountains, lakes, rivers and weather, have a power to them that is unprecedented. The people and communities of the south are really authentic and genuine, I feel very privileged to be taking the event to Te Anau, I have a strong sense it will be a very special event."For now, all the participants will know is that Te Anau is the location. The exact course is not released until the eve of the race. Teams will be briefed on what equipment to bring, what time to be there and to have a healthy appetite for adventure.Advertisement: Te Anau PlumbingThere are three main categories, these are known as the 3, 6 and 9-hour events, translating to beginner, intermediate and advanced.The numbers are the winning times for each category, the course is open for 18-hours, from 6am to midnight on the event day. The majority of the teams complete their challenges in daylight, but some of the 9-hour teams can be racing into the night to reach the finish line.Spring Challenge caters for all abilities, from first time adventure racers through to the world’s elite female athletes.White it is a race, and Fa’avae says he protects the integrity of a sporting competition, for most of the women the event is about personal participation.Advertisement: Shannelle Scott Ray White Real Estate Te Anau"I know that the benefits the women receive are as much from the journey as the event itself."For most entrants, there are quantifiable benefits and proven outcomes, from being part of a team, to be working towards a goal, training for the event improves health, and learning new skills is in itself a journey of self-improvement. It is empowering and builds confidence."The Spring Challenge has done amazing things for thousands of women, and the credit goes to them for stepping up to the challenge."Fa'avae says people who want to particpate need to get in quick."It’s important for anyone wishing to take part to get their entry in, some categories fill up very quickly."Visit the Spring Challenge website for more details and entries.

The government has announced details of its Covid-19 Protection Framework, involving the roll-out of a 'traffic-light' system once all DHBs hit 90 percent full vaccination rates.Watch the announcement here:A vaccine certificate will be central to the new framework.The system will involve three settings - green, orange and red."If you want to be guaranteed that no matter the setting that we are in, that you can go to bars, restaurants and close-proximity businesses like a hairdresser, then you will need to be vaccinated," Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told media this morning.She was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson, Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins and Associate Health Minister Peeni Henare as the government also announced enhanced financial support for businesses and those families struggling under restrictions, and a new $120 million fund to boost Māori vaccination rates and protection of communities.Ardern said the vaccination certificates would allow businesses to be able to open and operate at any level.If cases start to climb in areas with lower vaccination rates in lower-income communities, much more highly targeted and localised lockdowns can be used if needed, she said.The red setting will allow hospitality to open with vaccine certificates, but gathering limits and physical distancing, masks and other public health measures will be used."This will still feel like a huge amount of freedom relative to what Auckland has now," Ardern said.Auckland will move into red as soon as the Auckland DHBs hit the 90 percent vaccination target, rather than wait for the rest of the country. At current rates, Auckland would absolutely move before Christmas, she added when questioned by media."This is within Auckland's grasp and we will be throwing every resource we can to support them," she said.The rest of the country will move all at the same time to "orange" when all DHBs around the country reach the 90 percent target.At orange, gathering limits can lift. Places that choose not to use vaccination certificates will either be closed or have public health measures in place.Green is when there are some Covid-19 cases in the community but at low levels. Fully vaccinated people can enjoy all events and hospitality and gatherings by showing a vaccine certificate.Premises choosing not to use certificates will face restrictions similar to the current alert level framework.Ardern said the reason for changing from the current alert level system was because the country needed a system that made use of the new tool of vaccines and vaccine certificates."On 29 November, Cabinet will review the progress that Auckland has made and the rest of the country to see if anything needs to change. We are open to moving the South Island before the rest of the country if all DHBs in the south hit their targets before others," she said.Ardern emphasised Covid-19 cases in the community would rise."But because we won't take this step until we are at 90 percent vaccination, we will also have higher levels of protection that limit Covid's impact," she added.If any member of the public was not vaccinated, there would be things they will miss out on and people who wanted to get out and enjoy summer should do so, the PM warned.Detail would be progressively added to the system as time goes on. The country will move all at the same time to "orange" when all DHBs around the country reach the 90 percent target.Ardern said the focus on elimination had kept New Zealand free from Covid-19 for much of the past 18 months when the population was vulnerable."We can rightfully be proud of what our world-leading response has achieved, but two things have changed since then," she said."The first is that Delta has made it very hard to maintain our elimination strategy ... but as our long-standing strategy was challenged we also had a new tool."That tool is the vaccine. The vaccine we are using in New Zealand is safe and effective ... it also helps protect everyone. The more people who are vaccinated, the harder it is for Covid to spread through communities quickly."Protection means that we won't just treat Covid like a seasonal illness, we will protect people from it with vaccination, management, and a response that focuses on minimising the health impacts."Financial supportAn enhanced business support package was also unveiled. It included a significantly boosted Covid-19 Resurgence Support Payment. It will rise from $1500 per eligible business and $400 for each full-time employee (50FTEs maximum), to $3000 per eligible business and $800 per FTE. This will apply from 12 November.The enhanced support will be paid fortnightly until Auckland has been able to move into the new protection framework.The wage subsidy will continue to be available on the current criteria while areas of the country are still in alert level 3.A $60 million fund for business advice and mental health support in Auckland was also announced. Businesses will be able to apply for up to $3000 for advice and planning support, and up to $4000 to implement that advice.There will also be support for low-income households.From 1 November income limits for assistance will rise to 40 hours at the minimum wage, or $800 per week and $1600 per week for a couple with or without children.Finance Minister Grant Robertson told media the approach New Zealand had taken had, along with sustaining one of the lowest mortality rates in the world, also led to strong economic growth, low unemployment and one of the lowest levels of government debt in the world.But said he was acutely aware of the impact of restrictions on businesses.Robertson said Cabinet had also made, in principle, decisions on assistance provided under the new traffic-light framework. He will be taking a paper to Cabinet in November proposing a transition grant for Auckland businesses based on a similar criteria to the current Resurgence Support Payment.Once it is fully operational across New Zealand, the current support schemes will be replaced by something that will better reflect the new framework, he said.One of the things being considered is how businesses not using vaccine certificates will be treated, particularly in the red level.Robertson said he thought payment would not be made available to any businesses that should be using a vaccine certificate but choose not to. However, this required more thinking and work on the part of government.There would also be ongoing support for people who need to isolate and be tested."Delta has tested us all, and I know that we have asked a lot of people as we have fought this outbreak ... we are almost there and to reiterate the words of the prime minister, please get vaccinated," he said.Support for MāoriAssociate Health Minister Peeni Henare announced a further $120 million fund would support Māori communities to fast-track vaccination efforts and prepare for the new framework. A total of $60m would be spent on boosting Māori vaccination rates, and $60m would support Māori and iwi-led initiatives to protect communities against the virus.Henare said the ongoing support was what was required to boost Māori vaccination rates. "While we say 90 percent for Māori and indeed the rest of the population, we will continue to make the vaccine available to continue to lift those numbers," he said. Republished by Arrangement

Ki Uta Ki Tai (from the mountains to the sea) Waka Challenge returns to Lake Te Anau this Saturday, with the aim to uplift and bring whanau together.Up to 12 teams will take part in the race, which will include three distances – 5km, 10km, and 15km - from Marakura Yacht Club.Now in its second year, the event is run by Nga Kete Matauranga Pounamu Charitable Trust (NKMP).Advertisement: Steph Jones Ray White Real Estate Te AnauNKMP Korari Public Health Manager Karina Davis-Marsden said the idea came about when facilitating Waka Ama to Rangatahi attending the Te Waka Tuhono programme at Lake Te Anau in August last year."The lake, being such a majestic and pristine waterway, presented the whakaaro (thought) to see a Waka Ama Challenge on the lake targeting whanau to participate in a hauora (health) based activity, while connecting with the Te Taioa (natural environment)."The 2020 Covid-19 Level 4 lockdown saw the Te Anau tourism sector impacted, therefore an event such as Ki Uta Ki Tai Waka Challenge was also intended to give the town an economic boost while helping to bring the community and whanau together."Davis-Marsden says the challenge is very well supported by local community organisations and businesses who have donated trophies, time, discounts, and volunteers to run the event. Local knowledge has also been gifted around access to the waterway.It is sponsored by Oraka Aparima Runaka and Ngā Kete Matauranga Pounamu Trust, and is sanctioned by Waka Ama NZ adhering to Covid-19 Level 2 guidelines and restrictions.Korari Public Health Team Kaimahi and event organiser Nadine Young said: "Waka ama is a vessel for health and wellbeing and the event is a healthy action that brings whanau together in these challenging times."Advertisement: Mossburn Railway HotelAs well, Nga Kete Matauranga Pounamu Trust will be running a COVID-19 vaccination clinic at the Marakura Yacht Club between 10am-12.30pm on the 23rd October and no appointment is necessary.This will be the first time a vaccination clinic has been run at a waka ama event. This clinic is open to all members of the public and our experienced team will be on hand to guide you through the process.

Breast Cancer Foundation NZ is asking the people of Southland to generously support local pink ribbon fundraisers happening next weekend.Volunteer collectors will be stationed around the region for the Pink Ribbon Street Appeal on Friday 29 and Saturday 30 October. Then on Sunday 31 October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month culminates with New Zealand’s first ever neighbourhood Pink Ribbon Walk. Extended Covid-19 restrictions around the country have forced the cancellation of two major fundraisers this year – the iconic Pink Ribbon Walks in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch and the Pink Ribbon Street Appeal in Auckland.The charity expects to lose more than $500,000 in income as a result, and it’s now appealing to the people of Southland to help make its remaining events a success. Advertisement: SouthtileAh-Leen Rayner, chief executive of Breast Cancer Foundation NZ, said: "As a charitable trust that receives no government funding, we rely entirely on the goodwill of New Zealanders to keep our life-saving work going."But the ongoing Covid restrictions are severely impacting our ability to fundraise. Every dollar we’ve lost to Covid is money we can’t spend on supporting patients in their time of need, cutting-edge research, and education programmes to stop deaths from breast cancer."We know this is devastating for our supporters, who volunteer or walk to honour the women they’ve lost, or to mark their own journey with breast cancer. However, we’re still committed to making the rest of our events a huge success and we hope the Southland community will get behind our efforts to fight against breast cancer."Breast cancer is the leading cause of death for New Zealand women under 65 and every year around 235 women are diagnosed with it in the Southern District Health Board area.Advertisement: Ricoh SouthlandThe neighbourhood Pink Ribbon Walks encourage people to fundraise by getting dressed up in pink and walk in their own communities.Participants will get the chance to warm up virtually with Celebrity Treasure Island star Joe Naufahu, and win prizes via social media throughout the day from event sponsors Estee Lauder Companies, The Hits, SBS Bank and Pink Lady Apples.Sign up for a neighbourhood Pink Ribbon Walk at pinkribbonwalk.co.nz/virtual and follow @pinkribbonNZ on social media for all of the virtual action on the day.Donations can be made to the Pink Ribbon Street Appeal through volunteer collectors who will be out in force shaking pink buckets across Southland on 29 and 30 October, or online at pinkribbonappeal.co.nz. Money raised from the Pink Ribbon Street Appeal and neighbourhood Pink Ribbon Walks will go towards Breast Cancer Foundation’s work to support patients, fund ground-breaking scientific projects and educate New Zealanders about the importance of early detection.

The number of new community cases has reached triple figures for the first time, with 102 cases reported today.The Ministry of Health said 94 of the cases were in Auckland and eight in Waikato. Thirty of the cases are household contacts.Forty of the new cases remain unlinked and there are 199 unlinked cases in the past 14 days.There were 60 new community cases yesterday.Advertisement: Number Works & WordsAll of the Waikato cases were in the Te Awamutu area, the ministry said. Seven had already been linked to known cases.One of the Waikato cases travelled to Hawke's Bay last Friday, but returned to Te Awamutu before testing positive.At today's media conference, Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield confirmed there were no known positive cases in Hawke's Bay.People in the Te Awamutu were being urged to get tested if they or anyone in their household had symptoms, or if they have travelled out of Te Awamutu over the past week for work or other activities.Advertisement: Nind ElectricalDr Bloomfield asked for more people to come forward for testing in Waikato, as only 3000 swabs were taken yesterday.Robertson said a decision on whether Waikato alert levels would change was expected to be made later this afternoon..There are 46 people in hospital with Covid-19, including seven in intensive care.Two cases were reported at the border, including one historical case.Advertisement: Rockgas Te AnauThere have been 2260 cases in the current community outbreak and 4956 since the pandemic began.Dr Bloomfield said the harms for Covid-19 fall much more on those who are unimmunised"UK data shows that of 40,000 patients hospitalised in the six months to the middle of this year in the UK, 84 percent of those people hospitalised hadn't been vaccinated and only 3 percent of cases in hospital were fully vaccinated."He said the data for New Zealand was similar.Dr Bloomfield updated guidance for allied health professionals working in settings outside district health boards and hospitals and clarified that they can provide services under alert level 3. This would enable about 2000 people in Auckland alone such as psychotherapists, osteopaths and chiropractors, to provide services to those who need it.They will continue to provide tele-health services where that is most appropriate, he said.This week is also infection prevention control week. Dr Bloomfield acknowledged the "huge dedication and effort" of IPC professionals working on the frontline.Republished by Arrangement

New Zealand has agreed in principle to the United Kingdom's second free trade deal since Brexit, eventually eliminating tariffs on all New Zealand exports to the country.The deal, worth an estimated $1 billion over 15 years to the New Zealand economy, would eliminate tariffs on all New Zealand exports, including honey, wine, kiwifruit, onions, most industrial products and - crucially - a range of dairy and beef products.It also includes provisions ensuring animal welfare, and commitments to address environmentally harmful subsidies like those for fossil fuels or overfished stocks.More than 97 percent of tariffs will be removed as soon as it takes effect, but would take up to five years for dairy and 15 for sheep meat and beef tariffs to be completely removed.Advertisement: MotoworxThe two countries will now work towards getting a final agreement in place, just over a year after talks first began in June last year. New Zealand, after Australia, is the second country to secure a Free Trade Deal with the UK, post Brexit."It's one of our best deals ever and secured at a crucial time in our Covid recovery," Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said."The deal substantially cuts costs for exporters and businesses and provides greater access to the United Kingdom's market.Ardern said she spoke to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson last night "to mark this historic moment and its importance in forging a stronger and more dynamic future relationship between two close friends and partners"."This deal serves New Zealand's economy and exporters well as we reconnect, rebuild and recover ... and look forward into the future," she said.Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and her British counterpart Boris Johnson speak via teleconferencing. Photo: SuppliedIn a statement, Johnson described the new trade deal as "the cherry on the top of a long and lasting partnership between the United Kingdom and New Zealand"."It is good for both our economies, boosting jobs and growth as we build back better from the pandemic. We already share deep ties of history, culture and values, and I look forward to the next chapter in our friendship."Ardern said beef volumes would increase from 12,000 tonnes to 60,000 tonnes; sheep meat exports will rise from 149,205 tonnes to over 164,000 tonnes.Speaking from his MIQ room after a trade trip to Europe, Trade Minister Damien O'Connor, said this represented "a new era of market" for New Zealand exporters.Advertisement: ODF Transport"It was crucial our agreement needed to provide comprehensive and commercially meaningful access for New Zealand exporters and businesses, and especially to those sectors that are the backbone of New Zealand's economy such as our dairy and meat producers."Investor state dispute rules were a major bone of contention in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnerships, but O'Connor said they would not feature in this deal.O'Connor said it also "recognises the unique and historical relationship that exists between Māori and the British Crown which is reflected through an indigenous chapter creating a platform for cooperation on a range of issues important to Māori," with New Zealand the only country globally to "successfully include such a chapter in two Free Trade Agreements".Advertisement: Jim Fortune PGG Wrightson Real Estate Te Anau"I want to personally thank Secretary Trevelyan who made progressing this free trade agreement a priority and I look forward to working closely with her on a range of future matters," he said.The agreement in principle released today sets out the key elements of the free trade deal with the UK, with the text to be finalised over the coming months. O'Connor said they hoped to have it done by the end of the year.Alongside the deal are talks to "improve and extend" working holiday arrangements, with Ardern saying that would be similar to what was recently agreed with Australia, to "consider how people-to-people links can be deepened even further".Jane Patterson, Political EditorRussell Palmer, Digital Political JournalistRepublished by Arrangement

Arts, culture and heritage organisations across Southland are being backed with $645,000 of Government funding. Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage has selected two major projects and 18 seed proposals for windfalls from the Cultural Sector Innovation Fund.The Southland Regional Heritage Committee is the main recipient. It will be granted $285,000 to support work improving public access to collections at Riverton's Te Hikoi Museum and other cultural institutions within Murihiku (Southland) over a three-year period. Advertisement: Petsmart.nzProject Ark is researching, cataloguing and imaging Te Hikoi's collections, so they shared online via eHive. The South Sea Spray Trust, meanwhile, is being granted $180,000 to deliver a large, annual mural festival and associated workshops, for the next three years. The 18 seed projects will receive $20k each.They include a project teach the craft of producing authentic Tongan mats and make them more accessible for Tongan people, and a project to establish a 2D/3D animation studio in Invercargill for the purpose of creating high-quality children’s screen content for local and international audiences.Advertisement: Te Anau SignsThe Murihiku recipients were published alongside other Te Wai Pounamu (South Island) centres where outcomes have been finalised, Ōtautahi and Ōtepoti.Deputy Chief Executive Te Aka Tūhono Investment and Outcomes Joe Fowler said: "The strength of the proposals submitted by participants in Te Waipounamu so far has shown us that the sector, while challenged under the COVID-19 response, is ambitious about its future."It’s particularly pleasing to see seed funding awarded to nine early-stage proposals received in Murihiku to develop the ideas and test opportunities. This funding gives organisations the resources and time to take their next steps towards really innovative work for their community and the sector.Advertisement: Thai Thai Restaurant"We are excited to see where these unique, locally significant projects could go."The proposals being funded often have innovative approaches to systems and support networks, including the development of new models that could support a more sustainable future, Fowler said. Several participants also identified innovative ways of transmitting mātauranga Māori, and others identified ways to support Pacific practitioners and their audiences.Details of all the projects are available on the Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage website.

A dolphin specialist who actively monitors Colac Bay’s Hector’s population is worried deadly toxins are only a couple of storms away from spilling out into the ocean, with potentially disastrous consequences for the mammals.However, the council responsible for protecting an old dump site next to the tranquil bay says the area in question is low risk, and it has no immediate plans to protect it.In the past four months, Colac Bay/Ōraka residents have come out in force, lobbying the Southland District Council to take action over a retired landfill in the coastal town.The site is located behind an ever-crumbling coastal road, and residents claim it contains car bodies, batteries, plastics, oil, herbicides and paint.The crumbling section of Colac Foreshore Rd has been closed to vehicles since late 2015. Photo: Matthew Rosenberg/LDRDolphin researcher Gemma McGrath, who has lived at Colac Bay/Ōraka since 2018, said the strip between the beach and wetland — which covered the old dumpsite — was getting narrower with every tide cycle."A worst case scenario would be nasty toxins like DDT and 245T leaching out into our marine environment, going through the food chain," McGrath said."Our ecosystem will be toxic, and our kai moana won't be safe."Just what is contained within the ground is yet to be confirmed, but statements provided by 10 past and present residents paint a grim picture.The section of coastline in front of the dumpsite is not protected by the rock wall which keeps the sea at bay closer to the town. Graphic: ODT ArtsSome locals believe old herbicides are buried at the 50- to 60-year-old site.In a written statement presented to the council, ex-resident Pete McKay pointed out agricultural chemicals in the 1980s were rife with ‘‘typically horrific chemicals like DDT, '2,4,5-T'", indicating some could be contained in the wetland.If that was the case, McGrath believed the bay was in trouble, because the now-banned DDT and 245T had a half-life of 150 years.She said Colac Bay/Ōraka was not just home to the eight or so Hector’s who frequented the area, but also orca, bottlenose and common dolphins."Colac was the first bay around mainland New Zealand to have a southern right whale give birth again, since the whaling days, when this species was targeted to near extinction," McGrath said at a Community Board meeting last week."Hector's dolphins have sharply declined over the past 70 years, due to accidental bycatch in fishing nets."Bottlenose dolphins swimming in the bay last month. Colac Bay/Ōraka receives visits from a number of differnt dolphin varieties, including orca. Photo: Gemma McGrath/SuppliedRecovery was a slow process because female Hector’s only had one calf every three to four years — and that was when conditions were good, McGrath said."They are true locals, having a small alongshore range of 30km-50km."Because Hector’s along the southern coast depended on each other for breeding, if the situation turned south for the Colac/Ōraka regulars, it would also spell bad news for the Riverton/Aparima pod and those further down at Oreti."I’ve seen Hector's dolphins have their calves here. It's one of their core areas, right off the dump site."It’s right in the middle of their hood."Carole Elder is hoping the council and rūnaka can get together and come up with a solution to the dump site issue. Photo: Matthew Rosenberg/LDRSomeone who understands those concerns better than most is fellow Colac/Ōraka resident Carole Elder (Ngāi Tahu), who has made a living off the paua industry.Elder described her back door as "a very spiritual bay" and a source of bountiful kai moana.However, she feared what could happen if the old dumpsite was breached by the sea.The land in question is owned by Ōraka Aparima Rūnaka, but the Southland District Council is responsible for the crumbling road which protects it from the ocean.Advertisement: Kathryn Hishon Todd Real Estate FiordlandElder has been tied to a group of locals battling the council for an outcome, but had distanced herself of late because she hoped for a peaceful solution.Rūnaka kaihautū Riki Dallas said last week he wanted the council to provide evidence of what was in the site before jumping to conclusions about toxic waste.But Elder said action needed to happen now."The people who signed their things [statements] aren’t lying, because what would be the point?Advertisement: Trenz"They’ve seen it [toxic waste] go in there."Elder said a worst-case scenario would be waste washing out to sea, poisoning kai moana and contaminating the popular local surf spot Trees.Her message was simple: the rūnaka and council needed to sit down and come up with a solution that worked for all parties, beginning with putting protection in place where the site was most exposed.The rock wall, which lines part of Colac Foreshore Rd, stops where it seems to matter most — right in front of the site.Advertisement: Te Anau Panel Beaters"There’s whitebaiting, there’s floundering. We could live off our bay if we had to."You have to prevent it, not wait for it."Southland District Council infrastructure and environmental services group manager Matt Russell said the council had commissioned three assessments of the Colac Bay site, which confirmed no intervention was required because the landfill was considered low risk.The Foreshore Rd was first closed in July 2015 after being damaged by tides. It then reopened as a single-lane gravel road before closing again later that year.The Hector’s dolphin is one of the world’s smallest, mostly found around the southern coast of the South Island.Adult dolphins are about 1.5m in length.Their conservation status is nationally vulnerable, according to the Department of Conservation.Matthew RosenbergLocal Democracy Reporting EditorRepublished by Arrangement

The number of new community cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand has dropped from yesterday's record high, with 60 new cases reported today.The Ministry of Health said 56 of today's cases were in Auckland and four were in Waikato.Yesterday the ministry reported 94 new community cases, the highest number since the pandemic began.There were also two cases reported at the border today.Advertisement: Winton Flooring XtraTwenty-two of today's 60 cases are yet to be linked to earlier cases. There are 166 unlinked cases from the past 14 days.There are 43 people in hospital, including five in intensive care.The number of community cases connected to the current outbreak is now 2158 and there have now been 4854 cases in this country since the pandemic began.In announcing today's new Covid-19 case numbers, Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said infections were still expected to rise and daily numbers would bounce around.Advertisement: Foveaux CommunicationsHe continued to encourage New Zealanders to get tested for the virus."Of the four new cases today in Waikato, two of those are close household contacts who were already in a quarantine facility and the other two were also known to have likely links to existing cases."The total number of cases in Waikato is now 56, 10 of whom have now recovered.Dr Bloomfield again urged people in Waikato to get testedAdvertisement: Kennedy School of Music"Yesterday, New Lynn's Shadbolt Park was classified as a location of interest. It's now been reclassified as an exposure event and has been taken down from the Ministry of Health website. Having looked further into the event, which was being managed by a PHU elsewhere in the country it is now being assessed as an exposure event with a small number of people who are contacts. They are all known, have all been contacted and are now isolating."There were 42,809 vaccine doses given yesterday - 10,392 first doses and 32,417 second doses.He said health teams in Auckland had moved away from using suburbs of interest as part of their testing regime because the infections are widespread across the city. Testing instead is going to be focused in areas where there is a higher test-positivity rate, where the risk of unidentified cases is considered potentially higher."People with symptoms and even if they are mild symptoms, even if you are vaccinated in New Lynn and the North Shore suburbs of Rosedale, Redvale and Bayswater please do go and get tested as soon as possible," Bloomfield said.Advertisement: Linton ContractingHe said it was important to determine whether there were undetected cases in those communities.Dr Bloomfield also said from Thursday healthcare employees working into quarantine and isolation facilities would be allowed to work in other healthcare facilities without the need for a 48-hour stand-down period and negative test requirement."This will allow greater flexibility in using that MIQ workforce and of others being able to supplement that workforce and reduce some of the real pressure that is under that workforce," he said.He said information was going up on the Health Ministry's website soon relating to the third dose of the Pzifer vaccine for immuno-compromised people. It would include the inclusion criteria, including how this small group of people would be identified and when they would receive their third vaccination."You will not be able to book a third vaccine on the Book My Vaccine website ... details will be up on the website later this afternoon," he said.Republished by Arrangement

An Invercargill exhibition featuring the wedding dresses of Kiwi celebrities has raised more than $42,000 to help vulnerable young people.The Tender Memories display at Bill Richardson Transport World supported New Zealand charity KidsCan.A portion of all ticket sales to the museum, the largest private automotive museum of its type in the world, during the display’s run was donated to the charity after it drew to a close on September 30.Transport World executive director Joc O’Donnell says: "We are so grateful to the community for supporting not just our exhibit, but a very worthy cause as well.Advertisement: Glengarry Pharmacy"Together we’ve already raised a fantastic amount which we know will make a real difference to so many young New Zealanders."KidsCan CEO and founder Julie Chapman says $42,000 is enough to support 70 preschoolers, or two early childhood centres, for an entire year with a hot lunch every day, snacks, shoes, warm jackets and health products."This is an incredible amount of money, which will make such a difference to the vulnerable children we support."We'd like to thank everyone who visited this beautiful exhibition. It was an inspired way to raise money for children in hardship, and in this time of uncertainty the support is particularly important."Advertisement: Moana Court MotelThe celebrity wedding dress display featured attire worn by the likes of Olympic medallists Emma Twigg and Barbara Kendall, microbiologist and 2021 New Zealander of the Year Dr Siouxsie Wiles, broadcasters Toni Street and Stacey Morrison, and cancer care advocate and Southland Charity Hospital founder Melissa Vining.Tender Memories also featured a selection of wedding gowns from renowned bridal designer Trish Peng. Peng’s creations have featured in international publications including The Daily Mail, People magazine, HuffPost, and the holy grail of all things bridal, The Knot – plus they’ve also been worn by the likes of Kiwi Oscar winner Keisha Castle-Hughes, American actress Brittany Daniel, and television personalities Kristin Cavallari and Matilda Green.Peng’s spectacular red bridal gown, which features a 20-metre silk tulle train, vintage Christian Dior lace, and hundreds of Swarovski crystals, was the striking centre piece of the display.

Environment Southland’s latest monitoring has found low levels of toxic algae in Waituna Lagoon.Toxic algae, or planktonic cyanobacteria (floating or suspended algae found in lakes), is different to that found in rivers during warmer months, but still produces toxins that can be harmful to people and animals if swallowed, or through contact with skin. People and animals (dogs in particular) should avoid contact with the water, and be mindful of the potential health risks, until health warnings are removed. Medical/veterinary help should be sought immediately if suspected poisoning occurs."These algae can increase rapidly during periods of warm weather," Environment Southland says in a statement.Advertisement: Kennedy Building"In lakes you may see greenish suspended globules or a greenish tinge, or you might not see anything as it can be completely invisible to the naked eye, yet still be present."If the water is cloudy, discoloured, or has small globules suspended in it, it is better to be cautious and totally avoid the lagoon." The Waituna Lagoon, on the southern coastline, is part of the Awarua Wetland and an important habitat for resident and migratory birds with 73 different species being recorded.Environment Southland monitors toxic algae monthly at Waituna Lagoon as well as a number of other river and lake sites across Southland.Environment Southland will update its website and Facebook page when the alert is lifted.

Carla Ladstaetter is one talented little girl.The 9-year-old has been selected from 270 applicants to perform the title role in the musical ‘Matilda’ opening in Christchurch in April 2022. The daughter of a German-born music teacher and former concert pianist Kerstin Ladstaetter, and Jimmy Calder, owner of the Manapouri Freestone Backpackers and a keen guitarist, Carla has music in her blood. Carla Ladstaetter after a concert at the Christchurch Town Hall. Photo: SuppliedHer father describes her as a confident girl who “is not afraid to be in front of an audience”.Carla was born in Manapouri and went to Te Anau Primary School. In February 2021 she moved to Christchurch with her mother to further Carla’s exceptional talents.She now goes to the Burnside Primary School, plays violin with the Christchurch Junior Symphony Orchestra, and attends the Original Scripts Theatre School, the Impact Dance and Stage School, and the Christchurch School of Music (CSM). She is a busy girl, but her mother says, she doesn’t see it as work. Advertisement: Sandfly Cafe“Carla wanted to be in the orchestra and in a choir. She was selected for the role of Cosette in Les Misérables that was to be performed in Invercargill last year, but Covid interrupted these plans,” Ladstaetter says.Matilda is being staged by Showbiz Christchurch, a not-for-profit organisation that employs high level professional production team with a volunteer cast and crew.Showbiz Christchurch was founded in 1938 as the Christchurch Operatic Society Inc, and since then has entertained Christchurch audiences with many of the world’s top musical shows. The selection process for Matilda cast was rather rigorous.“It was the most challenging audition process we have ever done,” says Showbiz Christchurch General Manager Craig Ogilvie.Advertisement: Sandra Macnamara PGG Wrightson Real Estate Te AnauStage one was dance auditions. Then there was a call-back for vocals, where the children had to perform a piece of a song. This was followed by a call-back for speaking, which involved reading a piece of the part the child was auditioning for. On the last day there was another dance audition. “This is a very physically demanding dance show for the kids, so if they couldn’t dance well, they wouldn’t be able to cope with the show,” Ogilvie says.“We were looking for a really positive attitude, but also for height, so Carla was just right. Some really capable kids didn’t go through because they were just too tall for the role of Matilda. She is a very talented little girl and she’s got a really broad experience for such a young age.”The rehearsals for the show started last Sunday (Oct. 17). The children will rehearse three times a week for two hours from 6 to 8pm.Advertisement: Mee Henry LawAccording to Ogilvie, this is one of the biggest roles for a child. “This has been a massively successful show around the world; in UK, US, Australia. We have three Matildas and two casts of kids – two groups of four girls and four boys to alternate. Every night there will be two Matilda’s, one on stage and one off, as a backup just in case, ready to step in,” he says.There will be 19 performances of Matilda in Christchurch, opening in April, just before Easter 2022. The “physical show” (costumes, stage props, etc) will then go to other places in New Zealand, including Dunedin, New Plymouth, Napier and Palmerston North. Each place will provide their own cast and production team. “All cast and everyone involved backstage are volunteers. We do it for love,” Ogilvie declares.

The owner of a seaside lodge in rural Southland has been ordered to remove his home-made sign made out of power poles, less than 24 hours after it was erected.But in a twist, a similar unconsented structure — also made out of power poles — has flown under the radar on the same property for 14 years.Last week, Ton Crooymans received an email from Southland District Council informing him he would need to remove his newly-constructed sign, made out of two cattle stops and four perpendicular power poles.The sign in question reads "The Cliffs", advertising Crooymans' 18 studio units in Tūātapere, one hour west of Invercargill.Advertisement: Southern MobilityNearby resident Baerbi Kratzeisen confirmed to Local Democracy Reporting she alerted council of the unconsented structure, but says the matter is between them and the Crooymans'."We only wanted to know if he had a consent. The Southland District Council said he didn’t have a consent. They are following up on that one," Kratzeisen said."If for whatever strange reason they might give him a consent, we will probably go further."Crooymans suspected he knew who the informant was because he had seen his neighbour near the sign with a camera. When he approached, they turned around and walked away,he claims.Advertisement: Diane Wilson Todd Real Estate RivertonWithin 24 hours, the council contacted him to remove the sign.Standing about 6m high, the unconsented structure is well outside of Southland District Council's 3 sq m sign limit.The saga has piqued the interest of community figures because Crooymans provides infrastructure which supports the region’s tourism, including accommodation near the Hump Ridge Track, which is set to become a Great Walk next year.Now Southland Mayor Gary Tong says he might get involved, to see if a solution can be found.Advertisement: Tui Base Camp"I spoke to Ton, and from the very short discussion, he understands he needs to have consent," Tong said.“What he’s having issues around is taking the sign down while he asks for that, which is something I might be able to talk about and see if it can stay up there until such a time as a consent is issued or not."Crooymans, who is originally from Holland, has called Tūātapere home for the past 16 years.The property developer believed the new signage was an imaginative way of promoting his business while giving a nod to the surrounding area.“I really like it, because it’s two power poles, all representing the farming and forestry thing here in the area.“Let’s be creative!”Ton and Larissa Crooymans have called Tuatapere home for about 16 years. Photo: SuppliedHis disappointment is shared by Southland district councillor George Harpur, who penned a letter to Tong expressing frustration.In the letter, Harpur called for “common sense” to prevail, arguing that Crooymans had made a significant contribution to the council through his developments in the Tūātapere area.Harpur told Tong it was “interesting” that it took 36 hours to respond to the consent breach, but 36 months to formalise the original consent for the accommodation block.“Are we really looking to promote the Western Southland region to complement the new Hump Ridge Great Walk and the southern wilderness area of Fiordland, or do we have another agenda?” Harpur asked.Advertisement: Colac Bay TavernCrooymans has been given until October 29 to remove the sign, which Southland District Council environmental planning manager Marcus Roy said would be likely to trigger a publicly notified consent because of its scale.“Accordingly, I have given the land owner a fair timeframe to remove the signage,” Roy said.Crooymans says he is happy to ask for resource consent, but wants the sign to remain in place until a decision is reached.He says a similar unconsented structure on his property — three power poles on an angle resembling the bent-over trees at Orepuki — has been allowed to stay in place since its establishment 14 years ago.Crooymans contacted Kratzeisen to attend an on-site meeting this morning, but the invitation was declined.Kratzeisen says the issue is now between the Crooymans and the council.The Crooymans’ offer accommodation near the Hump Ridge Track, which is set to become a Great Walk. Photo: SuppliedMatthew RosenbergLocal Democracy Reporting EditorRepublished by Arrangement

Labour and National have shared a stage to announce major changes to turbocharge urban density rules, laying down the gauntlet to councils and raising hopes for first-time house buyers.In a rare show of bipartisan cooperation, ministers of New Zealand’s two biggest parties joined forces at the Beehive today to announce an overhaul of planning rules designed to dramatically accelerate growth in medium density housing.Housing minister Megan Woods and environment minister David Parker stood alongside National leader Judith Collins and housing spokesperson Nicola Willis to unveil plans to slash red tape and force councils to move toward greater urban density.It is the first time National and Labour have shared a stage to announce a policy breakthrough since then opposition leader John Key joined then prime minister Helen Clark in 2007 to announce a compromise on the controversial “smacking bill”.Advertisement: Southland Home VentilationNew legislation will free the way for up to three homes, each as high as three storeys, to be built on almost all sites without requiring a resource consent. The government says modelling by PWC suggests the changes will lead to “at least 48,200” and “as many as 105,500” new homes being built within the next five to eight years.The parties have agreed to bring forward implementation of the National Policy Statement on Urban Development (NPS-UD), which obliges councils to allow intensification.“New Zealand’s housing shortage is being made worse in our biggest cities by limits on the number and types of houses that can be built,” Woods said. “These changes will enable more homes that are attractive to first-home buyers to be built in areas closer to their work, public transport and community facilities.”There will be some exemptions to the medium density rules, “where intensification is inappropriate”, Parker said. “Such as where there is a high risk of natural hazards, or a site has heritage value.”Advertisement: Plaza SuperValueIn most cases, he added, the new rules “will have immediate legal effect as soon as plans are publicly notified by councils by August 2022”.National’s Housing and Urban Development spokesperson Nicola Willis said the Housing Supply Bill is a “win-win” for homeowners and renters alike.“New Zealand has some of the most unaffordable housing in the world. The impact of our housing shortage reaches right across our communities, robbing too many of the aspiration of home ownership, leaving thousands homeless and fuelling inequality,” she said.“Today National and Labour are coming together to say an emphatic ‘yes’ to housing in our backyards.”Advertisement: Winton MotoryclesCollins said the new legislation will save "time, cost and complexity that too often greets those who want to build new dwellings”.She added: “It is important to note that nothing in the Bill forces people to build more density. This is simply about removing barriers that can get in the way of sensible development. I am pleased that in addition to measures supporting intensification the Bill will also allow local authorities to fast-track private-plan changes for new greenfields development.”Local Government New Zealand spokesperson Jason Krupp said the organisation was disappointed not to have been consulted before the announcement.“We are the main planning institution in New Zealand and we would have been eager to help the government refine its proposal before the announcement rather than afterwards,” he said.Advertisement: World Solar“This is particularly because with the amount of reform currently underway there are real capacity constraints across the sector and we need to work in a coordinated way to get through them.”Hamilton City Councillor Dave Macpherson said housing intensification was already happening to a certain extent in Hamilton however he would be concerned if developments that were not well planned were allowed to go ahead under the new laws.“The worry is you’re going to end up with some of these banana box flats where you can’t swing a cat and there’s no green space.”Emma McInnes, an urban designer, city planner and former member of the advocacy group Generation Zero commended “an outstanding strategy” for making housing more affordable “in a way that reduces our impact on the climate”.Advertisement: Te Anau Paper PlusShe said research revealed a household living closer to the core of the city uses less than 25 per cent of the fuel spending of a household on the fringe of West or South Auckland, which will make a “massive difference for both affordability and emissions and it’s the kind of grown-up city-building that Tāmaki Makaurau desperately needs”.She also warned against seeing the changes as an end to special character or heritage homes.“It’s critical to remember that zoning changes don’t force anyone out of their heritage homes overnight, and that over time we need to celebrate a diverse mix of new and old buildings. As that is what makes great cities – not blanket suburb of villas with white picket fences.”The National Policy Statement on Urban Development is part of a wider programme of reform that impacts areas traditionally overseen by local bodies The “three waters” reforms overhauls management of waste, storm and drinking water, while work is under way to replace the Resource Management Act, one of the country’s most important and divisive pieces of legislation, with the Natural and Built Environments Act. The government is also reviewing the future of local government as a whole and working through climate change provisions.Advertisement: Southern Automobiles SubaruWork to achieve consensus between Labour and National has been closely guarded, with many MPs on both sides only learning of the plans in recent days.Political commentator Ben Thomas, a former press secretary in the Key government, said such cross-party announcements have proven to be good for opposition politicians in the past, noting that both John Key and Todd Muller benefited from supporting the government on the anti-smacking and zero carbon legislation, respectively.“If you look at the smacking bill, the government’s intention was to get some political cover, as they didn’t need it to pass the legislation, but by bringing the popular leader of the opposition along, it was seen as a bit of a masterstroke by Clark at the time,” he said.“In this instance, the flipside is that for Judith Collins, it’s very good for her position and creates that sense of gravitas. And it’s very good for Nicola Willis in terms of her reputation and in terms of the visuals, to be standing there with the government announcing policy, which is something opposition parties just don't get to do by definition.”Advertisement: Tania Hefford Reay White Real Estate Te AnauThomas said local councils will be pushing back against this policy as it will be seen as taking away their decision making power and “overriding the popular will, which of course is nonsense when it comes to local government"."Putting aside housing costs and inflation, the biggest growth in Auckland house prices has been in land, so by letting people put more houses on the same amount of land has to be a good thing.”By Justin LatifLocal Democracy Reporting EditorRepublished by Arrangement

At the end of Term 3 we held our School Mini Olympics Day which our Senior Students organised with the help of Mrs E.The children were involved in different activities which included bottle flipping, egg and spoon and ball pong. Every student was assigned a country and came dressed in the clothes that the senior students that lead the country requested.Everyone had a fabulous time.On our last day of term the Seniors also organised a PJ Day with a disco.Everyone had lots of fun.Tokanui School proudly supported by Tokanui Tavern

Queenstown's historic steamship the TSS Earnslaw could soon be powered by something other than coal.  A feasibility study is under way to investigate whether the ship, which is 109 years old today, can become carbon neutral or carbon zero. Options include wood pellets and bio-diesel fuel, both carbon neutral, or carbon zero power sources such as renewable hydrogen fuel, battery-electric or fully electric.The TSS Earnslaw, the oldest passenger-carrying coal-powered steamship in the Southern Hemisphere, is owned and operated by Real Journeys, a subsidiary of RealNZ (recently rebranded from Wayfare). Advertisement: Glowing SkyBut its environmental impact was highlighted in June, when Otago Regional Council's first Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventory estimated it was responsible for 1% of Queenstown Lakes District's transport-related greenhouse gas emissions. The inventory estimated the much-loved Queenstown icon smoked out 4076 tonnes of 'carbon dioxide-equivalent' between July 2018 and June 2019.Carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) is a standard unit for counting greenhouse gas emissions, regardless of whether they're from carbon dioxide or another gas, such as methane.Gross emissions for the Queenstown Lakes District were estimated at 600,895 tonnes of CO2e, with transport accounting for 45% of that. Advertisement: Gilligan BuildingRealNZ CEO Stephen England-Hall says the ship is a significant part of New Zealand's history. "But as responsible kaitiaki, we have to weigh up every inch of her heritage value with our ambition to protect and preserve the places where we operate." The ship's original boilers will soon be more than 110 years old and will need replacing, requiring the vessel to be out of the water for an extended period of time. "That would be the obvious time to implement a carbon neutral or carbon zero solution," says England-Hall.  Advertisement: Fiordland Marine"We will essentially look for a new source of heat to generate steam that replaces the coal. The aim is to keep the engine room fully operational and intact."On her 109th anniversary, RealNZ CEO Stephen England-Hall will be announcing that as part of RealNZ’s commitment to conserving the national icon for future decades, it was exploring alternative ways to generate steam to fuel the steamship.RealNZ has established a TSS decarbonization team, made up of RealNZ Head of Asset Management Chris Fleck, TSS Earnslaw Chief Engineer Peter Dorrington and Project Engineer Sander Kristensen. It has already looked across both the process heat and marine industries at alternative ways to fuel the steamship.Advertisement: First in Windsor England-Hall says the technology required is advancing all the time and preserving the steamship's authenticity makes it a complex project.  "Conservation for us, is about conserving our history as well as our natural heritage. "The grand old ‘Lady of the Lake’ has been respectfully maintained and operated by RealNZ for the last 50 years, so as always, we will be proceeding with care.  "But we’re looking forward to finding ways the TSS Earnslaw can operate sustainably – for the next 100 years."