Two contracts have been awarded for the final construction phase of the Te Anau wastewater upgrade project.Downer will design and build of the wastewater treatment plant at Te Anau, while Fulton Hogan will construct the subsurface drip irrigation dispersal field at the Kepler block.Work at both sites is scheduled to begin on 5 October.AdvertisementAdvertise on the Southland AppThe total project is now forecast to cost about $25 million, with a budget of $27 million as contingency to manage the risks associated with outstanding design elements and Covid-19 implications. The original budgeted amount was $22.3 million. The Tourism Infrastructure Fund is funding $5 million of this total.Southland District Council group manager services and assets Matt Russell says the increase is attributable to higher costs for procurement as a result of the design solution becoming more complex than originally anticipated. A protracted and expensive consenting process further added to costs. “When you’re procuring competitively you’re exposed to market costs and forces,” he says.AdvertisementAdvertise on the Southland AppThere have been flow-on cost implications from the Covid-19 pandemic too, he says, with delays in procurement of supplies.The 18.6km pipeline from Te Anau to the Kepler block was completed in June.Council has been engaging with iwi and the community during development of the project.The new wastewater treatment system is expected to be commissioned in June 2022.

The coroner has found the road knowledge questionnaire tourists need to answer before hiring a car is "wholly inadequate".The findings are in a report into the 2017 deaths of Southland couple Jesse and Samantha Shortland.Their car was hit when the one being driven by German tourist Marina Liebl crossed the centre line near Lumsden.AdvertisementAdvertise on the Southland AppLiebl also died.While both the Shortlands died, their two children - one aged two years, and the other three months - escaped with minor injuries.Coroner David Robinson fell short of making formal recommendations but encouraged rental car companies to introduce a better assessment of whether overseas drivers were ready to drive on New Zealand's roads.He said fatigue was a factor in the crash for both drivers, as was their speed.Five seconds before the crash, Liebl was driving at 134km/hr, slowing to 73km/hr at impact.The Shortlands' vehicle was moving at 119km/hr when they collided.Robinson said cannabis was found in the system of Jesse Shortland, and while he could not determine his level of intoxication, he could not discount the possibility this may have slowed his reaction time.AdvertisementAdvertise on the Southland AppJudy Richards, whose son Rhys Middleton was killed by a tourist driver in 2016, welcomed the call for rental car companies to improve their driver assessments.She said rental car companies needed to lift their game and should require tourists to first sit a practical test.She would also like to see overseas drivers serve their sentence in this country, rather than being sent home.Republished by arrangement

Time is running out for more than 400,000 voters, who now have less than a week left to enrol for a EasyVote card for the General Election and referendums.The Electoral Commission’s national manager of enrolment and community engagement Mandy Bohté says the EasyVote card is more convenient for voters because staff can issue voting papers faster.“It makes voting easier, as well as cutting queuing times – a crucial consideration in these COVID-19 times,” she said.AdvertisementAdvertise on the Southland AppThere are still 428,000 people, or 11 per cent of eligible voters, yet to enrol.Ms Bohte said these people need to act now.Election day is Saturday 17 October. Electoral rolls close for printing on this Sunday (September 13), which is the deadline for anyone wanting an EasyVote card.People can still enrol after Sunday, including on election day, but they won’t get an EasyVote card.Enrolments have risen from 87% of eligible voters at the start of July to 89%, with the biggest increase among those aged 18 to 29, up from 67% to 72%.AdvertisementAdvertise on the Southland AppPeople can enrol or update their details online at vote.nz, using their New Zealand driver licence, New Zealand passport or RealMe verified identity.They can also enrol or update their details by filling in an enrolment form available online at vote.nz, by calling 0800 36 76 56, by texting their name and address to 3676, or at any voting place when they open from Saturday 3 October.Key dates:• Sunday 13 September – writ day, rolls close for printing• Wednesday 23 September – applications close for postal voting• Wednesday 30 September – overseas voting starts• Saturday 3 October – advance voting starts in New Zealand• Saturday 17 October – election day, voting places open 9am to 7pmHere's that website link again! https://vote.nz/

There’s just a day to go until the Eastern Southland Gallery’s fundraising party and auction evening, to raise funds for the completion of the East Gore Art Centre.The fundraising event will be held at the Maruawai Centre, 7 Norfolk Street, Gore, with the party kicks off at 7.30pm on Friday.“If you haven’t got your tickets, now is the time to get them,” gallery programmes manager Marcella Geddes said.AdvertisementAdvertise on the Southland AppThe selection of art for auction includes work by Marilynn Webb, Fane Flaws, Jo Ogier, Robert Ellis, Denys Watkins and Carole Shepheard.Tickets include refreshments, book packages and a special guest appearance from the Bard of Christchurch, Steve Thomas. The auction will be followed by an open day at the East Gore Art Centre on Saturday from 1pm to 4pm.District curator Jim Geddes will take regular tours of the art centre, while Dunedin printmaker Inge Doesberg and Southland artist Jacqui Byars will give printmaking demonstrations.Dick Frizzell’s ‘Old Hokonui’ lithographs and other art works will be available for sale. There will be a gift basket raffle and afternoon tea in the artist’s flat. “This is an opportunity for the general public to come along and see the completed artist flat, nearly finished studios and hear about the future plans for the facility. Admission to this event is free,’’ Mrs Geddes said.

Emergency services were called to explosion at a house in Rothesay Place in South Invercargill this afternoon.Fire and Emergency were called to a residential property in the suburb of Rockdale at 1.26 pm after a 111 call was made to St John Ambulance reporting several injuries following an explosion. A spokesperson for Fire and Emergency said the fire had started in the kitchen and dining area and there had been “substantial damage” to the house, and it “could not be stayed in tonight”.AdvertisementAdvertise on the Southland AppThe spokesperson said three people were injured and two were taken to hospital. None received life threating injuries. The fire investigator left the scene just before 6pm and the spokesperson said the fire was not marked as suspicious. Two fire crews from Invercargill attended the scene and the fire has since been extinguished. A police spokesperson said cordons were still in place at the scene. 

Invercargill Police are investigating an aggravated robbery at a Strathern business premises on Saturday (September 5).A man entered the Brown Street Foodcentre, near the intersection of Brown Street and McQuarrie Street, about 9pm.He threatened staff with what appeared to be piece of wood and a knife.AdvertisementAdvertise on the Southland AppThe man was described as about 185cm tall and was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, black pants and black shoes.Anyone with information can contact Police via 105 and quote file number 200906/1666. Alternatively you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

A Southland advisory group, facilitated by Environment Southland, has been given the go-ahead to provide advice to the national group set up by Environment Minister David Parker last week to implement the new national freshwater regulations.Mr Parker and Minister of Primary Industries Damien O’Connor met with council executives, farming and sector leaders and Fish and Game Southland on Monday. During the meeting, there was an agreement to form a local advisory group to be facilitated by Environment Southland.Environment Southland chairman Nicol Horrell said the meetings were very constructive and he looked forward to working with the ministers further as the new legislation was worked through.AdvertisementAdvertise on the Southland App“The farmers presented a number of areas where they have concerns and highlighted a number of possible solutions,” Mr Horrell said. “We’ll now take that enthusiasm and pull together a small working group to provide advice to the national implementation group.”Farmer representative Tony Cleland was one of around 30 dairy, sheep, beef and deer farmers who initiated and attended the meeting, along with sector groups DairyNZ, Beef + Lamb New Zealand and Federated Farmers. “While the process has been challenging, the group has established a pragmatic way forward, thanks to collaborative input from farmers, industry groups, council and ministers,” Mr Cleland said. “We are encouraged that a local group of farmers will be involved in working with Environment Southland on the rule changes.AdvertisementAdvertise on the Southland App“The conversation was constructive and we will continue to work, as a group, on this issue as we seek solutions as a sector. We see the implementation groups and councils as key in the rollout of these regulations.”Farmers discussed the new rules that required consent, particularly intensive winter grazing, sowing dates, and stock exclusion and urged the ministers to push forward with the audited farm environment plan requirement, which is yet to form part of the national legislation.“The ministers acknowledged the progress we’ve already made here in Southland with farm plans, intensive winter grazing, our proposed Water and Land Plan and the extensive engagement we’ve done for the plan and more recently to gather community values,” Mr Horrell said.“Everyone wants to ensure water quality is improved – including the 35 farming leaders who attended the meeting. They are an integral part of the change that’s needed to improve our environment and working together to get practical, Southland solutions to some of our challenges is something we’ve always done well down here.”

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters will this morning meet with Tiwai Point workers to spell out the two-decade lifeline his party is promising for the aluminium smelter.In July Rio Tinto announced production would end at the smelter in August 2021, putting more than 2500 jobs on the line.Later that month Peters travelled to Tiwai and assured workers there would be buyers lining up if Rio Tinto chose to leave Southland.AdvertisementAdvertise on the Southland AppAt the time, he told workers, "if we go on having a say in the government, in the future, then we commit to a 20-year agreement with a 10-year review, with a fair electricity cost based on the cost of supply and a respectable margin.''But speaking in nearby Bluff yesterday Peters said other political parties had subsequently "complicated and compromised'' his promise.''We had a whole lot of copycats get in there and complicate it and compromise it by saying it's a five-year plan, which is absolute nonsense," Peters says.''We've got a two-decade strategy based on a fair pricing regime, and making sure the workers and the province of Southland gets a fair go this time."The New Zealand First "Back Your Future" bus tour is in Southland this week and was pulling up at the smelter at 7.30am to speak with workers and reiterate the party's plan to save thousands of jobs.Winston Peters at Bluff during the New Zealand First campaign tour in Southland. PHOTO: RNZ / Nate McKinnonPeters says it's unbelievable the support Labour, National and even ACT have thrown at Tiwai Point since his initial trip.''I'll be there with the staff to tell them about the one party you can trust on this matter - not the Johnny-come-lately's who have crucified this industry and these workers - 2500 in the case of Invercargill and Southland and are now trying to pose as their friends,'' he says."No one can trust the other parties on this matter.''He rubbished the Labour promise of a $100 million Just Transition package - a deal New Zealand First was asked to back as part of the coalition but refused to do so, ensuring it became a a campaign issue.Winston Peters drives a tractor while the New Zealand First "Back Your Future" bus tour is in Southland. PHOTO: RNZ / Nate McKinnon

The Lumsden Heritage Trust has staged another audacious recovery of a piece of New Zealand rail history. A team of contractors yesterday rescued an 1883 wooden passenger carriage that had been sitting on a farm at Wairio, in western Southland, since 1952, and transported it 64km to Lumsden, its final home.The Lumsden Heritage Trust (LHT) made international news earlier this year when it salvaged two 19th century V Class locomotives from the mud of the Mararoa junction, a tributary of the Oreti River, near Castlerock. The trains had been dumped there by New Zealand Railways in 1928 to help form a flood protection wall.AdvertisementAdvertise on the Southland AppChairman John Titter says it was a happy coincidence that the trust heard about the A Class, elevated roof passenger car, number 199.John had been looking at another carriage for use as an information kiosk at the Lumsden railway precinct. However, the plan quickly changed when he heard about A199 through Hamish Montgomery, from Clear Drain South, who was a member of the project team at Lumsden when the V Class locomotives were recovered in early 2020.The inside of the carriage.The carriage was already on the farm when James and Philippa Montgomery bought the property in 1963. Hamish and his sister Liz played in it when they were children.Once John was put in touch with landowner Philippa Montgomery, she immediately offered to gift the carriage to the Lumsden Heritage Trust. John says it was “an offer we couldn’t refuse”.The passenger car was built by New Zealand Railways at Addington, Christchurch, in 1883. The 43-foot wooden car was a composite – half first class, half second class. It was sold to the OhaiRailway Board in 1941 and remained in use there until 1952, when it was transported to the farm now owned by the Montgomerys. No-one is sure how it got there, as it would have required some heavy lifting.Since hearing of the carriage just three weeks ago, the heritage trust reformed what John calls “the A team” of Southland contractors who carried out the locomotive recoveries in January and February this year. Project Steam chairman Clark McCarthy and his father Gary, from Dunedin, who were integral in the V Class rescue effort, were quickly recruited to provide technical support, while contractors Smith Crane and Construction, Southland Machine Hire and Linton Contracting again put up their hands to do the job.John and fellow trustee Rob Scott are both in awe of how seamlessly the operation went.The contractors spent Monday preparing the site, demolishing an old shed and clearing overgrown tree branches which would have impeded the cranes’ access. With a clear run at the carriage, yesterday’s removal effort started at 8am and ran like clockwork. By midday the carriage was on blocks in Lumsden.It now awaits restoration to its former glory by Lumsden carpenter Gordon Lawrence.The trust plans to refurbish the carriage and used it as an information kiosk telling the story of the V Class locomotives and other information about the township’s proud railway history. The cost of yesterday’s recovery and refurbishment was already covered in the trust’s business plan for the recovery of the two V Class locomotives earlier this year.The recoveraged carriage at Lumsden where it will be restored.

Sixty-six teams of four have entered a 48-hour bowlathon this weekend, to raise funds for the Southland Charity Hospital.The event is one of several fundraising activities contributing to the cause promoted by the late Blair Vining and his widow Melissa.The Waverley Bowling Club is hosting the event from 2pm on Friday.AdvertisementAdvertise on the Southland AppClub coach Ross Weir has been collecting entries and plans to play three two-hour games himself.“We thought we’d get 48 entries, which would have filled one rink for the 48 hours. Each slot is two hours. But we actually ended up with 66 teams, which is really good,’’ Mr Weir said.Teams are coming from all over the Bowling Southland region, including Tapanui, Tokonui, Te Anau, Gore and Orepuki.The bowlathon is not a tournament. Instead, teams will be allocated a colour - green or orange – and points will be kept for an overall score at the end of play at 2pm on Sunday.Mr Weir said the club’s goal was to raise about $7000.The public was welcome to join in by buying a bowl and have a go at winning a prize by hitting a target on another rink.The bowlathon will be under lights on the club’s covered green.Mr Weir said he’d never known of an all-night bowls game in his 30 years playing the sport.“I have never done anything like this before. One of my two hour slots is Saturday at 4am to 6am,’’ he said.No-one has signed up to bowl 48 hours non-stop. Several have signed up for more than one two-hour slot while bowler Paul Dennison had put his name down to do five two-hour slots.AdvertisementAdvertise on the Southland AppMr Weir said Harry Crosswell, a patron of Bowling Southland, came up with the idea, and there was a big team of club members helping organise the event.The bowlathon will finish with a charity auction. Items include a netball signed by the Pulse team and a tee-shirt signed by the Emirates America’s Cup yachting team.The charity hospital trust met its initial goal of $1 million by August but is continuing to raise as much as possible.It has taken possession of the Clifton Club Inn building, consents have been approved and about 115 trade volunteers have signed up to help convert the building into the hospital.Once completed, the hospital will at first provide colonoscopies to patients from Southland and Otago.Services will be expanded over time. Other fundraising activities this year include the Pack the Park rugby match between two invitational teams is scheduled for October 17, and a Winton Rotary Dinner on November 11.Go to the Bowlathon: The Waverley Bowling Club is on the corner of Exmouth and King streets, Invercargill. Starts 2pm Friday September 11, finishes 2pm Sunday September 13.

A ticketing system is being introduced for the opening this weekend of Invercargill's new temporary museum and art gallery He Waka Tuia.Co-manager David Dudfield said Level Two restrictions had proven an extra challenge for the He Waka Tuia Art + Museum team ahead of the space finally opening to the public at 12pm on Saturday (September 12).“We’ve organised a ticketing system that will keep both our visitors and our staff safe,” he saidAdvertisementAdvertise on the Southland AppThe online system, accessible through the He Waka Tuia website, allows people to book themselves in to a number of different time slots. Groups of 50 people will be able to book into each 45-minute interval.Co-manager Gemma Baldock said having to put a ticketing system in place would actually work out quite well.“He Waka Tuia isn’t a huge space. Having smaller groups of people coming through means everyone will be able to really enjoy their experience, as well as keeping themselves and our staff safe.”Those not keen or able to go online will still be able to visit, although they may have to wait in line at the space, at 42 Kelvin Street.“We know that everyone understands that this is just the way we have to do things now, and we’re asking everyone to be patient and kind,” Gemma said.

Suicide content in a United States-made video has gone viral on several social media platforms in New Zealand, prompting Netsafe to take action to get it taken down.Warnings circulating about the content have urged parents to monitor their children’s social media use, suggesting the material may have been hidden in content designed to appeal to children and young people.Netsafe has also updated its website information on dealing with upsetting internet content. The updated article, Helping Young People Exposed to Upsetting Content, is available here.AdvertisementAdvertise on the Southland AppNetsafe chief executive Martin Cocker confirmed to the Southland App this afternoon that the upsetting and violent content had gone viral in New Zealand.He was working with the chief censor, the Department of Internal Affairs, Police, Mental Health Foundation, Ministry of Education, and multiple other agencies and industry players to get the video removed from the internet.He understood the content first posted on September 1, New Zealand time, however, the first report to Netsafe was made yesterday (September 7).The content has been reported as being hidden among images of puppies and kittens, encouraging young people to look at it. Schools around the country have warned parents about it in newsletters.Mr Cocker said it was “the most graphic piece of content I have seen for a long time”.AdvertisementAdvertise on the Southland App“It is a disturbing piece of footage to see, no matter what state you are in and obviously if someone is vulnerable then it definitely can be dangerous. The issue for us is that it is hosted somewhere – we know where it is –which is untouchable, places we can’t take any action on.”Conversations about it were spreading, as well as the actual content, exposing more New Zealanders to it, Mr Cocker said.Facebook, Twitter, Google and TikTok were working on the issue.Mr Cocker said their systems could automatically detect and remove upsetting content but had to learn the different versions as they popped up. Within a few days, 99% of the content could be removed without anyone seeing it, but in the intervening period, it could be picked up and spread, he said.“People often talk of it being like whack-a-mole, that old arcade game. The thing is events like the mosque shootings did lead to change and certainly from the bigger platforms they have invested pretty heavily in systems to detect content. Systems are getting better and better all the time so the opportunity for people to make this type of content to go viral is reduced. It is still there but it is reduced,” Mr Cocker said.AdvertisementAdvertise on the Southland AppThe media played an important role in helping connecting parents with Netsafe and support services like 1737. But if the media shared too much, it could alert people to something and then people would go looking for it, Mr Cocker said.There was plenty of upsetting content on the internet and the risk of being exposed to it was ever present. But the difference between this video and other videos was this one was going viral on social media and people were talking about it, Mr Cocker said. While many people were affected by something like this there were also a lot of people there helping to work against the harm of these types of things, he said.NEED TO TALK?Free call or text 1737 any time, 24 hours a day. You’ll get to talk to (or text with) a trained counsellor or talk to a peer support worker. The service is completely free. https://1737.org.nz/

The fire danger around Southland and Otago is likely to increase tomorrow (September 9) with the arrival of predicted gale force winds across the regions.Last week strong winds fanned many fires across Otago, keeping firefighters busy.Fire and Emergency New Zealand is asking people who have burnt in the last two months to check old burn sites to ensure the fire is out. Turn the area over, ensure there is no heat left and apply water until the area is cold to touch. A small amount of heat in an old fire site can re-ignite and winds transport embers into surrounding vegetation.AdvertisementAdvertise on the Southland AppAlthough Otago has had some rain, frosts, warm days and wind have dried tussock, grasses and other light material, making it very easy to ignite. People need to be extra careful and think about what they are doing.Fire Managers are asking people to be responsible and refrain from lighting fires until conditions ease. Spring brings with its equinoctial winds (seasonal winds), blowing away the cold wintery weather and ushering in warmer summer days. During this period of change, an increase in wind events is experienced, leading to changeable fire danger.Fire and Emergency NZ says people should check the forecast before burning and ensure no strong winds are predicted for the following 48 hours after burning. Having a safe distance from other flammable material such as hedges, forest blocks and buildings, will also keep your fire safe."The size of the pile influences how the fire will behave. It can be tempting to burn a large pile. A large pile means a large amount of fuel. The more fuel, the hotter the burn, the less control you have. Small fires are easier to control or put out and have less residual burning which reduces the chances of a flare-up," Fire and Emergency NZ says.

Researchers are utilising a kind of tag-and-release programme on rats in Fiordland to estimate their numbers and improve conservation efforts.The Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research-run study, at Lake Alabaster in remote Fiordland, is showing some of the highest densities of rats ever recorded on New Zealand's mainland.Researchers have live-captured 912 rats, which are microchipped and tagged before being released, so they can later determine how many rats live in the area by measuring the proportion of marked and unmarked rodents.AdvertisementAdvertise on the Southland AppFollowing last year's "mega mast" beech seeding, rat numbers exploded.Since the study began 14 months ago, rats had been live-captured in cage traps at the site.The researchers gave each rat a unique ID by inserting a microchip under the rat's skin - like the type used for pet dogs - and placed a metal tag in their ear. The rat is then released.It went against conservation norms, and had proved difficult for researchers, study lead Dr Jo Carpenter, a postdoctoral researcher at Manaaki Whenua, said."One of the hardest parts of this study is letting the rats go," she said.But in order to get a true idea of pest density, the team needed to use live-capture traps and release the rats to live another day.The researchers hoped it would all be worth it in the end with the study informing a five-year research programme titled 'More Birds in the Bush', funded by the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment's Endeavour fund.A key aim of the programme was to develop a kind of "weather forecast about rats", where conservation managers would be able to predict what rats would do based on the climate and forest at their site, allowing more effective rat control and leading to more birds in the bush.The run study on rat density was conducted at Lake Alabaster in remote Fiordland. PHOTO: Supplied / Manaaki Whenua Landcare ResearchThe study, run in conjunction with the Department of Conservation, was one of the first of its kind."This is one of the first studies to estimate the density of rats in South Island forests," Manaaki Whenua researcher John Innes said."Normally, ecologists obtain relative measures of rat abundance or activity. While this is useful and reasonably easy to do, we often don't actually know how those estimates relate to the number of rats that occupy an area."The phenomenal 17 rats per hectare measured after last year's beech seed mast were some of the highest ever measured on New Zealand's mainland, and showed the incredible ability of rats to multiply rapidly following beech seeding.At high elevation researchers were even feeding rats to see what part food supply plays in the pests surviving colder temperatures."Rats are generally less common in cold, high altitude forests across New Zealand than in warm, lowland forests," Dr Carpenter said."But it's not clear whether that's because rats can't handle cold temperatures, or because there is typically less food, especially in winter, for rats in cold, high elevation forests."It was hoped by feeding rats at high elevations they could determine whether it was the cold alone or food supply which caused that.AdvertisementAdvertise on the Southland App"We're still monitoring the population but it seems that food helped sustain the rats through the autumn. When we reached winter, though, the fed rats declined as much as the rats we didn't feed. This suggests that another factor - perhaps temperature or predation by stoats - is limiting rats," Dr Carpenter said.The research could inform the implications of climate change on rat numbers."This is a really relevant question, because if it's temperature that normally limits rats from living up high, and not food, we might expect to see high elevation forests supporting more rats as the climate warms," Manaaki Whenua researcher Dr Adrian Monks said."This could have devastating consequences for some of our birds, which currently use these environments as refugia from pests."Republished by arrangement

The Environment Court will today (Tuesday September 7) begin hearing submissions on who should take responsibility for removing about 8500 tonnes of hazardous ouvea premix at the Mataura Paper Mill site.About 10,000 tonnes of the toxic by-product of aluminium production was first taken to the mill six years ago by Taha Asia Pacific, which went into liquidation in 2016.After years of negotiations and arguments between various parties, about 1600 tonnes was recently removed and returned to the Tiwai Point smelter for reprocessing and shipping overseas.AdvertisementAdvertise on the Southland AppHowever, there are concerns that the rest of the premix is not being removed fast enough.The Environmental Defence Society, Gore District Council, Environment Southland and the Minister for the Environment David Parker are parties to today’s judicial negotiations with New Zealand Aluminium Smelters Ltd, a subsidiary of Australian mining giant, Rio Tinto.Ouvea premix is classified as a category 6 hazardous substance. If wet it releases a toxic amonea gas, posing risks to human health and the environment.Floods in the Mataura River in February and a fire at the mill’s hydro-generating plant last week have heightened public safety concerns.Environment Defence Society chairman Gary Taylor told Radio New Zealand on Monday it was not clear who should be responsible for the ouvea premix.However, with Taha Asia Pacific “bust’’, and the liquidators disclaiming the ouvea premix as an onerous asset, the society was arguing that New Zealand Aluminium Smelters Ltd had responsibility for the material according to the “polluter pays principle’’ under the Resource Management Act, and would be seeking a declaration to that effect, Mr Taylor told RNZ.AdvertisementAdvertise on the Southland AppAccording to Environment Southland, another 14,000 tonnes of ouvea premix is stored at other sites in Invercargill.Environment Southland general manager policy planning and regulatory services Vin Smith told the Southland App last week there was “approximately 24,000 tonnes of dross stored in Southland that we are aware of.” “We know of six sites that have dross stored in Southland: Bond Row, Annan Street, Liddel Street, Colyers Road Mataura Old Paper Mill, Aluminium Smelter at Tiwai.’’          “Environment Southland’s role as a regional council is to manage the discharge of contaminants to air, land and water. We don’t control the transportation or storage of hazardous substances. Gore District Council has the responsibility for any land use consent associated with the storage of ouvea premix in Mataura, and any other resource consent to do with storage of the material would be with the relevant territorial authorities,’’ Mr Smith said.Taha Asia Pacific also applied for consent to store ouvea premix at Matheson Rd, Invercargill, but Mr Smith said he understood that ouvea premix was never stored there. An Invercargill City Council spokeswoman has since confirmed the Matheson Road consent application was withdrawn before a decision on whether to grant consent was made.Mr Smith said the regional council was very concerned about the situation at Mataura and across wider Southland, and had been taking action for some time, working with local and central government to find a long-term solution for the removal of all dross stored within Southland.AdvertisementAdvertise on the Southland AppGore District Council communications and marketing manager Sonia Gerken said the Invercargill City Council, Southland District Council and Gore District Council were paying $400,000 (apportioned on a per capita basis) for the removal of the premix.Other contributors are: NZAS $1.75 million, Ministry for the Environment $1.25 million, landlords of the properties where the premix is stored $350,000, and Environment Southland $250,000.It is understood no rent is being paid to the Mataura Mill owner, a storage company associated with Otago businessman Greg Paterson, because Taha Asia Pacific is in liquidation.An Invercargill City Council spokeswoman said ouvea premix “is at present being stored at the following locations within the Invercargill City Council boundaries: 162 Bond Street consented for 240 tonnes amended to 2,500 tonnes; 76 Annan Street (sub address 139-143 Liddel Street) consented for 11,790 tonnes then amended to 11,720 tonnes; [and] 62 Colyer Road consented for stage 1 2600 tonnes, stage 2 20,000 tonnes.’’“No one is paying rent to ICC for the site council owns,’’ she said.The Southland District Council has confirmed no ouvea premix or dross is stored in its district.AdvertisementAdvertise on the Southland AppThe Southland App approached Rio Tinto director of external relations Jennifer Nolan for comment.Ms Nolan doubted she could get answers to the Southland App’s questions quickly, because company representatives worked across three time zones.Rio Tinto was already on the record that it did not own the ouvea premix and had paid many millions over five years to find a zero waste solution with Taha Asia Pacific, she said.Although not accepting responsibility for the ouvea premix, New Zealand Aluminium Smelters had also agreed to contribute $1.75 million to joint fund so it could be removed from Mataura.The dross generated at Tiwai Point smelter is processed by a contractor and shipped offshore to another country. This material is not the same sort of product as Taha Asia Pacific’s ouvea premix, which has been processed differently to create a fertiliser product.

Police continue to make enquiries into the fatal crash in Makarewa on 2 September.A teenager remains in a critical condition in Dunedin Hospital and the investigation is progressing.However, Police believe there may be people who are yet to speak to Police with information that may assist with the investigation.AdvertisementAdvertise on the Southland AppPolice would like to hear from anyone who witnessed any of the following vehicles in the area prior to the crash:An orange 2014 Ford Ranger ute, registration MHL704, towing a trailer.A grey 2013 Toyota RAV4 station wagon, registration HDW704A blue 2007 Mazda Atenza, registration LBF327Or a blue 2019 Mazda2, registration MPF649.We would also like to hear from anyone who was a witness during or following the crash.Information can be provided by calling 105 and quoting file number 200903/1062.Alternatively, information can be provided anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

People with diabetes in Southland, who are at high risk or have active foot disease,are set to benefit from a new service that brings patients together with a multidisciplinary team of specialists every Friday.Southern District Health Board (SDHB) Portfolio Manager, Primary Care, David Murray, said diabetic foot ulcers were a complicated condition requiring an integrated, multidisciplinary approach to address all aspects of diabetes management.“International experience has shown that a multidisciplinary approach to diabetic foot care significantly improves patient outcomes by reducing the number of hospital admissions and amputations.”AdvertisementAdvertise on The Southland AppSouthern DHB and WellSouth have been working together to design and implement a new system of care for diabetic patients with active foot disease and high risk feet.“Until now, there has been an Otago multidisciplinary team based at Dunedin Hospital, which has held a clinic every Friday afternoon since 2012. The clinic brings together the expertise of an orthopaedic surgeon, a vascular surgeon, an endocrinologist, a wound care specialist, a diabetic nurse specialist, a podiatrist, a registered nurse, and the orthotics team, enabling a comprehensive assessment and treatment plan to be sought for the benefit of the patient.“The team has a holistic approach to patient-centred care that includes optimal diabetes control, effective local wound care and infection control, pressure relieving techniques and ensuring adequate blood flow to the limb.“Patients are usually referred by their GP or internally within the hospital services, and once at the clinic and assessed, a treatment plan is agreed with the patient and their family.“An audit assessing benefits of the clinic has shown a 50% reduction in acute admissions, involving patients known to the weekly diabetic foot clinic, to the Dunedin Hospital over a 12 month period,” he said.Now, the same successful model is being rolled out in Invercargill, at Southland Hospital, for the Southland region. The Southland Team includes additional nursing and podiatry staff. The team at Southland Hospital and their patients will link via telehealth to Jo Krysa, a vascular surgeon in Dunedin. It means that all diabetic foot patients in the Southern District will be referred, either by the GP or hospital services, to a single point of entry. The patients will then be triaged to the appropriate service, at a multi-disciplinary team meeting, led by Dr Krysa.  AdvertisementAdvertise on The Southland AppHigh risk foot referrals will be triaged to the multidisciplinary teams in Dunedin or Invercargill, depending on where they live, or to the secondary, podiatry services in those cities, or to the Southern DHB-funded podiatry service in the community.The benefits of this new system of care mean patients are referred to the appropriate service, Southland patients can access a multidisciplinary team and clinic, and the degree of urgency for each patient is better able to be determined.“This is good news for diabetic patients in Southland and the rest of the district. This service puts the patient in the centre, and treats them in a holistic way, giving them access to the specialist skills and services needed to care for them,” he said.

Southern District Health Board consultant clinical psychologist Henck van Bilsen will present his ideas on how we can look after our mental wellbeing at a series of free public talks next week.Titled ‘How to Stay Sane in a Crazy World’, the talk has been timed to coincide with Mental Health Awareness Week (21-27 September), and will be offered at several locations around the southern region. Audience numbers for each session will be limited to 100 people, in-line with Level 2 guidelines, so registration is essential.The initiative is a response to the impact of COVID-19 on the health and wellbeing of people in southern communities, and focuses on teaching people strategies to help them deal with thoughts that lead to stress, anxiety and depression.AdvertisementAdvertise on The Southland App“Things can and will go wrong for all of us sometimes, especially in these times of COVID. If you feel stressed, overwhelmed, depressed or anxious, or if you find you are not living the way you want to live, this will introduce you to new ways of how you can help yourself,” he said.During his 40 years of experience as a clinical psychologist, Henck has learned that lectures and short workshops on mental wellbeing can have a huge impact on the resilience of people and communities. He previously worked in the United Kingdom where he used the facilitation of workshops and lectures to reduce waiting lists for psychological therapy.“For example, there were 350 people on a waiting list who wanted to access therapy, and by offering full day workshops we found that about 60% of them felt that this met their need and they didn’t require further therapy. By doing a workshop they were able to access help faster and in a way they felt more comfortable.”He has also used the same approach in the Waikato, where he worked prior to the Southern DHB.AdvertisementAdvertise on The Southland App“It just seems a sensible way we can reach out to our southern community as people deal with the effects of the pandemic.The talks (and in some cases workshops) are open to everyone who wants to learn new ways of overcoming ‘mental misery’. ‘Misery’ encompasses all the emotional and behavioural problems we can be confronted with: anxieties, depression, consuming too much alcohol or drugs, shyness, hurt, guilt, shame and embarrassment.“We have identified essential skills that, when we do not use them, create and increase misery, through thinking irrationally, not using emotional community, lacking compassion with oneself and not leading a meaningful life.”During the talk and workshops Henck will introduce the audience to the ‘bubble model’ and participants will learn to apply this to their own situation.Public sessions are scheduled for the following locations and times:• Invercargill, Tuesday, 22 September 2020, 6th floor Kelvin Hotel, two sessions: 2-4pm and again at 6.30-8.30pm.• Queenstown, Wednesday 21 October (two sessions: 2-4pm and again at 6.30-8.30pm, venue to be confirmed.• Te Anau, Friday, 16 October, (venue and time to be confirmed). NOTE: Full day workshop.To register for the talks in Invercargill and Queenstown, or the Te Anau workshop please email [email protected] Information on the locations, times and venues will be further updated on the Southern Health website.

A group of Real Journeys employees is being applauded by the Department of Conservation (DOC) for an impromptu environment cleanup at Lake Manapouri’s West Arm.Launch skipper, Dallas McHardy, and crewman, Zeb Ridder, regularly ferry Meridian workers to West Arm and with several hour’s downtime before the return journey, the men decided they could put that time to good use by cleaning up the former construction site.West Arm was the eastern accommodation and worksite during the original Manapouri Power project construction in the 1970s and later in the 1990s when the second tail-race was added.AdvertisementAdvertise on The Southland AppMr McHardy said the area also gets a lot of use by boat users and hunters and trampers who often de-clutter at West Arm before heading over the lake.DOC Senior Ranger Bio Diversity, Richard Kinsey, said he was only too happy to encourage the cleanup and covered the cost of a skip from his budget, while Real Journeys supplied the barge transport and covered the men’s wages.They have discovered some interesting finds including bulldozer tracks, old power cables and even the remnants of a probable home brew still.But the bulk of the rubbish was in the form of cans, bottles and plastic objects and they managed to fill a large skip and caged trailer.Now that it has been cleaned up, the men plan to keep an eye on the area and keep it up to scratch.