The most iconic hill climb in New Zealand cycling produced one of its most dramatic finishes in stage six of the 2025 SBS Bank Tour of Southland today.When the dust had settled Josh Burnett had claimed his maiden Bluff Hill stage win and retained the overall lead heading into the final day of the SBS Bank Tour of Southland.After 155km of racing from Invercargill to Bluff, the result was only decided by the width of a tire as the PowerNet rider threw his bike across the line on the hilltop finish ahead of Cambridge’s Matthew WIlson (Advanced Personnel Cycling Team).Having duked it out on the Remarkables climb on Wednesday, the two protagonists could only be separated by a photo finish atop Motupohue in one of the closest finishes in recent memory.“It was pretty insane actually. Matt sent a crazy attack up there and I was definitely on the ropes for a bit. It was just a two-man drag race and the throw just got me there, so credit to Matt, he’s super strong and I was fully on my limit today.”Despite winning the tour in 2022 and 2024, Burnett had never won the Bluff stage, a climb he has trained on more than any other.A noted BMX and mountainbike rider in his junior days, he had to call on all his bikehandling ability to take the win.“I’ve definitely won and lost a few bike races with the old bike throw on the BMX track down at (Invercargill’s) Elizabeth Park and definitely that skill came in handy today.”As well as extending his overall lead by a handful of precious seconds, the win was special for more personal reasons for the Southlander.Photo: Supplied“A good family friend of ours, Will Impelmans, he was a big part of the community down here. He started all the (Bluff Hill) mountainbike tracks here and now it’s a great facility which would have never been possible without Will,” Burnett said.“He unfortunately passed away a few years ago so it’s been something I really wanted to do for him because he was a big inspiration of mine. I wanted to do well for him and his family because I knew a few of them would be out on the hill today.”Today’s stage was a tale of frustrated breakaways with little wind to help fracture the peloton. Nick Kergozou (Open Country-TES) showed his undoubted speed and opened up a significant lead in the Sprint Ace standings.Under leaden skies, it took nearly 100km for a break to stick, with Sam Jenner (Central Benchmakers-Willbike), Glenn Haden (Couplands-Cycling Tom Cycling Team) and Jack Gillingham (Moo-Vestar) escaping by up to 2min before behind brought back in the shadow of Bluff Hill.Burnett will carry a 19sec lead over Wilson into the last day of the rescheduled 2025 event, which includes the 13km individual time trial at Winton and a final 77km stage from Winton to Invercargill.Australian rider Ben Dyball (Macaulay Ford-Good Tech Team) is third overall at 1mn 11sec and the leading over 35 rider.Photo: SuppliedBurnett, who also leads the King of the Mountains standings, won the ‘race of truth’ stage in 2022 and finished third in 2024, on the way to winning both races overall.“It’s a stage I’ve done a few times now and I think I’m quite well suited to it. You can’t really do much other than keep it upright and ride hard - there’s no tactics, it’s all on me. I’m looking forward to going for a good result,” he said.“There’s a bit of pressure but I’ve come into this time trial with only half this lead - it’s definitely not a given but I’m confident in my time trial and it should be a fast one.”

Police are asking for the public’s help finding Kevin John Singh Belling, who is reported missing from the Invercargill area.The 62-year-old was reported missing on Sunday 18 January, however he was last seen and spoken to on Friday 9 January at his place of business in Motu Rimu.Police have conducted a series of enquiries but have unfortunately been unable to locate him, and are now seeking help from the public.It is believed that Kevin could still be in the Invercargill area.Police and Kevin’s family have serious concerns for his welfare and would like to find him as soon as possible.If you have seen Kevin or have any information that could help us find him, please call 111 and reference file number: 260118/6964.

Road OpenNo Avalanche HazardComments:Expect short delays (up to 10 min) at roadworks near Sinclair Road until sealing on Tuesday 27th. Area East of Homer Tunnel - Alpine Operations Centre (AOC) to East Portal - is scheduled to be resurfaced for a week from Monday 26th. Traffic flows will be co-ordinated with tunnel operations, therefore minimal delays are expected. Parking areas outside AOC will be unavailable from Sunday 25th while this work is undertaken. Sealing between Hollyford Road & Falls Creek also planned for Monday 26th.Weather forecast for the Homer Tunnel area:Today: Showers, mainly south of Lake Gunn Tomorrow: Showers, especially south of Lake Gunn Sunday: Showers, mainly south of Lake Gunn Monday: Odd shower Tuesday: Showers clearing

The summer renewal programme in Southland is well underway; below is a list of programmed works on Southland state highways next week, and all known work on Southland state highways next week is mapped HERE.  Key renewal sites in Southland currently underway/beginning next week:SH90 Waikaka Valley highway between Waikaka Road and Cunningham Road – Construction work has begun and will continue over the next few months. Delays of 5-10 minutes.SH94 at Sinclair Road Te Anau – Construction works underway, delays of 5-10 minutes. Weather permitting, we anticipate this may be sealed by the end of next week.**NEW** SH94 Milford Highway at the Homer Tunnel – Asphalt resurfacing will be taking place from Monday 26th January for 1-2 weeks. Expect slightly longer delays at the tunnel.SH96 Winton-Wreys Bush highway near Transmission Line Road - Construction works underway, delays of 5-10 minutes. Weather permitting, we anticipate this may be sealed by the end of next week. Upcoming renewal workSH99 Wallacetown – road renewal and culvert work – February/March SH1 Waipahi Highway east of Pukerau – road renewal – February/MarchSH6 North Road Waikiwi, Invercargill – road resurfacing – March/April  Other maintenance work underway next week is listed below:Highways South/SouthRoads maintenance work:SH1 Bluff highway at Motu Rimu Road, temporary traffic lights for resurfacingSH1 Bluff highway near Kekeno Place, temporary traffic lights for resurfacingSH1 Bluff highway at Duck Creek, temporary traffic lights for resurfacingSH1 Bluff highway near McLauchlan Road, temporary traffic lights for resurfacingSH1 Bluff highway near Stanley Township Road, temporary traffic lights for resurfacingSH93 Old Coach Road near Kaiwera Road, temporary traffic lights for pavement repairsSH93 Old Coach Road near Waikana Road, temporary traffic lights for pavement repairsSH94 Waimea highway near Croydon Bush, temporary traffic lights for pavement repairsSH94 Waimea highway near Mandeville, temporary traffic lights for drainage workSH94 Lumsden-Riversdale highway near Old Balfour Road, temporary traffic lights for pavement repairsSH98 Lorne Dacre Road near Lorneville, temporary traffic lights for pavement repairsSH98 Lorne Dacre Road near Mill Road North, temporary traffic lights for pavement repairsSH98 Lorne Dacre Road near Rakahouka, temporary traffic lights for pavement repairsSH94 Lumsden-Riversdale highway at Riversdale, temporary traffic lights for resurfacingSH94 Milford Highway near Lower Hollyford Road, temporary traffic lights for resurfacing Roadmarking taking place under mobile traffic management from Monday 26th to Saturday 31st January:SH1 Bluff HighwaySH1 and SH6 Invercargill UrbanSH93 Mataura to Clinton SH96 Mataura to Ohai **Programmed work may be delayed due to weather/other factors. More information at:NZTA Journeys website - https://www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/journey-plannerFreight Impact Register - https://www.nzta.govt.nz/commercial-driving/trucks-and-tow-trucks/potential-restrictions-affecting-freight/ - download and filter the region for ‘Southland’. This will indicate any upcoming work in the next fortnight which have closures, detours or width restrictions for freight.

Failed Southland mayoral candidate Gary Tong says he wasn't behind the 'Tick Tong' campaign stickers plastered across the region during the local election.The former mayor recontested the Southland district mayoralty in October after losing to incumbent Rob Scott in 2022.Scott retained the mayoralty by a wide margin, securing 6,734 votes to Tong’s 1,418 votes.But as recently as December, “Tick Tong” messaging could still be seen on a council rubbish drum in Riverton, where the former mayor lives.Tong said he found out 500 stickers were created and appeared in around the region including Ōtautau and Te Anau."I don’t know the full group of people that did it, I know one or two of them, but I’m not going to let you know who they are,” Tong said.“I just said ‘look, you can’t bloody do that’.”Tong said the stickers had nothing to do with him and believed the group had copied an ad he’d run in the Otago Daily Times.He said he “appreciated the bloody support” and admitted he had even pulled one off a Give Way sign.Tong also recounted a comical interaction with rival Rob Scott over the stickers, which he thought was one of the ways he'd found out.After seeing Scott in Lumsden, Tong sent him a txt.The mayor messaged back a humorous reply saying he hoped Tong hadn’t put any stickers on his car.“It wasn’t until a day or two later I found out that this group of people had been going all over Southland sticking these stickers everywhere.”As for the rubbish drums in Riverton, they have since been removed.A spokesperson for Southland District Council said council-owned assets, including rubbish bins, were not approved places for election advertising.The removal deadline for election signage was midnight on 10 October, the spokesperson said.Tong’s election spending declaration made no mention of stickers. It totaled $513.50 and included advertising with Allied Press and Winton Business Association.The former mayor confirmed his political days were over and he was now working on a book.LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air

The hacked online patient portal Manage My Health says fraudsters could now be attempting to contact its customers.The organisation said in a statement it had notified most of the people affected by the data theft that happened late last year.But it warned people might now be sending spam or phishing emails that impersonate the company."We're also aware that secondary actors may impersonate MMH and send spam or phishing emails to prompt engagement. These communications are not from MMH. We're investigating steps to limit this activity and have included guidance below on how to protect yourself below," it said.Manage My Health said some of the people it initially contacted about the hack had not been affected."We are progressing through the notifications, with most of affected patients having now received a notification email. Our priority is to continue notifying the remaining affected patients and ensuring they receive appropriate support."The organisation said it was working closely with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner, which announced an inquiry into privacy aspects of the hack this week.The cyber criminal(s) demanded thousands of dollars as a ransom, threatening to otherwise release the data on the dark web, potentially exposing more than 120,000 New Zealanders' medical details.There had been no further mention of the Manage My Health data from the hackers since the last reported deadline passed (January 9).Published by permission

Cycling delivered another redemption moment today, with Dan Morton producing a standout performance on stage five of the rescheduled 2025 SBS Bank Tour of Southland.The young Aucklander, a former junior world track cycling representative, was determined to do well on the 166km stage from Invercargill to Lumsden after a crash and a puncture on the same stage last year saw him finish towards the back of the field.Part of a five-strong breakaway which launched about 25km into the stage, Morton was only caught with 8km left in the day and then somehow found the strength to kick again on Lumsden’s main street and leave the other stage contenders grasping.Josh Burnett has retained the leader's orange jersey. Photo: Supplied.“It’s every cyclist from New Zealand’s dream to win a stage here,” Morton said.“I remember 2024 I had a lot of unfortunate mishaps on this stage. I wrote down on my goals that I wanted to do something special on this one and the Gore stage, and with a dropped chain on the Gore stage I had to get something done. I put everything into taking a win, so it’s so satisfying.”Morton’s bold move to bridge across to the initial four-strong attack by Keegan Hornblow (Creation Signs-MitoQ-NZ Cycling Project), William Cooper (Open Country-TES), James Krzanich (Latitude Cycling Team) and Jack Clark (Macaulay Ford-Good Tech Team) paid dividends.Behind them the peloton were playing cat and mouse, never letting them get beyond a lead of about 2min, but the big mover turned out to be Hornblow who launched his way into the Sprint Ace jersey.Christchurch rider Krzanich was also rewarded with Most Combative honours.Dan Morton celebrates winning the stage. Photo: Supplied.PowerNet were able to control the pace of the race for their leader Josh Burnett, who finished the day comfortably retaining the orange jersey.He holds a 15sec lead over Matthew Wilson (Advanced Personnel Cycling Team) with Australian Ben Dyball (Macaulay Ford-Good Tech Team) at 39sec in third place overall and the leading over 35 rider.“My team mates did a fantastic job. It’s the first time a lot of them have had to ride the front like that and I was super proud of them. To be honest I didn’t have to do too much today and they did everything so a big thanks to them.“Kiaan (Watts) got close at the end but credit to Dan, that’s pretty impressive to have another go off the front after a big day in the break like that.”Noah Hollamby (Onya Bike) leads the under 23 classification by only 2sec in fifth place overall, with William Heffernan leading the King of the Mountain classification and Macaulay Ford-Good Tech Team defending their lead in the teams classification.The peloton makes its way through stage five of the rescheduled SBS Bank Tour of Southland today. Photo: Supplied.Burnett, who is chasing his third Southland title, was looking forward to stage six from Invercargill to Bluff, a 154km circuit which takes in eastern and southern Southland and goes past his family home twice before arguably the most iconic climb in New Zealand cycling.“The race is wide open. So much can happen tomorrow before we even get to Bluff and everyone knows that so we’ll have to have our wits about us. It’s my favourite climb so I’m excited about that.”

Another IT outage has struck southern hospitals, impacting access to patient health records for several hours on Wednesday.It was the latest in a series of outages that have impacted hospitals on both islands this month including South Island clinicians losing access to patient records that tracked medication and lab results for more than 12 hours last week.Health New Zealand (HNZ) said the latest outage impacted the hospital administration system across the South Island from early in the morning until it was restored before 9.30am, but patient care continued safely throughout.A HNZ employee, who RNZ has agreed not to name, said the most recent outage meant they could not access real-time data as they were left with paper forms.They were frustrated as they had been left in the dark about what happened, and no one seemed to follow up to find out how staff and patients were impacted or the clinical risk, they said.The outage alert, which RNZ has seen, told clinicians to use "offline downtime forms" as the South Island's patient care system was experiencing issues site wide with users facing error messages and delays.It was being treated as a high priority and was impacting applications including whiteboards and MedChart, the alert said.HNZ Te Waipounamu regional digital director Kirsty Martin said the outage was not related to previous outages or a cybersecurity incident."The system holds a record of the patient journey through the hospital and passes information to downstream applications such as Health Connect South, which were temporarily impacted," she said."Normal business continuity plans were enacted during the incident, which included manual processes to keep services running safely, while digital staff worked with vendors to fix the issue."HNZ was undergoing a debrief to identify the cause, the extent of the outage and potential ways to improve its systems, she said.Published by Permission

Plans to showcase F-22 Raptor fighter jets at Warbirds Over Wānaka have drawn condemnation from a former Doctors Without Borders worker, who says the display legitimises US military force and weapons used to kill civilians.Two Lockheed Martin aircraft will take part in the Easter show, flown by a United States Air Force demonstration team.Organisers have defended the involvement of the aircraft, saying it was an opportunity for enthusiasts to witness modern advances in aviation.While it was the first time the F-22 Raptor has been showcased in New Zealand, other modern fighter jets have featured at Warbirds Over Wānaka in the past.Grant Kitto said a strike from a US Air Force gunship - also built by Lockheed Martin - killed his colleagues in Kunduz, Afghanistan, in 2015, at a Doctors Without Borders hospital.Forty-two deaths were reported, including 14 staff, in what the US Air Force later conceded to be a mistake."US forces fired 211 shells into the hospital," he said. "There were 105 patients in the hospital, 140 international and national staff, 80 were on duty - and the attacks took place despite the fact that the MSF [Doctors Without Borders] had provided GPS co-ordinates multiple times to the US Department of Defence and local forces.".The F-22 Raptors were widely considered the most lethal fighter jets ever built and putting them on show in New Zealand was not appropriate, Kitto said."Admittedly, they're amazing bits of kit, but they're amazing for the wrong reasons," he said. "It's not appropriate, in this day and age."It's emboldening and it's endorsing, and it's encouraging the US forces."Warbirds Over Wānaka International Airshow general manager Ed Taylor said the F-22 Raptor was not the first modern-day fighter jet to go on show and advances in aviation technology were also on display.Co-director of the National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Otago, Richard Jackson, said there was a difference between historic aircraft involved in conflicts "decades ago" and weapons of war still having an impact internationally."It seems odd that - at the moment when the United States is engaging in tremendous international aggression, attacking different countries, intervening in Venezuela to take oil, threatening to take Greenland, supporting Israel's genocide [a description used by some international observers, but contested by the Israeli government], and so on and so forth - we would invite people from that military to come to New Zealand and display their military wares in a way that kind of celebrates the technological prowess that they have in this area," he said.Lockheed Martin had been accused of violating human rights and causing a great deal of harm to civilians, Jackson said.The company did not respond to RNZ's requests for comment, but said on its website that a respect for human rights was at the heart of its work."We do have to ask questions around are we encouraging, are we accepting, are we signaling our agreement with the way in which these weapons are used?" Jackson said."Are we glorifying them to some degree, admiring them in certain respects, without acknowledging the serious harm that they cause in many parts of the world and the misuse to which they're often put?"Bringing two fighter jets to New Zealand also came with an immense environmental toll, he said."There are huge environmental implications of this. These machines are responsible for huge amounts of carbon emissions and, at a moment when we're beginning to really face the climate crisis, I mean, is it environmentally responsible to be engaging in these sorts of activities?"Organisers respondWarbirds Over Wānaka International Airshow general manager Ed Taylor said a Royal Australian Air Force F-111 and F/A-18, and a United States Air Force F-16 had featured at previous events."We also showcase advances in aviation technology through our Future of Aviation exhibition, and have exhibitors promoting aviation-related careers in both the military and civilian sectors," he said.In response to concerns about the environmental toll of the F-22 fighter jets, he told RNZ that Warbirds Over Wānaka was committed to sustainability, in part by reducing waste at the show, and encouraging public and active transport options for attendees."We also contribute to local organisations working on environmental and educational projects, such as local waterway planting projects," he said.In a statement, Staff Sergeant Michael Bowman, public affairs officer for the F-22 Raptor Aerial Demonstration Team, said Warbirds Over Wānaka would mark the first time the F-22 had been on the ground in New Zealand.The demonstration team performed at more than 20 air shows and special events around the world each year, he said.Responding to concerns raised by Kitto and Jackson, Bowman said the demonstration team offered the public an opportunity to experience combat capabilities up close and to witness the skill and precision of US Air Force personnel."In addition to participating in aerial demonstrations, the F-22 Demo Team visits local schools and hospitals and participates in various community events to increase community awareness and understanding of the U.S. Air Force's mission," he said."Our maintainers and pilots are dedicated to bringing the excitement of aviation to crowds around the globe in an effort to inspire spectators to follow their passions, just as we have."Taking concerns to supportersKitto said he had written to supporters of the show to share his concerns. One of them was Christchurch Airport, which will serve as the base for the F-22 Raptors during the event.An airport spokesperson told RNZ its role was "simply providing operational support to a flagship South Island event enjoyed by 65,000 people that injects over $40 million into the local economy"."In doing so, we are not endorsing any political position," they said.Kitto also contacted Queenstown Lakes District Council, which was one of the principal sponsors of Warbirds Over Wānaka.An airport spokesperson told RNZ its role was "simply providing operational support to a flagship South Island event enjoyed by 65,000 people that injects over $40 million into the local economy"."In doing so, we are not endorsing any political position," they said.Kitto also contacted Queenstown Lakes District Council, which was one of the principal sponsors of Warbirds Over Wānaka.Mayor John Glover wrote back, noting that the decision to provide the event with $25,000 was "specifically to support a waste contractor to reduce some of the environmental impacts"."That decision was made by a panel that included elected members and it is worth noting that, at the time of the application, the F22s and Lockheed Martin weren't in the mix," he said.However, Glover agreed to meet with organisers that week to discuss the concerns."The success of the Warbirds event demonstrates its broad appeal and many would say it is not an endorsement of militarism per se, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't be open to listening to other points of view or recognise that, at some point, geopolitical actions may impact social licence," he wrote to Kitto."A key question for this event is how to balance a celebration of aviation, its history and a commemoration of those who have served in conflicts against the danger that the harsh realities of war are minimised or potentially morphed into a thrill-seeking experience that normalises war."Wānaka-Upper Clutha ward councillor Niki Gladding said being contacted by Kitto about the F-22 Raptors had shifted her perspective on Warbirds Over Wānaka."If we weren't in the times that we were in, I don't think I'd be thinking about it the same way, but given what's going on in the States and the aggression, and the new kind of geopolitical context, it made me think about it in a different way," she said.Organisers respondWarbirds Over Wānaka International Airshow general manager Ed Taylor said the F-22 Raptor was not the first modern-day fighter jet to go on show.He said a Royal Australian Air Force F-111 and F/A-18, and a United States Air Force F-16 had featured at previous events."We also showcase advances in aviation technology through our Future of Aviation exhibition, and have exhibitors promoting aviation-related careers in both the military and civilian sectors," he said.In response to concerns about the environmental toll of the F-22 fighter jets, he told RNZ that Warbirds Over Wānaka was committed to sustainability, in part by reducing waste at the show, and encouraging public and active transport options for attendees."We also contribute to local organisations working on environmental and educational projects, such as local waterway planting projects," he said.In a statement, Staff Sergeant Michael Bowman, public affairs officer for the F-22 Raptor Aerial Demonstration Team, said Warbirds Over Wānaka would mark the first time the F-22 had been on the ground in New Zealand.The demonstration team performed at more than 20 air shows and special events around the world each year, he said.Responding to concerns raised by Kitto and Jackson, Bowman said the demonstration team offered the public an opportunity to experience combat capabilities up close and to witness the skill and precision of US Air Force personnel."In addition to participating in aerial demonstrations, the F-22 Demo Team visits local schools and hospitals and participates in various community events to increase community awareness and understanding of the U.S. Air Force's mission," he said."Our maintainers and pilots are dedicated to bringing the excitement of aviation to crowds around the globe in an effort to inspire spectators to follow their passions, just as we have."Government sign-off requiredAircraft of national air forces visiting New Zealand are subject to a diplomatic clearance process set out by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.The prime minister is also required to approve the visit under the New Zealand Nuclear Free Zone, Disarmament and Arms Control Act.The ministry said that included F-22 Raptors, which would be regarded as state or military aircraft - but no requests had been lodged so far for the Warbirds Over Wānaka show."The ministry has not received a diplomatic clearance request from the United States for a visit by a United States Air Force F-22 Raptor."Published by permission

Four female shearers have established a new world record, shearing 1938 lambs in eight hours in a South Otago woolshed.Rose Lewis, Ariana 'Missy' Te Whata, Te Atakura Crawford and Pagan Rimene set the four-stand women's eight-hours strongwool lamb record on Tuesday at Melrose Station, near Owaka.No previous record existed for the category, which is recognised by the World Sheep Shearing Records Society.Crawford from Gisborne, who beat an otherwise all-male field to win the 2013 NZ merino shears senior title, topped the tallies with 530, averaging 54.34 seconds a lamb, caught, shorn and through the porthole.Te Whata - who grew-up in Mossburn, Southland, and is the niece of two world recordholders - was credited with 504, while master woolhandler and 2019 world teams woolhandling champion Pagan Rimene of Alexandra shore 481.The remaining 423 were accredited to Lewis from Manutuke, on the East Coast, who now lives in Dubbo, New South Wales, where she works shearing merino sheep.A fifth-generation shearer, she took up the sport six years ago at the age of 35, after working as a 'rousey' or woolhandler.The record attempt required serious training and Lewis was hospitalised with a condition called RCVS (Reversible Cerebral Vasoconstriction Syndrome) five months ago, which meant she had to ease back on her training schedule, but she didn't let it stop her from competing.While she initially found it hard to find her rhythm on the cold Otago morning, she found her stride, and said it was overwhelming and exciting to be part of the recordsetting team."My father and his three brothers are in the world record book, so it was cool to be the first Lewis female to get in there and make my family proud."Rose Lewis was hospitalised five months ago, but returned to participate in the record attempt. Photo: Supplied/Rose LewisWhile it took some time to become a shearer, she said she now couldn't imagine doing anything else."It's a great job, great industry, you can go in so many different places."She hopes to set more records, including in Australia."I've got some pretty big goals on the world record stage, so setting one and with the team was definitely a cool start - you're not going into it alone."Referee Neil Fagan said more women were getting into shearing and the new record would give those entering the sport something to aim for."It's just great to see those four girls getting out there and setting [a record], inspiring another four girls to have a go one day."They've got a target to beat now, which is not an easy target, but it's something for them to aspire to."The event was the first of two multi-stand shearing record attempts in the southern regions this summer.On 31 January, Shane Ratima, Paerata Abraham and Leon Samuels will tackle the three-stand, eight-hours strongwool lambs record at Waihelo Station, Moa Flat, in west Otago.The current record of 1976 was set by Coel L'Huillier, Kaleb Foote and Daniel Langlands in 2019 at Puketiti Station, near Piopio.Published by permission

A new $13.6m industrial subdivision planned for the outskirts of Gore has just had a kick-start, with the government announcing yesterday (21 Jan) the project would be granted a $3.1m loan from the Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF).The 43-hectare development is a 50/50 partnership between Ngāi Tahu iwi authority Hokonui Rūnanga and Robertson Transport Limited and will be located on farmland next to State Highway 1.It is expected to create up to 50 jobs during construction and attract industries such as fertiliser distribution, farm equipment services, warehousing, and retail.Associate Minister for Regional Development Mark Patterson said the loan would tackle the critical shortage of large industrial lots in the Gore District, while also supporting the long-term prosperity for both partners and the wider Eastern Southland community.“Importantly, this development will provide Hokonui Rūnanga with a sustainable income stream through long-term leases, enabling it to fund vital health and social services for the community,”Patterson said the loan would help tackle a critical shortage of prime industrial land in the Gore District, which he estimates will ultimately need an additional 100 hectares to meet future growth."Southland already delivers 12 per cent of New Zealand’s pastoral exports with just two per cent of the population. This investment will help ensure the region’s economy continues to thrive,” Patterson said.Construction is expected to start in mid-2026, following rezoning and consents.The development marks the first stage of Hokonui Rūnanga’s 90-hectare master plan, with future stages set to include marae relocation, papakāinga housing, and a potential childcare facility.

A Southland town has overcome years of disagreement over people's privacy and public costs to proceed with new surveillance cameras.Winton is one of several spots grappling with whether and how to roll out new, more powerful cameras that police or volunteers monitor to combat crime.Police in the town say they are "elated" and the local business association call it a "massive relief"."The community has just thrown their hands in the air and said, 'Oh, when is this ever going to happen?'," said association president Daphne Fairbairn. "Commonsense has prevailed, thank goodness."The camera upgrade became a flashpoint for locals against a backdrop of community board ructions, including the ousting of the chair in 2024.Cattery owner Dave Diack was on the previous Oreti Community Board that twice vetoed an upgrade, despite overwhelming local backing - but said it was with good reason."The cameras were never declined in the sense that we voted, 'No, we don't want the cameras'," Diack said. "All we wanted was to have the proper privacy arrangements in place for people and to get some certainty around costs."They received some of that certainty with more info from a working group about a year ago, but in the run-up to the local body elections, they were still waiting for the old data protection rules around the old cameras to be overhauled.'Singing from the rooftops'Now, there is a new letter of agreement on privacy between the council and police, a newly-elected board and solid backing for a $65,000 upgrade plan that goes to Southland District Council for sign-off next week.The $65,000 covers four replacement cameras, and installation of a fifth in a new spot overlooking the playground and skate park."Put it this way, if I was on that board now and we had got it over the line, I would be out there singing from the rooftops that we probably would have the most comprehensive agreement with the ... regional police regarding the use of the CCTV cameras," said DiackBoard chair Margie Ruddenklau was sure it ticked all the boxes and did a favour for other towns looking at installing CCTV."Yes I think so, absolutely," she said. "There was a lot of work that went in behind it."It was a complete update of the agreement... in regard to the information that the CCTV cameras provide around privacy."Last month, the public was excluded from the community board meeting that discussed the plan and will be excluded again next week at the district council for commercial reasons.Diack hoped this did not signal any walking back on privacy or uptick in costs."I'm hopeful that the town has got an acceptable outcome, not only in terms of price... but also in terms of acknowledging that privacy is an issue", although he would wait to see the details.'Police are elated'Police Senior Sergeant Peter Graham began the push for new cameras in 2023."Police are elated the Winton community board have renewed CCTV public safety cameras," Graham told RNZ.The existing cameras had been "invaluable" for deterring and resolving crime, but were at the end of their life."I applaud the hard work of those who fought for the cameras and the current community board's decision to make their community safer."Although the former community board ran out of time to fully green-light the upgrade, in November, the district council felt confident enough to put out a tender.Fairbairn said the community would benefit hugely from the new cameras to deter and prosecute crime, including petty stuff.The upgrade had become too political and the previous community board was "overly cautious"."They've used it for all sorts of reasons and played around with the issue for far too long," Fairbairn said.Another problem was that the privacy protection agreement was not kept up to date with all the new tech coming on, she added.Security camera projects around the country have taken different approaches, but often hit problems.In Featherston, a community patrol group received grants to install cameras, but was now struggling with the ongoing fees from a security firm to monitor them.On the Hibiscus Coast, north of Auckland, a patrol group [https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/580464/cameras-used-by-police-after-killings-but-who-covers-the-cost pulled out over cost complications], although the work is going aheadHorowhenua holds itself up as a model of what is affordable. A local trust has volunteers who monitor cameras - including some new ones for spotting number plates - from a room at Levin police station.Co-ordinator Ted Melton said Police Minister Mark Mitchell and Police Commissioner Richard Chambers were in the room after a thousand boy racers and 200 cars descended on the town last King's Birthday, pelting officers with rocks and bottles.The Horowhenua Community Camera Trust gave nine hours of footage to police, which the district council called "crucial".Fairbairn said Winton businesses were OK with camera costs impacting rates."It's better to be safe."Funding was available to the upgrade three years ago, but costs had risen since.Published by Permission

The return of the Kingston Flyer and the iconic ‘Antlers Up’ featured on day four of the SBS Bank Tour of Southland as defending champion Josh Burnett climbed his way into the orange jersey.Burnett has made the stage from Mossburn to the Remarkables, near Queenstown, his own since winning his debut tour in 2022.The PowerNet rider made it three stage wins from three attempts today as he and Matthew Wilson (Advanced Personnel Cycling Team) stomped their way up the 6km ascent of the ski field access road.Cyclilsts making their way past Lake Wakatipu. Photo: Supplied.Burnett rolled around Wilson in the final meters after a slow motion sprint, but with enough time to throw the Anters Up sign made famous by his favourite rugby team, the Southland Stags.Earlier in the day, Alex Heaney (Pista Corsa-Spoken Cycles.co.nz) and Craig Oliver (Central Benchmakers-Willbike) were able to finally make a break stick after multiple attempts by would-be protagonists.As they worked hard around beautiful Lake Wakatipu and their advantage grew to more than three minutes, tremors of nervousness went through the peloton.A crash on the Falrlight straight, one of several this year, and the strongest cross-headwind this week, made life tough for all the riders. The climb saw a significant shake up of most of the race’s classifications.Burnett has a 15sec lead over Wilson, while Ben Dyball (Macaulay Ford-Good Tech Team) also produced a great climb to claim third place on the stage, along with third overall and the lead in the over 35 classification.Macaulay Ford-Good Team Team lead the team’s classification, with Noah Hollamby (Onya Bike) the leading under 23 rider in fifth place overall, James Gardner (Creation Signs-MitoQ-NZ Cycling Project) leading the Sprint Ace standings and William Heffernan holding a one point lead in the King of the Mountain classification.Defending champion Josh Burnett outlasted Matthew Wilson on the climb to win this stage for the third time in a row. Photo: Supplied.“I just want to take my hat off to my team today,” Burnett said.“The expectation is on us to control and they did a fantastic job. Hagrid (Josh Haggerty), Ben (Airey) and Tom (Stephenson) took over quite early. Craig and Heaney built up quite a nice wee gap. Kiaan (Watts) hit the front and managed to pull back one minute really fast, which shows his class and his selflessness to do that for me while he was in the (orange) jersey.”It was PowerNet’s second stage win in succession, another strong result despite losing Ollie Jones to a serious crash on Tuesday. Jones was back in the team van for the Queenstown stage, albeit with a fractured wrist, elbow and hip.“I’m stoked that I could finish it off for them,” Burnett said.“Matt was super strong today, he did most of the work today. When we got to the bottom we had a pretty big gap and I was on the ropes for a little bit, but after that I felt quite controlled and approaching the top I was pretty sure I’d be able to come around.”Tour of Southland. Photo: Supplied.Oliver had tried to jump away from Heaney early in the climb and steal a march on the peloton before being overtaken, but he was rewarded for his hard mahi with the Most Combative jersey.“I knew going up the climb that I’d just put in my best effort after a hard day in the legs, and it wasn’t quite enough. I enjoy racing my bike hard and making a good race of it. I was glad to get a tiny bit of leash, even if it was a tight one today.”The other feature of stage four was the return of the historic Kingston Flyer, with the big, beloved steam train racing the riders along the Fairlight straight for the first time since 2008.The climb to win this stage. Photo: Supplied.PowerNet will be tasked with another hard day of keeping things on track in stage five, a lengthy 166km stage from Invercargill to Lumsden.The leader’s orange jersey has changed hands after every stage this week so far, including stints with Southlanders Marshall Erwood and Tom Sexton.“Marshall and Tom have had it over me this week, so it’s pretty cool to get a third Southlander in the orange jersey,” Burnett said.“To have all that support out on the roads and so many friends and family, it’s been super special and hopefully it’s more of the same for the next few days.”

Highly regarded Australian netball coach Jess Whitfort is set to add a wealth of experience to the Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel this season.Whitfort, from Queensland, arrives in Invercargill today to link up with head coach Wendy Frew, creating a formidable pairing to steer the franchise’s 2026 ANZ Premiership campaign.“I’m most excited about working with Wendy - a legend of the club and an outstanding coach. She’s got a strong vision for the future of Steel, and the opportunity to be part of that and help drive what’s next really drew me in,” she said.“I can’t wait to get started with Wendy and the crew, get into the work early, and help build a big 2026 campaign — day by day, week by week.“It’s a big move, but it’s an opportunity I’m ready for. I’m looking forward to settling into Invercargill, connecting with the Steel community, and being all-in for the season.”With over 20 years’ experience in the high performance environment, Whitfort’s strengths include driving athlete progression, tactical innovation and fostering team success.“I’m aiming to bring strong technical and tactical expertise, plus my experience from Australia developing ‘thinking’ athletes – players who are highly skilled, composed under pressure, and able to read and solve the game in real time,” she said.A national selector and specialist pathway coach for Netball Australia since 2023, her impressive resume features several key appointments, including head coach of the Queensland Firebirds Futures Academy for the past two years and coach of Australian Netball League 2019 premiers Victoria Fury.Testament to her coaching prowess, Whitfort was pathway lead of Swimming Australia’s high performance programme in 2022, managing the Junior Dolphins, Australia A and Australian Dolphins international and domestic campaigns.Professional development has included immersion with the Australian Diamonds during the Constellation Cup in 2024 and 2025 and a range of Australian Institute of Sport programmes.Frew described Whitfort’s recruitment as “a real coup”.“Jess brings a wealth of experience across all formats of the game. As I move into my second year in a coaching role, her knowledge and support will be incredibly valuable,” she said. “I’m very grateful for the sacrifices she is making to join our Steel family. Moving away from loved ones is a big ask and I have a lot of respect for her because of that. Even in the short time we’ve known each other, it’s clear we share the same values, work ethic and principles.”Steel’s pre-season campaign kicks off on Monday with the full squad set to assemble in Invercargill.The 2026 Steel roster comprises shooters Georgia Heffernan, Aliyah Dunn and Josie Bingham, midcourters Kimiora Poi, Renee Savai’inaea, Serina Daunakamakama and Ashleigh Poi, and defenders Carys Stythe, Khanye-Lii Munro-Nonoa and Jess Milne.

Southland's regional council is ramping up monitoring of water levels as the region dries out and river levels lower.Environment Southland is shifting to a [www.es.govt.nz/low-water-levels water shortage watch], which means staff are doing more assessments of water levels, soil moisture and groundwater, and analysing weather forecasts after a spate of warm, dry weather.Science general manager Karen Wilson said they were monitoring the situation closely."We are slowly getting drier and current monitored levels of some rivers are starting to get low. Earth Sciences New Zealand is predicting a drier phase with less rainfall in late January and early February."That would likely mean rivers would continue to drop over the next month.Currently the worst affected rivers were the Ōtapiri Stream and Makarewa River around the Hokonui Hills, she said."There is no immediate concern for our main water supplies or rivers predicted in the next couple of weeks."But she said the council would keep the public informed as well as working with key groups to work out how to best conserve water.Published by Permission

Twelve specialist surveillance cameras were flown deep into Fiordland National Park at the weekend as part of seasonal monitoring of an area where Fiordland moose researcher Ken Tustin believes the elusive animals annually frequent to forage.Fiordland moose researcher Ken Tustin does a final check of one of his team's surveillance cameras. Photo: Steve Couper PhotographyMoose where first released into Fiordland in 1910 however despite some early hunting successes, their long-term fate has remained a mystery. However sightings as recently as last year (2025), along with distinctive calls, browsing sign and two positive DNA hair samples, have kept hopes alive that a remanent population still exists.On Sunday (18 Jan) Southern Lakes Helicopter pilot Ben Young, who’s sure he spotted a moose while flying north of Doubtful Sound in 2020, flew Tustin, experienced moose hunter Matt Ellis and Queenstown film-maker Steve Couper into an area of interest in a tributary of Dusky Sound.It’s an area where Mountain Ribbonwood – a deciduous plant that moose like to feed on, grows in abundance and where there’s been evidence on the leaves and stems of their feeding for at least four summer seasons now, Tustin says.“We’ve been monitoring this site as it’s in use every season.""We can see it’s been used four years in a row, and we had cameras there last year but we’re now in the best position to capture some photos,” he says.A Southern Lakes Helicopter flew a Moose tracking team into a location of interest in Dusky Sound last Sunday (18 Jan). Photo: Steve Couper Photography“People demand photos to believe, but I work with the biology of the animal.”Tustin says deer feed at around 2.1m and nibble on leaves and foliage whereas moose feed at around 2.7m.“The forage zone of a red deer can’t reach to where a moose can,” he says.Mountain Ribbonwood typically grows in small to medium stands to about 7m tall at the bush edge, around rockfall and disturbed sites, high in a basin.It’s a great seasonal forge source for moose, especially in forests deleted by red deer overpopulation.“It’s equivalent to the willow they feed on in their northern habitat,” he says.Experienced big game hunter Matt Ellis has joined forces with Ken Tustin to help solve the mystery of Fiordland's elusive moose. Photo: Supplied“We’ve learned it’s an important seasonal forage for this animal.""Moose are solitary and have a seasonal beat around their home range,” he says.“We had cameras in there last year, but we’ve been smarter this year.”He says moose leave distinctive feeding evidence.“This plant resembles a poplar, and is of a material that, with its weight and strength, it can break a stem, about the size of a broom handle, and strip it of leaf with a sideways swipe of the head,” he says.Twelve hi-tech surveillance cameras were installed last weekend in a thicket of ribbonwood - know to a popular food of the elusive Fiordland moose. Photo: Steve Couper Photography“That’s how we identify moose browse. We can separate the two species (red deer and moose) by their feeding alone.”Young, then 24 and having flown northern summers in Canada, spotted his moose in February 2020, north of Doubtful Sound and says he knows what he saw, having seen plenty of moose before, Tustin says.That’s been added to by two people – one an American vet, sighting an adult female moose in March last year while walking the Kepler, and another nearby sighting by a French-Canadian trio of a young male.More recently a New Zealand zoology professor and his scientist daughter spotted browse evidence on a family trip down Dusky Sound.“All of these moose will still be alive, so we’ve had some really positive stuff,” Tustin says.He’s very grateful to Hamilton hunting accessories and camera equipment retailer Allan Foot, who generously donated six of the cameras installed on Sunday, and to Rotorua wildlife park operator Stuart Hamlett, who donated another three.Moose researcher Ken Tustin and helicopter pilot Ben Young, following Ben's moose sighting in 2020 while flying north of Doubtful Sound. Photo: Southland AppThe other three are on loan.Tustin says the work has also received “serious support” from Sir Richard Hayes, of Southern Lakes Helicopters, who’s been backing the research for some years.These latest cameras will be picked up to track the footage in about July.Couper, of Stealth Films, has been filming the various installations and findings and flew in to document this latest phase on Sunday. His footage will likely go up online in a week or so, Tustin says.Sue Fea is a senior journalist with more than 40-years experience covering police, social and general news in the southern regions.

Milford Sound Tourism Ltd (MSTL), the organisation who manages Milford Sound's visitor infrastructure including the terminal building and wharf, carparks, staff accommodation and services, was yesterday (20 Jan) granted a long-term concession - through to 2050, by the Minister of Conservation Tama Potaka.MSTL is currently owned by key Milford Sound operators Real Group (Real NZ) - 49%, Skeggs Group (Southern Discoveries) - 49%, and the Southland District Council (SDC) - 2%. However this will change from 31st March 2026 when Ngāi Tahu takes a 33% shareholding in MSTL and the SDC exits the company.Potaka said his focus was on fixing the basics by making sure core visitor infrastructure worked well, while also providing certainty for future planning and invest.‘We are focused on protecting our world-class natural environment, supporting jobs and regional economies, and ensuring visitors can experience Milford Sound Piopiotahi safely and responsibly.”Potaka said the concession came with expectations to work transparently with the community and the Department of Conservation to realise the government's aspirations for this special place.“Milford Sound Piopiotahi is a taonga for all New Zealanders, and it is important we get the balance right between conservation protection and safe, well-managed access.”Potaka welcomed MSTL's recent partnership with Ngāi Tahu and said it strengthened alignment with Tangata Whenua and recognised the deep cultural significance of the place.“I have asked officials to progress this work over the coming months, including appropriate measures to carry out statutory obligations, provide for the capital investment the area needs, and to consider wider tourism system interests,” Potaka said.The decision builds on the Government’s wider commitment to conservation and tourism in the Milford corridor, including an $8.2 million investment from the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy, he said.“This decision ensures Milford Sound Piopiotahi is cared for properly, now and into the future.”

Southlanders are in for a treat this weekend when the Ascot Park Hotel Teretonga Park International meeting takes place at Teretonga Park in Invercargill. The best line up of international drivers for several years, the return of a competitive big banger saloon category, a great line up of support classes and exhibition laps of two former race winning Gen 3 Supercars – both a Mustang and a Camaro – along with an opportunity to win a hot lap in one add up to the best January international line up for many years. Teretonga has a track record of bringing some of the biggest names in world motorsport to the south over its long history and with drivers from eleven different countries lining up in the Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Trophy this weekend it is entirely possible there are future Formula 1 stars in their midst. The United States, Great Britain, Ireland, New Zealand, Brazil, Mexico, Finland, Australia, Sri Lanka, Japan and China are all represented on the grid. Almost all come from success in some of the top motor race series around the world. As the series comes to Teretonga Park, Ugo Ugochukwu, an 18-year-old from New York leads the points from Japanese driver Kanato Le and kiwi star Louis Sharp. Ugochukwu was until recently part of the McLaren Development Driver Programme. One aspect of this year’s series is the fact that so many of the drivers have shown pace to run at the front in a field that contains two Red Bull Junior drivers, European Champion Freddie Slater of the UK, kiwi Supercars star Ryan Wood, who has rapidly adapted to single seater race cars, and two-time World Rally Champion, Kalle Rovanperä of Finland, making his circuit racing debut. The supporting races feature one of the strongest line-ups of categories for several seasons with the SP Tools TA2 NZ Championship making its first appearance at Teretonga Park with big saloons powered by 6.2 litre custom built LS3 V8 engines in which competitors run either Ford Mustang, Chev Camaro or Dodge Challenger bodywork. The Bridgestone GR86 Championship features plenty of talented up and coming kiwis while the Summerset GT NZ Championship features exotic race cars such as Porsche, BMW, McLaren, Mercedes and more. The opening round of the Napa NZ Formula Ford Championship featuring Winton driver Jacob Begg and the Nexen Tyre Mazda Racing Super Series round out an exciting programme. The action starts at 9am on Saturday and 8.30am on Sunday. Full information and tickets are available at nextgennz.co.nz and by booking online on their website you could go in the draw to win one of those Gen3 Supercar hot laps.

Police can now name the woman who died following a fatal crash on State Highway 6, Winton on Thursday 15 January.She was 75-year-old Patrizia Botti, from Balano, Italy.Our thoughts are with her family and friends at this difficult time.