Residents in parts of Motueka are being advised to boil their water after a sewage overflow
Tasman District Council said the leak was discovered in Grey Street near Motueka High School and may have been happening for two days or more
There were concerns the shallow groundwater aquifer in the area may have been contaminated and investigations were underway to determine the scale of the overflow
residents and businesses southeast of Grey Street who took water from private bores were advised to boil all water until further notice
Properties that took water solely from the council reticulated supply were not affected
The overflow had also entered the stormwater network
which feeds into Woodlands Drain and runs to the Motueka Estuary at Old Wharf Road
People should avoid contact with water in the drain and the estuary
and not take shellfish from the tidal area until further notice
Heavy rain means drinking water is being taken from a local river
which is sometimes not of acceptable quality
Councils have been upgrading their drinking water supplies after it was found they lacked bacterial barriers or residual disinfection
One swimmer in Lake Wakatipu with cryptosporidium could have caused the disease outbreak in Queenstown
Asked if he would swim in the harbour if there was sewage
I do." But Chris Hipkins said he "probably" would not
Residents have complained of a horrible smell
visible sewage and toilet paper spilling out to sea for years
While Donald Trump is being widely cited as a reason/explanation for Anthony Albanese’s landslide victory on the weekend
that’s like blaming the icing for the state of a badly baked cake
In no particular order of incoherence...although allegedly being the party of low taxes
the Liberal opposition voted against Labor’s tax cuts
Liberal coalition leader Peter Dutton also offered a natural gas policy that even the industry and his major donors (e.g
The report focuses on the transparency of public funding in the aged residential care sector
and shows how our tax system allows multi-national providers to avoid paying the taxes that the public would expect them to pay
demonstrating this through the example of UK-owned BUPA
The PSA has welcomed the news from the NZDF that $33 million will be allocated to staff pay increases over the next four years as the result of last year’s industrial action
As a maritime nation we are prioritising naval capability
The new helicopters will be able to go further and carry larger loads
personnel and equipment – all of which is critical for Defence to protect New Zealand and New Zealanders
we can prevent the worst of the climate crisis by reducing methane pollution from intensive dairy
which are under threat from intensive dairy pollution
Jotika will join Living Wage Aotearoa New Zealand Executive Director
to explore the struggles and resilience of Fiji's garment workers and their collective fight for better pay and conditions
In a significant milestone for indigenous-led conservation
Hokotehi Moriori Trust has successfully carried out the first imi (Moriori tribal group) translocation of hakoakoa (muttonbird)
relocating 50 juvenile birds from Mangere Island to a newly prepared site in Kaingaroa
Scam alerts: we’ve seen an increase in scam texts and emails claiming to be from us, asking for payments.Check our example scams or report a scam to us
NZTA App: our mobile app provides a simple and secure way to access your driver licence and vehicle information.Learn more and download the NZTA app
This will affect anyone travelling between Golden Bay or Motueka/Kaiteriteri and Richmond/Nelson today
Police are attending and people are encouraged to delay travel through this area
says NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA)
SH60 between Moutere Valley Highway at Pea Viner Corner and Dominion Road has been closed to allow emergency services to clear the scene
Road users are advised to not travel if they do not have to.
Next update: 6pm or as the situation changes
Traffic and travel pages(external link)
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NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi works to create transport solutions for all New Zealanders – from helping new drivers earn their licences
to leading safety campaigns to investing in public transport
Warning: This story includes details and images of animal cruelty that may be upsetting
The owner of a cow whose eye had been eaten away by cancer has been fined $4200 for what a judge
said was among the worst cases of the condition he had seen
The putrid and bleeding growth known as “cancer eye” protruding from the side of the cow’s face was large enough for a veterinarian to see it from 30m away
Motueka horticulturalist and lifestyle farmer Kathryn Rona Saunders only needed to call a vet
but she didn’t and must now pay the almost $1000 it cost to have the animal put down
Veterinarian Roger Bay said it was one of the worst cases of what is known as “cancer eye” he had seen in more than 30 years of practice
He said the lesion was consistent with squamous cell carcinoma
or cancer eye which was a commonly identified cancer in farmed cattle in New Zealand
Saunders had earlier admitted a Ministry for Primary Industries charge of recklessly ill-treating an animal
which carries a maximum penalty of a three-year prison term or a fine up to $75,000
She was convicted in 2002 for failing to prevent or mitigate suffering in an animal
prompting Judge Tony Snell to say it was unusual that MPI was not seeking a disqualification from owning animals
“I have a photo, and the growth was utterly obvious and would have been obvious to you,” he told Saunders, who stood in the dock in the Nelson District Court with her head hung
“The cow suffered significant pain and it was all utterly unnecessary,” he said
Saunders lived on a 20ha lifestyle block in Motueka
where at the time there were 29 beef cattle on the property
an Animal Welfare Inspector visited Saunders' property after a complaint about the state of one of the animals
the inspector saw a Hereford cross cow with a large growth protruding from the side of its head
covered the left side of the cow’s face and had completely enveloped the eye and surrounding facial tissue
and the inspector contacted Saunders to let her know
She confirmed the cow was hers and that she had removed a growth from its eye earlier that year
She said she had removed the cancerous flesh with her hands and then applied an antiseptic wash before giving the cow a penicillin injection
Saunders said she noticed the growth had returned weeks after the initial removal
but took no action to consult a vet or to have the animal euthanised
Julie Wotton said there was no dispute that Saunders had tried to treat the lesion on the cow’s face
She outlined some difficult personal circumstances at that time and acknowledged that she may have “dropped the ball”
Judge Snell said that did not minimise her culpability
“I’ve been a farmer and I know about these matters and this is a very large example - I’ve never seen one that big,” he said
Judge Snell said it was also obvious the cow was in distress
“Animals don’t have the ability to complain or call on someone else
“People who look after them must be responsible,” he said
Saunders met the inspector and the vet on site
who noted the growth had “completely overwhelmed” the eye and surrounding facial tissue on the left side of the cow’s head
He also noted that the animal was highly agitated and that euthanasia was required as soon as possible
The vet found the lesion to be “highly advanced in size” and had destroyed the underlying eye and the tissues supporting the eye in the socket
A festering cavity was in place of where the cow’s eye should have been
The vet said there was a notable smell of decayed putrefied tissue and the associated bacterial infection
MPI said cancer eye was treatable if caught early enough
but left untreated it almost always progressed
the swelling of bone in the cow’s face suggested the cancer had spread
Bay said the eye was a very sensitive organ; its degradation and collapse was a slow
He believed the growth had been present for more than six months causing the animal to suffer “prolonged
unreasonable and unnecessary pain and distress”
Judge Snell said the reality was that Saunders should have phoned the vet in July when she tried to remove the growth herself or any time before November when authorities had to intervene
Defence lawyer Yvanca Clarisse said Saunders had since taken steps to ensure it didn’t happen again
she would be facing a “much more serious” penalty
Tracy Neal is a Nelson-based Open Justice reporter at NZME
She was previously RNZ’s regional reporter in Nelson-Marlborough and has covered general news
including court and local government for the Nelson Mail
The only high-reach ladder truck in Auckland broke down last night
A daytime road closure will occur this coming weekend Saturday
from 7am to 5pm when road workers will chipseal a one-kilometre section of the highway
The work has been planned for a Saturday to keep disruption to an absolute minimum
A local road detour will be available via Robinson Road
and Quayle Street (otherwise known as High Street South)
The same detour will apply in reverse for motorists travelling from Motueka to Richmond
This detour is expected to add up to 10 minutes to travel time
Drivers travelling between Richmond and Motueka must allow extra time for their journeys
The Great Taste Cycle Trail will remain open
but the detour route means it will be affected by increased traffic
Drivers and cyclists must share the road with care
Cyclists need to be aware there will be more vehicles around them
and drivers must look out for cyclists as well
the Mariri Causeway will reopen under a temporary speed limit of 50km/hr to give the chipseal time to bed in
Road workers will then sweep clear any loose chip and re-apply road markings.
Drivers must follow all temporary speed limits
They are there to protect the road and vehicles from damage
In the event of unforeseen circumstances or bad weather this work will be postponed
Thomas McCabe has been sentenced on charges including making fake money in a Nelson motel
From a motel room, Thomas McCabe used a guillotine, printer and laptop to manufacture counterfeit banknotes.
But, the 27-year-old was sprung when the motel cleaner found bunches of screwed-up papers, opened them and found printed $20 counterfeit notes
The discovery came after a shopping spree in which McCabe used fake money to buy goods worth hundreds of dollars from various stores
Today, in the Nelson District Court he was sentenced to two years and five months in prison for what Judge Tony Snell described as offending that undermined our currency
“This was a serious example of it,” he said
McCabe was sentenced on the lead charges linked to the counterfeiting and possession of instruments used to make the fake bank notes
He received concurrent sentences on charges he earlier admitted to
shoplifting and unlawfully being in a yard
The forgery counts stemmed from the change he was given when he twice bought goods using $100 counterfeit notes
allegedly booked the motel room in April this year
he went to the Tasman General Store and selected $25.40 worth of goods
He was given $74.60 in change and left the store
It wasn’t until the store owner did the banking later that day that he learned the note was counterfeit
McCabe and his co-offender then checked into a Nelson motel
The police summary of facts said that over two nights
printer and laptop to manufacture counterfeit banknotes
opened them and discovered printed $20 counterfeit notes
She also found bits of shredded paper that looked to be the colour of $50 bank notes
The offending was preceded by a crime spree including one in March this year when McCabe went to the Mitre 10 Mega Store in Nelson with an associate and put three packs of rechargeable batteries in a pocket of his trousers
The associate found a store scanner and handed it to McCabe
When they were approached by store security
and walked out of the store without paying for the batteries
He told police he had “found” the scanner and intended to hand it over at the checkout but admitted to stealing the batteries
McCabe was in the Repco store in Motueka when he took a $264 set of LED headlights
which he stuffed down the front of his jeans while pretending to adjust his waistband
then walked out of the store with his T-shirt pulled down over his jeans
McCabe was caught on CCTV driving to the Moutere Hills Community Centre in Tasman
where he walked around the property and took various items before leaving
McCabe was seen on CCTV entering a yard in Motueka on his scooter
pulling up to the front door of the premises
from where he uplifted a courier parcel and left
a beneficiary with 20 previous convictions since 2016 including eight for dishonesty
was arrested after the police searched his home and found a printer with a banknote sizing template in the kitchen plus two counterfeit $50 notes
who had returned some of the items stolen by McCabe in separate burglary matters
From a starting point of an adjusted three years and seven months in prison
McCabe was given a 35% discount for his guilty pleas and in recognition of a methamphetamine addiction which was a key driver in his offending
McCabe was also given a small discount for his remorse
to arrive at the end sentence of two years and five months
An order was made for the destruction of all the counterfeit banknotes and equipment used to make them
No one knew he'd fallen after a guard rail gave way while he was loading containers
Police found nine mature cannabis plants (not pictured) in a concealed room
When police busted Geoffrey Brittain’s cannabis growing operation he told them it was a shame because the mature and heavily budded plants were “nearly ready”
The 55-year-old was caught not only growing illicit drugs in what his lawyer said was an “unsophisticated” effort but also trying to get free power in the process
a judge has convicted and discharged him for possessing cannabis found in his house bus and fined him $1500 for growing it in a shed on the property
He also ordered reparation of $1051 to the power company for the losses incurred
including a callout fee to disconnect the power
Brittain appeared in the Nelson District Court for today’s sentencing
during which Judge Lawrence Hinton declined to offer much detail
According to a police summary of facts, Brittain lives in a house bus on rented land in rural Motueka
He operates a vehicle spray painting business in a shed adjacent to the house bus
On March 15 this year a specialist unit of Nelson police, accompanied by a specialist dog unit
searched Brittain’s address and found an area within the shed that appeared to be concealed from other areas of the workshop
Light could be seen coming from the area and a fan could be heard
Brittain showed police an entrance to the room
through a door in a cabinet pushed up against a hole in the wall
Brittain said it was a shame to lose them as they were “nearly ready”
The area was fitted out with multiple heat lamps
While police were searching the property, a contractor to provider Genesis Energy was called and confirmed the electricity had been re-routed from the meter
It showed Brittain had found a way to divert electricity away from the main meter board
Calculations by Genesis Energy showed Brittain diverted 44.49 kilowatts of electricity a day over 45 days
which resulted in the loss of $467 in revenue to Genesis subsidiary
plus the technician fee of $1000 it cost to inspect the meter
the police also found a plastic bag containing 117.9 grams of dried cannabis bud and plant material
concealed in a bottom drawer beneath a wooden countertop in an empty toilet roll package
They also found three zip lock bags containing cannabis plant material weighing 18.48 grams on top of a box beneath the same countertop
Brittain admitted he was the sole grower of the cannabis inside the shed
Defence lawyer Sam Teppett said the charge of diverting power only warranted a reparation order for the amount of power used
which was less than the $1467 sought because a normal call-out fee to disconnect power was $350
He said information from the police showed a subcontractor had to be used
because no one from power company Genesis Energy was available at the time
Police prosecutor Sergeant Chris Stringer said the preference was for the full amount of reparation to reflect the loss incurred
Judge Hinton said in sentencing Brittain that he agreed with the defence on the level of offending
On the charge of diverting electricity and causing the loss to Genesis Energy and convicted Brittain and ordered him to pay $1051 reparation to Frank Energy
State Highway 60 is now closed between Robinson Road and Aporo Road as emergency services and contractors attend a serious crash which occurred late this morning
The Police Serious Crash Unit is investigating
This means the closure may last several hours until its work is completed
View larger map [PNG, 90 KB]
A local road detour is available - Northbound traffic should turn left onto Harley Road
and drivers should plan their journeys accordingly
Drivers can check the status of the highway on the NZTA/Waka Kotahi website
Further updates will be provided when the highway’s status changes:
Highway conditions – Nelson/Marlborough(external link)
State Highway 60 is now closed south of Motueka following a serious crash late this morning
occurred shortly before midday near the intersection of Harley Road and State Highway 60
View larger map [PNG, 101 KB]
The highway is currently closed at the crash scene
Drivers travelling between Motueka and Richmond are asked to avoid the area and use an alternative route
Delays can be expected until the crash scene is cleared
Further updates will be provided when available
Drivers can check the highway’s status on the NZTA/Waka Kotahi website:
A man has been arrested after a 15-hour stand off in a hostage situation in Nelson
Police said a man was arrested shortly before 2am on Tuesday and was charged with kidnapping
The incident in Motueka Street unfolded on Monday morning with several schools and the hospital going into lockdown
A 56-year-old man would appear in Nelson District Court on Tuesday
Tasman district commander Superintendent Tracey Thompson said the other person inside the house was safe and uninjured
Thompson said all cordons had been lifted and Motueka Street had reopened
including staff from Wellington and Canterbury and a negotiation team
"We understand this was a distressing incident for those involved
and those victims are being offered ongoing support."
She thanked the community for their patience and cooperation
RNZ's Nelson reporter Sam Gee said Motueka Street was quiet this morning
all the cordons that were in the area have been lifted
there were quite a number of armed police at different intersections around this area yesterday
"There have been some police cars come and go this morning in the time that I've been here but there just remains one police car at the moment in the driveway of an address on Motueka Street and traffic is flowing as normal."
Two people remain inside the house where police have been responding to a family harm incident and a local resident says the situation appears far from over
The RSE worker was “significantly drunk” and speeding when he lost control of the workers’ van he was driving
It was raining heavily and Elvis Virambath was “significantly drunk” and speeding when he lost control of the workers’ van he was driving
His two passengers and orchard co-workers from Vanuatu, who were working in New Zealand on the RSE scheme, were flung from the van on impact
One was left pinned under the van by his torso and head
and as emergency workers tried to free the trapped man
who was due to leave the country on Wednesday on the expiry of his visa
has been dealt with “expediently” to avoid any burden on the New Zealand taxpayer
“There is no legitimate purpose to keep you here to serve a sentence
when you may well have received an electronically monitored sentence.”
Judge Snell noted it was significant punishment in itself that Virambath would no longer be able to return to New Zealand to work under the RSE scheme when the earnings were what his family in Vanuatu had relied on
He was fined $2000 and ordered to pay $1000 to the injured passenger
for what Judge Snell called serious offending that was lucky not to have resulted in a worse outcome
The swift sentencing followed Virambath’s appearance in the Nelson District Court today to admit charges of driving while drunk and driving dangerously causing injury in Motueka on August 31 this year
At about 10pm Virambath was driving a Toyota Hiace work van, south on Motueka’s Quayle St
and another was asleep in the middle row of seats
with thunder and lightning and the road was extremely wet
Virambath drove up close behind another vehicle that was travelling at the 60km/h speed limit
He started “aggressively tailgating” and flashing his headlights repeatedly
The driver in front was forced to slow down and pull over to let Virambath pass
before Virambath continued at speed along Quayle St and on to Wildman Ave
The van was seen to start veering from side to side
The driver of a vehicle approaching saw what was happening and began to slow
then roll several times and hit a power pole
The oncoming vehicle was forced to take evasive action to avoid being hit by the “out-of-control” van
The front-seat passenger was thrown from the van and received “minor cuts”
The passenger asleep in the middle row was thrown out the window on impact before the van landed on him and trapped him “by the left side of his torso and half his head”
He was taken to hospital and treated for what the judge said was miraculously only injuries to his shoulder
The victim had since returned to Vanuatu at the time his visa expired
Defence lawyer Ian Miller said he had contacted the victim
Virambath had been wearing a seatbelt and was found by police standing “dazed and confused” beside the van
where he was told to stay while efforts were made to free his trapped passenger
he left the scene and was later found two kilometres away walking towards Motueka
where blood was taken and found to contain 222 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood
Virambath told police he remembered nothing of what had happened
he would have sought appropriate pre-sentence reports
but Virambath was due to leave the country on Wednesday and his visa was unlikely to be granted further
Half of the $2000 fine was to be paid immediately and the second half when he was able to
“Whether that happens is questionable,” Judge Snell said
The total penalty including the victim harm payment was $3000
Virambath was disqualified from driving for two years on the lead charge of dangerous driving causing injury
Armed police have been at Motueka Street since this morning after they were called to a family harm episode
The situation sparked lockdowns at several neighbouring schools
A resident who lived on Motueka Street told RNZ they were unable step outside their property
said they were several houses down the street from the property in question
and I was hiding behind the tree and I could overhear the cops saying it wasn't going to be over anytime soon
It is understood some residents have had to stay in motel accommodation for the night because they were not allowed back in their home
'I've seen one person go into their property
"My neighbour wants to come home and have a shower
AOS members had also been spotted circling some neighbouring properties
The resident said the neighbourhood was "very quiet"
Tasman district commander Superintendent Tracey Thompson said emergency services were called to the address on Motueka Street at 10.15am
There were four people inside the house of the time
two have since left uninjured though Thompson said one was transported to hospital to be examined
"A significant police resource has been deployed to the incident
including the Armed Offenders Squad and the police negotiation team."
Lockdowns at five Nelson schools were lifted at about 3pm and Thompson said they went into lockdown as a precuation
"The cordoned area has been reduced to enable entrance to Nelson Hospital for those who need to access the hospital
and to allow 'residents only' access to some streets."
St John has been placed on standby and an ambulance
rapid response vehicle and a manager have been sent
"We know that this will have been an incredibly unsettling event and we want to reassure the community that we are doing all we can to bring the matter to a peaceful conclusion," Thompson
Victory Primary School told RNZ went into lockdown about 10:30am
Nelson College and Hampden Street School also went in lockdown
The lockdowns were lifted to allow students to leave at the end of the school day
In a statement Health NZ said Nelson Hospital has been placed in partial lockdown restricted to card access only
"Visitors and patients are able to access the hospital via the main entrances which are staffed with security personnel to allow that access."
Near the scene Artistic Beauty Salon owner Karen told RNZ what she could see on Monday morning
"Well I have been able to hear an alarm go off for about 10-15 minutes
and I have come out onto the roadside and up by the hospital between Franklin Street and Motueka Street
"We've got two cop cars blocking the road and down the end of the street heading towards Vanguard
Up Vanguard Street we've got another police car blocking the road there and we have another undercover cop car with some police holding a gun," she said
Nelson City Council said the incident was causing traffic delays on Waimea Road and surrounding areas
The eBus route 3 was being diverted away from Motueka Street and Franklyn Street
and this would likely cause delays on the route for the rest of the day
Richard Cane's 11th conviction for drink driving happened after he crashed his motorbike into a car that pulled out in front of him
A man who now has 11 convictions for drink driving and 10 for driving while disqualified was so angry at being sent to prison on his most recent charges that he walked out on his own sentencing
Richard Anthony Cane left the dock in the Nelson District Court
walked past the security guard and through the door that led straight to the remand cells
as Judge Richard Russell sent him to prison for two years
who tried to help his dad by supplying the court with a character reference from his phone
wept quietly while his partner shouted and kicked the door as she left the courtroom public gallery
“He would be a loss to the neighbourhood if he was sent to jail,” the referee said in a statement read to the court on Cane’s behalf
The 54-year-old orchard worker from Motueka
who said the stress of work had led him to drink
was told today there was no option but a custodial sentence
but he was granted leave to apply for home detention to a residential treatment facility if room became available
Cane told police in the context of his recent charges that “my offending is a bit of a bastard and I need to change my attitude”
Judge Russell said there was nothing he had provided that showed how he might do that
Cane was sentenced on two charges of driving while disqualified for a third or subsequent time; one being in December last year and the other in March this year
was driving in Motueka and pulled into someone’s driveway ahead of a police checkpoint
When police caught up with him he told them he’d been disqualified
but thought that the period was by then over
The associated charge of driving with excess blood alcohol for a third or subsequent time happened after Cane crashed his motorbike when a driver pulled out in front of him on the Moutere Highway
Judge Russell acknowledged he was not entirely at fault but the subsequent blood alcohol reading
showed he should not have been anywhere near the controls of a motor vehicle
he would not have been in that place at that time
“With that level of alcohol in your system I wouldn’t have thought you’d have known what day it was let alone been on a ride.”
Cane was found with a blood alcohol reading of 203 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood after he was taken to hospital following the crash
The legal limit for a driver aged over 20 is 50mg per 100ml
Judge Russell said Cane’s sentence of six months’ home detention for his most recent prior offending in September 2022 “didn’t negatively impact his lifestyle”
Cane’s offending has occurred fairly consistently since his first conviction in 1990
His history of driving while disqualified charts a similar course
“The problem for you has been made worse by your history which runs into six pages,” Judge Russell said as Cane tried to interject
“The commonality of charges you face means that you are unable to provide any example of how you might change your risk of reoffending
“It shows you have no insight into the harm you could cause to others.”
Judge Russell said an appropriate starting point for an 11th-time offender was 18 months in prison
adjusted to two years with a six-month uplift
A further uplift of nine months was added for the charges of driving while disqualified
Judge Russell then subtracted eight months for the only mitigating circumstance
“You are a danger not only to yourself but to everyone else on the road
“You have significant contempt for the court and for the law in general,” Judge Russell told Cane as he walked out
as the option of home detention was discussed
and a warning was given that if he was caught driving again the owner of any vehicle he drove faced having it seized and confiscated
Riwaka farm manager Matthew Drummond has been sent to prison after his pornography addiction descended into viewing and sharing child exploitation material
Warning: This story involves reference to the sexual exploitation of children and may be upsetting
A man addicted to pornography became so desensitised to it that he crossed a line into highly illegal material involving child exploitation
Now, Matthew Harry Drummond, 35, is in prison and suffering what his defence lawyer said were the consequences of not only separation from his son but reputational damage enhanced by belonging to a well-known farming family from Motueka
Drummond’s suppression lapsed at sentencing this week after his identity had been kept under wraps since the offending three years ago
He might have avoided prison but for the fact that while waiting for sentencing he used an alias online to try to elicit nude photos from a 16-year-old girl
While not in itself a crime due to her age
it showed the rehabilitation Drummond had been undergoing had not achieved the intended results
“It’s almost unbelievable when facing sentencing,” Judge Tony Snell said in the Nelson District Court.
Defence lawyer Michael Vesty said Drummond’s mainstay was adult porn
he had started viewing child exploitation material
The farm manager was sentenced to just under two and a half years in prison for what the Crown described as “lecherous behaviour” that led to a total of 14 charges
that Drummond knowingly supplied an objectionable publication
occurred when on two occasions in 2021 he shared the same 33-second video that featured the most serious level of child exploitation material
It was argued that the videos were only short but Judge Snell said the “most appalling content” could feature in the shortest videos
it showed an adult male having sex with an 11- or 12-year-old female and that’s a horrific video to be sharing,” he said
Drummond also admitted 11 charges of knowingly possessing child exploitation material and one charge of possessing an objectionable publication that displayed the “extensive
Vesty said there was no curation of the material and distribution of the video might be seen as less serious than other cases because Drummond had sent it peer-to-peer and not to a chat room
where it had the potential to have been seen by many more people
once such material became a “cog in the machine of distribution” it was unknown if it might be viewed by one person or hundreds at a time
The Crown accepted that the material found was viewed and then deleted
but it had been cached which was how it was found
Drummond, who sent the material via his two different usernames on Snapchat
was caught after authorities were alerted following a tip-off to the United States-based National Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC)
The centre acts as a resource for families
law enforcement agencies and other government agencies to help find missing children and prevent the sexual exploitation of children
electronic service providers such as Snapchat must report any instances of child exploitation
Snapchat sent two CyberTipline reports to the NCMEC which identified Drummond as the user through his email address
Police searched his home in May 2022 and found two phones
each containing a selection of graphic videos and images involving child exploitation across all categories of seriousness
A search of Drummond’s internet search history from March 2020 to May 2022 showed he had looked up non-criminal pornography material
but also a significant number of websites depicting rape
kidnapping and child exploitation material
The internet searches occurred when Drummond was serving a sentence of home detention in 2019 for indecent assault
Judge Snell said it appeared he had become desensitised and was looking for stimulation through more graphic material
He reinforced the message that child exploitation was not a victimless crime because it involved real children who endured suffering and trauma for the sexual gratification of the people who viewed it
The judge regarded viewers of such material equally as complicit in the abuse as those who made it
“People who view and download this material expedite an insidiously harmful industry,” he said
Drummond had initially been assessed as being at medium risk of reoffending
which was elevated to a higher risk once his efforts to gain the nude photos from the 16-year-old were revealed
Judge Snell said it changed how he viewed the pre-sentence report
written without knowing what Drummond had tried to do
Vesty argued there was scope for a reduction in sentence through Drummond’s guilty pleas
Judge Snell said the admissions had not been made until earlier this year but an 18% discount was “probably justified” on a start point of four years imprisonment
Vesty also sought an adjustment for the likely effect of publication on Drummond’s son
who was an innocent victim of what had occurred
but said Drummond might want to reflect on his son
and how many of the victims were of a similar age
“It might bring home how these young people are being exploited,” he said
Judge Snell arrived at a final sentence of two years and four-and-a-half months in prison
with release to be set by the Parole Board
Additional hurdles have appeared for Tasman District Council as it continues to try and lower speed limits after being forced to restart the process by the government
The unforeseen challenges have raised frustration among councillors
even leading the mayor to a swearing outburst during a Wednesday meeting
The council is currently in the process of preparing to re-consult residents on lowering several speed limits across Tasman
A suite of new speed limits for the district - which were widely supported by residents
and adopted by the New Zealand Transport Agency - were invalidated by the government's new rule for setting speed limits
As part of the new consultation that would allow speed limit changes to be implemented
the council must include a cost benefit disclosure statement on what the changes are expected to cost
These statements are estimated using a tool developed by NZTA
however "glitches" have been discovered in the tool
The council's senior transportation planning advisor Bill Rice told elected members that the glitches have added at least a couple days' work to finalising the consultation document for the public
"That may also delay the consultation timing as well
depending on how long it takes us to go through that process," he said
to allow time for re-consultation to take place and to avoid having 30km/h variable speed limits outside schools in high-speed zones
speed limits reductions outside of rural schools and on high-risk roads have been pushed back from January 2025 until the third quarter of that year
Elected members' patience was wearing thin with the uncontrollable and continued delays to the speed limit reductions that have been long-awaited by many communities around Tasman
Mayor Tim King said the entire process seemed "entirely stupid" and was "such a load of s***"
Councillor Jo Ellis said it was embarrassing to have to delay implementing lower speeds around schools and suggested the situation wouldn't help get young people engaged in council activities
"We talk about wanting to have young people engaged in government and local issues
and here is a whole group of children who will be throwing their hands in the air."
Deputy mayor Stuart Bryant said the "extremely frustrating" process had turned into a "right 'mare"
while councillor Christeen Mackenzie said the additional delays and costs were "appalling"
the region's transport committee agreed to write to Simeon Brown
the Minister of both Transport and Local Government
requesting a waiver so Tasman can implement its already-agreed-to speed limits
staff and elected members "don't hold a great deal of hope that he will"
Mayor Tim King facetiously suggested changing the speed signs before the formal process was complete as a "pragmatic way forward"
He acknowledged that the speed limits wouldn't be legally enforceable by police but would instead be "informational" and send a signal to motorists
We're not breaking any law by having a sign that's effectively just information-only and it just coincidentally happens to be in a similar place to the one we're consulting on?"
Council staff advised against the suggestion
with strategic policy manager Dwayne Fletcher saying that road signs were governed by "a whole bunch of amazing regulations"
we couldn't give you the specific thing that we'd be contravening
but I'm pretty confident that we would be breaking some rule somewhere."
Consultation on high-risk rural roads and base speed limits outside rural schools is due to begin in mid-January 2025 and will run through until the end of February
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air
Presenting a petition to the Franklin local board
Caio Maffey said something needed to be done about speeding outside Awhitu District School
The West Coast regional transport committee has been forced to withdraw its draft regional speed management plan
after Transport Minister Simeon Brown signed a new rule that overrides it
Simeon Brown had previously raised concerns over the cost of road cones and temporary speed limits
a luxury home at 3256 Motueka Valley Highway
Tasman.Expertly designed and nestled away from the outside world on the banks of the Motueka River in the Tasman District is a hidden secret worth discovering
Stonefly Lodge is a luxury home that measures 526sq m and lies among a private forest and native bush in an expansive landholding that spans 56ha
This stunning property is located at 3256 Motueka Valley Highway
and can be reached in less than an hour from Nelson yet feels totally removed from the hustle and bustle of day-to-day life
the lodge has been recognised for its eco-friendly and environmentally sustainable features
This masterpiece has been brought to life through the passion and vision of the owners who purchased the land 18 years ago after an exhaustive
They have then overseen the entire development of the property that they operated as a successful luxury fly fishing lodge
drawing guests and accolades from around the world
and neatly positioned in the midst of three National Parks
the lodge is completely surrounded by stunning rivers
provides manager s or ground staff accommodation
There is also a helipad offering ease of access to the nearby outdoor activities or Nelson Airport
Rural and Lifestyle Sales Advisor at Colliers Nelson
has been exclusively appointed to market the property for sale with an asking price of $5,500,000 plus GST (if any)
The property is also available for purchase as a freehold going concern
The five-bedroom lodge offers as many bathrooms and serves as the centrepiece of the property
It has been meticulously planned to highlight its picturesque natural surroundings
Constructed from locally sourced materials
the opulent home boasts a range of extensive living spaces whilst retaining a warm and welcoming feel
Stonefly Lodge offers the perfect base to explore the Abel Tasman
and Kahurangi National Parks as well as other attractions in the wider region such as Nelson s wineries
visitors to the lodge can take part in sea kayaking
Healey says there is a blueprint in place if a buyer wishes to acquire the property and continue to operate it as an accommodation offering
"The owners set the business up with personal lifestyle at the front of mind
The lodge allowed them to host guests from around the world through the ever-popular fly fishing season
providing the opportunity to travel and experience their own adventures for the other half of the year," Healey says
"The surrounding Valhalla Forest is planted with 50ha of Pinus radiata and has been entered in the Emissions Trading Scheme
This not only provides an infinite amount of wood to keep the home warm during the winter months
but also offers future income potential via harvesting the timber."
If the new owner wanted to purchase the property to use it for themselves
they would unlock the opportunity to live in a high-end
there is also abundant native birdlife that enjoy the plantings that surround the lodge and add to the purity of the environment
"This is a gem of an offering and something like this is rarely seen on the open market."
This fifth-generation hop farmer has watched craft beer pull New Zealand’s hop-growing industry back from the brink
and today he and his team are using experience
and more sophisticated tools to optimize their varieties for the different types of brewers who use them
New Zealand is pretty far from everything, so competing on price for commodity bittering hops was never a great strategy for the country’s small number of hops growers. Things were pretty grim in the early 2000s, when fifth-generation farmer Brent McGlashen joined his dad working on the family farm, Mac Hops
just outside the town of Motueka on the north end of South island
But then something mysterious and wonderful happened: Craft beer took off
and creative brewers exploring new flavors and possibilities found ways to use New Zealand’s uniquely expressive hops to make beers that no one had tasted before
McGlashen tells the family’s story—which mirrors the bigger story of hops in New Zealand
He also talks about their move to the next chapter: gaining a deeper understanding of the science behind how flavors develop in the hops
and the factors that influence those flavors
An AI generated image was unwittingly used in an earlier version of this story
This image came from a third party provider and was replaced when it was found to be AI
An organisation that supports women in Motueka suffering from family violence says it's now faced with a shortfall of $17,000 each year in order to continue its services
Women's Support Motueka provides counselling and social support and is the only crisis intervention service for women in the town affected by family violence and abuse
Manager Maluz Moreno said at the end of June
the service was given three days' notice that a four- year contract for funding would be terminated
She received the news on the eve of the Matariki and kept it to herself
not telling the team or the board until the following week
at first we thought we were the only organisation affected but every time we hear about more organisations coming forward and the millions and millions of dollars lost
as she had been told by various sources within Oranga Tamariki that family violence services would not be affected by cuts
Oranga Tamariki has defended the funding cuts
insisting it is a re-prioritisation of funding and that services will not be affected
The contracts of 190 providers will be discontinued
and more than 142 providers will have funding reduced
It comes after Family Start in Nelson spoke out about the proposed loss of up to 40 percent of its frontline staff
Women's Support Motueka has provided services for women affected by family violence and abuse
It recently launched an initiative to help prevent family violence
in a bid to not only be the "ambulance at the bottom of the cliff"
She said the demand for family violence services was increasing
there had been an 18 percent increase in referrals
"We know it directly impacts the wellbeing of children when mums have support."
It had received funding from Oranga Tamariki of $17,000 each year to provide counselling for 26 women and their families
Moreno said it consistently exceeded its expected outcomes and delivered counselling for more than 60 women per year
Moreno said there had been no explanation for why the funding was cut
it has provided counselling to over 250 wāhine
as the only provider of crisis services in Motueka
"A lot of the time wāhine don't know that they are in an unsafe situation
they might come for other worries like anxiety and depression
but we find out along the way that they are actually in an unsafe relationship."
Moreno said with the number of services affected by the recent funding cuts
she was concerned about where those needing support will go
"The services we provide mean that children don't necessarily see the effects of family violence in the long term and we can support them to navigate it without experiencing huge trauma
the more we will see family violence extending to our children's children and it is devastating to see there hasn't been a long term focus on the impact of these problems and the higher social cost for all of us in the future."
Moreno said the organisation was committed to serving the Motueka community and would continue to support those affected by family violence
She was working to find alternative funding sources and welcomed any donations from the community
so the organisation could continue to provide services to those in need
A teenage boy was the victim of sexual violation and then bullying from others whom a judge described as showing no empathy
WARNING: This story contains evidence of a sexual nature which some readers may find upsetting
A Samoan seasonal worker forced to remain in New Zealand for years longer than planned due to the Covid pandemic won’t be going home any time soon
Joseph Mafatau Salauta, who is yet to see his second child - born after he arrived in NZ in 2020 - has gone to prison for five years and 10 months for sexually assaulting a teenage boy during a night out in Motueka in January 2022
A jury found the 27-year-old guilty of sexual violation and indecent assault after a trial in March this year
The victim, who was 15 at the time, said in a statement read in the Nelson District Court today on his behalf that not only had Salauta’s actions been devastating but the fact he hadn’t admitted them had made his life “hard to bear”
He said going to court and being questioned by the defence was “the worst experience of my life”
“It broke me in ways that are hard to describe.”
The victim had also been teased and bullied by friends - some of whom saw what happened
“I used to go to school because I loved sports
but rugby became difficult to play when your mates don’t want to play with you because they think you’re gay,” the victim said
He said it had taken less than an hour for his life to be turned inside-out and upside-down after he and some friends had been “hanging out” and eating fast food in a public reserve in Motueka around 10pm on January 2
came to New Zealand in February 2020 for what was meant to be seven months
but the Covid lockdowns struck and he remained
which meant he missed the birth of his second child
Salauta and some associates joined the youths at the table
They shared a box of beer with some of the young people
left in “dribs and drabs” and went to an address in Motueka
When Salauta and an associate arrived at the house where the group had gone
they were denied entry and told to go home
The victim then went outside to see why they hadn’t left
a conversation started and the victim was enticed to go for a walk down the street
pushed him against a fence opposite the house where his friends were
and was told if he didn’t do what was wanted
Salauta then started to pull down the victim’s shorts and after grabbing his hand
Salauta then pushed the victim to a kneeling position where he was forced to perform another indecency
Judge Garry Barkle said a degree of force was involved
including that the victim’s head was pushed down and he was held by the collar of his shirt
The extremely frightened victim complied through fear of what might happen to him and his friends
After a time the victim was able to get away and ran inside the house
Judge Barkle noted that after Salauta had finished violating the victim
Salauta was found several days later with the associate
Webber said the harm to the victim had been significant
evidenced not only by his own statements but what his parents had confirmed
He said what stood out was Salauta’s persistence that night
Aggravating factors included the victim’s vulnerability
being only 15 when the defendant was a man
Defence lawyer John Sandston said while it could be argued there was a degree of planning
the offending had “many hallmarks of spontaneity”
He said while the jury found the offending was serious
Sandston said Salauta was likely to be isolated by his sentence
not only by his language which few in prison spoke but because video calls were not possible from Samoa
and his wife would never be able to afford to fly to New Zealand to see him
‘woe is me’ but others in his life have suffered significant punishment and will continue to do so.”
Judge Barkle said a pre-sentence report showed Salauta had little insight into the effects on the victim and his family
He said the victim had also suffered unreasonable harm from others
who didn’t know the facts but had nonetheless shown little understanding or empathy
From a starting point of seven years and 10 months in prison
Judge Barkle made allowances for Salauta’s personal circumstances to arrive at the sentence of five years and 10 months
with release terms to be set by the parole board
The term of imprisonment means he is automatically included on the Child Sex Offender Register
A man charged with kidnapping in Nelson has been remanded in custody for a second time without plea
Cordons were placed across the suburb of Nelson South on 12 August after a stand-off at a residential address on Motueka Street that saw five schools and the hospital placed into lockdown
A 56-year-old man was arrested after 15 hours and an operation that involved significant resources
police negotiators and the Defence Force explosive ordnance disposal team
The man appeared in the Nelson District Court on Monday
threatening to kill and unlawfully possessing a firearm
Defence lawyer Michael Vesty said police had indicated they were likely to lay further charges in relation to the event and he sought a remand without plea
to allow for all of the charges the man was facing to be made known
Judge Jo Rielly continued an order for interim name suppression
satisfied that the publication of the man's name had the potential to cause extreme hardship to one of his victims and others connected to him
"I want to make it clear it has got nothing to do with any potential extreme hardship to you
The details mentioned in court around the ongoing police investigation were also suppressed
Tasman district commander Superintendent Tracey Thompson said at the time of the incident that four people had been in the house
but two had been able to leave before the situation was resolved
The man will reappear in the Nelson District Court
A 56-year-old has been arrested after a stand-off with police closed nearby schools and a hospital
New justice statistics show significant rises in the number of convictions for murder
manslaughter and driving causing death - though population increases are playing a part