Senior parking officer John McKelvie on one of his last days on the streets in 38 years of monitoring the meters in Napier Napier parking warden John McKelvie says he might once have been “one of those pricks” that CBD drivers love to hate But a lot can change in 38 years on the beat – he took the hint from a friend who reckoned he looked like a “garden gnome” as he strutted around in his uniform and when he retired on Friday it was as what a Napier City Business social media post called “the legend in blue” Talking with Hawke’s Bay Today in his last week he recalled tentatively answering a situations vacant notice in the Napier Daily Telegraph in February 1987 a country boy who had lost his quality control job in the sudden closure of the Whakatu meatworks four months earlier He reckons he’d never seen a parking meter – growing up in the country and leaving school to look for work at the age of 15 he’d never thought he might end up in uniformed enforcement McKelvie says the key to being a good parking warden is to tame overstaying parkers using communication and reason He said he had to learn to know when to let people know he wasn’t there to argue and to tell them to take up their concerns with the council – his employer – where he started as a warranted traffic officer with its City Traffic Department “I grew up and realised what it is really all about,” he said now appreciating the support from the public most of whom “did” understand his position “It’s all about traffic and pedestrian safety.” He said the tickets he’s issued over the years have not been because the council wants to fine people the issue that dominates the kerbside narrative He’s heard all the stories of motorists having to rush to the loo or duck into a shop to get some coins but there are times it’s best to “just walk away” Most of the inventive excuses and complaints end up with office staff, the people best placed to deal with the issues, which include the fallout after fees increased over the last two years When he started the new job in uniform after the works closure that cost the region 2000 seasonal and fulltime jobs he hadn’t thought he’d get the job and said: “I was a bit worried I didn’t have the skills.” which have been replaced by various forms of technology since about 1997 He was there when City Traffic (the “traffic cops”) amalgamated the traffic safety services of the Ministry of Transport which were then merged in 1992 with the Police from which McKelvie retires as a senior parking officer It’s a job he continued well after the notional retiring age as well as addressing the issue: what else would he be doing “I really appreciate the support I’ve had from many people,” he said and that’s probably one of the reasons I’ve stayed so long.” stepping out at 16-17km a day is good for the health and it came with two pairs of shoes provided each year Doug Laing is a senior reporter based in Napier with Hawke’s Bay Today Replacing the trees is estimated to cost $20,000 this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read The Victoria Masonic Village in Morris Spence Ave where residents are now looking for new homes after being told to vacate by the end of July to enable the building of new accommodation Residents of Napier’s Victoria Masonic Flats the flats had to be vacated by the end of July The trust hopes to have the new village built within 12 months Most residents who spoke with Hawke’s Bay Today are annoyed about the “sudden” nature of the announcement and worried about their prospects going into winter during a nationwide housing crisis They had been aware the trust was investigating its options but one said the notice came as “a bit of a shock” said “it all starts from now” but he worried for others including some long-term residents who might not have family in the region “Napier is my home and I don’t want to have to leave,” said another who has lived in the city more than 25 years and didn’t know what options he has which provides about 300 beds in rentals and care facilities in Napier was faced with bringing the flats up to healthy homes standards by July 1 CEO Vicki Lee said Tuesday was “not a good day” for anyone which was committed to providing affordable healthy homes for pensioners on lower incomes It was a “terrible” decision to have to make adding it would have been a sudden “realisation” of what was happening Renovation to meet the standards was explored in depth but it was ultimately determined to be impractical and not viable across the site of 51 single- and double-bedroom flats Residents would have noticed site testing taking place and that about a quarter of the flats had not been re-let since becoming vacant Lee said of the perceived lack of notice: “We couldn’t tell them what was happening Assessment included whether some units could remain in use during construction around them and whether the site was still suitable for such a village Lee said that whatever had been decided would have meant residents being out of the homes during winter A village manager will be on site this week to discuss wellbeing and prospects with residents many of whom had already visited agency offices and were awaiting interviews those remaining after June 30 will not have to pay rent Discussions with residents had also included what could be done to bring the flats up to healthy homes standards who holds the council housing portfolio and whose Nelson Park Ward includes the village vulnerable people could struggle to find “parallel” affordable accommodation The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development said it was not aware of other similar situations (involving group tenancies) pointing out that the landlords had had six years to prepare for the compliance deadline but that no survey on preparedness had been done since January last year Doug Laing is a senior reporter based in Napier with Hawke’s Bay Today and has 52 years of journalism experience A person is in serious condition after emergency services responded to a burning vehicle inside of a shed at a wreckers yard in Napier on Tuesday Fire and Emergency said the fire was now extinguished and three fire trucks and one support vehicle remained onsite The wreckers yard is understood to to BJ Wreckers on Wakefield St in Onekawa The injured person has been transported to Hawke's Bay Hospital Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday New Zealand RSS Follow RNZ News EASTERN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY | Te Aho a Māui | New Zealand 0800 22 55 348   info@eit.ac.nz | international@eit.ac.nz The cities of Napier and Hastings in the Hawke’s Bay region together comprise the fifth largest urban area in New Zealand yet rich in tradition with Art Deco and Spanish Mission architecture creating a special character productive region known for award-winning wine and tourism activity The climate is compared by many to the south of France and Italy Where else in the world can you be on the coast There are numerous things to see and do in Hawke’s Bay when needing a break from study Throughout Hawke’s Bay many places have their own personality and style You can sit at a café on the street and watch the world go by or take in the countryside and try some local delicacies The region offers a wide range of cuisines from international delights to the freshest seafood or the biggest steak You can then move on and party the night away snuggle up next to an open fire in winter or enjoy the warm summer evenings whether it’s as a spectator or a player For more information on Hawke’s Bay visit www.hawkesbaynz.com. WEBSITE TERMS OF USE The Napier RSA has changed its name to Clubs Napier and confirmed it has split from the national body The Napier RSA is one of the longest-standing RSAs in the country and was established in 1916 However, the club’s military members voted last year in favour of leaving the national body the Royal New Zealand Returned and Services Association (RNZRSA) That motion related to a perceived lack of benefit for all club members if the club continued under its arrangement with the RNZRSA Discussions have been ongoing between the two entities and the Napier RSA informed the RNZRSA it was formally withdrawing its membership RNZRSA chief executive Evan Williams said it had received the notification “Once the Napier RSA formally leaves the RNZRSA or use the term Returned and Services in its title,” Williams said “We are incredibly sorry to see the Napier RSA leave but all our member associations are incorporated societies in their own right and are responsible for their own business decisions and future direction of their association.” Napier RSA chief executive Anne Woolrich said the club had sought a legal opinion about the name which advised it was entitled to keep the name RSA Woolrich said the club had opted to change the trading name and brand to Clubs Napier as “we are moving into a new era and bringing the club with us” She said its legal name remains Napier Returned and Services Association Inc She said the withdrawal was “about the direction the RNZRSA was going down” and was “not about money” Woolrich said the new name “reflects the broad spectrum of activities and services we now offer” “Established in the aftermath of World War I the Napier RSA began as a sanctuary for those who served – a place to gather and access vital assistance,” Woolrich said while we remain deeply committed to honouring that legacy and supporting veterans and their families we’ve grown into something more: a vibrant “As we continue to evolve and meet the changing needs of our members we are proud to announce that we will now be trading as Clubs Napier.” She said the name change would not change the organisation’s core mission “We remain proud guardians of remembrance in the City of Napier continuing to lead key commemorations such as Anzac Day and Armistice Day with respect and support from our valued stakeholders.” of which 317 were returned and service members A vote was put to the Napier RSA’s returned and services members (including veterans) last March asking if they were in favour of withdrawing membership from the national body – 74% of the votes were supportive that support from the RNZRSA was mainly aimed at veterans despite all members of the club paying an annual capitation fee (of $12 per member totalling over $30,000) to the national body The club wanted to take on a new constitution It would also save the club thousands of dollars each year The RNZRSA confirmed it was an extremely rare move for a club to withdraw membership The proposal to withdraw from the national body also followed fallout from an article published in 2023 in the NZ Herald Those comments were referred to in Napier RSA newsletters He later apologised for comments made in the article that “caused some upset” Clubs Napier recently went through an upgrade of its building with a new roof Gary Hamilton-Irvine is a Hawke’s Bay-based reporter who covers a range of news topics including business Emergency services are at a crash scene near Taradale A SH2 crash has blocked the southbound lane near the Meeanee Rd on-ramp New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi said to expect delays and follow the directions by emergency services on-site State Highway 2 has been hit by crashes in two different places at the same time in Hawke's Bay State Highway 2 north of Napier will be closing from 1pm while the road is cleared following a crash this morning The highway was closed south and partially blocked north of Napier after two separate crashes about the same time on Wednesday A truck crash earlier partially blocked the highway at Tangoio NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi later stated the road will be closed between Tutira and the intersection with Tangoio Settlement Road from 1pm for about 2-3 hours while crews remove the truck and clear the road The agency said there was no detour and delays were expected Meanwhile a stretch of Hawke’s Bay Expressway remains closed between the Pākōwhai/Links Road and Evenden Road roundabouts Northbound traffic is being detoured right onto Evenden Road before continuing north onto the expressway The reverse will apply for southbound vehicles The expressway closed after a truck and trailer hit and then stopped on top of a wire median barrier The truck was in the northbound lane of the expressway when it hit the barrier on a stretch of road between the Evenden Rd and Pakowhai Rd and Links Rd roundabouts Conditions on Hawke’s Bay roads are tricky The winning Napier ticket was bought online via MyLotto A lucky Napier resident has won $24,048 in Wednesday night’s Lotto draw The Hawke’s Bay winner is one of the nine Lotto players across the country who struck it lucky in Second Division Other winning tickets were sold in Northland (2) Lotto NZ is urging all players to check their tickets as soon as possible Lotto NZ’s Mother’s Day promotion is offering 50 extra prizes of $20,000 to be drawn All Triple Dip tickets bought between Sunday The Napier Aquatic Centre will be back to normal after almost a year of disruption Napier Aquatic Centre will be back to normal on Monday after 11 months of maintenance work Done as part of Napier City Council’s long-term planning and with $4 million budgeted for upgrading the facilities the maintenance and refurbishment project was to ensure the health safety and wellbeing of pool customers and staff Mayor Kirsten Wise said rather than being “aesthetic changes” to keep the pool operational and safe for all users and staff Wise said the centre was “well used and well loved” and there was always lots going on “We wanted to ensure important programmes such as our swim classes health and fitness sessions and deep-water survival classes could continue in a safe facility,” she said The project included work on lining the “old pool” seating improvements and accessibility upgrades The Saturday closure comes amid a proposal to shut Napier Library for at least two years A Napier man out running was shocked to see 20-30 cows in the water at the estuary in Napier about 500m from Pandora Pond A Napier man running on the lime paths in Ahuriri was “a bit shocked” to see 20-30 cows in the water about half a kilometre from popular swim spot Pandora Pond but the pond had been regularly closed due to contamination in recent years The pond is often deemed unsafe to swim in,” he said “Animals are not supposed to be in the water It was low tide and they were only about half a km upstream in the estuary.” The stock belongs to Pāmu Landcorp Farming and its business manager resources and effort into protecting waterways on and downstream of our properties “We take stock exclusion responsibilities very seriously “We acknowledge an incident on Monday morning when there was a breakout on Ahuriri Farm,” Douglas said “A mob of heifers lifted a gate off its hinges in the corner of a southern paddock and made their way on to the neighbouring estuary “The cattle were found during a routine stock check at around 9am with the lagoon farm manager giving them a hand to get the cattle back to the farm “Team members had to use kayaks as the tide was coming in and the cattle were at risk all were recovered and are now secure in paddocks well away from the estuary.” Douglas said in the five years he had been in the role He said the southern paddock had been regularly used for trade cattle but this was a new and curious herd with unknown capabilities “The Pāmu team has been in touch with both local iwi and the regional council and is working with them regarding obligations post-incident The public can be assured this was an unfortunate one-off and these animals will be closely monitored.” A spokesperson for Hawke’s Bay Regional Council said cattle in any waterway had an impact on water quality “But the extent will be dictated by the number of cattle and the length of time they were in the waterway “We generally advise people not to swim for two to three days after heavy or prolonged rain and the same advice applies to this situation,” the spokesperson said LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air A person has been seriously injured in a fire at a wrecker’s yard in Napier’s Onekawa industrial district A pall of black smoke was visible across the city Fire and Emergency NZ Napier senior station officer Dan Nesbit said three people had been in the open steel workshop Hato Hone St John said one person was taken to Hawke’s Bay Hospital in Hastings in a serious condition Two appliances from the nearby Napier station were quickly on the scene and another was on its way from Hastings when the fire was brought under control within half an hour A Fire and Emergency spokesperson said firefighters arrived to find a car on fire in the shed behind the Wakefield St club of the Hawke’s Bay Indoor Bowling Centre and about 10 metres from the nearest building was fought externally due to the risk of roof collapse A “couple” of businesses self-evacuated as a precaution The owner of a Thorn Pl business backing onto the scene was unaffected Wakefield St traffic was blocked between Leyland and Niven streets during the fire which was being investigated by a fire safety officer and Worksafe Napier City Council has amended its proposed Local Alcohol Policy to maintain the status quo and nightclubs to open until 3am with a one-way door policy at 2am Napier City Council has reversed direction on its proposal to close bars an hour earlier with one councillor saying he wasn’t prepared to take the chance for young people to dance away from them Councillor Richard McGrath said he looked around the council table when he was making up his mind “The likes of the three o’clock in the morning is for 18- to 25-year-olds “There is only one place in Napier open until 3am and it offers a point of difference – you can actually go and dance not my thing but for plenty of people it is and perhaps if we go back far enough around the table “I’m not prepared to take that away from our community who are growing up and doing their thing and learning about the world “How are they going to learn about the world sitting at home playing on a PlayStation?” The earlier closing time was a major part of the draft Local Alcohol Policy (LAP) which also included that no more off-licences be issued for bottle stores in Maraenui Mayor Kirsten Wise called for an amendment to the proposed LAP based on what she was hearing around the table “What I’m going to propose is an amendment to the officers’ recommendation yet to be debated is we retain the provisions in the existing LAP regarding maximum trading hours regarding the 3am closing for nightclubs and 7am selling at grocery stores.” 44% of submitters supported the proposed changes with their reasons including helping reduce the harm caused by antisocial behaviour and alcohol with reasons including unnecessary pressure being placed on the hospitality industry a publican who has been in the industry for 47 years had earlier said the proposed changes in the closing hours were crazy He said if bars had issues they were “not being run right spoke at the meeting about the importance of creating a safe environment using security and cameras Another issue identified by officers on the proposed LAP was consistency and alignment with Hastings District Council McGrath said he kept hearing about Hastings It’s about time perhaps Hastings looked at itself and said ‘hey actually Napier’s going to three if we think there’s a big enough issue with the different closing times “It doesn’t always have to be us going the other way Napier Aquatic Centre has closed again to rectify slippery new flooring The Napier Aquatic Centre has closed to the public immediately after reopening with an extensive $4 million upgrade An ambulance was called to the centre at about 9am Monday morning to take one person in a moderate condition to Hawke’s Bay Hospital Hawke’s Bay Today has been told by a source present at the centre that a man had slipped on the newly installed flooring which the source described as noticeably more slippery than before the upgrade Napier City Council director of community services Thunes Cloete told Hawke’s Bay Today that public and staff safety was the council’s top priority “We are very sorry to those concerned and have made the decision to close the pool to the general public until the issue can be remedied.” Cloete said the Aquatic Centre had undergone a “complex works programme focused on essential maintenance” over the past 12 months concerns about the upgrade were raised by members of the community who called Hawke’s Bay Today this morning They claimed the flooring installed as part of the refurbishment had exacerbated key safety issues particularly in the toilet and changing areas A visitor said the venue otherwise “looks much the same” despite the multimillion-dollar spend Cloete said the council is “working closely with the contractors involved to resolve this situation” The council did not indicate how long the facility will remain closed Napier City Council is installing wooden barriers along Marine Parade from the National Aquarium of NZ to the Pump Track to prevent vehicles accessing the beach Timber barriers are appearing along Marine Parade which will be installed from the National Aquarium of NZ to the Pump Track were to prevent vehicles from tearing up the grass and destroying trees But local fishermen say once again the “idiots are spoiling it for everyone else” Dean Everitt has been fishing along Marine Parade since he was 6 years old It’s not the fishermen who are wrecking things but we are the ones being penalised,” Everitt said he got in touch with Napier Mayor Kirsten Wise the mayor said the decision to restrict vehicle access to certain parts of the coastline was not made lightly  “It is driven by our duty to protect both the natural environment and the long-term enjoyment of our beaches for all users,” Wise wrote “Our coastline is home to fragile ecosystems and areas of significant cultural and ecological importance Everitt says the breeding season is for a short time and he respects that but the beach “is not council land” Also what happens when you have to make a couple of trips to get your gear I do a lot of fishing in the early hours of the morning and it’s good to be able to see your car.” who works at Crafty’s Rods and Guns and belongs to Pania Surfcasting Club says local fishermen are slowly but surely losing access to beaches across Hawke’s Bay “It seems as if the entire beachfront is being closed off There are already not enough car parks along Marine Parade ”I understand the frustration over rubbish being dumped and the damage some people do but this is a knee-jerk reaction that penalises 95% of the people who use the beach responsibly  “It’s not going to stop the idiots doing the damage Look at what happens on our roads with speeding drivers “Speed bumps are put in but that doesn’t stop them “I will discuss this with staff to see if there is a practical solution for those.” A council spokesperson said only vehicles authorised for cleaning “Council has listened to members of the community who have been concerned about some drivers’ behaviour on the foreshore grass on this particular reserve has been torn up by vehicles and trees destroyed these types of reserves should be safe spaces for recreational activities such as dog walking and cycling.” Wrigglesworth said the surf casting club regularly used the beach frontage for its kahawai competition  “The barriers will again reduce the amount of area we can use We have already had to change the area we use because people couldn’t get access to the beach front Speed limits along State Highway 5 are about to go up to a 100km/h speed limit Drivers who wanted all of State Highway 5 from Napier to Taupō to return to 100km/h have got their way But one local from a small community on the road says he’s worried drivers will treat the speed limit as a “target” rather than a “limit”, with disastrous results Public consultation around increasing the speed limits nationwide has concluded with an average of 60% of submitters saying they want the speed limit on the Napier-Taupō Rd returned to 100km/h from the current 80km/h with a further 49 sections open to community consultation to confirm whether there was public support to retain current lower speed limits The three sections of SH5 open for consultation were at Tarawera The rule specifically required NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) to measure levels of public support through consultation in order to demonstrate “public acceptance” SH5 Tarawera saw 60% strongly opposed to retaining the current 80km/h speed limit out of 1060 responses Turangakumu to Te Hāroto saw 61% strongly opposed to the current speed limit out of 1049 responses and Te Pōhue had 58% strongly opposed to the current speed limit in the area out of 1075 responses SH51 from Napier to Clive will also revert to 100km/h The speed limit in these areas will go to 100km/h on July 1 Napier MP Katie Nimon said she was happy to see public consultation has resulted in the speed limit on SH5 being reinstated to 100km/h “National campaigned on reversing blanket speed limit reductions and we are delivering on that promise,” she said “Our speed limit reduction reversals stand to boost economic growth and productivity – allowing people and products to get to where they need to “Instead of solely relying on reduced speed limits to improve road safety our Government is committed to enhancing road conditions promoting safer driving and vehicles and focusing on drug and alcohol awareness.” Te Pōhue resident Norm Brown isn’t opposed to the blanket return to 100km/h but he is concerned about small communities having a 100km/h “target” on their backs the white circle with the black slash through it which meant you can travel up to 100km/h if you want to but you drive to the conditions or you’re hammered Now they’ve set a target which is a little bit crazy,” Brown said Brown would prefer to see the speed reduced through the communities on SH5 down to 70km/h – but above all he wants to see more Kiwis using common sense when travelling If people are going to have trouble with that then you’re not going to change those people,” he said Brown would like to see the police’s “Stay Alive on 5″ campaign continue as he said it brought the death toll on the road down to zero and helped minimise accidents Jack Riddell is a multimedia journalist with Hawke’s Bay Today and spent the last 15 years working in radio and media in Auckland He reports on all stories relevant to residents of the region A full 60 minutes after a long-strong earthquake in Napier triggers the risk of a tsunami people could still be crossing a harbour-facing bridge trying to get to high ground and particularly residents who live in Westshore in a New Zealand-first tsunami evacuation model covering the entire city The GNS-created model turns people into red dots and simulates a working-day scenario of what might happen when shaking begins in the Hawke’s Bay city which previously experienced the tragedy of a devastating earthquake in 1931 Scientists have since discovered an even bigger threat to Napier and most of the east coast of the North Island from the off-shore Hikurangi subduction zone Scientists have projected one-in-four odds of a magnitude-8.0 event occurring on its southern reaches within the next 50 years It’s the largest source of natural disaster hazard in New Zealand and in 2023 the National Emergency Management Agency (Nema) detailed a possible worst-case scenario leading to upwards of 22,000 deaths Most would occur in a tsunami that would follow a 9.1 earthquake - with that toll still assuming 70% of people were able to evacuate The simulation now created by GNS is a simplification A spokeswoman said in reality what occurred after an earthquake would be a “very complicated” situation buildings or trees could be downed by landslides bridges might not even be passable on foot “The evacuation results will vary depending on the time of day,” a GNS spokeswoman said the modelling of congestion is approximate The models are based on people evacuating promptly after an earthquake and taking the shortest route by foot there are many factors that will influence the results such as walking speed GNS says the animation will support emergency response agencies with their planning and preparedness for a tsunami event “[It is] not intended to provide advice on what individual people should do It is up to emergency management agencies to determine what advice to provide people on how best to keep safe during a tsunami threat.” still dealing with the shaking and the shock of the disaster By five minutes people are pouring out of Napier’s CBD and up onto the hill By 10 minutes almost every hill-facing street or exit point in the CBD is completely clogged with people movement After 30 minutes most of the CBD is cleared out as people make it to the safety of the hill But many of those in either Westshore and Awatoto are continuing to move with a thick red line on the Pandora Bridge suggesting a significant congestion point decide to take the Hawke’s Bay Expressway bridge instead of Pandora and some of the last dots to make their way towards the hill are from Hawke’s Bay Airport The simulation video stops at 60 minutes after the quake with a thick red line of people now mostly over the Westshore Bridge A public presentation tomorrow at 6pm at Napier Boys’ High School Hall will show the simulation GNS says the presentation will use the updated evacuation maps and highlight the importance of travelling on foot or by bike during a tsunami evacuation and the need for multiple evacuation routes This research is part of a three-year project called “Agent models of tsunami evacuation behaviour to improve planning and preparedness”, funded by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) Endeavour Fund said the new models provided valuable insights to support safer evacuations “Evacuating on foot or by bike is strongly recommended for those in urban areas to help all people reach safety as quickly as possible.” The presentation will also include preliminary simulations of evacuations from Westshore and Bay View that include vehicles as well as pedestrians Shane Briggs, the acting group manager of Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management Group said knowing alternative routes was critical because some roads may be blocked or unsafe after an earthquake “Practising your tsunami hīkoi helps you act quickly and safely if a real evacuation is needed.” He said it was crucial to understand the natural warning signs of a tsunami evacuate to high ground or inland immediately.” Napier Old Boys' Marist fullback Patrick Hedley scoring a crucial second-half try in a 39-29 battle-of-the-greens win against Hastings Rugby and Sports in their Nash Cup match in Napier on Saturday Taradale, who had an average scoreline of about 68-14 across the first six matches of the round-robin, were kept comparatively in check in a 33-3 home win over Waipukurau club Central Old Boys Marist (OBM) had to work much harder for their 39-29 win over Hastings Rugby and Sport scoring the last 17 points after being down 29-22 with 16 minutes to go and with the winner claiming the Nash Cup for 2025 That will be with a match each the following weekend still to play before the top-six championship battle begins home side Napier Pirate scored 13 tries to beat Clive 81-0 to leapfrog Hastings Rugby and Sport into third place while Havelock North secured their top-six place with a 38-21 win over Napier Tech Old Boys in Havelock North MAC travelled to Dannevirke for a 50-29 win over hosts Aotea who are still to win a Premier game in 2025 The battle for sixth place will likely go to the wire with Central ahead of Tech by a single point OBM had two special heroes in lock Matt Monaghan They teamed up for the try and conversion that opened the scoring after four minutes dominated by OBM with a wind that looked likely to be a decisive factor with a try to first five-eighths Koby Deacon breaking away down the right flank Hastings Rugby and Sport were able to keep in touch with some stern defence amid a significant territorial deficit They would have been pleased to be down just five points at 17-12 when flanker and former New Zealand Under-20 representative Jeriah Mua scored a try converted just before halftime by fullback Oscar Sowman and ecstatic to be in front 19-17 when Sowman added another two points after Deacon’s second try four minutes into the second half OBM regained the lead just four minutes later when captain and hooker Dylan Homan scored in a well-executed lineout flying a little under the radar in the earlier rounds but with just a single loss to their name came back with a try to centre Perez Malo and a conversion and penalty to Sowman to take a seven-point lead and look a good shot to take out the battle of the greens with Hedley running into the line wide-out to score in front of his side’s clubhouse then Monaghan getting his second in his last act on the field with flanker Will Tremain sealing the outcome with a try four minutes from the end becoming the first to pass 100 in his 13th season at the level continued the heroics with an 18-point haul in Taradale’s latest win He has 125 points and 11 tries after seven games and is now three tries ahead as the top try-scorer and 33 points ahead of leading chaser Hedley’s 92 points as top points-scorer who booted two conversions before the kicking duties were taken over by first five Liam Batt Wairoa side Tapuae had their first loss in Poverty Bay Premier rugby since entering the grade at the start of last season being beaten 28-12 by Gisborne side YMP in a top-of-the-table match in Gisborne Napier Old Boys Marist 39 (Matt Monaghan 2 3 con) Hastings Rugby and Sports 29 (Koby Deacon 2 Hadlee Hay-Horton tries; Spooner-Neera 4 con) Central 3 (Tate Harte pen) Brendon Edmonds tries; Reiri-Paku 4 cons) Napier Tech Old Boys 21 (Elia Bari 2 Walter Schuster tries; Malaitai 5 cons) Aotea 29 (Donovan Godinet 2 Richard Stephenson tries; Stephenson 2 cons) A date is yet to be set for Napier Aquatic Centre to reopen A solution to the Napier Aquatic Centre’s slippery new floor which debuted to the public with an unwanted bang on Monday The centre reopened on Monday after $4 million of refurbishments but was closed within hours after a man reportedly slipped in one of the toilets He was taken to Hawke’s Bay Hospital in a moderate condition Hawke’s Bay Today has since received feedback from the public questioning whether the $4 million was well spent Napier City Council’s executive director of community services said retesting of the flooring surface was under way “We’ve put measures in place so anyone coming in and out of the facility can do so safely “Our first priority is finding the right solution so we can reopen as soon as possible,” Cloete said The additional funds required to fix the floor remains unclear we will work through these once we know we have the right plan in place to solve the issue safely and efficiently.” Cloete said the $4 million upgrade was a “comprehensive maintenance and refurbishment project” intended to extend the Aquatic Centre life by eight to 10 years “The project included work on lining the ‘old pool’ “It also includes plant room essential maintenance structural strengthening within the pool complex Napier City Council warned the public in advance that the works were remedial and the centre would appear largely unchanged The speed of Jacob Adams could be key for HSOB Gisborne Boys' High School as they look for the first points of their Eastern Premiership football campaign Gisborne United should win their home match against Napier Marist in Eastern Premiership football at Harry Barker Reserve on Saturday And that is the hope that Marist will bring to their match at 2.45pm after nearly three hours on the road They overcame a feisty HSOB Gisborne Boys’ High School team at the Rectory a few weeks ago before crashing 7-1 at home to Electrinet Gisborne Thistle But take away Jimmy Somerton’s five goals and it would have been 2-1 Heavy Equipment Services Gisborne United don’t have Somerton in their line-up but Josh Adams Corey Adams and Dane Thompson can usually rustle up a few goals And with Aaron Graham and Kieran Venema guarding the gates in defensive midfield and Kieran Higham and Ryan Anderson behind them not much gets as far as goalkeeper Andy McIntosh Marist scored first against league leaders Napier City Rovers Reserves and caused a few headaches before succumbing 2-1 They also showed plenty of heart in their game against Boys’ High and shouldn’t be taken lightly but their three losses have all been by only one goal and will hope Thistle bring a team depleted by injuries and unavailability That is often the case with travelling teams in this league We’ll see if coach Tam Crarer’s football wanderers can return with a result a team whose lowly position on the table masks a forward line and midfield with serious talent Their defenders also possess a useful turn of pace It would be a feather in the cap of Boys’ High speedster Jacob Adams if he could outstrip them in Saturday’s game at 3pm at Mitre 10 Park Lively striker Dakota Lucas is the dangerman for Maycenvale His mobility and skill make him a handful for any marker but Boys’ High coach Garrett Blair is confident his defenders are up to the task Skipper Shai Avni is being rested to allow him to recover from a hip injury so Charlie Harvey gets a starting debut at right-back after several promising appearances as a substitute Blair believes the way Maycenvale play will allow Euan Cramer to create from deep positions freeing up Matt Hills and Xavier Priestley-Mennie to move forward into attack A win would give Boys’ High their first points of the season Thistle are sitting second on the table on nine points but with an inferior goal differential to Thistle and Havelock North Wanderers Napier City Rovers Reserves top the standings on 12 Gisborne's Pardoe and Smith make age group finals as next-gen showcase their potential Napier City Rovers’ attack came to life in sensational style during a crucial win on the road on Saturday The Bill Robertson-coached team travelled to Wellington last weekend to take on Island Bay the first of two successive matches they face on the road And the result was an emphatic 6-1 win over Island Bay United; a crucial win just six days after the side managed a 1-1 draw over Central League strugglers Upper Hutt City Football It was Napier’s most clinical performance in front of goal in the first five rounds of the 2025 season, as the side hunts a top-four finish to see them qualify for the National League That includes a brilliant performance from Sam Lack with the young attacker scoring two goals and being a constant threat to the opposition defence As the side prepare for another trip to Wellington this weekend Robertson said he was proud – but not surprised – of the way his team had responded after the Upper Hutt City Football result “We set pretty high standards for ourselves,” he said The training had been good in the week leading up to Saturday’s match I was pleased with the reaction; it was a really good performance and a good win But we were quite dominant and then as the game opened up Such was the performance from his players on Saturday one of Robertson’s most challenging tasks would have been singling out a man of the match Every member of the starting XI stood up when their team needed it Lack and Stephen Hoyle – who switched from defence to playing up front – regularly ran their way around or through the opposition defence were aided by some great delivery from the likes of Liam Schofield – who was one of his team’s best – and Mason Johnson Captain Jim Hoyle who headed in a second-half corner from Schofield George Andrew and Matt Jones showed their class and reliability on defence Jones also highlighted the spark he can provide when going forward running at speed to the edge of the Island Bay United box before passing to Mason who slammed home his second-half goal The four players – including 17-year-old debutant Alex Biju – who came off the bench during the final quarter also provided some spark as the Island Bay United defence tired scored his first league goal when he was brought into the match linked well and obviously helped Sam grab a couple of goals,” Robertson said “It was really pleasing to see a number of other players stand up “We’ve got a debut for Alex Biju and Ethan Spencer at 17 has also got his first National League goal It was great to see the young lads performing.” There’s no let-up from southern road trips for Robertson’s team this weekend they will again head to Wellington on the eve of their round-six Central League clash against Waterside Karori Their upcoming opposition are fifth on the points table It’s a match Napier City Rovers are again eyeing three points from league leaders Wellington Olympic will host the second-placed Wellington Phoenix Reserves get back to training and start to focus on Waterside Karori,” he said “Hopefully we can put in a similar performance [to what we did against Island Bay] and get a similar result.” Episode 1: Match Fit Episode 2: Teen’s Dream Episode 3: New Beginnings Episode 4: For Keeps Episode 5: Kiwi Steve Neil Reid is a Napier-based senior reporter who covers general news He joined the Herald in 2014 and has 33 years of newsroom experience Sign up to The Daily H a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday Napier resident Rob Tranter says he’s been sent from pillar to post between Napier City Council Downer and his insurance company after his work van was damaged by roadworks It’s been a tiring few weeks for Rob Tranter after he drove one of his work vans through roadworks on Meeanee Rd in Napier He says he’s been sent from pillar to post between Napier City Council Dozens of cars were damaged with drivers describing loose tar and chip seal piling on to their tyres slowing their cars to an almost undrivable speed Stones slowly shaking loose from other vehicles began to chip at their paintwork and windscreens One reported receiving eight windscreen chips in one go Tranter said he left home at 8.30am on Sunday “Sealing had begun on the road and traffic was being directed to follow right behind a truck that was dropping its load of chipseal onto the hot tar,” he said the traffic was being used as rollers and the same deal on the way back a council spokesperson said it was normal practice for traffic to follow trucks as the chip laid by the trucks is the running layer of the chip “Rubber-tyred rollers are used to ensure the chip ends up on the flat side and evenly embedded on the sealed road surface,” the spokesperson said “As all cars and trucks also have rubber tyres An important aspect on new sealed sites is the need to keep speeds down “The reduced temporary speed signage is also important to mitigate the chip stones from unintentionally flicking onto oncoming traffic.” But Trantar claimed car tyres were designed to drive on finished road surfaces and therefore have minimum legal tread depths “They are not designed to be used as road rollers on wet bitumen,” he said He said he spent two hours the next day scraping off stones and cleaning the driveway “I took the van into the tyre shop that Friday The council spokesperson said there were 37 service requests received by the council about the Meeanee Rd reseal between March 23 and April 10 and all insurance claims were directed to Downer While Tranter’s claim was finally accepted an email from his insurance case manager states: “that while the parties involved agree that liability (responsibility for the issue) is not being contested any settlement reached will not be considered an admission of liability by the party making the payment the settlement is made to resolve the matter without the paying party formally acknowledging they are at fault.” and Tranter says they had done less than 2000km The council and Downer work in partnership on roading and transportation The subdivision site is largely covered in bushes and plants A 59-lot seaside housing subdivision has been given the green light on the outskirts of Napier despite concerns about coastal hazards Consent was recently granted for the subdivision on 7.9 hectares stretching about 1km along the Bay View coastline at 68 Franklin Rd The vacant land is on the ocean side of the railway tracks The subdivision will be set back 24 metres from the shore which a consultant claims will provide houses “with a high level of protection from coastal hazards over the next 100 years and probably beyond” A coastal hazard zone runs across lots 19 to 48 of the subdivision The entire site also falls in a tsunami evacuation zone meaning it has been identified as potentially being at risk of tidal waves One neighbour set further back from the coast says they will now “see the back of someone’s house” questioned why it had been permitted when “climate change with rising sea levels is an issue” and many councils were now hesitant to permit developments on coastal properties When he bought his section seven years ago he was told of the possibility the land in front of them could be developed He said there had not been erosion along that part of the coastline and “the whole thing with tsunamis from my point of view is just fear mongering” it would flood a lot more than just coastal properties which is owned by Stephen Brownlie and Robert Johnston lodged the resource consent application for the subdivision project in 2023 Napier City Council received 27 submissions for the publicly-notified proposal (24 of which were against) Three independent commissioners — Rob van Voorthuysen Richard Blakey and Napier Deputy Mayor Annette Brosnan — were appointed by the council to consider the proposal A decision report claimed the potential effects from erosion and tsunami risks were “no more than minor” “The subdivision has adopted the 24m coastal hazards setback set by the Environment Court in 2006 “The uplift in the 1931 Napier earthquake considerably disrupted coastal processes in the area fronting the site leading to a period of rapid post-earthquake shoreline adjustment but the shoreline has since been stable with no ongoing erosion The report also stated the shoreline was likely to advance seaward in coming decades near the site “On the basis of existing best information the 24m setback will provide dwellings in the proposed subdivision with a high level of protection from coastal hazards over the next 100 years and probably beyond.” The report also stated the proposed subdivision “was not at risk from tsunami events with average recurrence intervals of less than 100 to 200 years” the applicants propose that residents will evacuate up Franklin Road to an area of high ground across SH2 located 650m from the site.” It also stated the land had received consents previously when an independent commissioner granted consent for the land to be subdivided into 73 residential lots the site owners were not able to complete the subdivision and the consent lapsed in 2018 The site is about 15 minutes drive from the centre of Napier Hawke’s Bay Regional Council did not make a submission on the project Cats will not be permitted within the subdivision due to possible impacts on coastal bird life A further cut in the number of people seeking homes in Napier is expected when latest Housing Register statistics are announced in the coming weeks It comes with Kāinga Ora having recently completed its 100th new-home build in the city in 12 months with half as many again due to be finished by July Among the latest milestones was the blessing of 13 homes in Cottrell Cr which includes moving 60 families out of emergency accommodation Kāinga Ora says it means another 100 children are no longer growing up in motels and takes to 270 the number of new homes built by the Government agency in Napier in the last four years Another 55 homes are in construction and expected to be completed in June-July Kāinga Ora regional director East North Island Naomi Whitewood said meeting whānau moving into the new homes is “always a heartwarming occasion” “I can see how desperate many people’s living situation has been and what a difference having a long-term suitable home makes to build their future around,” she said who recently moved into a new home in Taradale Rd after five years of living in temporary housing He told Kāinga Ora: “I feel like I have always been on the move Since I moved into emergency housing five years ago I have moved seven times around different motels I am looking forward to having a long-term place to fill with love My brother is living with me and my sister lives close by We are all supporting each other to live independent lives.” and was there when the Covid lockdown started the following March and I knew I needed to work on myself,” he said “I did this by cutting out the drink and focusing on art it was hard living with the uncertainty of not having a long-term home Napier City Council is proposing to shut the doors on its library for up to two years as part of its Annual Plan proposals It says the closure will keep the proposed rates increase for Napier ratepayers below 7.9 percent A new library is due to open in Napier in 2027 but in the meantime residents would have to travel to Taradale Library Acting Mayor Annette Brosnan says at the heart of the Annual Plan is an acknowledgment that the Council has heard the community's voice The temporary library is located at MTG Hawke's Bay after the council moved out of the Library and Civic buildings in 2018 into alternative city offices following a seismic strength report found the buildings were well below New Building Standards A pamphlet handed out to library visitors says Napier residents saw a significant increase in rates this year of 19.5 percent on average and that it was the council's wish that next year's rate increases were less to reduce the financial burden on the community Napier resident Marilyn Perko was handed a pamphlet on a recent visit to the library "I said to the staff 'I love this place'," Perko said "A staff member replied 'have you seen this' and handed me the pamphlet It's well used by the community and visitors there are activities and a wonderful book area for children photocopying and just a lovely place to visit and do research," Perko said "To add insult to injury after the closure 'it will become a book storage space' and for those of us who reserve books online there would be 'click and collect locations or the Taradale Library' Brosnan said the proposal is to temporarily close Napier Library in preparation for the new library's opening "This would benefit Napier ratepayers by around $620,730 there are security arrangements that were introduced at Napier Library last year Extra services will be introduced in the meantime for example our mobile library van will visit more locations around the city." She said the new library is on time and on budget and is set to open in mid-2027 "No decisions to close the library have been made yet and we're interested to hear what people think about the proposal It's great to hear the community is getting engaged on this topic but it's important they know how to be heard "Full details will be in the community consultation which opens on 31 March People must know that the Council can only formally consider their views through the submission process." said she uses the library about twice a week and it was "very disappointing" to learn of the proposal I can see why the council wants to save money but I don't think this is a good thing to do I don't think this is a good place to save money." She said two years without a central city library was too long - if it is limited to two years [for the new library to be built and opened] "It is really disappointing and I'm feeling very cross about it." "I think it is a fantastic resource and not only for readers but also for parents with kids and for people who need somewhere to go that is a neutral space where they don't have to interact with people if they don't want to - it is a safe space "There are also heaps of [students] studying there right now." Merry said a lot of people don't have access to a car which would effectively put Taradale Library - the next closest public library - out of reach unless they caught a bus She also expressed sympathy for the library staff who did an "awesome" job but were facing an uncertain future She said she did not envy the job of councillors who want to keep rates down but this would effectively remove a resource for many ratepayers Brosnan said rate increases were never easy for the community "Neither are discussions on changing the services we deliver," she said people told us we need to cut costs and get back to basics and our response to their feedback is to make changes that will set us up for lower rates in the long term." The library is not the only Napier facility facing an uncertain future as the council looks for financial savings The consultation also includes potential new options for the National Aquarium of New Zealand Par 2 Mini Golf and the Faraday Museum of Technology plus an update on the exploration of commercial leasing arrangements for Kennedy Park Resort and Ocean Spa The Council's preferred option for the Aquarium is to close it demolish the building and build something cheaper to run It would also like to see a third party operating the Napier isite in a new location and lease the building along with Par 2 Mini Golf The proposal for Faraday is to have it placed into a charitable entity with a one-off capital grant and ongoing yearly operational grants to help the museum cover its costs Brosnan says all the proposals would mean long-term rate reductions Napier's annual average rates bill for 24/25 is $3513 The Annual Plan consultation opens on 31 March Napier City Council has thrown its support behind the agency which will have its Hawke's Bay Regional Council funding axed from June The council are replacing and leasing one-hundred new meters - both cash and card Napier City councillor Maxine Boag and Central Hawke's Bay councillor Tim Aitken have confirmed they were standing down while others have confirmed their mayoral bids "I live in Cornwall Rd but in the post it said 'Pornwall Rd' I just thought it was a joke," one local said Ahuriri councillor ward Keith Price said it was a visible reminder of the impact of the environment and the ocean Local Democracy Reporting RSS Napier City Council is proposing to close the library from July 1 By Alexa Cook, RNZ Napier residents are dismayed by the council’s proposal to close the city’s library for two years in a bid to keep a lid on rates rises Consultation on the proposal closes in two weeks who worked at Napier Library for several years told RNZ she hopes the Napier City Council gets the message loud and clear “There are other places that can be closed for two years – the library is just too important,” she said Napier Library on Station St was closed because of the building’s earthquake safety rating It was moved into part of the MTG Hawke’s Bay building as a temporary solution and a new library is expected to open mid-2027 The council is proposing to close the library from July 1 and keep Taradale Library open seven days a week The Taradale branch is about a 20-minute drive from Napier I know people who don’t have access to a car and lots of elderly who don’t own cars and can’t get out there – even bus services and things are not very good,” Broadbent said She said losing the library is not just about access to books it’s a loss of valuable and essential community services such as computer access school programmes and community activities “It’s a not very well thought-out decision Napier’s annual average rates bill for 24/25 is $3513 and closing the library for two years would save the council $21.60 per rateable unit who owns Napier’s independent bookstore Wardini’s with his wife Louise He said people often assume the library is competition for his bookstore “We’re all part of the book-lovers’ ecosystem A city the size of Napier should have a library – I know the council has lots of pressing financial issues but the library does a lot for the community and it’s not just about lending books,” Wardini said He fears closing the library will be bad news for those who can’t purchase books for their children “It’ll be the parts of our community who perhaps can’t afford books It’s about creating a safe space and a community hub “We have terrible literacy rates in New Zealand and the library is a place where anyone can read and get book Where are they going to take their tamariki to get books to read for them?” Napier Mayor Kirsten Wise said the proposal had been a tough point to reach We’re conscious of the impact this has and it won’t be a decision that we make lightly “We were always going to be closing it early for the preparation of transferring to the new building .. so now we’re proposing to close it earlier than that,” she said It’s a move driven by the urgent need to save council costs but the mayor admits that the savings per household for closing the library would be minor it’s to the tune of about 0.5 to 0.6% of rates – but it’s a reflection that we really have worked hard to find every single dollar of savings we can find.” Wise said the council is expecting a large number of public submissions against the closure “We’re going to bolster mobile library services and get the van to people who can’t get to Taradale,” she said A two-car intersection crash sparked a fire in a power box that cut off electricity for parts of a Napier suburb The crash happened at the intersection of Osier Road and McKeefry Avenue with at least one of the vehicles then hitting a power box The Unison website said power had been turned off for Grant Place affecting 58 customers with an estimated end of 1pm According to a police spokeswoman there did not appear to be any crash injuries The road was blocked while Fire and Emergency New Zealand put out the blaze and motorists were asked to avoid the area until the road was cleared A witness at the scene said the crash occurred near Greenmeadows School said they had a generator powering the school while their neighbours waited for Unison to turn the power back on thanks to information provided by the public Police on Thursday executed a search warrant at a Napier property where they recovered the stolen trailer Detective Sergeant Andrew Boyd leads the Hawke’s Bay Tactical Crime Unit and is a returned serviceman Boyd said it was “humbling” to help with the swift return of the trailer to the RSA before Anzac Day “Trailers are a hot commodity to thieves because they are easily re-registered,” he said The trailer was stolen from the Napier RSA carpark at 5.24am on Wednesday with a wheel lock still attached which Boyd said wasn’t enough to deter the criminals please consider looking at new technology to help with security such as air tags with GPS capability for tracking purposes,” he said “We also encourage securing trailers to a fixed structure.” Napier RSA chief executive Anne Woolrich said the trailer was now back in their possession and she wanted to give a huge shout-out to Napier police and the community A police spokesman said the investigation into the theft was ongoing and they would like to hear from anyone with information that could lead to the culprits or help identify the vehicle in the CCTV image (pictured with this story) Napier Port employee Ryan Baker at Monday's International Workers Memorial Day commemoration in Napier which included the unveiling of a mounted buoy memorial to those who have died from injuries in workplace incidents at the port A memorial buoy set as a monument on a grass reserve near the gates to Napier Port has been unveiled to open up to the public a place of remembrance for family and friends of people who died from injuries received on the wharves It came on International Workers Memorial Day on Monday with the memorial including commemorative plaques that had been on the Appley Wall Memorial inside the western gates of the port The unveiling was carried out by two port employees who lost family in work tragedies at the port and at least three others who had lost their lives at the port or other work sites were represented at the annual gathering during which port operations were shut down for staff to be able to attend Phil Taana was working on the port when brother Rep Taana was killed on March 27 Taana has since been involved in many discussions with Maritime NZ which now oversees portside health and safety “I guess you can call me a consultant,” he said Baker had been working in sawmilling for about five years before he started at the port and said at first it was “a bit overwhelming” being on the wharves where his father died the day before his 50th birthday He said he soon overcame the trepidation, pleased to see the commitment at the port to safer conditions and realising the changes that had been made over the years Napier Port CEO Todd Dawson said Workers Memorial Day is a reminder that everyone in the workplace needs to remain vigilant about risks to health and safety and it is a “collective responsibility everyone returns home safe at the end of the day” 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 Crews will be working on SH51 between Marine Parade and Kennedy Road on Saturday 8 February and Sunday 9 February The work is being done during the day on the weekend to minimise disruption to traffic and residents This stretch of road will close between 6am and 8pm on Saturday and between 6am and 1pm on Sunday The road is opening earlier on the Sunday to avoid disruption of an event at McLean Park that evening the road will be under stop/go traffic management for the following 2 days for line marking and sweeping loose chip however a temporary speed restriction will be in place follow detour signs and instructions from our crew onsite Traffic will be able to cross SH51 Georges Drive at the Latham Street roundabout Emergency services will be assisted through the site This work is dependent on dry weather conditions the contingency dates are Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 March NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi thanks road users for taking the detours and to communities along this stretch of road 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 Napier residents will still be able to dance the night away.  The City Council has rejected a proposal that would force bars to close an hour earlier – at 2am instead of 3.  It was part of the city’s draft Local Alcohol Policy.  Councillor Richard McGrath told Heather du Plessis-Allan that though they had evidence that connected alcohol and trouble there didn’t seem to be a correlation between that and age.  there was roughly an equivalent amount of harm in a suburb with two alcohol licenses as there was in the suburb with the nightclub – an area that has up to 30 licenses there’s no evidence its the clubs and pubs causing the problems as opposed to off-licenses and house parties The Porsche Club of NZ president Ash Powell next to a rare Carrera 356 at the Napier War Memorial A Porsche parade will roll through Napier on Saturday led by ex-Formula 1 star Mark Webber The Porsche Club of New Zealand is holding its 50th anniversary celebration in Napier over four days concluding this weekend The feature event is a public parade involving about 130 Porsches driving from Perfume Point to the Soundshell (via Hardinge Rd and Marine Parade) starting at 9.30am on Saturday Webber will lead the procession in a rare Porsche Carrera GT valued around $2 million A public event will then be held at the Soundshell where people can get up close to the eye-catching vehicles Australian motorsport legend Webber is a Porsche ambassador and will be on hand for that event and will also rub shoulders with club members during the anniversary weekend The Porsche Club of New Zealand president Ash Powell “There are all sorts of models here right through to the early 356s and we also have some spectacular race cars down at the War Memorial.” Powell said Napier was a good fit for the anniversary celebration boasting good accommodation and facilities “We are holding the bulk of our evening functions in the War Memorial Centre which is right along the beach,” Powell said “So the facilities worked out for us and it is a gorgeous place.” The club boasts almost 1000 members nationwide and about 250 people associated with the club will attend the anniversary Webber will be accompanied by Hawke’s Bay’s Ollie Eldar in the Porsche Carrera GT during the parade - as part of a partnership with Make-A-Wish Ollie lives with cystic fibrosis and is looking forward to the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity Motorsport is enjoying a rise in popularity in New Zealand particularly with the rise of F1 driver Liam Lawson and plenty of people are expected to get along to the parade to see Webber and the cars Powell said other big-name Kiwi drivers were also lifting the profile of motorsport such as Earl Bamber and Brendon Hartley who have both won Le Mans He said it was a big milestone for the club to have reached 50 years “Our focus has always remained on fostering camaraderie among enthusiasts and celebrating the engineering excellence that defines Porsche.” where the overnight urgent care service will continue and be enhanced after community pushback against proposed cuts The Government has decided to expand Napier’s overnight urgent care service after Health NZ initially proposed to remove it and replace it with a teleheath model A report leaked to Hawke’s Bay Today in January revealed the Government’s proposition to cut the overnight nurse service due to low demand sparking community backlash and even a protest planned for this weekend Health Minister Simeon Brown has announced that the service at Napier Health on Wellesley Rd will not only be retained but also enhanced “I am delighted that a solution has been found,” Brown said “Health New Zealand has agreed to enhance the overnight service so that Napier residents can receive more comprehensive care such as access to nurse prescribers plus overnight medical support from a doctor via telehealth.” While the service remains nurse-led and no doctors will be on-site the addition of prescribing nurses and access to telehealth doctors is being framed as an improvement over the previous model On-site nurses will also have the ability to consult a doctor if required or schedule a virtual appointment for patients at a later time “My focus as Minister of Health is ensuring New Zealanders have access to timely Brown said Napier MP Katie Nimon was among those who had fought for the service to remain “I want to thank everyone who has advocated for this service being retained including local MP Katie Nimon who has been a staunch advocate for the retention of this service which was put in place following the closure of Napier Hospital in 1998,” Brown said The move follows the recent merger of City Medical and The Doctors Napier’s after-hours services which saw all private urgent care in Napier consolidated into one location at Napier Health with an earlier closing time of 8pm from March 1 Health New Zealand has been providing overnight coverage with its nurse-led service starting an hour earlier Brown said urgent care was not emergency care which is provided for at Hawke’s Bay Hospital’s 24/7 emergency department in Hastings “Urgent care supports patients with non-life-threatening illnesses who need to see a medical professional quickly and who can’t wait until the following day for medical attention,” he said Health New Zealand said future enhancements could include an on-call clinical pharmacist to support medication dispensing including shifting the overnight service back to private providers the service will continue to operate from Napier Health and residents needing emergency care will still be directed to Hawke’s Bay Hospital’s emergency department or advised to call 111 “I am pleased that Health New Zealand has been able to provide certainty to the people of Napier that they will continue to have access to overnight urgent care A student has been rushed to hospital in a serious condition and another is in custody after an assault near their school in Napier Emergency services were called to Morris Spence Ave in Onekawa Hato Hone St John said it sent one rapid response unit One patient has been transported to Hawke's Bay Hospital in a serious condition William Colenso College principal Jocelyn Auld said on social media the assault took place outside the shop in Morris Spence Ave "This incident resulted in the school calling an ambulance to transport one student to hospital and one student was escorted to the Police Station Whanau with students involved have been notified and are supporting their students," Auld wrote "All students are safe and the situation is being followed up by the appropriate authorities The safety and well-being of our students and staff is our immediate priority." Police said a person had been taken into custody and officers were investigating the circumstances of the incident Emergency services were called to an address on Innes Rd in Mairehau about on Sunday night Glenn Forsyth said he never meant to kill or hurt the dog Napier has had one of its busiest cruise-ship days with more than 5000 visitors from three liners in port on Monday Thousands thronged the Emerson St shopping precinct before heading back to the port in a fleet of buses Napier Port chief operating officer Adam Harvey said passengers number totalled 5206 Heritage Adventurer was first of the trio to berth at 7.25am on 3 Wharf, followed by Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas — on its 25th visit since 2017 — at 8.35am on 6 Wharf The last was expected to have sailed by 8pm Napier also had a container vessel and a fertiliser charter in port with another container vessel and two log vessels due to arrive in the evening The port is nearing the end of 80 cruise stops this summer with 70 bookings already confirmed for the 2025/26 season as cruise bookings can be made as late as three months before arrival,” Harvey said was capable of accommodating the Icon-Class ships They included Icon of the Seas (364m length) — the first Icon class vessel to enter service and so far cruising mainly in the Caribbean — and Star of the Seas Just seven visits to Napier remain in the October-March season More than 2000 passengers were expected in two more arrivals later in the week with the biggest influx being about 4900 on the Quantum of the Seas on March 20 Napier Mayor Kirsten Wise says councils face a precarious balancing act with rates decisions Why isn’t the council clearing the waterways more often which very often come out of the same person’s mouth facilities and infrastructure to serve their needs legislation says we must seek most of that money from our residents The trouble is people object to those increases We are acutely aware of residents’ ability to bear the burden of cost increases We also understand residents’ legitimate expectations that we deliver core services to their satisfaction This conundrum has brought us to a critical juncture We also need to make tough choices for a strong future what compromises would you have us make instead we know residents expect adequate water infrastructure We also know that minimal rates increases year-on-year are not sustainable and that it’s a poor long-term strategy for a prosperous and thriving city We need to think differently and come up with new solutions that will address the issue over the long term To get there we need to make some tough choices Tinkering around the edges isn’t going to cut it To address our long-term financial sustainability We’re rethinking some of our business and tourist facilities The National Aquarium of New Zealand is an iconic Napier destination but it’s no longer feasible for our ratepayers to pay for it It doesn’t make financial sense to keep the aquarium in its current form does it make sense for a council to operate a commercial business We’re asking ourselves this question and exploring opportunities for external parties to take over the management and ownership of facilities such as Kennedy Park Resort and Ocean Spa Ahuriri Investments Management is our new investment arm that will start operating from July 1 Its mandate is to earn income from council assets to build a nest-egg for our ratepayers’ future we’re proposing to limit any future council’s ability to withdraw from this investment portfolio beyond its net value without first consulting with you This will protect its income and asset growth which means we can eventually reduce future rates increases All these initiatives will help us to reduce future rates increases without compromising the more basic core services that residents would expect from their council It means we can keep mowing the median strips at the same frequency We can continue to plant out our beautiful Marine Parade gardens every season Your rubbish and recycling will continue to be collected weekly Sportsgrounds and playgrounds will continue to be maintained to a high standard we are proposing an average rates increase of 7.9% This seems very low compared to last year’s 19.95% but it’s still significantly more than rates increases over the last 10 years It’s also due to our required interest repayments on previous borrowing We can look to cut energy costs where possible these cost increases are beyond our control Rates increases are a fact of life that are here to stay So rather than resenting what you must contribute I’m encouraging all residents to tell us how they think that contribution should be managed over the long term Transparency and collaboration with residents are vital as we work through these tough choices The annual plan consultation is open until April 30 so I encourage you to acquaint yourself well with the issues We’re looking for considered and informed thoughts and ideas from our residents. Head online to sayitnapier.nz and tell us what you think of our proposals A man was arrested and charged with arson after a fire that caused extensive damage to a house in Napier The house fire started about 1am on Tuesday One person was taken to hospital and treated for smoke inhalation A police spokesman said a 33-year-old man had been charged with arson and was remanded on bail after a court appearance He is set to reappear in the Napier District Court on April 15 The spokesman said police were not seeking anyone else in relation to the fire An Australian breed of Huntsman spider appears to be establishing itself in Napier Residents have made two sightings of the species not far from each other in the past few months. There are two species of Huntsman that have established itself in New Zealand The spiders can grow up to 20 centimetres in width and are known for their speedy A professor of entomology at Lincoln University said the spider spotted in Napier appears to be the grey Sydney Huntsman which has already established itself in Auckland and is different to the Avondale species Dr Cor Vink said it is unknown how it came to be in Napier They could have hitched a ride with someone That's probably the most likely way," he told Afternoons He said the photos suggest it is the Sydney species but that the only way you can be certain is to catch one and look at it under the microscope at its distinguishing genitalia The structures of the female genitalia and the male genitalia are very specific to species so they will look different to each other but consistent within the species." there is a small chance that this is actually a new introduction of a new species Dr Vink said Huntsman don't naturally occur in New Zealand are very active late at night and usually live under bark in dry leaf litter which makes them particularly tricky to find turn it into mush and drink it up like a soup - but what about humans Dr Vink said it is "pretty hard" to get bitten by a Huntsman and are mostly harmless "There are one or two species in Australia that are a little bit bitey and angry but I think this one is something you could reasonably confidently pick up and be pretty sure it wouldn't bite you," he said But Dr Vink stressed that any newly introduced spiders are a threat He said there is an estimated one new species that arrives every two years and establishes itself in New Zealand "I've got a list of something like 73 that have arrived since colonial settlement because that's how they've all come across," he said Dr Vink said introduced spiders mostly hang around modified areas like the grey Huntsman do but occasionally seem to make their way into natural environments "Probably the most recent one of concern is this Australian spotted swift spider with a very orangey front legs and it does it runs around Dr Vink said the best thing you can do if you stumble across a Huntsman to just remain calm and leave them alone that might just alarm someone else," he said The tyre of a car after travelling through roadworks at Meeanee Dozens of cars have come off worse for wear after driving through roadworks on a busy Napier thoroughfare on Sunday windscreen chips and tyres covered in stones from loose chips at roadworks Napier City Council said there was an issue with the chip sealing on Meeanee Rd “When the issue was identified all sealing works stopped and the team began sweeping and tidying the road,” a spokesperson said “We now have staff inspecting the roads affected and will continue to tidy up any loose chip.” One person wrote on social media their car had eight chips in the windscreen and paint chips all over the bonnet Another said it was “unfortunate” they had decided to drive through Meeanee “It was impossible to drive faster than 15km/h on 30km/h (speed limit) Now my car makes a terrible noise when driving has chips on bonnet and stuck pebbles that do not want to come off the tyres.” “We were all going around 10-15km in the 30k zone on Meeanee Rd today The worst part is coming out of that work zone when people try to go to normal speed but chips from tyres are flying everywhere “My car was wobbly so went slowly home with emergency lights on.” Others on social media suggested some of the damage was due to drivers going above the speed limit “I have to say the speed people are driving down Meeanee Rd is usually well over 50km on any given day — today it is at 30km due to roadworks — cars in excess of 50/60/70km — stones flying everywhere A tyre specialist says the damage caused to dozens of cars from driving through roadworks in Napier is the worst he has ever seen and there is "no solution" for drivers who were caught in it Napier City Council had received 35 service requests from drivers who had travelled through the works on Meeanee Rd on Sunday Motorists caught in it have described loose tar and chip seal piling onto their tyres slowing their cars to an almost undriveable speed while stones shaking loose from other vehicles chipped at their paintwork and windscreens Napier City Council said heat and heavy traffic were to blame for the chip sealing issue - saying there were "larger than expected traffic volumes along Meeanee Rd and higher than expected temperatures on the day of construction" council would do a review on reducing traffic throughput on the seals during construction and consider other events in the surrounding area - a speedway event went ahead at Meeanee over the weekend Arnie Lal from The Tyre Shop in Napier said the photos he had seen on social media of damaged cars were the worst he'd seen "There is a product that you can use on your car to get spots of tar seal off paintwork but to try and get it into every nook and cranny on a tyre would be a huge job And I have no idea what effect soaking the tyre in it would be on the rubber." A council spokesperson said while it had insurance for this type of incident impacted drivers should speak to their own insurance company in the first instance Hawke's Bay resident Natalya said she contacted customer service at NCC around 10.40am on Sunday "I turned onto one of the side roads as my car was going really slow "It was frightening as I was not sure what was going on until I parked and looked at the car She called her son and the council and sent an email and photos a local farmer came out and helped me scrape some of the rocks off with metal tools so I could slowly make my way home." She received a reply from NCC saying it had lodged her email to the Transportation Team for further response and action said when they got to the section being resealed even stopping at times because of the traffic "But my wheels still got absolutely covered in tar and loose stones Even though everyone was driving carefully and keeping a safe distance and my bonnet ended up with multiple chips "My tyres were so coated that debris kept flying off for ages and I even lost traction at roundabouts despite driving safely The noises from my tyres got so bad I had to pull over to check them." Auckland Council is investigating how the road cone got there The Chalice in Cathedral Square was erected in 2001 and will cost $400,000 to restore People taking driving tests in Wellington say long-running roadworks outside the main testing centre are creating "confusing" test conditions still awaiting a replacement door eight days after an early-morning raid in the Napier CBD Two teenagers have been apprehended in relation to one of two early-morning front-entrance burglaries of shops in Napier’s Emerson St shopping centre Both targeting perfumes and deodorant, the burglaries were at specialist store Elaines on Emerson about 1.20am April 5 and at Life Pharmacy about 2.40am on April 7 Offenders using an allegedly stolen car in one of the raids smashed through glass at the front entrances and grabbed product from display shelves Police said two youths were charged in relation to the second burglary Police continue inquiries concerning the offences in which there was damage costing thousands of dollars more than the value of the stolen stock One of the sites is still awaiting replacement of a door expected to cost over $8000 while a sign at the part-boarded entrance assures customers they’re still open for business A proposal to end face-to-face emergency overnight health services in Napier has sparked interest in a public meeting to be held on Thursday to discuss concerns about “the state of the New Zealand health system” Similar to one held in Palmerston North on Tuesday speakers at the meeting in St Paul’s Presbyterian Church will include patients but organisers say they are expecting at least one MP from Wellington and Napier Mayor Kirsten Wise and several of her council Opposition Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said she would be attending saying she’s aware “Napier has particular issues with overnight services” and while she’s never been opposed to “telehealth” consultation it’s not enough for a city of the size of Napier Malcolm Mulholland, chairman of meeting organisers Patient Voice Aotearoa, said invitations had been issued to the Government’s Napier and Tukituki MPs who had replied with apologies for not being able to attend Napier MP Katie Nimon told Hawke’s Bay Today a representative for her would be present taking notes have merged after-hours services with practitioner-own The Doctors on the health centre site Under a proposal seen by Hawke’s Bay Today, but yet to be confirmed, urgent services would be by phone-line “telehealth” consultation or a trip to the Fallen Soldiers Memorial Hospital in Hastings Patient advocacy groups and medical practitioners have been concerned about hospital staffing shortages and other issues throughout the country and say the situation with the urgent care overnight – which government agency Health NZ Te Whatu Ora had noted was experiencing low overnight patient numbers – highlights some of the problems They say the only alternatives are not what was promised when the hilltop Napier Hospital closed more than 25 years ago and the changes now don’t reflect the precarious position of Napier had access by land cut-off for close to a week Mulholland said similar meetings in the Wellington region and Wairarapa had raised all of the concerns but issues of practitioner shortages seemed to be even more acute in Napier and Palmerston North He said the issues in Napier are “not just those of Napier - a city of 67,000 population in that fewer services in Napier mean more pressure on urgent care at the hospital in Hastings The meeting on Thursday at the church on the corner of Tennyson and Dalton streets Katie is a proud representative for a diverse rural and urban electorate, which requires advocacy for constituents on a broad range of local issues. Recovery from Cyclone Gabrielle is a core focus for the region.As well as the local representative for Napier, Katie is the Chair of the Education and Workforce Select Committee, and a member of the Environment Select Committee. Katie feels fortunate to be a part of the Christopher Luxon-led coalition government. After completing her secondary education at Iona College, Katie studied at Massey University, gaining a Bachelor of Visual Communication Design (Honours) degree in 2013 and a Master of Business Administration in 2019. By clicking subscribe you agree to receive emails from Napier and the National Party. I can't believe we're already at the end of March! Here's your update on what's happening in the Napier electorate, New Zealand Parliament, and across our... Emergency services at the house fire on Chaucer Rd South in Napier A fire that caused extensive damage to a house in Napier is being treated as suspicious The house fire started about 1am on Tuesday along Chaucer Rd South on Hospital Hill in Napier One person was taken to hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation Police are appealing for witnesses who may have seen anything suspicious to come forward “An investigation remains ongoing,” a police spokesman said “The fire which engulfed the house and part of [a] shed is believed to be suspicious.” Inquiries were ongoing to identify the person or people involved The crash happened on State Highway 2 near the intersection with Tongoio Settlement Rd A motorist has died and there are multiple injuries after a crash involving a rolled truck which closed State Highway 2 north of Napier Police confirmed there was one fatality and three others had been transported to hospital A NZTA social media post said SH2 remains closed from Wairoa to Eskdale as the Serious Crash Unit is on the scene and can take several hours to complete investigations near the intersection with Tongoio Settlement Rd A spokesperson from St John Ambulance said two patients were transported to Hawke’s Bay Hospital by ambulance while one additional patient in a moderate condition was airlifted was assessed and treated at the scene with no transport required State Highway 5 remains fully open after reports of an earlier landslide and is available as an alternative route for travel north of Napier Napier Mayor Kirsten Wise says some tough decisions have had to be made in order to keep rate rises down Declaring a state of emergency is one thing Kirsten Wise does not want to do if she is elected for a third term as Napier Mayor it would be nice to have a term without that,” Wise said The first was the Napier floods in November 2020 and the second Cyclone Gabrielle in February 2023 Wise said if she was elected for her a third term in the October elections her focus would be providing stability for the community “My first two terms have been pretty rocky,” she said “I would also delve into the long-term plan there’s only a certain amount of money and we want to use it in the most cost-efficient way we can “The biggest project will be the Civic Precinct – which will house the library and governance facilities.” Wise said she knows the community was upset with the proposal to temporarily close the library “We have had to make some tough decisions and I acknowledge that it’s not ideal,” she said “The primary reason for the proposals is cost savings “We have seen a big increase in anti-social behaviour around the library and are paying full-time security guards “The key this year has been to keep the rates rise as low as possible “It was a bitter pill to swallow and ratepayers made it loud and clear we needed to find savings and we have all worked hard to bring it down from the projected 15.9% to 7.9%.” Other cost-saving proposals are the reimagining and commercialising of the council’s assets, including the National Aquarium of New Zealand and the Napier isite “The aquarium as it stands is costing ratepayers $1.5 to $2m a year I’m very open to options but the status quo is not one of them “In fact all the facilities we are proposing to reimagine are topped up by rates If ratepayers want more savings from us that will come at the cost of core services “That’s a pretty big thing and needs to be consulted on It would affect things such as parks and reserves perhaps rubbish collection reduced to fortnightly “Not so many beautiful flowers in our gardens “From 2019 to 2022 we made huge investments into water: waste “This term it’s been all about getting back to basics This will ensure it lasts another eight to 10 years and gives us time to make decisions about building a new aquatic centre Not just infrastructure but working with the community and Civil Defence on resilience plans training staff so we have the right level of expertise and working on streamlining our systems.” The National Aquarium of New Zealand in Napier The National Aquarium is leaking more than $2 million of Napier ratepayer money every year the council wants to knock it down and build a smaller facility — which it says could make it viable in the long run The council is asking the public to provide feedback during April on the option of rebuilding smaller, or one of three alternate options to address the aquarium’s financial woes — redeveloping part of the existing aquarium and knock down the remainder at a cost of about $35m — council exit via getting a third party to run the aquarium or closure While no detailed cost modelling has yet been done the council believes a smaller $28m facility would be cheaper to operate and could run on a yearly “$2m operational grant“ the aquarium’s operational costs were $2.8m — more than half of which had to be funded by rates ($1.55m) with the remainder covered by entry fees and charges the operating cost for the aquarium was $4.5m That is despite budgets aiming for just 30% to 35% rate support The Marine Parade aquarium was opened at its current location in 1976 and underwent an $8 million upgrade in 2002 when it was officially given the name National Aquarium of New Zealand The outcome of April’s public consultation (part of the council’s wider 2025/26 draft annual plan process) will help the council decide whether or not to go ahead with a business case for its preferred option council will consider the feedback and decide which option to proceed with,” a council spokeswoman said “If an option other than status quo is chosen then the next step is development of a business case.” That business case would provide more details and then go through another round of public consultation The council says it is too early to say what would happen to the animals housed at the aquarium in the existing facility and how many would make it to the new facility if it were built Former Napier City Councillor John Harrison said the $28m proposal was too light on details to be calling for public feedback in the annual plan “Officers have not provided a comprehensive cost/benefit analysis which is absolutely extraordinary when this is the largest non-core project in this plan.” He claimed the proposal could end up costing a lot more than $28m as “nothing gets done” for that amount in 2025 While the aquarium does include a burden on ratepayers council papers stated it had flow-on benefits for the city and Napier as a city “still ultimately needs to attract people to visit and live here” The aquarium attracted 126,698 visitors during 2022/23 and 132,917 visitors during 2023/24 An ambitious proposal for a $77 million upgrade and expansion of the aquarium, labelled Project Shapeshifter, fell over in 2021 That followed the aquarium farewelling its piranhas due to “tighter rules” and Cheryl the alligator which had been on loan In 2023, the aquarium also released its last two sharks from captivity back into the ocean following recurring injuries to those sharks as well as the death of three other sharks Napier City Council began a business review of its 11 revenue-generating facilities That led to a “reimagine process” in 2024 for a handful of the facilities including the aquarium The draft 2025/26 annual plan will also see the public place feedback in April on other facilities under review including Faraday Museum Option 2: Redevelop the site and retain some of the building at a cost of about $35m and reduce operating costs Option 3: Knock down existing aquarium and build a smaller facility at a cost of about $28m and reduce operating costs — council’s preferred option Option 4: Council exit via getting a third party to run the aquarium or closure The Saturday closure comes amid a proposal to shut Napier Library for at least two years.