Twelve crews attended a fire at a Queenstown property today Twelve fire crews were required to battle a blaze at a large property in the Closeburn area of Queenstown today A Fire and Emergency spokesperson said multiple reports of the fire were first received shortly before 2pm today Smoke from the fire on Closeburn Rd could be seen across Lake Wakatipu and fears for nearby forests initially led to four helicopters being placed on standby The helicopters were stood down when the fire was contained to the home and it has now been brought under control Six fire crews remain on scene to fully extinguish the fire and no one was reported inside the structure National want to replicate a ban that was passed by Australian lawmakers You are not permitted to download, save or email this image. Visit image gallery to purchase the image Fire crews have contained a blaze that has left a home "extensively damaged" in Queenstown this afternoon A Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) spokeswoman said they were alerted to a large house that was "well-ablaze" in Closeburn about 1.50pm Eight crews were initially on the scene and another four were responding In an update shortly before 4pm Fenz said the blaze had been contained to its site and there were currently 10 crews at the scene Previously four helicopters were on standby in case the fire spread to nearby forests A Fenz spokesman at the scene said about 50 firefighters attended The firefighters were on a rotation roster for using breathing apparatus A fire investigator was at the scene and the house had been extensively damaged No-one was at the house when the fire began and no-one has been injured Let's Talk Kōrero Mai (previously Scuttlebutt) is our bi-monthly newsletter which goes out to residents and ratepayers Training opportunities and tips for preparing funding applications available now A Parkinson's Disease specialist care programme Find out what’s happening with Annual Plan 2025-2026 A list of services being held can be found below 10.00am parade from Arrowtown Hall to the Cenotaph on top of Durham Street.  The service at the Cenotaph starts from 10.30am the service will be held inside Arrowtown Hall There will also be golf carts at Durham Street to assist those who need it up to the monument National Anthem and bagpipes played on Edith Cavell Bridge from 12.00pm Traffic management in place to support the service Remembrance service from 9.30am at the war memorial by Glenorchy Hall Morning tea held inside the hall afterwards Dawn service at ANZAC Peninsula on the Lake Hāwea Dam from 7.00am Community asked to arrive between 6.30-6.45am Dawn service at Memorial Gates located on Marine Parade from 6.30am Followed by a march to Queenstown Memorial Centre where wreaths will be laid Dawn service on edge of Lake Wānaka adjacent to the town centre from 7.00am followed by a community breakfast in the Armstrong Room at Lake Wānaka Centre Civic service held at Lake Wānaka Centre from 9.30am followed by a wreath laying ceremony at the Cenotaph Privacy Policy  Media Centre Strong crosswinds caused major disruption at Queenstown Airport on Monday Air New Zealand said at least 10 flights in and out of the South Island destination were cancelled in the afternoon A spokesperson said affected customers were being rebooked and it was hoped conditions would improve Monday night as forecast both in and out of Queenstown respectively MetService's website said strong southerlies in the town were easing in the evening and rain was clearing Meanwhile wild weather was on its way for parts of the country for the school holidays Auckland and the Coromandel likely to be the first hit The weather event would extend to the Bay of Plenty and Gisborne as the week progressed Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday northeast winds and rain will begin to build over the upper North Island All passengers had to be rescreened following the security breach Moving to once-a-day milking has helped Janet Fleming through Taranaki's recent drought New Zealand RSS Follow RNZ News Queenstown Back to topAttractionsMust-see attractionsLake Wakatipu Lake Wakatipu is NZ's third-largest lake meaning the lake bed actually sits below sea… Skyline Gondola Hop aboard for fantastic views as the gondola squeezes through pine forest to its grandstand location 400m above Queenstown Queenstown Gardens Set on its own tongue of land framing Queenstown Bay this pretty park is the perfect city escape right within the city Kiwi Birdlife Park These 2 hectares are home to 10,000 native plants tuatara (an endemic reptile) and scores of birds Time Tripper Located in the old underwater observatory beneath the main pier this 30-minute experience promises a journey back in time Peregrine peregrine by design…the award-winning construction of the cellar door shaped a bit like a falcon's wing in flight St Peter's on Church St has colourful stained glass and an impressive gilded and painted organ View more attractionsPlanning ToolsExpert guidance to help you plan your tripBest Things to Do Queenstown in New Zealand is loved by adrenaline junkies. Here's our guide to the town's top adventure activities. Plan with a localExperience the real New Zealand Get startedArticlesLatest stories from QueenstownRead more articlesActivities Queenstown in New Zealand is loved by adrenaline junkies Here's our guide to the town's top adventure activities Get to the heart of Queenstown with one of our in-depth Visit in ShopNew Zealand's South Island $24.99 Visit in ShopNew Zealand's North Island $24.99 Go to checkout (0 items)in partnership with getyourguide No part of this site may be reproduced without our written permission Hollywood star Jason Momoa is no stranger to Queenstown, but it appears he may be laying down more permanent roots in the Central Otago resort town The Game of Thrones, Aquaman, and Dune actor has become a shareholder in Grey Door Ltd, the company behind The Bunker, a well-known Queenstown restaurant and bar Momoa has been frequently spotted throughout Queenstown including spending time at The Bunker and riding his motorcycle The Hawaii-born actor has made frequent trips to Aotearoa over the years often sharing his time in New Zealand with fans on social media In a 2024 interview with the Otago Daily Times he said he first visited Queenstown in his early 20s saying that it “kind of blew my mind because everything I love to do is there” Momoa has long spoken about his passion for mountain biking he celebrated his 44th birthday with a snowy hot tub dip in Queenstown sharing the moment with his followers on Instagram While touring the country with his band Öof Tatatá Momoa made an appearance at Queenstown venue Yonder calling the town his “favourite place on Earth” That same tour saw the band visit towns throughout the country including Rotorua where Momoa was made an honorary citizen Momoa was a guest of Ngāi Tahu at Queenstown’s Waitangi Day commemorations the actor has also been spending an increasing amount of time in New Zealand he filmed the upcoming action film The Wrecking Crew across the country following the local shoot for A Minecraft Movie Fellow Hollywood megastar Brad Pitt was also in town last month filming the survival thriller Heart of the Beast There was speculation at the time that Pitt could have been staying at a property where Momoa was believed to have visited before New Zealand acting legend Sir Sam Neill is also a resident of Central Otago where he also has several vineyards as part of his Two Paddocks wine brand Momoa has not made any official announcement about relocating He has been acting for more than two decades making his debut in 1999 on Baywatch: Hawaii He rose to prominence following his standout performance as brutal warlord Khal Drogo on HBO’s Game of Thrones which led him to take on roles in some of Hollywood’s biggest franchises Despite having played Aquaman in four DC Universe films Momoa is set to return to the franchise in 2025 as a new character A young Dutchman who threw a glass in a Queenstown bar that hit a young woman’s face says being stuck in New Zealand is "heavy punishment" Appearing for sentencing in the Queenstown District Court yesterday Luuk Maarten Van Egteren said he was lonely and missed playing football and other activities with his friends at home and having to wait in New Zealand for his sentencing "feels like quite a heavy punishment to me" Police say the 21-year-old was dancing with a young woman at Winnies bar about 1.45am on January 2 The defendant reacted by throwing a glass beer handle he was holding The heavy glass struck another young woman in the face opening a 3cm gash in her cheek that began bleeding heavily but later admitted a charge of assault with a blunt instrument said the incident had been unprovoked and "came out of the blue" She was grateful the glass had not caused more serious damage but still felt anxious about going out at night Judge Russell Walker said letters of support for the defendant attested to his good character describing the incident as an "aberration" Although throwing the glass had been "reactive and spontaneous" an innocent young woman had been left with six stitches in her cheek and would probably have a permanent scar this sort of violence in nightclubs in Queenstown happens all too frequently," Judge Walker said Residents and visitors to the resort town were "sick and tired" of violence perpetrated by drunk people at night From a starting point of 14 months’ prison he applied discounts for the defendant’s guilty plea youth and steps he had taken towards rehabilitation having to stay in the country to await sentence was a significant punishment in itself and he reduced the final sentence to two months’ community detention to account for that Although a deportation liability notice was likely Van Egteren wanted to return home as soon as possible anyway He also ordered the defendant to pay the victim $12,500 in emotional harm reparation Also sentenced by Judge Walker yesterday were — guy.williams@odt.co.nz The tourism industry is hopeful a funding boost will help get visitor numbers back on track and encourage people to see more of the country The government wants to "turbocharge" global marketing to international visitors, with a new $13.5 million investment in Tourism New Zealand Hotel Council Aotearoa strategic director James Doolan told Morning Report times were tough but recovery post-pandemic was always going to be a marathon not a sprint "International tourism is incredibly important because international tourists spend more heavily than New Zealanders do and they spend at times that we don't spend during work weeks and during the school term." Investment was necessary on both fronts - attracting people to New Zealand's shores and improving the cities they visited then we need to do the marketing to get people to use them and fill them up," Doolan said The government said funding would initially be used to attract more visitors from China Chinese visitor numbers have not rebounded since Covid But Destination Queenstown chief executive Mat Woods told Morning Report the data also showed more people from China were visiting independently He said with new investment, there would be opportunities to attract visitors to popular spots and then send them further afield "Queenstown is a drawcard for international visitors and we know that one in three of all international visitors will come and visit Queenstown but if we think about that regional dispersal there's actually quite a lot of capacity within New Zealand to move the visitors around." Woods said the colder months made some spots more appealing The Labour Party's tourism spokesperson Glen Bennett said investment was not just about the posters but also about looking after the places people visited He said there needed to be a focus on sustainability the lakes and the glaciers which enticed people to New Zealand were pristine and more funding should go towards better infrastructure at tourist hot spots The initial investment would focus on encouraging visitors from a number of specific countries local government and Māori tourism representatives are banding together in a push to ensure the final sections of a "nationally significant" cycle trail are completed Queenstown has been suffering from growing pains for years but with visitor and resident numbers continuing to swell it's turning into a full-blown belly ache The recent BNZ-Business New Zealand Performance of Services Index (PSI) shows activity is slowing in the sector Arrowtown’s Hyde and recently took over Arthurs Point’s Gin Garden turning that into The General Kitchen & Bar and The General Store Company director Cam Mitchell said Momoa "just loves it here" he’s a snowboarder — we’ve got all the things here that he loves and I don’t think it’s any secret that he’s looking for residency when an opportunity arose for Momoa to take a stake in Grey Door who is starring in the recently released Minecraft movie "he wants to increase his shareholding over time" Hawaiian-born Momoa has strong connections to New Zealand he was made an honorary citizen of Rotorua but he has been able to trace his family back to New Zealand he said the Momoa lineage went back about nine generations in Hawaii I’ve been just pulled there and the moment I stepped foot there it was the only place on earth I felt like this is exactly where I’m from," he said the new partnership would bolster the Wakatipu film industry "He’s got projects in the future that he wants to bring here — multiple projects "There are rumours about movie infrastructure in the future that would all help bring industry down here .. Police are investigating after a man was found lying on a Queenstown street with serious head injuries early today The 33-year-old overseas national has been taken to Queenstown Lakes Hospital in a critical condition after he was found in Turner St about 6am “Police are making urgent inquiries to determine how the man came to be injured,” a police statement said “It appears he was in the vicinity of Turner St and Hallenstein St and police would like to hear from anyone who was in the area at the time who may have information to assist the investigation.” The Otago Daily Times reports that the man may have fallen down a steep bank and that a blood-stained shirt was at the scene this morning beside a pair of shoes and a pool of blood Anyone with information should call police on 105 and quote file number 250429/8686 The Wharehuanui trail opened in October and links Arrowtown to Arthur’s Point This gentle trail makes for the perfect return While I consider myself a fairly active and adventurous person it had been a while since I’d been on a bike tour After an accident knocked me off my bike a few years ago it was safe to say I’d been hesitant to get back in the saddle especially where road cycling was concerned when I heard about Around The Basin’s Bike To A Brewery tour This relatively new cycle trail, the Wharehuanui trail, opened in October, linking Arrowtown and Arthur’s Point with scenic views the whole way around. After Around The Basin’s successful Bike the Wineries tours in Gibbston Valley, a cycle and brewery tour was a no-brainer you’re dropped off with your bikes (or e-bikes) some words of wisdom from the friendly Around the Basin team and sent on your way the route snakes 16km from Arrowtown to Arthur’s Point ending at the wonderful Canyon Brewing overlooking the Shotover River One of the best things about this self-guided biking tour is how long you have before the shuttle picks you and your bike up at Canyon Brewing to return to Queenstown but there’s also the allowance of an hour for exploring Arrowtown and 1-1.5 hours given for the breweries at the other end With the shuttle service from the start and end of the route back to Queenstown included in the experience price When I set off from the carpark in Arrowtown it’s a great way to see local crafts and grab a gift or two Arrowtown is also the perfect place to grab a pre-ride coffee and pastry before hitting the trails Realistically, this is the only section where road cycling is required. After you come up from the carpark to the main drag of Arrowtown you head down through the public carpark to reach the cycle trail (Countryside Trail) along the Arrow River you’ll reach Millbrook Resort and Country Club While you’re technically cycling along the road here the vehicles are few and far between and the speed bumps mean no one is rushing past you the helpful sights of the bright-blue Wharehuanui trail signs keep you on the right track – no pun intended there is a mix of gravel paths and tarmac bike paths along the main roads heading up towards Coronet Peak This is the trickiest part of the cycle and the section where my unfit legs were happy to have the assistance of an e-bike You pedal up the incline of Coronet Peak Station Rd riding across with spectacular views of the 2000m Remarkables in the distance This is classic New Zealand countryside and this vista makes the burn in your legs worth it the next part is a slightly technical downhill switchback section It’s pretty steep and had me riding the brakes a lot but I saw plenty of seasoned cyclists take it in their stride it was cool to test myself with something a little more challenging towards the end You can stop at the historic Gantley’s Tavern for a well-earned pint before continuing to Canyon Brewing I headed straight to Canyon Brewing where a flight of delicious locally brewed beers awaited alongside some seasonal sliders With an expansive outdoor seating area overlooking the Shotover River and the Edith Cavell Bridge it’s the perfect spot to rest and relax after a satisfying 16km cycle Starring a menu and ethos grounded in sustainability Canyon Brewing is an ideal place for a weekend pint it’s interesting to see the use of locally sourced ingredients including the fact its Canyon Gold lager is the first Central Otago-brewed-and-grown lager using Queenstown-grown barley grown by the brewery director There’s something beautiful and unbelievably satisfying about spending time cycling through the New Zealand countryside exploring under your own steam and then settling in for local food and sustainably sourced beer Add in the sunshine on the deck area and you have a 10/10 weekend activity day as is the rest of the Queenstown Trails network with 402,544 riders hitting the trails in the 2023-24 period A new section of the Wharehuanui trail is scheduled to open in April connecting to the new Shotover Gorge Trail follows the Shotover Gorge from Arthur’s Point for 7km before connecting with the Tucker Beach Trail which goes for a further 3.5km to the Old Shotover Bridge the route also interconnects with the Twin Rivers Trail and the Countryside Trail opening up day and multi-day route options across the Wakatipu Basin and the wider Queenstown area Developing the Shotover Gorge Trail hasn’t been an easy task with the construction of the Kimi-ākau bridge to cross the Shotover River and the renovation of the historic Hugo Tunnel at Big Beach made possible through donations by the Hugo Charitable Trust The Hugo Tunnel is a mining tunnel that spans an incredible 108m at the mouth of the Shotover Gorge Although construction was planned during the Gold Rush it’s set to offer a historic and impressive addition to the new trail from this month onwards if cycling to Central Otago’s most beloved vineyards is more your speed This 32km trail connects the vineyards of Bannockburn with the popular Gibbston Valley wineries near Queenstown Connected by two spectacular suspension bridges the route promises amazing valley views and plenty of tasty cellar-door experiences despite being apprehensive about cycling again in general let alone being left to my own devices armed with a paper route map this self-guided bike-to-brewery tour is the perfect way to spend a weekend in and around Queenstown If you’ve never done a cycle tour before and want to dip your toe in the water well signposted and has beautiful scenery and enough of a challenge to make you feel like you’ve earned the pint at the end The Arrowtown-to-Arthur’s Point Bike To A Brewery experience costs $95 for a standard bike hire with maps and shuttles and $40 if you bring your own bike from Queenstown Children’s bikes (ages 5-14) are $75 for a standard bike and $125 for an e-bike Infant bikes and equipment are also available (ages 0-4) for $65 Tours depart from the Around The Basin store at 3 Searle Lane aroundthebasin.co.nz The Marlborough Boutique Hotel offers luxury stays and a hatted restaurant Queenstown police area response manager Senior Sergeant Glenn Wilkinson said the man was found lying in Turner St a steep cul-de-sac Police were making "urgent enquiries to determine how the man came to be injured" The man was seen in the vicinity of Turner and Hallenstein Sts about 2am Police wanted to hear from anyone in the area at the time who might be able to help with the investigation An Otago Daily Times reporter saw a police officer taking photos at the scene about 8.45am and a pair of shoes next to a pool of blood ● Call police on 105 and quote file number 250429/8686 Vanessa Estupinan says she signed an agreement to pay $270 a week in her first week there that was raised to $300 she says the head tenant’s behaviour was "quite intimidating" sending her messages all the time and invading her personal space At the time she was working for a large company that rented staff accommodation — two houses and two units — in Fernhill Her rent for a room initially was $350 per week plus a weekly $50 power bill which was even going to be charged in summer Estupinan says the tenants were all given two weeks’ notice rent was going up to $400 a week — in a normal rental a landlord has to give at least 60 days’ written notice of a rent increase She says she queried her employer’s HR person about the notice period and was told the 60-day rule only applied to the property owner renting the accommodation to the company She contacted Citizens Advice Bureau and was advised she’d have to pay a fee to Tenancy Services if she wanted to make an official complaint Estupinan says none of the tenants pursued that avenue as they didn’t want to risk losing their jobs if their employer decided to retaliate She adds she went to Mountain Scene after finding out that a tenant was now renting a room there for only $200 a week Anneli De Los Santos pictured leaving the Hamilton District Court last year after pleading guilty to multiple charges relating to the Wānaka crash Anneli De Los Santos, 50, landed in the resort town with friends and family members, including her sister Joyce Fesico The group had two vehicles between them and De Los Santos drove one De Los Santos was driving to Wānaka when she failed to negotiate a left-hand bend and her vehicle crossed the centre line and went into the path of a minibus who were touring the South Island with a driver died in the crash and De Los Santos’ 47-year-old front passenger suffered head and facial injuries and was airlifted to Dunedin Hospital along with a 70-year-old woman and a 13-year-old boy from the minibus De Los Santos appeared in Hamilton District Court for sentencing on a charge of careless driving causing the death of her sister and four charges of careless driving causing injury Defence lawyer Rob Quin said it was a case of De Los Santos “driving on unfamiliar roads in an unfamiliar vehicle” and she had suffered the most tragic loss Quin said it was also caused by De Los Santos’ momentary inattention “This comes down to a momentary lapse of attention driving an unfamiliar vehicle on unfamiliar roads at a time which should have been extremely happy for Ms De Los Santos and her family which has unfortunately turned to tragedy.” But Community Magistrate Ngaire Mascelle wasn’t so sure and from her reading of the summary of facts A serious crash report ruled fatigue was a factor in the crash as the family had travelled to Queenstown from Hamilton “very early” that morning they toured Queenstown before heading to Wānaka via Crown Range Rd De Los Santos failed to negotiate a left-hand bend and her vehicle went into the path of the minibus The minibus driver tried to avoid the collision by turning his vehicle to the right as De Los Santos’ vehicle continued across the southbound lane But the front left sides of both vehicles collided and De Los Santos’ hit the road before spinning 180 degrees and coming to rest on the fog line The minibus stopped in the centre of the road facing the same way it had come from Members of the public provided care to the victims as they waited for emergency services Fesico was found unresponsive She’d suffered unsurvivable spine and chest injuries and died at the scene The pair injured in the minibus were both asleep at the time of the crash and suffered fractures and internal bleeding The remaining minibus passengers were not injured but were taken to Queenstown Hospital for assessment According to court documents obtained by NZME De Los Santos told police she could recall driving along Crown Range Rd but couldn’t remember the lead-up to the collision or explain why she crossed the centre line Quin told Mascelle that although De Los Santos was a New Zealand resident she had been living and working in Qatar as an administrator for a medical supplies company she travelled to the Philippines to attend her sister’s funeral before returning to New Zealand to appear in court not to push for a sentence of community work as it would be too onerous on his client as she would have to fly to Qatar and back He said her family had sorted a reparation payment but the minibus tourists were not interested in receiving monetary compensation for their medical expenses “They are extremely supportive of Ms De Los Santos .. Mascelle said the crash involved “a rather unique set of circumstances” given it was De Los Santos’ sister suffering the most consequence of all and the other victims were “very sympathetic” and not asking anything of her “I realise you lost your sister in the incident She referred to the summary of facts and noted De Los Santos “had maybe briefly drifted off [asleep]” while driving referring to the vehicle having veered across the centre line and staying there “There was no suggestion of there being any aversion attempt,” she said the error in your judgment has caused someone to lose their life so it’s impacted in the most tragic way on so many lives and yours included.” Mascelle accepted De Los Santos was remorseful and had no previous convictions She said no sentence would make De Los Santos suffer any more than she currently was “I am able to step back from a community work sentence.” De Los Santos was convicted and discharged and disqualified from driving for 18 months Belinda Feek is an Open Justice reporter based in Waikato She has worked at NZME for 10 years and has been a journalist for 21 As Queenstown's council continues to grapple with the resort's wastewater woes and looks to potentially establish a new council-controlled organisation to deal with Three Waters plans for developments - including a proposal for 100 residential units and six commercial buildings on an unserviced site at Frankton - show no sign of slowing The Warkworth man was on holiday in Queenstown when the accident happened A young man is in critical condition after falling from a Queenstown balcony in a “freak accident” where the glass railing he was leaning on collapsed Two ambulances and two helicopters responded to the incident at a holiday home on Frankton Rd The Warkworth man was airlifted to Christchurch Hospital A Givealittle page for the man and his family described the incident as a “freak accident” while on holiday A glass balustrade he was leaning on “gave out” A relative wrote that the man fell from a “significant height and has suffered horrific and life-changing injuries” He suffered a “major brain injury” and was put in an induced coma and has multiple broken bones in his back and neck Police were called to a property about 6.30pm on the day of the accident “Initial enquiries have established that a portion of the balcony gave way “Police inquiries into the incident are ongoing Sergeant Simon Matheson told Lakes Weekly there was no evidence that any person had caused the incident The Queenstown Lakes District Council said it extended its sympathy to the injured person “Council is liaising with police to support its investigation into the cause of the incident,” a council spokesperson said “Council is addressing its own inquiries under the Building Act 2004 to assess building safety and will undertake any action it considers appropriate in the circumstances to ensure this.” WorkSafe confirmed it was notified of the incident and made initial inquiries A spokesperson said it had not opened an investigation “as the local council and New Zealand Police are best placed to respond” Sign up to The Daily H a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday Queenstown Lakes District Council has been told it must stop discharging treated wastewater to land after high levels of nitrogen were detected in the Hāwea oxidation pond An abatement notice was issued by the Otago Regional Council on 18 March after nitrogen levels in wastewater at the Hāwea Wastewater Treatment Plant were found to breach the consented levels allowed over a 12-month period The notice said the total mass of nitrogen discharged to the land treatment area and soakage trench must not exceed 4726 kilograms in any continuous 12-month period but data provided by Queenstown Lakes District Council showed that 5345kg of nitrogen had been discharged in the 12 months before December It also included details of eight additional breaches between June 2024 and January 2025 and said the district council had failed to provide the regional council with incident reports within 20 working days in every case It comes after the Queenstown Lakes District Council was criticised over plans to discharge treated sewage into the Shotover River The council is using emergency powers to pump 12,000 cubic metres of effluent into the Shotover each day and maintains it is well within its consent limits Queenstown Lakes District Council general manager of property infrastructure Tony Avery said it had tried to resolve fluctuating nitrogen levels by upgrading the plant's treatment processes and while there had been some improvements the levels remained above consented limits He said the breach and abatement notice were disappointing but environmental monitoring of the Hāwea River had shown there were no adverse effects associated with the treatment plant's elevated nitrogen levels "Treated wastewater is discharged to land either via the facility's land treatment area or an infiltration trench both of which are located downstream from Lake Hāwea and ultimately drain through to Hāwea River," he said staff are exploring further measures to improve performance and to bring the plant back into full compliance with its consent conditions." He said given the historical non-compliance of Hāwea's treatment plant and the need to cater for significant growth in the catchment plans were in place to connect the township to Project Pure/Wānaka Wastewater Treatment Plant The planned connection was part of the wider Upper Clutha Wastewater Conveyance Scheme project which would see significant investment in wastewater management across the Hāwea and Wānaka schemes Funding for the project was included in the adopted in the district council's 2024-2034 long term plan Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday Wastewater will be directly discharged into the Shotover River from Monday morning the Queenstown Lakes District Council has confirmed Councillor Niki Gladding revealed the confidential plan A Queenstown councillor is accusing her council of "secrecy" and underhand tactics over its plan of enacting emergency powers to divert treated sewage into the Shotover River The Otago Regional Council is taking the district council to Environment Court over repeated breaches at Shotover Wastewater Treatment Plant Wānaka and Central Otago have teamed up with our mates at NZSKI to celebrate 40 incredible years of The Remarkables and Central Otago have teamed up with our mates at The Remarkables to celebrate their 40-year anniversary and we want you to join in on the celebration Keen to get in pole position and claim that epic prize all for yourself Tune in to The Breakfast Club with Joel for daily clues on where our hidden poles are waiting for you text the keyword SNOW to 559 to go in the draw to win a $200 MyPass Voucher Discover some of New Zealand’s finest ski areas with Coronet Peak and The Remarkables in Queenstown The Remarkables, Celebrating 40 years of freedom and adventure. Photo / Supplied- First-home buyers priced out of Queenstown are considering towns like Glenorchy - Properties under $1m in Queenstown are often apartments or townhouses - Interest rate drops have increased first-home buyer activity with many trading travel time for affordability First-home buyers are looking at small towns up to an hour out of Queenstown to get a foot on the property ladder in the district Agents told OneRoof they have noticed an uptick in interest in stand-alone homes in Glenorchy Bayleys Queenstown sales manager Dee McQuillan said buyers at the bottom of the market were willing to add to their commute times to get an affordable house “It’s not unusual and what you’d expect to see in any big city She said the uptick in first-home buyer activity had coincided with a drop in interest rates “A lot of people are quite excited to be out looking for a home We’ve got some first-home buyers who wouldn’t have been able to enter the market six months ago Most of the first-home buyers looking at properties in and around Queenstown rented in the area and had jobs in the city - Tux Wonder Dogs host Mark Leishman finds loving family for his country escape - Tony Alexander: What the latest OCR cut means for the housing market and home loan costs - TV star Jeremy Corbett and wife Megan sell their forever home for $4.5m Recent sales in Glenorchy suggest that buyers can get a stand-alone home in the district’s small towns for almost half the price of an apartment or townhouse in Queenstown one-bathroom home on an 842sqm section on Forbes Place sold last year for $570,000 one-bathroom home on Argyle Street sold for $600,000 Properties in new developments such as a two-bedroom one-bathroom townhouse in the Five Mile Villas in Queenstown can be bought off-plan one-bathroom home on a 4812sqm section sold this month for $505,000 The town is an hour’s drive from Queenstown While property values in commuter towns around Queenstown were lower the number of homes coming up for sale was also fewer First-home buyers put off by hour-long commutes still had options Despite Queenstown making headlines with $40m-plus sales the town still had properties in the sub-$1m price bracket Most of the homes selling for six figures were apartments and townhouses Harcourts Queenstown sales manager Priscilla Uhrle told OneRoof First-home buyers with less than $1m to spend in Queenstown can pick up apartments like this one on Mountain Ash Drive There were also several large new developments underway in the suburb with off-the-plan opportunities available at Waipuna Rise and Five Mile Villas Properties in both are being marketed by Bayleys Uhrle said Queenstown listings were up year-on-year but the affordable end of the market was still undersupplied When entry-level homes did come up for sale A three-bedroom do-up on Golden Terrace in Queenstown exceeded expectations when it sold for an impressive $1.247m at auction last month The property attracted multiple bidders who were all looking for a project - Click here to find more properties for sale in Queenstown-Lakes The Queenstown Lakes population is about 52,000 people but that swells to about 120,000 people in peak summer It has added pressure to infrastructure, traffic congestion and caused local frustration when freedom campers used streets as toilets and rubbish pits As the government pushes for more tourist arrivals residents have been speaking about the challenges facing their city and what's on the horizon Queenstown was a small community on the cusp of big development when iFly Queenstown owner Matt Wong arrived about 23 years ago Jacks Point was the only development on the southern corridor There were horses and sheep running around," he said "There was no sign of any development happening in that area at all and now looking at it today there's an extra 10,000 houses out in those areas." Earlier this year, Queenstown Lakes councillors were warned that urgent intervention was needed to prevent local hostility over increasing tourist pressures as part of a regional deal proposal that aimed to address the region's critical needs it found the 11 kilometre trip between Lake Hayes and central Queenstown could regularly exceed an hour if nothing was done said tourism had a part to play in the problem and the solution but issues like traffic congestion and infrastructure pressures didn't go away during the quieter months "And a lot of new residents coming to Queenstown don't realise that actually they are turning this small quaint town 50 years ago into a maturing town that is becoming a small city." The council and government needed to investigate different ways to help fund more infrastructure We've had a lot more development obviously as a region than most other districts and that growth has not really paid for itself "But it hasn't actually contributed to the investment and the infrastructure that that growth brings." One long term resident said the area had a lot of growing pains The district needed more affordable housing but it seemed like they were getting more second houses for overseas buyers "We've got a problem and the problem is overtourism and overdevelopment Diane bought a home here in 2008 and visited every year saying she loved Queenstown but it did have issues "You have to sort of plan your time to go out to the grocery stores and there's just huge problems with traffic and everything's always blocked up it's really a challenge and I think it's discouraging some people," she said But Queenstown resident Les didn't understand what people were fussing about "There's always been tourists in the town so people just need to harden up and accept it It's like they probably moved here knowing that so why change it?" Oliver regularly stayed in the area regularly for work "I sort of changed where I stay and now stay in Frankton as opposed to staying in Queenstown just because of the traffic and trying to get in and out can add in an extra 45 minutes potentially on my travel time," he said But he didn't think tourists should be blamed for infrastructure pressures saying governments had consistently underinvested in the regions the tourists are really what really contribute to making this place special beyond just its natural beauty it's the vibrancy that they bring into the area," he said Business owner Amber said Queenstown was quieter when she moved there 15 years ago saying she has been forced to come in early or pay through the nose - $6 a half hour at one nearby carpark Amber said it was an expensive hassle for tourists and a real turn off for locals "What's the point of coming to town when they go out and get free parking out there (in Frankton) they have all the amenities that they need out there," she said "It's really disheartening and it's really sad to me because we can't survive just on tourists in this town Infometrics figures show the Queenstown Lakes population was about 33,400 and it has grown by about 19,000 people since then Queenstown Lakes population was projected to reach 100,558 by 2053 Queenstown Lakes mayor Glyn Lewers said community frustrations with tourism were likely a hangover from underinvestment The council was investing $470 million to improve infrastructure including drinking water and wastewater just for the expected tourism growth "But I'll acknowledge $470 million is not enough That is just for us to get by and probably with a diminishing visitor experience That's the best we can do without burdening the ratepayer even more," he said Before the government announced it wanted to welcome more tourists Queenstown was already predicting about 7.1 percent annual growth in tourism for the next five years before flattening to 3 percent growth for the next five years just under $1 billion worth of capital expenditure is to accommodate expected growth That's 40 percent of our capital expenditure." Lewers said they couldn't stop people from moving or visiting Queenstown so they needed to focus on how to plan for more growth The council had improved its data so it knew what it was dealing with most cost efficient places to grow through spatial planning and submitted a regional deal he believed could help to alleviate some of the issues including transport He believed it was an immense opportunity but it needed to be consistent and invest in the long term User 'u377326569_gws8n' has exceeded the 'max_user_connections' resource (current value: 150) This either means that the username and password information in your wp-config.php file is incorrect or that contact with the database server at localhost could not be established This could mean your host’s database server is down If you are unsure what these terms mean you should probably contact your host. If you still need help you can always visit the WordPress support forums The incident happened at a residential Airbnb on Frankton Rd A North Island man remains in a critical condition after falling three storeys from the balcony of a Frankton Road Airbnb last Saturday fell about six metres when the glass balustrade he was leaning on gave way on the third-floor balcony just before 6.30pm He was helicoptered to Christchurch Hospital where was put in an induced coma and is in a critical His cousin Poppy Stenbeck has set up a Givealittle page to help Paddison "Fin fell a significant height and has suffered horrific and life changing injuries," Stenbeck says on the Givealittle appeal He has multiple breaks in his back and neck." brother and his friends who were on holiday with him have travelled to Christchurch to be by his side and are "waiting for a miracle" says other people were on the balcony of the residential property near the Queenstown end of Frankton Road at the time “We have no evidence that suggests that any person on the deck had any impact to the rail failing at this point in the investigation,” Matheson says Officers are still working their way their enquiries and assessing all the evidence to get to a point of being able to make a determination “We’re running our investigation and liaising with the council.” They are also liaising with other agencies Police and Queenstown Fire Brigade volunteers all turned out Firefighters assisted St John paramedics to move Paddison to the awaiting helicopter Queenstown Lakes District Council staff are assessing the building's safety after the incident “Council is addressing its own enquiries under the Building Act 2004 to assess building safety and will undertake any action it considers appropriate to ensure this,” the spokesperson says WorkSafe was notified of the incident and made initial enquiries but has not opened an investigation There have been a number of balcony falls in Queenstown over the years died after falling from The Glebe Apartments had tried to climb from the second-floor balcony to the rooftop Invercargill electrician Shaun Hogan fell to his death at the same hotel while also climbing to the roof To donate visit: givealittle.co.nz/cause/supporting-fin-paddison-and-family The Lakes Weekly is part of Queenstown Media Group (QMG) QMG is Queenstown’s leading locally owned and operated media company with print online and social platforms that engage locals with what they care about — everything local The Lakes Weekly delivers stories and news that connects with local so they come away each week better connected to their community Advertising sits within this curated content environment and it’s a trusted relationship between readers and the Lakes Weekly Advertisers benefit from the association with the LWB brand values The Lakes Weekly is hand delivered to every business in Queenstown Five Mile Remarkables Park and Glenda Drive on Tuesday libraries and drop boxes throughout the region and every supermarket throughout the Queenstown basin and Wanaka Online the issue is available Monday afternoon Doppelmayr gondolas are used around the world The company has been investigating Queenstown's potential for a MRT gondola which is now a key plan in the Regional Deal proposal and a supercharged business and tech sector Those are some of the grand plans outlined in Queenstown Lakes and Central Otago's bid for one of Central Government's Regional Deals Details of the landmark bid were released late yesterday before going to Queenstown Lakes District councillors for approval next week ahead of the 28 February submission deadline If the National-led Coalition Government choses the region as one of the deal-locations the bid document will define Queenstown and Central Otago's future for the next three decades and beyond Focused on economic growth and infrastructure Leverage the visitor economy to boost economic growth But the plan recognises bums-on-seats tourism is eroding the industry's social licence Leverage private investment to deliver public health services Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC), Central Otago District Council (CODC), and Otago Regional Council (ORC) have developed the joint proposal under the Regional Deals framework. The full 34-page document is available here It's been worked on by elected members and staff from the respective councils along with representatives from the private and public sectors and iwi "Prioritising our collective vision is the logical choice to move the dial on New Zealand’s economic growth as the first Regional Deal partner Our part of the country is an economic powerhouse but there is urgency to address critical infrastructure needs and deliver affordable housing," Queenstown Lakes Mayor Glyn Lewers says Queenstown Lakes and Central Otago enabled the third highest number of new dwellings nationally but demand and prices continue to increase We continue to grow but we need to grow well to retain and boost what makes our region special "It’s also a fantastic opportunity to leverage our combined strengths to improve tourism productivity for the region and for New Zealand.” The proposal aligns with a dozen previous pieces of work including the Queenstown Lakes Spatial Plan Queenstown Lakes Destination Management Plan ORC Chair Gretchen Robertson says ORC’s role is particularly centred on public transport especially in rapidly growing areas like Queenstown but also in the wider 'Central Lakes' area "The region faces significant demands for infrastructure investment and Queenstown’s geographically constrained environment and growing population create uniquely complex transport challenges which require innovative solutions and collaboration and being open to new ways of getting things done we can turn constraints into smart solutions that benefit our communities they become opportunities,” Cr Robertson says Central Otago Mayor Tamah Alley says the joint approach is in part driven by Otago Central Lakes being one of the fastest growing areas in New Zealand with growth that’s not expected to slow over the next 20 years "The combined Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes area will add billions to New Zealand’s GDP over the next decade and our proposal sets out how the region could add billions more while remaining a fantastic place to live "With the right infrastructure and services enabled by new funding and financing tools such as visitor levies we could showcase broader opportunities for NZ Inc and be a test bed for regional models that could be rolled out elsewhere.” The proposal will be discussed and voted on by Queenstown Lakes councillors next Tuesday If the three councils agree to support the proposal the next step would be to submit it to the Department of Internal Affairs by 28 February Hundreds of people paraded through Arrowtown autumn sunshine this morning for the Anzac Day commemorations before laying wreaths and poppies at the Cenotaph as a lone piper played atop a nearby hill Queenstown and Southern Lakes Highland Pipe Band led the way from Arrowtown's Buckingham Street up to the Cenotaph on Soldiers Hill They were followed by current and former New Zealand and Australian servicemen and women hundreds more gathered in the cold for the dawn service at the Memorial Gates led by Queenstown RSA president Phil Wilson followed by a parade to the Queenstown Memorial Centre It's now 110 years since New Zealand and Australian soldiers landed at Gallipoli in Türkiye on 25 April and today Anzac Day services have been held across the country to remember the service and sacrifice of all personnel who've served More than 30,000 New Zealand military personnel have been killed in wars and conflicts since 1915 the service was led by Arrowtown RSA President Rosemary Chalmers with guest speaker Squadron Leader Gregor McKenzie "It marks 110 years since the first New Zealand troops set off to war in 1915 She also highlighted the ongoing contribution of Arrowtown service personnel Midshipman Jessica MacDonald and Private Lola Maglaras Sqn Ldr McKenzie reflected on the Gallipoli landings and campaign and the continuing contribution of ANZAC service personnel in peacekeeping missions around the world but there was a victory of spirit as New Zealand soldiers showed tremendous courage and sacrifice in the face of adversity This single event is sometimes referred to as The Birth of a Nation; New Zealand "Although Anzac Day remains closely linked to its Gallipoli origins over time come to commemorate and embrace New Zealanders involvement in other conflicts and subsequent peacekeeping operations throughout the world." A display board commemorating the 18 WWI soldiers from Arrowtown who made the ultimate sacrifice was recently commissioned by Arrowtown RSA and now sits next to the Cenotaph They all also been memorialised with local landmark and road names The Arrowtown service also included a rendition of The Last Post a speech by Wakatipu High School pupil Joseph Hurndell and the national anthems of New Zealand and Australia Hurndell said as a child he'd been unable to properly grasp the significance of Anzac Day the determination and bravery of the soldiers knowing every day their names could end up engraved in stone I now realise those names on the Memorial are not just labels people with hopes and ambitions never realised and people who's potential was never fully reached "Each name up there is a life that was cut short and with it the promise of could have been all so that future generations could live safely." as those who are left grow old;Age shall not weary them nor the years condemn.At the going down of the sun and in the morning,We will remember them.Lest we Forget.For the Fallen Tourist hotspots are seeing a rise in hotel room rates with international visitor numbers back to 86 percent of pre-Covid levels Data from Hotel Data NZ says overall room rates were up in Queenstown with a 6.5 percent increase to $239 for rooms available in Queenstown for the year ending 31 March Room rates in Christchurch were up 5 percent and 3 percent in Rotorua though rates were down 10 percent in the main centres of Auckland and Wellington Colliers International director Derrek Anderson said rates were falling in Auckland and the capital for different reasons "In Auckland there is an increased supply of hotel rooms that has impacted the numbers while the city would benefit from a greater number of major events," he said "Next year's opening of the New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC) looks promising for the city and projections from the NZICC suggest the facility will attract 33,000 new international visitors to New Zealand which equates to 101,000 additional visitor nights." He said Wellington continued to struggle in the wake of cutbacks in government spending occupancy and average daily rates are down due to the central government's reduction in spending but we do not see this as a long-term shift and expect demand to bounce back in line with the broader New Zealand economy." Anderson said buying interest in hotels from investors was already bounding back "As the official cash rate continues to drop in New Zealand we expect that will boost transaction numbers despite the backdrop of geopolitical uncertainty that investors are currently navigating "The recent sale of the InterContinental Auckland to an offshore purchaser underscores the long-term prospects of the New Zealand market as we move forward in our economic recovery." The Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands (HANMI) wants the restoration and expansion of flight services from Japan and China post-Covid pandemic recovery Locals hope the 25-storey tower will help solve a visitor accommodation shortage Japan is home to 27,000 natural hot springs but a surge in tourism has left some low on water and local officials are feeling anything but zen Protesters picketed a Queenstown wastewater plant as they called on the council to scrap plans to discharge treated sewage into a local river Last week Queenstown Lakes District councillors were briefed behind closed doors about dumping more than 12,000 cubic metres of treated effluent per day into the Shotover River The council said it needed to act to address uncontrolled discharges and a rising bird strike risk but it was confident water quality would not be impacted But protesters said the river was at risk and the council had not been transparent The protest near the plant started hours before the council was due to go public with the plan Their signs included 'Toot not to Pollute' and 'Save Our Rivers' prompting a cacophony of honks from drivers Queenstown Community Action co-organiser Nikki Macfarlane said the council had a history of a lack of transparency and poor communication It wasn't being communicated to the public It also wasn't being communicated to councillors and then on top of that there was constant misinformation that there wasn't a problem here," she said The district council said it was being forced to use emergency powers under the Resource Management Act because the Shotover Wastewater Plant's disposal field had failed due to poor design It meant discharging was expected to start within days Council infrastructure operations manager Simon Mason they needed to act because the disposal field used to discharge treated wastewater into the ground was already discharging into the river He also raised concerns that ponding water was attracting water fowl and increasing the risk of bird strike to nearby aviation Issues with the field used to discharge wastewater into the ground became apparent in 2021 and the council had tried to fix the problem But it had degraded to the extent that it was deemed not fit for purpose since about the middle of last year They investigated alternatives including expanding the field bird netting and exploring ways to remediating it but he said they concluded that the discharge option was the most appropriate strategy until they could develop a long term solution That solution could be five years away using money set aside in the council's long term plan The council wanted to give people confidence in their Shotover River plan "We will be doing extensive additional ecological monitoring with the river environments to provide ourselves and the community with confidence that this action's not having adverse effects." It would not deter him from using the river I'd happily have my children swimming there." Queenstown Lakes District Council property and infrastructure general manager Tony Avery said the effluent would be highly treated and the council was confident water quality would not be impacted "We're going to meet bathing water standards beyond the mixing zone which is a pretty standard measure "We're not talking about contaminating the water." He did not feel the same about the current uncontrolled discharges from the disposal field saying there were serious concerns about human health and they could not manage the risk Avery said using emergency powers would allow them to act immediately and then apply for retrospective consent instead of a year-long wait for a resource consent It would translate to about 12,000 cubic metres of treated wastewater being discharged directly into the river each day Protesters outside the plant chanted "QLDC Quail Rise resident Lindsay said the council should be ashamed of lack of transparency as he only found out about the plan when the whisteblower councillor spoke out The plant has failed multiple times in recent years He wanted to see councillors swim in the river if they believed the dumping of effluent would not impact river quality Yvonne Assié said it was putting a much-loved river at risk There's so much going on in the Shotover River and it's a taonga," she said David George drove over from Cromwell to join the protest green image in New Zealand and the fact that this is taking place and this a premier tourist site in New Zealand .. A decision on the plan is expected within days In January the Otago Regional Council sought an enforcement order from the Environment Court to address repeated breaches at the treatment plant Chief executive Richard Saunders said the council had been notified that the district council was considering using emergency works provisions "This is a decision for them to make as the operators of the treatment plant," he said the district council would need formally notify within seven days of discharging and lodge a resource consent application within 20 working days Saunders said the process with the Environment Court was ongoing and the regional council continued to monitor the discharge from the plant "Testing to date shows that discharges from the plant remain compliant with the parameters set in the resource consent." Central Otago sits downstream of the Shotover River Mayor Tamah Alley said her council wanted assurances including regular monitoring and for those results to be released to them to ensure there was no impact on the district's drinking water supplies "This would be critical to giving everyone comfort that the treated wastewater posed no risk," she said "Our communities' expectations and aspirations for our environment are increasing "They want to hear directly from councils how we are meeting our obligations not just to those we serve but those downstream from decision making." Queenstown Lakes District Council (QDLC) said it's been given two notices after failing to stop partially treated wastewater from spilling off the site of a local treatment plant and potentially… Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) and Queenstown Multicultural Festival Trust (QMFT) are delighted to bring back the Queenstown Multicultural Festival on 15 March from 10.00am to 6.00pm at the Queenstown Events Centre QMFT Lead Organiser Eric Lim encouraged the community to share in a vibrant celebration of the district’s rich cultural tapestry creativity and community spirit that makes our place a truly global village,” said Mr Lim “We’re expecting a big crowd this year with around 54 vendors including 41 diverse food stalls and 13 cultural booths QMFT is partnering with QLDC for its third annual gathering since 2022 Queenstown Lakes Mayor Glyn Lewers said it’s been fantastic to see the festival grow into one of the district’s most valued events arts and stories from around the world come to life “This year the festival aligns with New Zealand Race Relations Day learn from each other and enjoy the richness of our diverse communities,” said Mayor Lewers “I’d encourage everyone in our community to take the opportunity to experience this unique festival and maybe even discover something new,” he said 21 March also marks the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination which is observed globally QLDC Welcoming Communities Coordinator Silvia Dancose said she was excited to see the festival come to life after seeing the huge efforts behind the scenes by a team of committed volunteers “I know this will be a day packed with culture and fun judging by all the hard work by our community volunteers and I really hope the wider community will come along to show their support,” said Ms Dancose “We are proud to support such a wonderful event that brings the community together and encourages a welcoming and inclusive community,” she said Mr Lim also encouraged attendees to embrace a go-green mindset by biking or walking to the festival whenever possible In collaboration with the Lightfoot Initiative a dedicated bike parking area will be available at the venue making it easier for festivalgoers to reduce their carbon footprint while enjoying the event Head to www.queenstownmulticulturalfestival.co.nz/ to find out more Media contact: communications@qldc.govt.nz or call 03 441 1802 Multicultural Festival Organiser: info@queenstownmulticulturalfestival.co.nz or call 021 143 1332 The Queenstown Multicultural Festival is one of the actions included in the Queenstown Lakes District Welcoming Plan 2024-2027 To read the Queenstown Lakes District Welcoming Plan 2024-2027 go to www.qldc.govt.nz/community/welcoming-communities To get in touch with the festival organisers head to info@queenstownmulticulturalfestival.co.nz  The Queenstown Multicultural Festival event welcomes koha (donations) QLDC's Environmental Health team is supporting community food vendors by providing food safety training and a brochure on Food Safety Tips translated into multiple languages which can be found at www.qldc.govt.nz/food-safety QMFT is a recipient of the annual QLDC Events Grant. The 2025 Events Grant will be open for applications 1-30 April. More details here www.qldc.govt.nz/events-fund Queenstown Multicultural Festival 2023 photo images to be credited to Tomomi Ito. For more choices of images please contact the Multicultural Festival Organiser: info@queenstownmulticulturalfestival.co.nz or call 021 143 1332 Jetstar flight JQ293 was forced to return to Auckland after failing to land in Queenstown Multiple flights in and out of Queenstown have been cancelled or diverted due to strong winds Queenstown Airport said strong crosswinds were disrupting flights this afternoon “Please check the flight tracker on our website or with your airline for the latest information before heading to the airport.” Air New Zealand said it had cancelled 10 services in and out of Queenstown as a result of wind shear and crosswinds “Our teams are rebooking affected customers and we are hoping conditions will ease later this evening as forecasted.” “We recommend customers travelling in and out of Queenstown today keep an eye on the Air NZ app and the arrivals and departures page on our website for the latest updates.” JetStar JQ293 from Auckland to Queenstown was forced to turn around and return to Auckland Qantas QF121 from Sydney to Queenstown was diverted to Christchurch Sign up to The Daily H A police spokeswoman said emergency services were called to the Ben Lomond track at about 10.45am this morning because a mountain biker in their 60s had collapsed She said the biker appeared to have suffered a heart attack Di celebrating her last day teaching with some St Joseph’s pupils after her school farewell cleaned up squid ink-coloured vomit in a remote hut been called ‘the Mrs’ by five-year-old boys while another tiny tot secretly assured her his brother was home “printing real money”.Di Ramsey has been primary teaching in Queenstown for 40 years and retired from her role at St Joseph’s last Thursday (10 April) after 30 years at that school.Prior to that Di taught for 10 years at Queenstown Primary School.Best known for her singing prowess on stage in leading Showbiz and Queenstown Musical Society shows Di’s led numerous school choirs and taught musical instruments.Dunedin-raised Di taught in Alexandra and Cromwell before scoring the drama and music role at Queenstown Primary in 1985 much to the disapproval of the then principal an ex-military pressure cooker teaching graduate who opposed her appointment ‘You’re young and far too confident and I’m just letting you know we will be getting rid of you’,” she grins “I was baffled and sat in the corner of the staffroom where Zandra Buttar thought I must be the book rep and kept asking me the price of things,” Di chuckles Home and School Committee chairman Garrick Tremain embraced the vibrant “Next thing we had a keyboard which Mark Douglas loved as he could push one key and have accompaniment while writing his hilarious take on fairytale shows.”Long-time principal Mel Gazzard then arrived He changed our year levels every two years though but now I’m so grateful as I’ve been able to teach at any level.”After spending six months in New Mexico while husband Brian was working there Di was welcomed by Sister Jane at St Joseph’s her own Catholic schooling kicking in.She’s held various fulltime and part-time roles starting the job early in her own first pregnancy “Daughter Kimberly’s graduation speech said she was pleased to never have to be taught by Mum again,” Di laughs.Dubbed ‘The Little School with the Big Heart’ teaching at St Joseph’s has been “like a family” “I’ve never had a desire to teach anywhere else,” she says “The Year 8’s are so involved with the new entrants all given a Korowai passed down from their graduating Big Buddies.”However it took four days to get the very large red clown lips and nose paint off after she’d been clown at the Queenstown School Fair Then there was the tummy bug that circulated Stewart Island camp one boy losing the entire bag of blackballs he’d eaten on the sailing over “It was like squid ink staining the floor and we couldn’t get it off,” she laughs much to the kids’ amusement.Then there was the little boy whose brother was absent but helping their older brother “make money on a special machine and special paper” “I found out later the older brother dabbled in the sharemarket,” Di smiles.Just recently she overheard five-year-old boys at the making table whispering That’s what my dad calls my mum.”She’s not only taught ukelele and organised and led countless school productions and choirs in what the kids dubbed her flash pink “choir frock” has also taught soft material technology.A special liturgy was held at St Joseph’s Church on Thursday to celebrate Di’s contribution to the school.“Di has had a wonderfully positive impact in the lives of countless children and families here in our community over a very long time “We’re very grateful to Di and her family for giving so generously.” Di dressed up as a clown with pupil Mark Teviotdale at the Queenstown Primary School Fair around the late 80s A man is in a critical condition in hospital after being found with head injuries in Queenstown on Tuesday morning Police said the 33-year-old overseas national was found lying in Turner Street at about 6am Senior Sergeant Glenn Wilkinson said police were trying to work out how he was hurt and want to hear from anyone with information that might help their investigation The man was believed to be in the vicinity of Turner Street and Hallenstein Streets from about 2am Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday Senior Sergeant Glenn Wilkinson said the 33-year-old overseas national had been taken to Queenstown Lakes Hospital in a critical condition after he was found on Turner St at around 6am on Tuesday. "Police are making urgent enquiries to determine how the man came to be injured," he said. The man appeared to be in the vicinity of Turner and Hallenstein streets from around 2am. Wilkinson said: "Police would like to hear from anyone who was in the area at the time who may have information to assist the investigation." Anyone with relevant information should contact police on 105. St John said it was notified of the incident but that its assistance was not required. Turner St, Queenstown. (Source: Google Maps) Police are investigating after a man was found critically injured on a Queenstown street with serious head injuries this morning. Controls lifted at Otago poultry farm after bird flu virus eradicated The highly pathogenic bird flu strain H7N6 was detected in poultry at a commercial egg farm in Otago in early December last year Health Lambs euthanised after stock truck rolls in Otago Emergency services were called to the crash at 12.38pm on State Highway 1 between Clinton and Balclutha New Zealand 'Fly high wee little man': Dunedin boy A family friend said he was "a bright and adventurous little boy who filled every room with joy" Dunedin museum closed after cracks found in chimney stack The Gasworks Museum will be closed for at least a week while an assessment is carried out Wild Dunedin festival claims national mass yoga record A sea of yoga mats filled Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin as 623 people moved through downward dog in unison Otago University removes artist John Middleditch's sculpture A sculpture by the convicted child sex offender has been removed from the university's Dunedin campus Crime and Justice Judge orders arrest of man over plot targeting Lady Gaga concert 3:25pm EU launches drive to lure scientists after Trump freezes funding 3:14pm Auditor-General launches probe into school lunches 2:57pm Man charged after gun allegedly fired in Masterton MSD office 2:45pm Police plea after 'oversight' left Bondi killer without help 2:18pm Sullivan's four-try onslaught highlights Chiefs' vulnerabilities 2 mins ago 1Two men's shared name brings years of trouble and a hefty bill to one Bystanders prevent attempted abduction of Auckland primary student Kiwi motorcyclist killed in 11-bike British Supersport crash Photos: Lorde among stars at 2025 Met Gala Vandals in 4WDs mow down, destroy 38 pōhutukawa trees in Napier Photos: Lorde among stars at 2025 Met Gala A$AP Rocky and Rihanna also revealed they are expecting their third child. Two arrested over alleged plot targeting Lady Gaga concert in RioBrazilian police said they thwarted an alleged bomb attack planned for Lady Gaga's concert on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro. Lady Gaga rocks Copacabana Beach with free concert for over 2 million fansSun, May 4 Lorde announces new album name, dateThu, May 1 Kim Kardashian to testify in Paris trial over 2016 armed robberyMon, Apr 28 Chubby Checker, Outkast, Cyndi Lauper join Rock & Roll Hall of FameMon, Apr 28 Kim Kardashian to testify in Paris trial over 2016 armed robberyMon Police are investigating after a man was found critically injured on a Queenstown street with serious head injuries this morning Senior Sergeant Glenn Wilkinson said the 33-year-old overseas national had been taken to Queenstown Lakes Hospital in a critical condition after he was found on Turner St at around 6am on Tuesday "Police are making urgent enquiries to determine how the man came to be injured," he said The man appeared to be in the vicinity of Turner and Hallenstein streets from around 2am Anyone with relevant information should contact police on 105 St John said it was notified of the incident but that its assistance was not required Strict movement controls have been lifted from an Otago poultry farm following the eradication of a pathogenic strain of avian influenza in chickens at the premises The highly pathogenic bird flu strain H7N6 was detected in poultry at Mainland Poultry’s Hillgrove Farm in early December prompting restrictions to be put in place and the culling of tens of thousands of chickens in the weeks following Minsitry for Primary Industries (MPI) moved swiftly to implement strict movement controls on the property to prevent goods or anything else that might be carrying the virus leaving the property Chickens on the farm were humanely euthanised and disposed of in a secure landfill This was followed by an extensive cleaning and disinfection process Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) chief veterinary officer Mary Van Andel said more than 5600 tests have been carried out on samples from poultry and wild birds including from 36 flocks across 5 farms linked to Mainland's Hillgrove property "HPAI was not found anywhere other than Hillgrove giving confidence that the disease had been contained and stamped out," she said "The processes we have followed – depopulation and disposal decontamination of the site and extensive surveillance – give us confidence that the virus has been eradicated." "While there is still work to be done the lifting of movement controls is a significant milestone in the response and means that Mainland Poultry can begin the process of returning to business." Van Andel thanked Mainland Poultry for notifying MPI promptly when the disease was suspected and working to stamp it out successfully "Good progress is being made to restore trade with around $300 million of trade in poultry products recovered to date.” Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard praised the collaboration among industries and "rapid action" taken to contain and stamp out the disease "Rapid action on behalf of the farmer and MPI to stand up a response and restrict movements paid off Tracing did not detect any HPAI-infected chickens beyond the farm where the disease originated He said this has been "important work" as New Zealand's robust biosecurity system and the relative freedom from pests and disease plays a role in farmers' competitive advantage "This was the first detection of HPAI in New Zealand and it tested some of the plans that are being developed for the arrival of HPAI H5N1 "It certainly provides a timely reminder that all New Zealanders have a role to play in being prepared and that is through strong biosecurity as an essential first line of defence." A seven-year-old Dunedin boy who died after a car crash in the Catlins has been described as a "bright Police have named O'siah Prasad as the boy who died after a single-vehicle crash at Ōwaka last month More than $10,000 has been donated to honour his memory and help support his family through a Givealittle page A family friend who created the page said his presence brought so much love and warmth and his loss had left an unimaginable void and adventurous little boy who filled every room with joy." friends and family described as a handsome I enjoyed getting to know you and I was proud to be your big buddy at school last year I will miss seeing you around at school," one person said Another said their heart had shattered for his whānau The cause of the crash was being investigated rnz.co.nz Dunedin’s Gasworks Museum will close for at least a week while an assessment is carried out after cracks were discovered in the site's chimney stack A member of the public last week noticed a lightning rod running up the structure “was no longer flush with the brickwork” Dunedin City Council group manager property services Anna Nilsen said A drone assessment found recent cracks in the brickwork “The chimney is regularly inspected and, while we can’t be sure, we suspect the cracks may have been caused by last month’s large 6.8 magnitude earthquake." centred off the southwest coast of the South Island was felt by thousands when it struck on the afternoon of March 25 made the decision to close the site as a "precautionary measure" while further investigations were underway “The closure will be for an initial period of one week while we assess the situation and consider options “This also has the potential to impact surrounding businesses and we’re working proactively to keep everyone informed.” Nilsen said the museum acknowledged the disruption to businesses “We’ll be working as quickly as we can to confirm next steps and we’ll know more over the coming days.” The council has asked for an engineer’s report on the structure A sea of yoga mats filled Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin as 623 people moved through downward dog in unison today setting a new national record for the largest yoga gathering The one-hour mass yoga session launched the NatureDome celebration part of the Wild Dunedin Festival of Nature and Jenna McLaughlin led the one-hour session which drew participants from across Otago and as far away as Christchurch said Wild Dunedin marketing manager Charlie Buchan Buchan claimed the turnout more than doubled the previous national record of 300 The yoga session was one of over 150 events featured at the festival which aims to connect people with the natural world through activities across the city Thousands visited the NatureDome throughout the day and a family screening of Disney's Moana Entertainer Suzy Cato teamed up with singer Anika Moa for a live performance and led children in singing a specially written rock anthem Buchan said the success of the yoga session and wider festival reflected the growing interest in nature-based community events "The success of the NatureDome and the record-breaking yoga session is something we're immensely proud of It's not only a fantastic boost for the local community and wider region but a national achievement for a festival that New Zealand can be proud of," he said rnz.co.nz Warning: This story deals with child sexual abuse A sculpture by convicted child sex offender John Middleditch has been removed from the University of Otago's Dunedin campus prominent artist was convicted in December 1976 of eight charges of indecently assaulting girls aged between eight and 11 who accused Middleditch of sexually abusing her as a child in the 1970s complained about his artwork on display at Dunedin Hospital The university said it removed the Eleven Bronze Rods Supporting Albatross Wingspan sculpture on Friday after reviewing its ownership of the artwork Registrar Dr David Clark said a panel agreed to remove the sculpture aligned with its commitment to provide a safe environment given the knowledge they now had about Middleditch's offending and convictions "Knowledge of this offending changes the nature of the relationship between the university community and the work concerned and its removal from public display reflects a need to re-think the place that the work has in the university," Clark said The six-person panel consulted a wide range of people and included sexual violence support and prevention expertise The panel was expected to finish its final report in the next few weeks and Clark confirmed the university would review any further recommendations and a plaque naming him in front of his water fountain sculpture at Dunedin Hospital were removed RNZ has contacted Tūhura Otago Museum about its intentions with the convicted sex offender's artwork rnz.co.nz A Brazilian judge today ordered the arrest of a man suspected of being involved in an alleged plot to place explosives at a concert by singer Lady Gaga in Rio de Janeiro Judge Fabiana Pagel of the Rio Grande do Sul state court did not name the suspect in her ruling but said he is a man investigated by Rio de Janeiro police as the alleged mastermind of the plot said yesterday they had released a man under investigation for the alleged plot after he paid his bail Brazilian media reported that is the same man jailed today by Judge Pagel Rio police did not reveal names of either of its two suspects or show images of the explosives that the alleged plotters intended to use said authorities believed the suspects sought to target Brazil’s LGBTQ community The Rio event on Sunday was the biggest show of the pop star’s career attracting an estimated 2.5 million fans to Copacabana Beach with 5200 military and police officers deployed to the beach where fans were revelling The European Union launched a drive to attract scientists and researchers to Europe with offers of grants and new policy plans after the Trump administration froze US government funding linked to diversity no one would have imagined that one of the biggest democracies in the world would cancel research programs under the pretext that the word diversity was in this programme," French President Emmanuel Macron said at the Choose Europe for Science event in Paris "No one would have thought that one of the biggest democracies in the world would delete the ability of one researcher or another to obtain visas," Macron said Taking the same stage at the Sorbonne University European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the EU’s executive branch would set up a "super grant" programme aimed at offering "a longer-term perspective to the very best" in the field She said that €500 million (NZ$948 million) would be put forward in 2025-2027 "to make Europe a magnet for researchers" It would be injected into the European Research Council which already has a budget of more than €16 billion (NZ$30 billion) for 2021-2027 Von der Leyen said the 27-nation EU intended "to enshrine freedom of scientific research into law" with a new legal act As "the threats rise across the world Europe will not compromise on its principles" The White House responded by describing DEI as "an inherently discriminatory policy" "If the European Union wants to embrace policies that divide rather than focus on real scientific discovery they should not be surprised when US innovation continues to outpace Europe," said spokesperson Anna Kelly "America will continue to attract and cultivate the best talent in science Macron said that the French government would also soon make new proposals to beef up investment in science and research hundreds of university researchers in the United States had National Science Foundation funding cancelled to comply with US President Donald Trump’s order to end support for research on diversity More than 380 grant projects have been cut so far including work to combat internet censorship in China and Iran and a project consulting with Indigenous communities to understand environmental changes in Alaska’s Arctic region Some terminated grants that sought to broaden the diversity of people studying science researchers and doctors have taken to the streets in protest While not mentioning the Trump administration by name von der Leyen said that it was "a gigantic miscalculation" to undermine free and open research "We can all agree that science has no passport "We believe that diversity is an asset of humanity and the lifeblood of science It is one of the most valuable global assets and it must be protected." Von der Leyen's drive to promote opportunities in Europe in the field of science and take advantage of US policy shifts dovetails with the way that she has played up the potential for trade deals with other countries since Trump took office in January and sparked a tariff war last month vowed that the EU would also address some of the roadblocks that scientists and researchers faced notably excessive red tape and access to businesses Macron said science and research must not "be based on the diktats of the few" Macron said Europe "must become a refuge" for scientists and researchers and he said to those who feel under threat elsewhere: "The message is simple The Auditor-General's office has announced plans for an inquiry into the school lunch programme that has drawn criticism since a revamp It will cover Ministry of Education planning procurement and contract implementation under David Seymour's alternative model Terms of reference for the inquiry set out its scope: The Auditor-General's office said it decided to investigate because of concerns raised about aspects of the revised lunch programme and what the Ministry communicated with previous providers," it said "Because of the importance of these services we have decided to carry out an inquiry." the Office noted the ministry had in October last year awarded a two-year contract to the School Lunch Collective under which lunches would be provided for $3 each The ministry was also reported to have paid a further $8.9m to the collective for Year 9 and older students which had been part of the School Lunch Collective A further $4m grant was provided to KidsCan for a food programme in Early Childhood Education services rnz.co.nz A 25-year-old man has appeared in court after he allegedly fired a gun at another person inside a Ministry of Social Development office in Masterton yesterday Police were called to the incident on Lincoln Rd at around 12.40pm on Monday Wairarapa Area Commander Inspector Nick Thom said there were no reports of injuries from the incident "Following police's initial enquiries one person was taken into custody a short time later nearby." Cordons were put in place around the area and some staff were armed as a precaution Thom said it was believed to be an isolated incident with no wider risk to the public "Police would like to commend Ministry of Social Development staff for their prompt actions in following their lockdown procedures as this enabled police to provide a swift response to resolve this incident quickly." A 25-year-old man appeared in Masterton District Court today charged with unlawful possession of a firearm and conducting a dangerous act with intent to cause grievous bodily harm A coroner is likely to recommend improvements after an overworked police force failed to connect a mass killer to the mental health system before his unprovoked attack had been diagnosed with schizophrenia as a teen and was experiencing psychotic symptoms when he killed six people and injured 10 at Sydney's Westfield Bondi Junction in April 2024 An inquest has been told Queensland Police had a number of chances to plug him back into mental health treatment and medication ahead of the tragedy Cauchi was homeless and living apart from his family in Toowoomba when he was shot dead by police during his stabbing rampage He had stopped taking his medication in 2019 and stopped seeing a psychiatrist in 2020 Queensland police officers made several calls for change including greater numbers of mental health officers within the force They also suggested that laws regarding when mentally ill people could be forced to take an involuntary psychiatric examination be amended to be less confusing manager of the Queensland police's vulnerable persons unit said the changes were needed to prevent the criminalisation of those with mental illness "Mental health shouldn't just be a police response," he told the NSW Coroners Court "It's a no-brainer to me that there should be appropriate responses that are health-led." Counsel assisting Peggy Dwyer said that changing legislation around police powers was "shaping up to be a significant recommendation" at the inquest This week's evidence has focused on one particular incident in January 2023 when Cauchi called police to his family's Toowoomba home He accused his father Andrew of stealing his collection of knives telling attending officers that they had to be returned or he would become bankrupt or homeless A follow-up visit to the Cauchi family home was requested and the fill-in police mental health incident co-ordinator for the Darling Downs region saw the email — but he forgot to action it due to an "oversight" the co-ordinator he was filling in for backed the officer "His oversight on that email is devastating," she said "It's not indicative of him as an officer or how he performed my role." She also backed a call for further assistance saying police officers were under greater pressure due to increasing numbers of call-outs relating to mental health despite not being trained in this area "If it's not bleeding and it's not on fire the police are the people who have to attend," she said police were called to Cauchi's unit in Brisbane after residents heard a man screaming and the sound of someone being hit He told attending officers that he had been slamming his fridge Cauchi was also pulled over three times in 2020 and 2021 by highway patrol police for erratic driving The Chiefs are putting their faith in first-five Damian McKenzie recovering from a hand injury in time to play the Crusaders in what is a pivotal game in Christchurch on Saturday But just as important to the Super Rugby Pacific leaders will be improving a defence which leaked 26 unanswered points in the second half of their 35-17 defeat to the Hurricanes It was an uncharacteristic defensive lapse by a usually highly consistent side who retained their place at the top of the table thanks to their superior points differential compared with the Crusaders the Chiefs face Moana Pasifika in Hamilton and the Highlanders in Dunedin in the run in to the playoffs – games very much in the winnable category although the former have surprised a few this season The Crusaders’ run-in features the Waratahs in Sydney the Highlanders in Christchurch and a potentially difficult trip to Canberra to play the third-placed Brumbies Every team has looked vulnerable at times this season The Crusaders’ two losses came against the Chiefs in Hamilton and a shock defeat to Moana Pasifika — both heavy although they did escape a Hurricanes’ comeback in Wellington in round nine They also needed two James O’Connor penalties in the final 10 minutes to beat the Blues a week later But the Chiefs’ downfall at the weekend was as unexpected as it was spectacular after they led 17-9 at the break Replacement wing Bailyn Sullivan made history when scoring all four of the Hurricanes’ tries after the break as the home side too easily unlocked the Chiefs’ defence via a long pass a break through Cortez Ratima and Shaun Stevenson close to the line an excellent wide cross-kick by Ruben Love and a shorter grubber kick by Riley Higgins Getting McKenzie back on the field after he missed the last two weekends for the Chiefs will be important for their game management but a Crusaders attack that ran in six tries against the Highlanders last time out will threaten them in different ways the Crusaders may be without All Black Will Jordan Jordan has played in all 10 Crusaders matches this season and head coach Rob Penney has been guarded about Jordan's rest plan of his All Blacks No.10 McKenzie: “Everything's tracking in the direction that he should be available but we won't count our chickens before they hatch.” the defending champion Blues must win in Suva against the Drua to force their way back into the playoffs mix after being overtaken for the sixth and final spot by Moana Pasifika Moana Pasifika beat the Highlanders 34-29 in Dunedin – their first win over the southerners in another Ardie Savea-inspired performance Shane William Pritchard has been charged with crimes he didn’t commit and chased for debts he doesn’t owe That’s because the Dunedin man is not the only Shane William Pritchard in town While the duo’s shared name and age has sometimes been a handy loophole for one Shane for the other it has caused problems for 36 years It’s been years of fearing every knock on the door Years of wondering if he’ll be hand-cuffed and taken to jail to be honest,” says Shane William Pritchard a scout and a member of the Air Training Corp remembers getting quite a shock when her friend called one evening She'd been acting as a referee for a gun licence for Shane whose friend informed her that the police had a long list of offences against Shane’s name Not long after that the police turned up to where Shane was working at the local tannery to arrest him “You're scrambling in your head to think of ways that you can prove it's not you.” Another Shane William Pritchard had been born in Otago They were separated by just two weeks and about 50 miles – one growing up in Mosgiel the other in Milton – but also by the lives they’d been leading To watch the full video story go to TVNZ+ Shane from Milton had huge problems focusing at school He was raised in foster care and then boys’ homes I just wanted to look cool and get in trouble,” he tells Fair Go Milton Shane was used to run-ins with police he got pulled over in his car and asked about his driving licence one’s got a licence and the other hasn’t.’ And I’m like ‘obviously it must be the one with a licence’.” he went to his bank to draw out an ACC payment and was asked which bank account was his He says that at that point he was trying to figure out what was going on “I thought it was just an error.” But he took advantage of the situation and withdrew a large sum of cash Mosgiel Shane became aware of the withdrawal when a scheduled car payment was declined and when Milton Shane turned up at the bank to withdraw more money Identity fraud was considered but Milton Shane was legitimately expecting an ACC payment so the withdrawal appeared to be a genuine mistake and the police couldn’t take any action 'Anything I could get away with Mosgiel Shane thought the bank incident would have alerted police to the problem But his nemesis had cottoned on to the advantages of having a second identity to use Milton Shane acquired a suite of furniture on hire-purchase Milton-Shane clocked up more driving offences Mosgiel Shane thought about changing his name but realised he’d have to provide his previous name in the process the courts and debt collectors such as Baycorp should be able to distinguish between himself and Milton Shane The police first addressed the issue in the 1990s after Mosgiel Shane went to the media He was given a letter to carry with him should he be apprehended He and his parents felt his situation wasn’t being taken seriously Mosgiel Shane went to the media a second time in the mid-2000s the police gave their word that a record in their system would stop the misidentification from happening again This does appear to have worked as far as police action goes But while Mosgiel Shane was given the same reassurance by the Ministry of Justice he continued to receive demands from the courts for unpaid fines He’d also get stopped and questioned whenever he left the country for work trips or holidays It took a huge toll on Mosgiel Shane’s mental health not realising the constant stress it placed on his life John Pritchard says that at times his son felt his life wasn’t worth living worrying about what he was going to do to himself and that really ate me up.” he and his son were in tears as Shane admitted he was at breaking point He described going for days at a time unable to eat or sleep wondering what might happen next "Am I going to be in a position where they've got me in handcuffs or I've got debt collectors coming to the door?" ...You're spiralling into this black hole." He started taking anti-anxiety medication which helped And events regarding Milton Shane seemed to settle Milton Shane was charged for fishing without a licence in Twizel and failing to comply with fisheries officers But a court registrar incorrectly entered the birth date of Mosgiel Shane in the system both Shanes were being chased to pay the $1530 fine It was Mosgiel Shane who spotted the error and rang the court He also sent a statement from his manager saying he’d not been fishing in Twizel that day The reply he got was to say he’d been given the wrong form and that they wouldn’t accept his proof They just wanted to know how I was going to pay the fine.” The first Milton Shane knew about this was when Fair Go told him Mosgiel Shane had been chased for the fine He was told to pay up or face the consequences feeling he shouldn’t have to pay good money to correct someone else’s mistake But it cost Mosgiel Shane over $5000 in legal fees and took months of back and forth between him “Why should anybody have to pay their own money to right somebody else's wrongs and prove who they are I’m sick and tired of proving who I am all the time.” He wanted the Ministry of Justice to take responsibility and reimburse him for his legal costs saying court staff such as the registrar in this case have immunity if they make mistakes such as the one made here and if I make a mistake and it's affecting my client that it's going to cost them money to rectify a mistake that I've made.” he deserves a million apologies from those guys,” she says Milton Shane told Fair Go he still gets in trouble but wants the other Shane to know he doesn’t use his birth date anymore And he had a message for him: “We’ve got to get it sorted for you so you can have a good life with you and your family because I’m trying to get my life together with my son and my grandson” He offers to meet to see if they can sort it out together but I’m not interested in meeting him,.” says Mosgiel Shane He says he doesn’t hold any grudges and accepts Milton Shane’s apology And he believes the only way for that to happen is for the courts and the Ministry of Justice to give him a guarantee that mix-ups won’t occur in the future Fair Go asked the Ministry of Justice to appear in person to apologise and provide reassurance to Shane of its plans to guard against these mistakes The Ministry declined our request to be on camera saying any comment on an individual case would compromise the independence of the courts as the Ministry operates separately But it did send a written apology directly to Mosgiel Shane It also admitted mistakes can occur in clerical records but said instructions were clear and the importance of getting things right had been emphasised to staff Mosgiel Shane isn’t totally convinced that’s the end of it “All I want is for the Ministry of Justice and the courts to do their job I'd like to live without this hanging over me all the time his criminal check has come back showing a clean slate A stranger allegedly tried to force an 8-year-old boy into a car outside an Auckland primary school yesterday before bystanders intervened and the man drove off Police confirmed they were investigating an incident from around 3pm on Monday outside Rowandale School in the suburb of Manurewa "Police are still working to understand exactly what was occurring at the time and our enquiries are ongoing," a spokesperson said "We have spoken with the boy and will continue to work through a careful process Rowandale School principal Karl Vasau said in a statement to social media that other parents had intervened "The student then made his way home and told his parents who then came into school to let us know and then they rung the police." Vasau told 1News the pupil was "doing fine" following the incident and was surrounded by a "supportive "Our student is safe now and his family are thankful that nothing further happened to their boy but are wanting us all to be aware and stay safe It's about working with that child to make them feel safe again but also looking forward to returning back to school with a little bit of normality." Police had reacted "pretty quickly" to the reports "They've been in this morning to touch base and connect the community police constables are going to come back to tomorrow to address the whole school in relation to what had happened and around keeping themselves safe before and after school." Increased police patrols would remain in the area after school from Wednesday Kiwi motorcyclist Shane Richardson is one of two riders who died in an 11-bike crash at a British Supersport Championship event was fatally injured alongside Englishman Owen Jenner on the first corner of the race at Oulton Park A statement from British Superbikes said the race was immediately stopped and trackside medical services deployed "Due to the extreme severity of the incident and ongoing medical intervention the remainder of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship event was cancelled," a spokesperson said "This catastrophic accident has tragically resulted in two riders being fatally injured and another sustaining significant injuries." Richardson was initially treated trackside and then taken to the circuit's medical centre before he was taken to Royal Stoke University Hospital with "severe chest injuries" Jenner was also initially treated trackside and then taken to the circuit medical centre where he died from a "catastrophic head injury" British rider Tom Tunstall suffered back and abdominal injuries and a further five riders including New Zealander Morgan McLaren-Wood were transferred to the circuit medical centre with minor injuries which did not require transfer to hospital Three more riders were also involved but were uninjured who was a previous New Zealand rider of the year Cemetery Circuit in Whanganui posted to its social media in tribute to Richardson a fantastic and talented racer and a genuine human" "Devastated to hear we have lost another of our racing family Our thoughts are with Hannah and the family along with our condolences to Owen’s family too." Richardson's sponsor Whites Powersports said the team was "extremely saddened" by the news of his death "Shane will be remembered by many as a great racer Our thoughts go out to Shane’s young family and friends during this tough time The New Zealand Superbike Championship said its "deepest sympathies" went out to Richardson's family and friends Lady Gaga gave a free concert Saturday night in front of 2 million fans who poured onto Copacabana Beach for the biggest show of her career (...) Thank you for making history with me,” Lady Gaga told a screaming crowd kicked off the show at around 22.10pm local time with her 2011 song Bloody Mary Cries of joy rose from the tightly-packed fans who sang and danced shoulder-to-shoulder on the vast stretch of sand Concert organisers said 2.1 million people attended the show switching between an array of dresses including one with the colours of the Brazilian flag Some fans – many of them young – arrived on the beach at the crack of dawn to secure a good spot “Today is the best day of my life,” said Manoela Dobes a 27-year-old designer who was wearing a dress plastered with a photograph from when she met Lady Gaga in the United States in 2019 Madonna also turned Copacabana Beach into a massive dance floor last year The large-scale performances are part of an effort led by City Hall to boost economic activity after Carnival and New Years’ Eve festivities and the upcoming month-long Saint John’s Day celebrations in June “It brings activity to the city during what was previously considered the low season – filling hotels and increasing spending in bars generating jobs and income for the population,” said Osmar Lima the city’s secretary of economic development in a statement released by Rio City Hall’s tourism department last month Rio’s City Hall said in a recent report that around 1.6 million people were expected to attend Lady Gaga's concert and that the show should inject at least 600 million reais (NZ$178.3 million) into Rio’s economy Similar concerts are scheduled to take place every year in May at least until 2028 Lady Gaga arrived in Rio in the early hours of Tuesday The city has been alive with Gaga-mania since as it geared up to welcome the pop star for her first show in the country since 2012 Rio’s metro employees danced to Lady Gaga’s 2008 hit song LoveGame and gave instructions for today in a video A free exhibition celebrating her career sold out While the vast majority of attendees were from Rio the event also attracted Brazilians from across the country and international visitors More than 500,000 tourists poured into the city in the days leading up to the show according to data from the local bus station and Tom Jobim airport Rio’s City Hall said in a statement yesterday made a cross-continent trip from Colombia to Brazil to attend the show “I’ve been a 100% fan of Lady Gaga my whole life,” said Serrano who was wearing a T-shirt featuring Lady Gaga’s outlandish costumes over the years the mega-star represents “total freedom of expression – being who one wants without shame” Rio officials have a history of organising huge concerts on Copacabana Beach Madonna’s show drew an estimated 1.6 million fans last year while 4 million people flooded onto the beach for a 1994 New Year’s Eve show by Rod Stewart in 1994 that was the biggest free rock concert in history sixteen sound towers were spread along the beach Rio state’s security plan included the presence of 3300 military and 1500 police officers Among those present were Lady Gaga admirers who remember their disappointment in 2017 when the artist cancelled a performance scheduled in Rio at the last minute due to health issues “She's the best artist in the world,” the 25-year-old said I love you” in Portuguese rose from the crowd behind him whose real name is Ella Yelich O'Connor which also displayed what appears to be the album cover art — an X-ray of a pelvis "100% written in blood," the website read The new album's announcement came a week after she released her latest single What Was That The song's music video was filmed at a mysterious pop-up event in New York City's Washington Square Park that was initially shut down by police. The event ended up going ahead after all, and fans who stayed got to hear the new song for the first time. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lorde (@lorde) It was the first sign of a follow-up to Lorde's previous album Her other albums were 2013's Pure Heroine and 2017's Melodrama she collaborated with British singer Charli XCX on a remix of Girl so confusing — on a re-release of the Grammy award-winning Brat Kim Kardashian thought she was going to be raped and killed when criminals broke into her bedroom in central Paris tied her up and stole more than US$6 million in jewellery 10 people will go on trial in Paris over the robbery abduction and kidnapping of the media personality and the concierge of the residence where she was staying during Paris Fashion Week the night of October 2 Kardashian’s lawyers said she will testify in person at the trial starting Monday and scheduled to run through May 23 "Ms Kardashian is reserving her testimony for the court and jury and does not wish to elaborate further at this time," they said "She has great respect and admiration for the French justice system and has been treated with great respect by the French authorities "She wishes the trial to proceed in an orderly fashion in accordance with French law and with respect for all parties to the case." In interviews and on her family’s reality TV show Kardashian has described being terrified as robbers pointed a gun at her In a 2020 appearance on David Letterman’s Netflix show she tearfully recalled thinking: "This is the time I’m going to get raped Twelve people were originally expected in the defendants’ box and another is seriously ill and can't be tried five of the 10 defendants were present at the scene of the robbery The French press has dubbed them The Granddad Robbers because the main defendants are elderly and have careers as bank robbers with long criminal records Kardashian told investigators she was taken to a bathroom next to her bedroom and placed in the bathtub Her attackers fled on bicycles or on foot and she managed to free herself by removing the tape from her hands and mouth She had also removed the tape from her feet and rushed to her stylist’s room She called her sister Kourtney to tell her about the theft Kardashian told investigators that she had not been injured adding that she wanted to leave France as soon as possible to be reunited with her children According to her testimony and that of the concierge at least one of the suspects had a handgun The gangsters stole many pieces of jewellery estimated to be worth more than US$6 million (NZ$10 million) Only one piece of jewellery — a diamond cross on platinum that was lost during the suspects' escape — has been recovered Two of the accused have partially confessed to the crime is one of two suspected robbers who allegedly entered the apartment his genetic profile was found on the tape used to gag Kardashian who was waiting for him in a parked car at a nearby train station The second robber said he tied up the concierge with cables but did not go up to Kardashian’s apartment said he acted as a lookout in the ground-floor reception area He said he was unarmed and did not personally threaten Kardashian but admitted he shared responsibility for the crime Abbas was arrested in January 2017 and spent 21 months in prison before being released under judicial supervision he co-authored a French-language book titled I Sequestered Kim Kardashian is the second alleged robber suspected of entering the flat although he was filmed by CCTV cameras and numerous telephone contacts with the other co-defendants show his involvement The other defendants are suspected of providing information about Kardashian’s presence in the apartment Others are accused of playing a role in the resale of the jewellery in Antwerp Joe Cocker and Bad Company will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame — in a class that also includes pop star Cyndi Lauper the rock duo the White Stripes and grunge masters Soundgarden the first female rap act to achieve gold and platinum status and the late singer-songwriter Warren Zevon will get the Musical Influence Award pianist Nicky Hopkins and bassist Carol Kaye will each get the Musical Excellence Award who sang at Woodstock and was best known for his cover of The Beatles’ With a Little Help From My Friends a member of Elvis Costello & The Attractions who argued that Cocker is "about as rock and roll as it gets" Soundgarden — with the late Chris Cornell as singer — get into the Hall on their third nomination They follow two other grunge acts in the Hall — Nirvana and Pearl Jam Bad Company get in having become radio fixtures with such arena-rock staples as Feel Like Makin’ Love Can’t Get Enough and Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy The Ahmet Ertegun Award — given to nonperforming industry professionals who had a major influence on music — will go to Lenny Waronker Some nominees that didn't get in this year included Mariah Carey and subsequent Let’s Twist Again are considered among the most popular songs in the history of rock 'n' roll The 83-year-old has expressed frustration that he hadn't been granted entry before including telling the AP in 2014: "I don’t want to get in there when I’m 85 years old so you better do it quick while I’m still smiling." Lauper rose to fame in the 1980s with hits such as Time After Time and Girls Just Want To Have Fun and went on to win a Tony Award for Kinky Boots have six Grammys and a reputation for pushing the boundaries of hip-hop The White Stripes — made up of Jack White and Meg White — were indie darlings in the early 2000s with such songs as Seven Nation Army Artists must have released their first commercial recording at least 25 years before they’re eligible for induction The induction ceremony will take place in Los Angeles this fall Nominees were voted on by more than 1200 artists historians and music industry professionals The selection criteria include "an artist’s impact on other musicians the scope and longevity of their career and body of work as well as their innovation and excellence in style and technique" Dave Matthews Band and singer-guitarist Peter Frampton were inducted The Whakatipu Transport Programme Alliance will return to Queenstown’s Gorge Rd this month to adjust a wastewater pipe laid just over 18 months ago It will be the fourth time the same section of road has been shut by the Alliance in two and a-half years an Alliance spokeswoman said they were returning to work on the "below-ground construction" of a section of the road involving "adjustment work to a wastewater pipe" and the rebuild of the footpath Queenstown Lakes District Council property and infrastructure general manager Tony Avery said a "quality assurance inspection" of the wastewater line had identified a "dip in the pipe" installed in August "We believe it’s related to issues that were encountered with a large concrete obstruction when the pipe was laid and this has affected the alignment of the pipe "The pipe needs to be re-laid to prevent ongoing maintenance issues." The west-bound lane of Gorge Rd will be closed with a two-way detour via Robins Rd while the work "The work will cause inconvenience to local businesses and residents but the Alliance are confident they will be able to complete the work within the 26-day timeframe and the wastewater network will operate as planned," Mr Avery said The reopening date may shift depending on "construction progress and any other unforeseen factors that may occur only reopening again midway through the following year it was shut again for more than two months for the "rebuild of the road the Alliance closed it again to install a traffic island The work was part of the controversial arterial road — officially opened on January 30 — which took more than three years to build and cost $128 million tracey.roxburgh@odt.co.nz who’s standing in for Mayor Glyn Lewers while the latter’s overseas says technical investigations now under way on the Shotover Delta and Frankton Flats could end up making councillors’ decision on the best option relatively clear-cut "It’s going to come down to which one is practical Councillors were presented with a shortlist of five disposal options at a workshop on Tuesday Selected by a council project team following a desktop analysis all five are confined to the delta or Frankton Flats with only one directly discharging to the Kawarau River Site investigations will continue until July with the preferred option to be presented to councillors for approval in September Until that option is up and running — the council’s given itself until late 2030 — treated effluent from the Shotover wastewater treatment plant will continue to directly discharge into the Shotover River Senior project manager Andrew Hill told councillors the five options ranged in estimated cost from $20 million to $200m a network of trenches on 90 hectares of land "in and around" Queenstown Airport was described by Cr Niki Gladding as "highly unfeasible" given its cost and land requirements in which wastewater would flow along one or two channels from the plant to the Kawarau was likely to meet minimum national standards but would not be supported by iwi The other three options are estimated to cost between $40m and $75m — within the $77.5m the council put aside in its long-term plan last year for developing a new disposal system Gladding asked why potential disposal sites outside the delta and Frankton Flats had not made the short list They included pasture land between the Kawarau River and the Park Ridge subdivision infrastructure operations manager Simon Mason said some areas had been ruled out because technical studies carried out for different purposes had shown they were unsuitable Smith says his preferred solution of the five is injection of wastewater into deep bores on the Frankton Flats "We’ve got to understand the capacity of that geology to cope It strikes him as a "middle-ground option" in terms of cost and complexity which would address iwi and broader community concerns about discharging to the river the council’s expected to lodge a retrospective consent application with the Otago Regional Council today for its direct discharge to the Shotover A local has told Queenstown Lakes District Councillors the streets were becoming "toilets and rubbish pits" It comes as part of a call for the council to crackdown on freedom campers Councillors voted to pursue a new freedom camping bylaw at a meeting on Thursday The old 2021 bylaw was quashed by the High Court last year after the Motor Caravan Association sought a judicial review Queenstown man Rob Greig told the council in the 40 years he had owned businesses in the area he had never seen this level of bad behaviour from freedom campers nightly and this is all times of the night we are getting campervan people who are camping on the street coming into Pinewood and by the time the staff go to collect them some of them overflowing with rubbish from the campervans." Queenstown Holiday Park owner Erna Spijkerbosch also addressed councillors during the public forum and said there were roads all over the district where vehicles parked up outside homes night after night "Slowly but surely the streets and the lake benches are becoming toilets and rubbish pits," she said "Strangers are parked on the road outside a home overnight urinating into the bushes and gardens we all tend to Council staff told the meeting freedom camping was a growing problem in the Queenstown Lakes area and enforcement options were limited due to the lack of a bylaw Staff said a concerning number of freedom campers were caught breaching national rules between last November and January most of which were about freedom campers not having a self-contained vehicle Poor behaviour also included rubbish dumping using the bushes as a toilet and campers blocking paths and carparks with their belongings Arthurs Point Community Association chairperson Andrew Blackford believed most residents would support stricter enforcement around freedom camping He had noticed a definite rise in the number of campers in the area "I bike to work via Park Street and I think I counted 20 campervans or vans of various descriptions parked up there at 7am this morning so they would've been there all overnight and there's no toilet facilities down there so what are these people doing in the middle of the night if nature calls." "I think nobody reasonably has any problem with freedom camping but it needs to be done in the right place with the right facilities." Queenstown mayor Glyn Lewers told the council meeting he thought it was time to start stepping up enforcement "I think we've really got to start nailing down some of these hotspots that are coming to the community I think get the bylaw sorted as quickly as you possibly can is my view," he said The council report said national legislation- the Freedom Camping Act- was not likely to be sufficient to manage the adverse effects of freedom camping across a large and isolated district that was highly popular with freedom campers The total number of overnight campers over 2024 was 7794 or more than double the number of overnight stays at the next most popular territorial authority area "Officers consider that freedom camping presents an important issue to the district's social "QLDC has a responsibility to manage freedom camping it is likely that a wide range of adverse effects will be experienced creating tension and dissatisfaction for residents and visitors alike," the report said New Zealand Motor Caravan Association chief executive Bruce Lochore said he would fully support the council bringing in a new bylaw as long as it correctly followed the Freedom Camping Act Freedom campers are welcome on the West Coast but too many are leaving unwanted deposits behind and a local mayor wants government help to clean up the problem A 2023 bylaw says people can camp at the Wairau Diversion for "two consecutive nights in any four-week period" - but freedom campers have found a workaround The Queenstown Lakes District Council's Freedom Camping Bylaw has been ruled invalid Freedom camping bans have been put in place at Queenstown council reserves at Lake Hayes the Shotover Delta and the Wanaka lakefront Queenstown Lakes councillors are being warned that increasing tourist pressures could trigger protests and local hostility if there is not urgent intervention and investment The prediction was laid bare in a report detailing a regional deal proposal between the Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes district councils and Otago Regional Council to address the region's critical needs and support sustainable economic growth over the next three decades Both regions have bounced back strongly in the wake of the pandemic but the report tabled at the Queenstown Lakes District Council meeting on Tuesday afternoon the Queenstown Lakes' Tourism Approval Rating score is the lowest in NZ Queenstown risks becoming the next Barcelona," the report said A case study of the Spanish destination detailed protests against tourism that garnered world-wide attention and created a reputation of local hostility which the report named the Queenstown Lakes as one of few New Zealand destination at risk of similar behaviour It comes at a time that the government wants to boost tourism numbers back to 2019 levels - which is sitting at about 82 percent of its pre-Covid visitor levels Visitor numbers have already recovered in the Queenstown Lakes with international arrivals at Queenstown Airport already 28 percent higher than 2019 levels But the report said high growth was already putting pressure on infrastructure and visitor growth was compromised "Planned 10-year water investments will unlock housing growth and current tools fail to ensure visitors and growth contribute to infrastructure costs," the report said "To meet the government's ambition for economic growth fuelled by tourism investment is required to maintain the visitor experience and resident quality of life." Resident's approval ratings to tourism had been decreasing consistently since the influx of tourists after the border reopened "This stark difference shows the precariousness of tourism's social license in this sub-region and highlights the urgent need to cultivate positive community attitudes by improving infrastructure and implementing effective destination management practices and encourage return visits," the report said The proposed regional deal listed different priorities and projects including increasing tourism productivity exploring partnerships with private investors to boost publicly-funded health services and addressing the region's housing and growth challenges by ensuring visitors contributed their fair share traffic congestion was forecast to worsen with peak hour trips forecast to double on key routes and by 2028 the 11 kilometre trip between Lake Hayes Estate and Queenstown Town Centre was forecast to regularly exceed an hour The proposal would look at a mix of funding options and tools including approaching the private sector exploring an accommodation levy for visitors using the international visitor levy to create a fund to help cover critical infrastructure costs public private partnerships and road pricing "This proposal asks for the tools and frameworks to realise the exciting potential of the sub-region at pace working with the private sector and iwi to deliver; the sub-region is ready to go and open for business," the report said councillors raised some concerns about the unknown and uncertainty of the proposal and how the other council votes might impact it but some said they believed there would be opportunities to explore any issues further as the work progressed Mayor Glyn Lewers said a lot had been done in two months to progress this work despite the often "limiting" framework "For those that are worried about this being the end game I'm just pointing out that the Manchester Deal has been running for 13 years now He believed the proposal would help the region come to the table with central government - as an equal - and help them to achieve things that councillors had been talking about for years "I'm constantly challenged by people of the public to be bold here's your chance councillors to be bold." Councillors gave the proposal a green light with plans to submit it to the Department of Internal Affairs later this month the proposal aimed to add billions of dollars of growth to the country's GDP over the next decade on top of the billions already forecast Back in 2019, residents voted in favour of a bed tax to help fund infrastructure in the resort town but it was put on the backburner during the pandemic The updated charge aimed for all visitors to fund about 30 percent of the infrastructure costs involved in supporting peak visitor numbers that were double the resident population in the Queenstown Lakes one speaker called on councillors to reconsider the location of a proposed Otago Central Lakes Hospital in Queenstown saying it would disadvantage people living in the Upper Clutha and a more equitable location should be sought The Otago Regional Council looks after Otago’s environment ensuring activities comply with legislation Council meetings and projects open for your participation and feedback The Otago Regional Council works with communities to preserve native animals and plants We ensure natural resources – such as our water Our harbourmaster keeps people safe on the water. We promote sustainable behaviours towards natural resources The Resource Management Act 1991 sets out how we should manage our environment and forms the foundation for many of our rules Learn how the Council works to identify risks and help communities coordinate ORC has created and launched a web page dedicated to updating the public on the progress and water testing results relating to the Shotover Wastewater Treatment Plant near Queenstown owned and operated by Queenstown Lakes District Council ORC Chief Executive Richard Saunders says ORC has set up a new water monitoring programme at six sites upstream and downstream of the treatment plant The emergency works enacted by QLDC were to bypass the problematic (soak) disposal field and to discharge treated wastewater directly into the Shotover river QLDC have 20 working days to apply to ORC for a retrospective consent to undertake that discharge “Given the public interest in the discharge from the treatment plant we’ve created a webpage to enable people to access all the most up-to-date information on the Shotover plant in one place This includes the results of our weekly monitoring,” he says It is expected that a treated water samples taken on any given day will take at least 10-days to be processed by the independant laboratory and returned Monitoring data will be shared at the earliest opportunity The website will be monitored by our team and changes will be made to ensure it provides the information that is most useful to the community He says some initial monitoring on the first day of the discharge showed some high levels of contaminants present which can be expected with the flushing of the wastewater outlet channel Preliminary monitoring results from this week (7 April) shows low levels of E.coli at the treatment plant outlet which gives us confidence that the treatment processes are operating as expected ORC staff would continue to respond to any complaints from the public when reported to ORC Mr Saunders highlighted ORC had taken several steps since problems arose with the plant’s operations from the Environment Court to address current compliance issues at the treatment plant That application follows the issuing to date of two abatement notices and 10 infringement notices Mr Saunders says the Environment Court mediation is ongoing; however we are hopeful for an outcome in the near future “It’s important to note that QLDC is responsible for ensuring that the discharge from the Shotover plant remains compliant with the consented limits Where there are issues identified by QLDC staff or contractors we expect these to be reported to ORC,” Mr Saunders says The new web page be accessed from ORC’s web site searching S in the A-Z search field or by clicking the tile: ​The Otago Regional Council is actively monitoring the Shotover Wastewater Treatment Plant to ensure compliance with environmental standards Two abatement notices are in place and 10 infringements have been issued since the start of 2024  Five of these infringement notices have been issued this year (2025) relating to issues that happened on site towards the end of 2024 ORC cannot yet provide copies of the infringement notices as they are still subject to an appeal period at present All the (5) new notices that have been issued relate to the alleged discharge of contaminants (namely treated wastewater) to land on the Shotover Delta in circumstances which may result in contaminant (or any other contaminant entering water; namely groundwater) Mr Saunders says there were several enforcement options available under the Resource Management Act 1991 Compliance tools ranged from abatement notices 0800 800 033 0800 474 082 New rating values will be posted to property owners after 19 March 2025 with the period for any objections running until 24 April 2025 Click to read the media release from Quotable Value (QV) relating to new rating valuations for the district. Media contact:communications@qldc.govt.nz or call 03 441 1802 A cyclist has died after an incident outside of Queenstown today A mountain bike rider has died after an incident near the South Island resort town of Queenstown today Emergency services were called to the popular Ben Lomond Track near Moke Lake Rd on the outskirts of Queenstown about 10.44am fire and Hato Hone St John all attended the incident A police spokeswoman told the Herald it is believed the cyclist suffered a heart attack and died at the scene “It appears he has suffered a medical event.“ Queenstown's mayor has been talking to the government about the option of a congestion charge on tourists driving around town The tight-packed tourist town has opened a new arterial route in, but is struggling to find funds to extend it Mayor Glyn Lewers has had meetings with the Finance and Infrastructure ministers - the latter is also now the new Transport Minister - and says all options are on the table though Lewers stressed it would not apply to locals "Technology's moved on - you can start looking at how you can do user charging and differentiate between the tourist versus the local," he told RNZ and I think that's an open discussion that this government's pretty keen to have The new arterial opened on Thursday was only about 1km long it was one of the country's most expensive stretches of road but locals would be paying off the rest for decades the road stopped shy of the main shopping street and there was no funding to extend the arterial - just a little money for design and buying land after 2029 "We'll continue to lobby for funding to complete the full route," Lewers said Speeding up the arterial's extension depended on the outcome of the talks with government These had covered options such as congestion or other user charges "Whether we bring the construction forward or not is completely up to how those options develop congestion charging depended on legislation changes and new technology being developed by NZTA Auckland was closest to adopting such a charge where motorists were charged a few dollars per trip on some streets at certain times Lewers told RNZ that even the stage that opened on Thursday was enough to unlock business potential But "full town centre transformation" depended on the two further unfunded phases A full arterial including a bypass one block over from the main street had been talked about for 20 years Construction of the first phase took several years - it had "taken longer and cost more than we expected" "But we know this investment is an important one for our future." Queenstown is a tourism bastion but was struggling with inadequate roads and water services The government has put road building and tourism among things at the centre of its 2025 plan for growth "Tourism has a massive role to play in our growth story - and I want the government to work with the sector to make that happen.," Christopher Luxon said in his State of the Nation speech Nicola Willis has listed ways the government will make it easier for tourists to come in Lewers has said if tourist numbers went up "I would expect a very serious investment in actually accommodating those visitors." Two councillors - one district, one regional - have called for constraints on housing and business development while infrastructure problems are addressed Willis had promised to work with communities and Lewers said she really understood the issues The Hurunui and Kaikōura councils are not expecting a share of the increased International Visitor Levy Years of roadworks have frustrated residents businesses and tourists as the alternative to the existing route in from Frankton has been built The so-called 'digital nomads' include visitors such as IT specialists and social media influencers Residents and visitors are being urged to conserve water The government will need to get its chequebook ready if it wants to welcome more vistors