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 You are not permitted to download, save or email this image. Visit image gallery to purchase the image. NASA is  testing its super pressure balloon technology, its sixth campaign in New Zealand since 2015. The most recent were two successful launches in 2023. The United States’ space agency successfully launched a balloon on April 17 this year, and is now ready to launch the second and final balloon of this year's campaign. A launch attempt scheduled for today was cancelled.  NASA will begin flight preparations early on Saturday morning and continue to evaluate real-time and forecast weather conditions for surface and low-level winds throughout the morning. If weather is favourable for a launch, lift-off is scheduled between 9am and 1pm. The stadium-sized, heavy-lift balloons will travel the southern hemisphere’s mid-latitudes for planned missions of 100 days or more. The first balloon has nearly flown around the world. On Thursday, it was southwest of Perth. It is carrying instruments to take measurements more than 100km above the Earth’s surface. This would help scientists predict changes in the ionosphere, which affected communication and navigation systems. The second flight would support several scientific missions, including measuring light and sound waves in the Earth’s atmosphere. Wānaka Airport will be closed to the public and aircraft, and roadside parking beside the airport is not allowed on the morning of a launch attempt.  State Highway 6 (Wanaka-Luggate Highway) from Mt Barker to Church Rd and SH8A Shortcut Rd may be closed for the launch. Light vehicles may detour via Camp Hill Rd. Heavy vehicles will detour via Cemetery Rd. A message board will be installed on SH84 notifying of motorists of the closure status. Immediately after lift-off, the balloon will be visible for kilometres around. The best viewing points will be on the hill on the Hāwea side of the Red Bridge by Kane Rd or on the Hāwea Flat side of the Clutha River. Maritime New Zealand's Rescue Coordination Centre told 1News it is responding to a light plane crash in Dingleburn Valley, on the eastern side of Lake Hāwea. RCCNZ said it was notified of a plane "in trouble" around 1pm after receiving an alert from the aircraft's emergency location transmitter. "The Queenstown Rescue Helicopter has arrived on scene and confirmed the aircraft has crashed," an RCCNZ spokesperson said. "A further helicopter is responding with FENZ personnel as work continues with the response." One person was removed from the plane around 3.45pm, RCCNZ said in an update this afternoon. The person is being taken to Dunedin Hospital. Light plane (file picture). (Source: istock.com) A person has been seriously injured after a light plane crashed north of Wānaka this afternoon. Person dies following morning crash on Auckland motorway A person has died following a crash on Auckland's south-western motorway this morning New Zealand Sheep killed more euthanised after stock truck rolls in Southland Police were called to the single-vehicle crash on Tokanui Gorge Rd Highway near Fortrose at around 7.45am on Monday Four injured State Highway 2 at the intersection of Wi Duncan Rd is currently blocked Auckland recycling plant fire — employees' future up in the air The future of almost 120 employees with disabilities have been left without a place to work Investigation after man found critically injured on Queenstown street Police said the man was taken to hospital in a critical condition with serious head injuries 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 US states push for speed-limiting devices on the cars of dangerous drivers 27 mins ago Ten dead after tourist boats capsize in sudden storm in China 40 mins ago Qantas confirms new Auckland-Perth flights 56 mins ago Britain's VE Day parade draws thousands celebrating 80th anniversary 8:30am Blaze at McDonald's in east Auckland treated as suspected arson 8:24am Person dies following morning crash on Auckland motorway 18 mins ago 1Two men's shared name brings years of trouble and a hefty bill to one The 'Trump slump' boosts the left in Canada and Oz – but what about NZ? Destiny Church to move out of its South Auckland headquarters Erica Stanford sent pre-Budget documents to her personal email Erin Patterson shared love of mushrooms in online group 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 fansCries of joy rose from the tightly-packed fans who sang and danced shoulder-to-shoulder on the vast stretch of sand. 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 Lorde releases new single after weeks of cryptic teasesThu, Apr 24 Chubby Checker, Outkast, Cyndi Lauper join Rock & Roll Hall of FameMon A person has been seriously injured after a light plane crashed north of Wānaka this afternoon Maritime New Zealand's Rescue Coordination Centre told 1News it is responding to a light plane crash in Dingleburn Valley RCCNZ said it was notified of a plane "in trouble" around 1pm after receiving an alert from the aircraft's emergency location transmitter "The Queenstown Rescue Helicopter has arrived on scene and confirmed the aircraft has crashed," an RCCNZ spokesperson said One person was removed from the plane around 3.45pm The person is being taken to Dunedin Hospital A person has died following a crash on Auckland's south-western motorway this morning The single vehicle crash was reported to police shortly before 5am the sole occupant of this vehicle died at the scene," a police spokesperson said "Earlier closures of northbound lanes have now lifted and police advise motorists to continue to expect delays as earlier backlogs clear "We appreciate motorists' understanding this morning while emergency services carried out their work." Police said the serious crash unit examined the scene this morning and an investigation was underway into this morning's crash on behalf of the Coroner This is in addition to an earlier crash on Auckland's northern motorway near the Auckland Harbour Bridge Emergency services responded to a two-truck collision on the northern motorway near the Auckland Harbour Bridge shortly after 5am New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) said all lanes south on State Highway 1 were open again following this earlier crash with five lanes available on the Harbour Bridge "Allow extra time for delays on the Northern Motorway to slowly ease this morning three lanes going south were now open again between Onewa Rd and the Harbour Bridge," NZTA said Sheep have been killed and others have had to be euthanised after a stock truck rolled in Southland this morning The road was completely blocked and expected to be closed for sometime while the scene was cleared however the road is completely blocked," a police spokesperson said Southland District Council confirmed some animals were killed in the crash while others had to be euthanised due to injuries Fire and Emergency responded with crews from Waimahaka It's the second incident of sheep being killed after a stock truck rolled in Southland in a little over a week A small number of lambs had to be euthanised after a stock truck rolled near Balclutha on April 27 Four people have been injured following a two-vehicle crash south of Dannevirke this evening Police said they were called to State Highway 2 at the intersection of Wi Duncan Rd around 7.10pm One person sustained serious injuries following the crash Motorists have been asked to take alternate routes Almost $200,000 has been raised for workers with disabilities who have been left without a place to work after their North Shore recycling plant burned to the ground last week The future of almost 120 employees with disabilities is up in the air after Abilities Group's Glenfield factory was completely destroyed Workers there helped sort and process e-recycling They also recycled Fonterra bags – removing a plastic liner out of milk powder bags – and did some contract packaging Abilities Group was now fundraising and looking for new place to set up, and managing director Peter Frahar told RNZ, a Givealittle set up to raise funds had now reached almost $200,000 "We've had amazing support from the local community we're struggling to keep up with the messages of support and our Givealittle page that was set up has just continues to grow." He said everyone was "getting behind the good work we do and the staff we support" Two group meetings had been held so workers could get together and the plan was now to find a facility where Abilities could get the workers back doing what they were good at they're really able to open up and get their smiles back but they're looking forward to the day they can get back to work that pride of belonging to an organisation Frahar said the North Shore facility was completely destroyed in the fire It takes a lot to get your mind around the fact that a week ago we had all the staff working and happy rnz.co.nz 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 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 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 teenager who admitted being "addicted to speed" behind the wheel had totalled two other cars in the year before he slammed into a minivan at 180km/h in a Seattle suburb killing the driver and three of the five children she was transporting for a homeschool co-op After sentencing Chase Daniel Jones last month to more than 17 years in prison the judge tacked on a novel condition should he drive again: His vehicle must be equipped with a device that prevents accelerating far beyond the speed limit Virginia this year became the first state to agree to give its judges such a tool to deal with the most dangerous drivers on the road already is using it and similar measures await governors' signatures in Washington state and Georgia New York and California also could soon tap the GPS-based technology to help combat a recent national spike in traffic deaths "It's a horror no one should have to experience," said Amy Cohen who founded the victims' advocacy group Families for Safe Streets after her 12-year-old son was killed by a speeding driver in front of their New York home more than a decade ago the minivan driver who was killed when Jones ran a red light was building a backyard greenhouse with her husband to help educate several kids who shuttle between homes during the school day Also killed in the March 2024 crash near Hudson's home in Renton were Boyd "Buster" Brown and Eloise Wilcoxson Hudson's two children were sitting on the passenger side and survived "You always hear of these horrific accidents Smith knew Washington state Representative Mari Leavitt who reached out to offer condolences and tell him she was sponsoring legislation to mandate intelligent speed assistance devices as a condition for habitual speeders to get back their suspended licenses Leavitt predicts it will have an even more powerful impact than revoking driving privileges citing studies showing around three-quarters of people who lose their licenses get behind a wheel anyway the state saw a 200% increase in drivers cited for going at least 80km/h over the speed limit according to the Washington Traffic Safety Commission "I guess I don't understand why someone is compelled to want to drive that fast," Leavitt said "But if they choose to drive that fast with the speed limiter It's going to stop them in their tracks." which Washington legislators passed last month and Democratic Governor Bob Ferguson is expected to soon sign using the first letters of the names of the four victims: Buster didn't receive a speeding ticket in his two previous crashes he likely wouldn't have been required to use the speed-limiter ahead of the fatal one And because it could be 2029 before the law takes effect the judge's requirement at sentencing only applies to his time on probation after being released from prison Competing tech companies that joined forces to lobby for ignition interlock requirements for drunken drivers have been working in unison again the last few years to pitch intelligent speed assistance chief government affairs officer at one manufacturer said fleet vehicles including school buses in the nation's capital have been trying it out for years But it took a lot of refinement before the GPS technology could instantly recognize speed limit changes and compel vehicles with the devices installed to adjust accordingly "We've got a lot more satellites in the sky now," said Ken Denton a retired police officer who is the chief compliance officer at Cincinnati-based LifeSafer the devices would prevent cars from exceeding speed limits or whatever threshold regulators set An override button allows speeding in emergencies but states can decide whether to activate it and authorities would be alerted any time the button is pushed which beeps to alert drivers when they are going too fast is required for new cars in the European Union California Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed a similar proposal last year explaining vehicle safety requirements are set by the federal government and he was concerned a patchwork of state laws could stir confusion Before Delegate Patrick Hope agreed to sponsor the proposal in the Virginia Legislature he tried out the device in Nannini's car which was calibrated to not go more than 14km/h over the speed limit "That was my first question: Is it safe?" Hope said Hope is now pondering whether to install it on the cars of his three children the price could be hefty: US$4 (NZ$6.70) per day and a US$100 (NZz$167.50) installation fee The fee would be less for low-income offenders which provides support services to the loved ones of crash victims knows firsthand the kind of impact slowing down speeders can make A year after her son was struck and killed in front of their New York apartment the road's speed limit had been lowered "When you are going a few miles slower it's much less likely to be deadly." Four boats capsized in a sudden storm at a tourist spot in southwestern China More than 80 people fell into a river when strong winds hit the scenic area in Guizhou province late Sunday afternoon The boats capsized after a sudden rain and hail storm on the upper reaches of the Wu River a man could be seen performing CPR on another person while one of the vessels drifted upside down Initial reports said two tourist boats had capsized but state media said on Monday that four boats were involved and the seven crew members were able to save themselves Guizhou's mountains and rivers are a major tourism draw and many Chinese were travelling during a five-day national holiday that ended Monday Chinese President Xi Jinping called for all-out efforts to find the missing and care for the injured the official Xinhua News Agency said on Sunday Xi underscored the importance of strengthening safety at tourist attractions large public venues and residential communities as well as for the rush of people returning at the end of major holidays CCTV said the capsized boats had a maximum capacity of about 40 people each and were not overloaded An eyewitness told state-owned Beijing News the waters were deep but that some people had managed to swim to safety the storm had come suddenly and a thick mist obscured the surface of the river Qantas has announced that direct flights between Perth and Auckland will take off later this year Flights between Auckland and Western Australia's capital would begin in December The airline also added flights between Perth and Johannesburg and Sundays with an approximate flight time of 8 hours Perth to Auckland flights would operate as QF111 on Monday The approximate flight time was around six hours and 45 minutes Both flights would use Qantas A330 aircraft with 27 business class seats and 224 economy seats The new flights would allow a one-stop route to London via Perth It would also allow for connections via Perth from Auckland to airports across South Africa the new flight to Auckland would also allow a one-stop connection to New York on the airline's QF3 service “We’re so excited to be launching two new international routes unlocking more options and greater choice for all Australians to connect to the world through our growing network," Qantas International chief executive Cam Wallace said “By connecting Perth directly with Auckland and Johannesburg we’re supporting the local economy by opening valuable inbound tourism opportunities for Western Australia as well as generating new jobs for the state These routes also enable further growth throughout Australia with connections across our domestic network." A 100-year-old Royal Air Force veteran accepted the thanks of a nation as Britain paused to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day and honour the men and women who fought to save the country during World War II The day featured a procession by 1300 members of the British armed forces accompanied by troops from Ukraine and the UK’s NATO allies The parade didn't begin until Alan Kennett accepted the salute from Garrison Sgt Major Andrew Stokes in front of an audience that included King Charles III “Thank you and your generation for securing our freedom 80 years ago,” Stokes wearing a navy blue blazer with his medals pinned on the left breast This year’s V-E Day events have taken on increased significance because they are likely to be the last major observance to include significant numbers of World War II veterans actor Timothy Spall recited the victory speech wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill delivered to a roaring crowd in central London on May 8 Britain started its V-E Day ceremonies three days early because Monday is a public holiday in the UK “I think we’ve been very lucky that we’ve had 80 years of peace … and we’ve got to think about all those that have (made) the ultimate sacrifice and there’s very few of them left now because they’re all over 100,″ said Michael Burn who wore a suit patterned after Britain’s red “This is the last time we will celebrate the day in this sort of scale.” Then it was time for the parade from the Houses of Parliament through Trafalgar Square and down the Mall to Buckingham Palace won a huge round of applause as their flag swept past the royal viewing platform The event ended with a flyover by British military aircraft including a wartime Lancaster bomber and the RAF’s Red Arrows aerobatic team the Princess of Wales chatted amiably with Bernard Morgan a veteran who worked as a code breaker during the conflict Their place in the front row was a reminder of the gulf between those who fought in World War II and the present generation With even the youngest of those men and women nearing their 100th birthdays and their ranks dwindling rapidly many have said they feel a special imperative to tell their stories and attend events that honour their fallen comrades a mechanic who landed in Normandy to set up an airfield said he was proud to represent the veterans “I just remember those that didn’t come back,” he said Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's landslide win at the weekend following Canadian Prime Minister's Mark Carney's victory less than a week before should indicate to our politicians that the New Zealand "Trump trend" of 2024 may have peaked Trying to capitalise on the electoral success of US President Donald Trump now that his policies are having real-world effects is proving to be a big mistake for conservative leaders Australian voters have delivered a landslide win for the incumbent Labor Party returning Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for a second term with a clear majority of seats When he said in his victory speech that Australians had “voted for Australian values” an unspoken message was that they’d firmly rejected Trumpian values opposition and Liberal Party leader Peter Dutton had such a bad election he lost his own seat While not the only reason for his electoral demise Dutton’s adoption of themes associated with Trump backfired Opinion polls were projecting Dutton’s Coalition to win and exceeded expectations in the election itself the Liberals were “reduced to a right-wing populist party that is all but exiled from the biggest cities” Commentators identified a number of reasons including his “culture wars” and being depicted by Labor as “Trump-lite” Following a Trumpian pathway turned out to be a strategic blunder And Dutton’s downfall mirrors Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre’s defeat in Canada’s election on April 28 Canada’s incumbent centre-left Liberals were heading for defeat to the Conservatives But there were two gamechangers: the Liberals switched leaders from Justin Trudeau to Mark Carney and Trump caused a national uproar with his aggressive tariffs and his call for Canada to become the 51st US state Pre-election opinion polls then did a dramatic flip in favour of the Liberals who went on to win their fourth election in a row Poilievre’s campaign had adopted elements of the Trump style such as attacking “wokeness” and using derogatory nicknames for opponents His strategy failed as soon as Trump rolled out “America First” policies contrary to Canadians’ economic interests and national pride The takeaway for serious right-wing leaders in liberal democracies is clear: let Trump do Trump; his brand is toxic Trump’s actions are harming America’s allies affirmative action and climate change have seen voters outside the US react with self-protective patriotism A perceived association with Trump’s brand has now upended the electoral fortunes of (so far) two centre-right parties that had been in line to win and had been banking on the 2024 MAGA success somehow rubbing off on them what has been dubbed the “Trump slump” isn’t a universal trend the centre-left Social Democratic-led government was ousted in February in spite of Trump ally Elon Musk’s unhelpful support for the far-right anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party the populist Reform UK party has risen above 25% while Labour has fallen from 34% in last year’s election to the low 20s in recent polls But other governing centre-left parties are seeing an upside of the Trump effect In early January it looked like the incumbent Labour Party would be trounced by the Conservatives and the right-wing Progress Party Opinion polls dramatically flipped in early February boosting Labour from below 20% back into the lead Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre will get another term in office Denmark’s governing Social Democrats have enjoyed a small polling boost since Trump declared he’d like to take Greenland off their hands The common denominator underlying these shifts to the left seems to be the Trump effect Voters in countries normally closely allied with the US are turning away from Trump-adjacent politicians people are rallying patriotically around centre-left Trump is harming leaders who could have been his allies the man himself seemed proud of the impact he had in Canada polls in mid-2024 showed support for Trump was growing – heading well above 20% Australia’s election suggests that trend may now be past its peak with debate over ACT’s contentious Treaty Principles Bill behind it and despite NZ First leader Winston Peters’ overt culture-war rhetoric (which may appeal to his 6% support base) the right-wing coalition government’s polling shows it could be on track for a second term – for the time being While the Trump effect may have benefited centre-left parties in Australia and Canada polling for New Zealand’s Labour opposition is softer than at the start of the year While “America First” policies continue to damage the global economy centre-right leaders who learn the lesson will quietly distance themselves from the Trump brand while maintaining cordial relations with the White House could do worse than follow Anthony Albanese’s example of not getting distracted by “Trump-lite” and instead promoting his own country’s values of fairness and mutual respect.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GUGWB5HTRVGGNP5PFWDLBH7SXM","content":"Grant Duncan is a teaching fellow in Politics and International Relations This story is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons licence ","type":"text"},{"_id":"BMPLRKQ2NRDPZOPKHPADSUD4UE","content":" Erin Patterson had shared with true crime fans her love of mushrooms excitement over buying a food dehydrator and plans to cook beef Wellington The 50-year-old mother of two has pleaded not guilty to all counts against her including three murder charges for killing her estranged husband's family after feeding them lunch at her Leongatha home Don and Gail Patterson and Heather Wilkinson all died in hospital from death cap mushroom poisoning after eating a beef Wellington Patterson had prepared for them on July 2023 Patterson claims it was "a terrible accident" Three members of a true crime Facebook group Patterson was part of gave evidence on day five of her Supreme Court trial in Morwell The group was created to go over the case of convicted baby killer Keli Lane she was a really good researcher," group member Christine Hunt said about Patterson's online reputation said in 2023 Patterson had shared photos of a black dehydrator with mushrooms inside "She was a bit excited that she'd purchased a food dehydrator," Barkley said via video link Screenshots of Patterson's messages to the group were also shown to the jury "I've been hiding powdered mushrooms in everything the kids had no idea," she wrote in one post said Patterson "seemed to really like mushrooms" In the weeks before the deadly mushroom meal Patterson asked the group if anyone had cooked a beef Wellington and if they had advice Erin said she was making beef Wellington," Hay said "I think she was at the supermarket and she messaged us something about the beef that she was buying." She said Patterson had told them the mushrooms came from an Asian grocer Hay said Patterson asked her for tips on how to make sure the beef Wellington pastry did not go "soggy" as it was one of Hay's favourite dishes said she joked: "I'd make a tofu Wellington" so we had a good laugh about that," she said Patterson's estranged husband Simon finished his evidence to the jury after almost three days in the witness box Defence barrister Colin Mandy SC put it to Simon that he had asked Erin - two days after the lunch - "is that what you used to poison them?" "I did not say that to Erin," Simon responded The jury of 15 people were shown messages from a family group Signal chat between Simon his former wife and his parents - in December 2022 - after he last week claimed she had sent "extremely aggressive" messages to his mother and father which he said were from a few months later having a crack at me and accusing me of some things in response to what I'd messaged her about," he said After his parents tried to help Erin and Simon resolve a dispute over his child support payments his mother Gail took a step back and stopped reading messages from Erin in the group chat "Mum really struggled with anxiety," he said The trial before Justice Christopher Beale will continue today 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 Lorde has dropped her new single What Was That after weeks of cryptic posts and teases that set fans buzzing It's the lead single from her upcoming fourth album and her first original solo release since 2021's Solar Power which is three minutes and 28 seconds in length Some fans had been lucky enough to hear the track in full earlier this week. On Wednesday, Lorde posted a picture of Washington Square Park yesterday with the caption "tonight 7pm". Fans flooded the park an hour before she was supposed to appear, with photos shared of eager fans scaling trees to catch a glimpse of the singer. Shortly before she was to perform, the Royals singer took to social media to tell fans police had shut the event down. "Omg @thepark the cops are shutting us down," the message read. "I am truly amazed by how many of you showed !!! "But they’re telling me you gotta disperse ... I’m so sorry." However, the pop-up event ended up going ahead after all, with fans who stayed getting their first full airing of Lorde's new single. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lorde (@lorde) Lorde, real name Ella Yelich O'Connor, announced the single last week sharing a headshot-style photo of her wearing a red shirt with a dripping wet face Earlier this month, she dropped a 15-second snippet of the unreleased song Lorde was seen wearing a white shirt and jeans while walking through New York City I gave you everything/Now we wake from a dream What was that?” she sings over a synth beat It was the first sign of a follow up to Lorde's previous album NASA has launched a giant super-pressure balloon from Wānaka Airport Previous attempts were postponed because of weather conditions but the balloon NASA was planning two flights to test its balloon technology and take measurements of the atmosphere The first balloon would travel the South Hemisphere's mid-latitudes for 100 days or more carrying instruments to take measurements more than 100km above the Earth's surface NASA said it would help scientists predict changes in the ionosphere that affected communication and navigation systems A second balloon flight would support several scientific missions including measuring light and sound waves in the Earth's atmosphere well above the altitude of a commercial plane It marked the sixth campaign in New Zealand since 2015 with the most recent being two successful launches in 2023 Wānaka Airport said the best viewing points were on the hill on the Hāwea side of the Red Bridge by Kane Road or on the Hāwea Flat side of the Clutha River The all-woman sub-orbital rocket mission safely landed about 10 minutes later New Zealand is becoming increasingly involved even as the defence force denies its tentative steps into space have anything to do with military operations Each of the 'super pressure balloons' is roughly the size of a rugby stadium New Zealand RSS Follow RNZ News You are not permitted to download, save or email this image. Visit image gallery to purchase the image The Red Bull sponsored-competition took place on April 18 among the Tordrillo mountain range in Alaska Wanaka athlete and film producer Craig Murray took the first-place prize with pride as he displayed some trademark moves This whole setup being out here in the Tordrillos is crazy .. I honestly can’t believe I ended up in the finals and ended up taking it out," he said Murray continued to rise to the occasion in the final round with a precision-crafted run that earned him an 85 and ultimately Murray strung together a series of stylish 360s and flips His composure under pressure and ability to flow through complex terrain with freestyle finesse exemplified the Natural Selection vision: freeride meets freestyle at its highest level Murray was joined on the podium by Sam Kush of Canada in second who also competed in the final round alongside Murray Italy’s Marcus Eder had the next highest score from his semifinals bracket and finished in third place overall Warning: This story discusses self harm and suicide A Wānaka woman who was trying to get help at a time of mental health crisis says she was made to feel like a burden Her story follows the release of a community report that found people in Upper Clutha faced huge barriers when needing to access mental health support from a struggling Some described trying to access child mental health services as diabolical while others chose to leave after years of struggling to get help The Wānaka woman - who asked to remain anonymous - attempted suicide in late 2023 she said she was left alone in a hospital room for long periods without her medication and offered no emotional support while overwhelmed and distressed There is no emergency inpatient psychiatric service for people in crisis in the Queenstown Lakes She was medically cleared at a local hospital the morning after she tried to harm herself and said she felt pressured by a nurse to go home to free up a bed like I've literally just attempted suicide for the first time and you're going to send me home'," she said She was eventually offered a respite bed in Dunedin "We finally got to Dunedin Hospital after all of this shit being made to feel like such a burden to them." The response made her feel more vulnerable and she said Wānaka should have better support for people in crisis "The experience of being still sort of like an actively suicidal person being almost forced to go home when they know you have no support .. I think that's just an example of how there is nothing here." Health New Zealand said there was a 24/7 mental health crisis response service covering Wānaka and people were transferred to inpatient facilities in Dunedin or Invercargill if needed was also available in Queenstown for people who present less acutely The report from community-led advocacy group Health Action Wānaka found there were long wait times care could be costly and there were shortages of specialists and other staff Some respondents mentioned private mental health sessions costing up to $200 a visit while others talked about waiting more than nine months for appointments Health Action Wānaka mental health spokesperson Lucy Middendorf was not surprised by the report findings Her sister struggled for years to get support for severe depression from the public system in Wānaka "She had quite a number of referrals from her GP rejected or not accepted locally in Wānaka over many years," Middendorf said she sometimes had to go without treatment because she could not afford the travel costs and she often waited three or more months for a medication change "It feels like the system is mostly interested in keeping people alive but not really finding the right kind of tools for them to have a meaningful life," she said because she could not get enough support in Wānaka Now she was in a much better position with more access to support and programmes "If she'd had more services provided earlier in this journey maybe she would actually be in a better position today," Middendorf said Health Action Wānaka has asked the government to commit to introducing telehealth psychiatric consults The current services were struggling to cope with a rapidly growing population "I think telehealth psychiatric consults could actually save lives You've got situations where patients could receive treatment and medication a lot quicker," she said The report found there were insufficient mental health services for children and young people which was echoed in responses from community members One resident said their family had been sitting on the referral list for child mental health services for 18 months without seeing anyone "We've been forced to engage a local private psychologist after literally begging her to take us on as everyone was not taking any new clients so we have to travel to Queenstown as nobody local will take us on," they said Their child was too young to access services available in Cromwell in desperation and after six months of high levels of mental health issues managed to contact a consulting psychiatrist who has prescribed anti-depressants Not-for-profit ADL works with young people and their whānau to improve mental health and well-being across the lower South Island Chief executive Clive McArthur said gaps in healthcare in Wānaka were exacerbated by the region's isolation and demand "Their constrained resources just mean that support isn't always at the right time the right place and you do find that services are stretched," he said but there were not enough of them and there weren't enough staff for the demand levels "It's stress and distress across the system people stressed and stretched and obviously if there is that unmet need then those issues that people were presenting with can get worse." The government earmarked $2.6 billion for ring-fenced mental health and addiction funding this financial year As the Mental Health Minister and Associate Health Minister responsible for Rural Health Matt Doocey said he had set clear expectations for accessing support "What I can commit to is the focus on ensuring that people in the Upper Clutha area have that guaranteed level of service of being able to engage primary mental health and addiction services within one week and specialists within three," he said he said local officials needed to put action plans in place to make that happen and the funding could be used to assist the areas lagging behind if needed Telehealth services could be a gamechanger for rural communities and he would follow up with officials to work out how they could be rolled out faster "Then hopefully we move to a point in New Zealand where irrespective of where you live you will be guaranteed a level of service." the Ministry of Health launched the Rural Health Strategy for the next decade They included ensuring services were available closer to home for rural communities supporting rural communities to access services outside their area and making sure the needs of rural communities were considered in decisions Health New Zealand Te Waipounamu acting regional commissioner Greg Hamilton said the organisation was committed to improving access to rural healthcare services and ensuring ongoing financial sustainability for hospitals and trusts operating in rural communities "We acknowledge clinical and financial sustainability remains a challenge and we will continue to work closely with communities and providers to address this," he said Several initiatives were underway including the Rural Hospital Sustainability project and the Rural Urgent Unplanned Care redesign project to address sustainability concerns following on from the Rural Health Strategy Health New Zealand had not fully considered the Health Action Wānaka report yet but planned to work with the group "to achieve the desired outcomes for the local community" "Catering for the needs of the growing population of the Central Otago region is an ongoing consideration for Health New Zealand in terms of what might be needed right now and how best to deliver those services," Hamilton said "We are committed to working with community leaders and commission sustainable services that meet the current and emerging healthcare needs of the local community." Doocey would visit Wānaka as part of a rural health roadshow in July to update the community about the Rural Health Strategy and seek feedback about how it was being implemented Health Action Wānaka says to inform its advocacy the group undertook research to understand and document the Upper Clutha community's experience of accessing healthcare services from a patient and healthcare provider perspective About 300 members of the Upper Clutha community were consulted with for the research via two online surveys and one-on-one interviews from July to September 2024 If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday Some were forced to move or choose not to access help due to costs and travel A new report has found some Queenstown Lakes communities have to travel seven hours to see a specialist doctor and pay for healthcare that's free in other parts of the district Critics say the money would have been better spent training more workers But the Mental Health Minister says the opposition is "spreading misinformation" curves and a bit of romance is how local artist Briar Hardy-Hesson describes her contemporary work The 38-year-old has been in Wānaka on and off since 2006 and says the town’s slow-paced environment suits her down to the ground when it comes to fanning that creative spark "I don’t take for granted how exceptionally privileged I am to live in a very magical place I find being by the water instantly calms me down If I’m by myself and without distraction in the great expanse of lake it doesn’t take long for my mind to clear and ideas to meld." plants and flowers are a consistent theme in her jewellery and art "In terms of the lifestyle and the pace of living I have the brain space to be able to do this; in a city I would be so overwhelmed that I wouldn’t have the capacity and headspace to let these ideas brew." Hardy-Hesson would need to open up a lot of headspace given her talents range from painting "Spending time outdoors lends itself to developing certain practicalities and leaves you with a sense of nonconformity It doesn’t take long for this to flow through into what I make I don’t ever set out to capture or recreate the landscape but it certainly influences me." She named her brand Fruit Bowl Studio as an umbrella for all the art "It gives me flexibility and encompasses the eclectic and colourful nature of my work I think what sets it apart is that my personality and character carries through whatever I do "I am really driven by colour and organic shapes and forms whether that is in the jewellery or [in] figurative pieces and paintings." She has recently been relishing sculpting ornamental pieces for walls and tables around the home The simple inspiration for the idea of making hundreds of clay sculpted ears for the wall was when she found a few earrings that had lost their partner and needed a new home I guess my style is a little bit quirky and whimsical and very romantic as well when it comes to these bigger glitzy and princessy-style rings .. I am not excited too much by straight lines." Hardy-Hesson says much of the art found in Wānaka is often of the traditional landscape variety But the contemporary scene is still growing and she would love to see a space where they could all get together in mutual appreciation "I think not having a really good facility is part of the problem she works from her newly rented Queensberry cottage which has given her the space and freedom to get really creative "It is a huge difference just to be able to saw bang and smash into the night and not worry about the noise and other people." She works during the day at an architecture firm in town get to work and then come home and do more." but many of her sales happen via her Instagram She says her style is best-described as "vibrant free-spirited and a little bit quirky with a touch of whimsy and romance" She picked up her creativity from her mother She set off to do a fine arts degree at Auckland University’s Elam School of Fine Arts but left after a year as she found there was too much theory I didn’t want to be taught how to think — I wanted to be taught how to do practical things and I wasn’t getting that at school." All of her talents and crafts are self taught Her end goal she says is to be making things full time and hosting classes in order to teach others creative crafts This story has been updated to clarify that one balloon would be launched on Thursday will put NASA's technology to the test on Thursday for sometime between 9am and 1pm from Wānaka Airport on Wednesday "We are planning to try to launch again tomorrow but we are dependent upon the weather conditions," NASA mission operations manager Christy Hales said which is roughly the size of Dunedin's Forsyth-Barr Stadium is part of NASA's scientific balloon programme The heavy-lift balloon will travel the South Hemisphere's mid-latitudes for 100 days or more It will carry instruments to take measurements more than 100km above the Earth's surface It will help scientists predict changes in the ionosphere which affected communication and navigation systems A second balloon would be launched at a later date if the first launch was successful The second flight will support several scientific missions Wānaka Airport duty manager Rushlee Smith said NASA approached the airport many years ago and the airport provided the agency a good place to test its technology in the southern regions of the world A lot of research went into a successful launch "NASA will head out to the pad at around two or three o'clock in the morning they are looking for a launch time of around nine o'clock but it can be any where between 7:30am and 12:30pm," Smith said "They do have quite a substantial time frame and it's quite fluid for them to be able to finish what they need to and obviously start inflating that balloon." It was very exciting for Wānaka's residents NASA's balloon programme office chief Gabriel Garde said the agency was also very excited to return for this campaign has spent years in preparation for this opportunity and passion that we are back and fully ready for the upcoming campaign." Parts of SH6 and SH8A would be closed for the launch and access to the airport and roadside parking by the airport would not be permitted The balloon would be visible for kilometres around and the best viewing points would be on the hill on the Hāwea side of the Red Bridge by Kane Road or on the Hāwea Flat side of the Clutha River A live feed would also be available More than 100 students from throughout New Zealand came together at the weekend to learn the ins and outs of the music industry The Youth and Adults in the Music Industry (YAMI) SouNZ Summit celebrated its 10th year with workshops and concerts held over two days across several venues in Wānaka The summit was started a decade ago by Lynne Christie former head of music at Mt Aspiring College to help young people understand the music industry Her vision was to create a space where young aspiring musicians could learn technical skills while also getting practical insights on how to navigate the industry students accompanied by their music teachers took part in workshops taught by specialists in various facets of the industry including song writing Event manager Christie Van der Eecken said the event offered students a deeper dive into aspects of the music industry which may not be covered in schools "There’s the workshops that are related to the music industry "That is less touched on in the schools," she said This year’s summit hosted between 120 and 130 students The weekend started with song writing and singing workshops taught by experienced New Zealand musicians including Gin Wigmore and Lily Shaw Throughout the day students also learnt more about beat-making choir singing and how to put together an album Production manager and Mt Aspiring College head of music Matt Doyle said the summit continued to adapt to changes in the music industry some of the summit’s workshops focused more heavily on how to put an album together tutors now also focused on creating playlists for online platforms such as Spotify the summit’s purpose of giving students an extra edge into the industry remained intact "I think it’s come a long way," Ms Van der Eecken said helping people who are interested in the music industry get into the music industry." Each day ended with a concert in which students and musicians performed The United States' space agency is testing its super pressure balloon technology and also delayed a launch yesterday heavy-lift balloons will travel the Southern Hemisphere’s mid-latitudes for planned missions of 100 days or more The first would carry instruments to take measurements more than 100km above the Earth’s surface It would help scientists predict changes in the ionosphere The second flight would support several scientific missions including measuring light and soundwaves in the Earth’s atmosphere It is the sixth super-pressure balloon campaign held in New Zealand since 2015 the most  recent being two successful launches in 2023 Nasa is planning two test flights this year Sean Smith has worked in some of the best restaurants around the world in food capitals Melbourne it is no surprise that since taking over Francesca’s restaurant little more than 18 months ago and opening Greek restaurant Sofi last year he has been rushed off his feet as the two venues prove popular he plans to open up a third restaurant in Wānaka at an unnamed venue In his plans to make the Wānaka food scene more nationally recognised and surpass its neighbour as a dining destination he hopes to reel in a few of his foodie mates from overseas and up north "Wānaka is kind of the culinary hub of central "I think they know that they’re going to have unlimited guests every single day and they are going to have rotating customers and they can do whatever they want and let people down There will be less repercussions for them." who was schooled in his last year at Cromwell high School "many moons ago" started his hospitality career in Queenstown at the Surreal Bar He moved to Melbourne where he said his eyes were opened to not only quality food "How many people go to New World and buy a $70 bottle of wine So it’s about showing the customer what you are getting for that $70 bottle of wine at my restaurant "The wine itself is not entirely what people are paying for the music and the smile from the waiter and the jokes and the rest of it." The competition has been flat and most of the prime real estate on Wānaka’s waterfront has been filled with pub food which Smith himself is a fan of from time to time "We could see so much more potential there than accessed Wānaka is so well placed to be the place Kiwis book for a food experience." On April 27 they will close Sofi for two months to completely fit it out While patrons have been happy with the refurbishment of the former Trout restaurant there are some changes they would like to make so we need to improve on that and justify that $70 bottle of Prosecco." a new kitchen and several other noticeable changes for customers Through both of his restaurants Smith uses mostly local produce and wine He sees the importance of looking after local growers and farmers as opposed to signing up to the likes of DB or Lion breweries who give a hefty $50,000 incentive you lose the freedom for a good period and you are tied to mostly their labels." He says Wānaka’s biggest issue is that most owners can guarantee the crowds if they are in a prime location This can diminish the effort to change menus you could pretty much walk into any place and know you don’t have to go far to have good time we quite often have the least variety of options A little bit of variety on the lakefront would be nice "If it was France or anywhere else in the world cafes and wine bars and it would be beautiful and .. New Zealand is not quite getting there exactly." Smith is not a qualified chef nor winemaker but has spent enough time among the two to know what he’s talking about with customers you feel it’s like kind of empowerment in some ways Perhaps the best kept secret though isn’t the food but the woman the restaurant was named after "Now she gets to greet everyone and say goodbye to them too." olivia.caldwell@alliedpress.co.nz Owen and Kate Meyer with their friends Caroline and George Ritchie have taken it upon themselves to fill a need in their community by preparing to open Sports Circle the first secondhand sports shop in Wānaka As enthusiastic adventurers and travellers with young children the two families were familiar with the process of having to continuously get new bikes skis and other equipment for their growing families In an attempt to be more environmentally conscious and save money they were two of many Wānaka families who turned to secondhand shops and Facebook groups to source their equipment along with the countless adventure activities meant there were many locals and tourists looking to buy or sell equipment while minimising waste the process felt scattered for the Ritchies and the Meyers as they navigated frustrating Facebook negotiations and secondhand stores that did not specialise in sports equipment "You end up on Facebook Marketplace and you never know what you’re going to get until you get there and there’s a lot of time wasters," Mr Meyer said expressing the hassle of having to find equipment online for his children The idea was put to action at the beginning of the year after Mr Meyer’s contracting job came to an end it was a no-brainer to start putting together one place for locals and travellers to sell and buy without the stress "Having a shop where people can sell their second-hand goods in one place and you don’t need to drive around to see lots of different items in different places is really convenient and kind of ideal for both sellers and buyers," he said The store was welcoming drop-offs for any sports equipment and clothing as well as a store discount if the items sold The shop was set to open tomorrow with opportunities to drop gear off until the opening To find out more, go to www.sportscircle.co.nz The team began preparations to launch today about 5am today with the balloon inflation beginning about 9am After about two hours of inflating the balloon and ensuring wind conditions were optimal it was launched into the cloudy skies just before 11am The Nasa team on site were excited and relieved to see the balloon go up after weeks of attempting to launch Nasa engineer Liz Bernhardt who helped with the balloon's payload was eagerly watching as the balloon went up it's good to kind of just see the end of it" she said The United States' space agency was testing its super pressure balloon technology after several aborted launches the most recent being two successful launches in 2023 The survey conducted by the council itself does have quite a flaw given it is voluntary and likely done by those who have the luxury of time and not bogged down by the pressures above 76% rated their quality of life as ‘‘good or better’’ there is little to complain about with the natural beauty there is a price point for residents on this lifestyle and that’s the "Wānaka tax" — a higher cost of living than the national average but the more covert costs that sneak up on you such as the cost of groceries and fuel compared with most other parts of the country A speed dial around the New World supermarkets in the South and I found that in buying just nine items my bill was nearly $7 higher in Wānaka's town centre in comparision to Dunedin central Winton and Gore were both $5 cheaper than here also but if you visit three or four times a week that soon adds up to $21 This can be a lot for a family paying an average Wānaka rental price of between $825 and $880 Gore and Mataura I’d be paying $2.62 a litre this week for 91 and $2.85 for 95 premium (or $2.79 in Winton) in Wānaka on the same Tuesday morning prices were set at $2.81 for 91 and $3.01 for 95 at BP and Caltex in Wānaka Local service stations have said the price hike is due to being so far inland from ports and the freight charges Of the respondents whose quality of life had decreased in the survey 57% reported these prices as a main reason The number of people reporting that they had no disposable income increased over the last year from 21% to 29% This is considerably higher than any other result dating back to the survey’s inception in 2018 the number of residents that agree there is opportunity for career advancement in the district dropped to 38% Mayor Glyn Lewers acknowledged the challenging times the area faces with these price points making it harder for the average person and family to live and work here "These are challenging times with affordability issues and the growing pains that come with ongoing rapid growth so to see so many in our community feeling good about their quality of life is heartening." The survey results showed that affordability and infrastructure continued to be the district’s primary challenges The median house price in Wānaka is $2.057 million there were improvements on the year before Residents worried about having a steady place to live decreased from 21% in 2023 to 18% last year and those who had experienced insecure accommodation reduced from 10% to 5% Lewers said the council was addressing the higher prices in the area through the district’s economic diversification plan The plan sets out how local organisations will collaborate to diversify the district’s economy and create more tertiary training and professional development opportunities QLDC is working closely with Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust and central government on mid-to-long term solutions set out in the district’s joint housing action plan Other key issues affecting residents included access to medical professionals and the impact of the district’s rapid growth Residents reporting no barriers to accessing medical professionals decreased from 39% last year to 37% Only 14% of respondents agreed that public transport met their needs The 2025 finalists include world champions and emerging stars across disciplines as varied as alpine skiing and snowboarding — as well as the often unsung heroes in coaching The awards are to recognise the outstanding achievements of athletes volunteers and teams from across Central Otago over the past year The finalists in this year’s awards reflect the depth of talent passion and community spirit that drives sport in the region Sport Central Sport and Active Recreation adviser Jo Knight said the calibre of this year’s nominations spoke volumes about the strength of sport in Central Otago "The level of competition made it incredibly difficult for our judging panel to select finalists It’s a wonderful reflection of the dedication and talent that exists across Central Otago." Sport and Active Recreation adviser Ben Hamilton said the awards night promised to be a special celebration for everyone involved in the Central Otago sports community "The Forsyth Barr Central Otago Sports Awards are about more than just celebrating individual success — they’re a chance for the whole sporting community to come together and celebrate an amazing year." The dinner will be held at the Lake Wānaka Centre on Thursday Gary Anderson Sound and Vision Sportswoman of the Year Central Lakes Construction Sportsman of the Year Gallaway Cook Allan Junior Sportsman of the Year Health 2000 Wānaka Junior Sportswoman of the Year Otago Polytechnic Para Athlete of the Year Duncan and Kelly Good Ray White Real Estate Junior Spirit of Central Award Wānaka Physiotherapy Senior Spirit of Central Award When you are attending a different parkrun for the first time the first challenge is ensuring you are in the right place Some kind soul had positioned a parkrun banner on Wanaka Mount Aspiring Road which leads you through a magical woodland path to the clearing for the start     After a very upbeat briefing from Katy Macpherson the run started across the clearing before heading down to the lake Once again you are hit with sensory overload as you spot the Wanaka Lake Tree and the glorious lake itself You then turn left to run along the forest trail under an intermittent cover of trees by the lakeside Katy didn't mention all the trip hazards - the main one being distracted by the fantastic views of the lake with the mountains behind while you are trying to run After the turnaround you head back along more amazing views before going back up that hill There were 139 attendees at this week’s parkrun Of those 15 were taking part in their very first parkrun In NZ there isn’t a separate junior parkrun like in the UK Younger participants were well represented with 16 members in the JM10 category One keen 7 year old Wanaka local boy and a junior girl achieved the amazing goal of 50 parkruns I also enjoyed swapping motor home and NZ touring experiences with Clio & Katy from Norwich UK and Leah & Cameron from Brisbane Australia who were all adding additional international parkruns to their tallies Locals David and Nicki kindly helped me to finally understand why some NZ parkruns start at 8am and others at 9am after the clocks have changed It turns out that those parkruns which are located further south than Ashburton start later because as we move into winter it will still be dark at 8am They also explained why it’s described as flat despite that hill at the finish Many of the local runners go running in the mountains so this is considered flat for Wanaka thank you to the 16 volunteers who made this week’s parkrun possible Volunteering is a great way to meet friends and get involved in the community If you would like to get involved please talk to the run director or any of the hi viz team at the next parkrun © parkrun Global Limited (Company number: 09411750) No part of this site may be reproduced in whole or in part in any manner without the permission of the copyright owner 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 The roadmap for developing a vision and masterplan for Wānaka Airport will be presented to Queenstown Lakes District Council’s (QLDC) Councillors and the Wānaka-Upper Clutha Community Board at a briefing next week Egis NZ ltd will meet with elected members in their first engagement as QLDC’s appointed partner to facilitate the development of potential future scenarios for Wānaka Airport Egis is a global group with dedicated teams throughout New Zealand bringing relevant sector expertise and advisory services The Egis Group has experience in managing 20 airports worldwide and is committed to delivering projects that drive social and environmental benefits for local communities.  QLDC Strategic Projects Manager Paul Speedy welcomed the independence and relevant skills the Egis team brings to this process “The future of Wānaka Airport is recognised as something really important to the community especially those in the Upper Clutha many of whom work there or use the site for travel or leisure purposes We know conversations about that future have sometimes been challenging and airports are also really complex entities Both of these factors really underline why this scenario development needs to be independently facilitated whilst engaging intently with the community and stakeholders,” said Mr Speedy.  Egis will outline its intended upcoming programme which will include an overview of community and stakeholder engagement integral to the vision’s development.  Egis acknowledged that Wānaka Airport is a vital lifeline for the town connecting it to the rest of New Zealand and the world.  “Supporting over 11 businesses and employing around 250 people the airport plays a key role in the local economy As discussions about its future have evolved This vision must be guided by an independent incorporating meaningful community and stakeholder engagement as well as specialist aeronautical expertise to assess options realistically.”   “Wānaka Airport’s future is about more than infrastructure—it's about strengthening community ties informed strategy will secure its success for generations to come.” More information will be made available about the programme as dates and activities are confirmed Media contact: communications@qldc.govt.nz or call 03 441 1802 More information about Wānaka Airport and the Future review can be found on the QLDC website here: https://www.qldc.govt.nz/services/airports/wanaka-airport/   More general information about Wānaka Airport and the services it offers can be found here: https://www.wanakaairport.com/  Information about Egis NZ Ltd is available on their website here: https://www.egis-group.com/locations/australia-new-zealand  Privacy Policy  Media Centre Maritime New Zealand's Rescue Coordination Centre says a small plane has crashed in the Dingleburn Valley A spokesperson says the Centre was notified the plane was in trouble at about 1pm after an alert was received from the aircraft's emergency location transmitter One person was transported to Dunedin Hospital in serious condition Fire and Emergency NZ personnel assisted in removing the victim from the plane Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) is aiming to find new disposal methods and update ageing systems which is proving a frustration for the Wānaka-Upper Clutha Community Board which held its meeting at the end of last month Community board chairman Simon Telfer said wastewater plans for Hawea were much needed for the township and wider region we’re tracking waste from Hawea to a treatment plant it’s not viable in the medium and long term we need to be putting in that resilience and capacity." The wastewater scheme was included in QLDC’s long-term plans last year aiming to renew Lake Hawea’s outdated wastewater system the council has yet to set a date for construction to begin on a new wastewater pump station on Dominion Rd The council hoped construction would be under way by mid-year The upgrade will see a pipeline going from there to the Albert Town pump station as well as upgrades on the Riverbank pump station and the Project Pure station inlet The Hawea pump station would then be decommissioned QLDC hopes that these pumps will sustain the area for around 30 years with the increased recent population growth in the area but as a community board we need to continue to ensure that master planning is continually updated and that we are investing ahead of issues "We’ve seen what’s happened in Queenstown when you don’t invest ahead of issues and you’re having to discharge." Queenstown wastewater effluent is being directly discharged into the Shotover River QLDC and the Otago Regional Council are in Environment Court mediation over issues at the treatment plant The board said waste was also an issue for Wānaka After purchasing 8.3ha of land on Ballantyne Rd in 2023 the council began outlining plans for more expansive waste management that would cater to the broader region more efficiently Although no detailed plan was made at the time the idea was to work with existing waste management facilities such as Wastebusters QLDC has found that the costs for the facility are "notably higher" than the long-term plan provision and the council is now looking to potentially rescope the idea with growth unfortunately comes waste," Mr Telfer said Commissioners have declined to grant consent for a McDonalds restaurant to open in Wānaka Consent was being sought to open a 455-square metre restaurant with a drive-thru at the Wānaka-Luggate Highway Queenstown Lakes District Council opened the proposal up for public submissions and of the 367 made, the majority were against it Residents were concerned about the visual and aesthetic impact on the town as well as the area's values about protecting the natural environment Wao Aotearoa Charitable Trust was one group that strongly opposed the idea due to the impact it would have on the town "The proposed site is highly visible at the entrance of Wānaka and is adjacent to significant landscape features such as Mount Iron," "The development will have a substantial adverse impact on the visual and aesthetic values of this sensitive location are insufficient to address the impacts of the building "This site does not align with the community's objective to protect and enhance our natural landscape." There were also people who would like to see some golden arches in their area who lived about a kilometre from the proposed site was for the restaurant being built - but with some conditions "Opening hours are restricted to 10pm on weeknights and 12pm on weekends," her submission said "I am concerned by the potential for excessive traffic movements unsafe driving and anti-social behaviour by McDonald's customers speeding along Aubrey road at night disturbing sleeping residents Limiting opening hours would help reduce the impact." The local also wanted to see safe access for cyclists and contribution to local community projects that enhance the environment of the adjacent Mt Iron Reserve Another resident in favour said it would be "a positive addition to take away food outlets in the town" and that "it is appropriate for people to have food choices" Robert Scott and Lisa Mein considered reports and findings from experts appearing for the applicant Commissioners noted the effects on landscape character and visual amenity were at the heart of the application "This includes the effects on the perception of spaciousness at the entrance to Wānaka at the junction of SH6 and SH84 and on Mount Iron's values particularly when viewed on approach from the east on the Wānaka- Luggate Highway It also includes effects on the character of the receiving environment." the report said "It was clear to us that the landscape architecture experts had different views over the landscape effects generated by the proposal.. "While the locality can be described as a transitional area between urban and rural the immediate context is outside the urban growth boundary for Wānaka and the existing activities and landscape character are typical of a rural living environment "We acknowledge if constructed the consented development will further alter the character of the site we do not consider that the consented development "Further we find the proposed development at odds with the character typically associated with rural living We therefore agree with Mr Richard Denney [Landscape for council] that the proposed development is inconsistent with the landscape values of the site and its wider context." Commissioners considered reports and findings about the architecture Commissioners also heard the applicants right of reply following the submissions in December, where a number of changes were made to the proposal which included new opening hours of 6am to 11pm and the blade sign [McDonalds logo] reduced to 2.2 metres McDonald's New Zealand is not ruling out appealing the decision by the commissioners Spokesperson Simon Kenny said the franchise would speak with the developer and consider the next steps McDonald's is committed to working in good faith to follow the process regarding the proposed restaurant site in Wānaka and consider next steps with regards to that site Our intention remains to open a restaurant in Wānaka navigating some of the local commercial interests." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday A lawyer for the fast-food chain says it will reduce its opening hours from 6am-11pm and make its sign smaller Hundreds are opposed to the restaurant opening citing "excessive traffic movements" and its impact on the "aesthetic values" of the town Shane Reti has taken a swipe at the National Public Health Service saying it should be focused on prioritising serious public health issues The majority of submissions made about a McDonald's restaurant opening in Wānaka are not lovin' it Business RSS One of the big opponents of a rejected bid to open a McDonalds in Wānaka says they hope community voices are not lost as the government targets an overhaul of consenting procedures commissioners declined to grant developers for the fast food giant consent to build a restaurant along a highway passage into the Otago town Queenstown Lakes District Council opened the proposal up for public submissions and of the 367 made The commissioners' concluded the proposal fell short of the "gateway assessment" that required adverse effects on the environment to be no more than minor Other residents were concerned about litter local group Wao Aotearoa Charitable Trust said the development along State Highway 84's Wānaka-Luggate Highway would negatively affect the town's "visual and aesthetic values" General manager Monique Kelly said McDonalds' intention to develop within a rural zone was unsuited "When we are coming into town we are greeted by Mount Iron and that beautiful vista that surrounds us," she said "Our duty under the District Plan is to protect these landscapes from sporadic and sprawling urban development "There's plenty of commercial and industrial land around Wānaka and I think there's options for McDonalds." McDonalds New Zealand has not ruled out an appeal of the commissioners' decision "Our intention remains to open a restaurant in Wānaka Although the decision had some gratification for the local community Some leaders felt McDonalds was a victim of needless bureaucracy RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop said on X that the McDonalds Wānaka bid was the "perfect example of everything wrong with the [Resource Management Act]" "Endless submissions including by taxpayer funded neo-puritans various small stupid changes like reducing height of the logo Parliamentary Under-Secretary for RMA Reform Simon Court said these decisions had a "massive chilling effect on development and economic activity" "We are in the process of replacing the Resource Management Act with a system that puts property rights first "If you're peacefully developing your own land your activity shouldn't require the consent of every Tom ACT's environment spokesperson Cameron Luxton described the decision as "an economic own-goal for Wānaka" "A legitimate business has been blocked from investing hiring locals and selling products to willing buyers." "It shows how our planning regime stifles development." Kelly said ensuring community voice was retained as part of any amendments to resource management laws was "essential" I hope we do take into account what communities around New Zealand want for their towns and cities "And that we have it as an important component of any hearing or any submissions going forward." She said comments that the decision obstructed economic growth for the town held no weight based on the crux of why the application was declined "There are plenty areas that are zoned commercial so that argument falls over." The Resource Management (Consenting and Other System Changes) Amendment Bill had been slated to pass into law midway through this year Residents were concerned about the visual and aesthetic affect on the town Wheels will take place over its usual Easter weekend spot and Mr Dippie said although he was always relieved when it was over he would miss the large-scale event that has brought in tens of thousands of visitors over the years but hopefully there will be other things we can do in the community," Mr Dippie said The event was initially thought up by Mr Dippie and some "like-minded individuals" who shared a love of classic cars "I think we were going to organise a small car show for Labour Weekend and it kind of grew to a massive all-vehicles show at Easter they had alternated between Wheels and its sister event I am not very popular in some quarters for finishing it altogether." Mr Dippie said the reasons behind the event’s ending were he wanted to be more involved in other community events and to develop his Three Parks land into a "new town centre" The event attracted 15,000 people in its first year 35,000 in 2023 and this year Mr Dippie expects to hit the 50,000 mark "I think there will be other things we can do particularly around the Wheels at Wānaka collection "There are fundraising events that we can definitely get cracking with we’ve record entries and a record amount of trade stalls The show drew about $19.2million into the Queenstown Lakes economy in 2023 There are more than just big trucks and diggers at the event — there will be over 80 stalls Wheels is Australasia’s largest all-vehicle event and it displays a range of vehicles from classic cars to cutting-edge earthmoving innovations What sets Wheels apart from other vehicle shows is it is not a static display The vehicles are set up on 24 hectares of non-stop action arenas and parade grounds and the organisers aim to showcase agricultural and construction vehicles and the characters who operate them Caterpillar marks 100years and will celebrate with a one-off Terra Cat earthmoving competition including a world record attempt on Saturday and I think that is the formula people like," Mr Dippie said "What we have realised over the years is the wives come to Wānaka with their family and they get hypnotised by the earthmoving machines and they are out there all weekend watching those Proceeds from the event go towards community fundraisers and charities Mr Dippie sent out the call to the community for applications to receive funding the Wheels at Wānaka Charitable Trust donated $100,000 to community groups but first of all we need to make some money." The tiny town showed what community is all about People of all creeds and ages stood together for the national day to make a record crowd of 1039 community stalwarts and school children gathered in front of the Lake Hāwea war memorial to remember fallen soldiers Hāwea Flat School children sang a beautiful Hareruia to open "We are here to remember and celebrate the lives of service personnel but in the many battles and conflicts since We pay tribute to all sacrifices made in the line of duty," Sgt Capell said Past and current service members attended the service where Lance-corporal Daniel Leighton was the guest speaker Lcpl Leighton enlisted in the army in 2007 and attained a red diamond during his time in the army He served in Afghanistan twice in the Special Air Service and a variety of roles with the New Zealand Army "Veterans have always been central to Anzac Day commemorations in New Zealand," he said as we approach the 80th anniversary of the Second World War we should particularly acknowledge the great sacrifices of the small band of surviving Second World War veterans and departing comrades "The passing of time does not diminish what they did What they endured and gave up in defence of our country and the values we hold." Lcpl Leighton acknowledged the current conflicts across the globe the system is under acute strain and the world is a more unstable and dangerous place than it has been for decades we may like to consider what we as individuals can do to continue to uphold the rule of law freedom and basic human rights across the world." Lcpl Leighton moved to Hāwea and took up a building apprenticeship after his service in the army The community of over 1000 sang the Australian and New Zealand national anthems before gathering at the community hall for a breakfast A similar amount of people gathered in Wānaka for the dawn service held at the war memorial The increasing popularity of Wānaka Airport for private and commercial users will see it obtaining a Qualifying Aerodrome Operator Certificate by July 2027 The move is the latest stage in Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) working collaboratively as the airport’s owner with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) QLDC Property & Infrastructure General Manager Tony Avery explained the action followed CAA’s completion of a safety review of Wānaka Airport earlier this year and QLDC’s submission of an aeronautical study in March 2023 at the CAA’s request logical and necessary step in our responsible ownership of an increasingly busy airport Over the next year we’re expecting more than 50,000 aircraft movements which makes it one of the busiest uncertified airports in Aotearoa New Zealand,” he said “Becoming certified will bring the airport into line with similar facilities around the country improving safety and providing an appropriate level of independent assurance for airport users and our wider community The alternative – not achieving certification – would restrict activity at the airport to below current levels which would obviously have a negative effect on current users and the local community.” Council will be implementing a number of measures before the specified completion date in just under three years’ time new fencing to improve safe access to the airstrip Mr Avery emphasised that Council and Wānaka Airport operational staff would continue to communicate changes to airport users in advance and maintain an open-door policy to discuss any concerns they might have “There’s always been a strong sense of community at Wānaka Airport and focusing on openness trust and collaboration provides an excellent foundation for these latest stages of its evolution,” he said While the work to achieve certification status is progressing QLDC is also set to commence a procurement process to seek the independent delivery of the Wānaka Airport Future Review.  QLDC Corporate Services General Manager Meaghan Miller said the intent to develop a long term plan for the Wānaka Airport was signalled through the Long Term Plan 2024-2035 (LTP) consultation process in July “The future of the Wānaka Airport is an important topic for the district and it’s essential that the Wānaka-Upper Clutha community is at the heart of shaping it.  While in the very early stages such as what the community’s vision for the airport is and what technical analysis is required before we consider any potential scenarios for its future,” she said this proposed process will involve extensive engagement with key stakeholders the Wānaka-Upper Clutha community and wider Queenstown Lakes District,” she said.  The proposed review process will be shared with Councillors and the Wānaka-Upper Clutha Community Board at a public workshop on 12 November Confirmed details for the future review and subsequent community engagement will be shared after a consultant has been appointed and a timeline agreed Funding to achieve certification and commence a future review for the airport was included as part of the LTP that was adopted by Councillors at their meeting on 19 September Queenstown Airport Corporation manages Wānaka Airport’s day-to-day operations on behalf of QLDC under a management services agreement These management services include noise monitoring and liaising with the airport community on day-to-day matters Wānaka Airport is a natural attraction for visiting aviators and for anyone interested in a range of aviation-related attractions and events such as the Warbirds Over Wānaka international air show There are more than 11 businesses with around 150 people working in and around the airport on day-to-day operations These operations include scheduled domestic return service to/from Christchurch with Sounds Air and a large and growing number of helicopter operators offering training and charter For more information visit www.wanakaairport.com The requirements to become a Qualifying Aerodrome Operator Certificate are outlined in the CAA rules Part 139, sub part G & H:  https://www.aviation.govt.nz/rules/rule-part/show/139/10 Two new web pages have been created on the QLDC website to share news and updates as the two workstreams progress: Visit https://www.qldc.govt.nz/your-council/major-projects/wanaka-airport-certification/ and  www.qldc.govt.nz/Wanaka-Airport-Future-Review Some Queenstown Lakes communities have to travel seven hours for medical appointments and pay for healthcare that's free in other parts of the district The Health Action Wānaka report revealed some people in the Upper Clutha were forced to leave or choose not to access healthcare due to the costs and travel needed advocates said it would only get worse with Wanaka's population projected to grow at a rate of 144 percent by 2053 When Wānaka local and Queenstown Lakes Deputy Mayor Quentin Smith injured his spinal cord in 2008 he needed to travel to Christchurch regularly for specialist appointments "That's an 11 hour round trip of driving at least 11 or 12 hour round trip for a 10 minute appointment and that's very hard to do in one day It could require a flight or two flights and an overnight stay and that stuff isn't covered by the public services either," Smith said The population has roughly tripled since he moved to the area more than 20 years ago but Quentin Smith said the health services hadn't kept up with demand "Families are forced to either split their family .. or move away in order to access services for a period of time The new report from community-led advocacy group people paying for services that were free in other communities insufficient funding to meet demand and a lack of planning More than 300 community members as well as a wide range of local health professionals were consulted for the research Group spokesperson Monique Mayze said infrastructure and services were struggling to keep up with the current demand The closest emergency department is at least an hour away in Queenstown There are a lot of issues on the roads and people being forced to travel over the Crown Range - the highest main road in the country - to get to an emergency department so they can get access to publicly funded healthcare," she said we should be able to get that here in our town." The report found people were paying for after-hours acute care despite these being free for other parts of the country Their rural practitioners had the skills to do more publicly-funded procedures but Mayze said the funding they received wasn't meeting demand and they would run out of it early She described the focus groups about mental health as "distressing to hear" with parents describing the struggle to access support for their children Residents travelling more than 2000 kilometres for Dunedin Hospital visits over six months were not eligible for reimbursement from the National Travel Assistance scheme The cost and travel times were forcing people to think twice about accessing healthcare "Our concern is the people you don't hear about the people who in the middle of the night need help and find out how much it will cost and because it is too expensive choose not to access the service and wait until the morning." The inequity was indefensible and rural taxpayers shouldn't face so many hurdles to access healthcare "We'd just like to shift the perception that this is an affluent community that can pay for its private healthcare We actually have every right to have access to publicly funded services here in the Upper Clutha," she said Health Action Wānaka has asked the Health Minister to commit to introducing telehealth psychiatric consults a publicly funded blood collection service and more access to the publicly funded radiology services announced last June Bernard Fouke moved to Wānaka with his wife Susan Ronn in late 2017 just as her health started to rapidly go downhill with a neurodegenerative disease They needed to go to Dunedin every three to four months for specialist appointments It was a difficult trip for his wife who uses a wheelchair taking four to five hours for him to drive them and requiring an overnight stay and a lot of organisation acknowledged they were better off than most because they have private health insurance "I can't even imagine being able to do all of this using only the public sector "I suspect a lot of people just don't bother with following up on problems because of how arduous it is to go over to Dunedin." He paid about $850 every two weeks for private health insurance he said they would not have been able to stay in Wānaka "I think they need to go in with eyes wide open realising that if they're going to depend on public healthcare," he said "I don't see how people live here without having access to private care and of course He called the new report grim but thorough and said similar work should be done across the motu to create comprehensive plans for different communities saying it reinforced what they had known anecdotally for years The community was continuing to grow so there needed to be a strategic approach to health services in the area and more investment The report found a lack of affordable housing and the cost of living was also putting pressure on the local health workforce Glaucoma Endorsed Therapeutic Optometrist Tui Homer said some patients couldn't afford to keep going to Dunedin for injections for macular degeneration and couldn't afford to pay privately "This almost guarantees they will go blind or lose significant vision from the disease This has a snowball effect on healthcare (increased falls/burns etc) as well as the devastation to the patient," Homer said Cardrona Doctors GP Dr Jim Reid said he was completely unprepared for the discrepancies in the resources in the area x-rays and ultrasounds are readily available in the private sector but had to be paid for and thus were beyond the reach of some patients," Reid said Patients would either need ACC or to travel to Queenstown or Dunstan Hospital to get them for free Health Action Wānaka has invited the Health Minister to meet with it to discuss possible solutions The group wanted to collaborate with local organisations and providers to raise funds for projects including being able to deliver select specialist services locally - like injections for eye disease helping patients with complex needs to navigate the health system Health Minister Simeon Brown welcomed the report saying he hoped to meet with Health Action Wānaka soon He said his priority was to ensure all New Zealanders received timely "That means delivering health services closer to where Kiwis live and making use of digital consultations particularly for remote communities." He confirmed he has asked officials for their advice and recommendations on the report Some 44 clinical directors across the southern region warn services could be left in a "precarious" state if the project does not go ahead The $300 million privately funded hospital would be managed by a private healthcare operator The burgeoning private healthcare industry claims its current building boom will "take pressure off the public system" My Vaccine Pass requirements have not been set for this event Captivating Noir Folk artist Jazmine Mary is “rising into our collective consciousness as a star as a creative force”.They crack open the beauty and ugliness of the world with a voice that critics are calling “truly a wonder” Gang Of Youths and toured the country in support of Reb Fountain.They make music not to earn a living and it’s through their songwriting that Jazmine Mary feels tethered to something tangible It’s the action of translating their experiences into poetic folk compositions that helps in “understanding parts of the beauty and ugliness of the world” and which might help listeners do so too.An award-winning gig for melancholy and exultation.Jazmine Mary brings with them a band featuring some of our best musicians including best musicians including ARAHI Work is underway to obtain a 'Qualifying Aerodrome Operator Certificate' for Wānaka Airport.  This page provides an overview of the process and updates as work progresses.   Wānaka Airport (the airport) has passed a threshold of activity which requires it to be managed under the authority of a Qualifying Aerodrome Operator Certificate the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has issued a letter notifying QLDC that it requires the airport to achieve qualifying status under Part 139 of the Civil Aviation Rules The agreed deadline to achieve qualifying status is 1 July 2027 Becoming certified will bring the airport into line with similar facilities around the country The alternative – not achieving certification – would restrict activity at the airport to below current levels which would have a negative effect on current users and the local community Achieving 'qualifying status' will require changes to the way the airport operates a mandatory operational and safety review has been completed.  This outlines a range of improvements required to achieve qualifying status and improve safety for all users.  Appointing suitable senior people to specific roles This requires a change to the current Management Services Agreement (expected to take approx Physical works to provide a safe operating environment e.g strip widening and new fencing to support safe access to the airstrip (expected to take approx Prepare a Safety Management System that includes specific policies procedures and documentation (10-12 months work) A full set of requirements are outlined in the CAA rules Part 139 sub part G & H - see link below:  Budget has been allocated in the Long Term Plan 2024-2034 to complete agreed work required to achieve a qualifying aerodrome status The LTP can be read in full - click on the link below:  It is essential we work closely with existing airport users as safety improvements and operational changes are implemented.  Changes will be communicated regularly and directly with users as well as published here on this page as work progresses.   We've provided links to relevant documents below.  If you have any questions or concerns, please email the QLDC property team at property@qldc.govt.nz  Learn more about Wānaka Airport and QLDC's involvement within this page and how you can get in contact with the Airport Office Read about a proposed future review for Wānaka Airport Sign up to our newsletters and stay up-to-date with the latest news events & information in the Queenstown Lakes District We’ll Meet Again – 80 Years OnA Tribute in Song: Central Otago Regional Choir’s WWII Anniversary ConcertCome and relive the spirit of unity and resilience as the Central Otago Regional Choir celebratesthe 80th anniversary of the end of WWII in its concert series Thismemorable programme will transport you back in time featuring iconic WWII songs thatcaptured the hearts of nations during turbulent times.Romantic optimistic and patriotic sentiments are expressed in old classics; A Nightingale Sangin Berkeley Square and stirring performancesof songs by legends Ivor Novello In a different vein one of thechoir’s favourites is the beautiful but heart-rending For the Fallen by English composer MarkBlatchly to the words of poet Laurence Binyon addressing the losses of war while celebratingthe soldier’s patriotism and bravery.In an unusual departure the audience will be invited to join in some well-known numbers,testing vocal cords and memories Conducted by Richard Madden and accompanied by AlisonFrude (piano) the choir will have additional accompaniment by Ariana Knudson-Hollebon(double bass) and Peter Doyle (drums) Our talented guest artists are music student OrlaDunlop (violin) and Honours graduate Erin Connelly-Whyte (soprano) Both will beaccompanied by pianist Cameron Monteath also an Otago music Honours graduate andregular guest This line-up perfectly aligns with the choir’s mission to support young singers andmusicians.Don’t miss this incredible celebration of music and history!Wanaka About 300 young people engaged in multiple fights in a Wānaka park last night Otago Lakes area police said they were called to Dinosaur Park about midnight after reports of fights "At least three serious assaults were reported involving young people being knocked unconscious along with numerous other more minor assaults." Acting district commander Inspector Matt Scoles said it was disappointing that many of those present had alcohol "We know it's a time of year where lots of people are out celebrating and having a good time But we need parents to make sure their young people are acting responsibly knowing where they are and what they are doing," he said It comes as Waikato police on Wednesday said too many parents had no idea where their children were during New Year's Eve festivities Scoles said many of those in the Wānaka fight were from out of town and have a plan with them around how everyone is going to stay safe We don't want to be knocking on your door at 2am telling you something serious has happened involving your teenager "I'm sure many parents would have been horrified to learn their teens had been putting themselves in danger consuming excessive amounts of alcohol and engaging in violent altercations "It's extremely dangerous for all involved when we have young people drinking under the legal age and gathering en masse without any supervision," he said Waikato police are concerned by the number of parents who had no idea where their children were during last night's New Year's Eve festivities Adam Ramsay remains in hospital in a serious condition after he and Lyn Fleming were hit by a vehicle A man has been charged with murder and attempted murder after an incident in Fairfield on New Year's Day Commissioners have heard McDonald's' right of reply to grant consent to open a restaurant in Wānaka Consent is being sought to open a 455 square metres restaurant with a drive-thru at the Wānaka-Luggate Highway Queenstown Lakes District Council opened the proposal up for public submissions Many - including that from the Wao Aotearoa Charitable Trust - had concerns about the environmental and visual impacts of the restaurant on the town "The proposed site is highly visible at the entrance of Wānaka and is adjacent to significant landscape features such as Mount Iron," its submission said "This site does not align with the community's objective to protect and enhance our natural landscapes," the submission said The trust also had concerns about light pollution and associated loss of insects as a result of the original proposed hours of 24-hours a day told commissioners at a hearing on Thursday amendments had since been made to the proposal They included new proposed operating hours of 6am to 11pm and the blade sign [McDonald's logo sign] would be reduced in height to 2.2m "I refer to a submitter concerned about light pollution and frankly there wasn't much evidence about what implications would be for insects or not that's responded to by adjustments to opening hours." Wastebusters and Plastic Free Wanaka said the heart of Wānaka's shared values was protecting the natural environment They were worried about litter and the visual and aesthetic impact on the town "This includes guardianship of our outstanding natural landscape protection of our alpine waterways and transitioning to a circular economy and is recognised in the council's strategic documents including the Vision Beyond 2050 the destination management plan and the waste management and minimisation plan," their statement said "Assertions that McDonald's doesn't care about the environment values only financial return are submissions [in front of you] you know getting colourful and talking about rapacious greed and all the rest of it "McDonald's is a corporation that seems to be profitable and that's part of its reason for existence "But you also have clear evidence [in front of you] about the range of commitments by McDonald's to charity "Those include sporting endeavour and they include - as you know of real significance in New Zealand - that commitment to the Ronald McDonald Houses which help families where they have people suffering terrible health issues "They have a commitment - as the McDonald's evidence establishes - to continually manage and improve environmental impact and there are certain outcomes from a business [as] large and successful as this which can appear outsized because of the success of the brand and the desire of people to go to McDonald's "There is a clear commitment that McDonald's does care about its impact on the world and it looks to improve it," Brabant told the Commissioners Brabant also spoke about submissions from people who did not want a fast-food service in the area "There's that underlying flavour from some that they'd rather there was no quick-service restaurants establishing in Wānaka and the position fundamentally is that the plan provides for it and whether it will occur presumably is one driven by particular brands' interest in this location and whether they perceive that establishing is something which is financially viable and valuable to them I simply say that personal aversion to quick-service restaurants [in] general or McDonald's particularly is not a [reasonable] basis for this application for consent to be declined," he said Robert Scott and Lisa Mein - will decide on whether to grant consent by the end of January Wānaka residents are objecting to an application for a 24-hour McDonalds The company has applied for consent to build a restaurant in the town Delma Rutherfurd’s 1978 XC is deep red with an original white vinyl roof top - and has clocked up more than 217,000km The 3.3 litre engine turns over every time and runs like a dream It can spend months in the shed and still turn over Most recently he used it to tow a caravan to Wheels at Wanaka over Easter weekend It was Delma’s first time attending the event after being encouraged to go by his mate Delma put the XC on show and to his surprise it generated plenty of interest People were inspecting it and taking photos It went on to win the trophy for Best in Show 2025 – Australian Car category ‘‘(That trophy) is worth its weight in gold of the specially designed piston and spark plug trophy Delma said the XC was purchased through a trade-in by himself and his late wife Lyn They gave up a 1981 M5 Cortina station wagon to get something bigger for the family The XC has been full of camping gear and has towed caravans wood-laden trailers and catered to a family of six since it was bought in August 1984 It travelled to the North Island four times and did frequent trips to Nelson the XC has not had anything major done despite being used as a family car and workhorse for many years ‘‘It’s never broken down on any travels,’’ Delma said ‘‘I’ve been very lucky; it just keeps going.’’ ‘An economic own-goal’ or a triumph of democracy Stewart Sowman-Lund explains in today’s edition of The Bulletin To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here Wānaka will not be getting a planned McDonald’s after a long-brewing stoush ended in the local council declining a resource application for the new restaurant, which would have been just outside the town centre and therefore in an area covered by rural consenting processes. RNZ’s Delphine Herbert has the details reporting that the majority of the 367 public submissions made were against the new 455-square metre restaurant with concerns it could impact the visual aesthetic of the lakeside town and impact the environment “We acknowledge if constructed the consented development will further alter the character of the site,” noted the commissioners in their final decision Further we find the proposed development at odds with the character typically associated with rural living.” the controversy over the McDonald’s came to represent – for some at least – burdensome regulation getting in the way of more jobs and economic growth McDonald’s said it remained committed to opening a restaurant in Wānaka and would “[navigate] some of the local commercial interests at play” It’s entirely acceptable to dislike having a new McDonald’s open on your doorstep just as it’s entirely valid to argue in favour of one this particularly development arguably garnered more attention than you might expect given there are already over 170 McDonald’s restaurants up and down the country The development has been pulled into the national consciousness for a few reasons. Last year, then-health minister Shane Reti criticised health officials after it emerged the National Public Health Service had submitted a broad proposal against the McDonald’s including observations about planetary health traffic and Te Tiriti do not match my over-arching view of what the NPHS should be spending its time on,” said Reti at the time measles and raising immunisation rates are among the most pressing issues facing health today.” This is just one isolated example involving a large multinational company, but it’s hard not to see how it ties into the prime minister’s crusade against “no” culture. The Spinoff’s Duncan Greive made a similar link when looking at the decision to bar under 18s from Laneway Festival While that was about alcohol licensing rules Greive said it illustrated “both the complex set of factors which go into making such a decision but also… how difficult it can be to make something original and fun happen in New Zealand” A complaint must be first directed in writing the complaint may be referred to the online complaint form at www.presscouncil.org.nz along with a link to the relevant story and all correspondence with the publication In a decision released today, the commissioners which held a hearing in Wanaka in November, declined consent for the restaurant. The commissioners said the proposal will be contrary to the overall consideration of the objectives and policies of the Operative and Proposed District Plan. The adverse effects on the environment were said to be more than a minor adverse effect on the approach to Wānaka, the landscape character and the visual amenity values of Mt Iron. The fast food giant was planning a 445 sq m restaurant in the town. It was originally going to be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week but this was changed during the hearing to a more limited opening of 6am-11pm and its logo sign was also reduced in size. The application attracted more than 350 submitters with 90% of them against the proposal. At the hearing much of the debate centred around the location of the restaurant which was near the entrance to the town with many submitters arguing it was located in a rural area. Whereas Queenstown has developed into the area’s preeminent destination for international travelers darling Wanaka (population 12,150) has long been a haven for domestic tourism It’s centered around the base of a cerulean alpine lake with a charming village filled with coffee shops and restaurants and a network of hiking and biking trails spiraling out in all directions There’s also a reason that Ava DuVernay’s A Wrinkle in Time and Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy filmed in this region—the rugged Southern Alps are so untapped so unspoiled that they appear to be not just from another time Photo: Ray Tiddy / Courtesy of Lake Wanaka TourismThat being said Where else can you find a dazzlingly clear lake and every adventure outfitter all within spitting distance of each other And why navigate the crowds of the nearby and much more touristy Queenstown when you could go just slightly further afield and feel like a true local Queenstown is an indispensable part of any South Island visit—but just know that in peak summer season, its streets become choked with tourists, you’re as likely to hear an American accent as you are a Kiwi one. Wanaka on the other hand is just as scenic If visiting this Kiwi hideaway sounds enticing The Crown Range Road with views of Lake Wakatipu and you’ll see what people mean when they call this the most beautiful place on earth going down the valley and through the hills the road brings you straight to the shores of Lake Wanaka where its namesake town sits in the shadow of snow-capped crags and evergreen trees Because Wanaka developed as a family-friendly destination primarily catering to domestic tourism there isn’t a robust hotel scene here like you’ll find in Queenstown You’ll find a few basic apartment-style hotels along the lakefront but there are a few hidden gems to be found here Owners Dan and Sarah-Kate Dineen are often found in the tasting room welcoming guests from around the world—offering a level of warmth and individual attention you’d be hard-pressed to find anywhere else It’s not just unique wines that come from Wanaka. Be sure to allot time for a visit to Cardrona Distillery the leader of New Zealand’s nascent whiskey movement Visionary founder Desiree Reid is developing some of the most intriguing and a tour offers an upfront view of the distillery’s many sustainable practices—like feeding spent mash to the local livestock and high-quality hospitality are perfectly emblematic of what makes Wanaka The Danish Home Lighting Trend That Can Improve Your Mental Health In America’s Cities, Saunas Are Becoming the Hottest Social Spot Millie Bobby Brown Shares Her Favorite Paella Recipe—and Details About Her Wedding to Jake Bongiovi A Day-by-Day Guide to Hiking the Legendary Nakasendo Trail in Japan Never miss a Vogue moment and get unlimited digital access for just $2 $1 per month It's valentine's day; so we have got a long distance love affair for you - but maybe not the kind you are thinking sporty couple Mark Smoothi and Alyssa Coe will renew their wedding vows during the challenge Wānaka Half a triathlon that includes an almost 2km swim almost 10 years ago they got married during a Wānaka challenge event that was twice that distance The pair took a break half-way through the marathon to say their wedding vows He wore a top hat and bow tie while she wore a tulle skirt over her togs Mark Smoothi told Checkpoint the way their training intertwines with their relationship was fantastic and to meet someone with that mutual interest certainly makes it so much easier." Smoothi and Coe's love is truly connected with their training - they got proposed at an iron-man distance event got married in an iron-distance event and went to Germany for their honey moon.. The couple will finish their Wānaka race before renewing their vows with friends and family; partly because it will be closer to the time of day they got married Smoothi said New Zealand always had a special place in their hearts "We love coming to New Zealand because everybody gets us but not as much as I fell in love with my beautiful wife." However Smoothi said now the pair had a daughter "Now that we have a little young one that popped into our lives - she's eight years of age now - we've had to have a bit of a back-track on some of our training "We just take it in turns so there's always someone at home with our daughter." Coe said it did not take much convincing to get her onboard with the marriage idea she said there were multiple similarities between being married and the extreme races In another 10 years the pair are thinking of doing the olympic distance race - half the distance of the race they will do on Saturday - to celebrate another decade of marriage