RCL’s 63ha development site at Homestead Bay in Queenstown. PHOTO: SUPPLIEDDevelopers of the $730million Homestead Bay housing proposal — approved yesterday — are not wasting any time in getting started, staging an open day at the site tomorrow. The boost in housing numbers in Queenstown is expected to be followed by another housing development in the resort, set to be announced in coming days. The Homestead Bay development is for 1438 standard residential lots, 22 medium-density superlots allowing for 203 future residential units and 14 high-density superlots allowing for 890 future residential units. Queenstown Lakes District Mayor John Glover said it was the first of seven fast-track consenting housing decisions around Queenstown which was part of the fast-track process.

Sandy Graham. PHOTO: ODT FILESDunedin city councillors are to be briefed about what it might mean to set up a unitary authority. The undertaking came from Dunedin City Council chief executive Sandy Graham yesterday during a meeting about reform of local and regional government. Unitary authorities combine the responsibilities of regional councils and city or district councils. ‘‘Let’s face it: the decision to create any form of unitary council will not be ours to make, even though it should be.’’Cr Lee Vandervis said the city should have decided upon creating a unitary council 10 years ago.

Emergency services personnel try to save a man who died at St Clair Beach in Dunedin yesterday. Emergency services had quickly arrived but there was not much they could do and the man died. ‘‘Sadly, he has passed.’’Police, St John and the St Kilda Fire Brigade were called to the incident about 11.50am. Te Rūnanga o Ōtākou placed a rāhui (a temporary closure) at St Clair Beach following the incident. The rāhui covers an area of St Clair and St Kilda Beaches for three days, and applies to the gathering of kaimoana/seafood and recreational activities.

The victim wrote to police, withdrawing her statement and choosing not to give evidence at the scheduled trial in October 2024. This week, the man appeared for sentencing on a charge of perverting the course of justice. ‘Write me a letter’At the time of the offending, between September 21 and October 5, 2024, the defendant and the victim were ex-partners. He was on remand for charges of threatening to kill, speaking threateningly and burglary in relation to the victim. On “numerous” occasions during that time the pair discussed what they would do to get the charges withdrawn.

RNZ asked the British High Commission in Wellington if it had sent out a media release about any of the changes. It pointed to a January 2025 media release that dealt only with the issue of introducing ETAs (Electronic Travel Authorisations) and not the new requirement for British passport holders, or certificates of entitlement. Many British migrants had asked why the passport requirement was introduced, after the UK government said it was to make borders more secure. “A number of countries insist that where their nationals are entering their ‘home’ country they must use their ‘home’ passport. For travellers embarking on a trip to the UK next week who had British parents but no visible link to the UK, she had some words of comfort.

None of the ministries Seymour proposed to merge into the Ministry of Arts, Culture and Heritage has an Act minister. All are headed by National ministers, apart from Seniors, headed by NZ First’s Casey Costello. Since Sunday’s announcement, Seymour had been questioned about how his reform would apply to the ministries currently led by Act’s ministers, including the Ministry for Regulation, which he created and leads. He acknowledged there was an argument for Act MP Andrew Hoggard’s biosecurity and food safety portfolios to be absorbed into agriculture, which was led by National’s Todd McClay. He has worked for NZME since 2018, reporting for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei and the Herald in Auckland.

Piyush Goyal, the Indian Minister of Commerce, has described this clause as a “clawback measure if investment targets are not met”. She agreed to talk about the FTA, including the Indian Government’s perspective on what was promised regarding the private investment. Asked whether the US$20b of investment was a hard commitment by New Zealand or an aspirational goal, Bhushan said it is “something to aspire towards”. It’s a general aspiration.”To reiterate the query, the Herald again asked if the investment was not a hard commitment for New Zealand to fulfil or face consequences. It’s not a ‘good in principle’ ... It’s a hard commitment,” he said.

Tom Waterhouse of Waterhouse VC believes New Zealand could become the blueprint provided it gets the regulatory balance right. The country’s gambling market has met a similar force. A 12% Offshore Gambling Duty has applied since July 2024 to offshore operators serving New Zealand residents, excluding sports and racing betting. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) puts the global illegal betting market at up to US$1.7 trillion wagered annually. The government responded by lifting the offshore gambling duty from 12% to 16% from January 2027, with the additional 4% ring-fenced for community returns.

Suzanne Morunga told the court on Wednesday that her son appeared “out of it”. On Sunday, September 8, the pair travelled back to the Pouto Rd address in Pouto Peninsula while Suzanne Morunga went to South Auckland to assist whānau. Suzanne Morunga said she was always in contact with “Jazzy girl” and was tearful describing their relationship. Suzanne Morunga said she was not in a condition to drive after being at the tangi and desperately needed sleep. Under cross‑examination, defence lawyer Arthur Fairley asked Suzanne Morunga whether she knew of her son’s allegations about his children.

John Lomu, the brother of late All Blacks great Jonah Lomu, has admitted aiding a drug-smuggling operation. “The parcels Mr Lomu provided Mr Vaivai, which had recently arrived from overseas, contained controlled drugs as well as sundry other items,” the summary of facts states. “Mr Vaivai would remove the drugs and return them to Mr Lomu for replacement in the Customs facility.”John Lomu, younger brother of Jonah Lomu. John Lomu used his job at the FedEx base in East Tāmaki, Auckland, to help smuggle illegal drugs into New Zealand. “A review of Mr Lomu’s phone revealed four screenshots of WhatsApp messages from Mr Vaivai, with advice on what to say in relation to suspicious money transactions,” court documents outline.

Photo: Gerard O'BrienA Kaitangata man who drowned his baby in a bathtub has been paroled after nearly 20 years behind bars. Kevin Joseph Charles Little, 46, appeared before the Parole Board last month. At last month’s hearing, Little continued to deny the murder. At trial, Little claimed he had slipped while taking the baby for a bath, been knocked unconscious and the baby had been inadvertently submerged. The board heard Little had good support from people who could offer positive approaches to challenges he faced.

“Some of those have a history of aggressive recruiting, dodgy practices, and pressuring, even sometimes harassment.”Alongside the warning, Fox outlined how students could distinguish recognised campus organisations from “one of the dodgy ones”. “That’s actually a very well-known recruitment strategy to come to campuses, especially to target new students,” Richter said. “There’s a specific vulnerability that is just there because you’re in a new environment.”Richter said moving cities, leaving home and starting university can leave students searching for connection and belonging. “They keep you busy.”She encouraged students who feel uneasy to trust their instincts and ask questions. “Everyone can be susceptible.”In 2017, the Herald revealed a secretive Korean “cult” had opened a branch in New Zealand, with University of Auckland students being targeted.

Photo / Tracy NealThe child was central to a case of alleged medical child abuse, in which the mother was accused. The Crown alleged the offending constituted “medical child abuse”, which was a diagnosis from a different doctor when the child was discharged from a North Island hospital in January 2021. Defence case built around ‘medically fragile child’The defence case was built around what was described as a “medically fragile child living with complicated medical devices” and the actions of a desperate mother trying to help her child. “When reflecting in hindsight on a parent’s conduct, when looking at medical child abuse, under- or over-reporting symptoms can be seen as suspicious?” Dyhrberg asked. “We are trained to always have consideration of medical child abuse.

PHOTO: RNZThe British government is now allowing dual nationals to have a lifelong digital stamp in their New Zealand passport instead of buying a new UK one. Thousands of people have already rushed to buy a British passport after being told an alternative certificate of entitlement - costing £589 ($NZ1329) - would last only as long as their current foreign passport. "At the moment certificates of entitlement are stickers (vignettes) placed in a passport. RNZ asked the British High Commission in Wellington if it had sent out a media release about any of the changes. Many British migrants had asked why the passport requirement was introduced, after the United Kingdom government said it was to make their borders more secure.

The Shotover wastewater treatment plant at Frankton. Photo: QLDCDisposing treated wastewater from Queenstown’s troubled Shotover treatment plant over a swathe of the Crown Terrace could cost up to $650 million, a council report says. It concluded that 288ha of land — about 400 rugby fields — would be required to absorb the estimated 2060 peak wet weather flow of 60,000cu m of treated wastewater a day. The land disposal option, which is the strong preference of iwi, was added to the four short-listed options presented to councillors at a December 5 workshop. The disposal field was taken offline when council management invoked emergency powers to begin discharging directly into the Shotover River last March.