Photo: ODT filesToday's visitors and residents to Queenstown have much to thank Glenorchy’s Richard Kennett for. Mr Kennett also had a significant role in the protection and management of Te Koroka special area, near Glenorchy, in partnership with mana whenua. Additionally, he had a lengthy involvement with LandSAR, including being the Wakatipu LandSAR committee chairman from 2011 to 2017. He was the senior non-police representative on the search and rescue incident management team in the Wakatipu Basin, through which he had contributed to numerous significant search and recovery field operations. In that crash the pilot and nine passengers, on a scenic flight from Wānaka to Milford Sound, were all killed.

Whare Flat Folk Festival organisers past and present (from left) Sue Harkness and Siobhán Dillon exchange memories at the Waiora Scout Camp hall. Photos: Gerard O'Brien/ODT filesDunedin's renowned, now half-a-century-old Whare Flat Folk Festival had, and still very much has, "a family atmosphere", a former organiser says. Tents began to appear at the Waiora Scout Camp yesterday afternoon as folkies descended upon Whare Flat for the multi-day camping festival’s 50th year. Among those there as the gates opened was Sue Harkness, who organised the 1984-85 and 1985-86 festivals. A standout moment for her was witnessing the change in professionalism of the music featured at the festival.

Photo: suppliedLegal mind Liz Henry thought she had been scammed when she received the email congratulating her on becoming a recipient of the King’s Service Medal. Mrs Henry has been involved in community initiatives in Invercargill for the past 20 years. For her, it was about volunteering, not about earning awards. Mrs Henry is a founder and current director of Invercargill parkrun, which was established in 2018. She sponsors an annual Murihiku women’s duathlon, supplying goodie bags for all participants, and sponsors other local sporting initiatives including the local men’s football club uniforms.

PHOTO: NINA TAPUBeing made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit weighs heavily for Gail Thompson (Ngāi Tahu). She stands on the shoulders of tūpuna (ancestors) who have provided her with years of guidance. ‘‘The mahi that we do in the environmental space is about maintaining relationships. ‘‘It takes a village; without the mentoring and guidance of others we couldn’t do this.’’The 66-year-old has been a leader, advocate and mentor for Ngāi Tahu whānui and in conservation. As a founding member of Guardians of Fiordland Fisheries in 1997, she initiated work that enabled the establishment of several marine protected areas.

Photo: suppliedRuth Shaw says her King’s Service Medal should be shared with all those who have fought for the environment. She was actively involved in the Save Fiordland campaign that defeated a proposal to construct a monorail access through Fiordland National Park. In 1989, she joined Earth Trust’s fight to ban drift netting in southern oceans. But she said she would continue to fight for the environment. "I hope we can save the southern dotterels on Stewart Island, because we’ve only got 104, but this breeding season’s looking really, really good."

Freya Byrne proudly wears her ribbon after securing first place in the hobby horse dash. PHOTO: EVIE SINCLAIRCrowds flocked to the Hāwea Picnic Races yesterday for events that featured more than just real-life horses. A hobby horse derby and three-legged race were among the highlights of the occasion, which was first held in 1946. Six-year-old Freya Byrne, a winner of a hobby horse heat, said she had been practising. Competitors in the 1500m three-legged race had the chance to win $200.

New Zealand athletics greats Rod Dixon and Lorraine Moller have each been made officers of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) in the New Year Honours list. Dixon was a four-time Olympian, winning bronze in the 1500m at the 1972 Games in Munich, and won the New York Marathon in 1983. Moller, who studied physical education at the University of Otago, won 16 international marathons, Olympic bronze and three Commonwealth Games medals over a 23-year running career on the track, road and cross-country. Former Black Caps batter Martin Guptill and former All Blacks midfielder turned Pasifika rugby advocate Eroni Clarke were made members of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM). — Allied Media

Photo: Stuff / Kai SchwoererOff the back of two devastating wildfires in Tongariro National Park, the country is facing another summer of increased fire risk. Her work has involved analysing firegrounds in Canada, and more recently, the sites of wildfires at Lake Pukaki and Lake Ōhau in 2020. "On that basis, yes, you could say that certainly the trend is suggesting that the number of large wildfires is increasing." In fact, Mitchell said the data showed humans caused 98 percent of New Zealand's wildfires. "It's such an easy way to avoid a lot of the wildfires that we're having," he said.

Justin Bieber wants the music industry to be "safer" and "more honest" after his challenging experiences as a child star. Photo / Getty ImagesJustin Bieber wants the music industry to be "safer" and "more honest" after his challenging experiences as a child star. Photo / Getty ImagesJustin Bieber wants the music industry to be made “safer” and “more honest”. The 31-year-old singer was catapulted to fame as a child star and spent his formative years in the spotlight. In a series of posts on Instagram, Bieber credited his Christian faith with helping him through his pain.

Another rejected these claims, arguing the Youth MPs could say what they wanted. Labour leader Chris Hipkins said censoring political debate undermined the point of the Youth Parliament event. While elected MPs have protections in the House from the likes of defamation – called parliamentary privilege – this doesn’t extend to Youth MPs. Youth Minister James Meager said the review was about protecting the Youth MPs. Photo / Mark MitchellThe Herald was provided with correspondence Youth MPs received about their roles in the months leading up to Youth Parliament in July.

Afternoon Headlines | Call for more police on Karangahape Rd and severe winds continue to batter parts of New Zealand | Tuesday, December 30, 2025UK paramedic loses job after lying about family sickness to skip work on ChristmasA British emergency worker has been struck off for dishonesty, including falsely telling her bosses her sister was in intensive care so she could have Christmas Day off. Paramedic Natalie Twomey emailed her employer, the London Ambulance Service (LAS), on November 28, 2022, claiming her sister’s health had “deteriorated again” and she needed to travel out of town to be by her side. But the truth was uncovered when LAS staff noticed a Facebook post the same day showing her supposedly critically ill sister’s house decked out with Christmas decorations, the Independent reported. Metro also reported Twomey shared a Facebook memory of a previous trip to Mexico with her sister, captioned, “Eight days until this paradise again”. Twomey was removed from frontline duties in June 2023 after arriving at work smelling of alcohol, the Independent reported.

QF112 was diverted to Sydney after a passenger suffered a medical event. Woman dies after suffering medical event on Qantas flight from Auckland to PerthQF112 was diverted to Sydney after a passenger suffered a medical event. A woman in her 60s died after suffering a medical episode on a Qantas flight from Auckland to Perth. New South Wales Police said just after 12pm NZT, emergency services were called to Sydney International Airport after a woman in her 60s suffered a medical episode. “The woman could not be revived.”A Qantas spokesperson said QF112 from Auckland to Perth was diverted due to a medical incident on board.

Five people were injured after two separate vehicle crashes saw cars ram into buildings in South Auckland within minutes of each other on Tuesday afternoon. The employee said the driver was a woman believed to be in her 30s and that no one else was inside the vehicle, Stuff has reported. “One patient, in moderate condition, was transported to Middlemore Hospital. Hato Hone St John said one ambulance, a rapid response unit and an operations manager were sent to the Papakura crash, Stuff has reported. One patient, in moderate condition, was assessed and treated at the scene, the spokesperson said.

A Qantas flight travelling from Auckland to Perth was forced to divert to Sydney on Tuesday following a medical emergency involving a passenger on board. According to New South Wales police, the passenger was a woman in her 60s who suffered a medical episode during the flight and could not be revived. Police said emergency services were notified and were present at Sydney International Airport shortly after noon (NZT), Stuff has reported. Qantas later confirmed that its Auckland–Perth service, flight QF112, had been diverted due to the incident. “Urgent assistance was provided to the passenger, and emergency services met the aircraft on arrival.

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