Photo: Stephen JaquieryThe man who allegedly killed Clutha vet Jillian Clark faced a charge of murder from his hospital bed yesterday. He was in an intensive care unit bed yesterday, where Judge David Robinson conducted a bedside hearing. Jillian Clark. He had been taken to hospital in critical condition after Dr Clark was found dead in her home last month. The Otago Daily Times understands Dr Clark was stabbed.
A Domino’s pizza box with a racist joke handwritten on the lid has upset a Dunedin customer. Photo: suppliedA Dunedin man was left with a bad taste when his Domino’s pizza box included "an excessively racist joke". Jokes and funny pictures drawn on pizza boxes are a common Domino’s request, not only in New Zealand, but across the world. Slice, slice baby" or "I was gonna tell a pizza joke, but they’re all too cheesy." "What we received was disturbing — a box containing an excessively racist joke," Mr Colvin said.
Photo: Local Democracy/Susan BottingA family of four have been saved from drowning by a fast-thinking local man being described by police as a "hero". A Hato Hone St John ambulance crew treated family members at the scene. "He's a hero - there's no two ways about it," Senior Sergeant Dave Wilkinson said. Water Safety NZ Interventions lead Esther Hone said while Stott undoubtedly saved lives, not every rescue attempt was successful. Hato Hone St John encouraged people to call 111 immediately in water-related emergencies, and urged people to learn first aid and CPR.
Before the launch of sweeping immigration operations, there were only 150 federal immigration officers in the state of Minnesota. Photo / Charly Triballeau, AFPBefore the launch of sweeping immigration operations, there were only 150 federal immigration officers in the state of Minnesota. Photo / Charly Triballeau, AFPUS President Donald Trump has suggested that a “softer touch” may be needed on immigration, as his administration said 700 federal officers would be pulled from Minnesota after weeks of aggressive and even deadly operations. But you still have to be tough,” Trump said in an interview with NBC’s Nightly News when asked what he had learned from Minneapolis. Trump’s border chief Tom Homan had earlier announced that 700 federal officers would be withdrawn from Minnesota, but said the contentious deployment would continue, with about 2000 agents remaining after the drawdown.
PHOTO: STEPHEN JAQUIERYAt 91, Gerardus Oskam decided it was finally time to become a New Zealand citizen, and to stop his wife from sleeping next to an "alien". After 71 years living in "paradise", the Dunedin man decided that when the time came, he wanted to be buried a New Zealand citizen. Yesterday at the Dunedin Town Hall, his wish came true. "I’ve had my wife sleeping with an alien for many years — I finally found the time." Mr Oskam met his wife, Mavis (nee Dick), at the Dunedin Town Hall more than 60 years ago.
Auckland Council officials shut down the Gateway Motel in Manurewa after complaints. Photo / Annaleise ShortlandOfficials say the Gateway Motel in Manurewa is insanitary. Maranga Fanau director and local board member Phylis Latu said the owners of Manurewa's Gateway Motel should be ashamed. Pointing to the Gateway Motel sign, she spoke to the Ministry of Social Development (MSD), saying, “Don’t pay these guys”. Tenants were reportedly changed $400-plus per week at the Gateway Motel in Manurewa.
Richard Adams had an established history of treatment-resistant schizophrenia he had been living with for 30 years. Sometime during the day on March 15, 2025, Richard Adams became annoyed at his cousin and went into his bedroom. When a support worker arrived to administer their daily medication, Richard Adams told her his cousin was in bed asleep. When spoken to by police, Richard Adams said he had assaulted his cousin because he “wanted some peace and quiet”. He had been in and out of mental health wards and prescribed a range of treatment for his mental health.
Joseph Keeley died after the helicopter he was flying crashed in the Paekākāriki Hill area on January 28, 2026. In May 1998, the pair were working together in venison recovery - Keeley as the pilot and Lucas as the shooter. In the thick bush, neither the rescue helicopter nor Air Force services could get to them. They dropped a stretcher out and the paramedic stabilised Lucas, before the rescue helicopter from Taupō flew over and got him to Palmerston North Hospital. Thanks to Keeley’s actions, the helicopter with the paramedic got to Lucas within an hour and a half of the crash.
Earlier, Hipkins had called the government "anti-Treaty", referring to the controversial Treaty Principles Bill that seeks to define what the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi are. Hipkins said his discussions with the forum had been "constructive" but acknowledged the iwi leaders would work with whoever the government was. When asked whether the government was "anti-Māori" Luxon accepted "ACT's Treaty Principles Bill was incredibly challenging". He said despite tensions through challenges like the Treaty Principles Bill, the government had continued the conversation with iwi leaders at the same time. Iwi leader Tukoroirangi Morgan echoed that sentiment, calling the meeting "productive" and saying iwi leaders were in a position where "we need to get stuff done".
Former head chef of The Bunker, Ben Norfolk, in 2022. FILE PHOTO: SUPPLIEDA former Queenstown chef and hospitality owner apparently on the run from serious drug charges remains wanted by police. Ben Norfolk, 43, left the country before he was due to appear in the Queenstown District Court on December 1 on charges of administering and supplying LSD. Allied Media understands one charge came from an alleged drink-spiking incident in the town in August, 2023. Norfolk has also been charged with the burglary of a house in Dunedin on October 24 last year.
A sign warns drivers of an oil spill in Jackson Rd, near Waitaki Bridge. The 300m-long patch of oil — which the resident believed was an "oil spill" — was dangerous, they said. "It was really bad, predominantly on the upper end of Jackson Rd near the highway. The matter had been raised with the Waitaki District Council, the Otago Regional Council and police. Waitaki District Council network manager Erik van der Spek said the oil in Jackson Rd had been reported to council and staff were investigating its source.
PHOTO: GETTY IMAGESPlanning to get out of town for a short break over the long Waitangi Weekend? MetService has some good news and some bad news to share, which may or may not change your plans. But the good news was, most of that rain would fall early in the morning or late in the day. "We could see a front with some showers moving on to Southland, but that looks more likely for the night time. "And then that front continues late Saturday into Sunday across the rest of Southland and into Otago."
Labour leader Chris Hipkins says the latest unemployment figures are "incredibly embarrassing" for the coalition government. Finance Minister Nicola Willis said while she would prefer the unemployment rate was lower, the underlying details were positive. Finance Minister Nicola Willis. But Labour leader Chris Hipkins says the latest unemployment figures are an indictment on the coalition. Photo: RNZGreen Party co-leader Marama Davidson said the figures showed the three party coalition of National, New Zealand First and Act was a "government of despair".
Otago veteran Kane Russell scored twice for the Black Sticks as they fought out a 3-3 draw with Japan in Hamilton yesterday. Dylan Thomas scored the third goal for the Black Sticks. — Allied Media
Levi James Newport, 34, appeared in the Dunedin District Court last week and admitted breaching parole. The Parole Board considered he was no longer an undue risk to the community, despite a Roc*Roi (risk of re-conviction and risk of imprisonment) score of 0.94. At a hearing in October, the Parole Board noted Newport had a criminal history that filled 21 pages. Since then, he had changed his tune, the Parole Board heard. After his escape, he was recalled to prison to serve his sentence.
