Antoine Richard was last seen in Cromwell late on March 21. Photo: NZ PoliceA body believed to be that of missing 21-year-old French national Antoine Richard has been found in Lake Dunstan, police say. ‘‘While the formal identification process is yet to be completed, it is believed to be the 21-year-old man reported missing from Cromwell. ‘‘The death will be referred to the Coroner.’’Richard was reported missing in Cromwell last weekend. ‘‘Our thoughts are with his loved ones at this difficult time.’’Earlier, his family appealed for more help in the search.

CCTV camera footage from the ferry confirmed the man went into the water just after 11pm - about two hours after the ship departed Picton. Photo: InterislanderPolice say it is extremely unlikely that a man who went overboard from an Interislander ferry in Cook Strait earlier this week has survived. "Initial enquiries were undertaken, including further searches of the vessel and attempts to contact the man," Gifford said. Gifford said CCTV camera footage from the ferry Kaiārahi confirmed the man went into the water just after 11pm - about two hours after the ship departed Picton. Expert advice received indicated survivability was extremely unlikely," Gifford said.

A load of cattle and a truck driver have managed to walk away unhurt after a stock truck overturned in the Catlins area this afternoon. A police spokesman said the truck and trailer rolled on to its side near the intersection of Catlins Valley Rd and Papatowai Highway about 5.20pm. ‘‘There was an initial call made to a vet, but they got stood down pretty much straight away when it was assessed and realised that the stock were all out and OK.‘‘The driver was also out of the truck and was OK.’’He said the stock were moved into a neighbouring paddock while they waited to be picked up by another stock truck. Police inquiries were continuing. john.lewis@odt.co.nz

Image: RNZ / UnsplashA trucking sector veteran says the soaring price of diesel is the worst he's seen in his 35 years in the industry. The price of diesel has nearly doubled in the space of a month since the conflict in the Middle East. She said they were also seeing a trend of people cancelling due to disruption the fuel crisis was having their travel plans. Finance Minister says tax relief won't workNicola Willis faces questions on the fuel crisis last month. She said officials have also been clear that there may come a time when road users would be asked to conserve fuel.

Photo: Warwick Smith / LDRTararua residents can expect a far lesser rates increase than predicted from their council's 2026/27 Annual Budget. Bringing the average rates increase down from 11.84 percent to 4.83 percent hadn't "happened by accident", Tararua Mayor Scott Gilmore said. Council did not undergo formal consultation on this year's budget, with Gilmore saying such an approach reflected a "conscious decision" from council to focus on financial discipline. The 4.83 percent figure was an average increase and individual rates and property factors meant some ratepayers would see their total higher or lower than this figure. The community was encouraged to engage early in the council's upcoming talks on its Long Term Plan (LTP).

An illustration of what the 800-home Bangor Village subdivision on the outskirts of Darfield could look like. Hughes Developments is using the government’s fast-track process to get consent for Bangor Village, a 700-800 home subdivision on 126ha of farmland between Bangor Rd and State Highway 73 in Darfield. The fast-track process also does not allow for public feedback. The application comes after the Darfield Estates subdivision received consent to go ahead on the other side of the township. Grigg defended the fast-track process.

Photo: David Unwin/The PostThe Upper Hutt City Council has trespassed failed Wellington mayoral candidate and controversial social media figure Graham Bloxham from its offices. Bloxham endorsed Guppy, posting a video interview with the eight-term mayor, but said he did so on his own volition. Bloxham live-posted details from a private Wellington City Council media training session last November, when councillor Ray Chung left an open phone line to him for 40 minutes. He has claimed to have sold Wellington Live, but remained the forefront of its social media posts. The next Upper Hutt council meeting is today at 3.30pm.

Outside court, Mr Singh's father Nishan said he felt justice had been served and paid tribute to police, prosecutors and those who had supported the family during their ordeal. Mr Singh’s parents said the weight of losing their only son in such a callous attack was devastating. They had sold everything to enable Mr Singh to travel to New Zealand in 2016, study and establish a business for himself. Mr Singh’s body was found on his front lawn partially decapitated; at least 46 stab wounds were later identified by a pathologist. Gurjit Singh's father, Nishan Singh, told media outside the Dunedin court today he feels justice had been served.

A teenager has been arrested after three cars were allegedly stolen from a Dunedin suburb. Acting Senior Sergeant Iain Notman, of Dunedin, said two Mazda Demios and a Toyota Aqua were taken from the Caversham area last night. Police found a 15-year-old boy in one of them. He was arrested, charged with multiple vehicle thefts and unlawfully getting into a motor vehicle, and was scheduled to appear in the Youth Court today. It was at this stage suspected the boy had stolen all three vehicles, but inquiries were continuing into possible further offences in the area, Acting Snr Sgt Notman said.

Photo: RNZSome restrictions on Good Friday and Easter Sunday alcohol sales could be gone as soon as this long weekend. A member's bill from Labour MP Kieran McAnulty would amend the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act to allow premises that are already open on Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Anzac Day morning and Christmas Day to sell alcohol under normal licence conditions. Currently, bars or restaurants can only sell alcohol if the patron is "residing or lodging" on the premises, or "present on the premises to dine". Parliament treats alcohol legislation as a conscience matter, meaning MPs vote according to their personal view or what they think is best for their electorate or community, rather than as a party bloc. Luxton's own member's bill to repeal alcohol restrictions on Good Friday and Easter Sunday was voted down at first reading in 2024.

The remains of the couch in Castle St today. PHOTO: PETER MCINTOSHPolice are making inquiries after a couch was set alight in Dunedin’s student quarter. Acting Senior Sergeant Iain Notman, of Dunedin, said officers and firefighters were called to Castle St about 1am today after reports of a couch alight. The Campus Cop would be making further inquiries this morning, Acting Snr Sgt Notman said. Police say they have been pleased with the apparent lack of couch fires recently, with none reported during the St Patrick’s Day partying last month.

Mr Bennett, of Tuatapere, offered 31 Jersey empty cows on the online auction platform Bidr earlier this month. He sold six cows, born in 2020, and another six cows, born in 2023, featuring high breeding worth data. Mr Bennett wondered if demand at the auction was soft because they were Jerseys, rather than Holstein Friesians or crossbreds. He decided to sell the cows due to the higher prices being paid for dairy cows and his offering having sound udders, capable of producing milk over winter. ‘‘They are nice dairy cows and good to milk from for years.’’Usually he sent his empty cows to the works.

PHOTO: GREGOR RICHARDSONAn Air New Zealand Airbus A320-232 sits on the tarmac at Dunedin Airport yesterday, after it was grounded following its arrival from Auckland on Monday morning. An airline spokeswoman said the aircraft experienced bird-strike and required additional engineering checks. A return flight to Auckland on Monday was cancelled and the aircraft’s schedule has been cleared for the foreseeable future.

Making this a probably futile exercise, but one the [Broadcasting Standards] Authority requires. We aren’t subject to the Broadcasting Standards Authority.”Fanselow then took the matter to the authority, asking it if Plunket was correct. “Taking a purposive approach to the act, which is designed to provide for the maintenance of programme standards in New Zealand broadcasting, the act is appropriately seen as capturing such modern forms of broadcasting. “We have no intention of acting outside the act – our view is that online broadcasting that resembles a traditional TV or radio station falls within our existing jurisdiction. “The Broadcasting Standards Authority, or BSA, handles complaints that TV or radio programmes breached broadcasting standards.

A Dunedin family say they are over the moon that a potentially ‘‘life-saving’’ drug treating cystic fibrosis (CF) has got full government funding. Pharmac yesterday removed the requirement for CF patients needing to be at least 6 years old in order to receive subsidised Trikafta. PHOTO: PETER MCINTOSHThe announcement came as great news for one Dunedin family who were planning to move to Australia if they were unable to access the drug in New Zealand. ‘‘This decision is life-changing for our family - we can stay in New Zealand with our village and Maya has the chance at a healthier, happier life,’’ Mrs Palmer said. Maya - a regular at hospitals - was a ‘‘very happy’’ child, Mrs Palmer said.