'Profit over people': Communities push back on proposed alcohol reforms
Concerns are growing among health providers and whānau about the governments proposed alcohol reforms, with warnings they could increase harm in vulnerable communities. She said alcohol harm was not just about individual choice. Witika-Hawke pointed to the impact of alcohol harm on future generations, including FASD, a lifelong condition caused by prenatal alcohol exposure. He said alcohol harm extended beyond just the individual. ADVERTISEMENTGalloway said the direction of the reforms contradicted other government strategies, including suicide prevention efforts that put an emphasis on reducing alcohol harm.
Source:Stuff
March 27, 2026 19:53 UTC
Arsonist sought jail as motive for fires
Photo: ODT filesA serial firebug who set fire to Dunedin’s biggest police station said he did it to get back to jail. This week at the Dunedin District Court, 32–year-old Andrew Downs was jailed for two years after pleading guilty to a charge of arson. It burned out after a minute — after causing nearly $1000 of damage — and Downs promptly handed himself in. The offence resulted in over $40,000 worth of damage and Downs was jailed for two and a-half years. But the judge said the defendant had no control over the extent of the damage once the fire was lit.
Source:Otago Daily Times
March 27, 2026 17:04 UTC
Finding their feet, boots to fill
Neil Cockburn (left) receives a health and safety award from Wenita Forest Products chief executive David Cormack earlier this year. PHOTO: WENITAIt looks likely a third generation of the Cockburn family will be continuing an involvement in the forestry industry. Neil Cockburn works for Forestry Roading Services and manages a quarry for Wenita Forest Products. He started in forestry when he was 20, working with his uncle Ronnie Pearce who established South West Roading Ltd, later renamed Forestry Roading Services. They all looked out for each other and he enjoyed working with his father and being outdoors in the fresh air.
Source:Otago Daily Times
March 27, 2026 17:04 UTC
Graft from cadaver caused rare condition
PHOTO: SUPPLIEDA patient given a dural graft from a cadaver at Dunedin Hospital as a child in the 1980s has recently been diagnosed as having iatrogenic cerebral amyloid angiopathy (iCAA). The rare and potentially transmissable condition is caused by medical procedures involving exposure to pathological amyloid-beta protein ‘‘seeds’’, which travel to the brain. Given the appearance of cortical micro-bleeds, and the history of exposure to cadaveric dural tissue, the researchers tested for iCAA. There have been about 50 cases of iCAA reported in literature, and the onset of clinical symptoms can be reported between 25 and 46 years after exposure to cadaveric dural tissue. The researchers said this case highlighted the importance of considering iCAA in younger patients with a history of dural graft use.
Source:Otago Daily Times
March 27, 2026 17:04 UTC
Jail term extended after attack
Another man then hit the victim from behind and a second victim approached before he was surrounded by the defendants. After the assault, Reuben was granted parole to a residential rehabilitation facility, but he was exited after testing positive for medication not prescribed to him. Judge Robinson sentenced Reuben to 17 months’ imprisonment to be served on top of his existing sentence. Region Duncan was sentenced to 10 and a-half months’ imprisonment, while Laymen Renata Pere received nine and a-half months’ jail. Donald Noel Collins-Roberts will serve an extra nine months on his current sentence for the attack and Marcus Paul Panapa had eight months added to his jail term.
Source:Otago Daily Times
March 27, 2026 17:02 UTC
Hey, you behind the shed
While on his way to school yesterday, Logan Park High School year 13 student Charlie Milne, 17, was stopped in his tracks by a weka walking around the path. He stopped to admire it, and soon after to his surprise, a second weka popped out of the bushes — the pair then attempted to make themselves a third bird near the secondary school’s boiler shed. Two weka, thought to be a male and female, spotted wandering, and trying to mate, outside Logan Park High School yesterday. PHOTO: CHARLIE MILNEIn January 2025, another weka was reported wandering around people’s properties in North East Valley. Since then, there had been reported sightings all over North East Valley, and three broods of chicks seen last spring.
Source:Otago Daily Times
March 27, 2026 16:37 UTC
Closure to leave over 30 jobless
Heinz Wattie’s is closing the Gregg’s factory in Dunedin. PHOTO: STEPHEN JAQUIERYClosure of the Gregg’s coffee factory in Dunedin will cost more than 30 people their jobs. Confirmation of the closure had been expected, but was hard to take, the delegate from Etū said. City councillor Andrew Simms said the city would do all it could to turn the situation into a positive outcome for Gregg’s staff. In Christchurch, the Wattie’s frozen vegetable factory will shut.
Source:Otago Daily Times
March 27, 2026 16:36 UTC
Powerful northeasterly wind causes damage in city
A Mini was damaged after gale-force winds blew a tree on to it, in Balmacewen Rd, yesterday. PHOTO: STEPHEN JAQUIERYAfter powerful winds, reaching 146kmh, brought down trees and powerlines in parts of Dunedin yesterday, today’s weather is expected to become far more sedate. Four roads — Canongate, Castlewood Rd, Butts Rd and Glen Rd — were closed due to damaged and fallen trees and tree limbs. A large tree splintered and fell across Canongate, near the intersection with Serpentine Ave, yesterday. Those strong winds were likely to continue this morning, but were expected to gradually weaken as the day progressed.
Source:Otago Daily Times
March 27, 2026 16:36 UTC
A line-up designed to inspire
Lucy BlakisonA powerhouse line-up of inspiring women’s been confirmed for this year’s Westpac Queenstown Women in Business Conference. Tickets for the June 5 event, being held at QT Queenstown’s brand-new Bloom Conference Rooms, go on sale at noon today. This year’s conference, themed ‘Inspiring Confidence’, features newly-crowned 2026 Kiwibank Young New Zealander of the Year Lucy Blakison, the founder and CEO of Shit You Should Care About, a media organisation aimed at empowering young people. Queenstown Business Chamber of Commerce CEO Sharon Fifield says the conference is a chance to be inspired by women, many of whom ‘‘haven’t had the easiest path to success’’. Tickets are available via queenstownchamber.org.nz
Source:Otago Daily Times
March 27, 2026 15:58 UTC
Designer picks holes with The Hills
New look coming: A redesign of Arrowtown’s The Hills private golf course is due to start next week. An Aussie golf course architect redesigning Arrowtown’s The Hills has taken a gentle swing at the championship course’s original layout — however, the original designer’s relatively unfazed. An initiative of The Hills’ new American partners, the reworking of the 18-hole private course, due to start next week, is the work of OCM Golf Design director Mike Cocking. In a recent podcast, he praises the playing experience, ‘‘but we felt the [golf course] architecture didn’t necessarily match the experience or the setting, so our aim is to try and elevate the architecture to something approaching the surrounding landscape’’. As to making The Hills’ bunkers more reflective of the rugged mountainscape, Darby says he did that at a similar time when designing Queenstown’s Jack’s Point course beneath the Remarkables mountain range.
Source:Otago Daily Times
March 27, 2026 15:58 UTC
Qualmark cuts concern
It is feared cost-cutting by Tourism New Zealand quality assurance organisation Qualmark will reduce the quality of NZ’s tourism product. In response to increasing costs to deliver its service, Qualmark, from April 1, will only conduct an initial in-person assessment for new business members — from then on, they’ll be online each year. Till Covid, Queenstowner Amanda Cushen was a Qualmark assessor for 12 years, looking after 220 accommodation properties from Mount Cook south. If Qualmark’s funding’s an issue, he suggests it receive a share of the international visitor levy that’s targeted for tourism. ‘‘What I would say is it depends on how good the online system is.’’scoop@scene.co.nz
Source:Otago Daily Times
March 27, 2026 15:58 UTC
Farms running dry of fuel as rural distributors struggle with allocation
The Ōtautahi-based fuel distributor and storage firm picked up fuel allocated by importers at 11 ports nationwide for its approximately 10,000 primary industry customers nationwide. Chief executive Chris Gourley said its fuel allocation had been affected by “artificial demand”, driven by panic-buying and stockpiling of fuel as prices soared. “Farmers that are in arable or farmers that are harvesting or cutting grass, they need fuel,” he said. “If you don’t need fuel, don’t enter that market and try to stockpile fuel, because it just really does generate problems for everybody. “We’re really trying to all of us, the importers, the distributors, everybody’s trying to balance that fuel.
Source:New Zealand Herald
March 27, 2026 15:38 UTC
Warriors v Tigers live updates: Andrew Webster’s men crash to first loss of NRL season
For the Warriors, it will be a tough pill to swallow considering their start to the season, where they were near faultless. Warriors coach Andrew Webster pulled a late switch, dropping Ali Leiataua to the reserves, allowing Taine Tuaupiki to start at fullback, and Charne Nicoll-Klokstad to the centres. Boyd then set up Jacob Laban, holding the ball long enough before passing to his edge forward to burst through. The Warriors made multiple chances to score early in the second half, but couldn’t find the magic touch needed to get back in the match. Having had three of their first four games at home, the Warriors now face a daunting road trip.
Source:New Zealand Herald
March 27, 2026 12:14 UTC
Trump pauses attacks on Iran's energy plants, says talks 'going well'
US President Donald Trump speaks next to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington. Photo: ReutersUS President Donald Trump said he would pause attacks on Iran's energy plants for 10 days at Tehran's request and said talks with Iran were going "very well," although an Iranian official dismissed a US proposal for ending nearly four weeks of fighting as "one-sided and unfair". "Talks are ongoing and, despite erroneous statements to the contrary by the Fake News Media, and others, they are going very well," he said. He said taking control of Iran's oil was an option, but gave no details. The Iranian official told Reuters that a 15-point US proposal, conveyed to Tehran by Pakistan, was reviewed in detail on Wednesday by senior Iranian officials and the representative of Iran's supreme leader.
Source:Otago Daily Times
March 27, 2026 09:57 UTC
'The delays could be the difference between me living or dying'
Photo: SuppliedA young mum facing life-threatening delays for cancer treatment may be forced to raise more than $1 million for a stem cell transplant overseas. After her diagnosis, Geddes was put straight on a waiting list for a stem cell transplant. Shortly after beginning chemotherapy, it was found her cancer had mutations, putting her in a high-risk category, and making an allogenic stem cell transplant the only possible way to treat her leukaemia. "The delays could be the difference between me living or dying, unfortunately." Stem cell transplants can only be done in Christchurch , Auckland, and Wellington.
Source:Otago Daily Times
March 27, 2026 08:16 UTC