Ritchies drivers left in limbo
A Ritchies Transport bus. PHOTO: GREGOR RICHARDSONBus drivers for Ritchies Transport in Dunedin are reporting an increased amount of sick leave taken, as the company grapples with losing contracts, theunderstands. A Ritchies bus driver, who declined to be named, said it had been an incredibly stressful time as drivers waited on whether they would still have a job. The driver said many at Ritchies were long-term contract-holders and were drawing on their sick leave as a protest. In New Zealand, employees are entitled to 10 days of paid sick leave per year after six months of continuous employment.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 16, 2026 17:26 UTC
Students welcomed by mana whenua at Puketeraki Marae
Maori University of Otago students have received a special welcome at Puketeraki Marae to help them connect with each other and mana whenua. University of Otago Māori tauira (students) attend powhiri at Puketeraki Marae yesterday. PHOTOS: PETER MCINTOSHThe tauira (students) then had a chance to socialise with each other and mana whenua with some kai. "For their wairua, their spiritual wellbeing in the Maori sense, this is massive to be welcomed by mana whenua. The event was shared between the marae so both could have an opportunity to welcome the students and students got to experience different marae in Otago.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 16, 2026 17:26 UTC
Appeal of sex tape recorder fails; phone to be returned
Thomas Ryan was sentenced to nine months’ supervision when he appeared in the Dunedin District Court last year. PHOTO: FELICITY DEARA Dunedin man who sent a secret sex tape to dozens of his rugby mates has failed to have his conviction quashed. Thomas Ryan, 24, lost his substantive appeal, heard in the High Court at Dunedin this month, but had one minor win. His $2000 cellphone, which had been instrumental in committing the crime, was returned to him after Justice Melanie Harland overturned a forfeiture order. She dismissed the appeal against conviction but ruled the forfeiture of Ryan’s phone was "not necessary".
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 16, 2026 17:22 UTC
Future consultation to take new approach
Lessons learnt from consulting the public about Aurora Energy’s future could influence how the Dunedin City Council seeks feedback on another big issue — Enterprise Dunedin’s future. Council chief executive Sandy Graham said the council was trying to learn lessons from the Aurora consultation experience. Ms Graham said it was clear from feedback about the Aurora proposal the material and consultation "didn’t land well with the community". "We have taken that feedback on board and are trying different things with future consultation." Forming a council-controlled organisation to run Enterprise Dunedin is the council’s preferred option to be put to the public for consultation.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 16, 2026 17:04 UTC
Electric fishing boat hauls half tonne of pest fish from Western Springs lake
The two orange fish are pet goldfish. “Releasing exotic fish into waterways harms natural ecosystems by forcing native species to compete for habitat,” Bloxham said. “This causes muscles to contract involuntarily bringing them to the surface, where they can be scooped up with long-handled nets.”The exotic fish were then euthanised and sent to a plant where they turned into bio-ethanol, which can be burnt. Bloxham said it is important to dispose of unwanted pets responsibly for the good of the environment and of the fish. Photo / Auckland Council Facebook“Pets released into waterways are likely to suffer from malnutrition, injuries, stress and disease.
Source:New Zealand Herald
February 16, 2026 17:01 UTC
Aust charity backs Dunedin cancer research
PHOTO: GREGOR RICHARDSONWord of a Dunedin trust’s ground-breaking work, using specially trained dogs to sniff out cancer, is spreading around the globe and an Australian charity has just raised $NZ200,000 for the trust to continue its research. K9MD founder and chief executive Pauline Blomfield said the trust had recently formed a collaborative partnership with a newly founded Australian cancer charity called Get Yourself Checked. Mr Hanley said when he heard about K9MD in Dunedin, he decided to take a closer look at the work the trust was doing. The duo flew to Dunedin yesterday to present the cheque and formally acknowledge their ongoing commitment to K9MD. "While Australia and New Zealand go head-to-head in the sporting sector, this support from across the Tasman for K9MD clearly shows cancer has no geographical boundaries.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 16, 2026 16:40 UTC
Health charity under scrutiny: Probe into Te Kaika widened by govt
A government probe into under-fire charity Te Kāika is more wide-ranging than previously known, the Otago Daily Times can now reveal. The DIA said it might investigate a charity where its conduct could amount to "serious wrongdoing" as defined under the Charities Act. In response to an Official Information Act request, DIA charities services manager for business improvement Helen Steven said the investigation into Te Kāika was wider than previously known. Ōtākou Health Ltd was asked to comment on the DIA investigation, including the late filing of returns and "more substantive concerns". "Late filing extensions are a normal administrative process and do not indicate wrongdoing," they said.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 16, 2026 16:40 UTC
Never a long face to be seen at the Middlemarch pub
The new owners of a rural Otago pub are not horsing around when it comes to the importance of having a thriving local watering hole. Donna Hall and Jim McDougall bought the Strath Taieri Hotel in August and next month will host the finale of the Goldfields Cavalcade as 400 riders converge on Middlemarch. Ms Hall and Mr McDougall bought the pub, building and all, outright in August 2025, and say they have never looked back. "The Middlemarch community is amazing — they support the pub and the pub supports the community groups, so it just works really well." It has been estimated it would be the biggest event in the town since the Middlemarch Singles Ball 25 years ago.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 16, 2026 16:28 UTC
Arsenic, cyanide and the science
Understanding the fundamentals — arsenic, cyanide, water, tailings — and suddenly the noise is a lot less convincing. While most arsenic stays locked in place; the small soluble fraction is captured and chemically turned back into a long-term, stable solid before entering the tailings facility. Cyanide: controlled, treated, below drinking-water limitsThe word "cyanide" tends to appear where the technical understanding ends. Before anything reaches the tailings facility, it runs through a dedicated destruction circuit, cutting cyanide to below 50ppm, the strict limit for discharge. What a tailings facility actually is (and is not)The phrase "tailings dam" still gets thrown around like it’s the Clyde Dam waiting to fail.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 16, 2026 15:34 UTC
Trio of American PGA Tour winners heading to NZ
PHOTO: ODT FILESThree more heavy hitters have signed up for the New Zealand Open. PGA Tour winners Kevin Na, Nick Watney and Kyle Stanley will all be heading to Millbrook next week. Korean-American Na, 42, was a five-time PGA Tour winner before joining LIV Golf in 2022, and has two top-10 finishes at majors. Washington golfer Stanley, 38, has won twice on the PGA Tour and returns to New Zealand 15 years after his last visit. "To have three proven PGA Tour winners of this calibre commit to the New Zealand Open is fantastic for the tournament,” Glading said.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 16, 2026 15:34 UTC
Kerr gets jump on aspirants to take supreme award
The Olympic and world champion high jumper was crowned the supreme winner at the Halberg Awards in Auckland last night. The 29-year-old, who was born in Dunedin, also secured the Diamond League crown in Zurich and was awarded the Lonsdale Cup by the New Zealand Olympic Committee. Kerr held off athletics team-mate Geordie Beamish, freeskier Luca Harrington, footballer Chris Wood and golfer Ryan Fox to win the sportsman of the year title. They held off strong competition from Auckland FC, world champion rowers Ben Taylor and Oliver Welch, the Kiwis, the Black Sox and the men’s team pursuit track cycling squad. Black Ferns rookie and World Rugby breakthrough player of the year Braxton Sorensen-McGee, golf champion Cooper Moore, BMX junior elite world champion Lily Greenough, freeski halfpipe world champion Finley Melville Ives and Zoe Pedersen, for an exceptional year across swimming and surf lifesaving, were finalists.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 16, 2026 15:34 UTC
Person injured in single-vehicle crash
One person was taken to hospital after a single-vehicle crash near Purakaunui in the Catlins. PHOTO: SUPPLIEDOne person was taken to hospital with moderate injuries after a single-vehicle crash near Purakaunui in the Catlins yesterday morning. A police spokesman said they were alerted to the crash about 11.45am in Purakaunui Bay Rd, near the site of a popular beachside campsite. Meanwhile, driver fatigue is thought to be the cause of a crash near Lake Hayes on Sunday in which two Australian tourists were injured. The crash was a reminder to all drivers to take regular breaks during long trips, or to change drivers if possible, he said.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 16, 2026 15:34 UTC
So near and yet so far
PHOTO: AFP VIA GETTY IMAGESAlice Robinson finished a whisker away from a memorable medal at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics yesterday. She finished 0.8sec behind winner Federice Brignone and just 0.18sec off the silver medal position in an exceptionally tight competition. Only racers who completed their first run got to take a second run, so there was no margin for error. At the end of the first run, Robinson was sitting in 10th place with a time of 1min 4.32sec, 1.09sec behind Brignone. "Last Olympics were really challenging for Alice and I’m so happy that she’s back to skiing well again.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 16, 2026 15:34 UTC
Tribunal finds teacher guilty of slapping his student
PHOTO: GETTY IMAGESA dispute over a missing jar of lollies has resulted in a former Invercargill secondary school teacher being found guilty of serious misconduct. Mr McKenzie no longer lives or works in Invercargill. The decision by the New Zealand Teachers Disciplinary Tribunal about the incident was released last week. The pair argued for a time and then Mr McKenzie "quickly open-handed slapped Student A with his right hand across the left side of Student A’s face". Mr McKenzie provided a statement to the tribunal in which he reflected about the incident and expressed his deep remorse for his actions.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 16, 2026 15:34 UTC
Master, apprentice both impress
Dane Menzies, of New Zealand, in action during the Milano Cortina Olympics men’s snowboard slopestyle qualification at the Livigno Snow Park in Livigno, Italy, yesterday. PHOTO: REUTERSA headline act and a rising star shone for the New Zealand team in snowboard slopestyle yesterday. Both Zoi Sadowski-Synnott and Dane Menzies finished qualifying in top spot at the Livigno Snow Park. "I didn’t expect the judges to score that high, but they’re liking my selection of rails, so that’s good. In the women’s qualifying rounds, defending Olympic champion Sadowski-Synnott made an immediate statement, posting an opening score of 81.73 to move into second place.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 16, 2026 15:32 UTC