Driver dies in fiery crash, 'courageous' efforts save trapped passengers
Photo: SuppliedA young driver has died in a fiery crash after being seen dangerously driving in Hamurana, north of Rotorua. The silver Lexus, with the driver and two young passengers inside, was reportedly seen cutting people off and being driven at 80kmh over the speed limit on Tuesday. "Their actions were courageous and saved lives of the trapped passengers." The passengers were taken to hospital in a serious condition, while the young driver was found dead at the scene. He asked for anyone with dashcam or CCTV footage of the silver Lexus sedan, carrying the registration DZS7, to contact police.
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 13, 2026 23:48 UTC
Workers arriving in Queenstown and leaving within weeks
Photo: RNZWorkers are arriving in Queenstown and leaving within weeks because the cost of living is too high, recruiters and unions say. And we did not necessarily find Queenstown to have higher wages, just higher prices," she said. Data from Infometrics showed across the board, the average Queenstown worker earned $69,788 - 12 percent below the New Zealand average. Workers in, workers outEdmunds said he was not holding out hope for employers to pay their workers more. Edmunds said Queenstown had always been expensive place to live - but it should not just be a playground for the ultra-rich, he said.
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 13, 2026 23:04 UTC
Cr Ong talks about inquiry into his complaint
Asked about this by the Otago Daily Times yesterday, Cr Ong said his Facebook statement was "self-explanatory". In that statement, Cr Ong said Cr Chambers had made "discriminatory remarks against our South Asian community" at a meeting on December 12. Cr Ong said he had "a chance private conversation" with Cr Chambers afterwards "where I sought to assist him to understand why his discriminatory remarks were wrong". Cr Russell Lund said last month Cr Ong spoke to him "immediately after his confrontation with Cr Chambers in the carpark" and Cr Ong was distressed by Cr Chambers’ alleged conduct. Cr Ong wanted Cr Chambers to apologise.
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 13, 2026 22:02 UTC
Now or never for Ryenna owners
Ryenna Wapiti owners Jesse and Tracey Saunders are holding their inaugural open day on-farm near Winton today. Up to 20 wapiti bulls would be offered by private treaty at their Ryenna Wapiti on-farm open day in Dunearn, northwest of Winton. He was targeting selling his bulls to red deer farmers, who could use their bulls as a terminal sire. Mrs Saunders said a reason for launching the open day now was because Tikana Wapiti owners Dave Lawrence and Donna Day were no longer holding a sale. Ryenna Wapiti won three prizes at the 2025 National Velvet and Trophy Antler Competition in Invercargill last month.
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 13, 2026 21:53 UTC
This Day in Track & Field, January 12, 18 year old Herb Elliott breaks Ron Clarke’s World Junior Mile record with a 4:06.0 (1958)! by Walt Murphy
The 18-year old Elliott, who was being coached by the legendary Percy Cerutty, had run 4:06.0 for the mile on this day at Olympic Park to break fellow Australian Ron Clarke’s unofficial World Junior record by .8s. Elliott went on to set World Records in the 1500 and mile and win the gold medal in the 1500-meters at the 1960 Olympics, and is considered one of the greatest milers in history. Cerutty had predicted 2-years earlier that Elliott would become a world record holder, but the youngster’s career suffered a temporary setback in a freak accident in late 1955 when a piano crushed his foot! Among the athletes who have participated in the meet are Cheryl Toussaint, Diane Dixon, Sandra Farmer-Patrick, and Dalilah Muhammad. 1979–Maryland sophomore Renaldo Nehemiah ran 7.02 to break his own World Record in the 60-yard hurdles at the CYO meet in College Park,Md.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 13, 2026 21:51 UTC
Tributes flow for former Clutha mayor Juno Hayes
Former Clutha district mayor Juno Hayes at his Milton home, shortly before receiving his ONZM aged 70, in 2014. PHOTO: LINDA ROBERTSONFamily, friends and fellow political figures have paid tribute to former Clutha district mayor Cyril Edwin "Juno" Hayes following his death on Monday. Mr Hayes died at the Otago Hospice following a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease, he turned 82 last month. Younger brother Sir Richard "Hannibal" Hayes, told the Otago Daily Times yesterday his brother was a man "not easily replaced". After the Clutha District Council was formed, he was deputy mayor for nine years, before becoming mayor for 12 years.
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 13, 2026 21:33 UTC
Waitārere Beach shooting: Man dead, three critically injured at Horowhenua property
A man was also found dead at the Waitārere Beach Rd address, and the police were not looking for anyone else in relation to the incident. Horowhenua Mayor Bernie Wanden told the Herald police were responding to a “tragic family incident”. Police say the Waitārere Beach shooting is an isolated 'family incident'. Photo / Mark MitchellA local shopkeeper said he was familiar with the couple that lived at the Waitārere Beach Rd address, but he did not know them personally. Wellington man Wal is visiting Waitārere Beach and said the shooting was “bizarre - it’s supposedly a quiet little town”.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 13, 2026 19:36 UTC
F-22 fighter jets based at Christchurch Airport for airshow
One of the world’s most impressive fighter jets has been confirmed for its first visit to New Zealand for Warbirds Over Wanaka this Easter. Event general manager Ed Taylor said having the USAF F-22 Raptor Demo Team performing on all three days of the airshow was a real coup. Warbirds over Wanaka general manager Ed Taylor is over the moon about the USAF F-22 Raptor Demo Team taking part in this year’s show over Easter weekend. Two Raptors would make the trip to New Zealand and would operate out of Christchurch International Airport, he said. At a cost of more than $NZ200 million each, the Raptor is the only US-built fighter not sold to other countries.
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 13, 2026 19:23 UTC
Person found injured on roadside in Howick, Auckland
A section of Union Rd near Pegler Dr in Howick has been cordoned off by police after a person was found critically injured on the roadside and rushed to hospital. A section of Union Rd near Pegler Dr in Howick has been cordoned off by police after a person was found critically injured on the roadside and rushed to hospital. A person has been found badly hurt on the side of the road in the Auckland suburb of Howick overnight, the Herald understands. Police cordoned off a section of Union Rd, near Pegler Drive, overnight. A St John spokesman said the service was called to a reported medical incident on Union Rd at 10.40pm, sending an ambulance and a rapid response vehicle.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 13, 2026 19:20 UTC
Horowhenua shooting a 'tragic family incident'
Photo: RNZHorowhenua's mayor says a shooting overnight that left a person dead and three critically hurt was a family harm incident. Police were called to a Waitārere Beach address near Levin at about 12.40am today. "Another young person who was at the address is physically unharmed and they are being given wrap-around support," Grantham said. Horowhenua Mayor Bernie Wanden told RNZ it was a family harm incident and described the shooting as tragic. "As far as I am aware, it is only family members that have been involved in this incident," he said.
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 13, 2026 19:13 UTC
5 surprising ways to lower your colorectal cancer risk
I get nervous seeing the headlines about the rise in colorectal cancer cases. Those traditional risk factors are still important, but they are not what’s driving the conversation today. All five of the habits listed below are associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer among younger people in their 20s, 30s and 40s. On the flip side, the nutrient in our diet that protects against colorectal cancer that’s notoriously low in ultra-processed foods? For every 10 grams of fiber you eat per day — about the amount in a cup of beans — there’s a 10 percent lower risk of colorectal cancer.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 13, 2026 18:32 UTC
Taunting of sea lion ‘horrifying’
Youths harass a sea lion at Smaills Beach on Monday evening. Smoking cigarettes and clutching bottles, the group were "getting up in the sea lion’s space" and "disturbing it and then trying to run away". This is the second time within a week a member of the Dunedin public has recorded a close encounter with a sea lion. Over the weekend, female sea lion Mika entered St Kilda shop Takeaways on Marlow and stayed for about half an hour. Doc ranger Moss Thompson managed to de-escalate the situation and lead the sea lion out of the premises by banging a pot and using wooden shields to guide her outside and away from the shop.
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 13, 2026 18:17 UTC
Mountain biker spends 24 hours circling Christchurch McDonald's
Photo: Matthew FairbrotherA Christchurch mountain biker spent 24 hours cycling continuous laps around a McDonald's drive-through to test his endurance. Twenty-one-year-old Matthew Fairbrother clocked up 500 kilometres on the ride on Christmas Day, which he described as a "deliberately absurd" endurance challenge. I basically told myself I'd bike for 24 hours or up until I got kicked out. I started at 5am and then I stopped at 5am and over the whole 24 hours I only spent just under two hours not moving." Physically I knew I could bike for 24 hours non-stop but to do it in the way I did, mentally I've never done anything so tough."
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 13, 2026 17:50 UTC
Construction costs rise at fastest pace in more than a year
“We are certainly not seeing the extreme inflation experienced in the post-Covid phase, when the CCCI annual growth rate peaked at more than 10% in late 2022. During that period, there were supply chain issues for key materials such as plasterboard and rising wages also drove up costs significantly. “However, although they’re not rising to any huge degree at present, costs haven’t seen significant falls either. “The latest CCCI figures remain relatively controlled, although as the industry starts to recover more clearly in 2026, construction cost growth could pick up again,” he said. “However, a spike similar to the post-Covid phase remains unlikely.”
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 13, 2026 17:34 UTC
More than ‘quarter of trillion dollars’ on land transport over next two decades, priority questions for Government
The August paper said the $56b Rons programme was the “most complex and expensive infrastructure programme in New Zealand’s recent history”. Other major transport projects were also planned, including the second Waitematā Harbour crossing. This meant that over the next two decades, “over a quarter of a trillion dollars” would be invested into land transport, the ministry said. The Ministry of Transport and the NZTA “independently prioritised the Rons programme” with different delivery and investment options. We are building a major transport projects pipeline and will have more to say in due course.”He did not say when that would be.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 13, 2026 17:33 UTC