Details of Sir Tim Shadbolt's Invercargill farewell revealed
Shadbolt was made a Knight Companion of New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2019 New Year's Honours List. Photo: Stephen JaquieryA public funeral service to celebrate the life of Sir Tim Shadbolt will be held in Invercargill next Friday. He was made a Knight Companion of New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2019 New Year's Honours List. Lifelong friend Gary McCormick said Sir Tim had a landmark smile and a personality to match it. A private celebration of Sir Tim and interment at Invercargill's Eastern Cemetery would be held after the service.
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 10, 2026 00:03 UTC
An enthusiast for more than Dunedin
An enthusiast — for motorcycles, underwater hockey, wine tasting and for his city — former Dunedin mayor Jules Radich has been remembered for his energy and presence. Colleagues at the Dunedin City Council reflected on the impact he sought to have as a councillor and mayor, such as by advocating for flooding mitigation in South Dunedin. Dunedin deputy mayor Cherry Lucas said the city’s new hospital, being built to the scale the government had promised, would be Mr Radich’s lasting legacy. Family of former Dunedin mayor Jules Radich, including his wife Pamela Walker (centre), and other mourners farewell him outside First Church in Dunedin yesterday. He also recounted Mr Radich’s underwater hockey teams tended to win a tournament in Dunedin, despite him getting the last captain’s picks.
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 09, 2026 23:59 UTC
An Auckland teen’s journey from a sex assault and pack-rape to finding justice and healing
The teen no longer recognises the person she was after the sexual offending occurred, and while she was navigating the justice system. Healing her traumaWith all of the criminal cases now having wrapped up, the teen is making tremendous headway in her healing journey and is building a promising life. “I think I’m doing really well,” the teen says, speaking from overseas where she now lives. Arthur Te Wera raped the teen three times and had his associates film part of the act. Teina Takimoana was involved in the pack-rape of the teen and has been sent to prison on one charge of rape.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 09, 2026 23:33 UTC
Pod of whales restrands at Farewell Spit
“Sun is a really hard thing for these whales to navigate. Volunteers would be particularly helpful after midday, as they were planning to refloat the whales this afternoon, she said. Last night a Project Jonah spokesperson said 15 of the stranded whales were swimming freely in the bay. The spokesperson said the remaining whales were still in the tidal zone, but were showing signs of encouraging behaviour. The Department of Conservation, which is also assisting at the site of the latest stranding, said Farewell Spit, where whales frequently strand at the top of the South Island, “is a naturally occurring ‘whale trap’ that occurs along a migratory route for long-finned pilot whales in New Zealand”.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 09, 2026 23:27 UTC
Airport mum on land-buying plans
PHOTO: ODT FILESDunedin Airport is remaining tight-lipped about its plans to acquire new land. One of those was a report to Finance Minister Nicola Willis and State Owned Enterprises Minister Simeon Brown entitled "Dunedin Airport Land Acquisition". Dunedin Airport chief executive Daniel De Bono said he could not comment on the land acquisition for the time being. Mainland Air chief executive Phil Kean said he had heard Dunedin Airport was in negotiations to buy another section of farmland on the western side of the airport. The Dunedin City Council’s rating information database confirmed the airport owned a 64ha section of farmland used for dairying, valued at $3.21m.
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 09, 2026 23:15 UTC
Fears about campground not realised
However, Glendhu Bay Campers Association president Doug Fraser said there had been positive outcomes from the meetings he had attended concerning possible changes at the campground. Mr Fraser, who has been holidaying at the Glendhu Bay campground for over 70 years, said being in close proximity to friends and family was a tradition for many campers. Glendhu Bay Motor camp, home to visitors from across the country and beyond, is currently fully booked. "Glendhu Bay isn’t a cheap holiday any more — it costs about the same as any other campground in the area," she said. When the Otago Daily Times visited the Glendhu Bay campsite this week, a sign outside notified that the campsite was fully booked.
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 09, 2026 22:51 UTC
Storms spark travel mayhem and power cuts in northern Europe
In France, Goretti cut power to some 320,000 homes, most of them in the northern Normandy region, the Enedis power provider said. Photo / Joe Klamar, AFPOvernight, gusts of up to 216km/h were registered in France’s northwestern Manche region, authorities said. The winds felled trees, with at least one crashing on homes in France’s Seine-Maritime region, without injuries, authorities said. It also issued an amber snow warning in Wales, central England and parts of northern England, predicting snow of up to 30cm in some areas. Schools remained shut in parts of northern France, where weather alerts have been issued in 30 other regions.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 09, 2026 22:41 UTC
Fastest growing school roll attributed to atmosphere
Ministry of Education data has revealed that St Mary’s School in Kaikorai was the fastest growing primary school in Dunedin over the past 10 years. Since then, the roll had gradually grown to 58 last year — a 152% increase from 2015 when the roll was 23. West Harbour school St Leonard’s School had the lowest roll in Dunedin last year with 9 pupils. She was "incredibly optimistic" the school roll would increase this year because it was a great place to learn. North Dunedin school George Street Normal School’s roll had dropped about 18% since 2015 from 468 to 383 pupils.
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 09, 2026 22:39 UTC
Lack of aerial appliance underlines strike
Dunedin firefighters are worried their luck will run out after having to attend a "complex" commercial fire without their main ladder truck. New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union (NZPFU) Dunedin secretary and Senior Firefighter Mike Taylor said the city’s "front-running aerial appliance" was off the run due to an oil leak at present. Danny Spence, 5, of Dunedin, supports his father at the New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union strike outside the Dunedin City Station yesterday. PHOTO: PETER MCINTOSHAfter multiple failures to come to an agreement, the New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union began nationwide industrial action in August. Fenz released a statement after the strike yesterday saying across New Zealand it was called to 22 incidents during the strike.
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 09, 2026 21:34 UTC
Body found in Christchurch's red zone
File photoPolice are investigating after a body was found in Christchurch's red zone. Emergency services were called to Dunair Drive in the suburb of Burwood just after 6pm on Friday. The death is being treated as unexplained. Cordons are in place between Brooker Ave and New Brighton Road. Members of the public can expect to see a police presence as the scene is investigated, a spokesperson said.
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 09, 2026 21:03 UTC
Sir Tim Shadbolt’s Invercargill funeral service details revealed
Sign in hereAccess to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Sir Tim Shadbolt. Photo / LDRBy RNZA public funeral service to celebrate the life of Sir Tim Shadbolt will be held in Invercargill next Friday. The former Waitematā and Invercargill mayor died on Thursday, aged 78. A torrent of tributes have been paid since his death, with former Prime Minister Helen Clark describing Shadbolt as one of the characters of their generation.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 09, 2026 20:34 UTC
America’s Cup: The design puzzle at the heart of the 2027 regatta in Naples
There will be plenty of modifications to make, with batteries replacing the four cyclors to power the hydraulic systems. But while the power teams have been replaced, an extra member of the sailing team has been added, with now five sailors on board – as well as a sixth spot for a guest sailor. “We’ve still got plenty to focus on,” Emirates Team New Zealand head of design Dan Bernasconi told the Herald late last year. Asked about this element of the design, Bernasconi said it was important that the change still promoted efficiency, as opposed to just giving teams an unlimited supply of power at their disposal. So, for instance, you couldn’t use it all immediately and then have nothing for the last 15 minutes,” he said.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 09, 2026 20:32 UTC
I was addicted to painkillers. Using medicinal cannabis has been a ‘game-changer’
His GP suggested contacting the Cannabis Clinic, where he was prescribed medicinal cannabis. It’s thought around 120,000-130,000 Kiwis have been prescribed medicinal cannabis . The Medicinal Cannabis Scheme came into effect in April 2020, with the goal of improving access to quality medicinal cannabis products, according to the Ministry of Health. The Government should also start monitoring the prescribing and use of medicinal cannabis products to increase confidence in the Medicinal Cannabis Scheme.”Doctors at specialist clinics can also prescribe medicinal cannabis. Workplace drug testing that doesn’t account for people using legally prescribed medicinal cannabis also “reinforces the stigma”, he says – as will new drug driving rules.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 09, 2026 20:32 UTC
Christchurch red zone body: Police say death not suspicious
Cordons have been in place in the area since the and police have been carrying out a scene examination. This afternoon police gave an update on the investigation. “The death is not believed to be suspicious and will be referred to the Coroner,” said a spokesperson. An area of the red zone is this morning cordoned off with police standing guard at either end. One man told the Herald he walks through the zone every day and was shocked to hear a body had been found so close to his normal route.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 09, 2026 20:30 UTC
Iran protests: Dozens killed as nationwide internet shutdown imposed
The rallies came as internet monitor NetBlocks said authorities imposed a “nationwide internet shutdown” for the last 24 hours that was violating the rights of Iranians and “masking regime violence”. Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has called protesters "vandals" and "saboteurs" in his first comments on the protests since January 3. Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights, raising a previous toll of 45 issued the day earlier, said at least 51 protesters, including nine children, have been killed by security forces and hundreds more injured. ‘Stained with blood’In his first comments on the escalating protests since January 3, Khamenei on Saturday called the demonstrators “vandals” and “saboteurs”. Iranian Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi, who lives in exile, warned security forces could be preparing to commit a “massacre under the cover of a sweeping communications blackout”.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 09, 2026 19:36 UTC