Teen prepping for second nationals win
Roxburgh teenager Trey Whitu shows off the trophy he won at the Otago Māori Golf tournament last year. Next week, Trey will compete in the 88th National Māori Golf tournament at Waitangi. Trey Whitu, 16, heads to Waitangi next week to represent Otago at the 88th National Māori Golf tournament. Trey secured his place at the national competition with a win at the Otago Māori Golf, in Dunedin, last year. Next month Trey, and fellow Roxburgh Golf Club member Jacob Maisuria, will play for an amateur spot in the New Zealand Open.
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 08, 2026 19:19 UTC
General Debate 09 January 2026
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Source:New Zealand Herald
January 08, 2026 19:16 UTC
Concern over Nick and Mat Mowbray buying 16 burned Malibu lots
Zuru CEO Nick Mowbray takes us inside its empire in Los Angeles where thousands of toys are on display. A Malibu leader has expressed concern that billionaire New Zealand brothers may price residents out of their community after the pair snapped up 16 plots burned in wildfires. Nick and Mat Mowbray, founders of toy company Zuru that also has interests in consumer goods and housing, bought plots on La Costa and Carbon beaches in Malibu for US$65 million ($110.7m), The Real Deal real estate news website reported in August. The properties are located amid wide stretches of Los Angeles that were devastated by wildfires in January 2025. Malibu City Councilman Steve Uhring told Los Angeles TV station KABC he’s concerned residents who lost their homes will be priced out of the area because he believes the New Zealanders will build mega-mansions on these plots.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 08, 2026 18:05 UTC
ODT quiz: January 9
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Source:Otago Daily Times
January 08, 2026 17:13 UTC
Hot weather arrives with cities topping 30C, heat alerts, wind and rain warnings
The places most at risk of breaking January heat records were in Northland, Coromandel and Hawke’s Bay, MetService meteorologist Michael Pawley said. For more information: https://t.co/qHyE5zySvx pic.twitter.com/TiaxF7viX7 — MetService NZ (@MetService) January 8, 2026The hot weather alerts join a slew of wind and rain warnings and watches issued across the lower North Island and most of the South Island this weekend. MetService said New Zealand's high temperatures were caused by remnants of the Australian heatwave earlier this week. Fedaeff said that, when extreme heat events affected New Zealand, they typically started with hot weather over Australia. Hot start for 2026For the first few months of this year, above-average temperatures are expected, particularly in the north and west of the North Island.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 08, 2026 16:58 UTC
'Illegal' harbour bridge jump sparks warning, probe
By Finn Blackwell of RNZWater Safety NZ says it's not worth risking your life for views after footage of two people jumping off the Auckland Harbour Bridge emerged online. Walker wanted people to understand the danger. "The more challenging thing that we'd love people to think about is even the strongest swimmers can encounter issues with currents and tides in locations like under the harbour bridge," he said. "It's one thing to do the jump, it's another thing to get back safe..."Video has emerged of two people jumping off the Auckland Harbour Bridge. NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) told RNZ the bridge jump in the video was illegal and dangerous.
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 08, 2026 15:32 UTC
Armed police swarm city in manhunt
Photo: Stephen JaquieryArmed police have been seen all over the city in a manhunt involving numerous officers and vehicles. A police spokesman said they were making enquiries to locate two men who were wanted in relation to several vehicle thefts over recent days. "About 2.15pm, a vehicle of interest was observed in South Dunedin and was last seen on Ravenswood Road." Enquiries were ongoing to locate the vehicle and its occupants, the spokesman said. While travelling to investigate the stolen van, officers observed a nearby Subaru suddenly take ‘‘evasive action to get away from police’’.
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 08, 2026 15:13 UTC
Trailer wedged in motorway mishap
Photo: Stephen JaquieryPolice at the scene of a crash where a car towing a trailer full of concrete blocks appears to have lost control on the north bound lane of the Southern Motorway near Fairfield this morning. Blocks spewed over the motorway and the car was wedged on the median barrier.
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 08, 2026 15:05 UTC
Dogged pursuit after Dunedin drunk driver goes bush
Photo: ODT FilesPolice dogs tracked an allegedly drunk driver to the depths of a popular Dunedin bush walk after he was caught speeding. Police attempted to stop the vehicle being driven by a 52-year-old man as he was heading into Dunedin on the Northern Motorway, about 8.30pm yesterday. The man was speeding and refused to stop, Senior Sergeant Anthony Bond, of Dunedin, said. The man may have also had a dog with him, Snr Sgt Bond said. A charge of drink driving would depend on the result of the blood sample, which was pending, Snr Sgt Bond said.
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 08, 2026 12:00 UTC
Milford roadworks to start next week
Photo: ODT filesRoadworks affecting traffic on Southland's Milford highway start next week. The work to improve the region's state highways in the new year included excavation, fill, resurfacing and line marking. Other highways affected are:• SH90/Waikaka Valley Highway, between Waikaka Rd and Cunningham Rd - work scheduled from Monday, January 5 to Tuesday, March 31. • SH96/Winton-Wreys Bush Highway, at Heddon Bush Rd (Monday, January 5 to Saturday, January 31). Road users could expect to encounter temporary traffic lights, a 30km/h temporary speed reduction and delays of 5 to 10 minutes.
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 08, 2026 11:03 UTC
Central Otago/Lakes District most expensive place to rent
Renting in the Central Otago Lakes District region is now more expensive than Auckland. File photoCentral Otago/Lakes District remains the most expensive place to rent in New Zealand, with the average weekly price hitting $891 - more than $200 above Auckland - according to realestate.co.nzRents climbed 11.8 percent over the year to December, reflecting strong demand and a tight pool of available properties. The central North Island recorded the second‑largest annual increase, with rents rising 6.2 percent to $597 per week. "Central Otago/Lakes District continues to sit in a league of its own, driven by strong demand and a limited pool of rentals which is pushing prices to record highs." "With stock building and competition among landlords rising, renters will continue to find themselves in a stronger position to negotiate on price or lease terms in 2026."
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 08, 2026 09:51 UTC
Mass whale stranding on Farewell Spit, call for volunteers to help creatures
More than 50 pilot whales have stranded across two sites on Farewell Spit. Photo / Supplied / Project JonahMass whale stranding on Farewell Spit, call for volunteers to help creaturesMore than 50 pilot whales have stranded across two sites on Farewell Spit. Photo / Supplied / Project JonahMore than 50 pilot whales have stranded on Farewell Spit as volunteers work to rescue them. Project Jonah New Zealand said on its Facebook page that early Thursday afternoon it was notified of a pod of whales swimming in the shallows and heading towards Farewell Spit. “We welcome help at Farewell Spit this evening keeping the whales cool until sunset.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 08, 2026 08:28 UTC
Weight-loss drugs see kilos return four times faster after people stop taking them
The researchers reviewed 37 studies looking at ceasing different weight-loss drugs, finding that participants regained around 0.4kg a month. While taking these two drugs, the trial participants lost an average of nearly 15kg. People who were instead put on programmes that included diet and exercise – but not drugs – lost significantly less weight. This meant that people taking the drugs regained their weight four times faster. ‘Starting point, not a cure’“Greater weight loss tends to result in faster weight regain,” lead study author Sam West of Oxford University explained.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 08, 2026 06:53 UTC
Open fires, dogs and loud music are biggest headaches at regional parks
Photo: Supplied / Auckland CouncilOpen fires, dogs on tracks they're banned from and loud music played on bluetooth speakers are some of the biggest concerns for the people who look after Auckland's regional parks. Significant vegetation and planting areas have been lost in Duder and Waitawa regional parks from fires in 2021 and 2020. Lehmann, who has been a part of the southern regional parks team for more than seven years, said Auckland's 28 regional parks are the busiest during the summer months. In the first three months in 2024, regional parks across Tāmaki Makaurau were visited an estimated 2,579,033 times. Since 1 August, new rules on where people can walk their dogs on-leash and off-leash at regional parks, local parks and beaches took effect.
Source:Stuff
January 08, 2026 05:20 UTC
East Wind $53m Ponzi scheme: Liquidators say investors to get almost nothing
East Wind was comprised of seven related companies in liquidation, six of which saw their last rites – final liquidators’ reports – posted to the Companies Office in December. There is marginally better news for the one East Wind company for which liquidators are still working through. The collapse of East Wind caused a minor diplomatic stir, as both the Japanese embassy in Wellington, and New Zealand’s in Tokyo, fielded complaints from angry investors. It was revealed the SFO had received a formal complaint about East Wind five years prior, but had elected to refer it to Immigration New Zealand (INZ). East Wind employee Yuko Hanyu was charged by the SFO with false accounting and theft by a person in a special relationship in 2022.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 08, 2026 04:24 UTC