Search for missing tramper at South Island’s Kahurangi National Park continues
Graham Garnett went tramping in the Baton/Ellis River area of the Kahurangi National Park before going missing. Graham Garnett went tramping in the Baton/Ellis River area of the Kahurangi National Park before going missing. Photo / PolicePolice have expanded the search for a tramper who went missing in a South Island national park more than a week ago. Graham Garnett, 66, went tramping in the Baton/Ellis River area of Kahurangi National Park at the end of last year. Two specialist canyon teams searched the “steep” terrain with special equipment, while a field team looked across the search area.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 06, 2026 19:41 UTC
Truck and van crash: 12 taken to Hospitals, 13 injured overall in Far North
Ambulance staff have treated 13 people after a road accident this morning at Pukenui, in the Far North. Sign in hereAccess to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Truck and van crash: 12 taken to Hospitals, 13 injured overall in Far NorthAmbulance staff have treated 13 people after a road accident this morning at Pukenui, in the Far North. Photo / NZMEThirteen people were injured - some seriously - in a Far North crash involving a truck and a van. Four others were flown to Whangārei Hospital, two in a moderate condition and two more seriously injured.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 06, 2026 19:33 UTC
Australian heatwave set to cook Hawke’s Bay
A fire at Tangoio in January 2020, at the time of a devastating heatwave and bushfires in Australia. The hottest temperature in Hawke's Bay that month was 36.3C in Wairoa. Photo / NZMEA fire at Tangoio in January 2020, at the time of a devastating heatwave and bushfires in Australia. The hottest temperature in Hawke's Bay that month was 36.3C in Wairoa. Wotherspoon said forecasts of temperatures in New Zealand into the mid-30s are “unusual” and come with an elevated fire risk.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 06, 2026 19:08 UTC
Swampy to the rescue: Swimming excavator dredges Blenheim river
Photo: LDR / suppliedSwampy, a purpose-built amphibious excavator, has begun dredging the pop-up garden patch growing out of the Taylor River in central Blenheim. "It was evident from how high the excavator was sitting in the river the extent of the silt that has built up in the river channel." Swampy would dredge silt from a 150-metre stretch of the river throughout January, to be loaded onto small trucks on the northern side. Photo: LDR / suppliedOn completion, the council's parks and open spaces team would begin redecking the boardwalk on both sides of the river. The works are part of a two-phase dredging of the Taylor River set out in the council's Long Term Plan to ensure its flood carrying capacity.
Source:Stuff
January 06, 2026 18:55 UTC
Coro Classic 2026: 7000 fans, big beats and one chopper callout
Greenlee is an online retailer and The Coro Classic is the first music festival she’s had a stall at - it won’t be her last. “At the moment, the big thing for festivals is scarves - people wear them as bandanas, to add a bit of interest, or wrapped around themselves. Designer thrift scarves were selling out at Anissa Greenlee’s stall. Photo / Alison SmithNew this year was the Kitchen Disco stage, serving up house and pop (the musical kind) with a happy, smaller crowd vibe. New this year at the Coro Classic was the Kitchen Disco stage, serving up house and pop.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 06, 2026 18:23 UTC
Assault victim’s anger over Manage My Health hack
“I haven’t even been told if my records have been compromised ... it’s really hard, to be honest.”The woman was furious with Manage My Health, saying the company had “ruptured” her sense of trust. “I’ve given you information to look after so that you can provide health services to me and they’ve failed to keep up their end of the promise.”In an interview with RNZ yesterday, Manage My Health CEO Vino Ramayah said Manage My Health was itself also the victim of crime. She wanted Manage My Health to tell the people whose information was stolen, including exactly what data it is, so they could take precautionary steps. Manage My Health has apologised for any pain and anxiety the breach has caused, and acknowledged it could have communicated better. Ramayah said the company has been working hard to make amends.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 06, 2026 17:57 UTC
Herald morning quiz: January 7
In a radio context, what does "AM" stand for? Sign in hereAccess to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. In a radio context, what does "AM" stand for? Test your general knowledge with the Herald’s morning quiz. Be sure to check back on nzherald.co.nz for tomorrow’s morning quiz.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 06, 2026 17:57 UTC
Weather: Severe thunderstorm watch issued for east coast, temperatures to push into 30s for parts of Aotearoa
“It will bring some heavier rain to the affected regions, especially to places like Greymouth, Hokitika and Milford Sound. “But because it’s associated with the rain, we’re going to see those temperatures start to increase.”White said New Zealand was already experiencing “summertime temperatures”. “Places in the east start to get some of those northwesterlies coming down that can really crank up the temperatures,” White said. “Places like Gisborne, Napier, Hastings and even Whakatāne and Tauranga, we’re already starting to see those high 20s and low 30s. “Napier, Tauranga, Hastings, Whakatāne and possibly Blenheim and Kaikōura are going to see an extended period of heat.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 06, 2026 17:34 UTC
Operation Ocean Blue: Divers find 120kg of cocaine hidden in ‘sea chest’ of ship docked in Tauranga
The conversation was the catalyst for a covert investigation, Operation Ocean Blue. A total of 120kg was recovered in the covert police investigation, Operation Ocean Blue. One of the 120 bricks of cocaine recovered from the sea chest of a ship docked in Tauranga during Operation Ocean Blue. Operation Ocean Blue stopped the inexperienced diver before he could enter the water because of fears for his safety. He said the significant seizure – and subsequent convictions – by Operation Ocean Blue highlighted the critical importance of local communities helping the police.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 06, 2026 16:09 UTC
Op shop keeps the doc away
Hawthorne Den owner and vintage fashion connoisseur Jan Wards beside one of the jewels of her collection, a Petite Vogue dress, which she says she will never part with but still loves to display in her Waikaia op shop. Jan Wards runs the Hawthorne Den alongside her husband in Waikaia, which is both an event space, with its vast and beautiful garden area, and a special shop. An old chapel holds a massive collection of vintage clothing Mrs Wards has found in op shops and sales around the country. The op shop served as a way for Mrs Wards to give back, as she said the thrill of the op shop was one she found soothing, wishing for others to experience the same thing. "I’ll say back, ‘I’ve just done a half an hour trawling at an op shop’," she said, laughing.
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 06, 2026 15:50 UTC
Motel continues to trade
PHOTO: ODT FILESA Dunedin motel continues to trade while the director of the company that operates it endeavours to have the liquidation it was placed in terminated. The company, which was incorporated in 2021, holds a lease and operates the Regal Court Motel business in George St, the liquidators’ initial report said. Its shareholders were NZ (BOP) Investment and Development Ltd and Jiafeng Liu while Mr Liu, whose address was Bluff, was the sole director. The liquidators had continued to trade the motel operation to give time for the court application to be filed but would need to begin looking at sale options if the application was not successful. The director advised that debt was disputed and that dispute would form part of the court application to terminate the liquidation.
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 06, 2026 15:50 UTC
Hundreds at risk of losing permits
PHOTO: SUPPLIED / PARKS & RESERVES (file)A warning shot has sounded for mooring owners in the Queenstown Lakes area, with hundreds of permits at risk over outstanding resource consents, the council says. Yesterday, a council spokesperson said 10 consents had since been completed retrospectively. Rory Cassidy Fennell. In October, Rory Cassidy Fennell, of Queenstown, was one of the first to receive retrospective consent for his Lake Wakatipu mooring. Mr Cassidy Fennell initially advertised the mooring for $35,000 and received significant interest.
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 06, 2026 15:38 UTC
Japanese coming-of-age ceremony to be held
University of Otago Japanese student Maria Miya, 20, does some calligraphy while her peers Naoki Kozakai (left), 18, and Shion Hashimoto, 20, watch yesterday. PHOTO: GERARD O'BRIENUniversity of Otago exchange students are celebrating a Japanese coming-of-age tradition that is more than 1300 years old. The Otago University Japanese Student Association has organised a Dunedin Seijinshiki ceremony which celebrates young people becoming adults when they turn 20 to be held at Knox Church on Saturday. Twenty is a special age for Japanese people as it is the legal drinking age. The ceremony at Knox Church will feature a speech from Dunedin Mayor Sophie Barker and a koto (traditional Japanese instrument) performance.
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 06, 2026 15:38 UTC
Summer School in full swing at university
University of Otago Summer School students Caitlin Proctor, 21, and Thomas Boyte, 19, make the most of a sunny Dunedin day and study outside on the Union Lawn. PHOTO: GERARD O’BRIENSome University of Otago students have cut their summer holidays short to get ahead in their degrees. Summer School began this week and will run for six weeks before finishing on February 13 when exams begin. Theatre and English student Caitlin Proctor said she was doing summer school to finish her bachelor’s degree early. She said the biggest difference between a regular semester and summer school had been having four lectures for one paper in a week.
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 06, 2026 15:38 UTC