Southland’s regional council has been challenged to pick up its game and engage with the people who will one day pay the rates.On Monday evening, 17-year-old Liam Calder presented to Environment Southland as part of its long term plan hearing, imploring the organisation to consider youth.Calder said he represented all rangatahi who were unable to voice their concerns, pointing out all other councils in the region included a youth voice.“Think of the submissions you’ve heard and seen today, what is the general age of the submitters?” he asked.“To ensure young people stay in Southland when they grow up, why not engage with them on their issues, in their region, on problems that will affect them in their lifetimes?”Calder admitted it was a tall order for Environment Southland to get around the 82 schools he’d counted in the region.But he did have some ideas from his experience as a member of Invercargill City Council’s youth council.That included keeping information digestible through avenues such as pocket-sized long term plan information which broke down key points.“Southland has such a rich and diverse range of people living in it. Don’t solely focus on the ratepayers, we will be the ratepayers one day,” Calder told councillors.“Teach us, but more importantly, show us the plans for our future.“It is time to bridge the gap between the suits and the students.”As part of his written submission, Calder proposed Environment Southland adopt either a youth reference group or youth council to engage with young people in a safe environment.The submission was met with widespread positivity from councillors, with chair Nicol Horrell saying it was “quite refreshing” to hear a youth view.Environment Southland’s long term plan hearing is scheduled across three days this week, ending on Friday.Deliberations will commence once it is concluded at dates which are yet to be set.LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air

Invercargill’s City Streets Upgrade project and the Sandy Point Domain Masterplan both been recognised with an Award of Excellence at the NZ Institute of Landscape Architecture Awards hosted in The Beehive, Wellington, on Friday night (17 May).Council Group Manager Infrastructure Erin Moogan said the awards were great recognition for the work that had gone into two major areas of the city.“In a hotly contested category, to have received an Excellence Award for the City Streets Upgrade is testament to the work of Council, Waihōpai Rūnaka and our partners in this project.""We’ve always believed that this project was more than just the beautification of the streets, it was about creating a space that would become the heart of the city and we needed to take some bold and brave steps to achieve that."“Both Esk and Don streets have become a destination for public events.""From the night food markets, to the Buskers programme and the popular Flames on Esk event, the community has really embraced the new space and are making the most of it.”Similarly, the Sandy Point Domain Masterplan received an Award of Excellence in the Master Planning and Urban Design Strategy category.Parks and Recreation Manager Caroline Rain said the Sandy Point Domain Masterplan set out a roadmap for the use, development and future of the popular domain.“Sandy Point is considered by many as home for a number of Invercargill’s sports clubs and recreation organisations, uniquely set in areas steeped in significant cultural, environmental and historic values.""The masterplan sets out the long-term vision for the area.""It’s great to see this hard work recognised as one of the best in New Zealand."“The word is out about how great Invercargill is and it’s great to see this acknowledged on a national level,": she said.

A hunt by Environment Southland (ES) to find an established population of mice on Stewart Island/Rakiura has turned up nothing.The operation, expected to cost around $20,000 (excluding staff time), was initiated after images captured in 2023 by one of Predator Free Rakiura's cameras showed what appeared to be a mouse.While pests including rats are present on Stewart Island/Rakiura, the island has no known population of mice.A 2023 Predator Free Rakiura image that sparked an Environment Southland hunt for a mouse population on Stewart Island Rakiura. Photo: Supplied/Predator Free Rakiura/Manaaki Whenua.ES biosecurity and biodiversity operations manager Ali Meade said 26 rats were trapped during the project, which began earlier this month (May).Contractors set up bait stations, traps, and cameras at eight sites, which were monitored for two weeks before being removed.“Most of the rats captured were kiore (Pacific rat).""Some of them are very small, and one was caught in a mouse trap.""The images captured by Predator Free Rakiura in 2023 are likely to have been of a small kiore, not of a mouse,” Meade said.While the ES survey results do not prove that mice weren’t present on Stewart Island Rakiura, the results are very encouraging, she said.“It’s great that we don’t have evidence of an established population of mice, but we still need everyone to do their part in making sure they don’t accidentally take mice to Stewart Island Rakiura, as this could have terrible consequences for conservation efforts and most importantly, our taonga (treasured) species.”Rodents, including mice, can have devastating impacts on New Zealand’s ecosystem and taonga species. Mice can form huge populations quickly, and have been known to eat bird chicks, especially those in ground nests. They compete with native birds by eating many of the same foods like seeds and invertebrates. When mice eat seeds they destroy them, whereas when birds eat fruits and seeds, the seeds usually survive through the digestive tract and are dispersed as a natural way for native trees to colonise new areas.It’s vital that everyone travelling to Stewart Island Rakiura and its surrounding islands remains vigilant by thoroughly checking their gear for any unwanted stowaways, she said.

Wait times to see a Te Anau doctor or nurse should be shorter and with fewer interruptions, as well as emergency births and minor operations easier to manage, following the completion of Fiordland Medical Centre's 110sqm expansion.First opened in 2010 after a successful 13-year community fundraising campaign, the Fiordland Health Trust (FHT) owned building has served the community and resident medical practice well.However increasing patient rolls, growing tourist numbers and more medical staff had put pressure of the current space.FHT chairperson Lyn Tee said she had hoped the original building would have lasted longer, but it had been outgrown in just 14 years.Tee said serious planning on the extension had only started after a 2019 Southern District Health Board (SDHB) plan to set up a Maternity Hub was announced for the practice.While reluctant to say how much the new extension had finally cost, Tee did say "We had to raise a million dollars... that was extra to our funds."L-R: Lyn Tee Fiordland Health Trust (FHT) Chair; Richard Wason FHT Trustee; Jill Tauri, Meridian Power-up Fund Trustee; Pam Applegarth FHT Administrator; Carol Roberts FHT Vice Chair; Diane Ridley FHT Trustee; Daryl Parkes FHT Trustee & Blair Falconer Meridian Electricity Supply Mgr. Photo: Liz Newell/SuppliedSome of the funds came from Meridian's Power-up community fund, while additional funding was secured through a Community Trust South loan.Fiordland Medical Centre partner and resident GP, Dr James MacMillian-Armstrong said the extension was quite a relief."We've had years where we've just been really, really short in space, and people have had to work from home or coming in late to find workstations and computers.""So it is nice to be able to spread our wings."He said more space would mean not only less disruptions and greater privacy, but also additional rooms for both minor planned and acute operations.MacMillian-Armstrong also confirmed the practice was now an official maternity hub, with facilities available for emergency births, as well as a SDHB funded room for midwives to plan their maternity and antenatal care."We never plan the birth here in Te Anau, but we do have the ability to deliver a baby should we need to."He said it would be great seeing the midwives regularly as they already do with the Plunket and District nurses."It's just great for the community that they see us and that we can have corridor conversations about what they are worried about and what we are worried about."MacMillian-Armstrong said there would now be room available for visiting specialists."That would be our dream actually, because that [also] upskills us," he said.

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Milford Road OPENNO Avalanche HazardCLOSING from Homer Tunnel (East Portal) to Homer Tunnel (West Portal) as per comments. The tunnel project is nearing completion.Closure Tuesday through Thursday nights 6.15pm – 6am.A 15-minute opening for traffic clearance will still occur between 8pm - 8.15pm.Passage may be possible after 3am with delays, otherwise no public access will be available.  Weather forecast for the Homer Tunnel area:Today: Some cloudTomorrow: FineThursday: FineFriday: Cloudy with the odd showerSaturday: Southwesterlies with showers

Beef and Lamb New Zealand has hit back at claims lamb here is "produced to potentially lower standards than in the UK".Britain's National Farmers Union (NFU) made the claim when reacting to news supermarket chain Morrisons is going to start selling New Zealand lamb in 39 of its stores.NFU livestock board chairperson David Barton said he hoped the supermarket dropping its commitment to sell only British lamb was temporary and that the trial would come to an end."Recently, the UK farming unions wrote to the chief executive of Morrisons and other top retailers seeking support for the industry including a steadfast commitment to local sourcing in order to maintain food production across the UK and to safeguard our food security."He said the decision was "disappointing" at a time the British livestock industry was under pressure and that New Zealand lamb was "produced to potentially lower standards".Beef and Lamb New Zealand chairperson Kate Acland slammed the claims."We reject claims that New Zealand lamb is produced to a lower standard, we've been pushing back against that really strongly in the UK."These sorts of claims can be really damaging, and it was simply not true, she said.Acland said the NFU was referring to a report, The Animal Health Development Board, that the UK did, comparing farming systems in the UK and New Zealand."The problem is they're not comparing like for like, so it look at things like ventilation in barns, we don't keep our sheep in barns."New Zealand boasts some of the highest animal welfare standards in the world, and that was backed up when the RSPCA provided written evidence to the House of Lords which stated that New Zealand is the only country globally judged to have better farm animal welfare standards than the UK."When it came to New Zealand lamb being sold in Morrisons, Acland said it was cheaper than locally farmed lamb because New Zealand farmers were efficent."It's nothing to do with lower production standards, it's just that we're really good at farming, we have great temperate conditions and things like sheep genetics and good pasture utilisation mean that we are really efficient producers of land."New Zealand and the UK have complimentary seasons and that means consumers in the UK can have access to the best seasonal products all year round - which benefits farmers in both countries."It stabilises the market, it supports price levels and it keeps lamb on the table of consumers over there," Acland said.Reproduced with permission

Continuing our Year of Action!-Hedgehope School is a fabulously modern and truly up to date, future focussed environment bursting with resources and wonder.Our student whanau are curious, dazzled and hugely appreciative of our learning spaces and resources that the BOT and PTA have tirelessly supported.Student efficacy and agency gives powerful voices to students to lead their own learning.We have 3 classes of 43 students, who all love to learn! We all REACH for Greatness in everything we do!At Hedgehope School students are learning about citizenship, environment, their local area, community, collaboration, history, migration, planning, reflection, empathy, relationships with landowners, partners and interest groups, complexities involved with a sustainable compass.We are into our third year of suppression and advocacy at Sherwood Forest.Students are also developing a native plant nursery, launching businesses and currently filming their script for an entertaining documentary about the history of Hedgehope area through the lens of migration.We are incredibly lucky to have received Creatives in Schools and Grants for Good funding to learn with professional film maker Samantha Robertson (REECE) and Jeromy Van Riel as he returns to complete our Matamata carving with the addition of his master Te Rakituaneke.We truly value the many partners that support our philosophy, projects and students so passionately.We are a proud Silver Enviro School that aim to bring all of our learning together for our Green Gold Award during Term 4.The Integrated curriculum learning areas included in this project are literacy, maths, science, technology, social studies/history, Health/PE, Visual Arts. Please get in touch if you would like to purchase any Native Seedlings!As part of our Inquiry into History of Migration, we are highly engaged in making our documentary film with Samantha Robertson (REECE), about the history of Hedgehope.The documentary starts way back with dinosaurs and then jumps a few millennium to Early Māori (Waitaha, Kati Mamoe and Ngai Tahu) arriving, Otāupiri battle scene between Chief Tutemakohu and Chief Waitaha, then early settlers arriving and the livelihoods they undertook, the development of agriculture, present day and on into a predicted future. Everything is as authentic as possible, including the traditional river rafts (Mōkohi) that the team built last term thanks to the support of Rodney from Hōkonui Runanga. Students have written the 17 scene script after lots of research and taken on the roles of actors, camera person, sound engineer, coach to film over 3/4 of the scenes already this year.We are hoping to red carpet our documentary in Term 3.Our students also hosted and facilitated the first School Led Enviro Hui for Thornbury and Heddon Bush Enviro Leaders.It was a great day of show and tell about the suppression and advocacy tasks we enjoy at Sherwood Forest and then back to school for a fresh local lunch created by our chefs and a look at the school projects of garden, nursery, shop and animals.Our team is really looking forward to visiting Heddon Bush’s Donut area this term. Our student team have also been asked to present at the NZ Biosecurity Conference at The Ascot Hotel in July to a distinguished audience of around 200 peopleOur students are keen sports enthusiasts, they are currently committed to Cross Country training daily with laps, hill climbs and games, also enjoying Netball, Rugby.They are also excited about the Central Cup Tournament. Sports, Health and PE is an exciting area of strategic focus as our students demand more and more opportunities to try new sports and compete widely.So it was especially exciting to meet so many keen and experienced athletes last week as the Westpac Chopper Bike Appeal stopped at school. Hedgehope is full of energy!While we are adventurous and find learning everywhere in our community, we are passionate about creating literate, numerate, empathetic, critical thinking problem solvers that are proud of their community and environment.Our mornings are rich with literacy and numeracy in our 3 classes (meeting and exceeding the newly prescribed 1 hour a day reading, writing and maths) through engaging, relevant and integrated learning.Our students are coached by 4 incredibly talented and inspiring teachers and 2 learning supports.We are a happily connected whanau!We all REACH for Greatness in everything we do!Hedgehope School proudly supported by Fiordland Escapes

Rebounding strongly, the Trident Homes Tactix dominated the southern derby while returning to winning ways with a well-constructed 53-44 win over the Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel in Christchurch on Sunday. With more ball in hand, the home side were able to dictate terms from the outset to dismantle an inconsistent Steel. A non-stop defensive effort laid the platform for an improved attacking effort from the home side who were quick to reassert their credentials after leading from go to whoa. Bouncing back from last week’s loss where scoring goals proved elusive – during which they managed to convert just 30 – there were no such issues today with Ellie Bird scoring 37 on her own in a commanding performance while missing just the one shot. The Steel had the satisfaction of winning the final quarter but with an overall inferior share of the ball were always on the back foot. Shooters Grace Namana and Georgia Heffernan provided strong accuracy under the hoop but lack of volume for the pair counted against the side. Bird, once again, slotted in at goal shoot in place of the injured Aliyah Dunn in a settled Tactix line-up. With injury recently ruling out the experienced Shannon Saunders for the rest of the season, the Steel opted for the up-and-coming Ivari Christie to make the start at wing attack in an otherwise regular starting side. Looking to shed last week’s loss, the Tactix were all business at the outset with midcourters Erikana Pedersen and Kimiora Poi spearheading a quick and steady stream of ball into shooter Bird’s hands. At the other end, the home side’s defensive unit smothered the Steel’s attacking progress while providing plenty of turnover opportunities. Forging out to a six-goal lead, the Tactix looked set to take off but the Steel held their own to finish the quarter strongly. Limiting the damage, the Steel remained within touching distance when trailing 14-11 at the first break. It was a similar pattern on the resumption, the Steel needing to work overtime to thread the ball through court where multiple passes were required. But through patience the southerners found reward through shooters Heffernan and Namana. However, the relentless combined defensive pressure from the Tactix began to take its toll. With the classy defensive pairing of Karin Burger and Jane Watson alongside intercept expert Poi, the home side were able to take a firm grip on proceedings. The Tactix didn’t make the most of all their opportunities on attack, several passing lapses handing the Steel extra ball. Charlotte Lourey came on for her ANZ Premiership debut, taking over at wing attack for Christie but the Tactix built on their buffer to hold a 27-20 lead at the main break. With Christie returning for the third quarter, the Steel made a promising start, gaining momentum on attack while a sterner defensive challenge slowed the Tactix progress. A lack of defensive gains hindered the Steel’s ability to eat into the deficit, the goal-for-goal impasse finally snapping midway through the stanza. Unable to absorb the constant pressure, the Steel were guilty of too many turnovers and the Tactix were quick to pounce. With Watson providing the impetus from the defensive end, the error rate on attack was cleaned up as the home side clicked up a gear to take full advantage. Bird and Te Paea Selby-Rickit were smooth and accurate with their finishing under the hoop as the Tactix took a handy 41-30 lead into the last break. Official Result and Stats: Trident Homes Tactix: 53Ascot Park Hotel Steel: 44Shooting Stats - Tactix:Ellie Bird 37/38 (97%)Te Paea Selby-Rickit 16/19 (84%)Shooting Stats - Steel:Georgia Heffernan 23/24 (96%)Grace Namana 21/25 (84%)ANZ Fans' Player of the Match:Kimiora Poi

A death is being treated as unexplained, after a man's body was found near the intersection of Sydney Street and St Andrew Street in Invercargill yesterday morning (19 May).Police were called to the scene at 9:25am.Police have since completed a scene examination, but their inquiries are ongoing.A post-mortem will be held on Tuesday.

Please see below the areas of the Southland state highway network where you are likely to experience delays due to programmed works. Highways South work with traffic management in place (all with temporary speed limits):SH1 Bluff highway between Kew Road and Elles road, temporary traffic lights for bridge maintenanceSH1 Bluff highway near Bayview Road, temporary traffic lights for bridge maintenanceSH1 Bluff highway near Motu Rimu Road, temporary traffic lights for bridge maintenanceSH1 Bluff highway near Greenhills, temporary traffic lights for bridge maintenanceSH1 East Road near Kennington, temporary traffic lights for bridge maintenanceSH1 Main St Mataura at the Waimumu bridge, stop/go for asphalt reinstatementSH6 at Dipton, temporary traffic lights for shoulder repairsSH6 Lumsden Dipton highway at Bell Road, temporary traffic lights for shoulder repairsSH6 Five Rivers-Lumsden highway at Five Rivers, temporary traffic lights for shoulder repairsSH6 at Athol, temporary traffic lights for shoulder repairsSH93 Old Coach Road near Kaiwera Road, temporary traffic lights for shoulder repairsSH94 Waimea highway near Croydon, temporary traffic lights for shoulder repairsSH94 Te Anau Mossburn highway between Red Tussock Conservation area and The Key, temporary traffic lights for shoulder repairsSH98 Lorne Dacre Road near Taylor Road, temporary traffic lights for bridge maintenanceSH99 Lorneville overbridge, temporary traffic lights for bridge maintenanceSH99 Wallacetown Lorneville highway at the Makarewa bridge, temporary traffic lights for bridge maintenance Third party work and events with traffic management in place this week (all with temporary speed limits):SH1 Gore St Bluff, traffic lights for footpath reinstatementSH6 Garston-Athol highway at Nokomai, stop/go for access constructionSH93 Bridge Street Mataura, stop/go for streetlight maintenance *24th May onlySH93 Kana Street Mataura, stop/go for streetlight maintenance *24th May onlySH99 Wallacetown Lorneville highway east of Wallacetown, traffic lights for tree trimmingSH99 at Makarewa River near Wallacetown, temporary traffic lights for widening and cycle path constructionSH99 Orepuki-Riverton highway between Reilly and Pahia-Wakatapu Roads, traffic lights for slip repair *ongoing for 2-3 weeksUseful links:NZTA Journeys website - https://www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/journey-plannerFreight Impact Register - https://www.nzta.govt.nz/commercial-driving/trucks-and-tow-trucks/potential-restrictions-affecting-freight/ - download and filter the region for ‘Southland’.This will indicate any upcoming work in the next fortnight which have closures, detours or width restrictions for freight.

Gore is quite rightly known as our Capital of country music. But there’s always been much more going on culturally in this East Southland town.Gore is home to many interesting heritage buildings and one of the country’s best public galleries, the Eastern Southland Art Gallery, which has substantial temporary and permanent collection shows and a big events programme. Then there’s the innovative Hokonui Moonshine Museum, recognising an illicit side to the region’s history. Though, Gore is best known for the annual iconic New Zealand Golden Guitar Awards in late May. The scope of the town’s offerings and its popularity sees this as just one part of the town’s country music festival, Tussock Country, running for 10 days from Friday 24 May. A trustee of the festival and country music singer, Jenny Mitchell, is premiering her film Capital of Country Music, a documentary chronicling 50 years of the Gore Country Music Club and the evolution of the Gold Guitar Awards on 30 May. But there are more than 60 other events including a Whiskey Night at the Museum, a writers night at the Gallery and the Country Music Honours and awards.Jenny Mitchell joins Culture 101 for this week’s Regional Wrap.Reproduced with permission

A Riverton/Aparima park will likely have its name changed ahead of the Southland town's iconic pāua shell moving in.This week, Ōraka Aparima Community Board backed a change of spelling for Koi Koi Park to Kohikohi Park.It followed a request from Ōraka Aparima Rūnaka kaihautu Riki Dallas to find out who the sign for Koi Koi Park was in honour of.While no definitive proof was found for how the park got its name, there had been past misspellings of renowned Māori wahine Kohikohi.Kohihoki was the daughter of chief Horomonoa Patu of Rarotoka Island.She married whaler Captain John Howell, bringing with her 50,000 acres of land as a dowry in what now surrounds the present day township.Alongside that information, the Southland District Council report prepared for the community board also said the council had been advised by Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa New Zealand Geographic Board that Koi Koi Park was not recorded on maps.Another complication was the fact that ‘koi’ means peninsula.But community board chair Michael Weusten said the decision was made by the board to back the name change to Kohikohi because it was correcting an error in translation.“The previous name had no alignment with anything, it was just that it was a misspelling of the term (Kohikohi) which was one of the chief’s daughter’s names.”Weusten said there was never a peninsula in the vicinity of the park, ruling that option out.“There was no ground there, it was like a beach."The official change would go before the council in a matter of weeks, he said, ahead of the town’s icon arriving at the park in what would likely be August or September.The recently refurbished giant pāua shell will be erected at its new location once site works have been completed.LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air

Seventeen-year-old Invercargill racing driver Alex Crosbie travels to the United States this week to commence his challenge for the F4 US Championship.Crosbie, a two-time New Zealand Formula Ford Champion, and fresh from a successful inaugural season in the 2024 Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Championship (CTFROC) where he was fifth overall and runner-up in the Rookie Championship in a fully international field, will contest the first round of the championship at the Road America course in Plymouth, Wisconsin, this weekend. It is the first of five weekends in a series that ends in early November.Crosbie will drive for Crosslink / Kiwi Motorsport in the championship, a team part owned by kiwi’s Teena Larsen and Garry Orton. The team raced in the recent CTFROC series in New Zealand and there is an added link in that Stephen Giles who ran Alex in his Giles Motorsport team this summer works for the team in the States.“We were in touch with Crosslink / Kiwi Motorsport during our summer series in New Zealand,” explains Alex. “Originally, we wanted to do Formula Regional in America with them but they had too many cars already so we decided F4 was a pretty good starter. There is a good scholarship up for grabs to proceed on to Formula Regional.”Alex travelled to the US last month for several days of testing at Thunder Hill Raceway in California. “The first day we were on a smaller track at the venue. The car is a lot different to the car I ran in New Zealand this summer, it is more loose to drive, and there is definitely not as much power. By the end of testing, I was feeling more confident. It is more like a Formula Ford than the Formula Regional car.”Crosbie has multiple goals as he heads stateside for the first round. “I want to gain experience on the tracks and I would like to win the championship as there is a good prize that would be beneficial going forward.”Interestingly Canadian driver Patrick Woods-Toth, with whom Alex battled out the Rookie Championship in New Zealand this summer, won the F4 US title with the Crosslink / Kiwi Motorsport team last year.Every circuit in the championship will be completely new to Alex so his experience of each of them will be limited to simulator sessions prior to each race weekend. First up is Road America which Alex describes as, “a fast, flowing layout.”Crosbie will commute to each round of the series taking about a week from departure to return each time.Crosbie’s campaign in F4 US is supported by Golden Homes in the Southern Lakes.This weekend’s action will see the F4 US competitors participate in qualifying on Friday (US time) followed by one race on Saturday and two on Sunday.SCHEDULE - F4 US CHAMPIONSHIP16-19 May 2024: Road America, Plymouth, Wisconsin20-23 June 2024: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, Ohio25-28 July 2024: New Jersey Motorsports Park, Millville, New Jersey29 August–1 September 2024: Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Bowmanville, Ontario31 October-3 November 2024: Circuit Of The Americas, Austin, Texas

Environment Southland (ES) are recommending Mataura River water users, including fisherman, to take extra precautions after high levels of potentially toxic algae in the Mataura River at the Mataura Island BridgeContact with water and the algae, including swimming in the Mataura River near Mataura township should be avoided.However while fish caught in the river may be eaten, this should only be done occasionally - less than once a week.ES advise fish may taste earthy due to other compounds produced by the toxic algae. There is no relationship with taste and the concentration of toxins, they said.Other recommendations for fisherman include:Wearing clothing such as waders to minimise contact with the waterWashing your hands and any other skin that’s been in contact with the river with clean water and soap. Use of hand sanitiser may not remove all the algae from the skin, so clean, running water is best for washing hands and skin.Avoid eating the liver and other organs, as this is where the accumulation of toxins may be greatest.Algae occur naturally in waterways and can flourish during fine conditions and periods of stable river flows.Most algae are harmless, however, some cyanobacteria can produce toxins and rapidly bloom to high levels.These algae are potentially toxic and can be commonly identified in waterways as a dark green/brown slime on rocks, or dark brown/black mats at the water’s edge.The toxins these algae can produce are harmful to people and animals if swallowed, or through contact with skin.People should keep dogs on a lead and children away from affected waterways. The public is urged to be mindful of the potential health risks waterways with toxic algae alerts may pose, until health warnings are removed.If you experience health symptoms after contact with contaminated water, visit a doctor immediately.If you are concerned that any animals have consumed toxic algae or contaminated water, they should be taken to a vet immediately.ES monitors toxic algae monthly at a number of rivers and lakes across Murihiku-Southland.

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The Southern Steel have been dealt a major blow with former Silver Fern midcourter Shannon Saunders ruled out of the remainder of the ANZ Premiership through injury.Saunders suffered the injury pre-season and had been managing it during the competition, but recent tests have revealed further damage to her cartilage."It has been a bit of a weird one. My knee just puffed up after training one day and we've been managing it since," Saunders said."I had more scans done recently and now I have a tear in my cartilage which, unfortunately, is going to take some time to heal," she explained."It's definitely taken a while for the news to sink in, especially because it's been quite a strange injury in terms of its presentation and I wasn't expecting my latest scan results to give the diagnosis that it has. On the flip side, it's nice to now have some answers and more of a direction in terms of rehab and steps forward."The most capped player in the competition, Saunders' return after the birth of her first child last year was highly anticipated by the Steel."I'm extremely gutted. I was having so much fun being back out there on court. It has been awesome seeing the improvement from the team each week and I'm devastated I won't be able to help contribute to that out on court now," she said."I have absolutely loved my time back with Steel. Even just being in the team environment has been awesome. I love the pressure and the competitiveness that comes with playing and the challenge to be better, learn and adapt each week."The team has been improving each week and I'm excited to see them continue to grow and watch all the different combinations develop."Saunders won't be lost to the Steel as she will continue her mentoring work with the team.The Southern Steel sit at the bottom of the premiership ladder with just one win in five games.That sole victory, a 63-61 win over the Northern Stars in extra time broke a nearly two year streak without a win.Reproduced with permission

Milford Road OPENAvalanche Hazard LOWCLOSING from Homer Tunnel (East Portal) to Homer Tunnel (West Portal) as per comments. The tunnel project is nearing completion.Overnight closure tonight (Friday) 6pm – 6am.Tunnel OPEN Saturday and Sunday nights.Closure on Monday through Thursday nights next week between 6.15pm – 6am.A 15-minute opening for traffic clearance will still occur between 8pm - 8.15pm.Passage may be possible after 3am with delays, otherwise no public access will be available. Snow is predicted to the road Saturday, expect winter driving conditions.  Weather forecast for the Homer Tunnel area:Today: Rain developing this morning, becoming heavy overnight.Tomorrow: Heavy rain should ease to a few showers by noon. Snow possible on the road near the tunnel.Sunday: Rain could return in the afternoon, possibly falling as snow near the tunnel.Monday: Partly cloudy. A few showers possible.Tuesday: Partly cloudy.

The future of homeowners living under unique conditions at an Invercargill reserve hangs in the balance.Since about 1950, cribs have been established at Coopers Creek — a remote part of Sandy Point Domain, 15km from the city.The cribs have been deemed “non-conforming” ever since the area was designated as a domain in 1992, but have been allowed to stay under an annual licence agreement.A miniature stone cottage can be found in the village. This week, Invercargill city councillors debated the area's long-term future. Photo: Matthew Rosenberg/LDRInvercargill City Council currently has 17 licences issued for owners, some of whom recently proposed the land be made freehold.This week, councillors debated a range of options for the village in hopes it could resolve the longstanding debacle of houses occupying reserve land.It was ultimately resolved to gauge resident support for a 35 year long-term licence option including a fixed end date, meaning people would need to vacate the land completely upon expiration.If there was no clear direction from that engagement, the council would opt for the staff’s recommended option of an independent tenure determination process, which would take at least 18 months.That option was more expensive and involved the establishment of a hearings panel to consider the issue at hand before making a recommendation to council.A range of views were expressed around the table during a debate which lasted almost an hour.Council group manager community spaces and places Rex Capil began proceedings by saying a lot of history had been created by both the decisions that had been made, and those that hadn’t been.“This is an emotive matter. It has history, it is complex, and for a lot of people it is personal,” he said.Mana whenua representative Evelyn Cook spoke strongly in favour of an independent process, saying resource management had changed significantly since 1950.Cook said there were burials in the extended area, and the council was operating on insufficient information and poor process.“What we don’t seem to be doing is looking at what the environmental impact of these places are compared to what was envisioned at the time.“I think that the time has come that we do it once and we do it right.”Fellow representative Pani Cooke also said the area was significant for mana whenua, and freehold was not an option.The area should be treated like Māori land where a lease was paid, she said, with an agreement that worked for everyone.Deputy Mayor Tom Campbell was hesitant to support the staff recommendation of an independent process because of the cost, while councillor Ian Pottinger said it was the best option because council didn’t have the skills to make a decision that wasn’t based on emotion.Councillor Allan Arnold took a different approach, saying the residents should be given their preferred option because “they live there, we don’t”.An excerpt from the Sandy Point Domain Reserve Management Plan 2013 said there was an aim to phase out residents and weekend cribs located in the domain.The only residents permitted should be ranger staff and those managing commercial activities, it said.Council’s parks and recreation team would now engage with affected crib owners over a three month period, supported by the deputy mayor.Māori kaiaka (villages) existed in the area now known as Sandy Point Domain when European whalers and traders settled in the Coopers Creek area, the council report said.The creek got its name from a cooper named Owen McShane who settled there in 1836, making whale oil barrels and cabbage tree rum.LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air