Source: New Zealand Police
State Highway One, Desert Road is blocked following a crash this afternoon.
Emergency services received a report of the two-vehicle crash at around 1.10pm.
Initial indications suggest there are serious injuries.
The road is blocked near the Oturere Stream.
Motorists are advised to avoid the area if possible and expect delays.
ENDS
Source: New Zealand Police
The search for missing 25-year-old Travis Langford remains ongoing, nearly five months after he was last seen.
His vehicle was located burnt out on a Tolley Road farm in Ngaroma in January, and his dog was found in a nearby paddock the following day.
Police recovered personal items belonging to Travis near his vehicle, and the Eagle helicopter surveyed the area not long after his vehicle was found.
An alleged sighting of Travis was reported to Police around Waitangi weekend, where it was believed he was seen at Lake Waipapa, however Police have not been able to confirm whether this was Travis or not.
A further alleged sighting was reported on 2 March, however it was confirmed this was not Travis.
Travis’s family are grateful for all the information that has been provided since he went missing.
His family are continuing private searches, and Police would like to remind the public to stay alert and report any unusual activity or potential sightings of Travis to Police.
His appearance may have changed over the last five months. Travis did not have any tattoos, however he does have a dark heart-shaped birth mark, about 3cm wide, on the left side of his neck. He is a slim build and approximately 5’10” tall.
There are serious concerns for his wellbeing. Travis was known to be very wary of people, however possibly has help from outside sources if he is hiding somewhere remotely.
Police are asking everybody in the wider Waikato region to keep an eye out for a man matching the description of Travis, and report any potential sightings to Police.
Please contact 105 either over the phone or online, referencing file number 250119/4439.
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Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: New Zealand Government
A more efficient, reliable and safer journey through the Ruahine Ranges will open to traffic from the week of 9 June, with the completion of the Manawatū Tararua Highway, says Transport Minister Chris Bishop.
The new 11.5-kilometre highway between Ashhurst and Woodville replaces State Highway 3 through the Manawatū Gorge, which was permanently closed in April 2017 due to landslides.
“This is more than just a new road. It provides a vital link for freight operators and businesses throughout the lower and central North Island, which will encourage travel and support economic growth for the region”, Mr Bishop says.
“The four-lane highway, divided by a safe flexible median barrier, is expected to carry up to around 9,000 vehicles each day, with 10 per cent of those being heavy vehicles. General traffic will take between 10 – 12 minutes to drive the road, which is a significant improvement on the current 20 – 25 minute detour route in place.
“Constructing this new road required remarkable engineering. The road features six bridges, two of which are more than 300-metres in length, and features to minimise the risk of erosion and slips. The expected cost to complete the project now stands at $824.1 million.
“As this huge project comes to an end, I want to thank the truckies, motorists and local residents who’ve been so patient through these works, and the NZTA contractors who’ve worked hard to get this project completed.
“I’m looking forward to this road opening in the coming days and I know communities are too.”
Notes to Editor:
Key features of the project include:
a shared use path for pedestrians and cyclists.
Source: New Zealand Government
It’s been four months since the Fast-track Approvals system opened for business and the statistics show strong progress toward making it quicker and easier to build the projects New Zealand needs for economic growth, RMA Reform and Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones say.
“The Fast-track Approvals Act, part of the coalition agreement between National and NZ First, was signed into law just before Christmas and opened for project applications on 7 February this year. The Act helps cut through the tangle of red and green tape and the jumble of approvals processes that has, until now, held New Zealand back from much-needed economic growth,” Mr Bishop says.
“The Fast-track Approvals Act contains a list of 149 projects which, from 7 February, have been able to apply to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) for consideration by an expert panel. The expert panels consider each application, decide whether or not each project receives approval, and attach any necessary conditions to those approvals.
“In the four months since the Fast-track one-stop shop approvals regime officially opened for project applications, we’ve seen good progress on a range of applications for projects that, if approved, will grow New Zealand’s economy and sort out our infrastructure deficit, housing crisis, and energy shortage, instead of tying essential projects up in knots for years at a time.
“As of this week, 15 substantive applications for listed projects have been lodged and found complete and within scope by the EPA. Of these, twelve applications have no competing applications or existing resource consents; two applications are undergoing checks for competing applications or existing resource consents; and one application was found to have an existing resource consent and can therefore not proceed any further through Fast-track.
“Eight of the 12 complete applications that are complete, within scope and with no competing applications or existing resource consents are being considered by the panel convenor who will soon establish expert panels for each project.
“Three are currently before expert panels for consideration, with a fourth expert panel being appointed on 6 June. These four projects are Delmore (residential subdivision and roading interchange in Orewa), (Maitahi Village (residential development including commercial centre and a retirement village in Nelson), Bledisloe North Wharf and Fergusson North Berth Extension (new and extended wharf facilities at Port of Auckland), Milldale (earthworks and site work for approximately 1,100 residential allotments).
“The first expert panels’ final decisions are expected in mid-September this year.
“Projects not listed in the Act can also apply for referral to an expert panel through the same Fast-track website. Their applications go first to me as Infrastructure Minister for consideration, which includes inviting written comments from the Minister for the Environment and any other Ministers with relevant portfolios, before the deciding whether to refer the project for Fast-track.
“To date I have referred three projects to the Fast-track process, meaning they can now submit substantive applications to the EPA. These three projects are the Ayrburn Screen Hub (a film and television production facility) in Otago; Ashbourne (a development of 530 homes and 250 retirement units) in Waikato; and the Grampians Solar Project (a solar farm expected to generate 300 megawatts) in Canterbury.”
“As well as delivering a strong pipeline of projects into the future, Fast-track is well on track to deliver a much boost to the economy now, with up to 17 projects whose applications are underway expected to commence this year, if approved. This will be welcome news for the construction sector,” Mr Jones says.
“The projects that have applied for Fast-track approvals to date would contribute an additional 12,208 new homes across the Auckland, Nelson and Otago regions, and an additional 1,136 new retirement units in Auckland and Nelson.”
Note to editor:
In Fast-track’s first four months there have been:
Referral Applications
2 applications currently undergoing checks for competing applications / existing resource consents
12 projects found to be complete without competing applications or existing resource consents (all those that have gone to the Panel Convener prior to expert panel)
Rangitoopuni.
8 are with the panel convener to establish an expert panel
4 projects currently before expert panels, or have an expert panel appointed (have gone from the panel convener to the expert panel)
Substantive Applications
15 substantive applications found to be complete, of those:
With EPA for completeness, competing applications or existing resource consent checks:
12 applications have gone to the Panel Convener, of those:
With Panel Convener:
Expert Panels appointed for:
Milldale
Source: New Zealand Government
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay and Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka have congratulated the winners of the 2025 Ahuwhenua Trophy and the Ahuwhenua Young Māori Farmer Award, recognising their excellence and leadership in Māori agribusiness.
The Northland-based Whangaroa Ngaiotonga Trust was awarded the 2025 Ahuwhenua Trophy for excellence in Māori sheep and beef farming at a gala dinner in Palmerston North tonight.
“Whangaroa Ngaiotonga Trust turned a struggling farm into a thriving 1,200-head bull beef operation, and it’s a clear example of what vision and hard work can achieve,” says Mr McClay.
“This award celebrates Māori excellence in farming and the kind of leadership that will help us double the value of exports in 10 years,” says Mr McClay.
Mr Potaka says the Ahuwhenua Trophy recognises excellence in farming know-how, as well as the wider role that Māori intergenerational farming entities play in our regional communities and in protecting the environment.
“Sheep and beef farms are the backbone of the Māori primary sector, valued at over $12 billion, and these awards honour the landowners, rangatira and kaimahi who keep that success going,” says Mr Potaka.
Te Tai Tokerau farm manager Coby Warmington took out the 2025 Ahuwhenua Young Māori Farmer Award for sheep and beef.
“Congratulations to the winner and all those who took part in this year’s competition.
“The prosperity and wellbeing farming generates for Iwi and Māori across the motu has far reaching impacts for communities, for whānau, for reinvesting back into marae and more. I tautoko the outstanding work these finalists are doing.”
Whakamihia ana e te Kāwanatanga ngā toa o te Tohutoa Ahuwhenua
Kua whakamihia e te Minita Ahuwhenua Todd McClay me te Minita Whanaketanga Māori Tama Potaka ngā toa whakaihuwaka o te Tohutoa Ahuwhenua me te Tohu Kaiahuwhenua Rangatahi Māori 2025, e āhukahuka ana i tō rātou kairangi, hiranga hoki i te mahi ahuwhenua Māori.
I whakawhiwhia ki te Whangaroa Ngaiotonga Trust nō te Taitokerau te Tohu Ahuwhenua 2025 mō te kairangi i te mahi pāmu Māori mō te hipi me te kau i te hākari whakanui i tū ki Te Papaioea i tēnei pō.
“I hurihia e te Whangaroa Ngaiotonga Trust te pāmu kūraruraru ki te whakahaere momoho me te 1,200 kau pūru, ka mutu, he tauira mārama o te mahi e taea ai e te wawata me te pukumahi,” te kī a Minita McClay.
“E whakanuia ana e tēnei tohu te kairangi Māori i te mahi pāmu me te momo ārahitanga e āwhina i a tātou ki te huarua i te uara o ngā hokotai i te tekau tau e tū mai nei,” te kōrero o Minita McClay.
E kī ana a Minita Potaka e āhukahuka ana te Tohutoa Ahuwhenua i te kairangi i te mātauranga pāmu, ka mutu, te wāhi whānui ake a te mahi pāmu ā-whakatipuranga Māori i ō tātou hapori ā-takiwā, mō te mahi tiaki taiao anō hoki.
“Ko te tuarā o te rāngai matua Māori ngā pāmu hipi me te kau, kei tōna $12 piriona te uara, ā, e whakamānawa ana ēnei tohu i ngā kaipupuri whenua, ngā rangatira me ngā kaimahi e whakapau kaha ana ki te hāpai tonu i taua angitu,” te kōrero a Minita Potaka.
I riro i te kaiwhakahaere pāmu o Te Taitokerau a Coby Warmington te Tohu Kaiahuwhenua Rangatahi Māori 2025 mō te hipi me te kau.
“Nei te mihi ki te toa, ka mutu, ki ngā tāngata katoa i whai wāhi mai ki te whakataetae i tēnei tau.
“He nui o te pānga o te tōnuitanga me te oranga e ahu mai ana i ngā mahi pāmu mā ngā Iwi me te iwi Māori puta noa i te motu mō ngā hapori, ngā whānau, hei whakahoki ki ngā marae me ngā āhuatanga i tua atu anō. Kei te tautoko au i ngā mahi mīharo e mahia mai ana e ēnei i tae ki te whiringa toa.”
Source: New Zealand Police
A man will be appearing in court next week in relation to the death of a man following a crash in Pongakawa.
The single-vehicle crash happened around 8:45pm on Tuesday 3 June on Maniatutu Road.
It was not reported to Police at the time, and the driver and the passengers of the vehicle made their own way home to their addresses in the area.
Around 4:30am on 4 June, the driver of the vehicle and flatmate of one of the passengers in the car located the passenger deceased at their home.
Police have made further enquiries and have today charged a 40-year-old man with dangerous driving causing death.
He is due in Tauranga District Court on 12 June.
ENDS
Issued by the Police Media Centre
Source: New Zealand Police
State Highway 10 is closed at the intersection with Waipapa West Road following a crash.
The two-vehicle crash was reported just before 7pm.
Two people have sustained serious injuries.
Diversions are in place via Waipapa Road.
Motorists are advised to avoid the area and expect delays.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: New Zealand Police
Counties Manukau Police have made an arrest following a fire at the McDonalds restaurant in Pakuranga last month.
Detectives have been investigating the suspicious fire which occurred at the Pakuranga Road branch on 5 May.
Detective Senior Sergeant Dean Batey, of Counties Manukau East CIB, says a 12-year-old young person has been arrested and charged with arson.
“This young person has appeared in the Manukau Youth Court and is currently on court bail conditions,” he says.
“Police appreciate the fire has been of high interest to the local community.
“We are not able to comment further around the circumstances of the alleged offending, however Police cannot rule out any further arrests in relation to the matter.”
ENDS.
Jarred Williamson/NZ Police
Source: New Zealand Police
A person has died after being hit by a truck at Peketā this morning.
Emergency services were called to the crash, between Inland Kaikōura Road and Rakanui Road, about 9.20am.
The person was a pedestrian and died at the scene.
Police are providing support to their next of kin.
The Serious Crash Unit has conducted a scene examination and State Highway 1 reopened about 2.40pm.
Police would like to thank the emergency response teams who assisted at the scene, and motorists for their understanding and patience.
ENDS
Issued by the Police Media Centre
Source: Press Release Service
Headline: Voting Opens for 2025 New Zealand Tree of the Year
Tree of the Year NZ 2025 launches this week, inviting the public to vote for their favourite from a shortlist of six remarkable trees across the country. Run by the NZ Notable Trees Trust, Tree of the Year is a celebration of the iconic trees that shape our landscapes, memories, and communities.
The post Voting Opens for 2025 New Zealand Tree of the Year first appeared on PR.co.nz.