ODT.co.nz | Otago Daily Times | Latest South Island News

UPDATED

OtagoSeptember 16

Otago highway closed as wintry blast hits South

One Otago highway is closed and there are reports of flooding and snow on others in the South as a forecast cold snap hits the mainland.

SouthlandSeptember 16

Man jailed after meth-fuelled police chase with baby in back of car

An Invercargill man is returning to prison after stealing a trailer, fleeing police and causing the car he was in to flip while his co-defendant’s 10-month-old baby was in the back seat.

Brianna McIlraith, Open Justice reporter

DunedinSeptember 16

Dunedin Marathon runners accused of treating nature ‘like a tip’

A trail of sticky energy gel packets strewn all over the peninsula was not the view a Dunedin cyclist was hoping for after the city’s annual marathon.

Laine Priestley

BusinessSeptember 16

Councils can impose new levy on developers from 2029

The government has confirmed it will let councils charge development levies from 2029, as it seeks to change the system by which infrastructure growth is paid for.

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BusinessSeptember 15

Dressed up an idea and now it is a booming business

Steve Hepburn

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Central OtagoSeptember 15

Santana's $2b windfall for NZ questioned after CEO interview

Mary Williams

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DunedinSeptember 15

Bubble burst: manager’s theft of 3420 litres of L&P blamed on ‘staggering’ alcohol use

Rob Kidd

ODT QuizSeptember 15

ODT quiz: September 16

Dunedin

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DunedinSeptember 15

A wee piece of Scotland: purebred Highland pony perhaps a first for Dunedin

A Scottish-born Dunedin woman has gotten herself a taste of home with what is believed to be the city’s first Highland pony.

Laine Priestley

DunedinSeptember 16

Pioneer in Māori health dies

A University of Otago teacher, scholar and pioneer in Māori health and dentistry, Emeritus Prof John Broughton, has died.

DunedinSeptember 15

SH1 northbound to close near Allanton for road rebuild

A major road reconstruction on SH1 will trigger significant northbound closures starting next week.

DunedinSeptember 15

Sunshine brings beach day for Dunedin

Unseasonably warm weather bought flocks of beach-goers to St Clair and St Kilda beaches.

Laine Priestley

Latest News

1

SouthlandSeptember 16

Man jailed after meth-fuelled police chase with baby in back of car

2

WorldSeptember 16

Weeks after Nepal flood disaster, families of the missing hold out hope

3

WorldSeptember 16

Three dead after news helicopter crash in Los Angeles

4

UPDATED

OtagoSeptember 16

Otago highway closed as wintry blast hits South

5

NationalSeptember 16

‘I'm genuinely sorry’: PM apologises in wake of Tom Phillips report

Otago

OtagoSeptember 15

‘Penny-pinching’ Palmerston school owes hours of backpay

The school decided to shave 10 minutes off every hour it paid a casual relief teacher.

QueenstownSeptember 15

Queenstown residents fed up with traffic congestion

Queenstown commuters say chronic traffic congestion is ruining their quality of life, with three-hour school bus rides and missed volunteer firefighter callouts.

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South OtagoSeptember 15

Balclutha sex offender a no-show at parole hearing

A Balclutha man, serving nearly six years in jail for a sex attack on a stranger, made the Parole Board's decision simple at his recent hearing.

Rob Kidd

North OtagoSeptember 15

Car fire sparks vegetation blaze in rural North Otago

North Otago firefighters are battling a large vegetation fire after a car blaze spread to nearby grassland.

Laine Priestley

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DunedinSeptember 15

Calls for council action over Dunedin cats

The Dunedin City Council is not doing enough to control cats in New Zealand’s wildlife capital, advocates say.

Grant Miller

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DunedinSeptember 14

‘Humiliation and stress’: Failed builder and Dunedin City Council taken to court over faulty $900k home

Tim Scott

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DunedinSeptember 11

Dunedin hospo boss escapes conviction for street brawl with teen

Rob Kidd

Canterbury

ChristchurchSeptember 16

SuperGold card-holders’ free afternoon bus trips coming to an end

Afternoon public bus trips for SuperGold card-holders will no longer be free in Canterbury from later this year.

SelwynSeptember 16

‘Footballer’s wife’ now leading club

Alex Smith never had an interest in football before meeting husband Hamish Smith in 2019. But now the 31-year-old is Selwyn United’s first female president after taking over from Stan de Rooy.

By Sam Coughlan

ChristchurchSeptember 16

Truck fire closes Lyttelton Tunnel

Lyttelton Tunnel has been closed in both directions due to a truck fire.

SelwynSeptember 16

Profit and sales growth creates fresh optimism for businesses

Businesses in Canterbury’s Selwyn district appear to be turning a corner despite rising costs and ongoing global economic uncertainty.

National

NationalSeptember 16

‘I'm genuinely sorry’: PM apologises in wake of Tom Phillips report

The Prime Minister has apologised to both the mother and her children who spent almost four years isolated in the bush with their father, Tom Phillips.

NationalSeptember 15

Brown denies telling hospitals to save money amid ‘challenging’ flu season

Asked if the lack of recruitment in hospitals was down to orders to Health NZ to save money, Minister Simeon Brown says he "never made that instruction".

NationalSeptember 15

Retirement village law change needed for fairness: operator group

The group representing retirement village operators says government legislation needs to act as a backstop to ensure a fair situation for residents and operators.

NationalSeptember 15

Hot shower warning as woman falls through glass after fainting with flu

A woman who fainted through a glass shower door while sick with Influenza A is urging others to take the flu seriously, as a doctor warns hot showers can trigger fainting.

Southland

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SouthlandSeptember 15

Too wet to forget

Farmers can be forgiven for harbouring thoughts of trading their Red Bands for waist-high waders as they endured being pelted by sideways rain, snow and sleet in the past month.

Toni McDonald

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SouthlandSeptember 15

Mayor rejects forecast of conservative growth

Invercargill Mayor Tom Campbell has questioned figures in a report that predict “extremely conservative” growth in the city for the next 10 years.

Sandy Eggleston

Sport

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RugbySeptember 15

Otago loose forward duo to crack 50 games for province

Slade McDowall will crack 50 games for Otago on Thursday and will share the limelight with Christian Lio-Willie.

Adrian Seconi

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Other SportSeptember 15

Spring Challenge heads to Dunedin in 2027

Catherine Bradley has a spring in her step.

Kayla Hodge

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NetballSeptember 15

Taurua happy domestic league confirmed

Silver Ferns coach Noeline Taurua is relieved domestic netball has been thrown a lifeline in New Zealand.

Kayla Hodge

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SportSeptember 15

Otago teams seal late wins in NHC

Late drama. Happy days.

Adrian Seconi

Lifestyle

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TravelSeptember 15

Why Zaragoza is the hottest city to eat in Spain right now

A golden gift box of Fantoba’s sweet cherries soaked in liquor and dipped in deliciously dense dark chocolate is my first impulse purchase.

EntertainmentSeptember 15

Jean Smart, Matthew Rhys make history at Emmys

WATCH▶️: Jean Smart has won her fifth Emmy Award for portraying a tenacious stand-up comic, while Matthew Rhys became the first person to win two lead acting honours at the same ceremony.

Reuters

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The MixSeptember 12

Che Fu brings ‘Navigator’ to Dunedin

Released in 2001, Che Fu’s album 'Navigator' went straight to the top of the New Zealand albums chart before going multi-platinum.

The MixSeptember 11

Storms wash pollution into Otago Harbour: young scientists

If we care about the environment, we have to get amongst it, a trio of young scientists tell Tom McKinlay.

Business

BusinessSeptember 16

Labour targets big companies and price-gouging

Labour has promised to ban big companies from charging excessive prices, if elected in November.

BusinessSeptember 16

Te Pāti Māori keen to secure 'energy sovereignty'

Te Pāti Māori wants to increase Māori and community ownership of new renewable energy assets, establishing a $1b Energy Sovereignty Fund in the process.

BusinessSeptember 16

‘Time for change’: National pledges to split Foodstuffs supermarkets

The shake-up will be contingent on a six-month review by the Commerce Commission into whether splitting Pak'nSave and New World will actually leave shoppers better off.

BusinessSeptember 15

Fashion brands Cue, Veronika Maine in receivership

The women’s fashion company, founded in 1968, would continue trading while the receivers assess the business and restructuring options.

Fresh

Food & WineSeptember 8

Turning to lighter fare as we go into spring

While winter still has its grips on us, occasional warm days are reminding us that spring is coming.

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Food & WineSeptember 8

Enjoying the day’s catch with family

Alison Lambert

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Food & WineSeptember 8

Lighter, brighter note for spring

Jo Elwin

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Food & WineSeptember 8

Hearty tart for weekend adventures

Sam Sinclair

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Food & WineSeptember 8

Making healthy eating easy

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Food & WineSeptember 8

Gifts of love: Homemade treats perfect for sharing

A passion project that has taken three years to come to fruition is how Allyson Gofton describes “Give”.

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Food & WineSeptember 8

Life is too short to wait for a special occasion

Mark Henderson

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Food & WineSeptember 8

Grilled asparagus and halloumi salad

Rural Life

Rural LifeSeptember 15

Probe into death of young bull spraypainted and dumped by owner's gate

The Ministry of Primary Industries is investigating the death of a young bull dumped next to its owner's letterbox with obscenities spraypainted on its sides.

HorticultureSeptember 14

New apple variety grown in Canterbury launched in Vietnam

Grower T&G has launched its newest premium apple variety, the Joli, in Vietnam, ramping up its push into the lucrative Asian export market.

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Rural Life OtherSeptember 13

Power bill cut after Canterbury piggery adds large solar panel system to reduce reliance on national grid

A Canterbury 500-sow operation is among the first piggeries to generate much of its energy needs from a solar farm.

Tim Cronshaw

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Rural PeopleSeptember 13

Dunedin-based forestry adviser receives national recognition

“I’m just a tree guy,” Te Uru Rākau – New Zealand Forest Service regional forest adviser Aidan Braid modestly describes himself.

Sally Rae

Food & Wine

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Food & WineSeptember 15

‘Orchard to scoop’ approach recognised nationally

Rebecca Fox

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Food & WineSeptember 15

Masters of fusion — Northern Italy cuisine more diverse than expected

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Food & WineSeptember 15

Wake up your palate from winter hibernation with fresh, zingy ingredients

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Food & WineSeptember 15

Can you eat too much tinned tuna?

World

WorldSeptember 16

Weeks after Nepal flood disaster, families of the missing hold out hope

Thousands of people are still reported missing after a torrent of mud and rocks destroyed a Nepal-China border crossing high up in the Himalayas last month.

WorldSeptember 16

Three dead after news helicopter crash in Los Angeles

An NBC local news helicopter has crashed in the Chatsworth area of Los Angeles, killing three people.

Reuters

WorldSeptember 16

‘Landmark moment’ as US confirms weapons in space

The US Air Force chief's acknowledgement this week that the Pentagon has weapons in orbit is a "landmark" moment in the rising militarisation of space, an official says.

WorldSeptember 16

Fiji declares HIV emergency as epidemic grows

Fiji's Health Minister Dr Atonio Lalabalavu has formally declared a national HIV emergency in the country.

West Coast

West CoastSeptember 16

‘Bleeding money’: Frustration as SH6 closure hits hard in Haast

Haast locals are questioning why it is taking so long to restore full access since a storm closed State highway 6 last month.

West CoastSeptember 15

Biosecurity measures for South Westland safe haven

A new quarantine facility has been installed on a tiny, remote island off the South Westland coast after it was cleared of introduced predators.

Vihan Dalal

Video

DunedinSeptember 16

Dunedin Marathon runners accused of treating nature ‘like a tip’

A trail of sticky energy gel packets strewn all over the peninsula was not the view a Dunedin cyclist was hoping for after the city’s annual marathon.

Laine Priestley

BusinessSeptember 16

Councils can impose new levy on developers from 2029

The government has confirmed it will let councils charge development levies from 2029, as it seeks to change the system by which infrastructure growth is paid for.

BusinessSeptember 16

Labour targets big companies and price-gouging

Labour has promised to ban big companies from charging excessive prices, if elected in November.

BusinessSeptember 16

‘Time for change’: National pledges to split Foodstuffs supermarkets

The shake-up will be contingent on a six-month review by the Commerce Commission into whether splitting Pak'nSave and New World will actually leave shoppers better off.

Opinion

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OpinionSeptember 15

Cartoonist’s view: September 16

Today's cartoon from Shaun Yeo.

YeoCartoonist

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EditorialSeptember 15

Next stop, not the South Island

AUCKLAND’S spanking new $5.5billion City Rail Link has been dominating the nation’s screens and the airwaves for the past few months.

Editorial

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OpinionSeptember 14

Cartoonist’s view: September 15

Today's cartoon from Shaun Yeo.

YeoCartoonist

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EditorialSeptember 14

Being outspoken a win for all at Act NZ event with Paul Henry

WHEN Act New Zealand decided to adopt maverick broadcaster Paul Henry as a candidate it knew that it was — for better or worse — signing up a human headline-generator.

Editorial

OpinionSeptember 14

How the Bayeux tapestry came alive for the people who viewed it a thousand years ago

As a professional embroiderer and textile archaeologist specialising in the early medieval period (450-1100 CE), I was privileged to be asked to contribute to the British Museum’s catalogue for its much-anticipated exhibition of the Bayeux tapestry, which is on display from September 2026 till July 2027.

Alexandra Makin

OpinionSeptember 14

Even if it doesn’t form government, the far‑right AfD has shaken Germany’s political establishment to the core

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has sent shock waves across Germany – and the world – by trouncing the opposition in a state election last weekend. But will the party actually be able to govern?

Matt Fitzpatrick

100 Years Ago

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NewsSeptember 15

NZ defeats Dewsbury 13-9

100 years ago

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NewsSeptember 13

Māori ABs baffle Marseilles

100 years ago

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NewsSeptember 13

Road may be declared a highway

At the meeting of the District Highways Council (No 16) yesterday a letter was received from the chairman of the Main Highways Board forwarding a copy of a letter.

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NewsSeptember 11

Rugby the winner on the day

In weather more suited to cricket than football Canterbury met and convincingly beat Otago at Carisbrook on Saturday afternoon.