The region's rates look likely to increase by 14per cent on average after a “process error’’ was discovered by the Central Otago District Council (CODC) finance team.Council chief executive Peter Kelly formally apologised for the mistake at an extraordinary council meeting in Alexandra yesterday.Peter acknowledged a mistake where two live links had been used to input financial information had been discovered.“There are a number of consequences that have fallen out from this.”The finance team picked up the errors last week when opening tender documents for some of the new work going out in July.“We realised that the numbers that were in the existing long term plan didn’t look quite right,” Peter said.The numbers for water had been put into a previous spreadsheet, and that resulted in an increase of 1 per cent in rates, with the remaining 1.5per cent being the new contracts being entered.“It was a process error and I take full responsibility for that. I regret having to bring this matter up and the timing is not ideal,”Staff were looking through the tender documents and luckily the error was picked up, “so it is in some ways good that we did detect it when we did.”In her report, group manager - business support Saskia Righarts said it had been uncovered there needed to be some amendments made to the three waters operational budgets. At the same time the budgets were also adjusted to reflect the value of the recent contracts being tendered in three waters. Those two things combined have resulted in the average draft rates increase changing from 11.63 per cent to 14.03 per cent.The growth apportionments for the Omakau Water Supply Treatment Plant upgrades and the Omakau Wastewater Treatment Plant upgrades have also been increased to better align with the growth assumptions. This has resulted in a large increase in Omakau for both the water supply and wastewater development contribution charges.Cr Tracey Paterson said it was ‘’disappointing’’ and questioned whether they could stomach another increase for their ratepayers.The current numbers were still not reflective of what the final figures would be, and the amount could be greater still, depending on what the community told them, she said.Mayor Tamah Alley reflected on their position of asking staff to go away and make more savings, like they had last year.“There are costs that are outside of our control, and in the interim I don’t think they are going to magic up a 5 per cent reduction unless we say we’re not going to do something.”She hoped what she was hearing around the community would result in many submissions, so they could have an accurate reflection of what people wanted to pay for, and what they did not.Deputy Mayor Neil Gillespie said nothing was final yet, “this work has not finished.”The final document would come back to council on March 17, and then be out for public consultation from March 19 to April 16.The consultation document would then form the basis for the final 2025-34 Long-term Plan which was planned to be adopted by Council in June.Have a story to share?Contact [email protected] 

Love thy neighbour. It’s Valentine’s Day - a global celebration of romantic love.But what about those who are experiencing loneliness, the new epidemic of our time? Maybe it’s time to reframe how we think of this 2000-year-old tradition and see this as a time to reach out to those who are isolated, not only our nearest and dearest; a time to connect with our neighbours, welcome our newcomers.Research shows us that inclusive communities are stronger and safer; they also boost economic growth, consolidate trust, and enhance public health.With this mind, The Central App and Welcoming Communities are excited to launch the beginnings of a new information platform called “New to Central”, to help newcomers navigate the challenges of relocation.For this guide to be fully comprehensive, we need the community to get on board and tell us what needs to be included.This is a work in progress, so please take a look (find it under The Central App community button) and give us your feedback in the survey 

Police have confirmed two people died following a crash in the Cromwell gorge yesterday evening.The collision, involving a car and a motorcycle, was reported to emergency services at approximately 5pm.Tragically, both the motorcyclist and the driver of the car—the vehicle’s sole occupant—were pronounced dead at the scene.Authorities say the circumstances of the crash are still under investigation.

UPDATED: HAWKSBURN ROAD NOW CLOSED Due to high volumes and multiple unsuitable vehicles attempting to make this journey the road is now, the Central Otago District Council has posted."When the road is cleared, we will be letting small numbers from each end through, you can expect delays on this road of up to 2-3 hours.''A serious crash involving two vehicles has closed State Highway 8 between Cromwell and Clyde.Police issued a statement saying the crash was reported just after 5pm and emergency services are in attendance.The road will be closed for some time, motorists are asked to avoid the area and expect significant delays, police said.The Central Otago District Council issued a notice to motorists stating the Hawksburn Rd was a back country track and not suitable for all vehicles to attempt to travel as an alternative route." Many of you will be trying to commute home and we understand this, however, please note the HAWKESBURN Road is a back country track and should be treated as such, which lead means . . . 4WD vehicles are recommended on this road; it is not suitable for all vehicle types and NO heavy vehicles are permitted,'' '' the statement said.The road was is not passable by two vehicles in all places, and Council requested motorists to be respectful of other drivers."Reduce your speeds, again this is a gravel track that follows the natural ground conditions.''Council staff are stationed at each end of Hawksburn Rd and would be monitoring vehicles for suitability on the back country road."Please take their advice they are trying to keep you and others safe,'' the statement said.

The husband of an Invercargill woman found dead at Lake Hāwea last year has been charged with her murder.Karen Gaylene White, 60, died at her Lake Hāwea property on 8 March 2024.In November, eight months after her death, police launched a homicide investigation.Otago Lakes Area Commander Inspector Paula Enoka said following a lengthy investigation, police had charged a 61-year-old Robert Joseph White with murder.He appeared in the Queenstown District Court on Wednesday morning, where his lawyer, Fiona Guy Kidd KC, entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.Name suppression was not sought.He will next appear at the High Court at Invercargill at a later date."Police continue to support the family and friends of Ms White, and our condolences go out to them," Enoka said.White's death was initially treated as unexplained while officers worked to establish what had happened before her death.In December, police said White was the victim of a significant assault and they believed people in the Lake Hāwea area had important information.

A man is appearing in court today charged with the murder of Karen White last year.Ms White was killed in her Lake Hawea home on March 8.In a statement from Police this morning, Otago Lakes area commander Inspector Paula Enoka said following a lengthy investigation, a 61-year-old man has been charged with murder and is due to appear in Queenstown District Court today.''Police continue to support the family and friends of Ms White, and our condolences go out to them,'' Insp. Enoka said.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand investigators looking to determine the cause of the Roxburgh Entertainment Centre fire yesterday are asking for help from the local community.Fire investigator John Smalls said his team was doing everything they could to get a clear picture of the fire’s progress, and people in Roxburgh may be able to help determine how and where the fire started."We really feel for the community, who are clearly devastated by the loss of their historic building," he said."That’s why we’re doing everything we can to get a clear picture of what was happening to the building before and during yesterday’s fire."If you have any photographs or footage of the Town Hall from 11am onwards yesterday, please send them through to [email protected]."We’re especially looking for any images that show the back and sides of the building."John Smalls said the call went out to the community this morning and already the response had been “terrific’’."We know how much this building means to local people, both for its current use, and as an important link to Roxburgh’s long history."

A large fire has gutted the Roxburgh Town Hall and Entertainment Centre, including its 128-year-old cinemaA total of eight Fire and Emergency crews fought the blaze for several hours on ThursdayThe destructive fire comes only a month after the building "narrowly" avoided major damage during a fire in JanuaryA member of a committee that ran Roxburgh's historic cinema says the community is "devastated" after a Waitangi Day fire gutted the building.A total of eight crews of firefighters responded to the blaze in the middle of the central Otago town, which destroyed the Roxburgh Town Hall, including its 128-year-old cinema.The fire, which has now been extinguished, broke out shortly before midday forcing neighbouring properties to evacuate.A crew remained at the scene overnight with a fire investigator to check for a possible cause on Friday.The facility on Scotland Street included the town hall, supper room and 258-seat auditorium and boutique cinema.The movie theatre was first built in 1897 and had previously been part of a Guinness World Records claim of "longest continuously running movie theatre in the world".Roxburgh Entertainment Centre Committee member Norman Dalley said the Scotland Street building was a major cornerstone for the town."It's huge...it's a hub," he said.The Roxburgh Cinema, formerly the Roxburgh Atheneum, first opened on 11 December 1897, but was shifted and redeveloped as part of the town hall in 1930.Photo: Roxburgh Centre"We're quite proud of the fact that it's the longest continuously operating movie theatre in the Southern Hemisphere, perhaps the world."There's plenty of claims around that."Some people have been involved as volunteers (at the cinema) for the last 50 years."Dalley, who is also the chair of the Teviot Valley Community Board, joined a crowd of others who watched on in horror as flames engulfed the old building,"It was at the forefront of everybody's day [yesterday]," he said."The total devastation on people's faces was quite evident."The way the fire took hold and got bigger, it was hard to watch."Local media reported that many onlookers became emotional from what they saw.The town hall had received more than $100,000 of upgrades last year, including a new movie theatre sound system and screen.This was achieved through fund-raising and community support, Dalley said."[The town hall] well used for funerals, big functions, all sorts of things," he said."We also screened movies every week."It's just so devastating, a lot of history has gone."As for a rebuild, the building was too important to the Roxburgh community for it not happen, Dalley said."We are a very resilient community and I'm sure that we'll be , in a time to come, showing movies on our spot again," he said."We'll recover from it but it's going to take time."'Dramatic' day for residentsRoxburgh community leader Sally Feinerman said the building has been "completely gutted"."We've got just the front facade and two walls standing - the rest is history."She told Morning Report firefighters had done a fantastic job because the building was located in between others in the town."It was pretty dramatic."It was devastating for the committee that ran the theatre. Recently, they had added a new sound system and projection screen and upgraded the firewall.The building had been a feature of most people's lives, not only for its cinema but it was also the biggest meeting place in Roxburgh.Feinerman said it was still unknown whether the remaining parts of the building could be saved in any rebuild.The fire's cause was still unknown, she said.The destructive fire also comes a month after the council-owned building "narrowly" avoided serious damage during a fire on 3 January.During the aftermath, Fire and Emergency (FENZ) fire investigator Matt Jones said the building would have copped significantly worse damage if it was not for a recently installed fire alarm system.In a post on social media, the council confirmed the building had been destroyed.Central Otago residents were also asked to conserve water throughout Thursday afternoon."We know this was a huge shock to everyone, thank you so much for your understanding and support throughout the day."Engineers were also carrying out a safety assessment of the facade in a hope that it could be retained.Road Closure: SH 8 Roxburgh, between Jedburgh Street and Liddle Street

Renowned poet, environmental advocate and Central Otago icon Brian Turner has died, aged 80.Described by the Oxford Companion to New Zealand Literature as “an unrepentantly regional Otago poet whose work moves constantly beyond the merely local or descriptive’’, Turner's name was synonymous with his beloved Central Otago.Born and raised in Dunedin, he moved to Oturehua in 1999, the first writer to settle in what is now a rich enclave of literary talent in the heart of the Maniototo, his love of the region evident in his writings and championing of the environment.Turner passed away yesterday morning. Partner Jillian Sullivan was by his side.An accomplished writer with a career spanning nearly five decades, Turner was New Zealand Poet Laureate from 2003–05, and received numerous accolades during his literary career including the Prime Minister’s Award for Literary Achievement in Poetry, Lauris Edmund Memorial Award for Poetry, the J.C. Reid Memorial Prize and the Commonwealth Poetry Prize.Turner was also awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Otago.In the 2020 Queens Birthday Honours he was awarded a New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) for services to literature and poetry. At the time Turner told The Central App he grew up with no real culture of writing in his family, other than his dad’s love of classical music and his mother’s love of reading. “All of a sudden I found myself scribbling in notebooks, and it was a way of figuring out what I thought.“I started writing poetry and prose because I believe there’s no finer way of saying things. Brian absorbed in his love of words. PHOTO: JILLIAN SULLIVANTurner said he couldn’t help but write.“It’s a condition, you can’t do much about it.“I’ve got notebooks and stuff with all this writing in it. There’s no finer way of saying things. It’s a condition you’ve got. “I don’t know what I truly think until I see what I’m saying. Then you go back and you tweak the work. “Conundrums are everywhere in life, they are everywhere to be explored.”Late last year he was honoured with a newly-created award specifically designed for him – NZ Poet Laureate of Nature.Brian in his beloved Central Otago. PHOTO: JILLIAN SULLIVANThe Central Otago Environmental Society bestowed Turner - who was co-founder and honorary life member of the society - with the honour for his lifetime’s work in poetry and activism, fighting for and celebrating the natural world.But his accomplishments were not limited to his writing.Turner was also a veteran road cyclist and experienced mountaineer, knocking off most of NZ’s major peaks.“They (mountains) can be a big challenge, literally and figuratively,” he said. “They take you to places only a few people have been quite often.”Brian Turner at the launch of his book Night Fishing at Central Stories. PHOTO: THE CENTRAL APP FILESTurner came from a family of top-level sportsmen - he played hockey for New Zealand in the late 1960s, early 70s while brother Glenn captained the New Zealand cricket team.His father was a first-class cricket umpire and cycling coach, and youngest sibling Greg played golf internationally. Turner caddied for Greg when he won the 1997 NZ Open and also on the golfing circuit in Australia and Europe.Speaking to The Central App recently, Greg said during that time Turner provided invaluable insight and guidance from not only an elite top-level sportsman but big brother. “While not a golfer he was a top sportsman and there are a lot of mental things that cross those boundaries in high performance sport so that was really helpful.”Greg said poets could “elicit a whole lot of emotions in a single line as they allow themselves to go places that most of us don’t’’ - something in which his brother was an “expert’’.He described Turner as a ‘’deep, intelligent thinker who doesn’t take things lightly’’.“He has such an intense love of the outdoors and natural NZ, and a lot of his poems relate to that.”

Going all in?When working with clients on their investing and retirement planning, we get to the practical part of investing the funds into the recommended portfolio of assets.This leads to the inevitable question of do we invest the total amount now or average the proceeds over time?The pros and cons are of this are as follows:Lump Sum – Investing the total amount now.Pros:1. Immediate Market Exposure - you immediately gain full exposure to the market. This can be beneficial if the market is on an upward trend.2. Potential for Higher Returns: Historically, markets tend to rise over time. Investing a lump sum allows you to take advantage of this growth potential from the start.3. Simplicity: A one-time investment is straightforward and requires less ongoing management.Cons:1.Market Timing Risk: Investing a large sum at once can be risky if the market declines shortly after your investment. This can lead to significant short-term losses.2. Emotional Stress Watching a large investment fluctuate can be stressful, especially during volatile market periods.3. Opportunity Cost: If the market is overvalued at the time of investment, you might miss out on better opportunities later.Dollar-Cost Averaging - Average the proceeds over timePros:1. Reduced Market Timing Risk: By spreading your investments over time, you reduce the risk of investing a large sum at the market's peak.2. Emotional Comfort: Regular, smaller investments can be less stressful and easier to manage emotionally.3. Discipline: This strategy encourages a disciplined approach to investing, which can be beneficial for long-term financial planning.Cons:1. Potential for Lower Returns: If the market is generally rising, dollar-cost averaging might result in lower returns compared to lump sum investing.2. Complexity: Regular investments require more ongoing management and can be more time-consuming.3. Missed Opportunities: the market experiences a significant rise; you might miss out on potential gains by not having invested a larger sum earlier.So, this provides some food for thought but what do the historical numbers tell us. By using the S&P 500 over the last 10 years and a lump sum of $1,000,000 and the return each year from 2015 to 2024 we would arrive at a value of $3,091,000. Compare this to investing $200,000 at the beginning of each year for the first 5 years (2015-2019), your investments at the end of 2019 would be $1,511,522. Then after the next 5 years of subsequent returns (2020-2024), you would have a total of $2,930,100.So, in this scenario, lump sum investing would have resulted in a higher return compared to dollar-cost averaging. However, important to note that lump suminvesting carries a higher risk due to market volatility, while dollar-cost averaging can provide a more stable and less stressful investment experience.Which Strategy is Right for You?The choice between lump sum investing and dollar-cost averaging depends on your individual circumstances. If you have a high-risk tolerance and believe the market will continue to rise, lump sum investing might be the better option. On the other hand, if you are concerned about market volatility and prefer a more conservative approach, dollar-cost averaging could be more suitable.Ultimately, the best strategy is one that aligns with your financial goals, risk tolerance, and investment horizon. Consulting with a financial advisor can also provide personalised guidance tailored to your specific situation.Ensure you have the strategy that is right for you. Collinson Wealth Partners is here to assist you when this question arises.DisclaimerThe information contained in this publication is general in nature and is not intended to be personalised financial advice. Before making any financial decisions, you should consult a professional financial adviser. Collinson Wealth Partners FSP 743091 believes the information in this publication is correct, and it has reasonable grounds for any opinion or recommendation contained in this publication on the date of this publication.

Dry conditions has seen Otago’s ''vulnerable'' alpine area move into a restricted fire season from 8am this morning until further notice.A restricted fire season means anyone who wants to light an outdoor fire will need a permit authorised by Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ).Otago District manager Phil Marsh said the current warm, dry weather is forecast to continue over the next few weeks, raising the fire risk in Otago’s fragile alpine environment."Our highlands have some of the most beautiful tussock, grass and native forest in the country - and unfortunately it’s all quite flammable," he said.IMAGE: Fire and Emergency New Zealand"Significant fires can ignite and spread quickly in these types of vegetation even when the fire danger isn’t that high."There’s very little rain expected, which means it’s especially vulnerable at present."Fires are already restricted or prohibited in the rest of the Otago district, due to the dry summer conditions."The Otago district can have large uncontrolled fires all year round, whenever there are periods of dry weather," Phil said."The large vegetation fire on Mt Creighton in 2022 showed how quickly a significant fire can get started, with serious consequences for our environment and wildlife."The best way to prevent a wildfire is not to light an outdoor fire, which is why we’re restricting outdoor fires in the Otago alpine area."If you’re thinking about starting any kind of open-air fire, you must go to checkitsalright.nz first to find out if you can do that in your location, and what restrictions apply."We’re serious about protecting our people, property and environment, so we urge everyone to take extra care with fire this summer."Fire permits can be applied for at checkitsalright.nzHave a story to share?Contact [email protected]

He’s one of New Zealand’s most celebrated poets and writers, hailing from one of its most legendary sporting families, but you would never find Brian Turner bragging on that.Instead, he’s lived a quiet life in the tiny, rural Central Otago town of Oturehua – the land he loves, its natural beauty, landscapes and people inspiring his award-winning creative poetry and literary works.Now in care locally, Brian dealing with advanced Alzheimer’s, much younger brother Greg Turner, one of NZ’s top golf pros in his day, recounts the life of a big brother he held in high esteem despite an almost 20-year age gap.Born in Dunedin in March,1944, while his dad, Alf Turner, was away fighting in World War II, it was several years before Brian got to meet his father.Turner family life was full of fun and laughter, with Brian inheriting Alf’s wit and sense of humour, along with the family sporting prowess.With Greg’s famous NZ Cricket Captain brother Glenn Turner almost 16 years his senior, he says he’d always joke that he “didn’t have two brothers, but three fathers”. ‘’Initially Brian would be grumpy with that, but he came to like it,” he grins.From left, Greg, Brian and Glenn during a seaside catch up. PHOTO: SuppliedFamily camping holidays were spent far and wide, Dad leading the family into the back of beyond, starting with Sunday drives in the old Chrysler for Brian and Glenn up to Lake Mahinerangi.It was in these wide open spaces that Brian’s love of poetry and words was born.“I remember we’d go camping on the old Ohau River before the canals went in,” Greg says. “He’d occasionally take me out climbing and tramping into his early 30s, me just 13. “It was not ideal for him, but I think he took on a bit of a paternal instinct as my much older brother.”Brian introduced Greg to his passion for mountaineering early on but that clearly didn’t stick. “He took me climbing to Mount MacPherson near the Homer Tunnel in my teens. That was enough to convince me, hanging over a cliff, 1000 feet up on a rope thinking, ‘This is not me at all!’.”However, an accomplished top-level sportsman – Brian played hockey internationally for NZ in the late 1960s, early 70s, his dad was a first- class cricket umpire and cycling coach, and brother Glenn played professionally in England by the age of 20. Brian, taking in the land he loves. PHOTO: Jillian Sullivan.He was a veteran road cyclist and experienced mountaineer, knocking off most of NZ’s major peaks, definitely all of the South Island’s.Greg credits one of the reasons for his own success as a champion international golfer to that strong sporting heritage. “I only ever remember Brian and Glenn representing NZ so reaching that level didn’t feel abnormal for me. It never felt unattainable because of the path they’d led.”Brian has been highly regarded in road cycling circles, tenacity one of his traits. He also has a strong competitive streak.“At Otago Boys’ they reckoned he was a better cricketer than Glenn and that Glenn was a better hockey player,” Greg smiles.Brian in his happy place - Central Otago. PHOTO: Jillian SullivanGreg cherishes memories of Brian caddying for him during the peak of his professional golfing career – invaluable insight and guidance alongside from an elite top-level sportsman and big brother. “He caddied for me when I won the 1997 NZ Open and on the circuit in Australia and Europe, so that was kind of fun,” he says. “While not a golfer he was a top sportsman and there are a lot of mental things that cross those boundaries in high performance sport so that was really helpful.”As for the poetry and writing, nobody including Brian, really knows where that emerged from although their father, who’d lacked an education, was always hungry for words and knowledge, deliberately choosing new words that he didn’t know.“Poets can elicit a whole lot of emotions in a single line as they allow themselves to go places that most of us don’t,” Greg says. Brian is expert at this, a deep, intelligent thinker who doesn’t take things lightly.“He has such an intense love of the outdoors and natural NZ, and a lot of his poems relate to that.”At about 20 Brian began scribbling words into what is now a large collection of notebooks, soon landing a job with the NZ branch of Oxford University Press in Wellington. Brian, absorbed in his love of words. PHOTO: Jillian SullivanHe told The Spinoff with a twinkle in a 2021 interview that when you start writing you can’t stop. ‘There’s not much you can do about it.’ About then he says he started writing quite seriously. ‘It’s partly an art – you’ve got to have good technique, you’ve got to persist, you’ve got to train hard.’His earliest collection, Ladders of Rain, was published by John McIndoe in 1978, Brian earning the prestigious Commonwealth Poetry Prize a year later. Numerous top awards followed from the J.C. Reid Memorial Prize in 1985 and Montana NZ Book Award for Poetry in 1993 to his fourth Te Mata Estate NZ Poet Laureate in 2003, the Prime Minister’s Award for Literary Achievement in Poetry in 2009, a NZ Book Award and Officer of the NZ Order of Merit Queens Birthday Honour in 2020 for services to literature and poetry. Most recently he was honoured late last year with a newly-created award specifically designed for him – NZ Poet Laureate of Nature.Brian relaxing in his beloved Central. PHOTO: Jillian SullivanBrian’s written for stage, radio and TV, newspaper columns and reviews, moving from Dunedin to the land he loves – the Ida Valley and Oturehua in 1999. He’s published a myriad of books, including three best-seller NZ sports books – Colin Meads’ second biography, Josh Kronfeld’s and Anton Oliver’s first, cricket books with brother Glenn, books on fishing, the high country and eight collections of poetry.Something of Southern Man literary fame, while he’s still with us, there’s even a ‘memorial plaque’ dedicated to Brian on the Writers’ Walk in Dunedin’s Octagon.One of NZ’s most significant writers on landscape, the environment and sport, Brian is also a fierce fighter for the Otago and Central Otago environment. An honorary life member and co-founder of the Central Otago Environmental Society, Brian has been something of an activist and politician in his day. He and his mates formed the South Island Independents Movement and Greg recalls Brian actively fighting against a planned aluminium smelter in Aramoana, near Dunedin. He was also a core member of the Central Otago environmental group opposing wind farms in the Maniototo, always a strong advocate on environmental issues.The first writer to settle in what is now a rich Central Otago enclave of literary talent in the heart of the Maniototo, Brian – a good friend of the likes of artist Grahame Sydney and actor Sam Neill, is not only a poet and writer. His words emerge from the rolling tussock lands and dry arid plains of Central Otago as art. Footnote: Sadly, Brian Turner passed away a week after we published this article. Our deepest condolences go out to his family and friends.Renowned writer Brian Turner diesCommunity Champion is proudly sponsored by Santana Minerals

As a population we are living longer than ever before and while longevity is fantastic if you are in good health, the reality for some people is that they may go through a period of poor health and may lose the ability to make decisions for themselves. An EPA is a legal document that sets out who can make decisions for you in relation to your health and financial matters if you can no longer make those decisions for yourself. Putting in place EPAs while you are capable of doing so is like taking out an insurance policy; it is something you need but hope you never use.The Basics As the person entering into the EPA you are the ‘donor’, and the person you appoint is called your ‘attorney’. EPAs come under two categories, Property and Personal Care & Welfare. The Property attorney manages your financial matters and the Personal Care & Welfare attorney makes decisions about how and where you are cared for. Given the connected nature of our financial and welfare matters, donors often appoint the same attorney to both roles, but this is not a requirement. To ensure that our EPAs are drafted to stand the test of time, you can appoint back-up attorneys to act if your first attorney is unwilling or unable to act. There are also options to add duties on your attorney to consult and provide information to designated people. By way of an example, parents with a number of children may choose one or two adult children to act as their attorneys and those attorneys will have a duty to consult with and provide information to their siblings about how they are managing the parent’s affairs. This structure ensures that family members not appointed as an attorney still feel included in the process. EPAs are prepared in two separate documents and your signature, as the donor, will need to be witnessed by a solicitor who has explained the effects of the documents to you in person and is satisfied that you fully understand the effect of the EPAs. If there is any concern regarding the donor’s capacity a medical certificate may be required to confirm that the donor has capacity at the time of entering into the EPA. It is important to note that once an individual has lost capacity it is too late to enter into an EPA and a Court process will need to be followed (explained in more detail below) - when it comes to entering into EPAs it is better to be 10 years too early than one minute too late. Provided a person still has capacity, you can enter into an EPA at any time in your life after the age of 18, it is important to remember that EPAs could be required at any age and stage and they are not just for the later years of life.The implications of not having an EPAYou might assume that if you lost mental capacity your family would be entitled to make decisions for you however without EPAs, that isn’t the reality. In the absence of an EPA your family would be faced with the prospect of applying to the Family Court for orders to be appointed as a Property Manager or Welfare Guardian, or in the case of a medical emergency a doctor will make a decision on behalf of the personwho has lost capacity.In the event that someone has lost mental capacity and has not put EPAs in place a family member or trusted person must apply to the Family Court under the Protection of Personal and Property Rights Act 1988 for orders to be granted appointing someone as your Property Manager and Welfare Guardian. This may or may not be the person you would have chosen for yourself if you had appointed an attorney. The Family Court application can be costly and time consuming and, once granted, there are on-going obligations on the person appointed to provide regular reports to the Court and for their appointment to be reviewed in three years. In addition, Welfare Guardians and Property Managers are not paid for their roles, while reasonable expenses can be claimed from the incapacitated person’s estate there is a lot of time and energy involved in applying for this role and carrying it out, which they are not compensated for. To avoid the need for one of your loved ones to go through the process of applying to the Court for orders, the preferred approach would be to enter into EPAs now, while you are healthy and capable. Setting up your EPAs while you have capacity will ensure that a trusted person of your choice is appointed as your attorney and you will save your family the stress, time and cost of the Court process. Lastly, if you are considering moving into a retirement village (or similar living arrangement) in your later years you will find that retirement villages in New Zealand require all residents to have EPAs in place prior to moving in, this is to ensure that if a resident loses capacity there is a plan in place for who will make decisions regarding the resident’s property, care and welfare. When someone close to us loses capacity this will no doubt be a challenging time, and without EPAs in place there may be the added stress of applying to the Family Court for orders to be granted to appoint a Property Manager and Welfare Guardian. The simple task of setting up EPAs now while you are capable will eliminate any unnecessary stress and will ensure that your wishes are followed as you will have selected your attorney and the parameters of their duties. If you or someone in your family has found yourself in a situation where someone’s capacity is in question and they do not have EPAs, we are happy to help you navigate this process. Similarly, if you would like to futureproof your personal affairs now and establish EPAs we have lawyers in Alexandra, Ranfurly, and Cromwell who are happy to assist with the drafting and signing of these.  You will find us under professional services on The Central App. Checketts McKay Law

Urgent work to repair the damaged water race at Naseby during the weekend had to pause due to unsafe weather conditions.The Hawkdun irrigation company workers are back at it today and expect to have water to the treatment plant late tomorrow morning.People are advised that the initial water may be dirty and could delay water production.The reservoir is steadily dropping, but at a low rate. The Council appreciates the community’s efforts to save water.To ensure levels do not drop to unmanageable levels, the Council’s water team will start topping up the reservoir with tankered water later today.Omakau and Ranfurly communities are reminded that they are on orange drop status. Both treatment plants are currently unable to produce water due to dirty water from the rain.On Saturday, Naseby residents were asked to restrict water use due to an issue with the water race that supplies raw water to the plant for treatment requiring urgent attention.The plant would not be able to produce drinking water for up to two days while repair work was carried out.The community has been asked to reduce the water usage to only essential activities as they would be relying on stored water in reservoirs during this time.Saving water can be as simple as turning off the tap when you’re brushing your teeth or shaving, keeping your showers short and avoiding outdoor water use - this means a total sprinkler ban, and watering by hand only.Update will be under Reports, go to water notices on The Central App - CONSERVE WATER NOTICE – Naseby

The Central Intelligence Agency has assessed that the Covid-19 pandemic is "more likely" to have emerged from a lab rather than from nature, an agency spokesperson said on Saturday.The agency had for years said it could not conclude whether Covid-19 was the result of a lab incident or it originated in nature. But in the final weeks of the Biden administration, former CIA director William Burns asked CIA analysts and scientists to make a clear determination, stressing the pandemic's historical significance, according to a senior US official.The CIA says it has "low confidence" in its assessment that a "research-related origin of the Covid-19 pandemic is more likely" and notes in its statement that both scenarios - lab origin and natural origin - remain plausible.The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.It was unclear the extent to which the agency has collected new intelligence on Covid-19's origins and whether that new evidence was used to formulate the latest assessment.China's government says it supports and has taken part in research to determine Covid-19's origin, and has accused Washington of politicising the matter, especially because of efforts by US intelligence agencies to investigate.Beijing has said claims that a laboratory leak likely caused the pandemic have no credibility.In an interview with Breitbart following his confirmation by the US Senate on Friday, CIA director John Ratcliffe said one of his first priorities was getting his agency to make a public assessment on the pandemic's origins."That's a day-one thing for me," he said. "I've been on record as you know in saying I think our intelligence, our science, and our common sense all really dictate that the origins of Covid was a leak at the Wuhan Institute of Virology."

A cup of Irish breakfast tea is the first thing Sir Sam Neill reaches for in the morning.A little while later it's time for the 77-year-old actor and winemaker to make a coffee run in his old car before getting into the garden.At home on his Central Otago farm this summer, Sir Sam tells Summer Times he is feeling healthy after enduring what he calls some "cancer stuff" in recent years."I'm doing my exercises - well, not as many as I probably should be. I'm a little bit lazy in that regard. But now I feel good and optimistic and and looking forward to a long future."One of the things that these issues teach you is life is short so make the most of it and that's what I'm doing."By world standards, Aotearoa seems like "an oasis of calm and reason", Neill says, although our country is of course far from perfect."We have problems which we need to address. I'm concerned with some of the directions the country is going in but in the meantime, I'll go out and have a word to Helena Bonham Carter, who's my favourite cow, and talk things over with her."Sam's kunekune (named after his friend the Australian actor Bryan Brown,) is a rare female Bryan. Photo: RNZ / Samuel RillstoneIn recent years, Neill has stopped following the international news cycle and says he feels better for making that choice."It wasn't just bad. It was bad for me. The news from the Middle East and from Ukraine and from the US is so uniformly bleak. I don't need to bleed all day so I just avoid it, you know, because what canI do about it? There's nothing I can do."So instead I go for a walk. I've got a lovely pig up just in the paddock across from me called Bryan and she goes for walks with me and we're perfectly content."I keep myself informed but what you pretty much see before you is a man with his head firmly in the sand."We all have to work on our own sense of wellbeing, Neill says."You can't just sort of sit around going 'I'm not happy'. You've got to do something about it, you know."In 2025, Sam Neill returns as Brett Colby QC in Series 3 of Aussie courtroom drama The Twelve. Photo: Fox ShowcaseNeill spent eight months working as an actor in 2024 on Eric Bana's upcoming Netflix series Untamed and Season 3 of the Australian courtroom drama The Twelve.Brett Colby QC - Neill's character in The Twelve - is a "big windbag lawyer" based on a couple of his Christchurch barrister friends.In the third series, he's joined by fellow Kiwis - Danielle Cormack as his opposing counsel and singer Marlon Williams as his son.The Twelve also reunited Neill with his old friend Sir Ian Mune appears as a tough retired cop.Mune, 84, who Neill first acted with in the 1977 film Sleeping Dogs, is doing the best acting of his life, he says."He was fantastic and it was so, so good to be in his company."Neill recently broke up his summer on the farm with an eight-day cruise around New Zealand's subantarctic islands, south of Rakiura.For him, the highlight of an all-round fantastic adventure was seeing the unique cliff-climbing Snares penguins."They don't have any ropes or crampons or anything. They just have two little claws and a beak and they climb these cliffs up to the top - they're the only penguins in the world that do this."They live in a forest - that's where they raise their young and that's where their social lives are. They have sort of streets and there's a plaza in the middle where they all meet and socialise. They'rehighly organised and they raise their fluffy chicks up there."Sir Sam Neill's summer song pick: 'Bathe In the River' Written by Don McGlashan and performed by the Mount Raskil Preservation Society and Hollie Smith, this "quintessentially New Zealand" song featured in Neill's friend Toa Fraser's film No 2."It's one of the great New Zealand tracks, I think."Listen here

If this is you, you certainly aren’t alone – it’s pretty common place to hear small business owners tell us that they are too busy working in the business to work on it.  As the year comes to a close and another looms, we’d suggest taking a moment to reflect on when you last review all your HR documents, policies and systems.  Are they still up to date?  Do they actually reflect what is currently happening in your business?  Have you been meaning to put them in place, but things have been ticking along okay so they keep getting pushed to the bottom of the pile?  Again, you wouldn’t be alone here, however, a proactive approach to managing your HR means that it can be used as a strategic tool for your business growth, development and success rather than as simply an administrative and reactive tool to address problems.  At EASI NZ we will be there for businesses if they find themselves in crisis (the proverbial ambulance at the bottom of the cliff) but we’d rather be at the top keeping you safe – not just as a safety net, but rather, a safe and enjoyable walking path where really the only chance of going off the cliff is if the weather gets really gnarly or if someone recklessly ignores the path, the signs and the safety net! Whilst we can help in a crisis (and despite best efforts, they do happen sometimes) it is far easier and less stressful for everyone involved if the correct documentation, processes and systems exist to enable a clear and well-defined process to take place. We also find that if businesses can make the shift from using HR reactively, to using it strategically, they are far more likely to avoid crises and to progress towards their business goals.To use HR strategically means that you know what you are trying to achieve in your business, you are clear in your values, and you use this to guide your staffing decisions, whether it's your staffing structure, what each role looks like, your staff learning and development or your succession plan. All these should tie in and make sense as part of your pathway to your business goals.Your HR documentation, process and systems need to closely tie in with your business goals and values. Although first, to stop that tumble from the cliff, it’s important to ensure that they are compliant and up to date with current employment law. Once that hurdle is met, it’s important that they are tailored to work in practice for your business – there’s no sense in having a bunch of documents that sit in a drawer or make doing business difficult.At EASI NZ we support business through an HR Audit process, where we look at what you have in place – no judgement here! The process looks a bit like this:Checking your documents are compliant, Looking at them in conjunction with your business goals and values, andLooking at any business pain points and how it is used in practice, to make sure you have a suit of HR resources which will support your business to maximise your people to achieve business success.  So, if your ducks have a tendency to wander, if you don’t know where they are, or if they are even ducks, we’d love you to get in touch – we can have a chat (no judgement!) and see if we can get things in order and freshened up for the New Year.You can get hold of Cherilyn at EAZI NZ by going to our professional services section and clicking on Easi NZ

Animal rights organisation PETA hopes an official investigation into alleged animal abuse on sheep farms will result in criminal convictions.The Ministry for Primary Industries has finished the first phase of its investigation into animal welfare breaches connected to shearing practices, triggered by undercover video footage shot by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals on 11 farms.The videos showed workers standing on a sheep's neck, dragging sheep across the floor, and sewing up a bloody wound without painkillers.The ministry said the "very concerning" acts identified in more than 200 video files were the focus in the next phase of the investigation.PETA Asia-Pacific said the farms at the centre of the allegations supplied ZQ-certified wool - which claimed to be the "world's leading ethical wool brand".Its campaign manager Abigail Forsyth said she was pleased MPI was taking quick action, but she was not confident those responsible would be held accountable."History shows us that cases of animal abuse ... typically go unpunished, whether that's due to weak animal protection laws, or political agendas, or a reluctance to challenge powerful industries," she said.PETA was also urging the New Zealand Merino Company - which owns the ZQ standard - to install cameras in ZQ farms' shearing sheds.The company said it had suspended two ZQ farms following its own investigation into breaches of its standards."Through the publicly available footage NZM has been able to identify two ZQ farms, along with a number of non-ZQ growers," chair Kate Mitchell said."NZM immediately suspended these farms from the ZQ programme and will move to determine if any breach of the ZQ Standard has occurred. If further information or footage is released we are committed to expanding our investigation."NZM was appalled by the footage and "unequivocally condemn" the mistreatment of animals, Mitchell said.NZM had also quarantined unprocessed wool from the two farms, begun a rapid assessment of all ZQ farms to ensure protocols are being met, and ramped up spot inspections, she said.The company was also considering the use of video surveillance and the presence of animal welfare officers during shearing.Merino company says it will probe sheep cruelty claims

Central’s iconic landscape will take a starring role in Netflix’s limited series ‘East of Eden’ as filming moves from Waitaki to Otago and Central.British actress Florence Pugh (29) cast in the series, is rumoured to be arriving in Central on Saturday.Local accommodation providers have beds booked up for film crew for the next few weeks but are unable to talk further due to non disclosure agreements. Florence Pugh. PHOTO: Instagram Film Otago Southland manager Kahli Scott said she was unable to share details of specific productions.“We can say that the Otago region is definitely on the radar in the international production community. International productions are attracted to our region thanks to our cinematic filming locations, the great reputation of our local crew and vendors, our film-friendlycommunities, and New Zealand’s generous screen rebate scheme.”Central Otago had a strong reputation for hosting international screen productions, such as Jane Campion’s The Power of the Dog, Kahli said.The Power of the Dog was shot near Naseby as well. PHOTO: Netflix“The district is a fantastic filming destination thanks to its rugged landscapes and preserved heritage towns, as well as the famous Central Otago hospitality that makes visitors feel welcome and looked after.”Last week Oamaru’s historic precinct was transformed into Salinas Valley, California the setting of the novel East of Eden by John Steinbeck published in 1952.RNZ reported filming started on Monday but that crew had been in the area for months preparing. Read more: Hollywood takes over Oamaru as Florence Pugh Netflix series films in Victorian streets.The classic Steinbeck novel is set between the beginning of the 20th century and the end of WWI and the plot follows two families; The Hamiltons and The Trasks and their interwoven stories. In 1955 it was adapted for film by director Elia Kazan and starred James Dean, Julie Harris, Richard Davalos, Raymond Massey, Jo Van Fleet, and Burl Ives. The Netflix series is being produced by Elia’s granddaughter, Zoe Kazan (also an actress and screenwriter) and Hollywood A-lister Florence Pugh, along with acting as Cathy Ames, is in an executive producer role on the seven part series. English actress Florence is known for her roles in Oppenheimer, Little Women, Marvel’s Black Widow and as the voice of Goldilocks in Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. Kahli said it was estimated that screen activity contributed approximately $59million to the Otago economy last year.“When international screen productions film here, they provide a significant economic injection into the regional economy in several ways. “Firstly, there’s the direct impact of local jobs and business created for crew, extras, and vendors. Secondly, there’s the money that productions spend on local goods and services, such as accommodation, transport, and construction materials for sets.“Visiting cast and crew may also spend money on extracurricular activities while enjoying time in the region, such as dining and recreation.” She said there were the future flow-on effects that exposure for the region through screen production could have for tourism and international business opportunities.Along with Otago, filming is taking place in Auckland next month. The series is set to be released on Netflix in early 2026.Read more: Filming underway in ManiototoHave a story to share?Contact [email protected]