Central Otago high school musical talent was on show at the Smokefree Rockquest Central Otago Regional Final on Saturday (June 14). Dunstan High School (DHS) band Stolen Rings placed second overall out of 17 bands, behind Mt Aspiring College’s Superficial. The Stolen Rings are Max Hollebon (drums), Jimmy Naylor (bass), Jay-T McFadyen (vocals/guitar), and Josh Ballantine (guitar) and it is the second time the band has entered the competition.Second place went to DHS’s Stolen Rings. Photo: Dunstan High School DHS principal Andrew King said he was incredibly proud of Max, Jimmy, Josh, and Jay-T.“Their hard work on their original songs, both in and out of class, truly shows their passion and commitment to developing their own music."Their dedication, supported by staff and parents, is helping them refine their skills and explore their passion. I am looking forward to hearing the new songs they are working on.”Two Cromwell College pupils were awarded individual awards. They were a musicianship prize to Sullivan (Sully) Sonntag drummer in The Bad Haircuts and best vocalist to Mischa Thomlinson from Offshore. Cromwell College‘s The Bad Haircuts returned to rockquest for a second time in 2025 with original metal songs Grave-born and Buried. Photo: Cromwell CollegePupils in year 12 band The Bad Haircuts were Ollie Dicey, James White, Sullivan Sonntag and Connor Haig. The members of Offshore are Mischa Tomlinson (vocals), Ethan Fiebig (guitar), Indie Cameron (bass) and Logan Hunt (drums).Cromwell College's second band Offshore in matching t-shirts for their performance. Photo: Cromwell College/Mischa Tomlinson Music Facebook In 2024 Cromwell College band Mistep placed third at the regional final, going on to future success opening for the Gibbston Valley concert this summer after being selected by Everclear's lead singer Art Alexakis for the gig.Smokefreerockquest is New Zealand's live, original music, youth event which gives young musicians the opportunity to perform live in a professional setting. The event aims to motivate young musicians to strive for success, to realise the opportunities available in music careers, and to encourage their peers to support original New Zealand Music.The top two regional final winning bands, join the regions’s top two solo-duos and enter a video submission for the national top 30 selection. They then have a chance to perform at the national final.Rockquest began in 1990 and was in five locations around New Zealand initially (Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Rotorua and Wellington). The concept has expanded to include Bandquest in 2011 (for primary and intermediate age students) and Showquest in 2018 (performing arts and wearable arts for year 1 to 13). Check out videos of the original songs in the regional final and information on the Central bands on their Instagram pages: The Bad Haircuts, Offshore and Stolen Rings.Read more: Cromwell singer-songwriter’s tune to air on Shortland St. Have a story to share?Contact [email protected] 

The Alexandra Blossom Festival is the town’s biggest event of the year every September, and wouldn’t be possible without its amazing volunteers.Te Wiki Tuao ā-Motu National Volunteer Week shines a spotlight on the incredible contributions of volunteers across the country, and we talked to one of the names who's been involved in many roles with the festival over the years.Dianne Elliott was awarded the Jan Belt Memorial Trophy in recognition of an outstanding contribution to Alexandra Blossom Festival in 2018.Starting off as secretary of the committee for 12 years from 1996 – 2008, she started helping the late Pam Love with the princesses in about 2004, then gradually took over from her.After a break she came back in 2010 and also took on the job of finding all of the gatekeepers.With five gates around Pioneer Park needing to be staffed all day of the festival, Dianne had to find 60 people in total to check tickets when the crowds came into the park.There’s never been any shortage of volunteers for the role and even the reserve list had another 60 names on it.“This means I can be calling up to 120 people to fill those five gates…some people have been working on the same gate in the same time slot for many years and don’t like change.  “Unfortunately, some of these people are now getting to the stage where they feel they can’t do the job any more because of their age or ill health, which means we have to find fresh blood, with younger people, ideally those in the 30-45 age bracket whose kids don’t want anything to do with their parents on blossom festival day.”Dianne’s other job was contacting businesses to get prizes for the gift packs for the princesses (and in the case of last year a prince too).“At the moment there are 28 businesses involved. These businesses are very generous and without them it would be very difficult. Again, some have been giving gifts for many years.”Then there was the three judges to organise, the the photographer, sashes, flowers for the three winners, events for the contestants to attend, (including the official judging), leading up to the Saturday of blossom festival, and the events for the three winners to attend - as well as doing all of the paperwork.“I also organise people to count votes, usually 4-5 depending on the number of floats. We are on a tight timeline to get the votes counted prior to the official ceremony and again, we have a great team who come back year after year to help with this.”The work doesn’t just stop there. On the day, Dianne delivered the flowers and gifts to the park, and once the procession was over, checked the contestants were okay on their float and being looked after with warm clothes (if necessary), water, until it’s time for them to get off (usually an hour and a half later).One of many volunteer gatekeepers at the blossom festival. Alexandra Blossom Festival chairwoman Sharleen Stirling-Lindsay said it was the volunteers who made the festival possible. “The festival could not run if it wasn't for the amazing volunteers.” “Volunteers make our community and event what it is and I am so grateful for the time and energy they give.” Blossom Festival event manager Martin McPherson echoed her sentiment and said each volunteers’ generosity of spirit, time and talents was a true reflection of the community. “The incredible dedication of so many wonderful people behind the scenes is what truly brings the Alexandra Blossom Festival to life.” “Their efforts highlight the strong community spirit that makes this event so unique and cherished."

Resource consent applications are being finalised for the new Kawarau Arm boardwalk, and Contact Energy will also complete trial plantings this Spring to see what is suitable for the hydro lake environment around Old Cromwell.The company expected to start the construction phase of the project in early 2026, once consents were granted and the design completed, including land reclamation, a jetty extension, boardwalk development and planting.Contact Energy said one of the landscaping challenges was to plant species that could withstand and thrive in the unusual environment of fluctuating water levels of a hydro lake. “This will be considered during the choice of species being developed with mana whenua and ecologists; to test this we intend to complete trial planting this spring to understand if the species identified are appropriate for the intended area.”The beautification project around the Old Cromwell area was in line with Contact’s consent conditions, to mitigate adverse effects caused by its generation activities on Lake Dunstan and the wider Clutha catchment.It has been accepted the lake is returning to becoming a braided river — a known consequence of the construction of the Clyde Dam -- which has caused sediment build-up and driftwood, affecting access to the boat ramps and jetties, along with weed and algae odour.Head of hydro generation Blair Croall said they planned to lodge its resource consent applications for the beautification project in early July.He said they were currently working on developing the applications and the process included engagement with key stakeholders and consenting authorities, as well as developing the design to enable construction.“The Cromwell waterfront, a valued community asset where the town's history meets the beauty of nature, holds immense potential for rejuvenation and enrichment in response to the projected sedimentation in the Kawarau Arm of Lake Dunstan.”https://centralapp.nz/NewsStory/old-cromwell-boardwalk-plans-progressing/67ad080ff7c709002d1a537a

Each week, Mayor Tamah Alley shares a one-minute snapshot of the week that was, highlighting key decisions, updates, and the issues her team is tackling on your behalf.Democracy works best when your voice is heard. Tap into Let's Talk for ways to connect and be heard, from surveys and drop-in sessions to writing directly to Mayor Tamah Alley. She’s committed to making sure your voice is part of the decision-making process. Click here to learn more.

The founder of a landmark study following more than a thousand babies born in the early 1970s has died.Dr Phil Silva, who started the Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study - commonly known as the 'Dunedin Study' - died on Thursday, aged 84.He began the study, which followed the lives of 1037 babies born at Queen Mary Maternity Hospital, Dunedin, in 1972.Current Dunedin Study director Professor Moana Theodore. Photo: SuppliedCurrent Dunedin Study director Professor Moana Theodore said he was "an interesting academic", who previously worked as a former primary school teacher and psychologist.Teaching rural children in the 1960s underpinned his life's work, she added."He always had a passion for teaching, and helping support children and their families."A masters degree and doctorate in research focused on children began under Otago University lecturer Dr Patricia Buckfield in the late 1960s, Theodore said.Buckfield had an interest in neonatology and gathered data on every baby born at Dunedin's Queen Mary obstetric hospital between 1967-73. This lead to the creation of the Dunedin MultidisciplinaryHealth and Development Unit, under Silva's direction.Theodore said Silva was an energetic mentor, who "took people along with him", and this bolstered the study's success, despite the odds of little funding."In the very early days, that meant he was able to bring on board hundreds of volunteers, who would help the study."He was incredibly driven, he had this huge energy and he faced almost impossible odds to set up the Dunedin Study in those early days, but he didn't let a lack of resource deter him."Through this ability to create relationships and to bring people on board with this greater purpose of improving other people's lives, he was able to get hundreds of volunteers to collect data and thathas been something that's made the Dunedin Study really special."The study's 90 percent participation rate - more than 50 years later - was "unparalleled in the world", she said."A lot of that is to do with it's really a community study - it's proudly the Dunedin Study, it's not just the Dunedin Study - and that began with Phil."Silva mentored both the previous director - the late Professor Richie Poulton, who ran the study after Phil retired, beginning in 1999 or 2000 - as well as Theodore, she said."He hired me originally as an interviewer at the age-26 assessment phase, when the study members were 26, back in 1998, and he always kept actively involved in supporting and providing advice tome as well."He was so passionate about improving the lives of others and, starting in early life, he once argued publicly that New Zealanders, as a whole, could be seen to care more about their cars than they didabout their children. They would check cars every six months to a year."His research and his vision for improving lives resulted in things like more routine check-ups for children, particularly in pre-school, and this growing understanding of health in those early years, suchas the high rates of glue ear, and the need to show compassion to our children and young people, particularly if they were seen to be going off the rails."The study made the cover of Time magazine in 1993 - a year before he was awarded an OBE for services to health and education."The headline read, 'All you need is love'. That summed up how Phil really felt about children and young people."Silva left behind "an incredible legacy" said Theodore. "We continue to work to uphold [that] and we're seeing study members now at age 52, through this lifetime of service."Dr Phil has left this legacy and a taonga [prize] for New Zealand, which leaves behind the best childhood foundation guarder in the world - and the most studied group of people anywhere in the world."

Anybody standing or just curious about the role and responsibility of being a district or regional councillor, is invited to a joint presentation in Alexandra on Tuesday July 1.The Otago Regional Council and Central Otago District Council are holding five presentations during June and July for anyone wanting to learn more about what is involved if you become a councillor.Topics covered during the presentation include:how the council is structuredthe role and responsibilities of elected representativesskills requiredanticipated time commitmentsmeeting schedulesan overview of the nomination and election processeshttps://www.orc.govt.nz/get-involved/events/2025/july/candidate-information-presentation-with-central-otago-district-council/We continue our pre-election coverage with another Q+A - this time Otago Regional Council Dunstan ward councillor Gary Kelliher responds:Will you be standing again?  YesWhy or why not?I have been encouraged to stand again by a number of people and I feel there's unfinished business with the delayed Land and Water Plan, and attempting to rein in escalating rates, and ideological decision making.How long have you already been involved exactly?I had an initial term 2013 to 2016, and then from 2019 until now.What are you most proud of/achievements in the time you have been a councillor?That's a tough question as I have found myself evolving into a position thats almost continually at odds with most other councillors and staff. I don't pride myself in having to regularly challenge with negativity, however to me I’m not prepared to just go with the flow and accept what regional councils have become...a monopoly on resources that cost more and achieve less. What advice do you have for any new candidates standing?To new candidates I say that if you want a cruisy role and you have a tendency to agree to everything put in front of you, then in my mind please reconsider. Local and regional government is very broken in this country, councils are run by their staff and not enough councillors say no. We desperately need more councillors who will say no.What do you see are the pressing issues in your ward that you are particularly passionate about?The ORC needs reined in, rates brought under control, escalating staff numbers brought under control, and the council turned from being restrictors and halters of everything necessary to the region. We have to turn the focus towards growing our economy and at the same time protecting the environment. And stop council being a major impediment to the hardworking ratepayers of the region who just want to get on with that.https://centralapp.nz/NewsStory/deputy-mayor-to-leave-central-otago-district-council-after-nine-terms/682f8be31591fb002e65855d

Family violence is a prevalent issue in New Zealand. It affects a significant population of our country; including women, men, children, and the elderly. When you are experiencing family violence, it can be hard to know where to turn or what your options are. But this is not just a personal issue; it’s a legal one. New Zealand has specific legislation in place to provide protection for people impacted by family violence.What is Family Violence?The Family Violence Act 2018 defines this. It is violence inflicted on a person by somebody they are in a family relationship with, including partners/spouses, parents, children, and siblings. Violence does not only refer to physical violence; it includes sexual, verbal, psychological, and financial abuse. This can be behaviors like name- calling, swearing at you, putting you down, threats (express or implied), intimidation, isolating you from friends or family, controlling your movements, controlling your finances, or withholding money.Protection OrdersIf you have experienced family violence and believe you are still at risk from the perpetrator, you can apply to the Family Court for a protection order. If a protection order is in place, it would be a criminal offence for the perpetrator to contact you without your consent. This would apply to not only you but also any children living in your home with you.There are two ways to apply for a protection order; ‘on notice’ or ‘without notice’. The presumption in Family Court is that you apply on notice. This means the Respondent would be served with your application and have an opportunity to respond to your allegations. A Judge would then make the decision on whether a protection order should be made or not. This process typically takes several months or longer.If you feel that your safety is at immediate risk from the Respondent and you cannot wait months for your application to be considered, you can apply without notice. This means the Court may grant a temporary protection order immediately; to protect you during the time until a hearing can be allocated to decide your application. What if I have been served with an application for a Protection Order, or a temporary Protection Order If you are served with an application for a protection order, and/or a temporary protection order, you have the right to defend the making of a final order. You can do this by filing a Notice of Response or Notice of Intention to appear to the Court, along with an affidavit.If a temporary protection order has been made against you, it is important that you comply with the conditions of this order, even if you are defending the making of a final order. A breach of a protection order is a criminal offence, and you may be subject to criminal charges if you do breach it. A breach of protection order includes any unconsented contact with the Applicant, even if the contact is not violent in nature; or if the Applicant previously consented to the same contact. If you do not understand the conditions of the order you are served with, or you need to contact the Applicant regarding care of shared children or other necessary matters, you should seek legal advice.Can’t afford a lawyer?Legal Aid is available for proceedings under the Family Violence Act, depending on your household’s annual income and assets. The income and asset thresholds are set out in the Legal Services Regulations 2011. These vary depending on whether you have a partner and how many children you have. You may still be eligible for a grant of Legal Aid if you exceed these thresholds, if special circumstances apply to your situation. If you aren’t sure whether you are eligible, we can advise you and assist you in filing an Application for Legal Aid.How can we help?At Checketts McKay Law, our team is experienced in representing clients in proceedings under the Family Violence Act, including applying for on notice and without notice protection orders, responding to applications and orders, and representing both parties at defended Hearings. We can also advise you on how family violence may relate to other matters, such as the care of your children. We understand what a difficult time it is for people and families being impacted by family violence. The legal services we deliver are clear and empathetic; informing and guiding you through this process with our expertise.

Residents and visitors to Ranfurly, Omakau and Ophir must boil water, until further notice due to elevated turbidity in the supply.The considerable amount of snowmelt entering the water ways is affecting turbidity and therefore water quality, with the treatment plant unable to continue to produce compliant clean water.A Conserve Water Notice put in place earlier this week was lifted temporarily when water quality appeared to improve, but that improvement was not sustained.The tanker at Maniototo Area School has been redirected to Omakau, however, Ranfurly will still have two tankers remaining, at the Maniototo Hospital and near the Charlemont Street monument.Residents should boil all water used for drinking, food preparation, cooking and cleaning their teeth. Bring water to a rolling boil for at least one minute, then allow it to cool naturally before use.Council will lift the boil water notice once conditions improve.For more information, click here. The Central App will continue to update the Water Notices as information from CODC comes in. You'll find this under the Weather and Reports section.

More than 100 people attended a Business After Five (BA5) meeting in Cromwell on Thursday night, where Santana Minerals spoke about the gold mining project ready for fast tracking.A panel of experts from Santana spoke at the meeting, from engineers to environmental managers. The company has been transparent in the community over the last year - including holding drop in public meetings from Tarras to Roxburgh. A Bendigo vineyard owner raised concerns about leakage and its potential to dent tourism. Many believe Central Otago’s riches have long been built on visitors, wine and fruit.The region’s natural beauty, clean air and water have underpinned an economy that continues to grow with no shortage of jobs."While open-cast mining may bring significant financial gains, we must equally weigh its impacts and risks for Otago’s people, its established industries and the natural environment".Santana Minerals was continuing to boost up 'drop in' meetings over the coming weeks, and have made significant promises to the community, adding they were thinking with the end in sight, and ensuring the mine was left for the better of the community years after they finished.The meeting heard there were over 800 people interested in working there, with at least 300 jobs on offer once it opened.Santana Minerals chief executive Damien Spring addresses the BA5 meeting in Cromwell on Thursday. Photo:The Central AppMeanwhile, Sustainable Tarras was organising public meetings of its own, in both Wanaka and Dunedin next week, with a panel of experts - not yet identified.Sustainable Tarras Inc chair Suze Keith said the panel will outline what is known about plans for the gold mine, take audience questions, and discuss what the community can do.“From the information released so far, there are numerous very worrying issues,” she said.“These include the size and scale of the mine right in the heart of an Outstanding Natural Landscape, the massive tailings dam which will hold 10,000 Olympic swimming pools of toxic waste, and the extensive use and storage of large quantities of cyanide just upstream of the Clutha River.“And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.”Santana Minerals said it was aware of the public meetings through posts on social media but hasn't been asked to attend or speak at the events.Engagement manager Vicki Blakeborough said they were still working towards its application for consents through the fast-track process.Sustainable Tarras believed Santana had not been “open and transparent with concerned locals”.“They’re not providing us information we’re reasonably asking for, and which we know they have got,” Suze said.The company has said while the project would be assessed under the fast-track approval process - which aims to streamline projects of national significance - there was mandated legislation and standards would need to be met, including the Resource Management Act and associated regulations and national policy statements.Suze said the mine is “getting attention from people who are concerned that the fast-track process is being used inappropriately for a project which is not about public infrastructure or community benefit, but rather is solely about extraction of resources and maximising shareholder profits, most of which will go offshore”.“This mine would become the largest single earthworks in Otago since the Clyde Dam could be approved without the general public having any right of input into the proposal,” she said.People interested in attending the meeting in Wānaka can register to find out more here. www.bit.ly/notmine2025.Have a story to share? Contact [email protected]

There’s a new way to find a sounding board, or someone to be in your corner to help grow new Central businesses. Central Otago District Council, Business South and Welcoming Communities has launched a new business mentorship programme for newcomers.Two newcomers will be selected for a free year from a business mentor, and online expressions of interest need to be in by June 30. Visit the online form here. LINK: www.codc.govt.nz/newcomerWelcoming Communities officer Heather Harries said it was a fantastic opportunity for a newcomer.“It [is] a huge help to have that one-to-one support as it can be quite isolating setting up a business as a sole trader.”The criteria to apply are; you need to have lived in Central for less than six years and you must have a desire to develop leadership and/or business skills within the workplace. You do not need to be a business owner. Mentoring is a supported system where one person shares their skills, knowledge and experience to assist others to grow and develop.  The mentors will be from Business Mentors New Zealand, an independent not for profit organisation who have more than 1,800 mentors nationally. The newcomer scholarship to the Business South leadership academy which has been offered for the past three years is not going to be offered in 2025. For more information contact [email protected] Read more: Central Home: French flair at Omakau's Muddy Creek cafeRead more: New to Central?Have a story to share?Contact [email protected]  

An Environment Court enforcement order has been placed on the Queenstown Lakes District Council for a range of issues relating to its Shotover Wastewater Treatment Plant.The Otago Regional Council welcomed the decision yesterday and said it paved the way to begin a plan of action so the QLDC could meet its consent obligations and achieve compliance against the court’s orders.The ORC sought an enforcement order on January 23, for issues at the treatment plant, following two abatement notices and 10 infringement notices - dating back to 2021. “The decision and enforcement orders give a clear indication of what’s required to operate, remedy and upgrade the wastewater plant, while maintaining transparency with ongoing monitoring of these processes,” chief executive Richard Saunders said.The decision outlined seven pages of separate enforcement orders, including upgrades, contingency measures, timeframes and milestones to be met. The enforcement orders covered off operations and management manual, staff training, sampling and monitoring, repairs and improvements to the wastewater plant, upgrades to the plant and a new disposal field solution; the latter requiring a consent application be made for a new disposal system by May 2026, which must be implemented by December 2030. Richard said that the ORC continued to closely monitor the Shotover treatment plant site and continued to undertake its regulatory role.The Environment Court’s decision was separate to QLDC making an emergency/retrospective consent application for earlier works at the Shotover site.The emergency works enacted by QLDC were to bypass the problematic (soak) disposal field and to discharge treated wastewater directly into the Shotover river. ORC was still assessing the application and further updates including a date for notification would be provided on the ORC website. 

A person has died after being hit by a car on State Highway 8 in Roxburgh last night.Emergency services were called to the crash, between Tamblyn Road and Selkirk Place, about 7.20pm.The person was a pedestrian and died at the scene. Police were providing support to their next of kin.The Serious Crash Unit has conducted a scene examination and State Highway 8 has since reopened after being closed for several hours.Police would like to thank the emergency response teams who assisted at the scene, and motorists for their understanding and patience.

An important stage of the Kāmoanahaehae - Riverside Park development in downtown Alexandra is being moved forward to ensure better stability of the site.The Vincent Community Board yesterday heard from parks and recreation manager Gordon Bailey, who said the ramp from the edge of the riverbank to a floating jetty, would need to be completed in Stage One, at a cost of $400,000.The ramp was intended to be the main feature of the design and allowed people to access right down to the water’s edge. In his report, he said the design of the ramp itself, based on Geotech requirements, had been challenging to ensure it met required building standards, was flood resistant, looked good and was functional. A wooden design had been agreed on which would see 9m poles driven into the ground to support it. “This option provides least disturbance to the bank and any potential archaeological items. The poles will need to be precisely placed then driven into the ground to anchor the ramp.”But until that phase was completed, contractors were unable to finish and concrete the plaza area in Stage One as vibrations would crack it.As a result, staff recommended bringing forward the start of the work for Stage Two - which included the ramp and gabion baskets to create a level area for the mana whenua artwork, associated balustrade and lookout.The VCB agreed to fund the $400,000 through its Reserves Contribution Fund.“If we are going to do it, we need to do it properly,” Gordon said.In the 2021 – 31 Long Term Plan council allocated $650,000 over three years for the construction of the Kāmoanahaehae - Riverside Park, and additional funding of $723,848 was also received from Otago Community Trust ($100,000), Central Lakes Trust ($250,000), Lottery Environmental and Heritage Fund ($48,848), and MBIE TiF funding ($325,000).Construction began in September 2024 on Stage 1 which included several additional permissions, underground work and investigations required for archaeological authority. Additional work was undertaken by the Otago Regional Council in the removal of the riverbank trees from the traffic bridge to Tarbert Street.The Wairoa Manuherekia Trust provided $120,000 for the removal of additional willow trees from the Manuherekia riverbank and an off-road trail was currently linking the park to the Linger and Die and onto the Otago Central Rail Trail.

The new Southern Lakes Health Trust report aligns with the component of the Regional Deal proposal that Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes district councils are partners of.Mayor Tamah Alley was on the steering committee of the trust, which was exploring partnerships with the private sector to invest in services and infrastructure to benefit the region.The report https://www.southernlakeshealthtrust.nz/health-project/ was sent to Minister of Health Hon Simeon Brown in February 2025, and was a collaborative effort, led by Joseph Mooney, MP for Southland, involving Health New Zealand, CODC, QLDC, rural health providers, iwi, including kaupapa Māori health providers, and the community.“We have a clear objective; to expedite planning and investment in health services and infrastructure in Otago Central Lakes,” Joseph said.The group was now waiting on feedback and director from the Minister on the report, and how that would help inform work on a health assessment for the area.“70 per cent of New Zealanders who live two or more hours from a hospital live in Otago Central Lakes. Our proposal will bring healthcare closer to our residents and help to reduce demand on our regions’ base hospitals in Dunedin and Invercargill,” Mayor Alley said.The trust’s approach would lead to a far more streamlined and effective healthcare for the rapidly growing population, which was currently at 155,596 and expected to double by 2054.The report offered a practical way forward: partnering with private hospitals, clinics and investors already in the planning process or building in the Southern Lakes area. By working together, they could include publicly-funded health services in private infrastructure projects; to bring more care close to home, without waiting years for new public builds. This collaborative approach would ease pressure on overstretched services and deliver lasting benefits for the entire region.The report warned the Minister about creating a two-tier health system, where services were only close to home for those who could afford it, while everyone else would still have to drive hours for care.With the Minister’s support, a working group would be established to work with Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora to progress the proposed solutions. Community engagement and consultation would follow to ensure the healthcare needs of everyone in the Southern Lakes Region.The report proposed a regional model of care delivered across three key locations: Queenstown, Wānaka, and Central Otago, with six early-stage public-private partnerships already identified. These projects are ready for collaboration:Southern Lakes Public Hospital (location to be determined). A proposed privately financed facility with full public hospital services and future capacity to become a regional hospital. Lakeview Te Taumata Clinic (Queenstown). A private surgical hospital expected to open in 2027, with opportunities for maternity care and workforce development.Integrated Care Hub (Wānaka). A planned day surgery with potential space for publicly funded after-hours services.Wānaka Health Precinct. A private surgical hospital designed with capacity to integrate public services.Aged Care Facilities (Clyde) Currently under construction, with potential to expand into a full suite of publicly funded services for older people in Central Otago. Central Otago: Securing land and investors for future public health infrastructure, based on the outcomes of other projectsThe trust was also seeking $2 million in funding to complete the groundwork for:Community consultationClinical design and planning processesTechnical assessments and detailed business cases that Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora can work with.And there are other ways to get involved:They’re exploring innovative mobile modular units that can be used as consultation rooms, clinics, or staff accommodation.The Strategic Report can be viewed at: https://www.southernlakeshealthtrust.nz/health-project/

We continue our pre-election coverage this week with a few more profiles of those who have indicated they were standing again in the Elections 2025.Martin McPherson has been a Vincent ward Central Otago District councillor and community board member since 1985, and we asked him a few questions:Will you be standing again?  YesWhy or why not?I am still enjoying the work and am confident I have more to offerHow long have you already been involved exactly?I was first elected to the Alexandra community board in 1995What are you most proud of/achievements in the time you have been a councillor/community board member/deputy mayor?My work on the hearings panel and various plan changes, especially Plan change 19.Read more: Plan Change operative despite Enviro Court appealsWhat advice do you have for any new candidates standing?The ship of state has a very small steering wheel - things take time to turn around.What do you see are the pressing issues in your ward that you are particularly passionate about?Growth and how we manage this, and the effect on infrastructure and the costs associated with this, and its impact on rates going forward.Read more: Local Elections 2025: Who’s Standing and Why

Business South has announced a new partnership with Icehouse, giving Otago based businesses easier access to premium business growth programmes designed to accelerate success for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).The collaboration means local business owners and their teams will now be able to take part in Icehouse’s specialised training, mentoring, and coaching workshops, without having to travel far.“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Business South to bring premium Icehouse programmes and workshops,” says Icehouse CEO Olivia Blaylock. “Growing capability within a business is vital for growth in an ever-changing marketplace.”The move has already been welcomed by local business owners.“For me as a business owner, trying to train my team to be business minded, there’s no better option than the Icehouse in New Zealand,” said Justin McEntyre from Dunedin based passive fire protection company Contego.“We’ve invested in Icehouse training for seven of our team, including myself, and we’ve certainly seen the returns. It’s allowed us to take the business to the next level.”Since launching in 2001, Icehouse has helped more than 4,000 Kiwi businesses sharpen their strategy, leadership, and operational performance.More details about the programmes available in Otago and Southland can be found at theicehouse.co.nz

Each week, Mayor Tamah Alley shares a one-minute snapshot of the week that was, highlighting key decisions, updates, and the issues her team is tackling on your behalf.Shot Friday 6 JuneDemocracy works best when your voice is heard. Tap into Let's Talk for ways to connect and be heard, from surveys and drop-in sessions, to writing directly to Mayor Tamah Alley.Tamah is committed to making sure your voice is part of the decision-making.Click here to go to Mayor Tamah Alleys website.

Distinguished professor Paul Moughan from The Riddet Institute is an expert in all things protein related.The Riddet Institute is a Centre of Research Excellence (CoRE) focusing on fundamental and advanced food research. It's hosted by Massey University on the Palmerston North campus.Dr Moughan answers some questions from the Country Life team.What is protein?Protein is a very important component for the human body. It's central to body function and therefore to nutrition.We get proteins from the foods we eat - we don't need protein itself but rather the amino acids that are the building blocks of protein. When we eat protein, it gets broken down to amino acids and it is those that are absorbed.There are nine essential amino acids. Some foods can supply all nine of those amino acids readily, while others might be deficient in one of those essential amino acids.The power of proteinHow much protein do we need? Is there such a thing as too much protein?The amount of protein we need depends on a persons age and weight. The average adult needs about 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight - so a person who weighs 80kg needs about 65g of protein per day.Again though it comes back to the quality of the protein and the amino acids you can get from it. From a lesser quality protein you might need more to get the same benefit. We also need more protein as we age - about 1.5g compared to 0.8g.Generally there's no such thing as too much protein for most people.Distinguished professor Paul Moughan from the Riddet Institute. Photo: SuppliedAre all protein sources equal? What should people keep in mind at the supermarket?There are major differences between proteins.Consumer information is pretty poor. Looking at the protein content on a product's label is a good starting point but it doesn't speak to the quality of the protein.As a general rule, animal-based proteins - so milk, dairy- based proteins, egg, meat, fish - are all very high quality. They have all the amino acids you need and they're highly digestible and highly available. Soyabean-based foods like tofu and tempeh are also high quality.Peas and beans tend to be high in protein but the quality is not always high. A lot of the vegetable-based proteins are less good quality so you would need to consume more of them. Pea and potato-based proteins can be good for vegan or vegetarian diets though.In the past it didn't matter too much because we generally consumed mixtures of proteins. Now there's a movement worldwide to go away from animal-based proteins more towards vegetable-based proteins and as we do that we need to be more careful. There have been studies of vegan and vegetarian diest which have found people were not meeting their total protein requirements in terms of quality.Protein quality is going to become more of an issue. When we look at future world food needs, because the world population is growing, it's also ageing, protein is going to become a major consideration.I personally think it shouldn't be vegetable or animal. It needs to be vegetable and animal. It may be very appropriate to move towards more vegetable-based foods but I think people who completely exclude animal-based foods may well be entering into the territory of nutritional inadequacy and problems with their diet. It's all about balance.

Heavy snow has blanketed parts of Central Otago overnight, with essential travel warnings in place for the Maniototo and upper Manuherikia.Road crews have been working through the night and early morning to clear thick snow, which in some areas of the Maniototo is over 30cm deep. Temperatures are hovering around 0˚C and are expected to drop again at daybreak, raising concerns about black ice on bridge decks and shaded areas.A Central App reader in Oturehua reported “white-out” conditions at 7am, while photos from Becks and Wedderburn show drifts edging over fences.Transport officials are advising essential travel only in the Maniototo and upper Manuherikia. This includes Oturehua, Becks, St Bathans, and Wedderburn. Further south, Omakau and Poolburn are experiencing typical winter driving conditions.Meanwhile, in Roxburgh, Cromwell and Alexandra, rain overnight has left roads wet with patches of snow on high-country routes. Temperatures are sitting between 1.7˚C and 3˚C in those areas.Danseys Pass Road remains closed from the gates near Danseys Pass Hotel due to heavy snow.Motorists across the region are urged to check Road conditions before travelling.Current Travel AdviceAvoid non-essential travel in snow-affected areasReduce speed and drive to conditionsTake care on bridges and shaded corners, where ice is likelyStay home if you’re in Maniototo or upper Manuherikia unless travel is necessaryKeep checking the Roads on The Central App for regular updates.Send in your photos to [email protected] to be in to win a Trip for Two on the Kingston Flyer. We will do a wonderland photo gallery for all to enjoy.