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WānakaAugust 22

Firefighters investigating cause of large Wānaka blaze

Firefighters are investigating the cause of a ferocious fire that blazed through trees and scrub in Wānaka, sending flames leaping metres into the air and forced the evacuation of 22 homes

RugbyAugust 22

All Blacks beat Springboks 33-16 in opening test

New Zealand overcame a tough physical challenge to outscore South Africa five tries to one and win the first test 33-16 at Ellis Park.

Reuters

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QueenstownAugust 22

Honey hiccup leaves passenger grounded

An Australian man says some jars of mānuka honey in his carry-on bag led to security officers at Queenstown Airport sending him on a “wild goose chase” and resulted in him missing a flight home to Brisbane.

Guy Williams

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WānakaAugust 22

Will Woolworths drive lower grocery prices in Wānaka?

Woolworths will open a large new store in Three Parks in mid-2027, competing with Wānaka’s two New World stores and driving down prices, right…right?

Ruairi O'Shea

The StarAugust 22

Yellow-eyed penguin crisis: How researchers are using live tracking to rescue dying chicks

Sam Henderson

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North OtagoAugust 22

Oceana Gold: ‘Critical’ Waitaki proposed district plan does not ‘unduly’ constrain Macraes Mine

Charley-Kai John

SelwynAugust 22

Community board member claimed $7799 in mileage and travel time allowances

Daniel Alvey

ODT QuizAugust 22

ODT quiz: August 23

Dunedin

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DunedinAugust 22

Pig on the loose prompts violent Facebook threat from man concerned about his cats

A Dunedin man has admitted posting about his neighbour’s pet pig on social media, threatening to “personally slit its throat”.

Felicity Dear

The StarAugust 22

Dunedin chess whiz kids are preparing to take on the country

Macandrew Bay School pupils are heading to the New Zealand Inter-School Chess Championship taking place in Auckland in September.

Sam Henderson

The StarAugust 22

Super seniors tournament shows age no barrier

Age is no barrier for a cohort of dedicated tennis players preparing for a major southern tournament in Dunedin.

Sam Henderson

DunedinAugust 22

Outram crash leaves one person in serious condition

A person was transported to hospital in serious condition after a two-vehicle crash near Outram on Saturday afternoon.

Latest News

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NationalAugust 22

Hundreds across South Island and Wellington without power

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WorldAugust 22

Seven dead in UK after vehicle travelling wrong way hits police car

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SouthlandAugust 22

Firefighters battle large vegetation fire in Invercargill

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WānakaAugust 22

Firefighters investigating cause of large Wānaka blaze

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RugbyAugust 22

All Blacks beat Springboks 33-16 in opening test

Otago

North OtagoAugust 22

‘I learnt an awful lot about myself’: Oamaru woman’s ‘transformational’ cancer journey

A “transformational” cancer journey has inspired one Oamaru local to support the Cancer Society on Daffodil Day.

Jules Chin

QueenstownAugust 22

Booming roll drives school expansion

A new classroom block’s under construction at Hanley’s Farm’s fast-growing primary school.

Guy Williams

WānakaAugust 22

Two roundabouts set for Wānaka intersections

The construction of roundabouts at two busy intersections in Wānaka is set to begin this Summer.

Evie Sinclair

QueenstownAugust 22

Nadia on the mend after Czech crash

Young Queenstown downhill mountain bike racer Nadia Everett’s on the mend after a big crash, while brother Reece has had his best result of the season.

Guy Williams

Canterbury

CanterburyAugust 22

Christchurch city councillor calls for bed register to crack down on unapproved Airbnbs

A Christchurch city councillor is calling for a bed register to crack down on units being used for short-stay accommodation without permission.

ChristchurchAugust 21

Punk to pub legend: Al Park celebrates 50 years of music and memories

From playing a menacing pimp in the Dance Exponents’ Victoria music video to dating filmmaker Jane Campion and fronting one of the city’s best-loved pub bands, Christchurch musician Al Park has lived a colourful life.

By Geoff Sloan

South CanterburyAugust 21

Lawyer convicted of assault on his 12-year-old son which left him hospitalised

A lawyer has been convicted and granted name suppression following a serious assault on his son that required him being hospitalised.

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ChristchurchAugust 21

Remarkable journey from Canterbury to a world beauty crown

A Canterbury woman has turned her childhood dream of becoming a beauty queen into reality, winning a world title and proving it is never too late to step into the spotlight.

Geoff Sloan

National

NationalAugust 22

Hundreds across South Island and Wellington without power

Hundreds of homes across Wellington and the South Island are without power this morning.

NationalAugust 22

Motor industry calls for bipartisan approach to clean car standard

Motor industry groups are calling for a bipartisan approach to import charges on high-emission vehicles, after the government confirmed it would retain Labour's Clean Vehicle Standard.

NationalAugust 22

Attempted break-in at pie shop made famous by golfer Ryan Fox

Kiwi golfer Ryan Fox's favourite bakery is cleaning up after an apparent break-in attempt.

NationalAugust 21

Police officer critically hurt by fleeing driver a young father and ‘good bloke’

A police officer is in a critical condition after being hit by a fleeing driver in Palmerston North overnight.

Southland

SouthlandAugust 22

Firefighters battle large vegetation fire in Invercargill

Firefighters are working to put out a 600 metre long blaze on Oreti Beach in Invercargill.

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SouthlandAugust 21

‘Storm coming’ for Southland housing

A housing crunch is on Southland’s horizon as major projects are expected to drive a surge in demand for homes, experts say.

Toni McDonald

Sport

RugbyAugust 22

2026 Metro U21& U20 Colts Division 1 Finals — Live Stream

2026 Metro U21 & U20 Colts Division 1 Finals — Live Stream

Luke Chapman

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SportAugust 21

The Last Word: Predicting outcome of two major sports events about to start

Springboks to win the first test — just.

Hayden Meikle

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RugbyAugust 21

Old Golds ready for Buller challenge

One week means nothing if you cannot back it up.

Kayla Hodge

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RugbyAugust 21

King among three debutants for Black Ferns

Elinor-Plum King was the crown jewel in the Black Ferns trial last week.

Kayla Hodge

Lifestyle

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The MixAugust 22

The spice of life

There are certain flavours that belong to winter, and in my mind cinnamon is close to the top of the list.

Penelope Maguire

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The MixAugust 21

Anderton’s politics of principle

New Zealand was the Kampuchea of free market ideology back in the 1980s, economist Bruce Jesson wrote in his book on the period, "Only Their Purpose is Mad".

The MixAugust 21

New walking guide uncovers Dunedin’s extraordinary architectural treasures

Dunedin has an impressive trove of architectural stories, author John Walsh says.

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The MixAugust 21

For Tony Harris

For generations, an old boatshed stood at the edge of a tidal inlet on the Otago coast.

Skywatch, by Ian Griffin

Business

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BusinessAugust 22

Lying claims as customer takes aim at liquidated Otago boat builder

More customers have come forward in the fallout from the liquidation of a Central Otago boat builder, with one saying he was “lied to” from the start.

Tim Scott

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BusinessAugust 21

Investing in their family’s future with return to Dunedin

Erin Brown never really expected to return to Dunedin. She left the city when she finished her studies at Columba College to study commerce at Victoria University in Wellington.

Sally Rae

BusinessAugust 20

Fisher & Paykel Healthcare gets $23m in US tariff refunds

Fisher & Paykel Healthcare expect to bank $23 million in US tariff refunds.

BusinessAugust 19

Data centre builds could create 5000 jobs: report

A new report on the potential growth of data centres in New Zealand says a large-scale construction programme could create about 5000 jobs.

Rural Life

Rural LifeAugust 20

Critics fear drone fatalities on farms after govt scraps some rules

The government says it is freeing up farmers to use drones more but critics say it increases the chance that a machine could veer off and kill someone.

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Rural EventsAugust 19

Hunting wild goats is a great way to fill a freezer with flavourful meat, Dunedin mum says

Wild goat meat is a great way to feed a family, Dunedin mum Chantalle Harrison says.

Shawn McAvinue

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Rural PeopleAugust 19

Creating a strong team culture an ongoing process, southern station managers say

Attracting, developing and retaining good people and building a strong team is satisfying, a high-country station boss in Northern Southland says.

Shawn McAvinue

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Rural EventsAugust 19

Family ties and heading dogs: Southern in-laws unite for transtasman clash

For the first time, North Otago Centre dog trialists Lloyd Smith and his son-in-law Scott Hunter will be in the same team when they compete for transtasman test honours next week.

Shawn McAvinue

Food & Wine

North CanterburyAugust 20

Wine, food and music festival moving to a Saturday

Robyn Bristow

North CanterburyAugust 20

Marlborough Wine & Food Festival shelved in shock move

Paula Hulburt

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Food & WineAugust 18

Michelin star ‘amazing surprise’ for Wānaka chef

Rebecca Fox

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Food & WineAugust 18

Pumpkin spiced loaf

In Season: Alison Lambert

World

WorldAugust 22

Seven dead in UK after vehicle travelling wrong way hits police car

Seven people including two police officers died in a car crash in northeast England on Saturday after a car heading the wrong way down a major road hit a marked police armed response car

WorldAugust 22

Russian 'double-tap' strike on shopping centre in Ukraine kills 16 and wounds 130

At least 16 people were killed and more than 130 wounded on Friday when several Russian drones struck a shopping centre in central Ukraine.

WorldAugust 20

Missing teen’s body recovered after family mistakenly told she was alive

The body of a missing Sydney teenager has been recovered from dense bushland, after her family was initially mistakenly told by police she had survived.

AAP

WorldAugust 20

‘Deeply concerning': mass deaths spark bird flu alarm in Australia

Mass deaths across two states have marked a major shift in Australia's bird flu outbreak.

AAP

West Coast

West CoastAugust 21

Former mayor, now NZ First candidate grilled over council policies

A former West Coast mayor who is running for Parliament has faced tough question over NZ First’s plans to support councils.

Vihan Dalal, Local Democracy reporter

West CoastAugust 20

Solution for slip-prone section of West Coast highway edges closer

An investment case to find a long-term solution to the Epitaph Slip on SH6 in South Westland has now been completed but work on a permanent realignment could be years away.

Vihan Dalal, Local Democracy Reporter

Video

WānakaAugust 22

Firefighters investigating cause of large Wānaka blaze

Firefighters are investigating the cause of a ferocious fire that blazed through trees and scrub in Wānaka, sending flames leaping metres into the air and forced the evacuation of 22 homes

WānakaAugust 22

Houses evacuated as firefighters battle large Albert Town fire

A large fire that forced evacuations in Wānaka has been brought under control, but strong winds and steep terrain are making it difficult for firefighters to reach the remaining flames.

NationalAugust 21

Police officer critically hurt by fleeing driver a young father and ‘good bloke’

A police officer is in a critical condition after being hit by a fleeing driver in Palmerston North overnight.

DunedinAugust 20

Kākāpō duo back on the wild side

Releasing two hand-reared kākāpō back into the wild is incredibly rewarding, but a Doc ranger says it can also feel a bit like a parent sending their first-born off to school for the first time.

John Lewis

Opinion

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OpinionAugust 21

Cleaning up corruption and controlling rivers

A political announcement last Sunday lets Civis return to a familiar obsession.

Civis

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OpinionAugust 21

The secret diary of . . . Mike and Christopher

“Mike makes my Mondays,” smiled Christopher, as he made his way across town for his weekly catch-up at Cafe ZB with his best friend Mike.

Steve Braunais

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OpinionAugust 21

Learning lessons over breakfast with Chippie

The election campaign trail is a marathon, not a sprint, and it often begins by taking small steps first.

Mike Houlahan

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EditorialAugust 21

Omitting the emitters from scrutiny

One of the critical cornerstones of democracy is the principle of comity; that the courts do not interfere with Parliament’s work, and vice versa.

Editorial

OpinionAugust 21

From Lilliputian cricket to world dominance

Sir Garfield Sobers was born with two extra fingers — one on each hand. He removed them himself as a boy, using catgut and a sharp knife.

OpinionAugust 20

Poverty and the common good

As the election draws closer there will be a range of issues prevalent in voters’ minds that guide the choices they will make on election day.

100 Years Ago

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NewsAugust 21

School of ed celebrates jubilee

The fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of the Dunedin Training College was formally celebrated at a function in the Allen Hall on Saturday morning.

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NewsAugust 20

Driver falls off; tram crashes

AUCKLAND, August 20: The falling off of a motorman and the subsequent loss of the control of a tramcar travelling down Symonds street resulted in a sensational accident shortly before 5 o’clock to-night.

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NewsAugust 19

Australia’s run chase turns to ashes

Nothing more sensational has happened in the history of the Test matches than the collapse of Australia.

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NewsAugust 18

Make hay while the clock chimes

The Daylight Saving Bill was under discussion for the first time in the Legislative Council to-day.