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

DunedinOctober 19

Dunedin gets two international acts in a month as first stadium show for three years finally revealed

After years of waiting, two international acts are coming to Dunedin early next year in what is shaping up to be a “massive month for live music”.

Tim Scott

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DunedinOctober 19

‘Alcohol’s been killing him’: Dunedin man avoids jail after 14th drink-driving offence

A Dunedin man has avoided jail after racking up his fourteenth drink-driving conviction.

Felicity Dear

QueenstownOctober 19

Search for missing Queenstown woman moves to recovery phase

Queenstown police are moving into a recovery phase after failing to find missing woman Erika Rodrigues Coelho.

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DunedinOctober 19

Patient with flesh-eating disease declined transfer to Dunedin three times

A patient with a deadly flesh-eating disease languished for 13 hours at a rural hospital after being declined a transfer to Dunedin Hospital by three different departments, a health and disability commissioner report says.

Steve Hepburn

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BusinessOctober 19

From shoemaker to serving Chris Martin: 50 years of working at Frames

John Lewis

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SouthlandOctober 19

Southland teen murder convict not yet ready for release

Rob Kidd

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DunedinOctober 19

‘Death by a thousand cuts’: Closure of Dunedin church ‘a really sad time’

John Lewis

ODT QuizOctober 19

ODT quiz: October 20

Dunedin

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DunedinOctober 19

Work begins on Dunedin supermarket expansion

Work has begun on an expansion at a Dunedin supermarket that will grow its building and support online grocery orders.

Tim Scott

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DunedinOctober 19

First cruise ship of the season set to arrive with plenty more to come

The first cruise ship of the season is set to sail into Otago Harbour on Wednesday, beginning 85 expected arrivals, the highest of any port in the country, but there is no resting on laurels.

Steve Hepburn

DunedinOctober 19

Missing Dunedin 15-year-old found safe

Police are asking for the public’s help to find a 15-year-old who has been reported missing in Dunedin.

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DunedinOctober 19

‘Flabbergasted’: Dunedin woman placed on ‘dormant’ roll ahead of election

A Dunedin woman mistakenly placed on the “dormant” roll is warning others to ensure they’re correctly enrolled before the election.

Matthew Littlewood

Latest News

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RugbyOctober 19

Leroy Carter to miss Northern Tour as All Blacks’ injury woes deepen

2

WorldOctober 19

Curfews in parts of Paris, Nice after riots across France

3

DunedinOctober 19

Dunedin gets two international acts in a month as first stadium show for three years finally revealed

4

NationalOctober 19

New poll puts Opportunity and Parliament on a knife-edge

5

NationalOctober 19

Thousands more could fail new school qualification

Otago

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Central OtagoOctober 19

Trotting club wants grant to help run meeting

The biggest harness racing day in the south — and one of the top five attended meetings in the country — is going cap in hand to the council, saying it wants to future proof the event.

Steve Hepburn

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North OtagoOctober 19

North Otago organisations to benefit from $100,000 ‘lasting legacy’ from Dunedin’s now demolished Oamaru House

Five North Otago organisations stand to benefit from $100,000 in donations following the closure and demolition of Dunedin’s Oamaru House.

Charley-Kai John

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North OtagoOctober 19

Macraes mine fast-track panel to be stood up

An expert panel will be stood up after OceanaGold’s planned East Otago expansion has cleared its latest fast-track hurdle.

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QueenstownOctober 19

Otago plant conservation champions recognised at national awards

Three Otago recipients have been recognised for their contributions to native plant conservation at the 2026 New Zealand Plant Conservation Network (NZPCN) awards.

Editor's Picks

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DunedinOctober 15

‘Incredibly exciting’: New hotel, rooftop bar planned for historic Dunedin building

A rich-list Auckland family has been given the green light to transform a historic Dunedin building into a new hotel complete with a rooftop bar and restaurant.

Tim Scott

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BusinessOctober 13

‘It destroyed me’: Decades-old Invercargill motorcycle business goes bust owing more than $500,000

Tim Scott

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DunedinOctober 3

‘I’ve survived you’ — victim confronts her Dunedin abuser after six-year nightmare

Rob Kidd

Canterbury

ChristchurchOctober 19

Christchurch stadium named ‘one of the world’s most beautiful arenas’

Christchurch’s new central city stadium is one of just seven venues around the world to be recognised for its design and sustainability by UNESCO.

ChristchurchOctober 19

Rare South Island moa egg coming home

De-extinction company Colossal Biosciences has acquired the moa egg and announced in Christchurch on Monday that it will soon be returned to NZ.

North CanterburyOctober 19

Secret reserves established to protect penguins

Volunteers have been stepping up their efforts to project Kaikōura’s little blue penguins / kororā.

David Hill

ChristchurchOctober 19

Bluey returning to the stage

A popular Australian kids’ TV show will be brought to life as a stage show at Wolfbrook Arena in Christchurch in April.

RNZ

Election 2026

NationalOctober 19

New poll puts Opportunity and Parliament on a knife-edge

A new poll has Parliament on knife-edge, with the Opportunity party as potential kingmaker.

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ELECTORATE

SouthlandOctober 19

Slim pickings for Invercargill

Invercargill could be forgiven for feeling somewhat passed over.

Ruby Shaw

NationalOctober 19

Coalition by Christmas? Don't bet on it

Christmas could come and go before New Zealand gets a new government, with neither Christopher Luxon nor Chris Hipkins willing to promise a coalition deal before the festivities are over.

NationalOctober 18

Labour pledges social media ban for under-16s

Labour is pledging to implement the under-16 social media ban in its first 100 days and set up an online watchdog that can fine technology giants that break new rules.

RNZ Parliamentary reporters

Southland

SouthlandOctober 19

Man escapes police custody in Invercargill

Invercargill Police are searching for a 42-year-old man who escaped from police on Monday.

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SouthlandOctober 18

Record turnout as global culture hits Gore

Gerrit Doppenberg

SouthlandOctober 16

Southland candidates vie for your vote

Mike Houlahan

National

NationalOctober 19

Thousands more could fail new school qualification

Nearly half of Year 12s could fail the new secondary school qualification under a worst-case scenario.

NationalOctober 19

Killers drove past murder victim five times before unprovoked machete attack, Crown says

Kyle Whorrall had just made a routine night-time visit to the supermarket and was walking home when he sat down at a bus stop in the Auckland suburb of Meadowbank.

NationalOctober 19

Cop tried to impress relative with lights and sirens, 146km/h speeds in police car

A police officer was so keen to impress his brother-in-law that he used a police database to find sensitive information about the man’s ex-partner, and took him on an unofficial ride-along, activating the siren and reaching speeds of up to 146km/h.

NationalOctober 18

Destiny Church leader denies inciting racial disharmony

Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki has  pleaded not guilty at the Manukau District Court in Auckland for inciting racial disharmony.

RNZ

Sport

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RugbyOctober 19

Highlanders add North Harbour man to coaching staff for 2027

Make way for another Jimmy at the Highlanders.

Hayden Meikle

RugbyOctober 19

Leroy Carter to miss Northern Tour as All Blacks’ injury woes deepen

All Blacks wing Leroy Carter has been ruled out of the end-of-year tour, adding to a large list of players now unavailable.

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RugbyOctober 19

Otago farewell two stalwarts but coach keen to stay

Otago coach Mark Brown is keen to try again next season, but two of his troops have dropped out.

Adrian Seconi

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SportOctober 19

Deans adds two more medals to impressive world cup tally

Dunedin Olympian Caitlin Deans will have a heavy suitcase to bring home.

Kayla Hodge

Lifestyle

TravelOctober 19

Responsible, concious approach to Mexican travel celebrates its nature and culture

Cristina Alonso grew up in Mexico City and shares her love for her country in a new book The Concious Traveller Mexico that goes beyond the tourist hotspots and embraces sustainability and authentic experiences while travelling.

NationalOctober 18

‘Really surreal’: Justin Bieber surprises Far North diners with impromptu performance

The co-owner of a restaurant in the Far North town of Russell says it was surreal that Justin Bieber gave an impromptu performance there.

Pretoria Gordon of RNZ

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The MixOctober 16

Hornerids: our overlooked tiny taonga

About 1000 species of the bryozoans are found in the seas around Aotearoa, about a-sixth of the those known worldwide, but the small moss animals are often overlooked.

Hamish G. Spencer

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The MixOctober 16

The story of Joy Division in song

A 14-CD, two-DVD box set of live recordings is a potent reminder of the rawness and urgency of the short-lived post-punk band Joy Division, Kitty Empire writes.

Business

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BusinessOctober 19

Death of director impacts Southland agricultural contracting business

The untimely death of its sole director has seen a Northern Southland agricultural contracting business put into liquidation, owing creditors nearly $10m.

Sally Rae

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BusinessOctober 19

Own experiences help shape lawyer’s pathway in relationship property

They say life is a great teacher. Relationship property lawyer Holly Egerton never expected her own harrowing personal experiences would shape the kind of lawyer she would become.

Sally Rae

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BusinessOctober 16

Phone booths set to disappear as Spark fails to find agreement

Public phone booths in New Zealand are to be phased out, striping a service for those who are the most vulnerable.

Steve Hepburn

BusinessOctober 16

Petrol price tops $4 at pump

​An AA spokesperson says fuel prices are expected to stay high until at least Christmas.

Rural Life

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Rural Life OtherOctober 18

Virtual fencing creating opportunities on hill country sheep and beef properties

When South Otago farmers Lyndon and Jade McNab first looked into virtual fencing on their hill country property, one of the hurdles was the cost.

Sally Rae

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Rural Life OtherOctober 14

Victory a surprise for newcomer

Owaka’s Duncan Leslie was a surprise victor in the open shearing at the recent New Zealand merino shears at Alexandra.

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Red MeatOctober 14

Red meat sector doing more with less

New Zealand’s red meat and fifth-quarter exports reached $867 million in August, up 23% on the same month last year, as stronger returns lifted earnings across all major markets.

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Rural Life OtherOctober 14

Impact of adverse weather in the South continues to be felt

Fatigue is an increasing concern across Southland and Clutha as prolonged wet conditions continue to put pressure on farmers, staff and businesses.

Food & Wine

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Food & WineOctober 16

Elderflower effusion

Penelope Maguire

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Food & WineOctober 13

Aussie-inspired snacks for spring

Inspired Cook — Jo Elwin

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Food & WineOctober 13

How to build a perfect salad

Food & WineOctober 13

Summertime eating that is ‘Always Delicious’

World

WorldOctober 19

Curfews in parts of Paris, Nice after riots across France

French authorities set curfews in parts of several cities as they faced pressure over security failings after a weekend of riots and looting stemming from nationwide anti-government protests.

WorldOctober 19

‘This wasn’t an accident’: Australian MP critical after being hit by car

Stunned Australian political leaders say a security shake-up is inevitable after an attack left an independent MP fighting for her life.

AAP

WorldOctober 17

Mass protests in France spiral into worst riots in years

Rioting erupted in cities across France on Saturday as demonstrations against rising living costs and declining public services spiralled out of control.

WorldOctober 18

‘Heartbreaking day’: Two dead after truck driven through Kansas football game

A truck was driven into a youth football game in Wichita, Kansas, leaving a six-year-old boy and a 35-year-old man dead, and 10 other people hospitalised.

Reuters

West Coast

West CoastOctober 18

Backroads to the Beehive: Coal, politics and division on West Coast

The West Coast's wild ancient forests and vast mineral wealth gave rise to the country's labour movement.

Tim Brown and Nathan McKinnon of RNZ

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West CoastOctober 16

Time for govt to ‘front up and grow up’: mayor

A West Coast mayor says it is time for the government to ‘‘grow up’’ and work with local councils, warning the cost of repeated new reforms is becoming unsustainable for already stretched communities.

Scout Atkins

Video

DunedinOctober 19

Dunedin gets two international acts in a month as first stadium show for three years finally revealed

After years of waiting, two international acts are coming to Dunedin early next year in what is shaping up to be a “massive month for live music”.

Tim Scott

SUBSCRIBER

ELECTORATE

SouthlandOctober 19

Slim pickings for Invercargill

Invercargill could be forgiven for feeling somewhat passed over.

Ruby Shaw

SouthlandOctober 16

Southland candidates vie for your vote

Candidates in the Southland electorate take part in a debate moderated by ODT political editor Mike Houlahan.

Mike Houlahan

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DunedinOctober 16

Significant police response as person found dead after Dunedin house fire

A person was found dead at the scene of a South Dunedin house fire, sparking emotional scenes and a significant police response.

Laine Priestley

Opinion

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OpinionOctober 19

Quiz answers may be easy, but compiling the questions can be hard

The Great Patearoa Pub Quiz returns this weekend.

Jim Sullivan

OpinionOctober 19

Is MMP finally coming of age?

When we fought for MMP in 1992-93, the goal was fair representation for all political factions, including Māori, a lift in the number of women MPs towards 50% and, consequently, coalition deal-making and greater consensus in politics.

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EditorialOctober 19

Do not be silent on protecting rights

It is a seemingly never-ending electoral battle waged by politicians, to prove that they are tougher on crime than their rivals.

Editorial

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OpinionOctober 18

Trying to squash India’s cockroach uprising

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi is technically not upper caste, but he does have a high opinion of himself.

Gwynne Dyer

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OpinionOctober 18

A mesmerising trace of art and science

There is something mesmerising about the movement of pigment through water.

Jean Balchin

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OpinionOctober 18

Voter regret

Someone in the tearoom admitted that they had voted for Benedict Ong for Dunedin City Council.

Anaru Eketone

100 Years Ago

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NewsOctober 19

Dodgshun does OK at golf

A heavy sky with a very light wind greeted the ladies at Balmacewen links yesterday morning when the fourth round of the championship was played on a heavy course.

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NewsOctober 18

Waikato railway station flooded

Auckland, October 18: The flood in the Waikato River at Mercer reached its maximum height to-day, and remained practically steady throughout the day.

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NewsOctober 16

GG watches the gee-gees

Their Excellencies, the Governor-General, Sir Charles Fergusson and Lady Alice Fergusson, attended the race meeting at Wingatui on Saturday as the guests of the Dunedin Jockey Club.

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NewsOctober 15

Honours reward expo success

100 years ago