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

UPDATED 7:20 PM

Central OtagoOctober 26

Homes evacuated, hundreds without power as crews battle Roxburgh blaze

Some homes have been evacuated and power was cut to hundreds of people as fire crews battled a blaze near Roxburgh on Monday.

Julie Asher

NationalOctober 26

Man charged with attempted murder after child assaulted in Auckland playground

A 20-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder after a child was seriously injured in a central Auckland park yesterday.

RNZ

DunedinOctober 26

Man missing in Dunedin found safe and well

A man who went missing in Dunedin on Monday morning has been found safe and well.

2:05 PM

North OtagoOctober 26

Person dies in hospital after crash near Duntroon

A person has died in hospital following a crash on State Highway 83 near Duntroon in the Waitaki District yesterday.

SouthlandOctober 26

Fire spreads after power lines fall near Gore

Gemma Sinclair

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Central OtagoOctober 25

Luggate mining proponents hit back at report

Matthew Littlewood

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DunedinOctober 25

Gang violence ringleader continues to break rules in prison

Rob Kidd

ODT QuizOctober 25

ODT quiz: October 26

Dunedin

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DunedinOctober 25

Solar panels could be considered for new Edgar Centre roof

A replacement roof for Dunedin’s Edgar Centre sports complex could come with solar panels if the city council decides to expand the project.

Grant Miller

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DunedinOctober 25

Centre Rd back as detour but only for light vehicles

Centre Rd is back as a detour for road works south of Dunedin after repairs which may top six figures.

Steve Hepburn

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DunedinOctober 25

Here to help: Ravensbourne Fire Brigade celebrates 100th birthday

Ravensbourne Fire Brigade has celebrated a century of being on the scene.

Matthew Littlewood

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DunedinOctober 25

Special service held to mark ‘the love that this day brings’

The Bangladeshi community of Dunedin marked Durga Puja in style at St John's Church on Highgate on Saturday.

Matthew Littlewood

Latest News

1

WorldOctober 26

Four injured, one critically, in drive-by shooting near Brisbane

2

NationalOctober 26

Man charged with attempted murder after child assaulted in Auckland playground

3

DunedinOctober 26

Man missing in Dunedin found safe and well

4

RugbyOctober 26

Canterbury battle back against Northland to defend NPC crown

5

UPDATED 7:20 PM

Central OtagoOctober 26

Homes evacuated, hundreds without power as crews battle Roxburgh blaze

Otago

OtagoOctober 26

200kmh wind gust as wild weather hammers the South Island

A 200kmh wind gust has been recorded in Canterbury as severe weather hammers much of the South Island.

Tim Scott

Central OtagoOctober 25

Boil water notice issued for Omakau and Ophir

Central Otago District Council has issued a boil water notice for Omakau and Ophir due to an issue at the Omakau water treatment plant.

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South OtagoOctober 25

Sausage dogs on a roll in Lawrence

Four-legged friendships were forged amid flying fur at the South Island Dachshund Derby in Lawrence on Saturday.

Richard Davison

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Central OtagoOctober 25

Magic, dance and fireworks fill Cromwell’s Heritage Precinct

Families and visitors filled the Old Cromwell Heritage Precinct on Sunday for the annual Cromwell Street Party and Fireworks.

Carys Trotter

Editor's Picks

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BusinessOctober 19

Lawyer cheated on eight weeks before wedding turns personal pain into new career path

Southland-born 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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DunedinOctober 20

Award-winning ex-University of Otago employee charged with 37 counts of fraud

Rob Kidd

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BusinessOctober 19

Southland agricultural business goes bust owing $10m after death of co-owner

Sally Rae

Canterbury

North CanterburyOctober 25

Retirement village maintenance man caught rummaging through couple’s home on CCTV

An elderly couple set up CCTV cameras after suspecting someone had been rifling through their self-contained retirement village unit.

ChristchurchOctober 25

Driver killed in central Christchurch crash

One person has died following a crash in central Christchurch early this morning.

ChristchurchOctober 25

Extra cost sees community project stopped in its tracks

An $8300 development contribution has delayed the construction of a Christchurch community's bike pump track.

Kees Chalmers

ChristchurchOctober 24

Southern Motorway on-ramp reopens after crash that left motorcyclist critically injured

The Halswell Junction on-ramp on Christchurch’s Southern Motorway has reopened following an earlier crash.

Election 2026

NationalOctober 25

Hipkins promises his government would be formed by Christmas

Chris Hipkins has promised a Labour-led government would be formed by Christmas, and he's set out five things he would tackle in his first week as prime minister.

NationalOctober 25

Enrolments closed, advance voting begins for 2026 Election

Enrolments have closed and voting in the general election begins today, with party leaders among those casting their ballot on day one.

NationalOctober 25

National removes volunteer after learning of sexual conduct with minor conviction

National has removed one of its campaign volunteers after learning he had been convicted of sexual conduct with a minor five years ago.

ISSUE ANALYSIS

NationalOctober 25

Tax a taxing issue this election campaign

Whether it is nine new taxes, one new tax or no new taxes, tax has become a pivotal argument in Election 2026.

Mike Houlahan

Southland

SouthlandOctober 26

Workload pressure likely to mount for Invercargill councillors

Invercargill councillors could be in for an increased workload under a new proposal from the city’s mayor.

Matthew Rosenberg

SouthlandOctober 25

Strong winds expected to keep Southland scrub fire burning

SouthlandOctober 25

Funding confirmed for bridge replacement

National

NationalOctober 25

Luxon warns not all gang photos are the same after photos with Black Power members surface

National leader Christopher Luxon says a photo of him with gang members is different to those posted by opposition parties.

NationalOctober 24

Explainer: How to enrol to vote and why today is your final chance

Today is the final day to enrol to vote in this year's election. If you haven't enrolled yet, you've got until midnight today.

NationalOctober 24

National sets out 100 day plan if re-elected

The National Party has released its 100 day plan, setting out the first actions it would take if re-elected.

NationalOctober 24

Tenant given just six hours to move out after delay in MSD rent payment

A tenant was given six hours to leave his accommodation after a Ministry of Social Development administrative issue meant he couldn't pay rent.

Sport

RugbyOctober 26

Canterbury battle back against Northland to defend NPC crown

Canterbury have produced a brilliant second-half comeback to defeat Northland in the NPC final 43-24 in front of a sold-out crowd in Christchurch.

RNZ

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FootballOctober 25

Youngster Burgess scores to lead Otago University to first win

First goal, first points, first win.

Hayden Meikle

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GolfOctober 25

Hodgson wins Otago strokeplay title in playoff

Brandon Hodgson showed his familiarity with his home course when he won the Otago strokeplay title for the first time on Saturday.

Hayden Meikle

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BasketballOctober 25

Hoiho cruise past defending champions to set winning record

The Southern Hoiho knocked off the defending champions for the second time this season on their way to creating their own history.

Kayla Hodge

Lifestyle

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The MixOctober 23

Three planets before breakfast

Since moving to Middlemarch, I have become a bit of a morning person, a fact that will perplex anyone who has ever worked with me.

Skywatch, by Ian Griffin

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DrivesouthOctober 23

Forgotten champion eyes fifth title

Ask anyone with an everyday knowledge of current motor sport to name New Zealand’s most successful international racing drivers of the past five years, and the list will be fairly predictable.

David Thomson

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The MixOctober 23

Loneliness influencers’ solitude is going viral

Isolation is decried as the scourge of this extremely online age. But in truth, the textures of our aloneness are infinite, Eva Wiseman writes.

The MixOctober 23

Book review: Tales from the life of an airline pilot

With swags of well-remembered conversations and loads of technical details, Another Day Like Yesterday provides an insider’s take on the sometimes glamorous but often frustrating life of an airline pilot.

Jim Sullivan

Business

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Rural Life OtherOctober 25

Photographer focusing on attributes of wool in new business venture

When Dutch-born photographer Francine Boer first came to New Zealand, she knew nothing about wool.

Sally Rae

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BusinessOctober 25

‘Dunedin’s been waiting for us’ — Why a ‘library’ for building materials has opened in the city

It may be called a “library”, but you will not find any books inside.

Tim Scott

BusinessOctober 25

Why you'll be paying more for flights this Christmas

Anyone planning to travel this summer can expect to have to pay more for airfares.

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Rural Life OtherOctober 23

Irrigation brings a future to North Otago after years of dust and drought

"If you’ve got water, you’ve got options.” Reliable water from the Waitaki River, via the North Otago Irrigation Company scheme, has transformed Matt and Julie Ross’s Duntroon dairy farm.

Sally Rae

Rural Life

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Rural Life OtherOctober 25

‘Time’ magazine recognition for groundbreaking protein product

It’s time for lucerne to shine — and not in the way that one would usually expect.

Sally Rae

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Rural Life OtherOctober 23

‘Incredible journey’ over past two decades for irrigation company

'An incredible journey', is how Aqus chief executive Andrew Rodwell describes the evolution of the North Otago Irrigation Company scheme.

Sally Rae

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Rural PeopleOctober 23

Reliable water draws young people to North Otago

Young farm manager Sam O’Neill knows the value of irrigation in North Otago.

Sally Rae

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Red MeatOctober 21

A $46,000 sale of ‘one-of-a-kind’ yearling Angus bull sets stud record in northern Southland

A syndicate’s $46,000 bid on a standout yearling Angus bull set a new stud record in northern Southland.

Shawn McAvinue

Food & Wine

Food & WineOctober 20

Fond memories inspire chook book featuring NZ’s favourite protein

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Food & WineOctober 20

Picnic Salad

In Season — Alison Lambert

Food & WineOctober 20

Leek and ricotta tart with asparagus

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Food & WineOctober 20

New Zealand Chardonnays fit for seat at the table

Mark Henderson

World

WorldOctober 26

Four injured, one critically, in drive-by shooting near Brisbane

Police say they do not expect follow-up attacks after four people were shot outside a boxing event in Queensland, leaving a young woman fighting for her life.

AAP

WorldOctober 26

Brazil's left-wing president Lula wins historic fourth term

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has won an unprecedented fourth term, in a shock result that defied polls, precedent and global anti-incumbent sentiment.

WorldOctober 26

'A stone in our hearts': Tears as colleagues honour MP who lost legs

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has led tributes in parliament for independent MP Helen Haines, who was allegedly attacked outside her electorate office last week.

AAP

WorldOctober 24

Israel forces 1200 Palestinians from their homes as ‘collective punishment’ for soldiers’ deaths

The Israeli military forced around 1,200 Palestinians to leave their homes in Hebron in the occupied West Bank, a Palestinian official said on Saturday, a day after a Palestinian attack killed two Israeli soldiers.

West Coast

West CoastOctober 20

Teen has nightmares after three injured in 12m fall from Ferris wheel

A teenager has had nightmares since watching her friend fall 12m from a Ferris wheel at a West Coast agricultural show after a seat broke.

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

Video

DunedinOctober 25

One flown from Dunedin beach with serious injuries

One person with serious injuries has been flown to hospital by helicopter after an incident at a Dunedin beach this afternoon.

Tim Scott, Ruby Shaw

DunedinOctober 24

Witnesses may be ‘deliberately being untruthful’ in Dunedin man’s death investigation: police

Dunedin police are appealing to those with information about the death of David Noah in Leckhampton Court last month to come forward and “do the right thing”.

DunedinOctober 24

Woman treated for smoke inhalation after fire breaks out in Dunedin’s Princes St

A woman has been taken to hospital in a serious condition after suffering smoke inhalation at a fire in Dunedin's Princes St.

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DunedinOctober 23

Mum back at the beach after ‘a good makeover’

Dunedin artist Bryn Jones gives “Mum” the sea lion statue a final spit and polish, to complete its renovation.

John Lewis

Opinion

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EditorialOctober 25

Ganging up on each other

This Labour Day weekend operatives in several election campaign will have been engaged in very strange work indeed — trawling through the social media feeds of their political opponents looking for photographs of them with gang members.

Editorial

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OpinionOctober 25

Cartoonist’s view: October 26

Today's cartoon from Shaun Yeo.

YeoCartoonist

OpinionOctober 25

The long path to recovery

My stroke occurred while I was working downstairs.

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EditorialOctober 25

Archives/library cuts questioned

It will be of no comfort to those critical of proposed changes at National Library and Archives New Zealand that final job cuts announced last week were slightly lower than expected.

Editorial

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OpinionOctober 23

Cartoonist’s view: October 24

Today's cartoon from Shaun Yeo.

YeoCartoonist

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OpinionOctober 23

When polar opposites agree on something

We live in an ever more partisan and polarised world.

Civis

100 Years Ago

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NewsOctober 25

A multitude of picnickers

100 years ago

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NewsOctober 23

School scholars celebrate

100 years ago

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NewsOctober 22

Blooming marvellous

100 years ago

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NewsOctober 21

Ironing out the competition

100 years ago