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River ‘E. coli’ spike ‘an infrastructure failure’
A freshwater ecologist has slammed the Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) for blaming a massive spike in river pollution on the weather.
Mary Williams
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'Astounding arrogance': Australian miner in bid to speed-run consent
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'Astounding arrogance': Australian miner in bid to speed-run consent
Santana Minerals wants its massive Central Otago goldmine sped through the fast-track process in 30 working days.
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Wetlands last hope for rare bittern
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Wetlands last hope for rare bittern
An elusive and nearly extinct precious bird of the South could be saved if the creep of farmland into vital wetland is reversed, Mary Williams reports.
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View mine decision needs more time
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View mine decision needs more time
A decision on the fast-tracked Bendigo-Ophir gold mine is better made in a slower lane than the government wants, according to the former judge in charge of proceedings.
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Kāi Tahu buys into tourism company
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Kāi Tahu buys into tourism company
Kāi Tahu is taking up a third of shares in the company running Piopiotahi Milford Sound.
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Ban good, but ‘Doc dropped the ball’ on land
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Ban good, but ‘Doc dropped the ball’ on land
A ministerial decision to extend the duration of a fishing ban around Otago Peninsula has been welcomed by some, but a local fishing firm says more needs to be done on land.
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Questions outnumber answers
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Questions outnumber answers
A feted Dunedin charity is now under Department of Internal Affairs scrutiny. Mary Williams took a closer look at Te Kāika’s performance, governance and oversight.
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News of hoiho death marks start to set net hearing
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News of hoiho death marks start to set net hearing
A High court fight to save the few remaining hoiho / yellow-eyed penguins on mainland New Zealand opened yesterday with news that yet another had died in a set net.
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Santana seeking to limit submitters
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Santana seeking to limit submitters
The Australian firm seeking fast-track permission for a massive open-cast gold mine above Bendigo and Tarras has called on the govt to stop locals and experts having a voice in the decision.
Midwives call for nitrate information
Midwives call for nitrate information
Midwives worried about continued high nitrate levels in Gore’s drinking water are calling for easy-access information about contaminant levels in council-run supplies.
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Midwives call for nitrate information
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Midwives call for nitrate information
Midwives worried about continued high nitrate levels in Gore’s drinking water are calling for easy-access information about contaminant levels in council-run supplies.
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‘Choice is gone’ in water reform
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‘Choice is gone’ in water reform
Only weeks after Oamaru residents woke up to the news their water bills were set to skyrocket, the government intervened.
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‘Not true’ Santana has all land it needs
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‘Not true’ Santana has all land it needs
Stock exchange announcements by Santana Minerals saying it has bought all land needed for its proposed goldmine above Bendigo have been labelled as "simply not true" by a community group.
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Nitrate risks just below the surface
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Nitrate risks just below the surface
A nitrate emergency in Canterbury, a temporary water stoppage in Gore and storms across the region beg the question: how safe is the South’s rural drinking water? Mary Williams...
Stuck tourists walking around like 'zombies' in Te Anau
Stuck tourists walking around like 'zombies' in Te Anau
Tourist town Te Anau is barely limping in the face of power and communications outages, with one local describing the situation as a "wake-up call" and a tourist saying everyone looked like "zombies".
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Larger set-net ban to protect hoiho sought
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Larger set-net ban to protect hoiho sought
An environmental group battling the government to save the South Island’s hoiho yellow-eyed penguin from extinction is heading to the High Court.
Fears mine may extend into reserve
Fears mine may extend into reserve
A Tarras community group has warned there could be "open slather" for Otago mining if a proposed goldmine is extended into an adjacent historic reserve.
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'Living museum' found beyond locked gates and fences
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'Living museum' found beyond locked gates and fences
The way was blocked, but one intrepid archaeologist walked the area Santana intends to dig up for gold. Mary Williams walked behind him, into a landscape protected by three agencies.
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Concern talks with mining giant secret
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Concern talks with mining giant secret
Concerns have been raised that council negotiations with a gold mining giant over access to Central Otago conservation land are being held in secret.
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Online post in support of mine deleted
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Online post in support of mine deleted
Shane Jones’ right-hand man has been slapped down by his government department for calling on NZ media to report a "community truth" that most people support a proposed Central Otago open-cast mine.