Author: MIL OSI Publisher

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Resurfacing of Mohaka slow vehicle bay, south of Wairoa, starts next week

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

Work to resurface the State Highway 2 (SH2) Mohaka slow vehicle bay will begin from next Tuesday (14 January.)

The work is expected to take a fortnight to complete and stop/go traffic management will be in place along a stretch of the southbound lane which runs alongside the slow vehicle bay, south of Raupunga.

A temporary speed limit of 30 km/h will also be in place.

Please expect delays of approximately 10 minutes to your journey, as a result of the work.

Crews will be onsite between 6am to 6pm, every day except Sundays. Outside these hours the stop/go will revert to traffic lights and the 30 km/h temporary speed limit will remain in place.

The slow vehicle bay stretches 650 metres just after the Mohaka Rail Viaduct, about 2 kilometres from Raupunga. The slow vehicle bay is currently closed pending this resurfacing work and will reopen once this work is complete.

In the event of bad weather, work will begin on the next fine day and may extend the programme out.

The Mohaka slow vehicle bay is part of Connecting Tairāwhiti, which is a programme of projects providing more slow vehicle bays and more places to pull off the road safely to check messages or take a break on SH2 and SH35 across the Tairāwhiti and northern Hawke’s Bay regions.

Thank you to all road users for your continued patience while this work is carried out.

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Desert Road closed for 2 months from Monday 13 January

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

After the Christmas hiatus, road maintenance is back with a major closure of State Highway 1. The Desert Road, between Tūrangi and Waiouru, will close from 5am on Monday 13 January for approximately 2 months.

As well as reconstructing 16 lane km (3 sites) of road, improving drainage, and clearing about 15km of shoulders, the deck of the Mangatoetoenui Bridge will be replaced.

“The bridge, built in 1966, has a timber deck that is now in poor condition and in need of replacement,” says Roger Brady, Waikato Bay of Plenty Regional Manager of Maintenance and Operations for NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA).

“This job alone would require the road to have been closed for about a month, so being able to do this at the same time as the other maintenance work due is a real win. It does mean there will be a period of up to 4 weeks from 22 January when SH1 is severed, during the time when the bridge has no deck at all.”

The new deck for the Mangatoetoenui Bridge has been designed and is being built in Napier, ready to be shipped once the SH1 closure begins on Monday 13 January. It consists of steel girders and a concrete slab, which will be transported in 2 sections and then ‘stitched’ together once on site. Once the new deck is in place, the Mangatoetoenui Bridge is expected to last another 50 years before it needs replacing.

“In our planning for this closure in January, the average ground temperatures were analysed, as we need this temperature to be a minimum of 13 degrees for the work to be the quality required.

Overnight minimum temperatures start to drop below zero across the Desert Road from March onwards meaning the possibility of ground frosts. Already the area has experienced snow flurries in January, and while these are rare in the summer months, there is more chance of lower temperatures from March onwards,” says Mr Brady.

The detour (from north to south) is via SH41, SH47, SH4, SH49 and back to SH1 in Waiouru. It is the usual recommended detour route whenever the Desert Road is closed and adds around 30 – 40 minutes to journeys. To encourage safe driving on the detours, the speed limit near and through Ohakune will be reduced to 50km/h while the detour is in place. Additional billboards and signage will be in place, and NZ Police have indicated they will have an increased presence on the detour roads.

South of the SH1/SH47 intersection (the “soft closure point” – shown in orange on the map) to the beginning of our first worksite (south of the Tongariro National Trout Centre) remains open for visitors to access the Trout Centre but not SH46. The detour needs to be advised earlier for those on longer journeys so they can use the appropriate state highways. 

The “hard closure” (black area on map) is from Tongariro National Trout Centre to the Desert Road gates near Waiouru. Within this hard closure where all the work is being done, there will be access for those travelling from the north booked with Kaimanawa Alpine Adventures, DOC sites and access roads such as Waipakahi Road or Tukino Access Road, except when the bridge deck is being replaced.

Those driving from the south (Waiouru) will have limited access up to the Mangatoetoenui Bridge. Traffic control staff will be posted at the 3 closure points (Tūrangi, Rangipo, Waiouru). Drivers will need to talk with the traffic controller at the closure point about where they want to access.

There will be further works required to put on the final surface later in the year. This work will, wherever possible, be done at night. The scheduling is still being worked through for when this final surfacing will be done.

This closure is part of a huge maintenance project which started in September 2024 near Tīrau. By doing this work under road closures, more invasive construction methodology can be used which would not be possible under stop/go traffic management. It means SH1 will be quickly brought up to a higher standard.

There is still much more to do before December 2025, flagged as the project finish date. Here are some statistics collected on what’s been done on SH1 in central and southern Waikato since September:

  • Lane kms rebuilt: 45.9km (or 234,773m2)
  • Re-seals completed: 52,828m2
  • Foam bitumen sealing completed: 177,140m2
  • Structural asphalt concrete: 7,870m2
  • Tonnes of metal used: Approximately 114,000
  • Truckloads of metal: Up to 145 loads per site per day
  • Kms of line marking completed:  More than 240km
  • Number of workforce hours to date (road crews): 54,053
  • Number of lost-time injuries: Zero
  • Number of contracting firms utilised: Up to 12 working at once.

This maintenance work forms part of the government’s $2.07 billion investment into road and drainage renewal and maintenance across 2024-27 via the State Highway Pothole Prevention fund.

View/download larger map [PNG, 437 KB]

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Road rebuild to improve section of SH54, east of Feilding

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

Crews have kicked back into gear following the holiday season with road renewal works underway in the Manawatū-Whanganui region.

From Wednesday 15 January, road rebuild works will begin on a section of State Highway 54 (SH54) Kimbolton Road, near the intersection with Ridds Road.

This daytime road maintenance and drainage improvement work will be carried out over 12 weeks, and is expected to be complete by Monday 14 April.

Crews will be working between 6am – 7pm Monday to Friday, including some weekends (weather permitting). During the work, temporary traffic management will be in place 24/7.

Between 6am and 7pm, a section of SH54 will be down to one lane under stop/go traffic management, with a temporary speed limit of 30km/h. Delays of up to 10 minutes are expected. Outside of working hours, temporary traffic lights and a reduced speed limit of 30km/h will be in place at the site.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi acknowledges this work will be disruptive for some road users and appreciates people’s patience while this strengthening work is carried out to make the road more resilient.

Rebuilds involve the removal of the existing road surface and underlying road structure and replacing them with new materials. Rebuilds help improve the overall condition of our state highway network, resulting in stronger, more resilient roads.

Crews will also return in about 12 months to add the second coat of seal on this section of SH54 which waterproofs and further strengthens the road.

The 2024/2025 road renewal season

During the course of the renewal season, which typically runs between October to March when the weather is warmer and drier, it’s anticipated that 17 lane kilometres* of state highway in the region will be rebuilt. Crews have already completed a number of rebuilds on SH1, SH2, and SH54 (Vinegar Hill) so far this construction season.

For more information about the 2024/2025 season:
Manawatū-Whanganui maintenance and operations webpage

Other renewal works currently underway

State Highway 1, Bulls asphalting: Work has begun on SH1/High St in Bulls. A short section of High St is closed each night between 6pm – 6am, with a detour via Criterion St. Stop/go is also in place.

Range of resurfacing road maintenance for SH1 Bulls starts next week

State Highway 56, Opiki rebuild: Work has begun on a section of SH56 in Opiki, between Alve Rd and the SH57 intersection. From 7 January to 7 March, daytime closures are in place each day between 6am – 6pm. The detour is via SH57 or SH1.

SH56 maintenance work at Opiki starting next week

*Lane kilometres are the total length of lanes to be resealed or rehabilitated. For example, resealing both lanes of a 10 kilometre stretch of two-lane highway results in 20 lane kilometres.  

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SH57/Tararua Road roundabout works scheduled to begin next week

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

A reminder that work begins on Monday at the site of the new State Highway 57/Tararua Road roundabout as the first stage of construction gets underway.

During the first stage of work, there will be no access from SH57 to the western section of Tararua Road and a detour will be in place.

Northbound road users will be detoured onto Queen Street East, and those travelling south will be detoured to SH1 via Kimberley Road. This will allow for traffic to steadily flow through SH57, minimising disruption on the highway.

There will also be a 30km/h temporary speed limit on SH57 near the site for the safety of road users and crews.

Crews will be working Monday to Friday between 6am and 6:30pm. Outside these hours, the detour and temporary speed limit will remain during evenings and weekends while the work is completed.

The detour and temporary speed limit are expected to be in place until June. Completion of the roundabout is expected towards the end of the year.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi and Horowhenua District Council (HDC) are working in partnership to build the new roundabout, which will improve safety at this busy intersection and provide a future connection to the new Ōtaki to north of Levin highway and Tara Ika growth area.

We acknowledge the traffic management in place is likely to cause delays and we want to thank everyone for their patience while we make the area safer.

View/download larger map [JPG, 246 KB]

SH57/Tararua Road roundabout project page

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Fruit fly in Auckland – situation update 9 January 2025

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries

Significant work continues in the Auckland suburb of Papatoetoe, with no signs of any further Oriental fruit flies to date, says Mike Inglis, Biosecurity New Zealand commissioner north.

“We have placed more than 100 extra traps in the area, and checking of all of them has not found any signs of other fruit flies so far,” Mr Inglis says.

“Specialist staff in our mobile laboratory, which is set up at our response base in Auckland, have been hard at work examining fruit and vegetables collected from within Zones A and B. They’ve processed more than 100kg of fruit so far and we’ve found no larvae or eggs, which helps to provide assurance that we are not dealing with a breeding population.”

Mr Inglis thanked the community for its efforts and sector groups for their support.

“We’ve surveyed more than 500 local properties and the fruit grown on them, and we’ll continue to talk to residents, local businesses, and groups, including attending local markets over the weekend to provide information to people. The response from the community is greatly appreciated.

“We have more than 150 people working on the response and a good system in place for how to do things thanks to the 12 previous times we have found and successfully eradicated different fruit flies in New Zealand,” Mr Inglis says.

For more information on the fruit fly

For Media enquiries, call 029 894 0328

To report suspected finds of fruit fly, call MPI’s Pest and Diseases Hotline on 0800 80 99 66.

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Fire Safety – Outdoor fires restricted in Te Tai Tokerau Northland

Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand

Te Tai Tokerau Northland will move into a restricted fire season from 8am on Friday 10 January 2025 until further notice.
A restricted fire season means anyone who wants to light an outdoor fire will need a fire permit authorised by Fire and Emergency, which can be applied for at checkitsalright.nz.
Northland District Manager Wipari Henwood says very little or no rain is predicted in the region for the next 10 days, with strong southwest winds continuing.
“Grass is drying out and forecast spike days – where fire risk rises sharply – increase the difficulty of controlling fires quickly once they have started,” he says.
“As we have seen with recent fires, it takes a large number of our fire brigades, many of them volunteers, with supporting resources and aircraft to contain and control wildfires in Northland.”
Large wildfires such as the Waiharara fire in 2021/22 and near Cape Reinga in 2023 required huge resources to combat and control.
“It took eight days to extinguish the Cape Reinga fire at a cost of more than $1.5m, while the Waiharara fire burnt for 50 days at a cost of more than $10m,” Wipari Henwood says.
“It’s these sorts of fires which we are trying to avoid by implementing a restricted fire season now.”
The restricted fire season covers all of Te Tai Tokerau Northland including Muriwhenua, where a restricted fire season is already in place.
All Department of Conservation land on islands in Northland remain in a prohibited fire season, which means all outdoor fires are banned.
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Stats NZ information release: Household labour force survey estimated working-age population: December 2024 quarter

Source: Statistics New Zealand

Household labour force survey estimated working-age population: December 2024 quarter – information release – 9 January 2025 – The household labour force survey estimated working-age population table shows the population benchmarks used to produce household labour force survey estimates for the upcoming labour market statistics release. 

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Animal Welfare – SAFE calls for release of delayed rodeo code of welfare following two deaths

Source: SAFE For Animals

Animal rights organisation SAFE is reinforcing its call for the immediate release of the revised rodeo code of welfare following the deaths of two animals over the new year period.
The first fatality was of a horse used in the Taupō rodeo. The horse was exhibiting lameness following the event in Taupō on 29 December and was killed the following day.
SAFE Campaign Manager Emily Hall says the 23-year-old horse had likely endured years of exploitation in rodeo.
“No animal should suffer and die for entertainment” says Hall. This horse’s tragic death is yet another example of the mistreatment deeply embedded in the rodeo industry”.
The second death on December 30 occurred at the Te Anau rodeo, where a three-year-old bull’s hind leg was dislocated during the bull riding event. He was killed on-site.
“This bull’s leg literally came out of its hip socket” says Hall. “The pain and torment these animals are subjected to is absolutely appalling.”
SAFE asserts these most recent injuries and deaths are indisputable examples of rodeo being in breach of New Zealand’s animal welfare laws and underscore the urgent need for Government action.
“Our Animal Welfare Act states that any physical handling of animals must be done in a way that minimises the likelihood of unnecessary pain or distress, and rodeo practices clearly violate this legislation” says Hall.
“Animals forced to participate in rodeo are subjected to extreme psychological and physical trauma and we should have seen these barbaric events outlawed a long time ago”.
SAFE understands the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (NAWAC) drafted a revised rodeo code of welfare two years ago, however no further steps have been taken either by the NAWAC or Andrew Hoggard, the Minister responsible for Animal Welfare.
“These delays are costing animals their lives”. says Hall. “While NAWAC and the Animal Welfare Minister hold up progress on the revised code of welfare, animals are enduring unnecessary suffering at these brutal events.”
SAFE highlights that the physical pain and distress rodeo practices inflict on animals not only breaches their legal rights, but also goes against Kiwis expectations of animal welfare, particularly as rodeo is promoted as a family-friendly event.
“We continue to call attention to the significant disconnect between what the rodeo industry considers a sport, and the harm inflicted upon the animals in their care”.
“We were deeply concerned to discover that horse trainer Kurtis Pertab, who received a disqualification last year for abusing horses, has been participating in recent rodeo events across the country.” says Hall. “This is yet another indicator that rodeo clubs simply do not take animal welfare seriously enough”.
Following the Government’s 10 December announcement confirming a ban on greyhound racing, SAFE emphasises the similarities with animals being used and abused for the entertainment of a very small minority.
“Rodeo, like greyhound racing, has no place in a society that values compassion for animals” says Hall.
“No animal should have to endure extreme trauma or catastrophic injuries in the name of entertainment, and we are calling on NAWAC and Minister Hoggard to release the revised rodeo code of welfare as a matter of urgency.” 
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Climate News – NIWA Seasonal Climate Outlook January-March 2025

Source: NIWA

Changing airflows mean changing weather from here till March and, to quote our principal forecaster Chris Brandolino, “La Nina hasn’t gone away”. In short, it’s going to be mixed.
– There is an increased likelihood of more westerly quarter (SW to NW) winds than previously indicated. However, this pattern is expected to be interspersed with easterly quarter (SE to NE) air flows, especially during periods of La Niña-like weather.
– There is enhanced potential for rain events linked to the tropics and sub-tropics to impact the country from mid-January through to March. Apart from the west and east of the South Island, the rest of New Zealand has about equal chances for near normal or above normal rainfall for the coming three months.
– Air temperatures are likely to be above average for the North Island, with about equal chances for near average or above average seasonal temperatures for the South Island. The change in air flow patterns, as noted above, increases the odds for spells of cooler than usual summertime temperatures.
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Entangled dolphin near Auckland now freed

Source: Department of Conservation

Date:  09 January 2025

The juvenile/subadult dolphin, which was travelling with a fully grown dolphin, was first reported to DOC’s hotline on 29 December.

DOC Operations Manager, Kirsty Prior, says the team located the dolphin and its companion at 12:50 pm yesterday.

“The disentanglement team were able to get a working line with grapnel and floats on the animal. This allowed the team to bring the dolphin close to the boat and work carefully with specialist knives to cut it free by 1:54 pm.

“We monitored the area for several hours and can confirm the dolphin is free of the entanglement and swimming strongly.

“It will now likely take time to heal and rest after before moving out of the area. Please give the dolphins space during this time.

“We would like to thank everyone who called the hotline, the public were vital in helping our team do their job successfully”, says Kirsty.

Jocelin Friend from Te Kawerau ā Maki welcomed the invitation to be on the vessel and see the disentanglement take place.

“Te Wai Roa ō Kahu and Rangitōpuni awa are our ancestral waterways. Our duty as kaitiaki is to ensure our taonga species are treated with utmost care.

“I was impressed with how the team worked together swiftly, carefully and in respect of tikanga Māori to safely free the dolphin”, says Jocelin.

A reminder to everyone to stay vigilant on the water and keep their distance from marine mammals and to report any sightings to 0800 DOC HOT (0800 36 24 68).

Contact

For media enquiries contact:

Email: media@doc.govt.nz