Drivers on the Hibiscus Coast are being warned about urgent overnight maintenance on State Highway 1 between Grand Drive, Orewa and Millwater after damage to wire ropes in an incident over the weekend.Truck Crash Causes Motorway DelaysNZTA says site investigation will take place tonight, Monday, November 24, between 12am and 5am to confirm the scope of repairs.The main repair work is scheduled for Tuesday, November 25 and Thursday, November 27 between 9pm and 5am.Lane restrictions will be in place in both directions on SH1 while crews fix the damaged wire rope barriers.Traffic will still be able to travel north and south throughout the work, but drivers are asked to slow down and follow all traffic management instructions.The work is weather dependent, so timings may change if conditions do not allow crews to work safely.Know something local worth sharing?Send it to [email protected] — we’ll help spread the word.

Last week the New Zealand dollar fell to multi-year lows against a broad range of currencies.The Kiwi had fallen about 1 percent in the past day to a seven-month low against a stronger US dollar, at just below 56 US cents.It also returned to a near 13 year low against the Australian currency, and was at 13 year lows against the British pound and the Chinese yuan.The trade weighted Kiwi, based on the value of a basket of currencies of New Zealand's main trading partners, was touching a five year low.ANZ currency strategists said there was a wide range of factors buffeting global currency markets."With Bitcoin struggling and risk appetite on the back foot, the consequences for the Kiwi and Aussie were severe," they said in a market note.The US dollar was broadly stronger with falling expectations of a further interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve, and a move by investors for the safe haven of the greenback."We're heading into very important releases in the US, so naturally there's a bit of wait-and-see momentum, although the momentum seems to be in favour of the dollar," said Francesco Pesole, FX strategist at ING.Another factor making investors wary has been the decline in the Japanese yen since the new Prime Minister Takaichi took office amid talk of a major stimulus package."The currency has been on a weakening trend since Takaichi won the LDP leadership vote early October and at some point the MoF [Ministry of Finance] will be forced into some currency intervention to stem the rout," BNZ senior markets strategist Jason Wong said.The Kiwi's attraction has also been reduced by the weak state of the economy, the softening in dairy prices, and the likelihood of another Reserve Bank cash rate cut next week.The New Zealand dollar is one of the most traded currencies in investment markets because it is freely tradable and its level is not regulated or set by authorities, but is prone to being sold off when investors are nervous.A weaker Kiwi usually means better export returns but also makes imports more expensive.

Silverdale’s Jetts Millwater opens a much larger second-level training space from midday on Tuesday, November 25.The gym at 175 Millwater Parkway, Unit 19, is growing by about 70 percent, with all new strength equipment, a fresh functional training area and more room for members to move.Jetts New Zealand marketing manager John Cruickshank says the club has awesome members and the team wanted to give them a greater and expanded training experience.Coasties can expect a brighter layout, more training choices and a little more breathing space at peak times, all close to home.Anyone curious about the changes can try the club for free with a three day trial and talk to the team during staffed hours to see what suits their fitness goals.Know something local worth sharing?Send it to [email protected] — we’ll help spread the word.

Plans for Takapuna’s A F Thomas Park, a key flood protection site in the Wairau catchment, are now under review after public consultation closed on Sunday, November 23.From 20 October to 23 November 2025, Auckland Council asked residents how the 44-hectare park should balance flood storage, public golf and wider recreation.The project team will now present the results to the Kaipātiki Local Board, which is expected to decide on the park’s future in early 2026.The park is named after Arthur Frederick Thomas, who served as mayor of Takapuna from 1965 to 1986.In the late 1960s he led opposition to plans to redevelop the municipal golf course beside the Northern Motorway into a regional centre.In recognition of his role in keeping the land as public open space, the course was officially renamed A F Thomas Park in 1971.Today the park sits in one of the areas hardest hit by the 2023 Anniversary floods and has been identified as critical stormwater storage.It is intended to anchor a wider “blue-green” network of wetlands, streams and parks that reduce flood risk while creating new public spaces.Residents were asked to comment on options ranging from keeping an 18-hole public course with upgrades to shifting land into walking and cycling tracks, sports fields, playgrounds and event areas.For people on the Hibiscus Coast who travel to the North Shore for work, hospital visits or sport, the final call will affect both future flood resilience and where they might spend their leisure time.Seen something local we should cover?Let us know at [email protected]

A new national education law is reshaping how schools and universities work, affecting families and students on the Hibiscus Coast.The Education and Training Amendment Act 2025, passed in November, makes raising educational achievement the top priority for every school board, with new supporting objectives around attendance and assessment.At the same time, it removes the explicit obligation on boards to give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Instead, boards must seek equitable outcomes for Māori students, take all reasonable steps to provide teaching and learning in te reo Māori when parents or caregivers ask for it, and ensure school policies and practices reflect New Zealand’s cultural diversity.Every school must now have an attendance plan. Most need this in place by late January 2026, while distance schools have until July 2026. The strike notice period has also changed, with schools required to give seven days’ warning instead of three so families have more time to plan care.Boards do not need to produce a new long-term strategic plan in 2026. The next plans are due in 2027, while annual plans and reports for 2025 and 2026 still go ahead. Other changes remove the Minister’s power to issue national education and learning priorities, and tighten teacher education and Teaching Council settings, including a ministerial majority on the Council.Universities must now publish a statement on freedom of expression, set up a complaints process for academic freedom and free speech, and report on these in their annual reports, alongside other measures intended to support the wider education system.For Coast families, this means local schools and universities their young people attend will be working under clearer rules on achievement, attendance, strikes and free speech from 2026.Seen something local we should cover?Let us know at [email protected]

Air NZ cabin crew will strike on next month after months of negotiations failed to secure a fair deal on pay and conditions.Around 1250 E tū cabin crew across the international, domestic, and regional fleets will stop work for 24 hours on Monday, 8 December.Unions have been negotiating with Air NZ since April.Crew are unhappy with Air NZ's latest offer, saying it does not reflect the responsibilities, pressures, or fatigue risks that come with their work.An anonymous crew member said Air NZ was expecting more from crew without addressing core safety and fatigue concerns."Air New Zealand is prioritising efficiency over crew wellbeing," they said."They're asking us to be more productive when our rosters are already stretched, and that increases the risk of fatigue. Fatigue in aviation is dangerous, affecting the safety of both crew and passengers.""We're also being asked to trade away hard-won conditions just to get an inflation-level pay rise, and that isn't a fair deal."The staffer said the overall mood across the fleet has been steadily deteriorating."Right now, morale is low. Crew feel disconnected from management, undervalued, and ignored. The company talks about people being its biggest asset, but the offer on the table doesn't show that."Air NZ said it received formal strike notices from E tū and FAANZ on behalf of around 80 percent of its cabin crew.Air NZ chief executive officer Nikhil Ravishankar said strike action on regional fleets is planned to take place at various times between 5am and 11pm on 8 December. For domestic and international fleets, strike action would take place at various times between 12.01am and 11.59pm on 8 December."We deeply value our cabin crew and acknowledge the important role they play in our airline," Ravishankar said."They deliver the experience our customers love and represent the warmth and professionalism of Air New Zealand. We remain committed to working with the unions to reach a fair and sustainable outcome that recognises the valuable contribution of our crew while balancing the affordability of travel for our customers and the challenging economic environment we're operating in."Ravishankar said Air NZ is doing everything it can to minimise disruption for customers."If the strike goes ahead, the airline is committed to supporting any impacted customers. This will include rebooking, and may include providing meals and refreshments and accommodation if required. We will do everything we can to get customers to their destination as soon as possible while keeping them informed throughout their journey."Affected travellers would be contacted directly as soon as more information becomes available, Ravishankar said."We remain hopeful that we can reach a fair agreement."E tū said negotiations will continue this week.

Welcome to The Week That Was.Your go-to recap of important news, stories, and updates for the Hibiscus Coast community.Orewa Santa Parade Brings Christmas Magic BackRead more →Check Kids’ Craft Sand After Asbestos RecallRead more →Four Orewa Businesses Hit, No Arrests YetRead more →Four In Gulf Harbour Body Case Sack LawyersRead more →How Redvale Landfill Extension Hits Hibiscus CoastRead more →Your Coast. Your news. Your app.Download the Hibiscus Coast App for instant local updates. Anytime, anywhere.Know something local worth sharing?Send it to [email protected] — we’ll help spread the word.

Shoppers on the Hibiscus Coast could soon see digital food labels as the Government tests new rules for supermarkets.Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis and Food Safety Minister Andrew Hoggard have launched public consultation on a proposal to trial digital labels for lower risk imported foods in New Zealand.Under the Food Act, the Government must consult before changing food regulations.Nicola Willis says one barrier to new supermarkets entering the New Zealand market is the cost of re-labelling pre-packaged products to meet New Zealand and Australian standards. Retailers would still need to give shoppers information about allergens, ingredients and nutrition, but they would not have to pay to re-label products. Instead, information could be provided in store and online through on-shelf QR codes, in-store digital labels, websites and mobile apps.“If successful, the proposed trial would make it easier for new supermarkets to get established in New Zealand,” Nicola Willis says. Andrew Hoggard says physical labelling can be a costly barrier and that if digital labelling can provide extra flexibility, “we should. It’s about fixing what matters.”Products in the trial would be imported from trusted trading partners with strong food regulatory systems and must still meet the Food Act, the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code and all other relevant law. Food must remain safe and suitable, with food affordability described as front of mind.Public consultation on the trial closes on Friday, December 19. Members of the public can have your say before then.Seen something local we should cover?Let us know at [email protected]

Daytime works on SH1 between Silverdale and Oteha Valley Road will bring southbound lane restrictions next week.From Monday 24 to Friday 28 November, crews will be working between 11am and 8pm each day to install a fence near the southbound lanes between the Silverdale interchange and Oteha Valley Road.During this period there will be lane restrictions for southbound traffic, but vehicles will still be able to travel south at all times. Drivers are asked to slow down and follow traffic management instructions through the work area.Nearby properties may notice increased noise while the work is underway, and motorists should allow extra time for possible delays while the lane restrictions are in place.Know something local worth sharing?Send it to [email protected] — we’ll help spread the word.

The Government has added feral cats to New Zealand's Predator Free 2050 goal to protect wildlife and support communities.Conservation Minister Tama Potaka says people want reserves, beaches and bush tracks full of birds, not predators, and this change is meant to back that up. Feral cats are found across the country, from farms to forests, and they put heavy pressure on native birds, bats, lizards and insects. They also spread toxoplasmosis, which harms dolphins, affects people, and costs farmers through lost stock.A review of the Predator Free Strategy drew nearly 3,400 submissions, with more than 90 percent backing stronger feral cat control. “New Zealanders were clear. They want action,” Mr Potaka says.Adding feral cats to the Predator Free 2050 target list will:Support national coordination of feral cat controlLet Predator Free groups apply for funding to target feral catsBoost research into effective and humane tools and technologyStrengthen efforts to protect threatened speciesExamples already show the damage. More than 100 short-tailed bats were lost in a week near Ohakune, and pukunui/southern dotterel on Stewart Island came close to extinction.Pet cats are not part of the target. Mr Potaka says the country is full of proud cat owners, and that desexing, microchipping and keeping pets away from wildlife still matter.For communities such as the Hibiscus Coast, the move means local predator projects can seek stronger backing to protect birdlife in favourite reserves and coastal spots, with more detail due in a revised Predator Free Strategy in March 2026.Know something local worth sharing?Send it to [email protected] — we’ll help spread the word.

Drivers on the Northern Motorway near Orewa face heavy delays today after a truck crash near the Millwater off-ramp.Police say the crash was reported just after 11.30am and involved a truck on the motorway close to the Millwater exit.There are no reports of injury, but the incident has caused significant congestion in both northbound and southbound lanes.Motorists are being urged to expect delays in the area or use an alternative route while the scene is cleared and traffic slowly eases.Seen something local we should cover?Let us know at [email protected]

Auckland engineering students are turning wasted bread into flour in a trial that could cut food waste for Coasties.At University of Auckland, civil and environmental engineering students have teamed up with Auckland upcycling company Rescued Kitchen to study flour made from unsold supermarket loaves.Bread is one of the most wasted foods in the world, with about ten percent of all manufactured bread ending up as waste.Globally that is around 900,000 tonnes a year, including roughly 24,000 tonnes in New Zealand, much of it headed for landfill.In a course led by senior lecturer Dr Febelyn Reguyal, students ran a life cycle assessment comparing Rescued Kitchen’s bread flour with imported wheat flour from Australia.They looked at energy use, emissions, land use and water consumption.Their reports to co-founders Diane Stanbra and Royce Bold found the upcycled flour uses far less water, land and fossil fuels and produces much lower carbon emissions.Reguyal says the project gives students real-world practice in tackling industry problems.“These findings will guide the Rescued team by identifying which stages and processes can further improve environmental performance,” she says.By June 2025, Rescued Kitchen had already processed more than 170 tonnes of surplus bread, fruit and vegetables and saved over 75,000kg of CO₂ emissions.For households on the Hibiscus Coast, that kind of work points to a future where less of the weekly shop ends up in landfill and more of it is baked back into something useful.Seen something local we should cover?Let us know at [email protected]

Making plans?Here’s what’s coming up around the Hibiscus Coast. From live music and local markets to family fun and outdoor adventures.Raising Healthy Families SeminarSat 22 Nov Click here for more detailsThe Eagles Experience Motel CaliforniaSat 22 Nov Click here for more detailsSilverdale Night MarketSun 23 NovClick here for more details Find more things to do anytime in the Hibiscus Coast App, your local hub for events, food, and fun.Have an event coming up? List your Event for FREE now.

Dairy Flat residents are watching closely as Auckland weighs a plan to keep Redvale Landfill open into the mid-2030s.The site, which first opened in 1993 and now takes about half of Auckland’s rubbish, was meant to stop accepting waste in December 2028.Its owner, WM New Zealand, has asked the Government for fast-track consent to keep Redvale Landfill & Energy Park operating until around 2036, because the planned replacement site at Wayby Valley is tied up in appeals and not expected to open until the mid-2030s.That leaves a gap where Auckland still needs to safely manage around 600,000 tonnes of waste a year.From the council’s side, this interim plan sits uncomfortably beside its Waste Minimisation and Management Plan, which aims for Zero Waste by 2040, focuses on cutting waste at the source and calls landfill the least preferred option.The council notes that landfilled organics create major greenhouse gas emissions and that current waste facilities are fragmented across many operators, while it directly controls only about 20 percent of what goes to landfill.Redvale neighbours have long expected closure in 2028 and have raised serious concerns about odour, health and ongoing social and environmental impacts.For people on the Hibiscus Coast, this debate is part of a bigger question about how Auckland handles its rubbish in the years ahead.Coasties can expect more talk about waste, climate goals and fair treatment for affected communities as the proposal is considered.Seen something local we should cover?Let us know at [email protected]

Coasties, here’s what the next four days have in store:Friday, 21/11Fine with some cloud, light southerly turning westerly later.High: 24Low: 15Saturday, 22/11Fine and warm with light southerly winds.High: 23Low: 16Sunday, 23/11Mostly cloudy, chance of a shower and fresh southerly.High: 22Low: 15Monday, 24/11Partly cloudy with a few showers and a nor’easter developing.High: 23Low: 16See the full Weather & Travel section in the Hibiscus Coast App for:🌊 Tide times🌬️ Wind conditions🌊 Wave updates🌞 UV levels🏖️ Safe swimming spots...and plenty more.The Hibiscus Coast App has everything you need, accessible at any time and from any location.

A new stalking law with penalties of up to five years in jail passed Parliament yesterday. It creates a clear crime for stalking and harassment that also protects people on the Hibiscus Coast.The Crimes Legislation (Stalking and Harassment) Amendment Bill defines a new offence for patterns of behaviour that an offender knows are likely to cause fear or distress. A pattern means at least two specified acts within two years.Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith said the change is long overdue after years where stalkers could cause serious emotional, psychological and economic harm without clear legal consequences.“Stalking and harassment is vicious, sinister and can be deadly,” he said. “Parliament has sent a clear message that this behaviour has to stop.”The Bill lists stalking behaviours such as watching or following someone, unwanted contact, and damaging a person’s reputation or relationships. It also includes a Police notice system and sets out legal defences.The law will come into force in May 2026, six months after it receives Royal assent. The delay allows time for training for Police, court staff and judges, and for public information to be prepared.Know something local worth sharing?Send it to [email protected] — we’ll help spread the word.

Orewa Beach will host fast paced beach sprint rowing from 8.30am this Saturday, November 22. The Beach Sprints NZ Summer Series 1 brings coastal rowing back to the Hibiscus Coast, with short, high intensity races that are designed to be watched from the sand. In beach sprint rowing two crews go head to head in knockout races that last only a few minutes, with the winner progressing and the other crew out. Each race starts with a run off the beach, a fast launch into the boat, a 250 metre sprint out to sea, tight turns around a series of buoys, then a flat out charge back to shore. Rowers jump out, race up the sand and hit the finish buzzer, often ending with a full length dive across the line. It is a very different challenge from flat water rowing, with waves, currents, one on one racing and explosive transitions all shaping the result. Beach sprint rowing has grown quickly in recent years and is set to make its Olympic debut in Los Angeles 2028, so Coasties can expect a thrilling, unpredictable day of racing right on their doorstep.Know something local worth sharing?Send it to [email protected] — we’ll help spread the word.

Life expectancy in New Zealand has increased dramatically over the past five decades. In 1970, men lived on average to 68. Today, it’s over 80.These gains reflect major advances in public health and medical technology. But living longer can mean more years with multiple chronic conditions and disabilities, because age is a significant risk factor for most disease.This demographic shift will reshape healthcare. Future health professionals will need to be aware of the increasingly complex social, technological and ethical challenges of caring for older people.Ageism, or discrimination based on a person’s age, should be considered as one of these challenges.Age influences how health concerns are interpreted. In a recent World Health Organization report, nearly 60% of health professionals admitted to making age-based (or ageist) assumptions about their patients’ abilities or needs.Genuine symptoms are dismissed as part of normal ageing, leading to flawed decisions. There is evidence that older people are also under-treated, raising the risk of disease progression.Other consequences include missed diagnoses. Inequalities occur where there is limited access to services or inclusion criteria are set to exclude people over 65.There is the potential for this kind of thinking to creep into health professional education. It shows up in stereotypes that appear in case studies for learning, or in the way programmes are structured and in the kinds of clinical placements that are used.Why ageism matters in healthcareOur national nursing programme review in the polytechnic sector looked at New Zealand student nurses’ experiences.It shows case studies often favoured information about older people with dementia, falls or end of life care. They rarely reflected active ageing or older adults’ resilience and agency.Health professionals may adopt ageist attitudes from the rest of society. Student nurses begin their training programmes having been subject to both societal and cultural narratives about the role and importance of older people.Nurse education programmes often communicated underlying beliefs about the complexity of care. Placements in aged residential care were typically scheduled in the first year of nursing, implying the work was basic if new students could do it.Almost all nursing students were allocated to an aged-care facility where the frailest 7% of older people live. This reinforces a narrative that older adults are a homogeneous population of dependent, vulnerable people.It misses the opportunity to teach health promotion for people who are older but remain active and independent.What students sawStudents’ reflections highlighted the realities of aged residential care and the impact of their perceptions. One participant said:While on placement, I saw how conveyor belt life was for the residents. It broke my heart. Residents had lost their individual identities and all fun was gone. The nurses and healthcare assistant staff were all so busy and didn’t have much time to interact on personal levels with each resident.Others noted systemic issues:People [nurses and carers] in aged residential care do not get paid what they are worth. This severely needs to be changed. They work so hard to not get appreciated as much as they deserve. [They are] constantly understaffed making the workload insurmountable and overwhelming.Some worried about career stigma:Being a new graduate and working in aged care would make me unemployable in other areas of nursing.These comments illustrate how education and system design shape the attitudes of the future nursing workforce towards ageing and aged care. They also highlight the crucial role clinical placements have in shaping future career choices.Tackling ageism starts in educationThe programme review and student comments demonstrate how ageism influences learning, from case studies portraying older people as less capable to placements that equate ageing with frailty and funding systems that appear to devalue older people.Addressing these issues starts with obvious steps, such as more appropriate design of learning materials and using placements that reflect a spectrum of health needs in later life.For students who have little experience of older people, fostering inter-generational connection and building empathy can be a powerful tool to reduce ageist stereotypes.But there is one more area to which we should be alert: ageism is in fact an emerging social determinant of health in later life.There is a high risk that ageism will compound existing health inequities as Māori, Pacific people and rainbow communities grow olderPreparing the future healthcare workforce means recognising the diverse realities of ageing in contemporary New Zealand. If we want healthcare to meet the needs of an ageing population, education must reflect this complexity.Tackling ageism in healthcare professional education is a critical first step.Author - Samantha Heath, Senior Lecturer in Nursing, University of Waikato.Know something local worth sharing?Send it to [email protected] — we’ll help spread the word.

Four people charged over the death of a woman whose body was found in plastic bags in the waters of Auckland's Gulf Harbour, have chosen to represent themselves at their trial next year.The body, which was discovered by a fisherman in March last year, was later identified as 70-year-old Shulai Wang.Two men and two women are facing charges of kidnapping and manslaughter, and are set to face trial in May next year.All have interim name suppression.The younger of the men is also facing additional charges of perverting the course of justice and giving false information to immigration officers.At an administrative appearance at the High Court in Auckland on Wednesday, their lawyer Ron Mansfield told the court the four defendants wanted to act on their own behalf for their trial, and he was withdrawing from the case.Justice Mathew Downs spoke to each of the defendants, two of whom needed the assistance of a Mandarin interpreter, to confirm their decision."You understand that you and other defendants are facing a serious charge as manslaughter," Justice Downs asked the younger of the two male defendants.The defendant said "We understand".Asked if he wished to represent himself, the man said: "yes we all do".Justice Downs said he would ask each of the defendants separately as the man shouldn't be able to speak for all the others.He also told the man "I don't know a human on the earth that would recommend you defend yourself", but later added he respected their decision.The younger of the two female defendants also told the judge that she wished to defend herself in trial.The remaining two defendants, who required interpretation, appeared confused when asked by Justice Downs what they wanted to do in the criminal trial.Justice Downs told the younger male defendant that he could appoint standby lawyers to help them with their defences, and asked if he would like to do that.The defendant said, "we still prefer we can communicate directly with the court so there will be no misunderstanding".Justice Downs approved Mansfield's application to withdraw from the case and said he needed to reflect on what should be done in relation to the defendants.He set a date in December to discuss with the defendants about their decision to self-represent, and whether standby lawyers will be appointed for each of them.