SPCA is calling for an urgent review of the Dog Control Act 1996 following a fatal dog attack in Northland.The organisation says the tragedy marks the fourth fatal dog attack in four years in New Zealand and the third in Northland.“Our thoughts are with the woman’s whānau and the wider community during this incredibly heartbreaking time," says SPCA Chief Scientific Officer Dr Arnja Dale.She says New Zealand’s current approach to dog control is not fit for purpose and is urging a substantive review of the 30-year-old law.SPCA is calling for reinstatement of Central Government grants to councils to subsidise desexing of menacing and roaming dogs, and for standardised national guidelines on actions after a dog bite incident, incorporating tools such as the Dunbar Bite Scale.“There is no single silver bullet,” Dr Dale says.“Effective prevention relies on strong legislation, consistent enforcement, responsible breeding oversight, desexing, early behavioural intervention and public education. What is needed now is leadership from Central Government and a comprehensive, substantive review of this outdated law.”The organisation says it has been engaging with successive ministers since 2015 and wrote again to the minister on Wednesday morning requesting a meeting.It says while it welcomes the Department of Internal Affairs’ work to update operational guidance for councils, guidance alone cannot resolve weaknesses in the primary legislation.Public concern is reflected in two parliamentary petitions before a Select Committee calling for modernisation of the law.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

Auckland councillors are split on what to make of the government's sudden change of heart on intensification.Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced on Thursday the number of homes Auckland Council must plan for would be reduced from 2 million to 1.6m, but only if it submitted a plan that was approved by the central government.The need for approval from Wellington outraged Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown."We're not doing this in order to go to the government and to the Cabinet and ask for their approval," he said after the announcement."I mean, the Cabinet mostly don't even live in Auckland, so that's not going to happen."Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown. Photo: RNZ/Marika KhabaziNorth Shore ward councillor and chairperson of the Policy, Planning and Development Committee, Richard Hills, agreed with Brown that the need to seek approval from the government was "very strange"."That was a bit of a surprise, we knew the number was being dropped but we were surprised this week that there would be some sort of intermediate phase where we would have to take the potential changes to Cabinet to sign off before they give us the legislation," he told RNZ."The mayor's been very clear that Auckland should not be going back to Cabinet, we are responsible to the people of Auckland, not Cabinet, so I'm not sure exactly how we'll negotiate that out."It is a strange precedent, it's normally left up to the different parts of the country to work out their own plans ... I'm not exactly sure what the expectation is, I mean, what happens if the Cabinet don't exactly agree with the direction of change? Will we have to go back and forward?"North Shore ward councillor Richard Hills. Photo: Alexia RussellThe council also had little time to come up with the new plan, as Hills explained it had not been given an extension to its mid-2027 deadline."The end date for the plan being complete is still the same, so there's going to be no extension on the other end, so whatever we do has to be quick, and it has to be quite focused on reducing some of the density in the outer areas of Auckland," he said.Another councillor, Albert-Eden-Puketāpapa's Christine Fletcher, felt the government's request was fair."I'm comfortable with the guardrails that the government are putting in place," she said."We should have to justify where we're looking to downzone, we should have to justify where we're wanting the intensification, and so I'm quite comfortable with the process going forward."Albert-Eden-Puketāpapa councillor Christine Fletcher. Photo: RNZ / Finn BlackwellAnne Moore, an east Auckland resident neighbouring a controversial three-storey development in Farm Cove, was pleased to hear the target for intensification had been lowered.She said recent intensification in the suburbs had damaged National's reputation, and wondered if Thursday's U-turn was a reaction to that sentiment."I talk to people every day out here, residents are saying they're worried ACT and Winston [Peters] are going to get their votes. It's really been a big issue out here in east Auckland particularly, and they've been voicing how they feel," she said."They don't want [intensification], or they want it done in a measured way and they want it done so we're aware of what's going on in our suburbs. [Ministers] don't live where these things are happening and yet they won't listen to the people that live there."Moore hoped the lower target would push the council to take a more considered approach."That was always the hope, that if they reduced the number that would mean the focus would be on central city and transport hub development, rather than turning every suburb into a three-storied townhouse situation," she said.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

For Hibiscus Coast households keeping a close eye on the grocery bill, new data shows many Kiwis see food waste as wasted money.2026 Cooking & Eating Global Report shows 64% of cost-conscious Kiwis think throwing away food wastes money.For the first time since opening in New Zealand, IKEA has included 1,001 interviews across Aotearoa in its global study, alongside 30 other countries.Based on more than 30,000 people surveyed in 31 countries, the report found 69% of New Zealanders consciously try to reduce food waste, compared with 63% globally. It also found 47% use food storage to keep food fresh for longer, versus 26% globally, and 36% cook with home-grown food, compared with 21% worldwide.New Zealanders also reported stronger sustainable food behaviours than the global average. The report found 48% use energy-efficient appliances, 47% buy seasonal produce, 30% buy fewer packaged products, 40% cook or prepare food for several meals at a time, and 62% cook from scratch. In addition, 63% prioritise reusable shopping bags, 44% plan meals in advance, and almost one in two do one big weekly shop rather than multiple grocery visits.“These insights show just how deeply sustainability is woven into everyday life in Aotearoa. The food sourcing, preparing, cooking and eating behaviours of New Zealanders reflect a strong national identity shaped by connection to the land, a desire to minimise waste, save money, and a practical, thoughtful approach to everyday living, values that align closely with our vision at IKEA.” said Edward Hincks, Home Furnishing and Retail Design Manager, IKEA New Zealand.The report states that IKEA’s food storage solutions are designed to support behaviours such as reducing food waste, planning meals, and keeping food fresher for longer.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

Coasties, here’s what the next four days have for us.Friday, 20/2A few early showers then fine spells, isolated evening showers, wind swings NW to SWHigh: 24Low: 15Saturday, 21/2Fine to mostly sunny, fairly breezy from the south westHigh: 23Low: 15Sunday, 22/2Partly cloudy with sun and cloud, fairly breezy west to sou’westerHigh: 24Low: 16Monday, 23/2Fine with some sun and cloud, southerly easing in the morningHigh: 25Low: 15See the full Weather section in the app for:🌊 Tides🌬️ Wind☔ Rain radar🌞 UV levels🏖️ Safe swimming spots...and more.The Hibiscus Coast App has everything you need for the region, accessible at any time and from any location.

Auckland’s average asking price rose to $1,040,150 in January, putting it back above $1 million.Trade Me Property said the national average asking price rebounded to $857,000 in January. That was up 7 per cent from December and flat year-on-year.Trade Me Property’s figures show Auckland was the most expensive region again after the Bay of Plenty briefly led in December. Auckland’s average asking price rose more than 9 per cent month-on-month.Trade Me Property Customer Director Gavin Lloyd said it was “interesting to compare and contrast” Auckland and the Bay of Plenty. He said Auckland prices were still 3.5 per cent behind January 2025, while Bay of Plenty was down 0.5 per cent month-on-month but up more than 4 per cent year-on-year.Lloyd said Auckland has seen more properties under $800,000, which he described as the typical first-home buyer bracket. He said Bay of Plenty has had a higher percentage of properties over $2 million.Lloyd said Trade Me Property search activity was up 40 per cent on December and 23 per cent year-on-year. He said Auckland search interest was up 45 per cent month-on-month and 19 per cent year-on-year.Supply rose from December but was still down 8 per cent compared with January 2025. Nelson/Tasman, Marlborough and Northland were among the regions that recorded month-on-month falls.The West Coast and Southland reached record high average asking prices in January, and Gisborne also hit a record high. Trade Me currently shows 1,018 residential property listings across Arkles Bay, Army Bay, Big Manly, Dairy Flat and other Hibiscus Coast suburbs, ranging from $250,000 to $10 million.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

Late summer sun, live music and the smell of street food set the scene by the sand this weekend.The Annual Boulevard Arts Fiesta runs Saturday, February 21 from 11am to 5pm on Moana Reserve, along Hibiscus Coast Highway, bringing a full day of entertainment, markets and family activities to the Hibiscus Coast.This quintessential beachside fiesta features a main stage of local music, dance and performances, with buskers adding to the soundtrack across the reserve.Art “give it a go” stations will be set up through the park, offering hands-on creative activities throughout the day.More than 150 artisan market stalls will line the boulevard, joined by 20 plus food trucks serving a wide range of food.Children’s amusement rides, clowns and activities will be spread across the grassed reserve beside the shoreline, creating a steady buzz from the stage to the water’s edge.The forecast is fine and warm for Saturday, setting up settled conditions for a full afternoon and early evening by the beach.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

The Infrastructure Commission has moved to clarify its suggestion around tolling the Auckland Harbour Bridge, with the government considering whether a toll will help pay for a new Waitematā Harbour crossing.The government has been at pains to stress no decisions have been made around tolling the existing bridge, and the Infrastructure Commission said it was not specifically recommending a toll over options like targeted levies.In the National Infrastructure Plan, published on Tuesday, the Infrastructure Commission said new revenue would be needed to help fund a new crossing, and a $9 toll on the existing bridge and the new crossing could raise between $7 billion to $9 billion.On Tuesday, Transport Minister Chris Bishop said it was a "big decision" for the country to make, and a decision he would not get ahead of.Infrastructure Commission chairperson Geoff Cooper told RNZ the plan highlighted that given New Zealand already invested a large proportion of its infrastructure spend in transport, there was a need to increase user revenues if additional major projects were to be added to the network."This could mean increasing existing charges, introducing new charges like tolls, or investing in ways that increase usage and growing the revenue base," he said.He said the Waitematā Harbour crossing was one such example where the consideration was needed, and for projects that could not proceed within existing funds, new revenue mechanisms, which could be tolls, target levies, or other charges, should be investigated."To illustrate a scenario for what this might look like, we present high-level analysis that a $9 toll on both new and existing crossings could raise up to $7-9 billion to help pay for the crossing," he said."However, we have not undertaken a detailed comparison of alternative revenue options, and hence we do not specifically recommend a toll over options like targeted levies. Ultimately it will be up to decision-makers to decide on the best mechanism for paying for new infrastructure such as this."Finance minister Nicola Willis said a $9 toll was a "completely hypothetical scenario".Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

Reserve Bank of New Zealand has left the official cash rate at 2.25 percent, saying it needs to get inflation under control without upsetting the economic rebound.The decision was widely expected.Inflation reached 3.1 percent at the end of last year, above the RBNZ’s target band.“The committee is confident that inflation will fall to the 2 percent midpoint over the next 12 months due to spare capacity in the economy, modest wage growth, and core inflation within the target band,” the Monetary Policy Committee said.It said the recovery was uneven and would be gradual, with a muted housing market, cautious domestic consumption, low migration, slow wage growth and a weak labour market weighing on inflation.But it noted a gradual fall in retail interest rates was feeding into household budgets and could spur stronger activity, with businesses looking to increase prices and keep up inflation.“If the economy evolves as expected, monetary policy is likely to remain accommodative for some time.”“The committee will continue to assess incoming data carefully. As the recovery strengthens and inflation falls sustainably towards the target midpoint, monetary policy settings will gradually normalise.”New governor Anna Breman has said the Bank has a “laser focus” on low inflation.Forecasts pointed to the next OCR move most likely being a rise early next year.For Hibiscus Coast households and businesses, the OCR hold should keep borrowing costs broadly steady for now.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

Hibiscus Coast supermarket shoppers are likely feeling the squeeze as food prices keep climbing.Stats NZ says food prices rose 4.6 percent in the 12 months to January 2026, following a 4.0 percent increase in the 12 months to December 2025. Grocery food prices rose 4.0 percent and contributed the most to the annual increase. Meat, poultry, and fish rose 8.9 percent annually.Some of the price moves are sharp. White bread averaged $2.21 for 600 grams, up 57.9 percent annually, while beef porterhouse or sirloin steak averaged $45.48 per kilogram, up 22.9 percent. A chocolate block averaged $6.89 for 250 grams, up 20.5 percent. Takeaway coffee averaged $5.16 per cup, up 6.6 percent. Soft drinks, potato crisps, and olive oil were lower than a year earlier.“Coffee drinkers may have noticed their takeaway coffee becoming more expensive, with prices up $0.32 over the past year. The last time there was an annual increase this high (of more than 30 cents) was in the 12 months to March 2024,” prices and deflators spokesperson Nicola Growden said.“The price of a takeaway coffee is now $1.12 higher than five years ago.”Food prices rose 2.5 percent in January 2026 compared with December 2025. Stats NZ says all food subgroups increased over the month, led by grocery food, up 2.3 percent, and fruit and vegetables, up 6.7 percent.“The last time prices for all food subgroups increased in a month was June 2025,” Growden said.“The 2.5 percent increase this month is the largest monthly increase in food prices in four years.”Fuel moved the other way. Petrol and diesel prices fell 2.4 percent and 3.2 percent from December 2025 to January 2026.Compared with January 2025, petrol was down 4.8 percent and diesel was down 4.9 percent.“New Zealanders may have noticed a decrease in both petrol and diesel prices at the pump. This is the first time both petrol and diesel have decreased in price monthly and annually since June 2025,” Growden said.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

Curiosity is building around the surf park planned for Dairy Flat. Sir John Kirwan and project partners Aventuur are hosting a community event on Saturday, February 28 from 9am to noon at Dairy Flat Primary School with locals able to drop in at any time during the informal three-hour session. The event will be held in the school gymnasium and will outline details from the recently lodged Fast Track substantive application, including residential and Town Centre elements of the 2028 development. Two-time Olympic surfer Billy Stairmand, fresh off his ninth national men’s open title, will also be there alongside representatives from Spark to answer questions about the associated data centre. Safe off-road parking is available, a coffee cart will be onsite with free coffee for early arrivals, and the Orewa Surf Lifesaving Club will be running a sausage sizzle. The project, previously granted approval and expanded to include new amenities, continues to evolve in Dairy Flat, drawing interest from across the Hibiscus Coast and wider Auckland community.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

Templeton Group’s Warkworth Ridge has reached 100 completed homes, with dozens of families already living in the development.The project will deliver more than 600 homes when finished, with almost 70% of lots sold. Templeton Founder Nigel McKenna said, “Warkworth Ridge is unique in the greater Auckland region.” He said no other development so seamlessly combines low density rural living with access to natural resources and modern amenities.McKenna said the 100-home milestone is significant, but people moving in matters more. “The most significant uplift in value for a residential property occurs when a community forms,” he said. He described neighbours meeting over coffee, children playing together, and residents starting a Facebook page and newsletter.The development is a 35-minute drive from Auckland CBD via motorway, with the exit 500 metres away. It offers elevated views, native bush surroundings and sub-10-minute access to beaches, regional parks and a marine reserve. Residents will have access to activities including boating, fishing, kayaking, surfing, swimming, snorkelling, diving, picnicking, walking and horse riding.Warkworth Ridge has full infrastructure designed, consented, built and operating with the support of Auckland Council and Watercare.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

The government is seeking advice on whether to bring in a toll on the existing Auckland Harbour Bridge, to help pay for a second Waitematā Harbour crossing.The Infrastructure Commission has suggested a toll as high as $9, a figure the Transport Minister says would be a "big decision" to make.The government continues to mull over its options as to what a new crossing would look like, such as a tunnel or second bridge.In the newly-released National Infrastructure Plan, the Infrastructure Commission said new revenue would be needed to fund the crossing.High-level analysis suggested a $9 toll "on both new and existing crossings" could raise between $7 billion and $9 billion, depending on the tolling period."Higher tolls may not raise more revenue, as they would divert too many users and erode viability, and tolling only the new crossing would sharply limit revenue," the Commission wrote."Other funding mechanisms are possible, but would likely require non-users to contribute funding which may not be considered equitable or favourable."When the bridge was first opened in 1959, motorists had to pay 2 shillings and 6 pence, a figure the Commission said equalled around $9 in 2025.Tolls were removed in 1984.Transport Minister Chris Bishop said the new crossing would be the biggest infrastructure project New Zealand has ever done.While the new crossing would be tolled, a question remained over whether the existing bridge would be tolled as well."We are working our way through that. That's a very big decision for the country to make," he said.Bishop said he would not get ahead of any decision, and the government was working through it in a "methodical and comprehensive way" as the Commission said it should do."We're working our way through quite a complicated series of funding questions and financing questions around the second harbour crossing. It will be a very large infrastructure project. All large infrastructure projects have to be paid for. So we're working our way through that."He said "in theory," a new crossing should be able "wash its own face, financially," due to the number of vehicle movements.ACT leader David Seymour, an Auckland-based MP, said $9 per trip added up to $90 a week for some people who would already be trying to pay "tough" bills."I think you're going to struggle with that level of price. But you could imagine that maybe at a peak hour, when it was mostly buses and ridesharing, maybe for a part of the day. But I don't think making everybody pay $9 with no alternative is going to fly."Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

Police stopped a vehicle in Millwater and found drugs, cash and a tick book on Monday night.Senior Sergeant Carl Fowlie, Waitematā North Area Response Manager, said a Police unit was patrolling the North Auckland suburb around midnight when they spotted a suspicious looking vehicle.“Once stopped, officers approached the vehicle and spotted a bong on the floor,” he said. “After discovering this item, a search was conducted on the rest of the vehicle.”Police said the search uncovered 14.5g of methamphetamine, 14g of cocaine, 55g of cannabis, 44 LSD tabs, a tick book and around $5400 in cash. “This was a great find by our staff, who were simply out conducting proactive patrols during their shift,” Senior Sergeant Fowlie said.“We are pleased to have been able to remove these items from circulation and the potential harm they could have caused in the community.”A 19-year-old man will appear in the North Shore District Court today, charged with possession for supply cannabis, possession for supply methamphetamine, possession for supply LSD and possession of drug utensils.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

Watercare has started wastewater network upgrades in Warkworth to reduce wet-weather overflows and keep rain out of pipes.Work begins this month with CCTV inspections of public wastewater pipes in streets north of Elizabeth St, where a bottleneck exists. Watercare project manager Isileli Aholelei says many pipes were built in the 1960s and 70s and are expected to have cracks and deterioration.After the network is flushed to remove debris, Watercare expects to reline about 3.5 kilometres of pipes over the next few months using a trenchless cured-in-place method. Aholelei says relining is as good as a full replacement but is far less disruptive, and it is expected to extend pipe life by another 50 years.Aholelei says most of the work will have only minor traffic impacts. The work sits within a targeted $12 million wastewater renewals programme across Auckland’s 8,800-kilometre wastewater network.Watercare chief operations officer Mark Bourne says work began in the new year on the last of five projects in Watercare’s $450m+ Warkworth Wastewater Scheme for Warkworth and the Snells-Algies communities. He says the growth-servicing pipeline is the final piece and, once complete, will almost eliminate wet-weather overflows to the Mahurangi River and support growth in northern Warkworth.Watercare says preliminary work began in January to relocate existing utility services. The pipeline is split into two stages. Stage one, the Elizabeth St section installed with open trenching, is due to be completed by December this year and is expected to resolve the bottleneck driving wet-weather overflows. Stage two is expected to be completed and in service in 2027 to support development in northern Warkworth.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

Trade Me Jobs reports listing volumes fell 19 per cent in the final quarter of 2025.Nationwide listings dropped 19 per cent in October to December compared with the previous quarter.Overall listings were down 3 per cent year-on-year.Trade Me Head of Jobs Nicole Williams said the figures reflect a winding down as businesses and job seekers shifted focus toward the holiday break.“While the marginal recovery we noted in spring was encouraging, this year-on-year listings dip of 3 per cent reminds us that the market remains in a period of cautious adjustment,” she said.Agriculture, fishing and forestry rose 15 per cent year-on-year, automotive increased 14 per cent, and construction and roading lifted 8 per cent.Healthcare fell 13 per cent, manufacturing and operations dropped 18 per cent, and retail declined 15 per cent.“Despite healthcare listings and applications per listing falling this quarter, it remains one of our most in-demand categories. Caregiving and nursing roles are especially sought after,” Williams said.Applications per listing were down 9 per cent on both the previous quarter and year-on-year.Demand fell 13 per cent in Auckland and 16 per cent in Hamilton year-on-year.Wellington recorded a 2 per cent increase.The national average salary remained at $72,820, rising 0.3 per cent year-on-year, compared with a 3.1 per cent inflation rate.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

Tourist arrivals topped 3.5 million for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic, driven by a surge in Australian visitors.Stats NZ numbers showed overseas visitor arrivals hit 3.51 million in the year ended December 2025, up 6 percent from the prior year.The agency said it was the first annual period to exceed 3.5 million since the year ended March 2020.However, total annual visitor arrivals were 90 percent of 2019 levels, before the Covid pandemic began globally.It said Australia was the biggest source of visitors, up 10 percent from 2024, followed by the United States and China.More than 1.5 million tourist arrivals were from Australia in 2025, followed by 385,000 from the United States, and 262,000 from China."Holidaymakers were the main driver of the annual increase in overseas visitor arrivals in 2025 from 2024, followed by those visiting friends or relatives," Stats NZ international travel spokesperson Bryan Downes said.Visiting friends or relatives was the second most common reason for travel, Stats NZ said."The increase in overseas visitors to New Zealand in 2025 coincided with a 4 percent increase in flights into the country compared with 2024," Downes said.The country's two main international airports both reported additional seasonal flights for the peak summer period for tourism in New Zealand.Auckland Airport, the main gateway for overseas visitors, said in December that international capacity for the 2025/26 summer was up nearly 4 percent (207,000 seats) on the 2024/25 period.Christchurch Airport said in November it expected a record summer season in 2025/26, with international capacity up 15 percent on the prior year.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

The Blues fell 15-19 to the Chiefs at Eden Park after a frustrating performance where they could not capitalise on their chances.The match was tense early, with both sides probing but unable to turn pressure into points.New Blues recruit Bradley Slater was held up over the line against his former side in the opening quarter. After the visitors struck first, the Blues hit back through Zarn Sullivan, who finished a break after Caleb Clarke punched through the line to level the scores and lift the Eden Park crowd.The Blues started the second half with intent and skipper Dalton Papali’i crashed over following another Sullivan carry. After the scores were levelled again, Sullivan kicked a penalty after a strong restart forced an error to put the hosts back in front. The match turned in the closing minutes when the Chiefs scored a breakaway try to seal the win, with the Blues fighting to the final whistle.The Blues now travel to Perth to play the Force in Joondalup on Saturday night. Watch Blues coach Vern Cotter and captain Dalton Papali’i in the post-match interview below.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

Hibiscus Coast shoppers will start to notice recyclable LDPE wrap replacing PVC in New World and PAK’nSAVE stores.Foodstuffs has replaced non-recyclable PVC wrap with recyclable LDPE across butchery, bakery, produce and deli departments.As of January 2026, most Foodstuffs North and South Island stores have adopted the new wrap.Both co-operatives plan to complete the transition by the end of June 2026.The change forms part of their commitment to reducing problem plastics and sending less waste to landfill.It is expected to remove around 850 tonnes of PVC plastic from landfill each year, equivalent to about 1,400 skip bins.Foodstuffs worked with packaging supplier Wedderburn for more than three years, including blind in-store trials testing PVC against recyclable LDPE.The new wrap had to perform as well as or better than PVC, be recyclable through the New Zealand Soft Plastic Recycling Scheme, and be cost effective.Foodstuffs New Zealand sustainable packaging manager Debra Goulding said, “We knew the new wrap had to work across our machinery, our fresh departments, and in customers’ homes. It had to do everything the PVC was doing previously.”The wrap works with chilled and ambient products including meat, seafood, fruit, vegetables and baked goods.Hot foods are moving to paper bags, tubs and LDPE carry bags.LDPE is a single-polymer plastic recyclable through New Zealand’s soft plastics recycling infrastructure.It can be remoulded into products such as bin liners, recycled packaging, plastic timber fence posts and other construction and agricultural items.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

There is something special about seeing a local name called on a national stage.Former Whangaparaoa College student Zoe Pedersen has been named a finalist in the prestigious ISPS Handa Halberg Awards, recognised in the Emerging Talent category. The 18 year old has built an impressive dual career across swimming and surf lifesaving.Pedersen began learning to swim at her local pool before moving to Northern Arena when it opened in 2010. Over the past 15 years she progressed from swim school into Coast Swimming Club in Silverdale, developing her talent step by step.Her family has long been involved in water sports including sailing, wind surfing and ocean swimming, making the water a constant part of her life.On the international stage, Pedersen has claimed World Junior Championship gold in swimming while also breaking Youth World Records at the 2024 Surf Lifesaving World Championships. Surf Life Saving New Zealand says her nomination reflects the depth of talent within the sport and the pathways it provides for young athletes.She is one of five finalists in the Emerging Talent category, recognised for exceptional performances on the national and world stage.Her journey from local pools to global competition is a moment of pride for the Hibiscus Coast community.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]