News briefs from around Northland

Northland actor Rob Mokaraka will bring his powerful play Shot Bro - Confessions Of A Depressed Bullet to Ruawai tomorrow.

Northland actor Rob Mokaraka will perform his powerful play Shot Bro - Confessions Of A Depressed Bullet to Ruawai tomorrow. In 2009 Mokaraka tried to orchestrate his own violent death, calling 111, then threatening the attending police officers with a meat cleaver and claiming he had a gun. His attempt to get himself killed was almost successful. He has been performing his self-written play at suicide prevention events across the country. He will be at Ruawai War Memorial Hall, tomorrow from 1pm. To get help If you are worried about your own or someone else's mental health, the best place is your GP or local mental health provider. However, if you or someone else is in danger or endangering others, call police immediately on 111. Or if you need to talk to someone else: Lifeline: 0800 543 354 (available 24/7); Suicide crisis helpline: 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) (available 24/7); Youthline: 0800 376 633 Free call or text 1737 (available 24/7); Kidsline: 0800 543 754 (available 24/7); Whatsup: 0800 942 8787 (1pm to 11pm); Depression helpline: 0800 111 757.

Dieback management plan

A tailor-made kauri dieback management plan has been drawn up to assist the regional council and private landowners in Northland. A new dedicated team of three people is bolstering Northland Regional Council (NRC) efforts to protect the region's kauri from the killer pathogen. The NRC is a member of the multi-agency kauri dieback national programme, which carried out detailed aerial sweeps over much of the region last summer. The new team has started visiting the newly-identified sites and taking soil samples. Under the Northland Regional Pest Management Plan any suspected kauri dieback must be reported to an appropriate management agency such as the council.

Emergency mobile alert test

The Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management will test its emergency mobile alert nationwide tomorrow between 6pm and 7pm. All compatible cellphones will receive an emergency mobile alert. There is no need to sign up or download an app, just check to see if your phone is capable of receiving the alerts and make sure your updates are current. It is a test to help keep you safe if there is an emergency. In a real emergency, the alert could be sent to your cellphone if your life, health or property is in serious danger. To see if your phone is on the list, go to www.civildefence.govt.nz/emergency-mobile-alert/

School wins environmental event

Children from a Whangārei school will be able to reconnect with their natural environments after winning a $10,000 event which will help to transform the school's outdoor education spaces. Hukerenui School, a rural school about 30 minutes north of Whangārei, has won a TREEmendous event, a joint initiative between the Mazda Foundation and Project Crimson Trust, which will help the school create open air learning zones full of native trees and shrubs. The school wants to transform its western boundary fence area by planting bee-friendly trees and plants and provide a habitat for the skink population to create an area that will not only be fun, but a student-led educational learning space.

Replica Bounty day

A celebration is planned in Whangārei in December to mark 40 years since the locally-built replica of William Bligh's ship, HMS Bounty, was launched. The ship was commissioned for a David Lean (Lawrence of Arabia) film of the famous mutiny in 1789, although that film was never made. Kiwi director Roger Donaldson went on to make a version in which the ship starred. It has played a role in several films since, and worked in the charter and tourism industries worldwide. The replica Bounty built by Whangarei Engineering Company has an Australian steel hull, NZ tanekaha decking, Canadian pine masts, Scottish flax sails and blocks of English ash and elm.

A&P Show all go

Kaikohe A&P Show will be held at the Kaikohe Showgrounds on Saturday, January 19. While Micoplasma Bovis has put a halt to the bovine classes, the pet lambs will continue to be contested. NZ Royal Ag Society Youth Ambassador, Courtney Davies will be demonstrating calf handling techniques in sessions throughout the day. Email kaikohe.show@yahoo.co.nz for entry details.