News in brief: Car flips on roof, fire at refinery

People rush to help the elderly occupants of a car that flipped on its roof on Kiripaka Rd this morning. Photo / supplied

A car flipped on its roof on Kiripaka Rd in Tikipunga yesterday. A motorist, who did not want to be named, said he heard a bang shortly before 10am and saw an upside down vehicle. A large number of people stopped to help an elderly man and woman in the vehicle. A St John spokeswoman said paramedics treated one patient in a moderate condition.

Fire at the refinery

A small fire at Marsden Pt oil refinery around 7am yesterday was put out by onsite emergency services. Firefighters from Waipū, Ruakākā, and Whangārei were called but not needed. The cause of the fire was not disclosed but the plant was put on a month's standby for scheduled maintenance. A spokeswoman said people may see additional flaring as units are shut down and started up again.

Kiwi feast

Five kiwi rehomed in Parua Bay are still hanging around their release site enjoying an increased food supply brought on by heavy rain. The kiwi released on Sunday by Backyard Kiwi were graduates from the Matakohe-Limestone Island kiwi creche, which Backyard Kiwi project manager Todd Hamilton said acts as a "holding pad" until the birds were large enough to survive on the mainland. Hamilton congratulated the Whangārei Heads community for their excellent dog control over the past 20 years which, along with pest control, had allowed kiwi numbers to rise from 80 to more than 900.

Onerahi assault

Police are seeking information about an assault on a man in Onerahi on Wednesday night. Three men reportedly attacked the man on Onerahi Rd at 11.43pm before fleeing in a vehicle. Police spoke to the victim at the scene and found a vehicle nearby but would still like anyone with information to phone 105, quoting the file number 210218/6872.

Fertility rate falls

New Zealand's total fertility rate last year was down to its lowest recorded level with an average of 1.61 births per woman. The rate was well below the population replacement rate of 2.1, Stats NZ said. "Fertility rates in New Zealand were relatively stable between 1980 and 2012, but have generally decreased since then," population estimates and projections manager Hamish Slack said.