Northland news in brief: Graduates on the move

Whangārei CBD will be lively with Northtec graduates marching through the town on Friday. Photo / NZME

NorthTec graduates will march around central Whangārei at 1pm tomorrow. The march will begin at the Cafler Park Rose Garden and will be open for everyone to watch. The graduates will march through the town centre and circle back to Forum North. The event will include a mini concert on the stage at the Cameron St pedestrian mall.

Long delays after crash

Whangārei morning commuters faced delays yesterday after a crash at the intersection of Kensington and Lupton avenues at 8.12am. No serious injuries were reported. Traffic was backed up to Te Kamo, 6km away, and some commuters faced delays of up to an hour trying to get from Te Kamo to Kensington. The issue may have been exacerbated by traffic light software issues reported by the Whangārei District Council yesterday morning.

Community farmers market

Hurupaki Primary School in Te Kamo is hosting a community farmers market on Sunday, from 10am until 2pm. The market is a fundraising effort for the school. There will be pony rides for $10, Coast to Coast Cat Rescue with kittens to adopt, as well as a range of treats including fresh bread, honey, candyfloss, Mr Big’s Coffee and sausage sizzles. The students will also have a variety of stalls as well as small businesses selling succulent pots, crochet toys and poi, homemade birdhouses and more.

Have your say on waste management

The Whangārei District Council is reviewing the Waste Management and Minimisation Bylaw and wants community input. The purpose of the bylaw, along with the Waste Minimisation Act 2008, is to provide rules for how the council deals with rubbish and recycling in the district. Proposed changes include making the structure and form of the bylaw easier to read and understand, and removing the licensing of waste operators. To have your say, head to the Whangārei District Council website.

Travel funding

Rural school and club teams are reminded to apply for financial support through the Winter Rural Travel Fund by tomorrow. The fund subsidises travel from regular sporting events, including competitions and practices within the Far North District, for rural junior teams aged between 5 and 18 years. The aim is to reduce the barrier of travel costs, making it easier for teams to compete in organised sports events. The Rural Travel Fund, set up by Sport New Zealand, is part of the Active Aotearoa Programme and is administered by the Far North’s three community boards. Go to fndc.govt.nz/Your-district/Funding/Rural-Travel-Fund to apply.

Speed review

Far North folk need to make submissions on plans to review speed limits on sections of highway in the region by the end of today. NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi is consulting on four sections of state highway at three locations in Northland — SH10 Kaingaroa (north and south sides), SH1 Moerewa to Kawakawa, and SH1 Hukerenui. The Government introduced the Setting of Speed Limits Rule 2024 last year, setting out how speed limits on roads will be managed to support economic growth and boost productivity. For more information and to make a submission, go to nzta.mysocialpinpoint.com/speed-reversals-and-consultations/NZ-Transport-Agency-speed-reversal-consultation-Northland.