Northland news in brief: Ngunguru neighbours dispute over pūkeko leads to firearms callout

An argument about pūkeko sparked a firearms callout for police. Photo / NZME

Police were called to a Ngunguru property on Wednesday afternoon after neighbours got into a heated dispute over where pūkeko could be shot. A police spokesperson said a man allegedly pointed a firearm at another man during the dispute. Police confirmed the incident was part of an ongoing dispute between the neighbours, and the matter has been referred to Firearms Licensing to review one man’s firearms licence.

Bones found on Far North beach

Police are investigating the discovery of bones on Wairahoraho near Karikari on Wednesday afternoon. Northland police senior sergeant Kylie Newton said they were working to confirm whether the bones are human.

Woman hit by vehicle

Police are investigating after a woman was hit by a vehicle on Riverside Dr in Whangārei at around 2.54pm on Wednesday. She was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Green Party wants to hear your experience

The Green Party is asking people to submit their stories of what it’s really like taking care of oral health in Aotearoa. Green Party health spokesperson Ricardo Menéndez March said asking people to share their experiences is the first step in fixing the inequity in oral health care which is unaffordable for many people. To submit your experience visit: action.greens.org.nz/dental_stories

North on solar-farm radar

New Zealand Green Investment Fund (NZGIF) will supply up to $15m in working capital to Lodestone Energy, to further support the construction of five solar farms in New Zealand. NZGIF chief investment officer Jason Patrick said Northland is among the locations selected for a solar farm. When completed, Lodestone’s solar farms will generate enough energy to power 50,000 average homes and are expected to have a renewable energy capacity of 199MW.

Kaipara votes for FFP

Kaipara District Council voted to introduce the First Past the Post (FFP) electoral system for the 2025 and 2028 Local Government elections. The council currently uses the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system and has for the past 19 years. The change is in response to the Local Electoral Act 2001 which requires a council to consider what type of electoral system will be used for the 2025 local body elections. The review has to be completed by September 12, 2023.

NZer of The Year opens

Nominations are open for Kiwibank New Zealander of The Year Ngā Tohu Pou Kōhure o Aotearoa. The Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Awards Ngā Tohu Pou Kōhure o Aotearoa honour those who use their passion to make our country a better place. People of any age who contribute to grassroots communities or put New Zealand on the world stage can be nominated for one of the seven categories. Nominations close on August 31. Winners will be crowned in mid-March 2024. Nominate via nzawards.org.nz

Car crashes into fence

A motorist suffered minor injuries after the driver’s car smashed into a residential fence in Kaipara. Kaiwaka fire chief John Bowmar said the crash happened on Mangawhai Rd around 11.10am on Tuesday. He said it was a busy day for his crew as they had to attend to another crash earlier in the day on State Highway 1 in Te Hana. Bowmar said a car hit the back of the bus, trapping the driver of the vehicle. Firefighters freed the driver, and Bowmar said no one involved was injured.

Fruit and vege on menu

Customers in the Far North visiting The Warehouse Waipapa can now buy a range of fresh fruit and vegetables. The Warehouse has been trialling the sale of fresh fruit and vegetables at a dozen specific stores around the country including Whangārei and yesterday expanded to include Waipapa. The produce range is reviewed weekly based on seasonal availability and currently includes carrots, onions, potatoes, apples, oranges, bananas, lemons, kiwifruit, avocadoes, garlic and tomatoes.