Northland news in brief: Last call for voters

There is still time to get your vote in. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Last call for voting

Far North residents are being urged to ensure their voting papers are completed and returned before the local election deadline of midday this Saturday, October 8. With less than a week left until voting closes, the number of votes cast in the Far North is tracking well below rates recorded at the same time during the last two elections in 2019 and 2016. Far North District Council district administration manager Caroline Wilson said voters who have not received their voting packs, or who are not enrolled, can still have their say by casting a special vote. To cast a special vote pop into the Kaitāia, Kaikohe or Kerikeri service centres. To update your voting details or enrol before casting your special vote visit www.vote.co.nz.

Power turned off

Russell and surrounding areas — including Orongo Bay, Parekura Bay, Rawhiti and Waikare — will be without power from noon until 5pm today.

The power shutdown is to allow lines company Top Energy to improve the network. If the work can't go ahead today the outage will be postponed to October 11.

Leonard Cohen tribute

Leonard Cohen tribute band Imperfect Offering is playing a show at the Turner Centre in Kerikeri on October 15. The band are focusing on many of Cohen's hit songs including Hallelujah, Bird on the Wire and Suzanne. The nine-piece band will play music from 1967 through to Cohen's last album released just weeks before his death aged 82 in 2016. Of Love and Loss – The Music of Leonard Cohen kicks off at 7pm.

Lung cancer meds

Hundreds of Kiwis living with a common form of lung cancer that cannot be treated by surgery are set to benefit from a newly approved, funded medicine called Imfinzi. It's immunotherapy to treat non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) which is the most common form of lung cancer worldwide. Lung cancer is the largest cause of cancer death in New Zealand. Māori are three times more likely to develop lung cancer than non-Māori.

CORRECTION

A story we ran on Saturday headlined "Mayoral candidate says he is not endorsing himself through political lobby group" said that Democracy Northland is vehemently against Māori wards, this was not accurate. It is against the way Māori wards were introduced without seeking the opinion of the wider community. We apologise for this.