Northland news in brief: Whangārei man in custody after border breach; two crashes kept emergency services busy

Paramedics transported a person in a moderate condition to Whangārei Hospital after a car crashed on SH1. Photo / NZME

Two crashes

Two crashes kept Whangārei's emergency services busy on Tuesday. The first came at 10am when a station wagon was discovered crashed off the side of State Highway 1 in Otaika. Paramedics transported a person in a moderate condition to Whangārei Hospital. Less than three hours later a person was seriously hurt when their car collided with another vehicle shortly before 1pm on Maunu Rd in Woodhill. St John paramedics rushed the person to Whangārei Hospital, close to where the collision happened. A police spokesman said a suspected medical event may have caused the crash.

Border breach

A Whangārei man accused of breaching a Covid health order by falsifying travel exemption documents has been remanded in custody after appearing in the Whangārei District Court on October 8. Wiremu Kaihi Rameka, 37, is due back in court on October 18 for a bail application hearing. He entered no plea to the charges related to intent to obtain by deception a false Ministry of Health personal travel exemption that is in part a reproduction of another exemption, and knowingly using a travel exemption which contains an altered name.

Kaipara Moana restoration

Justine Daw was appointed to lead a $300m restoration programme of Kaipara Harbour. The Kaipara Moana Remediation Programme (KMR) is a decade-long plan to reverse ongoing environmental degradation by halving sediment loss from land to sea.

Last October, a Memorandum of Understanding signing between the Government, Northland Regional Council, Auckland Council and Kaipara Uri signalled the official launch of the programme. Daw is deemed an experienced executive leader and director who has worked in international relations, commercial consultancy, the environmental sector, and the science and innovation system.

New deadline

Far North District Council will extend the deadline for feedback on suggested changes to heritage areas by two weeks, giving tangata whenua, property owners and community groups more time to consider and prepare their input.

The decision to push out the October 13 deadline was made in response to concerns that the feedback process was being rushed. Feedback will now be open until midnight on Wednesday, October 27.

Council is suggesting changes to nine existing heritage precincts based on assessments from an independent heritage expert.

To make an appointment to speak with a FNDC planning staff member about heritage protections, email letsplantogether@fndc.govt.nz.