Protests planned
Police are expected to keep an eye on planned hīkoi and public gatherings across the country today, including Kaitāia.
Te Pāti Māori has organised a series of protests on Budget Day against “the Government’s assault on tangata whenua and Te Tiriti o Waitangi”.
A protest will be held at Te Tou Rangatira - land next to the marae on the Treaty Grounds - at Waitangi at 5am then in Kaitāia from 9am, opposite Orana Motel, on Commerce St.
Police said officers will be highly visible on roads throughout the morning, including in Kaitāia. Some locations will feature measures to prevent participants putting themselves and motorists in harm’s way.
Four injured
Four youths have suffered moderate injuries in a crash, after earlier failing to stop for police outside Paihia on Wednesday morning.
About 1.20am, police learned a stolen vehicle was travelling on Puketona Rd. A police unit later saw the vehicle travelling along Puketona Rd, towards State Highway 10.
The driver ignored police signals and headed towards the SH10 intersection.
The vehicle was later seen turning onto Te Ahu Ahu Rd and police came across the stolen vehicle after it had crashed into a ditch.
The occupants, aged between 14 and 17, were all assessed as suffering moderate injuries and were transported to Bay of Islands and Whangārei hospitals.
New No1
The team at Coast Northland is celebrating after winning over Northland listeners in a recent survey.
The radio station overtook its opposition More FM Northland for the first time ever, with the biggest share of audience; 15.4 per cent for Coast compared to More FM’s 13.6 per cent.
The results, which came out last Thursday, were from an independent GFK Commercial Radio Survey.
Coast FM’s Toni Street - who cohosts Feel Good Breakfast with Jason Reeves and Sam Wallace weekdays from 6am-9am - said being number one in Northland was ‘a real celebration’.
‘’Northland is a region we really target at Coast. To beat More FM is really exciting for us.’’