Latest news with #Northland
RNZ News
a day ago
- Climate
- RNZ News
Wild weather: Auckland road reopens after debris from fallen roof forced closure
An Auckland road has reopened after debris from a fallen roof forced it to close earlier on Friday as wild weather lashes the country. An area of Crayford Road and Blockhouse Bay Road was closed after wind blew off a 25-30m section of a commercial building's roof and partially collapsed the front of the structure. The area of Crayford Road and Blockhouse Bay Road is closed after wind blew off a 25 - 30 metre roof of commercial building. Photo: Supplied / Dan Lake Photo: Calvin Samuel Powerlines near the damaged building were also down, and Fire and Emergency had deployed half-a-dozen appliances to the site. Powerlines near the damaged building are also down. Photo: Fire crews checked the building for occupants but said the building was empty. There were no reports of injuries. Photo: Calvin Samuel Meanwhile, a 'red level' severe thunderstorm warning was in place for Auckland, parts of Northland and Waikato , as torrential rain hits the upper North Island.
RNZ News
a day ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Far North District Council ordered to pay former CEO Blair King $210,000
The Far North District Council has been ordered to pay more than $210,000 to former chief executive Blair King. Photo: RNZ/Peter de Graaf The Far North District Council has been ordered to pay more than $210,000 to former chief executive Blair King, who resigned in 2023 less than a year into the role. The council's legal costs relating to King's departure case are even higher, adding up to just over $220,000. The figures were revealed to RNZ this week via a Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act request. They do not include other costs, such as staff time or expenses incurred recruiting King's replacement. The six-figure payout continues an unfortunate tradition at the council, where only one of the past four chief executives has left without an employment dispute and a hefty settlement. Some occurred when a new chief executive was hired, or had their contract renewed, shortly before a local election then fell foul of incoming councillors. Clive Manley, who was dismissed by then Far North Mayor Wayne Brown, received a severance payment in 2008 of $248,000. The reason for his departure was never disclosed. His successor, Dave Edmunds, who was rehired by Brown's council just four days before the 2013 council elections, went on "temporary leave" a few months after John Carter was voted in as mayor. In January 2014 it emerged Edmunds had left the council but the reason for his departure, or whether he had received a payout, were not revealed. However, the council's annual report, released in November that year, showed a severance payment of $193,846. Councillors then employed Colin Dale, the former head of Manukau City Council, as acting chief executive until a permanent replacement could be found. In 2017 the council hired ex-Air Force Group Captain Shaun Clarke. While councillors opted not to renew his contract for another two years from 2022, there was no employment dispute around Clarke's departure and no payout. King, the former head of Tararua District Council, was hired at the end of 2021 and started work in March 2022. According to an Employment Relations Authority ruling released late last year, King formally resigned in February 2023, alleging a "toxic" environment and being "ghosted" by councillors. Moko Tepania. Photo: Peter de Graaf/RNZ The authority found the relationship breakdown between King and then newly elected Mayor Moko Tepania started at a meeting in Kaikohe in November 2022, though accounts differed as to exactly what happened at that meeting. King argued he had been constructively dismissed and the council's behaviour had created a "toxic work environment", while the council filed a counter-claim alleging he had breached good faith obligations by failing to engage properly. The authority found fault on both sides, dismissing the council's counter-claim and some of King's complaints. However, the authority sided with King by finding he was subjected to "an unjustified disadvantage" during the Kaikohe meeting. The authority also found the council had failed to engage with King after a confidential follow-up meeting called to discuss his future with the organisation. The exact figure for the settlement paid to King, according to the council, is $212,750.00. The total legal costs were $220,115.21. Tepania said both parties had come to a settlement, and no further comment could be provided. The council's current chief executive Guy Holroyd, who previously headed Ngāti Hine Forestry Trust, said it was not appropriate to comment on an employment matter. King was contacted for comment but had not responded by publication time. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
a day ago
- RNZ News
'Time bomb': Thieves steal petrol from underground fuel tanks, station owners say it's dangerous
Photo: RNZ / Dan Cook Service stations in the North Island are raising alarm bells about thefts from underground fuel tanks, with two stations saying they pose a danger to the community. A G.A.S Station in Northland and another station in Hamilton both say thieves have taken petrol from their underground storage tanks, and say they have concerns with how their cases were handled. The Kaihu G.A.S station is in rural Northland, about 23 minutes from Dargaville. Mani Kaur runs the station with her husband, and said they were struck by thieves twice earlier this month. They said roughly 2000 litres of fuel was syphoned from their underground tanks. Kaur said during one of the of the incidents, police told them no one was coming, so she and her husband confronted the thieves themselves. "I just went near to him to say 'don't take it, don't take it'," she said. Her husband smashed the rear window of the car before the thieves were able to flee the scene. Kaur said the thefts were putting the community at risk. "This is a dangerous crime," she said. "They're holding the fuel in their car, anything can happen." She wanted someone with authority to see first-hand what they have to deal with. "They should have to come and to see us, and to feel it," Kaur said. Hamilton petrol station owner Amit believed the same thing happened to him last October. "One day I figured out that my tanks are showing a thousand litres of fuel missing, and I was like, 'Where could this fuel go?'" He looked on his CCTV and found a car pulling up and parking by the fuel points on the ground. "It's uncomprehendable [sic] that somebody's got the equipment to come and take fuel out of there." He too believed the underground fuel thefts were a danger to the wider public. "We're talking about a crime that can blow half the city up," Amit said. "If anything goes wrong, there's like more than 80, 90,000 litres of fuel that'll just blow up, and it'll take not only the thief's life but the surroundings as well. It's like a time bomb." Amit said the police had failed to take enough action and he was so frustrated he considered taking matters into his own hands. "Commonsense says you're the police, you've got a plate number, you've got a car that is reported in similar offending, go and pick up the owner." Police in Hamilton said while they were able to identify the vehicle believed to be involved in Amit's case, they were unable to identify the driver or prove beyond a reasonable doubt an offence had been committed. They said they were open to looking at his case again if new information came to light. Meanwhile in Northland, Whangārei-Kaipara area commander Inspector Maria Nordstrom said they were following up with Kaur and her husband, and continuing to investigate. "We ask anyone in the community that has information on the offending, or the blue Toyota Hilux Surf to contact police." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
a day ago
- Climate
- RNZ News
Wild weather: Auckland road blocked by debris from fallen roof
The area of Crayford Road and Blockhouse Bay Road is closed after wind blew off a 25 - 30 metre roof of commercial building. Photo: Supplied / Dan Lake An Auckland road has been blocked by debris from a fallen roof as wild weather lashes the country. Fire and Emergency said it was working to clear a section of road in Auckland which had become became blocked by debris from a fallen roof. An area of Crayford Road and Blockhouse Bay Road was closed after wind blew off a 25-30m section of a commercial building's roof and partially collapsed the front of the structure. Powerlines near the damaged building are also down. Photo: Powerlines near the damaged building were also down, and Fire and Emergency had deployed half-a-dozen appliances to the site. Fire crews checked the building for occupants but said the building was empty. There were no reports of injuries. The debris blocking an Auckland road. Photo: Supplied / Dan Lake Meanwhile, a 'red level' severe thunderstorm warning was in place for Auckland, parts of Northland and Waikato , as torrential rain hits the upper North Island. More to come...
RNZ News
2 days ago
- Climate
- RNZ News
Weather live: Thunderstorm warning for parts of North Island, state of emergency in Marlborough
Nelson's Maitai River in June 2025. Photo: Samantha Gee / RNZ Severe thunderstorm warnings have been issued for parts of Northland, Auckland and Waikato, as torrential rain hits the upper North Island. Fire and Emergency North has attended about 14 weather-related call outs, mainly in the Auckland region - a majority concerned fallen trees across roads and downed powerlines. High winds could close the Auckland Harbour bridge on Friday morning, NZTA warned on Thursday. And in the South, Marlborough District m Mayor Nadine Taylor has declared a localised state of emergency for parts of the region. Fire and Emergency is helping residents amid extensive flooding in Richmond and Motueka. Follow the RNZ liveblog for the latest weather updates:
