Latest news with #TeKūiti
RNZ News
4 days ago
- RNZ News
Police seek information about fatal crash near Te Kūiti last Friday
The crash happened on the morning of Friday 11 July. Photo: RNZ / Richard Tindiller Police want to hear from anyone who witnessed a fatal crash involving two vehicles and a boat on State Highway 3, south of Te Kūiti last Friday. A vehicle was struck by a boat and trailer unit that had detached from an oncoming vehicle and one person died as a result of the crash. In a statement, Detective Sergeant Harry Hodgson said police wanted to hear from anyone who witnessed the crash or anyone who saw a southbound black SUV towing the boat prior to the crash. Police also want to hear from any witnesses who left the scene of the crash before emergency services arrived, or anyone who drove past the crash immediately after it had occurred. "This includes the driver of a white ute that was heading south, and white flat-deck ute with a large blue box on the rear, and a Nissan SUV, both heading north," Hodgson said. Anyone who had dashcam footage or was travelling in either direction on State Highway 3 between Otorohanga and Piopio between 11am and 11.30am shoud also contact the police, he said. Anyone with information can contact police on line or via 105 and quote reference number 250711/6167. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
7 days ago
- RNZ News
Te Kūiti Holiday Park closes after running at $30k loss each year
Te Kūiti Holiday Park will close on Monday. Photo: Waitomo District Council After six unsuccessful years, Waitomo District Council is calling time on the Te Kūiti Holiday Park, which will close on Monday. Council chief executive Ben Smit said the holiday park, which was built before he started at the council, was an unusual asset for a council to own. However, Waitomo owns two - it also owns and operates the Marokopa Holiday Park. Te Kūiti Holiday Park opened in April 2019 and Smit said it only ever attracted around 200 to 250 visitors a year and never covered costs. "It never really had a heyday," he said. The facility cost about $45,000 a year to maintain and operate, and only raised revenue of around $13,000, meaning ratepayers in the small King Country town were subsidising the facility by about $30,000 a year. The decision to close the facility was determined at Waitomo District Council's monthly council meeting on 27 May. Shortly after the decision, Mayor John Robertson posted online that the decision was an example of council acting decisively. "The Te Kūiti Holiday Park has been a drain on rates ever since it opened in December 2018. "Hardly used for the purpose it was built, sometimes used inappropriately, it cost a packet to build and has been consuming over $30,000 per annum of ratepayer money to operate," he said. He didn't think the council should be running holiday parks and posted the council was hoping to lease the coastal Marokopa Holiday Park out to a suitable operator. Smit said the district served freedom campers well, which might be part of why the holiday park was under-utilised. "[Several locations offer] a really good environment for campers to stay, so there's no real drive for them to use the Te Kūiti Holiday Park." In a statement the council said the motorhome dump station near the holiday park would remain operational. It also said planning was underway to relocate the Te Kūiti bathroom and kitchen facilities to the Marokopa Holiday Park to replace ageing facilities there. Other assets from the closed holiday park would be repurposed elsewhere. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
11-07-2025
- Automotive
- RNZ News
One dead after crash on State Highway three in Te Kūiti
SH3 was closed between Te Kūiti and SH4. Photo: RNZ / Richard Tindiller A person has died following a crash involving two vehicles and a boat on State Highway 3 near Te Kūiti. Police confirmed one person had died and a boat had been involved. New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA), said the road had been closed at 12.45pm on Friday between Te Kūiti and SH4. "Delay your journey and expect long delays," it said. The road was re-opened on Friday evening. A police spokesperson said the Serious Crash Unit attended and completed a scene examination. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
06-07-2025
- Health
- RNZ News
Security regulator warns against hospital security guards doubling as cleaners
By Jeremy Wilkinson, Open Justice multimedia journalist of Concerns have been raised about hospital security guards doubling as cleaners. Photo: 123RF Security guards at two rural hospitals are doubling as cleaners, leading to concerns about the safety of patients and hospital staff. The integrated model meant ISS Facility Services Limited's employees contracted to do security work at Health New Zealand-operated hospitals in Te Kūiti and Tokoroa could also pick up cleaning and orderlies duties on the same shift. The model was highlighted in a recent Private Security Personnel Licensing Authority (PSPLA) decision in which the head of the authority, Trish McConnell, raised concerns about the dual workload. "...where a security threat arises, the sooner appropriately trained security guards respond, the more likely it is for the situation to be resolved without serious harm," McConnell wrote. "If the security guard is working in another part of the hospital as a cleaner or orderly when a security risk arises, there are likely to be delays in them being able to respond and remove the person or deescalate the incident. "This has the potential of putting staff and other members of the public at greater risk of harm." McConnell's concerns were prompted by a report by Department of Internal Affairs' Complaints Investigation and Prosecution Unit (CIPU) which received an unrelated complaint about ISS and its security licenses. The basis of the licensing complaint was later found to be a misunderstanding by the company and a penalty was not issued. CIPU diverged from the complaint in its report and addressed the dual working model. It said that it wasn't illegal but a legislative change should be made. Echoing CIPU's concerns, McConnell said in her decision that the model reduced the effectiveness of security guards and "has potential health and safety risks". "The integrated model used in ISS's contract with Health New Zealand fails to recognise the key preventative role security guards play in hospital security by merely being present in waiting areas, emergency departments and other areas where pressure can be high," she said. "Just having a security guard visibly on duty can significantly reduce security situations arising and volatile situations escalating." The dual model was a practice the New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) also described as being a risk to patients and hospital staff. "Every nurse has the right to go home safe from work, and patients shouldn't be injured in hospitals," NZNO health and safety spokesperson John Crocker told NZME. "Healthcare workers suffer disproportionate violence at work, and Te Whatu Ora has moral and legal obligations to keep them safe." Crocker said in some rural towns, police staffing was often limited, so hospitals relied on the protection of security guards while on shift. McConnell said the PSPLA did not have the jurisdiction to limit the scope of someone's contract. But she suggested HNZ considered her comments in its contracting arrangements. Stephanie Doe, HNZ director of operations for hospital and specialist services in the Waikato, said while the integrated model was still in place at the hospitals, opportunities were being explored to adjust it, particularly around the overnight shifts. "We will actively engage with our teams and unions to support people to feel safe at work, with a view to implementing changes over the next month." Doe said security staff at Tokoroa and Te Kūiti hospitals were on site around the clock and were in the vicinity of the emergency department and ward at night. -This story originally appeared in the New Zealand Herald .
