Podcasts about Pukekohe

Today's Freaky Friday is from listener Mary in Pukekohe.

The Chiefs have survived a second-half fightback from Moana Pasifika, prevailing 50-35 in their Super Rugby Pacific contest in Pukekohe. The table-toppers conceded 28 unanswered points after leading 43-7 at the break. Chiefs assistant coach David Hill joined Piney to recap the chaotic match. “They're a hard team to stop once they get going." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It will be an Englishman leading out Moana Pasifika for their Super Rugby Pacific clash with the Chiefs in Pukekohe tomorrow night. Tom Savage has been given the captain's arm-band in the absence of regular skipper Ardie Savea. Sports reporter Jonty Dine spoke to Lisa Owen.

Today on the show we are joined by captain of Moana Pasifika Ardie Savea to chat about his team and their upcoming clash with the Chiefs in Pukekohe.

On today's REX Daily Podcast, Dom talks with Hazlett Ltd CEO Mel Brooks about her move from the irrigation sector into livestock, the future of selling livestock and the other facets of the business... He talks to Simon Wilcox from AS Wilcox & Sons Ltd about the fourth generation business in Pukekohe, the summer harvest and the new yellow watermelons... And he talks with the inaugural Young Deer Farmer of the Year Eddie Millichamp about the competition, his passion for the deer industry and his studies at Lincoln University. Tune in daily for the latest and greatest REX rural content on your favourite streaming platform, visit rexonline.co.nz and follow us on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn for more.

Dom talks with Simon Wilcox from AS Wilcox & Sons Ltd about the fourth generation business in Pukekohe, the summer harvest and the new yellow watermelons. Tune in daily for the latest and greatest REX rural content on your favourite streaming platform, visit rexonline.co.nz and follow us on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn for more.

Pukekohe local Liam Lawson is competing for the first time as a permanent driver for Red Bull Racing at the Australian Grand Prix. RNZ's own Ben Strang is in Melbourne soaking up the atmosphere and speaks to Mihi.

In an effort to get thousands of roaming dogs off the streets and into forever homes - Auckland Council is opening the country's first council operated dog adoption centre in Pukekohe. The need is more pressing than ever - with all of the city's dog shelters at capacity and less than half of roaming dogs in Auckland reclaimed by their owners last year - the lowest level in a decade. Louise Ternouth went to Pukekohe for a sneak peak.

The former Minister announced he was holding himself to account and quitting his Commerce and Consumer Affairs and ACC portfolios after the incident last Tuesday. It follows a separate incident in October where Andrew Bayly was forced to apologise after repeatedly calling a worker a loser during a visit to a business. Bayly still remains the MP for Port Waikato, which includes Pukekohe. Shayne Mathieson is a Partner at Top Drawer Consultants and she specialises in training managers and staff in conflict resolution. Mathieson spoke to Lisa Owen.

Change is coming to the Auckland-Hamilton train, Te Huia, which will no longer stop at Papakura. The train will instead call into Pukekohe, in a move to improve efficiency for North Waikato residents. Waikato Regional Councillor Angela Strange talks to Mike Hosking about the change. LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Chiefs are feeling hopeful ahead of the 2025 Super Rugby season. The side recently beat out Moana Pasifika in a pre-season game in Pukekohe. Chiefs head coach Clayton McMillan joined Piney to discuss. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Electric trains are rolling into Pukekohe Station in Auckland Monday morning for the first time. Auckland Transport director of public transport Stacey Van Der Putten spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Prospective dog owners in Auckland will soon be able to meet and greet their furry friends at a new, council-run, adoption centre in Pukekohe. Jessica Hopkins reports.

The New Zealand Softball Under 19 girls/boys tournaments are underway for 2025. The boys tournament is being held at Colin Lawrie Park, Pukekohe and the girls section being held at Surrey Park, Invercargill. Softball NZ's Community Lead Dave Elder joined Adam Cooper to preview the events. LISTEN ABOVE.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In what will be my last structured rant of 2024, I'll finish on a high. That high is Liam Lawson. He is following in the footsteps of NZ F1 greats such as Hulme, McLaren and Amon. He is the 10th Kiwi to breathe the rarefied air of Formula 1 and this week he inhaled the deepest breath of all. The news on Thursday night that the young man raised in Pukekohe had secured a Red Bull contract for 2025, racing for one of the best teams in Formula One, is still sinking in. After many years of battling through the categories on his way to the Everest of the sport, life just got a whole lot tougher. From karts to Formula First, through the Toyota Racing Series, Formula 3, the DTM and Formula 2 and some tantalising tastes of Formula 1 through the Racing Bulls team, this hot shoe has steadfastly kept his eyes locked on the prize. Now, after a drawn out and at times frustrating final run at a permanent seat, he's struck gold. Liam Lawson has arrived. He's ruffled feathers along the way, proving to many that his attitude and race craft is that of a Formula 1 pilot. Accusations of a lack of respect for the veterans of the sport have been met with measured aggression, a refusal to acquiesce to the insanity of an experience based hierarchy. He races with his elbows out, knowing that respect in motorsport comes when you beat the other guy fair and square. Names, teams and reputation mean bugger all. Liam is a pure racer, and that's what has taken him this far. He's at base camp now, this is where his years of toil and his bloody-minded attitude to the sport will need to be concentrated further for his final assault on the summit. Getting a seat in F1 is one thing, getting a seat in one of the top teams partnering the 4 times reigning champion Max Verstappen is another, but holding on to that seat and being instrumental in Red Bulls return to the constructor's championship, that's the greatest step he needs to take. Beyond that? It's not worth thinking about. His entire life has been focused on this one opportunity. As difficult as the lead up has been to securing this incredibly rare role, it's been nothing compared to what he faces now. Formula 1 is immense. It's tied together by billions of dollars. The world is watching as the most insane sporting circus on the planet blasts through almost every continent. There is nowhere to hide. There are no excuses. For a kid from Aotearoa, whose parents sold their house to pay for what was essentially a pipe dream of a petrol head youngster, this is one of the most outstanding stories in New Zealand sport. It's had peaks and troughs;it's been many years in the making and now is the time to shine. The real work starts now. And I am so here for it. That'll do.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elevated levels of arsenic have been detected in the Waikato River, affecting water supplies in Auckland and Waikato. The Government has been briefed this evening and sought assurances that water supplies are safe. Authorities are carrying out further testing with results due back tomorrow. Watercare is also rejigging the way it processes water to reduce the amount of arsenic in the city's water supply but said there was no immediate concern to public health. Steve Taylor, head of operations at Water Services Authority (WSA), told Newstalk ZB there had been increased levels of arsenic recorded in the Waikato River, affecting water supplies in Auckland and Hamilton. He said there was “naturally a level of arsenic” in the river, but it had been notified levels had increased recently. “I'm not sure what the reason for that increase is and that is affecting water supplies in Auckland and Hamilton,” he said. He explained the maximum acceptable value for arsenic is 0.01mg a litre – an “incredibly low amount” – but they had seen levels around 0.013mg, which is “marginally above the acceptable value for drinking water”. “The level of arsenic is above what we've described as a maximum acceptable value, but it's not at a level that we would suggest has a significant health effect. “There's no health risk in drinking that water,” Taylor said. “What we would expect is that those levels of arsenic would reduce over time.” Elevated readings of arsenic have been recorded in the Waikato River. Photo / Waikato District Council. Taylor said it is safe for people to keep drinking tap water. “The key thing about the maximum acceptable value for arsenic is it's designed for long-term exposure, so it's not an acute level. ”Unlike some other levels, you know, if you exceed that level, it has an immediate health effect – that's not the case with these levels.” Taylor said the WSA was only notified of the elevated levels on Wednesday and it had been “a very short-term situation”. ”We've contacted the [Waikato] regional council to try and understand what is the reason for this change in source water,” he said. Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has been briefed on the issue this evening. Photo / Mark Mitchell Local Government Minister Simeon Brown said he had been briefed on the issue by the WSA this evening. “I have asked the WSA to ensure that water suppliers in Auckland and Hamilton are taking appropriate steps, and that they communicate with their customers,” Brown said. “The WSA is the lead agency for this issue and will be providing regular updates.” Watercare reduces production at Waikato Water Treatment Plant The Herald repeatedly sought comment from Watercare this afternoon and it responded shortly before 8pm, saying it had reduced production at its Waikato Water Treatment Plant since detecting the elevated result. Watercare CEO Mark Bourne said the Waikato River supplies about 20% of Auckland's drinking water. ”We treat the water at our Waikato Water Treatment Plant in Tūākau and distribute it throughout the metropolitan network. ”In most parts of Auckland, treated water from the Waikato River is blended with treated water from our dams. However, Pukekohe, Buckland, Clarks Beach/Waiau Pā, Patumahoe, Glenbrook Beach, and Drury south receive water solely sourced from the Waikato River.” Bourne said Watercare had increased production at its major Ardmore plant, which treats water from four dams in the Hūnua Ranges. “This extends the processing time at the plant, and we expect it to improve our ability to reduce the level of arsenic in the treated drinking water. “We're working closely with other agencies and will continue to share information as we learn more.” The current minor exceedance of the standards does not present any immediate concern for public health, Watercare said. A Waikato District Council spokesperson said Watercare operates the local water networks in the area under contract. “Pōkeno and Tūākau are supplied by Watercare's Waikato Water Treatment Plant. There are also treatment plants that serve the townships of Huntly, Te Kauwhata, Meremere, Taupiri and Ngāruawāhia.” The spokesperson said samples from these plants were being tested, with results due tomorrow. Hamilton City Council's water supply remained safe for drinking, bathing, cleaning and cooking, following test results that showed small increases in the level of arsenic present. What is arsenic? The Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora website describes arsenic as a substance found in rock, which in some situations “harms your health”. It commonly enters the body in food and water and people can swallow small amounts every day for a long time without any obvious health effects. But swallowing larger amounts may cause long-term health effects, arsenic poisoning or death. Someone with arsenic poisoning may suffer from: Stomach pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. Extreme tiredness and bruising. An abnormal heartbeat. A “pins and needles” feeling in the hands and feet. Arsenic can not be removed from water by boiling it. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join Thad Taylor, Paul Maoate, Stephen Hunt and Brendan Popplewell as they preview the races at Pukekohe.

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What about Liam Lawson? A kid from Pukekohe from potato country, has just been given a Formula One seat for the rest of the season. What an absolutely amazing achievement that is. There are only 20 seats available each season in F1. 20 seats. And the absolute best drivers around the world compete for those twenty seats. And a 22-year-old kid from New Zealand, population just slightly over 5 million, that's just a big city somewhere, just took one of those twenty seats. I mean, talk about overachieving. Well done him. How proud do you think his parents are right now? How much are they not regretting that move to Pukekohe so he could be near the racetrack? It's paid off, hasn't it? I was listening to Liam talk to Mike this morning and the thing that struck me about him is how mature he is. I mean, for a kid of 22 years old, he is unbelievably cool, calm and collected, and I reckon even more so than people, sometimes twice his age. I mean, this kid knows what's on the line. He knows this is his one shot, he understands he's got about 6 races to prove himself if he wants to keep the seat next year. And he just sounds like he's taking this whole thing in his stride completely. The impression that I got from him this morning is even if he wasn't one of the best F1 drivers in the world right now, and you just met him somewhere in New Zealand on some random occasion, it would be hard not to be impressed with his composure for his age. He's going to need that composure. Since the announcement that Daniel Ricciardo's been rolled and Liam Lawson's taking over, he is copping it online from fans who are upset with the whole way that Riccardo's been treated. And who are they blaming wrongly? Obviously, Liam Lawson. And you know how social media is nowadays? It's not something out there that's just in the nether nether. It's in your phone, in your pocket, and you can read it if you want to. So I imagine he's going to have to draw on that mental fortitude to be able to cope with the pressure that he will now be under from people out there who've got opinions. But somehow, having listened to him talk this morning, I think he's going to be absolutely fine, don't you?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Rugby Championship took the weekend off, so we are all NPC all the time this week, and that action included SEVERAL surprises, including a LOT of water in Pukekohe .. and speaking of water, what's in the water in Dunedin?! The August 26, 2024 edition of The Rugby Report starts, RIGHT NOW! (Bloopers at the end, Enjoy!)

A driving instructor says one student drove 500 kilometres to sit his full licence test because of months-long wait times. Counties Driving School's Alistair McGregor says the man drove from Pukekohe to Dannevirke. The Government scrapped free driving test re-sits this year to cull long wait times. McGregor says it's taking time to see any effect. "The existing tests need to be worked through, so it's going to take a month or two - maybe a little longer - before it starts to ease." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is not the most important story that you will hear today, but it grinds my gears.  It's a small, seemingly insignificant event, but I think it speaks to two things that I absolutely hate about the world that we live in right now.  It took place at cinema three in Pukekohe. You might have seen the video on the Herald website.  So, two women and a child go to the movies, they sneak food in, which I know is not the biggest thing happening in the world right now.  We've all done it too, haven't we?  These guys, these entitled prats, let's just call them what they are, they had food, they had drinks, they had snacks, they had hot food, they snuck hot food into the cinema. That's brazen.  The guy working at the cinema goes over them and says, you're not allowed to bring your own food in.  And these guys just are having none of it. First of all, the worker that comes over has an Asian accent, they mock him for, for his race. They sit there and they start berating him: “Oh, you've made my daughter cry. You've made my daughter cry.”  It's his cinema.  The police came and had to escort them out for goodness sakes. They refused to move, they demanded refunds, they carried on eating.  They said, I wish I had my vape here, I'd start vaping and things like that.  The staff said they felt unsafe. They had to turn the movie off, so whoever was in the movie missed out.  People, the cinema has rules. It's clearly signposted apparently five times throughout the cinema complex that you cannot bring your own food.  And so, my feelings: one, if you can't go an hour forty without eating, you probably should. Two, this is a wider issue. It's about people not respecting rules. It's not your property, businesses need to make money otherwise they go out of business and people lose their jobs.  And number three, and this is the most egregious breach for me, they posted it all to TikTok.  Just the audacity to film all of that, berate the poor person working there, and then put it all on TikTok.  It's shameless. And that is what's wrong with us today, we have no shame anymore.  You steal something - Oh, it's the cost of living crisis.  You do something terrible - Oh, it's my mental health.  Where is the shame from breaking rules?  I don't see much of it at Cinema Three Pukekohe, that's for sure. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast, Dom talks with Pukekohe vegetable grower Allan Fong about his business, The Fresh Grower, growing conditions in Pukekohe and his growing social media presence... He talks with Becks Smith from The Whole Story about sustainability coaching, her new venture Solayer and her background as a vet... He talks with Richard McIntyre from Federated Famers about the struggle to fill farm vacancies, calving and the rural banking inquiry... And he talks with Rabobank Senior Macro Strategist Ben Picton about OCR cut predictions and the impact of US politics on the NZ economy. Tune in daily for the latest and greatest REX rural content on your favourite streaming platform, visit rexonline.co.nz and follow us on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn for more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gotta love Ardie Savea's decision to move to Moana Pasifika for the next Super Rugby season, if indeed it pans out. NZ Herald rugby scribe Liam Napier rarely misses the mark, so the story around the move released yesterday will most likely be on point. The move does raise some questions and it can be seen as a backward step by one of the game's elite, for me though, the positives outweigh the negatives. The biggest issue is how such a transfer could affect the standard of his game. No longer surrounded by high quality athletes, his presence on the field and game breaking ability may be curtailed under the weight of holding the team together. This is valid to a degree but I'm more inclined to think that he would grow and flourish under that pressure, his leadership and mana coming to the fore and his already outstanding application increasing its breadth. The effect this would have on a franchise that is being hammered by a lack of home ground and sub-optimal results is palpable. Not only would his presence bring eyeballs to the screens, sponsors to the team and bums to seats (wherever the seats are), but players would also be encouraged to set up shop at the shaky club. It's not the panacea to all their ailments, and shouldn't be seen as such, but the relocation of an athlete of his standing would be a massive shot in the arm. If indeed this does happen, the emphasis now must be on securing Moana a home ground to call their own and build on what will be one of the shock player moves in Super rugby history. Pukekohe is the obvious choice, just don't schedule a match on Friday night, or the fan base won't be in the stands, they'll be listening to the game on the car radio, stuck in the endless snake of traffic that curses the Southern motorway.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Leg Up is back with Thad Taylor, Steven Hunt, Paul Maoate and Brendan Popplewell as they preview this weekends races at Whanganui & Pukekohe.

The Leg Up is back with Thad Taylor, Steven Hunt, Paul Maoate and Brendan Popplewell as they preview this weekends races at Pukekohe

Man alive. There is a family in Dunedin doing it tough today. I mean, these guys sent their 16-year-old boy to school yesterday and he didn't come home. He was stabbed at a notoriously dangerous bus stop by a 13-year-old. What the hell, by the way, as a 13-year-old doing with a knife?  Now, that stabbing at the bus stop will have sent chills through parents up and down this country. Because the thing is: that is not just a Dunedin problem, it's an every part of the country problem. And we have for a few years now been warning that kids are beating each other up at bus stops at places like Rotorua, Tauranga, New Lynn, Pukekohe, Albany, Dunedin....And now the worst thing that could possibly happen has happened.   The warnings have clearly just not been taken seriously enough by authorities. Even that bus stop, by the way, there have been assaults on kids by kids since at least 2021, right? That's the last three years and we've been aware of that. And there have been calls for police to do something about it. And according to locals, they haven't.  But today, the area commanders said that they were there within a minute, apparently, and now they've further increased our patrolling in the area. Well, it's too late. I mean, the thing is, the kid is dead. The patrols are not going to help him now, are they?  Now, I'm not blaming police for what happened here. They do have their hands full, but they are the solution. And this is why they need to step up and help us here. Every place in this country that is struggling with crime at the moment is calling for the same thing: more police on the beat. Auckland CBD, with a handbags getting nicked from people who are just sitting down for something to eat. Malls, where masked men are breaking into Michael Hill Jewellers. Point Chev in Auckland, where they're dealing with some really bad behaviour from people.   Every single place that's got a problem at the moment is saying that the solution is more police patrols. They need greater visibility. The Police Minister actually already knows this. I mean, just yesterday in an interview, he said that he wants more cops on the beat as well. Then he needs to make it happen. He needs to sit down with his mate Andy Coster and say: “I don't care what you do to sort this out, but your priority is the boys in blue hitting the streets.” People need to see them. They need to be there when some ruckus breaks out at a bus stop. They need to be sorting it out. In fact, they need to be there so the kids know that they are there, and no ruckus breaks out.  I hate to make something like this political, but National has got the goodwill of this country at the moment, because they have told us time and time again, they're gonna sort out the crime. And at least, good for them, they acknowledge that there is this kind of crime.  But they will run out of time. They need to get on to it, or they're gonna go exactly the same way as Labour in our estimations on this particular subject. A kid is dead. There is brazen crime all over the show. It's not my job, it's not your job to try to figure out how to get more police on the beat. It's their job and they need to get on with it.  LISTEN ABOVE.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It was sad when iconic Pukekohe Park Raceway would shut down in 2023. Thankfully the park's racing legacy has been preserved in a new short-documentary titled 'Checkered Flag'. Director Natalie Wilson talks to Jesse.

Watermelons are growing well in Pukekohe and potato crops are producing good yields at harvest. In Canterbury, baleage is being made and jersey bulls are being taken out of the dairy herd.

Thad Taylor, Steven Hunt, and Brendan Popplewell are back to break down NZ racing aiming to give punters a leg up for the weekend ahead.

NOTE: This episode got tragically cut short by 10 minutes due to some technical difficulties. But here's the first 40!  Guy and Harley have filmed the second half of their new short film 'The Long Track', it was gruelling overnight shoots in the deep dark depths of Pukekohe. Guy walked the entire Milford Track and has been spending a lot of time in the Pacific Islands, meanwhile Harley is hot on the trail of some TikTok money. All this and much more, so kick off your shoes, grab your favourite beverage and tune in. Watch Older here: https://linktr.ee/olderthemovie Support us on Patreon: http://bit.ly/PigvillePatreon Make a one-off donation: http://bit.ly/BuyUsABeer Useful podcast links: https://linktr.ee/TheGuyandHarleyPodcast Watch Immi The Vegan here: https://linktr.ee/ImmiTheVegan Watch No Caller ID here: https://bit.ly/NCIDPigville Invest with Stake: https://bit.ly/JoinStake Invest with Sharesies: http://bit.ly/SharesiesNZ ~ Guy and Harley

Changeable weather has prevailed in Pukekohe. Farmers in Otago are busy marking lambs and bulls are going out to the cows

Thad Taylor, Steven Hunt, and Brendan Popplewell are back to break down NZ racing aiming to give punters a leg up for the weekend ahead.

Negotiations to form the next National-led government will step up a notch on Monday, with all parties hoping to lock in a deal as soon as possible. Those involved will likely be grappling with increased demands from New Zealand First - now that Winston Peters has a critical role in forming the next government. Peters fronted in Pukekohe on Sunday, at the launch of New Zealand First's campaign to win the Port Waikato by-election. There, he revealed he is now willing to talk to ACT Leader David Seymour. Political reporter Katie Scotcher was there.

Thad Taylor, Steven Hunt, Paul Maoate and Brendan Popplewell are back to break down NZ racing aiming to give punters a leg up for the weekend ahead.The boys preview this weekends races from Pukekohe and Riccarton

We catch up with the 2023 Young Grower of the Year, who was awarded the title in Pukekohe last week. He paints a bright future for horticulture, albeit one not without its challenges.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alan Wilcox of Pukekohe celebrated his 100th birthday. He walks down a lifetime and legacy of growing with Country Life.

Despite a dry period in Pukekohe in the middle of the month, warmer temperatures and residual soil moisture has stimulated crop growth. Most farmers are through calving on the West Coast and are busy dehorning cows.

New Zealand's tenth Formula One driver is a 21-year-old from Pukekohe.

Dairy owners are vying for a place on a scaled-back list of retailers who will hold on to their smoked tobacco licence by the year's end. Only one in 10 shops who currently sell cigarettes will still be able to by next July - a cutback from 6000 dairies to 600. It's part of the bid to make New Zealand smokefree by 2025, but despite that goal being embarked upon as far back as 2011, some shop owners feel 'sprung upon', due to the late rush of policy change. It is a double edged sword. In some cases cigarette sales revenue accounts for up to half of a dairy's revenue stream - and a spot on the list is a lifeline. But with 230 ram raids in the first four months of this year, security concerns are rife for those who will continue being able to sell cigarettes, causing some, like Pukekohe's Lochview Dairy owner Ravi Singh, to opt out - despite the crushing financial losses. Dairy and Business Owners Group chair Sunny Kaushal is leading a group of concerned owners to Parliament tomorrow, urging for more clarity over the reduced list, which is set to be decided by November.

Robbed, held at knifepoint and scared to death is an experience many dairy and small business owners are getting used to as rates of attacks climb to historic levels. Robert Lee, owner of the Windmill Dairy in New Plymouth, says he feared for his life when three young people, armed with a knife and a hammer, stormed his business this month. Ravinder Singh, who owns a liqour store in Auckland's Pukekohe, says he's been hit more than 15 times, despite fitting a number of protections. They spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

The real Gentleman Jim talks about attending the final Pukekohe race meeting, and his amazing career in motorsport, from New Zealand to America with Mclaren then to Australian, winning Bathurst and Championships along the way. From the race track to your device with Tony Whitlock and Craig Revell on Inside Supercars Inside Supercars Podcast: Subscribe Apple Podcasts I Spotify I Google Podcasts Supported by: P1 Australia Link:P1 Australia Auto Action RevLimiter – Subscribe here: Apple Podcasts I Spotify I Google Podcasts MusicCreative Commons Music by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com MusicComa-Media from Pixabay #RepcoSC #TCRAust #Supercars #Motorsport #ADL500

The family of a man with an intellectual disability say he has been neglected while waiting six months in hospital for a hip operation, and they fear he may even die there. Pukekohe man Arthur Brown, 58, was admitted to Middlemore Hospital in October, but his hip replacement surgery was delayed after he showed signs of an infection. The operation has not gone ahead since then. However, Mr Brown has remained in hospital the whole time, and his family says he is now bedridden, with his health gettting worse. Meanwhile, the family says, various agencies are disputing who is responsible for funding Mr Brown's ongoing care and recovery support. Arthur Brown's sister Fiona Brown says her brother is suffering.

Top stories for 13 March 2023 Wellington police are accused of intimidating bar patrons and staff in the Capital's party quarter. A Pukekohe councillor says it's lucky nobody died in a gang-related shooting that hospitalised four people Customers are scrambling to withdraw money after the collapse of a major US bank

Assessment of damage is underway in Pukekohe after a deluge of rain saw onions floating down the street and farms turned into lakes. Kiwifruit vines and structures have also been wiped out - while parts of the South Island start preparing for a drought.

Vegetable growers are warning there will be significant effects to crops because of the severe weather that's hit the upper North Island. Nearly half of the country's vegetables are grown in flood-hit Pukekohe and in response to the damage there, some farmers in other regions are planting extra crops to try to fill gaps. Here's our rural reporter Maja Burry.

There are warnings fresh vegetables could be pricey, contaminated and poor quality following flood-damage. Green leafy vegetables, onions, garlic and pumpkins have been ruined in the Auckland floods. Piles of onions have been washed onto the roads. Kathryn speaks with Pukekohe Vegetable Growers' Association President Kirit Makan and United Fresh NZ technical advisory group's Anne Marie Arts.

The minimum wage needs to jump up almost $2.50 to match the living wage according to the Council of Trade Unions. That would take it to $23.65 an hour. The PM says the government will be discussing any annual adjustments over the next couple of weeks. Pukekohe business Your Local Coffee Roasters already pays the living wage, owner Ria Lingad is on the line.

The Transport Minister has admitted Auckland's rail network is "neglected' - but believes commuters today have something to smile about. The government is investing more than $1.5 billion in upgrades to the city's rail network. Renovations and upgrades at Pukekohe station and the Southern Line mean a straight shot into the city, which Michael Wood says is long overdue. Finn Blackwell was at the construction site.

Heavy rain in Pukekohe mid-week made the ground too wet to dig potatoes or lift onions. Cherry picking is underway in Otago. The last two weeks have seen warm days and cool nights which has been good for ripening and flavour.