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Auckland reporters:
People should be able to freely enter Auckland under alert level 3 lockdown, instead of waiting up to six hours just to get home, ACT leader David Seymour says.
Some people have had to be rescued from the long queues in the heat by ambulance, Seymour said. People have been … View moreAuckland reporters:
People should be able to freely enter Auckland under alert level 3 lockdown, instead of waiting up to six hours just to get home, ACT leader David Seymour says.
Some people have had to be rescued from the long queues in the heat by ambulance, Seymour said. People have been toileting on the side of the road.
Police checkpoints returned to the borders when the region plunged back to level 3 at 6am on Sunday as authorities try to trace the origin of infection for the latest community case.
Seymour said it does not make sense to have restrictions for people coming from a lower-risk area and entering Auckland.
“If the Government believes there’s a risk of people outside of Auckland bringing Covid into Auckland, then they would have to put the rest of the country into a higher alert level.”
Seymour said he had been contacted by numerous people on Sunday complaining about the wait and the distress it caused, with some waiting up to six hours, 45 minutes.
There should be strict control of people leaving Auckland, but there was no need to have the same control on people entering, especially after Aucklanders had been away for a busy weekend, he said.
“Covid is bad and we need to maintain eradication but kids and elderly people stuck in hot cars can lead to serious problems too.”
Aucklander Fernanda Leone said it took her five-and-a-half hours to go through the check point at State Highway 1 at Mercer, after leaving Hamilton at midday on Sunday.
The trip usually take 90 minutes and, before she left, Google Maps said the trip would take two hours, 20 minutes.
“There are lots of cars with people with kids and animals in it, and I’m pretty sure – just like us – they didn’t know it would take this long so didn't come prepared.”
Leone had been in Hamilton for the Six60 concert and is travelling to her home in West Auckland.
Another Aucklander said she was in Hastings for the Good Vibes Summer Festival.
After 90 minutes at a standstill, she was unsure how much longer it will be until she reached the checkpoint.
“We're watching people going to the toilet on the side of the road. It’s really hot and people have kids and animals – they look really bothered.”
At Auckland's northern border, the wait is about two hours heading into Auckland, with no queue into Northland.
Were you stuck in traffic queues driving back to Auckland?
If so, how long did you have to queue?
How long did your trip back home take you?
What was it like being stuck in your car?
*Please put NFP if you do not want your comments used by Stuff.
UPDATE: Thank you for all your questions. We're picking the best to send off to the houseplant doctor from Kings Plant Barn and the answers will be published in an article on Homed soon.
Are your houseplants looking worse for wear? The experts at Kings Plant Barn would love to help. Send us … View moreUPDATE: Thank you for all your questions. We're picking the best to send off to the houseplant doctor from Kings Plant Barn and the answers will be published in an article on Homed soon.
Are your houseplants looking worse for wear? The experts at Kings Plant Barn would love to help. Send us your houseplant questions and problems to homed@stuff.co.nz, or leave them in the comments, for the houseplant doctor to diagnose. Pictures are encouraged.
Hi neighbours,
Do you have a vehicle that is taking up space and becoming an eyesore? At AAA Auto Parts we dismantle and wreck cars. We will pay top cash whether your car is dead or alive!
* $300 - $3000 for small cars
* $700 - $10,000 for 4x4 utes, vans, 4WD, trucks and buses
* Same day … View moreHi neighbours,
Do you have a vehicle that is taking up space and becoming an eyesore? At AAA Auto Parts we dismantle and wreck cars. We will pay top cash whether your car is dead or alive!
* $300 - $3000 for small cars
* $700 - $10,000 for 4x4 utes, vans, 4WD, trucks and buses
* Same day removal
* Free quotes over the phone
We will beat any prices in the market by 10%.
Support your local business.
Give us a call on ** 0800 50 00 01 ** and we will be happy to have a chat.
PayAsUGO is your flexible wheelie bin service and is available in your area.
PayAsUGO is a great alternative to your council bin tag. We will deliver a bin direct to you, and you choose how often it’s collected.
• Pause your service
• Receive notifications
• View your collection … View morePayAsUGO is your flexible wheelie bin service and is available in your area.
PayAsUGO is a great alternative to your council bin tag. We will deliver a bin direct to you, and you choose how often it’s collected.
• Pause your service
• Receive notifications
• View your collection calendar
Book your new wheelie bin service today .
Hi Auckland neighbours,
Have you lost your job or your business due to the financial fallout from Covid-19?
Or are you about to lose your job due to the pandemic?
Is your business already in liquidation?
… View moreHi Auckland neighbours,
Have you lost your job or your business due to the financial fallout from Covid-19?
Or are you about to lose your job due to the pandemic?
Is your business already in liquidation?
If this has happened to you, would you be happy to be interviewed by Stuff?
Feel free to email ged.cann@stuff.co.nz
Thanks,
Ged Cann
Senior Journalist
Stuff.co.nz
"From 25 March 2021, it is intended that temporary entry visa class holders will be charged higher fees for their managed isolation and quarantine stay," the statement reads. "The fees are currently $3100 (incl GST) for 14 days in managed isolation. "From 12.01am on 25 March, … View more"From 25 March 2021, it is intended that temporary entry visa class holders will be charged higher fees for their managed isolation and quarantine stay," the statement reads. "The fees are currently $3100 (incl GST) for 14 days in managed isolation. "From 12.01am on 25 March, 2021, this will increase to $5520 (incl GST) for the first or only person in a room, $2990 for an additional adult, and $1610 for an additional child."
=========================================
The latest changes affect all temporary entry visa class holders, including:
• Visitor visas (such as partners of a New Zealand citizen or resident)
• Student visas
• Work visas, and
• Limited visas
===========================================
According to MBIE, the new fees better reflect the actual costs of managed isolation, although the Government is still subsidising some of the cost. The new fees are the same as those charged to critical workers entering the country under a border exception. "Temporary entry class visa holders who have already booked managed isolation and quarantine places and enter facilities from 25 March, 2021 will be liable to pay the new fees," MBIE says. "This change will not affect those temporary entry class visa holders who have entered managed isolation and quarantine before 12.01am on 25 March." However there will be exceptions as critical healthcare workers entering under a border exception will continue to be charged the current standard fee of $3,100. MBIE states it can grant a full or partial waiver of managed isolation fees in cases of financial hardship or other special circumstances, or arrange a deferment of payment, for temporary entry visa class holders. See the MIQ website for more details.
=======================================================
Auckland to move back up to Alert Level 3 from 6 am tomorrow morning.....restrictions to stay for 7 days.
Rest of New Zealand to level 2.
Zoom Meeting - Apple Mac meeting 1.30pm held by Zoom, Monday 8th March for a 1hour presentation and learn how to customise settings in Safari Preferences on your Mac. Phone Janet 0212148386 Mac Senior Net Auckland for the zoom link. www.macsnrs.org.nz...
Police handed out 68 infringement notices at a Hells Angels Nomads motorbike ride on Saturday.
Some members of the Head Hunters and Tribesmen joined the cavalcade, police said.
Officers set up checkpoints along the ride and issued tickets for a variety of offences.
Two unlicensed drivers were … View morePolice handed out 68 infringement notices at a Hells Angels Nomads motorbike ride on Saturday.
Some members of the Head Hunters and Tribesmen joined the cavalcade, police said.
Officers set up checkpoints along the ride and issued tickets for a variety of offences.
Two unlicensed drivers were forbidden from driving and five people had their licences suspended because of excess demerit points.
Eighteen vehicles were taken off the road because they failed to be roadworthy.
One man was arrested on unrelated family harm matters.
Inspector Simon Walker said police wanted to thank the community for reporting dangerous driving.
"This operation sends a clear message to gangs that unsafe behaviour on our roads will not be tolerated by police and our community."
Call 105 to report driving offences.
Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield says there have been no new coronavirus cases overnight.
Bloomfield said he was looking for a run of days of zero community cases to inform a decision on moving alert levels.
Auckland is now in its third day of alert level 3 lockdown.
A 21-year-old… View moreDirector-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield says there have been no new coronavirus cases overnight.
Bloomfield said he was looking for a run of days of zero community cases to inform a decision on moving alert levels.
Auckland is now in its third day of alert level 3 lockdown.
A 21-year-old (Case M) and his mother (Case N) tested positive for the virus during the weekend, prompting the snap lockdown.
Initially it was unclear how Case M caught the virus.
But on Monday Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced undisclosed contact between Case M's mother and another mum involved in Auckland's February cluster.
They had gone for a walk during the region’s level 3 lockdown earlier this month.
Bloomfield said authorities "couldn't take any chances" with alert levels given there were "quite a few exposure events" connected to Case M.
He said there had been high infection rates in the families connected to the cluster and some casual exposure.
“We want to make sure there is not more of those, and we stamp it out.”
Bloomfield said Auckland was only a few days in from when Case M was most infectious, so people would need to “wait and see” if there was any more cases linked to him.
Although he suspected Case M “was not having a good time of it” in terms of backlash over breaching the rules, he said a “punitive approach” could be “counter-productive”.
“We can’t afford to give this virus an inch.”
*Please put NFP if you do not want your comments used by Stuff.
Immerse yourself in our wide-open spaces, epic activities, hidden gems, and untamed wilderness in the Ruapehu region. The perfect place to relax, refresh, and have a bit of adventure.
Get inspired and tick these off your bucket list:
- Hike the Tongariro Alpine Crossing
- Take a ride on the … View moreImmerse yourself in our wide-open spaces, epic activities, hidden gems, and untamed wilderness in the Ruapehu region. The perfect place to relax, refresh, and have a bit of adventure.
Get inspired and tick these off your bucket list:
- Hike the Tongariro Alpine Crossing
- Take a ride on the Sky Waka, NZ’s most unique gondola experience
- Cycle the Ohakune Old Coach Road
- Paddle down the Whanganui River
- Explore the Bridge to Nowhere
- Take a ride with Forgotten World Adventures ...and much more!
There's still plenty of awesome deals available in Ruapehu, so book now!
*DUE TO LEVEL 3 LOCKDOWN EVENT POSTPONED NEW DATE TO BE CONFIRMED*
Fun activities for all ages! Bring a picnic and make a day of it.
Fun activities for all ages: Bike Fun, Entertainment, Bug Club, Ethnic Food, Coffee Cart, Kayak and waka adventures on the Whau River, Music, Environmental … View more*DUE TO LEVEL 3 LOCKDOWN EVENT POSTPONED NEW DATE TO BE CONFIRMED*
Fun activities for all ages! Bring a picnic and make a day of it.
Fun activities for all ages: Bike Fun, Entertainment, Bug Club, Ethnic Food, Coffee Cart, Kayak and waka adventures on the Whau River, Music, Environmental Activities.
When: Saturday 6th March 2021 11:00am – 2:00pm
Where: Archibald Park, 47 Beaubank Rd, Kelston, Auckland
This is a Zero Waste Event please feel free to bring a container from home for take away Kai.
I would not recommend trusting this 'con! glomoration'
Found in Harold Moody park.
If this is yours, get in touch. Obviously car keys are kind of sensitive, so please bring the vehicle it belongs to and photo ID, so I can verify if you’re the owner of that vehicle.
Good morning Auckland neighbours,
Auckland residents are up in arms after a row of trees was turned into an “eyesore” in a bid to protect some power lines.
Residents of Alford St, in the central Auckland suburb of Waterview, woke up last week to find the trees on their berms cut into deep V … View moreGood morning Auckland neighbours,
Auckland residents are up in arms after a row of trees was turned into an “eyesore” in a bid to protect some power lines.
Residents of Alford St, in the central Auckland suburb of Waterview, woke up last week to find the trees on their berms cut into deep V shapes.
John Jones, who lives opposite one of the trees, said they were “quite an eyesore”.
Auckland Council’s regional arborists and ecological manager David Stejskal said the trees were pruned by contractors Treescape as part of routine maintenance of trees growing under power lines.
The overzealous pruning was brought to the council’s attention by a local board member.
Officials have since visited the site and spoken to the contractor about the unacceptable nature of the pruning, Stejskal said.
“The power lines clearance programme needs to strike a balance between the regulatory clearance required to protect power lines and maintaining the viability of the tree,” he said.
Our contractors agree to clear trees to regulatory and contract specifications and best practice guidelines which in this case were not carried out.
“We are currently speaking to Treescape about what needs to be done to remedy the situation.”
Treescape confirmed it is working with the council to remedy the situation.
“We understand the concerns of the residents, and we’re working together to resolve the issue,” a spokesperson said.
“That’s all we can say at this stage.”
What do you think of the way the trees have been cut?
*Please put NFP if you do not want your comments used by Stuff.
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