Severe flooding in NSW causes death and destruction
Australia correspondent Nick Grimm spoke to Lisa Owen about how severe flooding has been causing death and destruction for communities on the New South Wales east coast and how a push is on to include the sport of trail running in the 2032 Olympic Games being held in Brisbane.
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RNZ News
37 minutes ago
- RNZ News
'A wee bit weird' - Is it time for netball to scrap post-match huddle?
Players huddle during the Magic vs Tactix ANZ Premiership match in Hamilton, 25 May 2025. Photo: © Photosport Ltd 2025 It's the post game ritual that netballers have taken part in for as long as anyone can remember but should New Zealand's elite players ditch the end of game group huddle? Hip hip hip, ray ray ray … is the go-to cheer our top netballers take part in after every game but sports reporter Bridget Tunnicliffe asked people in the sport whether they actually like the routine. The sight of opposing teams linking arms in a circle after a game has been a common one for years, through to international matches between Australia and New Zealand. In a recent ANZ Premiership match, the two teams came together like they always do to acknowledge each other. But in the commentary box for the TVNZ broadcast, Silver Fern Phoenix Karaka observed that it's not something everyone wants to do. "I'm not a fan, obviously when you're winning and you've won the game it's all good but when you've lost a game like that - you don't want to see the other team," Karaka said. In Australia, the players decided to ditch the end of the game group huddle ahead of this year's Super Netball Competition. Former Australian Diamonds legend turned commentator Cath Cox told a Fox Sports panel show that from an optics point of view, the players felt it looked out of place as professional athletes. Players also said it could be "awkward". Cox said it came off the back of last year's Constellation Cup between the Diamonds and Silver Ferns. In the Constellation Cup series between the Silver Ferns and Diamonds last year, the teams came together after each Test. Photo: Aaron Gillions / "They play each other every two or three days and discussions started then around is it too much to be coming into a huddle when you're still in the heat of the battle and after every single game?" Cox said. Former Silver Ferns captain and coach Yvonne Willering said in her day they thanked the opposition and the umpire and then went back to their own team. "Why would you at that stage want to get in a huddle with the opposition and people sort of say it's all about the game out on court and afterwards you can be mates, but to me it's too soon after the game. It's a bit like I have a problem with a team doing high fives when they really haven't played that well in a particular quarter. "While it's not a major, I totally understand why the Australians are no longer doing that. I think players themselves [in New Zealand] have been looking at that. I think a handshake and then just moving on has more merit," Willering said. Tactix captain Erikana Pedersen said it could feel forced at times. "Sometimes I question why we do that, and is it a bit of a just kind of a nice way to end things out but when you lose you don't want to be in a huddle with the people you just lost to so I can see why the Australian teams have stopped that this season and maybe that's something we need to look at doing," Pedersen said. Mystics captain Michaela Sokolich-Beatson (right). Photo: Marty Melville But some people in the sport, such as Mystics captain Michaela Sokolich-Beatson, believe it's one of the things that makes netball so unique. "We're trying to play the best brand of netball that we can play to make it a really strong game in our country and I think a part of that is doing it as a collective so I think to come together at the end of the game and congratulate each other and just celebrate each other I think is powerful in a women's sport and any sport in general so I'm happy to keep doing it," Sokolich-Beatson said. Pulse captain and Silver Fern veteran Kelly Jackson said she liked the act of camaraderie and respect between the sides. "I think it's nice to acknowledge the team and everyone goes out there to put their best foot forward so I think it shows a lot of sportsmanship to be able to be I guess humble in victory, gracious in defeat," Jackson said. Magic midcourter Georgie Edgecombe said she liked what the Australian teams had done. "Of course shake hands and pay respect to each other after the game but there's probably no need for a huddle and chat, the same thing gets said every week," Edgecombe said Tactix coach Donna Wilkins. Photo: © Photosport Ltd 2025 Mystics shooter Filda Vui said when her side played the Stars in round one, it was an opportunity to empathise with their opponents. "Three of their players got injured and got carried off the court. Mickey [Michaela Sokolich-Beatson] shared a few words just to say we felt for them because those are our sisters and we used to play and grew up with them in Auckland so that's why it's kind of nice too, to just share a few words because that was really sad," Vui said. Former Silver Fern and current Tactix coach Donna Wilkins, also used to play basketball for New Zealand. Wilkins said you don't see it in any other sport and wondered how authentic it was. "It's just always what you do in netball and it is a wee bit weird. Like you always shake hands etc in other sports but you don't normally come together. Normally the captain says something but you know we've just been in the heat of the battle - do they really mean what they are saying? "I know it's something that some of the players have discussed and talked about but I guess we've just always done it so it will be interesting to see if we follow that same path," Wilkins said. Mirroring what happens in most other sports, the Australian players now get around to one another to shake hands. It remains to be seen whether hip hip hip, ray ray ray is here to stay in New Zealand for years to come. But it's safe to say netball won't go down the NBA route of simply heading down the tunnel to the dressing rooms immediately after the game is done. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
an hour ago
- RNZ News
'A wee bit weird' - Is it time for netball to scrap post-match group hug?
Players huddle during the Magic vs Tactix ANZ Premiership match in Hamilton, 25 May 2025. Photo: © Photosport Ltd 2025 It's the post game ritual that netballers have taken part in for as long as anyone can remember but should New Zealand's elite players ditch the end of game group huddle? Hip hip hip, ray ray ray … is the go-to cheer our top netballers take part in after every game but sports reporter Bridget Tunnicliffe asked people in the sport whether they actually like the routine. The sight of opposing teams linking arms in a circle after a game has been a common one for years, through to international matches between Australia and New Zealand. In a recent ANZ Premiership match, the two teams came together like they always do to acknowledge each other. But in the commentary box for the TVNZ broadcast, Silver Fern Phoenix Karaka observed that it's not something everyone wants to do. "I'm not a fan, obviously when you're winning and you've won the game it's all good but when you've lost a game like that - you don't want to see the other team," Karaka said. In Australia, the players decided to ditch the end of the game group huddle ahead of this year's Super Netball Competition. Former Australian Diamonds legend turned commentator Cath Cox told a Fox Sports panel show that from an optics point of view, the players felt it looked out of place as professional athletes. Players also said it could be "awkward". Cox said it came off the back of last year's Constellation Cup between the Diamonds and Silver Ferns. In the Constellation Cup series between the Silver Ferns and Diamonds last year, the teams came together after each Test. Photo: Aaron Gillions / "They play each other every two or three days and discussions started then around is it too much to be coming into a huddle when you're still in the heat of the battle and after every single game?" Cox said. Former Silver Ferns captain and coach Yvonne Willering said in her day they thanked the opposition and the umpire and then went back to their own team. "Why would you at that stage want to get in a huddle with the opposition and people sort of say it's all about the game out on court and afterwards you can be mates, but to me it's too soon after the game. It's a bit like I have a problem with a team doing high fives when they really haven't played that well in a particular quarter. "While it's not a major, I totally understand why the Australians are no longer doing that. I think players themselves [in New Zealand] have been looking at that. I think a handshake and then just moving on has more merit," Willering said. Tactix captain Erikana Pedersen said it could feel forced at times. "Sometimes I question why we do that, and is it a bit of a just kind of a nice way to end things out but when you lose you don't want to be in a huddle with the people you just lost to so I can see why the Australian teams have stopped that this season and maybe that's something we need to look at doing," Pedersen said. Mystics captain Michaela Sokolich-Beatson (right). Photo: Marty Melville But some people in the sport, such as Mystics captain Michaela Sokolich-Beatson, believe it's one of the things that makes netball so unique. "We're trying to play the best brand of netball that we can play to make it a really strong game in our country and I think a part of that is doing it as a collective so I think to come together at the end of the game and congratulate each other and just celebrate each other I think is powerful in a women's sport and any sport in general so I'm happy to keep doing it," Sokolich-Beatson said. Pulse captain and Silver Fern veteran Kelly Jackson said she liked the act of camaraderie and respect between the sides. "I think it's nice to acknowledge the team and everyone goes out there to put their best foot forward so I think it shows a lot of sportsmanship to be able to be I guess humble in victory, gracious in defeat," Jackson said. Magic midcourter Georgie Edgecombe said she liked what the Australian teams had done. "Of course shake hands and pay respect to each other after the game but there's probably no need for a huddle and chat, the same thing gets said every week," Edgecombe said Tactix coach Donna Wilkins. Photo: © Photosport Ltd 2025 Mystics shooter Filda Vui said when her side played the Stars in round one, it was an opportunity to empathise with their opponents. "Three of their players got injured and got carried off the court. Mickey [Michaela Sokolich-Beatson] shared a few words just to say we felt for them because those are our sisters and we used to play and grew up with them in Auckland so that's why it's kind of nice too, to just share a few words because that was really sad," Vui said. Former Silver Fern and current Tactix coach Donna Wilkins, also used to play basketball for New Zealand. Wilkins said you don't see it in any other sport and wondered how authentic it was. "It's just always what you do in netball and it is a wee bit weird. Like you always shake hands etc in other sports but you don't normally come together. Normally the captain says something but you know we've just been in the heat of the battle - do they really mean what they are saying? "I know it's something that some of the players have discussed and talked about but I guess we've just always done it so it will be interesting to see if we follow that same path," Wilkins said. Mirroring what happens in most other sports, the Australian players now get around to one another to shake hands. It remains to be seen whether hip hip hip, ray ray ray is here to stay in New Zealand for years to come. But it's safe to say netball won't go down the NBA route of simply heading down the tunnel to the dressing rooms immediately after the game is done. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
2 hours ago
- RNZ News
Regional council says low risk to life when Middlemarch floods, residents say it's still stressful
Sewage in the Tap and Dough Bistro in Middlemarch, central Otago, in 2018. Photo: SUPPLIED The Otago Regional Council says there is no simple solution to stop the rural town of Middlemarch from flooding, but the risk to life is lower than expected. In recent years, flooding has spread water and contaminated muck through homes, businesses and streets, impacting bores and blocking roads. On Tuesday, the council hosted a community meeting to discuss the latest flood update and potential ways to reduce them. The sound of heavy rains sparked anxiety for some Middlemarch residents, as swelling streams flowed down the Rock and Pillar Range towards the town. In 2018, a deluge turned some streets into sewage ponds with one business flooding to knee-deep filthy water . Ruth Manning has owned a holiday home in Middlemarch for more than 20 years - it has been hit twice in recent floods. "So about 50 to 60 centimetres up the wall the water damage spread. I've had to have the carpet fully replaced twice and most of the furnishings that were in the cottage replaced as well," she said. "That's two insurance claims and we have been advised now that we won't be insured again should it happen again and our excess has gone up to $5000." The community hall was packed with Middlemarch residents who wanted to hear about the latest science and solutions from Otago Regional Council. The council found existing culverts, channels and bridges were too small, there were no easy solutions and they would likely be costly and challenging to implement. But council's flood hazard analyst Nathan Anderson said there was also some good news, including debris flow not being a major concern . "The risk of people losing their lives or getting injured ... is what specifically our focus was and that is relatively low because we don't have areas that are getting extremely deep or moving very fast," he said. One resident told the meeting that calling it low risk did not properly account for the toll it took on the community. "I think that underplays and undervalues the stresses that people have that live in the flood-prone areas and when the rain hits, I get a number of phone calls from people that live in those areas that have been flooded and they're damned anxious," he said. Flooding in Middlemarch in 2021. Photo: Supplied / Robin Thomas Nathan Anderson acknowledged the concerns, saying that the risk to life might be low but the council was aware of the other impacts from flooding. A flooded caravan did not deter Patrick Flanagan from settling here about five years ago. "It didn't stop us from building, we just had to build 400 millimetres above any known flood height," he said. "For the community, it was a bit devastating because some businesses closed down and, obviously, it puts a lot of stress on people whose places are very close to flooding." He was pleased to see the council were taking the issue seriously and he hoped to see more solutions that would help to protect homes in the community. Ruth Manning was keen to see some longer term solutions that could help Middlemarch to grow, saying it was an affordable place to live. "There's multiple residential properties here in the area and I think people are put off by the risk of flooding and actually buying in the first place," she said. "But if we had a good flood mitigation scheme, then it would actually attract more people to this area." In 2023, the council installed a new rain gauge to boost flood forecasting in the area. Improving channels, creating a diversion channel and debris basins were among the possible solutions, but Nathan Anderson said there was no silver bullet solution despite using modelling to test a range of different options. The ballpark figures ranged from about $2 million to upwards of $15 million and did not include design or land costs. "We're here to help solve their problems. That's really what we hope to get out of it," Anderson said. "At the end of the day, it really comes down to it's going to be their decision of how they want to achieve that balance between cost and effectiveness." Another resident told the meeting that the flooding hit their water bores and could potentially take weeks to fix, forcing people to boil their water to brush their teeth or rely on water tankers. Angela and Shane Foster hoped to start building their Middlemarch home in the next 12 months. Armed with information from the council and locals, they were opting for a foundation that would raise it up on piles to give them more protection, he said. "We are on a wee bit of an incline so we believe from what we've been told it doesn't get that far up but one in 100 year (flood) could get that far up," he said. Angela Foster said the community wanted to see some action. "There has been a lot of modelling done in offices. There's been a lot of interesting work done behind the scenes, but there doesn't seem to be much happening on the ground," she said. "I think if people see things happening on the ground, whether it be widening of creeks or clearing out of creeks or whatever it may be, if they could see some actual work it might help people's view that they're being helped and not just being forgotten about." Otago Regional Council hoped to have more detailed options to show the community in the next year, but said it was clear that the community wanted to hear more about solutions. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
