Latest news with #Ashburton
RNZ News
5 days ago
- Climate
- RNZ News
Playground fence sparks anger from Canterbury parent
Amanda Burrows says the installation of the fence as a safety barrier between the Proctor Park playground and swales is "a complete overreaction" from the Ashburton District Council. Photo: LDR/Jonathan Leask A Tinwald mother says the almost $10,000 fence built between a stormwater pond and playground is an overreaction by council staff. Ashburton district Council installed the fence this month after fears were raised about a [ child drowning] due to the playground being built so close to drainage ponds. Mother-of-two Amanda Burrows, who lives opposite Proctor Park, said the new fence is "a complete overreaction". Local residents are unsure about what the fence will stop, she said. "We don't see the point of it," Burrows said. "I can see the logic to some degree, but it feels like a waste of resources that could have been invested in other safety issues around town." Burrows said the situation "feels like PC gone wrong". "I get wanting to protect our children, but it feels like a world gone mad ... will we start fencing off trees to stop kids climbing them in case they fall out?" The council agreed to install the fence in response to concerns about the drowning risk of the swales, which are grassy areas used to manage stormwater run-off. It followed drainage issues at the swales, which required a pump to remove the water after heavy rain. Peter King raised the alarm, saying he felt that a child could drown because the playground was built just metres from stormwater drainage. Councillors discussed the issue at the three waters committee on June 25, where it was acknowledged King wasn't the first to raise concerns. Mayor Neil Brown and councillor Carolyn Cameron both recalled a site visit before the new playground was built when the location next to the swales was questioned. At the committee meeting, it was agreed to build the fence as an immediate solution to reduce the drowning risk. However, some of the neighbours of the park don't see the same level of risk. Burrows said the playground is rarely used by younger children. "It's more of a teen playground. "There isn't a lot there for the younger age children that would be at risk of drowning when the swales have water in them." As a teacher, Burrows said she understood the need to mitigate risks, but it would be easier and cheaper to extend the existing garden at the edge of the playground "They just needed to extend that out, and it would look far nicer than what they have done." Council infrastructure and open spaces manager Neil McCann said the permanent fence installation cost $9500. The existing garden wouldn't be extended as the money has already been spent on the fence. LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
RNZ News
11-07-2025
- General
- RNZ News
From the Archive - working dogs go under the hammer
rural Canterbury 29 minutes ago A dip into the archives when Cosmo Kentish-Barnes attended the 64th annual Ashburton cattle and sheep dog sale to find out what these hard-working dogs are worth.
The Spinoff
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Spinoff
Twenty years on, Outrageous Fortune remains as relevant as ever
Tara Ward reflects on an Outrageous week on The Spinoff. On 12 July, 2005, Outrageous Fortune burst onto our screens and transformed the landscape of New Zealand television. Created by Rachel Lang and James Griffin, the big, bold comedy-drama ran for six award-winning seasons and 108 episodes following the unpredictable exploits of the Wests, a family of career criminals living in West Auckland. It wasn't easy for the Wests to go straight, and Outrageous captured the attention and affection of New Zealanders in a way that no local scripted series had before. The Spinoff spent this week celebrating the 20th anniversary of Outrageous Fortune, and it's been a delightful trip down TV memory lane. We began on Monday with my cover story about how the Wests were born, and how the show was inspired by a news report that writer Rachel Lang heard in the shower one morning in 2003. I'd always thought Outrageous Fortune was an instant success, but it turns out New Zealand audiences were a tough crowd. It took three seasons before our love affair with Outrageous truly blossomed, and the show proved critics wrong over and over again. Across six dramatic seasons, Outrageous burrowed into our national consciousness in a variety of unexpected and colourful ways. I loved Alex Casey's deep dive into the show's spectacular use of swearing, while Liam Rātana took us on a thoughtful trip through Outrageous Fortune's most defining and memorable moments. Gareth Shute explored how the show championed a variety of iconic, sometimes forgotten New Zealand music, and Emma Gleason unpacked the unique style of our favourite Westies in all their leather and leopard-print glory. Tomorrow, actor Siobhan Marshall (who played Pascalle West) ends the week by taking us through her life in television. The legacy of Outrageous Fortune runs deep – even now, it's hard to see someone wearing leopard print without thinking of Cheryl West (and if you're wondering how obsessed New Zealand was with the show, check out this impressive 2010 entry for a Cheryl-lookalike competition in Ashburton). Outrageous Fortune inspired the award-winning prequel series Westside, and several of the show's cast and crew went on to achieve international success, including Antony Starr (The Boys, Banshee) and Robyn Malcolm, who most recently starred in the BAFTA-nominated After the Party and Netflix global hit drama The Survivors. Rewatching Outrageous Fortune reminded me that aspects of the show remain as relevant today as they were in 2005. 'In our real world, we are all encouraged to think that if we just try hard enough and show initiative, we can all be rich and famous,' Lang and Griffin wrote in their original Outrageous pitch. Twenty years later, everyone from politicians to influencers to the media remind us that we too can be wealthy and successful, if we only try hard enough. Lang was inspired to create Outrageous Fortune after she learned the median income for New Zealand women in 2003 was just over $14,000. The week before I spoke to Lang about that memory, the government rushed through changes to pay equity laws, which will predominantly impact the incomes of working-class women. Two decades may have passed, but some things haven't changed. Outrageous Fortune is a New Zealand television success story, a show filled with our voices, our issues and our humour. It's been a joy to spend a week remembering and celebrating the series. Once you've read all our Outrageous Week pieces, do yourself a favour – take a trip back to 2005 and enjoy a West family reunion this weekend.
RNZ News
09-07-2025
- RNZ News
Wheelchair user dies after being hit by car in Ashburton
Photo: RNZ / REECE BAKER A wheelchair user has died following a collision with a car in Ashburton on Saturday. Police were called to Burnett Street about 1pm after a report of a crash involving a car and a person in an electric wheelchair. Senior Sergeant Janine Bowden said the wheelchair user died in hospital on Wednesday night. She called for anyone with information about the crash to come forward. "We offer our condolences to the family of the deceased during this difficult time," Bowden said. "While our investigation into the circumstances of the incident are ongoing, police would like to hear from anyone who may have witnessed the crash. We would also like to hear from anyone who may have CCTV or dashcam footage in the Burnett Street and Park Street areas." Anyone with information should contact police via 105 or online at and use the reference number 250706/8918. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
03-07-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Fresh push for four-lane highway from Rolleston to Ashburton
Rachel Gillard-Tew launched a petition this week calling on the government to reconsider four-laning the stretch of SH1 from Rolleston to Ashburton. Photo: LDR / Ashburton Guardian A woman fed up with seeing near-misses is campaigning for State Highway 1 between Rolleston and Ashburton to be increased to four lanes. Rachel Gillard-Tew launched a petition this week calling on the government to reconsider four-laning the 63km stretch of road. "State Highway 1 is the lifeline connecting communities across New Zealand, and the section between Rolleston and Ashburton is crying out for attention. "Despite its importance, it remains a single-lane hazard." Her motivation stems from a personal connection to "a catastrophic accident on SH1" and, as a regular traveller along SH1, witnessing plenty of close calls. With Rolleston and surrounding towns continuing to develop, traffic would only increase, she said. "The potential for devastating accidents increases by the day. "It's time SH1 is also prioritised." With the range of vehicle sizes and speeds, it creates a stressful environment where people lose patience and take risks, she said. "There is no room for error at all with no protection from oncoming traffic. "The lack of safe intersections and an adequate median barrier makes this highway section particularly perilous. "The need for immediate action is clear and compelling." Creating four lanes between Rolleston and Ashburton would save lives and reduce the unnecessary risks faced by commuters and holiday travellers, she said. The major hurdle is, and has always been, the cost. Adding two lanes from Rolleston to Ashburton will require the extension or construction of new two-lane bridges at the Selwyn and Rakaia rivers. Former Selwyn District councillor Mark Alexander said that four-laning between Rolleston and Ashburton is "unaffordable for our region and country". He said a second bridge at Rakaia is needed for resilience and "more maintenance of the existing roadway is needed". "We need more schools and better healthcare, more than a motorway between Ashburton and Rolleston." Alexander sat on the Greater Christchurch Partnership and Regional Transport Committee during his time on the council, between 2010 and 2022, and said the "cost-benefit ratio was not favourable" for four lanes. He was referencing a business case looking at traffic solutions on SH1 between Christchurch and Dunedin, which was ready for the NZTA Board in 2017. Instead, the National-led government announced its roads of national significance policy that included four lanes from Christchurch to Ashburton. National lost the election later that year, and the roads of national significance were scrapped by the incoming Labour-led coalition Government. The business case, released under the Official Information Act, shows the preferred option was not four lanes. It included a second bridge in Ashburton and a series of "2+1" lanes, essentially alternating passing lanes between Christchurch and Ashburton. NZTA hasn't ruled out four-laning in future, but it is not part of the National Land Transport Plan 2024-27. Regional manager for system design Rich Osborne said NZTA is investing in safety measures on SH1 between Lyttelton and Timaru ports. He said NZTA is aware of safety concerns about the busy State Highway 1 corridor, as raised in the petition. Safety improvement works are being planned and undertaken, he said. "Providing for wide centrelines has been a recent focus of safety improvements. "This creates more space between lanes and keeps vehicles further apart, which can reduce serious crashes resulting in death and serious injuries. "Recent work has included widening of the southbound shoulder of SH1 south of Rolleston, between Dunns Crossing Road and Burnham Road, to install a wide centreline." Further improvements over the next few years include building a second Ashburton bridge, the Rolleston access improvements project, and a new roundabout at the Burnham Road/Aylesbury Road intersection. A stretch south of Hinds and 2km at Rolleston have had centre line widening and more is being planned, but not until the next three-year land transport plan. "Pre-implementation work, including detailed design and some property acquisition work, is underway for wide centrelines and some widening works for sections of State Highway 1 from Burnham Road to Selwyn River, south of Selwyn River to north of Rakaia, and south of Rakaia to north of Ashburton. "As part of its long-term forward planning, NZTA is exploring future options for improving the SH1 corridor between Lyttelton and Timaru ports, and this includes looking at replacement of SH1 bridges, the role of rail and the potential introduction of four-laning." National first proposed four-laning the highway ahead of the 2017 election, and the policy was resurrected at the 2020 election. The party had promised to investigate its viability in the lead-up to the 2023 election. When it released its National Land Transport Plan in 2024, National's Roads of National Significance were back, with 15 new four-lane roading projects across the country - including the Woodend Bypass, but not between Ashburton and Rolleston. Rangitata MP, and South Island Minister, James Meager said the idea needed to be reevaluated. "We need to do the work to see how it stacks up - the last time anyone looked at it seriously was in 2017, before Labour came into government. "My main focus is getting construction started on the second Ashburton bridge and making progress on our other major South Island roading projects." LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
