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Taranaki Media, 168 Devon Street East, New Plymouth (2026)

10/09/2026

🚧👷 Latest update on the SH3 Mount Messenger Bypass Te Ara o Te Ata project below, provided by NZTA Waka Kotahi.

🚘 Bridge takes shape above the valley:

One of the most striking features of Te Ara o Te Ata - Mt Messenger Bypass is beginning to emerge, with a major milestone recently achieved on the project's 125-metre bridge in the southern section of the new alignment.

Over the past week, crews successfully lowered the bridge's distinctive angled pier legs into place, marking an important step in bringing the structure to life. Designed at a 45-degree angle, the legs allow the bridge to span an ecologically sensitive area while minimising impact on the vegetation and natural water flows below.

Construction of the bridge is being carried out from a specially built 110-metre temporary staging bridge, and involves three cranes – including one capable of lifting up to 280 tonnes.

The next phase of work will see the bridge's 10 steel girder sections lifted into place, 5 on each side of the structure, along with the installation of crossbeams and bracing. In November, the full weathering steel structure is expected to be standing, providing a clear picture of how the finished bridge will look.

Attention will then turn to building the bridge deck, with crews installing 210 precast concrete panels and 64 precast side barriers before pouring the concrete deck itself. A temporary surface will be applied to allow project traffic to use the bridge from early 2027, improving access across the site and reducing the project’s use of the existing SH3. The final road surface will be laid closer to the opening of the bypass.

As the bridge takes shape, it provides another visible sign of progress on the approximately 6km bypass, which will deliver a safer, more resilient and reliable SH3 connection through north Taranaki.

🚘 Bridge by numbers

- 470 tonnes of NZ-fabricated weathering steel

- 1,043 tonnes of concrete
-- 614t for the poured deck
-- 248t of concrete panels, each measuring 3.8m x 2m, and 11cm thick
-- 181t of side barriers, each about 4m long and 81cm high

- 61 tonnes – largest crane lift

- 51.4 metres – longest single girder section

- 8 major crane lifts

- 125 metres – length of bridge

- 24.6 metres – highest point of bridge

- 10 metres – rise in elevation from south to north

- 7% – east to west crossfall, or slant, as the bridge curves

🚘 Earthworks continue through winter

Over the past few months, we’ve been working through a winter programme centred mainly around the bridge.

We’ve been excavating down towards the future finished height of the bridge at its northern end, on our way to removing 16,000m3 of hillside as a small part of the overall 'Cut 13', shown above and in the map below. That material is being used to build up the approaches to both sides of the project's tunnel, for which excavations and lining were completed in January this year.

Once these earthworks have reached bridge height and access over the bridge is available, in the new year, we’ll be able to drive from our main site office at the southern base of Mt Messenger right through to Zone 3, north of the tunnel (see map below). Works will then begin on removing the track that has given us access since 2022 from the existing SH3 to the tunnel's southern entrance, as it will no longer be required.

Zone 3 will be a hive of activity in the 2026-27 earthworks season, and we’re looking forward to fine weather and good progress as we push towards the site of the smaller bridge further along the zone.

This will be a big season, with the 125m bridge due for completion and 128,640m3 of earthworks targeted for excavation. We have a focused team, and they’re well set up to deliver more great progress this summer and beyond.

🚘 Koanga marks a milestone as 50th kiwi released

We've recently returned Koanga the kiwi to pest-controlled forest at Mt Messenger.

She’s the 50th juvenile kiwi we've returned as part of the project's environmental mitigation programme.

This programme is being delivered alongside our iwi partner Ngāti Tama, and Tiaki Te Mauri o Parininihi Trust. It helps give young kiwi the best possible chance of survival. Eggs are collected from monitored birds around the construction site, and then raised at a specialist facility near Taupō.

We return the kiwi back home to pest-controlled bush, away from construction activities, once they're at least 1kg in weight and big enough to fend off stoats.

Koanga's return represents an important milestone for the project, as we reflect on our years of collaboration, careful planning and commitment to protecting the native species that live where we're working.

As spring begins and another kiwi breeding season approaches, we're looking forward to welcoming many more kiwi back to the bush.

🚘 Aerial operation hits rats and possums hard

Our pest management work is a crucial part of the project’s environmental mitigation programme, building on years of great work by our iwi partner Ngāti Tama and Tiaki Te Mauri o Parininihi Trust.

We’re cutting a 340km track network with traps and bait stations through a pest management area (PMA) either side of the new road covering 3,650 hectares, and we're working hard to reduce the numbers of predators that endanger native species like kiwi and kōkako.

A key part of this work is a 3-yearly aerial 1080 pest control operation, with helicopters delivering pellets targeting rats and possums in inaccessible locations. Following consultation with landowners, this took place in late July this year and has delivered excellent results.

Post-operation monitoring shows that rat tracking has been massively reduced from 75% in the eastern PMA and 55% in the western PMA, to 0.5% overall (evidence of one single rat was detected ).

Even better, wax tags checked by the team over 4 days showed no signs of possums in either the eastern or western PMA, down from 54% and 10% respectively.

This is an excellent outcome that not only sets up our native birds for a much safer breeding season but also offers respite to native trees, like the swamp maire, which are at risk from pest species.

📸 Thank you to NZTA for the photos and update

10/09/2026

☀️ A beautiful Taranaki day, complete with new snow on the Maunga ❄️

📸 Captured from Vogeltown – Friday 11 September, 9am

09/09/2026

Sun, sand and surf used to be the perfect day at the beach, but New Plymouth’s East End Surf Life Saving Club looks forward to a bit of rain now too - thanks to a new rainwater storage system funded by NPDC’s Community Climate Action Fund.

The club, which has almost 400 members, runs the tap for about an hour and a half every day at the height of summer to wash down rescue equipment after every patrol and training session, while boards, rescue skis, IRBs, and other lifesaving gear require regular cleaning to remove salt and sand, and prevent corrosion.

With growing pressure on water supplies and the introduction of water metering, relying on mains water was an environmental and financial challenge, said Nicole Attrill, of the East End Surf Life Saving Club.

With about $7,000 in funding from NPDC Community Climate Action Fund, the club installed a tank to capture and store rainwater from the clubroom’s roof, and the collected water is now used to wash down equipment, cutting the club’s use of treated mains water while ensuring rescue gear is maintained to a high standard.

“By increasing water self-sufficiency, the club is less vulnerable to any future water restrictions, rising water costs, and periods of drought. Not only does it offset our water usage, but it also introduces climate-conscious practices to our club that will hopefully inspire all our members to remember that the ocean and environment we love depends on all of us playing our part,” said Ms Attrill.

Mayor Max said the project is a win-win for the club and for ratepayers, and showed how small changes can make a big difference.

“East End Surf Life Saving Club has offset its future costs with a relatively simple one-off project, while also doing their bit to ease the pressure on our public water infrastructure. Small improvements like this can add up to benefit the whole community and I encourage more groups to apply,” said Max.

By making better use of a natural resource that would otherwise be lost as stormwater runoff, the rainwater tank is a practical example of climate adaptation and resilience in action, said NPDC Climate Change Response Lead Greg Stephens.

“The project demonstrates how relatively small infrastructure investments can help community organisations become more sustainable, reduce operating costs, and strengthen their ability to deliver essential services in a changing climate,” said Mr Stephens.

Applications for funding from the Community Climate Action Fund are open until 30 September.

08/09/2026

Waitara High School is set to receive two new classrooms as part of a $32.8 million Government property investment aimed at easing roll growth pressures at schools across the country.

It is the only local school included in the latest round of funding, which will deliver a total of 34 new classrooms and one gym across a total of 10 schools in Auckland, Waikato, Taranaki, and Canterbury.

Education Minister Erica Stanford announced the funding, saying the cash injection was made possible through savings found within the school property portfolio.

In a Beehive press release, Stanford said more efficient planning, prioritisation, and delivery since July 2024 had generated over $330 million in savings, which are now being reinvested back into school property.

"Every dollar we save through more efficient delivery is put into the classrooms and facilities schools need," Stanford said.

Construction on the new standard-design classrooms is expected to begin within the next 12 months.

While Waitara gains two new learning spaces, the bulk of the $32.8 million investment is allocated north.

Auckland schools such as Botany Downs Secondary College and Massey High School will receive eight and ten new classrooms respectively.

Chapel Downs School in Flat Bush will also receive a new gym, expected to be completed by the middle of 2028.

This latest development follows a recent move by the government to allocate $31 million to modify 90 open-plan classrooms across New Zealand by installing internal walls to create traditional teaching spaces.

Those schools include three in Taranaki; Lepperton School, Frankley School and Vogeltown School.

Open-plan classrooms, also known as modern learning environments, are large shared spaces designed for multiple teachers and classes to work together.

Stanford argued that reinstalling walls creates calmer and less disruptive environments for students.

She said the Government had received strong demand from schools wanting to return to more traditional styles with dedicated, walled spaces, with 200 schools submitting expressions of interest for the modification.

07/09/2026

A $3 million Government grant has been awarded to an industry-led initiative aimed at helping Taranaki engineering and manufacturing firms pivot away from the shrinking energy sector.

Regional Development Minister Shane Jones announced the Regional Infrastructure Fund grant for the Taranaki Alliance today. The collaborative hub acts as a single front door for major customers to access local expertise, allowing businesses to pitch for large national and international industrial contracts together.

Jones said the region has been a powerhouse economy for decades but that status is now in jeopardy.

"Taranaki has a huge amount of expertise and experience in engineering, logistics and manufacturing due to decades of oil and gas sector work," Jones said. "These firms are now looking for new opportunities to apply that know-how and retain the region's talent."

The announcement comes just days after Canadian methanol producer Methanex confirmed it will shut down its Motunui operations in early 2027, resulting in the direct loss of at least 150 local jobs.

Te Puna Umanga Venture Taranaki helped establish the Alliance in response to the changing local economy. Declining activity in the traditional oil and gas sector has already contributed to the loss of around 1700 jobs. Independent modelling projects more than 5300 job losses by 2030 if replacement markets are not developed.

To counter this, the Alliance is targeting $200 million in contracts over its first three years across renewable energy, infrastructure, advanced manufacturing and aerospace.

Stacey Hitchcock, interim chief executive of Venture Taranaki, said the region possesses one of the most capable concentrations of engineering expertise in New Zealand.

"This funding provides the runway needed to establish the Alliance as a self-sustaining platform that will deliver long-term economic value well beyond the initial investment," Hitchcock said.

More than 85 businesses have already signalled their intent to participate. The new funding builds on $500,000 in seed money committed by the New Plymouth District Council late last year, alongside early investments from the industry.

New Plymouth Mayor Max Brough thanked the Government for backing the initiative.

"This outstanding opportunity was presented to our incoming council early in our new term and developed at pace, proving that when business and local government work closely together great opportunities can be created," Brough said.

Dean Eggers, managing director of Symons Group and current chair of the Taranaki Alliance Industry Advisory Group, said local industry has backed the concept from day one.

"The challenge has never been capability, it's been creating a coordinated way for customers to access everything Taranaki can offer," Eggers said.

He said the investment gives the sector the ability to scale its efforts and unlock lucrative opportunities for businesses of every size across the province.

The $3 million grant will cover core operating costs to establish a commercially sustainable model. The money will go towards generating leads, coordinating bids, lifting compliance capabilities and giving international partners a single point of contact for the region.

07/09/2026

The Green Party wants to dismantle New Zealand's supermarket duopoly by forcing the sale of at least 120 existing stores to create a publicly-owned competitor named KiwiMart.

The proposal is the centrepiece of the party's new "Affordable Kai" election policy, announced on Sunday.

Under the plan, Woolworths and Foodstuffs would be required to divest 120 supermarkets and two distribution centres into public ownership.

The Greens estimate the move will cost $2.8 billion, split between $1.3 billion to acquire the assets and a further $1.5 billion to capitalise KiwiMart as a viable commercial competitor.

Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick said New Zealand produces enough food to feed 40 million people, yet it is becoming too expensive for locals.

"Two companies control what almost everyone in this country eats, and they take about a million dollars a day in excess profit out of our shopping baskets," Swarbrick said. "That is money that should be in people's pockets."

When pressed on RNZ’s Morning Report about exactly how much cheaper groceries would be under KiwiMart, Swarbrick could not provide a figure.

"Politicians are not economists," she said, stating that defining excess profits is a job for the Commerce Commission.

Critics warn that a forced breakup could have unintended consequences. Previous analysis from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) suggested dismantling the major chains could cost up to $3.8 billion over 20 years due to a loss of economies of scale, which could push distribution costs and retail prices higher.

Despite this criticism, the party says drastic action is desperately needed.

Under the Green Party plan, the Commerce Commission would be responsible for identifying which stores should be sold based on local market share, determining a fair price without rewarding the duopoly for its dominance.

The wider Affordable Kai package includes a Member's Bill to ban price gouging at supermarkets, a rule the Greens want to extend to the energy and fuel sectors.

The Commerce Commission would also receive increased funding and powers, including the introduction of a mandatory pricing accuracy code that would automatically compensate shoppers if they are overcharged at the checkout.

Co-leader Marama Davidson said the plan heavily targets community food security. The policy promises to restore and permanently fund the Ka Ora, Ka Ako healthy school lunches programme, expanding it to an additional 150,000 children.

"One in five children in this country live in a household that runs out of food," Davidson said.

The Greens have also pledged a $150 million annual Fair Food Fund to support community initiatives like food rescue organisations, marae, and social supermarkets.

Party documents liken the proposed KiwiMart to the impact Kiwibank had on the banking sector, aiming to provide genuine competition in a market that has frustrated consumers for years.

07/09/2026

Police investigating an assault in New Plymouth last month are seeking the public’s assistance.

On Monday 31 August, Police were notified of an assault that had occurred the day before on Elliot Street, near the Pendarves Street intersection, New Plymouth.

As part of their enquiries, Police would like to speak with anybody who has information regarding this incident, which they understand occurred at approximately midday on Sunday 30 August.

Anybody who witnessed the incident, or any unusual activity in the Elliot Street area is asked to contact Police via the 105 service quoting file number 260831/1861.

Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers

07/09/2026

Taranaki-based Todd Energy is set to receive a $23.5 million loan from the Government's controversial Gas Security Fund to squeeze more natural gas from its existing onshore fields.

Resources Minister Shane Jones and Associate Finance Minister Chris Bishop announced the investment on Monday morning.

The funding marks the first payout from the $200 million pool, which is designed to boost New Zealand's dwindling energy reserves.

The money will be split across two distinct projects in North Taranaki:

A $16.2 million loan will help fund a new gas well at the McKee Gas Cap project, with Todd Energy tipping in almost $7 million of its own money, while the remaining $7.3 million is earmarked for the McKee-Tariki Production Well project.

This second phase involves converting an existing well to tap into the deeper Tariki reservoir, supported by a $3.1 million contribution from Todd Energy.

Jones told media the two projects could significantly bolster domestic energy supplies.

"Together, these first investments from the $200 million Gas Security Fund could unlock up to 19.9 petajoules of additional gas reserves over five to nine years to maintain our energy supply as we transition to renewables," Jones said.

He said the operations are expected to provide around four petajoules per year at peak production. According to Jones, that is equivalent to roughly 6% of New Zealand's expected gas production in 2027.

The Government intervention comes at a critical time for Taranaki’s economy. Last week, Methanex confirmed it will shut down its Taranaki methanol plant in early 2027, citing an inability to secure enough gas to keep the doors open.

Bishop said the Todd Energy operations could provide significant relief for the strained national grid once they come on stream, which is expected by the end of 2027.

"Together, in the first year alone, these projects are expected to deliver the equivalent energy needed to power more than 80,000 New Zealand households for a year," Bishop said.

He added that the public funding helps reduce the risk of drilling new wells while sparking private sector investment.

Administered by the regional economic development unit Kānoa, the time-limited loans represent a deliberate political strategy just two months out from the general election on November 7. By contracting the funds now, the current coalition makes it harder for any future government to reverse the investments.

The Gas Security Fund has faced criticism from environmental groups and opposition parties. Critics argue the $200 million should be spent on transitioning the country away from fossil fuels rather than propping up the oil and gas sector.

However, the Government maintains that gas remains essential for keeping the lights on during dry years and supporting heavy industry in Taranaki.

06/09/2026

Update: State Highway 3 has now RE-OPENED between Glover Rd and Ohangai Rd following a truck roll.

--
Original post:

State Highway 3 in Hāwera is blocked after a truck has rolled this morning.

Emergency services were called to the incident, between Kerry Road and Ohangai Road, at about 8.40am.

No serious injuries were reported.

NZTA advises motorists to avoid the area where possible and expect delays, allowing an additional 10 minutes of travel time.

A detour is in place:

- Northbound traffic turn left onto Glover Rd, right onto Ketemarae Rd then back onto SH3.

- Southbound traffic turn left onto Ohangai Rd, right onto Turuturu Rd then back onto SH3.

06/09/2026

Happy Father’s Day to all the Dads out there! Today we enjoyed a walk from the Te Henui Chapel to Awanui Cemetery and back, along the scenic Te Henui Walkway.

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