Northland news in brief: Anton Rameka wins young butcher of the year at national awards

Anton Rameka won the Pact Packaging Young Butcher of the Year at the 2025 National Butchery Awards.

Anton Rameka, from New World Mangawhai, won the Pact Packaging Young Butcher of the Year at the National Butchery Awards on Thursday. Rameka says he was over the moon about winning the title this year, especially after taking out the Apprentice Butcher title last year. His New World co-worker Mya Wilson-Hiraka was an ANZCO Foods Butcher Apprentice finalist but the winner was Alex Pellow from New World, Mt. Maunganui.

Make it free in CBD

A cafe owner is running a petition urging Whangārei District Council to make the first hour of car parking free in the CBD. Daria Ivanova from Kofe Kai worried the council’s plans to charge up to $4 an hour will kill businesses. She says having the first hour free works well in centres like Nelson and Hamilton, and enables people to do business then move off. She is collecting signatures until Monday.

Citrus for the South

Whangārei and Mangakahia Lions Clubs’ Citrus for the South collection was well down on last year, with 199 banana boxes of citrus collected, compared with 280 last year. Whangārei club secretary Brian Boys thought it could be due to early fruiting this year. The fruit is transported for free by Mainfreight.

Wharf reopens

Parua Bay’s 100-year-old wharf has reopened. It closed in 2022 as it was unsafe. A fibreglass-reinforced platform and accessible ramp have been installed by the Whangārei District Council.

Roddy rocks

Moerewa community champion Roddy Hapati Pihema is among those nominated for the 2025 Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Awards. Nominations can be made in one or more of the seven categories by members of the public aged over 15 until August 24 at nzawards.org.nz. The awards honours individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the wellbeing of the country.

KDC drops STV for FPP

Kaipara District Council has voted to return to first-past-the-post (FPP) for the 2025 and 2028 local elections, 19 years after adopting the single transferable vote (STV) system. Mayor Craig Jepson says STV confuses voters and FPP offers a simpler process.

Haere mai

Sixteen people from around the world officially became New Zealand citizens at the Dargaville Lighthouse Function Centre last Wednesday. Those welcomed were Louise (England), Toni (United Kingdom), Tanyaporn (Thailand), Siasini-O-Lakepa (Tonga), Praweena (Thailand), Anna (China), Natasha (Fiji), Thitaree (Thailand), Samantha (United States), Brian (US), Jonas (Germany), Alastair (UK), Jacques (South Africa), Kieran (SA), Heather (Mexico) and Dawn (US).

Kaipara welcomed its new and official Kiwis at a ceremony last week. Photo / KDC

Kutai Guy smokin’

The Kutai Guy, a Houhora company founded by Zarn Reichardt, is a finalist in two categories in this year’s New Zealand Food Awards. The company is vying for the Artisan Award for its garlic butter smoked mussels, and the Chilled/Frozen (Coolchain) Award for its sweet chilli smoked mussels. The Kutai Guy’s mussels come from spat collected on Ninety Mile Beach.

Come play and learn

Playcentres are opening their doors to families with children from birth to school age during Playcentre Open Week from August 18–22. Each centre provides a space for self-directed play and respectful relationships where children can explore sand and water play, arts and music, outdoor adventures, messy play and more. To learn more go to www.playcentre.org.nz.