Northland news in brief: New container handlers at Northport; motorcyclist injured in crash

One of the two new reach-stacker container handlers delivered to Northport, at Marsden Pt.

Northport, the deep water port at Marsden Pt, has taken delivery of two new reach-stacker container handlers. The new equipment is part of an $8m investment Northport is making in infrastructure needed to support the growth of container traffic through the port. The port has had to rise to the unexpected challenges presented by recent unplanned and large-scale container traffic due to congestion at Ports of Auckland, with the bare minimum of equipment. Now the company expects container traffic through Northport to keep growing so the time was right to expand its container-handling, receipt and dispatch capability. Northport is also buying a new dock-truck and MAFI trailer, simulation training equipment, expanding its container storage area and upgrading lighting to enhance safety during 24-hour operations.

Motorcycle crash

Northland Police attended a single vehicle crash that involved a motorcycle on State Highway 1 near Moerewa on Saturday. The first report came through around 7.40pm. The rider was airlifted to hospital with serious injuries. Inquiries remain ongoing into the circumstances of the crash.

Workforce council appointment

The Hanga-Aro-Rau Workforce Development Council has appointed Northlander Phil Alexander-Crawford (Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Rēhia, Ngāpuhi) as its chief executive.
Alexander-Crawford is a highly experienced leader of transformation, who has worked with and for iwi and hapū. He is director of Te Pae Tawhiti – Māori Equity Partnership at Te Pūkenga. He has held senior leadership positions in the vocational education sector, including chief executive of Te Matarau Education Trust, general manager education for the Ngātiwai Trust Board and as director of development for Tai Tokerau Wānanga (NorthTec). Workforce Development Councils are being established through the Reform of Vocational Education and will come into effect on October 4. They will set standards, develop qualifications and shape the curriculum of vocational education to ensure it meets their industries' needs.

Covid breach car chase

Two people from Auckland were charged and arrested for Covid-19 breaches on Saturday. Northland Police chased a car with two occupants up to Whangārei after it ran through a checkpoint in Kaiwaka. Police and Defence Force personnel were operating a traffic checkpoint south of Kaiwaka, as Northland moved to level 2 restrictions while Auckland remained under level 4 restrictions.

RSE workers coming

One-way quarantine-free travel for Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) workers from Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu starts in October, which will be a relief for Northland horticulturists. The new requirements for RSE workers are to have received their first vaccination pre-departure, undertake Day 0 and Day 5 tests, and complete a self-isolation period of seven days, pending a negative Day 5 result The first stage of one-way quarantine-free travel with Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu will commence in October, initially for RSE workers from those countries. Up to 14,400 RSE workers normally come through New Zealand each year, with approximately 10,500 being in the country at peak harvesting times pre-Covid.