Far North news in brief: Occupational therapy pathway, entrepreneur funding

Occupational therapy students explore the level of accessibility at Otago Polytechnic's Dunedin campus. Photo / Supplied

OT training

Northlanders working in health and wellbeing across Te Tai Tokerau will soon have a new opportunity to train as occupational therapists without leaving their whānau, marae or communities. From July, a new work-augmented learning pathway will enable Northlanders to study towards a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy while continuing to work in paid or volunteer roles. The development of this delivery model has been in partnership between Otago Polytechnic staff and local stakeholders including iwi representatives, Hauora service providers, prospective employers of students, local occupational therapists, and NorthTec. The programme will be delivered at NorthTec campuses in Whangārei, Ngāwhā (Kaikohe) and Kaitaia, with teaching provided by lecturers from Otago Polytechnic’s established Occupational Therapy programme. Enrolments are open via NorthTec or Otago Polytechnic.

Anzac Service

A Civic Service to commemorate Anzac Day in Mangonui will take place on Saturday April 25 at 11am. Those marching assemble no later than 10.40am at Mangonui Memorial Hall. Those attending the service are to be seated no later than 10.50am at the memorial south of 4 Square. An order of service will be distributed. Road closures will take place to ensure the safety of participants. Please allow extra time to ensure you are at the parade assembly point, or the memorial, in plenty of time. We owe our thanks to Doubtless Bay Christian Centre at 7 Mill Bay Rd (opposite Fire Station), which has offered its centre as an alternate venue to the waterfront should the weather be unsuitable. Any notification to shift to the alternate venue will be made via Doubtless Bay Notice Board and public address before 10am.

Entrepreneur funding

Applications are now open for the Tupu Accelerator Fund, a programme designed to support Māori entrepreneurs and start-up businesses that are ready to grow and scale. The accelerator provides access to funding, mentorship, and expert support to help take your business to the next level. Far North entrepreneurs looking to strengthen your strategy, expand your impact, and accelerate growth, this is a fantastic opportunity. Learn more and apply at https://tupu.org.nz/

North fortunes up

Northland has jumped from the lowest-ranked region in the country to 7th place in the latest ASB Regional Scoreboard. The scoreboard ranks all 16 regions, with the latest score based on data from the last quarter of 2025. Northland improved its fortunes with better-than-average house price increases (0.1% compared with a fall of 0.2% nationwide) and construction growth (16.9% v 11.2% nationwide) but remains behind in employment growth (0.4% v 0.5%) and retail sales (3.6% v 4.5%).

Battery vigilance

Insurance company AMI is urging Kiwis to be vigilant with lithium-ion battery charging, after finding 37% of battery-related insurance claims were from incidents that occurred while charging. The average cost of these claims was $33,000. Fire and Emergency spokesman Tom Ronaldson says while there is nothing inherently dangerous about lithium-ion batteries, they can be a fire hazard if they are damaged, mishandled or improperly disposed of. He says they should not be charged on soft surfaces, left plugged in for a long time nor disposed of in household rubbish.