Mana College said Eden Metekingi was named player of the final following the championship win.

The school noted a connection between Metekingi and its previous title, saying she was the only member of the current team who had been born when Mana College last won the championship in 2008.

“Congratulations to our senior girls for taking out the CSW title, we are so proud,” Mana College said.

Porirua MP Barbara Edmonds also congratulated the team following the victory, describing the final as a “fantastic game to watch”.

The championship is not the end of the season for Mana College, with the team now preparing for the national qualifiers.

The school wished the players well as they head into the next stage of competition over the coming weeks.

The new citizens came from countries across the Pacific, Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas, including American Samoa, Algeria, Bangladesh, Brazil, Chile, China, England, Germany, India, Kenya, Kiribati, Pakistan, the Philippines, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Thailand, Tonga, the United Kingdom and the United States.

“Citizenship tonight another 70 candidates, 53 families from 21 nationalities were sworn in. Welcome to Porirua,” said Mayor Anita Baker.

Porirua City Councillor Ross Leggett also attended the ceremony.

Citizenship ceremonies mark the final step in becoming a New Zealand citizen, with participants taking an oath or affirmation of allegiance before receiving their citizenship certificate.

For the 70 people sworn in this week, the ceremony marked a new chapter as citizens of New Zealand and members of the Porirua community.

Porirua motorists face daytime and overnight traffic controls from Sunday 9 August to Friday 14 August.

All work is weather dependent and may be postponed at short notice.

Transmission Gully

The notice describes a northbound road closure between Linden and the Kenepuru Link Road northbound on-ramp from 9pm to 4am on Sunday 9 and Monday 10 August. The work is for road resurfacing.

Traffic-cable work will also require lane closures at various locations from Monday 10 to Friday 14 August. Northbound lanes will be affected from 6am to 3.30pm, while southbound closures are planned from 9.30am to 4pm.

SH58 through Judgeford and Pāuatahanui

An ongoing lane closure in both directions is listed between Moonshine Road and Flightys Road at Judgeford for SH58 project work. The notice says this applies during the day and night but gives no start or finish date or clock times.

Stop/go controls will operate between Moonshine Road and the golf course from 7pm to 5am each night from Sunday 9 to Thursday 13 August.

West of the Pāuatahanui roundabout, stop/hold controls will be in place from 8am to 4pm between Monday 10 and Friday 14 August for an off-road path and bridge project. Pedestrian management will operate during school peak times.

The same area will have stop/go controls from 7pm on Sunday 9 August until 5am on Monday 10 August.

SH59 at Plimmerton, Mana and Porirua

Two restrictions are planned on Monday night:

• The southbound lane on Mana Esplanade, from south of Pascoe Avenue to Mana Bridge, will close from 8pm on Monday 10 August until 5.30am on Tuesday for resurfacing patches.
• The northbound lane between the Titahi Bay “Ramp” and Mungavin interchange will close from 7pm on Monday until 5.30am on Tuesday for resurfacing patches.

On Thursday 13 August, the northbound lane between north of Plimmerton roundabout and Grays Road will close from 7pm until 5.30am Friday for resurfacing patches.

The southbound lane at the Mana Esplanade–Pascoe Avenue intersection will close from 11pm Thursday until 5am Friday for a CCTV inspection of a wastewater main.

No expected delay times, parking restrictions, public transport impacts, property-access restrictions or specific detours are stated. Motorists should plan around the closures and check NZTA Journey Planner before travelling.

David Leo Kluger, 49, was sentenced in the Wellington District Court on July 31 after pleading guilty to charges including possession of methamphetamine, unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition, and four counts of money laundering.

The offending came to police attention during Operation Chestnut, an investigation into methamphetamine supply across the central North Island and upper South Island.

Police watched Kluger’s Johnsonville home in August 2021, during the Covid lockdown, when an associate delivered a battery pack containing one kilogram of methamphetamine.

Kluger kept 700 grams of the drug and returned 300 grams to the associate, along with $130,000 in cash and containers of high-grade motor oil.

Two months later, police stopped Kluger while he was travelling to meet an associate in Oriental Bay.

A search of his vehicle found methamphetamine, liquid ecstasy and MDMA, along with a loaded pistol and $190,000 in vacuum-packed cash hidden inside a bag of dog food.

Police also searched properties connected to Kluger in Horowhenua and Marlborough.

At a Crail Bay property, officers found 15 firearms inside a locked safe, including prohibited military-style weapons, 10 prohibited magazines and at least 16,000 rounds of ammunition.

Kluger did not hold a firearms licence.

Crown prosecutor George Fitzgerald told the court Kluger played a leading role in a commercial drug operation and used the proceeds to buy assets, including a catamaran, a Marlborough property and a Ford ute.

Kluger’s lawyer, Ron Mansfield KC, accepted the offending was commercial but disputed the Crown’s description of it as sophisticated.

He told the court Kluger had spent four years and 10 months in custody awaiting sentencing and had addressed his drug and alcohol use while in prison.

Mansfield said the firearms were part of a collection, with some used for hunting on a rural property.

Judge Noel Sainsbury set a starting point of 14 and a half years for the methamphetamine offending, with a further two and a half years added because of the number of firearms and amount of ammunition involved.

The judge recognised Kluger’s previous good character, guilty pleas and personal circumstances before imposing the final sentence of 11 years and 11 months.

Judge Sainsbury said Kluger had chosen to make money by selling methamphetamine into the community, causing harm to individuals and families.

The case was reported by Open Justice.

The annual food festival runs until August 31, with nearly 200 burgers competing for the regional title.

One entry will also be named Porirua’s champion through a public vote.

The Porirua burgers range in price from $20 to $45 and include options from cafés, restaurants and takeaway venues across the city.

This year’s entries are:

Spilling the Beans, Get Fixed Bicycle Café and Panhead Bar

Paua Pavarotti, Wellington Seamarket Porirua

Holy Kra-pow, Tuk Tuk Thai Kitchen

Best Kept Secret, Whitby Co-Op Kitchen and Bar

Turon-Me-On, Zelati Dessert Café

Tell Your Friends, Meltdown Burgers

The Misinformation, The Coffee Cart

What’s the Buzz?, Elemental Eats

Beef There, Done That, Sandbar Mana

Gochu Bro, The Karaage Kid

Tongue Thai’d, Gear Homestead Venue and Bar

Little Titai, T Bay Café

Bulgogi From the Seoul, Koko’s Kitchen

Le Ganh, Pho Sho

CMC Stacker, Chicken Man

The 60 Gram Rumour, Columbus Coffee

The Street Whisper, Sushil’s Musclechef Café

The Rumour Mill, Peppermill Café

Talk of the Tide, The Jetty Plimmerton

The festival also includes events and exhibitions around Porirua.

The Beer Engine in Titahi Bay is hosting two Elvis-themed events, while Tuk Tuk Thai Kitchen is holding a weekly three-course menu evening.

Sushil’s Musclechef Café is hosting A Culinary Tale of India. The event is sold out, but a waiting list is available.

At Pātaka, the Unwrapped exhibition explores 130 years of Whittaker’s in New Zealand.

Porirua Mayor Anita Baker said it was encouraging to see new venues taking part alongside returning favourites.

“The different burgers on offer reflect the wide range of fantastic eateries we have in our city,” Baker said.

“Events like WOAP let us support our local businesses to compete on a similar standing with other eateries across the region.”

More information about Porirua’s burgers and events is available on the Visa Wellington On a Plate website: https://visawoap.com/explore?regions=Porirua

NZTA says the work is weather-dependent and may be postponed at short notice.

State Highway 1

The Kenepuru southbound on-ramp on Transmission Gully is scheduled to close from 9pm Monday until 4.30am Tuesday for streetlight repairs.

Daytime lane closures are planned at various Transmission Gully locations from Monday to Friday, between 6am and 3.30pm, while traffic-counting loops are installed.

A southbound lane closure is also planned at Battle Hill from 9am to 5pm, Monday through Wednesday, for drainage work.

State Highway 58

An altered lane layout will operate on Haywards Hill, between the Haywards interchange and Mt Cecil Road, from 8am to 4pm Monday while slip material is cleared.

Safety-project work will continue around Judgeford between Moonshine Road and Flightys Road throughout the week.

Stop-go controls are planned between Moonshine Road and the golf course from 7pm to 5am, Sunday through Thursday.

Drivers may also encounter stop-hold controls west of the Pāuatahanui roundabout from 8am to 4pm, Monday through Friday, for bridge and path work.

State Highway 59

A northbound lane on Mana Esplanade, between Pascoe Avenue and Marina View, is scheduled to close from 8am to 2pm Monday for footpath work.

A northbound lane between the Linden and Mungavin interchanges is expected to close from 8pm to 4am on Wednesday and Thursday nights while drainage channels are cleared.

Stop-go controls are also planned between the Paekākāriki interchange and Beach Road from 6am to 4pm, Monday through Friday, for tree removal.

Drivers should allow additional time and follow temporary traffic controls. Current conditions and last-minute changes are available through the NZTA Journey Planner.

Beds R Us, Dia Transport Furniture Movers, Paulas Home & Living, Wall Place Panel & Paint, Finesse Garden & Outdoor, Moloney & Co Property Management, Kenepuru Car Service Centre, Custodian Services and Barberside Barbershop are continuing as Founding Members of the Porirua News Business Directory.

They form the second group being celebrated through the Porirua News Welcome Back series, recognising businesses that joined the Directory during its formative growth and remain involved today.

Together, they reflect the wide range of businesses locals rely on to keep their homes, properties, vehicles, workplaces and everyday lives running.

Beds R Us and Paulas Home & Living help people furnish and shape their homes, while Dia Transport Furniture Movers handles the practical work of moving furniture from one location to another.

Finesse Garden & Outdoor, Moloney & Co Property Management and Custodian Services provide services supporting gardens, rental properties and commercial premises.

Wall Place Panel & Paint and Kenepuru Car Service Centre look after local motorists, while Barberside Barbershop provides haircuts from its Porirua barbershop.

Although their work is varied, each business serves people and organisations across Porirua, Tawa and the wider Wellington region.

Their continued involvement also helps keep Porirua News reporting free and accessible for the people of Porirua and Tawa, while giving readers a practical place to find businesses when they need them.

Porirua News Managing Editor Tim Wilson said the group demonstrated the breadth of products and services available through the Business Directory.

“People might be furnishing a home, moving house, maintaining a property, repairing a vehicle, arranging commercial cleaning or simply getting a haircut,” Wilson said.

“These are practical businesses providing products and services people need throughout the year.

“We are proud to welcome them back, and their continued involvement helps us keep producing free and accessible local reporting for the community.”

The Porirua News Business Directory brings together businesses serving Porirua, Tawa and the wider region, making it easier for readers to find local products, services and providers in one place.

More Founding Members will be celebrated as the Welcome Back series continues.

Readers can support the businesses involved and help strengthen locally owned community news by using the Porirua News Business Directory when looking for their next product or service.

Porirua Carwash, Donna Marks Mortgage Adviser, Streetwise Coffee, Abode Homes, Quality Construction, A1homes, NC Building, Bullocks Contracting and Pankhurst Electrical are continuing as Founding Members of the Porirua News Business Directory for another 12 months.

They are among several groups of local businesses being recognised through the Porirua News Welcome Back series, which celebrates businesses that joined the Directory during its formative growth and remain involved today.

Their continued involvement follows another important year for Porirua News.

The locally owned and operated publication has continued to grow its audience and attract strong engagement from readers interested in the people, places, businesses, decisions and events shaping their community.

That engagement reflects the continuing demand for relevant local reporting focused specifically on Porirua and Tawa.

The Business Directory has grown alongside the publication and now includes more than 300 businesses serving Porirua, Tawa and the wider region.

It has become a practical resource for readers looking for local products, services and providers, while bringing together a substantial community of businesses serving the area.

The nine businesses being celebrated reflect the diversity of that community.

Porirua Carwash, Donna Marks Mortgage Adviser and Streetwise Coffee are familiar local names providing services people may use in their everyday lives.

Abode Homes, Quality Construction, A1homes and NC Building represent the building and construction sector, while Bullocks Contracting and Pankhurst Electrical provide services relied on by households, property owners and businesses.

Together, they represent one part of the broad range of skills, services and experience available through the Porirua News Business Directory.

The Directory was established to connect local businesses with a growing local audience while helping support a sustainable future for community reporting.

Porirua News Managing Editor Tim Wilson said the continuing involvement of local businesses was essential to the publication and the community it served.

“These businesses have been part of the Porirua News journey during an important period of growth, and we are proud to welcome them back for another year,” Wilson said.

“Their involvement helps us keep local news free and accessible, while giving readers a practical way to find and support businesses serving their community.”

Porirua News is proud to welcome back Porirua Carwash, Donna Marks Mortgage Adviser, Streetwise Coffee, Abode Homes, Quality Construction, A1homes, NC Building, Bullocks Contracting and Pankhurst Electrical for another 12 months.

More Founding Members will be celebrated as the Welcome Back series continues.

Readers can support the businesses involved and help strengthen locally owned community news by using the Porirua News Business Directory when looking for a local product, service or provider.

Porirua News reported earlier this month that signal cables had been damaged at the southern end of the Tākapu Road platform on 3 July.

The damage caused multiple signalling issues and disrupted rail services.

Wellington Police Sergeant Ryan Storey said officers executed a search warrant on 22 July, but the suspect was not at the address.

“Our officers returned to the address the next day and arrested a man in relation to this,” he said.

A 43-year-old man has been charged with intentional damage with intent to obtain a benefit or cause loss.

He is due to appear in the Porirua District Court on Friday, 24 July.

“Enquiries remain ongoing,” Sergeant Storey said.

Police are asking anyone with information that has not yet been reported to contact the 105 service by phone or online at 105.police.govt.nz, quoting file number 260703/4789.

Information can also be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

About 20 Police Search and Rescue staff and volunteers searched areas around the lookout car park on Wednesday, 22 July.

The vehicle Robertson had been using was found at the car park.

Detective Sergeant Richard How said there had been no activity on Robertson’s bank accounts or mobile phone since the vehicle arrived there.

“Given these facts, Police believe the most likely scenario is that he died shortly after arriving in the Green and Blue Lakes area,” How said.

Neither Robertson nor any belongings believed to be his were found during the search.

Robertson is the sole person of interest in the investigation into the death of his mother, Karen Gilbert-Palmer, in Pahiatua on 15 October 2025.

How said Police remained committed to finding Robertson and providing closure for Gilbert-Palmer’s loved ones.

Further smaller searches are expected to be carried out.

Police want to hear from anyone who has found medication packets or red or blue clothing around the lakes or nearby tracks.

Information can be provided through 105 by phone or online, using file number 251015/6286.

Anonymous information can also be given to Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.