News in Brief
Downtown ram raid
A man has been arrested after what is believed to be Queenstown’s first attempted ram raid. He allegedly reversed a small white Honda into the Camp Street BNZ bank several times at 11.45pm on Friday night, smashing the windows and door. Video uploaded to social media shows shocked onlookers surrounding the car, as two police run towards the scene. The car then drives off. Police say the man left the scene without anything being taken. “Police soon located the vehicle and followed it at a distance along State Highway 6,” a police spokesperson says. “The vehicle was successfully spiked south of Kingston and stopped soon after.” The driver was taken into custody without incident and is facing charges of intentional damage in relation to the incident. Enquiries are continuing.
By-election is on
Well-known Queenstowner Melissa White has thrown her hat back in the ring for the vacant Arrowtown-Kawarau Ward seat. There are only two candidates in the running, with nominations now closed. White is standing against Glenorchy Community Association chairman John Glover. He hopes to make it third time lucky, while this will be White’s second crack at getting to the council table. She missed out in October, finishing fifth with 1,081 votes. Craig ‘Ferg’ Ferguson (2,540), Lisa Guy (1,893) and Neeta Shetty (1542) were elected, but Shetty has since resigned sparking the by-election. Fourth place Nell Hunter (1,162) has chosen not to stand again. “So, it looks like we are back in action folks,” White says on her Facebook election page. “My passion and desire to make a contribution is still strong, and I have just submitted my nomination to the council.” Voting papers will be mailed out to ward electors on Thursday, 13 April, and voting will close at midday on Friday, 5 May.
Robinson’s best result of season
Alpine superstar Alice Robinson recorded her best Giant Slalom World Cup finish of the 2023 season, with a seventh-place finish in Åre, Sweden, on Friday afternoon CET. After her race, the Queenstown 21-year-old said: “It’s a great feeling to get a season best result.” Robinson put down a solid first run in hard and fast snow condition but a few small timing mistakes cost her valuable time, putting her in 18th. In run two, she hit the gas and clocked the third fastest second run of the day. “The second run I just knew I had to fix my line so I could link and get some flow between the turns, as well as pushing harder than the first run. For the World Cup finals, I just want to be able to produce two good runs,” she said. The World Cup finals are set to be held in Soldeu, Andorra, from 13 March.
