As Big Red, our jet-powered boat, zoomed over New Zealand's fast-flowing Shotover River, I had one white-knuckle thought: Is this trip necessary? Face it, at breakneck speed we were whip-threading ...

A Queenstown councillor is accusing her council of "secrecy" and underhand tactics over its plan of enacting emergency powers to divert treated sewage into the Shotover River.

Wastewater will be directly discharged into the Shotover River from Monday morning, the Queenstown Lakes District Council has confirmed.