8.01pm EST20:01
Forensic teams searching for the remains of missing boy William Tyrrell have found a further piece of material in dense bushland, however its significance to the investigation is unclear.
At about 11.30am on Friday – the fifth day of the revived search for William – police found a piece of cloth after pumping a creek next to a patch of bushland they have been sifting through this week.
The cloth was light blue in colour and about 8cm long and rectangular in shape.
Police photographed the location the cloth was found and placed it in a brown evidence bag. It will now be taken to a lab in Sydney to be forensically tested.
Its significance to the investigation is unclear.
On Wednesday, police also found a thread of fabric, which was red and initially compared to the Spiderman costume William was wearing when he disappeared from his foster grandmother’s home in Kendall in 2014.
It is understood that police later formed the view the thread found on Wednesday was not of significance to the investigation, however it is also being analysed in Sydney.
Updated
at 8.11pm EST
7.46pm EST19:46
New Zealand reports 198 new local Covid-19 cases
New Zealand has recorded 198 new cases of Covid-19 in the community, across eight regions, bringing the total in the current outbreak to 6532 cases.
A weak positive test has also been recorded in Wellington, and investigations are under way to ascertain if it is an historical case, or the person is in the early stages of the virus.
Of Friday’s cases, 46 are outside of Auckland – 30 in Waikato, five in Northland, six in the Bay of Plenty, two in Lakes, and one each in MidCentral, Wairarapa and Canterbury.
There are 76 people in hospital, and six in intensive care.
The ministry of health says Auckland district health board is on track to reach 90% double vaccination today, making it the first region in the country to hit the milestone. Of the total eligible population over 12 years old, 91% have now had at least one dose of the Pfizer vaccine, and 82% are fully inoculated.
Updated
at 7.50pm EST
7.31pm EST19:31
SA premier wont ask for deputy’s resignation, despite vote of no confidence
Updated
at 7.47pm EST