2008 The decade in review

It certainly was a memorable year for Marlborough in 2008.

As well as the regular twin perils of fire and flood, and tragedies both on land and water, the region dealt with a new hazard – hijacking.

The drama extended into the odd too, with sickle-wielding peace protesters deflating one of Waihopai Valley's landmark spy domes.

The year started in dramatic fashion for Para residents who were forced to flee their homes in the middle of the night when a fast-moving forest fire threatened to engulf houses. The fire, caused by a lightning strike, burned for almost a week.

Blenheim residents had problems of their own after a coliform contamination found in the town's water supply meant they had to boil all drinking water for 12 days. The source of the contamination could not be found and the Marlborough District Council shut down wells supplying a third of the town's water supply and ditched plans to fight a Government-imposed upgrading of the town's water treatment plants.

Instead the upgrade was fast tracked, while residents endured two months of water restrictions.

However, the most dramatic incident of the year was the mid-air attempted hijacking of an Air National flight between Blenheim and Christchurch in February.

Blenheim woman Asha Ali Abdille was arrested by armed police at Christchurch Airport and charged with attempted hijacking.

A Valentine's Day fire also proved tragic for three men sharing an Elzy St house. The trio died when the house went up in flames in the early morning.

Meanwhile, the district's elected representatives pushed ahead with plans for major infrastructure projects, signing off plans for a new theatre and upgraded swimming pool in Blenheim and redevelopment of Picton's waterfront as part of a series of works totalling more than $50 million.

Suggestions gang patches be banned in Blenheim were rejected by Mayor Alistair Sowman, despite concerns residents are feeling intimidated by Mongrel Mob members.

Kaikoura Mayor Kevin Heays was also under pressure early in 2008 – not to get rid of gangs, but to get rid of himself and Kaikoura district councillors.

Residents petitioned to abolish the district council and amalgamate with neighbouring Hurunui.

That didn't wash with Mr Heays, who labelled the move a waste of ratepayers' money.

Also not washing – the Government's continued support for the Waihopai Valley spy base.

Three protesters, including a Catholic priest, took to one of the two domes covering the base's satellite interception dishes with sickles, winning fantastic publicity for their cause as images of the deflated dome ricocheted around the country.

Three men were charged with unlawful entry and wilful damage but have pleaded not guilty. A trial has not yet taken place.

The council was also getting worked up, this time about the New Year's Eve Party in Blenheim, with councillors clashing over the party's fate. It was eventually dropped.

By May winter's sting was being felt with a -3.1 degrees Celsius frost on May 28 lining up as the 13th frost for the year and the 12th for the month.

Residents were right to be feeling chilled – statistics showed there were no frosts the previous May.

Happier were staff, parents and pupils at the once beleaguered Bohally Intermediate when it was announced the Education Ministry was lifting the school's statutory intervention status.

The status had been imposed 18 months earlier after a scathing Education Review Office report.

June turned tragic when two King Salmon workers were killed and four injured when their boat Shikari collided with a stationary naval vessel in Waikawa Bay.

Meanwhile, some seasonal vineyard workers were said to be at risk from accommodation overcrowding, while Queen Charlotte College learnt with sadness of the death of former teacher and current Maori Party Te Tai Tonga candidate Monte Ohia.

Mr Ohia was farewelled in a tangi at Waikawa Marae that attracted thousands of mourners.

July saw progress made on Wairau Hospital's redevelopment, with the first sod turned, while community icon Lansdowne Park's future was saved when the council bought the park for $3.4m.

The park had been under threat following the Marlborough rugby sub-union's financial crisis.

The end of the month saw torrential rain and dangerously high winds wreak havoc on the region, with toppled trees, damaged roads and flooding, particularly in Picton where a state of civil emergency was declared.

A second flood followed just three weeks later, proving particularly serious for parts of south Marlborough when roads were washed away.

Havelock faced a crisis of its own in August as the town's only petrol station was seized by the courts when its owners failed to come up with $1.8m they were told to pay Gill Construction for overcharging the company.

St Arnaud residents were also under pressure – from too much snow. A massive dumping of the white stuff cut power in some areas for a week, downing trees and sheds and making life miserable for stock.

Even Rainbow Skifield couldn't cope, with the field forced to close as its road became impassable.

Marlborough College found itself under pressure when it was revealed the school was in dire financial straits following the failure of its Chinese venture and a mistake over who would pay for some big-ticket computer gear.

The school was later forced to seek a $1.4m to $1.7m loan to bail it out.

Meanwhile, as building work on the new Wairau hospital got under way, Kaikoura residents learned their new hospital was now on hold.

Protecting the Marlborough Sounds fishery took a step forward in October when a four-year ban on recreational blue cod fishing was announced.

An 11-day jury trial ended the same month with Aaron Harvey being found guilty of the murder of Carl MacDonald, who was shot outside the Lone Legion Motorcycle headquarters a year earlier.

Three other men also charged with murdering Mr MacDonald were acquitted.

Longtime National Party MP Lockwood Smith waded into trouble during a brief visit to Blenheim in October when he said Asians made better vineyard workers because their hands were smaller and that some Pacific Island workers had to be taught how to use a toilet.

Mr Smith made his comments just before the general election, but they did not hold back the National Party, which swept into power after nine years in opposition.

Among those in blue smiling on election night was sitting Kaikoura MP Colin King, who retained his seat for a second term by a landslide margin.

November was not without its dramas, with more flooding, this time in Rai Valley and Canvastown, while a young Blenheim mother was killed when she touched live powerlines after the car she was in crashed into a power pole.

The woman's baby and two other young relatives were rescued by Blenheim viticulture contractor Mack Pouwhare, who bravely crawled under the live wires to save the children.

Meanwhile, top of the south iwi were hoping a newly released Waitangi Tribunal report would pave the way for a potential nine-figure settlement of their grievances. The report recognised the loss of land, mana and cultural sites 168 years earlier and recommended what the Crown should do.

Dealing with the region's waste also moved ahead when the $1.2m resource recovery centre opened just before the year's end.

- The Marlborough Express