Author: Press Room

A 19-year-old man has been charged after allegedly indecently exposing himself to a woman near a West Auckland high school on Tuesday.The incident occurred on Stottholm Rd near Green Bay High School on the afternoon of Tuesday, May 27, Detective Senior Sergeant Megan Goldie said.The man was arrested today after police carried out a search.He will appear in the Waitakere District Court on June 3.Meanwhile, police are continuing to investigate a “suspicious approach” on Atkinson Rd in Titirangi on the morning of Wednesday, May 28.It’s unknown at this stage if the two incidents are linked, Goldie said.Anyone with information has…

A new Waikato Regional Council report shows Thames-Coromandel District is highly exposed to eight out of 10 main climate-related hazards.All roads in the district are also at risk from hazards, with communities likely to be isolated.The regional council found Thames-Coromandel had large and ongoing exposure to flooding, coastal hazards, extreme weather, higher temperatures, drought, groundwater rise, landslides and marine heatwaves, but the results weren’t a surprise to those working in the district, who said it urgently needed to start making plans and taking action.Thames-Coromandel District Council climate change programme manager Amon Martin said climate change would have a huge potential…

Central Auckland hapū Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei is sending a clear message to iwi that want to invest within its rohe or tribal territory to “come through the front door” first. The hapū has endured significant loss throughout its history of colonisation and was rendered to a quarter acre section by 1855.It’s now rebuilding its estate, with over 160 hectares of commercial and cultural land in its portfolio, and a total asset base worth $1.5 billion. But Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Trust deputy chairman Ngarimu Blair said it was disappointing to see iwi based outside of Auckland investing in the city without…

Trains in Auckland and Wellington won’t run across King’s Birthday weekend with infrastructure works leaving buses to pick up the slack.The metropolitan centres are both upgrading their networks, warning passengers to expect delays.In Wellington, Metlink says all trains will stop running between Saturday and Monday, as works to repair bridges, replace tracks, and upgrade level crossings take place.Services in Auckland have paused from Friday, with Auckland Transport confirming their return on Monday, as crews upgrade the network.Both cities are using rail replacement buses to support those needing to travel.In Auckland there have already been weeks of shutdowns in January and…

A routine traffic stop for mobile phone use led to the discovery of more than 2 kilograms of cannabis and a large amount of cash in Auckland’s Waiuku this week, police said.Inspector Matt Hoyes said the driver was signalled to stop on Kent St after he was spotted using his phone while driving.”While speaking to the man the officer has noticed a strong smell of cannabis coming from the vehicle.”A search of the vehicle turned up eight bags of cannabis weighing more than 2 kilograms in the passenger footwell, as well as a “significant” amount of cash.Hoyes said a knife…

Public consultation has begun on whether speed limits on State Highway 1 at Transmission Gully and the Raumati Straights should increase to 110km/h. Transport Minister Chris Bishop is encouraging people to have their say on the proposal. “With around 22,000 vehicles using the road daily, it provides important regional resilience and a safe, modern, reliable route for all road users,” Bishop said. Bishop said that the road was designed and constructed to a high safety standard, which is reflected in the low crash numbers since its opening in 2022. (Source: NZTA)Since opening, there have been 150 strikes into the flexible…

ADVERTISEMENTCreating a new identity is perhaps the most important concern of Russia’ s so-called ‘illegals’ – as intelligence officers who work underground are known. Constructed step by step, without rushing to arouse suspicion and with attention to every detail, it is this cover story – in intelligence circles known as a ‘legend ‘ – that will allow them to fit in and go unnoticed in the social environment in which they are deployed to fulfil a mission, whatever it may be.This is what Vladimir Aleksandrovich Danilov and Yekaterina Leonidovna Danilova, the Russian spy couple who passed through Portugal under the…

A former New Zealand ambassador to Japan, Russia, and Turkey has been appointed as the new High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, replacing Phil Goff in the post after he was sacked earlier this year.Hamish Cooper, who has 40 years of experience at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, will take up the role in September.Foreign Minister Winston Peters said New Zealand’s relationship with the United Kingdom was “one of our most important”.”Mr Cooper is one of New Zealand’s most senior and experienced diplomats and is eminently well-qualified to take on this significant role.”Chris Seed, who previously served as…

New Zealand can expect “above average temperatures” and “less frequent” cold snaps across all regions this winter, according to NIWA’s seasonal climate outlook. The outlook released today, which covers June to August 2025 said: “Seasonal air temperatures are expected to be above average across all New Zealand regions for this winter season.” “Thus, while cold snaps and frost will occur, they are expected to be less frequent than usual.” NIWA principal scientist Chris Brandolino said rainfall totals during the three months ahead were expected to be “above normal for the north of the North Island and near normal for the…

Just a quarter of ‘squared up’ Working for Families recipients are getting the right amount.Phoenix Ruka says he and his wife owe about $18,000 to $20,000 in Working for Families debt, despite always doing their best to ensure that they supplied the correct details about their income and circumstances.”We’ve always stayed up to date with my salary and what we received from them and updated my salary every time it went up and down,” Ruka said.”What we’re receiving was what they assured us we were entitled to. But then we got a massive bill saying they had overpaid us.”He said…