Author: Press Room

The public will have a say on a controversial plan to move a prisoner reintegration facility to a rural Rotorua valley.Rotorua Lakes Council has publicly notified a resource consent application for Pūwhakamua to operate in Waikite.A notice in today’s Rotorua Daily Post said submissions would close at 5pm on June 25.It comes as the council investigates the existing Pūwhakamua facility, based near Rotorua Airport, after issuing, then cancelling, a notice ordering it to cease operations because of consent matters.Pūwhakamua is a tikanga Māori live-in reintegration service supporting men on parole to return and readapt into the community.It was the brainchild…

Published on 26/05/2025 – 14:41 GMT+2ADVERTISEMENTThe European Conservatives and Reformists group in the European Parliament is set to expel Luxembourgish MEP Fernand Kartheiser from its ranks for arranging a trip to Moscow.Kartheiser, a former diplomat and ambassador to several European countries, is currently in Moscow where he was invited by the Russian Parliament, or Duma, to discuss bilateral relations, Russia’s relations with international organisations and the current situation in Ukraine. “Given that the European Parliament is blocking MEPs’ diplomatic efforts to meet with the Russian Federation, I am funding this mission to Moscow myself,” he told Euronews before the two-day trip to meet members…

This week’s Good Sort helps keep the Timaru police fleet clean, the station running smoothly and helps monitor the town’s security cameras – all with one arm.Graham Dallow, a former builder turned volunteer, spends two days a week valeting patrol cars and his weekends monitoring security cameras.Nominated by Constable Abbey Mcllroy, Dallow has became a constant presence and a morale booster at the station.”Even if I’m having a bad day and I turn up, Graham’s always there and making me feel better,” she said.Dallow lost his right arm to cancer, part of a 23-year battle that began with a tumour…

MetService has issued severe thunderstorm watches and heavy rain watches for parts of the top and western side of the North Island.And heavy rain has seen surface flooding in central Nelson.Rain and thunder are possible in Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Waitomo and Taranaki from 5pm until 6am Tuesday. “Although the risk of thunderstorms is low, the risk of localised downpours occurring in this area is considered moderate,” MetService said. Downpours could produce rainfall of between 25 to 40 mm/h. “Rainfall of this intensity can cause surface and/or flash flooding, especially about low-lying areas such as streams, rivers or narrow valleys, and…

ADVERTISEMENTRussia has lost almost 1 million troops in its ongoing all-out war against Ukraine, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported on Monday, after Russian forces suffered another 1,000 casualties in the past 24 hours. Kyiv does not specify whether the numbers include killed or wounded, but the general perception is that they include all casualties: dead, wounded, missing, and captured. Ukraine officials have been tracking Russian troops and equipment losses daily since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion on 24 February 2022. Ukraine and Russia do not reveal their losses publicly. In February, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said over 46,000 Ukrainian soldiers…

A police investigation is ongoing into a suspicious house fire that caused “extensive damage” to a house and two vehicles in Southland last February.On February 21, 2024, emergency services were called to a house fire on Elswick St in Waikaia just after midnight. Extensive damage to a house following a suspicious blaze in the Southland town of Waikaia in February 2024. (Source: NZ Police )No one was injured, however the house and two vehicles “sustained extensive damage” in the blaze, Detective Sergeant Brian McKinney said. McKinney said a suspect had not been found but police were “making progress to an…

Former National MP Dame Marilyn Waring has gathered a group of female former MPs to hold their own “people’s select committee” on the Government’s pay equity changes.The unofficial committee is rounded out with former MPs Jackie Blue, Jo Hayes and Belinda Vernon from National, Nanaia Mahuta, Lianne Dalziel, Steve Chadwick and Lynne Pillay from Labour, Ria Bond from New Zealand First and Sue Bradford from the Greens. All are working on a “pro bono” — unpaid — basis.Independent consultant Amy Ross, previously the Public Service Commission’s lead on pay equity, and former Parliamentary librarian and researcher Bessie Sutherland would provide…

By Euronews Published on 26/05/2025 – 10:59 GMT+2ADVERTISEMENTEmmanuel Macron signed a deal with Vietnam on Monday for 20 Airbus planes, among other agreements, in the first visit by a French president to Hanoi in nearly a decade.The Airbus deal with VietJet for 20 A330neo aircraft, worth an estimated €7 billion, follows a previous agreement for 20 European-made aeroplanes. The French leader struck other deals — said to be more than 30 — in a bid to expand a trade relationship worth €5.3 billion, including cooperation on energy, Earth-observation satellites, vaccines and railways.“It is truly a new page being written between our…

By Katie Todd of RNZ Two French expats – and one disappointing plate of tinned escargots – are the inspiration behind a new commercial snail farm in Queenstown. Otago Escargots plans to start supplying local, high-end restaurants with fresh, locally raised snails in about a year’s time. The idea began when Queenstown hospitality worker Louis Parent, a lifelong fan of escargots, went to a restaurant in Dunedin on a rainy night. He said he ordered a serving of imported snails that didn’t quite hit the mark. “I wasn’t really happy about the quality, the texture and the taste of them,”…

Qantas is increasing the number of flights between Australia and New Zealand by up to 20% throughout December and January, the airline has announced. Qantas Airlines said that around 60,000 additional seats will be available to cross the Tasman compared to the same time last year. Wellington Airport chief executive Matt Clarke said this is “great news” for travellers because it means more competition and choice at the busiest time of the year. “This follows increases to the Melbourne service and an upgraded Brisbane service. In total, Qantas will be operating 65% more seats for December and January than they were before…