Author: Press Room

Historic landfills have turned into a headache for many in recent years, but a boost from this year’s Budget is hoped to change that.The Ministry for the Environment (MFE) is aware of around 3,000 legacy dumps across New Zealand, some of which date back nearly 100 years.MFE spokesperson Conrad Lendrum told 1News that number is only the ones it is aware of.”Beyond that there are further contaminated sites that are known of and many others that are not.”Being legacy, there’s many of these sites… predate the Resource Management Act in 1991 and so the management of the disposal of this…

Five people, including a child have been hurt, after pedestrians were struck by a vehicle in central Christchurch.Police said emergency services were called to an area of Fitzgerald Avenue near Hereford Street, about 2.15pm on Saturday.Two people were taken to Christchurch Hospital, while three others in a minor condition were treated at the site.A woman who was among the first to the scene said she helped a woman and a child who were seriously injured after a car collided with them at an intersection.The woman told RNZ she helped some men lift the car off a boy trapped underneath.She said…

If you’ve driven anywhere in New Zealand with more than one lane, chances are you’ve come across the notorious right-lane hog.The driver who sticks in the right lane, going just below the speed limit, unaware or indifferent to the queues of frustrated motorists forming behind them.It’s annoying, it’s common — and while technically illegal, it’s become one of the most flouted road rules in the country.Under New Zealand law, drivers must keep left unless they’re overtaking. It’s written into the Land Transport (Road User) Rule 2004 and failing to do so could set you back $150 fine and 20 demerit…

Published on 24/05/2025 – 20:47 GMT+2•Updated 21:25ADVERTISEMENTBulgarians turned out en masse on Saturday to honour the legacy of Saint Cyril and Methodius, the founders of the Cyrillic alphabet, during one of their most important cultural and national holidays in the Balkan country.People gathered to lay flowers at the base of a statue of the two Orthodox Church saints in central Sofia.The two were born in today’s Greece in the 9th century and are credited with creating Glagolic, an alphabet that was later adapted by multiple scholars across the Balkans and evolved into the Cyrillic alphabet.”The biggest and most significant gift…

An increase in contribution rates for KiwiSaver should make most savers better off – but it won’t benefit everyone.As part of the Budget, the Government announced it was increasing the default KiwiSaver contribution rate to 4% from employees and 4% from employers.Over a saver’s lifetime, including a first home withdrawal, it estimated this could make a high earner 28% better off at retirement and a low income or part-time worker 21% better off. But some people won’t be better off at all.Retirement Commissioner Jane Wrightson said about 20% of KiwiSaver members would be worse off due to the Budget changes.…

There is no easy or speedy solution to remove the algal bloom issues plaguing Lake Hood in Canterbury.The Ashburton District Council wasn’t about to rush into spending ratepayer money on potential solutions without thoroughly investigating its options first, the chief executive said. A 75-page report at the council meeting on Wednesday provided an update on the water quality issues at Lake Hood and the work underway to address them.Lake Hood has been closed since April 3 due to health warnings. The council decision to close the lake came after two people were poisoned by the toxic algae.Council chief executive Hamish…

Three side-by-side chain stores near the top of Queenstown Mall are for sale as their leases expire. Sharing the same landlord, they’re stationery chain Smiggle and clothing chains Dotti and Jay Jays. They’ve all been owned by The Just Group which has tenanted the stores for 20 years. The same group also owns Just Jeans and Peter Alexander sleepwear around the corner in Camp St, but they’re not for sale. Altogether, the three for sale occupy 422sqm with 20.5m of Mall frontage. Colliers Queenstown, which has listed them, states they’re available for new tenancies from July. A sign on Smiggle’s…

MetService says the weather is looking “mostly fine” across the country this weekend, but warns of some “nasty stuff brewing” out over the Tasman next week. MetService meteorologist Heather Keats told Breakfast people across the country could expect high pressure on Saturday to bring another cold start for most. “Tomorrow, very similar, high pressure again so another cold start but looking pretty good.” She said the skies would mostly be fine until Sunday, when some heavy weather was moving in. “It’s [going to] be a front that approaches the southwest of the South Island, so there will be some heavy…

Budget 2025 has revealed some details about Nelson’s long-awaited hospital rebuild, but the city’s leaders don’t agree on whether it’s positive for residents.The Government has announced the continuation of the redevelopment of Nelson Hospital, with funding allocated over the next four years to address capacity issues, poor seismic resilience, and outdated care delivery.”This will deliver a new inpatient building with more beds to meet population growth. The hospital’s two main buildings will be refurbished, and essential services will be upgraded,” Minister of Health Simeon Brown said on Thursday.Minister of Health Simeon Brown said the larger inpatient building will cater to…

ADVERTISEMENTUkraine’s capital came under a large-scale Russian drone and missile attack overnight and into early Saturday that left at least 15 people injured, according to Ukrainian officials. The assault came amid a prisoner exchange between Moscow and Kyiv. Russia and Ukraine on Saturday completed a significant prisoner exchange of hundreds of soldiers and civilians after Friday’s first stage of the deal was reached following talks last week in Istanbul.Explosions and machine gunfire were heard throughout Kyiv as many sought shelter in subway stations.Yurii Bondarchuk, a resident, said the air raid siren “started as usual, then the drones started to fly…