Author: Press Room

Less money will be spent on road safety improvements in Tasman over the next three years than what had originally been budgeted.Tasman District Council was not successful in all its funding bids to the New Zealand Transport Agency, leaving a $5 million hole between the council’s budgets and the funds it has available for the work.The funding gap affects the 2024-27 period and left the council with the question of whether it can continue to fund all the work.However, the council received an additional $2.1 million from NZTA in the 2018-21 period, and an additional $2.4 million in the 2021-24…

A group of MEPs is calling for daylight saving time to be abolished given its negative impact on health. ADVERTISEMENTThis weekend the clocks go back across Europe – but a grouping of 67 members of the European Parliament (MEPs) are saying the practice should be abolished.  Lawmakers raised concerns with the “outdated” impact of changing the clocks on sleep cycles, traffic accidents and heart attack rates.”It is time to put an end to the biannual clock change, which has been proven to have negative effects on health, well-being, and safety,” MEP Seán Kelly (Ireland/European People’s Party) said in a statement,…

A battle that appears to have broken out between Air New Zealand and Jetstar in the domestic aviation market may just be the start of a run of good news for consumers, one aviation expert says.This week Air New Zealand and Jetstar have announced sales.Air New Zealand said on Monday it was making more than 200,000 seats available for travel periods between January and June next year.Auckland to Kerikeri was advertised from $59 each way, and Auckland to Wellington $69. Auckland to Queenstown was promoted from $99 each way. Christchurch to Wellington was from $59.Then Jetstar promoted a “cheeky getaway…

Two time Grammy-winner US rapper Tyler, the Creator has announced a New Zealand show as part of his 2025 world tour.The tour is named after his forthcoming album, Chromokopia, which is set to release October 28 this year.His one-off show in New Zealand is scheduled for August 18, 2025 at Auckland’s Spark Arena.Special guests on the tour will include US rappers Lil Yachty and hip-hop duo Paris Texas. It will span North America, Europe, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand over the course of 2025. Earlier this week, Tyler the Creator, also known as Tyler Okonma, released Noid, the…

The speed limits on two rural Nelson roads are being reduced before the end of the month as the council seeks to lock the lower speeds in before a Government deadline.On Wednesday morning, Nelson City Council held an extraordinary meeting to bring forward the speed limit reductions for Cable Bay and Māori Pa Roads.Both roads currently have speed limits of 100km/h.Earlier this year, a joint committee of both Nelson and Tasman councils approved a new regional speed management plan which would see both roads reduced to 80km/h.However, the Government has adopted a new rule outlining the requirements and procedures for…

Australian Federal Police have released footage of a handcuffed New Zealand man being taken off an Air New Zealand plane in Melbourne.The AFP received a report yesterday morning about the passenger, who was allegedly intoxicated and being disruptive, on a flight from Perth to Auckland.Crew on board the flight alleged the man, aged 23, refused to comply with requests – and allegedly assaulted a crew member, causing them a “slight injury”.The flight was diverted to Melbourne Airport. Australian police then boarded the aircraft to remove the passenger, who had been “restrained at the back of the aircraft”.The 23-year-old was charged…

Maungakiekie-Tāmaki Ward councillor Josephine Bartley has labelled yesterday’s fatal stabbing on a bus in Auckland’s Onehunga as “unacceptable”, while Mayor Wayne Brown labelled the act “senseless”. Kael Leona this afternoon handed himself into police on the North Shore, following yesterday’s attack on a woman on the route 74 bus around 2.30pm yesterday.Acting Detective Inspector Alisse Robertson said earlier today Leona, aged 37, was wanted following the incident. She said the victim died at the scene and it was believed she and her alleged attacker were not previously known to each other.On social media today, Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown said “this…

Young adults in souther and eastern European countries tend to stick around longer with their parents, OECD and Eurostat data shows. ADVERTISEMENTEU adults leave their parents’ home at 26 on average, according to Eurostat estimations.However, the age varies significantly from nation to nation.In Finland, Sweden and Denmark, they usually move out by the age of 21. By contrast, in Croatia, Slovakia, Greece, Spain, Bulgaria and Italy, this normally doesn’t happen before they’re at least 30.In terms of overall number of young adults still living with their parents, the shares are particularly high in southern Europe, OECD data shows.In this dataset,…

Four-wheel drive enthusiasts and environmentalists will need to work together to protect birds nesting along the Ashley River after a vehicle ban was rejected by the Waimakariri District Council.The Department of Conservation last month called for the council to consider a vehicle ban on the upper Ashley River in Canterbury during nesting season, between October 31 and January 31. According to Environment Canterbury, the area was home to braided river birds such as wrybill, banded dotterel, pied stilt and the “nationally critical” black-billed gull.Council staff considered the request, but found a ban would be unworkable.Waimakariri Mayor Dan Gordon has reached…

Georgians head to the polls on Saturday for parliamentary elections that will shape the country’s future direction – whether towards the EU, or Russia’s orbit. ADVERTISEMENTGeorgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has claimed the country is on course to join the EU and denied Russian influence, in an exclusive interview with Euronews on the eve of a crucial vote that he painted as a choice between war and peace.The poll comes at a crossroads for Georgia. Granted EU candidacy last year, Georgia’s accession process was frozen after the government passed a controversial “foreign agents” law, similar to Russian legislation, which was…