Author: Press Room

Police disrupted anti-social road activity across Manawatū overnight, issuing dozens of infringements and making three arrests during a large-scale operation targeting dangerous driving behaviour.Operation Purple, which involved officers from Whanganui, Taranaki, Wellington, and Hawke’s Bay, focused on central Palmerston North and surrounding areas including Feilding.The operation aimed to prevent gatherings of disruptive road users and reduce harm.Police conducted 250 breath tests, with four drivers over the limit, issued 58 infringements, impounded four vehicles and suspended two licences. Nine vehicles were stickered for safety or compliance issues.Three people were arrested: a 28-year-old man for allegedly throwing a bottle at a police…

The first New Zealand woman to compete at the most prestigious tennis tournament in the world died this week, aged 101.Evelyn Webster competed at Wimbledon under her maiden name Attwood in the middle of last century.Evelyn’s ability on the tennis court started to turn heads when she was as young as 11.In February 1940, the Sydney Morning Herald ran an article about Australian tennis players competing in the New Zealand championships in Wellington. The report noted some standout players who competed in the under-18 junior tournament.”Outstanding competitors this year were… Rosemary Hodges, of Auckland, who won a narrow victory in…

Bay of Plenty police disrupted a series of planned anti-social road user gatherings in Tauranga overnight, making arrests and issuing multiple infringements.More than 100 officers were deployed across the region, including checkpoints in key areas and support from the Police Eagle helicopter. The operation targeted groups travelling from Hamilton, Rotorua, and other areas to congregate in Tauranga.Police disrupt antisocial road user behaviour in Tauranga. (Source: NZ Police)Western Bay of Plenty Area Prevention Manager Inspector Zane Smith said the strong police presence at known meet-up spots prevented dangerous driving behaviour, including road blockages and illegal stunts.”There were multiple instances where the…

One person has died following a single-vehicle crash on State Highway 50 in Hawke’s Bay today. Emergency services were called to the scene on State Highway 50, north of Tikokino around midday.”Sadly, one person passed away at the scene,” a police spokesperson said. The highway was closed for a few hours for debris removal, and reopened at 3pm.The Serious Crash Unit were making inquiries into the circumstances of the crash.Fire and Emergency New Zealand said it received a call to a motor vehicle collision near Hastings shortly after 12pm. It sent one truck from Tikokino fire station and assisted police…

One person is critically injured and another in a serious condition after a two-car collision in Auckland’s Stanmore Bay.An RNZ reporter on the scene said the crash had left two vehicles were in middle of Whangaparāoa Rd outside Stanmore Bay New World.Hato Hone St John said emergency services were called to the incident at about 4.10pm.One patient in a critical condition and one patient in a serious condition were treated on the scene and then transported to Auckland City hospital, while a third patient in a moderate condition was transported to North Shore hospital, St John said. Two vehicles were…

One of the country’s most prominent plant nurseries has been left “shell-shocked” by a massive blaze at its warehouse in Auckland’s northwest last night.Firefighters worked for over two hours to contain the blaze at Van Lier Nurseries in Kumeū after being called to the scene at about 9.45pm, Fire and Emergency NZ said. Sixteen fire trucks and multiple support vehicles were deployed to the scene.Van Lier Nurseries manager Joanne Hurley said the company supplied hundreds of flower sellers and that they were “devastated” at the blaze.Emergency services responded to the blaze on Riverhead Rd in Kumeū on Saturday night. (Source:…

ADVERTISEMENT European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk arrived at the Polish-Belarusian border on Sunday, where they discussed defence and security, among other issues. The EC chief assured Tusk and the Polish people of “Europe’s full solidarity with Poland as a frontline state,” and stressed the importance of putting continued pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin. “Putin has not changed and will not change. He is a predator,” the European Commission president said, adding that “he can only be kept in check through strong deterrence.” Von der Leyen’s trip to Poland comes as part…

Family fishing licences are set for an overhaul to fix outdated rules that have seen many women unable to fish alone.Hunting and Fishing Minister James Meager has just announced the changes ahead of Fish and Game national fishing licences going on sale tomorrow.An historic anomaly in the licensing system means the second adult on the licence, often a woman, currently cannot fish without being with the primary holder, often her husband, nor stand or vote in elections.But from tomorrow the glitches, described by Meager as an oversight, will be fixed to ensure both adults have equal fishing rights.Fish & Game’s…

Auckland Council’s plan to trial fortnightly rubbish collection in some suburbs has drawn criticism from residents who fear it will worsen illegal dumping in their neighbourhoods. Parts of Te Atatū Peninsula, Panmure/Tāmaki and Clendon Park/Weymouth have been selected for the proposed six-month trial, impacting around 10,000 households.  The council’s goal was to reduce the amount of waste ending up in landfills. The city currently sent 1.5 million tonnes of rubbish to landfill each year — enough to fill Eden Park every week. Officials said moving from a weekly to fortnightly rubbish collection could help cut waste by thousands of tonnes per year,…

A fishing crew targeting ling off the West Coast made an unusual catch last week – hauling up a smartphone from 400m deep, complete with a student ID, bank card and driver’s licence still tucked into a pocket on the back.The phone belonged to Charlie Butterfield, a keen outdoorsman who lost his phone during a late-night tuna-chasing trip off the Greymouth bar with his father earlier this month.”We were leaning over to grab dead hoki floating on the surface, probably dropped by a trawler, and his phone just slipped out of his top pocket,” said Charlie’s father Matt Butterfield.”It was…