Author: Press Room

A former charitable trust employee has pleaded guilty to stealing more than $1 million of funds intended for social support services in Porirua.The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) had previously alleged that Iesha Warren misappropriated funds from Te Roopu Awhina Ki Porirua Trust, which works with whānau across Porirua to offer social services including care and protection programmes for children.Warren was employed by the trust from 2019 until June 2021, and had access to the trust’s financial systems. During that time, Warren directed $1.06 million into bank accounts she controlled. Last Friday, she admitted to one representative charge of obtaining by…

Police are working to determine whether a home break in that left a resident injured and the discovery of a critically injured man on a nearby street in Wellington’s Miramar in the early hours of this morning are linked.Residents at a Darlington Rd address called police when an intruder was found inside their home at 2am.Police are working to determine whether a home break in that left a resident injured and the discovery of a critically injured man on a nearby street in Wellington’s Miramar in the early hours of this morning are linked. (Source: 1News)Detective Senior Sergeant Tim Leitch…

By Susan Edmunds of RNZ Crunch time is looming for people who borrowed money through the small business cash-flow loan scheme (SBC), launched during the pandemic. The loans were made available in May 2020 for small businesses affected by Covid-19. Businesses were offered up to $20,000 plus $1800 per full-time employee. More than 129,000 businesses took out loans worth $2.4 billion. The average loan amount was $17,000. Borrowers had five years to repay the loan and many would reach that limit from June, Inland Revenue (IR) said. There were no repayments due for the first two years, and after that…

The national median house price in February dropped 2.4% year-on-year, but sales were up, according to new numbers from the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ).According to REINZ’s latest New Zealand property report, median house prices last month, compared to February 2024, dropped from $791,000 to $772,000. Excluding Auckland, the median price experienced a 1.4% drop of $10,000 from $710,000 to $700,000. Six out of 16 regions experienced an increase in median prices compared to February 2024, with the West Coast experiencing the highest jump — up 16.3% from $325,000 to $377,500. Southland experienced a 9.2% year-on-year increase, from…

A teenager has been found guilty of manslaughter but acquitted of murdering 16-year-old Enere Taana-McLaren in Dunedin last year.The jury delivered its verdict on Monday in Dunedin’s High Court after deliberations began late Wednesday afternoon.The then 13-year-old, who has interim name suppression, killed Taana-McLaren during a confrontation between the teenagers at Dunedin’s central city bus hub last May.The defendant’s lawyer said it was done in self-defence, but the Crown said he initiated the confrontation before pursuing and stabbing the older boy.The defendant’s sentencing and custodial status will be addressed later Monday morning, according to the Otago Daily Times.Sixty seconds was…

Thousands of New Zealanders in the years just before retirement still have less than $10,000 in their KiwiSaver accounts, new data shows.The Retirement Commission has released new data from actuaries MJW which shows a breakdown of KiwiSaver balance by age and gender, as at the end of last year.It showed that overall, New Zealanders had an average balance of $37,079 in KiwiSaver, an increase of $5256 from the previous year. Men had $42,664 on average and women $34,185.That data, which covers 97% of the KiwiSaver industry, shows the gender gap has remained at about 25% in the past two years…

The Vatican released the first photograph of Pope Francis in a month since his hospitalisation, as he celebrates Mass in hospital chapel. ADVERTISEMENTThe Vatican released on Sunday the first photograph of Pope Francis in a month, showing the pontiff in a view from behind wearing a purple stole – typical of Lenten liturgical vestments – and sitting in a wheelchair before the altar of his personal hospital chapel.The Vatican said he was participating in the celebration of the Mass with other priests in the 10th floor papal apartment at the Gemelli hospital in Rome.This is the first mention the Vatican…

It’s an almost-unheard of situation in today’s world of media-managed sports organisations.A reporter granted exclusive access to the All Whites in the build up to their “One Shot for Glory” FIFA World Cup qualifier against Bahrain in Wellington in 2009.At the time, then-Sunday reporter Simon Mercep’s All White on the Night story covered the build-up and night of the big occasion.”The access was amazing. To get alongside the players and the management in their hotel rooms, their lunch rooms, meeting their partners and getting a sense of what it was like as sportspeople building up to this massive game,” Mercep…

Heavy rain warnings are in place for Westland and Fiordland, while Central Otago and Canterbury are in for a hot day.Westland residents could expect up to 200mm of rain around the ranges and 100mm near the coast between 10am Monday and 6am Tuesday, MetService said.Peak rates will reach up to 40mm about the ranges. There was a minimal chance this ‘orange’ warning could be upgraded to ‘red’, meaning a “most extreme weather event”.”Streams and rivers may rise rapidly. Surface flooding, slips, and difficult driving conditions possible,” MetService said on its website. “Clear your drains and gutters to prepare for heavy…

Negotiations have been launched to get a Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement across the line between New Zealand and India.The announcement was made by both governments on the eve of a bilateral meeting between prime ministers Christopher Luxon and Narendra Modi.”As you would have heard, we’ve had an economic breakthrough in the relationship,” he said.The Indian government press statement acknowledged the deal would be “comprehensive and mutually beneficial”. “It’s a really good win, it’s a great win for New Zealand,” Luxon said.Trade Minister Todd McClay confirmed the launch of negotiations in a meeting with his counterpart Shri Piyush Goyal, India’s Minister…