Author: Press Room

KiwiRail has agreed to sell its retired Interislander ferry Aratere to a buyer who will deliver the vessel to a specialist recycling shipyard in India.The ferry, which made its final Cook Strait crossing in August, served as part of the Interislander fleet for 26 years.It was retired to allow for Picton port redevelopment in preparation for two brand-new Cook Strait ferries due to arrive in 2029.Interislander executive general manager Duncan Roy said Aratere was not suitable for most ferry operators due to its age and the fact it would require “significant” modification or specialist port infrastructure.”Therefore, we have pursued a…

A 19-year-old has been arrested and charged over a series of death threats made online against a Member of Parliament earlier this year.Police said the threats were allegedly sent via a social media platform in March 2025 and were serious enough to prompt a formal investigation.Further arrests were likely as the investigation continued, police added.The man was arrested on October 8 and has been charged with causing harm by posting digital communication and threatening to kill. He was due to appear in the Gisborne District Court on October 15.Detective Inspector Warren OIsson said the nature and volume of the threats…

A central Nelson shopping complex, which has been empty for nearly a year after cladding issues left it earmarked for demolition, is set to get a new lease on life as a retail and hospitality precinct.More than 20 retailers and commercial tenants were forced to vacate the Morrison Square shopping complex last year after engineering assessments revealed issues with the building’s cladding system.Originally named Fashion Island, the site at 244 Hardy Street was purchased by ACC for $22.7 million in 2008.It was announced in May that Scott Construction had bought the site and had plans to redevelop it.The project is…

A man has been arrested and several 3D-printed and homemade guns seized after a police raid in Auckland’s Henderson yesterday. A search of the property on Kingsdale Rd was carried out with the Armed Offenders Squad after police received information about potential firearms. Detective Senior Sergeant Josh Lautogo said police made “quick work” in the raid, taking a person into custody. Some of the 3D-printed and homemade guns seized by police in Henderson. (Source: Supplied)Police found several 3D-printed and homemade guns, as well as ammunition, at the address. A 20-year-old man was arrested and was due to appear in Waitākere…

Emergency services were called to two separate aviation incidents in quick succession on Friday morning – one involving a small plane in Whangārei and the other an Air Force helicopter making an emergency landing at a Manawatū air base.Indications of an engine fire were reported aboard an RNZAF A109 helicopter at 10.26am, a New Zealand Defence Force spokesperson said.”The crew declared an emergency and a full response was activated by Base Ohakea and local Fire and Emergency NZ.”The aircraft landed at 10.28am and the crew was evacuated.The spokesperson said there was no external evidence of fire and that the aircraft…

An emergency operations centre has been activated by the Grey District Council this afternoon as heavy rain lashes parts of the South Island. Watches and warnings are in place for Tararua, Wellington, Buller, Tasman and Canterbury. Several areas were still under heavy rain or strong wind alerts until Saturday or Sunday.In a post to social media this afternoon, Grey District Council said it had activated an emergency operations centre and urged people to “stay out of floodwaters, and avoid non-essential travel”. Flooding has closed some roads, as pictured by Grey District Council. (Source: Supplied)”Floodwaters are rising quickly so plan for…

A leading senior police officer has become the first Māori member of the Victoria Police to wear a moko kauae.Senior Constable Marlene Drummond, who is of Ngāpuhi descent, received her moko kaue after years of consideration and reflection.”I feel anchored to my heritage and ancestry, like I’m carrying my Nanny with me,” she said.The moko kauae is a sacred taonga (treasure) for wāhine Māori, representing their whakapapa (genealogy), whānau (family), tūpuna (ancestors), and cultural heritage.Leading Senior Constable Marlene Drummond honours her Ngāpuhi heritage with the traditional Māori tattoo. (Source: Victoria Police.)Drummond said it was a visual representation of her cultural…

The leader of a secretive religious group has announced he’s stepping back from his role, citing a “tough year” and “constant pressure”.Wayne Dean, who oversees a church commonly referred to as the Two By Twos or The Truth – though it has no official name – has been leading its New Zealand branch for the past three years. Originally from Western Australia, Dean is now returning home for what he describes as “an extended break”.The church is currently under investigation by New Zealand police for alleged sexual offending.In a letter emailed to the group’s roughly 2500 members, Dean wrote: “Constant…

Tāmaki Makaurau is recording the lowest voter turnouts in the country, with one day left of local elections to go.According to statistics from Local Government New Zealand, 983,466 votes had been received around the country as of October 9, which represented 28.49% of all eligible votes.This figure excluded voting results for Chatham Islands and regional councils.Auckland had the lowest voting percentage of 21.8%, followed by Hamilton City with 22.98% and Porirua City with 25.11%.According to Auckland Council figures, 261,500 votes had been cast, out of 1,195,533 eligible voters.Council Governance and Engagement general manager Lou-Ann Ballantyne encouraged people to go vote,…

More than half a tonne of cannabis was seized by police in Auckland yesterday, following a series of raids across the city’s inner west. A man was also arrested on a raft of charges. Detective Senior Sergeant Anthony Darvill said the searches were part of a police effort to crack down on criminals profiting from the sale of drugs. “During the searches of the properties, significant commercial cannabis grow set-ups were located,” Darvill said. More than 500kg of cannabis was seized, as well as a “significant amount” of cash, MDMA, and ketamine. Some of the cannabis seized by police. (Source:…