Author: Press Room

Old Papatoetoe’s makeover is taking shape with new homes, green spaces and a new laneway under development.Eke Panuku – Auckland Council’s development arm – is carrying out the redevelopment of the South Auckland suburb, which aims to bring new life to the area.Local Democracy Reporting recently visited the area, after reporting on the changes in October 2024. Vi Hausia, Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board deputy chairman and local resident, said he is excited about the project being almost complete.”Exciting changes are underway in Old Papatoetoe. This is something we’ve worked towards for years, and now we’re only months away from enjoying the…

Calls are growing for the Government to take Australia’s lead and ban engineered stone to protect workers from developing silicosis, an incurable lung disease.The composite material – made up of crushed quartz and polymer resin – is often used as a cost-effective alternative to natural stone benchtops. Engineered stone can contain in excess of 90% crystalline silica which can then be inhaled as a dust, leading to the development of the disease. Symptoms include a persistent cough lasting longer than six weeks, shortness of breath, and tiredness and weakness, Health New Zealand said on its website. Some people may eventually…

A Christchurch man has been sentenced to 23 years imprisonment for a raft of sexual offending against multiple women. Warning: This story contains details some readers might find disturbing. Helplines are provided at the end of the article.John Hope Muchirahondo was found guilty in September of 11 charges of rape and six of sexual violation against nine women. He was found not guilty on eight charges of sexual offending and the jury couldn’t reach a verdict on five others. The trial went for almost 10 weeks. He must serve at least 10 years before being eligible for parole and avoided…

A South Wairarapa councillor is pushing for her council to stop using Facebook and Instagram — citing a poor ethical track record from parent company Meta.As a member of the LGBTTQIA+ community, councillor Rebecca Gray said the threat of harm for specific communities was increasing on Meta platforms.She was also concerned by “a change in policies within the social media businesses regarding tolerance of hate speech and disinformation”.”My concern is by using platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, that if we are using that company, are we saying we are supportive of the harm that company is doing in different…

An Auckland funeral director has been arrested and charged by police investigating allegations of inappropriate handling of burials at Waikumete Cemetery.It is the second arrest by Operation Lola, launched last year to examine complaints after bodies were disinterred by the Auckland Anniversary floods and Cyclone Gabrielle in early 2023.Undertaker Fiona Bakulich, 48, was previously arrested and pleaded guilty to 14 charges, two of interfering with human remains and 12 of obtaining by deception. She would be sentenced in April.Detective Inspector Glenn Baldwin said a further Auckland funeral service worker had been arrested today.”Our investigation team has been looking at allegations…

An Auckland primary school received frozen pizza rolls for lunch today — just days after it was revealed that the School Lunch Collective had turned to Australia to ensure it had enough meals.Massey Primary School principal Bruce Barnes said the pizza rolls were unopened and still frozen when they were delivered.”They’re quite disgusting really, there’s no nutritional value in them. It’s shocking.”Many schools covered by the collective received individually-packaged meals from Australia on Wednesday — mostly beef lasagne, but three-cheese macaroni for others.Barnes said the lasagne was “of very poor quality”.”The kids just don’t like them.”A spokesperson for School Lunch…

Ngāti Whātua is preparing to commemorate 200 years since one of the most significant battles in the tribe’s recent history took place — where hundreds were killed in an inter-tribal war.In 1825, the iwi attempted to fend off an attack by neighbouring iwi Ngāpuhi at a site near Kaiwaka in the battle of Te Ika a Ranganui.Ngāti Whātua outnumbered the opposing side two to one but suffered the catastrophic loss of 300 lives against the five-hundred-armed Ngāpuhi force.Seventy Ngāpuhi warriors were also killed in the bloody conflict.The battle site of Te Ika a Ranganui (Source: Te Karere)Tomorrow, a dawn ceremony…

Tens of thousands of Serbians swarmed the streets of the capital Belgrade in preparation for major anti-government rallies planned to take place over the weekend against populist President Aleksandar Vučić. ADVERTISEMENTSerbia’s capital, Belgrade, was on edge on Friday night as thousands of people participated in a “joyful prelude” protest to a major anti-government rally on the weekend against President Aleksandar Vucic.Serbians came out to welcome thousands of university students who converged on Belgrade from across the country for the rally planned for Saturday.Saturday’s protest is regarded as a culmination of months of anti-graft demonstrations in the Balkan country that have…

A Gore man has been fined $130,000 after a discharge of effluent into a Southland waterway killed thousands of eels last year.Bryson Clark pleaded guilty to discharging leachate from farm tailings, leachate from sileage, and dairy effluent onto land in circumstances where it could enter water.Environment Southland compliance manager Donna Ferguson said the impact of the event was among the most serious the team had investigated. “The deaths of thousands of eels had been devastating, with more than 2500 bodies collected in a 10km clean-up zone.”Staff were supported throughout the clean-up by Ngāi Tahu ki Murihiku.The investigation was sparked by…

Dozens of schools are losing their canteens – some with just 24 hours notice – as the fallout from a school lunch makers liquidation spreads.Libelle, which provides about 125,000 meals a day for the government’s revamped school lunch programme, went bust on Tuesday.Liquidators and the main contractor Compass have stepped into make sure lunches are still being delivered — including flying in heat-and-eat-meals from Australia.The liquidator Deloitte initially said it was looking at ways to continue the Libelle Group’s other operations around RSE workers, canteens and boarding houses.More than 60 schools with Libelle-run canteens have been told they will cease…