Author: Press Room

More than 3500 rivers, lakes and estuaries across Aotearoa are under pressure, with new data showing widespread faecal contamination and poor water quality — especially in areas of intensive land use.The findings come from the Land, Air, Water Aotearoa (LAWA) project, which today released updated water quality results to mark World Rivers Day. For the first time, New Zealanders can explore 20-year trends in freshwater health at around 1200 sites, thanks to long-term monitoring by regional and unitary councils.The data shows two-thirds of monitored river sites and half of groundwater bores are affected by E. coli contamination, while two-thirds of…

By Susan Edmunds of RNZ Workers First Union says it has had to take on a number of retail chain stores over employees’ rights to have a drink bottle at work – and it says if supermarket checkout operators aren’t being allowed drink bottles it will tackle that too. A Reddit post at the weekend claimed New World checkout operators were not being allowed drink bottles while they worked. Foodstuffs, which operates the New World and Pak’nSave brands, have been approached for comment. The supermarkets were operated by individual owner-operators. Rudd Hughes, Workers First Union deputy secretary said the Foodstuffs…

With many charities struggling to make ends meet, a Nelson man came up with a whacky way to do just that by riding 86km on ride-on lawnmowers. The Molesworth Rampage is in its second year after raising $68,000 in 2024 for the Nelson Tasman Hospice and Nelson Cancer Society Tasman. Dozens of riders and their decorated ride-on lawnmowers drove from the Molesworth Station through to Hanmer Springs. It’s the brain child of Nelson business man Stuart Newport who came up with the idea one Sunday afternoon in his garage. “It’s like a bunch of big kids really,” he said. “I…

More than 500 digital billboards across New Zealand will now display MetService’s real-time warning information, alongside safety messaging from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), during severe weather events.MetService sales manager Kathryn Blackmore said New Zealanders already received information about severe weather warnings through MetService’s app and website, as well as through radio, TV and social media – and digital billboards were another way to get that messaging across to the general public.”The digital billboards will help increase people’s awareness of our severe weather warnings and the messaging from NEMA means people have the information they need to stay safe,”…

By Susan Edmunds of RNZ Staff at media organisation Stuff are understood to be considering further strikes as the company reduces its pay offer for some staff. Last month, staff unhappy about plans to split their collective agreement into two and an “insulting” pay offer went on strike and picketed outside Stuff offices. The company has separated into two divisions – Stuff Digital and Masthead Publishing. But union members do not want their collective agreements split in two. It was understood that since the August strike action, the company has said it will no longer backdate any pay rise to 1 July, when the last…

A woman has been charged with murder after one person was killed and another injured following an incident inside a vehicle – which then crashed – in the Bay of Plenty on Saturday.Emergency services were called to the intersection of Flax and Matatā Roads around 3.50pm after reports that two people had been injured by a third person while inside a vehicle. The vehicle then left the road and crashed into a ditch.Despite CPR efforts at the scene, one of the victims died. The second was taken to Whakatāne Hospital in a moderate condition and was now in stable condition.Police…

Advocates say New Zealand’s disabled housing crisis is worsening, with too few accommodation options available for people with high needs—and the issue continues to go unaddressed.They say it means disabled New Zealanders requiring more complex care, like 21-year-old Mitchell Cawdron, were being forced to consider living in rest homes.”He requires full support to dress, to bathe, to eat. He’ll never drive, never work. He doesn’t communicate so we’re the only ones that really understand him and he also has erratic sleep,” said mum Cherie Cawdron.The young Aucklander has always lived at home but his family’s decided that can’t last forever.”While…

Sounds Air has flown its last flight from Christchurch after signalling earlier this year that it would no longer fly Blenheim to Christchurch or Christchurch to Wānaka from the end of September.Sounds Air cut the two regional services, saying it was facing “out of control” costs despite strong bookings. Its last Christchurch to Blenheim flight departed on Sunday night.Sounds Air managing director Andrew Crawford said the airline was now getting rid of its Pilatus aircraft, which flew longer distances but were a lot more expensive to operate, and were only flying its Cessna Caravan fleet that operate in and around…

A person has been left with critical injuries after a “serious incident” in a Gisborne suburb this morning, police say.Cordons were put in place after officers were called to a Riverdale property on Ormond Rd, near Lytton Rd, at about 4am.”A person was located with critical injuries” at the scene, police said.”There is a visible police presence in the area and motorists should expect diversions while police work at the scene. Members of the public are asked to avoid the area.”Further information will be released when we are in a position to do so.”The morning’s headlines in 90 seconds, including…

A new report shows central Christchurch is on the rise, despite challenging national economic conditions. Christchurch City Council’s latest Central City Annual Update, alongside Stats NZ data, paints a positive picture of growth, said Business Canterbury chief executive Leeann Watson. “People from the North Island are choosing to come to Christchurch to study and work and live, and development in the central city is a big part of that.” The central city’s population has grown by more than 6% to 9160 residents in the latest estimates, recovering numbers lost during the Covid-19 pandemic years. There is a goal of 20,000 residents…