Author: Press Room

An abandoned school building in rural Southland may finally face its fate after multiple failed attempts to get rid of it.There was a request to burn the building down in 2019; it was later pulled from a Facebook marketplace sale and was almost sold for $5000 before the deal fell through.Now the Seaward Downs recreational reserve, where the district council-owned building sat, was tracking towards disposal — legitimately.The 1.5 hectare site, half an hour east of Invercargill, was also home to an empty swimming pool, changing rooms, and tennis court.The school closed in 1971 and its building hasn’t been used…

Cybersecurity officials and meteorologists are warning of an increase in phishing attempts masquerading as severe weather alerts, with false claims of a “massive” cyclone forming near New Zealand circulating online.One such post falsely claimed a large cyclone was forming in the Tasman Sea and heading towards New Zealand. It featured dramatic storm imagery and an outdated map of ex-Cyclone Uesi, which impacted the west of the South Island in 2020. In the comments section, a link directed users to an external website — a tactic commonly used to steal personal information or infect devices with malware. It comes as numerous…

Two alleged abduction attempts of children have occurred in Auckland this week, no doubt putting the fear of strange danger front and centre in parents’ minds.The first reported attempt occurred in South Auckland when bystanders had to intervene to prevent a man from pulling a child into the backseat of a car. Another suspected attempt occurred outside of Kaurilands School in Titirangi on Wednesday morning when a woman offered a child a ride in a car.But how do you talk to children, especially young children, about dangers that are statistically rare, but also very real?Relieved family members say the lad…

Breakfast in bed is the ultimate Mother’s Day classic – and it doesn’t have to mean burnt toast.A cosy shakshuka, fluffy hotcakes, or even golden, crispy fritters can go a long way.Here are five easy recipes from RNZ’s archive to make for mum this Sunday.ShakshukaShakshuka is a versatile dish consisting of baked or poached eggs in a fragrant tomato sauce, usually with capsicum, onion, and spices like paprika and cumin.You can keep it simple, or elevate it with Yotam Ottolenghi’s recipe, which features sweet potato, sriracha butter and pickled onions for a bit of zing.Enjoyed best with crusty bread to…

New Zealand has rates of sexual violence against teenagers above the global average, ahead of even a badly afflicted Australia, according to new research.A study published in The Lancet took a look across more than 200 countries over the last three decades.Among people aged 12 to 18, it estimated almost 30% of New Zealand women and one in five men experience sexual violence.Australian rates were just below that, but above those of most other high-income countries.The global rate was 18.9% for women and 14.8% for men.The study found significant differences between countries and regions. The US and UK rates for…

A teenager remains in critical condition this morning after she was pulled to safety during a house fire in Cambridge overnight. Emergency services were called to Brennan Place at around 10pm. Fire and Emergency NZ said two units initially responded to the blaze. When they arrived, the fire was “well involved”, and a teenage girl was unaccounted for. Extra crews were sent from Hamilton. Two crews entered the burning building, and the girl was found inside by an off-duty police officer who was also a volunteer firefighter.”The teen was pulled to safety and crews provided immediate medical assistance,” police said.…

Tauranga property owners have had a “significant win” after the council agreed to update flood maps, a developer says.Tauranga City Council is making Plan Change 27 — Flooding from Intense Rainfall operative after three years of legal wrangling.The plan change has had legal effect since 2020, when it was notified for public consultation.It introduced rules to manage flood risks and the effects of flooding on people, properties and infrastructure. These impacted what could be built on land deemed a flood risk.The council also released new flood hazard maps for the city based on a one-in-100-year storm scenario and accounting for…

The minister for Māori development says the government will not predetermine the outcome of a new review of the Waitangi Tribunal.The review is set to refocus the “scope, purpose and nature” of the tribunal’s inquiries back to its “original intent,” Tama Potaka said on Friday.It is part of the coalition agreement between New Zealand First and National and will be led by an independent technical advisory group and supported by Te Puni Kōkiri.Potaka — the chairperson of the ministerial group coordinating the review — told Saturday Morning the government would wait for feedback before making any decisions.”Our intention of course…

The government is putting an extra $35 million over four years into keeping drugs and organised crime out of the country.In a pre-Budget announcement on Saturday, Customs Minister Casey Costello said New Zealand was being increasingly targeted and there were growing challenges.”Customs is doing a great job stopping illicit drugs entering the country, but New Zealand is increasingly being targeted by organised crime groups. The government is committed to ensuring law and order, so it is investing in the tools and capacity agencies need to meet growing challenges.”Transnational and serious organised crime threats are growing worldwide. These groups are increasingly…

The 73-year-old man who went missing in Masterton last week has been found deceased, police say.John Rafferty, who was previously reported as being 74-years-old, went missing on May 4.Police said his body was discovered by a Search and Rescue team this morning.Sergeant Anthony Matheson said the death will be referred to the Coroner.“This was not the outcome we were hoping for, but I want to thank the community for all their assistance, and the dedication of the search crews who have worked so hard over the past week.”