Author: Press Room

Ashburton Mayor Neil Brown wants to crack down on abandoned road cones “littering” the district.The mayor said he was is fed up with road cones being left out by contractors when work is not being done or has been completed.“If they are not being used, it’s littering,” Brown told Local Democracy Reporting.“When they are put out and being used it’s fine, but if they are left for days, weeks, months when the work is finished, they should be fined.”When he suggested a road cone fee during the first council budget workshop at the start of February, some in the room…

As International Women’s Day is marked today, business editor Sally Rae talks to three determined Dunedin women who tackled a major issue in their profession by going into business with each other.  Imagine working all day treating people’s beloved pets only to then be called out after hours and spending the night at the clinic before turning up for work again the following day. Ask Isobel Topham how vets cope with such pressure and she quips: ‘‘coffee, lots of junk food and supportive colleagues.’’ But on a serious note, stress is a major problem in the veterinary industry and there is a high attrition rate because of that.…

An Auckland man has been found guilty of money laundering linked to a term deposit scam that saw nearly $2 million stolen from two Kiwi investors. A jury this week found 61-year-old Carel Johannes Viljoen guilty of two counts of money laundering. The crimes occurred in late 2022 when two unsuspecting Kiwis were approached by offshore fraudsters who advertised a fictitious investment company. Both ultimately invested nearly $2 million into the fake company, transferring funds into a New Zealand-based account. The account was set up by Viljoen after he was contacted separately by the offshore offenders. “Our investigation found Viljoen…

Councillor concerns have forced Nelson Mayor Nick Smith to pause and “have a cup of tea” after he attempted to reignite the conversation about merging the city with its southern neighbour.Smith had asked his council on Thursday to approve adding a Nelson Tasman Chamber of Commerce report to next week’s joint meeting of the region’s two councils.The report, authored by former Tasman council chief executive Janine Dowding, stated that the Nelson and Tasman councils needed to genuinely examine further shared services and amalgamation and added that “any reluctance to do so is not in the best interests of the region”.Smith,…

Economic security and international conflicts are becoming more important than climate change policies in five EU countries. Germans and Poles think adapting to climate change matters more than reducing its causes. ADVERTISEMENTPeople have become more concerned about security and the cost of living, and less concerned with climate change between 2020 and 2024.  That is according to the latest report from Brussels-based think tank Bruegel analysing the views of 7,819 people in France, Germany, Italy, and Sweden.Outright climate change deniers are in a small minority in Europe.The number of people who say climate change “is not a big issue” rose from…

Labour leader Chris Hipkins has revealed a reshuffle of his caucus.In his State of the Nation speech to the Auckland Business Chamber today, Hipkins outlined the party’s focus on jobs, health and homes as it worked towards the next election and beyond.In a bid to achieve this, Hipkins unveiled his new line-up with a focus on the economy. In his State of the Nation speech to the Auckland Business Chamber, Hipkins outlined the party’s focus on jobs, health and homes. (Source: 1News)Barbara Edmonds will become the spokesperson for savings and investment, a new portfolio alongside her expanded finance and economy…

Porirua’s mayor Anita Baker has blasted Wellington’s mayor and councillors’ “disgraceful” proposal to sack Wellington Water board chairperson Nick Leggett.Two reports into the water entity released this week have found poor financial oversight and contractor management, and a maintenance spend far higher than some other councils.In a covering note attached to the AECOM report, Wellington Water said its higher spend was because the network was older and in poorer condition – so it broke frequently and cost more to fix.Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau and most councillors wrote to shareholding councils on Thursday asking it to remove Nick Leggett as board…

The Government will reinstate a board at Health New Zealand following last year’s appointment of Lester Levy as Commissioner and will outsource more elective surgeries to the private sector.Health Minister Simeon Brown made the announcement in a wide-ranging speech today, saying there would be a transition time as the recruitment process for a board began.He also revealed a $50 million spend on reducing the backlog of people waiting for elective surgeries by working with the private sector.Brown said he had directed Levy to “accelerate the shift” to local decision-making and service delivery and set a requirement for local delivery plans…

The Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency, previously known as Te Pou Matakana, has lost its bid to continue commissioning Whānau Ora services, 1News understands. The organisation, led by John Tamihere, has held the contract for the last decade and was responsible for distributing funds to service providers throughout the North Island.Those providers offer a range of services that align with the Whānau Ora framework, including healthcare, education and addiction support.The Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency’s existing contract expires in June, and a new contract holder will be in place from July.The organisation was blindsided last year when the Government announced it would…

The West Coast’s three district councils have been put on notice to lift their game and fix dodgy sewerage plants.Householders relying on old septic tanks might also come under scrutiny in the coming months.The West Coast Regional Council was taking what it called “an enhanced approach” to wastewater compliance and monitoring, councillors heard this week.In other words, a crackdown – and one that has been a long time coming, according to a staff report.Regulatory manager Jocelyne Allen said investigations revealed all three districts had histories of non-compliance, including unconsented discharges from their sewage treatment plants.At least two were operating on…