Author: Press Room

Some mayoral hopefuls could be waiting a while yet to pop the bubbly, with single-digit margins in some areas and special votes still to be counted in local elections across the country.Voting closed at midday on Saturday with more than 1500 roles to be filled across 78 city, district, and regional councils nationwide. While progress results were released on Saturday and preliminary results were available from Sunday, final results would be available on Thursday and Friday.Local Government NZ interim chief executive Scott Necklen said early figures showed voter turnout was down from 2022, sitting at just 32.65%.Westland: Just four votes…

Northland centenarian and documentary star Isey Cross of Kawakawa has died, aged 106.In 2021, a documentary followed the life of Isey Cross and her youngest son and caregiver James Cross as they prepared for her 100th birthday.When the mother and son attended the world premiere of James and Isey at Auckland’s Civic Theatre in 2021, it was the first time Isey had been to the Civic, or to any movie, since World War II.The film is the seventh highest grossing New Zealand documentary of all time.The New Zealand Film Commission has paid tribute to her passing on their social media…

Auckland ratepayers can now have their say on a proposal to trial a fortnightly rubbish collection, with consultation open.The proposed six-month trial set to begin next February, if approved, would affect three areas in the region – parts of Te Atatū Peninsula, Panmure/Tāmaki, and Clendon Park/Weymouth.Participating households would receive a temporary rates reduction to reflect the change from weekly to fortnightly collections.Auckland Council’s waste solutions general manager Justine Haves said feedback from residents would be important in helping elected members decide whether the trial went ahead.”We understand that changes to rubbish services matter and they need to work for Aucklanders,”…

Poor decision-making contributed to the deaths of two teenage women in an off-road crash near Nelson last year, a coroner says.The pair, whose names are suppressed, were returning from a hut in Mt Richmond Forest Park late on April 8 when their ute rolled 98 metres down a steep bank.The 18-year-old women had intended to stay at Beebys Hut but told a friend in a video call they were cold and were driving back down the mountain.Police were notified of the crash at 11.01pm by an automated emergency alert from one of the women’s phones.Coroner Peter Ryan said the women…

Moriori people, tchakat henu (tangata whenua) of Rēkohu, the Chatham Islands, have much to celebrate with the first-ever Moriori language week kicking off this November.Hokotehi Moriori Trust secretary Hana-Maraea Solomon encouraged everyone to champion the language all over the world.”We just want everybody to be able to share and enjoy our language with us.””Every time we speak the language, it’s almost like a connection to our karāpuna [ancestors].”Once a declining population with little-to-no knowledge of the language and traditions, Moriori people have sworn to reclaim their identity.”Obviously it’s taken a long enough time, decades in fact, to be able to…

Just three new faces were slated to appear in the Nelson City Council chamber next term after all the incumbents retained their seats in the local elections, including mayor Nick Smith.According to the preliminary results, Lisa Austin was elected in the Central Ward, Sarah Kerby in the Stoke-Tāhunanui Ward, and Nigel Skeggs at large.They replace deputy mayor Rohan O’Neill-Stevens and councillors Matthew Benge and Rachel Sanson who chose not to stand again for election.Smith has decisively retained his position as mayor after receiving 10,707 votes – around 4100 ahead of his main competitor, Aaron Stallard, who would be returning to…

Almost 15 years since the Pike River mine disaster, Pike River the movie has premiered in Greymouth.Before the premiere, director Robert Sarkies said told 1News it was going to be “an intense experience”, as he cared deeply about what the community thought of the film.At the centre of the movie was a friendship forged by widow Anna Osbourne and grieving mother Sonya Rockhouse.Osbourne said the film was “about our journey – from finding out our men were killed to where we are today”.About 40 family members of disaster victims attended an early screening of the movie on Sunday.Sarkies said: “I…

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will speak to media shortly following his weekly Cabinet meeting.Luxon was expected to speak about education in his preamble before questions. The Prime Minister’s appearance follows interviews this morning and the local elections over the weekend attracted a low turnout across the country.

Melissa Jenner likens building an AI product to dealing with a hyperactive toddler. Just like a tantrum-throwing tot, it required very clear instructions, but AI itself was not as scary nor as complicated as many people thought. “It’s just software, right. It’s a tool … you’ve still got to have humans in the loop,” the Queenstown businesswoman said. Ms Jenner has spent eight years building a data-driven learning platform called Actvo and recently moved into the United States market, starting in Denver, Colorado. New Zealand companies were losing about $50 billion a year to “sleepwalker employees” — staff who turned…

A vehicle has fallen down a bank and reportedly caught fire in Northland this afternoon.Police said the single vehicle crash occurred on Whangārei Heads Road in Tamaterau.Road diversions were in place on Mackesy Rd and Owhiwa Rd.Motorists were advised to avoid the area, as road closures may be in place for “some time”, according to police.(Source: Supplied)Near the scene, Cherrie Parker told 1News of a “huge bang and the smell of smoke”.”There were a few loud explosions and the smell of burning rubber. Traffic is stopped and the road is blocked.”She said the fire appeared to have since been put…