Author: Press Room
Defence Minister Judith Collins has clarified a new $957 million boost to the Defence Force is in addition to the previously announced $12 billion Defence Capability Plan.More than $2 billion was set aside in this year’s Budget to replace the Defence Force’s ageing fleet of maritime helicopters in a pre-Budget announcement at Auckland’s Whenuapai Air Base today.A new $957 million investment over four years in Defence Force missions, people, estate maintenance and international engagement was also signalled.Both investments were initially touted to be part of the wider $12 billion Defence Capability Plan which indicated the country’s defence spending would hit…
Lady Gaga gave a free concert in front of at least a million fans who poured onto Copacabana Beach for the biggest show of her career.“Tonight, we’re making history. (…) Thank you for making history with me,” Lady Gaga told a screaming crowd.The Mother Monster, as she is known, kicked off the show at around 22.10pm Saturday local time with her 2011 song Bloody Mary. Cries of joy rose from the tightly-packed fans who sang and danced shoulder-to-shoulder on the vast stretch of sand.Lady Gaga performed her classic hits, including Poker Face and Alejandro, switching between an array of dresses…
Parents will now have easier access to what their children are learning at school with the Government’s launch of a new online resource aimed to support learning at home.Launching today, the Ministry of Education’s new Parent Portal website will offer year-by-year summaries of what students will be taught in English and maths under the refreshed curriculum, alongside activities, videos, and resources for learning at home. More subjects will be added as the curriculum rollout continues. Education Minister Erica Stanford said the tool is about putting parents back at the centre of their child’s learning journey. “This is about giving parents…
The state of emergency put in place in response to flooding has been lifted for Christchurch but remains in place for Banks Peninsula.Mayor Phil Mauger said things in Christchurch had settled down but that there were still a couple of issues in Banks Peninsula the council “need to keep an eye on”.”It’s good to have access to powers under the State of Emergency if they’re required. There are some road closures over there, and some land instability that needs to be monitored,” he said.”Although we are transitioning into a recovery period, we are still keeping a close eye on the…
New Zealand will this week join Allied nations in marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, a victory celebrated with impromptu street parties across the country in May 1945.While Winston Churchill formally announced peace on May 9, news had already reached New Zealand a day earlier, sparking celebrations despite acting prime minister Walter Nash’s reluctance to pre-empt Churchill’s official announcement.“Everyone here knew the war was over on the morning of the 8th,” explains historian Stephen Clarke, “they wanted to celebrate, but acting prime minister Walter Nash didn’t want to go before Winston Churchill in London.”Public servants…
Four people have been arrested after two people were injured – one seriously – when shots were allegedly fired at a vehicle in Gisborne overnight.Tairāwhiti Area Commander Inspector Danny Kirk said police were called to Taruheru Cres in Mangapapa at around 11.45pm to reports of several shots fired towards a house from a car.”The occupants of the same car then fired one or two shots at an occupied vehicle in Valley Rd, Mangapapa.”Two people in the occupied vehicle were injured – one seriously. Police spotted the car on Lytton Rd and signalled the driver to stop, but they failed to…
The owners of Tipene Funerals have spoken out for the first time after a former long-time employee was jailed for misconduct in relation to burials.Francis and Kaiora Tipene told TVNZ’s Marae they should have noticed something sooner, but said they knew nothing of former employee Fiona Bakulich’s offending.For the full story, watch Marae on TVNZ+Fiona Bakulich, 48, a former employee, was jailed for two years and three months and ordered to pay more than $16,900 in reparations over her misconduct.She pleaded guilty to two charges of interfering with human remains and 12 charges of obtaining by deception in February. Her…
A remembrance for the 33-year-old PhD student killed in Auckland over Easter Weekend is expected to take place this afternoon.Kyle Whorrall was attacked at a bus stop on St Johns Road in the suburb of Meadowbank shortly after going to a supermarket.A 16-year-old male has been charged with murder and aggravated robbery, and a 32-year-old woman has been charged with being an accessory after the fact to murder.A remembrance is being held at 3pm at a restaurant just down the road from where Whorrall was attacked.Speaking to RNZ, his father John Whorrall said his son was a “gentle and caring…
Christchurch remains in a state of emergency this morning, with the council saying there was still “some very saturated land” across the region.In an update posted on the Christchurch City Council website yesterday evening, the council said there were still concerns about land stability and the potential for further slips, despite fine weather helping to dry things out.”The decision has been made not to lift the state of emergency for Christchurch and Banks Peninsula,” it said, but that would be reassessed on Sunday.The council said geotechnical engineers had been out checking on land damage, with monitoring equipment now onsite at…
A new recycling scheme turning bits of old bangers destined for landfill into fence posts is underway.Eurotech Auto Repair Centre director Marino Milich said there’s been a history of being able to recycle products, “but plastics we’ve been found wanting”.”This is great for the automotive trade, for New Zealand, and for generations to come,” said Milich.Car bumpers are the new focus of a new recycling scheme. (Source: 1News)Among the biggest plastic components are car bumpers. The plastics they’re made of are designed to absorb force but therefore don’t break down easily.Milich sends around 10 of them to landfill every week…