Author: Press Room

A 16-year-old has been arrested after a woman was critically injured in an assault at a Christchurch park earlier this month.Detective Senior Sergeant Karen Simmons said the victim was found injured at the Richmond Village Green on Stanmore Rd on February 5. The alleged attack took place on February 4. The 16-year-old will appear in the Christchurch Youth Court today charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.He has also been charged with assault in relation to a second victim and theft in relation to a separate offence in the area.Detective Sergeant James Haigh said police wanted to…

The Government has announced changes to make it easier for local councils to finance the infrastructure needed to support local housing growth.That’s things like sewage lines and local streets.In a speech to the Local Government New Zealand conference on Friday, Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop, said councils not zoning enough housing land was one problem, but so is the cost of infrastructure to support housing expansion.A regulator will be set up to govern new pre-set levies – replacing ‘Development Contributions’ that currently don’t allow councils to recover the full costs of associated infrastructure.Ratepayers have been left picking up the bill instead…

Drake has reached a settlement with Texas-based iHeartMedia in his ongoing legal dispute over Kendrick Lamar’s diss track Not Like Us, according to court records.In November, Drake filed a legal petition in Bexar County, Texas, where San Antonio is located, alleging that iHeartMedia had received illegal payments from Universal Music Group to boost radio airplay for Not Like Us. UMG is the parent record label for both Drake and Lamar.The petition, a precursor to a potential lawsuit, had sought depositions from corporate representatives of both companies.In a court document filed Thursday (local time), attorneys for Drake said the rapper and…

An Environment Court judge has ordered works on a controversial sewerage scheme to pause ahead of an urgent hearing.A group protesting the Tarawera Sewerage Scheme pipeline path going under the road at wahi tapu Lake Rotokākahi made the application to halt work last week. It is the latest legal hurdle for Rotorua Lakes Council to complete the works.In court notes, the judge said he had “significant worries in both directions” and pausing the work was a pragmatic response to an “urgent but complex problem”.The project would connect hundreds of Tarawera households to the town sewerage system and is aimed at…

More than 30 bags of a potentially lethal pest control poison have been found on a beach in the eastern Bay of Plenty.The Bay of Plenty Regional Council were notified yesterday that around 15 small bags containing Feratox, an encapsulated form of cyanide used for pest control, had been found on the high tide line at Waiōtahe Beach, west of Ōpōtiki last night.Feratox was an encapsulated form of cyanide often used for possum and wallaby control.If inhaled, it could lead to a coma with seizures, apnea, and cardiac arrest, with death following in a matter of seconds.Council staff, alongside local…

Pharmac chief executive officer Sarah Fitt has resigned.Fitt had been in the position for seven years, beginning in 2018.In a statement, the Pharmac board said: “The board and Pharmac are appreciative of all of Sarah’s work over her times as chief executive and her previous five years in senior executive roles in the organisation.””Sarah has provided valuable leadership across significant projects and strategic initiatives. We thank her for her work and commitment over her 12 years with us.”It added Fitt was “looking forward to future endeavours”.”Sarah’s last day will be 30 May with her taking a period of leave in…

Two Vietnamese nationals arrested in an Auckland cannabis bust yesterday are believed to be part of an organised crime syndicate, police said.Three people were arrested yesterday as part of an investigation targeting an “opportunist profit-driven business” across Auckland, Wellington and Marlborough.A local Picton man was arrested after being found with a suitcase full of vacuum-packed cannabis packages as he walked off the Interislander in Picton yesterday.A search of his house found $12,000 in cash, a BB gun resembling a Glock pistol, and a small amount of MDMA.Two Vietnamese nationals were subsequently arrested after they delivered a suitcase of cannabis to…

Parents and staff of a Taranaki community childcare centre are shellshocked it has been forced to close.Early Childhood Council CEO Simon Laube said the 52 children who attend the Waitara & District Community Childcare have been left with nowhere to go and families were reeling.”They are absolutely devastated and distraught. I’ve been to the centre that is a treasured part of the Waitara community. There is nowhere for these children to go.”The centre, which had a 44-year history, leased part of a building managed by Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand (LINZ).Head of Crown Property Sonya Wikitera said LINZ…

A new report says Europe could face a new aggression within the next decade. Here’s what it needs to defend itself without the Americans. ADVERTISEMENTA new joint report by the Bruegel think tank and the Kiel Institute has warned that new Russian aggression in Europe is “conceivable”, citing NATO claims that Moscow could be “ready to attack within three to ten years”. According to official data, the US has over 80,000 American servicemen on the continent, which would be at least tripled in case of foreign aggression.However, the recent deterioration of transatlantic ties is sparking concerns about an American disengagement,…

Two young people have been arrested following two assaults in a Queenstown park on Sunday and Tuesday. The young males were arrested after police searched a local Queenstown address on Wednesday. The search was in relation to the two assaults in Jardine Park on Sunday, February 23, and Tuesday, February 26. Victims from both assaults were left with injuries requiring hospital treatment. The offenders were also charged over a burglary in the area, which occurred earlier in the month. Both were charged with aggravated burglary, threats to kill, assault with a weapon and possession of an offensive weapon.The duo were…