Author: Press Room
By Adam Burns of RNZ A Christchurch hotel building that has sat empty in the central city since the earthquakes will soon become a five-star Sheraton hotel as a result of a $150 million rebuild. Mainland Capital and Russell Property Group have struck a deal with global hotel giant Marriott International to develop the former Rydges Hotel on Oxford Terrace. First established as Noahs in the 1970s, the building was badly damaged in the 2011 earthquake. Plans to restore the building stalled because of a long-standing legal dispute between building owners and insurers that ended up in the Supreme Court. Mainland…
A mother driving home to Auckland with her three-year-old son in the back seat was killed when a boat and trailer unit broke free from an oncoming vehicle and slammed into their car.When emergency services arrived, the little boy – who suffered whiplash and bruises – told them his mother was dead and showed them where her phone was so they could contact his family.A month after the crash that killed Nateisha-Kurstyn Pareteoro Hana-Wetere, her family are appealing for the driver of the vehicle to come forward.Following publication, a witness who was one of the first at the scene told…
An Invercargill mayoral hopeful has been slammed by fellow candidates after his party website looks to have posted “dangerous” and sexually disturbing content online.Gordon McCrone is standing for the top job under an unofficial party for which he is listed as the only staff member. His nomination is listed as pending approval on the Invercargill City Council website.The website, whose domain is registered to Gordon McCrone, refers to the party leader as an unregistered, self-appointed child sex psychologist.It includes sexually disturbing content. Local Democracy Reporting has chosen not to publish the website’s name.It makes claims that McCrone is a leading…
Police have named an 83-year-old woman who died after being hit by a bus in Auckland’s Onehunga last week. Emergency services were called to Church St and Lower Municipal Pl at around 11.20am on Monday, August 4 after reports that a bus had hit a pedestrian.Police today named the woman as Pamela Marion Biggs, 83, of Māngere Bridge.”Our thoughts are with her family and loved ones at this difficult time,” Senior Sergeant Wayne Gear said. “The investigation into the crash remains ongoing.”She was taken to Auckland City Hospital in a critical condition on Monday last week. She succumbed to her…
Qantas will be running daily direct flights from Auckland to New York for part of next year. The Australian airline announced this morning that the daily direct service would operate between June and October 2026. Qantas currently flies from Auckland to the Big Apple five times a week. The airline has been operating the service since 2023, competing directly with Air New Zealand, which also offers direct flights to New York. “Our Auckland – New York flights have been popular with customers, so we’re thrilled to be increasing the service to daily from June to October next year,” Qantas CEO…
A person is in critical condition following a rush-hour crash on a busy stretch of Auckland’s southern motorway this morning. Emergency services were called to the crash near the Te Irirangi on-ramp at around 7.50am. The left northbound lane was blocked, and the northbound on-ramp is closed.”One person is reported to be in a critical condition,” police said. “Motorists are asked to avoid the area and take alternate routes where possible,” police said. NZ Transport Agency urged motorists to “pass with care and expect delays”. St John sent one ambulance and two rapid response vehicles. The morning’s headlines in 90…
One person has been critically injured after being hit by a vehicle in Auckland’s Henderson last night.Police responded to the incident on Lincoln Rd near the intersection with Fairdene Ave at around 11.30pm on Monday.”The Serious Crash Unit attended, with Lincoln Road being closed for a period of time,” a police spokesperson said.”The investigation is ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding the crash.”St John responded with one ambulance and one rapid response vehicle.”One patient was transported to Auckland City Hospital in a critical condition,” a St John spokesperson said.Footage captured by 1News at the scene showed emergency services at the…
A contender for Auckland’s mayoralty is promising to release a key policy this week after an embarrassing campaign blunder over the weekend.On Friday, a press release sent out by Kerrin Leoni’s campaign team stated the Auckland councillor, and main contender to incumbent mayor Wayne Brown, would release her fiscal policy plan at the Avondale Markets that weekend.”Kerrin Leoni will release her fiscal policies at the Avondale Markets on Sunday at 10am,” it said.But when the day came, she was nowhere to be seen at the West Auckland market, and there was no mention of it elsewhere.When approached by RNZ for…
An “unprecedented” spate of violent crimes and a significant police shortage in Northland has meant more than 90 police staff being called in to bolster the region’s thin blue line.The special staff operation has been running for three months, with about 30 police from as far as Southland re-deployed to Northland for five weeks at a time to plug the gaps, with no end date in sight.Northland police have been stretched this year by nine alleged homicides in a four-month period – more than all the homicides recorded across the region in 2024.Superintendent Matt Srhoj, the head of Northland police,…
ANZ has dropped some of its fixed and special home loan interest rates.Effective on Tuesday, the bank has cut its one-year fixed rate special to 4.79%, the lowest the rate has been since June 2022. It also cut the six-month fixed rate special to 5.14% and its two-year fixed rate special dropped to 4.89%The 18-month fixed rate special was also cut to 4.79%, and the three year special fixed rate was left unchanged.Special rates at ANZ are available to customers with a minimum of 20% equity and an ANZ transaction account with salary direct credited.Standard rates were also adjusted at…