Author: Press Room

Auckland councillor Julie Fairey has become accustomed to abusive comments — but she was still shocked by what she saw on social media after she was hit by a car while cycling and suffered a broken leg.Fairey has spent several years in local politics — and has been called all sorts of things.”I’ve been called communist scum, which I find interesting.”I get a fair bit of abuse about my husband, who is a former cabinet minister, that I’m just his appendage and not my own person, which is difficult. We’ve both been involved in politics for a long time, well…

A former soldier who attacked a taxi driver in a drunken rage says the NZ Defence Force (NZDF) failed to get him desperately needed help after a traumatic stint training Ukrainian civilians for war.Jack Wesley says he was a ticking time bomb when he got back from Operation Tieke in the UK, drinking heavily and haunted by the deaths in Ukraine of people he helped prepare for the front line.Following his six-month deployment in 2023, he was diagnosed with PTSD.Wesley said if the Defence Force had given him the support he so badly needed, the awful assault could have been…

Donald Glover is opening up about a recent health scare that forced him to cancel his tour last year. At the time, he described it as an “ailment”, but Glover said Sunday at a performance that a doctor told him he’d had a stroke.Glover, who performs under the moniker Childish Gambino, shared the information on stage at Tyler, the Creator’s Camp Flog Gnaw festival in Los Angeles. His remarks were shared widely on social media.”You guys voted for a ‘where have I been monologue’,” Glover, 42, said. “I had a really bad pain in my head in Louisiana and I…

Tenants have more control in New Zealand’s rental market than they have had for a while.With rents soft and more options to choose from, it’s not a bad time to be looking for a place to live.But do you know the rules your landlord has to abide by?Recent Tenancy Tribunal rulings show some are still getting it wrong.Turn up unannouncedLandlords can’t just turn up to their rental properties without giving notice. They need to give 48 hours’ notice for things like inspections and 24 hours’ notice for repairs or maintenance. If they don’t, they can have exemplary damages awarded against…

A pig farm in Waikato has been hit with the largest fine in the 34-year history of the Resource Management Act after repeatedly discharging raw effluent into streams feeding the Waihou River. Rawhiti Environmental Park was fined $437,000 in the Hamilton District Court last week after being convicted on eight charges. The penalty followed months of persistent non-compliance, with Waikato Regional Council officers conducting 50 inspections of the farm between February and October 2023.During more than half of those visits, untreated effluent was found spilling from the farm’s infrastructure onto surrounding land and into the headwaters of the Patuwhao and…

Homeowners planning to build or renovate will soon face new protections and new rules as the Government confirms mandatory home warranties, insurance requirements for designers and tougher penalties for builders under sweeping building system reforms.Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk also confirmed the current liability model will be scrapped in favour of one which means each party will only be responsible for mistakes they made.”Right now, councils can be hesitant to sign off on the building projects New Zealand needs because they risk being held fully liable for defects they did not cause, to the tune of millions of dollars,”…

Emergency services are working to find a man reported missing in Lake Roto Kohatu in Christchurch since last night. Police were notified of a man needing assistance in the lake near Johns Rd just before 7pm yesterday. This morning, Search and Rescue teams were in the area with assistance from the Dive Squad.”Members of the public can expect to see an increased police presence around the area today,” a police spokesperson said.

National’s announcement that it would push up contribution rates for KiwiSaver to a total 12% is a good step — but there is a major flaw that needs fixing first, one KiwiSaver provider says.Prime Minister and National leader Christopher Luxon said on Sunday that if it was re-elected next year, the party would gradually increase KiwiSaver contributions to match the Australian 12% rate by 2032, with 6% contributions from both employers and employees.It has already started a process to increase the default rate to 4% plus 4% by April 1, 2028.”Smaller retirement balances present a challenge for New Zealand as…

A Nelson mother whose Kāinga Ora home was declared “uninhabitable” after extensive mould was found in the roof space says she is considering moving into a tent after being shifted to another property she says is also riddled with mould.Alyssa Lennon has been diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This week, she contacted Fair Go in frustration.She said the issues began as soon as the family of four moved into their first Kāinga Ora home after years on the waiting list.An asthmatic, Lennon was admitted to hospital in February with breathing problems.”From needing my asthma inhaler maybe four times…

Two people have been rescued after falling off a cliff at a beach in Auckland’s St Heliers last night. Fire and Emergency assistant commander Barry Thomas told 1News emergency services were called to reports of the fall from the cliff in Gentleman’s Bay shortly after 9pm. Gentleman’s Bay is located at the coastal edge of the suburb of St Heliers, halfway between Achilles Point and West Tamaki Point. Warnings issued after pair fall off Auckland cliff prompting rescue – watch on TVNZ+He said there was a “multi-agency response” including police Eagle helicopter, St John teams, a FENZ lines team from…