Author: Press Room

The latest round of Government reforms of the building consent process is expected to dominate proceedings at Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s weekly briefing to media.The changes to construction regulations come two weeks after ministers announced an easing of planning restrictions around sheds and garages.In other developments in politics since the last post-Cabinet briefing:The latest 1News/Verian poll showed Labour surging and Luxon’s popularity hitting a two-year low.Chlöe Swarbrick was kicked out of Parliament during a debate on Palestine.ADVERTISEMENTFormer PM Jacinda Ardern and Labour leader Chris Hipkins were among high profile figures from the party who declined to appear at the Covid…

New changes to speed up a “sluggish” consenting system means councils will no longer be left “footing the bill” for major building defects, the Building Minister says.The “joint and several liability” framework for managing building defects will be scrapped in what ministers call the biggest reform to the consenting system in “decades”.Construction Minister says each party involved in a build will be responsible for the work they carried out. (Source: 1News)Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk officially revealed two “major” changes alongside Prime Minister Christopher Luxon at today’s post-Cabinet media conference.Penk said the overhaul would “ease the cost burden on…

ADVERTISEMENT Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez says a further 500 soldiers will be deployed to battle wildfires that have torn through parched woodland amid a record-setting European heatwave. The decision to add to the more than 1,400 troops already on wildfire duty came as authorities struggle to contain forest blazes, particularly in the north-western Galicia region and await the arrival of promised aircraft reinforcements from other European countries. Firefighters are tackling 12 major wildfires in the province, all of them near the city of Ourense, according to the head of the Galician regional government Alfonso Rueda, who delivered the update…

A soldier with links to far-right groups has admitted handing over and attempting to hand over sensitive military information to a person he thought was a foreign agent.But the soldier was actually caught in an undercover sting.He also possessed a video of the 2019 Christchurch Mosque attacks and the mosque attacker’s manifesto, The Great Replacement.At a court martial at Linton Military Camp near Palmerston North today, the soldier, whose name is suppressed on a temporary basis, admitted one charge each of attempted espionage, dishonestly accessing a computer system and possessing an objectionable publication.The name of the foreign country the undercover…

Wairarapa’s regional councillor has likened issues on the Wairarapa Line to British sitcom Fawlty Towers. The Wairarapa Line has been plagued with reliability and punctuality issues due to insufficient staffing and maintenance work, but commuters have been told there is hope on the horizon.It comes as a satisfaction survey showed less than 60% of commuters were satisfied with the Wairarapa Line. Staffing on the Wairarapa Line was now meeting the required levels for service and four train managers were currently progressing through training. Of these one would finish in late August, two in early September, and one in mid-October. Recruitment…

An Invercargill mayoral candidate says he is still fit for office despite past events landing him in both the headlines and court.Andrew Clark is contesting the position currently held by his brother Nobby in a move which has surprised and irked his older sibling.In Tasman, where Clark currently lives, he is also running for mayor under the first name Maxwell.The business owner made headlines for a range of incidents following the early 2000s including a land dispute, receiving money from a gang affiliated event, and spreading misinformation through pamphlets.Clark said he gave a lot of voluntary help to people, and…

Police have recovered nearly $700 worth of chocolate after being called out to a brazen attempt to plunder an east Auckland supermarket on Sunday evening.Counties Manukau East Area Prevention Manager, Inspector Rakana Cook said supermarket staff at Highland Park reported a group filling bags with products at around 5pm.”A police unit arrived within minutes, as the group was allegedly filling backpacks with chocolate and meat,” Cook said.”Our staff entered the supermarket as some of the offenders were attempting to walk out and stopped them in their tracks.”All four were placed under arrest.While taking the group into custody, Cook said one…

The age for New Zealand’s working holiday visas should be raised to 50 to help hike international visitor numbers, a tourism operator says. Currently, working holiday visas are available to people aged between 18 and 35. The visa allows visitors from recognised countries to work, travel and study in Aotearoa for up to 12 months, but visitors from Canada and the United Kingdom can stay for longer. The number of working holiday visa’s has been steadily declining, with an 11% drop in the year ending in February. Tim Alpe, the managing director of the LyLo hostel in central Auckland, believes…

Would-be Taranaki seabed miners say they’ve provided enough proof to get the green light, despite a Fast-track organiser criticising the company’s “cynical” approachFast-track panel convener Jennifer Caldwell last week said a lack of assistance from Trans-Tasman Resources meant the Fast-Track Approvals Act process would take longer.Caldwell said the Australian company had slowed down its own application by failing to provide requested information, with no decision possible until March.Trans-Tasman Resources (TTR) told Fast-track officials there was “little room for real debate” over their plan to mine for at least 20 years just outside the 12-mile limit.The mining company’s submissions dismissed opponents…

The lawyer for convicted double murderer David Tamihere has described his trial as fundamentally defective, as the Supreme Court hears his appeal at the High Court in Auckland on Monday.Five Supreme Court judges are hearing arguments on whether the Court of Appeal in an earlier ruling was right to not quash his convictions.Tamihere has always denied killing Swedish tourists Urban Höglin, 23, and Heidi Paakkonen, 21, and served 20 years of a life sentence.His lawyers are appealing an earlier Court of Appeal ruling that found a miscarriage of justice, but upheld his convictions.Five Supreme Court judges hearing arguments on whether…