Author: Press Room
A Southland town icon which underwent major refurbishment requires further repairs for small cracks and peeling, just one year on.The giant pāua shell at Riverton/Aparima has been a feature of the town since its creation by Fiordland Souvenirs in the 1990s, but now faces an unexpected $15,000 bill.In 2024, the shell was moved to Kohikohi Park following purchase by the Ōraka Aparima Community Board which oversaw major repairs.The change did not bode well, with a recent report saying water found its way behind the paint layers to create bubbles and peeling.It was believed the problem likely arose due to “micro…
Kitchen and furniture retailers Smiths City and Kitchen Things are to open for a “significant” liquidation sale, liquidators say.On August 20, Kitchen Things went into receivership amid mounting losses. Earlier this week, furniture and home appliance retailer Smiths City also went into voluntary administration. Eight of the nine Smiths City stores across the country will be opening for a liquidation sale, as administrators called for “urgent” expressions of interest for potential buyers of the business.Liquidators from BDO New Zealand announced liquidation sales for Smiths City began today in Auckland and Christchurch.Tomorrow, a further five stores will open from 9am in…
A police car and two other vehicles were struck when a vehicle was being driven in a “dangerous manner” through Auckland this morning.Police received a report of a family harm-related matter at an address on Woodward Ave in Māngere Bridge at around 10.50am.Inspector Kelly Joyce said police were advised both parties were inside a vehicle.”On arrival, a police patrol vehicle has been struck by the offending vehicle when it fled the address at speed.”Police initiated a short pursuit until the police air support unit was overhead and able to observe, she said.”The vehicle has been driven in a dangerous manner…
Construction on a $300 million wood pellet plant in the Eastern Bay of Plenty is expected to start next month, with hopes it could cut the use of coal in New Zealand.Kawerau Mayor Faylene Tunui says Foresta’s proposed wood pellet plant in the Putauaki Trust Industrial Zone will couple economic growth with environmental stewardship – kaitiaki taiao.Once built, the plant will convert radiata pine into torrefied wood pellets that can be used as an environmentally-friendly substitute for coal.While not quite ready to turn the soil on the plant, Australian company Foresta’s directors and senior management were in Kawerau to give…
In her first royal address since becoming head of the Kiingitanga movement, Te Arikinui Kuini Nga wai hono i te po told listeners that being Māori was not defined by having an enemy or a challenge to overcome.Te Arikinui was visibly emotional throughout her speech, especially in the moments where she reflected on the passing of her father.Her brother Korotangi Paki stood beside her throughout the speech, at one point she directed him to move his umbrella to cover her from the rain.Her words are translated into English below.”E te iwi, kua kotahi tau, ā, āe, i tōna tikanga, i…
Accusations that a prominent sportsman broke a baby’s ribs after a “brain explosion” are rubbish, a Dunedin court has heard.The man, whose name is suppressed, is on trial accused of injuring with reckless disregard, with an alternative charge of assault.The Crown alleged the man lost patience with the unsettled baby in 2023, squeezing him and breaking his ribs and collarbone “in pure frustration”.In her closing address today, defence counsel Anne Stevens KC told the district court that it was rubbish to suggest the man instantly switched from being loving and caring to being a child abuser.There were other ways the…
John Campbell reports from Tūrangawaewae where Te Arikinui Kuini Nga wai hono i te po gave her first speech and the energy of a future generation was on display.Ake, ake, ake. Sometimes you can see “forever” starting. In her first speech as Māori Queen, Te Arikinui Kuini Nga wai hono i te po, dressed in a blue of sky, and light, and infinity, talked about forever (“āke, āke”) five times. “I’m tired of talking about fighting and the ‘forever’ nature of that struggle. “When will we be successful ‘forever’? “When will we be healthy ‘forever’? “And when will we be…
National identity isn’t the only reason to back a team – and these three proud All Black supporters, all originally from South Africa, prove it. Lauren Marrion talks to them about passion, loyalty and racial tension and finds out why they made the switch. It’s one of the most iconic rivalries in sport, the All Blacks vs the Springboks. For over a century, the two teams have battled it out on the rugby field, and the tension hasn’t always been just about the game.During South Africa’s apartheid era, sport was deeply politicised and, for many around the world, the Springboks…
Rubber chickens, water pistols, a golden cyclist, and a cover of What’s Up? by 4 Non Blondes – Nelson’s ‘Not Your Normal Candidates’ Meeting’ lived up to its name once again.The regular local election fixture, organised by sustainable transport group Nelsust, saw around 100 voters hear the views of 20 of Nelson’s 35 candidates at the Victory Community Centre.Each council hopeful was asked about how they would make the city’s transport truly sustainable.Answers had to be kept to three minutes (with time-up signalled by a squealing rubber chicken and enforced by Nelsust’s secretary Pam Henson, who gleefully wielded a water…
Published on 06/09/2025 – 7:00 GMT+2 ADVERTISEMENT After a sleepy summer, Brussels is a hive of activity. The European Parliament is open again playing catch up on August’s busy news cycle. From security guarantees for Ukraine to the historic Mercosur trade deal, panellists Steven Everts, the head of the European Union Institute for Security Studies, Maria Tadeo, European analyst with Le Grand Continent and Austrian Green MEP Thomas Waitz had a lot to discuss. Ongoing war in Ukraine All agreed that Europe needs to step up now to support Ukraine and put more pressure on Russia to stop the fighting.…