Author: Press Room
By Farah Hancock of RNZ Text messages and letters reveal a behind-the-scenes struggle to pass the coalition government’s contentious Fast-track Approvals Bill, despite concerns it broke Parliament’s rules about benefiting private companies. The government was warned that including private projects like mining and housing in the legislation would make it inadmissible as a government bill, as only private bills can benefit private entities. The conflict was only resolved after Speaker of the House, National’s Gerry Brownlee, ignored official advice to make the bill law anyway. One legal expert says Brownlee’s decision was “borderline”, and allowed companies to side-step an avenue for…
An Auckland landlord has been ordered to pay a family more than $30,000 after they were stuck living in an “unlawful” property with a sewage-soaked carpet, among several issues. The family’s experience of living at the Albany Heights unit was detailed in a recently released Tenancy Tribunal decision — where adjudicator Michelle Pollak published its address “as a deterrent to the property owners continuing to rent out any of the three current unlawful dwellings”. The family, comprised of two adults and two children (whose names are suppressed), moved into 310 Dairy Flat Highway in December 2023. The unit, one of three on the…
In joint statement, MEPs said that no peace in Ukraine can be negotiated without the full participation of Ukraine’s government and the backing of its people. ADVERTISEMENTFollowing the recent meeting held between US and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia, which excluded Ukraine, some members of the European Parliament published a joint statement declaring that any peace in Ukraine will have to be backed by the Ukrainian people.“No peace in Ukraine can be negotiated without the full participation of Ukraine’s democratically elected leadership and the backing of its people. Any settlement that excludes Ukraine or undermines its legitimate aspirations will be…
Waipareira Trust chief executive and president of Te Pāti Māori John Tamihere is defending the use of data at Manurewa Marae, saying there’s no evidence of any wrongdoing.The Craig inquiry suggested it was likely “on balance” that some photocopying of Census data had occurred.Tamihere said the trust had several providers and he couldn’t speak on behalf of them all.He agreed there was some photocopying of Census forms at the marae but the instruction was that they needed to be destroyed on the day.”… I go back to your first question [from Morning Report host Corin Dann] was any census data…
This article was originally published in German With 30% of voters still undecided ahead of Germany’s general election, an AI chatbot tries to match them with the political parties that best align with their values. ADVERTISEMENTThis weekend, around 60 million Germans are being called to vote. However, according to surveys, around 30% are still undecided as to who they should vote for on Sunday.Tools such as Wahl-O-Mat, which provides users with a political quiz before giving an answer at the end, are particularly helpful for them. They help in ascertaining which political parties and their corresponding programmes best align with their…
Fletcher Building has reported a first half net loss of $134 million, reflecting difficult trading conditions across all its business units.New Zealand’s largest building company’s revenue for the six months ended December was down 7% with an underlying profit below market expectations.Fletcher Building said the first half continued to be a challenging period for its business units with difficult trading conditions and a broad-based slowing in demand, alongside intense competition and persistent inflation pressures.It expected economic pressures to persist for the remainder of the year.Key numbers for the six months ended December compared with 2023:Net loss ($134m) vs ($120m)Revenue $3.58b…
If Milorad Dodik, President of Republika Srpska, is convicted to a prison sentence by a Sarajevo federal court, the Serbian autonomous entity could find itself further distanced from Bosnia and Herzegovina. ADVERTISEMENTBosnia and Herzegovina finds itself just one step away from renewed ethnic-institutional conflict, as Sarajevo’s federal prosecutor has requested judges deliver a guilty verdict of serious criminal conduct against the president of Bosnia’s Serbian autonomous entity of Republika Srpska.Dodik is accused of promulgating two laws adopted by the Republika Srpska Assembly in 2023, which blocked the implementation of all decisions of Bosnia’s Constitutional Court, as well as decisions made by…
Milton business owners say the completion of a disruptive highway resealing project is only one step towards getting their businesses fully back on their feet. When NZTA began a six-week resealing project of State Highway 1 through Milton’s central business district on January 7, business owners criticised its timing at the peak of summer holiday season. The project entailed the alternate closure of south and northbound lanes, and led to detours through the town’s residential areas. This meant through-traffic had limited access to some businesses for up to three weeks. On the Spot Midway Dairy owner Joyce Sun said the…
A former minister says dozens of families with babies born since a change to citizenship rules have asked him to help keep their children in New Zealand.The case of 18-year-old Daman Kumar – who awaits the outcome of an eleventh-hour appeal to Associate Immigration Minister Chris Penk against being deported to India – has highlighted a generation of New Zealand-born children who have always been overstayers. Kumar was born here to parents who did not have residence, and has never been to India.An immigration lawyer and former Progressive Party MP, Matt Robson, said the 2006 citizenship changes were ‘mean-spirited’ and…
A fire has badly damaged a house in northern Auckland and flames have spread to a neighbouring property, according to Fire and Emergency New Zealand.FENZ said it received calls to a house fire in Milldale, Wainui around 11.20am.On arrival a two storey home was on fire, with flames encroaching on a next-door property.Over half-a-dozen trucks were at the scene, with more on the way.There are no reports of injuries.