Author: Press Room
It’s been two years since the Auckland Anniversary floods killed four people and caused billions of dollars worth of damage to properties and infrastructure across New Zealand’s biggest city.The storm dumped a record-breaking 307mm of rain on Auckland in four days — more than half the expected rainfall for a year. Emergency services rushed to hundreds of calls for help as more than 2000 slips and flooding paralysed the city’s transport and water networks, closing major highways and Auckland Airport.Up to 10,000 properties flooded, forcing hundreds into emergency accommodation. Auckland Council is in the process of categorising these properties, based…
Imported cars lined up at the Port of Auckland. PHOTO: JASON OXENHAM. The December quarter remained tough for New Zealand’s used vehicle market as import levels collapsed — ex-overseas used vehicle transactions were down 33% year-on-year. Outside of imports, vehicle transaction levels have started to recover and the public-to-public segment continued to take the largest share, a research note from Forsyth Barr last week said. Those factors impacted heavily on 2 Cheap Cars Group and the Colonial Motor Company’s recent updates. Given its targeted markets, Turners Automotive had so far remained more resilient to broader industry weakness, supported by market…
A Dunedin couple planning to extend their pet cremation services as far as Queenstown and Wanaka hope to provide a more local experience for owners around Otago. Stonegate Pet Cremations Ltd co-director Brendan Derbyshire said he and his fiancée and veterinarian Cally Hammond-Tooke had been looking at opening a pet crematorium for the past six to seven years, and had recently secured a lease at Invermay where they would operate. Mr Derbyshire, originally from Melbourne, said when they moved to Dunedin about two years ago they noticed a gap in the market. “There wasn’t a lot of services around, and…
Tonight’s Good Sort is Ray Goddard, who spends every Tuesday volunteering at Lake Taupō Hospice. The 100-year-old veteran, who served in the Navy during World War II, now spends his time among his beloved books as a volunteer stocking and maintaining the library. “Sixty or 70 books on these shelves here are from my own home,” he said proudly. The library is named after Goddard, who started it when the new Hospice building was constructed, and has been a stalwart among its dusty shelves ever since. His second job is providing great company for the patients – but he has…
Maritime New Zealand officials raised concerns about aspects of the Manahau barge before it arrived in New Zealand, documents released to 1News show.Westland Mineral Sands, the company which runs the barge, said the concerns were based on historic information and it has confidence in the vessel’s capability. But one union thinks lessons need to be learnt.The motorised barge ran aground on Carters Beach on August 31 last year during poor weather. The barge was eventually refloated without incident and remains in Nelson under a detention notice.Documents lay out lead-up to groundingEmails released to 1News under the Official Information Act show…
A career break can be integral to helping us achieve personal growth, a researcher says.Patrick Mazzocco, currently midway through his PhD at the higher education development centre at the University of Otago, is researching the motives, experiences, and outcomes of those who decide to take career breaks.His research looked at people who left their jobs without any kind of financial support from their employers or agreement they would then return to the role at the end of the career break, he told Summer Weekends.”These are not sabbaticals, and these are not people who were forced out of their roles for…
Thirteen people have been arrested and 45 shopping trolleys returned to their stores after a three-day police operation targeting public safety in Rotorua’s CBD.Operation Trolley was executed between January 21 and January 23, with police focusing on enforcing the illegal actions of people using or having possession of shopping trolleys outside of their respective stores.Police said that while “being homeless is not a crime in and of itself”, officers had recently received reports of intimidating behaviour by homeless people with trolleys towards members of the public.”Any antisocial or unlawful behaviour will not be tolerated, and police is committed to ensuring…
Voting started following a period of almost non-existent election fever. In the capital Minsk, there’s an almost total absence of billboards promoting the candidates and there has been little in the way of campaigning. ADVERTISEMENTPolls have opened in Belarus in a presidential election which is all but certain to see incumbent Alexander Lukashenko win a seventh term in office.And voting started following a period of almost non-existent election fever. In the capital Minsk, there’s an almost total absence of billboards promoting the candidates and there has been little in the way of campaigning.Even Lukashenko himself seemed disinterested in the process.”I’m…
Zelenskyy said last year he had no intention of renewing the gas transit deal, stressing the importance for Europe of moving on from Russia and not allowing the Kremlin to ‘earn additional billions’ on Ukrainian blood. ADVERTISEMENTUkraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has met his Moldovan counterpart Maia Sandu in Kyiv to discuss the energy needs of the Transnistria region.Natural gas supplies to the Russia-aligned strip of land stopped on 1 January due to Ukraine’s decision not to renew a gas transit agreement with Russia.Ukraine has said it can offer coal to the Transnistrian authorities to make up for the shortfall.”Now Russia…
One person has sustained moderate injuries following a house fire in Gore this morning. Fire and Emergency New Zealand services were called to a house on Churchill Ave around 10.30am.Four fire crews were sent to the scene.At its peak, more than 30 crews were helping tackle the blaze, a Fire and Emergency spokesperson told 1News. “The house sustained significant damage.”A Hato Hone St John spokesperson told 1News one person was assessed and treated at the scene before being taken to Gore Hospital in a moderate condition. The blaze is now contained.