Author: Press Room

A new turning lane will be constructed on State Highway 1 to make it easier for motorists heading to a new caravan park near Picton.The site has been the scene of three known crashes within a five-year period — including one involving a vehicle towing a caravan.That park will be open only to New Zealand Motor Caravan Association members, a condition of a resource consent granted after an appeal to the Environment Court.The association was initially denied consent for the site because there was no right-turn lane on the highway. It had applied to the Marlborough District Council to subdivide…

European friends of Donald Trump have accepted invitations for a ringside seat at today’s inauguration of the 47th President of the United States. ADVERTISEMENTAs Donald Trump is sworn in today at around 12pm EST (6pm CET) as the 47th President of the United States, European politicians will be listening attentively to his second-term inaugural address, while several of the his political allies will attend in person.Trump’s statements since his election victory on 5 November have raised concerns in Europe over the speed at which a ramp up of contributions from NATO member states will be sought and how quickly and…

Police are investigating a report of an aggravated robbery at a restaurant in Auckland’s Takapuna last night.At about 9.25pm, police received report of two people entering Tokyo Bay on The Strand.According to police, the offenders entered the property armed with weapons, which were not firearms, and threatened staff.Two people, armed with weapons that weren’t guns, took a number of items from Tokyo Bay. (Source: 1News)No one was injured. However, the offenders took a “number of items” before leaving in a vehicle prior to the arrival of police, it said.“Police are working hard to find those responsible and are appealing to…

Two vehicles have been impounded as their drivers face charges of illegal street racing after search warrants were executed in Southland last week.Police descended simultaneously on addresses in Tuatapere and Winton on Friday in relation to an incident that occurred in November last year.A report was received at around 6.50pm on November 5 of a vehicle crashed into a paddock outside Tuatapere after it failed to make a turn on Grove Burn Rd while participating in alleged anti-social road behaviour.”The vehicles were believed to have been travelling around three times the posted 50km/h speed limit before the crash,” a police…

Alerts have been issued as heavy rain and strong winds return to parts of the North Island, with bad weather forecast to begin later today.NZTA Waka Kotahi was urging drivers to be extra cautious as MetService issued orange heavy rain warnings for the Coromandel Peninsula and Northland. MetService warned of strengthening easterly winds, heavy rain and the potential for thunderstorms from this afternoon into Tuesday. A subtropical low and preceding fronts would be moving south across northern parts of the North Island until Wednesday morning, bringing easterly gales and periods of heavy rain.Rain was also expected to spread into the…

Australia’s Labor government has pledged $A2 billion ($NZ 2.2 billion) in production credits to help support the country’s four aluminium smelters switch to renewable power before 2036. Aluminium is one of the most polluting nonferrous metals to make, as its current production is mostly powered by coal. Green aluminium usually refers to metal produced using solar, wind or hydropower. The country’s four aluminium smelters are run by Rio Tinto and Alcoa.  Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, in his latest election pitch, said the smelters would receive government support for each metric ton of low-carbon aluminium they produce. His centre-left government has…

Surf Lifesaving New Zealand (SLSNZ) is warning beachgoers to swim between the flags after lifeguards rescued four people at Christchurch beaches over the weekend.And at Piha, an entire family was rescued by surfers after they were spotted in trouble at the West Auckland beach outside lifeguard patrol hours on Sunday.SLSNZ general manager of lifesaving Andy Kent said two swimmers became caught in strong winds outside the flags at Waimairi Beach in Christchurch on Saturday and had to be rescued.On Sunday another couple had to be rescued at New Brighton’s North Beach when they got into trouble swimming outside the flags.He…

By Susan Edmunds of RNZ  Another parent handed a tax bill after incorrectly recording her relationship status for Working for Families says she has been told she now owes $47,000. Over recent weeks, a handful of parents have contacted RNZ after experiencing the same problem. When registering the birth of their children, they have assumed that the data they supplied for the birth certificate would be used in their application for Working for Families – and have missed or incorrectly ticked a box to say they were in a relationship. One mother of two children, who did not want to…

A man has been arrested and charged by police investigating a firearms incident at Auckland’s Middlemore Hospital earlier this month.Police said they had been investigating since January 4 when a firearm was allegedly fired from a vehicle following an altercation in the hospital carpark at around 6.30pm.”Over the weekend, our investigation team terminated a search warrant and arrested one of the offenders involved,” said Detective Inspector Shaun Vickers.He said it was fortunate no one was injured as a result.”Those allegedly involved showed no regard for the safety of those around them, given this occurred at a hospital.“We have no tolerance…

Trees on the brink of falling into the sea just north of Napier have re-sparked a decades-long debate about erosion at the once-popular sandy swimming beach.Napier City Council says the trees at Westshore Beach can’t and won’t be saved.Ahuriri councillor ward Keith Price said the trees were a visible reminder of the impact of the environment and the ocean, and the realities of living on the coast.Peter Perreaux, who grew up surfing at Westshore, snapped the photo of two Norfolk Pines being swamped by the sea in a southerly swell of 1.8m combined with a significant high tide recently.”I’ve been…