Author: Press Room

The Government has sent a warning signal to regional councils, suggesting they may be abolished following the replacement of the Resource Management Act later this year.Last week, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones told the Local Government Forum there was “less and less of justifiable purpose maintaining regional government”. “After the upcoming changes to the RMA, I doubt – well, certainly in the party I belong to – that there’s going to be a compelling case for regional government to continue to exist.“There are currently 11 regional councils across the country responsible for the management of natural resources, flood control, and…

Sirens are increasingly taking a backseat to mobile alerts in warning the public of tsunami threats to New Zealand’s cities. But in rural areas with limited connectivity like Northland, the siren system still holds the megaphone.Last week, Christchurch followed Auckland in decommissioning most of its tsunami warning sirens, with other centres like Napier and Wellington shutting down or not having a tsunami siren network in the first place.Christchurch City Council explained sirens were no longer considered suitable as the primary alerting method.”They can cause confusion and delay communities responding, as warnings can be mistaken for different hazards,” a council spokesperson…

The first international flight in five years returned to Dunedin yesterday. There would now be three return Jetstar connections to the Gold Coast weekly, and the mayor said the city would build more accommodation if needed.Dunedin’s first international flights landed in 1994, but paused during Covid lockdowns.Teen Benjamin Paterson petitioned to get them back, more than 25,000 signed, and he met with the Prime Minister last year to campaign.”It’s really exciting to be on the first flight because it’s a big honour,” he told 1News, checking in.Benjamin Paterson. (Source: 1News)Now flying Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, Airbus A320s will deliver 58,000…

Nelson’s last four schools without variable speed limits will have them implemented during the school holidays.The Government’s rule for setting speed limits requires local roads outside of schools to have 30km/h temporary speeds in place during the start and end of the school day.Auckland Point, Clifton Terrace, and Birchwood Schools, along with Nelson Christian Academy, currently don’t have the variable speed limits in place.But new variable limits around these schools are expected to take effect from Monday July 14 – the first day back for Term 3.The morning’s headlines in 90 seconds, including Trump’s swearing, thousands of new homes for…

One person has been hospitalised with critical burns, and two others treated for minor burns, following a house fire in Auckland’s Papakura early this morning. Emergency services arrived to find the property on Duckworth Rd ablaze shortly before 3am. “Three people had evacuated from the property and were assessed and treated by St John ambulance staff at the scene,” a police spokesperson said. One patient was taken to Middlemore Hospital with critical burns, two others sustained minor burns. The morning’s headlines in 90 seconds, including Trump’s swearing, thousands of new homes for Canterbury, and a strong start for Lulu Sun.…

A man has been arrested in Waikato after crashing into two innocent drivers while allegedly trying to flee from police. Officers were responding to reports of dangerous driving in Huntly when the incident kicked off shortly after 11am Tuesday. Police spotted the vehicle travelling towards Hamilton on the Waikato Expressway before losing sight of it.At around 12pm, reports from the public led police to Pine Ave in Hamilton, and then State Highway 3 at Ōhaupō five minutes later. “Officers have monitored the car for several minutes and then signalled the driver to stop. He’s continued driving, so other units laid…

Published on 25/06/2025 – 11:33 GMT+2ADVERTISEMENTIn an unprecedented move, US conservative organisations closely aligned with the MAGA movement have been lobbying MEPs, according to a new report by the anti-corruption group Transparency International EU.MEPs, mainly non-aligned or members of the far-right parliamentary group Europe of Sovereign Nations (ESN), reportedly met with conservative organisations such as Republicans from Chile’s National Renewal party and the US conservative Heritage Foundation think tank.”Usually, these organisations take a very sceptical view of the climate. And they lobby for fossil fuels,” Raphaël Kergueno, Policy Officer at Transparency International EU, told Euronews.According to him, these interest groups…

New Plymouth District Council has drawn a line in the sand and voted to oppose seabed mining in the South Taranaki Bight, and in particular the Trans-Tasman Resources’ proposal currently going through the Fast Track consenting process.Councillor Amanda Clinton-Gohdes tabled a motion calling for the move and after three hours of deputations and debate her colleagues backed it overwhelmingly — with just three councillors voting against.Trans-Tasman Resources managing chairman Allan Eggers said the vote was disappointing, but would not deter the company which would maintain its focus on the Fast Track process.Clinton-Gohdes, meanwhile, was proud of the council’s stand which…

A coroner is recommending motorcyclists avoid tinted visors at night after a teenage motorcyclist died in a late-night crash in North Auckland last year.Phoenix Boltar, 17, died on the evening of October 30, 2024, in Dairy Flat, when his motorcycle collided with a grass embankment on a tight corner and launched him into a concrete power pole.Minutes before the crash, Boltar was recorded speeding.”A police officer travelling northbound recorded Phoenix’s speed at 96kmph in an area with a posted speed limit of 80kmph,” Coroner Ian Telford wrote in his report.”The officer activated her lights and began a U-turn to follow…

A New Zealand-led international naval task force in the Middle East aimed at disrupting drug smuggling has concluded with a final haul of 7 tonnes of illicit substances worth NZ$1.8 billion.Fifty-five boardings took place in the six months that Combined Maritime Task Force 150 (CTF 150) was under the command of Royal New Zealand Navy Commodore Rodger Ward.Seven tonnes of narcotics, including methamphetamine, hashish and heroin, were seized and destroyed as a result, with a combined street value of more than NZ$1.8 billion.These busts included 2357kg of hashish; 1000kg of heroin, 660kg of hashish, and 6kg of amphetamine tablets; 50kg…