Author: Press Room

A Waikato farm manager has been convicted for unlawfully discharging effluent into a drain network. Vernon Paul Madeley was fined $5000 and sentenced to 140 hours of community work for the charges brought against him by Waikato Regional Council. In May 2024, council officers responded to a complaint about dairy effluent in the rural drainage system near Turua, on the Hauraki Plains, Waikato Council said in a statement. “Officers inspected a farm where they found an effluent irrigator had stalled, causing effluent to flow into a nearby drain,” a Waikato Council spokesperson said.”This drain was part of a network designed…

A Napier City Council staff member — although not caught up in a planned restructure of more than 100 jobs — says staff morale is now so low that he’s looking for a way out.”This no longer feels like the organisation I loved,” he told Hawke’s Bay Today on Wednesday.The council confirmed on Tuesday it was reviewing its organisational structure and consulting with staff on a proposal to reshape its four directorates.Staff were told not to talk to the media, but Hawke’s Bay Today has since been sent some of the proposal documents, dated May 15, 2025.The documents said the…

Allister Benson has been made redundant three times in the past 24 months and says it’s tough going in the job market at the moment.He estimates he’s applied for up to 500 jobs in the past 12 months.He had been working in tech sales for about 15 years but said he had broadened his search as he looked for a new role. “Tech has proved to be quite unstable, it’s often the first to boom and the first to drop so I’ve looked all over the shop, in multiple different industries.”He said he left his last role just over two…

By Giles Dexter of RNZ  An uncertain economic outlook and slower recovery will keep government finances in deficit for the next three years before a return to surplus. The Budget forecasts a $3 billion a year lower tax take, while expenses are about $1 billion higher than forecast in the December update, resulting in the budget deficit peaking at $12 billion in the coming year and staying higher than expected before a surplus of $200 million in 2029. Finance Minister Nicola Willis said today the Budget was aimed at securing and enhancing economic recovery. “Budget 2025 responds to New Zealand’s…

A strategy to help support one of Auckland’s fastest growing regions with housing and its thriving farming industry has been approved by Auckland Council.The southern rural areas, which included the Franklin Ward, was expected to increase by 89,900 people, 37,500 households, and 16,500 jobs by 2052.Auckland Council recently approved the new Southern Rural Strategy, which supported the region to accommodate its growing population, while enabling industries such as farming and food production to thrive.“The southern rural area is expected to account for approximately 15% of Auckland’s overall population growth over the next 30 years,” Franklin ward councillor Andy Baker said.The…

Police are investigating a suspicious house fire in Nelson that left one person seriously injured last night.Detective Sergeant Ian Langride said emergency services received reports of the fire on Konini St at around 9.50pm.Fire and Emergency NZ responded with six crews and extinguished the fire shortly after midnight on Thursday.St John said it responded with one rapid response vehicle and one ambulance.”One patient, in a serious condition, was transported to Nelson Hospital,” a St John spokesperson said.Langridge said a scene guard remained in place at the address today.”Police are following positive lines of inquiry as to what happened.”Fire and Emergency…

Ahead of the Budget’s release at 2pm, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Finance Minister Nicola Willis have enjoyed some fresh baking made by one of her children.It continues a pre-Budget tradition of the Prime Minister and Finance Minister celebrating Budget Day before it is officially announced to the public.On Facebook earlier today, Willis said the cookies were baked by her daughter.Follow live coverage of the Budget on 1News.co.nz and TVNZ1’s Q+A Special from 2pm.Historically, each government has had their own take on the yearly tradition, and for Willis and Luxon, this marks the second year the occasion is being celebrated…

Singapore Airlines will add 46 more return flights to its Christchurch route from late November. From November 24 until February 12, 2026, the move will add up to 23,000 extra seats on flights to Singapore across the peak summer season, driven by continued demand from South Island travellers and international visitors. The extra flights will increase to four per week, up from three last summer. The expanded service will operate in addition to the year-round daily flights, with up to 11 weekly return services. There will be up to 5500 seats available each week between Christchurch and Singapore. Alongside the extra…

A homicide investigation has been launched north of Kaikohe, in Northland, after a man with “critical injuries” died at a property. Northland CIB Detective Inspector Rhys Johnston said a man arrived outside the Kaikohe Police Station around 8.30pm on Wednesday. “After speaking with this man, police went to a Waikerikeri Rd property where a male was found with critical injuries.”The man was provided urgent medical attention but sadly died at the scene,” Johnston said. An investigation in its “very early stages” was underway into the circumstances of what happened.”We are continuing to speak to the man who visited the police…

Napier fisherman Steve Dean says he’ll be driving the long way along the beach to his usual fishing spot, despite what he perceives as a threat of a $400 fine.His access has now been blocked by wooden barriers erected by Napier City Council along Marine Parade, from the National Aquarium of NZ to the pump track.”The council is treating us like sheep. We pay a s***load of rates and then they tell us where we can and can’t go. Now they have locked us out.”He said he understood why the council was preventing vehicle access to the beach but “there…