Author: Press Room

Two people have been seriously injured following a crash between a car and motorbike on State Highway 58 between the Hutt Valley and Porirua this afternoon.Emergency services responded to a two-vehicle crash between Belmont Rd and Murphys Rd at around 4.40pm.”Two people were riding the motorcycle at the time and both have received serious injuries,” a police spokesperson said.The serious crash unit is conducting a scene examination and detours are being arranged.”The highway is likely to be blocked for several hours,” the spokesperson added.Motorists are advised to expect delays.

Police Minister Mark Mitchell said police data shows a 22% reduction in serious assaults in Auckland CBD, compared with the same time last year.A property manager in Auckland’s CBD told 1News they have noticed a “huge change”.Meanwhile, Labour Party police spokesperson Ginny Andersen said the Government is “just shifting the problem” to Auckland’s wider suburbs.Police Minister Mark Mitchell said cross-government action to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour in Auckland’s CBD is “getting traction”.According to a statement released by Mitchell, police data shows from January 1 to July 31 there was a 22% reduction in serious assaults within the Auckland CBD…

The Government is planning to clarify the definition of a contractor by amending the Employment Relations Act — a change welcomed by the business sector and criticised by unions.The criteria for the proposed gateway test to be added to legislation include:a written agreement with the worker, specifying they are an independent contractor not an employee, andthe business does not restrict the worker from working for another business (including competitors), except while they are completing paid work for that business, andthe business does not require the worker to be available to work on specific times of day or days, or for…

Indian citizens have continued to be the largest contributor to the country’s population growth, with 41,100 migrants entering New Zealand in the year to July, according to latest figures from Stats NZ.Returning New Zealand citizens totalled 25,200, followed by citizens of the Philippines (24,600) and China (23,600).Overall international migration in the year to July increased New Zealand’s population by 13 more people for every 1,000 already living here, Stats NZ said.The government agency categorises migrants as people changing their country of residence, regardless of their country of citizenship or visa status. A 12-month threshold is used to classify migrants from…

A dog that attacked a child and caused “horrific” injuries will continue to be considered dangerous despite his owner’s attempt to appeal the classification.Onyx, a two-year-old American bulldog, attacked and bit a girl after she bent down to the dog’s height in April. She and her cousin had been playing with the dog at the time.The bite lacerated the girl’s lip and required 10 stitches.Tasman District Council classified Onyx as dangerous in May after it was alerted to, and investigated, the event.The dangerous classification means the owner must muzzle the dog in public, neuter the dog, and ensure there is…

Emergency services are resuming their search for a man who fell into the water while collecting shellfish at Ninepin Rock in Auckland last night. Police said the man was collecting shellfish with another person near the entrance of Manukau Harbour in west Auckland shortly before midnight when he went into the water. “He was not wearing a lifejacket,” a police spokesperson said. A multi-agency search was launched, with volunteers from Coastguard Titirangi and Coastguard Papakura conducting a water search while police and Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) staff carried out a shoreline search.The police Eagle helicopter carried out an…

Focus will be on cracks forming in the jobs market for confirmation they are widening at a pace the Reserve Bank is comfortable with.Thursday’s labour force data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics is expected to show the jobless rate holding at 4.2 per cent in August and the number of employed people rising by 30,000.While the unemployment rate remains at historically low levels, it has been rising incrementally as higher interest rates work to slow the economy and maim inflation.Last week, RBA chief economist and assistant governor Sarah Hunter said the labour market was still tight relative to what’s…

A man has been arrested after he reportedly committed an “indecent act” in view of a medical centre in Palmerston North yesterday afternoon. Police were called to the incident on Victoria Avenue shortly before 4pm, where the man was found and taken into custody. “Recent reports have led us to believe this was not the only incident, and there may be further victims to his alleged offending,” a police spokesperson said. Police said investigators were appealing for witnesses or victims of “similar incidents” yesterday. Police described an incident in which a man driving a green van was reported to be…

There is a high risk of avalanches in parts of the South Island this weekend.Dangerous conditions were forecast in Arthur’s Pass, Aoraki/Mt Cook, Ōhau, Queenstown, Wānaka and Mount Aspiring National Park, following heavy snowfall on Friday that shut schools, closed roads and cut off power to thousands of homes.Mountain Safety Council chief executive Mike Daisley said back-country skiers, snowboarders and climbers should check the Avalanche Advisory before heading out.”Definitely do [check it] this weekend if you’re going into those central South Island areas. It’s probably the weekend for a bit of in-skifield enjoyment, rather than back country.”The Avalanche Advisory issued…

Auckland Council is defending spending a quarter of a million dollars replacing stairs from a coastal walkway down to a popular beach – but a ratepayers’ group says the cost was far too steep.A concrete path along Milford Beach is dotted with four sets of concrete stairs that connect the walkway to the sand – each has eight steps.Through an Official Information Act request, the Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance found the council spent $263,000 replacing the stairs as part of its coastal asset renewals programme.Alliance spokesperson Sam Warren said that broke down to just over $8000 per step.”Anyone would agree that…