Author: Press Room

Multiple local councils have told the government the proposed changes will “reduce road safety” and “impose significant cost on ratepayers”. Mava Moayyed reports.Watch an in-depth investigation into the impact of speed on New Zealand roads, on TVNZ+.In March, the government announced it would deliver on a pre-election promise to reverse “blanket” speed limit reductions put in place by the previous governmentTransport Minister Simenon Brown says the public were simply “not on board” with the Labour government’s approach and the new rules, would take a more “balanced” view when setting speed limits.Transport Minister Simeon Brown speaks at Parliament (file image). (Source:…

Young people leaving, shops closing, restaurants and bars going belly up. How alive are Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch? Julie Hill checks our three biggest cities for a pulse. For three glorious years in the 1990s, a show called City Life aired on TV2, featuring a crew of hot young Gen X Aucklanders all living in the same apartment block. They were flash digs, considering one was a bar tender, one a stand-up comedian and the rest seemingly unemployed. They caroused at Verona, the Lava Lounge and Cause Célèbre. As a South Island teen, I was deeply impressed. Verona remains a…

Dotterel populations have experienced a record decline along Hawke’s Bay rivers and coastline, prompting concern from the regional council.The decline is being blamed on the effects of Cyclone Gabrielle, which devastated the region in February last year.A Hawke’s Bay Regional Council report surveyed hundreds of kilometres of coastline and riverbanks along the Tukituki, Ngaruroro and Tūtaekurī between 2019 and 2024.Ecologist Nikki McArthur said there had been a significant decrease across several species when this year was compared with pre-cyclone numbers.The worst-affected river was the Tūtaekurī, where pohowera/banded dotterel numbers fell by 51%. Along the Ngaruroro river there was a 20%…

While it took three hours for Nelson City Council to discuss its Māori ward on Thursday, several other important matters slid by with far less discussion.New rules for sandwich boards were unanimously adopted by elected members after about 15 minutes of discussion.The advertising signs now must be placed on the edge of the kerb rather than against the storefront as is currently required.The council had consulted on banning the boards completely.The change is meant to make it easier for blind and low-vision residents to more easily navigate on the footpath while not impacting business owners who rely on the signs…

Glaciers in Salzburg, Austria, are rapidly shrinking, losing significant mass and height. Researcher Bernhard Zagel warns that the glaciers may disappear within 10 to 15 years due to climate change, with some areas already having lost half their ice in 25 years. ADVERTISEMENTGlacier researchers and hydrologists are currently surveying glaciers in Salzburg, Austria. Even if detailed data and measurement results are not yet available, it is clear that the glaciers have lost mass and size again this year.Bernhard Zagel, a glacier researcher at the University of Salzburg, describes this loss of mass:“If we have such an irradiation, with eight to…

An active front is expected to bring rough weather for many across the country today, with the South Island and lower North Island particularly affected.The front will move up the South Island and into the centre of the country, MetService said, “bringing a burst of heavy rain to western areas and west to northwest gales to southern and eastern parts”.”Warnings and watches for severe gales and heavy rain are in force.”Orange strong wind warnings were in place for Marlborough, Wellington, Wairarapa and Tararua District from midday to 11pm tonight and for Canterbury High Country from 9am to 5pm today.Severe gales…

Police have asked witnesses to a shooting on Thursday night that rocked Auckland’s Grey Lynn to “come forward and do the right thing”.An 18-year-old man died in the incident, police said. Three other men were injured and they remained in hospital today in serious but stable conditions: “Police are hoping to interview them as soon as they are well enough.”A homicide investigation was launched in the wake of the death.Officers will going door to door seeking CCTV and speaking to neighbours this weekend, a police statement said today.Detective Inspector Glenn Baldwin said police know “there are more people out there…

There is political news and then there is Political News — deserving of the capital letters.These are stories that not just pundits or analysts are talking about but they reverberate around the country, from the school gate, taxi drivers to the family dinner table. Stories that consume the news cycle for days on end. Arguably New Zealand’s biggest Political News story was 40 years ago. Sir Robert Muldoon, slurring on his words called a snap election. The country would go to the polls in four weeks time. He lost, with David Lange’s Labour sweeping into power. But the former PM…

Nicole Kidman is in “shock” after her mother died.The 57-year-old actor made the announcement to fans her mum had passed away hours before she was awarded a best actress award for her role in Babygirl at the Venice Film Festival.Kidman, who stars as a business executive who starts an affair with her younger intern in the film, was not in attendance at its premiere at the event. The movie’s director Halina Reijn read a statement from the actress revealing her mother Janelle had died while she was in Venice.The statement in full from Kidman said: “Today I arrived in Venice…

Anyone who attended Winter Pride is being warned to watch out for symptoms of mpox because suspected cases of the virus attended the events.The Winter Pride event took place in Queenstown in the last week of August.Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora said on Saturday while no further cases have been found, it knew of “a number of people across the country … who have been in contact with people now known to have mpox”.The Burnett Foundation (formerly NZ Aids Foundation and Ending HIV) said it was asking people to help contain the outbreak.Chief executive Joe Rich said anyone that…