Author: Press Room

Rotorua’s Night Market will return to the inner city after Rotorua Lakes Council voted to end a trial move to Kuirau Park, two months after it began.By Mathew Nash of Local Democracy ReportingElected members voted eight-to-three to return the market to its previous Tūtānekai St location “as soon as reasonably practical”, in the council’s final meeting of the year today.The motion was brought by councillor Robert Lee, who told the meeting the results of the Kuirau Park trial were “manifestly obvious”, calling it “not a success”.He said returning to the inner city would help businesses regain tourist foot traffic and…

An investigation is underway after a person was found dead after a house fire in Auckland’s New Lynn yesterday afternoon. Emergency services were called to the house on Kohekohe Street at around 1.23pm. A total of five crews, comprised of 20 firefighters, responded to the blaze, which was extinguished. A scene guard remained in place overnight, and an investigation into the cause is underway, Detective Senior Sergeant Megan Goldie said.Fire crews at the scene of a fatal fire on Kohekohe Street in New Lynn (Source: 1News)“The cause of fire remains undetermined at this very early stage,” she said.“A post-mortem examination…

Auditors have called out schools for spending their money on boat cruises, food for local families and travel for principals – and in some cases their partners.The auditor-general’s annual report on schools’ 2024 accounts said more schools than the previous year were struggling financially or spent money inappropriately, and many still failed to plan ahead for building maintenance.The report said 27 schools needed Ministry of Education guarantees for their finances – about four times as many as the previous year.It said schools needed guidance on “sensitive expenditure” and on planning maintenance for their buildings.The report said one school board provided…

Firefighters, backed by helicopters, continue to battle a large vegetation fire at Tongaririo National Park that broke out yesterday afternoon. Emergency services were called to the blaze just after 1.10pm yesterday, where Fire and Emergency NZ said multiple fires had merged into a single large one.In an update this afternoon, Incident Controller Assistant Commander Renee Potae said the fire was 80% contained and covered 296 hectares with an 8.4km perimeter. FENZ said 30 firefighters were on the ground, blacking out a 15m containment line along the southern flank.Two helicopters were working from the air. Witness reveals what’s thought to have…

Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins says he is “adamant” former police commissioner Andrew Coster did not brief him about an affair Jevon McSkimming had prior to his promotion to deputy police commissioner.In an interview with TVNZ’s Q+A with Jack Tame which aired on Sunday, Coster claimed he told Hipkins about the affair in July 2022 while Hipkins was Police Minister.”I told him that Jevon had told me that he had an affair,” Coster said. “That it was with a much younger woman that went badly wrong, and that email allegations were now flying as a result of it.”While he could…

Nicola Willis has challenged former National Party Finance Minister Ruth Richardson to debate the country’s books at Parliament.The Taxpayers’ Union is poised to launch a “pressure campaign” targeting Willis in an effort to convince her to cut spending and reduce debt.Heading into National’s caucus meeting on Tuesday morning, Willis said it was clear the campaign was being driven by Richardson, who is chair of the Taxpayers’ Union.”My message for Ruth Richardson is a very clear one, come and debate me face to face. Come out of the shadows. I will argue toe for toe on the prescription that our government…

The Government has unveiled its mega-overhaul of New Zealand’s planning system in a radical but long-awaited shift, which it hopes will become active in 2029.The proposed sweeping new rules will affect the way all buildings and infrastructure are planned, and mean big changes for anyone doing work needing a consent.Up to 22,000 or 46% of consent and permit applications could be eliminated each year as a result of the change, the Government has claimed. Replacing the Resource Management Act (RMA) will be one of the most significant packages of reform carried out by the current National-led coalition government. As one…

Two people have died in a house fire which broke out in Foxton Beach today, police have confirmed. A Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) spokesperson said crews were called to a house fire at Foxton Beach — which is about 5km west of Foxton and 90 minutes north of Wellington — shortly after 5am.They said on arrival, the incident was escalated to a second alarm and six trucks from Foxton Beach, Foxton, Himatangi Beach, Waitārere Beach, Levin, and Shannon attended. In an update this afternoon, Manawatu Area Commander Ross Grantham said the bodies of two people who were earlier…

A Dunedin recruitment agency has been put into liquidation owing more than $500,000 amid “brutal” conditions in the job market. DKW Personnel (Dunedin) Ltd ceased trading and was placed into liquidation in May. The liquidator’s six-monthly report, made public last week, estimated the total shortfall to creditors at $540,942. A preferential claim was received from the Inland Revenue Department for $340,658. “It [is] unlikely that there will be sufficient funds available in the liquidation from which a dividend to unsecured creditors can be paid. However, investigations are still ongoing,” liquidator Robin Crimp, of RAC Insolvency Ltd, said. The company’s sole…

Insurance firm Tower has been ordered to pay a $7 million penalty after overcharging more than 61,000 customers by $11 million through misleading multi-policy discount claims.The High Court in Auckland handed down the penalty after the general insurer admitted breaching the Financial Markets Conduct Act by misleading customers in invoices about its multi-policy discount offer from September 2016 until February 2025.The Financial Markets Authority brought civil proceedings against Tower Limited after the company self-reported the issue in March 2021.Tower admitted to making false or misleading representations in both invoices and marketing material related to multi-policy discounts, affecting approximately 90,200 policies…