Author: Press Room

Fifty whānau are already on a waitlist for an affordable housing scheme in Rotorua, announced today by a government-iwi partnership, that’s set to deliver 80 rental homes by mid-2027.The Government has put $28.47 million towards the second phase of local iwi Ngāti Whakaue’s Manawa Gardens housing project, alongside the tribe’s own $16 million investment. The new homes are in addition to the earlier completion of 80 affordable rentals in 2024. Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka said whānau will be able to enjoy greater access to modern housing.“We’re focused on delivering the right houses, in the right places with the right…

Published on 02/10/2025 – 9:41 GMT+2 ADVERTISEMENT A widespread claim on social media alleges that the German city of Hamburg has banned music lessons in public schools because music is considered “haram”, or forbidden, in Islam. One post on X says that the ban has been brought in because it would be considered “Islamophobic” to impose music lessons on Muslims. It’s been seen more than half a million times and contains a clip of a German-language news report, which supposedly explains the details of the ban. However, none of the claims is true. While there have been some reports in…

The mother of Kyle Whorrall, a US PhD student killed in Auckland’s St Johns earlier this year, has penned a pleading message for those with information to come forward. The 33-year-old was struck with a “large, bladed weapon” at a bus stop on St Johns Rd, St Johns on April 19, sustaining “unsurvivable injuries” and later dying in hospital.A 16-year-old was charged with his murder, while a 33-year-old woman was charged with being an accessory to murder. Both pleaded not guilty with a trial date set for August 2026.Today, Whorrall’s mother Carole provided police a written statement thanking officers for…

A seventh person has been arrested in relation to the fatal stabbing of 15-year-old Kaea Karauria in Napier earlier this year.Karauria was found critically injured at an Alexander Ave address following reports of disorder at 3.10am on May 11 and died at the scene despite the efforts of ambulance staff.Two 16-year-olds and a 15-year-old were charged with murder last month, a teenager of undisclosed age was charged with intent to injure, and a 21-year-old woman and teenage girl were charged with wilfully attempting to pervert the course of justice.Today, a 17-year-old female was charged with intent to injure. She was…

The funeral for broadcaster and psychologist Nigel Latta will take place at a venue on Auckland’s waterfront next weekend.The event would be held at 1pm on October 11 at The Cloud and was announced in a post to Latta’s Facebook page.”This is the funeral notice that will be placed in newspapers, so just in case you are a non-paper person, thought we would share it here,” the statement read.”Latta, Nigel Raymond. Passed away peacefully at Mercy Hospice on 30 September 2025.”Dearly loved son of Janice and Elvyn. Much loved son-in-law Emily. Adored husband of Natalie. Beloved father of Rina and…

Auckland Council has sent out more than 6000 infringement notices to dog owners who failed to register their pets. It comes as the council continues to crack down on roaming dogs. A total of 6027 infringements were yesterday issued to dog owners who had ignored earlier warnings from the council to register their animals. The council said this was a 7.5% increase when compared with the 5572 sent last year.Owners who were sent infringement notices would have 28 days to pay up. The council said more than 29,084 dogs remained unregistered as of August 1, when the council began charging…

A Christchurch man has been sentenced to 10 months’ home detention after admitting to failing to pay more than $200,000 of his workers’ taxes to Inland Revenue.Frederick Mario Mau Epiha pleaded guilty to 16 charges of aiding and abetting a company he set up to knowingly apply PAYE deductions in the Christchurch District Court on September 30.The court was told of Epiha’s “phoenix-type behaviours” – a practice where a company rebrands itself to hide its failures or financial instability.Epiha worked as a manager for Asia Pacific Group Ltd (APG), before reestablishing the business under new company Redemption Solutions Ltd (RSL)…

More New Zealanders are now working multiple jobs, in an attempt to cover everyday living costs. Employment Hero’s latest Annual Jobs Report found 33 percent of people have more than one role, the second-highest globally after Australia, at 34 percent. Beyond poly-employment, many were also clocking up extra hours, with 43 percent of people saying they work overtime. Thirty percent of New Zealanders said they were working more than one job simply to earn enough money. The report is based on real-time aggregated and anonymised data from more than 2.5 million employees and 350,000-plus businesses globally. Country manager Neil Webster said the…

A couple who had $50,000 of tools stolen from a work vehicle in Christchurch were shocked to find them being auctioned off on behalf of police more than two years later.Gaston and Louise Monge-Grassi own Piranha Tools in Tasman, which sells building and fine woodworking tools from around the world.Gaston was staying in Diamond Harbour on a work trip to Christchurch in July 2023 when a thief broke into several cars, including Gaston’s ute.Hundreds of tools were taken, including Gaston’s toolbelt. The thief left behind only a 10 kilogram sack of onions.”I found the truck completely open, empty and it…

Dog owners will not be able to walk their pets at a rural Auckland beach during breeding season of native shorebirds.From October 1 until March 1, 2026, dogs will be prohibited at all times at Ōrere Beach and intertidal areas within Ōrere Point Beach Reserve car park and east of the Ōrere River mouth.Auckland Council conservation adviser Maddie White said in a statement that the region was a hotspot for shorebirds, including the endangered New Zealand dotterel, Caspian tern, variable oystercatcher, white-fronted tern and South Island pied oystercatcher.All are native to New Zealand and formally classified as threatened or at…