Author: Press Room

The Government’s Hauraki Gulf Marine Protection Bill passed its second reading in Parliament this week which will establish 19 new marine high protection areas — designed to help protect the Gulf from overfishing.It’s controversial though, because the Government will allow commercial fishing in two of those high protection areas (HPAs).Back in May, commercial ring-net fishers wrote to the Conservation Minister Tama Potaka, seeking a meeting over their concerns about the Hauraki Gulf Marine Protection Bill. They warned that if they were excluded from fishing in the new high protection areas, they’d lose their winter fishing grounds and their businesses might…

Romanian president nominates incumbent premier to lead a new pro-European coalition government ADVERTISEMENTRomania’s president on Monday nominated incumbent Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu to lead a new pro-European coalition government following a top court’s annulment of a presidential election.After deliberations with Romania’s political parties, President Klaus Iohannis nominated Ciolacu of the leftist Social Democratic Party (PSD) to try to form a government, in hopes of ending a protracted political crisis in the European Union country.Ciolacu, whose party topped the polls in a 1 December parliamentary election, has served as prime minister since June last year.It is widely seen as a tactical…

A carpark outside a pet shop is not the first spot you would think Tesla would pick to make its Dunedin debut — and to offer the chance for a test drive. The electric vehicle manufacturer has officially launched two services in South Dunedin, to the delight of the city’s electric vehicle owners. According to Tesla’s website, Dunedin is home to one of its nine supercharging stations in the South Island, and one of three self-serve test-drive services “without Tesla staff on site” in the country. Both services are listed as available from 49 Timaru St — a carpark outside…

The Interislander ferry Kaiārahi has resumed sailing after an hour delay following a technical issue in Wellington Harbour this afternoon.KiwiRail said the Kaiārahi crew noted a temperature fault related to a lubrication pump at about 1pm on the Wellington to Picton sailing.A passenger on the ferry told 1News the captain had called for tugboats and a pilot to return the ship to its berth.However, KiwiRail said the ferry remained in Wellington Harbour as precaution while engineers investigated the issue.”The fault was quickly resolved and the vessel is now on its way to Picton,” the spokesperson said.

A minute of silence was observed on Monday at the Elysee Palace in Paris, where the French flag flew at half-mast after President Macron declared a national day of mourning for those lost in Cyclone Chido’s devastation of Mayotte. ADVERTISEMENTFrance observed a day of mourning on Monday for victims of Cyclone Chido, which devastated its poorest territory, Mayotte, over a week ago.The cyclone was the most destructive to hit the archipelago in 90 years, causing widespread damage to the island off Africa’s east coast and leaving at least 35 dead and around 2,500 injured.The actual toll is likely much higher…

Techion is a combination of technology and action. Literally, the name is a combination of the two. Ben Andrews puts his lab coat on and talks to founder and chief executive Greg Mirams about the business. Greg Mirams was working as a contract fencer when the farmers employing him encountered issues with the anti-parasite drugs they were using on their animals. The drugs were failing and they wanted to get a $30 test done to find the cause of the issue. Mr Mirams challenged them and said: “It can’t be that hard to do. They’re only charging you $30 to…

A prisoner from Spring Hill Corrections Facility is being sought by police after escaping from custody at Waikato Hospital this afternoon.The remand prisoner “absconded from Corrections staff while on a hospital visit” around 1.30pm, Spring Hill Corrections Facility general manager Scott Walker told 1News in a statement. “He was handcuffed and wearing a GPS monitor at the time.”Walker said police “were informed immediately and are actively searching for them”. “Public safety is our top priority. Any escape is unacceptable and an immediate review into how this incident occurred will be carried out.”A police spokesperson confirmed to 1News police officers “are…

As 2024 nears its end, Moscow troops continue to make steady progress across the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk, moving in on the towns of Pokrovsk and appearing to be closing in on Kurakhove further south. ADVERTISEMENTRussian forces continue to make significant and steady progress across Ukraine’s Donetsk region as they are now moving in on the town of Pokrovsk and appear to be closing in on Kurakhove further south. Last week, the Russian defence ministry announced the capture of Trudove and Uspenivka settlements, completing the occupation of the final segment of the so-called “Uspenivka pocket” south of Kurakhove, a town…

Naylor Love has appointed liquidators for three companies as part of a routine cleanup — including a more than a century-old former main entity. The Dunedin-founded construction company said the subsidiaries had not traded for some time, if ever, and the liquidations would not affect its present operations. The companies are Naylor Love Construction Ltd, Naylor Love Ltd and TWNL Projects Ltd. Liquidators’ reports for the three companies said it was part of a ‘‘routine tidy-up’’ of old trading entities by the wider Naylor Love Group. Naylor Love Construction Ltd was incorporated in August 1918 and had been the main…

Police are seeking sightings of three people after a woman died in hospital nearly a week after she was allegedly assaulted while walking home from a friend’s house in Wellington.Lillian Wharton left a property to walk back to her house on Waiwhetu Rd in Lower Hutt with people known to her on Saturday, December 14, Detective Inspector Nick Pritchard said.At some point after leaving her friend’s house, it’s alleged the 53-year-old was assaulted.She was taken to hospital in a serious condition, and succumbed to her injuries on Thursday, December 19.A man known to Wharton appeared in the Lower Hutt District…