Author: Press Room
Following changes to the Government’s anti-smoking policies, University of Otago researchers Janet Hoek, Anna DeMello and Lani Teddy explain what they found when they spoke in-depth to young people who vape.New Zealand’s smokefree law was hailed around the world for creating a smokefree generation that would have lifelong protection from smoking’s harms.The smokefree generation would have ended sales of tobacco products to anyone born on or after a specific date, thus gradually phasing out smoking. This new approach goes beyond age restriction policies (such as R18 or R21), which may imply smoking is “safe” once people reach the designated age.However,…
Fourteen homes have been evacuated and power turned off for more than 250 households as precautions in Port Waikato this afternoon as a scrub fire spreads.Fire and Emergency NZ said crews were sent to the scene on Maunsell Rd at around 1.40pm.Three helicopters as well as crews from Port Waikato, Onewhero, Tuakau, Maramarua, and Otara have responded to the blaze.”It is a toetoe scrub fire approximately four hectares in size, and it is 40% contained,” a FENZ spokesperson said.”No structures are at risk but there have been precautionary evacuations.” The service confirmed 14 houses were evacuated by 4.30pm.Counties Energy said…
A Northland fishing company has been fined $16,500 for failing to use the correct fishing gear and providing a false statement on their fish landing return.Macnicol Fishing Limited was sentenced at the North Shore District Court on three charges on Friday under the Fisheries Act after a successful prosecution by Fisheries NZ.The company did not use tori lines, which were required to prevent accidental seabird capture when surface longlining.Tori lines form a physical and visual barrier around the area where line setting occurred that prevented seabirds from accessing baited hooks. They consisted of a line with streamers and a buoy…
People who bought a certain brand of chicken nuggets are being warned not to eat them. They might contain “small pieces of blue rubber”, New Zealand Food Safety (NZFS) said on Tuesday. The affected product – 1kg bag of Pams Tempura Coated Chicken Nuggets with a best-before date of 16 October 2025 – was sold at Four Square, Gilmours, New World, Pak’nSave and Social Supermarket stores across New Zealand. “Return the nuggets to the place of purchase for a refund or, if that’s not possible, throw them out,” NZFS deputy director-general Vincent Arbuckle said. “As is our usual practice, we…
An increasing number of reports of New Zealand sea lions being harassed by people trying to take photographs and videos is “really sad to see”, a Dunedin volunteer group says.Footage provided to 1News shows a group of people surrounding a sea lion pup late last month at Blackhead Beach and throwing and kicking sand at it, appearing to be trying to get it to move for a video.New Zealand sea lions/pakake are one of the rarest sea lion species in the world and found only in New Zealand. Once prevalent along the entire coastline, they now reside primarily in the…
A parent says her daughter was horrified at what she witnessed when a children’s Pride event get disrupted by a Destiny Church-linked protest at the weekend. Destiny Church’s Man Up and Legacy groups stormed the Te Atatū Community Centre and library to protest a children’s science show hosted by a drag artist on Saturday.Around 30 young children and adults were barricaded inside during the incident.Hollie Colegate’s daughter Evie, who had been at the centre all day for a dodgeball tournament, was in the lobby during a break between games when a “large group of very big, threatening guys came into…
By Susan Edmunds of RNZ Fuel importers have been making bigger margins recently, and there is a warning it could dent the impact of falling oil prices on New Zealand motorists. Data from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) showed the fuel importer margin was about 15 percent to 16 percent of fuel prices through the start of 2025 – higher than the long-term average over the past 20 years of 11 percent. Infometrics chief executive Brad Olsen said as fuel prices rose, the level of margins would tend to rise too. “Using a 12-week moving average, the…
Nearly 40% of the Kiwis who left the country last year were aged under 30, new migration data shows, as New Zealand experienced its largest calendar year net loss of citizens.Stats NZ released provisional data for the 2024 calendar year earlier today, showing 72,000 citizens left the country, which more than offset 24,900 arrivals.Therefore, there was a net migration loss of 47,100 New Zealand citizens last year, according to provisional figures. This compared with a net loss of 43,300 in 2023. The record net loss for a 12-month period was 48,500 citizens in the 12 months to August. But, the…
A Palmerston North man’s brutal attacks on two puppies — both approximately four months old — had them screaming in pain and left them lame, according to an appalled SPCA.Warning: This article contains details that could be disturbing to some people.The man has now pleaded guilty to charges of willful ill-treatment of animals, according to the SPCA. The Palmerston North District Court heard that in July last year, a woman saw the man approach the two tan crossbreed puppies, known as King and Hunnie.According to the SPCA, the witness said they heard the puppies screaming, with the man holding what…
Tātau Tātau o Te Wairoa Trust has begun legal proceedings in the High Court over freshwater rights in Wairoa.The trust is requesting a legal declaration that the beds of significant rivers and lakes in their area – such as the Wairoa River, Hangaroa River, Mangapoike River, Ruakituri River, Waiau River, Waikaretāheke River, Whakakī Lake and its surrounding tributaries, as well as Lake Waikaremoana – are held subject to customary title.The move follows the same framework as Ngāi Tahu’s 2020 statement of claim seeking recognition of its rangatiratanga over the freshwater resources in its rohe (area).The Ngāi Tahu claim began to…