Author: Press Room
Two south Auckland park benches, at the centre of anti-social and indecent behaviour complaints from residents, may stay put after plans to remove them fell through.Last October, the Manurewa Local Board, on advice from Auckland Transport (AT), agreed to remove two benches at Randwick Park, situated opposite Magic Way.However, the board’s decision to remove the benches faced criticism from the community, who complained about the lack of consultation.The benches were to be removed and relocated for use at a Russel Rd bus stop, costing between $300 to $400 per seat.At the local board meeting on Thursday, AT’s report said following…
Deborah Manning saw a use for the tonnes of unwanted food that would have otherwise gone to waste. She has now been recognised nationally for her salvaging efforts. The Dunedin lawyer turned social entrepreneur won the Genesis Energy sustainability award at the Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Awards last night. Ms Manning, before the event, told the Otago Daily Times it was an honour to be a finalist. “I think it’s really important that I want people to know that this award is not just about me – it reflects the collective effort of so many people who believe in the…
Three men have been arrested after a man in his 80s was killed after his house was set on fire in Stokes Valley last year.Ian David Moller was critically injured in a fire at a block of flats in Hanson Grove last November.A homicide investigation was launched after the 82-year-old succumbed to his injuries several days later, on November 10.It was the third alleged arson at the property in the past month, with two other incidents on Thursday, November 10, and Monday, November 14.The trio — aged in their 20s and 30s — were arrested this morning after police carried…
Security guards at Westfield shopping centres across New Zealand and Australia will be issued with body cameras, a year after six people were fatally stabbed at a mall in Bondi.Joel Cauchi fatally stabbed six people at Westfield Bondi before he was shot and killed by a police officer on April 13, 2024.Scentre Group, which owned and operated 42 Westfield malls – 37 in Australia and five in Aotearoa – confirmed the bodycam rollout, citing “safety and security”.”Our security approach is created in partnership with law enforcement and government agencies. We invest in our security practices and continuously improve our capability,…
Russia alone is planning as many new nuclear reactors as the entire European Union. Experts say how much the bloc should invest to meet its energy needs. ADVERTISEMENTNuclear remains one of the most important energy sources in the EU. It accounts for 22.8% of all electricity generated across the bloc. Following Germany’s shutdowns, there are now only 12 nuclear energy producers in the EU.France, with its 57 reactors and 338 GWh per hour, is the largest provider, generating 55% of the EU’s output. Spain is next with over 9%, followed by Sweden with almost 8%. However, investment in nuclear energy…
Good-quality preloved wares will be up for grabs at a consignment sale in Dunedin this weekend. The Kids Preloved Winter Market, run by K2 Consignments, will be held at the Edgar Centre, with hundreds clothes and items for children and teenagers for sale. Event organiser Karena Garrett said consignment sales were all the rage in the United States where she grew up, but not common in New Zealand. “I went overseas last winter and went to a consignment sale, and I said, ‘why aren’t we doing this in Dunedin?” Selling items on Facebook Marketplace or organising a market stall could…
Warning: This story contains content some readers may find distressing.A disabled mental health patient who was “manipulated and groomed” into a sexual relationship with a staff member has described how she has lost trust in both men and nurses, a court has heard.It was part of a victim impact statement that was read to the Christchurch District Court on Wednesday as former nurse Peter Ogden was sentenced.The 54-year-old had pleaded guilty to one charge of ill-treatment of a vulnerable adult, after he engaged in a relationship with a vulnerable patient at a Christchurch mental health facility between 2021 and 2022.Judge…
As the EU pursues its war on red tape, proposed changes to sustainability rules could see harmful chemicals permitted on the bloc’s green investment list, allowing producers to take advantage of policy support and growing demand for environmentally friendly products. ADVERTISEMENTPlanned changes to criteria for sustainable investments could see cosmetics and other products containing harmful substances, including some PFAS ‘forever chemicals’, given the EU ‘green’ label despite potential risks, campaigners have warned.The amendments, buried in the small print of an ‘omnibus’ deregulation proposal tabled last month, could limit the list of chemicals whose presence would preclude a product from the…
Name suppression has lapsed for former Warriors player turned television celebrity Wairangi Koopu.Koopu is facing charges of cocaine possession and supply of a class A drug.On Wednesday afternoon, his name suppression lapsed with immediate effect.Koopu, who also appeared on television in The Crowd Goes Wild and Watch The Road, was charged with major drugs offences in October.The charges carried a penalty of up to 14 years imprisonment.Koopu made more than 150 appearances for the Warriors between 1999 and 2008.He also represented the New Zealand Kiwis on three occasions and played four times for the New Zealand Māori rugby league team.The…
Former Polish President and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Lech Wałęsa, calls for systemic changes to safeguard democracy and avoid the rise of populist leaders. ADVERTISEMENTLech Wałęsa, former President of Poland and key figure in the country’s fight for democracy, acknowledged in an exclusive interview with Euronews that generational mistakes have been made, but solutions are beginning to emerge. Despite having been out of office for nearly three decades, Wałęsa remains deeply connected to the political realities of Poland and the world. In recent years, defending democracy has become a key focus for the former leader.”Look at what’s happening around the…