Author: Press Room
Transport Minister Chris Bishop has urged officials to get “back on track” as fresh delays hit the roll-out of NZTA’s new national public transport ticketing system.The Motu Move system was supposed to launch in Timaru and Temuka by mid-2025, but has since been delayed due to “challenges with delivery”. Transport officials didn’t provide an updated date for when the new card would actually launch, when queried this week.It’s the third missed launch target the project has faced in the past nine months. The setback comes as an independent review has been launched into the National Ticketing Solution (NTS) by the…
An Auckland man is pleading for help to find his missing dog after an alleged hit-and-run in Paremoremo left his mother and her friend injured during a Sunday morning walk.Emergency services were called to Attwood Rd, Paremoremo at around 7.10am on Sunday to reports two pedestrians had been struck by a white ute while they were walking their dogs.St John said it responded with two ambulances and one manager to the scene.”Our crews assessed and treated two patients, one in a serious condition who was transported to Auckland City Hospital, and one in a moderate condition who was transported to…
Two sections of State Highway in the Mackenzie Country that were closed overnight – because of risk from snow and ice – have now reopened.State Highway 8 between Twizel and Fairlie and State Highway 80 between Lake Pukaki and Aoraki/Mt Cook were closed on Saturday night as a safety precaution to both motorists and crews working on the roads.The New Zealand Transport Agency said the crews had been busy gritting and treating areas of ice on the roads.The road closures were lifted around 10am on Sunday.However, motorists are still advised to take care when travelling.A road snowfall warning is still…
An alligator at Auckland Zoo recently had to undergo a veterinary examination after being seen swallowing a jandal in her habitat.Dixie, an American alligator, continued eating normally afterwards, but the zoo’s veterinary team took action to ensure no lingering health concerns.An endoscopy was performed under general anaesthesia by the zoo’s veterinary team, assisted by external specialist Dr Tomm Fluen.Using a flexible camera scope, the team thoroughly examined Dixie’s stomach but found no trace of the jandal, just half digested meat and vegetation.Auckland Zoo staff examine the contents of Dixie’s stomach. (Source: Auckland Zoo)Head of veterinary services James Chatterton said this…
Parents of New Zealand citizens and residents will be granted multi-entry access for up to five years if they met health, income, and insurance criteria when the Government introduces a new longer-term visitor visa in September.Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Immigration Minister Erica Stanford announced the Parent Boost visa this afternoon, saying the Government was delivering on its commitment to support parents who live overseas to visit and stay with their families for longer.The visa may be renewed once, allowing a total stay of up to 10 years, provided the holder spends at least three months outside New Zealand before…
Senior Labour MP Willie Jackson says his party remains “absolutely” willing to work with Te Pāti Māori, but suggests both need to prioritise “jobs, health, homes” to help win against the National-led Government.The two parties’ relationship is shaping up as a defining issue at the next election. Labour’s Māori development spokesperson and campaign chairperson for the Māori seats told Q+A that the 21-day parliamentary ban imposed on Te Pāti Māori co-leaders Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi was excessive and unjustified.”We thought there should be a sanction… We were just talking a day,” Jackson said, adding that Labour had supported a…
The same three dangerous driving behaviours are frequently reported by AA members on New Zealand roads – and they’re still happening all too often, the group says. The three most common infringements drivers have concerns about from their fellow motorists are red light running, mobile phone use, and tailgating.AA road safety spokesperson Dylan Thomsen said the organisation often heard from its members about road safety and that these issues were consistently brought up.He said other stubbornly common issues include incorrect indicating on roundabouts and failing to check blind spots.(Source: istock.com)Phone use still rampant on our roadsMobile phone use while behind…
Many New Zealanders have stood before the fridge pondering how long a container of leftover food has been in there before giving the contents a hearty sniff.It’s a common question posed by people who hate food waste — but some may not be aware of the official advice when it comes to keeping, reheating and eating leftovers. Newly-released advice from New Zealand Food Safety (NZFS) to coincide with World Food Safety Day has outlined the top tips to help Kiwis avoid things that may make them ill. “Many of these foodborne illnesses are due to poor food preparation, cooking, or…
Reports that New Zealand’s natural gas reserves might be dwindling faster than expected may be unwelcome news to households using it to cook and heat.The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment said previous forecasts showed annual gas production falling below 100 petajoules (PJ) by 2029, but revised forecasts indicated that level would be reached by next year.Paul Fuge, general manager at Consumer NZ’s Powerswitch, said residential gas use was only about 4% of the country’s total gas consumption, so gas supplies for households probably would not run out, but he said they would likely become more expensive over time.”This is…
In a move reminiscent of stations on Washington DC’s metro system, a towering digital billboard opposite Parliament has become the latest battleground for lobbyists seeking to influence policymakers.However, what’s being flogged in Wellington is more political messaging than military hardware from defence contractors.An increasing number of campaigning organisations are buying time on the Whitmore St site, including Federated Farmers, the Motor Trade Association, Rewiring Aotearoa, and even a retired doctor calling out both major parties on the rebuild of Dunedin Hospital.Several of those organisations also highlighted to media their deliberate purchase of space on the billboard. In a release, the…