Author: Press Room

A Lower Hutt mother is “traumatised” and struggling to understand why her home was targeted in a late-night shooting while she and her daughter were upstairs.Ashleigh Clarke had only recently moved into the Kāinga Ora property on Cambridge Terrace in Naenae when, around 9.30pm on Saturday, she heard “two loud bangs”.She told 1News it did not even cross her mind that the bangs could be gunshots. “I was looking for a person because it doesn’t happen here, you’re more inclined to hear people breaking in. I just didn’t even think it would be gunshots.”It was not until she went down…

Who would want to buy a set of earrings made out of an old wooden transport pallet? Initially, Abigail Gilfedder was not confident anyone would. But in the end, she decided to roll the dice and give it a go as part of her school’s Young Enterprise Scheme. The Bayfield High School 18-year-old said she wanted to find a way to make classy, but sustainable and affordable earrings. “I have a huge collection — like over 100 pairs of earrings — but a lot of them are from businesses that have very bad business practices that I didn’t realise at…

Self-proclaimed cash advocate and MP Jamie Arbuckle believes his proposed law protecting hard currency transactions is about more than accessibility — it’s also about privacy and preventing “Big Brother” surveillance.The New Zealand First MP’s members’ legislation, the Cash Transactions Protection Bill, would require vendors to accept cash up to the value of $500, with no limits on the amount of cash that must be accepted for essential items like fuel and food. “There’s a real concern across New Zealand that we’re becoming a cashless society, and we’ve got a lot of people who depend on cash,” the MP told Q+A.He…

The Government has opened the door for many building products from overseas to become available in New Zealand, including cladding systems, external doors, plasterboard, and windows.Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk said products had been given “the green light” for use in New Zealand to end what he called “costly monopolies” on select products.”These changes have the potential to reduce total building costs by thousands of dollars when building a home.”Penk said it was “frankly outrageous” how much it cost to build a house in New Zealand.”It is 50% more expensive to build a standalone home in New Zealand than…

Vocational Education Minister Penny Simmonds says a reduction of 600 roles across different polytechnics is necessary to address unsustainable financial deficits as the Government dismantles Te Pūkenga.Ten polytechnics will be re-established from next year 2026, Simmonds announced last week, with differing fates for six other institutions.Simmonds told Q+A the net job losses were necessary to address unsustainable deficits.”It depends where they’re coming from. When you’ve got institutions that are running $11.3 million deficits, you simply cannot carry on with that,” she said. “You look at what’s causing those deficits. In the WelTec/Whitireia situation, the arts centre here in the middle…

A top teacher says New Zealand’s education system requires a rethink as it often fails to recognise ability and intelligence beyond narrow definitions.Award-winning educator Welby Ings, in his new book Invisible Intelligence: Why Your Child Might Not Be Failing, argues policymakers often reach for simplistic solutions because of “educational anxiety” over how students are doing at numeracy and literacy assessments.Instead, Ings advocates for a testing system based not on giving single grade letters, but on nuanced evaluations from teachers as an explanation for the full breadth of a student’s ability. He also wants to do away with streaming in schools.”Research…

There are grave concerns for Samoa as it succumbs to a tidal wave of methamphetamine spreading across the Pacific, with new lines of drug and gun smuggling opening up. 1News pacific correspondent Barbara Dreaver investigates.Warning: This story contains details which may be distressing to some readersShe asks us to call her Lala – a pseudonym – to keep her safe.There’s a lot on the line as Lala is heavily involved on a number of levels in Samoa’s meth trade.”Its like everywhere, it’s flooding the town, kids are taking meth,” she tells us. It’s no secret that Samoa’s domestic meth trade…

Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom, who suffered a stroke in November, says he’s making “good progress” in his recovery. Last year Dotcom revealed he was recovering from a serious stroke, only months after Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith tried to extradite him to the US, where he faces criminal charges. In a post to X on November 25, he said, “he had the best health professionals helping me to make a recovery.” “I will be back as soon as I can. Please be patient and pray for my family and I.” Today, Dotcom said in a post he is now able to “walk a bit” and…

Hato Hone St John has clarified the status of those injured in a helicopter crash this afternoon in Matatā, near Whakatāne.It said three patients were treated, one in moderate condition, and two in minor condition.Hato Hone St John said it was notified of the incident at 3.16pm.”Our crews have airlifted one patient in a moderate condition to Tauranga hospital, and two patients in a minor condition were transported via road to Whakatane hospital,” said a St John spokesperson.Earlier, it said two ambulances, two helicopters, two rapid response units, and one manager were sent to the scene, and one person was…

Three years on from the creation of Health New Zealand and a points system which sets different thresholds for care across the country remains largely unchanged. This is the first in a 1News series looking at healthcare in the regions. Some people are being denied elective surgeries that they would qualify for if they lived in a different region. It’s one of the starkest examples of the postcode lottery which many say persists despite the axing of District Health Boards. Watch the 1News investigation on TVNZ+.Health New Zealand says it’s looking at access to care and whether the tools currently…