Author: Press Room

Police have named the bus driver who died in a fiery crash on Tāmaki Drive last week as investigations into the incident continue.Sean Cleary, 61, was killed when the bus he was driving collided with a car on Tāmaki Dr on Wednesday last week.Police said inquiries into the circumstances of the crash were ongoing.”Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time.”Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown previously said he was “saddened” to hear of the driver’s death in the crash.”It’s a stark reminder of the fragility of life and how it can change in the blink of an…

The Waitangi Tribunal has recommended a Māori man seeking citizenship for his children should be granted it.The Citizenship Act 1977 provides for four types of citizenship – citizenship by birth, descent, grant, and special grant – but it limits citizenship by descent to one generation.The Tribunal recommended that citizenship by descent be extended to two generations for Māori.The claim was brought by John Ruddock (Ngāpuhi), who was born in Australia and became a New Zealand citizen by descent through his Māori mother. But his children are not New Zealand citizens under the Act despite their whakapapa, as they were born…

A fire at a former Palmerston North pub that closed six schools and five early childhood centres due to fears of asbestos contamination has been deemed “suspicious” by police.Emergency services were called to the old Fitzherbert Tavern on Ferguson St at around 5.15pm yesterday.Detective Senior Sergeant Mike Deegan said today the fire had been “deemed suspicious” and that a scene examination was being undertaken.”Police would like to hear from any members of the public who may have seen any suspicious persons at the premises prior to the fire.”Fire and Emergency NZ brought heavy machinery in to help demolish parts of…

The group behind a bid to change an Auckland school to a charter school against its will says battle lines have been drawn and it is no longer taking feedback on its proposal.Bangerz Education and Wellbeing Trust and a former board member, Siaosi Gavet, want to convert Kelston Boys’ High School.The school itself says it’s an unsupported bid that it doesn’t endorse, and it’s not wanted by senior leaders or staff.The trust has consultation open until midnight on Friday.But in a document posted on its website, it says the school’s open letter it put on social media ends that consultation.”The…

The volcanic alert level at Whakaari/White Island has been raised to level three after a possible eruption this afternoon.Earth Sciences New Zealand said a small-low energy eruption possibly occurred at around 12.30pm.The aviation colour code had also been increased to orange as a result.MetService said it had not detected volcanic ash in the observed plumes using satellite imagery.”The event seems to have lasted for a few minute and is now over,” Earth Sciences New Zealand reported.The increased volcanic alert level would remain for at least 48 hours, and would be reassessed by Earth Science New Zealand’s volcano monitoring group and…

Two Auckland women have been sentenced following the “undeserved and horrific” death of their dog due to starvation and hypothermia. In July 2024, SPCA inspectors visited the pair’s property following concerns about the welfare of dogs on site.During the inspection, a white mixed-breed dog named Princess was found tethered to a fence, with only a table for shelter and an empty water bowl, the SPCA said. One of the women told inspectors that Princess hadn’t been eating properly for the past few weeks. Inspectors provided advice on how to improve her condition before returning the following day with a kennel…

Foreign Minister Winston Peters has sanctioned 65 so-called “shadow fleet” vessels involved in shipping Russian oil.The move was announced in a statement released on Thursday coinciding with Peters meeting with the Nordic 5 Foreign Ministers in Stockholm.He said oil was a key source of revenue helping Russia fund its war in Ukraine, and the shadow fleet was part of a broader network undermining global efforts to curtail its trade.It comes a day after Reuters news agency reported a New Zealand company offered insurance to tankers helping the trade of billions of dollars of Iranian and Russian oil, skirting Western sanctions.This…

New law simplifying rules for building granny flats could bring extra costs for ratepayers, an economist says.The Government announced last week that people can build structures of up to 70 square metres in their backyards without a building consent.Economist Brad Olsen from Infometrics said, in general, people could have an increase in rates on sections with new granny flats.”Effectively, you would have another unit that would be using resources,“ he said.“The question would be how that plays out in the change in value of the property, and how councils across New Zealand deal with it.“If you build a granny flat…

The Associate Agriculture Minister has defended his decision to consult only the pork industry and give them a decade to transition to new pig welfare reforms, during a grilling from opposition MPs.Andrew Hoggard appeared before the Primary Production Select Committee on Thursday, which was hearing a limited number of oral submissions on the Animal Welfare Amendment (Regulations for Management of Pigs) Bill after the process was fast-tracked.The Government’s bill reverses a planned ban on farrowing crates – which stop a sow from turning around in order to avoid crushing her piglets – and instead keeps them in use until 2035…

Europe should forge a deeper strategic partnership with Turkey in response to emerging global challenges, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Thursday on his first official visit to Ankara, which has played a crucial mediating role in the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. Merz was speaking alongside Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, just days after Turkey and the United Kingdom finalised a multi-billion-euro deal for the sale of 20 Eurofighter Typhoon jets. Germany, part of the consortium that manufactures the advanced fighter aircraft, recently lifted its longstanding objection to their export to Turkey. Merz’s visit also comes amid reports of…