Author: Press Room

A man found guilty earlier this year on sexual charges against a 13-year-old girl has been sentenced to four and a half years in prison.Luca Fairgray, who was 20 at the time of the offending in 2023, was convicted in in the Auckland District Court in February on three charges of sexual conduct with a young person.His lawyer Susan Gray asked for a term of imprisonment of 30 months and said her client had already been assaulted in prison and his parents subjected to extortion attempts.But Judge Evangelos Thomas said Fairgray knew the teenager’s age when he met her in…

The Government has revealed the next two charter schools to be opened.Tōtara Park School and Twin Oaks Classical School, both in Auckland, would join the seven schools already opened, Associate Education Minister David Seymour announced today. Tōtara Park would open in Term 1 of next year and begin with a cohort of students from years one to four. The school was based on the “Pared” model of schools, using a personalised mentoring system. “Mentors support parents in exercising their duty as primary educators. An individual mentor, selected from the teachers and learning assistants at the school, is appointed to each…

Speaking to French TV channel TF1 in her first reaction to the verdict, Le Pen called the ruling a “political decision” aimed at preventing her from running in the 2027 presidential election ADVERTISEMENTA French court on Monday convicted Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Rally (RN), of embezzlement and barred her from seeking public office for five years, in a major blow to her presidential hopes.Speaking to French TV channel TF1 in her first reaction to the verdict, Le Pen called the ruling a “political decision” aimed at preventing her from running in the 2027 presidential election and said…

A Wellington restaurant owner who closed the doors for the final time this weekend believes meals are underpriced and people do not understand the true cost of putting the food on the table, including wages for kitchen and wait staff. Asher Boote closed his restaurant Daisy’s at the weekend. He said a lot of factors contributed to the decision, including tough economic times and tight margins. It is one of several venues that have shut up shop in the capital recently. Boote told RNZ’s Checkpoint that people needed to remember that dining out was a luxury, and that might mean…

Auckland Transport will hike parking fees by 50 cents per hour across most of the city next month — a move the agency blames on higher operational costs.From April 14, parking prices will increase by 50 cents per hour at all on-street parking spaces and Auckland Transport-managed carparks. Daily price caps at carparks will change as well.Some areas of Auckland are excluded from this increase if they have had a recent price change. These include Devonport, Westgate, Eden Terrace South, Freemans Bay, Edgerley Ave in Parnell, and McNaughton Way and Delta Avenue in New Lynn.Auckland Transport parking prices last rose…

Despite law-enforcement cooperation with France and work with authorities in other countries along the migrant route, more than 6,600 people crossed the Channel in the first three months of this year, the highest number on record. ADVERTISEMENTPrime Minister Keir Starmer has said a lack of coordination between the police and intelligence agencies is partly responsible for a surge in the number of migrants reaching the UK in small boats across the English Channel.At an international meeting on boosting border security and tackling people-smuggling, Starmer expressed frustration at the difficulty of stopping thousands of people a year risking the dangerous sea crossing…

Gore is mourning the loss of well-respected businessman Ivan Van de Water, who died in a plane crash near Lake Hāwea on Saturday, Deputy Mayor Keith Hovell says.Van de Water was one of two men on board the light plane. The other person was flown to hospital in a critical condition.Van de Water retired to Wānaka after selling his jewellery business, Van de Water Jewellers, in 2021, which he operated with his wife for close to 40 years.Hovell said Van de Water’s passing was a significant loss for the community, as he was an extremely well-respected businessman.”More importantly, he was…

Auckland’s Polyfest, the world’s largest secondary school Polynesian festival, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this week.This year’s event host, Western Springs College – Ngā Puna o Waiōrea, has a proud history of representing at the festival. It has been the defending champion of the Māori stage for the last six years running.Tiakina Te Kare tutors Ngā Puna o Rehu, one of four Ngā Puna o Waiōrea kapa haka that compete across four divisions. She said it was a challenging job when she first started 10 years ago, but it was beautiful to see how much tauira have grown over the…

A 69-year-old woman was treated for depression at her rest home, when she’d actually had a stroke.Kauri Lodge in Kaeo has been criticised for their care of the woman by the Health and Disability Commission, being told it should have listened to her family more.In her report, Aged Care Commissioner Carolyn Cooper said the woman — known as Mrs A — had been happy, content and settled at the home.She used a walking frame to move around the home to see friends, had visits out with family and was described as an “independent lady” by a staff member.But, over a…

The incident is the latest in a series of suspected arson attacks targeting Elon Musk’s company. ADVERTISEMENTItalian police are investigating a possible arson attack after more than a dozen Tesla cars were burned at a dealership at the edge of the capital early on Monday morning.A total of 17 cars were damaged in the fire after a blaze was reported around 4:30 am, Italian news agency Ansa reported. No injuries were reported.It appears to be the latest in a series of incidents targeting Elon Musk’s electric car manufacturer. Police on Saturday were investigating a fire that destroyed seven Teslas in…