Author: Press Room
Organisers of one of the world’s biggest secondary school cultural festivals have decided to split the event across two venues, to accommodate its growth.The annual ASB Polyfest, held in south Auckland to celebrate Pacific culture, will be hosted at the Manukau Sports Bowl and the Due Drop Events Centre next year.Organisers announced the first part of the 2026 festival will be held on March 18-21 for the Niue, Tonga, Samoa, Cook Islands and Diversity performances, and on March 30-April 2 for the Māori stage.Traditionally, Polyfest is held over four days at the sports bowl, featuring five cultural stages.Polyfest Trust chair…
The Government is putting a temporary halt to some international adoptions being recognised in New Zealand, after revelations people with previous convictions for violence or sexual abuse were adopting children overseas.The Adoption Amendment Bill will stop unsafe overseas adoptions being recognised under New Zealand’s citizenship and immigration processes, and is being introduced under urgency.In the most recent publicised case, an adopted girl was given a visa to live with her new family in New Zealand, despite them being investigated by police for people-trafficking.Social workers and other officials have uncovered cases of children being held in domestic servitude, adoptive families taking…
A man who allegedly stole more than $14,000 worth of gear, including tools, from various Auckland trade stores has been charged with shoplifting, police say.The man was taken into custody after a shoplifting incident at Bunnings Manukau earlier this month.Counties Manukau East communities manager Senior Sergeant Simon Cornish said, “upon further investigation, it was established the man was allegedly involved in several other incidents at different stores, involving leaving without paying for the items in his trolley.”“Last week officers executed a search warrant at a rural property in Karaka,” he said.”Police took a man into custody who we believe is…
Food company Talley’s has begun its High Court defamation case against TVNZ and reporter Thomas Mead. The company claimed it had lost income and its reputation had unfairly suffered after a series of reports alleging health and safety concerns. TVNZ said in response that it reported truthfully and responsibly in the 2021 and 2022 stories. Talley’s said there were six reports which unfairly did damage to its business.Brian Dickey, who represented the company at the High Court in Auckland, said the stories “crossed the line from factual reporting into exaggeration, misinterpretation and outright falsities”.“In colloquial terms, they put the boot…
A long-awaited $450 million wastewater treatment plant at Snells Beach has finally opened, but for oyster farmer Tom Walters, the milestone has come far too late.Walters, who has spent 20 years building Matakana Oysters, says years of sewage spills into the Mahurangi River have left his livelihood and his community on the brink.“Initial thoughts are fantastic to see it open. It is a great feat of engineering. And people involved should be proud of it,” Walters told 1News.“Just a pity that it didn’t come a few years back when it was supposed to. And instead, we’ve had rampant sewage overflows…
Vice President JD Vance said Tuesday while hosting Charlie Kirk’s radio show that he is “desperate” for national unity after the conservative political activist’s killing but that finding common ground with people who celebrated the assassination of his friend is impossible.The Republican vice president filled in as host of The Charlie Kirk Show from his ceremonial office in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building next to the White House. The livestream of the two-hour programme was broadcast in the White House press briefing room and featured a series of appearances by White House and administration officials who knew the 31-year-old Kirk.Vance,…
Thousands have marched through the capital five decades on from the first Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori, a milestone some say has been spoiled by policies they feel are taking the language backwards.Mokena Hokianga Tumaurirere said he was marching to “tautoko our tamariki” and “our rangatahi”, and te reo Māori.“We shouldn’t have to be fighting for it all the time, it should just be something that [tamariki] feel comfortable to do, and I’m really proud of this generation because it’s something that they just do naturally now,” he said.“As Māori, it’s something we’ve been fighting for for mai rā…
Wellington public transport officials are exploring ways to introduce contactless payments “as soon as possible” as delays to the beleaguered $1.4 billion Motu Move national ticketing system stretch into 2027.The capital’s desire to integrate contactless payments — such as Paywave-type cards and smartphone wallets — into its existing system comes amid the announcement of an extra year of delays in completing Motu Move, the $1.4 billion national ticketing system.A revised regional roll-out plan for NZTA’s nationwide payments system remains under development, but was expected to be released later this month. Greater Wellington Regional Council transport committee chairperson Thomas Nash said…
Tool has announced one show in Auckland for later this year.They will play at Auckland’s Spark Arena on Saturday November 22, before they head to Australia in early December for the Good Things Festival. The metal pioneers last played in Auckland in early 2020. Earlier this year they played at Black Sabbath’s final show in Birmingham. Their last album, Fear Inoculum, was released in 2019. Ticket information is available via Frontier Touring.
Learner drivers in Auckland’s remote north-west will be able to continue with their free lessons after a local charity was gifted a replacement for their ageing car.Helensville’s Outwest Youth runs several youth programmes in the region, including free driving lessons for those who need them. But they recently hit a speedbump, making the call to retire their 14-year-old Mazda Demio because it was on its “last legs”. Limited by funding for a replacement, the organisation set up a Givealittle, hoping the community could pitch in and help. Learner drivers in Auckland’s remote northwest will be able to continue with their…