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Greens want first-home loophole
Greens co-leader Russel Norman. File photo / Mark Mitchell Green Party co-leader Russel Norman hopes there will be some form of differential application of loan-to-value ratio lending limits for first-home buyers under plans being discussed between the Reserve Bank and retail banks. That follows very public pressure that Prime Minister John Key applied last week and this week in making a case ...
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Tax overseas buyers - Kiwi
Jason Kerr. Photo / Brett Phibbs Some house buyers are backing calls to stop foreigners from ramping up Auckland's already heated market. Jason Kerr, who resorted to a huge letterbox flyer drop to find a home, said New Zealand had it wrong, allowing non-residents to buy houses. "Anyone who is an overseas investor should be hit with a tax, whether it's Australians, Chinese or ...
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Dunne slams rogue elephant over tough line on partys fate
Peter Dunne. Photo / Mark Mitchell Peter Dunne has hit out at the Electoral Commission after it refused to budge on its requirements for his party's reregistration, describing it as "petty bureaucracy'," "a rogue elephant" and "living in the days of quill pens and parchment". Mr Dunne risks losing up to $185,000 a year in parliamentary finding if he ...
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NZ unis in top 100 newcomers
University of Waikato in Hamilton was ranked 46th. Photo / NZPA Two New Zealand universities have been named in the top 100 tertiary institutions younger than 50-years-old. The University of Waikato made it into the top half of Times Higher Education's list ranking at 46th and Massey University came in at 81st. Both were founded in 1964. The magazine said the rankings provided a fresh ...
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Norman reversal wont win finance job Shearer
Labour last night welcomed the Greens' u-turn. Finance spokesman David Parker said the Greens' policy had been "an unhelpful position". Photo / Mark Mitchell The back-down by Green Party co-leader Russel Norman on money-printing may make him more compatible with Labour's positions on monetary policy but he will not be finance minister in a Labour-led government, Labour ...
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Earthworks effect on environment irreversible
The Waterview Rd connection. Photo / Doug Sherring Massive earthworks carving through difficult country for Auckland's next highway will dwarf excavations for the Waterview motorway tunnels. A report for Auckland Council consideration today says the $760 million first stage of the Puhoi to Wellsford tolled highway - one of the Government's seven "roads of national ...
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Carter and Ranger start for All Blacks
The All Blacks have made five changes to their team that will face France this Saturday, with Piri Weepu and Dan Carter reunited at half-back. Weepu gets a start with Tawera Kerr-Barlow coming onto the bench. A fit-again Carter comes in for Aaron Cruden who is getting a rest.Rene Ranger gets his first start of the series after two cameos off the bench, with Charles Piutau coming into the 23 ...
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Winter blast Storm still to come
---Send your weather related stories, photos or video here.--- Meteorologists are warning "the storm is still to come'' as a polar blast brings snow, rain and winds to the country this morning. A severe weather warning remains in place for heavy snow, rain and gales for most of the South Island and Wellington, while the rest of the country remains on alert. A woman was ...
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No region spared as Antarctic blast sets in
A polar blast sweeping the country will arrive in Auckland today, bringing heavy rain, hail and thunder, and a chance of snow tomorrow. The Antarctic weather system left no part of the country without a weather warning overnight and this morning. South Islanders will be the worst hit and are preparing for heavy snowfall and bitterly cold winds expected to close roads, cut power ...
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Iwi want Rena wreck gone
The two complaints, lodged on behalf of several Bay of Plenty groups and individuals, centre on an order by the Government for the ship's owners to remove the vessel from Astrolabe Reef off the Tauranga coast, where it ran aground in October 2011. Maritime New Zealand issued the order hours after the grounding, and an agency spokesman yesterday confirmed that it remains in force. In light of ...
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High-rise hot topic behind closed doors
The Auckland Council is getting into detail behind closed doors on the hot button subject of high-rise buildings before councillors have seen feedback on the Unitary Plan, says councillor Mike Lee. Councillors and local board members met yesterday to discuss the heights in town centres - their first grab at the 22,700 pieces of feedback to the draft plan. After the workshop, Deputy Mayor Penny ...
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Tight budgets threaten health jobs
Auckland health workers face the prospect of job losses as district health boards grapple with a tightening supply of money from the Government. Leaders of the Waitemata and Auckland District Health Boards are openly talking of the possibility of cutting jobs, although not as their main way of making Government funding stretch to cover growing demand for health services. Waitemata's increase in ...
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Officials wary over snapper plans
Sensitivity over new management options for the country's biggest snapper fishery is prompting deep thought within the Ministry for Primary Industries. Draft proposals for managing stocks in Snapper 1 and a number of other fisheries from October 1 were due for consultation at the beginning of this week but may now be 10 days away. Ministry for Primary Industries inshore manager Andrew Doube ...
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Inquest to investigate Ohope landslip death
A family member of a teenager killed in a Bay of Plenty landslip following torrential rain believes his death could have been prevented if authorities had ordered evacuations. John Sim, whose great-granddaughter never got to meet her father, Hugh Biddle, shared his frustrations ahead of an inquest today into the 17-year-old's death in Ohope on June 18, 2011. It had been raining heavily that ...
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Cosgrove tipped to contest byelection
Lianne Dalziel's looming resignation to contest the Christchurch mayoralty has sparked speculation Labour will stand list MP Clayton Cosgrove in the byelection for the seat, opening the way for Northlander Kelvin Davis to return to Parliament. Ms Dalziel confirmed she would stand against Mayor Bob Parker in the local body elections in October and would resign as an MP before then. She said she ...
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Ask Phoebe Bus lane solution in the works
When approaching Market Place from Fanshawe St coming off the bridge, the bus lane ends and there is a "left lane, left turn into Market Place only" sign. Immediately after the junction the bus lane picks up again. Can buses go straight on from the left lane (which seems sensible)? Drivers seem split about 50/50 on the issue, judging by their behaviour. Quentin Bennett, ...
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Lone voice against steroid scourge
Every day Don Hooton fires up his computer in McKinney, Texas, and searches Google for stories about the impact of steroids on young lives. This week, what Don found stopped him cold. In 2003 Don's son, Taylor, took his own life in circumstances that almost exactly mirrored the suicide four years earlier of Invercargill 20-year-old Kris McKenzie, whose tragic story was documented in Monday's ...
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Approval for DNA splicing triggers legal action based on GM fears
The agency charged with protecting New Zealand's environment has approved the use of a new technique for creating "mutant" genes outside the laboratory because it doesn't fit a legal definition of genetic modification. The technique would see scientists free to splice DNA - deleting or inserting new parts and changing the way it works - without having to work inside the laws governing genetic ...
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Drug case cops warned Olympian
An Olympic athlete was given a formal warning by police investigating an international drug ring but New Zealand sports officials had no choice but to select him when charges were not laid. Logan Campbell represented New Zealand at the Beijing and London Olympics in the martial art of taekwondo, but is best known for owning a brothel to finance his sporting goals. He sold the escort agency after ...
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New Zealand law permits low risk designer drugs
Stoners, pill-poppers and drug regulators everywhere: turn your eyes to New Zealand. The country looks set to adopt new laws permitting the limited sale of some designer drugs for recreational purposes. The legislation is the first in the world to regulate new recreational drugs based on scientific evidence of their risk of ...
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All Blacks reclaim Bledisloe Cup from Wallabies
AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) -- Australia lost the Bledisloe Cup Saturday at Eden Park but it won back pride after a demoralizing thrashing by the All Blacks in Sydney last month -- and the knowledge it can compete with New Zealand at the World Cup. Doug Howlett scored two tries as New Zealand capped an unbeaten Tri-Nations campaign with a tough 21-17 win over Australia and regained the Bledisloe ...
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Struggling Lomu left out by Wellington
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) -- Jonah Lomu's struggle to revive his rugby career while suffering chronic kidney disease stalled Thursday when Wellington left him off the team for the first round of the National Championship. The All Blacks wing, undergoing dialysis three times a week while awaiting a kidney transplant, was unable to train in the leadup to Saturday's match against ...
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Rugby All Blacks unchanged for Wallabies clash
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) -- Eddie Jones' Wallabies will face the identical All Black team that beat them 50-21 in Sydney three weeks ago in the Tri-Nations and Bledisloe Cup rugby union test at Auckland on Saturday. Jones' New Zealand opposite John Mitchell Wednesday named the run-on 15 which trounced Australia by a record score at Stadium Australia for a match that marks the ...
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Chinas top political advisor starts official good-will visit to New Zealand
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand, April 15 (Xinhua) -- China's top political advisor Jia Qinglin arrived in Christchurch of southern New Zealand Sunday morning for a 4-day official good-will visit, at the invitation of the government of New Zealand.This year marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and New Zealand. The bilateral relations achieved ...
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Danger on roads as snow hits the South Island
The big chill's on its way (4:07) About 20 cars became stuck tonight on State Highway 6 in Southland tonight and six others slid off the road as the big freeze hit the South Island. Senior Sergeant Dave Raynes told ONE News that police have closed SH 6 from Queenstown to Lumsden and from Mossburn to Five Rivers at 6pm tonight due to heavy snow and freezing conditions. Snow has already ...
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New Zealand stepping up for regional fisheries
New Zealand is regional power in the Pacific and this is reflected in our ongoing involvement in the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency, which is the mechanism by which the region manages one of its greatest natural resources.
New Zealand has long been a regional power in the South Pacific, and in this capacity the country has lead a number of major initiatives undertaken alone or in conjunction with other Pacific Island nations, the most important of these have been policies aimed at environmental protection and sustainability, as well as monitoring and rehabilitation of important environmental resources, such as the Pacific fisheries. Read more
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