Latest New Zealand News
RSS-
USAR teams imitating Christchurch quake in training
Urban Search and Rescue teams spent a month crawling through suffocating spaces, often cold and wet in the pitch black, breaking through concrete walls in pancaked buildings in a desperate effort to find survivors and bodies after the Christchurch quake. It is those conditions that trainee USAR member John "Ruckus" O'Rourke knows lie ahead of him as he trains to become an internationally ...
-
Visitors flocking to NZ in record numbers
Visitors flocked to New Zealand in record numbers last month, with Chinese tourists showing the biggest increase. Arrivals in April reached 200,600 - up 3 per cent from the same time last year and surpassing the previous record April high of 197,800, according to Statistics New Zealand. The number of tourists from China showed the biggest change, with 6600 more last month ...
-
Wildfoods Festival ticket sales slump after 24 years
For the first time in its 24-year history, the Hokitika Wildfoods Festival has run at a loss as ticket sales slumped to 8800. The Westland District Council announced yesterday the festival had a "negative variance" of $35,709, with some further overhead charges yet to come. Chief executive Tanya Winter said the financial performance was primarily affected by lower than budgeted ...
More New Zealand News
RSS-
New Zealand to increase military presence in South Pacific
New Zealand is preparing to increase its military presence in the South Pacific, in close collaboration with the Australian government. The moves further align the two regional imperialist powers with the US Obama administration's "pivot" to the Asia-Pacific and its aggressive confrontation of China.The New Zealand government announced its plans following an inaugural meeting of ...
-
Government At War with Solid Energy Board
Despite having known the scale of Solid Energy's troubles for years the Government was prepping the company for sale just days before it cut 400 jobs and revealed it was in serious trouble, says Labour's SOEs spokesperson Clayton Cosgrove. "National was determined to sell off Solid Energy, come hell or high water. It didn't matter what the cost. Despite knowing about ...
-
Minister finally sees sense over Salisbury
Tuesday, 21 May 2013, 4:15 pm Press Release: New Zealand Labour Party Chris HipkinsEducation Spokesperson21 May 2013Minister finally sees sense over SalisburyEducation Minister Hekia Parata's latest decision to keep Salisbury School open is the right one - it's just a shame it took a court ruling, relentless community work and a major dose of negative press to bring the ...
-
GCSB Case Bungled by Prime Minister
New Zealand First says the report by the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security into breaches of the Government Communications Security Bureau Act reveals bungles by the Minister in charge - John Key.A recent review of compliance at the GCSB by Rebecca Kitteridge found difficulties of interpretation in the GCSB Act.Following the Prime Minister receiving her report, cases involving ...
-
HBRC hears from Auditor General on its own compliance
21 May 2013 HBRC hears from Auditor General on its own complianceHawke's Bay Regional Council is comfortable with the response from the Office of the Auditor General relating to claims made against it by Transparent Hawke's Bay.In a letter dated 16 May 2013, the Officer of the Auditor General (OAG) responded to claims that Hawke's Bay Regional Council (HBRC) had not met its ...
-
Launch of E Tū Whānau Toolbox Budget Announcement
< 1000) { timout = timout * 2; window.setTimeout(fix_dimensions, timout); } } window.setTimeout(fix_dimensions, timout); return result; ...
-
Only a full inquiry will restore confidence in GCSB
The claim by the Inspector-General that the 88 cases of potential illegal spying did not break the law won't reassure Kiwis who have lost confidence in the agency and its oversight, says Labour Leader David Shearer."The Inspector-General has found that there were 'arguably' no breaches in the 88 cases involving New Zealanders. Well that finding doesn't exactly ...
-
Retired superintendent receives QSO honour
A shift in attitudes towards drink driving was the major change seen by retired police superintendent Paula Rose in her 27 years in road policing. "When I started with the Ministry of Transport in 1984 the amounts people would drink and the social acceptance of drink driving was light years away from what it is today," she said at an investiture ceremony today. "We've still got too many people ...
-
Waterspouts spotted off Auckland coast
Raw video: Water spouts over Manukau Harbour (0:29) A thunderstorm warning for Auckland has been lifted, after waterspouts were seen off the coast this afternoon. People at Auckland Airport and in Titirangi have reported seeing double waterspouts and funnel clouds in the Manukau Harbour as the band of thundery showers crossed over the region. Waterspouts form at the base of storm clouds ...
-
Real estate agent found guilty of disgraceful conduct
A South Auckland real estate agent who provided blank sale and purchase agreements which were used in a fraudulent mortgage scheme has been found guilty of disgraceful conduct. The Real Estate Agents Disciplinary Tribunal has suspended Joanne Picknell's licence for nine months and ordered her to pay a $1000 fine after finding her guilty of two misconduct charges. The charges were laid after BNZ ...
-
School warning over homeless man
A Tauranga school has warned parents to take care when dropping off their children after concerns were raised about a homeless man living in his car in the area. An email was sent to parents of St Mary's Catholic School on Friday warning of an "unwelcome stranger" who had been repeatedly spotted in his car near the school at the start and end of the day. Principal Ben Fuller said the property ...
-
Top cop hits out at violence against police
Gisborne's top cop has labelled an alleged attack on a police officer in the line of duty a sad indictment on society. Tairawhiti area police commander Inspector Sam Aberahama was commenting following an alleged assault on a police officer in Bryce Street at the weekend. A police officer was allegedly hit in the face with a bottle when he went with other police to a house in the ...
-
Hataitai Bowling Club becomes Community Hub
Hataitai Bowling Club becomes Community Hub The assets (including land and buildings) of the Hataitai Bowling Club have been transferred into a community trust. The new Trust will manage these assets on behalf of the Hataitai Community. The Hataitai Bowling Club recognised that membership was falling, and were unable to maintain the green for competitive bowling. The Club collaborated ...
-
Report shows GCSB inquiry needed before law change
The National Government should put its GCSB Bill on hold and order an independent inquiry given the on-going uncertainty and confusion over the agency's actions in spying on New Zealanders, Green Party Co-leader Russel Norman said today.The Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security Paul Neazor was asked to look at cases where 88 New Zealanders may have been illegally spied on by ...
-
Lowest paid need living wage most of all
The Service and Food Workers Union Nga Ringa Tota has congratulated Hamilton City Councillors who have voted today to bring in a living wage over the next two years, but asked them to include the lowest paid in their workforce."While it is important to back the principle of the living wage, that principle is about all workers, both directly-employed and contracted, being paid enough ...
-
Innovative Tactics Sees 88 Drop In Burglaries In Hamilton
Putting words into action is the driver behind a whole of policing approach that has seen an 88 percent drop in residential burglaries in one of Hamilton's most vulnerable areas. City Tactical Coordinator, Senior Sergeant Freda Grace, said over the past two months there has been a serious spike in the number of burglaries in the Waikato with 99 over the weekend following ANZAC Day ...
-
Democracy under pressure – and Budget juggling
Previous Winner Stephen Tubbs is NBR's latest winner of New Zealand's richest subscription prize, a fabulous trip for two flying Business Class with Singapore Airlines and SilkAir to Cambodia’s newest ultimate "all-inclusive" luxury eco-resort – Song Saa Private Island, valued at ...
-
Disaster-zone rescuers train in abandoned building
Source: ONE News Members of the Urban Search and Rescue team have taken part in an earthquake simulation exercise as they gear up to become certified to be deployed to disaster zones overseas. More than 20 firefighters and seven paramedics have finished a three-week course with a three day exercise at the abandoned Longburn freezing works in Palmerston North. The exercise simulates rescues from ...
-
NZ smartphone ownership doubles in one year - study
video The number of New Zealanders who own a smartphone has doubled in the past year, a new survey shows. The figure has risen from 33% this time last year, to 60%, the research from global consultancy firm TNS found. It surveyed the mobile use of 38,000 people in 43 countries, with 500 Kiwis taking part. The Mobile Life online study explored the behaviour, motivation and priorities of mobile ...
-
Community leaders voice their opposition to SkyCity deal
Auckland community leaders have voiced their opposition to the Government's convention centre deal with SkyCity. Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei and Salvation Army representatives, were among the opponents to the recently-signed deal who gathered at a meeting in Auckland this morning. They are concerned the extra gambling concessions the Government has allowed in exchange for ...
-
Waterspouts form over Manukau Harbour
Two waterspouts have been spotted in Manukau Harbour this afternoon, after a severe thunderstorm outlook was issued by MetService. WeatherWatch warned earlier today that there was a "low to moderate" risk of tornadoes forming in Auckland, but that the risk of one hitting a house was "very low". Now photos of two waterspouts - tornadoes over water - show them passing over the ...
-
Minister attends global disaster forum in Geneva
Tuesday, 21 May 2013, 2:30 pm Press Release: New Zealand Government Hon Nikki KayeMinister of Civil Defence21 May 2013Minister attends global disaster forum in GenevaCivil Defence Minister Nikki Kaye will attend the Fourth Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in Geneva, Switzerland this week.She will speak at the opening ceremony today (Tuesday 21 May)."It is ...
New Zealand Featured
-
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
News from around our Network
