Acting PM takes action against MPs, ministry and public servants, alleging a breach of privacy in 2017
New Zealand’s acting prime minister, Winston Peters, is suing two National party MPs, a slew of public servants and a government ministry for breach of privacy.
Peters, who is currently acting PM in Jacinda Ardern’s absence, alleges that Anne Tolley and Paula Bennett breached his privacy by leaking his superannuation documents to the media.
Continue reading...A year without air travel taught me the path to carbon neutral won’t be easy, but I learned I could inspire others to act
What is the single thing that you could do that would most reduce your carbon footprint? Take your bike to work rather than your car? Dig up your lawn for a vegetable garden? For me, an academic scientist living and working in Auckland, New Zealand, I reasoned that the most significant thing I could do was to stop flying.
In 2017 I flew 84,000km. I made twenty day trips to Wellington, New Zealand’s capital city. I travelled to the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia to attend conferences and work on joint projects with other scientists. All of this made me accountable for around 19 tonnes of carbon dioxide that year, nearly three times that of the average Kiwi.
Continue reading...The government dreamed of a metropolis that is a beacon to all but the pace of change has left some behind and others disillusioned
Tāmaki Makaurau, the Māori name for Auckland which can be translated as “the place desired by many”, is living up to its billing. The city’s population has swelled rapidly to 1.7 million and is estimated to be adding 40,000 people a year. By 2048 it could host nearly half of New Zealand’s current population.
In the 1980s only a couple of thousand people lived in the central city. Now some 57,000 people call it home, a figure that was not expected to be reached until 2032.
Continue reading...New Zealand man, 27, has pleaded not guilty to murder of 21-year-old British tourist
One year since the body of British backpacker Grace Millane was discovered in dense bushland on the outskirts of Auckland, the man accused of murdering her is set to stand trial in New Zealand this week.
The 27-year-old New Zealand man, who was granted name suppression by the Auckland high court in December, has pleaded not guilty to her murder.
Continue reading...Major Ministry of Justice report analysed tens of thousands of cases over four years, with nearly two-third involving children
Less than a third of sexual violence reports in New Zealand lead to a court case, and only 11% to a conviction, the most comprehensive analysis ever undertaken in the country has found.
The Ministry of Justice report, which looked at tens of thousands of cases over four years, “does not make for happy reading” and highlighted just how many people face barriers to justice, said Jan Logie, under-secretary to the minister of justice.
Continue reading...Māori commentators lament that more rugby teams don’t come up with ways to challenge the traditional dance
New Zealanders have expressed disappointment at the decision to fine England for their v-shaped formation for the All Blacks haka in their Rugby World Cup semi-final, with many fans praising them for their dignity and dramatic flair.
On Saturday night, England delighted fans in both camps when players arranged themselves to face the All Blacks. The V – which many inside New Zealand took to stand for “victory” – was widely praised by New Zealanders, many of whom commented on the dignified and low-key response of the English side to what can be a confronting and emotional experience.
Continue reading...The former FBI director James Comey joked he would move to New Zealand if Donald Trump was re-elected in 2020. Comey worked for the Obama administration, caused a storm over Hillary Clinton's emails in 2016 and was fired by Trump in May 2017. He also said US leaders 'can't be people who lie all the time'
Continue reading...World Cup loss to England disappointing but not devastating as Eddie Jones praised for tactical masterclass
As New Zealand woke up on Sunday morning, the long weekend had lost its lustre.
On Saturday night, the All Blacks had crashed out of the Rugby World Cup in an underwhelming show against England, and the tantalising sweetness of a possible three-time World Cup victory was gone.
Continue reading...Farmers given until 2022 to make changes or pay higher taxes as party of net-zero emissions by 2050 policy
New Zealand farmers have five years to reduce their carbon emissions before the government introduces financial penalties, prime minister Jacinda Ardern has announced.
Ardern’s Labour coalition government has committed to making New Zealand carbon net-zero by 2050, with the PM likening the climate change battle to the previous generations’ struggle against the rise of nuclear power.
Continue reading...Hundreds of firefighters brought in to tackle blaze as Jacinda Ardern promises to restore venue
A fire in Auckland’s city centre continues to smoulder 48 hours after thousands of people were evacuated from the heart of New Zealand’s largest city.
Hundreds of firefighters have been working in shifts to put out the blaze on the roof of the SkyCity convention centre, with reinforcements called in from towns as far away as Hamilton, two hours to the south, which provided 30 firetrucks.
Continue reading...A fire burned in the heart of New Zealand’s largest city, Auckland, starting from the roof of the SkyCity centre, which is still under construction. Thousands of people were evacuated. Workers on the site were sent away immediately, but as the fire continued to rage, other areas – including New Zealand's tallest building, Sky Tower – were cleared.
The New Zealand fire service asked residents to stay clear of the city centre and a spokesperson said it was 'a very, very difficult fire to extinguish'
Continue reading...Curators have added 1,000 selfies to Auckland Museum’s permanent photography collection after calling on the public to submit them. ‘Our collection holds more than 3m photographs, dating back to the early days of photography, and a part of my role is to ensure our collection continues to reflect trends,’ says its curator of pictorial, Shaun Higgins. ‘The selfie is a present-day photographic phenomenon that can’t be overlooked’
• Insider’s guide to Auckland: a multicultural melting pot by the sea
Continue reading...The fire started just after 1pm on the roof of the SkyCity convention centre
Thousands of people were evacuated from central Auckland on Tuesday as a massive fire burned in the heart of New Zealand’s largest city.
The fire started just after 1pm on the roof of the SkyCity convention centre, which is still under construction.
Continue reading...The number of elected officials under 30 doubled in city and district elections. Here a selection of them speak about their priorities
They took gap years to stay at home and run for office. They list as their political heroes progressive leaders such as Jacinda Ardern and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. And they plan to juggle their new roles as elected officials with university exams and shifts at McDonald’s.
The record number of young New Zealanders, some still in their teens, who surged to victory in the country’s local government elections on Saturday – in what was dubbed a “youthquake” by commentators – were not lured by dreams of high-profile posts in national politics.
Continue reading...Andy Foster says financial backing from Lord of the Rings director was not reason for his victory in New Zealand capital
Wellington’s new mayor, Andy Foster, has hit back at suggestions he is a “puppet” of Sir Peter Jackson, whilst still refusing to reveal how much the Lord of the Rings director and wife Fran Walsh donated to his campaign.
Andy Foster won local elections in New Zealand’s capital city over the weekend, ousting one-term incumbent Justin Lester.
Continue reading...As we mark 250 years since the arrival of Captain Cook in New Zealand, we are still seeing crimes against indigenous peoples and their territories
If you look back at photographs of the 1969 bicentennial Cook commemorations in Gisborne, the appearance is one of a festive affair. A parade through town, led by a huge float of Captain Cook’s head made its way through local throngs, followed by a model of the Endeavour ship. Naval vessels from Australia, USA, Canada and the USA took part, the pageantry is both very British, and very provincial New Zealand.
Today, just 50 years later, the response to this anniversary is very different.
Continue reading...British and Australian regret over Cook’s treatment of Indigenous people would go a long way to enhancing understanding of the continent’s shared history
The British government has issued an oh-so-carefully worded expression of “regret” for the killing of Māori in Aotearoa, today’s New Zealand, at the point of first contact during Lieutenant James Cook’s “voyage of discovery” 250 years ago.
Regrets! The old empire certainly has had cause for a few when it comes to the violence it has meted out to the indigenes of the places it took during Britain’s colonial expansion.
Continue reading...Trial of man accused of killing 51 people at two mosques set to begin in June next year
The man accused of killing 51 people at two mosques in New Zealand in March has withdrawn an application to have the trial moved away from Christchurch, the city where the attacks occurred.
The decision was announced at the high court in Christchurch, where the accused man, Australian Brenton Tarrant, appeared via a video link from a high-security prison in Auckland.
Continue reading...Planes briefly grounded across the country over ‘fault with main air traffic system’
A fire alarm in New Zealand’s radar centre effectively shut down the country’s airspace, halting planes from taking off for a short time on Monday afternoon.
Planes were stranded on the tarmac and landings were being “managed” by Airways NZ after the country’s navigation service provider confirmed “a fault with our main air traffic system”.
Continue reading...Abuse victims shared meals and a motel with man convicted of historical crimes against children
New Zealand’s troubled royal commission into abuse in state care has been dealt another blow, with commissioners revealing survivors unwittingly spent time with a convicted child sex offender tangentially connected to the inquiry.
The royal commission is investigating historic abuse of children and adults by state-run institutions between 1950 and 1999. It is the largest and most complex royal commission ever undertaken in New Zealand, and has been plagued by issues since its inception, including the resignation of its chair, Sir Anand Satyanand, last month.
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