easier and more convenient travel for all passengers Passengers are able to use the station’s two new lifts and improved accessibility features Transport for NSW would like to thank the community for their continued support and cooperation during the upgrade Although the main upgrade work is complete minor finishing work will continue for a few weeks Please visit the Waitara Station webpage for information on station facilities and transport services Waitara Station Upgrade - Community Notification - February 2024 (PDF, 5.43 MB) Waitara Station Upgrade - Community Notification - January 2024 (PDF, 3.17 MB) Waitara Station Upgrade - Community Notification - December 2023 (PDF, 2.27 MB) Waitara Station Upgrade - Community Notification - November 2023 (PDF, 3.38 MB) Waitara Station Upgrade - Community Notification - October 2023 (PDF, 8.01 MB) Waitara Station Upgrade - Community Notification - September 2023 (PDF, 2.27 MB) Waitara Station Upgrade - Community Notification - August 2023 (PDF, 2.66 MB) Waitara Station Upgrade - Community Notification - July 2023 (PDF, 256.73 KB) Waitara Station Upgrade - Community Notification - July 2023 (PDF, 4.3 MB) Waitara Station Upgrade - Community Notification - June 2023 (PDF, 11.46 MB) Waitara Station Upgrade - Community Notification - May 2023 (PDF, 5.63 MB) Waitara Station Upgrade - Community Notification April 2023 (PDF, 17.11 MB) Waitara Station Upgrade - Community Notification - March 2023 (PDF, 1.33 MB) Waitara Station Upgrade - Community Notification - February 2023 (PDF, 2.19 MB) Waitara Station Upgrade - Community Notification - January 2023 (PDF, 4.33 MB) Waitara Station Upgrade - Community Notification - December 2022 (PDF, 6.87 MB) Waitara Station Upgrade - Community Notification - November 2022 (PDF, 1.42 MB) Waitara Station Upgrade - Community Notification - October 2022 (PDF, 392.65 KB) Waitara Station Upgrade - Community notification - September 2022 (PDF, 470.58 KB) Waitara Station Upgrade - Community notification - August 2022 (PDF, 2.56 MB) Waitara Station Upgrade - Community notification - July 2022 (PDF, 6.2 MB) Waitara Station Upgrade - Community notification - June 2022 (PDF, 264.11 KB) Waitara Station Upgrade - Site investigations, May 2022 (PDF, 140.24 KB) Waitara Station Upgrade - Have Your Say, March 2022 (PDF, 1.19 MB) Waitara Station Upgrade - Site investigations, March 2022 (PDF, 552.6 KB) Waitara Station Upgrade - Site investigations, January 2022 (PDF, 231.64 KB) Waitara Station Upgrade - Have your Say, November 2021 (PDF, 389.71 KB) Waitara Station Upgrade - Have your say, September 2020 (PDF, 767.35 KB) Waitara Station Upgrade Determination Report (PDF, 1.3 MB) Waitara Station Upgrade The Review of Environmental Factors REF (PDF, 7.74 MB) Waitara Station Upgrade Heritage Impact Report (PDF, 6.6 MB) Waitara Station Upgrade Aboricultural Impact Assessment (PDF, 5.88 MB) Waitara Station Upgrade Noise and Vibration Impact Assessment (PDF, 35.35 MB) Waitara Station Landscape Character and Visual Impact Assessment (PDF, 8.1 MB) we invited the community to have their say on the concept design at Waitara Station Due to feedback received during this time and after further design investigations we changed the concept design to create a new accessible station entry at the northern end of the platform. the community had their say on the new concept design. Overall the majority of the community supported the new concept design some requests included the new lifts to be installed in the exiting southern entrance improvements to pedestrian movement and accessible pathway via the commuter car park In April 2022 the community were invited to have their say on the proposal’s Review of Environmental Factors In response to community and stakeholder feedback received on the original concept design in 2021 and the Review of Environmental Factors in 2022 we will now be delivering further improvements to Waitara Station The additional work will be completed in parallel with the upgrades currently being delivered as part of the Waitara Station Upgrade. Thank you to the community for taking the time to provide feedback Planning approval was granted and construction began in May 2022 Transport for NSW recognise and celebrate the diversity of Aboriginal peoples and their ongoing cultures and care of Country We pay respect to traditional custodians and Elders past and present “We were just sitting by the fire and we were talking about the rugby was on, and so I said, look, I’ve been working, I’ve got to go to bed, I’m tired. So we went to bed. “In the middle of the night, I got up and he’d gone out; that was nothing new. And I never saw him again,” she said. Steven Wallace was 23 years old when, in the early hours of 30 April 2000, police shot and killed him in the small Taranaki town of Waitara. Officers claimed he had been smashing shop windows with a golf club. According to a police report, Steven died from an unsurvivable gunshot wound to the liver. It stated that no action or inaction—by anyone could have saved him. But for Raewyn, the explanation has never been enough. She’s spent the past quarter-century demanding accountability. “He was going to be an architect, and he was, you know, such a good drawer, and he was so good at it,” she said. “He was always going to build this big house and, you know, we should be living in this big house with all his kids and whatever, and he missed out on all that.” The family’s fight for justice has been long and exhausting. In 2001, the officer who shot Steven—Constable Keith Abbott—was charged with murder, but later acquitted. Raewyn said she was shocked to discover the government had paid for Abbott’s legal defence. “I had to go and find $75,000 just to get there,” she said. “And so everything that we’ve done, even to try and get an inquest at the beginning, we were told no. “When we went to court to get an inquest at the beginning, Susan Hughes said no, because if we go and have a trial against the police officers, they could purge it themselves and the Wallaces could sue a large amount of money for failing to provide the necessities of life to Stephen,” she said. Now in her seventies, Raewyn has taken her case to the United Nations, accusing New Zealand’s legal system of failing her son and her whānau. She says she will continue fighting for justice until her last breath. “Well, he wasn’t this real horrible person, that’s for sure. You could ask anybody. Stephen used to help his friends at school,” she said. “He used to tell the kids, Don’t go to school to mess the teachers up. You go to school to learn. They’re not there for that. This was his motto. You go there, and if you want to learn, you’ll go there. If you don’t want to learn, don’t go.” Raewyn is now working on a book, due to be published later this year, which she hopes will empower other families who have experienced what she calls mistreatment by police. For her, telling her story is about more than her son—it’s about changing a system. Picture by Elka DevneyBuyers sought quality doable bulls with strong muscle figures at the Waitara Angus on-property sale All articles from our website & appThe digital version of This Week's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxAll articles from the other agricultural news sites in your areaContinueWaitara sold 38 of 46 bulls to a top-price of $18,000 to average $8,333 Sired by Moogenilla Quinella and out of Waitara M49 Dandloo P74 the 24 month-old bull weighed 806 kilograms with estimated breeding values (EBVs) of +8.8 for eye muscle area -1.2 for rump fat and +3.2 for intramuscular fat He ranked in the top 10 per cent of the breed for a calving ease of +7.5 and the top 20pc for a gestation length of -6.5 and carcase weight of +79 Ranked as Australia's number on stud in 2023, Knowla recently set a new personal on-property record of $190,000 during their July sale "We respect the Waitara program and we're on the same page with our selection principles as Stephen," Mr Laurie said "We've seen a few Quinella bulls about and we like the look of them and I think this bull has a little bit more muscle than some of the other Quinellas." Mr Laurie plans to use the bull predominately within their commercial herd Waitara Quinella T034 may be put over some stud females in the future purchased a draft of five bulls to average $6000 each "I wasn't looking for anything in particular but Sarah Wrigley "We'll join them with our low birth weight Brahman cows." Waitara Angus stud co-principal Stephen Chase welcomed the buying gallery Picture by Elka DevneyWaitara Angus stud co-principal Stephen Chase said he was happy to see so many new and returning clients present at the sale purchased Waitara Quiet Achiever T052 and Waitara Quinella T010 for $12,000 as well as Waitara Goalkeeper T090 for $9,000 purchased Waitara Quiet Achiever T076 and Waitara Exponential T002 for $12,000 each purchased four bulls to a top-price of $10,000 for Waitara Quiet Achiever T078 purchased four bulls to a top-price of $10,000 for Waitara Ravenclaw T111 AuctionsPlus provided the online interface Elka Devney is The Land’s Dubbo-based journalist, originally from Moree. She covers everything from cropping and cattle to sheep and rural affairs. Get in touch with her on 0477 822 081 or elka.devney@theland.com.au. Newsletters & Alerts View allDaily Today's top stories curated by our news team Our twice weekly wrap of the latest in rural property sales Our twice weekly wrap of the big news in the red meat sector Industry news from Australia's dairy sector The week's top stories curated by our news team These pools are open mid-November until around the end of March Waitara pool is now closed for the 2024/25 season We have child safety ratios in place to keep everyone safe Children under the age of eight must be actively supervised by a caregiver 16 years or over and children under the age of two must be within arm's reach of a caregiver 16 years and over at all times Active supervision means watching your child at all times and being able to provide immediate assistance Learners' pool: 10m x 9m x 900mm (average) Would you like our customer service team to get in contact with you by email 84 Liardet Street New Plymouth All articles from our website & appThe digital version of This Week's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxAll articles from the other agricultural news sites in your areaContinueThe Chase family offered 46 bulls which sold to strong demand to buyers from as far as Cunnamulla The top-priced bull was the Moogenilla Quinella Q33 son which weighed 806 kilograms with a 40 centimetre scrotal He was purchased by a well known Angus stud that recently sold a $190,000 bull at their 2024 on-property sale Scam alerts: we’ve seen an increase in scam texts and emails claiming to be from us, asking for payments.Check our example scams or report a scam to us NZTA App: our mobile app provides a simple and secure way to access your driver licence and vehicle information.Learn more and download the NZTA app one north and one south of the intersection of SH3 and Waitara Road Rebuilding the road involves removing the existing road surface and underlying road structure (pavement) and replacing it with new materials This will help maintain the road’s reliability and longevity we will also start on Stage 4 of the Waitara Road roundabout which will see the completion of the roundabout itself The southern rebuild was completed on 17 April 2025 The northern rebuild is underway and due to be completed by 28 May 2025 Once the rebuilds and Waitara Road roundabout are complete work will start on the section of Raleigh Street between SH3 and Tate Road including turning it into a cul-de-sac We will provide an update on traffic management prior to work starting From Monday 28 April to Wednesday 28 May 2025 we will rebuild a section of SH3 north of the intersection of SH3 and Waitara Road we will also complete work on Stage 4 of the Waitara Road roundabout To allow work to take place safely and efficiently we will close SH3 from the Raleigh Street intersection to south of the Nelson Street intersection 24/7 until the rebuild is complete We are unable to complete the rebuild at night as overnight temperatures will be too low in May for the rebuild to be completed successfully A detour will be in place through Waitara via Raleigh Street Homes and businesses will continue to be accessible during the closure Emergency services will also be able to travel through the site To keep the detour route through Waitara safe for everyone we will put in place temporary safety changes Once the rebuild and Waitara Road roundabout are complete View larger/downloadable map [PDF, 866 KB] During the northern rebuild access to Waitara Road will be impacted The left turn out of Waitara Road will be closed from Thursday 8 May until Monday 19 May as we complete asphalt work on State Highway 3 (SH3) south of the Waitara Road intersection We previously planned to have the left turn open during the entirety of the closure as we were unable to complete the asphalting work during the rebuilds north of the intersection earlier this month we now need to close the left turn for just under 2 weeks A detour via Richmond Road and Kairau Road East is in place for people to travel between SH3 and Waitara Road The right turn out of Waitara Road and access to Waitara Road from SH3 will remain closed during the rebuild as we previously advised We apologise for any inconvenience this change may cause We understand that this closure will be an inconvenience for the local community and everyone who uses this stretch of road We investigated if there were other options that didn’t involve road closures Closing the road is the only option to complete this work safely and efficiently We ran a successful closure and detour through Waitara over the summer of 2023-2024 and are using what we learned from that experience The Waitara detour will mean more traffic in Waitara To ensure the safety of Waitara residents and people using the road we will put in place temporary safety changes The detour route will be closely monitored by traffic management crews and will be adjusted if necessary The Waitara Lands Act was passed in December 2018 and came into force on 17 March 2019 The Act enables leaseholders to buy their leasehold land More information on the passing of the Waitara Lands Act is available at Waitara Lands Act 2018 If you are a leaseholder you now have the option to buy the land from NPDC The purchase price for leasehold land will be based on the unimproved land value Find out more about unimproved land value Leaseholders do not have to purchase the land you can continue to lease the land from NPDC as you do now If you are interested in finding out more about purchasing your leasehold land have a look at the Frequently Asked Questions. If you have other questions please contact us If you would like to begin the process of purchasing the land please complete and submit the Notice of Intent to purchase Waitara leasehold land Frequently asked questions for leaseholders Notice of Intent to purchase Waitara leasehold land About one quarter of all residential properties in Waitara are on leasehold land sometimes referred to as a ‘Glasgow lease’ the lessee has the right to renew on the same terms and conditions as the original lease Most leases have a 21 year term (although some are for lesser terms) with the rental reviewed at the start of each lease term (although some are reviewed more regularly) The lease takes the form of a ground lease the lessor owns the land but gives the right to use and occupy the land to the lessee in return for rent Any improvements on the land form part of the leasehold interest and are owned by the lessee Demystifying Long-Term Ground Leases (information from CBRE) Rent varies from property to property and is set out in the lease Rent is calculated in accordance with the terms of the lease and the Public Bodies Leases Act 1969 When a lease is expiring we notify the leaseholder and ask an independent registered valuer for a market rental value The lessee is notified of the new rent and has the option to either accept a new lease require the rent to be determined by arbitration or not renew the lease Should the lessee dispute the rental they must formally notify us in writing and engage the services of a registered valuer to determine the rent through an arbitration process If no formal objection to a new lease and rent notice is received within two months from the date of notice the new lease is deemed to have been accepted we recommended you seek independent professional advice If your lease is subject to a mortgage we recommend you check with your bank If you prefer to pay monthly or fortnightly this is possible We offer continued support to leaseholders. If you are having difficulties with your payments please contact the Property Team. Give us a call on 06-759-6060 to discuss When you sell your leasehold property we need to consent to the transfer of the lessee's interests (improvements such as the house and outbuildings) Have your lawyer complete the Transfer Consent form (below) and return to us They will need to include copies of the leasehold and freehold Certificates of Title Transfer of a Waitara leasehold property form Please allow five working days for us to process When you buy a leasehold property you are purchasing the leasehold interest and the rights to use and occupy the land in return for meeting the rights and responsibilities of the lessee under the lease We need to consent to the mortgage of the lessee's interests (improvements such as the house and outbuildings) Have your lawyer complete the Mortgage Consent form (below) and return to us Mortgage of a Waitara leasehold property form We strongly recommend you seek professional and legal advice prior to purchasing a leasehold property All information contained within this site is to be viewed as guidance only We do not accept claims of loss or liability based on the information contained within Message Invalid character found in the request target The valid characters are defined in RFC 7230 and RFC 3986 Description The server cannot or will not process the request due to something that is perceived to be a client error (e.g. Note The full stack trace of the root cause is available in the server logs A small town Taranaki community group is building future leaders by providing a safe space for taiohi rooted in te ao Māori principles The Waitara Taiohi Trust runs various programmes every day of the week manaakitanga and rangatiratanga among young people in their community Rangatahi involved said a kaupapa Māori approach has instilled a sense of pride in their identity and has inspired them to turn their lives around a group of rangatahi come together for the Waitara Taiohi Trusts 'Loyal Leaders' programme Loyal Leaders is a mentoring programme that brings rangatahi together weekly to develop leadership skills build confidence and kōrero openly about different kaupapa impacting them Among those in attendance is 18-year-old Teina James who is now studying to become a youth worker through Praxis New Zealand all I knew was stereotypical poverty-stricken Māori families and the hood I've seen kids move past their upbringing and step into bigger and better things." 'I want that for myself.' And now I'm getting it Through the Waitara Taiohi Trusts internship programme James now works as an intern alongside those who once mentored her because I'm sitting alongside the people that basically helped raise me And I'm helping raise this new generation of kids." James said the awhi shown to her through the Trusts programmes has helped pave the way for rangatahi to pursue their dreams - whatever they may be It's somewhere where you can be a Māori unapologetically you can go in there and feel like you're at home." James hoped more Māori were inspired to join the field "I want kids like me to see their worth because so many don't our kids don't get the support they should." I got my work done but got into trouble a lot," he said Attending the different programmes the Trusts offers including 'Loyal Leaders,' helped change his outlook and life path "I looked up to all the youth workers and going to a lot of their kaupapa I saw a different perspective on what I could do "When I was growing up there was a lot of tall poppy everyone was negative with each other or getting into trouble there was a lot more support and more positivity." Now a board member for the Waitara Taiohi Trust Kalani advocates for youth-led initiatives including a coffee cart where rangatahi can gain work experience Kettle said some on the board were hesitant Many youth struggle to find work because they lack experience Kettle added: "Having a youth voice on the board is important because we think from a different perspective." Once an intern with the Waitara Taiohi Trust Kitt-Kara O'Carroll-Leota has been with them since its early days and is now a youth worker studying towards a diploma "Our youth group growing up was just somewhere on a Wednesday but now we have something our kids can go to from Monday all the way till Sunday There are events every single day for the kids to do." She said that today's programmes offer more than just a place to hang out They provide meaningful experiences and skill-building opportunities - something she said would have been essential for her growing up "It's not the easiest being a kid in Waitara I'm not sure if it's that easy being a kid anywhere and I feel like that's half of the reason why kids don't apply themselves Because they believe someone who told them they're not good enough." O'Carroll-Leota said she had once fallen into that mindset too "I was also a kid who didn't apply themselves and I used to be one of those kids who shot others down because I thought it was normal But I get why some kids are negative - it's all they know." she is able to connect deeply with rangatahi from Waitara Some of my decisions as an older teenager and a younger adult weren't the best and within those life-altering decisions I made and I didn't want kids in Waitara to have to go through that struggle to realise that they don't want to do that stuff." O'Carroll-Leota is focused on giving back to her community "We don't have enough Māori showing our kids the way the kids will see it and want to do the same." She hoped every young person could experience a supportive environment enriched in tikanga Māori "My long-term dream is for a world where we no longer need youth workers because our kids are already supported I'm grateful we're building safe spaces where they can be themselves and try new things." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday Kaiako Tania Koroi Nohotima said Waitangi provided a valuable holistic learning environment for students Speculation has been rife that the Nelson-Marlborough region could miss out on its confirmed host status due to concerns over infrastructure and accommodation If an individual can change their attitude then they can think positively and make important decisions and choices for personal benefit and everyone's benefit A 25-year-old man has been charged with murder following the death of a teen in Taranaki early this morning. Emergency services were called to a property on Strange St, Waitara, about 12.45am on Tuesday after reports a person had been seriously injured in an altercation. “The victim was transported to hospital in a critical condition, but later died from his injuries,” Detective Inspector Brent Matuku said. Rakai Jacob Thompson was arrested at the scene and subsequently charged with murder of a 17-year-old. He briefly appeared in New Plymouth District Court this afternoon on the charge. According to court documents, Thompson resided at the address in Waitara where the alleged offending took place. He was remanded into custody by consent ahead of his next appearance on August 16 in the High Court. “Police remain at the address conducting a scene examination,” Matuku said. “Police are speaking with a number of witnesses but would like to hear from anyone who has not yet come forward with information.” Anyone who can assist police inquiries is asked to contact 105 and reference the file number 240730/5332. A weka hitched a 300km ride to Christchurch in a ute. He was 17-year-old Te Omeka Pairama Akariri-Buckley of Bell Block. Police were called to the scene on Strange St following reports a person had been "seriously injured in an altercation" around 12.45am on Tuesday. A homicide investigation was launched, and a 25-year-old man was arrested at the scene and later charged with murder. "Police would like to extend our sympathies to his family at this incredibly difficult time, and we will remain in contact with them over the course of the investigation and trial," Detective Senior Sergeant Debra Gower said. He appeared before the New Plymouth District Court yesterday and was due to reappear in the High Court in New Plymouth on Friday, August 16. Police remained at the home while they carried out a a scene examination, which was due to conclude today. A post-mortem would be completed in the coming days, Gower said. "We are continuing to piece together the events that occurred and would like to hear from anyone who has information that could assist our enquiries." Police remained at the home while they carried out a a scene examination, which was due to conclude today. (Source: 1News) A man who died following an "altercation" at a home in Waitara yesterday has today been named by police. Person charged with murder of man in WaitaraPolice were called to the scene on Strange St following reports a person had been "seriously injured in an altercation" around 12.45am Crime and Justice Police believe wave of Invercargill robberies two burglaries and one attempted burglary took place in Invercargill between 2.30am and 4.20am and are believed to be connected Tree planted as Kyle Whorrall's mother Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei blessed and planted a provided pōhutukawa tree at St Johns Bush in honour of the slain PhD student from the United States WWII Home Guard rifle pits discovered during SH3 roadworks Two Home Guard rifle pits were found on the outskirts of New Plymouth New Zealand Man's cigarette smuggling attempt stubbed out Customs said the body-packing of the more than 1600 cigarettes was "an attempt to defraud Customs revenue" Deputy police commissioner still on leave four months after suspension Deputy Police Commissioner Jevon McSkimming is under investigation by the Independent Police Conduct Authority and the New Zealand Police Northland's meth crisis: 'There's no magic wand for any of this' Wastewater testing has shown methamphetamine use tripled in Northland last year Southland farming company slapped with fine over effluent discharge 6:55pm Police believe wave of Invercargill robberies, burglaries are linked 6:00pm Destiny Church to move out of its South Auckland headquarters 5:51pm 'Light' 4.1 magnitude earthquake jolts lower North Island 5:48pm 'Wake up call': Businesses warned over lithium battery fires 5:30pm Erica Stanford sent pre-Budget documents to her personal email 7:30pm 1Destiny Church to move out of its South Auckland headquarters Explosions heard in 'suspicious' blaze at east Auckland McDonald's Tipene Funerals owners break silence after ex-employee jailed Trump threatens 100% tariff on foreign-made films Two arrested over alleged plot targeting Lady Gaga concert in RioBrazilian police said they thwarted an alleged bomb attack planned for Lady Gaga's concert on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro. Lady Gaga rocks Copacabana Beach with free concert for over 2 million fansCries of joy rose from the tightly-packed fans who sang and danced shoulder-to-shoulder on the vast stretch of sand. Lorde announces new album name, date Thu, May 1 Kim Kardashian to testify in Paris trial over 2016 armed robbery Mon, Apr 28 Chubby Checker, Outkast, Cyndi Lauper join Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Mon, Apr 28 Lorde releases new single after weeks of cryptic teases Thu, Apr 24 Chubby Checker, Outkast, Cyndi Lauper join Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Mon A man who died following an "altercation" at a home in Waitara yesterday has today been named by police He was 17-year-old Te Omeka Pairama Akariri-Buckley of Bell Block Police were called to the scene on Strange St following reports a person had been "seriously injured in an altercation" around 12.45am on Tuesday and a 25-year-old man was arrested at the scene and later charged with murder "Police would like to extend our sympathies to his family at this incredibly difficult time and we will remain in contact with them over the course of the investigation and trial," Detective Senior Sergeant Debra Gower said He appeared before the New Plymouth District Court yesterday and was due to reappear in the High Court in New Plymouth on Friday Police remained at the home while they carried out a a scene examination A post-mortem would be completed in the coming days A man has been charged with murder following the death of a man at a home in Waitara early this morning Police were called to the scene on Strange St following reports a person had been "seriously injured in an altercation" around 12.45am A man was taken to hospital in a critical condition A 25-year-old man was arrested at the scene He was due to appear in the New Plymouth District Court this afternoon charged with the man's alleged murder Police remained at the scene while they carried out a scene examination Matuku said officers were speaking with witnesses but would like to hear from anyone who had not yet come forward with information Police have appealed to the public after two aggravated robberies and a series of burglaries in Invercargill overnight Detective Inspector Stu Harvey said officers were called to a premises on Dee St at around 2.30am on Monday to reports of two people entering a store demanding cash A worker was assaulted but not seriously injured Harvey said an attempted burglary and two burglaries were reported at three further premises on Windsor St Police then received a report that two people had entered a Tay St premises and demanded cash and items Harvey said information suggested the incidents were linked "Two vehicles were seen in the vicinity of some of the incidents "The other vehicle is described as a dark-coloured car," said Harvey "We would like to speak to anyone who saw vehicles fitting these descriptions between 1am and 5am." Anyone with relevant information about these vehicles or those involved should contact police on 105 A pōhutukawa tree has been planted in honour of Kyle Whorrall the US PhD student slain during an attack at an Auckland bus stop last month The 33-year-old was attacked at a bus stop on St Johns Rd in Meadowbank on April 19 friends and colleagues of Whorrall gathered for a vigil on April 24 at the bus stop where he was attacked Whorrall's mother Carole was joined by members of the community and Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei for the blessing and to plant a pōhutukawa tree in honour of his life The planting ceremony began with a blessing by Otene Reweti from Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei "This tree will stand as a memorial to Kyle to come to this special place and remember Kyle and what he has done and what he was looking to do "This tree indicates times to harvest different things in our seasons and also pōhutukawa in terms of the star from Matariki and pleiades So Kyle is one of those that we are reminded again of his tragic passing in this area," said Reweti Carole was flanked by Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson and one of Whorrall's flatmates as she shovelled dirt onto the base of the tree She softly commented that she enjoyed gardening as the sun shone down on her in St Johns Bush Others shared a poem or short tribute to Whorrall's life and the tragedy that it was cut short Ōrākei Local Board chairperson Scott Milne said that in times of tragedy it was important to "look at the good stuff" and find moments of connection with one another "We have now forged a relationship across the waters This family will come back to see this tree thrive and out of that tragedy we will find good," he said He told Te Karere the tragedy had "turned our community upside down" "Yet in the matter of a few short weeks the community have come together certainly like nothing I have ever seen before "There is just this deep disappointment and we all feel so privileged to live here He said he hoped over time the grief would "turn to healing" and that Carole would continue to come back and see the tree flourish and grow "People understand they have to talk more to each other watch out for one another and we want to make something of this lovely young man's life by changing our attitude." He said the board had worked hard to build relationships over the past six years "The relationship with Ngāti Whātua is deeply personal and important to this board A 16-year-old youth has been remanded in custody after being charged with his murder and a 32-year-old woman was also charged with being an accessory to murder after the fact Detective Inspector Glenn Baldwin said the investigation was "by no means over" as police believed "there were other occupants in the vehicle" when Whorrall was attacked He said officers have since seized a black SUV on the North Shore It was being forensically examined by police "Our enquiries are ongoing to locate these persons of interest and I encourage them to do the right thing and come into their nearest police station or phone us." The detective inspector said police were also seeking "critical witnesses" including a white Toyota ute that was cut off by the black SUV doing a U-turn in front of them He said police were still working to fully understand the events leading up to his death A piece of Second World War history has recently been uncovered during safety upgrades of State Highway 3 in Taranaki Two Home Guard rifle pits were found to the north of the intersection of SH3 and De Havilland Dr in Bell Block on the outskirts of New Plymouth The Transport Agency said they were likely to have been constructed between 1941 and 1942 as a defensive position to protect the Bell Block Aerodrome on Te Arei Rd which was being used as a Royal New Zealand Air Force training base from a potential invasion by Japanese forces The Home Guard was formed in 1940 in response to the potential threat posed by the Empire of Japan during the Second World War Membership was initially voluntary but became compulsory from 1942 for men aged 35-50 "These are textbook Home Guard pits," SH3 Waitara to Bell Block project archaeologist Daniel McCurdy said one of them conforms exactly [within a few inches] to the standard set out for the Home Guard instead of an optional drainage trench at the base likely reclaimed from the local farm." There had been a number of archaeological finds since physical works began in 2023 Te Ara Tūtohu project manager Calvin Rorke said his team worked closely with archaeologists and cultural monitors in these instances andm depending on what was found the find may be removed or documented and left in place "The area we are working in is historically significant It's important that whenever we come across a potential archaeological find in the course of our work that we take the time necessary to investigate have learnt a lot about the history of this area through our work on the project." The country's second most powerful police officer remains on leave four months after he was suspended pending a criminal investigation Deputy Commissioner Jevon McSkimming is under investigation by the Independent Police Conduct Authority and the New Zealand Police The nature of the allegations against him cannot be reported A police spokesperson confirmed to RNZ on Monday there was no update regarding the investigation his lawyer told RNZ McSkimming had no comment McSkimming confirmed he had been suspended since before Christmas on full pay When any police officer faces an investigation of this nature they are typically suspended from duty," the statement said "Mr McSkimming is cooperating fully with Police and looks forward to the investigation being concluded swiftly after which he expects to resume his duties as Deputy Commissioner." McSkimming was one of the final two candidates for New Zealand's top cop job last year with Richard Chambers eventually appointed Police Commissioner McSkimming was promoted to statutory deputy commissioner in 2023 on the recommendation of then-prime minister Chris Hipkins The role comes with a higher pay packet and status than standard deputy commissioners Late last year he was overseeing road policing and operational services it was noted he had a "relatively unique career path" working at police headquarters since 2010 across a range of areas: strategy McSkimming joined the police in 1996 and worked on the frontline in Auckland and Southland He has also been responsible for large restructures - as well as managing police IT systems and launching the 105 non-emergency number By Sam Sherwood of rnz.co.nz Organisations trying to help people get off meth in Northland towns such as Kaikohe say they are overwhelmed by "a tsunami of need" More funding — and residential care for addicts trying to quit — is desperately needed to tackle the problem which now has the unenviable title of meth capital of New Zealand a Kaikohe-based iwi organisation that provides housing health services and programmes like Paiheretia which helps men caught up in the Corrections system "We see the daily the toll it takes on whānau the demand is outpacing our capacity," she said "We're just not funded at the scale needed to respond to the tsunami of need we are facing." Jade and Scott — they did not want to give their last names because their work brings them into contact with organised crime — are employed by Te Hau Ora o Ngāpuhi as kaiarataki helping meth addicts and their whānau get the help they need and the money spent on drugs meant other family members missed out on essentials "The biggest thing that we see is the effect on the kids You've got whānau that are going without kai and has some real atrocious effects." Scott said the men they helped came with a whole raft of problems they often found the underlying cause was meth Scott said there were many reasons behind the drug's prevalence It's about unpacking it all to find out why people are addicted to methamphetamine Nothing will ever end good unless people stop taking it." Ashby said the government's Resilience to Organised Crime in Communities ROCC programme which had so far been rolled out in seven regions across New Zealand ROCC aimed to stop people becoming addicted in the first place "It will build up resilience within whānau and prevent rangatahi [youth] from ever wanting to pick up the pipe by making sure they're on the right pathway for education or employment and not being led by gangs," Ashby said we don't want to be the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff all the time There's no magic wand for any of this." While ROCC was "a step in the right direction" more and sustainable investment in prevention was needed culturally responsive residential treatment in mid-Northland for people who wanted to come off drugs Currently most providers of those services such as Grace Foundation and Higher Ground Ashby said everyone would have to work together to tackle the meth conundrum Māori providers and local services such as Whakaoranga Whānau Recovery Hub were doing their best with the resources they had It's time to match the scale of the response with the scale of the need." it hit headlines last month when Ngāpuhi chairman Mane Tahere made a public call for more policing and direct funding for iwi organisations whose work was slowed by government red tape Northland MP Grant McCallum subsequently met Tahere and Far North Mayor Moko Tepania as well as staff at the local medical centre He was shocked by the stories they told him They included accounts of a young man high on meth assaulting staff and "causing mayhem" at the medical clinic and of drug-induced family dysfunction with girls as young as 11 becoming pregnant your dad might give you a sip of his beer or something when you're a young kid they're giving him a little bit of P." McCallum said he was pleased Tahere and Ngāpuhi were standing up and saying they had had enough and one of the key things we've got to do to help break that cycle is get children to school and keep them there," McCallum said he said the answer lay in a stronger local economy and a good education system so people in towns like Kaikohe had well-paying jobs and children had options for their future "But ultimately - and this applies to any community it's just the first cab off the rank - the community has to own this problem If they don't want drugs in their community they need to make it clear they don't want it in their community And they need to push back and feed information through to the police when they find people dealing." Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey said the government was focused on trying to stop drugs entering the border coming down hard on dealers and organised crime and taking a health-led approach to drug users Although wastewater testing had shown a big jump in meth use other data showed the number of users had not increased significantly That suggested the same group of people was taking more meth Doocey offered a sliver of hope to organisations like Te Hau Ora o Ngāpuhi who were calling out for more funding to prevent people becoming addicted in the first place "We're looking at the Proceeds of Crime Fund to fund some of that When you look at some of the high-need areas like Northland we'll be looking at how we can resource existing services on the ground which reopened recently for applications after a three-year freeze Jade said collective action and more funding were vital "I'm not sure that heavy handedness in the justice system and filling the jails in a system that isn't working for our people anyway "It's going to get worse unless we can get ahead of it I'm not saying we haven't done that in the past but it's going to need an even more collective approach And I'm hoping people come with wallets open because it's going to need to be funded." Scott highlighted the need for comprehensive residential treatment in Northland so people didn't need to have to be shipped off to Auckland for help but we can come together and try to minimise it Police are obviously under the pump out there "I think we need some more healing centres for whānau up here in Kaikohe I don't like using the word rehabilitation What's needed is a one-stop shop where people can reside rnz.co.nz A large-scale Southland farming company has been fined $82,500 for discharging effluent in a manner which could have entered waterways Gladvale Farms Ltd committed the offending on two occasions in October 2019 at an Oreti Plains farm The company was sentenced on Monday after being found guilty in February following an August 2024 judge-alone trial Legal action against the company began when Environment Southland alleged the Resource Management Act had been breached through effluent discharge on or into land which could have resulted in the contaminant entering water It was alleged the defendant irrigated at night without monitoring due to employees being off duty The judgement said although it was not necessary to prove the contaminant had entered or impacted the waterway there was sufficient evidence to show it had Steps taken to mitigate against the discharge were not sufficient including using a digger to move effluent further into a paddock Judge Steven told the court that 90 percent of the fine would go to the council Gladvale Farms Ltd operates five dairy farms in Southland with 3700 cows across 3300 acres Stuff has previously reported fines against the company of $27,000 in 2018/19 A magnitude 4.1 earthquake has jolted the lower North Island this afternoon Geonet said the earthquake struck 10km northwest of Levin at 5.16pm at a depth of 37km It described the shaking as "light" with close to 2000 reports from people feeling the tremor by 5.45pm M3.6 quake causing weak shaking near Levin https://t.co/aJM2e4ScOx One Facebook poster said it was "definitely a good one" while another described it as "only little but strange" Horowhenua District Council said it was a "good reminder" to chat about being prepared for earthquakes A large fire which caused "significant damage" to a McDonald's restaurant in east Auckland this afternoon is now being treated as suspicious Emergency services were notified of the fire at around 3pm on Monday Fire and Emergency NZ said the building was "totally involved" in flames by the time crews arrived and Papatoetoe were in attendance at the blaze "Everyone was out at the time and there are no reports of injuries." FENZ said the fire was being treated as suspicious "A fire investigator is attending to determine cause and origin." Pakuranga Rd was closed for nearly two hours in both directions with road users advised to avoid the area "Investigations into the cause of the fire at the McDonalds are underway," police said told 1News he heard a couple of explosions coming from the restaurant as the blaze began He said he heard "one or two" explosions The restaurant was adjacent to a Z petrol station and 250 metres along the same road from Pakuranga College A staff member at the service station said they had closed their fuel pumps and there was "huge fire and huge smoke" coming from the fire The Howick Pakuranga Netball Centre Courts were also closed this evening due to the blaze Auckland Transport said several bus routes Pakuranga MP Simeon Brown thanked emergency services who had been responding to the incident "Please follow the advice of emergency services A McDonald's spokesperson said the McDonald's restaurant in Pakuranga had "suffered significant damage" in the fire "Procedures were followed to raise the alarm and safely evacuate staff and customers McDonald’s is assisting emergency services as they begin the investigation into the cause of the fire." The owners of Tipene Funerals have spoken out for the first time after a former long-time employee was jailed for misconduct in relation to burials Francis and Kaiora Tipene told TVNZ's Marae they should have noticed something sooner but said they knew nothing of former employee Fiona Bakulich's offending For the full Marae story, watch on TVNZ+ Fiona Bakulich, 48, a former employee, was jailed for two years and three months and ordered to pay more than $16,900 in reparations over her misconduct The Tipene owners spoke to Marae in their first interview since Bakulich was jailed Francis said he was called to a meeting alongside Bakulich at Waikumete Cemetery by Auckland Council staff Cyclone Gabrielle had badly damaged a mausoleum housing two coffins interred by Bakulich Repairs to the roof necessitated the disinterment of the remains revealing she had not installed the zinc liner required and pocketed the $3000 in cash instead "I just couldn't believe how someone could do that." Bakulich was stood down for six weeks and continued offending upon her return to work The pair said they only discovered she had further defrauded families after her dismissal and I wish we did so we could have acted sooner," Francis said but I'm deeply apologetic to those whānau." Asked how the charges weren't detected in the company's accounting Francis said the transactions were taking place off-site so that's a hard one to swallow." The company would have to "build trust from the bottom up" the pair said of their business' relationship with the community Marae did not receive a response when Fiona Bakulich's lawyer was approached for comment Lady Gaga gave a free concert Saturday night in front of 2 million fans who poured onto Copacabana Beach for the biggest show of her career (...) Thank you for making history with me,” Lady Gaga told a screaming crowd kicked off the show at around 22.10pm local time with her 2011 song Bloody Mary Cries of joy rose from the tightly-packed fans who sang and danced shoulder-to-shoulder on the vast stretch of sand Concert organisers said 2.1 million people attended the show switching between an array of dresses including one with the colours of the Brazilian flag Some fans – many of them young – arrived on the beach at the crack of dawn to secure a good spot “Today is the best day of my life,” said Manoela Dobes a 27-year-old designer who was wearing a dress plastered with a photograph from when she met Lady Gaga in the United States in 2019 Madonna also turned Copacabana Beach into a massive dance floor last year The large-scale performances are part of an effort led by City Hall to boost economic activity after Carnival and New Years’ Eve festivities and the upcoming month-long Saint John’s Day celebrations in June “It brings activity to the city during what was previously considered the low season – filling hotels and increasing spending in bars generating jobs and income for the population,” said Osmar Lima the city’s secretary of economic development in a statement released by Rio City Hall’s tourism department last month Rio’s City Hall said in a recent report that around 1.6 million people were expected to attend Lady Gaga's concert and that the show should inject at least 600 million reais (NZ$178.3 million) into Rio’s economy Similar concerts are scheduled to take place every year in May at least until 2028 Lady Gaga arrived in Rio in the early hours of Tuesday The city has been alive with Gaga-mania since as it geared up to welcome the pop star for her first show in the country since 2012 Rio’s metro employees danced to Lady Gaga’s 2008 hit song LoveGame and gave instructions for today in a video A free exhibition celebrating her career sold out While the vast majority of attendees were from Rio the event also attracted Brazilians from across the country and international visitors More than 500,000 tourists poured into the city in the days leading up to the show according to data from the local bus station and Tom Jobim airport Rio’s City Hall said in a statement yesterday made a cross-continent trip from Colombia to Brazil to attend the show “I’ve been a 100% fan of Lady Gaga my whole life,” said Serrano who was wearing a T-shirt featuring Lady Gaga’s outlandish costumes over the years the mega-star represents “total freedom of expression – being who one wants without shame” Rio officials have a history of organising huge concerts on Copacabana Beach Madonna’s show drew an estimated 1.6 million fans last year while 4 million people flooded onto the beach for a 1994 New Year’s Eve show by Rod Stewart in 1994 that was the biggest free rock concert in history sixteen sound towers were spread along the beach Rio state’s security plan included the presence of 3300 military and 1500 police officers Among those present were Lady Gaga admirers who remember their disappointment in 2017 when the artist cancelled a performance scheduled in Rio at the last minute due to health issues “She's the best artist in the world,” the 25-year-old said I love you” in Portuguese rose from the crowd behind him whose real name is Ella Yelich O'Connor which also displayed what appears to be the album cover art — an X-ray of a pelvis "100% written in blood," the website read The new album's announcement came a week after she released her latest single What Was That The song's music video was filmed at a mysterious pop-up event in New York City's Washington Square Park that was initially shut down by police. The event ended up going ahead after all, and fans who stayed got to hear the new song for the first time. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lorde (@lorde) It was the first sign of a follow-up to Lorde's previous album Her other albums were 2013's Pure Heroine and 2017's Melodrama she collaborated with British singer Charli XCX on a remix of Girl so confusing — on a re-release of the Grammy award-winning Brat Kim Kardashian thought she was going to be raped and killed when criminals broke into her bedroom in central Paris tied her up and stole more than US$6 million in jewellery 10 people will go on trial in Paris over the robbery abduction and kidnapping of the media personality and the concierge of the residence where she was staying during Paris Fashion Week the night of October 2 Kardashian’s lawyers said she will testify in person at the trial starting Monday and scheduled to run through May 23 "Ms Kardashian is reserving her testimony for the court and jury and does not wish to elaborate further at this time," they said "She has great respect and admiration for the French justice system and has been treated with great respect by the French authorities "She wishes the trial to proceed in an orderly fashion in accordance with French law and with respect for all parties to the case." In interviews and on her family’s reality TV show Kardashian has described being terrified as robbers pointed a gun at her In a 2020 appearance on David Letterman’s Netflix show she tearfully recalled thinking: "This is the time I’m going to get raped Twelve people were originally expected in the defendants’ box and another is seriously ill and can't be tried five of the 10 defendants were present at the scene of the robbery The French press has dubbed them The Granddad Robbers because the main defendants are elderly and have careers as bank robbers with long criminal records Kardashian told investigators she was taken to a bathroom next to her bedroom and placed in the bathtub Her attackers fled on bicycles or on foot and she managed to free herself by removing the tape from her hands and mouth She had also removed the tape from her feet and rushed to her stylist’s room She called her sister Kourtney to tell her about the theft Kardashian told investigators that she had not been injured adding that she wanted to leave France as soon as possible to be reunited with her children According to her testimony and that of the concierge at least one of the suspects had a handgun The gangsters stole many pieces of jewellery estimated to be worth more than US$6 million (NZ$10 million) Only one piece of jewellery — a diamond cross on platinum that was lost during the suspects' escape — has been recovered Two of the accused have partially confessed to the crime is one of two suspected robbers who allegedly entered the apartment his genetic profile was found on the tape used to gag Kardashian who was waiting for him in a parked car at a nearby train station The second robber said he tied up the concierge with cables but did not go up to Kardashian’s apartment said he acted as a lookout in the ground-floor reception area He said he was unarmed and did not personally threaten Kardashian but admitted he shared responsibility for the crime Abbas was arrested in January 2017 and spent 21 months in prison before being released under judicial supervision he co-authored a French-language book titled I Sequestered Kim Kardashian is the second alleged robber suspected of entering the flat although he was filmed by CCTV cameras and numerous telephone contacts with the other co-defendants show his involvement The other defendants are suspected of providing information about Kardashian’s presence in the apartment Others are accused of playing a role in the resale of the jewellery in Antwerp Joe Cocker and Bad Company will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame — in a class that also includes pop star Cyndi Lauper the rock duo the White Stripes and grunge masters Soundgarden the first female rap act to achieve gold and platinum status and the late singer-songwriter Warren Zevon will get the Musical Influence Award pianist Nicky Hopkins and bassist Carol Kaye will each get the Musical Excellence Award who sang at Woodstock and was best known for his cover of The Beatles’ With a Little Help From My Friends a member of Elvis Costello & The Attractions who argued that Cocker is "about as rock and roll as it gets" Soundgarden — with the late Chris Cornell as singer — get into the Hall on their third nomination They follow two other grunge acts in the Hall — Nirvana and Pearl Jam Bad Company get in having become radio fixtures with such arena-rock staples as Feel Like Makin’ Love Can’t Get Enough and Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy The Ahmet Ertegun Award — given to nonperforming industry professionals who had a major influence on music — will go to Lenny Waronker Some nominees that didn't get in this year included Mariah Carey and subsequent Let’s Twist Again are considered among the most popular songs in the history of rock 'n' roll The 83-year-old has expressed frustration that he hadn't been granted entry before including telling the AP in 2014: "I don’t want to get in there when I’m 85 years old so you better do it quick while I’m still smiling." Lauper rose to fame in the 1980s with hits such as Time After Time and Girls Just Want To Have Fun and went on to win a Tony Award for Kinky Boots have six Grammys and a reputation for pushing the boundaries of hip-hop The White Stripes — made up of Jack White and Meg White — were indie darlings in the early 2000s with such songs as Seven Nation Army Artists must have released their first commercial recording at least 25 years before they’re eligible for induction The induction ceremony will take place in Los Angeles this fall Nominees were voted on by more than 1200 artists historians and music industry professionals The selection criteria include "an artist’s impact on other musicians the scope and longevity of their career and body of work as well as their innovation and excellence in style and technique" Dave Matthews Band and singer-guitarist Peter Frampton were inducted Lorde has dropped her new single What Was That after weeks of cryptic posts and teases that set fans buzzing It's the lead single from her upcoming fourth album and her first original solo release since 2021's Solar Power which is three minutes and 28 seconds in length Some fans had been lucky enough to hear the track in full earlier this week. On Wednesday, Lorde posted a picture of Washington Square Park yesterday with the caption "tonight 7pm". Fans flooded the park an hour before she was supposed to appear, with photos shared of eager fans scaling trees to catch a glimpse of the singer. Shortly before she was to perform, the Royals singer took to social media to tell fans police had shut the event down. "Omg @thepark the cops are shutting us down," the message read. "I am truly amazed by how many of you showed !!! "But they’re telling me you gotta disperse ... I’m so sorry." However, the pop-up event ended up going ahead after all, with fans who stayed getting their first full airing of Lorde's new single. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lorde (@lorde) Lorde, real name Ella Yelich O'Connor, announced the single last week sharing a headshot-style photo of her wearing a red shirt with a dripping wet face Earlier this month, she dropped a 15-second snippet of the unreleased song Lorde was seen wearing a white shirt and jeans while walking through New York City I gave you everything/Now we wake from a dream What was that?” she sings over a synth beat It was the first sign of a follow up to Lorde's previous album Parents and staff of a Waitara community childcare centre are shellshocked it has been forced to close Early Childhood Council CEO Simon Laube said the 52 children who attend the Waitara & District Community Childcare have been left with nowhere to go and families were reeling "They are absolutely devastated and distraught I've been to the centre that is a treasured part of the Waitara community There is nowhere for these children to go." leased part of a building managed by Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) Head of Crown Property Sonya Wikitera said LINZ took its responsibility as a landlord seriously and having been made aware of the mould in the building it was clear the building could not be used as a childcare centre in its current state "LINZ is committed to acting when problems are identified and the health of children and staff in the building was our top priority when making the decision to terminate the lease." Laube said LINZ had been responsible for a series of blunders The childcare centre had been served a 90 days' notice to vacate which was to expire in May but only this week it was revealed that suspected black mould in another part of the building - not used by the centre - was the reason behind the notice The Ministry of Education then stepped in to close Waitara & District Community Childcare almost immediately leaving staff shellshocked and local parents stranded without childcare "Early childhood centres keep getting treated like they don't matter "We believe LINZ knew about the suspected black mould in their part of the building as far back as 2019 and yet they took no steps to manage it or disclose it to our provider until yesterday "They've effectively terminated this treasured community childcare centre without compassion transparency or taking responsibility," said Laube "We're in disbelief at having to temporarily shut our centre due to LINZ negligence Through failing to meet their responsibilities and maintain the building we're having to close the centre and find alternative premises." Waitara & District Community Childcare centre director Beth Moeahu said the centre's closure was very upsetting "We're a tight knit community and it's been devastating having to share this with our whānau - there will be a massive financial and emotional impact on them and their children "Because of LINZ's poor management of these buildings the Waitara community is set to lose a childcare centre with community ties that go back generations "Questions need to be asked about whether LINZ's management of buildings they lease to early childhood providers is up to scratch Head of Crown Property Sonya Wikitera said the Waitara Community Childcare Centre rented one half of a LINZ-managed building The other half of the building was empty and the two shared internal walls LINZ carried out a site inspection on 15 January 2025 and could see visible mould encroaching into the centre Wikitera said the agency had been working closely with the Ministry of Education and the childcare centre to arrange for them to vacate the premise "We understand MOE is supporting the centre to find alternative premises "LINZ is actively working to assess the mould to better understand the extent and what type it is the mould has not been confirmed as stachybotrys Laube said hoped the centre could be saved "We have not given up hope - while we understand the MOE is helping WDCC find temporary accommodation we intend to call a community meeting and invite the government officials to share their plans so we can understand what went wrong and try again to find solutions." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday The Teaching Council says it's worried the government will remove current requirements for qualified early childhood teachers Teachers are in prime position to notice signs of child abuse or have a child confide in them but it is not mandatory for them to know how to respond or report it Most early childhood groups backed changes to the sector's rules but Kindergartens Aotearoa said the review was focused on the needs of businesses rather than children Families in Auckland are seeking budget-friendly solutions as the cost of school holiday programmes climbs Break-ins at two Ōtara schools and a local preschool have led to calls for more security patrols and community vigilance If we change the way farming is done, we can prevent the worst of the climate crisis by reducing methane pollution from intensive dairy, and we can protect drinking water, lakes and rivers here in Canterbury, which are under threat from intensive dairy pollution. At the event in Wellington, Jotika will join Living Wage Aotearoa New Zealand Executive Director, Gina Lockyer, to explore the struggles and resilience of Fiji's garment workers and their collective fight for better pay and conditions. In a significant milestone for indigenous-led conservation, Hokotehi Moriori Trust has successfully carried out the first imi (Moriori tribal group) translocation of hakoakoa (muttonbird), relocating 50 juvenile birds from Mangere Island to a newly prepared site in Kaingaroa. The new standard requires public service agencies to conduct a risk assessment whenever personal information is to be shared and includes robust safeguards to protect individual privacy and directs agencies to apply best practices when granting access to personal information. “Matapihi ki te Ao is more than a name, it’s a promise. A window to the world for our rangatahi and whānau,” says Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. “We won’t sit back while this Government shuts the door on Māori futures. Our commitment is clear—we would invest more in regional tertiary education, not less.” Unless your workplace is already utopia – and we haven’t come across one yet – there is a good reason for all union members to come to this hui. Whatever your union and whatever matters most to you and your workmates, please join us at the union meeting this May Day so that we can keep building our relationships and strength as a movement for workers’ rights. He plays the lead role of Jake in the eight-part TV series, Secrets at Red Rocks. Adapted from the award-winning novel of the same name by Kiwi author Rachael King, the series follows Jake who’s been sent to his dad’s for the holidays. He stumbles across a sealskin while out exploring along the coast and feels compelled to take it home, triggering a chain of events that takes him on an adventure of the mystical and mythical kind. For Korban (Te Atiawa, Taranaki), the reality of filmmaking was an exciting experience and a surprise too. “It was definitely not what I thought it would be. There are some things that are totally different from what you'd expect, but it was really cool.” Director David Stubb said they held a nationwide search for the right person to fill the role of 12-year-old Jake. He said Korban had the acting talent, natural sense of humour, and stamina to keep up with the challenges of the role. “It was really a demanding job, eight weeks, almost every day. Long hours and swimming in cold water, and lots of lines to learn – so he was smart, he was kind of confident, he had a cheeky sense of humour and a really nice guy, you know, a really nice kid.” Korban said it was a pretty easy gig most of the time, but the stunt scenes – “which is pretty much the water scenes and stuff” – were “hectic”. “But it wasn't too bad, it's just the coldness got to me.” “Everything was good, but I most liked the scenes where I ate stuff because I love food, and also the food was really good.” Mum Hinenui Wano-Bryant, who accompanied Korban to set every day, said it was a proud moment watching her son shoot his first scene. “He mea tino miharo i te wā tuatahi ka tū ia ki mua i te kāmera – ka taka ngā roimata. He mea tino miharo ki ahau. (It was incredible, seeing him stand in front of the camera for the first time – I cried. I was overwhelmed.) When asked if she knew her son was interested in acting professionally, she said it came as no shock after he saw one of the whānau on screen. “Ko tōna matua kēkē a Karlos Drinkwater…he kaikiriata, nō reira i kite ia [i a ia] e mahi ana i ērā mahi ki runga ki a Shortland Street, era atu mea, ko tera te tino pirangi o Korban, te whai tera huarahi.” (His uncle is Karlos Drinkwater…he’s an actor, so when [Korban] saw him on Shortland Street and that, [he decided] that’s what he wanted to do, to follow that path.) Over the course of a demanding shooting schedule, she said Korban flourished in front of her eyes. “I kite au i tōna pūkenga ki te mahi, ki te ū ki ngā mahi, ki te whakarongo ki ngā tohutohu o te director, me kī, so he mea tino miharo te kite i tōku tama e eke ana ki ērā taumata.” (I saw how skilled he was at working, how he committed to the job, he listened to the directions from the director, so to speak, so it’s amazing to see my son reach that level [of growth].) In an event hosted by iwi Te Atiawa, up to 200 people – whānau, friends, and locals – gathered on the lawn outside of Ōwae Marae, Waitara, last week to picnic and watch his debut on a huge screen. “I’m feeling pretty nervous,” said Korban ahead of the viewing, “and really excited at the same time.” Wano-Bryant said their iwi were great at encouraging and engaging its members, especially tamariki and whānau. "Me mihi ki tō mātou iwi, ki a Taranaki iwi, ki a Te Atiawa, nō rātou i tutuki i tēnei kaupapa kia haere mai ngā whānau, kia haere mai ngā tamaiti ki te kite. (I would like to acknowledge our iwi, Taranaki and Te Atiawa, they put this event on for whānau to bring their kids along to watch.) "He mea ātaahua ki te kite tangata Māori e mahi ana i ēnei mahi, nō reira, yeah, tino waimarie tātou katoa." (It's beautiful to see Māori in this industry, so, yeah, we are all very fortunate.) As the afternoon’s proceedings started, Korban made a brief speech to those who had gathered. “To all the tamariki here, chase your dreams. If I can, you can. Our iwi, marae, and whānau are here to support us, and tonight is proof of that.” * Secrets at Red Rocks is on Sky Open and Neon. Korban Knock at Ōwae Marae, Waitara (Source: Raymond Tuuta - Te Kotahitanga o Te Atiawa) Breaking into the TV and film industry is the stuff dreams are made of for 15-year-old Korban Knock. Fifteen-year-old Korban Knock (second from left) with whānau (Source: Raymond Tuuta - Te Kotahitanga o Te Atiawa) Screening of Secrets at Red Rocks at Ōwae Marae, Waitara (Source: Raymond Tuuta - Te Kotahitanga o Te Atiawa) Puanga to take starring role at this year's Matariki celebrations The theme for this year's Matariki holiday is 'Matariki mā Puanga' highlighting the communities who observe the star Puanga in their astronomical traditions Te Ao Māori Posthumous Oxford degree for Māori scholar Mākereti Papakura the first indigenous woman to study at the University of Oxford awarded a degree from the institution nearly a hundred years after attending Cancer survivor’s decade-long path to wellness: ‘Rongoā Māori saved me’ Northland educator Tanya Filia was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumour that led to a terminal prognosis over 10 years ago Iwi boss accuses MPs of 'scaremongering' with Waitākere Ranges claims Shane Jones and David Seymour need to "learn to read" the chief executive of a West Auckland iwi says after they criticised a proposal by Auckland Council to work more closely with the iwi as "co-governance" Finalists selected for Kiingi Tuheitia Portraiture Awards The late Māori king helped establish the competition four years ago to inspire emerging Māori artists to remember their ancestors Fewer tangihanga on the marae: Families 'don't feel connected' More Māori are choosing to have tangihanga at home instead of marae Breaking into the TV and film industry is the stuff dreams are made of for 15-year-old Korban Knock He plays the lead role of Jake in the eight-part TV series Adapted from the award-winning novel of the same name by Kiwi author Rachael King the series follows Jake who’s been sent to his dad’s for the holidays He stumbles across a sealskin while out exploring along the coast and feels compelled to take it home triggering a chain of events that takes him on an adventure of the mystical and mythical kind the reality of filmmaking was an exciting experience and a surprise too “It was definitely not what I thought it would be There are some things that are totally different from what you'd expect Director David Stubb said they held a nationwide search for the right person to fill the role of 12-year-old Jake and stamina to keep up with the challenges of the role and lots of lines to learn – so he was smart he had a cheeky sense of humour and a really nice guy Korban said it was a pretty easy gig most of the time but the stunt scenes – “which is pretty much the water scenes and stuff” – were “hectic” but I most liked the scenes where I ate stuff because I love food said it was a proud moment watching her son shoot his first scene “He mea tino miharo i te wā tuatahi ka tū ia ki mua i te kāmera – ka taka ngā roimata seeing him stand in front of the camera for the first time – I cried When asked if she knew her son was interested in acting professionally she said it came as no shock after he saw one of the whānau on screen “Ko tōna matua kēkē a Karlos Drinkwater…he kaikiriata nō reira i kite ia [i a ia] e mahi ana i ērā mahi ki runga ki a Shortland Street (His uncle is Karlos Drinkwater…he’s an actor so when [Korban] saw him on Shortland Street and that Over the course of a demanding shooting schedule she said Korban flourished in front of her eyes ki te whakarongo ki ngā tohutohu o te director so he mea tino miharo te kite i tōku tama e eke ana ki ērā taumata.” he listened to the directions from the director so it’s amazing to see my son reach that level [of growth].) and locals – gathered on the lawn outside of Ōwae Marae last week to picnic and watch his debut on a huge screen “I’m feeling pretty nervous,” said Korban ahead of the viewing Wano-Bryant said their iwi were great at encouraging and engaging its members nō rātou i tutuki i tēnei kaupapa kia haere mai ngā whānau they put this event on for whānau to bring their kids along to watch.) "He mea ātaahua ki te kite tangata Māori e mahi ana i ēnei mahi (It's beautiful to see Māori in this industry Korban made a brief speech to those who had gathered * Secrets at Red Rocks is on Sky Open and Neon The theme for this year's Matariki holiday is 'Matariki mā Puanga' highlighting the communities who observe the star Puanga in their astronomical traditions the brightest star in the Orion constellation In the late autumn and early winter night sky Matariki is seen below Puanga and to the left of Tautoru (the three stars of Orion's Belt) Puanga becomes especially prominent in the evening sky towards the end of autumn and in the predawn sky during the first month of the Māori new year Puanga will feature at this year's nationally broadcast hautapu ceremony hosted by Ngāti Rangi at the base of Ruapehu Ngāti Rangi spokesperson and leading Puanga expert Che Wilson said it was an honour for the iwi to host the ceremony and to be a part of the work that has been done over the past few years by Professor Rangi Mātāmua and all the host iwi - from Te Āti Awa and Ngāti Toa to Te Arawa and last year Ngāi Tahu Traditional stories related to Puanga are shared across many iwi across Aotearoa but are prominent on the western side of Te Ika a Maui The North Island's main divide of the Tararua Ruahine and Kaimanawa ranges separates the island's weather systems so Puanga gives iwi on the western side a better read on how to prepare for the year ahead "The reason we look to Puanga isn't because we can't see Matariki there are parts of the region where you can't but actually the reason we look to Puanga is because Puanga gives us a better read for the weather on the west coast," he said Wilson said traditionally iwi on the west coast would start to observe changes in the weather during autumn while the months around Matariki were a time to wānanga "The thing is that Puanga and Matariki aren't that different We do have a separate ceremony done the month before called Te Maru o te Tau where we send all of our mate with the setting sun to the pō and that's when we call out our names." Matariki and Puanga have always gone together in karakia They also look to other celestial bodies such as the Southern Cross "In our karakia we acknowledge Matariki during the mate because they become part of te huihui o Matariki So that's our reference to Matariki but the remainder of the ceremony is actually focussed in on looking at Puanga." Wilson said it was a beautiful thing that New Zealand is starting to recognise both Matariki and Puanga "It's a chance for everybody to go out and send intention to whoever you may call your atua and to make that connection to nature Wilson said this year's hautapu ceremony will differ slightly from those broadcast in previous years After the opening of the ceremony the next step is te tākiritanga o ngā mate invoking those people who have died in the last year "We don't call out our mate but we then invoke them to transition to become stars." But Wilson said instead of offering food to the stars they are offered to four atua or deities "So we give to atua rather than stars though those atua are also shown in the sky at that time." The last part of the ceremony is the whakapūmautanga where a pou or post is placed into the ground Wilson said those reciting the karakia bind the pou with intention as they "commit ourselves to our tūpuna rnz.co.nz will receive a posthumous degree from the institution nearly a hundred years after attending and her whānau have been fighting for recognition of her achievements for decades A small group of her female descendants from Tūhourangi and Ngāti Wāhiao gathered today at Whakarewarewa Thermal Village in Rotorua to celebrate and talk about their "Kui Maggie" hearing the news made for a "wonderful day" she is a great leader for us and this generation so I'm really proud to have her as my kui." June Northcroft Grant said the family have been waiting a long time "This conversation started probably about 30 years ago We never expected that they might do something about it — we hoped that they would.” Papakura enrolled at Oxford in 1922 where she studied anthropology Her thesis explored the customs and practices of Te Arawa from a female perspective and was published posthumously eight years after her death in a book title The Old Time Māori The scholar lived during a time where Māori culture and language were in decline due to the impact of colonisation and the suppression of te reo Māori "She thought that she was writing about the last words of her people," said Northcroft Grant "because the language was going to be redundant Her thesis was the first ethnographic account of Māori life by a Māori scholar Papakura was an example of a great leader and "incredible trailblazer" having this internal self-confidence about the depth of our knowledge system and having our own mana over the sharing of our mātauranga she influenced this kind of global sector of anthropology.” What set her work apart from those of her contemporaries wasthat she was a female studying in a male-dominant field "It was mainly English men travelling around the world and then writing up through their lens 'these are the cultures' and here was our kuia who went all the way over there and said 'kāo She said academics in the past focused on the men in those cultures but her kui wrote about women and children "That again was a really big point of difference," said Mikaere "and I think we've got letters to show that a lot of the sirs and wardens of the houses at Oxford recognised the scientific value of what she was bringing to this one of the oldest academic institutions in the world." Northcroft Grant said her “nanny” documented her life with beauty and grace writing in English It was a shame she passed before attaining her degree "It was a sad end to her life that she died so suddenly it was published and it was put into museums and universities but it was never a volume of work that was celebrated in any other form." Lani Kereopa said sharing kōrero about "Maggie" as a whānau gave them an opportunity to reflect and appreciate their ancestor’s legacy "Every few years you might pick [her book] up again and there's something new you learn that you think Papakura will receive a Master’s in Philosophy of Anthropology from the School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography at Oxford Members of her whānau and representatives of her iwi are expected to attend a ceremony later this year Tanya Filia (Ngāpuhi, Ngāi Tahu) was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumour more than 10 years ago. When she was told it was terminal she turned to rongoā Māori – traditional Māori healing – a decision that she says saved her life. She shared her story with Leigh-Marama McLachlan on Marae rongoā Māori has had a life changing impact on her and her whānau she was diagnosed with a brain tumour after she experienced the inability to recall some words and suffered from massive headaches ended up in Whangārei Hospital where I had a scan and they found that I had a grade four glioblastoma brain tumour ‘what am I supposed to do with that?’ It’s devastating She underwent an intense treatment plan that included surgery to remove most of the mass followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy – a hard and fast approach she felt pressured to endure “No conversation at all about anything else We’re talking 42 treatments of radiation directly to my brain,” she said Initially she went into remission but in 2015 she was told the cancer was back and it had spread She refused to undergo further chemo and radiation therapy – “the mask on to my face where they pin you down to give you radiation I said 'I’m not doing that again'” – opting instead for rongoā Māori natural therapies and intravenous Vitamin C Rongoā Māori is a wide-ranging holistic approach When asked to describe what happens during a mirimiri session Tanya explains how it begins with karakia to cleanse and prepare her “for walking in that space” “I go to a place where I walk and speak and talk to my tupuna,” she said and absolutely it is beautiful for my tinana.” Rongoā Māori is undergoing a resurgence. In 2023, the failed Therapeutics Products Bill drew criticism from practitioners and whānau for its impact on rongoā Māori ACC has recognised the traditional Māori healing practice and offer rongoā as a recovery option Thousands of people have claimed for rongoā services since Speaking as part of a discussion panel following Tanya’s story said they work closely with the rongoā community and have an advisory panel to ensure controls “What we’ve found is as we’ve worked with the community through their leadership it’s kept us safe and ensures the integrity of rongoā is maintained.” ACC has partnered with more than 160 rongoā practitioners where the registration process includes an endorsement from mana whenua a police check and requirement for all practitioners to be subject to the Health and Disability Commissioner Act 1994 Paea said it was about ensuring that clients are treated fairly and that there’s a good quality care of service When asked if rongoā Māori is valued in general leading practitioner Donna Kerridge (Ngāti Tahinga Ngāti Mahuta) said it is by those who use it but “maybe not” by others who don’t understand “I think it’s hard to value something that you don’t understand She said a lot more can be done to help improve collaboration “between those of us who will work towards the same goal” of serving people to the best of their abilities Tanya has been met with scepticism throughout her journey with people questioning rongoā Māori but is adamant that it is the patient’s choice wants and desires of the patient that’s been diagnosed When asked if she thinks she’s encouraging people to opt out of western treatments in favour of Māori healing approaches she strongly denies wanting to discourage anyone off radiotherapy or chemotherapy but only hopes to share her experience I don’t carry the responsibility of others All I do is share my journey so people can get a different perspective.” Tanya wants to see terminally ill patients given more treatment options and be allocated funds so they can access whatever healing method they believe in Going through the ordeal of a brain scan for official confirmation took courage on Tanya’s part What if I go and have a scan and they said it’s all over [that] it’s so widespread there’s nothing we can do about it She becomes emotional recalling what her daughter said to persuade her to go through with it Her bravery was rewarded with her doctor reporting back that there was no indication of cancer “[Rongoā Māori is] a choice that we made and it’s worked out for us I’ve been blessed enough to get longevity also there’s no other way to think about that.” Watch this episode of Marae on TVNZ+ for more on this story rongoā Māori – traditional Māori healing practice that takes a holistic approach to wellbeing NZ First and ACT MPs Shane Jones and David Seymour need to "learn to read" Edward Ashby said the central government MPs were up to "mischief" spreading "misinformation" and "scaremongering" Jones and Seymour are concerned about the potential for iwi Te Kawerau ā Maki to be part of a committee overseeing the Waitākere Ranges but Auckland councillor Richard Hill said the proposal simply progresses something that was agreed to 17 years ago the Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area Act recognised the area as nationally significant and specified it needed to be protected It also said it would progress a Deed of Acknowledgement that the Auckland Council the Crown and the nominated iwi would enter into Now the council is moving forward to create that deed with consultation on the proposal closing yesterday Auckland councillor Richard Hills explained the deed would "in practice" acknowledge the relationship and interest a range of parties have in the Waitākere Ranges enable more recreation and protection of the ranges into the future" "This was asked for unanimously by the local boards and also unanimously by the Auckland Council." Part of the proposal is to establish a joint committee under the Local Government Act with equal representation from Auckland Council the Crown and tangata whenua - in this case Te Kawerau ā Maki NZ First MP Shane Jones has condemned the idea saying his party will never agree to an iwi having "50% sovereignty over the Waitakere forest" no more co-governance of these public service-orientated outcomes." He said the moment you have a "50/50 committee set up as part of the Supercity" it will "morph in no time whatsoever into shared sovereignty over the Waitākere" That is an asset that primarily must serve all the interests and all the needs of Auckland." Coalition partner and Epsom electorate MP David Seymour agreed saying the Waitākere Ranges is a "very special area to many Aucklanders" "The idea it should be governed half by people whose ancestors arrived 800 years ago and half by people whose ancestors arrived more recently He was also concerned about decisions being made to close tracks saying those needed to be made "according to the best science" "And the people with the best science are the people who have the skills experience and qualifications to make the decision is not actually a scientific qualification." Chief executive of Te Kawerau ā Maki Edward Ashby suggested the MPs "learn to read" because "that's not what the information out there says" Ashby pointed out it had taken 17 years to act on what the legislation had promised "which is a deed to be progressed" "acknowledges our association" and "identifies opportunities for us to contribute to the management of the public land" "And so one of the ways we wanted to do that was basically set up a forum or a table for us and the Crown and Council to talk." He said that it would be a "non-statutory" body and would be used to coordinate a plan for the area Ashby maintained the proposal was not co-governance and said the MPs were up to "mischief" It's obviously on trend for some members of this Government He said he thought Te Kawerau ā Maki were being used as a "political football' and the idea that the proposal was co-governance was "misinformation" there would be land in a different structure there'd be decision making over money and things like that "Power isn't being taken away from anyone." He explained the council would still make final decisions over land it manages He said the idea that there'll be "Kawerau police" telling people what they can and can't do on the property was an "absolute fairytale" saying "there's no change of ownership or change of decision making," and that it was simply about "doing what we're already doing in disparate ways" mana whenua together to "improve the future of the Waitākere Ranges and ensure the investment is going in the right places" He said this is "nothing like" the co-governance the government approved a couple of months ago for Taranaki Seymour acknowledged it was ultimately a decision for the local council and said that is why ACT plans to stand candidates in the local body elections for the first time "The legislation in question is actually a local bill which is quite difficult for Parliament to change without the local council asking for it to happen we're standing local candidates so precisely that can happen." Jones said he would be taking the issue to caucus and he will be taking it up with the Minister of Conservation but he declined because it is a local government issue By Lillian Hanly of rnz.co.nz Over 40 artworks have been selected as finalists for the prestigious Kiingi Tuheitia Portraiture Awards Rangatahi artists under 35 around New Zealand depict one of their tupuna using any medium they wish This year will be the first time the competition goes ahead since Kiingi Tuheitia’s death last August Finalist Zoe Marler chose her great-great-great-grandfather Atama Papārangi "I knew immediately who I wanted to paint," she told 1News Marler spent over 100 hours on the oil painting Replicating his moko was the biggest challenge – the original photograph is so old Papārangi’s moko wasn’t visible when it was taken it had to be scratched onto the surface afterwards Marler was able to fill in the blanks using historic paintings of her ancestor by famous artist Charles Goldie “I worked with all these paintings in combination to work out what his moko would have looked like,” she explained used an old television to depict his ancestor Hori Kerei Taiaroa “I found out he was a politician for a couple of decades I didn’t know I could be related by someone so noble.” He filmed his father in his ancestor’s place wearing clothing Taiaroa would have worn in his time “I shot him at a low angle ‘cause I just see HK as this kind of regal chief He looks like he just has his s*** together.” The increase is being driven by factors such as cost urbanisation of Māori and cultural disconnection is one person who wants his tangihanga at home due to religious differences with his whānau and lack of time spent at his marae tikanga is dictated by the haukāinga as well as all of our kōrero and our traditions passed down from on the marae my wife and my daughter will have free rein to do as they please without being hurt Not only physically but potentially spiritually and emotionally," Moke said Eighty-year-old Vivienne Te Rangiita-Kumeroa had her late husband's tangi at home and transformed the carport into a dining room she has decided to also have her tangi at home I'm talking thousands of dollars difference You don't have to worry about the big huge cost at the marae — it costs a lot of money to feed people for two or three days," Te Rangiita-Kumeroa said The Funeral Directors Association has observed the trend across the country Cultural advisor Larni Hepi said about three in five whānau across the Eastern Bay of Plenty have tangi at home or at a funeral home The Whakatāne funeral director said a falling number of kaumātua and kuia was a contributing factor and he was worried important traditions could be lost "Tangihanga is one of our main acts of being Māori and when people choose not to have their tangihanga at the marae and apply the customs and the rituals associated with tangihanga then we have a further disconnect and then it becomes a generational disconnect," Hepi said cultural disconnection and distance were combining to make Marae tangihanga a luxury Haami Tohu owned Eternal Tides Funeral Services in Whangārei and said 20 years ago about 90% of local Māori held their tangihanga on marae partly because kaumātua had a big say on what happened He said about one in five of his Māori clients now held their service at their home often because due to cultural disconnection "You get families that hardly go back to the marae; hardly go back to the hapū; not involved with the hapū; don't feel really connected to the marae You start to see these kind of factors like who's going to dig my hole," Tohu said Pouroto Ngaropo said tikanga and kawa around tangihanga had changed and would continue to evolve with each generation "We can sit down with the family before that person dies not turn up to the marae and then 'hey I'm here what do I need to do' but actually the preparations the understanding and the communication so that when the deceased passes everyone understands what everyone is going to do to support one another," Ngaropo said rnz.co.nz Artist’s impression of the proposed upgrade Additional improvements are being incorporated into the Waitara Station Upgrade project in New South Wales to make the facility safer and more accessible following feedback from the community and local council A Transport for NSW spokesperson said the extra features will ensure the station is accessible for all rail passengers “These improvements will provide better access for the many community members who use the western side of Waitara Train Station particularly to access local schools and retirement facilities,” the spokesperson said “Residents and the Hornsby Shire Council provided feedback that the new lifts being installed in the initial upgrade could be more accessible we’re expanding our program of works to include better pedestrian access on the Pacific Highway side of the station from the street to the new lift entry in the commuter car park and upgrading the commuter car park to provide approximately 16 extra parking spaces with improved lighting and security “We’re also extending the platform canopy to offer better weather protection between the new lift and the existing station building.” The additional improvements will be delivered as part of the station upgrade a new underpass and two new lifts at the northern end of the station,” the spokesperson said “The Waitara Station Upgrade is being carried out as part of the NSW Government’s Transport Access Program modern and accessible public transport infrastructure across the state.” As Melbourne braces for a population of 9 million by 2050 global leader in smart sustainable mobility solutions has delivered on-time and to budget its Traffic Management System we’re homing in on two major topics: Tunnels and Cybersecurity All content published on this site is the property of Prime Creative Media 17-year-old Te Omeka Akariri-Buckley died in the early hours of Tuesday following an altercation in Waitara A heroic neighbour has described her efforts to revive a teenage boy after he was allegedly fatally stabbed during an early morning altercation in Taranaki Te Omeka Pairana Akariri-Buckley, a promising 17-year-old rugby league player from Bell Block, Taranaki, was critically injured in the fight in Waitara about 12.45am on Tuesday He later died in hospital from his injuries was alerted to the incident after hearing cries of help coming from the pitch black-street “I was just watching TV in bed and then I just heard lots of screaming and yelling I opened the door and listened to see if it was just random people arguing or if it was serious “I heard them [a group of people with Akariri-Buckley] screaming out for help so I just got changed and ran out there.” The nearby neighbour said Akariri-Buckley was in a “real bad state” “I lay him down on the grass and just tried to find where the blood was coming out from and tried to stop the bleeding She added it was pouring with rain and there was next to no light on the street making it difficult to see if Akariri-Buckley had more than one puncture wound “He wasn’t breathing and he was really limp The only thing I thought left to do was start CPR “The life and colour just drained from him The neighbour said it felt like hours before emergency services arrived at the scene but it was about 15 minutes after she was alerted to the incident “There was nobody else that came to help until the emergency services got there.” She said she was surprised when she received a call saying Akariri-Buckley had made it to the hospital and into surgery “He was just a baby and that’s what really hurt It was just really hard to know that he was just a baby especially being a mum to three young babies She urged everyone to undergo a first aid course or some kind of training for emergency situations because “you don’t think something like this could ever happen to you until it does” The neighbour said she had been bombarded with messages of support after her efforts “Everyone has been messaging me and calling me a hero saying that I did so well and they’re proud of me but at the same time you can’t help thinking that it could have gone better She said she had planned to meet Akariri-Buckley’s family on Thursday A tribute posted to Facebook on Tuesday night by Taranaki Whānui Māori Rugby League described Akariri-Buckley as a “polite and respectful” teenager who had a love for rugby league “He loved this game and [it] showed every time he donned the jersey,” the post read “What always stuck out was how polite and respectful he was to all the adults of our game something you don’t often get from rangatahi all the time.” Akariri-Buckley’s former school in Bell Block said he was a “much loved student” and a regular visitor even after moving on to high school “Te Omeka started his schooling at Puketapu as a 5-year-old and we were privileged to be part of his learning journey at school until his graduation as a Year 8 in 2020 Our thoughts go out to his whānau and friends,” the tribute read was arrested at the scene and subsequently charged with the murder of Akariri-Buckley He briefly appeared in New Plymouth District Court on Tuesday afternoon on the charge He was remanded into custody by consent ahead of his next appearance on August 16 in the High Court said police remained at the address on Wednesday as they conducted a scene examination “A post-mortem will be completed in the coming days,” Gower said “Police would like to extend our sympathies to his family at this incredibly difficult time and we will remain in contact with them over the course of the investigation and trial “We are continuing to piece together the events that occurred and would like to hear from anyone who has information that could assist our inquiries.” Anyone who can assist is asked to contact police on 105 and reference the file number 240730/5332 Benjamin Plummer is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news A weka hitched a 300km ride to Christchurch in a ute has appeared in the High Court at New Plymouth charged with the murder of Te Omeka Pairama Akariri-Buckley The man accused of murdering a promising 17-year-old rugby league player has appeared in court where no formal plea was entered to the charge Rakai Jacob Thompson, 25, is accused of murdering Te Omeka Pairama Akariri-Buckley on July 30 in Waitara, Taranaki Emergency services were called to a property on Strange St about 12.45am after reports a person had been seriously injured in an altercation Akariri-Buckley was taken to hospital in a critical condition but died from his injuries Thompson was arrested at the scene and subsequently charged with the teen’s murder Thompson appeared in the High Court at New Plymouth via audio-visual link from prison The public gallery was packed with Akariri-Buckley’s whānau who requested the hearing begin with a karakia Defence lawyer Paul Keegan asked that a deemed not guilty plea be entered to the charge until a case review hearing on October 18 when a plea would be confirmed Justice Dale La Hood set a provisional date of November 24 Thompson was remanded back into custody but the court heard he would make a bid for electronically-monitored bail on September 6 The short hearing was closed with a karakia he was described as a promising rugby league player Tara Shaskey joined NZME in 2022 as a news director and Open Justice reporter She has been a reporter since 2014 and previously worked at Stuff covering crime and justice Construction on the roundabout and pedestrian underpass at the intersection of Princess Street and State Highway 3 started in March 2023 and was completed in July 2024 The Princess Street roundabout was built first because this intersection has the highest crash rate There were 17 crashes at this intersection between 2017 and 2021 – more than any of the other intersections along the route A unique feature of the Princess Street roundabout is the pedestrian underpass which provides a safe place for people to cross the road – including students walking to and from Waitara High School stretches of flexible median barrier have been installed on the highway before and after the roundabout These barriers help prevent deadly head on crashes Emergency services are attending the fire at a McDonald's on Pakuranga Rd Christopher Luxon holds a post-Cabinet press conference Air New Zealand's chief executive talks about the $490m Dreamliner retrofit and his job A memorial tree has been planted at the entrance of St John’s bush in honour of slain American entomology student Kyle Whorrall Victim of abuse is wanting a judicial review Goodman Group is upgrading Highbrook Crossing to add retail dining and public space to New Zealand’s largest business park in East Tāmaki where hip hop crews from all over the world are battling to see who’s the best and Parliament tackles alcohol and mental health The Coleman family has been melting down precious metals for more than 40 years This is the first time they've shared inside their multi-million dollar gold and silver operation Prime Minister Christopher Luxon was joined by Deputy PM Winston Peters and Minister of defence Judith Collins to make a pre-budget defence announcement The NBA star's split-second jab at an Australian reporter’s accent was picked up by microphones and 3D-printed limbs help child amputees in Gaza Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is expected to be joined by Defence Minister Judith Collins and deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters make a pre-Budget defence announcement The moment that cost Liam Lawson his first F1 points of 2025 Neighbours heard explosions as a fire ripped through a Mt Roskill house Mum pays tribute after Auckland bus stop killing Australians vote early and insurance companies brace for claims Megyn Cordner and Lucas Prince started their business from the back of a van in 2022 Andrew Che lost his life savings after sending it to the wrong account Barclays Bank has refunded his money after a prolonged battle for compensation Aerial footage reveals the scale of flooding across areas of Canterbury after a destructive weather system hit the region and prompted a state of emergency North Shore real estate agency chief responds to a Real Estate Disciplinary Tribunal decision Mark Mitchell provides an update on the state of emergency in Christchurch and Selwyn A possible mini tornado was spotted about Auckland Harbour as the latest band of wild weather hits the city Fire and Emergency NZ said it responded to more than 30 callouts overnight more Kiwis turning to methamphetamine and Drs are back at the negotiating table NZSA chief executive Oliver Mander speaks about CEO pay in 2024 Waiwhetu woman Julie Paterson heard 'a loud cracking' and saw a tree branch falling towards her during Wednesday's storm Heather Keats updates the powerful system battering New Zealand breaks down why Wellington is under a rare red warning with extreme winds and Local MP Hon Nicola Grigg speak to the media on the local state of emergency in Selwyn Gisborne locals and health workers marched to Heipipi Park where speakers highlighted what they say is a regional health crisis NZ Herald Live: Simeon Brown talks to media A tourist in the Philippines climbed into a crocodile cage to pose for a selfie Senior doctors and nurses protest outside Auckland Hospital during a nationwide strike over pay and staffing shortages A person has sustained critical injuries after a high-speed crash on Tiverton Rd Floodwater has inundated homes and roads as heavy downpours damaging wind gusts and 7-metre swells smash the country’s east coast This episode explains why the US dollar is weak and if its world reserve currency status is at risk Kiwisaver cuts not ruled out and senior doctors on strike The country's biggest gas user Methanex is temporarily shutting its New Zealand methanol plants and selling the gas to power companies It said the business would shut its Taranaki plant until the end of October after agreeing to sell the gas to Contact Energy and Genesis Energy Methanex chief executive Rich Sumner said the deal would help ensure electricity supplies during the current period of low gas reserves and hydro lakes "We have been working closely with energy providers other gas users and the government of New Zealand on how we can be part of the solution We believe these agreements will play an important role to support the energy sector." Contact Energy chief executive Mike Fuge said current conditions made the gas deal necessary "With national hydro storage levels at just 46 percent of the average for this time of year and an ongoing decline in domestic gas production we have taken this step to support security of electricity supply to New Zealanders." Genesis said the extra gas supply would allow it to run the biggest unit at the Huntly station at full capacity and see it through the rest of winter and into spring Gas accounts for about 10 percent of electricity generation but supplies have been limited because of lower than expected reserves and technical problems with some fields Genesis said it was also increasing coal imports for the Huntly station and reviewing its future needs Methanex would sell gas to the power companies over the next three months and expected to earn more from the arrangement than the methanol income lost It said the company would get an earnings boost from shutting down production and selling the gas "These commercial arrangements are expected to positively impact Methanex's Q3 and Q4 2024 earnings with after-tax proceeds expected to meaningfully exceed the margin lost on New Zealand methanol production delivered to customers," it said in a statement to the Toronto stock exchange Major Electricity Users Group chairperson John Harbord told Midday Report big industry has been struggling with a huge spike in wholesale power prices - and this deal could bring them down in the short term "Obviously Methanex can't be out of operations indefinitely but there are still some longer term issues that we need to address." That included boosting gas and coal supply so it could be relied on in times of low generation from wind Another "crucial issue" was that major energy users had very low levels of confidence in the electricity market "We need a really good look at the electricity market settings if we're going to restore that confidence so businesses feel they can invest in New Zealand Methanex is a major exporter of methanol produced from natural gas Veteran Black Power member Kevin Moore has failed to take his fight to remain on coastal Māori land to the Supreme Court A veteran Black Power member’s protracted legal fight to remain on coastal Māori land he has been illegally occupying for more than a decade is over Kevin Moore’s rejected application to the Supreme Court means he has now exhausted all legal remedies and an eviction order that was earlier put on ice will kick in The final appeal court released its decision this afternoon after his lawyer Charl Hirschfeld, who is legally aided, applied in June for leave to challenge a Court of Appeal ruling relating to Moore’s drawn-out battle to be recognised as tangata whenua of the Waitara East Beach site Moore, who began squatting on the Taranaki beachside property in 2013, has long argued he is a descendant of the land and it’s his right to live there. He built himself a house overlooking the ocean and has continued to ignore orders to leave by the Rohutu Block Trust that manages the area the Māori Land Court approved Moore’s eviction requiring him to vacate the property and remove his possessions but also gave him immediate leave to file further information to establish his links to the land Moore unsuccessfully took his argument up the chain to other courts believed his tīpuna was wrongfully omitted from the 1884 Crown grant a partition order was made by the Māori Land Court in respect of the same block The beneficiaries identified in that order were the descendants of most of the original owners named in the Crown grant Hirschfeld proposed an appeal on six grounds including that the Court of Appeal had erred by not finding the Māori Land Court was obliged to consider whether or not its orders were founded on error in finding that this was not a proper case for the comity issue to be ventilated and in its interpretation of several sections of Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993 (the act) Hirschfeld submitted the Supreme Court should give leave to hear and determine the appeal because it involved a matter of general or public importance In dismissing his application for leave to appeal it stated the approach adopted by the Court of Appeal reflected a careful consideration of the act’s text and its legislative context “Nothing raised by Mr Moore gives rise to the appearance of an error in the approach to the question of interpretation that was before the court the criteria for leave to appeal are not met.” Moore’s former lawyer Graeme Minchin previously told NZME that the eviction stay would automatically lift if the application to the Supreme Court failed and that he would have two weeks to pack up and move which manages about 8ha of Māori freehold land at the beach under the act has previously told the court that Moore was a “squatter” It has argued he was not a beneficiary of the land nor did he have a lease to reside there Even if he could prove he was tangata whenua the trust was not obliged to give him a lease The home he built himself was without consent from the New Plymouth District Council and he has not paid anything to be there who has been affiliated with Black Power for more than three decades has entertained gang members at the property the community at Rohutu was “low-key and harmonious” but they say the community was now “anxious and afraid” there are about 30 homes in the Rohutu Block After Moore was given leave to apply to have the list of block owners amended to include his tīpuna the Chief Māori Land Court judge rejected that application His application to the High Court to review the decision of the Māori Land Court was later dismissed and then the Court of Appeal rejected his challenge Waitara Artists Co-op members Nathan Sharrock Audra Potaka and Dianne Hekeua unpack works for the exhibition Waitara artists are building a national platform for their work around the Sir Māui Pōmare celebration with some help from the New Plymouth District Council’s (NPDC) Creative Communities fund This year the 88th annual Māui Pōmare Weekend commemorations based at Waitara’s Ōwae Marae took place with the Waitara Artists Co-op (WAC) setting the stage for a national focus on the town’s arts held on the weekend closest to the anniversary of the politician’s death on June 26 with families and guests travelling from throughout New Zealand to attend The year the exhibition featured 100 artworks by 30 artists including those studying in Wellington or Auckland who brought back their work to be seen by relatives and friends “This is a kaupapa Māori-driven event to invigorate the profile of visual artists in the district and we want to build that up through confidence and unity with other arts groups in Waitara and including their diverse works in the show as well as aligning with other artist collectives around Taranaki to maximise the medium and long-term art strategy for identifying nurturing and promoting the artists of Taranaki.” which is supported by the Ngāti Rāhiri Trust and Te Kotahitanga o Te Atiawa received $2500 from the Creative Communities fund for the event The scheme is a partnership between the Government’s Creative New Zealand arts agency and councils to promote community involvement diversity and young people participating in the arts Each year the NPDC Creative Communities Scheme distributes around $50,000 on behalf of Creative New Zealand to local artists and arts groups with the next round of funding now open until August 25 For more information, visit: npdc.govt.nz/CreativeCommunitiesScheme Stratford Press prints last issue as NZME closes 14 community papers nationwide The Weekly SOURCE is published by DCM Media