Report a problem Te Aro Park is a significant area for mana whenua and our city We’re making safety improvements and working to improve connection to the historic Te Aro Pā We're engaging in a co-design process with Mana Whenua to develop a plan to upgrade Te Aro Park and surrounds Read more about the Dixon Street and Te Aro Park design improvements These changes are designed to increase the safety and vibrancy of the area We’ve opened the area up to pedestrians brightened the space with outdoor dining and improved sightlines into Te Aro Park Attracting more people to the area will bring the buzz back and reduce opportunities for anti-social behaviour Read our news story: New and improved Dixon Street open for business The Te Aro Park toilets were removed in November 2022 the toilets created an area that was concealed and secluded making the space susceptible to crime and anti-social behaviour A new public toilet facility is being built across the road in Inglewood Place This new location has been chosen due to its high foot traffic and visibility to CCTV The new facility will be designed in accordance with CPTED principles Read more about the Dixon Street and Te Aro Park design improvements This central city community centre is at 107 Manners Street The centre is a place for people to connect spend time and enjoy events and activities There is a structured programme of activities The Y manages Te Pokapū Hapori Learn more about Te Pokapū Hapori We worked with the Y to develop the central city youth hub Te Tai Ohinga – a friendly and safe space for young Wellingtonians on Willis Street Our young people expressed a desire for a safe place to hang out and have fun with their friends try new things and have quiet spaces to study and relax – and we designed the youth hub to be exactly that The name Te Tai Ohinga was gifted by Kura Moeahu It celebrates how young people (Ohinga) will always be in Pōneke just as the tide (Te Tai) will always ebb and flow Service desk locations Te Aro Brewery has been told to remove the product name packaging and associated advertising of its craft beer featuring historical Māori explorer Kupe A brewery has been slammed for its “offensive” naming of a craft beer after historical Māori explorer Kupe and the use of his images on its packaging Te Aro Brewery has now been told to remove the product name packaging and associated advertising and to not use it again The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruling came after two complaints were made about the Upper Hutt brewery’s product including that it “demeaned the mana” of the Polynesian navigator Te Aro Brewery told the authority it “simply didn’t ask anyone if it might be offensive” we wish to make it clear that in naming a product after the legendary explorer Kupe it was never our intention to offend anyone The beer was part of the brewery’s “Age of Discovery” range which focused on historical explorers and also included Christopher Colombus and Ferdinand Magellan the use of Kupe and the associated advertisement of the product which appeared on the brewery’s social media with the tagline “Here’s your opportunity for personal discovery of flavour!” generated complaints in associating the esteemed tupuna Kupe with the packaging and promotion of beer and demeans the mana of Kupe,” Turehou Māori Wardens ki Ōtara and Communities Against Alcohol Harm said in a joint complaint to the ASA According to the recently released decision the complainants said the advertising should not be allowed and called on the authority to hold Te Aro Brewery to account “This is appalling cultural appropriation of a Rangatira of significant status in Te Ao Māori and Pasifika,” their submission read Te Aro Brewery declined to comment when approached by NZME but said in its submissions to the authority which held a hearing into the matter on August 13 that the naming and release of the product was not a publicity stunt “We never considered that including Kupe would stand out from the other famous historical explorers “We are not attempting to pass the product off as a ‘Māori beer’ or aiming the product at Māori consumers We simply believe he is an important historical figure to all New Zealand and is worthy of note alongside other great explorers.” When the adverts first appeared on social media Radio New Zealand reported the concerns of experts including cultural adviser Dr Karatiana Taiuru who said the brewery had used a prominent Māori figure to promote alcohol when Māori suffered a disproportionate amount of harm from the drug The brewery told the authority that the media report had fanned the flames of racial division and it considered the “reported problematic relationship between Māori and alcohol” to be a “racial stereotype” “Alcohol can be problematic to all people if misused To single out one group of people based solely on their race is not something we would ever consider doing,” it submitted “We do not believe naming a craft beer after an explorer such as Kupe encourages the misuse of alcohol any more than any other alcoholic beverage name and probably less than many we can think of.” Many studies disagree with the brewery’s assessment of Māori and alcohol with a recent report from Te Whatu Ora to its Māori stakeholders noting the “disproportionate burden of alcohol-related harm among Māori” Taiuru said the brewery clearly had not bothered to look at the statistics on alcohol harm and Māori before making such a statement “Frankly I’m a little gobsmacked they would say this,” he told NZME they should have some sort of moral compass when it comes to making statements like this.” Taiuru said part of the problem with the advertisements was that they compared Kupe the navigator to men like Columbus and Magellan whose actions contributed to the adverse effects of colonialism “They could benefit from learning a bit about history.” the ASA’s complaints board agreed that using Kupe on alcohol packaging and in associated advertising was likely to cause serious offence It ruled it was in breach of the required high standard of social responsibility “All the advertisements were likely to cause serious offence The authority noted the brewery did not mean to cause any offence but said that did not mean the advertising was exempt from being in breach of the ASA’s code While the adverts have since been removed from the brewery’s social media the product was still listed on its website for sale The brewery noted in its submissions that the beer was a limited run Jeremy Wilkinson is an Open Justice reporter based in Manawatū covering courts and justice issues with an interest in tribunals He has been a journalist for nearly a decade and has worked for NZME since 2022 'This is not something we’ve seen before.' An Upper Hutt Brewery has been told to remove its Kupe beer from sale and take down associated promotion after it was found to be in breach of advertising standards Te Aro Brewing named its Kupe New Zealand IPA after the Polynesian navigator as part of its Age of Discovery series - a limited range of beers showcasing historical explorers including Christopher Columbus and Ferdinand Magellan It also promoted the Kupe beer on its Facebook and Instagram accounts including associating it with the Matariki holiday in June Concern about the product and its promotion was first raised in July with Māori cultural advisor and tikanga expert Ngāti Toa) describing is as "highly offensive" The Advertising Standards Authority received two complaints about the product's packaging and promotion Both complaints argued the association of Kupe exploited that of his descendants and the people and places associated with him One described it as appalling cultural appropriation of a Rangatira of significant status in Te Ao Māori and Pasifika Since the announcement of the ASA decision social media posts promoting the beer have been pulled down Te Aro Brewing said it never intended to offend anyone and at no time considered the possibility that anyone might be offended by naming a beer after an historical figure The brewery said it was unaware of previous controversy in 2016, when Birkenhead Brewing Company apologised after it used images of Māori ancestors on two of its beer labels It wanted to note the idea for the explorer range of beers were by a Te Aro employee of Māori descent finding the Kupe beer was likely to cause serious offense The board said while the brewery did not intend to cause offense that did not mean the advertising was exempt from being in breach of the code It found the naming and packaging of the product was in breach of the required high standard of social responsibility packaging and product name were to be removed and not used again Turehau Māori Wardens chairperson Mereana Peka one of those behind a joint submission to the authority alongside the group Communities Against Alcohol Harm said she was pleased the complaints had been upheld and said seeing the Kupe beer and social media posts was distressing "I'm really upset about it because our tupuna is being used as a platform for promoting alcohol and his name being used on the [packaging] says we agree to this She said it was particularly upsetting because of the harm alcohol caused amongst Māori "It is just not acceptable to our culture." Peka said while she was happy the authority found in the complainants' favour and that Te Aro has been told to take down the advertising and remove the beer from sale all producers of alcohol needed to take note of the decision "Culture should not be used in that form; whether it be Māori or whether it be our community - our babies are having to walk past that every single day.. Peka said she wanted to acknowledge the people that had used their voice to make a difference for the whānau Te Aro said there were 13 kegs and 1500 cans of Kupe NZIPA produced the beer was still available for sale on the Te Aro Brewing website and its Facebook and Instagram posts about the Kupe NZIPA were also still online Te Aro Brewing has been approached for comment The New Zealand IPA design features the bare-chested Polynesian navigator holding what appears to be a taiaha An Auckland brewery has apologised for using imagery of Māori ancestors on its range of beers A painting depicting the likeness of the former TV presenter has been removed from a sale after complaints it was done without her consent New Zealand RSS Follow RNZ News the capital’s new resource recovery and zero waste centre offers a central place where people can get help fixing things instead of throwing them out and drop off hard to recycle items like electronic gear Here’s how you can use the space to reduce Have an item of clothing that has a hole or a broken zip Repairing rather than buying new is a great way to take climate action in your own life – and learn new skills along the way Te Aro Zero Waste have bookable resources via their RepairED programme or set up at one of their repair stations.  RepairEd also runs events like the repair cafe and Just Sew Fixing events You can come along whenever suits and have a go at repairing on your own or make a booking if you want some support from an expert For information on upcoming events at Te Aro Zero Waste you can reduce waste by extending the lifespan of the things you have The Zero Waste Shop is building a culture of sustainability in Pōneke helping to divert more materials from landfill and keeping our city cleaner with minimal emissions Twice a month Te Aro Zero Waste holds collection days for people who want to donate larger items to the Tip Shop but don’t have a vehicle to take it out there themselves.  You’re also able to buy preloved goods such as laptops we keep valuable resources in circulation and cut down on the need for new production Find out specifics about what can be recycled on the Sustainability Trust website Te Aro Zero Waste is located on Forresters Lane Pop into the friendly space from Wednesday to Saturday 10 am to 4 pm to help build a stronger zero-waste culture in central Pōneke and help divert waste from our from landfill We’re taking the guess work out of recycling by debunking some of our most common recycling myths and mistakes If you’re sick of fishing recyclables out of the flat rubbish bin read on for some tips on how to talk to your flatmates about recycling Here are five ideas of how you can enjoy takeaways and eating out with a clear conscience Over the last week, the signs have appeared which the council believed were the work of a local artist called Cameron Hunt. The first sign was noticed in Wellington’s Botanic Gardens Pond, warning people not to "feed the crocodiles". The phone number on the sign was for the Platypus shoe store on Manners Street. A second sign popped up in the water feature at Te Aro Park — offering free scuba diving lessons at 11am every Saturday. The phone number on that sign was for Tony’s Tyre Service on Cambridge Terrace. Each sign also had "Absolutely Positively Ridiculous" logos, similar to Wellington City Council’s "Absolutely Positively Wellington" branding. A spokesperson for the council told 1News: "While they’re a bit of fun, we’re removing them to avoid possible confusion and disappointment." A sign warning Wellingtonians not to feed the crocodiles at the Botanic Gardens. (Source: 1News) Fake Wellington City Council signs promoting crocodiles in the Botanic Gardens and free scuba diving lessons at Te Aro Park are being removed in the capital. A sign advertising scuba diving lessons at Te Aro Park. (Source: 1News) Victoria Uni law students to sit handwritten exams due to AI fears Professor Geoff McLay said he had become "increasingly worried that the embedding of artificial intelligence in many students' laptops" New Zealand Man charged after gun allegedly fired in Masterton MSD office Police said it was believed to be an isolated incident with no wider risk to the public Crime and Justice 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" Wellington Airport's giant eagles to depart terminal "They have been a huge success and travellers from around the world have loved admiring them." Christchurch's Court Theatre makes grand return to the CBD It's been 14 years since the theatre lost its home in the Arts Centre to the earthquake Wellington residents 'left in limbo' as power outages continue Thousands of homes lost power during the storm which battered the region this week More than 25kg cocaine seizure leads to four arrests across NZ 7 mins ago Sole survivor of poisoned beef Wellington takes the stand 9 mins ago US woman who disappeared for more than six decades found safe 20 mins ago Victoria Uni law students to sit handwritten exams due to AI fears 32 mins ago Five Big Things That Happened Today: Tuesday, May 6 40 mins ago Judge orders arrest of man over plot targeting Lady Gaga concert 3 mins ago 1Two men's shared name brings years of trouble and a hefty bill to one Bystanders prevent attempted abduction of Auckland primary student Kiwi motorcyclist killed in 11-bike British Supersport crash Person dies following morning crash on Auckland motorway Govt halts all current pay equity claims, makes it harder to lodge new ones Photos: Lorde among stars at 2025 Met Gala Photos: Lorde among stars at 2025 Met Gala A$AP Rocky and Rihanna also revealed they are expecting their third child. 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 fansSun, May 4 Lorde announces new album name, dateThu, May 1 Kim Kardashian to testify in Paris trial over 2016 armed robberyMon, Apr 28 Chubby Checker, Outkast, Cyndi Lauper join Rock & Roll Hall of FameMon, Apr 28 Kim Kardashian to testify in Paris trial over 2016 armed robberyMon Fake Wellington City Council signs promoting crocodiles in the Botanic Gardens and free scuba diving lessons at Te Aro Park are being removed in the capital the signs have appeared which the council believed were the work of a local artist called Cameron Hunt The first sign was noticed in Wellington’s Botanic Gardens Pond warning people not to "feed the crocodiles" The phone number on the sign was for the Platypus shoe store on Manners Street A second sign popped up in the water feature at Te Aro Park — offering free scuba diving lessons at 11am every Saturday The phone number on that sign was for Tony’s Tyre Service on Cambridge Terrace Each sign also had "Absolutely Positively Ridiculous" logos similar to Wellington City Council’s "Absolutely Positively Wellington" branding A spokesperson for the council told 1News: "While they’re a bit of fun we’re removing them to avoid possible confusion and disappointment." A law student at Victoria University of Wellington said students had been "left in the lurch" after an announcement on Monday that said next month's exams for two law subjects would have to be handwritten also said a timetable had still not been provided he said he had become "increasingly worried that the embedding of artificial intelligence (AI) in many students' laptops makes ensuring that students' work is their own very difficult" He had hoped the university would have a technical solution although he hoped one would be available at the end of the year "This means that we will not be able to allow students to use laptops for exams next month," McLay wrote "I want to make this announcement as soon as possible so students have time to prepare for handwritten examinations." McLay added that there would be an exception for students with a disability that required them to use a keyboard The situation affected the LAWS 312 Equity and LAWS 334 Ethics exams The student said the announcement was stressful during an already stressful time a representative of the Victoria University of Wellington Law Students' Society said the Council of Legal Education had to be certain that everyone who passed the exams in Equity and Ethics deserved a pass (and did not cheat) "Previously in person invigilation has been sufficient to manage these concerns due to the increasing ability and sophistication of AI the faculty were concerned about the reliability of the exams leading to their decision to make the Equity and Ethics exams handwritten." The representative said the law students' society had expressed that students' preference was for typed exams — "reflecting how our professional lives will look" once it became clear that the faculty felt they needed to proceed with handwritten exams we emphasised that students should be informed as early as possible accessibility options should be made clear and exam content and timing should reflect the fact that many students have not done handwritten exams since high school and are not used to writing for extended periods of time." The representative added it was separate from the delay to the exam timetable Victoria University Provost Professor Bryony James said students' handwriting their exams meant the university could be confident that the results truly reflected the students' own knowledge and effort — free of any suggestion of the influence of AI James said she would ensure that no student was disadvantaged and was committed to working with students — including those with disabilities — who might need further support to participate in exams and final assessments as a result "As part of this undertaking the Faculty of Law will review this Trimester's exam results to ensure this cohort's performance is in line with previous years and confirm that students are not significantly impacted by this decision." President of Victoria University's Students' Association Liban Ali told Morning Report he was aware that this could happen as early as last year "It has been on the card as of last year I feel like there was something that was going to happen." Ali said the announcement had come at the wrong time and that the Students' Association were very concerned for students He said the Students' Association had engaged the Law Society and the faculty to determine the best way to support students He added that he would make sure that any changes were communicated early in the future rnz.co.nz A 25-year-old man has appeared in court after he allegedly fired a gun at another person inside a Ministry of Social Development office in Masterton yesterday Police were called to the incident on Lincoln Rd at around 12.40pm on Monday Wairarapa Area Commander Inspector Nick Thom said there were no reports of injuries from the incident "Following police's initial enquiries one person was taken into custody a short time later nearby." Cordons were put in place around the area and some staff were armed as a precaution Thom said it was believed to be an isolated incident with no wider risk to the public "Police would like to commend Ministry of Social Development staff for their prompt actions in following their lockdown procedures as this enabled police to provide a swift response to resolve this incident quickly." A 25-year-old man appeared in Masterton District Court today charged with unlawful possession of a firearm and conducting a dangerous act with intent to cause grievous bodily harm Wellington's famous eagles will take flight from the airport this week after 12 years in the terminal They will be replaced by a new display that is currently being kept under wraps Wellington Airport chief executive Matt Clarke said that the departure of the birds (and their passenger Gandalf) will be emotional for staff "They have been a huge success and travellers from around the world have loved admiring them After 12 years it's the right time for them to fly the nest “We’re working with Wētā Workshop on some exciting plans for a unique locally themed replacement to take their place." The eagles were created by Wētā Workshop as a tie-in with the Hobbit movies and unveiled in December 2013 Each bird weighs 1.2 tonnes and has a 15-metre wingspan Wētā Workshop co-founder and chief creative officer Richard Taylor said it's a "bittersweet moment" saying goodbye to them "There are many more stories to be told and we're looking forward to working with Wellington Airport on bringing a new chapter to life."  The eagles will be taken down and disassembled on Friday May 9 and placed into storage with long-term plans for them still yet to be decided "We’ll unveil what’s next later this year so keep watching the skies," Clarke said Tolkien fans will be relieved to know that Smaug the Magnificent will remain in the check-in area Christchurch’s Court Theatre has made its grand return to the city more than a decade after losing its home due to damage caused caused by the February 2011 earthquake A new location was found in Addington following the quake people queued to get a look at its brand new forever home The first reactions as people walked through the doors were all very positive I’m really excited to see lots of shows here,” one theatregoer said It’s such a moment for the city," another added The state of the art facility on Gloucester St houses two theatres – one large auditorium that seats 377 stopped by with his family to give it a once-over "We thought we'd pop down and see the new opening and I’m quite interested in architecture and was quite excited to see the building," his father said Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger described the project as a turning point for the city “Its return to the CBD is more than symbolic – it’s a celebration of what we can achieve when we work together," he said the theatre is expected to grow significantly It currently produces 20 shows annually with a combined audience of 120,000 Court Theatre executive director Gretchen La Roche said the new building "represents a transformative moment for the city’s arts scene” Artistic director Alison Walls called it symbolic and stirring “It feels beautifully fitting we open our new home with this deeply personal national story." Frustration is mounting among residents in Wellington who have been without power since early Thursday but Wellington Electricity says some repairs will continue until the middle of next week Natasha Eagle and her two children have been coping without electricity at their Island Bay home for four days She said communication had been muddled and sparse and it was difficult having no idea whether restoration was hours or days away That view was backed up by Brooklyn resident Sean Keaney He said he and his family of five had been without electricity since midnight Thursday He said they were the only house in the street affected and an electrician had confirmed the problem was at the pole Keaney said communication from Wellington Electricity had been appalling "However there is absolutely no information for us and others like us I've called multiple times to be told 'we have no ETA' we don't have any information on when someone will be there' and when I pushed and asked to talk to someone to escalate this was told they 'don't want to talk to you and you can make a complaint when it's all resolved' "This is appalling communication from Wellington Electricity - they will have a schedule of work and an idea of when they could be out to fix but refusing to share it as our family of five approach 60 hours without electricity not knowing how long it will be and unable to plan." venting frustration about the lack of communication and updates from Wellington Electricity Wellington Electricity said it was progressively restoring power to single-premise outages - with faults being prioritised by how long they had been out "After the strongest winds in a decade lashed the Wellington region on Thursday Wellington Electricity has restored power to the bulk of affected customers," it said in a statement to RNZ on Sunday afternoon adding that 8000 customers had been impacted "Crews have worked 14-hour days since Thursday managing safety with regular check-ins and roster rotations to manage fatigue." "Wellington Electricity anticipates restoring the bulk of its remaining customers without power by Monday evening however further repairs will be necessary including streetlight circuit restoration." Anyone without power who has not been contacted should call their electricity retailer directly so repair crews can be dispatched to restore supply "Wellington Electricity acknowledges the extended disruption these outages have caused and thanks customers for their continued patience while final restoration work is completed." rnz.co.nz More than 25kg of cocaine has been seized and four men arrested following an joint investigation into the importation of the drug into Christchurch Police and Customs received information about a "significant importation" of cocaine that had come through Lyttelton Port on March 29 Search warrants were then executed across the country by specialist teams to support investigators with evidence gathering Tauranga and Auckland as a result of the six-week investigation including possession of cocaine for supply and burglary and will appear in various district courts across a range of dates Detective Senior Sergeant Phil Sparks said the seizure equated to more than 250,000 doses of cocaine and $9 million of harm "That is an enormous amount of damage and misery that had been heading into our communities that has now been halted through this investigation." Sparks said the success of the investigation was partly down to the "excellent partnership" between Customs and the police "We continue to have a focus on engaging with businesses and supporting their legitimate services by keeping them safe with prevention advice to deter drug trafficking organisations’ attempts to exploit their people and premises." Customs acting investigations manager Rachael Manning said the investigation resulted from quick action and close collaboration between the agencies as well as industry partners "We know that transnational and serious organised crime groups are actively targeting New Zealand to drive up both demand and supply of illegal drugs such as cocaine for maximum profit They’re using every method possible to exploit any vulnerabilities within international supply chains in secure areas or on vessels themselves." Audrey Backeberg disappeared from a small city in south-central Wisconsin after reportedly hitchhiking with her family’s babysitter and catching a bus to Indianapolis Nobody ever knew where she went or what happened to her All that changed last week when she was found alive and safe in another state thanks to the fresh eyes from a deputy who took over the case in February Detective Isaac Hanson discovered an out-of-state arrest record that matched Backeberg which triggered a series of investigative moves that led to finding her alive and safe in another state Turns out Backeberg chose to leave the town of Reedsburg on her own accord – likely due to an abusive husband safe and secure; And just kind of lived under the radar for that long,” he said Hanson was assigned the case in late February and he and other officials met with Backeberg’s family to see if they had a connection with that region They also started digging through Backeberg's sister's Ancestry.com account obituaries and marriage licenses from that region they found an address where a woman was living that Hanson said shared a lot of similarities with Backeberg including date of birth and social security number Hanson was able to get a deputy from that jurisdiction to go to the address "I was expecting the deputy to call me back and say ‘Oh nobody answered the door.’ And I thought it was the deputy calling me I could sense that she obviously had her reasons for leaving.” Most of the information he learned during that call he declined to share saying that it was still important to Backeberg that she not be found “I think it overwhelmed her of course with the emotions that she had having a deputy show up at her house and then kind of call her out and talk with her about what happened and kind of relive 62 years in 45 minutes,” he said Hanson described discovering her safe after more than six decades practically unheard of And while he doesn't know what will happen next in terms of her family reconnecting he said he was happy that she can reach out if she wants to so she has my contact number if she ever wants to reach out or needs anything any phone numbers of family members back here," he said "Ultimately she kind of holds the cards for that.” The Government halts all current pay equity claims Stanford concedes use of personal email 'untidy' and a Kiwi motorcyclist has been killed in a crash in England Workplace Minister Brooke van Velden said the proposed changes would "significantly reduce costs to the Crown" and would discontinue current claims There have been massive pay equity claims in recent years for nurses and rest home workers The PSA union said the changes were a "dark day for New Zealand women" while the nurse's union described it as a "blatant and shameful attack" Read More Erica Stanford has spoken after 1News revealed she sent pre-Budget announcements to her personal email last year and had used her Gmail for ministerial business over the course of her time as a minister who holds the education and immigration portfolios said today she was "not a perfect human" she put the practice down to printing issues But Stanford said she had "taken lots of steps" to avoid the issue from arising further Read More A stranger allegedly tried to force an 8-year-old boy into a car outside an Auckland primary school yesterday before bystanders intervened and the man drove off Rowandale School principal Karl Vasau told 1News the pupil was "doing fine" following the incident and was surrounded by a "supportive Police confirmed they were investigating an incident from around 3pm on Monday outside Rowandale School in the suburb of Manurewa Read More Shane William Pritchard has been charged with crimes he didn’t commit and chased for debts he doesn’t owe That’s because the Dunedin man is not the only Shane William Pritchard in town The duo’s shared name and age has sometimes been a handy loophole for one Shane but it has caused problems for 36 years and he's approached Gill Higgins for help Read More was fatally injured alongside Englishman Owen Jenner on the first corner of the race at Oulton Park who was a previous New Zealand rider of the year Cemetery Circuit in Whanganui posted to its social media in tribute to Richardson a fantastic and talented racer and a genuine human" Read More Homegrown will be held at Hamilton's Claudelands Oval confirmed it would be leaving Wellington's waterfront after being there for 18 years Organisers said Hamilton offers potential for the festival to expand and evolve as New Zealand's fastest-growing city Read More A Brazilian judge today ordered the arrest of a man suspected of being involved in an alleged plot to place explosives at a concert by singer Lady Gaga in Rio de Janeiro Judge Fabiana Pagel of the Rio Grande do Sul state court did not name the suspect in her ruling but said he is a man investigated by Rio de Janeiro police as the alleged mastermind of the plot said yesterday they had released a man under investigation for the alleged plot after he paid his bail Brazilian media reported that is the same man jailed today by Judge Pagel Rio police did not reveal names of either of its two suspects or show images of the explosives that the alleged plotters intended to use said authorities believed the suspects sought to target Brazil’s LGBTQ community The Rio event on Sunday was the biggest show of the pop star’s career attracting an estimated 2.5 million fans to Copacabana Beach with 5200 military and police officers deployed to the beach where fans were revelling While the duo’s shared name and age has sometimes been a handy loophole for one Shane for the other it has caused problems for 36 years It’s been years of fearing every knock on the door Years of wondering if he’ll be hand-cuffed and taken to jail to be honest,” says Shane William Pritchard a scout and a member of the Air Training Corp remembers getting quite a shock when her friend called one evening She'd been acting as a referee for a gun licence for Shane whose friend informed her that the police had a long list of offences against Shane’s name Not long after that the police turned up to where Shane was working at the local tannery to arrest him “You're scrambling in your head to think of ways that you can prove it's not you.” Another Shane William Pritchard had been born in Otago They were separated by just two weeks and about 50 miles – one growing up in Mosgiel the other in Milton – but also by the lives they’d been leading To watch the full video story go to TVNZ+ Shane from Milton had huge problems focusing at school He was raised in foster care and then boys’ homes I just wanted to look cool and get in trouble,” he tells Fair Go Milton Shane was used to run-ins with police he got pulled over in his car and asked about his driving licence one’s got a licence and the other hasn’t.’ And I’m like ‘obviously it must be the one with a licence’.” he went to his bank to draw out an ACC payment and was asked which bank account was his He says that at that point he was trying to figure out what was going on “I thought it was just an error.” But he took advantage of the situation and withdrew a large sum of cash Mosgiel Shane became aware of the withdrawal when a scheduled car payment was declined and when Milton Shane turned up at the bank to withdraw more money Identity fraud was considered but Milton Shane was legitimately expecting an ACC payment so the withdrawal appeared to be a genuine mistake and the police couldn’t take any action 'Anything I could get away with Mosgiel Shane thought the bank incident would have alerted police to the problem But his nemesis had cottoned on to the advantages of having a second identity to use Milton Shane acquired a suite of furniture on hire-purchase Milton-Shane clocked up more driving offences Mosgiel Shane thought about changing his name but realised he’d have to provide his previous name in the process the courts and debt collectors such as Baycorp should be able to distinguish between himself and Milton Shane The police first addressed the issue in the 1990s after Mosgiel Shane went to the media He was given a letter to carry with him should he be apprehended He and his parents felt his situation wasn’t being taken seriously Mosgiel Shane went to the media a second time in the mid-2000s the police gave their word that a record in their system would stop the misidentification from happening again This does appear to have worked as far as police action goes But while Mosgiel Shane was given the same reassurance by the Ministry of Justice he continued to receive demands from the courts for unpaid fines He’d also get stopped and questioned whenever he left the country for work trips or holidays It took a huge toll on Mosgiel Shane’s mental health not realising the constant stress it placed on his life John Pritchard says that at times his son felt his life wasn’t worth living worrying about what he was going to do to himself and that really ate me up.” he and his son were in tears as Shane admitted he was at breaking point He described going for days at a time unable to eat or sleep wondering what might happen next "Am I going to be in a position where they've got me in handcuffs or I've got debt collectors coming to the door?" ...You're spiralling into this black hole." He started taking anti-anxiety medication which helped And events regarding Milton Shane seemed to settle Milton Shane was charged for fishing without a licence in Twizel and failing to comply with fisheries officers But a court registrar incorrectly entered the birth date of Mosgiel Shane in the system both Shanes were being chased to pay the $1530 fine It was Mosgiel Shane who spotted the error and rang the court He also sent a statement from his manager saying he’d not been fishing in Twizel that day The reply he got was to say he’d been given the wrong form and that they wouldn’t accept his proof They just wanted to know how I was going to pay the fine.” The first Milton Shane knew about this was when Fair Go told him Mosgiel Shane had been chased for the fine He was told to pay up or face the consequences feeling he shouldn’t have to pay good money to correct someone else’s mistake But it cost Mosgiel Shane over $5000 in legal fees and took months of back and forth between him “Why should anybody have to pay their own money to right somebody else's wrongs and prove who they are I’m sick and tired of proving who I am all the time.” He wanted the Ministry of Justice to take responsibility and reimburse him for his legal costs saying court staff such as the registrar in this case have immunity if they make mistakes such as the one made here and if I make a mistake and it's affecting my client that it's going to cost them money to rectify a mistake that I've made.” he deserves a million apologies from those guys,” she says Milton Shane told Fair Go he still gets in trouble but wants the other Shane to know he doesn’t use his birth date anymore And he had a message for him: “We’ve got to get it sorted for you so you can have a good life with you and your family because I’m trying to get my life together with my son and my grandson” He offers to meet to see if they can sort it out together but I’m not interested in meeting him,.” says Mosgiel Shane He says he doesn’t hold any grudges and accepts Milton Shane’s apology And he believes the only way for that to happen is for the courts and the Ministry of Justice to give him a guarantee that mix-ups won’t occur in the future Fair Go asked the Ministry of Justice to appear in person to apologise and provide reassurance to Shane of its plans to guard against these mistakes The Ministry declined our request to be on camera saying any comment on an individual case would compromise the independence of the courts as the Ministry operates separately But it did send a written apology directly to Mosgiel Shane It also admitted mistakes can occur in clerical records but said instructions were clear and the importance of getting things right had been emphasised to staff Mosgiel Shane isn’t totally convinced that’s the end of it “All I want is for the Ministry of Justice and the courts to do their job I'd like to live without this hanging over me all the time his criminal check has come back showing a clean slate "Police are still working to understand exactly what was occurring at the time and our enquiries are ongoing," a spokesperson said "We have spoken with the boy and will continue to work through a careful process Rowandale School principal Karl Vasau said in a statement to social media that other parents had intervened "The student then made his way home and told his parents who then came into school to let us know and then they rung the police." Vasau told 1News the pupil was "doing fine" following the incident and was surrounded by a "supportive "Our student is safe now and his family are thankful that nothing further happened to their boy but are wanting us all to be aware and stay safe It's about working with that child to make them feel safe again but also looking forward to returning back to school with a little bit of normality." Police had reacted "pretty quickly" to the reports "They've been in this morning to touch base and connect the community police constables are going to come back to tomorrow to address the whole school in relation to what had happened and around keeping themselves safe before and after school." Increased police patrols would remain in the area after school from Wednesday Anyone with relevant information should contact police on 105 Kiwi motorcyclist Shane Richardson is one of two riders who died in an 11-bike crash at a British Supersport Championship event A statement from British Superbikes said the race was immediately stopped and trackside medical services deployed "Due to the extreme severity of the incident and ongoing medical intervention the remainder of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship event was cancelled," a spokesperson said "This catastrophic accident has tragically resulted in two riders being fatally injured and another sustaining significant injuries." Richardson was initially treated trackside and then taken to the circuit's medical centre before he was taken to Royal Stoke University Hospital with "severe chest injuries" Jenner was also initially treated trackside and then taken to the circuit medical centre where he died from a "catastrophic head injury" British rider Tom Tunstall suffered back and abdominal injuries and a further five riders including New Zealander Morgan McLaren-Wood were transferred to the circuit medical centre with minor injuries which did not require transfer to hospital Three more riders were also involved but were uninjured "Devastated to hear we have lost another of our racing family Our thoughts are with Hannah and the family along with our condolences to Owen’s family too." Richardson's sponsor Whites Powersports said the team was "extremely saddened" by the news of his death "Shane will be remembered by many as a great racer Our thoughts go out to Shane’s young family and friends during this tough time The New Zealand Superbike Championship said its "deepest sympathies" went out to Richardson's family and friends A person has died following a crash on Auckland's south-western motorway this morning The single vehicle crash was reported to police shortly before 5am the sole occupant of this vehicle died at the scene," a police spokesperson said "Earlier closures of northbound lanes have now lifted and police advise motorists to continue to expect delays as earlier backlogs clear "We appreciate motorists' understanding this morning while emergency services carried out their work." Police said the serious crash unit examined the scene this morning and an investigation was underway into this morning's crash on behalf of the Coroner This is in addition to an earlier crash on Auckland's northern motorway near the Auckland Harbour Bridge Emergency services responded to a two-truck collision on the northern motorway near the Auckland Harbour Bridge shortly after 5am New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) said all lanes south on State Highway 1 were open again following this earlier crash with five lanes available on the Harbour Bridge "Allow extra time for delays on the Northern Motorway to slowly ease this morning three lanes going south were now open again between Onewa Rd and the Harbour Bridge," NZTA said The government is making it harder to make a claim for pay equity that will cut costs There have been massive pay equity claims in recent years for nurses and resthome workers Workplace Minister Brooke van Velden announced the moves to raise the threshold for proving work has been historically undervalued to support a claim on Tuesday saying changes back in 2020 had created problems "Claims have been able to progress without strong evidence of undervaluation and there have been very broad claims where it is difficult to tell whether differences in pay are due to sex-based discrimination or other factors." Claims were concentrated in the public sector with costs to the Crown of all settlements so far totalling $1.78 billion a year "The changes I am proposing will significantly reduce costs to the Crown," she said "The changes will discontinue current pay equity claims." Van Velden told Midday Report she believes in pay equity but the current thresholds were "a bit too loose" Asked how she ensure women were not hurt by this the minister said "I'm a woman and I support women who work" "I also support removing gender based discriminations from our workforces but what I don't support are muddied laws and unclear laws," she said "So these changes are better for all women who are working where we can genuinely say hand on heart that what they are finding with their claims is genuine gender based discrimination." Van Velden told reporters at Parliament any current claims would be stopped and need to restart under the new threshold to show "genuine" gender discrimination and make sure the comparators were right She gave a figure of 33 current claims that would be stopped as the legislation was put through under urgency "You have librarians who've been comparing themselves to transport engineers We have admin and clerical staff at Health New Zealand comparing themselves to mechanical engineers." Social workers had compared themselves to air traffic controllers "We don't believe we have that setting right." Any comparison would now be between female employees and male employees at the same employer "But you cannot go fishing for discrimination across the New Zealand workforce." All current settled claims would continue but the government was drawing "a line in the sand" "We're not stopping claims." The nurse's union has this year had at least 10 pay equity claims in play The PSA union has said pay equity claims and settlements had resulted in significant improvements in pay and working conditions for many workers The union said the changes would make it "impossible for people in female-dominated professions to be paid fairly" "Women across the country will pay the price for this," PSA national secretary Fleur Fitzsimons said "The government's changes today are a dark day for New Zealand women as the government says it will repeal the pay equity law and extinguish 33 existing claims in a constitutional overreach "The PSA is exploring all possible avenues to oppose these unconstitutional amendments and stop this attack on women We will not be deterred in our fight to achieve pay equity for all." "This is a blatant and shameful attack on women," New Zealand Nurses organisation chief executive Paul Goulter said "Women in workforces predominantly performed by female employees have been underpaid and undervalued for generations That is what pay equity claims seek to rectify," he said "This move by the government will widen the pay gap between men and women." The union had at least 10 pay current pay claims across Aged Care These cover many nurses and support workers The E tū union also called the changes an attack on women and a green light to pay them less for work of equal value The government was pulling the rug out from under a 13-year-long fight in aged care "These changes are not about evidence — they are about saving money by keeping women underpaid," national secretary Rachel Mackintosh said in a statement A number of unions have called a snap rally at Parliament at 1pm today in light of the announcement the Council of Trade Unions and representatives of other unions say they will be "protesting the government's attack on women and the destruction of progress on pay equity..." rnz.co.nz 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 Te ao Māori can help shape just transition processes to better address complex problems Te ao Māori emphasises the importance of relationships between nature and people It is a holistic worldview that focuses on interconnections and is grounded in tikanga customary values and lore and mātauranga knowledge values and principles from te ao Māori have been developed around marae to bring ancestors and communities together in one place in deep connection with whenua and taiao environment Tikanga provides guidance on how to do just transitions Tikanga might be thought of as the right way of doing things according to conventions rules or protocols that have helped kin communities in the past in terms of social Tikanga helps to ensure processes and decisions are just and fair Tikanga includes principles of consensus building intergenerational equity and relationship building Following these procedures can enable equitable Plans and actions need to be understood and supported by the community to be successful participatory and enabling procedures allow everyone affected by a decision to influence that decision These procedures ensure that decisions are tika just “It will be our cultural practices – how we do things using ancient and adaptable intergenerational knowledge – that will shape and reclaim our natural world and replenish the mauri [life force] of our people taonga [treasured species] and biodiversity.” Te Ara ki Kōpū | Te Arawa Climate Change Strategy(external link) — Te Arawa just transitions may be shaped by mātauranga and māramatanga enlightenment Text description of the mātāpono principles diagram Mana – A Māori man stands with a cloak on and holds a green patu club Whanaungatanga – Elders sit and watch kapa haka a Māori cultural group Oranga – A man stands with eyes closed in nature Kaitiakitanga – A person kneels on grass to plant a tree; behind are a lake and large mountain Manaakitanga – A Māori woman stands outside a marae meeting ground doing a karanga ceremonial call Kotahitanga – A large waka canoe is shown with all people rowing together Whakapapa – 5 generations of a whānau family are shown from ancestor to baby Rangatiratanga – A whānau stand in front of a marae Mauri – A woman and a man outdoors hongi press noses in greeting Below are 9 fundamental mātāpono that may guide processes for working together The specific interpretations of each and what they mean within community contexts need to be defined by those communities themselves (as informed by tikanga) literally meaning layer or layering so that It can also be like a whāriki mat that weaves hunga ora the living hunga mate those who have passed on and te taiao into a complex matrix of relationships Whakapapa underpins who we are and guides what we do It can provide the scaffolding for just transition processes by guiding responsibilities in relation to people and te taiao Whakapapa essentially provides a broad context for just transition behaviour and action Rangatiratanga is sometimes understood as autonomy self-determination or customary leadership But at the heart of rangatiratanga is trusteeship rangatira leaders act in the best interests of their community to help secure long-term benefits We often think of rangatira as those in established positions particularly now in terms of those occupying positions within legal entities or in office roles This holds true for organisations that are usually set up under Crown statute But rangatiratanga also operates in other places where kuia and kaumātua elders and pakeke adults fulfil their roles The marae is the central cultural locale for rangatiratanga expression Kaitiakitanga is guardianship of te taiao and its resources At the heart of kaitiakitanga is the idea of reciprocity between human and environmental interactions recognising how each can support the other It reminds us about learning from ancestral ways of doing things and of living well within environmental limits with the goal of leaving the environment in a good or better state for future generations Kaitiakitanga can guide actions needed to restore These actions may utilise the best of mātauranga together with western science and technology communities recognise that environmental systems may provide their own solutions We simply need to leave lands or waters alone to heal metaphysical essence or energy within a system that supports interconnected vitality just transitions are normally needed because mauri is out of balance or broken The main point of a just transition is usually to restore can be thought of as specific to a community Having mana aligns with a community’s responsibility or duty to look after and care for their rohe Mana guides what a community’s responsibilities are and what is needed for success Manaakitanga is caring for the needs of others and showing kindness It is a process of showing support and is about inclusion monitoring and participation in just transition processes It may require hard discussions when weighing up cultural This applies not only to people or communities Oranga also emphasises the importance of taking a long-term view and acting now for intergenerational change It is relevant to all just transition processes reminding us that the health and wellbeing of people and te taiao is interwoven Kotahitanga means oneness or unity and expresses the idea of collective action or responsibility There will not always be agreement on all things at all times but alignment is needed on core kaupapa issues or plans Those involved in a just transition need to have good problem-solving skills and an ability to recognise similarities and respect differences in perspectives or skills The outcome of kotahitanga is the unification of possibly diverse interests into mutual interests and common goals to address a problem moving towards better outcomes for the collective is about building relationships and making connections It creates a sense of belonging and helps people to work together for a common purpose Whanaungatanga maintains community cohesion Manawa Honey is at the heart of a revitalised Ruatāhuna after many difficult decades for this community in Te Urewera This business is run by the Tuhoe Tuawhenua Trust with a core vision of manaaki – service consideration for others and reciprocity – for the whole community The honey business is a means to an end for providing income for the community It supports the regeneration of the haukāinga marae community and the local ecosystem of ngahere bush The business provides much needed pollination in the environment and local food systems It also gives a koha gift of free honey to local homes and marae each year and supplies honey to locals at reduced cost The trust works hard to empower its team to develop skills that can harness energy and provide future benefit to the local marae community ultimately attracting rangatahi young people back home to engage in meaningful employment [1] 'Whāriki: The Growth of Māori Community Entrepreneurship' < The importance of Te Tiriti o Waitangi | 2. Connecting > VisitMeetBusinessScreenVenuesOpen searchWellingtonEat & DrinkVisitEat & DrinkSwimsuitLocation38 Dixon Street and a cool community vibe at this bustling central-city coffee shop Owner Tait Burge is an award-winning barista and a perfectionist when it comes to coffee Using a unique blend of beans from local roastery every drink at Swimsuit is top-notch.  The Dixon Street café is a morning sun trap with outdoor seating and plenty of people watching It makes for a friendly and busy atmosphere.  It’s the experience that motivates Tait – achieving the right energy so customers want to come back softened with some personal touches.  high-quality products in a way that feels approachable and genuine we’ve embraced the idea that 'it’s a vibe,' focusing on creating a welcoming space where our community feels cared for and hospitality is at the forefront,” says Tait He’s managed to find the perfect balance between a cool kids hang-out and a warm community hub Whether you’re a regular or a first-time visitor Swimsuit is also in the running for Wellington’s best cheese scone It’s no mean feat in the Wellington café scene Freshly toasted and served hot with a generous side of butter they go perfectly with your coffee of choice If you’re not partial to a scone there are other light snacks to choose from.  Together with his business partner Willy Bridewell-Roberts Tait has three other cafés in the Swimsuit family Each has its own buzz and a dedicated community of locals Whether you visit the original café on Dixon Street or pop over to Park Road in Miramar you’ll always find a warm welcome and a perfect coffee at Swimsuit PrefabGo where the locals go at this stylish inner city café and bakery Customs Brew BarCustoms is at the heart of the capital’s coffee scene and a trip to Wellington wouldn’t be complete without a stop here and trendy merchandise are all on offer at this creative city café The Hangar Run by self-proclaimed ‘coffee nerds’ Flight Coffee’s flagship café is all about the details The House of Good FortuneHome to the Good Fortune Coffee Co. this quirky little café serves up fair trade coffee and vibrant cabinet food Dough BakeryMasters of artisan bread and baked goods Pickle & PieA Kiwi version of a New York delicatessen brings classic Jewish tastes to an inner-city eatery Drink in the views at Maranui CaféHearty breakfasts come with a side of incredible views and retro décor at this quintessential Wellington experience and part community hub — this tavern with a secret garden is an oasis in the city Glou GlouA sleek Wellington café is in pursuit of the perfect croissant and after taking your first bite you’ll find the proof is in the pastry It takes three days to make something so good you’ll consume it in three minutes Sign up to our newsletters to stay in the loop with everything good going on in Wellington The Te Aro Brewing Company is under fire for its use of a Polynesian navigator to promote alcohol By Denise Garland for RNZ A Māori cultural advisor is “gobsmacked” an Upper Hutt brewery has released a beer named Kupe as part of a series showcasing historical explorers is rolling out six limited-release beers in its Age of Discovery series The third beer - a New Zealand IPA called Kupe - had been released and its design featured the bare-chested Polynesian navigator holding what appeared to be a taiaha Other craft beers in the series had been named after explorers Christopher Columbus and Ferdinand Magellan Tikanga expert Dr Karaitiana Taiuru (Ngāi Tahu Ngāti Toa) said he was shocked to see Te Aro Brewing had named a beer after Kupe “I was gobsmacked this is actually happening in New Zealand in 2024 “Depicting and using a famous Māori and Pacifica ancestor such as Kupe for alcohol is highly offensive,” Taiuru said “We know the social harms caused by alcohol to Māori.” Taiuru said a series of beers that celebrated colonial explorers who had taken so much from indigenous cultures was in poor taste - and not only to Māori “Both [Columbus and Magellan] are colonial discovering captains who are responsible for huge numbers of deaths and the colonisation of indigenous peoples evil people being branded and promoted [alongside] a famous Māori and Pacifica ancestor and explorer.” Taiuru also took issue with the beer label design and the fact Te Aro Brewing Company first announced the beer with a Matariki-inspired social media post “The way that Kupe has been portrayed on the image promotes colonial misinformation and [an idea of] racial superiority that Māori were either underfed or skinny We do know that our Māori ancestors were quite large muscular people - we had really good diets “We didn’t just get lost coming to New Zealand “In this case we didn’t use Matariki to get to New Zealand “It just appears to be a cheap way to commercialise on New Zealand’s public holiday and a very significant cultural day for Māori.” Te Aro was not the first brewery to be called out for the inappropriate use of Māori kupu and imagery on beer products Auckland’s Birkenhead Brewing Company apologised for using images of Te Arawa ancestors Tūtānekai and Hinemoa on two of its beer labels Several UK and European breweries had also been accused of cultural appropriation for using Māori images and kupu on their beer labels in 2017 and 2018 including a Belgian brewery for naming one of its offerings “Māori Tears” and a brewer in Bath for having a caricature of a Māori man riding a Kiwi while performing pukana on a beer label Those indiscretions caused the Brewers Guild of New Zealand to produce a guide on the appropriate use of Māori culture in the brewing industry Taiuru said there was no excuse for Te Aro Brewing falling short of the mark “There’s been a significant amount of work in raising these sorts of issues working with the brewing industry to prevent this from happening,” he said “Just a quick Google search will show people what’s offensive and what’s not offensive with any sort of branding or marketing.” “I think they need to consider whether promoting two colonial explorers actually is culturally appropriate Is it insensitive to Native Americans and insensitive to the Filipino communities “They should consult with local iwi about the appropriateness of using Kupe Te Aro Brewing has declined to speak on the record in response to RNZ’s questions Wharehoka Wano will lead Te Tōpuni Ngārahu a body representing the region's eight iwi Armed police have attended a burglary in central Wellington this evening but a spokesperson says no firearms were located It was earlier thought an armed robbery was taking place At least three police cars and four armed police were seen outside a building that houses the New Zealand Film Commission and Master Plumbers on Ghuznee Street in the central Wellington suburb of Te Aro Police were called to the building just after 5pm and were armed as a precaution A new resource recovery centre for people to drop-off goods to be re-used recycled or repaired has opened in Forresters Lane More than 11 tonnes of electrical waste (e-waste) was diverted from landfill across a range of community centres in Pōneke FillGood aims to reduce the mass amounts of single-use items by offering reusable cups Our Waste Minimisation Team have shared some things you may not know about recycling in Wellington Find out what you can do at Te Aro Zero Waste the capital’s new resource recovery centre A new mural at Te Aro Park has been painted by young people who say the art helps give them ownership of the space Tracy Underwood (Ngati Raukawa) and Ruth Robertson-Taylor are the minds behind the three vibrant new murals in Berhampore Artist Greta Menzies has designed a 99-metre long mural inspired by senior students from Island Bay Primary and St Francis de Sales A new mural on a wall of the St James Theatre by artists Keri Mei Zagrobelna and Tina Rae Carter has been officially blessed and revealed for all to s.. renowned Wellington artist Ariki Brightwell painted a mural named Te Wai-Māpihi for the community hub Ariki has gifted the art to the Downtown Community Ministry (DCM) Connect with your community through events and activities that won’t cost the earth more outdoor dining and visual markers of hidden awa (streams) are features of the new design for Courtenay Place Pops of Positive is an initiative to fill empty retail spaces across Wellington with temporary creative installations along Manners Street we reflect on the stories that got the biggest reactions from Wellingtonians Here’s 10 of our best performing pieces of content from across our website and social media channels Progress report on Te Matapihi Central Library Many of you will be familiar with former Wellington City Council social media advisor, Simone, who informed and entertained Wellingtonians with her many social posts and responded to thousands of your comments and messages over her five-year Council stint. Her Facebook post bidding farewell to Pōneke was our most popular post of the year gaining more than 4000 reactions.   Wellingtonians loved our Facebook video - the third most popular post on the platform - highlighting the incredible mahi and community effort that went into shining up Newtown A massive shoutout to all the local businesses Newtown to city bike route: How it's being used where it was one of our most-read articles.  Wellington City Mission has officially opened their one-of-a-kind transformational community hub Here’s our pick of places to explore in Wellington this summer and some climate-friendly ways to get there With just over a year to go until the opening Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui Central Library has been released onto its base isolators Change has always been a part of the history of Courtenay Place there was rapid growth in the businesses on Courtenay Place restaurants and shops popping up – some of which are still around today These changes cemented Courtenay Place’s reputation as an entertainment hub.  and improved ways to get around are coming to Wellington It may not be 96m tall like London's Big Ben Councillors briefed on a plan to breathe new life into the Courtenay Place precinct We’re building new toilets at Inglewood Place to replace the ones removed from Te Aro Park New public toilets will be installed in Inglewood Place to replace the toilets that were in Te Aro Park We picked this location because it has high foot traffic and visibility to CCTV The Changing Places unit will be the first to open in Wellington and it provides fully accessible bathroom facilities for people with complex needs Access to the Changing Places unit will be via key card that you can gain by registering with Changing Places New Zealand: Become A Member - Changing Places Wellington Water’s Taranaki Street Pump Station and gravity pipeline project is finished and we are getting ready to install the Inglewood Place public toilets over the next few months The initial groundworks in the construction of the toilets have begun Construction is expected to take a few months with the toilets expected to open in early 2025 The hoarding that is up for the Wellington Water project in Inglewood Place is expected to stay as it is until the toilet is installed and ready to open Inglewood Place will remain closed to traffic and pedestrian access will remain along the footpath in front of the buildings The decision to remove the toilets at Te Aro Park is part of our commitment to improve safety and vibrancy in the central city The design and location of the toilets created a secluded and unsafe space making it a hotspot for anti-social behaviour The toilets have also been a long-standing cause of hurt for mana whenua due to their proximity to Te Aro Pā an ancestral site of great significance to the descendants of the Pā we have many talented artists who have created public art for all to enjoy across the central city and suburbs Murals are an opportunity to recognise and mark sites of significance and tell the stories of the past and present Murals enable communities to come together and share ideas about what might be represented and for artists to develop their practice beyond the traditional arts spaces to broaden their careers Murals add a pop of colour to our cityscapes and make visible histories They enable people to see our city differently and provide information about spaces we may not have been aware of Murals are also a great way to reduce graffiti and increase perceptions safety.   was a collaborative effort between Pōneke-born mana whenua artist Keri-Mei Zagrobelna (Te Āti Awa Te Whānau ā Apanui) and experienced muralist Tina Rae Carter and while the dynamic duo didn’t know each other before this project they have come together to create a beautiful story of the land and heritage building Tracy Underwood (Ngati Raukawa) and Ruth Robertson-Taylor are the minds behind the three vibrant murals in Berhampore which can be found on the corner of Adelaide Road and Luxford Street They collaborated closely with students from Wellington East Girls' College including Porirua-based artist Tuakana Holmes The hillside behind Bowen St was a kainga (food garden) before it became a residential area and cemetery The new mural Kaiota brings together that history and other māramatanga (meanings) The artist Ariki Brightwell talks us through the elements.  Gina Kiel grew up surrounded by the artwork of her late father Leon Kiel – known to many as the artist behind the island in Whairepo Lagoon She is now following in her father’s footsteps by creating beautiful public murals with the most recent one on the wharepaku toilet block on Medway Street The buried stream Waimapihi tracks underground from Aro Valley the historical significance of the site is honoured through the new mural by artist Izzy Joy Have you noticed something colourful on Willis Street That’s the new mural for Te Tai Ohinga the upcoming free space in the city for young people aged 13 to 18 A stunning new artwork has been created by artist Liana Leiataua for the Newtown Library/Smart Newtown building in Newtown created by internationally renowned artist Graham Hoete (Mr G) adorns Shed 1 along the city's iconic waterfront serving as a lasting tribute to June Jackson who dedicated her life to the betterment of Wellington and its residents There are more exciting works coming up across Pōneke Find out more about murals on our website Here is the beautiful story behind the St James mural in Wellington Memorial mural honours the life and contributions of June Te Raumange Jackson Tory Whanau launches Golden Mile project yesterday Become a Wellington.Scoop Supporter » Rising up out of the water and onto the land is Whetuu Maarama the new waka at the upgraded Te Aro Mahanaplay area in Frank Kitts Park Upgraded play areas at Frank Kitts Park and Botanic Garden ki Paekākā set to open next week The winter 2024 Our Wellington magazine will be the last to hit your letterbox New design for Frank Kitts playground revealed with construction work due to start on the waterfront site early next year “Ka tino hakapono ahau he taonga tuku iho nā ngā atua, nā o mātou tūpuna tēnei momo āhuatanga o te takiwātanga,” te kī a Jessica Hita. (I’ll be very honest, takiwātanga is a treasure that has been gifted by the atua, by our ancestors for this type of autism,” says Jessica Hita. Hita (Muriwhenua) and partner Tūhoro Paki (Ngāti Mahuta) are the parents of 8-year-old Te Aurere, who was diagnosed with autism in 2019 and have faced challenges seeking treatment under mainstream health care that addresses their cultural needs. Hita shared with Te Ao Māori News that since Te Aurere’s diagnosis, the clinical processes and information they were provided are from a Westernised system, and it did not culturally fit their family. “Ehara tēnei momo āhuatanga te takiwātanga i te māuiuitanga. Tā te tauiwi tērā ngā whakaaro, nā reirā me waihō ēra whakaaro ki a rātou,” te kī a Hita. (This type of autistic behaviour is not a disorder. That’s what non-Māori think; that’s their way of thinking. Leave those ideals to them.) To raise awareness around autism and drawing on their personal experiences, the young couple founded Kanorau Takiwātanga Consultants to support whānau experiencing takiwātanga. Last month, they published a children’s bilingual book on autism. Tōku Takiwā is a children’s book that explores the unique experiences of Te Aurere, the main character, who shares his perspective on life as a gift when viewed through a te ao Māori lens. Hita says Tōku Takiwā is a book that celebrates not only the uniqueness of Te Aurere, but also all takiwātanga children, highlighting their deeper compassion and understanding worldview compared to others. “Ko te whāinga matua ka taea e rātou ki te kite a rātou āhua i roto i ngā rauemi.” (The other main goal is for them to be able to see a depiction of themselves in these resources) Hita hopes that this book will help people see that autism is a superpower, not a disorder, as so often referred to by health practitioners. It’s a sentiment she hopes will reach other children diagnosed with autism, and the rest of Aotearoa. “Ko te mea tuatahi kia mōhio rātou tā rātou ake mana. Me whakanuia a rātou pūkenga, ae,” “The number one thing is that they (takiwātanga children) know of their mana and that we should value their skills. Yes,” The book launch took place in Hamilton Waikato over the weekend but was published by Kanorau Consultants Limited in March. Nā Kristin Ross te pukapuka nei i whakamāori. Hei tāna, he tuatahitanga tēnei mōna, ara te tuhi i tētahi pukapuka e pā ana ki te takiwātanga. “He reo hou tēnei ki ahau, he ao hou tēnei ki ahau otirā ko te painga o tēnei, kei te ora te aro rere tini i tōku āno whare. Nō reirā, he huarahi tēnei e āta noho ai ki tēnei ao o te aro rere tini me te takiwā.” Hei tāna anō, ko te painga o tēnei pukapuka, ka whakamārama atu ki te ao i ngā āhuaranga, ngā wheako, me ngā whakaaro o ngā tamariki kua pāngia ki takiwātanga. “Kua roa e pēhia ana, me mutu tērā āhua. Mā tēnei pukapuka e whakaatu atu ai ki te ao i tō rātou whakamīharotanga.” Maioha Panapa. He uri teenei no Ngai Taamanuhiri, Rongowhakaata, Te Whaanau a Apanui me Waikato Maniapoto. An exhibition showcasing works by architecture and design innovation students envisioning the future of Te Ngākau Civic Precinct is now open to the public until 23 July It’s been a year since the upgrades for Swan Lane and Garrett Street were completed We checked in to see how Wellingtonians have been enjoying the up.. Once burbling streams lie buried beneath the pavement on Thorndon Quay We’re bringing them back to the light with beautiful etchings The infrastructure industry gathered this week for the launch of a New Zealand-leading platform to map the buried pipes and cables in the city A Wellington conservation group is furious after native trees were chopped down to make way for an unsanctioned mountain biking trail. (Source: 1News) The co-leader of a Wellington conservation group has invited those behind an attempt to create an illegal bike track to meet him and learn why they're restoring a patch of native bush in Te Aro. "I couldn't believe it really, there were a few tears within the group when it happened," Wild Aro co-leader Anthony Hawkins told 1News about the destruction of native trees at Ngā Kumikumi/Devon Street Gully. "We're trying to create a forest for everybody — it's really something that has to be respected or it's not going to work." Hawkins was alerted to the incident on the weekend by a woman who lives nearby. "We had one of our people discover them at night time and she came down and shone a torch on them, they told her to go away." Hawkins said a mountain biking "jump" was found where trees had been cleared. He said it was reported the offenders were teenagers who used a chainsaw and other tools to clear the area and worked over multiple nights. Hawkins said a mountain biking "jump" was found where trees had been cleared. (Source: Supplied) Anyone with information about the incident should contact Wild Aro on Facebook or Wellington City Council, he said. Tawa, kahikatea and miro were the slow-growing trees caught up in the destruction, along with nikau, māhoe and other natives. Wild Aro have been planting trees in the area, as well as trapping and clearing weeds, for six years. Te Aro School have also participated in tree plantings over the years, with principal Sue Clement telling 1News the school enjoys the increasing wildlife that's returned to the area because of the reserve. Clement said students that don't have a garden get the opportunity to see native birds and walk through the bush reserve. Wellington Mountain Bike Club president John Baddiley said the organisation is disappointed about any incident of unauthorised trail building on public and private land. "We encourage everybody to be working with landowners to get authorisation. "Our natural environment is important to all of us — there's a right way and a wrong way to go ahead and build trails," Baddiley said. He said the mountain biking community feels like they are "tarred with the same brush" as those behind the incident. "It's just disappointing because it detracts from amazing volunteer work that mountain bikers do every year." Baddiley said this included 6500 hours of trail, trapping and planting in the bush from his club alone last year. He said Wellington Mountain Bike Club has had a "productive relationship" with landowners across Wellington for the past 20 years. A spokesperson for Wellington City Council said temporary fencing will be erected at the site, along with signage, and the council will help with replacement planting. Native trees planted by Wild Aro have been provided by Wellington City Council. "The volunteer groups that we support undertake some incredible mahi for Poneke to help nature and people thrive so it is incredibly disappointing to hear of incidents like this," the spokesperson said in a statement. A park ranger has visited the scene to understand the damage that's been caused. "We will also reach out to our MTB (mountain bike) groups and ask them to get the message out there on their social channels that this recent senseless unauthorised work is not supported by the MTB community," the council spokesperson said. The council urged people to contact the organisation before creating a trail, with a process in place for new developments. The public's being directed to participate in existing trail building groups on approved projects. Both the council and Wild Aro will continue to monitor Ngā Kumikumi reserve, with the conservation group ramping up surveillance and putting signage up in the area in the wake of the incident. "If you do come across people undertaking covert works in our Parks and Reserves please call the Council in the first instance so that we can follow-up promptly," the council said. DOC apologises after non-toxic pellets spark warning at Nelson sandflats A drone trial by the Department of Conservation unintentionally sparked a public safety alert in Nelson after leftover non-toxic pellets were mistaken for poison 8 mins ago 10 mins ago 22 mins ago 33 mins ago 41 mins ago 4 mins ago We’re making urban design improvements to Dixon Street and Te Aro Park to increase safety and vibrancy of the area through the Pōneke Promise This project is a key outcome of the Pōneke Promise – our joint commitment to improving safety and vibrancy in the central city Courtenay Place and the surrounding areas were looking and feeling unsafe and so through the Pōneke Promise we set out on a mission to address this Improving public spaces is a key part of the programme to revitalise the area and bring the buzz back.  Stage one of the urban design work involved transitionary changes to Dixon Street which are now complete You can read more about the completed upgrade in our news section: New and improved Dixon Street open for business See photos of the Dixon Street improvements: It’s about more than just improving the look and feel At the core of this project is what we call CPTED Crime Prevention through Environmental Design Principals There are some unique challenges in the area including the lack of visibility into the park past the parked cars The new design for Dixon Street addresses these issues by creating better sightlines to and from the park and providing more pedestrian and outdoor dining space This part of the project involves permanent urban design changes to Te Aro Park and surrounds including the removal of the toilets which happened in November 2022 Visit the Inglewood Place toilets project page for more information and project updates With Te Aro Park being one of the last pieces of open space within the historic Pā area and home to Te Waimāpihi artwork which represents links to the awa of the same name and the historic use of the area by Māori the site has high significance for Mana Whenua the scope was focused on the removal of the public toilets on the park and improving sightlines and connectivity into the park through the transitional work on Dixon Street The Waimāpihi artwork (the sculpture made up of the tiles water features and grassed areas) remained out of scope A co-design process with mana whenua was initiated so that the new works would align with their aspirations and values for the area Through this co-design process with mana whenua and our Māori design lead on the project – who’s role is to translate the aspirations and values into physical design – it became apparent that the scope of the project would not provide opportunity to meaningfully give effect to Mana Whenua’s aspirations One of the key aspirations is to strengthen the connection of uri (descendants) with the whenua the mana whenua working group requested that we widen our scope to look at the entire Te Aro Park including investigation of design opportunities if the Te Waimāpihi artwork were to be decommissioned and removed the LGWM City Streets Programme has been brought in house and included into this project to better integrate the park with the surrounding area Funding for this project (including upgrades to Te Aro Park and Inglewood Place) is being considered through the Long-Term Plan amendment process We held engagement workshops in October and November 2022 with children local residents and businesses to hear their aspirations for the park We have used the information from these workshops alongside the direction given by mana whenua to create an integrated design solution that achieves more public space safety and accessibility benefits to be realised When funding has been decided for the park we'll seek public feedback on the concept design This project came about through the Pōneke Promise in response to safety issues identified in the Te Aro Park – Assessing Harm report. You can find this report, and more about the initiative, on our Pōneke Promise section VisitMeetBusinessScreenVenuesOpen searchWellingtonEat & DrinkVisitEat & DrinkSupraLocation1/31 Dixon Street Supra is a no-frills restaurant that focuses on food over fanfare If you’re wandering around central Wellington or a head-scratching modern art installation With a front-row seat to the busy city below and across the road from The Opera House its unusual (for Wellington) placement on a first storey makes it feel like a well-kept secret The understated signage on the tucked-away staircase (painted a suitably discreet black) adds to the mystery As owner and head chef Thom Millott puts it: “It’s a ‘if you know you know’ kind of thing.” Hand-picked records from Thom’s home collection add to the personality the city’s evening light is the decoration and diners sit mostly in the window in cosy couples a perfect vantage point for people-watching below Groups can nab the larger table in the centre or perch at the bar where you can see the other star of the show — the kitchen With a wealth of hospitality experience in both Aotearoa and Australia Thom draws from a range of inspirations to create the menu allowing diners to choose their own adventure If you want to have one or two things to yourself Everything is about “just making things delicious.” This can mean finding new ways to use ingredients or keeping ahead of food trends The drinks list reflects the evolving and modern nature of the menu you’ll find drops from local vineyards and further afield The restaurant’s name is a happy coincidence But Supra by definition means ‘over’ or ‘above’ — a nod to both its location above the city and the elevated dining experience on offer HummingbirdCommanding a prominent corner on Courtenay Place this restaurant is an oasis for mouthwatering food Havana BarHidden among modern city buildings two historic cottages house a Wellington restaurant and bar The RamCome as you are to this relaxed bar meets pub at the heart of Cuba Street The Runholder offers an exquisite hospitality experience in Martinborough Oikos Hellenic CuisineYou’ll feel like you’re part of the family at this Greek restaurant in the suburbs KojiAsian-inspired cuisine mixed with locally sourced produce creates a delicious dining experience Chaat StreetFinger-lickin’ good Indian tapas will open your mind and fill your belly OmbraInspired by the backstreet restaurants of Venice HighwaterInner-city restaurant and bar Highwater Eatery walks the talk on sustainable and ethically sourced food the dishes at Liberty are full of flavour and made to be shared Demolition of the Te Aro Park toilet block in central Wellington begins today with new toilets to be built over the road in Inglewood Place in 2024 The demolition is expected to take three weeks and be completed mid-December Engagement and a co-design process is underway with mana whenua to determine exactly what changes will be made to the space once the toilets are gone Initially the area will be tidied up and the Council be facilitating on some summer activations with the local community before the official urban design upgrades begin in spring 2023 after the FIFA World Cup A concept plan for these changes will be shared with the community for feedback early in the new year.  We’ve delivered some great initiatives and changes to make Wellington a safer welcoming place to be through the Pōneke Promise hundreds of people have come through the doors of Te Wāhi Āwhina in Wellington to connect to social services Epuni Street in Aro Valley will be formally renamed to Hōniana Te Puni Street this week to accurately reflect the tupuna (ancestor) the street is named after The new street name correctly recognises Hōniana Te Puni a prominent Te Āti Awa leader who played a significant role in shaping Wellington’s cultural history.  Hōniana Te Puni was a chief of the Ngāti Tāwhirikura and Ngāti Te Whiti hapū of Te Āti Awa In the early 1830s he was one of the leaders of the hekenga (migration) that travelled from Taranaki to the greater Wellington region.  In 1839, he and Te Wharepōuri another chief of Te Āti Awa and a signatory on Te Tiriti in 1840 signed an agreement to sell land in the present-day Wellington City to the New Zealand Company with a tenth of the land to be set apart for Māori Tākai Here partners have advised that the use of Epuni as the street name is inappropriate as it was a colloquial term used in conversation between Māori in certain circumstances similar to the use of e hoa (friend) today This name appears to have been recorded in error by early Wellington settlers Council engaged with Tākai Here partners Taranaki Whānui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika and Te Rūnanganui o Te Āti Awa ki te Upoko o Te Ika a Māui to reach consensus on the name correction The preference from our partners was to rename Epuni Street to his full name as the shorter Te Puni Street is already in use in Petone.  This aligns with the Council’s naming policy, Te Māpihi Maurea which provides guidelines and principles to be considered when deciding the name of roads The policy includes criteria for using te reo Māori where a location is important to mana whenua and using names that tell stories about the history of the place Mayor Tory Whanau says the name correction also fits with the Council’s Te Tauihu policy recognising the status of te reo Māori as a taonga and supporting the revitalisation of the language within Council activities and Wellington City “Following on from correcting Waripori to Te Wharepōuri Street in Berhampore in 2020 this latest renaming is part of our efforts to correct te reo Māori names around the city towns and geographical features have been incorrectly named over the years It’s time we set the record straight “Not only is it the right thing to do but it underpins the value and commitment of Council to our Tākai Here partnership to our partnership with mana whenua and our commitment to raising the status of te reo Māori.” Te Āti Awa and Ngāti Ruanui) who is a direct descendant of Hōniana Te Puni contributed historical accounts of his tupuna to Council and supported the investigation into the inappropriate use of Epuni Street “Hōniana Te Puni is one of the founders of Wellington and is not well recognised in the colloquial use of ‘Epuni’ which some would see as degrading The change will help people understand an important part of Wellington's history by naming him correctly.  “There are surprisingly few ancestral names used in Wellington City which is dominated by New Zealand Company names and other colonial names This correction makes it clear who the tupuna is.  “There are other tupuna who could be regarded as founders of Wellington City from a Māori perspective such as Ngatata i Te Rangi Street naming is one way to give another form of recognition of their place in history.” The corrected name will be unveiled by Wellington City Council and local residents and school students at a ceremony this week Hidden in the hills of Pōneke lies Aro Valley The suburb is full of quirky homes and colourful art Pōneke is celebrating three recently upgraded and renovated Community Centres around the city The Waimapihi Stream tracks underground through Garrett Street and is named after Mapihi Epuni Street in the Wellington suburb of Aro Valley has been corrected to Hōniana Te Puni Street A new street sign was unveiled by Wellington City Council and direct descendants of chief Hōniana Te Puni on Thursday morning Waripori Street was corrected to Te Wharepōuri Street in the suburb of Berhampore to honour chief Te Wharepōuri Mayor Tory Whanau said the new street name correctly recognises Hōniana Te Puni "He has had quite a significant impact on the culture of Wellington," she said "And while this may seem like just a small ceremony to some people in Wellington what I felt from this was a restoring of mana She was looking forward to being able to unveil other parts of the city which could do the same Hōniana Te Puni was a rangatira - chief - of the Ngāti Tāwhirikura and Ngāti Te Whiti hapū of Te Āti Awa He was one of the leaders of the hekenga - migration - from Taranaki to the greater Wellington region Wellington Central MP Tamatha Paul said she hoped this would be a catalyst for the Wellington City Council to correct other names "I have got a big list of names - suburb names building names - that really need to be corrected so that we can understand our past and move into our future," she said But one resident of the now Hōniana Te Puni Street - who did not wish to be named - said he felt the council had far more important issues to resolve Another said it would be difficult to adjust to the new name St Vincent de Paul Aro Valley manager Heather Patterson said residents would get used to it and learn how to say the name properly it is just a slight name change," she said said the chief was one of the founders of Wellington and was not well recognised in the colloquial use of 'Epuni' "The change will help people understand an important part of Wellington's history by naming him correctly," he said "There are surprisingly few ancestral names used in Wellington City "There are other tupuna who could be regarded as founders of Wellington City from a Māori perspective such as Ngātata-i-te-rangi "Street naming is one way to give another form of recognition of their place in history." The correction is aligned with the council's policies Te Māpihi Maurea provides guidelines and principles to be considered when deciding the name of roads It includes a criteria for using te reo Māori where a location is important to mana whenua and using names which tell stories about the history of the place Te Tauihu recognises the status of te reo Māori as a taonga and supports the revitalisation of the language Whakatāne District Council has improved relationships with Māori but more work needs to be done just to keep up with legislative requirements and population growth An idea to "word bank" rejected Māori street names for developers to "pluck" from when building future subdivisions misses the point says an iwi still waiting on tohutō promised two years ago Papakangahorohoro Road has been rejected by Bay of Plenty residents for being too long Māori place names are being added to new road signs in Hastings Te Kotahitanga o Te Atiawa and Ngāti Te Whiti hapū have revealed the new name and facade of a prominent New Plymouth building Eight years of Wellington's weather data has been turned into an art simulation is the first body of work to be shown at new immersive digital art gallery The Grid Art Space in Te Aro The gallery was founded by Jamahl and Shannon Brosnahan Inglis and opened last Friday Rivers of Wind turns eight years of weather data from Wellington Airport's weather station into an artistic simulation with a day's worth of data shown every second Jamahl said the piece had moments of stillness "That's the beauty of it because it's recorded nature and you can't create that randomness that you can with computers." Jamahl said it was possible to see the data from major weather events within the piece Although the simulation contained a range of data He hoped the work would give people a different perspective on Wellington's wind everyone has their own relationship with the weather here I've come to love it and I can often miss it when I leave "So I really wanted to share a bit of that and hopefully offer a different perspective to the weather through this work." It was a chilly start to the day at -7.8 degrees Celsius but could also lead to freezing temperatures that last all day in parts of Central Otago Strong southwesterly winds may reach severe gales in exposed places Temperatures dipped in many parts of the country on Friday with chilly weather set to continue Graduate Dr Te Aro Moxon with his parents Lady Tureiti Moxon and Sir David Moxon at the graduation at Oxford University yesterday Dr Te Aro Moxon (Ngāti Kahungunu and Ngāi Tahu) received his masters of science in global health and epidemiology focusing on infectious and non-infectious diseases among world populations at the Sheldonian Theatre But he was immediately considering how his mahi can help tamariki particularly and has his sights set next to tackling a PhD “It’s about trying to understand the issues better through research to find novel and innovative solutions that reduce inequity gaps to a point where there is no difference between Māori and non-Māori – because currently we keep doing the same things.” He’s inspired by the Growing Up in NZ longitudinal study which is the largest ever of its kind that’s centred on child development in Aotearoa “I’m interested in how we can improve the face-to-face clinical hospital experience and services delivery for our whānau Māori and tamariki to elevate their voices so we know what they want out of it,” he said I believe the answers lie with our people.” Moxon is a supporter of the power of high-quality research as a crucial step in changing persistent system inequities across the key indicators Te Kōhao Health managing director Lady Tureiti Moxon former Archbishop of Aotearoa Sir David Moxon Te Aro and his peers received their taonga on the traditional Degree Day in front of friends and whānau Celebrations were held following at Green Templeton College Moxon was awarded a full Chevening scholarship to complete his studies that was provided by the UK government child and youth health at the University of Auckland - Waipapa Taumata Rau - Moxon is passionate about improving child and whānau health outcomes and reducing health inequities His career has taken him to the Waikato (including at Te Kōhao Health) Auckland and the Northern Territory of Australia This summer we’re hosting a range of fun activities in Te Aro Park to celebrate community and bring life into the park – from traditional Māori weaving lessons and poi making classes to pop-up play events and waiata will be a welcoming and inclusive hub for inner-city residents to gather As part of the Wellington City Council project to improve safety in Te Aro Park work on installing more lighting and a CCTV camera has started today (Monday 14 December) A response to recent violent behaviour in Courtenay Place was discussed yesterday at a solutions-seeking meeting hosted by Wellington Mayor Andy Foste..