Police are advising motorists to expect delays north of Wellington while a large funeral procession takes place A large number of mourners are expected to make their way from Wainuiomata in Lower Hutt to Whenua Tapu cemetery in Plimmerton It follows the death of Vanessa Ritihia Houpapa who was hit by a car on Thursday night at a property in Cambridge Terrace in Naenae A 25-year-old woman has been charged with excess breath alcohol causing injury and excess breath alcohol causing death RNZ understands the victim has family connections to Black Power Police said they were unsure which route the convoy would take and said they were monitoring the situation Police will be keeping an eye on a tangi held in Lower Hutt this week after a woman believed to have family connections to Black Power She was 60-year-old Vanessa Ritihia Houpapa from Naenae One person was killed and another person was injured in Naenae on Thursday night New Zealand RSS Follow RNZ News Police were called to a property on Grovedale Sq at 6.30am after reports of shots being fired toward a house from a car. Nobody was injured in the incident, a spokesperson said. "The car believed to have been used by the offender/s was found abandoned nearby a short time after the incident. "Inquiries are under way to identify and locate the offender/s." Police were called to a property on Grovedale Sq at 6.30am after reports of shots being fired toward a house from a car. (Source: 1News) An investigation has been launched in Wainuiomata near Wellington after a house was shot at in the early hours of this morning. Search underway for Masterton man John Rafferty was last seen at Masterton Railway Station at about midday on May 4 New Zealand Crooks culture first order of business for Mike Bush in Victoria Bush picked to take over as Victoria's chief commissioner after months of top-level staffing woes Crime and Justice Police experts warn 'emerging risk' of 3D-printed firearms rising Technology has outpaced a currently underway review of the Arms Act and criminals are already taking advantage US prisons bureau has challenges — reopening Alcatraz is now another Juliana Herrera's family tell inquest: 'Stop repeating avoidable mistakes' was murdered in January 2022 by her neighbour Health Arrest after person assaulted A nurse leaving her shift last month was held up at gunpoint outside the grounds of the hospital Film industry anxiously awaits details on Trump's 100% movie tariff 7:17pm Search underway for Masterton man, 74, missing since Sunday 7:07pm Crooks, culture first order of business for Mike Bush in Victoria 7:05pm Charges filed against Woolworths over pricing, misleading specials 6:45pm Police, experts warn 'emerging risk' of 3D-printed firearms rising 6:33pm Trade war: Sir John Key's 'optimism' on Trump's next tariff moves 7:28pm 1Two men's shared name brings years of trouble and a hefty bill to one US woman who disappeared for more than six decades found safe Person dies following morning crash on Auckland motorway Govt halts all current pay equity claims, makes it harder to lodge new ones Sole survivor of poisoned beef Wellington takes the stand DOC apologises after non-toxic pellets spark warning at Nelson sandflats 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 An investigation has been launched in Wainuiomata near Wellington after a house was shot at in the early hours of this morning Police were called to a property on Grovedale Sq at 6.30am after reports of shots being fired toward a house from a car "The car believed to have been used by the offender/s was found abandoned nearby a short time after the incident A search and rescue operation is underway for a Masterton man in his 70s missing since Sunday John Rafferty was last seen at Masterton Railway Station about midday on May 4 The 74-year-old did not board a train and left on foot about 20 minutes later Matheson said it was possible Rafferty was staying with a friend but police and loved ones "want to know he’s safe" and John doesn’t have his cell phone or wallet," he said A search team and a helicopter has been out looking for the missing man "We are really keen to know that he’s safe." Police have released an image from CCTV showing Rafferty on a station platform on the day of his disappearance He was wearing a blue jacket with 'NASA' written on the back Anyone who saw him was asked to contact police on 111 or online at 105 if there was Information after the fact The next top cop of the troubled Victoria police force embraces his "outsider" status to curb its leadership malaise and has a stern warning for crooks Former New Zealand Police commissioner Mike Bush won the race to become Victoria's chief commissioner after months of top-level staffing woes The 40-year police veteran steps into the role on June 27 with a five-year contract The Kiwi conceded the job will be no picnic with Victoria's crime rate hitting an almost decade-high in 2024 everyone knows that," he told reporters today "These crime issues are actually global they are quite similar wherever you go but it's not good enough just to turn up after the act Rising youth crime and high-profile cases of alleged offenders committing crimes while on bail spurred the Victorian government to strengthen laws in March Bush said he was familiar with the crackdown but bail laws were just one part of the solution to tackling youth crime along with a "prevention mindset" He retired from the NZ police force in 2020 after joining in 1978 and spending his final six years in the top job Whakaari/White Island volcano eruption and Covid-19 pandemic were among the biggest crises Bush confronted during his tenure Bush also made headlines in 2022 after it emerged he had a past drink-driving conviction when unsuccessfully applying to become head of the UK's Metropolitan Police Former New Zealand police minister Stuart Nash describedr Bush as hard but fair He said Bush regularly met with police forces across the Tasman in his previous role and recalled travelling with him to every district across New Zealand once a year to chew the fat with communities and then we all had biscuits and a cup of tea," Nash told AAP "Mike is someone who had deep credibility in policing." The state government has not handed the reins of Victoria Police to an outsider since former NSW Police assistant commissioner Christine Nixon in 2001 The Kiwi was happy to wear the "outsider" tag and is already hatching plans to hit the ground running "I've got a lot to do to come up to speed," Bush said "Culture is a consequence of leadership." establishing relationships with community groups amid rising tensions and increasing police visibility on the beat were among his other top initial priorities Victoria Police was thrust into leadership turmoil in February with a no-confidence vote from officers costing chief commissioner Shane Patton his job Emergency Management Commissioner Rick Nugent became acting chief and expressed an interest in making the move permanent before throwing in the towel in April Deputy Commissioner Robert Hill will serve in an acting capacity until Bush takes over Bush intends to speak with Patton before starting and said he wouldn't shy away from pushing back if he disagreed with the government Premier Jacinta Allan said a recruitment agency was hired and instructed to find a leader capable of addressing the "challenges" plaguing the force "Mike Bush is the best person for the job," she said whose union led the no-confidence vote against Patton following a bitter pay dispute admitted there was a disconnect between members and leaders The state police union secretary welcomed Mr Bush's appointment and pledge to listen to the mounting workforce concerns "We have a police force that is currently under-resourced that needs fresh officers," he said Eleven inmate deaths in less than two months A US$3 billion (NZ$5 billion) repair backlog a stunning directive from President Donald Trump for the crisis-plagued federal Bureau of Prisons to “REBUILD AND OPEN ALCATRAZ!” — the notorious penitentiary on an island in San Francisco Bay that last held inmates more than 60 years ago Even as the Bureau of Prisons struggles with short staffing chronic violence and crumbling infrastructure at its current facilities Trump is counting on the agency to fulfill his vision of rebooting the infamously inescapable prison known in movies and pop culture as The Rock Trump declared in a social media post that a “substantially enlarged and rebuilt” Alcatraz will house the nation’s “most ruthless and violent Offenders” Newly appointed Bureau of Prisons Director William K Marshall III said that the agency “will vigorously pursue all avenues to support and implement the President’s agenda” and that he has ordered “an immediate assessment to determine our needs and the next steps” We look forward to restoring this powerful symbol of law and justice,” Marshall said in a statement “We will be actively working with our law enforcement and other federal partners to reinstate this very important mission.” an 8.9-hectare spit of land with views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco skyline was once the crown jewel of the federal prison system and home to some of the nation’s most notorious criminals including gangsters Al Capone and George Machine Gun Kelly But skyrocketing repair and supply costs compelled the Justice Department to close the prison in 1963 and the Bureau of Prisons has long since replaced Alcatraz with modern penitentiaries including a maximum-security prison in Florence The former and perhaps future penitentiary is now a popular tourist attraction and a national historic landmark It’s controlled by the National Park Service as part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area meaning the Bureau of Prisons could be in for an interagency tug of war if it tries to wrest away control of the island Trump’s Alcatraz directive is yet another challenge for the Bureau of Prisons as it struggles to fix lingering problems while responding to the president’s priorities on incarceration and immigrant detention includes taking in thousands of immigration detainees under an agreement with the Department of Homeland Security The problems at the Bureau of Prisons transcend administrations and facilities An ongoing Associated Press investigation has uncovered deep previously unreported flaws within the Bureau of Prisons over the last few years including widespread criminal activity by employees and severe understaffing that has hampered responses to emergencies then-President Joe Biden signed a law strengthening oversight of the agency It remains the Justice Department’s largest agency 155,000 inmates and an annual budget of about US$8 billion (NZ$13.4 billion) but the Trump administration’s cost-cutting measures have eliminated some pay bonuses that were credited with retaining and attracting new staff That has resulted in long overtime shifts for some workers and the continued use of a policy known as augmentation teachers and other workers are pressed into duty to guard inmates A Bureau of Prisons official told Congress at a hearing in February that more than 4000 beds within the system — the equivalent of at least two full prisons — are unusable because of dangerous conditions like leaking or failing roofs a 37-year-old Florida businessman who was found dead April 28 in a suspected suicide at a federal jail in Miami He was awaiting trial on charges that he kidnapped and killed his estranged wife in Spain inmate Ramadhan Jaabir Justice was killed in a fight at the federal penitentiary in Pollock where he was serving a nearly 11-year sentence for a conviction related to an armed robbery As Trump was ordering Alcatraz’s reopening correctional officers at the same Miami jail were fighting to curb the spread of tuberculosis and Covid-19 isolating inmates after they tested positive for the diseases immigration detainees at the facility ripped out a fire sprinkler and flooded a holding cell during a lengthy intake process the Federal Correctional Institution in Dublin has sat idle for more than a year after the Bureau of Prisons cleared it of inmates in the wake of rampant sexual abuse by employees the agency made the closure permanent and idled six prison camps across the country to address “significant challenges crumbling infrastructure and limited budgetary resources” While Trump hails Alcatraz as a paragon of the federal prison system’s cherished past other facilities stand as reminders of its recent troubles They include the federal jail in Manhattan which remains idle after Jeffrey Epstein’s suicide there in 2019 exposed deep flaws in its operations where 23 inmates have been charged in recent months with crimes ranging from smuggling weapons in a Doritos bag to the stabbing last month of a man convicted in the killing of hip-hop legend Jam Master Jay A person is in custody after an alleged theft which left a person injured on the grounds of Palmerston North Hospital Police said officers were called to a Ruahine St carpark about 1.30pm on Tuesday Police said the alleged offender left the scene and was found a short time later "Police would like to thank the members of the public who witnessed the incident and intervened to assist the victim," a police spokesperson said That same night a staff member was knocked unconscious Staff have been calling for security improvements Health NZ MidCentral operations group director Sarah Fenwick previously told RNZ it was committed to making staff feel safer She said these included a security escort to vehicles increasing security services on hospital grounds and "opening up" access to the staff carpark for people working afternoon and night shifts "Lighting has been audited in all outside carparking areas to ensure it is well maintained," she said "Interim access to well-lit parking onsite with dedicated security for staff working afternoon and night shifts while a more permanent solution for out-of-hours carparking is developed." rnz.co.nz The Commerce Commission has filed criminal charges against Woolworths NZ for alleged inaccurate pricing and misleading specials that may have breached the Fair Trading Act The commission filed the charges against Woolworths in the Auckland District Court It indicated in December last year that it would be filing separate criminal charges against Woolworths and two Pak'nSave supermarkets the commission said there were ongoing issues with pricing in the supermarket sector and the operators may have breached the Fair Trading Act deputy chair Anne Callinan said operators should know what the expectations were "Supermarkets have long been on notice about the importance of accurate and clear pricing and specials and we're not satisfied with the continuing issues we're seeing across the industry "Pricing accuracy is a consumer right and an expectation of a competitive market well-resourced businesses that should invest the time and effort to get pricing and promotions right." She said the charges were filed to remind all supermarkets that they are expected to fix the pricing accuracy issues and implement better processes In a statement when the charges were announced Woolworths managing director Spencer Sonn said it was important customers could trust prices advertised at their supermarkets Woolworths said it has cooperated with the Commerce Commission's pricing investigation for some time rnz.co.nz Former prime minister Sir John Key says he remains optimistic about Donald Trump's domestic economic policy despite opposing the tariff strategy that has sent global markets into turmoil in recent months who served as prime minister for eight years was the keynote speaker at an Auckland business summit earlier today Sir John told 1News he believed Trump would ultimately take a more moderate approach to tariffs than initially proposed "I'm not a fan of tariff policies I don't think they really work," he said as I think the stock market is telling you at the moment that actually there will be a more sensible landing place for the tariffs that he's wanting to impose." Sir John said he "wasn't entirely surprised" at Trump's call to go ahead with the policy "They're just a negotiating point I think he simply put on widespread and high rates of tariffs on every country to give himself a leverage point and a negotiating point "What I think he actually grossly underestimated was the stock market reaction You can actually make the case that his own strategy hasn't worked The reason the markets have recovered is because he's taken those tariffs off the most part 'I'm going to negotiate case by case'." Sir John suggested Trump's economic policies could still generally be positive for the US but the tariffs could be trickier for the global economy Asked whether he stood by his October comments that Trump would be good for the economy he said: "Do I think he's going to reduce regulatory burden in the United States It depends on where things shake down in terms of tariffs." Sir John acknowledged that for certain industries Trump's policies could be "a really negative thing" particularly if the president's proposed 100% tariff on the film industry were to be implemented "I can't see how it would be cost-competitive to make a movie in New Zealand with a 100% tariff on it," he said noting that films such as The Hobbit would not have been made in New Zealand without government subsidies who now served as a director of US tech company Palo Alto Networks said he had "always been opposed" to Trump's tariff policies but believes they won't be the "dominant part of his economic solutions" "I don't think it's perfect from New Zealand's point of view but I don't think we should panic either and America will still be a very big market for us to sell things to," he said "There are growing markets around the world It's not a great thing from New Zealand's point of view We've got a very sound economy with lots of options in front of us." Sir John suggested a belief that the Republican Trump was was better "on balance" for the US economy than Democratic opponent Kamala Harris he expressed concerns about Trump's tariff approach: "China doesn't pay those tariffs middle-income consumers or consumers in America do because when a tariff goes on a good that you bring into a country He added: "I don't agree with the massive tariffs and I don't think you'll follow through with all of that and I certainly don't agree with this view on trade." 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 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 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.” 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 My Vaccine Pass requirements have not been set for this event ROCK - POP - PUNK - HIP HOP - BLUES - GRUNGE - SOUL - FUNK ... ALL UNDER ONE MASSIVE ROOF!!!!After the success of Nui Hui 5 we thought it'll be a good idea to get Nui Hui 6 underway.This one will be twice if not 3 times bigger and better than the last cool mingling and all those quirky bits that make these moments memorable it's like going on holiday!!7 bands of different genres amazing sound and lighting with all the comforts of a smashingly good show right here in Wainuiomata.Feel at home make some new friends and dance the night away Our team are all about giving you the best safe party experience for your buck.Check out the line up of some of Wellingtons finest Rock n Rollers You better be excited cause we sure are!!4pm - Burning Embers UnpluggedAccustomed to breaching anything that requires sociable etiquette veteran rock n rollers Burning Embers still do what they do best and that's sharing their brand of music to the masses.From out of no where they regroup set a plan and do the complete opposite in tasteful fashion Burning Embers have an uncanny habit of pulling off a great set usually unscripted but full of the essence that is Rock n Roll but we do love a great audienceReminiscent of Days of the New and Alice in Chains unplugged they're definitely genuine entertainment A group of seasoned musicians with hundreds of gigs under their collective belts recording their first EP in a Wainuiomata garage and since May 2023 have released a bunch of singles gaining strong reviews and a global audience on Apple and Youtube they take you with them on a post-punk journey of energy and you'll know those songs you've never heard before Indie is good!6pm - Araiyah - The BandKnown for blending eclectic genres such as Ballads Soul and Indie music into their distinctive sound.Formed in 2023 Araiyah quickly gained attention for their dynamic liveperformances and introspective lyrics creative and humbly talented bunch with a Job cheehoo each bringing unique musical backgrounds that contribute their genre-defying style versatility and Whakawhanaunatanga asmusicians.7pm - Hecates CultHecate's Cult was formed as a trio in October 2020 by Samuel Keen (The Snake Behaviour) ex-Delta Story) and Peter Storey (ex-Delta Story) Combining influences from an array of well-known and more obscure acts the sound of Hecate's Cult boasts loud guitars Layered on top are stories that integrate Greek mythology with personal tales dealing with mental health and observations of the world around us Now a duo in the vein of the likes of Godflesh 2024 sees Hecate's Cult pushing their sound into newfound sonic territories Join us on the path of night!8pm - RainWellington folk rock band Rain are the dream weavers of original music threading their many influences and styles together to create a little bit of magic.The music is an urban-bohemian celebration of life Their dynamic set will take you from catchy dance-beat pop through to emotional and heart-wrenching rock ballad And lots of weird stuff in between.Spiritual undertones and overtones weave deftly through the lyrics peppering the loom withcontemplations of our existence and the fleetingness of time while overall remaining joyful anduplifting proving that something good can indeed come out of the deepest pain.9pm - Mister UnitThere are times when nothing will hit the spot like a dirty filthy good old-fashioned hard-hitting rock and roll band If I didn't know they were from Wellington I would have guessed possibly New York Mister Unit are a quintet with three guitars who sound as if they have been raised on a diet of MC5 George Thorogood & The Destroyers and The Stooges while possibly taking something from The Angels and even AC/DC with a rhythm section that sets the foundation and keeps it tight - Kev Rowland www.muzic.net.nz The is a real rock band made up of ex-members of some great New Zealand rock bands guitar) Matt bass) Curtis ((backing vocals guitar) Pete (drums) Simon (backing vocals guitar)10pm - JAMROKAll the way from Kirikiriroa (Hamilton) comes roots reggae sensation Jamrok 2024 Battle of the Bands finalist bringing their flavour to the Nui Hui masses be prepared for an outstanding stage musical performance and driving force that makes this band worth traveling for action ....11pm - The Dead ZephyrsThe Dead Zephyrs have joined the legions of Kiwi bands who are on a mission to revive Rock n Roll honing their craft through a lot of fun nights in the small New Zealand town of Masterton they offer a new approach to Alt-Rock with elements of psychedelia and blues while still capturing the essence of vintage Rock n Roll from days gone by Police are investigating after shots were fired at a house on Coast Rd Police were called at 2.40am after a man known to the occupants arrived at the house and fired shots through a window The man left the scene on a scooter but had his vehicle parked nearby and then travelled to Lower Hutt The man – a 36-year-old gang member – was located at a Lower Hutt house by police a short time later and arrested for unlawful possession of a firearm He will appear in Lower Hutt District Court on Monday “Police are conducting scene examinations at the two addresses this morning and would like to hear from anyone who has information that could assist our investigation,” said Detective Senior Sergeant Tim Leitch "We are also seeking sightings of the man’s silver Mazda Axela hatchback in Wainuiomata and Lower Hutt." contact police via 105 and quote file number 241214/7892 Sign up to The Daily H a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday The only high-reach ladder truck in Auckland broke down last night Tory Whanau launches Golden Mile project yesterday Become a Wellington.Scoop Supporter » Peter Lakai tries; Harry Godfrey con; Riley Hohepa 2 con) beat the Blues 19 (Taufa Funaki The Hurricanes put out the full house sign at William Jones Park three days ago for their one and only community pre-season fixture this season The many supporters in attendance this afternoon in bright sunshine left happy their team running out 31-19 winners against the Super Rugby defending champions The Hurricanes put pressure on the Blues much vaunted set-piece and defended admirably to force the Blues into some at times sloppy mistakes that they took full advantage of The Blues scored the game’s first try and the final two but the Hurricanes ran in all 31 points unanswered in between The Blues made a strong start to the match but the visitors soon scored the game’s first try through halfback Taufa Funaki Former Hurricanes flyhalf Beauden Barrett added the extras for a 7-0 lead The Hurricanes continued  on the back foot over the next period until a breakout by popular hometown player and second-five Peter Umaga-Jensen led to No 8 Brayden Iose being bundled into touch inside the opposing 22 The Hurricanes won a turnover and maintained possession as the Blues lost a player to the sin-bin which soon led to their first try to left wing Kini Naholo off an attacking scrum First-five Harry Godfrey kicked the conversion and it was 7-7 the Hurricanes scored the try of the match with halfback Cam Roigard making a break up the centre of the field off a scrum and hurling a lovely pass across to Naholo who in turn found centre Billy Proctor on his inside in support to score the try at the southern end of the ground although the Blues missed a couple of clear chances to equalise later in the half a lack of patience knocking them back at least twice and a turnover under his posts by Hurricanes flanker Du Plessis Kirifi saving the day The second half kicked off with both sides starting to make numerous changes to their line-ups The Hurrricanes brought 41 players to this match The Blues lost their second player to the sin-bin two minutes in when fullback Zarn Sullivan slapped the ball away in his in-goal after a kick and chase by Roigard the Blues muscled up and should have scored off an attacking lineout but conceded a penalty whilst hot on attack Play ebbed and flowed between the 22s for the next 10 minutes both teams making unforced errors and defences holding The Hurricanes then scored two tries in as many minutes the Hurricanes struck with their third try after first-five Riley Hohepa chipped over the top of the Blues’ backs from his 22 This was kicked on and regathered and midfielder Riley Higgins flew in to score Hohepa added the extras to put the home team up 19-7 wing Fehi Fineanganofo reined in another kick and chase and ran 50 metres up the far touchline to score their fourth try Openside flanker Peter Lakai then intercepted a poor pass in centre field and ran 40 metres untouched to score a runaway try under the posts The Blues scored their second try with three minutes to play then again on fulltime to All Blacks lock Patrick Tuipulotu The Hurricanes open their 2025 Super Rugby season proper next weekend against the Crusaders in Christchurch Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" An investigation is under way after a man was seriously injured during a street brawl in the Lower Hutt suburb of Wainuiomata Police have asked for the public's help to find those who were involved Officers were called to a car park on The Strand about 10pm on Wednesday over reports of people fighting Those involved left the scene in two vehicles before police arrived emergency services received another call for help needed at Riverside Drive stating a man had been injured and needed medical assistance He was found in his vehicle with serious injuries which are believed to have been suffered in the altercation at The Strand Police are now trying to establish the full circumstances of what has occurred and to find those responsible for the man's injuries or who has information about those involved is asked to contact them on 105 and quoting reference number 250205/0193 Information can also be passed on anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111 Police were called to the intersection of Hine Road and Coast Road at around 11.45am. "Five people are reported to have sustained moderate injuries," police said. Wellington Free Ambulance told RNZ it took one person with moderate injuries to Hutt Hospital. According to Wellington Electricity, at 2pm, 53 homes in the area remain without power. It said the outage was expected to last until 3pm. Police were notified of the crash at around 11.45am. (Source: 1News) Five people were reported injured and a number of homes lost power after a bus hit a power pole in Wainuiomata near Lower Hutt this morning. Power was knocked out for a number of homes following the crash. (Source: 1News) The crash took place at the intersection of Hine Road and Coast Road. (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" 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 Qantas confirms new Auckland-Perth flights Flights between Auckland and Western Australia's capital would begin in December Business Person dies following morning crash on Auckland motorway A person has died following a crash on Auckland's south-western motorway this morning Sheep killed more euthanised after stock truck rolls in Southland Police were called to the single-vehicle crash on Tokanui Gorge Rd Highway near Fortrose at around 7.45am on Monday Five people were reported injured and a number of homes lost power after a bus hit a power pole in Wainuiomata near Lower Hutt this morning Police were called to the intersection of Hine Road and Coast Road at around 11.45am "Five people are reported to have sustained moderate injuries," police said Wellington Free Ambulance told RNZ it took one person with moderate injuries to Hutt Hospital It said the outage was expected to last until 3pm 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 Qantas has announced that direct flights between Perth and Auckland will take off later this year Flights between Auckland and Western Australia's capital would begin in December The airline also added flights between Perth and Johannesburg and Sundays with an approximate flight time of 8 hours Perth to Auckland flights would operate as QF111 on Monday The approximate flight time was around six hours and 45 minutes Both flights would use Qantas A330 aircraft with 27 business class seats and 224 economy seats The new flights would allow a one-stop route to London via Perth It would also allow for connections via Perth from Auckland to airports across South Africa the new flight to Auckland would also allow a one-stop connection to New York on the airline's QF3 service “We’re so excited to be launching two new international routes unlocking more options and greater choice for all Australians to connect to the world through our growing network," Qantas International chief executive Cam Wallace said “By connecting Perth directly with Auckland and Johannesburg we’re supporting the local economy by opening valuable inbound tourism opportunities for Western Australia as well as generating new jobs for the state These routes also enable further growth throughout Australia with connections across our domestic network." Sheep have been killed and others have had to be euthanised after a stock truck rolled in Southland this morning The road was completely blocked and expected to be closed for sometime while the scene was cleared however the road is completely blocked," a police spokesperson said Southland District Council confirmed some animals were killed in the crash while others had to be euthanised due to injuries Fire and Emergency responded with crews from Waimahaka It's the second incident of sheep being killed after a stock truck rolled in Southland in a little over a week A small number of lambs had to be euthanised after a stock truck rolled near Balclutha on April 27 The bus crashed into a pole in the middle of a roundabout in Wainuiomata People who ran to help injured passengers after a bus crash in Wainuiomata say some had head injuries Five people were reportedly hurt and about 50 homes lost power after the Wellington Metlink bus ran across a roundabout before hitting and partially knocking down a pole in Wainuiomata Police said they received reports about 11.45am on Friday of a single-vehicle crash at the intersection of Coast Rd and Hine Rd Five people were reported to have moderate injuries said she came outside after hearing distressed people in the street and saw an injured girl passengers climbing down and neighbours pouring out of nearby houses to help “I heard people crying – there was a little kid crying with a swollen face and I think a head injury And someone with a leg injury that looked a little bit broken.” Campbell said a man with facial tattoos had jumped off the bus after the crash and run away and police officers were asking questions trying to find him police told RNZ they were not looking for anyone after the crash Hazel’s mum Shanna Campbell said the mother of the child from the bus also had head injuries “The bus driver was concerned about the people on board and was checking on them and trying to comfort them.” Neighbours had brought out chairs for the passengers ice packs and blankets while ambulances arrived and the bus driver and child were taken away in ambulances Wellington Electricity reported 53 homes in the area lost power with the outage expected to last until about 3pm A person in the area said she heard a loud bang from several blocks away and the power in her house flickered She said she and other nearby residents have lost power and they can hear lots of sirens A serious crash in the Lower Hutt suburb of Wainuiomata on Monday morning has caused traffic delays that will continue into rush hour One person was seriously injured in the collision between a car and a motorcycle on the Wainuiomata side of the hill road just after 11.30am The only road in and out of the suburb has reopened to traffic but is down to one lane in each direction At about 3pm Hutt City Council posted on Facebook that people should expect delays for "at least the next one to two hours" Wainuiomata resident Chris McLaughlin said traffic had been gridlocked for hours they normally only have one lane closed on minor crashes "Quite often they can get it sorted out within an hour McLaughlin said he was walking in the area and saw the scene of the crash about an hour after it occurred "Looked pretty gnarly with the motorcycle flipped over and then along to the left on the shoulder there was another vehicle that the police Serious Crash Unit was investigating." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday blocking lanes in both directions near Topuni A major thoroughfare in Christchurch was blocked on Monday morning for about an hour after a crash between a car and truck A man fatally shot after an hour long stand-off with police in Wellington last year thanked officers for saving his hostage's life before he died The Independent Police Conduct Authority has found an officer was justified in shooting Tane Wipa, 36, after being called to a rural address in Wainuiomata on 16 November 2023 Officers testifying for the IPCA report said they arrived at the property just after midday and found Wipa in the driveway holding a screwdriver to his partner's throat Residents who called police to the scene indicated Wipa had a baseball bat and a knife in his vehicle and had been punching and dragging the woman around the driveway The officers said Wipa's behaviour was erratic - alternating between moments of calm but regularly becoming heightened and more aggressive When an officer raised their firearm towards Wipa he threatened to stab the woman - telling police "we are both going to die here today" They said the woman look "terrified' as Wipa used her body as a human shield while shifting the weapon to different points on her body "I could see [the woman] wincing as she's being harmed I just knew that he was pushing it into her lower Then he'd go back threatening to stab her through the throat and then he'd go straight back to the lower back After nearly an hour negotiating with police Wipa's aggressive behaviour escalated further and police fired a single shot into the man's left shoulder "[I'm] trying to read his body language for when's he gonna make that final movement and kill her and watching her body language for when he's starting to kill her and I just knew - there's that big movement - and [he's] gonna go forward and that's the decision to fire," an officer said The IPCA report said police immediately approached Wipa and began applying first aid but he went into cardiac arrest and died The report said before he died he thanked the officers for saving the woman's life The IPCA found police genuinely believed Wipa was about to seriously harm or kill the woman and "made every effort to resolve the situation safely" They said shooting Wipa was the "only viable option available to police in the circumstances" and the officer who fired the shot delayed doing so "until he believed it to be absolutely necessary to save the woman's life" Wellington District Commander Superintendent Corrie Parnell said all the officers involved did an exceptional job "These types of incidents are never easy for our officers The staff involved had hoped for a different outcome and tried very hard to resolve the matter safely but were left with no other option but to ensure the woman was kept safe," Parnell said A judge warned more than a decade ago that a man who held a weapon to a woman's throat last week was likely to unleash his anger at a partner in the future Police held extensive negotiations with a "highly agitated" man today before they shot him By Laura Frykberg of Employees of a plumbing and gas fitting business in Wainuiomata have threatened to boycott the office after crematorium construction work next door was done without building consent Director William Strang said his 25 employees at Water and Gas Plumbing Limited had described the sight as "offensive" and "horrible" He cited a case Stuff reported last year, where a funeral home in Tauranga was fined for operating a faulty cremator that left neighbouring homes "enveloped by the smoke and ashes of dead bodies"] "I am a bit upset at how it just seems to have popped up I feel very strongly that something like this should be in the public conscience," Strang told Stuff The crematorium on Burden Avenue had been built by Sunset Cremations Limited which also leased the land to Haven Falls Funeral Home a funeral business with offices around the country Strang said he had only had good dealings with the funeral home but Sunset Cremations should have conducted proper public consultation before building something so controversial "We should at least be able to put feedback in," Strang said Hutt City Council said establishing a crematorium did not require public consultation with funeral parlours and all associated activities permitted within the general business area of the council's district plan It did require resource consent from the Greater Wellington Regional Council for discharges to air such as odour and emissions public access to the funeral parlour and crematorium had been blocked after the owner did not get building consent "Construction at the Haven Falls Funeral Home building containing the crematorium and alterations to the funeral home were undertaken without a building consent," Hutt City Council building control manager Richard Barton said in a statement "Due to the identified fire separation risk the council issued a dangerous building notice on 10 July requiring the owner to prevent public access to the funeral parlour and crematorium The council said the notice would be in effect for "as long as it took" to demonstrate compliance Health New Zealand had also reviewed the application under the Burial and Cremation Act and said "all relevant criteria were met" It said its construction had been approved by the director of public health Sunset Cremations' owner Sean Woods said in a statement he was going through the necessary compliance process and that the funeral home was an "integral part of the community" He added that the funeral home had been in operation on the site for almost eight years and that the crematorium had been approved by Age Concern Woods said he had consulted the neighbourhood last year before he had resource consent approved by the Greater Wellington Regional Council a landlord of a neighbouring property said he had only had informal conversations about the plan with Woods - This story was first published by Stuff A Tauranga funeral home is facing fines of as much as $600,000 after operating a faulty cremator that left neighbouring homes The New Plymouth District Council faces a hefty bill to replace one of the furnaces at its crematorium because it has been emitting black smoke A first-year teacher with a passion for rowing has secured Wainuiomata High School this year's Aon Emerging School Scholarship Award Gordon Milne didn't want costs to be a barrier for students keen to pick up an oar at the low-income  Lower Hutt school The scholarship contributes $5000 each year toward an eligible school sport for high school students to partake in - has never been an option for those attending Wainuiomata High Gordon has worked hard to secure grants and other funding to get the students this far And has given hours of his personal time to make sure the students can get to their trainings and on the water He hopes to foster a love of the sport and soon have the crew ready to compete in their first regatta See terms of use for easy access to all your favourite programmes OSPRI contractors EcoFX completed an aerial application of sodium fluoroacetate (1080) in the Northern Remutaka Ranges Hunting and dog walking is prohibited for the next 6 months or until notified otherwise We face a choice; let predators reach out of control numbers or manage them to protect our native species primary production sector and social wellbeing Greater Wellington and Wellington Water Limited propose to undertake an aerial possum control operation in the Wainuiomata Regional Park and the Wainuiomata/Orongorongo Water Collection Area We are proposing to carry out the operation during suitable weather conditions from Late April 2025 onwards The operational area covers approximately 7,200 hectares The area includes the Wainuiomata/Orongorongo Water Collection Area All land within the proposed operational area is owned by Greater Wellington Most of it is managed as a source of water for treatment and supply to Wellington OSPRI NZ had approval to undertake an aerial 1080 operation in this area in 2024 this operation did not proceed due to unsuitable weather conditions The key objective for this proposed 1080 operation is to preserve one of our most important Key Native Ecosystem (KNE) sites in the region by removing possums The Wainuiomata/Orongorongo Water Collection Area is is made up of one of the largest and most pristine lowland forests in the lower North Island It is also a significant habitat for native bird species such as tītipounamu (rifleman) Update: Operation completed 22 February 2025 an aerial application of 1080 was completed by OSPRI in the Northern Remutaka Ranges The purpose of this operation is to control the spread of bovine tuberculosis (TB) from possums to farmed cattle and deer The use of 1080 also has additional biodiversity benefits for native birds and bush and is extremely effective at controlling other introduced predators such as stoats and ship rats Hunting and dog walking will be prohibited at Mt Climie parts of Tunnel Gully and the Remutaka Cycle Trail for up to six months Caution is advised when visiting other areas Signage will be erected around key access points such as walking and cycle tracks Please check the signage if you are in the area this means you can resume normal activities in these areas.  For more information about the Northern Remutaka 1080 operation, view OSPRI’s factsheet The biodegradable pesticide sodium fluoroacetate (or 1080) is one of the many methods we use to manage the array of predators within the Wellington Region 1080 has been proven over many years to reduce predator numbers safely with no adverse impact on the environment or human health We use aerial 1080 for controlling predators in areas which are rugged and/or hard to reach making them difficult to control through other forms of ground control quality-assurance and monitoring requirements Helicopters are equipped with Global Positioning System (GPS) navigational technology to ensure bait is accurately placed within agreed operational areas and identified ‘exclusion zones’ are avoided The use of 1080 requires consent from the Medical Officer of Health (MOH) It also must comply with both the Hazardous Substances & New Organisms Act and the Resource Management Act non-toxic tan-coloured “pre-feed” cereal pellets are sown by helicopter This gives possums a taste for cereal pellets encouraging them to consume the 1080 pellets sown at a later date making the operation more effective About seven to ten days after the non-toxic pellets are sown helicopters will sow cereal pellets containing the biodegradable pesticide sodium fluoroacetate (1080) Aerial control is particularly suited for large areas with rugged terrain cost-efficient and safe method of controlling mammalian pests Rats will die when they consume possum baits while stoats will be killed when they consume the carcasses of poisoned rats and possums A reduction in these introduced predators will further protect native plants and birds the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment strongly endorsed the continued use of 1080 in New Zealand water soluble and biodegradable substance that is readily broken down by bacteria and other micro-organisms in the environment Local health authorities apply strict conditions to aerial operations so that drinking water supplies are not contaminated Safety has been confirmed by tests on several thousand water samples taken after aerial 1080 operations over many years Dogs are extremely vulnerable to 1080 poisoning. For this reason we have put together some guidelines and resources you can use to keep your dog safe in our region’s parks and reserves As well as our operations, Department of Conservation and OSPRI are also involved in 1080 pest control We strongly recommend all dog owners read this information on keeping their dogs safe during any 1080 operations in the Greater Wellington Region A man has been left with serious injuries after a road rage incident at a supermarket The assault at the Woolworths carpark in the Lower Hutt suburb of Wainuiomata happened about 10pm on Wednesday and they appealed for anyone to contact them if they saw what happened we would like to speak to the occupants of a light-coloured Toyota Corolla who may have recorded the incident on a phone and the occupants of another vehicle who stopped and attempted to calm those involved in the incident," they said in a statement "With the store open at the time and shoppers about .. we are confident there are other people who witnessed what occurred and may be able to help our enquiries A 23-year-old man was charged with wounding with intent and was scheduled to appear in Lower Hutt District Court on Friday The vehicle he was driving was seized and would be forensically examined Anyone with information was asked to call Police on 105, or to visit their Update Report page online at 105.police.govt.nz and quote file number 250205/0193. Information could also be provided anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, or on their website Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday Five people have been arrested following an incident at a property in the small settlement of Mākara Flames 10 metres high loomed above the Roxburgh town hall as firefighters sprayed water into it The building is home to what is thought to be one of the world's oldest operating cinemas Marlborough volunteers joining Havelock Coastguard and police to continue the search The serious crash on Monday morning has caused traffic delays that will continue into rush hour This website may not work correctly because your browser is out of date. Please update your browser Haere mai ki Te Reo o te Taiao – Welcome to Forest & Bird. Regular GivingMembership Submit Become a member of Forest & Bird and receive our popular quarterly magazine images and photographs of New Zealand’s unique wildlife and wild places A quiet Forest & Bird volunteer effort in Wainuiomata is helping restore native forests and wetlands in the Greater Wellington region A version of this story was first published in the Summer 2024 issue of Forest & Bird magazine When we arrive early on a sunny spring Saturday morning the shade house is already a hive of activity with Forest & Bird branch volunteers caring for hundreds of native seedlings Lower Hutt Branch chair Andy Mitchell and members David Cornick and Brenten Higson are chatting as they carefully ease young mahoe and swamp coprosma seedlings into larger pots using a freshly delivered crumbly black compost These tender young plants will go back into the shade house to protect them from becoming snacks for local deer.  are soon put to work weeding the long rows of native plants growing outside There’s an atmosphere of friendly camaraderie and every so often we stopped to drink in the sights and sounds of the surrounding bush-clad hills and Wainuiomata River Wainuiomata Nursery is one of the Society’s newest nurseries and officially opened in July 2021 Here volunteers grow eco-sourced plants from the Tararua Ecological District although seedlings and cuttings are also taken.  they are donated to local conservation projects run by Forest & Bird branches and other community groups in the Wellington region This spring’s trees and shrubs are destined for Baring Head, Manor Park, Waiu Wetland, Waiwhetu Stream and the Wainuiomata Recreation Area.  The Wainuiomata Nursery is jointly managed by the Lower Hutt and Wellington Branches and is supported by Greater Wellington Regional Council It is located in Wainuiomata Regional Park an important water collection area that provides high quality water to 15% of Wellington’s population.  It is only a 35-minute drive from Wellington to the nursery Māori used these forested hills and valley to travel from the Wairarapa to Whanganui-a-Tara and the Wainuiomata River has been a source of drinking water for Wellington since 1884.  The nursery is managed by Forest & Bird member and local paramedic Gary James the nursery has grown 4000– 5000 shrubs and trees Some of its special plants include a regionally threatened Olearia virgata with cuttings taking from the Waiu Wetland in that it likes its feet in water and is suitable for wetland planting Its propagation was a joint effort between the two nurseries The cuttings were processed and rooted by volunteers at Wellington Nursery and grown on to planting-out size by Wainuiomata Nursery.  “We have probably got more plants here than in the wild They grow to 3m tall and have lovely white flowers,” says Gary.  Gary and the other nursery volunteers collect seeds within a 2km radius of the project site They have been known to venture out on Christmas Day to Baring Head where a locally rare matagouri only sets seed for a few days every summer.  The Lower Hutt and Wellington Branches raised $20,000 to build a shade house to protect the vulnerable nursery seedlings from being eaten by deer who have munched on newly planted flax and other plants in the wetland next to the nursery.  along with rats and mice sneaking into the seed propagation area There is the risk of the odd flood from the river and the area’s high rainfall means that sometimes volunteer sessions have to be cancelled at the last minute.  Gary told us how timber milling stopped at the location of the nursery and upstream is an ecologically important area of 1000-year-old native forest which is closed to the public because of its proximity to the regional council’s water collection area “Kiwi have returned to these hillsides recently and the area is potential kākāpō country if introduced predators can be removed,” he said.  There is talk of setting up a fenced eco-sanctuary around the water catchment but it would mean millions of dollars of government investment Gary is also working with a local marae helping its rangatahi learn how to grow native plants The Wainuiomata Nursery is looking for five to 10 new volunteers to supplement the small team of regulars. If you can help, contact Gary at lowerhutt.branch@forestandbird.org.nz Nursery leader Gary James (kneeling) with Lower Hutt and Wellington Branch volunteers Supporting Forest & Bird is one of the best things you can do for New Zealand's environment Back to top To defend New Zealand’s wildlife and wild places - on land and in our oceans’ Join us and be a voice for nature Forest & Bird is a registered charitable entity in terms of the Charities Act 2005 Made by Sparks A gang member has been arrested after shots were fired through the window of a house in Lower Hutt Police were called to the home on Coast Road in Wainuiomata at 2.40am on Saturday They said a man known to the occupants left on a scooter and got into his car A 36-year-old gang member was found at a house in Lower Hutt a short time later and was arrested charged with unlawful possession of a firearm "Police are conducting scene examinations at the two addresses this morning and would like to hear from anyone who has information which could assist our investigation" Detective Senior Sergeant Tim Leitch said "We are also seeking sightings of the man's silver Mazda Axela hatchback in Wainuiomata and Lower Hutt." Anyone with information was urged make contact with police via 105 and quote file number 241214/7892 Prisons are the biggest recruitment centres for gangs and more needs to be done to protect young people behind bars The two men were arrested after separate incidents and appeared in court on Wednesday charged with prohibited display of gang insignia in a public place Analysis - Canada and New Zealand share an important approach to gun control: both countries view firearms as a privilege A prominent gang member will be farewelled Saturday afternoon and large numbers of mourners have travelled into Hawke's Bay The Hurricanes wrapped up their Super Rugby pre-season campaign with a 31-19 win over the Blues in front of 2,000 enthusiastic fans at Wainuiomata's William Jones Park.  Adam Cooper headed along and caught up with Hurricanes coach Clark Laidlaw a perfect Sunday is spent on the end of a shovel Wellington is one of the most rideable and walkable cities in the world While most of the surrounding hills are council-owned it’s ordinary Wellingtonians who are building this intricate trail network.  those of the Wainuiomata hills were started by people digging without permission These tracks are aptly named ‘pirate trails’ “A bunch of school kids and a teacher built [the track] B-line,” says Martin Gribble chair of the since established Wainuiomata Trail Project (WTP) over 55km of trails snake through the bush-covered hills Tracks flow east into Wainuiomata and west into Waiwhetū and Fairfield.  Te Whiti Riser overlooking Lower Hutt and Wellington Harbour Conservation has also been a part of WTP’s vision “We work with [conservation organisation] Forest and Bird They’ve done a huge amount of pest eradication and planting We built a dam to enhance a wetland and that’s contributing to the bird life.” machines are used to build many of the trails but the higher-grade ones are still dug by hand A younger generation is coming through and so enthusiasm remains for the more back-breaking work we’re going to get too old for this.” That youthfulness means WTP’s vision can span decades Wainuiomata Trail Project Further south in Aro Valley sits Waimapihi Reserve the main stomping ground of the Brooklyn Trail Builders (BTB) but the trail remains one of their most popular Being neighbours with Zealandia has brought Waimapihi a lot of attention Saddleback/tieke are nesting in their trees and giant wētā extinct from mainland New Zealand for 100 years Dig days and planting efforts always end with a feed in the bush They’ll fire up a barbecue and crack open a beer from a local brewery Being so close to the city centre means Waimapihi has become a local favourite With connecting tracks all the way to the south coast the links between the city and the wild are seamless Rob thinks Wellington has some of the best trails in New Zealand “I’ve ridden [mountain biking trail] Ikigai over two hundred times,“ he says Brooklyn Trail Builders — Facebook Mākara Peak Supporters (MPS) has a slightly different origin story MPS chair Kerei Thompson described the land as “neglected and rundown covered in goats and old cars.”  When the creation of Zealandia was confirmed in the same year it took away several popular mountain biking trails Wellington City Council purchased the Mākara Peak land and designated it a mountain bike park.  Both ventures have ended up spectacularly well and continue to complement each other The nearby Capital Kiwi project means riders at Mākara Peak moonlight as birdwatchers “It’s turning into a bit of a competition to see who can spot a kiwi.. 90% of the trails have been built through MPS volunteer efforts They’ve also planted more than 65,000 trees and implemented extensive pest control.  Mākara Peak Supporters A member of the Brooklyn Trail Builders working on site. Main image credit: Brooklyn Trail Builders ©Lisa Ng Top five trails in the Wellington regionThe best of the best, the crème de la crème, the pick of the litter — you get the drift — these are the best trails in the Wellington region. Before you goThousands of people use Wellington’s regional trails, so we all need to do our part to keep our trails safe and protect our environment. Day trips from Wellington cityThere are loads of epic day trips around the Wellington region. Here are our top picks for adventuring out on a trail. Top trails in the Hutt ValleyWith over 3,000 hectares of parks and reserves, the Hutt Valley has rich offerings for the adventure seeker. Try out one of these top trails in Lower Hutt and Upper Hutt. Windless Wellington walksWant to hit the trails but the weather has other plans? Here are some of the region’s best walks that protect you from the elements, as well as offering spectacular views and scenery. Top trails on the Kāpiti CoastWant to escape the city and experience some of the best trails the Wellington region has to offer? Look no further than the Kāpiti Coast. Sign up to our newsletters to stay in the loop with everything good going on in Wellington. Wainuiomata are the 2024 Premier 2 Hardham Cup champions, beating Paremata-Plimmerton 24-19 in the final at a fine but breezy Porirua Park early this afternoon. It was close throughout, but it was a 76th minute long-range penalty to first-five Andrew Wells that put them 10 points up and made the result safe. Paremata-Plimmerton would score a conslation try a minute from the end to make it close. There were few surprises in Wainuiomata’s play, using their ball running forwards to make steady inroads and make several key turnovers that sifled much of Paremata-Plimmerton’s momentum. Wainuiomata’s backs were also dangerous. Paremata-Plimmerton had a good scrum but fell flat on several occasions whilst in good positions to make it pay. Playing into a moderate wind in the first half, Paremata-Plimmerton made the first searing break of the final from a srcum on halfway, but turned it over near the tryline – which was a portent of what was to come. Wainuiomata rallied and Tane Tane missed a 50 metre shot on goal. Momentum stayed with Wainuiomata and they went close to scoring the opening try of the final in the 10th minute after a concerted build-up. That first try subsequently came, following a tap penalty by halfback Keanu Kotuhi who sliced through traffic up past thee and passed out wide to his brother and left wing Renata who scored in the corner. First five Andrew Wells slotted the sideline conversion for a 7-0 lead. Now past the first quarter, Paremata-Plimmerton had a golden chance of striking back through a series of srcums and penalties under the posts. But Wainuiomata won a relieving scrum penalty and the chance was gone. Wells advanced Wainuiomata’s score to 10-0 in the 27th minute with a 38-metre penalty on the angle. He made it 13-0 in the 32nd minute, following  a lovely pass out to left wing Kotuhi by centre Peter Umaga-Jensen that pushed them close, then 16-0 in the 36th minute after more swarming attack with ball in hand. Paremata-Plimmerton were always threatening, and they profited with a much-needed try just before halftime through No. 8 Alex Fidow crashing over from close range. First five Sam Clarke’s conversion was good and it was now 16-7 at halftime. Wainuiomata went close to making a dream start to the second half, with a Wells blindside break and inside pass just going to ground. They rallied and after a big break by Umaga-Jensen they then spent two minutes building phases close the line, before ripping it wide and the man with no jersey number, Tyler Tane, scoring the first try of the second half to make it 21-7 with about 25 minutes to play. A post shared by Club Rugby (@clubrugby) Paremata-Plimmerton launched a likely attack with a swag of replacements on the field This included livewire replacement halfback Esi Komaisavai who found left wing Northcott but the blond flash was bundled into touch in the corner Paremata-Plimmerton had another shot from a penalty and scrum under the posts and replacement lock James Corcoran scored second phase on the openside Clarke’s conversion made it 21-14 with five minutes to play Wainuiomata then won a penalty on halfway and Paremata-Plimmerton were marched back 10 minutes Wells kicked the penalty and it was now 24-14 Paremata-Plimmerton had to score twice to win They scored one of those required tries when Northcott ran on to a Clarke kick to make it 24-19 our players of the day in the forwards were lock Zane Humphrey Wells and Umaga-Jensen were strong figures 8 Christian Fa’avae was a workhorse all game and lock Zeke Fiso played well Wainuiomata is the leakiest suburb in the Wellington region new data from Wellington Water has revealed Among suburbs of each metropolitan area - Lower Hutt Porirua and Wellington - Wainuiomata had consistently racked up more leaks than any other suburb since 2020 Data released under the Local Government Official Information Act showed the most reported leaks in the Lower Hutt suburb were between 1 July 2020 and 30 June 2021 Trentham topped the list four times for Upper Hutt while Karori featured twice as Wellington's leakiest suburb * Note: the last year was taken 12 months from March 2023 Lower Hutt mayor Campbell Barry told RNZ he believed the reason Wainuiomata was their leakiest suburb was because of its size "There's not a concern that there's a particular problem in Wainui(omata) versus other parts of the city." Barry said the council understood the concern around leaks in the community He said it had put in additional $2.8 million in funding into Wellington Water to crackdown on leaks - which had cut more than of half of its backlog from around 800 to 330 and that's in four months." Barry said he was conscious that the problem was getting larger He said due to its crackdown on leaks programme the council had noticed smaller leaks were being fixed faster RNZ asked Wainuiomata residents about their experiences with leaks Chris said she had experienced an issue where the corner of Fraser and Holland Streets flooded each time it rained She said she had told the council about it six times Susan - who has lived in the area for more than 50 years - told RNZ the leaks were just not getting fixed fast enough even months on end before they get looked at and sorted." She had alerted the council to leaks in the past Graham has lived in Wainuiomata since 1976 and said he had not heard leaks were a major complaint of people in the area He could not recall any notorious water leaks Wellington Water head of operations and engineering Tim Harty said the age of a pipe and where it was laid contributed to when leaks sprung up Harty said other factors that contributed included what materials were used for the pipe and how it was installed "It is really hard to put your finger on an exact cause." Wellington Water recently announced - for the first time since October 2020 - the 12-month rolling average of water demand in the Wellington metropolitan area had declined It said an increased investment in leak repairs had contributed to a steady decline in water demand across Wellington Wellington Water said the repair work is taking a while due to its complexity and safety concerns The country's water services regulator says actions over the next eight months will be critical to ensure the capital has enough drinking water The money being set aside in the capital for new water pipes is not even half what Wellington Water wants for the next decade "Our frontline people are just trying to do the mahi and fix all of these leaks," the organisation says says it doesn't have confidence another "acute water shortage risk" will be avoided If usage peaks or there is a major incident all outdoor water use could still be banned at short notice as the fourth annual Bula 7s Invitational tournament returns this Saturday to usher in the new year in rugby with William Jones Park taking over hosting duties from Porirua Park where the tournament has previously been played It is understood that the Jerry Collins Stadium field is in use and is marked out for a different sport William Jones Park has hosted similar tournaments previously such as the former Piri Weepu Invitational 7s and one year the National Club Sevens after home club Wainuiomata had won that title the previous summer Wainuiomata will line up as one of 12 teams ready to do battle in the day-long tournament that will see big crowds if the weather holds and food stalls and fanfare ringing the ground Several crack squads from around the country will start the day with pool play from 8.00am to 12.00pm approximately followed by a one hour break to cool their jets and then with the knockout rugby starting after that if the skies stay blue then the rugby will run just as hot tomorrow (not least from the team called Fire Alarm) and spectators are close to the action so head down and join in the action The tournament is being live-streamed all day by Huddy Sports. Bookmark their channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEih_UtCq8k Look out for Club Rugby’s still and moving images and written coverage post-tournament, on this website or on a timeline near you. Our Facebook page is here: https://www.facebook.com/NZClubRugby The teams and draw* for the 2024 Bula Fiji 7s tournament is below Download the link to view in a larger screen HERE (link is to the tournament’s Facebook page)  The official Bula 7s tournament Facebook page is here: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100067954157745 Police are breath testing people at a cordon in Wainuiomata near a funeral home where people are gathering for a gang funeral today About 140 police are ready for a tangi for slain gang member Albert Enoka in the Wellington region as the hunt for the killer continues The 39-year-old was shot in the Lower Hutt suburb of Naenae on 10 December Police have named 28-year-old Wipuhara Kapene as the man wanted for the killing Dozens of police wearing high vis were stopping cars coming through and a lots of cars are parked up outside the funeral home RNZ's reporter on the scene had not seen anyone wearing a gang patch a local shop owner said it had been quiet morning and there had been no disruption A procession was expected to depart Wainuiomata late morning headed towards Whenua Tapu Cemetery in Porirua Kapene - who wears heavy Black Power facial tattoos - is considered to be armed and dangerous Police say Wipuhara Kapene has strong links to the Wellington district and also has links to the Eastern district which includes Hawke's Bay Gisborne Police warned people should expect traffic delays on Tuesday as the body is taken from Wainuiomata in Lower Hutt to Whenua Tapu Cemetery in Porirua during the late morning Acting Area Commander Inspector Shaun Lingard said officers would be monitoring the funeral and procession to ensure family and mourners could grieve safely and within the law "We've got approximately 140 staff available for this operation "I would say that's a reasonably large number of police but as they say it's better to be prepared." This included police from outside the Wellington region alongside specialist teams There would be checkpoints in place to monitor the procession The procession was likely to be on SH1 and SH2 but may also be on the alternative Haywards Hill Road / SH58 route Police would take action where needed under the Gangs Act which bans gang insignia in public and would arrest people and take the patches This is a very good tool for reducing harm in the community "So yes there might be significant numbers thrown into this in the next couple of months but that will get scaled back because we understand the gangs will start to comply." Police are on the hunt for 28-year-old Wipuhara Kapene but the police do not believe there is a wider risk to the public Relatives have paid tribute to Albert "Alby" Enoka as armed officers guard the scene Police say they arrested three people during a gang tangi and procession in Wellington on Tuesday but there was only one breach of gang patch laws at the event About 140 police monitored the funeral for slain gang member Albert Enoka, who was shot in Naenae, Lower Hutt a week ago Inspector Shaun Lingard said a 30-year-old man was arrested for wearing a patch at a checkpoint near the funeral home in Wainuiomata Five vehicles were seized by the Ministry of Justice for money owed while another vehicle was impounded after failing to stop for police near the Whenua Tapu Cemetery in Porirua Lingard said he was pleased with the overall behaviour of people attending the tangi "Our aim for this operation was to allow family and mourners the space and respect to grieve the loss of a loved one "We maintained good contact with the family of the deceased over the course of the day and as a result there was limited unlawful behaviour observed." About 140 police are available to keep an eye on the tangi for slain gang member Albert Enoka in the Wellington region as the hunt for the killer continues Officers are trying to find Wipuhara Kapene who they have a warrant to arrest for the murder after the death of Albert Enoka Expect disruptions as the Mongrel Mob farewells its Napier president 'Heil Dogg' this weekend Six champions were crowned at Porirua Park this afternoon. A round-up of the action that we covered follows. They’ll be Harkin about it all summer. Old Boys University won a Jubilee Cup final for the ages on Jerry Collins Stadium. OBU won 27-21, holding off waves of Tawa attack on their own goal line right up to the fulltime whistle, winning their fifth championship title since their first in 2015 and doing the Swindale Shield-Jubilee Cup double. As well as gargantuan defence on their own line, OBU won the game at the other end a few minutes earlier with a spectacular try. Here it is: A post shared by Club Rugby (@clubrugby) OBU first five Callum Harkin was the Player of the Final and won the Jim Brown Plate Old Boys University kicked off into the wind and forced an early Tawa error – and made them pay From the first scrum of the match just outside the 22 first five Harkin made a ghosting run at Tawa’s midfield to put the defenders in doubt than offloaded to wing Jan Lammers who scored inside the clubrooms corner Harkin’s kicked the sideline conversion and they led 7-0 early halfback Kyle Preston running blind from a scrum on halfway and forcing Tawa to scramble OBU won a breakdown penalty and Harkin slotted a penalty to put them up 10-0 with as many minutes played The Fighting Billygoats continued to build phases inside Tawa’s half but fullback Randall Bishop put the kick dead OBU set another scrum 38m out and received another penalty for Harkin to call for the kicking tee Tawa settled and started getting their hands on the ball their much-vaunted pack started climbing into its work They had their best chance of the match thus far in the 23rd minute with a penalty and lineout in the far corner But OBU defended the maul and the moment was lost leading to hooker Joyner Gaualofa scoring to the right of the posts First five Solomon Uelese added the conversion and OBU led 10-7 after 30 minutes This sparked Tawa to life and they were dangerous Winning a penalty just on the other side of halfway But try scorer Gaualofa let the Goats off the hook with a not straight lineout openside flanker Hemi Fermanis ran in support of an inside pass up towards the tryline but they couldn’t prevent Fermanis scoring the try himself But OBU sensationally regained the lead moments later when Uelese’s exit kick from the re-start was charged down by OBU flanker Harry Irving and he regathered and scored in front of the clubrooms Harkin’s conversion put them back ahead 17-14 in the shadows of halftime Harkin finished the first spell with a penalty and OBU went into halftime leading 20-14 It was Tawa that started the second half strongly going close to scoring in the corner after a surge into territory Bruising blindside George Risale was bundled into touch in the corner but OBU made a lineout error and Tawa launched again They kept it tight and loosehead prop PJ Sheck darted through to score a try The final remained on tenterhooks before a flashpoint moment in the 60th minute OBU centre Ty Poe regathered a short kick and chase and crossed out wide but the try was disallowed because of another OBU player grabbed a defenders’ shirt and Tawa escaped with a penalty and they went desperately close to scoring at the other end after multiple phases They knocked on and OBU ran it back and won a penalty near halfway Harkin had a shot at goal but missed and it remained a one-point game inside the last 10 minutes Tawa won a huge penalty from a scrum on halfway and kicked for a lineout midway 22 and 10-metre line They went desperately close but OBU turned it over and kicked up field – and the rest is history (see video above) Wainuiomata are the 2024 Premier 2 Hardham Cup champions beating Paremata-Plimmerton 24-19 in the final at a fine but breezy Porirua Park early this afternoon Wainuiomata win Hardham Cup with win over Paremata-Plimmerton In the HD Morgan Memorial Cup final, Ories led 19-5 at halftime, but the Rams came back to push the score close. Ories scored a couple of late tries to pull away and make it the final score 29-17 to Ories against the Upper Hutt Rams. In the Ed Chaney Cup decider that followed, OBU ended Tawa’s three-year grip on this trophy, beating them 46-12. OBU did the first round-second round double. They led 19-12 at halftime. Northern United won the Vic Calcinai Memorial Trophy Division 2 final with a 33-29 win over Paremata-Plimmerton Colts on the top field. Down on Jerry Collins Stadium,  HOBM won the John E Kelly Cup for the first time since 2015, with a 49-19 win over Tawa. HOBM completed an unbeaten season, winning the first and second round Colts titles. They finished the year having scored 724 points in 16 games – a contender for WRFU Team of the Year for 2024. Left wing Phelan Rona scored four tries in the final, to bring his season tally to 18. A post shared by Club Rugby (@clubrugby) HOBM made a dream start to the John E Kelly Cup decider when Rona reined in a chip kick by Tawa and sprinted 50 metres up the grandstand touchline to score Fullback Dom Ernst made a scorching run from halfway to the 22 and then offloaded to openside flanker Sam Morgan left wing Rona ran another 60 metres for his second try of the match Tawa’s outside backs were involved in their comeback try in the 29th minute first fullback Samoan Euta chasing up a kick and chase and forcing a goal-line dropout right wing Floyd Nawaqatabu scored in his corner to close the gap to 20-5 HOBM’s fourth try in reply followed a multi-phase build-up close to the line by the forwards then a kick by first five Junior Leleisiuao out to unmarked right wing Nawaqatabu to score Tawa weren’t about to lie down before halftime and weight of numbers and a patient build-up saw first five Daniel Baker brush over to score to make it 25-12 at halftime HOBM now had the wind in the second spell but took a long time to reassert themselves despite having territorial dominance They were held up over the line twice and then missed a penalty But it was another piece of magic by the outside backs that sparked them again fullback Dom Ernst running back a kick and gliding his way through traffic to score their fifth try and make it 32-12 They might have put it beyond reach with a long-range try from a lineout HOBM ripped it wide through second five Junior Paulo out to left wing Rona who pinned his ears back and scampered 40 metres for his third try But once more Tawa hit back with a well-deserved third try of the final after rampant attack inside the 22 and the Eagles now led 37-19 with about 15 minutes to play the Eagles making immediate inroads and scoring a forwards try out wide it was that man Rona who scored the Eagles’ next try collecting a cross-kick and scoring in the corner to make it 49-19 Two near-boilovers highlighted the eighth round in the College Premiership but ultimately the semifinalists have been found with a week to go Scots confirmed their place in the last four but only just as a shorthanded Tawa College almost pulled off a storied upset before the Strathmore school prevailed 30-29 Wellington College almost found a banana peel too leaving it very late to squeeze past bottom-placed Hutt International 22-19 out at the NZCIS campus in Upper Hutt but return to the top of the table In today’s other matches Rongotai were too good for Paraparaumu by 35-17 and Wairarapa College had a fruitful day south in beating St Bernard’s 28-12 The fifth match was Wednesday’s Traditional where Silverstream beat Town 50-5 Unbeaten pair the Silverstream and Wellington College 2nds maintained their records in Premier 2 Silverstream repeatedly found holes in Taita’s defence in a 65-5 win while College took down previous leaders Hutt Valley High 29-10 but even with the bye coming next week the Lower Hutt school are assured of finishing third Porirua will be fourth irrespective of what happens next week as well The fourth match saw the Rongotai 2nds beat Aotea 20-14 Ponsonby claimed yet another Auckland title rolling on Pakuranga 49-17 to win the Gallaher Shield at Eden Park Pakuranga took the subsidiary Portola Shield The Canterbury Metro decider between University and Linwood takes place tomorrow afternoon Due to extreme rainfall Hinemoa St pumping station has discharged sewage into the Waiwhetū Stream We advise people to stay away from this area and south of Hinemoa Street for the period of this notice A group of 30 rangatahi (young people) spent a week re-planting harakeke (flax) along Waiwhetū stream at Hutt Park as part of their Te Rito Maioha (TRM) training course in August A group of rangatahi from the TRM Training programme at Hutt Park TRM Training is a programme for rangatahi at Wainuiomata Marae offering a 10-week course covering financial literacy an in-water survival certificate with Boating New Zealand Their name Te Rito Maioha is appropriate for a harakeke planting project as the “rito” refers to the central shoot/baby of the harakeke plant The course has a Te Ao Māori lens but has successfully integrated rangatahi from diverse backgrounds around the Wellington region Manager Mere Puketapu says participants study a Level 4 certificate Te Pou Hono ki Toi at Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi which for some of the rangatahi is their only qualification “They’ve either dropped out of school or haven’t even been to school so getting a Level 4 certificate is really huge for them.” the rangatahi spent five days clearing paa harakeke prepping the field then splitting the harakeke into individual whaanau and then replanting them alongside Waiwhetū stream helping to increase biodiversity of the area and protect the road from stream overflows “This is a whole week of work experience for them which is just awesome,” says Mere Hutt City Council Neighbourhood Manager Hiria Davies says the project aligns with Council’s approach of community-led partnerships we have supported an initiative that fosters resilience “The success of this project has sparked the idea of creating a work experience programme with the Parks and Reserves team through partnering with contractors such as Downers and Mexteds The week-long harakeke planting project is a shining example of how innovative thinking and collaboration with mana whenua can transform challenges into opportunities,” says Hiria Symphony Muldrock-Tolai and Maewa Mahan-Rihari The harakeke has been planted in a triangle shape called Kaokao a pattern that appears on the tukutuku panels of Te Atiawa’s marae “Kaokao is at every corner of our whare in Waiwhetū and Wainuiomata and represents the shape the armpit takes when a mother's breastfeeding her child it represents the first connection,” she says The planting contributed 500 new harakeke planted towards Council’s Mouri Tupu: Planting for the Future goal to plant a native for every Lower Hutt citizen The boys were hard at work splitting the harakeke while the girls were busy sorting and replanting both 16 from Wainuiomata said it was hard work but one of their best activities yet Te Whetu Deyzjahn Teepa and Miharo Snowden from Waiwhetū and Wellington said it gave them something to do and Symphony Muldrock-Tolai said she enjoyed getting active TRM recently won a Prime Minister's scholarship for a six-week indigenous arts and cultural exchange in Japan where they will travel the country running whatu and taniko workshops with local communities  including a partnership with Lower Hutt’s city sister “We're going to be making cloaks with all the different communities of Japan and then bring it back and gift that cloak to Minoh house,” Mere says To support TRM’s fundraiser to Japan, follow them via their Facebook page 24 hours a day – 7 days a week 04 570 6666 | 0800 488 824 contact@huttcity.govt.nz Privacy Policy Accessibility The Wainuiomata and Paremata-Plimmerton Premier squads are both lacing up again tomorrow Wainuiomata back at Mary Crowther Park and Paremata-Plimmerton sailing Cook Strait in Blenheim Updated 3: There are several pre-season club rugby matches this weekend as the days countdown to the start of club rugby competition seasons in Wellington and neighbouring unions on Saturday 5 April There are four matches involving Premier squads in Wellington tomorrow afternoon In the first of two inter-provincial fixtures between Wellington and Manawatu teams the defending Jubilee Cup champions Old Boys University host Massey University at Rugby League Park 2023 champions Oriental-Rongotai host last year’s Manawatu winners Kia Toa at Rongotai College at 1.00pm in a game of three x 30 minute halves Both these matches have games preceding them at the same venues the OBU Green Colts and the Paremata-Plimmerton Colts meet at 11.30am the home school’s First XV is in action for the second time this season The other two Premier pre-season games being played on the Ides of March in Wellington see the Northern United and Tawa squads kick-off at 11.00am at Bishop Viard College and the Wainuiomata and Wellington Axemen squads kick off at Mary Crowther Park at noon the Paremata-Plimmerton Premier 2s meets the Kia Toa Premier 2s at 11.30am and at Mary Crowther there is an internal game between the Wainuiomata Premier 2 and Reserve sides at 11.30am Marist St Pat’s were previously scheduled to play Rahui in Otaki tonight and the Petone Women were set down to play Waikato University at North Park tomorrow but both these matches have been cancelled In one further college pre-season game in Wellington tomorrow local schools Porirua College and Aotea College kick off at Porirua College at 11.00am the Paremata-Plimmerton Premiers travel to Blenheim to play a game of three halves including against Marlborough’s sole Tasman Trophy representative this year the Avalon Wolves are in action at 11.00am at the Paraparaumu Domain against the host club in their first match of the season Martinborough and Waikanae are having their semi-annual preseason hit out Several other Wellington clubs have internal trainings and camps as they calibrate their engines ahead of the 17-week season ahead leading up to the Jubilee and Hardham Cup finals on Saturday 26 July The 2025 Super Rugby U20s tournament gets underway this weekend at Owen Delany Park with today’s fixtures being knockout quarter-finals based on last year’s seeding The Hurricanes are seeded third and they are first up today at 11.05am against the 6th seeds the Fijian Drua the Hurricanes are a good 30 points off the pace of top seed and last year’s winners the Cusaders The Crusaders team plays Moana Pasifika at 3.05pm while the Chiefs and NZ Barbarians U21s kick-off at 1.05pm and the Blues and Highlanders The Hurricanes squad has been selected for the tournament and is below The two teams met at Porirua Park on Saturday in the 2024 Wellington club rugby Premier 2 Hardham Cup final Old Boys University beat Tawa 27-21 to win the Jubilee Cup final Try scoring highlights of that final below HOBM beat Tawa 49-19 to win the Colts Division 1 final Police respond to a "serious incident" on Coast Rd An investigation by the police watchdog has found an officer was justified in shooting a man who had been holding a screwdriver to a woman's throat The findings come after an Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) investigation into the death of 36-year-old Tane Wipa who died of a cardiac arrest after being shot by police at a rural property in Wainuiomata near Wellington in November last year The details of the incident were released by the IPCA today Police were first called to the Coast Road property at around 11.45am on 16 November 2023 after witnesses saw the man assaulting his partner on the driveway. When officers arrived at 12.03pm, they found Wipa holding a screwdriver to the woman's throat. Police would spend the next hour appealing for him to let her go. Officers described Wipa's behaviour as "erratic". They said he would become heightened and aggressive, grabbing the woman by her head, neck and waist. He would push the screwdriver against her neck and use her to shield himself from police. According to one officer, Wipa shouted: "I can't go back to jail bro! I'm not going back to jail! We are both gonna die here today!" Information on the police database showed the man had a history of family violence and was known to carry knives and other weapons. It also revealed he had mental health issues, including suicidal tendencies. Officers spent nearly an hour pleading with Wipa to free the woman and put the screwdriver down. One officer said he "tried everything" to calm the man during the standoff. "I looked for every hook that I could, every different way I could try and connect with him … ask him if he's got kids, asked about his relationship … asked if he's local here in Wainui, trying to ask if he does anything for work, just trying to get his mind off things," he said. Despite their best efforts, Wipa repeatedly told officers not to come any closer, or he would stab the woman. He sometimes put the weapon down to have a cigarette, but he "always kept it close by", the IPCA said. At 12.48pm, the police negotiation team arrived, followed by the armed offenders squad at 12.50pm. As the standoff continued, an officer said he had developed a positive rapport with Wipa – but "he absolutely... was not going to come with us or let her go." Where to get help for domestic violence. (Source: 1News) At around 1pm, the man started yelling and his "level of aggression escalated", police said. Officers interviewed by the IPCA said they believed Wipa was about to injure or kill the woman. "I could see [the woman] wincing as she's being harmed, and with her body position, I just knew that he was pushing it into her lower, like her kidneys, lower spine," said the officer who shot Wipa (named as Officer B in the report). "Then he'd go back threatening to stab her through the throat, and then he'd go straight back to the lower back, back to the throat… back and forth, back and forth." The officer who had been negotiating with Wipa said: "This was the worst it had been, his behaviour, and I can't state it enough, I couldn't tell if he was already stabbing her or not from the way she was crying out and how forceful he was being." Officer B described Wipa pulling the woman's head back, causing her to arch her back and create space between them. Wipa then hid behind her head, using her as a human shield. Where to get help for sexual violence. (Source: 1News) He then "significantly shifted" his body weight, and the woman cried out in "pain and fear". "And I just knew," Officer B said. "There's that big movement, and [Wipa's] gonna go forward, and that's the decision to fire". Fearing for the woman's life, the officer fired his rifle, hitting Wipa in the shoulder. Officers immediately provided medical assistance, but Wipa went into cardiac arrest and died a short time later. Following its investigation, the IPCA found police had responded "appropriately" to the incident, with a "cohesive, coordinated and planned response". "Police utilised appropriate staff and made every effort to resolve the situation safely." The authority found shooting the man was the "only viable option" available to police in the circumstances. "The officer delayed shooting the man until he believed it to be absolutely necessary to save the woman's life." Wellington District Commander Superintendent Corrie Parnell said officers had done an "exceptional job" to save the woman's life. Police fatally shoot man who held weapon to woman’s neckCoast Rd south of the Wainuiomata Golf Club has been closed Man shot dead by police in Wainuiomata namedThe man was shot once by police after holding a weapon to a woman’s neck and threatening to do her more harm "These types of incidents are never easy for our officers. "The staff involved had hoped for a different outcome and tried very hard to resolve the matter safely but were left with no other option but to ensure the woman was kept safe." A man has been shot dead by police after he was seen holding a weapon to a woman's neck in the Wellington suburb of Wainuiomata this afternoon Police say the incident took place while officers were responding to a family harm incident on Coast Road at around 11.45am Police say that when officers arrived at the scene they found a man behaving in an "agitated manner" while "holding a weapon to a woman's neck" It's understood they were in a relationship and police attempted to negotiate with the man "the man continued threatening harm to the woman" Wellington district commander superintendent Corrie Parnell said the man's immediate family were present during the incident "Medical assistance was provided immediately however he died at the scene," a police spokesperson said The woman involved was not injured and is being provided with support "as she is understandably shaken by what has occurred" "Our thoughts are with his family at this extremely difficult time." The officers involved will also be given support from wellness services and colleagues "We understand that fatal Police incidents are frightening events and the local community will be shaken also "A fatal shooting is an outcome nobody wants and will have significant long-lasting impacts on the officers involved and their families." Cordons will remain outside the property on Coast Road "for some time" while a scene examination takes place A number of investigations into the incident have also been launched including a police critical incident investigation The shooting has also been referred to the Independent Police Conduct Authority The Wellington Free Ambulance confirmed they attended the scene but could not comment further on what had occurred Police are warning of traffic disruption tomorrow morning between Wainuiomata and Porirua Police say they will not tolerate any unlawful behaviour as Mongrel Mob gang members gather for a funeral in the lower North Island Wellington motorists are also being warned to expect traffic disruption tomorrow morning as the procession makes its way from Lower Hutt to Porirua Relieving Hutt Valley Area Commander Inspector Simon de Wit says the funeral is due to take place in Wainuiomata tonight with a procession to Whenua Tapu in Porirua tomorrow He says police will have a visible presence in Wainuiomata and will monitor the procession “There is likely to be some traffic disruption across Saturday morning between Wainuiomata and motorists are advised to expect some delays” “Unlawful activity will not be tolerated and any unlawful behaviour will be investigated and followed up with enforcement action.” de Wit said they should call 111 immediately He said to report or send in any footage of the unlawful behaviour people can file a report online or call Police on 105 or report anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111 Police had about 80 officers from Hawke’s Bay and other districts “working on the ground” The Herald reported it understood Smith was being interred in a purpose-built mausoleum at Te Tapairu Marae along with his treasured Harley-Davidson motorcycle Eastern Police District commander Superintendent Jeanette Park said there had been no significant issues She said several officers undertook liaison with the whānau to understand timings and movements of mourners and a significant amount of reassurance work had been carried out by police who had been visiting local businesses and speaking to members of the community ahead of the tangi There had also been other “pro-active activity” including road policing checkpoints and approximately 200 traffic stops leading to a small number of arrests over the week but these did not relate to the tangi “directly” and were rather for offending such as breach of bail conditions police reported a man had been formally warned by police after pointing a laser at the police Eagle helicopter from an address in Hastings “Eagle’s onboard technology was able to clearly capture the person in the act and instantly identified the address,” police said “Eagle then monitored the person until ground units arrived “Officers spoke to the person and issued him with a formal warning.” Police said lasering any aircraft in flight was “extremely dangerous” and put lives at risk Police investigated every single lasering incident and would not hesitate to lay charges where appropriate Police did not specify if the person involved in the laser incident had any relationship with the Mongrel Mob