Construction on Wellington's controversial Golden Mile upgrade programme will begin on Sunday the Wellington City Council said construction would start in April on the $116 million plan to change Courtenay Place It has now confirmed that will start on 4 May with changes to the intersection of Cambridge and Kent Terraces where work was expected to take eight months before moving to Courtenay Place The project will see cars banned from 7am to 7pm on Courtenay Place along with widened footpaths and a cycle lane Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday Wellington mayor Tory Whanau turned the first sod on the upgrade Work on the first stage of the project will start next month and Tory Whanau admits the project could end up costing her the mayoralty The contents were revealed in correspondence from Simeon Brown and Chris Bishop to Wellington's Mayor Wellington's long-awaited - and controversial - Golden Mile upgrade will start construction in April Thousands of homes lost power during the storm which battered the region this week but Wellington Electricity says some repairs will continue until the middle of next week Natasha Eagle and her two children have been coping without electricity at their Island Bay home for four days She said communication had been muddled and sparse and it was difficult having no idea whether restoration was hours or days away That view was backed up by Brooklyn resident Sean Keaney He said he and his family of five had been without electricity since midnight Thursday He said they were the only house in the street affected and an electrician had confirmed the problem was at the pole Keaney said communication from Wellington Electricity had been appalling "However there is absolutely no information for us and others like us I've called multiple times to be told 'we have no ETA' we don't have any information on when someone will be there' and when I pushed and asked to talk to someone to escalate this was told they 'don't want to talk to you and you can make a complaint when it's all resolved' "This is appalling communication from Wellington Electricity - they will have a schedule of work and an idea of when they could be out to fix but refusing to share it as our family of five approach 60 hours without electricity not knowing how long it will be and unable to plan." venting frustration about the lack of communication and updates from Wellington Electricity Wellington Electricity said it was progressively restoring power to single-premise outages - with faults being prioritised by how long they had been out "After the strongest winds in a decade lashed the Wellington region on Thursday Wellington Electricity has restored power to the bulk of affected customers," it said in a statement to RNZ on Sunday afternoon adding that 8000 customers had been impacted "Crews have worked 14-hour days since Thursday managing safety with regular check-ins and roster rotations to manage fatigue." "Wellington Electricity anticipates restoring the bulk of its remaining customers without power by Monday evening however further repairs will be necessary including streetlight circuit restoration." Anyone without power who has not been contacted should call their electricity retailer directly so repair crews can be dispatched to restore supply "Wellington Electricity acknowledges the extended disruption these outages have caused and thanks customers for their continued patience while final restoration work is completed." rnz.co.nz Natasha Eagle's 10 and 12-year-old children after they got the go-ahead from builders to light the fire after several days in the cold in Island Bay Frustration is mounting among residents in Wellington who have been without power since early Thursday rnz.co.nz Search underway for Masterton man John Rafferty was last seen at Masterton Railway Station at about midday on May 4 New Zealand 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 Crime and Justice Man's cigarette smuggling attempt stubbed out Customs said the body-packing of the more than 1600 cigarettes was "an attempt to defraud Customs revenue" Wellington Airport's giant eagles to depart terminal "They have been a huge success and travellers from around the world have loved admiring them." 'Politics has become an ugly place': Tory Whanau on mayoral role Whanau announced this week she will not stand again for the Wellington mayoralty Politics 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 1US woman who disappeared for more than six decades found safe Govt halts all current pay equity claims, makes it harder to lodge new ones NRL: Sharks centre Iro wants to be known by new name Two men's shared name brings years of trouble and a hefty bill to one 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 fans Sun, May 4 Lorde announces new album name, date Thu, May 1 Kim Kardashian to testify in Paris trial over 2016 armed robbery Mon, Apr 28 Chubby Checker, Outkast, Cyndi Lauper join Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Mon, Apr 28 Kim Kardashian to testify in Paris trial over 2016 armed robbery Mon 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 A law student at Victoria University of Wellington said students had been "left in the lurch" after an announcement on Monday that said next month's exams for two law subjects would have to be handwritten also said a timetable had still not been provided he said he had become "increasingly worried that the embedding of artificial intelligence (AI) in many students' laptops makes ensuring that students' work is their own very difficult" He had hoped the university would have a technical solution although he hoped one would be available at the end of the year "This means that we will not be able to allow students to use laptops for exams next month," McLay wrote "I want to make this announcement as soon as possible so students have time to prepare for handwritten examinations." McLay added that there would be an exception for students with a disability that required them to use a keyboard The situation affected the LAWS 312 Equity and LAWS 334 Ethics exams The student said the announcement was stressful during an already stressful time a representative of the Victoria University of Wellington Law Students' Society said the Council of Legal Education had to be certain that everyone who passed the exams in Equity and Ethics deserved a pass (and did not cheat) "Previously in person invigilation has been sufficient to manage these concerns due to the increasing ability and sophistication of AI the faculty were concerned about the reliability of the exams leading to their decision to make the Equity and Ethics exams handwritten." The representative said the law students' society had expressed that students' preference was for typed exams — "reflecting how our professional lives will look" once it became clear that the faculty felt they needed to proceed with handwritten exams we emphasised that students should be informed as early as possible accessibility options should be made clear and exam content and timing should reflect the fact that many students have not done handwritten exams since high school and are not used to writing for extended periods of time." The representative added it was separate from the delay to the exam timetable Victoria University Provost Professor Bryony James said students' handwriting their exams meant the university could be confident that the results truly reflected the students' own knowledge and effort — free of any suggestion of the influence of AI James said she would ensure that no student was disadvantaged and was committed to working with students — including those with disabilities — who might need further support to participate in exams and final assessments as a result "As part of this undertaking the Faculty of Law will review this Trimester's exam results to ensure this cohort's performance is in line with previous years and confirm that students are not significantly impacted by this decision." President of Victoria University's Students' Association Liban Ali told Morning Report he was aware that this could happen as early as last year "It has been on the card as of last year I feel like there was something that was going to happen." Ali said the announcement had come at the wrong time and that the Students' Association were very concerned for students He said the Students' Association had engaged the Law Society and the faculty to determine the best way to support students He added that he would make sure that any changes were communicated early in the future rnz.co.nz A 25-year-old man has appeared in court after he allegedly fired a gun at another person inside a Ministry of Social Development office in Masterton yesterday Police were called to the incident on Lincoln Rd at around 12.40pm on Monday Wairarapa Area Commander Inspector Nick Thom said there were no reports of injuries from the incident "Following police's initial enquiries one person was taken into custody a short time later nearby." Cordons were put in place around the area and some staff were armed as a precaution Thom said it was believed to be an isolated incident with no wider risk to the public "Police would like to commend Ministry of Social Development staff for their prompt actions in following their lockdown procedures as this enabled police to provide a swift response to resolve this incident quickly." A 25-year-old man appeared in Masterton District Court today charged with unlawful possession of a firearm and conducting a dangerous act with intent to cause grievous bodily harm Wellington's famous eagles will take flight from the airport this week after 12 years in the terminal They will be replaced by a new display that is currently being kept under wraps Wellington Airport chief executive Matt Clarke said that the departure of the birds (and their passenger Gandalf) will be emotional for staff "They have been a huge success and travellers from around the world have loved admiring them After 12 years it's the right time for them to fly the nest “We’re working with Wētā Workshop on some exciting plans for a unique locally themed replacement to take their place." The eagles were created by Wētā Workshop as a tie-in with the Hobbit movies and unveiled in December 2013 Each bird weighs 1.2 tonnes and has a 15-metre wingspan Wētā Workshop co-founder and chief creative officer Richard Taylor said it's a "bittersweet moment" saying goodbye to them "There are many more stories to be told and we're looking forward to working with Wellington Airport on bringing a new chapter to life." The eagles will be taken down and disassembled on Friday May 9 and placed into storage with long-term plans for them still yet to be decided "We’ll unveil what’s next later this year so keep watching the skies," Clarke said Tolkien fans will be relieved to know that Smaug the Magnificent will remain in the check-in area As a progressive mayor Tory Whanau has had to deal with the "old guard" resistant to change Her decision came shortly after former Labour leader Andrew Little confirmed he would be contesting with Whanau saying she didn't want a Greens versus Labour narrative to swamp the election she plans to run for the council's Māori Ward Whanau has previously said she would consider quitting the mayoralty after facing scrutiny for her political and personal challenges including the appointment of a Crown observer for the council She told Saturday Morning she has attracted extra attention because the "old guard" are resistant to issues such as climate change "Being the progressive change mayor - that does bring a lot of negativity." Being wahine Māori has also posed extra difficulties citing the treatment of other Māori politicians such as Tamatha Paul and the negativity had also moved onto the rainbow community "Politics at the moment has become quite an ugly place and I'm just an example of part of that." especially this week since her decision on the mayoralty politics could be "a lonely place" and "isolating" "It's absolutely crucial" to have discussions about the online criticism directed at women and gay politicians "When is it OK to threaten the life of a politician It is never OK," she said in response to a councillor's claim that she had asked for the abuse she received because of her behaviour She did not regret using social media in her bid to attract support from young people the political landscape had changed a great deal US President Donald Trump and some of the New Zealand coalition government members had helped to ramp up the criticism politicians received "The online trolling has accelerated significantly .. the political landscape has become a lot more toxic." the abuse would turn off women and rangatahi Māori from any thoughts of going into politics "And that becomes a danger to our democracy." She appealed to other politicians to make debate about policy rather than personal Whanau said she was surprised by former Labour Minister Andrew Little's announcement after he had ruled out the suggestion last year "I accepted it [Little's decision] I am really excited about running for the Māori ward." She said she was not disappointed some on the left had backed Little instead of her The most important thing was to keep the city "on track" with issues such as the cycleway network She said many of the things she had campaigned on such as more investment in water and more social housing had started during her mayoralty "The biggest thing I didn't achieve was light rail .. I at least was able to keep the Golden Mile." Questioned about her "flip-flop" over the sale of Wellington Airport shares There was a need to address the $2.3 billion underinvestment in insurance and she believed the share sale would be the best option The council had moved on and relationships had been rebuilt It had caused "great upset" that iwi did not have a voice over ther sale of the shares her relationship with iwi remained strong throughout the saga and having a voice at the table were the main priorities for mana whenua They had been supportive over her decision to stand for the Māori ward Whanau said the atmosphere was "light" during her meeting with Local Government Minister Simeon Brown during which the appointment of a Crown Observer was discussed "We've had independent advice that it didn't need to happen but I wanted to show Wellington that I was more than willing to work with the government to prove we could have a successful Long Term Plan .. it's back on track without the airport." The presence of the observer had helped with the management of councillors' behaviour She had a "polite" relationship with Brown and said things were warmer with the new minister Simon Watts Whanau said it had been an honour to perform her first karanga at two events during her term as mayor "One of the most special honouring moments of my life .. that has been an absolute privilege of this role." rnz.co.nz 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 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." Audrey Backeberg disappeared from a small city in south-central Wisconsin after reportedly hitchhiking with her family’s babysitter and catching a bus to Indianapolis Nobody ever knew where she went or what happened to her All that changed last week when she was found alive and safe in another state thanks to the fresh eyes from a deputy who took over the case in February Detective Isaac Hanson discovered an out-of-state arrest record that matched Backeberg which triggered a series of investigative moves that led to finding her alive and safe in another state Turns out Backeberg chose to leave the town of Reedsburg on her own accord – likely due to an abusive husband safe and secure; And just kind of lived under the radar for that long,” he said Hanson was assigned the case in late February and he and other officials met with Backeberg’s family to see if they had a connection with that region They also started digging through Backeberg's sister's Ancestry.com account obituaries and marriage licenses from that region they found an address where a woman was living that Hanson said shared a lot of similarities with Backeberg including date of birth and social security number Hanson was able to get a deputy from that jurisdiction to go to the address "I was expecting the deputy to call me back and say ‘Oh nobody answered the door.’ And I thought it was the deputy calling me I could sense that she obviously had her reasons for leaving.” Most of the information he learned during that call he declined to share saying that it was still important to Backeberg that she not be found “I think it overwhelmed her of course with the emotions that she had having a deputy show up at her house and then kind of call her out and talk with her about what happened and kind of relive 62 years in 45 minutes,” he said Hanson described discovering her safe after more than six decades practically unheard of And while he doesn't know what will happen next in terms of her family reconnecting he said he was happy that she can reach out if she wants to so she has my contact number if she ever wants to reach out or needs anything any phone numbers of family members back here," he said "Ultimately she kind of holds the cards for that.” The government 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 The Cronulla player formerly known as Kayal Iro has explained his decision to change his first name midway through the NRL season Iro made a tryscoring return from a hamstring injury in the Sharks' Magic Round win over Parramatta last Friday sporting a new name on Cronulla's team list The 25-year-old has now requested he be referred to as 'KL Iro' The centre is named after his father Kevin Leslie Iro who enjoyed a decorated career in England and represented New Zealand with distinction The left centre's official documents will still read "Kayal" but the Sharks flyer said he made the switch to 'KL' to avoid any doubt as to how his name should be pronounced "Mum didn't want it to be a two-letter name when I was a kid," Iro said "She's the one that changed it to 'Kayal' I think it was just foreign back then to have a two-letter name "But my dad always wanted it to be 'KL' and I like it that way too because it's easier to pronounce and there's no confusion I was too scared to step on anyone's toes "I guess I've built a bit of a relationship with these fellas now so I asked the question and got it done pretty quick." which was often mispronounced by commentators when his father and uncle Tony were playing "Even my dad and uncle when they were playing the Pommies would pronounce it 'aye-ro' rather than 'ear-ro'," Iro added he loved it but it's pretty cool to hear a commentator saying our family name." Iro was born in England while his father was playing for Leeds but spent most of his childhood growing up in the Cook Islands While he hinted he would be open to facing the Kangaroos in the end-of-season Ashes series "I wouldn't say no but my first thing is getting the Cook Islands qualified for the World Cup next year," he said Iro and the sixth-placed Sharks (5-4) will face one of the most daunting challenges of their season to date when they travel to take on Manly (4-4) at Brookvale Oval on Sunday "They've got a strong right edge and also [Tom] Trbojevic at the back," Iro said "[Trboejvic] is a strike weapon in attack and things happen around him we've got to be aware of him." 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 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 Tory Whanau launches Golden Mile project yesterday Become a Wellington.Scoop Supporter » A Wellington shop owner will likely have to throw out products and is borrowing electricity from her neighbours to keep freezers running Eight thousand homes had no electricity, after the strongest winds in more than a decade hit the capital on Thursday Wellington Electricity chief executive Greg Skelton said the organisation hoped to restore power to all homes over the next two days told RNZ that their Brooklyn shop had been without power since Thursday night Patel said she walked into the store on Friday and there was no electricity so they had to hook some of their freezers up to their neighbour's power supply through extension cords She said they called a local electrician in a bid to solve the issue but they were informed Wellington Electricity were responsible to fix it Patel said her husband had been on the phone to Wellington Electricity each day since the power had been out Many of the ice creams in her shop's supply had melted Annemarie Hurley's seven-person flat also no power since Thursday although it was switched on early Monday afternoon Hurley told RNZ the period without power was tough "We were lucky enough that my partner rented a generator for us so we were able to power at least the fridges and charge our phones." She said the generator cost $180 for a weekend Dealing with Wellington Electricity had been a very frustrating experience They had called Wellington Electricity on Thursday it would be better to get good timeframes for when power would be fixed 'It will get fixed when it gets fixed' and that's fine if it's for something small but it was really cold and there's seven of us in the house." Utilities Disputes commissioner Neil Mallon told Midday Report he expected retailers and electricity distributers to keep customers informed on what they were doing during outages He said lines company worked really hard to get power restored as fast as possible and he encouraged people affected in the Wellington storm to contact Utilities Disputes with their problems Skelton told Morning Report he believed the company's response had been fantastic He said they could not get workers to fix the power lines in 160kph winds Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday Nearly 300 people are still without power across the capital four days after 150 kilometre winds battered the region Utility Disputes Commissioner Neil Mallon spoke to Charlotte Cook See terms of use for easy access to all your favourite programmes this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read Hurricanes first-five Ruben Love’s superb kicking was part of an excellent all-round display against the Chiefs The Hurricanes’ 35-17 spanking of the table-topping Chiefs was as remarkable a match as there’s been in this vibrant Super Rugby Pacific season whose display in general was more proof that he’s ready for an All Blacks recall had a pass intercepted by Chiefs flier Daniel Rona Down 17-9 at halftime to a team as competent as the Chiefs should have been a death knell for the Canes the second half was the perfect antidote — the best of the Super season The 26 unanswered points the Canes ran up in the second 40 minutes were impressive in themselves What was even more notable was that all four tries in that tally came from one man who replaced the injured Kini Naholo after just seven minutes Sullivan was nerveless and accurate as he destroyed Chiefs’ hopes Sullivan had to share top billing with Canes first-five Ruben Love Love’s goal kicking and general play were brilliant His tactical kicking skills were perfectly demonstrated in the 65th minute with a crosskick Sullivan seized for his third try he was in the form that won him an All Blacks jersey last year there may well be a preview of the Super Rugby final when the Crusaders take on the Chiefs A stung Chiefs against a Crusaders team that’s found its mojo With their 40-19 bonus-point victory over the Western Force at Eden Park on Friday night the Blues started the huge job of clambering out of the massive hole they’ve dug for themselves on the Super Rugby table It took a while for the Blues to settle on Friday There were jittery moments at first-half lineouts A terrible decision by hugely gifted 20-year-old midfielder Xavi Taele in the 23th minute to not pass to an unmarked Rieko Ioane had a hint of the dreaded “I can win this on my own” malaise that can affect a struggling side But following the terrific examples of captain Patrick Tuipulotu and Dalton Papali’i they buckled down to dispose of the men from Perth Blues coach Vern Cotter tried a ploy usually associated only with French sides; the man in charge criticising his own team to the media after his squad disobeyed his order to not go out after a game They unexpectedly reached the final at Eden Park two weeks later Cotter’s comments after the Reds rolled the Blues on Anzac Day were “There was a little bit of softness in our play in the first 20 minutes,” said Cotter in Brisbane “We have to toughen our game up if we’re going to be competitive.” His remarks obviously stung the Blues and appear to have done the job We’ll know exactly how well the Blues are back on track on Friday night The Drua have spent most of the season bottom of the table who were outgunned 36-33 in Suva on Saturday you might have guessed the Drua in particular had run the ball to their wings at every opportunity the Drua mostly smashed the ball up field with one-off passes The Blues will face a brutal test of character and commitment on Friday There was an almost fairytale quality to Moana Pasifika’s 34-29 edge-of-the-seat victory over the Highlanders in Dunedin yesterday they needed a first win over the Highlanders Victory was sealed with two minutes left when replacement halfback Melani Matavao scored a spectacular chargedown try But at the heart of the win was Moana captain Ardie Savea nudging it further forward with his left knee Moana edged the Highlanders 34-29 in a nine-try heartbreaker for the hosts so that's an achievement that won't be missed by us but we know we've got three more games to keep building on that." Henry Pollock and his band of brothers pulled off a remarkable heist in Dublin on Leinster to make them believe anything's possible The Hurricanes managed to beat the number one side on the ladder, the Chiefs, while the Blues win over the Force kept their playoff hopes alive and put them in the top six The Fijian Drua secured a much-needed home win over the Queensland Reds and Moana Pasifika had a big win over the Highlanders Here are the standout performers in an action-packed round from round 12 of Super Rugby Pacific as the season enters the final stretch The Blues 40-19 victory over the Force flatted the hosts. The Blues made 90 more tackles than the visitors and lost a third of their lineouts. While the attack was sparkling at times, with Beauden Barrett to the fore it was the Blues scrum and defence that were notably sharper than the poor display against the Reds in Brisbane last Friday Dalton Papali’i left the field injured after 30 minutes in the narrow defeat to the Crusaders a fortnight ago. The All Blacks flanker returned with gusto topping the tackle count with 22 and bullying at the breakdown with two turnovers and enough disruption to almost compel the residents of Mount Eden to complain to the council about yet another afront Papali’i ranks inside the top five of Super Rugby Pacific for most tackles made with 168 he finished second in the tackle count with 208 “It’s never really nice when your coach is questioning your attitude, but I think that’s what we needed,” Blues captain Patrick Tuipulotu told Sky Sport NZ afterward It’s very frustrating for us as players getting that sort of message at this time of the season we got a good kick up the bum and performed well tonight.” With away victories over the Fijian Drua and Moana Pasifika and a home success against the Waratahs The Force have lost 23 of their last 24 Super Rugby Pacific games in New Zealand conceding 40+ points in each of their last four games The Force last beat the Blues in 2008 as their playoff prospects flounder he is the first player in Super Rugby Pacific to score four tries off the bench the heartbeat of the Hurricanes is Du’Plessis Kirifi A 79th minute interference that resulted in a Chiefs fumble induced a Goku Ultra Instinct Roar from Kirifi that epitomises his absolutely relentless heart There’s no real need for such intensity when the result is settled 19 tackles and two turnovers were the substance of a display that reinforced his genuine All Blacks prospects The Chiefs were unusually brutalised at the breakdown Their typically versatile and clinical back row folded Ruben Love finished with 15 points after six goals from seven attempts His assured display at 10 was his best of the season Bailyn Sullivan only scored one try in 26 first-class matches Until Saturday, Caleb Delany was the only New Zealand-based forward to start every Super Rugby match (11 matches, 743 minutes). He was listed to start against the Chiefs but was a late withdrawal. His replacement, Zach Gallagher topped the tackle count with 22 and was adept at addressing restarts with a couple of soaring catches While the Hurricanes lineout was occasionally wayward The Hurricanes lead the Chiefs 24-21 in all matches played with Saturday’s win their largest since a 47-19 victory in 2019 Dura Chief executive Mark Evans released a video this week pleading fans to stand with the team during their three upcoming home matches The Dura have had a disappointing season with only three wins in 11 matches but those who attended the 36-33 win over the Reds had their faith repaid until replacement winger Isikeli Rabitu scored the winner from a Reds fumble There were seven lead changes in the match Earlier, explosive Etonia Waqa ran amok with a 40-metre break that resulted in a try The blindside flanker then caught the Reds napping down the short side and dotted down himself Waqa has won 12 of his 25 matches for the Dura – a success rate nearly twenty percent higher than the average of the team which has won 31% of all matches in their Super Rugby Pacific history With the hype surrounding Joseph Suaalii, incumbent Wallabies fullback Tom Wright (37 Tests) played a timely blinder in the Brumbies 40-17 victory over Suaalii’s Waratahs Wright had a match-leading 18 carries for 115 meters gained and four line breaks. In the 49th minute, Wright was instrumental in the build-up to a Billy Pollard try, when the score was 26-12, which extinguished the Waratahs chances of winning Wright had three touches and a strong sprint in the scoring movement Wright was cut by Eddie Jones for the 2023 Rugby World Cup. He was sensational on the Wallabies Northern Tour last year, scoring a try in the epic 42-37 win over England and three in the 52-20 crushing of Wales Wright has yet to open his try-scoring account in Super Rugby Pacific 2025 The prospect of Moana Pasifika being in a playoff position after a dozen rounds at the start of the season seemed unthinkable But with Ardie Savea producing a series of masterpieces The Highlanders were the latest victims to fall under Savea’s spell as Moana Pasifika upset the Highlanders 34-29 in Dunedin The All Black scored a brilliant individual try in the 45th minute nudging the ball through the defensive line and beating the chasers to regather and crash over That made the score 22-15 to Moana Pasifika Savea carried 19 times and made three line breaks while creating additional attacks with effective linking Savea was similarly damaging on defence with seven tackles and two ruck steals The Highlanders had won all five previous meetings against Moana Pasifika News, stats, live rugby and more! Download the new RugbyPass app on the App Store (iOS) and Google Play (Android) now you would have to say that the Hurricanes loose forwards completely outplayed their Chiefs counter-parts Kirifi and Peter Lakai are slam dunks for All Black selection Brayden Iose is an outstanding 8 playing blindside as he is not at all a line-out forward I cannot see how Luke Jacobson gets selected for All Blacks at 6 over Sititi or Finau nor at 8 over Savea or Lakai And he plays so little 7 and would be miles behind Kirifi Du Plessis Kirifi should be a certainty.He is playing so well Ethan Blackadder has played greatl for the Crusaders a tackling and turn over machine would not be out of place in the AB’s Almost certain that Razor will start Savea at 8 and Sititi at 6 to leave his two best ball carrying forwards free to carry as much as possible (one in tight and one in wider channels) That leaves 7 open and very interesting to see if that will be Kirifi Peopleanazed at Saveas precocious skills are reminded that at his club Ories he often plays fullback Join free and tell us what you really think Henry Pollock and his band of brothers pulled off a remarkable heist in Dublin on Leinster to make them believe anything's possible Is the Queensland boss the right man to lead Australia forward And will Joe Schmidt be tempted to stick around for Rugby World Cup 2027 Northampton Saints found a way of beating the fabled Jacques Nienaber blitz and inflicting another 'horrific' Champions Cup loss on the Leinster giants @NB There was a lot that went wrong for Leinster But how much do you think the lack of competitive matches meant vulnerabilities and weaknesses were not exposed and addressed in previous matches A good coaching team like Northampton’s then had a lot to work with giving Leinster a lot of problems to fix all at once on the day French teams and indeed English teams who are CC contenders are getting weekly matches where weaknesses are being probed and end game tactics are been often tested in the fire I know Leinster can mitigate some of this in training but hard matches create more hardened and rounded teams Yes England seem on the rise Speaking of Barrett his brothers team the Blues seem to have hit some form as expected late in the season Scott-Young and Kemeny are all benefiting from their time at saints Would like to see them return as better players as most do… Under Joe S he has a 100% record against England;) Versus Connacht in the Aviva they were 12 up (3 tries) with 10 to go against a Cannacht team playing very well They had an easy three to secure the win but kicked for corner Connacht repelled the attack and Leinster got carded after a Connacht turnover Connacht went up the pitch and scored and made it a 5 point match Leinster then won another (harder but kickable) penalty Another confab started before Barrett went up and told Byrne to kick for goal The onfield decision making seems to have fallen between two stools This surely should have been addressed before now if they are covering all angles I’d say the difference between Bath and Saints v Leinster is the experience of last year for Saints and the complacency of Bath; apropos Bennetton away Bath are earning their stripes and I’d expect them to learn the lessons of last years Prem and this years CC perhaps even all the way to a Prem & Challenge Cup double when you’ve got people who are still close to the team then it’s definitely indicative of a prevailing mindset Add in the results evidence to the mix and it’s nigh on impossible to dispute they were most definitely looking in the wrong direction for their mindset prep He also compliments Prendergast more and allows Ringrose more space To be fair it is extremely difficult for Leinster to get the competitive matches in the URC to prepare for these really big matches hard matches in the lead up expose weaknesses which can be shored up before the next match NH identified all of these weaknesses and sent a man through every one of them They should have started Barrett Prendergast has more space with Barrett playing Northampton scored 3 quickfire tries without reply before half time Their first was very much against the run of play I don’t think Leinster not expecting that barrage of tries was them underestimating NH I feel that Leinster are not getting competitive matches to prepare them for these tight endgame scenarios That said match management should have seen them take the first 3 points and/or execute the tap Conan seemed to be confabbing with Barrett and Prendergast A levelled match would have been a significant blow to NH and with Leinster winning the second half 22-10 would have been heavy favourites to win another 20 minutes Arrogance chokers or maybe just a little of all three Bit disappointed on this she gave English Womens Rugby such a boost would have liked to have seen a few seasons at the coalface vs a 6 month temp contract It’s like tackle school 101 Start on your knees as the other 10 year old walks towards you It isnt just how he hits it’s his positioning and pace He got skinned by Ramm (I think) for the first try He chased the kick but could deal with a small swerve then turned slower than Freddie Stewart on an ice rink He really is a great prospect and if it wasnt a Lions year everybody would give him another year to improve Sasha keeps my heart in my mouth with his head on tackling He has made some very dominant tackles for the Stormers in the past few games and also he is a great cover defender Manie has made some classic corner flag tackles to save tries If the 10 is retiring to backfield he should be sweeping - that didn’t work out too well for SP He just doesn’t seem to have the appetite for tackling - he plays more like Naas Botha of old He’s a highly skilled rugby player I remember similar discussions about Sexton He’s been pushed forward by Leinster because of what he’s been doing in training Frawley has been put back as a utility player The Byrnes are both probably leaving Leinster and I agree with most of what has been said on this post He should have been sent out to Connacht or Ulster to gain more experience before being made no 1 Fly in Ireland My comment about stats was a lead-in to how having good tackle completion stats don’t necessarily mean you're a good defensive team The Brumbies game a few weeks ago was when I became concerned about Les as a Wallabies coach and I haveh’t seen enough to be anything more than hopeful he’ll succeed Looks like a beefier Oli Mathis Can Les give the Wallabies the Kiss of Life?',1);"> I am as neutral as can be but I agree with your reservations He was D coach for the Boks in 21/22 and their record in those years on D was shocking in 21 50% wins and a draw and in 22 when his should have come into his own a few wins early season against Wales Argentine and Somoa followed by six losses in the last seven games Can Les give the Wallabies the Kiss of Life?',1);"> Well Nick you have to wonder what the long term plan is for RA I cannot think that they would appoint Kiss only to have Schmidt back in 2027 but then it is a world cup year on home soil so perhaps that is the plan I reckon RA need to target the 2027 world cup as it seems like their best opportunity 2031 is so far away and who knows what the state of the game in Aus will be like at that point Also the squad isnt exactly bursting with talent which you could confidently say will be there come 2031 especially when you consider how young players are being hunted by foreign clubs 2027 must be the target and I just wonder if Kiss is the right man to win it all in 2027 He has not shown enough at Ulster or London Irish to be considered the main man and his Reds side while really good are hardly pragmatic and are prone to some whacky reversals like the one suffered in Fiji For me Kiss is not the man for 2027 yet he has the top job but he will bring continuity and wont tear up the gameplan so at least they wont be starting from scratch with a new coach In a way he was just about the only appointment they could make at this stage Can Les give the Wallabies the Kiss of Life?',1);"> He’s a loose cannon on D TL The unpredictability can be a great addition on attack but on D you need someone to be reliable and disciplined It would be asking a huge amount from Les to lead Aussie into a WC with a 15-month runway which is why I feel Joe has not quite let go yet I think McCarthy is a very over-rated player 14-man French team in 2024 is all he has done Prendergast I feel sorry for - a few good games at u20s and because he plays for Leinster he gets the international gig Aki and Ringrose are first choice and have been for years Henshaw cannot affect an 80 minute match anymore multi-phase power game doesn’t work he doesn’t have the pace Keenan looked the fittest player in rugby two years ago but in last years game v England and this weekend he looks well off the pace not being picked for the Lions really helped Ireland in 2022 as Sexton Lowe and Ryan had storming seasons if I remember rightly If those players were picked for the Lions would they have won that series England players suffered a lot in 2018 after the 2017 Lions so while its nice to have your teams players get Lions recognition it might not be the worse thing if they aren’t there either Can Les give the Wallabies the Kiss of Life?',1);"> I think they need Joe’s overview there JS You don’t want a novice head coach at a home WC As you say both of Les’ teams at Irish and Queensland have tended to attack well but the output is uneven Mistakes in specific areas can come in bunches without correction - look at my previous pieces on the Reds’ lineout and exit strategy They often do not change even when something is not working At risk of flattering the Reds/Wallabies too much I fear they are at risk of potentially turning into a Scotland-esque team under LK - i.e. great set plays - but lacking the killer physicality/X factor to beat the top teams Tā Mātou Ahunga Rautaki Our Strategic Direction 2025–2030 (Our Strategic Direction) [PDF, 6.3 MB] sets Fire and Emergency New Zealand’s direction for the next five years Our Strategic Direction outlines the impacts we will make across five focus areas to 2030 with organisational culture as the foundation for achieving our strategic outcomes and fulfilling our purpose for Aotearoa New Zealand. Our Strategic Direction helps us identify what we concentrate our effort on ensuring we focus on those things that will make the greatest difference to Aotearoa New Zealand our people and our organisation. It will have an impact on our planning and the way we invest in and deliver our work Our Strategic Direction comes into effect from 1 July 2025 but we are beginning to work towards it now Our Strategic Direction refreshes our core purpose – serving communities together – and affirms our two strategic outcomes of fewer unwanted fires There are five focus areas each with outcomes and impacts we want to achieve in the next five years the impacts and outcomes in each of the focus areas will direct our efforts to 2030 ensuring we focus on what will make the most difference to Aotearoa New Zealand our people and our organisation. The five focus areas and their high-level impacts are: Minimised harm from fires through properly trained staff with clear roles effective specialist response capabilities and fit-for-purpose technology that's good value for money. Better fire safety outcomes through effective community education expert policy input and targeted compliance interventions. Safer communities through fostering local risk ownership clearly communicating our service boundaries establishing well-defined partnership roles and upholding public service values of impartiality positive and inclusive environment that attracts more workers and volunteers with skills that are aligned with our organisational needs where safety incidents are promptly addressed and people are empowered to thrive. Financial responsibility is ensured through sound spending decisions fit-for-purpose technology resources and clear long-term asset planning. Underpinning all of these is our culture and ngā uara Our culture will help us achieve our strategic outcomes and deliver on our purpose. positive and inclusive environment where our people feel they belong and are empowered to thrive. we will focus on the following outcomes and impacts: View/Download [PDF, 6.3 MB] Police have arrested and charged a 37-year-old man with wilful damage and assault after footage emerged of a man walking down the centre of the road in Wellington punching wing mirrors off cars Police said they received reports of a man acting erratically and causing damage to vehicles on Cuba Street at around 5.45pm Saturday they arrested and charged a man with wilful damage and two counts of assaulting police He is due in Wellington District Court on 5 May Round 5 teamlists at this link in the line below (an internal link on our website): Wellington club rugby Swindale Shield Round 5 teamlists Radio Commentary. This Saturday, the E Tū Whānau Footy Show comes from Kilbirnie Park in the fixture between Pōneke and Johnsonville. On air from 2.00pm Catch all the action on Te Upoko Radio – 87.6FM in the central city, 1161AM across the region, or stream it on iHeart Radio, the Whare Kōrero app, and online at www.teupoko.nz Live streaming options: There will be some live streaming by clubs of their matches such as Poneke v Johnsonville (Poneke feed): Marist St Pat’s v Petone (MSP feed) – MSP Facebook link here: https://www.facebook.com/msprugby Avalon v Tawa (Tawa feed) – Facebook link here: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063655984264 Wellington College v Napier Boys’ High School (Huddy Sports) Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); BURSASGXHomeBy PUTRAJAYA (May 3): The Foreign Ministry via the High Commission of Malaysia in Wellington is closely monitoring the aftermath of severe weather that affected New Zealand particularly in the Wellington and the Canterbury region It confirmed that no Malaysian nationals have been reported to be injured thus far “Malaysians in New Zealand are advised to stay alert and informed through local authorities and take the necessary precautions “The High Commission of Malaysia in Wellington is in contact with local authorities to ensure the safety and well-being of Malaysians in the affected areas,” it said in an advisory on Saturday It added that Malaysians requiring consular assistance can contact the High Commission of Malaysia in Wellington at 10 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn, PO Box 9422, Wellington or via phone at: +64-4-3852 439/+64-210 440 188 (for emergencies) or by email: [email protected] announced that most of the severe weather warnings have now been lifted Wellington was hit by the strongest winds in more than a decade both Christchurch City and Selwyn District remain in states of emergency due to ongoing surface flooding and road closures Wellington International Airport has since reopened PETALING JAYA: The Foreign Affairs Ministry via the Malaysian High Commission in Wellington particularly Wellington and the Canterbury region on Thursday (May 1) Wisma Putra said that the New Zealand government had announced that most of the severe weather warnings had been lifted Wellington had been hit by the strongest winds in more than a decade The Malaysian High Commission in Wellington is in contact with local authorities to ensure the safety and well-being of Malaysians in the affected areas No Malaysian nationals have been reported to be injured thus far Malaysians in New Zealand are advised to stay alert and informed through local authorities and take the necessary precautions For consular assistance, Malaysians in New Zealand can contact the High Commission at 10, Washington Avenue, Brooklyn, PO Box 9422, Wellington or call ‪+64-4-3852439‬ / ‪+64-210440188‬ (for emergencies) or email mwwellington@kln.gov.my We would love to keep you posted on the latest promotion Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker More people are throwing their hat into the ring for Wellington's mayoralty as local body elections draw nearer The capital will have a new leader after the public vote on 11 October, with current mayor Tory Whanau withdrawing from the race in April Check out RNZ's list (in alphabetical order) of who's running for the capital's top job who has run prominent local Facebook page Wellington Live he calculated - would be the best way to save money He described Wellington as being "in the s..." facing declining property values and a struggling hospitality sector He wanted to take a "really good look" at the council's culture the silly ones" like the town hall upgrades cycleways and the Moa Point sludge minimisation project Wellington City Councillor Ray Chung announced his second mayoralty bid early He hoped by announcing his candidacy early voters would have time to consider what they wanted to see in the city before the "hoopla" of the electoral campaign social and cultural state was the worst it's ever been and wanted to bring costs down and improve fiscal understanding around the council table Former Wellington City Councillor Rob Goulden said he wanted to run a council that was not divided by politics smart team that's got Wellington's interests at heart." He told RNZ he wanted to ask central government what it would do for the capital like investing in a four lane road to the airport Goulden said some projects should be deferred - like the Lambton Quay section of the Golden Mile - or rethought paint could be used rather than digging up roads and changing layouts Goulden also suggested a new measure for safety in natural disasters - putting a first aid kit in every car in Wellington who started Predator Free Crofton Downs to eliminate pests from the suburb said he was running to make Wellington "the best it could be" but it was "last minute" to see how he felt about the campaign process - so he would put in a lot more effort this time around Hastie said he would bring rates rises down as low as possible without selling the council's airport shares and he wanted to "pause all projects" including the Golden Mile the composting scheme and the City to Sea bridge demolition He also wanted to consult the public on amalgamating the region's councils - Wellington Hutt City and Upper Hutt - to cut rates and duplication of work The former Labour Party leader and minister said he would prioritise fixing the pipes Little - currently a consultant for a law firm in Wellington - left Parliament following Labour's 2023 election defeat after first entering politics in 2011 He said Wellingtonians did not vote for asset sales or closing community facilities - if elected mayor and honour commitments for Karori community facilities With plans for a new water entity consisting of all the region's councils underway he said he would ensure Wellington got a good deal He said he would "rephase" the Golden Mile project to reduce disruption to local businesses amid a difficult time for retail and hospitality "My focus as mayor will be getting the best for Wellington That means being able to work constructively with the government in the city's interests and it means standing up to the Beehive when needed," he said He ran for council last year in a by-election to fill a set left empty by Green MP Tamatha Paul when she was elected to parliament. He narrowly lost to the Greens' candidate Geordie Rogers Tiefenbacher told RNZ he would not seek a political party endorsement but would have a conversation if he was approached He said he wanted to get the city "back on track" which included changing the council's culture and the way councillors work with officers, managing debt levels, keeping rates rises to a minimum, focusing on core infrastructure and stopping some "pet projects" like cycleways, the Golden Mile "There's a lot of money that we're actually spending that we don't need to be spending and it has to be done on a 'need to' rather than a 'want to' basis." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday you’re so weird': Huge crowd gathers to watch a man fold a fitted sheetAbout 700 people squashed together on Cuba Street to catch a glimpse of Dan Boerman's linen skills why are you here?'"Photo credit:Freya DuffyComedian Dan Boerman arrived in Wellington jetlagged and delirious in front of a raucous crowd on Cuba Street he would perform his ability to fold a fitted sheet to all everyone was so hyped and then as soon as I walked out with a sheet on my head The stunt was part of a wider marketing plan to promote Boerman’s upcoming show in the New Zealand International Comedy Festival aptly titled ‘Dan Boerman Folds A Fitted Sheet On His Own “I’m ballparking about 700 people showed up, and from the videos, there were people standing on bins to try and see. It was like a Fred Again concert.” Boerman is a Wellingtonian now based in Edinburgh doing comedy full time He arrived in the capital on Saturday with just 36 hours to spare – a short stint ahead of his shows in Melbourne and Wellington “Mum didn’t even know I was showing up on Saturday I just went into her work to surprise her dressed in a disguise; it was super funny.” Boerman says the show is “a spicy love-letter to our better halves – and a nod to how useless we are as men when we’re kind of on our own.” He wrote it about six months ago after a relationship breakup “There’s too many shows already of dudes going up on stage they’re chatting about being on [dating apps] Hinge so this is a refreshing take on the recently single millennial man story “It’s more of an acknowledgement of chicks and how we’re useless without them They kind of keep us sane but also make us insane sometimes "People felt real good coming together and chanting on a stranger: 'Fold that sheet!' The fitted sheet skit in Wellington was six months in the making “I’ve always got shenanigans in the pipeline I wanted to be able to promote the show remotely “I’m not living around the corner from Cuba Street anymore so I thought what I’d do is just a guerilla marketing event something people will talk about themselves.” Boerman started with one big poster in town advertising the event it was me that posted it under an anonymous account Boerman estimates the fitted sheet stunt drew a crowd of 700 people in Wellington The post got some traction and eventually led to stickers being posted around Cuba Street with a QR code linking to a dedicated Instagram page – also anonymously run by Boerman he posted a reel to gauge how many people might attend the event The post received 50,000 views and some 1500 likes this is gonna be way bigger than I thought' I’ve bit off more than I can chew and I’m only in the country for 36 hours at this point Boerman estimates 90 percent of the crowd were students 21 and under - free on a Monday afternoon and absolutely loving it "As soon as I walked out with a sheet on my head “They were so stoked on the idea and it was such a fun I don’t think anything like that has happened in Wellington in a long time stuff was real wacky and the world wasn’t that serious everyone’s indoors and on their phones and we’re not chatting to each other “Loads of people were saying to me afterwards this is what we needed in Wellington’ and it was kind of profound in a sense I was just being silly and putting together something nonsense but people felt real good coming together and chanting on a stranger: ‘Fold that sheet!’ "No other city in the world would respond like that.” More from CultureCourt Theatre's new $61 million playhouse opens in central ChristchurchThe long-awaited new home for Christchurch's Court Theatre has officially opened its doors in the central city, 14 years after the devastating quakes that drove it out of the Arts Centre. The Royal New Zealand Ballet's performance of a 115-year story has plenty of spark. The artwork was originally thought to be worth about $200 until it was identified as a possible Colin McCahon on the day of the sale. After being fired from a corporate job, David Stuart relocated to New Zealand from Scotland and now has a burgeoning comedy career. Billboards attacking Green Party MPs Chlöe Swarbrick and Tamatha Paul have appeared in Auckland and Wellington with the group responsible saying the party has an "anti-victim mentality." which resemble Green Party campaign hoardings contain the slogans "Defund the Police" and "Vote Green" Defund da Police," a reference to KRS-One's track Sound of da Police which Paul played during her DJ Set at Cuba Dupa last month The pictures of Paul have appeared on a screen on a building on Whitmore Street The billboards look similar to the campaign hoardings Paul used in her successful bid to win the Wellington Central electorate in 2023 An authorisation statement at the bottom of the billboards confirmed the Sensible Sentencing Trust was behind the campaign the group said Auckland and Wellington's CBDs "face significant challenges in relation to public safety and crime but the Green MPs representing these communities would have the police 'defunded' and even prisons 'abolished'." Spokesperson Louise Parsons said the "vast majority" of Green voters would be "shocked by the radical views of the Green Party's electorate MPs in Auckland Central and Wellington Central" The Sensible Sentencing Trust is a group which advocates for tougher penalties against offenders The billboards were later changed to use photos captured from Parliament TV The Sensible Sentencing Trust said the Greens had complained to the billboard company asserting copyright breaches as they owned the copyright to Paul's official candidate photo it "reactivated" in order to oppose the government's Three Strikes sentencing bill which it said was "watered-down" and a "betrayal" to voters who were promised a tougher regime said her party had always pushed for "real evidence-based debate on policy," though the party would not comment on whether it would take action against the billboards "After 40 years of trickle-down politics and economics calm discussion about how to genuinely make our communities safer or will we stay stuck in the knee-jerk shock politics?" Swarbrick said "It's clear right wing organisations and political parties are keen to shut down any civil discussion about where things have gone wrong and how we could improve - so much for being free speech advocates." Defunding the police is not Green Party policy At a panel last month Paul said police resources could be used more productively and suggested other agencies and organisations were better placed to take on some of police's functions She said a "visible police presence" was making people feel more on edge and she had received "nothing but complaints" about police beat patrols A spokesperson for the Electoral Commission confirmed the Green Party had contacted the Commission about the advertisements the billboards complied with the Electoral Act While third-party promoters are required to obtain authorisation from a party secretary to publish an advertisement that may reasonably be regarded as encouraging or persuading voters to vote for a party they do not need authorisation if the advertisement encourages voters not to vote for a party based on the overall content and context of the billboards our view is that they may reasonably be regarded as encouraging or persuading voters not to vote for the Green Party the prior written authorisation of the party secretary is not required," the spokesperson said The billboards also included a promoter statement with a name and address The spokesperson said the Electoral Commission does not regulate the content of election advertisements and if a party was concerned the content did not comply with advertising standards it could go to the Advertising Standards Authority She says a "visible police presence" makes people feel "more on edge." "This tragic accident is bigger than politics and Tamatha Paul should be ashamed of herself" The Greens say Benjamin Doyle is feeling "scared and worried about their whānau" A Wellington Library is trialling a new way of cataloguing its mātauranga Māori books organising them by atua (deity) rather than by the Dewey Decimal system The trial shelves can be found on the second floor of Te Awe Library in central Wellington and have been integrated with the online library catalogue Bridget Jennings is the Senior Cataloguing Specialist at Wellington City Libraries she said they wanted to create a structure for the library's collections based on how knowledge is organised in te ao Māori "Libraries around the world have been thinking about this for a long time how to reflect indigenous ways of knowing and certainly libraries in New Zealand have been thinking about this." Jennings said the idea began almost by accident during a conversation with fellow librarian Ann Reweti where they both expressed frustration with the lack of a classification system for Māori books They eventually settled on a structure with 13 atua classes one with Ranginui and Papatuānuku together then 12 individual atua The Dewey Decimal system was first developed in the United States and organises library books by discipline or field of study with numbered classes such as 300: Social Sciences and 900: History and Geography Jennings said within those classes it is organised by subjects such as psychology Before becoming increasingly granular within that because it is difficult to deal with what the system considers to be the other Librarian Shane Caldwell said they wanted to get away from a system where indigenous people are an afterthought a lot of non white peoples are in the end of the nine hundreds because when they did it they thought they were going extinct so they just tacked them on to the end because their histories don't matter that much because they'll be gone soon obviously they do matter and so we're bringing them out of that." there is some difficulty at times decided which atua a book should come under Often it's not immediately obvious how a certain book connects to an atua for example Caldwell said books about music come under Tāwhirimātea god of the weather because it's the wind or hau creating the sound "It's like a a mix of things and some things can go in multiple places and you know there'd be some topics where in an ideal world would have five copies of a book and it would be in five different places because lakes and rivers - and all life within them and the guardian of knowledge of carving - you can find books on bodies of water the kūmara and cultivated food is where you find te ao Māori books on peace the response has been a combination of enthusiasm and people just going about their regular library business "It's kind of integrated itself into the overall collection quite well and people can search for and find things and but at the same time people are also enjoying the different different perspective that it brings when you're browsing the shelves and Librarians are particularly getting a a bit of a kick out of it." Libraries in other parts of the world doing similar things For example there is a tribal library in the United States which has organised it's collection in a similar way "I find it quite encouraging and quite exciting to see these developments in the library world," she said The library is looking for feedback from the public and Jennings said they are keen to roll it out to other libraries around Wellington Alongside the 130 films and shown at the Māoriland Film Festival indigenous art has been a sight of its own throughout the streets of Ōtaki Many people have little idea that Māori scholarship stretches back to the earliest books published in this country A person's genetic information can help medical professionals carry out screening diagnosing and treating patients more accurately Former Labour Party leader and Minister Andrew Little is actively considering running for Wellington Mayor Little - who is currently a consultant for a law firm in Wellington - has confirmed to RNZ he is considering taking a tilt at the October election He left Parliament following Labour's 2023 election defeat after first entering politics in 2011 Little has been sought after by Labour to run on the party ticket for mayor - up against incumbent Tory Whanau who is running on the endorsement of the Green Party but stood down just two months out from the 2017 election Little held 12 ministerial portfolios - the most difficult of his tenure being Health Minister during the Covid-19 response years He was given the role by Ardern following the 2020 election and was the minister who oversaw the seismic overhaul of the sector scrapping all 20 district health boards and replacing them with two new entities - Health New Zealand and the Māori Health Authority Other senior ministerial roles he held included: Minister for Treaty Negotiations Six contenders, including Whanau, have already announced they plan to run for the capital's top job The other five consist of current councillor Ray Chung Despite the news Little was considering running for Wellington's top job Whanau told RNZ she was the right person for it I also want to continue our massive progress on water infrastructure climate initiatives and to continue leading a diverse and inclusive city." Whanau said having several candidates for the mayoralty was good for democracy "I also respect Andrew Little from my time at Parliament especially when he stepped aside as leader for the Labour Party." But she said to keep up momentum toward a future-focused city Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters told RNZ whilst he was not giving an endorsement he believed that Andrew Little would beat Tory Whanau if he did run he's got a whole lot more experience and he's got more common sense." Peters said despite former Wellington Mayor Andy Foster being in New Zealand First's caucus the party does not involve itself in local government On the question of whether Peters could work with Little as Wellington's Mayor he said that it was one of the "brighter" pieces of news for the city in a long time Labour Party President Jill Day told RNZ she was not in a position to comment on the matter at this stage The former Cabinet Minister and Attorney General is quitting politics after 23 years Andrew Little has announced his retirement from politics - but not without taking a parting shot at the "sheer and utter ignorance" of the incoming government's views on the Treaty of Waitangi Analysis - Andrew Little's time at the top was brief - in keeping with the trend followed by recent Labour Party leaders there’s always something happening in Wellington Marlon Williams7 – 8 June 2025St James Theatre Peppa Pig’s Fun Day Out LIVE!5 July 2025St James Theatre World of WearableArt Show18 September – 5 October 2025TSB Arena Royal New Zealand Ballet 2025 Season14 March – 8 November 2025St James Theatre New Zealand Symphony Orchestra 2025 Season7 March – 5 December 2025Michael Fowler Centre Mamma Mia!14 – 31 August 2025St James Theatre Sign up to our newsletters to stay in the loop with everything good going on in Wellington In what many had dubbed the game of the weekend in Super Rugby Pacific round twelve, the Hurricanes defended their home turf by beating the Chiefs 35-17 at Sky Stadium in Wellington The Hurricanes were able to get payback on last year’s home semi-final where the Chiefs were able to book their place in the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific final the game started with disappointment for Clark Laidlaw’s Hurricanes losing influential winger Kini Naholo to what looked like a serious knee injury The home side did well to bounce back immediately, with replacement midfielder Bailyn Sullivan slotting in seamlessly on the left wing for Naholo Not only was Sullivan playing slightly out of position the replacement midfielder went on to score four tries in a 73 minute performance off the bench while the Blues win over the Force kept their playoff hopes alive and put them in the top six especially on his ability to step up on the field after such a quick injury to start the game “You’ve seen it right at the start of preseason he came in and was in good condition,” Laidlaw told Sky Sport on Saturday evening in Wellington “I’m not sure if he’s missed a session since the start of pre-season and that has allowed him to trust his body and get real good with it and he’s carried that in and with Billy out “He wants to play 13 and he’s an outstanding 13 so it’s another weapon for us when he plays on the wing Laidlaw was also over the moon for Callum Harkin who has also enjoyed some game time in the starting side recently “He’s also getting better each week which is allowing him to play with a bit more conviction,” Laidlaw said “I think he’s only played four games at NPC and he’s been thrusted in there with a few injuries “Callum’s taking every opportunity, he’s learning on the run a little bit on positional play and stuff, so Cory Jane is doing a good job with him to upskill him there.” Despite having the bye this week after two wins in a row Laidlaw is still happy with how the team and the club are tracking this season “We’re really clear on where we’re at as a club we’ve got a lot of good men and with 13 or 14 players missing at one stage so we have to take a breath and keep working hard is to stick to what we’re trying to do We’re clear on the type of game that we want to play and we’ve definitely struggled for rhythm at times hopefully we can get a little bit of luck with the bodies coming back Kini’s maybe picked up a serious knee injury we’ve got Devon Flanders back training now too we’ll dust ourselves off and come back and get ready for the Highlanders.” Four tries to replacement winger Bailyn Sullivan have meant the Hurricanes knocked off the table-topping Chiefs 35-17 in Wellington The result is sweet revenge for the last time the sides met in last year's semi-final when the Chiefs ended the Hurricanes' campaign It's the second important result in a row for Clark Laidlaw's team after their excellent win over the Brumbies in Canberra last weekend For the Chiefs it may prove to be a crucial result as well but in a different way as it now pulls them level with the Crusaders to vie for home ground advantage in the playoffs Sullivan's heroics came entirely in the second half after he came on Kini Naholo With both sides favouring tactical kicking the Hurricanes opted to take shots at goal on offer with Ruben Love slotting all three opportunities Daniel Rona answered back with a slick try after 21 minutes and along with a Josh Jacomb penalty the Chiefs looked to be taking a one-point lead into the break But an errant pass off the back of some serious pressure defence by the Chiefs led to Billy Proctor throwing a pass that Rona picked off that was the last time the Hurricanes would stand behind their own goalposts Sullivan walked over for his first after some very good lead-up play just after the break then chased down a kick to score his second on the hour mark Love converted both to give the Hurricanes back the lead he was in again off some fantastic work by Riley Higgins with the move also resulting in a yellow card to Shaun Stevenson the Hurricanes simply controlled territory and possession and a cross-kick from Love found Sullivan to complete his dream match who has been frustrated by injury in his Super Rugby career who was in really good form himself but looked to have suffered a serious knee injury It almost seems unfortunate that the red-hot Hurricanes now have to take a bye week the Chiefs have to travel to Christchurch for a date with the Crusaders for the top spot in Super Rugby Pacific Read how the game unfolded with RNZ's blog: Both sides are coming off strong wins for Saturday's clash in the capital the Crusaders just showed their credentials Clark Laidlaw's side became the first New Zealand Super Rugby Pacific team to win on Australian soil this season the Chiefs have piled on the points to crush the Western Force 56-22 but the defending champions are still alive in 2025 We have regular online commentary of local and international sport A four-try haul from replacement Bailyn Sullivan has delivered the Hurricanes a remarkable 35-17 win over the Chiefs It continues the Hurricanes’ late season push as the back scored all four tries in the second half The Chiefs looked in control after a double to Daniel Rona in the first half the Hurricanes and Sullivan rolled home for victory as they leap into the top six Rona was the main spark of attack as the centre had the game's first two tries It started in the 22nd minute when the midfielder spun and dived over the line Rona then added a five-pointer right before the half-time whistle when he latched onto an intercept and raced clear Ruben Love’s boot kept them in the game with three penalties to trail 15-9 at the break this is where Sullivan came to life with a hat-trick that could be pivotal towards their title hopes who found himself on the wing after an early injury to Kini Naholo crossed first in the 45th minute thanks to a perfect long ball from Billy Proctor Proctor set up the second when he put Riley Higgins through a gap with Sullivan scoring off the next play to give the hosts the lead It went from bad to worse for the Chiefs as Shaun Stevenson was yellow carded for an incident during the try Sullivan completed the hat-trick after a pinpoint cross-field kick from Love hit him on the chest with an acre of space The 26-year-old’s four try haul was complete with eight minutes to go thanks to a grubber in-behind from Higgins The Hurricanes move to fifth on the ladder and control their destiny heading into the season's final weeks the Chiefs missed a golden opportunity to build their lead on top of the ladder They are tied with the Crusaders on 37 points Hurricanes 35 (Tries: Sullivan 4; Cons: Love 3; Pens: Love 3) def Chiefs 15 (Tries: Rona 2; Cons: Jacomb 2; Pens: Jacomb) Official Archive Footage: info@sanzarrugby.com This was the third loss of the season for the Chiefs, who still hold a strong position up the top of the Super Rugby Pacific ladder this win has seen them cut down the gap between themselves and the fourth-placed Queensland Reds Love got the match underway at the Cake Tin with the Hurricanes controlling possession in the early exchanges It was a war of attrition as they launched wave after wave of attacking pressure but the Chiefs stood tall in defence within their own half But the match took a dramatic turn in the seventh minute, with the Chiefs coming close to what would’ve been a miraculous point-scoring opener out of nowhere. Josh Jacomb hoofed the ball upfield, and it almost sat up perfectly for Samipeni Finau both teams grouped into their respective huddles with the Hurricanes’ medical staff attending to Kini Naholo Naholo had been one of the competition’s form wingers to date but was carried off the field and replaced by Bailyn Sullivan While that passage of play went against the Hurricanes the home side ended up breaking the deadlock in the 12th minute through Love who successfully knocked over a penalty attempt Outside centre Daniel Rona scored the first try of the match midway through the first half after breaking a couple of tackle attempts, including one from Riley Higgins. Rona received a short ball from Shaun Stevenson but still had plenty of work to do Love would kick the Canes back into the lead with two penalty goals in just three minutes Jacomb cancelled out that second shot at goal with a penalty of his own giving the Chiefs a one-point advantage in the dying stages of the half The Hurricanes reduced their deficit five minutes into the second term and Sullivan proved to be a super sub with a try Proctor made amends for the intercept earlier on by sending Sullivan over with a well-worked cut-out pass – the try-scorer quite literally walking it in for the score It was one-way traffic for most of the half from there with Stevenson shown a yellow card for a high shot in the lead-up to Sullivan’s second try soon after Sullivan completed an incredible hat-trick off the bench reaping the rewards of a Love cross-field kick in the 64th minute In the lead-up to Sullivan’s third of the evening, Callum Harkin sent an inch-perfect 50/22 deep into the Chiefs’ half with the ball rolling into touch a metre out from the try line with the replacement out-wide benefiting the most You’d be forgiven for feeling some déjà vu with seven minutes left It was that man again scoring near the right sideline with Higgins putting a well-worked grubber kick through for Sullivan to chase That was Sullivan’s fourth try of the match as the Canes took a commanding 18-point lead While both teams threw the ball around in a bid to end the match with more points, their attacking efforts were in vain, with the scores going unchanged for the last eight minutes. The Chiefs had a rolling maul close to the Canes’ line in the final play, but a knock-on brought an end to the New Zealand derby Watch The Rugby Championship U20s live and for FREE on the RugbyPass app Kicking off Thursday 1.5 at 1pm BST with New Zealand U20 vs Australia U20 Geo-blocked in: All South America, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa I thought Finau had a good game but the Canes loosies generally overshadowed their illustrious opposition Love had an accurate game at 10 - despite a few misreads He could be special at the next level and seems to have laser focus The Canes pack stepped up big time and Walker-Leawere is growing beyond his penalty-magnet tendency He matched ABs Vaii and Lord in the lineout and I also thought Tucker made the most of his minutes when he came on Kirifi has grown into a well-rounded 7 but if he plays at the next level they would need lineout options at 6 and 8 That Canes midfield combination is the real deal but B Sullivan has earned a spot Harkin is making progress every outing and has the capacity to be great But they are really learning to use it more as injured talent returns & the has been amassed by the coaches smart focusing on speed and great variety of skills as well as youth and imposing size for each group Within another year I am excited by what all could achieve with more consistency SATURDAY WRAP: The last-placed Fijian Drua continue to play Super Rugby Pacific spoilers upsetting the Reds 36-33 in a thrilling try-fest in Suva The Reds were a minute away from notching an elusive first win in the Fijian capital before inspired replacement Isikeli Rabitu surged over for the winner with 52 seconds left on the clock on Saturday Reds mentor and Wallabies coach-in-waiting Les Kiss had billed the match as a “must-win” for his fourth-placed side as they chase a top-three finals berth and the all-important home play-off pacing around the Queensland coaches’ box throughout the seesawing encounter the forwards scored nine of the 11 tries as the lead changed hands seven times In crossing for six tries to five but missing four conversions That’s one happy cappy 😃#SuperRugbyPacific #DRUvRED pic.twitter.com/LC9rVRvNUF — Super Rugby Pacific (@SuperRugby) May 3, 2025 But it only came after a frenetic finish in which Reds co-captain Fraser McReight was yellow-carded leaving his side a man short for the final 90 seconds That’s all the Drua needed to leave the Reds none from three in Suva they’re back in a dogfight for a top-six finals berth ahead of two pivotal derbies away from home against the seventh-placed Waratahs and third-placed Brumbies fullback Jock Campbell racing away to give his side an early lead after Drua winger Taniela Rakuro had opened the scoring in the fifth minute flanker Etonia Waqa caught Tim Ryan napping and brushed off the winger to score the softest of tries for the Drua like after the Drua’s two earlier tries through Rakuro and prop Mesake Doge Filling in for injured Wallabies hooker Matt Faesler Richie Asiata’s fifth try in six games dragged the Reds back to within a point before Fijian-born flanker Seru Uru strolled over down the left wing to earn the visitors a 19-15 halftime lead The Drua came out all guns blazing after the break with lock Mesake Vocevoce and flanker Isoa Tuwai charging over to give the hosts a 29-19 advantage The Reds hit back through finishing forwards Jeff Toomaga-Allen and Max Craig But Rabitu had the final say to throw a spanner in the Reds’ finals hopes a fortnight after the Drua also downed the Waratahs in Fiji *The Hurricanes claimed a massive win in the context of their season putting the horrors of last year’s semifinal loss to rest by beating the Chiefs 35-17 in Wellington Bailyn Sullivan scored four tries off the bench This was the third loss of the season for the Chiefs who still hold a strong position at the top of the Super Rugby Pacific ladder this win has seen them cut down the gap between themselves and the fourth-placed Reds *Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii stole the show even though the Waratahs lost to rivals the Brumbies 17-40 in Canberra Suaalii continues to amaze with a phenomenal the second term was controlled by the Brumbies who always looked like winning once they got going while the likes of Corey Toole reaped the try-scoring rewards The Waratahs have four more matches to save their season Dan McKellar’s team is unbeaten in Sydney this season but is yet to win a match on enemy soil during an up-and-down campaign Saturday’s loss to the Brumbies was another tough result with the New South Welshman now facing an uphill battle to make the playoffs which is only one point behind the sixth-placed Blues the Waratahs’ run home would intimidate any fan base in the competition 1 Peni Ravai.Replacements: 16 Tevita Ikanivere Referee: Marcus PlayleAssistant Referees: James Doleman For Hurricanes:Tries: Sullivan 3Cons: Love 3Pens: Love 3 For Chiefs:Tries: Rona 2Cons: Jacomb 2Pens: Jacomb 1 Tevita MafileoReplacements: 16 Raymond Tuputupu 1 Ollie Norris.Replacements: 16 Samisoni Taukei’aho Referee: Nic BerryAssistant Referees: Damon Murphy 1 James Slipper.Replacements: 16 Lachlan Lonergan 1 Angus Bell.Replacements: 16 Mahe Vailanu Referee: Angus GardnerAssistant Referees: Matt Kellahan Get weekly Rugby Updates direct to your inbox All the Rugby365 articles and news you love Home » Videos » Giant Gandalf sculpture to be removed from Wellington Airport in New Zealand (Video) For more than a decade, passengers at New Zealands Wellington Airport have boarded flights below the figures of two giant, hovering eagles from the Hobbit films, one bearing a bellowing wizard Gandalf. But this month the majestic creatures, which underscore the capital citys connection to Peter Jacksons Lord of the Rings and Hobbit films, will depart the terminal for good, Wellington Airport announced Monday. Read more here: https://bit.ly/435LGvy This video may be available for archive licensing via https://newsroom.ap.org/home They will be replaced by a new display that is currently being kept under wraps. Wellington Airport chief executive Matt Clarke said that the departure of the birds (and their passenger Gandalf) will be emotional for staff. "They have been a huge success and travellers from around the world have loved admiring them. After 12 years it's the right time for them to fly the nest. “We’re working with Wētā Workshop on some exciting plans for a unique, locally themed replacement to take their place." The eagles were created by Wētā Workshop as a tie-in with the Hobbit movies and unveiled in December 2013. Each bird weighs 1.2 tonnes and has a 15-metre wingspan, with a combined total of 1000 feathers. Wētā Workshop co-founder and chief creative officer Richard Taylor said it's a "bittersweet moment" saying goodbye to them. "There are many more stories to be told, and we're looking forward to working with Wellington Airport on bringing a new chapter to life." The eagles will be taken down and disassembled on Friday May 9 and placed into storage, with long-term plans for them still yet to be decided. "We’ll unveil what’s next later this year so keep watching the skies," Clarke said. Tolkien fans will be relieved to know that Smaug the Magnificent will remain in the check-in area. Wellington Airports iconic eagle and Gandalf. (Source: Supplied) Wellington's famous eagles will take flight from the airport this week after 12 years in the terminal. Gandalf and the eagle. (Source: Supplied) Film industry anxiously awaits details on Trump's 100% movie tariff The US President said Hollywood was dying a "very fast death" due to the incentives that other countries are using to attract American filmmakers Qantas confirms new Auckland-Perth flights Flights between Auckland and Western Australia's capital would begin in December Business 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." It was the first sign of a follow-up to Lorde's previous album, 2021's Solar Power. Her other albums were 2013's Pure Heroine and 2017's Melodrama. Last year, she collaborated with British singer Charli XCX on a remix of Girl, so confusing — on a re-release of the Grammy award-winning Brat. Virgin is Lorde's fourth studio album. 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. More than eight years later, 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, 2016. 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. I’m like, ‘What is happening? Are we gonna die? Just tell them I have children. I have babies, I have a husband, I have a family.'" Twelve people were originally expected in the defendants’ box. One of them has died, and another is seriously ill and can't be tried. According to the investigation, 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. Shortly afterwards, Kardashian told investigators that she had not been injured. She filed a complaint, 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, with which he threatened the victims. The gangsters stole many pieces of jewellery, including a ring of great value, 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, as their DNA was found at the crime scene. The alleged ringleader, 68-year-old Aomar Aït Khedache, is one of two suspected robbers who allegedly entered the apartment. Nicknamed "Old Omar", his genetic profile was found on the tape used to gag Kardashian. He left the hotel on a bicycle, as did two other robbers, then met his son, 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. Yunice Abbas, 71, said he acted as a lookout in the ground-floor reception area, making sure the escape route was clear. 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. In 2021, he co-authored a French-language book titled I Sequestered Kim Kardashian. Didier Dubreucq, 69, known as "Blue Eyes", is the second alleged robber suspected of entering the flat. He denies any involvement, although he was filmed by CCTV cameras and numerous telephone contacts with the other co-defendants show his involvement, according to the investigation. 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, Belgium. First-time nominees Chubby Checker, 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 hip-hop pioneers Outkast, the rock duo the White Stripes and grunge masters Soundgarden. Salt-N-Pepa, the first female rap act to achieve gold and platinum status, and the late singer-songwriter Warren Zevon will get the Musical Influence Award. The late record producer Thom Bell, pianist Nicky Hopkins and bassist Carol Kaye will each get the Musical Excellence Award. The late Cocker, who sang at Woodstock and was best known for his cover of The Beatles’ With a Little Help From My Friends, had the backing of Billy Joel, Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top and Pete Thomas, 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, a former head of Warner Bros. Records who signed Prince and R.E.M., and had a part in records from Madonna, Randy Newman, the Doobie Brothers, Rickie Lee Jones, Paul Simon and Gary Clark Jr. Some nominees that didn't get in this year included Mariah Carey, Phish, Billy Idol, Joy Division/New Order, Maná, the Black Crowes and Oasis. Checker’s recording of The Twist, 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. I’ll tell them to drop dead, 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. OutKast, made up of André 3000 and Big Boi, 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". Last year, Mary J. Blige, Cher, Foreigner, A Tribe Called Quest, Kool & The Gang, Ozzy Osbourne, Dave Matthews Band and singer-guitarist Peter Frampton were inducted. Glory entered Sunday's A-League Men match already knowing they had collected the wooden spoon for a second consecutive season. Taggart ensured Glory fans had a little something to smile about by scoring his ninth and 10th goals of the season to lift Perth to their first win over Wellington since 2020. Glory finished the season with four wins, five draws and a whopping 17 losses to their name. Their for-and-against goals tally made for ugly reading: 22-56, and Taggart spoke some hard truths after the match. "We apologise for this season and wish we could have given more performances like tonight, because I thought tonight everyone was fantastic, from start to finish," Taggart told Sky Sport. "They're the sort of things we needed throughout the year. "We're looking forward to being better. No excuses, full accountability. Putting in a performance like tonight is our base, and kicking off from that. "It was clear this year we weren't great going forward. We leaked a lot of goals. "From top to bottom we haven't been good enough. "I think everyone's sick of hearing all the words. They want action, and so do I. "[It's about] more actions, less words, and keep trying to push and move forward." Taggart showed all of his class in scoring the game's opener in the 34th minute. The 31-year-old captain trapped a cross, shaped to shoot off his left, then cut back inside before curling in a right foot shot over the keeper. Taggart was left cursing his luck in the 56th minute when he lost sight of a bobbling ball that made its way through a host of bodies to find him at the back post. The ball hit Taggart and bounced just wide of the goal. But he scored his 10th of the season in the 92nd minute with a right-foot dink over the keeper. Wellington ended the season in 11th spot with six wins, six draws and 14 losses. Costa Barbarouses of the Phoenix during the A-League - Wellington Phoenix v Perth Glory at Sky Stadium, Wellington. (Source: Photosport) Perth Glory's season from hell has at least ended on a high, with a classy Adam Taggart double catapulting them to an upset 2-0 win over Wellington Phoenix in New Zealand. Auckland FC on brink of A-League silverware in debut seasonAuckland FC can lift the Premiers Plate this weekend and be the first-ever New Zealand team to win a trophy in the A-League Football Scotty Stevenson: Auckland FC delivers success on a plateThe Black Knights celebrate a premiership at home but now set their sights on grand final gold A-League: Giancarlo Italiano re-signs as Phoenix head coachThe announcement was made near the end of a tough season for the Nix who go into this weekend's round of fixtures in 11th a far cry from last season's best-ever 2nd Police plea after 'oversight' left Bondi killer without help was experiencing psychotic symptoms when he killed six people and injured 10 at Sydney's Westfield Bondi Junction in April 2024 World Ex-NZ police head Mike Bush appointed to overhaul Victoria force Victoria Premier Jacinta Allan said her government had "picked the right man for the job" Erin Patterson shared love of mushrooms in online group Three members of a true crime Facebook group Patterson was part of gave evidence on day five of her Supreme Court trial Aziz Al Sa’afin: Australian Labor's comeback a wake-up call for Luxon It was the comeback no one saw coming at the beginning of this year writes 1News' Australia Correspondent Australian club groper dodges jail after attacks caught on CCTV The offender was facing up to 10 years in prison but was instead sentenced to a two-year community corrections order Soul searching for Australian opposition after election thumping YouGov's Paul Smith said the vote was a referendum on the leadership of the coalition's Peter Dutton Perth Glory's season from hell has at least ended on a high with a classy Adam Taggart double catapulting them to an upset 2-0 win over Wellington Phoenix in New Zealand Glory entered Sunday's A-League Men match already knowing they had collected the wooden spoon for a second consecutive season Taggart ensured Glory fans had a little something to smile about by scoring his ninth and 10th goals of the season to lift Perth to their first win over Wellington since 2020 five draws and a whopping 17 losses to their name Their for-and-against goals tally made for ugly reading: 22-56 and Taggart spoke some hard truths after the match "We apologise for this season and wish we could have given more performances like tonight because I thought tonight everyone was fantastic from start to finish," Taggart told Sky Sport "They're the sort of things we needed throughout the year "We're looking forward to being better Putting in a performance like tonight is our base "It was clear this year we weren't great going forward "From top to bottom we haven't been good enough "I think everyone's sick of hearing all the words and keep trying to push and move forward." PURE CLASS from Adam Taggart to open the scoring for @PerthGloryFC 🔥The run. The move. The finish. A goal any striker would be proud of!Watch #WELvPER live now on Paramount+. pic.twitter.com/dlOhj8mDyK Taggart showed all of his class in scoring the game's opener in the 34th minute then cut back inside before curling in a right foot shot over the keeper Taggart was left cursing his luck in the 56th minute when he lost sight of a bobbling ball that made its way through a host of bodies to find him at the back post The ball hit Taggart and bounced just wide of the goal But he scored his 10th of the season in the 92nd minute with a right-foot dink over the keeper Wellington ended the season in 11th spot with six wins Auckland FC are just one point away from securing the A-League Premiers Plate which would make them the first New Zealand team to pull off such a feat The league leaders are set to face off against Perth Glory Having already secured a spot in the playoffs a win or a draw would bring some silverware back to Mt Smart in their very first season The Premier’s Plate is the league’s minor championship and goes to the team that finishes the regular season at the top of the table Auckland will have another shot at a trophy in the playoffs While the team goes into this weekend’s clash as hot favourites one of their two losses this season surprisingly came at the hands of Glory in January Defender Dan Hall told TVNZ's Breakfast that the whole team was “excited” for kick-off “We’re just pumped to get out there in front of a home crowd and hopefully get the three points.” Hall said there would be a “very exciting atmosphere” “And hopefully the players on the field will be turning up on the day and just put on a good show for the crowd.” Auckland FC CEO Nick Becker said a win on Sunday would be “monumental” for the club “We set out at the start and said we wanted to compete Auckland FC's performance this season rates well against their New Zealand rivals and predecessors managed to reach second by the end of last season but were knocked out of the playoffs by Melbourne Victory in the semi-finals The club has reached the playoffs a total of nine times They sit 11th in the standings going into this weekend's games The last A-League team based out of Auckland finished their only two seasons dead last in the standings They won just five games during their short lifespan What's not love about this team and this season Mount Smart Stadium already had the most connected club in the country calling it home and now it appears to have the second most but you'll have to keep turning up to knock the Wahs' faithful from their perch atop the pantheon of passionate members It is now categorically clear that the most reliable form of public transport in Auckland is a bandwagon The Auckland Knights failed to even function back when they had first crack at the chance to play in Australia yet here we are 18 years later and in true kiwi fashion it appears adding 'Black' to the name makes everything at least 78% better considering this team has lost just two games from the 25 they have played in this There's the right blend of everything here There are the billionaire owners attracting an entourage of influencers in the same way manta rays attract remora the impeccably tailored coach with his own successful playing history and a head crowned by a gravity defying coiffure of pure silver the players plucked from the nation’s lower leagues or from the far-flung corners of the globe or a celebration of collective will and a vision to give New Zealand's biggest city a taste of the world's biggest game There's a tinge of Lassoian destiny about this team minus Jason Sudekis' moustache and a sub-plot of distance as a mechanism for overcoming relationship grief which is exactly what the Premier's Plate did when it was held aloft by captain Hiroki Sakai The fans sung in the stands and wiping the tears and the rain away holding aloft their scarves and banners while the Port bounced up and down at the southern end waiting for the team to come and dance along with them There was no need for the ferris wheel on this day The team gave us Nando Pijnaker and Francis De Vries; Louis Verstraete and Jake Brimmer; Felipe Gallegos and Guillermo May; Marlee Francois and Neyder Mareno There must be six languages between them but no matter the native tongue winning is a universal language and one this team seemed to understand from the opening game Everywhere you look some kid’s parading about in the blue and black stripes a heady dopamine hit if ever there was one Now the question must be asked: Can this team take it all the way If you ask coach Steve Corica he’ll say absolutely But he knows there is still all to play for here They travel away to Western United for one last regular season game this week before advancing straight to the semifinals and two bites at that home and away cherry They are the only team with their ranking fully in place If you look at the schedule they are already there It's enough to make the yellow fever green with envy Just as we were when the Breakers broke New Zealand's trans-Tasman duck marvelling at how this team could go from non-existent to damn near unbeatable in the space of a single season Giancarlo Italiano has signed on for another season as head coach of the Wellington Phoenix men's football team Italiano's new contract is for the 2025-2026 season and he has an option to stay on for another season after that who go into this weekend's round of fixtures in 11th a far cry from last season's best-ever second are placed with the chance to win the Premier's Plate — a trophy in their first-ever campaign The Phoenix have won just six games this season Wellington Phoenix's director of football said Italiano still boasted the club's best winning percentage and oversaw its best-ever season “It seems a lot of people in the sporting world have short memories,” Gill said “I understand the frustration and disappointment with how the men’s season has unfolded “He not only guided the men to within touching distance of the club’s first trophy last year but Chief was also an integral member of the staff during the preceding four seasons when they were finals regulars despite spending the best part of two years in Australia “We have faith that he will be able to help turn around the team’s fortunes next season and have the Phoenix back in the top six challenging for silverware.” Italiano said he was "very happy" to have re-signed with the club and looked forward to bringing the Phoenix "back up to where it belongs" The club gave me my first coaching job in the A-League and I want to leave this club in a good place “I’m more assured now after what’s happened this season that I can steer the club to where it needs to be and we can make a tilt for the title." He said there was "enough to show that we can move the club forward" Italiano also believed this tough season had made him a better coach “I’ve learnt how to manage players and their expectations on the back of such a successful season and how to look after a young group when a lot of pressure has been placed on them unnecessarily I’ve learnt how to navigate through so many different issues this year with injuries player availability and expectation and how you balance all of that and the experience has put me in a better spot.” A coroner is likely to recommend improvements after an overworked police force failed to connect a mass killer to the mental health system before his unprovoked attack had been diagnosed with schizophrenia as a teen and was experiencing psychotic symptoms when he killed six people and injured 10 at Sydney's Westfield Bondi Junction in April 2024 An inquest has been told Queensland Police had a number of chances to plug him back into mental health treatment and medication ahead of the tragedy Cauchi was homeless and living apart from his family in Toowoomba when he was shot dead by police during his stabbing rampage He had stopped taking his medication in 2019 and stopped seeing a psychiatrist in 2020 Queensland police officers made several calls for change including greater numbers of mental health officers within the force They also suggested that laws regarding when mentally ill people could be forced to take an involuntary psychiatric examination be amended to be less confusing manager of the Queensland police's vulnerable persons unit said the changes were needed to prevent the criminalisation of those with mental illness "Mental health shouldn't just be a police response," he told the NSW Coroners Court "It's a no-brainer to me that there should be appropriate responses that are health-led." Counsel assisting Peggy Dwyer said that changing legislation around police powers was "shaping up to be a significant recommendation" at the inquest This week's evidence has focused on one particular incident in January 2023 when Cauchi called police to his family's Toowoomba home He accused his father Andrew of stealing his collection of knives telling attending officers that they had to be returned or he would become bankrupt or homeless A follow-up visit to the Cauchi family home was requested and the fill-in police mental health incident co-ordinator for the Darling Downs region saw the email — but he forgot to action it due to an "oversight" the co-ordinator he was filling in for backed the officer "His oversight on that email is devastating," she said "It's not indicative of him as an officer or how he performed my role." She also backed a call for further assistance saying police officers were under greater pressure due to increasing numbers of call-outs relating to mental health despite not being trained in this area "If it's not bleeding and it's not on fire the police are the people who have to attend," she said police were called to Cauchi's unit in Brisbane after residents heard a man screaming and the sound of someone being hit He told attending officers that he had been slamming his fridge Cauchi was also pulled over three times in 2020 and 2021 by highway patrol police for erratic driving Former New Zealand police commissioner Mike Bush has been tasked with leading one Australian state's troubled force out of the mire after months of internal woes Bush has been named Victoria's next chief commissioner and will take over on June 27 Victoria Premier Jacinta Allan said her government had "picked the right man for the job," pointing to his job performance across the ditch "Mike Bush will bring new leadership to Victoria Police," she told reporters "He made the community safer in New Zealand and he'll make the community safer in Victoria." Opposition police spokesperson in Victoria said the new commissioner must not be set up to fail and be able to carry out the job without political interference and the powers required to do the job effectively," Southwick said Bush retired from the New Zealand police force in 2020 after six years in the top job The state government installed Emergency Management Commissioner Rick Nugent as acting chief while it searched for a replacement Nugent was viewed as a frontrunner for the vacant role but pulled out after admitting he didn't have the drive to commit to a five-year term The force has not appointed a top cop from outside Victoria Police since former NSW police assistant commissioner Christine Nixon in 2001 Nixon described Bush as a calm and considered leader "He'll be very focused on working with the Victorian community members of Victoria Police and the government to .. push things to the future," she told ABC Radio Melbourne Bush joined the New Zealand police in 1978 spending his career on the frontline and the criminal investigation branch Bush oversaw the police response to the 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings led the force during the Covid-19 pandemic and the Whakaari volcano eruption he became a private investigator and ran his own international consulting firm Bush made headlines in 2022 when he unsuccessfully applied to become the head of the Metropolitan Police in the UK and it was uncovered he had a drink-driving conviction He was a 23-year-old detective constable at the time and disqualified from driving for six months Erin Patterson had shared with true crime fans her love of mushrooms excitement over buying a food dehydrator and plans to cook beef Wellington The 50-year-old mother of two has pleaded not guilty to all counts against her including three murder charges for killing her estranged husband's family after feeding them lunch at her Leongatha home Don and Gail Patterson and Heather Wilkinson all died in hospital from death cap mushroom poisoning after eating a beef Wellington Patterson had prepared for them on July 2023 Patterson claims it was "a terrible accident" Three members of a true crime Facebook group Patterson was part of gave evidence on day five of her Supreme Court trial in Morwell The group was created to go over the case of convicted baby killer Keli Lane she was a really good researcher," group member Christine Hunt said about Patterson's online reputation said in 2023 Patterson had shared photos of a black dehydrator with mushrooms inside "She was a bit excited that she'd purchased a food dehydrator," Barkley said via video link Screenshots of Patterson's messages to the group were also shown to the jury "I've been hiding powdered mushrooms in everything the kids had no idea," she wrote in one post said Patterson "seemed to really like mushrooms" In the weeks before the deadly mushroom meal Patterson asked the group if anyone had cooked a beef Wellington and if they had advice Erin said she was making beef Wellington," Hay said "I think she was at the supermarket and she messaged us something about the beef that she was buying." She said Patterson had told them the mushrooms came from an Asian grocer Hay said Patterson asked her for tips on how to make sure the beef Wellington pastry did not go "soggy" as it was one of Hay's favourite dishes said she joked: "I'd make a tofu Wellington" so we had a good laugh about that," she said Patterson's estranged husband Simon finished his evidence to the jury after almost three days in the witness box Defence barrister Colin Mandy SC put it to Simon that he had asked Erin - two days after the lunch - "is that what you used to poison them?" "I did not say that to Erin," Simon responded The jury of 15 people were shown messages from a family group Signal chat between Simon his former wife and his parents - in December 2022 - after he last week claimed she had sent "extremely aggressive" messages to his mother and father which he said were from a few months later having a crack at me and accusing me of some things in response to what I'd messaged her about," he said After his parents tried to help Erin and Simon resolve a dispute over his child support payments his mother Gail took a step back and stopped reading messages from Erin in the group chat "Mum really struggled with anxiety," he said The trial before Justice Christopher Beale will continue today didn’t just hold on to power in Australia’s federal election, they surged ahead — snatching seats off the Greens routing the Liberals and securing a majority stronger than any seen in nearly two decades It marked the first time since federation in 1901 that a Labor prime minister has increased their majority at re-election Because this wasn't a win powered by fear or division And if New Zealand’s major parties — both in government and opposition — aren’t paying attention they could be walking towards their own political reckoning Albanese and his senior ministers made one thing clear: Australia doesn’t want to go the way of Donald Trump Penny Wong said it plain and clear in her speech where I was on election night: "We choose our future Albanese was trailing now-former opposition leader Peter Dutton in the polls But the tone of the campaign changed as Dutton faced growing criticism over a series of policy backflips and cultural positions that drew comparisons to the US president — despite his campaign pushing back on the label Dutton proposed cutting back public service jobs and made controversial comments about women — moves that voters and analysts said echoed Trump-era politics He tried to present himself as strong on international affairs even claiming he was better positioned than Albanese to stand up to Donald Trump over new tariffs Trump replied: "I don’t even know who the other guy is." the exchange highlighted Dutton’s limited influence Little wonder some voters were questioning whether the Liberal Party had drifted too far from the political centre he was even introduced on stage with the phrase "we’ll make Australia great again" capped by the unprecedented defeat of Dutton in his own electorate He was hoping to make history as the first opposition leader to unseat a first-term government in 100 years he became the first opposition leader to lose his seat at a federal election Winston Peters has fuelled a so-called "gender debate" that inflamed division was seen by some as a direct challenge to Māori rights and the status of Te Tiriti Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and National voted against it at first reading while distancing themselves from the bill — but only after allowing it to progress as part of the coalition agreement Political analysts agreed allowing the bill to be introduced came at a cost While Luxon may not have backed the bill himself his alignment with the parties pushing it drew inevitable criticism Kiwis I have spoken to — not just in New Zealand but here in Australia — said it sent a message (intentional or not) that extreme views still had a seat at the table And that's the real lesson from Australia: When you amplify voices that divide As voters across the ditch and recently in Canada have shown they’re tired of leaders who amplify anger instead of offering answers to everyday struggles such as the cost of living I spotted a familiar face in the crowd at Albanese HQ and made my way over Watching Australian Labor's victory up close was none other than Kieran McAnulty He wasn’t just there to cheer; he was there to learn "You’ve got to give people something to vote for not just something to vote against," he told me summing up what he sees as one of the Australian Labor Party’s key strengths "That was one of the big lessons here they were clear about what they stood for." McAnulty has also spent time in the UK observing how centre-left movements rebuild after defeat shoulder-to-shoulder with the architects of Labor’s success and offering voters a story they can be part of "People want to feel like they're included in a bigger plan they gave people a reason to hope again." New Zealand Labour has its own major challenges to overcome Former prime minister Chris Hipkins struggled to inspire voters during the last election campaign and the party’s support among Māori and younger voters was deeply dented "We’re not pretending we’ve got it all figured out But if there’s one thing we’ve taken from here We’ve got to earn that trust back," McAnulty told me That principle applied to every party in New Zealand The reality is that when politics becomes a game of blame We’ve seen that in New Zealand’s lower voter turnout at the last election where voting was not compulsory — unlike Australia there has also been a general move towards Australia’s independents including the so-called "teal" candidates Their appeal lay in offering an alternative to the binary red-versus-blue approach And that’s something both Labour and National in New Zealand would be wise to reflect on Our next general election is expected in October 2026 Especially when it comes to resetting the tone The National-led coalition could risk looking like Dutton’s and less like Luxon’s original pitch of getting New Zealand "Back On Track" with a steady hand on the economy that was also a slogan used by the now-ousted Liberal leader it’s often said that comebacks happen when leaders offer hope Australia reminded us that when parties reconnect with people’s values and focus on the issues that are front and centre — the cost of living housing affordability and universal healthcare — voters respond at the ballot box A brazen serial groper who preyed upon 18 women in an Australian nightclub has avoided jail time after a judge found his risk of reoffending was low was facing up to 10 years in prison but was instead sentenced to a two-year community corrections order on Monday He dodged reporters' questions as he left the Victorian County Court The former PwC IT worker pleaded guilty to 17 charges of sexual assault and one count of attempted sexual assault over the attacks at Revolver Upstairs in Melbourne's inner east CCTV footage from the nightclub showed Rayan groping his victims on the buttocks stroking their backs and kissing them on the arms and shoulders The attacks happened on three separate occasions in September and October 2023 Rayan admitted to police he touched one of the women accidentally but claimed he could not remember the other incidents because he was too drunk Victorian County Court Judge Peter Rozen said he held reservations about those claims as he sentenced Rayan over the "brazen" attacks "Your offending was deliberate and you knew what you were doing," he said Judge Rozen said the women were entitled to feel safe in the nightclub and the scale of Rayan's crimes was concerning He noted that three victim impact statements were read to the court where the women described their ongoing anxiety and shattered sense of security Judge Rozen also decided Rayan's moral culpability was considerable and said the 34-year-old lacked insight into his offending But the judge accepted the sexual assaults were at the lower end of seriousness given Rayan's victims were adults and the attacks were fleeting no pending charges and no diagnosed mental health conditions "I accept this offending was out of character for you," the judge said Rayan was sentenced to a two-year community corrections order with 180 hours of unpaid community work He will also have to complete treatment for alcohol abuse and programs to reduce his risk of reoffending A leading Australian pollster says the coalition will be forced to carry out a "fundamental reorganisation" of its party structure to ensure ongoing relevance to voters after facing a wipeout in Saturday's election As votes continue to be counted after Saturday's poll figures show the coalition could slump to its lowest percentage of seats in parliament since the formation of the Liberal Party in the 1940s the Australian Labor Party has claimed 86 seats in the House of Representatives compared to the coalition's 39 While Anthony Albanese has claimed an expanded mandate as PM with a larger majority in his second term questions are being raised as to where the coalition will go But it could be some time before a new leader is appointed by the Liberals Deputy leader Sussan Ley said the party room would meet to elect an opposition leader and deputy After consulting with the party's senior leadership Ley said several seats where preferential counting was continuing would have to be decided before the meeting could take place She said her party was reflecting on the results with humility YouGov director of public data Paul Smith said the election was a referendum on the leadership of Peter Dutton "The Liberal Party result was devastating and requires a fundamental reorganisation of who they are .. they are not representative of Australians," he told AAP "This is a situation where if they were a company you would call in the administrators and look for a new business owner After the opposition leader lost his seat of Dickson in Labor's biggest scalp of the election a vacuum has emerged for the leadership of the coalition Frontrunners include shadow treasurer Angus Taylor along with opposition frontbenchers Dan Tehan and Andrew Hastie Smith said the loss by the coalition was a "self-inflicted defeat" "Their strategy was to win working-class votes in Sydney and Melbourne but the problem was their strategy was at odds with their policies," he said "They now hold no seats in Perth or Adelaide and hardly any in Sydney or Melbourne Albanese has aimed for a tone of humility in his landslide win thanking supporters in his inner-western Sydney seat of Grayndler before pledging to get back to the job at hand just like we have been in our first," he said "We've been given a great honour of serving the Australian people and we'll work hard each and every day." For more than a decade, passengers at New Zealand ’s Wellington International Airport have boarded flights below the figures of two giant, hovering eagles from the Hobbit films, one bearing a bellowing wizard Gandalf. With 15m wingspans and weighing 1.2 tonnes, the sculptures that hover in the terminal have delighted tourists and scared children since 2013. Their tenure was eventful — one became unmoored from its fixings during a severe earthquake in 2016, and plummeted onto the terminal floor below. No one was hurt. However, this month the majestic creatures, which underscore the city’s connection to Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings and Hobbit films, are to depart the terminal for good, Wellington airport announced yesterday. “It’s been quite a Lord of the Rings-heavy storytelling theme in here,” airport chief executive Matt Clarke said. “Now we’re looking to change that to something new.” “It breaks my heart,” said one traveler, Verity Johnson, who sat beneath a grasping eagle claw in the food court yesterday. The sculptures had impressed her since she was young. “Taking them away is un-New Zealand,” joked another airport visitor, Michael Parks. The eagles were crafted by the film props and effects company Weta Workshop, which created tens of thousands of props for the Oscar-winning fantasy films directed by Jackson. The movies based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s beloved novels generated billions of dollars in tourism revenue for New Zealand and employed thousands of people in Wellington over the 15 years of the movies’ production. However, during the years the eagles have hovered in the terminal, Tolkien tourism has waned in Wellington — although the city will perhaps always be synonymous with Jackson’s films. Guided tours still convey fans to the settings of famous scenes from the films and to visit production companies such as Weta, which will create a new display for the airport, to be unveiled later this year, Clarke said. Travelers have until Friday to admire the birds, which will then be put into storage, Clarke said. He hopes the creatures — which each feature 1,000 3D printed feathers — would find a home at a museum. “It’s a spectacular thing for little kids to see,” Clarke said. “Even your old, grizzled businessmen, they still pull out their phones and take a quick cheeky photo, too.” Wellington Airport is not losing its quirky side. An enormous sculpture of The Hobbit’s gold-hoarding dragon, Smaug, is to remain overlooking the check-in counters. Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. ‘It’s been quite a Lord of the Rings-heavy storytelling theme in here’ I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice For over a decade, travellers at Wellington Airport have been greeted by a fantastical sight: two colossal eagles, straight out of the Lord Of The Rings One even carries the iconic wizard Gandalf with wingspans reaching 50 feet and weighing in at over a ton each have become a beloved fixture since their installation in 2013 While they've delighted countless tourists they've also been known to startle a few children with their imposing presence Their tenure was eventful — one became unmoored from its fixings during a severe earthquake in 2016 and plummeted onto the terminal floor below But this month the majestic creatures, which underscore the capital city’s connection to Peter Jackson ’s “Lord of the Rings” and Hobbit films “It’s been quite a Lord of the Rings-heavy storytelling theme in here,” said airport chief executive Matt Clarke “Now we’re looking to change that to something new.” who sat beneath a grasping eagle claw in the food court on Monday The sculptures had impressed her since she was young “Taking them away is un-New Zealand,” joked another airport visitor Wellington Airport isn’t losing its quirky side. An enormous sculpture of The Hobbit’s gold-hoarding dragon will remain overlooking the check-in counters The eagles were crafted by the film props and effects company Wētā Workshop, which created tens of thousands of props for the Oscar-winning fantasy films directed by Jackson -- one of Wellington’s best-known residents, who lives on an isthmus near the airport. The movies based on J.R.R. Tolkien ’s beloved novels generated billions of dollars in tourism revenue for New Zealand and employed thousands of people in Wellington over the 15 years of the movies’ production But during the years the eagles have hovered in the terminal Tolkien tourism has waned in Wellington — although the city will perhaps always be synonymous with Jackson’s films Guided tours still convey fans to the settings of famous scenes from the films and to visit production companies such as Wētā which will create a new display for the airport Travelers have until Friday to admire the birds, which will then be put into storage, Clarke said. He hopes the creatures – which each feature 1,000 3D printed feathers – will find a home at a museum. “It’s a spectacular thing for little kids to see,” Clarke said. “Even your old, grizzled businessmen, they still pull out their phones and take a quick cheeky photo too.” A sculpture of an eagle from the Hobbit films, ridden by the wizard Gandalf, hangs over the food court area of Wellington Airport, in Wellington, New Zealand, Monday, May 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Charlotte Graham-McLay) passengers at New Zealand’s Wellington Airport have boarded flights below the figures of two giant which underscore the capital city’s connection to Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” and Hobbit films A sculpture of an eagle from the Hobbit films hangs over the food court area of Wellington Airport Passengers wait to board a flight at Wellington Airport below the sculpture of an eagle from the Hobbit films Passengers walk past a sculpture of the dragon Smaug from the Hobbit films at the check-in area at Wellington Airport in Wellington With 50-foot (15-meter) wingspans and weighing 2,600 pounds (1.1 ton) each the sculptures that hover in the terminal have delighted tourists and scared children since 2013 “Taking them away is un-New Zealand,” joked another airport visitor Travelers have until Friday to admire the birds He hopes the creatures – which each feature 1,000 3D printed feathers – will find a home at a museum “It’s a spectacular thing for little kids to see,” Clarke said they still pull out their phones and take a quick cheeky photo too.” Wellington Airport isn’t losing its quirky side An enormous sculpture of The Hobbit’s gold-hoarding dragon You could be missing out on exclusive news video and podcasts from our Teams in Black Please select your country from the dropdown below: Sullivan racked up 110 Fantasy points — the second-highest individual total of the season — and became the first player in Super Rugby history to score four tries as a substitute he replaced last week’s Fantasy leader Kini Naholo who left the field early with a leg injury The Hurricanes’ victory launched them into the top six and continued their dominance in the Fantasy game They’ve now produced four of the 12 weekly Fantasy leaders this season and the three last rounds have belonged to Hurricanes players (Harkin in Round 10 Are the Canes the ultimate Fantasy team of 2025 Brumbies flyer Corey Toole sizzled with 93 points in their win over the Waratahs Chiefs midfielder Daniel Rona was third with 84 points thanks to a two-try effort in a losing cause against the Hurricanes Moana Pasifika’s Ardie Savea (77) and Kyren Taumoefolau (73) completed the top five as Moana’s late-season momentum translated to big Fantasy returns Hurricanes (102)RD 8: Feleti Sae-Ta’ufo’ou It’s not too late to join the action—play Fantasy Rugby now and compete for weekly prizes HERE!