Eco-church NZ received $20,000 from the Wellington City Council to support grassroots efforts by churches in Wellington to understand their carbon footprint and develop climate action plans. Eco-church NZ is one of five recipients in the Council’s first round of the new Climate and Sustainability Fund today. “By funding them, we as a Council demonstrate Read more
New Zealand
Dilworth School proposes inquiry to look at how sexual abuse complaints were handled
Thursday, March 17th, 2022Dilworth School has released details of its proposed investigation and redress scheme for survivors of sexual abuse. More than 130 survivors have joined a Human Rights Commission class action which alleges Dilworth School failed to protect students from systemic sexual abuse between 1970 and 2006. It comes after 12 people were arrested and charged over Read more
Christchurch Diocese opposes city parking plan
Monday, March 14th, 2022
The Catholic Diocese of Christchurch has added its strength to overwhelming public opposition to an “incredibly valuable” central city site being sold to Wilson Parking. The diocese made one of 267 public submissions on the sale and, of these, 219 oppose the Christchurch City Council (CCC) proposal to sell the site to the Hong Kong-based Read more
Excessive drinking increases your suicide risk
Monday, March 14th, 2022
It’s a fact that excessive drinking is linked to suicidal thoughts and behaviour. It’s a fact that it is associated with a bit less than a quarter of all deaths by suicide in New Zealand. It’s also a fact that our suicide prevention strategies in New Zealand overlook these truths. A new study by Dr Read more
Peace, unity and love mark terror attack anniversary
Monday, March 14th, 2022
Three years on from a terror attack on Christchurch’s Muslim community, the community is helping build understanding. Rather than Remembrance services, this year the Muslim community decided to mark the occasion differently. Whānau Trust spokesman Rashid Bin Omar said Islamic Awareness Week aimed to spread peace, unity and love as opposed to the attacker’s aim Read more
‘Making a difference’ – How recycled chip packets are helping Auckland’s vulnerable
Monday, March 14th, 2022An Auckland-based organisation is helping the city’s most vulnerable people in the most unlikely of ways – with empty potato chip packets. The Chip Packet Project (CPPNZ) was founded in September 2021 during lockdown, and was a spin-off of the UK-based organisation, Crisp Packet Project. The organisation collects freshly-washed chip packets, or any foil-wrapped food Read more
Rise in abusive calls forces food bank to take action
Monday, March 14th, 2022A Christchurch food bank has had to install a new phone system to record calls after an increase in abuse from clients. 0800-hungry delivers about 200 food parcels a week in Christchurch, and has done so for about 20 years. Warehouse supervisor Nicky Bensemann said there has always been some abuse from people. “A lot Read more
New Zealand’s rapidly rising cost of living is “absolutely a crisis”
Thursday, March 10th, 2022
New Zealand’s rapidly rising cost of living is “absolutely a crisis”, says Monte Cecilia Housing Trust CEO Bernie Smith. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Monday that while rising living costs were impacting, she wouldn’t describe the situation as a crisis. However, the Catholic Housing Trust CEO with first-hand real-life experience of hardship is pushing back Read more
Covid closes prominent Wellington church
Thursday, March 10th, 2022
Covid has closed St Mary of the Angels Church until March 20. The prominent central Wellington church is closed due to a positive case of Covid within the priests’ community. A March 7 notice on the parish’s website says the Church is closed immediately. Four priests live in the Marist community and all are fully Read more
During 2021 Covid NZ banks made over $6 billion
Thursday, March 10th, 2022Despite battling the second year of a global pandemic, banks operating in New Zealand collectively made more than $6 billion in 2021 according to a report by KPMG. LPMG’s Financial Institutions Performance Survey of banks found net profits rose nearly 48 per cent last year to hit $6.13b – the first time it had gone Read more