Catholic and other state-integrated schools in Hamilton are being offered “crumbs” from the Council’s table to offset development costs, the lawyer for Hamilton’s Catholic diocese says. The diocese is challenging inequitable changes the Council is proposing for the city’s Development Contributions (DC) policy. This policy sets out the DC levies developers have to pay. The Read more
A housing project aimed at helping people living in emergency accommodation move into stable housing has started construction in Nelson. The Cabins for Community project would see eight single-room cabins placed at 236 Vanguard Street on land owned by Victory Community Anglican Church. Under the direction of the Salvation Army’s Housing First programme, people living Read more
Health Minister Andrew Little is facing calls to release the final report from a review of Pharmac. The Independent Pharmac Review Panel’s final report has not yet been released, though the Government has received it. An interim report released last year found the strategy of the drug-buying agency disadvantaged Māori, Pasifika, disabled people and those Read more
Eulogies for a Timaru City Councillor speak of a man who started his life at the Home of Compassion and spent his life working for the benefit of others. Even as a toddler the young Terry Kennedy knew what he wanted and how to get it. His determination, persistence and stubbornness made Kennedy the man Read more
New Stats NZ data shows fewer people are getting married, celebrating civil unions and being granted divorces. In fact, the 2021 stats show New Zealand’s marriage and divorce numbers are the lowest since the 1970s. Marriages and Civil Unions Stats NZ says last year 15,657 marriages and civil unions were registered to New Zealand residents. Read more
April was New Zealand’s deadliest month for Covid-related deaths since the pandemic began, according to recently-released statistics. New Zealand’s COVID-19 death toll has increased more than tenfold over the past two months. The government’s decision to keep schools and non-essential businesses open and to remove most public health restrictions is being blamed for the spike. Read more
A move by five environmentally-minded Wellington city councillors who are attempting to put the breaks on Wellington Airport’s development looks likely to fail. The airport is looking to double its capacity by 2040. Veteran councillors Iona Pannett and Sarah Free, along with three first time councillors Teri O’Neill, Tamatha Paul, and Laurie Foon, have put Read more
Nine-year-old Nico Tauri is on a mission to have every school in New Zealand install compost bins. It comes after he successfully convinced consumer goods giant Unilever to take plastic scoops out of its Surf washing powder. Unilever said the move, due to start in June 2022, would reduce the amount of plastic in circulation Read more
Last year a motorbike crash shattered – and almost ended – Kendra Smith and Corey Thompson’s lives. Thompson lost a leg and Smith, who was five months pregnant, lost the baby. After a year of horrendous lows, the couple are picking themselves up. They’re expecting another child and a Catholic wedding is being organised. “We Read more
A Timaru church initiative is helping the local community save money on electricity. St Philip and All Saints Anglican Church has distributed over 1,000 energy efficient light bulbs to locals. They got the idea after seeing a similar scheme’s success through an Anglican Care initiative in Christchurch. Deacon Rev. Margot Goodman decided she wanted to Read more