The Catholic community has lost a “passionate and enthusiastic educator” with the sudden death Brendan Schollum Schollum died last Friday aged 67 at Auckland Hospital after he was admitted for an infection, viral encephalitis, that caused swelling in his brain. Schollum was the founding principal of Aquinas College in Tauranga when it opened in 2003 Read more
Prime Minister John Key has asked his officials for fresh ideas on tackling child poverty. On his first day back at Parliament since being re-elected on Saturday, Key said he had ordered Treasury and Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet officials to start presenting new ideas. ‘‘The recognition I think we all have is that Read more
Did the church vote in South Auckland swing towards the National Party? There was no change in the distribution of seats. Mangere, Manukau East and Manurewa all stayed with Labour; Maungakiekie stayed with National. Of 5 the general seats in which Labour won the party vote, 3 were in South Auckland – Mangere, Manukau East Read more
A mock election at St Peter’s College in Auckland last Friday, gave the students a chance to “practice” exercising their democratic right. St Peter’s is located in the Epsom electorate. Over the past three weeks there have been campaigns, and a leaders’ debate. In the mock vote National won the poll with 29.6 percent of Read more
The United Nations Climate Change Summit began on Monday in New York. The Climate Change Summit is trying to find agreement on ways to limit further environmental damage. “The people most affected – at grass roots level and on the coastal edge – must be part of those discussions,” says Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand director Julianne Hickey. Read more
Sarah Poulter is only 13 years old but her education is already steeped in history. Seven generations of women from her family have attended St Mary’s College in Ponsonby which is now celebrating its 150th anniversary. So there was never any doubt about where Sarah would go. Her ancestor John Fair arrived in New Zealand Read more
Te Kura O Hata Maria, (St Mary’s School), one of Northland’s smallest and most isolated schools has won a national competition which will see it fitted out with $10,000 worth of new technology. Te Kura O Hata Maria, a school of about 40 pupils in Pawarenga, North Hokianga, won the inaugural HP Rural Schools competition Read more
Marlborough Mayor Alistair Sowman wrote to the three Kaikoura electorate candidates most likely to become MPs to ask for their backing for changes to Easter trading laws. Every two years, Blenheim hosts the Omaka Classic Fighters event at Easter and the trading law restrictions mean retailers, restaurants and cellar doors cannot make the most of Read more
A Blenheim priest who has admitted an indecent assault has surprised the head of a sexual-abuse charity. In Blenheim, New Zealand, last Tuesday, Father Aidan Kay pleaded guilty to a charge of indecent assault on a male over 16. “It is very unusual, especially from a priest. I was very surprised,” says Male Survivors of Read more