Taupō introduces smoking and vaping ban, but it won’t be enforced

The Taupō council yesterday voted to make the district “smoke and vape free”, which will include “smoke free” signage and education and awareness campaigns. The council stopped short of making the plan a bi-law meaning there will be no repercussions for those who flaunt the law, however council representatives are confident that through good signage […]

Calls for congestion charges to be introduced across New Zealand

Auckland and Wellington drivers loose on average 118 and 150 hours respectively each year due to traffic congestion. This has a significant impact on individuals and businesses Think-tank, The New Zealand Initiative has recommended introducing conjestion charges, similar to what is in force, and proven to work in London and Singapore. The Mayors of Auckland […]

Central New Zealand shaken by 5.4 earthquake

As at 1.12am, GeoNet recorded a “moderate” intensity jolt, 50 kilometres north-west of Paraparaumu, had a magnitude of 5.4 and was 64 kilometres deep. The event is too small to cause a tsunami threat to New Zealand. There were no reports of injury or damage. Jolts like this are fairy common in New Zealand.

Cycle for life

Cycling to work could help you live longer, 15-year study of 3.5 million Kiwis finds A new study has found that people who cycle to work could have a lower risk of dying early. Lead researcher Dr Caroline Shaw from the University of Otago, Wellington, says people who cycled to work had a 13 per […]

Australian smoke invasion

‘Unprecedented’ spike in carbon monoxide over New Zealand linked to Australia bushfires Australia’s raging bushfires earlier this month saw an “unprecedented” spike in carbon monoxide levels monitored in New Zealand, NIWA says. New Zealand usually has some of the highest quality air in the world. However, in early December, it showed a jump to 150 […]

Hamilton gets paint job

Hamilton artists bring dull wall to life with mural featuring Waikato River, tūī A large grey concrete wall in Hamilton has been transformed by what’s thought to be one of the biggest murals in the country. Two artists have been up on cherry-pickers painting the mural for the last couple of weeks. The design includes […]

False tsunami alarm

False tsunami alarm: Bay of Plenty residents evacuate as sirens sound on North Island coast, Waikato Panicked Waihī Beach residents evacuated on Sunday night, believing there was a tsunami warning, after a wave of sirens sounded across the Bay of Plenty. Civil Defence and Waikato police later confirmed there was no tsunami warning for the […]

Regions need teachers too

Teacher shortage eases in Auckland, still critical in Northland, Waikato, Hawke’s Bay, Marlborough, Southland The teacher shortage has eased slightly in Auckland, but is still critical in some provincial areas such as Northland, Waikato and Hawke’s Bay. While the Ministry of Education has run recruitment drives oversase which have helped ease the problem it hasn’t […]