Youth offenders in New Zealand will participate in a military-style boot camp program, as revealed in new documents from Oranga Tamariki. This 10-week program aims to change the behavior of young criminals and is based at the Palmerston North youth justice facility. The program has three phases: discipline, self and team development, and transition. Activities […]

People are waiting a long time at Waikato Hospital’s emergency department (ED) to see doctors, even if they are very sick. A woman waited over 16 hours with suspected internal bleeding, only to be told to go back to her doctor. She described seeing an elderly man in a wheelchair who was in severe pain […]

The search for a missing person from a boat in Auckland’s Manukau Harbour will continue today, according to police. On Tuesday night, Coastguard reported that two people faced trouble on a boat near Puketutu Island. One person swam back to shore and informed the police, but the other is still missing. He was last seen […]

A public meeting was held on August 27, 2024, to discuss the potential closure of Winstone Pulp International mills in central North Island, which could lead to the loss of 230 jobs. Many in the community expressed their fears about the impact of these closures. The meeting in Raetihi’s church hall was full, with locals, […]

Secondary school principals want to change the way literacy and numeracy tests are done, after many teenagers failed the new NCEA tests. The latest results from May showed that out of 55,468 students who took the math test, 30,196 (54%) failed. The failure rates were especially high among Māori and Pacific students, with 77% of […]

A family near Auckland has lost three members in a tragic car crash that shut down SH1. The victims are Fa’aofo Uili Fa’aofo, 45, and his nephews Leauga Jerry Leauga, 37, and Ta’avao Kelemete, 32. The accident happened when a truck, driving south, blew a tyre, crashed through barriers, and hit their vehicle. Afamasaga Faamatalaupu […]

Secondary school principals are asking for changes after many students failed new NCEA literacy and numeracy tests. Māori and Pacific students had the most failures. In May, 55,468 students took the math test, and 30,196, or 54%, failed. Among those, 77% of Pacific students and 71% of Māori students did not pass. In reading, 54% […]

A child is accused of fatally shooting a man during a hunting trip on New Zealand’s North Island. John James Stuart Atkins, 44, was hunting with friends near Tolaga Bay on Saturday night when a boy under 13, who was hunting with his father, shot him while spotlighting. Police received a call around 10:40 PM […]

Snow and heavy rain may hit parts of the South Island on Sunday. MetService has issued several weather warnings. The Westland District is expected to see the heaviest rain, with an orange warning in effect. Locals could receive 120-150mm of rain, especially in the afternoon. Residents are advised to clear drains and gutters, stay away […]

Hato Hone St John reports that the ambulance drivers’ strikes on Saturday did not harm any patients. The 24-hour strike, involving members of FIRST Union and the Ambulance Association, ended at 4am on Sunday. Dan Ohs, deputy chief executive of St John, said that people with non-urgent needs helped by finding their own transport or […]