National News
Burn pile fire gets out of control on South Canterbury farm
Strong winds caused a burn pile to get out of control in the Mackenzie District on Monday night. Fire and Emergency services were called to a farm in Ashwick Flat around 10pm. Fire trucks from nearby areas, including Tekapo, responded to help fight the fire. The fire is now out, and there were no injuries […]
Urgency to understand why flames and smoke were coming from plane
Air New Zealand and investigators are looking into why a plane had flames and smoke during its landing at Wellington Airport on Sunday. The plane was arriving from Christchurch when it faced engine problems. The pilot declared a mayday but landed safely. Aviation expert Irene King said she does not think there was a real […]
Cardiac surgeries delayed by up to eight weeks at Waikato Hospital
The cardiology department at Waikato Hospital is facing a big problem. They need more beds but currently have double the number of patients they can handle. Doctors say delays in cardiac surgery are causing long wait times, up to eight weeks. This means patients are taking up important bed space in other departments while they […]
Patients queue from before dawn to see doctors at low-cost South Auckland clinic
At Local Doctors Otara in South Auckland, many sick or injured people wait hours to see a doctor each morning. This clinic is part of the Very Low Cost Access scheme, which helps people with healthcare needs by charging only $19.50 for appointments, much lower than the usual costs of over $60 in Auckland. Patients […]
State care abuse: MSD refusing to release records to survivors – lawyer
Sonja Cooper, a lawyer for abuse survivors from state care, says the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) is not letting them see parts of their personal files. This is happening despite a recent High Court ruling. Two weeks ago, Justice Palmer decided that government agencies cannot use the Privacy Act to stop survivors from accessing […]
How can we get away with spending less on our cars?
Do you need to service your car? How often should you change the oil? Do you know how to check your tyres? It might seem okay to skip car service, but it’s a mistake. AA mechanic Grant Waters warns that most major car problems happen because people don’t get their cars serviced regularly. Some people […]
Waiheke Island loses its only after-hours medical clinic
Waiheke Island’s only after-hours medical clinic, the Oranga Urgent After Hours clinic, has closed suddenly, leaving many residents concerned. Patients were informed last Friday that the clinic, located in the Waiheke Medical Centre, would no longer be available on weekends or after 5 PM on weekdays. The Piritahi Hau Ora Trust, which operates the clinic, […]
Tea and toast to stay at maternity wards after ‘mad’ decision
Finance Minister Nicola Willis was angry to learn that women in Wellington were not getting toast after giving birth. The Government has decided to ensure that new mothers can still enjoy toast and tea after this “crazy” choice to remove the service in maternity wards. Many people in Wellington expressed their concerns on social media […]
Crunching the numbers: Over-65s spending almost all of pension on sky-high rent
By 2048, the number of people over 65 renting homes could double to more than 600,000. Some pensioners are spending almost all of their retirement savings on rent. In a recent interview, an unnamed pensioner from Whanganui revealed she pays $450 a week for her two-bedroom rental and has only $70 left from her pension. […]
Waiheke Island loses its only after-hours medical clinic
Waiheke Island’s only after-hours medical clinic, Oranga Urgent After Hours, has closed suddenly, leaving many residents without local medical care during evenings and weekends. The clinic, run by the Piritahi Hau Ora Trust, announced its closure last Friday. People no longer have access to a doctor after 5 pm on weekdays or on weekends. The […]