None of New Zealand’s main housing markets are considered affordable any longer, according to a study released today. The annual Demographia International Housing Affordability shows New Zealand has continued to be one of the most unaffordable countries in the world to buy a house, with the median price more than six times the median annual …
Housing in all main NZ markets now ‘severely unaffordable’ Read More »
Striking junior doctors say they will not back down and district health boards must withdraw planned clawbacks to their current terms and conditions. Esme and Frey Battson, 6 and 4, out in support of their junior doctor mum. Photo: RNZ / Matthew Theunisson About 3000 junior or resident doctors are on strike for 48 hours, which is …
Junior doctors on strike and ‘aren’t going to back down’ Read More »
Wellington barbers and hairdressers are being told not to spread the Christmas cheer by filling the glasses of their clients with beer or wine. Wellington City Council sent out letters to hairdressers and barbers to warn them, without a liquor licence, if they give clients a Christmas tipple, they could be served a $10,000 fine. …
Hairdressers and barbers warned to ditch ‘thank you’ drink Read More »
The engineering firm that oversaw the demolition of Statistics House raised serious concerns about the findings of the inquiry into its partial collapse. A 2013 photo of Wellington’s Statistics House, left, with a photo of damage on the ground floor following the 14 November 2017 earthquake (from March 2017 inquiry report). Photo: RNZ / supplied …
Engineering firm raises concerns about Statistics House inquiry Read More »
Improvements in Wellington’s new bus services are “ongoing and sustained,” an independent review into implementation challenges of the Wellington City and Hutt Valley network has found. The review, prepared by Australia-based consultants L.E.K. and commissioned by the Regional Council and the New Zealand Transport Agency, describes the introduction of the new network as a complex …
Greater Wellington Regional Council responds to independent bus review Read More »
An independent review into Wellington’s troubled bus network has revealed a raft of failings from the regional council. The new routes weren’t tested because the council did not believe it would give an accurate picture of how they would run. Photo: RNZ / Emma Hatton It came after the new bus network, launched in July …
Cause of Wellington’s bus network failure revealed Read More »
The Council recently approved over $300,000 in grants to 59 organisations and community groups with a strong focus on culture, the environment, sustainability and addressing some of the big issues concerning Wellingtonians – homelessness, street begging, and social isolation. In 2018-19, projects delivering meaningful activities with a positive impact for vulnerable individuals and the community …
Council focuses on the big issues with latest funding round Read More »
Experienced businesswoman and professional director Tracey Bridges has been named as the new chair of the Wellington Regional Economic Development Agency (WREDA). A proud Wellingtonian who has lived and worked in the region for 27 years, Tracey is a professional director with experience leading and growing private businesses from start-up. A founding partner of …
Wellington Regional Economic Development Agency names new chair and board member Read More »
Education Minister Chris Hipkins has declined Victoria University of Wellington Council’s application for a legal name change. Mr Hipkins didn’t think the university had sufficiently canvassed the opinions of stakeholders. The Council formally made an application to change the institution’s name to the University of Wellington on 27 September. While benefits from a name change had …
Education Minister declines Victoria University name change Read More »
Shakti Ethnic Women’s Support Group has launched a crowdfunding campaign and petition for the immediate survival of Shakti Wellington Refuge and Shakti Youth’s work to end forced and underage marriages. Shakti’s crowdfunding campaign during 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence will feature the release of 16 portraits of 16 activists in Asian, Middle Eastern …
Shakti Wellington Refuge launches crowdfunding campaign Read More »
The Domain Name Commission and the Department of Internal Affairs have announced that they will work together to ensure safety and trust in the top-level domain name space, .nz, and invite interested parties to a free forum tomorrow. The organisations have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will see them working together to prevent and …
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has announced the appointment of Dame Annette King as High Commissioner to Australia. The former Rongotai MP was Parliament’s longest serving female MP, with 30 years’ service, from 1996 to 2017. She held a number of senior Cabinet portfolios in the fifth Labour Government, including Justice, Police and Health, and …
At 11am on 11 November, Aotearoa New Zealand will mark the centenary of the Armistice that ended the First World War in 1918. A range of commemorative events are taking place across Wellington. The Government will acknowledge the centenary with a number of events at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park in Wellington, with the National …
The Rangimarie peace bell of the National War Memorial Carillon will toll eleven times to mark the start of the two-minute silence of remembrance at 11.00am on Sunday at the official Armistice Centenary National Ceremony in Wellington. Then, at 11.02am, a celebratory fanfare will be played by the full bells of the carillon, the third largest in …
Eleven bells for Armistice centenary, then cacophonous chorus Read More »
This week’s earthquake is a reminder that no one in the Wellington region can tell when are major disaster might strike. Are you prepared? The Wellington Region Emergency Management Office (WREMOnz) are holding a series of Plan and Prepare Workshops, starting this evening in Wadestown. In a hui of korero, sharing and networking among neighbours, …
A 100-gun salute on the Wellington waterfront in front of Te Papa on Sunday 11 November will launch the commemoration of the 100-year anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended the First World War in 1918. The firing is symbolically timed to finish at 11.00am, when the guns fell silent 100 years ago. …
Hundred-gun salute to mark Centenary of Armistice Read More »
Several thousand people turned out for the couple’s only public walk-about in Wellington yesterday. Story by RNZ (original story with extra photos here) Prince Harry and Meghan receiving a hongi at Government House. Photo: Rebekah Parsons-King |RNZ A scream rang out from the large crowd as the couple arrived at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park. …
The “spare to the heir and his American wife”, also known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, will briefly visit Wellington on Sunday 28 October. Kensington Palace has confirmed that Prince Harry, sixth in line to the British throne and the third-most popular member of the royal family after his brother William and the …
Te wiki o te reo Māori has begun and Wellington central was transformed. RNZ report by Te Aniwa Hurihanganui, Te Manu Korihi Reporter @teaniwahuri [email protected] Photo by RNZ / Richard Tindiller (for full gallery see original story) Thousands of school kids, parents, organisations, businesses and government representatives blocked the main street through Lambton Quay to celebrate te …
Wellington will receive around an eighth of the record $16.9b to be spent nationwide as part of the 2018/21 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP), published Friday by the NZ Transport Agency. The region will receive $1.92 billion invested over three years, with $759 million going to the improvement or maintenance of existing state highways (including …
Wellington scores $1.92b from NLTP, but highway projects on pause Read More »