‘Burned the hill down’: billionaire’s runaway fireworks spark New Zealand furoreNeighbours furious after firefighters had to be called to Redemption Song, owned by Empire State Building magnate Tony Malkin Residents of a New Zealand town are calling for a ban on private fireworks after a display by a New York billionaire set off… Jan 03 23January 03, 2023Article at The Guardian
Tory Whanau celebrates mayoral win, urges ‘reconnection’7.24PM Speaking to a jubilant victory crowd in Wellington this evening, mayor-elect Tory Whanau said the election had seen a lot of anger directed at candidates by “groups that seek to divide us.” The challenge was to find means of connection with… Oct 07 22October 07, 2022Article at The Spinoff
Appropriate use of force? Shooting of Māori man highlights high rate of NZ police killingsThe night before Easter Sunday, 22-year-old Kaoss Price fell to the ground on a highway near New Plymouth, shot dead by police. Moments earlier, Price had rammed a stationary police car at speed. But what led to that moment, and exactly what happened… May 06 22May 06, 2022Article at The Guardian
‘They’re so sneaky’: New Zealand homeowners battle plague of smelly cluster fliesChanging climate means infestations of pesky insects could become more common, experts say They smell like sweet meat, destroy vacuum cleaners and are wreaking havoc across rural New Zealand. An unusually wet summer has brought joy to farmers and… Apr 29 22April 29, 2022Article at The Guardian
Power shifts: New Zealand reconsiders Pacific role as China’s influence growsThe Pacific receives 60% of New Zealand’s foreign aid but experts say Wellington’s engagement in the region has declined in recent years In a ceremony in Fiji on Tuesday, New Zealand’s foreign affairs minister, Nanaia Mahuta, unveiled a 14-foot… Apr 01 22April 01, 2022Article at The Guardian
‘A brilliant mind’: pioneering Māori lawyer and activist Moana Jackson diesDr Moana Jackson, the pioneering Māori lawyer and a global authority on Indigenous people’s rights, has died. Jackson’s scholarship and activism has been influential in shaping public debate around colonisation and Te Tiriti o Waitangi, the Treaty of… Mar 31 22March 31, 2022Article at The Guardian
Australia-New Zealand refugee deal: what we know so farNine years after it was first made, Australia has finally taken up New Zealand’s offer to accept refugees held in Nauru and other facilities The Australian and New Zealand governments have announced that 450 refugees from Australia’s regional… Mar 25 22March 25, 2022Article at The Guardian
Australia agrees 450 refugees can be resettled in New Zealand, nine years after deal first offeredUp to 450 refugees from Australia’s regional processing centres will be resettled in New Zealand over the next three years, after the Coalition belatedly took up a long-standing agreement struck more than nine years ago. Up to 150 refugees a year… Mar 24 22March 24, 2022Article at The Guardian
Mahia residents descend on Auckland to protest Rocket Lab links with US militaryProtesters gathered at Rocket Lab’s Auckland HQ today in opposition to the company’s work with the US military, while the Green Party announced a member’s bill to ban military launches from New Zealand. Protest songs echoed down a quiet cul-de-sac in… Jun 21 21June 21, 2021Article at The Spinoff
NZ rocket launches may breach nuclear-free laws, say peace groupsRocket Lab launches of satellites honing US military targeting capabilities have been criticised by the Peace Foundation, which is calling on the PM to step in. Peace groups are calling on the prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, to stop the launch of a… Mar 08 21March 08, 2021Article at The Spinoff
Stuart Nash on US military satellite launch in NZ: ‘I have not received an application’A controversial Rocket Lab mission designed to improve US military targeting capabilities is slated to launch from the Mahia Peninsula next month, but Stuart Nash says he’s yet to approve it. Update: On 22 February The Spinoff reported that the… Feb 11 21February 11, 2021Article at The Spinoff
Rocket Lab launch from New Zealand to help US military with ‘targeting’The next Rocket Lab mission will include a military satellite designed to improve targeting capabilities for US warfighters, reports Ollie Neas. This morning, Rocket Lab, the US-owned but NZ-based space company, announced details of its next mission… Feb 10 21February 10, 2021Article at The Spinoff
