Smoking ban proposed for Auckland
Health bosses want the Auckland Council to ban smoking in all public outdoor areas in the city in a bid to stop children picking up the habit.The proposed ban would include the city centre, parks,...
View ArticleKohanga reo smoking shock
Almost half kohanga reo teachers smoke, says a study by the University of Otago, Wellington, of "role model" groups - such as teachers, health professionals and entertainers. It found from Census data...
View ArticleDriver, 13, responsible for girl's death: coroner
A 13-year-old who drove after drinking at a family wedding showed "blatant disregard" for the law and was "directly" responsible for the death of the bride's 17-year-old daughter, a coroner has...
View ArticleDog which bit toddler not 'menacing'
The Ashburton District Council says the dog which attacked a 3-year-old boy wasn't classified as menacing or dangerous in any form.The boy's in a critical condition in Christchurch Hospital after the...
View ArticleLong delays expected on Newmarket Viaduct
Aucklanders are being urged to avoid driving during Auckland Anniversary weekend when a chunk of the country's busiest motorway will be closed for work.Those who are planning to brave the roads have...
View ArticleFlat-battery calls exasperate coastguard
Auckland Coastguard has been swamped as boaties take advantage of the improved weather, with many callouts the result of gadget-heavy modern boats running their batteries flat.Maritime officials...
View ArticleQuake-zone double whammy
Thousands of older Christchurch residents are doomed to rent for life, says Hugh Pavletich, a city resident and Demographia's co-author."The quake-damaged homes in the red zone have an average value of...
View ArticleConfusion blamed for low uptake of tree-chop right
Auckland's tree contractors say fewer landowners than expected are able to take advantage of a law change that promised to let them remove trees without a council consent.They blame confusion over...
View ArticleParachute's $1 family passes prove boon for ticket sales
Hundreds of struggling families have taken up Parachute Festival's offer of $1 family passes and organisers are confident that they will see regular numbers at this weekend's event.Last week, the...
View ArticleFreedom campers snub fire rules
Freedom campers about to light a fire at their illegal campsite on the Coromandel Peninsula had to be stopped by council staff last week.The bylaw enforcement officers came across the campers as they...
View ArticleComparative luxury on rugged Hillary Trail
A touch of luxury is being offered for trampers on the rugged Auckland coastal trail bearing the name of explorer Sir Edmund Hillary.Billed as an unguided "wilderness experience" where you carry your...
View ArticleStudy finds bias in Idol judging
Viewers of television talent contests often believe the best act does not win - and Aussie researchers think they have found some explanations.A study has found that the later would-be stars perform in...
View ArticleMcCully to talk up UN bid on Africa visit
Foreign Minister Murray McCully is on his way to Ethiopia to attend a ministerial meeting of the African Union, the first since New Zealand gained accreditation to the 54-strong organisation.When he is...
View ArticleNZ houses rated 'highly unaffordable'
New Zealand house prices have been identified as highly unaffordable in an international study, with Auckland's market only slightly better than London but less affordable than those in Los Angeles and...
View ArticleWintry snap ambushes south but week ahead looks brighter
South Islanders have been chilled to the bone by midsummer snow, hail and sleet, but the unusual cold snap should give way to warm, fine weather until Friday.Forecasters said the cold interruption to...
View ArticleExperts want 'fast-track crash course' for teachers
Teachers who will be running their own classrooms in low-decile schools after just six weeks of training will have to hold a degree specialising in the subject they are teaching.Concerns have been...
View ArticleCracker Chinese New Year in store
Chinese New Year was brought in with a bang yesterday, kicking off a week of celebrations to bring in the Year of the Dragon.SkyCity hosted an array of performances - including a Lion Dance - and set...
View ArticleWidows ripping off ACC benefits
More than $3 million of ACC money was lost to fraud last year and culprits increasingly include widowed women ripping off the system.Nearly 100 people have been prosecuted for fraud since 2007 and...
View ArticleMutineers' barren refuge turns tourist paradise
It's bare of white sandy beaches and about as far away as you can get from anywhere - but that hasn't stopped super-remote Pitcairn Island from marketing itself as a holiday paradise in a newly...
View ArticleDotcom's lavish life of parties and luxury
Kim Dotcom's mansion underwent a multimillion-dollar renovation, including a pool filled with imported spring water and a $15,000 custom-made ladder, bizarre artwork, secret underground passages and a...
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