$786m spent on traffic management, road cones

A convicted paedophile and former deputy principal, James Parker, had his sentence increased after another victim came forward, revealing more serious offenses that included a "sadistic flavour" and predatory behavior. The charges involve the sexual violation of two young boys between 2009 and 2011, during which Parker used a taser to exert control over one of the victims. Explain It To Me Like I'm 5: A man who hurt children and was almost let go...

A truck carrying 10 tonnes of dirt rolled over a barrier on Auckland's Southwestern Motorway, causing traffic delays in the southbound lane near the Puhinui Rd off-ramp around 2:15 PM. Fire and Emergency NZ responded with three fire trucks to assist police at the scene after being alerted at 1:53 PM. Explain It To Me Like I'm 5: A truck carrying dirt crashed on a big road in Auckland, causing some traffic delays for people...

The Government has directed the Auckland Council to permit the construction of apartment buildings at least 15 storeys high near key train stations as the City Rail Link (CRL) nears completion. Housing Minister Chris Bishop emphasized the need to maximize housing and development around CRL stations to leverage the economic benefits of this significant investment. Explain It To Me Like I'm 5: The Government wants to let people build tall apartment buildings near train stations...

More than 9,000 individuals over 65 earn over $200,000 annually, with an additional 33,000 earning between $100,000 and $200,000, prompting the Retirement Commissioner to question their eligibility for NZ Super. The 2023 Census revealed an increase in workforce participation among those aged 65 and older, rising to just over 24%, with the most significant growth in the 70 to 74 age group. Explain It To Me Like I'm 5: Some older people are earning a...

As a professional summarizer, create a concise summary of A British man who helped steal $337,700 from 21 mostly elderly Auckland scam victims refused to cooperate with police and stands to inherit his share of the loot when he’s released from prison, a judge says. The judge has thrown out Jack Hennessy’s appeal against the length of his sentence, warning the incarcerated fraudster “it could well have been higher”. The 26-year-old is serving three years...

A prototype sports car involved in a secret winter testing program in Cardrona Valley crashed near Queenstown, colliding with a Subaru around 9:30 am on Saturday. The heavily damaged camouflaged vehicle was part of a convoy from the Southern Hemisphere Proving Grounds, with staff in AMG-branded clothing quickly working to conceal the scene and other test vehicles present. Need More Context? 🔎