Meat plant closure confirmed, hundreds of workers to be laid off

RNZ is offering voluntary redundancies for the first time in its history, coinciding with a significant budget cut of nearly $5 million annually over the next four years. Chief executive Paul Thompson confirmed the scheme and stated that applications will be evaluated against the need to maintain essential skills within the organization. Need More Context? 🔎

Teenager Hunter Ives, 17, faced a tragic accident when bus driver Vaughan Tairoa made a turn just 3.5 seconds before Ives collided with the bus; a mere second could have saved his life. A police report indicated that the bus required between 4.44 and 4.55 seconds for the turn, highlighting the split-second timing that led to the fatal incident in Upper Hutt. More Context

A young couple was deceived into buying a rot-infested home, resulting in negative equity and a stagnant life, as described by a judge. Former JP Davinder Rahal, found jointly liable for the fraud and ordered to pay nearly $1 million in damages, claims he is not responsible and attributes the couple's predicament to others, despite prior knowledge of the property's defects. More Context

A 6-year-old boy and his stepmother are presumed to have drowned after their boat capsized while trying to cross the Pātea bar in South Taranaki. The boy's father survived with minor injuries, and a local rescuer described the incident as "heart-wrenching," with the boy remembered as a "loveable rascal" among his 15 siblings. More Context

Minutes before a brutal assault that led to the alleged murder of Mark ‘Shark’ Hohua, children were playing at the home of Tribesmen Aotearoa president Conway Rapana in Waimana. Rapana and several gang members are on trial for Hohua's murder, which stemmed from a punishment for unauthorized online purchases. More Context

A member of the public was assaulted while intervening in a shoplifting incident at Briscoes in Whangārei, where two offenders stole items worth over $1000. Martin Hughes, 32, was sentenced for his role in the crime, following his cousin Taylem Henry, who received a six-month prison sentence for the same incident. More Context