Wine vintage round-up – Yealands’ variety

A man has died following a crash where his ute collided with a garage and subsequently caught fire in Tapanui. Despite firefighters' efforts to rescue him from the burning vehicle, the sole occupant was pronounced dead at the scene. Police are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the accident, which occurred on Station Rd shortly after 3:30 PM. Full Article

A group of young men caused $75,000 in damage to a plane and runway lights after breaking into the Chatham Islands airport and racing on the runway at speeds of 80km/h. Their actions significantly disrupted the community by hindering seafood exports and increasing grocery prices on the remote island. Judge Bill Hastings noted that, although they were decent young men who acted under the influence of alcohol, their reckless behavior put the entire community at...

WARNING: This story contains details that may be upsetting to some readers A Hamilton woman, Sharryn Ngariki, violently abused a child by throwing them off a bed into a wall, causing the child to feel their back crack. In a separate incident, she restricted the child's breathing by tying a shirt around their head. Over a span of 14 months, Ngariki also assaulted two other young children, inflicting physical harm through punching, slapping, kicking, and...

Labour's Pay Equity Funding Position Under ScrutinyChris Hipkins asserts that Labour has a consistent stance on future pay equity settlement funding, despite National's claims of “economic incoherence” within the party. Following Hipkins' commitment to reverse recent pay equity adjustments, his finance spokeswoman, Barbara Edmonds, acknowledged on RNZ the challenge of finding the nearly $13 billion needed to restore funding, raising questions about Labour's financial strategy. National's Chris Bishop criticized Labour for conflicting positions, stating that...

Fire Incident in Central AucklandA fire has erupted on the 16th floor of a building under construction on Wakefield St in central Auckland, prompting a significant response from Fire and Emergency NZ. Fifteen fire trucks, along with resources from Hamilton, are on-site, including an aerial appliance. A nearby cafe manager noted that there were no visible smoke or flames, with construction workers present outside the building. Full Article

A New Zealand-born man, Hoane Joseph Kahu, who raped a heavily intoxicated 15-year-old girl in Gladstone, Queensland, in 2005, has avoided deportation to care for family members. The victim, reflecting on the impact of the attack, shared that the incident drastically changed her life, making her fearful and leading her to withdraw from social activities. Despite the severity of his crime, Kahu's circumstances have allowed him to remain in Australia instead of facing deportation. Full...