Stories from New Zealand

Tauranga City Council estimated it could be months before Mount Maunganui is fully reopened following a deadly landslide in January. A residents group attended a meeting with over 300 locals to discuss the slow progress. Residents expressed that while council recovery intentions seem genuine, there are concerns regarding governance and experience. The recovery process is currently described as being behind safety requirements. Hundreds of Mount Maunganui residents attended a community meeting last night regarding the reopening of the track to Moal Summit. The track has remained closed since a fatal landslide occurred in January. Bay of Plenty MP Tom Rutherford attended the meeting and stated that the council admits there has been a communication gap with the community. Repairs on the track are currently being discussed.

Holger Reinecke and his wife are selling their property on Axis Road after 24 years due to concerns over a proposed mine. The property is located near the Dunstan mountains and sits under a proposed tailings dam.

Crusaders skipper David Havili will play his 150th game for the franchise tonight. The match features the defending champions against the Hurricanes in Wellington. Crusaders coach Rob Penny stated Havili's leadership and influence on the side is.

Associate Professor Joanna Blacks reported that children aged 7 and 12 are experiencing unexplained vision loss in Mount Manganui. Some affected children have already been referred to ophthalmologists for evaluation.

A political party launched its election manifesto at Parliament on Thursday morning. The manifesto includes a commitment to spend $21 million per year on healthcare initiatives. The plan aims to achieve a 90% HPV immunisation target by 2030. The launch included personal testimonies regarding cancer diagnoses and smear test results. The program is estimated to cost $21 million per year. During the launch, Jen Jewel shared her experience of being diagnosed with abnormal cells via a smear test at age 35. The platform aims to address disparities in treatment protocols compared to international standards. An MP based in Epsom has been handed the health portfolio following the retirement of Dr Shane Reti in March. The new minister stated a commitment to engaging directly with Pacifica communities.

Repairs on the track leading up to Moawe are scheduled to begin this Monday. The project follows a landslide that killed six people nearly 100 days ago. Bay of Plenty MP Tom Rutherford stated the council confirmed the repairs could take up to three months to complete.

The NZTA expects State Highway 3 at Awakino Gorge to reopen tomorrow. The road has been closed for almost two weeks following a slip caused by a severe storm. The reopening follows repairs to the area covered by the slip.

New Zealand households spend approximately $77 per week on goods implicated in modern slavery, including coffee and electronics. In 2022, the country imported almost $8 billion in goods from 39 countries identified as using forced or child labour.

Former Prime Minister Helen Clark stated that Winston Peters did not deliberately act regarding the release of emails involving Christopher Luxon. The documents show Luxon sought explicit public support for the US within days of the war starting.

A New Zealand study shows children are exposed to unhealthy food and drink marketing an average of 68 times per day. Associate Professor Victoria Egley stated the exposure is deliberate rather than accidental.