Transport Minister Michael Wood will shortly review the cost of the fees and rebates in the Government’s “feebate” scheme after the runaway success of the policy has meant it is paying out millions more in rebates each month than…
Tag Archives: oceania
National, Act say Labour's electoral donation reforms attempt to 'screw the scrum'
National and Act have criticised the Government’s move to change election donation rules, saying they were ramming it through without consensus and trying to “screw the scrum” against the parties on the right. The Government’s bill…
Former National MP Nick Smith eyes Nelson mayoralty
By Samantha Gee of RNZ Former Nelson MP Dr Nick Smith has announced he will be throwing his hat in the ring for the region’s mayoralty.The veteran politician retired from Parliament in June 2021, after an inquiry was launched…
Mother of slain schoolgirl charged over home invasion
The mother of slain schoolgirl Charlise Mutten has been charged over her alleged involvement in a home invasion in the New South Wales Blue Mountains.
It follows the seizure of two guns from bushland near Mt Wilson in February.
Charlise's stepfather, Justin Stein, 31, was charged over allegedly stealing the guns during a home invasion in Mt Wilson in August 2021. He remains before the courts.
READ MORE: Body of Australian climber found on world's second highest peak
Now, Charlise's 39-year-old mother Kallista Mutten has been charged with aggravated break and enter in company, in relation to the same home invasion.
She was bailed to appear in court on August 8.Stein has been accused of fatally shooting nine-year-old Charlise, though the firearms are not connected to the investigation.
Charlise's mother has not been charged over her daughter's death.
READ MORE: 'Looked like a bird's beak growing': Aussie mum's debilitating condition
Charlise was reported missing on January 14 this year.
Her body was found in a barrel on the banks of the Colo River, in the Central Tablelands, on Tuesday 18 January.
No streets, no cars, no traffic: Saudi Arabia unveils one-building city
Designs for a $717 billion zero-carbon city, clad in mirrors that will stretch over 170 kilometres of desert have been released.
The futuristic Neom project mega city will be located in the northwest of the Gulf country, near the Red Sea in Saudi Arabia and surrounds vertically layered homes, offices and schools with lush hanging gardens.
The 200-metre wide, 500-metre high structure is an ambitious project aiming house nine million people and achieve complete sustainability in a temperature controlled microclimate.
READ MORE: Australian mountaineer and Canadian climber die scaling world's second highest mountain
There will be no traditional streets and no cars, eliminating the traffic jams of today.
"The Line will eventually accommodate nine million residents and will be built on a footprint of 34 square kilometres, which is unheard of when compared to other cities of similar capacity," Neom said.
"Its ideal climate all year round will ensure that residents can enjoy surrounding nature when traveling on foot.
"Residents will also have access to all facilities in The Line within a five-minute walk, in addition to a high-speed rail with an end-to-end transit of 20 minutes."
Even flying taxis, robot maids and a giant artificial moon have been advertised.
Little detail on how the colossal project will deliver the many impressive features have been revealed, but Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman claims the site will "address the problems of traditional horizontal flat cities".
"We cannot ignore the liveability and environmental crises facing our world's cities, and NEOM is at the forefront of delivering new and imaginative solutions to address these issues," he said.
READ MORE: Russian battlefield casualties more than 75,000 in Ukraine, US politicians told
The Prince said the city's first phase is set to cost 1.2 trillion riyals ($458 billion), half of which will come from the kingdom's sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund, he said.
Road toll projected to rise again after the last two years, report shows
Statistics released today show deaths on our roads are set to rise again after the last two years saw lower tolls largely thought to be due to Covid-19 restrictions.The numbers, which were released alongside the Road to Zero Annual…
Two people injured after sinkhole opens up at Rotorua's Whakarewarewa Village
An elderly woman has been seriously injured after falling into a fumarole (sinkhole) on a footpath at Rotorua’s Whakarewarewa Village.St John treated two patients following the incident, with one in serious condition and the other…
Study reveals how many people will lose taste, smell after COVID-19
About five per cent of adults may have long-term issues with their sense of smell or taste after having COVID-19, new research has suggested.
A study by the National University of Singapore has indicated that at least 15 million adults around the world could have long-term smell deficiencies and at least 12 million adults could be suffering from long-term loss of taste.
The estimates have been made taking into consideration that more than 550 million COVID-19 cases have already been confirmed around the world.
READ MORE: Almost half of Australians have had COVID-19
The research, published in The BMJ, a peer-reviewed medical trade journal published by the British Medical Association, has further found that women are particularly likely to suffer from taste or smell issues after having the virus.
The study analysed the side effects reported by 3699 COVID-19 patients, including both those who did and did not need to be hospitalised for the virus.
EXPLAINED: What is 'Centaurus', the Omicron sub-variant that has health authorities on alert?
The researchers found that smell loss could persist in 5.6 per cent of patients, while 4.4 per cent may not recover their sense of taste.
At 30 days after initial infection, only 74 per cent of patients reported smell recovery and 79 per cent of patients reported taste recovery.
Recovery rates increased with each passing month, reaching a peak of 96 per cent for smell and 98 per cent for taste after six months.
One patient the researchers spoke to said she has yet to recover her sense of smell more than 27 months after she caught COVID-19.
READ MORE: Trio of meteor showers set to light up Australian skies
Auckland man accused of causing Joesph Tahana to fall to his death asks to keep name secret
A man accused of causing a 29-year-old to fall to his death from a downtown Auckland building five months ago should no longer be allowed to keep his name a secret, a judge ruled today. However, Justice Simon Moore allowed the 38-year-old…
Huge challenge looms for four Paraparaumu fire brigade volunteers
Four firefighters from the Paraparaumu Volunteer Fire Brigade are about to go into the hurt zone.Their legs and lungs will burn, sweat will pour off them and faces will grimace, but the quartet’s pain will eventually turn into smiles.The…