A pedestrian has died after they were hit by a car in Robertson Rd in the south Auckland, Māngere today Friday 18.
Police said they attended a serious crash on Robertson Road in Mangere where a pedestrian was hit by a vehicle at around 1.45pm.
The pedestrian has died at the scene.
The road is partially blocked and diversions are in place on Robertson Road at Mckinstry Ave and Kivell Close.
The Serious Crash Unit is investigating.
A second man has been arrested over a drug bust involving methamphetamine which has a street value of about $2 million on May 8.
The suspect was a cleaner at the Fua’amotu International Airport, local media reported.
Police would not release further details about the suspect.
The arrest came after Police initially arrested a 59-year-old man with 1.9 kilograms of meth which is also known as ice.
Police believed the man attempted to smuggle the drugs to New Zealand.
Both accused remain in Police custody.
The first suspect is expected to appear in court in August 30 while the second suspect is expected to appear at the Magistrate Court tomorrow Friday, May 18.
Auckland Rugby League clubs are set to cash in on June’s representative blockbuster between Auckland and the Tonga New Zealand Residents, via a cash rebate on match tickets.
Every person who purchases a ticket for the June 2 event will have the option of selecting a local club of their choice to receive a portion of the ticket price, as a way of adding an additional revenue stream for all 32 clubs which operate under the ARL.
The ARL has also extended the rebate offer to include the other three organisations who will take part in the event, with fans able to help raise funds for the Auckland Maori, Tonga and Samoa Rugby League bodies.
In addition to the Auckland v Tonga New Zealand Residents clash, the match day at Mount Smart Stadium will also see the Auckland Maori U20 and Toa Samoa Invitational U20 play a curtain-raiser.
CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS
ARL general manager Greg Whaiapu said clubs would play an important role in the event, both on and off the field.
“We know a lot of our club members and families will be attending this event, and through this promotion they can help to directly raise money for their club along the way,” Whaiapu said.
“Between the four representative teams who will take the field, a majority of our Auckland clubs will be represented, and it will be great to have them out in force, supporting friends and whanau.
“The match day experience won’t just be about rugby league either, with cultural groups and activities for kids ensuring there will be something for everyone.”
The Tonga New Zealand Residents’ involvement in the event follows on from Mate Ma’a Tonga’s stunning run at the 2017 Rugby League World Cup, which saw a capacity crowd of 30,000 attend their semi-final against England at Mount Smart Stadium.
Club rebate ticket codes:
| Bay Roskill Vikings (Vikings) |
| East Coast Bays Barracudas (Barracudas) |
| Ellerslie Eagles (Eagles) |
| Glenfield Greyhounds (Greyhounds) |
| Glenora Bears (Bears) |
| Hibiscus Coast Raiders (Raiders) |
| Howick Hornets (Hornets) |
| Mangere East Hawks (Hawks) |
| Manukau Magpies (Magpies) |
| Manurewa Marlins (Marlins) |
| Marist Saints (Saints) |
| Mt Albert Lions (Lions) |
| Mt Wellington Warriors (mtwwarr) |
| New Lynn Stags (Stags) |
| Northcote Tigers (Tigers) |
| Otahuhu Leopards (Leopards) |
| Otara Scorpions (Scorpions) |
| Pakuranga Jaguars (Jaguars) |
| Papakura Sea Eagles (SeaEagles) |
| Papatoetoe Panthers (Panthers) |
| Ponsonby Ponies (Ponies) |
| Pt Chevalier Pirates (Pirates) |
| Pukekohe Pythons (Pythons) |
| Richmond Bulldogs (Bulldogs) |
| Rodney Rams (Rodrams) |
| Te Atatu Roosters (Roosters) |
| Tuakau Broncos (Broncos) |
| Waitemata Seagulls (Seagulls) |
| Waiheke Rams (Wairams) |
| Waiuku Warriors (Waiwarr) |
Applications for this year’s Pacific media programme close on Friday.
The programme is run by the Pacific Cooperation Foundation and offers New Zealand and Pacific-based journalism/media students the chance to intern with regional news and media organisations in the Pacific region.
Now in its third year, the PCF Media Programme focuses on improving the level and quality of media exposure in the Pacific, with particular interest on economic development, arts and culture.
Selected students will spend two weeks in a newsroom where they will meet reporters and come away with a better understanding of regional issues.
Students who have taken part in the programme in the past have interned with the Pacific Media Network, Māori Television, Pacific Media Centre and Tiki Lounge Productions.
Students who want to apply must provide a CV and cover letter summarising their media experience/interest and any other relevant work they wish to include to support their application.
For more information contact Sabrina Tian at sabrina@pcf.co.nz/
The main points
For more information and to download application forms, go to:
New Zealand High Commissioner Tiffany Babington signed a NZ$11 million grant funding arrangement for the upgrade of Nuku’alofa’s electricity network today with the Acting Minister of Finance and National Planning, Hon Mateni Tapueluelu.
New Zealand’s grant contribution will directly benefit over 2,000 households and businesses in 12 villages in Kolomotu’a and Kolofo’ou, the first stage of the five-year Nuku’alofa Network Upgrade Project.
The project will deliver economic and social benefits to these villages through a more stable source of electricity, safer connections, reduced diesel costs, and a more resilient network in times of extreme weather conditions.
The project will be implemented in partnership with Tonga Power Limited over the next two years.
“New Zealand has been a long-term partner in efforts to improve Tonga’s electricity supply, and access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all is one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals,” announced New Zealand’s Deputy Prime Minister, Hon Winston Peters, during his visit to Tonga in March 2018.
The Nuku’alofa Network Upgrade Project follows on from the successful upgrade of 55 rural villages in Tongatapu. New Zealand has provided grant funding of NZ$27.7 million which will enable 11,188 households to be connected to a network built to New Zealand’s standards by December 2018.
HE Tiffany Babington also presented Hon Mateni Tapueluelu with New Zealand’s NZ$3 million contribution to replenish the Tongatapu Village Network Upgrade supplies that were used to restore the electricity network on Tongatapu following the damage caused by TC Gita.
The Government of Tonga estimated the energy sector reconstruction costs at US$46 million and requested assistance from New Zealand, Australia and the Asian Development Bank to support the energy sector recovery following Tropical Cyclone Gita.
”New Zealand hopes this NZ$14 million investment will assist the Government of Tonga to meets its energy targets,” New Zealand’s High Commissioner Tiffany Babington said.
Tickets are now on sale for the Queen’s Birthday Weekend representative showdown between Auckland and the Tonga New Zealand Residents at Mount Smart Stadium.
In addition to the feature match, which will see the two teams play for the Mann Cup, the Auckland Maori U20 will take on the Toa Samoa Invitational U20 in a curtain-raiser to the game on Saturday, June 2.
Tickets are just $10 for adults, $6 for under-18s and seniors over-65, with children under five free. Family passes (two adults + three juniors) can be purchased for $24. All prices include booking fee.
Auckland Rugby League clubs will benefit directly from the proceeds of ticket sales, with every purchaser able to nominate a local club of their choice, or the Auckland, Samoa and Tonga Rugby League bodies, for a cash rebate.
The Mann Cup will be the first time a Tongan side has played in Auckland since Mate Ma’a Tonga’s stunning charge at the Rugby League World Cup last year, which saw a capacity crowd flock to Mount Smart Stadium for the semi-final against England.
The king’s noble who stepped down from Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva’s cabinet in early March has been reinstated.
Lord Ma’afu resigned as Tonga’s Minister of Lands and Survey as well as Minister of His Majesty’s Armed Forces, two days after the Minister of Police Hon. Māteni Tapueluelu resigned on February 28. Hon. Pōhiva rejected Hon. Tapueluelu’s resignation.
The reinstatement of Lord Ma’afu came after what the Prime Minister’s office has described as a reconciliation meeting this morning.
The meeting was attended by Tapueluelu, Lord Ma’afu and the Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva, the Prime Minister’s media advisor Lōpeti Senituli told Kaniva News this afternoon.
Senituli said Hon. Pōhiva was seeking a reconciliation between Lord Ma’afu and Hon. Tapueluelu after what appears to be a clash erupted in cabinet in February which had led to the two ministers tendering their resignation.
Senituli said the two ministers had reconciled and Lord Ma’afu accepted an invitation by the Prime Minister to return to cabinet.
Hon. Tapueluelu said the Prime Minister has written to the king withdrawing his letter of revocation of Lord Ma’afu’s ministerial post appointment.
Police have charged a 60-year-old man after a 4-year-old boy died after he was run over by a vehicle in Vainī yesterday May 15.
The accused was the driver and he had been charged with reckless driving causing death.
On a separate incident, a 3-year-old girl was killed after she was struck by a van in a cemetery in ‘Utulau on May 12.
She was hit by a family reversing vehicle.
The vehicle was being driven by her 26-year-old father, a Police spokesperson said.
No one has been charged in relation to the incident.
Police investigation continues.
Footage has emerged of a brutal brawl outside a Tongan church in East Palo Alto in the United states.
The video, uploaded to Facebook by Tita Nutt’s this morning, shows women wearing Tongan church attires fighting on a veranda in front of a crowd of more than a dozen.
A child can be heard crying while some women can be heard yelling abuse and swearing.
The women were seen punching, wrestling, grabbing each other and hair-pulling in a fist fight that eventually spilled out into a car park.
One woman was seen pelting a stone and another object at some of the women involved in the brawl.
The 2.10-minute video has attracted more than 40,000 viewers, 1275 shares and more than 500 reactions on Nutt’s Facebook account within three hours since it was uploaded.
“Lookz (sic) like the East Palo Alto Siasi Tonga Church had a wonderful Motherz (sic) Day yesterday,’ a caption posted with the video read.
Eventually some men and women intervened and split up the church brawl.
It was not clear what caused the stoush.
Speed and alcohol are believed to be factors in a fatal crash in Kolonga, that killed a 38-year-old man from Afā, police said.
The man died instantly when the vehicle he was travelling in hit a coconut tree on Saturday night, Police said.
The crash happened on the main road at around 11.30pm.
It was unclear whether or not there was no one else in the car when it crashed.
