Jessica Hopkins

New Zealand

Auckland Reporter at Radio New Zealand (RNZ)

Articles

Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown rejects claims he hasn't supported flood-impacted residents

1 week ago | radionz.co.nz | Jessica Hopkins

Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown is rejecting claims he has not done enough to support flood-impacted residents in west Auckland. It comes after West Auckland's flooding spokesperson Lyall Carter told RNZ that while deputy mayor Desley Simpson and other councillors had visited the community and listened to their concerns, mayor Brown had not.
Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown rejects claims he hasn't supported flood-impacted residents

1 week ago | rnz.co.nz | Jessica Hopkins

Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown is rejecting claims he has not done enough to support flood-impacted residents in west Auckland. It comes after West Auckland is Flooding spokesperson Lyall Carter told RNZ that while Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson and other councillors had visited the community and listened to their concerns, Mayor Brown had not.
Auckland mayor 'considering' offer to visit flood-impacted residents

1 week ago | rnz.co.nz | Jessica Hopkins

Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown is not saying if he will take up an offer to visit flood-impacted residents in West Auckland. West Auckland is Flooding spokesperson Lyall Carter told RNZ the group has welcomed news that Auckland Council has approved a plan to deal with land bought from homeowners after the 2023 storms. He said West Aucklanders had been calling on the council to do something about vacated land which was attracting looters to the neighbourhood.
Auckland mayor 'considering' offer to visit flood-impacted residents

1 week ago | radionz.co.nz | Jessica Hopkins

Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown is not saying if he will take up an offer to visit flood-impacted residents in West Auckland. West Auckland is Flooding spokesperson Lyall Carter told RNZ the group has welcomed news that Auckland Council has approved a plan to deal with land bought from homeowners after the 2023 storms. He said West Aucklanders had been calling on the council to do something about vacated land which was attracting looters to the neighbourhood.
Auckland mayoral candidate urges deputy mayor Desley Simpson to join the race

1 week ago | rnz.co.nz | Jessica Hopkins

One of Auckland's main mayoral candidates is encouraging a potential opponent to throw her hat in the ring after current mayor Wayne Brown took a jab at her. Kerrin Leoni accused Brown of "bully behaviour" after he claimed his deputy mayor, Desley Simpson, who was considering going up against him for the city's top job, was only interested in helping her constituents buy Lamborghinis. Brown later apologised for the comments which he made during an interview with the New Zealand Herald.
Te Tiriti o Waitangi lawyer unsurprised most submissions oppose Treaty Principles Bill

2 weeks ago | rnz.co.nz | Jessica Hopkins

A lawyer and educator specialising in Te Tiriti o Waitangi says the public has sent a clear message to the government, with an overwhelming number of submissions against the Treaty Principles Bill. Parliament's Justice Committee released a report on Friday showing out of roughly 300,000 written submissions on the bill, 90 percent opposed it. ACT leader David Seymour, who brought the bill to the House, says he will continue to push the bill.
Reports greyhound trainer moving dogs to Australia ahead of ban

3 weeks ago | rnz.co.nz | Jessica Hopkins

Winston Peters says he is aware of a greyhound trainer relocating their dogs to Australia for racing purposes ahead of the industry being banned in New Zealand. The government announced last year it would end greyhound racing, to protect the welfare of racing dogs. But despite Racing Minister Peters saying race dogs would not be "re-racetracked" overseas under new legislation, an Australian greyhound racing news outlet reported 80 New Zealand greyhounds were sent to Australia this week.
Shakespeare curriculum draws mixed reaction from high school graduates

3 weeks ago | rnz.co.nz | Jessica Hopkins

Senior secondary school students may soon be delving into one of Shakespeare's plays, when a new curriculum is enforced in term 1 next year. If the Ministry of Education's draft curriculum, currently out for public consultation, goes ahead, studying Shakespeare would become compulsory in both years 12 and 13. RNZ asked recent high school graduates at the University of Auckland and Auckland University of Technology what they thought of making Shakespeare mandatory.
Sweet tree-lief: Wayfaring road cone to be removed from 50m treetop

3 weeks ago | rnz.co.nz | Jessica Hopkins

Auckland Council says it will remove a road cone left on top of a 50-metre tall tree after it forgot about it for almost six months. Auckland resident Neil Coutinho shared a video of the mysteriously placed cone at Symonds Street Cemetery in Auckland CBD in August last year. "There were a lot of articles going around at the time with Mayor Wayne Brown complaining about the overuse of road cones so I found it funny to see one on top of a pine tree in the middle of a cemetery.
City Vision announces 2025 candidates for Auckland Council

3 weeks ago | rnz.co.nz | Jessica Hopkins

The Green and Labour party adjacent local body political group, City Vision, has announced its 2025 candidates for Auckland Council. Aucklanders will be voting in new councillors later this year. City Vision candidate Julie Fairey was set on retaining her position as an Albert-Eden-Puketāpapa Ward councillor, and would stand alongside local board member Jon Turner.