Stories by Rayssa Almeida
News
Nationwide rollout of drug courts would save 'millions' - criminologist
Experts say NZ's three Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Courts are far more effective than prison rehab - and they want more of them.
'A bit of a jungle': Concertgoers say public transport could have been better
Auckland Transport is defending how it handled an influx of public transport users at the weekend, but Pink fans say the service was confusing and inefficient.
White Island Tours cannot afford fines, 'likely' to go into liquidation
Victims of the eruption will receive $5m reparations, paid for by insurance, but the tour company has no funds to cover its $517k fine, lawyer says.
Woman pleads guilty to helping accused man avoid arrest after Auckland killing
Tiari Boon-Harris pleaded guilty to aiding a man accused of a fatal shooting on Auckland's Queen Street in August 2023.
Residents take case against council over land gifted to pensioners
Kāinga Ora is is reapplying to build a 68-unit complex in Auckland's Blockhouse Bay.
Welfare crackdown will directly hit homeless youth - advocate
"What these young people are going through is already traumatic," advocates say.
High school closed after threatening call
Police advised the school to close after the threat was made on Sunday.
Mammogram extension overdue - cancer victim's daughter
Sarah's mum was too old for free scans when diagnosed with breast cancer. Had the exension come earlier, she might still be alive, Sarah says.
Prison fails to adequately address mental health needs - inspector
Inmates seeking mental health support were waiting up to three months to see a clinician, inspectors say.
Ceremony marks first anniversary of Muriwai firefighters' deaths
Hundreds have gathered at Auckland's west coast to remember two firefighters who died during Cyclone Gabrielle.
Auckland CBD an economic powerhouse, but businesses struggling
Auckland's city centre has beaten New Zealand's economic growth for two years straight, but businesses in the area say they are still struggling to keep afloat.
Man who helped Brazilian women work illegally as prostitutes sentenced
Michael James Sloan and his co-defendant acted as booking agents for 15 Brazilian women, arranging advertising, handling customer service and bookings.
Arrests made at Christchurch protest
Four people have been arrested after blocking traffic in Christchurch during a protest on this afternoon.
Medical centre's failure to refer patient to urologist led to his death - report
A medical centre has been asked to apologise to the family of a man who died after complications from prostate cancer.
Work and Income's lack of empathy sending people back to jail - criminologist
The service should be focused on providing stable housing for released prisoners, the Auckland criminologist says.
Work and Income case manager tells client to 'go rob a bank'
Sajay Singh was told to "shut up" and that he shouldn't be "fussy" during a call about accommodation. Audio
Mayor Brown: How Auckland will recover and prepare for future disasters
Auckland will take years to recover from the the Anniversary Floods and Cyclone Gabrielle devastation, Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown says.
Hamilton Zoo reveals gender of its new Sumatran tiger cubs
They were the first cubs born at Hamilton Zoo since the birth of Kirana and her brother Kembali in 2014.
Incident at Plant Food and Research facility
The facility was evacuated after a chemical odour triggered the fire alarm.
No beaches should be driven on, councillor says after death
A Porirua councillor says one of their beaches has become a lot safer after banning when residents raised safety concerns.
Couple use savings to build centre for homeless youth
Aaron and Summer Hendry are digging into their own pockets to build the first 24-hour youth emergency centre in the country.
Homeless missing out on vital psychiatric care - researcher
"When someone has a major mental illness and they don't have stable and secure accommodation, it's very, very hard for them to be recovering."
New Zealand signs up to COP28 food declaration
New Zealand has signed an international agreement saying agriculture and food production must urgently adapt to respond to climate change.
'They're thankful and blessed that everybody's alive' - church leader
A local school has closed for the day due to concerns around asbestos in the burning buildings.
Auckland businesses blindsided by SailGP cancellation
The cancellation of SailGP, scheduled to be hosted in Auckland next year, feels like a "gut punch" for business in the city centre. Audio