Articles tagged with Whanganui
Government Funds Memorials and Support for Survivors of Abuse in Care Royal Commission
2 days ago | 92 viewsThe New Zealand Government is funding seven local authorities and 68 non-government organisations through the Survivor Support and Recognition Fund (SSRF) to memorialise at least 4,000 unmarked graves linked to psychiatric and psychopaedic sites and to support survivors of abuse in care. Since its establishment after the 2024 public apology, the SSRF has allocated over $4.9 million in two funding rounds to create memorials, provide survivor services such as peer support and therapy, and conduct research on burial sites. These initiatives aim to acknowledge the long-term impact of abuse and neglect in care, fulfilling key recommendations of the Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry.
Tags: Erica Stanford Auckland Council Christchurch City Council Dunedin City Council Nelson City Council Porirua City Council Rangitikei District Council Whanganui District Council Lake Alice Abuse in Care Royal CommissionNgā Hapū o Te Iwi o Whanganui Claims Settlement Bill Passes First Reading
1 week ago | 115 viewsThe Ngā Hapū o Te Iwi o Whanganui Claims Settlement Bill has passed its first reading after nine years of negotiations, marking progress in addressing historical Treaty of Waitangi grievances related to 19th-century warfare, unfair land transactions, and land alienation. The settlement includes a Crown apology, $30 million in financial and commercial redress, and the return of 27 culturally significant sites, such as Pākaitore (Moutoa Gardens). This milestone establishes a new relationship between Ngā Hapū o Te Iwi o Whanganui and the Crown based on partnership, trust, and respect, covering a redress area centered on Whanganui city and surrounding regions.
Tags: Ngā Hapū o Te Iwi o Whanganui Treaty of Waitangi Paul Goldsmith Whanganui Kaiwhaiki Pā Crown Pākaitore Moutoa Gardens Pipiriki Whangaehu RiverNZTA Funds $2.7M Whanganui Wakefield Street Railway Overbridge Replacement
1 month ago | 247 viewsThe NZ Transport Agency has approved $2.7 million funding for a new Wakefield Street railway overbridge in Whanganui East to replace the unsafe 70-year-old timber bridge closed in January 2025. The new bridge, funded 62% by NZTA and the remainder by Whanganui District Council, will restore a vital local connection, support heavier vehicles, and improve transport resilience. Construction is set to begin later this year and finish by mid-2027, enhancing safety and efficiency for residents and businesses.
Tags: Chris Bishop Carl Bates NZ Transport Agency Whanganui East Wakefield Street bridge New Plymouth–Marton rail line Whanganui District Council railway overbridge transport infrastructure New ZealandNew Crane Dredging Barge to Boost Access and Resilience for NZ’s Small Ports
2 months ago | 448 viewsNew Zealand is investing $8 million through the Coastal Shipping Resilience Fund to co-fund a purpose-built crane dredging barge aimed at improving access to smaller ports that are often cut off during natural disasters. This new, cost-effective equipment will enable timely dredging of regional ports, ensuring essential supplies can be delivered by sea when road and rail links are disrupted. The $12.9 million barge, co-funded by Johnson Bros Limited, will be operational by late 2027 to enhance nationwide resilience and support community recovery.
Tags: James Meager New Zealand Whanganui Port Cyclone Gabrielle Greymouth Ōpōtiki Johnson Bros Limited Coastal Shipping Resilience Fund Northland Transport MinisterPalmerston North Hospital Emergency Dept Expands with $14.5M Upgrade
3 months ago | 504 viewsConstruction is underway to expand and upgrade Palmerston North Hospital’s emergency department with a $14.455 million investment aimed at increasing capacity by 40 percent and improving patient flow, safety, and privacy. This project is part of the Government’s $100 million hospital infrastructure programme funded through Budget 2025, which supports 21 local projects nationwide to enhance clinical spaces and infrastructure. The emergency department, a key regional hub, will remain operational during redevelopment, expected to finish by June 2026, ensuring continuous patient care amid growing demand.
Tags: Palmerston North Hospital Simeon Brown emergency department Health Minister hospital redevelopment Budget 2025 MidCentral district Whanganui Hospital Dannevirke Community Hospital Horowhenua Health CentreNew Te Piringa Āhuru Crisis Recovery Café Opens in South Auckland
3 months ago | 721 viewsMental Health Minister Matt Doocey officially opened Te Piringa Āhuru, a new Crisis Recovery Café in South Auckland, providing a calm, peer-led, non-clinical space for people experiencing mental health or addiction challenges. The café, run by Ember, offers peer support workers who connect individuals to community services and provide empathetic understanding from lived experience, enhancing hope and recovery. This initiative is part of a broader government mental health plan to expand crisis recovery cafés nationwide, increase frontline workers, and improve crisis response services.
Tags: Matt Doocey Te Piringa Āhuru Ember South Auckland New Zealand Whanganui New Plymouth Whakatāne Mental Health Minister Crisis Recovery CaféNational Mental Health and Addiction Services Performance in Review: Positive Progress and Targets Exceeded
7 months ago | 664 viewsMinister for Mental Health Matt Doocey highlights positive trends in mental health and addiction services performance nationwide, with increased access to support and progress in meeting targets observed across various regions. The focus remains on not just meeting national targets but also addressing areas needing additional support, with a 10% growth in the frontline mental health workforce. The government's commitment is to deliver faster support, more frontline workers, and improved crisis response to ensure assistance is readily available for those in need throughout New Zealand.
Tags: Matt Doocey mental health addiction services Kiwis Whanganui district Central region South Island Southern district HNZ regional leaders Health NZRecord Attendance Trends in Schools Signal Positive Shifts for Education System
9 months ago | 874 viewsSince Term 1 of 2024, attendance rates in schools have consistently increased each term compared to the previous year, with Term 2 of this year seeing a notable rise to 58.4% from 53.4% in Term 2 of the previous year. Associate Education Minister David Seymour highlights improvements in attendance across all regions, with a significant decrease in chronic absence rates. Plans are underway to enforce stricter attendance measures, including mandatory school attendance management plans aligned with the STAR program by 2026, with prosecution as a last resort for parents who persistently fail to ensure their children attend school. A $140 million budget allocation in 2025 aims to enhance attendance rates over the next four years to promote positive educational outcomes and long-term benefits for students.
Tags: Term 1 2024 Attendance David Seymour Education Minister Taranaki Whanganui Manawatū STAR Prosecution Budget 2025Whanganui Airport Invests in Safety and Connectivity Boost
9 months ago | 1076 viewsThe Government will invest $3.35 million in Whanganui Airport to build a new sealed parallel taxiway, enhancing safety and regional connectivity. This investment aims to address safety concerns by reducing the risk of collisions and aircraft congestion, making flying safer for pilots and passengers. The taxpayer-funded project, supported by local MP Carl Bates, will improve resilience, support economic growth, and benefit the region's aviation industry and community.
Tags: Whanganui Airport safety regional connectivity economic growth James Meager investment taxpayer funding Carl Bates aviation New Zealand International Commercial Pilot Academy