Latest news with #Waitemata
News.com.au
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Miss Universe New Zealand winner's surprising job
A police officer has been crowned Miss Universe New Zealand, posing in her uniform with her sash to celebrate. Abby Sturgin, a Waitemata police constable, was took home the title across the ditch over the weekend. To mark her win, New Zealand Police posted a photo of the young cop to Instagram wearing her full uniform — complete with taser — in front of a patrol car while wearing her sash and crown. Hundreds of social media users rushed to the comments to wish the 28-year-old congratulations. 'Miss Congeniality,' one person commented. Another said: 'Slay queen.' 'Wow congrats – gotta frame this pic,' another person added. Another added: 'Absolutely wonderful I hope she wins.' 'So exciting! Good luck honey,' one person said. 'How inspiring! A police officer who is able to show her feminine side, to show that she can wear dresses, wear a crown and represent New Zealand on the world stage, along with balancing her other hat as a NZ police officer, upholding law and order/ and safety for the public,' one said. Another added: 'Model Role Model.' Constable Sturgin, who is of New Zealand and Laotian heritage, beat 11 other finalists to claim the title. She first began competing in beauty pageants at 18, saying at the time she was 'figuring herself out' and 'didn't think she was good enough'. Just two years after she started in her pageant career, she won the title of Miss Earth New Zealand. After her Miss Universe New Zealand win, she told Ten One magazine that society has 'built a perception that you can't be pretty, have brains and work hard'. 'I want to be able to show girls that you don't have to dumb down your achievements and your aspirations,' she said. Appearing on TVNZ's 7Sharp, Constable Sturgin said she always knew she wanted to be in a first responder job. She said she loved the fast pace and the fact she had to constantly think on her toes. 'I want young girls — or any women really — to look at me and go, 'She's really cool. She's got a really interesting job but she can also put on a pair of heels, have curly hair and a crown and talk about really important issues',' Constable Sturgin said. Constable Sturgin will attend the 74th Miss Universe competition — held in Thailand — in November.
RNZ News
06-07-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Auckland councillor Mike Lee plans further bid to block private helipads
Mike Lee wants to change city ordinances before the upcoming local body elections. Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly Auckland councillor Mike Lee is leading a new push to ban private helipads in residential areas of the city. The Waitematā and Gulf councillor intends raising two notices of motion at the policy and planning committee meeting on 24 July. "One is for the Hauraki Gulf Islands District Plan, which covers Waiheke and Great Barrier Island, essentially, where helipads have been a major problem with local people. "The other one covers the western bays of Auckland and so that's the Auckland Unitary Plan." "One notice of motion applies to the Auckland situation - the mainland situation - and the other applies to the Gulf Islands," he said. The announcement comes days after billionaire entrepreneur Anna Mowbray and former-All Black husband Ali Williams were given permission to build a helipad at their $24 million waterfront home in Westmere. The commissioners' decision released on Monday 30 June stated flights would be limited to no more than two per day and 10 per month. According to Auckland Council, of 1397 written submissions made on the application, most - 1227, or 87 percent - opposed the helipad on Rawene Avenue, 108 were supportive, and 12 were neutral. "This latest decision, according to the commissioner, Kit Littlejohn, says helipads are enabled in residential areas as a permitted activity and has gone so far, quite extraordinarily, to assert that helicopters are equivalent to cars and they're intrinsic to residential living, which is a pretty extreme argument," Lee said. "I don't think most people would agree with that, but nonetheless, the unitary plan is not as clear on this matter as everyone had assumed until now and, therefore, the need for clarity is quite urgent really. "Why should people be disturbed in their own homes and properties by people who are making an awful racket, and flying aircraft into the neighbourhood." He believed many Aucklanders agreed with him and that helipads in residential areas created a large volume of complaints. "It's not designed to be a ban on helicopters or helipads," Lee said. "It's private residential use that we're concerned about, because that's what causes all the complaints. "When you think about it, landing an aircraft in a built-up area as a routine means of transport is just crazy and it's unacceptable. "We have to tidy it up and give people certainty, that's even the Mowbrays - Ali Williams and Miss Mowbray - who spent three years and I guess a hell of a lot of money on this application. "People like that need some certainty as well, because the way things are now, it's quite a mess and needs to be tidied up." The Auckland councillor has previously attempted to ban private helipads in residential areas, but his motion in March last year lost 10-8. "I have tried in the past, of course, and narrowly failed to get the majority of councillors and the mayor to vote for making helipads in residential areas a prohibited activity," Lee said. "There's an election coming up and we don't have that much time in the current term of this council to do something about it, and I was determined to do something in this term of the council." The Auckland councillor said he'd like the city to follow some Australian cities that have prohibited private helipads in residential areas, unless they have a Fly Neighbourly Agreement with local residents. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
01-07-2025
- RNZ News
Teen dies after car crashes into house while fleeing police in Kumeū
Photo: RNZ/Calvin Samuel A person has died from injuries suffered when a car crashed into a house in the north-west Auckland suburb of Kumeū. An investigation has been under way since Friday night, when a car that had failed to stop for police crashed on Coatesville-Riverhead Highway at about 8.20pm. Two teenagers were criticallly injured, while another two received serious injuries. The conditions of three have stabilised in recent days. However, one teenage male who'd been in a critical condition since the crash, died in Auckland City Hospital on Tuesday night. "This is a tragic development for eveyone concerned on top of an incident thathas had devastating impacts for these young people," Waitematā District Commander Superintendent Naila Hassan said. The Independent Police Conduct Authority has been notified of the incident. Photo: Calvin Samuel Investigations into the events of Friday night are ongoing. Hassan said attending officers were confronted with a "very traumatic scene". Four ambulances, five rapid response units, two operations managers and a major incident support vehicle were sent to the scene, according to a Hato Hone St John spokesperson. Fire and Emergency dispatched two fire crews, but no one was trapped and the house suffered no structural damage. Police say they've notified the Independent Police Conduct Authority of the incident as part of this process. More to come... Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
10-06-2025
- RNZ News
Warning scammers impersonating police officers targeting New Zealanders
Police are warning New Zealanders to keep an ear out for cold callers impersonating police officers. Photo: 123RF Police are warning New Zealanders to keep an ear out for cold callers impersonating police officers. Waitematā's acting Detective Senior Sergeant Ben Bergin said scammers would pose as officers and try to extract personal details from the victim. "The story changes slightly, but it will usually involve some sort of investigation and this 'officer' will report having located a valuable item of yours, such as a passport," he said in a statement. "He will need your help or ask for your personal information. The caller speaks with an English accent and provides a bogus ID number to the victim." Police arrested a number of people last year for a similar scam, which involved the scammers asking victims to withdraw cash as part of an "investigation." "We strongly advise that you hang up," he said. "From time-to-time, Police officers may contact you as part of their genuine duties. It can be a bit surprising to receive a call unexpectantly, so stop and think if you get a far-fetched story shared down the telephone line." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
