The Government halts all current pay equity claims, Stanford concedes use of personal email 'untidy', and a Kiwi motorcyclist has been killed in a crash in England.
1 Govt halts all current pay equity claims, makes it harder to lodge new ones
Workplace Minister Brooke van Velden said the proposed changes would "significantly reduce costs to the Crown" and would discontinue current claims.
There have been massive pay equity claims in recent years for nurses and rest home workers.
The PSA union said the changes were a "dark day for New Zealand women", while the nurse's union described it as a "blatant and shameful attack".
2 Education Minister Erica Stanford concedes use of personal email 'untidy'
Erica Stanford has spoken after 1News revealed she sent pre-Budget announcements to her personal email last year and had used her Gmail for ministerial business over the course of her time as a minister.
The senior minister, who holds the education and immigration portfolios, said today she was "not a perfect human". Yesterday, she put the practice down to printing issues.
But Stanford said she had "taken lots of steps" to avoid the issue from arising further.
3 Bystanders prevent abduction of Auckland primary student
A stranger allegedly tried to force an 8-year-old boy into a car outside an Auckland primary school yesterday before bystanders intervened and the man drove off.
Rowandale School principal Karl Vasau told 1News the pupil was "doing fine" following the incident and was surrounded by a "supportive, loving family".
Police confirmed they were investigating an incident from around 3pm on Monday outside Rowandale School in the suburb of Manurewa.
4 Two men's shared name brings decades of trouble and a hefty bill to one
For decades, Shane William Pritchard has been charged with crimes he didn’t commit and chased for debts he doesn’t owe. That’s because the Dunedin man is not the only Shane William Pritchard in town.
The duo’s shared name and age has sometimes been a handy loophole for one Shane but, for the other, it has caused problems for 36 years and he's approached Gill Higgins for help.
5 Kiwi motorcyclist killed in 11-bike British Supersport crash
Shane Richardson, 29, was fatally injured alongside Englishman Owen Jenner, 21, on the first corner of the race at Oulton Park, south of Liverpool.
Richardson, who was a previous New Zealand rider of the year, had been based in Britain since 2019.
Cemetery Circuit in Whanganui posted to its social media in tribute to Richardson, saying he was a "top bloke, a fantastic and talented racer and a genuine human".
ONE FESTIVAL MOVE
From next year, Homegrown will be held at Hamilton's Claudelands Oval.
In January the festival, which showcases New Zealand music, confirmed it would be leaving Wellington's waterfront after being there for 18 years.
Organisers said Hamilton offers potential for the festival to expand and evolve as New Zealand's fastest-growing city.
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