Petition to Govt over Russian oligarch
Greenpeace Aotearoa is presenting a petition to the Government this Friday calling on it to add Russian oligarch Alexander Abramov - owner of a $50 million luxury lodge at Helena Bay in Northland - to its list of people and entities sanctioned over the war in Ukraine. The Government expanded its sanctions list on Monday but Greenpeace said it missed out the Russian oligarch with the largest investments in New Zealand. The petition will be presented to Disarmament and Arms Control Minister Phil Twyford in Auckland. Last month, Greenpeace took part in a flotilla which sailed to Helena Bay to call on Abramov to put pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine.
Bail for fire accused
A woman accused of deliberately setting fire to the floor of a bedroom where her ex-partner was in bed with another woman has been granted bail. Emma-Louise Kiwara, 33, has pleaded not guilty to arson, two charges of assault on a person in a family relationship, assault with a blunt instrument and breach of a protection order.
The charges relate to an alleged incident at a Kensington house about a month after the court issued the complainant with a protection order against Kiwara. She is said to have gone to the man's house armed with tools. Finding the couple in bed together, she allegedly poured nail polish on the floor and set it alight. The complainant extinguished the flames. Kiwara is then said to have swung a crowbar and claw hammer at the man's head, missing it but striking him on the shoulder. Her application for electronically-monitored bail was heard in Whangārei District Court by Judge Gene Tomlinson, who granted it to a Taumaranui address. Kiwara is next scheduled to appear at a jury trial callover fixture on June 17.
New chief exec for FNDC
The Far North District Council has welcomed its new chief executive in a scaled-back ceremony limited to 20 people in Kaikohe due to the Omicron outbreak. Blair King started on April 1, replacing Shaun Clarke, who headed the organisation for seven years. Normally a new chief executive would receive a full pōwhiri at Kaikohe's Memorial Hall. King, an engineer raised in Kaipara, led Tararua District Council for 12 years until 2020.
Environmental awards deadline
The closing date for applications for the fourth annual Northland Regional Council (NRC) Whakamānawa ā Taiao / Environmental Awards has been extended by 10 days to April 20. The awards recognise the environmental work carried out in the north. NRC says the extension is in part to allow extra time for entries over Easter. The awards cover nine categories: community, pest management, education, water quality improvement, industry, leadership, kaitiakitanga, climate change and youth environmental leader. As of Friday, the council had received 10 completed entries, with another dozen partially completed. For more information visit awards.nrc.govt.nz.
