Phil Pennington
Asbestos-contaminated soil to be excavated from Ponsonby school
Excavation of contaminated soil begins shortly at a Ponsonby school a year after a fire spread asbestos around the neighbourhood.
The soil already had asbestos in it before the fire which destroyed… Audio
Police say road investigations changed after Tapanui crash
The police say they have fixed how they investigate fatal road crashes to make sure the fraught experience of two families in Otago is not repeated.
The families of Wayne Brenssell and Toby Waitokia… Audio
Police continue to use investigator despite apology
Police apologised for a crash investigator's 'lack of empathy and compassion' towards two widows ... but went on using him anyway.
They have also apologised for their 'narrow' and deficient work on… Audio
Oranga Tamariki underspent funding meant to protect and help child victims of sexual violence
Oranga Tamariki failed to spend millions of dollars especially set aside to protect and help child victims of sexual violence.
Figures obtained by RNZ show it set aside $11 million but only spent $7… Audio
Equipment causing problems for firefighters
Firefighters have been struggling with equipment failures that are putting them at risk.
Fire and Emergency has an ageing fleet of big ladder trucks ladder hoses, pumps or controls leaked, and has… Audio
Housing intensification bill still under scrutiny
A change to a key part of the housing intensification bill has been enough to alarm supporters, but too little to placate critics.
The bill is up for debate at its second reading in Parliament on… Audio
Hospital projects delayed over fire designs
Vital hospital building projects in Auckland are being delayed for months by questions over fire designs - and especially the safe evacuation of smoke-filled rooms.
Stroke, rehabilitation and baby… Audio
Review of warehouse fire finds asbestos floated away
A review of firefighting at a big south Auckland warehouse blaze says asbestos floated up to 1km away.
It also shows 22 fire trucks were not decontaminated and may have carried hazardous asbestos… Audio
Developers, iwi, criticise housing density bill
Developers have told MPs they do not want a housing density bill that gives them open slather across swathes of suburbia.
An iwi says the proposed legislation is a "disgrace".
Phil Pennington… Audio
'Daylight robbery' law change could see homes lose sunlight, views
Householders face losing over a billion dollars worth of sunlight and views under radical housing intensification law changes.
A government cost-benefit analysis puts these price tags on the plans to… Audio
Wave of demolition waste expected with planning law change
A river of new demolition waste is expected to flow from a law change to allow at least three houses be built on one section.
The government is in the dark about just how much and is under fire over… Audio
Controversy around planning law change
A law change to allow three homes up to three storeys high on one existing section is stirring controversy as it is rushed through Parliament.
Some detractors are calling it ad hoc but others vital… Audio
More stories emerge of buyers hit by sunset clauses
More stories are emerging of new house buyers losing out to developers using sunset clauses or other devices against them.
This comes as the escalating price of land and cost of building materials… Audio
More delays for Carillon tower project
A 50 metre high tower with 70 tonnes of bells in it that presents a high earthquake risk in central Wellington, has been allowed to stay that way for up to six more years.
The long running project to… Audio
Home buyers at risk of developers using sunset clauses to bail on contracts
House buyers are at increasing risk of developers using sunset clauses to bail out of contracts.
That's prompted lawyers to begin work on a safer contract in a market plagued by the pandemic.
Phil… Audio
Supply strain stresses hit building standards change
Officials are pulling back from bold new standards to make houses warmer, because of the stresses on the supply chain.
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment will announce new insulation… Audio
Coroner looking into 2015 death of Southland toddler
A man accused of killing a toddler in Southland in 2015, changed his story from saying he did not know what happened to saying he tripped on a skateboard and fell on the boy.
The man was charged with… Audio
Pilot wins scathing court judgement against Civil Aviation Authority
A commercial airline pilot accused of being at risk of killing all his passengers has won a scathing court judgement against Civil Aviation.
The judge says the agency may have been primed to… Video, Audio
Covid-19: Air quality experts want to see focus in schools
Air quality experts are looking to the government's pandemic school plan due out today to do more to protect students in classrooms.
They have just met with the Ministries of education and health to… Audio
Firefighters issue safety notice against employer
Auckland firefighters who say they are being exposed to cancer-causing asbestos have issued a safety notice against their employer.
Fire and Emergency or FENZ admits it has failed to meet health and… Audio
