News from NZ Police
NZ’s top police officer will be on the streets of Auckland tonight to support staff working to keep people safe this New Year’s Eve. Commissioner Peter Marshall goes out in Auckland City Police District; Deputy Commissioner Mike Bush will be with staff in Wellington, while Deputy Commissioner Viv Rickard is working at the Rhythm and Vines music festival near Gisborne. Read more »

Press Release – Rhythm and Vines

Day two of Rhythm and Vines 2012 looked at first like it could be wet, but the Gisborne sunshine pulled through and brought with it an amazing sunset above Waiohika. Read more »

Press Release – Madcap Touring & Undertheradar present
GOLD PANDA (GHOSTLY INTERNATIONAL/NOTOWN/UK)

Gold Panda (Government name: Derwin R. Powers) is fluent in Japanese, has a degree in Asian studies and before he became a full time electronic musician, spent several years working in a sex shop in London. Born in South London, raised in the Essex countryside and extremely comfortable doing nothing, when Gold Panda steps to the controls in his music studio or live in nightclubs across the globe, everything dovetails together into an enchanted techno hip-hop soundworld all his own. Read more »

Auckland.Scoop
Auckland gains two new Dames and three new Knights in the New Year honours list announced today. Read more »

News from NZ Police
Police inquiries into yesterday’s cowardly assault on a Kawerau woman are continuing. The 71-year-old is in a stable condition in hospital with a fractured cheekbone and jaw. Read more »

Opinion by Conor English of Federated Farmers
New Zealand is a big country – at 268,000 square kms we are bigger than the United Kingdom, we are 67% the size of Germany, 72% the size of Japan. Our coastline is longer than both mainland USA and mainland China. Our economic zone is more than half the size of Australia. But these countries have far greater populations than we do. Demographics drives a lot in any country, any economy. Read more »

Press Release – New Zealand Lotteries Commission
With the New Year just a few days away, a winner from Waiheke Island will start 2013 feeling flush after winning $1 million with Lotto First Division. Read more »

Opinion from Cameron Brewer
The NZ Transport Agency should hurry up with its investigations and deliver drivers better payment options when using the Northern Gateway Toll Road, which should preferably include the ability to pay via text. Read more »

Press Release – Westpac Halberg Awards
Outstanding performances by New Zealand sports teams and individuals during 2012 have been reflected in the finalists selected for the 50th Westpac Halberg Awards. Read more »

Press Release – BW Camping Festival
A world record has been broken at a Midway Beach in Gisborne this afternoon, in a successful bid to break the world record for skinny dippers. Read more »

News from NZ Police
two 12-year-old boys saved the life of a drowning man at Bowentown Beach this afternoon. Read more »

News from Western Springs Speedway
Kyle Larson has continued his run of victories in the 2012/13 International Midget series after taking out round two, the World 30 Lap Derby, at Western Springs Speedway tonight. Read more »

Press Release – Trade Me Limited
More Auckland singles are turning to the internet to find a date for New Year’s Eve than ever before, with Trade Me’s dating website FindSomeone reporting record highs for activity levels. Read more »

Report from BusinessDesk
Matson, a Honolulu-based shipping company servicing the northern Pacific, has agreed to buy the Auckland-based Reef Shipping from its receivers, to extend its reach into the South Pacific. Read more »

Report from BusinessDesk
New Zealanders spent 13.4 percent more on Boxing Day than they did a year ago, the first double-digit growth in sales for five years, Paymark says. Sales in Auckland/Northland rose by about 14 per cent to $49.5million. Read more »

News from NZ Police
Two adults and two children have been taken to hospital after a two-car crash on State Highway 1 in the Wayby Valley just south of Wellsford. Read more »

Article by Tony Allen
On Christmas Eve, in Auckland, Housing New Zealand – the State owned housing agency for ‘The Poor’ – was relentlessly executing its policy of either evicting the adult children of tenants whom have died or – by not offering them immediate alternative State housing – inhumanely ensuring they do not attempt to stay in their homes but, instead, leave them – unless, they (that is, the children) can persuade (or a judicial authority can force) Housing N.Z. to allow otherwise. Read more »

Press Release – Western Springs Speedway
Not even the Auckland weather could stop young American sensation Kyle Larson in the opening round of the International Midget series tonight as he stormed to victory in the 25-lap feature race at Western Springs Speedway. Read more »

Press Release – Triathlon New Zealand
www.triathlon.org.nz or www.triseries.co.nz
Once again Whangamata on the Coromandel Peninsula will see in the New Year with the running of an iconic triathlon event when the Contact Tri Series comes to the popular holiday town on January 3rd. Read more »

Press Release – NZ Bloodstock
The Hombre turned on an impressive front running display to win the $50,000 Listed Hallmark Stud Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Ellerslie today. Read more »