The funding is part of a wider package unanimously agreed by Wellington City Council’s Te Hoe Matua | City Strategy and Delivery Committee on 29 October, including expanded organics collection and plans for a bigger Tip Shop.

At Te Aro Zero Waste in Forresters Lane, residents can already bring in items for recycling, shop for second-hand goods and use resources to help them repair what they own.

Its regular sewing sessions give people help with mending clothes, while repair cafés bring together volunteers with skills ranging from electrical repairs to tool sharpening. Sewing machines are also available during opening hours for people who can do their own repairs but lack the equipment or space.

The centre works with community organisations to give donated goods another use, including passing suitable curtains to the Wellington Curtain Bank and bikes to EkeRua ReBicycle.

Mayor Andrew Little said the decision recognised the work already being done by community groups, volunteers and local organisations.

“The Council can support these initiatives, scale up what works, and enable grassroots organisations and citizens to continue taking the lead on waste and recycling issues.”

An amendment from Councillor Jonny Osborne formed a key part of the package. He said stronger resource recovery networks were needed to limit expansion of the Southern Landfill.

Alongside continued support for Te Aro Zero Waste, the committee agreed to a major expansion of community and local organics collection, stronger resource recovery networks, and planning and construction of a larger Tip Shop and transfer station.

It also agreed to explore monthly glass recycling collections and support the recovery of reusable building materials before they are disposed of as cleanfill. Monthly glass collections are an option to investigate, not an announced change to residents’ collections.

The work comes with a funding challenge: the council relies heavily on landfill disposal revenue to help pay for waste services. Reducing the amount dumped also reduces that income.

The council receives around $4.7 million a year from the Waste Minimisation Levy and holds around $9 million in levy reserves. Those funds will help maintain services while longer-term options are considered through the 2027–37 Long-term Plan.

Te Aro Zero Waste is at 2 Forresters Lane and opens Wednesday to Saturday, 10am-4pm. Information about accepted items, repair resources and upcoming sessions is available on its website. https://sustaintrust.org.nz/our-events

The Wellington City Council project turns a visit to the city’s green spaces into a hunt, with riddles and hints revealing where the themed gardens are tucked away.

Six council apprentices are taking part this year, displaying gardens they have designed and tended. Visitors can explore their creations throughout November and vote for their favourites in the People’s Choice competition.

Clues will be available on the council’s Hidden Gardens webpage from 2 November. More information will appear on the council’s Facebook and Instagram channels during the month.

The Wellington Gardens event listing places the gardens at multiple locations across the city, with visits from dawn until dusk.

For the apprentices, the project provides a public showcase for the horticultural skills they are developing. In a 2024 introduction to the programme, the council described a three-year apprenticeship combining work in nature with a New Zealand Certificate in Horticulture, specialising in amenity horticulture.

Previous Hidden Gardens projects have given apprentices room to develop very different ideas. In 2023, themes included witches, ferns and fungi, the power of soil and an alpine adventure, with gardens developed over the course of that year.

This year’s public vote runs from 2 to 30 November. People who vote can enter a draw for a night’s stay for two at the historic Sextons Cottage near Bolton Street Cemetery.

The People’s Choice winner will be announced in December, but the gardens will remain in place throughout summer, giving residents more time to visit after voting closes.

Clues and voting information will be available at wellington.govt.nz/hidden-gardens.

The Graze Wine Bar chef is creating and serving the dinner at Everybody Eats-LTD in Te Aro on Thursday 29 October. All ticket proceeds will support Kaibosh’s work collecting surplus food and getting it to community organisations.

The charity, founded in Wellington in 2008, reports redistributing around 75 tonnes of food a month across its regional operation. That figure covers its wider service area, including the Hutt Valley, Kāpiti and Horowhenua, not Wellington city alone.

From hubs in Wellington, Petone and Paraparaumu, teams collect food donated by businesses and volunteers sort and check it before it is packed for community partners to collect. The food goes through organisations such as foodbanks, community centres, youth programmes and services supporting older people and new parents.

Everybody Eats is also named in Kaibosh’s published 2024/25 community-partner list, alongside Wellington organisations including DCM, the Compassion Centre and Newtown Community & Cultural Centre.

At the dinner, guests will receive clues to a fictional murder, with actors revealing further information between courses. The challenge is to identify the killer, motive and means. Costumes are optional, with a prize for the best dressed.

Doors open at 6pm, the mystery begins at 6.30pm and the evening is scheduled to finish at 9pm. It is for people aged 16 and over, and dietary requirements can be catered for. Drinks, including non-alcoholic options, are purchased separately.

The venue is upstairs at Level 1, 60 Dixon Street and has no lift.

Individual tickets are listed at $127.46 including the booking fee. A table of four is $470.09 and a table of six is $704.86, also including fees. Ticket selections were still being offered on Thursday morning; current availability can be checked through the event’s Humanitix booking page.

The organisations have signed an open letter to Kāinga Ora chief executive Tracey Taylor, calling for the withdrawal of 4, 6 and 8 Nuku Street from a deadline sale closing at 4pm on Wednesday 21 October.

The deadline falls 17 days before New Zealand’s general election on 7 November.

The 9,965-square-metre property contains three apartment blocks with 36 one- and two-bedroom units. It is being marketed by Bayleys as a development opportunity, with resource consent already granted for a 39-lot subdivision.

Potential buyers could renovate the existing buildings or demolish them to make way for new housing.

The organisations argue that selling the site into private ownership would remove an opportunity to provide additional state housing in a city where hundreds of households are waiting for accommodation.

The signatories include Wellington City Mission, Downtown Community Ministry, Pōneke Public Housing Futures, Renters United, Catholic Social Services, Wesley Community Action, Common Grace Aotearoa, the Catholic Archdiocese of Wellington’s Ecology, Justice and Peace Commission, and Strathmore Housing Action.

Strathmore Housing Action representative Lizzie Pringle, who organised the letter, says the timing of the sale is particularly concerning because government housing priorities could change following the election.

“We urge Kāinga Ora to press pause on this deadline sale,” she says.

The organisations want the property retained in public ownership until the incoming government has had an opportunity to consider its future.

They point to more than 600 Wellington households waiting for public housing and question whether suitable publicly owned land should be sold while demand remains high.

Natalia Albert, Housing First Manager at Downtown Community Ministry, says the shortage of appropriate homes is a continuing obstacle for organisations working with people experiencing homelessness.

Her organisation helps people secure housing and provides ongoing support, but finding suitable accommodation remains one of the greatest challenges.

The campaign follows a public forum organised by Strathmore Housing Action, attended by local election candidates, residents and housing specialist Dr Rebecca Kiddle.

The meeting examined the importance of public housing and the consequences of losing land that could otherwise be used for future developments.

Kāinga Ora has been selling properties across New Zealand as part of a nationwide programme to renew its housing stock.

The agency says it expects to sell around 900 homes annually over the next few years, with proceeds reinvested in new and upgraded state housing.

Its policy is to replace each home sold with a newly built home elsewhere, maintaining a national portfolio of around 78,000 homes.

However, the Wellington organisations question whether the Nuku Street property should be included in that programme, given its size, existing buildings and potential for additional housing.

The dispute comes as Kāinga Ora prepares another housing development nearby.

In September, the agency announced plans to replace 31 ageing homes on Ngatiapa Street in Strathmore Park with 37 new homes, including two-, three- and four-bedroom properties.

Subject to approvals, construction could begin in early 2028.

That project is separate from the Nuku Street property, and the organisations argue that proceeding with new housing elsewhere in Strathmore does not justify selling other publicly owned sites.

The Bayleys listing confirms that the Nuku Street property will not be sold before the 21 October deadline. It does not establish whether the existing apartments are occupied or what a future buyer would ultimately develop.

Kāinga Ora’s specific response to the organisations’ latest letter has not yet been established.

With the sale deadline approaching, the nine organisations are seeking a decision to withdraw the property from the market and leave its long-term future to be considered after the election.

Health New Zealand announced the case on 8 October and said the National Public Health Service was working with the infected person and their close contacts to prevent further spread.

Public health officials are also identifying places the person may have visited while infectious, with locations of interest being published through Health New Zealand’s website.

Medical Officer of Health for the Greater Wellington region, Dr Craig Thornley, said international travel during the school holidays made it important for people to recognise the risk of measles being brought into New Zealand.

Measles can spread easily between people who are not immune, and the infection can cause serious illness in both children and adults.

Early symptoms commonly include a fever, cough, runny nose and sore or watery red eyes. A rash generally develops later, often beginning on the face before spreading to other parts of the body.

Health authorities are advising anyone with possible measles symptoms to stay home and contact their healthcare provider or Healthline before attending a clinic.

Calling ahead allows medical staff to take precautions and reduce the risk of exposing other patients.

Vaccination remains the most effective protection. Health New Zealand recommends checking whether people have received two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, known as MMR.

People who are unsure of their vaccination history can check their immunisation records or discuss their circumstances with a healthcare provider.

The public health advice is particularly important for families with young children and people who may have been exposed while travelling or attending public places.

Anyone who visited a listed location of interest during the specified exposure period should follow the instructions published for that location. The locations and advice can change as contact tracing continues.

Residents experiencing symptoms can call Healthline free on 0800 611 116.

Health New Zealand has not identified this case as part of a confirmed local outbreak in its 8 October announcement.

The woman commented on Wellington News’s earlier coverage, explaining that she had fallen from an e-scooter on the afternoon of 30 September.

“Stand down team it is most likely me from an e-scooter faceplant,” she wrote.

She said she had been treated at a hospital emergency department, where she underwent CT scans of her head and neck, followed by an ear, nose and throat outpatient appointment.

Police had also spoken with her and taken a DNA swab to establish whether the blood found in the underpass belonged to her.

The woman said bystanders had helped her following the accident but there had been no water available to wash away the blood.

She apologised for the mess and thanked those who had expressed concern.

“Good that we all look out for each other,” she wrote.

The blood was discovered in the pedestrian tunnel connecting Coutts Street in Rongotai with Miro Street in Miramar.

Police were called to the scene at around 10.40pm on Sunday 4 October and cordoned off the tunnel while investigators examined the area.

Officers confirmed the blood was human but could not initially establish what had happened or locate anyone who might have been injured.

Detective Senior Sergeant Steve Wescott subsequently appealed for information from the public, including CCTV and dashcam footage.

The unusual discovery prompted widespread concern about whether someone had been seriously injured or was missing.

On Tuesday 13 October, Police confirmed they had identified the source of the blood and established there were no suspicious circumstances.

No further Police involvement was required.

Police have not publicly identified the person involved or confirmed the circumstances of the accident.

The woman said hospital staff had given her the all-clear to return to normal activities.

She thanked everyone who had shown concern and reassured readers that she was doing well following the accident.

The winners were announced at the Embassy Theatre on 2 October, following a public screening of films created by local filmmakers for Wellington charities and community organisations.

The challenge brought together professional filmmakers, students and volunteers to produce short films that participating charities can use to promote their services, attract supporters and tell their stories.

Traces of Nut received the Supreme Winner: Judges’ Choice award for its work with Radiant Hope Community Trust, which provides food assistance, employment support and household essentials to people in need.

Filmmaking team Couch Kumara was named runner-up in the Judges’ Choice category for its film Livvy’s Story, made for New Zealand Riding for the Disabled. The team also received the Rocket Rentals Technical Excellence Award for another film, Behind Every Ride, produced for the same organisation.

The Most Creative / Out of the Box award was shared by two teams: Fairlie Professional, which created a film for Walk Wellington, and Copper Bus Productions, which worked with Dress for Success Wellington.

Dress for Success helps people develop the skills and confidence needed to enter or return to employment. Its services include interview preparation, career coaching, mentoring and work experience opportunities.

Team Wildflowers received the Empire Films Unfinished Story Award for its work with Newtown Community Centre. Michelle Cameron, working with the same team, also received the WIFT Female & Gender-Diverse Award.

The Wellington UNESCO City of Film Diversity in Film Award went to Young Joys for a film made for EKTA, an organisation supporting community connection and empowerment.

Reel You In received the Wellington UNESCO City of Film Emerging Filmmaker Award for its film with Barnardos Aotearoa, with the award presented to Finn Grieve and Jess Roulston.

Samuel James, working with Team Billie on a film for Cycling Action Network, received the Te Herenga Waka Above & Beyond Student Award.

The Portsmouth Award for Best Storytelling went to Butterfly Effect for its film featuring Wellington Women’s House, which provides safe and affordable accommodation for women rebuilding their lives.

The Community Film Challenge was organised as part of Volunteer Wellington’s activities marking the United Nations’ International Year of the Volunteer.

Participating filmmakers were matched with local charities on 11 September, giving teams time to develop their ideas before filming on 18 September and completing post-production the following day.

The completed films were submitted on 20 September, ahead of the awards screening at the Embassy Theatre.

The project was designed to give charities access to professional filmmaking skills while creating opportunities for students and emerging filmmakers to gain practical experience.

All the completed films, including the award-winning entries, are available to watch on Volunteer Wellington’s Community Film Challenge website.

The incident happened at around 10.50pm on 1 October on the corner of Willis and Dixon streets.

Police say CCTV footage shows the pair standing outside the bar when the paintball gun was discharged towards them from the vehicle.

The two then briefly spoke with a member of the bar’s staff.

One person has been charged in relation to the incident, but Police are still trying to identify the man and woman.

They are being sought as possible victims or witnesses and are not suspected of any offending.

Anyone who was one of the people involved, knows who they are, or has information that could help can contact Police on 105 or through the 105 website using reference number 261002/7955.

Information can also be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

The Government plans to modify height limits for non-heritage buildings within the Courtenay Place Heritage Area and remove heritage listings from Karori Tunnel, Kelburn Viaduct and the former Miramar oil storage tank.

The former General Headquarters Building at 213A Taranaki Street will retain its heritage listing.

RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop confirmed the decisions following an investigation and consultation that received 162 submissions.

Economic advice commissioned for the investigation estimated the Courtenay Place changes could generate around $200 million in construction activity and support around 1,100 jobs.

Removing the Miramar tank’s listing is expected to allow commercial uses, including film studio facilities, accommodating an estimated 300 jobs.

Bishop said combined annual maintenance costs for Karori Tunnel and Kelburn Viaduct had risen from around $350,000 to $2.5 million, partly because of heritage requirements.

“Wellington needs planning rules that support investment, more housing and productive use of land and infrastructure,” he said.

The changes will be implemented through Resource Management Act regulations, which still need to go before Cabinet and the Executive Council.

Greater Wellington filed the charges following an investigation into discharges during an upgrade of the plant’s ultraviolet treatment system between October 2025 and January 2026, and the treatment plant failure in early February 2026 and subsequent discharges.

Each organisation faces five charges relating to alleged unlawful discharges and five relating to alleged breaches of an abatement notice.

Greater Wellington Director Strategy, Policy and Regulation Fathima Iftikar said the decision followed a detailed investigation into the events, the roles of the parties involved and the environmental consequences.

“Taking enforcement action against public organisations is a serious decision, and not one we take lightly,” Dr Iftikar said.

“Greater Wellington’s responsibility as the environmental regulator is to make those decisions independently, based on the evidence and the law.

“No matter how important the service, or who owns or operates it, the obligation to comply with environmental law remains the same.”

Under the Resource Management Act, Wellington City Council and Tiaki Wai could each face a maximum fine of $10 million per charge if convicted. Any decision on fines would be made by the Court.

The February failure resulted in untreated wastewater being discharged into the sea on Wellington’s south coast.

Work to restore the treatment plant continues, while Greater Wellington is separately considering whether further regulatory measures are required to return the plant to full compliance with its resource consents.

The prosecution is now before the Court and Greater Wellington said it could not comment further.