Report from RNZ
Wellington’s Ethiopian Community have been celebrating one of their country’s most prestigious events – Timkat. Read more »

News from GWRC
The Wellington Regional Council and the Wellington City Council are taking the phrase ‘death by chocolate’ to a new level with an innovative rat control method – using chocolate instead of poisonous bait. The councils are partnering to investigate how well rat numbers can be controlled without poison at Te Ahumairangi (formerly Tinakori) Hill. Read more »

News from Porirua City Council
A decades-old macrocarpa tree in Titahi Bay is to be removed, after regular branches falling off were deemed a hazard to a nearby homeowner and users of a public walkway. The large tree, outside 39 Terrace Road, is predominantly on land owned by the Porirua City Council. Read more »

Report from RNZ
A new resource consent will be lodged for a multi-million dollar development in Wellington. The $500 million development in Shelly Bay had its consents quashed by the Court of Appeal last month. Read more »

Press Release – POWER inc
Forest & Bird have applied to the Environment Court to compel the Hutt City Council to implement an inappropriate and discredited proposal. That proposal for “District Plan change 46” would impose onerous controls over more than 1,000 Lower Hutt properties, including many that have trivial or no ecological values. It would directly disadvantage over 1,000 Lower Hutt ratepayers and indirectly affect many others. Read more »

News from Tramways Union
Wellington bus drivers have voted for industrial action including a fare strike – driving buses while refusing to take fares – from the 28th of January if their employer NZ Bus continues to force part-time shifts on them. Read more »

Media release from Wellington Regional Council
The Regional Council’s Sustainable Transport Committee Chair Barbara Donaldson says today’s announcement of further industrial action on NZ Bus operated routes is a very disappointing outcome for Wellington bus customers. Read more »

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News from Extinction Rebellion Poneke
Members of the group Extinction Rebellion Poneke (XRPoneke) held a peaceful event inside Wellington Airport this morning to protest – with zombies – against the extension of the Wellington Airport runway. Read more »

by Lindsay Shelton
I agree with Leviathan at eyeofthefish when he writes about the closure of Reading Cinemas: So far, no one is talking much sense about the Courtenay Central close-down … I can’t figure out why it should be closed down, so suddenly, from some unspecified potential seismic risk. Read more »

News from Capital and Coast District Health Board
Resident Medical Officers who are members of the New Zealand Resident Doctors’ Association union will undertake strike action around the country from 7am on Tuesday to 7am on Thursday. Read more »