Scoop News
A train heading from Wellington to Paraparaumu hit a landslip north of Plimmerton at 2:38pm. The train was carrying around 40 passengers at the time of the crash. Then at around 3:15pm a south-bound train carrying 14 passengers collided with the derailed north-bound train.

Some passengers had to remain inside the derailed trains’ carriages for over an hour before being transferred to other modes of transport. Ambulance officers had been on the scene from shortly after the accidents assessing passengers for injuries. Read more »

News from TranzMetro at 4.56pm
TranzMetro services are not operating on the Johnsonville line due to a slip. Bus replacements are unavailable. Please make alternative travel arrangements.

News from TranzMetro at 6.07pm
Due to the slip on the Paraparaumu line, services have been suspended. We are trying to arrange buses from Wellington but suggest passengers make alternative travel plans this evening. Read more »

Wellington.Scoop
Wellington city councilors have voted to enter the government’s scheme to pay for fixing leaky homes. They didn’t seem to have any other choice. But they haven’t yet had to decide how the city will find the $88million, the estimated amount which the council will have to pay for its 25 per cent share of repairing Wellington’s leaky homes. They’re no doubt relieved they haven’t had to deal with this during the election campaign.

Council staff have told them there are only three options, all equally unacceptable: Increase the rates. Cut back services. Increase debt. None of these would win votes for anyone. All three may have to be used. Read more »

Media release – Wellington City Council
A third – and possibly fourth – artificial-turf sportsfield for Wellington City could be ready for use by next winter following decisions at last night’s City Council meeting. Read more »

Scoop Images and Report by Rory McKinnon
It might seem unwise to play with an electrical appliance in the rain, but that didn’t stop Transport Minister Steven Joyce and Wellington Mayor Kerry Prendergast from getting up close with Mitsubishi’s new electric cars at their official launch in Civic Square today.

A grid of charging stations is being installed in Wellington in order to trial the cars over the next two years. Read more »

Media release – Wellington City Council
Wellington is to become the first New Zealand city to trial production electric cars with the launch of a fleet of five battery-powered vehicles in Civic Square today. Read more »

by Alana Bowman
Abandoning her initial (rather uninspiring) argument to voters to support her attempt to win a fourth term as Wellington mayor ( “I have the experience!”), Kerry Prendergast has introduced a challenging new election strategy, reflecting the effect of social media and Facebook – it’s a competition for “Friends.” Read more »

Media release – Valley Action Network
Three candidates for Hutt City Council are today pledging, if elected, to lead a boycott of GST on rates from within the Council Chambers. Read more »

Press Release – Wellington Rainforest Action Group
At 12noon on Saturday 2nd October, a protest organised by Rainforest Action Wellington will take place outside the Tory Street store of Bunnings Warehouse in the Wellington CBD, calling attention to the store’s sales of unsustainably logged timber products. Read more »

Press Release – Greater Wellington Regional Council
Explore rarely-seen pristine native forest and learn more about where our top-grade water supply comes from by booking your place on a free guided Wainuiomata Water Walk. Read more »

Press Release – Joint Media Statement
New Line, Warner Bros. Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures are concerned by the recent allegations of unfair treatment of actors in New Zealand and instructions from the performers’ guilds to their membership to withhold services from the producers of “The Hobbit” in New Zealand.

We are proud to have good relations with all of those performers’ guilds and value their contribution to the motion pictures produced in their respective jurisdictions throughout the world. But we believe that in this case the allegations are baseless and unfair to Peter Jackson and his team in Wellington who have been tireless supporters of the New Zealand motion picture community. Read more »

Press Release – New Zealand Police
police investigating the murder of Raymond Piper have withdrawn the charge against 17 year-old Louie Anderson. Read more »

Press Release – Wellington Community Net Trust
Wellington Community Net Trust officially opens for new business tomorrow after narrowly escaping closure when the Wellington City Council withdrew funding for Wellington Community Net at the end of June. Read more »

Media release – Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria University has announced its four latest Hunter Fellows, who will be recognised in a ceremony in Victoria’s iconic Hunter Building next month.

Victoria University Vice-Chancellor Professor Pat Walsh says he is delighted that the University has the opportunity to recognise the valuable contributions made by Roger Drummond, Léone Harkness, Peter Hughes and William Sheat. Read more »

Press Release – Victoria University of Wellington
There are no strategic management models or techniques that have stood the test of time, Victoria University research has found. Read more »

Press Release – ARDENZ
Amanda Roberts from the Bolton Hotel Wellington takes out the title of ‘2010 New Zealand Hotel Receptionist of the Year’. Amanda will now go on to represent New Zealand at the AICR International Receptionist of the Year competition which will be held in Christchurch in January 2011. Read more »

Press Release – NZSO
British cellist Andrew Joyce has joined the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, making his debut in Wellington this week as NZSO Principal Cello. Read more »

Press Release – Greater Wellington Regional Council
A guide outlining easy step-by-step instructions for how to prepare for an emergency, published by the Wellington Region Emergency Management Group, has won the International Association of Emergency Managers 2010 Global Public Awareness Award. Read more »