Frustration grows as Aucklanders are made to wait for Cabinet's alert level decision, house buyer confidence plunges, and Prince William publicly defends the royal family.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will reveal later today whether Auckland will join the rest of the country at Alert Level 1.
Cabinet met yesterday afternoon to discuss the move, prompting some Aucklanders to ask why they must wait to hear their verdict.
The Employers and Manufacturers Association is also calling on the Government to move Tāmaki Makaurau to Level 1 from tomorrow rather than waiting until Sunday.
RNZ reports many within the city’s hospitality industry are frustrated ahead of three big days of America’s Cup racing and a Super Rugby match at Eden Park.
The alert level decision will be aired on TVNZ 1 and livestreamed at 1NEWS.co.nz from 11.30am today.
Meanwhile, residents in Covid-free Niue are set to be allowed entry into New Zealand without quarantine.
Niueans who need medical care and are New Zealand citizens have reportedly been denied medical exemptions, leaving some waiting for months to secure spots in managed isolation.
1 NEWS understands dozens of families are currently desperate for treatment in New Zealand.
When questioned about the issue, Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins promised there are plans to soon give Niue the same quarantine-free status as the Cook Islands.
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Trash talk over deportations
Trans-Tasman relations hit another sour note yesterday as a flight carrying New Zealand-born criminals from Australia sparked a war of words and again raised questions over how deportees are handled.
Australian Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton referred to the latest deportations as his country "taking the trash out" .
That comment and the deportations drew swift condemnation from politicians in New Zealand. Chris Hipkins said the continual deportation of criminals who have lived the bulk of their lives in Australia was “deplorable”. Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta added that Dutton’s comments "only serve to trash his own reputation".
Opposition leader Judith Collins believes New Zealand should retaliate by sending back Australian-born criminals, however Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says the Government’s “not going to get into a tit for tat”. Ardern says she still strongly disagrees with the Australia’s actions over the deportees.
The issue of Australia deporting its criminals to New Zealand has dogged trans-Tasman relations in recent years.
In many cases, deportees have been born in New Zealand but raised in Australia, meaning some have no connections with the land they're being deported to.
Police data shows of the roughly 2300 people deported to New Zealand since 2015, 924 have since been convicted of another crime. But advocates say it doesn’t have to be that way and are calling for more support for deportees .
Buyer expectations fall
Auckland's two recent lockdowns did nothing to stop New Zealand’s soaring house prices, with the biggest February for house sales in 14 years .
Auckland’s median house price increased by $100,000 in one month alone, according to the latest Real Estate Institute figures. Nationally, the median house price is now $780,000 – a 5.2 per cent month-on-month increase.
But while confidence that house prices will keep rising is at a 25-year high, a new ASB Housing Confidence Survey shows many people think it’s now a bad time to buy .
This morning’s survey shows that buyer expectations have fallen to a three-year low.
New fund ahead of anniversary
A new fund has been established to help minority communities assist the Government with its response to the Royal Commission's report on the March 15 terrorist attacks.
The fund will receive $1 million and will prioritise those who were most directly affected by the attacks.
Government ministers have also recently completed 33 hui with Muslim, pan-ethnic and multi-faith communities around New Zealand.
Several issues were raised, including the general safety of Muslims in New Zealand and continued concerns over the Royal Commission's finding that no individual or specific Government agency was at fault for the Christchurch terrorist attack.
As the second anniversary of the attack nears, an official remembrance service will be held in Christchurch tomorrow afternoon.
Prince William defends family
Prince William has become the first royal to speak publicly following the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s interview with Oprah Winfrey.
William addressed the race row that’s engulfed Buckingham Palace this week, telling reporters at a public engagement that the royals are “very much not a racist family” .
The Duke of Cambridge also revealed he’s yet to speak to Prince Harry since the interview aired, but that he planned to.
Other news of note this morning:
- Japan has marked the 10th anniversary of the tsunami tragedy that was sparked by the fourth most powerful earthquake in recorded history.
- France is to ease border restrictions for several countries, including New Zealand , but travellers will still need to have a negative Covid test before arriving.
- Myanmar's military has accused ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi of illegally accepting $600,000 and 11kg of gold.
- The Māori Party is calling for a Royal Commission of Inquiry into racial profiling of tangata whenua by police.
- Some Wellington locals and business owners have told 1 NEWS they don’t feel safe in the city as crime rates increase in the CBD.
- A group of recreational fishermen are likely to face prosecution after being found with nearly five times the legal limit of snapper south of Auckland.
- The Prime Minister has defended Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield after he admitted he should have refused an invitation to a Black Caps match.
- And Jacinda Ardern has also dropped a hint about her upcoming wedding plans.
And finally...
From the news you can use files, Seven Sharp has delved into the hot topic of how best to store the humble egg.
Should eggs be stored in the fridge or the pantry? Should they sit with their pointy ends up or down?
It’s a debate that’s raged in households right across this fair land – and finally, we’re getting the answers to these pressing questions .
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