The death of a Kiwi mother at an Australian detention centre is one of three under scrutiny by a senior New South Wales Coroner. Leah Porter, 53, was found dead in her room in May 2022 at Villawood Immigration Detention Centre in Sydney. Steel fences surround the Villawood Immigration Detention Centre in Sydney. Photo / AFPLast month, NSW Deputy State Coroner Elizabeth Ryan began hearing evidence at an inquest into the death of Porter and two other Villawood detainees. They said the ABF “invests significant resources” to provide “quality amenities and a broad range of health and welfare services and activities”.

Photo: NZ HeraldA convicted killer of a teen shot dead at a party has been declined parole at his first appearance before the board. Connor Whitehead, 16, was shot dead in Casebrook on November 5, 2021. In May, Daniel Nelson Sparks and Joshua David Craig Smith were found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter. Connor Whitehead was an innocent bystander when he was shot dead at a party. A parole board spokesman confirmed to the New Zealand Herald Sparks was declined parole and that the full hearing decision would be available in “due course”.

Photo: NZ Herald/fileTwo youths sustained moderate injuries after being struck yesterday by a vehicle in Coalgate. Police were advised at 11am on Tuesday that two people had been struck by a car on Beattys Rd, between Yeomans Rd and Homebush School Lane. The young people, aged around 10-15 years old, were treated by paramedics and transported to Christchurch Hospital. A police spokesperson said enquiries are ongoing.

One of the world's most exclusive superyachts has docked in the Northland port of Opua for a two-week stay. Built in Germany in 2020 at an estimated cost of $240 million and named Motor Yacht of the Year in 2021, Artefact is one of the world's largest superyachts by volume. The artifact was joined in the bay on Tuesday by the boutique cruise ship Crystal Symphony, one of a record 93 cruise ships expected this season. The largest ship, Ovation of the Seas, with 4,180 passengers, was scheduled to return on February 12. Wilson said cruise ships play an important role in the economy of the Bay of Islands and Northland, as they bring “fresh money” into the region, rather than money recycled among locals.

There was no meaningful movement in the main measures of housing affordability in November as the bottom end of the housing market moved sideways in quiet trade and interest rate rises all but stalled. According to the Real Estate Institute of NZ, the national lower quartile selling price was $600,000 in November. The lower quartile price is the price point at which 75% of sales are above and 25% are below, representing the most affordable end of the housing market that's of most interest to potential first home buyers. Those tiny movements in prices and mortgage rates would have pushed up the mortgage payments on a home purchased at the national lower quartile price by about $4 a week. So overall, affordability for typical first home buyers improved by about $2 a week in November.

According to forecasts by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), NZ food and fibre export revenue will likely drop 5% in the current financial year. The predicted drop to $54.3b is due to weaker export revenue for New Zealand’s three largest sectors: dairy, providing 45% of export revenue, meat and wool, providing 21%, and forestry, providing 11%. “However, revenue growth for some smaller and emerging seafood and arable sectors is set to limit the overall fall in export revenues,” the report said. “Seafood, kiwifruit, apples and pears, cherries and arable products are forecast to grow export revenue despite headwinds.”Horticulture export revenue to decrease 1% to $7 billion, primarily driven by lower volumes of wine and vegetables. Increased yields are expected to bring a lift in kiwifruit revenue and apple crops are likely to improve.

The NZ Media. Her David Seymour interview, Chippy interview, Winston interview, Māori Party and Green Party interviews were all brilliant and produced surprising interchanges that were unique and human and deep. Final word:I’ve been in the NZ media now for 30 years, and over that time I’ve noticed the things you can and can’t say in the NZ media landscape. Palestine: You can not talk about the brutal occupation of Palestine by Israel in NZ media. The Infamous TDB Political Awards 2023 will be published shortly.

Catherine Robertson reads her way through all fourteen of Nicky Pellegrino’s (delicious) novels just in time for the holidays. At my first ever public speaking event as an author, I had to apologise for not being Nicky Pellegrino. Nicky had the flu, and I was drafted in as a last-minute ...

Hastings has Lamb flavoured ice creamDo you like the sound of Lamb and mint, honey, figs and fish and chips? Try it as a flavour in ice cream. Reporter Michaela Gower went along to taste test. Video Warren Buckland

Constable Matthew Hunt was killed by a shot in the back. Hunt’s death marked the first police fatality in the line of duty in New Zealand since 2009. Eli Epiha murdered Constable Matthew Hunt and attempted to murder a second officer with a high-powered semi-automatic rifle. “Accordingly, I have decided not to open an inquiry in relation to Constable Hunt’s death.”A powerful haka was performed at Matthew Hunt's funeral at Eden Park. A military-style semi-automatic rifle entered into evidence in the trial of Eli Epiha at the Auckland High Court over the murder of Constable Matthew Hunt and the attempted murder of Constable David Goldfinch.

Got a good quiz question? Send your questions to quiz@stuff.co.nzAnd if you’re looking for other quiz challenges, you can find the rest of our quizzes here!

Wellington, Dec 18 (SocialNews.XYZ) A 67-year-old Indian national, who assaulted three women on a beach in New Zealand on the pretext of taking photographs with them, was ordered to pay NZ$3,000 to his victims on Monday. At the Nelson District Court on Monday, Judge Jo Rielly said Singh has brought shame upon himself and upon his son, who he had been visiting in New Zealand. "Singh was convicted and sentenced to pay NZ$1,000 in emotional harm reparations to each of his three victims," the website reported. On September 30, he approached the second victim on the beach at 8.45 a.m. requesting a selfie with her. During the sentencing, Judge Rielly said the women were affected to varying degrees, and were left feeling “angry, rattled and scared”.

In This Story: AustraliaAustralia, officially known as the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. It is the largest country in Oceania and the world’s sixth-largest country by total area. 7 Recent Items: Australia

New dwellings are continuing to be built at a record rate in Auckland. Auckland Council issued a record 1949 Code Compliance Certificates (CCCs) for new dwellings in October, surpassing September's record of 1927. The number of consents issued in Auckland in October was down 24% compared to October last year, which means new home completions will start declining at some stage. The current record number of new home completions may be the result of fewer new building projects being started, which means builders have more resources available to focus on completing existing projects already underway. To start receiving them, register here (it's free) and when approved you can select any of our free email newsletters.

Each year, StopPress asks a group of talented professionals in the local industry for their reflections on the year that was. In July, Laura Maxwell took over as Chief Executive of New Zealand’s largest media organisation, Stuff Group. Here she looks back on the big stories of 2023, and what she expects to see in 2024. There will be more focus on supply chain sustainability choices for advertisers, where local businesses with lower carbon footprints and trusted brand environments will seek favour for advertising spend. Most bingeable (TV) series of 2023: SuccessionBiggest flop of 2023: The Idol.