NEWS RELEASE
28 December 2012

Fireworks are back for New Year’s Eve

Fireworks haven’t been a part of Wellington’s New Year’s celebrations for over a decade but this New Year’s Eve they’re back to bring the city into 2013 with a bang.

Wellington City Council’s Community Events Manager, Rebecca Hardie, says the fireworks are the finale to a four-hour build-up of entertainment on the waterfront.

“Things kick off at 8pm on stages at Odlins Plaza, beside the Wharewaka, and Frank Kitts Park. We have some great acts playing including Adam Page, Bella Kalolo and Monophone counting us down into the New Year.

“Again, for those who can’t normally stay up until midnight, we’ll have a kids’ countdown at 9pm. There’ll also be fire performances and food available on-site. We also want to remind people that the New Year’s Eve celebration is an alcohol-free event.”

If the weather is bad we advise people to listen to Classic Hits for cancellations or go to our Summer City facebook page facebook.com/SummerCityWellington or download the Summer City App. Alternatively people can go to our website - wellington.govt.nz

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On Failures Of Care For Those With Mental Disabilities

Hard to imagine a more disturbing insight into the treatment of the vulnerable than the Health Ministry report on Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau. The Ministry has found that the country’s only kaupapa Maori intellectual disability residential care provider has been “seriously dysfunctional.”

The ministry says the business has failed to recruit and retain quality staff – and says the kaimahi (caregivers) that have been employed are seriously unsuitable for the job, lacking basic knowledge. But Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau doesn’t get all the blame. The report says there’s a significant gap under disability laws to ensure there’s oversight by qualified clinical professionals. More>>