Latest news with #AucklandTransport
RNZ News
2 days ago
- RNZ News
‘Unfortunate' gagging order against Chinese journalist lifted
Portia Mao (left) and Morgan Xiao Photo: Supplied A District Court judge has lifted a gagging order that had been imposed on a Chinese-New Zealand journalist for almost a year over claims of online bullying. In July last year, the Auckland District Court ordered freelance journalist Peng (Portia) Mao to take down articles she posted online about Auckland Transport traffic warden Zhihong (Morgan) Xiao and publish an apology. Discharging the interim order on 11 June, Manukau District Court Judge Richard McIlraith said Mao had no opportunity to defend herself in court at the time the orders were made. Portia Mao Photo: Supplied Mao is a veteran journalist who covers China-related issues in New Zealand as well as other subjects. In addition to working with Auckland Transport, Xiao is a former local body candidate and frequent commentator on social media about China-New Zealand matters, among other things. Xiao, who uses the handle "demon king" on social media, initiated court proceedings in July 2024 by filing a complaint under the Harmful Digital Communications Act 2015 about two stories Mao had written. He claimed Mao's comments were defamatory, hurting his dignity and causing him to suffer "mental pressure". The first article involved, published in October 2019, questioned whether Xiao had lived in New Zealand for 15 years as he had claimed, further suggesting he had been "fired by his boss". Xiao claimed the material was "defamatory and untrue" in his original application to the court. He also claimed Mao had called him "worse than dog" in a separate article that was published in July last year in relation to an assault that had occurred on an East Auckland bus as well as a subsequent social media post on WeChat. Xiao's 2024 complaint was processed by the court without notifying Mao, as the former political candidate had submitted his application "without notice". Such applications are typically made under urgency, including claims of ongoing serious emotional distress. The court supported Xiao's application and ordered Mao to take down the relevant articles and all material on WeChat referring to the complainant as a "dog" and publish an apology. Mao challenged the ruling after learning of Xiao's "win" in court on social media. Morgan Xiao Photo: Supplied In September, the court clarified that its orders had been made on an interim basis and Mao could file a notice to be heard or submit an application to change or remove the orders, which she did. After reviewing evidence provided by both parties, McIlraith ruled that Xiao's application should not have been filed "without notice", noting that he "provided very little of the relevant context to his complaint". Mao's lawyer, Callum Fredric, claimed Xiao "deliberately (or otherwise) provided an incorrect email address [for Mao]", resulting in the journalist never being notified of Xiao's application. Defending her 2019 article, Mao said she produced the story about Xiao standing as a candidate in local body elections in the public interest. She attempted to contact Xiao for an interview, but her requests were rejected, Mao contended. Judge McIlraith noted that Xiao had denied Mao's claims about his length of time in New Zealand and workplace dismissal on social media but provided no evidence on this at the hearing. As a result, Mao was cleared of making a false allegation. In relation to the 2024 article and related social media post, Judge McIlraith discussed the context of the "dog" accusation. The ruling noted that Xiao published a series of articles attacking a Stuff documentary titled The Long Game , which Mao worked on as a researcher. Mao was asked in a WeChat group of around 500 members to answer some questions that had been asked by Xiao, including what Mao and others did in the documentary and how much they had been paid. It was in this reply that Mao referred to Xiao as "only worthy of being a dog", the court ruling said. Mao claimed the expression was a metaphor for Xiao's behaviour, implying that he was a "running dog", or propogandist, for the Chinese Communist Party in attacking the documentary. "However, an assessment must take into account Mr Xiao's circumstances given his highly active role in debate at the time about The Long Game ," Judge McIlraith said. "This cannot have been unexpected criticism." The judge ruled that no independent evidence of harm being caused to Xiao in respect of any of the articles about which he complained had been submitted. "As such ... Ms Mao must succeed in her application to have the orders previously made discharged," McIlraith said. In his submission to the court, Mao's lawyer claimed Xiao had weaponised the Harmful Digital Communications Act to silence a journalist, as Xiao had celebrated his victory on social media without Mao knowing an application had been filed. "What has occurred here has been unfortunate," McIlraith said. "This case has demonstrated the danger of 'without notice' applications being made under this act and the regrettable delay in a defendant having the opportunity to be heard." Mao told RNZ she was "genuinely pleased with the outcome of this case". "The judge's decision is profoundly significant," she said. "It will have a lasting impact on value choices within the Chinese community in New Zealand. "The court's decision has strengthened my belief that the winds of freedom will forever blow across New Zealand." Xiao said that his lawsuit was "originally a very simple case - a 'dog' insult was made". He had asked for an apology, but the case had been "seriously politicised". Xiao said he could either appeal the judgment in the high court or reconcile with people who held different political opinions. "After all, we all just cared about the same New Zealand and I'm a liberal," Xiao said. "But this path is not entirely up to me; it also depends on them. And, of course, I hope it's the latter."
1News
3 days ago
- Climate
- 1News
South Auckland storm repairs almost complete
Road damage repairs from extreme weather events almost two years ago is almost complete in south Auckland. In 2023, heavy rain on Auckland's Anniversary Day weekend and Cyclone Gabrielle caused severe flooding, and more than 2000 slips were reported to Auckland Transport on local roads, across the region. In the south, 30 complex slips needed repairing: nine minor (less than $250,000 to repair) and 21 major (more than $250,000 to repair). In a statement, Auckland Transport (AT) said their flood recovery team has repaired 83% of the slips. AT road asset maintenance and renewals general manager Alan Wallace said 25 slips have been fixed, and three more will be repaired in the second half of the year. ADVERTISEMENT These are Ararimu Rd, Cemetery Rd, and East Coast Rd. 'Last month, we completed the repairs to the second slip site on Kemp Road in Āwhitu, and Urquhart Road in Karaka – both substantial slips which closed the road," he said. Wallace said work involved the installation of a soil nail retaining wall and drainage improvements. Work to repair two slips on Kemp Rd began in February; the first involved building a timber retaining wall and repairs to the road surface, he said. The second involved installing a soil nail retaining wall and drainage improvements. Construction to re-establish the connection on Urquhart Rd began in April 2025, and was completed last month. He said work included the installation of new drainage across the road and the construction of a mechanically stabilised earth (MSE) wall to mitigate the slip. ADVERTISEMENT By the end of May 2025, 56% of minor slips, and all but one major slip in the south had been repaired. Only one major slip, Manukau Heads Rd, is still currently under construction. Construction teams have continued work on the general fill of the Manukau Heads site, switching to the use of crushed concrete because of the wet ground conditions. New rock armour on the face of the MSE wall now protects the road from further erosion. AT said the head of the slip has been trimmed back and was ready to be planted. "One of the two large stormwater pipes that will protect the road from flooding in the future has been installed." Since the 2023 weather damage, AT has fixed 1200 small slips across the region, but more than 800 bigger slips have required extensive investigation to inform sustainable and resilient engineering design solutions. ADVERTISEMENT LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
1News
3 days ago
- Automotive
- 1News
Bikes on buses over Auckland Harbour Bridge to be trialled
Cyclists will be able to bring their bikes on some buses travelling across Auckland's Harbour Bridge as a trial of interior bike racks expands. Fifteen double-decker buses on the NX1 bus route - around a third of the fleet - will be fitted with a bike rack inside the bus. The trial will run for a year from July. It follows a pilot in November last year where two types of internal bike racks were testing on double-decker NX1 buses. Auckland Transport (AT) said allowing bikes on buses provided a "consistent service" for passengers using rapid transit services, as bikes can already be taken on trains. ADVERTISEMENT "By making it easier for Aucklanders to combine a bike ride and a public transport trip, it provides options for more people to use public transport," said head of public transport services planning and development Pete Moth. "Importantly, allowing bikes on the NX1 service gives cyclists a way to cross the Auckland Harbour Bridge, providing a more connected and accessible network." Buses with a bike rack on board would have a circular green cyclist icon on the front. (Source: Auckland Transport) The AT mobile app would display whether an approaching bus had a bike rack onboard, with passengers also able to identify if a bus has a bike rack by the circular green cyclist icon on the front, and the side of the bus. To make way for the bike racks on the buses, a few forward-facing seats have been removed and replaced with a bike rack and three flip-down seats. Additional handrails, safety hangers, and a seatbelt-type restraint for bikes will be installed. The wheelchair accessible space on the bus will remain the same. The trial is expected to run for 12 months.
RNZ News
4 days ago
- Automotive
- RNZ News
Auckland buses to get bike racks so cyclists can travel across Harbour Bridge
Auckland Transport says bike racks will be on 1/3 of its North Shore Express buses by July 21. Photo: 123RF Cyclists on Auckland's North Shore can finally take the bus across the Harbour Bridge. Buses in the city do not have bike racks - the only public transport option for those taking bikes across the harbour is to catch a ferry. But from July 2025, 15 North Shore Express 1 buses running every 3 to 15 minutes between Albany and the city centre will be getting bike racks. By 21 July, Auckland Transport said bike racks would be on 1/3 of its North Shore Express buses. Unlike other public transport operators across the country which have front-mounted bike racks on the outside of their buses, AT's bike racks were inside with passengers. Head of Public Transport Services Pete Moth said having bike racks would not reduce the number of passengers the buses could fit, although some people might have to stand. "We removed three banks of two seats, six seats in total. "When bikes are not being used we can actually get nine passengers standing in that space." He said cyclists could expect roughly every third NX1 bus to have a bike rack with two available bike spaces. He said AT consulted a public transport accessibility advisory group to ensure bringing in bikes would not negatively impact accessible seating. "We can adequately fit wheelchairs, pushchairs, mobility scooters as well as bikes into the space." Head of Active Modes Tania Loveridge said they were pleased to be taking the first step towards having bikes on buses . "People have been calling for the chance to take their bike across the Harbour Bridge for some time. "We've been looking at this for the better part of a year in terms of exploring opportunities and how that best could be done. "There was a trial undertaken prior to Christmas as an initial phase one and now it's about rolling out this as a trial for the coming 12 months and we're looking forward to hearing what Aucklanders say about it." Buses with cycle racks have a green cyclist symbol on the outside of the bus. The AT Mobile app and eventually digital signage screens at bus stops would also show which buses accommodated bikes. Councillor and cyclist Chris Darby. Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly Councillor and cyclist Chris Darby said having the bike racks on the NX1 gave North Shore commuters another option to get to work and University. "It's [the NX1] one of our very busiest bus routes. It carries a lot of people and of course, you've got a bridge in the way and you can't cycle over that. "This particular solution comes a small way to bridging that barrier of coming across the harbour by bike." He said keeping bikes inside the bus meant drivers did not have to worry about bikes falling off the bus if they were not secured properly. Fiáin d'Leafy from Bike Auckland said they had been pushing for bikes on buses, particularly for North Shore services. "We've been campaigning for a way to cross the harbour with our bikes so this goes some way towards addressing the glaring gap. "It gives people a lot more mobility and freedom to use their bikes for their trips between the North Shore and the city centre and we're really excited for that." With City Rail Link construction impacting train services, d'Leafy wanted to see bikes racks on more buses sooner than later. "We would love to see bike racks extended. Especially to buses that are being used as replacements for the trains. The train allows us to take a bike on board. Having a bus replace a train where you can't take your bike onboard the bus is not a true train replacement." They encouraged cyclists to be courteous of other bus users when bringing their bikes on board. Head of Public Transport Services Peter Moth said if their 12-month trial period went well, they would look at installing bike racks on more services including NX2 and the Western Express 1 buses. He said AT was not ruling out also having front-mounted bike racks in the future. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
4 days ago
- RNZ News
Upgraded buses give cyclists more travel options
Cyclists on Auckland's North Shore can finally take the bus across the Harbour Bridge. Buses in the city don't have bike racks - and the only public transport option cyclists have had to get across the harbour is to catch a ferry. RNZ reporter Jessica Hopkins tagged along on one of the 15 Auckland Transport's North Shore Express buses with the newly installed bike racks. To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
