Stories by Phil Pennington
News
Porirua deaths were 'absolutely' preventable - Youth worker
A Porirua community is heartbroken about six sudden deaths but they could have been prevented, the youth worker says.
Porirua deaths: 'We know we need to do better'
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says it's clear the country has failed to deal with suicide and depression.
'Their first thought is to look after the perpetrator'
An elderly victim of sex abuse at an Upper Hutt college is demanding his abusers' portraits be taken down from the school's walls.
Community demands help after six suspected suicides: 'It's just too many'
Locals say young people are traumatised after the suspected suicides in their community.
Suspended vehicle engineer defends his work
A heavy-vehicle engineer suspended over safety issues is defending his own record but says problems are widespread across the vehicle inspection industry.
Steel & Tube says its conduct was 'unintentional' after record fine
Steel and Tube is insisting it never knowingly broke the law, even after copping the single biggest fine ever for misleading customers.
Auckland MP wants answers over brake test failings
Serious questions need to be answered over the quality of brake testing on Waiheke Island, says Auckland MP Nikki Kaye.
VTNZ admits using inferior brake test on Waiheke Island
Major vehicle inspection company VTNZ has broken road safety rules by using an inferior brake test on Waiheke Island for months, and the Transport Agency let it.
Reports Kiwi predator priest abused in UK
A notorious paedophile Catholic priest quietly transferred from New Zealand to the UK was free to keep abusing children for two more decades due to Church failings.
Health Ministry audits Christchurch hospital water piping
The Ministry of Health is investigating stainless steel piping put into a Christchurch hospital building and whether it may have to be replaced.
No report by Catholic college into abuse claims
A Catholic secondary school says no investigation report exists into a sex abuse complaint now being looked into by the police.
Water samples toxic at Auckland airbase
Firefighting foam contamination has been found above safety trigger points in some samples around Whenuapai airbase in Auckland.
Former priest investigated: 'A conscious effort to make it go away'
An ex-Catholic priest living in Asia who was nicknamed "the Phantom Feeler" by boys at a leading Wellington Catholic school is being investigated by police.
Building product approver in further strife
Newly released information further tarnishes the government's gold-plated building products approval scheme Codemark.
Brake-testing revelations add to regulation failures
Safety certificates for heavy vehicles were issued by a Transport Agency inspector, despite an 18-month roller brake machine breakdown.
Unsafe trucks ordered off the road in Auckland
Three trucks have been ordered off the road in Auckland for safety reasons, and the engineer who certified them has been suspended.
More big trucks on the road, fewer checks on inspectors
Newly-released information shows checks on engineers who inspect big trucks plunged at the same time as the number of large rigs on the road jumped.
Change of council wanted by Horowhenua group
A group of northern Horowhenua ratepayers are trying to break away from their district council.
'The process has upset me and re-traumatised me'
The Catholic Church has withheld its findings about a child sex abuse accusation for months from the man who laid the complaint.
Taranaki hospital buildings may be quake-prone
Engineers have found that large parts of Taranaki Base Hospital - including its emergency department, intensive care unit and maternity block - are probably earthquake prone.
Priest's sexual abuse at Upper Hutt school admitted: It's 'criminal'
The Marist Fathers has admitted a priest who led one of its top secondary schools sexually abused children.
Firefighters refused free toxic-chemicals blood test
Fire and Emergency New Zealand is refusing to pay for blood tests for firefighters concerned about exposure to the damaging chemicals PFAS.
Hospitals vary in quake-proofing digital data
Auckland and Northland hospitals have had to temporarily quake-proof their data centres after a warning they were not up to scratch. Video
St Bede's to review handling of a child sex complaint
Christchurch's St Bede's College will appoint an independent reviewer to look into its handling of a child sex abuse complaint in 2011.
Bishop says Catholic church should consider naming abusers
A Catholic bishop says the Church could consider releasing the names of clergy who abuse children, even if they don't go through the courts.