News round-up for Te Ika-a-Māui

In a major loss for Tauranga culture and business, intermediate school sporting event AIMS Games has been cancelled. A teary-eyed tournament director Vicki Semple told One News last night the event could not go ahead this year due to safety concerns around COVID-19. More than 11,000 intermediate-aged students attend the annual event but registrations were significantly lower this year, with many schools citing cost as their reason for not attending.

AJ Hackett Bungy job cuts could affect two thirds of its staff in Taupo, Auckland and Queenstown. Plummeting tourist numbers have taken a toll on the company which now looks to cut around 150 jobs from 224 staff. Managing director and co-founder Henry van Asch told Stuff they are looking to streamline the company to be sustainable in the long run. The company is has applied for government funding to retain specialised staff who require long periods of training.

Iwi and the Crown join forces to tackle whānau harm in the Far North. A formal partnership is in the works following the success of collaborative iwi and NZ Police initiative Whiria Te Muka working with the Ministry of Social Development during Alert Level 4. The partnership allowed financial and accommodation support solutions to be fast-tracked for those in need.

Iconic wine vintages expected from Hawkes Bay drought. Hot and dry conditions, while a nightmare for farmers, have hopes high for winemakers. Viticulturists in the region say last year’s summer was looking to be the “best ever” for crops and it is almost unheard of to have two great seasons in a row. The quality of the wine is something to look forward to during challenging times for Nick Buck, chief executive of Te Mata estate, who spoke to Newshub.

The recycling stockpiles Hamiltonians have collected over lockdown will be collected from next week. Recycling services for tins, cans, plastics and glass will resume on Tuesday, Hamilton Press reports. Paper and cardboard will continue to be sent to landfill.