Author: Press Room

An elderly woman found slumped over a coal range in her Renwick home with burns to almost half of her body was cooking before she died, a coroner has found.Margaret Rita Gould, 93, died on December 11 last year at Hutt Hospital, as a result of burns sustained in the fire at home.She lived alone on a large property in Renwick, near Blenheim. After hearing beeping from a smoke alarm about 3.30pm on December 10, a woman who lived in another part of the property ran towards Gould’s house, where she saw black smoke coming from the kitchen.She went inside…

It has been a prison, a home for the mentally unwell and a spooky backpackers – and now it is the scene of a suspicious fire.Seven fire crews raced to Hokitika’s abandoned Seaview Hospital yesterday morning, perched on the hill just north of the town, to find the Kotuku building well alight in a spectacular blaze.It was out by evening, but the cause of the fire is now under investigation.Historian Jane Comeau wrote her masters thesis on the hospital – formerly known as Seaview Asylum – and its role in Hokitika’s history.She said it began as a wing of the…

The head one of New Zealand’s biggest exporters says new visas for seasonal workers will be vital in keeping the industry running. The government has introduced two new work visas for seasonal workers, which Immigration Minister Erica Stanford said visas would make it easier for employers to retain the same workers for multiple seasons. The Global Workforce Seasonal Visa is for up to three years for experienced seasonal workers in roles such as rural contracting, sheep scanning, winemaking, and snow instruction. Workers will need to return to their home countries for at least three months each year. The Peak Seasonal…

The head of one of New Zealand’s biggest exporters says new visas for seasonal workers will be vital in keeping the industry running.The government has introduced two new work visas for seasonal workers, which Immigration Minister Erica Stanford would make it easier for employers to retain the same workers for multiple seasons.The Global Workforce Seasonal Visa is for up to three years for experienced seasonal workers in roles such as rural contracting, sheep scanning, winemaking, and snow instruction.Workers will need to return to their home countries for at least three months each year.The Peak Seasonal Visa is valid for up…

Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick has urged the membership to rally and get organised for next year’s election.MPs and party faithful gathered for their annual meeting at creative campus Te Auaha in central Wellington over the weekend.Swarbrick received a standing ovation after her speech that asked members to “take a deep breath” and take action on their opposition to the coalition’s policy agenda.”I don’t really want to just talk about the bad guys and the bad things today, because I know we’re angry,” she said. “We’ve got a lot to be angry about, but that anger, while righteous, won’t get…

American folk rockers The Lumineers have announced two New Zealand shows for January 2026. The band will bring The Automatic World Tour live to the stage in Christchurch and Auckland, marking the band’s first visit to New Zealand since November 2022. The duo will perform at Christchurch Town Hall on January 3, and Auckland’s Spark Arena on January 6. Tickets go on sale this week, with more information available on the Frontier Touring website. The morning’s headlines in 90 seconds, including dire state of our heart health system, where unspent charter school money might go, and thieves make off with…

Two men were arrested during simultaneous searches of houses in Manawatū and Auckland for drugs and firearms last week.Detective Sergeant Nick Lawton said investigations discovered alleged drug and firearm dealing had occurred between the Feilding and Manurewa locations.Search warrants conducted with the assistance of the armed offenders squad, offender prevention team and criminal investigation branch on Friday saw cannabis, methamphetamine, $5000 in cash, a 3D printed .22 pistol and ammunition seized.The morning’s headlines in 90 seconds, including dire state of our heart health system, where unspent charter school money might go, and thieves make off with a pricey haul of…

The company behind Queenstown’s Kamana Lakehouse has today announced details of a new $130 million luxury hospitality development. Noctis by Kamana will contain 37 keys across 10 ultra-luxury villas, including a 10-bedroom presidential penthouse covering 1200sqm. The property, developed by Coherent Hotel Ltd, is under construction and is due to open in late 2027. Kamana Lakehouse executive manager and Noctis project co-leader David Wang said the Lakehouse had given the company the platform to push creative boundaries and deliver something that would become Queenstown’s “defining luxury experience” and “compete with the world’s finest resorts”. He said the word Noctis meant…

Only a small number of people applying for home loans are being turned away – and usually there is a way to get them across the line in future, brokers and banks say.Loan Market adviser Karen Tatterson said she would normally talk to clients before she set up a meeting to understand their financial situation and whether they were in a position to go ahead with a home loan application.She said in 80-90% of cases, people were able to apply.”If they are not then I would normally undertake some planning with them and set out a pathway to get them…

Grocery supplier costs have been rising faster over the past few months, reflecting higher global costs. The Infometrics-Foodstuffs New Zealand Grocery Supplier Cost Index indicates there was an average 2.2% increase in what suppliers charged grocers in July over the year earlier. “The pace of supplier cost increases has become slightly faster in the last few months, reflecting a number of key products seeing larger cost increases due to higher global food prices, like for dairy, meat and chocolate products,” Infometrics chief executive Brad Olsen said. Other notable cost increases included toilet paper, and paper towel costs, while cauliflower, broccoli…