Author: Press Room

Dairy giant Fonterra’s profit after tax result of $1.1 billion for the financial year ending July is down 4% but its farmer shareholders have enjoyed a record payout. The full year result of $26 billion in revenue for the 2024/25 season is up 15% with a total of $16.2b delivered to farmer shareholders. The result released today [September 25] saw the co-op lifting its final payout by a smidge to $10.16 per kilogram of milksolids. This is up on last month’s estimate of $10.15/kg when the range was narrowed to $10.10/kg – $10.20/kg. Unchanged is the co-op’s $10/kg midpoint forecast…

The recall of more than 20 popular snack products under the Tasti brand over the possible presence of small wire-like metal pieces has been extended to include additional batches. The “significant” recall was made on Saturday. It impacted various Tasti bars, peanuts, and snack ball products sold at supermarkets and retailers across New Zealand, with some exported to Australia, Fiji, India and Singapore.Images of the recalled products. (Source: MPI)Last night, New Zealand Food Safety extended the recall to include additional batches of Tasti products. On Saturday, NZFS deputy director-general Vincent Arbuckle said there was concern the products could cause injury.…

The morning’s headlines in 90 seconds, including Donald Trump’s climate denial at the UN, more popular food products recalled, and Emmanuel Macron’s unexpected walk. US President Donald Trump has used his speech to the UN General Assembly to deny climate change and criticise other member states. The most powerful storm on the planet this year is forcing hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate in China, after it slammed into the Philippines. Dozens of popular food products are being recalled amid safety concerns. French President Emmanuel Macron was forced to take an unexpected walk through the streets of New York.

Eleven words with a New Zealand or te reo Māori origin have been included in the latest edition of the Oxford English Dictionary.Executive editor Danica Salazar said the update included a “variety of colloquial expressions characteristic of New Zealand English”.Among the standout additions was the well-used phrase ‘sweet as’, used to express approval or agreement.”It is also used frequently as an interjection expressing emphatic affirmation, agreement, or appreciation,” Salazar said.Also making the cut was the word ‘rark’, which appears in several forms.As a verb, ‘rark up’ meant to provoke, annoy, or scold, the noun referred to a telling-off or a…

Several warnings for rain have been issued as a front slowly makes its way across parts of the northern North Island this morning. Another front was also expected to move northwards over the lower South Island. An orange heavy rain warning was issued for the eastern ranges of Bay of Plenty and the ranges of Gisborne/Tairāwhiti for 25 hours between 9am today and 10am tomorrow. Those under the warning could expect 110 to 150mm of rain with peak rates of 15 to 25mm/h. MetService warned streams and rivers could rise rapidly, with surface flooding and slips making it difficult to…

The country’s air traffic controller says its chief executive misspoke, but did not mislead the public, when he pointed to another company after a major outage.A glitch last month on services between New Zealand and Australia left five planes circling above Wellington and four others unable to take off.At the time, Airways said it was caused by flight data not transferring from one system to another.Chief executive James Young said in an interview on Morning Report that Airways was in talks with an external software provider about the fault.Airways now says the agency itself maintained the software and had full…

North Otago farmer Jane Smith takes her seat around the board table of fertiliser co-operative Ravensdown at its annual meeting in Christchurch today. The new South Island director replaces six-year veteran Nicky Hyslop, a South Canterbury farmer who co-runs The Levels, a 227ha property halfway between Timaru and Pleasant Point. Another candidate, Rebecca Keoghan, from the West Coast, was unsuccessful in the election after voting closed at midday on Tuesday. Chairman Bruce Wills said the election had generated strong interest, more than 25% of the co-op’s South Island shareholders voting, representing nearly 39% of shares held by that group. “With…

Police are seeking information about a group of dirtbikers accused of damaging fences and native trees, endangering the public and scaring farm animals. Porirua police are looking for the group of five who regularly ride dirt bikes from Waitangirua or Cannons Creek, across iwi land, into Belmont Park and then Belmont Farm.Police said the group has been responsible for causing damage to multiple fences and newly planted native trees.Dirtbike tracks near Belmont Park. (Source: Supplied)They were also putting families using the park, road users and workers at risk, and terrifying livestock, including sheep that are currently lambing.The public is asked…

Police say a fire, which broke out at a Whangārei property during the early hours of this morning while five people slept inside, is being treated as suspicious. Emergency services were called to Raumanga Valley Road in Raumanga at around 6.20am. Detective Senior Sergeant Shane Pilmer said that at this stage, it appeared a couch on the front deck had been deliberately set alight. Five people were asleep at the time of the fire and managed to evacuate safely. “It’s fortunate that no one has lost their life, and a homicide investigation is not being commenced,” Pilmer said. The property…

Published on 24/09/2025 – 17:24 GMT+2 •Updated 17:27 ADVERTISEMENT The European Commission has dismissed a call from 42 civil society organisations for it to stop financing the so-called Libyan Coast Guards whose agents are deployed on the country’s coast to prevent migrants’ boats from setting sail. Some 42 European civil society organizations have written an open letter to EU Commissioners for Home Affairs Magnus Brunner, and for the Mediterranean, Dubravka Šuica, asking for the executive to stop the funding. The letter argues that EU funding has “enabled and legitimised abuses”, pointing out that the Commission has been found guilty of maladministration…