Author: Press Room

Eastern parts of the country can expect to see temperatures hit the mid-twenties later this week, MetService says.MetService meteorologist Dom Barry said thanks to warmer air, many places across the east of the country will see higher than average maximum and minimum temperatures. This week’s expected temperatures (Source: Supplied)”For the easternmost places like Christchurch, Oamaru, Napier and Hastings, maximums in the mid-twenties can be expected,” Barry said. On Wednesday afternoon, the temperature in Christchurch is expected to reach 26C, while in the north Napier is likely to see 24C. The temperature in Napier on Thursday is expected to reach 26C,…

An Auckland hazardous substances business and its owner will forfeit $4 million under the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act (CPRA) to settle a case taken by police in the wake of an explosion that killed a young contract worker in 2015. Jamey Bowring, 24, was working as a contractor at Salters Cartage Limited (SCL) in Wiri when he was killed after a tank exploded. A WorkSafe statement from 2017 said Bowring was welding and grinding on top of the 96,000 litre capacity tank when it blew up, “throwing Mr Bowring 130 metres into a nearby car yard and killing him”.As part…

A record nearly 400,000 people are on some form of benefit – almost the same proportion of the population as after the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) – and there’s a warning that number will increase before it falls again.The data was released as part of the Ministry of Social Development’s update for September.It showed the proportion of the working age population receiving a main benefit lifted to 12%, or 391,224 people, up 0.6 per centage points from September 2023.Just over 6% of the population, or 204,765, were on JobSeeker support.That compares to 12.4% of the population on a benefit after…

The EU executive has largely rejected new findings from the European Court of Auditors over its new streamlined spending approach, sparking a dust-up as it plans wider reforms to the bloc’s €1.2 trillion budget. ADVERTISEMENTThe EU’s budget is at increasing risk of duplicating payouts, as it shifts to a system that rewards reforms rather than reimbursing costs, the European Court of Auditors said in a report published on Monday.It’s the latest broadside from the Luxembourg-based Court in a battle for the future of Brussels’ spending pot, which is worth €1.2 trillion over seven years and due to be rejigged starting…

The Otago Regional Council could receive a nearly $60 million cash injection from Port Otago over the next three years. Port Otago will present its statement of corporate intent (SCI) for the next three financial years, to June 30, 2027, at an Otago Regional Council meeting tomorrow. The company is wholly owned by the council and operates across four sites including Dunedin Bulk Port, Dunedin Depot, Fiordland and Port Chalmers — the primary South Island port for cruise ships. The meeting’s agenda said the port had “substantially revised” its SCI format in line with a move to integrated reporting and…

Health NZ has accepted just over 400 applications from staff to take voluntary redundancy.It called for voluntary redundancies in August as it tries to cut costs to head off a huge deficit. Its chief executive, Margie Apa, said they were continuing to assess applications.She said front-line clinical staff were not eligible.Health NZ said it was unable to talk about what effect the redundancies would have on budgets while the process was ongoing.Voluntary redundancy was offered to a limited number of staff working in administration, policy advisory and specialist services.Junior doctors warned losing admin support would hurt patients as they would…

A family-owned Milton timber company has axed five staff in what was described as an “emotional” process. The redundancies of the five — on the operational side of Gorton Timber Co — were down to “significant industry challenges” leading to a reduction in demand for finished timber products for construction. The change leaves the company with 23 staff, down from 28. A spokeswoman for the firm said the job losses affected several long-standing members of staff, in what had been a difficult and emotional process. “The company underwent thorough internal discussions and explored various options to retain staff and keep…

Police have appealed to the public for information after a “hit and run incident” left a man critically injured in Auckland’s Pukekohe last week.A member of the public located an injured and unconscious man lying on Wellington St around 2.47am on Friday.Detective Senior Sergeant Simon Taylor said the victim was taken to hospital, where he remains in a critical condition.”We are asking for the public’s assistance for any information which may help us to help us locate the driver or the vehicle involved.”Anyone in the area who may have witnessed this incident or who has any information – including CCTV…

Reports that the small eastern European country is being considered a potential site for migrant camps have triggered a wave of misinformation. ADVERTISEMENTCalls by some EU leaders to consider establishing migration processing centres outside the bloc’s territory have triggered the spread of misinformation designed to undermine support for the 27-country bloc in EU candidate countries.European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen first floated the idea of “return hubs” in a letter to EU heads of state and government last Tuesday, and it was discussed during a leaders’ summit on Thursday.Whilst currently scant on details, the proposal is believed to be…

The PM says Commerce Minister Andrew Bayly “understands he got it totally, utterly completely wrong” over an interaction where he allegedly called a worker a “loser” and told them to “take some wine and f*** off”.Bayly apologised publicly over his conduct on Friday. The senior minister said he thought he was having a “light-hearted exchange” during the business visit in early October.Speaking to media today, Christopher Luxon said the incident “caused insult” and that Bayly’s behaviour “didn’t meet the standards” he set for ministers.The Prime Minister said he told Bayly on Friday, “you’ve clearly got this horribly wrong”.Commerce Minister Andrew…