Author: Press Room

Borrowers refixing their home loans right now need rates to fall significantly to make waiting, or fixing shorter, a better option than locking in the cheaper two-year option.The big banks are all offering a rate of 4.99% for two-year fixes, while the one-year rate varies between 5.19% and 5.29%.ANZ economists said the two-year rate had fallen by 2.06% from its peak but the OCR had only been cut by 1.75%.The extra drop reflected the fact that wholesale interest rates had fallen in anticipation of further OCR cuts.They said that meant the two-year rate might not fall much further after future…

Queenstown Lakes District Council has issued a reminder for those disposing of batteries after a fire at Whakatipu Recycling Centre last week.The council said the incident was a “close call”, with the building placed at risk.”However, thanks to the swift response from facility staff and emergency services, all staff were evacuated, and the blaze was brought under control.”Initial investigations by Fire and Emergency New Zealand suggested the fire may have been caused by a battery being run over by a loader pushing material.The fire was the second in as many weeks following a similar incident at the Victoria Flats Landfill two…

A second person has been poisoned by the toxic algae in Lake Hood near Ashburton.National Public Health Service (NPHS) medical officer of health Dr Cheryl Brunton said the person was jet-skiing last week and fell into the lake several times.”This happened on the day that a public health warning was issued about a toxic algal bloom (cyanobacteria) in the lake.”Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora issued a health warning about the Canterbury lake on March 20.Toxins released by cyanobacteria can trigger asthma and hayfever symptoms, skin rashes, stomach upsets, and tingling around the mouth, headaches, breathing difficulties and visual problems.A…

Forecasters warned that further severe weather was on the way, with heavy rain to hit the Aegean islands, particularly the Cyclades, where a red warning was imposed until early Tuesday. ADVERTISEMENTA powerful storm lashed the Greek islands of Paros and Mykonos on Monday, triggering widespread flooding and prompting authorities to close schools and impose a ban on all traffic except emergency vehicles.Heavy rainfall in Paros’ main towns of Parikia and Naousa – both popular vacation spots – caused floodwaters that surged through streets, carrying cars and debris past whitewashed buildings.Authorities on Paros said 13 people stranded in the storm were…

A wanted man with more than 20 arrest warrants was in custody this morning after a vehicle fled from police across Auckland during the morning commute.Officers at Auckland Airport noticed a vehicle of interest just before 8am and approached it to speak with the occupants.The vehicle left at “high speed”, according to Acting Inspector Tim Williams.The officers decided not to pursue the vehicle, which the Eagle helicopter had spotted travelling at speed along State Highway 20.Williams said the vehicle continued to the city’s North Shore, where it went into an underground carpark.”It’s believed passengers were dropped off,” he said.After this,…

An advocate for sexual violence victims says the court’s decision to grant a Rotorua rapist permanent name suppression is frustrating but understandable.The Rotorua businessman was found guilty of rape at the Rotorua District Court in August of last year, and sentenced in February. He was granted permanent name suppression in March.Louise Nicholas, from the Louise Nicholas Trust for sexual violence survivors, said the decision to grant the man name suppression was not about protecting him.”It is a blow,” she said. “It is difficult that suppression has been given for this businessman, but we understand why, and it is to protect…

A man found guilty earlier this year on sexual charges against a 13-year-old girl has been sentenced to four and a half years in prison.Luca Fairgray, who was 20 at the time of the offending in 2023, was convicted in in the Auckland District Court in February on three charges of sexual conduct with a young person.His lawyer Susan Gray asked for a term of imprisonment of 30 months and said her client had already been assaulted in prison and his parents subjected to extortion attempts.But Judge Evangelos Thomas said Fairgray knew the teenager’s age when he met her in…

The Government has revealed the next two charter schools to be opened.Tōtara Park School and Twin Oaks Classical School, both in Auckland, would join the seven schools already opened, Associate Education Minister David Seymour announced today. Tōtara Park would open in Term 1 of next year and begin with a cohort of students from years one to four. The school was based on the “Pared” model of schools, using a personalised mentoring system. “Mentors support parents in exercising their duty as primary educators. An individual mentor, selected from the teachers and learning assistants at the school, is appointed to each…

Speaking to French TV channel TF1 in her first reaction to the verdict, Le Pen called the ruling a “political decision” aimed at preventing her from running in the 2027 presidential election ADVERTISEMENTA French court on Monday convicted Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Rally (RN), of embezzlement and barred her from seeking public office for five years, in a major blow to her presidential hopes.Speaking to French TV channel TF1 in her first reaction to the verdict, Le Pen called the ruling a “political decision” aimed at preventing her from running in the 2027 presidential election and said…

A Wellington restaurant owner who closed the doors for the final time this weekend believes meals are underpriced and people do not understand the true cost of putting the food on the table, including wages for kitchen and wait staff. Asher Boote closed his restaurant Daisy’s at the weekend. He said a lot of factors contributed to the decision, including tough economic times and tight margins. It is one of several venues that have shut up shop in the capital recently. Boote told RNZ’s Checkpoint that people needed to remember that dining out was a luxury, and that might mean…