Author: Press Room

Al Brown has pledged to review every item made by Hikurangi Home Cookery, a small-town, family-owned bakery 20 minutes’ drive north of Whangārei.The highest score so far, nine and a half out of 10, went to a raspberry tea bun Brown nicknamed “the razza” and described as an “absolute piece of brilliance”.A cream-filled puff pastry topped with pink icing called a Napoleon – which Brown dubbed a “down and dirty” Kiwi version of the French mille-feuille – scored eight and a half, as did a classic mince pie.The bacon and egg slice scored a more modest six and a half…

Three Greenpeace protesters have been arrested after boarding a fishing boat at Nelson’s port, stopping it from leaving.Police were called to the port about 8am on Saturday after two protesters boarded Talley’s Amaltal Columbia vessel and refused to leave.One of the demonstrators holding a banner attached themselves to the vessel.In a post on social media, Greenpeace said it was “preventing [the vessel] from carrying out destructive bottom trawling”.”When trawl nets are dragged over seamounts and other vulnerable areas, they turn precious coral into rubble and kill ocean life from sharks to fur seals, dolphins and seabirds – it must stop.”All…

A small Wellington business is fearing for its future after NZ Post suspended shipping to the United States due to tariffs.South Pacific Berets describes itself as the most specialised beret shop in the world, serving Basque beret enthusiasts globally.”Most of my customers, about 90%, live in the US,” owner Daan Kolthoff said.”I import berets from a number of countries: France, Spain, Italy, Czech Republic, Argentina, they come to New Zealand and from here they go to customers all over the world. There are very little [customers] in New Zealand, by far the most are US customers.”Kolthoff said the suspension came…

Seven people have been injured, including two in critical condition, following a two-vehicle crash near Taupō this afternoon. Emergency services were called to a serious crash near the intersection of Broadlands Road and Off Road Highway, Rotokawa at around 3.15pm. In a statement this afternoon, Hato Hone St Jon said it responded with three helicopters, five ambulances, one manager, and one clinical support vehicle.”Our crews assessed and treated two patients in a critical condition who were airlifted to Waikato hospital, one patient in a serious condition who was airlifted to Rotorua hospital, three patients in a moderate condition who were…

Four firearms and a knife have been seized by police investigating gang-related offending in Levin.It comes after a Gang Conflict Warrant was put in place on Thursday, following four firearms incidents in as many days. Manawatū area commander inspector Ross Grantham said the warrant is already helping to keep the Horowhenua town safe.”On Thursday, we stopped and searched a vehicle, locating a firearm, we then found another firearm in the home associated to the vehicle.”Yesterday morning, we stopped another vehicle and found two firearms. “Some time later another vehicle was stopped where Police found a large knife.”Police said they are…

When Rena Owen sees herself on the viewing screen, dressed as Beth Heke in the opening minutes of Once Were Warriors, she lets out a hearty cackle, exclaiming: “My god, (director) Lee Tamahori knew what he was doing when he put that bloody tattoo and leather vest on me, I tell ya.”She said she initially thought Beth would be in sweat pants, “he (Lee) just looked at me and said ‘Rena, it’s not that kind of movie'”. It wasn’t a movie any of us had seen before. Once Were Warriors took us into a world we liked to pretend didn’t…

Two people have died following separate crashes in Taranaki and Northland.In Taranaki, police said it was notified at 12.10am today of a single vehicle crash in Waitōtara.On arrival it said a person was critically injured and transported to hospital.Police confirmed the person died some time after, and inquiries into the circumstances of the crash are underway.In Northland, police said one person died in a crash shortly after 10pm yesterday on Pipiwai Road in Ngararatunua.It said inquiries into the circumstances of this crash are also underway.

A large overnight blaze at a playground in Auckland’s Flat Bush is being treated as a suspicious fire. A Fire and Emergency spokesperson said crews were called to the fire at Mission Heights Reserve around 10.43pm. A FENZ spokesperson told 1News one fire truck attended the scene. No injuries have been reported. Howick Local Board chairperson Damian Light said he was “very disturbed” by news of the fire.”It appears someone decided to burn down part of one of our local playgrounds in Flat Bush overnight. Not only does this deprive local children of opportunities, it could put the entire neighbourhood…

New rules aimed at lowering power bills in New Zealand could backfire, as Griffith University Professor Richard Meale warns how they may actually drive electricity prices up.In its quest to lower electricity prices for New Zealand households, the Electricity Authority may inadvertently make the situation worse.This week, the authority announced plans to require New Zealand’s “gentailers” – firms that both generate electricity and retail it to consumers – to offer the same supply terms to independent retailers as they do to their own retail arms.The aim is to prevent the gentailers from providing discounted electricity to themselves, thereby levelling the…

Empty shelves in supermarkets can trigger unease, even when you don’t want the missing products. University of Sussex professor Domink Piehlmaier explains why.Have you ever spotted an empty supermarket shelf and felt a sudden pang of discomfort, even though you weren’t looking for that item? You’re not alone. Shocks such as Covid and cyberattacks on retailers have made empty shelves a common sight in many countries. These moments often come with media coverage of panicked shoppers and long queues.But what happens when those shelves are empty while shopping during normal times and when you weren’t even planning to buy what’s…