Author: Press Room

Hospice New Zealand has revealed cost cutting measures are in place at end-of-life care facilities around the country, including reducing the number of patient beds and restricting admissions in some cases.“I would say at least two-thirds of them have already taken some measures and are taking more, and some of them are planning what they can do next,” chief executive Wayne Naylor told 1News.Hospice New Zealand reports of the nearly 38,000 people who died in New Zealand in 2024, 10,860 received hospice care.The organisation has gone public with the cost cutting measures ahead of its annual awareness week. Other actions…

Sports coaches and dance teachers say social media can be positive and inspiring for teenagers as they learn to juggle schedules and responsibility.The National Party wants to ban children under 16 from accessing social media by forcing companies to use age verification measures. MP Catherine Wedd, with the backing of leader Christopher Luxon, has put forward a members’ bill which would follow Australia’s lead on cracking down on the social media giants.Wellington swim coach Steve Francis said he emailed the parents of younger children having swimming lessons, but when it came to communicating with his training squads, for those over…

Fire and Emergency NZ crews were called to a fire at a building housing a Dunedin restaurant this morning. Black smoke could be seen in the area, but it was not yet known how much damage there was to Brazen Eating House in Filleul St.  An Otago Daily Times photographer at the scene said smoke was coming from the second floor of the property and from a large industrial chimney. A Fenz spokesman said four appliances – two from Dunedin central and one each from Willowbank and one from Roslyn – initially attended about 8am, while a command unit arrived…

ME/Chronic fatigue syndrome is a physical disease but misinformation from decades ago claiming it was psychological has resulted in stigma that still impacts the care of patients today. Zoe Madden-Smith looks into the controversy around the mysterious illness for Re: Investigates. Watch it now on TVNZ+. On a good day, Tammy Rumsey can say a short sentence and have her face washed by her mum. On a bad day, she is too weak to turn her head on her pillow. The 23-year-old hasn’t been able to leave her bed in a year. She lies in complete darkness and silence with…

One in three New Zealanders over 30 has high blood pressure – but many of them do not even know it.The Heart Foundation is launching its first-ever blood pressure awareness campaign to encourage people to get checked, a move it says could save thousands of lives.Heart Foundation medical director Dr Gerry Devlin said about 350,000 New Zealanders with high blood pressure were not being monitored because they had no symptoms.”That’s why it’s known as ‘the silent killer’.”The first symptom of high blood pressure may well be when you develop a complication of high blood pressure – be it a heart…

The loss of Dunedin institution Gilbert’s Fine Food has given rise to two new hospitality businesses in the city. A pair of Christchurch-based bakers and the owners of former Moray Pl cafe Side On have taken over the local caterer’s former Otaki St and Highgate premises respectively. After nearly 20 years in business, Gilbert’s Fine Food co-owners Kevin and Esther Gilbert announced in March they had decided to close their wholesale and retail operations the following month — citing the rising cost of ingredients, increased difficulties in running a business, staff costs, margins being eroded and tiredness. Baker Brothers Artisan…

It’s a good time to be a tenant, new data suggests.Realestate.co.nz said the supply of rental properties across New Zealand was at the highest level of any April in almost a decade, last month.There were 5868 new listings on the site in the month, up 24.1% year-on-year.The last time the number listed was that high was in April 2016.Auckland had the largest number of new listings followed by Canterbury and Wellington.Wellington’s average rental price was down 7.2% year-on-year to $647 and Auckland’s down 3.3% to $702. The national average was down $14 a week.Realestate.co.nz spokesperson Vanessa Wiliams said $14 extra…

A Dunedin pizza parlour in the heart of the city’s student quarter is celebrating half a century in business. Poppa’s Pizza, located across the road from the University of Otago Central Library in Albany St, turned 50 recently. Owner Daljeet “DJ” Singh, who took up sole ownership of the store in July last year, said he felt lucky to have taken up the reins of the business in time for the milestone. The business was started by two Italian brothers who had once studied at the University of Otago, Mr Singh said. While the original owners could not recall the…

The coalition Government has used urgency to pass laws all in one go — skipping a step that asks for the public’s feedback — at least 22 times since it was elected, according to Parliament’s records. Parliamentary Library data provided to Q+A shows the coalition is nearing the previous 17-year record of 28 bills passed this way in one term — set in the 53rd Parliament by Labour. It comes as the Government passed legislation to raise the threshold to make a pay equity claim. The change was announced last Tuesday morning, introduced in Parliament a few hours later, and…

The state of emergency on storm-hit Banks Peninsula will remain in place for at least another day, while the Christchurch City Council monitors a land slip in Akaroa.The council said the land was still rain-saturated, with the potential for further slips.A resident living on a farm above the Lighthouse Road slip, Charlotte Oborne, told RNZ her family had been cut off for more than a week, with the only route to town left impassable.”I’m hoping they’ll give us some information on Monday, rather than saying we’ll have to wait longer, because we’ve got to… come up with a bit of…