Author: Press Room

Gold mining giant Santana has been told to stop any activity at Bendigo it does not have consent to do. Environmental group Sustainable Tarras this week claimed Santana had been operating an industrial factory to process drill samples and co-ordinate drilling crews at Bendigo for years. The Central Otago District Council, which is responsible for land use rules in the area, says it has not approved any activity related to the mining company other than road widening. A council spokesperson said Santana had applied for consent for proposed mining activity in Thomsons Gorge Rd including a borrow pit, workers’ camp…

An Auckland mental health programme catering for people with long-standing or chronic problems will shut down.On Thursday afternoon, Health NZ told patients and staff of Rauaroha Segar House the service would close its doors.Operating from its central-city Khyber Pass Rd base, Segar House is a publicly-funded, intensive programme that involves group therapy and is focused on allowing people to function in society.The service had an allocation of seven full-time equivalent staff members, although RNZ was told it had been operating below that, and 10 patients at any given time.Health NZ has been consulting on its proposal to shut Segar House…

The headline states, “This valley is no longer safe for overnight stays — and DOC isn’t explaining why”.The story that follows conjures a scene from a horror film. Something odd has been going on in Whakataki valley, east of Mount Aspiring National Park, the article claims.”Today, it’s officially been closed to overnight stays — and the Department of Conservation isn’t saying exactly why.”A former hut warden, identified only by their first name, is quoted. An anonymous DOC worker adds, “there’s more going on than we can talk about right now”.As intriguing as it all sounds, none of it is true.This…

Two-thirds of builders are struggling with lower demand as the construction sector faces widespread job losses and new concerns about coming workforce shortages.A new survey reveals project cancellations now impact more than a third of businesses, while over 60% say it’s harder to keep their job lists full compared to a year ago.NZ Certified Builders’ Michael Bottrill said he had “certainly heard of some poor chaps having to shut up shop” with a lot of businesses “coming close”. “Certainly [I’ve] heard of apprentices being let go … it’s fair to say that’s because of a lack of work,” he said.Electrical…

Dunedin’s Meridian Mall has seen a “noticeable uptick” in retail inquiries over the past year. Two new tenants have already been added to its lineup over the past month, while an established tenant has upgraded to a larger shopfront. The mall has also teased the debut of three new brands to the city in coming months. The Icon Group managing director Robert Platt said the mall had experienced good inquiry from retailers looking to expand into Dunedin over the past six months — a “noticeable uptick” on the previous 12 months. “And the recent leases shows this demand.” Collectables and…

Three new cases of measles have been confirmed today, with one from Manawatū, health officials say.The new cases, which are all linked to recent cases in the Wairarapa and overseas travel, bring the total number of cases in the outbreak to eight. National Public Health Service medical officer of health Dr Craig Thornley said one of the new cases may have been infectious at several locations in Feilding for a “brief period”.Exposure sites included local branches of New World, The Warehouse, and Bunnings Warehouse. The visits happened last Friday afternoon. Thornley said: “Although the case did everything right as advised…

It could be the start of a riddle. Wānaka woman Shannon Phillimore gave birth to two babies within a short space of time, yet they were not twins. Confused? Shortly after her daughter was born nine months ago, Ms Phillimore launched Maebl, New Zealand’s first intimate care brand offering certified microbiome friendly products. The range was designed to help women take control of their intimate wellbeing through science-backed, sustainable and stigma-free care, something she initially struggled to find for her own use. Originally from Auckland, Ms Phillimore’s background was in media and advertising. She moved to Wānaka about eight and…

Hundreds of New Zealand distilleries are vying for top honours at the Spirit Awards in Wellington this week, as the industry continues with rapid expansion.Nearly 600 spirits are being judged by more than 20 industry experts, with entries from 170 distilleries — a 530% increase from the 27 operating in 2018. David Hawk, head judge convener, said the growth had spread to all corners.”We’re seeing distilleries pop up in Stewart Island and in Bluff and the Far North, and what a lot of our distillers are doing is finding local botanicals, flavouring agents from their neighbourhoods,” he said.Consumption of spirits…

ADVERTISEMENT The EU’s proposed budget for 2028 until 2034 runs the risk of turning its cohesion policy into a competition for funding, as it would merge it with other major spending areas. There are now concerns over reduced local control and lack of support for disadvantaged regions. For decades, cohesion funds have helped reduce regional disparities across the EU, supporting everything from road construction and hospital upgrades to unemployment, training programmes and green initiatives. As one of the EU’s most tangible policy tools, cohesion funding has delivered visible results in citizens’ daily lives — but that may be about to…

The mother of a 10-year-old Australian girl who drowned during a visit to New Zealand says a coroner’s report into her daughter’s death has spurred feelings of overwhelming sadness as well as some comfort.Tegan Chen, of Lindfield, New South Wales, drowned in the fast-flowing Marian Creek in Fiordland National Park in January last year after she fell in and was swept downstream.In findings released on July 9, Coroner Mary-Anne Borrowdale described Tegan as “a very active and happy girl”.Tegan’s mother, Deb Fung, said she missed her daughter “every moment, every day”.Fung said pictures in the coroner’s report showed how easy…