Author: Press Room

Police have recovered nearly $700 worth of chocolate after being called out to a brazen attempt to plunder an east Auckland supermarket on Sunday evening.Counties Manukau East Area Prevention Manager, Inspector Rakana Cook said supermarket staff at Highland Park reported a group filling bags with products at around 5pm.”A police unit arrived within minutes, as the group was allegedly filling backpacks with chocolate and meat,” Cook said.”Our staff entered the supermarket as some of the offenders were attempting to walk out and stopped them in their tracks.”All four were placed under arrest.While taking the group into custody, Cook said one…

The age for New Zealand’s working holiday visas should be raised to 50 to help hike international visitor numbers, a tourism operator says. Currently, working holiday visas are available to people aged between 18 and 35. The visa allows visitors from recognised countries to work, travel and study in Aotearoa for up to 12 months, but visitors from Canada and the United Kingdom can stay for longer. The number of working holiday visa’s has been steadily declining, with an 11% drop in the year ending in February. Tim Alpe, the managing director of the LyLo hostel in central Auckland, believes…

Would-be Taranaki seabed miners say they’ve provided enough proof to get the green light, despite a Fast-track organiser criticising the company’s “cynical” approachFast-track panel convener Jennifer Caldwell last week said a lack of assistance from Trans-Tasman Resources meant the Fast-Track Approvals Act process would take longer.Caldwell said the Australian company had slowed down its own application by failing to provide requested information, with no decision possible until March.Trans-Tasman Resources (TTR) told Fast-track officials there was “little room for real debate” over their plan to mine for at least 20 years just outside the 12-mile limit.The mining company’s submissions dismissed opponents…

The lawyer for convicted double murderer David Tamihere has described his trial as fundamentally defective, as the Supreme Court hears his appeal at the High Court in Auckland on Monday.Five Supreme Court judges are hearing arguments on whether the Court of Appeal in an earlier ruling was right to not quash his convictions.Tamihere has always denied killing Swedish tourists Urban Höglin, 23, and Heidi Paakkonen, 21, and served 20 years of a life sentence.His lawyers are appealing an earlier Court of Appeal ruling that found a miscarriage of justice, but upheld his convictions.Five Supreme Court judges hearing arguments on whether…

The coalition government is scrapping the building consents regime to ease the liability load on local councils. Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk said today the regime is “sluggish” and holding the building sector back. “Right now, councils are hesitant to sign off on building consents and inspections because they could be held liable for all defects, leaving ratepayers to foot the bill. “This often happens when one of the parties responsible cannot pay for repairs, for example, if a business goes bust.” Penk said building owners could currently claim full compensation from any responsible party and it was often…

New Zealand’s largest mānuka honey producer Comvita is eyeing a company sale, amid challenging times in the global honey sector.The listed health and wellness company announced on the NZX on Monday morning that its board voted in favour of a bid by Florenz, a subsidiary of investment firm Masthead, to buy the struggling business that just celebrated 50 years in operation.The bid would offer shareholders a cash price of $0.80 per share, representing an equity value of $56 million and an enterprise value of $119m.The proposed sale would privatise the listed company.The takeover offer came amid extremely challenging times for…

Two people on board a small plane that crash-landed on a suburban golf course have avoided major injuries.Onlookers at the Mona Vale Golf Club, on Sydney’s northern beaches, saw a Piper Cherokee make a sudden descent and crash next to a green on Sunday.Emergency services responded, with both people on board reported to have sustained only minor injuries.An Instagram account caught vision of the crash, which shows the plane glide in and make heavy impact, with debris splattering around the course.NSW Ambulance Inspector Chris Peck said the plane was being operated by a pilot along with a trainee.”[They] had minor…

It’s local election season, and that means Richard Osmaston is busy.The St Arnaud-based leader of the Money Free Party is running for mayor in five districts: Nelson, Tasman, and the three on the West Coast — Buller, Grey, and Westland.However, it is one district less than in 2022 when he also stood in Marlborough, where Shaun Brown is now representing the party in the contest for the mayoralty.”It’s a funny balance between looking like a headline-grabbing nutter and being taken seriously,” Osmaston said.He had considered running for the top job in all 78 of New Zealand’s local authorities, but that…

Legislation being drafted to bring back the controversial trade of live animal exports by sea is getting stuck in the cogs of Cabinet.The Labour government banned the trade two years ago, after the Gulf Livestock 1 vessel en route to China capsized in 2020 during a typhoon, resulting in the deaths of over 40 crew – including two New Zealanders – and more than 5800 cattle.National and Act campaigned during the last election to bring back the trade, and it was a condition of the coalition agreement.The Parliamentary Counsel Office (PCO) was drafting the Animal Welfare Act amendment to bring…

The Aratere has departed Picton on its final service across Cook Strait.It was announced earlier this year that the Interislander’s sole rail-enabled ferry would retire, to allow for Picton port redevelopment in preparation for two brand-new Cook Strait ferries, due to arrive in 2029. The ship set sail for Wellington from a sunny, blue-skied Picton this morning on its final passenger service across Cook Strait. The Kaitaki Interislander ferry sounded a final goodbye to the Aratere vessel shortly after its departure. The Kaitaki Interislander ferry sounds a farewell to the Aratere vessel shortly after its last departure from Picton. (Source:…