Author: Press Room
Slowing construction growth and underperforming house sales have knocked Otago off its perch at the top of a regional economic ranking. The latest results, for Q2 2025, put the region in third place in ASB’s regional economic scoreboard for the second quarter in a row, behind the Bay of Plenty and Southland. It had been in the top two since Q3 2022. But the region remained a “powerhouse” in the recent cycle because of economic insulation provided by Queenstown’s robust tourism, the report said. The report — which ranks the economic performance of the country’s 16 regions on indicators including…
Two police officers were found to have breached urgent duty driving policy when one patrol car hit another at high speed on Auckland’s northern motorway last year.The crash occurred on October 1, 2024 around 9.30pm, as both officers drove north on State Highway 1 near Puhoi under lights and sirens, but were responding to separate emergency incidents.One officer was headed to a crash where a pedestrian had been struck and seriously injured on the southbound lanes of the motorway, while the other officer was attending another separate incident.The motorway at that location was a dual carriageway separated by a wire…
Canterbury business owners are confident a shrinking economy will “turn the corner” over the next year unlike more gloomier expectations further north. The latest quarterly business survey by Business Canterbury, formerly the Canterbury Employers Chamber of Commerce, shows 64% of businesses remain confident the economy will strengthen. That is despite the national economy last week weakening more than forecast by 0.9% in the June quarter and ASB’s latest investor confidence survey showing a miserly 1% of investors expect conditions to improve in the coming year. Despite these economic pressures, 55% of Canterbury businesses plan to hire employees, and nearly two-thirds…
Police are seeking the public’s help to identify a man captured on CCTV following a suspected arson at Westfield Manukau two months ago.The incident occurred just after 11am on Friday july 18 when a fire was lit inside the mall’s toilets.The blaze caused “extensive damage” to the facilities and caused the shopping centre to be evacuated.Police believed the man pictured in the CCTV images could assist with inquiries.”Anyone who recognises this man or who has information about this incident is asked to contact police,” a spokesperson said.
A stoat caught in a trap on a predator-free island in the Marlborough Sounds likely swam across from a nearby island, according to DOC.The predator was captured on a Oruawairua/Blumine Island trail camera in July, and DOC became aware of it in mid-August during a monthly photo review.The stoat was captured on a trail camera in July. (Source: Department of Conservation)Stoats were the number-one killer of many of NZ’s endangered species. Oruawairua was home to vulnerable bird species such as the kākāriki karaka, mohua and tīeke/saddleback.DOC Picton biodiversity ranger Amy Brunsden said quickly trapping the stoat was the best result…
Every apartment in a new building by developer Ockham in Auckland’s Point Chevalier will be rented rather than sold due to a slow property market.The chief executive of Ockham Residential’s Whetū development William Deihl told RNZ’s Morning Report all 77 apartments will be leased.”The market is a lot slower than previous years.”We’ve been in a recessionary sort of environment for quite some time now, but it’s come to a head over the past couple of years.”Deihl explained that Ockham have developed build to rent buildings before, and it was on the table for the Whetū block as it was being…
Supporters of Māori wards in Whanganui are organising a march in the city next weekend and local iwi leaders are reported to be poised to take legal action after Māori ward candidates’ statements were left out of the candidate profile booklet.Watch the full report on TVNZ+.Julie Herewini aims to be one of Whanganui’s first Māori ward councillors. She told TVNZ’s Marae that historically, the district has had “extremely poor representation”.“In 153 years we’ve had five Māori candidates around the table. We make up 27% –plus– of the community and to have only had five voices in the last 153 years,…
A woman in a difficult labour had no pain relief, likely for hours, because her epidural line had come out and no one noticed.Midwives told a junior midwife looking for advice the woman “just needs to push her baby out” as she became increasingly distressed.The woman ended up suffering a large perineal tear and had significant post-partum pain and bleeding from the birth at Whanganui Hospital in 2022.Health New Zealand Whanganui has been censured by the Health and Disability Commission for its care, for not having enough qualified staff and for not properly supporting the locum, graduate midwife who was…
By Euronews Published on 22/09/2025 – 13:00 GMT+2 Key diary dates Monday 22 – Saturday 27 September: Opening of the United Nations’ 80th General Assembly in New York. Tuesday 23 September: European Parliament’s legal affairs committee to consider parliamentary immunity of MEPs Ilaria Salis and Peter Magyar. Wednesday 24 September: European Parliament’s trade committee to debate implementation of the EU-US trade deal. ADVERTISEMENT In spotlight “The EU is, and will remain, the UN’s largest collective supporter,” Ursula von der Leyen posted on X late on Sunday following a meeting in New York with Secretary General Antonio Guterres, alongside Council President…
Education Minister Erica Stanford has announced an extra $58 million for school infrastructure projects, saying the top-up would enable projects to get underway quicker and help boost the construction sector.The $58 million in extra funding was part of a $413 million package:$58 million for operating maintenance work for all schools$255 million for internal and external improvements on all isolated, small and rural schools, representing half of all state schools$100 million over five years for urgent and essential infrastructure workThe $58 million would be a one-off top up to the current property maintenance grant which would support schools’ operating maintenance works,…