Author: Press Room

A 25-year-old man has appeared in court after he allegedly fired a gun at another person inside a Ministry of Social Development office in Masterton yesterday.Police were called to the incident on Lincoln Rd at around 12.40pm on Monday.Wairarapa Area Commander Inspector Nick Thom said there were no reports of injuries from the incident.”Following police’s initial enquiries, one person was taken into custody a short time later nearby.”Cordons were put in place around the area and some staff were armed as a precaution.Thom said it was believed to be an isolated incident with no wider risk to the public.”Police would…

The son of Stephen Stone has filed a Law Society complaint against the Auckland Crown Solicitor, alleging she misled the court with her statement about the lack of evidence to retry his father, who was acquitted of double murder last week. Daniel Stone, 32, said Alysha McClintock’s statement had caused “significant harm” to his father and family by “perpetuating a myth” the Crown case was dropped because witnesses were unavailable. Stephen Stone spent more than 26 years wrongfully imprisoned for the 1989 murders of Deane Fuller-Sandys and Leah Stephens. In July, the Crown admitted he and three others convicted in…

By Gyles Beckford of RNZ The struggle for the boardroom of media company NZME has taken a new twist. Former National cabinet minister Steven Joyce has been nominated for the NZME board and touted as a candidate to replace the current chair Barbara Chapman, who would stand down if he was appointed. The company’s board has also proposed its own list of candidates in addition to Joyce comprising of current directors Carol Campbell and Guy Horrocks, and technology specialist Bowen Pan. Current director Sussan Turner has not decided whether to stand for re-election but would be supported by the other directors if she did.…

Let the year’s biggest fashion party begin! A rainy Met Gala on Tuesday included a Rihanna pregnancy announcement, a tuxedoed choir and a trend true to the menswear theme: Emma Chamberlain, Zendaya, Lorde, Teyana Taylor and many other women in pinstripes and other traditional men’s detailing.Chamberlain and Zuri Hall were among those who wore sleek, sexy gowns that play on men’s suiting in pinstripes as they walked up the grand steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Zendaya, a co-host last year, wore a perfectly tailored white trouser suit with a matching wide-brim hat.Celebrities attend The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s…

Police say a fire at a McDonald’s restaurant in Pakuranga is being investigated as a suspected arson. Emergency services attended the fire on Pakuranga Rd just before 3pm yesterday. Large plumes of smoke could be seen and explosions heard at the fast food restaurant, which has “sustained significant fire damage as a result”. Firefighters at a McDonald’s in east Auckland (Source: 1News)At its peak, six fire trucks were at the scene. In an update today, Counties Manukau CIB Detective Senior Sergeant Michele Gillespie said a scene guard has been in place at the restaurant overnight.The scene at McDonald’s Pakuranga on…

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s landslide win at the weekend following Canadian Prime Minister’s Mark Carney’s victory less than a week before should indicate to our politicians that the New Zealand “Trump trend” of 2024 may have peaked. By Grant DuncanTrying to capitalise on the electoral success of US President Donald Trump, now that his policies are having real-world effects, is proving to be a big mistake for conservative leaders.Australian voters have delivered a landslide win for the incumbent Labor Party, returning Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for a second term with a clear majority of seats.Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese…

Local Māori have opposed the expansion of New Zealand’s largest gold mine, north of Dunedin, saying not enough is known about its long-term or cumulative effects on the environment. Kāti Huirapa Rūnaka ki Puketeraki, Te Rūnanga o Moeraki, and Te Rūnaka o Ōtākou — submitting as Kā Rūnaka — said OceanaGold’s application to expand its Macraes Gold Mine did not adequately address “the magnitude, severity and ongoing impact” of the effects arising from their plans. “Furthermore, the conclusions contained in the application regarding the effects arising from the application have been reached without an assessment of the cultural impacts of…

For decades, Shane William Pritchard has been charged with crimes he didn’t commit and chased for debts he doesn’t owe. That’s because the Dunedin man is not the only Shane William Pritchard in town. While the duo’s shared name and age has sometimes been a handy loophole for one Shane, for the other it has caused problems for 36 years, so he approached Fair Go for help. It’s been years of fearing every knock on the door. Years of wondering if he’ll be hand-cuffed and taken to jail. “Just screws up your bloody life, to be honest,” says Shane William…

By Susan Edmunds of RNZ The proportion of home loan payments past due is at the highest level since at least 2017, new Centrix data shows. The data released Monday showed 24,000 home loan accounts with payments owing, up 700 on the previous month and 7 percent on the year before. In total, 1.58 percent of home loans were in arrears, up from 1.55 percent in February. The number more than 90 days overdue was holding steady. Economist Shamubeel Eaqub said mortgage stress should be nearing its peak, because home loan rates had dropped significantly and living costs were not…

Hamilton has been announced as the new home for the Homegrown music festival. In January the festival, which features New Zealand music, confirmed it would be leaving Wellington’s waterfront after being there for 18 years.  From next year it will be held at Hamilton’s Claudelands Oval.Festival director Andrew Tuck said the move is “about creating something that celebrates our roots and gives back to the region that inspires us”. Organisers said that Hamilton offers potential for the festival to expand and evolve. (Source: Breakfast)Organisers said that Hamilton offers potential for the festival to expand and evolve as New Zealand’s fastest-growing city. “Its central…