Author: Press Room

By Gyles Beckford of RNZ Recent figures show inflation has risen to a 12-month high, pushing the annual rate to 2.7%. Stats NZ data shows the consumer price index rose 0.5% in the June quarter, taking the annual rate to 2.7%. Key factors contributing to the inflation increase include surging food, power and housing costs, offset by cheaper fuel. The spike is not expected to halt at least one more Reserve Bank (RBNZ) rate cut. Consumer prices for the three months ended June were expected to have risen 0.6%. Economists believe inflation will edge above the Reserve Bank’s 1.3% target band by…

Contestants who win prize money on The Chase are told not to share their winnings with fellow competitors who fail to make it back, a former winner has revealed.Steven Sneade, who won a share of $17,000 after beating Paul ‘The Sinnerman’ Sinha, gave details of the contract successful contestants are asked to sign.One person on his team walked away with nothing. But Snead, 69, said they were told to put sympathy aside.“If you win you have to sign another contract as you’re accepting money from them,” the Liverpool resident said. “They told us not to give money to the contestants…

Many areas across Aotearoa are in for a “frosty, foggier conditions” this week as temperatures plummet, according to MetService. MetService meteorologist Oscar Shiviti told 1News it was a frosty start for many across the country today. “I don’t know if this is good or bad news, but we’re not really expecting a change in the weather for most of the week.”He said a high-pressure system was going to be sitting over New Zealand for most of the week, resulting in “settled, fine weather for most places”. “Also [a] continued trend of those frosty and foggier conditions in the morning and…

Investigations are underway after reports of two burglaries at a supermarket in Mt Wellington overnight.Emergency services received a report of a person breaking into a commercial premises on Mount Wellington Highway shortly before 1am.The offender then fled prior to police arriving.At about 3.30am, police received a second report of a person gaining access to the building, where the fog cannon was activated. The morning’s headlines in 90 seconds, Mama Hooch rapists appeal, Ukraine’s new message to Russia, and Jason Momoa’s plans here. (Source: Breakfast)”Police are working hard to find the person responsible and hold them to account,” a police spokesperson…

The Commerce Commission has filed criminal charges against retailer Noel Leeming over what it says is a misleading price matching promotion. Noel Leeming is a subsidiary of The Warehouse Group. “For over a decade Noel Leeming has prominently promoted their ‘Price Promise,’ which is their commitment to match any competitors’ price. We believe their price promise claim was misleading and in breach of the Fair Trading Act,” Commerce Commission deputy chair Anne Callinan said. “We believe Noel Leeming’s price promise had many limitations and conditions which weren’t made obvious to customers and made any price matches difficult to obtain. “Fine…

Technology and appliance retailer Noel Leeming says it is “baffled” and “perplexed” by the Commerce Commission filing charges alleging it misled consumers on its promise to match prices. The Commerce Commission announced it had filed criminal charges in the Auckland District Court against the wholly-owned subsidiary of The Warehouse Group Limited, alleging it had breached the Fair Trading Act. Deputy chairperson Anne Callinan said its “price promise had many limitations and conditions which weren’t made obvious to customers”. “For over a decade Noel Leeming has prominently promoted their ‘Price Promise,’ which is their commitment to match any competitors’ price. We…

By Gyles Beckford of RNZ Inflation is expected to hit a 12-month high, as surging food prices and power costs put the squeeze on household budgets. Consumer prices for the three months ended June are expected to have risen 0.6 percent, pushing the annual rate to 2.8 percent from 2.5 percent in March. ANZ senior economist Miles Workman said there would be familiar domestic drivers of the latest numbers. “The main drivers of quarterly inflation are expected to come from the food and housing-related groups – accelerating electricity inflation, but slowing rents and construction.” High export prices for meat and…

Inflation is expected to hit a 12-month high, as surging food prices and power costs put the squeeze on household budgets.Consumer prices for the three months ended June are expected to have risen 0.6%, pushing the annual rate to 2.8% from 2.5% in March.ANZ senior economist Miles Workman said there would be familiar domestic drivers of the latest numbers.”The main drivers of quarterly inflation are expected to come from the food and housing-related groups — accelerating electricity inflation, but slowing rents and construction.”High export prices for meat and dairy products have driven local food prices, and thus stoked inflation, but…

Technology and computing retailer PBTech says its new South Dunedin store is on track to be one of the company’s “most anticipated openings yet”. The new store, on the corner of Hillside Rd and Rankeilor St, is scheduled to open late next month. PBTech chief executive Gary Bigwood said opening a new store in Dunedin had been in consideration for a few years and would add to its two other South Island branches, both in Christchurch. Customers had been asking them to open a store in Dunedin for years and the company was “thrilled” it was finally happening, Mr Bigwood…

Hollywood heavyweight Jason Momoa says he’s planning a more permanent move to New Zealand.”I’m just waiting for you guys to let me in,” Momoa told 1News. “I saw in one of your newspapers we brought in like $1.3 billion in the last year and a half so like, well! If that doesn’t get you citizenship, I don’t know what does!”The 45-year-old actor has spent a lot of time in New Zealand in recent years, working on projects like A Minecraft Movie, The Wrecking Crew, and his new series Chief of War.According to the New Zealand Film Commission, the Minecraft film…