Author: Press Room

Alliance Group released new information yesterday including an “insignificant” rebate to its farmer-shareholders if they accept a proposal to sell a majority share of their red meat co-operative to an international company, a Central Southland farmer says. Farmer-shareholders were given more information on a proposal for Irish company Dawn Meats Group to buy a 65% stake in their co-operative for $250 million. They will be able to vote to accept or reject the proposal at a special meeting in Invercargill on October 20. Sheep and beef farmer and Alliance shareholder Ben Dooley, of Mimihau, said a proposed rebate seemed “pretty…

A Māori academic has created the world’s first AI-generated voice that speaks Māori uniquely in the Waikato-Maniapoto dialect, and the technology has the potential to include other iwi dialects in the future.Te Taka Keegan, associate professor at Waikato University’s software engineering department, said as Māori he and his colleagues have long been thinking about how to build their own AI tools and this was the first step in that process. He said they follow in the footsteps of Northland’s Te Hiku Media which has made trailblazing moves into the AI language tools space.“This is really kind of supporting what they’re…

The New Zealand economy contracted in the second quarter of 2025, with gross domestic product falling by 0.9% in new figures released by Stats NZ this morning. It followed a revised 0.9% increase in the previous March quarter. According to Stats NZ, activity decreased across two out of three high-level industry groups during the June quarter. Goods-producing industries fell 2.3%, primary industries fell 0.7%, and service industries were flat. “The 0.9% fall in economic activity in the June 2025 quarter was broad-based with falls in 10 out of 16 industries,” economic growth spokesperson Jason Attewell said. “GDP has now fallen…

Property sales numbers dropped 5% in August compared to the same time last year, only the second drop in the past 28 months.But housing market data firm Cotality, formerly Corelogic, said it was likely the fall was a “blip” rather than the start of another downturn in sales.”It’s still a reminder that caution permeates the market at present. It will be interesting to see if sales volumes can continue to outweigh new listings flows as we move further into spring.”It said values dropped 0.2% in August, the fifth consecutive monthly fall.Cotality chief property economist Kelvin Davidson said it was a…

We are heading into the season of itchy eyes, runny noses and scratchy throats for many hay fever sufferers.Spring can bring a whole load of unwelcome symptoms, but new research has found that El Niño, a climate phenomenon, could be making Aucklanders’ allergies worse.Scientists analysed data from three Auckland summers, one that was El Niño, another La Niña and one neutral, with the findings revealing patterns that could help predict pollen seasons.Victoria University of Wellington professor Rewi Newnham told Morning Report it was the first time scientists had been able to link hay fever and the weather phenomenon.”There’s always been…

ADVERTISEMENT Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is under fire from opposition politicians who claim he incited the protests that stopped the final lap of cycling race La Vuelta a Espana. Last weekend, cyclists were stopped a mere 60 kilometres from the finish line because pro-Palestinian protesters knocked down barriers and occupied key sections of the route in central Madrid, including Gran Vía, one of the city’s busiest streets. The stage was ultimately cancelled due to safety concerns, with clashes breaking out between demonstrators and police. These left 22 officers injured and two people detained. Although Danish rider Jonas Vingegaard was…

A court order preventing media from sharing certain information about the Tom Phillips case remains in place.A High Court judge this morning heavily extended the suppression order, which was initially filed last week until today.The content of today’s hearing is heavily suppressed.Tom Phillips was fatally shot by police after they were called to reports of a burglary in the early hours of Monday, September 8. Phillips had been evading police since December 2021 with his three children.The confrontation that saw Phillips shot also saw a police officer badly injured after receiving gunshot wounds.The children are now in the care of…

Published on 18/09/2025 – 14:55 GMT+2 ADVERTISEMENT Imports of pipeline gas to the EU dipped 9% year on year in the first half of 2025, following halting of Russian gas transit via Ukraine at the beginning of the year, according to a recent analysis, but the bloc has increased its reliance on liquefied natural gas (LNG). The uptake of energy efficient appliances and the growth of renewables contributed to cut the bloc’s gas consumption in recent years, according to the updated EU Gas Flows Tracker from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA). However, while the EU is currently mulling how to stop the import…

Canterbury election candidates promising a 0% rate rise have been challenged to ‘”show us the money”.Waimakariri Mayor Dan Gordon said his opponent will need to cut $6.37 million from the budget to keep a 0% rate rise promise.More than 50 people turned out at the Mandeville Sports Centre on Tuesday evening to hear from Waimakariri mayoral, Oxford-Ohoka ward, local community board and Environment Canterbury (ECan) candidates.A team of six candidates, known as Standing Together for Waimakariri and led by councillor and mayoral candidate Paul Williams, has been promising a 0% rate rise for the 2027/28 financial year.”Show us the money,”…

Published on 18/09/2025 – 14:03 GMT+2 ADVERTISEMENT The European Commission is monitoring the possible economic impact caused by the closure of all crossing points between Poland and Belarus, which has effectively shut down a traditional trade route between the bloc and China. “We are certainly looking at it closely, but it’s too early to go into further detail,” Olof Gill, the Commission’s deputy chief spokesperson, said on Thursday. The Polish government decreed the complete closure this week in response to the large-scale military exercises conducted by the Belarusian and Russian forces, known as Zapad-2025, near the border with Poland and…