Author: Press Room

Interislander ferry operator KiwiRail says with the Aratere gone, passengers may need to travel on less popular sailings or be more flexible with dates. But it says there will be no price-gouging or considerable increases to ticket prices. The Aratere Interislander ferry will retire by the end of August, meaning cuts to both passenger and freight capacity. The Aratere is the only ship that carries rail wagons, but cannot use the Picton or Wellington wharfs as they are being upgraded for two new ferries arriving in 2029. A temporary wharf would have cost $120 million. The ship can hold 650 passengers, 230…

Winston Peters has hit back and argued with a heckler who derailed a media stand-up in the capital this morning.Minister for Rail Peters was speaking to reporters about new rail funding while at Wellington Railway Station, alongside Minister of Transport Chris Bishop, when he was interrupted.The heckler could be heard saying, “a load of bollocks, Winston”. Peters replied: “Who said bollocks? You look like you look like bollocks mate. Go look in the mirror, sunshine.” The exchange then quickly descended into a yelling match between the pair, with Peters telling the man to “naff off”.A man arguing with Winston Peters…

By Susan Edmunds of RNZ  If you’ve been trying to save for a house deposit, or otherwise trying to get your financial life in order, you might have heard the advice: Give up the takeaway coffee, cut back on the avocado on toast and stop brunching. But is that really all it takes to get to your goals? RNZ has crunched the numbers and it turns out that if you give up a daily takeaway coffee, you might save enough money for a house deposit. But it could take 30 years. These numbers aren’t intended to be anything but a…

Tenancy investigators will visit a selection of student rentals in Dunedin this week to check they are up to standard. The Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment (MBIE) Tenancy Compliance and Investigations Team (TCIT) would identify any breaches of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 and prompt action by landlords found not to be in compliance.Acting TCIT national manager Clare Lyons-Montgomery said landlords must provide warm, safe, and dry homes.”Young people are a priority population for our team, as they can be vulnerable and unaware of their rights because they are new to renting.”Landlords have obligations and responsibilities under the Act…

Former prime minister Dame Jacinda Ardern has spoken about the power of humility that comes with “imposter syndrome”, the importance of international cooperation, and the dangers of isolationism in her address at Yale University’s graduation ceremony.Ardern’s speech also covered the challenges faced during her leadership and the multiple crises the world faces today – from wars, climate change, to a “decreasing regard” for civil rights and human rights – “including the right to be who you are”.Her speech was met with applause and cheers from graduates at various points, including when she spoke about New Zealand’s ban of semi-automatic weapons…

The Central Otago District Council has awarded the $14.7 million tender to design and construct Cromwell’s new water treatment plant and borefield upgrades to New Zealand-owned and based Apex Water. Council capital projects programme manager Patrick Keenan said the project was a significant step forward in ensuring the growing Cromwell community would have a sustainable and secure water supply. Construction was due to begin shortly with the work concentrated near the Alpha Street playgrounds, waterfront and McNab Rd. “It is exciting to get to the next stage of this project and start delivering tangible progress,” he said. This would be…

Tribal place names have been restored for prominent landmarks and places across the central North Island.Eleven name changes to mountains, a lake, scenic reserves and other sites have been made following the treaty settlement of iwi collective Te Korowai o Wainuiārua.The changes gazetted by Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa New Zealand Geographic Board include seven new and altered geographic names, including two Crown-protected area names. Four Crown-protected area names have been discontinued.Lake Hawkes, a lake 19km west-northwest of Waimarino, which feeds into Waikauwau Stream, is now Lake Pohoare.Mount Dawson, 24km west-northwest of Waimarino, is now Ōruru Maunga.Tahora, a small site…

ADVERTISEMENTAlmost a year after widespread farmer protests which stirred European politicians into action, farmers are preparing to take to the streets of Brussels again on Tuesday with EU funding in their sights.A recent Ipsos survey found that farmers are ready to mobilise again across Europe. One-third of respondents said they were very likely to protest again, with Spain and Poland emerging as strongholds of continuing disaffection among farmers.By contrast, farmers in France and Germany were more divided on the issue, while Belgian, Dutch, Irish and Romanian respondents all seemed less inclined to demonstrate.At a recent Euronews event unveiling the survey findings, Elli…

Breen Construction has won the supreme under $10 million award at the 2025 Commercial Project Awards for the new Scapegrace distillery in Central Otago (pictured above). Judges said it stood out for its meticulous blend of architectural impact with precision-engineered processing facilities. The judges particularly praised the company’s ability to deliver the project to a high standard in harsh weather conditions and under budgetary constraints, made possible through its process engineering approach. Other southern winners included Cook Brothers for Ayrburn Arrowtown (commercial project $10m-$25m value award and tourism and leisure project category winner), and Calder Stewart Construction for Te Pou…

An Auckland man has been found guilty of fraudulent attempts to claim millions of dollars through the Covid-19 wage subsidy scheme and other government support plans to fund his luxury lifestyle.Hun Min Im faced 91 charges brought by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) relating to attempts to claim a total amount of $2.3 million from four Covid-era subsidies, receiving almost $624,000.Forty-two applications were submitted to the Covid-19 wage subsidy scheme on behalf of eight companies and four sole traders, with claims totalling $1.88 million.None of these entities traded in New Zealand or had staff.The rest of the claims were directed…