Author: Press Room

The government says it is introducing two new seasonal visa pathways to help New Zealand businesses get workers they need during peak periods, while also prioritising jobs for Kiwis. “We know the success of our seasonal industries is critical to growing the economy. These new visas will make it easier for employers to bring back experienced seasonal workers and to fill short-term roles that are hard to fully staff locally,” Immigration Minister Erica Stanford said in a statement today.  “We are making sure businesses can access the right people at the right time, while also protecting opportunities for Kiwis.”  The…

Several vehicles have slid off the road due to “extremely icy” conditions near Mt Taranaki this afternoon. Police said emergency services were called to Pembroke Rd in Egmont National Park shortly before 1pm after a report of several vehicles “sliding on ice and coming off the road”. “There are no indications of any injuries, however the road is currently extremely icy and will be closed,” a police spokesperson said. Motorists were advised to avoid the area if possible.Fire and Emergency NZ said it had left the scene in the hands of the council and St John said it was stood…

Growing up in a small rural town in Estonia under Soviet occupation, Wānaka business owner Anneli Glazebrook knows what stress and hard work look like. She also knows what stress can do to the body and, as a skin therapist, says it is the number one reason for ageing. Her schooling in the tiny commune town of Ravere consisted of compulsory work hours for children and as a little girl up to 7 years old, she was doing much of that work. “There was a park, but as students we had to clean up that park. Students were doing harvests,…

Two new work visas to support sectors like agriculture, forestry, and tourism will be open for applications in December, the New Zealand Government has announced. Immigration Minister Erica Stanford announced on Q+A a three-year Global Workforce Seasonal Visa for the likes of rural contractors, winemaking staff, and chairlift operators.Stanford said this visa aimed to attract specialised and highly-skilled workers. “The opportunity that I have in immigration are those short-term levers to help improve the economy,” the minister said.People with the visa would be able to enter New Zealand as many times as they like within the three-year period. Global Workforce…

Education Minister Erica Stanford has deflected questions over the Government’s charter schools programme, deferring instead to associate minister David Seymour.The Charter School Agency confirmed this week it is currently considering just four formal applications for conversions to open in Term 1 next year, falling well short of the 35 state school conversions the Government allocated funding for in last year’s Budget.In an interview on Q+A, Stanford told host Jack Tame, “you’ll have to ask David Seymour” when pressed about whether the $10 million establishment budget and $140,000 average salaries at the agency represented good value for money.”Those are questions for…

Firefighters are battling a large fire at a building in Hokitika, the former site of a mental health facility. Crews responded to multiple 111 calls at Seaview Terraces Hokitika, shortly after 7am this morning. Seven fire trucks, two tankers and multiple support vehicles are on site working to extinguish the blaze and are expected to be there “for some time”.The fire is not currently being treated as suspicious. There have been no reports of any injuries. A fire investigator was expected to attend to the scene. The fire was at the former site of the Seaview Hospital and Asylum.More to…

The diver who died at Lower Hutt’s Lowry Bay this week has been identified to RNZ as 46-year-old Wellington real estate agent Chu Minh Looc, also known as Jack.Friend Jack Gordon told RNZ he was an avid scuba diver, who had done a lot of training.He said they often went diving together and were meant to go later this week.”I’m the one who got him in the water for the first time ever,” Gordon said. “He was a really determined guy and really passionate about diving.”He just loved supplying his family with seafood. Seafood is so hard to come by…

Chase host Bradley Walsh appeared to be in disbelief when Chaser Anne Hegerty took a personal jab at him in a recent episode of the game show.In the episode, a contestant named Suzanne mentioned she enjoyed watching Coronation Street in her spare time with her husband.Earlier in his career, Walsh played the role of Danny Baldwin in the British soap from 2004 to 2006, and was written out of the show after he moved on to other roles.In the episode shown recently in the UK, Hegerty – known to viewers as The Governess – took Walsh by surprise.The Chase’s Anne…

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese have reiterated their positions on recognising Palestinian statehood, but neither would shed light on a possible timeframe for that move.Other Western nations, including France, the United Kingdom, and Canada, have recently declared an intention to recognise a state of Palestine at an upcoming United Nations summit next month.That consideration also comes at the same time as the United States – a staunch ally of Israel – conducts trade negotiations over its roll-out of tariffs – including 15% on New Zealand goods.But, speaking from Queenstown after their annual Australia-New Zealand Leaders’…

The North Island’s Desert Road – State Highway 1 – is closed because of snow.MetService has issued a road snowfall warning, saying up to three centimetres of snow could fall on the highest parts of the road before 11am Saturday.”Snow may accumulate at times above 800 metres, with lesser amounts down to 600 metres,” the forecaster said. “Snow showers may continue for the remainder of Saturday but accumulations on the road are not expected.”MetService predicted a cold, wet weekend for many parts of the country, with snow also expected for Marlborough, Canterbury, Otago and Southland.At Lewis Pass in the South…