Author: Press Room

Published on 09/12/2025 – 17:20 GMT+1 The development of a hydrogen market in the European Union is far from meeting an ambitious 2030 target thanks to high fuel production costs and regulatory uncertainty, according to the latest report from the bloc’s energy regulators. The warning from the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) comes as the EU tries to encourage hydrogen projects in a bid to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. But critics argue that investments in hydrogen infrastructure will end up backing dirty hydrogen or even natural gas given the immaturity of the hydrogen market and the…

South Otago-based Calder Stewart is developing a new ingredient warehousing and distribution facility at a cost of more than $15 million at South Auckland business park Drury South Crossing. The 3500sq m facility is being built for multinational food ingredients brand Langdon. Construction begins in March and completion is scheduled for November next year. A statement said the investment was to meet surging New Zealand demand for third-culture cuisine and Gen Z’s evolving interest in foods popularised on social media. Third-culture cuisine referred to dishes created by people raised between two or more cultures who blend their family heritage with…

Five people linked by police to the Head Hunters gang – including a teenager – have been arrested after a café on Auckland’s North Shore was allegedly gutted in a firebombing last month. Around 11.20pm on November 1, emergency services were alerted to a fire at the Sunflour Café following reports of flames coming from the two-storey building.The group of five, aged between 15 and 42, were arrested after police carried out searches across West Auckland and the North Shore as part of Operation Governor, an investigation into offending at Ōrewa businesses between September and early November. It included another…

Housing Minister Chris Bishop says “some dickhead” has vandalised his office in Lower Hutt.In a post to social media, Bishop said the office in the suburb of Wainuiomata had been “smashed up”.”Office is closed for today. My apologies to those who need to come in for appointments today.”Chris Bishop shared photos of the damage on social media. (Source: Facebook)Bishop also shared photos of the vandalism, which showed the front door glass smashed and scattered throughout the inside of the office.Police told 1News, in a statement: “Police received a report just before 9am of damage to a window, overnight, at a…

Two further people have been arrested in an ongoing homicide investigation after a motorcyclist was allegedly run down and stabbed in Mt Wellington last Friday.The investigation, named Operation Hawkin, has been underway since December 5 after a man with critical injuries presented to an Auckland medical centre. He later died in hospital.Police said at the time the man arrived at the medical centre on Lunn Ave with critical injuries around 12.15pm. Police were contacted and units responded to the area, including the police Eagle helicopter.Detective Inspector Scott Beard previously said it was understood the victim got into an altercation with…

A major bank has increased its longer-term fixed home loan rates while cutting its six-month rate, citing a sharp rise in wholesale interest rates.Westpac is lifting rates on two- to five-year terms by 30 basis points (0.30%), while cutting its six-month special rate by 20 basis points (0.20%) to 4.69% per annum.The bank said wholesale rates had risen by more than 40 basis points (0.40%) since the day before the Reserve Bank’s November official cash rate (OCR) announcement. A Westpac spokesperson said the six-month term was now the lowest of the five biggest banks. Managing director of product, sustainability and…

Former finance minister Ruth Richardson has agreed to a challenge from the current Finance Minister to debate her.On Tuesday morning, Nicola Willis challenged Richardson, who was finance minister from 1990 to 1993, to a debate.The challenge, Willis said, was because the Taxpayers’ Union was preparing to launch a pressure campaign against her.Richardson is chair of the organisation.”My message for Ruth Richardson is a very clear one, come and debate me face to face. Come out of the shadows. I will argue toe-for-toe on the prescription that our government is following,” Willis said.”I reject your approach and instead of lurking in…

Published on 09/12/2025 – 13:01 GMT+1 Got a painkiller? Because Brussels has a new migraine. First it was Viktor Orbán in Hungary. Then Robert Fico in Slovakia. Today, Andrej Babiš returns as the prime minister of the Czech Republic. Following Babiš’ electoral victory, President Petr Pavel blocked his appointment until he agreed to transfer his massive chemical and food empire, Agrofert, to independent administrators. To rule, Babiš invited the Motorists, a fierce climate sceptic party, and the SPD, which openly opposes the EU and NATO. Hungarian prime minister’s critics have been wondering, is Babiš Orbán 2.0? Not quite. Orbán is…

Police said they had recovered the body of a missing swimmer in Auckland who failed to resurface after falling into a hole while in waist-deep water. Emergency services were called to Lake Wainamu in Bethells Beach at around 6.10pm on Monday. The Police National Dive Squad was called in to assist the search and police announced just after 5pm on Tuesday that a body had been recovered.Senior Sergeant Jon Winthrop earlier said a 23-year-old man was in waist-deep water with three friends at the time of the incident. “He has taken a few more steps before falling into a hole…

Whakatāne District Council has thrown its support behind residents of a country lane distressed about Genesis Energy’s plans to axe their trees.However, Genesis says removing the trees is the only viable option to make room for 33kV power lines to tie its planned solar farm to the national grid connection point in Edgecumbe.Putiki Rd resident Peter Askey sought the council’s support last week, in asking Genesis to run the lines along the eastern side of the road where there was only open farmland, one house and a drain.“The west side has a lot of trees; that’s where the houses are…