Author: Press Room

The hunt for the cheapest fruit and vegetables by both supermarkets and shoppers was putting pressure on locally produced crops in New Zealand.Over the past few months, well-known brand Wattie’s New Zealand of Hawke’s Bay made a series of cuts to local production, firstly of canned peaches, then tomatoes, beetroot and corn.A spokesperson for the brand, owned by American food giant Kraft Heinz, said it annually reviewed its crop intake to respond to market demand, increased competition from imported goods and rising input costs.David Hadfield, chairman of grower group Process Vegetables (representing processors McCains, Wattie’s and Talley’s) said food quality…

Air NZ cabin crew will strike on next month after months of negotiations failed to secure a fair deal on pay and conditions. Around 1250 E tū cabin crew across the international, domestic, and regional fleets will stop work for 24 hours on Monday, 8 December. Unions have been negotiating with Air NZ since April. Crew are unhappy with Air NZ’s latest offer, saying it does not reflect the responsibilities, pressures, or fatigue risks that come with their work. An anonymous crew member said Air NZ was expecting more from crew without addressing core safety and fatigue concerns. “Air New Zealand is…

A Swiss man has been charged with careless driving causing death following a two-vehicle crash in Canterbury yesterday. The two-vehicle crash happened on State Highway 73, at the intersection with Deans Rd in Sheffield shortly before 3pm. Police confirmed at the time that two others sustained minor injuries in the crash. “A 32-year-old Swiss national has been charged with careless driving causing death,” a police spokesperson said. He was due to appear in Christchurch District Court today.Police said “thoughts remain with the family of the deceased at this difficult time”. The morning’s headlines in 90 seconds, including stalking bill passes…

Two men have been arrested and 1.5 million cigarettes seized in an illegal tobacco bust in Auckland.Customs, assisted by police, executed a series of raids at five storage facilities and private residences across the city. The searches uncovered 1.5 million cigarettes and $500,000 in cash. Customs estimated the cigarettes amounted to $2.2 million in evaded taxes. A 36-year-old Chinese national working as an accountant and a 43-year-old Malaysian national currently in New Zealand on a work visa were arrested. Some of the illegal cigarettes seized by police and customs. (Source: Supplied)Both men appeared in the Manukau District Court yesterday, facing…

The New Zealand dollar has fallen to multi-year lows against a broad range of currencies.The Kiwi has fallen about 1% in the past day to a seven-month low against a stronger US dollar, at just below 56 US cents.It also returned to a near 13-year low against the Australian currency, and was at 13-year lows against the British pound and the Chinese yuan. The trade-weighted Kiwi, based on the value of a basket of currencies of New Zealand’s main trading partners, was touching a five-year low.ANZ currency strategists said there was a wide range of factors buffeting global currency markets.The…

A Canterbury landlord has been ordered to pay $33,000 in pecuniary penalties for numerous breaches of tenancy law, including the failure to clear “rotting” industrial rubbish from one of his properties despite multiple warnings. Murray Lawrence Hill, who owns over a dozen properties across Canterbury, appeared before a Tenancy Tribunal adjudicator after the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s Tenancy Compliance and Investigations Team investigated a complaint from a member of the public in December 2023.It is the first time the tribunal had ordered a landlord to pay pecuniary penalties. The complainant said one of Hill’s boarding houses in Lyttleton…

Work to replace a Marlborough Sounds jetty has taken a dive after a digger got stuck and became submerged.Contractors were replacing the critical jetty at Waitaria Bay after the old one was closed by the Marlborough District Council in January due to safety concerns.Marlborough Roads transport recovery manager Steve Murrin said in a statement that the digger had become stuck on Tuesday. There were no injuries.”A digger became stuck in the sand, then the tide came in and submerged the cab,” Murrin said.”No-one was injured and controls to prevent any environmental impact were put in place around the machine. There…

A truck driver whose dodgy and unregistered truck fatally ploughed into an Auckland roadworker has been jailed for three years.Ashik Ali was sentenced for manslaughter at the High Court in Auckland over the killing of Jonathon Walters in Remuera in May 2024.Walters was taken to hospital in a critical condition and died two days later.Ali’s truck, laden with 20 tonnes of roading material, rolled backwards towards the roadworkers when the brakes failed, hitting Walters and running over his legs and pelvic area.Its last Certificate of Fitness was in 2019, and it had a non-operation order issued in 2021.Walters’ death was…

Te Pāti Māori MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke has broken her silence over the party’s tumultuous breakdown, saying those involved on both sides have been in the wrong.“The division of Te Pāti Māori, I’ve heard both sides. Trust me, I’ve heard it all,” she said.“Sometimes I’ve wanted to give them all a hug and a hiding at the same time,” the MP joked.Te Pāti Māori turmoil: Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke breaks her silence – Watch on TVNZ+MP speaks to media about the party’s tumultuous breakdown, saying those involved on both sides have been in the wrong.  (Source: 1News)Infighting among the party has led to…

An Auckland college has paid tribute to a “much-loved” teacher, who died in a tragic diving incident. Takapuna Grammar School confirmed the death of maths teacher Kevin Hu on its social media page. The post said he passed away following a “diving accident”. According to NZ Herald, the accident occurred in Fiji. On Facebook, the school said: “Kevin was loved by his students and colleagues, and he made a significant impact on our school during the three years he was here.”Students enjoyed being in Mr Hu’s Maths class because he made the subject accessible and fun.” It said that this…