Author: Press Room

Genesis’ earnings rose strongly as it benefited from the surge in wholesale prices for its coal and gas electricity last winter, raised consumer prices, and gained from the increased value of its hedging contracts.Chief executive Malcolm Johns said the company’s range of power generation options – from hydro to coal and gas – worked to its advantage.”During the winter period, Genesis demonstrated its growing ability to leverage its flexibility, navigating a dry winter, being long gas in the spring and a wet start to summer.”However, Johns said Genesis was not going to carry the cost by itself for ensuring nationwide…

The Government has announced it will commit up to $200 million to help remove railway level crossings in Auckland’s Takanini and Glen Innes.The money would be in addition to funding covered by Auckland Council. According to the Government, the project would include constructing new train station access bridges at Glen Innes, Te Mahia and Takanini, and three new grade-separated road bridges in Takanini at Manuia Rd, Taka St, and Walters Rd.Two unsafe crossings would also be closed at Spartan Rd and Manuroa Rd.Transport Minister Chris Bishop said the “universally loathed” road level crossings, where streets and train lines intersect, would…

Chaka Khan, known as the Queen of Funk, has announced a one-off Auckland show.The 71-year-old will play at The Civic on Wednesday, April 16.In 2023, Khan celebrated a pinnacle moment in her musical career when being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.The 10-time Grammy winner spans a range of genres, from soulful R&B to classical music.Coming from Chicago, Khan first captured the attention on the music scene as the lead singer in funk band Rufus, through the Stevie Wonder-penned classic, Tell Me Something Good.(Source: Supplied)She continued her trajectory with a string of hits on I’m Every Woman,…

A fight over the Government’s Treaty Principles Bill has prompted a brutal history lesson for Taranaki Regional Council – and an apology.Councillors have voted to investigate why a debate on the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill was shut down by conservative councillors at the Taranaki Regional Council’s December meeting.The council will also apologise to the people – mostly Māori – who wanted to discuss the contentious bill, which aims to change how Te Tiriti is interpreted and applied.The response has neutralised a threatened High Court judicial review.For the December meeting, staff were asked to draft a submission to…

This article was originally published in French One month after Donald Trump’s return to the White House, relations between the United States and the European Union are becoming increasingly fraught. ADVERTISEMENTBarely a month after the inauguration of Donald Trump as President of the United States on 20 January, the transatlantic relationship finds itself on shaky ground.Trade has been one of the main areas of concern, as Trump has unleashed tariffs of 25% on steel and aluminium imports.”On trade, I have decided for purposes of fairness that I will charge a reciprocal tariff, meaning whatever countries charge the United States of America…

When Brodie Green was depressed, hunting was the one thing that got him out of bed. It was the thing that got him outside, it kept a roof over his head as a taxidermist and even kept him fed. But his fear that seeking help for his depression could mean losing his gun license kept him from getting professional help. “I never, ever wanted to put my firearms licence in jeopardy because someone thought that I was in a dark space and that I shouldn’t have firearms. When hunting is mainly the one thing that might pull me out of…

The High Court has ruled a decision by the Oceans and Fisheries Minister in 2023 on crayfish catch limits was “unlawful”, partly because it didn’t go far enough to address the problem of kina barrens.Environmental Law Initiative who took the case said the ruling made clear that sustainable fishing had “not been happening”, which is what is required under the Fisheries Act.The current minister Shane Jones had since asked officials to consider whether the law was still fit for purpose, because it was not a good position to be in “if the meaning of the law is continually changing depending…

The wave of support for Zelenskyy comes after US President Donald Trump called him a ‘dictator’ and criticised the fact elections didn’t take place last year when his mandate expired, despite Ukraine being subject to martial law. ADVERTISEMENTThere has been a flurry of support across Europe for Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s legitimacy as president of Ukraine after US President Donald Trump called him a dictator.Trump’s remarks, in a post on Truth Social, came a day after Zelenskyy said Trump was living in a “bubble” of Russian disinformation.On Wednesday, Trump questioned Zelenskyy’s position as president after his mandate expired in May last year…

Dunedin travellers are stuck paying more for scarcer seats now that Air New Zealand has moved to using smaller and slower planes on a key route, a business leader says. Air New Zealand announced in October last year its morning and evening flights between Dunedin and Wellington would now use smaller ATR-72 turboprop planes instead of its roomier Airbus A320 jets. An ATR-72 seats 68 passengers, while an Airbus A320 seats 171. The changes officially came into effect this week, the first flight of the day now scheduled to depart Dunedin at 6.35am and arrive in Wellington at 8.30am —…

A person has been seriously injured in an incident in Auckland’s Clover Park this morning.Emergency services were called to a Rochas Pl address following a report of a person injured shortly after 5am. “One person suffered an injury and was transported to hospital in a serious but not life-threatening condition,” a police spokesperson said. St John said it sent one ambulance and one rapid response vehicle. One patient in a moderate condition was transported to Middlemore Hospital, a St John spokesperson said. Police said the offender has fled the scene prior to officers’ arrival, and were “working hard to identify…