Author: Press Room

By Susan Edmunds of RNZ  A new report has raised the question of whether the entitlement to half a former partner’s KiwiSaver should be made automatic. New analysis by MartinJenkins for the Retirement Commission’s 2025 Review of Retirement Income Policies looks at how key events and moments in a person’s life contribute to poorer retirement outcomes for women. On average, women have KiwiSaver balances that are 25%  smaller than men’s but the gap is 37% for people aged 56 to 65. The difference is not all due to the pay gap, the report said, and it  suggested a number of key areas where change could help.…

A man has been arrested after a brawl erupted between players following an Auckland football game in June, leaving one with a broken jaw.Police were called to Sunnynook Park at around 1.30pm on June 28 after a “scuffle” between players from two football teams broke out. One player was allegedly punched in the face and kicked by the same person after falling to the ground. “The victim suffered serious facial injuries, including a broken jaw, which required surgery,” Acting Inspector Tim Williams said. Today, Williams said police had arrested a 23-year-old man over the incident. He was charged with wounding…

A 34-year-old man is facing serious charges following two separate incidents in the Far North where he allegedly threatened members of the public with a firearm.Police were first called to a property on Kakapo St in Ahipara on Sunday, after reports that a man had threatened several people with a firearm before fleeing the scene.While officers were investigating that incident, they were alerted to a similar situation in Kaitaia the following day.Inspector Al Symonds said police responded to a report of a person being threatened at a Lake Rd address at around 10.40am on Monday.”The armed offenders squad was deployed…

Rising beef prices are making it tougher to sell meat and source cattle to homekill, a Taieri butcher says. Outram Butchery owner Lyndon Gold buys meat from processors to sell in his shop in the rural village on the Taieri. Fewer cattle being processed at meatworks between now and Christmas, strengthening beef slaughter prices, had increased the cost to buy meat for retail in butcheries. The rising costs needs to be passed on to customers, which could make beef too expensive for some people. He reduced his profit margin to try to keep his meat as affordable as possible. “We’ve…

Invercargill parking wardens are working in pairs following an increase in bad behaviour after infringement fees went up.The city council said there had been several abusive incidents in recent months, and pairing-up meant there was “immediate support”.In October 2024, central government hiked fines nationwide by an average of 70% — something the council linked last month to a rise in push back.Council manager consenting and environment Jonathan Shaw said bad behaviour normally occurred during compliance action or fine enforcement.”While officers are professional and experienced in dealing with challenging situations as part of their role, the team has noticed a rising…

There’s a growing number of local sport broadcasters embracing te reo Māori, following the footsteps of Māori pioneers who dared to speak it on-air when few did. Veteran rugby commentator Tony Johnson is the voice behind some of New Zealand rugby’s greatest moments, and he’s been using his platform to help normalise te reo Māori in homes.“If you talk about the forwards rolling up their sleeves, doing the mahi, or the backs having a little kōrero before the line up takes place… hopefully, that’s doing a little bit to help those words become part of everyday usage in Aotearoa.”Commentator Tony…

Robert Redford, the Hollywood golden boy who became an Oscar-winning director, liberal activist and godfather for independent cinema under the name of one of his best-loved characters, died Wednesday at 89.Redford died “at his home at Sundance in the mountains of Utah — the place he loved, surrounded by those he loved”, publicist Cindi Berger said in a statement. No cause of death was provided.Redford was one of the biggest stars of the ’70s with such films as The Candidate, All the President’s Men and The Way We Were, capping that decade with the best director Oscar for 1980’s best…

Food company Talley’s has admitted in court it cannot quantify how much money it has lost as a result of a series of 1News stories.Talley’s is suing TVNZ to restore its reputation. The company has claimed it lost income, and its reputation had unfairly suffered after a series of reports alleging health and safety concerns.TVNZ said in response that it reported truthfully and responsibly in the 2021 and 2022 stories. Talley’s said there were six reports which unfairly did damage to its business.Today, TVNZ’s lawyer Davey Salmon suggested those reports had benefited the business.Talley’s Group chief financial officer Greg Kingston…

ADVERTISEMENT Many EU products currently pay high export tariffs to the Mercosur bloc, comprising Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. Some notable examples are cars (35%), wines and spirits (up to 35%), cheese (28%) and machinery (up to 20%). With the EU-Mercosur Partnership Agreement, these tariffs will be eliminated or significantly reduced, creating new opportunities for a market of 780 million consumers, representing 25% of world trade. The European Commission has just presented a proposal for the ratification process of the political agreement reached in December 2024. However, farmers, environmentalists, some groups in the European Parliament and member states oppose the agreement.…

A Dunedin automation and robotics company hopes to grow its workforce in the city by 50% over the next five years. Scott Technology unveiled its five-year strategy, “Destination 2030”, at its inaugural investor day in Auckland last week. In a statement to the New Zealand stock exchange, the company said it was targeting $530 million in revenue by 2030, up from $276m reported in the 2024 financial year. Chairman Stuart McLauchlan said yesterday the announcement was a big one for Dunedin. The company was growing and keeping its base in Dunedin, whereas many other companies over the years had moved…