Author: Press Room

Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown says his country’s deal with China “complements, not replaces” the relationship with New Zealand after signing it on Friday.Brown said “The Action Plan for Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) 2025-2030″ provides a structured framework for engagement between the Cook Islands and China.”Our relationship and engagement with China complements, not replaces, our long-standing relationships with New Zealand and our various other bilateral, regional and multilateral partners – in the same way that China, New Zealand and all other states cultivate relations with a wide range of partners,” Brown said in a statement.The statement said the agreement…

Immigration Minister Erica Stanford says it’s not her role to intervene in the case of a NZ-born 18-year-old, who’s facing deportation to India – a place he has never been to.Daman Kumar, 18. has been told to leave the country by tomorrow or face a deportation order. He would face being deported to India — a country he’s never been to. His parents have lived in New Zealand for about 24 years as overstayers.Kumar’s case has been extensively covered in the media in the past several days. Speaking to Q+A, Stanford said the decision was up to Associate Immigration Minister…

Ways of reducing Dunedin’s cruise ship emissions need to come from the industry and the government, a city councillor says. A report to be distributed to councillors for their Wednesday meeting showed for the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons, cruise ship emissions made up about 10% of the city’s transport emissions, and about 3.7% of the total gross emissions. There were no emissions from cruise ships in 2020-21 and 2021-22 due to the seasons being stopped by the pandemic. While there were no calculations provided for the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons, the report surmised it was likely to be similar to…

Two people have died in separate single-vehicle crashes in Auckland and Southland overnight.Police responded to reports of a ute rolling on the Niagara-Tokanui Highway between McManus Rd and Quarry Hills Fortification Rd in Southland at around 8.35pm.”Sadly, one person died at the scene,” a spokesperson said.St John said it responded with two helicopters, two ambulances and one rapid response unit.”Our crews assessed and treated one patient in a critical condition and one patient in a serious condition who were airlifted to Christchurch Hospital,” a spokesperson said.Meanwhile at about 4.30am, emergency services were called to the scene of a single-vehicle crash…

European leaders on the final day of the Munich Security Conference on Sunday sought to firm up how the European Union can move from talk to more action as Washington pushes to stop the fighting in Ukraine. ADVERTISEMENTAs the dust settled on the Munich Security Conference, European leaders were left caught off guard by the recent statements of the Trump administration on the war in Ukraine and European defence.After a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin last week, US President Donald Trump said he and Putin would likely meet soon to negotiate a peace deal over Ukraine. Trump later…

A man has been critically injured after a shooting in Hamilton in the early hours of this morning.Emergency services were called to Winstone Ave in Chartwell at around 5am to reports of shots heard.Police said a man arrived at hospital with an “apparent gunshot wound” a short time later where he remains in critical condition.”Police are now working to establish what has occurred and to speak to all those believed to be involved,” a spokesperson said.”A scene examination will take place at the property today, and cordons will be in place on Winstone Ave.”Anyone who witnessed the incident or might…

The Government has launched a new tourism campaign aimed at getting Australians to visit New Zealand.Prime Minister Christoper Luxon, appearing with Tourism Minister Louise Upston, said his first job was in the tourism industry.”Tourism is really important to our economy,” he said, saying the sector had not bounced back since the pandemic.Luxon said there was “spare capacity” in airlines and hotels that could be filled.”Our job… is to make sure we get New Zealand to the top of the bucket list” for Australians, Luxon said.”My message to Australians is it’s time to swap thongs for jandals.”Upston said 2025 was set…

Prominent agribusinessman Rob Hewett has been appointed chairman of AgriZeroNZ. Established in 2023, the joint venture is half owned by the New Zealand government through the Ministry for Primary Industries. The other half is owned by The a2 Milk Company, ANZ Bank New Zealand, ANZCO, ASB Bank, BNZ, Fonterra, Rabobank, Ravensdown, Silver Fern Farms and Synlait. Mr Hewett, a sixth-generation farmer with a 1050ha sheep, beef, wind and forestry operation in South Otago, replaces Sir Brian Roche who left in November to become Public Service Commissioner. Announcing the appointment, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis said Mr Hewett’s experience and strategic…

Farming continues to be the leading cause of workplace deaths in New Zealand, accounting for 40% of all reported fatalities.The sector is now a priority sector for WorkSafe which is sinking a quarter of its resource into changing the statistics.Inspections manager Rob Pope said 14 workers were killed on farms last year.”It’s the highest fatality and risk industry that is reported and that is really unacceptable.”Pope said the leading cause of death of farms was vehicles with the other concern being hazardous chemicals such as fertilisers.”Quite often, it’s just inattention to the simple things that would make a difference between…

ADVERTISEMENTEurope’s defence industry is ready to ramp up production to secure the Old Continent but it needs governments to be faster and smarter with procurement practices to address potential shortages issues, top executives at Kongsberg told Euronews.The EU is in the midst of a deep rethink of its defence strategy with leaders hammering out how to inject the €500 billion the bloc needs over the coming decade to upgrade its military capabilities and plug the gaps in its defence that the conflict in Ukraine has starkly exposed. Neighbouring countries and allies, including the UK and Norway, are doing the same.Among…