Author: Press Room

New Zealand’s population has increased by roughly twice the size of Hamilton since 2018 — but our housing market appears to have digested the influx, commentators say.Stats NZ data showed the population was 5.31 million at the end of December, up from 4.94 million in December 2018.Natural increase — birth minus deaths — and net migration contribute to the increase, but arrivals from offshore have become a more significant part in recent years.’It is becoming less critical’Infometrics chief forecaster Gareth Kiernan said, population growth outpaced new housing supply and associated infrastructure development through the latter half of last decade.But there…

Hip hop superstar Drake is now complaining about rival rapper Kendrick Lamar’s performance of Not Like Us at this year’s Super Bowl, adding it to his defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group over the diss track and its allegations of paedophilia against Drake.”The Recording was performed during the 2025 Super Bowl and broadcast to the largest audience for a Super Bowl halftime show ever, over 133 million people, including millions of children, and millions more who had never before heard the song or any of the songs that preceded it,” says the amended lawsuit filed Wednesday in federal court in…

When plumber Hera Eruera arrives at a plumbing job she gets a mix of reactions. Re: News spent a day on the job with Hera to hear how plumbing helped her escape a cycle of poverty. Watch the Re: News video on TVNZ+. One time a customer opened the door and immediately said: “No, not interested”. Hera replied, “Oh, did you not call for a plumber?” And the customer said “Oh you’re the plumber, I thought you were a sales rep trying to sell me something”. “I said ‘No, definitely the plumber, I heard you had a leak’. And so…

A large fire which broke out at the Waitotara Hotel in South Taranaki last night has been extinguished this morning. A Fire and Emergency spokesperson said crews were called to a kitchen fire at the Waitotara Hotel shortly before 6pm yesterday. On the way to the location, they said the large amount of smoke coming from the building prompted a ‘second alarm’ response, requiring more firefighters. The FENZ spokesperson said the fire had spread from the kitchen to the upper levels of the building. At the peak of the fire, 80 firefighters from Waverley, Patea, Whanganui, Hawera, Stratford, New Plymouth…

ANALYSIS: New modelling shows the US-China trade war leaves NZ worse off, but still well placed to weather the storm, writes AUT economics professor Niven Winchester.Forecasting the potential impact of Donald Trump’s turbulent tariff policies is a fraught business – and fraught for business. The US president has changed, paused and exempted various categories of goods so often, the only certainty is uncertainty.On “Liberation Day”, he famously announced far-reaching “reciprocal tariffs” on imports from most trading nations. Since then, he has paused those tariffs, but kept 25% on imports of steel, aluminium and motor vehicles, and 10% “baseline” tariffs on…

ADVERTISEMENTFrom mainstream politics to everyday conversations, issues like migration, war, gender equality and the economy increasingly spark controversy. A new study revealed that in Italy (65%), France (71%) and Germany (74%), friends are the confidantes of choice for political discussions. Denmark is the exception, with 49% of people talking primarily with parents. A research from Debating Europe sought the views of 2,000 people aged between 18 and 35 from Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, and Poland between November 2024 and January 2025. The survey was conducted in the participants’ native languages to aid engagement and understanding.A small share of participants (7%…

ADVERTISEMENTExtremism, Islamophobia, and the ongoing war in Gaza remain pressing concerns for the Arab and Islamic worlds and are increasingly drawing global attention and scrutiny. These issues not only affect the regions directly involved but also resonate with broader international communities concerned with peace, justice, and human rights. Muslims make up more than a third of the world’s population, with significant minority communities living across Europe. These communities often face complex challenges within broader society, including discrimination, social exclusion, and cultural misunderstandings that can hinder integration and mutual respect. In an interview with The Europe Conversation, Euronews spoke with Sheikh Dr Mohammed…

Convicted double murderer Mark Lundy will be released next month after serving more than 23 years behind bars for the murders of his wife and daughter.In 2001, the then 43-year-old was convicted of murdering his wife, 38-year-old Christine, and their daughter Amber, 7, on August 29 or 30, 2000. The pair were found bludgeoned to death in the family home in Palmerston North. He was charged with their murders six months later.Lundy, who jointly owned a kitchen sink business with his wife, was twice tried and convicted of their murders. He was first found guilty at a trial in Palmerston…

ADVERTISEMENTIn a race against time, some European companies are rushing to export their goods to the United States, fearing a further increase in customs duties at the end of the current 90-day pause. Others had anticipated the entry into force of the 10% surcharges and accelerated container shipments at the start of the year.Container exports via the port of Antwerp to the United States rose by 3% in the first quarter, compared with the first quarter of 2024, according to a press release from the port of Antwerp-Bruges.On closer examination, two of the sectors most affected by the increase in…

More than 2400 jobs are now on the line at Health NZ, with about half of them currently vacant.The agency this week confirmed it was consulting on proposed restructures in its people and culture team, and communications and engagement team.In the people and culture team 613 jobs were slated to go, while 119 communications and engagement roles were proposed to be cut.Ten departments were undergoing restructures, but the changes were all proposals, with no decisions confirmed.In total 2464 jobs are proposed to be gone, including vacancies.Health NZ interim chief human resources officer Fiona McCarthy said the agency was asking for…