Author: Press Room
A troubled, half-finished Auckland apartment block is continuing to be a health and safety concern, neighbours say, as bad weather caused a dozen steel beams to fall into the driveway below.The Epsom Central Apartments Project halted five years ago after Auckland Council found it had not complied with building consent.The original partnership, Epsom Central Apartments LP, was put into receivership in 2022, and purchased by Xiao Liu, the director of a company named Reeheng Limited, in September 2023.Forrest Tan, who owns a business directly beside the apartments, has been concerned about the safety of himself and staff since a long…
By Susan Edmunds of RNZ There are more men named Mark than there are women chief executives of companies listed on the NZSX – despite one university professor saying young women are “significantly better” at business. A survey of the companies listed on the NZX shows that there are nine that have a chief executive named Mark. There had been 10 – Mark Lucas was chief executive at beleaguered Cannasouth, until he resigned from the company in April. In comparison, there are six women across the board – Carrie Hurihanganui at Auckland International Airport, Rachael Newfield at Greencross Health, Rosie…
Metal legends Metallica have this morning teased a New Zealand concert announcement for 2025.The band’s highly anticipated 2019 NZ tour was cancelled after lead singer James Hetfield checked into an addiction recovery programme just over a month out from the scheduled shows.Metallica announced a 2025 North America tour on their official site overnight.”North America is not our only stop in 2025, as this year, we will return to Australia and New Zealand after far too long away!!!”Stay tuned for the full announcement coming VERY soon,” the band teased at the end of the announcement.The latest shows are an extension of…
The Lotto Powerball jackpot has grown to $6 million after no tickets won this evening. However, one person from Rolleston will be celebrating after winning $1 million with Lotto First Division. The winning ticket was sold at New World Rolleston in Rolleston.Strike Four has also rolled over tonight and will be $800,000 on Saturday night.
Social media platform Instagram is changing the way it works for young people and adding controls for parents.The changes are being rolled out in other countries but Netsafe believes New Zealand won’t be far behind.Ever since the first social media sites launched there’s been concern over how young people use them.Now, Instagram’s introducing teen accounts, with automatic protections for young people under 16.The platform’s chief executive said there’s restrictions on who can message teens.”There’s content restrictions so that they see less inappropriate content. And even a reminder to leave Instagram once you hit an hour for the day,” Adam Mosseri…
Pop superstar Dua Lipa has added a second Auckland show to her schedule next year due to what promoters say is “extraordinary demand”.The singer is heading this way in April as part of her Radical Optimism Tour.Lipa was originally scheduled to play one show at Auckland’s Spark Arena on Wednesday April 2.However, she will now be playing an extra night on Friday, April 4.”Due to extraordinary demand for tickets during the pre-sale period, further shows have been announced for all cities – a fourth and final show has just been added in Melbourne, a third show has been confirmed for…
Property sales are on an upward trend but sales volumes remain below normal heading into the spring selling season, according to CoreLogic.Sales volumes, measured across both private and agent-led transactions rose 1.6% in August, compared to the same month last year, the data provider said.But, data suggests sale volumes remain well below normal levels for this time of year, with the latest monthly total of 6320 about 15% below the 10-year average for August.CoreLogic economists said the subdued levels of sales, combined with a reasonably steady flow of new listings coming onto the market each week, has been “contributing to…
If you’re a keen gardener, you probably have a bit of Taranaki growing at your place — without even realising it. Egmont Seeds in New Plymouth is the country’s largest importer of plant seeds, supplying retailers and flower merchants nationwide.”We supply nurseries and cut flower growers who are growing plants for the retail market — the Bunnings, the Mitre10s, the Oderings, the Warehouse and the like,” said founder John McCullough.The company’s New Plymouth warehouses are packed to the brim; corridors of shelves hold stock that is sent all over New Zealand, including to Yates, Mr Fothergills and Oderings.”The number of…
Victorians are under worse pressure trying to keep a roof over their heads, a year on from the state government’s landmark pledge to tackle the housing crisis.A Housing Insecurity Index gauging the pressure Victorians are under to secure stable housing has found the vulnerable are facing spiking rents, ballooning public housing waitlists and stagnating social housing while homeless services are at breaking point.The index, produced by the Council to Homeless Persons, marks a year since Victoria unveiled its housing statement committing to building 800,000 homes in the next decade, as well as a raft of other measures to address the…
New data calls into question power company claims that households have not been affected by the recent surge in wholesale power prices, one independent retailer says.Data compiled by electricity retailer Electric Kiwi shows that the average “price leader” annual bill on Powerswitch – the best deal available to customers signing up or shifting provider – has increased from just under $2150 in June to about $2300.Prices jumped up notably when wholesale prices increased through August.Prices increased from about $300/MWh to more than $800/MWh.But the best retail offer has remained at higher levels even as wholesale prices dropped back to $50/MWh…