Author: Press Room

A Wellington rugby club has lost permission to sell alcohol after a member left the club’s bar, drove drunk, and killed a woman.The Wellington District Licensing Committee has declined the Johnsonville Rugby Football Club’s application to renew its liquor licence.Releasing its written decision on Tuesday, the committee said the club’s last day to sell alcohol was 4 June.Club member Jason Tuitama, 24, had a breath alcohol reading almost four times the legal limit when he hit 28-year-old Casidhe Maguire as she crossed the road in June 2023.He pleaded guilty to manslaughter.Maguire’s father Paul Maguire objected to the club renewing its…

For more than 50 years Spike Milligan’s deliciously pernicious Badjelly the Witch has been hugely popular in New Zealand.Originally a short, handwritten story Milligan wrote for his children, it was printed in 1973 and made into an audio version.It’s since become a Kiwi staple whether in book, radio play or theatre form, and was the most-licensed New Zealand play — believed to have more than 100 productions throughout the country.Mukpuddy Animation Studios hope to bring it to a new generation of fans, they have picked up the rights and have turned it into a 13-part series, streaming on TVNZ+ starring…

David Seymour says he’s been upfront about issues with the revamped school lunch programme and is solving them, and has shrugged off a call by a union for the Education Minister to take over overseeing the programme.He has also responded to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s remarks yesterday that parents who were unhappy with provided school lunches should “make a Marmite sandwich and put an apple in the bag”.His comment follows further complaints about the revamped scheme from schools, including an incident involving meals with plastic melted into the contents.”There was an incident the other day where they burnt some meals,…

Former Act leader and Labour minister Richard Prebble has resigned from the Waitangi Tribunal.He was appointed to the role in October 2024 by Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka.In a NZ Herald column on Wednesday, Prebble said the Waitangi Tribunal has turned the Treaty upside down.He said he had no interest in participating in the Tribunal while it turned the Treaty into a “socialist manifesto”.In a statement, Potaka said his focus was now on “moving swiftly to complete the appointment of a new member”.”The Waitangi Tribunal achieves its mahi thanks to the commitment of a diverse range of members providing extensive…

The newly-appointed Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister has already offloaded any decision making regarding the supermarket sector, due to a conflict of interest.Scott Simpson was given the roles by the Prime Minister last week after the former minister, Andrew Bayly, quit following a discussion with his staffer went too far and he laid a hand on them.Finance and Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis will be responsible for all matters related to grocery regulation after Simpson proactively identified a conflict.That conflict is understood to be due to a close family member owing a supermarket.”Scott Simpson has proactively identified a conflict in…

By Susan Edmunds of RNZ US President Donald Trump’s tariff war is likely to be “pretty ugly” for New Zealanders’ KiwiSaver balances, providers are warning – but the impact may not last. Trump enacted tough tariffs on the US’s largest trading partners – China, Canada and Mexico – on Wednesday (NZT), sparking retaliatory tariffs from all three countries. That prompted share markets to become volatile. As of Tuesday midday in the US, the S&P 500 had erased most of its gains since Trump’s reelection in November. The benchmark index on Tuesday plummeted below its 125-day moving average, signalling investors are skittish,…

Ukraine’s State Emergency Services reported a Russian drone attack targeted energy infrastructure in the Ukrainian city of Odesa overnight on Monday. ADVERTISEMENTFour people were injured in a Russian drone attack on the Black Sea port city of Odesa late on Monday in a strike that also caused power outages, authorities say. “Four people were injured as a result of the Russian attack. … Doctors are providing everyone with the necessary assistance,” the city’s governor Oleh Kiper said on Telegram.Three residents of private houses sustained shrapnel wounds and broken limbs. They were hospitalised in moderate condition. Another person, who was in…

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says parents unhappy with provided school lunches should “make a Marmite sandwich and put an apple in the bag”.There have been a number of issues with the revamped lunch programme since it replaced a previous version at the start of the year.”Here’s the deal; if you don’t like the lunches, just go make a Marmite sandwich and put an apple in the bag,” Luxon said on Newstalk ZB. “As a parent, I think parents should take responsibility for feeding their own kids, I’d rather the state didn’t have to do so. It should a parental responsibility,…

Under pressure from the US House of Representatives, Commission Vice-President Teresa Ribera told Euronews that she would respond to Republican Congressmen’s questioning on digital enforcement by 10 March. ADVERTISEMENTThe Commission will send justifications for its enforcement of US tech giants through its Digital Markets Act (DMA) by the 10th of March, as requested by the US Congress’ judiciary committee, Commission Vice-President Teresa Ribera has told Euronews.“We are bound by the law, the DMA provides protection to consumers,” she said, justifying investigations launched by the Commission against several US digital platforms. “We have been working in a very careful manner to…

Two men were arrested this morning after allegedly stealing a caravan and continuing to tow it, even after it tipped on its side and hit parked vehicles. The driver also allegedly drove at at officer who was laying spikes – they were unharmed. Police said it was notified at 5am about the caravan being stolen from outside a Khandallah property. Police then located the vehicle and lay road spikes – but the driver avoided them and allegedly drove at the officer who laid them.“Fortunately the officer was not harmed,” police said.A damaged car in Wellington (Source: 1News)The vehicle then travelled…