Author: Press Room

In a press point with journalists on Wednesday, ex-European Commissioner for the Green Deal Frans Timmermans castigated the far and centre-right for its approach to the Green deal. ADVERTISEMENTFrans Timmermans reflected on how, in the last legislative term, the Green Deal was a unifying initiative, enjoying political consensus. Now, he said, the far-right parties are pushing for its repeal, while the centre-right is stepping away from it. Despite this shift, Timmermans remains optimistic, urging politicians to reignite a fresh sense of optimism, pointing to promising trends across Europe.Radio Schuman featured the press point with some insights on the far-right and…

Hundreds of people are expected at Ōnuku Marae in Akaroa today to celebrate Waitangi Day – Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon among them.Ngāi Tahu’s pōwhiri there welcomed manuhiri in Akaroa about 9am, with events wrapping up about 3pm. Luxon will address the hosts before midday, with Ngāi Tahu kaiwhakahaere Justin Tipa also speaking.Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is welcomed on to Ōnuku marae. Photo: RNZ / Russell Palmer Follow live updates of Waitangi Day with 1NewsTV and radio host Stacey Morrison will moderate a discussion on the Treaty with former National Party Treaty Negotiations Minister Chris Finlayson,…

A Rotorua councillor is trying his luck with the new Health Minister in a bid to halt directives to fluoridate water supplies.Minister of Health Simeon Brown has confirmed the Government’s stance remains the same — in that fluoridation is a “safe, effective and affordable measure for improving oral health”.Rotorua Lakes Council’s Infrastructure and Environment Committee meeting this week began with a notice of motion from councillor Conan O’Brien — unanimously supported by councillors. Robert Lee was absent.O’Brien called for chief executive Andrew Moraes to write to Brown to direct the director-general of health, Dr Diana Sarfati, to withdraw the directive…

The cause of MasterChef Australia judge Jock Zonfrillo’s death will not be made public, a coroner has ruled. The Scottish-born celebrity chef first joined the show in 2019 alongside Andy Allen and Melissa Leong.Zonfrillo was found dead by police carrying out a welfare check at a Melbourne hotel on April 30, 2023. He was 46. A coroner’s investigation was completed last August; however, the findings will not be revealed, 7News reports. “At the close of the investigation, the coroner determined that the finding would not be published,” a Coroners Court of Victoria spokesperson said.The 2023 season of MasterChef Australia was…

A North Canterbury community is vowing to fight a proposed solar farm near their homes.Australian company Energy Bay Ltd has applied to the Waimakariri District Council for a resource consent to build and operate a solar farm on an 80ha site on Upper Sefton Road, north of Rangiora.David Fordyce, a spokesperson for the residents, said neighbours planned a street meeting after hearing the council had notified the consent last week.He said residents had received advice indicating it was unusual to build solar farms close to houses.”There’s still plenty of concerns out there, especially for the people living next door.”We’ve got…

An oyster grower has been left devastated following the theft of dozens of his distinctive, high-end oysters – valued at around $60,000. The gourmet Pacific oysters were nurtured in floating pods and grown in moulds, giving them a distinctively smooth shell branded with a “Q”. A ‘Q’ moulded oyster from the Qyster farm in Kerikeri. (Source: Supplied)Qyster founder Shaun Gregory told 1News he discovered a “whole line of bags of oysters were taken” in Kerikeri between 8pm and 10pm last night. He said the line taken was about 100m long.”It would have been a team of them, as it was…

Nearby buildings have been evacuated this afternoon as emergency services tackle a fire in a historic Central Otago building — home to New Zealand’s oldest-operating cinema.A hotel and “another building in the area where people were inside” were evacuated as smoke continued to billow from the building, Central Otago Mayor Tamah Alley told 1News. “There is quite possibly water damage that will be left in the building following this incident.”Alley said crews and fire investigators are “now just waiting for the final pieces of the fire to be extinguished and for the building to be deemed safe again”.Fire and Emergency…

Join 1News for coverage of commemorations from Waitangi and across the motu.What to knowPrime Minister Christopher Luxon and Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro attended Waitangi Day commemorations at Ōnuku Marae in AkaroaOver a dozen waka were launched for a parade in front of Te Tii marae, including Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei’s first in 25 yearsYesterday, David Seymour’s mic was taken away and protesters turned their backs during his Waitangi speech.

Ozzy Osbourne will reunite with all of the original members of Black Sabbath for the first time in 20 years, in a gig that will be his last and that’s being billed as the “greatest” heavy metal show ever, promoters said.The band, one of the most influential of all heavy metal bands, will headline The Back to the Beginning show on July 5 at Villa Park, home of the Aston Villa Football Club in Birmingham, England.”It’s my time to go back to the beginning … time for me to give back to the place where I was born,” Osbourne said…

The unemployment rate continues to climb, reaching 5.1% in the December 2024 quarter, according to the latest Stats NZ figures – the highest level it’s been since 2020. It’s up from 4.8% in the September 2024 quarter. Stats NZ labour market spokesperson Deb Brunning said unemployment has been increasing since late 2022. “The unemployment rate in the December 2024 quarter was the highest it’s been since the September 2020 quarter, when it was 5.2%,” she said.The seasonally adjusted employment rate was 67.4% in the December 2024 quarter, down from 69.0% in the December 2023 quarter.  (Source: 1News)Meanwhile, the last quarter…