Author: Press Room

Dunedin makeup and beauty buffs will be able to enjoy the full Mecca experience in less than a month. The Australian and New Zealand cosmetics giant first announced its plans to debut a new store in the city in April last year. A Mecca spokeswoman confirmed the official Dunedin store, at the former Noel Leeming premises at 248 George St, would be opening on March 14 — after its previously slated opening in November last year was delayed. Mecca NZ market manager Nicky Shore previously said they wanted to ensure the new store was a space the Dunedin community would…

Destiny Church has responded to calls and petitions for it to be stripped of its charitable status by saying it is of “no consequence” and “quite entertaining to watch”.Controversy has swirled around the church after its Man Up and Legacy groups stormed Auckland’s Te Atatū Community Centre and library on Saturday last week to protest a children’s science show hosted by a drag king.Around 30 young children and adults were barricaded inside during the incident, RNZ reported and Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown described the protest behaviour as “thuggery”. Police “strongly condemned” the protest and confirmed it was investigating allegations of…

An anti-poverty group wants the Government to spend what’s needed — possibly billions — to meet its child poverty targets, saying it’s simply not enough to grow the overall economy. Child Poverty Action Group CEO Sarita Divis said New Zealand “can’t afford not to” invest in reaching its targets under the Child Poverty Reduction Act. Last year, Treasury officials warned the government its policies were “likely to fall well short of the reductions required to meet the current ten-year [child poverty reduction] targets”. At the last election, National campaigned to halve child poverty by 2028. Treasury’s modelling estimated meeting one…

Armed police have cordoned off a rural road north of Masterton as the investigation into multiple suspicious fires at churches in the area continues.Four Masterton churches suffered damage ranging from “moderate to significant” on Saturday in a group of suspicious fires.The churches affected were the Anglican Church of the Epiphany, St Patrick’s Catholic Church, Masterton Baptist Church, and Equippers Church Masterton.Police said it sighted a vehicle of interest at around 9.15am this morning.”After area enquiries the vehicle has then been located abandoned a short distance away at about 11am. Cordons are in place while police work to locate the occupant,”…

This week’s Good Sort is a Wairarapa woman with a simple wish for everyone to be able to enjoy the beauty of her local beach.Helen Welch came up with a solution to help those who struggle on the sand – a specially-designed all-terrain wheelchair.”It’s a really, really amazing little chair that can go on the water,” Welch explained.She said the youngest person to use the wheelchair was three years old, while the oldest was 89.Welch was motivated to design the wheelchair in honour of her late father John, who had multiple sclerosis.”When I was really young, I struggled with it…

Amid the diplomatic crisis facing Ukraine in the war against Russia’s invasion, the European Union ambassador to New Zealand has signalled more support will be announced soon.It comes at a time the US under President Donald Trump is signalling a withdrawal of support, and negotiating directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin to cut both Ukraine and the European Union out of peace talks. In an interview with Q+A , ambassador Lawrence Meredith said the European Union would continue to support both Ukraine’s war effort, and the ability of its government to function. “This needs to be a peace through strength,…

Defence Minister Judith Collins has signalled “big budget” investment in our defence force, saying “we cannot hide at this end of the world anymore” in light of China’s naval activity in the Tasman Sea this week.The Chinese navy currently has three ships located in international waters off the coast of Australia – around 350 nautical miles northeast of Bass Strait.The task group has conducted two live firing exercises at short notice which forced aircraft to divert their flight paths.The New Zealand Defence Force is monitoring the activity of the fleet with HMNZS Te Kaha and P-8A Poseidon patrol flights.Collins told…

Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has announced the Government’s plan to make it easier for New Zealand businesses to receive international investment in a reform of the Overseas Investment Act.Speaking from the Ikea construction site at Auckland’s Sylvia Park, Seymour said New Zealand was one of the hardest countries in the developed world for people to invest in business and that our productivity growth was “woeful”.”The package will speed up decisions and provide more confidence to investors, while protecting our national interests.”He said overseas investment could better support economic growth because workers with better tools and technologies were “more productive…

Renewed attempts are underway to finally find alternative electricity sources for our third largest island.For decades, many Stewart Island / Rakiura locals have relied heavily on large council-run diesel generators for power.While the rural settlement of Oban has come a long way from individual home generators of the past, costs are sky high.The isolated paradise, just a flight or ferry away from the bottom of the South Island, has thousands of tourists visit every year but around 120 ratepayers.Time and time again, conversations about the power prices spark.”It has gone up from 41 [cents per kilowatt hour] about 10 years…

Sean Baker’s Anora won best film, best director and best actor for Mikey Madison at the Independent Spirit Awards today in what could be a preview of next Monday’s Oscars: The film about a Brooklyn sex worker and her whirlwind affair with a Russian oligarch’s son has emerged in recent weeks as an awards season front-runner.The Spirit Awards, held in a beachside tent in Santa Monica, California, is the shaggier, more irreverent sister to the Academy Awards, celebrating the best in independent film and television.Host Aidy Bryant called it “Hollywood’s third or fourth biggest night”.In accepting the directing prize, Baker…