Author: Press Room

Before her ascension to the throne, Te Arikinui Kuīni Nga wai hono i te po enjoyed a fairly typical Māori upbringing.Speaking to Te Karere nearly a decade ago in 2015, Te Puhi Ariki, as she was known then, the only daughter and youngest child of Kīngi Tuheitia spoke about what it’s like to be in her position as a princess in the 21st century.“He haumaru te noho, like, kāore e kore he tangata noa ahau i roto i tēnei ao and he pērā taku noho i roto i tēnei o ngā tūranga (It’s a safe life, like, I’m just an…

This article was originally published in French In his first interview since his appointment as Prime Minister, Michel Barnier announced his desire to improve pension reform and promised ‘concrete measures’ to control migratory flows while respecting the budgetary framework. ADVERTISEMENTIn an interview with the TF1 French television channel on Friday evening, the newly appointed Prime Minister Michel Barnier revealed little about his intentions as head of the future French government, which is currently being formed.The new occupant of the Elysée Palace acknowledged that his mission would be perilous “because of the unprecedented situation” in the National Assembly, which is now divided…

Short-term exemptions to the accredited employer work visa (AEWV), announced last Sunday, may provide a Band-Aid to get Queenstown through the next 12 months. In April, the government introduced new policy settings for the controversial visa, including a requirement for any applicant to have three years’ relevant experience in certain roles, including kitchen hands and housekeepers, for example. In June, the Queenstown hotel sector, alone, was faced with losing 40% of its workforce — almost 1000 workers — between now and February, when workers’ visas were due to expire. Due to the change in policy settings, even workers employed in…

Previously sealed court documents and a redacted receivership report into troubled property developer Du Val Group paint an intricate picture for those owed money.In a rare move, the company – owned by socialites Kenyon and Charlotte Clarke – was placed into statutory management by the Government in August. PWC has taken control of the entire company and its more than 60 entities. It owed about $250 million to creditors.The couple have now been banned from leaving the country and had their passports and all assets seized.The High Court ruled the 38-page report and some court documents could now be made…

A very southern gin has taken the “best in show” award at the Australian Gin Awards, topping a field of 400 entries. Bluff Distillery’s Bluff London Dry Gin won the accolade for best in show, judged over seven categories. It also won its dry gin category. Co-founder and distiller Chris Fraser said it was an honour to be recognised on the international stage for a gin that represented the ruggedly beautiful spirit of Bluff. “It’s great validation for us as a team. “Just as everything else in Bluff — the gin is what it says on the tin. “We wanted…

Selena Gomez has become a billionaire thanks to the success of her Rare Beauty brand.The 32-year-old star has enjoyed significant success as a singer and as an actor – but Rare Beauty, Gomez’s make-up and cosmetics brand, has seen her personal fortune top the US$1 billion (NZ$1.62 billion) landmark.She is actually worth an eye-watering US$1.3 billion (NZ$2.11 billion), according to Bloomberg, which has included Gomez on its Billionaires Index for the very first time.Bloomberg noted that Rare Beauty – which Gomez founded and also owns – accounts for the “vast bulk” of her personal wealth.Gomez has a huge social media…

The Gut Cancer Foundation has praised well-known psychologist and TV personality Nigel Latta for his bravery following his decision to go public with his cancer diagnosis. In a video posted to social media last night, the 57-year-old said he “was having symptoms of what I thought was a peptic ulcer”. “I could eat hardly anything, feel really full and getting a really uncomfortable sort of full feeling in the back of my throat,” Latta explained.Testing revealed “a large mass which looked like a tumour at the bottom of my stomach”.Latta said he was initially given a prognosis of six to…

A Dunedin couple have plans for a new cafe in a more than a century-old heritage building in the central city. A heritage grant of $20,000 has been allocated for the re-roofing, plaster repair and exterior painting of the building at 33 Russell St. The now-pink two-storey building on the corner of Russell and Arthur Sts was originally a ground floor corner shop with an upstairs dwelling, built for storekeeper J. Airey, in 1923. The shop was converted to flats in 2009 and was a “significant survivor” of the small businesses and shops that operated in the City Rise, information…

Far North District councillors have voted unanimously to retain their district’s Ngā Tai o Tokerau Māori ward following an impassioned three-hour meeting.Their strongly worded resolution also called on the council’s chief executive to explore the legal implications of not holding a binding poll as required – and added the words “forced” and “discriminatory” to describe the government-mandated poll.The Far North District Council was the last, along with Hutt City, of more than 40 local authorities in the country to vote on the future of its Māori ward ahead of Friday’s 5pm deadline.The four-seat ward will be retained for the 2025…

Tomaž Vesel apparently withdrew after Ursula von der Leyen lobbied for gender parity in her future team. ADVERTISEMENTSlovenia’s Tomaž Vesel has withdrawn his bid to join Ursula von der Leyen’s team of European Commissioners, after the Slovenian government came under pressure to nominate a female candidate, according to Slovenian press agency STA.The decision was based on “talks” with von der Leyen that “concluded that they had divergent views on the functioning of the new European Commission”, STA reported.The news comes after von der Leyen pressured smaller EU member states to pick female candidates to serve in the next EU executive,…