Author: Press Room

New Interislander ferries and portside infrastructure will cost $1.86 billion, in addition to the half-billion spent on the cancelled iRex project, the Government has revealed.The long-awaited cost estimates come after years of political wrangling over the delayed replacement vessels — one of the coalition’s first political headaches in office.Rail Minister Winston Peters said the new “no nonsense” infrastructure programme was helping save the taxpayer money when the two ships enter service in 2029.”Next week we will travel to Guangzhou with the Ferry Holdings chairperson and ships programme director to acknowledge the significant agreement, not just between the shipyard and Ferry…

Ultra-processed foods are fuelling a rise in obesity and other serious health problems, according to international experts who say urgent policy changes are needed.A series of papers published in The Lancet today warned such products – high in sugar, salt and unhealthy fats – were linked to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer and mental health issues. Researchers argue governments must act with measures such as mandatory front-of-pack labelling, sugary drink taxes, and bans on junk food marketing to children.Health NZ data released today showed one in three adult New Zealanders, 34.2%, were classified as obese, up from 31.3% five years…

House prices are rising again across the EU, and many single youngsters are facing increasing barriers to getting on the property ladder. After a brief dip in 2023, property price tags inflated again in 2024 and surged by 5.4% in Q2 2025, according to the latest Eurostat data. One of the social fallouts is that people who are not in a relationship are feeling increasingly shut out of the housing market. More specifically, 37% of solo dwellers now believe they will never be able to buy a home. This is one of the key findings of a new survey of…

Roadworks that brought Rotorua to a standstill on Monday have now been postponed until next year.It comes after a dressing-down for the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) from Rotorua’s MP and mayor over the impact SH30A’s closure had on businesses, schools, medical providers and general road users.NZTA had closed all four lanes of SH30A between Te Ngae Rd and Fenton St for resurfacing.However, after extreme levels of congestion occurred on the city’s eastside, the road was partially reopened on Monday afternoon.In a statement today, NZTA apologised for the disruption caused and confirmed it would rethink its approach.”We have now made the…

A popular tourist and trucking route in the Marlborough Sounds needs widening due to blind spots and trucks crossing the centre line, a new report says.The report by Sentec, commissioned by Marlborough Roads, looked at the safety of heavy commercial vehicles, particularly logging trucks, on Port Underwood Rd and Queen Charlotte Dr.Marlborough District Council’s infrastructure and community facilities committee heard recommendations from the report on Tuesday.The report was originally commissioned following “numerous” complaints of trucks forcing residents’ vehicles onto the road shoulder or off the road entirely.Sentec did an in-depth analysis of the two routes, including observations from inside a…

Police are investigating around 20 cases of alleged misuse and inappropriate content on work-issued devices following a sweeping review triggered by the Jevon McSkimming scandal.McSkimming, then deputy commissioner, was found with objectionable material on his police-issued devices in June. He has pleaded guilty to charges of possessing child exploitation and bestiality images and will be sentenced next month.The revelations prompted Police Commissioner Richard Chambers to order a rapid review of security settings in June. That review found weaknesses in monitoring and governance and recommended urgent changes to prevent staff accessing harmful content on police devices.Acting Deputy Commissioner Jill Rogers today…

Published on 19/11/2025 – 12:09 GMT+1 Denmark is working to find a solution to the ongoing standoff between EU lawmakers and national governments over who should be the EU institutions’ top privacy official, officials have told Euronews. The mandate of the current European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) expired on 5 December 2024. Denmark, which holds the rotating chairmanship of the national governments for one more month, said it wants to conclude the EDPS talks by year’s end. However, no meeting with EU lawmakers has yet been scheduled, people familiar with the matter told Euronews. The EDPS, a role established in…

The Government has announced it will stop doctors prescribing puberty blockers to new patients with gender dysphoria in what’s termed a “precautionary approach”.Health Minister Simeon Brown said Cabinet had agreed to introduce new rules under the Medicines Act, aligning New Zealand’s approach with the UK’s restrictions on the medications, also known as gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues.”Gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues play an important role in treating a range of medical conditions,” Brown said in a statement.”We are ensuring they remain available for patients who need them for conditions such as early-onset puberty, endometriosis, or prostate cancer, where there is strong clinical evidence of…

A senior UN official has told Euronews that Afghanistan does not have the capacity to absorb returning refugees into its local communities – this as EU member states look for ways to return According to a report by the UN Development Agency (UNDP), roughly 4.5 million Afghans abroad are returning to their own country. But the country’s severe conditions, including a widespread lack of access to international assistance, are making it challenging to reintegrate Afghans returning from abroad. Among the problems the country faces are deep poverty, harsh climate conditions, the damage caused by recent earthquakes, and the Taliban’s severe…

The morning’s headlines in 90 seconds, including weather warnings back in force, a spate of suspicious fires in Dunedin, and the stoush over Vegemite in prison. A range of weather warnings and watches are in force for parts of the country today. Three suspicious fires in Dunedin kept firefighters busy overnight. Some schools remain closed over asbestos contaminated toys. The US has moved an aircraft carrier into the Caribbean, amid growing tension with Venezuela. An Australian prisoner has launched legal action over a ban on Vegemite in jails.