Author: Press Room

Sir Michael Hill is stepping down from his jewellery firm to undergo cancer treatment. In a shareholder announcement today, Sir Michael, 86, said he was taking a leave of absence from Michael Hill Jeweller Ltd. Andrea Slingsby has been appointed as alternative director. Sir Michael lives with his wife Christine at The Hills golf resort, which co-hosts the NZ Open golf tournament, in Arrowtown. He opened his first store in Whangārei in 1979 aged 40, after spending nearly two decades working in his uncle’s jewellery store. The chain now has 291 stores in New Zealand, Australia and Canada. In 2019,…

More than 5000 fines have been dished out to dog owners in Auckland for not registering their pets.Auckland Council has been cracking down on dog owners to register their dogs or be hit with an infringement fine of $300, or worse, face the court.In February, council sent out 5572 infringement notices to dog owners. If each fine was $300, it would total $1.67 million.Of these, 2542 were in south Auckland.Council’s licensing and compliance general manager Robert Irvine said they have provided ample opportunities for dog owners to comply.However, it was time for those who continued to ignore their obligations to…

A gun-wielding man jumped into a Palmerston North hospital worker’s car and threaten her with a gun as she left work late at night.It is understood the woman is a nurse.Police said they were called about 11pm on Friday after a man got into the back seat of the woman’s car and pointed a gun at her, telling her to drive.”The woman drove a short distance before getting out of the car and asking for help at a nearby house. The man fled on foot,” they said.”Fortunately, no one was injured, but this would have been a terrifying experience for…

The government wants to “turbocharge” global marketing to international visitors, with a new $13.5 million investment in Tourism New Zealand. Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston made the announcement with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in Auckland this afternoon, where the pair visited the Weta Workshop Unleashed exhibition. The service sector in New Zealand – which includes tourism, retail and hospitality – has been struggling to recover and gain traction in recent months. Upston said the government was relentlessly focused on economic growth and data showed tourism would play a leading role in this going forward. “Today I’m delighted to announce a $13.5…

Uber users choosing the “green” option for their ride might be used to the driver turning up in a trusty Toyota Prius.But new standards the company introduced on Wednesday mean hybrid petrol-electric cars like the Prius no longer count as green rides – only fully-electric models qualify.The move promises to help lower greenhouse gas emissions, but has led to people being unable to find an Uber Green.It’s part of the company’s global goal of having zero tailpipe emissions by 2040.That target includes Australia and New Zealand – but both countries have much lower EV uptake than other markets where Uber…

ADVERTISEMENTThe leader of Hungary’s largest opposition party on Sunday told thousands of supporters that he would guide his country out of its international isolation if he defeats Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in elections scheduled for next year.Péter Magyar, the leader of the Respect and Freedom (Tisza) party, represents the most serious challenge to Orbán’s power since the right-wing populist leader took office in 2010.Recent polling suggests that Tisza has overtaken Orbán’s Fidesz party as Hungary struggles with a stagnating economy and has been politically sidelined in the European Union over Orbán’s policies.Speaking at a rally in Budapest on Sunday, Magyar…

Heavy rain and severe gales are expected to lash the upper North Island from Wednesday as a deep subtropical low approaches the country.MetService has issued a range of heavy rain and strong wind watches for Wednesday and Thursday in Northland, Auckland and the Coromandel Peninsula.Rain is expected to hit these regions from Wednesday morning (Northland) and midday (Auckland, Great Barrier, Coromandel Peninsula), while strong winds are forecast to begin from Wednesday afternoon (Northland) and evening (Auckland and Great Barrier). Streams and rivers could rise rapidly with surface flooding, slips, and difficult driving conditions possible in the rainfall, MetService said.For Auckland,…

Proposed changes to driver licensing should include a minimum requirement for practice hours, the AA says.The Government wants to remove the second practical driving test and to reduce the number of eye tests required during the licensing process.Transport Minister Chris Bishop said the changes would include a complete alcohol ban for learner and restricted drivers of any age and the number of demerit points to suspend the licenses would be halved.AA road safety spokesperson Dylan Thomsen told Morning Report on practical test could work – and most other countries had that system – but many also had requirements for training…

Warning: This story contains content some may find disturbing.A 13-year-old girl was brought to New Zealand and enslaved, with a paediatrician saying the teenager would most likely have died if she had not been rescued when she was.But her abusers have never been charged with trafficking the girl – given the pseudonym Grace – and Oranga Tamariki says it would “push a lot harder” for more serious convictions if that situation happened today.Oranga Tamariki international child protection manager Sharyn Titchener told a webinar last month that a social worker was alerted to Grace’s plight by a medical professional, got a…

Westpac NZ is trialling a new “basic” bank account in the hopes of improving access to banking services. A basic bank account was designed as a transactional bank account with simplified functionality, and among recommendations of the Commerce Commission’s Market Study into personal banking services. Westpac NZ chief executive Catherine McGrath said the basic bank account was intended for customers who may need additional support to open an account, such as those who do not meet current legal identification requirements for a bank account, or who may be in vulnerable circumstances and need additional restrictions on their account. “A bank…