Author: Press Room

Rio Tinto New Zealand Aluminium Smelter has announced a $50 million investment in a new facility at Tiwai Point, as part of its long-term remediation programme. The facility will process spent cell liner (SCL), a by-product of the aluminium production process. Historically SCL been stored undercover in sheds, and in a specially designed pad on-site. In 2021 then-Rio Tinto global chief executive Jakob Stausholm flew to Wellington to apologise to the government over its handling of waste from the smelter, and made commitments around the clean-up. That came after hundreds of residents of Mataura were forced to evacuate early in 2020,…

One NZ has been fined $1.1 million after failing to meet its obligations to vulnerable customers who relied on landline connections to call 111 during power cuts.The High Court penalty follows the telco’s admission of 10 breaches of the 111 Contact Code between 2021 and 2023. The breaches related to information disclosure, record keeping and customer outreach requirements, which ensure vulnerable Kiwis can still call 111 during power failures.One NZ would also pay $100,000 towards the Commerce Commission’s costs. When it filed proceedings in April 2024, the commission accused One NZ of “disregard” of vulnerable consumer safety and a history…

Weeks after a 1200-cubic-metre wastewater spill into the Mahurangi River, Auckland oyster farmers are dealing with the effects of another overflow, which they say has stuffed their Christmas season.Watercare confirmed to RNZ that on November 19, Warkworth experienced more than half the town’s average rainfall for the entire month, a total of 53mm overnight.An estimated 86 cubic metres of wastewater mixed with stormwater overflowed into the river from a Warkworth pipeline, the engineered overflow point on Elizabeth Street.The Ministry of Primary Industries instructed growers to suspend harvesting while it carried out testing, with results expected this week.But Matakana Oysters’ Tom…

Confidence in the New Zealand housing market has risen to its highest level in 15 years, with more people thinking it is a good time to buy.The latest ASB Housing Confidence Survey indicates 28% of respondents believed it was a good time to buy a property, with recent cuts to the Reserve Bank’s official cash rate, dropping to 2.25% in November from a peak of 5.5% in July 2024.ASB chief economist Nick Tuffley said the housing market was in a sweet spot, with lower interest rates and an increase in property listings, giving buyers more choice and confidence.”It’s a good…

Furniture giant IKEA has given media a behind-the-scenes peek at its Auckland store ahead of the grand opening on Thursday.After years of anticipation, the Swedish furniture retailer was nearly ready to open its flagship store in Auckland’s Sylvia Park – which was expected to cause “substantially longer than usual” traffic delays across the city on Thursday. A 1News camera was given access to the store this morning for a first look at some of the products on offer. IKEA would officially open its doors on December 4. (Source: 1News)Construction on the 34,000 square-metre store began in June 2023, and work…

The Department of Conservation is reminding fishers to be mindful of marine reserve rules this summer after a spike in breaches over the season last year.Last month, 1News reported new figures which revealed illegal fishing in New Zealand’s marine reserves is showing no sign of slowing.Nationwide, DOC recorded 105 confirmed offences last summer, alongside 126 reported alleged incidents across the 44 no-take marine reserves — areas where fishing was completely banned to protect and restore sea life.One of the worst cases last year involved claims that between 100-200 fish were taken from the Goat Island Marine Reserve in December.Another breach…

Nearly 100 new homes and a suite of commercial units are planned for a prominent Christchurch block, currently occupied by a former Mitre 10 store and a hotel. The owner of the 0.3ha Sydenham site and the Sandridge Hotel and Motel has lodged a resource consent application with Christchurch City Council outlining a large-scale redevelopment bordered by Colombo, Huxley and King Sts, Stuff reported. While most of the land would be rebuilt, existing businesses on the corner of Colombo and Huxley Sts – including a dairy, takeaway outlets and residential units – would remain. The project would comprise 21 buildings and could…

Māori Queen Te Arikinui Kuini Nga wai hono i te po has launched the ‘Kotahitanga Fund’, a new multi-million-dollar Māori investment platform.Te Arikinui made the announcement at the inaugural Ōhanga ki te Ao Māori Economic Summit in Hamilton on Saturday.In her closing address, Te Arikinui said she was proud to launch the initiative as a “declaration” that Māori were ready to invest in “ourselves, in our brilliance and in the future we choose”.”This fund is more than an investment tool,” she said. “To me, it’s an answer – at least the partial one – to the challenges of leveraging the…

Australian rocker Jimmy Barnes will play the entirety of his smash album For The Working Class Man, as well as other hits, on a two-date NZ tour next year.Barnes will perform at Christchurch’s Wolfbrook Arena on April 17, followed by Auckland’s Spark Arena on April 19.The 1985 recording was Barnes’ second solo album after the disbanding of Cold Chisel and debut outing, Bodyswerve. For The Working Class Man sold more than 500,000 copies in Australia.“For The Working Class Man was such a significant album in my life,” Barnes said.”I got to make the record with some amazing people, and it…

Health New Zealand has today reported one new case of measles, bringing the total number of cases nationwide to 22.Of that number, 21 cases were no longer infectious.The new case in Wellington was linked to an earlier case.Locations of interest included New World Wellington City on Wakefield St from 6.05pm to 7.35pm on Saturday, November 22; BP 2Go Berhampore on Luxford St from 12.40pm to 2.10pm on Monday, November 24; and and New World Newtown on Riddiford St from 8.55am to 10.20am on Thursday, November 27.Te Whatu Ora said further locations of interest will be added to its locations of…