Author: Press Room

By Shelley Topp From the adversity of a devastating fire, one of the most modern and sophisticated small drill manufacturing plants in the world has risen in Canterbury. Sutton Tools New Zealand will officially open its new factory today on Todds Rd, Southbrook. It will replace the company’s former Kaiapoi factory, which was damaged beyond repair in an early morning fire in January 2022. General manager Kevin Donovan says the new site allows for diversification and further development ‘‘when we are ready’’. ‘‘First and foremost though the new building is a safe, modern workspace for our team, something they deserve…

Aucklanders are being asked to reduce their outdoor water usage as the city prepares for more dry weather. Water dam levels have dropped below a trigger point which sees the city in the “preparing for drought” level in its Drought Management Plan. Watercare’s chief operations officer Mark Bourne said Auckland’s water usage is higher than usual for this time of year which he suggests is due to people watering their gardens. “We’re not asking people to stop watering their gardens – we just want everyone to be more mindful of their water use, particularly outdoors. “Most gardens don’t need to…

The New Zealand economy has climbed out of recession after GDP rose by 0.7% in figures released today.The economy had previously met the widely accepted definition of recession, with two successive quarters of contraction.It fell 1% in the September quarter after being down 1.1% in the three months to June.Today’s numbers showed 11 of the 16 industries surveyed experienced an increase this quarter, from October to December last year. The largest rises were from rental, hiring and real estate services as well as retail trade and accommodation, Stats NZ said.Healthcare and social assistance also grew. At the other end of…

By Susan Edmunds of RNZ ASB has cut a number of its fixed home loan rates. It said it was the fifth fixed mortgage rate drop this year. The six-month rate drops by 10 basis points to 5.79 percent, and the four and five-year rates by 20 and 10 basis points, respectively, to 5.59 percent and 5.69 percent. ASB executive general manger personal banking Adam Boyd said a growing number of customers were splitting their mortgages across different terms. The drops take effect immediately. Earlier, Squirrel chief executive David Cunningham said borrowers were frequently choosing a one- and two-year split or a…

A second person has appeared in court charged with inappropriate handling of human remains and obtaining more than $18,000 by deception.The 53-year-old denied all charges and has elected trial by jury when he made his his first appearance in Auckland District Court today.Court documents show the Auckland man faces two charges of obtaining money by deception, amounting to more than $18,000, between 2015 and 2022.He also faces a charge of neglecting to properly seal and line a casket.The appearance comes as police continue to investigate allegations of mishandled burials at Auckland’s Waikumete Cemetery under Operation Lola.Police have been examining complaints…

The country’s roading authority is to turn down the lights in Kaikōura.Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency will begin replacing the old-style sodium lights along State Highway 1, between Killarney St and Mill Rd, with LED lights from next month.The announcement follows the district’s international dark sky sanctuary accreditation, which was announced by Dark Sky International in September last year.The motivation behind the dark sky status bid was to protect the endangered Hutton’s shearwater birds/tītī, as the birds regularly crash land in the town after becoming disorientated by street lights.NZTA has commissioned MainPower and its subcontractor Power Jointing Ltd to replace…

Gamers will soon be able to explore some of NZ’s most popular tourism destinations — walking part of the Abel Tasman and gazing at the night sky from Lake Tekapo — in the cube-shaped world of Minecraft.Six locations could be downloaded from the Minecraft store this week as part of an initiative with Tourism New Zealand, introducing New Zealand and te ao Māori to millions of players around the world, in the hope some would follow the virtual visit with a real one.The first playable destinations within the game were offered ahead of the release of the live-action film A…

New Zealand’s economy has rebounded more strongly than expected out of recession, on the back of improved agricultural production and tourism spending. Stats NZ data shows gross domestic product – the broad measure of economic growth – rose 0.7% in the three months ended December, to be 1.1% lower than a year ago. Expectations had been for quarterly growth of 0.3%, and and annual contraction of 1.3%, after the previous two quarters of contraction. “Higher spending by international visitors led to increased activity in tourism related industries such as accommodation, restaurants and bars, transport and vehicle hiring,” spokesperson Katrina Dewbery…

A former Eminem studio engineer was charged today with stealing the Detroit rapper’s unreleased music and selling it online, federal prosecutors announced.Investigators say more than 25 songs have been played or distributed online without the consent of Eminem or Interscope Capital Labels Group, which owns Eminem’s music. The music was stored on password-protected hard drives kept in a safe at Eminem’s studio in Ferndale, a Detroit suburb, according to an FBI affidavit.Joseph Strange, 46, of Holly, Michigan, was charged via a criminal complaint with copyright infringement and interstate transportation of stolen goods, Acting US Attorney Julie Beck in Detroit said.…

Breaking up the major entities in the supermarket sector would be a quick way for the government to reintroduce competition and lower food prices. While waiting for an an international brand to establish itself in New Zealand could take years. By Lisa M. Katerina Asher, Catherine Sutton-Brady and Drew Franklin.New Zealand’s concentrated supermarket sector is back in the spotlight after Finance Minister Nicola Willis said she was open to offering “VIP treatment” to a third international player willing to create competition.However, New Zealanders hoping for a foreign hero to break up the current supermarket concentration will be waiting a long…