Author: Press Room

Dame Hinewehi Mohi — famed for singing God Defend New Zealand in te reo Māori at the 1999 Rugby World Cup — is being inducted into the NZ Music Hall of Fame for her ongoing contributions to the revitalisation of the language.The trailblazing performance at Twickenham 25 years ago inspired debate around the use of te reo in New Zealand and normalised the singing of our anthem in both Māori and English.But Dame Hinewehi’s impact did not stop there, extending to advocacy for the growth of Māori music.Daily te reo lessons alongside her father, who chose to reconnect with his…

An out-of-sorts Chiefs needed a late Damian McKenzie penalty to beat the Rebels 26-23 in Melbourne and entrench their top-four status.A fourth straight win for the New Zealand side wasn’t easily achieved as the Rebels fought back from a 12-point deficit midway through the second half to level the scores with six minutes to play.The Chiefs kept their cool, snaffling possession and driving back onto the attack, where a penalty adjacent to the posts was converted by McKenzie, who finished with 16 points and was typically influential in their attacking game.When they flowed, the visitors made significant inroads but silly…

Jesse Campbell shared a TikTok video where he claimed quality of life in Australia was “10 times better” than in New Zealand. “That’s no knock on New Zealand, that’s just the facts,” the 26-year-old who has been in Australia for three years said on an eye-opening trip back home. He didn’t hold back his thoughts. “Cost of living is cheaper, you get paid more, the weather is better, there’s more going on over there, the beaches are better, there’s more opportunities. “Honestly, I just reckon the quality of life it produces over there is just so much better than New…

Dame Hinewehi Mohi’s induction into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame honours her remarkable career — and the enduring influences of her recently passed Nan and her daughter Hineraukatauri. In a heartfelt interview with Seven Sharp’s Te Rauhiringa Brown, Dame Hinewehi shared how these pivotal figures — along with her passion for te reo Māori and the mentorship of key individuals — have shaped her extraordinary journey.From a young age, Hinewehi was immersed in music, thanks to her father, who learned te reo Māori in his 30s after his parents were punished for speaking it. Determined to reclaim his…

A fire at Auckland’s Gulf Harbour Country Club early this morning has seen its golf shop go up in flames.The Whangaparāoa Peninsula course, which hosted the New Zealand Golf Open in 2005 and 2006, was closed ‘with immediate effect’ in July last year. Residents have vowed to fight the decision.A spokesperson for Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) said it received multiple calls to the fire just before 3am.The fire at the Gulf Harbour Country Club has destroyed its golf shop. (Source: Leon Shouksmith)Firefighters arrived to find a fire at the club’s golf shop. The blaze was put out just…

One person has died after a two-vehicle crash on State Highway 3 in Turakina this morning.The crash occurred on the highway near Edenmore Rd at 7.50am.Police said at the time: “One person is reported to have critical injuries.”Police later confirmed a person had died at the scene. The road has since reopened.St John Ambulance said it responded with three ambulances, two rapid response units, and one helicopter.”Our crews assessed and treated three patients, who were transported to Whanganui Base hospital in a moderate condition.”Fire and Emergency New Zealand said five crews responded to the incident and firefighters had to cut…

A cold front is expected to bring a decent dumping of snow to parts of the South Island on Saturday.A heavy snow watch was in place in Queenstown Lakes, Central Otago, Southland and Fiordland, with snow lowering to 300 to 400 metres in some areas, MetService said.An orange heavy rain warning is in place for parts of inland Canterbury, including the Mackenzie Basin.There were also snowfall warnings for Lindis Pass with up to 10cm of snow expected near the summit and Haast Pass with up to 3cm of snow forecast on the road south of the summit.Crown Range Road could…

Drysdale released a statement on Sunday morning explaining why he believes he is the best candidate for the city.   “My vision is that Tauranga is known as New Zealand’s best small city. I want to lead a new generation of strong and accountable leadership that can take our city forward,” he said.   “Tauranga has an exciting future. I was raised in Tauranga and I want the city to fulfil its potential.”   Mahé said despite Tauranga having past challenges with governance, his focus is on the future and creating a modern, attractive city.   “We need collaborative and constructive leadership around the…

A “no-frills” budget, a plea to “fix our potholes”, and “the Grey St fiasco” were all among submissions made at Gisborne District Council’s Three-Year Plan hearings on Wednesday and Thursday.Some residents said they object to plans to spend money on new cycle paths and walkways when potholes and recovery work need more funding.The comments came as construction started last week on the “Streets for People” project on Grey St — a scheme designed to incentivise people to drive less and walk or cycle more.Streets for People is an NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi-funded initiative in partnership with the council and…

A man has been arrested and charged over a “concerning” incident in Waitara last week where a car was stolen with a baby inside, with the infant later abandoned on the roadside.The 34-year-old is facing a number of charges, including abducting a child, aggravated assault, unlawfully taking a motor vehicle, driving while disqualified, and failing to stop for police.Detective Senior Sergeant Debra Gower said officers spotted a person of interest on State Highway 1 just before 7.30pm last night.Police activated lights and sirens, but the driver fled.“Police initiated a pursuit which was soon abandoned due to the manner of driving.”Sighting…