Author: Press Room
By Susan Edmunds of RNZ BNZ says it will drop its one-year fixed home loan rate to a market-leading 4.49 percent. Karna Luke, the bank’s executive for customer products and services, said it was competing hard for new home loan customers by offering attractive rates. “We’re seeing strong customer demand for our 1-year fixed term as borrowers look for the right balance between securing a competitive rate and maintaining flexibility in an evolving rate environment,” he said. The lowest one-year rate currently offered by ASB, ANZ, Westpac and Kiwibank is 4.75%. Luke said for someone moving 5.19 percent with a…
The kārearea New Zealand falcon has taken out the top spot in the 20th anniversary Bird of the Year competition.The kārearea is a high-speed hunter which is at risk from habitat loss and predation.”It’s been a privilege to champion such a remarkable manu, and we’ve loved seeing the public get behind it,” said Caitlin Pieta from Auto Mossa, who managed the kārearea’s campaign.Forest and Bird said after an early lead the falcon kept its talons firmly on the top spot.The 2025 win puts the kārearea among a group of winners that have secured multiple titles over the past two decades.…
By Susan Edmunds of RNZ Employees of Kitchen Things and SolarZero have received their full preferential entitlement, the liquidator and receiver for both organisations says. But he said customers of Kitchen Things in particular are likely to lose out. SolarZero was put into liquidation by its directors late last year, while Kitchen Things was put into receivership last month. Receiver and liquidator Stephen Keen from Grant Thornton New Zealand said the Kitchen Things staff received their maximum entitlement on Thursday and SolarZero employees followed on Friday. The maximum is $31,820 per employee before tax and other deductions. Employees rank ahead…
Dolly Parton has postponed her first Las Vegas residency in 32 years, citing “health challenges,” the American country legend shared on social media.She did not provide specific details, writing, “As many of you know, I have been dealing with some health challenges, and my doctors tell me that I must have a few procedures. “As I joked with them, it must be time for my 100,000-mile check-up, although it’s not the usual trip to see my plastic surgeon!”Parton added that she is postponing the shows because she is “not going to be able to rehearse and put together the show…
Two sunscreens sold widely across New Zealand have been urgently recalled after independent testing revealed they may not offer the level of sun protection advertised.Product Safety NZ said several batches of Aspect Sun’s Physical Sun Protection SPF50+ and Tinted Physical SPF50+ products had been recalled.”Preliminary results received from an independent laboratory show that the SPF level in these two products is unlikely to meet the labelled SPF rating,” it said in a statement.”A low SPF rating may increase the risk of sunburn during use and reduce the long-term effectiveness of preventing skin cancer.”The products were sold at more than 250…
New Zealanders will be part of a world-first clinical trial into how to treat a dangerous condition that causes heart attacks in young women – including new mothers.There has been a lack of research into heart conditions that affect women specifically, and the work is part of a big push to change that.Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) occurs when a tear forms in the artery. It was the cause of a third of heart attacks in women under 50 and half of all heart attacks in pregnancy.The condition was often missed when patients turned up to hospital with chest pain…
Kiwi rock band The Beths had their instruments and some of their gear stolen while on tour in Europe. In a post to Instagram, the group said their guitars, bass, cymbals, snare, pedal board, and rented equipment were stolen from their van while in Tourcoing, France, near Lille. “We’re pretty sad, these instruments have a lot of time and love in them. More than we can express really,” the post read. In the post, the band shared images of some of the stolen gear. Thanks to “the generosity of friends”, the band was able to make their next show in…
A gas bottle explosion inside a work vehicle left two people injured and set the vehicle ablaze in Christchurch this morning.Fire and Emergency NZ (FENZ) said it received reports of a car fire in the suburb of Hornby just after 9.30am on Monday.On arrival, firefighters located a work vehicle containing gas bottles ablaze on Waterloo Rd.”One bottle was involved in the explosion which set the vehicle on fire,” a FENZ spokesperson said.”The area was secured, and crews monitored the situation to ensure safety.”Two FENZ crews from Spreydon and Wigram responded, with a command unit from Wigram attending to assess gas…
A charge will be dropped against a trucking company involved in the death of a road worker.Johnathon Walters was killed by a runaway truck with bad brakes in Remuera last year.Ashik Ali — who was driving the truck at the time at a roadworks site at night — pleaded guilty to manslaughter, while WorkSafe also prosecuted his company, Ashik Transport.But the agency now says it plans to withdraw that charge.”The recent guilty plea to separate police manslaughter charges satisfies the public interest test of the solicitor-general’s prosecution guidelines. For that reason, WorkSafe intends to withdraw its charge against Ashik Transport…
Six people are reportedly injured following a two-vehicle crash on a stretch of State Highway 1 near the shores of Lake Taupō this morning.Police were called to the Tauranga-Taupō Bridge at around 11.25am on Monday.”At this stage six people are reported to have suffered moderate to serious injuries,” a police spokesperson said.St John said it responded with four ambulances and one helicopter.”Six patients were assessed at the scene, with all six being taken to hospital, one in a serious condition to Rotorua Hospital by helicopter, four in a moderate condition to Taupō Hospital by ambulance, and one minor condition also…