Author: Press Room

Insurance has had the largest price rise of any item tracked in the consumer price index since 2000, Consumer NZ says, and there’s a risk that more people may not be able to access it at all in future unless there are industry changes.Consumer has released a report into the insurance industry, investigating how climate change is affecting the cost and availability of house and contents insurance.It noted the cost of insurance had gone up 916% since 2000. That is ahead of the increase in the price of cigarettes and tobacco, which were up 608%.The price increases were prompting people…

Three kilograms of “substances and casings capable of being transformed into pipe bombs” were seized alongside methamphetamine and firearms in a Hutt Valley drug operation, police say.Two people have been arrested and charged amid the searches and seizures as part of the three-month “Operation Trunk” investigation.Detective Inspector Darrin Thomson said: “Of real concern is the discovery of three kilogrammes of substances and casings capable of being transformed into pipe bombs.”Two kilograms of methamphetamine were seized. (Source: NZ Police)He said police were highly concerned by the discovery and were continuing to investigate where the substances came from. Police also seized four…

How does New Zealand’s economy stack up against Australia’s?That’s a question Westpac senior economist Satish Ranchhod has been working to answer.He has released new research which compares the two trans-Tasman economies.There was some good news for this side of the ditch – economic growth was likely to be modest in Australia over the coming year, he said, but New Zealand’s was expected to pick up to more normal levels, with stronger per capita GDP growth over the next few years.Ranchhod said GDP growth in New Zealand was forecast to hit 2.4% by the end of this year and 3.1% next…

The Government has announced a new visa, aimed at attracting business people to invest in New Zealand.Immigration Minister Erica Stanford today announced the Business Investor Visa would provide a pathway to residency for migrants wanting to invest in and operate established businesses in New Zealand. The visa would be open for applications in November, offering two pathways: The standard pathway involved a $1 million investment in an existing business, with a three-year work-to-residence pathwayThe other, a fast-track pathway, would require a $2 million investment in an existing business, with a 12-month wait for residency.Applicants would need to invest in a…

Police are searching for two Chinese nationals in Auckland on numerous alleged drug offences who are understood to be presenting as tradesmen.Xilin Huang, aged 39, and Gongbao Fang, aged 46, are wanted to arrest on charges including possession for supply of methamphetamine and other controlled drugs.It is believed the pair are working as tradesmen, police said.”Police believe these men are in the Auckland region and locating them is a priority.”It added any sightings of Huang or Fang should be reported to police on 111 immediately.Information on their whereabouts could be provided by phoning 105, or anonymously via Crime Stoppers.

A 36-year-old woman charged with disposing of her newborn baby’s body in a central Auckland park has pleaded not guilty. She entered the plea in the Auckland District Court on Wednesday morning and elected trial by jury. Name suppression for the woman was continued.Auckland City CIB Detective Senior Sergeant Ash Matthews earlier said police were called to Albert Park in the centre of the city at about 7am on Sunday after a worker discovered the infant.This morning, the woman appeared in person at court, with several supporters, and stood quietly in the dock, visibly upset and at times close to…

ADVERTISEMENT Until now, a coloured badge was the only ticket you needed: white with a yellow ‘Press’ line for journalists, green for lobbyists, orange for diplomats and so on. With one of those dangling from your neck, you could roam both the Brussels and Strasbourg buildings of the European Parliament and casually bump into lawmakers in the corridors. But as of next week, those casual encounters will become much rarer. Invitations signed off by MEPs will be mandatory for entire categories of visitors to enter certain areas. This rule will apply to journalists, diplomats, and industry representatives, the Parliament confirmed…

A man has been seriously injured after falling about 20 metres down a “securely fenced” mine shaft on the West Coast this morning.Police were notified that a person had fallen at the Tyneside Mine located around 10km northeast of Greymouth at 11am on Wednesday.”The person has some injuries but is in verbal contact with Fire & Emergency NZ personnel at the site.”Person seriously injured following 20m fall at West Coast mine – watch on TVNZ+Hato Hone St John said one ambulance and one operations manager were on scene.”One patient, in serious condition, is being transported to Greymouth Hospital.”Two fire trucks…

Published on 28/08/2025 – 9:37 GMT+2 •Updated 9:57 ADVERTISEMENT The shock wave unleashed by Russia’s latest strike against Kyiv has “severely” damaged the delegation of the European Union in the Ukrainian capital, the bloc’s ambassador Katarina Mathernova announced on Thursday morning. The overnight attack, part of Moscow’s campaign of sowing terror and chaos, has killed at least 10 people and left dozens injured, causing major destruction across the city. “This is Moscow’s true answer to peace efforts,” Mathernova said. Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, confirmed that all members of the EU delegation were “safe”. “Russia…

By Susan Edmunds of RNZ The government is hoping that supermarket reforms announced this week will tempt another player into the supermarket sector in New Zealand. When she unveiled plans for an “express lane” for supermarket developments and other policy changes to boost competition, Finance Minister Nicola Willis said five players, as well as Costco, had expressed interest. But who could our new supermarket player be? Experts say there are a few potential options. An existing New Zealand business One option is that a business already in New Zealand might branch out into grocery, or expand its current offering significantly. Retail expert Chris Wilkinson…