Author: Press Room

A fire has badly damaged a house in northern Auckland and flames have spread to a neighbouring property, according to Fire and Emergency New Zealand.FENZ said it received calls to a house fire in Milldale, Wainui around 11.20am.On arrival a two storey home was on fire, with flames encroaching on a next-door property.Over half-a-dozen trucks were at the scene, with more on the way.There are no reports of injuries.

Marlborough’s main CBD street could be in for an upgrade but councillors think seagulls, and the “absolutely filthy” mess they make, need to be addressed first.The council wants to use an existing CBD budget to update Market St for the first time in 25 years, but it’s too early to show exactly what that will look like or how much it will cost.Minutes from a CBD subcommittee meeting, which went to a council committee last week for approval, said landscape architecture firm Kumanu Environmental was engaged to provide a draft concept design for the revitalisation of the retail street.However, when…

The price of the groceries we buy are the result of tough negotiations between large purchasers and farmers. But farmers very often feel taken advantage of by major retailers, claiming they are forced to undersell their products. ADVERTISEMENTTo ensure that farmers get their fair share, the EU Commission has made proposals to strengthen their bargaining power.The Commission wants to better enforce existing rules penalising late payments, last-minute cancellations of orders for perishable goods and unilateral contract changes – as well as preventing commercial retaliation by powerful buyers.The initiative aims to reward hard working farmers fairly. It was just such claims of…

The Reserve Bank has cut the official cash rate by 50 basis points to 3.75%.Today’s decision has been three months in the making, but was widely-expected by economists. In November, Reserve Bank governor Adrian Orr said if economic conditions persisted, the Monetary Policy Committee would be looking to cut the OCR.Today’s decision comes with inflation at 2.2% and unemployment for the December quarter at 5.1%. For more on what the OCR cut means for you, go to TVNZ+Today, the Reserve Bank said annual consumer price inflation remains near the midpoint of the Monetary Policy Committee’s 1% to 3% target band.“The…

The US’ special representative charged with addressing the Ukraine conflict has arrived for talks with Ukrainian officials just after Donald Trump blamed the Zelenskyy government for Russia’s invasion. ADVERTISEMENTThe State Border Guard Service of Ukraine released video footage today showing drone attacks carried out against Russian army vehicles in the Kramatorsk district of the Donetsk region.According to the service, operators from its “Phoenix” unit successfully destroyed eight military trucks and 11 additional vehicles in the area. Meanwhile, the Russian Ministry of Defence also published footage showing a Buk-M2 air defence system engaging an aerial target belonging to Ukrainian forces.The ministry…

A man has been charged with burglary, and a dog recovered, after a break in at the Nelson SPCA which left three animals missing.In a statement, police today said a 32-year-old man has been charged with burglary.Distressed SPCA staff yesterday showed 1News damage to the facility including cuts to fences, and said animals had been released from their crates and cages.After reviewing CCTV footage and following lines of inquiry, police said they located a suspect in Tapawera. A search of the man’s vehicle located a dog, believed to be one of the missing animals.Nelson SPCA manager Amy Sturkenboom told 1News…

Discount chain Look Sharp has been slapped with a nearly $300,000 fine for “frequent and widespread pricing errors” – with some products costing as much as 33% more than advertised.Walond Limited, commonly known as Look Sharp – known for its extensive range of party supplies and hardware products – has 20 stores nationwide and a revenue of up to $44 million a year.However, the company has been fined $292,500 in the Auckland District Court after pleading guilty to making misleading representations about product prices and consumers’ rights under the Consumer Guarantees Act, in breach of the Fair Trading Act.The Commerce…

A leaked draft of a keenly awaited Action Plan for Affordable Energy suggests cutting green levies and VAT could ease costs for European consumers – but tax reforms have been deadlocked since 2021. ADVERTISEMENTThe European Commission “stands ready” to help EU governments reach an agreement on reforms to the Energy Taxation Directive proposed back in 2021, according to a leaked draft of an action plan to cut energy costs that put Europe at a disadvantage with competitors China and the US.But with tax matters one of a handful of EU policy areas where legislation requires the unanimous backing of all…

Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown has today announced he is standing again for the top job in October. In a statement, 78-year-old Brown said: “There’s more to do, and I have the experience to get it done.” “I don’t stand for any political party, and my focus remains firmly on the work at hand – fixing Auckland, not running an election campaign. “My priority is to ensure that ratepayers get a fair deal and that every dollar spent by Auckland Council delivers real value to our communities,” he said. The Auckland Mayor had repeatedly teased his second tilt at the mayoralty,…

European countries are insisting there can be no discussions about peace in Ukraine without the direct involvement of Ukraine and Europe as talks between Washington and Moscow have started. ADVERTISEMENTEuropean leaders clamouring for a seat at the negotiation table with Ukraine, Russia and the US have not started to discuss who could represent them, diplomatic sources have told Euronews.An EU source has however confirmed to Euronews that European Council President Antonio Costa “has begun a process of bilateral consultations” with the leaders of the 27 member states to work out what they are willing to do in terms of aid…