Author: Press Room

Labour’s Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb has announced he will retire from Parliament at next year’s election after three terms.Webb, who served as a minister in the former Labour government under Chris Hipkins, said taking time off before doing “something else”. The MP has been Labour’s spokesperson for justice, regulation and the Natural Hazards Commission.”I’ve decided I am going to take a break and then do something else,” he said.”I want to spend more time adventuring, exploring nature, hiking, skiing and mountain biking with my partner and now-adult sons. After that, I’ll see what’s out there, but I believe I…

A man has been killed by a falling branch, thousands of properties remain without power and state highways have been closed as severe weather continues to batter the country.Multiple orange-level weather warnings remained in place, with heavy rain affecting the Tararua Range and parts of the upper South Island. Strong wind warnings were also in force for Wellington, Wairarapa, Marlborough, the Canterbury High Country, and Hawke’s Bay.Up to 130km/h wind gusts were forecast in exposed places, MetService said.Follow 1News’ live updates here.”Damage to trees, powerlines, and unsecured structures possible. Driving may be difficult, especially for high-sided vehicles and motorcycles.”A man…

By Mary Argue of RNZ Police are investigating the director of a construction company accused by homeowners of taking tens of thousands of dollars before going to ground. Former clients of Enzed Construction told RNZ in August they’d paid money upfront for work that was done poorly, or not at all. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has confirmed it’s also taking a look at the company, which is now under threat of removal from the Companies Office register. The company’s director Hemi Arapeta Tiopira has not responded to RNZ’s multiple requests for comment. Police investigating Documents shared with RNZ earlier this…

Police have named a man “in his 50s” who was being “urgently” sought by officers investigating the suspicious death of a woman at a Pahīatua property last week.A homicide investigation was launched after the woman was found dead at a home on Arthur St, near a local school, last Wednesday afternoon. Today, police named Jeremy Robertson as a person they wanted to speak to in relation to the incident. He was “in his 50s and is of solid build”, they said.Detective Senior Sergeant Dave Thompson alleged Robertson had been driving a red Mitsubishi ASX with the registration QGU91.A police artist’s…

Two teenagers have been arrested following an brazen daylight robbery at a pawnbroker in Auckland’s North Shore on earlier this month.The incident occurred on Mokoia Road in Birkenhead at around 1.35pm on October 1.Dramatic video taken by a bystander showed a white SUV attempting to block a stolen vehicle outside the shop after three offenders carried out the aggravated burglary.The stolen vehicle reversed and accelerated past the SUV, which sustained a large dent on its passenger side in the confrontation.Today, police said three people had entered the commercial premises armed with weapons, which were not firearms.Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Mark…

By Katie Todd of RNZ Despite demand for jobs running red-hot across the country, some Queenstown and Wānaka employers say it’s never been harder to find staff. The latest TradeMe Jobs data shows the district has been bucking the national trend, with a 15 percent fall in job application numbers over the past financial year. Nationwide, job applications rose more than 60 percent between April and June, reaching record highs. Patrick Ryan, from R&R Plumbing and Gas, said he had found it very hard to employ a plumber to work in either Cromwell or Wānaka. “It’s generally always been reasonably tricky…

Ousted Selwyn Mayor Sam Broughton is resigning as president of Local Government NZ.Broughton announced his resignation this morning.He had been seeking a fourth term as mayor of the Selwyn District but lost in a landslide to one-term councillor Lydia Gliddon, with Broughton receiving 5277 votes to Gliddon’s 19,129.Broughton has declined to speak to Local Democracy Reporting since the election result.In a statement issued through LGNZ, Broughton said he announced his resignation at Mayors School in Wellington.”[Mayors school] brings together mayors from around the country to equip them with the information and tools they need for the job in the first…

Published on 20/10/2025 – 21:14 GMT+2 ADVERTISEMENT The European Union won’t impose possible sanctions on Israel now over the war in Gaza, but hasn’t taken them off the table yet either, the bloc’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Monday. Ten days after the US-brokered ceasefire came into effect, the 27 European foreign ministers who gathered in Luxembourg said they considered the situation too “fragile” to fully remove pressure on Israeli authorities. “The ceasefire has changed the context, that is very clear for everybody. However, unless we see real and sustained change on the ground, including more aid reaching…

Alliance Group farmer-shareholders have voted in favour of a proposed $270 million joint venture investment by Irish company Dawn Meats.  Dawn Meats will acquire a 65 percent shareholding in Alliance Group, with farmer-shareholders retaining a 35 percent stake.  A total of 2675 shareholders voted, representing 92,495,558 shares or more than 88 percent of all shares on issue. Of these, more than 87 percent voted in favour of the proposal, meeting the threshold required under the Takeovers Code.  Alliance Group chair Mark Wynne said the result demonstrated strong farmer confidence in the company’s future direction.  “Our farmer-shareholders have given a clear mandate…

The Government has announced its Roads of National Significance programme will move into its next phase with the New Zealand Transport Agency Board endorsing investment cases and approving around $675 million in further funding.Transport Minister Chris Bishop said the Government was committed to building a long-term transport infrastructure investment pipeline to redress the country’s infrastructure deficit and create jobs and growth.”Our Roads of National Significance programme is a vital part of this pipeline, and I’m pleased to see good progress on getting these important projects ready for delivery.”He said the funding included a further $515 million for property acquisition from…