Author: Press Room

Kiwi musician Lorde has opened up about her breakup with former partner Justin Warren and her health battles in a new interview with Rolling Stone.The 28-year-old singer song writer recently announced her fourth album, Virgin, would be released on June 27. Ella Yelich-O’Connor, known to the world as Lorde, said she was “terrified” to open up about the album, with songs she described as “rugged,” vulnerable, and messy. The theme is a contrast to the tranquil New Zealand soundscape of her previous Solar Power album, which came out over four years ago in 2021. During the interview with Rolling Stone,…

Labour MP Willie Jackson was ordered to leave the House of Representatives this morning after he refused to sit down when directed by assistant Speaker Greg O’Connor.Jackson was giving a speech during the third reading of the Ngā Hapū o Ngāti Ranginui Claims Settlement Bill on Thursday.Jackson said he had met with visitors from Ngāti Ranginui and praised the unity and kōrero at the hui, while also challenging the Government to do more for Māori in housing, health and education.He then said the Waitangi Tribunal, Māori health services, and the Treaty of Waitangi were “under attack”.O’Connor asked Jackson to get…

A homicide inquiry is underway into the death of a woman in Hamilton this morning.Police said the woman died after a vehicle drove into a power pole she was standing next to. Police said the 30-year-old woman was standing on the corner of Ohaupo Road and Kahikatea Drive when the incident unfolded.”Enquiries are being conducted to ascertain the circumstances surrounding these events,” Detective Inspector Matt Cranshaw said. St John said in a statement this morning that it was notified of an incident just before 10am. One person was assessed at the scene and taken to Waikato Hospital in a critical…

Soaring dairy prices revealed this week, particularly for butter, are a double-edge sword according to one senior economist. Dairy prices were the main driver for food prices rising at their fastest pace in more than a year in the latest Stats NZ figures. The food price index shot up 3.7 percent. But within that figure, butter prices were up 65 percent, while milk was up 15 percent and cheese 24 percent. Stats NZ said the average cost of for 500 grams of butter was $7.42 in April. Informetrics principal economist Brad Olsen told Morning Report those prices were a double-edged sword. “For primary New…

The government is playing catch up with other countries that provide more generous film production incentives by announcing more than half a billion dollars for the sector.Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis made the pre-Budget announcement on Friday, which will inject $577 million into film and television production over the next four years.While industry incentives aren’t the favoured approach, Willis said they were necessary to compete with the likes of Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom.Eligible productions can access a 20% rebate where production costs are more than $15 million for feature films, and $4 million for television productions.”A further five…

The businessman found guilty of insider trading over the sale of Pushpay Holdings shares can now be named as Peter Huljich.Huljich’s appeal against his conviction was heard by the Court of Appeal last month.His appeal was dismissed but the Crown’s appeal against his sentence was allowed, increasing his fine from $100,000 to $200,000.Name suppression was due to end on Friday morning, but Huljich said on Thursday he had chosen to disclose his identity early.He said he was disappointed with the outcome in the Court of Appeal but intended to seek leave to appeal to the Supreme Court. “I maintain my…

Labour leader Chris Hipkins says it was a “mistake” for the party to quote from a controversial opinion column, that used the C-word.He says it has now become a “distraction” from the Government’s pay equity changes.MP Jan Tinetti quoted a line, which did not include the C-word, from the controversial Sunday Star-Times article, while she asked a question in Parliament yesterday.The use of the column prompted a ferocious response from the Government benches, with Minister Brooke Van Velden describing the column itself as “clearly misogynistic”.Tinetti stood by her decision to quote from the column yesterday, with the question having gone…

The country’s highest watchdog issued a scathing assessment of Oranga Tamariki’s procurement and contracting practices last year.In a report released on Thursday, the Auditor-General found Oranga Tamariki was “poorly prepared” to carry out its contracting round during the 2024/25 financial year, and fell short of expectations for public organisations.The report stated the effects of the decisions by the child protection agency were “still not known” and this was “unacceptable”.”Oranga Tamariki did not plan the contracting round well and left its decision-making until late in the process.”It documented its decision-making poorly and its decisions were not adequately informed by evidence of…

An inland port in Mosgiel would overwhelm the suburb’s roads and fail to accommodate the demand from industry attracted to the area, a city councillor says. Cr Jim O’Malley, who is the Dunedin City Council representative on the Otago regional transport committee, said he “100%” backed an alternative site at Milburn, announced this week by Calder Stewart. Port Otago and Dynes Transport have previously touted plans for an inland depot, the “Southern Link Logistics Park”, to be established in Mosgiel. Now, Calder Stewart has announced plans for a “Milburn Quadrant development” near Milton, which the construction giant said could be…

Work to improve one of the busiest intersections south of Auckland will get underway this Sunday.The efficiency and safety on the southbound off-ramp at Bombay Interchange has been a concern for motorists for years.NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi would begin a four- to five- month project, beginning on the evening of May 18.It would be stage two of the works that were completed in March.NZTA regional manager transport services Stephen Collett said most construction would take place overnight between 9pm and 5am.”Planned improvements include extending the overall length of the existing off-ramp by approximately 100m at the northern end, where…