Author: Press Room

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has waved away New Zealand First’s criticism of National’s economic plan, saying Winston Peters has many entrenched views.In an interview on RNZ’s Morning Report on Tuesday, the NZ First leader said Luxon’s interest in asset sales was based on a “tawdry, silly argument”. Peters said National wanted to “flog those [assets] off” having “failed to run the economy properly”.Responding on his way into a caucus meeting at Parliament, Luxon said he was not bothered by his coalition partner’s comments.”Winston Peters has been around for half a century in this place. He has a lot of entrenched…

A police officer who shot and injured a man attempting to hijack vehicles at gunpoint in west Auckland in 2023 was justified in doing so, according to an Independent Police Conduct Authority investigation.On September 27, 2023, officers were told a stolen vehicle involved in an aggravated robbery was at a Te Atatu petrol station. Police blocked the vehicle in and approached, however the driver rammed other vehicles to escape and drove onto the Northwestern Motorway, exiting at Lincoln Rd.The man, identified in the authority’s report only as Mr X, left the stolen vehicle while carrying a long-barrelled firearm and unsuccessfully…

The Government has today confirmed the four key drugs to be screened as part of police’s new roadside testing regime.Transport Minister Chris Bishop said drug-impaired drivers “are a menace on New Zealand roads”.”Around 30% of all road deaths now involve an impairing drug. If you take drugs and drive, you’re putting innocent lives at risk – and we will not tolerate it.”Rolling out roadside drug testing is a practical step towards safer roads and fewer tragedies.”Under the new system, police – using new oral-fluid testing devices – will be able to stop any motor vehicle to screen the driver for…

Labour is “absolutely” campaigning to get Te Pāti Māori out of Parliament and says that while the party’s internal ructions are sad for te ao Māori, that is politics.Labour’s campaign chair for the Māori seats, Willie Jackson, said there has been strong interest in campaigning for the electorates and they will be “ready” if there are by-elections.He also ruled out accepting rogue MPs Mariameno Kapa-Kingi and Tākuta Ferris into Labour, after Te Pāti Māori announced their expulsion from the party on Monday.Jackson – who is also co-chair of the party’s Māori caucus – said they would be fighting hard to…

When ANZ announced its record full-year profit of more than $2.5 billion, chief executive Antonia Watson said it was a good sign for New Zealand.She said banks were a reflection of the economies they operated in, and the result showed New Zealand was turning a corner.Westpac also reported a profit increase of 13%.”It has taken New Zealand longer than hoped to recover from the post-Covid rebalancing, but there are now signs the nation’s economy is finally picking up,” Watson said.But is that really the case?Lyle McNee, portfolio manager and co-founder at saving fund provider Wedge, said it was disingenuous and…

A Hastings businessman has been jailed for more than 14 years after being found guilty of drugging and raping two migrant workers. Parminder Singh, 46, was today sentenced in the Napier District Court to 14 years and two months in prison for rape and unlawful sexual connection. He was sentenced to a further two years in prison for migrant exploitation and three years’ imprisonment for stupefying, to be served concurrently.Singh was the director and shareholder of Work Force J & B Ltd, a company which sourced and provided labour to the horticultural sector in the Hawke’s Bay, Gisborne and Manawatū…

Spain, Italy, Greece, and Cyprus have been considered “under migratory pressure” by the European Commission in its first Annual Asylum and Migration Report, unveiled on Tuesday. These countries were interested last year in a “disproportionate level” of migrant arrivals, including those rescued at sea. Spain, Italy, Greece and Cyprus will therefore benefit in 2026 from the solidarity of other EU member states, which could be expressed by relocating asylum seekers over their territory or by financial contribution. Together with this assessment, the Commission proposed to the EU 27 member states the Annual Solidarity Pool, a mechanism to determine the total…

The police watchdog has found “significant failings” in the police – including former Police Commissioner Andrew Coster – in its handling of serious complaints made against disgraced former Deputy Police Commissioner Jevon McSkimming.McSkimming, 52, pleaded guilty in the Wellington District Court on Thursday to three representative charges of possessing objectionable publications, namely child sexual exploitation and bestiality material knowing or having reasonable cause to believe that the publication is objectionable.The allegations arose from a sexual relationship between McSkimming, then aged 40, and a 21-year-old complainant.‘Damning report’ on police inquiry into McSkimming case – Watch on TVNZ+The complaints, formally referred to…

The HappyMoose division of a Dunedin-based photo printing firm – which counted e-commerce giant Amazon among its clients – has been sold by liquidators. Earlier this year, Trevor and Emma Laing, of Laing Insolvency Specialists, were appointed liquidators of Accelerando Ltd, which traded as HappyMoose, by shareholder resolution, owing more than $454,000. The liquidators previously said a decision was made in October last year to sell the HappyMoose business and use the proceeds to fund the international expansion of Keepers Photos Ltd, which developed a photo storage application and was wholly owned by Accelerando. But agreement could not be reached…

Fire investigators looking into the blaze in Tongariro National Park are asking for dashcam footage from drivers in the area.Fire and Emergency (FENZ) said it wanted to hear from anyone with a dashcam who was on State Highway 47 on Saturday afternoon between 1-3pm.A particular area of interest was SH47 from the intersection with SH4 to the intersection with SH46, it said.FENZ said SH47 would reopen at 5pm on Tuesday with speed restrictions in place.FENZ district commander Nigel Dravitzki said aerial mapping has confirmed 2935 hectares of the park has been scorched, and while no obvious signs of fire had…