Author: Press Room

The Commerce Commission has authorised Genesis, Contact, Meridian and Mercury to set up a coal stockpile at Huntly Power Station to support security of electricity supplies. Chair Dr John Small said it was aware of the difficulties facing the electricity sector, and had thoroughly tested whether the agreement would affect competition. “We have found the public benefits of these proposed arrangements likely outweigh any potential lessening of competition.” The 10-year arrangement involves the four gentailers building a 600,000 tonne coal stockpile at Huntly Power Station, and paying Genesis a fee to run its Rankine Unit 2 as ‘dry-year cover’ when other forms…

New Zealand First is putting forward a member’s bill that proposes a ban on the private sale and use of fireworks, saying the impact on pets, “inevitable” fires, and “havoc” for emergency services were no longer worth it. As some prepare to set off fireworks to celebrate Guy Fawkes tonight, the yearly debate around their banning has once again been sparked. NZ First Leader Winston Peters said fireworks cause fires, create havoc for emergency services, and impacts pets, farm animals, and native wildlife. On Guy Fawkes in 2024, firefighters responded to 32 firework-related callouts. Meanwhile, multiple petitions calling for their…

The Government will fund more frontline workers and establish new services for people in need of a better mental health crisis response, Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey has announced.”When someone takes the brave step to reach out, whether it’s you, your child, a friend, or a family member we’re committed to ensuring the right support is always there to answer that call,” Doocey said.”This package goes a long way in making sure that’s possible.”The $61.6 million funding boost over four years would deliver 40 additional frontline clinical staff for crisis assessment and treatment teams, two new 10-bed peer-led acute…

At least two newly elected councillors in the Eastern Bay of Plenty will be accessing newly available support to have security systems installed in their homes after facing harassment and threats during the local government elections.Whakatāne District Council’s Kāpū-te-rangi Māori ward councillor Toni Boynton, who has just been elected for her second term, said she had received threatening and sexually explicit messages during the election period.She had filed a report to the police against one member of the public for harassment, after he followed her around at a public event.“Though they couldn’t really do anything,” she said.Boynton said she received…

New drugs targeting weight loss and diabetes management, such as Ozempic or Wegovy, can help lower the number of young people impacted by type 2 diabetes, a paediatrician says.Diabetes NZ is warning this Diabetes Action Month that more young people are being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and the country is potentially facing a “major health crisis”.Starship Children’s Hospital paediatric endocrinologist Dr Craig Jefferies told RNZ’s Morning Report a recent trial suggested that these new weight loss and diabetes drugs were looking “very, very promising”.While the drugs were currently not government-funded, they would be “life-changing” for those with diabetes, Jefferies…

Tonight’s Lotto Powerball draw is worth an eye-watering $36 million and for one lucky New Zealander, it could prove to be a life-changer.But what does it really feel like to win big?Lotto NZ’s Winners Booklet provides a peek into the emotions that follow a major win.”I stood there crying with a bloody great smile on my face,” one winner said.Another admitted: “I didn’t let the ticket leave my sight. I slept with it!”Some winners kept their tickets in glove boxes, drawers, or even tucked inside a Bible.”It’s not every day you have thousands of dollars sitting in your glove box,”…

Published on 05/11/2025 – 22:17 GMT+1 Above is the first ever episode of Euronews’ brand new debating show “The Ring” that aspires to bring a flavour of the European Parliament chamber to your couch. As you know, 720 elected members of the European Parliament meet regularly in the Chambers of Strasbourg and Brussels and debates can often get heated. In our first episode, we are joined by centre right German MEP David McAllister and the Belgian Left MEP Marc Botenga. They touched on topics from workers rights to the geopolitics of EU enlargement and debated live in front of a…

A forestry company must invest in forestry road safety research after a truck driver was killed when his vehicle and trailer rolled while navigating a Coromandel forestry road. Greg Stevens, 59, died after his logging truck rolled as he tried to negotiate a tight bend on a road that was part of a wood lot harvest operation run by Forest360 Limited on May 27, 2023. Stevens was subcontracting for the company when his nine-axle truck-and-trailer unit, fully loaded with logs, left the road and rolled down a bank. Stevens was fatally injured. A WorkSafe investigation found that Forest360’s design, maintenance,…

Published on 05/11/2025 – 11:50 GMT+1 Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has dismissed accusations from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that he is showing “specific support for Putin” by obstructing Ukraine’s EU membership talks. In an interview with Euronews on Tuesday, Zelenskyy said he had no intention of offering concessions to Budapest, arguing that Hungary should instead support Ukraine’s defence of Europe. “I don’t think that I have to offer something to Viktor Orbán,” Zelenskyy said. “I think that Viktor Orbán has to offer something for Ukraine, which is protecting the whole Europe from Russia, and even now, during this war,…

A central Wellington street has reopened after being closed by armed police who couldn’t locate a person with a warrant for their arrest.Officers arrived at an apartment block on Hopper St in the suburb of Mount Cook to execute an arrest warrant at around 10.30am.Wellington City area commander Inspector Dean Silvester said attending officers were led to believe a firearm might be present.”They withdrew from the immediate area and cordoned and contained the address.”A drone was used to clear the apartment at around 12.50pm, prior to the Armed Offenders Squad going in, he said.”The subject of the warrant was not…