Author: Press Room

The Prime Minister has hit back at claims made by an ACT MP that farmers are irate with the National Party over its Paris Agreement climate commitments.In a recent interview with Reality Check Radio, ACT’s agriculture spokesperson Mark Cameron said farmers had been telling him that National was out of touch and he believes the party risks losing a substantial portion of the rural vote.“Farmers are saying, you know, given the fact that (Climate Change Minister) Simon Watts and his crew have signed this up to 51% reduction by 2035 well that’s worse than (former Climate Change Minister) James Shaw,…

ANALYSIS: How do our prime minister and opposition party leader stack up on the ‘Leadership Capital Index’. Spoiler alert: not very well. By Grant DuncanWe’re roughly half way through this parliamentary term, and it looks as though the 2026 election could deliver “Christopher vs Chris: the sequel”.Neither leader is currently riding high, though. National’s Christopher Luxon and Labour’s Chris Hipkins are both scoring in the low 20s in the most recent preferred prime minister polls.New Zealand’s preferred prime minister. Just. (Source: Breakfast)Most voters, it seems, are ambivalent or unimpressed with them. And Luxon has been the subject of media speculation…

Customers have been advised to stop using this product immediately. Photo: supplied Kmart is recalling a brand of pickles in a glass jar it says can break or explode.  The recall applies to Anko products sold between February 2023 and the start of this March this year.  Kmart said the glass flip pickle jar could break when used to store certain fruit or vegetables in liquid. “Fermented food stored in affected products can build up gas and cause the jar to explode or make the lid difficult to remove.” Customers were advised to stop using the product immediately and return…

A man found in a critical condition following an incident in Hamilton over the weekend has died in hospital, police say.Police were called to Beatty St in the southern suburb of Melville at around 4.30am on March 15.A 26-year-old man was found dead at the scene and a second man was taken to Waikato hospital in a critical condition.Detective Senior Sergeant Scott Neilson said the injured man had died today.”Our thoughts are with the families of the two deceased during this difficult time, and continue to offer them support.”Police were called to Beatty St in the southern suburb of Melville…

Glass pickle jars sold at Kmart have been recalled over fears they could explode, with authorities confirming injuries had occurred.Customers are being asked to stop using Anko glass flip-pickle jars and to return them for a refund. On its website, Food Safety NZ said the product could break if used to store certain fruit or vegetables in liquid. “Fermented food stored in affected products can build up gas and cause the jar to explode or make the lid difficult to remove.”Risk of serious injury from lacerations if the jar explodes or if the lid breaks while being removed.” The website…

By Susan Edmunds of RNZ If you have bought butter recently you might have noticed something – it is a lot more expensive. Stats NZ said last week that the price of butter was up 60 percent in February compared with the same time last year. It recorded an average of $7.32 per 500g block, up from just under $4.50 at the start of last year and just under $5.20 four years ago. At supermarkets this week, Woolworths’ cheapest butter was $7.19, in New World’s North Island stores it was also $7.19, while in its South Island stores it was…

A change has been made to heath requirements for dependent children of people who hold work, student or military visas. It’s hoped the stronger requirements for children of temporary visa holders will help ease pressure on our education system.At the same time, there are hopes families of children with severe cognitive or developmental disabilities and require significant support will gain a more realistic picture of their future here — before they invest all they have in a move to New Zealand. This week the new policy came into effect that means children with severe cognitive or developmental disorders, who are…

Two men have been arrested and charged following a shooting at a bar in Auckland’s Highland Park earlier this year.Police were called at 9.46pm on January 16 after three men entered a premises on Dunrobin Pl and assaulted a man before a shot was fired.A man was taken to hospital in a critical condition.Detective Senior Sergeant Dean Batey said two people had been charged with wounding to intent to cause grievous bodily harm following “extensive investigations”.”Although we knew that those involved in this incident were known to each other, there is no doubt the incident would have been deeply concerning…

The European Commission’s proposal to impose additional customs duties on Russian fertiliser imports is worrying the EU agricultural sector, as Russia accounts for 25% of imports. ADVERTISEMENTThe EU’s latest challenge in its dispute with Russia is trying to balance targetting Russian fertiliser imports while avoiding serious negative repercussions for European agriculture.At the end of last week, EU member states adopted a European Commission proposal to impose additional customs duties on imports of agricultural products from Russia and Belarus.The Commission argues that as things stand, member states would be in a vulnerable position if Moscow were to introduce coercive measures against…

Work to clean up an historical landfill near Milford Sound — posing a “potential risk” to human health and the environment if it were to breach during more frequent weather events — is due to begin in April, the Department of Conservation says.Upper Cleddau Flats landfill, known colloquially as Little Tahiti, extends inland from the Tutoko and Cleddau rivers, which both feed into Milford Sound.Department of Conservation Te Anau operations manager John Lucas said investigations had uncovered contaminants such as asbestos at levels which posed a “potential risk to human health and the environment”.The 8200 square metre landfill also contains…