Author: Press Room

A Bay of Islands trust representing four Ngāpuhi hapū groupings has achieved a major milestone in its Treaty of Waitangi negotiations.The Trust received its Crown Deed of Mandate recognition on July 16 – the first for a group of Ngāpuhi hapū.Te Whakaaetanga Trust chairperson Herb Rihari (Ngāti Torehina ki Matakā) said the milestone was of “historical significance”.“Te Whakaaetanga is looking forward to discussing and negotiating the full spectrum of their redress options,” Rihari said.Ngāpuhi — New Zealand’s largest iwi with almost 185,000 people — has not yet achieved Treaty of Waitangi settlement.The hapū grouping’s area of claim encompasses most of…

Published on 29/07/2025 – 7:45 GMT+2 ADVERTISEMENT High-profile figures are sharing a video on social media that they claim shows Ukrainians gathering to protest against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his handling of Russia’s war against their country. For example, Marjorie Taylor Greene, a far-right United States representative, posted the video on X stating that huge protests had erupted in Kyiv against Zelenskyy because “he’s a dictator and refuses to make peace with Moscow”. She also urges Ukrainians to throw Zelenskyy out of office and calls on the US to stop supporting Ukraine. However, each of her claims is categorically…

The tax break for Heated Tobacco Products (HTPs) made by Phillip Morris has been extended for an extra two years.In July 2024, the government cut the tax on HTPs in half, in what it said would be a one-year trial subject to an evaluation.But NZ First Associate Health Minister Casey Costello told RNZ the evaluation would now be done in July 2027 and the reduced tax rate would apply to HTPs at least until then.Labour’s health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said the extension of the tax cut was striking, given the strain on the health system.”This government has the wrong priorities.…

A Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) clinical director is supporting calls for a law change mandating medication be checked by two people before it’s dispensed following the death of a two-month old baby after she was allegedly given medication at an adult dosage by a pharmacy.Warning: This story has details of the death of an infant.A member of the national executive of the Pharmaceutical Society agreed a change is needed, but said pharmacists need to be better resourced, adding the New Zealand pharmacy workforce “is in crisis”.RNZ revealed Bellamere Arwyn Duncan died at Starship Hospital on July 19. The two-month-old…

A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for Auckland and Northland, with heavy rain and strong winds expected to continue into the evening. Yesterday MetService issued orange heavy rain warnings and watches, and strong wind watches, for parts of the country.Today MetService issued Auckland, Great Barrier Island and the Coromandel Peninsula with a severe thunderstorm watch from midday until midnight, as a heavy rain band was expected to move eastwards across the North Island. “There is mostly a low risk of thunderstorms affecting Auckland and Coromandel Peninsula from early this afternoon. However, there is a moderate risk that convection embedded…

The Finance Minister says when a ban on contactless card payment surcharges comes into effect, businesses should pass on the cost to customers as they would any other business cost, if they can’t absorb the bill.The government plans to ban surcharges on contactless card payments no later than May 2026.Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Scott Simpson announced the change on Monday afternoon, declaring: “That pesky note or sticker on the payment machine will become a thing of the past.””Shoppers will no longer be penalised for their choice of payment method, whether that’s tapping, swiping or using their phone’s digital wallet.”The…

An expansion of paid parking around Tauranga’s city centre amounts to a “tax on living in the CBD”, a resident says.Liam Jackson will have to pay $10 a day to park outside his Park St home from August 4 after the council decided to expand paid parking to the city centre fringe.”Over $2000 a year just to park outside my house – that seems crazy.”On-street parking between the eastern end of Fourth Ave and Park St, north of the CBD, will cost $1 an hour for the first two hours and $2 for every hour after until 5pm, to a…

One person is in custody after a 15-year-old was allegedly stabbed at Manukau Bus Station last night.Emergency services responded to a report of an assault at a Manukau Station Rd location at about 8.15pm.Counties Manukau CIB Detective Inspector Karen Bright said officers found the victim “had an injury consistent with a stab wound”. A St John spokesperson said one patient was transported to Middlemore Hospital in a serious condition.”Police are working with the victim to understand what exactly has occurred,” Bright said. Emergency services were seen inside the Manukau Bus Station last night. (Source: 1News)”Our inquiries are ongoing, but we…

Is it time to consider selling your property investments and put the money into assets that actually grow the economy? One investment expert says New Zealand would be a lot better off if such a change were to occur.Jeremy Williamson, head of private wealth and markets at Craigs Investment Partners, said there was momentum building for a move away from a “love affair with property and property investing”.”We think that’s great for a number of reasons. New Zealand is always going to have an affinity with property investment but there are so many benefits for us as a country if…

By Susan Edmunds of RNZ Butter prices might be biting at the supermarket checkout, but there’s a warning that anyone hoping they’ll fall should be careful what they wish for. The price of butter has increased about 50 percent over the past year, pushed up by high global dairy prices. But economists say that’s actually a good thing for New Zealand. Household Economic Survey data shows that in 2023, households spent about $124 million on butter. Between 15 percent and 30 percent of households would buy butter over a one- or two-week period. But the country exported $5.2 billion worth. “It’s…