Author: Press Room

The chairperson of Te Rūnanga Ā Iwi o Ngāpuhi says he is “extremely disheartened” by Te Pāti Māori declining an invitation to meet with Te Tai Tokerau voters.Rūnanga chair Mane Tahere had invited the national executive of Te Pāti Māori to attend a face-to-face hui at Kohewhata Marae in Kaikohe this Sunday to discuss the expulsion of Tai Tokerau MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi and what the strategy for the electorate would be heading into next year’s general election.Te Pāti Māori declined Tahere’s invitation, saying in a letter they had been advised by “multiple rangatira of Te Tai Tokerau” not to attend…

Flipping burgers, stacking shelves and folding clothes, the work that students used to dread is now becoming a pipe dream for many.Students are applying for record numbers of jobs, but there just is not enough work to go around.With student allowance and loan payments wrapping up for the year, some are unsure how they will survive over the next few months while others are being forced to move home or even drop out of university to stay afloat.As the final week of exams wrapped up at the University of Auckland, a fun-filled summer break was not forefront of mind for…

Alliance Group — which is selling a 65% stake to Irish company Dawn Meats Group — has announced a $93 million turnaround in underlying company profitability. Alliance recorded a net profit before tax of $24.6m on revenue of $2.1 billion for the year ending September 30, compared with a net loss of $120.8m on revenue of $1.8b the previous year. In a statement, chairman Mark Wynne said the result represented a “major milestone” in the company’s reset as it looked forward to its joint venture partnership with Dawn Meats. “After two very challenging seasons, it’s pleasing to return to profit.…

A dangerous prisoner has been on the run from Auckland’s Mt Eden Prison for a week after being bailed on compassionate grounds, police say.An arrest warrant has been issued for Dean Shedden for alleged breach of bail conditions and not returning to custody.The 56-year-old remand prisoner had been granted bail on compassionate grounds by a court, police said.Shedden was due to return to custody at Mt Eden Corrections Facility by 5pm on Friday, November 14 “in accordance with those bail conditions”, police said.”Police have been making enquiries at known addresses through the week to locate Shedden.”He remains outstanding and we…

It is the equivalent of taking 320 utes off New Zealand roads for the year. That is the reduction in emissions from the installation of a 2MW electric boiler with advanced European heat recovery technology at laundry operation Preens Apparelmaster and Linenmaster. The company is the first commercial laundry in Australasia to install and commission such a boiler. Fully commissioned in July, the system now provides the majority of process heat for Preens’ Dunedin operations. The two-and-a-half-year project, which was co-funded by EECA, began with scoping by Ahika (now Whirika) and was delivered with support from Dunedin-based project managers Feldspar.…

A man has been charged after a baby was found with unexplained and serious injuries at a home in Hutt Valley yesterday morning. Detective Senior Sergeant Steve Wescott said police were called to an address in Avalon around 8am on Thursday following a report of a disorder.Officers were alerted to a baby who “had allegedly been intentionally injured”, Wescott said.The baby was taken to hospital in a serious condition.A 30-year-old man was arrested at the scene.He was due to reappear in the Hutt Valley District Court on December 1 charged with four counts of injures with intent to injure.”We would…

The new peace plan promoted by the United States has thrown the European Union’s proposal to use Russia’s immobilised assets to assist Ukraine into disarray. In a dramatic reversal for the EU, the US-led plan suggests the Russian assets would be unblocked, released and turned into an investment platform handled by Washington. The language implies the Kremlin would not only be spared from paying war damages in a future settlement but also benefit commercially. The plan, which has been presented to Kyiv for negotiations, goes directly against the EU’s goal to make Russia pay for the destruction caused as a…

He describes himself as a tool-maker. But this is not in the traditional sense of hammers and drills; it is more about making the likes of mobile phones as a tool for communication. “I like building tools to enable people to do things,” John Williamson, who joined Dunedin’s ADInstruments this year as chief technology officer, says. His resume is impressive, having been at the forefront of consumer technology for more than 25 years, helping to invent push email, the cellular mobile data networks that carry it, the first smartphones, mobile apps and app stores. Now he is at ADI, a…

TVNZ’s excellence in news and current affairs has been recognised at the New Zealand Screen Awards, held in Auckland last night.The broadcaster’s journalists dominated the news categories, including plaudits for its coverage of the Māori King’s tangi.John Campbell was named Best Presenter: News and Current Affairs and Indira Stewart was crowned Reporter of the Year.Te Karere host Scotty Morrison won the coveted Screen Personality of the Year award – the only honour that is judged by public voting.The awards, held at Auckland’s Viaduct Events Centre, recognise excellence in the TV and film industry.1News won the Best News Coverage award for…

Two years after storms destroyed strawberry plant stock, its levels are back to normal – and just in time for the Christmas spread.It’s good news for families planning a pavlova this festive season and for all lovers of the ruby red fruit. Grower Ed Hobson of Hauora Produce in Canterbury told 1News he’s “pretty excited” ahead of this year’s harvest. “We’ve had a good start… there’s lots of flowers and fruit coming through,” he said. Why this summer’s looking particularly sweet for strawberry fans – Watch on TVNZ+The farm is among 160 commercial strawberry growers across the country, eight of…