Author: Press Room

Dunedin-founded Forsyth Barr is now a quarter-owned by a billion-dollar Australian private equity firm. The company, whose headquarters are in Dunedin, had until now been wholly owned by staff. But shareholders on Thursday approved a deal in which Sydney-based Mercury Capital acquired a 25% stake in the company. In a statement, Forsyth Barr said the shareholding position was viewed by its board as “a natural next step in the company’s ongoing evolution”. Forsyth Barr managing director Neil Paviour-Smith said initial discussions on the deal, which was first announced publicly in July, dated back a couple of years. The company had…

Johnny and Azita Agnew have a history of delving into the lives of society’s most marginalised groups and creating artful documentaries such as their latest six-part series Dadolescence. They talk to Emily Simpson about gaining the trust of five teenage dads, and how they combine their marriage with their intense working life. Dadolescence is packed with scenes that make you feel like a spy. Three teen mates, the kind who probably treat teachers and parents to monosyllables, frankly discuss the impact of pregnancy on a relationship. A new teen dad rises in darkness and dresses in high-vis for a job…

Black Ferns star Ruby Tui says Britain’s fish and chips have nothing on New Zealand.Tui is in England to cheer on her teammates as they take on Canada at the semifinals on Saturday.But rather than the pitch, the 33-year-old will be watching from the BBC’s commentary box.While it’s been “amazing” and “super fun”, there’s one thing Tui can’t get behind – Britain’s fish and chips.The staple is typically served with mushy peas, curry sauce or gravy, and lashings of vinegar.”I tell ya, the amount of people that told me fish and chips were good here – lying, bro. Lying,” she…

While the North Island grapples with receiverships and restructures, a Dunedin builder says large construction projects in the city have been propping up the industry in the South. The Master Builders Association’s 2025 State of the Sector survey said “cautious optimism” was returning to the construction sector. It found 72% of homeowners reported no significant delays with their builds. Most projects were also being completed either at or under budget, 37% of them running over mainly because of scope or design changes, unclear initial estimates or product price increases. But conditions remained uneven, the southern region improving more quickly but…

A Hamilton man has been told to move his shed – or be stung with a fine of $20,000 per day – despite an incoming law change that will scrap the rules that make it non-compliant.Brian Morgan had built the shed right beside his property’s boundary without consent. He told RNZ he felt targeted by the Hamilton City Council as there were other houses on his street in the suburb of Rototuna that had sheds next to the boundary, and had done for much longer, but he was the only one being forced to comply.”We’ve just bought the house earlier…

New Zealand’s job market is showing “encouraging” signs of momentum as job ads rose 1% in August for the third consecutive month, according to employment website Seek. The site’s New Zealand Employment Report for August 2025 revealed annual growth in job ads had reached 4%, marking the first time jobs have grown year-on-year since November 2022.Applications per job ad also surged 2% in July, setting a record high.Seek country manager Rob Clark told 1News that hiring activity had noticeably picked up this quarter, and said the results were “encouraging, but not a trend yet”. “There was increased activity across most…

New Zealand will be treated to a rare sight on Monday morning as the moon appears to take a bite out of the rising sun – the first solar eclipse visible on our shores in more than a decade.On September 22, a rare partial solar eclipse will be visible at dawn across the country.Stardome Observatory said the sun will rise while the eclipse was already in progress.What you need to know about partial solar eclipse over NZ – see more on TVNZ+Astronomer Josh Aoraki said the partial solar eclipse was so special because just a few countries, including a few…

ADVERTISEMENT In a bid to fight back against mass online disinformation, an increasing number of fact-checking outlets are cropping up online. Some are integrated into traditional newsrooms, while others are standalone entities.  But what happens when fact-checking websites become vehicles used to conceal propaganda campaigns? One outlet which fits into this category, is the Global Fact-Checking Network, which started posting articles in April 2025. Although it may seem like a legitimate fact-checking website, boasting a clean aesthetic and a series of intriguing newsworthy headlines, its facade conceals a Kremlin-backed disinformation tool. In April, the Kremlin’s spokesperson for Foreign Affairs, Maria Zakharova,…

Police said a 66-year-old woman reported missing in Christchurch on Wednesday has been found dead following a large-scale search. The woman was reported missing after she did not show up to a planned lunch date, and her Tesla was also found. She was found by police search and rescue at around 6pm yesterday. “Police would like to thank all those who assisted with the search, including Coastguard Sumner volunteers, Land Search and Rescue volunteers, and Fire and Emergency New Zealand staff,” a police spokesperson said. “We would also like to acknowledge everyone who contacted Police with possible sightings following our…

Retirees may be costing themselves thousands of dollars by switching to too-conservative investments too early.The Financial Markets Authority’s KiwiSaver report for the most recent financial year shows that people who are over 65 are increasingly drawing their KiwiSaver funds down gradually, and leaving more money invested.Total withdrawals by members aged over 65 dropped by 1.3% to just under $3 billion, while the number of withdrawals fell from 36,652 to 31,470 – a 14.1% decline.That is despite there being more people aged 65 in the scheme and able to withdraw their money.But they may be investing too much in lower-risk funds…