Author: Press Room

It’s local election season, and that means Richard Osmaston is busy.The St Arnaud-based leader of the Money Free Party is running for mayor in five districts: Nelson, Tasman, and the three on the West Coast — Buller, Grey, and Westland.However, it is one district less than in 2022 when he also stood in Marlborough, where Shaun Brown is now representing the party in the contest for the mayoralty.”It’s a funny balance between looking like a headline-grabbing nutter and being taken seriously,” Osmaston said.He had considered running for the top job in all 78 of New Zealand’s local authorities, but that…

Legislation being drafted to bring back the controversial trade of live animal exports by sea is getting stuck in the cogs of Cabinet.The Labour government banned the trade two years ago, after the Gulf Livestock 1 vessel en route to China capsized in 2020 during a typhoon, resulting in the deaths of over 40 crew – including two New Zealanders – and more than 5800 cattle.National and Act campaigned during the last election to bring back the trade, and it was a condition of the coalition agreement.The Parliamentary Counsel Office (PCO) was drafting the Animal Welfare Act amendment to bring…

The Aratere has departed Picton on its final service across Cook Strait.It was announced earlier this year that the Interislander’s sole rail-enabled ferry would retire, to allow for Picton port redevelopment in preparation for two brand-new Cook Strait ferries, due to arrive in 2029. The ship set sail for Wellington from a sunny, blue-skied Picton this morning on its final passenger service across Cook Strait. The Kaitaki Interislander ferry sounded a final goodbye to the Aratere vessel shortly after its departure. The Kaitaki Interislander ferry sounds a farewell to the Aratere vessel shortly after its last departure from Picton. (Source:…

New Zealand-born reggae artist Lotima Nicholas Pome’e – aka General Fiyah – has been reportedly detained in the US and deported.The young musician had been scheduled to perform at Polyfest, a major Pacific cultural festival held in Washington on Saturday.In a post on social media, General Fiyah expressed his apologies to fans.The morning’s headlines in 90 seconds, including our first ever espionage trial, the end of an era for Cook Strait crossings, and a surprising survival story. (Source: 1News)”I am really sorry to let you all know that I won’t be able to make the performance tonight,” the post read.”I…

Broadcaster Simon Barnett has opened up about the grief he has faced since the death of his beloved wife, Jodi Barnett, nearly two years ago.Appearing on the Between Two Beers podcast, the 58-year-old described the emotional devastation of losing his wife after her five-and-a-half year battle with brain cancer.”My daughters will hate me saying this, but I just wanted to die so bad,” he said. “I’d lie in bed two o’clock in the morning, couldn’t sleep, look at her picture and go, God, please just stop my heart. I just want to be with her so badly.”I wake up every…

Five unions are taking the government to the High Court over changes to pay equity laws.The sudden and controversial changes cancelled existing claims from mostly female-dominated jobs and made it harder for new claims to succeed. Workplace Minister Brooke van Veldengave a figure of 33 current claims that would be stopped, as the legislation was put through under urgency in May.The Nurses Organisation, Tertiary Education Union, Educational Institute, Post-Primary Teachers’ Association, and Public Service Association argued the new rules breached the Bill of Rights Act.”The legal challenge argues the coalition government’s legislation breaches three fundamental rights: freedom from gender-based pay…

Does paying more for your KiwiSaver give you a better return? Well, maybe. But maybe not.RNZ has conducted analysis of Morningstar’s most recent KiwiSaver data, comparing long-term returns to the funds’ total cost ratios.It showed that the highest performers in the conservative category, were Milford, QuayStreet and Fisher TWO.Fisher TWO was charging less than average – at 0.52% compared to 0.62%.Milford and QuayStreet had high fees relative to the category but were low overall and their returns were higher than some of the more aggressive fund types that would usually be more expensive.Milford had returns of 5.1% a year over…

A Dunedin hair salon has given its central city premises the cut after nearly a decade on the main street. After eight years cutting hair, the team at HeadQuarters Hairdressing George St are setting down their scissors. The salon officially shut its doors last month but an outlet store which opened in its place this week will be in business until later this year, when they permanently vacate the site for earthquake strengthening work. HeadQuarters Hairdressing Group co-owner and managing director Jamie Copland said it had been a “tough call” not to renew their lease next year. It had been…

Rotorua election candidate Jared Adams says causing a great-grandmother’s death in a crash 12 years ago will always weigh on him.Local Democracy Reporting asked Adams about the case after he confirmed he was seeking election to the Rotorua Lakes Council. The crash happened about 6.30am on April 16, 2013, at the intersection of Ranolf and Amohau Sts.Anna Rose Lea, 72, was riding her moped home in the rain after working a night shift at the Sealed Air packaging factory on Te Ngae Rd.Adams made an illegal right turn on a red arrow when the main lights turned green and hit…

Terence Stamp, the British actor who often played the role of a complex villain, including that of General Zod in the early Superman films, has died. He was 87.His death on Sunday was disclosed in a death notice published online.The London-born Stamp started his film career with 1962’s seafaring Billy Budd, for which he earned an Oscar nomination.Stamp’s six decades in the business were peppered with highlights, including his touching portrayal of the transsexual Bernadette in 1994’s The Adventure of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Stamp also was widely praised for his lead in director Steven Soderbergh’s 1999 crime drama…