Author: Press Room
They usually have their differences – but some of New Zealand’s minor political parties have shared a similar sentiment after a gain in the latest 1News Varian poll.Both National and Labour slid in the poll, released last night. New Zealand First, on the other hand, moved to its strongest position in eight years to 8%.While New Zealand First leader Winston Peters gave his usual response – “we’ve never believed in the polls in this country” – he was happy to talk about the support for his party.“What we’re focused on is packing the halls out around the countryside of New…
A trial of live facial recognition technology in supermarkets has been determined successful, although not without concerns.Privacy Commissioner Michael Webster said in a statement released this morning that the trial run by Foodstuffs North Island complied with the Privacy Act. However, he warned improvements would be needed before it could be used permanently or expanded to more stores. The commissioner launched an inquiry to understand the privacy impact of facial recognition technology, check its compliance with the Privacy Act to look at whether it was effectivel for reducing serious retail crime compared to less privacy-intrusive options. The trial, which ran from across…
Contractors have offered a sneak-peak at two of the main features of Te Ara o Te Ata — the Mt Messenger Bypass on State Highway 3 in Taranaki.A huge road-heading machine is excavating a 235m-long tunnel under the highest point of the maunga and construction of a 125m-long bridge toward the southern end of the project is underway.The six-kilometre $360 million bypass aims to deliver a safer more resilient route north out of Taranaki, avoiding an existing steep and windy stretch of highway which includes a narrow tunnel.Waka Kotahi project manager Caleb Perry said the tunnel, which was 65m below…
KiwiSaver members could be significantly better off if New Zealand adopted a taxation model similar to Australia’s, an economist says.Simplicity chief economist Shamubeel Eaqub ran some numbers modelling a system similar to Australia’s, where contributions and returns are taxed at 15%.In New Zealand, full tax is paid on income contributed to KiwiSaver, and returns in PIE schemes taxed at an investor’s prescribed investor rate up to 28%.Eaqub said an “average” KiwiSaver investor starting now could end up $60,000 better off in nominal terms at retirement on a model similar to Australia’s. If tax was not paid on contributions or returns,…
Firefighters have brought a blaze upon a historic ship in Paihia under control. Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) crews responded to a fire which began on the ship The Tui, which had been converted into a building on land next to the Waitangi Bridge around 4am.Fire crews responded to the fire on The Tui around 4am. (Source: Supplied)The timber ship was “fully on fire” and “already significantly damaged”, a FENZ spokesperson said of when crews arrived. In an update shortly before 8am, community risk manager Mitchell Brown said “sadly, the structure is about 90% destroyed, which is a significant…
For the first time ever, Air New Zealand will operate direct flights from Christchurch to Adelaide twice a week this summer. The flight will leave Christchurch every Friday and Monday from October 27 to March 28. The flights will depart Christchurch in the early evening and arrive in Adelaide in the late evening, with the return service leaving Adelaide the following morning and touching down in Christchurch afternoon. The service will provide more than 15,000 seats across the summer season. Christchurch and Adelaide have officially been sister cities for over 50 years and signed a Memorandum of Understanding in 2022…
ASB has announced cuts to some of its fixed home loan and term investment rates, marking the bank’s seventh fixed rate mortgage drop in 2025. Yesterday, the country’s biggest bank ANZ announced cuts to its special and standard terms by between four and 20 basis points. This morning ASB announced it would reduce its 6-month fixed home lending term by 14 basis points from 5.59% to 5.45%. The 1-year and two year rates both dropped by 4 basis points to 4.95% respectively. The 18-month rate dropped 10 basis points from 4.99% to 4.89%. Twenty basis points will be cut from…
The deaths of five people in a boat capsize off the Kaikōura coast was caused by exposure to petrol fumes while they were trapped under the hull, a coroner has found.The Nature Photography Society of New Zealand members were two hours into a bird-watching excursion when the boat was hit by a whale and capsized in September 2022. The skipper and five other passengers survived.On Wednesday, coroner Alexandra Cunninghame publicly released findings into the deaths of Catherine Margaret Haddock, 65 and Susan Jane Cade, 63 of Lower Hutt, Diana Ruby Stewart, 68, Peter Charles Hockley, 76 and Maureen Pierre, 75…
The country’s newest retailer has opened its doors in Dunedin this week. The Outlet is in the old Torpedo7 store in Andersons Bay Rd which closed last month. Auckland-based Tahua Group Ltd, which owns Torpedo7 along with the likes of Burger King, Hannah’s Shoes, Number One Shoes and Starbucks in New Zealand, converted 10 existing stores into an “off-price retail concept”. Categories include apparel, footwear, adventure and outdoor gear, home and living, toys, health and beauty and gifts.
High-profile broadcaster Paul Henry has been revealed as the host of the New Zealand version of hit TV quiz show The Chase.Henry’s return to TVNZ was announced on Breakfast – the show he last worked for at the network before leaving in 2010.In The Chase New Zealand he will play the quizmaster role made famous by Bradley Walsh in the British version of the show.Across four primetime specials, Henry will guide Kiwi contestants through the ultimate battle of brains as they face off against the Chasers in a high-stakes test of knowledge and nerve.Henry told Breakfast it was “weird” to…