Author: Press Room

Teenagers can seem to have their phones glued to their hands – yet they won’t answer them when they ring, writes professor Anne Cordier.This scenario, which is all too familiar to many parents, can seem absurd and frustrating, or even alarming to some. Yet it also speaks volumes about the way 13-to-18-year-olds now connect (or fail to connect) with others. If smartphones are ever-present in the daily lives of adolescents, this does not mean they are using their devices in the same way adults do.This reluctance to “pick up the phone” isn’t just a generational trait: it signals a deeper…

A massive new housing development focused solely on a ‘build-to-rent’ model is expected to ease housing woes in Queenstown. Simplicity Living, an off-shoot to KiwiSaver provider Simplicity, has bought just over six hectares of land on Ladies Mile to build 600 build-to-rent homes and apartments.”As one of the most unaffordable and constrained housing locations in New Zealand, we prioritised bringing our high-quality, secure tenure build-to-rent housing solution to the region,” manager director Shane Brealey said.It is one possible solution to a problem that plagues the district – houses that sit empty most of the year.The Queenstown Lakes District Council estimates…

Coastal iwi could soon be stripped of their customary rights over Aotea Harbour, west of Hamilton, as the Government presses ahead with its plan to amend the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act. The legislative move would overturn recent decisions in the High Court to award customary marine title to iwi. In November 2024, the court recognised Ngāti Te Wehi and Ngāti Whakamarurangi’s customary marine title over the harbour and protected customary rights. But the Government wants to toughen up the test for customary marine title and its proposed law change would overturn the court’s decision.Aotea Harbour (Source: 1News)Negotiated…

A digital image of a new Interislander ferry that was to be built by Hyundai Mipo Dockyard. Image: KiwiRail KiwiRail and the government have confirmed the final settlement costs for breaking a contract with South Korean shipbuilders is $144 million. That brings total project costs for the scrapped iReX ferry project to $671m. Some $449m was spent on landside infrastructure, project management and wind-down costs. Another $222m in total was paid to Hyundai Mipo Dockyards. Minister for Rail Winston Peters said engagements with shipbuilders for new replacement ferries were progressing well, as is remaining work on ports. The new ferries…

A man has been arrested after a car smashed into a house in the Auckland suburb of Wiri last night. A unit patrolling through the Wiri area had earlier came across a vehicle allegedly being driven erratically and running red lights.Police said the unit signalled for this vehicle to stop, but it fled.1News footage from the scene showed a car crashed into a house on Celadon Place in Wiri. (Source: 1News)”Due to its high speed, the unit lost sight of the vehicle and did not pursue it.”The unit continued to travel at road speed and later came across the vehicle,…

Wilson Parking is locked in a $6 million legal fight with a former employee who now owns a company that is in competition with it.Wilson Parking told the Employment Relations Authority former employee Peter Turner breached his employment agreement, duty of good faith and various fiduciary duties, and ATE Property aided and abetted the breaches.It is seeking damages, an account of profits, and a declaration that receivables gained by Turner and ATE, during the operation of the ATE business, are held on trust for Wilson Parking and will be handed over.Turner and ATE denied liability.ATE was incorporated in 2024 with…

A 26-year-old man is facing charges after allegedly pointing an airgun at police in Auckland’s Manurewa overnight.Officers observed an unregistered quad bike travelling onto Sharland Avenue in Manurewa shortly before midnight. Counties Manukau CIB Detective Inspector Shaun Vickers said the unit followed the bike to an address, and attempted to engage with the rider “given the concerns in the community surrounding unregistered bikes”. “Instead, the staff encountered aggressive individuals that were hanging around the address.”During this interaction, one of the men allegedly pulled what appeared to be a revolver from his pocket.” The morning’s headlines in 90 seconds, including police…

The Commerce Commission has issued a warning to Kmart NZ Holdings Limited (Kmart) for what it alleged was unsubstantiated claims in its “100% sustainably sourced cotton” advertising.The 100% sustainable cotton claims were made from August 4, 2023 and removed on October 4, 2024.During the Commission’s investigation, Kmart admitted its “Better Cotton” was actually mixed with conventional cotton in the supply chain.The Commission alleged the conduct was potentially in breach of the Fair Trading Act, and issued a warning letter to Kmart. The morning’s headlines in 90 seconds, including police fatally shoot a woman in Christchurch, sausages recalled over glass fears,…

The Children’s Commissioner is calling for the urgent closure of Gloriavale Christian School, saying she has zero confidence that students are safe.School leaders must next week show the Ministry of Education that they are fixing problems identified in a July Education Review Office (ERO) report or it will consider cancelling the private school’s registration.The deadline loomed at a time of leadership change at the West Coast Christian community, with Howard Temple resigning as Overseeing Shepherd following his conviction for sexual offending.The ERO report found the school had not met three of eight registration criteria and was not a physically and…

All three coalition parties are criticising Labour’s former ministers for refusing to appear at a public Covid-19 hearing, saying they’re trying to avoid scrutiny.The second phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Covid-19 Pandemic was secured in coalition agreements between all three governing parties.The chair, Grant Illingworth KC, on Wednesday confirmed a week-long public hearing with decision makers would not go ahead because former ministers had refused to participate.They include former prime minister Jacinda Ardern, current Labour leader Chris Hipkins, who was at times the health and Covid-19 response minister, former finance minister Grant Robertson and former health…