Author: Press Room

Kiwi band Fat Freddy’s Drop is hitting the road for a 51-date international tour, marking the band’s first shows since the death of founding member Chris ‘Mu’ Faiumu earlier this year.The tour would celebrate the 21st anniversary of their landmark debut album, Based on a True Story, which was independently released in 2005 and went on to become the country’s longest-charting album. It spent 111 weeks in the Top 40 and won eight New Zealand Music Awards.Lead singer Dallas Tamaira said the band was united in its decision to continue with the long-planned tour despite Mu’s death in July.At the…

A Kiwi living in Japan had his arm broken and calf muscles punctured when he was attacked by a bear in the foothills of Myoko.Feeling at peak fitness after completing his first 111-kilometre ultramarathon, Kiwi Billy Halloran, 32, was out for a casual 8km recovery run in the foothills recently.Reaching the 4km mark, Halloran — who is originally from Auckland — turned around to head home, when he saw two adult Asiatic black bears, each weighing at least 60 kg, 20 metres ahead of him.”Oh s…,” he thought, his heart suddenly loud in his ears.After hundreds of hours hiking, running…

The morning’s headlines in 90 seconds, including a swathe of weather warnings, thieves make off with France’s crown jewels, and a new police investigation into Prince Andrew. Strong wind and heavy rain warnings are in force for much of South Island and lower North Island. The Gaza ceasefire is under threat with both sides accusing each of other of breaking the deal. Thieves have stolen priceless jewels from the Louvre Museum in Paris. London police are investigating allegations Prince Andrew used his police protection officer to dig up dirt on Virginia Giuffre. Central Madrid has been taken over by hundreds…

South Island employers are reporting a mixed bag for those looking for work. The government recently announced means-testing parents before their 18 or 19-year old can get a benefit. From November next year, teenage adults will not be entitled to Jobseeker Support if their parents combined income is more than $65,000. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon defended the move telling RNZ “go to the South Island… in the primary industries… they’re crying out for young people to come and join those sectors and those jobs”. “Often what happens, people will take a job, they don’t stick with it for longer than…

Two new non-financial sanctions focused on job searches and upskilling launch today under the Government’s beneficiary traffic light scheme.The alternative sanctions, which would apply to some jobseekers, were added to the bill following feedback at the select committee stage.The new sanctions were:Report Job Search: a requirement to undertake and report on a minimum of three job-search activities every week for four weeks. This sanction supports increased accountability for beneficiaries who are meant to be looking for work.Upskilling: a requirement to attend and participate in one or more employment-related training courses or programmes for a minimum of five hours per week…

Hundreds of Portugese millipedes are invading homes along Wellington’s South Coast, prompting scientists to investigate ways to halt their spread.Locals in areas such as Ōwhiro Bay have reported finding the invertebrates in shoes, bags, and even their beds. The infestation has worsened recently, as some residents described the experience as mentally exhausting. Ecology student Dan Moskovitz said the removal of the millipedes could “really get on people’s mental health”.”You sweep them up, bin them, and the next day they’re back. If you crush them, they smell bad.”The Portugese millipede, a European native, had likely been in Wellington for around two…

New Zealand is unprepared for a demographic shift that will see the over-65 population almost double within 25 years, according to a researcher warning of looming crises in housing, healthcare and aged care.Speaking on Q+A earlier today, Helen Clark Foundation researcher Kali Mercier said the country faces a shortage of 12,000 aged care beds by 2032 — just seven years away.”We’re not really planning for that in terms of our infrastructure provision at all,” Mercier said when asked if New Zealand is ready for an ageing population.”The short answer is no, we’re not.”The strain on healthcare will be immense as…

Inflation is expected to hit a 15-month high, as strong food prices, rates, power and transport costs continue to squeeze household budgets.Consumer prices for the three months ended September are expected to have risen about 1.0%, pushing the annual rate to 3.0% from 2.7% in June.ANZ senior economist Miles Workman has a top-of-the-range forecast of a 1.1% quarterly rise and 3.1% annual rate, which he said would reflect familiar drivers.”The housing and household utilities group is expected to contribute… with local council rates and electricity adding… fruit and vegetables and meat a little stronger than usual seasonality would imply.”Smaller contributions…

New Zealand’s final voter turnout for the 2025 local elections has been confirmed at 39.42%, prompting renewed calls for urgent reform from Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ).The figure, which included 34,793 special votes, was boosted by a surge in election day voting with 185,078 ballots cast — accounting for 14.1% of all votes.LGNZ interim chief executive Scott Necklen said voting habits were shifting and the system needed to change to accommodate them.”We saw more people cast their ballots 10 days prior to election day, followed by a voting lull until election day itself — when almost 15% of all ballots…

Corazon Miller follows one family’s struggle to leave Gaza for New Zealand, and uncovers official documents indicating it might have been possible to evacuate more people trying to escape the conflict. The call came with two days’ notice on Ahmed Abusaleeq’s 26th birthday. His aunt Nima Alhaj, 54, and his 8-year-old brother Musa Abusaileek were being assisted out of Gaza, in a complex nighttime evacuation plan. They all knew embarking on a bus journey through an active conflict zone was no guarantee of safe passage, but it was the best chance they had of a life, outside of the occupied…