Open mike 14/02/2024
Covid-19 Inquiry updateWe are happy to announce that the terms of reference on the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Covid-19 response have been expanded. This includes what we committed to in our coalition agreement, to:Ensure, as a matter of urgency in establishment and completion, a full scale,
Source:Stuff
February 13, 2024 23:06 UTC
Fletcher Building makes $120m loss, CEO resigns
The company remains in a trading halt till 12.30pm today and the result is a 230 per cent drop in profit. He cited a backdrop of weaker trading conditions, particularly in the New Zealand residential building sector, where volumes fell 20 per cent. Forsyth Barr analysts had last week forecast $299m ebit before significant items from today’s result, down 17 per cent on 1H23. Craigs’ analysts estimated $327m ebit before significant items, down 9 per cent on 1H23. On Monday, the company went into a trading halt before today’s result.
Source:New Zealand Herald
February 13, 2024 20:29 UTC
Special Group appoints Chief Strategy Officer as Partner
Detrimental in the agency’s success in the past six years, Special is appointing Rory Galley, Chief Strategy Officer as a Partner. In the six years Gallery has been at the helm as Head of Strategy and Chief Strategy Officer, Special has been awarded a number of accolades, including ‘Most Effective Agency’ at both the New Zealand and APAC Effie awards and ‘Global Creative Agency of the Year’ by Campaign. “Although New Zealand is a long way from where I grew up, I instantly felt at home at Special. Further to this, Special has been named the ‘Most Effective Independent Agency in the World’ by Effies Global Rankings. “A massive congratulations, he makes every part of Special stronger, has helped grow the value of Special considerably, and I’m personally very, very happy to call Rory, Partner.” says Bradbourne.
Source:Stuff
February 13, 2024 11:06 UTC
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Elderly woman flips car in early morning crash in South Dunedin
Video / NZ Herald / GettyAn elderly woman flipped her car on to its roof and was left trapped after a crash in South Dunedin early this morning. Sergeant Matt Lee, of Dunedin, said emergency services responded to a crash in Oxford St today at 6am. Last night at 6.50pm, police were called to a different crash at the intersection of Burlington St and Queens Gardens. Both vehicles were extensively damaged and had to be towed from the scene, Lee said. Traffic management was at the scene until the scene was cleared and the traffic light was able to be fixed.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 13, 2024 10:06 UTC
$11,000 gold necklace stolen from Dunedin jeweller
PHOTO: PETER MCINTOSHTwo alleged jewellery thieves posed as customers before legging it after pocketing a $11,000 gold chain at a Dunedin jewellers. Two men entered the store and spoke to staff members about purchasing a nine carat, 55cm gold curb link necklace valued at $10,999. The 55cm gold curb link necklace believed to have been stolen. The staff member was getting the second necklace out when one of the men picked up the first necklace and ran out of the store. One of the men had previously been in the store making inquiries about the same gold necklace last year.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 13, 2024 09:57 UTC
'Serious concerns' over claim mental health worker paid addicted, bipolar patient for sex
She is a sex worker - a job she is proud of and enjoys without any shame. The woman is proud of her work in the sex industry and feels the mental health worker took advantage of her while she was struggling. She said she met the mental health worker through a church in their hometown a few years ago. She disclosed to him that she had been struggling with her mental health and addiction again and asked if she could speak with him. The mental health worker wanted a booking with the woman for sex when she asked to meet and talk about her personal struggles.
Source:New Zealand Herald
February 13, 2024 06:30 UTC
'Beautiful' teen dies after two-year cancer fight
Otis Hill was diagnosed with a rare cancer two years ago. Photos via NZ HeraldOtis Hill, the Wellington teen who battled a terminal cancer diagnosis for two years, died in hospice care yesterday. Seventeen-year-old Hill died surrounded by his family after being sedated on Saturday afternoon and will return to his family home in Maungaraki tomorrow. His mother Rachel Hill told The New Zealand Herald it was “a real privilege” to be by her son’s side as he died. Two years on from his February 2022 diagnosis, Otis Hill died on Monday.
Source:New Zealand Herald
February 13, 2024 05:19 UTC
Woman accused of murdering pensioner a teacher
The accused appeared in Wellington District Court this morning. Photo: NZ HeraldA woman has appeared in court charged with the murder of a Wellington pensioner. Police scour the Porirua landfill for evidence relating to the death of Helen Gregory. Photo: suppliedPensioner Helen Gregory, 79, was found dead at her home in Baroda St, Khandallah, shortly before midnight on January 24. One neighbour, who did not want to be identified, told RNZ Gregory, who had gone to school with their aunt, spent a lot of her time gardening.
Source:New Zealand Herald
February 12, 2024 23:03 UTC
Atlas Network Shrugged – what is intellectually driving & influencing the NZ Right?
Influencers on the Right are numerous and are crawling all over this new hard right racist climate denying Government. These influences are obvious and apparent, the one that is not, yet is the most insidious influence of all, is the Atlas Network. Well look at who is funding the Atlas Network! Shouldn’t we be talking a lot more about the Atlas Network and their libertarian extremist pro climate change polluting sociopaths? We can’t beat this hard right racist climate denying Government if we don’t know where their agenda is coming from!
Source:Stuff
February 12, 2024 22:01 UTC
Breakfast briefing: A warning on bank asset quality
Here's our summary of key economic events overnight that affect New Zealand, with news of a warning of a permanent downgrade on asset quality that will affect banks worldwide. The UST 10yr yield starts today at 4.17% and little-changed from yesterday. The Kiwi dollar starts today at just under 61.4 USc and marginally softer that this time yesterday. That all means our TWI-5 starts today at just over 70.7 and down -20 bps. The bitcoin price starts today at US$49,598 and up +2.8% from this time yesterday.
Source:New Zealand Herald
February 12, 2024 21:47 UTC
THE RE-WRAP: This Economy Stuff Is Really Complicated
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Source:Stuff
February 12, 2024 20:25 UTC
Where will NZ's second Costco Wholesale store open?
Photo: NZ HeraldCostco Wholesale has always vowed a second New Zealand store and now fans claim they know where it will be. So far, Costco has only one store at Westgate on Auckland’s northwest fringes and nothing has been announced since about where it might go next. Now, a new social media fan page, Costco Drury Community, has been formed, tipping the south Auckland area as the site of the second store and showing photos of framing for a building rising. “The second Costco warehouse has been earmarked to open in South Drury, 2026 at the earliest but exciting times ahead for sure,” that public group says. The Herald has previously reported how Rolleston could be the site of a second store.
Source:New Zealand Herald
February 12, 2024 19:42 UTC
Teen driver loses control, swerves across lanes, hits power pole
A driver crashed his vehicle into a power pole in Caversham after allegedly doing burnouts and goading motorists into a race. An 18-year-old driver had reportedly been performing burnouts in Mosgiel and attempting to race vehicles on the motorway, before the crash. Sgt Lee said it appeared the driver lost control, and the vehicle swerved across the lanes before hitting a power pole. It appeared speed and impairment were factors in the crash, Sgt Lee said. No injuries were reported to the occupants of the vehicle, but the driver was transported to Dunedin Hospital for assessment.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 12, 2024 16:05 UTC
T&G Global in New Zealand forecasts doubled loss due to cyclone insurance complexity
Fresh produce company T&G Global has revised its FY23 loss before tax forecast to between $60 million and $67m, nearly double the assessment post Cyclone Gabrielle's damage last year. The company stated that the new forecast is due to complexities in the insurance claim from the cyclone damage in February 2023, causing delays in finalizing the insurance claim receivable value at balance date. In May last year, T&G reported that Cyclone Gabrielle had severely impacted its Hawke's Bay plantings. Yet, Edgecombe warned that the cyclone would significantly impact the group's FY23 financial performance. The company has since implemented a cost-reduction program in response to the cyclone.
Source:New Zealand Herald
February 12, 2024 13:27 UTC
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Is there a bigfoot living in the Coromandel bush?
Known as the Moehau Man, some believed it was a descendant of Maero, a group of supernatural people in Māori tradition, while others believed it was an escaped gorilla or baboon. A drawing depicting what the Moehau Man could look like. However, paranormal investigator Marc Coppell has been hunting for the Moehau man since 2015, when he had "strange experiences" in a remote area of Coromandel bush. Investigative author Scott Bainbridge wrote about the Moehau Man in his book New Zealand Mysteries. A strange feeling.”A spokesperson for the Department of Conservation, says members of their team in the Coromandel had heard of the Moehau man “myth” but none had seen any evidence of its existence.
Source:Stuff
February 12, 2024 12:03 UTC