Outlook for Central Otago cherries more and more promising in the coming season
Based on your current location, we selected the North America edition of FreshPlaza.com for youYou are currently in the North America edition of FreshPlaza.comPlease click one of the other regions below to switch to another edition.
Source:Otago Daily Times
December 15, 2023 19:05 UTC
Buyers' market in housing may be on the horizon for 2024
The residential real estate industry could be coming back from holiday to a buyer's market in the New Year. On top of that, agents are reporting that there are high numbers of potential vendors ready to put their houses on the market when the market opens up again in the New Year. On the price front, the price gap between average asking prices and median selling prices almost doubled in the second half of this year, rising from $68,000 in July to $131,000 in November. We send it out 3-5 times a week with all of our property-related news, including auction results, interest rate movements and market commentary and analysis. To start receiving them, register here (it's free) and when approved you can select any of our free email newsletters.
Source:Stuff
December 15, 2023 10:58 UTC
Breakfast briefing: Global interest rates move lower
Here's our summary of key economic events overnight that affect New Zealand, with news global interest rates are on the move. And American benchmark mortgage interest rates have fallen below 7% for the first time since August. But the Swiss National Bank held its rates unchanged, as did the Bank of England which also conveyed a tough line against price pressures. Although the Aussie jobless rate rose to 3.9% in November, the number of new jobs rose more than expected and most of them were full-time positions. Global container shipping freight rates rose another +4% last week as the world adjusts to the two big canal pressures, mainly on routes out of China.
Source:Stuff
December 15, 2023 10:11 UTC
/cloudfront-ap-southeast-2.images.arcpublishing.com/nzme/PDUO6R24BNFMHN7SU7GVAWLLMQ.png)
Dunedin contractor caught on CCTV failing to fill insulation revealed as ex-police officer
An ex-cop has been revealed as the contractor who was caught on CCTV not putting insulation into the walls of a Dunedin home. Video / SuppliedA Dunedin man is shocked after a former senior police officer charged him $4700 to insulate his walls, but left half of them empty. Bracegirdle was contracted to retrofit wall insulation, which involves drilling a hole and pumping the product into the cavity, into all walls of the home. CCTV footage supplied by the homeowner shows Bracegirdle drilling into a wall, then filling the holes with putty without installing insulation material. After more insulation was injected during the visits, the homeowner accepted the walls were as good as they could be.
Source:Otago Daily Times
December 15, 2023 06:03 UTC
Open mike 15/12/2023
Why are so many of the best places in the country to swim, especially in urban areas, so polluted? And how do we solve the problem? Shanti Mathias investigates. T here’s a place Marnie Prickett returns to often, in her head if not her body. The river is cool and glassy, ...
Source:Stuff
December 15, 2023 05:13 UTC
AirAsia X pulling out of Auckland
Getting Started Junior Member194 postsJoined: Mar 2018The airline says it aims to be back as soon as possible as Auckland and New Zealand are key destinations for it. AirAsia X said in November it would re-route its Auckland service to Kuala Lumpur via Sydney to a stop in the Gold Coast. But now it has ditched New Zealand altogether and is offering refunds for affected passengers. AirAsia X CEO Benyamin Ismail said: “We truly regret having to make this tough decision to temporarily suspend our services to and from Auckland from early February next year. “However, Auckland remains one of our guests’ favourite bucket list destinations and we aim to return again in the future, once market conditions are more favourable and once more aircraft resume operations.’'He said that like other airlines, it was working hard to reactivate more aircraft as soon as possible and will certainly reconsider Auckland services again in the future.
Source:New Zealand Herald
December 15, 2023 05:09 UTC
Grandmother's heartbreaking fight to save grandson from life Oranga Tamariki describes as ‘grim’
Ben's social worker reported his home life was 'grim' - the house was a mess and there was no running water. In early November Ben’s mother left his father again and went to stay with a friend, saying she “was not feeling safe”. When the social worker returned to the mother’s address to hand over her property she found a shocking scene. “It was obvious to everyone in the household were used to witnessing [Ben’s mother] in this manner. The social worker explained it would be “ideal” if Ben’s parents would consent to him going to stay with Alice.
Source:New Zealand Herald
December 14, 2023 23:28 UTC
'A Christmas to celebrate': 5yo migrant granted visa to attend school after Herald investigation
But after the Herald began asking INZ questions, the agency confirmed it had granted a student visa to Rafael and 71 other dependent children of MEPV holders. According to figures released to the Herald, 690 migrant workers who originally came holding Accredited Employer Work Visas (AEWV) have been granted MEWV. “An additional five dependants are currently having dependant student visas processed,” Parsons said. She confirmed that Rafael Arriaza Diaz had been granted a student visa as a dependant of a worker, which was valid until February 2026. “Many made their decision based on the fact that their work visas would allow their children to attend school here as domestic students,” she said.
Source:New Zealand Herald
December 14, 2023 22:33 UTC
Focus Live: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon at SH25A
nzherald.co.nz published this video item, entitled “Focus Live: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon at SH25A | nzherald.co.nz” – below is their description. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon talks to media by the SH25A bridge. Subscribe and be notified of breaking news: https://goo.gl/LP45jX Check out our playlists: https://goo.gl/Swd249 Like NZ Herald on Facebook: https://goo.gl/tUC4oq Follow NZ Herald on Instagram: https://goo.gl/oLicXe Follow NZ Herald on Twitter: https://goo.gl/Wi6mbv nzherald.co.nz YouTube ChannelGot a comment? Leave your thoughts in the comments section, below. Please note comments are moderated before publication.
Source:New Zealand Herald
December 14, 2023 21:30 UTC
Focus Morning Bulletin, December 15 - The Global Herald
nzherald.co.nz published this video item, entitled “Ute tax scrapped, Putin fronts media and GDP falls | Focus Morning Bulletin, December 15” – below is their description. The Government scraps the clean car discount, what Vladimir Putin had to say in a rare news conference and hopes an economic rebound is just around the corner. Subscribe and be notified of breaking news: https://goo.gl/LP45jXCheck out our playlists: https://goo.gl/Swd249Like NZ Herald on Facebook: https://goo.gl/tUC4oqFollow NZ Herald on Instagram: https://goo.gl/oLicXeFollow NZ Herald on Twitter: https://goo.gl/Wi6mbvnzherald.co.nz YouTube Channel
Source:New Zealand Herald
December 14, 2023 20:28 UTC
Three waters ‘balance sheet separation’ decoded
However, the debate is not really about balance sheet separation – at least not as the term is generally understood. Normal meaning of balance sheet separationLet’s start with the normal meaning of ‘balance sheet separation’. The government of NZ owns Transpower, but its balance sheet is separate from the government’s balance sheet. It turns out ‘balance sheet separation’ is a code for a more difficult question: “What kind of credit support should local councils or the national government offer to local-government-owned water utilities?”When WaterCare’s chief executive says, ‘We need balance sheet separation’ [2], he doesn’t mean that literally: WaterCare’s balance sheet is already separate from the Auckland council’s. Balance sheet separation means the water utility’s balance sheet is separate from the balance sheet of its owner.
Source:Stuff
December 14, 2023 16:06 UTC
/cloudfront-ap-southeast-2.images.arcpublishing.com/nzme/LHSTWVI4NT5IJTVEGGB7ACZEG4.jpg)
Discovery of half-male half-female bird
‘World shattered': Kiwi family of eight rocked by cancer battleMichael 'Mudzz' Tarei, a father of six, faces an unfathomable road ahead. His wife has been told she doesn't have long to live, and their family struggle to keep a roof over their head and food on the table. Video / A Current Affair
Source:Otago Daily Times
December 14, 2023 11:58 UTC
/cloudfront-ap-southeast-2.images.arcpublishing.com/nzme/UAVFC4P5SEDM43IHG2R5V7F3D4.jpg)
Government sitting on potentially scathing review of EV policy, using new rules to refuse releasing report to public
It's a known fact that electric vehicles are fast in straight line, but just how fast? Video / DRIVENThe new Government is sitting on a potentially damning review of its decision to get rid of subsidies for electric vehicles (EVs), despite saying yesterday it would be released. Brown said on Tuesday he was aware of a draft RIS and it was his expectation it would be released. “There was a draft RIS, there was not a finalised RIS following Cabinet decisions,” Brown said. On Tuesday, when asked about the RIS on the clean car policy, Brown said: “I believe one has been drafted”.
Source:Stuff
December 13, 2023 19:40 UTC
2023 has dealt forecasters a tough hand
When we cranked up in January the prices being paid by livestock processors had taken a chronic downward slide. To a degree this is normal, but this season the drop was more marked than seen for some time. By that time there had been a $2.65 kg drop since the giddy heights of October. Speaking of which, back in May we were forecasting El Nino and by the end of July saying it was imminent. The El Nino dry has been delayed and on farm productivity should not be taking the hit predicted earlier.
Source:Stuff
December 13, 2023 18:09 UTC