New Zealand

A select committee’s forensic examination of TVNZ shows 60 staff at the state broadcaster earned above $200,000 a year, with nine over $400,000, and at least $6 million paid out in performance and sales bonuses last year. The numbers are disclosed in the annual examination of TVNZ by the social services and community select committee, and issued just before TVNZ announced the axing of current affairs show Sunday, Fair Go, and a total of 68 staff. TVNZ is now in the middle of a consultation process on its planned cuts, with staff launching a public campaign to save the programmes...

This week on Marijuana Media, we keep it green talking all things including high rats, robberies gone wrong, and busting the ‘lazy stoner’ stereotype once again – with Milly from 95bfm Drive and Chris from NORML – thanks to The Hempstore! A new study published in the journal Preventive Medicine Reports found adults with a history of cannabis use perform exercise and other physical activities at rates comparable to non-users. Contrary to the ‘lazy stoner’ stereotype, researchers at the University of Texas and Ohio University found no significant differences between the cannabis consumers and non-users in their frequency of strength...

An average annual rate rise of 6.47% over the next 10 years is on the cards for Ashburton District ratepayers.The draft long-term plan was adopted by the Ashburton District Council this week, with a proposed 9.9% average rates increase for 2024-25.The council plans to invest $1.07 billion into running the district over the next 10 years and pay off $152m of debt – including around $13m in the first year.The 36-page consultation document adopted on Wednesday will open for public feedback from March 27.Mayor Neil Brown said the plan is just a draft and the council is eager to get...

Warning: Distressing content A Christchurch man has been sentenced to 14 years in prison in the United States after he helped his childhood friend trick scores of women into becoming porn stars. Matthew Isaac Wolfe was sentenced today in the United States District Court in San Diego - where he claimed he was effectively forced to go and work for his mate after the deadly 2011 earthquake in Christchurch destroyed job prospects for young people. He also claimed his role in the offending was secondary to that of his friend and boss Michael Pratt. In July 2022, Wolfe pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit sex...

Red meat farmers have dealt a major blow to their umbrella farmer body, Beef + Lamb New Zealand - rejecting an increase in directors’ fees. Results from B+LNZ’s annual meeting in Nelson today shows that almost 66% of farmers who voted, opposed the fee increase. Voter turnout was around 12%. The board had asked farmers to boost the fee of chair Kate Acland to $90,000 from $76,220. Each director would have received $45,000 from this year (currently $38,110). The pool available for additional director duties was to increase to $25,000 from $20,000. The pool is currently used to recognise additional...

Uber has argued it does not have as much control over drivers as the unions suggest, and wants a judgment ruling that drivers are employees and not contractors set aside and sent back to the Employment Court. The 2022 ruling followed a three-week hearing in which four drivers sought to be classified as employees under section 6 of the Employment Relations Act. They argued Uber’s misclassification of them as contractors denied them the minimum wage, holiday pay, protection from unjust dismissal, KiwiSaver contributions, and the right to unionise and collectively bargain. The judgment by chief Employment Court judge Christina Inglis,...

Fiona Mackenzie: managing director ANZ Funds Management ANZ Investments has suffered a double-blow with two long-time senior members of the funds management team set to leave. The bank-owned business told clients today that Craig Tyson, head of Australasian listed property, and Maaike van Tol, head of asset allocation, would both be exiting the $33 billion plus funds management business over the next couple of months. Tyson departs to “explore new opportunities” at the end of June after almost 20 years at the ANZ funds shop while van Tol, a nine-year veteran at the group, finishes up late in April to...

OPINION: The Government’s unwinding of a raft of regulations around investment properties and renting may well provide the housing market with the kickstart it needs to find its direction.For the past six months the market has been trying to find its confidence and lock in the gains it has shown as it starts its journey out of the downward price cycle that started in November 2021.By June last year prices had plateaued, and since then in many regions, and especially in Auckland, prices have shown modest increases.Based on our Auckland sales data, we put the median price increase between June...

The police’s Eagle helicopter played a key role in tracking an allegedly stolen car earlier this week. File photo supplied Three young people travelling in a vehicle allegedly stolen from an east Auckland property were caught after fleeing police. Waitemata West Police area commander, Inspector Jason Edwards, says two of the suspects are facing court of their roles in the incident. He says just before midnight on Monday, March 18, police were made aware of a vehicle that was believed to have been stolen travelling on State Highway 16. The vehicle was allegedly taken from an address in Sunnyhills earlier...

Nazi is such an epically evil brand that almost 80 years after that German party’s demise it just has to be uttered once and it is – according to the New Zealand media – the most important thing to come out of an hour-long speech. Allude to Nazism, if ever so briefly, and it eclipses everything else. If Godwin’s Law is that the longer a dialogue continues it will eventually get round to comparisons with the Nazis then Godwin’s Law by proxy is that the first thing to be reported on by the news media, no matter how long the...