The Bull Ring

𝕃𝕦𝕩𝕠𝕟 𝕤𝕒𝕪𝕤 𝕙𝕖'𝕤 '𝕨𝕖𝕝𝕝 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕣𝕦𝕝𝕖𝕤' 𝕥𝕠 𝕔𝕝𝕒𝕚𝕞 $𝟝𝟚𝕜 𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕠𝕨𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕖 𝕃𝕦𝕩𝕠𝕟 𝕤𝕒𝕪𝕤 𝕙𝕖 𝕚𝕤 "𝕨𝕖𝕝𝕝 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕣𝕦𝕝𝕖𝕤" 𝕥𝕠 𝕓𝕖 𝕔𝕝𝕒𝕚𝕞𝕚𝕟𝕘 $𝟝𝟚,𝟘𝟘𝟘 𝕚𝕟 𝕒𝕟 𝕒𝕔𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕞𝕠𝕕𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕠𝕨𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕖 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕪𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕚𝕟 𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕠𝕨𝕟 𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕥𝕘𝕒𝕘𝕖-𝕗𝕣𝕖𝕖 𝕒𝕡𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕚𝕟 𝕎𝕖𝕝𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕥𝕠𝕟 𝕕𝕦𝕖 𝕥𝕠 𝕞𝕒𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕟𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕖 𝕚𝕤𝕤𝕦𝕖𝕤 𝕒𝕥 ℙ𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕖𝕣 ℍ𝕠𝕦𝕤𝕖. T he  minister-in-charge was claiming the expense — which he is entitled to do — which is an annual payment and on top of his $471,000 salary for the top job. Premier House is the official residence for the Prime Minister of New Zealand but has been in a deteriorating state of repair for many years. . . He was asked about the issue during a news conference in Queenstown today, where he said he would like to stay at Premier House, but can't. Watch: Prime Minister Entitlement Christopher Luxon s...

𝕃𝕦𝕩𝕠𝕟'𝕤 𝕔𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕚𝕔𝕚𝕤𝕞𝕤 𝕠𝕗 𝕡𝕣𝕠𝕗𝕝𝕚𝕘𝕒𝕥𝕖 𝕤𝕡𝕖𝕟𝕕𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕖 𝕓𝕒𝕔𝕜 𝕥𝕠 𝕓𝕚𝕥𝕖 𝕃𝕦𝕩𝕠𝕟 𝕔𝕒𝕞𝕡𝕒𝕚𝕘𝕟𝕖𝕕 𝕠𝕟 𝕨𝕒𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕗𝕦𝕝 𝕡𝕦𝕓𝕝𝕚𝕔 𝕤𝕡𝕖𝕟𝕕𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕒 𝕟𝕖𝕖𝕕 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕔𝕠𝕤𝕥 𝕔𝕦𝕥𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕒𝕔𝕣𝕠𝕤𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕡𝕦𝕓𝕝𝕚𝕔 𝕤𝕖𝕣𝕧𝕚𝕔𝕖. ℍ𝕖 𝕠𝕨𝕟𝕤 𝕤𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕟 𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕤𝕖𝕤. 𝕒𝕝𝕝 𝕠𝕗 𝕨𝕙𝕚𝕔𝕙 𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕥𝕘𝕒𝕘𝕖 𝕗𝕣𝕖𝕖. 𝕐𝕖𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕜𝕤 𝕙𝕖 𝕚𝕤 𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕚𝕥𝕝𝕖𝕕 𝕥𝕠 𝕒𝕔𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕠𝕕𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕤𝕦𝕡𝕡𝕝𝕖𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕥. N ational's Tama Potaka could have been mistaken for giving advice to his own leader when he told Newshub on Friday morning "the New Zealand taxpayer is not a free ATM card". The Māori Development Minister, speaking on a panel with Labour MP Willie Jackson on Newshub's AM show, made the remark when discussing whether the government will help bail Newshub out. The show is one of many set to be axed in June after Warner Brothers Discovery told staff on Wednesday it planned to clo...

𝕃𝕦𝕩𝕠𝕟 𝕔𝕝𝕒𝕚𝕞𝕤 $𝟝𝟚𝕜 𝕒𝕔𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕞𝕠𝕕𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕡𝕒𝕪𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕥𝕠 𝕝𝕚𝕧𝕖 𝕚𝕟 𝕠𝕨𝕟 𝕒𝕡𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕞𝕚𝕟𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣-𝕚𝕟-𝕔𝕙𝕒𝕣𝕘𝕖 𝕨𝕚𝕝𝕝 𝕣𝕖𝕔𝕖𝕚𝕧𝕖 𝕒 $𝟝𝟚,𝟘𝟘𝟘 𝕥𝕠𝕡-𝕦𝕡 𝕥𝕠 𝕙𝕚𝕤 $𝟜𝟟𝟙,𝟘𝟘𝟘 𝕤𝕒𝕝𝕒𝕣𝕪 𝕥𝕠 𝕔𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕒𝕔𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕞𝕠𝕕𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕖𝕩𝕡𝕖𝕟𝕤𝕖𝕤 𝕤𝕚𝕟𝕔𝕖 𝕙𝕖 𝕚𝕤 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕝𝕚𝕧𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕚𝕟 ℙ𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕖𝕣 ℍ𝕠𝕦𝕤𝕖. A spokesperson for Christopher Luxon confirmed he will claim the optional accommodation payment, despite living in an apartment in Wellington that he owns mortgage-free. It makes Luxon the first prime minister in at least 34 years to claim the payment. Since Premier House became the official prime ministerial residence in 1990, previous titleholders have either lived there or, in the case of Wellington-based leaders Bill English and Chris Hipkins, stayed in their own homes. On Tuesday, the Australian Associated Press reported Luxon had told visiting Australian cricketers that he was not living in Pre...

𝔸𝕤𝕤𝕠𝕔𝕚𝕒𝕥𝕖 ℍ𝕖𝕒𝕝𝕥𝕙 𝕄𝕚𝕟𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣 ℂ𝕠𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕝𝕝𝕠 𝕘𝕠𝕥 𝕨𝕒𝕣𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕠𝕗 𝕡𝕠𝕤𝕤𝕚𝕓𝕝𝕖 𝕋𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥𝕪 𝕠𝕗 𝕎𝕒𝕚𝕥𝕒𝕟𝕘𝕚 𝕓𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕔𝕙 𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕤𝕞𝕠𝕜𝕖𝕗𝕣𝕖𝕖 𝕝𝕒𝕨 𝕣𝕖𝕡𝕖𝕒𝕝 𝔸𝕤𝕤𝕠𝕔𝕚𝕒𝕥𝕖 ℍ𝕖𝕒𝕝𝕥𝕙 𝕄𝕚𝕟𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣 ℂ𝕒𝕤𝕖𝕪 ℂ𝕠𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕝𝕝𝕠 𝕨𝕒𝕤 𝕨𝕒𝕣𝕟𝕖𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕤𝕔𝕣𝕒𝕡𝕡𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕞𝕠𝕜𝕖𝕗𝕣𝕖𝕖 𝕝𝕒𝕨 𝕨𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕓𝕖 𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨𝕖𝕕 𝕒𝕤 𝕒 𝕓𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕔𝕙 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕋𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥𝕪 𝕠𝕗 𝕎𝕒𝕚𝕥𝕒𝕟𝕘𝕚. R NZ has obtained Ministry of Health documents sent to Costello, in which health officials say the law she is repealing would have generated health gains for Māori which were five times that of the general population. Health officials also warned the minister that overturning the smokefree law could inflict serious reputational damage on New Zealand. The documents say that under the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act the minister and health agencies must be guided by health sector principles, which include improving health outcomes for Māor...

  Pattie Boyd reveals 'love triangle' letters from George Harrison and Eric Clapton Pattie Boyd, pictured with former husband George Harrison in 1966. Photo: Fox Photos/Getty Images By Mark Savage , BBC News Model Pattie Boyd is selling letters that lift the lid on her notorious love triangle with guitarist Eric Clapton and Beatles star George Harrison. Boyd was a muse to both men in the 1960s and 70s, inspiring Harrison's classic song 'Something' and Clapton's hits 'Wonderful Tonight' and 'Layla'. Initially married to the Beatle, she was pursued by his close friend Clapton in a series of passionate love letters. Now she is auctioning notes from both men, along with other possessions. The sale will take place at Christie's in London next month, with the items on public view from 15 to 21 March. Boyd met the Beatles when she was cast in their 1964 film A Hard Day's Night and instantly felt a conne...

ℝ𝕖𝕤𝕖𝕣𝕧𝕖 𝔹𝕒𝕟𝕜 𝕙𝕠𝕝𝕕𝕤 𝕆𝕗𝕗𝕚𝕔𝕚𝕒𝕝 ℂ𝕒𝕤𝕙 ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕖 𝕒𝕥 𝟝.𝟝 𝕡𝕖𝕣𝕔𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕋𝕙𝕖 ℝ𝕖𝕤𝕖𝕣𝕧𝕖 𝔹𝕒𝕟𝕜 𝕙𝕒𝕤 𝕙𝕖𝕝𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕠𝕗𝕗𝕚𝕔𝕚𝕒𝕝 𝕔𝕒𝕤𝕙 𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕖 (𝕆ℂℝ) 𝕒𝕥 𝟝.𝟝 𝕡𝕖𝕣𝕔𝕖𝕟𝕥, 𝕓𝕦𝕥 𝕣𝕖𝕡𝕖𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕕 𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕔𝕖𝕣𝕟𝕤 𝕒𝕓𝕠𝕦𝕥 𝕤𝕥𝕦𝕓𝕓𝕠𝕣𝕟 𝕚𝕟𝕗𝕝𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕡𝕣𝕖𝕤𝕤𝕦𝕣𝕖𝕤 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕕𝕒𝕤𝕙𝕖𝕕 𝕙𝕠𝕡𝕖𝕤 𝕠𝕗 𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕝𝕪 𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕖 𝕔𝕦𝕥𝕤. E conomists had expected the benchmark rate to be left unchanged for a fifth consecutive meeting, but acknowledged the risk of a surprise rise to put further pressure on domestic price pressures and get inflation back into the 1-3 percent target zone more quickly. The central bank said inflation has eased to a two-year low of 4.7 percent as consumers and businesses trimmed spending, and labour market pressures eased because of a large influx of migrants. . . "Core inflation and most measures of inflation expectations have declined, and the risks to the inflation outlook have become more balanced,...

ℕ𝕖𝕨𝕤𝕙𝕦𝕓 𝕟𝕖𝕨𝕤𝕣𝕠𝕠𝕞 𝕗𝕒𝕔𝕖𝕤 𝕔𝕝𝕠𝕤𝕦𝕣𝕖 𝕚𝕟 𝕎𝕒𝕣𝕟𝕖𝕣 𝔹𝕣𝕠𝕤. 𝔻𝕚𝕤𝕔𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕪 𝕡𝕣𝕠𝕡𝕠𝕤𝕒𝕝 𝕆𝕟𝕖 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕔𝕠𝕦𝕟𝕥𝕣𝕪'𝕤 𝕞𝕒𝕛𝕠𝕣 𝕟𝕖𝕨𝕤𝕣𝕠𝕠𝕞𝕤 𝕔𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕔𝕝𝕠𝕤𝕖, 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕜𝕤 𝕥𝕠 𝕒 𝕔𝕠𝕝𝕝𝕒𝕡𝕤𝕖 𝕚𝕟 𝕋𝕍 𝕒𝕕𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕥𝕚𝕤𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕣𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕟𝕦𝕖 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕔𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕘𝕖𝕤 𝕚𝕟 𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕙𝕒𝕓𝕚𝕥𝕤. N ewshub's parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) is proposing to shut down all Newshub's operations on June 30, including its flagship 6pm bulletin presented by Samantha Hayes and Mike McRoberts. The end of news production is part of a wider proposal that would dramatically reduce the amount of local content seen on Three and its streaming platform, ThreeNow. . . If confirmed, the decision would end nearly 35 years of news broadcasts on Three. It would also see the closure of Newshub's online operation, which is currently New Zealand's third-largest news website. Around 200 journalists, producers, editors, came...

𝕋𝕠𝕕𝕒𝕪 𝕀𝕟 ℍ𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕠𝕣𝕪: 𝔽𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕪𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕤 𝕤𝕚𝕟𝕔𝕖 𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕤𝕥 ℂ𝕠𝕧𝕚𝕕 𝟙𝟡 𝕔𝕒𝕤𝕖 𝕣𝕖𝕡𝕠𝕣𝕥𝕖𝕕 𝕚𝕟 𝔸𝕠𝕥𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕠𝕒 𝕀𝕥'𝕤 𝕗𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕪𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕤 𝕤𝕚𝕟𝕔𝕖 ℕ𝕖𝕨 ℤ𝕖𝕒𝕝𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕕𝕖𝕥𝕖𝕔𝕥𝕖𝕕 𝕚𝕥𝕤 𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕤𝕥 𝕔𝕒𝕤𝕖 𝕠𝕗 ℂ𝕠𝕧𝕚𝕕-𝟙𝟡, 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕤𝕚𝕟𝕔𝕖 𝕒 𝕕𝕚𝕣𝕖𝕔𝕥𝕠𝕣 𝕘𝕖𝕟𝕖𝕣𝕒𝕝 𝕠𝕗 𝕙𝕖𝕒𝕝𝕥𝕙 𝕙𝕒𝕕 𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕙𝕠𝕝𝕚𝕕𝕒𝕪 𝕡𝕝𝕒𝕟𝕤 𝕣𝕦𝕚𝕟𝕖𝕕. I n the months and years that followed, the country would plunge into lockdowns; a nationwide state of emergency; and those ever present 1pm press conferences with former Prime Minister Dame Jacinda Ardern and former director general of health Sir Ashley Bloomfield. Sir Ashley joined Breakfast this morning to reflect on the last four years and how things had changed since then. . . On the day of the first case, he said: “I had taken a couple of days off, my first days off in about a month or so, I had a long-planned mountain biking trip with some mates. Former Director General of Health Sir Ashley Bloo...