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ICYMI: Celebrate the Teachers Who Changed Your Life—Nominate Them for Citadel’s Heart of Learning Awards Today!
Nicola and Geordie in her office at the Beehive. Photo: Supplied By her own admission, Selwyn MP Nicola Grigg has had a “busy” first year in Government, mixing electoral commitments with ministerial duties and raising her first child. Daniel Alvey reports Second term MP Nicola Grigg and partner Phil welcomed baby boy Geordie, their first child, nearly a year ago and have been perfecting the balance since then. “I’m learning to manage the juggle as much as I humanly can,” Grigg said. When not in Wellington, Nicola Grigg spends time meeting constituents around the electorate. Photo: Supplied Despite the workload, being a mother has been an “absolute delight”. Along with her local duties, Grigg is the Minister of State for Trade, Minister for Women, and Associate Minister of Agriculture. After Geordie was born, Grigg took 10 weeks off from her constituent work, staying at home in Prebbleton. But after Prime Minster Christopher Luxon intervened, she took her whole parental leave allocation. “The Prime Minster wanted me to take the full 26 weeks. I was only going to take a couple of months off, but he rang and said ‘no, this is a really important time and I want you to take the full leave allocation’.” Since returning to full-time duties in June, Grigg said she has relied on her support network to balance work and life as a mum. “We are really well supported. We have a fantastic person who takes care of Geordie. Sometimes she travels with us to Wellington, sometimes his dad comes up to Wellington and other times I leave him at home with his dad.” She said the hardest times are when she is travelling without her son. “They’re the hardest because you don’t get to tuck him into bed at night, but you just manage it and babies are adaptable.” Grigg, who was pregnant while campaigning last year, said she was nervous about making the announcement. “If I’m really honest, I was probably a bit nervous about making it public because it was my first baby, and you never quite know how it’s going to land with the public. “I was pleasantly surprised with the enormous groundswell of support I was given and probably should have given people the benefit of the doubt.” Nicola Grigg makes sure to get across the district to meet and greet as many people as she can. Photo: Supplied In a unique coincidence, the last National MP to have a baby while in Government was Ruth Richardson in 1983. She was also the MP for Selwyn. Grigg said being a mum has added another string to her bow. “Obviously until I became a mum I didn’t understand the maternal health sector as well as I do now. I didn’t understand early childhood care, I didn’t understand Plunket. All those things I now have an intimate knowledge of. Geordie is starting to making his voice heard. “He’s certainly far more popular than I am when we walk into a room. “He’s just about one year old now and he’s developing a very loud voice and very strong opinions,” Grigg joked. With those strong opinions, is there a future in politics for Geordie? “I don’t know how his father will feel about that. He will be what he wants to be. Like my parents – they had no expectation of me to go into politics.” Grigg’s family, who farm at Mt Somers in the Ashburton District, have political pedigree. The late Nikki Kaye (left) was a great friend to Nicola Grigg. Photo: Supplied She is following in the footsteps of her great-grandmother Mary Grigg – National’s first female MP who was elected to the Mid Canterbury seat held by her husband, Arthur, after he was killed in Libya in 1941 during World War 2. She is also the great, great, great granddaughter of Sir John Hall, once the premier of New Zealand, and MP for Selwyn. Grigg entered Parliament in 2020, taking over from Amy Adams in what some say is the safest blue seat in the country. She was re-elected in 2023, receiving 31,504 votes, the most of any MP in last year’s election. She plans to run again in 2026 but does not consider Selwyn a safe seat. “It is an enormous privilege to win this seat but you have to earn it. You don’t just win it because people traditionally vote blue. We saw that in 2020 when it actually swung left and Rolleston went 60 per cent Labour. Then I swung it back in 2023.” When Parliament is in session, a typical week for Grigg involves travelling to Wellington on Tuesday morning and staying until Thursday. Mondays and Fridays are spent either meeting people at her Rolleston office or heading out and about in the district, and that’s before any travel for her ministerial duties. Nearly two weeks ago, Grigg lost one of her best friends – former National MP Nikki Kaye, who passed away after her second battle with cancer. Kaye was 44, the same age as Grigg. “I knew her very well. We were friends outside of politics before I became a politician. She was a great mate, a great New Zealander. “I had known her cancer had come back this year, but I was just shocked, like everyone, shocked at how fast it took her and I will miss her a lot.” Grigg said Kaye had taught her a lot about campaigning. “She was world famous for her fearsome campaign strategy. “I recall a lot of conversations about grassroots campaigning and knocking on doors. She knocked on thousands of doors and now I’ve knocked on thousands of doors.” Now in Government, Grigg believes an important part of her role is to bring as many ministers as she can to Selwyn to show them how fast the district is growing. Since June, Nicola Grigg has brought six Government minsters to Selwyn to show them the growth in the district and where it is projected to grow further. Photo: Supplied Since June, she has had visits from Finance Minster Nicola Willis, Conservation Minister Tama Potaka, Building and Construction Minster Chris Penk, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Health Minister Shane Reti. Education Minster Erica Stanford dropped in last week. “That is the important part of my job – to lobby really hard to my cabinet colleagues and bring them down here to see what is occurring and what is projected. Without seeing it, you can’t believe it.” Growth in the district may also see Grigg’s geographical electorate shrink as its current population is outside the requirements set by the Electoral Commission. Selwyn currently falls well outside the 5 per cent variance allowed within the South Island quota (70,037) for allowed population in electorates. The district is currently 14 per cent outside the quota and by the 2026 election is predicted to have a 21.3 per cent variance with a predicted population of 88,700 by 2026. Grigg said she expected to see the likes of Yaldurst, Templeton, Tai Tapu and even her town Prebbleton end up in either the Ilam, Wigram, or Banks Peninsula electorates, with the Rangitata electorate crossing the Rakaia River. But before that happens, she has a special celebration to attend, Geordie’s first birthday, two days after Christmas. And what is planned for the big day? “I think we’ll have a family barbecue with the grandparents and all the aunties and cousins.”NoneA Nevada commissioner has ruled against Rupert Murdoch’s bid to change his family trust to consolidate control of his media empire in the hands of his son Lachlan, the New York Times reports, citing a sealed court document. Nevada commissioner Edmund Gorman concluded in a decision filed on Saturday that Rupert Murdoch and Lachlan, who is the head of Fox News parent Fox Corp and News Corp, had acted in “bad faith” in their effort to amend the irrevocable trust, the Times reported. The court docket indicates it issued a recommendation or order Saturday under seal. Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today The trust currently would divide control of the company equally among Rupert Murdoch’s four oldest children — Lachlan, James, Elisabeth and Prudence — after his death. Potentially, three of the heirs could out-vote a fourth, setting up a battle over the future of the companies, even as Lachlan Murdoch runs Fox and is sole chair of News Corp. A spokesman for Rupert Murdoch, 93, could not immediately be reached for comment. Rupert Murdoch’s proposed amendment would have blocked any interference by three of Lachlan’s siblings, who are more politically moderate. In his opinion, Gorman said the plan to change the trust was a “carefully crafted charade” to “permanently cement Lachlan Murdoch’s executive roles” inside the empire “regardless of the impacts such control would have over the companies or the beneficiaries” of the family trust, the Times said. A lawyer for Rupert Murdoch, Adam Streisand, said they were disappointed with the ruling and intended to appeal, the Times reported.
NoneNEW ORLEANS (AP) — A scruffy little fugitive is on the lam again in New Orleans, gaining fame as he outwits a tenacious band of citizens armed with night-vision binoculars, nets and a tranquilizer rifle. Scrim, a 17-pound mutt that's mostly terrier, has become a folk hero, inspiring tattoos, T-shirts and even a ballad as he eludes capture from the posse of volunteers. And like any antihero, Scrim has a backstory: Rescued from semi-feral life at a trailer park and adopted from a shelter, the dog broke loose in April and scurried around the city until he was cornered in October and brought to a new home. Weeks later, he'd had enough. Scrim leaped out of a second-story window, a desperate act recorded in a now-viral video. Since then, despite a stream of daily sightings, he's roamed free. The dog’s fans include Myra and Steve Foster, who wrote “Ode to Scrim” to the tune of Ricky Nelson’s 1961 hit, “I’m a Travelin’ Man.” Leading the recapture effort is Michelle Cheramie, a 55-year-old former information technology professional. She lost everything — home, car, possessions — in Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and in the aftermath, found her calling rescuing pets. “I was like, ‘This is what I should be doing,’” Cheramie said. “I was born to rescue.” She launched Zeus’ Rescues, a nonprofit shelter that now averages 600 cat and dog adoptions a year and offers free pet food to anyone who needs it. She helped Scrim find the home he first escaped from. It was Cheramie's window Scrim leaped from in November. She's resumed her relentless mission since then, posting flyers on telephone poles and logging social media updates on his reported whereabouts. She's invested thousands of dollars on wildlife cameras, thermal sensors and other gear. She took a course offered by the San Diego Zoo on the finer points of tranquilizing animals. And she's developed a network of volunteers — the kind of neighbors who are willing to grid-search a city at 3 a.m. People like writer David W. Brown, who manages a crowd-sourced Google Map of all known Scrim sightings. He says the search has galvanized residents from all walks of life to come together. As they search for Scrim, they hand out supplies to people in need. “Being a member of the community is seeing problems and doing what you can to make life a little better for the people around here and the animals around you,” Brown said. And neighbors like Tammy Murray, who had to close her furniture store and lost her father to Parkinson's disease. This search, she says, got her mojo back. “Literally, for months, I’ve done nothing but hunt this dog,” said Murray, 53. “I feel like Wile E. Coyote on a daily basis with him.” Murray drives the Zeus' Rescues' van towards reported Scrim sightings. She also handles a tactical net launcher, which looks like an oversized flashlight and once misfired, shattering the van's window as Scrim sped away. After realizing Scrim had come to recognize the sound of the van's diesel engine, Murray switched to a Vespa scooter, for stealth. Near-misses have been tantalizing. The search party spotted Scrim napping beneath an elevated house, and wrapped construction netting around the perimeter, but an over-eager volunteer broke ranks and dashed forward, leaving an opening Scrim slipped through. Scrim's repeated escapades have prompted near-daily local media coverage and a devoted online following. Cheramie can relate. “We’re all running from something or to something. He's doing that too,” she said. Cheramie's team dreams of placing the pooch in a safe and loving environment. But a social media chorus growing under the hashtag #FreeScrim has other ideas — they say the runaway should be allowed a life of self-determination. The animal rescue volunteers consider that misguided. “The streets of New Orleans are not the place for a dog to be free,” Cheramie said. “It’s too dangerous.” Scrim was a mess when Cheramie briefly recaptured him in October, with matted fur, missing teeth and a tattered ear. His trembling body was scraped and bruised, and punctured by multiple projectiles. A vet removed one, but decided against operating to take out a possible bullet. The dog initially appeared content indoors, sitting in Cheramie's lap or napping beside her bed. Then while she was out one day, Scrim chewed through a mesh screen, dropped 13 feet to the ground and squeezed through a gap in the fence, trotting away. Murray said Cheramie's four cats probably spooked him. “I wholeheartedly believe the gangster-ass cats were messing with him,” Murray said. Cheramie thinks they may have gotten territorial. Devastated but undeterred, the pair is reassessing where Scrim might fit best — maybe a secure animal sanctuary with big outdoor spaces where other dogs can keep him company. Somewhere, Murray says, “where he can just breathe and be.” Brook is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Brook on the social platform X: @jack_brook96
Kobe Sanders scores 27 points, Nevada never trails in 90-78 win over Oklahoma State
Australia’s most decorated Olympic medallist Emma McKeon has announced her retirement from swimming. The 30-year-old entered Paris 2024 having already announced it would be her third and last Olympics, but had left the door open to continue competing. However, she has now shut that door, confirming the news in a statement on social media. Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today McKeon bows out with six Olympic gold medals among 14 in total, as well as a host of other accolades. “Today I am officially retiring from competitive swimming,” she wrote . “Leading into Paris, I knew it would be my last Olympics, and the months since have given me time to reflect on my journey, and think about what I wanted my future to look like in swimming. “I am proud of myself for giving my swimming career absolutely everything, both physically and mentally. “I wanted to see what I was capable of - and I did. “Swimming has given me so much. From the dream igniting at 5 years old, right through to my third Olympic games - I have so many lessons, experiences, friendships and memories that I am so thankful for. Along with every person who supported me, worked hard with me, and cheered me on. THANKYOU. “Now I am excited to see how I can push myself in other ways, and for all the things that life has in store.” McKeon’s announcement was flooded with messages from superstars from Australia and around the world. “Incredible. What a career👏 proud to have shared a few teams with you. Congrats Emma ❤️ Enjoy whatever is next!” Jess Fox wrote. “So proud of you Em ❤️❤️ you’re a legend in and out of the pool forever xxx,” fellow swimmer Ariarne Titmus said. “Love your work, Emma. Enjoy the next chapter 😍,” Ash Barty added. “What an amazing career! Truely blessed to have the honour to train alongside you,” Emily Seebohm said. “There is no one else like you, incredible athlete and extraordinary woman. An honour to be apart of your career and I am so proud to be your friend. Congratulations, can’t wait to see what you do next! ❤️,” Jenna Strauch added. Born into a swimming family, McKeon always appeared destined for greatness. After narrowly missing out on a spot in the 2012 team, McKeon made her Olympics debut in Rio four years later. She won her first gold as a member of the 4x100m freestyle relay team, while she also picked up two silvers. But that was nothing compared to what she achieved at the next Olympics in Tokyo. She won four gold among seven medals in total — the equal most won by a female athlete in any sport at a single Games. She added another gold to her haul this year in Paris, as well as a silver and bronze to be the most decorated Australian Olympian of all time.A fugitive gains fame in New Orleans eluding dart guns and netsNone
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Stocks closed higher on Wall Street as the market posted its fifth straight gain and the Dow Jones Industrial Average notched another record high. The S&P 500 rose 0.3%. The benchmark index’s 1.7% gain for the week erased most of its loss from last week. The Dow rose 1% as it nudged past its most recent high set last week, and the Nasdaq composite rose 0.2%. Markets have been volatile over the last few weeks, losing ground in the runup to elections in November, then surging following Donald Trump's victory, before falling again. The S&P 500 has been steadily rising throughout this week to within close range of its record. It's now within about 0.5% of its all-time high set last week. “Overall, market behavior has normalized following an intense few weeks,” said Mark Hackett, chief of investment research at Nationwide, in a statement. Several retailers jumped after giving Wall Street encouraging financial updates. Gap soared 12.8% after handily beating analysts' third-quarter earnings and revenue expectations, while raising its own revenue forecast for the year. Discount retailer Ross Stores rose 2.2% after raising its earnings forecast for the year. EchoStar fell 2.8% after DirecTV called off its purchase of that company's Dish Network unit. Smaller company stocks had some of the biggest gains. The Russell 2000 index rose 1.8%. A majority of stocks in the S&P 500 gained ground, but those gains were kept in check by slumps for several big technology companies. Nvidia fell 3.2%. Its pricey valuation makes it among the heaviest influences on whether the broader market gains or loses ground. The company has grown into a nearly $3.6 trillion behemoth because of demand for its chips used in artificial-intelligence technology. Intuit, which makes TurboTax and other accounting software, fell 5.7%. It gave investors a quarterly earnings forecast that fell short of analysts’ expectations. Facebook owner Meta Platforms fell 0.7% following a decision by the Supreme Court to allow a multibillion-dollar class action investors’ lawsuit to proceed against the company. It stems from the privacy scandal involving the Cambridge Analytica political consulting firm. All told, the S&P 500 rose 20.63 points to 5,969.34. The Dow climbed 426.16 points to 44,296.51, and the Nasdaq picked up 42.65 points to close at 2,406.67. European markets closed mostly higher and Asian markets ended mixed. Crude oil prices rose. Treasury yields held relatively steady in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.41% from 4.42% late Thursday. In the crypto market, bitcoin hovered around $99,000, according to CoinDesk. It has more than doubled this year and first surpassed the $99,000 level on Thursday. Retailers remained a big focus for investors this week amid close scrutiny on consumer spending habits headed into the holiday shopping season. Walmart, the nation's largest retailer, reported a quarter of strong sales and gave investors an encouraging financial forecast. Target, though, reported weaker earnings than analysts' expected and its forecast disappointed Wall Street. Consumer spending has fueled economic growth, despite a persistent squeeze from inflation and high borrowing costs. Inflation has been easing and the Federal Reserve has started trimming its benchmark interest rates. That is likely to help relieve pressure on consumers, but any major shift in spending could prompt the Fed to reassess its path ahead on interest rates. Also, any big reversals on the rate of inflation could curtail spending. Consumer sentiment remains strong, according to the University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index. It revised its latest figure for November to 71.8 from an initial reading of 73 earlier this month, though economists expected a slight increase. It's still up from 70.5 in October. The survey also showed that consumers' inflation expectations for the year ahead fell slightly to 2.6%, which is the lowest reading since December of 2020. Wall Street will get another update on how consumers feel when the business group The Conference Board releases its monthly consumer confidence survey on Tuesday. A key inflation update will come on Wednesday when the U.S. releases its October personal consumption expenditures index. The PCE is the Fed's preferred measure of inflation and this will be the last PCE reading prior to the central bank's meeting in December.
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