Rallying behind the future of table tennis in New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand Watching members of the Auckland Table Tennis Association whip balls across the nets as they rally for points against their opponents on a typical weekday evening is an exhausting exercise. Indeed, it’s hard to keep up with the frenetic activity in Epsom, as players of all ages ping balls in every … Read more

Ngauranga to Petone Shared Path (Te Ara Tupua) opening soon

Source: New Zealand Government The Ngauranga to Petone Shared Path (Te Ara Tupua) will officially open to the public on Saturday 16 May, says Transport Minister Chris Bishop. “This opening marks a major milestone for the Wellington and Lower Hutt communities who have been waiting to use this path for years”, Mr Bishop says.  “This … Read more

Which are the best-performing KiwiSaver funds?

Source: Radio New Zealand 123RF Volatile oil prices have helped clean energy KiwiSaver funds shine in the early months of this year. Morningstar has released its latest KiwiSaver survey, which shows the first quarter of this year was a tough one for KiwiSaver funds, but over a year they are still performing strongly. Conservative funds … Read more

No charges to be laid in Tom Phillips case against those who possibly helped him

Source: Radio New Zealand Tom Phillips died following a shootout with police after they were called to reports of a burglary in the early hours of 8 September. RNZ / Supplied / Police A police investigation into identifying any of Tom Phillips’ accomplices has resulted in no charges, police have announced. Phillips died following a … Read more

Three people rescued after boat sinks in Bay of Islands

Source: Radio New Zealand FlightRadar24 Three people have been found alive after their boat sunk near Waitangi overnight. Coastguard said it appeared the vessel sank at about 3am Friday in Wairoa Bay. One person was able to get to shore to raise the alarm. The other two had since been found with minor injuries after … Read more

Church and community driving rugby league’s success – former Kiwis captain Duane Mann

Source: Radio New Zealand The NZ Warriors had to put up the sold out sign when 33,000 turned up to watch them beat the Dolphins in Wellington on Anzac Day. www.photosport.nz Former Kiwis and Tonga captain Duane Mann says rugby league’s stronghold in the Pasifika community can be credited to its local clubs and churches. … Read more

Conclusion of Operation Cranmere

Source: New Zealand Police Police can confirm Operation Cranmere, the investigation to identify anyone who may have supported Tom Phillips, has concluded. It has not resulted in any charges. Detective Superintendent Ross McKay says under the Solicitor General’s Prosecution Guidelines, any prosecution is required to meet an evidential sufficiency test. “In this case, based on … Read more

Would you eat a horse meat pie?

Source: Radio New Zealand The popularity of horse meat pies doesn’t seem to be waning. Kim Sok runs lunchbar Eighty8, their two Auckand branches, and their Hamilton bakery have been offering lo’i hoosi pies for the past fortnight. Sok said customers had been asking them to start selling lo’i hoosi pies since last year, but … Read more

Two people missing as boat sinks in Bay of Islands

Source: Radio New Zealand FlightRadar24 A boat has sunk off the coast of the Bay of Islands, just north of Waitangi, and two people are missing. A spokesperson for Coastguard said a third person on board made their own way to shore. Volunteers from Bay of Islands Coastguard have been at the scene since 7am … Read more

Former National MP Chris Finlayson calls for ‘war’ on NZ First

Source: Radio New Zealand Chris Finlayson. RNZ / Mihingarangi Forbes A former high-ranking National Cabinet minister has doubts the coalition will last until the election, urging his former party to “extricate themselves from this grisly coalition and declare war on New Zealand First”. And Chris Finlayson has doubts the coalition, made up of National, NZ … Read more

Jeff Buckley doco humanises the man beyond the tortured myth

Source: Radio New Zealand “Proof that God exists,” enthused one review of Grace, the 1994 debut record from prodigious singer-songwriter Jeff Buckley, which David Bowie once called “the best album ever made”. Despite the rave reception to what is now widely regarded as a classic, Grace underperformed on the US charts. Sony and Columbia Records … Read more

NRL: NZ Warriors v Parramatta Eels – what you need to know

Source: Radio New Zealand Five-eighths Ronald Volkman and Chanel Harris-Tavita will face off, when Parramatta Eels host NZ Warriors. RNZ/Photosport NRL: NZ Warriors v Parramatta Eels 7.30pm Saturday, 2 May CommBank Stadium, Sydney Live blog updates on RNZ With a bye week looming near on the horizon, the NZ Warriors must beware the ‘banana skin’ … Read more

Super Rugby Pacific preview: David Havili’s 150th, Auckland rivalry loses spice

Source: Radio New Zealand The Hurricanes will host the Crusaders in the capital on Friday night. Photosport With Super Rugby Pacific competition energised by the success of ‘Super Round’, we head towards the business end of the season. The Hurricanes continue to set the pace and face a true test of their title credentials, when … Read more

Property prices rise – but for how long?

Source: Radio New Zealand 123rf Property values lifted slightly in April, says data firm Cotality, but any strength in the market will likely be challenged in the coming months. According to Cotality’s data, the national median value of $809,101 was 0.1 percent up in the month and 0.6 higher than in January, but still 16.8 … Read more

Build-to-rent apartments on the rise, as massive new complex opens in Auckland

Source: Radio New Zealand A massive new complex of 297 apartments is the latest build-to-rent development to be completed in Auckland. RNZ / Felix Walton A massive new complex of 297 apartments is the latest build-to-rent development to be completed in Auckland, and one of the country’s largest. Economists say the model is taking off … Read more

Sheep farmer Sophie Hurley breathing new life into vintage Hunterville motel

Source: Radio New Zealand Sophie Hurley’s taking her business Honest Wolf on a journey across the road, after buying the town’s vintage motel. RNZ/Carol Stiles A Turakina Valley farmer hopes to turn Hunterville into the shopfront of the North Island wool industry. Sophie Hurley says there’s plenty of life in the 1970s motel on the … Read more

‘As damaging as the Treaty Principles Bill’: Proposed changes to Treaty clauses revealed

Source: Radio New Zealand Te Herenga Waka law lecturer Dr Luke Fitzmaurice-Brown. Supplied Documents filed with the Waitangi Tribunal have revealed the proposed changes which would set government obligations to the Treaty to no higher standard than to simply “take into account” across nine Acts. Senior Lecturer in Law at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University … Read more

NRL: Storm reveal health concern for head coach Craig Bellamy

Source: Radio New Zealand Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy has his temperature checked, during the Covid-19 era. CREDIT: Photosport. PHOTOSPORT NRL club the Melbourne Storm have revealed head coach Craig Bellamy has been diagnosed with a form of neurodegenerative disorder. In a statement on its website, the Storm said Bellamy had been undergoing a series … Read more

Flood damage ‘real kick in the guts’ for rural Hawke’s Bay community

Source: Radio New Zealand A rural community in Central Hawke’s Bay is reeling, after flooding wiped out fencing, culverts, winter crops, roads and even animals. About 240 millimetres of rain fell in the area of Omakere and Kairakau in just 30 hours from early morning on Tuesday, 21 April, which locals say was worse than … Read more

Early morning house fire in Christchurch

Source: Radio New Zealand About eight firefighters put out the blaze. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone Firefighters were called to a house on fire in Christchurch on Friday morning. Fire and Emergency said one person who reported the fire at about 4.20am was inside the one-storey home when it started, but they got out safely. About … Read more

Che Wilson apologises to Sikh community after controversial haka

Source: Radio New Zealand Former Te Pāti Māori president, Che Wilson. Supplied / Aukaha The Council of Sikh Affairs says it was pleasantly surprised by an apology from former Te Pāti Māori president Che Wilson for his involvement in a controversial haka. The haka was performed at the Tainui Regional Kapa Haka competition earlier this … Read more

Proposed gold mine will ruin Otago’s reputation for world’s best pinot noir – vineyard owner

Source: Radio New Zealand The seven-person fast-track panel, headed by Matthew Muir KC (centre). RNZ / Katie Todd An Otago vineyard-owner says a proposed gold mine in the Dunstan Hills could ruin the region’s reputation for the best pinot noir in the world, inflicting “terminal damage” on his business. Appearing before a fast-track panel considering … Read more

Worst March month for liquidations in 11 years

Source: Radio New Zealand Construction remained the leading industry for company liquidations. RNZ / Nate McKinnon More companies went into liquidation in March 2026 than in any other March since 2015, new data shows. Centrix’s latest update showed 3023 liquidations in the year to March. In the month, there were 286 company liquidations and 308 … Read more

Master Plumbers welcomes new lead-free tapware rules for the public health benefits

Source: Master Plumbers Gasfitters and Drainlayers New Zealanders can now have greater confidence that the tapware they buy is ‘lead-free’. From the end of today ( 1 May 2026), all new tapware installed in Kiwi homes must contain no more than 0.25% lead-legally defined as ‘lead-free’. The previous limit was 4.5%. Master Plumbers Chief Executive Greg Wallace … Read more