‘Clear as mud’: The changes to how emergency rescues are being done

Source: Radio New Zealand A cliff rescue in Northland in January. NZ POLICE / SUPPLIED Rescuers in Auckland were in the middle of asking for a helicopter to fly them to Great Barrier Island where a man had fallen down a cliff when they discovered they were no longer allowed to make direct requests – … Read more

Ford hybrid owners ‘could ask for compensation’

Source: Radio New Zealand Justin Sullivan/Getty Images/AFP Owners of Ford plug-in hybrid vehicles that currently cannot be fully charged should ask for a refund or compensation if the problem is not fixed soon, Consumer NZ says. Ford has contacted owners of some Escape PHEVs about a battery issue that could be a fire hazard if … Read more

Wildlife deaths, intergenerational harm flagged in gold mine assessments

Source: Radio New Zealand Santana Minerals chief executive Damian Spring. Supplied The Department of Conservation has warned a proposed gold mine near Cromwell is an unprecedented threat to wildlife, while Heritage New Zealand fears it will modify or destroy most of the area’s recorded archaeological sites. More than half the 53 invited parties who commented … Read more

Black Fern Tanya Kalounivale has red card overturned

Source: Radio New Zealand Tanya Kalounivale. www.photosport.nz Black Ferns front rower Tanya Kalounivale has escaped any further punishment and is free to play against Canada this weekend. Kalounivale was sent off in last weekend’s opening Pacific Four Series game against the United States in Sacramento for a dangerous cleanout. The prop was yellow-carded for head … Read more

Chris Wood says knee injury is something he’ll have to manage

Source: Radio New Zealand Nottingham Forest forward Chris Wood. MANJIT NAROTRA / AFP All Whites striker Chris Wood says his knee injury is something he will have to manage for the rest of his life. Wood has just returned to action for Nottingham Forest after undergoing knee surgery in December. He started in their Europa … Read more

Which political parties would subsidise your rooftop solar panels?

Source: Radio New Zealand RNZ The prime minister says his government is “very interested” in rooftop solar, but has given no firm answers yet, amid calls from an energy alliance for the government to use next month’s budget to subsidise rooftop solar for households. The Smart Energy Alliance told Nine to Noon the case for … Read more

Cost-of-living squeeze hits pensioners, with some using foodbanks to survive

Source: Radio New Zealand File photo. 123rf Pensioners are turning to foodbanks to get by, as a new report says the pressure is growing on those relying on NZ Super alone. Good Shepherd has released the report, which focused on the housing experiences of women over 65. It follows concerns being raised that the recent … Read more

‘I was too scared… too angry’: Confronting a life-changing crash decades on

Source: Radio New Zealand When 16-year-old Sally Wenley – a top sports student at a Havelock North boarding school in 1987 – returned as a paraplegic after a fatal school bus crash, it was strangely quiet. “No one spoke about it,” Wenley tells Nine to Noon. “It was just quite bizarre. I tried my best to … Read more

Marlon Williams, Lorde, Tami Neilson: Aotearoa Music Awards 2026 finalists revealed

Source: Radio New Zealand Folk singer Marlon Williams signs off his final months in the spotlight with a swag of seven nominations at the 2026 Aotearoa Music Awards. Williams first fully te reo Māori album Te Whare Tīwekaweka is up for album of the year, and songs ‘Aua Atu Rā’; and ‘Te Tino Reo o … Read more

‘Mixed feelings’ as Football Ferns survive close call for World Cup

Source: Radio New Zealand New Zealand Football Ferns players celebrate qualifying for FIFA Women’s World Cup Brazil 2027. Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz The champagne was flowing but the celebrations were measured after the Football Ferns qualified for the next World Cup. A 1-0 win over Papua New Guinea in the OFC Qualifier Final at North Harbour Stadium … Read more

Expanded role for pharmacists runs risk of misdiagnosis, GenPro doctor says

Source: Radio New Zealand Chair of GP advocacy group GenPro Angus Chambers. Supplied Doctors are warning of fishhooks in the latest government proposal to improve access to healthcare. Under the scheme, community pharmacists would be able to directly provide a range of commonly funded medications such as for pain and fever, or children’s conditions like … Read more

Stood-down Youthline volunteer says she does not want to return to role

Source: Radio New Zealand Youthline is reviewing its workforce and has temporarily stood down some of its helpline volunteers. 123rf.com A Youthline volunteer among those stood down because the organisation is reviewing its training says it has put her off returning to the role. The charity temporarily stood down some of its helpline volunteers who … Read more

Locals on Scottish island help search for missing Kiwi monk Justin Evans

Source: Radio New Zealand Justin Evans, 24, is missing from Papa Stronsay in Scotland. Supplied / Scotland Police Locals on a remote Scottish island are helping in the search for a New Zealand monk who has disappeared. Police Scotland are appealing for information about Justin Evans who went missing shortly before midnight from Papa Stronsay, … Read more

Police Commissioner to ‘consider other options’ if Jevon McSkimming doesn’t reimburse hotel stays

Source: Radio New Zealand Police Commissioner Richard Chambers. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone The Police Commissioner has written a second letter to Jevon McSkimming asking him to pay back up to 10 taxpayer-funded stays at hotels during his affair within a month or he will “consider other options to secure reimbursement”. Richard Chambers wrote to the … Read more

Experienced fisherman drowned after being swept into ‘rough’ sea, hitting head on rocks

Source: Radio New Zealand Slope Point (file image). Google Maps A Southland fisherman drowned after being swept into the sea by a wave and hitting his head on rocks at Slope Point, a coroner has found. Stanley Chung-Chi Tsoi, 47, was fishing with a friend from rocks on the shore of Southland on the afternoon … Read more

VinUniversity Launches Global Academic Recruitment Tour 2026 to Engage Leading Scholars Worldwide

Source: Media Outreach HANOI, VIETNAM – Media OutReach Newswire – 15 April 2026 – VinUniversity (VinUni) has announced the launch of its Global Academic Recruitment Tour 2026, an initiative spanning 10 countries and designed to engage outstanding scholars across key academic centres worldwide. As part of this effort, the University introduces the VinUniversity Assistant Professorships … Read more

Auckland population projected to reach 2 million by 2033 – Stats NZ news story

Source: Statistics New Zealand Auckland population projected to reach 2 million by 2033 – news story 15 April 2026 International migration has become the main driver of population growth in Auckland, with 2 in 5 Aucklanders now born overseas. “The Auckland population has doubled in size since the early 1980s, reaching 1.82 million in June 2025,” … Read more

Marine farmers using AI to find out what’s happening under water

Source: Radio New Zealand A live feed of the data captured by the UWAI Robotics underwater drone. RNZ / Samantha Gee At the top of the South Island, in the centre of New Zealand’s aquaculture and fishing industries, artificial intelligence is increasingly being used to provide better information about what’s going on under water. Scientists … Read more

Far North councillors vote to expand controversial Māori liaison committee

Source: Radio New Zealand Far North Mayor Moko Tepania faces possibly the first ever media standup at the council chambers in Kaikohe. RNZ / Peter de Graaf Far North councillors on Wednesday voted to expand a Māori liaison committee which has been at the centre of a nationwide social media firestorm. More than 100 people, … Read more

Sprout products recalled due to possible presence of listeria bacteria

Source: Radio New Zealand Several batches of South Alps brand alfalfa and onion sprouts and one batch of Pam’s onion sprouts combo have been recalled due to the possible presence of listeria. Supplied Food Safety NZ has announced a recall of sprout products due to the possible presence of listeria bacteria. The affected products – … Read more

Court of Appeal hears challenge over Ōtāhuhu maunga tree felling

Source: Radio New Zealand Ōtāhuhu resident Shirley Waru at the Court of Appeal on Wednesday. Supplied By Erin Johnson The Tūpuna Maunga Authority and an Ōtāhuhu resident were back in court on Wednesday in a long-running fight over consent to remove hundreds of trees. Ōtāhuhu resident Shirley Waru previously challenged Auckland Council’s 2021 decision to … Read more

Football Ferns beat Papua New Guinea – Fifa Women’s World Cup 2027 Oceania Qualifiers final

Source: Radio New Zealand Katie Kitching of New Zealand celebrates her goal against Papua New Guinea. Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz The Football Ferns have beaten Papua New Guinea 1-0 to claim their spot at the 2027 Fifa Women’s World Cup in Brazil. It will be the seventh World Cup appearance for the Ferns. As co-hosts of the … Read more

Some schools struggling with drinking water compliance

Source: Radio New Zealand 2024 data shows drinking water suppliers serving 80,000 people had positive tests for E coli. RNZ The water regulator is satisfied with the approach taken by more than a dozen rural schools, after they had E coli breaches in their water supplies. The Water Services Authority – Taumata Arowai data from … Read more

Country’s biggest bank raises interest rates

Source: Radio New Zealand ANZ. RNZ / Marika Khabazi ANZ, the country’s largest bank, is increasing some of its fixed home loan and term investment rates. It is raising its home loan rates on terms between one year and five years by 10 basis points or 20 basis points. The two-year special rate lifts from … Read more

Aspire Secures Securities and Asset Management Licences from Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission

Source: Media Outreach Regulatory milestone paves the way for launch of Aspire Yield, enabling businesses to earn attractive returns on idle cash balances HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 15 April 2026 – Aspire, the finance stack for global founders, today announced that its subsidiary, AFT HK Treasury Limited, has been granted Type … Read more