New AI screening tool for telehealth to help deal with rise in calls

Source: Radio New Zealand A telehealth service says AI will help reassure people while they wait to speak to a counsellor. 123rf.com A telehealth service is bringing in an artificial intelligence screening tool for some of its chat responses, to help deal with an increasing volume and severity of mental health calls. The new tool, … Read more

No queens – we may have won the yellow-legged hornet battle

Source: Radio New Zealand MPI officers removing a yellow-legged hornets nest from a property in Glenfield. Supplied / Niki Sherriff A massive eradication effort to get rid of what could have been a disastrous insect invasion is showing encouraging signs Six months ago, fear flew through the bee industry with the discovery of a yellow-legged … Read more

Live: Politicians react as latest poll shows National unable to govern if election held today

Source: Radio New Zealand A new poll showing National sitting on just 30 percent, and the coalition unable to govern, has set the stage for a crucial week in Christopher Luxon’s primeministership. This result is National’s worst in the 1News-Verian poll since Luxon became leader in November 2021. Labour is up five points on 37 … Read more

Rising takeaway coffee prices pull food costs higher

Source: Radio New Zealand Takeaway coffee one of the biggest contributors to the annual increase. 123rf An increase in the price of takeaway coffee in March helped pull food prices up 3.4 percent higher than a year earlier. It follows a 4.5 percent rise in the 12 months to February. Stats NZ said higher prices … Read more

Time running out to protect Bitcoin from quantum computers, Google says

Source: Radio New Zealand A quantum computer on display at the World Manufacturing Convention in Heifei, China, in September 2025. AFP/ Fang Dongxu Google has issued a wake-up call to the Bitcoin community to take urgent action to upgrade blockchain security as advances in quantum technology increase the risk of fraudulent transactions and theft. Google … Read more

Under the pump: How tanker drivers are hustling to get fuel to where we need it

Source: Radio New Zealand Fuel tanker driver Cody Munro took RNZ’s Charlotte Cook along on his deliveries, to see how Aotearoa’s fuel gets distributed out to communities. RNZ / Charlotte Cook A Wellington fuel tanker could carry enough 91 petrol to run my Hybrid Rav 4 for nearly 30 years, but it might only cover … Read more

Night-time escapes from floodwaters: Mayor says better warnings needed

Source: Radio New Zealand Flooding at the old garage in Ōhura’s town centre on Sunday. A local resident said by the time this photo was taken, the water had gone down about half a metre or more. Supplied/ Ross Perry The mayor of one town hit by floods in the weekend says there could have … Read more

Black Ferns Sevens defend Hong Kong title with 19-14 win over Australia

Source: Radio New Zealand New Zealand celebrate winning the Cup final against Australia at the 2026 Hong Kong Sevens. www.photosport.nz The Black Ferns Sevens have defended their Hong Kong title with another victory over fierce rivals Australia. The 19-14 win handed New Zealand their sixth title of the season and their fourth straight in Hong … Read more

Woman and children believed killed in Hastings incident

Source: Radio New Zealand Police outside the Avenue Road East property in Hastings, on Sunday. RNZ / Anusha Bradley Two children and a woman have died following an incident at a property in Hastings, RNZ understands. It’s understood a man is in hospital in relation to the incident. A homicide investigation was launched after emergency … Read more

Have you seen Katrina?

Source: New Zealand Police Police are asking for the public’s help finding Katrina, who has been reported missing from the Ruakākā area. Katrina, 38, was last seen on Kihi Place during the early hours of this morning. She has black hair and is likely wearing black long sleeved pyjamas. Police and Katrina’s family have concerns … Read more

Live Weather: Flooding in Wellington as more downpours hit central NZ overnight

Source: Radio New Zealand Follow the latest with RNZ’s liveblog. Torrential rain that hit Wellington overnight caused flooding in several suburbs and in parts of the central city. A police officer officer stationed south of the Basin Reserve said people were being evacuated from Berhampore and Ohiro Road in Brooklyn. “It’s bad, there’s flooding everywhere,” … Read more

Weather: Flooding in Wellington as more downpours hit central NZ overnight

Source: Radio New Zealand Flooding oustide Wellington Hospital on Monday morning. RNZ / Rachel Helyer-Donaldson Torrential rain that hit Wellington overnight caused flooding in several suburbs and in parts of the central city. Emergency vehicles are out around the city, with pictures showing large amounts of water flowing along main routes, including along Adelaide road … Read more

Legal verification of India FTA complete and date for signing agreed

Source: New Zealand Government Legal verification of the New Zealand-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) has been completed with both countries agreeing its signing on 27 April in New Delhi in front of a large contingent of Indian and New Zealand businesses, Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay says. “This once-in-a-generation agreement gives our exporters unprecedented … Read more

PSA – Legal action over Te Puni Kōkiri’s failure to consult on restructure

Source: PSA The PSA will file legal action today with the Employment Relations Authority alleging Te Puni Kōkiri breached its collective agreement by excluding the union from the latest restructuring decisions. The plan could cost a further 27 roles at the already gutted Māori development agency. The PSA is seeking a compliance order from the Authority … Read more

Weather warnings lift for upper North Island, more rain for Lower North Island

Source: Radio New Zealand On Sunday night, MetService’s remaining warnings and watches in place for the lower North Island, upper South Island and West Coast. MetService/Screenshot MetService has lifted thunderstorm warnings for most of the North Island, except the Wellington Region and Tararua, with orange and yellow warnings and watches in place for Monday. A … Read more

After the deluge: Flood clean-up in Porirua

Source: Radio New Zealand Clean-up underway: Silt and gravel at Light House Cinemas, in Porirua’s Pāuatahanui, which was hit by unexpected flooding on Saturday. RNZ / Krystal Gibbens Porirua is facing more rain, as locals affected by unexpected flooding scramble to clean up their properties, extracting water from flooded carpets and shifting silt from flooded … Read more

SH 35 closed north of Gisborne after crash

Source: Radio New Zealand (file photo) 123rf One person has died and three more have been injured, and part of State Highway 35 has been closed following a crash near Whangara in Tairāwhiti. Emergency services were called to the two-vehicle crash crash about 6pm on Sunday and found one person dead at the scene, police … Read more

Auckland FC loss gives Premier’s Plate to Newcastle Jets

Source: Radio New Zealand Luis Gallegos Leiva of Auckland FC is a dejected figure after the 1-0 defeat. Andrew Cornaga / www.photosport.nz Second-placed Auckland FC’s hopes of winning the A-League Premier’s Plate have slipped away in a 1-0 defeat to lowly Central Coast Mariners at Mt Smart Stadium. The Mariners struck early on the counter … Read more

Welcome Bay councillor says tornado came without warning

Source: Radio New Zealand Maungatapu Marae in Tauranga’s Welcome Bay was impacted by the tornado on Sunday. Google Maps/Screenshot A Tauranga councillor says a tornado which tore through the Welcome Bay neighbourhood in the early hours of the morning came without warning. Lines company PowerCo reported more than 70 properties losing power in the suburb … Read more

Matt Payne romps to Supercars victory at Ruapuna Raceway

Source: Radio New Zealand Kiwi Matt Payne crosses the line, winning race 3 at Ruapuna in the inaugural Christchurch Supercars, on Saturday. Mark Horsburgh/EDGE Photographics Kiwi driver Matt Payne has triumphed over 61 laps at the Christchurch Supercars 440 at the Ruapuna Raceway. From pole position, Payne was in command throughout, leading home Kai Allen … Read more

Live: Weather warnings lift for upper North Island, more rain for Lower North Island

Source: Radio New Zealand On Sunday night, MetService’s remaining warnings and watches in place for the lower North Islan, upper South Island and West Coast. MetService/Screenshot MetService has lifted thunderstorm warnings for most of the North Island, except the Wellington Region and Tararua, with orange and yellow warnings and watches in place for Monday. A … Read more

National, Luxon fall in latest poll, coalition trails left bloc

Source: Radio New Zealand RNZ Analysis: A new poll showing National sitting on just 30 percent, and the coalition unable to govern, has set the stage for a crucial week in Christopher Luxon’s prime ministership. This result is National’s worst in the 1News-Verian poll since Luxon became leader in November 2021. Labour is up five … Read more

Poll result: National falls in favour, coalition count lower than left bloc

Source: Radio New Zealand RNZ / Alexander Robertson Analysis: A new poll showing National sitting on just 30 percent, and the coalition unable to govern, has set the stage for a crucial week in Christopher Luxon’s prime ministership. This result is National’s worst in the 1News-Verian poll since Luxon became leader in November 2021. Labour … Read more

Government rams through sweeping changes to Te Tiriti in legislation

Source: Green Party The Green Party is condemning the Government’s weakening of Te Tiriti o Waitangi provisions across multiple pieces of legislation.  “Pushing through these sweeping changes in secret shows this Government is a dishonourable Treaty partner,” says Green Party MP Tamatha Paul.  Documents seen by Paul outline Cabinet’s decision to amend Treaty provisions across 23 pieces of legislation.   Under the changes, … Read more

Viva La Dirt League: The Auckland internet sketch trio with billions of fans

Source: Radio New Zealand New Zealand Comedy collective Viva La Dirt League are an internet sensation. The group made up of actors, gamers and filmmakers make sketches who make sketches for “nerds on the internet” have millions of subscribers and billions of views across platforms various platforms. Prior to turning Viva La Dirt League into … Read more