Post-mortem to be carried out as investigation into ‘unexplained’ Christchurch death continues

Source: Radio New Zealand Police were investigating the death. (File photo) RNZ / Nate McKinnon A post-mortem would be carried out on Thursday after an “unexplained” death at a Christchurch property. Police were called to house on Main North Rd in Papanui shortly after 2.30pm on Wednesday. A person was found in a critical condition, … Read more

Scooter thief rolls into court

Source: New Zealand Police An offender’s attempt to steal a scooter in Mt Wellington this morning has failed to gain momentum. Auckland City East Area Response Manager, Senior Sergeant Tony Ngau Chun says around 12.20am Police received a report of a man seen entering a property on Mount Wellington Highway. “This man approached a scooter … Read more

Appeal for information following assault, Hamilton East

Source: New Zealand Police Attribute to Constable Jordyn Paekau:  Police are asking for the public’s help identifying the man and vehicle pictured, following an assault in Hamilton East in February. On Tuesday 17 February around 5.40pm, Police were called to Clyde Street with a report that a person had been assaulted. The victim received moderate … Read more

Investigation into unexplained death continues, Christchurch

Source: New Zealand Police Attribute to Detective Sergeant Rebecca Podmore:  A scene guard remains in place at an address in Papanui while enquiries are carried out following an unexplained death yesterday. At around 2.40pm, Police were called to a property on Main North Road where a person was located in a critical condition. Sadly, despite … Read more

Construction of new SH36 Hauraki Stream Bridge to begin this month

Source: New Zealand Government Transport Minister Chris Bishop announced today that replacement of an aging culvert on State Highway 36 between Tauranga and Rotorua will begin this month.  “State Highway 36 is a vital connection between Tauranga and Rotorua. The current culvert on SH36 north of Hamurana, while safe to use, is over 80 years … Read more

State Highway 2 blocked by slip in the Waioweka Gorge

Source: Radio New Zealand An earlier slip in the Waioweka Gorge. (File photo) Supplied / Rebecca Redpath A slip has blocked State Highway 2 in the Waioweka Gorge, south of Ōpōtiki. It was the main road and transport link into the Tairāwhiti region on the East Coast of the North Island. Contractors were on site … Read more

‘Sobering reading’: Waterways worsening around the country, report reveals

Source: Radio New Zealand A water quality monitor moored midstream south of Melling Bridge in Hutt River Te Awa Kairangi. Phil Pennington / RNZ The health of a large portion of the country’s waterways is worsening, a new freshwater report says. The Our Freshwater 2026 report, commissioned by the Ministry for the Environment and Stats … Read more

Otago rally revving up for its 50th year

Source: Radio New Zealand Drivers rehearsing for an earlier Otago rally. (File photo) RNZ / Tess Brunton The Otago Rally is revving and ready to hit the gravel for its 50th year in Dunedin with a bumper crop of competitors. More than 140 crews would be competing this weekend – close to 40 of them … Read more

Relief at the petrol pump on the way, fuel industry says

Source: Radio New Zealand Diesel prices on 8th of April. RNZ / Mark Papalii The fuel industry says people should start seeing some relief at the pump over the next week, despite motorists using diesel fearing prices could reach more than $4 a litre. Following news of the US and Iran ceasefire, oil prices have … Read more

Cyclone Maila down to Category 4 but warnings remain

Source: Radio New Zealand Tropical cyclone Maila, left, was a category 4 storm on Thursday morning, and cyclone Vaianu a category 2. Windy.com screenshot Severe Topical Cyclone Maila was downgraded to a Category 4 system on Wednesday night but alerts for Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands remain. The Australian Bureau of Meteorology said as … Read more

‘Serious worry’: Tairāwhiti growers fear impacts of Cyclone Vaianu

Source: Radio New Zealand Decimated kiwifruit orchard in Waiohiki after Cyclone Gabrielle. RNZ / Lauren Crimp Tairāwhiti growers are bracing for more wild weather as Cyclone Vaianu bears down on the country. With the rising cost of fuel and road closures already challenging the region, one of Gisborne’s major kiwifruit operations said the storm would … Read more

Ardijah singer’s first solo album a true ‘whānau journey’

Source: Radio New Zealand Since the 1980s, vocalist Betty-Anne Monga has been a prominent voice in Aotearoa‘s music scene fronting Auckland’s Poly Fonk outfit Ardijah. Now she is releasing her first solo album Slow Burn, a true “whānau journey” which she created alongside her whānau and friends. She had never even thought about creating a … Read more

Powerlines down, road closed in Auckland suburb

Source: Radio New Zealand Google Maps Repair crews are at a crash site in the Auckland suburb of Onehunga after a crash brought down powerlines on Thursday morning. Mount Smart Road is closed following the single-vehicle crash at 5.15am. Police say noone was injured. Cordons are in place between Arapuni Ave and Curzon Street. Motorists … Read more

What does the Iran ceasefire mean for KiwiSaver?

Source: Radio New Zealand AFP / Getty Images / Michael M Santiago KiwiSaver providers are hoping news of a ceasefire in the Iran conflict may give investment markets more support. Sharemarkets lifted on the announcement that US President Donald Trump was willing to enter a ceasefire agreement with Iran if the Strait of Hormuz was … Read more

Diesel users wear higher costs as prices rise

Source: Radio New Zealand Diesel prices on 8th of April. RNZ / Mark Papalii Motorists using diesel say they have little choice but to wear higher costs as prices reach more than $4 a litre in parts of the country. RNZ went out to speak to drivers at petrol stations about diesel becoming the most … Read more

Auckland principals concerned by new ERO school performance reports

Source: Radio New Zealand An example of the Education Review Office’s new reports about schools which it will introduce in April. Education Review Office A group of Auckland principals say new reports which rate schools performance are unfair on those in poorer areas, and are a one size fits all model. The Education Review Office … Read more

No plans to use Palantir in emerging defence-tech space, government says

Source: Radio New Zealand Defence Minister Judith Collins. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone A briefing shows former Defence Minister Judith Collins met US defence technology powerhouse Palantir in February on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference to talk about an ongoing “partnership”. Palantir had become the go-to tech company for the Pentagon and its AI … Read more

Officials want Stewart Island solar powered by Christmas in face of rising diesel costs

Source: Radio New Zealand A long-promised project to shift Stewart Island to solar power could be underway within months and operational by Christmas, officials say. Rakiura’s 480 residents currently rely entirely on diesel for power generation, and are bracing for a steep rise in prices due to the conflict in the Middle East. Southland Mayor … Read more

Motorcyclists put rego on hold in protest against ACC

Source: Radio New Zealand 123RF Motorcyclists are putting their bike registrations on hold in protest at what they say are unfair increases to ACC levies. Levies are paid as past of registration. From July this year, motorbikes would be classified into three sizes depending on their size. Large diesel motorcycles, over 750cc, would be charged … Read more

Why All the President’s Men is as relevant as it was 50 years ago

Source: Radio New Zealand Nighttime. A dim and dingy car park. Woefully inadequate fluorescent lights flicker and buzz overhead. Two men stand in half-shadow. One is barely visible, his face almost entirely swallowed by darkness. His voice is low and gravelly: “The list is longer than anyone can imagine. It involves the entire US intelligence … Read more

Tough road to electrifying New Zealand’s truck fleet

Source: Radio New Zealand Foodstuffs North Island has introduced the first battery electric truck and trailer unit to its long-haul fleet. Supplied / Foodstuffs North Island A total lack of public charging infrastructure, high upfront costs and strict weight regulations are behind sluggish uptake of EVs in New Zealand’s heavy fleet, operators and advocates say. … Read more

When can I start taking my children running?

Source: Radio New Zealand Kids who exercise — running or otherwise — have a reduced risk of childhood obesity, improved heart health, better mental health and a greater chance of being active in adulthood, says Hunter Bennett, a senior lecturer in sport science at Adelaide University. While there is no hard and fast rule about … Read more

DIY shareholders holding steady despite market volatility

Source: Radio New Zealand Do-it-yourself retail shareholders are holding on to their shares. Supplied/123rf Do-it-yourself retail shareholders are holding on to their shares, despite price volatility associated with the war in Iran. The Sharesies Index, which ranks overall investor confidence on a scale from zero to 100, hit a four-year high of 64 points in … Read more

Experts await latest weather models to get clearer picture of Cyclone Vaianu’s path

Source: Radio New Zealand The predicted path of Cyclone Vaianu. The cone of uncertainty as it heads south is still quite large. Zoom Earth MetService staff will be casting their eyes over the latest weather models on Thursday to try to get a clearer picture of what path Cyclone Vaianu could carve. At the moment … Read more

Almost 40 percent of public-sector physiotherapists want to quit their jobs – study

Source: Radio New Zealand Nearly 40 percent of public-sector physiotherapists want to leave their jobs, according to a new study. 123RF Nearly 40 percent of public-sector physiotherapists want to leave their jobs, according to a new study out of Otago University. Published in the New Zealand Journal of Physiotherapy, the study provides what the authors … Read more