Allocation process for flight landings in Westland Tai Poutini National Park opens

Source: NZ Department of Conservation Date:  20 March 2026 The allocations process is the way DOC manages aircraft landings in and around the popular South Westland glaciers. Currently, four businesses are directly involved in landings in the Park, which are a significant drawcard to visitors wanting to experience the glacier landscape. This allocation follows a consultation … Read more

Fog disrupts flights at Wellington airport

Source: Radio New Zealand Some Sounds Air flights had been cancelled due to fog. RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King MetService says low cloud disrupting flights in the capital is already starting to lift. Wellington airport said 12 flights had been cancelled and a further 10 delayed on Friday morning. An airport spokesperson said the weather was … Read more

Pumping wastewater into Kawarau River only option, Queenstown mayor says

Source: Radio New Zealand The Kawarau River. 123rf Queenstown’s mayor says pumping treated wastewater into the “pristine” Kawarau River is the council’s only realistic option. Queenstown Lakes District councillors agreed on Thursday to lodge a 35-year resource consent application for discharge from the Shotover Wastewater Treatment Plant, while staff keep looking for alternative solutions to … Read more

Iran war hits Kiwi wallets hard, as economist warns of another recession

Source: Radio New Zealand RNZ / Nick Monro Higher fuel costs mean higher transport costs, and that means higher prices across the board – and that’s a hard pill to swallow for Kiwis three years into a cost-of-living crisis. Kiwis are already feeling the expensive ripple effects of the war in Iran – and economists … Read more

Government looking at ways to assist families with increasing costs due to Middle East conflict

Source: Radio New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Finance Minister Nicola Willis face questions on the fuel crisis. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone With the cost of fuel and other essentials rising due to the conflict in the Middle East, the government is looking at ways to ease the cost pressure for those feeling it … Read more

Military alliances: is NZ getting a tangled web or a ticket to get in?

Source: Radio New Zealand China is warning that military alliances will likely escalate rather than de-escalate tensions. NZ Defence Force China is warning that alliances will likely escalate rather than de-escalate tensions and “spread rather than limit the conflicts”. The warning delivered by its ambassador in a hardhitting speech on geopolitics in Wellington on Thursday … Read more

Too expensive to smile: Calls grow for universal, Te Tiriti-consistent dental care

Source: Radio New Zealand A dentist provides dental care to a girl. AFP/ Thibaut Durand/ Hans Lucas Nearly half of adults in Aotearoa are avoiding dental care because they cannot afford it, leaving many in chronic pain, at risk of serious infection, or in need of hospital treatment. New research and frontline experiences are painting … Read more

Faulty alarm and surge protection led to Mahurangi River wastewater spill, reviews find

Source: Radio New Zealand A wastewater spill into the Mahurangi River meant farmers had dump thousands of oysters because of contamination. Supplied A critical overflow alarm that was not working and a faulty surge protection component in a North Auckland wastewater pump station were factors that led to what is believed to be the biggest … Read more

Lower Hutt businesses report 50 percent drop as roadworks roll on in city centre

Source: Radio New Zealand Lower Hutt businesses say they’re swiftly losing cash, and one’s shut up shop, as roadworks roll on in the city centre. Authorities are sorry for the disruption, but say the work is essential. Hutt City Council, Greater Wellington Regional Council and the Transport Agency are running multiple projects to future-proof service … Read more

How much might prices rise, and when?

Source: Radio New Zealand Rising oil prices are expecting to put pressure on prices across New Zealand. But from food to coffee and petrol to clothes, what are sectors expecting? RNZ set out to ask. Petrol Mike Newton, spokesperson for fuel monitoring app Gaspy, said if crude oil prices were to remain at Thursday afternoon … Read more

Rising cost of fuel forces Kiwis to consider alternative transport to save money

Source: Radio New Zealand Cost-of-living pressures are picking up again, driven in part by sharp increases in fuel prices linked to the conflict in the Middle East. So, are people ditching their cars, dusting off their bikes, or turning to public transport to save money? At Auckland’s Waitematā Station, commuters poured off trains into the … Read more

NZ prepares for uncertainty at the pump as it eyes prolonged Middle East conflict

Source: Radio New Zealand New Zealand is preparing for a prolonged conflict in the Middle East as attacks on the world’s largest natural gasfield create even more uncertainty at the pump. RNZ / Quin Tauetau New Zealand is preparing for a prolonged conflict in the Middle East as attacks on the world’s largest natural gasfield … Read more

How people and businesses with tax debt can avoid IRD penalties

Source: Radio New Zealand Taxpayers who have debt for the 2023 and 2024 tax years are being given another option to avoid paying penalties to Inland Revenue. As part of an amendment to the Taxation Bill, a pilot programme is being launched that will allow people with tax debt to settle it via tax pooling, … Read more

What is vaginismus and how do you know if you have it?

Source: Radio New Zealand Madeleine Edwards had never heard of vaginismus, but about six months after giving birth to her daughter, Carmine, she was diagnosed with the condition. The 31-year-old, who lives in Naarm/Melbourne, says it was a “heavy” diagnosis to receive as she adjusted to motherhood. According to experts, women and those assigned female … Read more

Family’s anger after man who killed nearly three decades ago kills again

Source: Radio New Zealand Supplied Nearly three decades after Fiona Maulolo was killed by her partner Leslie Parr, he killed again, this time his mother. Maulolo’s sister spoke with National Crime Correspondent Sam Sherwood about the family’s loss, their anger, and the many questions they have. Tina Maulolo was at home when she heard a … Read more

Twinning: The Tauranga school with 13 sets of twins

Source: Radio New Zealand As the saying goes, what is in the water supply of Ōtūmoetai? The leafy suburb in Tauranga is producing twins at a rate that is far above the global average of 1.2 percent with Ōtūmoetai Primary School hitting about 5 percent of students who are twins. There are 13 sets at … Read more

‘Deliberate’ police leaks to put him in ‘worst possible light’, McSkimming claims

Source: Radio New Zealand RNZ / Mark Papalii Disgraced former Deputy Police Commissioner Jevon McSkimming claimed leaking of information about police investigations into him had been “deliberate and well-informed” and was intended to “portray me in the worst possible light”. The claims were made in an affidavit by McSkimming last year in support of an … Read more

Iran war hits Kiwi wallets hard

Source: Radio New Zealand Gull said three percent of its sites had not been able to meet the extra demand from customer when it cut prices on its regular Thursday promotion on March 12. Nick Monro / RNZ Higher fuel costs mean higher transport costs, and that means higher prices across the board – and … Read more

“The Majestic Han: A Golden Age of Vigour and Cultural Integration” exhibition opens

Source: Media Outreach HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 19 March 2026 – The opening ceremony of the exhibition titled “The Majestic Han: A Golden Age of Vigour and Cultural Integration” was held today (March 19) at the Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre. The exhibition is jointly organised by the Development Bureau (DEVB) … Read more

How a crucial 45-minute meeting between ministers took pay equity claims away from tens of thousands of women

Source: Radio New Zealand People rallied outside Parliament on Budget Day last year, protesting the major changes made by the coalition. RNZ/Marika Khabazi In the early afternoon of 19 March, 2025, a small group of the country’s most powerful ministers joined an online meeting to discuss the future of 180,000 New Zealand workers. Forty-five minutes … Read more

Bullying allegations see senior Corrections staffer Leigh Marsh under investigation

Source: Radio New Zealand Corrections’ Commissioner of Custodial Services Leigh Marsh. Supplied / Corrections One of Corrections’ most senior staff is under investigation over allegations of bullying. RNZ can reveal that Corrections commissioner of custodial services Leigh Marsh is facing an employment investigation. In response to questions about the inquiry into Marsh, Corrections chief executive … Read more

Benefit rates rise, but is it enough?

Source: Radio New Zealand Benefit rates are set to rise on 1 April. RNZ / Quin Tauetau Benefit rates are set to rise on 1 April, but there are concerns that they won’t be enough to keep up with the rapidly rising cost of living. JobSeeker for a single person over 25 will increase from … Read more

New multi-million dollar plant in Kawerau to become home to Southern Hemisphere first

Source: Radio New Zealand Supplied Small-town Bay of Plenty is about to be home to a Southern Hemisphere first with big benefits in the fight against potent greenhouse gases. A new multi-million dollar plant officially opens in Kawerau on Friday to safely destroy harmful synthetic refrigerants. The Trust for the Destruction of Synthetic Refrigerants, which … Read more

Christchurch mosque attacks coronial inquiry paused because of other court action

Source: Radio New Zealand Deputy Chief Coroner Brigitte Windley. Iain McGregor/The Press The coronial inquiry into the Christchurch mosque attacks has been paused because of other court action. Deputy Chief Coroner Brigitte Windley last week adjourned the second-phase inquiry, which is examining how white supremacist terrorist Brenton Tarrant came to obtain the guns used in … Read more

Fewer victims of crime, annual Justice survey reveals

Source: Radio New Zealand The annual Crime and Victims Survey showed 28 percent of adults – or 1.2 million people – were victims of crime during the 12 months to October 2025. 123rf.com New figures from the Ministry of Justice show fewer people are becoming victims of crime. The latest results from the annual Crime … Read more

‘I feel let down’: Complainants to sport integrity agency wait 15 months for resolution

Source: Radio New Zealand Yachting NZ was the first national sports body to come under investigation by the Sport Integrity Commission. AFP/NICOLAS TUCAT When multihull sailor Liz Alonzi first spoke to investigators from the Sport Integrity Commission, she was asked if she would like to add her complaint to the “melting pot” of allegations about … Read more

Super Rugby preview: The bus is back, All Black’s son to debut

Source: Radio New Zealand Hurricanes player Warner Dearns celebrates after he scores a try. Photosport A Hurricane warning is in effect in Super Rugby Pacific. The ‘Canes have climbed to the top of the ladder, edging out the Brumbies on points differential and with a game in hand. The Brumbies have well and truly stalled … Read more