Consultation on Proposed Amendments to the Specified Prescription Medicines List for Designated Pharmacist Prescribers: Analysis of submissions

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Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health Publication date: 2 March 2026 Designated pharmacist prescribers have met specific requirements and are registered in an additional scope of practice by the Pharmacy Council. They work in collaborative multidisciplinary teams and only prescribe medicines within their specific area of practice, from a gazetted list of specified prescription medicines. … Read more

Christopher Luxon won’t say if NZ supports US strikes on Iran

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Source: Radio New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon RNZ / Marika Khabazi Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has told Morning Report the Iranian regime is an evil one and has been a destabilising force in the Middle East. But he would not be drawn on whether the government supports the strikes by the United States and … Read more

AI scribe now in every emergency department

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Source: New Zealand Government Every emergency department in the country now has access to an artificial intelligence scribe tool, marking a major milestone in reducing administrative burden and freeing up frontline clinicians to focus more on patient care, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. “AI scribe technology is now live in all emergency departments across New … Read more

PSA nurses vote to accept settlement

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Source: New Zealand Government Health Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the successful ratification of two new collective agreements for members of the Public Service Association (PSA), covering Public Health Nurses and Mental Health Nurses in Auckland and the Rest of New Zealand. “I am pleased for the approximately 3500 nurses employed by Health New Zealand … Read more

2026 Taite Music Prize finalists announced

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Source: Radio New Zealand Marlon Williams, Geneva AM, Tom Scott and Jazmine Mary are among 10 finalists for the 2026 Taite Music Prize. The award, named in honour of late Dylan Taite, one of Aotearoa’s respected music journalists, recognises outstanding independent New Zealand albums released in the past year. The award will be presented on … Read more

‘Ens…ification’ blamed as Kiwis feel down about internet

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Source: Radio New Zealand Sixty percent of Kiwis use AI weekly, but 68 percent are ‘very or extremely concerned’ about it being used to produce harmful content. File photo. 123rf Fewer and fewer New Zealanders are feeling positive about the internet, despite many spending hours online per day. A study by Internet NZ has found … Read more

Health workers vote to ratify new collective agreement with Health NZ

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Source: Radio New Zealand File photo. RNZ / Peter de Graaf More than 3500 health workers have voted to ratify a new collective agreement with Health New Zealand after a drawn out 18-month bargaining process. Mental health nurses and assistants are included in the agreement, which will give them a 2.5 percent pay rise and … Read more

I’m educated and a fan of science, so why do I follow superstitions?

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Source: Radio New Zealand As kids, many of us are told that if we go outside with wet hair, we’ll catch a cold. And as adults, we might spend an extra few minutes drying our hair before stepping out. Many tall buildings in Anglo countries don’t label the 13th floor, while buildings in East Asia … Read more

‘Ens…ification’ blamed for as Kiwis feel down about internet

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Source: Radio New Zealand Sixty percent of Kiwis use AI weekly, but 68 percent are ‘very or extremely concerned’ about it being used to produce harmful content. File photo. 123rf Fewer and fewer New Zealanders are feeling positive about the internet, despite many spending hours online per day. A study by Internet NZ has found … Read more

Person dies in crash, car submerged in river

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Source: Radio New Zealand RNZ / Nate McKinnon A person has died on State Highway 1 in Taihape, to the north of Spooners Hill. Police were advised at 7.25am on Sunday that a car had gone off the road and into Hautapu River. The car was found submerged in the river with significant damage from … Read more

One killed in Ruapehu crash

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Source: Radio New Zealand Emergency services were called to the scene in the Ruapehu District just after 11pm on Sunday (file image). RNZ / Richard Tindiller One person has died after a three-vehicle crash on State Highway 4 in the settlement of Erua on Sunday night. Emergency services were called to the scene in the … Read more

Rugby: All Blacks halfback Cortez Ratima re-commits to NZ Rugby to after next World Cup.

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Source: Radio New Zealand Will Jordan celebrates with Cortez Ratima after scoring. Wallabies v New Zealand All Blacks, 2024 Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup test match, Accor Stadium, NSW, Australia, Saturday 21st September 2024, Copyright David Neilson / www.photosport.nz David Neilson/Photosport All Blacks halfback Cortez Ratima has re-signed with New Zealand Rugby and the Chiefs … Read more

Official advice about Ehlers-Danlos syndromes and hypermobility spectrum disorder labelled ‘incredibly damaging’

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Source: Radio New Zealand Some patients with a rare disorder experience complications and have to rely on feeding tubes, intravenous fluids and strong pain killers. 123rf People living with a rare connective tissue disorder say new Health New Zealand guidance about their condition is misleading, with some fearing it could leave them without treatment that … Read more

‘Enshittification’ blamed for fewer NZers feeling positive about the internet

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Source: Radio New Zealand Sixty percent of Kiwis use AI weekly, but 68 percent are ‘very or extremely concerned’ about it being used to produce harmful content. File photo. 123rf Fewer and fewer New Zealanders are feeling positive about the internet, despite many spending hours online per day. A study by Internet NZ has found … Read more

Iranian NZers ‘incredibly hopeful’ attacks will lead to swift regime change

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Source: Radio New Zealand People mourn the death of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in joint US and Israeli strikes, in Tehran AFP / ATTA KENARE As strikes and retaliations continue in the Middle East, there has been a mixed response from Iranian-New Zealanders – but some see the US attempt … Read more

Nangs in corner dairies: ‘Should we be stocking this product at all?’

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Source: Radio New Zealand Taking nangs off the shelves is “the first starting point to make sure that you’re safe”, says Retail NZ. File photo. AFP / BENJAMIN POLGE Dairies and convenience stores need to pull nangs from the shelves, the retailers’ association says. Police have been warning that problems around the huffing of nitrous … Read more

Young farmer eyes first home dream as KiwiSaver rules change

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Source: Radio New Zealand Liam Herbert, a 25-year-old farmer on a sheep and beef station in Wairarapa, said the changes would allow him to buy his first home and pursue his career by living on a farm. RNZ/Anneke Smith A young farmer is looking forward to supercharging his savings towards a first home, now that … Read more

Basketball: Will next NZ Breakers coach be homegrown talent?

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Source: Radio New Zealand Judd Flavell and Aaron Young have been assistant coaches in the Australian NBL. Photosport A worldwide search for the next NZ Breakers head coach could end closer to home. Breakers president of basketball operations Dillon Boucher said the club would advertise globally to replace Petteri Koponen, who left at the end … Read more

Labour still ahead on cost of living, neck and neck with National on economy – Ipsos survey

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Source: Radio New Zealand Labour is seen as most capable on three of the top five issues, and equal with National on a fourth. File photo. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone Labour remains ahead on most of the key issues in the latest Ipsos Issues Monitor, but National has improved its ratings on the economy and … Read more

Transmission network already threatened by climate hazards, data shows

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Source: Radio New Zealand RNZ Thousands of high-voltage pylons and other national grid sites are exposed to flooding, along with hundreds of kilometres of transmission lines, data provided to RNZ shows. Network owners say increasingly frequent severe weather driven by climate change is heightening the flooding risk to distribution infrastructure too, along with damage caused … Read more

‘Good sleep’ is new flex for 2026

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Source: Radio New Zealand Brian Sciascia is all about measuring progress. As the owner of a Wellington gym, his days are spent encouraging people to keep tabs on their health and fitness choices. As the dad of a seven-year-old and a 10-month-old, his nights are all about sleep, or rather how much of it he’s … Read more

Truckers surprised by update of NZ’s 50-year-old manual on bridge building

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Source: Radio New Zealand Close up of a truck wheel. siwakorn / 123RF Truckers are worried that they will not be allowed to drive over bridges being built on the government’s Roads of National Significance. Two bridges built recently on State Highway 1 in Auckland and a third in Waikato are off limits to the … Read more

Iran attack sparks warning for KiwiSaver, fuel, inflation

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Source: Radio New Zealand Investors can brace for share market volatility and potentially higher fuel prices. RNZ / Dan Cook Investors can brace for volatility over the coming days as markets digest the impact and implications of attacks on Iran, as well as potentially higher fuel prices. “We’re expecting when markets open on Monday there … Read more

Fatal crash – State Highway 1, Taihape

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Source: New Zealand Police One person has died in a crash on State Highway 1, Taihape, to the north of Spooners Hill yesterday morning. Police were advised at 7.25am that a car had gone off the road and into Hautapu River. On arrival, the car was located submerged in the river, with significant damage from … Read more

Live: Israel says its airforce strikes Iran again, Iran continues to retaliate

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Source: Radio New Zealand Residents watch from the roofs of their houses as plumes of smoke rise following reported explosions in Tehran AFP / ATTA KENARE Follow the latest with our live blog above Israel has begun a fresh wave of strikes on Iran, targetting the Iranian leadership, its air defences and its ballistic missile … Read more

Tech – Not all experiences equal when it comes to the Internet

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Source: InternetNZ Most of us are online, a lot – but not all of us are having the same experience, new research from InternetNZ | Ipurangi Aotearoa shows. Internet Insights is an annual survey commissioned by InternetNZ that acts as a pulse check on Aotearoa New Zealand’s Internet use and community. The 2025 survey showed Māori, … Read more

Mental Health Nurses & Assistants, and Public Health Nurses ratify new collective agreement – PSA

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Source: PSA More than 3,500 Mental Health Nurses, Public Health Nurses and Mental Health Assistants who are members of the PSA have voted overwhelmingly to ratify a new collective agreement with Te Whatu Ora Health NZ. The agreement was reached after eighteen months of bargaining involving 32 days of bargaining and mediation, said Fleur Fitzsimons, National … Read more