Plea of sobriety falls flat after ‘shocking’ breath test result

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Source: New Zealand Police A call to Police about a swerving car in Nelson potentially saved lives overnight, and the breath test result left officers stunned. The caller rang Police about 6.45pm on Thursday, to say a vehicle was “all over the road” and had three near-misses with other motorists. The car in question was … Read more

$1.1 million in cannabis plants out of the community

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Source: New Zealand Police Christchurch Police have taken around $1.1 million out of the hands of organised crime following an investigation targeting cannabis cultivation on a commercial scale. The operation’s enquiries resulted in Police conducting a search warrant at a premises in Waltham on Wednesday 25 March. Detective Senior Sergeant Tania Jellyman says over 1,000 … Read more

Northland News – Councils respond to Juken NZ Ltd announcement

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Source: Northland Regional Council JOINT MEDIA RELEASE – NORTHLAND REGIONAL COUNCIL AND FAR NORTH DISTRICT COUNCIL Northland Regional Council (NRC) and Far North District Council (FNDC) acknowledge the uncertainty created by today’s announcement from Juken New Zealand Ltd as the company begins consultation on the future of its Kaitāia operations. FNDC Mayor Moko Tepania says the … Read more

Labour leader Chris Hipkins denies misleading public over Covid vaccine risk to under 18s

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Source: Radio New Zealand Labour leader Chris Hipkins speaking to media on Friday. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone Labour leader Chris Hipkins has denied misleading New Zealanders after revelations he had been aware of the potential risks to teenagers of a second Covid-19 vaccine dose in 2022 despite recently claiming otherwise. Earlier this month, Hipkins said … Read more

Closure of intersection in Hamilton’s south-east causes commuter chaos

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Source: Radio New Zealand Southbound traffic on the Waikato Expressway queuing to get off at the Tamahere interchange during rush hour on a week day. Natalie Akoorie The closure of an intersection on a state highway feeding into Hamilton’s south-east has turned surrounding roads into commuter chaos. In mid-February Hamilton City Council closed the Hillcrest … Read more

Christchurch’s new Te Kaha One New Zealand Stadium opens

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Source: Radio New Zealand RNZ / Nate McKinnon Christchurch’s new covered stadium was put to the test as it is officially opened on a wet and stormy day in the southern city. The $683 million stadium is the last of the city’s anchor projects intended to revitalise Christchurch after the earthquakes. It has 25,000 permanent … Read more

NRL: NZ Warriors star Leka Halasima fronts media for first time before Wests Tigers game

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Source: Radio New Zealand Leka Halasima had no idea he was about to start, as he warmed up against Canberra. Andrew Cornaga/Photosport NRL: NZ Warriors v Wests Tigers Kickoff 8pm, Friday, 27 March Go Media Stadium, Auckland Live blog updates on rnz.co.nz Over his short, but spectacular NRL career, NZ Warriors star Leka Halasima has … Read more

NZ-based Canadian billionaire Jim Grenon becomes NZME’s largest shareholder

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Source: Radio New Zealand Jim Grenon’s stake now sits 0.1 percent below the threshold that would trigger a compulsory takeover offer. Supplied/RNZ: Brad White New Zealand-based Canadian billionaire Jim Grenon has increased his shareholding in listed media company NZME, owner of the New Zealand Herald and Newstalk ZB. A notice to the NZX shows Grenon … Read more

Agenda for April 2026 Cancer Treatments advisory committee (CTAC) meeting

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Source: PHARMAC Information on what the Cancer Treatments Advisory Committee (CTAC) will be considering at its upcoming meeting in April 2026. Applications Alectinib ECOG status change The Committee will discuss recent feedback and seek advice on widening access to alectinib for first line treatment of people with poorer Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (ECOG) … Read more

Synlait juggles high milk price risk with retaining farmer-suppliers: agri-business expert

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Source: Radio New Zealand A Synlait milk truck. Synlait/supplied Paying dairy farmers a premium for their white gold could come at a cost to Synlait Milk, according to an agribusiness expert. The Dunsandel-based processor and exporter increased its farmgate milk price this week to up to $9.90 per kilogram of milk solids for the financial … Read more

Bluebridge ferry passengers frustrated by ongoing disruption to sailings

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Source: Radio New Zealand The Connemara has been out of service since last week. File photo RNZ / Ben Strang Bluebridge ferry passengers are feeling deflated and frustrated by ongoing disruption to sailings, with one ferry out of action and the other running four hours behind schedule. Sailings on Connemara have been canned for the … Read more

Business – Manufacturing job losses highlight urgent need to back NZ made

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Source: Buy NZ Made The closure of the McCain processing plant and today’s announcement of 300 job losses at Wattie’s underscore the mounting pressure facing New Zealand’s manufacturing sector, Buy NZ Made says. Executive Director Dane Ambler says today is a stark reminder that local producers are operating in an increasingly difficult environment with rising costs, … Read more

Storm News – Awanui scheme handles twice the volume of infamous 1958 flood

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Source: Northland Regional Council The Far North’s upgraded Awanui flood scheme has successfully handled a record amount of floodwater – almost twice that of an infamous 1958 event that saw floodwaters more than a metre deep inundate Kaitaia township. Northland Regional Councillor Joe Carr, who chairs the Awanui River Working Group and is deputy chair of … Read more

Health – Leading respiratory charity calls for urgent action on child respiratory health following stark new report

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Source: Asthma and Respiratory Foundation The Government must urgently fund RSV protection, expand free flu vaccinations, and tackle unhealthy housing, as record numbers of children are being hospitalised with respiratory illness, a leading respiratory charity warns. Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ is backing calls in the newly released Cure Kids 2026 State of Child Health Report, … Read more

Healthcare and Politics – Show us the money – home support workers can’t afford to wait

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Source: PSA Home support workers are calling on the Government to stop talking and start acting after Finance Minister Nicola Willis signalled it was considering extra funding for essential services hit by rising petrol prices. The Finance Minister today said Health Minister Simeon Brown was looking at helping the 23,000 essential home support workers, whose mileage … Read more

Business – Heinz Wattie’s Confirms Changes to Operations in New Zealand

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Source: Heinz Wattie’s Heinz Wattie’s has today advised its people that it will proceed with plans to close manufacturing sites in Christchurch, Dunedin and Auckland, as well as the frozen packing lines in Hastings. This will see a discontinuation of its frozen vegetables, coffee and dips businesses. The announcement follows a formal consultation process, with … Read more

Speech to the Property Council

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Source: New Zealand Government Good afternoon, everyone.  I’d like to thank Denise for the warm welcome and Leonie, and the rest of Property Council NZ for inviting me to speak. It’s been about six months since I spoke to you at The Property Conference in Queenstown –  I’m disappointed to see there is no pool … Read more

Woolworths fined $33,000 over Dunedin rodent infestation

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Source: NZ Ministry for Primary Industries Woolworths New Zealand Limited has been fined $33,000 over its failure to properly escalate and manage a rodent infestation at one of its supermarkets in Dunedin.   The company was sentenced at the Dunedin District Court today following a successful prosecution by New Zealand Food Safety having earlier pleaded … Read more

Police yet to investigate what technology is needed gather intelligence as part of new bill

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Source: Radio New Zealand (File photo) RNZ / Richard Tindiller Police say they have not yet started investigating what technologies they might need to implement intelligence-gathering powers contained in a new bill that would give police new powers to move and detain. They also said public consultation on the policing amendment bill would happen at … Read more

Tech-Driven Restoration: Saving the World’s Critically Endangered White-headed Langur

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Source: Media Outreach Through decades of careful conservation efforts, the white-headed langur population has increased from just over 300 in the 1980s to more than 1,400 across 130 groups today. An AI-powered system covers more than 20 monitoring stations in the Guangxi Chongzuo White-headed Langur National Nature Reserve. It has logged 37,200 detections of langur … Read more

Ten tarāpuka / black-billed gulls poisoned in Te Anau

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Source: Radio New Zealand The Department of Conservation is investigating the poisoning of ten black-billed gulls in Te Anau. Supplied / Department of Conservation The Department of Conservation is investigating the poisoning of 10 black-billed gulls in Te Anau. Five of the native birds were found sick on the foreshore in January and were euthanised. … Read more

Woolworths fined $33,000 over rat infestation at South Dunedin supermarket

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Source: Radio New Zealand South Dunedin Countdown temporarily closed after rats were trapped in February, 2024. RNZ / Tess Brunton Woolworths New Zealand has been fined $33,000 for failing to properly deal with a rat infestation at its South Dunedin supermarket. The store was closed for almost three weeks in February 2024 to eliminate the … Read more

Households closing their wallets as consumer confidence falls

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Source: Radio New Zealand RNZ Consumer Confidence falls to 91.3 points from 100.1 in February A net negative 14 percent of households think it is a good time to make a major purchase A net 10 percent expect to be better off this time next year, down from last month’s net 20 percent A net … Read more

Synlait juggles high milk price risk with retaining farmer-suppliers

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Source: Radio New Zealand A Synlait milk truck. Synlait/supplied Paying dairy farmers a premium for their white gold could come at a cost to Synlait Milk, according to an agribusiness expert. The Dunsandel-based processor and exporter increased its farmgate milk price this week to up to $9.90 per kilogram of milk solids for the financial … Read more

Voicecomm Technology (02495.HK) Announces 2025 Annual Results

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Source: Media Outreach High-Quality Growth with Improved Gross Profit Margin, increasing R&D Investment and Strategic Focus on Trustworthy Agents Ecosystem HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 27 March 2026 – Voicecomm Technology Co., Ltd. (“Voicecomm Technology” or the “Company“, Stock Code: 2495.HK), a core technology provider and ecosystem operator of trustworthy conversational AI … Read more

Land acquisition underway for future South Auckland hospital

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Source: New Zealand Government The next step toward delivering a new hospital for South Auckland is underway, with Health New Zealand seeking proposals from landowners in Drury for a future hospital site, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. “Health New Zealand has begun a targeted process to identify and purchase a large, suitable site in the … Read more