Advocacy – Up to 50 New Zealanders are fighting Israel’s genocide in Gaza – PSNA

Source: Palestinian Solidarity Network Aotearoa – PSNA   PSNA is calling for government accountability to stop and punish New Zealanders going to fight in Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza.   A UK report by Classified, from official Israeli sources, shows 39 dual New Zealand/Israeli citizens, and 11 others with more than one additional passport, are serving … Read more

Tamariki are still no safer now than when Malachi died – 24 more child deaths at hands of carers

Source: Aroturuki Tamariki | Independent Children’s Monitor A second review by Aroturuki Tamariki | Independent Children’s Monitor, on the implementation of the recommendations made by Dame Karen Poutasi following the death of Malachi Subecz has found tamariki (children) are still no safer now than when Malachi died. The review, Towards a stronger safety net to … Read more

Oversight agencies call for faster change to keep children safe following second review by Independent Children’s Monitor

Source: Independent Children’s Monitor, and Children’s Commissioner and Ombudsman Oversight agencies are calling on government agencies in the children’s system to act faster in the wake of a report published today which has found children are still no safer than when Malachi Subecz was killed by his carer in 2021. Aroturuki Tamariki | Independent Children’s … Read more

Economy – OCR on hold at 2.25% with inflation expected to fall – Reserve Bank of NZ

Source: Reserve Bank of New Zealand 18 February 2026 – Annual consumers price inflation was slightly above the Monetary Policy Committee’s 1 to 3 percent target band at the end of 2025. Increases in food and electricity prices and local council rates were the biggest contributors to above-target inflation. The economy is at an early stage … Read more

Police investigation continues into Kaihu dog attack

Source: New Zealand Police Police are continuing to investigate a woman’s death in Kaihu after she was attacked by dogs yesterday. Emergency services responded to the rural address off State Highway 12 at about 11.25am on 17 February. Detective Senior Sergeant Shane Pilmer, Whangārei CIB, says: “This was a very upsetting and tragic event in … Read more

Police seek help after Mount Maunganui landslide cordon breaches

Source: Radio New Zealand Police are seeking the public’s help in identifying the people in the images provided, who police believe can help with enquiries into a breach of the Mount Maunganui landslide cordon. SUPPLIED/POLICE Bay of Plenty Police are asking for the public’s help to identify three people they believe can help with enquiries … Read more

Children still no safer than when Malachi Subecz was murdered – latest report

Source: Radio New Zealand Children are still no safer than when Malachi Subecz was murdered, according to a new report from the Independent Children’s Monitor. It is the second review of the implementation of the recommendations from a report into Malachi’s death, and has showed little progress has been made. Malachi died of a blunt … Read more

Ahuwhenua Trophy finalists announced

Source: New Zealand Government Agriculture Minister Todd McClay and Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka today congratulated the finalists for this year’s Ahuwhenua Trophy competition. The three finalists for 2026, Mātai Pacific Iwi Collective and Otama Marere Trust which are both based in the Bay of Plenty, and Northland’s Ngāti Hine Forestry Trust, were announced at … Read more

Pedestrian seriously injured after Māngere crash involving a truck

Source: Radio New Zealand Police said the pedestrian has been taken to Middlemore Hospital with serious injuries. RNZ / Richard Tindiller A pedestrian is seriously injured after a crash involving a truck in South Auckland. It happened at the intersection of Savill Drive and Massey Road in Māngere East just before midday on Wednesday. Police … Read more

New Pharmac proposal for blood cancer patients

Source: New Zealand Government Associate Health Minister David Seymour and Health Minister Simeon Brown welcome Pharmac’s proposal to fund two new combination therapies for people with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL), a type of blood cancer. “Improving access to cancer medication in New Zealand is important to cancer patients, and their families. That’s why it has … Read more

Pharmac looks to fund two new medicines for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia

Source: Radio New Zealand Two new medicines for people with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia could be on the way, with Pharmac proposing to fund venetoclax with ibrutinib or with obinutuzumab. If accepted, the combination therapies could be available as first line treatments from 1 May 2026. Associate Health Minister David Seymour said CLL was not curable, … Read more

Pharmac proposes funding new treatments that could transform early care for people with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, a type of blood cancer

Source: PHARMAC People in New Zealand living with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) could soon benefit from funded access to targeted treatments under a new proposal from Pharmac. Pharmac is consulting on a change that would fund two new treatment combinations – venetoclax with ibrutinib, and venetoclax with obinutuzumab – for people with CLL. If approved, … Read more

Gumboot Friday Wraps January in Hope: Giving 1,311 Young Kiwis a Lifeline

Source: Gumboot Friday In January 2026, Gumboot Friday provided 1,311 young people aged 5–25 with free counselling support, delivering a total of 1,928 sessions nationwide. Every session is no-cost, requires no referral, and is chosen by the young person from a network of registered counsellors on the Gumboot Friday platform. Breaking it down by age … Read more

Lane blocked on Auckland’s northwestern motorway following crash

Source: Radio New Zealand RNZ / Calvin Samuel A crash on Auckland’s northwestern motorway has blocked lanes. Accoding to the NZ Transport Agency, the crash has occurred just after the Waterview Tunnel. Two lanes were inititally blocked but at 11.45am, NZTA said one lane had reopened. The crash has occurred just after the Waterview Tunnel. … Read more

Wellington and Lower North Island still without power days after weather bomb

Source: Radio New Zealand This Wellington Electricity map shows the extent of area where individual homes remain without power SUPPLIED People are still without power across Wellington and the lower North Island, days after destructive winds and heavy rain tore through the region. Wellington Electricity puts the current outages at over 1000, and expects most … Read more

Tower expects rise in weather-related claims to nearly halve profits

Source: Radio New Zealand Tower insurance chair Michael Stiassny says some progress to tackle the impacts of extreme weather events had been “haphazard, inadequate and painfully slow”. RNZ Tower paid out $12m already in bad weather claims, expects more Company has $45m fund for big events, a quarter already spent Full year underlying profit will … Read more

Police sent to Auckland school after ‘threats towards students’

Source: Radio New Zealand Western Springs College’s principal says there was an “altercation” last week and a threat made on social media. RNZ / Lauren Baker Police have been posted at an Auckland school after what it says were threats from another school. “Last Thursday, a group of students from another school made threats toward … Read more

Do you recognise these people?

Source: New Zealand Police Bay of Plenty Police are seeking to the public’s help to identify the three people pictured in these images. We believe they may be able to assist us with our enquiries into a breach of the Mount Maunganui landslide cordon on Wednesday 11 February and Sunday 15 February. If you are … Read more

Events

Source: Privacy Commissioner Events are a great way for us to promote privacy issues, and answer questions. Our people speak to a range of audiences across New Zealand about privacy issues. The Commissioner is often asked to be a keynote speaker at conferences.  Privacy Week speaker applications are now open During May each year we … Read more

Weather live: Evacuations as landslip narrowly misses homes in Dunedin

Source: Radio New Zealand Follow our live blog at the top of this page for updates. Banks Peninsula remains cut off by road after widespread damage from flooding and slips. Canterbury’s civil defence controller Duncan Sandeman says the focus on Wednesday will be opening roads and restoring communications. The peninsula was pelted by ten times … Read more

The ‘sausage sensei’ who says his snags are art

Source: Radio New Zealand If you’ve ever wanted to craft the perfect sausage, Texan Bill Dumas could make your dreams come true. Known as the Sausage Sensei, Dumas is on his second visit to New Zealand for two sausage-making workshops. And while sausages are a beloved barbeque staple in many parts of the world, for … Read more

The truth about energy: Why your 40s feel harder than your 20s, but there may be a lift later on

Source: Radio New Zealand Some of us remember having more energy in our 20s. We could work late, sleep badly, have a night out, recover quickly and still feel capable the next day. By our 40s, that ease has often gone. Fatigue feels harder to shake. It’s tempting to assume this is simply the ageing … Read more

Willis calls $9 Auckland crossing toll a ‘completely hypothetical scenario’

Source: Radio New Zealand Finance Minister Nicola Willis RNZ / Mark Papalii National’s Nicola Willis says the government has not given any consideration to putting a $9 toll on both the Auckland Harbour Bridge and a new crossing, calling it a “completely hypothetical scenario”. And Labour says any such move would have to be “thought … Read more

Photographer invites you to become part of living archive

Source: Radio New Zealand A Canterbury photographer, who has a project that turns portraits into time capsules, is inviting new faces into his lens at a Christchurch studio next week. For more than a decade, Charlie Fox has been creating time-lapse portraits. The full-size versions are a towering 1.2 metres-tall and rendered at a staggering … Read more

Foo Fighters returning to rock out in New Zealand at two stadium shows

Source: Radio New Zealand Foo Fighters have announced two huge stadium shows for New Zealand in January 2027. They will play in Christchurch on 19 January, before performing at Auckland’s Western Springs Stadium on 22 January. Hawkins had been a member of the Foo Fighters since 1997. They have become one of rock’s most popular … Read more

First Home Loan scheme gets another option

Source: Radio New Zealand The loan underwritten by Kainga Ora. RNZ ASB has joined the Kāinga Ora First Home Loan scheme, which allows borrowers to buy a house with a deposit of only 5 percent. The loan is underwritten by Kāinga Ora, so borrowers are usually able to access the same interest rates as buyers … Read more

EMA – Employment Law Changes Bring Certainty for Employers and Contractors

Source: EMA Yesterday’s third reading of the Employment Relations Amendment Bill gives employers long-sought clarity on defining the status of contractors in the workplace, says the Employers and Manufacturers Association (EMA). The EMA’s Head of Advocacy, Alan McDonald, said that wish for clarity predates the recent Uber court decision and gives employers a four-gateway test that … Read more