Health – The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) recognises that a 4.4% increase in private health insurance premiums will place additional pressure on Australian families

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Source: Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) Australians are paying more for cover. But the funding flowing to patient care is not keeping pace with the real cost of delivering surgery. Over the past three years, more than 400,000 Australians have downgraded from top-tier (“gold”) hospital cover to lower levels of insurance. Many policies now … Read more

Strategic hiring, rising pay pressures and a borderless workforce

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Source: Robert Walters Robert Walters identifies New Zealand’s key labour and salary trends for 2026 Auckland, New Zealand, 19th Feb 2026 - 2026 will be a year of strategic hiring, increased pressure on salaries, and rising workforce mobility across New Zealand, according to new research from global talent solutions partner Robert Walters.  The findings come from its latest Salary Guide, which … Read more

University Research – Penguins prefer white plastic, new study shows – UoA

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Source: University of Auckland – UoA White plastic appears to pose a particular hazard for penguins, new research from the University of Auckland has found. University of Auckland research fellow Dr Ariel-Micaiah Heswall tested plastic colour preferences of king and gentoo penguins at Kelly Tarlton’s Sealife Aquarium in Auckland. She found the 46 gentoo and 23 … Read more

Imperans Q4 Report, State of Workplace Drug Use from TDDA

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Source: Botica Butler Raudon Partners Overall drug detections rise nationally, cocaine detections up 148% AUCKLAND, New Zealand, 19 February 2026 – The Drug Detection Agency (TDDA), New Zealand’s largest workplace drug testing provider has launched its Q4 Imperans Report, a quarterly workplace drug trends report. The report empowers New Zealand employers to engage in proactive … Read more

Backyard invention turns into hot property

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Source: Radio New Zealand A jerry-rigged backyard invention has turned into sizzling hot property for a retired farmer turned entrepreneur. Alan Dyer has worked out a way to brown sausages evenly, ensuring they don’t roll around on the barbecue. Alan Dyer spoke to Checkpoint’s Lisa Owen. Sausage entrepreneur’s homemade invention Checkpoint Using piece of wire, … Read more

UKRAINE: Children anxious, fearful after 4000 hours of air raid alarms in four years of war

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Source: Save the Children Children in Ukraine have endured an average of about 4,000 hours of air raid alarms – equivalent to over 5.5 months of constant alerts – since the start of full-scale war in February 2022, with constant fear of attacks taking a severe toll on their mental health, Save the Children said. [1] … Read more

Greenpeace – Govt announces critical mineral ‘slush fund’ as TTR flees the fast track

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Source: Greenpeace Today, as seabed miners Trans Tasman Resources (TTR) withdrew from their failing Fast Track bid, the NZ government has announced a $80 million dollar ‘critical minerals slush fund.’ Greenpeace is questioning if this signals an invitation for TTR to have another bite at the cherry. It comes just weeks after it was revealed the NZ government has … Read more

Defence News – NZDF air and maritime assets combine for successful search and rescue operation south of Tonga

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Source: New Zealand Defence Force The New Zealand Defence Force has combined its maritime and air assets to conduct a search and rescue operation for two men drifting in a wooden boat 105 nautical miles south of Tonga. The two men were located by a Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) P-8A Poseidon yesterday morning … Read more

Environment – Seabed mining company TTR gives up on the Fast Track process – Greenpeace

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Source: Greenpeace Trans-Tasman Resources (TTR) have today issued their formal response to the Fast Track Expert Panel’s draft decision, in it, they say they will not propose any changes to conditions. There is now nothing stopping the panel from making a final decision to decline consent. TTR go on to say they reject the “assumptions and conclusions” … Read more

Law and Health – Momentum for change on HIV criminalisation

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Source: Burnett Foundation Aotearoa A study of people living with HIV has revealed that despite advances in HIV treatment, criminalisation continues to create uncertainty and distress, with 60% of people living with HIV fearing legal consequences and many avoiding relationships altogether. The full study and its findings will be released at a public event on 27 February … Read more

Appointments – eG Innovations Launches New Zealand Operations, Appoints Joanne Bowey as Country Manager

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Source: eG Innovations Auckland, New Zealand – 19th Feb, 2026 eG Innovations, a global provider of digital experience monitoring and full-stack observability solutions, today announced the launch of its operations in New Zealand and the appointment of Joanne Bowey as Country Manager, reinforcing the company’s commitment to supporting New Zealand enterprises with reliable, high-performance digital services. With a … Read more

Local News – Have your say on the future of Spicer Landfill – Porirua

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Source: Porirua City Council Consents to operate Spicer Landfill are set to expire in 2030 so the way we dispose of rubbish in Porirua has to change. Consultation on four options for the future of Spicer Landfill begins on Tuesday 24 February. Previous plans to extend the landfill are on hold as a range environmental challenges … Read more

Fonterra farmers approve divestment capital return scheme

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Source: Fonterra Following today’s virtual Special Meeting, Fonterra can confirm that its farmer shareholders have approved the scheme of arrangement for the capital return that’s expected from the sale of its global Consumer and associated businesses. 98.85% of the total shareholder votes cast were in support of the capital return proposal, which was set out in the … Read more

Government ‘listened to Aucklanders’ by weakening housing intensification rules, Character Coalition says

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Source: Radio New Zealand The government agreeing to lower the maximum number of houses in Auckland shows they have been listening to Aucklanders, a heritage group says. Cabinet agreed to lower the maximum number of houses in Auckland from 2 million to at least 1.6 million, it was announced on Thursday. Auckland Council had been … Read more

Firefighters at scene of reported chemical leak at Levin industrial site

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Source: Radio New Zealand Firefighters are at the scene. (File photo) RNZ / Nate McKinnon Firefighters are at the scene of a reported chemical leak at an industrial site in Levin. Firefighters from Otaki and Levin and a specialist crew from Palmerston North were at the scene on Thursday evening. An ambulance was also at … Read more

Overseas experts flown in to assess damage at Moa Point wastewater treatment plant

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Source: Radio New Zealand Untreated water was leaking onto the capital’s south coast beaches. (File photo) RNZ / Samuel Rillstone Experts are being flown in from Australia to help assess damage at the Moa Point wastewater treatment plant. Wellington Water said over the past 24 hours, the short 5-metre pipe close to the shoreline had … Read more

Confidential Wellington council documents found in sold desk should have been destroyed, review finds

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Source: Radio New Zealand In September last year a stash of more than 200 papers were found in a locked cupboard within a mayoral desk that was bought from Wellington’s Tip Shop. 123RF Confidential documents discovered in a former Wellington mayoral desk sold to a member of the public should have been destroyed, a review … Read more

A tragedy avoided

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Source: New Zealand Police Being prepared almost certainly saved a rock fisherman’s life at Piha. Police were contacted at 7.43am on Wednesday by a fisherman advising one of his companions had fallen into water at The Gap. Acting Senior Sergeant Mark Jamieson says the Police Maritime Unit took over incident control of the water rescue. … Read more

Calls for tougher penalties to stop roaming, aggressive dogs

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Source: Radio New Zealand A pack of roaming dogs in bush near Paihia in the Bay of Islands. RNZ / Peter de Graaf Further calls have been made for more to be done about dangerous dogs, in the wake of Tuesday’s fatal dog attack in Northland. Mihiata Te Rore, 62, was killed by a pack … Read more

How a tiny fish could lead to treatment for a painful, chronic condition

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Source: Radio New Zealand In this living zebrafish larva, the lymphatic vessels are fluorescently labelled red, while blood vessels are green, allowing scientists to visualise vessel growth. SUPPLIED The larva of a stripey fish could be the key to preventing a chronic and painful swelling condition that’s a common side effect of some breast cancer … Read more

Boxing NZ appoints new leadership as investigation into head coach drags on

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Source: Radio New Zealand Boxing gloves supplied Former Gisborne deputy mayor Josh Wharehinga has been appointed as the new president of Boxing New Zealand as the sport grapples with complaints about its head coach. The Sport Integrity Commission has been investigating Boxing NZ and its head coach Billy Meehan. Cathy Meehan, who is the wife … Read more

Gloriavale leader Howard Temple appeals ‘excessive’ jail sentence

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Source: Radio New Zealand Former Gloriavale overseeing shepherd Howard Temple. The Press/Kai Schwoerer The lawyer for convicted sex offender and former Gloriavale leader Howard Temple claims jailing the 85-year-old was excessive. Temple was sentenced to 26 months’ jail in December for indecencies on multiple girls and young women. He immediately appealed and has been on … Read more

Bill paves way for MCERT

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Source: New Zealand Government The Government has introduced legislation to Parliament to establish the new Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport (MCERT), a key step in delivering its ambitious reform agenda across housing, transport, urban development and the environment. The Environment (Disestablishment of the Ministry for the Environment) Amendment Bill paves the way for … Read more

Economy – OCR decision dates and Financial Stability Report dates to February 2028 – Reserve Bank of NZ

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Source: Reserve Bank of New Zealand 19 February 2026 – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand will increase the number of scheduled monetary policy decisions from 7 to 8 per year, starting in 2027. The Monetary Policy Committee has discussed the upcoming increase in the frequency of Consumers Price Index (CPI) data releases. From next year, … Read more

Wastewater may be flowing to a Coromandel beach after sinkhole forms

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Source: Radio New Zealand Thames Coromandel District Council is urgently asking people not to swim, fish or collect shellfish in the area around where the stream discharges until further notice. Supplied / Thames Coromandel District Council Thames Coromandel District Council says a sinkhole has formed near the Onemana Wastewater Treatment Plant. In a post online … Read more

Te Huia service extension welcomed

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Source: New Zealand Government The New Zealand Transport Agency’s decision to extend the Waikato-Auckland passenger rail service Te Huia is welcomed, Rail Minister Winston Peters says. “Te Huia came into existence because we funded KiwiRail to refurbish the carriages and build a dedicated mechanical depot in Hamilton,” Mr Peters says. “The five-year trial service was … Read more

GLM-5 Launch Signals a New Era in AI: When Models Become Engineers

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Source: Media Outreach SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 19 February 2026 – GLM-5, newly released as open source, signals a broader shift in artificial intelligence. Large language models are moving beyond generating code snippets or interface prototypes toward building complete systems and carrying out complex, end-to-end tasks. The change marks a transition from so-called … Read more