Black smoke seen rising from Auckland suburb of Ponsonby

Source: Radio New Zealand Smoke seen rising over Ponsonby from St Paul’s College. Supplied / Linda Hallas Black smoke can be seen over the Auckland suburb of Ponsonby. Photos from St Paul’s College, on Richmond Rd, show smoke rising in the distance. Do you know more? Share your pictures and stories with us at: iwitness@rnz.co.nz … Read more

Football Ferns named for World Cup Oceania Qualifiers Finals in NZ

Source: Radio New Zealand Kate Taylor is back for the Football Ferns. Shane Wenzlick / Phototek.nz The Football Ferns squad has been named for the Oceania Qualifiers finals in Aotearoa next month, where the side will aim to book a ticket to the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 in Brazil. The squad sees Ferns’ regulars … Read more

In Pictures: The people of Polyfest

Source: Radio New Zealand This week, the Manukau Sports Bowl has been transformed into a multi-stage cultural hub for 11,000 performers from 73 high schools. Participants tell RNZ the Polyfest festival is a celebration of cultural diversity as well as an opportunity to learn. Faith Fomai from Southern Cross Campus says Polyfest is about “learning … Read more

How do I make the most of my mince?

Source: Radio New Zealand Usually considered a low-cost staple for families, the price of mince has recorded the biggest annual increase since data began. Beef mince is up 23.2 percent, to an average of $24.46 a kilogram – about $4.60 more than the same time in 2025. Tauranga butcher Jason Pears knows budgets have been … Read more

Watch: Students share what Polyfest means to them

Source: Radio New Zealand Students performing at this weeks ASB Polyfest say the festival is a celebration of their diverse identities. More than 11,000 performers from 73 schools are set to grace the stage over the next three days. Polyfest is the world’s largest secondary school Pasifika cultural festival held annually since the late 1970s. … Read more

GP stops uploading patient notes to MyIndici as a precaution

Source: Radio New Zealand MyIndici said it hasn’t been compromised. 123rf A Wellington GP clinic has stopped uploading consultation notes to patient portal MyIndici as an extra layer of protection for patients’ data. MyIndici said it hasn’t been compromised, but there have been two high-profile security breaches involving health data at other companies in the … Read more

Serious Fraud Office looking at Chatham Islands Council spending

Source: Radio New Zealand A scathing Auditor General report said former council chief executive Paul Eagle’s actions over a project to upgrade his own accommodation were unacceptable and misleading. RNZ / Te Aniwa Hurihanganui The Serious Fraud Office is evaluating a scathing Auditor General report into spending by former Chatham Islands boss Paul Eagle. The … Read more

Live: Fuel stations run out again, Luxon and Willis faces questions about fuel crisis

Source: Radio New Zealand Petrol stations across the country are seeing a surge of drivers filling up as petrol prices rises amid fears of rapidly jumping prices and potential shortages. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Finance Minister Nicola Willis are set to talk about the latest on the fuel crisis. It comes in the … Read more

Clark Laidlaw extends time as Hurricanes head coach

Source: Radio New Zealand Clark Laidlaw head coach of the Hurricanes before Super Rugby Pacific – Hurricanes v Chiefs at Sky Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand on Saturday 13 April 2024. Photosport / Elias Rodriguez Head coach Clark Laidlaw will continue to guide the Hurricanes after re-signing with the franchise to the end of the next … Read more

Body found in search for man missing in Lake Manapouri

Source: Radio New Zealand The man fell overboard into the lake last Saturday. Police searching for a missing man in Lake Manapouri over the past week, have recovered a body on Thursday. Last Saturday, around 6.15pm, police were told a man had fallen overboard from a vessel 1km offshore in Lake Manapouri. While formal identification … Read more

Waihoehoe Road Upgrade driving forward

Source: New Zealand Government Main construction is getting underway on the Waihoehoe Road Upgrade, helping to build the future of Auckland’s transport system Transport Minister Chris Bishop says. “This marks a major milestone in delivering improved transport connections and supporting long‑term growth in the Drury area,” says Mr Bishop.  “Alongside other investments already underway in … Read more

Auckland’s annual plan – have you given feedback yet?

Source: Auckland Council Auckland Council’s plan for 2026/2027 is out for public feedback now, setting out the council’s services, activities and spend for the year ahead.Aucklanders are encouraged to share their views by Sunday 29 March.   The Annual Plan 2026/2027 prioritises transport, water and local boards responding to their local communities’ needs.   To deliver … Read more

University Research – HPV self-test boosts cervical cancer screening ‘across the board’, new study confirms – VIC

Source: Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington   Making human papillomavirus (HPV) self-testing available to all women increases the number of people screened for cervical cancer, a new study led by researchers from Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington has confirmed.   The study, published today in The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology, & Women’s Health journal, shows offering the HPV … Read more

GDP increases 0.2 percent in the December 2025 quarter – Gross domestic product: December 2025 quarter – Stats NZ news story and information release

Source: Statistics New Zealand GDP increases 0.2 percent in the December 2025 quarter – news story 19 March 2026 New Zealand’s gross domestic product (GDP) rose 0.2 percent in the December 2025 quarter, following a 0.9 percent increase in the September 2025 quarter, according to figures released by Stats NZ today. “GDP has now risen in … Read more

Takeaways from US intelligence officials’ testimony amid war with Iran

Source: Radio New Zealand By Aaron Blake, CNN Director of Defense Intelligence Agency James Adams III, US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and Acting Commander of US Cyber Command William Hartman testify during the Senate Committee on Intelligence hearing. AFP / OLIVER CONTRERAS Analysis – Top Trump administration officials testified publicly on Thursday (NZT) … Read more

Greenpeace targets PM’s office over possible NZ minerals deal with US

Source: Radio New Zealand The scene of the protest on Thursday. Supplied Pictures of US President Donald Trump, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, and US flags have been plastered on the prime minister’s electorate office in the Auckland suburb of Botany on Thursday morning. A sign which reads ‘Trump War Minerals HQ’ with a cutout of … Read more

GDP data shows a growing economy

Source: New Zealand Government Economic data released today confirms the economy was growing at the end of last year, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ figures released today show real Gross Domestic Product rising 0.2% in the December quarter. “While GDP data was volatile throughout 2025, the New Zealand economy picked up noticeably in … Read more

Ban on retaining reef fish bycatch remains

Source: New Zealand Government A proposal to allow certain reef fish species taken as bycatch in the fishery in the north of the North Island to be retained and sold by commercial fishers will not go ahead, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says.  “My officials tested a proposal to remove a historic ban that … Read more

DOC and Meridian Energy celebrate 10-years of powering Kākāpō Recovery

Source: NZ Department of Conservation Date:  19 March 2026 This year marks 10 years of collaboration between DOC and Meridian as the National Partner of the Kākāpō Recovery Programme, working alongside Ngāi Tahu to support the critically threatened kākāpō. DOC Director-General Penny Nelson says the partnership demonstrates the power of working together for nature. “Meridian has … Read more

Rugby: Table-topping Hurricanes face first NZ derby of Super Rugby season

Source: Radio New Zealand Billy Proctor celebrates scoring a try with team mates. MARK EVANS The Hurricanes top the Super Rugby standings, but the real tests of their title credentials are yet to come. They face the Highlanders in Dunedin on Friday night in their first New Zealand derby of the season, before games against … Read more

Crashes cost up to 70% more than expected, data shows

Source: Radio New Zealand The Ministry of Transport currently factors elements such as road closures, emergency service response, and the social costs for the life lost into the total cost of a road fatality. RNZ A transport consultancy firm says analysis of traffic data reveals the total cost of a crash is up to 70 … Read more

‘Should not be alarmed’: Massive training exercise on Lake Tekapo this weekend

Source: Radio New Zealand Lake Tekapo. Karen Jiang A multi-agency Search and Rescue training exercise is scheduled this weekend, police said, in the Tekapo region. Lake Tekapo will host Operation Oasis between Friday and Sunday, “a complex, multi-phase scenario designed to test search techniques, field skills, and fatigue management in realistic conditions”. It will involve … Read more

New figures show slow growth in job market

Source: Radio New Zealand The latest SEEK employment report shows job ads rose 0.9 percent in February. 123rf A slow warming in the job market appears to be broadening out into a more meaningful market shift. The latest SEEK employment report shows job ads rose 0.9 percent in February, the ninth consecutive monthly increase. It … Read more

Economy – RBNZ releases Summary of Submissions and Key Decisions from Liquidity Management Consultation

Source: Reserve Bank of New Zealand 19 March 2026 – The Reserve Bank has published a Summary of Submissions and Key Decisions paper on the Liquidity Management Review consultation. Decisions on the design of Open Market Operations (OMO) are expected to come into effect from 2 April 2026. The Reserve Bank has been reviewing its liquidity … Read more

Body found in search for missing man, Lake Manapouri

Source: New Zealand Police Police searching for the missing man in Lake Manapouri over the past week, have this morning recovered a body. On Saturday 14 March, around 6.15pm, Police received a report that a man had fallen overboard from a vessel approximately 1km offshore in Lake Manapouri. While formal identification is yet to take … Read more

Commissioner’s speech to the National Cyber Security Summit 2026

Source: Privacy Commissioner 17 Mar 2026, 09:00 Privacy Commissioner Michael Webster spoke on Tuesday 17 March at Takina in Wellington It’s great to be here today to: share some observations, from my perspective as Privacy Commissioner, about the place of cyber security in the minds of decision-makers, organisations, and the everyday person in the street, … Read more

Inflating cost of running a farm now structural – report

Source: Radio New Zealand AFP / William West The cost of running a farm in New Zealand is more than a quarter higher than it was before the Covid pandemic. ANZ’s latest Agri Insights report, which analysed financial performance across more than 4000 dairy, red meat, kiwifruit, arable and pipfruit customers over five years, found … Read more