‘I’m bored’: Let the kids deal with it

Source: Radio New Zealand Long road trips. Longer plane rides. Quiet afternoons on a hot summer day. Camping without all your toys. Jen Parkes’ kids are used to long car trips because of her job as a travel photographer. Jen Parkes . Promoting boredom has become a thing among some millennial parents who long for … Read more

How Sydney Sweeney transformed to play boxing champion Christy Martin

Source: Radio New Zealand Australian director-writer team Dave Michôd and Mirrah Foulkes teamed up with Hollywood star Sydney Sweeney to produce one of the most intense cinematic experiences of the year. Their biopic Christy begins as a familiar story of the gutsy underdog athlete, Christy Martin – America’s first breakthrough female boxing champion – but … Read more

Starship patients light up Sky Tower for Christmas

Source: Radio New Zealand The patients find it exciting to have control of the large landmark, Starship Foundation says. Facebook / Sky Tower Rainbows, fire engines and Christmas trees are popular themes for the Sky Tower as patients at Starship Children’s Hospital take control of the colour scheme. The children leapt at the chance to … Read more

Aotea kids share stories of conservation in action

Source: NZ Department of Conservation Date:  18 December 2025 The inaugural Department of Conservation Aotea Kaitiaki competition brought together the island’s three primary schools to share stories of protecting the environment. Students aged 5 to 10 from Okiwi School, Mulberry Grove School, and Kaitoke School entered stories inspired by their own experiences or their imagination. Cara … Read more

The Oscars will abandon broadcast TV for YouTube starting in 2029

Source: Radio New Zealand The Oscars telecast will move from broadcasting to streaming in 2029, switching from ABC to YouTube — a watershed moment for the entertainment business. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said Wednesday that YouTube signed a “multi-year deal” for the “exclusive global rights to the Oscars.” The deal will … Read more

Live: Black Caps v West Indies – third test, day one

Source: Radio New Zealand Follow all the action on day one of the Black Caps’ third test against the West Indies at Bay Oval in Mt Maunganui. First ball is scheduled for 11am. Black Caps squad: Tom Latham (captain), Tom Blundell (wicketkeeper), Michael Bracewell, Kristian Clarke, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, Daryl Mitchell, Ajaz … Read more

One dead after single-vehicle crash in central Hawke’s Bay

Source: Radio New Zealand File image RNZ / Anneke Smith One person has died following a single vehicle crash near Flemington south of Waipukurau on Wednesday night. Emergency services received reports of the crash on Ngawaka Road at around 11:10pm. The sole occupant of the vehicle died at the scene, police said. The road was … Read more

Police acknowledge IPCA finding into arrests at sea

Source: New Zealand Police Police acknowledge the IPCA’s finding in relation to a yacht which was abandoned following two arrests at sea. On 2 December 2024 Police received a report of a serious assault onboard a yacht, approximately 10 nautical miles off the coast of 90 Mile Beach. Police received a mayday report stating the … Read more

Be sure before you leave the shore this summer

Source: Maritime New Zealand As the summer holidays approach, many people will be setting their out-of-office messages and making plans to head out on the water.   The lakes are warming up, the fish might be biting, and kids will be eager to get on the biscuit.  Maritime NZ data shows that around 1.7 million people … Read more

Native mistletoe on the increase in time for Christmas

Source: NZ Department of Conservation Date:  18 December 2025 This summer, intrepid visitors naturing in the remote Hope River valley can see scarlet, red and yellow mistletoe. As well as being “Christmassy”, New Zealand’s mistletoes provide nectar for forest birds and geckos. They are semi-parasitic plants, living on host trees which provide them with nutrients, that … Read more

Two people injured after gun fired in Gore

Source: Radio New Zealand St John says it dispatched multiple ambulances to the scene. ST JOHN NZ Police say two people have suffered injuries after a gun was fired in the Southland town of Gore. Police said the pair were airlifted to hospital, one with serious injuries and one with moderate injuries. Emergency services were … Read more

Corey Peters tops podium as he heads towards Winter Paralympics

Source: Radio New Zealand Corey Peters NZL celebrates on the podium after winning gold in the Men’s Downhill Sitting Para Alpine Skiing, 2022 Winter Paralympic Games. Joel Marklund for OIS / PHOTOSPORT Wānaka para-skier Corey Peters is in good form as he heads towards his fourth Paralympics in the new year. Peters has won a … Read more

New specialist mental health and psychogeriatric beds open in Lower Hutt

Source: New Zealand Government The Government is delivering faster access to mental health support with the addition of 31 new specialist beds at Manor Park Private Hospital in Lower Hutt, Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey announced today whilst visiting the facility.  “These new beds will ensure more people receive faster access to the right support, … Read more

Whale Strandings: What you need to know

Source: NZ Department of Conservation Summer’s here, and with more of us heading to the beach and along the coast for some much needed ‘naturing’ downtime, we thought it would be a good opportunity to talk about whale strandings – something that may occur over summer and something that we should all be aware of. … Read more

Fatal crash, Flemington

Source: New Zealand Police One person has died following a single vehicle crash south of Flemington last night. Emergency services received reports of the crash on Ngawaka Road at around 11:10pm. Sadly, the sole occupant of the vehicle died at the scene. The road was closed while a scene examination was carried out, and the … Read more

Visitor trends highlight simple naturing as Kiwis’ top way to unwind

Source: NZ Department of Conservation Date:  18 December 2025 And coastal destinations and short walks – giving easy access to nature – continue to be the favourites for kiwis looking to make the most of the warmer weather. DOC’s Director Heritage and Visitors Cat Wilson says the report paints a clear picture of how people are … Read more

ASB, BNZ increase some fixed home loan interest rates

Source: Radio New Zealand BNZ will increase some fixed terms by between 19 and 30 basis points, while ASB is increasing some fixed rates by between 20 to 30 basis points. RNZ ASB and BNZ have joined the Westpac and ANZ in pushing some of their fixed home loan interest rates higher. BNZ said it … Read more

Police officers spat at, called paedophiles in wake of Jevon McSkimming scandal

Source: Radio New Zealand Former Deputy Commissioner Jevon McSkimming RNZ / Mark Papalii Police officers have been spat at and called paedophiles, child abusers and kiddie fiddlers since Jevon McSkimming’s offending became public, their union says. The Police Association says officers are tired in the wake of the disgraced former Deputy Commissioner’s case as its … Read more

Update on Gore firearms incident

Source: New Zealand Police Police are continuing to investigate a firearms incident in Gore yesterday that left two people injured. Shortly before 8pm Police were called to a house on Aparima Street following reports of a firearm being discharged. The pair were airlifted to hospital, one with serious injuries, and one with moderate injuries. Inspector … Read more

Rangitahi/Molesworth competitive process opens

Source: NZ Department of Conservation Date:  18 December 2025 Rangitahi/Molesworth is an iconic drylands landscape with a history familiar to many New Zealanders. Alongside a long history of sheep and cattle farming in the reserve it holds a deep cultural significance for iwi. Home to a range of threatened plants and wetlands, and a haven for … Read more

Draft guidance for self-assessable changes to agricultural chemical and veterinary medicine trade name product registrations

Source: NZ Ministry for Primary Industries Have your say New Zealand Food Safety is inviting public comment on new self-assessable changes guidance documents and changes to the existing chemistry and manufacturing guidance. This consultation opened on 18 December 2025 and we are accepting submissions until 5pm on 15 February 2026. New guidance documents To better … Read more

Draft update to guidance on labelling veterinary medicines

Source: NZ Ministry for Primary Industries Have your say New Zealand Food Safety is inviting public comment on the updated ‘Labelling veterinary medicines’ guidance document. This consultation opened on 18 December 2025 and we’re accepting submissions until 5pm on 15 February 2026.  The ‘Labelling veterinary medicines’ guidance document provides the detailed information that must be … Read more

EIT to Launch Free Art and Design Programme in Central Hawke’s Bay

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology 30 seconds ago A new free Art and Design programme is set to open at EIT in Central Hawke’s Bay next year, with award-winning designer and educator Beck Wheeler leading the programme. The Level 3 Certificate in Art and Design will begin in February 2026 and run for half a … Read more

EIT Festival brings together diverse creative work from IDEAschool students

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology 1 day ago IDEAschool celebrated a full spectrum of creativity last month at its end of year festival – Here and Now, Ko Au Te Wā. Across several days of exhibitions, performances and screenings, students in Design, Art, Music, Screen and Fashion presented the culmination of their 2025 work to … Read more

Ryan Peake says it’s ‘pretty cool’ to be defending his NZ Open title

Source: Radio New Zealand Australia’s Ryan Peake, 2025 New Zealand Open champion. www.photosport.nz Australian golfer Ryan Peake will return to Queenstown to defend his New Zealand Open Crown in February. Peake described his win at Millbrook earlier this year as “life-changing”. The former West Australian bikie gang member said returning as defending champion was “pretty … Read more

Households ponder future of gas as supply dwindles

Source: Radio New Zealand The rate of gas installations has slowed, as the supply shrinks. 123RF.com Renewables advocates claim it’s “madness” that thousands of new piped gas connections are being installed into houses every year, despite dwindling supply. Organisations pushing for the country to electrify say households will face steeply rising bills in the short … Read more

GDP announcement expected to show economic rebound

Source: Radio New Zealand RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King Numbers out today are likely to show the economy rebounded in the September quarter. Gross domestic product – a broad measure of growth – is expected to have grown 0.9 percent in the three months, after a shock 0.9 percent fall in June. Economists are predicting growth … Read more