Sarah Taylor named fielding coach for England men’s cricket team

Source: Radio New Zealand Sarah Taylor, playing for the Welsh Fire Women in 2021, has been named as England’s men’s fielding coach for the test series against New Zealand. ACTION PHOTO SPORT/AFP Former England women’s wicketkeeper Sarah Taylor has been appointed as fielding coach for head coach Brendon McCullum’s men’s team for their test series … Read more

‘Prior dispute’ a factor in violent West Auckland train station brawl between students – police

Source: Radio New Zealand Police have spoken to one young person who was assaulted, and other teenagers who were at the fight. Google Maps Police are speaking to several teenagers involved in a violent brawl at a West Auckland train station this week. Police Inspector Mohammed Atiq said students from several West Auckland high schools … Read more

New power firm wants to give customers access to wholesale electricity market

Source: Radio New Zealand RNZ A new energy provider wants to shake up things up by offering consumers access to the wholesale electricity market, and is promising full price transparency. PowerHub said it would replace traditional retailer margins with a wholesale rate plus 10 percent pricing model. Exposure to the wholesale electricity market may sound … Read more

Gang profits turned against organised crime

Source: New Zealand Government Money seized from criminals will be reinvested into fighting methamphetamine and gang-related harm in communities across New Zealand, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee and Associate Police Minister Casey Costello announced today. A total of $11.9 million over 12 months will be provided to the Resilience to Organised Crime in Communities (ROCC) … Read more

Pakake pup struck by vehicle

Source: NZ Department of Conservation Date:  14 May 2026 The call comes after a male New Zealand sea lion/pakake pup was found dead on a Catlins coastal road with injuries consistent with being struck by a vehicle. DOC Murihiku Operations Manager John McCarroll says the death of the animal is a sad reminder of why drivers … Read more

Public hospitals to save millions on drug-eluting stents

Source: PHARMAC 14 May 2026 Media release Hospital devices Pharmac has secured an ongoing supply of drug-eluting stents for public hospitals at a great price following a competitive procurement process. Public hospitals save an estimated $1.2 million each year under a new agreement awarding Principal Supply Status for permanent coronary drug-eluting stents to Medtronic New … Read more

Employment Issues – Lakes and Whanganui nurses still waiting for Holiday Pay a decade on – NZNO

Source: New Zealand Nurses Organisation Nurses at Lakes and Whanganui districts are calling on Te Whatu Ora to explain why after a decade of redress, they still don’t know when they will receive their full Holiday Act remediation payments, NZNO says. While current Te Whatu Ora workers at all other 18 districts have received their full … Read more

Wellington Te Whanganui-a-Tara to lead next phase of Predator Free 2050

Source: NZ Department of Conservation Date:  25 March 2026 Source:  Office of the Minister of Conservation As part of this next phase, the focus shifts to scaling up predator elimination across New Zealand, building on the work already underway in communities, strengthening coordination, and using improved tools and technology to move from local projects to larger, sustained … Read more

Finance Minister puts money where her mouth is by reducing Budget’s operating allowance

Source: Radio New Zealand Analysis – Nicola Willis has put her money where her mouth is and reduced her Budget’s operating allowance for a third year running. For years, the Finance Minister has been relentless in her criticism of the previous minister, Grant Robertson, and his extensive operating allowances – $5.9 billion in 2022 and … Read more

‘Unique’ 360-degree film festival hits Wellington

Source: Radio New Zealand Wellington’s planetarium will trade galaxies for films as it hosts the only 360-degree film festival, a first for the city. Originating from the Melbourne Planetarium which has been running the festival for six years, this year Space Place will screen Best Of The Fest with eight award-winning or highly commended films … Read more

New stoat sausage bait trial results impressive

Source: NZ Department of Conservation Date:  14 May 2026 The Department of Conservation has been working with pest control developer, Connovation, to develop and register a ready-made bait containing the toxin PAPP (para-aminopropiophenone), to which stoats are especially susceptible. Stoats are relentless killers of native birds, bats and other wildlife, and the key cause of kiwi … Read more

Government to spend $15.5m on palliative care for children

Source: Radio New Zealand The government will spend $15.5m over four years to set up a national paediatric palliative care service, Health Minister Simeon Brown has announced. The care would be delivered by dedicated specialist teams in both the North and South islands. At the moment, Health New Zealand funds just one specialist paediatric palliative … Read more

Review: Deftones have fans running up the walls of Spark Arena

Source: Radio New Zealand Sacramento rockers, Deftones, turned up the tinnitus at Spark Arena, on Wednesday night. It’s the most people I’ve ever seen crammed into that venue and by the end of the show it seemed like the floor was running up the walls with nearly everyone on their feet. It’s a loyal fanbase … Read more

New Zealanders support stronger nicotine regulation, survey finds

Source: Radio New Zealand More than 1200 adults were surveyed on their attitudes to nicotine and the government’s nicotine policy. 123RF New research shows most New Zealanders want very low nicotine cigarettes reintroduced and two-thirds believe the tobacco industry influences government policy. A low-nicotine cigarette policy was brought in by the last Labour government but … Read more

Lewis Clareburt notches year’s fastest time ahead of Commonwealth Games

Source: Radio New Zealand Lewis Clareburt in butterfly mode (file photo). photosport Lewis Clareburt enjoyed the challenge posted by an up-and-coming young swimmer as he swam under the Commonwealth Games qualifying time at the national swimming championships in Auckland. The two-time Olympian, who swims for the United club in Auckland, didn’t have it all his … Read more

New local initiative increasing attendance at Waikato and Canterbury schools

Source: Radio New Zealand Te Akau School students on their visit to Ninja Valley Hamilton. Show Up and Shine A new, simple and very local initiative is increasing primary school attendance across dozens of schools in Waikato and Canterbury. It comes as the government has set an attendance target for all schools – 80 percent … Read more

Cost-of-living pressure bites housing market

Source: Radio New Zealand The Real Estate Institute says the number of sales fell 7.9 percent year-on-year in April. RNZ Cost-of-living pressure has started to hit the housing market. The Real Estate Institute says that its data for April is the first clear sign that the weight of cost-of-living pressures such as higher fuel costs, … Read more

Air New Zealand expecting full-year loss of nearly $400m due to jet fuel costs

Source: Radio New Zealand A Boeing Dreamliner 787-9, from the Air New Zealand fleet. Supplied/ Air NZ Air New Zealand says it’s expecting a full-year loss of between $340m and $390m due to the soaring cost of jet fuel. The airline expected fuel costs in the second half of its financial year to be $980m, … Read more

Pouri Hut site cleanup a last hurrah for Whanganui ranger

Source: NZ Department of Conservation Date:  14 May 2026 The trip into the Matemateāonga Range was Department of Conservation Ranger Shane Woolley’s last helicopter mission prior to his retirement at the end of this month. “We had a good team in there,” says Shane. “We removed all the burnt iron from the old hut, cleaned up … Read more

Police put the brakes on late-night car thieves

Source: New Zealand Police Thirty minutes of offending across an Auckland suburb overnight ended in arrest for three youths. At around 2.35am, three males entered a Great North Road, Waterview property and broke into a vehicle. Auckland City West Area Response Manager, Senior Sergeant Guy Baldwin says the group were disturbed as they attempted to … Read more

Sniffing out trouble

Source: New Zealand Police The scent of illegal activity was in the air for Waitematā Police this week after they sniffed out a vehicle carrying a significant quantity of cannabis plants.    At around 3.10pm on 12 May, officers from the West Area Prevention Unit were travelling through Glendene when they observed a vehicle towing … Read more

Slip closes State Highway 6, upper Buller Gorge Road

Source: Radio New Zealand The slip is blocking the road near the Eight Mile Creek Bridge and has closed State Highway 6 and upper Buller Road. NZTA State Highway 6 and the upper Buller Gorge Road which straddles the West Coast and Tasman regions is closed on Thursday morning because of a large slip. The … Read more

NZ-born composer Mark Smythe dies suddenly on hiking trip at 53

Source: Radio New Zealand Mark Smythe, a New Zealand-born composer based in Los Angeles, has died during a hiking trip over the weekend. His sister Kate Ward-Smythe said in a post on social media, that he collapsed and passed away suddenly whilst hiking with friends on Mount Wilson in LA, on Saturday. Sign up for … Read more

How can we catch the lost students?

Source: Radio New Zealand Some studies suggest that the retirement-age pay gap between vocational training and university graduates has closed, but New Zealand still holds the academic path in higher esteem. RNZ / Robin Martin University entrance has long been the gold standard result from our schools – but there’s hope that planned changes will … Read more

Six people facing drugs charges in Southland operation

Source: New Zealand Police Southland Police concluded Operation Mud Dog this week, focused on disrupting the supply and distribution of illicit drugs across the Southland District. On Tuesday, Police executed four drug-related search warrants at addresses across Southland, resulted in six people facing a range of drug supply-related charges. Police also recovered approximately $61,000 in … Read more

Person killed in Bay of Plenty crash

Source: Radio New Zealand The two-vehicle crash happened at about 7.15pm on Wednesday. RNZ / Kim Baker Wilson A person has died and two others have been seriously injured in a crash on the Te Puke Highway. The two-vehicle crash happened between Bell Road and Poplar Lane about 7.15pm on Wednesday. The road is open. … Read more

Are you a Ryan keen to meet other Ryans?

Source: Radio New Zealand Thanks to an international network formed by three Ryans in New York three years ago, groups now party at Rytoberfest, chat in WhatsApp groups, and will soon attempt a new world record at RyanCon. When New Zealander Ryan Mitchell discovered the Ryan Meet Up Instagram page a few weeks ago, attending … Read more