Person dies in Auckland CBD

Source: Radio New Zealand RNZ / Marika Khabazi A person has died in Auckland’s city centre, with emergency services called to the scene early on Thursday. St John was at the scene near Sturdee Street and Custom Street West at about 6.30am. It says an ambluance and a rapid response vehicle responded. Police say the … Read more

Police acknowledge IPCA’s findings into Hawke’s Bay arrest

Source: New Zealand Police Police acknowledge the IPCA’s findings in relation to Hawke’s Bay staff entering a property to make an arrest after a man allegedly breached bail. On 14 July 2024, Police officers went to a house in Flaxmere to arrest an occupant for breaching electronically monitored bail. The man refused to cooperate and … Read more

Pruning the paperwork so hemp sector can bloom

Source: New Zealand Government Regulation Minister David Seymour has today announced a reform of the regulations for the industrial hemp sector. “New Zealand’s hemp industry has been treated like a criminal for too long. The industry has been held back by outdated, heavy-handed rules that treat growing low-risk crops like high-risk drugs. That ends now,” … Read more

Departing All Blacks assistant Jason Holland returns to Hurricanes

Source: Radio New Zealand Jason Holland is returning to the Hurricanes. PHOTOSPORT Outgoing All Blacks assistant coach Jason Holland is returning to Hurricanes ahead of 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season. Holland announced in October that after a two-year spell as an All Blacks assistant coach, he would depart his role following the team’s recent northern … Read more

Hayden Wilde’s coach: ‘He was just like a total machine’

Source: Radio New Zealand NZ triathlete Hayden Wilde. PHOTOSPORT A renowned coach, whose stable of runners has included British greats Paula Radcliffe and Sir Mo Farah, says Kiwi triathlete Hayden Wilde still has a lot of untapped potential. Wilde will aim to achieve what some seemed impossible by claiming the T100 title in Qatar this … Read more

Government launches ‘one-stop shop’ app

Source: Radio New Zealand Minister for Digitising Government Judith Collins. Nick Monro The minister in charge of a new government app promises it will be “more secure than almost anything else you could think about”. Minister for Digitising Government Judith Collins has launched the Govt.nz app this week after several years of development. “It’s to … Read more

Duane Kale appointed Chair of Sport NZ

Source: New Zealand Government Duane Kale ONZM has been appointed Chair of Sport and Recreation New Zealand (Sport NZ), Sport and Recreation Minister Mark Mitchell announced today.  “It is with great enthusiasm that I announce the appointment of an outstanding champion in Paralympic sport and governance to lead Sport NZ and High Performance Sport. “Duane … Read more

Nine to Noon live: Growing crisis in welfare support revealed in major report

Source: Radio New Zealand Minister for Social Development Louise Upston. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone A Citizens Advice Bureau report based on more than 10,000 requests for assistance has revealed what it calls “a growing crisis in welfare support”. It said people from all walks of life, and all ages and ethnicities, were struggling to meet … Read more

Crown reaches major Treaty milestone with Ngai Tai

Source: New Zealand Government The Crown has signed an agreement in principle to settle the historical Treaty claims of Ngai Tai, Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “This is a significant step in the settlement process, since Ngai Tai submitted their first claims over 150 years ago. Negotiations towards a comprehensive deed of … Read more

Not just pizza: Italian cuisine makes UNESCO list

Source: Radio New Zealand UNESCO has recognised Italian food is more than pizza, pasta and gelato, adding the range and ritual of the famed cuisine to its list of intangible cultural heritage. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, whose hard-right government has championed “Made in Italy” products as part of her nationalist agenda, hailed the recognition that … Read more

Storm-damaged trees still causing havoc in Southland

Source: Worksafe New Zealand 11 December 2025 WorkSafe New Zealand is appealing to Southland farmers to put safety first, following a spike in tip offs about risky handling of wind-damaged trees. Six weeks after severe storms flattened shelterbelts across Southland, safety concerns are mounting as farmers tackle dangerous cleanup work without proper skills or equipment. … Read more

Don’t give thieves an easy win – Lock it, secure it, prevent it

Source: New Zealand Police Waitematā Police are urging people to take simple steps to deter opportunistic thieves over the summer months. Inspector Kelly Farrant, Acting Waitematā District Prevention Manager, says offenders often look for easy opportunities. “Most burglaries aren’t late-night break-ins for TVs – they’re thefts from driveways, front yards, unlocked garages, and carports. “Burglaries … Read more

Holcim lashes out and threatens New Zealand Government for following maritime laws

Source: Maritime Union of New Zealand The Maritime Union of New Zealand has condemned global cement giant Holcim’s threats to use 500 trucks a month to transport cement on New Zealand roads, rather than crew a ship with New Zealand seafarers. Maritime Union of New Zealand National Secretary Carl Findlay says Holcim management should stop … Read more

Seven-year-old missing Hamilton boy found safe

Source: Radio New Zealand A seven-year-old Hamilton boy who went missing after going to visit his friends has been found safe, his mother says. His mother on Thursday morning told RNZ he had been returned to his family by a teacher. Police had earlier issued an ‘amber alert’ after the boy left his home on … Read more

All Black Sevu Reece heading to France at end of 2026

Source: Radio New Zealand All Black Sevu Reece. Juan Gasparini / Photosport All Blacks’ wing Sevu Reece has signed with French club Perpignan and will leave the Crusaders at the end of the next Super Rugby season after eight seasons with the side. Reece has played 37 tests for New Zealand and is Super Rugby’s … Read more

Public Records Act: Warning amendments could result in loss of vital evidence

Source: Radio New Zealand RNZ /Dom Thomas Record keepers are warning an amendment bill before Parliament will usher in the destruction or loss of vital public evidence such as from military operations overseas. They also voiced alarm at a parliamentary select committee on Wednesday morning that public records could be privatised, citing the historical case … Read more

Drunken skipper Travis Whiteman fined for reversing into swimmers with propellor

Source: Radio New Zealand Skipper Travis Whiteman. RNZ / Libby Kirkby-McLeod Warning: Some images may be distressing. A Christmas Eve swimming and fishing trip turned to a bloody disaster in 2022, when two women were struck by a spinning boat propeller. Both were seriously injured and needed hospitalisation. On Wednesday in the Thames District Court, … Read more

Customs use of surveillance system could be a ‘significant issue’ for privacy – memo

Source: Radio New Zealand If Customs becomes a user of Auror, it could have access to police information about retail crime. File photo. RNZ /Dom Thomas Police are cutting back what they tell a privately-run surveillance system about suspects, over concerns about who might see the information. RNZ inquiries show Customs also wants to use … Read more

Specialist says Family Court needs to be screened for violence

Source: Radio New Zealand Debbs Murray is a survivor of domestic violence and now heads Eclipse. supplied A family violence specialist says she is regularly contacted by women who say their abusive partner has shared custody of their kids and they wish they never left. It comes as newly released information reveals officials shelved work … Read more

Zuru wins trademark battle against Lego

Source: Radio New Zealand The dispute was around a simple phrase printed on packaging of Zuru’s own-brand MAX Build More plastic brick building kits: “LEGO® BRICK COMPATIBLE.” Pixabay Zuru has scored a major win in its long-running legal fight with Lego, the Court of Appeal overturning a High Court ruling that had found Zuru breached … Read more

7000 pensioners overcharged in another Inland Revenue error

Source: Radio New Zealand An IR error has affected thousands of pensioners. Supplied Almost 7000 pensioners have been affected by another Inland Revenue error. Last week, RNZ reported that 4500 people had overpaid tax after their imputation credits had been incorrectly recorded in their prep-populated tax returns. Others got in touch and said they had … Read more

30 Million Strong: China Changan Automobile Group Hits Historic Production Milestone, Ushering in New Era of User-Centric, Tech-Driven Global Growth

Source: Media Outreach CHONGQING, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 10 December 2025 – China Changan Automobile Group today celebrated a historic achievement as its 30 millionth vehicle—an AVATR 12 Quad-Laser Edition—rolled off the line at the AVATR Digital Intelligence Factory. The milestone signals Changan’s evolution into a global intelligent mobility technology company. “Changan remains … Read more

Heat, holidays, hikes, and a ‘stinking strong’ sun

Source: Radio New Zealand Whangamatā is one of the Coromandel Peninsula’s summer hotspots. 123RF With tourism numbers back to pre-Covid levels, New Zealanders are getting ready for a swarm of tourists. Experts say tourists – local or not – should be ready for some changeable weather. Tourists chasing the classic Kiwi summer of bright blue … Read more

Bids set to close for historic Wellington chapel

Source: Radio New Zealand Potential new owners for Wellington’s historic Erskine Chapel have until Thursday afternoon to put in their bids to buy the chapel. The building which is part of the former Erskine College is being sold by developers The Wellington Company. The French Gothic-style chapel which was built in 1929-30 is listed as … Read more

In pictures: 150 years of quirky Kiwi collectibles

Source: Radio New Zealand Over the years, Christine Fernyhough has built an extraordinary private collection of New Zealand objects, spanning everything from the 1860s through to the 1970s. Now, in her new book The Albino Kiwi & Other Rarities, she’s selected 75 remarkable pieces to showcase. Among the highlights are a rare albino kiwi specimen, … Read more

Economist asks: Why not cap taxes if we’re capping rates?

Source: Radio New Zealand Infometrics chief economist Brad Olsen says it’s “ironic” that the government has no proposal to cap taxes. 123RF A leading economist says it’s “galling” to see government planning a rates cap for councils when it is imposing no restraints on the taxes it levies. The government announced earlier this month that … Read more

Immunologist urges measles vaccination check before holiday travel

Source: Radio New Zealand The measles virus, the US CDC says measles is very contagious and can be serious, and anyone who is not protected against the virus is at risk. Supplied/ US CDC A New Zealand-based Tongan immunologist says vigilance around measles spread is particularly important as families prepare to travel over the Christmas … Read more