Increasing household income offset by higher housing costs in year to June 2025 – Household income and housing-cost statistics: Year ended June 2025 – Stats NZ news story and information release

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Source: Statistics New Zealand Increasing household income offset by higher housing costs in year to June 2025 – news story 26 February 2026 Household income increased at a slightly higher rate than housing costs in the year ended June 2025, according to data released by Stats NZ today. Average weekly household disposable income increased from … Read more

Child poverty statistics show that children are being let down by flawed economic model

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Source: WEAll Aotearoa New Zealand The latest child poverty statistics released today show our country is backsliding on any of the progress made since the Child Poverty Reduction Act was passed. While Statistics NZ reports no statistically significant change in headline child poverty rates in the year ended June 2025 compared with June 2024, the longer-term … Read more

Universities – Vice-Chancellor Professor Nic Smith stands down from Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington

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Source: Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington Professor Nic Smith is standing down as Vice-Chancellor at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington, to take up the role of Vice-Chancellor at the University of Auckland. Professor Smith’s final day at Te Herenga Waka will be Friday 12 June. Professor Smith has expressed his gratitude to both … Read more

Economy – RBNZ opens consultation on second tranche of DTA Standards exposure drafts

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Source: Reserve Bank of New Zealand 26 February 2026 – Jess Rowe, Director Prudential Policy, says the opening of this second tranche of consultation marks another milestone as we work towards implementing the DTA. “Technical feedback on the standards will help us to implement the DTA as intended to modernise and integrate our prudential framework,” Ms Rowe … Read more

Save the Children: Child poverty figures demand Government action to address stagnation

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Source: Save the Children Thursday 26 February 2026 – Save the Children: Child poverty figures demand Government action to address stagnation. Save the Children is calling on the Government to strengthen its response to child poverty following the release of the latest Child Poverty Statistics today. Statistics for the year ending June 2025 released by … Read more

New Zealanders in Iran urged to leave as tensions rise

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Source: Radio New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced travel bans on members of the Iranian regime involved in the violent suppression of protests. RNZ / Mark Papalii The Foreign Minister is warning New Zealanders to get out of Iran, adding that the advice to not travel there has been long-standing. Tensions have been increasing … Read more

Update: Water search and rescue Palmerston North

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Source: New Zealand Police Attribute to Palmerston North Area Prevention Manager, Inspector Phil Ward: The search for a man missing in the Manawatū River is continuing today. Search conditions are better than yesterday – the river has calmed, and water visibility has improved. The Police Dive Squad and the Land Search and Rescue Kayak Team … Read more

Child material hardship climbs to 10-year high – CPAG

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Source: Child Poverty Action Group The number of children living in material hardship has reached a 10-year high, with 14.3% of children, nearly 170,000 children, living in material hardship. Figures released by Stats NZ this morning show the number of children living in material hardship hasn’t been this high since 2015, and marks the third consecutive … Read more

Tech – Fujitsu automates entire software development lifecycle with new AI-Driven Software Development Platform

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Source: Fujitzu Platform will be used in modifications of all 67 software packages provided to medical and governmental industry customers by end of fiscal year 2026  Fujitsu Limited. Sydney, Australia, 26 February 2026 – Fujitsu Limited today announced the development and launch of its AI-Driven Software Development Platform, a new initiative to bring software development into … Read more

University Research – School experience plays a critical role in teen mental health, new Growing Up in New Zealand findings show – UoA

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Source: University of Auckland – UoA How young people experience school plays a critical role in their mental health, according to new findings from Growing Up in New Zealand. The Now We Are Fifteen Education and Mental Health and Wellbeing snapshot reports, released today, show that 15-year-olds who feel satisfied with school and confident coping … Read more

Government must reverse disastrous pay equity changes

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Source: NZCTU NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi Secretary Melissa Ansell-Bridges is calling on political parties to adopt the recommendations of the People’s Select Committee and ensure that women are valued and paid what their worth.  “The release of this unprecedented report is a historic day in the decades-long fight of women to be paid what their … Read more

Govt refusal to prioritise trans and non-binary protections disgraceful

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Source: NZCTU The Out@Work Council of the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions is deeply disappointed by the Government’s decision to not prioritise the Law Commission’s recommendations to explicitly protect transgender, non-binary, and intersex New Zealanders under the Human Rights Act 1993. “The Government’s refusal to prioritise explicit human rights protections for trans and non-binary … Read more

Three arrested after shooting in Waikato

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Source: Radio New Zealand Police arrested two women and a man. RNZ / Nate McKinnon Three people have been arrested after a shooting in Te Kauwhata, north of Huntly. Police received a call shortly before 7am on Saturday that a man had arrived at Waikato Hospital with a gunshot wound. Officers went to the address … Read more

Financial Results – Kiwibank delivers positive half-year result and continues faster than market growth

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Source: Kiwibank Kiwibank delivered a positive half-year result for the six months to 31 December 2025 (1H26), with net profit after tax of $103 million, up 12% on the prior comparative period. The increase reflected strong balance sheet growth and a more favourable credit environment for customers. It’s also clear some customers continued to face … Read more

Alternative Dental Policy – New report highlights overseas oral health models, showing alternatives for New Zealand

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Source: Dental for All A new report published today by Dental For All explores eight overseas approaches to oral healthcare and shows another way is possible for Aotearoa New Zealand. Adult dental care currently sits outside of the public health system, leaving nearly half of the population unable to afford it.[1] The report, titled ‘There … Read more

Patrol catches alleged fraudster

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Source: New Zealand Police An alleged fraud offender’s numbers were up after he was caught up with by a late-night patrol. The Auckland City Beat Team were assisting with mobile patrolling in the Mount Albert area this morning, when they came across a vehicle of interest. Detective Senior Sergeant Ash Matthews, of Auckland City CIB, … Read more

One in seven New Zealand children living in hardship, new data shows

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Source: Radio New Zealand One in seven children are living in hardship in the latest recorded year, according to new data from Stats New Zealand. The national statistics agency released the data for the year between July 2024 and June 2025 on Wednesday morning. Around 17,900 households were interviewed for the research. The number of … Read more

Significance of UK border change only just being realised – travel correspondent

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Source: Radio New Zealand Gill Bonnett The significance of changes to United Kingdom entry requirements has only just been realised, a British travel correspondent says. Late last year, the British government announced anyone classed as a British citizen would soon need a valid UK passport to enter the country, or have to get a $1300 … Read more

NRL kicks off in Vegas this weekend

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Source: Radio New Zealand National Rugby League players Spencer Leniu (3rd L), Billy Walters (5th L), Aaron Woods (C) and Campbell Graham (3rd R) pose with Las Vegas showgirls, an Elvis impersonator and Fijian warriors. Vegas Promo Tour at Allegiant Stadium on December 12, 2023. David Becker The National Rugby League competition kicks off on … Read more

‘Lot of urgency’ for Tall Blacks ahead of Fiba World Cup qualifying games

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Source: Radio New Zealand Tall Blacks and Australian NBL players like Reuben Te Rangi will be looking for different contracts in the off-season. www.photosport.nz The winless Tall Blacks hit the road this week faced with the duel challenge of qualification for next year’s Fiba World Cup hanging in the balance and players leaving camp early … Read more

Speech to Local Government Meeting

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Source: New Zealand Government Thank you to LGNZ for the opportunity, and thank you to the mayors, chairs, and councilors for putting your names forward to serve your communities. It’s not meant to be glamorous, it’s often thankless, but it really matters because you can’t have representative democracy without representatives. Just like democracy doesn’t work … Read more

Woman murdered in random attack on an Auckland bus was stabbed roughly 20 times

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Source: Radio New Zealand Bernice Louise Marychurch was described as a loving, beautiful and devoted mother. (File photo) Facebook Content warning: This story contains graphic violence, which some readers may find upsetting How a random and deadly stabbing on a bus began with a search for methamphetamine has been revealed in court documents. Bernice Louise … Read more

Sky TV trumpets major turnaround with $52.4m half-year profit

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Source: Radio New Zealand RNZ / Dan Cook Sky TV has made a strong first-half profit and is on track to pay shareholders a full year dividend of at least 30 cents a share. While it expects trading conditions to remain challenging, Sky TV chief executive Sophie Moloney said earnings growth would continue into the … Read more

Police acknowledge IPCA findings on care in custody

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Source: New Zealand Police Police acknowledge the Independent Police Conduct Authority’s findings into an incident in 2023 where a man self-harmed while in Police custody. The incident occurred on 6 October 2023 at the Auckland District Custody Unit, after a man in custody was found unconscious and unresponsive. He was taken to Auckland Hospital and … Read more

Gecko repatriation closes curious trans-national case

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Source: NZ Department of Conservation Date:  26 February 2026 Jewelled geckos are native to the southeast of the South Island and are generally a striking bright green with diamond-shaped patches or stripes although in some populations the males are grey or brown. Their bodies grow up to 8 cm in length, but their tail doubles their … Read more

Why betting on top online prediction markets is now illegal in New Zealand

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Source: Radio New Zealand Prediction markets are where punters wager money on the possibility of future events – but New Zealand is declaring some of them illegal. Andrey Popov / 123rf Explainer – New Zealand has cracked down on two hugely popular online prediction markets, declaring them illegal here. The Polymarket and Kalshi platforms are … Read more

Shooting incident, three arrested, Te Kauwhata

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Source: New Zealand Police Three people are due in court today following a shooting incident in Te Kauwhata, north of Huntly. Police received a call shortly before 7am on Saturday 21 February reporting that a man had presented at Waikato Hospital with a gunshot wound. It was determined the man had been injured in Te … Read more