Police acknowledge sentencing in Ōtara assaults investigation

Source: New Zealand Police A man has been sentenced to preventative detention following two brazen sexual attacks against women nearly a year apart. Counties Manukau East CIB began investigating on 22 February 2023. Detective Senior Sergeant Dean Batey says a French national was subjected to a sexual assault in broad daylight at the Ōtara Creek … Read more

Legislation – Retirement village reforms – step in right direction to strengthen rights of residents

Source: Retirement Villages’ Residents’ Council Long awaited reforms to the retirement village sector will better protect residents and their families who have sometimes waited too long to be paid out for vacated and unsold village units, says the Retirement Villages’ Residents’ Council. The reforms announced by the Government today include mandatory payment of capital on unsold … Read more

Compassionate change underway for stillbirth families

Source: New Zealand Government The Government has begun work on making the process of registering a stillbirth more compassionate and supportive for grieving parents, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “Losing a baby is a heartbreaking experience. For too long, families have had no choice but to complete stillbirth registrations through the same online process … Read more

Fonterra profits rise in first quarter

Source: Radio New Zealand RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly Dairy giant Fonterra has increased its first quarter profits to $278 million, $15m more than a year ago. Key numbers for the quarter ended 31st October: Net profit $278m up $15m Forecast FY earnings unchanged at 45-65cps Midpoint milk price forecast $9.50 per kgMS Lactalis gains OIS … Read more

Mobile phone issues for some 2degrees customers due to nationwide fault

Source: Radio New Zealand RNZ / Nate McKinnon Mobile network company 2degrees says it is aware some customers are experiencing issues with connecting, receiving, or making calls on their mobile devices. 2degrees’ website says a nationwide fault was under repair since about 4am on Thursday morning. The company said it was sorry for the inconvenience … Read more

Will New Zealand follow the ‘ugly shoe’ summer?

Source: Radio New Zealand It’s been a great year for feet, particularly toes. If you followed the fashion of the Northern Hemisphere summer, a predictor for what might be cool for New Zealand’s summer, you likely saw shoes that might typically be categorised as offensive to the eye. I’m talking about styles such as the … Read more

Property values still in a holding pattern – Cotality

Source: Cotality Property values in Aotearoa New Zealand were flat in November, a slightly softer result after a modest 0.1% lift in October, according to Cotality NZ’s latest hedonic Home Value Index (HVI). The national median now sits at $806,551, which is 17.4% below the early 2022 peak and only a modest 1.1% higher than … Read more

Dairy Sector – Fonterra provides FY26 Q1 business update

Source: Fonterra Total Group profit after tax: $278 million, up $15 million  Continuing operations profit after tax: $158 million, down $10 million  FY26 forecast earnings for continuing operations: 45-65 cents per share  2025/26 forecast Farmgate Milk Price: $9.00 – $10.00 per kgMS, with midpoint of $9.50 per kgMS.  Fonterra Co-operative Group Ltd has today provided its FY26 Q1 … Read more

Legislation – Retirement Commission welcomes reform of Retirement Villages Act

Source: Te Ara Ahunga Ora Retirement Commission Te Ara Ahunga Ora Retirement Commission welcomes the Government’s decision to progress long-awaited reforms to the Retirement Villages Act 2003, following five years of sector review, public consultation, and advocacy for improved protections for residents. Retirement Commissioner Jane Wrightson says, “This is a landmark moment for older New … Read more

NZ Super Fund – STAKEHOLDER UPDATE DECEMBER 2025 Portfolio Update

Source: New Zealand Super Fund Portfolio Update – The value of the NZ Super Fund increased by $4.8 billion during the first four months of the current financial year, with NAV of $89.9 billion at 31 October. This was largely due to the continuing strong performance of global equity markets. This period also includes a tax … Read more

Economy – Interim Financial Statements of the Government of New Zealand for the four months ended 31 October 2025 – NZ Treasury

Source: New Zealand Treasury The Interim Financial Statements of the Government of New Zealand for the four months ended 31 October 2025 were released by the Treasury today.  The October results are reported against forecasts based on the Budget Economic and Fiscal Update 2025 (BEFU 2025), published on 22 May 2025, and the results for the … Read more

Queues build as shoppers line up for IKEA’s Auckland opening

Source: Radio New Zealand The store opens at 11am, while the carpark was opened to shoppers at 8.30am. RNZ / Melanie Earley A handful of eager shoppers have begun to gather outside the new IKEA store at Mt Wellington in Auckland. Drivers are being warned to expect 40-minute queues today, with traffic analysts expecting crowds … Read more

Person killed, major Lower Hutt road closed for hours as fuel truck hits building

Source: Radio New Zealand Rutherford Street, between Melling Link and Connolly Street, is closed. X / NZ Transport Agency A person is dead after a fuel truck collided with a building on Lower Hutt’s Rutherford Street. At 9.15am Rutherford Street, between Melling Link and Connolly Street, was still closed after the single-vehicle crash about 5.30am … Read more

Government rejects all of Climate Change Commission’s emissions target recommendations

Source: Radio New Zealand Climate Change Minister Simon Watts. RNZ / Nick Monro The government has rejected all of the Climate Change Commission’s recommendations to strengthen New Zealand’s emissions targets. The move comes despite the Commission warning the effects of climate change are hitting New Zealand sooner and more severely than expected, and that New … Read more

Fatal crash, Lower Hutt

Source: New Zealand Police Police can confirm one person has died following a crash in Lower Hutt this morning. The single-vehicle crash on Rutherford Street was reported at about 5.30am. Rutherford Street is still closed but the Melling Bridge has now reopened. Enquiries to determine the circumstances of the crash are ongoing. ENDS Issued by … Read more

Devil’s Elbow, SH2 overnight closures extended

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency 3 December 2025 3:00 pm | NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi UPDATE: Overnight culvert repair work at Devil’s Elbow will continue until the end of next week. The work, currently underway on State Highway 2 north of Napier, was initially due to finish this Friday.  However, wet weather in the … Read more

Major Lower Hutt road closed for hours as fuel truck hits building

Source: Radio New Zealand Rutherford Street, between Melling Link and Connolly Street, is closed. X / NZ Transport Agency A fuel truck has collided with a building on Lower Hutt’s Rutherford Street, seriously injuring one person, RNZ understands. Rutherford Street, between Melling Link and Connolly Street, is closed after the single-vehicle crash about 5.30am on … Read more

‘A gift for the people’: Switch flicked for Franklin Road Christmas lights

Source: Radio New Zealand [embedded content] For more than 30 years, residents on Auckland’s Franklin Road have decked out their properties with Christmas decorations for the rest of the city to enjoy. Despite prevalent rumours and conspiracy theories that the popular street-wide display is “funded by the electricity companies” or “organised by the council”, Roscoe … Read more

Resilience work for SH6’s Gates of Haast begins

Source: New Zealand Government The Government continues to invest in the resilience of the South Island’s state highways, with $5 million of work underway on critical improvements to State Highway 6 (SH6) around the Gates of Haast, South Island and Associate Transport Minister James Meager has confirmed. “The Gates of Haast gorge’s bridge on the … Read more

Sanya Hosts Chefs de Mission Seminar for 6th Asian Beach Games

Source: Media Outreach SANYA, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 3 December 2025 – The Chefs de Mission Seminar for the 6th Asian Beach Games was held in Sanya, Hainan Province, China, on Dec. 1, with the attendance of heads of delegations and representatives from the National Olympic Committees (NOC) of 45 Asian countries and … Read more

NZ announces $15m to support defence of Ukraine

Source: New Zealand Government Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins have announced a $15 million contribution to a NATO and United States initiative to supply Ukraine with weapons and equipment. “The defence of Ukraine has significant implications not only for the security of Europe, but also for the Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says. … Read more

‘All hell broke loose’: Caretaker describes moment tornado hit

Source: Radio New Zealand A tornado have flipped a caravan injuring one person at a motor camp at Lake Dudding in rural Manawatū. Supplied / Rangitikei District Council A man who was flipped twice in his caravan during a tornado that hit a rural Rangitīkei campground is going to be “traumatised for a little bit”. … Read more

Police looking at improving scheme that allows disclosure of history of violence to partners

Source: Radio New Zealand Applications for information about a partner’s history of violence have fallen by nearly 75 percent in the last five years. 123RF A UK criminologist is labelling New Zealand’s scheme to allow the disclosure of a partner’s history of violence as a missed opportunity to protect vulnerable people from family harm. Dr … Read more

Parker Jackson-Cartwright rescues Breakers as they take down Kings

Source: Radio New Zealand Breakers guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright celebrates Blake Armstrong / PHOTOSPORT Another impressive performance by captain Parker Jackson-Cartwright has given the Breakers their second successive win in the NBL and edged them closer to a place in the final of the Ignite Cup. Jackson-Cartwright hit 24 points as the Breakers beat the Sydney … Read more

Lower Hutt road closed following serious crash, motorists asked to avoid area

Source: Radio New Zealand RNZ / REECE BAKER One person is seriously injured following a crash in Lower Hutt. Rutherford Street, between Melling Link and Connolly Street, is closed as a result of the single-vehicle crash that occurred around 5.30am on Thursday. Police said the road is expected to be closed “for some time” and … Read more

Gen Z workers least happy, 40 percent dread going to work

Source: Radio New Zealand Happiness in the workplace has held steady over the past year. Unsplash Two-thirds surveyed happy at work Direct line managers more influential, but only 56 pct happy with their manager Purpose is main happiness driver along with responsibilities Job security more important for happiness, but fewer feel it Nearly a third … Read more

No time to relax for Liam Lawson

Source: Radio New Zealand New Zealand F1 driver Liam Lawson. MPS AGENCY / PHOTOSPORT Analysis: New Zealand driver Liam Lawson can probably afford to sit back and take a couple of deep breaths following the 2025 Formula 1 season, but he won’t have long to relax. If the 23-year-old thought he was under pressure in … Read more