9am on the radio

Source: Radio New Zealand This is one of a series of essays and short stories commissioned to commemorate RNZ’s 100 years on air in Aotearoa. Barbara turns the radio on. It’s square and brown and has four perfectly round knobs along the bottom. The voice from the wooden box says it’s 9am, so Barbara’s just … Read more

Rough sleepers fear being pushed to unfamiliar suburbs as government considers central Auckland ban

Source: Radio New Zealand Auckland CBD’s rough sleepers worry they will be kicked out of the city. (File photo) RNZ / Luke McPake A tougher stance on rough sleepers in Auckland’s central city has some homeless people fearing they will be pushed out to unfamiliar suburbs where they could struggle to survive. Earlier this week, … Read more

Health Ministry accused of sitting on dying state abuse survivor’s redress claim for weeks

Source: Radio New Zealand The Ministry of Health is being accused of sitting on a state abuse survivor’s compensation claim. RNZ / Angus Dreaver The Ministry of Health is being accused of sitting on a state abuse survivor’s compensation claim for weeks, knowing she had cancer and was about to die. Wellington lawyer Sonja Cooper … Read more

Former Green MP Kevin Hague returns as party’s new chief of staff

Source: Radio New Zealand Greens Party’s new chief of staff Kevin Hague. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone Former Green MP Kevin Hague is returning to politics to be the party’s new chief of staff. In a social media post on Thursday, Hague said he was coming “out of retirement” to take up the role after Eliza … Read more

Behind the education overhaul: Outcry reveals deep divisions in the sector

Source: Radio New Zealand Dr Michael Johnston is a senior fellow at the policy think tank New Zealand Initiative. New Zealand Initiative Many agree NZ’s education is below par, but how to fix it is the subject of major conflict – as the government’s proposed curriculum has made clear When Michael Johnston stepped onto the … Read more

Labour promises to make cervical screening free for everyone

Source: Radio New Zealand Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone Labour is promising to make cervical screening free for everyone, if elected, through its previously-announced Medicard scheme. Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said the move would help prevent cancers and avoid costly hospital treatments. “Each year 175 New Zealanders are diagnosed with cervical … Read more

Implementation of boot camp rushed, report concludes

Source: Radio New Zealand An example of the military style uniform the youths in the pilot were required to wear. RNZ / Rachel Helyer-Donaldson The final evaluation for the government’s military-style boot camps found it was too small to provide any meaningful data, and its implementation was rushed. The 82-page report says the pilot contributed … Read more

Former Te Pāti Māori staffer Eru Kapa-Kingi doubles down on leadership shortcomings

Source: Radio New Zealand Eru Kapa-Kingi claims the party had an executive and leadership model that “thinks it’s beyond critique”. Image courtesy of Te Tari o te Kiingitanga Former Te Pāti Māori staffer Eru Kapa-Kingi has taken to social media to defend his criticism of party leadership, saying – despite knowing he’d be “dragged through … Read more

Hipkins calls for more robust vetting after it failed to identify McSkimming’s behaviour

Source: Radio New Zealand Former Deputy Police Commissioner Jevon McSkimming. RNZ / Mark Papalii The Labour leader says it is “unacceptable” that former Former Deputy Police Commissioner Jevon McSkimming’s behaviour was not picked up in vetting for the role. McSkimming pleaded guilty to possessing child sexual exploitation and bestiality material. McSkimming performed Google searches on … Read more

Education Minister Erica Stanford marks ministry 7/10, doubling previous rating

Source: Radio New Zealand Education Minister Erica Stanford. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone The Education Ministry’s ministerial approval rating has more than doubled. The ministry’s 2025 annual report shows Education Minister Erica Stanford rated the ministry seven out of 10 overall for its oversight of the education system, up from three in the previous report. However, … Read more

Iwi leaders want hui next week for Te Pāti Māori factions

Source: Radio New Zealand Te Pāti Māori co-leaders Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. RNZ / Russell Palmer The National Iwi Chairs Forum says it is working towards getting both factions of Te Pāti Māori to a hui in Wellington next week. The leadership body has been liaising with the party’s leadership and estranged MPs Mariameno … Read more

Foodie delight under mountain signals new lease of life

Source: Radio New Zealand Mt Ruapehu, the North Island’s highest spot, is a prominent feature from Waimarino, formerly National Park. Photo: supplied Chef and barista Sam Wilson hopes the re-opening of his cafe in a rustic railway station flanked by Mt Ruapehu is a pointer to something good for a region suffering economic hardship. He … Read more

Am I paying too much in tax on foreign investments? – Ask Susan

Source: Radio New Zealand RNZ’s money correspondent Susan Edmunds answers your questions. Photo: RNZ Got questions? RNZ has launcheda new podcast, No Stupid Questions, with Susan Edmunds. We’d love to hear more of your questions about money and the economy. You can send through written questions, like these ones, but even better, you can drop … Read more

Are hard hats a work perk?

Source: Radio New Zealand New Inland Revenue guidance suggests hard hats could be a taxable work perk. Photo: 123RF New Inland Revenue guidance suggesting hard hats could be a taxable work perk could confuse some employers, one tax expert says. IRD has released an update on when fringe benefit tax (FBT) exemptions apply to employee … Read more

Callaghan Innovation redundancies cost taxpayers more than $10m – report

Source: Radio New Zealand *Since this story was published Callaghan Innovation has identified errors in the numbers it released to the PSA under the Official Information Act. RNZ has updated the story with the corrected figures which show a reduction in the number of roles going and the amount paid out for redundancy.  Callaghan Innovation’s … Read more

Sealord confirms 48 jobs to go as parts of Nelson operations become seasonal

Source: Radio New Zealand Photo: Sealord Sealord has confirmed 48 job losses as the company makes parts of its Nelson operations seasonal. Sealord last month announced that it was closing its coated fish factory, resulting in the loss of 79 jobs. The company originally proposed cutting a further 59 jobs under plans to operate its … Read more

Treasury warns Crown’s strong balance sheet likely to decline if policy unchanged

Source: Radio New Zealand Treasury secretary Iain Rennie. Photo: RNZ The Treasury has warned the strength of the Crown’s balance sheet is likely to deteriorate if policy settings are not changed. Its 2025 Investment Statement found liabilities were forecast to rise 33 percent by 2029 to $504 billion, as the debt grows to fund investment … Read more

Briscoe Group confident, despite drop in third-quarter sporting sales

Source: Radio New Zealand Briscoe Group owns Briscoes home goods and Rebel Sports. Photo: Hazel Redmond Photographer Retailer Briscoe Group sales dropped in the third-quarter sales, as consumers pulled back spending on sports goods. Total group Q3 sales $171.0m (-1.8%) Homeware sales +1.8%, sports -7.3% Group sales for nine months $542m (-0.7%) Re-affirms full-year profit … Read more

Independent supermarket Plenty Foods hopes to challenge duopoly in Upper Hutt

Source: Radio New Zealand Plenty Foods promises to employ 40 staff, mostly from the local community. Photo: Supplied by Plenty Foods The owner of a new, independent Upper Hutt supermarket hopes he can offer locals an alternative to the big supermarket duopoly. Plenty Foods supermarket opened in Brewtown on Thursday, the second Hutt Valley store … Read more

Cyclist dies in collision with another cyclist in Wairarapa

Source: Radio New Zealand The crash investigation is ongoing. Photo: 123RF A cyclist has died in collision with another cyclist in Carterton. Emergency services were called to the scene on Kokotau Road at 11:30am on Saturday. One of the cyclists were airlifted to hospital, where they later died. The road was closed while police completed … Read more

Education groups oppose minister’s Teaching Council shake-up

Source: Radio New Zealand Various education industry groups have spoken out about changes to the Teaching Council announced last week by the Minister of Education. Photo: RNZ / Richard Tindiller Groups including Catholic school principals and kindergartens have united to oppose government changes to the teacher registration and disciplinary body the Teaching Council. In an … Read more

Empty Rotorua council-owned pensioner units spark concern

Source: Radio New Zealand There are several vacant units at the Kahikatea St pensioner housing block. Photo: Mathew Nash / LDR A woman was left “shaken” after a prowler tried to enter her Rotorua pensioner flat amid reports of homeless people sleeping around empty council-owned units. The incident happened early last Saturday on Kahikatea St … Read more

Saving the marriage of journalism and the people

Source: Radio New Zealand Image from the BSA’s recent report ‘Public trust in news media’ highlighting the factors that damage it – and enhance it. Broadcasting Standards Authority “​The ​blatant, ​blatant ​bias ​of ​the ​New ​Zealand ​media ​makes ​you ​want ​to ​weep,” an exasperated Mike Hosking told his Newstalk ZB listeners last Thursday. A new … Read more

Fire at Darfield contained

Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand The large vegetation fire at Darfield is now contained. The fire started just before 10am and destroyed three structures.  It was contained around 12.45pm, with the one helicopter now released and downscaling of ground crews taking place. It will take some time for the fire to be fully extinguished, … Read more

Tongariro Forest Park Fire Update #1

Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand Firefighters supported by helicopters are tackling a large vegetation fire in the Tongariro Forest Park, which is covering an estimated 50 hectares. Trampers in the Mangatepopo Hut are being advised to remain there. State Highway 47 has been closed near the junction with SH48, with a large build-up of … Read more

Tongariro National Park Fire Update #2

Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand Thirteen crews of firefighters from eight brigades are working on the fire in the Tongariro National Park, supported by helicopters with monsoon buckets. Assistant Commander Nick West says the fire is impacting an estimated 300 hectares and is burning in the direction of Mount Ngauruhoe. It is not under … Read more

Tongariro National Park Fire Update #3

Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand The fire burning in the Tongariro National Park has grown to an estimated 400 hectares. Fire and Emergency Assistant Commander Nick West says that firefighters will monitor the fire overnight but it is too dangerous for active firefighting, and aircraft were all stood down at nightfall. Conditions are easing … Read more