Defence News – Hercules lights up Cook Islands Blue Light course

Source: New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) For the first time in its more than 10-year history, the Cook Islands Blue Light programme has given its teenage participants a hands-on experience with a multi-million-dollar Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) C-130J Hercules aircraft. The 27 young Cook Islanders were given a tour of the RNZAF’s newest … Read more

Ombudsman – Another record year for Office of the Ombudsman

Source: Office of the Ombudsman The Ombudsman’s office completed more complaints than it received with a record 104 percent clearance rate over the past year. “We completed a total of 8,163 official information and Ombudsmen Act complaints in 2024/25, which is 30 percent more than last year,” says the Chief Ombudsman John Allen. Mr Allen today … Read more

Fire and Emergency warns to delay outdoor fires this week

Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand Fire and Emergency New Zealand is urging people to delay any outdoor fires they have planned from this week through until the end of Labour Day. MetService issued strong wind warnings for much of the country on Tuesday, with further warnings expected on Thursday and strong winds likely to continue … Read more

Fire in Whangārei Hospital carpark

Source: New Zealand Police Emergency services are responding to a fire in the carpark at Whangārei Hospital. Fire and Emergency NZ are currently leading the response, however Police are present at the scene. The public is asked to please avoid the immediate area while emergency services are in attendance. Residents and anyone in the nearby … Read more

DOC gears up for new marine protections in Hauraki Gulf/Tīkapa Moana/Te Moananui-a-Toi

Source: NZ Department of Conservation Date:  21 October 2025 Kirsty Prior, Operations Manager Marine, says that this summer DOC’s focus is on helping people understand the new rules and boundaries. “We’ve got a new team of marine rangers, community rangers and a bunch of seasonal staff gearing up for summer. We’ll be heading to events, boat … Read more

Road blocked, State Highway 1, Kaikōura

Source: New Zealand Police State Highway 1 is currently blocked near the Hapuku River bridge, Kaikōura following a crash this afternoon. Emergency services were called to the single-vehicle crash at around 1:20pm after a campervan has rolled due to high wind. At this stage, no life-threatening injuries have been reported. Police have also been advised of … Read more

Environment – EPA welcomes High Court ruling on glyphosate decision

Source: Environmental Protection Authority The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) welcomes the High Court’s ruling last week that it acted lawfully when deciding not to reassess glyphosate, a commonly used weedkiller. The Environmental Law Initiative (ELI) filed a claim in judicial review challenging the EPA’s 2024 decision that there was no significant new information about glyphosate that … Read more

LADY TUREITI MOXON REJOINS URBAN MĀORI TRUST BOARD

Source: Tapuwae Road Tapuwae Roa has announced today the appointment of Lady Tureiti Moxon to its Board of Directors, a move set to strengthen the Trust’s commitment and service to urban Māori communities. Lady Moxon (Ngāti Pāhauwera, Ngāti Kahungunu, Kāi Tahu) served as Director of the Trust (then Te Pūtea Whakatupu) for six months in 2017. … Read more

Education – Whitireia and WelTec celebrate 30 years of nursing specialty practice: mental health and addiction

Source: Whitireia and WelTec Graduates, tutors, sector leaders and government representatives came together at Whitireia and WelTec recently to celebrate 30 years of the New Entry to Specialist Practice (NESP) mental health and addiction nursing programme. Held during Mental Health Awareness Week, the event honoured three decades of preparing nurses to step into vital roles across … Read more

Universities – Discovery of new marine sponges a ‘huge surprise’ – VIC

Source: Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of WellingtonA research team exploring marine sponges in Fiordland has found half of the 82 sponge specimens collected during a recent trip are new to science.   The discovery of so many new species was “a huge surprise” and exceeded all expectations, said Professor James Bell, a marine biologist at … Read more

NZ-AU: SHEIN launches ‘Tick It Off Fest’ – inspiring Australians to finish what they started in 2025

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-NZ-AU) SYDNEY, Oct. 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Global online fashion and lifestyle retailer SHEIN is closing out the year with a spirited reminder that it’s never too late to finish what you started. Introducing Tick It Off Fest: an end-of-year push designed to inspire Australians to finally tick off the resolutions they … Read more

Crown facilitator to support Waitaki District Council

Source: New Zealand Government A Crown facilitator will be appointed to assist Waitaki District Council to amend and resubmit its water service delivery plan under Local Water Done Well, Local Government Minister Simon Watts says. “The Secretary for Local Government has asked the Council to amend its plan to include an assessment of the current … Read more

Cost recovery for MPI Trade Certification

Source: NZ Ministry for Primary Industries Background information about MPI Trade Certification The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is consulting on how we recover costs for the new integrated Trade Certification system. This platform will conduct electronic certification for over $33 billion in certified exports each year. This system is critical to keep New Zealand’s … Read more

Pūahoaho: updated information about Pharmac’s priority lists September 2025

Source: PHARMAC Pharmac’s Pūahoaho Report provides the latest information about applications for medicines, vaccines, and related products that we’ve assessed for funding in New Zealand. Proactively releasing this information is part of our ongoing commitment to transpar Application priority lists Every year we receive over 100 funding applications from health care professionals, consumer groups and … Read more

Man dies after being hit by falling branch, Mount Victoria

Source: New Zealand Police One person has died after being hit by a falling branch on Mount Victoria. At around 9:20am emergency services received reports of a man suffering critical injuries on Lookout Road, Mount Victoria. The man was taken to hospital but sadly died a short time later. The death will be referred to … Read more

Supporting students with higher & complex needs

Source: New Zealand Government The Government is launching the Expanded New Zealand Curriculum (NZC), a resource that will support around 12,000 students with high and complex additional needs from Term 1 next year. “In the past, expert teachers and specialists in special education have had to adapt the national curriculum themselves so their students can … Read more

High-sided vehicles urged to take care around Hawke’s Bay

Source: New Zealand Police Eastern District Police are urging drivers of high-sided vehicles to consider delaying travel. Emergency services are currently attending a single-vehicle crash on State Highway 2, Takapau, where a truck has tipped due to high winds. There are further reports from around Hawke’s Bay of several near-misses involving trucks and vans that … Read more

Court backlog slashed as justice system speeds up

Source: New Zealand Government Courts Minister Nicole McKee is pleased to see faster justice for victims, with the backlog of criminal cases in the District Court falling 20% since April 2023, the equivalent of around 1,700 cases. “After five years of continuous growth in the backlog of criminal cases in the District Court, I’m pleased … Read more

Rare snails get respite from being eaten alive

Source: NZ Department of Conservation Date:  21 October 2025 The endangered Powelliphanta marchanti snail species, found only in the lower central North Island ranges of Ruahine, Kaweka and Kaimanawa, is in serious decline mainly due to being eaten by possums, rats and pigs. The Department of Conservation has carried out four aerial 1080 predator control operations … Read more

One to appear in court after fatal crash

Source: New Zealand Police Police have summonsed a 19-year-old man to court in relation to a fatal crash on State Highway 3, Te Mapara on 11 July 2025. At around 11am, emergency services were alerted to a two-vehicle crash involving a vehicle towing a boat on a trailer. Sadly, despite best efforts from emergency services, … Read more

Lane blocked, State Highway 2, Takapau

Source: New Zealand Police One lane is blocked on State Highway 2, Takapau, following a crash this morning. Police were called to the single-vehicle crash, where a truck has tipped on its side, at around 10:10am. At this stage, there are no reports of serious injuries. The lane is expected to be blocked for sometime … Read more

Sisters United Academy gives students new options in Term 1 2026

Source: New Zealand Government Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that Sisters United Academy will open in Term 1 2026 as a charter school. “Every child deserves the opportunity to learn and grow in ways which are more specific to their needs. All of the schools announced today demonstrate the innovation enabled by … Read more

E-rudd-icated: Tasman cleared of pest fish

Source: NZ Department of Conservation Date:  21 October 2025 Rudd (Scardinius erythrophthalmus) are an invasive pest fish which threaten our freshwater ecosystems by eating the aquatic plants our native fish species rely on. The stocky fish has distinctive bright orange fins, and is thought to have been illegally introduced in the Motueka area in the late … Read more

He Taonga te Taiao: the sacred connection to the land

Source: NZ Department of Conservation By Joe Harawira, Pouwhakahaere Our kaupapa ‘Always Be Naturing‘ is a call to all New Zealanders to take action, but what does that mean to Māori who already embrace the ideas of kaitiakitanga (guardianship): exercising care, responsibility, and stewardship over the environment?   Tawa forest in mist on Kāpiti Island. … Read more

Name release: Fatal crash, SH1, Marlborough

Source: New Zealand Police Police can now name the woman who died after a fatal crash on State Highway 1 in Marlborough on 14 October. She was Phuong Thi Loan Nguyen, 28.  Our condolences are with her family and friends during this difficult time. Police continue to make enquiries into the circumstances of the crash. … Read more

Police lay further charges following Operation Beverly

Source: New Zealand Police Please attribute to Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Greaves, Auckland City CIB: Further charges have been laid following Operation Beverly, the investigation into alleged historical sexual offending at Dilworth School. This week, detectives charged another man as part of our ongoing enquiries into these matters at the Auckland school. A 72-year-old man … Read more

NZ-AU: 4 ULTIMATE HEALTH’s Augmented NAC Featured in World Council for Health Spike Protein Detox Guide

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-NZ-AU) Sydney, NSW, Oct. 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — 4 ULTIMATE HEALTH, a highly regarded advocate in nutraceutical innovation, proudly announces the inclusion of its flagship product, Augmented NAC, in the World Council for Health (WCH) Spike Protein Detox Guide. This guide is a globally recognized resource dedicated to helping individuals restore and … Read more