Appeal to witness who made Mangakino driving complaint

Source: New Zealand Police (District News) Please attribute to Sergeant Shane McNally, Taupo Serious Crash Unit: Police need to urgently speak with a caller who made a driving complaint before a fatal crash near Mangakino last week. The female caller was following a black Toyota RAV4 along State Highway 47 towards Turangi, at approximately 2.45pm … Read more

False plates, real discovery

Source: New Zealand Police (National News) A firearm and ammunition have been seized after a vehicle was detected travelling through Manurewa with false plates. A van had been travelling along Rowandale Avenue at around midnight. Counties Manukau Central Area Prevention Manager Inspector Warrick Adkin says the vehicle raised suspicions of frontline staff. “Their suspicions were … Read more

Release: Govt cuts will cost jobs, health, and homes

Source: New Zealand Labour Party Nicola Willis announced that funding for almost every Government department will be frozen in this year’s budget, costing jobs, making access to public services harder, and fuelling an exodus of nurses, teachers, and other public servants. “Nicola Willis’s slash-and-burn budget is dangerous and reckless,” Labour finance and economy spokesperson Barbara … Read more

Supporting fintechs to boost competition

Source: New Zealand Government A pilot programme that will help financial technology (fintech) firms shake up competition in the financial and banking sectors is now underway, says Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Scott Simpson. “Our Government is focused on improving competition in the areas that matter most to Kiwis. The financial and banking sectors are … Read more

Government Cuts – Cuts to public services will be opposed: austerity does not work – PSA

Source: PSA Finance Minister Nicola Willis today has made it clear that austerity is on the horizon for health and other public services with little new money being made available in next month’s Budget. In today’s pre-Budget speech the Finance Minister announced that the operating allowance, which funds new operating spending, will be halved to $1.3 … Read more

Northland Regional Council News 29/04/25

Source: Northland Regional Council Climate Resilient Communities Fund open for applications Northland Regional Council is inviting applications to the Climate Resilient Communities Fund. The fund aims to build community resilience to the effects of climate change by focusing on local needs and community-led solutions. Council has $600,000 to invest in projects that meet the funding criteria, … Read more

UNDP and Trigger Team Up to Supercharge SDG Startups and Businesses with Smarter Investment and Support

Source: Media Outreach SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 29 April 2025 – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Trigger Asset Management (Trigger) have launched a landmark partnership aimed at unlocking capital and strengthening support for startups and businesses advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This collaboration brings together UNDP’s global innovation and finance … Read more

Arrow Electronics Empowers Xeleqt with AIoT Technologies Adoption to Boost Workforce Productivity and Worksite Operations in the Philippines

Source: Media Outreach MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Media OutReach Newswire – 29 April 2025 – Global technology solutions provider Arrow Electronics is providing engineering expertise and services to Xeleqt Technology Innovations Inc. (Xeleqt), a Philippines-based tech startup, for developing its AIoT (Artificial intelligence of things)-powered solutions and offerings to help optimize workforce productivity and engagement across … Read more

Octa Broker Analysis: Why the U.S. Dollar is Struggling Amid Global Trade Turmoil

Source: Media Outreach KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 29 April 2025 – The U.S. Dollar, the world’s reserve currency and the ultimate safe-haven asset, is now the world’s worst-performing major currency in 2025. Octa Broker explains why. The historical role of the U.S. dollar as the world’s leading safe-haven currency is under … Read more

Government Cuts – Govt spending decision signals crisis and cuts – CTU

Source: CTU The decision to nearly halve the amount of new investment being made in the next Budget signals that this Government doesn’t care about the users of public services, said NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi Economist Craig Renney. “$1.3bn in operating allowance isn’t enough to pay for cost pressures in health alone ($1.55bn). There is … Read more

Pulses 25: the most pivotal event in the Global Pulse industry to be held in Singapore on 20-22 May 2025

Source: Media Outreach Organised by the Global Pulse Confederation, “Pulses 25” to set the global agenda for a resilient, sustainable food future SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 29 April 2025 – The Global Pulse Confederation (GPC) is set to host Pulses 25, the premier global gathering for the pulses industry, at the Fairmont Hotel, … Read more

Western Bay Road / SH 32 blocked

Source: New Zealand Police (District News) Emergency services are in attendance at a two-vehicle crash on Western Bay Road – SH 32 – reported shortly before midday, which has blocked the road at Waihaha on the western side of Lake Taupo. Indications are there are serious injuries involved, and a helicopter has been dispatched to … Read more

Government exploring northern ‘energy bridge’

Source: New Zealand Government The Regional Infrastructure Fund will invest up to $2 million to investigate building additional electricity transmission and distribution capacity in Northland, which could also have benefits further afield, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. “New Zealand needs significantly more electricity generation as the economy grows and demand for power increases. Northland … Read more

Alibaba Introduces Qwen3, Setting New Benchmark in Open-Source AI with Hybrid Reasoning

Source: Media Outreach HANGZHOU, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 29 April 2025 – Alibaba has launched Qwen3, the latest generation of its open-sourced large language model (LLM) family, setting a new benchmark for AI innovation. The Qwen3 series features six dense models and two Mixture-of-Experts (MoE) models, offering developers flexibility to build next-generation applications … Read more

The Real Culture War

Source: ACT Party The Haps Quiet? MPs are having a break from Parliament and the country is having a break from MPs thanks to a three-week Parliament recess. The Government announced $68.5 million of repayable loans to people building electric vehicle chargers. Free Press readers will be outraged by that, but under ACT’s coalition agreement it has … Read more

Manawatū Tararua Highway open soon

Source: New Zealand Government Minister of Transport Chris Bishop has confirmed the Manawatū Tararua Highway will be opened to traffic from June 2025, restoring an important connection for communities and businesses on both sides of the Tararua Ranges.  “The new highway between Ashhurst and Woodville will replace State Highway 3 through the Manawatū Gorge, which … Read more

Stats NZ information release: Employment indicators: March 2025

Source: Statistics New Zealand Employment indicators: March 2025 – 29 April 2025 – Employment indicators provide an early indication of changes in the labour market. Key factsChanges in the seasonally adjusted filled jobs for the March 2025 month (compared with the February 2025 month) were: all industries – up 0.2 percent (3,548 jobs) to 2.36 … Read more

Greenpeace – Luxon’s war on nature opens gate for more dairy conversion

Source: Greenpeace Greenpeace Aotearoa is calling out the Luxon Government for “leaving the gate wide open” to more dairy conversion with no plan to protect fresh water from pollution. Temporary rules that restricted the conversion of farmland to intensive dairy were in place until 1 January this year, to allow time for Regional Councils to implement … Read more

Brisbane’s Olympic Boom: Why Thousands of Kiwis Are Making the Move to the Sunshine State

Source: Robert Walters Migration Surge: 42% of New Zealanders are planning to move to Australia, with Brisbane a top destination.  Key Motivators for Relocation: Better salaries (48%), improved job prospects (22%), and more affordable living (13%).  Brisbane’s Growth: The city was voted Australia’s happiest city in 2024 and is already one of the fastest-growing urban … Read more

BusinessNZ – Regulatory roadblock to be removed

Source: BusinessNZ Swift action to remove a regulatory roadblock in the way of medical innovation, global events and tourism has been applauded by BusinessNZ. A ‘nonsensical’ ruling by Medsafe effectively prevents major international medical conferences from being held in New Zealand because displaying new products or sharing the latest research with medics in trade shows is … Read more

Fiordland’s Lake Marian Track temporarily closed for construction

Source: Department of Conservation Date:  29 April 2025 Lake Marian Falls and Lake Marian Track are about 30 km from Milford Sound/Piopiotahi on the lower Hollyford Road off State Highway 94. Lake Marian Falls’ new platform will be semi-circular and positioned to allow visitors to enjoy the dramatic waterfalls and water-sculpted rocks, away from the river’s … Read more

Government Cuts – $1b cut in Budget operating allowance ‘unnecessary and damaging’

Source: Better Taxes for a Better Future Campaign The announcement by the Government that it will cut $1b to its Budget operating allowance is unnecessary and damaging, according to the Better Taxes for a Better Future Campaign. “This cut, on top of last year’s mean spirited Budget, is a result of the 2024 tax cuts, … Read more

Leaves of hope; first signs of mistletoe success at Pirongia

Source: Department of Conservation Date:  29 April 2025 Long-term restoration efforts began at Pirongia in the early 2000s, and DOC’s Waikato team has been working with Pirongia Te Aroaro ō Kahu Restoration Society, Te Pahū Landcare, and local iwi to restore the maunga and reintroduce native species. DOC Waikato Biodiversity Ranger Cara Hansen says the mistletoe … Read more

Serious crash, Whitiora, Hamilton

Source: New Zealand Police (District News) Motorists are asked to avoid the intersection of Mill and Ulster Streets in Whitiora, Hamilton, this morning, after a crash has left one person seriously injured. Police were called to the crash, involving a vehicle and a cyclist, about 5.55am.  Traffic management will be in place.  Motorists should take … Read more

Mark Cameron drafts bill to stop banking wokery and protect rural borrowers

Source: ACT Party ACT Rural Communities spokesperson Mark Cameron has drafted a bill to scrap the red tape forcing banks and financial institutions to make climate-related disclosures, by repealing Part 7A of the Financial Markets Conduct Act 2013. “Rural and regional New Zealanders are being hammered by banking wokery that judges businesses on political fashion … Read more

Events – REPORTERS FACING MULTIPLE CHALLENGES COVERING THE CLIMATE EMERGENCY – AUT

Source: Auckland University of Technology (AUT) The challenges faced by journalists covering the climate emergency will be at the heart of a public symposium at Auckland University of Technology (AUT) next month.   The symposium, titled Framing the Emergency: Climate Journalism in Aotearoa New Zealand, will explore how journalists report on the climate crisis, what more … Read more

Unions launch campaign to ban engineered stone

Source: Council of Trade Unions – CTU The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi has today launched a campaign to ban the import, supply, and use of engineered stone in Aotearoa New Zealand. “We are urging the Government to do the right thing and save workers’ lives by banning engineered stone, an … Read more