Release: Minister’s rash orders fail frontline providers

Source: New Zealand Labour Party The Auditor-General has found serious failings in the Government’s review of frontline providers such as counselling and prevention services. “It’s been nearly a year and frontline providers who work with vulnerable families are still waiting on certainty about funding,” Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime said. “The Auditor-General has found that … Read more

Release: Prices keep rising while National cuts women’s pay

Source: New Zealand Labour Party Prices for essentials, like milk, butter and electricity continue to get more expensive under National, at the same time as the Government takes money from women’s pockets to save their budget.   “It’s more bad news for families today as food prices continue to go up under this Government,” Labour … Read more

Cat-astrophe avoided after purrfect find in car engine

Source: New Zealand Police A member of the public has narrowly avoided a complete cat-astrophe after hearing a funny noise coming from the engine of her vehicle. The woman had been shopping at Sylvia Park when she returned to her car and began hearing concerning sounds from the engine on the drive home. “The woman … Read more

Stats NZ information release: Māori population estimates: Mean year ended 31 December 2024 (2023-base)

Source: Statistics New Zealand Māori population estimates: Mean year ended 31 December 2024 (2023-base) – 16 May 2025 – Māori population estimates give the best available measure of the Māori ethnic population, by age and sex, usually living in Aotearoa New Zealand. This release contains the provisional estimate of the national Māori ethnic population for the mean year … Read more

Marine Environment – KASM slams government as EPA accepts seabed mining into fast-track process

Source: Kiwis Against Seabed Mining (KASM) Community group Kiwis Against Seabed Mining today slammed the Luxon Government for swinging open the back door to let the seabed miners have another go, at a time when opposition is at its strongest. It is understood that the Environmental Protection Authority has now accepted the application from wannabe … Read more

Stats NZ information release: Productivity statistics: 1978–2024

Source: Statistics New Zealand Productivity statistics: 1978-2024 – 16 May 2025 – Productivity is a measure of how efficiently capital and labour are used within the economy to produce outputs of goods and services. A higher productivity rate means a nation can either produce a higher level of goods and services with the same level … Read more

Arts – Applications are OPEN for NZSA Shaw Writer’s Award 2025

Source: New Zealand Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi o Aotearoa (PEN NZ Inc) An award for a New Zealand writer of fiction – $5,000 – The New Zealand Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi o Aotearoa (PEN NZ Inc) announce the 2025 opening of this award, which supports the completion and/or publication of new fiction by a … Read more

Arts – Congratulations to the talented student writers awarded NZSA Youth Mentorships for 2025!

Source: NZ Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi O Aotearoa (PEN NZ Inc) Four secondary school students selected for mentorships will each be matched with a professional writer/mentor in their genre, as part of the NZ Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi O Aotearoa (PEN NZ Inc) 2025 Youth Mentorship Programme. The young writers will … Read more

Environment – EPA approves new turf herbicide

Source: Environmental Protection Authority The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has approved an application to import or manufacture a selective new weedkiller for use on recreational turf. Colin Campbell (Chemicals) Proprietary Limited applied to import or manufacture Poa Cure SC, a herbicide containing 275 g/L of methiozolin, a chemical new to New Zealand. It is used to … Read more

First Responders – Winslow hay bale fire update #2

Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand Fire and Emergency New Zealand had two crews monitoring the remains of a large fire involving hay bales in Winslow, Ashburton last night. The fire began late on Wednesday night, and destroyed two haysheds containing between 12,000 and 14,000 bales of hay, before being brought under control around midday yesterday. … Read more

Energy Sector – New Zealand Cleantech companies making an impact on the world stage

Source: Ara Ake With cleantech critical to both climate mitigation and economic growth, a visit to Singapore last week by six New Zealand cleantech companies, a Venture Capital firm and the MacDiarmid Institute, couldn’t have come at a more important time. OpenStar Technologies, TasmanIon, Nilo, Cetogenix, Mushroom Material, Allegro Energy (now Australia-based) and BridgeWest Ventures travelled … Read more

Legislation – Plain Language Act Repeal Bill ‘major step backward’ for disabled community – IHC

Source: IHC Repealing the Plain Language Act 2022 would mark a major step backwards for people with intellectual disability to easily access important information, says IHC. In its submission earlier this week to the Governance and Administration Committee, IHC says that people with intellectual disability benefit from plain language, as they are among those most … Read more

Economy – RBNZ Analytical Notes: Estimating Exchange Rate Pass-through in New Zealand

Source: Reserve Bank of New Zealand – Te Pūtea Matua 16 May 2025 – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand – Te Pūtea Matua has published two Analytical Notes; Estimating Exchange Rate Pass-through in New Zealand (ref. https://govt.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=bd316aa7ee4f5679c56377819&id=6162da22c5&e=f3c68946f8 ) Key findings This Note analyses exchange rate pass-through to tradables prices in each step of the … Read more

Progress on Hawke’s Bay Expressway good news for growth

Source: NZ Music Month takes to the streets Minister of Transport Chris Bishop has welcomed funding to proceed with groundwork and geotechnical investigations for the next section of the State Highway 2 Hawke’s Bay Expressway Road of National Significance project. “The expressway is a vital link for the whole region and for road users from neighbouring … Read more

Walking together: Council, mana whenua and community deepen conservation relationships online

Source: Secondary teachers question rationale for changes to relationship education guidelines When you visit the newly updated Tiaki Tāmaki Makaurau | Conservation Auckland website, you’re stepping into more than just a page of information; you’re entering a space where mana whenua provides guidance for community conservation within their rohe (tribal area). It’s a powerful reminder … Read more

Officer stops thieves in their tracks

Source: New Zealand Police A group of offenders were no match for one Sergeant during a foot pursuit in Manukau. In the process, thousands of dollars in products that had just been stolen was recovered. Around 4.30pm on Wednesday, the on-duty Sergeant was conducting prevention patrols in the Manukau Westfield carpark, when a group of … Read more

Eyes in the sky assist in locating missing man

Source: New Zealand Police Police wasted no time taking to the sky following a concerning call from a member of the public whose father suffering from dementia had gone missing. Just before 1am, Police were informed of man in his 80s with dementia who had gone missing in the Ōrere Point area. Counties Manukau South … Read more

NZ to host Pacific leaders

Source: NZ Music Month takes to the streets New Zealand will host leaders from across the Pacific next week, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Pacific Peoples Minister Dr Shane Reti have announced. “New Zealand is a Pacific country, and regular face-to-face dialogue is a crucial underpinning for our relationships throughout our region,” Mr Peters … Read more

DOC reopens lower Hooker Valley Track

Source: Police investigating after shots fired at Hastings house Date:  16 May 2025 “We know how much this iconic walk is valued and how much people love to visit and walk it, so we’ve worked hard to keep the lower part of the track open,” says Aoraki Mount Cook Operations Manager Sally Jones. “There is an … Read more

$577 million to support film and TV production

Source: NZ Music Month takes to the streets The Government is providing certainty to New Zealand’s film industry by providing the funding needed to sustain the International Screen Production Rebate, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis announced today. “This funding will help bring investment, jobs and income to New Zealand, boosting our economic growth.  “We are … Read more

Te Pāti Māori Condemns Fast-Track Approval of Seabed Mining

Source: Te Pāti Māori is gravely concerned by the Government’s approval of the Trans-Tasman Resources (Taranaki VTM) seabed mining project under its fast-track regime. This marks the first time a commercial shallow seabed mining operation has been approved anywhere in the world- pushed through with no transparency, no public input, and no consent from tangata … Read more

Update on Kopu Road incident

Source: New Zealand Police Kopu Road between Kopu and Thames has reopened, after being closed earlier this morning when a person was found with what appeared to be serious injuries. Police have now established that the person had suffered a medical event. The person has been airlifted to Waikato Hospital and the road has reopened. … Read more

NZ to subject Pandemic Treaty to full National Interest Test

Source: NZ Music Month takes to the streets The Government will subject a draft Pandemic Treaty to a full National Interest Test before deciding whether or not New Zealand should sign up to it, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Health Minister Simeon Brown say.  The draft Treaty will be discussed at the annual meeting of … Read more

Update: State Highway 1, Putaruru crash

Source: New Zealand Police One person has died following a crash on State Highway 1, Putaruru this morning. Police were notified just after 7am that a truck had collided with a parked car, near the intersection with Sholson Street. The truck driver was unresponsive when emergency services arrived at the crash scene. Medical attention was … Read more

State Highway 1, Putaruru partially blocked by crash

Source: New Zealand Police State Highway 1 in Putaruru is partially blocked following a crash this morning. Police were notified just after 7am that a truck had collided with a parked car, near the intersection of State Highway 1 and Sholson Street. There may be traffic delays and motorists should take alternative routes where possible. … Read more

Fatal crash, Takanini

Source: New Zealand Police One person has died following a crash in Takanini last night. Emergency services were called to the crash between a vehicle and a dirtbike on Mill Road just before 8.30pm. Sadly, one person was pronounced deceased at the scene. The Serious Crash Unit attended and enquiries to determine the circumstances of … Read more

‘Call 111’ – Police need public’s help to tackle car thefts

Source: New Zealand Police Wairarapa Police are working to track the offenders behind 29 car thefts in the space of two weeks. The number of thefts is an increase on the 37 vehicles that were stolen in the two months to May last year. Wairarapa Area Prevention Manager Senior Sergeant Gill Flower said the recent … Read more