Weather News – A settled start, midweek chill, and a warmer finish – MetService

Source: MetService 10/03/2025 – Covering period of Monday 10th – Thursday 13th March – MetService is forecasting a week of weather ups and downs, with a settled start giving way to wetter and windier conditions midweek before a recovery in time for week’s end. Temperatures will follow this rollercoaster pattern, with a midweek dip across the … Read more

Privacy. Commissioner – New research shows business leaders fear being on the hook for others’ privacy breaches

Source: Office of the Privacy Commissioner New research just out from Kordia shows 35% of business leaders said cyber-attacks or data leaks coming through third-party suppliers were their biggest business concern. Privacy Commissioner Michael Webster says, “The law is very clear that when an agency outsources services to a third-party provider, the agency remains responsible for … Read more

Federal Street – unique lights illuminate artwork to create outdoor gallery experience

Source: Auckland Council A once reflective, quiet urban backyard, used mainly by the residents of upper Federal Street, has become a living art experience. Since Joe Sheehan’s Lost & Found – a series of eight intricately carved boulders sourced from all over New Zealand – was first placed in the street, residents, people on bikes … Read more

Transport – Good work on the Desert Road – Transport NZ

Source: Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand Transporting New Zealand has congratulated NZTA and its contractors on the announcement the Desert Road between Waiouru and Tūrangi will reopen this Friday as scheduled. The closure had meant 800 trucks per day needed to take a detour, with the vast majority using SH4. That resulted in a major … Read more

Govt News – Chief Ombudsman publishes OIA and LGOIMA complaints information for July to December 2024

Source: Office of the Ombudsman The Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier has published his half-yearly data on Official Information Act (OIA) and Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act (LGOIMA) complaints. The data covers the number of complaints received under each Act from 1 July to 31 December 2024, as well as the number of complaints completed … Read more

Greenpeace’s Russel Norman says Luxon’s investment claims undermined by breaches of free trade agreements

Source: Greenpeace The Prime Minister’s claims to the Infrastructure Investment Summit in Auckland today, that his Government is committed to a rules-based multilateral trading system, are undermined by his Government’s repeated breaches of the environment chapters of recent free trade agreements, says Greenpeace. “The Prime Minister today is making his pitch to international investors that his … Read more

New research shows business leaders fear being on the hook for others’ privacy breaches

Source: Privacy Commissioner Home / News / News / New research shows business leaders fear being on the hook for others’ privacy breaches 13 Mar 2025, 11:00 New research just out from Kordia shows 35% of business leaders said cyber-attacks or data leaks coming through third-party suppliers were their biggest business concern. Privacy Commissioner Michael … Read more

Stats NZ information release: International migration: January 2025

Source: Statistics New Zealand International migration: January 2025 – 13 March 2025 – International migration statistics give the latest outcomes-based measure of migration, which includes estimates of migrants entering or leaving New Zealand. Key facts Annual migrationProvisional estimates for the January 2025 year compared with the January 2024 year were: migrant arrivals: 155,300 (± 1,100), … Read more

Stats NZ information release: International travel: January 2025

Source: Statistics New Zealand International travel: January 2025 – 13 March 2025 – International travel covers the number and characteristics of overseas visitors and New Zealand resident travellers (short-term movements) entering or leaving New Zealand. Key facts Monthly arrivals – overseas visitorsOverseas visitor arrivals were 370,200 in January 2025, an increase of 43,800 from January … Read more

Universities – University of Auckland performs strongly in QS 2025 Subject Rankings – UoA

Source: University of Auckland (UoA) Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland continues to demonstrate its academic excellence with a strong performance across a broad range of disciplines in the 2025 Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings by Subject released on 12 March. This year, the University of Auckland has five subjects in the Top 50 … Read more

Aviation – Fly More, Fly Smart: CAA urges pilots not to ‘wing it’

Source: New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority Published date: 10 March 2025 – Wellington, New Zealand  – The thrill of free flight is unparalleled—the wind, the lift, the pure freedom. But even the most experienced pilots know that every flight demands smart decision-making. Following a recent rise in hang gliding, paragliding, and speed wing incidents—including a … Read more

University Research – Brains of rugby players aid groundbreaking research – UoA

Source: University of Auckland (UoA) A breakthrough in understanding chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a disease linked to repeated head blows, has been made at the University of Auckland. Neuroscientists at the University of Auckland’s Centre for Brain Research examined brain tissue, primarily from former rugby players, that was donated to the Neurological Foundation New Zealand … Read more

Stop/Go on SH49 Tangiwai for urgent rail maintenance from this weekend

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency 13 March 2025 9:53 am | NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi Road users on State Highway 49 (SH49), northwest of Waiouru, should prepare for delays over 2 weekends this month, while KiwiRail undertakes urgent maintenance on the Tangiwai Rail Crossing. To enable KiwiRail to undertake this work safely, SH49 will … Read more

Awards – Southland Documenting Our Heritage Winners Announced

Source: Heritage New Zealand Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga announces the winners of their Documenting our Heritage ǀ Southland photo competition. Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga partnered with the Invercargill City Libraries & Archive, to collect refreshed images of places on the New Zealand Heritage List Rārangi Kōrero in the region. The winner of the adult category, … Read more

Culture and Heritage – Creative and cultural strategy receives hundreds of submissions

Source: Ministry for Culture and Heritage Feedback on the Government’s draft creative and cultural strategy shows support for a cohesive approach that boosts economic and social benefits for New Zealanders, says Leauanae Laulu Mac Leauanae, Secretary for Culture and Heritage at Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage. “Thank you to the hundreds of people that … Read more

Northland News – Changes to tsunami evacuation maps for Northland

Source: Northland Regional Council Northland’s tsunami evacuation maps have been updated with more accurate modelling and information. These new maps better reflect how tsunamis are expected to behave as they travel across the ocean and reach our coastline. The evacuation zones have also been simplified to make them easier to understand, Northland Civil Defence Emergency Management(NCDEM) … Read more

Business – Canterbury Businesses Show Resilience Amid Rising Global Concerns

Source: Business Canterbury Business Canterbury’s latest quarterly business survey reveals a complex economic landscape for local business, with international trade and geopolitical risks emerging as significant concerns while, at the same time, businesses are demonstrating growing confidence in their ability to manage disruption. Business Canterbury Chief Executive Leeann Watson says, “It’s particularly significant, although probably not … Read more

Awards – Grasslanz Technology claims top science honour

Source: AgResearch A plant technology company that has been a major contributor to the success of New Zealand agriculture for more than two decades has been recognised with the supreme honour at the 2025 Science New Zealand Awards. AgResearch subsidiary, Grasslanz Technology Limited, was announced today as the supreme award winner in recognition of its … Read more

Another firearm off the street following Tikipunga search

Source: New Zealand Police (District News) Police have taken a firearm capable of firing .22 rounds off the streets after locating thew weapon down the side of a couch. At about 1pm on Wednesday, officers executed a search warrant at a Tikipunga address on Papa Totara Loop. Detective Senior Sergeant Aaron Crawford, Northland CIB, says … Read more

Universities – How New Zealand Universities Rank in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025

Source: QS World University Rankings  Massey breaks into top 20 but rest of world catching up with NZ’s excellenceNew Zealand sees decline in rankings as employer reputation indicator scores in other countries soar, but some stand-out performances in sport-related subjects.   London, March 12th: International higher education experts QS Quacquarelli Symonds have today released the 15th … Read more

Release: Members’ Bill makes wage theft a crime

Source: New Zealand Labour Party Workers will now be able to go to the Police and report their employer if they are not being paid wages they’re owed. Parliament has passed the Crimes (Theft by Employer) Amendment Bill today led by Labour MP Camilla Belich, inserting a new section 220AA into the Crimes Act 1961. … Read more

Missed opportunity to stop the stealing of Māori land

Source: Green Party The Green Party is disappointed the Government voted down Hūhana Lyndon’s member’s Bill, which would have prevented further alienation of Māori land through the Public Works Act. “Today represents a missed opportunity to end a legacy of injustice that has seen Māori land stolen across generations,” says Green Party MP Hūhana Lyndon. … Read more

Our Waitarakao Strategy adoption accelerates action

Source: Environment Canterbury Regional Council Our Waitarakao: Waitarakao Washdyke Lagoon Catchment Strategy includes measures to increase natural hazard resilience, address poor water quality and improve biodiversity. As well as planning the long-term future for lagoon and surrounding areas, including adjoining creeks and nearby wetlands. A small gathering of about 40 people took place on Sunday … Read more

Minister Weeds Wokeness Out Of MFAT

Source: Family First Media Release – 12 March 2025 Family First NZ is welcoming moves by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters to ‘weed out the wokeness’ from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade as a result of an exposé by Family First on some of the content on the MFAT website and … Read more

Road rebuild works to kick off on SH1 Kawakawa

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) contractors will be rebuilding a section of State Highway 1 through Kawakawa from Sunday (16 March). The project will reconstruct the highway on both sides of the railway tracks, as well as where the highway crosses the tracks. However, the pavement lane for the … Read more

State Highway 1 Desert Road to re-open after 2-month closure

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency New Zealand’s largest and most ambitious road maintenance project, the Tīrau to Waiouru Accelerated Maintenance programme, reaches a major milestone this week with the reopening of State Highway 1 (SH1) at the Desert Road on Friday 14 March. SH1 between Tūrangi and Waiouru, including the Desert Road, has been closed … Read more

Boosting rural connectivity and economic growth

Source: New Zealand Government The Government is progressing a suite of regulatory changes aimed at improving telecommunication services for rural communities and promote economic growth, says Communications Minister Paul Goldsmith.“World-class connectivity services are vital to Kiwis’ everyday lives. This Government is ensuring we have the right regulatory settings in place for this important market, to … Read more