Margie Apa resigns as Health NZ chief executive
Fepulea’i Margie Apa has stepped down as Health New Zealand chief executive four months before her contract was due to expire. Dr Dale Bramley has been appointed as interim chief executive. The departure follows a decision that a different leadership approach is required for the health system reset.
+37 outlets · Cook Islands pauses proposal for separate passport
Prime Minister Mark Brown has put a proposal to create a Cook Islands passport on the back burner. The decision follows warnings from New Zealand that the move could affect the constitutional relationship between the two nations.
+15 outlets · Severe thunderstorm watch issued for central North Island
MetService issued a severe thunderstorm watch for parts of the North Island, including Waikato, Bay of Plenty, and Taupō. Heavy thunderstorms and showers were expected during the afternoon and evening. Reports indicate that Taupō has experienced flooding and power outages following the storms.
4 outlets · Magnitude 4.5 earthquake strikes south of Seddon
A 4.5 magnitude earthquake occurred at 4.33pm on Friday, located 10km south of Seddon at a depth of 16km. The tremor was felt across the lower North Island and upper South Island. Nearly 900 people reported feeling the moderate shake on the GeoNet website.
4 outlets · Police seek extradition of Vietnamese officials accused of Wellington assaults
Police are preparing an extradition file for two Vietnamese officials suspected of indecently assaulting two female restaurant workers in Wellington in March 2024. This decision marks a change from previous police positions. The process will begin despite there being no extradition treaty between New Zealand and Vietnam.
+15 outlets · Musician facing trial for alleged domestic violence against former partner
A musician is appearing at Auckland District Court facing 11 charges of domestic violence relating to incidents in 2022 and 2023. The complainant alleges she was strangled, punched, and threatened. The defendant, who is currently under interim name suppression, has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
4 outlets · Seven men charged after firearm threat in Makara
Seven men face charges following an incident on Thursday afternoon at a residential address on Makara Road in Wellington. Police responded to reports of a person being threatened with a firearm, leading to arrests and various firearms and burglary charges. The men are due to appear in the Wellington District Court on Friday.
4 outlets · Two people dead after separate Auckland motorway incidents
Two people died and four others were injured following separate incidents on Auckland's motorways overnight. One fatality involved a person walking onto the South Western Motorway at Mount Roskill, while another occurred during a crash on the Southern Motorway near Ōtara. Northbound lanes on State Highway 1 were closed this morning.
4 outlets · Chelsea Sugar fined nearly $150,000 for lead contamination
Chelsea Sugar has been fined $149,500 after pleading guilty to charges regarding lead-tainted sugar. The contamination occurred during sea transport from Australia in September 2021, affecting more than 970 tonnes of products. This incident previously resulted in the company recalling thousands of items.
4 outlets · Fire destroys historic Roxburgh Town Hall and cinema
A large fire has gutted the Roxburgh Town Hall and its 128-year-old cinema in Central Otago. This follows a smaller accidental electrical fire at the site in January. The location currently remains too dangerous for anyone to enter.
4 outlets · Protests and interruptions occur during Waitangi Day commemorations
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon faced protests and interruptions while speaking at Ōnuku Marae in Akaroa. Meanwhile, hundreds of people gathered in Wellington to protest the Treaty Principles Bill, and thousands attended a dawn service at Waitangi in silence.
+15 outlets · Pedestrian killed after being struck by three vehicles on Auckland motorway
A man died on State Highway 20 near Mt Roskill early Friday morning after walking onto the Southwestern Motorway. Police say at least three vehicles struck the pedestrian, but none of the drivers stopped. Authorities are now seeking witnesses and the identification of the vehicles involved.
3 outlets · Man accused of stealing rescue helicopter equipment appears in court
A 31-year-old man appeared in Dunedin District Court following the theft of medical supplies from a Queenstown Rescue Helicopter in January. During the hearing, the defendant questioned the court's jurisdiction. He faces several burglary charges, including the theft of life-saving equipment and items from commercial burglaries.
4 outlets · Pedestrian seriously injured in Auckland CBD cyclist collision
A pedestrian was seriously injured after being hit by a cyclist at the intersection of Wakefield and Rutland streets in central Auckland on Friday morning. The person was taken to Auckland City Hospital. Police have closed roads in the area while the Serious Crash Unit examines the scene.
3 outlets · New Zealand International Convention Centre opening delayed until February 2026
SkyCity Entertainment Group has announced that the New Zealand International Convention Centre in Auckland's CBD will now open in February 2026. The company attributed the delay to the head contractor, Fletcher Construction. SkyCity expects to begin commissioning and operational activities during the second half of 2025.
3 outlets · Search for man missing after falling into river in Mt Aspiring National Park
Emergency services are searching for a man who fell from a rock into a river in Mt Aspiring National Park on Thursday. Police were alerted shortly before 5pm after the man failed to resurface. A search team was deployed to the area immediately.
+15 outlets · Gisborne plan aims to plant vegetation on eroding land
Gisborne District Council has introduced the Overlay 3B plan to address land erosion and vulnerability. The initiative involves planting tens of thousands of hectares of farming and forestry land with permanent vegetation. This follows 16 extreme weather events in the region since 2017 that caused debris to clog waterways.
3 outlets · Funeral directors warn of increase in livestream scams on social media
Funeral directors are alerting the public to a rise in scammers targeting funeral livestreams on social media. Criminals create fake event pages and request money from friends and family to view the service. The Funeral Directors' Association says approximately 50 businesses have been affected by these scams.
3 outlets · Warriors begin 2025 NRL campaign against Sharks in pre-season trial
The New Zealand Warriors played their first match of the 2025 NRL pre-season against the Cronulla Sutherland Sharks. The game took place at Shark Park in Sydney on Friday, 7 February. This fixture marked the Auckland club's first test following the departure of Shaun Johnson.
2 outlets · Four staff injured in altercation at Hawke’s Bay Regional Prison
A Corrections worker was hospitalised with serious injuries following an altercation with five inmates at Hawke’s Bay Regional Prison. Three other staff members were also injured during the incident. Five prisoners have been placed in segregation following the event.
2 outlets · Victims warn new stalking legislation could cause more harm
Stalking victims and violence prevention experts have criticised the government's proposed Crimes Legislation Stalking and Harassment Amendment Bill. Critics argue the legislation is a missed opportunity that could protect stalkers rather than victims. The bill was introduced and passed its first reading in December.
2 outlets · Justice Committee announces next group of Treaty Principles Bill submitters
The Justice Committee has named 367 people to provide oral submissions on the Treaty Principles Bill, with 112 additional spots reserved for random selection. Recent hearings have included various individuals, including a lawyer and TikTok star, as the committee considers 70 hours of submissions.
2 outlets · West Coast Regional Council appointment criticised as undemocratic
A candidate has criticised the West Coast Regional Council for its appointment of surveyor Chris Coll to fill a short-term vacancy. The seat was left vacant following the death of councillor Frank Dooley. Dave Hawes, who narrowly missed a council seat in the last election, described the selection process as undemocratic.
2 outlets · Motorcyclist seriously injured in Thames road crash
A crash involving a motorcycle and another vehicle occurred near Kereta on State Highway 25. One person has sustained serious injuries. Police have closed the Thames Coast Road and advised motorists to seek alternative routes.
3 outlets · House fire and shelterbelt blaze extinguished in Paengaroa
A large house fire opposite Paengaroa School ignited a 200m shelterbelt in the western Bay of Plenty on Friday. Fire crews worked for approximately two hours to extinguish the blaze. No injuries or missing persons were reported following the incident.
2 outlets · Bay of Plenty Regional Council investigates mystery smell in Ōpōtiki
Residents in Ōpōtiki have reported a smell resembling dead animals or rotting fish for the past two months. The Bay of Plenty Regional Council has identified one source of the odour and says it has been rectified, though the specific cause remains undisclosed pending further investigation.
4 outlets · Westpac introduces three-year fixed mortgage rate of 4.99 per cent
Westpac has become the first major bank to offer a fixed rate below 5 per cent this cycle. The bank began offering the 4.99 per cent three-year rate on Wednesday. One economist has suggested that this rate may not be sustainable.
2 outlets · Skydiver unhurt after hitting powerlines north of Auckland
An experienced male skydiver became entangled in powerlines during a jump in Parakai. Emergency services attended the scene, but the individual was uninjured. Operations manager Fiona McLaren attributed the incident to human error rather than weather conditions.
2 outlets · Man pleads guilty to hostage and bomb threat charges in Nelson
Phillip Mant has pleaded guilty to kidnapping and bomb threat charges following a 15-hour hostage standoff in Nelson South in August 2024. The incident, involving a sawn-off rifle and homemade explosives, caused the lockdown of local schools and a hospital. Mant remains in custody until his sentencing in July.
3 outlets · Police investigate assault after man chased into Christchurch medical clinic
Police are investigating an alleged assault that occurred in a Madras Street car park around 3.30am on Thursday. A man was reportedly chased into a 24-hour medical clinic by a group of masked attackers and sustained injuries. The offenders fled the scene in vehicles before officers arrived.
2 outlets · Charli XCX performs at Laneway Festival in Auckland
Charli XCX performed at the Laneway Festival at Western Springs in Auckland on Waitangi Day. The artist played to a crowd of approximately 50,000 people following her recent performance at the Grammy Awards.
2 outlets · Two wanted people arrested in Dunedin after car stops in road
Police arrested two people with outstanding warrants in Dunedin on Friday morning after their vehicle was found stopped in the middle of North Road. The incident, which involved the car driving on the wrong side of the road, also led to the arrest of a third person for suspected drink driving.
2 outlets · More Māori nurses urgently needed in New Zealand health system
The Nurses Organisation is calling for an increase in Māori nurses to better reflect the population. Kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku stated that while Māori make up approximately 17 per cent of New Zealanders, they represent only 7 per cent of the nursing workforce. Nuku also urged the health system to better embrace tikanga.
2 outlets · Simplicity Living to build 264 rental homes in Morningside
Simplicity Living has secured resource consents for a new build-to-rent development in Morningside, Auckland. The project will consist of 264 homes, with construction expected to begin in the middle of this year.
2 outlets · Chris Wood identified as potential leader for New Zealand football
Nottingham Forest striker Chris Wood is described as a superstar footballer in the English Premier League. He is expected to lead the All Whites in their pursuit of reaching the world stage.
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