Three killed in Waiuku car crash
Frances Latu-Vailea, her five-year-old daughter, and seven-year-old niece died when their car left Masters Road and hit a culvert in Waiuku on Tuesday. The woman leaves behind three sons, including an eight-week-old baby.
+15 outlets · Two charged with neglect following 2015 child death in Kaikohe
Police have charged a man and a woman with neglect regarding the 2015 death of four-year-old Alestra Kepa-Hati in Kaikohe. The child had sustained a broken arm, a broken pelvis, and two head injuries in the weeks before her death. The investigation into the unexplained death has been ongoing for ten years.
+15 outlets · Logging company and director fined for stream pollution near Waihī
Seaview Logging Limited and director Graeme Howard Savill have been fined $112,500 for environmental damage near Waihī. Between August 2022 and October 2023, slash and sediment from forestry operations polluted a tributary of the Waitaheke Stream despite previous inspections and abatement notices.
+15 outlets · Three new measles cases confirmed in Wairarapa and Manawatū
Three new measles cases have been confirmed in the lower North Island, bringing the national total to eight. The cases, located in Wairarapa and Manawatū, are linked to previous Wairarapa cases and overseas travel. Health officials say one Manawatū patient may have been briefly infectious at several Feilding locations last Friday.
+15 outlets · DOC investigates decapitated seals found at Muriwai Beach
The Department of Conservation is investigating after two kekeno/NZ fur seals were found decapitated at Muriwai Beach in early June. Officials are seeking information regarding the incidents involving the protected marine mammals in West Auckland.
4 outlets · Julia DeLuney will not give evidence in Khandallah murder trial
Julia DeLuney, accused of murdering her mother Helen Gregory in Khandallah, will not give evidence or call witnesses. The Crown has begun closing arguments in the Wellington High Court, alleging the attack was financially motivated. During the proceedings, DeLuney interrupted the prosecution with a loud outburst.
+15 outlets · Two more candidates quit Ray Chung's Independent Together group
Andrea Compton and Dan Milward have left the Wellington political group Independent Together to campaign independently. Their departures follow a series of negative headlines and a controversial email sent by mayoral candidate Ray Chung. The group is now looking to rebuild and has suggested new candidates may join the ticket.
4 outlets · Long-term manager of Molesworth Station resigns suddenly
Jim Ward has abruptly resigned from his position as manager of the Crown-owned Molesworth Station after 24 years. The resignation has caused speculation regarding the future of New Zealand's largest livestock station. Sources suggest Ward was frustrated by a lack of action concerning wilding pine control on the land.
4 outlets · Scott Robertson names All Blacks squad for third test against France
All Blacks coach Scott Robertson has announced his 23-man squad for the final test against France in Hamilton this Saturday. The selection includes seven players named for the first time this season and one expected debutant. Beauden Barrett has been left out due to injury.
3 outlets · Body of missing Whanganui man found in river
Police have recovered the body of 20-year-old Kahukura Dilpreet Wati Woods Gill from the Whanganui River near Cobham Bridge. Mr Gill had been missing since June 27, and a car matching his description was located in the river on 2 July. The matter has been referred to the coroner.
3 outlets · Carmel College in lockdown following incident on North Shore
Auckland girls' high school Carmel College went into lockdown this afternoon due to an incident. Police provided support during the event, and the school confirmed that all staff and students were safe. The lockdown has since been lifted.
3 outlets · Armed police search for person of interest in Whakatu
Armed officers surrounded a property and searched residential streets in Whakatu, Hawke’s Bay, while hunting for a person of interest. Cordons were previously established on Buckingham Street and Ngaruroro Avenue. Police have since removed the cordons and stated that the public is not at risk.
3 outlets · Lower Hutt sushi restaurant fined for employment standard breaches
The Employment Relations Authority has ordered Well Sushi to pay $30,000 in penalties for breaching employment standards. The restaurant failed to pay a migrant worker the minimum wage and sick leave. The business was previously ordered to pay the former employee more than $53,000 in wage arrears.
3 outlets · Man found dead inside bus at Auckland depot
A man's body was discovered at 5.35am Thursday inside a bus at the Halsey Street Depot in central Auckland. Police stated that attempts to revive the unresponsive man were unsuccessful. An investigation into the incident is underway.
3 outlets · Northland properties lose power after severe gales
Severe gales caused damage across Northland on Thursday, downing trees and powerlines. Northpower reported approximately 3,200 customers were cut off in West Kaipara, while hundreds of properties remained without electricity following the high winds.
2 outlets · MPI disputes research regarding campylobacter hospitalisation rates
The Ministry for Primary Industries has accused researchers of scaremongering following a report by the Public Health Communication Centre. The study claims campylobacter hospitalisations caused by contaminated fresh chicken have increased by nearly 70 per cent over 17 years.
3 outlets · Te Puna community reacts to approval of industrial park
Residents in a rural Western Bay of Plenty community have expressed shock following the granting of resource consents for an industrial park on Te Puna Station Rd. Locals have campaigned against the development since 2021, arguing the project is unsuitable for the flood-prone and culturally significant wetland area.
3 outlets · Lead detective to be questioned in Khandallah murder trial
The lead detective investigating the murder of Helen Gregory is set to be questioned by the defence. Julia DeLuney is on trial in the Wellington High Court for the January 2024 killing of her mother in Khandallah. The defence claims police developed tunnel vision during the investigation.
3 outlets · Erebus captain's daughter believes national memorial should be in Auckland
Kathryn Carter, the eldest daughter of Erebus captain Jim Collins, believes the national memorial belongs in Auckland. This follows an announcement from the Ministry of Culture and Heritage regarding three potential memorial locations in Christchurch that have been shared with victims' families.
4 outlets · Section of Hutt Hospital classified as earthquake prone
Hutt City Council has issued an earthquake prone building notice for a section of Hutt Hospital containing the kitchen and café. Health New Zealand states the building is not dangerous, noting the issue involves non-structural elements and that operations will continue as usual.
2 outlets · Wellington mayoral candidate ordered to pay former employee $28,000
Graham Bloxham has been ordered by the Employment Relations Authority to pay a former employee more than $8,000 in lost wages and $20,000 for humiliation. His company, In Your Pocket Media, also allegedly owes the IRD $5,670 in unpaid PAYE tax deducted from the worker's wages.
2 outlets · Hamilton woman sentenced to home detention after drink-driving crash
Holly Pattison, 36, has been sentenced to home detention following a crash near Hamilton. While driving over the legal alcohol limit, Pattison crossed the centre line and collided with another vehicle. The incident left a six-year-old girl with critical injuries and injured another person.
3 outlets · Search continues for dog that seriously injured child in Amberley
A brindle-coloured dog remains at large after a random attack on a five-year-old girl near the Waipara River. The child is recovering from surgery following the incident in Amberley. The Hurunui District Council is seeking information to identify the animal and its owner.
2 outlets · Experts criticise lack of independent oversight for Healthy Homes checks
Building experts and renter advocates are questioning the new Healthy Homes Standards following their implementation on 1 July. Critics argue that the lack of required certification for compliance checks creates a loophole, comparing the process to drivers issuing their own warrants of fitness.
2 outlets · Mother reacts to coroner's report into daughter's Fiordland drowning
The mother of Tegan Chen, a 10-year-old Australian girl who drowned in Marian Creek last year, has responded to a coroner's report. The report has brought both sadness and comfort to the family following the January 2024 incident in Fiordland National Park.
+15 outlets · Lower Hutt woman becomes millionaire after winning Lotto bonus ticket
A MyLotto player from Lower Hutt has become the 30th millionaire of 2025 after winning $1 million from a bonus ticket. After receiving notification of the win on Sunday morning, the woman said the prize would provide financial security for her family and allow her to buy barista-made coffee.
2 outlets · Police seize firearms and impound vehicles following gang-related incidents
Police have seized multiple firearms and impounded several vehicles in Northland following reports of gang-related activity. The operation intensified after reports of a gun being shot from a vehicle during a tangi near Awanui. One man has been arrested in Kaitaia for possession of guns and cannabis.
2 outlets · Māori health workforce grows in Taranaki through homegrown initiative
A 15-year effort to address health workforce shortages in Taranaki has nearly doubled the proportion of Māori working for the region's public health service. The initiative, Whakatipuranga Rima Rau, was established in 2010 to attract 500 Māori into the local health sector.
3 outlets · National supports Labour MP's pay transparency bill
A bill introduced by Labour MP Camilla Belich has passed its second reading. The legislation aims to ensure that pay secrecy clauses are no longer enforceable. The National Party has backed the measure.
+15 outlets · Law student killed in North Otago crash
Tessa Elizabeth Macintosh Sheild, a 20-year-old law student from Marlborough, has died following a crash near Moeraki Boulders Road on Sunday. She was travelling back to the University of Otago for the second semester when the incident occurred on State Highway 1.
2 outlets · Fire destroys villa in Dunedin suburb of St Leonards
Firefighters battled a blaze at a Hawk Lane property in St Leonards on Thursday afternoon. The fire, which broke out just before 3pm, sent smoke over Otago Harbour. Five fire appliances from various Dunedin areas were deployed to the scene.
2 outlets · Two people seriously injured in series of Hawke’s Bay crashes
A series of accidents across Hawke’s Bay has left two people seriously injured and caused road closures. Incidents included a three-vehicle crash on Kennedy Road in Napier and a single-vehicle crash involving a fence on Neeve Road in Taradale. Police reported that two highways were also blocked during these separate events.
2 outlets · Daycare manager gives evidence at inquest into Malachi Subecz's death
A daycare manager testified at an inquest into the 2021 death of five-year-old Malachi Subecz, stating there were no clear signs of abuse despite bruising being noticed months earlier. During the proceedings, Malachi's mother also became emotional while recalling her final phone call with her son.
2 outlets · Loud bang heard across Wellington caused by hospital generator
Health New Zealand confirmed that a loud bang heard across parts of Wellington around 10am on Thursday was caused by a generator backfiring at Wellington Regional Hospital. The noise was not an explosion, earthquake, or sonic boom.
2 outlets · Seymour calls for benchmarking council performance to assist ratepayers
Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour told local government leaders in Christchurch that benchmarking is needed to compare council performance. He criticised certain council demands and suggested councils should focus on roads, rats, rubbish and rates. Seymour noted that there is currently no policy for local government reform.
4 outlets · Butter and dairy costs drive rise in food prices
Food prices increased by 4.6 percent in the 12 months to June 2025, according to Stats NZ. Rising costs for milk, butter, beef mince, and steak contributed to the increase. The price of a block of butter has risen 120 percent over the last decade.
2 outlets · More heavy rain forecast for Nelson Tasman region
Forecasters predict significant rainfall for parts of the country, including the Nelson Tasman region, towards the end of this month and into early August. This follows a period of bad weather that has left the area waterlogged.
2 outlets · Charities report rising poverty levels as families struggle with costs
Charities are seeing alarming levels of poverty as families struggle to pay electricity bills and afford food. In Mangere, Unaloto Latu's household of twelve lacks enough beds, forcing some children to sleep on couches. The family sometimes relies on rice for dinner to manage expenses.
2 outlets · Falling house prices impact retirement security for New Zealanders
Retirement planning is changing as house prices may drop by as much as 20% by 2030. Economic uncertainty and KiwiSaver changes mean more people may face retirement while renting, paying mortgages, or holding homes with decreasing value.
2 outlets · New Zealand job listings fall as average salaries reach record high
Trade Me data shows a shift in the labour market during the second quarter of 2025. While the average advertised salary rose to a record $73,823, the number of job listings fell to the second-lowest level on record.
4 outlets · KiwiSaver investments shifting towards higher risk funds
The Financial Markets Authority reports a dramatic increase in KiwiSaver money invested in high-volatility funds. This shift has seen the proportion of such investments quadruple over three years. While aggressive funds have historically provided higher returns, concerns have been raised regarding the quality of advice provided to middle-aged savers.
3 outlets · Drivers warned of freezing fog and black ice on South Island highways
The New Zealand Transport Agency is warning motorists about persistent freezing fog, hoar frosts, and potential black ice. These conditions are expected on parts of State Highways 8 and 80 in the central South Island at least until Sunday. Drivers are advised to avoid travelling in the affected areas if possible.
2 outlets · Auckland teenager in intensive care after trip to Vietnam
Auri Law is in critical condition in a Vietnamese hospital after developing a rare neurological condition. The Auckland teenager was travelling to celebrate her 18th birthday with family when the illness occurred.
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