Woman killed and man critically injured in Christchurch police shooting
Police shot a woman and a man at a residence in Bryndwr on Wednesday night. Officers were called to the Clyde Road address following reports of a man armed with a knife threatening himself and his partner. The woman died and the man sustained critical injuries.
+48 outlets · Israeli minister responds to Luxon's comments on Benjamin Netanyahu
Israeli Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Sharren Haskel has criticised Prime Minister Christopher Luxon after he claimed Benjamin Netanyahu had "lost the plot" regarding the Gaza conflict. Luxon has stood by his personal views, while Haskel suggested the New Zealand leader does not understand the challenges of facing Hamas.
+15 outlets · One person reportedly dead after altercation in Awakeri
Police were called to an altercation between two people at a property on State Highway 30 in Awakeri on Thursday afternoon. One person has reportedly died following a stabbing, while another person has been taken into police custody.
+15 outlets · New Zealander and son detained in US immigration centre
Sarah Shaw and her six-year-old son were detained at the US-Canada border three weeks ago. Her father believes there is a 90 per cent chance they will be released before the end of the week.
4 outlets · Man dies while kayaking in Ruakākā estuary
Matthew Taylor, 29, died on Monday after taking a kayak out on the Ruakākā estuary in Northland. Members of the local surf lifesaving club found his body a few hours after his upturned kayak was discovered. He leaves behind a partner and three young children.
4 outlets · Two people charged with defrauding over $1 million in Wānaka
A 28-year-old man and a 38-year-old woman have been arrested and charged after allegedly defrauding someone of more than $1 million over two years. Police claim the funds were taken for cancer treatment that was never needed or obtained. Authorities are now seeking other potential victims.
4 outlets · Te Poi Road closed after truck hits pedestrian near Matamata
A pedestrian was seriously injured after being hit by a truck on Te Poi Road, southeast of Matamata, on Thursday afternoon. The person was flown to Waikato Hospital in critical condition. Police say the road remains closed north of the State Highway 29 intersection while the Serious Crash Unit investigates.
4 outlets · Golden Mile design contract expected to be signed in November
The contract for the second stage of Wellington's Golden Mile project is expected to be signed in November. This follows a briefing regarding the controversial upgrade, which will occur after the upcoming local elections and the installation of a new mayor and council.
4 outlets · Coronial inquest to investigate death of Pauline Hanna
A coronial inquiry will investigate the circumstances surrounding the 2021 death of Pauline Hanna at her Remuera home. Philip Polkinghorne, who was found not guilty of murdering his wife, may give evidence during the proceedings scheduled for next year.
+15 outlets · Linton-based soldier faces espionage court martial next week
A soldier with links to far-right groups faces 17 charges under the Armed Forces Discipline Act. The identity of the soldier, the involved foreign country, and some expert witnesses remain suppressed. The court martial hearing is expected to begin on Monday.
+15 outlets · Two teenagers charged after school staff member robbed in Whangārei
A 16-year-old and a 14-year-old have been charged with aggravated robbery following an incident in an Onerahi alleyway on Monday. A school language assistant was allegedly threatened with a knife during the robbery. Police have recovered a stolen laptop containing irreplaceable study material.
4 outlets · Health Minister criticises nurses' union after Christchurch strike was cancelled
Health Minister Simeon Brown has accused the NZ Nurses Organisation of playing politics after a planned two-hour strike in Christchurch was called off 45 minutes before it was due to begin. Health New Zealand and the Minister are calling for both parties to return to negotiations.
4 outlets · Air New Zealand flight diverted to Sydney due to fuel discrepancy
Air New Zealand flight NZ175, travelling from Auckland to Perth, was diverted to Sydney on Thursday. The diversion occurred near northern Tasmania following a fuel discrepancy that requires an engineering investigation. The flight originally departed Auckland at approximately 12.30pm.
3 outlets · Sex worker criticises police handling of Michael Forbes investigation
A sex worker involved in the Michael Forbes case has described police handling of the investigation as unacceptable. Forbes resigned from the Prime Minister's office after being investigated for covertly recording audio sessions with sex workers in Wellington. Questions have been raised regarding why government officials were not informed of the allegations for a year.
3 outlets · Government employee found guilty of possessing mosque shooting videos
A government employee has been found guilty of possessing three copies of the Christchurch mosque shooting live stream. Following a judge-alone trial in the Dunedin District Court, Judge David Robinson found the man's reasons for possessing the footage implausible. The individual's name and occupation remain subject to interim suppression.
3 outlets · Auckland dog owner sentenced after Rottweiler attack in New Lynn
An Auckland woman has been ordered to perform community service and pay reparations following a 2023 Rottweiler attack in New Lynn. The incident, involving the owner's son, left a passerby with an arm injury requiring surgery. Auckland Council is increasing its focus on irresponsible owners after prosecuting 611 people over five years.
3 outlets · Wellington sludge plant costs could increase by $83 million
The sludge minimisation facility under construction at Moa Point may face an $83 million budget blowout. Wellington City Council councillors are being asked to approve the additional funding, though officials have not yet confirmed how the costs will be paid.
3 outlets · Zelensky meets Starmer ahead of US-Russia summit in Alaska
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London before a scheduled summit between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska. The meeting aims to discuss peace in Ukraine, following suggestions from President Trump that the Russian leader may be ready to make a deal.
2 outlets · Papanui High School to reintroduce uniforms for year 13 students
Papanui High School in Christchurch will make uniforms compulsory for year 13 students starting in 2026. The decision follows decades of senior students wearing their own clothes and has faced opposition from students and the community.
+15 outlets · New Plymouth councillor removed from meeting after calling policy racist
New Plymouth mayor Murray Chong was removed from a council meeting after labelling a new procurement policy racist. The policy aims to improve partnerships with local iwi, hapū and Māori businesses. The mayor also questioned the motives of a Hobson's Pledge founder during the meeting.
3 outlets · Proposed bylaw to restrict access to Cape Palliser coastline
The South Wairarapa District Council plans to close an unfinished road leading to Cape Palliser to prevent vandalism and environmental damage. An iwi spokesperson supports the proposal to protect culturally significant land from destruction caused by vehicles and campers. The bylaw would restrict pedestrian, bicycle, and motor vehicle access to the area.
3 outlets · Auckland mayoral candidate Kerrin Leoni unveils rates and spending pledges
Mayoral contender Kerrin Leoni has proposed capping council rates rises at or below inflation after 2027/28. The Whau ward councillor also pledged to reduce consultant spending by 40% and accused incumbent Wayne Brown of avoiding direct debates and cherry-picking candidate events.
2 outlets · RNZ plans changes to address declining radio audience
RNZ chief executive Paul Thompson has announced a new approach following a decline in RNZ National's live listenership. An independent review recommended targeting Auckland listeners and those over 50 to reverse the trend. The report also suggested addressing issues regarding presenter readiness and the broadcaster's focus on Wellington.
+26 outlets · Hipkins defends decision to skip public Covid-19 inquiry hearings
Chris Hipkins has defended the decision to skip the second set of public Covid-19 Royal Commission hearings. While Prime Minister Christopher Luxon claimed former ministers were summonsed to appear, the Commission has chosen not to use its power to force attendance.
2 outlets · Kaipara District Council report criticised after $52,000 spend
The Kaipara District Council has spent an unplanned $52,000 on a document outlining its legal obligations to Māori. While Mayor Craig Jepson stated the report would guide staff and the public, the document has been condemned as anti-Māori.
4 outlets · Monaro Kerr-Wilson receives additional prison time for Facebook fraud
Monaro Kerr-Wilson has been sentenced to more prison time for Facebook fraud. The 21-year-old was already serving a sentence for scamming people out of $30,000 worth of property listed on Marketplace.
2 outlets · Dame Lydia Ko supports campaign to save Takapuna Golf Course
Dame Lydia Ko has voiced support for a community campaign to protect Auckland's Takapuna Golf Course. The proposal suggests building a canal to manage flood vulnerability, aiming to keep all 18 holes intact instead of the Auckland Council's plan to convert half the course into flood storage.
2 outlets · Greyhound racing association takes legal action to stop planned ban
The Greyhound Racing Association has filed an interim application in the Wellington High Court to halt the government's plan to ban the sport from August 2026. Lawyers argue the ban will impact over 1,000 livelihoods and claim the decision overlooks high animal welfare standards.
2 outlets · Academic criticises removal of Māori words from early reader books
Education Minister Erica Stanford has decided to remove most Māori words from new books in the Ready to Read Phonics Plus series. A Māori studies academic has described the decision as a dangerous move that breaches human rights and Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
2 outlets · Cruise industry holds conference to address falling visitor numbers
The New Zealand Cruise Association is holding a conference in Napier to discuss financial challenges facing the sector. Passenger numbers fell by 20 per cent last summer, and industry leaders are meeting to address the impact of declining visitor numbers and tourism policy volatility.
2 outlets · Waikato mental health patients sleeping on floor mattresses due to bed shortage
Patients at Waikato Hospital's Henry Rongomau Bennett Centre are sleeping on floor mattresses because acute mental health wards are operating at 140% capacity. A nurse reports that a shortage of community beds is preventing patient discharges, leading to overcrowding in wards and interview rooms.
4 outlets · Driver arrested after car crashes into Wiri home
A man has been arrested after a vehicle smashed into a house at the corner of Celadon Place and Druces Road in Wiri. The occupants of the home escaped without injury, though the building sustained moderate damage. Police had previously observed the vehicle being driven erratically before the crash occurred.
2 outlets · Kmart NZ warned over unsubstantiated sustainable cotton claims
The Commerce Commission has issued a warning to Kmart NZ for allegedly making misleading claims in its advertising. The retailer's campaign claimed its cotton was 100% sustainably sourced between August 2023 and October 2024.
2 outlets · Ruapehu councillors reject mayor's plea to reconsider water services partnership
Ruapehu District Council has voted against Mayor Weston Kirton's request to reconsider a water services deal. The mayor argued the partnership with Whanganui District Council would increase household bills by nearly $1000 annually, but councillors upheld the original decision.
3 outlets · North Auckland couple wins $1 million in Lotto windfall
An anonymous couple from North Auckland has won $1 million after a spur-of-the-moment ticket purchase for last Wednesday's draw. The man initially regretted not buying a ticket with his regular numbers until his wife revealed she had already purchased a winning one.
2 outlets · Construction to begin on Te Papa biodiversity research centre
A $155 million biodiversity research centre will be built in Trentham, Upper Hutt, to house Te Papa's large fish collection. Construction on the 6600sqm complex is scheduled to start next week. The facility aims to protect significant specimens, including the world's largest collection of New Zealand and Southern Ocean fishes.
4 outlets · Woman crashes after attempting to overtake grit truck on State Highway One
A 51-year-old woman crashed on the Northern Motorway north of Dunedin on Wednesday morning. Police say she was attempting to overtake a Downer truck applying de-icing agent when she hit black ice. Emergency services attended the scene following the incident near the Patmos Avenue overpass.
2 outlets · Masterton charity struggling to accommodate beneficiaries performing community work
The Wairarapa Resource Centre in Masterton is being overwhelmed by people required to perform voluntary work to maintain their Jobseeker benefits. Following new government rules introduced in May, the charity is having to turn people away due to the high volume of individuals seeking to meet their obligations.
+15 outlets · Expert questions decision to remove Māori words from new reading books
University of Canterbury Professor Gail Gillon has called for transparency after Education Minister Erica Stanford imposed a near total ban on Māori words in new books for five-year-olds. A Māori educator also argued that children should not have to wait until Year 2 to learn the language.
2 outlets · Children's Commissioner calls for urgent closure of Gloriavale Christian School
Children's Commissioner Dr Claire Achmad has called for the urgent closure of Gloriavale Christian School on the West Coast. She stated she has no confidence that students are safe. School leaders must demonstrate to the Ministry of Education next week that they are addressing issues identified in a July report.
+26 outlets · Man charged after allegedly pointing airgun at police in Manurewa
A 26-year-old man faces charges of assault and unlawful airgun possession after allegedly pointing an airgun at police in Manurewa. Officers were investigating an unregistered quad bike when the incident occurred. The weapon was initially mistaken by police for a revolver.
2 outlets · Change expected at Hauraki District Council local elections
Twenty candidates are contesting seats in the upcoming Hauraki District Council election. Mayor Toby Adams faces two challengers, while five sitting councillors have decided not to seek re-election.
2 outlets · State Highway 1 near Rolleston reopens after police raid
A section of State Highway 1 in Canterbury was closed for nearly an hour on Thursday morning. Police carried out a pre-planned warrant at a property between Burnham Road and Dunns Crossing Road. The road has since reopened following the operation.
2 outlets · Simplicity Living announces $500m build-to-rent scheme in Queenstown
Developer Simplicity Living plans to build 600 homes and apartments on a 6.1-hectare site at Ladies Mile in Queenstown. The $500 million build-to-rent project aims to address local housing constraints.
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