Category: Radio New Zealand

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Peeni Henare ‘stepping back’, won’t be contesting Tāmaki Makaurau seat at election

Source: Radio New Zealand

Peeni Henare is stepping down after 12 years in Parliament. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

Senior Labour MP Peeni Henare is “taking a step back from politics”, saying the time has come to put his energy elsewhere.

Earlier on Tuesday, the former minister confirmed to RNZ he would not be contesting the Tāmaki Makaurau seat this year.

But in an interview with Māori start-up Tuia News, Henare went further, revealing he would step down after 12 years in Parliament, six of them as a minister across multiple portfolios.

He told the outlet there were many other issues within Te Ao Māori he wanted to focus on, including in Te Tai Tokerau and for Ngāpuhi.

Henare noted the energy required to be successful in election year, and the recent resignation of his colleague Adrian Rurawhe. He said he realised he was the only one left.

“Kua tae te wā,” Henare said. The time had come.

Both Henare and the Labour Party confirmed the decision not to seek re-election around 3pm on Tuesday.

“I have thought long and hard about this over the summer and decided not to seek the nomination for Tāmaki Makaurau again or a place on the Labour Party list,” Henare said in a statement.

“Last year was tough after losing the by-election and after careful consideration and kōrero with my whānau over the break, I have decided that it is time for me to take a step back from politics.

“It’s time to focus on my family, my wellbeing and my future”.

It stated Henare would leave Parliament in the coming weeks.

Hipkins won’t be drawn

Speaking to reporters around 2pm, Labour leader Chris Hipkins refused to comment on Henare’s movements.

When asked, Hipkins wouldn’t say whether Henare had his backing for the Māori seat or not.

“I’m not going to start a conversation on this.

“I’m still leaving Peeni the space to make his own decisions and his own announcements.”

He rejected his refusal to answer implied a lack of confidence, “no, it just means I’m leaving him the space.”

Hipkins said he’d been told by Henare in the last week or two that he wouldn’t be putting nominating himself as a candidate for the seat.

The news from Tuia broke as Hipkins was speaking, but despite the confirmation of Henare’s plans, Hipkins declined to answer.

“It’s not fair for me to go out and comment on people’s decisions before they have communicated them.

“You’re not going to have to wait that much longer.”

Hipkins said an announcement would be made at 4pm on Tuesday.

He said he’d comment on the news later on.

A decade in Parliament

Henare entered Parliament in 2014, winning the the Tāmaki Makaurau seat over the Māori party. He held onto the seat for nearly a decade, before being ousted by Te Pāti Māori’s Takutaki Tarsh Kemp in 2023 by a slim margin.

He contested the seat in the Tāmaki Makaurau by-election in 2025, following Kemp’s death, but lost to Oriini Kaipara who received around twice as many votes.

During the by-election he batted away suggestions of a Labour leadership bid, but didn’t rule it out.

At the time Henare said Hipkins, the current leader, had his full support.

During the previous Labour government, he held portfolios such as Defence, Whānau Ora, Civil Defence, Tourism and ACC.

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LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/03/peeni-henare-stepping-back-wont-be-contesting-tamaki-makaurau-seat-at-election/

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Unemployment set to linger as wage growth remains steady

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ

  • Unemployment expected to remain steady at 5.3 pct – data due 4 Feb, 10.45 am.
  • Labour market probably at the bottom, but improvement gradual.
  • Prospect of some modest job growth.
  • Wage growth to remain subdued, lagging inflation.
  • Data not likely to change RBNZ rates on hold policy.

Unemployment looks set to linger around a near-decade high, but may show signs that the labour market downturn has ended.

Most major bank economists expect the unemployment rate to stay unchanged at 5.3 percent for the three months ended December, but with tentative signs of employment growth, and wage growth subdued.

ASB senior economist Mark Smith was among the more optimistic with a forecast unemployment rate easing to 5.2 percent, which would be the first decline in four years.

“We expect the data to confirm we have passed the turning point for the labour market.”

Other economists echoed the view that the labour market, the sector that lags recessions and recoveries, has at least touched the bottom.

“We do expect this Wednesday’s suite of … labour market data to show a general halting of deterioration as well as some more signs of improvement in the details,” BNZ senior economist Doug Steel said.

Labour market numbers can be something of a statistical lucky dip.

The unemployment rate can be moved by the size of the workforce, how many are participating, have gone training or stopped looking for work, irrespective of how many jobs may have been created.

ANZ senior economist Miles Workman said more people participating in the search for work, even if the jobs were not there, might still be a positive.

“While it would point to a more disinflationary labour market than the RBNZ anticipates, it would also add to the evidence that conditions are rounding a corner, with labour supply responding to improving job prospects.”

The jobs are coming

Partial labour market indicators in the recent months, such as job advertisement and filled jobs numbers, point to an increase in jobs matching the growth in the working age population.

“Employment is expected to register its strongest growth in around two years, although numbers are still more than 30,000 shy of late 2023 peaks,” ASB’s Smith said.

However, Westpac senior economist Michael Gordon said overall improvement would be gradual with employers being wary of hiring.

“The September quarter saw a strong lift in hours per worker, and indeed that’s where we’d expect to see the initial response to an economic upturn – employers have scope to get more out of their existing workers, before resorting to new hiring.

Slow wage growth to please RBNZ for now

Wage growth is expected to remain subdued and steady around four-year lows of 2 percent.

“Labour cost growth is expected to remain modest, with the balance of power still tilted towards employers,” ASB’s Smith said.

He said emerging signs of skilled labour shortages, a stronger labour market and growing wage demands would eventually weigh on the Reserve Bank’s official cash rate outlook (OCR).

“Reducing labour market slack suggests the need to normalise OCR settings. We expect a 25 basis point hike in December and a 3.0 percent OCR endpoint, but note the risks are pointing to a larger and more frontloaded pace of OCR hikes.”

The RBNZ is expected to hold the cash rate steady at 3.25 percent for most of this year.

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Auckland mayor Wayne Brown mocks government’s proposal to cap rates

Source: Radio New Zealand

Auckland mayor Wayne Brown with his cap and can of beans. Supplied

Auckland’s mayor says the government’s proposed legislation to cap rates rises is “ridiculous” and “nonsense”.

The government wants councils to limit annual rates increases and is seeking feedback on a rates cap.

At Tuesday’s full Auckland Council meeting, Wayne Brown put on a cap saying ‘RATES’ in a self-described move to mock the proposal.

He said the rates cap plan was a “fascinating piece of nonsense from Wellington”.

“I shall put my rates cap on while we mock this piece of ridiculous legislation,” Brown told the Council meeting.

“And I have a can of baked beans here which represents the amount of saving [over] a month that ratepayers will get, as a result of this fine work.”

Auckland’s mayor says the saving to ratepayers will amount to a can of beans a month. Supplied

The council opposes the cap on the grounds it is not an effective tool to provide affordability and would result in more debt.

“Auckland ratepayers are unlikely to achieve the savings estimated by central government of $2.79 a month for each household, or the cost of a can of baked beans as noted by some commentators,” council’s manager of financial strategy and modelling violet bird said in a report.

“This assessment from the government excluded Auckland Council from its calculations due to the council’s ‘moderate rates forecast’ and size.”

Ratepayers ‘fed up’, Luxon says

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon previously said ratepayers were “fed up”.

“They’re tired of having to prudently manage their own budgets while rates continue to go up, only to see their local council fail to demonstrate the same fiscal discipline.”

He said the government was not considering allowing councils to raise revenue through a levy on tourists, like a bed tax.

“We want councils to be focused on the money that they’ve got and make sure they’re doing a much better job of managing it. Some councils are doing a really good job, some councils are doing a very very poor job.”

Consultation on the changes opened immediately, and was set to close in February 2026 with the legislation expecting to be passed by the end of that year.

In December, the government announced it wanted councils to limit rates rises and more detail was released later that month, leaving councils a short runway to prepare a response.

The rates rise cap would likely start with minimum increases of two percent and a maximum of four percent, with the cap taking effect from 1 January 2027.

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Electricity Authority to launch new power bill comparison website next month

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Electricity Authority is set to launch a new power bill comparison website. 123RF

The electricity market regulator will launch a new power bill comparison website next month, in a bid to ensure the industry better serves consumers.

It is one of many changes being made after a spike in electricity prices last year led to a government review of the market.

In 2024, a spot price shock saw households and businesses face increases of between 10 and 15 percent on their power bills, which was a factor in the shutdown of several industrial businesses across the country.

Electricity Authority chief executive Sarah Gillies said a new power comparison website would be launched next month with the authority also considering rules to simplify bills so that they were easier for consumers to understand.

It also wanted to see more companies offering plans with lower prices during off-peak hours and electricity regulators sharing power use data, so consumers could automate their electricity use if they wanted to.

“Last year we made a decision that we needed to see the large retailers offering time-of-use plans, there was a sense that some were doing it, but not everybody … so that’s a requirement for everybody over a certain size to do that from July this year.”

In January, the government announced the retail electricity sector as the next industry to be considered under the Customer and Product Data Act.

Known as open electricity, it would simplify the ability to compare the electricity needs of a household or small businesses against every power plan on the market.

Last year, the government established a Consumer Data Right – a legal framework to let people access, share, and manage certain data, like transaction history, with trusted third parties through secure digital systems – with the hope of creating greater choice, convenience, and innovation.

Gillies said the authority was working with the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment on a framework that detailed what information should be shared, and how.

“Data is absolutely critical … and the bottom line is it belongs to consumers, it’s about them.”

Previously, power companies had been reluctant to release data, despite it belonging to the consumer.

Gillies said the Power Build comparison website was due to be launched next month, replacing the Power Switch in a bid to help consumers ensure they are getting the best deal. It had been built using two years’ worth of data from 30,000 households and would no longer be funded by power companies being charged a fee every time a consumer switched, she said.

“You can either use your own power bill or you can answer some questions about your household and how you use your power and those two options will give you some choices.”

She said there would be information to help people understand time of use pricing, an electricity tariff structure where rates vary based on the time of consumption, charging higher prices during “peak demand” hours and lower prices during “off-peak” times.

The government is still working through potential legislation as a result of reforms in the industry.

Gillies said 35 rule changes had been made in the last two years, which showed a “constant strengthening” of the rules that govern the system.

“We have this incredible privilege to write the rules of the electricity industry, secondary legislation,” Gillies said.

The maximum penalty for a breach of the rules is currently $2 million, with a proposal to increase it to $10m or three times the commercial gain or 10 percent of a company’s turnover.

“That’s quite important because that’s much more akin to the kinds of penalties that you see with the FMA and the Commerce Commission.”

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More than 40 flights cancelled at Wellington Airport due to fog

Source: Radio New Zealand

Wellington Airport. File picture. RNZ/ Mark Papalii

Fog is causing disruption at Wellington Airport, with more than 40 flights affected on Tuesday.

A spokesperson for the airport said 48 flights had been cancelled.

According to the airport’s website, on Tuesday afternoon flights leaving for Christchurch, Napier and Dunedin were among those cancelled, along with flights arriving from Christchurch, Brisbane and Hamilton.

Passengers are advised to check directly with their airlines for the latest information on their travel plans.

MetService is forecasting rain for Wellington with strong southerlies on Tuesday evening.

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Can you help find Doug the pug?

Source: Radio New Zealand

A therapy pug who has helped children too unwell to attend school has been missing for more than two weeks in Russell, Bay of Islands.

Doug, a six-year-old pug, disappeared while holidaying with his owner, Auckland-based Northern Health School teacher, Monique Burke. He was last seen rummaging through a nearby Russell property before heading in the direction of where they were staying.

“He does frequent the neighbours – so we have since found out – and would pop next door, I’m guessing, and would just wait to see if there were any snacks available and if not, he would just trot on home.”

When Doug had been gone for more than an hour — far longer than usual — Burke knew something was wrong. Searches of the neighbourhood that night were unsuccessful, and the hunt has continued ever since.

Burke told Afternoons she has exhausted all avenues, including a social media campaign, door-knocking neighbours and nearby businesses, and even enlisting a police dog to help track him down — all without success.

Doug has been part of the Northern Health School community since he was a puppy, working alongside Burke to support students who are unable to attend their regular schools due to illness, injury, or mental health challenges.

“He was a special little guy,” Burke says. “[He had an] innate way of sensing when a student needed comfort and would go and sit with them.”

Doug has also helped students overcome a fear of dogs and has worked alongside psychologists and other schools to support student transitions.

“More often than not he was a reason that got many of our students through the door.”

Burke says it’s unlikely Doug wandered far on his own.

“He is a mummy’s boy, he wouldn’t go far and he’s got little legs and a little fat body, and I just can’t imagine him trying to get through some of the terrain that is up there [in the bush].”

She worries someone may have picked him up thinking he was abandoned, because she had just removed his collar.

“I’m hoping that if he has been picked up that he is being well looked after and that potentially they hear the story behind and do the right thing and bring him in.”

Burke is urging anyone with information or sightings to come forward, adding that any leads or social media shares are deeply appreciated.

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National Iwi Chairs Forum backs court case challenging amendments to Marine and Coastal Areas Act

Source: Radio New Zealand

Iwi Chairs Forum kaikōrero Rāhui Papa says his rōpu fully support the challenge. RNZ / Marika Khabazi

The National Iwi Chairs Forum is backing a court case by Ngāti Manuhiri looking to challenge amendments to the Marine and Coastal Areas Act (MACA).

Hauraki iwi Ngāti Manuhiri are set to take the government to the High Court over changes made to the act last year, which made it harder for Māori to win customary marine title.

Justice minister Paul Goldsmith has repeatedly said the changes restore the act to Parliament’s “original intent”.

The changes have been bashed by former ministers, treaty lawyers, iwi and hapū leaders and even prompted an almost 20,000-strong petition opposing the amendments.

Now, Ngāti Manuhiri want to challenge those changes in the High Court, alleging that the changes limit their ability to exercise of their culture, deny their access to justice, and discriminate against Māori.

In a statement, Ngāti Manuhiri chair Mook Hohneck said the revised test measures customary ownership through Western concept of exclusion rather than tikanga Māori.

“What we’re seeing is not an attempt to uphold the original intent of the law, it is an attempt to fundamentally change the rules with which we’ve engaged in good faith because the Crown isn’t getting its way,” Hohneck said.

“The Crown is stacking the deck in its favour, and is setting a precedent that future governments can constantly move the goal post whenever they see fit.”

The legislation is retrospective, meaning some applicants would need to start the process from scratch.

Hohneck claimed those changes amounted to retrospective interference with ongoing court proceedings, and breached their expectation that their application would be determined under the law as it stood when they applied.

“Our claim seeks declarations that the 2025 law changes are inconsistent with natural justice and the Bill of Rights Act, and are discriminatory against Ngāti Manuhiri.”

“Our settlement with the Crown included a formal apology and commitment to rebuild their relationship with Ngāti Manuhiri, based on the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The Marine and Coastal Area Act amendments cut across that promise and apology,” Hohneck said.

Speaking from Waitangi, Iwi Chairs Forum kaikōrero Rāhui Papa said his rōpu fully supported the challenge.

He told media the current legislation “unpicked” settlement processes and agreements.

“In the case of Ngati Manuhiri, they feel that they had quite a strong and enduring settlement because it was hard negotiated.”

“We absolutely support [it]. If an iwi feels that their settlement, their hard negotiated settlement, is being unpicked some years after the agreement, that just shows the institutional forgetfulness and amnesia of the government to what they actually agreed to.” he said.

There was a similar sentiment from Northland Regional Council chair and Ngāti Hine chair Pita Tipene, who told RNZ support for the challenge from Ngāti Manuhiri was unanimous.

“In terms of Ngati Hine, we will support any measure, any action that protects and enhances our collective rangatiratanga.”

“Whether it is in court, whether it is out in the community, that’s our focus,” Tipene said.

Changes to the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act were made in October last year.

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The Epstein files are rocking Britain from the palace to parliament

Source: Radio New Zealand

By Christian Edwards, CNN

Peter Mandelson, Sarah Ferguson and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor are facing fresh questions about their ties to the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. Getty via CNN Newsource

The US government’s release of more than 3 million documents related to Jeffrey Epstein has raised further questions about the ties of three prominent figures in British public life to the disgraced financier, who appears to have been granted access to the heart of Britain’s government and royal family.

The former Prince Andrew, his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson and Peter Mandelson, the former UK ambassador to the US, are all listed multiple times in the latest trove of Epstein files, ramping up pressure on the trio to explain their ties to the late sex offender and further distance themselves from British institutions.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has urged Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor to testify before the US Congress, while Mandelson – who resigned from the Labour Party on Sunday – is facing calls from leading figures, including Starmer, to retire from the House of Lords.

Here’s how the Justice Department’s latest drop of files is scandalizing Britain.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor

The former Prince Andrew has for years attempted to bat away questions about his links to Epstein. In a now-infamous interview with the BBC in 2019, Andrew claimed that he had severed all ties with Epstein in 2010, following the financier’s 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from an underage girl.

Emails uncovered last year called Andrew’s claim into question. The British media reported that Andrew appeared to contact Epstein again in 2011, telling him to “keep in close touch” and that they were “in this together.” Soon after, King Charles III stripped Andrew, his brother, of his royal titles in October, and began the process to evict him from the royal estate at Windsor.

But the latest trove of Epstein files has heaped further scrutiny on the disgraced royal. Three undated photos appear to show the former prince, now Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, kneeling over what appears to be a female – whose face has been redacted – who is lying fully clothed and supine on the floor. In two photos, Andrew touches her stomach and waist; in a third, he looks at the camera while on all fours, leaning over her body.

It is unclear when or where the images were taken; no captions or context for the photographs was provided with the document release. Neither the photographs nor the email messages suggest any wrongdoing.

Andrew previously faced pressure to explain a 2001 photograph which showed him standing with Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former girlfriend and a convicted child sex trafficker, and Virginia Giuffre, a prominent accuser of Epstein who died by suicide in April.

Newly released images from the US DOJ appear to show Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor – formerly Prince Andrew – on the floor with an unidentified person. US Department of Justice/Handout via CNN Newsource

In her posthumous memoir, Giuffre accused Andrew of sexually abusing her when she was 17. She wrote that Andrew “believed that having sex with me was his birthright”. Despite claiming never to have met her, Andrew reportedly paid millions of dollars to Giuffre in 2022 to settle a civil case she brought against him. He has repeatedly denied all allegations of wrongdoing and said he never witnessed or suspected any of the behaviour that Epstein was accused of.

The latest Epstein documents also contain an email exchange between Epstein and Andrew in August 2010, in which the financier invites the royal to meet a “friend” – whose name was redacted – for dinner in London. Andrew replied that he would be “delighted to see her” and told Epstein to pass on his contact details. Epstein then describes the woman as a 26-year-old Russian who is “clevere (sic) beautiful, trustworthy,” and confirms that she has Andrew’s email.

In November, Democrats on the House Oversight Committee requested that Andrew come to Washington to give evidence as part of the panel’s investigation into Epstein. Although Andrew did not respond to the request at the time, Starmer on Saturday urged the former prince to submit himself to questioning.

“Anybody who has got information should be prepared to share that information in whatever form they are asked to do that,” Starmer said. “You can’t be victim-centered if you’re not prepared to do that.”

Sarah Ferguson

Andrew’s ex-wife Sarah Ferguson – known as “Fergie” – is also mentioned several times in the latest tranche of files, although this does not indicate any wrongdoing. Ferguson was dropped last year as the patron or ambassador to several British charities after earlier documents showed she had called Epstein her “supreme friend”. At the time, a spokesperson for Ferguson said she regretted her association with Epstein.

But the latest documents are further evidence of the depth of their relationship. In March 2009, Ferguson – then the Duchess of York – sent an email thanking Epstein, touting fashion and media outlets which she said now wanted to work with her.

“In just one week, after your lunch, it seems the energy has lifted. I have never been more touched by a friends (sic) kindness,” she wrote. “Thank you Jeffrey for being the brother I have always wished for.”

Sarah Ferguson, pictured in March 2023, said Jeffrey Epstein was her “supreme friend.” Scott Garfitt/Invision/AP via CNN Newsource

In January 2010, she wrote: “You are a legend. I really don’t have the words to describe, my love, gratitude for your generosity and kindness. Xx I am at your service. Just marry me.”

The emails also appear to suggest that Epstein wanted to use Ferguson to help clear his name. In one undated email, Epstein wrote to Mike Sitrick, chair of the crisis management firm Sitrick and Company, which was retained by Epstein’s law firm, saying: “I would like you to draft a statement that in an ideal world fergie would put out.” Sitrick told CNN that he had never contacted Ferguson or her representatives directly.

In a March 2011 email to Sitrick and two others, Epstein wrote: “I think Fergie can now say, I am not a pedo.” In reply, Sitrick said there is a “strategy” to “get newspapers to stop calling you a pedophile and get the truth out,” and that one tactic was to “get Fergie to retract”.

The next month, Ferguson wrote in an email to Epstein and James Henderson, her spokesperson at the time, saying she “did not” and “would not” call him a “P”.

In October 2009, she wrote to Epstein saying that she “urgently” needed £20,000 for rent, and that her landlord had “threatened to go to the newspapers if I don’t pay”.

It was not clear if Epstein sent that money. However, in 2001 – years before Ferguson’s request – newly released documents appeared to show that Epstein wired the former Duchess $150,000 after helping her to cash in the share options she earned from her work for Weight Watchers. CNN has asked a spokesperson for Ferguson for comment.

Peter Mandelson

Mandelson, widely known in political circles as the “Prince of Darkness” for his Machiavellian approach to power, was fired as the UK’s ambassador to Washington in September over the deepening scandal surrounding his ties to Epstein. That month, US lawmakers had released a “birthday book,” compiled for Epstein’s 50th birthday in 2003, in which Mandelson penned a handwritten note describing the financier as “my best pal”.

The latest tranche of documents has revealed that Mandelson appeared to leak sensitive UK government tax plans to Epstein. They also show that his partner, Reinaldo Avila da Silva, regularly received undisclosed payments from him.

In September 2009, da Silva – who married Mandelson in 2023 after three decades together – emailed Epstein to ask for £10,000 to help fund his osteopathy course. Epstein replied: “I will wire your loan amount immediated’y (sic).”

In April 2010, da Silva emailed Epstein again, sharing his bank details. Epstein forwarded the message to his accountant, Rich Kahn, adding: “send 13k dollars”.

That same month, Epstein told Kahn to “send 2k per month to reinaldo.” When Kahn asked if this was in addition to the original $13,000, Epstein replied: “no after rethinkoing (sic) send 4000 dollars only.”

Peter Mandelson speaks with Prime Minister Keir Starmer during a welcome reception at the British ambassador’s residence in Washington, DC, in February 2025. Carl Court/Getty Images via CNN Newsource

In October that year, Mandelson asked Epstein, jokingly: “Have you permanently stopped the reinaldo sub?! I may have to put him out to work on the streets.”

The latest files also revealed that Mandelson leaked a sensitive UK government document to the financier while he was business secretary in 2009. The memo, written for then-Prime Minister Gordon Brown, advocated £20 billion asset sale to help relieve Britain’s debt burden following the 2008 financial crisis, and revealed Labour’s tax policy plans.

On Sunday, Mandelson – who also sits in the House of Lords – announced his resignation from Labour, saying he did not want to cause the party “further embarrassment.” He also apologized “to the women and girls whose voices should have been heard long before now”. CNN was unable to contact Mandelson for further comment.

Some lawmakers have called on Mandelson to refer himself to the House of Lords Commissioner for Standards, which investigates alleged breaches of the code of conduct.

Mandelson has been on a leave of absence from the House of Lords since February last year, to allow him to serve as the UK ambassador to the US. On Monday (local time), a Downing Street spokesperson said that Starmer believes that Mandelson should be stripped of his peerage.

“The prime minister has asked for this to be urgently looked at. The prime minister believes that Peter Mandelson should not be a member of the House of Lords or use the title,” the spokesperson said.

– CNN

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Te Tiriti o Waitangi Marae welcomes manuhiri once again for Waitangi celebrations

Source: Radio New Zealand

Te Tii Marae chairman Ngāti Kawa Taituha says remembering those who have passed in the last year was a beautiful way to begin Waitangi commemorations. Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ

The iconic Te Tiriti o Waitangi Marae is once again welcoming manuhiri from across the motu after reopening at last year’s Waitangi celebrations.

The marae, commonly known as Te Tii, welcomed iwi from around the country in a pre-dawn pōwhiri on Tuesday morning, one of eleven it will host this week.

The pōwhiri was also a kawe mate, a mourning ceremony where photos of those who have recently died are brought to a marae.

Among those remembered this year were activist Hinewhare Harawira and Ngāti Tūwharetoa Ariki Tumu Te Heuheu. His son and successor Te Rangimaheu was in attendance.

Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ

Marae Chairman Ngāti Kawa Taituha said it was a beautiful moment to welcome Ngāti Tūwharetoa, and the taumata acknowledged the many connections between Waitangi and Tūwharetoa.

“Hepi Te Heuheu opened our whare tupuna in 1977. So that was our connection with Tumu and down to Te Rangimaheu.”

Remembering those who have passed in the last year was a good way to begin the commemorations at Waitangi this week, he said.

Governor-General Cindy Kiro will be welcomed to the marae on Tuesday, a first as she has previously only been welcomed to the Whare Runanga on the Upper Treaty Grounds, he said.

Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ

Taituha said there has been some discussion among Ngāpuhi leaders about moving all pōwhiri back to the lower Marae.

“They’ve seen the beautification of our whare tūpuna, the new carvings, the whole restoration, and it’s kind of a reflection on where we’re at as a people, as a whānau, as Ngāti Kawa, Ngāti Rāhiri, Te Matarahurahu.”

More and more people are gravitating to the marae, he said.

Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ

Although there is still a little bit more work to do, he said, with additional carvings only added to the sides of the doorway of the whare in the last week.

“So there’s a big kōrero with that with the quill… and on the other side is a scroll. And so that’s to acknowledge our documents, of course. He Whakaputanga, Declaration of Independence and Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

“So it’s just again, adding and enhancing the mana of our tūpuna, the signatories, and then down to us, the descendants and here we are today, carrying out all that mahi of our forebearers. Putting in all the effort to set up our next generation. Obviously, that’s what it’s all about for us.”

A sunrise sets over Te Tii beach as Waitangi commemorations commence. Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ

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Former Prime Minister says government must be more transparent about any US minerals deal

Source: Radio New Zealand

NZ Herald pool / Dean Purcell

The government must be more transparent about any potential minerals deal with the United States, former Prime Minister Helen Clark says.

New Zealand is in talks with the US about the supply of rare and critical minerals, as Donald Trump seeks to reduce America’s reliance on China for material it sees as pivotal for tech innovation and national security.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said New Zealand was among more than 40 countries talking to the US about supplying minerals, and no Cabinet decisions had been made.

He dismissed reporting on the talks as “speculative and hypothetical”.

Helen Clark chairs the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, which about 50 countries have signed up to – not including New Zealand.

She told Midday Report the government must be more up front about its discussions with the US.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon dismissed reporting on the talks as “speculative and hypothetical”. Supplied / Christopher Luxon via X

“We’re told that it will be a non-binding critical minerals framework, but as recently as the 14th of January, President Trump was threating tariffs if trading partners didn’t sign critical mineral agreements within 180 days.

“Are we one of those countries?”

Former Prime Minister Helen Clark. RNZ / Diego Opatowski

Clark said New Zealanders needed the chance to debate the type of society, economy and environment it wanted.

“Do we just want to throw all the concerns we’ve traditionally had for our national parks and wild places and landscapes out the window, or do we want to build on the clean and green, sustainable image that we’ve cultivated carefully over many years?”

The environment would suffer if New Zealand signed up to large-scale, “destructive” mining practices, Clark said.

“We don’t have vast resources in easily accessible places. To mine in New Zealand now, you’re going to be going into pristine landscapes, areas that have been subject to conservation controls for many, many years.”

Clark was also concerned that giving the US a “preference” would cause problems for New Zealand’s Free Trade Agreements, and any provisions not to discriminate against those countries.

‘We should mine what we can’

On Monday, chief executive of the Minerals Council – which is the industry association representing mining in New Zealand – Josie Vidal told Midday Report Aotearoa should scale up mining.

She said it can be done responsibly.

“We believe that we should mine what we can here because of the high standards that we have when it comes to looking after people and the environment,” Vidal said.

New Zealand has some of the strictest environmental conditions in the world, she said.

The government plans to double New Zealand’s mineral exports to $3 billion by 2035.

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Bad Bunny uses Grammy Award win to protest ICE

Source: Radio New Zealand

One week before he’s set to headline the Super Bowl LX half-time show and on a night when he made Grammys history, Bad Bunny used his time on stage to deliver a pointed political message that protested the recent actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Accepting the award for best música urbana album, Bad Bunny began his speech saying, “Before I say thanks to God, I’m gonna say: ICE out!”

The crowd inside the show, which took place in Los Angeles, overwhelmingly responded with cheers, according to what was heard on the telecast.

Bad Bunny attends the 68th GRAMMY Awards.

Amy Sussman / Getty Images / AFP

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More than 2000 reports of stench from Christchurch’s wastewater treatment plant

Source: Radio New Zealand

The city council says staff are trying to minimise the odour by using all available tools to improve the ponds’ water quality.

The Canterbury Regional Council has received more than 2000 reports about a putrid stench from Christchurch’s wastewater treatment plant since the start of the year.

Offensive odours have plagued the city’s eastern suburbs following a fire at the Bromley plant in 2021, with the Christchurch City Council describing conditions at the oxidation ponds as the worst since then.

The stench left people battling nausea, worsening asthma, sleepless nights and deteriorating mental health.

A city council-organised community meeting was being held in Bromley on Tuesday night to give people an update on efforts to fix the problem and what to expect over the coming weeks.

Canterbury Regional Council acting director of operations Judith Earl-Goulet said it was considering what, if any, enforcement action against the city council might be appropriate and in the public interest.

The regional council had received 2,344 reports about unpleasant smells from Christchurch’s eastern suburbs since the start of this year, including 1,814 reports last week alone.

“Reports as far out as Wigram indicate to us that the smell is widespread and being felt across much of Ōtautahi Christchurch,” she said.

“Our team has been talking face-to-face with people in the area and we know the impact of the offensive smell is significant, with the extended length of ongoing smell particularly challenging.

“We’ve let Christchurch City Council know that they are non-compliant with their discharge to air consent condition on the basis that the smell from the plant has been identified beyond the plant boundary. Our investigation into the wider issue is ongoing.”

A November 2021 fire badly damaged the plant’s two trickling filters. RNZ / Nate McKinnon

The November 2021 fire badly damaged the plant’s two trickling filters, affecting the quality of effluent flowing into the system.

The city council said the plant’s oxidation ponds were usually healthy at this time of year but several compounding factors had contributed to the stench, including “increased loading” to the ponds and recent heavy rain.

“We expected the high levels of rain in January to help flush wastewater through the system and improve pond health – however, this didn’t happen, as it appears to have set back the algae growth in the ponds,” the council said.

“We’ve always known we’re operating the temporary plant with a narrow margin for error, as it has no extra capacity. This makes the system more vulnerable to sudden changes. While the ponds are now showing signs of improvement, much of the recovery depends on natural processes such as algae growth and oxygenation.”

The city council said staff were trying to minimise the odour by using all available tools to improve the ponds’ water quality.

Jet boats were being used to drive on the ponds to increase the dissolved oxygen.

The council was also dosing the ponds with hydrogen peroxide and balancing flow between ponds to better distribute load and support recovery.

“The dissolved oxygen levels have stabilised and are beginning to improve. The pond colour is also changing, which is another sign that conditions are starting to turn,” the council said.

“We remain focused on stabilising and improving the ponds before conducting a full review to identify any additional triggers behind this event.”

National Public Health Service medical officer of health Dr Annabel Begg said exposure to hydrogen sulphide odour from the plant could cause nausea, headaches, eye and throat irritation, skin irritation, sleep disturbance, and worsening asthma symptoms at relatively low concentrations.

“If people exposed to the odour don’t experience physical health effects, continued exposure to unpleasant or nasty, noxious odours can still have an adverse effect on people’s mental wellbeing,” she said.

“While exposure to hydrogen sulphide is unpleasant and may result in health effects, it doesn’t accumulate in the body. Any health effects would be expected to resolve when the odours are brought back to normal levels, and long-term health effects are highly unlikely.

“People experiencing health issues as a result of the odour coming from the treatment plant should seek health advice from their GP, doctor, Hauora or healthcare provider, or call Healthline free on 0800 611 116, anytime 24/7 for advice as soon as possible. In an emergency call 111.”

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Te Tiriti o Waitangi Marae welcomes manuhuri once again for Waitangi celebrations

Source: Radio New Zealand

Te Tii Marae chairman Ngāti Kawa Taituha says remembering those who have passed in the last year was a beautiful way to begin Waitangi commemorations. Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ

The iconic Te Tiriti o Waitangi Marae is once again welcoming manuhiri from across the motu after reopening at last year’s Waitangi celebrations.

The marae, commonly known as Te Tii, welcomed iwi from around the country in a pre-dawn pōwhiri on Tuesday morning, one of eleven it will host this week.

The pōwhiri was also a kawe mate, a mourning ceremony where photos of those who have recently died are brought to a marae.

Among those remembered this year were activist Hinewhare Harawira and Ngāti Tūwharetoa Ariki Tumu Te Heuheu. His son and successor Te Rangimaheu was in attendance.

Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ

Marae Chairman Ngāti Kawa Taituha said it was a beautiful moment to welcome Ngāti Tūwharetoa, and the taumata acknowledged the many connections between Waitangi and Tūwharetoa.

“Hepi Te Heuheu opened our whare tupuna in 1977. So that was our connection with Tumu and down to Te Rangimaheu.”

Remembering those who have passed in the last year was a good way to begin the commemorations at Waitangi this week, he said.

Governor-General Cindy Kiro will be welcomed to the marae on Tuesday, a first as she has previously only been welcomed to the Whare Runanga on the Upper Treaty Grounds, he said.

Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ

Taituha said there has been some discussion among Ngāpuhi leaders about moving all pōwhiri back to the lower Marae.

“They’ve seen the beautification of our whare tūpuna, the new carvings, the whole restoration, and it’s kind of a reflection on where we’re at as a people, as a whānau, as Ngāti Kawa, Ngāti Rāhiri, Te Matarahurahu.”

More and more people are gravitating to the marae, he said.

Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ

Although there is still a little bit more work to do, he said, with additional carvings only added to the sides of the doorway of the whare in the last week.

“So there’s a big kōrero with that with the quill… and on the other side is a scroll. And so that’s to acknowledge our documents, of course. He Whakaputanga, Declaration of Independence and Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

“So it’s just again, adding and enhancing the mana of our tūpuna, the signatories, and then down to us, the descendants and here we are today, carrying out all that mahi of our forebearers. Putting in all the effort to set up our next generation. Obviously, that’s what it’s all about for us.”

A sunrise sets over Te Tii beach as Waitangi commemorations commence. Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ

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Woman faces assault charges after attack on bus driver in Auckland

Source: Radio New Zealand

The woman is alleged to have attacked the driver on Queen Street. File picture. RNZ / Diego Opatowski

A woman is facing serious assault charges after a bus driver was attacked on Auckland’s Queen Street.

Auckland Area Commander Grae Anderson, said the 20-year-old woman tried to board the bus on Monday night but the driver refused her entry on account of her acting “unusually”.

The woman then chased the bus down Queen Street, got on board, and allegedly attacked the driver.

Police spotted a person matching the woman’s description near Vulcan Lane.

She ran off but police caught up with her.

She has been charged with injuring with intent to injure and will appear in court on Tuesday.

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Emergency crews rush to Hawkes Bay Airport after plane alert

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ / Nate McKinnon

Fire and Emergency were called to Hawke’s Bay Airport after an alert was put out about a small plane.

A police spokesperson told RNZ during landing the plane nose landing gear appeared to be damaged.

Seven fire trucks, two tankers and a command unit were called to the scene just after 10am on Tuesday.

Crews were stood down after the plane landed safely, FENZ said, with crews assisting in cleaning up a small fuel leak.

Hato Hone St John was also notified of the incident.

Two ambulances and one helicopter responded, but had since been stood down, a spokesperson said.

The airport was temporarily closed, with the Civil Aviation Authority taking over the site, an airport spokesperson said.

It has since been reopened.

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Facebook Marketplace sale ends in car chase, armed confrontation in Northland

Source: Radio New Zealand

Armed police took three men into custody. RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly

A Facebook Marketplace transaction gone wrong in the Far North led to alleged confrontation with a gun, a car chase and armed police spiking the suspects’ vehicle.

Detective senior sergeant Chris Fouhy said the dispute started near Kāeo, with police receiving a call about 8pm on Monday that a man was being chased north on State Highway 10 by another vehicle.

A firearm was also reportedly pointed at the victim.

Fouhy said multiple police units responded from across the district and managed to stop the chasing vehicle using road spikes at Taipā Bridge around 9pm.

Armed police then took the three men in the car into custody without further incident.

They were aged between 16 and 19.

Fouhy said the dispute appeared to have been sparked by a Facebook Marketplace transaction.

Enquiries were continuing into the full circumstances of what happened, how many cars were involved and the whereabouts of the reported firearm.

It is not known what was being sold on Marketplace.

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The big issue with Super Rugby Pacific’s new law changes

Source: Radio New Zealand

Referee James Doleman during the Crusaders v Blues, Super Rugby Pacific Semi Final match. Martin Hunter/ActionPress

  • Super Rugby Pacific’s new law tweaks aim to speed up play and reduce stoppages.
  • Players will be getting fewer reps in key test-match scenarios like fielding kicks and positional play.
  • This could create a disconnect between the style players experience for most of the year and the repetition-driven demands of international rugby.

Analysis – Super Rugby Pacific is back next weekend and will look a bit different, thanks to some new law changes. Designed to reduce stoppages, inspire positive play and – most importantly, simplify the viewing experience, they have been pretty well received by a public keen to see a repeat of last year’s highly entertaining competition.

Probably the most far obvious will be the new sanction for joining a ruck after the referee has called ‘use it’, which should mean the ball is cleared quicker. Accidental offsides and teams delaying playing the ball away from a ruck are now free kicks, so in turn here’s more leeway around taking quick taps.

One that probably won’t be seen often but will certainly have an impact is it will no longer be mandatory for the referee to issue a yellow or red card to a player on the defending team when awarding a penalty try. There seems to be an awful lot of guesswork around this at the moment in open play, with players carded being more unlucky than anything else, but the real positive is that it won’t result in a mess at scrum time.

Referee James Doleman. Mark Evans/ActionPress

A dominant attacking scrum on an opponent’s line that results in a penalty try also meant that a defensive side’s prop would get binned, therefore needing to be replaced at the next scrum. That in turn meant that another player would have to go off to reduce their numbers, if this happened late in a game it would mean rolling players back on who have already been subbed.

So not bad at all from the officials who have put all this together in order to get some free flowing rugby going.

Tamaiti Williams scores the winning try during the Crusaders v Highlanders, Super Rugby Pacific match, Apollo Projects Stadium, Christchurch. Joseph Johnson/ActionPress

The only issue, and it’s not a new one, is that this is all for Super Rugby Pacific only. Once July rolls around, those changes don’t apply for test matches and the effects of that may well be playing a part in why the All Blacks have struggled in the last few seasons.

It’s not that the players can’t snap back into playing a tighter game plan, they are professionals and should be able to do that easily. Beauden Barrett and Damian McKenzie have both shown that they can run the ball out of their 22 from February to June, then kick it more often than not when they’re in a black jersey.

But the problem isn’t at their end. Speeding the game up and presumably reducing kicking means players coming through at the other won’t be exposed to as many repetitions as their foreign counterparts. The average back three player won’t have had to field anywhere near as many bombs, track across the field chasing kicks, or simply position themselves on field as an English or South African of the same age. Meanwhile props won’t have as many scrums, halfbacks won’t box kick as often, and so on.

Noah Hotham of the Crusaders kicks during the Super Rugby Pacific Final. John Davidson / www.photosport.nz

It’s offset somewhat by the fact that by the business end of Super Rugby is played in colder conditions, with more on the line, so therefore the gameplans will adjust accordingly. One look at last year’s final can attest to that, but the fact still remains that Super Rugby Pacific is the tier below a test rugby landscape that’s moved far closer to repetitive scenarios decided by fine margins than off the cuff play.

Again, that’s not new. It’s just that those fine margins seem to be far more in the favour of who the All Blacks are playing.

One thing is for sure, with Super Rugby Pacific, though; they’ve stayed committed to reducing the role of the TMO in general play, with the man upstairs only allowed to intervene unprompted if the referee has overlooked an act of serious foul play or some other massively obvious error when a team scores a try.

Which is bound to be popular and hopefully catches on in test rugby, because while we should all be mindful of how difficult the officials’ jobs are these days, no one likes watching them talk to each other all that much.

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Emergency crews rush to Hawkes Bay Airport small after plane alert

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ / Nate McKinnon

Fire and Emergency were called to Hawke’s Bay Airport after an alert was put out about a small plane.

A police spokesperson told RNZ during landing the plane nose landing gear appeared to be damaged.

Seven fire trucks, two tankers and a command unit were called to the scene just after 10am on Tuesday.

Crews were stood down after the plane landed safely, FENZ said, with crews assisting in cleaning up a small fuel leak.

Hato Hone St John was also notified of the incident.

Two ambulances and one helicopter responded, but had since been stood down, a spokesperson said.

The airport was temporarily closed, with the Civil Aviation Authority taking over the site, an airport spokesperson said.

It has since been reopened.

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How much less than asking price are house buyers paying?

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

If you’re in the market for a new house, you might be wondering what to offer on any you’re interested in.

Do you offer the asking price? Try to cut 10 percent off? How hard do you negotiate?

As new data from Realestate.co.nz shows a 1.5 percent dip in average asking price in January, Cotality has confirmed that the gap between what sellers are asking and buyers are willing to pay appears to be shrinking.

Chief economist Kelvin Davidson said, excluding auctions, the median discount that buyers paid on the original list price of properties sold in 2025 was 3.8 percent.

It was 4.2 percent in 2024, 4.6 percent in 2023, 5.1 percent in 2022 and 2.9 percent in 2021.

Gisborne had the biggest discount, at 5.9 percent. That was followed by Northland at 5.5 percent and the West Coast at 5 percent. Taranaki had the smallest, at 3.1 percent.

Davidson said that could be affected by sellers in Taranaki setting more reasonable asking prices to start with.

“In some ways it’s a marketing tool. You’re never quite sure if someone is just hoping for too much of whether they’re actually setting a reasonable asking price or what their true motivations might be.

“Over time the availability of information to both sellers and buyers has widened. Any time, anybody can look up a free valuation estimate or you could come to Cotality, for example, and pay for a higher grade one but either way that information is widely available. It suggests that the chances vendors can sneak an above-market asking price in there have probably reduced because everybody’s got the same information and they are going to know what’ s unrealistic.

“I guess it applies to buyers as well …the chances putting in a sneaky 10 percent under offer and getting it accepted are also reduced because maybe asking prices are more realistic to start with.

“The scope for an excessive price is probably reduced but at the same time the scope for buyers to get a sneaky deal is probably reduced.”

The data does not include properties that went to auction.

Property prices have been broadly flat in recent years even as vendor discounts have reduced, suggesting it is sellers who have shifted their expectations.

“The longer the flat patch goes on the more people are saying ‘I just want to get this done I’ll set a more reasonable asking price’,” Davidson said.

“I think if you’re a market watcher, maybe you’ve been thinking about selling, maybe you held back because you thought ‘oh the market might pick up I’ll wait’. Now you might not necessarily be… you have to sell at some point. I think in general the fact those discounts have been slowly trending down suggests people are just being a bit more realistic than they might have been a few years ago.”

Realestate.co.nz said national stock levels rose 2.3 percent year-on-year in January, the first time the number of available properties for sale hit more than 33,000 in January since 2014.

Gisborne led the pack, with a 15.1 percent increase in available stock.

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All Blacks to kick off 2027 Rugby World Cup against Chile

Source: Radio New Zealand

Beauden Barrett after the All Blacks v Ireland, Gallagher Cup test match, Soldier Field, Chicago. ActionPress

The All Blacks will open their 2027 Rugby World Cup campaign with a Pool A match against Chile in Perth on Saturday 2 October.

The All Blacks then take on hosts the Wallabies in Sydney the following Saturday, with their final pool game against Hong Kong China in Melbourne on Friday 15 October.

The All Blacks have never played Chile or Hong Kong China in a test.

Caleb Clarke of New Zealand. New Zealand All Blacks v Australia Wallabies, Bledisloe Cup and Rugby Championship rugby union test match at Sky Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand on Saturday 28 September 2024. © Andrew Cornaga / Photosport Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz

In releasing the schedule, tournament organisers resisted the temptation to open the tournament with a clash between Bledisloe Cup rivals New Zealand and Australia, with the Wallabies kicking off the tournament against Hong Kong China in Perth on Friday 1 October.

The defending champion Springboks begin their World Cup against Italy in Adelaide on Sunday 3 October, before games against Georgia in Brisbane and Romania in Perth.

The Springboks, in Pool B, will be looking for an unprecedented third World Cup win in a row.

South Africa’s No 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu dives to score a try against Argentina in a Rugby Championship match, 27 December, 2025. AFP

The draw also sets up a probable quarter-final between the All Blacks and Springboks.

Other major team match ups have Ireland and Scotland in Pool D, while England and Wales are both in Pool F.

The tournament will be the first in an expanded format, featuring six pools of four teams. The top two teams from each pool plus the four best third-placed teams will qualify for the knockout phase.

Australia will host the World Cup for the second time, after the 2003 edition in which the Wallabies went in as defending champions only to lose to England in the final.

To date, it is the only time a northern hemisphere side has won the World Cup.

The World Cup will take place in Sydney, Perth, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Townsville and Newcastle. Sydney’s Stadium Australia will host the final.

All Blacks pool matches at 2027 Rugby World Cup:

All Blacks vs Chile – Perth – 2 October 2027 – 6:15pm NZT

All Blacks vs Australia – Sydney – 9 October 2027 – 7:10pm NZT

All Blacks vs Hong Kong China – 15 October 2027 – 7:15 NZT

Other match Match schedule highlights:

  • 24 teams, 52 matches, 19 match days, 7 cities and 8 venues
  • Opening match: Australia v Hong Kong China – 1 October, 2027, Perth Stadium
  • Final: 13 November, Stadium Australia, Sydney
  • Super Sunday (17 October): five matches played in a single day for the first time ever to deliver an exciting end to the pool phase: Italy v Georgia, Ireland v Uruguay, Scotland v Portugal, France v Samoa, South Africa v Romania.
  • Knockout Drama: Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney will host the first-ever round of 16, followed by quarter-finals in Brisbane and Sydney, and then the semi-finals, bronze final, and the RWC Final at Stadium Australia on Saturday 13 November.

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