Category: Radio New Zealand

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Local addicts, Yellowstone expands and Louis Theroux mans up: March’s best TV

Source: Radio New Zealand

Louis Theroux: Inside the Manosphere

In his disarmingly polite way, the acclaimed documentarian enters the toxic hellhole of the manosphere to expose the people pushing this misogynistic movement to men and teenage boys around the world.

Talking to GQ, Theroux likened making this doco to facing “the final boss,” which, given the subjects found in his filmography, shows just how problematic the men he encounters here are.

Discovering that “racism, antisemitism, misogyny, homophobia, porn, human trafficking — they’re all folded in”, this promises to be an unsettling, horrifically eye-opening watch.

Louis Theroux in Louis Theroux: Inside the Manosphere.

Pip/Netflix

Watch: Netflix

When: From 11 March

Crackhead

This local dark dramedy is based on the experiences that creator, writer, and star Holly Shervey encountered when she checked into a psychiatric care clinic in 2010. The series follows Frankie, a 20-something who is sentenced to rehab after accidentally burning down her sister’s house while high and drunk.

With its kinetic direction and raw, lived-in script, Crackhead expertly balances harrowing emotion with pitch-black humour. It’s a potent dose of television that leaves you constantly wanting more.

Watch: Three & ThreeNow

When: Mid-March.

Holly Shervey in Crackhead.

Matt Klitscher

Marshals / The Madison

The ‘Sheridanverse’ expands this month with two new entries from Yellowstone’s uber-TV producer, Taylor Sheridan. The first is Marshals, a direct Yellowstone spin-off following the fan favourite character Kayce Dutton as he joins an elite unit of US Marshals and struggles with work-life balance and the high psychological costs of his job.

The second sounds more interesting. It sees screen greats Michelle Pfeiffer and Kurt Russell packing up their family and leaving New York for the sweeping vistas of Montana after a life-shattering tragedy. Described as “powerful, emotional” viewing, its leads could lasso new viewers into Yellowstone’s sphere.

Watch: Neon

When: Marshals, Monday 2 March, The Madison, Sunday 15 March.

Michelle Pfeiffer in The Madison.

Neon

Ghost Elephants

We all know you can’t eat ghost chips, but can you find ghost elephants? That’s the question the acclaimed filmmaker and poetic miserablist Werner Herzog hopes to answer as he tags along with a conservation biologist into the highlands of Angola.

The pair is searching for legend, a new species of African elephants that’s been spoken of for generations but never actually sighted by humans.

Watch: Disney+

When: Sunday 8 March

Werner Herzog documentary Ghost Elephants.

Supplied

Scarpetta

Nicole Kidman stars as forensic pathologist D. Kay Scarpetta in this big-budget adaptation of Patricia Cornwell’s bestselling crime novels.

The show sees Scarpetta using modern forensic tools and her psychological training to investigate a serial killer terrorising her old hometown.

Things take a personal twist when she begins to suspect the killer may feature prominently in her past, allowing the show to divide into dual timelines as it keeps viewers on the edge of their seats and guessing whodunnit.

Watch: Prime Video

When: Wednesday, 11 March

Nicole Kidman as Kay Scarpetta.

Amazon MGM Studios

Hyundai Country Calendar

A big happy birthday to this iconic celebration of rural life that now cements itself as one of the longest-running shows on the telly.

The show debuted in 1966, seven years before colour TV’s arrived in Aotearoa, and has been running strong since. Its tales of kiwi life and documentation of the heartland have never lost relevance in its six decades of storytelling.

The 60th celebration features all-new episodes and will also highlight some classics from the archives.

Now, when’s A Dog’s Show coming back?

Watch: TVNZ 1

When: Friday, 6 March

John Clarke as Fred Dagg on Country Calendar in 1974

NZ On Screen / Screenshot

Extra viewing

Rooster

Steve Carell’s crime novelist visits his daughter at an elite college and finds himself embroiled in a plot straight out of one of his books.

Watch: Neon

When: Monday, 9 March

Steve Carell in Rooster.

Supplied

Track Stars

Aoteroa’s top athletes, celebrities and household names come together in this special event to compete in a series of track and field events.

The sportsfolk will be competing for New Zealand titles, while everyone else competes for bragging rights and our entertainment.

Watch: TVNZ 1

When: Saturday, 7 March

Young Sherlock

The big mystery of this coming-of-age thriller series focusing on a 19-year-old Sherlock Holmes is whether director Guy Ritchie has given the popular consulting detective a geezer makeover.

Watch: Prime Video

When: Wednesday, 4 March

Dónal Finn as James Moriarty and Hero Fiennes Tiffin as Sherlock Holmes in Young Sherlock.

Prime

Karl Puschmann is an arts and entertainment journalist, and also runs Screen Crack, a popular Substack dedicated to deep-diving into film and television. screencrack.substack.com.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/01/local-addicts-yellowstone-expands-and-louis-theroux-mans-up-marchs-best-tv/

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Tenant wins $5000 payout after Kāinga Ora fails to act over machete threats

Source: Radio New Zealand

The police had been called for three separate incidents at the property. 123RF

A woman’s 14-year-old grandson was nearly mowed down by her neighbour’s car, while her son was threatened with a machete.

Now an elderly Tongan woman has gone to the Tenancy Tribunal, after Kāinga Ora refused to terminate her tenancy, despite the woman living in “constant fear” of the family next door.

The woman, who has name suppression, had lived at the Kāinga Ora property since 2019.

A female tenant lives at another Kāinga Ora property next door with her male partner and their children.

According to a recently released decision, the woman claimed that, during the tenancy, abuse was constantly shouted out at her over the fence, her daughter and son had been challenged to fights, rubbish had been thrown over the fence, and loud music had been played for long periods into the night on a boombox being carried up and down the road.

She’d also been sworn at in her driveway, had rocks thrown at her and her family, and was harassed when she called the police.

The police had been called for three separate incidents – one on 4 February, 2024, when the male neighbour was reported as being hostile and shouting threats, while standing at the tenant’s front gate.

A second incident occurred on 2 March, 2024, when the male neighbour was reported as standing outside the tenant’s front gate, making threats, while holding a machete.

The most volatile experience came when they had threatened to kill her son with a machete on 10 June last year.

The son said the male neighbour was working in the garden with a shovel and a machete, and started to abuse him and his son, and threatened to kill them.

The man was charged with threatening to kill, but was convicted of a lesser charge in relation to the weapon.

The woman’s daughter also provided a written statement to the authority and gave evidence at the hearing about an incident in which her 14-year-old son was walking home from school, when the male tenant was returning home in a car.

She said the male tenant chased her son in the car, driving onto the grass verge, and that her son was only able to escape by hiding behind a boat situated on a grass verge. The police were called, but attended the next day.

‘Lives in constant fear’

The woman said she “lives in constant fear” of the neighbouring tenants and will often stay inside her home, because she is too afraid to venture outside. On occasion, she had stayed with her daughter, because she couldn’t cope with being at home.

She had health issues that impacted her mobility and sight, and recently had a stroke.

She and her son had reported the behaviour to Kāinga Ora numerous times during the tenancy, but their response had always been to tell her and her family to keep to themselves, and not engage with the neighbours.

She said she initially wanted the neighbour to move, so she could live in peace, but now that she had health issues, she wanted to leave the tenancy.

Kāinga Ora did not dispute that the tenant had reported ongoing issues with this tenancy, and was well aware of the tenant’s complaints of shouting, abuse and loud music.

It confirmed that the organisation had been notified of the three police incidents, but said the issue was complex, because on some occasions, there was aggression on both sides, including a physical altercation between the male neighbour and the tenant’s son, which resulted in an antisocial notice being issued to both.

Kāinga Ora said it had considered whether it could terminate the neighbour’s tenancy under section 55A of the Residential Tenancies Act (termination for assault), following the machete incident, but ultimately determined it could not do so, because the neighbouring tenant herself was not home and the male at the address was not a listed tenant, and had threatened this tenant’s son and not the tenant herself.

The organisation was also unable to apply to terminate the tenancy for antisocial behaviour, as there had not been three incidents within a 90-day period.

Tribunal adjudicator Melissa Allan said the tenant had been “left in a very difficult situation”.

“She has not felt free to move about her property, often remains inside, and has been subjected to unreasonable levels of noise, rubbish being thrown, screaming and yelling, and threats being made to her family members.

“The landlord should have filed an application to terminate the neighbouring tenancy. It is not necessary for criminal charges to be proven or even laid.

“The landlord only needed to prove, to the civil standard, that the tenant has been interfering with the reasonable pace, comfort and privacy of the tenant, and that the breach is of such a nature and of such an extent that it would be inequitable to refuse to make an order terminating the tenancy.”

By failing to take steps, the landlord had breached its obligations, she said.

Kāinga Ora was ordered to pay the tenant $5000 in compensation for breach of landlord’s obligations and was looking to transfer the tenant to a tenancy that is more suited to her current health needs.

* This story originally appeared in the New Zealand Herald.

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LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/28/tenant-wins-5000-payout-after-kainga-ora-fails-to-act-over-machete-threats/

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Police continue to investigate after Papakura shooting leaves man in moderate condition

Source: Radio New Zealand

A police car seen behind a cordon as officers attend an incident. RNZ

Police are following “strong lines of enquiry”, after an Auckland shooting on Saturday left a man with moderate injuries.

Officers were conducting patrols in the Clevedon Road area in the suburb of Papakura on Saturday morning, when they heard what was believed to be gunshots at about 11.20am.

A short time later, a man was transported to hospital in a moderate condition with a gunshot injury.

A police spokesperson said they were following “strong lines of inquiry” into what had occurred.

“Initial indications are that the victim and the offenders are known to each other, and there is no risk to the wider community.”

Officers, including the Armed Offenders Squad, had been conducting enquiries at a Grove Road address on Saturday afternoon, but no arrests were made.

Cordons that had been in place in Grove Road were stood down.

The spokesperson said Clevedon Road and Grove Road residents could expect to see a continued police presence on Saturday evening, as officers continued enquiries.

They asked that anyone with information that might assist their investigation contact them via 105.

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LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/28/police-continue-to-investigate-after-papakura-shooting-leaves-man-in-moderate-condition/

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Kiwi golfer Daniel Hillier storms into NZ Open lead at Millbrook

Source: Radio New Zealand

Daniel Hillier plays a shot during the third round of the 105th New Zealand Open. Photosport

A stunning late surge has vaulted Kiwi Daniel Hillier to the top of the NZ Open leaderboard at Millbrook Resort, near Queenstown.

The Wellingtonian was four strokes off leader and fellow Kiwi Kerry Mountcastle, when he lined up to play the 14th hole.

He birdied that, followed up with another birdie, parred the 16th, eagled the 17th and birdied the last to finish with a seven-under-par 64 to be 18-under with a round to play.

Hillier has been a force on the European tour this year and is the highest-ranked player in the field this week. He was runner-up at the NZ Open in 2024.

Masterton golfer Mountcastle also hit a 64 and is tied for second with Australian Curtis Luck, who hit 63. They are a stroke behind Hillier.

Another Aussie, Lucas Herbert, went around in 62 and sits fourth, a further stroke back.

Hillier had played steady golf before his late surge.

“That was a crazy last few holes,” he said. “I didn’t have my best early on.

“It was one of those days and I had to stay patient. I knew there were a couple of par-fives I could take advantage of later in the piece.

“Thankfully, I could do that and it was pretty cool to get one at the last as well, in front of that massive crowd.”

Hillier, who has had two top-five finishes on the DP World Tour already this year, is obviously keen to continue his good vein of form in the final round.

“Looking ahead to tomorrow, I would love a replay of that and some more,” he said. “Obviously, I have a job to do.

“I will rest up tonight and have a good sleep, and come out firing.”

Mountcastle could have had the outright lead had he birdied the final hole, but he dropped a stroke, after his tee shot landed in the water.

New Zealander Kerry Mountcastle is tied for second after three rounds. Photosport

The 30-year-old rated his round, which included nine birdies, as “nine out of 10”.

“Everything was kind of firing,” he said. “I’m sort of not really thinking about what’s happening in the tournament.

“It’s just I’m out here trying to hit shot after shot and it’s kind of the first time when I’ve been up the top, where I’ve been this comfortable.

“Normally I’m always thinking about, “Oh, I need to do this or what’s going on about that?”

The overnight leader after the second round, New Zealand amateur teenager Yuki Miya hit a 70 for a share of fifth place at 13-under.

One of the world’s top players on the PGA Championship tour, Kiwi Steven Alker has a share of ninth place at 12-under. He and compatriot Sam Jones both scored 66 in the third round.

“Today was moving day and I wanted to be a little more aggressive, but tomorrow, I am going to need to be really aggressive to catch the guys in front,” Alker said.

“I am having a blast with ‘Goldie’ [former All Black Jeff Wilson] on the bag, and it’s been a lot of fun and great to be back in New Zealand playing again. That is the coolest part.”

South Korea’s Chan Choi matched the championship course record with a 10-under-par 61. After making the cut on the number, he is now in a share of eighth at 12-under.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/28/kiwi-golfer-daniel-hillier-storms-into-nz-open-lead-at-millbrook/

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Live: Super Rugby Pacific – Brumbies v Blues at GIO Stadium

Source: Radio New Zealand

Photosport

The Blues play the high-flying Brumbies at GIO Staidum, after a high-scoring win over Western Froce last week.

Captain Daltan Papali’i will play his 100th Super Rugby game, as his side try to topple the top-of-the-table Brumbies in Canberra.

Kickoff is at 9.35pm.

Blues: 1. Ofa Tu’ungafasi. 2. Kurt Eklund. 3. Marcel Renata. 4. Laghlan McWhannell. 5. Sam Darry. 6. Anton Segner. 7. Dalton Papali’i (c) 8. Hoskins Sotutu. 9. Finlay Christie. 10. Stephen Perofeta. 11. Caleb Clarke. 12. Pita Ahki. 13. AJ Lam. 14. Cole Forbes. 15. Zarn Sullivan

Impact: 16. Bradley Slater. 17. Mason Tupaea. 18. Sam Matenga. 19. Josh Beehre. 20. Torian Barnes. 21. Taufa Funaki. 22. Xavi Taele. 23. Codemeru Vai.

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LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/28/live-super-rugby-pacific-brumbies-v-blues-at-gio-stadium/

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Football: Auckland FC stun with A-League win over champions Melbourne City

Source: Radio New Zealand

Auckland FC’s Guillermo May scores against Melbourne City. Photosport

Auckland FC have kept the pressure on A-League men’s leaders Newcastle Jets with a stunning 3-0 home win over Melbourne City.

Logan Rogerson broke his goalscoring drought with a decisive blow to give the Aucklanders a 1-0 lead after 42 minutes, and Jesse Randall (59th minute) and Guillermo May (66th minute) followed up in the second half for a comprehensive victory.

The result narrowed the Jets’ competition lead to just one point, although the Newcastle side were playing Central Coast Mariners on Saturday night.

After a poor January, the Aucklanders have had a brilliant February, looking much more like the team won the Premiers Plate last season.

They delighted their fans with this performance, although it did come at a cost, with captain Hiroki Sakai leaving the field late in the first half with an injury to his right leg, after as series of heavy collisions.

He was replaced by Sam Cosgrove.

Rogerson had gone 16 matches without a goal this season, but he latched on to a cross from May, heading it into the back of the net.

He admitted after the match to some sleepless nights, because of the drought.

“I’m delighted to break my duck and get my first goal of the season,” he told the Sky Sports broadcast.

Randall hasn’t had such goalscoring blues and pounced to score his ninth for the season, after an error by City defender Harrison Delbridge. Randall now leads the competition in scoring.

May scored his goal, after heading in a cross from Randall.

Auckland FC host Perth Glory next Sunday.

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LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/28/football-auckland-fc-stun-with-a-league-win-over-champions-melbourne-city/

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IndyCar: Kiwi Scott Dixon unharmed after crash at St Petersburg Grand Prix practice

Source: Radio New Zealand

Scott Dixon’s car after a nasty crash during practice in Florida. Twitter/Indycar

Kiwi motorsport ace Scott Dixon has emerged uninjured from a nasty crash during practice for the IndyCar St Petersburg Grand Prix in Florida.

During the first practice session – in which compatriot Scott McLaughlin had the fastest time – Dixon’s Ganassi Racing Honda slid across turn nine and collided head-first into a concrete barrier.

The car sustained heavy damage to the front, but Dixon emerged unhurt, but not before David Malukas just avoided contact with the stricken car, sneaking through a gap between the left barrier and Dixon’s left sidepod.

“Kind of a frustrating one,” Dixon said. “I got loose on entry and tried to save it, and then kind of got into an overcorrection.

“Luckily, it slid off a lot of the speed, before it hit the wall. Sometimes, you can tub a car and destroy them.

“Hopefully this isn’t too bad.”

The crash resulted in a red flag, one of three during the practice session.

Despite the damage, Dixon didn’t think he would need a back-up car for the opening Indycar race for the season, which starts at 7am Monday (NZT).

Scott Dixon has had at least one victory in 21 consecutive IndyCar seasons. PHOTOSPORT

“It actually looked fine,” said Dixon, who has had 21 consecutive IndyCar seasons with a victory.

“The rear was not bad. I think they’ll just have to change suspension, the front nose and front wing obviously, but then even the front suspension didn’t look that bad.

“It was kind of weird, so yeah, weird as in good weird.”

McLaughlin, who has had two previous pole starts at St Petersburg, had the quickest lap in 1m 1.1020s in his Team Penske Chevrolet on the 14-turn, temporary street circuit.

He led both the earlier portion of the 85-minute practice that contained all 25 cars and improved upon that time in the smaller session, after the field was divided into two groups.

“Decent first day,” McLaughlin said. “Obviously, being P1 is a great start.

“The DEX Imaging Chevy was straight away fast and felt good and comfortable. It’s good for us.

“It’s the start of a long season and it was nice to have a smooth session to start. We’ll keep pressing on and see how we go.”

Felix Rosenqvist was second overall and Florida native Kyle Kirkwood third.

Another New Zealander, Marcus Armstrong, was seventh.

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Live: Super Rugby Pacific – Chiefs v Crusaders at FMG Stadium Waikato

Source: Radio New Zealand

Photosport

The Chiefs host the winless Crusaders in a rematch of last year’s Super Rugby Pacific final at FMG Stadium Waikato on Saturday.

The hosts are coming off back-to-back wins over New Zealand opposition, while the their opponents have yet to taste victory.

Kickoff is at 7.05pm.

Chiefs: 1. Jared Proffit 2. Samisoni Taukei’aho 3. George Dyer 4. Josh Lord 5. Tupou Vaa’i (vc) 6. Simon Parker 7. Kaylum Boshier 8. Luke Jacobson (c) 9. Xavier Roe 10. Josh Jacomb 11. Leroy Carter 12. Quinn Tupaea (vc) 13. Daniel Rona 14. Emoni Narawa 15. Etene Nanai-Seturo

Impact: 16. Tyrone Thompson 17. Benet Kumeroa 18. Reuben O’Neill 19. Samipeni Finau 20. Wallace Sititi 21. Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi 22. Tepaea Cook-Savage 23. Lalakai Foketi

Crusaders: 1. Tamaiti Williams. 2. George Bell. 3. Fletcher Newell. 4. Antonio Shalfoon. 5. Jamie Hannah. 6. Dom Gardiner. 7. Ethan Blackadder. 8. Christian Lio-Willie. 9. Noah Hotham. 10. Taha Kemara. 11. Sevu Reece. 12. David Havili (c) 13. Leicester Fainga’anuku. 14. Chay Fihaki. 15. Will Jordan

Impact: 16. Manumaua Letiu. 17. George Bower. 18. Seb Calder. 19. Tahlor Cahill. 20. Corey Kellow. 21. Louie Chapman. 22. James White. 23. Dallas McLeod.

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LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/28/live-super-rugby-pacific-chiefs-v-crusaders-at-fmg-stadium-waikato/

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Can New Zealand economy recover if house prices don’t?

Source: Radio New Zealand

Most forecasts expect house prices to rise less than 5 percent this year. RNZ / REECE BAKER

New Zealand’s economy is expected to continue to slowly recover this year.

But unlike previous recoveries, this time, it’s not likely to be dragged up by rising house prices. Most forecasts are for prices to rise less than 5 percent this year – and some forecasters expect half that.

Michael Gordon, a senior economist at Westpac, has issued a new report looking at whether the economy can have a sustained recovery without help from rising house prices making people feel wealthier.

He said he had encountered scepticism about whether it was possible. But he said, in part, it was already happening.

“Retail spending has consistently risen over the last five quarters, at a time when house prices were effectively flat. But it’s not certain that this can be maintained in the face of what are some still-subdued house price expectations for the year ahead.

“The recent economic literature points to a solution. There is growing support for the idea that what we observe as a ‘housing wealth effect’ is actually more of an income expectations effect, driving both spending and house prices higher.”

He said it had been clear in the past that when house prices were rising, people tended to be more willing to spend because they felt their house was “doing the saving for them”.

“We’ve noted in the past that there has historically been a strong relationship between housing wealth and household spending in New Zealand, and arguably stronger here than in other developed economies. But the relationship doesn’t hold all of the time, and especially not in more recent years, as Covid and the subsequent policy responses have led to significant volatility in both house prices and consumption.”

He said even in the absence of house prices lifting in many parts of the country, lower interest rates were having a difference in the economy. Retail sales volumes rose 0.9 percent in December, more than had been expected.

He said there was growing evidence that when people expected their incomes to rise in future they tended to both spend more money and to push house prices higher.

“The magnitude of the effect on house prices will depend on how responsive the supply side is – historically New Zealand’s housing supply has been fairly unresponsive, but there are signs that this is improving.

“All of this is not to say that housing wealth effects don’t exist. But their impact may be in amplifying the economic cycle, rather than being an essential driver of it. We feel that our household spending forecasts have been suitably tempered to match our view on house prices – spending growth of 3 percent to 4 percent over the year ahead is quite achievable in the early stages of a recovery, when the economy still has substantial spare capacity to be used up.”

Shamubeel Eaqub. Supplied

Simplicity chief economist Shamubeel Eaqub said there had been regions that had experienced economic growth without house price growth.

“It’s true that we are very reliant on that channel to supercharge everything … the residential property mortgage market is such a big source of capital into any kind of investments that we make. If house prices are not increasing, we just have less capital to invest. And that’s including in businesses.

“That long tail of small businesses quite often relies on borrowing against the mortgage to be able to grow their businesses. That can be one of the constraints. It absolutely doesn’t go away but does it mean we can’t have any growth without it? I don’t think so. Does it mean we might have less growth or a less rapid recovery to a more dynamic state? Very likely.”

He said there had been economic growth before house prices boomed, and some of it was very strong.

“In fact, quite a lot of the economic growth we might have had post 2000 you might argue wasn’t actually very good quality… when I look at history and I look at our regions, there are periods of history where we’ve had economic growth without house prices running away from incomes. We’ve had economic growth in our provinces that haven’t always experienced high house prices.”

He said much of the downturn had been driven by the drop in disposable income available to households as the price of essentials rose.

But there is also a whole bunch of pent up demand to do things, whether it’s to do work on your homes, to replace things, replace the car, invest in your business, whatever. People have had plans that have been postponed. Recessions tend to be less about things being killed and more about things being postponed.

“The maintenance still has to be done. The expansion will still happen if you think the customers are there. And it’s that chicken and egg. What comes first? Certainly, I think right now what we’re seeing is there’s quite a lot of growth in the provinces… we’ve had pretty good news for sheep and beef farmers as well. When was the last time that happened?

“Wool prices have been pretty good this season so far. Dairy prices plus the payout from selling off our brands businesses. There’s a fair bit of money that’s going to be floating around. I think that might act as a bit of a catalyst. And of course, that reduction in interest rates.

“The big thing that’s going to be the catalyst here, I think, is whether or not banks are out lending. That’s probably the biggest unknown… not just for the price but the quantity of credit. It’s essential debt that supercharges the cycle.”

He said even though it felt like a grinding recession, some people were doing fine.

“It’s not like everybody is experiencing this equally. I think there is a risk in thinking that’s the case. There will be some people who have been waiting to make investments. They have the resources, they have the capital. They have the plans. They might decide now is a good time to make those investments.”

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LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/28/can-new-zealand-economy-recover-if-house-prices-dont/

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Basketball: NZ Breakers part ways with head coach Petteri Koponen

Source: Radio New Zealand

Breakers coach Petteri Koponen is leaving the club. Blake Armstrong/Photosport

NZ Breakers and head coach Petteri Koponen have parted ways, and the club will advertise globally for a replacement.

The Finn coached the Breakers for two seasons, with the side finishing ninth of the 10 teams last year, followed by seventh in the regular season just completed.

Koponen, 37, finished on a bright note, with a victory in the Ignite Cup over the Adelaide 36ers last Sunday.

After discussions with club management, he is leaving, with the club saying he didn’t seek a contract extension and was looking for new professional opportunities closer to Finland.

Koponen said he was after a new challenge.

“My time in New Zealand has been one of the most rewarding chapters of my career,” he said. “I fell in love with this country and the incredible community that supports the Breakers.

“However, after two seasons of intense growth in the NBL and the immense satisfaction of bringing the Ignite Cup to Auckland, I am ready for a new challenge.

“I want to thank the club, the players and the fans for embracing me. I am proud of the culture we’ve built and I leave with the highest respect for this club.”

The Breakers said Koponen had instilled a modern, high-intensity European style of play that culminated in the inaugural Ignite Cup victory.

“Petteri is a young coach on the rise and we support his desire to pursue opportunities closer to home,” said Breakers basketball operations president Dillon Boucher.

“Professional coaching at this level demands immense sacrifice, especially half a world away from home. We’ve reached a mutual agreement that the time is right for Petteri to pursue his next professional challenge.

“He departs with his mana higher than ever and will always hold a permanent place within our Breakers whānau.”

The club said it would look for a new coach capable of taking the Breakers to the top of the NBL rankings.

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The Detail: Home for granny, headache for homeowner

Source: Radio New Zealand

Experts say that the real rule change is simply that when things go wrong, the burden of responsibility will be on the homeowner, not the council. 123rf

Rule changes for putting a granny flat on your section cut very little red tape, but move questions of liability from councils to homeowners

No garage conversions, no house extensions, no old materials or relocated cottages, no DIY practitioners, no mezzanine floors and no accessible showers.

And no building consent needed.

The government’s new rules for building a granny flat, or ‘minor standalone dwelling’, on your own property cut through one layer of paperwork and will likely save plans from being clogged up at council level, but they’re still complex, full of restrictions and just as expensive as they always were.

The real change these rules bring, say experts, is that when things go wrong, they shift the burden of responsibility from the council to homeowners.

Karel Boakes is the president of the Building Officials Institute of New Zealand, an organisation with around 1200 members who deal with building surveying, controls and regulations in both the private sector and in councils.

From what she’s seen in the month or so since the law came in, there’s been no rush to build these standalone dwellings – she says licensed building practitioners appear to be wary of shouldering the burden of responsibility for any failures.

“They’re concerned,” she says.

“They’re concerned for the homeowners and potentially the risks that they might be taking on if they choose to follow this route.”

“Obviously they’re not against efficiencies where they can be made. That’s common sense and we’re all on board with that. But we’re also trying to weigh up the level of risk that people could be exposed to if buildings are built in a way that’s not compliant or in a way that [poses problems] financially with insurance or what have you.”

Boakes says officials want to make sure people go into these processes with their eyes wide open, understanding the risks.

“There’s definitely a shift of liability.”

Before the regulation changed there was a level of surety in council checks, but we saw from the leaky building crisis that meant that councils were often the “last man standing” – the only organisation still around answering questions of liability when builders and developers went bust. Now the responsibility for any issues down the line falls on the homeowner, and those licensed building practitioners who supervised the job.

The only council responsibility comes right at the start of an application for a standalone dwelling when it issues a PIM – a Project Information Memorandum – which details information about the land or the project that they need to take account of, such as unstable land or flood plains.

“The council won’t be taking any liability any more in terms of assessing, or checking, or inspecting,” says Boakes.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment has put out comprehensive information about the processes involved.

It says the granny flats building consent exemption allows small standalone dwellings of up to 70 square metres to be built without a building consent, if it has a simple design and meets the building code; homeowners notify the council before they start building and when they’re finished; the work is carried out or supervised by licensed building professionals; and all the exemption conditions are met.

You can download the seven forms required from the site, read the three checklists, five step-by-step guides and five fact sheets, and there are links to 12 professional groups that might be involved.

So there’s no excuse for winging it.

Bill McKay, a senior lecturer at the School of Architecture and Planning, University of Auckland, tells The Detail that when the rules came out, he was taken aback by the level of requirements – “all the things that you do and have to worry about”.

“One of the questions I’m mostly commonly asked is, ‘can I build it myself?’

“Short answer – absolutely not,” he says.

He says not having to get a building consent will save time, with the council unable to put off its issuing of a PIM. But a building consent is one thing – “you’ll still need building advice from someone who can draw up plans for you and that sort of thing. We might still need a resource consent, and this is a pitfall for lots of people.

“You can’t build just anywhere you want in your back yard. We have certain rules about minimum permeable and impermeable area so that rainfall will soak away, which is all good. And we have distances that we have to keep from neighbours … all that sort of thing as well.

“I think a lot of people will just sort of leap into it without doing their homework first and doing it properly, and that could get them in trouble from various angles.”

Then there’s the sting at the end – while it varies throughout the country, most councils will charge a development fee, and in some places that could be around $25,000. Your rates will go up too, having added another bathroom and more square metres to your estate.

Meanwhile McKay has picked out an aspect of the regulations he calls ‘ironic’ – even if your little house is for granny, you can’t have a recessed shower, where you could wheel in or get in without tripping over if you were unstable on your feet.

“The reason for that is, they haven’t developed a class of LBP who can do that.”

That means the supervisory aspect of the project couldn’t be met – so accessible showers are on the no-go list.

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LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/28/the-detail-home-for-granny-headache-for-homeowner/

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Red alert issued for Vanuatu province as Cyclone Urmil passes nearby

Source: Radio New Zealand

Tropical cyclone Urmil near Vanuatu, 28 February 2026 Zoom Earth

Vanuatu’s national disaster management office has issued a red alert for TAFEA province as a tropical cyclone hovers near the province.

Tropical Cyclone Urmil formed southwest of Port Vila on Friday.

It has now been upgraded to a Category 2 according to the Fiji Meteorological Service.

“At 5am local time, 28 February, analysis put this cyclone at 20 degrees South, 169.9 degree East, and that is roughly south east of Tanna island in the TAFEA province,” according to the Vanuatu Meteorology and Geohazard Department’s Tropical Cyclone Supervisor, Jerry Timothy.

TAFEA province is made up of the islands of Tanna, Aneityum, Futuna, Erromango and Aniwa.

Timothy said the cyclone moved into the TAFEA province from the West, from the Western side of the island group, there.

“Most probably the first island, Erromango hasn’t that much of the cyclone, maybe to the west of the island, but Tanna, which is the island in the middle, the tropical cyclone came very close to the south of the island, moving to the south,” he said.

The latest cyclone warning bulletin from the Vanuatu Meteorology and Geohazard Department said damaging gale force winds of 90km/h will continue to affect Tafea Province today.

It said heavy rainfalls with flash flooding are expected over low lying areas and areas close to river banks, including coastal flooding over TAFEA today. Very rough seas with heavy to phenomenal swells are expected over the area mention above.

A marine strong wind warning is also current for central and southern waters of Vanuatu. High Seas wind warning is also current for all open waters of Vanuatu. People, including sea going vessels are advised to take precautions.

Jerry Timothy said people can expect wind gusts of up to 105km/h.

Communities on Tanna island were preparing for a night of heavy weather as Tropical cyclone Urmil passed close-by.

Mora Kapum of White Grass Ocean Resort in Lenakel told RNZ Pacific that there was heavy rain and strong winds last night, leading to some minor flooding.

She said there is no serious damage there but there is a lot of cleaning up today, and it’s still very windy.

Red alert

When a RED ALERT is issued, you need to stay in a safe shelter:

  • Stay tuned and informed through Radio, TV, SMS, or Internet
  • Turn off all gas and electricity and unplug all electrical items from the sockets
  • Stay in the strongest and safest part of your house or the evacuation centre and do not go outside
  • Stay away from doors and windows and keep them closed and locked
  • Remain indoors or in safe place and continue to listen to the radio and do not go outside until National Disaster Management Office issues the ‘ALL CLEAR’ after the Vanuatu Meteorology and Geohazard Department cancels the cyclone warning for your area.
  • Take care to avoid dangers caused by fallen powerlines, trees, damaged building and other debris
  • Support your family and neighbours especially the most vulnerable in your community

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/28/red-alert-issued-for-vanuatu-province-as-cyclone-urmil-passes-nearby/

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Sprinter Tommy Te Puni overcomes setbacks for national 200 metres record

Source: Radio New Zealand

Tommy Te Puni races to a 100 metres behind Tiaan Whelpton at Sir Graeme Douglas International. David Rowland/Photosport

Two years have passed, but Tommy Te Puni finally has his name in the record books.

Last weekend, the Auckland speedster claimed the national 200 metres mark, when he tore around a bend – but not THE bend – at Christchurch’s Nga Puna Wai Sports Hub and crossed the finish line in 20.35s, slicing two-hundredths of a second off the previous standard.

“It means a lot,” he told RNZ. “Coming off a bit of bad luck and a lot of injuries, it’s pretty good to get one of those on the board.

“Being a New Zealand record, it’s special, not just for me, but for all the people who have supported me, like my family and especially my coach, who sets up all the programmes, and deals with the ups and downs just as much as me.

“I’m really happy, not just for myself, but for everyone else around me that have helped me along the way.”

In November 2023, Te Puni was the victim of a timing malfunction that some believe cost him the first sub-46-second 400m by a Kiwi male at a local club meet.

Since then, he has battled a variety of injuries that have stymied his hopes of ever reaching his potential – until now.

Ironically, one of those injuries seems to have played a part in his current run of form.

Te Puni, 23, broke his foot during a northern hemisphere campaign that included the World University Games in Germany, which delayed his return to the track until the new year.

Instead of running his best times before Christmas, then hitting a wall afterwards, he is only now reaching a peak at the business end of the season.

His performance at the International Track Meet came off the back of a series of quick times over the preceding month. A 10.36s 100m personal best at the Douglas International in Auckland was followed by a solid 10.40s/20.89s double into slight headwinds at Hamilton’s Porritt Classic.

“This was the first week I actually felt fresh,” he explained. “For me, it usually takes quite a few weeks to freshen up, so even leading into Porritt, I wasn’t really feeling that good.

“In New Zealand, it’s a big thing to run 20-point, but it didn’t feel that good. I was overstriding, and I didn’t feel that fresh, so we went back to the drawing board.”

Personal bests over 150m in training had him and coach Elena Brown believing something special was near.

“We were thinking high 20.4s was what I was showing, so 20.35 was a pleasant surprise.”

Te Puni tuned up for his record run with a wind-assisted 10.26s 100m, although wind readings only told half the story. While winner Tiaan Whelpton clocked 10.01s with a 4.9m/s tailwind, four minutes before, the women supposedly ran into a 3.4m/s headwind.

In reality, the wind was a swirling side, so meet organisers switched the 200m start to take advantage of conditions around the bend. Three years ago, they did the same for Rosie Elliott, when she clocked a 22.81s national women’s record.

The maximum allowable tailwind for record purposes is 2.0 m/s. Te Puni’s 200m wind was 1.2 m/s.

“It’s a northwesterly, a true tailwind around the bend, but not helping you too much down the straight,” he said. “You come off the curve, you slingshot and just hold that momentum through to the finish line.

“The wind is coming from a direction that it doesn’t fully hit the wind metre, which is really good.”

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Te Puni’s achievement sets up the unique prospect of all three men’s sprint records falling in the same season.

Whelpton has now gone under the 100m standard twice with excessive winds, while clocking 10.10s – 0.02s outside the national mark – legally. He only needs the right wind to break the record and possibly crack 10 seconds.

Last season, Lex Revell-Lewis broke 46 seconds for the 400m (45.88s) and showed he was capable of faster still, when he clocked 10.36w/20.49s at Christchurch.

Six runners beat 10.50s over 100m at the ITM, albeit wind-assisted. In seventh, 14-year-old Vern Toaloamai-Holden recorded 10.67s.

Four runners beat 21.00 seconds over 200 metres, another slice of NZ sprinting history.

Why is NZ sprinting enjoying a resurgence?

“It’s a good question,” Te Puni mused. “I think it’s just a question of timing, when everyone’s around a similar point, but you also have trailblazers like Tiaan, trying to get that 9.99s.

“It’s inspiring for people, and you want to chase those top guys. When I ran the 200m, they’re all chasing me, but it’s not like there’s someone who’s clear and above everyone else that you lose motivation.

“There’s a bit of luck with the depth, and everyone wants to beat each other.”

For their part, meet organisers have done their best to provide optimal conditions for performances.

“I’m sure all athletes will agree with me, but when you turn up to a race and there’s no hope of them flipping the track, and you have to run into a three-metre headwind… that’s not much fun.

“If they flip the track and the wind’s blowing at three, but I might get lucky, and get a 1.5 and new PB (personal best). Psychologically, that just gets you more amped up to race.

“They did it at Cooks [Whanganui], they did it at Sir Graeme [Douglas International], they did it at Christchurch… I’m pretty sure they’ll do it for the 100s and hopefully 200s at nationals.”

A community initiative to promote national relay teams has also created a collective approach to what was previously an individual sport, while fostering competition within the squad.

Early attempts at a men’s 4x100m record have seen Te Puni miss out on the top foursome, but current form may force a selection rethink.

“It gives a lot of athletes more opportunity to potentially get onto that world stage, but it also ties into wanting to be in that team and getting that spot,” he said. “The relays elevate the competition, because you don’t want that guy or that girl to get your spot, so you want to perform the best you can.”

Te Puni hasn’t contested the 400m this summer, but wouldn’t rule out another shot at that record in the future.

.

“We’re trying to work out where to get one in, but because I only really started running at the start of this month, there wasn’t really time to fit in a 400,” he said. “We were thinking about Sir Graeme Douglas, but stuck with the short sprints, because that was where my shape was at the moment.

“We’re keen to get one in March maybe. I’m not sure, but it would be nice to run another one, because my speed is at an all-time high at the moment and that typically bodes well for a quick 400.

“At the moment, it’s just 200, especially with nationals.”

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LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/28/sprinter-tommy-te-puni-overcomes-setbacks-for-national-200-metres-record/

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Live: Super Rugby Pacific- Fijian Drua v Hurricanes at Churchill Park

Source: Radio New Zealand

Photosport

The Hurricanes are looking to make it two from two against Pacific teams, as they head to Lautoka to play the Fijian Drua on Saturday afternoon.

Callum Harkin will start at first-five for the Wellington-based outfit, while the Drua are still chasing their first win of the Super Rugby Pacific season.

Kickoff is at 4.35pm.

Hurricanes: 1. Pouri Rakete-Stones 2. Asafo Aumua (vc) 3. Tevita Mafileo 4. Hugo Plummer 5. Warner Dearns 6. Devan Flanders 7. Peter Lakai 8. Brayden Iose 9. Cam Roigard 10. Callum Harkin 11. Fehi Fineanganofo 12. Jordie Barrett (c) 13. Billy Proctor 14. Bailyn Sullivan 15. Josh Moorby

Impact: 16. Jacob Devery 17. Xavier Numia 18. Siale Lauaki 19. Isaia Walker-Leawere 20. Brad Shields 21. Ereatara Enari 22. Lucas Cashmore (debut) 23. Ngane Punivai

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Can New Zealand’s economy recover if house prices don’t?

Source: Radio New Zealand

Most forecasts expect house prices to rise less than 5 percent this year. RNZ / REECE BAKER

New Zealand’s economy is expected to continue to slowly recover this year.

But unlike previous recoveries, this time, it’s not likely to be dragged up by rising house prices. Most forecasts are for prices to rise less than 5 percent this year – and some forecasters expect half that.

Michael Gordon, a senior economist at Westpac, has issued a new report looking at whether the economy can have a sustained recovery without help from rising house prices making people feel wealthier.

He said he had encountered scepticism about whether it was possible. But he said, in part, it was already happening.

“Retail spending has consistently risen over the last five quarters, at a time when house prices were effectively flat. But it’s not certain that this can be maintained in the face of what are some still-subdued house price expectations for the year ahead.

“The recent economic literature points to a solution. There is growing support for the idea that what we observe as a ‘housing wealth effect’ is actually more of an income expectations effect, driving both spending and house prices higher.”

He said it had been clear in the past that when house prices were rising, people tended to be more willing to spend because they felt their house was “doing the saving for them”.

“We’ve noted in the past that there has historically been a strong relationship between housing wealth and household spending in New Zealand, and arguably stronger here than in other developed economies. But the relationship doesn’t hold all of the time, and especially not in more recent years, as Covid and the subsequent policy responses have led to significant volatility in both house prices and consumption.”

He said even in the absence of house prices lifting in many parts of the country, lower interest rates were having a difference in the economy. Retail sales volumes rose 0.9 percent in December, more than had been expected.

He said there was growing evidence that when people expected their incomes to rise in future they tended to both spend more money and to push house prices higher.

“The magnitude of the effect on house prices will depend on how responsive the supply side is – historically New Zealand’s housing supply has been fairly unresponsive, but there are signs that this is improving.

“All of this is not to say that housing wealth effects don’t exist. But their impact may be in amplifying the economic cycle, rather than being an essential driver of it. We feel that our household spending forecasts have been suitably tempered to match our view on house prices – spending growth of 3 percent to 4 percent over the year ahead is quite achievable in the early stages of a recovery, when the economy still has substantial spare capacity to be used up.”

Shamubeel Eaqub. Supplied

Simplicity chief economist Shamubeel Eaqub said there had been regions that had experienced economic growth without house price growth.

“It’s true that we are very reliant on that channel to supercharge everything … the residential property mortgage market is such a big source of capital into any kind of investments that we make. If house prices are not increasing, we just have less capital to invest. And that’s including in businesses.

“That long tail of small businesses quite often relies on borrowing against the mortgage to be able to grow their businesses. That can be one of the constraints. It absolutely doesn’t go away but does it mean we can’t have any growth without it? I don’t think so. Does it mean we might have less growth or a less rapid recovery to a more dynamic state? Very likely.”

He said there had been economic growth before house prices boomed, and some of it was very strong.

“In fact, quite a lot of the economic growth we might have had post 2000 you might argue wasn’t actually very good quality… when I look at history and I look at our regions, there are periods of history where we’ve had economic growth without house prices running away from incomes. We’ve had economic growth in our provinces that haven’t always experienced high house prices.”

He said much of the downturn had been driven by the drop in disposable income available to households as the price of essentials rose.

But there is also a whole bunch of pent up demand to do things, whether it’s to do work on your homes, to replace things, replace the car, invest in your business, whatever. People have had plans that have been postponed. Recessions tend to be less about things being killed and more about things being postponed.

“The maintenance still has to be done. The expansion will still happen if you think the customers are there. And it’s that chicken and egg. What comes first? Certainly, I think right now what we’re seeing is there’s quite a lot of growth in the provinces… we’ve had pretty good news for sheep and beef farmers as well. When was the last time that happened?

“Wool prices have been pretty good this season so far. Dairy prices plus the payout from selling off our brands businesses. There’s a fair bit of money that’s going to be floating around. I think that might act as a bit of a catalyst. And of course, that reduction in interest rates.

“The big thing that’s going to be the catalyst here, I think, is whether or not banks are out lending. That’s probably the biggest unknown… not just for the price but the quantity of credit. It’s essential debt that supercharges the cycle.”

He said even though it felt like a grinding recession, some people were doing fine.

“It’s not like everybody is experiencing this equally. I think there is a risk in thinking that’s the case. There will be some people who have been waiting to make investments. They have the resources, they have the capital. They have the plans. They might decide now is a good time to make those investments.”

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Defence in Whangārei murder trial closes, arguing Anaru Morunga had an ‘imaginative grip on reality’

Source: Radio New Zealand

Anaru Morunga is on trial for the alleged murder of his ex-partner and the mother of his two children, Jasmaine Reihana. NZME/SUPPLED

Warning: This article discusses graphic violence and may be upsetting to some readers.

After two weeks of silence, the defence in a murder trial finally rose and shifted the focus from the brutality of an alleged act to the question of the accused’s state of mind.

As Anaru Morunga’s trial nears its end, today marked the first moment defence lawyer Arthur Fairley addressed the jury and reframed the case.

“We’re dealing with this man’s mind. Not your mind, not my mind … it’s what this man’s mind thinks,” Fairley said in his closing statement.

Morunga has been on trial in the High Court at Whangārei on eight charges, including murder, related to events surrounding the death of his ex-partner, 35-year-old Jasmaine Reihana.

The couple had two children together but separated in 2018. It was unclear what the status of their relationship was at the time of her death on 8 September, 2024, after they had attended a tangi together in Ōtorohanga.

For 10 days, the jury has heard evidence from multiple Crown witnesses, including forensic experts and police officers, about events that occurred across the days leading up to Reihana’s death.

The Crown alleges Morunga murdered Reihana by stabbing her at the Pouto peninsula home in Northland that he shared with his mother, Suzanne Morunga, and her partner Michael Jones.

He is also accused of arson after allegedly setting Reihana’s car alight with her body inside at the far end of the Ripirō Beach farm, before fleeing and leading police on a State Highway 12 chase that ended with his arrest near the Brynderwyn Hills.

Today, he changed his plea on two of the eight charges he has been defending, admitting charges related to unlawfully taking a tractor and quad bike owned by his boss, Chris Biddles.

On the other charges, Morunga has repeatedly acknowledged killing Reihana, telling police he cut her throat before placing her body in her car and towing it to the beach by tractor. He continues to deny that he was the one who set the vehicle alight.

That admission has not only been heard by the jury through his evidential interview with police played in court, but also when he chose to take the stand yesterday.

“I just walked over to her, grabbed her, pulled the knife out and cut her throat,” he said in his police interview recorded in September 2024.

But when he gave close to four hours of evidence yesterday, his narrative changed.

He claimed Reihana had a gun and he had to kill her to protect his family.

“I pulled, she pulled, I won,” he testified.

He then demonstrated for the court how he cut Reihana’s neck.

In Crown closings, prosecutor Bernadette O’Connor told the jury Morunga was making things up to fit the evidence that had been presented.

“Folding up the paper napkin so it resembled a knife. Not something he was asked to do, something he did of his own volition to demonstrate how he killed Ms Reihana,” O’Connor said.

“Claiming he didn’t mean for her to die. I submit that flies in the face of the evidence and flies in the face of common sense.

“He meant to kill her.”

O’Connor said there were eight pages of transcript of Morunga detailing the slaying, even saying he was good with knives and trained to kill animals humanely.

“He didn’t seem to afford that humane killing to Jasmaine Reihana,” O’Connor said.

She said the new story about a gun being present was “simply not true”.

“When I pointed out he has never mentioned it, he said ‘I was a very broken man then’,” O’Connor said.

“A broken man? Or a man who was relaxed, enjoying his moment in the spotlight?”

O’Connor said Morunga had made a “fantastical story” that Reihana was having an affair, she was going to kill his family and sell his children to the Mongrel Mob.

“He will come up with anything that he can to get away with murder.”

O’Connor said he was high on methamphetamine, and being under the influence of drugs was not a defence to murder.

“The fault for her murder lies solely and squarely at the feet of Anaru Morunga.”

During the trial, Morunga’s lawyer, Arthur Fairley, did not cross-examine many witnesses and did not give an opening statement to the jury.

Today, in his closing address to the jury, he began by acknowledging the overwhelming evidence presented at the trial.

“I would suggest to you, members of the jury, there wouldn’t be a heart in this room that wouldn’t be tugged by that,” Fairley said.

“But in this room, in a trial like this, we’re not allowed to have our hearts tugged.”

Fairley said the key issue for determining the murder charge relied on establishing Morunga’s intent.

“The facts are, none of us were there,” Fairley submitted.

“He made some remarkable concessions for a man in a murder trial.

“Here’s the point. You might think the mind we’re dealing with at the material time had an imaginative grip of reality. But that’s the quality of the mind that has to be taken into account.”

Fairley submitted that Morunga had not uttered that he was going to kill Reihana before, during or after the act and therefore did not have murderous intent.

“Isolate what the issues are and try to give some analysis,” Morunga said.

“On the murder, they can’t make you sure what was in this man’s head at the material time.

“If they can’t make you sure, he’s not guilty of murder; it’s manslaughter.”

The jury was released for the weekend and will return on Monday for Justice David Johnstone’s summation of the case.

They will then retire to consider the verdicts.

* This story originally appeared in the New Zealand Herald.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/28/defence-in-whangarei-murder-trial-closes-arguing-anaru-morunga-had-an-imaginative-grip-on-reality/

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Watch: Rocket Lab blasts off on hypersonic mission for US Department of War

Source: Radio New Zealand

‘That’s Not A Knife’ on the launch pad at LC-2. Supplied / Rocket Lab

New Zealand-founded company Rocket Lab has successfully launched its latest space mission for the US Department of War.

The HASTE rocket, called ‘That’s Not A Knife’, lifted off from Wallops Island in Virginia in the US at 1pm on Saturday (NZ time) from Launch Complex 2 at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport.

[embedded content]

It was Rocket Lab’s second successful launch of a hypersonic test mission for the US Department of War’s Defense Innovation Unit, and the seventh HASTE rocket launch overall. Rocket Lab said all HASTE missions to date have achieved 100 percent success.

The launch was the company’s third of the year and its 82nd overall.

HASTE stands for hypersonic accelerator suborbital test electron, and is a suborbital testbed launch vehicle.

Suborbital missions enter space but don’t stay there.

The mission deployed DART AE, a scramjet-powered aircraft developed by Australian aerospace engineering firm Hypersonix, into a suborbital hypersonic flight environment at several times the speed of sound.

‘That’s Not A Knife’ mission payload. Supplied / Rocket Lab

Rocket Lab said the work was supporting a critical national priority to advance hypersonic technology for the United States and its allies.

Rocket Lab’s vice president of global launch services, Brian Rogers, said the launch was another proud moment for the HASTE team and a great showcase of the important commercial platform it has become for the Department of War.

‘That’s Not A Knife’ on the launch pad at LC-2. Supplied / Rocket Lab

“Regular and reliable HASTE launches are helping to accelerate hypersonic readiness for the nation, and we take pride in providing the foundation to a new era of testing of this critical technology to protect the United States space security,” said Rogers.

Hypersonix chief executive Matt Hill said successfully flying DART AE in a real hypersonic environment marked a major milestone for the company’s flight test programme and moved it closer to delivering reusable hypersonic capability.

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Can New Zealand’s housing market recover if house prices don’t?

Source: Radio New Zealand

Most forecasts expect house prices to rise less than 5 percent this year. RNZ / REECE BAKER

New Zealand’s economy is expected to continue to slowly recover this year.

But unlike previous recoveries, this time, it’s not likely to be dragged up by rising house prices. Most forecasts are for prices to rise less than 5 percent this year – and some forecasters expect half that.

Michael Gordon, a senior economist at Westpac, has issued a new report looking at whether the economy can have a sustained recovery without help from rising house prices making people feel wealthier.

He said he had encountered scepticism about whether it was possible. But he said, in part, it was already happening.

“Retail spending has consistently risen over the last five quarters, at a time when house prices were effectively flat. But it’s not certain that this can be maintained in the face of what are some still-subdued house price expectations for the year ahead.

“The recent economic literature points to a solution. There is growing support for the idea that what we observe as a ‘housing wealth effect’ is actually more of an income expectations effect, driving both spending and house prices higher.”

He said it had been clear in the past that when house prices were rising, people tended to be more willing to spend because they felt their house was “doing the saving for them”.

“We’ve noted in the past that there has historically been a strong relationship between housing wealth and household spending in New Zealand, and arguably stronger here than in other developed economies. But the relationship doesn’t hold all of the time, and especially not in more recent years, as Covid and the subsequent policy responses have led to significant volatility in both house prices and consumption.”

He said even in the absence of house prices lifting in many parts of the country, lower interest rates were having a difference in the economy. Retail sales volumes rose 0.9 percent in December, more than had been expected.

He said there was growing evidence that when people expected their incomes to rise in future they tended to both spend more money and to push house prices higher.

“The magnitude of the effect on house prices will depend on how responsive the supply side is – historically New Zealand’s housing supply has been fairly unresponsive, but there are signs that this is improving.

“All of this is not to say that housing wealth effects don’t exist. But their impact may be in amplifying the economic cycle, rather than being an essential driver of it. We feel that our household spending forecasts have been suitably tempered to match our view on house prices – spending growth of 3 percent to 4 percent over the year ahead is quite achievable in the early stages of a recovery, when the economy still has substantial spare capacity to be used up.”

Shamubeel Eaqub. Supplied

Simplicity chief economist Shamubeel Eaqub said there had been regions that had experienced economic growth without house price growth.

“It’s true that we are very reliant on that channel to supercharge everything … the residential property mortgage market is such a big source of capital into any kind of investments that we make. If house prices are not increasing, we just have less capital to invest. And that’s including in businesses.

“That long tail of small businesses quite often relies on borrowing against the mortgage to be able to grow their businesses. That can be one of the constraints. It absolutely doesn’t go away but does it mean we can’t have any growth without it? I don’t think so. Does it mean we might have less growth or a less rapid recovery to a more dynamic state? Very likely.”

He said there had been economic growth before house prices boomed, and some of it was very strong.

“In fact, quite a lot of the economic growth we might have had post 2000 you might argue wasn’t actually very good quality… when I look at history and I look at our regions, there are periods of history where we’ve had economic growth without house prices running away from incomes. We’ve had economic growth in our provinces that haven’t always experienced high house prices.”

He said much of the downturn had been driven by the drop in disposable income available to households as the price of essentials rose.

But there is also a whole bunch of pent up demand to do things, whether it’s to do work on your homes, to replace things, replace the car, invest in your business, whatever. People have had plans that have been postponed. Recessions tend to be less about things being killed and more about things being postponed.

“The maintenance still has to be done. The expansion will still happen if you think the customers are there. And it’s that chicken and egg. What comes first? Certainly, I think right now what we’re seeing is there’s quite a lot of growth in the provinces… we’ve had pretty good news for sheep and beef farmers as well. When was the last time that happened?

“Wool prices have been pretty good this season so far. Dairy prices plus the payout from selling off our brands businesses. There’s a fair bit of money that’s going to be floating around. I think that might act as a bit of a catalyst. And of course, that reduction in interest rates.

“The big thing that’s going to be the catalyst here, I think, is whether or not banks are out lending. That’s probably the biggest unknown… not just for the price but the quantity of credit. It’s essential debt that supercharges the cycle.”

He said even though it felt like a grinding recession, some people were doing fine.

“It’s not like everybody is experiencing this equally. I think there is a risk in thinking that’s the case. There will be some people who have been waiting to make investments. They have the resources, they have the capital. They have the plans. They might decide now is a good time to make those investments.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/28/can-new-zealands-housing-market-recover-if-house-prices-dont/

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Man appears in court after Auckland assault leaves two seriously hurt

Source: Radio New Zealand

Outside the central Auckland Library on Lorne Street. RNZ / Lucy Xia

A 65-year-old man has appeared in court over a serious stabbing in Auckland’s CBD on Friday night.

Police confirmed the incident occured in the area in front of the Auckland Central City Library, and a knife was recovered at the scene. One person was left with critical injuries and another seriously hurt.

Detective Senior Sergeant Ash Matthews had said emergency crews were called to Lorne Street about 10.20pm where a knife had been recovered and the man was arrested by responding staff.

The man was facing two charges of causing grievous bodily harm.

He appeared at the Auckland District Court in a blue boiler suit shortly after midday on Saturday. No pleas were entered and the man was remanded in custody.

He was granted interim name suppression.

Cordons were in place overnight in the area in front of the library entrance, but had been lifted by midday Saturday.

Police said a scene examination was conducted on Saturday morning.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/28/man-appears-in-court-after-auckland-assault-leaves-two-seriously-hurt/

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Singer and songwriter Neil Sedaka dies at 86

Source: Radio New Zealand

American musician Neil Sedaka, who had a string of chart-topping hits in the 1960s and 1970s with songs like ‘Laughter in the Rain’, has died at age 86, his family said Friday.

Over a career spanning six decades, Sedaka scored three number-one hits in the United States and also wrote chart-topping songs for other artists.

“Our family is devastated by the sudden passing of our beloved husband, father and grandfather,” Sedaka’s family posted on his Facebook page, describing the late artist as a “true rock and roll legend.”

Born in New York, Sedaka’s musical career began in the late 1950s. One of his first successes was writing ‘Stupid Cupid’ for one of the era’s most popular US female vocalists, Connie Francis.

Sedaka, an accomplished pianist, became a star in his own right in the early 1960s, with pop hits including ‘Breaking Up Is Hard To Do’.

His popularity faded in the second half of the 1960s as bands like The Beatles came into fashion, but it revived in the 1970s with easy-listening favourites like ‘Laughter in the Rain’ and ‘Bad Blood’.

Sedaka’s ‘Love Will Keep Us Together’ became a number one hit for the husband-and-wife recording duo Captain & Tennille in 1975.

Sedaka had dropped out of the charts by the 1980s. He remained a showbiz fixture and kept performing even as commercial successes waned.

No cause of death was given.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/28/singer-and-songwriter-neil-sedaka-dies-at-86/