Category: Sport

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Football: Phoenix women on the brink of history after 3-1 win over Sydney FC

Source: Radio New Zealand

Pia Vlok of the Wellington Phoenix (file photo) photosport

The Wellington Phoenix have all but secured a place in the women’s A-League finals after recovering from conceding an early goal to beat Sydney FC 3-1.

Down 1-0 after five minutes, teenage forward Pia Vlok found an equaliser for the visitors soon afterwards on her return from concussion before defenders Marisa van der Meer and Brooke Nunn scored in the second half.

A ninth win for the season lifts coach Bev Priestman’s team to second place The team’s record-equalling ninth win of the season lifts the Phoenix to second on the table, three points behind Melbourne City, with a game in hand.

With three matches remaining in the regular season, they still have a shot at taking the top seeding into the play-offs.

Their 31 competition points from 17 matches is a club record, three more than their previous best return in the 2023-24 campaign, which was from 22 matches.

Phoenix head coach Bev Priestman Marty Melville / PHOTOSPORT

Priestman wasn’t getting carried away, however, describing the performance as “a bit of a mixed bag”.

“At the end of the day to score three goals [and] get three points on the road against what I felt was a much improved Sydney side … I’ve got to be happy with the outcome,” Priestman she said.

“Did we make it a painful process and got in our own way? I think so, but … I think that’s the first time we’ve come back from going a goal down to getting three points.

“At the end of the day good teams can do that.”

Priestman said she hadn’t turned her attentions to the premiership race, instead focusing on a midweek catch-up match away to Central Coast Mariners.

The Phoenix will stay in New South Wales for the match in Gosford on Wednesday.

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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/2026/03/21/football-phoenix-women-on-the-brink-of-history-after-3-1-win-over-sydney-fc/

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‘Huge explosion’: Firefighers respond to house fire in Christchurch’s Aranui

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ/Marika Khabazi

Two people have been seriously injured in a house fire in Christchurch.

Firefighters were called to a fire in the Christchurch suburb of Aranui on Friday evening.

Fire and Emergency said the house on Bournemouth Crescent was well ablaze when crews arrived.

It said the fire had since been extinguished and all people were accounted for.

Nearby residents posted on social media that they had heard a “huge explosion” and others reported their house shaking as a result.

St John ambulance said two patients in a serious condition were transported to Christchurch Hospital.

More to come…

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LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/20/huge-explosion-firefighers-respond-to-house-fire-in-christchurchs-aranui/

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NRL: NZ Warriors halfback Tanah Boyd feeding critics humble pie with scintillating season start

Source: Radio New Zealand

Tanah Body celebrates a freakish try against Canberra Raiders. Andrew Cornaga/Photosport

NRL: Newcastle Knights v NZ Warriors

Kickoff 5pm, Saturday, 21 March

MacDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle

Live blog updates on RNZ website

Knowledgeable NRL commentators and armchair critics alike are taking a long, hard look at themselves in the mirror, wondering what they missed about Tanah Boyd.

Those feelings of regret are probably amplified, if you’re on the Gold Coast Titans football staff, who let the unheralded halfback slip through their fingers and across the Tasman last season, landing at NZ Warriors HQ.

After five years and 69 first-grade games for the Titans, Boyd needed a change of scenery, and signed a two-year deal that saw him buried on a depth chart and initially consigned to reserve grade.

Twelve months later, the apparent journeyman has the keys to an attack that has piled 40 points onto two of the competition’s leading contenders – the most in club history over the opening two rounds – while making his doubters eat their words.

Serving up humble pie is not on Boyd’s agenda.

“Not at all,” he insisted. “I just worry about me and this team, these four walls and what happens here – that’s all I worry about.

“I feel like my confidence is really high at the moment, and I just want to keep it that way and keep going well.”

Tanah Boyd scores the Warriors’ opening try of the season against Sydney Roosters. Andrew Cornaga/Photosport

When first-choice half Luke Metcalf fell to a season-ending knee injury last June, Boyd inherited a team that had probably peaked too soon and were running on fumes, as they neared playoffs.

He was unable to spark a revival, as they lost six of their last eight games, including a limp, one-and-done effort against Penrith Panthers in the first week of the post-season, but the new season has brought a different perspective.

With Metcalf still a few weeks away from a return, Boyd has had an entire summer to consolidate his starting spot.

“I just think I’m a lot clearer on my role and the boys are responding to me a lot better,” he said. “I think having a full pre-season and getting the reps with them has really helped, and made them a lot clearer as well.

“Everyone’s on the same page at the moment and we just have to keep it going now.”

Coach Andrew Webster has seen the continued development of Boyd’s game across the two seasons.

“Last year, he was in contention for round one and he did his calf 4-5 weeks before the start of the season,” he said. “He started the season in reserve grade and he was outstanding, but just couldn’t get an opportunity through good form and us winning games.

“He got his chance and right at the end, in the finals, I think you saw him growing in confidence and the team were really confident around him. The last two weeks, he’s been dominant.

“When he runs the footy, we look good. When he tackles, we look good, and he kicks well.

“It’s not an easy game, but those three simple things we want him to be good at.”

After two weeks, Boyd led the competition in scoring (32), try assists (4) and linebreak involvements (3), and his early-season form has changed the whole narrative around the Warriors halves. He’s no longer just keeping the jersey warm for Metcalf’s return, but has created a genuine contest for both positions.

“You don’t have to pigeonhole halves that can only wear the seven jersey,” Webster hinted after the season-opening win over Sydney Roosters, which he agreed was Boyd’s best showing in a Warriors uniform.

“Everyone’s getting a bit better at being a six or a seven, or you just look at them as two halves.

Tanah Boyd’s early form has created a genuine contest for selection when Luke Metcalf returns. Andrew Cornaga/Photosport

“I’m not suggesting anything at the moment. I’m just grateful we have four really good halfbacks at hand.”

Boyd’s current job security has been amplified by the early attrition among his competition, with Te Maire Martin (broken leg) and Chanel Harris-Tavita (concussion) joining Metcalf on the sidelines.

This week, Webster will roll out fifth-string half Luke Hanson, who may still have missed out to first-choice fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, if he had been available.

Boyd and Hanson bring a tried-and-proven combination from last season’s triumphant reserves campaign, and started both pre-season trials together last month.

“It’s a big advantage – similar hairstyle, similar size,” Webster quipped. “They’ve played a lot of games together and won a lot of games together, and while it’s not at NRL level, they’ve built that confidence in each other.

“They know what to do, they know each other’s game and I’m sure they’ll lean on each other at the right time.”

Boyd is looking forward to pairing up with his old mate at the next level.

“I love playing with Lukey,” he said. “He’s a fast player and loves to run the footy, so I love creating space for him and I feel like he plays his best footy when he’s got space.

“He’s a tough little bugger and they’ll definitely go after him with his defence, that’s for sure. I’m so excited for him, so pumped and he’s had a great pre-season.”

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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/2026/03/21/nrl-nz-warriors-halfback-tanah-boyd-feeding-critics-humble-pie-with-scintillating-season-start/

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Wealth for Good in Hong Kong Summit to be held next Tuesday to chart new milestone in global family office succession

Source: Media Outreach

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 20 March 2026 – The Government announced that the Wealth for Good in Hong Kong (WGHK) Summit will return next Tuesday (March 24). Under the theme “Building Lasting Legacies”, this year’s summit in its fourth edition highlights the wave brought by continuous growth of family office assets and generational wealth transition in recent years. In addition to serving as an exchange platform for overseas, Mainland and local family office decision-makers and successors, the WGHK Summit is also an occasion for them to experience firsthand how Hong Kong leverages its solid financial foundation to facilitate wealth succession and value appreciation.

Co-organised by the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau and Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK), the WGHK Summit will once again convene influential family office decision-makers and successors from around the world in Hong Kong. Participants from Asia, Europe, the Americas, Oceania, the Middle East, and Africa will join attendees from the Chinese Mainland and Hong Kong in insightful sharing. This year’s summit is going to showcase Hong Kong’s profound strengths and development potential through three core themes: “Strategic Asset Management for Family Legacy”, “Cultural Value Foundation for a Thriving Market”, and “Smart Tech Innovation Driving Capital Appreciation”. A number of heavyweight speakers will inspire the participants with their visionary thinking on the future of the family office ecosystem.

Nowadays, quite a number of family offices are deepening their philanthropic endeavours. Taking advantage of Hong Kong’s diverse and vibrant philanthropic ecosystem, a special fireside chat on “Sports and Philanthropy” is set for the summit to explore how sports and philanthropy can work together to create positive value for society.

The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, said, “The global landscape is evolving fast these days with geopolitics getting more complex. There has never been a better time for hosting the WGHK Summit than now to give family offices looking for diversified allocation and risk dispersion an occasion to connect with each other and explore opportunities. Hong Kong offers a highly favourable development environment with numerous potential and predictability for family offices, underpinned by our diversified international financial markets coupled with resilience, robust and transparent legal and tax systems, world-class financial and professional services, and well-developed ecosystems for philanthropy, arts, and innovation. The WGHK Summit is a flagship event hosted by our Government to showcase to the global wealth owners the unique advantages of this city. We will continue to consolidate Hong Kong’s leading position as a family wealth hub in the Asia-Pacific region, and adopt a multipronged approach to keep fostering the development of the family office sector through measures in areas such as tax concessions, talent attraction, investment facilitation and building of an ecosystem. All these will make Hong Kong even more attractive in all aspects to global family capital, positioning this city as the most preferred platform for ultra-high-net-worth families worldwide to manage their cross-border wealth.”

The Director-General of Investment Promotion at InvestHK, Ms Alpha Lau, noted, “According to the latest market study, the number of single-family offices in Hong Kong surpassed 3 380 by the end of 2025, reflecting a growth of over 25 per cent in two years – a testament to Hong Kong’s attractiveness as a global family office hub. The WGHK Summit serves as a pivotal platform for Hong Kong to deepen connections with the global family office community and foster cross-border collaboration. Against the backdrop of increasing trend of reallocation of global capital toward Asia, alongside rising trade protectionism and geopolitical uncertainty, Hong Kong will continue to leverage its unique advantage of enjoying strong support from the motherland and being closely connected to the world. We will provide global families with a predictable, one-stop environment for establishing a presence and operating in Hong Kong, helping them capture growth opportunities on the Chinese Mainland and in Asia, and steadily advancing long-term investment and multi-generational succession through diversified asset allocation and professional risk management.”

The WGHK Summit will feature a distinguished line-up of guest speakers:

  • Dr Han Bicheng – Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), BrainCo
  • Mr Maximilian Kaufmann – Representative of Major Shareholder of Leica Camera AG
  • Mr William Heinecke – Founder and Chairman, Minor International PCL
  • Mr François Pictet – Managing Partner, Pictet Group
  • Mr Yao Ming – Founder of Yao Foundation; Former Chairman of Chinese Basketball Association; NBA All-Star
  • Mr Qiu Heng – Chief Marketing Officer, AgiBot
  • Ms Irene Lee – Chairman, Hysan Development Company Limited
  • Dr Ren Feng – Co-CEO and Chief Scientific Officer, Insilico Medicine
  • Mr Wesley Ng – CEO and Co-founder, CASETiFY
  • Mr Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges – CEO, The Hong Kong Jockey Club; and
  • Mr Michael Wilding – Group Chief Operating Officer, ZURU Group

Beyond the WGHK Summit, the Milken Institute and Bloomberg LP (Bloomberg) will also host the Global Investors’ Symposium (March 23) and the Family Office Forum (March 25) respectively in the same week, focusing on wealth management and global investment trends. The synergy generated by these three major forums will showcase Hong Kong’s unique charm in the family office landscape to the fullest to international capital, allowing participants to interact, exchange ideas, and explore opportunities together in Hong Kong.

Hashtag: #WGHK

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/21/wealth-for-good-in-hong-kong-summit-to-be-held-next-tuesday-to-chart-new-milestone-in-global-family-office-succession/

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Super Rugby Pacific: Chiefs stunned by Brumbies fightback

Source: Radio New Zealand

Damian McKenzie. Mark Nolan

The Chiefs have been stunned by the Brumbies in a Super Rugby Pacific thriller in Canberra.

Leading 24-7 with just over 20 minutes remaining, it looked as if the Chiefs would canter to victory.

But instead, the Brumbies rallied with four second-half tries to win 33-24.

Catch up with all the action as it happened:

Chiefs team list:

1. Jared Proffit 2. Samisoni Taukei’aho 3. Reuben O’Neill 4. Josh Lord 5. Tupou Vaa’i (vc) 6. Simon Parker 7. Jahrome Brown 8. Luke Jacobson (c) 9. Cortez Ratima 10. Damian McKenzie 11. Etene Nanai-Seturo 12. Quinn Tupaea (vc) 13. Daniel Rona 14. Leroy Carter 15. Liam Coombes-Fabling

Bench: 16. Tyrone Thompson 17. Ollie Norris 18. George Dyer 19. Seuseu Naitoa Ah Kuoi 20. Samipeni Finau 21. Xavier Roe 22. Josh Jacomb 23. Lalakai Foketi

“The Brumbies are a terrific side and the Force next week will be tough in Perth, so this is a good mini tour for us. If we get things right, it will help set us for the rest of the season.” – Head coach Jonno Gibbs.

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LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/20/super-rugby-pacific-chiefs-stunned-by-brumbies-fightback/

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Black Caps crush South Africa to take series lead

Source: Radio New Zealand

New Zealand bowler Ben Sears sends off South Africa captain Keshav Maharaj. Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz

The Black Caps have cantered to victory in the third T20 against South Africa at Eden Park.

Openers Devon Conway and Tom Latham put on 96 for the first wicket, setting up the crushing eight-wicket win in Auckland.

After being asked to bowl, the Black Caps restricted South Africa to just 136, Kyle Jameison, Bean Sears and Mitch Santner all taking two wickets apiece.

The target would prove not nearly enough.

A blistering opening stand would all but take the game away from the Proteas, though with the century partnership in sight, Conway fell for 39 with New Zealand still needing 41.

Tim Robinson got the hosts within one, before he was out LBW for 17.

Nick Kelly got the required single and with Latham, who finished unbeaten on 63, saw the Kiwis home with 22 balls to spare.

The Black Caps now lead the five match series 2-1.

See how the game unfolded in our blog:

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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/2026/03/20/black-caps-crush-south-africa-to-take-series-lead/

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Super Rugby Pacific: Hurricanes humiliate Highlanders

Source: Radio New Zealand

Fehi Fineanganofo of the Hurricanes, pictured in an earlier match, scored a hat-trick. Elias Rodriguez / www.photosport.nz

The Hurricanes have kicked clear at the top of the Super Rugby standings after hammering the Highlanders 50-7 in Dunedin.

A hat-trick for Fehi Fineanganofo and a brace for Cam Roigard saw the Hurricanes romp to a 10th straight win over the Southerners.

The Highlanders would strike first through Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens as the fullback sliced through untouched to score beside the bar.

But that would be as good as it got for the home side as the Hurricanes went on a 50-point unanswered scoring spree.

Roigard’s first came as he threw an audacious dummy just a metre from the chalk and launched himself over.

Next was from a quick tap, Roigard catching the Highlanders napping from a scrum penalty.

The Cane’s stretched their advantage courtesy of a pinpoint, flat cross kick by Ruben Love which landed perfectly in the arms of Fineanganofo.

The tries kept coming after the break, the best of the night coming shortly after sparked by a Ruben Love break.

Some beautiful interchange between the Hurricanes putting Devan Flanders over to cap a 60-metre scorcher.

The wheels well and truly fell off the hosts as replacement Bailyn Sullivan cruised over the chalk with Fineanganofo completing his trio.

The half century came through Peter Lakai as he lunged over from close range, mercifully ending the desiccation.

Follow how the action unfolded:

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LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/20/super-rugby-pacific-hurricanes-humiliate-highlanders/

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University students facing the ‘toughest time’ in years as costs increase

Source: Radio New Zealand

Victoria University of Wellington Students Association president Aidan Donoghue displays empty boxes at the association’s foodbank. SUPPLIED

Student association leaders warn more students are struggling to make ends meet and rising prices will make the problem worse.

Victoria University’s student association says its food bank shelves are being cleaned out every week, AUT’s association says international students are especially hard hit, and Lincoln University’s association says demand for financial assistance has remained high since the pandemic began in 2020.

Their comments accompanied the launch of a study that found a marked increase in student hardship across several universities in the past five years.

The report by an Otago University student during an internship with the Green Party said there had been sustained growth in the use of foodbanks and hardship grants at several universities since 2019.

It said numbers were highest during the height of the pandemic in 2020, but remained above pre-pandemic levels last year.

The report said international students, single parents and female students were more likely to seek help for food insecurity.

It said the the number of students using a foodbank at AUT jumped from about 100 in 2020 to more than 1800 last year, about three-quarters of them foreign students.

At Victoria University, the student association’s spending on its food bank jumped from about $7000 in 2019 to more than $13,000 last year.

The report said Otago University Students Association provided about 250 food bags in 2019 and nearly 700 last year.

The three associations awarded on average $20,000 each in hardship grants last year, less than at the height of the pandemic but about double the figure in 2019.

The report’s author Anika Texley said the students’ associations collected different data about student hardship, but the overall picture was of growing demand for help.

“They’re struggling to meet their needs and their most basic needs. So things like rent tend to be prioritized over groceries,” she said.

Texley said students were struggling with rising expenses across the board.

“It’s not just groceries, it’s also bills, rising utility, rent is going up, and it’s consistently going up. So it’s an ongoing issue,” she said.

Texley completed her report while working as an intern for Green Party MP Francisco Hernandez.

He said students had been struggling for years and the report showed that the situation had worsened.

“And sadly, things are only going to get worse with the war ongoing in Iran. The cost of everything, gas, energy, groceries, rents, will spike up even further,” he said.

Hernandez said all students should be eligible for an allowance, rather than having to borrow for living costs through the student loan system.

The cupboard is bare

Victoria University of Wellington Students Association president Aidan Donoghue said its foodbank cupboards had been cleared out by hungry students.

“This Monday we had an order to completely fill out that food bank and it’s completely gone already,” he said.

“We’ve seen an increase of us having to order from roughly once every fortnight to once every week to now twice a week.”

Donoghue said the association received about $10,000 a year from the university to stock the foodbank and it would need double that sum to keep up with demand.

He said the fund ran out before the end of the year in 2025 and this year it has cut back on non-food items.

“We’ve had to cut all of our non-food expenditure. We’ve really just had to keep it to the basics of rice, pasta, food in cans,” he said.

“There’s no more toilet paper, there’s no more toothpaste, there’s no more deodorant, because all that costs far too much, and we need to stretch the food bank as far as it will go.”

Donoghue said about 100 students a week were visiting the food bank and many more students were struggling to pay their bills.

“Students are facing the toughest time they’ve had in years when it comes to just meeting the basics of rent, power, public transport,” he said.

He said students could receive up to $320 for living costs from the student loan scheme or as a student allowance if they qualified but needed roughly a further $100-200 to make ends meet.

AUT student association president James Portegys told RNZ students were coming every day for food vouchers or food bank packs and rising prices were making the situation worse.

“Obviously, the prices were already high, and now they’re increasing, so it’s quite a few students are now struggling,” he said.

Portegys said last year some students stopped coming to university because they could not afford the bus fare and the association successfully campaigned for discounted fares for students.

“We heard evidence of students choosing between paying rent, eating, or coming to campus. And what are you going to do? You’re going to choose to pay your rent and eat food,” he said.

Lincoln University students association president Zara Weissenstein told RNZ

“We had a huge increase in all of our financial assistance fund applications during COVID-19, of course and that consistently stayed quite high,” she said.

Weissenstein said the university ran a food bank and the association had noted an increase in students attending events with free food.

“Food is a really big thing because that’s often the first thing that students won’t prioritise because you have to prioritise your general expenses first, so your rent and your utilities that happen every month,” she said.

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

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/20/university-students-facing-the-toughest-time-in-years-as-costs-increase/

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Live cricket: Black Caps v South Africa – third T20

Source: Radio New Zealand

Follow all the cricket action as the Black Caps take on South Africa in Auckland for the third T20 international match.

The five-match series is currently tied 1-1.

First ball at Eden Park is 7.15pm.

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LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/20/live-cricket-black-caps-v-south-africa-third-t20/

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NRL: NZ Warriors v Newcastle Knights – what you need to know

Source: Radio New Zealand

Jackson Ford and Tyson Frizell will face off, when the Warriors take on the Knights. Photosport/RNZ

NRL: Newcastle Knights v NZ Warriors

Kickoff 5pm, Saturday, 21 March

McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle

Live blog updates on RNZ website

Analysis: For just the fourth time in club history, NZ Warriors have a chance to start an NRL season with three straight wins – but so do Newcastle Knights.

The Auckland-based outfit have succeeded in that aim just once, when coach Stephen Kearney guided his team to five consecutive wins in 2018.

Both teams are unbeaten, but both are also hit hard by injuries.

Here’s what you need to know:

History

Newcastle Knights remain one of the Warriors’ most beatable opponents – in 53 previous outings, the Warriors have 27 wins and the Knights 25, with one draw.

They also have 27 wins against North Queensland Cowboys across just 49 games.

The 18-18 draw against Newcastle came in 2000, before the introduction of Golden Point.

The rivals are 5-5 over their last 10 meetings, but the Warriors are 4-1 in the last five, including both games last season.

Their last encounter was the memorable 20-15 finish at McDonald Jones Stadium, where the Warriors trailled 15-14 into the final seconds. Tanah Boyd’s field goal attempt was charged down, but the ball fell to teenager second-rower Leka Halasima, who rolled 40 metres for the winning try.

The Warriors lost their next three games and limped into the playoffs, winning just one of their last eight. Two weeks after the Halasima miracle, they lost in identical circumstance against the Dolphins.

Meanwhile, the Knights would lose their next six games by an average of 33 points.

Newcastle’s biggest win of this rivalry came in the very first encounter, when they inflicted a 48-6 hiding in 1995 round nine. Centre Nathan Barnes had three tries and Andrew Johns kicked 8/9 from the tee.

Leka Halasima rumbles to a gamewinning try against Newcastle at McDonald Jones Stadium. David Neilson/Photosport

Four years later, the Warriors had a measure of revenge, matching the winning margin and hold their opponent scoreless in a 42-0 win at Ericsson Stadium (Mt Smart). Lock Jason Death scored two tries and Matthew Ridge kicked 7/8, while also finding the tryline.

Form

Unbelievably, both these teams are unbeaten after two rounds of the 2026 NRL.

Maybe you can believe the Warriors going unblemished, even though they have faced title contenders Sydney Roosters and Canberra Raiders early.

Somewhat against expectations, they have put 40 points on each of these heavyweights and restricted them to a combined 12 second-half points.

Their 82 points are the most the club has scored in the opening two rounds of any season and their +58 points differential is bigger than at any time last season.

They rank among the competition leaders in set completion (84 percent), possession percentage (56) and post-contact metres (1280).

Newcastle were last season’s wooden-spooners with six wins and 18 losses, after winning their opening two games and three of their first four.

Their two victories this season have come against North Queensland Cowboys and Manly Sea Eagles, who are both winless over the first two weeks.

According to official NRL stats, they somehow lead the competition in try assists (12), despite scoring only 11 tries.

Warriors half Tanah Boyd lead the competition in scoring, with a try in each of the first two games. Andrew Cornaga/Photosport

Teams

Warriors: 1. Taine Tuaupiki, 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, 3. Ali Leiataua, 11. Leka Halasima, 5. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 6. Luke Hanson, 7. Tanah Boyd. 8. James Fisher-Harris, 9. Wayde Egan, 10. Jackson Ford, 12. Jacob Laban, 17. Marata Niukore, 13. Erin Clark

Interchange: 14. Sam Healey, 15. Demitric Vaimauga, 16. Tanner Stowers-Smith, 18. Morgan Gannon, 23. Mitch Barnett, 20. Alofiana Khan-Pereira

Reserve: 22. Jett Cleary

Late change in the Warriors line-up, with centre Adam Pompey remaining in Auckland on babywatch. Halasima will step into the midfield, with second-rower Marata Niukore promoted into the starting line-up.

Co-captain Mitch Barnett nears a return to play, after suffering a season-ending knee injury last June. He was named among the reserves and has made the extended interchange bench.

With Chanel Harris-Tavita and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad under concussion protocols, Luke Hanson is named at five-eighth for his NRL debut, while Taine Tuaupiki takes the fullback spot.

Knights: 1. Fletcher Hunt, 2. Dominic Young, 3. Dane Gagai, 4. Bradman Best, 5. Greg Marzhew, 18. Tyson Gamble, 7. Sandon Smith, 8. Jacob Saifiti, 9. Phoenix Crossland, 10. Trey Mooney, 11. Dylan Lucas, 12. Jermaine McEwen, 13. Tyson Frizell

Interchange: 14. Thomas Cant, 15. Mat Croker, 16. Pasami Saulo, 17. Francis Manuleleua, 19. Harrison Graham, 21. Cody Hopwood

Reserves: 22. James Schiller

Newcastle coach Justin Holbrook has lost his two marquee players – Kalyn Ponga (hamstring) and Dylan Brown (knee) – in injury. Fletcher Hunt will start at fullback, but five-eighth Fletcher Sharpe has also succumbed to injury and will make way for Tysson Gamble.

Newcastle will be without Kalyn Ponga for a month with a hamstring injury. Chris Hyde

The Knights still have plenty of firepower among the backs with international wings Greg Marzhew (Samoa) and Dom Young (England), and Origin centre Dane Gagai and Bradman Best.

Player to watch

With playmakers Ponga and Brown sidelined, the keys to the Knights are held by Sandon Smith, who played 47 games for Sydney Roosters, but was shuffled out the side door last season, as Daly Cherry-Evans arrived in a limo and walked the red carpet out front.

He took over the goalkicking, after Ponga limped off last week, and victory was well in hand (30-10), when Brown didn’t return for the second half, so the pressure will be on him this week.

Kiwi player to watch

Hooker Phoenix Crossland has played every minute of the opening two games and led the Knights in tackles (48) in their Vegas win over North Queensland.

With no specialist dummy half on the Knights interchange, he can probably expect a heavy workload again against the Warriors, but strangely, he has made exactly no dummy-half runs this season.

They said it

“You can definitely see they’re confident, they’re happy with the way they’re playing and they’re definitely playing with a lot of spirit.”

Warriors coach Andrew Webster assesses the Knights’ turnaround

“Plenty, but only the obvious ones and that’s wise, so everyone’s clear on what they have to do, when they get called upon, and we don’t miss a beat.”

Knights coach Justin Holbrook tested a few halves combinations in the pre-season.

What will happen

Big difference in the quality of opposition for these two teams so far. McDonald Jones is a formidable home venue for the Knights – but it won’t be enough.

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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/2026/03/20/nrl-nz-warriors-v-newcastle-knights-what-you-need-to-know/

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‘Will be a bit of chat’: Former Crusader prepares to tussle with old team-mates

Source: Radio New Zealand

Joel Lam made his Moana Pasifika debut last weekend against the Blues. Alan Lee / www.photosport.nz

Former Crusader Joel Lam is expecting plenty of banter as Moana Pasifika get set to meet his old side.

Lam has been handed halfback duties for Moana in Saturday night’s round five clash, his first start in Super Rugby, against the side he earnt his first cap with.

He anticipates a few verbal jabs to be thrown his way on the pitch.

“I’ve got a a lot of mates in the Crusaders team that I went to the academy with straight out of school, so definitely a lot of familiar faces in that line-up, so, there will probably be a bit of chat.”

It’s been a whirlwind few weeks for Lam, who started the year without a Super Rugby contract.

“I got brought in on a player interim contract for the pre-season block and managed to secure myself a few more weeks after the pre-season. Last year was full of challenges and growth, it was actually quite funny the way it played out.”

Lam wasn’t even playing the same code in 2025, before Samoa came out of nowhere to offer him an international debut.

“I got a bit of a taste of playing hooker at league and said, ‘why not?’ So signed up to the Hornby Panthers, played a few club games there, and then moved over to the ditch to Brisbane and played for Souths Logan Magpies. Then got a call from Manu Samoa and I was back on tour.”

Lam scoring a try for Samoa in 2025. Stephen Parker / www.photosport.nz

The 23-year-old made his Samoa debut in a loss against Tonga last year.

He said the reconnecting with his cultural roots had been special.

“Jack, my cousin, skipper of Samoa. He has been a great mentor to me. Being exposed to Samoa has obviously led me down the path of reconnecting with that side of my family.”

Lam comes from rugby royalty, Pat, AJ, Ben and Jack among the famous names in the game.

“There’s a good chunk of us, 350 plus of us, granddad’s a brother of 21. There’s a lot of us in our aiga, which is pretty cool and special to me.”

After making his mark for Samoa, Moana came calling.

“They had always known I was from the Crusaders region, there’d been a few conversations along the way, they said, ‘we’ve seen and heard about you. We’re really keen to get you in.’ And as soon as I stepped in the door, I’ve just felt welcomed. It definitely feels at home here.”

Lam said his time in league helped sure up his defensive skills.

“It definitely gave me some, I don’t know if I can say this, but it gave me some balls. Making tackles off the back fence.”

Back in union, Lam has already spent more time on the field for Moana, having only played ten minutes off the bench for the Crusaders in 2023.

Lam’s rugby journey began in the Canterbury academy. Chris Symes / www.photosport.nz

Despite limited opportunities, he looks back on his time in Christchurch fondly.

“The standards that they hold is something that I still carry to this day and how I go about my professionalism. I’ve taken a lot from what the organisation preaches.”

But after his time in the 13-man code, the nuggety number nine said his game has evolved.

“Moana Pasifika flair suits me more. The aggression, energy, and collisions.”

Lam gets the chance to unleash that new-found aggression on some old team-mates, who he said will be sure to remind him of his Crusader’s roots.

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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/2026/03/20/will-be-a-bit-of-chat-former-crusader-prepares-to-tussle-with-old-team-mates/

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Understanding Auckland’s regional flood maps

Source: Auckland Council

In Auckland, we’ve seen how natural hazards like flooding, coastal erosion and landslides can impact people, homes and businesses.

We’re also seeing more Aucklanders interested in knowing about their flood risk including when they’re looking to purchase property or move into a new rental property. This includes checking the flood hazard maps on Auckland Council’s Flood Viewer or Geomaps beforehand, or by purchasing a Land Information Memorandum (LIM) report.

Here is some useful information on how and why we publish these maps, and what they mean.

Why does Auckland Council publish flood maps?

Auckland Council is required to maintain hazard information that is publicly available – including flooding. This publicly available flood information, including flood plains, flood prone areas, and overland flow paths are free to view and published online on Flood Viewer and Geomaps websites.

The maps are produced for a whole catchment, group of catchments or at a regional level to show how water moves across the landscape. They’re not site specific (based on individual property data) and don’t include flood mitigations to a building.

What else are these maps used for?

In addition to informing the public, these flood maps are underpinned by detailed hydrological and hydraulic modelling that Auckland Council uses to analyse catchments and understand how flooding occurs.

This modelling helps the council design, upgrade, and prioritise stormwater infrastructure across the region. It is also used by the transport sector when designing roads, culverts, and associated assets, ensuring they are resilient to flooding.

Property developers rely on the same information to understand stormwater requirements for new developments and to ensure their proposals appropriately manage flood risk.

Why is this information on LIM reports?

A LIM report provides a high-level summary of information we hold about a property. It’s a ‘snapshot in time’ and identifies hazard information the council holds about a property at the specified date and time – new information and reports are not created when a LIM is purchased, we compile the most recent information we hold at that time. 

For flood maps, information is taken from regional and/or catchment maps and an overlay is applied showing the boundaries of the requested property. It is not based on individual property data and does not include any mitigations that may have occurred at the property for a building or home.

Auckland Council has a legal obligation under the law (the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 section 44B) to identify natural hazards relating to a property, which are known to us, on LIM reports – this includes flooding.

How can I find out more information about the natural hazard information (like the flood maps) on a LIM?

The LIM report does not provide or replace site-specific information or property-level reports. It’s a starting point and a summary of the information we hold.

Those receiving LIMs are encouraged to use the report to further their due diligence, like ordering a copy of the council’s property file, reaching out to our technical specialists or seeking opinions and/or advice from independent third-party specialists.

What flood maps are included in LIMs?

LIMs include a map entitled ‘Natural Hazards – Flooding’, which displays information about the following potential flood hazards in relation to the site:

  • Flood plains
  • Flood prone areas
  • Flood sensitive areas
  • Overland flow paths

The absence of flooding information on the maps does not exclude the possibility of site flooding, including from local depressions or overland flow paths on nearby properties.

Also important to know is that Auckland Council does not have information on flood sensitive areas for all of Auckland. This potential hazard will only be depicted if the information exists.

What’s the difference between flood plains, flood prone areas and overland flow paths?

Flood plains:

Flood plains appear in low-lying areas and next to streams and rivers. As many historical streams have been piped, flood plains may appear in areas where you haven’t seen water before.

Flood plains are mapped from hydraulic modelling results and show the predicted flood extents during a 1 per cent annual exceedance probability (AEP) storm, assuming the stormwater system is functioning as intended and not blocked.

Flood prone areas:

Flood prone areas are topographical depressions/low lying areas where water can become trapped and pool.

In flood prone areas, water pools and gets trapped when the stormwater outlet pipe is blocked, or when the rainfall intensity exceeds the capacity of the stormwater network. Flood Prone Areas are identified by GIS techniques and not hydraulic modelling.

Overland flow paths:

Overland flow paths show the route water will take as it flows downhill through the landscape when there is no piped network or the capacity of the piped stormwater system is exceeded.

Water can move very quickly over land during heavy rain, forming temporary fast‑flowing streams. On Flood Viewer, these are shown as lines, but in reality, the water will spread more broadly across the surrounding area.

Overland Flow Paths are identified using GIS‑based terrain analysis, which connects the lowest points in the landscape (known as the thalweg) to map the route that water will take downhill. These paths are derived from topography and are not based on hydraulic modelling.

Major earthworks can alter the topography, and in some instances, developers may provide surveyed data to the council following a development which may result in changes to the flood mapping.

You can learn more about the different types of flood hazards on Auckland Council’s Flood Viewer.

What data are the flood plain maps based on?

The flood plains on LIM reports, and published on Flood Viewer, are based on an extreme weather event with a one per cent chance of occurring or being exceeded in any given year – this is also called a 1-in-a-hundred-year event.

To produce these maps, we consider things like:

  • the hydraulics of water flowing through pipes, channels, and overland
  • the hydrology of different rainfall events
  • land‑use types and soil characteristics
  • and climate change.

The data is then updated across the region at catchment scale, to reflect the best and most current information available at the time.

It uses surface topography captured through LiDAR – laser imaging, detection and ranging via aircraft like drones. The LiDAR data used for 95 per cent of our maps was flown in 2016, which means the flood‑plain map on the LIM reflects the landscape as it existed at that time.

The topography (land features like elevation, water bodies) data the models are based on is from 2016. How does the council account for this?

As the topography data used to inform the flood hazard maps is from 2016, when requested, we have provided a written acknowledgement of this to property owners. In the letter, we acknowledge that this means that the maps may not reflect changes made on the property including flood mitigation measures that may have been introduced by development.

Alongside this, we are in the process of providing a clarifying statement on all LIM reports to indicate when the data used to model the flood risk was gathered.

New models are expected soon. A new Auckland wide LiDAR survey was flown in 2024, and we are currently rebuilding all flood models using this updated data. This is detailed, technical work that must be done catchment by catchment – but it could be done more frequently in the future.

How often are the flood plains updated?

Councils are not required to update natural hazard information immediately whenever development occurs. Given the scale of construction across Auckland, it would be impracticable to continuously remodel every catchment for every change in topography as soon as earthworks are completed.

Auckland Council has followed a regular, cyclic update process since regional flood‑plain mapping began in 2012. Historically, this schedule has been appropriate, and only since the severe weather in early 2023 has public awareness of flood risk increased to the point where this timing has become more visible in the property market.

With more interest from Aucklanders, we’re looking at increasing how frequently we run this exercise including increasing the cadence.

Why can’t the information on my resource consent be used to show a property’s flood exposure – can the maps be adjusted?

We do not base flood‑plain maps on individual resource consent information. Earthworks plans provided for resource consents only analyse the immediate development site, not the full catchment.

Developments often occur in stages over several years, consents may be varied, and construction frequently changes from the original design. For these reasons, resource consent data cannot be used as a basis for catchment wide flood plain modelling.

However, in some cases, this data can be used to update flood prone areas. This is as it is a different type of hazard to flood plains and does not require modelling – so the topographical data can be more easily updated.

My property is showing as in a flood risk area – who can I talk to for more information?

In the first instance – reach out to Auckland Council. By talking to us, we can see if we can provide you with the information you’re looking for and explain what it means and why a property is impacted. 

We often find that the concerns people have with flood information are based on a misunderstanding of the data rather than the information itself. A conversation may be a simple way to avoid the expense of engaging an expert to dispute information which is unlikely to change.

For more information on addressing or updating information that appears on a Land Information Memorandum (LIM) from Auckland Council, visit our website. 

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/20/understanding-aucklands-regional-flood-maps/

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Live cricket: White Ferns v South Africa Proteas women – third T20

Source: Radio New Zealand

Follow all the cricket action as the White Ferns take on South Africa in Auckland for their third T20 international match.

The five-match series is currently tied 1-1.

First ball at Eden Park is 2.45pm.

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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/2026/03/20/live-cricket-white-ferns-v-south-africa-proteas-women-third-t20/

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Empty pumps at two North Island truck stops concern rural transporter

Source: Radio New Zealand

Danniverke Carriers owner Nigel Castles expects further price rises for fuel are inevitable. 123rf

A rural transport company carting stock to the meat works couldn’t get the fuel it needed at two North Island commercial truck stops.

Pumps ran dry in Wairoa and Eltham on Thursday when the Stephenson Transport truck and trailer units from Central Hawke’s Bay were on a freezing works run.

Owner Bruce Stephenson said it’s a situation he’s never faced during his seven decades in the business.

“We had stock trucks on the road obviously all over the place. We couldn’t get fuel in Wairoa and we couldn’t get fuel in Eltham,” he said.

“They were loaded with stock heading to the works, so we had to stretch things out a bit – it gets a bit tricky when you’re doing that sort of thing.”

He fielded phone calls from his concerned drivers wondering what to do next.

“I’m talking about truck stops where we fuel up and where we get our contract prices from. That’s where access is relatively easy for a big truck and trailers with crates on.”

“So we had to go to service stations and find one we could get under the canopy of.”

Danniverke Carriers owner Nigel Castles is also coping with the swiftly evolving situation.

His company also carts stock around the country and he’s concerned about the massive spike in prices.

And his family-owned business can’t absorb the soaring fuel prices alone.

He’s reluctantly passing these increases on to farmers and estimates his fuel bill is up 20 percent from the start of the year.

The company filled its tanks last week, and he hopes the next delivery will arrive in a week.

With no signs of tensions easing in the Middle East, he expects further price rises for fuel are inevitable.

“The next lot of fuel supply is actually going to go up again,” he said.

“Definitely out on farm there’s a lot of worry, and as transporters we certainly don’t want to come to a grinding halt either.”

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

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/20/empty-pumps-at-two-north-island-truck-stops-concern-rural-transporter/

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Investigation launched following serious injuries, Christchurch

Source: New Zealand Police

Attribute to Detective Sergeant Ben Rolton, Christchurch Metro CIB:

Police are investigating after a woman was found with serious injuries in Christchurch last night.

Police were called to Worcester Street, between Latimer Square and Barbadoes Street, around 10pm last night, with reports that a person had received wounds consistent with being stabbed.

The woman was transported to Christchurch Hospital by ambulance where she underwent surgery.

A scene guard was in place overnight, and a scene examination is taking place today.

Police are making enquiries into the circumstances of the incident and working to identify who is responsible.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/20/investigation-launched-following-serious-injuries-christchurch/

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Warriors’ ‘Mahi Man’ earns his moment in the spotlight

Source: Radio New Zealand

Mark ‘the mahi man’ pictured here with Warriors skipper James Fisher-Harris, will lead the Warriors onto the field this weekend to celebrate World Down Syndrome Day. instagram

He’s the unofficial Warriors hype man, and a worthy challenger to the Mad Butcher’s title of the club’s biggest fan.

Introducing Mark ‘the Mahi Man’ Dekker.

From filling water bottles, to leading the team victory song, there is no job Dekker won’t do for the club.

But this weekend’s role stands out.

Dekker will lead out the Warriors team onto the field for their round three NRL clash against the Newcastle Knights on Saturday evening to mark World Down Syndrome Day.

It is not the the first time he has been asked to do the honour, but after a slight hitch in 2024, Dekker is ready to deliver in Newcastle.

“He jumped the gun and ran out a bit too fast ahead of the boys. Hopefully this year he’ll take his time,” said friend Leityn Swann.

Dekker was introduced to the Warriors after Swann emailed and asked if he could attend a training.

Although it was supposed to end after a few trainings, the cub quickly fell in love with the Mahi Man.

Dekker is always on hand to offer high-fives to players before and after training, as well as cater to needs from hydration, to a chat on the mats during stretching sessions.

Halfback Tannah Boyd said Dekker is the “energiser” of the club.

“He’s amazing, he waits for us when we come out every day to train, he gets us fired up, he has a big role this weekend and he’s pumped for it.”

Former Warriors star Shaun Johnson greets Mark Dekker ahead of the Warriors first game back at Mount Smart in June 2022. Andrew Cornaga / www.photosport.nz

Swann said Dekker’s duties are wide ranging.

“He’s filling the waters and ice in the morning, setting up the field, getting all the equipment in the field ready for the coaches to come and lay the safety fields. And then I think he’s head of morale boosting.”

Swann said the Mahi Man had a special connection with players.

“Some of them are very patient and sit down and listen, they’ve got banter, I wish people could see what I get to see every day, the love and time he gets from them. He gets a sense of fulfilment with what he does.”

Dekker said it’s a special moment to be in the spotlight.

“I love my club.”

He said he is already preparing for the party when the Warriors win the 2026 grand final.

“Up the Wahs, baby!”

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

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/20/warriors-mahi-man-earns-his-moment-in-the-spotlight/

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Last chance to save globally rare plants from rabbits

Source: NZ Department of Conservation

Date:  20 March 2026

It’s part of a wider goal to have a pest free Kaitorete Spit which is internationally recognised for its ecological value and contains many globally unique plants.

DOC Mahaanui Operations Manager Andy Thompson says the plan is to restore more than 300 hectares and bring back rare plant species which have been decimated by rabbits and hares.

“We’ve seen a huge increase in rabbit numbers, and they’re destroying incredibly special plants like native broom which has beautiful lilac flowers. Kaitorete is the only place in the world this plant exists. This could be our last chance to save it,” Andy Thompson says.

DOC is working with partners Pest Free Banks Peninsula and Tāwhaki. Tāwhaki was established in 2021 as a partnership between Te Taumutu Rūnanga, Wairewa Rūnanga, and the New Zealand Government, with a dual kaupapa (purpose) to advance Aotearoa’s aerospace sector and rejuvenate the unique whenua at Kaitorete.

Tāwhaki Head of Whenua Planning and Rejuvenation Julian Phillips says Kaitorete is a significant cultural landscape renowned for its mahinga kai, taonga species, and history.

“Kaitorete is home to rare and threatened flora and fauna species, including tororaro and pīngao which plays an important role in dune health and is coveted by weavers due to its brilliant yellow colour,” he says.

“This whenua is part of an ancestral travel route for tīpuna travelling north and south along the east coast of Te Waipounamu. It’s home to some of Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest concentrations of middens and pre-historic archaeological sites.

“Whānau from Wairewa and Taumutu, through Tāwhaki, have been completing observational monitoring across Kaitorete for four years to track the health of this whenua – including the land, water, taonga species as well as our connection to the taiao.

“What we’ve seen is increasing evidence of damage caused by rabbits and hares, despite the incredible work of DOC and Pest Free Banks Peninsula.

“Left unchecked, rabbit populations strip vegetation, de-stabilise dunes and put pressure on already vulnerable species,” says Julian Phillips.

Pest Free Banks Peninsula Team Leader Tim Sjoberg says DOC’s rabbit control work supports the multi pest elimination programme on Kaitorete.

“By working together, we have a much greater chance of creating a truly pest-free environment, which will allow the precious and rare plants and animals to thrive here,” he says.

Today, a helicopter with under slung cereal bait sowing equipment, and GPS tracking navigation will be used. The loading zone is at the Tāwhaki National Aerospace Centre with the helicopter transporting the bait to trickle feed across the DOC scientific reserve. The cereal bait contains the pesticide pindone.

Andy Thompson says due to the rabbit numbers and the size of the terrain and vegetation, the aerial operation was the best way to eliminate the rabbits with ground-based bait laying and night shooting as a follow up if necessary. A rabbit proof fence has also been constructed to keep the pests out long term.

“We”ve got this one chance to save this precious landscape which has enormous cultural and biodiversity values. We are so lucky to have a community so committed to naturing and helping us restore this area.”

Contact

For media enquiries contact:

Email: media@doc.govt.nz

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/20/last-chance-to-save-globally-rare-plants-from-rabbits/

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Investigation following serious assault, Amberley, Hurunui District

Source: New Zealand Police

Attribute to Detective Senior Sergeant Karen Simmons: 

Police are investigating following a serious assault last night in Amberley, Hurunui District.

At around 10.25pm Police were called with a report that a person had been seriously assaulted at an address on Racecourse Road.

The victim was transported to hospital with critical injuries and is currently undergoing surgery.

Police are speaking with a person in relation to the incident and are not seeking anyone else at this time.

A scene examination is underway at the address, and enquiries into the circumstances of the incident are ongoing.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/20/investigation-following-serious-assault-amberley-hurunui-district/

Posted on

Investigation launch following serious injuries, Christchurch

Source: New Zealand Police

Attribute to Detective Sergeant Ben Rolton, Christchurch Metro CIB:

Police are investigating after a woman was found with serious injuries in Christchurch last night.

Police were called to Worcester Street, between Latimer Square and Barbadoes Street, around 10pm last night, with reports that a person had received wounds consistent with being stabbed.

The woman was transported to Christchurch Hospital by ambulance where she underwent surgery.

A scene guard was in place overnight, and a scene examination is taking place today.

Police are making enquiries into the circumstances of the incident and working to identify who is responsible.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/20/investigation-launch-following-serious-injuries-christchurch/

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Rising cost of fuel forces Kiwis to consider alternative transport to save money

Source: Radio New Zealand

Cost-of-living pressures are picking up again, driven in part by sharp increases in fuel prices linked to the conflict in the Middle East.

So, are people ditching their cars, dusting off their bikes, or turning to public transport to save money?

At Auckland’s Waitematā Station, commuters poured off trains into the central city, with buses and the downtown ferry terminal just steps away, making it one of the city’s busiest transport hubs.

One commuter said they’ve noticed a clear shift.

“I notice on the train it’s getting really busy. Yeah, a lot more people are using it, which is good.”

They said rising fuel and parking costs were even changing how they think about short trips.

RNZ / Nick Monro

“I’m even thinking … where I normally work, I’m only probably a 10-minute drive away … maybe I’ll start using my e-bike … between parking and the petrol … you’re still using a lot of gas. And I’d rather save it for doing trips I really want to do in the car.”

But another Auckland commuter said public transport still didn’t work for everything.

“Yeah, we use the cars to get around because convenience-wise, public transport’s no good. You can’t really pop down the road and do the shopping effectively… so we still need the cars.”

He said the flexibility of working from home was a bonus when it came to beating petrol prices.

Meanwhile, a third commuter in Auckland said cost was already shaping their routine.

“Choosing that option specifically because of the cost is the main reason … it just sort of reinforces it further with the cost of living and the petrol prices going up.”

In the capital, some people were already leaving the car at home.

RNZ / Nick Monro

“I walked to work today because I thought, ‘I’d better not use the car’,” said this commuter.

Another Wellington commuter estimated the savings were adding up.

“I would be driving in, but it’s too expensive a lot of the time, so public transport is better. I can save around $100 a week.”

Others said they’re cutting back on extra trips.

“I probably won’t drive up to the Kāpiti Coast like I used to, just to go to the market. You need to be more thoughtful in each trip you plan.”

But not everyone was convinced habits have fully changed yet.

“Energy prices have definitely moved up, but I’m not sure that’s changing people’s habits yet. It might have [to] if petrol goes to $3.20.”

And for some, it’s not just fuel prices dictating new commuting habits.

RNZ / Nick Monro

“I train in, then I walk to work, and it’s mainly because of higher parking, actually,” said one man.

In Christchurch, some commuters said they didn’t have the flexibility to change. A woman RNZ spoke to said she was still driving despite the cost and was worried about how to keep managing it within her budget.

“I am still driving, but it’s using up a lot of my gas … I don’t know what I’m going to do next … I assume I’m just going to keep driving because I have to get places … I have to get my kids to school.”

Another commuter in Christchurch said public transport simply wasn’t viable for their route.

“It’s really hard to get public transport to where I work because it’s just out of Rolleston … I have to drive there all the time, so it’s eating a lot of fuel.”

In Queenstown, where petrol was sitting between $3.15 and $3.19 per litre, commuters say the cost is biting.

RNZ / Nick Monro

“I travel daily from Glenorchy to Queenstown, so does my husband. It’s just getting so hard to cope.”

Another said they have no alternative.

“Where I live, I have no public transport in the morning. The only way I can get to work before 6 o’clock is using my car, so I have been dealing with the increase as I can manage. At the end of the day, you’ve got to pay it.”

Some were trying to adapt where they can.

A Queenstown commuter said they’re biking more often.

“I do drive occasionally, but more recently biking has become a cheaper alternative … you just have to limit where you go, don’t you? Because it’s just so expensive, and it’s already expensive enough to live in Queenstown.”

Others were making bigger changes.

“I just bought a hybrid car … that was sort of prompted by obviously the fuel prices and the war in Iran … I thought, ‘right, now’s the time’,” said a man who commuted daily from Cromwell to Queenstown.

He was also looking for ways to cut costs day-to-day.

“I’ve got the [fuel price] app on my phone, so I normally stick to the cheapest fuel station in Cromwell, but I’ll definitely be looking for new strategies,” he said.

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

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/20/rising-cost-of-fuel-forces-kiwis-to-consider-alternative-transport-to-save-money/