National Party leader Christopher Luxon and Labour leader Chris Hipkins.RNZ
The latest Taxpayers Union-Curia poll shows National slightly up – but still below 30%, and Labour slightly down, with the coalition parties comfortably able to form a government.
Labour on 33.4% is still above National on 29.8%.
But with NZ First up about 4 points to 13.6%, and ACT up 1.5 points to 9%, the coalition would have 65 seats to the opposition’s 55.
The Greens were down nearly 3 points to about 8%, and Te Pāti Māori is down half a point to 2.6%.
The Opportunity Party was the only minor party outside Parliament to register, up half a point to 2.6%.
At the start of March, the Taxpayers’ Union/Curia poll had National on 28.4 percent – down nearly three percentage points from the month before. The latest RNZ/Reid Research poll had the party on 30.8 percent, also trending downwards.
Both March polls had National behind Labour, which polled 34.4 percent in the Taxpayers’ Union/Curia poll and 35.6 percent according to RNZ/Reid Research.
The latest Roy Morgan poll, released at the end of March, had National on 26.5 percent and Labour on 34 percent.
Recent polling has generally had support for the left (Labour, Greens and Te Pāti Māori) and right (National, ACT and NZ First) blocs finely balanced.
The general election is scheduled to be held on 7 November.
The poll was conducted by Curia Market Research Ltd for the Taxpayers’ Union. It is a random poll of 1000 adult New Zealanders (700 by phone and 300 online) and is weighted to the overall adult population.
It was conducted by phone (landlines and mobile) and online, has a maximum margin of error of +/- 3.1 percent.
Curia is a long-running and established pollster in New Zealand, which has resigned its membership from the Research Association New Zealand (RANZ) industry body.
Polls compare to the most recent poll by the same polling company, as different polls can use different methodologies. They are intended to track trends in voting preferences, showing a snapshot in time, rather than be a completely accurate predictor of the final election result.
Rowena Walker’s last confirmed sighting was on 14 August, when she was captured on CCTV in Christchurch on Bassett Street with an associate.Supplied
The family of a woman who has been missing for nearly eight months are “desperately worried for her safety”, police say.
Rowena Walker was reported missing by her mother on 22 October last year.
Police earlier told RNZ they had “grave concerns” for her and were considering the possibility she may have been the victim of foul play.
In a statement on Tuesday, Detective Senior Sergeant Jo Carolan said police continued to “follow lines of enquiry” to locate the 39-year-old.
“Rowena’s last confirmed sighting was on 14 August, when she was captured on CCTV in Christchurch on Bassett Street with an associate,” Carolan said.
“We know she travelled often, and in our efforts, we have searched in several districts including Waikato, Tasman, and Canterbury. Unfortunately, we have not been able to locate Rowena.”
Do you know more? Email sam.sherwood@rnz.co.nz
Police urged anyone with information that may assist with their inquiries to contact them.
“Rowena has not been in contact with her children since she went missing, and as her 40th birthday approaches, her family are now desperately worried for her safety.
“If you know anything, no matter how small you think it may be, it may be the piece in the puzzle we need to locate Rowena.”
Detective Senior Sergeant Jo Carolan says police continue to follow lines of inquiry to locate the 39-year-old.
‘Hugely concerning’
In an earlier interview with RNZ, Carolan said the fact Walker had been missing without any trace was “hugely concerning”.
“We’re really worried about her and have grave concerns for her safety, that she may no longer be alive is a possibility that we have to consider, but we’re exploring all the possibilities in detail,” she said.
“Rowena is a vulnerable person in the community, and we have to consider the possibility that she’s been the victim of foul play. We are keeping an open mind and exhausting all lines of inquiry, including that possibility. Rowena’s mother is caring for some of her grandchildren, and it’s really important that those kids have an answer as to where mum has gone.”
Asked if police had any persons of interest, Carolan said police were “talking to a number of people” and following every lead available.
“I won’t go into specifics of that, but it is fair to say that we’re sticking to everybody who is made known to us.”
Carolan said Walker was “reasonably transient” and was known to have family and associates all over the country.
“We don’t want to rule out any region of New Zealand, if there’s, if there’s somebody who would like to talk to us, who knows something about what has happened to her, we will speak to anybody from anywhere in the country,” she said.
Police say Rowena Walker’s family are ‘desperately worried for her safety’.Supplied / NZ Police
Carolan said there will be someone out there who knows what happened to Walker.
“We are looking for more information, and we’re interested in hearing from anybody in the community who has anything to provide, whether they think it might not be very significant. We’d rather hear about it and make that assessment for ourselves. So we appeal to everybody in the community to come forward with any information that they have.”
She said the “best case scenario” was that Walker was alive and well.
“And for whatever reason, keeping herself to herself, and I would say to her that she’s got family and friends who are extremely worried about her and kids who miss her very, very much. And if that is the case, we would appeal to her to please, reach out to somebody.”
Police wanted to thank all members of the public who had provided information so far or had assisted in the search for Rowena.
Anyone with information that can assist in locating her is asked to contact police online at 105.police.govt.nz or call 105, referencing file number 251022/9026.
Information can also be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
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Commerce Commission to issue detailed concerns about Bremworth takeover
Takeover would join Bremworth with rival Godfrey Hirst
Regulator previously said not convinced deal would not “substantially lessen” competition
Decision pushed out until end of May
A proposed merger of the country’s top two carpet makers is faces another hurdle after the Commerce Commission said there were competition issues it needed to investigate further.
The regulator said at the end of last year that it was not convinced that a takeover of Bremworth Carpets by US based Mohawk Industries, which owns Godfrey Hirst and Feltex, would not reduce competition.
It was due to make a decision at the end of last week, but signalled at the last minute that it would issue a “Statement of Unresolved Issues”, a detailed rundown of its concerns about the effect the merger would have on carpet making and retailing in New Zealand.
Among the Commission’s previously mentioned concerns were the impact on competition by having the two leading domestic carpet makers and suppliers owned by the same company, the impact on prices, whether there was sufficient competition from other manufacturers or importers, and effect on customers.
It said the statement did not imply that it would either to approve or decline the proposed takeover.
The Commission has extended the deadline for a decision to 29 May.
Bremworth said it would look to have the 1 July deadline for the takeover extended, but that also to shorten the overall timetable for the deal, assuming it is approved by the regulator.
In February, Bremworth warned its earnings were being further hit by tough trading conditions, which could reduce the payout for shareholders if the takeover offer goes ahead.
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Infrastructure New Zealand is calling for more investment in Auckland’s transport woes, warning congestion and delays threaten the country’s productivity.
The lobby group joined with thinktank Committee for Auckland to hold a summit of leaders from across business, infrastructure, and government to find ways through the city’s transport challenges.
Chief executive Nick Leggett said Auckland accounted for nearly 40 percent of the country’s GDP, and the city’s success mattered to New Zealanders regardless of where they live.
“This is about Auckland and the wider New Zealand Inc – Auckland is too big to fail and it’s too big to fail if you live in Christchurch or Wellington or Whangārei or Invercargill – it’s the lifeblood of our economy, so we’ve all got an interest in how successful Auckland is.”
He said it was not a matter of either/or, as the regions also needed investment.
“But it is the country’s largest economy, and if supply chains don’t move effectively through Auckland, it has a national impact.”
A report from the summit – Transporting Auckland Forward: A Call to Action – called for short, medium and long-term actions, a reassessment of centralised strategies and funding that saw Wellington controlling direction and the purse, and a public discussion about funding methods.
Summit participants agreed the issues were well known, and the repeated lack of progress highlighted gaps in leadership and a failure to follow through, Leggett said.
“New Zealand is very good at admiring its problems, irrespective of where in the country or what the challenge is, but what we’ve got to do is change our behaviour so we move quicker and are more effective in addressing them.”
There was a propensity to fall into a “study loop” where projects were “revisited, often redesigned and delayed rather than actually delivered”.
Leggett said that could erode confidence and push up costs over time, citing the second Auckland Harbour crossing and light rail.
“Those have come around again, but it does cost money and it costs time and people go ‘well this is just never going to happen’ and we can’t afford that as a nation.
“Being small means we should be faster and better at this but often I think there’s a bit of a cultural problem where we think we’ve got to talk about things again and again, and getting started is often our biggest hurdle.”
Funding approaches including congestion charging, tolling, local funding such as rates and development contribution, and “asset recycling” all needed to be considered, and implemented, sometimes in combination, he said.
Asset recycling was more than rebranded privatisation in that proceeds were earmarked and reinvested immediately into other public assets and infrastructure, Leggett said.
Getting Auckland right could result in a model for the whole country, and getting transport right was a key part of that.
“The bottom line is we can’t build our way out of this.”
Whatever funding solutions were used, revenue taken had to be reinvested in solutions, he said.
“That could mean transport, intensification – which has been a serious topic in Auckland of late – but it is vital to have people living closer to where they work, which builds vibrancy and intensity.
“It’s about decongesting roads so freight can move and getting people onto the modes of transport that best suit them in their daily lives.
“Transport is the key here, so people can move around where they live and work and where they have fun,” Leggett said.
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Pharmac will widen access to two melanoma medicines, giving New Zealanders another funded immunotherapy option and reducing the amount of treatment some people may need.
From 1 May 2026, people with stage 3B to stage 4 melanoma that can be removed with surgery will be eligible for funded nivolumab and ipilimumab before surgery.
“Nivolumab and ipilimumab are immunotherapy medicines that help the immune system fight melanoma,” says Pharmac’s Manager of Pharmaceutical Funding, Claire Pouwels. “Funding these medicines gives people another effective treatment option.”
Clinical advice provided to Pharmac shows that these treatments can reduce the risk of melanoma coming back. Around two in three people have a respond strongly to treatment by the time their tumour is removed, with significant tumour shrinkage or very little active disease remaining.
“For many people, that response means they may not need further treatment after surgery,” says Pouwels. “For patients and their whānau, that can mean fewer infusions, fewer hospital visits, and less time spent in treatment.”
Because some people will not require ongoing treatment after surgery, this decision is expected to reduce demand on hospital oncology infusion services. Pharmac expects this change will save around 1,000 infusion hours each year, helping reduce pressure on hospital oncology infusion centres and freeing up capacity for others who need care.
Pharmac currently funds pembrolizumab (Keytruda) as the only immunotherapy option for melanoma that can be removed with surgery. Funding nivolumab and ipilimumab provides another funded immunotherapy choice for people.
Around 155 people will receive this treatment in the first year, increasing to about 166 people per year after five years. Most people who receive this treatment would otherwise have received funded pembrolizumab.
“We heard from people with melanoma, their whānau, clinicians and advocacy groups about what access to a treatment option with fewer infusions could mean,” says Pouwels. “Most people supported widening access and told us it could make a meaningful difference for patients and their support networks.”
“Some people asked if access could be widened further to include different types of melanoma. While we weren’t able to do that as part of this decision, we will seek further clinical advice to understand the potential impact of wider access in the future.”
Nivolumab and ipilimumab are already approved for use in New Zealand and are funded for some other cancers.
New Zealand businesses are already changing behaviour in response to the global fuel disruption, not because fuel has run out, but because confidence is waning.
New survey evidence from the EMA shows employers are reacting to rising prices, volatility and uncertainty well ahead of any widespread disruption to physical fuel supplies, with many already anticipating reduced activity, delayed investment and slower hiring.
“Right now, businesses are reacting less to physical shortages and more to the loss of confidence caused by volatility, headline risk and rising costs,” says Alan McDonald, EMA Head of Advocacy and Strategy.
“That loss of confidence matters. It’s influencing decisions about staffing, production and investment today – even though in many cases the supply impacts themselves haven’t arrived yet.”
The EMA Fuel Disruption Survey found that while more than three-quarters of respondents say they are not yet experiencing difficulty securing fuel or petroleum products, expectations of disruption are building rapidly.
Over half of businesses anticipate impacts within the next one to three months, and most expect some form of operational effect as the situation evolves.
Cost pressure is already evident. Nearly three-quarters of surveyed businesses report being notified of rising non-fuel input costs, with many indicating they are likely to raise prices as a result. For employers, this is compounding existing inflation pressures and forcing difficult trade-offs.
“What’s coming through clearly is that businesses are preparing for disruption – pulling back, building in caution and reassessing plans. Some responses to members telling customers they may raise prices have been very blunt,” McDonald says.
“That anticipation alone is enough to slow economic activity. Firms need to trust what they’re seeing or hearing, or they stop making forward-looking decisions.”
McDonald says the survey underscores the importance of a steady, coordinated government response that reinforces confidence and enables businesses to plan.
“So far, I think we’re seeing that but in situations like this, confidence is an economic input,” he says.
“Clear communication about fuel resilience, contingency planning and policy settings can make a real difference. Businesses don’t expect the government to control global events, but they do need confidence that New Zealand is prepared and that policy responses will support stability.”
The EMA says the survey results would inform ongoing engagement with MBIE and other agencies, providing real-time insight into how employers are responding as conditions evolve.
“Employers aren’t waiting for disruption to be visible before they act,” McDonald says. “They’re acting now – and that makes having confidence critical.”
In addition, the EMA has developed the EMA Fuel Monitor – a regularly updated hub that brings together official government updates, EMA insights and media coverage to help members stay informed. The EMA Fuel Monitor is available here:https://dailyfuelmonitor.co.nz/
Barcelona, Spain– Greenpeace has announced that its ship, the Arctic Sunrise, will join the upcoming Global Sumud Flotilla. Sailing alongside more than seventy vessels and over a thousand participants who seek to directly challenge Israel’s ongoing blockade of aid to Gaza – the Arctic Sunrise’s role will be to provide technical and operational maritime support so that the vessels safely transit across the Mediterranean before they complete the last 200 nautical miles to Gaza’s shores.
Eva Saldaña, Executive Director of Greenpeace Spain, says,“At this time of escalating war, triggered by US and Israeli militaries and cascading into a cycle of destruction and pain across the Middle East, we are honoured to answer the call to join the Sumud Flotilla with the Greenpeace ship, Arctic Sunrise.
“While world governments have lacked the courage and conviction to uphold international law and their obligation to prevent genocide in Gaza, the Sumud Flotilla has been a shining light of humanitarian solidarity and a symbol of hope in action.”
In response to a direct call from Palestinians in Gaza, the flotilla is set to sail from Barcelona, Spain, on April 12, 2026, with stops in Syracuse, Italy, and Lerapetra, Greece, en route to Gaza. A public solidarity gathering will be held on Saturday 11th.
Ghiwa Nakat, Executive Director of Greenpeace MENA, says,“The devastation inflicted on Gaza has become a dangerous doctrine of impunity, now spreading to Lebanon through relentless destruction and deepening human suffering. The Greenpeace ship is joining this people-led mission to demand safe, unhindered humanitarian access to Gaza and to challenge the illegal blockade that continues to devastate civilian life. We stand firmly against war crimes, deliberate starvation, ethnic cleansing, genocide, and ecocide. This flotilla is a call to governments around the world to end their silence, protect humanitarian action, and act with urgency and principle to uphold international law, human dignity, and justice.”
Susan Abdullah, Global Sumud Flotilla Steering Committee member, says,“Greenpeace’s history of defending the seas, confronting injustice and taking action in defence of life makes them a powerful addition to our 2026 spring mission. We sail together in the same direction, with a shared determination to help break Israel’s illegal siege of Gaza.”
The Sumud Flotillalast sailedin September 2025 with 42 boats and 462 people. Israeli forces illegally intercepted and forcibly boarded the flotilla, taking those on board into custody and transporting them to Israel. Israeli naval forces first boarded several flotilla boats about 70 nautical miles off the Gaza coast, cutting communications and jamming signals. Crew on the boats described tense encounters with unlit boats and drones shadowing the flotilla and reported that Israeli naval vessels had damaged their communications, disrupting distress signals and livestreams of the boarding.
TheMY Arctic Sunrisehas been part of the Greenpeace fleet since 1995 and has been on the front line of global campaigns from the Antarctic to the Arctic. Carrying up to 30 people, it is a 50.5-metre (166 ft) ice-classed vessel with a maximum speed of 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph).
Both the Coromandel and North Waikato zones will move into an open fire season from Tuesday 7 April at 9am, until further notice.
This means a permit is no longer required to light an open air fire in the area.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand Acting District Manager Mark Tinworth says recent rainfall across the region was key to the area’s fire indices falling below the levels required to stay in a restricted fire season.
“Alongside this, daylight saving ended on Sunday meaning longer nights and cooler day time temperatures have further reduced the likelihood of fire spreading.
“We appreciate the care people have taken during the restricted fire season. It’s been a team effort, but we would still ask that anyone planning to light a fire in the open ensures they do so safely and with consideration for others,” Mark Tinworth says.
More than 140 firefighters from across Te Ika-a-Māui, the North Island, will converge on Havelock North this weekend to compete in one of the most physically demanding firefighter-sports events in the country – the UFBA North Island Firefighter Challenge.
For the first time ever, this event will be taking place on Friday 10 and Saturday 11 April in Havelock North. The event will see competitors from urban, rural, industrial, and defence force brigades race against each other and the clock in a simulation of real-life firefighting tasks.
Aotearoa New Zealand is protected by around 14,000 paid and volunteer firefighters, who train extensively to maintain the specialist skills needed to respond when the siren sounds. The UFBA Firefighter Challenge series gives the public a rare opportunity to see the level of fitness, endurance, and determination required to do the job.
Competitors, wearing full firefighting protective equipment and breathing apparatus, will climb a six-storey tower with a 19kg hose pack, hoist equipment, force a steel beam with a hammer, hit a target with a charged hose, and drag an 81kg mannequin to the finish line.
The event tests both physical and mental toughness, with competitors pushing themselves to their limits while showcasing the real-world demands of firefighting.
Many competitors have trained all year for the event. While some are seasoned competitors, others will be taking on the challenge for the first time, aiming to prove themselves and earn a place at the UFBA National Firefighter Challenge in May.
The UFBA Firefighter Challenge, adapted from a similar event in the United States, has become a highlight on the firefighter calendar and continues to grow in popularity across New Zealand.
Spectators are welcome to come along and support the firefighters throughout the day.
Event Details:
Location:Te Mata Road, Havelock North
Date:Friday 9 and Saturday 10 April
Competition Time Day 1:12:00pm – 5:00pm Competition Time Day 2:9:30am – 4:00pm (end times are approximate)
Members of the public are welcome to attend and support the competitors.
About the UFBA– for over 140 years the United Fire Brigades’ Association has been the leading association for firefighters in New Zealand. Today our services support c.14,000 firefighters throughout the fire and emergency services sector by providing advocacy, skills-based challenges, workshops, and service honours.
Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa has just written to Foreign Minister Winston Peters, urging him to put Palestine front and centre in his meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington this week.
“The escalating international crisis, which all stems from resistance to Israel’s genocide in Gaza, must be reined in, and pressure from New Zealand should be part of this” says PSNA Co-Chair Maher Nazzal.
“The US will want to recruit New Zealand into the US and Israel war on Iran, and try to get Peters to offer something crazy, like dispatching the New Zealand frigates Te Kaha and Te Mana to help force the Straits of Hormuz.”
‘But the open wound of Palestine remains the single greatest threat to peace and stability across the entire world.”
“We are urging Peters to press the US to demand equal rights for everyone living ‘between the river and the sea’”, says Nazzal.
“This means confronting the apartheid state of Israel head-on. The world can no longer tolerate a genocidal and racist state in West Asia, which is armed to the teeth by the US and hell-bent on attacking its neighbours to capture territory.”
“Israel continues to stoke the flames of hatred and eternal war by last week passing legislation to execute Palestinians convicted of what Israel calls ‘terrorism’.”
“This racist apartheid law does not apply to Jewish Israeli settlers who are killing Palestinians daily. It exclusively applies in the Military Courts, which are only used to try Palestinians. They have a conviction rate of over 96 percent.”
“Racist Israeli ministers and Knesset members celebrated the inflammatory racist law with champagne. There was barely a peep from Peters.”
“New Zealand has played an important role in helping resolve international conflicts in the past – we can be part of the solution now.”
In the small, predominantly Māori town of Kaikohe, residents struggling with high living costs are using Afterpay to buy things like gas.
The buy-now-pay-later service lets you purchase goods and services at a quarter of the cost, then pay off the total in three fortnightly instalments.
For some families, it means being able to get kai on the table that week. But it is also not without risks. While the repayments are interest-free, any users who miss an instalment, or are late with a repayment, are charged a fee.
On the main street in Kaikohe, locals had mixed feelings about the service.
One woman Checkpoint spoke to described it as a “sucker punch or sucker pull”.
“It’s like spending your money before you have the money. I think it just suckers people in. They get all these things, and then they can’t pay for it.”
On the main street in Kaikohe, locals had mixed feelings about the service.Nick Monro
Another local said he liked Afterpay because it lets him “spread out my tick”. The man said he last used it to pay for birthday presents.
Alex “Moko” Tango had been dubbed the “Afterpay queen” of Kaikohe, because she used it to pay for nearly everything, including groceries, hair appointments and vet visits.
The week Checkpoint spoke to her, she had used it buy groceries and household items from The Warehouse. She had also paid for a tank of gas, and taken her two dogs to the vet.
In Kaikohe, a range of stores let people pay with Afterpay, including the Z petrol station, the chemist, The Warehouse, a mechanic’s garage and a flooring installer and bed shop.
Tango said without Afterpay, she would not be able to pay for a lot of the things she needs.
She was not currently working due to health reasons and relied on the supported living payment.
A range of Kaikohe stores let people pay with Afterpay, including the Z petrol station.Nick Monro
“It’s the reality of knowing I’d have to save that money over eight weeks,” she said.
“So even though it’s fortnightly for Afterpay, I know what my weekly budget would be to cover, instead of having to wait eight weeks after the fact to save in my budget to pay [for things].”
That week, the vet bill for Tango’s two dogs came in at just under $300 and her petrol cost $148. The Warehouse grocery shop came to about $170, which Tango says should last for two weeks.
Tango also stressed Afterpay only works for those who are diligent budgeters, which she had learnt to do as someone who lives on a benefit.
“I can honestly say as a beneficiary, it has conditioned me to be able to live in this type of budget-threshold.”
Tango said without Afterpay, she would not be able to pay for a lot of the things she needs.Nick Monro
And while Tango had never been penalised for missed or late repayments as an Afterpay user, the Salvation Army warned not everyone finds the buy-now-pay-later service easy to manage.
Senior policy analyst Ana Ika said it was easy for people to rack up debt without realising it.
“Last week, I looked over a of our client’s case notes and they were spending over someone’s case and they spending over $367 a week in payment back buy-no-pay-later. The majority of that is paid out of their benefit so it creates a lot of financial hardship for that individual and their family.”
Nationally, more than 500,000 people in New Zealand have used Afterpay in the past nine years, according to the company.
The popularity of services like Afterpay among people Salvation Army works with showed current benefit and income levels simply were not enough, Ika said.
Ultimately, income and benefit levels should be adequate so people could afford essentials like petrol and groceries, and not turn to buy-now-pay-later service like Afterpay, she said.
In the small, predominantly Māori town of Kaikohe, residents struggling with high living costs are using Afterpay to buy things like gas.Nick Monro
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The airline said the changes apply to some of its services in May and June, affecting 4 percent of flights, and 1 percent of total passengers due to travel in the period.
“We have worked hard to keep disruption to a minimum, with the vast majority of impacted customers still travelling on the same day,” the airline said in a statement.
It said affected customers would be notified from Tuesday morning, and all notifications would be completed by the end of the week.
“These changes are relatively small compared to others in the New Zealand market, where some airlines are reducing capacity by more than 10 percent,” the airline said.
The global cost of jet fuel has soared since the start of the US-Israel-Iran War this year. Asian jet fuel prices soared to US$230 a barrel according to the Platts benchmark, compared to below US$100 a barrel before the war.
“Like airlines globally, we’re experiencing jet fuel prices that are more than double what they would usually be,” Air New Zealand said.
“This is driving higher costs across the industry, and we’ve made further increases to some airfares to help manage this.”
The airline said customers whose updated flights did not suit their plans could choose a refund or credit.
“If you don’t hear from us, your flight is operating as scheduled.”
Bay of Plenty MP Tom Rutherford said the airline had assured him it was a short-term response on Tauranga flights.
“For the May and June schedule they will be consolidating Auckland services by 27 rotations (averaging 4 per week), Wellington services by 30 rotations (averaging 4 per week), and Christchurch services by 10 rotations (averaging 1 per week),” he said on Facebook.
“These changes are on top of the earlier reductions already in place from 16 March to 3 May, which were, Auckland services being reduced by 31 rotations (averaging just one daily rotation most weeks, but maintaining full capacity during April school holidays). Wellington services down by 21 rotations (about three per week on average). Christchurch services reduced by 3 rotations.”
Rutherford said he would be advocating strongly to “protect Tauranga’s connectivity”.
“I know how vital reliable air connections are for the Bay of Plenty, whether it’s for business, tourism, family visits or medical appointments,” he said.
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Wonky Box is being affected by growing fuel prices.Supplied / Wonky Box / Sophie Louise Creative
Artisan food producers and speciality food suppliers have expressed their concern about how growing fuel prices will affect their online businesses.
Among those affected is Wonky Box, a delivery service that supplies customers with local produce with imperfections that don’t meet the standards of big supermarket chains.
One of the owners, Angus Simms, described the pressure they’re facing as a “double-edged sword”.
“So we obviously source in and work with producers who work around the country, who are sending products to us. These producers are under significant pressure, especially our growers who rely on diesel and fuel to get product out to consumers.
“At the same time, we’re also in the business of getting our products to our customers doorsteps, so I suppose [there is] the home delivery element as well,” he said.
Simms said that his business is subscription based, meaning their customers expect a set price.
“We can’t chop and change weekly like most fuel variable rates do at the moment. So, it’s going to be a tricky for us to manage, but right now we haven’t decided to make any changes,” he said.
Meanwhile, co-owner of Cranberries Westland, Kate Buckley, said fuel prices was a big topic of conversation between her and other artisan producers recently at The Christchurch Food Show.
“For a lot of us, the online business is a really important part of our business model and of course fuel costs and selling online is going to be a challenge, so we’re just going to have to roll with it and see what happens,” she said.
Kevin Jenkins, founder of artisan cheese subscription service, The Cheese Wheel, said they’ve so far been shouldering the extra costs.
“We’ve tried really, really hard to look for savings within the firm, so it’s a bit tough, but we’re more concerned about the cheesemakers really.”
Jenkins said they sell cheeses that are not available at big retailers, so he was hopeful that subscribers would continue to support small artisans.
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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s conservative evangelical religious beliefs drew attention even before his confirmation hearings in January 2025. He is a member of the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches – CREC – whose beliefs have been influenced by a 20th-century movement called Christian Reconstructionism.
Many CREC leaders call for the implementation of biblical law and a theocratic state structured on Christian patriarchy. Theocratic states are ruled according to religious laws, which in the case of the CREC means a conservative evangelical understanding of Christianity.
The CREC website claims to have over 160 churches and parishes spread across North America, Europe, Asia and South America.
Hegseth’s use of religious language and prayers has raised questions about his religious beliefs in relation to his role as secretary of defense. At a prayer service on March 25, 2026, during the current war in Iran, Hegseth said, “Let every round find its mark against the enemies of righteousness and our great nation.” He went on to add: “Give them wisdom in every decision, endurance for the trial ahead, unbreakable unity, and overwhelming violence of action against those who deserve no mercy.”
As a scholar of the Christian right, I have studied the CREC. To understand Hegseth’s rhetoric, it is helpful to understand what the CREC is and its controversial leadership.
What is the CREC?
The CREC church is a network of churches across the globe. It is associated with the congregation of Doug Wilson, the pastor who founded Christ Church in Moscow, Idaho. Christ Church is the flagship church of the CREC and operates as a denominational headquarters. Wilson grew up in the town, where his father was an evangelical minister.
Wilson co-founded the CREC in 1993 and is the public figure most associated with the network of churches. Christ Church operates as the hub for Logos Schools, Canon Press and New Saint Andrews College, all located in Moscow.
Logos is a set of private schools and homeschooling curriculum; Canon Press is a publishing house and media company; and New Saint Andrews College is a university. All of these were founded by Wilson and associated with Christ Church. All espouse the view that Christians are at odds with – or at war with – secular society.
Hegseth invited Wilson to give a prayer service at the Pentagon in February 2026. Wilson told the assembled military members, “If you bear the name of Jesus Christ, there is no armor greater than that. Not only so, but all the devil’s R&D teams have not come up with armor-piercing anything.” In other words, Wilson tied the success and safety of military members and their missions to a belief in Jesus Christ and the military’s enemies as agents of the devil.
Pastor Doug Wilson leads others at a protest in Moscow, Idaho.Geoff Crimmins/The Moscow-Pullman Daily News, CC BY-SA
The CREC doctrine is opposed to religious pluralism or political points of view that diverge from its theology. On its website, the CREC says it is “committed to maintaining its Reformed faith, avoiding the pitfalls of cultural relevance and political compromise that destroys our doctrinal integrity.”
CREC churches adhere to a highly patriarchal and conservative interpretation of Scripture. Wilson has said that in a sexual relationship, “A woman receives, surrenders, accepts.”
Church-state separation
In a broader political sense, CREC theology includes the belief that the establishment clause of the Constitution does not require a separation of church and state. The most common reading of the establishment clause is that freedom of religion prohibits the installation of a state religion or religious tests to hold state office.
Scholar of religion Matthew Taylor explained in an interview with the Nashville Tennessean, “They believe the church is supposed to be militant in the world, is supposed to be reforming the world, and in some ways conquering the world.”
While the CREC may not have the name recognition of some large evangelical denominations or the visibility of some megachurches, it boasts churches across the United States and internationally.
Like some other evangelical denominations, the CREC uses “church planting” to grow its network. Planted churches do not require a centralized governing body to ordain their founding. Instead, those interested in starting a CREC congregation contact the CREC. The CREC then provides materials and literature for people to use in their church.
CREC controversies
Pete Hegseth at his confirmation hearing in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 14, 2025.AP Photo/Alex Brandon
As the church network has grown, it has drawn attention and scrutiny. In 1996, Wilson published a book positively depicting slavery and claiming slavery cultivated “affection among the races.”
Accusations of sexual abuse and the church’s handling of it have also brought national news coverage. Vice media’s Sarah Stankorb interviewed many women who talked about a culture, especially in marriage, where sexual abuse and assault was common. That reporting led to a podcast that details the accounts of survivors. In interviews, Wilson has denied any wrongdoing and said that claims of sexual abuse would be directed to the proper authorities.
As the Trump administration engages in military conflicts around the globe, Hegseth often uses religious language to justify them.
In a March 5, 2026, speech to South American and Central American leaders, Hegseth justified intervention in Venezuela, the blockade of Cuba and the attacks on boats across the region by invoking a shared Christian identity.
Hegseth said, “We share the same interests, and, because of this, we face an essential test – whether our nations will be and remain Western nations with distinct characteristics, Christian nations under God, proud of our shared heritage with strong borders and prosperous people, ruled not by violence and chaos but by law, order, and common sense.”
Hegseth’s comments about Iran since bombing began on Feb. 28 have also invoked religion. Some of these invocations align with Hegseth’s recurring references to the Crusades in the Middle Ages – a centuries-long holy war between Christians and Muslims. Hegseth has a tattoo that says “Deus Vult” – “God wills it” – the rallying cry of Crusaders, another with the Arabic word for infidel, and the Jerusalem cross, a prominent Christian nationalist symbol. He also published a book titled “American Crusade.”
In framing the use of overwhelming force in Iran, Hegseth said, “We’re fighting religious fanatics who seek a nuclear capability in order for some religious Armageddon.”
As long as Hegseth remains the secretary of defense, his affiliation with the CREC and religious language will likely provide insight into how these conflicts are managed at home and abroad.
Provisionally, four people lost their lives on our roads this Easter holiday weekend.
There is still a lot of work to do, and we need to be much better, says Superintendent Steve Greally, Director of Road Policing.
“Every death we see on our roads is one too many, and we simply need people to make better choices.
“Wear a seatbelt, put the phone down, and do not drive if you are impaired by drugs or alcohol. Sign posted speed limits are there for a reason, and we expect every road user to follow them. It is simple.”
Superintendent Greally says Police will continue to target unsafe driving behaviour following the holiday period.
“We continue to make no apology for taking action against those who are making poor decisions. Drivers should not expect to be issued a warning.
“While the number of fatalities has dropped the last two years, this is not something Police are celebrating, we have a lot of work left to do and every New Zealander plays a part in that.
“We want everybody to be able to reach their destination safely, no matter what time of the year.”
Young business owners drive small businesses in Malaysia
Technology adoption remains concentrated in front-end activities
Improved access to finance needed for deeper digital transformation
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 7 April 2026 – Innovation, technology and young entrepreneurs continue to power growth among Malaysian small business, but this has yet to translate into sustained improvements in business performance, according to CPA Australia’s Asia-Pacific Small Business Survey findings.
While half of Malaysian small businesses report improved profitability from their technology investments over the past two years, the proportion generating more than 10 per cent of revenue from online sales declined from 74 per cent in 2024 to 62 per cent in 2025.
Digital payment usage has also declined in 2025 with 74 per cent of small businesses receiving more than 10 per cent of their sales through digital payment platforms such as GrabPay, Touch ‘n Go and Boost, compared to 78 per cent in 2024.
Priya Terumalay, CPA Australia’s Regional Head for Southeast Asia, said while government initiatives have helped support technology adoption, these efforts have yet to drive significant uptake of deeper productivity-enhancing technologies, such as artificial intelligence, process automation, data analytics and systems integration.
“Technology investment remains concentrated in computer hardware and customer-facing functions like mobile apps and payments, while structural constraints continue to limit more transformative approaches,” Priya said.
“With cost pressures remaining a persistent challenge compressing margins, policy priorities should focus on addressing structural constraints such as re-orienting digital support towards automation, systems integration, and data use along with support for productivity-enhancing responses rather than short-term relief.”
Businesses making technology investments must include adequate protection measures to minimise cyber risk exposure as 35 per cent of small businesses lost time or money due to a cyber-attack in 2025.
Only 39 per cent reviewed their cybersecurity protections over a six-month period, the second lowest result among the 11 markets surveyed.
Despite the challenges, business sentiment on the Malaysian economy remains positive with 75 percent of small businesses expecting the economy to grow in 2026.
A strong 77 per cent also anticipate business growth this year, although improved access to effective finance, especially for investment will be important to enable deeper digital transformation and build resilience.
“This is particularly crucial for outward-oriented small businesses navigating global supply chain pressures and trade policy uncertainty that could weigh on growth, especially firms integrated into regional supply chains.” Priya said.
About the survey
CPA Australia’s 17th annual Asia-Pacific Small Business Survey was conducted among small business owners/senior managers during November and December 2025 to identify the characteristics of successful small businesses across the region. The findings for the survey come from 4,166 small businesses in 11 markets. From the commencement of the survey in 2009, we have surveyed over 50,000 small businesses across the region. These include Australia, Mainland China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Vietnam.
One of the promoters of an annual London music festival on Monday defended plans for Kanye West to headline it, amid a backlash over the US rapper’s previous antisemitic outbursts.
Disgraced 48-year-old hip-hop star West – now known as Ye – is due to play three nights at the Wireless Festival in the British capital in July as part of a European comeback tour.
The decision to book him as the headliner has already prompted several sponsors to pull out of the event, including drinks giants Pepsi and Diageo.
According to media reports, the government is reviewing whether West should be allowed to enter the UK, Prime Minister Keir Starmer having already called his booking “deeply concerning”.
In a statement issued late Monday, Melvin Benn, managing director of Festival Republic which helps promote the event, urged West’s critics to show him “some forgiveness”.
Benn called the rapper’s past comments about Jews and Hitler “abhorrent” but said the festival would not provide “a platform to extol opinion of whatever nature”.
He asked critics to “reflect on their instant comments of disgust at the likelihood of him performing” and “offer some forgiveness and hope to him as I have decided to do.
“He has a legal right to come into the country and to perform in this country,” Benn added.
The US rapper has subsequently expressed regret for his conduct, blaming it on his bipolar disorder.
Festival organisers announced West’s appearance on social media last month, prompting criticism from Jewish organisations and London Mayor Sadiq Khan.
The Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) on Sunday urged the government to bar him from entering the UK, on the grounds his presence would “not be conducive to the public good”.
“Surely this is a clear case,” the group said on X.
The interior ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment about such a move.
West, who has not performed in Britain since he headlined Glastonbury in 2015, has been heavily criticised in recent years after he made a series of antisemitic remarks and voiced admiration for Adolf Hitler.
In May 2025, he released a song called ‘Heil Hitler’, months after advertising a swastika t-shirt for sale on his website.
The song was banned by major streaming platforms.
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
The proposed site for the dam project.RNZ / YouTube
The government is lending $18 million to a controversial dam project in Central Hawke’s Bay.
The Tukituki Water Security Project, formerly the Ruataniwha Dam, is currently undergoing a $6.8m pre-construction feasibility study funded by businesses, water uses and the government.
The new $18 million loan is from the government’s Regional Infrastructure Fund, and will be spent on the next phase of work running through to 2027.
It includes detailed engineering and design, and financing and commercial work with a final investment decision expected in 2028.
The proposed project would see a dam built on the Makaroro River, a tributary of the Tukituki River, and the flooding of 22 hectares of conservation land. The dam would be about 83m high in the Makaroro River and create a reservoir of approximately 93 million cubic metres, about seven kilometres long, and with a surface area of approximately 372 hectares.
The Ruataniwha plan was scuppered in 2017 by the Supreme Court, when it deemed a land swap unlawful.
Opponents of the dam launched a campaign in 2025 to stop the project, calling the rebranded project “the same pig, but with lipstick on”.
Tukituki Water Security Project chair Mike Petersen previously told RNZ the cost of the new project would not be known until a feasibility study was carried out.
A 2016 Regional Council report indicated the construction cost of the Ruataniwha dam could be $333m, with possible investment cost to farmers an additional $556m* taking it to more than $900m.
Associate Minister for Regional Development Mark Patterson is announcing the new funding loan in Central Hawke’s Bay this morning.
Petersen said the case for water storage in Hawke’s Bay was both urgent and well-evidenced.
“This announcement moves us from asking whether this project is feasible, to answering whether it is viable,” he said.
Petersen noted that the Hawke’s Bay Regional Water Assessment report found that even with significant improvements in water use, efficiency and conservation, by 2040 the region could experience a shortfall between demand and supply of freshwater of nearly 25 million cubic metres.
“Water storage is not a silver bullet when it comes to solving water security, however it must be part of the solution alongside other water efficiency measures. Without improved resilience, our environment, our communities and our economy will all suffer,” he said.
The group plans to lodge its Fast Track application mid-2026, which will include a land exchange with the Department of Conservation, which Petersen said will “both enlarge the area of conservation land and improve ecological values”.
The reservoir would release about 20 million cubic metres with an irrigation footprint of approximately 20,000 to 30,000 hectares.
New NZIER modelling shows the project could increase annual regional GDP by up to $693 million, and up to $452 million a year in additional household spending across the region.
Petersen said it was estimated the dam project will support 200 to 300 jobs during construction, and more than 1800 new permanent jobs once operational.
*The project was slated to get water to the farm gate, with farmers needing to invest in installing additional infrastructure.
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
Watercare is investigating the cause of a possible E coli case which has put thousands of Aucklanders on a boil water notice.
The notice was put in place for parts of Hillsborough, Mt Roskill, Royal Oak and Three Kings on Monday after routine water sample testing showed traces of E coli.
About 7500 households and businesses were affected.
Watercare chief operations officer Mark Bourne said all other testing in the area showed normal results, and the decision was made to protect public health while investigations continued.
“Typically we’re taking about 40 samples throughout the networked area of Auckland each day. Those samples are then analysed for a range of parameters. One of those parameters is E coli.”
Watercare said people in the affected area should use boiled tap water or store bought bottled water for drinking, cleaning teeth, making ice, washing dishes and preparing food.
“All we need to do is literally boil [water] in an electric jug, and then if you want to drink it cool, let it cool down.”
Bourne said any presence of E coli was concerning.
“It can cause stomach upset and diarrhoea and the like… that’s why we’ve taken this precautionary approach.”
Bourne said Watercare was investigating how E coli could have possibly entered the water supply.
“Part of our rapid response yesterday evening and overnight was we’ve undertaken investigations of the local reservoir that supplies the area, and we’ve walked all of the upper reaches of the water supply pipelines.”
Two public water tankers were set up at 113 Duke Street, Big King Reserve, and Hillsborough Park carpark, Carlton Street.
