Recent successes for NZ film industry comes as rising costs challenges the industry

You meet anyone overseas and say New Zealand, the first thing they bring up is hobbits. Lord of the Rings was a crowning achievement for film production in Aotearoa, and opened the door for more movies to be filmed here. A Minecraft Movie is just the latest overseas blockbuster to be produced on …

GPs are the 'backbone of the health system' - so why are so many of them struggling?

Our primary healthcare system stands at a critical juncture - at least, that’s the latest from the New Zealand Initiative. The think tank has released a review this morning, into the country’s primary care system. It argues that the “current system faces mounting pressures that threaten its susta…

Greens and NZ First clash sparks fears of ‘dirty campaign’ for election

A war of words has erupted between the Green Party and NZ First this week. It comes after photos circulated on social from a private Instagram account belonging to Green MP Benjamin Doyle. The account, named ‘biblebeltbussy’, also featured photos of their child, including one with ‘bussy’ in the c…

Stadium wars set to continue - but which venue is really the best for Auckland?

The so-called ‘stadium wars’ in Auckland have been raging quietly behind the scenes for several years now.  But last week, the battle popped up in public once again, with Auckland Council voting to throw its support behind a plan to upgrade Eden Park, over the proposed new stadium on the city’s wa…

How does the Human Rights Review Tribunal work - is it delivering justice for Kiwis?

In New Zealand, there are a number of tribunals and review boards you can go to when you feel things haven’t quite gone your way.  Whether you’ve had a bad experience leaving your job, or something’s gone wrong in your healthcare journey, these committees are tasked with working out what has gone …

What April 1 cash boosts and power bill increases mean for your wallet

The financial year is coming to an end, and that means from next Tuesday, a lot of Kiwis will be getting more money in their wallets. April 1st is when the Annual General Adjustment takes place – when benefits and minimum wage increase to account for wage growth or inflation. While benefits are g…

How New Zealand’s top iwi have grown assets to $8.2b

New figures have revealed the assets of our ten biggest iwi stands at $8.2 billion. A recent report from consultancy firm TDB Advisory shows the assets only rose by $100m in the last three years, a slightly better return than 2023 – as the economic turmoil over the last five years continues to hav…

What the All Whites' World Cup qualification means for NZ football

Since 1930, across 22 editions of the Fifa Mens World Cup, only two New Zealand teams have featured on the biggest football stage, in 1982 and 2010. Now there will be three. The All Whites have qualified for the 2026 Fifa World Cup – after a three nil win over New Caledonia in front of a home cro…

Five years since the first lockdown: Are we doing enough to prepare for the next pandemic?

At 11:59pm on March 25th 2020, New Zealand entered its first level four Covid –19 lockdown.  To many, that moment may feel like it happened just yesterday, while others are glad its firmly in the past. Whatever your feelings are about New Zealand’s response to the Covid pandemic, that first lockd…

Schoolboy rugby to star runners: How can we best protect our young athletes?

School rugby has been under the microscope for several years now after controversies over poaching between schools and live broadcast of games. Those tensions have flared up again, with secondary schools pushing back against NZ Rugby’s plans for an Under-18 team to take on Australia. It’s not the…