Summer weather: New Zealand warned to brace for hot, dry months ahead

New Zealand’s summer is shaping up to be hotter and drier than average. The country’s forecast has shrugged off the rainy start to summer with temperatures soaring into the 30s in some parts in the coming week. But, moving through January and February, the weather patterns are predicted to become…

Chris Hipkins on Labour's future, taxes, and whether Luxon’s a good PM

Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins has told the party it must change if it wants to re-gain the trust it's lost. The party held its annual conference in Christchurch at the weekend, the first time its members have met since the 2023 election defeat. The party has inched closer to campaigning on a …

Could changes to ADHD meds be a game-changer or a risk?

Pharmac is now funding a new medicine and has removed renewal criteria for ADHD treatments.  Advocates are welcoming the move – saying it’s a game-changer that will save the health system tens of millions of dollars. But, there are warnings it could lead to over-diagnosing and over-prescribing. …

Black Friday deals: Are we really getting bang for our buck?

It’s Black Friday and many Kiwi shoppers have already begun the hunt for some great deals. While some retailers promise big discounts – sometimes, all is not what it seems. Claims of retailers hiking prices before discounting them to make them look like a better deal are becoming more common – ma…

OCR cut signals an improving economy - but are we still in the danger zone?

The official cash rate has been cut by 50 basis points, bringing it down to 4.25 percent. This marks the third consecutive cut to the OCR since August and brings it to the lowest level since November 2022. With inflation also dropping last month to 2.2 percent, stats show an improving economy – b…

One year of the coalition government: the highs, lows and long road ahead

Today marks a year since the coalition government of National, Act and New Zealand First took office. The coalition hit the ground running, by reversing the previous Labour Government’s agenda in a ‘policy bonfire’, slimming down the public service, and reverting many Crown organisations to their …

COP29 reaches US$1.3 trillion deal - is NZ doing enough to tackle climate change?

Climate change conference COP29 has wrapped up with a significant but controversial final agreement. Negotiations came down to the wire over a US$1.3 trillion to help finance poorer countries to deal with the impacts of climate change and cut emissions. But, only about $300 billion of that target…

New research highlights NZ's obesity crisis - is it time for more government intervention?

New research shows a third of New Zealand adults are obese – and policies focused on individual responsibility are failing. A Helen Clark Foundation report suggests tackling obesity will require cracking down on junk food advertising, the proliferation of takeaways, and bringing in new levies on u…

Minister Shane Jones on regional development, oil and gas, and climate concerns

Regional development has been a major focus of the coalition government. The Fast Track Bill, the return of oil and gas exploration and the Regional Infrastructure Fund is all promised to get work back to the regions and help them thrive.  And the man running the show is the so-called Matua of Mi…

New anti-gang laws come into effect - but will they actually work?

The Government’s promised the “free ride” for gangs, is officially over. From today, gang patches will no longer be allowed to be worn in public, courts will be able to issue non-consorting orders, and Police will be able to stop members from communicating with each other. Greater weight will als…