The government has announced a new visa category for wealthy highly-skilled migrants that incentivises active investment. The new “Active Investor Plus” visa, which opens for applications from September 19, will replace the two existing investor migrant categories. Under the new scheme, a weighting system will be used to balance active and passive investments, with active […]

A seemingly surprising difference between the number of people receiving the jobseeker benefit and the unemployment rate is due to the fact that not all those who are unemployed receive the benefit, an economist says. The National party recently questioned why there has been a rise in the number of people receiving the benefit when […]

Last Friday, Hamilton City and the University of Waikato welcomed more than 100 international students from over 18 countries after two years of travel restrictions and other hurdles. Talent of the Pacific Academy and Fairfield Intermediate School gave an energetic cultural performance, incorporating Kiribas and Rotuma dances. The welcome ended with the performers inviting international […]

Waikato residents with ideas for community-focussed creative projects are able to request funding to help them get their projects off the ground. The Creative Communities Scheme (CCS) has opened its most recent funding round. Projects must be arts and community focussed and take place in the city no earlier than October 13. To be eligible […]

As a cold front moves up the country, MetService has warned of “possibly the coldest week of the year”, particularly for sheltered inland areas of the South Island. The advancing front is bringing thick snow and chilly temperatures. The majority of the country is unlikely to exceed 10 C for most of the week. Parts […]

As part of its goal to reach net zero emissions at its manufacturing sites by 2050, Fonterra is replacing a coal burner at its Waitoa factory with a wood biomass burner. Work will begin on the boiler installation later this year and it is expected to be fully operational by November of next year. Fonterra […]

Performers, singers and dancers are needed for Hamilton’s Christmas concert on November 26. The concert organisers are encouraging children and adults to submit videos of their acts via Facebook. The event, to be held at Garden Place, will run from 6 pm until about 8:45 pm. Once dark, a 27-metre Christmas tree will be illuminated. […]

July was the wettest month on record for Blenheim, with more than 200 millimetres of rain. The heavy rain caused traffic delays across the region and forced the closure of several roads, including State Highway 1, due to flooding. Waka Kotahi Top of the South systems manager Andrew James said that the damaged roads would […]

Our planet recently recorded its fastest single rotation. The record was broken on 29 July – this day was 1.59 milliseconds (thousandths of a second) shorter than the usual 24 hours. Although it is normal for the Earth’s rotation to vary by milliseconds per day, this is the quickest rotation on record. University of Auckland […]

New Zealand’s international borders are fully open but the number of visitors to the country is expected to increase only slowly. International students were a major part of New Zealand’s economy before the Covid-19 pandemic. Principal of Macleans College Steven Hargreaves said that the sector is keen to build the numbers of international students back […]