The Aratiatia Rapids in Taupo is one of the most popular natural attractions in the area for tourists and locals with the dam opening for 15 minutes three-to-four times a day. However, it was a place of mourning when Rachel de Jong, who was swimming in the rapids, drowned after she was caught out when […]

From next September, the Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board will take over all water quality monitoring in the Lake Taupo catchment from the Waikato Regional Council. This decision follows two years of discussions between the council and iwi and will make the work more efficient, carried out by local people. The council’s community and services director, […]

Ongoing loneliness in New Zealand has increased, particularly for our youth, as the country continues to battle Covid-19. A report from the Loneliness New Zealand charitable trust found loneliness in youth increased from 5.8 percent before Covid-19 struck to 20.8 percent during the lockdown and currently remains at high at 17 percent. “It is disheartening […]

New Zealand has had two new cases of Covid-19 confirmed this week, both in managed isolation. It has been 100 days since the last Covid-19 case was acquired locally from an unknown source. The first confirmed case was a man in his 20s who traveled to New Zealand from the Philippines via Hong Kong on […]

There is growing uncertainty surrounding the scheme which provides vital labour to the wine industry. With the ongoing tightened border controls, wine industry contractors are concerned they may not have enough overseas workers. The Recognised Seasonal Worker (RSE) scheme allows workers from the Pacific to come to New Zealand and work in the viticulture and […]

The average house price in New Zealand has continued to rise as the total number of homes available for sale has fallen. In July, houses for sale dropped by 11 percent on the same month last year, according to Realestate.co.nz, while the average national asking price increased by 3.9 percent to $756,250. “Despite speculation around […]

New Zealand Finance Minister, Grant Robertson, is positive that the New Zealand economy will “balance out” in recovery after the impacts of Covid-19. “The government’s wage subsidy hasn’t been taken up to the extent that we thought it may have been,” Robertson told TVNZ1’s Q+A today. The wage subsidy supported 1.7 million New Zealanders as […]

Rakitū Island in the Hauraki Gulf has now been declared predator free after the eradication of rats. A check undertaken with predator-seeking dogs has confirmed that rats have been removed from the 300 hectare island, off the coast of Great Barrier Island. Conservation Minister, Eugenie Sage, is proud of this major milestone, as Rakitū becomes […]

New Zealand is putting pressure on South Korea to follow international law and waive immunity to continue the police investigation into a sexual assault matter. Hongkon Kim, former Deputy Ambassador to New Zealand, is accused of three counts of indecent assault at the Wellington embassy in 2017. The charges relate to incidents involving a male […]

Auckland Airport was one of the busiest airports in June this year due to the increase in domestic travel post Covid-19 lockdown. While overall passenger numbers were down 85% overall, the strength of the New Zealand domestic market meant that Auckland Airport was busier than some of the largest airports in Australia and Asia, even […]