News Stories

Nicola Willis says Chris Hipkins is politicising extreme weather tragedy
The Post | 27 Jan 2026

The Finance Minister says the Labour leader’s comments about the Government’s resilience spending so soon after a tragedy was “the wrong kind of politics”.

Green Party eyes central Christchurch seat at coming election
The Press | 27 Jan 2026

Green MP Kahurangi Carter has become the first political candidate to announce their bid for the central Christchurch seat at the coming general election.

Wairoa airport runway to be extended and upgraded, supporting ‘vital lifeline’
Stuff | 27 Jan 2026

Wairoa Mayor Craig Little said the upgrade was a game-changer and would help save lives.

MacLeod back on environment committee
The Post | 27 Jan 2026

New Plymouth MP David MacLeod has returned to parliament’s Environment Select Committee, placing him at the heart of major reforms to replace the Resource Management Act.

Luxon calls Trump’s comments about NATO troops ‘incredibly disrespectful’
Stuff | 27 Jan 2026

MPs are back at Parliament after more than a month away. They return as the nation recovers from further severe weather events.

Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith ‘happy’ with retail crime taskforce after three members quit
NZ Herald | 27 Jan 2026

Retail NZ's CEO left the taskforce after her relationship with chair Sunny Kaushal soured.

I priced Bill English’s pizza and it says everything about New Zealand in 2026
Stuff | 27 Jan 2026

Joel Maxwell’s supermarket experiment using Bill English’s infamous spaghetti pizza revealed an uncomfortable truth about food prices and the cost of living in 2026.

Cash for storm-hit regions as PM stands by scrapping $6b resilience fund
The Post | 27 Jan 2026

Questions linger over why the $6 billion resilience fund set up by Labour after Cyclone Gabrielle was canned by Christopher Luxon’s Government even as his Cabinet is set to consider …

PM stands by scrapping $6b resilience fund
The Post | 26 Jan 2026

Christopher Luxon suggests Labour fund was a ‘marketing exercise’ and points to millions still being spent.

Decision-making power slipping away from councils, Rangitīkei mayor tells Rātana
The Post | 26 Jan 2026

Local government is entering a period of unprecedented upheaval, says Rangitīkei mayor Andy Watson.

Recovery resumes at Mount Maunganui landslide amid calls for answers
The Post | 26 Jan 2026

“The one thing that everyone agrees with is, let's expedite it, and let's get things moving,” Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell said.

Councillor set straight after gaffe over booze rules
The Press | 26 Jan 2026

A Marlborough councillor thought it was illegal to buy alcohol at a town centre supermarket and take it away to drink at home ‒ and it took the council’s lawyers …

Minister and commission’s stoush over 20-day wait for special votes
The Post | 26 Jan 2026

The Electoral Commission says it will still take 20 days to count votes this year, despite a law change - but Paul Goldsmith is adamant they can go faster.

Landslide the kind of disaster you hope never comes - mayor
Waikato Times | 25 Jan 2026

Tauranga Mayor Mahé Drysdale says it’s been ‘absolutely humbling’ to see the community support after the Mt Maunganui slip.

TPM co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer: ‘I could work with Winston and NZ First’
Stuff | 23 Jan 2026

Debbie Ngarewa-Packer wants to be a minister by the end of the year and thinks she could work beside Labour, the Greens and NZ First in a coalition.

This housing back-down couldn’t be coming at a worse time for Auckland - Scott Caldwell
NZ Herald | 23 Jan 2026

OPINION: Inner-city hubs like Kingsland have lost 15% of locals aged 15-29 in five years.

You are not going to incentivise anyone to build 2 million houses all over Auckland - Penny Tucker
NZ Herald | 23 Jan 2026

OPINION: Transport, design and infrastructure matter just as much as housing numbers.