Ka Lāhui Hawaiʻi, a Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawai’ian) initiative for self-determination and self-governance formed in 1987, has sent a 17-member Indigenous delegation to Waitangi to stand in solidarity with Māori in defence of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
The delegation is present to “stand alongside Māori leadership, strengthen international solidarity, and affirm the deep genealogical and oceanic ties shared by Indigenous peoples of Moana Nui a Kanaloa”, a statement said.
Members of the delegation participated in a pōwhiri yesterday with iwi taketake at Te Tii Waitangi Mārae, marking a formal welcome and the beginning of their engagement alongside Māori communities and leaders.
Members of the delegation will speak at the Political Forum tent tomorrow, take part in the dawn ceremony on February 6, and march alongside their whānau in support of Te Tiriti.
The delegation has issued a formal Statement of Solidarity calling on the international community to watch developments in Aotearoa while “political actions continue to seek to weaken and reinterpret Te Tiriti and undermine Māori rangatiratanga”.
The Kanaka Maoli statement raised serious concern that recent New Zealand government actions and political rhetoric had “misrepresented efforts” to address structural discrimination as “racial privilege”.
The government actions had also enabled legislative initiatives seeking to “radically redefine” the meaning of Te Tiriti — triggering widespread national protests, multiple claims before the Waitangi Tribunal, judicial review proceedings, and large nationwide hui of Māori leaders.
‘World should know’ “The world should know what is happening in Aotearoa. As Kanaka Maoli, we know what it means to have our lands, waters, and political future decided without us,” said Healani Sonoda-Pale, spokesperson for Ka Lāhui Hawaiʻi.
“We came to Waitangi so the world can see that Māori are not standing alone — and that Indigenous peoples across the Pacific are watching, standing together, and demanding that Te Tiriti o Waitangi be fully honored.
“Our struggles are connected, and our collective liberation as Indigenous peoples of Oceania are bound to one another.”
Senior All Blacks have closed ranks around Ardie Savea after the superstar flanker bore the brunt of public backlash for Scott Robertson’s sacking.
Rumours of a Savea-led revolt against Robertson have been rife but firmly rejected by both players and NZ Rugby.
All Blacks hooker Codie Taylor staunchly hit back at the criticism of Savea.
“The way the narrative has been put onto Ards is totally unfair. When someone of his calibre goes away to a different comp, it’s easy to point fingers but that’s not the case at all. I know for a fact he wants the best for this team and he really respected Razor.”
Rumours of a Savea-led revolt against Robertson have been firmly rejected by both players and NZ Rugby.Kerry Marshall / www.photosport.nz
Patrick Tuipulotu said Savea was an easy target.
“He’s been used as a scapegoat where he’s just expressed his views in a review where everyone on the team does. I suppose it’s just easy to latch onto him because he is probably the best player in the world at the moment. So yeah, bit disappointing, but people are going to say what they say.
“It won’t bother him. He’s the type of guy just carry on.”
Fellow loose forward Wallace Sititi reiterated that Savea will be unfazed by the speculation.
“He’s my brother, so yeah it’s a bit disappointing, but the fans are passionate about their footy, but we all know who Ardie is as a person and that’s the main thing.”
Sititi said putting the politics aside, the reality of the saga is that a man has lost his job.
“We’ve got to acknowledge the human factor of it. The jersey demand’s the best but I just wish Razor and his family the best.”
Having worked closely with Robertson with the Crusaders, Taylor said it was a hard personal pill to swallow.
Codie Taylor playing against the Pumas in Nelson.Photosport
“It was pretty tough. Came as a bit of a shock. I have got a lot of respect for Ray as a person, as a coach, what he’s achieved and for with what’s happened I feel for him and his family but I suppose from a high performance point of view, they’ve made the decision and now it’s looking to the future.”
Taylor said Robertson was incredibly passionate about the position.
“I know he gave everything, and wanted to give everything for the All Blacks every week and he wanted the best of the players, and for a coach to be like that, I know he was good for the group and there’s just some things that probably haven’t shaped up the way they should have.”
Having reached out to Robertson to offer support, Taylor said the enigmatic Robertson was struggling.
“He’s not great as anyone would expect when you get the honour of his job and then it’s taken away, and he’s feeling it. New Zealand’s a small place, so I feel for him, I feel for Jane (his wife), and his kids.”
Tuipulotu said there was also a real feeling of indecision amongst the players.
“Especially with the head coach vacancy. I suppose it’s the chance for players to step up and keep the group gelled. A lot of unknown and interesting times. Not knowing what’s going to happen, that’s the uneasy bit. However, in this day and age, high performance sport [is] really cut-throat and it just shows how it cut-throat it is. So it just means we have to be on our game a bit more.”
The injured Blues lock said senior All Blacks have been sure to stay connected during the fallout.
Tuipulotu and other senior All Blacks have been in close communication after Robertson was fired.ActionPress
“After it was announced about Razor, we had a team Zoom to sort of make it clear what happened and what the decision was, and it was important for the playing group to focus on Super Rugby, play well, and then hopefully by the time Super Rugby’s done, there’s a new coach and something in place for them and for us to come into.”
As for whether change was needed?
“Yes and no. I think there’s always change for improvement and certainly probably felt there was improvement needed.”
Tuipulotu said players have shared their hopes for the new man to take the reins.
“There’s a list there, but none of us know who the shortlist is. So I think we’re sort of asked what we see in a coach, what we want in a coach personally. So I think that was delivered to a panel.”
He said the reaction to the news by the public was just part and parcel for the All Blacks.
“I think we just have some die-hard fans who want to see us do well and that’s all part of the game.”
Taylor reiterated this notion.
“I think it’s sort of expected, right? It’s a high performance environment. It’s pretty ruthless. A process was played out and this is the outcome of it, It’s been done now, we just have to look forward to what’s ahead and hopefully we get back on that stage and be dominant.”
While a turbulent time for the team, Sititi believes the All Blacks remain a force in world rugby.
“I think we’ve still got our aura. I’m going to back my brothers, and back the black jersey.”
Wallace Sititi.Daniel Carson/Photosport NZ
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A cordon is in place on Ulster Street in Hamilton.Libby Kirkby-McLeod
A man is in a critical condition after being shot by police in Hamilton.
About 10am, police swarmed a Hamilton street and closed off a hotel.
In Inspector Will Loughrin said police responded to reports of a vehicle driving “erratically” in Te Awamutu just before 9am.
Information suggested the driver was wanted by police in relation to other serious incidents.
When police caught up to the vehicle on Ulster Street in Hamilton, the man allegedly pointed a shotgun at police.
“Police appealed for the man to put the shotgun down, which he failed to do.
“An officer then fired two shots at the offender.”
Medical assistance was given to the man immediately before he was taken to hospital in a critical condition.
He was now in a moderate condition, Loughrin said, and his injuries were not believed to be life threatening.
“A second occupant of the vehicle was taken into custody at the scene,” Loughrin said.
“Thankfully, no police staff were injured in this incident.”
Loughrin said Ulster Street remains closed off from the Mill Street intersection and the public is urged to avoid the area.
“We want to reassure the community that there is no ongoing public safety risk following this incident.
“Police are conducting reassurance patrols around the area. The community can also expect to see an increased police presence in the coming days.”
Earlier, an RNZ reporter at the scene said police cars could be seen parked in the street and police officers were going door-to-door speaking with people.
They declined to answer questions.
Alpha Motel manager Ford McArley, inside the cordon, said he also heard something before police arrived at the scene.
“I started drilling in the rooms to put TVs on the wall and just heard what sounded like two car tyres, and didn’t think anything of it,” he said.
“And then right outside the motel, there were police everywhere.”
McArley said police weren’t saying much about what happened.
He said it wasn’t typical of the street.
“I’ve been here just about three months now, and we’ve never had the street blocked off like this,” McArley said.
Police were expected to speak to media on Wednesday afternoon.
Loughrin said a critical incident investigation was underway and the incident will also be referred to the Independent Police Conduct Authority.
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The adult pūteketeke didn’t see the danger as they don’t perceive ducks as a threat, DOC says.Supplied / Department of Conservation
Three murderous mallards have been euthanised after preying on pūteketeke chicks in Canterbury’s Mackenzie basin.
Department of Conservation (DOC) rangers were shocked when a person sent in photos of three ducks hunting and killing freshly hatched native pūteketeke (Australasian crested grebe) chicks next to Lake Alexandrina, south of Lake Tekapo.
The pūteketeke garnered international attention in 2023 when comedian John Oliver successfully campaigned for it to win the Forest and Bird’s Bird of the Century crown.
In a press release, DOC principal biodiversity ranger Dean Nelson said staff were horrified to see graphic photos of the chicks being eaten alive, as it was unusual for ducks to prey on other birds.
“Mallard ducks usually eat plant material, with a little bit of protein from insects and snails during the breeding season,” he said.
“It was shocking to see them eating pūteketeke chicks. We went out there straight away and I observed three mallard ducks in the outlet creek where the grebe nests are.”
Nelson said the ducks were “actively scoping out the pūteketeke nests to see if they had chicks”.
Pūteketeke are classed as nationally vulnerable birds.Supplied / Department of Conservation
“The adult pūteketeke didn’t see the danger as they don’t perceive the ducks as a threat.”
Duck behaviour of this nature was unknown to DOC’s experts, with further concern it could spread, as ducks learnt from each other, Nelson said.
“There was a case which was referenced in a research paper from a Cambridge University scientist describing how a group of mallard ducks were attacking and eating the chicks of two common bird species in Romania in 2017. It claimed this was a world first and the ducks may have been searching for a source of protein before laying eggs and nesting,” he said.
The person who raised concerns did the right thing by calling the department and taking photos as evidence, Nelson said.
“This is a great example of people taking action for nature and looking out for our vulnerable species. While some people think the pūteketeke is introduced because of its name (the Australasian crested grebe), the reality is they’re native and are classed as nationally vulnerable,” he said.
“We want the public to be really engaged with nature. People can be our eyes and ears out ‘naturing’ and that’s fantastic for us, as our rangers can’t be everywhere.”
Campers and boaties around Canterbury’s popular Lake Benmore shoreline were asked to look out for pūteketeke over the summer period last December following reports of nests being disturbed at the Ōhau C campground.
Many nests neighboured the boat ramp and spread out around the lake shore.
The pūteketeke colony had 40 to 50 nests annually for the last five breeding seasons and birds had raised their young much later than usual in the outlet creek next to Lake Alexandrina.
DOC staff had caught the three ducks in question with nets and removed them from the site and humanely euthanised them.
Staff were also heading out again on Wednesday to check no other mallard ducks had repeated the behaviour.
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Wellington’s Moa Point wastewater treatment plant has been shut down and staff evacuated from the site, after an equipment failure flooded multiple floors.
Untreated wastewater is being discharged into the sea and that may continue for some time, Wellington Water chief executive Pat Dougherty said.
“This is a serious situation and we anticipate the plant will be shut down for an extended period,” he said.
Wellington’s Moa Point wastewater treatment plant on Wednesday.RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Dougherty strongly advised the public to stay away from south coast beaches, and said a rāhui would be placed over the affected area.
“We will have boots on the ground today, with our customer teams distributing information about public health and advice.
“An environmental team will be undertaking water quality testing. More information will be provided at lunchtime today. This is a complex incident, and all necessary resources are being utilised,” he said.
Dougherty said it was unacceptable.
A sign warning of a sewage discharge from Moa Point.RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
“We apologise to the public, local community and our iwi partners for the public health and environmental impact caused.”
The mechanical failure began at 1am on Wednesday.
Fire and emergency shift manager Murray Dunbar said three fire trucks responded to a fire alarm activation there about 12.40 am.
The crews reported they were unable to access the lower building due to flooding and they were going to wait for a building representative to be contacted and respond, Dunbar said.
The Moa Point problem followed two other wastewater discharge notices on Tuesday night, which were caused by heavy rain.
Wellington Water’s Moa Point treatment plant (file photo).Wellington Water
Partially treated wastewater was discharged into Wellington’s Karori Stream at 10.45pm on Tuesday, which flows into the sea on the south coast.
About half an hour before that, fully treated sewage was released at 10.18pm into Waiwhetū Stream in Lower Hutt, which flows into the sea near Petone beach.
Water monitoring body Land, Air, Water Aotearoa advised people to stay out of the sea for two or three days after heavy rain.
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NZ Rugby (NZR) has confirmed today that Dane Coles is the recently retired player on its appointments panel for the next All Black coach.
NZR had previously announced the five-person panel would include Board Chair David Kirk, 132-test All Black Keven Mealamu, interim CEO Steve Lancaster and former Black Sox coach Don Tricker.
Coles comes back into the All Black environment after retiring in 2023, having played 90 tests over 11 seasons.
The panel will find a successor to Scott Robertson, who was sensationally sacked as All Black coach last month.
Robertson guided the team to 20 wins in 27 tests over two seasons, however Kirk said that the NZR board had concerns over the trajectory of the team before next year’s World Cup in Australia.
The leading candidates appear to be Jamie Joseph and Dave Rennie, after the confirmations that Joe Schmidt will stay in his role as Wallaby coach, and Vern Cotter’s move to the Queensland Reds next season.
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Wellington Phoenix player Pia Vlok has been called up to the Football Ferns for the first time.photosport
Fresh from scoring Wellington Phoenix’s first hattrick in the A-League Women, Pia Vlok will make her senior debut with the Football Ferns as the team begins the qualification process for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027.
Head coach Michael Mayne has named two new faces in the 23-player squad for this month’s qualifying journey in Honiara, Solomon Islands.
Seventeen year-old Vlok, who captaining New Zealand at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup last year, is joined by Newcastle Jets’ standout Charlotte Lancaster in a new cycle for the Football Ferns.
Lancaster is having a breakout A-League season and has scored three goals in eight games from midfield.
Goalkeeper Maddie Iro is also selected as part of the initial squad for the first time after joining as an injury replacement for October’s games in Mexico and the USA.
“It is great to get this group together ahead of an important year and start the journey to achieve the first of our goals, qualifying for Brazil in 2027,” Mayne said.
“This tour presents some different challenges, especially with the global nature of our squad and players both in the middle of competitive seasons or in preseason and looking to establish themselves, so we have had to account for a number of factors when selecting the final 23.
“I am confident we have the right balance of those who were available for selection and a group that are able to get straight to work when we arrive in Honiara to secure our qualification for the semi and finals back in New Zealand.”
Mayne said he wanted competition to be high in every position but was also working to ensure players “can thrive mentally and physically at this level with the high demands to perform as a cohesive team”.
“What has been exciting to see, and aligns with our strategy to build capability, is seeing players performing well and consistently in their leagues, so rewarding Pia and Charlotte, who have earned call ups after making a big impact in the A-League Women, is great to be able to do.”
The Football Ferns will begin their FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 qualifying journey, as part of Group A at the Oceania Qualifiers, on 27 February against Samoa, before facing hosts Solomon Islands on 2 March and American Samoa on 5 March.
All games will be played at the National Stadium in Honiara, Solomon Islands.
The top two sides in Group A will then take on the top two from Group B, played in Fiji, in the Semi-Final and Final of the Oceania Qualifiers, played in New Zealand, to secure a place in Brazil for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027.
The full squad is:
Liz Anton (25 caps/0 goals) Canberra United, Australia
Mackenzie Barry (22/1) Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand
Hannah Blake (8/0) Durham FC, England
Kelli Brown (9/0) Newcastle Jets, Australia
Claudia Bunge (38/0) Melbourne Victory, Australia
Milly Clegg (20/2) Vittsjö GIK, Sweden
Manaia Elliott (5/0) Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand
Victoria Esson (31/0) Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand
Michaela Foster (30/1) Durham FC, England
Maya Hahn (8/1) FC Viktoria Berlin, Germany
Maddie Iro (0/0) Hills United, Australia
Deven Jackson (7/0) Melbourne City, Australia
Grace Jale (35/8) Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand
Katie Kitching (23/6) Sunderland AFC, England
Charlotte Lancaster (debut) Newcastle Jets, Australia
Meikayla Moore (75/4) Calgary Wild, Canada
Emma Pijnenburg (8/0) Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand
Indiah-Paige Riley (34/3) Crystal Palace, England
Alina Santos (1/0) University of Denver, USA
Rebekah Stott (108/4) Melbourne City, Australia
Pia Vlok (debut) Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand
Lara Wall (2/0) Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand
Grace Wisnewski (5/0) FC Nordsjælland, Denmark
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New Plymouth mayor Max Brough previously said the removal or modification of the cycleway would be one of his first jobs.ROBIN MARTIN / RNZ
The mayor of New Plymouth has revealed low-profile rubber lane dividers will replace the city’s controversial concrete cycleway separators – nicknamed Tim Tams due to their resemblance to the popular biscuit.
In a video briefing Max Brough said the rubber lane dividers – he’d branded Mallowpuffs – would replace the Tim Tams along a stretch of Devon Street West.
“We’re going from Tim Tams to Mallowpuffs. The concept is that we’re going to go away from those horrible concrete blocks that are causing so much stress and the new ones are going to be put down and I think people are going to be pleasantly surprised.”
Brough campaigned on pulling up the Tim Tams and wanted to turn it into a community event.
He apologised for how long it was taking.
“The Tim Tam battle could’ve been accelerated faster but we’ve got where we’ve got to and it’s largely down to the cost.”
The Transport Agency paid for and installed the $3.8 million cycleway and council staff had estimated it would cost $1.6 million to remove them adding 1.1 percent to rates.
Brough said councillors had baulked at the expense during a December meeting that recommended they remain for at least nine months.
“That was the appetite in the chamber on the day if we’re going to rip all of that out and go back [to what we had] is it a retrograde step and then the cost that was looked at it came back as too much to be doing in a hurry.”
Some motorists complained they had driven into the concrete lane dividers causing hundreds of dollars worth of damage to their vehicles, but the cycleway was popular with some bike riders and an audit by engineering firm Becca found it had improved safety along Devon Street West which feeds onto State Highway 45.
Brough said NZTA was co-operating with council and a design had been completed for the Morley Street to Belt Road section of Devon Street West.
That work would start at the end of March to coincide with the resealing of the road.
Some carparks would be reinstated and there was an information evening for planned residents.
Max Brough says NZTA are co-operating with council and a design has been completed for the Morley Street to Belt Road section of Devon Street West.ROBIN MARTIN / RNZ
Brough did not clarify what the ‘Mallowpuffs’ would be made of in the video briefing, but he told the Taranaki Daily New they would be low-profile rubber dividers about 80mm high and 2m-long.
Motorists would be able to drive over them.
The Tim Tams were more than 100mm high.
In the video briefing, Brough was not clear whether the ‘Mallowpuff’ solution was a trial or intended to be used along the entire length of the cycleway.
In a statement, council officers said it was only a trial.
“Several different types of separators as an alternative to the current concrete structures, will be trailed, along with a shared path.
“We will be monitoring the trial area and the rest of the corridor and report back to council in September. This will inform the elected members’ decision on what will happen next.”
Tim Tam Alley was the subject of two presentations due to be heard at the first meeting of the council’s new Public Engagement Committee.
The mayor established the committee to give the public a greater opportunity to speak directly with councillors and influence council decisions.
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A cordon is in place on Ulster Street in Hamilton.Libby Kirkby-McLeod
A person has been taken to hospital in a critical condition as police swarm a Hamilton street and close off a hotel.
A motel staff member inside the cordon along Ulster Street and Abbotsford Street in the suburb of Whitiora said they heard gunshots about 10am on Wednesday.
St John said they were called to the scene just before 10am and had taken a critically injured person to Waikato Hospital.
A police spokesperson said cordons were in place while they responded to an incident but did not provide further details.
Libby Kirkby-McLeod
An RNZ reporter at the scene said police cars could be seen parked in the street and police officers are going door-to-door speaking with people.
They declined to answer questions.
A resident who wanted to go home had been told by police he was not able to at this time.
Alpha Motel manager Ford McArley, inside the cordon, said he also heard something before police arrived at the scene.
“I started drilling in the rooms to put TVs on the wall and just heard what sounded like two car tyres, and didn’t think anything of it,” he said.
“And then right outside the motel, there were police everywhere.”
McArley said police weren’t saying much about what happened.
He said it wasn’t typical of the street.
“I’ve been here just about three months now, and we’ve never had the street blocked off like this,” McArley said.
Police were expected to speak to media about what happened on Wednesday afternoon.
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne
The South Australian state election will be held on March 21. Preferential voting will be used to elect members for all 47 single-member lower house seats. This is the same system as used for federal House of Representatives elections.
Some Australian conservatives are advocating Australia return to first past the post (FPTP), but a conservative government introduced preferential voting in 1918 to stop vote splitting between two conservative parties. Right-wing preferences helped the Coalition maintain its grip on power from 1949 to 1972. Preferential voting is far superior to FPTP.
After Labor’s landslide at the May 2025 federal election, some right-wingers have complained that preferential voting gave Labor too many seats. They want Australia to revert to FPTP, where there are no preferences. In FPTP, the candidate with the most votes wins the seat.
National primary votes at the election were 34.6% Labor, 31.8% Coalition, 12.2% Greens, 6.4% One Nation and 15.0% for all Others. After preferences, Labor defeated the Coalition by 55.2–44.8 and won 94 of the 150 House of Representatives seats (63% of seats). In both two-party and seat share, this was Labor’s biggest win since 1943.
While Labor’s margin expanded after preferences, they won the national primary vote by 2.8%. Analyst Kevin Bonham said that on primary votes, Labor would have won 86 seats to 57 for the Coalition (actual 94 to 43). Labor’s primary votes were much more efficiently distributed than the Coalition’s.
Labor won a disproportionate seat share at the election, but this occurs with single-member systems, particularly with a blowout result. Those complaining about Labor’s big majority should advocate switching to proportional representation, not FPTP.
The United Kingdom 2024 election was held using FPTP. Labour won 411 of the 650 seats (63% of seats) on 33.7% of the national vote. This occurred primarily because Labour’s vote share was ten points ahead of the second placed Conservatives.
A brief history of preferential voting in Australia
Prior to 1918, federal elections used FPTP. In 1918, there was a byelection for Swan that was contested by the Nationalists (a predecessor of the Liberals), the Country Party (a predecessor of the Nationals) and Labor.
Labor won this byelection with 34.4%, to 31.4% for the Country Party and 29.6% for the Nationalists. With the combined vote for the two conservative options adding to 61.0%, it was clear a different system would have given the Country Party the win.
After this byelection, the Nationalist government introduced preferential voting, resulting in Labor losing the Corangamite byelection in 1918 to a Victorian Farmers candidate by 56.3–43.7, despite Labor winning the primary vote by 42.5–26.4 with 22.9% for the Nationalists.
Originally preferential voting was introduced to allow the two conservative parties (now Liberals and Nationals) to compete against each other without splitting the conservative vote and giving Labor wins it didn’t deserve. There are still “three-cornered” contests now where the Liberals, Nationals and Labor all contest the same seat.
This Wikipedia page gives national primary votes for Labor, the Coalition and all Others, the Labor and Coalition estimated two-party share and House seats won by Labor, Coalition and others at elections from 1910 to 2022.
Until the 1990s, the combined primary votes for the major parties was around 90% in most elections. This means that other than in three-cornered contests, preferences had limited impact. There were high Other votes in 1931, ‘34, ’40 and ’43, with the first three cases due to a Labor split (New South Wales Lang Labor).
In the first two of these cases, Labor was far behind on primary votes and made up some ground on preferences, but the Coalition still won easily. In 1940, Labor trailed by 3.7% on primary votes but won the two-party vote by 50.3–49.7. However, the Coalition formed government with the support of two independents until those independents sided with Labor in 1941.
In 1943, there was a split within the Coalition, and other preferences favoured the Coalition, reducing Labor’s primary vote lead of 26.9 points to 16.4 points after preferences.
In 1955, a Labor faction split from Labor and became the Democratic Labor Party (DLP), directing preferences to the Coalition. From 1955 until the DLP’s demise in 1974, it dominated the third party vote, and so overall preferences in this period assisted the Coalition.
The DLP helped the Coalition to have the longest period of one-party government from 1949 to 1972. Labor was estimated to have won the two-party vote in 1954, 1961 and 1969, but the Coalition won a majority of House seats.
Since 1987, preferences have favoured Labor, allowing it to overturn primary vote deficits to win the two-party vote in 1987, 2010 and 2022. First the Democrats and then the Greens assisted Labor after preferences. One Nation’s first rise at the 1998 election didn’t stop overall preferences from favouring Labor.
The only time Labor formed government while losing the two-party vote occurred in 1990, when they won a majority of seats despite losing by 50.1–49.9. Labor lost the election in 1998, even though it won the two-party vote by 51.0–49.0.
Some recent polls have One Nation surging into second place behind Labor, ahead of the Coalition. On current polling, there are more right-wing sources of preferences than left-wing sources, so overall preference flows could favour the right at the next federal election, whether it’s One Nation or the Coalition that benefits most.
In early elections, some seats were often uncontested, meaning only one candidate nominated for that seat. No votes were counted in such seats, so national primary votes will be distorted by the exclusion of these seats.
Why preferential voting is superior to FPTP
At the 2025 election, Labor’s Ali France defeated Liberal leader Peter Dutton in his seat of Dickson by 56.0–44.0. But Dutton had more primary votes than France, winning 34.7% of the primary vote to 33.6% for France, with 12.2% for a teal independent, 7.6% for the Greens and 4.2% for One Nation.
FPTP gives a massive benefit to the side of politics (left or right) that has its vote more concentrated with one party or candidate. In the two 1918 byelections, the left vote was concentrated with Labor, and in Dickson 2025 the right vote was concentrated with Dutton. Preferential voting is far fairer by allowing all candidates’ votes to eventually count.
In FPTP, many voters need to choose between supporting the candidate they most prefer even if that candidate is uncompetitive, and voting for the candidate best placed to keep someone they dislike out. Votes for uncompetitive candidates are effectively wasted in FPTP.
Labor may have won Dickson under FPTP as some of the teal and Greens voters would probably have voted for Labor tactically to beat Dutton. But voters shouldn’t need to make these choices.
Parliaments require majorities to function. The party winning the most seats does not necessarily form government, for example Labour formed government after the 2017 New Zealand election even though the conservative National won the most seats.
In the UK, the Conservatives needed to form alliances with other parties after winning the most seats but not a majority at the 2010 and 2017 elections. Preferential voting is closer to parliamentary systems than FPTP.
Adrian Beaumont does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Three men have been sentenced to the life in prison for the murder of West Auckland teenager Jayden Mamfredos-Nair nearly three years ago.Supplied / NZ Police
Three men linked to the Head Hunters gang have been sentenced to life in prison for murdering a West Auckland teenager nearly three years ago.
Three men linked to the Head Hunters gang have been sentenced to life in prison for murdering a West Auckland teenager nearly three years ago.
After disappearing in April 2023, 19-year-old Jayden Mamfredos-Nair’s body was found on a Dairy Flat property nine months later.
Police determined he had been a victim of foul play.
At the High Court in Auckland on Wednesday, patched member Zak Kameta received a minimum period of imprisonment of 18 years.
Prospect Matthew Snaylam and their associate Hassan Al Fadhli both received a minimum period of imprisonment of 17 years.
Police Detective Inspector Callum McNeill said the death had placed a heavy toll on the victim’s family and he hoped they finally had some closure.
Police issued a statement on behalf of Mamfredos-Nair’s mother Maria who said the sentencing marked the end of a long legal journey, but “the ongoing journey of grieving and healing continues”.
“This crime has had a devastating permanent impact on our entire family, his friends and the community who loved him. The grief, the heartbreak, the devastation – it will never go away.”
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In the past 12 months, seed oils have become a divisive topic, with online claims they are “toxic”, “inflammatory”, and cause chronic health conditions.
When United States secretary of health and human services, Robert F Kennedy Jr announced the new US dietary guidelines on 7 January, he promised to “evangelise real food”.
The 2025-2030 guidelines included a new food pyramid putting protein, saturated fats and whole foods in the spotlight.
Robert F Kennedy Jr has claimed seed oils are toxic.
ANDREW HARNIK / AFP
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Diggers working at the burnt-out Bromley wastewater treatment plant. Christchurch City Council supplied pictures and video of work to remove rot from inside its filters on 10 June 2022.Christchurch City Council
Bromley community leader Jackie Simons has made an emotional plea for more help to be provided to those affected by the foul stench pouring from a sewage plant.
Simons, who sits on the Waitai Coastal-Burwood-Linwood Community Board, made the plea at a Christchurch City Council meeting on Wednesday morning.
Offensive odours have plagued the city’s eastern suburbs after a fire damaged key infrastructure at the Bromley Wastewater Plant in 2021.
Bromley Wastewater Plant.
Complaints about the odour have spiked recently.
Simons told councillors the situation facing locals had now reached crisis point.
“The wastewater plant still stinks. It’s always stunk. It’s been stinking for the last four years,” she said.
“The last couple of weeks we’ve seen an influx of horrendous smell across the whole city. A crisis has come and everyone is in crisis mode.”
The Canterbury Regional Council had received more than 2000 reports about the plant in this year alone.
One Bromley resident told Morning Report the stench from the city’s sewage plant was so bad it had left her coughing up blood.
The city council said the recent heavy rain had affected the health of the oxidation pond and it was using all available tools to improve water quality.
An emotional and frustrated Simons told elected members she was regularly fielding complaints from the community.
There was a perception the council would have acted sooner if it was happening to more upmarket parts of the city, she said.
“When they come to me and they say ‘if this was happening in Fendalton you would’ve fixed it by now’, ‘the council doesn’t care about us in the east’, ‘they don’t give a toss’, ‘they’re not listening’, ‘when are they going to fix it?’ How am I supposed to tell them that you do care when it took the rest of the city to smell it to stand up and show that you cared.”
The council needed to provide more on-the-ground support for those worst affected, Simons said.
“I’d like to see those people asked ‘what do you need?’. Because a gift basket is no good to someone who needs a lift to the doctor. A supermarket voucher is no good to someone who can’t pay for a prescription,” she said.
“They can’t open their windows, they can’t hang their washing out, they have physical symptoms of ill-health, they have respiratory issues, they have depression, they have mental health challenges because of this situation. They are in crisis every day.”
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Inside OpenStar Technologies’ fusion reactor near Wellington.OpenStar Technologies
A Wellington-based fusion energy company says funding is in place to build a new research facility with the potential to put Aotearoa at the forefront of clean energy development.
OpenStar Technologies has secured a $35 million commitment from the Regional Infrastructure Fund to further their research towards creating a clean fusion power source capable of being scaled up to commercial output.
The Fusion Energy process forces light atomic nuclei to merge – releasing large amounts of energy without the radioactive waste associated with nuclear energy.
OpenStar’s current prototype device – named “Junior” – achieved the crucial milestone of First Plasma – where the device creates and confines the super hot ionized gas needed to trigger the fusion reaction – within two years of development.
The company said Junior – which used a unique approach called the levitated dipole – was the only one of its kind developed with the intention of upscaling to commercial levels of energy production.
Ratu Mataira says by delivering ‘Junior’ proved New Zealand be a global fusion player.OpenStar Technologies
Open star chief executive Ratu Mataira said the government was backing New Zealand researchers to forge a pathway towards developing the next step towards safe, clean and virtually limitless energy.
“By backing this critical infrastructure, the government is effectively de-risking the development of deep-tech in New Zealand.
“In delivering Junior, a machine once considered near impossible, we proved that New Zealand could give birth to a global fusion player. Now with this government commitment, New Zealand has decided to show up as a nation, for the vision of a fusion energy industry here in Aotearoa,” Mataira said.
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones said the technology could provide global benefits while the government’s support would help solidify the country’s role in the rapidly developing Fusion Energy sector, creating highly skilled jobs for years to come.
“Over a century ago, New Zealand scientist Ernest Rutherford pioneered nuclear science. Today we are backing New Zealanders to lead the next big breakthrough in harnessing fusion energy, a technology that could deliver significant benefits for our country and the world,” Jones said.
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicola Macaulay, Senior Tutor and PhD Candidate, Centre for Defence and Security Studies, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University
Across the Pacific and the Southern Ocean, New Zealand has been trying to strike a careful balance in its defence and surveillance approach.
While strengthening its security partnerships and expanding military capabilities, the government has so far said it is only assessing joining Pillar II of the AUKUS security pact between Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom.
Pillar I of AUKUS involves Australia acquiring nuclear-powered submarines, while Pillar II focuses on cooperation in advanced military technologies, including cyber systems, artificial intelligence, autonomous platforms, undersea capabilities and space-based surveillance.
Yet key documents, including the Defence Capability Plan 2025 and a government procurement process for long-duration aerial surveillance, suggest many of the practical steps Pillar II would involve are already underway.
These far-reaching strategic decisions are being made largely out of public view. And they raise an important question: is New Zealand effectively aligning itself with AUKUS in all but name?
From patrols to permanent surveillance
The Defence Capability Plan is the government’s long-term blueprint for upgrading New Zealand’s military. It proposes a NZ$100–300 million investment in long-range, uncrewed, remotely-piloted aircraft to provide intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance across vast ocean areas.
In parallel, the Persistent Surveillance (Air) Project tender (which recently closed for submissions) invites industry and academia to help design a system for long-duration surveillance across the southwest Pacific and Southern Ocean, involving aircraft, spacecraft and data-management software.
Taken together, these initiatives signal a shift from periodic surveillance patrols to continuous, networked monitoring. This aligns closely with the concept of “multi-domain maritime awareness” under AUKUS Pillar II.
The current government appears to be maintaining this careful line. But the proposed New Zealand Defence Force investments and procurement plans suggest a more substantive shift.
The long-range drones, satellite surveillance, data integration and counter-drone technologies outlined in the Defence Capability Plan closely mirror AUKUS Pillar II priorities.
New Zealand may be avoiding formal alignment for now. But defence officials have already been holding talks with the US, UK and Australia about advanced military technologies and surveillance systems.
The risk of being locked in
These policy shifts undoubtedly have benefits for a small country like New Zealand. High-quality surveillance capabilities boost its strategic value to defence partners and give Wellington a stronger voice in maritime monitoring across the Pacific.
But there are also risks. Research suggests integrating surveillance systems with allied networks can create lasting technical and political dependencies.
In turn, this could narrow New Zealand’s capacity to make independent decisions in the Pacific region, or calibrate its engagement with other regional stakeholders, including China and Pacific Island governments.
Arrangements such as the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness – involving Australia, India, Japan and the US, known as the “Quad” – allow countries to merge surveillance data and build a “common operating picture” of activity across the region.
The same is true of the Pacific Fusion Centre’s information-sharing network, PacNet #28. The catch is that these surveillance arrangements tend to lock countries in, with one host controlling how data is gathered and filtered.
Embedding NZ in surveillance networks
New Zealanders are broadly supportive of contributing to regional security. But polling suggests they are uneasy about being drawn into distant conflicts or military spending that mainly serve the priorities of larger powers.
Autonomous weapons, AI-assisted targeting and militarised space systems are particularly contentious, raising legal and ethical questions about human control.
Defence officials frequently argue that drones and space-enabled surveillance reduce risks to personnel and enhance humanitarian and disaster-response missions. While this may be true, there remains a need for clearer public discussion about how such technologies are deployed and where limits are being set.
For decades, the New Zealand Defence Force has been valued for its nimbleness and principled diplomacy. But the emerging surveillance approach being shaped through procurement decisions, tenders, space-launch licences and software standards is steadily embedding New Zealand within allied security networks.
The government has assured New Zealanders would be kept informed “at every step” about any future partnership with AUKUS.
Such transparency needs to extend to defence policy and strategy in general, before foreign-designed, militarised surveillance systems become the norm across the region.
Nicola Macaulay does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
The sensors are flushable, battery-free and no bigger than a cigarette lighter.Supplied
Auckland’s beachgoers well know the frustration of being told to keep out of the water after heavy rain due to wastewater overflow, but researchers at Auckland University have been piloting flushable sensors designed to detect underground sewer faults.
The sensors are about the size of a USB stick, made from plant plastic and use ultra-high radio frequency to allow them to be detected as they move through the networks.
With some 8000 to 9000 sewer pipes under Aucklanders’ feet, the sensors can help find misconnections, where wastewater pipes are wrongly connected to stormwater or where there’s a blockages in sewer pipes causing an overflow.
Two field trials have already been completed with Auckland Council and Watercare in Browns Bay.
Dr Wei-Qin Zhuang is the project’s lead researcher based at the university’s Civil and Environmental Engineering Department.
He said he wanted to find ways to remove nitrate from waterways safely without the creation of significant greenhouse gas emissions.
He also wanted to look at water quality to detect indicator micro organisms in waterways and drinking water, he said.
There was discussion to identify the water problems specific to Auckland and consider how to use research to mitigate them, he said.
Problems identified included the overflow of the city’s sewer systems, as well as misconnections, Zhuang said.
The research team tried to come up with solutions to identify where there were misconnections on the basis it was less challenging than trying to deal with the overflow issue, he said.
“We developed this UHF-RFID [ultra-high radio frequency identification] based censors to identify illegal connections and we also found that it can be used to identify blockages of our pipes.”
Setting up the test in a stormwater utility hole.Wei-Qin Zhuang
They did not want the censors to be intrusive to avoid having to visit a house and install a bunch of devices to detect the issues, he said.
“So initially we were trying to develop something that can be flushed through our toilet bowls without clogging the pipes, the sewer lateral, and we purposely looked for small devices that has the size that is small enough to be flushed.”
They designed the censors to ensure they could be flushed and then could float on the water “so their sensitivities won’t be compromised by water,” he said.
“After they’ve been flushed into the sewer lateral, they’ll be washed and they’ll flow with the water flow and then get into the sewer mains and then we can install detectors at manholes to detect these censors.”
The censor sends out an ultra-high radio frequency which is then picked up at the various sites, Zhuang said.
“So you flush your censors through toilet bowls and then supposedly all the censors need to go through the sewer manhole, but if we catch some of the censors in the stormwater manhole then we instantly know that which household has a misconnection.”
Blockages can be detected when the censor takes much longer than expected to reach a certain point, he said.
“Then authorities can send CCTV cameras down pipes and see whether the blockage is severe or has just started building up.”
The first generation of the censors could be collected and then composted, while the second generation of the censors dissolve in water after two hours so it did not worsen the blockage situation, he said.
That provided a one hour window to use the censor to detect if there had been a blockage, he said.
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Ruby Star Andrews (R) on the podium at a Freeski Slopestyle World Cup.FIS Park & Pipe
Freeskiers Lucas Ball and Ruby Star Andrews are thrilled to have just made it to the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.
Ball was a late addition to the New Zealand team and Andrews seriously wondered if she would recover in time for the Games after a tough injury.
After suffering a dislocated hip, the 21-year-old slopestyle and big air freestyle skier was racing the clock to be fit in time and described the last three months as the “craziest of her life”.
Ruby Star Andrews in action.Supplied.
Andrews said it will be an emotional moment when she wears the New Zealand uniform during Saturday morning’s opening ceremony.
“It’s really, really cool. I’ve worked really hard to be here,” Andrews said.
“It’s really, really special, and I’m so proud to represent my country and do everyone proud.”
“Yeah, feeling really good. Got to check out the course today, do a little inspection, just ride through the course and have a look at everything and got some ideas flowing, which was fun,” Andrews said.
“It looked like it was riding pretty good. I mean, we didn’t actually get to hit the course itself. We just got to look. So I’m really excited to hit it tomorrow.”
Andrews is enjoying being part of the New Zealand team and will have her family in Italy cheering her on.
“The team vibe that we have is so good and awesome. To have five people in slopestyle is really exciting. It’s a big team, so yeah, it’s going to be cool. My mum and my dad and my sister are coming, so I’m really excited to have them here and supporting me.”
New Zealand Olympians (L to R) Alice Robinson, Zoi Sadowski-Synnott, Luca Harrington, Fin Melville Ives, Cam Melville Ives, Ben Barclay and Ruby Star Andrews pictured during the New Zealand Team first selection announcement for 2026 Winter Olympic Games.James Allan / PHOTOSPORT
For 17-year-old Lucas Ball, it was a nervous wait to get confirmation he was going to the Milano Cortina Games and the teenager is loving the Olympic experience so far.
Wellington Water’s Moa Point treatment plant (file photo).Wellington Water
Moa Point Wastewater Treatment Plant has been shut down and staff evacuated from the site, with an equipment failure causing multiple floors and key areas of the plant to be inundated with water.
“This is a serious situation, and we anticipate the plant will be shut down for an extended period,” says Wellington Water chief executive Pat Dougherty.
He strongly advises the community to stay away from the South Coast beaches.
Untreated wastewater is being discharged into the water and this may occur for some time.
Earlier, Wellington Water had started discharging raw sewage off the city’s south coast, and issued two other wastewater discharge notices, after a mechanical failure and heavy rain.
The mechanical failure, at 3am on Wednesday, caused it to start an unconsented discharge of untreated wastewater from its Moa Point treatment plant.
The water agency said the sewage would emerge at the short outfall into the ocean at Tarakena Bay and may cause the water to appear cloudy or murky.
Meanwhile, during a night of heavy rain, partially treated wastewater was discharged into Wellington’s Karori Stream at 10.45pm on Tuesday. That would also flow into the sea on the south coast.
About half an hour before that, fully treated sewage was released at 10.18pm into Waiwhetū Stream in Lower Hutt, which flows into the sea near Petone beach.
Water monitoring body Land, Air, Water Aotearoa advises people to stay out of the sea for two or three days after heavy rain.
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With samples taken from patients, Dr Hossein Jahedi is building a collection of tiny, fleshy lumps of cancer.Supplied / University of Auckland
A project at the cutting edge of cancer research hopes to build a collection of tiny lab-grown tumours at the University of Auckland.
Smaller than a grain of sand, these so-called tumour organoids can be used to test experimental cancer treatments with quick results.
With samples taken from patients, Dr Hossein Jahedi is building a collection of these tiny, fleshy lumps of cancer.
“We take a tiny bit of their tumour, with their permission, and we take it into the lab. We digest it into single cells, so we kind of digest all the stuff around the cancer cells so that we only have the cancer cells, and then we grow these cancer cells in a jelly-like material,” he said.
The organoids themselves were barely the size of a grain of sand, but Dr Jahedi said their potential was enormous.
“They act like avatars for the cancers that we can grow in the lab. We can have a replica of that person’s cancer, not a 100 percent replica, but quite, quite similar,” he said.
“And what this does, it allows us to test some of the drugs that the patient may receive before they actually receive it to see if these organoids respond to those drugs.”
Dr Emma Nolan has been building a library of breast cancer organoids since 2022.Supplied / University of Auckland / Brett Phibbs
Jahedi’s new project, which focused on lung cancer, was inspired by his colleague, Dr Emma Nolan.
Nolan had been developing a library of breast cancer organoids since 2022 as part of a pilot study to prove how useful they could be.
To date, she had created organoids from 30 breast cancer patients, with a goal to build a library that researchers across the country could pull from to test life-saving treatments.
“So the idea with this organoid collection from these 30 patients, and we’re hoping to increase this, is that this becomes a tool for cancer research across New Zealand,” she said.
“And therefore, breast cancer labs across the country can use these models to answer their questions that they’re looking at.”
Cancer patients ‘put themselves as lab rats’
David DownsSupplied / David Downs
Cancer survivor David Downs knew firsthand how experimental treatments could save lives, but he said the process of undergoing new treatments was daunting.
“The pathway to medicines coming to the mainstream today does require humans to put themselves kind of as lab rats,” he said.
“You’re literally signing pieces of paper acknowledging that you’re one of the first humans to get this and they know roughly what the side effects might be but they’re not sure, etcetera. All that can create a bit of anxiety.”
Diagnosed in 2017 with a rare blood cancer that wouldn’t respond to chemotherapy, Downs braved a clinical trial in the United States that ultimately saved his life.
He hoped organoids could be used to improve that process and spare others the anxiety he felt.
“I went to Boston, I had a treatment, I was very lucky, it went really well for me. But you do certainly hear of side effects in some clinical trials, particularly early on, and so testing things in a way that involves human cells but isn’t involving humans, to me, feels like a really great breakthrough,” he said.
However, research into tumour organoids was still in the very early stages.
Even after three years of work, Dr Nolan said a clinical trial was years away.
“We would hope within the next five years to be able to initiate a small trial at one or two sites within Auckland in order to really test the clinical value of these organoids,” she said.
“There’s a lot of excitement in the group for this research and there’s a lot of potential but we really need to be able to confirm this in clinical trial before we’re able to know whether or not this actually ultimately could help.”
Dr Nolan said it would be some time before patients saw the benefits of the work, but the early results were promising.
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The company is a key supplier to A2 Milk.Synlait/supplied
Dairy company Synlait is forecasting a hefty half-year loss as its recovery takes longer than hoped.
The company has forecast a net loss after tax of between $77 million-$82m for the six months ended January.
The company – a key supplier to A2 Milk – said manufacturing challenges at its Dunsandel plant in Canterbury had been resolved, but the need to rebuild inventory pushed up costs, forcing Synlait to sell more raw milk at low margins.
Lower returns from commodities and a conservative approach to tax accounting also dragged down the results.
Chief executive Richard Wyeth said the company was “very disappointed” with the half-year result and the slower than expected pace of the turnaround.
He said there had been progress in the company’s operations, with a refreshed Canterbury-based leadership team and the asset sale (of its North Island businesses) helping strengthen the business.
“Our strategy is being reset, and we are confident it will provide a pathway to return Synlait to success, although this will take at least 12 months,” he said.
The company’s sale of its North Island operations was still expected to go through on 1 April, with the proceeds to be used to pay down debt.
Synlait said the sale would allow it to refocus on its core operations in Canterbury.
Along with a heavy bottom line loss, Synlait also expected an operating loss of between $28m-33m, and an underlying loss of $33-38m.
Synlait had an insurance claim approved that would cover part of the losses linked to its manufacturing issues, but the final amount and timing of the payout were still being worked out.
The insurance payout would be added back into the accounts at a later date, and the figures were subject to an audit.
Synlait said it was in active talks with its banking syndicate as it worked towards completing the North Island asset sale.
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A court ruling in favour of Fiji’s dismissed anti-corruption chief has “embarrassed” Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, a New Zealand-based Fiji politics academic says.
University of Canterbury distinguished professor Steven Ratuva told RNZ Pacific Waves that while the Fiji High Court decision on Barbara Malimali offered “clarity” on the separation of powers, it added “to the weight of responsibilities” piling up under Rabuka’s leadership.
On Monday, the court ruled that Malimali’s dismissal was unlawful — a decision she said “vindicated” her. Rabuka immediately announced that he would be appealing the decision, but later told local reporters that he would “consider” resigning if the appeal failed.
“[Resignation] is an option,” he said.
Despite this, Rabuka’s Information Minister Lynda Tabuya told reporters on Tuesday that the prime minister had the full support of the cabinet.
“It was a resounding sentiment in cabinet that we would not accept his resignation,” she said in a post-cabinet press briefing on Tuesday, adding that Rabuka had “unanimous support . . . to continue to lead this country and continue to lead us.”
Rabuka had not admitted to any wrongdoing and reports in the media “need to be corrected,” Tabuya said.
Fiji military commander Major-General Jone Kalouniwai also weighed in on the turn of events, telling local media that the army is maintaining “a [situational] awareness of what is happening” given that the country was heading into an election period.
“It’s important for us to understand what’s happening. Looking at it from a security perspective, things can cascade into a different situation,” he told The Fiji Times.
Former Fiji anti-corruption chief Barbara Malimali . . . High Court ruled that her dismissal was unlawful. Image: FB/RNZ
Dr Ratuva said all the issues Rabuka was having to deal with were “leading him to breaking point”.
“The fact that he has signalled his willingness to resign if the appeal doesn’t come through, is something which only [Rabuka] himself will have to decide,” he said.
“A lot of people have been asking for his resignation in the last few months for different reasons, particularly in relation to the way some of these complex challenges have been handled by the government.
Fiji Military commander Major-General Jone Kalouniwai . . . maintaining “a [situational] awareness of what is happening”. Image: FB/Republic of Fiji Military Forces
“So it depends very much on what’s going to happen after the appeal, and the process might go on for some time . . . even the election might come in between.”
Distinguished Professor Steven Ratuva . . . issues Rabuka is having to deal with are “leading him to breaking point”. Image: University of Canterbury
Dr Ratuva said Fijian opposition parties will try to use some of these issues faced by Rabuka as part of campaigning.
“Anything can be leveraged as a means of manoeuvring your opposition, so certainly it is something which will arise during the election campaigns,” he said.
He said other issues such as the cost of living, health, infrastructure, rising crime, drugs, would become campaign issues during the election.
The government under Rabuka, he said, would be on the defensive in terms of making sure that they would be re-elected.
“But then that depends very much on how they are able to handle these issues, and of course, the choice of the voters ultimately,” Dr Ratuva said.
“The number of scandals and the number of crisis, which have defined the rule of this particular coalition has diverted attention away from the real issues on the ground, so they have to live with it and the consequences are going to be felt in the next election.”
This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.
New Zealand spent $6.7 million over the last six years on the project which aimed to connect at least 4000 households to electricity.RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly
The New Zealand government says it hopes an electrification aid project that was halted in Papua New Guinea can still be completed if security improves.
Work on the Enga Electrification Project in PNG’s Enga province has stopped due to ongoing violence around the project area in Tsak Valley.
New Zealand spent NZ$6.7 million over the last six years on the project which aimed to connect at least 4000 households to electricity.
It was part of combined efforts with the US, Australia and Japan to help 70 percent of PNG homes get connected by 2030, as agreed to in 208 when PNG hosted the APEC Leaders Summit.
However, contractors had to be withdrawn from the area after a surge in tribal fighting in August last year, according to a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
“Ending New Zealand’s involvement is a disappointing outcome, particularly given New Zealand’s longstanding and extensive efforts to deliver energy infrastructure in Enga Province,” the spokesperson said.
“New Zealand is working on a transition plan with partners in Papua New Guinea. It is hoped this will allow for the successful completion of the project if security improves.”
The ministry said 13.5 kilometres of distribution lines in the North of the project area were largely installed but were yet to be commissioned or connected to houses.
It said 12km of distribution lines in the south of the project area remain at various stages of construction.
PNG Power office, Southern Highlands, Papua New Guinea.RNZ / Johnny Blades
Meanwhile, PNG’s Foreign Minster Justin Tkatchenko told local media that New Zealand would hand over equipment from the project to PNG Power Limited, a state-owned entity.
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15,000 jobs added in quarter, but workforce and job hunters grow
Underutilisation rate steady at five year high of 13 pct
Youth unemployment rises, more woman in the labour force
Annual wage growth slows to near five year low of 2 percent
Data worse than expected, backs the RBNZ holding cash rate steady in two weeks
Unemployment rose to its highest level in more than a decade, with more people chasing work than jobs created, while wage growth slowed further.
Stats NZ numbers showed the unemployment rate rising to 5.4 percent in the three months ended December, from 5.3 percent in the previous quarter. It was the highest level since March 2015.
“Over the quarter, we saw higher levels of engagement in the labour market as both employment and unemployment increased,” macroeconomic spokesperson Jason Attewell said.
A total of 165,000 people were unemployed, a rise of 4000 on the previous quarter and 10,000 on a year ago.
The data was worse than forecast by economists and the Reserve Bank.
Unemployment has been steadily rising as businesses either sacked staff or stopped hiring because of the weak economy, while the workforce has increased despite a slowdown in migration.
The level of underutilisation, including the unemployed and under-employed, used as a measure of slack in the jobs market, held at 13 percent, the highest rate since late 2020.
The number employed increased by about 15,000 in the quarter, the strongest quarterly growth in two years, however, the economy still had more than 30,000 fewer jobs than two years ago.
The level of unemployment of people between 15 and 24 years was 16.5 percent, with the total not in education or training falling to 13.7 percent.
Stats NZ said there was a noticeable increase in the number of women in the labour force, with another 20,000 joining in the quarter, many going into part time employment.
The regions with the highest unemployment were Auckland, Wellington and Waikato with rates close to 6 percent, with all South Island regions below 5 percent.
The broad measure of wages showed overall growth slowing to a four year low of 2 percent from 2.1 percent, compared with a 3.1 percent rise in consumer prices.
The data was above Reserve Bank forecasts and backs the central bank holding the official cash rate at 2.25 percent later this month.
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Ka Lāhui Hawai’i, a Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) group travelled to Waitangi to stand in solidarity with Māori in a call to protect and honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi.Supplied / Ka Lāhui Hawai’i
Ka Lāhui Hawai’i, a Kanaka Maoli (native Hawaiian) group are standing in solidarity with Māori in what they describe as a “defence of Te Tiriti o Waitangi”.
The 17-member Indigenous Hawaiian delegation were welcomed to Te Tii Marae on Tuesday, marking the beginning of their engagement alongside Māori communities and leaders.
The rōpū say they are present to “stand alongside Māori leadership, strengthen international solidarity, and affirm the deep genealogical and oceanic ties shared by Indigenous peoples of Moana Nui a Kanaloa”.
Healani Sonoda-Pale, spokesperson for Ka Lāhui Hawaiʻi, said the world should know what is happening in Aotearoa.
“As Kanaka Maoli, we know what it means to have our lands, waters, and political future decided without us,” Sonoda-Pale said.
“We came to Waitangi so the world can see that Māori are not standing alone, and that Indigenous peoples across the Pacific are watching, standing together, and demanding that Te Tiriti o Waitangi be fully honoured.”
Sonoda-Pale said their struggles are connected.
“And our collective liberation as Indigenous peoples of Oceania are bound to one another.”
The delegation, which was formed in 1987 as a self-determination and self-governance initiative, have also issued a formal Statement of Solidarity calling on the international community to pay close attention to developments in Aotearoa.
“Since coming to power in 2023, the coalition government has passed, or sought to pass, a suite of laws that directly attack Māori rights to their land, language, culture and healthcare, as well as Te Tiriti o Waitangi itself,” their statement said.
“Te Tiriti o Waitangi affirms the independence and rights of Māori to their lands, waters, and all that is held sacred, yet the history of Aotearoa since 1840 has been marked by repeated failures by the Crown to honor these founding promises.”
The rōpū acknowleged Te Tiriti o Waitangi as Aotearoa, New Zealand’s founding document.
“For Māori, however, Te Tiriti is not the source of their rights, but a reaffirmation of rights that exist because they are tangata whenua, the people of the land,” they said.
“Their relationship to their whenua stretches back through the last millennium, during which time tikanga Māori operated, and continues to operate, as the first law of the land.”
The rōpū say Crown laws “do not and can not diminish rangatiratanga derived through whakapapa Māori, tikanga Māori, and their connections to their lands and waterways”.
Ka Lāhui Hawai’i said as a people “facing similar harms” to their own lands and waters they reject any attempt to “weaken Māori rangatiratanga under the guise of ‘good governance’ or ‘equality’”.
“We stand with our Māori ʻohana and call for the full and faithful honouring of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.”
Members of the delegation will be speaking at the Political Forum tent at Waitangi on Thursday.
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He was already serving a sentence of preventive detention with a minimum non-parole period of 22 years, having being convicted of sexual attacks on 25 women.
Appearing via video link at the High Court in Auckland on Wednesday, Rewa pled guilty to one charge of sexual violation by rape that dating back to 18 June 1988.
His lawyer Mark Jepson said his client was not seeking name continued name suppression.
Rewa is due to be sentenced on 17 April, 2026.
Detective Inspector Scott Beard earlier confirmed to RNZ police had charged a man over a historical stranger sexual assault in Auckland during the late 1980s.
“An investigation was carried out at the time when the alleged rape occurred in Onehunga on 18 June 1988.
“Enquiries available to detectives at the time were unable to identify the perpetrator.”
In May last year the complainant contacted police to review her case.
“This was assigned to an investigator in the Auckland City Adult Sexual Assault Team.
“Police have since charged a 72-year-old man with rape.”
Beard was unable to go into the specifics of the 2025 enquiries given court proceedings were under way.
“However, it is pleasing that we can bring this matter to the courts on behalf of the complainant, given there is no statute of limitations on this sort of offending.”
Failed appeal
Rewa fought for a retrial of his conviction with the Court of Appeal, which was dismissed in January 2023.
Rewa’s lawyers had argued his trial lawyer, Paul Chambers, was “incompetent”.
They also argued a witness, whose name and other details have been suppressed by the court, and who was in a sexual relationship with Susan Burdett, had motive to kill her.
After failing to have his conviction overturned Rewa later applied to appeal in the Supreme Court, calling his trial a miscarriage of justice.
A decision from the Supreme Court said his appeal was filed nine months late, but due to the extensive material to consider, this was allowed.
However, his appeal has been dismissed as the Supreme Court said there was no risk of a miscarriage of justice.
Teina Pora was wrongly imprisoned for 20 years for the rape and murder of Burdett.
Pora was convicted in 1994, found guilty again at a retrial in 2000, but eventually the convictions were quashed by the Privy Council in 2004.
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Public health services throughout the country managed 48 cases and more than 7500 contacts, Health NZ said.Supplied/ US CDC
The measles outbreak, which started in September, is officially over, with 42 days since the last confirmed connected case – but risk from the virus remains.
Health NZ’s National Public Health Service, with the support of PHF Science and the Measles Reference Lab at Canterbury Health Laboratories, have traced cases in the outbreak as far back as 1 September 2025, with four separate clusters until 21 December.
Spokesperson Dr Emma Sherwood said over the last four months, public health services throughout the country had managed 48 cases and more than 7500 contacts, which was “a significant achievement”.
“It’s important to acknowledge the coordinated work of the public health service and contact tracing systems, alongside strong community cooperation with isolation requirements, undoubtedly prevented a much larger outbreak similar to 2019.
“It is also heartening that, thanks to a massive immunisation push during this outbreak response, nearly 107,000 doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine have been delivered to people across the country over the last four months.”
However, New Zealand remained at continued risk for further outbreaks, with a travel-associated case confirmed in Tauranga last week, and the NPHS continued to closely monitor for and respond to further cases.
“Although the latest Tauranga case and the recent outbreak are not connected, they highlight New Zealand’s ongoing vulnerability to measles infection – particularly as links to overseas travel are a common thread,” Sherwood said.
“It’s highly likely that we will continue to have future measles cases and outbreaks. Many popular travel destinations are experiencing outbreaks, and there is a risk of travellers bringing measles back to New Zealand, where we know we have low immunisation rates in some communities.
“That’s why we continue to urge anyone not already immunised with two doses of the MMR vaccine after 12 months’ old to get vaccinated to protect themselves and loved ones against future outbreaks.”
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The SFO announced on Wednesday they had filed charges in the Auckland District Court against Alexander Breingan (file image).RNZ / Liu Chen
The Serious Fraud Office has filed more than 30 charges against a television producer in relation to more than $4.3 million in government-funded rebates and $10m in lending.
The SFO announced on Wednesday they had filed charges in the Auckland District Court against Alexander Breingan.
It is alleged he made false representations and used forged documents to obtain more than $4.3m in government-funded rebates and $10.2m in lending.
“The alleged offending relates to the financing of 13 television programmes that were produced, or proposed to be produced, by Mr Breingan through his Stripe Studios companies.
“This matter was referred to the SFO by the New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC) who raised concerns in relation to applications made on behalf of entities associated to Stripe Media for the New Zealand Screen Production Rebate.”
Do you know more? Email sam.sherwood@rnz.co.nz
The SFO said Breingan is residing overseas and was yet to appear in court.
New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC) chief executive Annie Murray released a statement following the SFO’s announcement.
Murray said the NZFC welcomed and supported the developments.
“As NZFC publicly confirmed in November 2023, material provided by an applicant for the New Zealand Screen Production Rebate for New Zealand Productions (NZSPR – NZ) was investigated by NZFC and concerns were identified.
“Those concerns led NZFC to review previous applications from the same media group in which other concerns about the reliability of documents provided to NZFC in support of NZSPR – NZ applications were identified. These matters were immediately referred to the SFO.”
Murray said the commission co-operated fully with the SFO’s investigation.
“NZFC has long-established systems for the assessment of rebate and funding applications, including staged certifications, independent verification requirements, and audit mechanisms.
“These robust processes exist to protect public funds, ensure fairness for applicants, and maintain the integrity of New Zealand’s screen incentives.”
She said the “vast majority” of rebate applications proceeded without issue.
“This isolated matter does not reflect the broader performance of the rebate system.”
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New Zealand First deputy leader Shane Jones.RNZ / Mark Papalii
New Zealand First deputy leader Shane Jones is questioning the circumstances behind Labour MP Peeni Henare’s shock resignation, believing the whole story is not being told.
“It’s a bit of, I didn’t have enough in the tank. It’s a bit of understanding that I can continue to influence the way people vote outside of being an MP and outside of Parliament,” he said.
Henare also said some opportunities had presented themselves to him.
Labour MP Peeni Henare.RNZ / Angus Dreaver
While it was known Henare would not be contesting the Tāmaki Makaurau seat, his announcement he would not be standing at all came in the middle of a joint press conference by the Labour and Green Party leadership.
He told one media platform of his plans before Labour had the chance to put out its own announcement, but Labour leader Chris Hipkins, who initially refused to answer questions about the resignation, denied the announcement had been bungled.
“New Zealand’s a small place, and rumours swirl around. I don’t comment on rumours. I let people have their space to make their announcements, and that’s what I’ve done here.”
“I had no idea that Peeni was going to move on. Peeni’s grandfather was our paramount chief of the north, the last commander of the Māori Battalion, a dearly loved figure throughout all the tribes of the motu,” he said.
“I’m not across all the details, but I want to make sure that the story, when it’s fully told, that we focus on what’s happened because he struck me as a guy who had quite a large potential for politics.”
Jones said he was going to go and find out what had happened, and the “kumara vine” would inform him, but he thought Labour and Henare should be more forthcoming.
“That’s up to them to ensure that there’s a very comprehensive account as to what’s happened to this young leader of Te Tai Tokerau, and why he, all of a sudden, is departing from the Labour Party. I mean, whatever we think about Māori leadership, Peeni Henare is blessed with the lineage of leadership throughout the north.”
On Tuesday, Henare said things never went perfectly at Waitangi, with “a hui here and a hui there”, and because he was at a pōwhiri for the Governor-General, he admitted the timing had not worked out as well as he had thought.
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The National Iwi Chairs Forum, representing more than 70 iwi, are meeting at Waitangi this week to set priorities for the year ahead.Supplied / National Iwi Chairs Forum
Climate change is a key focus for iwi leaders gathering at Waitangi this week, as coastal communities across the North Island recover from recent severe weather events.
The National Iwi Chairs Forum, representing more than 70 iwi, has been meeting to set priorities for the year ahead, with leaders pointing to the increasing frequency and severity of weather events as a growing concern.
Taane Aruka Te Aho, one of the rangatahi leaders of Te Kāhu Pōkere – the group that travelled to Brazil for COP30 last year – told RNZ that recent weather events across the motu have become a repeating pattern.
“The data shows us that these climate catastrophes are going to keep coming, more frequent, more severe. We’ve seen that in Te Tai Tokerau, in Tauranga Moana, in Te Araroa,” he said.
Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ
On behalf of Te Pou Take Āhuarangi, the climate change arm of the National Iwi Chairs Forum, Te Kāhu Pōkere attended the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in November 2025.
They were the first iwi-mandated rangatahi Māori delegation to attend a global COP.
At this year’s forum, the rōpū is presenting its findings and what can be taken back to hapū, iwi and hapori.
“One of the key learnings for me was the importance of data sovereignty and data strategies harnessing environmental data to help us in our climate-based decision-making,” Te Aho said.
In the wake of flooding and storms in the north and east of the country, dozens of marae again opened their doors to displaced whānau, providing shelter, kai and serving as Civil Defence hubs.
“It’s paramount that we acknowledge our whānau, but also fund our whānau to keep resourcing, because they are the ones opening up their doors,” he said.
“To ensure not only our mokopuna are thriving, but to ensure our people of today can go back to work, that they’re looked after. Pākeke mai, rangatahi mai, kaumātua mai, kei konei te iwi Māori ki te tautoko i a rātou.”
Ōakura Community Hall had been devastated by a slip that smashed through the rear wall and filled the hall with mud, trees and debris on Sunday 18 January, 2026. Muddy water was continuing to flow out the hall’s front doors hours after the slip begun. The hall was only reroofed and renovated about 18 months ago, after a massive community fundraising effort.RNZ/ Peter de Graaf
Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka said at the time, the fund “ensures marae are not left carrying the costs of that mahi”.
“Allowing them to replenish what was used, recover from the immediate response, and continue to build their resilience for future events.”
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon also praised the response from marae.
“Marae have been exceptional in the way they have stepped up to help their communities, providing shelter, food and care to people in need,” he said.
Rahui Papa (pictured right) says emergency centres at marae have been just “absolutely wonderful” following recent severe weather events across the coastal North Island.Supplied / National Iwi Chairs Forum
Pou Tangata chairperson Rahui Papa welcomed government support for marae but said long-term planning was needed.
“Back in Cyclone Gabriel, they talked about a 100-year weather event. It’s come up three or four times within the last few years,” he said.
“And I’m picking that, with my weather crystal ball… it’s going to happen time and time again.
“So comprehensive responses have to be employed. Emergency centres at marae have been just absolutely wonderful. I take my hat off to those communities and those marae that have worked together to really find a way to look after the community.”
Ngāti Hine chairperson Pita Tipene said climate change was one of the key issues being coordinated at a national level.
“There’s no point in planning for something next week and next month if we’re consigning our planet to the changes that are upon us,” he said.
“We only have to look at the devastation around Te Tai Tokerau, let alone Tauranga Moana and Tai Rāwhiti.”
Te Kāhu Pokere outside of Parliament.Supplied/Pou Take Āhuarangi
Tipene also acknowledged the contribution of Te Kāhu Pōkere.
“The young people who went to COP in Brazil and presented back to us said the solutions are in place and led by people. Their messages were very, very clear and the energy and the focus that they bring to those efforts is significant,” he said.
“The National Iwi Chairs Forum comes together because we know we have much more strength together than we are alone. And so coordinating our efforts into areas that will improve the circumstances of our people or protect and enhance the environments of our people, that’s our overall priority.”
Forum members also unanimously backed a legal challenge by Hauraki iwi Ngāti Manuhiri, which is [
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/te-manu-korihi/585812/national-iwi-chairs-forum-backs-court-case-challenging-amendments-to-marine-and-coastal-areas-actt taking the government to the High Court] over amendments to the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act. The changes, made last year, raised the threshold for iwi seeking customary marine title.
Luxon is expected to meet with the forum at Waitangi on Wednesday.
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Mount Mainstreet manager Jay Banner told Morning Report locals had been grieving, but businesses needed the Mount to return to its usual vibrancy.
“We had a couple great events over the weekend with the Fisher concert, and it was great to see some joy being brought back into the town and boosting the moral of our locals.”
“We are looking for the community to get in behind and support local businesses, for people that are outside of town, you know, come have a weekend here, support local cafes and our hospitality sector, our retailers and help us move forward.”
Banner also acknowledged the cruise ship schedule provided some relief, but said summer was a time where hospitality and retail businesses made most of their money.
“To not be able to trade through this period had significant finical implications, not just for the immediate, but their plans for how they get through winter.”
He said the business association was looking into running events to “drag in a little bit of foot traffic”.
“We would love you all to come back into the Mount, we would welcome you with open arms,” he said.
“Many people have been reaching out to me and asking what they can do to support and that really is the way that you can support our local community, it keeps people employed it keeps businesses open.”
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Last year more than 38,000 hardship payments were granted to help parents with school expenses.Unsplash / Curated Lifestyle
The School Boards Association says school boards should try to lower the cost of uniforms, if it is what parents want.
Last year, more than 38,000 hardship payments were granted to help parents with school expenses, including uniforms, totalling $11 million.
Thousands of Facebook users are also turning to online groups for second-hand sales to kit out their children, with Otago University public health researcher Johanna Reidy saying cost is a major concern for families.
She told RNZ one in 10 students reported their parents had borrowed money to pay for uniforms, while one in four said the cost was paid off over time. Even among families who paid up front, 20 percent said it caused worry.
The School Boards Association president Meredith Kennett told Morning Report that not putting a school emblem on a uniform and keeping the uniform plain might be one way to save money.
“Uniform suppliers talk about the additional cost of adding those little touches.
“That is definitely a question that the school board should be asking: Is that something we really need, or is the plain colour enough? It depends on what the purpose of the uniform is and what they are trying to achieve.”
She said that, depending on the school, parents might be willing to pay more for a school uniform with extra pieces or details.
“With Westlake Boys, for example, they are competing with surrounding private schools. All of those private schools dress like that, and they have a standard that the parent community expects them to uphold. So that is what the board is representing in that decision.
“One of the tricky things about being on a school board is you’re trying to balance the many opinions of your parent community, as well as potentially your business community, your local iwi ana hapū. It comes down to what the community wants.”
She said school boards also consider health and safety, incorporating the special character of the school, practicality and fitting a diverse student group, when setting uniform requirements.
“There are so many different things a school is looking at, depending on their focus and their own strategic plan.”
Price should reflect families’ circumstances – Willis
Finance Minister Nicola Willis told Morning Report the cost of uniforms “really stings”.
“My plea is to school boards, because school boards need to represent parents and their communities,” she said.
“When they’re deciding what the uniform requirements are, they should reflect the circumstances of the families that attend their school and not be unrealistic about the cost of the uniforms that they ask people to buy.”
