CoveragePost
February 27, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand RNZ / Samuel Rillstone A pedestrian has been taken to hospital in a serious condition after being hit by a bus in central Wellington. Emergency services were alerted to the crash on Willis Street at around 10am on Friday morning. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone Wellington Free Ambulance confirmed the person was ... <a title="Wellington pedestrian seriously hurt after being hit by bus" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/27/wellington-pedestrian-seriously-hurt-after-being-hit-by-bus/" aria-label="Read more about Wellington pedestrian seriously hurt after being hit by bus">Read more</a>
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February 27, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand The government introduced a traffic light system alongside financial and non-financial sanctions for beneficiaries who did not meet their obligations. RNZ / Quin Tauetau Benefit sanctions have not worked – probably largely because there are not enough jobs for beneficiaries to move into, one economist says. Rob Heyes, principal consultant at ... <a title="Have benefit sanctions actually worked?" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/27/have-benefit-sanctions-actually-worked/" aria-label="Read more about Have benefit sanctions actually worked?">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 27, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand 123RF Consumer confidence has dropped back from last month’s four-year high. February’s ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence index is well down from last month’s 107 points, but still remains in positive territory at 100 points. Anything under 100 is considered negative. Consumer Confidence falls to 100.1 points from 107.2 points in January ... <a title="Consumer confidence drops again after four-year high" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/27/consumer-confidence-drops-again-after-four-year-high/" aria-label="Read more about Consumer confidence drops again after four-year high">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 27, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand RNZ / Quin Tauetau The government’s Bioeconomy Science Institute will cut 134 jobs less than a year after it was formed. That comes on top of 152 jobs cut when the institute was set up as a merger of AgResearch, Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research, Plant & Food Research and Scion ... <a title="Newly formed Bioeconomy Science Institute to cut 134 jobs" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/27/newly-formed-bioeconomy-science-institute-to-cut-134-jobs/" aria-label="Read more about Newly formed Bioeconomy Science Institute to cut 134 jobs">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 27, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand Lead researcher Cain Richardson said the difference in life expectancy was stark. 123rf New research has found blind or visually impaired New Zealanders die 9 years earlier on average, and make significantly less money. The report by Blind and Low Vision NZ used anonymised data from StatsNZ to compare the experience ... <a title="Visually impaired Kiwis have lower life expectancy and make less money, research finds" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/27/visually-impaired-kiwis-have-lower-life-expectancy-and-make-less-money-research-finds/" aria-label="Read more about Visually impaired Kiwis have lower life expectancy and make less money, research finds">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 27, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King Fare prices on Wellington’s trains, ferries and buses will be increased by more than 3 percent in May. The decision comes as Metlink revealed contactless payments for adults on their services would go live on 12 April. The public transport provider would also start to phase out ... <a title="Wellington public transport fares set to increase from May" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/27/wellington-public-transport-fares-set-to-increase-from-may/" aria-label="Read more about Wellington public transport fares set to increase from May">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 27, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand Summerset chief executive Scott Scoullar said the company’s strategy continued to deliver results. Google Maps Retirement village operator Summerset has posted a record underlying profit, although weaker property values weighed on its bottom line. Key numbers for the year ended 31 December compared with a year ago: Net profit $259.7m v ... <a title="Summerset reports record underlying profit, lower net profit on valuations" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/27/summerset-reports-record-underlying-profit-lower-net-profit-on-valuations/" aria-label="Read more about Summerset reports record underlying profit, lower net profit on valuations">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 27, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand The guitarist of a young Dunedin band says there was a lot of skepticism when they were handpicked to open for international rock stars Foo Fighters’ when they visit New Zealand next summer. SEEK HELP! guitarist Lucy Hughes says it was “pretty insane to be honest”. “When I contacted the band ... <a title="Young Dunedin band opening for the Foo Fighters: ‘It’s insane’" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/27/young-dunedin-band-opening-for-the-foo-fighters-its-insane/" aria-label="Read more about Young Dunedin band opening for the Foo Fighters: ‘It’s insane’">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 27, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand Port of Tauranga. RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly Higher cargo volumes driven by a rebound in imports have delivered a strong half-year profit for the country’s biggest port. Key numbers for the six months ended December compared with a year ago: Net profit $70.2 million vs $60.2m Revenue $244m vs $225m Cargo ... <a title="Port of Tauranga delivers $70.2 million half-year profit" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/27/port-of-tauranga-delivers-70-2-million-half-year-profit/" aria-label="Read more about Port of Tauranga delivers $70.2 million half-year profit">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 27, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand The Manawatū River. (File photo) 123RF A large search operation for a man missing in the Manawatū River has been scaled back. Police were called to a report of personal items abandoned in a suspicious manner on Albert St on Tuesday when officers spotted a man in the water. They asked ... <a title="Search for man missing in Manawatū River pulled back" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/27/search-for-man-missing-in-manawatu-river-pulled-back/" aria-label="Read more about Search for man missing in Manawatū River pulled back">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 27, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for parts of the central North Island for Friday afternoon and evening. Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued for the central North Island Thunderstorms could bring localised areas of very heavy rain and downpours through the second half of today. pic.twitter.com/u2igCHzhNH — MetService NZ (@MetService) February ... <a title="Weather: Severe thunderstorms may hit parts of North Island" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/27/weather-severe-thunderstorms-may-hit-parts-of-north-island/" aria-label="Read more about Weather: Severe thunderstorms may hit parts of North Island">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 27, 2026
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicholas Morieson, Research Fellow, Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University Artificial intelligence (AI) is at a very Chinese time in its life. Recent moves from Chinese AI labs are throwing the dominance of American “frontier labs” such as Google and OpenAI into question. Last week ... <a title="How China is betting cheap AI will get the world hooked on its tech" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/27/how-china-is-betting-cheap-ai-will-get-the-world-hooked-on-its-tech-276878/" aria-label="Read more about How China is betting cheap AI will get the world hooked on its tech">Read more</a>
