CoveragePost
January 9, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand Screenshot A building in East Auckland’s Pakuranga is engulfed in flames with billowing thick black smoke. A witness told RNZ the fire started at the Pita House on Cortina Place on Friday afternoon. Firefighters said the blaze was threatening a second property. Supplied / Karl Mirbach The fire happened in the ... <a title="Large fire engulfs building in Auckland’s Pakuranga" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/01/09/large-fire-engulfs-building-in-aucklands-pakuranga/" aria-label="Read more about Large fire engulfs building in Auckland’s Pakuranga">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
January 9, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand Former Wellington mayoral candidate Graham Bloxham is arrested by police. RNZ / Mark Papalii Three people, including former Wellington mayoral hopeful Graham Bloxham, have been arrested at a Venezuela solidarity protest in Wellington. Around 100 people are rallying against the US military action earlier this week outside the Ministry of Foreign ... <a title="Former Wellington mayoral hopeful Graham Bloxham arrested at Venezuela protest" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/01/09/former-wellington-mayoral-hopeful-graham-bloxham-arrested-at-venezuela-protest/" aria-label="Read more about Former Wellington mayoral hopeful Graham Bloxham arrested at Venezuela protest">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
January 9, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand Temperatures are forecast to top 30 degrees in many places, and heat alerts have been issued for Hastings, Napier, Whakatāne, Motueka, Blenheim and Kaikōura. Fire and Emergency warned extreme heat came with heightened fire risk – particularly in Canterbury, Marlborough, Wairarapa, Hawke’s Bay, Tairāwhiti and Northland. Meteorologist Devlin Lynden said remnants ... <a title="Weather live: Heat alerts for 38C for in parts of country, heavy rain and gales forecast elsewhere" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/01/09/weather-live-heat-alerts-for-38c-for-in-parts-of-country-heavy-rain-and-gales-forecast-elsewhere/" aria-label="Read more about Weather live: Heat alerts for 38C for in parts of country, heavy rain and gales forecast elsewhere">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
January 9, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand Queensland Fruit Fly. Supplied / Biosecurity New Zealand Biosecurity is confident they will eradicate the obnoxious Queensland fruit fly with officers back out in force in the Auckland suburb of Mt Roskill today. Biosecurity Commissioner Mike Ingliss said additional traps have been set, and control zones have been set up, restricting ... <a title="Key to eradicating Queensland fruit fly is to ‘go hard and early’" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/01/09/key-to-eradicating-queensland-fruit-fly-is-to-go-hard-and-early/" aria-label="Read more about Key to eradicating Queensland fruit fly is to ‘go hard and early’">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
January 9, 2026
SPECIAL REPORT: By Scott Waide, RNZ Pacific PNG correspondent A Papua New Guinea police operation in Tsak Valley, Enga Province, in the early hours of Friday, 2 January 2026 — which resulted in five deaths — has prompted calls for an independent investigation following sharply differing accounts of events from police and community sources, as ... <a title="PNG’s lethal Tsak Valley raid and deeper crisis over guns, policing, trust in Enga" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/01/09/pngs-lethal-tsak-valley-raid-and-deeper-crisis-over-guns-policing-trust-in-enga/" aria-label="Read more about PNG’s lethal Tsak Valley raid and deeper crisis over guns, policing, trust in Enga">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
January 9, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand The new sign for Kaipātiki Hot Springs. Supplied/Te Poari o Kaipātiki ki Kaipara As 2025 ticked over into 2026, Parakai Springs near Helensville officially became Kaipātiki Hot Springs, the traditional name for the area which reflects the whakapapa of tangata whenua Ngāti Whātua o Kaipara. The change comes as Te Poari ... <a title="Popular Auckland hot springs gets name change" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/01/09/popular-auckland-hot-springs-gets-name-change/" aria-label="Read more about Popular Auckland hot springs gets name change">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
January 9, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand Sir Tim Shadbolt died on Thursday at the age of 78. Otago Daily Times / Stephen Jaquiery A former mayor and lifelong friend of Sir Tim Shadbolt says the country has lost a superb New Zealander and “a giant of protest”. The former mayor of Waitematā and Invercargill died Thursday morning. ... <a title="‘A life really, really well lived’: Sir Bob Harvey remembers lifelong friend Sir Tim Shadbolt" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/01/09/a-life-really-really-well-lived-sir-bob-harvey-remembers-lifelong-friend-sir-tim-shadbolt/" aria-label="Read more about ‘A life really, really well lived’: Sir Bob Harvey remembers lifelong friend Sir Tim Shadbolt">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
January 9, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand Stolen letters from Pukeahu signage. Supplied The Ministry for Culture and Heritage is “bitterly disappointed” after discovering vandalism at a memorial park in Wellington. It said metal signage, including individual letter and full text phrases, have been removed from Pukeahu National War Memorial Park. The signs had been a gift from ... <a title="‘Bitterly disappointed’: Vandals damage Wellington memorial park" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/01/09/bitterly-disappointed-vandals-damage-wellington-memorial-park/" aria-label="Read more about ‘Bitterly disappointed’: Vandals damage Wellington memorial park">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
January 9, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand File image. 123rf Two men who needed rescuing after their jetski broke down are being praised for wearing lifejackets and carrying mobile phones. In a statement, police said the pair were off the New Plymouth Airport coast on Wednesday afternoon when the jetski’s motor became damaged. They were unable to restart ... <a title="‘Lucky’ men praised for actions after jetski broke down, drifted off to sea" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/01/09/lucky-men-praised-for-actions-after-jetski-broke-down-drifted-off-to-sea/" aria-label="Read more about ‘Lucky’ men praised for actions after jetski broke down, drifted off to sea">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
January 9, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand It’s never too early to start thinking about your retirement savings. 123RF Is organising your money life on your New Year’s resolution list in 2026? In this five-part series, money correspondent Susan Edmunds guides you through the basics. Catch up on the first four instalments here: Set a budget; save money; ... <a title="Get your finances sorted in 2026: Maximising your KiwiSaver" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/01/09/get-your-finances-sorted-in-2026-maximising-your-kiwisaver/" aria-label="Read more about Get your finances sorted in 2026: Maximising your KiwiSaver">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
January 9, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand RNZ In a policy u-turn, people will only need to pay a single $5 co-payment fee for the new 12-month prescriptions coming into effect from February. The year-long prescriptions were announced as part of the 2025 Budget as a way to reduce the cost of seeing GPs. Patients would still need ... <a title="Government u-turns on prescription co-payment fees" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/01/09/government-u-turns-on-prescription-co-payment-fees/" aria-label="Read more about Government u-turns on prescription co-payment fees">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
January 9, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand File pic RNZ/ Marika Khabazi One person has died following a crash on State Highway 50, Korokipo Road in the Hastings District on Friday. Police were called to the single vehicle crash southwest of Waiohiki at around 2:20am. The road was closed while the Serious Crash Unit carried out a scene ... <a title="One dead after crash in Hawke’s Bay" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/01/09/one-dead-after-crash-in-hawkes-bay/" aria-label="Read more about One dead after crash in Hawke’s Bay">Read more</a>
