Independent Analysis and Reportage
Evening ReportSource: Radio New Zealand Green Party Education spokesperson Lawrence Xu-nan. VNP / Phil Smith A primary teachers union says a last-minute amendment from Education Minister places the Teaching Council under total ministerial control. The Green Party says it bad lawmaking and an ideologically driven undermining of the Council’s independence. Erica Stanford unveiled the changes to…
Source: Radio New Zealand The government has announced plans to slash public service jobs by about 14 percent over the next three years in a shake-up it says will deliver $2.4 billion of savings. The changes announced in a pre-Budget speech delivered by Finance Minister Nicola Willis on Tuesday would result in about 8700 job…
Source: Radio New Zealand RNZ / Quin Tauetau Rents have risen at a national level for the first time since November – but places such as Wellington are still recording drops. Trade Me said the national median weekly rent advertised on its site dropped month-on-month in April by $5, to $625. Rents rose 6.7 percent…
Source: Radio New Zealand Disability advocate Jane Carrigan. RNZ / Ana Tovey A disability advocate says a bill to clarify the purpose of Disability Support Services is the worst piece of legislation she’s ever seen. The government introduced the Disability Support Services Bill on Monday, aimed at “providing clarity and stability” to the system supporting…
Source: Radio New Zealand The Prime Minister says the public service isn’t a “make-work” scheme as he signals there will be job losses as a result of proposed government changes. Finance Minister Nicola Willis will set out three proposals in her Auckland pre-Budget speech on Tuesday afternoon in an effort to create efficiencies in the…
Source: Radio New Zealand Wires on a Meridian high capacity EV chargers pulled off was reported to police. Michael Taylor A public electric vehicle charger in Wellington has been left without charging cables, prompting a police report for copper theft. Hutt Valley resident Michael Taylor was in his friend’s vehicle on Friday, when they pulled…
Source: Radio New Zealand Aucklanders can listen to tunes while waiting for their washing courtesy of art installation Fresh Laundry. Fresh Laundry put out an open call in February asking artists for songs “dying on their hard drives”, artist and musician Jefferson Chen, AKA Goodspace told RNZ’s Culture 101. Over 70 responded and that compilation…
Source: Radio New Zealand Associate Professor Sarah Kessans with protein crystallisation experiments sent to the International Space Station in 2024. Claire Concannon / RNZ Researchers from the University of Canterbury have created a shoebox-sized laboratory designed to help develop better medicines in space. The fully-automated lab means biotechnology experiments can be conducted in microgravity, between…
Source: Radio New Zealand Danni Duncan documents her decision to live a child-free life. Danni Duncan The number of babies born in New Zealand continues to fall with the latest data from Stats NZ showing more than 1500 fewer babies were born last year. The total fertility rate now sits at 1.53 births per woman.…
Source: Radio New Zealand A woman who shared a video online of Wealth Mentor chief executive Kyron Gosse slapping her says she did so to raise awareness of workplace bullying. Savannah Carter is a property manager who previously worked as a contractor for property investing coaching firm Wealth Mentor. She posted the video on her…
Source: Radio New Zealand AFP/ Thibaut Durand/ Hans Lucas The head of the dental association says some clinics are waiting as long as a year to employ a dentist, and are having to close temporarily or even permanently. NZDA chief executive Dr Mo Amso told Nine to Noon the number of dentists coming through the…
Source: Radio New Zealand Wellington City councillor Ray Chung. RNZ / Mark Papalii Wellington City councillor Ray Chung has stepped down as chair of a council subcommittee. On Monday, the council said Chung would no longer chair of the Council Controlled Organisations (CCO) Subcommittee nor a member of that subcommittee. The sub-committee is responsible for…