CoveragePost
February 18, 2026
By Kaya Selby, RNZ Pacific journalist Papua New Guinea is under a close watch for money laundering, running a risk of being abandoned by global investors. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has placed PNG on its “grey list” due to “strategic deficiencies” in government oversight. The grey-list means that watchdog officials are monitoring closely, ... <a title="PNG one step away from blacklist, warns global money laundering watchdog" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/18/png-one-step-away-from-blacklist-warns-global-money-laundering-watchdog/" aria-label="Read more about PNG one step away from blacklist, warns global money laundering watchdog">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 18, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand Tower insurance chair Michael Stiassny says some progress to tackle the impacts of extreme weather events had been “haphazard, inadequate and painfully slow”. RNZ Tower paid out $12m already in bad weather claims, expects more Company has $45m fund for big events, a quarter already spent Full year underlying profit will ... <a title="Tower expects rise in weather-related claims to nearly halve profits" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/18/tower-expects-rise-in-weather-related-claims-to-nearly-halve-profits/" aria-label="Read more about Tower expects rise in weather-related claims to nearly halve profits">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 18, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand The loan underwritten by Kainga Ora. RNZ ASB has joined the Kāinga Ora First Home Loan scheme, which allows borrowers to buy a house with a deposit of only 5 percent. The loan is underwritten by Kāinga Ora, so borrowers are usually able to access the same interest rates as buyers ... <a title="First Home Loan scheme gets another option" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/18/first-home-loan-scheme-gets-another-option/" aria-label="Read more about First Home Loan scheme gets another option">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 18, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand Chief executive Andrew Reding expected market conditions to remain challenging in the near term. Supplied / Fletcher Building Fletcher Building has posted a smaller half-year loss as the company continues to clean up its long-list of legacy issues, while business remains challenging. Key numbers for the six months ended December compared ... <a title="Fletcher Building posts smaller half-year loss, expects another tough year" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/18/fletcher-building-posts-smaller-half-year-loss-expects-another-tough-year/" aria-label="Read more about Fletcher Building posts smaller half-year loss, expects another tough year">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 18, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand It’s estimated that roughly a fifth of the potential crop may be left on vines this year due to a combination of factors. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone Perfect growing conditions for grapes at a time when demand for wine is dropping is likely to result in more fruit left on the ... <a title="The wine industry headache" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/18/the-wine-industry-headache/" aria-label="Read more about The wine industry headache">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 18, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand First-home buyers were still a strong force in the market, but dropped to 26.2 percent of transactions compared to 28.3 percent at the end of 2025. Unsplash/ Jakub Żerdzicki Homeowners becoming willing to brave the housing market and shift to a new property could be a positive thing for the economy, ... <a title="Homeowners shifting properties could be good news for the economy" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/18/homeowners-shifting-properties-could-be-good-news-for-the-economy/" aria-label="Read more about Homeowners shifting properties could be good news for the economy">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 18, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand Oppo managing director Morgan Halim said more people applied for the entry level roles, than the ones with more specialist requirements. RNZ Oppo managing director Morgan Halim would usually consider 500 a high number of applicants for a job ad. So when a current advertisement ticked over 2500 applications – and ... <a title="Company boss shocked as 2500 apply for one job" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/18/company-boss-shocked-as-2500-apply-for-one-job/" aria-label="Read more about Company boss shocked as 2500 apply for one job">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 17, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand Unsplash / Tetiana Bykovets You weren’t imagining it – Valentine’s Day chocolate probably was more expensive this year. Stats NZ data shows food prices up 4.6 percent in the year to January, after a 4 percent increase in the 12 months to December. Grocery prices were up 4 percent. Sirloin steak ... <a title="Are $7 blocks now normal? What’s going on with the price of chocolate" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/17/are-7-blocks-now-normal-whats-going-on-with-the-price-of-chocolate/" aria-label="Read more about Are $7 blocks now normal? What’s going on with the price of chocolate">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 17, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand The median price for insurance for a large house in Auckland had dropped 11 percent year-on-year, Consumer NZ said. RNZ *Clarification: This article has been updated to clarify AA Insurance’s policy Aucklanders may finally be getting some relief on their insurance premiums – but the same cannot be said for Wellington ... <a title="Insurance price drop for some households – as other struggle to get it at all" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/17/insurance-price-drop-for-some-households-as-other-struggle-to-get-it-at-all/" aria-label="Read more about Insurance price drop for some households – as other struggle to get it at all">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 17, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand One expert says there’s a meaningful gap between a basic and a more comfortable retirement. 123.rf You’ve probably heard warnings about how New Zealanders are likely to need to work until later in life. Treasury has pointed out the pressure an ageing population will put on the country’s finances – and ... <a title="How much do you really need to retire early?" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/17/how-much-do-you-really-need-to-retire-early/" aria-label="Read more about How much do you really need to retire early?">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 17, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand The median price for insurance for a large house in Auckland had dropped 11 percent year-on-year, Consumer NZ said. RNZ Aucklanders may finally be getting some relief on their insurance premiums – but the same cannot be said for Wellington and Christchurch, and some people are struggling to get it at ... <a title="Insurance costs drop for some households – as other struggle to get it at all" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/17/insurance-costs-drop-for-some-households-as-other-struggle-to-get-it-at-all/" aria-label="Read more about Insurance costs drop for some households – as other struggle to get it at all">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 16, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand Auckland and Wellington stand out as being more oversupplied, say housing experts. RNZ New Zealand’s housing market is a “tale of two islands”, one economist says – as the fortunes of sellers and house hunters in the South Island rapidly diverge from their northern counterparts. Real Estate Institute data on Monday ... <a title="Housing market’s ‘tale of two islands’" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/16/housing-markets-tale-of-two-islands/" aria-label="Read more about Housing market’s ‘tale of two islands’">Read more</a>
