CoveragePost
February 17, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand The Minister moved a motion of urgency to introduce the bill. VNP / Phil Smith The government has introduced legislation so the welfare system can legally claw back payments when someone has been backpaid for an ACC claim. Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston moved a motion of urgency to ... <a title="Incoming law change so MSD can claw back welfare payments off ACC clients" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/17/incoming-law-change-so-msd-can-claw-back-welfare-payments-off-acc-clients/" aria-label="Read more about Incoming law change so MSD can claw back welfare payments off ACC clients">Read more</a>
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February 17, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand Tom Kitchin The government is seeking advice on whether to bring in a toll on the existing Auckland Harbour Bridge, to help pay for a second Waitematā Harbour crossing. The Infrastructure Commission has suggested a toll as high as $9, a figure the Transport Minister says would be a “big decision” ... <a title="Government considers Auckland Harbour Bridge toll to help pay for second crossing" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/17/government-considers-auckland-harbour-bridge-toll-to-help-pay-for-second-crossing/" aria-label="Read more about Government considers Auckland Harbour Bridge toll to help pay for second crossing">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 17, 2026
UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese is again at the heart of a witch hunt over a speech she made at the Al Jazeera Forum last week that was “doctored” by the pro-Israel and anti-United Nations NGO UN Watch to claim falsely that she described Israel as the “common enemy”. Albanese responded — as shown by ... <a title="Eugene Doyle: Silencing Francesca Albanese – ‘Not in our name’ Gaza reflections" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/17/eugene-doyle-silencing-francesca-albanese-not-in-our-name-gaza-reflections/" aria-label="Read more about Eugene Doyle: Silencing Francesca Albanese – ‘Not in our name’ Gaza reflections">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 17, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop and Labour leader Chris Hipkins. RNZ / Marika Khabazi / Reece Baker Political parties are already squabbling over the extent to which either side will back a bipartisan approach to transport projects. The first ever National Infrastructure Plan lays out an independent roadmap for infrastructure investment in ... <a title="Political parties already squabbling over infrastructure plan" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/17/political-parties-already-squabbling-over-infrastructure-plan/" aria-label="Read more about Political parties already squabbling over infrastructure plan">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 17, 2026
RNZ Pacific The Indonesian government has dismissed a claim that its military has been bombing villages in West Papua. The United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) claims a makeshift refugee camp in Puncak regency was bombed, and that many villagers have been displaced. ULMWP president Benny Wenda said the Air Force had “relentlessly attacked ... <a title="Confusion over West Papua bombing, displacement claims" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/17/confusion-over-west-papua-bombing-displacement-claims/" aria-label="Read more about Confusion over West Papua bombing, displacement claims">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 17, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop. RNZ / Nathan McKinnon The Infrastructure Commission has released the country’s first National Infrastructure Plan Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop requested the plan and is pushing for cross-party buy-in The plan sets out 16 recommendations, and 10 priorities for the next decade The country’s first National Infrastructure Plan ... <a title="New Zealand’s first national infrastructure plan unveiled" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/17/new-zealands-first-national-infrastructure-plan-unveiled/" aria-label="Read more about New Zealand’s first national infrastructure plan unveiled">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 16, 2026
Asia Pacific Report The issue of Australians — and New Zealanders as well — serving in the Israeli military has sparked growing debate as the genocidal war crimes in Gaza mount. Most of those involved are believed to be dual Israeli-Australian citizens, and under current Australian law, it is not automatically illegal to join a ... <a title="600 Australians, 50 Kiwis fighting for Israeli military during Gaza genocide" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/16/600-australians-50-kiwis-fighting-for-israeli-military-during-gaza-genocide/" aria-label="Read more about 600 Australians, 50 Kiwis fighting for Israeli military during Gaza genocide">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 16, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand RNZ Support for both major parties has dipped – while New Zealand First is up on double digits – in the latest 1News Verian poll. The results – that polled 1003 eligible voters between 7 and 11 February – has National down 2 points to 34 percent and Labour down 3 ... <a title="Support for National, Labour dips in new political poll" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/16/support-for-national-labour-dips-in-new-political-poll/" aria-label="Read more about Support for National, Labour dips in new political poll">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 16, 2026
ANALYSIS: By Bryce Edwards Politicians are under fire overseas. But New Zealand should take note too. The US Justice Department’s release of more than three million Epstein files (including 180,000 images and 2000 videos) has blown the doors off the most protected social network of the late 20th century. What these documents reveal is not ... <a title="Bryce Edwards: What the Epstein scandal means for NZ politics" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/16/bryce-edwards-what-the-epstein-scandal-means-for-nz-politics/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards: What the Epstein scandal means for NZ politics">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 16, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand Moa Point. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone The government has confirmed there will be an independent review looking into the Moa Point treatment plant failure. On 4 February, the plant failed, sending millions of litres of raw sewage into the Cook Strait per day. Last week, Wellington Mayor Andrew Little met with ... <a title="Moa Point sewage failure to be independently reviewed" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/16/moa-point-sewage-failure-to-be-independently-reviewed/" aria-label="Read more about Moa Point sewage failure to be independently reviewed">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 16, 2026
Israel’s President Herzog has departed Australia, leaving less “social cohesion”, while politicians, justices and NSW police have many questions to answer. Wendy Bacon reports for Michael West Media. ANALYSIS: By Wendy Bacon Many who witnessed the horrific police violence in Sydney’s CBS on the evening of February 9 say they had never seen anything like ... <a title="Herzog protest – when politicans fail, police go rogue, justice fails to protect" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/16/herzog-protest-when-politicans-fail-police-go-rogue-justice-fails-to-protect/" aria-label="Read more about Herzog protest – when politicans fail, police go rogue, justice fails to protect">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 16, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s announcement about a plan to establish an LNG import facility, and the levy to fund it, has been badly received. Marika Khabazi / RNZ Christopher Luxon has continually ruled out a bed tax, despite frequent calls from Auckland mayor Wayne Brown to implement one. Brown’s argument has ... <a title="Prime Minister Christopher Luxon ‘open’ to looking at bed tax in a second term" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/16/prime-minister-christopher-luxon-open-to-looking-at-bed-tax-in-a-second-term/" aria-label="Read more about Prime Minister Christopher Luxon ‘open’ to looking at bed tax in a second term">Read more</a>
