TOPIC

/ location

New Zealand

The latest news, analysis and opinion on New Zealand. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.

Capital

Wellington

Head of State

King Charles III

Head of Government

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon

Martin Hui holds a copy of the Bar Association’s submission for the consultation on sexual offence reforms. Photo: Nora Tam

Hong Kong courts

Bar Association broadly backs new offence for persistent child sexual abuse

Hong Kong Bar Association vice-chairman Martin Hui says four ‘safeguards’ are needed to ensure fairness for both defendant and victim.

8 Aug 2026 - 12:00PM

Video | New Zealand politician joins meeting from bathroom

5 Aug 2026 - 9:30PM

Pacific nations

New Zealand’s Pacific defence diplomacy shifts into overdrive

2 Aug 2026 - 9:00AMvideocam

Mainland China

Video | NZ foreign minister faces backlash for China slur

Targeting of Chinese-born opposition MP Lawrence Xu-Nan escalates from fiery exchange to broader diplomatic issue.

31 Jul 2026 - 7:39PM

MANILA, PHILIPPINES - JULY 23: New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters attends the 33rd ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), part of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting, at the Philippine International Convention Center on July 23, 2026 in Pasay, Metro Manila, Philippines. Ezra Acayan/Pool via REUTERS

01:20

Banking & finance

HSBC sells US$25 billion of Australian home loans to Blackstone

The remainder of HSBC Australia’s retail business will be wound down in a phased manner over the next 18 months.

31 Jul 2026 - 5:16PM

China-New Zealand relations

China lodges protest after NZ foreign minister’s ‘go back’ slur in parliament

Targeting of Chinese-born opposition MP Lawrence Xu-Nan escalates from fiery exchange to broader diplomatic issue.

30 Jul 2026 - 4:26PM

Asean

Asian scam gangs snare educated English speakers with fake job ads: UN agency

Victims from over 80 different countries are being trafficked into cross-border scams, the International Organisation for Migration says.

29 Jul 2026 - 12:30PMvideocam

People from China, Vietnam and Ethiopia, believed to have been trafficked and forced to work in scam centres, are detained in Myawaddy district in eastern Myanmar on February 26, 2025. Photo: AP

United States

As I see it | America declares international law for thee but not for me

While the US is seeking to dismantle the International Criminal Court, it has signed a statement upholding the Hague tribunal’s South China Sea ruling.

28 Jul 2026 - 8:30PM

Travel Safety

Editorial | Unfamiliar roads demand caution from Hong Kong travellers

Hongkongers who do not drive often should think twice and prepare carefully if they plan to drive on foreign roads.

26 Jul 2026 - 6:45AM

The Philippines

What does New Zealand bring to the Philippines’ security network?

The upgrade to a comprehensive partnership gives both countries a wider framework to deepen cooperation, analysts say.

23 Jul 2026 - 6:00PM

Philippines Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro and her New Zealand counterpart Winston Peters on the sidelines of the Asean Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on Tuesday in Pasay, Metro Manila. Photo: Pool via AP

US-China relations

Top Chinese South Pacific security partner to let US patrol its waters

Agreement will allow US vessels to patrol with local police as Honiara expands maritime ties with Washington despite close Beijing links.

22 Jul 2026 - 6:59AM

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale has announced plans for a maritime agreement allowing the US Coast Guard to patrol the country’s waters alongside local police. Photo: EPA

Cambodia

Asia-Pacific cyberscam victims lost up to US$114 billion last year: UN

The losses from online scams, mostly investment fraud, are at least triple that from 2023, reflecting a ‘dramatic scaling’, the report says.

21 Jul 2026 - 12:30PMvideocam

India

How India’s ‘practical’ alliances could reshape Indo-Pacific security

New Delhi’s ‘proactive new playbook’ aims to fill the vacuum left by fluctuating US commitments in the region, analysts say.

19 Jul 2026 - 1:00PM

Wellness

Manuka honey: New Zealand’s skincare, wellness and gut health elixir

Discover the benefits of New Zealand’s gold-standard honey, renowned for its antibacterial properties and gut health benefits.

19 Jul 2026 - 8:00AM

Manuka honey, like this raw product by Manukora, boasts a reputation spanning wellness and skincare, and is backed by celebrity endorsements and medical-grade certifications. Photo: Handout

Hong Kong society

Winter tourists warned as Hongkonger dies in New Zealand car crash

New Zealand police says crash involving car and bus occurred along road near Cardrona, a township home to ski resort.

16 Jul 2026 - 3:57PM

The Crown Range Road lies between Queenstown and Wanaka and is the highest main road in New Zealand. Photo: Getty Images

South China Sea

Opinion | Path to South China Sea stability doesn’t run through US, UK or the EU

The statement by 14 countries is a geopolitical exercise, amplifying the flawed 2016 Hague arbitral ruling to try to drive a wedge between China and its neighbours.

16 Jul 2026 - 10:55AMvideocam

109

Nato

China report warns against European-led Nato 3.0 expansion in the Asia-Pacific

The alliance’s expanding military cooperation in the region will leave the bloc ‘increasingly at odds’ with multipolar world order.

15 Jul 2026 - 6:00PMvideocam

Pacific nations

Australia, Fiji and now New Zealand: a new Pacific alliance takes shape

Wellington’s bid to join the pact flags a hard-security pivot, but analysts ask if such treaties serve Pacific societies’ best interests.

15 Jul 2026 - 3:45PM

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese shakes hands with Fiji’s Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka (right) before the Ocean of Peace Alliance signing on July 6. Photo: AFP

Pacific nations

China sends a message to Pacific islands amid unease over missile test

Solomons prime minister has pledged to review China pact while advancing talks on a comprehensive treaty with Australia.

14 Jul 2026 - 8:42PMvideocam

Fame and celebrity

Meet Russell Crowe’s son Tennyson, who flexed with the Gladiator star in a gym selfie

The Oscar-winning actor recently marked his younger son’s 20th birthday with the tandem photo and a heartfelt post.

14 Jul 2026 - 5:00AM

Obituaries

Sam Neill, known for roles in Jurassic Park and The Piano, dead at 78

The New Zealand actor’s death was ‘sudden and unexpected’, his family says.

13 Jul 2026 - 3:29PM

Actor Sam Neill had landed starring roles across many genres during his career. Photo: AFP

My Take

My Take | How China’s rare missile test sparked hysterical hypocrisy

Western pundits were quick to denounce Beijing. But far more frequent US launches rate barely a mention.

13 Jul 2026 - 9:01AM

A long-range ballistic missile bursts out of the sea during a test launched from a Chinese nuclear-powered submarine in the South Pacific on July 6, 2026. Photo: Xinhua via AP

Diplomacy

New Zealand-India trade, defence pact celebrated despite criticism

Anti-immigration members of Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s coalition and anti-Modi members of the Indian diaspora opposed the deal.

11 Jul 2026 - 5:55PM

Nato

Nato, Indo-Pacific 4 vow defence, tech boost as China-Russia ties spark alarm

Nato chief Mark Rutte meets top officials from Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea on sidelines of Ankara summit.

8 Jul 2026 - 6:10PM

China's military weapons

What does China’s submarine missile test mean for its nuclear triad expansion?

More than a technical milestone, undersea launch sends strategic signal to the US and Beijing’s neighbours in Asia-Pacific, analysts say.

8 Jul 2026 - 12:43AMvideocam

A test missile is fired from a Chinese nuclear-powered submarine towards the Pacific Ocean on Monday. Photo: Xinhua

China's military weapons

China submarine fires long-range missile ahead of Nato summit

An unprecedented missile launch by a PLA nuclear submarine will prompt Nato leaders to focus more on the Asia-Pacific region.

7 Jul 2026 - 5:00PM

Submarine-launched JL-3 intercontinental ballistic missiles at a military parade in Beijing last year. Photo: Reuters

Asia housing and property

Bargain homes are to be had in New Zealand but here’s the catch: floods

In Auckland, where thousands of properties were swamped in 2023, buying a home in a flood-prone area offers discounts of up to US$60,000.

7 Jul 2026 - 10:00AM

Australia

Australia, Fiji sign mutual defence pact to boost Pacific security

Australia has greatly upped its diplomatic efforts in the region following China’s secretive security deal with the Solomon Islands in 2022.

6 Jul 2026 - 10:34AM

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New Zealand

Bar Association broadly backs new offence for persistent child sexual abuse

Hong Kong Bar Association vice-chairman Martin Hui says four ‘safeguards’ are needed to ensure fairness for both defendant and victim.

.css-1f6sr3w{color:#727272;}Video | New Zealand politician joins meeting from bathroom

New Zealand’s Pacific defence diplomacy shifts into overdrive

Video | NZ foreign minister faces backlash for China slur

Targeting of Chinese-born opposition MP Lawrence Xu-Nan escalates from fiery exchange to broader diplomatic issue.

HSBC sells US$25 billion of Australian home loans to Blackstone

The remainder of HSBC Australia’s retail business will be wound down in a phased manner over the next 18 months.

China lodges protest after NZ foreign minister’s ‘go back’ slur in parliament

Targeting of Chinese-born opposition MP Lawrence Xu-Nan escalates from fiery exchange to broader diplomatic issue.

Asian scam gangs snare educated English speakers with fake job ads: UN agency

Victims from over 80 different countries are being trafficked into cross-border scams, the International Organisation for Migration says.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}As I see it | America declares international law for thee but not for me

While the US is seeking to dismantle the International Criminal Court, it has signed a statement upholding the Hague tribunal’s South China Sea ruling.

Editorial | Unfamiliar roads demand caution from Hong Kong travellers

Hongkongers who do not drive often should think twice and prepare carefully if they plan to drive on foreign roads.

What does New Zealand bring to the Philippines’ security network?

The upgrade to a comprehensive partnership gives both countries a wider framework to deepen cooperation, analysts say.

Top Chinese South Pacific security partner to let US patrol its waters

Agreement will allow US vessels to patrol with local police as Honiara expands maritime ties with Washington despite close Beijing links.

Asia-Pacific cyberscam victims lost up to US$114 billion last year: UN

The losses from online scams, mostly investment fraud, are at least triple that from 2023, reflecting a ‘dramatic scaling’, the report says.

How India’s ‘practical’ alliances could reshape Indo-Pacific security

New Delhi’s ‘proactive new playbook’ aims to fill the vacuum left by fluctuating US commitments in the region, analysts say.

Manuka honey: New Zealand’s skincare, wellness and gut health elixir

Discover the benefits of New Zealand’s gold-standard honey, renowned for its antibacterial properties and gut health benefits.

Winter tourists warned as Hongkonger dies in New Zealand car crash

New Zealand police says crash involving car and bus occurred along road near Cardrona, a township home to ski resort.

Opinion | Path to South China Sea stability doesn’t run through US, UK or the EU

The statement by 14 countries is a geopolitical exercise, amplifying the flawed 2016 Hague arbitral ruling to try to drive a wedge between China and its neighbours.

China report warns against European-led Nato 3.0 expansion in the Asia-Pacific

The alliance’s expanding military cooperation in the region will leave the bloc ‘increasingly at odds’ with multipolar world order.

Australia, Fiji and now New Zealand: a new Pacific alliance takes shape

Wellington’s bid to join the pact flags a hard-security pivot, but analysts ask if such treaties serve Pacific societies’ best interests.

China sends a message to Pacific islands amid unease over missile test

Solomons prime minister has pledged to review China pact while advancing talks on a comprehensive treaty with Australia.

Meet Russell Crowe’s son Tennyson, who flexed with the Gladiator star in a gym selfie

The Oscar-winning actor recently marked his younger son’s 20th birthday with the tandem photo and a heartfelt post.

Sam Neill, known for roles in Jurassic Park and The Piano, dead at 78

The New Zealand actor’s death was ‘sudden and unexpected’, his family says.

My Take | How China’s rare missile test sparked hysterical hypocrisy

Western pundits were quick to denounce Beijing. But far more frequent US launches rate barely a mention.

New Zealand-India trade, defence pact celebrated despite criticism

Anti-immigration members of Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s coalition and anti-Modi members of the Indian diaspora opposed the deal.

Nato, Indo-Pacific 4 vow defence, tech boost as China-Russia ties spark alarm

Nato chief Mark Rutte meets top officials from Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea on sidelines of Ankara summit.

What does China’s submarine missile test mean for its nuclear triad expansion?

More than a technical milestone, undersea launch sends strategic signal to the US and Beijing’s neighbours in Asia-Pacific, analysts say.

China submarine fires long-range missile ahead of Nato summit

An unprecedented missile launch by a PLA nuclear submarine will prompt Nato leaders to focus more on the Asia-Pacific region.

Bargain homes are to be had in New Zealand but here’s the catch: floods

In Auckland, where thousands of properties were swamped in 2023, buying a home in a flood-prone area offers discounts of up to US$60,000.

Australia, Fiji sign mutual defence pact to boost Pacific security

Australia has greatly upped its diplomatic efforts in the region following China’s secretive security deal with the Solomon Islands in 2022.

Video | New Zealand politician joins meeting from bathroom

As I see it | America declares international law for thee but not for me