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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

last updated:

29 November, 2024

The species got the nickname “thumb splitter” because they are aggressive and “can punch their way through aquarium glass”, officials said. Photo: AP

Animals

Aggressive Japanese shrimp that packs a punch shocks New Zealand

The discovery of Japanese mantis shrimp – nicknamed ‘thumb splitters’ – in the Bay of Plenty ‘is not something to celebrate’, officials say.

18 Dec 2024 - 10:47AM

Donald Trump

‘Please don’t do that’: New Zealand urges Trump to spare ally from tariffs

13 Dec 2024 - 9:12AMvideocam

New Zealand to tweak ‘golden visa’ rules to court more rich investors

12 Dec 2024 - 2:30PM

Animals

New Zealand moves to ban greyhound racing

New Zealand is one of only five countries where commercial greyhound racing is still allowed.

10 Dec 2024 - 11:13AM

Greyhounds compete during a race in London. Photo: Reuters

United States

US, Canadian hikers missing on New Zealand’s tallest peak believed dead: police

Police said ‘we do not believe the men have survived’ five days after the trio went missing on the peak.

6 Dec 2024 - 12:39PM

Electric & new energy vehicles

Chinese carmaker GAC doubles down on Hong Kong appetite for EVs

The state-owned carmaker is ‘very optimistic’ about sales growth in the city as it introduces an SUV model with gull-wing doors.

5 Dec 2024 - 7:53PMvideocam

Tourism

A Moana holiday sailing in Tahiti offers tastes of Polynesian tradition

Inspired by Disney’s Moana? Channel the Polynesian princess in Tahiti, where traditional vessels take visitors on cultural journeys by water.

5 Dec 2024 - 5:21AM

The Vaapiti, a double-hulled canoe, in French Polynesia. Photo: Vaapiti

Pacific nations

China’s growing presence ‘worries me and it should’: New Zealand’s defence chief

New Zealand’s concerns come as the government plans to increase defence spending, eyeing Nato’s guidance.

4 Dec 2024 - 12:46PM

Animals

New Zealand finds bird flu case at egg farm, suspends poultry exports

Tests at the free-range farm identified ‘a high pathogenic H7N6 subtype of avian influenza’, officials said.

2 Dec 2024 - 3:56PMvideocam

Conservation

‘Remarkable’: New Zealand scientists dissect world’s rarest whale

The week-long dissection offers a unique opportunity to study a deep-sea mammal that has never been seen alive.

2 Dec 2024 - 2:36PM

Rangers walk beside the carcass of a rare spade-toothed whale after it was discovered washed ashore on a beach in New Zealand’s southern Otago province in July. Photo: New Zealand Department of Conservation / AFP

Animals

‘Incredible’ community effort saves dozens of stranded whales in New Zealand

This event highlights the ongoing challenge of whale strandings in the region.

25 Nov 2024 - 5:07PM

Rescuers rope off an area around a dead pilot whale that was stranded on Ruakākā Beach in northland, New Zealand on November 24. Photo: New Zealand Department Of Conservation/AP

Protests around the world

Tens of thousands of Maori, supporters march on New Zealand’s parliament

Protesters oppose a bill drafted by a minor coalition party that aims to redefine a founding treaty of the country dating back to 1840.

19 Nov 2024 - 3:45PM

Tourism

New Zealand eyes tourist fees for iconic sites amid sustainability pressures

Various pricing options under consideration as the stress on facilities become expensive for the Conservation Department and local councils to bear.

15 Nov 2024 - 10:00AM

Diplomacy

Will New Zealand’s alliance with Aukus shift under Trump’s second term?

Analysts believe Wellington will adopt a “wait and see” approach, potentially shifting towards a hedging strategy if Trump abandons the region.

15 Nov 2024 - 1:12PMvideocam

Donald Trump arrives to speak during an election night event on November 6, in West Palm Beach, Florida. Photo: TNS

Celebrity style

My Style: Maggie Hewitt, founder of sustainable fashion brand Maggie Marilyn

The designer introduces us to her hometown of the Bay of Islands, and makes her pitch for sustainable products like biodegradable merino wool from her native New Zealand.

13 Nov 2024 - 4:00AM

Maggie Hewitt, founder of Maggie Marilyn. Photo: Handout

Crime

‘It was wrong’: New Zealand apologises to 200,000 victims of state, church abuse

Those exposed to ‘unimaginable’ abuse in state, foster and faith-based care over a 70-year period were disproportionately Maori.

12 Nov 2024 - 12:32PMvideocam

Australia

First emperor penguin known to reach Australia found on tourist beach

Adult male was found on a popular tourist beach in temperate southwest Australia – about 3,500km north of its Antarctic home’s icy waters.

12 Nov 2024 - 6:18AM

Art

Video art shows Chinese migrants’ struggle in 1800s New Zealand

Displayed at Tai Twun in Hong Kong, Lisa Reihana’s DigiRadiance: Gold_Lead_Wood_Coal shows Chinese miners in New Zealand in 360 degrees.

10 Nov 2024 - 11:44AM

A visitor watches Lisa Reihana’s DigiRadiance: Gold_Lead_Wood_Coal. Photo: Edmond So

Indonesia

Indonesia to import 1 million dairy cows for Prabowo’s free meals scheme

The government forecasts milk demand will hit 8.5 million tonnes by 2029. Indonesia’s current milk output is estimated at 1 million tonnes.

6 Nov 2024 - 2:02PMvideocam

India

Trump or Harris: whoever wins, India expects a more isolationist US

The United States’ prior ‘dominance and generosity’ may be a thing of the past, says India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.

6 Nov 2024 - 12:36PM

India

India worries over Canada’s temple vandalism amid New Zealand’s mosque arson

Hindu temples in Canada and Australia have been vandalised in recent weeks, while a mosque in Auckland was set alight on Tuesday.

5 Nov 2024 - 2:12PM

India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar attends a smoking ceremony at Parliament House in Canberra on Tuesday with Australia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong. Photo: EPA-EFE

China-New Zealand relations

Tech warning a sign of New Zealand’s ‘hardened’ stance towards China: analysts

Warning shows Wellington’s reluctance to be seen as ‘a point of vulnerability’ in tech transfer amid growing China-West rift, experts say.

1 Nov 2024 - 12:24PM

The Chinese flag flies at the Chinese consulate in Auckland, New Zealand. Photo: New Zealand Herald via AP

Australia

New Zealand waves goodbye to its giant ‘monster’ hand sculpture

The 16-feet (5 metres) creation with an unsmiling human face has provoked a myriad of emotions – from horror and revulsion to delight.

30 Oct 2024 - 8:26PM

Aviation

Airport’s ‘max hug time 3 minutes’ sign causes turbulence online

Some have seen the funny side of the sign in the passenger drop off area of New Zealand’s Dunedin Airport, with others flying into a rage.

23 Oct 2024 - 10:58AM

Tourism

New Zealand airport sets 3-minute time limit on goodbye hugs

Cuddle cap was imposed to ‘keep things moving smoothly’ in the drop-off area, airport CEO says.

22 Oct 2024 - 12:57PM

A sign informing time limits for visitors to the passenger drop-off area outside Dunedin Airport. Photo: Dunedin Airport via AP

India

Hoax bomb threats plague India’s airlines – with 30 in 1 day

An anonymous account on the X platform was reportedly behind bomb threats to at least 40 flights. India has threatened ‘very strict action’.

20 Oct 2024 - 3:20PM

Planes queue up on the tarmac before taking off at an airport in Mumbai, India. Photo: AFP

Law

New Zealand exempts abuse victims from 2-year wait before they can seek divorce

The required period before a couple in New Zealand can file for divorce is the longest among divorce laws in comparable countries.

16 Oct 2024 - 9:03PMvideocam

Wellness

Is a colleague struggling with their mental health? Signs to look for

Experts explain what leads to depression at work, red flags from lateness to illness, and how employers can maintain morale and productivity.

16 Oct 2024 - 5:20AM

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