With New Zealand voting under MMP on November 7, Andy Loader argues that centre-right voters should think strategically about their two votes. Challenging calls from Christopher Luxon and John Key to give both votes to National, Loader contends that voters should back National electorate candidates while giving their party vote to ACT or NZ First, arguing that securing a centre-right parliamentary majority must come before protecting individual…

The COVID Files examines what New Zealand decision-makers knew as vaccination requirements expanded into employment and participation. Drawing on official advice, OIA records and Royal Commission findings, the investigation traces changing evidence on transmission, concerns over mandates for younger people, the impact of Omicron and the consequences for workers who declined vaccination. It asks a central question: as the evidence changed, were…

With the 2026 election approaching, five political parties have put competing agricultural, environmental and tax policies before around 350 farmers at Mystery Creek in Waikato. Behind the campaign promises lies a larger question for rural New Zealand: which policies protect productive capacity and property rights while dealing credibly with water quality, emissions and long-term economic resilience? Report by eLocal · Representatives from…

Nearly a month after a woman and two very young children were killed at a Rotorua home, a man charged with assaulting a person in a family relationship has been released on electronically monitored bail. Police have described the deaths as homicides, but publicly available information does not show that the man has been charged with causing any of the three deaths. Report by eLocal · Three deaths inside a Rotorua home on the night of 7…

Britain is confronting an extraordinary surge in bluetongue, with confirmed cases in the first three months of the current season already four times higher than the previous three seasons combined. The outbreak carries no known risk to humans or food safety, but its scale raises questions for livestock-producing countries such as New Zealand about changing patterns of vector-borne animal disease INR Report: Based on reporting by RT HERE ·…

New Zealand's environmental policies are facing an unprecedented test under its free trade agreement with the European Union, after a Dutch environmental organisation lodged the first climate-related complaint through the EU's trade enforcement mechanism. The Government rejects the allegation, but the dispute raises a wider question for New Zealand: how much control over domestic environmental and energy policy was effectively constrained when…

What if the greatest transfer of wealth in New Zealand's history required neither invasion nor the outright sale of the country's assets? What if its citizens retained ownership on paper while gradually losing the authority to determine how their land, water, minerals, forests and infrastructure were used? Imagine, for a moment, that you were writing a political thriller. Your fictional objective is the acquisition of a prosperous island…

Labour says its 2026 election promises are fully funded and independently reviewed. But New Zealand enters the election with weak productivity, rising debt, a falling dollar, high living costs and an economy dangerously exposed to imported energy and geopolitical shocks. Report by eLocal · Labour says its election programme is paid for. · Its fiscal plan contains about $24.5 billion of spending over five years, partly funded through almost $11…

Discover retirement with more time for what matters at Acacia Cove Village. For resident Jill, village life has brought new friendships, activities close at hand, freedom from home maintenance and the reassurance of a safe and secure community. With independently owned Acacia Cove able to make decisions locally, residents can spend less time worrying about everyday responsibilities and more time enjoying the people, activities and experiences…

Discover European comfort made for real life with Josef Seibel at Halliwell Shoes. With German shoemaking heritage dating back to 1886, the collection combines quality craftsmanship, modern styling and everyday comfort. Explore versatile men’s and ladies’ styles, including extra-wide fittings and larger sizes, with features such as quality leather, removable footbeds and lightweight, flexible soles. Visit Halliwell Shoes in Pukekohe and let the…

Russia’s Defence Ministry says it is stepping up strikes on Ukrainian military sites in response to Vladimir Zelensky’s threats against Russian oil refineries. Yemen’s Saudi-backed authorities announce plans to retake Houthi-held territory, as the Sanaa-based group claims a strike on a major Riyadh oil refinery complex. Iran says it will resist further aggression but remains open to diplomacy, offering to reopen the Strait of Hormuz if…

The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu almost two years ago, yet he remains free to travel to countries prepared to receive him. The deeper issue is no longer simply Netanyahu's case, but whether international law can retain credibility when enforcement ultimately depends upon political decisions by individual states. INR Report: Based on reporting by RT HERE · American…

Meta could face one of the largest corporate penalties in US history after a New Mexico jury found Facebook repeatedly misled consumers about how their personal information was collected, protected, shared and used. The state is seeking as much as US$40 billion, but the final penalty has yet to be determined and Meta argues the proposed amount is excessive. INR Report: Based on reporting by RT HERE · A privacy case originating in the Cambridge…

Brazilian authorities have opened an investigation into allegations that US government funds were intended to support civil-society organisations campaigning against the country's Supreme Federal Court. The controversy comes immediately before Brazil's presidential election and amid an increasingly bitter dispute between Brasília and Washington over judicial power, censorship, tariffs and political influence. INR Report: Based on reporting by…

WikiLeaks transformed the relationship between governments, whistleblowers and the public by publishing primary-source documents on wars, surveillance, diplomacy and intelligence operations. Twenty years later, its legacy is inseparable from Julian Assange's prosecution and a question democracies have still not resolved: when classified information exposes wrongdoing, who should be punished, those who reveal it or those responsible for what it…

Russia's Valdai forum presented a world in which Western dominance is giving way to a more contested international system centred on sovereign states, competing power centres and institutions such as BRICS. That is Russia's interpretation of the transition, not an established historical verdict, but the underlying shift matters greatly to New Zealand INR Report: Based on analysis by Timofey Bordachev for RT HERE · For most New Zealanders,…

Europe is rearming, NATO is reinforcing its eastern flank and Russia is warning that confrontation could escalate into nuclear war. Yet NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte says there is currently “no imminent threat to NATO territory.” As military preparations intensify on both sides, the critical question is whether Europe is deterring a future war, or creating the conditions in which miscalculation could start one. For New Zealand, already…

After years of extraordinary Western support for Ukraine, a former Polish prime minister is asking a question increasingly difficult to dismiss: where did all the money and equipment go? Leszek Miller's claim that Ukrainian officials are embezzling foreign assistance goes beyond what available evidence establishes, but documented corruption cases and acknowledged weaknesses in aid oversight make demands for greater accountability legitimate. INR…

Generous family living meets a peaceful Karaka setting in this substantial five-bedroom home. Spread across two levels, it offers a spacious open-plan kitchen, dining and living hub, flexible ground-floor fifth bedroom, multiple outdoor entertaining areas and attractive water views. The master suite includes a walk-in wardrobe and ensuite, while double internal-access garaging, easy-care grounds and convenient motorway access complete this…

Positioned in the heart of Waiuku, this well-presented three-bedroom home combines comfort, convenience and easy-care living. The open-plan kitchen, dining and living area flows onto an expansive sun-soaked deck, ideal for entertaining or relaxing. With a family bathroom, separate toilet, dedicated laundry and double garage with extra storage, it’s a great option for first-home buyers, investors or downsizers. !Image Text · Bedrooms…

Positioned in an established Pukekohe street, this substantial four-bedroom, two-bathroom multi-level home offers exceptional space for family living and entertaining. Multiple living zones, an office and a large games room with bar provide outstanding flexibility, while the kitchen and dining area flows to covered outdoor entertaining overlooking the swimming pool. A private, versatile home close to Pukekohe’s shops, cafés, schools and…

Set within sought-after Anselmi Ridge, this impressive split-level family home combines space, flexibility and modern comfort. Offering four bedrooms, two bathrooms and generous open-plan living across approximately 222sqm, it features a well-appointed kitchen, seamless outdoor flow and a versatile lower-level room ideal for an office, media room or gym. With a double garage, easy-care grounds and a convenient location close to Valley School…

Immaculately presented in a sought-after Pukekohe location, this low-maintenance brick home offers four bedrooms, two bathrooms and two generous living areas across 152sqm. The light-filled open-plan kitchen, dining and living space flows to a covered outdoor entertaining area, while the private master includes an ensuite. With double internal-access garaging, an easy-care section and schools, parks, shops, cafés and Pukekohe town centre within…