Direct flights between Dunedin and the Gold Coast have been a “major contributor” to an increase in visitors from across the Ditch, Dunedin Airport says. According to data released by Stats NZ last week, visitor arrivals from Australia to New Zealand increased 153,500 (12%) to 1.48 million in the 12…

The Supreme Court has dismissed Uber’s appeal against an earlier court ruling and has agreed four drivers who brought a case against the rideshare company are employees.Uber New Zealand – which has about 11,000 drivers – took its appeal all the way to the country’s top court to challenge a…

A friend of a Dunedin man stabbed more than 40 times has described finding his unresponsive body soaked in blood.Gurjit Singh, 27, was found stabbed to death in what appeared to be an attempted decapitation on the lawn of his Dunedin home in January last year.The 35-year-old man accused of…

Wedding bells are in Labour leader Chris Hipkins’ future after announcing his engagement today to partner Toni Grace.”I didn’t win the Powerball over the weekend but I did hit the jackpot,” he posted on Instagram on Monday afternoon. “Toni, every day with you is incredible. Through the ups and downs…

Police have confirmed a man has died at Auckland’s Takapuna Beach today after being pulled from the water unresponsive. Emergency services were called to the North Shore beach around midday after the man was seen unresponsive in the water and had been pulled onto the beach.Police and other emergency services…

The Prime Minister is giving a briefing to media after a meeting of Cabinet ministers in Wellington today, with an announcement of major changes to the clean car standard expected.The media conference comes after a week dominated by the scandal over former Police Commissioner Jevon McSkimming.Also on the political agenda…

A pair of Hungarian nationals have been sentenced over a “sustained and calculated deception” involving false identities and forged documents to gain visas and residency in New Zealand.A 50-year-old man and 44-year-old woman, both with interim name suppression, were today sentenced in the Auckland District Court after pleading guilty to…

The Government is tinkering with the Clean Car Standard – again – saying most importers are unable to meet the targets under the scheme as it currently stands.It will also fully review the scheme, with recommendations to Cabinet due by June 2026.The Government last year watered down the standard to…

Thousands of indigenous leaders in education have gathered in Auckland for the World Indigenous Peoples’ Conference on Education, the event returning to New Zealand for the first time in 20 years.Hosted by Auckland University of Technology and in partnership with iwi Manaaki Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, the conference launched on Sunday…

A crane operator who was killed as he delivered timber had earlier raised concerns with his employer about how close the power lines were.Wesley Talakai, 38, struck live lines with his truck-mounted crane outside a house building site in Greenhithe, northwest Auckland, in August 2023.WorkSafe said the crane was just…