The government is continuing to crack down on dodgy builders, with a move to strengthen requirements for registration and licensing. These changes would focus on lifting the competence and accountability requirements for building professionals and improving consumer protection measures in the Building Act. It would also seek to ensure regulators have…

By Gyles Beckford of RNZ  The government’s finances worsened more than expected in the past year as inflation and interest rates lifted expenses quicker than than a rise in the tax take. Final government accounts for the year ended June show a deficit of $12.9 billion compared with forecasts in…

An Air New Zealand flight has been turned around after experiencing severe turbulence while trying to land in Dunedin on Wednesday morning.Meanwhile, a second flight from Auckland to Queenstown had to turn back after it was struck by lightning mid-flight.Flight NZ681 between Wellington and Dunedin attempted to land twice but…

A dovish call by the Reserve Bank to cut the official cash rate by 50 basis points has been welcomed as a “relief”.The central bank said it made its decision based on the belief that inflation is now within the 1-3% target range, and heading towards the 2% midpoint.Watch on…

A 39-year-old man has been arrested after allegedly driving his vehicle into two police vehicles, and assaulting police officers.Police said the incident began today after the man allegedly fled from police who were conducting a traffic stop at Five Cross Roads, Claudelands, Hamilton.Officers responded and located the vehicle after complaints…

Divers have described the eerie, “distressing” scene at the site of the HMNZS Manawanui after it sank off the coast of Samoa over the weekend.The New Zealand Navy survey ship sank after hitting a reef on Saturday night.A member of the 15-strong Navy survey search and recovery dive team, Ensign…

Lotto’s Powerball jackpot has grown to $20 million after no tickets won the prize this evening. The winning numbers are: 10, 1, 3, 38, 32, 24, Bonus Ball 7, and Power Ball 3.One Lotto player in Hamilton has won $1 million with Lotto First Division. The winning ticket was sold…

A high trust model in the firearms licensing process saw the man responsible for the Christchurch terror attack considered “fit and proper”, an inquest has heard.The inquest into the attack where 51 worshippers at Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Islamic Centre were murdered on March 15, 2019 has re-convened for…

Wellington’s Bordeaux Bakery chain is shutting its doors after 30 years — blaming what it calls catastrophic roading changes by the council.The business, which employs about 30 people across its three stores, told 1News it has seen a decrease in turnover by about 70% in the past year.Owner Tony Bates…

The Health Minister says it’s a matter of “when, not if” New Zealand has a measles outbreak as childhood immunisation rates continue to fall.”We’re now at least 10% below our MMR rates to where we were in 2019 — how do you think that’s going to go for us? Not…