Stories from Wellington · New Zealand

A New Zealand study shows children are exposed to unhealthy food and drink marketing an average of 68 times per day. Associate Professor Victoria Egley stated the exposure is deliberate rather than accidental.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade is seeking information regarding New Zealanders who may have been involved when Israeli military patrols intercepted a flotilla of 50 boats. The discussion said that the action violated international law and put the lives of numerous civilians from various nations at risk. The discussion raised questions regarding the potential responses from Israel, the United States, and the United Kingdom within the United Nations. Six New Zealand nationals were among those caught in the interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla attempting to reach Gaza. 22 of the 58 boats in the flotilla and their crews were attacked and intercepted by the Israeli military in international waters. Sources describe the intervention as improper. Two New Zealanders, Ha Hauna Ormsby among them, avoided capture during an incident involving a flotilla.

National Party deputy leader Nicola Willis stated that Winston Peters' office acted in bad faith regarding the release of emails. The correspondence concerns Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's stance on a joint US-Israeli attack on Iran.

A court in Wellington has turned down an appeal by Brenton Tarrant, a 35-year-old white supremacist. Tarrant admitted to carrying out New Zealand's deadliest modern-day mass shooting, which killed 51 people. The incident resulted in 51 deaths.

New Zealand currently lacks a national nutrition survey for children. The absence of this data makes it difficult to assess health impacts such as central adiposity, overweight, and obesity. These conditions are linked to over 13 different types of cancer.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has acknowledged that his previous desire to provide full support for the attack on Iraq was a mistake. The admission follows criticism regarding his past stance on the conflict. Opposition parties, including Labour and the Greens, are using the acknowledgment to claim the coalition government is unstable. The source noted that the Prime Minister has expressed a desire to make amends for the error.

New Zealand leader Winston Peters admitted he made a mistake by not consulting on a specific matter. No specific details regarding the subject of the consultation were provided in the transcript. He stated there is no reason the information should not be open. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon expressed dissatisfaction with the error, with his office stating he expects more from Peters given his four decades in public office. Released email correspondence shows the New Zealand Prime Minister preferred offering more explicit public support to the United States. Winston Peters' team raised objections to this approach, according to a spokesperson. The spokesperson stated that the Prime Minister's suggested course of action would have been improved. The correspondence follows a recent interview regarding global peace and security.

International credit rating agency S&P reported that New Zealand councils are facing financial strain, forcing them to postpone essential investments or increase borrowing. The government intends to cap annual rate increases between 2% and 4% to prevent consecutive double-digit increases. The agency noted that council needs remain high while solutions are not clear-cut. The report notes that some council staff receive high salaries, with some earning over $200,000 per year. Additionally, 88 staff members are paid more than $256,000, a figure exceeding that of a Government Minister outside of Cabinet. The scale of spending varies across different local councils. New Zealand's local government minister, Simon Watts, announced that councils have been granted three months to develop proposals for amalgamation. The reforms aim to create fewer, larger councils to better serve communities.

Speaker of the House Jerry Brownlee has suspended TVNZ political editor Mikey Sherman from Parliament for five days. The suspension runs from May 1 to May 6. Brownlee stated the suspension follows attempts by Sherman to secure an interview that went beyond the prescription and spirit of parliamentary rules. The decision was announced in a statement released on Thursday. The editor informed the Speaker that it was not her intention to violate the rules but accepts the decision. Brownlee stated that all protocols between the Parliament Speaker's Office and the Press Gallery have been satisfied. Speaker Gerry Brownlee announced the five-day suspension of the TVNZ political editor. Sherman was reportedly pursuing National Party whip Stuart Smith concerning reports of caucus dissatisfaction with Christopher Luxon's leadership.

Tally Seafood confirmed it will close its West Port fish processing factory next month. The decision follows a period of consultation and will affect 92 jobs. The company stated that staff will be offered work in other parts of the business.