Stories from Wellington · New Zealand

The United States has invited New Zealand to join a multinational coalition aimed at reopening shipping routes blocked since the Middle East war began. Vinusci Walters stated New Zealand may participate only under strict conditions. These conditions include a sustainable ceasefire and compliance with international law, ideally via a UN mandate with Iran's consent to avoid New Zealand being treated as a belligerent party. The US invitation follows discussions regarding a mission led by Britain and France. Both officials stated New Zealand would only consider participation if a sustained ceasefire in the Iran war is achieved. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has also participated in meetings regarding a similar plan led by France and the United Kingdom. Both Luxon and Finance Minister Nicola Willis stated that more information is required before any formal decisions are made.

A father and son working at a dairy were stabbed with scissors by an individual refusing to pay for a pie. Two people were taken to hospital yesterday afternoon, with one in critical condition and the other in moderate condition.

The New Zealand Superfund paid $1.6 billion in tax during the June 2025 tax year. Currently, the fund pays more in tax than it receives in contributions. The New Zealand Superfund is paying more in taxes than previously reported. The New Zealand Superannuation Fund is forecasted to pay an additional $20 billion in tax, according to Treasury projections. John Payne stated that the fund pays a 5% tax on the market value of global listed equities under the FDR regime. Bonds are taxed based on income from interest coupons or underlying bond revaluations. This follows previous reports regarding the fund's tax obligations. Treasury is forecasting the NZ Super will pay another $20 billion in tax. The broadcast also noted that a 40% supplementary inheritance tax will be perceived for his estate, and billionaires are expected to pay trillions of dollars in taxes.

Chiefs Assistant Coach Roger Randall will not join the Irish club Munster at the end of the Super Rugby season. All parties involved agreed not to proceed with the move, according to the announcement. Randall, a former All Black, had planned to join former Chiefs Head Coach Clayton McMillan in Ireland. The move was cancelled following a backlash over resurfaced rape allegations against Randall. The allegations date back to 1997 while Randall was playing for the Wellington Hurricanes in Durban. Randall has maintained his innocence and the original charges were dropped.

One NZ is apologizing to customers following a major intermittent outage affecting mobile and broadband services across the lower North Island and the South Island. Competitor 2degrees attributed the coverage problems to the One NZ outage. The company stated it has opened satellite access to more customers in the affected areas. Technicians are working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. Internet and phone services have been restored for many customers across the country. The service provider apologized to customers via social media, stating the outage affected connectivity for residents and businesses. The company is reportedly working to prevent a recurrence of the issue. The company attributed the connectivity issue to a software bug from one of its technology partners. The service disruption lasted for several hours earlier today.

Manufacturer Novo Nordisk announced plans to introduce a more affordable weight loss pill to the New Zealand market. Nurse Kate Berridge stated that current injectable weight loss medications can cost some individuals over $500 per month.

New Zealanders diagnosed with upper gut cancers, including pancreatic, stomach, or liver cancer, can now access a dedicated support service. Approximately 2,500 people in New Zealand are diagnosed with these specific cancers annually.

The Civil Aviation Authority is moving to expedite several rule changes to allow for greater innovation and growth. Proposed changes could enable drones to travel several kilometers to deliver goods like pizza to farms. Technical difficulties regarding autonomous navigation from point A to B remain a primary challenge. The discussion aims to create a regulatory space for autonomous vehicles to operate more freely. The country also maintains a space industry, ranking as the fourth largest launcher of rockets into space. New plumbing regulations come into effect tomorrow to remove lead from all products allowed in new-build homes and buildings. The change was signaled four years ago, suggesting a gradual phase-out of leaded products during the transition period. Water New Zealand noted that older homes may still contain pipes with lead in them.

The national median house price in New Zealand rose to just over $809,000 in April. This figure is fractionally higher than the median recorded in March. CoreLogic Chief Economist Kelvin Davidson noted that while prices rose, questions remain regarding the duration of this trend.

The electricity authority has requested that power companies explain their current pricing structures. One resident stated they have had to set aside extra money from their paycheck to cover the higher bills.