Stories from Wellington · New Zealand

The former Northcote school site is being considered for conversion into a vocational education campus. The school closed in 2018 after serving Maori Catholic students. Waawahi Ara Board Chair Helen Te Hira stated the board is open to proposals regarding the use of the whenua.

Morningstar's latest KiwiSaver survey indicates the first quarter of the year was difficult for KiwiSaver funds. The top performer for the three months ending in March was Colonel's Clean Energy Fund, which rose 16.8 percent.

Betty Weihongi has challenged claims regarding the immigration detention of her daughter, Everly Weihongi, in the United States. Winston Peters stated that Everly was detained due to a failure to declare a previous cannabis possession charge upon re-entry.

The Reserve Bank's Monetary Policy Committee is improving transparency following charter changes agreed upon with the Minister of Finance. Under the new charter, committee members can publicly share their views.

All three parties in the New Zealand coalition have stressed their understanding of the importance of stability. The parties intend to remain in power until November 7.

New Zealand First Deputy Leader Shane Jones rejected suggestions of tension between coalition partners. The stability of the current governing alliance is being actively debated by commentators. Political tensions within the New Zealand coalition government are being scrutinized as analysts debate the potential for a snap election. Any of the three coalition parties could potentially trigger an election by withdrawing support. Current political dynamics are described as a new level of brinksmanship. The stability of the coalition through November remains uncertain. There are questions regarding whether the current coalition will last until the November elections. However, pulling the pin on the current arrangement is described as a gamble. All three coalition parties have expressed an intention to maintain stability until November 7.

The New Zealand Labour Party stated that newly released emails prove Prime Minister Christopher Luxon supported the United States' war on Iran.

New Zealand Rugby interim chief Steve Lancaster stated the organization faces challenges in recruiting and retaining players. Lancaster noted that the code is not struggling due to sound investments through the provincial union network and community game initiatives.

Maritime New Zealand is updating the Maritime Security Act of 2004 due to evolving shipping security threats. Hewlett noted that seaports are being targeted by criminal gangs.

Pharmaceuticals director Adrian Martin Tolstoy stated that Pharmax is temporarily rationing certain forms of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) used for menopause symptoms. Starting tomorrow, progesterone capsules will be dispensed on a monthly basis instead of every three months. The change affects generic medications which cost between 45 and 50 dollars a month. The country is struggling to source estrogen patches because manufacturers cannot meet global demand. Tolstoy noted that without these treatments, patients face disruptions to their everyday well-being. Pharmax is reportedly working to minimize the supply disruption. Manufacturers are struggling to meet global demand for estrogen patches, causing supply disruptions in New Zealand. The Malagon Institute, a New Zealand charity, is conducting clinical trials for a locally developed CAR-T cell therapy.