Stories from New Zealand

Tom Rutherford, the MP for Bay of Plenty, is seeking central government support to reopen Mt Maunganui. The request follows a landslide at the base of the mountain that killed six people nearly 100 days ago.

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.

A vehicle rollover accident occurred on Karajong Road in Napier, affecting traffic approaching the nearby roundabout. The incident involved a vehicle rolling into a fence. Local reports indicate the crash is affecting Elizabeth Drive.

A 61-year-old Auckland man has admitted to spray painting anti-Indian graffiti near a school in Manukau. Detective Superintendent Ross McKay stated police believe the individual was assisted by a small group at various stages. The graffiti, which appeared last month, incited violence against the Indian community. Charges may be filed at a later date if further information is uncovered. The man's name is currently under permanent suppression. According to a summary of facts, the man told police he was intoxicated and could not remember the incident.

ANZ reported a profit of $1.26 billion for the six months ended March. ANZ utilizes economic hedges to manage foreign exchange and interest rate risks. Total revenue rose 5% to just under $2.7 billion. Chief Executive Antonio Watson attributed a five basis point margin fall to increased competition. Watson noted that competition intensifies when transaction volumes slow down compared to the post-COVID surge. The bank also released a consumer confidence survey today which showed steady results. The report follows a period of high demand and intense banking competition post-COVID. This figure represents the profit for the country's largest bank. Centric reported that consumer and mortgage arrears have dropped to their lowest levels since 2023. However, Centric managing director Keith McLaughlin noted that 95,000 people are more than 90 days behind on payments.

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.

A new stadium hosted rugby matches with sellout crowds of 25,000 people on each day. Approximately seven to eight thousand spectators reportedly flew across the Tasman to attend the event. The event drew fans from across the country and the region.