National

'What the f***!': Dame Lynda Topp blasts government in awards speech

Dame Lynda Topp blasts the government's arts funding at the Aotearoa Music Awards. Photo: RNZ...

'What the f***!': Dame Lynda Topp blasts government in awards speech

Surviving Topp Twin, Dame Lynda, has delivered a blistering impassioned volley at the government for overlooking the arts in this year's Budget.

Budget prompts nostalgia not optimism

Budget prompts nostalgia not optimism

If Budget 2026’s Economic and Fiscal Update document came with a soundtrack it would be The Way We Were, by Barbra Streisand.

Top of South Island braced for 44 hours of rain

Orange heavy rain warnings have been issued for parts of the South Island, with heavy downpours forecast in the Tasman district.

Investment will enhance disaster resilience: expert

Contractors work on the Nevis Bluff earlier this month. $400 million has been set aside in the...

Investment will enhance disaster resilience: expert

Investing in provincial highways could prevent vulnerable communities from being isolated and prevent major disruption to supply routes, a disaster risk specialist says.

Man jailed after causing crash which killed friend

Tangaroa Paki caused a Tauranga crash that killed his best friend, Brayden Tawa. Photo: Open...

Man jailed after causing crash which killed friend

The young daughter of a man killed by his best mate in a high-speed, drug-fuelled crash says she will never forgive him.

DoW AI war project info ‘delusional’

Participants in the Five Eyes combined digital leadership summit, held in Washington in earlier...

DoW AI war project info ‘delusional’

"Delusional" and a possible "piss-take" is how geopolitical and security analysts are describing information from the United States Department of War (DoW) about an artificial intelligence-enabled,...

Budget 'doing nothing' for struggling families: Salvation Army

The Salvation Army is warning that families are starving and it wants the government to urgently...

Budget 'doing nothing' for struggling families: Salvation Army

Budget 2026 has nothing that will really make a difference for struggling families, the Salvation Army says.

Funeral held for mum and daughter who died in fire

Mum and daughter who died in house fire farewelled

Hundreds of people have farewelled a mother and her young daughter who were killed in a Christchurch house fire earlier this month.

Boost for trades training as tertiary subsidies frozen

The Budget boosts spending on curriculum changes and trade training for teens, freezes nearly all tertiary subsidies and fast-tracks a modest boost for early childhood services.

Money to shore up South Is state highways

The Milford Road (SH94) in Southland. Photo: MILFORD ROAD ALLIANCE

Money to shore up South Is state highways

Budget 2026 contains funding for just one Road of National Significance and will help ensure state highways are resilient due to severe weather events.

Willis' superannuation comments an 'unfortunate mistake': Peters

Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters. Photo: RNZ

Willis' superannuation comments an 'unfortunate mistake': Peters

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters says the Finance Minister made an "unfortunate mistake" when she made comments about superannuation during the Budget-lock up.

$48m boost for Māori broadcasting

Pokere Paewai of RNZA boost for Māori broadcasting is the one main highlight for Māori in this year's Budget.

Spending on Pacific aid and defence

Budget 2026 will see more foreign aid to the Pacific region, while defence and customs spending rises with an eye towards crime and security.

Opposition: Govt making Kiwis' lives harder

The Opposition says this year's Budget leaves Kiwis to fend for themselves, with more spending for prisons and more children in poverty.

'Grand Designs' castle in Canterbury up for sale

The Sefton property was featured on Grand Designs New Zealand. Photo: Supplied

'Grand Designs' castle in Canterbury up for sale

A luxury "post-modern castle" in Canterbury that appeared on 'Grand Designs New Zealand' in 2022 is on the market.

'A political choice': Homelessness reaches record levels

Community Housing Aotearoa warns homelessness has reached its highest level ever. Photo: RNZ /...

'A political choice': Homelessness reaches record levels

Significant investment in social and affordable housing is crucial to solving New Zealand's housing crisis and ending homelessness, a new report says.

Luxon, UK PM talk war, cost of living in call

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon (L) talks with UK Prime Minster Keir Starmer in...

Luxon, UK PM talk war, cost of living in call

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon spoke with his British counterpart Sir Keir Starmer on Wednesday night to discuss the Iran and Ukraine wars, as well as the cost of living.

Govt creates $450m stash to address fuel crisis

Govt creates $450m stash to address fuel crisis

The government has announced it is holding $450 million in reserve to address further shocks caused by high fuel prices amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

NZ generates double the global average of rubbish

NZ generates double the global average of rubbish: report

A report from the World Bank shows Kiwis generate almost two kilos of rubbish per person, per day - more than twice the global average.

Big boost for health

Health gets $5.8 billion of new spending, including a $5.5b increase to frontline services over four years.

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