Latest breaking news NZ | Stuff.co.nz

May 21 2022

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Susan Edmunds

How squeezed is 'the middle' really?

Hannah Martin

Parents 'petrified' by RSV risk this winter

Louisa Steyl

Blown away trampoline smashes car window

Tom Pullar-Strecker

Analysis: The Budget's meda jigsaw puzzle

Labor appears on track to oust Australian PM Scott Morrison

Labor supporters are growing more confident the party will be able to form a government, but uncertainty remains whether it will be a majority or minority.

6m ago

Andrew Brown

Live: Blues vs Brumbies

Beauden Barrett and the Blues hit Canberra for a much-anticipated clash between the top New Zealand and Australian sides.

Stuff sports reporters

Striking hospital workers: What you need to know

ANALYSIS: Here's what hospital workers get, what they've been offered, and what they want.

44 bullet casings allegedly found at Auckland driveway shooting

A Red Hill resident said “the house is trashed, peppered with bullet holes”.

10:10pm

Aus election: Liberals look to pick up a couple of seats, losing others

39m ago

Morrison switches to transparency on what could be his final day as Aussie PM

Auckland Harbour Bridge protesters 'selfish and stupid', 11 arrested

A top Auckland cop has slammed the behaviour of a protest group who stopped cars on the Harbour Bridge, resisted arrest and assaulted police. Eleven arrests were made.

15 division two Lotto winners grab $18k each as one lucky player takes home $9m

Saturday night's major win marked the seventh time Powerball has been struck this year.

Bodies of two 'mutilated' dogs found in Northland evidence of ring fighting

The bodies of the two dogs are the strongest evidence yet of dog-fighting in the district, according to the local animal rescue.

Blast of record-breaking heat for southern and central Europe

10:00pm

latest headlines

11:11pm

Lotto: Hamilton Powerball player takes home $9 million, $18k each for another 15 winners

editors' picks

Quiz: Afternoon trivia challenge

Inside the ‘Wagatha Christie’ trial, Britain’s biggest celebrity feud

Hurricanes too hot for Rebels in Wellington

Topp Twins both test positive for Covid-19

Restoring 'real special' kanakana in Mataura

Bulls on the loose and all for Ross Giblin after 45 years on the job

Grand Designs NZ builder's new home is in an art gallery

Bollywood's visually explosive, emotionally charged epic hits Netflix

coronavirus More

Covid-19: 6635 community cases, 400 hospitalisations and six deaths today

There were six deaths, and 400 hospitalisations, including 12 in ICU, reported on Saturday by the Ministry of Health.

Nurse worked hospital shifts instead of being in Covid isolation

Yan Zheng showed "blatant disregard" for patient and community safety by working hospital shifts when she should have been in isolation, lawyer says.

Covid-19: 7800 new community cases, 17 deaths

Seventeen people have died with Covid, among 7800 new community cases, the Ministry of Health has announced.

Two Pacific neighbours are making it easier for Kiwis to visit

New Caledonia and French Polynesia have both announced that vaccinated travellers from New Zealand no longer need to take a pre-departure RAT or PCR test.

Pharmac gets massive boost as $13.2b poured into health

The drug-buying agency's budget will rise by about 20%, while Budget 2022 clears the debts of DHBs and starts setting up a new health system.

Covid-19: 9091 new community cases on Thursday, five deaths

Wednesday marked a grim milestone as the country surpassed 1000 deaths with Covid-19 and another five have been added to the tally.

national More

Vandals target almost century-old Auckland monument

The Valkyrie Fountain, created by English sculptor Gilbert Bayes in the early 1900s, has been targeted by ramraiders in Auckland Domain.

Family considers leaving NZ to access medicine after funding decline

Advocate recommends families move to Australia after missing out on funding for life-saving drugs to help their children with SMA, a rare genetic disorder.

Carbon crops and community connections: How one farm cuts emissions

Concrete action to reduce farm emissions in the Government’s reduction plan was light, but some farms were taking matters into their own hands.

Migrant awarded $34K for five months unpaid work

The signwriter from Lithuania was awarded compensation after an extended disciplinary process that left him “emotionally dead”.

Mates who got $300k in PledgeMe funding bought cars, holidays and booze

No sooner had investors ploughed $337,000 into his startup, than Felix Watkins was spending it on a $49,000 Ford Mustang.

'Do I scare them?': Mayor admits lightening his skin to get elected

The most interesting mayor in Aotearoa, K Gurunathan, is stepping down after literally sacrificing skin tone for the chains.

Eleven arrested after protesters stopped cars on Harbour bridge, assaulted police

How squeezed is the middle really?

Mates who got $300k in PledgeMe funding bought cars, holidays and booze

Quiz: Afternoon trivia challenge: May 21, 2022

Scaffolding collapses at luxury Auckland apartments

Dog park closed after pet dies

Recap: Hurricanes vs Rebels

'They all knew': Teacher nicknamed 'Bummer Bond' abused boys for 40 years

Boat stopped as Morrison trumpets border security on Australia's election day

Australia's PM claims voters need to keep him to continue stopping boats after two Sri Lankan asylum seeker vessels were intercepted apparently trying to reach Australia.

Signs of tension as Australia's leaders get an early start on election day

Australia's prime minister and opposition leader have cast their votes and made their final pitches in Sydney after starting the day in Melbourne.

Murder-accused Chris Dawson said his wife was ‘not coming back’, court told

Teacher's Pet case: The ex-student and second wife of the Australian man said she moved straight into the home as he said his first wife Lynette Dawson was “gone”.

Jump in number of Ukrainian people seeking refuge in NZ

More than 150 Ukrainians have now arrived in New Zealand on a special visa aimed at supporting international humanitarian efforts.

Biden struggles to woo Asian nations wary of upsetting China

As the US president arrives in South Korea, Asian leaders are still waiting for details on a strategy for more American economic engagement in the region.

Mercedes to swing to top-end models in luxury-car profit race

Mercedes-Benz is cutting back its entry-level cars as part of an overhaul that will channel more than three-quarters of its investment into higher-end vehicles.

lifestyle More

Small saviours that got us through Covid

Ed Sheeran announces birth of second daughter

'A New Year's kiss turned into something more'

Recipe: Silverbeet and halloumi pockets

The corset is making a fashion comeback and I couldn't be happier

Recipe: Braised lentils and silverbeet

The glitziest fashion so far from the 2022 Cannes Film Festival

Women get more from a cuddle than men - study

All pregnant women should have the confidence to dress like Rihanna

Something old, something new: The costumes of Downton Abbey: A New Era

travel More

'Pie heaven': Where this executive chef heads for food and coffee

And the "wonderful place" he would take visitors for a taste of New Zealand.

Travel offers: NZ’s cheapest scenic flight

Plus, save when booking multiple nights at a Fiji resort and at a new apartment complex on the Gold Coast.

Three of the best beaches in Fiji

Ridiculously blue water, unspoiled reefs and oodles of privacy - it’s hard to beat these dreamy Fijian beaches.

See these 10 tourist destinations now before they're gone

Discover doomed settlements and the first-ever Buzzy Bee in Wellsford

Abel Tasman's family affair

Wining, dining and tramping give Wairarapa's hospitality spending a boost

business More

How squeezed is the middle really?

A minimum wage worker with no student loan and two kids would get $970 a week. Someone on $90k with a student loan and no kids would get $1098.

How much of a funding boost can TVNZ and RNZ really expect after merger?

ANALYSIS: Budget jigsaw puzzle suggests Government is increasing funding, but what the public will get in return remains a mystery.

The Panel: Where is your KiwiSaver money, and why?

What sort of fund are you in for KiwiSaver and how did you choose your provider? Have you been worried by market movements?

Food price warning after tornado damages crops

Shoppers may pay more for their locally grown leafy greens in the coming months.

My Food Bag 'inundated' with messages after Simon Henry comments, CEO says

My Food Bag's contact centre received thousands of messages of support for Nadia Lim after Simon Henry's insulting comments, CEO says.

NZX50 gains 0.5%, company results boost NZ market

The NZ sharemarket was boosted by Ryman and My Food Bag, while Wall St slipped closer to becoming a bear market.

prosper More

Linkwater couple milking it after 'mammoth' turnaround of rundown farm

When Tanya and Murray Frost bought their 260ha dairy farm a decade ago, they could tell it had potential. But that’s about all it had.

Meet the cobbler keeping Stratford on its feet

David Deacon operates a small shop in the heart of Stratford. It smells like leather and wax and has machines that have been going for more than a century.

What I've Learned: Perfect doesn't exist

Teen's life turned around by sustainable sandwich bag business

Navigating inflation: Tips for small business owners

climate change More

Two kids, no car: Mum's determination to take the bus for the planet

Ngahuia Freed has got her two boys on board with public transport in a mission to take charge of their own emissions.

Why the Tiwai smelter holds our climate target in its hands

The aluminium smelter produces lots of greenhouse gas. If it keeps it up, it could blow the Government's first-ever pollution target.

Instead of rebuilding their quake-damaged home, this Chch couple went tiny

It's fast fashion, but not as we know it

Steel and coal still intertwined, but carbon offsets tackle emissions in NZ

pou tiaki More

Dame Aroha Reriti-Crofts dies, aged 83

A former national president of the Māori Women's Welfare League and champion for Māori health has died in Christchurch Hospital surrounded by her whānau.

Budget's funding for Māori health services just a start

OPINION: The $299m for Māori health services over four years is just 2.3% of the new health spending over the next four years – a drop in the bucket.

Budget 2022: Fine print reveals a mix of gains and losses for Māori services

Health was the big winner but funding boosts don't come close to addressing inequities, Māori service providers say.

Expert: Budget's $350 payment not enough, Pasifika need more to survive

Making public transport or GP visits free for the next year may be a more sustainable way to help struggling Pasifika, Pacific health expert Dr Teuila Percival says.

The Taranaki school melding Māori culture and e-sports

Mixing Māori traditions with the booming world of e-sports is one way Spotswood College is weaving Te Tiriti o Waitangi into the fabric of student learning.

Eco-park funding bid failure 'more of the same' for Māori and Pasifika

It was hoped a planned eco-park would attract $1 billion of investment in Māori and Pasifika enterprise. But it has missed out on funding in the Budget.

It's taken 61 years, but Hari Rapata has found his Maoritanga

Hari Rapata feels his te reo journey has only just begun, but it has already changed his life in the best of ways.

Māori Health receives $299m as part of multibillion health budget

A boost for Māori health and Whānau Ora in the Budget is unlikely to quell criticism the Government has not put enough emphasis on enabling iwi and Māori services to provide for their own whānau.

sport More

Foot injury may rule out Warriors' Addin Fonua-Blake for remainder of NRL season

Warriors coach Nathan Brown fears his star prop could have a lisfranc foot injury, which usually takes between three to six months to recover from.

Cane limps off with knee injury in Chiefs' thrashing of Force

Clayton McMillan's side edge closer to securing a home quarterfinal, but there will be major concerns over their co-captain.

Tactix stun Mystics to keep Premiership playoff hopes alive

The loss of Grace Nweke was too much for the Mystics to cope with as they suffered a surprise loss to a battling Tactix outfit.

Woods plays through pain, makes another major cut at PGA

Recap: Hurricanes vs Rebels

Warriors defeat to Dragons puts another dent in top eight prospects

Black Caps hit by Covid-19 cases on day of first England tour match

homed More

Why a lump of mud is better than looking at screens

Wellington potter Karla Marie has been struggling to keep up with demand for ceramics classes.

Why it might not be wise to spend too much on renos now

Property coach Steve Goodey typically has a “buy, renovate, sell” strategy. But not right now.

Traditional English kitchen with stunning scullery to match

Decorative corbels, crown mouldings and glass display cabinets are de rigueur in a traditional English kitchen.

What it's like to be apprenticed to your own husband

The garden path less travelled

When work and home life collide – in a good way

How a cleaner saved my marriage

entertainment More

13 of the biggest films to get excited about right now

If you've missed the smell of popcorn and strangers kicking your seat as the credits roll, add these must-see blockbusters to your radar this year.

Eight great Renee Zellweger movies (and where you can watch them)

From the nefarious Roxy Hart to the lovelorn Bridget Jones and the optimistic Dorothy Boyd, the Texan has created some memorable characters.

Craig McLachlan to drop media defamation case

The actor is set to drop his defamation case against two Australian media organisations and a former colleague, two weeks into his trial.

Eight great shows to stream this weekend

Friday flashback: The master of disaster's big bang comes to Amazon

Hanson to play one New Zealand show in November

Fascinating Netflix true crime docuseries detail's one-man's obsession

motoring More

Mercedes-Benz confirms record-breaking 300 SLR Coupe sale

The Ferrari 250 GTO is officially no longer the world's most expensive car.

Meet Arkana, Renault's stylish baby SUV

Renault's Arkana is the French brand's entry into the lucrative small SUV market, coming as a stylish coupe SUV.

VW's answer to Rivian raises questions

Prodrive is restomodding the best year of Impreza

kea kids news More

The 11-year-old who loved his Big Ben Lego so much, he became a bellringer

Connor Hart was intrigued by the bell inside his Big Ben Lego kit, so he joined a group ringing bells at an Auckland church – and was instantly hooked.

The Kiwi kids making robots swim

A team of Rotorua schoolchildren are heading to the world Aquabots champs in the US, after beating out competition from throughout New Zealand.

Kiwi singer a surprise pop star in China

TikTok barber helping the homeless

spotlight More

Top cop involved in interviews that led to false murder confession

Architect of controversial interviewing method had intimate oversight of its use in case where false confession extracted from murder suspect.

Budget 2022: The numbers that matter

In a world of multiple crises (Covid, climate and cost of living) Covid crisis, it was never going to be a steady-as-she-goes Budget Day.

The truth about herpes

A lot of Kiwis are unknowingly walking around with oral or genital herpes. But the reality is the stigma is much worse than the virus.

'Sorry': Prolific conman speaks for the 'first and final' time

He’s racked up more than 250 convictions and has at least 40 aliases, but now conman Wayne Eaglesome says he’s “sorry”, in what he says is his first and final interview.

1 news More

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