Latest breaking news NZ | Stuff.co.nz

October 26 2021

Kia Ora, Aotearoa!

regions

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Auckland

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West Coast

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Hokitika

Jane Matthews

Success of NZ's oldest youth councils

Brittany Keogh

'Urban farm' growing yeast for breweries

Richard Knowler

Gems, lessons and bolters of ABs' epic tour

Catherine Groenestein

Festival gardeners urge locals to visit

The tiny island that beat Covid back until it couldn’t

This British island of 90,000 people also saw more than 100 cases in a single day last week. This is how they're trying to keep Delta at bay.

Keith Lynch

'It has no value any more': When the river dried up

A riverbed is littered with fish and eel corpses, their home drained dry for agriculture and drinking water.

Andrea Vance

When kids were put into mental institutions alongside adults

After the kids - like Rangi and Tyrone - were left at Lake Alice, they were subjected to assaults and cruel behavioural experiments.

7:06am

Call for pre-departure Covid tests for travel to South Island

A Covid-19 modeller thinks the government should make it a requirement for those travelling to the South Island to first provide a negative test result.

7:11am

'I'm in absolute pieces': Sean Wainui's wife pays heartfelt tribute to her late husband

17m ago

High Flyers: From stately 'old girl' to skid row

Search warrant details what happened after Alec Baldwin's prop gun went off

Alec Baldwin was rehearsing a 'cross draw,' with the prop gun "when he heard what sounded like a whip and then loud pop."

37m ago

It's a sham - ABs v Wales labelled 'money-making mismatch'

UK media fire broadside at Cardiff test, while ABs demolition of USA dubbed an "insult" to American Rugby World Cup hosting hopes.

7:13am

Some Auckland students return to schools despite lockdown

Some Auckland high schools are moving classes outside, while others are running bespoke timetables as senior students return in alert level 3.

What does the rise of inflation actually mean and should we be concerned?

latest headlines

8:20am

Disney+'s decade-old Hot Tub offers joyful nostalgic hit for Gen-Xers

8:17am

Ruthless Afghanistan hammer Scotland by 130 runs

8:10am

'I'm in absolute pieces': Sean Wainui's wife pays heartfelt tribute to her late husband

8:06am

Billions of litres lost from leaky Christchurch water pipes

editors' picks

Quiz: Morning trivia challenge

Quiz: Kids trivia challenge

‘Like something in a cartoon movie of a radioactive lake’

Kiwi ballerina who found her mighty cycling legs

45m ago

Why three has become such a critical number in Auckland

Gems, lessons and bolters of All Blacks' epic tour

Friends stars honour James Michael Tyler after his death

27m ago

Five Things: Cars that should be electric but aren't

6:45am

coronavirus More

Goff tips more Govt support to come for Auckland

Auckland's mayor hopes more Government support for his city is only weeks away.

Write on Stuff: Share your experience of Auckland’s Delta lockdown

Exhausted. Punished. Anxious. Tired. Breaking. Lonely. What has your journey been like?

Shot Cuzz bus, Che Fu and King Kapisi gig, drive another 900 Auckland jabs

South Auckland community leaders make a big Labour Day push for vaccinations.

Tokoroa bakeries linked to Delta outbreak

Two bakeries in Tokroa were visited by a positive case of Covid.

Auckland midwives weigh up mandatory Covid-19 jabs

The New Zealand College of Midwives urges its members to support the Covid-19 vaccination mandate, but some are resistant.

Covid-19: Ōtorohanga turns out for testing

The virus' spread south into King Country is unsettling, but residents say they want to keep each other safe.

lockdown life

Eight great shows to stream this week

A popular teen fantasy series returns, while fans of psychological thrillers should definitely check out a new-to-New Zealand Irish example.

Picnicking is the new dining out

Hospitality businesses are trying new ways to get customers dining out amid restrictions and a slow bounce back.

How to bring the beach look home

White wicker furniture and some striped canvas cushions are all you need to create a cool coastal vibe.

Jen Atkin on the best way to care for your hair during lockdown

Celebrity hairstylist Jen Atkin, known for her perfectly undone look, shares her hair intel about how to take care of your locks during lockdown and what's coming next.

Tom Scott

Verity Johnson

This week has been the scariest yet for Auckland

OPINION: This week has been terrifying because we saw so many of our friends and acquaintances go loopy online.

My whānau are more important than a few days' fishing

Dave Armstrong

Andy's adventures in Wellyland

Mike Yardley

Vaccine certificates vital to recovery plan

national More

Big plans for a greener central Wellington as inner city grows more dense

A new 30-year vision with millions of dollars earmarked will see major investment in parks, tree-lined streets, green rooftops and community gardens.

7:19am

Kaupapa Māori research reveals structural racism in prostate cancer care

The findings reveal significant gaps in service provision and barriers to health that have whānau seeking help through emergency departments.

Controversial compulsory treatment orders benefit psychotic patients, NZ study finds

A controversial mental health treatment leads to shorter and fewer hospital admissions for patients with psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia.

Billions of litres lost from leaky Christchurch water pipes

Picture filling your bathtub with water 82 million times. That is how much water was lost to leakage in Christchurch last year.

7:25am

Fears of 'holus-bolus' development under new rules

Hamilton urgently needs to build more affordable homes but city leaders say opening up the entire city to housing intensification isn't the answer.

Road toll grows to eight as Labour Weekend turns to carnage

Eight people were injured, two critically, in three separate incidents on Canterbury’s roads on Monday morning as the 'horrific holiday' continued.

world More

Microsoft: Russian-backed hackers targeting cloud services

Microsoft says the same Russia-backed hackers responsible for the 2020 SolarWinds breach continue to attack the global technology supply chain and have been relentlessly targeting cloud service companies and others since summer.

Sudan's PM, government officials detained in apparent coup

Military forces have arrested Sudan's acting prime minister and senior government officials, disrupted internet access and blocked bridges in the capital Khartoum.

People or profit? Facebook papers show deep conflict within

Internal documents show Facebook the company is losing control of Facebook the product — not to mention the last shreds of its carefully crafted, decade-old image as a benevolent company just wanting to connect the world.

Human rights work 'effectively impossible' in Hong Kong, major organisation exiting

Amnesty International unable to do its work in Hong Kong, saying a new national security law makes it impossible to do "without fear of serious reprisals from the government".

Baldwin careful with guns before fatal shooting - crew member

A camera operator told authorities Alec Baldwin had been careful with weapons on the film set of Rust before the actor shot and killed a cinematographer, court records show.

US man alleged to have bought $80,000 Pokémon card with Covid support money

US business owners are spending pandemic aid money on a litany of luxury items, leading to fraud charges with the Justice Department.

The tiny island that beat Covid back until it couldn’t

When the river dried up

Quiz: Morning trivia challenge: October 26, 2021

Man arrested after New Brighton Beach indecent assaults

Dave Dobbyn social media backlash highlights 'vaccination polarisation'

Why three has become such a critical number in Auckland

What does the rise of inflation actually mean and should we be concerned?

High Flyers: From stately 'old girl' to skid row

Three good body oils, reviewed by Ensemble

Why is wedding planning so unromantic?

Why is period shaming still a thing?

Nicky Bousfield's wardrobe reads like an archive of New Zealand fashion

Big bags are a big deal right now

Does celebrity clout make a better wine?

Why our local style-centred concept stores are just so good

This scalp scrub is Veronica Crockford-Pound's "miracle product"

The couple who fell in love after an ear-piercing went horribly wrong

How to tidy your eyebrows at home

travel More

The humble takeaway with NZ's best chicken burger

This burger is quite deceptive. It may look like something that would be “heavy” to eat, but it is in fact, exceptionally light.

The changing ways of travel. A long cruise voyage in 1964

Bev Wood recalls her around-the-world adventure on a two-class liner.

How learning to scuba dive transformed my understanding of the ocean

Learning to dive is fun, but it will also encourage you to be a guardian of the planet.

Auckland's chicest new hotel

The new attractions that have opened while our borders have been closed

The world's 10 greatest island cities

Watching Tokyo's most prestigious sumo tournament

business More

TikToker estimates $100k yearly income from Uber Eats job

An Uber Eats driver challenged himself on TikTok to earn $2000 in a week.

Free-trade deal with UK offers some respite for Kiwi market

OPINION: Government's new Covid alert level settings fail to spark much optimism among investors, while UK deal offers small boost.

Tearfund report has me crying for all the wrong reasons

OPINION: The 'greenwashing' of fast fashion endows unsustainable brands with the aura of social responsibility — but without the social benefits.

Electricity review: dam buster or damp squib?

ANALYSIS: As the country's largest power company, Meridian has the most to fear from the Electricity Authority's market review on Wednesday.

The Monitor economy Q&A: Ana Maria Rivera, Yoobee Colleges CEO

If the pandemic has taught New Zealand one thing, it is that the country must adapt at pace, says the head of Yoobee Colleges.

Fostering personal business links key to South Island's Asia trade

OPINION: The South Island punches above its weight in trade with Asia, not just in revenue but through its natural appeal to the Asian market.

prosper More

Accessing extra support as an Auckland business

OPINION: How to get the most out of the Government's recently announced $60 million lockdown support package.

Five ways to shop local and support small businesses

You don't have to go out of your way to help local businesses. In fact, you have to do the opposite.

Small businesses fear supply issues will shut up shop

New Covid-19 reality is coming – but is your business ready?

Picnics and cancelled haircuts: Auckland businesses fight to survive

climate change More

What NZ's fighting for at the global climate summit

The UN negotiations in Glasgow could have billion-dollar consequences for New Zealand.

Climate change impact on Māori wellbeing, culture 'sobering' yet 'insightful'

A new report highlighting the effects climate change will have on Māori in the coming decades is a “sobering” read, but it presents an opportunity to adapt.

New Zealand is failing in climate change education

Airborne microplastics could directly affect climate change, scientists find

Kiwis happy to recycle, but feeling flat about meaningful climate action

pou tiaki More

Iwi's door-to-door vaccinations a success

A South Taranaki iwi’s first weekend going door-to-door to vaccinate their own people has been hailed a success.

Church leader carries weight of NZ's biggest cluster on her shoulders

Serving people isn't new to Rebekah Toleafoa and when she found out cases were linked to her church, she knew she had to care for her flock.

New traffic light system needs Te Tiriti base to succeed, experts warn

Thirty experts reviewed a draft version of the system just weeks ago, and said it fell short of expectations. They want it to have an explicit goal of saving Māori lives.

At-home Covid isolation 'close to impossible' for poorer communities

People with Covid-19 are now allowed to isolate at home, but many Māori and Pacific families will miss out, Pasifika leader says.

New Covid-19 plan 'unethical', leaves Māori and Pacific people exposed, say critics

The Government's “traffic light” system for managing the virus in the future could make history – but will leave Māori and Pacific communities vulnerable, health experts say.

Taranaki iwi trains own vaccinators

A Taranaki iwi has trained its own vaccination team and launches its own vaccination drive today because they say the Government rollout is failing them.

New film reimagines controversial artist Theo Schoon

Theo Schoon was described as racist at a 2019 exhibition, but Luit Beiringa is urging people to reconsider the artist's relationship with Māori.

'Trailblazer' programme to keep Māori children out of state care

Oranga Tamariki says a new iwi-led programme to prevent tamariki going into state care is just the start of its commitment to working with Māori.

sport More

Jitka Klimková's Football Ferns blueprint clear to see

ANALYSIS: We now know how the team is going to try to play as they prepare for their home World Cup, but there's still a long way to go.

Pakistan present massive challenge for Black Caps

OPINION: Pakistan's 10-wicket win over India and the Black Caps' aborted tour provide intriguing backdrop to Sharjah showdown, writes Kristy Havill.

'I'm ready for Australia': Ben Stokes cleared to play in Ashes series

Star all-rounder added to England's squad after declaring himself ready to play competitive cricket again.

Ruthless Afghanistan hammer Scotland by 130 runs

11m ago

Sri Lankan bowler and Bangladeshi batter fined for fiery on-field clash

6:53am

Did Richie Mo'unga do enough to claw back ABs No 10 jersey?

Double-double for Adams in Grizzlies' narrow NBA loss

homed More

What decade are you stuck in? Your living room reveals all

Ikea catalogues through the ages provide a time capsule of style and changing taste.

When renovations go wrong

Fire, leaks, lockdown . . . all manner of things can go wrong when you’re renovating. Here's how to mitigate the risk.

A slice of New Orleans in inner-city Christchurch

Fashion stylist Lou Sutherland's "jazz cottage" is full of wonky walls, vintage colour, and weird add-ons.

Living in a 'grown-up tree house'

Transforming 'noughties' townhouses into energy-efficient homes

Super sale in New Lynn sees vendors 'bawling their eyes out'

Kitchen of the Week: 'Expect the unexpected'

entertainment More

Shudder reveals how Hollywood's most successful monsters were made

REVIEW: What this series gives you is an appreciation that less is more, when it comes to backstory for pure visceral thrills and sheer fright value.

What to watch on Sky and free-to-air TV this week

A new doco gives voice to those still mourning, seeking justice from the events at Pike River, while there's a rare chance to catch a comedy classic.

Disney+'s decade-old Hot Tub offers joyful nostalgic hit for Gen-Xers

REVIEW: From fluoro fashion crimes to a 'star-studded' 1980s soundtrack, those of a certain age will find this an enjoyable blast back to the past.

8m ago

Ed Sheeran has Covid, will do performances from home

The charming, compelling and surprisingly emotional RFDS set for TVNZ

Amazon's once steamy After series has become tepid, tortuously awful

Five of the craziest films screening at this year's NZ Film Festival

motoring More

Silent running: the BMW iX3 whispers its green-creds

BMW's all-electric version of the X3 is heading our way very soon. Our man in the UK checks it out for us before it gets here.

7:25am

Tesla gives 'Full Self-Driving' to new users, then takes it away

Tesla rolled out its 'Full Self-Driving' software to a new batch of owners, before promptly taking it back again after discovering bugs in the latest version of the software beta.

7:20am