Author: Mike Bain/cvnznews.com

A practical win for rural communities is on the way as the Government fast‑tracks KiwiSaver changes designed to help farmers, farm workers and defence personnel finally get a foothold on the property ladder. The reforms, driven by a Member’s Bill from Rangitīkei MP Suze Redmayne and now taken up by the Government, aim to remove technical barriers that have long disadvantaged people who live in employer‑provided housing or buy farms through commercial entities. Redmayne says the change answers a clear injustice. She recalls Tirrell, a stock manager at Tunnel Hill, who had saved a substantial deposit in KiwiSaver but was…

Europeans don’t want the Antichrist — at least, not by name. But a recent poll conducted by AboutPeople reveals a disturbing willingness among citizens to embrace strong, decisive leadership that could bypass democratic processes if it promises stability and results. One in five Europeans say they would prefer a dictatorship in certain circumstances, and a quarter admit they would not mind if a capable leader limited democratic rights and acted without accountability — provided he was effective. This is the paradox behind the title: Europe may not be consciously seeking the Antichrist, yet what millions of Europeans desire — a…

Wellington’s south coast has once again been slapped with “unsafe for swimming” warnings — a mere two days after Mayor Andrew Little waded into Lyall Bay to prove, with great confidence, that everything was fine. On Wednesday, officials announced the beaches could reopen. But by Friday afternoon, the Land Air Water Aotearoa (LAWA) website had updated much of the south coast — along with most of the inner harbour, including Oriental Bay — to “unsuitable for swimming”. Large parts of the Miramar Peninsula were downgraded to “caution advised”. Overnight rain appears to have tipped the balance. LAWA routinely warns against…

The latest child poverty figures show a worrying stability rather than improvement: about one in seven children are living in material hardship. Political parties have responded sharply, but the tone of the debate is increasingly focused on practical steps to reduce hardship and support whānau. Labour’s statement highlights the human cost behind the numbers. Labour’s child poverty spokesperson Jan Tinetti said the rise in hardship reflects families forced into painful trade-offs — delaying medical care, going cold, or cutting back on basics. Labour points to rising food prices, job losses and homelessness as drivers, and reiterates its policy priorities: free…

The Government has confirmed it has received the final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID‑19 Lessons, marking a significant milestone in New Zealand’s review of its pandemic response. The report was formally delivered to the Governor‑General this morning, with its public release scheduled for 10 March 2026 when it is presented to Parliament. Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden acknowledged the scale of public engagement that helped shape the inquiry’s expanded scope. “Thousands of Kiwis made their voices heard through submissions,” she said, noting that many New Zealanders were dissatisfied with the narrow terms of reference set…

A legal ruling in Canada is reverberating far beyond one man’s life–and Christians who understand the times should recognize it for what it is: not merely a judgment, but a signal flare. Former school trustee Barry Neufeld has been ordered by the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal to pay an astonishing $750,000 over public statements he made criticizing gender ideology and school curriculum policy while serving in the Chilliwack School District. The tribunal ruled that his comments constituted discriminatory publications under provincial law. The official justification for the massive financial penalty is as striking as the amount itself. According to…

Opinion: Joey Sacharow “Australia has a choice to make. Its character — for generations to come — will be defined by its response to the Bondi Beach shooting. And I’m not talking about just Australia’s government. It’s in the hands of every Australian, not just politicians, to decide the country’s direction. Australia’s deadliest terrorist attack wasn’t random. It was an intentional massacre of Jews during a holiday celebration. That must be stated clearly. Because no society is judged by how it treats its majority — but by how safe its minorities feel. Right now, Australian Jews don’t feel safe. There…

Labour leader Chris Hipkins has used his State of the Nation speech to argue New Zealand is losing ground on living costs, productivity, and climate resilience, warning that “people are working harder than ever and falling further behind.” Speaking to the Auckland Business Chamber, he said nearly 240,000 New Zealanders have left the country in two years, calling it “talent we can’t afford to lose.” Hipkins outlined Labour’s election-year focus on jobs, health, and homes, including three free GP visits annually, major investment in renewable energy, and a targeted capital gains tax on investment and commercial properties. He said too…

Labour leader Chris Hipkins has used his State of the Nation speech to argue New Zealand is at a crossroads, warning that rising living costs, stagnant productivity and accelerating climate impacts are eroding opportunity and driving thousands of New Zealanders overseas. Speaking to the Auckland Business Chamber, Hipkins said New Zealanders are “working harder than ever and falling further behind,” pointing to higher grocery, power and insurance costs. He criticised the Government for “tinkering around the edges” while 2,000 people leave the country each week, saying nearly 240,000 have departed in the past two years. Hipkins framed the election-year choice…

There are moments when numbers stop being statistics and start becoming warnings. The latest figures on oil accumulation by China may be one of those moments. On paper, Beijing’s massive crude stockpiling spree looks like smart economics — buying low while prices remain relatively soft. But in the language of geopolitics, stockpiles of fuel have always meant something more. They mean preparation. They mean insulation. And sometimes, they mean anticipation of conflict. Over the past two years, China has quietly added hundreds of millions of barrels of crude to its reserves, building inventories equivalent to roughly three months of imports.…

Every week it seems another pastor or prominent spiritual leader is splashed across headlines for sexual immorality, abuse, or moral hypocrisy. The pattern has become so tragically familiar that many believers no longer react with shock–but with a weary sigh. What was once unthinkable has become expected. And now the data confirms what the headlines have been whispering for years: public trust in clergy is collapsing. A new survey from Gallup reveals that only 27% of Americans rate clergy as “high” or “very high” in honesty and ethics–the lowest level recorded in the organization’s half-century of tracking public perception. As…

The world is once again holding its breath as the drums of war echo across the Middle East — and this time, the sound is unmistakably louder. What is unfolding is not routine posturing or diplomatic theater. It is the deliberate assembly of military force, political will, and strategic timing that historically precedes a major conflict. With Donald Trump signaling readiness to strike Iran and Israel bracing for retaliation, the region appears closer to a large-scale confrontation than at any point since the brief but volatile “12-day war” last year. Officials close to Benjamin Netanyahu say Israel’s defense establishment has…

Story by Robert Jones/Life Site News. French President Emmanuel Macron has publicly embraced Freemasonry’s worldview, declaring its anti-Christian vision of man to be foundational to the Republic—and praising it for its involvement in recent euthanasia legislation. “Freemasons are taking up this fundamental debate regarding the end of life,” Macron said during a May 5 visit to the Grande Loge de France. “Be proud of it.” Macron praised the Lodge’s framing of end of life issues not as “good on one side and evil on the other,” but as “simply a choice to be made in concrete situations.” The president went beyond policy,…

OPPO’s experience — a central Auckland customer‑service ad drawing roughly 2,500 applicants while the company employs about 27 people locally — is a vivid snapshot of a broader market dynamic: cvnznews.com editor Mike Bain looks at why many jobseekers are chasing fewer advertised roles in major centres, while regional employers like the Bay of Plenty report both vacancies and specific hiring challenges. The data and employer reports suggest the phenomenon is systemic rather than a one‑off. Auckland — When OPPO New Zealand managing director Morgan Halim posted a customer‑service vacancy for a central Auckland role, he expected a healthy response.…

OPINION: A.S. Ibrahim. In the vast expanse of the Arabian Peninsula, tiny Qatar—smaller than Connecticut—casts an outsized and dangerous shadow. Fueled by gas riches, it channels billions into Muslim and non-Muslim lands alike, including the heart of America, advancing an Islamist agenda that sows division and extremism under the guise of philanthropy. Most alarming is Qatar’s playbook: a calculated campaign of funding universities to shape Islamist-friendly education and financing radical mosques to propel political Islam. These are not benign investments. They amount to a stealth assault on Western values, empowering radicals while Qatar postures as a benevolent mediator. Make no…

Auckland — OPPO, the global smartphone maker with a local Auckland office, has been overwhelmed by interest in a single customer‑service vacancy — a sign of unusually fierce competition for jobs in New Zealand right now. OPPO managing director Morgan Halim said the company normally considers 500 applications a large response; one recent ad for a central Auckland customer‑service role has attracted about 2,500 applicants and counting. The role is an entry‑level customer‑service position based in the Auckland CBD. It asks for demonstrated customer‑service experience and notes that call‑centre experience is an advantage. OPPO recently repatriated a call‑centre operation that…

Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop has released the long‑awaited National Infrastructure Plan, describing it as a “30‑year view” of how New Zealand can overhaul the way it plans, funds, maintains, and delivers the infrastructure that underpins the country’s prosperity. The Plan was tabled in Parliament today and marks a key milestone in the Government’s “Going for Growth” agenda. Bishop said New Zealand’s future living standards depend on reversing decades of under‑performance. “New Zealand has real challenges ahead,” he said. “We spend heavily on infrastructure—around 5.8% of GDP annually over the last 20 years, one of the highest in the OECD—yet we…

The call for accountability within the Catholic Church has grown louder in New Zealand, and this time it is coming not from the pulpit but from those who have lived through the darkest corners of church life. READ MORE: Church Sent Sexual Offending Priest Overseas Without Notifying Police – cvnznews.com Police Seek Information on Further Alleged Offending by Father Rowan Donoghue – cvnznews.com Music, shouting and car horns: couple says noise from church is unbearable – cvnznews.com The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) in New Zealand has launched a nationwide campaign urging Catholics—and anyone who stands with…

Hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders may be living in homes whose legal status is far less secure than they realise — and the Government’s sweeping replacement of the Resource Management Act appears set to leave that problem untouched. For decades, cross‑lease and unit title homes were built legally under the rules of the time. Yet many owners are now discovering that when they try to modernise their titles, refinance, insure, or sell, councils are treating those same homes as non‑compliant. The result is a growing national bottleneck: ordinary homeowners facing unexpected costs, delays, and legal hurdles for properties that…

Police are urging former students of St Patrick’s College Silverstream to come forward with any information relating to alleged offending by Father Rowan Donoghue, following the lifting of all name suppression orders late last month. Donoghue, a former Catholic priest and teacher, pleaded guilty in the Christchurch District Court on 13 November to a series of historical sexual offences against students at St Bede’s College in Christchurch. He is due to be sentenced later this year. READ MORE: Church Sent Sexual Offending Priest Overseas Without Notifying Police – cvnznews.com Since his identity became public on 28 January, police have received…

War rarely begins with a declaration. More often, it arrives disguised as routine meetings, shipping advisories, and “defensive” military movements that quietly redraw the boundaries of risk. That is where the United States, Israel, and Iran now stand–locked in a cycle of escalation where diplomacy continues in form, but preparation for conflict is advancing in substance. At the center of this accelerating crisis is an unusually urgent meeting in Washington between President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Originally planned for a later date, Netanyahu’s visit was moved up in response to growing Israeli concerns about Iran’s ballistic…

Canada is quietly moving toward a digital identity system, and most citizens barely know it’s happening. A tool called GC Wallet has already launched in limited form, promising to make government services easier to access, all from the convenience of a smartphone. On the surface, it’s hard to argue with the idea of simplification: fewer passwords, fewer cards, and faster service. But beneath this glossy veneer lies a far deeper concern — one that touches on freedom, privacy, and control. At first, digital IDs are sold as optional. Use them if you want; skip them if you don’t. But history…

The Government has launched an independent review into New Zealand’s monetary policy response during the Covid‑19 pandemic — a move that has drawn sharp commentary from across the political spectrum, particularly from the Labour Party. Finance Minister Nicola Willis says the review aims to identify lessons that could strengthen New Zealand’s response to future economic shocks. She emphasises that an independent process is essential to ensuring “objective and constructive” conclusions. What the Review Covers During the pandemic, the Reserve Bank reduced the Official Cash Rate (OCR) to 0.25% and deployed additional tools including the LSAP programme — effectively injecting tens…

Nearly two decades before he was convicted, Fr Rowan Donoghue told leaders of his religious order that he had abused a boy. The admission came in 2007 after an anonymous message reached the Society of Mary; Donoghue acknowledged guilt but could not identify the complainant. The order removed him from public ministry and arranged a six‑month programme in Australia described as risk assessment and therapy, but it did not notify police because the accuser remained anonymous and outreach attempts failed. The offending later proven in court involved four boys who boarded at St Bede’s College in Christchurch in the late…

This story is based on an opinion piece by Peter Bassett, published in BreakingNews.com. Wellington’s sewage crisis has exposed a political choice, not merely an unforeseen infrastructure failure, argues Peter Bassett. When Mayor Andrew Little announced he would raise the “catastrophic” sewage failures with the Prime Minister, he framed the problem as a sudden calamity requiring national intervention. Bassett contends the cause is documented in Wellington City Council records and traces directly to a 27 May 2021 Long‑Term Plan decision. Council officers had presented a clear option — a $391 million wastewater renewals programme designed to reduce sewage pollution in…

A fresh sewage scare in Canterbury has renewed scrutiny of New Zealand’s ageing wastewater systems, as questions mount over why treatment plants across the country continue to fail. Health warnings were issued across several Lyttelton Harbour bays after raw sewage entered the water last weekend, prompting authorities to close popular swimming spots including Corsair Bay, Cass Bay and Rāpaki Bay. The contamination was traced to an overflowing septic tank after bottles were flushed down public toilets, causing faecal bacteria levels to spike above safe guidelines. Although warnings have since been lifted following improved water‑quality tests, the incident has highlighted ongoing…

Kiwis travelling through parts of Asia may face Covid‑style screening measures after two cases of the deadly Nipah virus were confirmed in West Bengal, India. The virus, first detected in Malaysia in 1998, is carried by fruit bats and pigs and has a fatality rate estimated between 40 and 75 percent. With no approved vaccine, it is considered one of the world’s most dangerous emerging infectious diseases. Indian authorities say the two confirmed cases—believed to be healthcare workers—have been contained, with nearly 200 close contacts traced and testing negative. Despite that reassurance, several Asian countries have moved quickly to introduce…

Story by Mike Bain/cvnznews.com. The first stage of a major programme to strengthen urgent and after‑hours healthcare in rural New Zealand has been completed, with upgraded services now operating in Golden Bay, Tūrangi, Twizel, Te Kūiti, Coromandel and Great Barrier Island. Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey says the rollout marks an important milestone in delivering care closer to home for remote communities. “Access to healthcare is one of the biggest concerns for people in rural and remote areas. Our Government is committed to ensuring New Zealanders can get the care they need, when they need it, no matter where they…

The West Coast is set to benefit from a major boost to its rural health workforce, with a newly coordinated rural hospital medicine and specialist GP training programme officially launching today. Health Minister Simeon Brown and Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey say the initiative marks a significant step toward building a stable, home‑grown workforce for one of New Zealand’s most remote regions. Brown says the programme formalises and expands long‑standing local training efforts, scaling them up to meet the Coast’s ongoing need for rural generalists. “After 20 years of averaging just two to three registrars, the Coast will now host…

Students returning to school this week will be the first to experience a major shift in how learning progress is assessed and reported, with the Government rolling out nationally consistent reporting across primary and intermediate schools. The change, which Education Minister Erica Stanford says will give parents clearer, more reliable information, marks the first overhaul of the assessment system in more than 20 years. “Parents have long called for clearer, more detailed reporting on academic achievement, and this new framework delivers that clarity,” Stanford said. The new system includes twice‑yearly progress check‑ins, phonics reporting, and five standardised progress markers across…

Helping New Zealand job seekers get their driver licence is one of the best ways to help them get a job and Government-funded driver training is well and truly exceeding its licence targets, Minister of Social Development and Employment Louise Upston says. “Around 70 per cent of jobs require a person to have a driver licence, reinforcing the importance of the Government’s investment in driver licence training,” Louise Upston says. “In the last year, MSD’s Driver Licence Support programme has secured 21,063 enrolments, ahead of the 19,000 placement target. “We know getting a driver’s licence can change a life, as…

New Zealand faces a grey rhino event. We now feel the impact of the NZ birth rate dropping. Across the world it’s happening. Birth rates are well below replacement. Workforces are tightening. Populations are ageing. The cost of pensions and healthcare is rising. We in New Zealand rely heavily on immigration to staff hospitals, farms, and core services, but global competition for skilled workers is intensifying. Richer countries are scrambling for skills. Immigration can no longer be relied on to solve our problems. The global nature of the change is obvious but unrecognised. That is called a ‘grey rhino event’.…

Story by RNZ: Police say commuters should expect delays in Auckland’s central city on Saturday with two protests planned. The organisers of Toitū te Aroha are calling for unity in response to what they say is rising harassment and intimidation of migrants, faith groups and rainbow communities. It comes the same day as the Destiny Church-affiliated Freedom and Rights Coalition planned to rally in Victoria Park, after having their bid to march across the Harbour Bridge denied. Toitū te Aroha spokesperson Bianca Ranson said the aim was to stand in solidarity with diverse communities across Aotearoa. Inspector Jacqui Whittaker said they…

Sahar Ghadirian – Twinkl Teaching Blog – Twinkl Do you know how to talk to your child about difficult topics? Prepare yourself with this informative guide, which features 10 top tips to help you have tough conversations with your students. Our recommendations are age-appropriate and cater to kids in preschool all the way up to high school, so you’ll find plenty of useful advice here! We all know the world can be a scary place, but it is equally beautiful. Among the sadness and despair is love and humanity. That is why we need to protect our children’s social and emotional…

Source: supplied. You wake up already carrying something. But you get out of bed anyway. That alone takes faith. Somewhere along the way, many of us pick up a quiet assumption:If God is truly leading, the path should feel lighter.The resistance should fade.The weight should lift. But lived faith rarely works that way. There is a cost to obedience, and most of the time, it shows up before the clarity does. Obedience often asks for payment upfront. Think about Abraham packing up his family: He did not receive a map. He received a promise.He had to walk before he understood.Each…

Story by JNS News At an international conference in Jerusalem, Israel’s president said the world is “failing to meet our vow” of “Never Again.” Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Tuesday marked International Holocaust Remembrance Day by warning that antisemitism is once again spreading worldwide, and equated the denial of Jewish self-determination with hatred of Jews. Speaking at the Second International Conference on Combating Antisemitism in Jerusalem, Herzog said, “To deny the Jewish people—and only the Jewish people—the right to self-determination in their national home is antisemitism, even if you are the mayor of the city with the most Jews outside…

By Leah MarieAnn Klett. A nearly six-hour investigation released by Christian apologist Mike Winger sent shockwaves through charismatic Christian circles, raising allegations of deception, sexual misconduct and institutional failure centered on prophetic minister Shawn Bolz — and prompting a response from Bethel Church leadership. In the video, “The Skeletons in Bethel’s Closet are Now Going to Speak,” Winger details what he describes as a decade-long pattern of fraudulent prophetic practices and sexually inappropriate behavior by Bolz, claims of which he said are backed up by interviews with former employees, ministry associates and insiders. Winger also accused prominent church leaders of failing to warn congregants…

Opinion: Greg Laurie Let’s start with the obvious: the Rapture sounds crazy. Jesus descends from Heaven, dead people rise from their graves, and living believers are suddenly caught up into the sky — like the world’s strangest episode of “Stranger Things.” Sounds like the stuff your uncle mutters about after three cups of church coffee. Except — it’s right there in Scripture. Paul says it. John says it. Jesus says it. The only ones who don’t are usually the skeptics writing editorials dismissing the very faith that gives us hope. Now, critics like to pounce: “But the word Rapture isn’t…