Author: Mike Bain/cvnznews.com

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 Mike Bain New Zealand is preparing to take a significant step toward confronting modern slavery, with an unprecedented show of unity from both National and Labour MPs. National MP for Maungakiekie Greg Fleming says the cross‑party support reflects a shared commitment to protecting the vulnerable — a principle deeply rooted in the biblical call to “seek justice, defend the oppressed” (Isaiah 1:17). Fleming, who has championed the issue since entering Parliament, has partnered with Labour MP Camilla Belich to co‑sponsor the Modern Slavery Bill. Their joint sponsorship means the bill will bypass the traditional ballot process, signalling the…

Story by BBC correspondent Koh Ewe Police should “throw the book” at a man who allegedly lobbed a homemade bomb into a crowd at a rally in support of Indigenous Australians, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said. The 31-year-old man was detained after hurling an item into a throng of around 2,500 people who had gathered in Perth to mark Australia Day, police said. While many across Australia celebrated the country’s national day on Monday, many Indigenous Australians and their advocates held “Invasion Day” rallies to commemorate the cultural destruction of Indigenous communities under European settlers. Police said the device…

Minister and National MP for Papakura Hon Judith Collins KC is honoured that she will be appointed President of the Law Commission: Te Aka Matua o te Ture following a political career spanning 24 years. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today announced Ms Collins will be appointed to the Law Commission from mid-2026. Ms Collins says it has been a privilege to serve New Zealand in a variety of Ministerial portfolios since being elected to represent the then electorate of Clevedon in 2002 – which later became Papakura. “I could not have done it without the unwavering support of my husband,…

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…

A fresh wave of violence has swept through Benue State, Nigeria, where Fulani herdsmen killed four Christians on Monday, 12 January, and at least nine others in a series of attacks between 5–6 January, according to local residents and officials. The latest assault struck Otobi Akpa village in Otukpo County just after midnight. Resident Franca Akipu said armed herdsmen stormed homes while families slept, killing four Christians — Ochi Igbade, Eje Uzu, Alinko and Achibi — and leaving dozens missing. “They shot at people who were sleeping,” she said, asking for prayers for her traumatised community. Otobi Akpa has been…

by Derek Johnstone for cvnznews.com Recovery efforts at Mount Maunganui continue to move slowly but steadily, with Tauranga Mayor Mahé Drysdale confirming that the operation remains complex and could still take weeks to complete. Speaking from the Marine Parade cordon, Drysdale said new specialist equipment had reduced the risk to workers, but the scale of the slips and the instability of the ground meant progress would remain cautious. “We’re hoping the weather holds, but even in the best conditions this will take days into weeks,” he said. Drysdale acknowledged the Government’s latest announcements, including an additional $1.2 million for mayoral…

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…

by Camilla Jessen Researchers have identified what is believed to be the world’s largest iron ore deposit beneath Western Australia’s Hamersley region. According to Futura, the deposit contains an estimated 55 billion metric tonnes of high-grade iron ore, with iron concentrations exceeding 60 percent. The discovery is valued at around £4.5 trillion and could reinforce Australia’s position as the world’s leading iron ore exporter for many years. Although Hamersley has been mined for decades, new imaging and analytical techniques revealed the true scale and quality of the deposit. Scientists also revised the age of the geological formations, concluding they are around…

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…

by Gordon Chang/Gatestone Institute “With our commercial assets, we have observed five different objects in space maneuvering in and out and around each other in synchronicity and in control,” the U.S. Space Force’s Vice Chief of Space Operations Gen. Michael Guetlein told the 16th annual McAleese Defense Programs conference in Arlington, Virginia. “That’s what we call dogfighting in space. They are practicing tactics, techniques and procedures to do on-orbit space operations from one satellite to another.” Guetlein’s stark comment about China signals a break with the past. “This marks the end of the Western-American-liberal dream of nations leaving wars on…

Foreign Minister Winston Peters has ignited a political storm after suggesting New Zealand should reassess its membership in the World Health Organization (WHO), a move one former foreign minister has labelled “incredibly stupid.” Peters’ comments followed the United States’ withdrawal from the organisation, a decision that has sent shockwaves through global health governance. Posting on X, Peters questioned whether New Zealand taxpayers were getting value for money, accusing the WHO of being run by “unelected globalist bureaucrats” who lacked accountability. He later told Morning Report the organisation had become “bloated” and strayed from its original mandate. New Zealand contributes several…

Mount Maunganui remains under intense scrutiny today as recovery teams wait for the all‑clear to re‑enter the slip zone, with weather conditions continuing to dictate the pace of operations following last week’s deadly landslide. Search activity was halted on Sunday after engineers detected further instability on the saturated hillside, prompting an immediate evacuation of personnel from the site. Today’s forecast offers some relief, with mainly fine conditions expected and only the chance of an isolated afternoon shower. Westerlies are developing, and temperatures are set to reach 24C—conditions that may allow specialist crews to resume work once safety checks are complete.…

For more than two weeks, 66‑year‑old Graham Garnett was missing in the rugged backcountry of New Zealand — a place of deep valleys, unforgiving terrain, and vast silence. Search teams combed the wilderness, but day after day brought no sign of him. Eventually, after exhausting every lead, officials made the heartbreaking decision to call off the search. And then, in a way that feels almost biblical, Graham was found alive. Sheltering in a hut deep within Kahurangi National Park, he was discovered by a crew of contractors who “just happened” to be working in the area. Their unexpected arrival became…

Running sensation Sam Ruthe has become the fastest 16-year-old to ever run the mile, achieving the feat at the Cooks Classic in Whanganui on Saturday night. The Tauranga teenager clocked 3m 53.83s to go under the former world record mark held by Australian Cam Myers. Ruthe was narrowly beaten to the finish line by two-time Olympian and training partner Sam Tanner, who helped push the youngster on, as he has done in other races on the domestic scene. “It feels incredible. That was my goal coming into this race. I was trying to beat Tanner as well, but as soon…

Britain has always claimed to be a land of faith and freedom–but those words ring hollow in Whitechapel. A planned “Walk With Jesus” march has been banned, not because it is illegal or violent, but because authorities fear it might offend others. Peaceful Christians are now being told they cannot proclaim their faith in public without risking arrest. This is more than a local police decision; it is a warning about the direction of an entire nation. The Metropolitan Police’s decision to halt the event, scheduled for January 31, centers on Whitechapel’s large Muslim population. Organizers promoted the procession as…

Mount Maunganui residents are raising urgent questions about whether earlier warnings were missed, as accounts emerge of visible slips and flowing water hours before the catastrophic landslide that left six people missing and a community in shock. Local man Colin McGonagle says he saw clear signs of instability above the Beachside Holiday Park around 7.45am, well before the major slip thundered down the mountainside at approximately 9.30am on Thursday. While walking near the base of Mauao, he noticed what he described as a “mini waterfall” and multiple streams cutting through the embankment. Concerned, he stopped to photograph the damage. On…

The number of Christians exposed to persecution and at risk of suffering violence worldwide rose by 8 million people compared to last year—reaching a record 388 million. “Unfortunately, this is once again a record year,” noted Cristian Nani, Director of Open Doors, which on Wednesday published the World Watch List 2026, its latest report on persecuted Christians around the world. “Of these 388 million, 201 million are women or girls; while 110 million are minors under the age of 15.” Violence and discrimination According to the World Watch List, the number of countries with a level of anti-Christian persecution that…

The number of Protestant churches in the US declined in 2024, as closures outpaced new congregational starts, according to a new analysis by Lifeway Research. Researchers estimate that around 3,800 new Protestant churches were launched nationwide in 2024, while approximately 4,000 congregations shut down, resulting in a net loss of about 200 churches. The findings are based on data supplied by 35 denominations and faith bodies, covering about 58 per cent of Protestant congregations nationwide, with the remaining figures extrapolated from that sample. The figures reflect a continued reshaping of the American religious landscape, marked by long-term declines in Christian…

An opinion poll has suggested that most members of the Church of England will donate their money elsewhere if the church continues with its controversial plan to pay slavery reparations. In 2023 the Church Commissioners announced Project Spire, a plan to commit £100 million to reparations. The decision was taken in response to a report which found that a church fund, founded in 1704 to provide support to struggling clergy, had invested in the transatlantic slave trade. Project Spire is meant to be “a programme of investment, research and engagement” aimed at communities that were harmed by the slave trade.…

Brazil is currently in a “crisis of censorship” according to Christian legal advocacy group ADF UK, which has pointed to a number of cases in which Brazilians have faced legal action for questioning trans or LGBT ideology. In the most recent case a scientific consultant and online influencer, Nine Borges, has found herself under criminal investigation for allegedly misgendering a Brazilian government official. Borges, who lives in the UK, has over a quarter of a million followers on Instagram. She found herself in trouble after she posted a video criticising Symmy Larrat, Brazil’s National Secretary for the Promotion and Defense…