Author: Mike Bain/cvnznews.com

Mike Bain/cvnznews.com Three people are facing serious criminal charges after allegedly posing as Police officers and detaining members of the public in the Eastern Bay of Plenty using a former Police vehicle modified to look like an undercover patrol car. Police say the incident unfolded on September 13 when two young people were stopped and detained by two men and a woman who identified themselves as Police officers. The group was travelling in a black 2017 Holden Commodore that had previously served as a Police vehicle before being sold at auction. Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Ash Clements said the car…

Supplied/Helen Houghton-Conservatives. NZ Calls are growing for an independent investigation into whether New Zealand’s immigration and migrant-employment settings are creating unintended barriers for local workers and encouraging recruitment patterns centred on particular overseas labour markets. New Zealanders have a right to expect that our immigration system is working in the interests of New Zealand, our workers, our businesses, and the migrants who come here. I am calling for an independent investigation into New Zealand’s immigration and migrant-employment system over the past decade, including the rapid growth in temporary and permanent migration and the operation of the Accredited Employer Work Visa…

Mike Bain/cvnznews.com Almost 500 locally owned supermarket owner-operators from Houhoura to Stewart Island have signed open letters expressing concern about proposals to force the break-up of the Foodstuffs co-operatives. Representing family-owned PAK’nSAVE, New World and Four Square stores across New Zealand, the signatories say the proposal raises significant questions about its actual impact on grocery prices for consumers, supply chain costs, regional communities and future investment in their family businesses. The letters have been signed by owner-operators from both the Foodstuffs North Island and Foodstuffs South Island co-operatives and reflect concerns shared across the country about the consequences of dismantling…

Mike Bain/cvnznews.com New Zealand’s nurses say they’ve had enough of political spin, after claims of 2300 new hospital nurses “by Christmas” were exposed as yet another numbers game in a system running on fumes. The New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) says the public is being sold hope while hospitals are still running short‑staffed, burnt‑out and dangerously stretched. National deputy leader Nicola Willis told RNZ that thousands of nurses were being recruited “right now”. But Te Whatu Ora’s own chief nurse, Nadine Gray, told RNZ the reality is far smaller: just over 300 nurses recently hired and still in the recruitment…

Mike Bain/cvnznews.com New Zealand’s banking sector is heading into a decade of rapid transformation, with digital banking emerging as the biggest pressure point for consumers and regulators alike. A new Future of Banking study released by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) outlines how technology, artificial intelligence and shifting customer expectations could reshape the way Kiwis manage their money by 2035. Assistant Governor for Financial Stability Angus McGregor says the country is entering “a period of profound and accelerating change”, driven largely by digital innovation. For everyday New Zealanders, that means more banking done online, more services delivered through…

Mike Bain/cvnznews.com Election season always brings drama, but the latest round of billboard vandalism has sparked a bigger question: is this personal, or is it simply politics doing what politics always does? Because if politicians are outraged that their signs are being defaced, they might want to take a number — the rest of the country has been living with vandalism, abuse, and public hostility for years. Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer says the racist slur sprayed across her billboard is more than an attack on her personally — it’s a reminder of how uneven the playing field is.…

EDITORIAL: Mike Bain/cvnznews.com New Zealand has just been handed another “damning report,” another “systemic failure,” another “missed opportunity,” and another round of officials telling us they’re “deeply sorry.” But let’s stop pretending this is new. Let’s stop pretending we’re surprised. Let’s stop pretending New Zealanders can’t see exactly what went wrong. The disappearance of the Phillips children — twice — is not a mystery. It’s not a tragedy of circumstance. It’s not an unforeseeable chain of events. It is what happens when agencies fail, freeze, ignore, minimise, and hide behind excuses while children pay the price. And now the inquiry…

Mike Bain/cvnznews.com Aucklanders woke up this morning with something they haven’t had in years: a genuine choice in how to get to work. For the first time, the city’s commuters stepped into a Monday knowing they could skip the gridlock, dodge the bus queues, and drop straight into the CBD through the brand‑new underground rail link — a transport shift already being hailed as a gamechanger for the country’s biggest city. After a massive 61,000 people trialled the network during yesterday’s public opening, today marked the moment the system began proving its worth. From early morning, office workers, students and…

Mike Bain/cvnznews.com Paul Henry has never been one to slip quietly into anything, least of all politics. So when ACT unveiled its refreshed election slate this afternoon, the real jolt wasn’t in the policy notes or the familiar faces—it was the unmistakable grin of Henry sitting at number four, a placement bold enough to signal that David Seymour is betting big on personality, provocation, and prime‑time wattage. Henry’s entry instantly reframed the announcement. What was meant to be a tidy rollout of candidates became a moment of theatre, the kind of political disruption ACT has long flirted with but never…

Mike Bain/cvnznews.com National is sharpening its law‑and‑order message, announcing a dedicated Auckland Transport Police Team aimed at boosting safety across the city’s rapidly expanding public transport network. The policy lands on the same day the City Rail Link officially begins transforming Auckland’s commuter landscape—an event National is using to underline its argument that the city’s transport system is about to get busier, later, and more reliant on visible policing. Police spokesperson Mark Mitchell says the shift is unavoidable. With peak commuter capacity through the city centre expected to jump by around 50 percent, Mitchell argues that Aucklanders will increasingly depend…

Mike Bain/cvnznews.com New Zealand First has launched one of the most comprehensive immigration reform packages seen in recent decades, arguing that New Zealand must “take back control” of its borders, its population growth, and the meaning of citizenship. The party says the current system has expanded far beyond what the country can sustain — and that New Zealanders must come first in decisions about who enters, who stays, and who receives the privileges of belonging. The policy document, released Friday, opens with a blunt assessment: “New Zealand’s immigration system must serve New Zealand and New Zealanders.” For years, the party…

Mike Bain/cvnznews.com The Financial Markets Authority’s latest KiwiSaver report reads like a banquet menu — and far too many fund managers are still feasting. While New Zealanders tighten belts and juggle rising costs, KiwiSaver providers have quietly helped themselves to another year of swollen fee revenue, with total charges climbing to $978 million. Fees as a proportion of funds under management have barely budged, stuck at 0.7% for three years, even as balances surge past $138 billion. Simplicity Managing Director Sam Stubbs says the report exposes an industry that has grown very comfortable dining at the KiwiSaver trough. “As funds…

Mike Bain/cvnznews.com Are New Zealand’s stadiums actually fit for purpose — or were they built for a narrow era of single‑sport dominance that no longer reflects how we use them? As concerts, festivals, community events and multi‑code fixtures grow, the country is discovering that many of its big venues are struggling to keep up with modern demands. Wellington’s Hnry Stadium is the latest example. A new report shows the venue cannot afford the $42 million in maintenance required over the next decade. The stadium’s trust says it simply doesn’t have the revenue base to cover the rising costs of ageing…

Ashley Church Over the past couple of days, media outlets here in New Zealand have reported that the “far-right Alternative for Germany” (AfD) has swept to a stunning victory in the eastern German state of Saxony-Anhalt, winning almost 44 percent of the vote and more than doubling its support from the previous election. That result is extraordinary. The AfD, has gone from being a minor insurgent political force to one of the most powerful parties in Germany, and the scale of its victory has understandably set alarm bells ringing well beyond the country’s borders. 1News noted that the Saxony-Anhalt branch…

Mike Bain/cvnznews.com Wellington City Council has spent the week telling staff it’s a “very difficult time” as 141 roles are disestablished and $4.4 million in savings are carved out of the 2026/27 Annual Plan. Forty‑one of those roles were vacant, but 100 staff are directly affected, with no guarantee they can be redeployed into the 94 new positions being created. The message from the top: tough choices, tight budgets, and a commitment to “reducing rates increases”. Yet, in the very same news cycle, Wellington Zoo has asked the Council for $14 million to build a new lion enclosure — a…

Mike Bain/cvnznews.com If you thought Labour had hit rock bottom, the latest Taxpayers’ Union–Curia poll politely informs you: No, actually, there’s still room to dig. The party has dropped to 25.9 percent, its lowest score in this poll since mid‑2024 and even worse than its 2023 election drubbing. At this point, the question isn’t why Labour is falling — it’s how far down does the basement go. National isn’t exactly thriving either, slipping to 29 percent, which is a polite way of saying the governing party is also having a little lie‑down. But unlike Labour, National’s slump doesn’t threaten its…

Mike Bain/cvnznews.com Peters pushes for citizenship requirement for Super — but what does it mean for everyday voters? New Zealand First leader Winston Peters is calling for a major change to the rules around New Zealand Superannuation, arguing taxpayers should not be “a bottomless pit” for migrants who have spent only a short time contributing to the system. Speaking in Hamilton, Peters announced a policy that would require people to be New Zealand citizens before becoming eligible for NZ Super — a change the party wants implemented from 2029. Currently, citizenship is not required. Long‑term residents who meet the age…

Mike Bain/cvnznews.com The Opportunity Party says New Zealanders are tired of watching health and education swing like a political pendulum every three years — and is promising long‑term stability through cross‑party 10‑year plans if elected in 2026. Leader Qiulae Wong says the idea is simple: stop treating hospitals and classrooms like political footballs, and start giving frontline workers a roadmap they can actually follow. “Everyone should get healthcare when they need it. Parents should be able to trust their children are getting a great education,” Wong said. “But every time the government changes, the direction changes. Meanwhile our young people…

Mike Bain/cvnznews.com A quiet Friday afternoon in Nelson was shattered after a stolen shotgun triggered a chain of events that left two people dead and a community deeply shaken. Police say the incident began around midday, when a shotgun was taken from a shop on Quarantine Rd in Annesbrook. The offender left the area in a vehicle before officers arrived. Minutes later, police were called to Parkers Rd, where a man and a woman were found dead. Superintendent Blair Macdonald said the pair appeared to be known to each other, and police were supporting their families. He stressed the incident…

Colin Ambler/cvnznews.com Fake parking QR codes have been discovered across Wellington, prompting police to warn drivers to be on high alert as scammers attempt to harvest credit card details from unsuspecting motorists. Wellington City Council parking staff have removed around a dozen fake stickers from parking meters in recent days, after noticing QR codes that did not match the council’s official payment system. The stickers were designed to look legitimate, blending in with existing meter labels. When scanned, the QR codes directed users to a fraudulent website asking for details such as vehicle licence plate, intended parking duration, and ultimately…

Mike Bain/cvnznews.com The Conservative Party has released a detailed position statement calling for the abolition of New Zealand’s Māori parliamentary seats, arguing that the system is outdated, unfair, and no longer necessary in a modern democracy. The party says many voters are frustrated that centre‑right parties have not clearly stated their position on the issue, and that some political leaders have avoided discussing Māori representation until after the election. The Conservatives say the debate is not new. In 1986, when the Royal Commission on the Electoral System reviewed whether Māori seats should remain, political parties were divided. Labour supported keeping…

Tim Moore/US Correspondent. When Marvin Gaye sang, “Can I get a witness?” in 1963, he was not speaking in theological terms. The phrase itself is said to have originated in the African American church in the 19th century and has been used in legal and religious settings ever since. A single testifier lacks standing—in ancient Israel and in a modern courtroom. But the testimony of two or more credible witnesses provides the basis for admissible, reliable evidence. There are exceptions to this rule, as I experienced once when serving on a jury. Another obvious example is the eyewitness testimony of…

Ashley Church Back in the mid 70’s I used to regularly watch a British science-fiction tv series called The Tomorrow People (the original – not the remake). The premise was irresistible to a kid of my age. The Tomorrow People were young people who had begun to “break out” into a new stage of human evolution. They could communicate telepathically, move objects with their minds and teleport from one place to another. Equally importantly, they were smarter, more capable and they represented the future – a generation that would rise above the limitations and failures of those who had gone…

Mike Bain/cvnznews.com Tauranga City councillors have confronted senior staff over a damning review that found the Mount Maunganui landslide tragedy was preventable, questioning how warnings went unheeded for nearly three decades. At Tuesday’s meeting, councillors formally accepted the findings of former High Court Judge Paul Davison’s external review, which concluded that the council knew of the landslide risk but failed to act. Six holidaymakers were killed when a slip tore through the Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park on 22 January 2025. RAD MORE: Mount Maunganui: A Preventable Tragedy That Took 27 Years to Arrive – cvnznews.com The One Thing We Keep Running From WorkSafe launches…

Editorial: cvnznews.com ARE WE WATCHING THE QUIET UNRAVELLING OF NEW ZEALAND’S SOCIAL‑CARE SAFETY NET? For more than a century, faith‑based organisations have been woven into the fabric of New Zealand’s social‑care system. They have fed the hungry, housed the homeless, supported the elderly, walked with the addicted, and stood in the gaps where government agencies simply couldn’t keep up. READ MORE: CHRISTIAN HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS CUT OUT – cvnznews.com But the recent axing of home‑support contracts held by Visionwest, Lifewise, and Presbyterian Support Northern has raised a question that can no longer be politely avoided: Do faith‑based providers still have a…

Mike Bain/cvnznews.com IS HEALTH NZ QUIETLY REBUILDING THE SOCIAL‑CARE LANDSCAPE? Health New Zealand has stripped home‑support contracts from Visionwest, Lifewise, and Presbyterian Support Northern — three of the country’s most established Christian‑based social‑service organisations. More than 1200 workers are now left in limbo, and 4500 vulnerable clients face the prospect of losing the carers they’ve trusted for years. Officials insist this is “just procurement.” But the pattern emerging across the sector is raising deeper concerns. Concerns have been raised that corporatisation is creeping into home‑support services, with large, profit‑driven operators increasingly winning contracts once held by smaller, community‑rooted organisations. The…

Steven Kefas/Christianity Today With 42,000 civilians killed and an average of seven terror attacks every day, Nigeria’s crisis is vast — but new research shows the world has been looking in the wrong direction. The group responsible for nearly half of all civilian deaths rarely makes the headlines, says Steven Kefas. Who is actually killing people in Nigeria? It sounds like a simple question, but it isn’t. Nigeria, everyone knows, is beset by violence and kidnapping. Terror attacks are so frequent they do not make the international headlines – but when they do, one name dominates: Boko Haram. These two…

Foreign Correspondents There was no warning as torrents swept villages away in scenes of extraordinary devastation The tourists glanced over their shoulders, then began to run for their lives as a wall of water surged towards them down the narrow, tree-lined valley. Seconds before 8.45am, the flood waves hit. In CCTV footage from Gyirong Port, a mud-filled wave rises more than 70ft into the air as it engulfs the multi-storey facility spanning the border between Nepal and Tibet. It smashes back to the ground, picks up the fleeing travellers and barrels onwards on a devastating journey that left at least 160 people…

Mike Bain/cvnznews.com A fast‑moving low‑pressure system tracking down from the north is set to intensify through the weekend, bringing the risk of downpours, surface flooding and widespread travel disruptions across the upper North Island. MetService has issued heavy rain warnings for Northland, Auckland, Coromandel Peninsula, Bay of Plenty and Gisborne/Tairāwhiti, with forecasters warning that streams and rivers may rise rapidly and driving conditions could become hazardous. Northland has already taken the first hit. The Mahurangi River flood alert system near Warkworth has been activated, and flooding has been reported in Paihia after a burst of extremely heavy rain early this…

Mike Bain/cvnznews.com When Tonga‑born All Black Saula Ma’u walked off Ellis Park after his shock debut, he didn’t talk about scrums, tactics, or the scoreboard. He didn’t boast about helping the All Blacks overturn a 35–17 deficit to win 41–35. He didn’t talk about his own strength or talent. Instead, fighting back tears, he thanked God. “I just want to say thank you to the Heavenly Father for the blessings He gave me to wear the black jersey,” Ma’u said, voice breaking as the emotion of the moment overtook him. For a young man who left Havelu village at 15,…

Richard Howell/The Christian Post For some years, an atmosphere of fear has quietly shaped the behavior of many Christian institutions in India. Churches, educational institutions, charitable societies and Christian leaders have often chosen silence when confronted with government action. Recently, this has become more pronounced in matters concerning the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA). The calculation was understandable: speaking publicly might invite greater scrutiny; challenging an administrative order might make matters worse; going to court might be interpreted as confrontation with the government. Something, however, appears to be changing. Indian Christians and other civil society organizations are increasingly discovering that…

Mike Bain/cvnznews.com The Opportunity Party says New Zealanders struggling with high fuel prices deserve straight answers about how the country will pay for the transport system it needs, arguing that political promises to freeze fuel tax ignore the real costs involved. Party leader Qiulae Wong said many households are under pressure. “People are hurting. Fuel is expensive, groceries are expensive, and household budgets are stretched,” she said. Wong said the party’s proposed Citizens Income, funded by a Land Value Tax, is designed to give cost‑of‑living relief to around 70% of New Zealanders. She said Opportunity is open to working with…

Mike Bain/cvnznews.com New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has delivered a wide‑ranging election speech casting his party as the only reliable defender of superannuation and the interests of older New Zealanders. Speaking on August 28, Peters told supporters the coming election would be “pivotal for the direction of our country” and argued that experience, not experimentation, was needed in government. Peters reiterated that NZ First would not support raising the superannuation age, means‑testing, or any changes to eligibility. “New Zealand First does not support changes to the entitlement or eligibility of New Zealand Superannuation,” he said, adding that claims superannuation…

Mike Bain/cvnznews.com A Papakura High School student is being hailed as a hero after stepping in to protect a younger child from an attempted abduction on Friday morning — an intervention police say may have prevented a far more serious outcome. The primary‑aged child was walking to Kelvin Road School when a stranger in a dented grey sedan allegedly tried to lure them into his vehicle. The man, described as “scruffy”, bearded, dressed in black, and driving an older grey car, approached the youngster near the school route. It was then that a teenage girl — on her own way…

Mike Bain /cvnznews.com A Saturday night prank in Coffs Harbour has escalated into national headlines after a 78‑year‑old man was charged for allegedly driving into two boys on e‑bikes — a moment that has reignited the debate over responsibility, respect, and the slow erosion of boundaries between generations. Police say a group of children were playing “ding‑dong ditch” around 8.30pm, knocking on the man’s door before speeding off on e‑bikes. It’s the kind of mischief older New Zealanders will remember from their own childhoods — except back then, you ran on foot, and you certainly didn’t have a motorised getaway…

Editorial: Mike Bain A 16‑year‑old girl in Sydney is dead after a suspected sexual‑choking incident. Police are still investigating, no charges have been laid, and we must let that process run. But the fact remains: a teenager has lost her life during a sex act that young people increasingly believe is “normal.” This is not a fringe story. It’s not a scandal to gawk at. It’s a warning. And it’s one New Zealand cannot afford to ignore. The uncomfortable truth: choking has become mainstream for teens Researchers now estimate around half of young people have tried choking during sex. Not…

Mike Bain/cvnznews.com Update 9am Friday Police are still on the hunt this morning after a man and woman were found dead in a South Auckland home, as they search for those behind the double homicide. Police worked through the night after two people were found dead at a Gambare Place home in Wattle Downs on Thursday afternoon. A witness told media he saw a car stop in the street before two people ran towards the property. Moments later, he heard “about eight or nine” gunshots. Those involved had fled by the time police arrived. A scene guard remained at the…

Mike Bain/cvnznews.com Te Pāti Māori’s push for sweeping tax reform has opened a fresh front in the election campaign, with National warning the proposals would amount to “five new taxes” under a Labour‑led Government. The party has outlined a suite of revenue measures it says are needed to rebalance the economy and fund major social investment. Their plan includes a stamp duty on property, a bach tax, an international company tax, a land tax, and a wealth tax targeting the richest 3% of New Zealanders. Te Pāti Māori also wants higher corporate tax rates and an increased top income tax…

Mike Bain/cvnznews.com New Zealand officials are closely monitoring a rapidly escalating humanitarian emergency in Nepal, where catastrophic flash floods have killed at least 160 people and left hundreds more missing, including five New Zealanders. The disaster struck near the Nepal–Tibet border after what experts believe was a massive rock‑ice avalanche that collapsed into a river, triggering a sudden wall of mud, water and debris that tore through villages, roads and tourist areas. Verified footage shows buses, buildings and entire market areas swept away in seconds. Former honorary consul of Nepal to Auckland Dinesh Khadka told media he had received the…

Mike Bain/cvnznews.com New Zealand’s flu vaccination programme is set for a major expansion, with more than 260,000 children aged six months to five years becoming eligible for funded influenza vaccines from April 2027. The move follows Pharmac’s decision to widen access and update several of the country’s publicly funded vaccines. Associate Health Minister David Seymour says the change is aimed at easing winter pressures on families, workplaces and the health system, which have faced increasingly severe flu seasons in recent years. “Winter is a challenging period for many Kiwis,” Seymour said. “Strong flu strains have made it much more difficult.…