Author: Mike Bain/cvnznews.com

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.…

Mike Bain/cvnznews.com Labour is accusing the Government of presiding over a “health failure”, pointing to more than 185,000 understaffed nursing shifts recorded in 2025 — but the claim lands at a time when hospitals are already under heavy strain from a nationwide influenza surge. Labour health spokesperson Dr Ayesha Verrall says the figures show National has failed to properly staff and fund the health system, leaving nurses stretched and patients waiting longer for care. “National is leaving nurses stretched and patients waiting, while hundreds of nursing graduates are left without jobs under a hiring freeze,” Verrall said. She argues National…

James Lasher. Many Christians desire more of God while remaining afraid of what surrender to Him may look like. In his classic sermon “Immersion in the Spirit,” Bible teacher Derek Prince warned that fear of appearing emotional has kept many believers spiritually restrained. “Most Christians are living what I call bottled up lives,” Prince said. “They’re not free to express what God has put in them because we have this standard of dignity.” Prince was not promoting emotion for its own sake. He was confronting a church culture that treats silence and composure as the only acceptable responses to God. Scripture presents…

Mike Bain/cvnznews.com The latest RNZ–Reid Research poll — one of several national polls producing varied results this election — shows a dramatic shift in the political landscape, with The Opportunity Party clearing the 5 percent threshold and landing squarely in the kingmaker position. While individual polls often differ in methodology and outcomes, this one points to a finely balanced Parliament where neither bloc can govern without Opportunity’s support. According to the poll, Opportunity sits at 5.3 percent, its strongest result yet in this series and enough to deliver six seats. If replicated on election day, the right bloc would hold…

Mike Bain/cvnznews.com The fatal police shooting of fugitive Tom Phillips was “the only realistic option” available to officers confronting an armed and unpredictable offender, the Independent Police Conduct Authority has ruled — closing one of the most extraordinary manhunts in modern New Zealand history. Phillips, who vanished into the King Country bush with his three children in December 2021, spent years evading police, frustrating search teams, and becoming a symbol of institutional paralysis. His disappearance — and the unanswered questions surrounding the welfare of his children — sparked repeated public criticism of police strategy, including from CVNZ News, which has…

Sarah McMillan/cvnznews.com The Government has announced a $1.5 million boost to help Kiwi poultry operators prepare for the possible arrival of H5 bird flu — a virus that’s been sweeping through flocks overseas and threatening food supplies worldwide. Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard says the new Poultry Biosecurity Grant is designed to help small and medium‑sized producers strengthen their defences before the disease ever reaches New Zealand. “We’re backing Kiwi poultry operators to protect jobs, livelihoods, and the country’s domestic food supply,” Mr Hoggard said. “This grant helps farmers make practical improvements to keep their flocks safe.” Producers can claim up…

Mike Bain/cvnznews.com New Zealand politics is not short on health promises — but it is short on health plans that actually explain how they’ll work. This week, the Conservative Party released a 10‑point health strategy that does something unusual in modern politics: it tells voters how the policy will be paid for, why it matters, and what success will look like. And honestly, other parties could learn from this. A System Built Around Patients, Not Bureaucracy The Conservatives start with a blunt diagnosis: New Zealand’s problem isn’t just money — it’s waiting times. “The central problem is not simply how…

Mike Bain/cvnznews.com The Bible speaks plainly about a coming Great Apostasy—a widespread falling away from the faith that will mark the final chapter before Christ’s return. For New Zealand Christians, this theme is not distant theology; it is a present and pressing reality. As our nation drifts further from biblical truth, believers must understand what Scripture reveals about end‑time deception and how to stand firm in a culture increasingly hostile to the gospel. The term apostasy comes from the Greek apostasia, meaning a deliberate departure from the faith. Paul addresses this directly in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, warning that Christ’s return…

Ashley Chuch. We’re all familiar with the mental image of a man, alone in the middle of the ocean, his ship gone beneath him, clinging desperately to a piece of wreckage and convincing himself that if he can just hold on a little longer, rescue will come. I’m starting to wonder whether that’s me – hanging on to the belief that New Zealand had decisively rejected the direction of the previous Labour government and that the political drift since then was temporary, accidental, or simply the result of National failing to deliver what people thought they had voted for. But…

Mike Bain/cvnznews.com A fresh round of political promises over the South Island’s economic future has injected energy into an already upbeat recovery narrative — but the competing messages from National and Labour show the region’s fortunes are now a central battleground. National’s package, unveiled today, frames the South Island as a growth engine worth about $100 billion a year, promising targeted investments in infrastructure, exports, energy and public services to unlock further opportunity. Leader Christopher Luxon and Tourism Minister Louise Upston point to recent tourism momentum and export potential as reasons to double down on projects such as the Rolleston…

Supplied by NDTV World A polar bear cub residing in an aquarium in Japan’s Akita Prefecture has gone viral for his love of traffic cones. Mobile phone footage obtained by the Associated Press showed the cub, named Momota, pushing his head inside a cone and poking his mother’s back.