Author: Sarah McMillan/cvnznews.com

Sarah McMillan/cvnznews.com New Zealand mothers will soon have the option of spending up to three days in hospital after giving birth, following the passage of new legislation aimed at providing greater support during the vital first days of motherhood. The Healthy Futures (3 Day Postnatal Stay) Amendment Bill has passed its final stage in Parliament, marking what many will see as a welcome return to a more traditional approach to postnatal care. In recent years, many mothers have experienced dramatically shorter hospital stays, often giving birth and returning home within a day or two. While early discharge works well for…

Sarah McMillan/cvnznews.com Questions are being raised about whether New Zealand’s immigration system is operating as intended, with calls for an independent investigation into migrant recruitment practices, business ownership, and the impact on local workers. A proposal for a decade-long review of immigration settings would examine whether businesses purchased or established by migrant owners are disproportionately recruiting workers from their own countries of origin, and whether New Zealanders are being unfairly excluded from employment opportunities. The call comes amid growing debate about the Accredited Employer Work Visa scheme and the rapid growth of both temporary and permanent migration over recent years.…

Sarah McMillan/cvnznews.com New Zealand motorists are once again feeling the pain at the petrol pump, with fuel prices soaring by around 30 cents a litre since the start of September and no immediate relief in sight. According to fuel price monitoring app Gaspy, the latest increase has come on top of already elevated prices driven by ongoing instability in the Middle East. Gaspy spokesperson Mike Newton said fuel costs have been climbing sharply since early September, with diesel experiencing even steeper increases than petrol. Read More: The Tax S#*t Show – cvnznews.com Retail Hits the Wall as the Fuel Pain…

Sarah McMillan/cvnznews.com Once known as a tropical holiday destination, Fiji is now battling a rapidly escalating HIV emergency linked to sexual transmission and a growing illicit drug problem, prompting fears across the Pacific and drawing support from New Zealand and Australia. Fiji has declared a national HIV emergency after an alarming explosion in infections that health authorities say is being fuelled by both sexual transmission and the increasing use of injectable drugs. The scale of the crisis is startling. Health Minister Atonio Lalabalavu this week formally declared a national emergency as HIV rates continue to soar across the South Pacific…

Sarah McMillan/cvnznews.com New Zealand’s book sector says the country is standing on the edge of a major opportunity — one that could lift literacy, energise local publishing, and put Kiwi stories back at the centre of national culture. The message from the Coalition for Books is clear: the next three years will define the future of New Zealand literature, and the next government has the power to spark a nationwide reading revival. Coalition chair Melanie Laville‑Moore says New Zealanders already have a strong appetite for reading, and research consistently shows that reading participation boosts life outcomes, economic productivity and social…

cvnz.com journalist Sarah McLachlan in this article breaks down the issues of finds Boot Camps, Broken Promises: A Short History of New Zealand’s Tough‑Love Mirage For more than three decades, New Zealand has flirted with the idea that troubled teenagers can be “fixed” by marching them in straight lines, shouting instructions, and sending them home with a certificate of discipline. Every few years, a government dusts off the same old slogan — boot camps — and promises that this time, finally, the magic will work. It never has. And yet, this week, Christopher Luxon pushed the concept into law, ignoring…

Sarah McMillan/cvnznews.com New Zealand’s retail sector has hit another patch of turbulence, with new data showing shoppers kept a tight grip on their wallets throughout August. Retail NZ says households are feeling the squeeze from rising fuel costs and economic uncertainty, leaving overall spending flat compared to the same time last year. Electronic Card Transaction figures from Stats NZ show core retail spending sat at 0.0% growth, a sharp contrast to July’s strong 3.5% lift. Total retail card spending rose just 0.8%, and even that modest increase was largely held up by fuel purchases — still growing at 4.4% year‑on‑year…

Sarah McMillan/cvnznews.com Wellington Hospital has been forced to close off part of a corridor this week to make room for extra emergency department beds, as patient numbers continue to climb during one of the busiest winters in recent years. Health NZ’s acting interim group director of operations for Capital, Coast and Hutt Valley, Robert Blaikie, says the move is part of a temporary strategy used when the emergency department reaches high occupancy. Up to four beds can be placed in the corridor outside the ED observation unit for stable patients awaiting admission or discharge, with a dedicated nurse assigned to…

Sarah McMillan/cvnznews.com New Zealand’s tourism sector has taken another strong step forward, with new figures showing more international visitors arriving than before the pandemic. Statistics New Zealand recorded 256,600 overseas visitors in July 2026, an increase of 8.5 percent on last year and even higher than July 2019 . Tourism Minister Louise Upston says the numbers show “real momentum” returning to one of New Zealand’s biggest export industries. In the year to July, 3.69 million visitors arrived — a 9 percent jump on the previous year. Australia continues to lead the way, with 134,900 Aussies crossing the ditch in July,…

Sarah McMillan/cvnznews.com Wellington movie lovers have reason to get excited — the long‑silent Reading Cinema complex is officially on its way back, with major redevelopment works now cleared to move ahead. After years of waiting, the iconic Courtenay Place site is being transformed into The Court, a modern entertainment precinct set to bring premium cinemas, new hospitality, retail, and fresh energy back to the heart of the city. With resource consent now approved, the project has hit a major milestone — and the countdown to a revived movie‑going experience has truly begun. Primeproperty Group has received the green light from…

Simon Ormiston/Euronews and Sarah McMillan/cvnznews.com Two psychiatrists in New Zealand can now prescribe MDMA in controlled clinical settings, built on trial results that have been challenged in the US. Two New Zealand psychiatrists have won approval to prescribe pharmaceutical-grade MDMA to patients with severe post-traumatic stress disorder, making the country only the second in the world – after Australia in 2023 – to authorise the party drug for clinical use. New Zealand’s medicines regulator, Medsafe, granted the approvals to Wellington’s Dr Gary Wynn and Auckland’s Dr Tom Paterson, who spent more than a year passing the regulatory process. “PTSD ruins…

Sarah McMillan/cvnznews.com ACT has unveiled a major constitutional proposal: complete all remaining historical Treaty settlements, end the Waitangi Tribunal’s contemporary powers, and wind the institution up once its historical work is finished. Party leader David Seymour says the Tribunal has drifted far from its original purpose and now acts as a parallel policymaking body — something he argues New Zealanders never voted for. Seymour says the Tribunal played an important role in addressing historical grievances, especially where the Crown confiscated land or breached property rights. But he argues its modern form — with urgent inquiries and Kaupapa investigations into current…

Sarah McMillan/cvnznews.com Fire and Emergency New Zealand has welcomed home Team Zulu, the latest group of Kiwi specialists to return from Canada after five intense weeks supporting British Columbia’s massive wildfire response. The deployment was part of a joint New Zealand–Australian effort, with each member of Team Zulu embedded in different Canadian Incident Management Teams. The five specialists filled critical roles — Divisional Supervisors, a Logistics Section Chief, a Safety Officer and a Helicopter Coordinator — working on some of the most complex and fast‑moving fires of the season. An International Liaison Officer, based in Winnipeg, supported both New Zealand…

Sarah McMillan/cvnznews.com Lawyers say recent Corrections cuts to community bail services are trapping people in prison not because they pose a danger, but because they have nowhere suitable to stay. Until July, iwi organisations ran six community bail beds with wrap‑around support. Those contracts were terminated after a Corrections review claimed there was “no evidence” the programmes delivered value for taxpayers. The result: just 10 bail beds remain nationwide, all contracted through Auckland’s Grace Foundation. Criminal Bar Association vice president Sumudu Thode says the impact is immediate and severe. With 41 percent of the prison population now on remand—4,616 people…

Sarah McMillan/cvnznews.com Two former charter schools have been placed under commissioners after the Ministry of Education uncovered serious financial and governance failures — including an illegal board, mounting debt, and questionable payments for curriculum “intellectual property.” Documents released under the Official Information Act show Middle School West Auckland (MSWA) and South Auckland Middle School (SAMS) were both in deep trouble. The ministry found low cash reserves, arrears on payroll, and procurement practices so weak that forensic accounting was considered. At SAMS, officials said the board was operating illegally and had been paying $50,000 a year for the right to use…

Sarah McMillan/cvnznews.com A survivor‑advocacy network says the Catholic Church’s claims of a “positive culture shift” in safeguarding do not match the lived reality of people who report abuse, raising deeper questions about institutional accountability and the moral duty to protect the vulnerable. SNAP Aotearoa New Zealand — a survivor‑led organisation supporting people abused by clergy and religious personnel — says members continue to encounter delays, dismissals and legal pushback when approaching the Church’s National Office for Professional Standards (NOPS). NOPS is the Catholic body responsible for safeguarding policy and coordinating responses to complaints of clerical and religious sexual abuse. Read…

Sarah McMillan/cvnznews.com. Weeks‑long delays for urgent cardiac procedures in Wellington and Christchurch are once again exposing pressure points in New Zealand’s health system — and raising deeper questions about how a nation cares for its most vulnerable. Hospitals are reporting shortages of cardiac beds and specialist staff, leaving upgraded catheterisation labs sitting idle for parts of the day. For patients waiting in regional hospitals, the delays are not just inconvenient — they are dangerous. A Patient Waiting, Watching, and Wondering Palmerston North woman Anna Haarkman has spent more than two weeks in hospital waiting for a pacemaker. She needs to…

Sarah McMillan/cvnznews.com Government launches new roadmap for unpaid carers, as advocates highlight moral duty to honour those who care for the vulnerable The Government has unveiled a new long‑term action plan aimed at recognising and supporting the thousands of unpaid carers who look after loved ones at home — a workforce often unseen, but essential to the wellbeing of New Zealand’s elderly, disabled and chronically ill. Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment Penny Simmonds says the Mahi Aroha Carers’ Strategy Action Plan provides a sustainable roadmap for improving health and wellbeing, financial security, and recognition for carers. “It’s a…

Sarah McMillan/cvnznews.com A leading veterans’ advocate is challenging all political parties to commit to an independent review of New Zealand’s veterans’ support system in the first year of the next Parliament, saying the current framework can no longer be patched and must be properly examined. The NZ Veterans Advocate has released its 2026 Election Priorities paper, A Fair, Modern Veterans’ Support System, setting out three core commitments it wants parties to adopt. At the top of the list is a full, independent review of the Veterans’ Support Act 2014 and the way it is being applied. Spokesperson Ross Himona, a…

Sarah McMillan/cvnznews.com Farm workers and first‑time farm buyers could soon use their KiwiSaver savings to step onto the property ladder under new legislation introduced this week, a move the Government says will finally recognise the realities of rural life and service tenancies. The KiwiSaver (First Home or Farm) Amendment Bill, originally drafted by Rangitīkei MP Suze Redmayne and now adopted by the Government, fixes two long‑standing rules that have kept many rural New Zealanders from using the same first‑home withdrawal available to other KiwiSaver members. Finance Minister Nicola Willis said workers whose jobs come with tied housing—such as farm staff…

Sarah McMillan/cvnznews.com Labour’s promise to guarantee jobs for graduate nurses has been welcomed by the aged‑care sector — but leaders warn the policy could unintentionally deepen New Zealand’s nursing shortage unless aged residential care is fully included. The Aged Care Association says the guarantee is an overdue acknowledgement that New Zealand must grow its nursing workforce. But Chief Executive Hon Tracey Martin argues the policy risks funnelling graduates almost exclusively into Health New Zealand, leaving aged‑care providers struggling even more to recruit nurses. “Aged care is health care,” she said. “If workforce policy ignores the 40,000 aged‑care beds providing daily…

Sarah McMillan/cvnznews.com A survivor of clerical child sexual abuse says the Catholic Church has failed a basic test of accountability after Archbishop Paul Martin declined to uphold his complaint alleging an institutional cover‑up within the Diocese of Hamilton. Richard van der Hulst, who was abused as a child by Father Sebastian Palich, received a letter from the Archbishop on 26 August acknowledging his credibility and expressing “deep sorrow” — while simultaneously ruling that the Church could not find wrongdoing by the senior clergy Richard accused of protecting his abuser. The reason given: the Church “failed to keep adequate historical records”…

Sarah McMillan/cvnznews.com Netball New Zealand has chosen the private franchise proposal led by businesswoman Anna Mowbray and former All Black Ali Williams as its preferred model for a new elite domestic competition in 2027, according to reporting first published by RNZ. RNZ revealed that the national body’s board reached the decision at a meeting last week, selecting the Mowbray–Williams bid ahead of other options considered to replace the ANZ Premiership. The organisation is now working with the pair to finalise commercial, broadcast and structural details for the competition. A source involved in the discussions told RNZ the decision marks a…

Sarah McMillan/cvnznews.com No real surprise here but it’s now official. New Zealand households are paying more for everyday essentials while receiving less in return, according to new economic insights released by Kiwibank. The warning comes ahead of the Reserve Bank’s September Monetary Policy Statement, where a hike to the Official Cash Rate (OCR) from 2.5% to 2.75% is widely expected. Kiwibank economists argue the move is premature, saying the economy remains “too soft for a hike” . While exporters are enjoying strong demand from major trading partners and support from a weaker Kiwi dollar, those gains are not flowing through…

Sarah McMillan/cvnznews.com The Green Party has released its 2026 Tiriti policy, Te Waonui a Tāne: Thriving Marae and Thriving Communities, saying it will give marae stable, long‑term funding instead of relying on whichever government happens to be in power. Co‑leader Marama Davidson said marae are “the living hearts of our communities”, and stronger marae mean stronger, safer neighbourhoods. She said current funding is inconsistent and creates uncertainty for hapū and iwi who plan decades ahead. The new policy proposes a protected, ongoing funding system made up of two parts: Davidson said the aim is to ensure mokopuna inherit “vibrant, resilient,…

Sarah McMillan/cvnznews.com NZ Post’s return to profitability after several years of losses is encouraging, but a sustained commitment to continued improvement is required, says State-Owned Enterprises Minister Simeon Brown. The company today reported a net profit of $17 million for the year ended 30 June 2026, a $19 million improvement on the previous year’s result. EBITDA was $157m, $33m above FY25. NZ Post’s equity value also increased to $730 million, up $93 million from the previous year. “This improved financial performance is welcome and reflects NZ Post’s focus on cost management and better operational efficiency,” Mr Brown says. “Group revenue…

Sarah McMillan/cvnznews.com A North Shore man has been reunited with his stolen $90,000 Rolex after an extraordinary months‑long hunt that stretched across three countries and countless dead ends. The luxury watch was among a haul of high‑end goods seized during a 2023 search warrant at the home of a prolific burglar, now behind bars. But it wasn’t until North Shore Frontline Station Support Officer Lisa Clark spotted the Rolex in the exhibits store that the real detective work began. Clark says something about the watch bothered her — a sense that someone out there still cared deeply about it. With…

Sarah McMillan/cvnznews.com New Zealand’s tourism sector is continuing its upward climb, and the country’s car rental industry is emerging as one of the clearest indicators of that momentum — expanding steadily as both international visitors and domestic travellers return to the roads in large numbers. According to new industry data, New Zealand’s passenger car rental and hiring sector reached NZ$2.3 billion in 2025, supported by 682 businesses nationwide and a strong 7.6% compound annual growth rate over the past five years. Operators say the trend reflects a shift in how people are choosing to explore the country: more flexibility, more…

Sarah McMillan/cvnznews.com Police have filed a new round of charges in a sweeping corruption investigation spanning several North Island prisons, bringing the total number of accused to 24 and exposing what investigators describe as serious, organised criminal activity inside the corrections system. The latest 33 charges — added to the 108 already before the courts — were laid in the Auckland District Court on Monday. They include allegations of offering and accepting bribes, smuggling contraband, and facilitating drug‑related offending from inside prison walls. Because of the seriousness of the bribery and corruption allegations, police say the charges required the Attorney‑General’s…

Sarah Mc Millan/cvnznews.com Police have launched an investigation after two teenage girls were violently assaulted and robbed by a large group of youths near Takapuna Beach on Saturday night. The incident occurred at around 9.30pm in an area behind restaurants off Hurstmere Road. According to police, the two victims had been spending time with the group for about an hour before the situation suddenly escalated. Detective Senior Sergeant Mike Williams said the pair were separated, assaulted, and had personal items stolen. “We know members of the public will be upset by this behaviour and Police will not tolerate it in…

Sarah McMillan/cvnznews.com ACT has released a policy that affirms New Zealand’s core democratic values, protects property rights, reins in activist judges, and stops Parliament creating vague Treaty clauses that divide New Zealanders. ACT has unveiled a sweeping constitutional policy it says will put “one law for all with one future together” at the heart of New Zealand’s legal framework, tightening Parliament’s control over the law and giving stronger protection to property rights. The policy, released by ACT leader David Seymour, proposes inserting three core principles into the Constitution Act: that Parliament is sovereign, the rule of law is fundamental, and…

Sarah McMillan/cvnznews.com Labour has launched a fresh economic pitch for Election 2026, promising to grow the economy, return the books to surplus, and ensure “hard‑working New Zealanders can get ahead” without cutting public services. Leader Chris Hipkins says the party’s plan is built around backing people, backing businesses, and restoring stability after what he describes as “three difficult years for Kiwi households”. Hipkins argues National has failed to deliver on its promise to fix the economy, pointing to rising unemployment, business liquidations, and increasing living costs. “New Zealand should be a country where hard work gets you somewhere,” Hipkins said.…

Sarah McMillan/cvnznews.com Just months after cvnznews.com exposed the experiences of New Zealand women being told to “just get pregnant” as a supposed treatment for endometriosis, new national guidelines are finally being rolled out to help GPs diagnose the condition earlier — and with far fewer dismissive detours. The updated clinical guidance, released this week, is designed to give frontline doctors clearer criteria, faster pathways, and practical tools to identify endometriosis without forcing patients through years of pain, disbelief, or outdated advice. According to reporting from 1News, the guidelines aim to reduce the average diagnostic delay, which currently stretches up to…

Sarah McMillan/cvnznews.com Image: The six people killed in the Mauao landslide were (clockwise from top left) Pakūranga College student couple Sharon Maccanico and Max Furse-Kee, both 15; Rotorua property manager Susan Doreen Knowles, 71; Morrinsville educator Lisa Anne Maclennan, 50; Swedish tourist Måns Loke Bernhardsson, 20; and Rotorua interior design store co-founder Jacqualine Wheeler, 71. For nearly three decades, warnings echoed around the base of Mauao — quiet, technical, easily filed away warnings that never made it to the people sleeping beneath the mountain. On January 22, those warnings finally roared to life. A landslide tore down the slope and…

Sarah McMillan/cvnznews.com 38 Years After Cartwright: Women Are Still Being Failed by a Cervical Screening Register Not Fit for Purpose Wednesday, 5 August, marked 38 years since Judge Silvia Cartwright released her landmark report into the treatment of cervical cancer at National Women’s Hospital. The Cartwright Inquiry was born out of a simple, devastating truth: women were not being told the truth about their health, and some were being used as unwitting subjects in an unethical “natural history” experiment. The Inquiry exposed systemic failures, secrecy, and a culture that dismissed women’s concerns — and it led directly to the creation…

Sarah McMillan/cvnznews.com A silent emergency is unfolding across the developing world, and it didn’t happen by accident. It happened because wealthy nations — led by the United States — decided to pull the plug on the very programs that kept millions of mothers and children alive. When the Trump administration dissolved USAID, the world’s largest humanitarian donor, it wasn’t just a bureaucratic reshuffle. It was a detonation. Funding collapsed, other nations followed suit, and the support systems that held vulnerable communities together simply vanished. Outreach workers disappeared. Birthing centres lost staff, equipment, and medicine. Nutrition programs that cost less than…

Sarah McMillan/cvnznews.com New Zealand’s long‑running attendance crisis has finally produced a bright spot — and for once, it’s not spin, not theory, and not another round of hand‑wringing. It’s real movement. Associate Education Minister David Seymour has welcomed new data showing more non‑enrolled students (NENs) are being found, supported, and re‑enrolled than at any point since records began. And in a country where too many kids have drifted off the grid, that matters. Term 2 attendance hit a decade high. That alone is a headline few expected in 2026. But the real story sits underneath: frontline attendance services have been…

Sarah McMillan/cvnznews.com Retirement village reform has become the quiet earthquake rumbling beneath New Zealand’s ageing landscape. With more than 53,000 older New Zealanders now living in villages — and tens of thousands more expected in the coming decade — operators are bracing for change. Some are waiting. Others are moving early. Bupa New Zealand has chosen the latter. From July, all new independent‑living Occupation Right Agreements (ORAs) include a six‑month buy‑back provision — a commitment that Bupa will repurchase a resident’s villa or apartment within six months and five working days of them leaving, even if the unit hasn’t sold.…

Sarah McMillan/cvnznews.com How is this still happening in New Zealand? A major new study has revealed that one‑third of people living with endometriosis were told by a medical practitioner to “get pregnant” to relieve their symptoms — advice Endometriosis New Zealand says is outdated, inappropriate, and deeply concerning. The recommendation stems from old‑fashioned beliefs that hormonal changes during pregnancy might temporarily ease pain, but experts say it has no place in modern healthcare and leaves patients feeling dismissed and pressured into life‑changing decisions. The findings come from two reports released as part of Barriers and Facilitators of Endometriosis Care in…

Sarah McMillan/cvnznews.com New Zealand’s dog control system just got a long‑overdue tune‑up — and according to the SPCA, it’s about time. After years of councils running dog control like a neighbourhood raffle, the Government has finally dropped updated national Dog Control and Enforcement Guidelines. Think of it as a new rulebook for the people who deal with everything from wandering woofers to full‑blown bite incidents. The SPCA is applauding the move, calling the guidelines a “positive step” toward consistency, safety, and better treatment of dogs nationwide. And honestly, fair enough — the old guidelines were last properly updated in 2009,…