Category: Public Media

Posted on

The return of the property flipper

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ

Property flippers are back, at a rate not seen since before the global financial crisis.

A recent case in which an Auckland re-seller was ordered to pay $1 million to a couple he left out of pocket highlighted the perils of the practice.

Robert and Margaret Smallridge took their case against Paljeet Singh to the High Court in Auckland, where Justice Tracey Walker ruled in their favour.

The couple sold their Avondale home to Singh at the peak of the property market, in November 2021, for $1.925 million.

He intended to sell it on before the settlement date, but the market dropped. The couple eventually resold the property to another buyer for significantly less.

Singh was told to pay more than $750,000 in damages as well as contractual interest at 14 percent from 23 November, 2022 to the resale on 14 April, 2023, to a total of $99,604.48. He also had to pay a contractual interest on the net loss on resale at $268.01 per day from 15 April 2023 until it was paid.

Nick Goodall, head of research at property data firm Cotality, said the number of contemporaneous sales – where a property is sold to one person and then on to another at the same time – had lifted significantly last year after a sharp fall in 2023.

“There was a lift in these types of transactions last year, almost double 2024, and even more than what we saw through the Covid boom times.

“Perhaps this reflects the position of some vendors being more inclined to shift a property – given the decline of the market and weakness of the broader economy – rather than being able to hold on for a better price. Though this activity is still less prevalent than in the lead up to the Global Financial Crisis.”

The peak of this activity, according to Cotality’s data, was in 2007, but last year was the busiest year for it since then.

“It probably also speaks to the fact we’ve seen more activity at that lower end, which I suspect is going to be where more of the flipping activity happens as well,” Goodall said.

“When you look at the growth or lack of in prices that we’ve seen at the lower to middle end, where first-home buyers have been active, that hasn’t actually been as bad as perhaps the overall market has, which has been affected by the middle section of the market where the movers aren’t moving at the moment.”

He said people who made it work were selective in what they bought.

“You might find a property that’s been on the market for a while. It’s going to be experienced people and maybe they understand where a vendor might want a quicker sale in terms of moving on, but they can open up a different market to sell that on once they get to a certain state.”

He said it would happen less frequently when the market was soft, but there would still be buyers making it work on some properties.

But the Auckland case showed it did not always succeed.

“If the market’s not going so well, the economy’s not going so well, the buyers just aren’t there, they’re not seeing value on the property you’ve got, whatever it might be… It’s certainly not foolproof or faultless, but there’s probably always opportunities for this type of activity to continue,” Goodall said.

‘Lazy investors’

Property investment coach Steve Goodey said there were a number of “buyers’ advocates” in the market who would find properties that appeared to be a good deal and sell them on to investors with a small margin.

“I’ve done quite a few contemporaneous settlements in the last few months – four in December and two in January.

“There’s an investor market out there that doesn’t really know how cheap you can actually buy stuff at the moment, so if you’re a professional buyer and negotiator and can find equity, a discount or a high-yielding property, it’s not terribly hard to pass it on for a moderate fee.

“There are lots of lazy investors out there who don’t mind taking something off someone if the numbers make sense.”

Sign up for Money with Susan Edmunds, a weekly newsletter covering all the things that affect how we make, spend and invest money.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Posted on

What are the best fish and chip shop sides?

Source: Radio New Zealand

Fish and chips are an essential feature of any Kiwi summer. That first bite – flaky terakihi, gurnard, hoki or snapper encased in crisp batter with a huge handful of golden chips is practically a seasonal rite of passage.

But while we argue passionately about batter styles, chip colour and the tastiest species, what about those unsung heroes playing best supporting roles?

To find out, we conducted some highly unscientific (but extremely earnest) research, ringing chippys around the country to see what flies out the door alongside our fish. And according to the ‘data’, these are the six sides New Zealanders love the most.

Fish and chips.

Unsplash

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Posted on

‘Everyday living is just so hard’: Families going into debt to pay for school uniforms

Source: Radio New Zealand

An Auckland grandmother looking after two of her mokopuna says she went into debt with their school to pay for uniforms and fees.

Fiona Marks recently moved to secure a bigger state house, which also meant a new school and new uniforms to buy for grandchildren under her long-term care.

Then there was footwear, yet another cost.

“You’ve got to have two different sets of shoes because they are in the high school side of the kura so they need their normal school shoes but when they get dressed into their number one uniform, when they’re representing the kura whether its powhiri or whatever, they have to have dress shoes.”

Fiona Marks has two mokopuna in her care. RNZ / Marika Khabazi

Her grandchildren wore blazers, shirts and ties as part of their school uniform.

“It’s around $700 for one child.”

Otago University research showed secondary school uniforms could cost anywhere from $250 to about $1000.

Charities and politicians are calling on school boards to keep the price of uniforms in check.

Last year, more than 38,000 hardship payments were granted to help parents with school expenses, including uniforms, totalling $11 million.

Marks said it was hard to keep up – she needed a grant from Work and Income (WINZ) to pay off debt owed to the children’s previous school.

“Last year I ended up, with the school trips, the uniforms and everything for the whole year, I ended up still owing the school around $500 at the end of the year.”

The debt parents and guardians owe schools was unknown – both the Ministry of Education and School Boards Association said they did not keep such data.

Marks receives an invalids benefit and two unsupported child benefits which, after household expenses, left $160 a week for food.

“Everyday living is just so hard and my grandson is coming up 15 in April, I mean he eats like a horse so it’s just constant in the cupboard. He can have dinner then he’s back in the cupboard.”

Trophies at Marks’ home. RNZ / Marika Khabazi

Her granddaughter was at high school and said her Nan did an amazing job providing for them.

A teenager, she also worried about the cost of school uniforms.

She did not have the exact uniform required for Monday – and did not end up going to school.

Variety sponsors Fiona Marks’ two grandchildren and chief executive Susan Glasgow said moving to a new area could put huge pressure on families.

The charity recently helped a father to pay for his children’s third school uniform after he moved the family out of transitional housing.

“When they were moved to a third transitional house, they were moved to a third school requiring yet another uniform and they couldn’t borrow any more money from WINZ so they came to us,” Glasgow said.

“He was in tears at our door asking for our help so we provided the funding for him to get a school uniform for his children.”

Variety chief executive Susan Glasgow. RNZ / Marika Khabazi

She said some families were forced to move if they were in temporary housing.

“That’s the reality of the situation, families are being moved so they require more than one school uniform. It’s really hard for many members of our community.”

This year Variety had recorded a 16 percent increase in requests for help to pay for school uniforms and fees.

Glasgow said it would help if schools allowed generic school uniform basics to be bought anywhere.

“One of the things that schools might consider is this notion that they have in Britain of the uniform uniform, where a family or a child is only expected to have a maximum of three branded items.”

Variety sponsored more than 7000 children and there were 3000 on its waitlist.

Fiona Marks. RNZ / Marika Khabazi

Now in her 60s, Marks had looked after grandchildren off and on since she was in her 40s and has had custody of two for over a decade.

“I am enjoing life with my grandchildren but I should be able to be sitting in my home just relaxing doing what I want to do without responsibilities of grandchildren, but I wouldn’t give them up for anything.”

Even so, she would like the government to do more to support grandparents looking after their mokopuna.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Posted on

Snow, speed, and surveillance at the Winter Olympics

Source: Radio New Zealand

Zoi Sadowski-Synnott of New Zealand competes in the Women’s Snowboard Big Air on day two of the X Games Aspen 2026. Michael Reaves/ Getty Images via AFP

This year, the most contested “ice” at the Winter Olympics isn’t on the rink – it’s US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

For Kiwis, the Winter Olympics no longer feels like we’re on the outside looking in.

RNZ First Up presenter and sport reporter Nathan Rarere says New Zealand has a great team of 17 for the Italian games which start on Friday.

In a Games that has long been dominated by Northern Hemisphere countries – specifically, Norway – our young snow athletes are really starting to make their mark. And that should add excitement to what has long been a thrilling spectator event.

Today on The Detail, Winter Olympics tragic Rarere talks about the highlights, the anticipated wins, and the controversies of the Games.

And before the world’s spotlight has even reached the Italian snow, a different kind of ICE has secured a part in the 2026 Winter Olympics story, dominating headlines, causing anger, and a chilling unrest.

The focus is meant to be on tomorrow’s opening ceremony, but away from the slopes, controversy has followed reports of ICE agents operating around Olympic infrastructure to support American security operations during the 19-day-long Games, hosted in Milan and Cortina.

“This is a militia that kills… of course they’re not welcome in Milan,” the city’s mayor, Beppe Sala, was quick to tell an Italian broadcaster.

An ICE spokesperson responded by saying that “all security operations remain under Italian authority”.

But still, hundreds of protestors took to Italian streets at the weekend, arguing it risks chilling effects – on athletes, spectators, and media – particularly those travelling on complex visas or from politically sensitive regions.

Rarere, a long-time Winter Games follower who covered the most recent Summer Olympics in Paris, tells The Detail that while the locals aren’t happy about the arrival of ICE agents, teams have been known to send security with their athletes in the past.

“When I did Paris [in 2024] … the security was incredible, I had never seen so many actual soldiers,” he says.

“And on the Champs Élysées, I think it was the second to last day, I saw a group of about 12 of them coming along, all the mirrored glasses and what-have-you, and then there was a guy walking along and then up goes the finger to the earpiece and there was a nod, and then they all turned and follow, and they completely enveloped him and demanded to have a look in his bags.

“The security everywhere was massive, even coming in from the airport… my cab driver was so excited, he said ‘the German police are doing the motorway, they are the best, you watch them’, and they were just right up to cars – vans in particular, they were very worried about vans, they would bang on the side of them…. so, security is always massive at these Games.

“I don’t think America really needed to send their own. I don’t understand why they did. I don’t think the rest of the world understands either, and I know from the Europeans, they were like ‘hey, we have it covered, we are fine’.”

Sports not politics

He says the focus should be on the athletes and their performances, not the politics.

This year’s Games, he says, will be spread across two distinct hosts: the fashion capital of Milan and the dramatic peaks of Cortina d’Ampezzo in the Italian Dolomites. It will be “visually stunning”.

For New Zealand athletes the road to get there is always longer than most – geographically, financially, and often psychologically.

Rarere says competing isn’t just about medals. It’s about legitimacy – proving New Zealand belongs in winter sports’ biggest arena.

“From a New Zealand point of view, these games are all about where we stand in the world now, in these sports, because we have made massive strides.”

He says, “Possibly, we have three medals coming our way, which will be massive.”

“That’s if [alpine skier] Alice Robinson can recapture her form, if [free ski halfpipe athlete] Ben Harrington can keep his as well, and if [women’s snowboard slopestyle and Big Air athlete] Zoi Sadowski-Synnott can keep hers as well, I think those are the three medallists.”

It should be noted that Kiwi gold medal Olympian Nico Porteous won’t compete at the Games; he walked away from competitive free skiing last year, retiring at age 23.

Rarere did point out that the difference between winning an Olympic medal in ski jumping or being disqualified this year could come down to a tiny piece of fabric.

In an unusual cheating scandal, it’s been discovered that the cold temperature on the ski jump ramp has an indirect effect on aerodynamics.

Dubbed the “crotch-enlarging scandal” or even “Penisgate”, the controversy centres on Norwegian team officials who were caught illegally modifying athletes’ suits to gain an aerodynamic edge, specifically by enlarging the crotch area for extra lift and distance.

“They can jump an extra five to six metres… that’s the difference.”

Regulators have now added new measures to ensure all competitors play by the same rules after the scandal rocked the sport.

All up, about 2800 of the world’s best athletes will participate in the 2026 Winter Games, which run until February 22.

The Winter Paralympic Games will be from March 6-15.

Ski mountaineering will make its Olympic debut, featuring three events – men’s and women’s sprints, and a mixed relay.

Skeleton will also feature a mixed team event for the first time in the Games’ history, while separate men’s and women’s doubles events will be held in luge, replacing the open doubles event.

The alpine skiing mixed team parallel event has been removed, with the men and women set to compete at separate resorts.

But the question hanging over these Games isn’t just who will win.

It’s whether the Olympics can still be a place where the hardest part of the journey begins at the start gate – not at passport control.

Check out how to listen to and follow The Detail here.

You can also stay up-to-date by liking us on Facebook or following us on Twitter.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Posted on

Leaders encourage Māori to vote in upcoming election as Waitangi draws near

Source: Radio New Zealand

A pōwhiri for Te Arikinui Kuiini nga wai hono i te po and the Kiingitanga at Waitangi. Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ

With the immenent arrival of government politicians at Waitangi, Māori leaders are encouraging Māori to register and vote in the upcoming election.

Politicians from all parties, including Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, will be welcomed to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds around 11am on Thursday.

Waikato-Tainui executive chair and Iwi Chairs Forum member Tukoroirangi Morgan said Māori needed to be participants in democracy rather than bystanders.

“There 255,000 thousand people, registered voters who are aged between 30 and 18, and they are ready to go. But there are also thousands and thousands of our young ones who haven’t registered and the onus is on our people and our leaders to get out and their grandchildren and our communities, vote.”

Politicians from all parties will be welcomed to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds around 11am on Thursday. Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ

The National Iwi Chairs Forum met with the prime minister on Wednesday, and with the leader of the opposition, Chris Hipkins, the day before that.

Luxon called the talks with the forum “positive and constructive”.

Morgan said the message to the prime minister was that treaty settlements are sacrosanct and should not be meddled with.

“Even despite the fact that there are changes to the RMA (Resource Management Act) and other pieces of legislation you cannot compromise or minimise treaty settlements they are sacrosanct.

“And even the pathway to those who haven’t settled should also be protected.”

Te Arikinui Kuiini nga wai hono i te po (C) and the Kiingitanga are welcomed at Waitangi. Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Posted on

Milano Cortina Winter Olympics – what you need to know

Source: Radio New Zealand

NZ Winter Olympic selections Alice Robinson, Zoi Sadowski-Synnott, Luca Harrington, Fin Melville Ives, Cam Melville Ives, Ben Barclay and Ruby Star Andrews. James Allan/Photosport

2026 Winter Olympics

6-22 February

Milano and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy

Live blog updates on RNZ Sport

History

The inaugural Olympic Games were created by Frenchman Baron Pierre de Coubertin in 1894, inspired by the ancient Greek Olympics held at Olympia.

The first summer games were held at Athens 1896 and the winter version was introduced at Chamonix 1924. The five original sports consisted of bobsleigh, curling, ice hockey, Nordic skiing (military patrol, cross-country skiing, Nordic combined and ski jumping) and skating (figure and speed).

Like the Summer Olympics, the winter event is held every four years and, until 1992, they held in the same year. In 1994, the Winter Olympics skipped out of sequence and are now held between summer games.

Historically, Norway has been the most successful nation in terms of medals, with 148 gold, 134 silver and 123 bronze, 405 in total, with United States next (114 gold/330 total) and Germany (105 gold/267 total).

‘Miracle on Ice’

Perhaps the most famous Winter Olympics event was the men’s ice hockey clash between USA and Soviet Union at Lake Placid 1980.

Played against a political backdrop of the long-running Cold War and the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, which would later spark a boycott of the summer games at Moscow, this clash between the hardened Soviet pros and US amateurs would become the subject of two documentaries and two movies.

US President Donald Trump hosts the 1980 USA ice hockey team at the Oval Office. ANNA MONEYMAKER/AFP

The Soviet Union had won five of the previous six gold medals and were favourites to win again, with a team consisting of essentially fulltime athletes at a time when the Olympics still had an amateur-only policy.

They also beat the Americans 10-3 in an exhibition game in the lead-up to the Olympics, but during the medal rounds at Lake Placid, USA turned the tables for a 4-3 victory. Under the round-robin format, the home team still needed a win over Finland to secure gold and trailled 2-1 after two of the three periods.

They scored three unanswered goals in the final period to win, while the Soviets overwhelmed Sweden 9-2 for silver.

Winter Kiwis

Assembling a team for the Winter Games has historically been difficult for a nation better know for its maritime legacy. The Games have never been staged in the southern hemisphere, which means NZ athletes have also had to compete out of season.

New Zealand first appeared at Oslo 1952 – the sixth Winter Olympics – where we were represented by alpine skiers Herbert Franklin, Bill Hunt and Annette Johnson.

Annelise Coberger at the Albertville 1992 Winter Olympics. Photosport

Teams were made up exclusively of skiers until Calgary 1988, when New Zealand first fielded teams in the two-man and four-man bobsleigh.

Skier Annelise Coberger claimed our first medal, when she finished second in the women’s slalom at Albertville 1992, and she would remain our only medallist for quarter of a century, until snowboarder Zoi Sadowski-Synnott (women’s big air) and freestyle skier Nico Porteous (men’s halfpipe) won bronze on the same day at Pyeongchang 2018.

At 16 years 353 days, Sadowski-Synnott became New Zealand’s youngest-ever Olympic medallist, eclipsing swimmer Danyon Loader (17 years 100 days), but she later lost that distinction to Porteous (16 years 91 days).

Both returned four years later at Beijing to win gold – Sadowski-Synnott in slopestyle and Porteous in halfpipe, while ZSS also took silver in big air.

New Zealand now has two Winter Olympic golds, two silver and two bronze.

Milano Cortina 2026

The joint Italian bid was awarded hosting rights, beating out another joint proposal by Stockholm and Are (Sweden) in 2019.

It will become the first Winter Olympics hosting by two cities, but in reality, events will be spread over a variety of venues, with Milan staging ice events, and the others in clusters around Cortina, and the Valtellina and Fiemme valleys.

Cortina d’Ampezzo previously hosted the 1956 Games. Italy has now hosted three Winter Olympics, as well as the 1960 Rome summer games.

Athletes celebrate their arrival at the games village at Cortina d’Ampezzo. KOJI ITO/AFP

Events

The 2026 Winter Olympics will be contested across 16 sports and 116 medal events.

The new sport is ski mountaineering, contested in men’s and women’s sprint, and a mixed relay.

New Zealand will only be represented in three sports – snowboarding, freestyle skiing and alpine skiing.

Canadian bobsleigh team in action at Pyeongchang 2018. Tobias Hase

Alpine skiing, biathlon, bobsleigh, cross-country skiing, curling, figure skating, freestyle skiing, ice hockey, luge, Nordic combined, short-track speed skating, skeleton, ski jumping, ski mountaineering, snowboarding, speed skating

NZ team schedule

Friday, 6 February

7.30am

Men’s big air snowboard qualifying – Lyon Farrell, Rocco Jamieson, Dane Menzie

Saturday, 7 February

10.30pm

Women’s slopestyle freestyle skiing qualifying – Ruby Star Andrews, Sylvia Trotter

Sunday, 8 February

2am

Men’s slopestyle freestyle skiing qualifying – Lucas Ball, Ben Barclay, Luca Harrington

7.30am

Men’s big air snowboard final

11.30pm

Women’s downhill skiing final – Alice Robinson

Monday, 9 February

8.30am

Women’s big air snowboard qualifying – Lucia Georgalli, Zoi Sadowski-Synnott

Lucia Georgalli in action at the 2023 world junior snowboard championships. Iain McGregor/Photosport

Tuesday, 10 February

12.30am

Women’s slopestyle freestyle skiing final

7.30am

Women’s big air snowboard final

Wednesday, 11 February

12.30am

Men’s slopestyle freestyle skiing final

Thursday, 12 February

7.30am

Men’s halfpipe snowboard qualifiers – Campbell Melville Ives

11.30pm

Women’s Super-G final – Alice Robinson

Saturday, 14 February

7.30am

Men’s halfpipe snowboard final

Sunday, 15 February

7.30am

Women’s big air freestyle skiing qualifying – Ruby Star Andrews, Sylvia Trotter

10pm

Women’s giant slalom final – Alice Robinson

Monday, 16 February

7.30am

Men’s big air freestyle skiing qualifying – Lucas Ball, Ben Barclay, Luca Harrington

10.30pm

Women’s slopestyle snowboard qualifying – Lucia Georgalli, Zoi Sadowski-Synnott

Ben Barclay in action at the 2020 Winter Youth Olympics. Simon Bruty/OIS

Tuesday, 17 February

2am

Men’s slopestyle snowboard qualifying – Lyon Farrell, Rocco Jamieson, Dane Menzie

7.30am

Women’s big air freestyle skiing final

Wednesday, 18 February

1am

Women’s slopestyle snowboard final

7.30am

Men’s big air freestyle skiing final

Thursday, 19 February

12.30am

Men’s slopestyle snowboard final

10.30pm

Men’s halfpipe freestyle skiing qualifying – Luke Harold, Ben Harrington, Finley Melville Ives, Gustav Lagnavsky

Friday, 20 February

7.30am

Women’s halfpipe freestyle skiing qualifying – Mischa Thomas

Saturday, 21 February

7.30am

Men’s halfpipe freestyle skiing final

Sunday, 22 February

7.30am

Women’s halfpipe freestyle skiing final

Kiwi medal hopes

Zoi Sadowski-Synnott enters these games as reigning champion in slopestyle and a big air medallist at the last two Winter Olympics.

She took some time off in 2024, but returned last year to win her third world crown and fifth X Games title at slopestyle, and tuned up for the Olympics with second at the X Games last month.

Zoi Sadowski-Synnott celebrates her slopestyle gold medal at Beijing 2022. AFP

Despite Porteous’ retirement from competition, New Zealand still has a freestyle skiing halfpipe medal contender in Finley Melville Ives, who won the world championship at Engadin last year and underscored his form with X Games gold last month.

He also currently leads the FIS Freestyle Ski World Cup halfpipe standings with victories at Secret Garden in December and Aspen in January.

Big air exponent Luca Harrington is another worth watching in freestyle skiing, with three podium finishes in as many events on the World Cup. He briefly led the standings after finishing second at Beijing in December, but now trails American Troy Podmilsak on a countback.

He is also reigning world champion.

Alice Robinson in World Cup skiing at St Moritz. FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP

Alpine skier Alice Robinson has also been in hot form on the World Cup circuit, with three wins and two other podiums across giant slalom and super-giant slalom. She currently sits second on the super-G rankings and fourth on overall prizemoney for the season.

Robinson finished second in giant slalom at last year’s world championships.

Event descriptions

Alpine skiing – the traditional form of skiing and one of the original Winter Olympics sports. Contested over downhill, slalom, giant slalom and super-giant slalom (Super-G).

Downhill is the fastest of the disciplines, reaching speeds of up to 130km/h, as athletes assume aerodynamic positions for maximum velocity.

Slalom involves skiing between poles or gates, which are spaced closer than the other alpine events, requiring tighter turns. Men traditionally negotiate 55-75 gates, women 40-60.

Giant slalom has poles set wider apart and Super-G is wider still, although it is regarded as a speed event, as opposed to slalom and giant slalom, which are more technical.

Super-G and downhill competition consists of just one run each, while slalom and giant slalom are contested over two runs for a combined time.

Snowboarding – contested across slopestyle, big air, halfpipe, parallel slalom and snowboard cross, although the Kiwis are only entered in the first three.

Slopestyle sees athletes travel down a course of obstacles, including rails, jumps and other features, with points awarded for amplitude, originality and qualify of tricks.

Big air is an extreme version of slopestyle, with bigger jumps and more hangtime to perform tricks, but bigger landings.

Luca Harrington competes in the freestyle skiing big air final at the Beijing World Cup. JU HUANZONG / AFP

As the name suggests, halfpipe is contested on a course with steep curved walls, with athletes using the walls to gain height and perform tricks.

Big air consists of three runs, with the best two counting towards final placings. Halfpipe also has three runs, but only the best counts, as with slopestyle.

Freestyle skiing – contested over aerials, moguls, cross, halfpipe, slopestyle and big air, although New Zealand only has entries in halfpipe, slopestyle and big air. Basically the same format as snowboarding.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Posted on

Super Rugby Pacific preview: Highlanders

Source: Radio New Zealand

Super Rugby Pacific is back after a real return to form last year, with the competition kicking off in Dunedin on 13 February. As usual, each team has gone through an eventful off season, so today we’re checking in on the Highlanders.

Overview

Jamie Joseph Coach of the Highlanders © Photosport Ltd 2025 www.photosport.nz

The Highlanders certainly started last season well, winning two out of their first three games, but then fell off a cliff and only managed one more victory in the next 10. That meant they finished outside the playoffs in a very disappointing 10th spot. Right now the most pressing concern is if they’ll have a coach for much longer, with Jamie Joseph now strongly linked to the vacant All Blacks job.

The Good

Fabian Holland of New Zealand Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz

There’s certainly enough talent in this side to trouble the other teams with the likes of Finn Hurley, Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens and Caleb Tangitau, while Fabian Holland now brings his experience as an All Black back to pass on to fresh players.

Once again, they’ve gone outside the box with recruitment, bringing in Pumas hard man Tomas Lavanini and All Blacks Sevens rep Andrew Knewstubb, while Stanley Solomon has massive potential after having two seasons in the NZ Under 20s.

The Bad

Tamaiti Williams scores the winning try during the Crusaders v Highlanders, Super Rugby Pacific match, Apollo Projects Stadium, Christchurch. Joseph Johnson/ActionPress

The Highlanders once again will be praying for no serious injuries as their depth will be ruthlessly exposed. They’ve already suffered one major blow, losing halfback Dylan Pledger for the season, also like Moana Pasifika they need results to shed the tag of simply being a place for players to sign before they move on to bigger and better things.

That may well be the case for Joseph soon though, which will leave the Highlanders with their second in-season coaching change in five years.

Big boots to fill

Folau Fakatava on attack against the Brumbies in round four of Super Rugby Pacific at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin. Photosport

Folau Fakatava was probably thinking he’d be in a tight race with Pledger for the starting halfback spot, now he’s facing the possibility of having to do it all himself. With Sam Gilbert gone, Fakatava is now easily the most experienced player in the backline, so plenty will be riding on him to be the general.

What makes Highlanders fans different

Highlanders v Crusaders, round 12 of the Super Rugby Pacific competition at Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin. Michael Thomas

They’re mostly students, which gives Forsyth Barr Stadium the most unique atmosphere when they’re there and a very different one when they go home for the holidays. ‘The Zoo’ is the only place where the music keeps going throughout the game, and while a lot of the track choices seem pretty old fashioned, it seems to be the most direct connection rugby has with a Gen Z fanbase right now.

Big games

They have the Crusaders twice in the first five rounds, so the Highlanders can gain some serious confidence if they can jag a win in one of them. Three out of the last five weeks should be targeted as wins against Moana, the Drua and the Waratahs, before a tough last couple against the Chiefs and Hurricanes.

Highlanders 2026 squad

Props: Angus Ta’avao, Daniel Lienert-Brown, Ethan de Groot, Josh Bartlett, Saula Ma’u, Sosefo Kautai

Hookers: Henry Bell, Jack Taylor, Soane Vikena

Locks: Fabian Holland, Mitch Dunshea, Tai Cribb, Tomas Lavanini, Will Stodart

Loose forwards: Hugh Renton, Nikora Broughton, Oliver Haig, Sean Withy, Te Kamaka Howden, Veveni Lasaqa

Halfbacks: Adam Lennox, Folau Fakatava

First fives: Andrew Knewstubb, Cameron Millar, Taine Robinson

Midfield: Jake Te Hiwi, Josh Whaanga, Reesjan Pasitoa, Tanielu Tele’a, Timoci Tavatavanawai

Outside backs: Caleb Tangitau, Finn Hurley, Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, Jona Nareki, Jonah Lowe, Stanley Solomon, Xavier Tito-Harris

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Posted on

Rugby: Wallaby weighs in on World Cup opener

Source: Radio New Zealand

Wallabies fullback Tom Wright said the decision was always going to divide opinion. PHOTOSPORT

The news that the Wallabies will be kicking off the World Cup against tournament newcomers Hong Kong China was met with a collective groan across the rugby world.

While the team’s inclusion marks a significant expansion of the sport as just the second Asian country to appear, fans couldn’t help but feel an opportunity had been missed.

From a showpiece perspective, a blockbuster match-up between two of the world’s most storied rugby rivals appeared a gimme.

Alas, organisers have opted to save the All Blacks vs Australia clash for week two in Sydney.

Wallabies fullback Tom Wright said the decision was always going to divide opinion.

“Oh, it’s hard, right? Do they want to put the fireworks at the start and then maybe it’s lesser spectacle for the next two? I don’t know what their thinking was. We all know that we were going to be playing those three sides anyway, so when we play them you could make a case for it being better, worse or the same, whatever order it ended up being in.”

The Brumbies flyer did feel for the Western Australian supporters.

“What I do know is a lot of friends and family that get to see the Wallabies versus All Blacks game in Sydney were pretty happy. But all the people that live in Perth that wanted to see that first game as well will also be disappointed. You can never really appease everyone.”

Wright also weighed in on the drama surrounding Scott Robertson’s sacking as All Black coach.

“You’ve given the word drama to me, it’s part of the game, right? I’ve had less than a handful of interactions with Scott as a coach and as a man. Shared a really nice conversation with him last year and he was lovely to me, gave me his time. He’s not the first coach to go, and I’m assuming he won’t be the last coach to go. But sad to see him go after a short stint, he’s a good man.”

Though still a long way out, Wright felt Australia would be competitive on home soil as they looked to lift their first World Cup since 1999.

“It’s not long ago it feels like the Lions tour was upon us and that came and went pretty quickly after such a big build-up, the atmosphere and it lived up to every sort of hype and expectation that I had for it. The experience is something I’ll never forget and now the sort of attention turns to Super Rugby and laying a foundation into the World Cup.”

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Posted on

Coalition and opposition MPs face Waitangi crowds

Source: Radio New Zealand

A pōwhiri for Te Arikinui Kuiini nga wai hono i te po and the Kiingitanga at Waitangi. Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ

Coalition and opposition MPs will face the Waitangi crowds on Thursday morning, making their election year pitch after being officially welcomed to the Treaty Grounds.

The past few years at Waitangi have delivered political fireworks and MPs bracing for, if not necessarily expecting, a reprise when politicians are welcomed with a pōwhiri from about 11am.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, who was absent from the Treaty Grounds last year, promised to bring a message of unity.

After meeting with Māori leaders at the Iwi Chairs Forum on Wednesday, he said they were “aligned” on issues like localism, devolution and lifting Māori outcomes in health, education and law and order.

“Got a lot of work to do, but we’re making some good progress on a number of areas we want to continue to accelerate.”

PM Christopher Luxon (C), with Finance Minister Nicola Willis (L) and Māori Crown Relations Minister Tama Potaka (R) at Waitangi. Screengrab

While there may be tensions in Crown-Māori relations, he said he was focused on finding and building on common ground.

He rejected Labour leader Chris Hipkins’ claims the government was anti-Treaty and therefore anti-Māori.

Hipkins, who committed to rolling back the Regulatory Standards Bill and ending the review of Treaty clauses, argued the government did not understand the consequences of its actions.

“They’re actually opening up a whole lot of areas that previously had been settled, and they’re opening up the Crown to a whole lot of additional potential legal challenges in doing so, and they’re just not being upfront with people about that.”

He said his speech at Waitangi would be future-focused.

“Creating a New Zealand where everybody can thrive, where we focus on bringing people together to address the challenges that face our country. I’ll be talking a bit about the fact I want to create a New Zealand where young people want to stay and create their futures.”

Green co-leader Marama Davidson – who stood alongside Hipkins in a show of unity on Tuesday – said the party was in Waitangi to make clear that Te Tiriti o Waitangi was an important part of creating an Aotearoa that people deserved.

“Te Tiriti is unity. I’ve been up here for the week now and even already we can see the hou kainga, the hosts here, they’re just about looking after people, keeping people safe, hoping that people have a good time, enjoy themselves – and that this is what Te Tiriti is all about.

“We’ve seen that come through … more and more people are showing us the leadership on the ground. It’s time for politicians to act.”

Hipkins expected the coalition parties to be in for a rough ride, saying New Zealand First deputy Shane Jones’ questioning of the reasons behind senior MP Peeni Henare’s resignation was an attempt to distract from 24 hours that were “probably not going to turn out very well for them”.

Jones said he would give as good as he got.

“If anyone thinks they’re going to serve invective up to the Matua and not get return fire, turn your cameras on tomorrow,” he said.

“There’s quite a lot of volatility happening in Māori politics at the moment, but as I said in my speech, we’re here to affirm. The governor said he iwi tahi tātou, together we are one people … sadly the day is blighted by performative antics year after year, but this year we’re going to make sure that Kiwis bear in mind this is our national day.”

It’s a safe bet ACT leader David Seymour will again provoke a reaction. He told RNZ he was expecting the usual spectrum of views.

“There’ll be those who don’t want to engage and are quite rude, there’ll be those who are very grateful that the ACT party’s message and voice is included in the day,” he said.

His message would be that ACT believed in an entitlement to equal rights and dignity “regardless of when our ancestors settled here”, but deflected when asked if the Treaty Principles Bill’s demise would dampen the rhetoric.

“I suspect that the temperature will drop a notch because Te Pāti Māori have turned on each other rather than the rest of New Zealand.

“There’ll be the usual angry people. What I always say to people about Waitangi is, if you’ve spent time there, don’t just go by the few seconds that make the six o’clock news.”

How Te Pati Māori is received given its months of internal turmoil will be keenly observed by all sides of politics.

A court case to resolve a dispute between the leadership and ousted MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi is ongoing.

Kapa-Kingi will be present for the pōwhiri.

Te Pāti Māori will be present too. Its co-leaders did not respond to requests for comment.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Posted on

Tauranga mayor says it’s unlikely Mt Maunganui landslide area will remain a campsite

Source: Radio New Zealand

The cordon in Mount Maunganui following the deadly landslide is covered in tributes for the people who lost their lives. RNZ / Lauren Crimp

The Tauranga mayor said any decisions on the land immediately surrounding the fatal Mount Maunganui landslide will be months away, but feels it is unlikely that the area will remain a campsite in the future.

Six people died after a section of the maunga collapsed into a campground during the extreme weather event two weeks ago.

On Wednesday, Mayor Mahé Drysdale announced that Tauranga is moving to a “transition period” for a month, focusing on assessing damage and making plans for what reopening Mauao looks like.

The mayor said any decisions on the future of the land surrounding the landslide will require conversations with iwi, communities, and people closely affected by the tragedy.

“We’ve got a number of conversations to have with the families of those that lost loved ones, because we also want to be respectful and understand what they’d like to see,

“I think I can probably confidently say we don’t have a campground where the slip happened, we got to make some decisions around what we do with that land and how we remember this very tragic event,” he said.

Access to Mauao is restricted, and cordons remain along parts of Marine Parade and Adams Avenue, as geotechnical experts assess conditions.

Drysdale said the current focus is to mitigate risks around the Mount Maunganui landslip, so that businesses nearby can open before the Waitangi weekend.

Tauranga Mayor Mahé Drysdale. Calvin Samuel / RNZ

He said three businesses remain closed on Adams Avenue, but he’s hopeful that they can safely open by Friday.

Drysdale said shipping containers have been put in as a precaution, and more work will be done on Thursday to stabilise the land.

“By putting these mitigations in place, and this is always subject to geotechnical advice, we’re confident that we can make it safe enough that we’re happy to open that,” he said.

Drysdale said businesses have had a hard time since the tragedy, and he hopes that visitors can still come and support them during the Waitangi weekend.

“We hope that people still come down to the area and support these businesses, this was a natural disaster and no doing of themselves, but they have been caught in the crossfire, so we’re doing what we can to support them,” he said.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand