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Labour selects Dr Gary Payinda to take on former Health Minister Dr Shane Reti

Source: Radio New Zealand

Dr Gary Payinda. Supplied

A high-profile emergency doctor has been selected to stand for the Labour Party against the incumbent Whāngarei MP, former Health Minister Dr Shane Reti.

Dr Gary Payinda said he felt compelled to do something about what he saw as the government’s ongoing attack on essential public services.

“I’ve been working in the public health sector 18 years, and understaffing and infrastructure problems come and go – but an assault on a broader array of public services is a new thing.

“We’ve got a government that’s bent on tearing up the social structure.”

Payinda said it was a wrench to consider leaving medicine.

“But there are some things that are more important than even treating one patient at a time – and that’s trying to protect thousands of patients, and tens of thousands of people, if I can get a chance to do that.”

Labour’s plans for three free GP visits a year would be “a game-changer” in healthcare, helping people before their conditions worsened and they ended up in hospital, he said.

“It’s a privilege to live and work in Northland, but over the past two years I’ve watched the National government drive inequity, undercut public health and make visiting the doctor more expensive and out of reach for many people.

“I believe in equity for all and in the social good that Labour has always stood for – policies that benefit every New Zealander, regular Kiwis, the regular person, not just those at the top.

“I understand how government policies and public services can literally transform lives.”

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Schools close as more types of play sand test positive for asbestos

Source: Radio New Zealand

One of the affected play sand brands. Supplied / Product Safety NZ

Early Childhood centres are concerned about the cost to remove and dispose of potentially asbestos contaminated products after asbestos was found in a range of coloured play sand.

Some schools and childhood centres have closed after a significant recall last week that included four products sold by Kmart.

The Early Childhood Council’s chief executive Simon Laube told Midday Report the news was worrying to centres.

The cost of testing for asbestos and then potentially disposing of products was significant, he said.

More than 200 schools and childcare centres have sought advice from the Ministry of Education.

Laube said the cost was something many centres could not afford.

He wanted the government to step in and play a role.

“We’re talking about young children in ECE and the parents who care for them and I think they deserve better than nothing really.”

Remediation work would take time, Laube said.

On Saturday, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment said four products sold by Kmart – the 14-piece sandcastle building set and the blue, green and pink Magic Sand sets – tested positive for tremolite, a form of asbestos associated with higher cancer risks at low exposure levels.

Some schools using the products closed as a precaution for asbestos testing, including Burnside Primary, Clearview Primary, Waitaha School and Gilberthorpe School in Canterbury, and Dunedin’s Balaclava Primary.

The Ministry of Education said it could not confirm how many schools had closed.

Operations and integration leader Sean Teddy said 150 schools and 90 early learning services had sent queries as of 2pm Sunday.

“We are working closely with MBIE and WorkSafe to provide schools and early learning services with advice on testing, remediation and closure decisions,” he said.

“We appreciate that the presence of asbestos in products that are used by children will cause worry for parents and caregivers. We recommend they contact Healthline with any health concerns they may have about their children who may have come into contact with these products.”

Rolleston’s Clearview Primary said it had identified one home base that used the recalled Kmart product. The school’s board of trustees said a further four classrooms had used other brands of kinetic sand, or kinetic sand that had been removed from its packaging, making its origin unclear.

“At this stage, there is no immediate risk to staff or students. However, out of an abundance of caution, we are closing the school on Monday, Tuesday and possibly Wednesday this week while all our teaching and learning spaces are professionally tested,” Clearview Primary said.

In a Facebook Post, Burnside Primary School said a recalled kinetic sand product sold at Kmart had been used in “some areas of our school”.

The school said while the risk to staff and students was considered very low, it had been advised by WorkSafe to close on Monday as a precaution to complete testing and ensure learning spaces were safe.

In a post to Facebook, Waitaha School said it was also closed on Monday.

“Waitaha School will be closed on Monday November 17 as we have become aware that a number of areas of the school across satellites and the base school have been exposed to various coloured sand brands that have been recalled. The Ministry of Education have advised the Board to close the school and arrange for an investigation and clean by professional asbestos cleaners,” the school said.

Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment product safety spokesperson Ian Caplin said he understood how alarming the discovery would be for families.

“We appreciate that the presence of asbestos in products that are used by children will be concerning to parents and caregivers. We urge families who have purchased these products to stop using them immediately, secure them safely, and contact your local council for advice on where and how to dispose of the contaminated material safely,” he said.

“If you are a workplace, where you may have higher volumes of these products or more people may have come in contact with the products, you should contact a licensed asbestos assessor or removalist for immediate advice and support on your specific situation. A list of these is available on the WorkSafe website.”

Wellington City Council said following the urgent recall of Kmart’s Magic Sand there was free disposal of the product at the city’s Southern Landfill.

“To dispose of the sand, double bag the product and tape it shut. Clearly label it with ‘Contains Asbestos’. Take it to the Southern Landfill and let the weighbridge staff know you have an item that may contain asbestos, and they will direct you to the appropriate place to dispose of it at the transfer station for free,” the council said.

The contaminated Kmart products include:

  • 14-piece Sandcastle Building Set
  • Blue Magic Sand
  • Green Magic Sand
  • Pink Magic Sand

The newly identified products are in addition to the previously recalled sands from Educational Colours and Creatistics:

  • EC Rainbow Sand (1.3kg)
  • Creatistics Coloured Sand (1kg)

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Growing future farmers: Taranaki students run their own farm

Source: Radio New Zealand

More than half of all students at Francis Douglas Memorial College in New Plymouth take a primary industries subject. Supplied/Francis Douglas Memorial College

A Taranaki high school is training the next generation of primary industry workers.

Nearly half of the 800 students at Francis Douglas Memorial College in New Plymouth take part in the school’s primary industries programme.

As part of the programme, students even run a native plant nursery and are contracted to produce 10,000 plants a year for South Taranaki District Council.

The school operates its own 20-hectare beef farm where students apply classroom learning directly on the land – from stock work and fencing to sustainability projects.

The programme, led by Aimee Watkins, spans agriculture, horticulture, forestry, fisheries and sports turf, giving students pathways beyond traditional dairy.

Supplied/Francis Douglas Memorial College

Watkins said many students go straight into farm jobs or some kind of related studies at university.

“Agriculture is really, really big here. It’s a really important part of the whole school and it’s massively supported.

“We have our practical stream, they’ve got stock in the yards and they’re fencing, they’re spraying, all those sorts of things and then there’s the academic stream, so the agriscience, agribusiness kids as well.

“So they come through and do different things – whether it’s investigations or environment, sustainability, and it’s all teed up through their standards that they do.

“It’s a pretty full package being able to have the farm as well, so the kids are talking about it in class and then also doing it.

“It’s pretty special. It’s a pretty unique environment really for students.”

Gerard Kalin has been the manager of the Francis Douglas farm since July. Supplied/Francis Douglas Memorial College

Gerard Kalin, a former student of the college, has been the farm manager since July.

Recently the farm had Halter’s virtual fencing technology and smart cow collars installed, so Kalin had been walking students through that.

Supplied/Francis Douglas Memorial College

“Just last week we put the collars on 25 15-month-olds, so we’re a week into it,” he said.

“Again, we’ve integrated all the boys to put the collars on and do all the work around it, erecting the tower that was dug by the students.

Recently the Francis Douglas students have been learning about tech and installing Halter’s virtual fencing system and smart collar cow collars. Supplied/Francis Douglas Memorial College

“Moving forward, it’s going to be a great concept, I think. If we can integrate that knowledge or system, the boys will be a good product when they leave here.”

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Cricket: Key Black Cap Daryl Mitchell remains injury concern for rest of Windies series

Source: Radio New Zealand

Daryl Mitchell, after scoring a century in the opening ODI against the West Indies in Christchurch, November 2025. © Photosport Ltd 2025 www.photosport.nz

Black Caps batter Daryl Mitchell is set to miss at least the second ODI against the West Indies as he has a scan on a groin injury.

Mitchell suffered the injury while scoring a century in Sunday night’s seven-run win in game one in Christchurch.

Mitchell isn’t travelling to Napier with the rest of the squad, with Henry Nicholls added to the squad as cover.

Nicholls has been in good form for Canterbury in the domestic ODI competition, leading the run-scoring charts with 306 runs at 76.50, including back-to-back centuries against Otago and Auckland.

The Blackcaps are heading to Napier this afternoon, ahead of the second ODI against West Indies at McLean Park on Wednesday.

The final game in the serIes is in Hamilton on Saturday.

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Greens pledge to revoke fast-track consents for coal, hard-rock gold, seabed mining projects

Source: Radio New Zealand

Green Party-co-leader Marama Davidson. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

The Green Party is pledging to revoke consents for any coal, hardrock gold, or seabed mining projects granted under the fast-track regime, if it forms part of a government at the next election.

“Today, we are putting the Seabed mining, hardrock gold mining and coal mining industries – and their investors – on notice. Your fast-track consents are not safe, and they are not secure,” Green Party-co-leader Marama Davidson said.

The Greens have been warning they would revoke consents as far back as December 2024, when the initial fast-track bill passed its third reading.

Then, it was a pledge to revoke consents that “short-cut our democracy, side-step environmental protections and degrade te taiao.”

Now, it has named seven specific projects it would revoke consents or permits, even though they are yet to be issued.

Davidson said the Greens were making the announcement before consents were issued to “ensure complete transparency”.

Panels are currently considering the Taranaki VTM project by Trans Tasman Resources, which would extract up to 50 million tonnes of seabed a year in the South Taranaki Bight, and the Waihi North project by Oceana Gold, which would expand gold and silver mining operations in Waihi.

Four of the remaining five projects (Macraes Phase Four, Buller Plateaux Continuation, Rotowaro Mine Continuation, and Bream Bay Sand Extraction Project) are listed on the fast-track website, while the fifth (Bendigo-Ophir Gold Project) has applied.

While the Greens singled the seven specific projects out, they said any new applications through fast-track that fell into the coal, hardrock gold, or seabed mining categories would be captured by their position.

The government is currently in the process of [. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/579045/fast-track-law-final-approvals-still-in-hands-of-expert-panels-government-says amending the fast-track legislation further], with an aim of passing it by the end of the year.

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Plans for new Wellington tunnel through Mt Victoria unveiled

Source: Radio New Zealand

Artist’s visualisation of a second Mt Victoria Tunnel in Wellington. NZTA / Waka Kotahi

Plans for two new tunnels for Wellington’s State highway 1 have been revealed with a total cost of up to $4 billion and significant reworking of the surrounding areas.

The Transport Agency’s proposal includes second tunnels created at Mount Victoria and The Terrace in a bid to ease bottlenecking around the Basin Reserve.

A second Mount Vic tunnel was part of the National Party’s campaign promise, and is now listed in the Fast Track Approvals Act.

The proposal says it would save up to 10 minutes during peak periods on journeys from the Wellington region to the CBD, hospital, and airport by up to 10 minutes.

The agency’s Kesh Keshaboina says the “significant proposals” have the potential to have a major impact on Wellington’s transport infrastructure.

Public meetings on the proposals are to be held in the coming weeks.

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Food prices up again with dairy and eggs more expensive

Source: Radio New Zealand

Groceries, notably dairy products, eggs and instant coffee, increased 4.9 percent for the year. Morgane Perraud / Unsplash

Annual food inflation has edged higher, as rising grocery prices offset cheaper fruit and vegetables.

Stats NZ’s food price index rose 4.7 percent in the year ended October, from 4.1 percent the month before.

Groceries, notably dairy products, eggs and instant coffee, increased 4.9 percent for the year.

Meat was also more expensive.

For the month, overall prices were marginally lower as fruit and vegetables became more abundant.

Among other goods and services, power, gas, fuel and accommodation prices rose, while airfares fell.

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Exporters to benefit from weak dollar, strong demand

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King

Exporters are expected to continue to reap the benefits of a weak dollar and strong demand, despite a drop in prices for key agricultural products, including dairy, forestry and fruit.

Major commodities were traded in US dollars and ASB’s latest commodity index was marginally higher on last year, while a differently calculated and weighted ANZ index was about 6 percent higher on a year ago.

The New Zealand dollar (NZD) traded between 54.85 and 61.2 US cents this year, and for the year to date was about 1.5 percent higher. A weaker NZD meant better export returns.

Dairy prices engulfed by supply

However, the global dairy auctions run by Fonterra had been falling over recent months, putting pressure on the co-op’s mid-point $10 per kilogram of milk solids (kgMS), with its $9.75 forecast more in line with the NZX’s forecast of between $9.68 to $9. 80 kgMS.

NZX dairy analyst Cristina Alvarado said dairy prices had fallen as global volumes increased, however, New Zealand’s grass-fed dairy products were still in strong demand.

“It’s the quality, it’s the flavour, but also the safety that many countries have,” Alvarado said, adding free trade agreements had benefited New Zealand during the ongoing global trade disruption sparked by the introduction of President Donald Trump’s US tariff policies.

“Countries that bought more from the US before, have been buying more from New Zealand,” she said.

Soft NZ dollar helps returns

Westpac chief economist Kelly Eckhold said the export sector remained strong, helped by the weak currency, which was also supporting the tourism sector, as visitor numbers increased.

“For most of the last six months to a year, we’ve had the unusual situation where the New Zealand dollar has been a bit weaker at the same time as external prices have been strong and also growing conditions have been good,” Eckhold said.

“Usually, there’s a bit of a counterbalance between some of these sort of factors, but they’ve all pushed in the right direction. Right now, what we’re seeing is the New Zealand dollar weakening, so therefore that’s helping support prices.”

Eckhold said the New Zealand dollar would also continue to be supportive, with its weakness expected to persist until the economy improved and interest rates stabilised.

“I don’t think that the exchange rate is likely to appreciate significantly until such time as it becomes clear that growth is starting to pick up sustainability in New Zealand, and the interest rates are no longer likely to fall,” he said.

“Next year’s outlook remains pretty uncertain still at this stage.”

Eckhold said rural communities were expected to remain resilient to the soft economy, and for dairy farmers to make the most of the likely a large cash payout from the sale of [https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/577378/fonterra-ceo-says-lactalis-deal-will-allow-it-to-grow

F onterra’s consumer brands business].

A further confidence boost will also come from the Trump administration’s move to scrap the 15 percent tariff on imported beef and kiwifruit to reduce cost of living pressures on US consumers, although the sometimes erratic US tariff policy is making producers cautious.

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Foot on face photo of Kiwi Geordie Beamish up for award

Source: Radio New Zealand

Geordie Beamish of Team New Zealand avoids the foot of Jean-Simon Desgagnes of Team Canada Emilee Chinn

A photo of Geordie Beamish’s dramatic tumble at the World Championships is up for an award.

The photo has been selected as one of three finalists for the 2025 World Athletics Photograph of the Year.

Beamish fell during the heats of the 3000m steeplechase in Tokyo in September.

The photo by Emilee Chin of Getty Images captures Beamish flat on the track with the foot of Jean-Simon Desgagnes of Canada on his face.

Fortunately, Beamish was able to recover and finished second in the heat.

He then went on to stun the field in the final, beating hot favourite and two-time Olympic champion Soufiane El Bakkali of Morocco to claim gold.

Beamish won the 1500m gold at the 2024 World Indoor Championships in Glasgow.

The other two finalists for the World Athletics Photograph of the Year show America’s Noah Lyles and Tara Davis-Woodhall celebrating their respective titles at the World Champs and a photo of the shadows of the Dream Mile at the Bislet Games in Norway.

The three finalists were selected from 141 images submitted from photographers from 41 countries.

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‘There’s no excuses from us’: Robertson on All Blacks’ inability to maintain pressure

Source: Radio New Zealand

Wales v All Blacks

Kick-off: 4:10am Sunday 23 November

Principality Stadium, Cardiff

Live blog updates on RNZ

Coach Scott Robertson has said that the feeling in the All Black camp is much the same one day on from their 33-19 loss to England. It was the third loss this season in a schedule of 13 tests, and the second by a significant margin following a record defeat to the Springboks during the Rugby Championship.

READ MORE:

All Blacks crash to defeat against England

Grand slammed – what went wrong for the All Blacks against England

All Blacks: Scott Robertson, Scott Barrett reflect on big loss to England

The aftermath of the loss to England sees focus now firmly on the issues that have plagued the All Blacks for the past two seasons, most notably their inability to keep teams under pressure in big tests.

“There’s lots of different reasons, but there’s no excuses from us. And we’ve got to be better in some areas so we can finish teams off,” said Robertson this morning.

“Ultimately, we want to be as consistent as we possibly can, that’s what a professional team wants to be, consistent with everything you work with. You’re not going to win every moment in games, but you’ve got to fight your way back into it, through adversity.

“When you it doesn’t quite come all together, you know, that’s the part that hurts. It’s not for lack of care, I’ll put it that way. But it’s definitely frustration that we work so hard to be consistent and that’s the part that gets you.”

Robertson, who came into the All Black job after seven consecutive championship seasons with the Crusaders, acknowledged that ‘test rugby is pretty brutal’.

Caleb Clarke lays during the Scotland v All Blacks test at Murrayfield. www.photosport.nz

“You lose a couple of player each game on average, just through the Ferocity of the match contacts. The recovery part becomes tougher, the travel, everything that comes with it.

“So when you get energy, new faces, new bodies coming in that, that excitement that…it’s a balance. Sometimes you have all the best laid plans of how you’re going to play, then you come off the field in these the medical ward are fuller than you’d expect.”

Steve Borthwick’s England side notably adjusted their game plan throughout Sunday morning’s test, with a heavy reliance on the kicking game of inside back pairing Alex Mitchell and George Ford. Robertson acknowledged that the aerial game was still a work on for New Zealand players, due to the comparative lack of exposure to it in the domestic game here.

English halfback Alex Mitchell. David Rogers/Getty Images

“It’s a crucial part, an important part of the game…we don’t tend to do it so much in Super Rugby. So coming into test rugby, you have got the most accurate kickers in the world and you’ve got incredible aerial catches. We spend a lot of time on it, look, we’ve got to get better laid plans.”

From a wider perspective, Robertson said that new NZ Rugby chairman and former All Black captain David Kirk has been ‘straight up’ with expectations two years out from the next World Cup.

“Look, he’s pretty pragmatic, he tells you how it is. Straight up, as you’d expect. (Also) hugely supportive. He understands good relationships in the group and we welcome him with open arms…he’s been great to us.”

Unsurprisingly, Robertson more or less confirmed there will be wholesale changes to the side for the last test match of the year. They face Wales in Cardiff, with the home team recording their first win in two years over the weekend when they defeated Japan 24-22 thanks to a last play penalty goal.

“There’ll be some fresh, new energy in the group for sure,” said Robertson, who singled out Ruben Love as a player who will likely start this weekend.

“He’s obviously a 15 that can play 10 and he deserves an opportunity.”

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