Category: Public Media

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Standardised report cards will help children who change schools – principal

Source: Radio New Zealand

Remuera Intermediate principal Kyle Brewerton. RNZ / Yiting Lin

An Auckland principal says the government’s new report cards will help children who change schools.

Fulfilling an election campaign promise, Education Minister Erica Stanford unveiled the new approach to report cards for reading, writing and mathematics on Monday.

The reports will include:

  • A standardised approach across New Zealand
  • A percentage mark out of 100
  • Five grades of progress: Emerging, Developing, Consolidating, Proficient, Exceeding
  • Previous ratings, to enable tracking of progress over time
  • Attendance data

These would be backed by:

  • Twice-yearly testing for years 3-8 to gauge progress against the curriculum for each year level
  • An AI tool to help teachers write reports and carry out the tests

The new approach to testing and reports would be mandatory for children from new entrants – Year 0 – right up to Year 8, the final year of intermediate school, and optional for secondary schools for Years 9 and 10.

Students would be marked on their progress throughout the year, so would likely start on the lower end and get higher gradings as the year went on – then start again the following year with that year’s curriculum.

Education Minister Erica Stanford unveils the new approach to report cards for reading, writing and mathematics. Marika Khabazi / RNZ

Remuera Intermediate principal Kyle Brewerton previously headed the Auckland Primary Principals Association, and said the standardised reporting would make a difference for children who moved school.

“At the moment when we look at school reports, if you were to take a sample of school reports from primary schools across or New Zealand you would be looking at probably as many different examples of the school report – there’s not a great deal of consistency.

“If you’re moving from one school to another, and the report looks completely different, it can be challenging for a parent to make sense of … ‘in my old school, they said they’re ‘developing’ and now over here they said they ‘need to work on it’ – Is that the same thing? Is it different?’

“Hopefully it will start to solve some of those problems.”

Brewerton said the language of emerging to exceeding may take some time to get used to, but the changes would be unlikely to add much to schools’ workloads.

“The average teacher that’s in school, you won’t see a great departure from what they’re currently doing. It’s really just the actual reporting that’s been sent home … it’ll be some work to do for sure, but it’s not particularly onerous.

“Schools are all using their own version of the same thing, whether they’re using a three-point, a four-point or a five-point scale. They’ve all got variations on a theme and generally that is ‘this young person needs some extra support, they’re not quite there yet; these young people are where they need to be; these ones are showing progress beyond what we would expect.”

He said it was unclear, however, if the parents of the most vulnerable students would pay attention or not.

“We know success happens when the families are heavily engaged with the schools, and the schools are heavily engaged with families. Often those young people who perhaps their attendance is particularly low, or that partnership is not particularly strong, are our young people that aren’t achieving.

“Whether we change the language on a report is going to change that or not remains to be seen.”

He said learning relied on a collective effort between the school, the parents, and the child themselves – and assessing children’s progress would always depend on teachers’ subjective views.

That was where having a clear curriculum could help, he said – but parents should also understand that the twice-yearly testing was only a snapshot picture of how the child was doing on that particular day.

“Whilst we have these formal assessments, really it’s those conversations day in and day out and the teacher’s knowledge of the curriculum that give a really clear sense of what that young person is capable of and what their next steps are.

“Over time, it will give us a picture of how that young person is progressing. But it’s equally important that we pay attention to what those teachers are telling us … we’ve got to be careful we don’t put all our eggs into that formal testing bucket.”

Most schools also used some kind of New Zealand-based assessment tool anyway – some going back to the 1980s – and again would not take much adjustment.

“And it’s free – one of them we have to pay for at the moment, so if it’s great and it’s free and it’s aligning with our curriculum, then that sounds like a good thing to us.”

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Auckland councillor’s plea to ‘disruptive, disturbing’ dirt bikers

Source: Radio New Zealand

Local Councillor Lotu Fuli. Nick Monro

An Auckland City councillor is urging a 40-strong pack of dirt bikers to think of their community after police say they were driving dangerously at the weekend.

Officers were called to reports of bikers pulling wheelies, driving onto footpaths and into oncoming traffic in Ōtara at about 3.45pm on Sunday.

Authorities have decried the convoy and were hoping to find the riders as soon as possible before they kill themselves or someone else.

Local Councillor Lotu Fuli described the dirt biking as disruptive and disturbing.

“I can tell you that, generally speaking, our community does not support that kind of activity.”

She said many in the community would have been at church or spending time with family on the day the disruption occurred.

“Sunday is often the only day they get to spend with family, and in places of worship,” she said.

“That would’ve been really disruptive and really disturbing, and our community absolutely does not back that kind of anti-social behaviour.”

Fuli wanted those bikers to think about the community.

“What if that was your nan, or what if that was your little sister, or your mum, or your brother, or your best mate that was crossing the road, and then one of your bikes hit them or one of your mates bikes hit them?” Fuli said.

“This is your community, you’re part of our community as well. So, we’re asking you to just have some common sense, and just have respect for those who live next door to you, those who are part of your community, part of the city as well, and just stop doing what you’re doing, please.”

Councillor Fuli said funding should be looked at to engage with dirt bikers.

“That’s probably the piece of the puzzle that’s missing, and that’s the piece of the puzzle that is the least resourced,” she said.

Fuli thought council and government could look at funding for preventative measures and investment in outreach to the dirt bikers, to try and push them into more positive ways of contributing to the community.

It was also causing frustration for law-abiding dirt bike riders, like James.

“I think it shines a bad light on the rest of us really,” he said.

“We find it hard enough to get places to ride, and do it legally without getting a bad wrap like that.”

He said there should be more spots for dirt bike riders to use.

“For me and my son to go and ride at a local track, it’s now just shy of a hundred dollars, that’s a lot of money just for somewhere to squirt around on your bike for a little bit, so I think that would definitely slow it down.”

Police’s duty operations manager, Inspector Kerry Watson, told Checkpoint those involved pose a risk to the public.

“It’s really, really dangerous and concerning for the public when all of a sudden, you’re driving along and you’re enveloped or surrounded by 40 bikes,” he said.

“It’s not something we want to continue. We’ve had this occur over the past couple of years, not so much over the last year. It’s a trend we want to stop.”

Police said dozens of officers and the eagle helicopter were deployed to try split up the group, as officers worked with local petrol stations, hoping to catch bikers as they refuelled.

Watson said anyone with CCTV or dashcam footage should report it to police, as they worked to identify those involved.

A 25-year-old has been arrested and a bike has been impounded.

Watson said anyone who took part would lose their bike once caught.

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Pharmac makes move towards funding weight loss drug Wegovy

Source: Radio New Zealand

Wegovy is a weight loss drug that is injected weekly. JENS KALAENE

Pharmac has taken the first steps towards funding weight loss drug Wegovy after an advisory panel provisionally recommended funding it as a high priority for some people.

Wegovy or semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist for weight loss.

The drug first became available here in July last year, and currently costs about $460 a month.

Pharmac Director of Advice and Assessment, David Hughes, said the Obesity Treatments Advisory Group have provisionally recommended it be funded for chronic weight management in people with a high Body Mass Index (BMI) and associated comorbidities.

The recommendation is subject to Special Authority criteria, which will limit who can prescribe it.

The recommendation has been announced after the advisory group met in December, with a full record of the meeting expected to be available by March.

Previously, Pharmac had received two applications to fund Wegovy.

The first was in September, for people with an established cardiovascular disease (such as someone who has had a heart attack or stroke) and a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 27 or higher. The second was in October, for chronic weight management in people with a BMI of 30 or higher, with at least one weight-related comorbidity.

New Zealand has the third-highest adult obesity rate in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

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Second town red-listed by AA Insurance for new home insurance policies

Source: Radio New Zealand

A major insurer that put a halt to new home insurance policies in Westport has also stopped issuing them in a second town, in North Canterbury.

AA Insurance says its decision to no longer issue policies in Woodend is due to reaching its maximum exposure to seismic risk – not a climate change-related hazard.

But a local real estate agent who discovered the change says Woodend is at lower risk from earthquake damage than many of the surrounding areas, and the decision is “baffling”.

The company confirmed to RNZ that it was not currently offering new home insurance policies in the township, which is about 25 kilometres north of Christchurch.

It stopped offering new policies in two other Canterbury postcodes for the same reason last September – Lincoln 7608 and Rolleston 7615.

AA Insurance head of underwriting Dee Naidu said limiting cover was “never something we do lightly”.

“These temporary restrictions are in place because AA Insurance has reached the maximum level of exposure to seismic risk we can responsibly take on in these areas.”

That exposure would naturally shift over time as customers moved, “so there will be periods where we are able to accept new policies, provided we remain within our exposure limit”.

Current policy-holders were not affected and would be able to renew their policies, and transfer them if they sold their home, Naidu said.

RNZ reported last week that AA Insurance had halted new home, business and landlord insurance policies in the West Coast town of Westport, due to the high flood risk the town faces.

In Westport, AA Insurance wrote to Buller District Council informing them of its decision, and would also meet with district and regional council staff later this month about flood protection scheme plans.

Naidu said the insurer was “committed to continuing engagement with local community leaders”.

However, a Waimakariri District Council spokesperson said the company had not informed the council of its change in approach in Woodend. The council had now contacted AA Insurance for further information.

‘It’s quite baffling’

Woodend real estate agent and resident Amanda Newson became aware of the insurer’s decision when a purchaser with an existing AA Insurance policy was told she could not get cover on a Woodend house she was buying.

AA Insurance told the buyer that was because of an “increased risk of a natural event happening”, Newson said.

To find out more, Newson attempted to get a quote for her own house and initially received the same response, with the company even referring her to the Natural Hazards Commission (NHC) for more detail about the nature of the “increased” risk.

NHC was “just as blindsided as I was”, she said.

“They went through all their latest updates around natural hazard risk that they have – they could find nothing that pinpointed any increased natural hazard risk for Woodend.”

Confused, Newson also looked at Land Information Memorandums for the properties and called Waimakariri District Council, but could not find any information about a change, she said.

An RNZ inspection of publicly available hazard maps confirmed the town had low flood risk, no tsunami risk, and a liquefaction risk that was unchanged since 2012. The township was also away from known or possible fault rupture zones.

“It’s quite baffling,” Newson said.

“If you look at Kaiapoi, Rangiora, and Woodend, Woodend had the least damage out of any of these areas in terms of the earthquake, We didn’t have any liquefaction issues here whereas pockets of Kaiapoi had huge issues with liquefaction, so I’m really stumped.”

Woodend real estate agent Amanda Newson Supplied

When she went back to AA Insurance, another staffer told her that the company was overexposed to natural hazard risk and because of that, it would no longer insure certain areas.

“I understand from a business perspective if that’s a choice they’ve made and I don’t take issue with it,” Newson said.

“What I take issue with … is the information that they’re passing on is not accurate. There is no increased natural hazard event risk in Woodend, Canterbury – yet that is what they’re telling people.”

It was “quite scary as a property owner to hear that there’s an increased risk of a natural event, but no clarification about what that event is”.

Other major insurance companies were still providing cover in Woodend, but Newson was now upfront with purchasers about AA Insurance’s position.

“I will advise them, if you are with AA, they will not insure properties in this area. I explain my understanding of why that it is and … that I have seen no evidence or proof as to what this increased risk is.”

AA Insurance said it reviewed its restrictions regularly.

“Any future changes in our level of exposure to seismic risk in these areas will be reflected in the experience homeowners have when they come to us for cover.”

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Corrections didn’t tell staffer’s managers of investigation into his alleged child sex offending

Source: Radio New Zealand

Corrections was aware one of its probation officers was being investigated by police over alleged child sex offending for more than two weeks before he was arrested, but did not tell his regional managers.

Corrections has acknowledged there was a “missed opportunity” in not telling his superiors. Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell said the decision not to immediately notify managers of the allegations was “unacceptable”.

The man was arrested last month on eight representative charges, including four of sexual violation and four of doing an indecent act.

He appeared in court the day after his arrest and was granted interim name suppression. RNZ understands he has since died.

  • Do you know more? Emailsam.sherwood@rnz.co.nz

Following questions from RNZ after his court appearance, Corrections acting deputy chief executive of communities, partnerships and pathways Lynette Cave said Corrections took any allegation involving sexual or indecent assault “extremely seriously”.

Cave confirmed that Corrections’ integrity team had received “initial information” regarding the matter from police on 5 January and had provided information to assist with their investigation.

“Regrettably, the staff member’s regional managers were not made aware of this. The Integrity team acknowledge there was a missed opportunity in informing regional management and improved processes are being implemented to support clearer and more consistent notification.”

Cave said Corrections expected the “utmost professionalism from our employees”.

“Corrections employs approximately 11,000 staff, and the overwhelming majority of our people act with integrity, honesty and professionalism. When staff do not meet the standards required of them, we take action, including terminating their employment.”

A Corrections spokesperson confirmed they had been notified a staff member had passed away. They directed further questions on the death to police.

In a statement to RNZ, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell said he was always “extremely concerned” about any allegation of sexual offending by a staff member.

“I expect Corrections’ staff to always obey the law and act with integrity.

“The integrity team’s decision to not immediately notify managers of these allegations was unacceptable. It is my clear expectation that any allegation of serious wrongdoing, especially sexual offending by a staff member, is immediately escalated to the relevant manager to ensure all appropriate action is taken.”

Mitchell said he had been advised that Corrections was taking steps to improve how they notify regional managers of such allegations.

A police spokesperson confirmed police received a report relating to the matter in December last year.

As the matter was before the court, they were unable to provide further comment.

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Cold, wet, windy front hits South Island

Source: Radio New Zealand

The South Island is being hit by a cold, wet, and windy front. RNZ / Conan Young

The South Island is being hit by a cold, wet, and windy front with MetService warning wind and rain watches may get upgraded.

An orange heavy rain warning is in place for Tasman, northwest of Motueka, until 7pm on Tuesday, with peaks rates of 25 to 40 mm/h likely in localised downpours and thunderstorms also possible.

In Canterbury, rain may fall as snow above 1200 metres from Tuesday afternoon.

A heavy rain watch is in place for parts of Marlborough and Canterbury until 10pm on Tuesday.

MetService said there was a moderate chance it would be upgraded to a warning with a focus on North Canterbury and the Kaikoura District.

Strong wind watches are in place for parts of Marlborough, Westland and Grey districts from early Tuesday morning.

MetService meteorologist Michael Pawley said much of the North Island had been sitting under a soupy mess of humid air as a low pressure system moved across the South Island.

Heat alerts were in place Napier and Hastings on Monday, but further south, Christchurch was expected to drop to 12 degrees for most of Tuesday.

But MetService said more settled weather was on the way for the second half of the week.

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Demand for consumer credit rises as mortgage applications, personal loans increase

Source: Radio New Zealand

Demand for consumer credit rose 9.4 percent last month. RNZ

Demand for consumer credit rose 9.4 percent last month, reflecting an increase in the number of mortgage applications and an elevated number of personal loans.

Credit research firm Centrix’s January Credit Indicator showed the increased demand for credit was somewhat offset by mixed number of credit arrears, and rising business liquidations.

“Arrears on the consumer side continue to follow the seasonal patterns. But that’s 0.8 percent down on last year. So that’s a really good sign that the tides are starting to turn, which is fantastic,” Centrix chief operating officer Monika Lacey said.

New household lending also rose in the December quarter, with lending for new mortgages up 14 percent, while non-mortgage lending rose 12 percent.

Arrears

Mortgage arrears were steady, though vehicle loans were under pressure.

The South Island had the lowest number of arrears, while the central North Island and East Cape had the highest level of arrears.

Company failures highest since 2010

Centrix chief operating officer Monika Lacey. Supplied

“On the business side, they’ve also seen an increase in demand, but liquidations have definitely hit their highest peak since 2010 largely impacted by hospitality, retail, transport and construction, and this is largely as a result of IRD (Inland Revenue) increasing their activity following a softer approach over the Covid time,” Lacey said.

The number of company failures rose to its highest annual level since 2010, with liquidations unevenly seen across sectors, with rises in hospitality (+50 percent), retail trade (+34 percent) and transport (+27 percent) accounting for most of the failures.

There were also increases in construction (+13 percent), manufacturing (+12 percent) and property/rental (+17 percent) recording liquidations, even as credit defaults declined and average credit scores improved in many areas.

In contrast, agriculture stood out as the most resilient sector, with liquidations down 11 percent year-on-year, supported by stronger credit demand and improving financial health.

“Agri has definitely had a bit of a turnaround. There’s been a lot of positive news in the agricultural sector. So long may that continue,” she said.

“We’re hearing a little bit more about other good economic signals filtering through onto the market, so I think we are starting to see some signs of recovery.”

Credit demand

Overall business credit demand edged slightly higher, rising 0.7 percent year-on-year over the period.

Growth was highly concentrated in a few sectors, led by a 38 percent increase in hospitality credit demand, reflecting improving trading conditions and funding needs.

Education and training (+17 percent) and retail trade (+13 percent) also recorded solid gains, while demand elsewhere remained subdued.

“I think the increase in mortgage activity is largely attributed to refinancing,” she said.

“And personal loans, we would tend to see an uptick at this time of year anyway, but I think it’s certainly a sign that consumers are feeling a little bit more confident and perhaps have a little bit more cash in their pockets.”

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Insurance cost doubles in a year: What it’s like to own NZ’s most-stolen car

Source: Radio New Zealand

Toyota Aquas are New Zealand’s most stolen car. 123RF

Toyota Aquas are New Zealand’s most stolen car – but how can you keep your insurance costs down if you own one?

AMI Insurance said it received more than 9000 vehicle theft and attempted theft claims in 2025.

Toyota Aquas were 8 percent of all stolen vehicle claims, it said, followed by Toyota Corollas at 7 percent and Nissan Tiidas at 6 percent.

The data also showed Toyota Aquas were disproportionately targeted, with a theft rate nearly four times that of the country’s most insured vehicle, the Toyota Corolla.

For every 1000 insured Toyota Aquas, 54 had a theft claim, compared with 15 per 1000 Toyota Corollas.

Auckland had the most vehicle theft, followed by Canterbury and Waikato.

Executive general manager of claims Steph Ferris said claim numbers had been lower recently, after a peak in 2023.

“Lower crime rates, improved security systems in newer vehicles, and New Zealanders adopting security practices – including being more mindful about where they park – likely play a part in this.”

AMI said older cars were more likely to be stolen. Nearly nine out of every 10 stolen vehicles was more than 10 years old.

“Older vehicles often lack modern, electronic encrypted locking systems, making them easier for thieves to compromise,” Ferris said.

Justin Lim, spokesperson for insurance comparison site Quashed, said a Toyota Aqua was typically 37 percent more expensive than a Corolla to insure with a comprehensive policy and 47 percent more expensive for third-party fire and theft policies.

“Insurance providers price their policies very differently.

“There is a difference of up to $1262 [a year] for a comprehensive policy. This means that on the higher end, insurance providers are charging $2000-plus for a policy, while on the lower end, they are charging $1000 or less. The same is true for third-party fire and theft, where we see a data variance of $667.

“Car owners should compare at least four to five providers to find the most competitive deal and policy for them.”

One Auckland woman said the cost of insuring her Aqua was a major factor in the decision to sell it.

“Last year we were thinking about freeing up some cash to put towards buying a house and realised we didn’t really need two cars for our household, so decided we should sell one. Although we actually used the Aqua more frequently and it was more fuel-efficient than our other car, the insurance costs made getting rid of the Aqua a better financial move,” she said.

“When we first got the Aqua in 2019 the insurance costs weren’t too bad, but it increased dramatically in 2023.”

In December 2022, the car was $71.78 a month to insure. The next year, it jumped up to $143.65 and then in 2024 it was $183.54 a month.

“In May 2025 we switched insurance companies for both cars and our contents. With the new insurer, we paid $136.07 per month for the Aqua. That was a better deal, but I still thought the premium was ridiculous given that the market value was about $7500 at the time. We’re currently paying $67.49 per month for our other car.”

Insurance and Financial Services Ombudsman Karen Stevens said models that were more frequently stolen were likely to be more expensive to insure.

“Insurers look at risk-based pricing. If it’s likely to be a higher risk in terms of theft, the premium will take that into consideration. That’s why consumers are always asked about modifications – they’re likely to make the vehicle more attractive to thieves.”

Consumer NZ insurance specialist Rebecca Styles said insurers might add a higher excess for high-risk cars, too.

“Where you park your car is likely to factor into the price of your premium, too.”

Ferris said people could protect themselves by parking down a driveway or in a garage if possible. If they could not, they should look for a well-lit area.

Car alarms, immobilisers, fuel cut out switches, steering locks or car tracking systems could also be used.

Ferris said people should always lock their car doors when driving and consider keeping the windows up, especially in low-speed areas.

AMI said about 64 percent of stolen vehicles were recovered and 40 percent were repairable.

AMI’s top 10 stolen cars list

  • 1. Toyota Aqua
  • 2. Toyota Corolla
  • 3. Nissan Tiida
  • 4. Mazda Demio
  • 5. Toyota Vitz
  • 6. Toyota Hilux
  • 7. Subaru Impreza
  • 8. Mazda Atenza
  • 9. Toyota Mark X
  • 10. Mazda Axela

Most stolen vehicle by region (regions ranked by claims volume)

  • 1. Auckland – Toyota Aqua
  • 2. Canterbury – Toyota Aqua
  • 3. Waikato – Toyota Corolla
  • 4. Wellington – Toyota Corolla
  • 5. Bay of Plenty – Toyota Corolla
  • 6. Manawatū – Nissan Tiida
  • 7. Northland – Toyota Corolla
  • 8. Hawke’s Bay – Mazda Atenza
  • 9. Gisborne – Mazda Demio
  • 10. Taranaki – Toyota Corolla and Nissan Tiida
  • 11. Otago – Toyota Aqua
  • 12. Southland – Suzuki Swift
  • 13. Nelson – Nissan Tiida
  • 14. Tasman – Mazda Demio and Toyota Corolla
  • 15. West Coast – Toyota Hilux
  • 16. Marlborough – Honda Jazz

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Opposition parties slam ‘secret’ critical minerals talks

Source: Radio New Zealand

Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

Opposition parties are criticising the coalition for having “secret” talks with the United States about the supply of rare and critical minerals.

New Zealand is in discussions with the US about the supply of rare and critical minerals, as Donald Trump seeks to reduce America’s reliance on China for material it sees as pivotal for tech innovation and national security.

While no decisions have been made, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed officials are working through analysis, targeted consultation and providing advice to relevant ministers.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon stressed no Cabinet decisions have been made but said the government would “develop in [its] own brutal self interest”.

The Minerals Council – the industry association representing mining in New Zealand – said the country should scale up mining, arguing it can be done responsibly.

Opposition parties weigh in

Labour’s energy and resources spokesperson Megan Woods said mining opportunities shouldn’t be exploited at the expense of the environment, especially country’s conservation estate.

“We are not against mining as long as it is done in an environmentally sustainable way. Under the Labour government, we were doing work on critical minerals that would help us decarbonise and move away from fossil fuels like coal in a way that ensures jobs in the long term.

“However, the government’s plans as outlined in the MineraIs Strategy for New Zealand, combined with the Fast Track law and refusal to phase out fossil fuels, have lead to greater environmental and climate risks with no public scrutiny.

“Most New Zealanders would be upset that talks about mining and exporting critical minerals are taking place without transparency or accountability.”

Labour’s energy and resources spokesperson Megan Woods. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick said the critical minerals discussions were happening “largely in secret and on terms dictated by the United States”.

Luxon’s government had not campaigned on this, she said.

“When exactly did we agree as a country to be in Trump’s corner? There are far better decisions that we can be making if we are to, even for sake of argument, be thinking about mining more of these rare earth minerals.

“If we return to some of the rhetoric used by both Christopher Luxon and even Shane Jones last year, as they were trumpeting doing more of this kind of mining, they were telling everybody that it was about our clean, green energy transition.

“So it doesn’t take much to put two and two together and figure out that this is a house of cards.”

Te Pāti Māori was approached for comment.

Coalition parties’ positions

New Zealand First’s and self-proclaimed “pro-mining Minister” Shane Jones said the talks followed the coalition releasing its mining strategy and critical minerals list.

“Then there was an invitation for us to sign a global accord shared by the Koreans last year and now America has invited a whole host of nations to work with it and enter into a compact or an accord.

“The status of those negotiations and the final result lies with Cabinet and that’s covered by confidentiality.”

Shane Jones. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

Asked exactly what the government had signed up to in the global accord, Jones said it was about cooperation.

“This is the puzzling thing. We’ve got all these sort of frothy milk fed critics of mine but basically contemplated a lot of cooperation in terms of research, technology, opportunities for nations to work together, both financially and strategically, and boost the availability and access to these valuable minerals.”

The ACT Party’s resources spokesperson Simon Court said his party supported expanding mining in New Zealand.

“We want high paid jobs and we want an economy that can pay our own way so yes, ACT supports more mining, including for these critical minerals.

“That’s why we secured the coalition commitment to create a critical minerals list that provides a simplified pathway for essentially prospecting, getting mining permits and eventually consenting mineral developments.”

ACT was also supportive of New Zealand’s critical minerals talks with the US.

“The United States is a key defence and security partner and it’s important that we are responsive to the markets when we have something to sell.

“We’d also be hypocritical to try and stop it. We all use and benefit from these devices made from these minerals so restricting mining here just means that [if] the US can’t get those minerals from New Zealand, they will be dug up somewhere else, probably somewhere with poor environmental oversight and more child labour.”

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Her agency crushed her K-pop idol dreams. Her reinvention brought them back to life

Source: Radio New Zealand

Her voice defeated soul-eating monsters during the emotional finale of the blockbuster animated film KPop Demon Hunters.

But for Korean American singer EJAE, the triumph gave her something beyond fame and fortune.

Validation.

Ejae accepted a Golden Globe for Golden, which she co-wrote and sang for KPop Demon Hunters, on 11 January in Beverly Hills, California.

Christopher Polk/2026GG/Penske Media/Getty Images via CNN Newsource

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