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Campground managers hoping for sunnier New Year’s Eve weather

Source: Radio New Zealand

Campground managers in the North Island are hoping for sunnier weather leading up to New Year’s. Ruth Kuo

Campground managers in the North Island are hoping for sunnier weather leading up to New Year’s after a lashing of wind and rain.

Wild weather battered much of the North Island on Monday, disrupting campers, causing power outages and downing trees.

In Auckland a roof was torn off an unoccupied home in Hillsborough, as fire crews responded to more than 100 weather-related callouts.

The manager of Kūaotunu Campground on the Coromandel Peninsula, Yvette Davey, said the weather had caused a bit of disruption on Monday.

“We have had a couple of campers that their tents were destroyed so they had to go home, other than that people are hunkering down, it’s settled down here,” she said.

Leanne Mills, the owner of Long Bay Motor Camp in Coromandel said campers were not too put off by the wet weather.

“We’ve had a bit of rain [on Monday] but we’ve been lucky campers have just used it as a crash day, just chill out, read a book, sleep,” she said.

“We’ve just got continued support from our regulars, mostly 90 percent Kiwis, so they’ll come and just meet up every year with the same people year after year and they don’t really care if it rains.”

Festivalgoers for New Year’s events such as Rhythm and Vines in Gisborne have been warned to watch out for wild weather on the roads.

Strong wind warnings for the northern and central parts of the North Island have expired but several regions remain in the firing line.

Orange wind warnings remain for Manawatu, Horowhenua and Kapiti Coast until 9am Tuesday, and the Marlborough Sounds, Nelson and the West Coast north of Aoraki Mount Cook until 2pm Tuesday.

An orange heavy rain warning is in place for Hawke’s Bay until 8am Tuesday.

Tauranga City Council has cancelled all five of its community New Year’s Eve events because of the bad weather forecast.

The council said weather reports indicated heavy rain and strong winds during event set-up, with conditions highly likely to continue into Wednesday.

It said fireworks displays would hopefully still take place from various locations around the city on New Year’s Eve.

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

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How short-form videos could be harming young minds

Source: Radio New Zealand

Analysis – Online short-form video has shifted from a light distraction to a constant backdrop in many children’s lives. What used to fill a spare moment now shapes how young people relax, communicate and form opinions, with TikTok, Instagram Reels, Douyin and YouTube Shorts drawing in hundreds of millions of under-18s through endlessly personalised feeds.

These apps feel lively and intimate, offering quick routes to humour, trends and connection, yet their design encourages long sessions of rapid scrolling that can be difficult for young users to manage. They were never built with children in mind, although many children use them daily and often alone.

For some pre-teens, these platforms help develop identity, spark interests and maintain friendships. For others, the flow of content disrupts sleep, erodes boundaries or squeezes out time for reflection and meaningful interaction.

Unlike longer videos or traditional social media posts, short-form content provides almost no context, no warning, and no opportunity to prepare emotionally, Easton says.

Unsplash/ Audrey K

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Problematic use is less about minutes spent and more about patterns where scrolling becomes compulsive or hard to stop. These patterns can begin to affect sleep, mood, attention, schoolwork and relationships.

Short-form videos (typically between 15 and 90 seconds) are engineered to capture the brain’s craving for novelty. Each swipe promises something different, whether a joke, prank or shock – and the reward system responds instantly.

Because the feed rarely pauses, the natural breaks that help attention reset vanish. Over time, this can weaken impulse control and sustained focus. A 2023 analysis of 71 studies and nearly 100,000 participants found a moderate link between heavy short-form video use and reduced inhibitory control and attention spans.

Attention hijacked

Sleep is one of the clearest areas where short-form video can take a toll.

Many children today view screens when they should be winding down. The bright light delays the release of melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate sleep, making it harder for them to drift off.

But the emotional highs and lows of rapid content make it particularly difficult for the brain to settle. A recent study found that for some teenagers, excessive short-form video use is connected to poorer sleep and higher social anxiety.

These sleep disturbances affect mood, resilience and memory, and can create a cycle that is especially hard for stressed or socially pressured children to break.

Short-form video use may lead to insomnia.

Beyond sleep, the constant stream of peer images and curated lifestyles can amplify comparison. Pre-teens may internalise unrealistic standards of popularity, appearance or success, which is linked to lower self-esteem and anxiety – although the same is true for all forms of social media.

Younger children are more susceptible

Most research focuses on teenagers, but younger children have less mature self-regulation and a more fragile sense of identity, leaving them highly susceptible to the emotional pull of quick-fire content.

Exposure to material children never intended to see adds risk and the design of short-form video apps can make this far more likely. Because clips appear instantly and autoplay one after another, children can be shown violent footage, harmful challenges or sexual content before they have time to process what they are seeing or look away.

Unlike longer videos or traditional social media posts, short-form content provides almost no context, no warning, and no opportunity to prepare emotionally. A single swipe can produce a sudden shift in tone from silly to disturbing, which is particularly jarring for developing brains.

Although this content may not always be illegal, it can still be inappropriate for a child’s stage of development. Algorithmic systems learn from a brief moment of exposure, sometimes escalating similar content into the feed. This combination of instant appearance, lack of context, emotional intensity and rapid reinforcement is what makes inappropriate content in short-form video especially problematic for younger users.

Not every child is affected in the same way, though. Those with anxiety, attention difficulties or emotional volatility seem more vulnerable to compulsive scrolling and to the mood swings that follow it.

Some research suggests a cyclical relationship, where young people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, are particularly drawn to rapid content, while heavy use may intensify the symptoms that make self-regulation difficult. Children dealing with bullying, stress, family instability or poor sleep may also use late-night scrolling to cope with difficult emotions.

This matters because childhood is a critical period for learning how to build relationships, tolerate boredom and handle uncomfortable feelings. When every quiet moment is filled with quick entertainment, children lose chances to practise daydreaming, invent games, chat with family or simply let their thoughts wander.

Unstructured time is part of how young minds learn to soothe themselves and develop internal focus. Without it, these skills can weaken.

New guidelines

There are encouraging signs of change as governments and schools begin to address digital well-being more explicitly. In England, new statutory guidelines encourage schools to integrate online safety and digital literacy into the curriculum.

Some schools are restricting smartphone use during the school day, and organisations such as Amnesty International are urging platforms to introduce safer defaults, better age-verification and greater transparency around algorithms.

At home, open conversation can help children understand their habits and build healthier ones. Parents can watch videos together, discuss what makes certain clips appealing and explore how particular content made the child feel.

Establishing simple family routines, such as keeping devices out of bedrooms or setting a shared cut-off time for screen use, can protect sleep and reduce late-night scrolling. Encouraging offline activities, hobbies, sports and time with friends also helps maintain a healthy balance.

Short-form videos can be creative, funny and comforting. With thoughtful support, responsive policies and safer platform design, children can enjoy them without compromising their well-being or development.

*Katherine Easton is a lecturer of psychology at University of Sheffield. Disclosure statement: Easton has recently received funding from: 2021 – UKRI eNurture (PI) £26,762.00 Hacking the school system. 2022 – Research England, HEIF TUoS (PI) £48,983 Digiware: Knowledge Exchange in Education and Internet of Things. to research young people’s views on the use of technology in their schools

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

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Essential New Zealand Albums: Strawpeople – Broadcast

Source: Radio New Zealand

Sleek, modern, sophisticated and brimful of hits, their 1994 album Broadcast was a type of album by a type of group that hadn’t really been heard in this country before.

‘Sweet Disorder’ – the biggest hit from Broadcast – won the 1995 Silver Scroll Award for its composers.

The Strawpeople story started in the ’80s, at Auckland student station bFM, where fellow music and recording geeks Mark Tierney and Paul Casserly were working as DJs.

Strawpeople – Broadcast

Essential New Zealand AlbumsSeason 5 / Episode 6

This video is hosted on Youtube.

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

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The biggest Kiwi sporting stories of 2025

Source: Radio New Zealand

Geordie Beamish. PHOTOSPORT

Controversies, comebacks, suspensions, breakthrough wins and a near perfect seasons, there have been some truly massive sport’s stories involving New Zealanders this year.

RNZ sport looks back at some of the biggest Kiwi sports stories of 2025.

Geordie Beamish’s dramatic tumble

The photo which captured the Geordie Beamish moment was selected as one of three finalists for the 2025 World Athletics Photograph of the Year. Emilee Chinn

New Zealand track runner Geordie Beamish took a tumble at the World Championships in Tokyo in September, which could have ended badly.

Beamish fell during the heats of the 3000m steeplechase after tripping over a barrier on the final lap, and a rival runner’s spiked foot briefly made contact with his face.

Fortunately, Beamish was able to recover and finished second in the heat, after sustaining a couple of scratches to his face.

Two days later, he 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.

In doing so, the 29-year-old won New Zealand’s first-ever track gold at a World Championships.

Dame Noeline Taurua and the saga of the Silver Ferns coach

Silver Ferns coach Dame Noeline Taurua, photographed on her first day back reinstated in the position. RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly

What began as a quietly handled cultural review spiralled into one of the biggest controversies in New Zealand netball history. Tensions erupted into public view in September, when Netball NZ abruptly stood down Dame Noeline and her coaching staff just days out from the Taini Jamison series against South Africa.

The move followed a breakdown in talks over proposed changes to the Silver Ferns programme.

The impasse meant Netball NZ made the decision to extend Taurua’s suspension until the end of the year, sidelining the veteran coach from the Constellation Cup series against Australia and next month’s UK tour.

Months earlier, a group of up to seven players had raised concerns about the team environment, prompting Netball NZ to commission a ‘cultural review’. But Taurua and her coaching team of Debbie Fuller and Briony Akle pushed back, forcefully rejecting the findings and the process of the review.

After 51 days, Dame Noeline was reinstated as Silver Ferns coach, but would remain grounded for the end of season Northern Tour while the parties implemented agreed upon changes.

It is understood the changes being worked through involve a re-jig of the Ferns’ management team and a change in the “psych model” for tours.

Auckland FC rise to the top in their inaugural season

Hiroki Sakai and Steve Corica celebrate with the A-League Premier’s Plate. Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz

Established in March 2024, the club spent money to make sure they made an immediate impact in their inaugural season in the A-League, but not many would have expected them to have achieved what they did.

Under the guidance of Steve Corica, Auckland FC went through the 24-25 season with just three losses in the regular competition, finishing five points clear at the top of the standings to claim the Premiership title.

Auckland FC didn’t lose their first game until round nine and by then the city was well an truly behind them.

They beat Wellington Phoenix three times in the New Zealand derby and averaged 18,000 fans at their home games.

With just one loss at home in the regular season the city jumped on their magical run as they became the number one attraction in town.

Captain Hiroki Sakai finished third in the Johnny Warren Medal voting with Guillermo May sixth equal, while Corica was named Coach of the Year and Alex Paulsen Goalkeeper of the Year.

Unfortunately their golden run came to an end in the semi-finals of the play-offs, as they were beaten by Melbourne Victory over two legs.

Ryan Fox wins twice on the PGA Tour

Ryan Fox of New Zealand CON CHRONIS / photosport

It had been 20 years since a New Zealand golfer had won on the PGA Tour and Ryan Fox managed to do that twice during the year.

After a successful run on the European (World) Tour Fox headed to the USA and in his second full season in the world’s toughest championship he tasted success.

He won the Myrtle Beach Classic in South Carolina in May and the Canadian Open in June and finished in the top 40 in the overall season standings.

Those results have now given him some security on the PGA Tour for the next couple of years.

With ten victories world-wide Fox is one of New Zealand’s most successful golfers.

Success in majors is now the aim for the 38 year old.

Special mention to Steve Alker who won twice on the Champions Tour (seniors), had 18 top ten finishes and finished second in the season-ending ranking.

Hayden Wilde completes courageous comeback

Hayden Wilde. PHOTOSPORT

New Zealand triathlete Hayden Wilde was crowned king of the T100 World Triathlon series, after rounding out his season in perfect style.

Wilde won the final race in the Qatar T100 Triathlon World Championship in sweltering conditions, capping his sixth victory of the season.

The victory in the grand final secured him the overall world title for the 2026 season.

However, it was his comeback from a horror bike crash in May that was the bigger story.

Wilde broke several ribs, had a broken scapula, and a punctured lung after being knocked off his bike by a truck while on a training ride in Tokyo.

Wilde returned to racing less than 100 days after the Japan crash, marking a winning comeback with victory at the T100 London race.

He would go on to win several more rounds before taking the season finale and the overall title.

Liam Lawson completes first full season in F1

New Zealand F1 driver Liam Lawson. DPPI / PHOTOSPORT

While Liam Lawson may not have won any races, or even stepped on a podium, the young New Zealander certainly spent plenty of time in the sporting headlines.

The 23-year-old started 2025 in the Red Bull team but struggled to make an impression alongside team-mate and world champion Max Verstappen.

He was demoted to the junior Racing Bulls team after just two rounds and replaced by Yuki Tsunoda.

It wasn’t until the round eight in Monaco where he grabbed his first points, finishing eighth after sacrificing a higher finish by following team orders.

His best run of results came in the middle of the season with a sixth in Austria and a fifth in Azerbaijan.

For the rest of the season Lawson scrapped for points and his survival in the sport.

His efforts were rewarded before the final round in Abu Dhabi when his seat in Racing Bulls was confirmed for 2026, while Tsunoda was relegated to reserve driver.

The pressure remains on the Lawson who now needs consistency to realise his dream of being the best in the world.

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

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The carers being a helping hand to those in need

Source: Radio New Zealand

After witnessing the struggles of elderly people and those with disabilities forced to navigate hospital appointments alone, social entrepreneur Lizzie Scott has come up with a solution.

CaringStay Companion Travel has more than 80 “companions” nationwide, who can accompany people to their appointments and take them home afterwards, staying as long as they are needed.

Scott, who started the service two years ago, said it continued to evolve, led by demand.

The company offers a variety of services including walking the dog.

123rf

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

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Significant changes on the horizon for tourism industry

Source: Radio New Zealand

Cable car above Rotorua lake and city. 123RF

The Tourism Minister has signalled significant change could be on the horizon for the industry.

Louise Upston has set her sights on doubling the value of tourism exports by 2034, growing the number of Kiwis working in tourism and hospitality, and restoring international visitor arrivals to at least 2019 levels.

In June, she unveiled how the government plans to hit that target, but more details for the medium and long term picture were yet to be revealed.

The targets were ambitious, but she said the industry had pulled together this year.

“It’s getting the balance of continuing to push for visitors to choose New Zealand and then helping them throughout New Zealand where there is still strong capacity and options,” she said.

The industry had been pushing for bold change, and a working group had considered what that change was and how they planned to get there, she said.

Tourism Minister Louise Upston. MARIKA KHABAZI / RNZ

Upston planned to review advice and proposals from officials about the next steps in the roadmap in January.

“Some of it is potentially quite significant change so I would be looking at probably taking something to Cabinet towards the end of quarter one or the beginning of quarter two,” she said.

The government was aiming to see international visitor arrivals reach at least 3.89 million by 2026.

Recent figures showed overseas arrivals hit 3.43 million in the year to September.

“We’ve got momentum, we’ve made significant investments, we are measuring the impact and I’m confident that we will achieve those visitor growth numbers by the end of next year,” Upston said.

That investment – which was often funded by the International Visitor Levy – included a $70 million major events and tourism package and more than $26m for Tourism New Zealand to attract more visitors.

She was confident that [https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/557448/how-do-queenstown-residents-feel-about-increasing-tourism-and-its-impact

concerns from areas like Queenstown], where visitors numbers had already surpassed 2019 levels, were being addressed by mahi underway and planned in the Tourism Growth Roadmap.

Queenstown. RNZ / Kymberlee Gomes

She wanted to make sure every ounce of value was squeezed from investments in the industry as well as having consistent and predictable funding, Upston said.

Another priority was attracting more New Zealanders into hospitality and tourism by making sure they could see a career pathway and had ongoing training opportunities as a solid workforce would be a “critical part” in the success of tourism growth, Upston said.

In November, the government announced funding for a new industry-led qualification, Te Haeata, to boost the business events workforce.

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

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Holiday road toll stands at zero – but drivers still urged to be cautious

Source: Radio New Zealand

There have been a number of serious crashes over the holiday period, but no fatalities yet. File photo. RNZ/ Marika Khabazi

The road toll for the official Christmas holiday period is at zero, but police say people need to continue to stick to the basics of safe driving.

So far this year 268 people have died on the roads, down from 292 last year – which was the lowest number since 2013.

Director of road policing Superintendent Steve Greally said any death on the roads was a tragedy with widespread ripples, but it was good to see numbers headed down.

“We are very encouraged so far this year and when we think about the summer period so far nobody has lost their lives, compared with 15 people at the end of the period last year.

“So things are looking really good, really encouraging, but anything can happen at any time, so we have to be really cautious about that.”

He said drivers need to continue to focus on four key areas – wearing seatbelts or helmets, not driving while impaired by drugs, alcohol or tiredness, not being distracted by phones or other things in the vehicle, and ensuring their speed was suitable for the conditions.

NZTA spokesperson Mark Owen said another tip was for people to go to its Journey Planner webpage for detailed information about their planned route.

He said people can check when roads are expected to be busiest based on previous years.

“Find out when the predicted busy times are. This is typically as we get to the end of the holidays and people are heading back to the main centres, and more towards the middle of the day. If you are travelling at those times you will definitely need to allow more time, or maybe try to leave a bit earlier or later in the day.”

He said people are also encouraged to ensure they are well rested before a long drive, take regular breaks on the journey, and drive to the conditions.

“We are seeing a bit of challenging weather coming across the North Island the next couple of days. So people need to allow to drive to those conditions especially if it is rather wet or windy.

“We want everyone to return from their holidays back to their original destination safely.”

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

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Dunedin family dominates Cromwell’s annual cherry spitting competition

Source: Radio New Zealand

Supplied / Cromwell & Districts Promotions Group

A Dunedin family has swept the podium at the annual Cherry Pit-Spit Championship in Cromwell.

The Collins family dominated multiple categories at the quirky Central Otago event on Sunday, which challenges entrants to hoick a cherry stone as far as possible.

Aaron Collins launched a cherry pit 10.47 metres to take out first place in the men’s category.

His sister, Hannah Collins, placed second in the women’s event, while his children, Emma and Daniel, also finished on the podium.

Aaron Collins launched a cherry pit 10.47 metres to take out first place in the men’s category. Supplied / Cromwell & Districts Promotions Group

The women’s winner was Laure Vaneilhan, from France, who has just arrived for the cherry-picking season and delivered an 7.93m spit.

Cromwell & Districts Promotions Group marketing and communications manager Tanya Dennis said hundreds of people either lined up at the mat, or came along to watch on what she described as a “perfect”, sunny Central Otago day.

“We had people coming from England, we had people from Japan, we had people from Germany and America – these were people that were just curious. They were visiting the region … and then came along to the event. So it was a real cross section, and of course, we had locals and regional visitors as well,” she said.

The event has been running since 2006 and offers plenty of entertainment for spectators, Dennis said.

“Some of the competitors make real light of it, and some get very serious. We’ve got some die hard followers of the event.”

Even kids get involved in the competition. Supplied / Cromwell & Districts Promotions Group

The record belongs to Dunedinite Tui Smith, who fired a pit nearly 16m in 2023.

The world record for cherry pit-spitting is 28.5m, set in Michigan in 2004.

Cherries for this year’s National Cherry Spit Championship were provided by Jackson Orchards in Cromwell, and the day also featured a best-dressed competition and lawn games.

“Anyone can give it a go and the, you know, bragging rights is, of course, the big thing. It’s open to all age groups … and it’s a good day all round,” Dennis said.

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

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Concerns for welfare of missing Auckland man

Source: Radio New Zealand

Stuart has been reported missing. Supplied / Police

Auckland police are asking for any sightings of man whose family are concerned for his welfare.

Stuart is described by police as about 6 foot tall, slender and in his 70s.

He was last seen wearing black pants, a beige shirt, a blue jacket, and a black beanie.

He usually lives and frequents central Auckland. Supplied / Police

Stuart usually lives and frequents central Auckland.

Police said he had been out of touch with his family for some time, which was out of character.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on the 105 number.

“If you have seen him or have any information that might help us locate him, please call 105, quoting file number 251219/9751.”

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Cricket: A first for Amelia Kerr in big Blaze win

Source: Radio New Zealand

Wellington Blaze captain Melie Kerr after scoring a century in the Super Smash. Marty Melville / PHOTOSPORT

A stunning century from White Fern Amelia Kerr has helped the Wellington Blaze to a 49-run victory over the Auckland Hearts in the women’s Super Smash.

Kerr completed her first century in top level T20 cricket as the defending champions picked up their second win of the competition.

The 25 year old finished unbeaten on 106 as the home side made 184 for two at the Basin Reserve.

Her century came off 59 deliveries and her innings included 17 fours and one six.

Kerr and fellow White Fern Georgia Plimmer put on 155 for the opening partnership, a Blaze record.

Plimmer made 62 off 53 deliveries.

Bree Illing and Amie Hucker picked up a wicket each for Auckland.

In reply, Auckland scored freely as they started their chase but lost regular wickets and were dismissed in the last over for 135.

Captain Maddy Green top scored with 39, while Xara Jetly grabbed three wickets and Jess Kerr and Nicole Baird took two each for Wellington.

Wellington top the table with two wins, while Auckland have a no-result and a loss.

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