Children starting school without basic skills, Stanford warns
Erica Stanford says teachers are reporting more children starting school without basic skills, including being toilet trained or able to eat and dress independently.
Centrist
Grant says National is sacrificing property rights to give shoppers a villain
Damien Grant argues National’s proposed supermarket break-up scapegoats grocery retailers for high food prices while abandoning the property rights and entrepreneurial principles Nicola Willis once championed.
Robinson warns strategic voting could weaken the government National supporters want
The strategy to manufacture extra centre-right seats through strategic voting involves giving National the electorate vote while directing party votes to ACT or NZ First.
How an overhang could change the election result
An overhang occurs when a party wins more electorate seats than its party vote entitles it to.
Kia Ora Ake contracts set no minimum qualification for non-clinical workers
In brief Kia Ora Ake receives about $12 million annually, with roughly three-quarters of its funded provider workforce in non-clinical roles.
Petrol reaches $3.11 as global oil squeeze threatens further rises
New Zealand motorists face further fuel-price increases that could continue as conflicts disrupt oil production, refining and international shipping routes.
Green candidate who condemned workplace bullying posts profane clip with Seymour pictured
Green Party candidate Tania Waikato has been accused of hypocrisy after posting a video of herself mouthing profane and dismissive lyrics with an image of ACT leader David Seymour behind her.
Labour slides, but still edges National; yet coalition still leading
Labour remains one point ahead of National in two new polls, despite falling sharply from its previous result in both surveys.
NZ First says disruption may have been avoided ‘if Verrall had just answered the question’
Labour’s Ayesha Verrall has called for political unity against intimidation at campaign events after protesters confronted her.
Child sex offender gets 10 months’ home detention; wins bid to stay in NZ to save his marriage
A 27-year-old Samoan man who admitted performing indecent acts on a girl between the ages of 10 and 13 has been allowed to remain in New Zealand because deportation could permanently separate him from his wife.
HarperCollins and Byron Clark apologise over conservative leader’s inclusion in ‘Alt Right’ chapter
HarperCollins and author Byron Clark have publicly apologised to Conservative Party leader Helen Houghton after she challenged her inclusion in a chapter about women and the Alt Right.
Wayne Brown threatens Auckland Deal over unelected board member voting rights
Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown has warned that his council could walk away from its regional deal with the government if voting rights are removed from unelected members of Houkura, the Independent Māori Statutory Board.
Billions spent on Māori initiatives as parties promise more
Successive governments have committed billions of dollars to Māori-targeted programmes.
Former NZ First MP and educator Jim Peters dies
Former New Zealand First MP Jim Peters, the brother of party leader Winston Peters, has died following a long career in education, local government and politics.
Four ways heavy phone use may affect your body
Prolonged smartphone use may contribute to sore thumbs, dry eyes, disrupted sleep and neck or shoulder tension, although the evidence is more nuanced than warnings about “text neck” sometimes suggest.
Police display 1.67m licence photos a month but don’t proactively audit viewing
In brief Police systems displayed 1.67 million NZTA driver licence photos in July, most automatically when officers searched for a person.