Māori-medium students top results while early switchers fall to bottom
In brief Māori students who remain in Māori-medium education through to school leaving record the strongest NCEA attainment and retention among the groups analysed.
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Kia Ora Ake’s $12m accountability vacuum
In brief Kia Ora Ake receives about $12 million a year to provide mental health and wellbeing support across more than 180 Counties Manukau schools and settings.
2050 heatwave report gives 'Back to the Future' vibes, makes embarrassing errors
An expensive ratepayer-funded climate change report has predicted future “extreme heatwaves” for Auckland which, perhaps embarrassingly, turn out to be colder and shorter duration than heatwaves a century ago.
Luxon makes Paris membership non-negotiable without saying how New Zealand will meet the target
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says remaining in the Paris climate agreement will be non-negotiable in post-election coalition talks.
Māori-medium attendance at 42% as Seymour says kura told him ‘leave us alone’
Regular school attendance improved nationwide in term two, but remained at just 42% among students predominantly learning in te reo Māori.
Fuel-tax rise delayed as emergency fund siphoned to cover part of shortfall
The government has replaced the 12-cent-a-litre fuel excise increase due on 1 January 2027, with a series of smaller rises beginning in 2028.
Labour’s 2,400-nurse guarantee is costed for just 350 additional jobs
Labour has promised every eligible New Zealand-trained nursing graduate a public health job, potentially covering about 2,400 graduates each year.
National offers lower student-loan deductions at home and tougher penalties offshore
National says it will cut the compulsory student-loan repayment rate for New Zealand-based borrowers from 12% to 10%, while increasing penalties and enforcement for borrowers who leave the country.
Banks agree on next OCR hike, but BNZ sees rates reaching 4% by May
Economists at New Zealand’s five largest banks expect the Reserve Bank to raise the Official Cash Rate by 0.25 percentage points on Wednesday, taking it from 2.50% to 2.75%.
Five New Zealanders still missing as Nepal flood toll worsens
The whereabouts of five New Zealanders remain unknown after catastrophic flash floods and landslides struck the Nepal-China border region last week.
Grey Power warns super alone no longer covers the basics for many renters
Grey Power is pressing political parties for clearer policies on superannuation, housing, healthcare and the cost of living as more older New Zealanders struggle to meet basic expenses.
Pacific forum opens with empty chairs and a crowded agenda
The Pacific Islands Forum has opened in Palau without the leaders of Fiji, Vanuatu, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Kiribati, weakening the show of regional unity as major security and economic questions crowd the agenda.
S&P keeps New Zealand's rating stable, but deficits remain the weak point
S&P Global Ratings has affirmed New Zealand's AA+ foreign-currency and AAA local-currency sovereign ratings, both with stable outlooks.
Under-16 social media bill gives courts power to block platforms nationwide
National’s proposed under-16 social media bill would require age-restricted platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and YouTube to take “reasonable steps” to stop children under 16 accessing them.
Te Pāti Māori weighs no-list strategy that could reshape Parliament
Te Pāti Māori is considering an election tactic that could affect the balance of Parliament even if its nationwide party vote remains very small: not submitting a party list at all.
Left-heavy health survey finds only 12% unconditionally willing to pay more tax
A survey reported by RNZ as showing that almost two-thirds of New Zealanders are willing to pay more tax for better healthcare found only 12.4% unconditionally agreed to pay more.