New Zealand

Southland farmers may soon be able to pull gravel from rivers and their own properties without going through a resource consent process, under proposals announced by National at the South Island Election Conference. Invercargill MP Penny Simmonds has backed the plans, saying gravel build-up in local rivers is already a

Two SIT hairdressing students have made the national top 10 in one of New Zealand's most prestigious bridal hair competitions — and they've only been at this for 18 months. Haylee Clark and Holly Wolf, both second-year students at the Southern Institute of Technology, were announced as

Air New Zealand has posted a $242 million annual loss, its worst result in years, as fuel costs blown out by the Middle East conflict and a punishing run of engine problems overwhelmed solid gains in passenger revenue. The airline reported a pre-tax loss of $336 million for the year

PowerNet has been named Energy Distributor of the Year at the 2026 New Zealand Energy Excellence Awards — recognition built on one of the worst weeks in the company's history. The award was presented in Wellington on August 19, honouring PowerNet's response to the October 2025 wind

Sophie Ineson won a $50,000 for tertiary study and a trip to an international science fair in the United States — and she did it by never stopping asking questions. The Year 13 Southland Girls' High School student has spent her after-school hours designing medical products for space, simulating

Around 440,000 New Zealanders aren't enrolled to vote — and the deadline to fix that is October 25. The Electoral Commission is posting 3.6 million enrolment packs to enrolled voters from August 17 to 22, ahead of the 2026 General Election on November 7. The packs let

The Data Grid project in Southland, New Zealand, represents a major new digital infrastructure aimed at establishing a world-class, highly efficient data center alongside a critical international subsea cable connection. Led by Remy and his team from Data Grid, the initiative seeks to capitalize on Southland’s favorable climate and

Fish curers and leather tanners are off the hook. The Government is scrapping the so-called 'offensive trades' registration requirement under the 1956 Health Act, ending annual paperwork and fees for hundreds of businesses that have been jumping through a 70-year-old regulatory hoop for no good reason. Regulation Minister