Regional
Iwi members to be offered free private health insurance
Tuesday 6 March 2018 | Published in Regional
NEW ZEALAND – Auckland iwi Ngati Whatua Orakei is taking the health of its people into its own hands by providing free universal private health insurance for its members. The iwi, which has a commercial portfolio of more than $1 billion, wants to lift Maori health statistics by improving the wellbeing of its people. Joining the scheme is free for registered members of the iwi who live in New Zealand – and all of their insurance premiums and any payable excess will be paid for by the iwi.
Australia needs New Zealand's compass
Tuesday 6 March 2018 | Published in Regional
Australian values are neither clear nor consistent. If Australia want to make a difference in the world, its government should follow New Zealand’s lead, writes Pacific and Australian foreign policy analyst Thom Woodroofe in the Guardian.
Nude cyclists rde for freedom
Monday 5 March 2018 | Published in Regional
Nude cyclists bared all in Golden Bay this weekend to promote freedom and body awareness.
Prisoner deportations defended
Monday 5 March 2018 | Published in Regional
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has defended his government’s policy of deporting New Zealanders who have served more than a cumulative year in prison.
New Zealand News Dispatches Depature cards on the way out
Monday 5 March 2018 | Published in Regional
Paper-based departure cards for people leaving the country could be removed by Christmas, Statistics New Zealand says.
New virus strain set to be used on rabbits
Monday 5 March 2018 | Published in Regional
NEW ZEALAND – New Zealand is planning to release a rabbit virus across the country, in an attempt to cull the ballooning wild population.
Dual name suggested for Gisborne's bay
Monday 5 March 2018 | Published in Regional
NEW ZEALAND – A Gisborne councillor says a decision to have both Maori and English names for the city’s bay doesn’t go far enough and the name Poverty Bay should be dropped entirely.
Report by Jamie Tahana in Papua New Guinea for RNZI
Monday 5 March 2018 | Published in Regional
PAPUA NEW GUINEA – For nearly a week, Isaac Pulupe and seven of his family members have been living under a bit of canvas stretched between the remnants of his house, with little food, dirty water and no electricity.
DNA study sheds light on Pacific settlement
Monday 5 March 2018 | Published in Regional
PACIFIC – A study of ancient DNA has shed light on the epic journeys that led to the settlement of the Pacific by humans.
Minister arrested for fraud
Monday 5 March 2018 | Published in Regional
TONGA – Tonga’s Minister of Internal Affairs, ‘Akosita Lavulavu, and her husband, former cabinet minister ‘Etuate Lavulavu, were arrested on Saturday on fraud related charges.
Tens of thousands in need of aid
Monday 5 March 2018 | Published in Regional
PAPUA NEW GUINEA – Tens of thousands of people in Papua New Guinea are in urgent need of supplies after last Monday’s powerful earthquake, aid agencies say.
Ardern team embarks on 'Pacific reset'
Monday 5 March 2018 | Published in Regional
PACIFIC – The New Zealand government has kicked off what it calls the “Pacific reset”, with Jacinda Ardern beginning her first trip to the region as Prime Minister.
Law schools cut ties with firm
Friday 2 March 2018 | Published in Regional
All six of the New Zealand’s university law schools have cut ties with law firm Russell McVeagh.
Fruit pickers need better pay
Friday 2 March 2018 | Published in Regional
Fruit growers will have to pay pickers more if they want to entice more workers into jobs, the Immigration Minister says.
Building industry gridlocked
Friday 2 March 2018 | Published in Regional
A building industry leader says Auckland’s gridlock has doubled delivery costs and some fed-up truck drivers have quit their jobs.
Californian instinctively drove on wrong side of road
Friday 2 March 2018 | Published in Regional
NEW ZEALAND – A Californian on holiday in New Zealand caused a head-on crash, injuring her partner and another driver, after instinctively driving on the right-hand side of the road.
Polytech education sector in financial difficulty
Friday 2 March 2018 | Published in Regional
NEW ZEALAND – Polytechnic mergers are not being ruled out as the sector tries to find a way to survive mounting financial pressures.
Kiwi teenager tried to kill the queen
Friday 2 March 2018 | Published in Regional
NEW ZEALAND – A mentally deranged teenager tried to kill Queen Elizabeth during a royal visit visit to New Zealand in 1981, declassified official documents have confirmed.
New Zealand 'resets' Pacific strategy
Friday 2 March 2018 | Published in Regional
NEW ZEALAND – Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has promised to increase New Zealand’s development spending in the Pacific as part of a regional “reset”.
Death toll could be in hundreds
Friday 2 March 2018 | Published in Regional
PAPUA NEW GUINEA – There is still no official death toll from Papua New Guinea’s 7.5 magnitude earthquake, but as accounts of the damage start to filter through fears are growing that it could be hundreds of dead rather than dozens.