McKee’s draft paper proposed off-licence alcohol hours between 9am and 9pm. Evidence shows a strong correlation between later opening hours for off licences and violent crime,” the paper says. When Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee unveiled her policy plans in August, tighter liquor sale hours were notably absent. “The New Zealand Crime and Victims Survey estimates that in 2023, 53% of violent crime victims experienced at least one violent event involving alcohol,” the briefing said. The Government is already ahead of its target to reduce the number of victims of violent crime by 20,000 by 2029.

What is the primary purpose of the comb on a chicken's head? Sign in hereAccess to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. What is the primary purpose of the comb on a chicken's head? Test your general knowledge with the Herald’s morning quiz. Be sure to check back on nzherald.co.nz for tomorrow’s morning quiz.

PHOTO: DOCConservationists are celebrating five new coastal Otago marine reserves being given the green light — a milestone they say has been three decades in the making. PHOTO: RICHARD DAVISONConservation stalwart Sue Maturin said she had been involved in trying to establish marine reserves in Otago for more than 25 years. Ms Maturin, a member of the South-East Marine Protection Forum which first proposed the reserves in 2018, said New Zealand’s international reputation for marine protection had "taken a dive". The marine reserves and associated marine protected area network were announced by then Conservation Minister Willow-Jean Prime and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Rachel Brooking. The Department of Conservation said the gazettal process for the five marine reserves was likely to be completed in the first half of next year.

In an update this morning, MetService said heavy rain and southeast gales were set to hit central New Zealand. The council said weather reports indicated heavy rain and strong winds during event set-up, with conditions highly likely to continue into Wednesday. Clean-up continuesIn the parts of the South Island, strong winds brought down trees overnight. PowerCo said hundreds of properties remain without power north of Whanganui, and around Palmerston North and Feilding. Wild weather battered much of the North Island on Monday, disrupting campers, causing power outages and downing trees.

Morning Headlines | Bad weather may last till end of the year and record number of first-home buyers | Tuesday, December 30, 2025Christmas holiday road toll at one after man dies in hospital after being struck by car in NapierThe official Christmas holiday road toll stands at one after a man died three days after being hit by a car on a Napier street. Police say the accident took place on McGrath St, just south of the junction with Wellesley Rd, about 10.10pm on Boxing Day. He sustained critical injuries and was taken to hospital. He succumbed to his injuries yesterday. Police are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed the incident, or assisted the man before the ambulance arrived, to contact them on 105 and to quote reference number 251227/1644.

Dane Giraud writes:Most forms of racism depict their victims as inferior: backward, uncivilised, animalistic. Anti-semitism works differently. Jews are accused of excessive power – of secretly controlling finance, media, governments, of engineering wars, mass migration and social decay. When the state limits speech, the very act intended to protect Jews becomes evidence (in the mind of the conspiracy theorist) that we really do wield undue influence. Censorship does not defuse anti-semitism.

File photoThe 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. "So things are looking really good, really encouraging, but anything can happen at any time, so we have to be really cautious about that." So people need to allow to drive to those conditions especially if it is rather wet or windy.

A recent Employment Hero survey of 500 New Zealand workers, titled Employment Uncovered, found 41% are actively or passively job-seeking. New Zealanders are increasingly rejecting traditional 40-hour, fixed-location employment, with 73% saying they would prefer to work “on-demand”, according to Employment Hero’s Employment Uncovered survey. AI capability will determine which businesses accelerateDespite more workers experimenting with AI tools in everyday life, the Employment Uncovered survey found only 47% of employers encourage staff to use AI at work. Webster said the New Zealand businesses that win will be those that empower staff to use AI, not fear it. “AI will remove repetitive admin, streamline hiring and free teams to focus on high-value work, but only if capability grows alongside technology,” he said.

PHOTO: STEPHEN JAQUIERYA Dunedin widower making sure his wife’s life "was not a waste" has started a petition to Parliament to open Dunedin Hospital’s catheterisation laboratory around the clock. The family want Dunedin Hospital to have a fulltime operational cath lab, instead of one closed at the weekend to all but acute cases. On May 13, 2022 — a Friday — Mrs Tipene-Weepers went to Dunedin Hospital at 11pm, where she was diagnosed with symptoms of a heart attack. In May 2023, the couple flew to Adelaide for cardiac surgery, but while there were told Mrs Tipene-Weepers needed a full heart transplant. "All patients are clinically assessed and have access to the cath lab for any acute or clinically urgent situations," he said.

PHOTO: STEPHEN JAQUIERYA high-energy party has been forecast for New Year’s Eve in Dunedin and organisers are hopeful the weather will co-operate. Dunedin City Council events team leader Dan Hendra said he was keeping an eye on weather forecasts for tomorrow and he expected some rain in the morning. Plans for New Year’s Eve have been a discussion point at the city council this year. Staging the event in two locations in the central city — George St and then the Octagon — was a key change. Em & Me and Rainbow Rosalind will perform in George St and featured musical acts in the Octagon will include Deaf Racoon, Seek Help!

⚠️Warnings Update🟠 🟡Here are our latest Heavy Rain and Strong Winds Warning and Watches through until the Jan 01, 2026! MetService meteorologist David Miller told the Herald that rain would gradually ease across the North Island this morning before moving to the South Island. ‘Mixed bag’ for the South IslandMiller said the eastern areas of the South Island are in for a day of heavier falls. “A little bit of a mixed bag for the South Island areas, depending on where you are,” Miller said. This comes after a day of wild weather that battered much of the North Island.

“Our deepest condolences and prayers are with the families and friends of all those affected – and we ask that their privacy is respected at this incredibly difficult time.”A shirtless Anthony Joshua could be seen grimacing in pain after the crash. “It was when we got there we realised it was Anthony Joshua that’s inside.”Former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has been injured in a highway accident in Nigeria in which two people died. An AFP reporter on the scene Monday evening saw the 18-wheeler truck that Joshua’s car was said to have hit being towed off the highway. I am praying for the lost lives, AJ and anyone impacted by today’s unfortunate accident,” Paul said Monday on X. The former Olympic champion Joshua has since been linked with a fight against compatriot and fellow former world champion Tyson Fury.

Clutha District Council moved to address issues with unregulated freedom camping in the area in 2019, following growing unrest among local people. In response, the council established a freedom camping site for self-contained campers behind the Catlins Inn in Ōwaka and adopted a proactive, educational approach for its freedom camping wardens. "[It’s] been effective in helping manage freedom camping." Miss Hintner said apps such as CamperMate made it easy to find and use official freedom camping sites. "Some areas have more freedom camping available than others, but I can understand if people want to keep things clean and under control.

"Given the degradation in your responses, what does this mean for the so-called AI revolution? If they can’t rely on their AI, does the digital revolution begin to fall apart?" Short answer:If AI systems do not become reliably epistemic — able to distinguish knowledge, uncertainty and absence of evidence — the AI revolution does not collapse suddenly. So, does the AI revolution fall apart? Because I am human and can change my mind I decided to give the final word back to AI.

In an ideal world there would be cross-party support for any electoral reforms, but the passage of the Electoral Amendment Bill was anything but. What the government claimed were "timely and efficient" law changes were "appalling" and shameful to MPs sitting on the other side of the House. PHOTO: ODT FILESJustice Minister Paul Goldsmith, in charge of the Bill, was certainly correct to say that many of the minor changes in Bill are unexceptional and sensible. The governing parties are well aware that late enrollees tend to vote for left-leaning parties, and those parties are equally cognisant of that fact. During the 2023 election in excess of 200,000 people enrolled either during the early voting period or on election day itself.