Photo: Stuff / Pool / Alden WilliamsA mother who brutally murdered her three young daughters has escaped life imprisonment. There was silence in the courtroom and Lauren Dickason showed no signs of emotion as Justice Cameron Mander imposed a sentence of 18 years' imprisonment. Those closest to Lauren Dickason told the High Court they had forgiven her, but the devastating effects of her actions in September 2021 would resonate through the rest of their lives. "Lauren Dickason has lost everything I have lost. It numbs me'Graham's mother, Bettie Dickason, said she felt like she was living in a horror movie.

In Aotearoa, driving is often perceived in public discourse as a right, not the privilege that it is. The Queensland fines are from 1 July 2024 as Queensland, unlike Aotearoa, increases fines every year in line with inflation. In Queensland, double demerit points apply for certain second or subsequent offences committed within a year of the previous offence, including. As speed camera, seat belt and red-light running offences don’t have demerit points in Aotearoa, only fines apply for these offences. In Aotearoa, money from speed camera fines goes into the Government Consolidated Fund, meaning there is no direct connection between payer and benefit.

Honestly just let kids read what they want. The Black Stallion is still without a doubt the best horse book ever written for kids. From left to right: the book Stacy Gregg wishes she’d written; a classic that kids could read if they want to; and the book she’d be buried with. Best food memory from a bookNicky Pellegrino is hands-down the best writer in the world when it comes to food descriptions. What are you reading right now?

There are of course political winners and losers. Māori Party: Their Malcolm X radical routine might inspire their supporters, but it’s the kiss of death to everyone else. The Political Left: If Labour, Greens and Māori Party can’t work together, we will be locked out of power until 2029. Environment: As the planet melts, this Government support the polluters and have stripped $3billion out of climate change funds. Meanwhile the planet burns, infrastructure crumbles and we are borrowing billions for tax cuts we can’t afford.

Unlock all stories free for 10 daysStay informed on business, government and financial developments across New Zealand. Deeply researched, twice-edited and fact-checked newsAnnual subscribers also receive a complimentary subscription to The Wall Street JournalPersonalised email news alerts, plus gift up to 5 stories a month to non-subscribersWe won’t charge for 10 days. You can cancel anytime with two clicks, an email or a phone call. Find out more. We are serious about journalism.

What’s gone rightWhat’s gone right is that inflation has proved easier to subdue than expected, and not only inflation in the price of goods, many of which are made overseas. The annual rate of inflation might climb from 3.6% in April to 3.8% or even 4% in May. Westpac expects no change, meaning a monthly inflation rate of zero. The annual inflation rate is expected to climb because prices fell a year earlier in May 2023, not because they climbed in May 2024. Lower inflation, and a tax cutIf the inflation rate does keep sinking when the official quarterly figures are released next month, it’ll be doubly good news for stretched households.

New Zealand's leading digital and print media company, Stuff Group, has appointed WeThinkMedia as its exclusive advertising sales representative in Australia. Stuff Group is the publisher of the country's largest digital news site, stuff.co.nz, national titles The Post and Sunday Star-Times, regional and community titles, social site Neighbourly, and magazines, all underpinned by video and audio platforms. Stuff Group recently agreed to a new collaboration model with MediaWorks, New Zealand’s only Outdoor and Radio media business. “These innovative new partnerships together with the enormous scale Stuff Group delivers 24/7 across channels has created a unique offering in the New Zealand market, with all of the deep insights into Kiwi consumer behaviour that these partnerships can offer," Stuff Group Brand Connections Managing Director, Matt Headland, said. "Our experienced media team can share a whole-of-market view and provide comprehensive insights and recommendations to advertisers about opportunities in the Kiwi market, with the streamlined ease of one point of contact," she added.

The president of a New Zealand fishing club says he's "broken" after the bodies of three missing fishermen were found on the shore of Māhia in Hawke's Bay. Police said on Wednesday morning that while formal identification was under way, the bodies were thought to be of the trio who were reported missing on Monday. Elwood Higgins, thought to be one of the three fishermen who were reported missing on Monday. It had been a whirlwind wait since the men went missing on Monday, he said. "That was just a miracle and we thought heck this is awesome, hopefully they can find the third one," he said.

- Several expert reports were prepared about Dickason’s mental health and personal circumstances which the judge will consider. - Dickason’s lawyer argued a mental health unit was the appropriate place for her. The South African doctor convicted of murdering her three young daughters has been sentenced to serve 18 years in a mental health unit in Hillmorton Hospital. Dickason is facing life in prison, with Justice Mander to determine a minimum non-parole period, and where she will serve her time. Justice Mander had ordered a number of detailed reports from psychiatric experts to help him reach an appropriate sentencing decision for Dickason.

Photo / Warner Bros. Photo / Warner Bros. Photo / Warner Bros. Photo / Warner Bros. In five years’ time, there will be a new MAFS expert and his name will be Piripi John Aiken Clarke.

Nationally, the widely-watched Conference Board survey of consumer sentiment dipped in June from May, but not as much as expected. Separately there was a US Treasury 2 year bond auction earlier today and it was strongly supported, delivering a median yield of 4.66%. The latest South Korean consumer sentiment survey rose in June to its highest level since March. Australian consumer sentiment is mired in low territory, according the June update of the Westpac-Melbourne Institute survey. Despite the improvement, consumer sentiment remains below its March level and still firmly in deeply pessimistic territory.

Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-KingWondering why you've had a tax bill? Inland Revenue is in the process of sending out bills to those taxpayers who have underpaid tax in the most recent tax year. Since 2019, the tax department has been running automated tax returns when it has all the information on a taxpayer's income to do so. This may be what happened to someone who wrote in about their experience of a tax bill while on the supported living allowance. I have money in my KiwiSaver fund which I cannot access until I am 65, which I think is where the incorrect tax rate was calculated."

I think we can all see the Nats stuffed up the 13 cancer drugs announcement on so many levels. They should never have promised specific drugs, that's Pharmac's job. And then, it's never really a good look if you finally get dragged to delivering on your promise because of public outrage. We have just had the single biggest injection of cash into Pharmac ever, we've had more cancer drugs than ever promised to be delivered in one go. So in the end, I'm weirdly grateful for National stuffing this up, because we’ve ended up funding 54 new drugs we didn't have funded a couple of days ago.

Broadcaster Stacey Morrison faces a hectic week, with the “Matariki baby” juggling whānau, her June 25 birthday, and co-hosting the national Māori New Year coverage from her own haukāinga (home territory). Morrison spoke to Stuff ahead of the official Mānawatia a Matariki 2024 broadcast from Treble Cone in Wānaka, a significant event for home iwi Ngāi Tahu. Read this story in te reo Māori and English here. / Pānuitia tēnei i te reo Māori me te reo Pākehā ki konei. “Those aspirations and dreams of our ancestors are being embodied in this generation.”Stuff will livestream the broadcast from 6am on June 28.

Photo: RNZ/Marika KhabaziMedia company Stuff is closing the last of its Northland community newspapers with immediate effect. All three weekly newspapers have been edited from Auckland since 2018, when the company's remaining Northland staff were laid off. The only other surviving newspapers in Northland are the biweekly, Kaitāia-based Northland Age, also owned by NZME, and the Dargaville-based weekly Kaipara Lifestyler, which is independently owned. That had resulted in the launch of new mastheads the acquisition of others, including The Wairarapa Times-Age; the merger of some community newspapers; and the closure of titles such as The Whangārei Leader and The Northern News. The spokesperson said Stuff had "a strong Northland audience of people choosing to consume their news digitally".