Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in the debating chamber. Photo: RNZ (file)If anyone is going to convince Christopher Luxon it's time to step aside from the prime ministership, it's his forerunner and friend Sir John Key. The pair are close, and throughout Luxon's time at the helm he has checked in almost weekly with the former prime minister. Their talks come after a disastrous week for Luxon bookended with woeful interviews on Monday and a poll sliding National below 30, to 28.4 percent, on Friday. Any decision to change leader will need to consider what impact it could have on National's coalition partners.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. Photo: RNZThe Prime Minister has told Newstalk ZB he is 'absolutely not' considering standing down after a poll result putting National in the 20s. "The only thing I am considering is the future of our children and grandchildren." Luxon said he has "not thought about" what polling level would be the threshold for him to step down as prime minister. Luxon said the media had gotten carried away in its reaction to a public poll over the course of the day.

The new Dunedin Hospital build site. Photo: RNZThe approved budget for the new Dunedin Hospital (NDH) is just over $2 billion, though the government continues to use a figure $174 million less than that. The report gave the 'approved budget' at Dunedin as $1.614b for the inpatients block and $440m for outpatients - $2.054b altogether. A spokesperson for Health Minister Simeon Brown said the project had an "approved total budget" of $1.88b. The hospital project was bedevilled early on by bad oversight, official reviews showed.

Photo: ODT filesSouthland Hospital is in disarray, staffing so low in some departments operating theatres have been temporarily shut down, a staff member claims. In an anonymous email, a staff member at Southland Hospital outlines a litany of issues. He said the roster staff were complaining about was introduced in September in response to previous staff feedback. ‘‘Other services are concerned about their continued viability and safety.’’Mr Donlevy said the Southern Hospital was sad to lose two highly qualified urology clinicians in a relatively short time. ‘‘I’m aware of the staffing pressures affecting some theatre services at Southern Hospital in Invercargill.

State Highway 1 near L Phillips Rd in Domes Valley is blocked due to a single-vehicle crash. Serious crash closes SH1 north of Auckland, police urge drivers to avoid areaState Highway 1 near L Phillips Rd in Domes Valley is blocked due to a single-vehicle crash. Image / Google MapsState Highway 1 north of Auckland has been blocked after a serious crash. Emergency services were called to the single-vehicle crash on SH1 near L Phillips Road in Dome Valley around 6.45pm. Hato Hone St John said it responded with two ambulances, a first-response unit and a critical-care unit.

“I think it tastes fantastic – we encourage consumers to give it a try.”Burtfield's & Co butter trial brings US imports to NZ fridges. Photo / Sylvie WhinrayDairyworks had imported four to six weeks’ supply of the US butter, depending on consumer demand, said Simpson. Labour’s Willie Jackson and National’s Paul Goldsmith donned eye masks to each blind taste test two slices of butter-slathered white bread during their morning debate on Ryan Bridge TODAY. Labour MP Willie Jackson and National MP Paul Goldsmith try to guess which butter is which in a blind taste test on Ryan Bridge TODAY. “He’s not really a Kiwi,” responded Jackson, who’d correctly identified the origin of each butter.

The National Party caucus of today still feels the scars of cycling through three leaders within months. You can bet those MPs are considering Luxon’s future, as well as their own. Photo / Mark MitchellAsked if Luxon was the right person for the leadership, she said, “He has the backing of the National Party caucus. He is doing a very good job.”The candidatesThe National Party caucus elects its leader in a secret ballot. The other problem for Bishop is the controversy over his Auckland intensification plans that have put noses out of joint in Auckland, home to a large number of National MPs.

“If there was a problem, I would be doing something about it,” the Prime Minister said. The Prime Minister declared he was not considering resigning. This was fuelled when National Party staff were invited to Friday drinks. Friday’s poll was the worst result for National in the Taxpayers’ Union-Curia poll since 2021, the year the poll began. Labour would have 44 seats, up one from the last poll, National is down three to 36 seats.

But as a new season begins in Melbourne this weekend, Lawson’s importance to his team takes on new meaning. For a start, his driver feedback will be key in helping develop Racing Bulls’ car after sweeping new regulations. As Red Bull as an organisation underwent huge changes throughout 2025, none was perhaps more significant than the departure of long-time adviser, Dr Helmut Marko. Dr Helmut Marko pictured talking with Liam Lawson prior to the Grand Prix of Qatar on November 30, 2025 in Lusail City, Qatar. “I think we feel in a pretty good position.”Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix begins at 5pm (NZT).

People heading out and about have been advised to slip, slop, slap and wrap this weekend. Photo / Sylvie WhinrayTātaki Auckland Unlimited director of destination Annie Dundas said it would be an “absolutely phenomenal weekend”. The weekend is capped off with Round the Bays and the Auckland FC v Perth Glory clash on Sunday, with forecasters advising people in Auckland to “slip, slop, slap and wrap”. Smorgasbord for southMetService head of weather news Heather Keats told Ryan Bridge TODAY the South Island is in for a smorgasbord of weather. An orange heavy rain warning is in place for the South Island’s Fiordland and Westland until 6pm on Saturday.

After this preferred option was ditched, the council’s events arm, Tātaki Auckland Unlimited (TAU), further developed a “Western Springs Bowl” concept. The site would continue to operate as a community sports facility and remain the home of Ponsonby Rugby Club. Concert promoter Brent Eccles said the latest plans for Western Springs would target younger, more contemporary artists. Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson today said the process had been about unlocking the full potential of Western Springs Stadium so it could be used more often and by more people. In 2024, rugby great and Ponsonby Rugby Club member Sir Bryan “Beegee” Williams spoke out against plans to move the club.

Golden Bay farmer Melvin "Speedo" Robinson, was killed in December 2023 after the vehicle he was working beneath crushed him. Melvin Patrick "Speedo" Robinson was the first of two farmers killed days apart in December 2023 when using a tractor to lift a vehicle. Golden Bay farmer Melvin Robinson with sons Brendon (right) and Zane Robinson. Melvin was one of two farmers killed in separate accidents in December 2023 while working beneath a vehicle. Photo: NZMEThen, days later, on 22 December, 69-year-old Patrick Richard Goodin died on a farm in Ōhaupō, Waikato, when he was crushed by a farm vehicle which fell on him as he worked beneath it.

Photo: RNZA woman was punched in the face when an argument between neighbours escalated in a Dunedin suburb. Police were called to an Andersons Bay address after reports that a man and woman were loudly arguing with one another, Sergeant Matt Lee, of Dunedin, said. When police arrived shortly after at 8.30pm, the neighbours were still arguing. Officers quickly discovered the 41-year-old man had punched the 39-year-old woman in the face. She was treated at the scene by paramedics and the man was arrested and charged with common assault.

The teenager was violated at a party and then at the Northern Cemetery. The next day, the defendant picked up the victim from school and drove her to the Northern Dunedin Cemetery. The victim had become someone the family ‘‘did not recognise’’, the victim’s mother said. Judge McMeeken set a starting point of two and a-half years’ imprisonment. ‘‘This will not be an easy sentence,’’ Judge McMeeken told the victim’s mother.

Best Cafe’s chef Lisa Chan serves up a plate of Bluff oysters a day after the shop received their first batch of the season. Sunday marked the start of the Bluff oyster season, and with that came keen southerners itching to get their hands on a dozen. Barnes Wild Bluff Oysters general manager Graeme Wright said there had not been big numbers of oysters yet, and most of those had been snaffled up by Southlanders. ‘‘The southerners are very, very keen on their Bluff oysters — demand is normal, as in it’s crazy.’’His small store in Invercargill had been inundated. Oceans and Fisheries under-secretary Jenny Marcroft said while 2026 was likely to be challenging, there were good numbers of new oysters beginning to grow.