Auckland protests: Traffic woes expected in CBD amid demonstrations
Following his 'True Patriots of NZ' protest in Auckland's Victoria Park, Brian Tamaki urged followers to withhold their vote in this years upcoming election. Video / NZ HeraldLoad moreSign up to Herald Premium Editor’s Picks, delivered straight to your inbox every Friday. Editor-in-Chief Murray Kirkness picks the week’s best features, interviews and investigations. Sign up for Herald Premium here.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 30, 2026 23:16 UTC
Shipping giant adds Dunedin service
From Wednesday, MSC — the world’s largest container shipping company — will include Port Chalmers as a stop on its shipping route linking New Zealand and China via Australia. Port Otago customer general manager Craig Usher said the news was "big" and represented new export and import capacity for Otago and Southland. Port Chalmers’ inclusion in MSC’s Asia-Oceania network meant Dunedin would now have a direct flow of products to and from North Asia, Mr Usher said. Port Otago previously had access to a CMA CGM-operated service, which was withdrawn in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. For the past two years, MSC serviced Port Chalmers via a trans-ship service to Tauranga, utilising its Oceania 2 loop service.
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 30, 2026 23:15 UTC
Israeli men jailed over Auckland cocaine smuggling plot get discount for October 7 Hamas attack
They sought a 15% sentence reduction for the impact of the October 7 attack and their mental health. Photo / Jason OxenhamHowever, having read reports showing the men grew up with ADHD and had PTSD from supporting October 7 survivors, he said the attack went some way to explaining their poor decision-making. Therefore, he found there was some causative link between the attack and their drug offending, granting them a 10% sentence reduction. Senyor and Etan then hired an Airbnb and on February 18 went to the Auckland hotel and picked up the products containing cocaine. Judge Dawson set a starting point for Etan of eight years’ imprisonment.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 30, 2026 22:33 UTC
We own two rental properties with debt of $96k, should we sell a property to pay it off? – Mary Holm
To do this best, firstly, you should:Make the low-risk fund a PIE cash fund. If yes, sell units in that fund to top up your cash fund and leave the bond fund alone, as suggested by our correspondent. Second: if the share fund has gone down, leave it alone, and check if the bond fund has gone up. If yes, move a year’s worth of spending from the bond fund into the cash fund. Once it recovers – or your share fund recovers – you can top up the cash fund from either.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 30, 2026 20:37 UTC
Thomas Coughlan: Chris Hipkins and Nicola Willis go to war over who broke the economy
It was the content, as much as the delivery, of Hipkins’ speech that should concern the Government. Finance Minister Nicola Willis clearly couldn’t hold back her response until her scheduled appearance before the Finance and Expenditure Committee the next morning. Taking National’s first call after Hipkins, she tried to paint the Prefu fairy tale, as just that, a fairy tale. Her case boils down to this: that those Prefu forecasts were wrong and unreliably rosy. Finance Minister Nicola Willis defends the forthcoming Budget at the Finance and Expenditure Committee.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 30, 2026 20:34 UTC
Rhodes scholar delayed Oxford study to save aunt with rare kidney disease
I know that sounds dramatic, but most people don’t get any symptoms of kidney disease until they’ve only got about 10% of kidney function left. According to Kidney Health New Zealand, about 400 people are on the kidney donation waiting list in the country at present. About one in 10 Kiwis was living with kidney disease, but many of them would not know because of the lack of symptoms until the disease was well advanced, a Kidney Health spokesperson said. “Māori are twice as likely to get end-stage kidney disease, Pacific people are more than three times likely to get end-stage kidney disease,” Walker said. Through the programme, the scholarship gave her the opportunity to study the implications of kidney disease in northern Ghana.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 30, 2026 20:34 UTC
Donald Trump picks former US Fed official Kevin Warsh as next central bank chief
Trump’s recent attempt to oust another Fed governor, Lisa Cook, and his administration’s investigation into Powell over renovation costs at the bank, have sparked worries about Fed independence. Economic challengesWarsh, who is from New York, was once known as an inflation “hawk” favouring higher interest rates to curb price hikes. As Trump continues to call for lower interest rates to boost the economy, all eyes will be on whether Warsh defends the bank’s independence in the face of politics. The selection ends a race that narrowed to four contenders – Warsh, Fed governor Christopher Waller, Rick Rieder of BlackRock and Trump’s top economic adviser Kevin Hassett. The decision caps a closely watched search for a successor to Fed chair Powell, whom the President has repeatedly lambasted for not cutting interest rates more swiftly.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 30, 2026 18:51 UTC
Queen will never tour America again, says guitarist Brian May
Queen won't perform in the US due to safety concerns, says guitarist Brian May (centre). Photo / Getty ImagesQueen will never tour America again, says guitarist Brian MayQueen won't perform in the US due to safety concerns, says guitarist Brian May (centre). Photo / Getty ImagesQueen have no intentions of performing in America again because the country “is a dangerous place at the moment”, guitarist Sir Brian May has claimed. “It’s very sad because I feel like Queen grew up in America and we love it, but it’s not what it was. Everyone is thinking twice about going there at the moment.”Queen last performed in America in 2019 when they were on The Rhapsody Tour with singer Adam Lambert.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 30, 2026 18:30 UTC
Scott Watson to remain in prison; violent video played at Parole Board hearing
Although Watson had tried to pass off what had happened in the video as a “play fight”, Parole Board chairwoman Justice Jan-Marie Doogue said it looked to board members to be “very serious violence”. The appeal court, presided over by Justices Christine French, Patricia Courtney, and Susan Thomas, released its decision last September. “Ultimately, the Crown presented a compelling circumstantial case to show that only Mr Watson could have been the lone man. The decision stated that the only real issue at trial was whether Watson was the lone man on the boat. The Appeal Court decision concluded that all of the strands of circumstantial evidence traversed at the appeal were extensively addressed during witness questioning and in the closing addresses at trial.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 30, 2026 17:35 UTC
Street art process set to unfold
The proposed mural for the side wall of the building at 197 King Edward St facing Carey Ave. IMAGE: SUPPLIEDMore street art in action will soon be seen in South Dunedin. This proposed mural design for 191 King Edward St will celebrate the city’s bird and plant life. Both these walls in Carey Ave, South Dunedin, are to have murals painted on them. It is all part of Ebb and Flow, a street art festival organised by the trust featuring large-scale, live mural painting and street art workshops.
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 30, 2026 15:37 UTC
Media granted judicial review over suppression in Tom Phillips case
Photo: RNZ / Supplied / PoliceMedia organisations have been granted a judicial review of reporting restrictions that were made in the Family Court regarding the Tom Phillips case. Justice Layne Harvey's decision to grant the review means the matter will be sent back to the Family Court. Then, on September 15, a Family Court judge made orders that further restricted publication. RNZ understood that Phillips' family was not told until after 7.30am, and the mother was not told until after 8am. The government also last year announced it would hold an inquiry into the case to investigate whether government agencies took all practicable steps to protect the safety and welfare of the Phillips children.
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 30, 2026 12:30 UTC
Dung Beetle Innovations at risk of closure as farm sales slow down
“It is one of the greatest opportunities for utilising poop on farm paddocks as a free, sustainable fertiliser, and effectively halve your fertiliser bill. “It’s one of those great things for improving soil productivity and productivity on your farm.”The Auckland-based company bred and reared eight species of exotic dung beetles at its facility - the only such kind in New Zealand. Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) director of investment programmes and operations Steve Penno said it had invested more than $800,000 in dung beetle research to date. “On balance, the evidence suggests that dung beetles provide positive benefits to pasture, soil quality, and nutrient loss. “Their effectiveness also very much depends upon the individual farm situation.”He said MPI was open to receiving more dung beetle applications to the Primary Sector Growth Fund.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 30, 2026 08:16 UTC
what now for QMS sister company MediaWorks and its NZ radio stations?
In Sky’s case, its executive and board were burnt by angry investors who rejected a bid to buy MediaWorks several years ago. After splitting from QMS operationally last year, the radio company still has some 550 staff in New Zealand, and its music stations perform well. After NZME’s Newstalk ZB in the top spot, MediaWorks stations occupy the other four spots in the top five commercial stations, as measured by audience share. In Auckland, QMS last year won the major contract to look after all of the advertising on Auckland Transport’s assets, including buses, billboards, bus shelters and train stations. QMS has the contract to run advertising on all Auckland Transport assets, including buses.
Source:Stuff
January 30, 2026 08:10 UTC
Manage My Health hacker identified
The Manage My Health privacy breach is one of the biggest in New Zealand's history. Photo: RNZA cybersecurity group says it's identified the person responsible for hacking into the Manage My Health portal, and now it wants justice served. The privacy breach is one of the biggest in New Zealand's history, after hackers gained access to health data being held by the privately owned patient records company, Manage My Health. Manage My Health has been granted a High Court injunction preventing anyone from accessing or sharing the stolen data. Earlier this month, all posts referring to Manage My Health had been removed from the page.
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 30, 2026 06:34 UTC
'Loved by all': Parents mourn daughter killed in landslide
Sharon Maccanico. Sharon Maccanico, 15, was one of six victims of the deadly slip at the holiday park last week. Sharon's parents, Natallia and Carmine, said their daughter was born in Italy and moved to New Zealand when she was 8. Her parents said they were extremely proud of Sharon, and she was loved by all. "Our family is a very close family and always did everything together.
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 30, 2026 05:29 UTC