Boozed youths 'in denial that New Year's is over'
Police said a large crowd of youths congregated at Williamson Park in Whangamatā and had to be forcibly moved on. Officers were doing foot patrols in the area around 10.30pm when the bottles were allegedly thrown, hitting one member of the police. "Not only does this behaviour put my team at risk - it also puts other attending youth at risk," Henwood said. "It is disappointing that after a good night, it is then ruined by intoxicated youth in denial that New Year's is over. Seven youths were arrested in Whangamatā and another in Pauanui.
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 02, 2026 09:33 UTC
ODT quiz: January 2
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Source:Otago Daily Times
January 02, 2026 08:38 UTC
Media Insider: 26 predictions for New Zealand media in 2026 (and how our 2025 predictions fared)
Ownership and shareholdings of some of our biggest media companies form the backbone of this year’s 26 Media Insider predictions for New Zealand media. AI will revolutionise media in 2025 by automating content creation, enhancing personalised recommendations and enabling synthetic media like virtual actors. How do you think 2026 will play out for New Zealand media – what would be a game-changer for your company/audience/clients? How do you think 2026 will play out for New Zealand media – what would be a game-changer for your company/audience/clients? How do you think 2026 will play out for New Zealand media – what would be a game-changer for your company/audience/clients?
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 02, 2026 08:33 UTC
Secret teacher confessions: What your child’s educator wishes they could tell you about NZ’s education crisis
We don’t want our child to get hurt, and parents don’t have the time to let their child do stuff. They don’t need to read before they start school, they don’t need to be able to write, they don’t even need to know how to count to 10. If you’re always letting them play by themselves, they’re never learning failure, they’re never learning how to get back up. They’re learning “If I’m in trouble, Mum and Dad are always gonna fix it”. Most teachers can see when kids need extra help beyond the norm.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 02, 2026 07:31 UTC
Waikato aggravated robbery: Four charged after Eagle helicopter chase
Afternoon Headlines | Firefighters urge extra fire caution and investigation under way after Bay of Plenty death | Friday, January 2, 2025Already a subscriber? Sign in hereAccess to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Four people will appear in the Hamilton Youth Court after a 100km pursuit across Waikato. Police were alerted to a report of an aggravated robbery at about 8am this morning at a business on Pollen St in Thames. Police identified the second vehicle through inquiries and soon received reports of one matching the description driving dangerously.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 02, 2026 07:07 UTC
Swiss investigators rush to identify victims of New Year’s fire
“Given the international nature of the Crans resort, we can expect foreign nationals to be among the victims,” local police commander Frederic Gisler said. They got too close to the ceiling, and suddenly it all caught fire”, Axel, a witness, told the Italian media outlet Local Team. The canton’s chief prosecutor, Beatrice Pilloud, said investigators would look into whether the bar met safety standards and had the required number of exits. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani told Italian broadcaster Rete 4 that around 15 Italians had been injured in the fire, and a similar number remained missing. The French foreign ministry said nine French citizens figured among the injured, and eight others remained unaccounted for.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 02, 2026 06:34 UTC
Lightning strikes spark house fires in Grey Lynn and Mangawhai amid severe storms
A central Auckland home was struck by lightning, causing its roof to burst into flames as thunderstorms hit the region. A Central Auckland home and a Mangawhai home were struck by lightning, resulting in fires as thunderstorms hit the region. Firefighters were called to two separate incidents on Thursday evening: a villa fire in Grey Lynn and a lightning-related blaze in Mangawhai. In Mangawhai, Fire and Emergency crews responded after a lightning strike caused a fire that blew a fuse board. Earlier, in central Auckland, Fire and Emergency New Zealand crews were called to a property on Home St in Grey Lynn about 5.30pm.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 02, 2026 06:30 UTC
Ikea charge man $69 delivery fee for stickers and no furniture
Photo: RNZAn Ikea shopper who tried to buy a set of dining chairs was left fuming after the order was cancelled - except for the stickers on the bottom of the chairs, which still carried a $69 delivery fee. Per their app recommendation, I added stickers ($1.25) for the legs of the chairs to prevent these from scratching the floor. Earlier last month it said it would shut its customer support centre for a period to focus on resolving outstanding issues. Ikea said in a statement that it had made significant progress in resolving the majority of cases and delivering outstanding customer orders since it opened. "We remain fully committed to constantly improving our processes to consistently deliver the reliable experience customers expect from Ikea."
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 02, 2026 05:17 UTC
Neighbourly website offline after suspected data breach
Neighbourly is temporarily unavailable following a potential data breach. Photo: ScreenshotWebsite Neighbourly has been temporarily taken down following claims of a data breach. A Neighbourly spokesperson said on Thursday it became aware of claims of a breach of its members' data. The spokesperson said Neighbourly and an external data security team are investigating the claims. Neighbourly said it could not confirm if a breach had occurred, but no demands had been made to Stuff Group directly.
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 02, 2026 04:37 UTC
Professional money launderer must forfeit more than half a million to Crown
Daniel Hu, also known as Jun Jin, was the main target in Operation Martinez and was kept under surveillance. This Bentley was one of eight luxury cars valued at a total of $1 million seized during Operation Martinez. Photo / NZ PoliceThe settlement assumes the restrained property is relationship property. Surveillance during what police dubbed Operation Martinez showed Hu meeting furtively with criminals, often in carparks, where he was handed large sums of cash. However, he also admitted to four counts of money laundering.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 02, 2026 04:33 UTC
Why these 11 previously off-the-radar destinations should be on your 2026 travel hot list
The jewel is Tiwai Island, a “sanctuary of rare flora and fauna”, largely untouched by humans, a Unesco World Heritage Site and top of Intrepid Travel’s Not Hot List. That’s their “call to action to curious travellers”, highlighting 10 places ready to welcome travellers in 2026. Mostly because you’re into nature, culture and adventure, with mountain trails, wildlife safaris – including gorilla trekking – and unforgettable beaches. Adventurous travellers should add gorilla trekking in Cameroon and Rwanda to their travel wish-lists for 2026. Uzbekistan is the most tourist friendly due to its ancient cities, such as Samarkand and Bukhara (Unesco World Heritage sites), but each stan offers a unique experience.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 02, 2026 04:33 UTC
Inside Inter-Weave: Auckland wool weaver supplying Air New Zealand cabins
The Te Huia train from Hamilton to Auckland was another customer, and Inter-Weave also did business with a customer supplying Cessna. Some of what was being produced was a combination of Australian and New Zealand wool, while other products were 100% New Zealand wool. The campaign promoted the use of New Zealand wool. Kara Biggs, Campaign for Wool NZ general manager, said the group wanted more New Zealand wool in homes, offices and aircraft. “The largest order we ever got was for the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 02, 2026 04:33 UTC
Police investigating unexplained death in Devonport on Auckland’s North Shore
Police are investigating an unexplained death in the suburb of Devonport on Auckland’s North Shore. Sign in hereAccess to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Police are investigating an unexplained death at a Devonport property, which has left neighbours shocked. The death occurred in the suburb of Devonport on Auckland’s North Shore late on New Year’s Day. Multiple neighbours told the Herald they understood the home’s owners were a couple in their 60s who were not at the property at the time of the incident.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 02, 2026 04:33 UTC
Succession crisis: How poor planning is hollowing out NZ mid-market firms
This drains precisely the cohort needed to renew and lead New Zealand’s mid-market businesses. When succession planning fails at this level, it represents not isolated outcomes but a systemic erosion of locally owned enterprise. Succession planning cannot be treated as an end-stage exit exercise. And for advisers, it means challenging clients earlier and more directly about succession readiness, even at the risk of uncomfortable conversations. Every capable manager who leaves the mid-market, every business that defaults to consolidation because internal transition was not viable, and every founder who delays succession planning until options have narrowed contributes to a broader pattern.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 02, 2026 04:30 UTC
Auckland FC’s home form under scrutiny after shock A-League loss to 10-man Jets
On Thursday, there were no such mitigating factors, just a stubborn Jets resistance and an Auckland team that couldn’t find an answer, with only Jesse Randall’s free-kick goal to show for their 22 shots. The two-week break between matches wouldn’t have helped after their away clash with Sydney FC was postponed due to an unsuitable pitch but Corica refused to make any excuses. But from there, Auckland FC had ample time for a comeback. It’s not always easy against 10 men – and the Jets sat deep and stayed compact– but Auckland were wasteful. “We didn’t move the ball quickly [enough], we didn’t create, we didn’t hurt them,” said Corica.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 02, 2026 04:28 UTC