New Zealand

New Zealand headlines with summaries.

• Ex-NZ Idol judge found guilty of driving at almost seven times the alcohol limit

  crime law

  12 May 2025

  

  Former NZ music icon Paul Ellis has pleaded guilty to driving drunk and disqualified, after crashing a car while 6.7 times the legal alcohol limit.

  Former NZ Idol judge guilty of drink driving at almost seven times the limit

• Conservation efforts boost numbers of rare coastal birds in Taranaki

  conservation

  13 May 2025

  

  The tūturiwhatu and ōi were almost extinct at one stage, but now seem to be thriving up and down the coastline. Audio

  Conservation efforts boost numbers of rare coastal birds in Taranaki

• Veteran activist unlawfully pepper-sprayed and arrested - IPCA

  New Zealand

  12 May 2025

  

  Police unlawfully pepper-sprayed and arrested veteran activist John Minto at a pro-Palestinian protest in Christchurch in February 2024, the Independent Police Conduct Authority has found.

  Veteran activist John Minto unlawfully pepper-sprayed and arrested at protest - IPCA

• Animal welfare laws questioned after abandoned dogs euthanised

  housing local council

  13 May 2025

  

  SPCA and the Auckland Council were apparently powerless to remove the dogs without police on hand. Audio

  Animal welfare laws questioned after abandoned dogs euthanised

• 'Testing for testing's sake': New exams fail to make grade for principals

  Politics education

  13 May 2025

  

  The government is "testing children to death" with the announcement of a new maths test for the youngest children, says the head of the Principals Federation. Audio

  'We're testing for testing's sake' - new maths tests fail to make the grade for principals

• US wants to launch more satellites from NZ

  space

  13 May 2025

  

  The US Space Force is moving to deploy more satellites including those that would support America's nuclear command-control-and-communications system. Audio

  US wants to launch more satellites from NZ

• Social media restrictions will need to be policed by government - expert

  Politics internet

  13 May 2025

  

  The government should not rely on social media platforms to restrict use for under-16s on their systems, an information systems expert says. Audio

  Social media restrictions will need to be policed by government - expert

• US cuts back on generals to boost 'lethality' - should NZDF follow suit?

  Politics

  12 May 2025

  

  Critics say the NZ Defence Force is top heavy and combat light.

  US cuts back on generals to boost 'lethality' - should NZDF follow suit?

• Auckland bus crash injures 12-year-old, and pedestrian

  Auckland Region

  12 May 2025

  

  This is the second bus crash involving a Ritchies-operated bus in less than a week.

  Auckland bus crashes into planter box injuring 12-year-old

• Measles outbreak in NZ would be 'like a nightmare'

  health Auckland Region

  12 May 2025

  

  There are grave concerns among medical experts if there is a measles outbreak in Auckland.

  Measles outbreak in NZ would be 'like a nightmare' - paediatrician

• Health NZ eyes $1.8b cost for unpaid leave dating back 15 years

  health economy

  12 May 2025

  

  $130m has been spent on consultants and contractors to fix Holiday Act compliance errors. Audio

  Health NZ eyes $1.8b cost for unpaid leave dating back 15 years

• Dentist ignored woman's 'thrashing about' in pain

  health law

  12 May 2025

  

  A woman in agony during the extraction of a wisdom tooth was ignored by the dentist as she "thrashed about" in pain.

  Dentist ignored woman's 'thrashing about' in pain during wisdom tooth extraction