December 20, 2025

Waikato’s Newstead Orchard: Future secured as new partner takes over operations

New Zealand Blog News Service Dec 20, 2025

Annie Perkins has bought into the business, learning alongside John Woolford.http://dlvr.it/TPwtC4

Tory Whanau may have to sell Wellington mayoralty to make ends meet September 20, 2024
Tory Whanau has revealed that she’s struggling so much financially that she may have to part with her beloved mayoralty, that of New Zealand’s capital city, if she’s to fund her ever-diminishing lifestyle. Whanau was elected to lead Wellington in 2022, winning an overwhelming victory against the incumbent mayor: the evil version of Jason Gunn. […]
Ben Uffindell
Ukrainian militia receives defective shipment of pagers that just send and receive messages September 18, 2024
There’s been a major setback for one Ukrainian-backed militia on the Russian border, after the group ordered a large shipment of pagers to use as improvised explosive devices. The plan was to litter the pagers throughout abandoned homes and buildings in hopes of wounding Russian soldiers. But upon arrival of the shipment, routed through the […]
Ben Uffindell
Government directs Te Puni Kōkiri to conduct Māori Language Week in English September 17, 2024
The coalition government has issued a directive to Te Puni Kōkiri, the Ministry of Māori Development, instructing them that – in the interests of clear communication – they are to conduct this year’s Māori Language Week primarily or exclusively in English. The directive is in line with the Government’s policy – signaled when they came […]
Ben Uffindell
Government celebrates fact that New Zealand’s healthcare is so good people are queuing up for it at 5am September 17, 2024
At yesterday’s post-cabinet press conference, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, flanked by his Health Minister Shane Reti and someone we can’t independently verify was a real sign language interpreter, announced that he had some positive news for the country. “Alright team, I’m just going to hand over to uh, Dr. Shane, because I think he’s got […]
Ben Uffindell
Heartwarming: Thoughtful driver uses indicator to tell you what they’ve just done September 17, 2024
It’s 4:10pm in the morning, and you’re in the middle lane heading north on the great southern motorway of our nation’s capital, Auckland. There are no cars directly in front of you, but quite a few in the lane to your left. Suddenly, without warning, a black ute enters your lane, cutting in front of […]
Ben Uffindell
NPC teams will now be allowed to actually use the Ranfurly Shield in play September 17, 2024
Following decades of controversy, the governing body of New Zealand rugby, New Zealand Rugby, has ruled that the team currently holding the Ranfurly Shield may once again use it in play during the National Provincial Championship (NPC). The ruling restores the utility of a prize that for many years was rendered merely symbolic, after the […]
Ben Uffindell
Police say they won’t respond to bomb threats anymore as ‘it’s never anything’ September 16, 2024
Police Commissioner Andrew Coster says that New Zealand’s police force will no longer respond to bomb threats, in an attempt to cut costs and redirect police resources to less boring activities. Coster said that threat response and bomb disposal was a “fairly obvious” area for downsizing, as bomb threats are “never anything”, a “huge waste […]
Ben Uffindell
Air New Zealand flight attendant named CEO after one year on job November 30, 2021
New Zealand’s national carrier, Air New Zealand, has expressed great enthusiasm in announcing its new CEO today: 51-year-old Nathan Guy, a flight attendant who has spent about 1200 hours on the job. Guy joined the company as a fresh-faced, wide-eyed flight attendant serving now-reduced domestic routes in November of 2020, and has since spent a […]
Ben Uffindell
National Party board denies it unanimously agreed to Collins’ Faustian bargain with Satan November 26, 2021
National Party president Peter Goodfellow is today issuing a strong denial on behalf of the party’s board, saying they did not, at any point, agree to the Faustian bargain that National leader Judith Collins struck with the Evil One, Son of Perdition, the Devil Satan himself. When Collins became the leader of the National Party […]
Ben Uffindell
Super Saturday recap: Patrick Gower doesn’t know what he’s supposed to do October 16, 2021
It was Aotearoa’s first national day of action in over ten years, the first since 2010, when Prime Minister John Key tried to inspire us to clean up our nation’s berms. It didn’t work. Today, New Zealand’s berms are worse than ever. But history is not destiny, and other cliches. Today, we tried again, this […]
Ben Uffindell

ODT quiz: December 23 December 22, 2025
Test your local and general knowledge by taking the Otago Daily Times quiz for Tuesday, December 23.
Jailed for terrifying attack on woman December 22, 2025
Joseph Wilson brutally attacked a woman a year after serving home detention for another violent incident. PHOTO: ROB KIDD A Dunedin man duct-taped a woman, broke her shoulder and threatened to bury her in the backyard during a harrowing attack, a court has heard.
Rob Kidd
Parking bonus for shoppers in CBD December 22, 2025
PHOTOS: PETER MCINTOSH Central Dunedin carpark user Maria Abadie is chuffed she does not have to pay for parking in Stuart St yesterday.
Injured person extricated December 22, 2025
PHOTO: GREGOR RICHARDSON Firefighters use an aerial unit to extricate a person with serious injuries from a two-storey building in Victoria Rd, St Kilda, yesterday.
Alarming melanoma results from spot checks December 22, 2025
Melanoma New Zealand’s new van will continue to tour around urban and rural areas so its nurse educator can carry out free checks for skin cancer. PHOTO: MELANOMA NZ A spot check of South Islanders has turned up some alarming statistics around skin cancer-related symptoms.
Finally, some progress to report December 22, 2025
Southern health facilities have provided a stream of bad news stories for many years due to their inadequacy, disrepair and lack of capacity.
Cartoonist’s view — Yeo December 22, 2025
Today's cartoon from Shaun Yeo.
A no-present Christmas? Still time to change your mind December 22, 2025
Now Jim, about this no-presents malarkey. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES "Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas, Jim."
Getting shirty about a protest shirt December 22, 2025
Bruce Mahalski and his counsel, Rhona Daysh, outside the Dunedin District Court. PHOTO: GREGOR RICHARDSON Suitable courtroom attire is entirely a judge’s preserve, Kevin Phillips writes.
Family time is the winner at Christmas December 22, 2025
Otago golfer Ben Patston hopes to be in a celebratory mood when the New Zealand interprovincial is held at Balmacewen next year. PHOTO: GERARD O’BRIEN Otago sports figures will be far and wide this Christmas — but they will all be dreaming of happiness and success in 2026. The Otago Daily Times sports department asks some of them […]

Search New Zealand News

December 20, 2025

Waikato’s Newstead Orchard: Future secured as new partner takes over operations

You Missed

Deloitte Top 200 2025: Top 30 financial institutions lift profits 10.6% in 2025

Pāmu Landcorp boss promises better financial performance, says there are ‘conversations’ around its future

Waikato’s Newstead Orchard: Future secured as new partner takes over operations

Kaikōura developer Garry Robertson launches defamation action against district council and senior official

Search New Zealand News