2026

Media Insider: 26 predictions for New Zealand media in 2026 (and how our 2025 predictions fared)

New Zealand Blog News Service Jan 2, 2026

The best-read and most engaging Media Insider stories of past 12 months and more CEO Q&As.http://dlvr.it/TQ6qTY

Failed property developer Ritesh Mani must pay $750,000 to supplier, court orders

New Zealand Blog News Service Jan 1, 2026

Twice-bankrupted Ritesh Mani’s Eco-Smart Homes owed more than $750,000 to a supplier.http://dlvr.it/TQ60TH

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: January 3 January 2, 2026
Test your local and general knowledge by taking the Otago Daily Times quiz for Saturday, January 3.
Tireless work of women’s stalwart January 2, 2026
Farah Palmer returned to Dunedin recently to be guest speaker at St Hilda’s Collegiate’s prizegiving. Photo: Peter McIntosh Farah Palmer broke the glass ceiling in women’s rugby and continues to advocate for others to do the same.
Kayla Hodge
Patient portal privacy January 2, 2026
It is easy to understand why we want to have control over who has access to our health information.
Cartoonist’s view — Yeo January 2, 2026
Shaun Yeo's best of 2025.
Letters to the Editor: birdsongs and balderdash January 2, 2026
A Town Belt resident contemplates changing times. PHOTO: STEPHEN JAQUIERY Today's Letters to the Editor from readers cover topics including plans to close the Town Belt to vehicle traffic, and to suggest that protests against genocide are antisemitic.
Flooding in Netherlands January 2, 2026
Floodwater breaks like sea waves against a highway near Grave, North Brabant province, after the Maas (or Meuse) River burst dykes in the Netherlands. — Otago Witness, 2.3.1926 Amsterdam, January 2 (Received Jan 3, at 5.5pm): A dyke on the Meuse, near Cuyck, collapsed, torrents of water rushing into the eastern part of the province.
Obituary: Sam Lovell, Aboriginal leader January 2, 2026
Nyikina elder Sam Lovell was regarded as the founder of Aboriginal tourism.
Five horses worth backing today January 2, 2026
After a great day of racing at Omakau yesterday, the Central Otago Summer Circuit heads to Roxburgh tomorrow.
Jonny Turner
In living memory January 2, 2026
Photo: ODT files Forty-one members of the Hāwea-Wānaka Pony Club were pictured heading along the main highway above Lake Hāwea in January 1986.
Those getting stuff done, or needing to get more stuff done January 2, 2026
Invercargill National MP Penny Simmonds. Photo: RNZ Although everyone else does "Politician of the year", at Southern Say we eschew such tawdry baubles.
Mike Houlahan

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2026

Media Insider: 26 predictions for New Zealand media in 2026 (and how our 2025 predictions fared)

Failed property developer Ritesh Mani must pay $750,000 to supplier, court orders

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Media Insider: 26 predictions for New Zealand media in 2026 (and how our 2025 predictions fared)

Failed property developer Ritesh Mani must pay $750,000 to supplier, court orders

Election 2026 a toss-up as Luxon India deal, AI revolution reshape economy – Richard Prebble

Holiday blues make for quiet end to NZX year – Market close

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