Category Archives: New Zealand

Canada’s ex-spy chief says White House response to Signal leak threatens ‘Five Eyes’ security

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Former intelligence head said leak and White House response was ‘very worrying’ to allies of the US

Canada’s former spy chief has said the Trump administration’s attempts to downplay the leak of top-secret attack plans is a “very worrying” development, with implications for broader intelligence sharing among US allies.

On Wednesday, the Atlantic magazine published new and detailed messages from a group chat, including plans for US bombings, drone launches and targeting information of the assault, including descriptions of weather conditions. Among the recipients of the messages was a prominent journalist, who was inadvertently added to the group.

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Once named world’s ugliest animal, blobfish wins New Zealand’s fish of the year

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Made up of blobby tissue and living deep in the ocean, the distinctive species beat the longfin eel and pygmy pipehorse in the annual contest

It was once crowned the “world’s ugliest animal” and now the disgruntled-looking gelatinous blobfish has a new gong to its name: New Zealand’s fish of the year.

The winning species of blobfish, Psychrolutes marcidus, lives in the highly pressurised depths off the coasts of New Zealand and Australia and has developed a unique anatomy to exist. Blobfish do not have a swim bladder, a full skeleton, muscles or scales. Instead, their bodies are made up of blobby tissue with a lower density than water that allows them to float above the seafloor.

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Police launch new search for fugitive father and children missing in New Zealand wilderness for three years

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Over the next few days police will be ‘present’ in the remote Marokopa area where Tom Phillips and his three children are believed to be hiding

New Zealand police are launching a fresh operation in the rugged North Island wilderness to track down a fugitive father and his three children who have been missing for more than three years.

Just before Christmas 2021, Tom Phillips fled into a remote area of Waikato with his children Ember, thought to be now aged 9, Maverick, 10, and Jayda, 11, following a dispute with their mother. Phillips does not have legal custody for his children.

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New Zealand’s high commissioner to the UK loses job after Trump comments

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Phil Goff questioned Donald Trump’s grasp of history at a Chatham House event in London, prompting the foreign minister to say his position is ‘untenable’

New Zealand’s high commissioner to the United Kingdom has been removed from his role after publicly questioning US President Donald Trump’s grasp of history – remarks that have rendered his position “untenable” in the eyes of New Zealand’s government.

At a public Chatham House event in London this week, high commissioner Phil Goff asked a question of Finnish foreign affairs minister Elina Valtonen, who was speaking on how to keep the peace with Russia, with which Finland shares a border.

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Row erupts in New Zealand parliament over use of Māori name Aotearoa

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Dispute emerges after deputy prime minister Winston Peters questioned why MPs used the name Aotearoa in debates

The speaker of New Zealand’s parliament has told lawmakers to stop complaining about the use of the Māori name for the country, after the deputy prime minister strongly objected to hearing it in the house.

In a ruling on Tuesday, Gerry Brownlee said that while “New Zealand” is the official name, the Māori name “Aotearoa” is used widely, including on currency and passports.

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‘Gandalf’ accused of selling illegal medicinal cannabis in New Zealand

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Outrage over targeting of one of New Zealand’s alleged ‘green fairies’ who provide cheaper medicinal cannabis without prescription

Police have shut down the alleged medicinal cannabis operation of one of New Zealand’s most renowned “green fairies”, prompting an outpouring of support from a prominent politician and the hundreds of people who rely on such products to ease their pain.

Police raided the rural Northland property of 66-year-old Paul Smith – more widely known as “Gandalf” – last week, destroying plants and greenhouses and seizing cannabis products. Smith was charged with cultivating, possessing for supply and selling cannabis – which could carry an eight-year jail sentence – and was summonsed to court.

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Penny Wong accuses Coalition of ‘gunboat diplomacy’ in Senate estimates as Chinese warships sail into Great Australian Bight

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James Paterson questions whether PM was across detail of live-fire drill, prompting Wong to say opposition senator ‘not actually interested in detail’

Three Chinese warships have sailed west into the Great Australian Bight, as Penny Wong accuses the Coalition of deliberately stirring controversy over live-fire drills that the flotilla conducted last week in the Tasman Sea.

During a fractious Senate estimates hearing Thursday morning, the foreign affairs minister accused the shadow home affairs spokesperson, James Paterson, of ignoring national security in favour of spearheading a “political attack” on the government.

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New Zealand’s top diplomat tells China sudden live-fire drills represent ‘failure’ in relationship

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Winston Peters says he told Chinese counterpart Wang Yi not enough warning was given about recent navy exercises that forced planes to divert

New Zealand’s foreign minister said he had raised concerns over China’s recent live-fire drills in the Tasman Sea during meetings with Chinese leaders on Wednesday.

The issue was a lack of notice given to New Zealand over the military exercises off its coast, Winston Peters told reporters in Beijing after meetings with Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi and vice premier Han Zheng.

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Dutton accuses Albanese of ‘ducking and weaving’ as PM at odds with ADF timeline of Chinese live-fire drill notification

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Opposition leader says Albanese ‘failing to answer basic questions’ as PM claims civilian and military notification happened ‘at around the same time’

Anthony Albanese says Australia received civilian and military notifications about Chinese live-fire drills in the Tasman Sea “at around the same time”, despite the chief of the Australian defence force telling Senate estimates the military notification came an hour after the commercial pilot.

The defence chief also revealed Chinese warships south of Hobart appeared likely to sail through the Great Australian Bight, and could be accompanied by an undetected nuclear submarine.

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New Zealand minister quits after having ‘placed hand’ on staffer’s arm

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‘I took the discussion too far,’ says commerce minister Andrew Bayly, calling his own behaviour ‘overbearing’

A New Zealand government minister said on Monday he had resigned from his post after “placing his hand” on a staff member’s upper arm during an “animated” discussion.

The country’s minister for commerce and consumer affairs, Andrew Bayly, told reporters his behaviour towards the staff member had been “overbearing”.

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‘Extremely capable’ weapons on Chinese warships off Australia’s east coast, NZ government says

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New Zealand defence minister Judith Collins says department has ‘never seen a task group of this capability undertaking this sort of work’

New Zealand’s defence minister has warned that Chinese warships located off the east coast of Australia are armed with “extremely capable” weapons that could reach Australia.

The three vessels, known as Taskgroup 107, undertook two live-fire exercises in the seas between Australia and New Zealand last week, causing commercial flights to be diverted in the skies above.

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Worm-like creature with ‘dark secret’ wins New Zealand bug of the year award

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Velvet worms have rows of pudgy legs, skin speckled like a galaxy and dissolve their prey with sticky goo

An ancient gummy-looking worm-like creature with a vicious hunting method that involves projecting sticky goo from its head has been crowned New Zealand’s bug of the year.

The Peripatoides novaezealandiae is from the family of velvet worms, or Ngāokeoke in the Māori language. The invertebrates have rows of pudgy legs and skin speckled like a galaxy, and are considered “living fossils”, having remained virtually unchanged for 500m years.

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Cook Islands releases terms of deal with China amid protests about lack of transparency

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Agreement includes sections on deep-sea mining and education, document shows, as opposition accuses PM of risking relationship with New Zealand

A strategic partnership deal between China and the Cook Islands spans areas from deep-sea mining to education scholarships but excludes security ties, a document released by the Pacific island nation’s government showed.

Western nations that traditionally held sway in the region have become increasingly concerned about China’s push for influence in the Pacific, after Beijing signed defence, trade and financial deals with countries in the region over the past three years.

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Cook Islands PM defends signing of wide-ranging deal with China

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Mark Brown says Beijing deal that covers trade, investment, oceans, infrastructure and transport complements ties with New Zealand

The Cook Islands says it has signed a deal to expand relations with China, stressing that the accord does not impinge on ties with former colonial power New Zealand.

Prime minister Mark Brown said he signed an “action plan for the comprehensive strategic partnership” with Chinese premier Li Qiang in the northern city of Harbin during a five-day state visit to China last week.

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New Zealand’s ‘Everyone must go!’ tourism campaign ridiculed as emigration hits record high

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Tagline has quickly become the subject of derision, with some critics likening it to a clearance sale slogan

A New Zealand tourism campaign targeting Australian visitors has been ridiculed for sounding like a clearance sale slogan and for being tone-deaf amid widespread public service job cuts and record numbers of New Zealanders moving overseas.

The government launched its “Everyone must go!” campaign on Sunday, in a bid to encourage Australian holiday-makers to visit New Zealand. The NZD$500,000 campaign will run on radios and social media in Australia between February and March.

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New Zealand government loses ground in polls as economic concerns grow

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1News Verian poll shows Christoper Luxon dropped 22% in the preferred prime minister stakes, his lowest result as leader

New Zealand’s National-led coalition government is losing support among voters, new polling shows, amid frustrations over the economy and deepening concern the country is heading in the wrong direction.

Meanwhile, the parliamentary left bloc has taken a narrow lead for the third poll in a row, enough that the opposition would be able to form a government were an election held today.

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New Zealand raises ‘concern’ as Cook Islands prepares to sign China deal

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Deputy PM says New Zealand hasn’t been adequately consulted on an agreement the Cook Islands leader is expected to sign in Beijing this week

A diplomatic row has erupted between two tight-knit Pacific countries, after New Zealand said the Cook Islands failed to properly consult on its plans to deepen ties with China amid growing concerns over Beijing’s push for influence in the region.

The Cook Islands was a dependent New Zealand colony from 1901-1965 but has since operated as a self-governing nation in “free association” with New Zealand. Its roughly 17,000 citizens hold New Zealand citizenship. There are obligations between the two nations to regularly consult on matters of defence and security.

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Māori protesters turn their backs on government ministers at Waitangi Day event

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Anger at policies that roll back Māori rights surface as rightwing Act party leader David Seymour has microphone removed twice and protesters stage walkout

If New Zealand’s coalition government had prepared for political fireworks from Indigenous leaders on the eve of the country’s national day, they were met with something arguably even louder: turned backs and silence.

Under a blazing hot sun on Wednesday, political leaders gathered at the Waitangi treaty grounds in New Zealand’s far north to celebrate Waitangi Day, which marks the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi/Te Tiriti o Waitangi in 1840. The treaty, signed by Māori chiefs and the British Crown is considered New Zealand’s founding document and is instrumental in upholding Māori rights.

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New Zealand relaxes visa rules to lure digital nomads and influencers

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Changes mean visitors and influencers working for foreign employers can stay longer in bid to boost tourism

New Zealand has relaxed its visitor visa rules to attract so-called “digital nomads” in a bid to boost tourism and the economy.

Visitor visas will now allow people to work remotely for a foreign employer while they are visiting New Zealand for up to 90 days. The visa can be extended up to nine months but visitors may need to pay tax during this time.

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Prime Minister: Jacinda Ardern documentary featuring home videos premieres at Sundance

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The film includes footage shot by Clarke Gayford, the husband of the former New Zealand prime minister

A documentary traversing former New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern’s leadership and personal life through home videos, archival footage and fresh interviews has premiered at Sundance.

The film, Prime Minister, directed by Michelle Walshe and Lindsay Utz covers Ardern’s five-year tenure, after her abrupt ascension to leader of the Labour party in 2017, just six weeks out from an election her party was widely expected to lose. On a wave of popularity dubbed “Jacindamania”, the then-37-year-old led the party to victory, becoming the world’s then-youngest ever female leader.

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