Happy birthday, GST. You probably pay it every day - 70c or so on a bottle of milk, $150 on an airfare.But did you know the tax, which is applied to almost everything you buy, has turned 40?This December marks 40 years since the law changed to allow Goods and Services Tax (GST) to be introduced in New Zealand. It took effect the following October.Alan Bullot, a GST expert at Deloitte, said there was a lot to celebrate about the tax."New Zealand certainly wasn't a trailblazer, but the GST legislation we brought in in New Zealand is seen universally as almost being best practice from a tax design point of view."It has a broad base that has very few exceptions and it just gets on with the business of what the tax is supposed to do, which is collect some money for the government to go off and do what the government needs to."He said when GST was first introduced in New Zealand, about 30 or 40 countries had a similar tax."Now, it's the vast majority of countries other than America that have a national GST or VAT regime."Governments just love GST or VATs because they can forecast its collection a lot better because it functions over the whole economy. It's a test of what the economy is doing."If you think about company tax, if I make a profit Inland Revenue can say 'you made a $100 profit in the company and 28c is coming in'. That's great, but if I've made a loss for two or three years, even if I made a profit of $100 this year the government might not get anything because I've got to go through my loss that's in there."It's much harder for the government to forecast exactly how much money will be coming in from income tax."More change coming?Over the years, the rate has lifted from 10 percent to 12.5 percent to the 15 percent we now pay.Bullot said it had also had to keep up with technology.GST now applied to almost all international purchases imported into New Zealand."If you think about 1985, you might have heard of a CD. You may have seen a CD, that would be the pinnacle of music. You would have had a Walkman, you certainly weren't able to download endless amounts of songs from overseas, you couldn't download any movies."If you wanted to order anything online you couldn't. If you wanted to order something from overseas that would have been pretty difficult… it was just so different in terms of the way that things would operate."The fundamentals of GST haven't changed, but it has had to keep adapting to the economy it operates in."Every so often, there are calls for GST to be taken off things like public transport or food. Bullot said that was possible, but there would be drawbacks."Every time you do that, you add a bit of additional complications for businesses that are having to deal with it. And more to the point, if you're not collecting it here, where are you collecting it?"Bullot said Australia had more exemptions than New Zealand, but had been discussing whether to increase its coverage.Treasury recently calculated that if nothing else were to change, GST might have to increase to 32 percent to cover the cost of an ageing population.Bullot said another option would be not to have income tax but to charge a much higher rate of GST."Would people accept the doubling of GST?"He said he could not see a future where GST was not a very significant part of the tax take."I think that it will stay that way. I think it is unlikely for it to increase from this rate from a practical political perspective. I think it is much more a case of we just need to keep making sure that it's fit for purpose."He said Inland Revenue should change the rules if GST was not working as intended over time."I think Inland Revenue needs to be able to use that power perhaps a little more frequently sometimes rather than us going into sort of long technical debates… Sometimes we should just say what's best for 'New Zealand Inc' and let's move on."Roger Douglas, finance minister at the time GST was introduced. Photo: TVNZHe said it was notable the level of GST tax debt had also increased recently and the government would need to continue to take action on it."I think it really needs to be a focus, because GST isn't working if we're getting information on returns but no cash. GST's job is to collect large amounts of money in a consistent manner for the government, for the government to do the government's programmes with the least amount of economic damage to the country in terms of compliance costs, uncertainty…"Businesses can work around odd rules as long as they can see that they're going to be there and they're not going to flip and change."Is the tax regressive?A major criticism of GST is that it is regressive because lower-earning households tend to spend more of their money, and spend more of it on things that attract GST.Bullot said when the tax was introduced, benefits were increased to help cover the cost. He said the tax might not be as regressive as some people worried."When you look at what people in the lower incomes are spending their money on, a lot of it is residential rent, which is one of the big aspects that doesn't have GST charged on it."Whereas if you are going out and you're lucky enough to be in the financial position to buy a new house, for instance, when you're buying that new house off the developer and say that was $500,000, you're paying them $75,000 GST on top of that."Financial services and rent were some of the few things exempt from GST.Could we introduce a tax like this now?New taxes tend to be politically difficult. Bullot said the environment was different in 1985."It was coming in as part of a range of things… the floating of the New Zealand dollar, deregulation, we had a wage price freeze not many years before that, we'd had carless days and the GST coming through was just another one of those things."There was some pushback ,but not massive amounts, and there were significant cuts in the top rate of income tax."Good sales pitchInfometrics chief forecaster Gareth Kiernan said it helped that the tax replaced other complicated sales taxes, and happened alongside income tax cuts.He said income tax was almost 75 percent of the tax take in March 1986, and that had dropped to 69 percent in June this year as the share of GST lifted to 24.4 percent.The top income tax rate dropped from 66 percent two years later.Infometrics chief forecaster Gareth Kiernan. Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King"The pre-MMP political environment was such that large changes could be made relatively easily, whereas political policy now is often very much about compromise between the various parties in the governing coalition."Interestingly, the yearbook also notes reviews in 1967 and 1982, both of which recommended greater reliance on indirect taxes, with mention also being made of the need to reform existing indirect taxes - so it wasn't like GST was something that came completely out of the blue."I can't comment on the sales job that Labour did around introducing GST in the 1980s, but it must have been reasonably good, given that the party was re-elected in 1987."Perhaps an analogy can be drawn with the current (longstanding) debate about capital gains tax. From an economist's point of view, a move to tax profits on property more fully is a positive, because it means that person who has lots of money and assets would then be taxed more fully than currently, compared to the low-asset wage-earner who doesn't have the ability to tap into these tax-free gains."It seems to me that the problem is in the sales pitch, which for the last six years has been 'here's a new tax', rather than 'this tax change will enable us to reduce income tax for the 80 percent of the population who aren't property investors'."But even with its recent announcement, Labour was finding new ways to spend money from the additional tax, rather than just looking to make the tax system fairer."Economist Shamubeel Eaqub said he thought it would be possible for a government to do something similar with a tax on capital."It will happen with the political calculus of bankrupting our grandchildren forces us to."

The Hibiscus Coast App now connects 1 in 3 local households and reaches over 9,000 loyal customers every month.This is the easiest way to reach engaged locals across the Hibiscus Coast, from Milldale to Army Bay.The Hibiscus Coast App makes local visibility simple and highly effective!This isn't complicated digital ad management; these are done-for-you local ads, offering rapid setup and immediate, no-stress exposure.We reach a highly affluent audience—over three-quarters are homeowners with high average incomes.Locals spend over two minutes per visit on the app, proving their loyalty.The platform delivers 24/7 visibility right in your customer's pocket.Forget the guesswork of old media.The Hibiscus Coast App provides simple, measurable performance data for every advertiser, backed by 25 years of digital marketing experience.Local businesses can have a dedicated business profile page in the app, which is vital for tracking your advertising results and cutting through the noise.We compile this data into a clear performance report showing your true return on investment.You can capture this guaranteed attention using one of our targeted advertising packages that secure a high-visibility spot on the daily scroll.If you only need a solid base to start, a directory listing is a low-cost, foundational step to ensure everyone can easily find you.It’s a smart, cost-effective investment that allows your business to thrive and stand out within our community, starting from just $6/day.Know something local worth sharing?Send it to [email protected] — we’ll help spread the word.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has contacted thousands of Kiwis, including many on the Hibiscus Coast, to warn them their devices may be infected with malicious software. This is the first time the agency has undertaken such a large public outreach effort.Around 26,000 email addresses received the legitimate notice.The issue relates to malware called Lumma Stealer, which typically impacts devices running Microsoft Windows.This nasty software is designed to steal sensitive information like email addresses and passwords, often leading to fraud or identity theft.NCSC's Chief Operating Officer, Michael Jagusch, confirmed they were alerted via cyber security partnerships and worked with government and financial institutions to notify affected users.If you got an email from the NCSC, it means your device's passwords and login details for online accounts may have been stolen.You might notice unusual account activity or unauthorised transactions. Your antivirus may have already flagged it.If you're affected, the NCSC wants you to take immediate steps to secure your device and accounts.You can contact an IT provider for support, or run a scan yourself using Windows Defender. For the most effective solution, you could factory reset your device, but remember to back up your data first!After cleaning your device, it's crucial to immediately update your operating system, change all your passwords, and reset two-factor authentication on key accounts like banking, email, and social media.This type of malware is a growing international issue, so we should all review our device security.Seen something local we should cover?Let us know at [email protected]

Come on, baby, light my fire.We can be pretty sure Jim Morrison wasn’t referring to BBQ when he wrote those famous lyrics – but he may as well have been. As the weather starts to warm across the country, throngs of people will take to the great outdoors to bask in the sun, crack open a cold one and, inevitably, fire up the grill.It’s a pattern we all know well. But it tends to overshadow another often overlooked pattern, concerning who is holding the tongs?Traditional masculinity continues to have a stronghold on BBQ. Even as other forms of cooking are (unfairly) treated as “womens’ work”, cooking meat on an open flame is largely framed as an activity for men.How might we explain these gendered dynamics?Which came first, the human or the fire?According to English anthropologist Richard Wrangham, the ability to control fire, and therefore cook food, was the key driver in human evolution. In Wrangham’s words, “we humans are the cooking apes, the creatures of fire”.Gender division in food and cookery is nothing new. Our prehistoric ancestors structured their society around food. There’s a common perception these early societies were simply split into two groups of “man the hunter” and “woman the gatherer”.Reality, however, was far more nuanced, with many experts suggesting communal wellbeing overrode distinct gender division. And increasing evidence suggests that, despite their child-rearing responsibilities, women would have hunted, just as men would have gathered.Today, it is women who do the majority of household cooking in Australia.The original barbiesIn terms of food preparation, butchering predates cooking, and can be traced back to about 2.6 million years ago.Filleting meat into smaller pieces made it easier to chew and digest large mammals such as mammoths, which allowed meat to become part of our diets early on. There is indirect evidence that homo erectus’ anatomy diverged from non-human primates some 1.9 million years ago because of this shift in diet.While it’s unclear exactly when humans started to control and manipulate fire, evidence of cooking in the Levant region goes as far back as 780,000 years.There was even an entire mammoth economy around the end of the last ice age (27,000 years ago), which involved procurement, carcass transport, butchery, food preparation and storage.Meat was cold-smoked in smokehouses, allowing it to be consumed fresh, or stored long-term. But experts are divided as to who did the cooking. Did the hunters bring their catch back to the group to cook, or did they cook it at the kill site? The general consensus is it was probably both.Why are BBQs such a sausage fest?Not only do women do most of the cooking today, they also spend the most time hunting and gathering (from the supermarket). However, this gap is narrowing – particularly in certain demographics.The genderisation of food remains strong in the retail industry, and extends to advertising and marketing. When did you last see an ad that showed a woman in charge of the BBQ?Barbecue cookbooks consistently have covers featuring men. There’s not a single woman to be found on the covers of the top 50 best-selling BBQ and grilling books on Amazon.And just as you’re more likely to see cake mixers on special for Mother’s Day, you’re more likely to see BBQ-related products on sale for Father’s Day.This gender divide is also noticeable in the professional hospitality industry.Chef Lennox Hastie of Sydney’s Firedoor restaurant is someone who knows a thing or two about fire. Hastie told us:There’s no denying that, historically, fire has been wrapped up in a kind of rugged mythology – primal, elemental, often masculine. But some of the oldest, most enduring fire traditions have always been in the hands of women – it’s the industry that’s been slow to catch up. […] Fire doesn’t care who you are. It doesn’t respect ego. It requires attentiveness, intuition, patience – qualities that aren’t gendered.Although deliberate fire starting, or arson, is a male dominated crime, there’s no evidence men are biologically wired, or pathologically driven, toward fire-setting.Their over-representation in arson may be better explained by social, behavioural and psychological risk factors, including peer influence, antisocial personality traits, and a lack of emotional regulation.Peacocking at the grillBackyard BBQ as we know it is a relatively recent thing, gradually infiltrating our lifestyles in the 1950s and becoming firmly embedded with the introduction of the gas BBQ in the 1960s.In many ways it is the modern equivalent of the Sunday roast; it fulfils the role of social and cultural ritual and reflects aspects of prestige, generosity and patriarchy. All of this plays into hegemonic masculinity, which frames men as the dominant sex in society: the provider, the carver, the griller.In contrast, everyday cookery tends to be seen as domestic work, more in service of family wellbeing than a show of social status. It is an unpaid and often undervalued part of the invisible labour that still falls largely on woman.It’s difficult to give precedence to just one of the multitude of theories that try and explain mens’ dominance over the BBQ. But there is a high chance historical social stereotypes and gendered expectations have a role to play.Either way, best to keep a fire extinguisher handy.Written by: Auckland University of Technology's Senior Lecturer Rob Richardson and Lecturer Dianne MaSeen something local we should cover?Let us know at [email protected]

You might've heard about the big changes coming to New Zealand's building rules, and honestly, they sound like good news for us on the Hibiscus Coast.The Government's swapping out the old RMA law for a new planning system. Why? Because the RMA was acting like a big handbrake on building, making our housing crisis worse.The whole point of this new law is to make it much easier and faster to build the homes we need.It’s all about fixing the basics: land, services, and clear rules. The goal is to make sure there's enough land available so prices don't get crazy.One of the best changes is simplifying the rules. Right now, there are over a thousand different rulebooks across New Zealand—a total maze!The new system will standardise those zones. This means rules for things like building height and how much of your site you can cover will be consistent. Developers can use the same house plans anywhere, which speeds things up and saves money.What does this mean for your place? You’ll get more freedom. You won't need council permission for small things like your house layout, balconies, or private outdoor space anymore.If you do need a consent, the process will be simpler, cheaper, and clearer. Plus, new spatial plans will show exactly where new houses and roads will go, so developers can invest with confidence, and we’ll all know what’s coming.The Government's aiming to pass these new laws by 2026. Basically, it’s a big move to give homeowners more control and make building less of a headache.Know something local worth sharing?Send it to [email protected] — we’ll help spread the word.

A record-breaking November pushed New Zealand to its warmest spring on record.Data from Earth Sciences New Zealand (formerly NIWA) shows the average temperature across the country was 13.5°C, which was 1.3°C hotter than the long-term average and the warmest spring since records began in 1909.ESNZ meteorologist Chester Lampkin said the hotter-than-average weather sat within an overall warming climate trend, and was likely to continue into summer.Lampkin said September and October were already above average months this year."Then November ended up being a record-setter... If you recall, towards the end of the month we had some very hot temperatures."Across the country, 51 stations recorded their warmest average temperature, and seven places set new records during late November for the single hottest spring day.That included temperatures of close to or above 32°C in Whakatu in Hawke's Bay, Cheviot in North Canterbury and Dunedin.The hottest temperature recorded anywhere in the country was 33°C in Hastings, on 27 November - the second hottest day on record there.Lampkin said the record-setting warmth was driven by a north-westerly wind flow."We were getting a lot of warm air coming out of the Tasman and flowing over the country, both the North and the South Island."The water surrounding New Zealand, especially the North Island, was experiencing a marine heatwave, he said."When you have warm air flowing over warm water, you're going to get even warmer air once it hits the land."ESNZ's summer outlook was for above-average temperatures for most of the country, especially in the north of the North Island.Part of that was due to La Niña conditions that had formed, but it was also down to an overall climate trend, Lampkin said."It's going to be another warm, hot summer, and that certainly points to a new normal."It was possible more records could tumble."These warmer-than-average months, record-setting months, these more-than-average seasons are more likely to occur because of overall warming of the planet," he said."You've got warmer ocean temperatures, warmer water, you've got a warmer background climate state - it doesn't take much to push temperatures to record territory."The World Meteorological Organisation confirmed earlier this year that 2024 was the warmest year on record, based on six international datasets.It was the first year that average temperatures were more than 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has identified a long-term average of 1.5°C as the level of warming at which dangerous climate 'tipping points', such as the loss of coral reefs and catastrophic ice sheet melting, could begin to occur.It was important to remember there could still be cooler periods, Lampkin said."Even though you do have these hot months... it doesn't mean you can't have cold weather. It doesn't mean there won't be cold extremes - it just makes it harder for those occur."

Police have made arrests after gang offending at Ōrewa businesses led to raids in Auckland and the North Shore.Waitematā North Area Commander Inspector John Thornley says Operation Governor has focused on arson, dishonesty and criminal damage between September and early November. That includes an arson at a café on 1 November, an attempted arson and other damage at local businesses.Five people associated to the Headhunters gang have now been arrested. Today’s search warrants resulted in four arrests and 23 charges, with one further person referred to youth aid. Police are still seeking one outstanding offender.Those arrested are aged between 15 and 42 years. Charges laid include two counts of arson, two of burglary, two of intentional damage and two of unlawfully taking a motor vehicle. All are expected to appear in the North Shore District Court tomorrow.Inspector Thornley says the outcome will be a relief for locals after a run of incidents in a short space of time. “It’s always concerning in such a tight knit community when a series of confronting events like this happen in such a short space of time,” he says.He adds that Police will continue to prosecute those responsible and has thanked people who assisted detectives with their enquiries.Seen something local we should cover?Let us know at [email protected]

Planning your summer? Just a heads-up that Auckland Council services and facilities will run on different hours over the Christmas and New Year break.All libraries, Council-run community hubs, and arts centres are closed on six public holidays: Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day, January 2, Auckland Anniversary Day (January 26), and Waitangi Day (February 6).Your rubbish and recycling collections will continue over the summer, but look out for changes to your regular collection day in December and January. Normal collections restart on Monday, January 5, 2026.Remember, Local Board offices are closed over Christmas and will reopen in January or February.If you need to contact the Council, the Contact Centre is prioritising urgent safety calls only. Many services won't be available over Christmas, so check the Auckland Council website before the year wraps up.Pool and leisure centre hours are changing, too, so check the schedule online if you don’t want to miss your favourite swim spot or class.You can still book your regional park holidays and accommodation via the online booking system, as payments aren’t accepted at the parks themselves.Know something local worth sharing?Send it to [email protected] — we’ll help spread the word.

Why is there a lack of consistent supply of Anchor Trim milk at our local Hibiscus Coast supermarkets? The frustration on the Coast highlights a wider issue following a major change in the New Zealand dairy landscape.Dairy co-operative Fonterra recently sold its Anchor milk and butter and Mainland Cheese brands to the French company Lactalis for $4.2 billion. This deal has generated conversation among local consumers and the business community.The decision is seen by some, including Tim Hazledine, Emeritus Professor of Economics at the University of Auckland Business School, as an acknowledgement that Fonterra’s management has struggled to generate acceptable returns from these consumer assets. Tim Hazledine is Emeritus Professor of Economics at the University of Auckland Business School.The sale’s proceeds provided a significant tax-free payout to each of the co-op’s farmer shareholders.The change in ownership raises questions about the long-term future of these iconic brands in New Zealand.While the domestic dairy market accounts for a small portion of Fonterra’s total revenue, the brands hold significant cultural weight. Lactalis is a global company with processing facilities worldwide.Industry observers note that after a six-year statutory period, the French company could theoretically choose to process these products outside of New Zealand, using milk sourced from elsewhere. This would mean that products like Anchor butter and Mainland cheese consumed here could eventually be imported.Fonterra’s executives have stated that by freeing up capital and management attention from the consumer brands, they will be able to focus on their core "ingredients engine," which involves bulk products like milk powder and protein concentrate.The co-op’s financial performance over the past two decades shows that its growth in revenue and value added per kilogram of processed milk solids has significantly lagged behind international competitors.For the local businesses and residents of the Hibiscus Coast, the key focus remains on the reliability and quality of everyday dairy products. While the ownership has changed, the supply chain for now remains the same. The community awaits to see what approach the new French owners will take with these established and well-regarded Kiwi brands.Know something local worth sharing?Send it to [email protected] — we’ll help spread the word.

Kmart has been forced to recall yet more coloured sand products.Testing has found asbestos in licensed sensory activity sets branded with iconic kids' shows Paw Patrol, Frozen and Bluey.The store has sold approximately 684 units in New Zealand."The product may cause a risk to health as asbestos has been detected in some samples after laboratory testing," the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment's (MBIE) Product Safety site said.Three brands of Kmart activity sand have been recalled. Photo: Kmart / suppliedMBIE warned people not to touch the sand and to follow Health NZ advice for disposal."Importantly, respirable asbestos has not been detected in any of the tested samples. The release of respirable asbestos fibres is unlikely to occur in its current state, unless the sand is processed by mechanical means such as crushing or pulverising."The risk that any asbestos found, that is likely to be airborne or fine enough for inhalation, is low."Kmart has recalled other coloured sand products for the same reason.All of Kmart's currently recalled items can be found on its website.

Watercare is currently working five metres underground to install a major confluence chamber, which will link the new Northern Interceptor (Stage 1) to the Rosedale Wastewater Treatment Plant.This $25 million connection project will allow the first 10-kilometre section of the Northern Interceptor to begin service.The primary goal is to redirect wastewater from the Hobsonville Wastewater Pump Station directly to Rosedale, instead of the Māngere plant.Watercare head of wastewater planning, Andrew Deutschle, explained this move will improve network strength and help reduce the frequency and volume of overflows in the system.Building Around Existing InfrastructureThe excavation is taking place around the existing Wairau Valley Branch Sewer, one of the main pipelines feeding the treatment plant.The new confluence chamber is designed to integrate flows from three major sources: the Northern Interceptor, the Wairau Valley Branch Sewer, and the future Rosedale Rising Main.To keep the existing sewer in service during the work, crews had to install steel supports underneath a 35-tonne section of the pipe while digging five metres below it.The supports are reinforced by concrete piles and the pipe is held steady by slings throughout the construction process.Six Months of ConstructionCrews are using specialist heavy machinery, including a crawler crane that can lift up to 85 tonnes.The 12-metre by 11-metre chamber will require crews to drive steel sheets into the ground using a vibrohammer to create a secure box around the excavation. This stops the walls from collapsing as they work.Watercare expects the digging, construction, and backfill of the confluence chamber to take six months to complete.Once this Northern Interceptor connection is finished, it will support a future billion-dollar investment programme aimed at managing planned and future growth in Auckland’s north-west between 2026 and 2040.Know something local worth sharing?Send it to [email protected] — we’ll help spread the word.

Auckland’s economy has slipped slightly over the past year, and that slowdown is flowing through to Hibiscus Coast households, according to new figures from the Auckland Council Social and Economic Research and Evaluation Team’s December 2025 economic update. In the year to September 2025, Auckland’s GDP was 0.8 percent lower than a year earlier, compared with a 0.3 percent fall elsewhere in New Zealand.Retail spending tells a similar story. For the year to September, Auckland retail sales were 0.9 percent lower, with the rest of the country down 0.1 percent. That is better than the deeper falls seen from 2021 to 2024, but spending is still slightly negative despite more people living here, so activity has not yet returned to pre-Covid strength.Housing remains tough. The median Auckland house price in October was $1,033,000, about a third below the 2021 peak but still close to last year’s level. Sales volumes are trending up from their 2023 trough yet sit well below their 2021 peak. Rents are around $667 a week on average in Auckland, about 3 percent lower than a year ago and roughly the same as ten years ago once you adjust for inflation.New dwelling consents are slowly recovering, up 8 percent on a year ago but still well below 2022 highs, while non-residential building and imports show the same “off the peak but past the trough” pattern. For Coastie commuters, workers and small businesses, it all points to 2026 feeling a little less tight, even if any real pick-up will be slow.Know something local worth sharing?Send it to [email protected] — we’ll help spread the word.

Hibiscus Coast locals heading overseas for a summer getaway will have more choice, with Auckland Airport adding 207,000 extra international seats and lifting total capacity to 5.8 million seats across 43 global destinations.Chief Customer Officer Scott Tasker said overall international capacity is up close to 4 per cent on last summer, with Kiwis embracing overseas travel.In the year to September, more than 2.4 million New Zealanders flew out of Auckland, mainly to Australia, Fiji, China, the United States and the Cook Islands.Leisure trips are leading the recovery. Holiday travel is up 5 per cent, and journeys of 15 to 27 days have jumped 12 per cent, while shorter breaks have dipped slightly.Although summer capacity is still down 8 per cent, or 526,000 seats, on 2018/2019, each extra international aircraft touchdown brings around $1.4 million in economic value.North America is a major growth story, with seven airlines flying direct to seven cities and more premium seats on long-haul routes.Asia is also on the rise, with strong growth to China, Indonesia including Bali, and Japan.Six airlines now link Auckland to eight mainland Chinese cities, with new and returning services expected to bring tens of thousands more visitors.“It’s shaping up to be a solid summer for our local tourism industry and for New Zealanders heading overseas,” Mr Tasker said.“With more capacity, extended seasonal flights and growing choice across our global network, it’s another step forward in connecting New Zealand with the world.”Know something local worth sharing?Send it to [email protected] — we’ll help spread the word.

Holiday timetable changes will affect buses and Gulf Harbour ferries used by many Hibiscus Coast commuters from Wednesday, 24 December 2025 to Friday, 2 January 2026, with Gulf Harbour changes continuing through to Sunday, 4 January 2026.On buses, Christmas Eve runs to the normal timetable.Christmas Day and Boxing Day use a Sunday timetable, with late-night services between midnight and 3am on Boxing Day.Saturday, 27 December runs a Saturday timetable with extra late-night buses after midnight, and Sunday, 28 December returns to the normal timetable.Monday, 29 and Tuesday, 30 December, plus New Year’s Eve on Wednesday, 31 December, all use a Saturday timetable, with extra late-night services after midnight on New Year’s Eve.New Year’s Day on Thursday, 1 January runs a Sunday timetable.Friday, 2 January also uses a Saturday timetable with extra late-night services after midnight.The NX1 will operate a special peak timetable, with 13 peak services extended from Albany through to Hibiscus Coast Station.For Gulf Harbour ferries, the pattern is:Wed 24 Dec: normal timetableThu 25 to Sun 28 Dec: no servicesMon 29 to Wed 31 Dec: normal timetableThu 1 to Sun 4 Jan: no servicesSeen something local we should cover?Let us know at [email protected]

More nurses can now prescribe more medicines locally, speeding up care for people across New Zealand.Health Minister Simeon Brown says improving access to healthcare in communities is a key priority for the Government. “These changes will mean people can get the medicines they need more quickly, with fewer delays and better continuity of care,” he says.Under changes authorised by the Director-General of Health, registered nurse prescribers will be able to prescribe 211 additional medicines, on top of the more than 240 they can already prescribe. The new list covers common and long-term conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, respiratory conditions and menopause symptoms, which many people rely on for regular treatment from their local clinic.There are around 1,570 registered nurse prescribers working in primary care, community health and specialist services such as diabetes, respiratory and sexual health. Pharmacist prescribers in hospitals and general practice can already prescribe over 1,700 medicines and will see their list expanded by 20 more, supporting more integrated care close to home.The expanded lists reflect the advanced education, training and clinical expertise of nurse and pharmacist prescribers and sit alongside wider work to improve access to medicines, including more flexibility for other prescribing professions and new powers for podiatrists. From 1 February 2026, some people on stable long-term medicines will also be able to receive prescriptions for up to 12 months, reducing costs and helping them stay on top of their treatment.Mr Brown says enabling health professionals to work at the top of their scope will improve care while easing pressure on other parts of the health system.Seen something local we should cover?Let us know at [email protected]

Biosecurity New Zealand urges Aucklanders to be on the lookout for yellow-legged hornets or nests, as numbers of the pest keep climbing.Thirty-three Queen Hornets have so far been found in the Glenfield and Birkdale areas of the North Shore - two more since Friday - 21 with developed nests or signs of nests.Biosecurity NZ north commissioner Mike Inglis said the hornets had not spread yet from Glenfield and Birkdale.Officials have put up signs within one kilometre of where the hornets were initially found, including in the suburb of Milford, alerting people to the invasive insect.Biosecurity NZ north commissioner Mike Inglis. Photo: RNZ/Marika KhabaziInglis said that was just to raise awareness of the issue, rather than to signal the hornets had spread."All we are doing is continuing to engage the public, get some signage up."If you spot one, take a picture of it - if it's a nest, take a picture of it. Don't disturb it, contact our hotline and our expert staff will be out to deal with it."Inglis said teams had set more than 617 traps to eradicate the invasive insects, which were nearly twice the size of the common wasp and could wipe out bee colonies.Trapping has already been extended out to 5km from the hornet detections, with a combination of carbohydrate and protein traps.Inglis said staff would consult the technical advisory group overseeing the issue over extending further.The insect traps hanging from trees around some locations in Auckland. Photo: RNZ/Marika KhabaziHe said tracking technology from the Netherlands had arrived, which focused on worker hornets and tracked those hornets back to the nest.There were signs of worker hornets operating and more were likely to appear over the next 4-6 weeks, he said."We'll start to find some worker hornets as well, in terms of they're going out and building a secondary nest, they go foraging generally within the same area."He said Biosecurity NZ had received more than 4860 messages from the public so far about the hornets.

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On the Hibiscus Coast, a Facebook Marketplace scam is a reminder to double check payments before handing things over.Police say a man listed his PlayStation 5 last month to raise $750 for his wife’s dental surgery and agreed to sell it to a woman who contacted him online.She sent a screenshot claiming she had paid, and he handed over the console outside an address on Geordie Street in Henderson.When he later checked with his bank, no money had arrived.He went back to the address, met a different person, and neighbours mentioned similar incidents.Officers from the Waitematā West Enquiries Team identified a 37-year-old woman living on the street, arrested her without incident, and then found the PS5 at a nearby Cash Converters, where it was still in store.The console has been returned and she is due in Waitākere District Court on Monday, December 9, charged with obtaining by deception.Coasties can expect more reminders to meet buyers and sellers in public with a friend, not go into homes, and not pay or hand over items until money has cleared.You can find scam advice and safety tips at netsafe.org.nz/scams, and police.govt.nz/advice-services/cybercrime-and-internet.Know something local worth sharing?Send it to [email protected] — we’ll help spread the word.

A Friday morning burglary in Albany has Coasties reminded to report trouble quickly after Police recovered $20,000 in stolen clothing.At about 2.54am, alarms went off at a clothing retailer on Don McKinnon Drive. When officers arrived, they found the glass shop front smashed and the roller door pulled up. A stolen vehicle was parked outside, already full of stolen merchandise.Waitematā East Area Response Manager, Senior Sergeant CJ Miles, says officers arrived in time to catch the offender mid-raid.A person who was still loading more stolen goods into the vehicle walked out of the store and was taken into custody on the spot.Police recovered more than $20,000 worth of property from the scene. “This is a great example of how quick reporting greatly assists us in being able to stop offenders in their tracks,” Senior Sergeant Miles says.A 16-year-old was due to appear in North Shore Youth Court on Friday charged with burglary and unlawfully taking a vehicle.With many Coasties heading through Albany for Christmas shopping this weekend, Police say they will continue to have an increased presence in and around shopping precincts. They are thanking retailers who report suspicious activity and urge anyone who sees unlawful behaviour to contact Police.If it is happening now, or there are immediate safety concerns, call 111. For non-emergencies or information after the fact, go to 105.police.govt.nz and click “Make a Report” or call 105. Information can also be given anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.Seen something local we should cover?Let us know at [email protected]